Author - Jerry Paxton

Logitech G Celebrates 10th Anniversary of Iconic G502 Gaming Mouse

Today, Logitech G, a brand of Logitech (SIX: LOGN) (NASDAQ: LOGI) and leading innovator of gaming technologies and gear, is celebrating the 10th anniversary of the legendary G502 gaming mouse. In its first decade, the G502 became beloved by the gaming community for delivering unrivaled performance, innovative technologies, and unparalleled design breakthroughs for maximum comfort and incredible responsiveness, becoming the world’s best-selling gaming mouse1, with more than 21 million mice sold since its launch.

“The G502 has been my go-to mouse for years, and it’s the perfect balance for me when it comes to getting some extra buttons while not overwhelming me. This mouse is extremely comfortable to use for extended periods of time. The G502 has a sleek and cool-looking design. It has always been an incredible go-to for gamers who want a couple of extra, easy-to-reach buttons and a smooth experience that allows them to game without interruption!” said Meg Kaylee, a popular gaming streamer and producer who has been using a G502 since 2019.

From the start, G502’s design has prioritized gamers’ needs. With each update, Logitech G’s team of engineers and designers quantified what factors influence gameplay and brought those insights to life with the original G502 and every model since.

Starting in 2014, Logitech G introduced the first G502, with deep personalization, unparalleled tracking performance and responsiveness, and maximum comfort, followed by the G502 Proteus Spectrum in 2016, providing gamers with up to 16.8 million customizable lighting color options. From there, 2018 witnessed the launch of the G502 HERO mouse, designed with Logitech G’s HERO 25K sensor—the highest-performing sensor at the time. In 2019, the G502 was upgraded with LIGHTSPEED wireless technology for incredible responsiveness and reliability and POWERPLAY wireless charging; and in 2022, the G502 was upgraded to G502 X, G502 X LIGHTSPEED, and G502 X PLUS with LIGHTFORCE hybrid optical-mechanical switches.

“At Logitech G, we take great pride in what we have accomplished over the last decade,” said Ujesh Desai, general manager of Logitech G. “What sets G502 apart—cutting-edge technology and innovative design—has become the gold standard for gaming mice across the board.”

In designing G502, the team of designers and engineers had to quantify what factors most influenced gameplay while delivering a mouse that provided an abundance of superior features. The original G502 mouse featured a powerful, highly accurate, precise sensor that could be tuned to a gamer’s mousing surface for superior tracking and optimal sensor performance. By leveraging technologies like heat mapping and experimentation with surface geometry, the team created a mouse that delivered deep comfort, featured a new visual design, and performed like an extension of the gamer’s hand.

“The G502 design optimizes every part of the hand, tailoring itself to every desired gaming need and over delivering in button placement, which maximizes our gaming experience. Tools like this are true extensions of ourselves and enhance our abilities tenfold,” said Jeremy “Squatingdog” Pedron, creator and gamer.

Join the Celebration!

  • Starting today, if gamers buy a G502 mouse, they will also receive a free mousepad. Additionally, continuing throughout the year, Logitech G will have special activations, giveaways, and celebrations highlighting the G502, which include:
  • Beginning May 2, Logitech G is partnering with KRAFTON’s PUBG: BATTLEGROUNDS to feature a global duo, a multi-stage tournament with tons of product and cash prizes, including the chance to win limited edition G502 X PLUS mice and G640 mousepads. The tournament will be live-streamed on PUBG: BATTLEGROUNDS’ official Twitch channel. To sign up, please visit Logitech G’s official Discord channel.

Starting on May 2nd, gamers can visit the Logitech G website to participate in a digital search-and-find game that will include Easter eggs of the G502 mouse and memorable gaming launches from the last decade. Winners will be entered to win special edition mouse mats and a custom G502 mouse.

For more information on how to participate in these activities, please visit Logitech G’s Discord channel or follow @LogitechG.

The Forever Winter Gameplay Reveal Trailer

Today, Fun Dog Studios, an independent game developer formed by industry veterans behind iconic titles like Horizon: Zero DawnDOOM EternalKillzoneHawken, and Mass Effect, unveiled the first look at gameplay for their debut game, The Forever WinterThe Forever Winter is a squad-based, tactical looter-shooter with rogue-like elements, where you fight to survive against gigantic war machines. Wishlist on Steam today.

