Author - Jerry Paxton

Mad Catz Unveils New Xbox One Headsets at E3 2014

2014/06/09
Jerry Paxton
E3, Geek News, News, Tech News, Xbox One News

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San Diego – June 09, 2014 Mad Catz Interactive, Inc. (“Mad Catz”) (NYSE MKT/ TSX: MCZ) announced today a new range of licensed audio headsets for Xbox One under the TRITTON® gaming audio brand.

Each headset in the range has been designed to deliver exceptional audio quality specifically tuned to the needs of the gamer.  Headsets launching include:

TRITTON Kunai™ Stereo Gaming Headset

  • Designed for extreme comfort and extended gaming sessions, Kunai comes to Xbox One with superior stereo audio, high-quality build and an eye-catching design. Kunai is also compatible with MP3 players and a wide variety of audio devices.

TRITTON Kama™ Stereo Gaming Headset

  • A fully featured stereo headset featuring in-line audio controls and precision-balanced 40mm speakers.  Kama is also compatible with MP3 players and a wide variety of audio devices

TRITTON Kaiken™ Mono Chat Headset

  • An ideal upgrade to the communicator found in pack, Kaiken can be worn on the left or right ear and features in-line controls for volume and chat.

Darren Richardson, President and Chief Executive Officer of Mad Catz Interactive, said, “We are excited to introduce our range of professional gaming audio headsets to the Xbox One platform.  We believe the range continues to build upon our strong TRITTON brand and provides quality audio, particularly for multiplayer communication, that is desired by the passionate gamer.  With audio accounting for nearly 50% of our net sales, we expect the range to make a significant contribution to growth and profitability in fiscal 2015.”

Activision Unveils Next-Gen E3 2014 Lineup

2014/06/09
Jerry Paxton
E3, Geek News, News

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Santa Monica, CA – June 9, 2014 – Activision Publishing, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Activision Blizzard, Inc. (NASDAQ: ATVI), is set to kick-off this year’s Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3 Expo) with a blockbuster lineup featuring the #1 and #3 videogame franchises of 2013 in the U.S., including toys and accessories, according to the NPD Group1, and what could be the biggest new videogame IP of the year. Starting Tuesday, June 10, at the LA Convention Center, the company will debut a new era for the Call of Duty® franchise with Call of Duty®: Advanced Warfare, while showcasing the newest innovative title from the popular Skylanders® brand with Skylanders Trap Team™, and the highly anticipated Destiny®. BothSkylanders and Destiny will be playable on the show floor. Activision will be located in the South Hall, booth #1647.

“This is the best slate in Activision history.  The games we’re bringing to E3 each deliver deep, engaging and immersive entertainment experiences,” said Eric Hirshberg, CEO of Activision Publishing, Inc.  “We can’t wait to show fans a new era for Call of Dutywith Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare, introduce the most innovative Skylanders yet with Skylanders Trap Team and provide hands on with a variety of the activities thatDestiny has to offer.  Whether you’re here in person, or following along at home, it’s going to be a great show.”

Activision’s E3 Slate Includes:

Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare – Developed by Sledgehammer Games, Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare delivers gamers an immersive and compelling narrative, jaw-dropping visuals and, for the first time in Call of Duty, exoskeleton gameplay that will redefine how people play the game. Players become the advanced soldier enabled with the power of the exoskeleton, an advanced arsenal of never-before-seen weaponry, new abilities and new gameplay mechanics. The first Call of Duty to benefit from a three-year development cycle, Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare is built specifically for the next generation consoles. The game takes place in a future setting that immerses players into an emotional journey with a new cast of characters poised to set a new bar for the franchise. The title is scheduled for release on November 4 for Xbox One, the all-in-one games and entertainment system from Microsoft, the Xbox 360 games and entertainment system from Microsoft, PlayStation®4 computer entertainment system, PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system and Windows PC; not yet rated by the ESRB. For more information, visit: www.callofduty.com, www.facebook.com/callofduty, www.youtube.com/callofdutyor follow @CallofDuty on Twitter and Instagram.

