Author - Jerry Paxton

Borderlands 2 Special Editions Announced

2012/05/17

New York, NY, May 17,2012 – 2K Games and Gearbox Software today announced two tiers of special limited editions for the highly anticipated Borderlands^®2 –the Deluxe Vault Hunter’s Collector’s Edition and Ultimate Loot Chest Limited Edition. Currently in development by Gearbox Software, Borderlands 2 is the sequel to the critically acclaimed four-player cooperative shooter-looter that combined intense first-person mayhem with role-playing gameplay. Both editions will reward fans with a number of collectible and in-game bonus items that will enhance the action-packed experience of Borderlands 2.

The Deluxe Vault Hunter’s Collector’s Edition (MSRP $99.99) includes a copy of Borderlands 2; authentic Marcus Kincaid bobblehead; Inside the Vault: The Art & Design of Borderlands 2 hardbound book; collectable sticker set; map of Pandora; digital comic download code; and bonus downloadable in-game digital content. The Ultimate Loot Chest Limited Edition (MSRP $149.99) includes all of those items, plus a collectable scaled replica of the red loot chests found throughout Pandora in Borderlands 2; steel book case; Creatures of Pandora wide-format ID chart; lithograph postcard set; field notes from Sir Hammerlock; cloth map of Pandora; and a numbered certificate of authenticity. Both of the special editions will be available for the Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system and Windows-based PC.

Gamers who pre-order the Deluxe Vault Hunter’s Collector’s Edition, Ultimate Loot Chest Limited Edition or the standard edition of Borderlands 2 from participating retailers will also gain access to the Borderlands 2 Premiere Club, allowing them to download the Gearbox Gun Pack, a Golden Key, the Vault Hunter’s Relic and an all-new fifth character class – the Mechromancer. The Gearbox Gun Pack is a collection of unique guns to help players begin their journey on Pandora. The Golden Key is used to unlock a rare in-game item in the mysterious Golden Sanctuary Loot Chest found in Borderlands 2. The Vault Hunter’s Relic is an in-game item that boosts players’ gear-hunting fortune while playing solo or teaming up with friends. The Mechromancer character class will be available following launch when development of the character is complete and is free to those who pre-order Borderlands 2, and will be available for purchase for those who do not. To pre-order all editions of Borderlands 2, please visit www.borderlands2.com/preorder.

Borderlands 2 features all-new characters; skills; imaginative, diverse new environments with unique missions and enemies; and more exciting and fun weapons, equipment and loot than ever before. All of these features come together in a story that takes players to the world of Pandora to take down the notorious Handsome Jack and his corrupt Hyperion Corporation as a solo campaign or with up to four cooperative players.

Borderlands 2 will be available in North America on September 18, 2012, and internationally on September 21, 2012. Borderlands 2 is not yet rated by the ESRB. For more information please visit www.borderlands2.com.

2K Gamesis a division of 2K, a publishing label of Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc. (NASDAQ: TTWO).

Microsoft, Xbox, Xbox 360, Xbox LIVE, and the Xbox logos are trademarks of the Microsoft group of companies and are used under license from Microsoft.

“PlayStation” is a registered trademark of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc.

All trademarks and copyrights contained herein are the property of their respective holders.

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Blizzard Apologizes for Diablo III Issues

2012/05/17

Jerry Paxton

News

Blizzard Entertainment has sent out a letter of apology on the forums for its newly-released Diablo III – which has been plagued with connection problems since launch.

Official Letter to the Gamers

Diablo Players:

We’d like to extend a very sincere thank you to everyone who joined the global Diablo III launch celebrations this week, as well as to everyone who was ready to jump into Sanctuary the moment the game went live.

To that end, we’d also like to say that we’ve been humbled by your enthusiasm — and we sincerely regret that your crusade to bring down the Lord of Terror was thwarted not by mobs of demons, but by mortal infrastructure. As many of you are aware, technical issues occurring within hours after the game’s launch led to players experiencing error messages and difficulty logging in. These issues cropped up again last night for the Americas and Europe servers. Despite very aggressive projections, our preparations for the launch of the game did not go far enough.

We’ve been monitoring the game 24/7 and have applied several optimizations to help our systems better weather the global rush. As of late last night, specifically 11:50 PM PDT on May 15, all systems have been online and running relatively smoothly. We’re continuing to monitor performance globally and will be taking further measures as needed to ensure a positive experience for everyone. This includes some maintenance to implement additional improvements for each region.

