Author - Jerry Paxton

MSI Announces All-in-One Gaming PC

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City of Industry, Calif. – May 29, 2014 – MSI Computer Corp, a leading high-end manufacturer of computer hardware products and solutions, unveils their full line-up of the world’s first and most powerful gaming All-in-One computers, including the NVIDIA® GTX 880M powered 27” AG270with speakers & amplifier empowered by Yamaha, and the ultra-slim 24” AG240 and 22” AG220.

“MSI’s squadron of gaming AIOs takes gaming to the next level and outperforms any other unit on the market,” says Andy Tung, CEO of MSI Pan America.  “The state of the art components shreds gaming benchmarks, delivers an immersive gaming experience and is hands down the most superb combination of style and performance.”

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Superior Performance

 

MSI’s new gaming AIOs pack the same high-performance components found in bulkier desktops into an attractive and compact design, including Intel® Core® i7 processors for ultra-fast speed, NVIDIA® GeForce® GTX 800M series graphics for outstanding image quality, up to 8GB of GDDR5 RAM, and Killer Gaming Networking for lightning fast and lag-free connectivity.

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To provide even more devastating power, select models feature Super RAID (2 SSD’s in RAID 0), touchscreen capabilities and Blu-Ray disc burner.   Super RAID and Plextor True Speed Performance Technology delivers unprecedented and stable long-term speeds by eliminating the drop in read/write speeds experienced by SSDs after long use.  This combination results in stable and reliable read speeds of up to 1000MB/sec.

MSI - AIO Storage

Immersive Multimedia Experience

 

While most competitors are using last generation graphics cards, MSI’s AIO Gaming  PCs are armed with the next generation NVIDIA® GTX 800M series graphics, including the high-end NVIDIA GeForce GTX 880M in the AG270 models. MSI’s newest AIOs deliver unparalleled sensory experience for both gamers and multimedia lovers.

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To take advantage of NVIDIA® graphics capabilities, MSI equipped the AIOs with an anti-glare, anti-flicker matte display with their proprietary Eye Pro Technology.  MSI’s AIO displays stabilize the electrical current to prevent flickering in standard displays while decreasing eye fatigue by generating 75% less blue light.

MSI - AIO Flicker

MSI’s gaming AIOs have the ability to connect to two external displays to create the ultimate surround gaming experience.  They can also act as an external monitor for your next gen consoles or multimedia players with their Instant Display technology. Without even the AIO system powered on, you can still use it as a monitor to play when you plug-in any game console system.

MSI - HDMI

Select models also come with Yamaha speakers and amplifier and Sound Blaster Cinema.  Yamaha Hi-Fi speakers and amplifiers pump out hi-fi sound through two powerful full range speakers flanked by an independent subwoofer, amazing gamers with a broader sound spectrum that produces deeper explosions, clearer footsteps and livelier gaming.

MSI - AIO Yamaha

Customizable Software

 

All AIOs come with MSI Gaming Control Center, a user-friendly control center to personalize image quality, turn the AIO into a Wi-Fi Hotspot for internet sharing, adjusting peripherals such as webcam and microphones, and performing system checks.  MSI also makes live streaming and video uploading easy with XSplit Gamecaster, a software that automatically detects the best streaming settings, eliminating the need to adjust settings.  Gamecaster allows gamers to add, resize and position a webcam feed, draw on screen and modify videos.

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MSI’s new lineup of gaming AIOs come with a full 104 –Key gaming keyboard and a 3,500 dpi gaming mouse, and will be available next week at Newegg, Amazon and all other major e-tailers starting at $1,249.99.  For more information about MSI’s selection of AIOs, gaming laptops and more, including full specs and high resolution images, please visit www.us.msi.com or contact Pedro Chen at pedrochen@maxborgesagency.com.

