Author - Jerry Paxton

Felicia Day Named CES Entertainment Matters Ambassador

2012/10/24
Jerry Paxton
CES, Geek News, News

Los Angeles, Calif., October 24, 2012 – The Consumer Electronics Association (CEA)® announced today that actress Felicia Day, creator and star of the hit web series “The Guild,” will serve as the Entertainment Matters Ambassador for the 2013 International CES®. Entering its third year, Entertainment Matters at CES is designed by and for Hollywood’s film, television and digital communities. Owned and produced by CEA, the 2013 International CES is the world’s largest and most important consumer technology event that will take place January 8-11, 2013, in Las Vegas, Nevada.

“As an entrepreneurial and innovative content creator, Felicia Day is an extremely relevant ambassador for the 2013 CES Entertainment Matters program,” said Karen Chupka, senior vice president, events and conferences, CEA. “Her success on the internet, in Hollywood and in technology underscores her deep understanding of the intersection of content and technology and makes her a perfect ambassador. Day’s experience as an actress and content creator exemplifies the focus and goals of our Entertainment Matters program.”

Day has appeared in numerous television shows and films, most recently guest starring on the CW show “Supernatural,” and completing a two-season arc on the SyFy series “Eureka.” She is best known for creating and starring in the hit web series “The Guild,” currently in its sixth season of production. “The Guild” has been the recipient of various awards for web video excellence including an award for “Best Comedy Web Series” at the International Academy of Web Television (IAWTV) Awards at the 2012 International CES.

Day is also the executive producer of Geek & Sundry, a premium YouTube channel that features a slate of seven shows, including “The Flog,” which Day hosts. Since it launched in April 2012, the channel has garnered more than 350,000 subscribers and 24 million views. In 2008, Day co-starred in Joss Whedon’s Internet musical “Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog,” which won an Emmy in 2009.

“I’m thrilled to be working with CES as this year’s Entertainment Matters Ambassador,” said Day.  “The programming and content planned for the event this year is a true celebration of how technology is transforming the way we experience entertainment.  CES is the perfect place to highlight this turning point in our creative landscape, and I can’t wait to be part of it.”

The Entertainment Matters program at the 2013 CES provides a content-focused CES experience for film, television and digital entertainment professionals. This year, the program features a variety of events and conference sessions, including: TweetHouse Presents, Innovations in Social Business, Digital Hollywood, Content in the Cloud, Variety‘s Entertainment Summit: Film & Technology and the 2013 IAWTV Awards Gala.

CEA is expanding its content-focused tracks by introducing a new conference track, Content and Disruptive Technologies. This new track will included five sessions:

  • Privacy and Security in the Cloud – Learn about the steps being taken to protect privacy and secure personal data among consumers who increasingly use cloud services to archive and share data or download and stream movies and music.
  • How the Cloud Is Changing Hardware – Explore how cloud-based platforms like Good, iCloud and OnLive are changing computers and electronics devices.
  • Anytime Anywhere Content – Viewers are increasingly turning to non-traditional ways to watch programs. Content providers and device manufacturers examine how and where the public is getting content today and which delivery platforms are poised for growth.
  • Reinventing TV through Streaming – Key industry players debate the impact that streaming content through services like Netflix, Hulu and mobile TV  has on viewing habits and what it means for traditional content delivery systems.
  • Rise of the Second Screen: What it means To Engage the Viewer – Experts explore the trend of Americans tuning into their favorite shows with a smartphone or tablet in hand. They will shed light on what “media stackers” are doing on their second, third and fourth screens

Attendees can check out content exhibits all over the CES show floor. TechZones like the new CloubBase3 Apps TechZone will display the newest and hottest products in content technology. For more information on TechZones and product categories, check out the official CES Show Floor page.

The 2013 CES will feature 3,000 global technology companies unveiling the latest consumer technology products and services across 15 major product categories including the latest in audio, automotive electronics, connected home technologies, digital imaging/photography, electronic gaming, entertainment/content and more. For more information on the 2013 International CES, visit CESweb.org.

Note to Editors: The official name of the global technology event is “International CES.” Subsequent references to the show can be shortened to “CES.” Please do not use “Consumer Electronics Show” to refer to the International CES.

