San Francisco, CA – May 15, 2018 – In collaboration with Universal, Zen Studios announced that one of its most critically acclaimed video pinball packs enters virtual reality today on Oculus Rift, Oculus Go and Gear VR. Now available for Pinball FX2 VR, Universal Classics Pinball includes immersive new features for fan-favorite tables inspired by E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, Jaws and Back to the Future.
As with previous Pinball FX2 VR releases, Universal Classics Pinball places pinball machines in the middle of iconic locations, including the forest behind Elliot’s house, a beach villa looking out to an Amity Island sunset, and Hill Valley’s historic town square—complete with a familiar clock tower. Players can expect to see E.T. elongate his head to see what’s happening during his pinball adventure, just as a shark fin circles the Jaws table and Doc Brown drives—or flies!—his time machine as players engage with Back to the Future.
Universal Classics Pinball earned a 90 on Metacritic (Xbox One) for its non-VR Pinball FX3 release last September. The Pinball FX2 VR version features every bit of film-adapting gameplay that resonated so well with critics and fans alike, from E.T. collecting candy in a cornfield to Marty McFly showcasing his skills at arcade shooting and players braving the open waters in a shark cage for an exciting multi-ball mode.
“For Zen Studios’ first-ever VR tables inspired by popular films, we’re offering up three of the most popular ones we’ve created in recent memory,” says Mel Kirk, Zen’s Vice President of Publishing. “We know that VR players are as hungry as a great white on the Fourth of July for quality new content, and Zen is happy to deliver with Universal Classics Pinball.”
May 15, 2018 – Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment today released the HITMAN: Definitive Edition, which is available in retail stores beginning today for PlayStation 4 Pro, PlayStation 4, Xbox One X and Xbox One. Developed by IO Interactive, the HITMAN: Definitive Edition brings together all previously released content* and game updates from the first season of HITMAN, in addition to new in-game disguises for Agent 47 inspired by classic IO Interactive titles – Freedom Fighters, Kane & Lynch and Mini Ninjas – celebrating the Danish studio’s 20th anniversary.
The HITMAN: Definitive Edition features the following content:
IO Interactive’s 20th Anniversary Outfit Bundle – Three new outfits inspired by Freedom Fighters, Kane & Lynch and Mini Ninjas
HITMAN Season One (Main Game) – Seven exotic locations from the first season, including Paris, Sapienza, Marrakesh, Bangkok, Colorado and Hokkaido, along with the ICA Facility
HITMAN Game of the Year Edition Content – Four missions from the Patient Zero Campaign, three themed Escalation Contracts that unlock three unique weapons, as well as the Clown Suit, Cowboy Suit and Raven Suit from the recent Game of the Year Edition digital release
HITMAN Summer Bonus Episode – Featuring ICA bonus missions in Sapienza and Marrakesh
HITMAN: Blood Money Requiem Pack – Including the Requiem Suit, Pale Duck Explosive and ICA Chrome Pistol
All featured Contracts, Escalation Contracts, Challenge Packs and game updates from HITMAN Season One and the HITMAN Game of the Year Edition
Please note that a portion of add-on content is not pre-loaded on the HITMAN: Definitive Edition disc and requires an internet connection. Additional content is approximately 12-24GB depending on platform.
*Elusive Targets that have already run and ended may not be available again as these are time limited events.
To learn more about the HITMAN: Definitive Edition, please visit www.hitman.com or join the HITMAN conversation on Twitter (@Hitman), Facebook (@Hitman.US), Instagram (@Hitman_Official), YouTube (Hitman) and Twitch (Hitman).
May 14, 2018 – Blizzard and the Overwatch team are excited to celebrate our 2-Year Anniversary! From May 22nd through June 11th, players can login to Overwatch on PC, PlayStation and Xbox One to experience the event.
The anniversary will bring in a host of new content, including more than 50 new cosmetic items and the new Deathmatch map, Petra! Additionally, the event will bring back all seasonal cosmetic items, as well as most of the past seasonal brawls. Please see below for additional details:
NEW ITEMS
The Anniversary event will include more than 50 new items, including 8 new Legendary skins and 3 epic skins
New dance emotes have been added for Doomfist, Moira, and Brigitte
YOUR FAVORITES ARE BACK
The Anniversary event will bring back previous seasonal cosmetic items including your favorite dance emotes from last year’s event
Past seasonal brawls are returning to the Arcade and will be rotated daily, including those found in Overwatch: Archives
NEW MAP
The Anniversary event will introduce the brand-new Deathmatch map, Petra.
