September 01, 2017 — The lines have been drawn and the war horns have been sounded, which means Total War: ARENA is now ready for its Closed Beta Test (CBT) to begin. Right out of the gate, budding tacticians have three factions at their disposal: Romans, Greeks, and Barbarians, featuring ten iconic commanders from Caesar, Leonidas, and, new for the CBT—Boudica.
Commanders can get to grips with 140+ units, covering archers, spearmen, blade-wielders, siege units, and more. Boudica also brings with her an entirely new Barbarian Army Tech Tree to progress through, including fearsome Wardogs to take a bite out of the enemy. With different playstyles for each unit, faction, and commander, players have a wealth of tactical options at their disposal to master nine battlefields such as Hadrian’s Wall and Thermopylae.
“We’re all extremely excited to reach this benchmark of Closed Beta,” said Sergei Laptenok Total War: ARENA Product Director at Wargaming. “It’s thanks to the players who helped us out in the Alpha and the team’s hard work that we’ve come this far. Now, we want those Alpha players to join the CBT, so we can continue improving the game and introducing awesome content in the future.”
“The Closed Beta launch marks the start of an exciting new phase for Total War: ARENA,” said Gabor Beressy, Total War: ARENA Game Director at Creative Assembly. “We look forward to welcoming more players and sharing new content with them.”
To kick-start their conquest, players can grab Founder Packs containing tons of timed-exclusive units, cosmetics, in-game currency and Premium Account time to get the most out of each battle.
To say thanks to all Alpha players who provided valuable feedback to enhance Total War: ARENA, the team have automatically included them into CBT. With the lifting of the game’s NDA, players can share their battle stories online with their friends and the community.
GHENT, Belgium – Aug. 31, 2017 – Larian Studios has today announced Fane, the sixth and final origin character in Divinity: Original Sin 2. Fane is undead, the final playable faction in the game, and appears as a ghoulish skeleton to the denizens of the world of Rivellon. Undead characters are much more than spooky skeletons, however, and include some fundamentally different gameplay mechanics in Divinity: Original Sin 2.
Larian Studios has also today unveiled full details on the Divinity: Original Sin 2 Collector’s Edition. One thousand units of the Collector’s Edition are now available for $169 on a completely new and revamped Divinity: Original Sin 2 website, including an all new online shop, at shop.larian.game. The Collector’s Edition includes:
A Steam key for Divinity: Original Sin 2
Box featuring art of each of the four major races of Rivellon
A combination velvet-lined dice tray and Dungeon Master’s Screen, featuring art of the Mask of the Shapeshifter on the outside, and the Hall of Echoes on the interior
A 10.2-inch figurine of Fane, featuring interchangeable skull head and rotating Mask of the Shapeshifter
A Chronicles of Reaper’s Coast lorebook
A Compendium of Riveollonian Artwork art book
Color printed map of Reaper’s Coast
Full Divinity: Original Sin 2 instruction manual
For a first look at the Collector’s Edition and Fane, check out a new Kickstarter update video at https://youtu.be/7B5rJ_VG7Lw.
Players of Divinity: Original Sin 2 can create their own custom undead characters as well, and can choose which race their character belonged to prior to their death. This means that players can choose from undead Human, undead Dwarf, undead Elf, or undead Lizard character models. Customer undead characters have the unique undead racial abilities and traits, not the traits of the race the character once lived as. When an undead character hides his face with a simple hood, citizens of Rivellon will perceive the character as it’s former living race.
Fane was an eager and ambitious scholar entombed by his elders for pursuing forbidden knowledge, and has emerged after centuries of isolation into a very different world than the one he left. Fane enters a Rivellon that fears the site of a fully animated skeleton strolling through town – when he reveals his true form people will flee in fear or attempt to fight him. He and other Eternal characters must disguise themselves with a magical item called the Mask of the Shapeshifter.
Creating the mask comes at a gruesome cost – a fresh corpse is needed and the face must be ripped from it. Once crafted, the Mask of the Shapeshifter allows undead characters to don the appearance and unique racial abilities of any other race in the game. For example, Fane can shift to a Dwarf for better prices from a Dwarven merchant, or shift to an Elf to dine on a corpse and learn their memories with the Elven racial ability Corpse Eater. Multiple masks can be made, and they can even be used by other living characters to disguise themselves as other races, allowing them to approach situations in new ways. If players decide to create their own character, or just play a different origin story, Fane will still appear in the game, where he can be recruited as a companion.
Fane and his origin story are the product of a collaboration between the Larian Studios writing team and famed RPG game writer Chris Avellone. The inclusion of the undead race were part of a stretch goal during Divinity: Original Sin 2’s Kickstarter campaign.
The first act of Divinity: Original Sin 2 is now available on Steam Early Access at http://store.steampowered.com/app/435150/. Download today or wait until launch for the full and final version on September 14th!
