Author - Jerry Paxton

Robot Chicken Season 7 DVD Review

2015/08/09

Geek News, Misc Review, Movie News, News, Reviews

Now finished with its seventh season, Robot Chicken is going strong and more irreverent than ever. We got the chance to look at season 7 on DVD, and were very pleased to find not only some of the funniest episodes of Robot Chicken made to date but, also, a creator commentary for EVERY SINGLE ONE of the twenty episodes! The commentaries are often times hilarious and, at the very least, interesting in getting a gauge on the creative process of show’s creation. Also included in this two disc set is a special Christmas episode. Some of the highlights of the season include an epic Bitch Pudding story arc (in fact, she graces the DVD box art), some great The Smurfs-centric episodes, and a DiC cartoon version of Space Jam.

Like the other Robot Chicken season sets on DVD, the pricing is extremely affordable at $22.96 on Amazon with Prime shipping available. Unlike the other Robot Chicken season sets, this one doesn’t have the secret extras hidden in drill down menus that viewers had to search out. The extras on this set are all well-defined and in easy to find locations. Some of the hardcore Robot Chicken fans might miss this but, I had no issue with it as I just want to watch the content, not go on a search for stuff I paid for.

Overall, the DVD release of Robot Chicken’s seventh season had me in stitches and I watched it twice. The show’s creative direction seems to grow bolder with each season and I can’t wait to see what lies in store for us viewers in the show’s eighth season – which is scheduled to premiere on Adult Swim come October 25, 2015.

Robot Chicken Season 7 DVD Set on Amazon

Halloween: Michael Myers Comes Home Announced for Universal Halloween Horror Nights

2015/08/09

Jerry Paxton

Geek News, Halloween, News

Universal City, California, August 8, 2015 – Michael Myers, aka “The Boogeyman,” takes a stab at Universal Studios’ “Halloween Horror Nights” beginning Friday, September 18, 2015 in a startling and terrifying new maze, “Halloween: Michael Myers Comes Home,” inspired by the unparalleled, original classic slasher film, Halloween,directed by renowned horror filmmaker John Carpenter.

Halloween, hailed as one of the greatest horror films of all time and starring Jamie Lee Curtis in her acting debut, will come to life in the demented new experience: “Halloween: Michael Myers Comes Home.” The haunted maze will take guests through the tormented town of Haddonfield, Illinois, where on one fateful Halloween night in 1963, a six-year-old child by the name of Michael Myers inexplicably and brutally stabbed his sister to death with a kitchen knife. Guests will relive the terror that a maniacal Michael Myers inflicted upon the once quiet town after his escape from a psychiatric hospital to take bloody revenge on new and unsuspecting victims.

Guests will have the sensation of stepping through the silver screen directly into unsettling and shocking film scenes as they navigate their way through Haddonfield, adorned in classic Halloween décor on a similar Halloween night in 1963. Meyer’s abandoned family home and its blood-splattered walls, where the violent murder took place, will set the stage for a new crime scene as guests attempt to evade the relentless killer–armed with his signature bloodstained knife.

“Halloween is the ultimate classic slasher film that spawned an entire horror film genre,” said John Murdy, Creative Director at Universal Studios Hollywood and Executive Producer of “Halloween Horror Nights.” “Bringing John Carpenter’s disturbing, cutting-edge vision to life as part of ‘Halloween Horror Nights’ is the ideal complement to our maze lineup as we continue to break creative ground with outstanding horror icons that raise the intensity level of our experience.”

“We are extremely excited to team up with Universal Studios Hollywood’s fantastic event, ‘Halloween Horror Nights,” said Malek Akkad, President of Trancas International Films and Compass International Pictures. “The attention to detail that the creative team gives to the Halloween maze creates a realistic and terrifying experience for guests that is truly authentic to the film. This year’s maze will be the best yet.”

“Halloween Horror Nights” 2015 at Universal Studios Hollywood kicks off on Friday, September 18 and continues on select nights through November 1. The popular event brings together the sickest minds in horror to immerse guests in a living, breathing, three-dimensional world of terror. Featuring an all-new slate of unrivaled film production quality mazes, frightful scare zones and a fully re-imagined “Terror Tram” experience uniquely themed to today’s most definitive horror properties, “Halloween Horror Nights” will taunt, terrorize and torment guests with spine-chilling haunted attractions during Southern California’s most extreme Halloween experience.

