Author - Jerry Paxton

Star Wars 50th Anniversary Exhibition Announced Today

1 month ago

The world premiere exhibition, Star Wars™: The Experience, an epic journey through the legacy of Star Wars™, will open at The Franklin Institute in Philadelphia on February 13, 2027, as part of the Star Wars 50th anniversary celebration.

Created by The Franklin Institute, in collaboration with MDSX, Lucasfilm and Disney Consumer Products, Star Wars™: The Experience – A Journey Through the Galaxy, is the largest and most comprehensive behind-the-scenes exhibition celebrating the Star Wars galaxy, and the official exhibition during the landmark anniversary year.

The all-new exhibition spans 18,000 square feet of visually rich, interconnected galleries, featuring large immersive moments, screen-used artifacts, and an RFID-powered experience for an interactive, personalized, and cinematic journey into the creative force behind Star Wars. It presents an extraordinary collection of more than 70 artifacts, many of them screen-used and on view for the first time from Lucasfilm, including legendary screen-used pieces such as Darth Maul’s lightsaber and Darth Vader’s costume. A selection of creatures, droids, and other alien species, including Grogu, R2-D2, and C-3PO, will be visible up close, along with a speeder bike, and original props from Andor.

From sound design and costume creation to fan art and gaming, the exhibition celebrates the intersection of art, innovation, and fandom, showcasing how Star Wars has always been, and will always be built by dreamers. It charts the evolution from analog ingenuity to digital reinvention and highlights the voices of early makers and the current global fandom, uncovering the creativity, craftsmanship, and community that make it a timeless treasure.

“Star Wars created a cultural landscape that spans decades and delivers massive, undeniable global appeal,” said Larry Dubinski, President and CEO of The Franklin Institute. “Its influence extends far beyond cinema—shaping entertainment, culture, technology, and business, while redefining how stories are created, experienced, and shared across generations. The Franklin Institute is excited to put Philadelphia once again at the center of a major cultural moment with another blockbuster world premiere exhibition in 2027.”

“Star Wars: The Experience represents more than four years of collaboration, creativity, and shared vision with Lucasfilm, Disney Consumer Products, and MDSX,” said Abby Bysshe, Chief Experience and Strategy Officer at The Franklin Institute. “Bringing an experience of this scale to life takes an extraordinary amount of dedication and expertise, and together this team has created something we believe will captivate audiences and celebrate the extraordinary and lasting impact of Star Wars.”

“This exhibition is an authentic celebration of the ingenuity and pioneering spirit of Star Wars and its cultural impact across decades,” said Dan Picard, owner, and creative director at MDSX. “It places fans inside unique aspects of the Star Wars saga—blending unforgettable moments, behind-the-scenes creativity, and the fandom that continues to shape the galaxy today. That is what makes this exhibition such an exceptional experience, and one we are proud to be part of.”

EXCLUSIVE DETAILS AND FIRST LOOK AT EXHIBIT RENDERINGS AT SAN DIEGO COMIC-CON

The Making of Star Wars™: The Experience (Panel)
Friday, July 24, 2026, 4:00PM-5:00PM (PT), Room 7AB

Exclusive to San Diego Comic-Con attendees, the creative minds behind Star Wars™: The Experience will share more about the making of the exhibition, revealing insider insights and the first gallery renderings.

Moderated by Ashley Eckstein, actor and the voice of Ahsoka Tano in animated series including Star Wars: The Clone Wars, Star Wars Rebels, Tales of the Jedi—panel experts include Matt Martin, Sr. Creative Executive of Franchise Content and Strategy at Lucasfilm; Portia Fontes, Manager of Physical Assets at Lucasfilm; Abby Bysshe, Chief Experience and Strategy Officer at The Franklin Institute; Dan Picard, Creative Officer and Owner of MDSX; and Dave Edmonds, Art Director at MDSX.

