Deep Silver has released a new “Hail to the Chief” trailer for their upcoming Saint’s Row IV, which is due out on August 20, 2013. Enjoy!
Author - Jerry Paxton
New York, NY – July 22, 2013 – 2K and Gearbox Software today announced that more downloadable content will be available for the award-winning Borderlands® 2 on all platforms worldwide* beginning this fall. The Borderlands 2 Season Pass is now complete, but more badass content is headed to Pandora with a second level cap increase, epic boss battles, and all-new head and skin sets.
This fall, players can cause more mayhem on Pandora with the Ultimate Vault Hunter Upgrade Pack 2: Digistruct Peak Challenge, which raises the level cap from 61 to 72 for all six playable characters and will be available soon for $4.99 (400 Microsoft Points).
For the first time, new, uniquely-themed boss fights with additional bonus content will be available for individual purchase beginning this fall and continuing into 2014. Each pack will offer players a new quest leading to a boss fight and, once the player is victorious, in addition to a loot drop, a unique head and skin set for each playable character will unlock.
Additionally, new head and skin sets will be available for $0.99 (80 Microsoft Points) each, making all six of the playable Borderlands 2 characters more customizable than ever before.
“Ever since the completion of the Season Pass, gamers have been clamoring for more Borderlands 2 content,” said Christoph Hartmann, president of 2K. “Starting this fall, fans will get a surge of new content further expanding the world of Pandora; giving players more reasons to stay engaged in the action-packed world of Borderlands 2.”
“The development team at Gearbox Software is very proud of the content included in the Season Pass, but we want our fans to know we’re not finished with Pandora yet,” said Randy Pitchford, President of Gearbox Software. “Soon Vault Hunters will be able to take all six Borderlands 2 characters to powerful new levels, while outfitting them with the most badass heads and skins to date.”
The Season Pass, which also contains the Ultimate Vault Hunter Upgrade Pack, is still available for purchase and provides nearly $45.00 worth of content for $29.99 (2400 Microsoft Points), includes four extensive add-on campaigns offering dozens of hours of gameplay:
- Captain Scarlett and her Pirate’s Booty;
- Mr. Torgue’s Campaign of Carnage;
- Sir Hammerlock’s Big Game Hunt;
- Tiny Tina’s Assault on Dragon Keep.
Players can also individually purchase the four add-on campaigns for $9.99 each (800 Microsoft Points) as well as the Ultimate Vault Hunter Upgrade Pack for $4.99 (400 Microsoft Points).
Borderlands 2 is rated M for Mature by the ESRB and is available now on the Xbox 360® games and entertainment system from Microsoft, PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system, Mac, and Windows PC. For the latest Borderlands 2 news and information, please visit the official Borderlands 2 web site, and follow on Twitter and Facebook.
2K is a publishing label of Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc. (NASDAQ: TTWO).
*Borderlands 2 base game is not included in this add-on content campaign, but is required to play all of the included content.
The folks at ScareLA have finalized their schedule of seminars and classes over at their official website. Included on the list are classes on costuming, makeup, maze design, music, and a lot more. Also note that you can get priority seating with the event’s premium “Fear Freaks” ticket.
Located in San Diego’s Gaslamp District, The Haunted Hotel came to life (or death) again for the weekend of the world famous San Diego Comic-Con. The outside of The Haunted Hotel is somewhat unassuming. In fact, if you are in a hurry, or its dark outside, you could miss it altogether. So, look sharp for the sign above the main double doors. Tickets for this event were a reasonable $17 dollars a person with a “fast pass”, VIP ticket for $10 dollars more. The maze takes a good length of time to traverse, so my party and I felt it to be a very good value. After picking up our tickets, we waited in line as monsters scared passersby and other patrons in line with us. The talent both in and out of the maze were energized and enthusiastic as they got the chance to scare outside the usual haunt season. Several times during our journey, I was very impressed by the various effects implemented by The Haunted Hotel. The attraction is definitely not afraid to experiment with motion platforms, digital projection, and a lot more – all of which makes for an haunted house unlike anything you have gone through before.
Unlike many haunted houses which just shuffle endless lines of people through, The Haunted Hotel staff send people into the attraction in small groups to maximize scares and allow maze talent to reset in-between patrons. Usually, photos are not permitted to be taken inside the attraction, but we got special permission to snap some from the inside (see the full gallery below). Of course, we didn’t photograph everything we saw, as I hate spoiling the surprises of attractions like this for future patrons. You can expect a variety of set types as guests go from inside the ruined hotel to what is supposed to be beneath the streets of San Diego. Without giving too much away, there was one room in particular that was very effective at using both lighting and a motion base to create a very crafty illusion. In the end, The Haunted Hotel was a terrific haunted house that I would definitely visit again this Halloween season.