In addition to Petra, Deathmatch will include a new “Competitive Mode,” which will include placement matches, skill rating tiers, and leaderboards
LOOT BOXES
Players who login for the Anniversary event will receive one bonus Legendary Anniversary Loot Box, which will guarantee one Legendary item
Players who purchase the 50 Loot Box Bundle will receive one bonus Legendary Anniversary Loot Box
All previous Seasonal Event loot will be included in loot boxes during the duration of the event
FREE WEEKEND
Overwatch and the Anniversary event will be playable during our Free Weekend event, which will run from May 25th through May 28th
For those playing Overwatch on PlayStation, a PlayStation Plus account WILL NOT be required to play during Free Weekend
May 14, 2018 – Prepare to embark on one of the grandest RPG adventures ever in DIVINITY®: ORIGINAL SIN 2 DEFINITIVE EDITION, the multi award-winning, single-player and cooperative multiplayer fantasy RPG. Beginning on May 16th, Xbox Game Preview will give players special access to the first three hours of DIVINITY®: ORIGINAL SIN 2 DEFINITIVE EDITION’s gameplay, for free! Players can then choose to unlock the entire First Act of the game – approximately 20 hours of adventuring – by purchasing the game. Players will also be able to pick-up from the progress made during this special access preview upon the full launch of DIVINITY®: ORIGINAL SIN 2 DEFINITIVE EDITION in August.
Xbox players will explore a world of near-limitless possibilities. Players will gather their party, master elements, and forge friendships and rivalries on their quest to ascend to divinity.
To watch how the team at Larian Studios developed the console experience in DIVINITY®: ORIGINAL SIN 2 DEFINITIVE EDITION, check out the video at the following YouTube link (ready for embedding):
DIVINITY®: ORIGINAL SIN 2 DEFINITIVE EDITION will be available physically and digitally in the Americas for the Xbox One and PlayStation 4 in August 2018.
MAPLEWOOD, N.J., and WATFORD, United Kingdom – May 14, 2018 – Saber Interactive and Wired Productions have today revealed that the physical retail edition of Shaq Fu: A Legend Reborn will feature the super-secret day one additional DLC content – ensuring fans who purchase the physical edition at launch get more Fu than they could have possibly imagined!
Shaq Fu: A Legend Reborn will be bundled as a physical boxed product with the unannounced ‘Bonus FU’ DLC at major retailers for £24.99/€29.99/$29.99 on the PlayStation®4 system and Xbox One and £34.99/€39.99/$39.99 on Nintendo Switch™. The additional Bonus FU will not only raise a few eyebrows on launch day when it’s revealed but will extend the gaming experience with new levels and a bonus famous main character.
“Since its unveiling to the press and public at recent expos and hands-on events, the reception to the Shaq Fu: A Legend Reborn has been terrific,” stated Leo Zullo, Managing Director at Wired Productions. “Better than we could have ever imagined, and certainly settles the score of ’94 and puts right the legacy of Shaq Fu. So much so, that we wanted to make the physical retail edition something truly memorable for gamers who prefer something more tangible and collectable. When they open up their box copies we’re genuinely intrigued and excited to gauge players’ reactions to the additional DLC content.”
Shaq Fu: A Legend Reborn is an intense, action-packed beat ‘em up which sees players take on the role of the unstoppable Shaquille O’Neal as he fights his way through the hordes of hell and Hollywood. Master devastating combos, battle outlandish celebrity bosses and take on all comers with an array of weapons, including katanas, shuriken and baseball bats. Channel Shaq’s alter egos, Big Daddy O and Big Diesel, in epic battles in the successor to the worst game ever on a mission to restore Shaq’s legacy.
May 14, 2018 – The world of RAGE 2 comes to life with our new announce trailer! The official gameplay reveal for RAGE 2 will release right here tomorrow, May 15. Stay tuned for more information about the return of the wild world of RAGE.
For more information on RAGE 2, follow these channels:
Having a good audio mixer unit can be an absolute asset to content creators out there interested in creating their own music, web shows, podcasts, etc. Unfortunately, good audio mixers can be costly and big, making them poor choices for home content creators without a big budget. Also, they can be complicated, which also adds a steep barrier to entry for most home content creators who might not have much experience with these kinds of devices. Enter: The Creative Labs Sound Blaster K3+ USB powered audio mixer. The Sound Blaster K3+ is very portable – in terms of both size and weight. It is easily carried by hand and the weight or transported in your bag. It features a black base unit with both shiny and matte surfaces as well as a small reverb and soundboard setting legend sticker on the unit’s top side. As far as looks alone go, the Sound Blaster K3+ is a very stylish device that will look terrific on your desk. The K3+ features 10 rotary knobs on the top of the unit as well as 7 buttons – each has their own functions but all of the physical controls feel solid and well-built. The knobs have a smooth, yet slow rotation resistance which will help you get the precise level or setting you are looking for.
