Author - Jerry Paxton

Call of Duty: Ghosts Pre-Order Bonus Map Announced

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Santa Monica, CA – July 1, 2013 – The franchise that has defined a generation of gaming, and the one set to raise the bar yet again this November 5th, is delivering a compelling, all-new pre-order incentive for Call of Duty: Ghosts highly anticipated multiplayer mode. Fans around the world that pre-order the game at participating retailers will receive the Free Fall downloadable bonus map that features the new dynamic map event mechanic, included with their copy of the game at launch. Free Fall ushers in the first details on how players will encounter the changing environments in the leading multiplayer experience on consoles.

As an example of just one of Call of Duty: Ghosts’ new dynamic map events, Free Fall drops players into a shattered skyscraper on the brink of collapse. Sideways staircases climb into the night sky, elevator shafts run along the ground, and what were once windows now form a terrifying glass floor, hundreds of feet above the city streets.Free Falls close-quarters combat and frenetic action are then thrown into overdrive as the ruined skyscraper continues to fall throughout the match. With every drop, the accompanying shockwaves cause further destruction, disrupting sightlines and constantly evolving paths and chokepoints as the map changes in real-time.

“Dynamic map events change the way players approach the game, and Free Fall does a great job illustrating this new mechanic,” said Mark Rubin, executive producer at Infinity Ward. “As the match progresses, the geometry of the world continues to change and players need to adjust on the fly or else. It’s a really fun new feature that adds layers of strategy and constantly evolving gameplay options for players. And this is just one of the many new approaches we’re putting into Ghosts’ multiplayer across the board. There’s so much more that we look forward to sharing in the weeks to come.”

Call of Duty: Ghosts, published by Activision Publishing, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Activision Blizzard (Nasdaq: ATVI), and developed by Infinity Ward, the studio that created the original Call of Duty and the seminal Call of Duty®: Modern Warfare® series, features an all-new world, story, characters and experiences, all powered by a new, next-gen engine.  Call of Duty: Ghosts is not only a stunning leap forward for the mega-hit franchise, but also showcases what’s possible on next generation consoles.

Call of Duty: Ghosts will release on Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system and PC on November 5. Call of Duty: Ghosts will also release on the Xbox One, the all-in one games and entertainment system from Microsoft, and PlayStation® 4 later this year. Call of Duty: Ghosts has not yet been rated by the ESRB. For more information, please visitwww.callofduty.com/ghosts,www.facebook.com/CODGhosts, or follow on Twitter @InfinityWard.

Divergent Panel Announced at SDCC 2013

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JULY 1, 2013 — Summit Entertainment will showcase the film adaption of the #1 New York Times best-selling novel, DIVERGENT at Comic-Con 2013.

Hall H Panel – The studio’s panel on Thursday, July 18th will feature the first footage ever seen of the futuristic thriller and a Q&A with DIVERGENT’S filmmakers and cast, including novelist Veronica Roth, director Neil Burger, and cast members Shailene Woodley, Theo James, Miles Teller, Maggie Q, Ansel Elgort, Mekhi Phifer, Ben Lamb, Ben Lloyd-Hughes and Christian Madsen.

Convention Floor Booth – Summit Entertainment’s booth located within the Grand Hall will highlight DIVERGENT. Exclusive premium promotional items will be distributed to the attendees walking the convention floor and cast members will sign autographs for booth visitors.

DIVERGENT Film Information:
Based on Veronica Roth’s #1 New York Times best-selling novel, DIVERGENT is a thrilling action adventure set in a future world where people are divided into distinct factions based on their personalities. Tris Prior (Shailene Woodley) is warned she is “divergent” and will never fit into any one group. When she discovers a conspiracy to destroy all divergents, she must find out what makes being different so dangerous before it’s too late.

Directed by Neil Burger from a script by Vanessa Taylor. Doug Wick and Lucy Fisher are producing the project via their Red Wagon Entertainment banner along with Pouya Shahbazian. Red Wagon’s Rachel Shane is executive producing.The film will be released domestically on March 21, 2014

E3 2013 Sees Over 48K Attendees

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July 1st, 2013 — More than 48,000 video game industry professionals, investor analysts, journalists, and retailers from 102 countries converged in Los Angeles last month to experience the future of interactive entertainment at E3, the video game industry’s premier global trade show.