AG220, AG240, and AG270 Specs

 

MSI - AIO Specs

 

About MSI

Founded in 1986, MSI is driven and motivated by customer satisfaction.  A worldwide leader in computer components, MSI boasts a state-of-the-art R&D department, an annual production of motherboards and graphic cards reaching the tens of millions and sales in over 120 countries.  MSI reaches the consumer and commercial markets with a product lineup that includes notebook PCs, All-in-One PCs, servers, IPCs, robotic appliances and vehicle electronics.  MSI’s slogan, Innovation with Style, represents the company’s core value “Innovation” and “Style” and embodies the company’s pursuit of excellence through quality products, user-friendly designs and cutting-edge technology.

To learn more about MSI’s complete line of products, visit us.msi.com  or follow us on Facebook at facebook.com/MSI.ComputerUS and Twitter at http://twitter.com/#!/msiUSA.

War Thunder PS4 Release Date

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(MOSCOW, RUSSIAN FEDERATION) – May 29, 2014 – Award winning developer and publisher Gaijin Entertainment announced that June 3, 2014 marks the F2P blockbuster military MMO game War Thunder maiden mission in the US on PlayStation®4 (PS4™).  It will also celebrate Gaijin Entertainment’s global PS4 strike, releasing the massively destructive Ground Forces Expansion.

To complete the epic scale of War Thunder, Ground Forces Expansion will provide those who possess a thirst for war, but prefer having their treads rumbling across the ground, the ability to unleash a blitzkrieg like attack upon foes. In the very near future, the complete War Thunder experience will include cross platform compatibility allowing the combined battles with more than seven millions players worldwide, across PS4 and PC to battle with or against each other in a do or die effort to lay claim to either the skies or on the ground.

War Thunder on the PS4 will feature lifelike dynamics of real-time war and precision in its details of planes and tanks. DUAL SHOCK 4 Wireless Controller’s intuitive control scheme and ergonomic design provides ease of use and comfort while lock in deadly MMO WWII action. Glorious warfare erupts across a colossal battlefield in majestic 1080p, completely uninterrupted, even in cross platform play against PC foes. War Thunder on the PS4 will also provide players with improved head-tracking system using PlayStation®Camera.

New Screenshots

Bohemia Interactive announces Arma 3 Karts

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Prague, Czech Republic, Thursday 29th May 2014 — A few weeks after the studio shared its 2014-2015 development roadmap for Arma 3 (announcing upcoming DLCs and a major expansion), Bohemia Interactive today posted a new devblog to explain how it aims to prevent a split in the Arma 3 playerbase.

DLC often fractures a game’s playerbase, which is most noticeable in the multiplayer environment, where such a split prevents players that do not own DLC from joining friends who do own it. Given the nature of Arma 3 as an open platform, Bohemia Interactive set itself the goal to develop an alternative solution. While the new strategy is somewhat experimental, Bohemia Interactive’s plan is to make all Arma 3 downloadable content available to all owners of Arma 3, with reasonable restrictions applied to those who have not purchased them.

Consequently, Bohemia Interactive’s approach will enable those who do and do not own Arma 3 DLC to play together. Furthermore, it provides players with a generous try-before-you-buy system. Players will also be able to purchase the DLC directly from in-game, which will unlock the content immediately without having to download additional data. Alternatively, people can also still buy the DLC out-of-game, directly from the Steam Store. Besides offering advantages to players, the new strategy also benefits the Arma 3 development team, who no longer have to maintain multiple sets of data, and will not need to test every single combination of ownership for every game update. Plus, with regards to future playable content, the development team can, to some degree, rely on all players having access to DLC content and features.

Joris-Jan van ‘t Land, Project Lead on Arma 3, explains:
“A key component of our new approach is the idea that, while new content is paid, new features are entirely free. This enables us to grow the platform with significant new gameplay updates for everyone who owns Arma 3, while offering up great extra content for those players who want to experience it and support our ongoing development.”

To try out the new DLC approach from a player, technical, and business perspective, Bohemia Interactive today released Arma 3 Karts – the first paid DLC for Arma 3. Originally announced as an April Fools’ joke via the Splendid Split parody video, the Arma 3 Karts DLC features a 20hp 4-stroke engine go-kart, several kart liveries, playable race driver and marshal game characters, new kart-racing Time Trials and Steam Achievements, plus various race objects to build your own racetracks. As the Karts DLC is considered to be a fun little side-step – and also as a way to trial the new DLC strategy – a portion of the proceeds from the sales of the Arma 3 Karts DLC will be donated to the Czech Red Cross. The total amount raised will be announced on www.bistudio.com in June 2014.