In order to make sure everything is continuing to run as it should, we’ve decided to move out our target launch for the real-money auction house beyond our original estimated date of May 22. We’ll post further updates on that in the near future.

Aside from the tremendous number of players simultaneously logging in to the game, one of the launch-day service issues was linked to the achievement system. Some players began to notice early on that achievements were either not being earned properly, or not being saved between multiple logins. We’re investigating this issue and will provide a specific update as soon as possible.

We greatly appreciate everyone’s support, and we want to sincerely apologize for the difficulties many of you encountered on day one. Please visit the Battle.net Support site or Support forums for the latest service-related updates or for help in troubleshooting any technical issues you may be having downloading, installing, or while playing the game.

Thank you again for your patience while we reinforce the gates of Sanctuary and further strengthen it for your onslaught.

Respectfully,
Blizzard Entertainment

World of Warplanes Introduces Attack Aircraft

2012/05/17

Jerry Paxton

News

17^th May 2012 — Wargaming.net, the award-winning videogame developer and publisher, introduced ground-attack planes today into its flight combat MMO World of Warplanes, currently in its alpha testing stage. These heavily armed warbirds are a massively threatening class designed to wipe out ground targets.

Several legendary names stand out in the class of ground-attack planes, including the classic Il-2, Il-10, and the highly progressive jet-powered Il-40 “sturmoviks”, which is presented in the Soviet tech tree, and will expand into models from other nations as World of Warplanes gets close to launch later this year.

Ground-attack aircraft are most famous for deadly strafing runs, dive bombing and destructive missile attacks, while their armor provides high survivability and combat effectiveness.

“This is the best example of what a flying tank would be like,” said World of Warplanes Project Manager, Alex Zezulin. “Ground-attack planes are heavy, slow-paced, close to invulnerable machines that might have the most important objective in combat: to eliminate any ground-based resistance and ensure the safety of their lighter allies.”

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DiRT Showdown Gets Pushed Back in North America

2012/05/16

Jerry Paxton

News

Los Angeles – May 16, 2012 – Codemasters has revised the ship date of DiRT Showdown for North America to June 12, 2012 on PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360, after discussions with its distribution partner Warner Bros.

Both Codemasters and Warner Bros believe the move to June, from its original May 29 date, will provide the game with a clearer release window and create a greater opportunity for success at North American retail outlets.

The PC edition is unaffected and holds its global digital release date of next Thursday, May 24, and will be available from Steam.

Mark Hamill Returns to DCUO as The Joker

2012/05/16

Jerry Paxton

News

Sony Online Entertainment has revealed the voice cast behind the characters in DC Universe Online’s latest DLC pack — The Last Laugh. The DLC pack features returning voices of some of the biggest stars of DC Universe, including voiceover veterans Mark Hamill (The Joker), Adam Baldwin (Superman) and Arleen Sorkin (Harley Quinn).

The Last Laugh will include an all-new weapon, hours of multiplayer gameplay in the Safe Houses and Headquarters, and new Legends PvP characters:

The Shield – Players can unleash this vicious new weapon to bash their opponents, or hurl it to take them down from a distance.
Safe House Battles – No one is safe now that heroes and villains can invade each other’s Safe Houses in these four on four battles:

Graviton Technology Recovery – Players will be tasked with unscrambling teleporter codes that The Joker has mixed into fragments. Located at the Watchtower or Hall of Doom, players must retrieve eight code fragments to successfully rebuild useable teleporter codes.
The Rescue – Heroes must rescue hostages, while Villains will be freeing arrested criminals from opposing Safe Houses.
Bomb Disposal – Thanks to The Joker, the encryption on the email terminals have changed and can only be bypassed by the robot he provided. Players must gain control of the robot and either upload the data to their HQ or add new encryption to keep their enemies and The Joker away from it.

Headquarter Battles – In this two-part crusade, 16 players — eight heroes and eight villains — will face off for the ultimate player reward. At the request of Superman, heroes must take over the Hall of Doom, while villains, egged on by The Joker, will breach the Watchtower in order to create chaos.
Legends Characters – Combat illuminates with the introduction of the first light-powered Legends for multiplayer combat. Players will soon have access to Kilowog, a Green Lantern, and Amon Sur, a member of the Sinestro Corps.

DCUO’s The Last Laugh DLC pack will be accessible for free for the game’s Legendary members and available for purchase for Free and Premium players via the PlayStation®Network in-game Marketplace, and on the PC via theDCUniverseOnline.com website.