This year, 230 exhibitors unveiled the latest in computer and video game hardware and software, and revealed highly anticipated upcoming titles. E3 2013 featured a new Online and Mobile Game Pavilion – an area specifically designed to display social and mobile games– underscoring the industry’s evolution and the diversity of its products. In total, E3 resulted in an estimated 28,000 total hotel room nights and generated nearly $40 million in revenue for the city of Los Angeles.

In addition to showcasing the video game industry’s innovation, this year’s E3 recognized the winners of the first annual E3 College Game Competition. More than 60 colleges and universities competed in the inaugural contest, which enabled student teams to submit original games for a chance to exhibit at E3. A distinguished panel of judges selected five finalists to present at E3, and named Savannah College of Art and Design’s Lost in Thought and The University of Wisconsin-Stout’s Flash Frozen as the co-winners. Each winning team received a special showcase and valuable networking opportunities at the show.

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E3 also featured the fourth annual “Games and Learning Roundtable,” during which education experts, government officials, teachers, and industry representatives explored effective methods for harnessing video games and game technologies to transform education and raise awareness of important social issues. For example, Chris Fanning, executive director of the Outdoor Foundation, highlighted the Game On! App Challenge, a new contest launched in partnership with ESA that challenges kids to create mobile game apps or promote existing games that inspire youth to go outdoors and stay active. Representatives from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the Institute of Play, NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, and the President’s Council on Fitness, Sports & Nutrition also attended, and discussed projects and contests that provide engaging learning opportunities for the next generation.

Video and pictures of E3 2013’s biggest press conferences, interviews with industry leaders, and exhibitor displays are available at: http://www.e3insider.com/. E3 2014 will take place June 10-12, 2014 at the Los Angeles Convention Center.

Disney’s Planes Screening Announced for D23 Expo

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BURBANK, Calif. – July 1, 2013 – D23: The Official Disney Fan Club reveals plans for a special 3D screening of the high-flying big-screen adventure Disney’s Planes at the D23 Expo: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event.

D23 Expo attendees will be among the first to see Disney’s Planes on its opening day. An action-packed 3D animated comedy adventure from Disneytoon Studios, Disney’s Planes will take flight in theaters nationwide August 9, but D23 Expo guests will see this special 3D presentation featuring an introduction by some very special guests. Dusty Crophopper dreams of competing as a high-flying racer, but he’s not exactly built for racing—and he happens to be afraid of heights. So he turns to a seasoned naval aviator who helps him train to take on the defending champ of the race circuit. Dusty’s courage is put to the test as he aims to reach heights he never dreamed possible, giving a spellbound world the inspiration to soar.

Directed by lifelong aviation enthusiast Klay Hall (King of the Hill, The Simpsons), and produced by Traci Balthazor-Flynn, Disney’s Planes features the voices of Dane Cook, Stacy Keach, Brad Garrett, Teri Hatcher, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Priyanka Chopra, John Cleese, Cedric the Entertainer, Carlos Alazraqui, Roger Craig Smith, Anthony Edwards, Val Kilmer, Sinbad, Gabriel Iglesias, Brent Musburger, Colin Cowherd, Danny Mann, Oliver Kalkofe, and John Ratzenberger.

The screening is slated for Friday, August 9, 2013, at 3 p.m. at the Arena inside the Anaheim Convention Center. For more information about the movie, check out Disney.com/Planes, like us on Facebook: facebook.com/DisneyPlanes and follow us on Twitter: twitter.com/DisneyPictures.

Origin PC Launches Gear Shop

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Miami, FL, July 1st, 2013, 9:00 am EST – ORIGIN PC celebrates the grand opening of their new online “gear shop” where you can now purchase exclusive items like ORIGIN PC branded peripherals, ORIGIN PC apparel and much more! Featuring exclusive items like an ORIGIN PC branded ASTRO A40 Audio system with incredibly crisp Dolby 7.1 surround sound, the online gear shop is the best source for customers to order their favorite ORIGIN PC branded peripherals, apparel and accessories to complement their existing ORIGIN PC systems.

The ORIGIN PC Gear Shop also features an easy-to-use web navigational system with Hi-definition photographs and full featured specifications for each product that makes it easy for novice e-shoppers and/or tech enthusiasts to search and order exactly what they want.

To celebrate the launch of the new Gear Shop the ORIGIN PC branded Astro A40 Audio System is 10% off for one week only!

ORIGIN PC Gear Shop Features:

–        Exclusive ORIGIN PC Branded Peripherals

–        Exclusive ORIGIN PC Branded Apparel

–        Top 3rd Party Peripherals and Much More!