Keep up with all things Larian and Divinity on social media:
August 31, 2017 – Just when you thought it was safe to go back in the water…take on the terrifying great white shark in Jaws™ Pinball! Based on the blockbuster film, this virtual pinball experience lets you relive your favorite moments with a gameplay twist. Turn the tides by playing as the shark in several game modes or start modes based on select movie scenes!
Jaws™ Pinball will release in the upcoming Universal Classics™ Pinball collection for Pinball FX3 on PlayStation 4, Xbox One and PC, and for Zen Pinball on iOS, Google Play and Mac. The collection also includes tables based on Back to the Future™ and E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial™
Jaws Pinball Table Features:
Find and defeat the great white shark threatening Amity Island in Quint’s Main Modes!
Terrorize Amity Island’s local residents and visiting tourists in the Jaws Main Modes!
Keep the ball in play during the Raging Sea mode as the table becomes unsteady and the sea takes control!
Start different multiballs, play fast-paced frenzy modes and max out your score!
Set sail as night falls or navigate just before sunset!
JACKSON, N.J. — August 31, 2017 — Six Flags Great Adventure, in partnership with Warner Bros. Consumer Products, on behalf of DC Entertainment, today announced that it will premiere the world’s first thrill ride themed to the DC Super Hero CYBORG in 2018. Inspired by the movement of a gyroscope, CYBORG Cyber Spin will deliver an unrelenting and intense anti-gravity experience as it whirls guests on three axes high above the ground.
“Six Flags leads the industry in thrill ride innovation; it is part of our DNA,” said Park President Neal Thurman. ”Six Flags Great Adventure is home to an unparalleled collection of record-breaking attractions and we are excited to be adding CYBORG Cyber Spin, the first of its kind in North America. Like the Super Hero CYBORG of the JUSTICE LEAGUE, this futuristic, hi-tech ride will be unlike anything our guests have ever seen or experienced before and it is the perfect new thrill ride to expand our new Metropolis section.”
CYBORG Cyber Spin features a unique futuristic triple box design that allows the gondola to spin around three separate axes while rotating forward, backwards and sideways simultaneously at up to 70 feet in the air for intense and continuous movement. Seated 24 across with over-the-shoulder harnesses, riders will experience a thrilling combination of negative and positive gravitational forces. By night—this bold, new attraction promises to light up the New Jersey skies beckoning thrill seekers from near and far.
CYBORG Cyber Spin highlights include:
Unpredictable flips and pivots at heights up to seven stories (70 feet) above the ground;
Floorless seats that leave riders’ feet dangling as they whirl through the air;
Dazzling nighttime light display; and
Located in Metropolis adjacent to JUSTICE LEAGUE: Battle for Metropolis.
Six Flags Great Adventure is also announcing the start of 2018 Season Pass sales with its special Flash Sale through Labor Day weekend featuring the best deal of the year—savings up to 70% on a 2018 Pass.
August 31 through Sept. 4, guests will receive a free upgrade to a Gold Season Pass with every Pass purchased. Gold Season Passes include admission to both Six Flags Great Adventure and Hurricane Harbor, and any other Six Flags theme park, as well as free parking and special admission offers for friends.
2018 Season Passes provide unlimited visits any operating day for the rest of 2017 (including park admission to Fright Fest® and Holiday in the Park®), and all of 2018. Pass holders may also purchase a Premium Season Dining Pass, which includes a lunch, dinner, and snack during every park visit, plus they will receive a 2018 All Season Drink Bottle for unlimited drink refills.Premium Season Dining Passes may be used at any Six Flags theme park.
SAN DIEGO – Aug. 30, 2017 – Daybreak Games has released its largest update of the year for the massive arena shooter H1Z1®: King of the Kill®. The update introduces a new weapon — the Hellfire 4-6 submachine gun — and revamps the game’s core mechanics and gunplay to provide players with the best combat experience yet.
The Combat Update further increases the pace and action of H1Z1 by simplifying navigation mechanics, improving combat mechanics and weapon roles, and more. Highlights include:
New Weapon: Players now have the option to spray down opponents with the fast-firing Hellfire 4-6 submachine gun, which was designed for close-quarter fights.
Intuitive Gunplay: All guns have been rebalanced to give each weapon a distinct play style and have been modernized with improved weapon ballistics, hitmarkers, recoil and animation for better proficiency and precision.
Dynamic Cameras: The camera system has been improved to better showcase characters and make it easier to move and loot around the world.
New POIs: Five new points of interest have been added to increase variety in fights and to the map: East Valley Shopping Center, Harris County Fairgrounds, CWP Water Treatment Authority, CWP Utilities Compound 62, and a remade Sunny Pines residential area.
