Author - Jerry Paxton

New Features Coming to Pillars of Eternity

IRVINE, Calif. and STOCKHOLM – Feb. 4, 2016 — Obsidian Entertainment and Paradox Interactive today revealed several forthcoming updates to Pillars of Eternity,the award-winning title backed by dedicated fans of classic role-playing games (RPGs). Later this month, alongside the release of the game’s second expansion, The White March – Part 2, Obsidian will make new updates to the gameplay and features ofPillars of Eternity available for all players. These updates will include a streamlined combat UI, updates to the in-game Stronghold and portions of the game world, a new “Story Time” game mode, and improvements to a broad variety of in-game features such as knockout injuries that change the difficulty during combat. Version “3.0” of the game will arrive as a free update to all players of Pillars of Eternity on February 16, 2016, the same day as the release of The White March – Part 2.

With the forthcoming release of the update and expansion, Obsidian and Paradox bring the exciting first chapter of Pillars of Eternity to a close. “We’re committed to expanding and supporting the Pillars of Eternity experience. We have many stories to tell in this world and this has only been the first one,” said Obsidian CEO Feargus Urquhart. Gamers who have been waiting for the complete Pillars of Eternity story can now experience the incredible narrative from start to finish, up to and including the exciting conclusion to the story of The White March.

Pillars of Eternity, created by veterans also known for Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic II: The Sith Lords, Fallout: New Vegas, and South Park: The Stick of Truth, is an RPG inspired by classic titles such as Baldur’s Gate, Icewind Dale, andPlanescape: Torment. Created thanks to over 75,000 crowdfunding backers, Pillars of Eternity has sold over 700,000 units, was released to critical acclaim in March 2015, and is among Metacritic’s 15 Best PC Games of 2015.

For more information on Pillars of Eternity and The White March – Part 2, visit http://pillarsofeternity.com/.

DOOM Release Date and Gameplay Trailer

February 4, 2016 (Rockville, MD) – Bethesda Softworks®, a ZeniMax® Media company, today announced that DOOM will be available worldwide on Friday, May 13, 2016 for the Xbox One, PlayStation® 4 computer entertainment system, and PC. DOOM, the iconic game that defined a genre and considered one of the most influential games ever made, returns as a brutally fun and challenging modern-day shooter experience.

DOOM is under development at id Software®, the studio that pioneered the first-person shooter genre and invented multiplayer Deathmatch. Relentless demons, impossibly destructive guns, and fast, fluid movement provide the foundation for intense, first-person combat – whether you’re obliterating demon hordes through the depths of Hell in the single-player campaign, or competing against your friends in numerous multiplayer modes. Expand your gameplay experience using DOOM SnapMap™ game editor to easily create, play, and share your content with the world. DOOM garnered numerous E3 2015 awards and in a recent preview, Game Informer aptly described the gameplay as “an absolute blast.”

Bethesda also revealed plans to release a premium collector’s edition of DOOM that will be available across the globe through participating retailers. The limited DOOM collector’s edition, created in conjunction with TriForce, includes an exclusive, fully-realized 12” tall collector’s statue of one of the game’s most iconic demons: the Revenant. Modeled from actual in-game 3D files and striking in appearance, the demonic Revenant stands on an LED-lit base with internal, slow-spinning turbine from the UAC facility on Mars. The DOOM collector’s edition also includes a copy of the game packaged in an exclusive, battle-worthy metal case.

Click me. I dare you!

Click me. I dare you!

The DOOM collector’s edition is available for pre-order through participating retailers and is priced at $119.99 (US), €129.99 (Europe), and £99.99 (UK). Players pre-ordering the DOOM collector’s edition or the standard edition of the game will receive the Demon Multiplayer Pack which contains a unique demon armor set with three skin variations, six metallic paint colors and three id® logo patterns that can be applied to weapons and armor, plus a set of six Hack Modules – one-time consumable items that can give you an edge in a multiplayer match.

DOOM has not yet been rated by the ESRB. For more information, visit: www.DOOM.com.

HITMAN World of Assassination Trailer and Pre-Order Info

February 3, 2016 – Pre-orders for Io-Interactive’s much anticipated new HITMAN™ game go live again today. Players will be able to pre-order the ‘Intro Pack’ or the ‘Full Experience’, both of which will guarantee access to the upcoming beta.

A new trailer titled; ‘World of Assassination’ has also been released by the studio today. The world of assassination is a place of hidden violence, secret deals and bloody murder. It is the world where agencies such as the ICA work in the shadows to bring balance – it is the setting for past, present and future Hitman games.