Recent maze announcements include, “Guillermo del Toro Presents Crimson Peak: Maze of Madness,” based on Legendary and Universal Pictures’ much-anticipated Crimson Peak film directed, co-written and produced by celebrated filmmaker Guillermo del Toro; “The Walking Dead: Wolves Not Far,” based on season 5 of the critically-acclaimed, Emmy Award®-winning television series, and “Insidious: Return to the Further,” based on the bone-chillingInsidious film trilogy. This year’s event will also feature the global phenomenon and multi-talented dance crew, Jabbawockeez, direct from Las Vegas in an all-new original show, performing multiple times per night throughout the run of “Halloween Horror Nights.”

Join the “Halloween Horror Nights” conversation using #UniversalHHN on Facebook at Halloween Horror Nights – Hollywood, Instagram @HorrorNights, Twitter and Periscope @HorrorNights. Add us on Snapchat, username HorrorNights for nightly live content and watch the terror come to life on Halloween Horror Nights YouTube.

The Surge Announced

2015/08/07

Jerry Paxton

Geek News, News, Windows PC News

August 7, 2015 – German developer Deck13 and Focus Home Interactive today reveal the title of their upcoming Action-RPG: The Surge. Along with the official title of the game and its logo, discover a new official artwork, indicative of the kinds of areas you’ll explore and fight in The Surge!

Set in a heavily dystopian future as Earth nears the end of its life, those who remain in the overpopulated cities must work to survive as social programs become saturated by an ageing population and increasing environmental diseases.

As the intelligence of technology incrementally increased over the years, many jobs for the human race had been made redundant, forcing Earth’s citizens to head out into the suburbs seeking labor, aided by exoskeletons to improve their efficiency. The world of The Surge offers a very grim vision of the future, where the evolution of our technology, our society and our relation with the environment led to a decadent state of the Human civilization.

The Surge features innovative combat mechanics and an original character progression system based on modular upgrades gained through tight, visceral combat. Be sure to stay tuned for more about The Surge over the coming months!

World of Warcraft: Legion Expansion Announced

2015/08/06

Jerry Paxton

Geek News, News, Trailers / Videos, Windows PC News

World of Warcraft: Legion Expansion screenshot

COLOGNE, Germany—August 6, 2015—Doom comes for the Alliance and the Horde as a great burning shadow falls over Azeroth. During an event streamed live around the world from gamescom 2015, Blizzard Entertainment today unveiled World of Warcraft^®: Legion™, the sixth expansion to its acclaimed massively multiplayer online role-playing game.

In this dire new chapter of the Warcraft^® saga, the demonic Burning Legion has returned, seeking to call forth their fallen leader—the dark titan Sargeras, Ravager of Worlds. As destruction rains across Azeroth, its heroes must seek salvation among the ruins of the Broken Isles, doomed center of ancient night elf civilization and birthplace of myths dating back to the world’s creation. In the face of hopeless odds, they must learn to master mighty Artifacts—legendary weapons that hold the potential to bring down the corrupted armies of the Legion—and strike an infernal pact with the dread Demon Hunters of the Illidari . . . accursed followers of the infamous Illidan the Betrayer.

World of Warcraft: Legion ushers in an era of unprecedented conflict for the Alliance and the Horde as the Burning Legion’s crusade against creation enters a terrifying new stage. The expansion is loaded with features and content that will transform players into Azeroth’s elite vanguard against the shadow, including:

New Hero Class: Demon Hunter—Unleash the demon within as an all-new melee hero class gifted with preternatural mobility—and the ability to metamorphose into hellish new forms.
New Feature: Artifact Weapons—Smite the Legion with legendary weapons of lore. Earn Artifact power to unlock abilities and traits, and customize your weapon to suit your needs.
New Continent: The Broken Isles—Discover the fate of a lost night elf civilization, confront twisted fragments of the Emerald Nightmare, and hunt agents of the Legion in all-new zones.
New Feature: Order Hall—Whether you’re paladin or warlock, unite fellow NPC members of your class’s order to carry out missions at your command.
New PvP Honor System—Fight for fame, glory, and a range of new PvP-specific powers as you face the opposing faction in Arenas and Battlegrounds.
Boost to Level 100—Come fully prepared to battle the Legion with a level-100 character boost, and fight alongside your friends in this epic new chapter of World of Warcraft.