The creative team will dive into questions such as: How do you balance cinematic authenticity with exhibition design? What is the visual identity of the experience? What are some of the never-before-seen archival pieces, and how do you celebrate 50 years of Star Wars in a way that feels as epic, emotional, and immersive as the saga itself?

Tickets will go on sale in November for Star Wars™: The Experience, which will run from February 13 to September 6, 2027. Following the Philadelphia premiere, the exhibition will launch a five year North American tour.

Planet Zoo 2 Showcases the West African Lion

1 month ago

Jerry Paxton

News, Geek News, PlayStation 5 News, Trailers / Videos, Windows PC News, Xbox Series X News

Frontier Developments has today launched the first episode in the Feature Focus series for Planet Zoo 2. Showcasing Awe-inspiring Animals, the video highlights the West African Lions and their unique behaviours and welfare needs.

The video also offers a deeper look at Planet Zoo 2’s new emotion system, where animals display dynamic behaviours based on their current mood. This is influenced by the quality of their habitat and welfare, with animals reacting to the care they receive. A lack of enrichment, food, or fresh drinking water can leave them feeling lethargic, while well cared for animals will thrive and exhibit a wider range of natural behaviours.

You can watch the first feature focus video featuring lioness Zuri and bachelor Tao Below.

Planet Zoo 2 will be available on PC, PlayStation®5, and Xbox Series X|S for a suggested retail price of £39.99/$49.99/€49.99 for the Standard Edition, and £54.99/$64.99/€64.99 for the Deluxe Edition.

Warhammer 40K: Rogue Trader on Switch 2 Gets Major Update and Free DLCs

1 month ago

Jerry Paxton

News, Geek News, PlayStation 5 News, Windows PC News, Xbox Series X News

Today, Warhammer 40,000: Rogue Trader received a major update to the Nintendo Switch 2 version, which includes improved visuals, enhanced performance, and fixes for the numerous bugs experienced at launch. Furthermore, as an apology for the less-than-stellar Switch 2 launch in December 2025, Owlcat Games announced that all additional content, including all story DLCs, will be free for Switch 2 players.

After Rogue Trader’s initial launch on Switch 2, the team at Owlcat received feedback on the various issues with the version’s shaky build stability. Determined to make amends, the team worked hard to optimize the build, squash bugs, and improve both the game’s visuals and performance, ensuring that the game is stable and looks much better. Further details about the update can be found in this blog post.

In order to make up for the disappointment of the initial launch, starting today, all additional in-game content will be free on Nintendo Switch 2, including Deluxe Edition content and all DLC. The first two DLCs, Void Shadows and Lex Imperialis, are available now; the third and upcoming fourth DLC will follow later.

In Rogue Trader, players take on the role of a scion of an ancient dynasty of daring privateers who reign over their own trade protectorate and explore the fringes of Imperial space with the blessing of the Emperor Himself. By virtue of their Warrant of Trade, the Rogue Trader is endowed with privileges and power beyond imagination, as well as the task of expanding the borders of the Imperium. A gargantuan voidship of immense strength and innumerable personnel ready to follow their leader without question is at their disposal. Show your subjects mercy or disdain, stay faithful to the Emperor or consort with the enemies of Humanity — the Rogue Trader’s every decision sends ripples across entire star systems, changing the in-game world and those who inhabit it. Rogue Trader has now sold more than two million copies.

Warhammer 40,000: Rogue Trader is available for PC via Steam, the Epic Games Store, and GOG, as well as console via PlayStation 4|5, Xbox One and Series X|S, and Nintendo Switch 2.

Vampires: Bloodlord Rising Character Creator Available Now

1 month ago

Jerry Paxton

News, Geek News, PlayStation 5 News, Trailers / Videos, Windows PC News, Xbox Series X News

From the very start of the Early Access phase of Vampires: Bloodlord Rising, the sinister open-world action-adventure from development team Mehuman Games and publisher Toplitz Productions, the dedicated community was very vocal about one feature, they are desperate to have: a character creator, so they are not restricted to playing Dragos, the hero pre-set by the story.