Setting up the Sound Blaster K3+ is straightforward and easy however that process, as one would guess, changes slightly depending on your particular needs. If you’re a musician, you will probably be using the K3+ differently than if you are creating a two-person podcast or a single-person game stream. So what options do you have in using the K3+? On its user-facing side, the Sound Blaster K3+ has two XLR microphone input jacks as well as two 3.5mm headphone output jacks – each of those headphone outputs has their own volume control. It also features 1.4 inch jack input line on the front which could be used for a guitar, keyboard, etc. On the reverse-facing side, the Sound Blaster K3+ features a 3.5mm mobile i/o input which allows you take audio from, say, your mobile phone and put it into your mix! Next to the mobile i/o jack, you’ll also find stereo line in and line out jacks, as well as micro USB port!
There are a number of controls on the top of the K3+ which control all of its audio magic. The Sound Blaster K3+ features a button that, when pushed, sends 48 volts of Phantom Power through its XLR ports to your condenser microphones. A warning, this should not be used with dynamic microphones – it will damage them! Also on the top side of the K3+ is the Voice Over button. This suspends any line in audio to just focus on the audio from the XLR inputs. The Sound Blaster K3+ features six different sound effects which can be dropped into your mix at your command. These sound effects feature the sound of gunshots, a baby laughing, applause, a crow, and a couple others. Your mileage may vary with how much you use these. I was hoping that the K3+ would allow you to flash the device with custom sound effects via the USB cable but unfortunately, at least right now, do that. The Sound Blaster K3+ also features auto tune functionality, and it does work fairly well, if not being a bit heavy sounding. To expand your audio board even more, you can daisy chain up to four Sound Blaster K3+ units together, however, I only had the one to test with.
All of these are good features, but perhaps my favorite thing about the Sound Blaster K3+ is that it is a USB powered device. This is special because it means you can take your K3+ into the field for remote recording, whether it be a convention booth, coffee house, hotel room, the choice is yours. Being USB powered means that you do not need AC power – you can run the K3+ straight from a USB power bank! Plans are in the works for new GamingShogun streaming content options and the Sound Blaster K3+ is definitely going to be our go-to audio mixer in these endeavors.
Overall, the Sound Blaster K3+ USB powered audio mixer retails for $129.99 and is available now.
London, May, 2018 –Worlds Adrift, the upcoming Community-Crafted MMO by Bossa Studios, is launching into Early Access on 17th May. To celebrate, the indie gaming studio are staging a completely unique, and first of its kind, launch event, in what is perhaps the most literal understanding of the term ever!
Emulating one of the flying ships for which the game’s become synonymous, the studio have crafted a life-size vessel, which they plan to propel 150 feet into the air, above the picturesque grounds of the Chelsea College of Arts, London
The ship will be decked out (pun intended) with twenty fully-supported game stations, so that guests can experience the game in a way that brings to life the sense of awe, expanse and wonder for which Worlds Adrift has been celebrated. Offering a completely unique and one-off panoramic view of the London skyline, not to mention the opportunity to partake in an event that marks a first for the industry, the question remains: have you courage and fortitude to heed the call?
Staging six ascensions throughout the course of the day from 12-7, each session will last an hour, and offer approximately forty minutes of gameplay experience. The entire event will be streamed live on the Bossa channel, with equipment provided for guests to do the same from their own channels, too. Additionally, Bossa will also be hosting a raffle on the day to win a life size replica of the Worlds Adrift Grapple Hook; a crucial instrument for those looking to survive the perilous skies of Foundation.
Seats are in limited supply, so be sure to get back to us asap to reserve a spot. To book a flight, or request more information, please email sam.brace@decibel-pr.com.
See you in the skies!
About Worlds Adrift
Worlds Adrift is a Community-Crafted MMO with a singular vision: to give players the freedom to redefine a genre. Built with SpatialOS, and offering an entirely user-generated environment, the sheer scale of its scope, and beauty of its design, is an invitation to explore. To discover. To unearth…
Recently, we got the chance to ask the president of Piranha Games, Russ Bullock, some questions about their upcoming MechWarrior 5: Mercenaries. We’d like to thank Russ Bullock, Piranha Games, and Tinsley-PR for making this interview possible.