“In World of Warcraft: Legion, the stakes for the Alliance and the Horde are higher than ever, so we’re putting some of Azeroth’s deadliest forces directly in players’ hands,” said Mike Morhaime, CEO and cofounder of Blizzard Entertainment. “Whether they’re wreaking havoc as a Demon Hunter or unlocking awesome new abilities for their Artifact, players will develop their characters’ power in ways they never have before.”

Stalk Your Prey as a Demon Hunter

Dexterous and deadly, World of Warcraft: Legion’s new Demon Hunter hero class turns the twisted power of the Burning Legion against them. Drawing on fel forces to fuel their attacks, Demon Hunters pursue their prey with uncanny agility, dodging away from danger and closing on enemies in the blink of an eye. Demon Hunters sacrifice their natural vision for Spectral Sight—preternatural perception that allows them to detect targets that regular mortals could not normally see. Whether avatars of Havoc (damage-dealing) or Vengeance (tank), these melee-focused assassins unleash pent-up fury in the form of devastating attacks—even metamorphosing into terrifying demonic forms in moments of great need.

As a World of Warcraft hero class, Demon Hunters have honed their skills over millennia—and much like Wrath of the Lich King^®’s Death Knight, Demon Hunters appropriately begin their journey prepared to battle the Legion at a higher level than most other World of Warcraft classes. Demon Hunters also have a unique starting experience that reflects their background and the terrible source of their power.

Wield Legendary Artifacts Against the Legion

To face the seemingly unstoppable might of the Legion, the heroes of Azeroth will need a legendary arsenal worthy of the task. World of Warcraft: Legion equips every champion with their own Artifact—a class-specific, highly customizable weapon forged in the fires of Warcraft mythology. Each character’s Artifact grows in power with its owner, and players can personalize their Artifact with perks, abilities, and appearance-altering characteristics that reflect the hero wielding it, transforming the Artifact into an instrument of order . . . or twisting it into an implement of devastation.

The Broken Isles and Beyond

World of Warcraft: Legion sends players on a forbidden journey to the ruins of the Broken Isles in search of the mythic Pillars of Creation—powerful titan relics said to have shaped Azeroth, and last hope for the world’s salvation. Once the magnificent seat of an ancient night elf civilization, the Broken Isles are now haunted by twisted elven aberrations, horrors from the Emerald Nightmare, and other grim remnants of legends long forgotten. Among the Isles, players will face the armies of the Legion and other dark forces across an array of all-new zones, dungeons, raids, and more on the way to the new level cap of 110.

With the Horde and the Alliance in disarray, players must seek out and bring together other like-minded champions to stand against the demonic hordes. In Legion, each player will take charge of an Order Hall—a site of great power linked closely to a character’s class and cause. The Order Hall will serve as each hero’s base of operations—and a bastion of hope—during their journey to the Broken Isles. From there, players will send NPC followers on missions to help defend Azeroth from the demonic incursion . . . and forge their Artifact into a Legion-felling force to be reckoned with.

For those seeking glory in Arenas and Battlegrounds, Legion also features a new Honor system that provides an entirely new PvP progression path. As players dominate the enemy faction, they’ll unlock PvP-specific spells and abilities that open up a range of new tactical possibilities, and earn prestigious new titles and rewards.

To help the heroes of Azeroth prepare for the coming invasion, World of Warcraft: Legion will allow players to boost one character to level 100, including a newly created character, quickly getting them primed and ready to battle the Burning Legion alongside their friends.

For more information about World of Warcraft: Legion or to sign up for the beta test scheduled to begin later this year, visit www.worldofwarcraft.com/legion.

Rogue Rocket Games Announces First Wonder

2015/08/06

Jerry Paxton

Geek News, News

San Francisco, California (August 5, 2015) – Independent developer Rogue Rocket Games is thrilled to announce First Wonder, their spiritual successor to critic and fan-favorites MDK and Giants: Citizen Kabuto. A first playable demo of First Wonder will be available at PAX Prime at the end of August, with a crowdfunding campaign to support a multi-platform version of First Wonder planned later this year.