HITMAN will launch on March 11th for the PlayStation®4 computer entertainment system, Xbox One, the all-in-one games and entertainment system from Microsoft, and Windows PC. The HITMAN beta starts on February 12th through February 14th on PlayStation 4 and February 19th through February 21st on PC. Players can guarantee access to the beta by pre-ordering the Full Experience or the new Intro Pack.

All pre-orders will also include the ‘classic’ REQUIEM pack which includes exclusive in-game digital items inspired by Hitman: Blood Money including the Requiem Legacy white suit, Blood Money shirt, tie and gloves, silenced ICA-19 chrome and white rubber duck explosive.

PlayStation users exclusively will also gain access to The Sarajevo Six. 6 Bonus Contracts, one of which will be released with each location and sees Agent 47 travel the world in pursuit of six former members of a paramilitary unit called CICADA in this self-contained side-story exclusive for PlayStation 4 users.

Related Links
Official Website: hitman.com
Official Facebook Page: facebook.com/hitman
Follow @Hitman on Twitter: twitter.com/hitman
Visit the subreddit: reddit.com/r/hitman

Clever Fox Announces VR Cyberpunk Series Broadcast for Summer

February 3rd, 2016 (Los Angeles, CA) Immersive production company Clever Fox announces “Broadcast” an original live action virtual reality anthology series to be released in Summer of 2016.

Clever Fox, known for VR originals “Last Man Standing” and “Coyote”, alongside branded content and music video offerings, continues to expand their catalog of compelling narrative 3D VR with “Broadcast”.

Coming on the heels of the Sundance Film Festival where Clever Fox CCO Dekker Dreyer spoke on topics ranging from directing actors in VR, to cinematic VR storytelling, to diversity voices in VR, the announcement of “Broadcast” fulfills Clever Fox’s commitment to premium storytelling in live action immersive media.

Pulling from a rich history of cyberpunk ideas “Broadcast” uses virtual reality as a lens to explore our relationship with economics, sex, and celebrity. The anthology series draws parallels to the Twilight Zone and the The Black Mirror in that each episode explores a dark idea grounded in our everyday experience.

“Broadcast” began filming in Fall of 2015 in Los Angeles and a trailer will be available in March followed by a preview episode in April for members of the Movie Cult Facebook community.

“A series in VR that explores what the world could be like in a VR-heavy future is admittedly very meta. My ideas for the series are rooted in existing anxieties about the pressure social media puts on us to appear successful, the idea of celebrity for the sake of celebrity, the relationship between ‘personal brand’ and identity and commerce… these are all things that virtual reality will challenge us with in a very real way and we’re writing a series that tries to get five minutes out ahead of that. I’m a huge fan of things likeBladerunner and Ghost in the Shell and although our series won’t be action adventure heavy I’m hoping that we share some underlying DNA with those universes,” said Dekker Dreyer, Clever Fox Chief Creative Officer and “Broadcast” showrunner.

Clever Fox’s original VR films have already exceeded their expectations and found a growing audience. Clever Fox’s first original, the zombie survival experience “Last Man Standing” starring Phil Morris (Smallville, Love That Girl), has been seen tens of thousands of times since its late Decemberdebut exclusively on the littlstar platform and their latest film “Coyote” looks to overtake it.

“The market for original VR content is still comparatively small. There’s only been one major VR headset available to consumers so far, but the speed at which our audience has grown shows that this medium is going to explode in 2016. We’re very excited to be bringing ‘Broadcast’ to that audience. I’m a fan of cyberpunk and science fiction and producing the show has been a great experience. We hope the VR audience is as excited as we are to bring this type of content to life,” said Julia Howe, CEO of Clever Fox.

DiRT Rally Console Edition New Trailer

Larkspur, Calif., February 2, 2016 – Codemasters and Deep Silver U.S. have confirmed new content for DiRT Rally® for its launch on PlayStation® 4 computer entertainment system and Xbox One on April 5th. A new trailer showcasing the new content is available to watch now at www.dirtgame.com

New Classic Mini and Super 1600 series will introduce the thrills of rallycross racing from the start of the game and 21 advanced rally driving video guides will help gamers maximise their rallying performance. Players will be able to drive the vintage full gravel surface at Pikes Peak for the first time in the game and three of Colin McRae’s most iconic liveries will enable them to relive the exploits of a legendary rally champion.