In The Forever Winter, players enter a maze of relentless PvEvE conflict, with various ever-present enemy factions fighting to achieve their own objectives. Squads of up to four players (or AI-driven squadmates) face off against (or sneak by) hordes of colossal enemies and loot the fallen in a desperate race to secure what’s left of Earth’s dwindling resources. Scavenge what you need, then be ready to run like hell or face an inevitably bloody demise. Building your arsenal over multiple play-throughs gives you a fighting chance against bigger and badder enemies… but you’ll never stop the war. You’ll never “win.” In The Forever Winter, winning is staying alive and returning home with supplies for your crew.

“Our work on The Forever Winter started out with one simple truth: war is hell. There’s a time and a place for the power fantasy of being a super soldier, but frankly, it’s been done time and time again,” said Miles Williams, CEO and Creative Director of Fun Dog Studios. “With The Forever Winter, we wanted to redefine victory as survival – ensuring that every battle is hard fought, and every defeat is a lesson learned. You’ll be rewarded for fighting smarter, not harder, and maintaining situational awareness in a world we designed to be as unforgiving as it is unforgettable. While your power will grow, you’ll always be a mouse in a maze, to survive, you’ll have to work together.”

Key Features Include: 

  • PvEvE: Enemies have their own goals and agendas, operate in coordinated groups as part of a combat ecosystem, and undertake full-scale battles both against you and other NPCs—and each faction will intelligently react to your actions in different ways.
  • Gear Up to Survive: Customize your loadout and get your squad ready to enter the maze. Upgrade your weapons and gear to suit your playstyle with scavenged resources and increase your (small) chances of survival against relentless enemies.
  • Prioritize Stealth and Teamwork: Stealth and teamwork are crucial elements for survival. Coordinate with your squad to outsmart enemies and avoid detection to gain the upper hand, or tactically plan battles and ambushes to win guerilla engagements. Just don’t take the enemy head-on. You won’t live to tell the tale.
  • Death is Just the Beginning (Again): If your squad dies, the run’s over. And death is unforgiving. If you fall in battle, you’ll lose everything in your inventory and have to start over from scratch. Build up a stash back at base to keep the upper hand in the future.

The Forever Winter will initially be released on PC with potential platform expansion based on the game’s success and community feedback.

Commandos: Origins Gameplay Teaser

Kalypso Media and Claymore Game Studios have partnered with Microsoft and IGN to unveil a glimpse into the fan-favorite real-time stealth tactics game Commandos: Origins for the ID@Xbox Showcase with a brand-new gameplay video. The Closed Beta is set to launch this summer.

Join the front lines with iconic characters Jack O’Hara (The Green Beret) and Thomas Hancock (The Sapper) to guide the Commandos team through authentic historical locations during World War II. The new gameplay teaser showcases some of the best uses of the Commandos’ unique abilities: Infiltrate enemy facilities and hit them where it hurts before disappearing into the shadows.

Players who enlist for playtests earlier this year will receive automatic consideration for the Closed Beta.

“The alpha playtest of Commandos: Origins already generated incredibly valuable feedback from our players, which is now being processed and implemented into our game. Seeing the enthusiasm from the community serves as a huge motivator for us. We take their feedback seriously and are working hard to enhance the player’s experience further. The upcoming Closed Beta will help us even more to deliver an immersive and captivating Commandos experience,” said Juergen Reusswig, Studio Director at Claymore Game Studios.

Commandos: Origins is gearing up for a 2024 release and will be available on day one with Xbox Game Pass for console and PC and on Xbox Series X|S, Windows 11 PC, and PlayStation®5.

The Simpsons to Celebrate Mother’s Day in “May the 12th Be With You”

Today, Disney+ announced “May the 12th Be With You,’” a new promotional short from “The Simpsons,”’ will launch May 10th, exclusively on Disney+. In the upcoming short, it’s Mother’s Day and Marge Simpson joins the moms of Disney+ on a special holiday outing that turns into an epic galactic adventure filled with heroes, villains and a surprising old friend. New key art for the upcoming short can be downloaded here.