Q) MechWarrior is one of those franchises that has had turbulent licensing history going back to its initial years. Now that things have settled down and Piranha Games owns the rights to the MechWarrior game series, can you tell us about any unexpected challenges you’ve had to face while developing MechWarrior 5 Mercenaries?
While it’s true that through its history there have been a number of legal issues around the IP in general, we have had a license to the IP since 2011 so that hasn’t really been one of the challenges I would say. The main challenges for MW5 have centered on making a great Single Player experience. With MechWarrior Online we have many years’ experience in PVP but not in PVE story telling aspects. Having said that we have inherited incredible advantages from the past 6 years in MWO development. We have access to nearly 100 unique mech chassis and a general know how on fun mech combat.
With these big advantages of working with MechWarrior for over 6 years were committed to making the MW5 everyone has been waiting so long for.
Q) How open-ended will the campaign be and how is time handled? Is it all set within 3015 or will the game span years? Will it be real-time or can the player advance its passage for brevity?
The game starts in the year 3015 but actually has an advancing timeline right up until the year 3049. That gives the players a 34 year career path and although there will be a main story for the players to enjoy the game is extremely open ended and you can take mission anywhere in the Inner Sphere you want.
As you progress through the timeline, you’ll take on new contracts, hire additional pilots, techs and increase your reputation.
Your goal will be to achieve elite mercenary status before the year 3049 when you will be needed!
Q) Setting the game in 3015 is a time ripe with interesting events and chaos for the Inner Sphere. Will the game take into account BattleTech/MechWarrior history like the Marik Civil War, etc?
Yes
Q) One of the things that always appealed to me while playing in the Virtual World BattleTech games, then the early PC titles was how damage modelling was handled. There was a great deal of strategy in where you hit an enemy mech and with what. How is mech damage being handled in MechWarrior 5 Mercenaries?
Great question, we recently released a trailer and a lot of details outlining how damage will work. In MechWarrior 5: Mercenaries damage is important – not just on you’re Mech itself but also it plays a role in the environment around you. The Mech’s themselves have 11 different components that each have 3 different model states to show armor, structure and destroyed. So pin pointing specific deadly weapons on opposing mechs or going straight for the Center Torso will be yours to decide.
MW5 will have the most advanced Mech and environment destruction yet in the MechWarrior IP.
Q) As an avid player of VR titles, I have always wanted to pilot a mech in a virtual reality space. Will MechWarrior 5 Mercenaries support any VR solutions out there (pleeeeease)?
We are definitely thinking very seriously about this and we have several strong champions on the development team. I want to say yes but I think we’re going to be watching the VR market very closely over the next few months before we make that decision. Our priority is to make the MW5 game people have been waiting more than 15 years for, everything else has to be secondary.
Q) Piranha Games has also developed the popular MechWarrior Online and some gamers we spoke with were curious: How much common code does MWO and MechWarrior 5 Mercenaries share?
When it comes to code it would not share any. These are completely different engines so it’s not really possible. But we have been working with MechWarrior for almost 7 years and all that coding experience on MWO definitely comes into play. That great MWO combat feel will be brought over intact with all the improvements that come with getting a second chance to rewrite aspect.
Q) Will MechWarrior 5: Mercenaries feature paid micro-transactions?
No – this is a stand-alone game and if we do any additional content we’ll probably feature it in a tradition DLC model or even expansion-level content.
Q) It has been announced that MechWarrior 5 Mercenaries will support mods through the Steam workshop, etc. Just how much can be modded in the game? Are Total Conversions possible or is it mainly modding mechs, levels, etc?
There should be very little in the way of limitations, looking at other Unreal 4 based projects will give you a fairly good starting point on what to expect. Expect a lot more information about this later in the year.
Q) Finally, is there anything else you’d like our readers to know about MechWarrior 5 Mercenaries before we adjourn?
Thanks for taking the time to chat with us. I think we want gamers to be as excited as we are for MechWarrior 5: Mercenaries. We all grew up with BattleTech and MechWarrior and are making the game that we as fans want to play. And we hope that even if someone has never played a MechWarrior game before we think they are still going to love MW5!
After some contract renegotiation, fans of Adult Swim’s Rick and Morty will be very pleased to hear that the network’s flagship cartoon series has been renewed for 70 additional episodes. First announced by creators Dan Harmon and Justin Roiland on social media, this new longterm deal will keep the show around for quite some time. The show has only been on for three ten episode seasons thus far, but has gained a huge following. Adult Swim has announced that they will be sending out the Rickmobile to promote the show on a multi-city tour. This tour kicks off in Atlanta, GA on May 17 and will end up in San Diego for Comic-Con.
