Author - Jerry Paxton

Disney Universe Gets Phineas and Ferb DLC Pack

2012/02/15
Jerry Paxton
News

February 14, 2012 – Gamers will suit up, power-up and battle through the suburbs of Danville in some of their favorite Phineas and Ferb costumes with the release of the “Phineas and Ferb” level downloadable content pack, available today for Disney Interactive Studios’ Disney Universe. The new content is currently available for download for $4.99 on PlayStation®Network or for 400 Microsoft Points on Xbox LIVE® online entertainment network.

Based on Disney Channel’s Emmy Award-winning “Phineas and Ferb,” the #1 animated TV series among tweens 9-14, the “Phineas and Ferb” level in Disney Universe allows players to experience the adventures of Phineas, Ferb and friends in the suburbs of Danville firsthand. Gamers will be able suit up as Phineas, Ferb, Dr. Doofenshmirtz, Agent P and Candace as they utilize cool gadgets. The Chick-Inator will turn players into chickens in order to access small spaces, while the Atomic Leaf Blow-Inator will allow them to blow away piles of leaves to reveal collectibles and more as they advance through the neighborhood avoiding traps and hazards. The level will culminate as players battle Dr. Doofenshmirtz in an epic showdown to bring down his blimp and save a trapped passenger.

Now available on store shelves for the Wii™ system from Nintendo, Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, PlayStation 3® computer entertainment system and Windows PC, Disney Universe offers a four-person multiplayer action experience, with frenzied gameplay that appeals to players of all ages. The “Phineas and Ferb” level joins other great Disney Universe environments, such as the Disney•Pixar hits WALL•E and Monsters, Inc., Tim Burton’s Alice in Wonderland, Pirates of the Caribbean, and the Academy Award® winning classics, The Lion King and Aladdin. The game features 45 classic and contemporary iconic character costumes, including ones inspired by Sam Flynn, Quorra and Clu (TRON), Baloo (The Jungle Book), Ariel (The Little Mermaid), Sulley (Monsters, Inc.), Nemo (Finding Nemo) and everyone’s favorite pixie, Tinker Bell (Peter Pan). Dozens of other character costumes are also featured in the game, including Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, Goofy and Donald Duck.

Disney Universe  will continue to expand with new content, including worlds, costumes, and more available for download, giving Xbox 360 and PlayStation®3 system owners an ever-evolving gameplay experience.

Screenshots

Skyrim Creation Kit Touts Over 2 Million Mod Downloads

2012/02/15
Jerry Paxton
News

February 14, 2012 (Rockville, MD) – ZeniMax® Media Inc. today announced that the Creation Kit™, a free tool that allows PC players to create their own custom content for Bethesda’s The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, has been enthusiastically received by PC gamers who have been uploading, downloading, and installing custom content through the Skyrim Workshop on Steam. Within a week of the release of the Creation Kit, gamers have downloaded more than 2 million mods via the Skyrim Workshop. More than 2,500 mods have been published by the gaming community, all of which are available for free.

Worldwide revenues generated by Skyrim have placed it among the industry’s most successful titles, and demand for the title shows no signs of slowing. Measured by revenue, Skyrim was the second best selling game of 2011, and 2012 sales remain strong, with continuing digital downloads and large shipments of units to retail. Within the first month following its release in November, Bethesda Softworks® reported it had shipped over 10 million units of Skyrim across all platforms, representing approximately $650 million in retail sales, and those results have since increased substantially.

Data from Steam, the digital download service, reveal that the average number of hours that a gamer plays Skyrim exceeds 75 hours, underscoring fan devotion to the game. The PC version of Skyrim in North America outsold all other PC games by a factor of over three to one in the month of its release, and Skyrim is the fastest selling title in Steam’s history.

Console versions of Skyrim reveal equally strong fan demand. The Xbox 360 version of Skyrim outsold all Xbox 360 exclusive titles in 2011 in North America, and the PS3 version of Skyrim outsold all PS3 exclusive titles on that platform.  These strong commercial results match the high scores and widespread praise of critics that the game has received.

The critically-acclaimed title was most recently honored with the ‘Game of the Year’ award at the 15th Annual 2012 Interactive Achievement Awards (IAA) held at the 2012 D.I.C.E. Summit. Skyrim also received top honors  in the ‘Outstanding Achievement in Gameplay Engineering’, ‘Outstanding Achievement in Game Direction’, ‘Role-Playing Game of the Year’, and ‘Outstanding Achievement in Story’ categories. The IAA’s focus is on peer-based voting and its awards are considered to be among the highest honors of recognition in the interactive entertainment industry.

Skyrim had already garnered dozens of ‘Game of the Year’ awards from major outlets worldwide, including winning the top honor of ‘Game of the Year’ at the 2011 Video Game Awards which are voted on by a panel of editors from the industry’s most respected magazines and websites.  To date, Skyrim has received over 200 perfect review scores worldwide, earning the highest praise from some of the industry’s most influential critics including: Wall Street Journal, USA Today, G4TV, The New York Times, GameSpy, Wired, Eurogamer, Destructoid, GamePro, Official Xbox Magazine, Joystiq, The Guardian, Famitsu and GamesRadar. G4TV describes Skyrim as “one of the greatest games ever” and Eurogamer was one of many outlets to call it a “masterpiece.”

