Universal Studios Hollywood unveiled a new logo today, as well as released a video recapping their past achievements in the last fiscal year. The park saw some great growth – with the new Despicable Me ride as well as the Wizarding World of Harry Potter. Soon, the park will grow again with the opening of AMC’s The Walking Dead attraction.
Another Electronic Entertainment Expo has come and gone. E3 2016 was a fun event where I got the chance to see a lot of upcoming titles from a variety of publishers and developers. Still, there was a strange sense of emptiness while on the show floor – and no matter how large booths became, that emptiness hung in the air like a bad smell. Was it the big companies that pulled out of the show that caused this or simply a lack of some “killer apps” on the horizon? I do not know. What I do know is that E3 is still the premiere industry gaming show in the United States and there is so much of the media spotlight to be had, I don’t see where it is going anywhere anytime soon. The big game houses seem to do this mass exodus every so many years – but history has shown that they always come back soon after.
Here is my photo gallery from around the expo, enjoy!
Running now through September 5, 2016 you will find that the newly-refurbished Ghost Town section of Knott’s Berry Farm is bristling with activity. “Ghost Town Alive” populates the Old West town with a cast of characters which interact with guests throughout the day. Furthering this immersion is an over-arching storyline which plays out and allows for guests to be a part of.
Think of it like an in-person MMO. Simply walk up to one of the many characters in Ghost Town and hail them (EverQuest fans, unite!). Strike up that conversation, as you might be sent on an errand for that person that leads you to another person – who also has a quest for you to undertake. Quest rewards? It’s got those too – but I don’t want to spoil them for you. There are the usual Old West town tropes – a doctor, sheriff, outlaw, etc as well as many others.
What impressed me most was just how, unlike the characters at the “park down the street”, these folks interacted with each other in actual dialog. From what I gleaned, the cast of characters went through five weeks of training to learn all their mannerisms, dialog, etc with a great emphasis on improvisational techniques.
The refurbishment of Ghost Town went very well, and the park’s oldest themed area has never looked better. And, while these enhancements are a welcome thing from a guest perspective, what really sells the area are the previously-mentioned characters. The place simply looks fantastic and is a blast to walk around. We spent most of our time simply going from character to character and being a part of the Ghost Town Alive story.
Mrs. Knott’s Chicken Dinner Restaurant is open once again – this time, with all-new decor and interior construction. Check out the photos in the gallery below to see it for yourself. The food hasn’t changed much and is still an excellent experience. Dignitaries used to come to the restaurant from far and wide – now the park can be proud of how the restaurant looks. It was getting very dated before, and this breathes an amazing amount of new life into it.
GhostRider, the park’s wooden roller-coaster, underwent a huge renovation, with the track being completely replaced. The results are exceptional – never before has that coaster felt so smooth to ride on. Riders of the previous incarnation of the coaster all know how jarring it was on one’s back and neck – fun, but jarring. Now, however, you won’t have to worry about that anymore. It still has that wooden coaster feel but with more of a steel coaster ride experience.
Overall, Ghost Town Alive, the new Mrs. Knott’s Chicken Dinner Restaurant, and the renovated GhostRider are all fantastic experiences and I highly recommend you check them out. Remember, the Ghost Town Alive events only occur until September 5th…. Then things start to get scary at Knott’s.
Link: Knott’s Bery Farm Official Website
LOS ANGELES, June 17, 2016 – One of the most exciting and unique components of Midsummer Scream – California’s premier Halloween, haunt and horror festival – will be its Hall of Shadows dark zone, featuring roaming monsters, entertainment, and 9 terrifying mini haunted attraction experiences.
Hall of Shadows will occupy more than one third of the Halloween festival’s 90,000 square-foot show floor this year, giving thousands of fans the opportunity to preview home and professional haunts each day, included with their admission to Midsummer Scream. In addition to the haunted attractions, those brave enough to venture into Hall of Shadows will experience a full-blown scare zone, Toxicity, high-energy performances by the Decayed Brigade slider team three times each day, and many terrifying monsters lurking in the fog, waiting to pounce!
FULL SCARE ZONE
Created by Larry Bones and his crew at Bone Yard Effects, Toxicity is an immersive experience set within the walls of a genetics lab that has suffered a toxic explosion that will leave guests screaming as they are attacked by twisted, mutated scientists from all sides. Bone Yard Effects creates the makeup applications and prosthetics each year for Halloween Horror Nights at Universal Studios Hollywood.
