Author - Jerry Paxton

Cartoon Network Announces Comic-Con 2014 Plans

2014/07/12
Jerry Paxton
Geek News, News, SDCC

Cartoon_Network_2004_logo.svg

July 11, 2014 — Cartoon Network invades Comic-Con® International: San Diego 2014 showcasing all of its’ hit original animated comedy series with star studded panels, signings, screenings, costume contests, exclusive giveaways and more!  The Network will offer the ultimate fan experience! Get an inside look at the hottest animated shows on TV with exclusive clips, panels and Q&A sessions sure to answer all of those burning questions — straight from the series creators, producers and voice talent.  Fanboys and fangirls rejoice! The epic Adventure Time ConQuest will return for the third consecutive year with an all new treasure-filled journey throughout the San Diego Convention Center.

Always a favorite on the Convention floor, the Cartoon Network booth will pay homage to popular series Adventure Time, Regular Show, Steven Universe, Uncle Grandpa, and Clarence.  Fans can immerse themselves in their favorite shows, with three different one-of-a-kind “selfie” photo experiences and collect exclusive Comic-Con giveaways including five different Cartoon Network themed buttons each day.

The party doesn’t stop when the convention floor closes! For the first time ever, Cartoon Network will present special night time screenings exclusively for the Comic-Con audience, offering fans an insider look at some of their favorite shows.  Other Cartoon Network series featured at San Diego Comic-Con include Teen Titans Go!, LEGO® Ninjago, and LEGO® Legends of CHIMA™.

Below is a list of Cartoon Network series panels, fan events, screenings and signings at 2014 Comic-Con International in San Diego, Calif., Thursday, July 24 – Sunday, July 27, 2014.  Events as well as series producers and talent scheduled to appear are subject to change. Details on the Adventure Time ConQuest will be announced shortly.

For continuing information about Cartoon Network at San Diego Comic-Con and for real-time updates during the convention, please follow us on Twitter at @CartoonNetPR. Official hashtag #CNSDCC.

CARTOON NETWORK PANELS

FRIDAY, JULY 25

Cartoon Network presents a back-to-back panel extravaganza featuring Uncle Grandpa & Clarence followed by Adventure Time, moderated by the super-talented man-of-many-voices Tom Kenny.

CARTOON NETWORK PRESENTS: UNCLE GRANDPA & CLARENCE

10:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.

Hilton Bayfront – Indigo Ballroom

Good Mornin’! What’s better than a panel of one Cartoon Network Comedy? TWO CARTOON NETWORK COMEDIES! That’s right fans, prepare yourself for double the comedy, double the fun and double the friends with Uncle Grandpaand Clarence! Join the always entertaining cast and crew for a behind-the-scenes look at two of the newest hit shows on Cartoon Network.  It’s woooooorth it.  Joining us from Uncle Grandpa will be creator Pete Browngardt (Uncle Grandpa), Kevin Michael Richardson (Mr. Gus) and Eric Bauza (Belly Bag). Joining us from Clarence will be Spencer Rothbell (Head of Story), Tom Kenny (Tiny Miracle, Uncle Grandpa and Sumo, Clarence) and Eric Edelstein(Chad).

CARTOON NETWORK PRESENTS: ADVENTURE TIME

11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.

Hilton Bayfront – Indigo Ballroom

Oh my glob, what would Comic-Con be without Adventure Time?  Never fear, fans, Cartoon Network is bringing back the most mathematical show on TV to San Diego Comic-Con 2014.  You know what time it is!  So get off your lumps and hang out with the fantastical cast and crew as they dish on all things Adventure Time and share never-before-seen footage. The following friends will be joining us from the Land of Ooo for a super sick panel: Jeremy Shada (Finn), John DiMaggio (Jake), Tom Kenny (Ice King), Olivia Olson (Marceline), Kent Osborne (Head of Story), Adam Muto (Co-Executive Producer) and MORE!

SATURDAY, JULY 26

Cartoon Network presents a back-to-back Panel Extravaganza featuring Steven Universe and Regular Show.

CARTOON NETWORK PRESENTS: STEVEN UNIVERSE

10:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.

Hilton Bayfront – Indigo Ballroom

Believe in Garnet, Amethyst, Pearl… and STEVEN at this star-studded, musically inspired gem of a panel brought to you by Cartoon Network. Sure to delight your eyeballs and earlobes, you won’t want to miss a moment of the magic. Get the inside scoop and exclusive content from the following guardians of the universe: Steven Universe creator Rebecca Sugar, Ian Jones-Quartey (Supervising Director), Zach Callison (Steven), Estelle (Garnet), Deedee Magno Hall (Pearl), Michaela Dietz (Amethyst) and Tom Scharpling (Greg).

