Author - Jerry Paxton

Kill the Bad Guy Gets Gameplay Trailer

2014/01/28
Jerry Paxton
News, Trailers / Videos, Windows PC News

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Marseille, France – January 28, 2014 – Independent game developer, Exkee invites you to discover, in just a few minutes, the myriad of ways that vigilante justice can be dispensed upon the wicked in their blood-soaked puzzler, Kill the Bad Guy, available for Windows, Mac, and Linux in May 2014.

Kill The Bad Guy is a puzzle-based game with a seemingly calm, utopian atmosphere, but in actuality, it is a veritable playground for which to serve vile evil doers their just deserts! So players, pull up a seat and tuck in your bibs because it is about to get messy!

In Kill the Bad Guy, players will act as a shadowy justice, manipulating the tangible world from afar as the unsuspecting Bad Guy goes about his day. The player will have to first dirty up the streets in order to keep them clean and safe in the long run. Purge the city of dirty criminals, seedy mafioso, low-life drug lords, and other Bad Guys who think that they are safe hiding as wolves in sheep’s clothing.

In order for the mission to be a complete success, the player must not raise suspicion, or let the Bad Guy know that they have them marked and are out for blood! The player must remain undetected, minimalism collateral damage, and above all, make it look like an accident!

Use intelligence and trickery to find the best way to lure the Bad Guy into your trap. Once the Bad Guy is zeroed in on, players can choose an accessible tool best suited for the job: a runaway car barreling straight towards him, a razor-sharp propeller from a defective air-conditioner unit, or how about a wrecking ball which happened to “accidentally” detached itself from the body of the excavator. What will it be?

Every level provides the possibility to splatter and destroy the Bad Guy using various weapons and traps. Simply put, it is up to the player to put the Bad Guy in the wrong place at the right time!

Trailer

Madden NFL 25 Calls Super Bowl XLVIII for Denver Broncos

2014/01/27
Jerry Paxton
Geek News, News, Trailers / Videos

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REDWOOD CITY, Calif. – Jan. 27, 2014 – The Electronic Arts Inc. (NASDAQ: EA) Madden NFL 25 Super Bowl Prediction is calling for Peyton Manning to be the first ever quarterback to lead two different franchises to Super Bowl victories, with the Broncos defeating the Seahawks 31-28 in overtime. A video of the matchup can be found here. The Madden NFL Super Bowl prediction has correctly forecast 8 of the past 10 Lombardi Trophy winners, and last year accurately called Baltimore’s large lead and San Francisco’s furious comeback with the Ravens hanging on for the win.

The defenses of both the Broncos and Seahawks asserted themselves early, as the offenses struggled to score points. Richard Sherman further bolstered his case as the best cornerback in the game, returning an interception for a touchdown just before the half and sending the Seahawks to the locker room with the momentum and a 10-7 lead.

The Denver offense shook off the cold New Jersey air and got hot in the second half, with Peyton Manning attacking Richard Sherman and connecting with Demaryius Thomas for a 17-yard TD in the 3rd quarter. Later in the quarter Knowshon Moreno added a goal line run to give Denver a 21-10 lead. Even though Steven Hauschka managed a field goal as the period ended, the pendulum had clearly swung in the Broncos’ direction.

Manning added a 24-yard touchdown to Wes Welker early in the 4th quarter, and Denver appeared ready to roll to their first Super Bowl victory since 1998. Russell Wilson and the Seahawks weren’t willing to crown the Broncos just yet, as a touchdown pass from Wilson to Golden Tate and a last-second 27-yard touchdown run by Marshawn Lynch pulled the Seahawks to within two points, and the successful conversion knotted things up to send the contest to overtime.

