Author - Jerry Paxton

‘Just Beyond’ Horror Comedy Series Ordered for Disney+

BURBANK, Calif. (May 7, 2020) – Disney+ has ordered the 8-episode series “Just Beyond” from writer Seth Grahame-Smith and produced by 20th Century Fox Television. The horror/comedy anthology, based on the best-selling BOOM! Studios graphic novel series from iconic children’s writer R.L. Stine (“Goosebumps”), was created by Grahame-Smith, who has a history of moving between horror and comedy as author of the bestselling novels “Pride and Prejudice and Zombies” and “Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter,” and screenwriter of Tim Burton’s “Dark Shadows,” “The Lego Batman Movie” and “The Saint” for director Dexter Fletcher and star Chris Pine.

“I grew up watching “Twilight Zone” reruns and the original “Amazing Stories” with my parents,” said Seth Grahame-Smith. “I’ve always wanted to make a genre anthology series that families could enjoy together, and do it in a way that delivered for kids and adults alike. R.L. Stine has been a part of millions of childhoods, and Disney+ has already proven itself as a place that knows how to make high-quality shows for the whole family. I couldn’t be more excited to be working with both of them.”

“Back in the day, we had a Goosebumps HorrorLand attraction at Walt Disney World,” said author R.L. Stine. “It was one of the thrills of my life. Now I’m thrilled to be back with Disney for the TV series based on my graphic novels. Writing “Just Beyond” for BOOM! Studios has been a joy from the beginning, and I’m so happy to have the wonderful screenwriter Seth Grahame-Smith bring the series to life on Disney+. How lucky can I be?”

A writers room is being assembled and the series is expected to come to Disney+ in the fall of 2021.

Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines 2 ‘Come Dance’ Trailer

May 8, 2020 – Paradox Interactive and Hardsuit Labs have revealed that Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines 2 will be heading to Xbox Series X and PlayStation 5. The reveal came with a new Bloodlines 2 trailer showing the Kindreds’ macabre dance between the living and the dead.

Bloodlines 2 on Xbox Series X will feature Smart Delivery – players who purchase the game for Xbox One will receive a copy of the game optimized for Xbox Series X at no additional cost. In addition, cross-generation character and progress saves between the two console versions will also be available.

We’ll share additional details about what Xbox Series X and PlayStation 5 support means for Bloodlines 2 at a later date.

It has been a while since we last talked about Bloodlines 2, so here’s a quick recap to get you up to speed:

Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines 2 is a vampire RPG featuring memorable characters and deep, reactive storytelling. Set in Seattle, players will make tough moral choices that will shape the world around them.

Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines 2 Key Features:

  • What Monster Will You Be? Choose to be brutal and unflinching or cultured and seductive. Use charm, cunning, terror and sheer will to rise through vampire society.
  • Descend into Seattle’s Dark Heart: Seattle has always been run by vampires; hunt your prey across locations faithfully reimagined in the World of Darkness.
  • Enter into Uneasy Alliances: Choose a side among the competing vampire factions in the war for Seattle’s blood trade. Everyone has hidden agendas, so choose your allies wisely
  • Experience the Story: Written by the creative mind behind the original Bloodlines, live out your vampire fantasy in a city filled with intriguing characters that react to your choices.

Railway Empire – Down Under Launch Trailer

Ridgewood, NJ – (May 8, 2020) – Publisher Kalypso Media and developer Gaming Minds Studios today launched the next DLC for Railway Empire, ‘Down Under’. In the series’ second visit to the Southern Hemisphere, Down Under DLC moves the beloved rail tycoon sim to the sun-scorched plains of the Australian outback.

The DLC adds four additional territories: New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia and Victoria, and allows players to discover 52 new cities, customize settlements, and trade goods customary to the continent, such as beer and grilled seafood.

Check out the Kalypso Store and feature list below for a full run-down.

LucidSound LS50X Wireless Hybrid Gaming Headset Available Now

SAN DIEGO, May 6, 2020 — LucidSound, announced today that the LS50X Wireless Hybrid Gaming Headset is now shipping and available at lucidsound.com, amazon.com and gamestop.com.