Last but not least, Bohemia Interactive revealed the pricing of their planned DLC packages. While the Arma 3 Karts DLC is available for the exceptional price of 1.49 EUR / 1.99 USD / 1.19 GBP, the Arma 3 Helicopters and Arma 3 Marksmen DLC will be sold separately for 12.99 EUR / 15.99 USD / 10.99 GBP. Those who want the complete Arma 3 experience can save more than 25 by picking up the Arma 3 DLC Bundle for 19.99 EUR / 24.99 USD / 16.99 GBP, which includes Arma 3 Karts, plus the upcoming Arma 3 Helicopters and Arma 3 Marksmen DLC.

The main game Arma 3, which has sold over one million copies to date, is available for purchase from Steam and Store.bistudio.com, where people can pick between the regular edition (44.99 EUR / 39.99 GBP / 59.99 USD) and Digital Deluxe Edition (49.99 EUR / 42.99 GBP / 64.99 USD). The Digital Deluxe Edition includes digital extras such as the Arma 3 soundtrack, maps of Altis and Stratis, a 350-page tactical guide, and a Steam version of the original Arma: Cold War Assault. A boxed version of Arma 3 is sold at many major high-street retailers.

The entire development blog post can be found on Bohemia Interactive’s website.

For more information about Arma 3, please visit the official website at www.arma3.com and follow Arma 3 on FacebookTwitter and YouTube.

World of Tanks Special Retail Package and Soviet Steel Update for Xbox 360 Edition

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May 29, 2014 — Wargaming today announced details for its upcoming Soviet Steel Update for World of Tanks: Xbox 360 Edition, as well as information on the Combat Ready Starter Pack that will offer players a tremendous value and exclusive items for the console free-to-play title.

Representing the largest single content update so far for the title, the Soviet Steel, slated to go live on June 3rd, will enrich the game’s roster with 29 iconic USSR tank destroyers, light, medium, and heavy tanks, bringing the in-game vehicle total to over 150. The intimidating IS-3; a brutal close quarters and urban combat icon, the ISU-152; a high tier tank destroyer, and more will clash on two new battlegrounds—Komarin and Ensk.

The company also announced the Combat Ready Starter Pack, containing a war chest’s worth of in-game gold and other goodies at a discounted price of $19.99. Included in the package are:

  • The premium Panzer 38H Tier II German light tank, famously known for its heavy armor and quick firing gun.
  • 3 days of premium account time granting 50% boost in accumulated Silver and experience.
  • 200,000 in-game Silver.
  • 1500 in-game Gold.
  • 30-day voucher code for Xbox Live Gold status.

The Combat Ready Starter pack will be available this August.

For more information on the Soviet Steel update, visit:

For more information about World of Tanks: Xbox 360 Edition and to create a free account, please visit:

Soviet Steel Screenshots

Call of Duty: Ghosts Invasion DLC Pack Announced

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Santa Monica, CA – May 29, 2014 – Call of Duty® fans should mark their calendars and prepare for Invasion, as Activision and Infinity Ward today revealed the third massive DLC Pack for Call of Duty®: Ghosts. Launching June 3rd first, exclusively on Xbox Live for Xbox One and Xbox 360, Call of Duty®: Ghosts Invasion delivers four new multiplayer maps from unique locales around the world, each with hidden secrets and unique Field Orders. Invasion also includes “Episode 3: Awakening,” the next thrilling chapter in Extinction’s four-part episodic narrative taking players deep into an alien underworld to discover the truth behind the Cryptid attack.

Invasion is available a la carte for a suggested retail price of $14.99, or as part of theCall of Duty: Ghosts DLC Season Pass, which gives fans access to all four epic Call of Duty: Ghosts DLC Packs** planned for release in 2014 – Onslaught, Devastation,Invasion and Nemesis – at the discounted* suggested retail price of $49.99.