CARTOON NETWORK PRESENTS: REGULAR SHOW

11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.

Hilton Bayfront – Indigo Ballroom

Dude, the extraordinary hit comedy from Cartoon Network is returning to the spotlight in San Diegoooooooooooooooh!  It’s been the Year of the Rigby, a season filled with hilarious adventure and shockers!  Brace yourselves for a specialRegular Show panel with even more fun and surprises – including never-before-seen footage. So bring your bros and let’s get this party started!  The following slackers will be joining us all the way from the park: Regular Show creator, JG Quintel (Mordecai), William Salyers (Rigby), Roger Craig Smith (Thomas), Minty Lewis (voice of Eileen & Storyboard Artist), Matt Price (Story Editor) and Sean Szeles (Supervising Director).

SUNDAY, JULY 27

LEGO®: LEGENDS OF CHIMA™

10:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.

Room 25ABC

Brian Bowler (Brand Marketing Director, The LEGO Group) will take you on an exclusive, inside look at the development of LEGO® Legends of CHIMA™ with Tommy Andreasen (Senior Creative Manager, The LEGO Group), John Derevlany (Writer, The LEGO Group), and Samuel Johnson (Senior Product Designer, The LEGO Group). Hear how the TV series and toys came to life, with the team behind the theme!

WB PANEL: Teen Titans Go!

11:45 a.m. – 12:45 p.m.

Room 6BCF

Robin, Starfire, Cyborg, Beast Boy and Raven continue the fun in Teen Titans Go! with all-new comedic adventures, giving viewers a look at what life is really like as a teen super hero … once the cape comes off.

LEGO®: NINJAGO PANEL

2:45 p.m. – 3:45 p.m.

Room 5AB

Join the LEGO® Ninjago team to hear about the development of the LEGO®: Ninjago TV show and toys. Tommy Andreasen (Senior Creative Manager, The LEGO Group), Dan Hageman (Writer, Ninjago TV Series), Kevin Hageman (Writer, Ninjago TV Series), and Simon Lucas (Product Designer Manager, The LEGO Group) will discuss the behind-the-scenes development of the LEGO Ninjago product line and TV series, with Brian Bowler (Brand Marketing Director, The LEGO Group) moderating the panel.

CARTOON NETWORK SCREENINGS

THURSDAY, JULY 24

CARTOON NETWORK PRESENTS: ADVENTURE TIME ROYAL BALL

9:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m.

Room 7AB

Hear Ye!  Hear Ye!  Princess Bubblegum cordially invites you to the first ever Royal Ball of Ooo at San Diego Comic-Con! Join us for an hour filled with mathematical magic as we screen a royal handful of your favorite Adventure Timeepisodes, including a world premiere! But wait, there’s more!  Wear your favorite Adventure Time inspired outfit for this special celebration and you have the chance to walk away with a righteous prize!  Now come one, come all (until we reach capacity!) for a ball of laughs, a ball of costumes, and a ball of royal awesomesauce!

FRIDAY, JULY 25

CARTOON NETWORK PRESENTS: A LOTT’A FUNNY, featuring CLARENCE, UNCLE GRANDPA, STEVEN UNIVERSE & THE AMAZING WORLD OF GUMBALL!

9:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m.

Room 7AB

After a long and exhausting day at the ‘Con, come chillax with Clarence, Uncle Grandpa, Steven Universe, and Gumball as they SQUEEEEZE into an hour of laughs for all to enjoy!  Back-to-back-to-back-to-back episodes of NEVER-BEFORE-SEEN fun-stuffs is what awaits you at this exclusive San Diego Comic-Con screening event!  And don’t forget to massage your mind muscles because if you can answer some ‘toon trivia, you might just win a prize! Aaaaw….new friends!

SATURDAY, JULY 26

CARTOON NETWORK PRESENTS: THE REGULAR SHOW ROCK-A-THON

8:30 p.m. – 9:30 p.m.

Room 7AB

You and your best bros are totally invited to take the stage at The Regular Show Rock-A-Thon. Awwwwww yeauuuuh! Join Cartoon Network for the most rockin’ hour ever as we cut a rug to some classic episodes and jam out to a brand new one before anyone else gets to see it.  But that’s not all — we challenge YOU to come correct with your best Regular Show number.  The more awesome your performance, the more likely you are to WIN a prize! So what are you waiting for? Practice your funky fresh flow and let’s get this party started! Participation is limited.

CARTOON NETWORK SIGNINGS

All signings are at the Cartoon Network Booth #3735. Tickets are required and can be obtained at the booth.