Denver’s defense, shell-shocked from their 4th quarter collapse and Lynch’s bruising TD run, steeled their resolve and stopped the Seahawks on the first overtime possession, forcing a punt. The Broncos managed to advance the ball to the Seahawks’ 30-yard line, but their drive stalled there and John Fox called in the kicking unit. Matt Prater, the record-holder for the longest ever field goal in an NFL game, stepped in for his first attempt of the game and drilled a 48-yarder to seal the victory and send Broncos fans around the world out of their seats with elation.

In addition to winning his second Super Bowl ring Peyton Manning also earned MVP honors on the strength of his 322-yard, three touchdown performance. Demaryius Thomas also had a monster game, hauling in 11 passes for 168 yards and a touchdown. The Seahawks’ Marshawn Lynch was the game’s top rusher, gashing the Denver defense for 109 yards and a touchdown.

The Madden NFL 25 Super Bowl prediction is created by simulating the Super Bowl matchup with updated rosters on Xbox One®, the official game console of the NFL. The Madden NFL 25 Super Bowl prediction is engineered by GMC®.

Madden NFL 25 is developed in Orlando, Florida by EA Tiburon and is now available for the Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system, Xbox One, the all-in-one entertainment system from Microsoft, PlayStation®3 entertainment system and the PlayStation®4, as well as on iPhone®, iPad® and Google Play. To learn more about Madden NFL 25, 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 LIVE basketball, NCAA® Football, 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.

Video

Square Enix Launches the Square Enix Collective

2014/01/27
Jerry Paxton
Industry News, News

Collective_Logo_Big

JANUARY 27th, 2014 — Square Enix today launches the pilot phase of its new community platform, Square Enix Collective™.

Collective™ will showcase independently developed game concepts direct to the gaming community, allowing the community to decide which concepts should become a reality. The platform is initially launching with a pilot phase which starts today and will run for 28 days, showcasing three projects from Ruffian Games (based in Dundee, working on Game of Glens), Kitfox Games (based in Montreal, working on Moon Hunters) and Tuque Games (also based in Montreal, working on World War Machine).

“There are lots of really talented small teams around the world with great game ideas. For those teams, getting visibility, momentum, funding and distribution can be very tricky and that’s where we hope Collective can help,” said Phil Elliott, project lead on Collective.

The community will choose which projects they want to see go through to a crowdfunding process via a partnership with world-leading crowdfunding platform Indiegogo. Projects which successfully raise funds may also find support from Square Enix through the development process, and assistance in distributing the final project across leading digital channels once completed.

“It’s up to the teams how much or little help they want from Square Enix and it’s our opportunity to help some fantastic games become a reality and uncover the development stars of the future,” continued Elliott.

The three teams taking part in the pilot phase of Collective will showcase three very different game concepts; Ruffian Games was established in 2008 and has shipped a number of titles in the past, including Crackdown 2 with Microsoft. Kitfox Games is a new developer, with its first game Shattered Planet set for release this March, while Tuque Games – also a new developer – is hoping to launch its first title via Collective.

“We see Collective as an opportunity to get Moon Hunters more coverage than we can get on our lonesome,” commented Tanya X Short, designer at Kitfox Games, “and really connect with potential fans that otherwise wouldn’t hear us.”

“Quite simply I think that Square Collective has the potential to make players happy. The initiative gives players a voice to let Square Enix know which games they want to see get made and the power to influence the raw, early-stage development process. That’s new, powerful and bold,” said Jeff Hattem, founder of Tuque Games.  “I’m both excited and terrified to see how players will react and what they have in store for game devs like us.”

“Ruffian Games is really excited to be involved with Collective from launch, we think it’s a great idea that lowers the boundaries for smaller and more independent developers to get new ideas in front of an experienced audience,” said James Cope, producer at Ruffian Games. “The benefits of being able to grow a following ahead of a crowd funded campaign are clear but Collective gives an extra level of confidence and the options open to us for distribution in the future are incredibly helpful.”

The platform has been created by web development agency Contra. More details on how the platform works are available on the Collective website.