Star Citizen Blasts Through KickStarter Goal

2012/10/24
Jerry Paxton
News, Windows PC News

Los Angeles, October 24, 2012— Legendary game developer Chris Roberts and his newly formed company, Cloud Imperium, announced today that the company has raised more than $540,000 in pledges on Kickstarter for their new space combat game, Star Citizen, currently in development. The Kickstarter campaign, http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/cig/star-citizen, launched on October 18 with a stated goal of raising $500,000 in pledges. The goal was reached overnight on October 23, in five and a half days. Currently on Kickstarter there are 12,000 backers of the project which signals the return to gaming for Roberts after a decade long hiatus as a Hollywood filmmaker. Roberts made his mark in the gaming industry with award-winning titles such as Wing Commander, Privateer and Freelancer.

Roberts announced Star Citizen on October 10 at the Game Developer Conference (GDC) Online in Austin, Texas. At the same time he launched a self-operated crowd funding site atwww.robertsspaceindustries.com, which also doubles as the Star Citizen site. In two weeks, that site has raised more than $1.3 million (and more than 15,000 additional backers), bringing the total amount of pledges on both sites to more than $1.9 million dollars and within easy reach of the company’s stated minimum pledge goal of $2 million.

“The amount of support from our fans has been overwhelming,” Roberts said. “We had a few hiccups on our own site in the first week of operation, which led us to open up the Kickstarter page. Kickstarter provided better scalability for us and additional options for our fans. In the end, this is all about breathing new life into the PC games business. PC gamers have been left on the sidelines for the last few years. I want to utilize all the new technology that a PC can provide and bring space sims back into the modern area with a bang.

“Getting back into gaming is something I’ve been thinking about for several years. With all the new tech, it’s a whole different universe for developers and I’m ready to take the welcomed plunge again. All I can say is that I’m having a blast doing this. With all these backers and pledges and the team we’ve assembled, we can and will raise the bar to a different stratosphere for PC gamers and space sims.

“There’s still plenty of time to pledge if you haven’t done that already,” Roberts continued. “Both our site and the Kickstarter site continue to take pledges and will do that into the middle of next month.”

More information about Star Citizen, including videos and trailers of the game, regular communications from Roberts to fans, community forums, game fiction and art can be found atwww.robertsspaceindustries.com.

Primal Carnage Release Date

2012/10/24
Jerry Paxton
News

Twain Harte, California – October 24, 2012 – The thunderous rumbling of prehistoric beasts is upon us – Reverb Publishing and Lukewarm Media are pleased to announce thatPrimal Carnage will be shipping to PCs everywhere on Monday, October 29th. Gaming journalists and lucky beta participants have been enraptured with the vicious and quick-paced combat found in Primal Carnage, and in less than a week gamers everywhere will be able to take on each other in a class-based multiplayer experience 65 million years in the making.

Primal Carnage can be pre-ordered now at the Primal Carnage website, Steam, GameStop, GamersGate, and Rain. When players pre-order they will have instant access to the beta as well as receiving an exclusive in-game feathered raptor skin to be made available when the game launches. More information on the beta can be found here.

Primal Carnage is the dinosaur title for which the world has been waiting. Dinosaurs take center stage in this class-based online multiplayer shooter featuring fast-paced combat between a team of humans brave enough to stand toe-to-toe with hordes of some of the most vicious animals ever to walk the face of the earth. Players can choose to take on both sides of the battle as either the human classes utilizing an arsenal of distinct and unique weaponry or inhabit the body of one of these menacing and powerful dinosaurs intent on leaving a trail of blood and destruction in their wake.

Primal Carnage key features include:

  • Rendered in stunning beauty using the Unreal Engine, players will wage war between man and beast in five large, open and varied environments
  • 10 playable classes (five Human, five Dinosaur), each with unique skills and abilities
  • Play from both first-person (Human) and third-person (Dinosaur) perspectives providing a contrasting gameplay experience for both teams
  • Multiple achievements and an extensive DLC roadmap

Primal Carnage is a part of Reverb Publishing’s growing roster of titles, which includes the massively-successful Dungeon Defenders, the recently launched Ravaged and Rocketbirds: Hardboiled Chicken as well as the upcoming Cognition: An Erica Reed Thriller, Edge of Space, Black Knight Sword and much more. For more information on Reverb Publishing, please visit us at www.reverbpublishing.com. For more information about Primal Carnage, please visit www.primalcarnage.com, be sure to “Like” us at www.facebook.com/primalcarnage and follow the game development on Twitter @PrimalCarnage.