With the dark open world of broody Sangavia set as a background, giving the player the ultimate freedom to follow the story’s path or explore the land at free will, it is the next logical step to give the virtual vampires the same amount of freedom and options to express themselves with their character appearance.

Starting with comprehensive templates and a variety of impressive base settings, you can create both female as well as male characters and then start finetuning their appearance in detail with more than 30 sliders. To make it even more appealing, you have absolute freedom to create two very distinctively different looks for the aristocrat mode, which allows you to walk among the mortals and for the hunter mode, in which you are a ruthless predator stalking or catching your prey. Add to that a selection of activity and background perks boosting certain character values, while giving others a slight disadvantage and you’ll experience an in-depth character creator that not only adds visual variety, but extends to the gameplay experience as well.

Vampires: Bloodlord Rising is available in Early Access for PC via Steam, GOG and Epic Games Store, with a solid content update roadmap in place. Head over to the respective official store pages for more information or join our official Discord server to stay updated not only about Vampires: Bloodlord Rising but all the exciting games from Toplitz Productions.

IllFonic Reveals New Halloween: The Game Map Orange Grove Estates

1 month ago

Jerry Paxton

News, Geek News, PlayStation 5 News, Trailers / Videos, Windows PC News, Xbox Series X News

The physical editions for Halloween: The Game, the upcoming asymmetrical stealth horror game developed and published by IllFonic, co-published with Gun Interactive, alongside partners Compass International Pictures and Further Front, have been revealed for PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X, launching on Tuesday, Oct. 6, 2026. In partnership with Nighthawk Interactive physical pre-orders begin today: the Standard Edition will be available for MSRP $39.99, while the Limited Collector’s Edition will be available for MSRP $149.99.

The Halloween: The Game Standard Edition will include a copy of the game for PlayStation 5 or Xbox Series X, an exclusive poster, and advance access to the Michael Myers Clown skin and two civilian cosmetics.

The Limited Collector’s Edition will include a copy of the game, plus an exclusive Trick or Treat Studios Shape Jump variant action figure, exclusive lenticular art, an exclusive poster, advance access to the Michael Myers Samhain and Clown skins, advance access to the two civilian cosmetics from the Standard edition and two additional civilian cosmetics, and more surprises to be revealed at a later date.

Relive the events of 1978’s Halloween Night as either a civilian trying to protect Haddonfield’s townsfolk from The Shape in 1v4 multiplayer…or take up the knife as Michael Myers himself, stalking victims one by one in either multiplayer or the single-player story mode. Today’s map reveal shows off a new, haunting location: Orange Grove Estates, an upscale neighborhood in one of Haddonfield’s affluent corners.

Multi-story houses surround a playground and basketball court, and expansive yards turn every fence and hedge into a fresh hiding (or hunting) ground. The map’s open layout reshapes how players move between structures, opening up new opportunities for collaboration while widening the lines of sight that can give a hero (or The Shape) away. The larger, multi-story homes also introduce precarious upper-floor encounters that every player will need to account for.

Malek Akkad, President of Compass International Pictures, Inc., shares, “We are excited for fans of the original film to see the iconic Wallace and Doyle houses in this new map. Gamers will get to explore the legendary homes and create their own survival tactics. Will they weave through picturesque yards, bushes, and playground equipment as they fight to outsmart the Boogeyman or will they become the Boogeyman.”

“Every neighborhood in Halloween: The Game is designed to change how you play, and Orange Grove Estates is our most ambitious map yet,” said Jared Gerritzen, Chief Creative Officer, IllFonic. “The open layout and multi-story homes force players to rethink their every action as it could compromise their line of sight, collaboration, and escape, whether they are playing as a Civilian or Myers. Players will learn to dip, dodge, and scan surroundings for options to find an escape route. Pairing this map’s reveal with our physical editions felt like the perfect way to celebrate the physical pre-order launch.”

To dig deeper into IllFonic and its titles, visit IllFonic’s official website and follow Halloween: The Game’s official socials on X (formerly Twitter), Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, Reddit, and join the official Discord to get the latest news as development continues.