Skyrim, available for the Xbox 360® video game entertainment system from Microsoft, PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system, and PC, is the third consecutive game developed by the team at Bethesda Game Studios® to earn ‘Game of the Year’ honors.  Bethesda Game Studios, which was named ‘Studio of the Year’ at the 2011 Video Game Awards, also created the 2006 ‘Game of the Year’,The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion®, and the 2008 ‘Game of the Year’, Fallout® 3.

The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim has been rated M for Mature by ESRB.

For more information on Skyrim visit http://www.elderscrolls.com/

Brick-Force Beta Attracts Over 100k

2012/02/15
Jerry Paxton
News

BERLIN, Germany – 14th February, 2012 – The online games publisher and developer Infernum announced today that shortly after the first announcement over 100,000 players have already registered for Brick-Force, the cross-platform sandbox shooter. Those who wish to experience Brick-Force before its official release in the spring can register for the beta which starts on the 28th February, over at www.brick-force.com. The free-to-play online game will be released for the PC, iOS, Android and playable via browser.

Infernum founder and CEO Andreas Weidenhaupt is pleased by the rush of players: “Although we announced the start of the closed beta just two weeks ago, we’ve seen an enormous and rapid growth of the Brick-Force community. Before the beta has even launched we have a surprisingly large fan base that will give us valuable feedback during the next phase of testing. We are really looking forward to presenting Brick-Force to all players.”

Those who have registered in time for the closed beta will be granted access gradually in several waves, where they will descend upon a playful world that combines creativity and action. The shooter mode will be playable exclusively on PC systems, while for imaginative minds, the sandbox mode will be functional on the mobile platforms iOS and Android. The first Brick-Force mobile version for smartphones and tablets will be published after release of the open beta.

Screenshots

New Gas Guzzlers: Combat Carnage Screenshots

2012/02/14
Jerry Paxton
News

Gamepires has released some new screenshots from their upcoming vehicular combat title, Gas Guzzlers: Combat Carnage, showing some of the game’s environments.

Screenshots

Blizzard Announces StarCraft RISK and WoW Monopoly

2012/02/13
Jerry Paxton
News

CARLSBAD, Calif. (February 10, 2012) – USAOPOLY (under license by Hasbro, Inc.) announces a partnership with Blizzard Entertainment, Inc. to release fresh takes on two classic board games. MONOPOLY®: World of Warcraft® and RISK®: StarCraft® combine tried-and-true foundations with new designs and gameplay elements inspired by Blizzard’s popular gaming universes. Those who dare to engage will discover a new chance to claim supremacy, both over their friends and over the battle-torn lands of Azeroth and the Koprulu Sector.

 

MONOPOLY®: World of Warcraft®

Descend into a world of myth, magic and legendary adventure to battle for control of World of Warcraft’s iconic locations. Featuring custom graphics from Blizzard Entertainment’s world-class artists and designers, the MONOPOLY game’s land grab includes coveted real estate such as Twilight Highlands, Grizzly Hills and the Swamp of Sorrows. In the rush to rule over the faction capitals of Orgrimmar and Stormwind, players will feverishly buy, sell and trade in true MONOPOLY fashion, until one player controls the lands and vanquishes all comers.

This handsomely crafted MONOPOLY game formally debuts at the 109th annual Toy Fair, this February 12th in New York City. World of Warcraft players, however, will be treated to a sneak peek via the World of Warcraft Facebook page and have the opportunity to vote on the game’s iconic tokens. Ten options, including Murky, Chen’s Keg, Mechagnome, and a Spellbook, will be presented; the six most popular tokens will be represented in the game when it launches this May.

Other notable highlights of the Monopoly game include custom sculpted houses (Warcraft towns) and hotels (Warcraft cities) plus a red and blue die representing the Horde and Alliance factions. There has never been a better time to engage face-to-face in World of Warcraft’s epic power struggle. The game retails for $39.95 and will be available in specialty stores across North America.

RISK®: StarCraft®

The forthcoming release of RISK®: StarCraft® should whet the appetites of StarCraft players who will once again find the StarCraft universe in jeopardy. Players will choose from the Terran, Protoss or Zerg factions and six unique heroes to ultimately bring order to the galaxy. The struggles portrayed in this real time strategy game series adapt perfectly to classic tabletop RISK gameplay, and the winner will be determined by astute deployment of military might and strategic field tactics.

RISK: StarCraft includes 3 play modes and sports over 290 custom playing pieces. More details about the game will be revealed as it moves toward release; it launches this summer and will be available in specialty stores throughout North America with a suggested retail price of $49.45.

The Witcher 2 Enhanced Edition Dev Diary 2

2012/02/13
Jerry Paxton
News

Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment and CD Projekt RED have released a brand new Developer Diary video showcasing the complex and nonlinear storytelling in The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings Enhanced Edition, coming soon to the Xbox 360 console and PC.

Dev Diary

Rockstar Games Answers More Max Payne 3 Questions

2012/02/13
Jerry Paxton
News

Rockstar Games has released another round of their “Asked and Answered” segment of questions and answers – this time focusing on Max Payne 3. Check it out!

From the Post:

“Nooooooooooooooo why is [Max Payne 3] getting delayed??????” – MRMARTSON

We understand it’s disappointing to have to wait another couple months for the game, but we hope you know our goal is always to deliver the best games we possibly can. Trust that the delay is all to ensure the game is as epic and highly-polished as possible. Thank you all for your patience and understanding. We believe it will be well worth the wait.

“18th of May is also for Australian release?” – Jortan

Yes, the Australian release of Max Payne 3 on Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 will also be on May 18th.