Invasion’s four new small-to-medium-sized multiplayer maps feature the fast-paced gameplay Call of Duty fans crave, each one donning a distinct look, feel and unique killstreak. “Departed” is a medium-sized map set in a rural Mexican town during the Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) celebration. The colorfully decorated streets, vendor carts and storefronts provide ample cover for run-and-gunners, and players that complete the map’s unique Field Order will unlock the Death Mariachi killstreak. Armed with dual-wielding pistols, the Death Mariachi settles scores, with each kill turning enemy players into another member of the band, and a temporary squad mate.

“Pharaoh” is the abandoned archeological site of an ancient Egyptian palace. Players will have to be on the lookout for collapsing monuments and urns full of flesh-eating scarabs, among other surprises in this multi-level map. Inside the palace, gamers will battle through multiple chambers ideal for close-quarters combat and short-range weapons, all under the watchful eye of Anubis, the half-jackal/half-human, protector of the dead, who will handsomely reward players who unlock this map’s Field Order.

Invasion’s third map, “Mutiny,” transports players to a remote Caribbean island harboring an eerie pirate hideout complete with abandoned trading posts and prison cells. Speed and stealth are a must as players navigate the narrow and intertwining pathways. However, let ye be warned that gamers taking up positions on the pirate ship moored in the center of the map will become vulnerable to enemy fire from the numerous flanking routes created by the map’s horseshoe shaped dock. Players that unlock “Mutiny’s” Field Order will find themselves escorted by two ethereal ghost pirates, who will happily send enemy combatants down to Davey Jones’ locker on their behalf.

Invasion’s fourth multiplayer map is a refreshed version of the fan-favorite map fromCall of Duty®: Modern Warfare® 2, “Favela.” Since its original release, the Brazilian shantytown has seen substantial change. Buildings once under construction are now complete, while others have crumbled into a state of disrepair. Players must avoid falling to their death as they traverse the map from one building to the next, with ramshackle scaffolding creating varied pathways between structures, and enemy snipers taking advantage of the long sightlines. Players who complete the Field Order in “Favela” will be able to call in heavy air support from a nearby Y-8 Gunship to bring the rain with a 105mm cannon, a 40mm auto-cannon and a 25mm cannon.

Anchoring the Call of Duty: Ghosts Invasion DLC Pack is the next installment in the game’s Extinction mode episodic narrative, “Episode 3: Awakening.” In Awakening, the team descends into the perilous alien underworld to strike at the subterranean fortress of the Ancestors – the mysterious puppet-masters behind the Cryptid invasion. Armed with a range of new hi-tech weapons and equipment, the team must penetrate a series of defensive barriers to reach the Ark and unlock the secrets of the Ancestors’ psychic powers. As the final battle draws closer, the fate of the Earth and the future of the human race hang in the balance.

Call of Duty: Ghosts Invasion will be available June 3rd first, exclusively on Xbox Live for Xbox One, the all-in-one games and entertainment system from Microsoft, and the Xbox 360 games and entertainment system from Microsoft, with other platforms to follow. Call of Duty: Ghosts is rated “M” (Mature – Blood, Drug Reference, Intense Violence, Strong Language – content suitable for persons ages 17 and older) by the ESRB. Call of Duty: Ghosts Invasion is published by Activision Publishing, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Activision Blizzard, Inc. (Nasdaq: ATVI), and developed by Infinity Ward.

For the latest information, be sure to visit the game’s official Web site atwww.callofduty.com/ghosts, and follow us on Facebook atwww.facebook.com/CODGhosts and on Twitter at @InfinityWard.

Europa Universalis IV: Wealth of Nations Release Trailer

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STOCKHOLM — May 29, 2014 — Paradox Interactive and Paradox Development Studio today launched “Wealth of Nations,” the second expansion to the critically acclaimed empire-building strategy title Europa Universalis IV.