Rogue Rocket Games co-founder Nick Bruty created and led art design for the then-revolutionary 1997 third-person shooter MDK while working for Shiny Entertainment. Several years later, at Planet Moon Studios, Bruty led the design and oversaw the release of Giants: Citizen Kabuto. Both MDK and Giants: Citizen Kabuto met with tremendous critical acclaim and fan enthusiasm for their gorgeous aesthetics and uniquely challenging, genre-bending gameplay.

Bruty and Richard Sun, who met at Planet Moon Studios and went on to co-found Rogue Rocket Games several years later, long discussed a game to follow in the footsteps of MDK and Giants: Citizen Kabuto. First Wonder is that ambitious new title, aimed at existing fans of Bruty’s previous work and newcomers alike.

First Wonder blends third-person shooter elements with aerial acrobatics in a fantastical open-ended world ripe for exploration. First Wonder is a humor-laden, genre-defying game packed with memorable characters who must face a deadly giant while trapped on an island resort on the alien planet, Majorca. When a greedy corporation tricks the planet’s peaceful inhabitants, the Majorcans, to give up their land to found a luxury resort, they accidentally awaken the slumbering giant Monstro. Tasked with fulfilling an ancient prophecy, destruction follows in Monstro’s wake as he takes steps to accomplish his destiny-driven goal.

Monstro has formidable abilities that allow him to leap over obstacles, charge at opponents and exploit the natural formations of the expansive Majorcan Islands for quick traversal. The Cargonauts – a underprepared salvage team, way out of their league when Monstro awakens – take to the skies using their rocket technology in an attempt at matching Monstro’s natural gifts. To find and capture the terrifying beast, the Cargonaunts must use their wits and a variety of tools and inventive traps.

In First Wonder, players will alternatively take the reigns of Monstro and the ragtag team of Cargonauts as they try to stop him. The living, breathing chain of Majorcan Islands – a “character” in its own right – offers a dynamic world with unique inhabitants and natural resources awaiting player interaction. Many secrets lay hidden within First Wonder, as tiered plateaus, surreal geological features, and surprising environmental effects create a rich and unpredictable alien world.

“MDK and Giants have held a special place in my heart for many years and I’ve wanted to revisit those ideas for a long time. I always intended for one or more sequels, to more deeply develop many of the ideas that we had only barely introduced,” said Nick Bruty, Co-Founder of Rogue Rocket Games. “With the modern existence of high-quality game development tools like Unity3D and Unreal, combined with the creative freedom that comes from crowdfunding, our plans for First Wonder can finally be realized. Stay tuned for more information as we approach the launch of our crowdfunding campaign!”

“No one really makes games like Giants and MDK anymore,” added Rogue Rocket Games Co-Founder Richard Sun. “With help from our fans and support from those that loved MDK and Giants: Citizen Kabuto, we think it’s about time to change that!”

Rogue Rocket Games will crowdfund a multi-platform version of First Wonder later this year, with details announced soon. Rogue Rocket Games will also showcase the first playable demo version of First Wonder at PAX Prime August 28 – 31, 2015 in Seattle, Washington.

To be among the first to hear about deeper gameplay, features, and specific content, or to receive crowdfunding updates for First Wonder, please visit http://www.first-wonder.com.

Battlefield Hardline: Robbery Announced

2015/08/05

Jerry Paxton

Geek News, News, PlayStation 4 News, Trailers / Videos, Windows PC News, Xbox One News

August 5, 2015 – After getting organized in Battlefield™ Hardline: Criminal Activity, the top gangs are drawing up plans, stockpiling gear, and risking it all to pull off the boldest, craziest heists ever in Battlefield Hardline: Robbery, the second expansion pack for Battlefield Hardline.
The theme of this pack is the Big Score: how to steal it, or how to stop it. The new maps and game mode in Battlefield Hardline: Robbery are designed to let criminal teams plan and execute the perfect heist; or, for law enforcement, to get the crooks in cuffs before they can pull it off.