The DiRT team have also added seven extra cars, including some much-requested fan favorites:

· Peugeot 208 T16 Pikes Peak
· Renault 5 Turbo
· Renault Alpine A110
· Opel Corsa Super 1600
· Peugeot 207 S1600
· Renault Clio S1600
· Mini Classic Rallycross

Available to pre-order now is the limited run DiRT Rally Legend Edition, which includes both the Fully Loaded MINI Pack and Fully Loaded Ford Pack, which unlocks and fully upgrades the MINI Cooper S and Ford Escort MK2 from the start of the game, gives an exclusive livery for the cars and provides a unique team mechanic with perks.

Gamers pre-ordering the digital edition of DiRT Rally will receive both the Fully Loaded Rallycross Pack, which unlocks the Mini Classic Rallycross and provides the same benefits as the other packs.

LEGO Star Wars: The Force Awakens Announced

Burbank, Calif. – February 2, 2016 – Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment, TT Games, The LEGO Group and Lucasfilm today announced LEGO® Star Wars™: The Force Awakens™, marking the triumphant return of the No. 1 LEGO videogame franchise, allowing players to relive the epic action from the blockbuster film in a fun-filled, humorous way that only a LEGO game can offer. Launching on June 28, 2016, the game will introduce brand new gameplay mechanics to build, battle and fly through the galaxy like never before, as well as new story content exploring the time between Star Wars: Return of the Jedi and Star Wars: The Force Awakens, providing additional insight about the new movie and its characters.

LEGO Star Wars: The Force Awakens, developed by TT Games and published by Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment, will be available for PlayStation®4 and PlayStation®3 computer entertainment systems, PlayStation®Vita handheld entertainment system, Xbox One, Xbox 360, the Wii U™ system from Nintendo, the Nintendo 3DS™ family of systems and Windows PC.

“We’re extremely proud of the LEGO Star Wars videogames, truly an incredible franchise that has sold more than 33 million copies and helped ignite a passion for numerous fun-filled LEGO games enjoyed by countless gamers around the world,” said Tom Stone, Managing Director, TT Games. “LEGO Star Wars: The Force Awakens will be pushing the series forward with innovative new gameplay mechanics, while also exploring new parts of the universe that are sure to excite and delight both LEGO and Star Wars fans, as well as newcomers to our games.”

“We are thrilled to be bringing back the LEGO Star Wars videogame franchise, which kicked off such a beloved series of LEGO titles more than a decade ago,” said Ada Duan, Vice President, Digital Business & Franchise Management, Lucasfilm. “LEGO Star Wars: The Force Awakens allows players to experience the new film in a unique way that only TT Games can provide, combining signature humor with epic Star Wars action. With previously untold story content exploring new details about the movie and its characters, it’s a perfect fit for fans of all ages.”

“We are delighted to return to the Star Wars Universe and continue the journey with the franchise that started it all for LEGO videogames,” said Niels Jørgensen, Vice President, Digital Games for the LEGO Group. “LEGOStar Wars: The Force Awakens will offer an amazing gaming experience covering not only the movie but also exclusive content with all the fun and humor you would expect from a LEGO game, while delivering the epic Star Wars adventure fans expect.”

LEGO Star Wars: The Force Awakens takes players deeper into the new film than any other game with all of the heroic characters from the movie, including Rey, Finn, Poe Dameron, Han Solo, Chewbacca, C-3PO, and BB-8, as well as Kylo Ren, General Hux and Captain Phasma, while also exploring iconic Star Wars locales, such as Jakku and Starkiller Base.

This action-packed adventure introduces new gameplay features, including the enhanced “Multi-Builds” system, where players can choose from multiple building options to advance the game. Gamers will be able to engage in intense new Blaster Battles for the first time, utilizing surrounding environments to drive back the First Order. Fans can also experience the thrill of high-speed flight gameplay through arena-based battles and dogfights in space, while utilizing a multitude of vehicles along the way, including the legendary Millennium Falcon.

PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 3 players will have access to exclusive downloadable content, the Droid Character Pack and the Phantom Limb Level Pack. For information on LEGO Star Wars: The Force Awakens, visit the PlayStation Blog.

Follow LEGO Star Wars: The Force Awakens at:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LEGOStarWarsGame

Twitter: https://twitter.com/LSWGame (@LSWGAME)

YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/LEGOStarWarsGame

Dying Light: The Following Presents 100 Years of Zombie Evolution Video

February 2nd, 2016 – Wroclaw, Poland – Today a unique time-lapse video showcasing the evolution of zombies in works of popular culture – from the classic movies of the 1930s to modern video games – has been released.