Available now for Windows, Mac, and Linux, trade enthusiasts can purchase Wealth of Nations for the current market value of a barrel of spices, or $9.99, from digital storefronts worldwide as well as on the Paradox Store at www.paradoxplaza.com.

Wealth of Nations takes the award-winning franchise into the rough seas of trading where players can now forge their own trade empires and amass large amounts of wealth by legitimate means, such as creating powerful trade capitals and treating with other nations to gain trade power over a region, or by more lucrative methods like hiring privateers to “help” your rivals unload stored goods from their ships to your own.

After being stuck in customs for a bit, a launch trailer for Wealth of Nations has been released:

Simultaneously Paradox Development Studio has also released the customary free patch containing updates, fixes and new features for everyone who owns Europa Universalis IV. The full patch notes are available on the forum. 

For more information on Europa Universalis IV, please visit europauniversalis.com.

Stronghold 3: The Campaigns Announced for iOS

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Stamford, Ct. – May 29, 2014 – Digital Tribe Games, the premier global publisher for independent game developers, announced today that Stronghold 3: The Campaigns will be available next month for the iPad. Stronghold 3: The Campaigns will bring the same addicting level of excitement and in-depth gameplay from the beloved PC series to the ultimate portable platform. Designed exclusively for the iPad, Stronghold 3: The Campaigns uses realistic physics and high-quality graphics to present daily medieval life in stunning detail.

Download the latest batch of Stronghold 3: The Campaigns screenshots HERE:

Watch the Stronghold 3: The Campaigns launch trailer HERE:

“The Stronghold franchise was met with great success and acclaim on PC and is a perfect fit for the iPad,” said Melanie Mroz, VP of Business Development, Digital Tribe Games. “Fans and newcomers alike can enjoy the trademark real-time castle-building gameplay anywhere in the world, and the talented developers have spent a great deal of time, effort, and care to optimize and fine-tune the game specifically for this platform.”

Stronghold 3: The Campaigns is a unique cross between a city builder and real-time strategy game (RTS). The key to the game is the castle – designing, managing, and defending it. Each of these elements is crucial and players will need to consider all of these components to become a true ruler. Since its original launch in 2001, the Stronghold series has sold more than 3 million copies, making it one of the most popular games in its genre.

Key Features in Stronghold 3: The Campaigns
· Design and build mighty castles from which to launch campaigns
· Build and take control of powerful, imposing armies
· Launch sieges and defend against enemy attacks
· Devise personalized tactics and strategies to vanquish opponents
· Run a medieval economy and manage every slice of gritty, grim medieval life
· Fully dynamic castle construction doesn’t confine players to a grid-based system

Stronghold 3: The Campaigns will be available for the iPad in late June 2014 on the App Store.

Fenix Rage New Screenshots and Platforms Unveiled

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TWAIN HARTE, CA – May 28, 2014 – Costa Rican indie dev studio Green Lava Studios, along with indie games’ veterans at Reverb Triple XP, have just one question for gamers: Can you get the cookie? Get ready to stretch those thumb muscles for Fenix Rage, a new 2D hardcore platformer with stylish retro roots and obsessive level-based challenges coming to Xbox One, the all-in-one games and entertainment system from Microsoft, PlayStation®4 computer entertainment system, Windows PC, and Mac. Fenix Rage will be coming to Xbox One via the ID@Xbox self-publishing program for independent developers.

“The excitement that our team feels is truly overwhelming,” said Eduardo Ramirez, Game Designer and CEO of Green Lava Studios. “We are extremely proud of what we are creating and are busy polishing every aspect of Fenix Rage.”

An inspired and frenetically-paced 2D platformer, Fenix Rage tests players’ ability to run, jump, and dash their way through a maze of dangerous obstacles, across hundreds of lightning-paced levels, all in an effort to track down a shadowy villain.  Loads of different enemies, slick retro-inspired music, vivid level landscapes await gamers with the mettle to play. Players will struggle mightily to climb the Leaderboard with the best time and fewest deaths and then rub it in the face of their friends.

