Author - Jerry Paxton

Insta360 Releases Waterproof Housing

2017/11/08

Geek News, News, Tech News, Trailers / Videos

November 8, 2017 – Insta360 today launched the waterproof housing accessory for its 4K 360-degree action camera, the Insta360 ONE. The easy-to-use housing is backed with an IP68 rating, meaning that it’s protected against dust, splashing and submersion in water.

Once users pop their ONE into the housing, the camera is operable with a simple button on the outside of the housing or via Bluetooth control.

With the new housing, which weighs only 3.17 ounces (90 grams) and has a 9HD hardness rating, users will be able to capture stunning 360 video in a huge range of settings – from white-water rafting to rainforest treks.

The housing protects the ONE from water at depths of up to 30 meters. The camera, however, is not specifically designed for underwater video capture – the refraction that light undergoes as it passes through water can result in stitching lines between the images captured by the ONE’s two lenses.

But thanks to the ONE’s unique FreeCapture function, users can easily reframe the best parts of an underwater 360 video as standard, “flat” content to avoid stitching lines.

In any non-submersed scenarios, the waterproof housing can be used to output fully spherical, seamless 360 video and photos, stitched with Insta360’s industry-leading algorithm.

Available now at Insta360’s online store https://mall.insta360.com/product/one and our official Amazon store at http://bit.ly/insta360Amazon, the Insta360 ONE Waterproof Housing is priced at $49.00 USD.

A new version of the Insta360 ONE app, which will be released by Nov. 17, is needed when using the waterproof housing. Users should update the ONE app before using the waterproof housing.

TPCAST Now Available for US Pre-Order

2017/11/08

Jerry Paxton

Geek News, News, Tech News

SUNNYVALE, Calif., Nov. 08, 2017 — TPCAST, the first to market a wireless Virtual Reality (VR) solution for Head-Mounted Display (HMD) announces the launch of its Consumer Edition Wireless VR Adapter supporting the HTC VIVE. The TPCAST adapter will be available for pre-order through the primary web and retail stores throughout the US and Canada.

The TPCAST wireless adapter is a breakthrough in the field of VR, solving one of the most significant physical obstacles – the cumbersome wiring between the PC and the headset. The wireless adapter is a small device attached to the top of the Vive HMD replacing the cables connecting the PC video and USB to the headset. The adapter provides users an immersive VR experience including full-range motion capabilities without any impact on video quality and resolution. The adapter works perfectly with graphics intensive applications and with user extreme movement, without adding delay or affecting the experience quality. The Adapter includes a battery that powers the HMD, allowing up to 5 hours of operation.

“Following the pent-up demand in the North American market we’re excited to bring our revolutionary wireless technology to users,” said Michael Liu, founder, and CEO of TPCAST. “Gone are the days when VR users must settle for the tethered experience; North American users can now experience true freedom – the freedom to explore a beautiful scene, to turn 360 degrees, jump, and even flip without impediment. We believe this industry milestone changes the game for VR unleashing it into a wireless world.”

“One of our goals at Vive X is to strengthen and enrich the Vive Ecosystem, and that is precisely what we’re doing,” said Marc Metis, Global Head of Vive X. “Our investment in TPCAST was to help expedite bringing a wireless VR solution to market, and we’re very excited that wireless VR solutions are now available in multiple markets.”

TPCAST is working closely with HTC to identify top developers who can take advantage of the wireless adapter. TPCAST is providing early access to the technology to key

developers from a wide range of industries including Oil & Gas, Education, Medical, and Entertainment.

The TPCAST Consumer Edition Wireless Adapter was designed by TPCAST for the Virtual Reality HMD. The adapter for VIVE was tailored to support the HTC VIVE HMD. The kit consists of five parts: PC TX Module, RX Module, a router and a battery. The kit provides 2K resolution with a transmission delay of less than 2ms. By going wireless, consumers and enterprises can now enjoy the VR experience tangle-free on VIVE at home, work, or at any other locations.

Pricing & Availability
The TPCAST Wireless Adapter for Vive is available to for pre-order, at a price of US$299, via retail sites such as Amazon, NewEgg, and TPCAST’s website, as of November 8th, shipping will start November 24th.