Destiny – From Bungie, the creators of Halo®, and Activision, the company that brought you Call of Duty, comes Destiny, an epic, action-packed adventure set in a familiar but mysterious universe. Destiny delivers a new way to play first-person action games in a story-driven universe filled with single player, cooperative, competitive, public, and social activities, all seamlessly connected and a vast, persistent universe, creating the world’s first “Shared World Shooter.” In Destiny, gamers become Guardians of the last city on Earth, able to wield incredible powers and explore the far reaches of our solar system. The game will be available on September 9 for the PlayStation®4 system, PlayStation®3 system, Xbox One, the all-in-one games and entertainment system from Microsoft and Xbox 360. For more information, visit www.DestinyTheGame.com. For exclusive updates, follow the official Destiny social channels at www.facebook.com/DestinyTheGame and @DestinyTheGame on Twitter, and interact directly with the developers at www.Bungie.net.

Skylanders Trap Team – Developer Toys for Bob, creators of the Toys-to-Life™ phenomenon, return with another exciting innovation with Skylanders Trap Team. The newest installment to the Skylanders franchise will reverse the magic of bringing toys-to-life, letting kids take characters out of the digital world and bring them into the physical world. In Skylanders Trap Team, Portal Masters seek out and defeat the most wanted villains in all of Skylands, pulling them out of the game and into living rooms by capturing them in Traps. Players can then send villains back into the game where they play as them to fight for good. Skylanders Trap Team will include the Traptanium Portal™, a new ring of magical energy that enables kids to not only bring their Skylanders to life, but also capture villains using the new Traps. Skylanders Trap Team introduces new heroes known as Trap Masters and will be available on October 5 in North America for Xbox One and Xbox 360 games and entertainment systems from Microsoft, PlayStation®4 system, PlayStation®3 system, Nintendo’s Wii™ system and Nintendo’s Wii U™ system. A completely unique adventure will be available on the Nintendo 3DS™ hand-held system.

SEGA E3 2014 Showing to Include Alien, Sonic, and Hatsune

2014/06/08
Jerry Paxton
E3, Geek News, News

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SAN FRANCISCO (June 6, 2014) – SEGA is pleased to present the latest in immersive and interactive entertainment at the 2014 Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) taking place at the Los Angeles Convention Center on June 10–12, 2014.  Highly anticipated titles Alien: Isolation and two new titles under the Sonic Boom umbrella will join the next game featuring virtual singing superstar Hatsune Miku in the South Hall, booth #1637.

SEGA’s full E3 lineup includes:

Alien: Isolation

Discover the true meaning of fear in Alien: Isolation™, a survival horror set in an atmosphere of constant dread and mortal danger. Back to the core essence of Ridley Scott’s haunted house in space – you play as Amanda Ripley, daughter of Ellen Ripley, under-powered and under-prepared, fighting overwhelming odds simply to survive.  With the station in lockdown and a vicious creature on the loose, getting around requires cunning tactics and stealth… and a great deal of courage. The Alien is here, in the shadows, in the vents and the walkways and the slightest noise will bring unwanted attention your way, and fast. With a small band of looters scavenging for supplies, that noise may be hard to avoid.  SEGA and Creative Assembly will also be presenting an exciting new game mode, playable for the first time on the show floor. (Developed by Creative Assembly, out Oct 7, 2014, on Windows PC, PlayStation®4, PlayStation®3, XboxOne and Xbox360).

Sonic Boom

SEGA will unleash an all-new Sonic the Hedgehog at this year’s Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) in Los Angeles with the debut of playable versions of  two new titles exclusively for Wii U™ and Nintendo 3DS™. The new games Sonic Boom™: Rise of Lyric for the Wii U system, developed by Los Angeles-based Big Red Button, and Sonic Boom™: Shattered Crystal for the Nintendo 3DS hand-held system, from San Francisco-based Sanzaru Games, will introduce new gameplay and the most vile and formidable villain in Sonic history — Lyric.

In both games, Sonic and friends – Tails, Knuckles, Amy, and the newest member of the team, Sticks, will work together as they face their most powerful enemy yet. Lyric is a giant and monstrous snake-like creature from an ancient race. An extremely tech-savvy mastermind who uses a sophisticated robotic body of armor to carry out his own nefarious deeds, he is a formidable enemy and a force to be reckoned with. With a strong emphasis on collaboration, the roles of Tails, Knuckles, Amy, and Sticks, will be elevated in gameplay that capitalizes on each character’s unique talents and abilities. The goal is to prevent Lyric from powering his army of robots and carrying out his plan to destroy the world. The stakes have never been higher, and the only chance to overcome Lyric is to band together and work as a team.  (Sonic Boom: Rise of Lyric, Developed by Big Red Button for Wii U.Sonic Boom: Shattered Crystal, Developed by Sanzaru for 3DS).