Techland is proud to share the video as it features, among many recognizable pop culture icons,  the Volatile – a trademark zombie from Techland’s game Dying Light. This is also the very first time the Volatile has been portrayed in real-life by an actor.

Horror Game Kholat PS4 Release Date and Trailer

February 2nd, Bielsko-Biała, Poland – IMGN.PRO is very excited to announce that Kholat is finally coming to PS4! The most terrifying journey of your life will have its PSN release on March 8th this year.

The date of this announcement is not accidental – today marks exactly 57 years since infamous Dyatlov Pass Incident, which served as our main inspiration during the creation of Kholat. It was the event that took the lives of 9 Russian students, hiking the Ural Mountains, on the night of February 2nd 1959. The real cause of this tragedy is still unknown, with many hypothesis arising during the years.

A special interactive map, showing the course of events of this fatal trip, was prepared on this occasion:

http://thepass.kholat.com/

And that’s not all – starting from 3:00 a. m. PST today – Kholat gets 57% discount on Steam for the 57th Dyatlov Pass Incident anniversary: http://store.steampowered.com/app/343710/

Universal Studios Hollywood Announces EZ Rez Ticket Purchasing System

Universal City, California, February 2, 2016 – Starting today and for the first time ever, Universal Studios Hollywood is introducing EZ Rez™, an innovative, easy-to-use online ticket purchasing system featuring an array of new consumer benefits designed to enhance visits to The Entertainment Capital of L.A. as the world-class destination continues its unparalleled investment in an ambitious epic transformation.

In addition to affording guests the unique opportunity of booking date specific tickets, EZ Rez ticket holders will be able to benefit from early entry to “The Wizarding World of Harry Potter™” when the immersive land officially opens on April 7. Early admission to the land will begin one hour prior to park opening.

As an added benefit, guests purchasing admission tickets and annual passes via EZ Rez will also enjoy premium savings with all advanced online transactions. Anytime admission tickets will continue to be available.

The past five years have been a remarkable time for Universal Studios Hollywood as the destination embarked on an unprecedented revitalization that has substantially altered over 75 percent of its familiar footprint to effectively characterize it as an entirely new experience and theme park.

With the much anticipated arrival of “The Wizarding World of Harry Potter™” opening on April 7, and the recent addition of “Fast & Furious: Supercharged” as the grand finale to the world-famousStudio Tour, expansive themed lands including “Springfield” and “Despicable Me Minion Mayhem,” next generation thrill rides such as “Transformers: The Ride 3D,” amplified experiences such as the recently introduced “Nighttime Studio Tour” and the new “Special Effects Show,” Universal Studios Hollywood is continually exploring new, groundbreaking ways to ensure guests have the best possible experience, both in advance and upon their arrival.

More information is available at www.UniversalStudiosHollywood.com. Like Universal Studios Hollywood on Facebook and follow @UniStudios on Instagram and Twitter.

Universal Studios Hollywood, The Entertainment Capital of L.A.SM, includes a full-day, movie-based theme park and Studio Tour; the CityWalk entertainment, shopping and dining complex, the Universal CityWalk Cinemas and the “5 Towers” state-of-the-art outdoor concert venue. World-class rides and attractions include the renowned, behind-the-scenes Studio Tour featuring the intense “King Kong 360 3-D” attraction and the all-new “Fast & Furious—Supercharged” thrill ride as the Studio Tour’s grand finale.  Other popular rides include the 3D-HD adventure, “Despicable Me Minion Mayhem” and immersive “Super Silly Fun Land,” the critically-acclaimed mega-attraction, “Transformers™:  The Ride-3D,” “Revenge of the MummySM—The Ride,” “Jurassic Park® —The Ride,” “Springfield,” hometown of America’s favorite TV family, adjacent to the award-winning “The Simpsons RideTM” and the “Nighttime Studio Tour.”

Original USS Enterprise Studio Model Conservation Begins Phase II

The Smithsonian Institute has begun what they call “Phase II” of their cataloging and restoration of the original USS Enterprise studio model – that is, the original model of the ship used on the 1966 TV show. The model has seen lots of wear over the last 50 YEARS (wow… that long?) but is in surprisingly good condition thanks to some previous restoration done outside of the Smithsonian’s influence.

The above image shows the original studio model of the USS Enterprise in its constituent pieces – each of which will be photographed in multiple light spectra in order to make sure its condition is fully-documented for the archives. Then a team of professionals from ILM and CAMd will oversee its restoration.

You can read more on this process over at the Smithsonian’s official website.