About TPCAST
Creator of the first commercial wireless virtual reality solution, TPCAST’s vision is to unleash the VR world by making all HMDs wireless. The company’s patented technologies enable highly efficient bi-directional communications between the PC and a VR HMD with near-zero latency. Its mission is to work with all parties in the VR industry including HMD manufacturers, game developers, content providers, GPU makers, and key VR technology providers to deliver the best wireless VR experience to consumers and enterprise users.

SAG-AFTRA Approves Interactive Media Video Game Agreement

2017/11/07

Jerry Paxton

Geek News, Industry News, News

LOS ANGELES (November 7, 2017) – In national voting completed today, members of SAG-AFTRA voted overwhelmingly to approve the successor to the Interactive Media Video Game Agreement by a vote of 90 percent to 10 percent.

The terms of the tentative agreement, which was reached on September 22, include a new bonus structure that provides additional payments to performers based on number of sessions worked. The bonus payments, which are due no later than the release date of the game, begin with an additional $75 payment on the first session and totaling $2,100 after 10 sessions worked.

The deal also contains new transparency provisions that will enhance the bargaining power of our members’ representatives by requiring the companies to disclose the code name of project, its genre, whether the game is based on previously published intellectual property and whether the performer is reprising a prior role. Members are also protected by the disclosure of whether they will be required to use unusual terminology, profanity or racial slurs, whether there will be content of a sexual or violent nature and whether stunts will be required.

In addition, the deal includes an employer commitment to continue working with SAG-AFTRA on the issue of vocal stress during the term of the agreement.

SAG-AFTRA President Gabrielle Carteris said, “This agreement is the first step towards streamlining the work our members do in the video game industry. The deal includes significant improvements in the area of transparency and the payment structure ensures that our members are compensated fairly for their work. I am excited for what this means for our members moving forward.”

Says SAG-AFTRA National Executive Director David White, “I’d like to thank our Chief Contracts Officer Ray Rodriguez as well as our Interactive Negotiating Committee for leading these negotiations. This negotiation was hard fought and hard won. We achieved a stronger successor agreement and I am proud of the results.”

Adds Keythe Farley, chair of the SAG-AFTRA Interactive Negotiating Committee, “The bonus payments we asked for are now part of the video game industry and are a base from which to build upon. I’m excited for all that we have achieved.”

The agreement does not include several proposals sought by management, including a provision that would have fined performers for being late or distracted at session, another that would have required agents to submit performers for low-paying “atmospheric voice” sessions or face fines and a possible revocation of their union franchise, and another that would have allowed employers to use their permanent staff to do covered work outside of the collective bargaining agreement.

Informational voting cards were mailed to approximately 7,200 affected members of SAG-AFTRA, of which 10 percent voted. The final vote was certified by Integrity Voting Systems, an impartial election service based in Everett, Washington.

The agreement becomes effective November 8, 2017 and expires November 7, 2020.

The National Board unanimously approved the tentative agreement on October 9, 2017, ending a strike against 11 video game companies that began on October 21, 2016.

TRANSFORMERS: Titans Return Official Trailer

2017/11/07

Jerry Paxton

Geek News, Movie News, News, Trailers / Videos

November 7, 2017 – Hasbro, a global play and entertainment company, and Machinima, the premiere digital video programmer of gamer and fandom-focused content, have released the official trailer for the second chapter of the upcoming digital series TRANSFORMERS: TITANS RETURN.

The trailer provides a first look at the incredible voice-talent making their debut in the Prime Wars Trilogy including Peter Cullen, who originated the voice of Optimus Prime in the 1980s animated Transformers series, Judd Nelson, who is reprising his roles of Rodimus Prime and Hot Rod from the 1986 animated Transformers movie, Michael Dorn as Fortress Maximus, Wil Wheaton as Perceptor, Nolan North as Metroplex and Jason David Frank as Emissary.

Continuing the massive worldwide interest in Transformers: Combiner Wars, TITANS RETURN debuts November 14 in the U.S on Verizon’s go90, a premium mobile entertainment destination, and on Tumblr in the rest of the world, with the exception of Sohu.com in China. The series features 10 episodes at approximately 11 minutes per episode. Since launching the trilogy’s first installment of the digital series in August 2016, Transformers: Combiner Wars, has garnered more than 125 million global views across a variety of digital platforms.

ABOUT TITANS RETURN
TITANS RETURN stars Peter Cullen, who originated the voice of Optimus Prime in the 1980s animated Transformers series and will be making his Prime Wars Trilogy debut in the upcoming installment as the voice of Optimus Prime. Cullen will be joined by a host of fan favorites including Judd Nelson, who is reprising his roles of Rodimus Prime and Hot Rod from the 1986 animated Transformers movie, Michael Dorn as Fortress Maximus, Wil Wheaton as Perceptor, Nolan North as Metroplex and Jason David Frank as Emissary.

