Author - Jerry Paxton

Street Fighter V Gets Breast Cancer Research Charity Costumes

In honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, Street Fighter™ V is teaming up with the Breast Cancer Research Foundation (BCRF), the largest private funders of breast cancer research in the world, to offer all-new themed costumes for playable characters Chun-Li and Ryu. These special edition pink hued charity costumes are designed to bring more awareness and support for breast cancer research. The two BCRF costumes for Chun-Li and Ryu will be available globally in the PS4 and Steam versions of Street Fighter V for a limited time, beginning on Oct. 12, 2021 and ending on Nov. 12, 2021. The costumes will be offered individually each for $5.99 USD or both together for $9.99 USD, with all proceeds received going to breast cancer research.

Every 14 seconds, somewhere in the world, a woman is diagnosed with breast cancer. Globally, breast cancer causes the greatest number of cancer-related deaths among women—with an estimated 685,000 women this year alone. But thanks to research, progress is possible. In the U.S., deaths from breast cancer has declined by 40 percent since BCRF was founded.

“This year, breast cancer became the most common cancer worldwide, impacting 2.3 million people” said BCRF President and CEO Myra Biblowit. “The need for better, more effective treatments have never been greater. We’re grateful for the opportunity to highlight this critical need through Capcom’s wide reach. Through this partnership, we are poised to make a direct and tangible impact on advancing lifesaving science—together.”

From Oct. 12, 2021 to Nov. 12, 2021, Capcom will donate 100% of the proceeds that it receives for the purchases of the Chun-Li and Ryu costumes to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation with a guaranteed minimum donation of $25,000 USD. Capcom will disclose the total amount of its donation following the end of the campaign.

The Long Dark Episode Four Is Out Now with A Launch Trailer

Hinterland is proud to announce that Episode Four of The Long Dark’s immersive narrative mode is available today on PC and console. Episode Four: Fury, Then Silence continues Will Mackenzie’s journey, as the crashed pilot navigates a tense situation at Blackrock Federal Penitentiary. All the while, players will be able to explore an all-new region built around the imposing Blackrock Mountain. Episode Four offers between 8-12 hours of play time, 60 minutes of new cinematics, and 40 minutes of original music, as well as introducing new key characters and setting up for the finale in Episode Five.

What’s new in Episode Four?

  • New Region, BLACKROCK: Episode Four takes place in a brand new region built around Blackrock Mountain. The Penitentiary is the region’s main point of interest, itself featuring multiple locations including the Prison Block, the Infirmary, Barracks, etc., but there are also several other locations in the broader region including a Substation, a Power Plant, the Steam Tunnels under the prison complex, and a three-level deep Mine at the foot of Blackrock Mountain.
  • New Tool, NOISEMAKER: Blackrock Region is heavily “patrolled” by Timberwolf Packs, The Long Dark’s most dangerous wildlife. The Noisemaker — crafted from Cans, Gunpowder, and Cloth for a fuse — serves as a useful deterrent and is one of the most effective ways to break Wolfpack morale.
  • New Lighting: The lighting model in the game has been completely redone, making Episode Four the best-looking episode yet.
  • Improved Cinematic Narrative: Episode Four represents Hinterland’s strongest work in cinematic narrative to date.
  • Character models and animation fidelity have also been improved.

“We’re thrilled to bring people back into the story of Mackenzie and Astrid, and into the frigid wilderness of Great Bear Island,” said Raphael van Lierop, Creative Director at Hinterland. “I’m so proud of this team, which has pushed hard through a global pandemic to deliver what I believe is our strongest episode to date. Get ready to face Mathis and the dangers of Blackrock Prison, in Fury, Then Silence.”

Episode Four: Fury, Then Silence is available as a free download to existing owners of The Long Dark starting October 6 on Steam and Epic Games Store for PC and Mac, Xbox One (Xbox Series X|S via backward compatibility), PlayStation 4 (PlayStation 5 via backward compatibility), and Nintendo Switch. The Long Dark is available for $34.99 USD (exact pricing dependent on platform and territory), and it includes all five episodes of the WINTERMUTE story mode, as well as its robust, award-winning Survival Mode.