Halloween: The Game physical editions launch on Tuesday, Oct. 6, 2026, for PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X. Pre-order now at major retailers with an MSRP of $39.99 for the Standard Edition and $149.99 for the Limited Collector’s Edition.

Metal Gear Solid Composer’s Studio Ghibli Jazz Album Announced

1 month ago

Jerry Paxton

News, Geek News

Scarlet Moon Records has opened pre-orders for Prescription for Sleep: Ghibli, the 17th album in their long-running and Billboard-charting jazz arrange series. The album is performed entirely live in studio by saxophonist Norihiko Hibino—best known as the composer of Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater and Bayonetta—and pianist AYAKI (Streets of Rage, PersonaQ), performing together as GENTLE LOVE. The Ghibli album marks the series’ second foray into anime following Attack on Titan in 2022, and arrives on the heels of Prescription for Pop, which brought GENTLE LOVE’s therapeutic sound to mainstream pop music earlier this year. Bandcamp pre-order buyers get immediate access to three tracks: “A Town With an Ocean View” from Kiki’s Delivery Service, “The Path of the Wind” from My Neighbor Totoro, and “The Girl Who Fell From The Sky” from Castle in the Sky. The remaining nine tracks unlock on July 20, the 25th anniversary of Academy Award®-winning Spirited Away.

Pre-Order on Bandcamp and Other Storefronts

“Ghibli is personal for me” reflects Scarlet Moon’s Jayson Napolitano. “I grew up on Nausicaä and Castle in the Sky, and Hisaishi’s music shaped how I hear film scores to this day. There’s something special about the fact that his compositions already feel like lullabies in some ways; Hibino-san and AYAKI bring out that quality in a way that feels like these arrangements were always meant to exist.”

The full 12-track album will be available on all platforms on July 20:

01. A Town With an Ocean View (from “Kiki’s Delivery Service”)
02. Merry-Go-Round of Life (from “Howl’s Moving Castle”)
03. Marnie (from “When Marnie Was There”)
04. Nausicaä Requiem (from “Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind”)
05. The Path of the Wind (from “My Neighbor Totoro”)
06. Princess Mononoke Theme Song (from “Princess Mononoke”)
07. Theme (from “La Folia”)
08. The Dragon Boy (from “Spirited Away”)
09. Sosuke’s Voyage (from “Ponyo”)
10. The Girl Who Fell From The Sky (from “Castle in the Sky – Laputa”)
11. The Master of the Tomb (from “The Boy and the Heron”)
12. Compassion (Original)

Prescription for Sleep: Game Music Lullabies kicked off on May 19, 2014, and has since enjoyed tens of millions of streams across 16 previous releases including three compilation volumes, nine more dedicated to Secret of Mana, UNDERTALE, Celeste, Shovel Knight, Wizard of Legend, Stardew Valley, Attack on Titan, ActRaiser, and The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, a compilation of battle themes turned into lullabies, and two charity releases in honor of late Nintendo President Satoru Iwata and late game developer Yoshitaka Murayama.

Learn more about Prescription for Sleep: Game Music Lullabies: http://scarletmoon.com/sleep/

EVE Universe World Event Operation Avalon Available Now

1 month ago

Jerry Paxton

News, Geek News, Trailers / Videos, Windows PC News

Today, Fenris Creations launched Operation Avalon, the first time-limited Alpha playtest for EVE Vanguard, the in-development extraction-adventure FPS connected to the iconic sci-fi MMO EVE Online. Available to access for free from now until July 20 on Steam and the EVE Launcher, Operation Avalon brings EVE Vanguard’s core experience into sharper focus, with more responsive combat, expanded enemies, higher-pressure extraction, deeper progression, and escalating risks and rewards the longer players stay deployed. The further Warclones push, the harder the planet pushes back.

For a deeper look at what players can expect from Operation Avalon, including the goals of the Alpha playtest, watch the briefing here: What Awaits You in EVE Vanguard: Operation Avalon?