They are joined by returning talent from Combiner Wars, including Abby Trott (Windblade), Jason Marnocha (Megatron), Frank Todaro (Starscream), Lana McKissack (Mistress of Flame), and DashieGames (Menasor), as well as a new set of influencers like MatPat (Computron), Rob Dyke (Devastator) and Tay Zonday (Chorus of the Primes).

Picking up right where the destruction of the Combiner Wars left off, TITANS RETURN takes the action of the Prime Wars Trilogy to new ‘heights,’ and features return appearances from many fan-favorite Transformers characters as well as introduces new Autobots and Decepticons. In the series, enormous Transformers called Titans are awakened and these massive characters bring massive problems. Trypticon, a gigantic lizard-like Transformer, rises to wreak havoc on Cybertron, while Windblade and a rag-tag team of Transformers must resurrect an ancient ally. Not all Transformers will survive, as beloved heroes are changed forever while others’ sparks are blown to oblivion. Like Combiner Wars, sophisticated storytelling reveals more than meets the eye for older audiences and kids of all ages when a sinister secret is discovered.

ARK: Survival Evolved Launches on Xbox One X

2017/11/07

Jerry Paxton

Geek News, News, Trailers / Videos, Xbox One News

Seattle, WA – November 7, 2017 – Studio Wildcard today announced that its dinosaur survival-adventure game ARK: Survival Evolved is now available as a launch title for Xbox One X from Microsoft. Provided as a free update to Xbox players, ARK on Xbox One X takes full advantage of the new system’s power, delivering next-generation gaming with brilliant HDR visuals, 1440p high-resolution options, longer draw distances and enhanced visual effects, higher framerates, significantly reduced load times and much more. All these new features make ARK: Survival Evolved on Xbox One X the ultimate visually and technically advanced dinosaur survival experience on any console.

Watch the ARK “Respawn” live action trailer HERE:

“Ever since the original announcement of the Xbox One X, we’ve been excited to see how far Microsoft would push the hardware specs, and how far that would let us push ARK,” said Jeremy Stieglitz, Lead Designer, Lead Programmer, Development Director, Co-Creative Director, Co-Founder of Studio Wildcard. “When gamers get their hands on this powerful new console, and of course, on the new build of ARK, we expect they’ll be just as impressed as we are with how much more visually immersive the world of ARK becomes.”

More than 10 million players have washed up on the shores of the mysterious ARK island thus far, vying to survive by hunting, taming, training and breeding more than 100 dinosaurs and prehistoric creatures found wandering the vast open-world. Xbox One X owners of ARK will have immediate access to these Xbox One X enhancements, with progression following players from platform to platform.

Xbox One X Enhancements:

The “Eyes” Have It – Enjoy “Detail Mode” with buttery smooth 30 FPS gameplay at 1440p or 60 FPS at 1080p in “Medium Quality”
See Farther, and With More Detail: In 1440p “Detail Mode”, long-range shadows, high quality textures and extended draw distances enhance visual fidelity, while the “TrueSky” system renders volumetric clouds, realistic atmospheric fog & sunlight scattering, and dynamic weather systems.
Split Screen and Split Up: In local splitscreen multiplayer mode, players can now split up to independently explore the islands.
More Power Means More Players: With increased hardware performance, Xbox One X servers can now host 70 players in a game.
Get There Faster: Improved loading and streaming times get you where you want to go on the ARK faster than before!

Powered by Unreal Engine 4, ARK: Survival Evolved takes on the survival genre with a unique blend of emergent multiplayer cooperation and competition. Players awake stranded and starving on the beach of a mysterious island among a herd of other confused humans. On ARK, they must then hunt, harvest, craft, research technology, and build shelters to protect against scorching days, freezing nights, volatile weather systems, dangerous wildlife, and potential enemies. Tame, train, ride and breed one of 100 amazing dinosaurs and other prehistoric beasts, including gargantuan creatures on a scale never before seen in video games! Fly a Pteranodon squadron over the snow-capped mountains, race through the deep jungle with your pack of trained Raptors, tromp through a fortified enemy base along a convoy of gigantic Brontosaurus, or chase down prey on the back of a raging T-Rex.