Hatsune Miku: Project DIVA F 2nd

Also represented on SEGA’s 2014 booth is the world’s most popular virtual singer Hatsune Miku, produced by Crypton Future Media,INC.,  returning in an all-new rhythm video game. Hatsune Miku: Project DIVA™ F 2ndfeatures twenty classic songs from the previously Japan-only PSP games making their first debut in the West and twenty brand new songs to the Project DVIA series.  In addition to the new songs, the game will feature updated gameplay mechanics and controls, over 80 brand new and remade fan favorite modules, Cross-Save compatibility, Markerless AR Mode and a revamped edit mode ranking system that showcases the most popular user generated content to provide gamers the best music game experience on the PlayStation®3 and PlayStation®Vita systems. (Developed by SEGA Japan, out fall 2014 on PlayStation®3, PlayStation®Vita and PlayStation®Network).

Shroud of the Avatar to Demo at E3 2014

2014/06/08
Jerry Paxton
E3, News, Windows PC News

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AUSTIN, Texas, June 6, 2014 — Richard “Lord British” Garriott makes his return to the Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) this year and will be showing off the latest version of his epic fantasy role playing game currently under development, Shroud of the Avatar™ (SotA) at thePlantronics booth in the Los Angeles Convention Center June 10-12. Portalarium®, Garriott’s development studio, and Plantronics have partnered to provide E3 attendees with a chance to see, hear and communicate inside the game using headsets from Plantronics, one of the global leaders in audio technology. Shroud of the Avatar will be on display at the Plantronics booth, #515 in the LACC’s South Hall.

Audio, music and voice communication are all critical pieces in Shroud’s development process. Most of the music and sound effects in the game are crowd sourced and much of it is curated and peer reviewed by players using voice communications. Many of the players use third party voice software and the game itself is being created by a distributed development process where voice communications are important.

“We couldn’t have found a better partner for Shroud of the Avatar than Plantronics,” said Richard Garriott.  “Their long history in audio technology and hardware is unmatched. Their headsets are high quality, reliable and perhaps most importantly provide clarity and excellent sound isolation that lead to the very immersive worlds that we want to create for our players.”

“It’s a privilege to work with Richard Garriott and Portalarium,” said Dorothy Ferguson, director of marketing for Plantronics Gaming. “We anticipate Shroud of the Avatar to be a huge success and are honored to share it with E3 attendees at the Plantronics booth.”

Garriott and Executive Producer Starr Long will be providing demos of the game throughout the Expo. The two will also be discussing some major additions to Shroud’s pledge rewards and pledge tiers announced today on the Shroud of the Avatar site, www.ShroudOfTheAvatar.com. Also announced were new housing types and plans in the game for player owned towns and a stretch goal store.

Additionally the Shroud team will be giving away access to the upcoming Early Release 7 (scheduled for June 26-29) to anyone who submits their email address at the Shroud of the Avatar demo area in the Plantronics booth.

Shroud of the Avatar is a multiplayer fantasy RPG for the PC that is the spiritual successor to Richard Garriott’s previous works in the genre. It is expected to launch at the end of 2014. It is a crowd funded and crowd sourced game built in Unity that has raised more than $4.1 million from backers to date. For more information on the game and to become a backer of the project, go towww.ShroudoftheAvatar.com.

Recent updates to Shroud of the Avatar’s development schedule and other announcements can be found here:

Disney Fantasia: Music Evolved Release Date and Track List

2014/06/08
Jerry Paxton
News, Xbox 360 News, Xbox One News

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BURBANK, Calif. — (June 6, 2014) Disney Interactive and Harmonix today announce the official release date for the award-winning music and motion video game, “Disney Fantasia: Music Evolved,” along with new content to be revealed at this year’s E3.   The breakthrough musical motion video game inspired by Disney’s classic animated film “Fantasia,” will be available worldwide for Xbox One, the all-in-one games and entertainment system from Microsoft and Kinect for Xbox 360 on October 21, 2014.

At E3, the team will follow last year’s standout performance where it received awards from Game Critics for ‘Best Social/Casual Game,’ GameSpot for ‘Best of E3,’ Polygon for ‘Editor’s Choice,’ and Game Informer for ‘Best Music/Rhythm Game.’ This year’s show will set the stage for new multiplayer gameplay and reveal the latest musical additions, along with a vibrant city realm, “The Neighborhood.”