As an added attraction, the Zombie Apocalypse Store was open for the weekend as well. This store is built into The Haunted Hotel property and allows patrons to purchase flares, stun guns, tactical vests, zombie apocalypse preparedness books, and a whole lot more. They even have a decent price point on some unused USMC ILBE Internal-Frame Rucksacks which make for great long range hiking packs. During our visit, my party picked up a couple of zombie-related PVC patches and a stun gun – not a bad haul!
The Haunted Hotel begins on September 27th, 2013 and runs on select dates through November 2nd, 2013. Additionally, I was told by event personnel that auditions for monster positions would begin sometime in August. Check out their official website for more information. We would like to thank Vanessa from The Haunted Hotel for making this preview look at the attraction possible!
Images
San Diego, CA (July 20, 2013) – Sam Kieth’s The Maxx was a runaway sensation when initially published. Kieth’s exquisite artistry and quirky stories resonated with readers who had never seen anything quite like it before. Exploring the strange relationship between two realities, The Maxx follows the dual identities of a man caught between the real world and a heroic fantasy realm called The Outback. The Maxx ran for more than 30 issues and inspired a popular animated show on MTV.
Now, 20 years later, the striking series is returning to comic shops with fully re-mastered and re-colored printings of the classic stories, and all supervised by Kieth to ensure the highest possible quality. The Maxx: Maxximized will also feature brand-new painted covers by Kieth Additionally, IDW will-for the first time ever-release a series of hardcover Maxx collections. And if that wasn’t enough, there will also be Artist’s Editions enabling readers to finally see Sam’s beautiful and delicate line work as they never have before.
“I want to thank my pal Ted Adams,” said Sam Kieth, “for giving me and some of my books a home at IDW… I hope he doesn’t lose his shirt!”
“Sam, as usual, is self deprecating to a fault,” said editor Scott Dunbier, “he’s an amazing artist and a good friend, and I could not be happier to have him at IDW.”
Kieth will also create a set of three comprehensive new art books called The Worlds of Sam Kieth that will showcase his incredible powers as an artist, but also tell the story of who he is and how he came to be the artist he is. The first volume is debuting at this year’s San Diego Comic-Con International.
The original artist on Sandman, which he co-created with Neil Gaiman, Kieth’s enchanted style quickly grabbed the attention of readers, and his success allowed him to explore his own creations with The Maxx and Ojo. While his career in comics has found him working on some of the most iconic characters, he is arguably best known for creating The Maxx, and IDW is looking forward to being intimately involved in the next chapter of this classic character’s legacy.
While at AirSplat’s recent customer appreciation day at TacCity Airsoft in Fullerton, CA, I got to checkout G&G’s GR4 G26 advanced blowback AEG in the desert tan flavor. I was very impressed to find out that it had a built-in, flip out laser sight and flashlight! Additionally, the AEG comes with a very nice, contoured hi-cap magazine which acts acts as an additional grip.
Visually, G&G’s GR4 G26 is a very attractive Airsoft gun. It features an ergonomic style that is not only comfortable to use but, also, great to look at. Most players who have been in the Airsoft world for any length of time would call the furniture on this AEG “Magpul-ish”, and they would be right. However, regardless of if it is Magpul or Magpul-inspired, this gun is darn comfy to use. The embedded grip contour in the included hi-cap magazine makes for a very solid and stable place to steady your aim and I just wish they made the magazines in mid-cap form.
The GR4 G26 and Magazine
Official Features & Specs:
- Durable Fiber Reinforced Receiver, RIS Handguard, Stock, and Motor Grip
- Integrated Rubber Cheek Rest and Locking Release Lever on Stock
- Built-in Laser and LED Tac Light
- Tube compartment integrated on the Stock. Perfect for CR123A or AA batteries
- QD Sling attachment points at Foregrip and Stock
- One-point Sling Attachment Ring
- Flip-up Front and Rear Sights. Front sight blends with top rail, rear sight is fully adjustable
- Ergonomic Foregrip and Motor Grip
- Fully Railed Upper Receiver perfect for Optics
- Adjustable G26 Style Stock
- Full Metal Barrel Assembly and Stock Tube
The GR4 G26 featured in a CoD Black Ops II ad
Length: 700-795mm
Weight: 2440g
Muzzle Velocity: 310~340 FPS (Measured with 0.20g BBs)
Inner Barrel Length: 233mm
Gearbox: Version 2
Range: 120 feet
Magazine: 300rd G&G GMAG Hi-cap magazine. (Uses all M4 / M16 series Magazines)
Package Includes: AEG, Hi-cap Magazine, Cleaning rod and manual.