ARK: Survival Evolved is rated “T” for Teen (Violence, Blood, Crude Humor, Use of Alcohol) by the ESRB.

Feel like riding a dinosaur? Join the ARK growing band of survivors in the community forums HERE: https://survivetheark.com/forums/

For the latest updates follow us on Twitter, like us on Facebook, subscribe to us on YouTube, visit the Website at playark.com and watch us tame and train leviathan dinosaurs on Twitch.TV.

Microsoft’s Xbox One X Launches

2017/11/07

Jerry Paxton

Geek News, News, Xbox One News

REDMOND, Wash. — Nov. 6, 2017 — The official launch of the world’s most powerful console, Xbox One X, brings a new era of immersive 4K gaming and 4K entertainment to gamers across the globe. With 40 percent more power than any other console, Xbox One X is where console gamers can play the best versions of games. The new console launches with the largest games lineup in Xbox history, with more than 70 Xbox One X Enhanced titles coming in the first week and more than 50 available on launch day, including “Forza Motorsport 7,” “Super Lucky’s Tale,” “Assassin’s Creed Origins,” “Middle-earth: Shadow of War,” and “FIFA 18.” The Xbox One games library consists of more than 1,300 games and more than 220 exclusives, all of which play best on Xbox One X. More titles are on the way like the hottest game on the planet “PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds,” releasing as an Xbox One console launch exclusive Dec. 12, 2017.

“We built Xbox One X to give game creators the most powerful platform to bring their visions to life and to give gamers the best console to play the games of the past, present and future,” said Phil Spencer, head of gaming, Microsoft Corp. “We’re excited to offer gamers the world’s most powerful console with access to the largest games lineup in Xbox history — more than 1,300 titles and more than 220 exclusives.”

Microsoft saw incredibly strong preorder sales of Xbox One X, and expects the new console to be in high demand this holiday season. Gaming fans worldwide are encouraged to get the new console early before quantities run out.

The biggest global launch in Xbox history — now available in 35 markets

Across the world, fans flocked to special Xbox events to celebrate the highly anticipated launch of Xbox One X. Launch festivities were captured in a live broadcast from the Mixer NYC Studio on Mixer, Xbox.com, Twitch and Facebook Live, with key highlights including these:

Inspired by the new Xbox racing game “Forza Motorsport 7,” the world’s first Xbox One X was hand-delivered in New Zealand via the fastest supercar in the country.
In Australia, Xbox opened the doors to the Xbox Stay N’ Play, a boutique, gaming-themed experience situated in front of the iconic Sydney skyline in Pirrama Park.
In Germany, Xbox set a new world record for the “World’s Largest Unboxing” after unboxing a giant Xbox One X in the Munich International Airport, and celebrated the launch with more than 700 fans in front of Berlin’s largest 4K theater screen.
In the U.K., some of the country’s biggest content creators and special guests were featured in an extended 14-hour Xbox livestream hosted at the Xbox One X Apartment in London.
In France, thousands of fans tuned into an eight-hour Mixer livestream, which highlighted the various Xbox One X launch activities taking place in Paris, including the midnight opening at Fnac Champs Elysées.
In Mexico City, hundreds of fans attended an Xbox One X midnight madness event hosted with Game Planet to celebrate the official launch of the highly anticipated console in Mexico.
In collaboration with Canadian designer and artist Brian Espiritu, Xbox designed custom Xbox One X consoles inspired by the city of Toronto to give away to five lucky Xbox fans.
In the lead up to launch, Xbox Live Sessions, an interactive, fan-focused livestream on Mixer, hosted celebrities including Chris Evans, James Corden, DJ Khaled, Chandler Riggs, and more to play their favorite games on Xbox One X. In addition, 16 years after helping Bill Gates introduce the original Xbox, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson surprised three Make-A-Wish kids with their own custom consoles before the official Xbox One X launch.
At Microsoft Stores, including the flagship Microsoft Store on Fifth Avenue in New York, and other retailers worldwide, eager fans lined up more than 24 hours in advance of the console’s release to be among the first to get their hands on Xbox One X before it sells out worldwide. Shaquille O’Neal, Liam Payne, Ronda Rousey, Odell Beckham Jr., and Caleb McLaughlin made special appearances to surprise fans throughout the launch event at the Microsoft Store in New York.