RiMS Racing Gets a Launch Trailer for the Nintendo Switch

NACON and RaceWard Studio have announced that motorbike simulation title RiMS Racing is now available on Switch in North America. Far from an ordinary racer, RiMS Racing offers fans the chance to experience hyper realistic motorbike mechanics as a rider and an engineer. Players can now race on tracks, experiment with spare parts, personalize their motorbikes and more at home or on the go thanks to the Switch’s hybrid functionality. RiMS Racing is also available worldwide on PlayStation®4, PlayStation®5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S and PC.

From the get-go, fans will be able to ride eight of the world’s most powerful motorbikes from renowned manufacturers Ducati, BMW, Suzuki, Kawasaki, Yamaha and more. In between cruising on official circuits and roads set around the globe, players will be able to analyse performance and configure their motorbike according to their riding style.

Career mode challenges riders to manage a calendar, study R&D areas, and upgrade skills to improve their team’s races. RiMS Racing completely immerses players in the world of motorbike racing, daring them to carefully balance a need for speed with engineering foresight.

RiMS Racing is now available worldwide on Switch, PlayStation®4, PlayStation®5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S and PC. To keep up to date with all the latest information on the title, please like us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter, visit the game’s Steam page, and visit our website.

Farming Simulator 22 Unveils New Gameplay Mechanics

Developer and publisher GIANTS Software did some groundwork and introduces more gameplay mechanics for Farming Simulator 22: With mulching, stone picking and soil rolling, three new ground working features will extend the virtual experience. The more realistic depiction of agriculture allows players to improve their soil quality even further.

Mulching: way more than bark chips for your backyard
While mulching is prominently known in domestic gardening through use of bark chips, in Farming Simulator 22 it becomes an integral part of increasing the yield as it is in real agriculture: Players mulch the narrow spaces between their brand-new grape vines and olive groves with fresh cut grass to increase the soil quality while making everything look nice and clean, or mulch the stubble left on the field after harvesting other crops.

Stone picking: a new type of enemy for virtual farmers
It’s not just weeds, virtual farmers have to fight: Lying dormant in the ground, stones can be dug up by plowing or cultivating. To avoid the risk of damaging machines, players will have to remove them. Dependent on the size, they either have to use a stone picking tool attached to the tractor, or roll over with the new rollers – effectively sweeping them under the nutrient-rich topsoil, at least for a while.

Let’s roll: soil rollers increase the yield (and are fun to operate)
With spectacular looking agricultural tools called rollers, players can press small stones back into the ground to conceal the rocky consequences of cultivating. After sowing crops, farmers gain additional yield bonuses when rolling over the seedbed to compact the soil. Grassland farmers also gain a fertilizing stage by rolling over their meadows.

Better looking soil: A feast for farmer’s eyes
Virtual farmers with an eye for detail will also notice the all-new ground textures. Basically all ground textures have been revised for the upcoming game, resulting in more visual diversity and authentic representation of the various soil states.

Farming Simulator 22 releases November 22nd for PC, Mac, PlayStation®5 (PS5™), Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation®4, Xbox One and Stadia.

World of Warships Celebrates Halloween 2021

Today Wargaming, developer and publisher of the world’s most popular free to play naval warfare game, World of Warships, is launching an explosive new update packed with new features. It includes limited time themed events for the ghoulish Halloween season, as well as the arrival of a fleet of new German battleships.

Take to the seas aboard all-new German Battleships

With the ‘German Battleships: Part One’ event, a sweep of Tier III-IX German battleships hit Early Access, from the WWI-serving BB Von der Tann to the Tier IX Prinz Rupprecht. Armed with lethally precise main battery guns and a gamut of long-ranged secondary battery guns, consumables include Hydroacoustic Search, as well as Fast Damage Control Team with a limited number of charges. From Tier VII upwards, ships will also come fitted with torpedo tubes.