For more information, please visit the ORIGIN PC Gear Shop Here: http://www.originpc.com/gearshop/

Tiny Tina’s Assault on Dragon Keep Review (PC)

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I was fortunate to play a small amount of Tiny Tina’s Assault on Dragon Keep, the new DLC pack for Borderlands 2, while at the Electronic Entertainment Expo. It was a lot of fun and hearing Tiny Tina’s  table top RPG inspired dialog consistently cracked me up. Today, I have finished with the DLC pack and am still waiting for my belly to stop hurting from how much I laughed and felt emotionally moved. The DLC pack has a ton of great stuff in it and, whether you are a fan of RPGs or just a fan of Borderlands 2, you will have a great time with it.

Judging from that first paragraph, I guess you could say that I am definitely not burying the lead here with this review. I loved this DLC pack. I found Tiny Tina’s character arc in the main Borderlands 2 story to be one of the game’s most poignant sequences (Three words: “Best tea party ever…”). Ashley Burch brought the character to new life with her quirky portrayal of the orphan-turned explosives expert, and continues to amaze in the Tiny Tina’s Assault on Dragon Keep DLC pack. In this 10 hour expansion DLC pack, the vault hunters have gathered to play a game of “Bunkers and Badasses”, a Pandora version of Dungeons and Dragons, with Tiny Tina being the game’s “Bunker Master”.

In this game of Bunkers and Badasses, your character must free a captive-queen from an evil wizard voiced by Dameon Clarke, the same actor (using the same voice) as Jack in the main campaign. The reason for this is that the story with a story is really a summarized re-telling of the game’s main campaign with a full-on fantasy-RPG makeover. Locations, characters, and more have been altered in order to fit into the game world.

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“Roll for initiative, suckas!”

The DLC pack pays homage to a huge amount of sources – from Tolkien to other video games, and knows very well how to hit the player’s funny bone. The other side of Tiny Tina’s Assault on Dragon Keep is why Tina is doing this and how she comes to terms with the death of Roland in the main Borderlands 2 story. If that spoiled anything for you, just stop it – why in the hell are you reading a DLC review before finishing the main game?!? Seriously…

Visuals are what you have come to expect from Borderlands 2, although with the aforementioned fantasy-RPG makeover. The DLC’s voice acting is brilliant, with Burch and Clarke deserving special mentions for excellence. The one thing I would have liked to see in this DLC pack was the general inclusion of melee weapons. That would have made it felt truly like a table top RPG experience. The DLC pack does use some RPG “magic” in place of grenades. You can throw “magic missiles”, etc, which is a nice touch. Still, a full-on melee overhaul would have been nice.

Overall, Tiny Tina’s Assault on Dragon Keep is a must-play experience for lovers of RPGs, Borderlands 2, or “Skellymen”. The DLC pack retails for about $10 dollars and is available now.

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Rob Zombie to Close Out his Great American Nightmare Haunt

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The folks behind Rob Zombie’s Great American Nightmare haunted event have announced that Rob Zombie himself will perform to close out their run on November 2nd! The event takes place at the Fairplex in Pomona, CA and will run on various nights from October 10th through November 2nd, 2013. Each night of the run will feature a different musical act, the line up of which you can see below in the official press release. Tickets for the event run $30 dollars each, per night, and are on sale now.

Official Press Release

The daily music performance lineup has been announced for Rob Zombie’s Great American Nightmare–the ultimate Halloween music and horror event–every ThursdayFridaySaturday and Sunday from October 10-November 2 at FEARPlex in Pomona, just outside Los Angeles.

Groundbreaking musician and filmmaker Rob Zombie will headline the closing night  of music performances (November 2) during this bone-chilling experience that will combine the most advanced haunted house attractions with a not-to-be-missed music festival from top artists in the realms of hard rock/metal, rock alternative, EDM, and Latin. Other additions to the music lineup include: 3OH!345 GraveBeware Of DarknessBlaze Ya Dead HomieButcher BabiesDuane Peters, Eagles Of Death MetalGhost TownMod SunMotionless In WhitePowerman 5000TSOL, The Dickies, The Vandals, and Wallpaper.

Rob Zombie’s Great American Nightmare will feature 15 nights of music. Each Thursday night will feature rock alternative music, Fridays EDM, most Saturdays hard rock/metal, and most Sundays will be Latin-focused. Please see below for the full list of music performances by date and visit www.GreatAmericanNightmare.com for more details.