Whether it’s boosting jewels, double-crossing an international smuggling ring, or extracting a high-value piece of intel from a precinct locker room, teams on both sides of the law will have to pull together to make (or break) these epic heists.

Here’s what’s on deck in Battlefield™ Hardline: Robbery

Four expansive maps: The Docks, Break Pointe, Museum, and Precinct 7
New 5v5 game mode: Squad Heist
4 new weapons
2 new gadgets
2 new factional vehicles and new vehicle upgrades
New camos and vehicle paints
The Legendary Super Feature

Learn more about Battlefield Hardline: Robbery and the new game mode: Squad Heist.

Elite: Dangerous Horizons Announced

2015/08/05

Jerry Paxton

Geek News, News, Trailers / Videos, Windows PC News

Cambridge, UK. 5 August 2015. Frontier Developments plc (AIM: FDEV) today announced Elite Dangerous: Horizons, a season of major gameplay expansions for the award-winning Elite Dangerous on PC.

Elite Dangerous: Horizons

Elite Dangerous: Horizons is a season of major gameplay expansions for Elite Dangerous, beginning this Holiday with planetary landings on 1:1 scale worlds across theElite Dangerous galaxy. Elite Dangerous: Horizons will continue to introduce major new features and gameplay as the season continues into 2016, enriching the Elite Dangerousexperience with new activities and new ways to play.

Elite Dangerous: Horizons’ Planetary Landings expansion introduces players to planet surfaces and the new Surface Recon Vehicle (SRV) ‘Scarab’. Scanning worlds will reveal all-new surface gameplay opportunities as players detect signals, crashed ships, mineral deposits, outposts and fortresses, and embark on raids on the surface. Playing alone, or with friends on the ground and in the skies above, players can explore, mine, engage hostile forces and attempt to infiltrate strongholds guarding valuable rewards.

The 400 billion star systems of the Elite Dangerous galaxy are all created with a sophisticated simulation that re-creates the Milky Way in exacting detail, and that simulation continues to the surfaces of worlds. Players will seamlessly journey from space to surface, coasting over mountaintops, diving into canyons and venturing out on the ground in the SRV, without loading screens or breaks in gameplay.

Elite Dangerous: Horizons’ second major expansion will arrive in Q1 2016, introducing a new loot and crafting system to the Elite Dangerous galaxy along with other features and gameplay additions to be announced later this year. Further updates will continue into 2016.

Elite Dangerous: Horizons will launch this Holiday for £39.99 (€49.99, $59.99), unlocking a full season of major expansions and gameplay updates. Existing Elite Dangerousplayers will receive a £10 (€14, $15) loyalty discount off the retail price and unlock the exclusive ‘Cobra Mk IV’ in-game spacecraft for purchase with in-game currency in Elite Dangerous: Horizons.

All Elite Dangerous and Elite Dangerous: Horizons players will retain their progress and continue to fly together in the same galaxy as one community, and all Elite Dangerousplayers will continue to receive free updates, fixes and optimisations as the game evolves alongside Elite Dangerous: Horizons.

Elite Dangerous: Horizons will launch Holiday 2015 for PC and is available for pre-order now. Mac and Xbox One announcements will follow.

CQC coming to PC, Mac and Xbox One in September

There’s more for Elite Dangerous in 2015. Elite Dangerous for Xbox One launches in September simultaneously with the major ‘CQC’ content update for PC and Mac.

Instant-action PVP will come to the Elite Dangerous galaxy on all platforms in the Close Quarters Combat Championship. CQC is the ultimate 34th century gladiatorial contest between Elite Dangerous pilots, thrusting players into intense PVP action in custom-built arenas set within the Elite Dangerous galaxy. Equip a unique loadout on your Sidewinder, Eagle or new Federal Fighter craft and earn XP to unlock new weapons, modules and abilities in the race to Elite.

The CQC game update will be available in September, followed this Holiday by another major content update for all Elite Dangerous players. ‘Ships’ will bring the total number of spacecraft to over 30, and will prepare the game for Elite Dangerous: Horizons.

Elite Dangerous is available now for PC, Mac and Xbox One. For more information hit EliteDangerous.com.