Fenix Rage epitomizes the kind of games with which Reverb Triple XP partners. Green Lava Studios is working in cooperation with Reverb Triple XP for a ‘powered-up’ custom communications and publishing solution that fits its needs as an indie game developer.

Slated for release in fall 2014, Fenix Rage will be coming to Xbox One, the PlayStation®4 computer entertainment system, Windows PC and Mac platforms.  For the latest buzz follow Fenix Rage on Twitter, “Like” the game on Facebook, check out Fenix Rage on Steam, and visit the official Website at www.FenixRage.com.

Fenix Rage will be playable at the E3 Expo 2014 in Los Angeles, CA.

New Screenshots

Tropico 5 Release Date

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Ridgewood, NJ – May 29, 2014 – Kalypso Media has today confirmed that due to a delay in the packaging manufacturing, the North American retail release of the highly anticipated Tropico 5 on PC will now ship to stores nationwide on June 17. Fans and consumers who pre-ordered Tropico 5 for retail will be glad to know that the teams are working hard to solve the manufacturing issue and that they will receive the complete Tropico 5 retail package on this date.

Versions for Xbox 360® and Mac will be available this summer – with a version for the PlayStation®4 platform following in the fall.

Kalypso Media would like to take this opportunity to apologize to consumers for the delay and hope that this will not dampen their Tropico 5 experience.

Futuremark Announces 3DMark Sky Diver Benchmark

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HELSINKI, FINLAND – May 28, 2014 – Futuremark today announced 3DMark Sky Diver, a new DirectX 11 benchmark test for gaming laptops and mid-range PCs. 3DMark Sky Diver is the ideal test for benchmarking systems with mainstream DirectX 11 graphics cards, mobile GPUs, or integrated graphics. A preview trailer for the new benchmark shows a wingsuited woman skydiving into a mysterious, uncharted location. The scene is brought to life with tessellation, particles and advanced post-processing effects. Sky Diver will be shown in full at Computex from June 3-7, or find out more on the Futuremark website: http://www.futuremark.com/3dmark

Sky Diver trailer:

Screenshots: http://www.futuremark.com/benchmarks/3dmark#skydiver

Jukka Mäkinen, Futuremark CEO said,
“Some people think that 3DMark is only for high-end hardware and extreme overclocking. Yet millions of PC gamers rely on 3DMark to choose systems that best balance performance, efficiency and affordability. 3DMark Sky Diver complements our other tests by providing the ideal benchmark for gaming laptops and mainstream PCs.”

3DMark – The Gamer’s Benchmark for all your hardware

  • 3DMark is the only benchmark that offers a range of tests for different classes of hardware:
  • Fire Strike, for high performance gaming PCs (DirectX 11, feature level 11)
  • Sky Diver, for gaming laptops and mid-range PCs (DirectX 11, feature level 11)
  • Cloud Gate, for notebooks and typical home PCs (DirectX 11 feature level 10)
  • Ice Storm, for tablets and entry level PCs (DirectX 11 feature level 9)
  • With 3DMark, you can benchmark the full performance range of modern DirectX 11 graphics hardware. Where Fire Strike is like a modern game on ultra high settings, Sky Diver is closer to a DirectX 11 game played on normal settings. This makes Sky Diver the best choice for benchmarking entry level to mid-range systems and Fire Strike the perfect benchmark for high performance gaming PCs.

See 3DMark Sky Diver in full at Computex

3DMark Sky Diver will be on display on the ASUS, MSI, GIGABYTE, Galaxy, Inno3D, and G-Skill booths at Computex, June 3-7.

S.Y. Shian, ASUS Vice President & General Manager of Notebook Business Unit said,
“We are proud to partner with Futuremark to show 3DMark Sky Diver at Computex. Sky Diver helps PC gamers choose systems that offer great performance and great value. We invite everyone to visit our stand to experience 3DMark Sky Diver on a range of new ASUS products.”

Coming soon

Sky Diver will be released as an update for all editions of 3DMark, including the free 3DMark Basic Edition. Further details, including the release date, will be announced at Computex and on Futuremark’s website: http://www.futuremark.com/3dmark