Tiers III-IX of these powerful vessels will be available within sequential bundles in exchange for German Tokens, a new temporary resource earned through taking part in the Personal Challenges event or obtainable from the Armory. The port of Hamburg has also been spruced up in honour of the update.

And going once, going twice! Coming up for auction will be early access to the Tier X Schlieffen, starting at 1,000 doubloons. More details about the dates and rules of the auction will be announced further into the update.

Trick or treat with new and returning game modes

The temporary battle type, Twilight Hunt, makes a ghostly entrance in this update from October 20-21, pitting 16 players both against each other and the AI-controlled Twilight Fleet in the Polygon map. The aim is to earn as many Battle Points as possible by destroying the enemy armada, led by the fearsome boss ship Rasputin. Hop aboard the monster ships Fangblade, Thornridge, and Lobster-Eyed for the spookiest experience!

From the start and until the end of the update, old favorites Operation Saving Transylvania and Sunray in Darkness will be making a grand comeback.

More game-changing additions

In Personal Challenges, players must fill out the mission requirements of each personal records table to progress onto the next part and bring in those juicy rewards – coal and German Tokens, that can be used to obtain new German battleships plus a host of camouflages and flags.

Submarines will also be available for rental in random battles to test this class in a live environment with their new balance changes.

For the full patch notes of the update, please click here.

See the Official Teaser Trailer for HBO’s House of the Dragon

HBO has released the first official teaser for its upcoming drama series, HOUSE OF THE DRAGON. The teaser was first unveiled as part of today’s HBO Max Europe launch event.

Based on George R.R. Martin’s “Fire & Blood,” the series, which is set 200 years before the events of “Game of Thrones,” tells the story of House Targaryen.

The teaser featured the first official footage from the highly anticipated series, which contained several previously announced cast members in addition to the following newly revealed cast:

  • Wil Johnson as Ser Vaemond Velaryon – Younger brother to Coryls Velaryon and commander in the Velaryon navy
  • John Macmillan as Ser Laenor Velaryon – Son of Corlys Velaryon and  Rhaenys Targaryen
  • Savannah Steyn as Lady Laena Velayron  Daughter of Corlys Velaryon and Rhaenys Targaryen
  • Theo Nate as Ser Laenor Velaryon – Son of Corlys Velaryon and Rhaenys Targaryen

Co-Creator/Executive Producer, George R.R. Martin; Co-Creator/Co-Showrunner/ Executive Producer/Writer, Ryan Condal; Co-Showrunner/Director of pilot and additional episodes/Executive Producer, Miguel Sapochnik; Executive Producers, Vince Gerardis, Ron Schmid; Executive Producer/Writer, Sara Hess; Directors Clare Kilner, Geeta V. Patel; Director/Co-Executive Producer, Greg Yaitanes. Based on George R.R. Martin’s “Fire & Blood.”

Hell Let Loose Released on the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X Platforms

Team17 and Black Matter have today unleashed the horrors of World War II on console with the launch of Hell Let Loose on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S. Available to PlayStation Plus members for free during October, Hell Let Loose is an online strategic squad shooter that brings a sobering and brutally authentic portrayal of front-line World War II warfare to the new current generation of console platforms for the very first time. In addition to crossplay between the console platforms, Hell Let Loose on Xbox Series X and PlayStation 4 runs in 4K resolution (1080p on Xbox Series S) and 60 frames per second across all consoles.

Hell Let Loose features relentless 50 vs. 50 gameplay set across 10 maps that authentically depict some of the most important and notorious battles on the Western Front of the war, including Utah and Omaha beaches, Carentan, and Foy. Fourteen roles are available to choose from, including sniper, tank crewman, and engineer, with each side’s strategy developed and managed by an overarching Commander via squad officers.