Stronghold Crusader 2 to Launch this Summer

2014/01/27
Jerry Paxton
News, Screenshots / Photos, Windows PC News

stronghold

London, UK – 27th January 2014 – Firefly Studios is pleased to announce that its upcoming medieval strategy sim will see release on PC this summer. With an exact release date to follow closer to launch, the development team is currently hard at work, with the aim of releasing Stronghold Crusader 2 only when it is ready.

In a new post on the game’s official website the independent developer provides a short update on development:

“Releasing in the summer is a little later than we had initially hoped, but once again our intention is to release a game that lives up to the Crusader name. Whenever we meet someone who played and enjoyed the original they always have a story to tell about the time they finally beat that hard as nails Crusader Trail mission or when they took on seven AI opponents at once! When people have such fond memories you can’t rush a sequel out the door, which is why we have chosen to take our time when it comes to feature implementation and play testing. We’re at a point now where we can dip into skirmish mode or a multiplayer game during lunch and have fun, which is a fantastic feeling for the team.

With the game in its current state we can spend extra time tuning and tweaking the various new units and siege equipment that will soon be storming other players online. It will also mean we have enough time to reduce the number of bugs and crashes right down before launch and refine the core gameplay loops that make it fun. We know players are eager to get their hands on the game, but Crusader 2 must be fun, stable and complete at launch.”

Also released today is the game’s final cover art, which reveals Crusader 1 protagonist Richard the Lionheart will once again be returning to the desert. The full news post can be found at www.strongholdcrusader2.com.

Cover Art

Paradox Announces Europa Universalis IV: Wealth of Nations

2014/01/27
Jerry Paxton
News, Windows PC News

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STOCKHOLM — January 27, 2014 — Paradox Interactive, a publisher of games that practices fair trade, and Paradox Development Studio today announced Wealth of Nations, the second expansion to Europa Universalis IV, the award-winning empire building game for Windows, Mac, and Linux.

Wealth of Nations will bring several new features to the game, focusing on trade, including the ability to secretly provoke trade conflicts, hire pirates to steal goods from your competitors, establish the East India Company and create a bustling trade capital for your nation. With several new possible ways to direct the wealth of the world into an empire’s coffers, Wealth of Nations will serve the needs of every gamer’s inner plutocrat.

Cold hard cash is king, may the richest empire win. Europa Universalis IV: Wealth of Nations will be given the (trade) stamp of approval for download from digital portals in Q2 2014.

The expansion will feature:

  • The Invisible Hand of the Market: You can act covertly to instigate trade conflicts among the competition, stifling income and leaving yourself atop the economic heap.
  • Seize the Seas: Hiring privateers can damage enemy shipments and cripple their trade, but risks retaliation in the form of open warfare if you are caught.
  • Capitalize: Empires can designate a specific port as their trade capital, separate from their national capital, and strengthen local trade routes through the use of inland trade nodes.
  • Monopolize and Mobilize: Form an East India Company and reach faraway trade partners with an unstoppable shipping concern.

Europa Universalis IV is the critically acclaimed empire-building strategy game that allows players to tell their own stories, determining the course of international events as they see fit. Whether a ruler rises to power via bloodshed and expansion, or simply conquers the market and buys out the competition, Europa Universalis welcomes tyrants of all types.

Strategy fans and ambitious conquerors can purchase Europa Universalis IV now atwww.europauniversalis4.com.

Microsoft Purchases Gears of War IP from EPIC Games

2014/01/27
Jerry Paxton
Industry News, News, Xbox One News

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Microsoft has purchased the Gears of War IP from EPIC Games for an undisclosed amount. Microsoft’s newly-formed “Black Tusk Studios” will oversee development on future Gears titles. In order to make sure the transition goes smoothly into the Microsoft-developed Gears title, Rod Fergusson, former Director of Production at Epic Games is going to be leading the project.

Here is a brief Q&A with Phil Spencer, Head of Microsoft Studios, and the General Manager of Black Tusk Studios, Hanno Lemke, and Rod Fergusson.