New Crysis 3 Screenshots

2012/05/16

Jerry Paxton

News

Crytek has released some new screenshots and concept art for their upcoming shooter, Crysis 3.

Screenshots

Fray Goes into Beta Testing

2012/05/16

Jerry Paxton

News

PARIS – May 16, 2012 – Brain Candy, a high fructose independent French game developer, opens the Beta period of its upcoming sci-fi squad-based strategy title, Fray, coming to PC and Mac in Summer 2012. Recruits can now head over to www.fray-game.com to sign up for a slice of the action and also pre-order the game.

To celebrate its Beta period, Brain Candy has released two new features players can get their hands on in the combat module. The XP system allows players to gain experience in combat to beef up squad strength. The in-game chat is the main hang-out for players looking for a fight! Arrange where to meet on the battlefield, swap battle stories and strategies, or just talk.

Pre-ordering the game for $19.99 on www.fray-game.com will not only guarantee beta access but also guarantee that XP points gained during beta will carry over to launch. All pre-orders will also be rewarded with a free extra copy for recruiting friends to the battlefield.

Enter the dystopian year of 2098 where most human interaction is confined in cyberspace while three mega-corporations vie for control of Earth and its remaining resources. Within combat module Fray, players must pledge allegiance to one of the corporations and control a squad of four soldiers of unique classes, weapons, and abilities. To engage in combat, players must assign actions to each squad member. It is then when players will finally see the fruits or failures of their labor while the action is played out in real-time cinematic fashion. Keen observation, predicting an opponent’s moves, and the wisdom of experience are key to emerging victorious.

View the trailer here: www.youtube.com/watch?v=8xD-HR6rfC0

For more information and to pre-order the game, please visit the official website at www.fray-game.com or visit Brain Candy at www.braincandy.fr

Follow Brain Candy on Twitter at www.twitter.com/braincandygames

ROCCAT Unveils Savu Gaming Mouse

2012/05/15

Jerry Paxton

News

Hamburg, 15 May 2012 – ROCCAT Studios today announces the release of the Savu – Mid-Size Hybrid Gaming Mouse – a competition device that “fusion welds” an ideal blend of performance and customizable features into a robust, perfectly-balanced, medium-size design.

The Savu offers a combination of unprecedented true 4000 DPI optical sensor horsepower, world famous Easy-Shift[+]™ technology allowing for advanced button configuration, and a customizable lighting system delivering 16.8 million colors. What’s more, it’s the world’s first mouse to feature a stats and trophy system – called the ROCCAT Achievements Display, or R.A.D. – something previously known in similar form only in online gaming. Designed specifically for fans of mid-size gaming mice, the Savu also pampers the hands with an ergonomic right-hand thumb rest and soft-touch surface.

“The Savu is the planet’s premiere mid-size gaming mouse – period,” says René Korte, ROCCAT Founder and CEO. “We packed it with not only world-beating speed and comfort, but with a slew of innovations designed to thrill. The Savu represents our continued dedication to giving gamers the exact gear to fit their every desire.”

With its advanced Pro Optic sensor, the Savu delivers true 400, 800, 1600 and 4000 DPI – placing it at the pinnacle of optical gaming mice. The latest R3 sensor also delivers lag-free gaming without any interpolation, and provides ultra-precise feedback during even the fastest movements – all so players can command with the utmost accuracy.

The Savu comes standard with exclusive Easy-Shift[+]™ technology, which lets gamers set two functions for each mouse button and the scroll wheel, essentially transforming a seven-button mouse into a 12-button one without the clutter of unnecessary additional buttons. Easy-Shift[+]™ also lets gamers take advantage of Easy-Aim, which automatically reduces DPI setting when in sniper mode – delivering pinpoint accuracy at the touch of a button. And thanks to advanced Omron switches, the Savu’s two main buttons feature the most consistent and precise pressure points – for ultra-accurate command capability – as well as the highest durability for the longest possible gaming life.

The Savu features a large, customizable rear light bar, which users can set in their choice of 16.8 million colors – to add to the atmosphere of gaming sessions. Players can also activate a color cycling feature, as well as a “breathing” function, which instructs the mouse to pulse in a choice of color.

The Savu also marks the debut of the ROCCAT™ Achievements Display – or R.A.D. – a fun and useful application that tracks and rewards a wide range of gaming feats, such as mouse movement, button clicks, scroll steps, etc. The driver-based software compiles user data, provides a range of statistics for analysis, and hands out trophies when exceptional milestones have been reached. It’s an entertaining way for gamers to keep track of their mouse skills – and it even lets players share their accomplishments with others via social network sites, like Facebook.