Motor: Long Type
Battery: 9.6v Small or Butterfly Type (Battery & Charger Not Included.)
BB: 6mm Airsoft BBs. Best with Matrix 0.20 / 0.23 / 0.25g bb.
Manufacturer: G&G Armament
[wpcol_1half id=”” class=”” style=””]The Good
- Built in laser sight and flashlight are very effective
- Optional flip-up sights are nice for those who prefer using their own optics
- Good out of the box rate of fire and FPS for CQB arenas
- Excellent usage comfort
[/wpcol_1half] [wpcol_1half_end id=”” class=”” style=””]The Bad
- Hand guard doesn’t have a bottom rail for fore grip
- Opening hand guard is tricky
[/wpcol_1half_end]
We took the GR4 G26 out to the SC Viper Airsoft field located in Norco, CA where we spent the day playing pick-up games. The gun was chronographed before the games and registered between 350 and 362 FPS, which is a nice rating to have for both field and CQB usage. The gun features G&G’s pneumatic blowback system and provides a very cool bit of feedback when the gun is fired. Unlike more traditional electric blowback systems, the pneumatic system found in this AEG is not going to reduce the life of your gun thanks to a second air cylinder design rather than relying on hooks connected to the piston.
The forward assist button
Internally, aside from the pneumatic blowback system, the GR4 G26 houses a pretty solid version 2 gearbox with 8mm oil-less bushings. Another feature of note in this AEG is G&G’s functional forward assist feature. By pressing the forward assist button on the right side of the receiver, you release all the tension in your spring. This makes life a lot easier than having to cycle a full shot through it at the end of every game.
Overall, the G&G GR4 G26 blowback AEG is a very good value at about $275 dollars over at e-tailers like AirSplat, AirsoftGI, and Evike. Please note that the MAP (Minimum Advertised Price) for this gun as per G&G is $246 dollars, but some retailers add additional cost to it. The gun has solid performance, comfortable-yet striking style, and some neat built-in bells and whistles. This gun is at home as your primary airsoft gun and is small enough to make for a sniper’s back-up weapon.
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Images
Here is our second gallery of images from this week’s world famous San Diego Comic-Con.
Photoblog
Here is our first set of images from this week’s San Diego Comic-Con. Checkout the San Diego Convention Center and the surrounding Gaslamp District.
Images
Jim Walls and the folks behind the upcoming police game, Precinct, have released another update about the title – now in Kickstarter funding.
Updates
DRM Free
So, our first big announcement is that Precinct will be DRM free! All backers who are eligible for the game will receive a DRM free version when it’s available. Our community has been very passionate about this issue, so we’re happy to give everyone the option.
$19 Limited Edition Pre-Order Version
To all of our fans who have been requesting a lower-cost pre-order version, we are happy to announce a new $19 digital copy tier! We’ve made a limited quantity of 2,500 available so we hope you will tell your friends and family that they should jump in and back the Precinct project! Of course this version will be DRM free as well.
Daily Video
Today’s daily video is now available. Jim and Robert talk about what crunch time was like at Sierra. Plus, this video was the first conversation to take place in front of the old Sierra building!
Daily Video
July 18, 2013 — Steve Berman, managing partner of law firm Hagens Berman and co-lead counsel in a class-action lawsuit filed by former college athletes against the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) and Electronic Arts (NASDAQ: EA) alleging the gaming giant’s games used their likenesses without permission issued the below statement regarding the NCAA’s decision not to continue its license for EA-published NCAA Football games after the current agreement expires in 2014.
“It’s apparent to us that the NCAA’s decision to end its long and hugely profitable relationship with EA is tied directly to the pressure our litigation is bringing the bear.
“Our suit illustrates how the cabal between the NCAA and EA has exploited student athletes for years, using their images in video games without compensation. While we are heartened they’ve stopped the practice, we believe they owe those student athletes a great deal more than their implied promise to stop stealing their images.
“This announcement makes plain that the NCAA is attempting to mitigate the damage by ducking its responsibilities. We look forward to taking this case to trial and winning compensation for student-athletes whose likenesses were used without their permission, in violation of both the NCAA’s rules and the law.”
More information about this case is available at: http://www.hbsslaw.com/cases-and-investigations/cases/ncaavideogames