Set on the hostile planets of New Eden, EVE Vanguard casts players as brutal Warclones, technologically immortal mercenaries who can be redeployed after death. In Operation Avalon, players drop onto dangerous planetary battlefields to raid enemy sites, gather valuable technology and intelligence, fight rival players and hostile forces, then extract before the situation turns against them. What they recover helps fuel longer-term Warclone progression and supports the fight to establish Avalon, a future sanctuary for Warclones beyond the reach of New Eden’s empires, while the intelligence uncovered on the surface begins to influence the wider conflict unfolding across New Eden.

“Operation Avalon is the moment EVE Vanguard starts to feel like itself,” said Scott Davis, Game Director for EVE Vanguard. “You drop in with a plan, the planet pushes back, and suddenly you’re deciding whether to run for extraction or push your luck and risk losing what you’re carrying. That tension is the game. We want players to feel powerful, vulnerable, and very aware that every choice on the ground has consequences.”

“Operation Avalon is a critical step for EVE Vanguard because it marks our move from experimentation into a more focused Alpha phase,” said Snorri, Executive Producer for EVE Vanguard. “The long pre-alpha period has given us the time to refine and battle-test the foundations of the game. With Operation Avalon, players will experience EVE Vanguard as it was always meant to be: a more complete, cohesive vision where Warclones fight to build Avalon and influence the wider conflict unfolding across New Eden. We’ll continue to evolve that vision together with our players as we head toward persistent 24/7 Alpha later this year.”

Operation Avalon introduces:

Lost Convoy Map: Deploy into Lost Convoy, a planetary combat zone set around an Upwell salvage recovery site, where wrecked ships, dig sites, and refineries create high-value targets to raid.
Overhauled Gunplay and Weapons: Gunplay has been rebuilt to make weapons feel heavier, clearer, and more responsive in combat. Players can earn, manufacture, buy, and deploy with five additional weapons, including a bolt carbine, laser pulse DMR, beam rifle, scatter cannon, and slug launcher.
Revamped Enemy Response: Mordu’s Legion now escalates its response as players move through key sites, sending in smarter patrols, drones, marksmen, troop drops, and imposing Heavy Oppressors. The deeper players push into contested sites, the harder it becomes to survive and extract.
Harmonic Bridge Extraction: Recover equipment and resources through Harmonic Bridges, extraction points that must be found and activated during a deployment, burning the Warclone out of the battlefield in the process. Orbital bombardments shut them down over time, leaving fewer ways out the longer players stay.
Resource Gathering and Permanent Progression: Operation Avalon expands the ways players build strength between deployments. Gather resources, earn Deathmarks, unlock blueprints, use vendors, manufacture equipment, and develop longer-term progression that persists beyond what is carried into a single deployment.
Refined Looting: Looting now creates greater tension, with items revealed over time as players search enemies, containers, and sites. Choosing when to keep searching, when to move, and when to extract can be the difference between building your arsenal and leaving empty-handed.
Fueling Platform Raid: Track down a Mordu’s Legion Reserve Leader, recover a keycode, and unlock the Fueling Station. Inside, players face a tougher combat encounter with some of the strongest rewards available in the deployment.
A Wider War Across New Eden: Operation Avalon begins connecting Warclone deployments with the wider EVE Universe. In EVE Vanguard, Warclones fight to recover valuable resources and intelligence in support of Avalon’s future from the surface. In EVE Online, capsuleers can hunt roaming convoys, secure Vanguard Tokens, and exchange them within their empire’s space to influence where Avalon will ultimately be established.

Echoes of Aincrad Death Mode Trailer

1 month ago

Jerry Paxton

News, Geek News, PlayStation 5 News, Trailers / Videos, Windows PC News, Xbox Series X News

Are you brave enough to try Death Game Mode in Echoes of Aincrad? It’s one life to play with everything at stake.