THRILLING SLIDER SHOWS
Three times daily, the Decayed Brigade will perform and entertain guests within the Hall of Shadows as they showcase the art of sliding – a scare tactic that was created some 40 years ago by monsters roaming the streets of Ghost Town at Knott’s Scary Farm. These men and women push their bodies and the laws of gravity to the limit in high-energy demonstrations that leave fans cheering and astounded.
TERRIFYING HAUNTED ATTRACTION PREVIEW EXPERIENCES
Midsummer Scream is excited to present 9 stand-alone mini haunt experiences that allow fans to preview things to come this Halloween season. From home to pro haunts, guests may sample the handiwork of some of Southern California’s hottest haunted attractions throughout the weekend at no extra cost with paid admission to the festival.
Featured at Midsummer Scream 2016 are:
Fear Station: Escape the Windigo – The harvest moon has awoken the Windigo from its slumber, and the creature is hungry for blood. No one is safe from the beast as it hunts its prey in the darkness. Will you escape the season of the Windigo?
Dead Zone 805 – Fight for survival as you enter the zombie-filled post-apocalyptic world where infection and violent gangs threaten you every step of the way!
Savage House – Every family has a secret… Enter the home of the Wytner clan, a family that has lived in the rural countryside, kidnapping tourists passing by for years. Witness the atrocities as they taunt and torture the unsuspecting victims that have ended up in their home.
Perdition Home – Houston, we have a problem! The notion that in outer space, no one can hear you scream simply isn’t true. Venturing into the depths of an ill-fated spacecraft, everyone will hear you cry for mercy when you face the horrors within.
The Fleshyard – Not every home is safe. Madness lingers beyond the threshold of a decrepit old cabin, concealing evil so vile that those who manage to escape will never be the same. The Fleshyard is a bad place. A very, very bad place…
Higgins Manor – You’ve wandered into the most feared place in the Old West: the Higgins & Co. Work Camp. Can you survive the rowdiest, most dangerousest, most horriblest clan of townsfolk this side of Deadwood? Why don’t y’all come take a gander and see fer yerselves?
Spooky Hollows – Follow the trail of a madman through the basin swampland, where he attempted and failed to achieve mortality. Through sick and twisted science experiments, he left a trail of wasted souls in his wake before falling victim to his own worst nightmares.
Scareventures Presents: Sea of Terror – To date, man has explored less than 5% of Earth’s oceans. Perhaps there’s a reason why… Take a terror trip into the depths where undersea creatures lie in wait as you attempt to escape your watery grave. If dead men tell no tales, then where do the stories come from?
Gorlesque: The Haunted Burlesque – Are you “perfect” enough to join the Weltschmerz Society? Come find out and experience a naughty taste of the frights, frills, and frolic that awaits you this Halloween in Los Angeles!
“Hall of Shadows is one aspect of Midsummer Scream that I am most excited about,” said Rick West, Creative Director of Midsummer Scream. “When I think of Halloween, I instantly think of haunted houses; stand-alone attractions as well as home haunts are the very essence of the season. It’s completely thrilling to bring nine very different haunt previews to our guests in an environment that is totally unique to our show. Midsummer Scream’s Hall of Shadows is the closest anyone is going to get to the spirit of Halloween during the summer, and our haunt partners are ready to bring the terror!”
Midsummer Scream features more than 150 vendors and exhibitors, education offerings, make-and-take workshops, world-class panel presentations, live entertainment and incredible experiences throughout the venue, black cat adoptions, and a Saturday night costume party featuring Oingo Boingo Dance Party.
Tickets are now on sale, with new information regarding Midsummer Scream updated frequently at MidsummerScream.org.
Fans may sign up on the site for email notifications and announcements, including discounts and other special offers. Be sure to follow Midsummer Scream on social media as well – Twitter/Periscope: @MidsummerScream, Instagram: @MidsummerScream, and Facebook: facebook.com/midsummerscream.
BURBANK, California, June 17, 2016 –– Star Wars Rebels: Complete Season Two delivers all 22 action-packed episodes of the hit CG animated series’ second season, plus exclusive, never-before-seen bonus material on DVD and even more exclusive footage on Blu-ray! Available August 30, this thrilling continuation of the Star Wars Rebels saga depicts the continued efforts of the crew of the starship Ghost to defeat the evil Empire.
Amid growing Imperial oppression on Lothal, the rebels are forced to seek out new allies throughout the galaxy and additional resources to sustain their fight against the Empire. With the help of Ahsoka Tano, the crew of the Ghost bands together with a secret rebel cell and ex-soldiers from the Clone Wars to join a fledgling alliance determined to restore peace and freedom to the galaxy.