Similar spectacular celebrations took place in additional Xbox One markets. Xbox One X is available now in 35 markets worldwide, including Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, China, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hong Kong, Hungary, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Korea, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Turkey, UAE, UK, and U.S.

The power of Xbox One X

Xbox One X is built for true 4K gaming, with enough power to drive native 4K resolutions, High Dynamic Range and Wide Color Gamut into a pristine visual package beyond what’s capable in existing consoles. Existing Xbox One games play even better, with improved textures, smoother frame rates and faster load times, even on a 1080p TV. Xbox One X is also the only product in the world that packs all of the following features in one amazing device: 4K gaming for the world’s greatest games, a built-in 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray player, 4K streaming capabilities, High Dynamic Range support for gaming and video, and premium audio that puts gamers in the center of spatial sound with Dolby Atmos support. The craftsmanship in the Xbox One X hardware means it’s not only the world’s most powerful console, it’s also the smallest and most feature-rich Xbox ever.

Xbox One X Enhanced

Today, with the launch of Xbox One X, more than 50 popular Xbox One games are receiving free updates as part of the Xbox One X Enhanced program, with more than 70 total coming in the first week. Xbox One X Enhanced games have been updated or built specifically to take full advantage of the world’s most powerful console and its 4K UHD and HDR capabilities. More than 160 new and existing games will be enhanced for Xbox One X to take advantage of its full power, including “Forza Motorsport 7,” “Super Lucky’s Tale,” “Middle-earth: Shadow of War,” “Assassin’s Creed Origins,” “Halo Wars 2,” “Gears of War 4,” “Halo 5: Guardians,” “Minecraft,” “FIFA 18,” “Final Fantasy XV” and “Star Wars Battlefront II,” with more titles on the way like “PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds,” releasing Dec. 12, 2017, as a console launch exclusive through the Xbox Game Preview program. More information on the Xbox One X Enhanced program can be found by visiting https://www.xbox.com/enhanced.

Xbox One family of devices

Xbox One X is the newest member of the Xbox One family of devices, which will coexist alongside Xbox One S. Only on Xbox One can gamers experience the best games of the past, present and future, with more than 1,300 Xbox One games and more than 220 exclusives playable across the entire Xbox One family of devices. Furthermore, all Xbox One accessories are also compatible across the family.

Whether playing on Xbox One X or Xbox One S, gamers are treated to gaming features exclusive to the Xbox platform:

Xbox Live, the fastest, most reliable gaming network¹.
4K UHD Blu-ray, 4K streaming and 4K gaming
Xbox Game Pass, a monthly membership that provides unlimited access to more than 100 games.

How to get an Xbox One X

Xbox One X is available in 35 Xbox One markets and retails at US$499, £449, €499, C$599 and A$649², with additional markets launching soon. The latest on where to buy Xbox One X can be found at xbox.com/xboxonex. Local retailers, including Microsoft Store, also have more information.

Microsoft (Nasdaq “MSFT” @microsoft) is the leading platform and productivity company for the mobile-first, cloud-first world, and its mission is to empower every person and every organization on the planet to achieve more.

¹Independent IHS Markit study, June/July 2017. Tested on Xbox One versus PlayStation 4 on five of the top- selling games with matchmaking; results may vary, not an endorsement.

²Prices are estimated retail prices; actual retail prices may vary.

BlizzCon 2017 Sees Over 30,000 Attendees

2017/11/06

Jerry Paxton

Geek News, News, PlayStation 4 News, Windows PC News, Xbox One News

IRVINE, Calif.—November 6, 2017—At BlizzCon^® 2017, more than 30,000 players gathered to experience the latest updates to their favorite Blizzard games and cheer on top esports competitors, with millions more joining online. Over two days packed with developer panels, friendly competition, and live entertainment, the Blizzard community learned about and went hands-on with new heroes, new gameplay updates, and new expansions coming to the company’s blockbuster franchises.

Attendees and viewers also witnessed the dramatic conclusions to three esports championships and three exhibition-style competitions:

StarCraft^® II World Championship Series Global Finals

Winner: Rogue

With two championship titles already under his belt in 2017, Rogue arrived on the global stage at BlizzCon as a favorite to win the whole tournament. Once he got warmed up in the grand final against SoO, he showed the world he definitely deserves the title of WCS Global Champion with a 4–2 series win.