FRIDAY, JULY 25

12:00 p.m.           Uncle Grandpa & Clarence

2:00 p.m.              Adventure Time

SATURDAY, JULY 26

12:00 p.m.           Steven Universe

2:00 p.m.              Regular Show

Cartoon Network (CartoonNetwork.com) is regularly the #1 U.S. television network in prime among boys 6-11 & 9-14. Currently seen in 97 million U.S. homes and 194 countries around the world, Cartoon Network is Turner Broadcasting System, Inc.’s ad-supported cable service now available in HD offering the best in original, acquired and classic entertainment for kids and families. In addition to Emmy-winning original programming and industry-leading digital apps and online games, Cartoon Network embraces key social issues affecting families with solution-oriented initiatives such as Stop Bullying: Speak Up.

Skylanders Heading to San Diego Comic-Con

2014/07/12
Jerry Paxton
Geek News, News, SDCC

Skylanders_Trap_Team copy

July 11, 2014 — Skylanders, the video game that pioneered the Toys-to-Life™ genre, will descend upon San Diego Comic-Con for the first time in the franchise’s history starting on July 24. Fans will be among the first in the world to get hands-on experience with Skylanders Trap Team™, the newest installment to the Skylanders franchise. To celebrate, Activision Publishing, Inc. will award more than $5000 in prizes to the best Skylanderscostumes of the show. Fans now have a chance to bring their creativity to life by dressing up as one of their favorites, such as Spyro, Stealth Elf, Eruptor, Kaos or any of the characters from the Skylanders universe.

The costume contest will take place at the San Diego Comic-Con panel, “Skylanders: The Creative Process of Bringing Toys to Life,” where members of the Skylanders team will offer insights into the development process of one of the world’s most beloved and successful Toys-to-Life video game franchises. Panel speakers include comic book writer Ron Marz (Green Lantern, DC vs. Marvel), famed voice of Kaos Richard Horvitz (Invader Zim, Billy and Mandy), Activision’s Senior Vice President of Consumer Marketing, John Coyne, and Toys for Bob’s Director of Toy and Character Development, I-Wei Huang.

Prizing for the costume contest is as follows:

  • Grand Prize: $4,000
  • Runner Up: $1,000
  • 2nd Runner Up: Collection of rare Skylanders toys

WHEN:

Thursday, July 24, 2014

Media Call Time: 5:45 p.m.

Event Begins: 6:00 p.m.

WHERE:

San Diego Convention Center, Room 7AB

111 W. Harbor Dr. San Diego, CA 92101

Razer Announces Atrox Arcade Stick for Xbox One

2014/07/12
Jerry Paxton
Geek News, News, Peripherals News

atrox

LAS VEGAS (EVO 2014) – Razer™, a world leader in connected devices and software for gamers, today unveiled the Razer Atrox Arcade Stick for at The Evolution Championship Series (EVO) 2014, the world’s largest fighting game tournament. Tested by some of the world’s best eSports athletes, the new console controller is customizable and constructed with modders and competitive gamers in mind.

Razer is building on the success of the original Razer Atrox Arcade Stick for the Xbox 360®, applying many years of collective gaming experience from pro gamers and the Razer community. Some of the world’s best eSports athletes who beta tested the Razer Atrox Arcade Stick for Xbox One will be participating in EVO 2014, including Team Razer member Xian, the event’s defending champion. Additionally, Razer partnered with Microsoft to design a limited edition faceplate for Killer Instinct – the exclusive launch title for the Xbox One, which is being showcased at EVO 2014.

The Razer Atrox Arcade Stick for Xbox One is the definitive Arcade Stick for tournament-grade gaming. It features eight genuine Sanwa™ Denshi buttons and an ergonomically authentic arcade layout. The inside of the platform opens up at the touch of a button, making it a breeze to customize for all tastes and play styles. Users are able to swap in their own personal designs for a unique look and feel by way of a honeycomb structure that allows for easy customization of internal components.

Dedicated slots inside the controller can be used to store the included alternate bat-top joystick, detachable USB cable and bundled screwdriver that can be used for easy modding.

“We designed the Razer Atrox Arcade Stick for Xbox One on the same principles that made the Razer Atrox for Xbox 360 so popular amongst the fighting game community,” says Min-Liang Tan, Razer co-founder and CEO. “Professional gaming is growing rapidly into a global phenomenon, and gear like the Razer Atrox Arcade Stick for Xbox One will help fighting game players everywhere dominate the opposition in style, match after match.”