As Ezra continues his journey to become a Jedi under Kanan’s guidance, the threat of the dark side looms large over the fate of the growing rebellion. Darth Vader himself will dispatch new Inquisitors to snuff any spark of resistance, setting the stage for a climactic showdown in which past lives will be revealed, terrible truths will be discovered, and the lives of our heroes will be changed forever.
Star Wars Rebels was created by Dave Filoni (“Star Wars: The Clone Wars”), Simon Kinberg (“X-Men: Days of Future Past,” “Sherlock Holmes”), and Carrie Beck. The Lucasfilm Animation production is also executive-produced by Filoni and Kinberg.
Featuring the voices of Freddie Prinze Jr. (“I Know What You Did Last Summer”) as Kanan, Vanessa Marshall (TV’s “Young Justice”) as Hera, Steve Blum (“The Boxtrolls”) as Zeb, Tiya Sircar (“The Internship”) as Sabine, Taylor Gray (TV’s “Bucket and Skinner’s Epic Adventures”) as Ezra, Ashley Eckstein (Her Universe apparel) as Ahsoka Tano, Dee Bradley Baker (“American Dad,” “Phineas and Ferb”) as Captain Rex and all the clones, David Oyelowo (“Selma” and “The Butler”) as Agent Kallus and Sarah Michelle Gellar (“The Crazy Ones,” “Buffy The Vampire Slayer”) as the Seventh Sister Inquisitor.
Bonus Features:
Blu-ray:
DVD:
Disc Specifications:
Format: Blu-ray (3-Disc) & DVD (4-Disc)
Rating: TVY7 FV; CE: PG; CF: G (Bonus Material Not Rated)
Closed Captioned: Yes
Aspect Ratio: 1:78 (Widescreen)
Audio: 5.1 Dolby Digital
Languages/ Subtitles: English, French, German & Spanish
June 17, 2016 – Developed by Passtech Games, Space Run Galaxy is now available on Steam! Space Run Galaxy is the sequel to 2014’s Space Run, the game from one-man studio Passtech, which attracted over hundreds of thousands of players thanks to its dynamic and original gameplay. Our previous Gameplay Trailer showed you the ropes of space running, today we let you move on to practice with our Launch Trailer. Strap on your seatbelt, recharge your shields and warm up your reactors, it’s going to be a bumpy intergalactic ride!
Set 20 years after the original game, Captain Buck Mann has now set up his very own intergalactic courier service. You’re a member of Mann’s team of space runners, racing to deliver precious goods from planet to planet! Reinforce your modular ships with armaments including laser turrets, missile launchers and energy shields, while leaving enough room for your cargo. Fly fast – the quicker you arrive at your destination, the better the rewards!
Space Run Galaxy is now available on Steam for PC.
Los Angeles – June 16, 2016 – The Entertainment Software Association (ESA) announced today that more than 70,000 people participated in the week’s events, including 50,300 video game professionals, analysts, journalists, and enthusiasts attended this week’s trade show, and 20,000 fans attended E3 Live. The premier global video game event displayed more than 1,600 products from more than 250 exhibitors.
ESA also revealed that E3 will take place June 13-15, 2017 at the Los Angeles Convention Center.
“Gamers were the winners at E3 this year. The advancements in technology unveiled at E3 will redefine entertainment for the world,” said Michael D. Gallagher, president and CEO of ESA, the trade association that represents the U.S. video game industry and owner of E3. “The innovation and creativity on display will propel our industry to new heights and expand opportunities for remarkable growth.”
E3 broke records for social media numbers across all channels, with more than seven million posts on Twitter alone. Instagram had more than 500,000 likes on E3-related posts this month. In addition, more than 42 million gamers watched E3 content on Twitch, the official streaming partner of E3. The Twitch viewership was the highest of any video game convention broadcast on the network.
Also announced during E3, a blue-ribbon panel of industry professionals and experts selected Savannah College of Art and Design as winner of the 2016 E3 College Game Competition with its winning video game, Brobot Beatdown.
E3 is the world’s premier trade show for computer and video games and related products. The show is owned by the ESA, the U.S. association dedicated to serving the business and public affairs needs of the companies, publishing interactive games for video game consoles, handheld devices, personal computers, and the Internet.
For more information, please visit www.E3Expo.com or follow E3 on Twitter: @E3.
June 16, 2016 – The Surge is the newest sci-fi Action RPG set in the near-future from developer Deck13. Slice and dismember your way deeper and deeper into CREO, an institution developed to save the world, but with disastrous consequences. The E3 Trailer introduces to a dystopian world based on a worst case scenario for Earth.