Heroes of the Storm^® Global Championship Finals

Winning team: MVP Black

MVP Black and Fnatic met in the final match of the HGC Finals after both teams moved past the semis with 3–0 wins. When the dust settled, it was MVP Black standing tall over the Swedish powerhouse with a 3–1 victory after a barnburner of a finale. MVP Black’s unwavering determination and dedication to their craft was enough to secure them their first trophy at BlizzCon.

World of Warcraft^® Arena World Championship

Winning team: ABC

The European streak continues as ABC sweeps Panda Global in the most decisive championship match in the history of the tournament. Working against a hostile crowd, ABC triumphed behind the Arcane Mage play of Alex ‘Alec’ Sheldrick to bring the WoW Arena trophy to Europe for the fourth straight year.

Overwatch^® World Cup

Winning nation: South Korea

South Korea was always expected to be the “final boss” at BlizzCon—and runner-up Canada fought valiantly in taking a single map—but in the end the story finished as expected. Ryujehong and company’s sudden vulnerability didn’t make a difference as South Korea goes two-for-two in Overwatch World Cup Championships.

Hearthstone^® Inn-vitational

Winning team: Grimestreet Grifters

After two days of frenetic and varied play among the 12 community personalities, the Grimestreet Grifters—comprised of Andrey ‘Reynad’ Yanyuk, Hakjun ‘Kranich’ Baek, and Pathra Cadness—emerged victorious. The best-of-11 finals saw the format of each game drawn from a sealed envelope, and players were individually eliminated from the stage until the Grifters claimed the trophy 6–5 over the Chillblade Crusaders.

StarCraft: Remastered Ultimate Title Fight

Winner: Bisu

Although Lee “Jaedong” Jae Dong and Kim “Bisu” Taek Yong’s lengthy careers largely overlapped, they hardly ever played each other outside of team leagues. That changed when the two StarCraft legends met in the Ultimate Title Fight, a best-of-five showmatch with $25,000 on the line. In the fifth and final game, Bisu seemed to get a read on Jaedong’s aggressive strategy, and managed to hold him off to take the series 3–2.

In addition to all the epic esports action, Blizzard made several major announcements for its games at the show, including:

World of Warcraft

· Battle for Azeroth™—In the seventh expansion to World of Warcraft, the war between the Horde and the Alliance reignites as players embark on a journey to recruit new allies, race to claim the world’s mightiest resources, and fight on several fronts to determine which faction will lead Azeroth into its uncertain future.

· WoW^® Classic—In addition to a new expansion, Blizzard also announced early plans to develop a gameplay experience that recaptures players’ first journeys into the original World of Warcraft.

Hearthstone

· Kobolds & Catacombs™—A new Hearthstone expansion, coming in December, will bring players down into the dungeons beneath Azeroth—and equip them with 135 new cards.

· Dungeon Runs—Kobolds & Catacombs brings with it a brand-new, highly replayable single-player game mode for Hearthstone featuring challenging, high-stakes subterranean journeys inspired by the classic fantasy dungeon crawl. Dungeon Runs are free for all players; no pre-built decks are required for entry.

· New Legendary Weapons—For the first time in Hearthstone, Legendary weapons are coming – and every class will get one!

· Free Legendary Cards—To celebrate the new expansion, all players will receive a free legendary minion, Marin the Fox, on November 6, as well as a free random legendary weapon for logging in when Kobolds & Catacombslaunches in December.

· Eager treasure seekers can pre-purchase the new expansion card packs in a special 50-pack bundle for $49.99 and receive the jewel-encrusted “For the Hoard!” card back for free!

StarCraft II

· StarCraft II going free-to-play—Starting November 14, players will get free access to the acclaimed Wings of Liberty^® campaign, ranked ladder play, and all Co-Op Commanders up to level five.

· Mira Han and Matt Horner—the newest Co-op Commander for StarCraft II’s popular Co-Op mode is actually two commanders in one: command a devastating mixture of high-powered Dominion air units as Matt Horner and fast-moving ground units as Mira Han.

· War Chest Season 2—Following the success of this year’s War Chest, StarCraft II will once again offer a fresh batch of seasonal content for players in support of StarCraft II esports.

Heroes of the Storm

Hanzo and Alexstrasza—Two new heroes, both dragons in their own right, will bring new and dramatically different styles of play to the Nexus in Blizzard’s fast-paced MOBA, Heroes of the Storm, later this year.
2018 Gameplay Update—Several in-game changes are coming to Heroes of the Storm in the near future, including a wider field-of-view camera, new Mercenary mechanics, and other core gameplay updates.
Voice Chat—Players in a party will automatically use Blizzard Voice Chat (unless they opt-out) and teams will have the choice to opt-in.
Performance-Based Matchmaking—Lets the player’s personal performance in matches directly influence their matchmaking rating whether they win or lose.