A creative collaboration between masters of the macabre Rob Zombie and preeminent haunted house producer Steve Kopelman, the fully immersive haunted house experience will feature three attractions based on Zombie’sown horror films: Lords Of Salem Total Black OutThe Haunted World Of El Superbeasto 3D, and Haunt Of 1,000 Corpses.

The Great American Nightmare’s Bloody Boulevard will offer outdoor screenings of classic horror films, a DJ, food vendors, beer, wine and spirits, and much more, with freak show characters roaming throughout the grounds each night.

Tickets for Rob Zombie’s Great American Nightmare are available now starting at only $30 at www.GreatAmericanNightmare.comEach ticket includes access to all haunted house attractions, concerts and Bloody Boulevard activities. Tickets will also be available for purchase onsite during the Los Angeles County Fair at Pomona Fairplex (August 30-September 29). VIP packages will be available for purchase atwww.GreatAmericanNightmare.com.

The Great American Nightmare music lineup is as follows:

  • Thursday, October 10: 3OH!3Wallpaper
  • Friday, October 11: Blood On The Dance Floor, HeavyGrinder
  • Saturday, October 12: Kottonmouth Kings, Twiztid, Blaze Ya Dead Homie
  • Sunday, October 13: Ozomatli, with special guest
  • Thursday, October 17: The Used, William Control
  • Friday, October 18: DJ Bl3nd, DirtyLoud, One More Time (Daft Punk Tribute)
  • Saturday, October 19: The Vandals, TSOL, The Dickies, Duane Peters
  • Sunday, October 20: pro-wrestling sensations Lucha Libre USA, Metalachi
  • Thursday, October 24: Emilie Autumn with special guest
  • Friday, October 25: Doctor P, Zomboy, Terravita, Evol Intent
  • Saturday, October 26: Motionless In White, Butcher Babies, Ghost Town
  • Sunday, October 27: Reel Big Fish, Goldfinger, with special guest
  • Thursday, October 31: Andrew W.K., Mod Sun, Beware Of Darkness
  • Friday, November 1: MAJOR EDM HEADLINER to be announced on September 25, Dirtyphonics, Fei-Fei
  • Saturday, November 2: Rob Zombie, Eagles Of Death MetalPowerman 500045 Grave

Hours for Rob Zombie’s Great American Nightmare will be 6:30 PM until 11:00 PM on Thursdays and Sundays, 6:30 PM until 1:00 AM on Fridays and Saturdays.

FEARPlex (Fairplex) is located at 1101 W. McKinley Avenue in Pomona, CA, centrally located in the heart of Southern California. Fairplex is also home to the LA County Fair, the largest county fair in the world.

Kotobukiya Announces SDCC 2013 Exclusive

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Kotobukiya has unveiled its exclusive figure created for the 2013 San Diego Comic-Con, a piece they are calling “Harley Quinn Unmasked”. This strictly limited release will be available first to SDCC attendees at Kotobukiya booth# 2601 and through pre-order at kotous.com.

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Cartoon Network’s San Diego Comic-Con Plans Announced

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Cartoon Network has released its line up of panels and events scheduled for next month’s San Diego Comic-Con. This year, Cartoon Network’s booth will be all Adventure Time themed and showcase the Ice King’s castle, allowing fans to take their photos with it. CN has also announced it will host exclusive Comic-Con giveaways for various pieces of swag, including five different Adventure Time buttons.

Directly across the street from the Convention Center, Cartoon Network has also joined forces for a second year with the New Children’s Museum of San Diego to offer families and kids-of-all ages a”unique immersive experience”. Taking its inspiration from the series Regular Show, Cartoon Network will transform The New Children’s Museum into the Regular Show Regular Zone,  “a sensory feast complete with nostalgic 80’s arcade games, Regular Show inspired video games, and groovy neon lighting”.

Checkout the full line up of events below:

Thursday, July 18

  • MAD
    • Get a glimpse behind the MADness with MAD television producers Kevin Shinick and Mark Marek.
  • Annoying Orange
    • Join the cast and crew of Annoying Orange for a slam-packed, manic musical mash-up, featuring: an exclusive look into the show’s unique production process, an epic new episode premiere, a live musical number, a Toby Turner dance, and insight into the emerging creative bridge between Internet and traditional television entertainment. The Annoying Orange panel that includes Dane Boedigheimer (creator, Orange, Pear, Midget Apple, Marshmallow), Toby Turner (Nerville), iJustine (Passion Fruit), Tom Kenny (Coconut, Guava), Rob Paulsen (Broccoli Alien Overlord), Tom Sheppard (co-creator, director, Li’l Squishy, Old Man Banana), Gary Binkow (EP) and Conrad Montgomery (Cartoon Network Executive).