Why did Microsoft purchase the “Gears of War” franchise?
Phil Spencer: It all comes back to our commitment to Xbox fans. The “Gears of War” franchise has a very strong, passionate and valued fan base on Xbox. Over twenty-two million units have been sold across all “Gears of War” titles worldwide, grossing over $1B dollars (US). This franchise, and these fans, are part of the soul of Xbox. By acquiring this franchise, Microsoft Studios will continue to offer them more of their favorite games and entertainment experiences from the “Gears of War” universe.

Why did Epic Games agree to this acquisition?
Hanno Lemke: Epic has been a tremendous partner to work with, and it has been a privilege for Microsoft to be Epic’s publishing partner and work together to achieve the phenomenal success of the “Gears of War” games.  Epic remains great partners and good friends of Microsoft Studios.  In fact we will collaborate closely with Epic to ensure the inclusion of the Unreal Engine technology into the “Gears of War” franchise going forward remains consistent with the high quality fans have come to expect from the franchise.

Why was an as-yet-unproven studio like Black Tusk chosen to lead the “Gears of War” development over a more established studio?
Phil Spencer: Black Tusk has assembled a world-class team with deep experience and passion for the shooter space, and specifically the “Gears of War” franchise.  I am extremely confident that under the leadership of Hanno Lemke, Rod Fergusson and our other leaders in the studio, Black Tusk is well equipped to take on the future development of the “Gears of War” franchise.

Are there plans to bring anyone who worked on previous “Gears of War” games onboard to work on the future of the series?
Hanno Lemke: The news that Rod Fergusson is joining Black Tusk should be really exciting for fans of the franchise.  Rod has played a leadership role at Epic on all of the “Gears of Wars” games, he understands the franchise deeply but equally importantly he understands the fans of the franchise – what they love, where they want to see the franchise evolve.  Once the news spreads about the opportunities at Black Tusk, I’m confident we’ll see interest from a number of talented developers who share the same passion for the “Gears” franchise as the developers at Black Tusk.

When can we expect to hear more about the plans for the “Gears of War” franchise?
Hanno Lemke: We hope to be able to share more news about “Gears of War” later this year.

You’re moving back to Canada and back to working on the “Gears” franchise. Is it like a homecoming for you?
Rod Fergusson: I’m extremely excited to be joining Black Tusk Studios to oversee development on the “Gears of War” franchise. I’ve been privileged to work on a lot of great games with a lot of great teams, but “Gears” has had the most impact on me professionally and personally, so this really feels like a homecoming. I can’t wait to share more with you all soon.

Finally, Epic games shared the following statement on the acquisition:
“Epic Games has reached an agreement to sell the ‘Gears of War’ intellectual property rights to Microsoft.  We’re very proud of the franchise we built in close partnership with Microsoft over the past decade and are happy that this agreement enables Microsoft to forge ahead with the ‘Gears’ universe on their industry-leading platforms as Epic concentrates its efforts on new projects,” said Epic founder and CEO Tim Sweeney. “Epic remains totally dedicated to supporting Xbox One and is licensing the Unreal Engine 4 technology to Microsoft in support of their future projects.”

Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn Release Date and CE Details

2014/01/26
Jerry Paxton
News, PlayStation 4 News

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LOS ANGELES (Jan. 26, 2014) – Square Enix, Inc., the publisher of SQUARE ENIX® interactive entertainment products in the Americas, today announced that the PlayStation®4 computer entertainment system version of FINAL FANTASY® XIV: A Realm Reborn™ will be released on April 14, 2014 with official service beginning on the same day.

FINAL FANTASY XIV: A Realm Reborn on PlayStation®4 system will be available in either a Standard Edition or Collector’s Edition with pre-orders for both starting January 27. Pre-orders for either edition will include two in-game items (Mog Cap & Cait Sith Doll minion) and the ability to participate in Early Access starting on April 11. The limited Collector’s Edition comes packaged with an art book, music CD, art cards, a themed security token, and several special in-game bonus items.