“May the 12th Be With You” is the latest in a collection of shorts from “The Simpsons” created exclusively for Disney+. The previously released shorts “Maggie Simpson in ‘Rogue Not Quite One’” (2024 Webby Winner), “The Simpsons meet the Bocellis in ‘Feliz Navidad,’” “Welcome to the Club,” “When Billie Met Lisa” (Emmy® nominated), “Maggie Simpson in ‘The Force Awakens from Its Nap’” (Emmy® nominated), “The Good, The Bart, and The Loki” and “The Simpsons in Plusaversary” are currently available on Disney+. All of these and more can be found in “The Simpsons” collection on the streaming service here: https://www.disneyplus.com/franchise/the-simpsons

FOUNDRY Early Access Release Trailer

Today, Paradox Interactive and Channel 3 announced that FOUNDRY, the 3D voxel-based factory builder, is now available in Early Access on Steam for $29.99 / €29.99 / £26.99. This Early Access phase is an opportunity to implement additional content and updates outlined in the roadmap, such as new technologies, world updates, UI/UX enhancements, blue prints, new decor items, advanced power plants, among others. Primarily, it will allow the development team to gather feedback from players and adjust the current roadmap based on community input.

FOUNDRY is a first-person, factory-building and automation sandbox set in a beautiful, procedurally-generated voxel open world. Starting from humble beginnings of manually mining and processing resources, crafting machinery, and developing technologies, players can advance to automating the entire production line to their precise creative plans and vision. They will face different logistic challenges such as planning and managing pipe networks and power systems while working to optimize their constantly growing production lines as they create their own gigantic, automated, and self-sustaining factory. Played solo or with friends, FOUNDRY is the perfect mix between grid-based construction games and factory building simulations.

More information will come later on FOUNDRY. All the latest information on the game can be found here: https://paradoxinteractive.com/games/foundry.

The Political Machine 2024 Launch Trailer

Stardock Entertainment released The Political Machine™ 2024, the newest edition of its popular political strategy game series today. The game allows players to step into the shoes of presidential candidates, including Joe Biden, Donald Trump, Dean Phillips, Nikki Haley and countless other candidates from history, or create their own.

“The Political Machine 2024 presents itself as a game but has proven to be an accurate representation of players’ political leanings,” said Brad Wardell, CEO of Stardock Entertainment. “Previous versions of the game have accurately predicted the outcome of past elections, such as the fact that Ohio would be the key state in 2004 and Trump’s victory in 2016.”

New to The Political Machine 2024 is the inclusion of the primaries in which several candidates compete for their party’s nomination. Presidential debates have also been added to allow players to test their knowledge of current events and how to gain favor with their political base.

While the game’s singleplayer AI plays with great savvy, Stardock has made sure that the game also remains a strong multiplayer game as well.

“In previous editions, players could play against each other one-on-one to win the White House,” said Wardell. “With the inclusion of primaries, several players of the same party can go at it. It’s a touch of mayhem.”

World of Tanks Blitz Unveils Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Collaboration

It’s time to return to the bustling streets of the big city and beyond as World of Tanks Blitz collaborates with the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles! Tankers will team up with the fun-loving heroes to enjoy some righteously delicious pizza before facing another big confrontation with the evil Shredder. The journey will be turbocharged with nostalgia, excitement and challenges inspired by the beloved ‘80s Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles animated series!

Starting from April 24th through May 27th, World of Tanks Blitz players will engage in a seven-day “Into the Sewers!” event. To unlock exclusive TMNT-inspired rewards, tankers should achieve five victories per day. The rewards include two exclusive camos, a master Splinter animated avatar, a turtle-rific profile background, and a special Garage Gear decorated with classic elements from the TMNT secret sewer hideout. Even more awesome, three radical bundles will be available, featuring the mega-cool Mutant tank equipped with a Turtle blaster gun and inspired by the TMNT Party Wagon.