Friday, July 19

Cartoon Network presents a back-to-back Regular Show and Adventure Time Panel Extravaganza!!!

  • Regular Show
    • Care to join the not so regular cast and crew for an eventful hour of OVER THE TOP regular? Yeeeeeeeeuh you do!! Cartoon Network brings the magic makers of its Emmy Award®-winning original comedy series Regular Show to San Diego Comic-Con 2013! Check out exclusive content and get the inside scoop on your favorite slackers, and some of their closest friends. The panel features: Regular Show creator, JG Quintel (voice of Mordecai), William Salyers (voice of Rigby), Sam Marin (voice of Benson, Pops, and Muscle Man), Sean Szeles (Supervising Director), Toby Jones (Storyboard Artist) and Calvin Wong (Storyboard Artist).
  • Adventure Time
    • What’s ALGEBRAIC and SCHMOWZOW and RIGHTEOUS all over? It’s Adventure Time! Holy Stuff! Cartoon Network is bringing its hit original comedy series Adventure Time to San Diego Comic-Con 2013! As if chatting up the coolest kids in the cartoon kingdom wasn’t enough; get ready for your eyeballs to be fixed on some never-before-seen content, and your jaw to drop at a rad surprise…or two. So come on, grab your friends! Let’s get this party started! The panel features: Adventure Time creator Pendleton Ward (Lumpy Space Princess), Jeremy Shada (Finn), John DiMaggio (Jake), Tom Kenny (Ice King), Olivia Olson (Marceline), Kent Osborne (Head of Story) and Adam Muto (Supervising Producer).

Saturday, July 20

  • Cartoon Network New Comedies: UNCLE GRANDPA, STEVEN UNIVERSE and CLARENCE
    • Be the first to see an exclusive sneak peek of Cartoon Network Studio’s all new line up of chuckle-inducing comedies! The panel will feature Uncle Grandpa creator Pete Browngardt, creative director Audie Harrison, and Adam Devine (Workaholics) as the voice of Pizza Steve; Steven Universe creator Rebecca Sugar and creative director Ian Jones-Quartey; and Clarence creator Skyler Page. All your questions are sure to be answered and your anticipation is sure to be electrified!

Sunday, July 21

  • Beware the Batman
    • The Dark Knight makes his return to television in this new action-packed CG animated series. Producers Glen Murakami and Mitch Watson will give fans a peek behind the cape.
  • Teen Titans Go!
    • Producer Aaron Horvath joins members of the voice cast, including Greg Cipes and Scott Menville, for this screening and Q&A. Go!
  • Ben 10: Omniverse
    • It’s Hero Time! Set your Omnitrix for “AWESOME” with the Ben 10 Omniverse Panel, highlighting the Cartoon Network hero of a million alien faces! Join voice talent Yuri Lowenthal (Ben 10), Bumper Robinson (Rook), Paul Eiding (Grandpa Max), and Eric Bauza (Dr. Psychobos), as well as the guys who help make it all happen, Matt Youngberg (Supervising Producer), and Derrick Wyatt (Art Director), as they talk about the show, premiere an unseen episode, and much more!

Adult Swim Funhouse Announced for Comic-Con

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Along with their panel line-up, Adult Swim has announced that it will be bringing the “Adult Swim Funhouse” to San Diego’s, which will grant those brave enough to conquer its strange and mystical challenges a cool shirt! Location of the funhouse as well as challenge details below!

Adult Swim Funhouse Details

Also not to be missed, the Adult Swim Funhouse will be making its official grand opening at San Diego Comic-Con, to the delight and confusion of attendees.  The magic castle will be erected across from the convention center, in the Petco Park parking lot just over the footbridge.  Fans will have a chance to enter the world of Adult Swim and get lost within the 10+ rooms. The multiple paths and room challenges will force guests to crawl, dance, and sing their way to get to the end. Those fans who survive and emerge from the Adult Swim Funhouse will receive free custom live screen printed t-shirts. Free for fans, tickets will be distributed at the Funhouse each day starting at 4:00 p.m. and will be open Thursday, July 18 – Saturday, July 20 from 5:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m. each night.