Capcom Taking Fan Advice on RE6 Updates

2012/10/24
Jerry Paxton
News

Capcom has just announced that it plans to release a free patch in mid-December with some updates to their Resident Evil 6 game that have been long-requested by fans.

Patch Updates

  • Gamers will be able to adjust the camera to give a greater field of view as best suits their play style. Screenshots illustrating the new camera and co-op features can be found on Capcom’s press site. The camera screenshot pairs show the minimum and maximum range of the new camera setting. Please note that this feature is still in development and may change without further notice before the title update is released.
  • Subtitle options have been improved so that English language audio can be combined with subtitles in an alternative language.
  • As recently announced, Ada Wong’s campaign will be unlocked from the start and have an optional player-controlled co-op partner added. It was previously necessary to complete all three other campaigns in order to unlock Ada’s story.
  •  ‘No Hope’ difficulty level will be added above the existing levels, for players who want an extreme challenge.

SimCity Release Date Revealed

2012/10/24
Jerry Paxton
News

Electronic Arts and Maxis Games have announced that their upcoming SimCity will be released on March 8, 2013. SimCity will be available on PC and MAC, with an expected age rating of PEGI 7. To stay up-to-date on the latest regarding SimCity, and to pre-order now, please visit www.SimCity.com.

Sharkoon Unveils New PC Gaming Products

2012/10/24
Jerry Paxton
News

Lake Forest, Calif.–October 24, 2012–CompuExpert, a division of Digital Interactive Systems Corp., today announced that they will be distributing a new line of Sharkoon gaming mice, mouse mats, and keyboards. The company that has masterfully crafted specially designed and award-winning gaming headsets for over a decade now delivers the ultimate in interactive gaming performance for maximum immersion and combat advantage.

“Our headsets have always had a cult following for their affordable quality,” said Johannes Schneider,director Sharkoon Technologies Ltd. Taiwan. “We wanted to bring that same attention to detail to a full range of gaming accessories.”

Sharkoon’s complete range of laser gaming mice offer enhanced features such as ergonomically thermoformed super structures, with multiple customizable configurations to maximize personal comfort and performance. Each is incredibly lightweight for continued comfort over long hours of gameplay. These include the DarkGlider with a weight of 1.0 lbs., the Drakonia at 0.8 lbs., the Fireglider also at 0.8 lbs., and the Squad at 0.4 lbs., each model with its own highly responsive design and unique personalization options.

To complement these top-quality gaming mice, Sharkoon has created two ultra-fine gaming mouse mats. These highly durable mouse mats combine an extremely strong cloth material with DurableStitch sewing to ensure smooth, non-fray sliding and maximum accuracy, and also incorporate the finest natural rubber base for an incredibly secure grip to any surface. These gaming mouse mats come in two suave designs-the DarkGlider Pad and the Drakonia Pad-to match their counterparts.

To see video previews for the DarkGlider and Drakonia, go to:

DarkGlider & gaming mat – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LH7YKof-8NU&feature=plcp

Drakonia & gaming mat – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VbzssRImYA8&feature=plcp

The advanced gaming keyboards from Sharkoon also offer the features necessary for maximum gaming performance, such as programmable features for your personalized combat arsenal, and are available in two sleek designs. These include the Tactix-the minimalist gamer’s compact model-and the Skiller, a standard 3-block gaming keyboard that features 20 additional multimedia keys.