Once they are warmed up, players will be ready to face off against the wicked Shredder in an epic showdown starting May 1st with the launch of the “Operation Cowabunga”. This 60-stage event is packed with mucho mondo rewards, including exclusive Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles avatars of the fearless leader Leonardo, rough and ready Raphael, the brainiac Donatello, and party dude Michelangelo. Players will show off their Turtle power on the battlefield, competing for four distinctive camos decked out in the trademark colors of the Turtles’ ninja gear. Tankers should keep eyes peeled for the ultimate prize – a legendary camo for the P.44 Pantera, inspired by the seriously sinister Shredder.

For more information and updates, follow the link to World of Tanks Blitz.

Total War: PHAROH Unveils Free Update

SEGA Europe Limited and The Creative Assembly Ltd. have today announced a free update for Total War: PHARAOH that heralds the arrival of four iconic new playable cultures alongside over 150 new and reprised battle units, all within an expanded theatre of war.

Read the full announcement blog here: https://news.totalwar.com/twp-update-announce

The update will see Total War: PHARAOH’s campaign experience reworked to both improve existing gameplay foundations whilst providing players with a host of new content to better experience the turbulence of the Bronze-Age collapse. These additions include an expansion of the campaign map, adding the renowned and highly requested regions of Mesopotamia and Aegea to the conflict alongside their playable factions of Babylon, Assyria, Mycenae, and Troy.

Players can also expect further improvements to the strategic campaign layer such as the Dynasty system which adds mortality and succession to your faction leaders’ quest to leave behind a legacy that will survive the ages. Whilst within the battle layer, over 80 new units will arrive for the Mesopotamian factions, alongside the addition of over 70 reworked units for Mycenae and Troy that were first introduced with A Total War Saga: TROY.

The Total War: PHARAOH team will be revealing detailed insights into the development journey through a series of blogs and Q&A’s that will dive into the new content additions. This series will begin next week with a focus on the expansion of the campaign map and how the development teams are aiming to bring this long-lost world to life.

In addition to this update, the original Total War: PHARAOH campaign experience prior to this update will still be playable. More information on this will be revealed in a later blog instalment.

For more information about Total War: PHARAOH and the other Total War games in development, visit the Total War website or follow us on Facebook and Twitter. Subscribe to Total War’s Youtube Channel for future news about gameplay videos.

Caesars Palace Online Casino Upgrades App with First-of-its-kind Functionality

Caesars Entertainment, Inc. (NASDAQ: CZR) (“Caesars”) today announced a comprehensive upgrade to the Caesars Palace Online Casino mobile app on iOS and Android. The new-look Caesars Palace Online Casino app is now live and headlined by an industry-first multi-lobby navigation layout that revolutionizes the online casino experience with curated lobbies dedicated to popular game concepts, including slots, table games, and Live Dealer.

This extensive revamp of Caesars Palace Online Casino breaks the mold of the typical online casino app design with a clean and layered user experience modeled after a real-life casino floor layout with areas devoted to specific game types. Users 21 and older can get closer to the thousands of casino games they love via a uniquely innovative online casino product fully dedicated to serving the online casino customer and fit for the most iconic brand in casino entertainment.

The Caesars Palace Online Casino app’s new functionality allows players who know what they want to play to quickly access their favorite games while also providing an enjoyable way for players who are more interested in discovering new games to do so.

  • Multi-lobby navigation – Caesars Palace Online Casino’s multi-lobby navigation provides a player-first experience inspired by the excitement of the iconic Caesars Palace Las Vegas casino floor. Players have the innovative ability to explore curated lobbies that house popular game concepts together, including slots, table games, Live Dealer, and more.
  • An experience “For You” – upon login, users will have quick access to a “For You” tab in the app to pick up where they left off. The For You tab emphasizes discoverability by highlighting recent games played along with new and exciting titles that might be interesting based on recent play.
  • Lightning-fast functionality – the online casino experience has never been faster with speed enhancements that jump off the screen, like near-instant lobby and app loading times. Players can also browse hundreds of titles sorted into curated categories or use the easy-to-find search tool to instantly find any game collection or specific game from anywhere in the app.
  • An eye-catching customized interface – the paint is still drying on the new app and game loading screens, which feature Caesars Palace Online Casino’s signature colors. The natively built interface provides the familiar feel of a best-in-class iGaming product while leaning into modern design and providing a uniquely innovative layout.
  • New game pipeline – Caesars Palace Online Casino regularly builds upon a treasure trove of exclusive Caesars-branded games made possible through Caesars Digital’s partnerships with top gaming providers. Whether enjoying the newly launched “Caesars Palace Frenzy” produced by Games Global or fan-favorite CAESARS CLEOPATRA by IGT, players should continue to expect a steady stream of new bespoke and exclusive title additions alongside player-centric promotions.