The LS50X delivers the ultimate gaming audio experience in a design that rivals some of the best audiophile headphones on the market. The headset uses an advanced chipset that provides unparalleled wireless gaming performance and wireless mobile performance via Bluetooth. Notably, the chip allows the LS50X to deliver lag-free, uncompressed audio for gaming even in crowded WiFi areas. The LS50X is compatible with the full family of Xbox One devices, as well as the next generation of Xbox, Xbox Series X, launching Holiday 2020.

Built around the gamer’s lifestyle, the LS50X can simultaneously connect to your phone or other Bluetooth device while playing on Xbox. Take a phone call while gaming or listen to your favorite tunes, all while hearing game audio and chatting with friends on Xbox Live. When you’re ready to roll, the LS50X goes with you for wireless mobile gaming, music and calls. Unlike the stereotypical gaming headset designs that you would never wear outside your gaming setup, the LS50X won’t kill your style.

“You don’t have to look far to see how technology, style and design have shaped the world we live in. We combine all three of these to create the only gamer’s lifestyle headset that delivers the best wireless gaming experience combined with the best wireless mobile experience,” said Chris Von Huben, CEO of LucidSound.

The LS50X is available now at lucidsound.com, amazon.com, and gamestop.com.

LS50X Headset Features:

  • Future Proof: The LS50X is compatible with the full family of Xbox One devices, as well as the next generation of Xbox, Xbox Series X, launching Holiday 2020.
  • Signature Controls: The LS50X features the LucidSound iconic intuitive volume and mute controls, fully integrated into the design aesthetic.
  • Seamless Device Switching: The LS50X can be connected to Xbox devices and can connect to any Bluetooth audio device simultaneously, with seamless switching between the two.
  • Voice Prompts: Receive setting prompts as you set up and use your headset.
  • EQ Modes: 5 different EQ modes including Signature Sound, Bass Boost, Music Mode, Movie Mode, and Flat EQ.
  • Crystal-Clear Chat with Dual Mics: The dual microphone system offers a flexible boom mic for intense online gameplay. Remove the boom mic to use the integrated mic for mobile. Both mics support background noise and echo cancellation.
  • Designed for Comfort: Ultra-plush, easily replaceable oval earcups include advanced memory foam combined with cooling gel for superior comfort during long play sessions.
    Sound Quality: Custom-tuned 50mm speakers with state-of-the-art neodymium magnets provide deep bass and clear highs. Immerse yourself in the expertly crafted, signature LucidSound audio acoustics.
  • 20-Hour Battery Life: The built-in lightweight rechargeable battery delivers up to 20 hours of wireless operation. Even longer in Bluetooth only mode.
  • Premium Materials and Build Quality: Designed to be comfortable for every head size. Durable components and solid metal touchpoints are made to last.

The LS50X is available now at LucidSound, GameStop, and Amazon websites for $249.99. For more information on LucidSound visit www.lucidsound.com, follow us on Twitter and Instagram, ‘like’ us on Facebook.

DIRT 5 Announcement Trailer

Larkspur, Calif. (May 7, 2020) – Codemasters today reveals the next generation of racing with the announcement of DIRT 5, launching October 2020 on Xbox Series X, PlayStation®5, PC (Steam) and the current generation of Xbox and PlayStation consoles. A Google Stadia version will be released early 2021. Fully optimized for all platforms, DIRT 5 is a new heart-pounding off-road driving experience set against a sensory backdrop of vibrant visuals, an eclectic soundtrack, and dynamic weather conditions.

DIRT 5’s global journey takes in some of the most thrilling, exotic, and picturesque settings such as New York City and Rio de Janeiro alongside challenging events in remote areas of Greece and China. Players will experience the thrill of in-your-face extreme racing in a variety of vehicle classes from buggies, unlimited trucks, and rock bouncers to traditional and modern rally cars.

The expansive narrative-driven Career mode is bigger in every way with event types and challenges across some of the toughest terrain. Before hitting the track, get creative using the livery editor, with more customization options than any previous DIRT game. DIRT 5 features a non-linear progression path, so players can choose more of the events they want.

DIRT 5 heralds the return of split-screen for up to four players. The full list of game modes will be announced shortly, including a new game mode focused on creativity and designed for social couch play with friends or global online battles against the best racers in the DIRT universe.