Overwatch

· Moira—A new support hero, the life-draining geneticist named Moira, will soon be joining the roster of Overwatch, Blizzard’s acclaimed team-based shooter.

· Blizzard World—An amusement park celebrating the worlds of Diablo^®, StarCraft, and Warcraft^® serves as the location for Overwatch’s newest map.

· “Honor and Glory”—The latest in the acclaimed series of animated shorts released for Overwatch takes viewers into Reinhardt’s past as he wrestles with a decision of whether to answer Winston’s call to join the newly reforming Overwatch.

· Overwatch League—The inaugural season’s 12 city-based teams will sport in-game home and away uniforms and face off in the league’s Atlantic and Pacific divisions. League matches will be played over four days each week of the regular season, which starts January 10, 2018. Watch on Overwatchleague.com and on the forthcoming Overwatch League companion app.

For more information on the celebration of games, players, and esports excellence at BlizzCon 2017, or to watch VODs of the action with the BlizzCon 2017 Virtual Ticket, visit www.blizzcon.com .

Total War: Arena Free for All Weekend Underway Now

2017/11/03

Jerry Paxton

Geek News, News, Windows PC News

November 3, 2017 — Creative Assembly and Wargaming Alliance announced today the free-to-play battle game Total War: ARENA has launched a limited-time open weekend. Players who are not part of the closed beta can join the fray with just a Wargaming.net account and hit the battlefield from November 3 at 2PM UTC through Monday November 6 at 6AM UTC.

The open weekend will allow full access to the latest version of Total War: ARENA, letting new commanders test their mettle in epic scale 10 vs 10 multiplayer battles. Choose a commander from three historical factions: Romans, Greeks and Barbarians, and fight on ancient battlefields with your own customized army. This follows on from recent content patch 2.2 that added Lucius Cornelius Sulla Felix, a new Roman commander and master of defensive and supportive play.

“We’re really excited to open Total War: ARENA to gamers everywhere for the weekend,” said Sergei Laptenok, Total War: ARENA Product Director at Wargaming Alliance. “This is a fantastic opportunity for players, both new and old, to explore all the awesome features and provide valuable feedback so we can all make ARENA better together.”

Download Total War: ARENA here:

https://totalwararena.com/en/download/

For more information on Total War: ARENA, visit:

totalwararena.com

TPcast Partners with VRstudios for Location Based Wireless VR Experiences

2017/11/03

Jerry Paxton

Geek News, News, Tech News

BELLEVUE, WA. – November 1st, 2017 – VRstudios, the leading provider of award-winning VR solutions for Location-Based Entertainment (LBE), announced today, a partnership with TPCAST Technologies headquartered in Beijing. VRstudios will become the first commercial distribution partner of TPCAST in the United States, and will be deploying TPCAST’s wireless technology in a new VRcade® product line to be announced soon. VRstudios currently has deployed 50 systems of its next generation VRcade products in 14 countries around the globe. The partnership with TPCAST will provide VRstudios with technology that will be utilized for a new product concept that will complement the company’s existing VRcade Zone™ and VRcade Arena™ systems.

“VRstudios was the first company in the world to provide totally wireless, full-motion capability to virtual reality,” said Kevin Vitale, VRstudios’ CEO. “By partnering with TPCAST we can provide an even more comprehensive product line of high performance attractions to address the requirements of LBE facilities around the globe. This exemplifies the benefits of our Attraction Management Platform™ that has been designed to allow easy integration of the best emerging technologies in the VR industry.”

“We are excited to partner with VRstudios, the leader in delivering immersive VR attractions to the commercial LBE market, and enable them to expand the LBE industry and create a pivotal change in the future of wireless, full-motion, arena-scale VR,” said Udi Yuhjtman, TPCAST’s North America GM. “TPCAST is committed to the VR market by supporting untethered high-end systems providing a fully immersive experience with enhanced video and audio quality.”