“We take pride in setting industry standards in everything we do, and the online casino experience we provide to our players is no exception,” said Matthew Sunderland, Senior Vice President and Chief iGaming Officer at Caesars Digital. “The newly upgraded Caesars Palace Online Casino app delivers on our player promise to raise the bar in terms of functionality, ease of use, and enjoyability. This new mobile app strengthens our ability to provide our players with an experience that is fully customized to their online play habits while leveraging our unrivaled Caesars brands and omnichannel experiences that can’t be matched.”

“Caesars Palace Online Casino’s refresh is centered around giving our online casino players an experience that stands out from the ordinary,” said Michael Mastrangelo, Vice President of Product, iGaming at Caesars Digital. “Our new mobile app redefines the online casino player experience with seamless functionality and product innovations that are brand new to the industry.”

Show-stopping rewards can be earned through Caesars Palace Online Casino play via the platform’s integration with Caesars’ industry-leading customer loyalty program, Caesars Rewards®. All online play earns Caesars Rewards Credits that players can redeem for discounted getaways, world-class culinary experiences, curated VIP experiences, and bonus cash in the app. Beyond the Empire, Caesars Rewards members can also convert their Reward Credits to Wyndham Rewards® points and redeem them for unforgettable stays at more than 50,000 hotels, vacation club resorts and vacation rentals worldwide.

Caesars Entertainment maintains its status as an industry leader in Responsible Gaming and emphasizes Responsible Gaming education across North America, including in jurisdictions where Caesars Palace Online Casino operates. Caesars also enforces an enhanced 21+ gaming policy that mandates Caesars Rewards accounts are only available to individuals 21 and older, where permitted by law. This 21 and older policy applies to all in-person and online casino operations conducted by the Company. In March 2024, Caesars Entertainment’s sports wagering platform, Caesars Sportsbook, received the prestigious RG Check accreditation from the Responsible Gambling Council. The accreditation recognizes companies that achieve the highest standards for their Responsible Gambling practices.

Caesars Palace Online Casino is the marquee iGaming platform for Caesars Digital alongside Caesars Sportsbook & Casino, Tropicana Online Casino, Harrah’s Online Casino, and WSOP.COM. Those 21 and older in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Michigan, West Virginia and Ontario can download the Caesars Palace Online Casino app on iOS and Android or visit caesarspalaceonline.com to enjoy an expansive gaming catalog with favorites from Caesars Rewards destinations and cutting-edge online casino games, including American Roulette, slot games from best-in-class providers, Live Dealer Blackjack, Baccarat, digital classics like Video Poker, Progressive Jackpot slots and much more.

For real-time updates on new content offerings and to join the empire of like-minded Caesars, players can engage with the Caesars Palace Online Casino social handles at @CaesarsiCasino on X (formerly Twitter), Instagram, and Facebook.

Titan Quest II Dev Diary Looks at Mythical Creatures

Combat is an integral aspect of every ARPG, and Titan Quest II is no exception. It’s not just how you fight that matters, but also who or what you’re fighting against. Thanks to Titan Quest II’s special setting in ancient times, the game draws inspiration from Greek and other ancient mythologies. This allows for a wide variety of wild and weird beasts to challenge players.

Today’s Developer Diary spotlights two distinct creatures: the Gryphon, a well-known monster from many different books, movies, and games – the Gryphon. While the Hippokampi are a much rarer sight, they still make up for a formidable, fierce, and frightening adversary!

Read the latest dev diary on Steam now:
https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/1154030/view/4175475797755916830

For a deep dive on various other topics Titan Quest II check out the previous dev diaries:
Sparta: https://tinyurl.com/mvuza7y7
The Ichthians: https://tinyurl.com/49jcp68j
Music: https://t.co/ubWkEjBdIr
World Design: https://t.co/tkrKph57GA