Improved Navigation: The compass has been updated to ease navigation through the world, including the ability to place a waypoint marker on the map.
And More: Various world systems improvements have been implemented, the ability to shred footwear has been added, bleed mechanics have been simplified, and throwables have been upgraded to be more efficient to use and equip.
The Combat Update also introduces a new Skirmish mode, Weapon Roulette. In Weapon Roulette, players start the match with a random gun equipped with infinite ammo with no other guns or ammo spawned into the map to loot. At certain population thresholds during the match, all players will have their current weapon replaced with a new weapon and ammo at random.
August 30, 2017 – In the world of Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus, the TV show Blitzmensch subverts the heroic American archetype and twists it into propaganda to fit the needs of the Nazi regime. Blitzmensch might be masquerading as family-friendly fun, but it won’t fool the resistance, which B.J. Blazkowicz is rallying to repel the repulsive Nazis from his homeland. Watch this episode of Blitzmensch, plucked straight from the world of Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus.
Blitzmensch Description
Holterdiepolter! It’s official – Blitzmensch is a blast! General Engel’s favorite TV show is getting bigger and better each year! Päng! Blitzmensch and his partner Fräulein Fox save the world from capitalism, communism, and degenerates every day in this amazing show celebrating die Überlegenheit – the superiority – of the Reich and the Aryan race. Ach, nee! Who will be this week’s baddie? The evil Money Grubber? The notorious Proletariat-Man? The vicious Mr. Yankee Monkey? Don’t miss a single episode of Blitzmensch!
Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus releases October 27 for Xbox One, PlayStation 4, and PC.
STOCKHOLM, SWEDEN – AUGUST 30, 2017 – Independent developer Fatshark today announced the sequel to the million selling game Warhammer: End Times – Vermintide.
“On October 23rd, 2015 we introduced the world to Warhammer: Vermintide, and since then it has sold over 1.5 million units.” says Martin Wahlund, CEO of Fatshark and continues “Now it’s time to introduce the upcoming sequel – Warhammer: Vermintide 2”
Warhammer: Vermintide 2 is making its way to PC via Steam, as well as consoles.
San Diego, CA – August 22nd, 2017 – snakebyte® group, leading innovators of consumer electronics hardware, announced today the Bravo Throttle System with Auto Pilot & Annunciation Panel, a new high-end modular component designed for the flight simulation community and being released under the companies Honeycomb Aeronautical™ brand.
Complementing the previously announced Yoke & Switch Panel, the new Bravo Throttle System integrates seamlessly with other brands of flight simulation hardware, offering a simple way for enthusiasts to enhance their system without worrying about compatibility issues.
The Bravo Throttle System has been designed to offer an authentic engine management and avionics system for all forms of aviation. Users can configure the throttle quadrant to virtually any type of aircraft, by configuring it to either single-engine general aviation, multi-engine general aviation, two-engine commercial aviation or four-engine commercial, both with reverse thrusters as well as spoilers and flaps via the included handle kit.
In addition to the throttle configurations, the Bravo Throttle System features an impressive array of flight controls. Users can utilize the Auto Pilot for cross country flights as well as the Annunciation Panel with 14 warning lights, drawing real-time data from the flight simulation software.
The integrated gear lever comes complete with indicator lights, and the Boing® 737 style trim wheel, flap toggle controls and an additional seven programmable switches provide aspiring pilots with a plethora of controls at their fingertips.
“Since announcing the Honeycomb range earlier in the year, we’ve been inundated with support from the simulation community who are crying out for a fresh take on professional quality flight hardware. The Bravo Throttle System has been designed to integrate into the users pre-existing configuration, providing exceptionally authentic controls for commercial or general aviation aircraft,” said Nicki Repenning, CEO of snakebyte USA. “At present, flight enthusiasts have no option but to purchase several costly pieces of equipment separately in order to replicate the controls we feature on a single unit. We strongly believe that we offer better quality, better innovation and better value than alternative hardware and we look forward to unveiling more information in the run up to product launch. We’re in the final development stages of the earlier announced Alpha Flight Controls with expected launch in Q4 2017 and plan for the the Bravo Throttle Quadrant to be available shortly after.”
Designed and developed by pilots and flight engineers in California, USA, Honeycomb Aeronautical has engineered its range using genuine aerospace components and the same internal mechanics used in premium certified simulators approved by the FAA for flight training use.
Snakbyte group will be appearing at gamescom 2017, taking place in Cologne, Germany from August 22nd through August 26th, in Hall 2.1, Marketpoint Booth AD12.
UNIVERSAL CITY, Calif., ORLANDO, Fla. (August 29, 2017) – Jason Blum, one of today’s most prolific producers of contemporary horror films, brings his signature movies to life in the uniquely distinctive “The Horrors of Blumhouse” maze at this year’s “Halloween Horror Nights” event at Universal Studios Hollywood and Universal Orlando Resort, beginning Friday, September 15.