DIRT 5 also boasts a roster of voice talent led by the iconic Nolan North and Troy Baker. Together, and in their unique style, the dynamic duo guide and mentor players through the Career mode and feature in the DIRT in-game podcast series, including the voice talents of other celebrities from the worlds of racing and gaming.

“As a studio, we are big fans of DiRT 2 and 3. This game is our homage: a bigger, amplified DIRT off-road experience in a setting that is alive, challenging and fun,” said Robert Karp, DIRT 5 development director at Codemasters. “Whether you want to compete against the AI on some of the world’s most challenging environments or play a four-player split-screen game with your friends, DIRT 5 has you covered.”

Keep up with all the DIRT 5 news and follow updates from the studio on Instagram, YouTube, Twitter and Facebook.

Call of the Sea Announcement Trailer

STOCKHOLM — May 7, 2020 — As part of Microsoft’s Inside Xbox livestream, video game publisher Raw Fury and indie game studio Out of the Blue have announced Call of the Sea — an otherworldly first-person puzzle adventure game launching as an Xbox Game Pass title and coming to Xbox Series X, Xbox One and PC in late 2020.

An otherworldly tale of mystery and self-discovery set in the 1930s, Call of the Sea is a love letter to the adventure game genre that follows one woman’s desperate search for her missing husband in the isolated reaches of the South Pacific. On an uncharted island paradise, you’ll discover the remnants of a lost civilization and unlock puzzles and secrets to reveal the fate of your husband’s ill-fated expedition. But in the course of your search, you may soon come to realize that not everything on this strange island is as it seems…

FEATURES:

  • Explore a lush tropical island gorgeously modeled in Unreal Engine 4, brimming with amazing sights, lost ruins and occult mysteries.
  • Investigate clues left by previous inhabitants and solve a variety of puzzles to unlock the mystery of what really happened.
  • Experience a suspenseful, emotional journey of self-discovery, fully voiced by BAFTA-winning actress Cissy Jones (Firewatch, Life Is Strange, The Walking Dead).
  • For more on Call of the Sea, venture to its official webpages at www.calloftheseagame.com and rawfury.com/portfolio/call-of-the-sea.

Those Who Remain – Welcome to Dormont Trailer

Watford, UK – MAY 7, 2020 – Award-winning publisher, Wired Productions, and up-and-coming independent studio, Camel 101, today announced that the PlayStation®4, Xbox One, and Steam® for Windows PC version of their first-person psychological-thriller, Those Who Remain, is confirmed for digital release on May 28th, with a retail-exclusive Deluxe Edition set to launch globally later in the summer, alongside a Nintendo Switch™ edition.

Those Who Remain will be available in Standard and a retail-exclusive Deluxe Edition for PS4 and PC, which will include a digital download of the beautifully illustrated comic prequel story ‘Those Who Remain: Lights Out’.

Get a glimpse of the unique atmospheric horror awaiting players in Those Who Remain by checking out the new ‘Welcome to Dormont’ trailer:

“Those Who Remain is a game Camel 101 should be proud of,” said Leo Zullo, Managing Director, Wired Productions. “With the announcement of the digital release, we are set to offer fans of thrillers and adventure a unique supernatural experience. Later this summer, our offering expands with the retail-exclusive Deluxe Edition, and to compliment this, we’ll welcome Nintendo Switch owners to their own chilling adventure.”

Set in the sleepy town of Dormont, a town in a spiraling split from the fabric of reality, warped by darkness and the deeds of the citizens who reside, Those Who Remain is a story-driven, first-person adventure thriller combining a deeply atmospheric game world with tense psychological horror that delves deep into the human psyche.

Edward, a man who had previously enjoyed the perfect life, is attempting to break off an affair to put his life back on track by driving into the night, unaware of the darkness brewing below Dormont and the cause of recent disappearances. Players must confront the unknown horrors reflected by the darkness and survive the night as Edward is faced with a test of his sanity, morality and the shadows of evil that lurks below.

Those Who Remain is rated PEGI 16 and will release on digital stores for PlayStation®4, Xbox One, and Steam® for Windows PC on May 28th, 2020 with a launch SRP of £15.99 / €19.99 / $19.99. The retail-exclusive Deluxe Edition will be available for PS4 and PC and is open for pre-orders now via http://www.ThoseWhoRemain.com. Add the game to your Steam Wish List here.