Final Fantasy XV ‘Dawn’ Trailer

2015/08/05

Jerry Paxton

Geek News, News, PlayStation 4 News, Trailers / Videos, Xbox One News

LOS ANGELES (Aug. 4, 2015) – SQUARE ENIX® today unveiled a brand-new FINAL FANTASY® XV cinematic trailer titled “Dawn.” Setting the stage for the main character Noctis, the trailer depicts the dramatic events that take place 15 years prior to the journey that players will embark on in FINAL FANTASY XV. The trailer also depicts the strong bond that young Noctis has with his father, King Regis, who now faces difficult decisions regarding relations between his kingdom and its warmongering neighbor, Niflheim.

FINAL FANTASY XV tells the engaging tale of Crown Prince Noctis and his comrades, out on the road and fending for their lives after the armed forces of Niflheim launch a surprise assault upon the Kingdom of Lucis.

More information regarding the trailer will be unveiled in the upcoming Active Time Report, scheduled for August 5, 2015, at 9:00 a.m. Pacific Daylight Time (PDT) / 12:00 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time (EDT). The Active Time Report can be viewed on Twitch at the link below:

http://www.twitch.tv/squareenixpresents

Story:
In a matter of days, the Kingdom of Lucis is to sign an armistice, ending a long and bitter conflict with Niflheim. Ahead of the ceremony, Prince Noctis, heir to the Lucian throne, sets forth from his homeland to formalize the union of states through his marriage to the Lady Lunafreya of the imperial province of Tenebrae.

The offer of peace, however, is no more than a ruse to lower the Lucian shield, and the imperial army takes the crown city and its sacred crystal in one fell swoop. En route to his destination, Noctis is shocked to learn that he, his father the king, and his betrothed are believed dead.

Overnight, the dream of peace has faded into a distant memory. His world crumbling around him, Noctis has naught but his resolve and his loyal companions to see him through the trials to come.

Related Links:
FINAL FANTASY Facebook Page:   http://www.facebook.com/finalfantasy
FINAL FANTASY XV Homepage:   http://www.finalfantasyxv.com/
FINAL FANTASY Twitter Page:   @FINALFANTASY

Activision Unveils Gamescom 2015 Line-Up

2015/08/05

Jerry Paxton

Geek News, News

Call of Duty: Black Ops III Zombies Screenshot

COLOGNE, Germany – August 5, 2015 – Activision Publishing, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Activision Blizzard, Inc. (NASDAQ: ATVI), will showcase a blockbuster line-up of some of the world’s most anticipated next-generation gaming releases at Gamescom 2015. With the show opening to trade and press on Wednesday, August 5 and to consumers on Thursday, August 6 at the Koelnmesse GmbH Exhibition Centre in Cologne, Germany, Activision will offer consumers and industry influencers the opportunity to get hands-on with some of the biggest titles of the year.

Call of Duty®: Black Ops III, Destiny: The Taken King and Guitar Hero® Live will all be playable at the SONY Computer Entertainment Deutschland booth located in Hall 7.1. Skylanders SuperChargers will be playable in the Nintendo booth located in Hall 9.1 A10/B10.

Eric Hirshberg, CEO of Activision Publishing Inc., comments: “Activision has methodically expanded its slate by creating one breakthrough innovation after another. At Gamescom, we are showcasing what may be our best slate ever withCall of Duty: Black Ops III, Skylanders SuperChargers, Destiny: The Taken King, and Guitar Hero Live, each introducing significant innovations that will change the way people play. Four great brands; four amazing games. It’s a great time to be a gamer.”

Activision’s Gamescom 2015 line-up includes:

Call of Duty: Black Ops III

Developed by award-winning studio Treyarch, Call of Duty: Black Ops III redefines how Call of Duty is played.

Call of Duty: Black Ops III is set in the year 2065, where bio augmentation and cybernetic enhancements have given rise to a new breed of Black Ops soldier. Through Direct Neural Interface (DNI) technology, players are now connected to the intelligence grid and their fellow operatives during battle. This elite squad consists of men and women who have enhanced their combat capabilities to fight faster, stronger, and smarter. Black Ops III also offers the deepest, most rewarding multiplayer ever offered in Call of Duty®, featuring a brand new chain-based fluid movement system, Specialist characters with unique weapons and abilities, Gunsmith weapon customization tools and a range of new eSports capabilities.

