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.
Author - Jerry Paxton
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 see video previews for the DarkGlider and Drakonia, go to:
DarkGlider & gaming mat – https://www.youtube.com/watch?
Drakonia & gaming mat – https://www.youtube.com/watch?
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?
Skiller – https://www.youtube.com/watch?
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
San Diego – October 23, 2012 – Mad Catz Interactive, Inc. (“Mad Catz”) (NYSE MKT: MCZ) announced today the S.T.R.I.K.E.5 Professional Gaming Keyboard for PC. Now available in limited quantities on the Mad Catz store, the S.T.R.I.K.E.5 has been designed with the competitive gamer in mind, featuring a modular design and OLED Command Module placing gamers at the heart of the experience.
“Our range of S.T.R.I.K.E. keyboards has captured the imagination of passionate gamers and we are pleased to expand the range with the newly announced S.T.R.I.K.E.5.” said Darren Richardson, the President and Chief Executive Officer of Mad Catz Interactive, Inc. “The S.T.R.I.K.E.5 is part of our strategy to grow our market share with best in class products for all gamers.”
The S.T.R.I.K.E.5 features a modular design allowing gamers to rearrange the configuration of the keyboard modules to better suit their preferred method of play. Alongside dedicated buttons for macro commands and media controls, the unique E.Y.E.™ OLED Command Module functions as the brains of the keyboard, allowing gamers to adjust multiple aspects of their gaming environment including speaker/microphone volume, backlighting brightness, multiple Respawn Timers and a game, website and application launcher.
CARY, N.C. (OCTOBER 23, 2012) – Epic Games, Inc. announced today an agreement with Square Enix Co. Ltd. granting Square Enix a group-wide license to develop multiple games with Epic’s award-winning Unreal Engine 3and its breakthrough Unreal Engine 4 technology.
Epic Games Japan, which is providing local support, worked directly with Square Enix on the new license. This sweeping agreement will supplement Square Enix’s proprietary software and ensure the studio is armed with the most powerful game development tools and technologies available across all major platforms.
“Epic has a strong relationship with Square Enix, and it’s an honor to provide their creative and technical talent with the best game technology available for licensing,” said Taka Kawasaki, territory manager of Epic Games Japan. “We look forward to supporting their developers with world-class tools for years to come.”
“Demons’ Score” for iOS and Android, developed by iNiS and published by Square Enix, was created with Unreal Engine 3.
SAN JOSE, California—October 23, 2012—Apple® today introduced an all-new version of its popular 13-inch MacBook® Pro featuring a stunning Retina™ display and all flash storage in a new compact design. At a mere 0.75 inches and 3.57 pounds, the remarkably portable 13-inch MacBook Pro with Retina display is 20 percent thinner and almost a pound lighter than the current 13-inch MacBook Pro.
“The 13-inch MacBook Pro is our most popular Mac, and today it gets completely reinvented with a new thin and light design, fast flash storage and a gorgeous Retina display,” said Philip Schiller, Apple’s senior vice president of Worldwide Marketing. “With vivid colors, razor sharp text and more pixels than anyone else’s 15 or 17-inch notebooks, the Retina display completely changes what you expect from a notebook.”
The new MacBook Pro packs more than 4 million pixels into its 13-inch Retina display, nearly twice the number of pixels in an HD television. At 227 pixels per inch, the Retina display’s pixel density is so high the human eye is unable to distinguish individual pixels at a normal viewing distance, so images look sharp and text looks like it does on the printed page. With four times the pixels of the current 13-inch MacBook Pro, you can view and edit video in pixel-accurate 1080p and see a new level of detail in high resolution images. The 13-inch Retina display uses IPS technology for a 178-degree wide viewing angle, and has 75 percent less reflection and 28 percent higher contrast than the current generation.