Existing players who have registered a copy of the FINAL FANTASY XIV Collector’s Edition or FINAL FANTASY XIV: A Realm Reborn Collector’s Edition, or who utilized the digital Collector’s Edition upgrade service, will automatically receive the two new in-game items (Fat Chocobo Mount & Wind-up Moogle minion) that are making their debut in the new PlayStation®4 system Collector’s Edition for free.

FINAL FANTASY XIV: A Realm Reborn PlayStation®4 system Collector’s Edition Includes:

  • Special box featuring artwork by Yoshitaka Amano
  • Art Book – The Art of Eorzea: A Realm Reimagined
  • Special Soundtrack -The Sounds of Eorzea-
  • Seventh Umbral Era Special Movie Content Disc – The Waning of the Sixth Sun
  • Art Card Set
  • Themed Security Token
  • In-Game Items – Coeurl Mount, Behemoth Barding, Baby Behemoth minion, Helm of Light, Fat Chocobo Mount and Wind-up Moogle minion

PlayStation®4 system owners will be able to join the FINAL FANTASY XIV: A Realm Reborn Beta Test at no charge starting on February 22. Players who own the PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system version of FINAL FANTASY XIV: A Realm Reborn will be able to transfer their accounts to the PlayStation®4 system version for free starting April 11. Once transferred, PlayStation®4 system players will no longer be able to access the PlayStation®3 system version. To play both versions, a player must purchase the PlayStation®4 system version separately. Additional account transfer details will be announced at a later date.

FINAL FANTASY XIV: A Realm Reborn Standard Edition for the PlayStation®4 system will be available for $39.99. FINAL FANTASY XIV: A Realm Reborn Collector’s Edition for the PlayStation®4 system will be available exclusively on the Square Enix Online Store for $79.99.  A digital version of the FINAL FANTASY XIV: A Realm Reborn Collector’s Edition will be available for $59.99 through the PlayStation Network. PlayStation®3 system and PlayStation®4 system Standard Edition owners can also choose to upgrade to a digital Collector’s Edition to receive the in-game items through the FINAL FANTASY XIV Account Management System, Mog Station. A free 30-day trial is included for new accounts, with monthly subscriptions starting at $12.99.

FINAL FINAL FANTASY XIV: A Realm Reborn is rated T (Teen). Please visit the Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB) website at www.esrb.org for more information about ratings.

Related Links
The Lodestone: http://na.finalfantasyxiv.com/lodestone/
Official Website: http://www.finalfantasyxiv.com
Official Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/FinalFantasyXIV
Official Twitter:  @FF_XIV_EN
Official YouTube:  http://www.youtube.com/user/FINALFANTASYXIV

Kingdom Come: Deliverance Hits Kickstarter Goal in 48 Hours

2014/01/24
Jerry Paxton
News, Windows PC News

Warhorse_KS_Celebration

Prague, Czech Republic – January 24, 2014 – Warhorse Studios has successful reached its Kickstarter goal for Kingdom Come: Deliverance in less than two days.

“While we were always confident in our vision for Kingdom Come: Deliverance, we never in our wildest dreams expected a response like this,”  said, Game Director and Lead Designer Dan Vávra. “We’re humbled by the outpouring of support, and admittedly a bit shellshocked.  We can’t thank our supporters enough. We are prepared to give everything we have to make an unforgettable game.”

Warhorse and its lead investor can now confirm that Kingdom Come: Deliverance will be funded through completion. The game is an open world AAA action-adventure RPG set for initial release in 2015.

Get the latest news on the game from its Facebook page (www.facebook.com/kingdomcomerpg) and official site (www.kingdomcomerpg.com). Follow Warhorse on Facebook (www.facebook.com/WarhorseStudios) or Twitter (@WarhorseStudios) to get studio news.