Fronted by Jonah Guttenberg, CREO sets out to reverse the detrimental atmospheric effects of global warming, firstly by repairing our damaged atmosphere, but as their ambitions grew and their plans began to fail, CREO set out to save itself…
Members of CREO’s workforce are fitted with expandable, powered exo-suits supplying the employee with both power and super-human strength. They are also able to attach new practical tool extensions to the exoskeleton.
Something in CREO went horribly wrong, and you as the player must use this exo-suit and a plethora of make-shift weapons and armor upgrades to survive. Slice and smash deeper and deeper into the mysterious mega-corporation to discover what happened, and how you can stop it.
In the E3 trailer, fight for the first time with our reluctant hero, discovering a few of the exo-suit modules that you can equip and upgrade. With a heavy emphasis on environmental storytelling and Deck13’s classic duel-style combat system expanded and enhanced with unique limb targeting mechanics, there are thousands of combinations of armor and make-shift weapons to dismantle, craft, and merge with your exo-suit.
Exploit the synergy of man and machine when The Surge releases in 2017 on consoles and PC.
June 16, 2016 – Join Lando Calrissian and Dengar in the Cloud City of Bespin. DICE today revealed a new trailer that highlights some of the new content, features and updates that Star WarsTM BattlefrontTM Season Pass owners can enjoy. Starting June 21, Season Pass owners will have access to exclusive playable characters Lando and Dengar, new maps set on Bespin, weapons like the X-8 Night Sniper and EE-4, a new Cloud Car vehicle and an all new game mode called Sabotage.
ALL Star Wars Battlefront players will also receive a new Hutt Contract to unlock the powerful Ion Neutralizer.
Watch the new gameplay in action during a special Bespin Stream on Friday, June 17 at 10 a.m. PT on @EAStarWars or@StarWarsHQ.
Read more details on Bespin content, including items and characters, on EA Star Wars.
Fountain Valley, CA – June 16, 2016 – HyperX®, a division of Kingston® Technology Company, Inc., the independent world leader in memory products, today announced a partnership with the ultimate gaming system provider Alienware. HyperX will be the exclusive memory upgrade partner for their newly launched Alienware Aurora mid-tower desktop PCs. Designed to deliver maximum performance, Alienware Aurora offers gamers an ultra-wide variety of upgrade options including a stylish DRAM upgrade to HyperX FURY DDR4 XMP memory for higher performance and great looks.
HyperX FURY DDR4 memory features Intel® XMP-ready profiles optimized for Alienware Aurora and is 100-percent tested and guaranteed compatible. Users who upgrade to FURY memory will be able to choose between two XMP profiles with speeds up to 2400MHz for faster speeds and lower latencies. This provides a great option for gamers to increase their system performance from the factory default when equipped with a 6th Generation Intel® Core™ unlocked processor.
HyperX system memory powers over 30 professional eSports teams and is utilized in large scale global tournaments such as IEM, ESL One, DreamHack, among others. It is the memory of choice among enthusiasts, gamers and eSports professionals. This trust is due, in part, to HyperX memory, such as FURY DDR4 XMP, being backed by legendary support and reliability. This collective experience and pedigree of over a decade of designing memory for enthusiasts has made HyperX uniquely positioned to join together with Alienware to now unleash the ultimate gaming PC’s power.
“Everything we do at Alienware is tailored around making each gamer’s experience with our systems the best it can be. That means we need to prioritize performance to ensure gameplay and everyday-use runs as intended by our partners. Our partnership with HyperX is all about delivering powerful and reliable memory maximize gaming and everyday performance,” said Joe Olmsted, director of product management, Alienware.
“As the world’s largest gaming hardware brand, the collaboration of technologies between HyperX and Alienware into ultimate gaming machines means we can push the envelope together and further define enthusiast gaming,” said Lawrence Yang, global business manager, HyperX.
HyperX is the high-performance product division of Kingston Technology encompassing high-speed DDR4 and DDR3 memory, SSDs, USB Flash drives, headsets and mouse pads. Targeted at gamers, overclockers and enthusiasts, HyperX is known throughout the world for quality, performance and innovation. HyperX is committed to eSports as it sponsors over 30 teams globally and is the main sponsor of Intel Extreme Masters. HyperX can be found at many shows including Brasil Game Show, China Joy, DreamHack, ESL One and PAX.
For more information visit the HyperX home page.
HyperX can be found on:
YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/hyperx
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/hyperxcommunity
Twitter: http://twitter.com/hyperx
Instagram: https://instagram.com/hyperx/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/hyperx
Google+: https://plus.google.com/+hyperx/videos