Features of the Tactix and Skiller include:

  • Eight swappable gaming keys
  • Complete N-Key rollover support
  • Support for up to ten different profiles with three layers each
  • Fully programmable keys, including options for personalized macros, macro loops, keystrokes, media functions, internet functions, and mouse functions

Video previews for the Tactix and Skiller keyboards can be seen at:

Tactix – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OkYR7q7gZxU&feature=plcp

Skiller – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qd3jpDrkNww&feature=plcp

XCOM: Enemy Unknown Getting Two DLC Packs

2012/10/23
Jerry Paxton
News, PlayStation 3 News, Screenshots / Photos, Windows PC News, Xbox 360 News

New York, NY – October 23, 2012 – 2K Games and Firaxis Games announced today that the critically acclaimed XCOM®: Enemy Unknown will be supported post-launch with two pieces of single-player add-on content that will be available for purchase for Windows PC, the Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft and PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system. In addition to these two add-on content packs, the Elite Soldier Pack, which was free to those who pre-ordered XCOM: Enemy Unknown or purchased the game at launch, is now available for purchase. XCOM: Enemy Unknown has critics raving, including review scores of 9 out of 10 from PlayStation: The Official Magazine, 9.1 out of 10 from GameTrailers.com, and 9.5 out of 10 from Game Informer, earning “Game of the Month” honors in the November 2012 issue.

The Slingshot Content Pack, the first of two add-on content packs for XCOM: Enemy Unknown, will be available soon. In this new set of linked Council missions, gamers will meet an enigmatic Triad operative, divert an alien ship’s course, and do battle with the aliens in the skies over China. The Slingshot Content Pack includes three new maps tied to the Council missions, a new playable squad character with a unique story and voice and new character customization options. The release date and pricing of the Slingshot Content Pack will be announced soon.

The Elite Soldier Pack, originally free for those who pre-ordered XCOM: Enemy Unknown or purchased the game at launch, is now available for purchase for $4.99 (PlayStation®Network) / 400 Microsoft Points (Xbox LIVE® online entertainment network) / $4.99 (Windows PC). The Elite Soldier Pack provides the ultimate tools for soldier customization in XCOM: Enemy Unknown, including:

  • Classic X-COM soldier: Players will instantly receive a new recruit in their barracks inspired by the original X-COM: UFO Defense. The iconic soldier with the blonde, flattop hairstyle will return fully modernized.
  • Soldier Deco packs: Players can customize their soldier with several aesthetic upgrades to armor suits, including the new Hyperion and Reaper soldier armor kits.
  • Complete color customization: A variety of colors and tints for all armor sets in the game allow players complete control to customize their squad’s look.

A free playable demo* of XCOM: Enemy Unknown is available globally for Windows PC via Steam, and for Xbox 360 and PS3™. Gamers who download the demo will be guided through two levels of the single-player tutorial campaign, experiencing the combat controls and effective tactics for defending humanity against the alien threat. The two tutorial missions will also introduce players to the XCOM base, where soldier training and researching alien technology takes place, and offers a chance to experience the tactical and strategic layers of XCOM: Enemy Unknown.

Released in 1993, the original X-COM still reigns as one of the best PC games of all time and has been reimagined as XCOM: Enemy Unknown by the strategy experts at Firaxis Games. XCOM: Enemy Unknown expands on the X-COM legacy with an entirely new story, enemies and technologies to fight hostile aliens and defend Earth. In XCOM: Enemy Unknown, players will oversee combat strategies and individual unit tactics as well as base management and resource allocation while playing as the commander of a secret global military organization, XCOM. With equal emphasis on deep strategy and intense tactical combat, XCOM: Enemy Unknown will allow gamers to control the fate of the human race by defending against a terrifying global alien invasion.

XCOM: Enemy Unknown is available now for Windows PC, Xbox 360 and PS3™. XCOM: Enemy Unknown is rated M for Mature by the ESRB.

For more information, please visit http://www.xcom.com. For the latest news and information on XCOM: Enemy Unknown, become a fan on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/XCOM.

* Xbox LIVE® online entertainment network, PlayStation®Network for PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system or Internet connection and acceptance of Steam Subscriber agreement required to access demo.

2K Games is a division of 2K, a publishing label of Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc. (NASDAQ: TTWO).

Screenshots

Borderlands Legends Coming to iOS

2012/10/23
Jerry Paxton
News

2K Games has announced that Borderlands is coming to the iOS platform with Borderlands Legends. The game will allow players to control all four original Borderlands characters in strategic combat. Checkout some of the screenshots below.

Screenshots