Bandai Namco Entertainment America Inc. today revealed a new trailer showcasing the game’s Death Game Mode, an all-stakes mode giving players one chance to survive in this engaging new action RPG set in the popular SWORD ART ONLINE universe. In the game, players become a character they create to enter a VRMMORPG, where they ultimately discover perishing in the virtual world of the game means dying in the real world. Death Game Mode puts it all on the line, where they must survive this all-too-real life and death challenge in a single play through, with no respawns. Echoes of Aincrad launches on July 10 for PlayStation®5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC via Steam®. Players can unlock Death Game Mode early with the purchase of Deluxe or Ultimate Editions of the game. For more information, visit www.bandainamcoent.com/games/echoes-of-aincrad.

Midsummer Scream Reveals Hall of Shadows for 2026

1 month ago

Jerry Paxton

News, Geek News, Halloween

The massive Hall of Shadows dark zone returns to Midsummer Scream, the world’s largest Halloween and horror convention, featuring a monstrous array of haunted attractions, photo ops, and live entertainment August 7 to August 9 at the Long Beach Convention Center. Passes for this year’s show are on sale now at MidsummerScream.com.

With the 2026 Hall of Shadows theme of “Descent Into Darkness,” guests are invited to venture beyond the veil into a world of perpetual nightfall, where the most ambitious collection of haunted attractions in Midsummer Scream’s history have been assembled. Creating the entry portal experience this year is Eulogy Collective, Southern California’s only year-round haunted attraction. With each step deeper into the hall, guests will encounter vignettes and characters from its various seasonal overlays, each more twisted and macabre than the other.

Universal Horror Unleashed is bringing the heat from Las Vegas with a terrifying character encounter that marks the attraction’s blood-soaked debut at Midsummer Scream. Guests will get up-close-and-personal with some of the attraction’s most infamous icons.

Lionsgate Entertainment returns for their third year with an all-new walk-through attraction, inviting guests deep into the woods, where they’ll come face-to-face with an ancient evil.

All passes for Midsummer Scream include admission to every attraction in the Hall of Shadows. Guests holding Gold Bat VIP credentials will enjoy priority access to most attractions in the Hall of Shadows, bypassing General Admission standby queues. Hall of Shadows will be open to guests all three days of Midsummer Scream — Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, August 7 to August 9.

“I sound like a broken record every summer,” says Rick West, Co-Founder and Creative Director of Midsummer Scream. “But yet again, this year’s Hall of Shadows is absolutely the most intense and ambitious lineup of haunts and attractions we’ve ever assembled at Midsummer Scream. It’s so exciting to welcome the team from Universal Horror Unleashed — this is the first time we’ve hosted an attraction from Las Vegas; a very important bridge between the SoCal and Southern Nevada haunt communities. Of course, we’re also thrilled to have Lionsgate returning with a brand-new walk-through for fans to experience. Our friends at Eulogy Collective will set the tone for everyone’s descent into the darkness and fog-filled belly of the beast, where fans will find more than 15 unique attractions created by some of the most talented haunters anywhere in the world.”

Within the darkened expanse of the Hall of Shadows, guests can explore an incredible assortment of haunted attractions, chilling displays, thrilling photo ops, and live entertainment that include:

A visit to the Hawkins National Laboratory for some photographic fun provided by Rawl of the Dead
A terrifying witch hunt through a cursed forest led by H&L’s Realm of Horror
Kooky, spooky home haunt fun with the return of Clowns v Skeletons
A shot of fear and a round of terror as guests explore a ramshackle Floridian distillery presented by Straite to Hale
The eerie, hallowed grounds of a long-forgotten Celtic graveyard known as The Haunt With No Name… Yet
The Magic of the Jack O’Lanterns Bar, serving up spooky libations for guests 21 and older, in the glow of dozens of grinning gourds, courtesy of Thirteenth Floor Entertainment
A blood-sucking horde hidden away for generations within a dilapidated manor fromFear Farm
Another go-around with your favorite soapy and sudsy monsters from The Haunted Carwash
A totally tubular romp through an old movie theater showcasing some of the best horror flicks of the 1980s, presented by The Dreich Society
A chilling exploration through whisper-filled halls of the Shadows Hollow Asylum, created by Realm of Shadow
The continued twisted cinematic misadventures of Sid from Toy Story, from Monclova Media Group
And an abandoned old morgue where forgotten souls refuse to decay in silence, from Black Casket Productions.