Hell Let Loose is available on Xbox Series X|S and for non-PlayStation Plus members for $39.99/ €39.99/£34.99, with a physical release on both platforms following on 2nd November for the same price. Also launching today for both Xbox Series X|S and PlayStation 5 is the Iron Vanguard downloadable content, which provides additional cosmetic items including The “Hell on Wheels” jacket for US tank crew and “Rolled Sleeves” for All German roles for $4.99/€4.99/£3.99. This winter will see the introduction to console of the Eastern Front, a free update that includes the infamous battlefields of Kursk and Stalingrad, as well as Soviet forces.

Today’s console launch follows the game’s full release onto Steam in July; as part of today’s console release Hell Let Loose is available to buy on Steam at a 25% discount – reduced to $29.99/€29.99/£26.24 – until 11th October.

Hell Let Loose features:

  • The brutality of the War in Europe: Hell Let Loose portrays the battles of World War II’s Western Front across two distinct modes, Offensive and Warfare.
  • Authentic strategic gameplay: Each side is broken down into armour, infantry, and recon, led by officers with a direct line to an overall player-commander directing the flow of the game.
  • Unique metagame: Extended battles entrench participants in the tidal-like motion of the frontline that builds up Hell Let Loose’s real-time strategy inspired metagame.
  • Playing a Part: Fourteen roles are available for players to experience, from engineers and snipers, commanders and tank crewmen, medics and support; all play a part in the war effort.
  • Enhanced haptic feedback: Hell Let Loose on PlayStation 5 includes immersive DualSense haptic support per weapon; adaptive triggers support when driving or shooting, and DualSense Audio feedback via the controller’s speaker.

Be A Game Dev with the New Probe: A Game Dev Experience Game

Sony Interactive Entertainment España (SIE España) and Voxel Labs announce that their game-based learning experience Probe: A Game Dev Experience is now available on PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5 and also has support for PlayStation VR as a digital-only title for $17.99 / €14,99. The game has been supported by PlayStation®Talents.

Crafting video games isn’t an easy task. Coding, designing, having art skills… not everybody was up to it — until now. Probe: A Game Dev Experience is a serious game about the art of video game development. Players will learn the fundamentals while they experience the ups and downs of the creative process: from the occasional hiccup in terms of production to detect and identify those mechanics that need to be polished thanks to software emulators that mimic those used in real-life environments.

Probe: A Game Dev Experience is a serious game designed to let players experience the creative process in the first person. They will have a behind-the-scenes look at the process that will help them understand how a production process works while they get familiar with everyday terms & concepts of the video games industry. Not everything will be a pleasant trip, as players will also have to solve problems by identifying them and outlining a correct strategy to solve them.

KEY FEATURES

  • Immerse yourself in the heart of the videogame industry in a truly interactive way. Get to know the world behind the world of video games, first-hand: from production to coding, designing and modeling the characters.
  • Identify and solve problems during the production phase as a real producer would do.
  • Experience the ups & downs of game development while using tools that mimic those that AAA studios feature in their video games.

GWENT: The Witcher Card Game Episode 3 is Out Now with A Launch Trailer

CD PROJEKT RED today announced that Price of Power: Harvest of Sorrow — the latest expansion for GWENT: The Witcher Card Game — is now available. Players can download the expansion for free on PC, Apple M1 Macs, iOS, and Android.

Harvest of Sorrow is the third and final installment of the Price of Power expansion set, and introduces 26 new cards including four of differing rarities per faction and two neutrals. This plot for this expansion focuses on the Valley of Flowers, where summer is coming to an end, and with it the time of joy and carelessness. Merciless winds are blowing from the north, bringing fire and the echo of marching armies along with them, yet hope still remains in those who have managed to survive the slaughter

Kegs containing cards from this expansion — and all previous Price of Power expansions — are now available to buy in the GWENT in-game store. Until November 16th, 11:59 AM CET, players can still purchase the Price of Power Expansion Pass for 30% off, granting them all 117 cards from the entire expansion set, including Premium cards, 21 ornaments comprising 8 avatars, a game board, a cardback, the brand new Octavia Hale ‘Witchfinder’ leader skin, and the animated Pyre coin. Also available in the GWENT in-game store is the Harvest of Sorrow Combo Offer, which includes all Harvest of Sorrow Premium cards, as well as 6 avatars, and the Octavia Hale ‘Witchfinder’ leader skin.