VRstudios is very pleased to be adding TPCAST into the “VRstudios Partner Showcase” program along with several major technology and game industry companies to be announced in the coming months. TPCAST is the first company to introduce a commercial Wireless Adapter for Virtual Reality, which preserves video quality and application performance. Launched on November 11th, 2016, TPCAST created the world’s first commercial wireless VR adapter for HTC VIVE. In October 2017, TPCAST announced that it is working on a wireless adapter for the Oculus Rift headset.

VRstudios recently announced its Attraction Management Platform (AMP), the VRcade Arena™, an 8-player, free roaming, warehouse-scale system, and Terminal 17™, a high action multi-player arena game, as the latest additions to its product line. AMP as well as a half-sized VRcade Arena will be demonstrated for the first time publicly at the International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions (IAAPA) Expo in Orlando, Florida, November 14-17.

About VRstudios:
VRstudios is the VR industry’s premier global provider of Location-Based Entertainment (LBE) solutions. VRstudios makes it easy for owners and operators of theme parks, family entertainment centers, cinemas and casinos to offer innovative virtual reality attractions to their guests. VRstudios’ Attraction Management Platform (AMP) enables quick installation and efficient operation of VR attractions. VRstudios launched in 2014 as the first company to offer out-of-home fully immersive VR with free-roaming, wireless and untethered, multi-player capabilities.

About TPCAST:
Creator of the first commercial wireless virtual reality solution, TPCAST’s vision is to unleash the VR world by making all VR/AR/MR head-mounted displays (HMDs) wireless. The company’s patented technologies enable highly efficient bi-directional communications between the PC and a VR HMD with near-zero latency. TPCAST’s mission is to work with the VR Industry including HMD manufacturers, game developers, content providers, silicon manufacturers, and key VR technology providers to deliver the best wireless VR experience to consumers and enterprises.

Razer Unveils D.Va peripheral Line for Overwatch

2017/11/03

Jerry Paxton

Geek News, News, Peripherals News

ANAHEIM, Calif. (BLIZZCON 2017) – Razer™, the leading global lifestyle brand for gamers, today announced the officially licensed D.Va peripheral suite for Overwatch™, the record-breaking, team-based game by Blizzard Entertainment, developer and publisher of some of the world’s most epic games.

The gamer-inspired set of peripherals emulate the in-game persona of former professional StarCraft II player Hana Song (aka “D.Va”). The line includes D.Va’s iconic MEKA headset brought to life as a brand new Razer analog on-ear headset with integrated mic; a tournament-grade D.Va Razer Abyssus Elite gaming mouse; and an esports-preferred D.Va Razer Goliathus Medium Speed mouse mat.

“Since launching over a year ago, Overwatch has become a worldwide phenomenon and so has the love and affection for Blizzard’s beloved character, D.Va,” says Min-Liang Tan, Razer co-founder and CEO. “She’s a gamer through and through and plays to win. When the idea to have a character-specific suite of products came up, the decision was ‘easy mode.’”

The D.Va Razer MEKA gaming headset features an omnidirectional mic and in-line controls for seamless communication with teammates. It is compatible with PC, Mac, Xbox One™, Playstation® and mobile devices.

The Abyssus – Razer’s original best-selling competitive “StarCraft” mouse – is reimagined with tournament-ready accuracy, sensitivity and responsiveness. The new gaming mouse features a true 7,200 dots-per-inch (DPI) optical sensor, 220 inches per second (IPS) tracking and up to 30 G acceleration. Gamers may access an array of dynamic Razer Chroma™ lighting effects on the mouse through Razer Synapse 3 (beta).

The D.Va Razer Goliathus mouse mat complements D.Va’s new Abyssus, optimized for all types of sensitivity settings and sensors types on any mouse.

The D.Va Razer Abyssus Elite gaming mouse and D.Va Razer Goliathus mouse mat are available today at www.razerzone.com. The D.Va Razer MEKA Gaming headset will release later this year. Interested parties may visit https://www.razerzone.com/licensed-and-team-peripherals/overwatch-dva for more information about officially licensed D.Va peripherals from Razer.

ABOUT OVERWATCH:

Overwatch is a team-based, multiplayer shooter featuring a cast of 21 dynamic heroes. Taking place on a near-future Earth, Overwatch gives players the ability to bend time, defy physics, and unleash over-the-top powers and weapons. Teams compete in six-on-six, objective-based maps set across the world; players will vie for control of an ancient temple in Egypt, escort an EMP device through King’s Row in London, battle for control of Lijiang Tower in China, and more—all while swapping between playable characters on the fly.