The Decayed Brigade returns to Long Beach with three days of slider exhibitions that must be seen to be believed. Fans of all ages gather each year in the Hall of Shadows to witness this epic display of inhuman agility and terrifying precision. Midsummer Scream guests can catch this world-class sliding team on Friday night, followed by three shows daily both Saturday and Sunday.

All of this and more await within the fog-filled corridors of the Hall of Shadows, as fans dying to get in pry open the doors to Midsummer Scream the evening of Friday August 7, in Long Beach.

Guests will want to plan their weekend in advance — “like” panels and presentations, as well as attractions they’re interested in, connect with fellow fans, and browse hundreds of vendors with the official Midsummer Scream app, now available as a free download in the Apple and Android stores.

For breaking information about Midsummer Scream, sign up for our digital newsletter at MidsummerScream.com. Follow us on Instagram and Facebook by searching @midsummerscream.

Pearl Abyss Brings Crimson Desert to Gamescom 2026

1 month ago

Jerry Paxton

News, Geek News, PlayStation 5 News, Windows PC News, Xbox Series X News

Pearl Abyss today announced its presence at Gamescom 2026, where it will partner with Samsung to showcase the acclaimed open-world action-adventure Crimson Desert with an immersive public exhibit and a series of developer presentations highlighting the game’s technology and production.

From August 26-30, visitors can find the booth in Hall 09.1, Stand B020–C029, where attendees will experience the world of Pywel on Samsung’s latest gaming monitor hardware, including the 32-inch Odyssey G8, the industry’s first 6K gaming monitor with Dual Mode, offering either an ultra-high 6K resolution at 165Hz or a 3K resolution at an ultra-responsive 330Hz.

The booth will feature hands-on gameplay of Crimson Desert, live stage presentations, exclusive goodie giveaways, photo opportunities, and appearances from cosplayers inspired by the game’s characters and world.

Ahead of Gamescom, Pearl Abyss has also been invited to participate in Gamescom dev, Europe’s largest game developer conference, taking place August 23–25 at Koelnmesse in Cologne. The company will host two technical sessions exploring the artistic and engineering innovations behind Crimson Desert.

The first developer session, “How We Filled the Vast Continent of Pywel,” will examine the team’s world-building methodology, including how player exploration informed the design of Pywel, sample-based environment production workflows, and automated world-building pipelines that helped maintain visual consistency across the expansive open world. Developers will also discuss lessons learned while balancing vegetation density, terrain complexity, landmark placement, and environmental storytelling.

The second session, “Scaling Open World Creation in Crimson Desert with an In-House Engine,” will focus on Pearl Abyss’ proprietary BlackSpace Engine. The session will explore the engine’s approach to creating dynamic, living environments while delivering realistic scale, atmosphere, environmental density, and seamless world simulation. Attendees will also gain insight into procedural terrain generation tools and biome-based placement systems that enabled efficient large-scale world creation while preserving artistic control and regional identity.

The sessions will be presented by Geun-tae Ahn, Senior Leader of the Art Level Division, and Jin-hwan Kim and Jin-ho Yoon, Senior Leaders of the Game Engine Graphics Division. Designed for environment artists, rendering programmers, and technical artists, the presentations will provide practical insights into the production processes and technologies behind Crimson Desert.

Following the game’s successful launch in March, Crimson Desert surpassed 6 million copies sold within its first three months, marking a significant milestone for Pearl Abyss.

Crimson Desert is now available on PlayStation®5, Xbox Series X|S, Steam, Epic Game Store and Apple Mac.

For more information, please visit the official website and follow Crimson Desert on X, Instagram, Facebook, TikTok and YouTube.