In addition, Treyarch’s signature Zombies mode makes its return with “Shadows of Evil,” an on-disc experience set in a 1940s film noir-inspired era that follows four unwitting characters that must work together to stay alive while a mysterious, shadowy figure offers them a path to redemption. Call of Duty: Black Ops III, slated for release on November 6, 2015, is in development for the PlayStation® 4 system, Xbox One™ and PC and is not yet rated. For more information, visit:www.callofduty.com, www.youtube.com/callofduty.

At Gamescom 2015 in Cologne, Germany, eSports will be the focus of a special Call of Duty: Black Ops III Global eSports Reveal live stream. Treyarch developers will be on hand to share some exciting news and features coming with Call of Duty: Black Ops III. A global group of competitive players will also be participating in a series of show matches.

The live stream can be seen at callofduty.com on Wednesday, August 5th at 7pm CEST (10am PDT, 1pm EDT).

Destiny: The Taken King

From Bungie and Activision comes Destiny: The Taken King, the first major expansion and by far the largest addition to the Destiny universe yet. At Gamescom, Bungie and Activision are pleased to announce that every edition ofThe Taken King will include one character boost. The character boost will allow a player to instantly level up any existing or newly created guardian to the minimum level required to play The Taken King. Also being revealed today is the latest trailer for the game called “We Are Guardians,” which can be viewed here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jnTYt_lu4CE.

Destiny: The Taken King will be available on September 15 for the PlayStation®4 system, PlayStation®3 system, Xbox One™ and Xbox 360™. At launch PlayStation® gamers will also get access to a host of additional content for The Taken King, including a Strike, a Crucible map, three sets of gear and an exotic weapon, exclusive until at least fall 2016. For more information, visit www.DestinyTheGame.com. For exclusive updates, follow the official Destinysocial channels at www.facebook.com/DestinyTheGame and @DestinyTheGame on Twitter, and interact directly with the developers at www.Bungie.net.

Guitar Hero Live

The pop culture phenomenon that introduced a new way to interact with music is back with the all-new Guitar Hero Live.

Guitar Hero fans will need to warm-up their vocal chords. At Gamescom, Guitar Hero Live is confirming singing mode for local co-operative play, bringing the party back to the living room like never before. Singing alongside the core guitar-based gameplay has always been something that defined the Guitar Hero party experience, and the inclusion of vocals in the game delivers another way for players to have fun together in Guitar Hero Live. By plugging in any USB mic, aspiring rock stars will be able to sing to tracks in GHTV and in Quickplay in GH Live, complete with a lyrics highway and note track along the top of the screen.

Revealed earlier this week was the latest behind the scenes video for the game, viewable here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ib5BHwm5F3c.

Across both game modes, Guitar Hero Live will give players access to more tracks than ever before in a previous Guitar Hero title. Joining the line-up of songs announced thus far, bringing the total to 100, are the following:

Megadeth – Hangar 18
In Flames – Deliver Us
Boston – More Than a Feeling
You Me At Six – Lived a Lie
Blink-182 – The Rock Show
Rush – Limelight
Kasabian – Club Foot
Dream Theater – The Looking Glass
Royal Blood – Come on Over
Charlie XCX – Famous
Passion Pit – Take a Walk
Panic! At the Disco – Girls Girls Boys
James Bay – Hold Back The River
Echosmith – Cool Kids
MGMT – Time to Pretend
Kings of Leon – Sex on Fire

Also at Gamescom, Guitar Hero Live is unveiling Rock the Block, the second music festival in GH Live. GH Live is the first person, live-action mode that puts you on stage as the lead guitarist. Rock the Block is set in the US and takes place in the heart of an imagined city landscape in the game. With its origins in a number of smaller festivals that used to take place in and around Boulder City, Rock the Block is a spontaneously evolving event that encourages attendees and passers-by to be drawn into the festival experience. Rock the Block joins SoundDial, the previously announced UK-based festival, as the two fictional settings a player will visit inGuitar Hero Live. Within the two festivals fans will play a variety of stages, ranging from small club stages, to headlining massive, open air mainstages.