Based on The Purge, Sinister and Insidious franchises, as well as the upcoming thriller Happy Death Day, Blumhouse Productions (Split, Get Out, Whiplash ), is teaming with the creative minds behind the nation’s most intense and immersive Halloween event to unleash three twisted Blumhouse films in one bone-chilling experience at each Halloween destination.
At Universal Studios Hollywood, legions of terrified guests will come face-to-face with the most iconic and unnerving moments from the blockbuster The Purge franchise, Sinister movies and soon-to-be released Happy Death Day. In The Purge, guests will attempt to survive the night as they are immersed in the film’s depraved world, where all crime is declared legal as part of the government’s annually sanctioned 12-hour Purge. In what can be described as a living trailer for Happy Death Day, guests will experience a deja-vu scenario as they are forced to relive the last day of their lives over and over again in an attempt to escape a masked killer. The final nightmare will unmask itself in Sinister, where guests will encounter an ancient pagan deity who is determined to trap them in the sordid shadow world of the dead…for all eternity.
“It’s a privilege to collaborate with Jason Blum and his team at Blumhouse Productions to create ‘The Horrors of Blumhouse,’” said John Murdy, Creative Director at Universal Studios Hollywood and Executive Producer of “Halloween Horror Nights.” “The decisive, inventive way in which he interprets underlying issues plaguing today’s society into his films provides us with a plethora of content to create truly captivating, one-of-a-kind modern horror experiences for our guests.”
Upon entering “The Horrors of Blumhouse” maze at Universal Orlando Resort, guests will attempt to survive three of the most menacing anthologies in the Blumhouse assemblage. First, guests will face the horror of becoming stars in the next home murder movie of the menacing demon Bughuul, from the infamous Sinisterfranchise. Then, they’ll run for their lives to escape the gang of bloodthirsty home invaders from the first installment of The Purge saga. Finally, guests will be thrust into the Further from the Insidious legend, where they’ll come face-to-face with the paralyzing Lipstick-Face Demon from Chapter 1 and witness Dr. Elise Rainier’s own personal hauntings from her nightmarish childhood in a first-look at Insidious: Chapter 4 – in theaters January 5, 2018.
“We’re thrilled to bring the terrifying vision of Jason Blum and the Blumhouse Productions team to life on an even grander scale at Halloween Horror Nights 2017,” said Charles Gray, Show Director for Creative Development, Halloween Horror Nights at Universal Orlando Resort. “He is the modern voice of horror, whose films run the gamut of intense, in-your-face terror – and this year, we’re taking our guests deeper into the horrific world of Blumhouse than ever before.”
“We are so excited to expand our collaboration with the terrific creative team at ‘Halloween Horror Nights’ this year,” commented Blum. “With ‘The Horrors of Blumhouse’ maze, people will be able to fully immerse themselves into the cinematic worlds of our most terrifying films – with bone-chilling results.”
Universal Studios’ “Halloween Horror Nights” is the ultimate Halloween event. For more than 20 years, guests from around the world have visited Halloween Horror Nights in Hollywood and Orlando to become victims inside their own horror film. The streets of each coast’s event are transformed into highly-themed scare zones where menacing “scare-actors” lunge from every darkened corner. Multiple movie-quality haunted houses are erected throughout the event, based on everything from iconic slasher films to hit horror television series to haunting original stories.
Additional details about Universal Studios’ “Halloween Horror Nights” will be revealed soon. For more information about Halloween Horror Nights at either Universal Studios Hollywood or Universal Orlando Resort, visit www.HalloweenHorrorNights.com.
Portsmouth, UK, 29th August 2017 – Vision Games Publishing and Climax Studios today announced that Surf World Series will be releasing today (August 29th) on PlayStation 4, and tomorrow (August 30th) on Xbox One and PC (Steam), priced at £11.99 / 14.99€ / $14.99. A free demo version of Surf World Series is also available now on all platforms.
A new launch trailer showing off the game in action can be seen here.
In Surf World Series, players will take to the waves to experience the thrill of pure arcade-style surfing. Developed by Climax Studios in partnership with Vision Games Publishing and Standfast Interactive, in Surf World Series players will be able to:
Ride monster waves at 5 of the world’s most iconic shorelines, from the infamous Bell’s Beach, Australia, to the extreme waves at Waimea Bay, Hawaii.
Become masters of the waves, learning increasingly difficult tricks along the way, from nailing kickflips and cutbacks, to landing massive aerials and navigating treacherous tubes.
Trick their way through 44 single player challenges, or carve up the competition online against 15 other players across 3 different online game modes.
Rank up and unlock thousands of customisation options to stamp their own style on their journey to become a surf legend.