Learn More About the Price of Power Expansion Set

GWENT: The Witcher Card Game is available for free on PC via GOG.COM and Steam, Apple M1 Macs running macOS, as well as on Android and iOS. For more information on GWENT, visit playgwent.com.

Killing Floor 2: Day of the Zed Halloween Update Launch Trailer

Developer and publisher Tripwire Interactive is starting Halloween celebrations early with today’s launch of the Killing Floor 2: Day of the Zed Halloween update. Out now for the PlayStation®4 computer entertainment system, Xbox One family of devices including the Xbox One X, and PC via Steam or the Epic Games Store, today’s free update for the first-person shooter, co-op action title brings a cornucopia of spooky new content for players to sink their teeth into, including the new Netherhold map, weekly game modes Wild West London and Abandon All Hope, weapons, cosmetics, and the return Halloween-themed Zed variants!

To celebrate today’s Day of the Zed update, Killing Floor 2 will be on sale across all platforms in various Halloween promotions later in October. Be sure and follow Tripwire on social media for all of the latest sales information!

Killing Floor 2: Day of the Zed Update Highlights:

  • New Featured Community Map: Netherhold
    • This dark and gloomy Killing Floor 2 custom map drips sinister atmosphere and style that’s perfect for the spooky season, while featuring many hidden areas and secret rooms. In addition, players can unlock a Unique Seasonal Reward for completing the five new Netherhold objectives.
    • Supported Modes: Survival, Weekly, and Endless
  • New Weekly Game Modes
    • Wild West London: This rootin’ tootin’ mode is for Gunslingers only with cowboy hats for EVERYONE. Weapons are limited to revolvers and lever actions and everything will look properly old-timey with a special sepia filter designed for this new mode.
    • Abandon All Hope: Take on the ultimate Killing Floor 2 challenge with Maximum Difficulty Mode, which is even more difficult than “Hell on Earth.” To make things more interesting, Spawn Rate has been pushed to Max, Spawn Pools of Heavies are increased substantially, and Health and Damage output of enemies pushed beyond “Hell on Earth” levels. Players tough enough to complete Abandon All Hope will be rewarded with a special Kriss Elite Skin.
  • New Weapons
    • Piranha Pistol(s) for Gunslinger / Berserker classes
    • Corrupter Carbine for Field Medic / Sharpshooter classes
    • HRG Disrupter for Gunslinger class
    • HRG Tommy Boom for Demolitionist class

In Killing Floor 2, players descend into continental Europe where the outbreak caused by Horzine Biotech’s failed experiment has quickly spread and gained unstoppable momentum, essentially paralyzing the European Union— Just one month after the events in the original KILLING FLOOR, the specimen clones are everywhere and civilization is in disarray; communications have failed, governments have collapsed, and military forces have been systematically eradicated. The people of Europe know survival and self-preservation too well and lucky survivors have gone into hiding.

Not all have given up hope though… A group of civilians and mercenaries have banded together to combat the outbreak and established privately funded operation bases across Europe. Upon tracking specimen clone outbreaks, players will descend into zed-laden hot zones and exterminate them.

Killing Floor 2 has an MSRP of $29.99 / €29.99 / £24.99, and is developed and published by Tripwire Interactive and is published at retail by Deep Silver and Iceberg Interactive for the Xbox One, Xbox One X, PlayStation®4 Pro, PlayStation®4, and PC. This title has been rated M by the ESRB, PEGI 18, USK 18.

Stay up-to-date with the latest Killing Floor 2 news and information on the official website. You can also keep track of Tripwire Interactive by visiting the official website, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.