Hamburg-based ROCCAT Studios says the Savu severely outperforms every gaming mouse in its class and is sure to set a new standard in the mid-size field. The Savu will be available around the globe for a MSRP of 59.99 Euros or 59.99 USD.

Further information available at:
www.roccat.org/savu

Forge of Empires Beta Hits 250k Users

2012/05/15

Jerry Paxton

News

Hamburg, May 15, 2012. Forge of Empires, the strategic browser game by company InnoGames has attracted 250,000 registered players to its open beta thus far. The game, already available in five languages, including English, French and German, adds four new markets: Greek and Italian language versions opened yesterday, followed by Spanish and Portuguese today. Each version starts with its own worlds to foster a community in their respective markets. Several more languages are planned for the coming weeks.

In Forge of Empires, players tasked with leading their own city to prosperity can research new technologies, build impressive historical buildings and enlarge their sphere of influence through military campaigns and skillful dealing. Other players’ cities can be visited and, while admiring structures and placement of buildings, be supported by polishing decorations or motivating workers for increased happiness or resource outcome. Additionally, one must foster a healthy culture for citizens and establish trade and production of various resources.

Forge of Empires also contains a long-term single player campaign, as well as an ever-growing number of PvP-features, which offer months of entertainment. A turn-based battle system on a hex-field and other tactical facets to the game will keep strategists’ attention and allow for challenging duels with friends and adversaries. Competitive players can fight for top ranks and medals in weekly tournaments. InnoGames provides additional information in the game’s blog.

With more than 80 million registered players, InnoGames is one of the world’s leading developers and providers of online games. The Hamburg-based company has scored major successes with games such as Tribal Wars, The West and Grepolis.

To the Moon Getting Official Retail Release

2012/05/15

Jerry Paxton

News

Brighton, May 15^th, 2012 – To the Moon, last year’s independently developed surprise smash hit, will finally see its official retail release: Today, publisher Lace Mamba Global announces to publish retail versions of the PC adventure game worldwide, starting in the UK and Ireland on July 06^th, 2012, followed by releases in Germany, Austria and Switzerland on August 31^st, 2012, and soon also in further territories.

To the Moon is an exciting and unique storytelling project, involving gameplay elements of classic point & click adventures as well as role-playing games. Games journalists and users lauded the game for its story and characters, as well as its exceptional storytelling. Gamespot calls it “one of the most authentic and human stories told in a game in some time”, and later on awarded To The Moon the “Best Story” trophy of the Game of the Year Awards.

To the Moon, independently funded and developed by Kan Gao and his team Freebird Games, tells a story of a technology that allows to alter a person’s memories:

Dr. Eva Rosalene and Dr. Neil Watts have rather peculiar jobs: In the year 2060, they control this technology that allows doctors to weave artificial memories, such that a patient can request attempts to alter their mind, and wake up with memories of things that didn’t actually happen.

However, since these new memories are permanent, the conflict between them and the existing authentic memories clash in such a way that it ceases the person’s ability to properly function.

Thus, the operation is only done to people on their deathbeds, to fulfil what they wish they had done with their lives… but didn’t.

The technology requires the doctors to step into the memories of the patient, which are reconstructed as interactive scenes. The doctors then gradually traverse backwards through memories of the patient’s life until they reach childhood — at which point, the wish of the patient in present time would be transferred over.

Along with the doctors’ influence, the patient (as a child) could then lead an entire different life inside their head, working toward and fulfilling their dying wish themselves.

And if all goes well, they would wake up, having lived the dream life they never had, and embrace a brief moment of blissful fulfilment. Shortly after, they’d draw their last breath.

John, the protagonist of To the Moon, is a patient of Dr. Rosalene and Dr. Watts, and both doctors are about to fulfil his last wish: To weave the memory of having become an astronaut and visited the Moon.

Additionally to winning the “Gamespot – Best Story of 2011” award, To the Moon was listed by Wired as one of “The 20 best videogames of 2011”, won the “Editor’s Choice for best singleplayer Indie 2011” award from IndieDB and became finalist in the “Excellence in audio” category at the 2012 Independent Games Festival.

Retail versions of To the Moon, published by Lace Mamba Global, are scheduled to be released for £14.99 (recommended retail price) on July 07^th, 2012, in the UK and Ireland, and priced €19.99 (recommended retail price) on August 31^st in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, as well as further territories worldwide.