Guitar Hero Live will be available October 20, 2015 in North America and onOctober 23 in Europe for the PlayStation®4 system, PlayStation®3 system, Xbox One™, Xbox 360™, Nintendo’s Wii U™ system and select mobile devices to be announced soon. For more information about Guitar Hero Live, please visit

http://www.guitarhero.com, www.youtube.com/guitarhero or follow @guitarhero on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.

Skylanders SuperChargers

Rev your engines! Skylanders®, the #1 kids’ console franchise worldwide¹, is taking to Land, Sea and Air with the high-octane, action-adventure videogame Skylanders SuperChargers this fall.

Skylanders SuperChargers will debut at Gamescom two Skylanders franchise firsts — racing and online multiplayer gameplay on console. Whether fans prefer co-operative play in Adventure Mode or competitive multiplayer with up to four friends in Racing Mode, Skylanders SuperChargers‘ online gaming is fueled with adrenaline-pumping action right out of the box. Skylanders‘ all-new Racing Mode, playable in Land, Sea and Sky environments, features supercharged racing combat, layering in even more depth and excitement to the game’s online multiplayer component. Skylanders SuperChargers delivers more ways to play than ever before:

Single-player Adventure Mode
Online and local co-op Adventure Mode
Local 2-player head-to-head racing in split screen
Online competitive racing with up to 4 players

Fans can augment their Skylanders SuperChargers experience with a complementary, dedicated racing combat game — Skylanders SuperChargers Racing — for the Wii™ system and Nintendo 3DS™ hand-held system. All-new tracks, augmented with power-ups, boosts, hazards and more, offer up to 50 different and exciting gameplay experiences. On Nintendo 3DS, gamers can enjoy competitive multiplayer via local play or online with up to four players.

Skylanders is packing some major star power with two of Nintendo’s most iconic characters — Donkey Kong and Bowser — as guest stars in Skylanders SuperChargers. Donkey Kong and his Land vehicle, Barrel Blaster are available with the Skylanders SuperChargers Starter Packs for Wii U, while Bowser™ and his Sky vehicle, Clown Cruiser come with the Skylanders SuperChargers RacingStarter Packs for Wii and Nintendo 3DS. The Supercharged characters are not only playable in Skylanders SuperChargers Racing, but also work in Skylanders SuperChargers on the Wii U™ system and as amiibo in compatible Nintendo games. Gamescom attendees will be able to get their hands on Donkey Kong and Bowser in Skylanders SuperChargers for Wii U in the Nintendo booth, Hall 9.1 A10/B1.

Skylanders SuperChargers will be available on September 25 in Europe andSeptember 20 in North America on the Xbox One, Xbox 360, PlayStation® 4 system, PlayStation® 3 system and Nintendo’s Wii U™ system. Additionally, the completeSkylanders SuperChargers experience will be available on iPad®². Skylanders SuperChargers Racing will be available on September 25 in Europe and September 20 in North America for Wii™ and Nintendo 3DS. For more information, visit: www.skylanders.com, www.youtube.com/skylandersgame or follow @SkylandersGame on Twitter and Facebook or @SkylandersTheGame on Instagram.

Nordic Games Acquires Jagged Alliance and More From bitComposer

2015/08/05

Jerry Paxton

Geek News, Industry News, News

Vienna/AUSTRIA, 5th of August, 2015: Nordic Games announced today that it has closed an asset purchase agreement with bitComposer Entertainment AG to acquire the intellectual properties “Jagged Alliance” and other franchises, among those also numerous license- and distribution rights to “Panzer Tactics HD”, “North and South”, “Giana Sisters – Twisted Dreams”, “Citadels”, “Bridge Project” to name just a few.

The acquisition itself is being handled by Nordic Games Licensing AB, based in Karlstad, Sweden, whereas the day-to-day business (sales and distribution, evaluation of sequels & new content etc.) will be conducted by Nordic Games GmbH, based in Vienna, Austria.

“The decision to acquire Jagged Alliance was an absolute no-brainer for us”, comments Reinhard Pollice, Business & Product Development Director at Nordic Games. “The other titles in said acquisition coupled with the license- and distribution rights to other IPs are a great opportunity to further expand our range of games.”