Razer previously demonstrated its ability to produce tournament-grade console products with the Razer Sabertooth and Razer Onza Xbox 360 controllers and the Razer Carcharias Xbox 360 gaming headset. For more information on the Razer Atrox Arcade Stick for Xbox One, go to http://www.razerzone.com/gaming-controllers/razer-atrox

Price:   $199.99

Availability:    Razerzone.com – August 2014

Worldwide – August 2014

Product features:

  • 8 tournament-grade Sanwa™ Denshi buttons
  • Authentic Sanwa joystick with ball top and additional bat top
  • Interchangeable top plate allows for custom artwork finishes
  • Easy one-touch access to internals and storage
  • Fully accessible internals and storage compartments for easy modding
  • Honeycomb structure on the inside for easy screw mounting
  • Storage room for alternative bat top joystick and more
  • 13 ft. / 4 m detachable screw-lock USB cable for secure connection
  • Screwdriver included for modding

Machinima LIVE Unveils New Lineup

2014/07/10
Jerry Paxton
Geek News, News

 

MACH_logo_vert_rgb

Los Angeles, CA, July 9, 2014 – Machinima, the leading global video entertainment network for videogamers and fanboys, today announced a new slate of programming on its hugely successful Twitch channel (Twitch.tv/Machinima). Since launch, Machinima LIVE has proven to be one of the fastest growing channels on Twitch, with over 24.6MM views and over 159K channel follows. After the huge success of the first seasons of “Chasing the Cup” and “Deck Wars,” Machinima LIVE has developed a quality list of programming which includes brand new seasons of both shows as well as incorporating popular talent from its YouTube channel network.

“Machinima has quickly established a strong and growing presence on the Twitch platform, illustrating the appeal of quality gaming content that leverages live video,” said Kevin Lin, COO of Twitch. “The community is consuming a lot of Machinima content so we’re looking forward to seeing more of their premium programming.”

The first season of “Chasing the Cup” was a 10 episode reality series that documented the two highest ranked League of Legends teams in North America, Cloud9 (C9) and Team SoloMid (TSM). It follows them during the regular season of the League of Legends Championship Series, the biggest gaming championship in the world, capturing team structure, training regimen, management, and player interaction to give a “behind-the-scenes” reality angle to the lives of professional gamers. The series garnered millions of views, with 301,961 total hours watched, and proved to be one of the first successful VOD-to-Live executions on the Twitch platform. Over 45K audience members tuned in simultaneously to watch the finale, which set the record for any Machinima LIVE program. Season 2 of “Chasing the Cup” is set to launch August 1, and will again feature Cloud9 as well as a new team, Counter Logic Gaming (CLG).

Another staple on Machinima LIVE is “Deck Wars”, a show-match series based around Blizzard’s new interactive card game Hearthstone. “Deck Wars’” 12 episode arc leads up to an exciting season finale tournament. Over the course of the finale weekend, viewership peaked at over 35K simultaneous viewers and held a stable 25K throughout the course of the two-day broadcast. Machinima LIVE reached over 1.1 million live views over the course of the tournament as well as over 20M minutes watched.  Season 2 of “Deck Wars” launched in early June, and will deliver new episodes every Wednesday at 10:30AM PST, leading up to the season finale onSeptember 20-21.

Machinima LIVE also recently live-streamed the premiere of its hit series “Street Fighter Assassin’s Fist”, and received over 260K views, with over 1.3MM minutes watched.

“Twitch has become a valuable partner for us,” said Lester Chen, Director of Live Programming for Machinima. “As one of the fastest growing channels, we’re grateful that our fans enjoy the programming we’ve rolled out and are determined to continue delivering quality content. We’re excited to launch new seasons of what they love, and deliver more live programming around the gamers they enjoy watching — we’re always listening to what the fans want!”

In addition to bringing back some existing shows, Machinima will bring over many of its major YouTube stars and incorporate their live gameplays into its second wave of LIVE programming. Machinima’s network talent will bridge the gap between their already successful video uploads on their YouTube channels and Live audiences via Machinima LIVE.

Marvel Unveils Canadian Covers for Death of Wolverine

2014/07/10
Jerry Paxton
Comics News, Geek News, News

Death_of_Wolverine 2_Canada Variant

New York, NY—July 10th, 2014—He is many things to many people. Hero. Teacher. Friend. X-Man. Avenger. But above all else, he is one – Canadian! Today, Marvel is proud to unveil “Canada Variants” for all four issues of the highly-anticipated DEATH OF WOLVERINE series! Comic superstar Charles Soule & Steve McNiven explore the untimely end of the Great White North’s most well-known mutant hero. Each cover features stunning cover art gorgeously rendered by Steve McNiven and proudly displays the Maple Leaf flag of Logan’s proud home and native land of Canada.