In “The Neighborhood,” players will work their way through a restrained 2D urban cityscape, using music and magic to unleash a vibrant and magical 3D environment by interacting with billboards, rooftops, trains and other surprises hidden within the city landscape.  Through this mind-bending experience, players will watch and listen as their movements create bold colors and whimsical music that make “The Neighborhood” a fantastical adventure.

The latest announced tracks from a range of award-winning artists that will appear in-game include:

  • Depeche Mode – “Enjoy the Silence”
  • Drake – “Take Care” (ft. Rihanna)
  • Tchaikovsky – “The Nutcracker Medley”
  • Police – “Message in a Bottle”
  • MIA – “Galang”
  • The Who – “The Real Me”

Additionally, players will be introduced to Yen Sid’s previous apprentice, Scout, via the game’s narrative, who will guide the player as they perform, transform and create music to restore order to the world.

Featuring over 30 tracks – including contemporary hits, classic rock, classical music, and more – “Disney Fantasia: Music Evolved” transports players to a breathtaking world where music and magic combine to transform extraordinary interactive landscapes in entirely new and creative ways.

Previously announced tracks for the title include:

  • AVICII – “Levels”
  • David Bowie – “Ziggy Stardust”
  • Antonin Dvorak – “Symphony No. 9 from the New World”
  • Fun. – “Some Nights”
  • Peter Gabriel – “In Your Eyes”
  • Gorillaz – “Feel Good Inc.”
  • Cee Lo Green – “Forget You”
  • Elton John – “Rocket Man”
  • Kimbra – “Settle Down”
  • Lorde – “Royals”
  • Bruno Mars – “Locked Out of Heaven”
  • Nicki Minaj – “Super Bass”
  • Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart – “Eine Kleine Nachtmusik”
  • Modest Mussorgsky – “Night on Bald Mountain”
  • Queen – “Bohemian Rhapsody”
  • White Stripes – “Seven Nation Army”
  • Antonio Vivaldi – “The Four Seasons: Winter, 1st Movement”

“Disney Fantasia: Music Evolved” will be available worldwide on October 21, 2014 with an ESRB rating of E10+ with lyrics descriptor. For additional information about “Disney Fantasia: Music Evolved,” join the Facebook community at https://www.facebook.com/fantasiagame, follow us on Twitter and Instagram @FantasiaGame and view all videos on our YouTube channel athttp://youtube.com/FantasiaGame.

To play “Disney Fantasia: Music Evolved” at E3, visit Disney Interactive located in South Hall, booth #2047 and Microsoft located in West Hall, booth #4100.

Madden NFL 15 Details and Trailer

2014/06/08
Jerry Paxton
News, PlayStation 3 News, PlayStation 4 News, Trailers / Videos, Xbox 360 News, Xbox One News

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June 6, 2014 – Madden Season is right around the corner, as today EA SPORTS released the first official gameplay video for Madden NFL 15. The video, featuring Carolina Panthers linebacker Luke Kuechly, underscores the key focus in this year’s game, a commitment to improved defense.

New defensive features and mechanics allow fans to transform into their rival’s worst nightmare, with an arsenal of new pass rush moves, new open-field tackling mechanics, new defensive cameras and much more. More details surrounding Madden NFL 15, including in-depth info on defensive improvements, presentation enhancements and more will be announced next week at E3.

Madden NFL 15 is developed in Orlando, Florida by EA Tiburon and will be available on August 26 in North America and on August 29 in the EU for Xbox One, the all-in-one entertainment system from Microsoft and the PlayStation®4 computer entertainment system. A version ofMadden NFL 15 will also release on Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system and the PlayStation®3 entertainment system. To learn more about Madden NFL 15, visit http://www.easports.com/madden-nfl.

All player participation has been facilitated by NFL Players Inc., the licensing and marketing subsidiary of the NFL Players Association (NFLPA).

EA SPORTS is one of the leading sports entertainment brands in the world, with top-selling videogame franchises, award-winning interactive technology, fan programs and cross-platform digital experiences. EA SPORTS creates connected experiences that ignite the emotion of sports through industry-leading sports videogames, including Madden NFL football, EA SPORTS™ FIFA, NHL® hockey, NBA LIVEbasketball, PGA TOUR® golf, SSX™ and EA SPORTS UFC®.

For more information about EA SPORTS, including news, video, blogs, forums and game apps, please visit www.easports.com to connect, share and compete.