Featuring flash storage that is up to four times faster than traditional notebook hard drives, the all-new MacBook Pro is extremely responsive, whether it’s waking from sleep or launching your favorite apps.* Fast flash storage combined with the latest Intel dual-core processors gives the 13-inch MacBook Pro with Retina display plenty of power to run your most demanding apps with ease.
The 13-inch MacBook Pro with Retina display features 2.5 GHz Intel Core i5 processors with the option to choose faster 2.9 GHz Intel Core i7 processors, Intel HD Graphics 4000, 8GB of 1600 MHz memory, and up to 768GB of flash storage. Two Thunderbolt and two USB 3.0 ports allow users to connect to multiple displays and high-performance devices, and a new HDMI port offers quick connectivity to an HDTV. The 13-inch MacBook Pro with Retina display also features a FaceTime® HD camera, dual microphones, improved speakers, three-stream 802.11n Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.0, and a MagSafe® 2 power port.
The 13-inch MacBook Pro battery delivers up to 7 hours of wireless productivity and can remain in standby for up to 30 days.** With the all new Power Nap feature in OS X® Mountain Lion, your MacBook Pro with Retina display stays up to date while it sleeps. Power Nap automatically refreshes Mail, Contacts, Calendar, Reminders, and Photo Stream, and when the notebook is plugged in, downloads software updates and backs up your Mac® using Time Machine®.
Continuing Apple’s commitment to energy efficiency and the environment, the new 13-inch MacBook Pro with Retina display meets stringent Energy Star 5.2 requirements and achieves an EPEAT Gold rating.*** Each unibody enclosure is made of highly recyclable aluminum and comes standard with energy efficient LED-backlit displays that are mercury-free and made with arsenic-free glass. Apple notebooks contain no brominated flame retardants, are PVC-free and are constructed of highly recyclable materials.
The new 13-inch MacBook Pro with Retina display ships with OS X Mountain Lion, bringing Messages, Notification Center, system-wide Sharing, AirPlay® Mirroring, Dictation, Game Center and the enhanced security of Gatekeeper to your Mac. With iCloud® built into the foundation of OS X, Mountain Lion makes it easier than ever to keep your content up to date across your Mac, iPhone®, iPad® and iPod touch®.
Pricing & Availability
The 13-inch MacBook Pro with Retina display is available with a 2.5 GHz dual-core Intel Core i5 processor with Turbo Boost speeds up to 3.1 GHz, 8GB of memory and 128GB of flash storage starting at $1,699 (US); and with 256GB of flash storage starting at $1,999 (US). Configure-to-order options include faster dual-core Intel Core i7 processors and flash storage up to 768GB. Additional technical specifications, configure-to-order options and accessories are available online at apple.com/macbook-pro. The 13-inch MacBook Pro with Retina display is available today through the Apple Online Store (www.apple.com), Apple’s retail stores and Apple Authorized Resellers.
*Testing conducted by Apple in October 2012 using preproduction MacBook Pro with Retina display configurations. For more information visit apple.com/macbook-pro/features-retina/.
**The Wireless Web protocol testing was conducted by Apple in October 2012 using preproduction MacBook Pro with Retina display configurations. Battery life and charge cycles vary by use and settings. For more information visit apple.com/macbook-pro/features-retina/.
***Claim based on energy efficiency categories and products listed within the EPA ENERGY STAR 5.2 energy database as of October 2012. EPEAT is an independent organization that helps customers compare the environmental performance of notebooks and desktops. Products meeting all of the required criteria and at least 75 percent of the optional criteria are recognized as EPEAT Gold products. The EPEAT program was conceived by the US EPA and is based on IEEE 1680 standard for Environmental Assessment of Personal Computer Products. For more information visit www.epeat.net.
Apple designs Macs, the best personal computers in the world, along with OS X, iLife, iWork and professional software. Apple leads the digital music revolution with its iPods and iTunes online store. Apple has reinvented the mobile phone with its revolutionary iPhone and App Store, and is defining the future of mobile media and computing devices with iPad.





