Born in Alberta, Canada – James Howlett’s long and eventful life now comes to an end. He has been counted among the X-Men, the Avengers and Canada’s own Alpha Flight.  He’s fought alongside heroes in numerous wars. He’s been the headmaster of a school for gifted youngsters. He has been the best there is at what he does for over a century. But the day has come where his best is not enough…

Left without his mutant healing factor, his enemies now close in for the kill – and the Wolverine faces his greatest battle alone. As he runs the gauntlet of his deadliest foes, be there when the once indestructible killing machine makes his final stand! What does a world without Wolverine look like? Be there when DEATH OF WOLVERINE shakes the foundations of the Marvel Universe this September!

DEATH OF WOLVERINE #1 MCNIVEN CANADA VARIANT (MAY148256)

  • Written by CHARLES SOULE
  • Art & Cover by STEVE MCNIVEN
  • 56 pgs…$4.99
  • FOC – 07/14/14, On-Sale – 09/03/14

DEATH OF WOLVERINE #2 MCNIVEN CANADA VARIANT (MAY148257)

  • Written by CHARLES SOULE
  • Art & Cover by STEVE MCNIVEN
  • 40 pgs…$4.99
  • FOC – 07/14/14, On-Sale – 09/10/14

DEATH OF WOLVERINE #3 MCNIVEN CANADA VARIANT (MAY148258)

  • Written by CHARLES SOULE
  • Art & Cover by STEVE MCNIVEN
  • 40 pgs…$4.99
  • FOC – 07/14/14, On-Sale – 09/17/14

DEATH OF WOLVERINE #4 MCNIVEN CANADA VARIANT (MAY148259)

  • Written by CHARLES SOULE
  • Art & Cover by STEVE MCNIVEN
  • 40 pgs…$4.99
  • FOC – 07/14/14, On-Sale – 09/24/14

GALLERY

Alien: Isolation Official Pre-Order Trailer

2014/07/10
Jerry Paxton
News, PlayStation 3 News, PlayStation 4 News, Trailers / Videos, Windows PC News, Xbox 360 News, Xbox One News

alien-Artwork_1404833897 copy

We learned yesterday that the big pre-order bonus for SEGA’s upcoming Alien: Isolation was that Sigourney Weaver and key cast members from Ridley Scott’s classic 1979 film Alien add their voice and likeness to two downloadable bonus levels, Crew Expendable and Last Survivor. Now – we have a trailer to boot!

Trailer

Stronghold Crusader 2 Closed Beta and PC Requirements

2014/07/10
Jerry Paxton
Geek News, News, Windows PC News

stronghold-crusader-2

London, UK – 10th July 2014 – Firefly Studios has just released the minimum system requirements for their long awaited ‘castle sim’ sequel Stronghold Crusader 2. Having entered closed Beta earlier this week, most of the remaining developing time on Crusader 2 will be spent optimising the game’s performance on PC and tweaking gameplay. The announcement was made earlier today on the game’s official website.

“When we first announced Stronghold Crusader 2 one of the first pieces of information released was that the game will use a newly enhanced 3D engine. By this point the team was so experienced with the Havok Vision Engine that learning something completely new and moving away from 3D would be a waste of that knowledge. Our stated goal with Crusader 2 was to create the best 3D Stronghold game yet and that’s exactly what we intent to deliver.

Everyone here at Firefly wants the playability of the 2D Stronghold titles within a 3D space and our enhanced version of the Vision Engine has thankfully provided us with the tools needed to achieve this. Naturally a concern for players at the time was ‘Will the game run on my machine?’. This is a fair question and of course we are aiming to get the game running on a wide range of systems, performance being just as high on our list of priorities as bug fixing. With the game currently in beta and as such feature-complete, we have already had time to focus on optimisation and performance testing. As a result, we have been able to determine the minimum system requirements for Stronghold Crusader 2:”

The minimum PC system requirements for Stronghold Crusader 2 are as follows:

  • Operating System: Windows® XP/Windows Vista/Windows 7/Windows 8 (latest service packs) with DirectX 9.0c
  • Processor: Intel Core2 Duo 2Ghz or equivalent
  • Memory: 2GB RAM
  • Video: NVIDIA® GeForce® 8800GT 512MB or AMD Radeon™ HD 2900XT 512MB or better
  • Storage: 6 GB available HD space
  • Internet: Broadband Internet connection

The latest entry in Firefly’s best selling series of medieval real-time strategy games, Stronghold Crusader 2 is set to appear online and in store shelves on September 2nd 2014.