The Walking Dead: Saints & Sinners PSVR Launch Trailer

May 5, 2020 – Skydance Interactive, a division of Skydance Media, and Skybound Entertainment released its survival horror virtual reality game, The Walking Dead: Saints & Sinners, for PlayStation VR (PSVR) today. Since its launch earlier this year for PC platforms, including Oculus Rift, Rift S, Quest (via Link cable only) and HTC Vive, The Walking Dead: Saints & Sinners has been praised by critics for its deep crafting system and visceral, physics-based combat system and appeared as one Steam’s Global Top Sellers. Now optimized for PSVR, The Walking Dead: Saints & Sinners allows players to fight the undead, scavenge for food and materials while they face gut-wrenching choices for themselves and others in order to survive in the flooded remains of New Orleans.

Skydance Interactive is thrilled to open the floodgates for PSVR players to dive into The Walking Dead: Saints & Sinners’ overflown and infested streets of New Orleans. Players will fight their way through walker-infested streets and negotiate with the factions vying for power throughout the city. The Walking Dead: Saints & Sinners is optimized for PSVR to allow players to use the PlayStation Move controllers for the first time to survive an ever-changing landscape that’ll have them deciding whether they want to be a saint or a sinner.

The Walking Dead: Saints & Sinners Standard Edition for PSVR is available for $39.99 via the PlayStation Store and The Walking Dead: Saints & Sinners’ official website, and includes an exclusive PlayStation 4 theme. Players looking for more content can purchase either the Tourist Edition (Digital Deluxe Edition at launch, which offers more in-game bonuses and exclusive items as well as an exclusive PlayStation 4 dynamic theme. Details on the exclusives can also be found on The Walking Dead: Saints & Sinners’ official website.

To keep up to date on news for The Walking Dead: Saints & Sinners visit www.vrwalkingdead.com and follow the official Facebook, Instagram and Twitter channels for the game.

MicroProse is Back with Three New Games

May 5, 2020 – This would probably be enough to send shivers down the spine of every strategy and simulation gamer out there. MicroProse has always been about the games, and this announcement is intended to show everybody how we intend to take the market by the storm with original and high-quality games in the strategy and simulation genres.

We are proud to announce three new games that are in development right now and on Steam.

This is only the beginning, though. Other announcements will follow soon as our line-up is constantly growing, together with our ambitious plans. Enough with bragging, let’s get to the games!

Sea Power – Developer: Triassic Games

Brought to you by the lead designer of Cold Waters, Sea Power lets you control NATO and Warsaw Pact forces in a modern naval conflict.

Whether it’s gunning it out with Boghammars in a surface duel, fighting off aerial attackers armed with long-range missiles, or hunting for enemy submarines with aircraft and surface ships, advanced weaponry and sensors are at your disposal.

Can you successfully hide your forces while detecting and tracking theirs? It is up to you to play an advanced game of cat and mouse on the high seas, to seize the initiative and attack with the advantage of surprise on your side. And at all times, you have to observe rules of engagement and take care not to cause an unnecessary incident that could lead to escalation. After all, you cannot really be sure just who that radar contact at 30.000 feet is, can you?

Second Front – Developer: Hexdraw

Second Front is the tactical WWII game that genre enthusiasts always wanted and never really got. Sporting a full-fledged 3D engine and an easy to use user interface, the game is easy to play but hard to master.

Playing a tactical game that is deeper than your average X-Com clone, with a competent AI and a powerful editor to create scenarios and campaigns has been the dream of tactical players for long.

Second Front comes with multiple campaigns covering different fronts of World War II and sporting German, American and Russian units. Scenarios are fought in a 60 turns battle cycle, from morning to night. Fight and rest or push your troops to the limit and press the attack. These are not set-pieces scripted battles but continuous emergent skirmishes with persistent loss, fatigue, and experience.

Task Force Admiral – Developer: Drydock Dreams Games

Task Force Admiral Vol.1: American Carrier Battles is a single-player experience centred on the command of an early Pacific War US Navy carrier task force.

As the overall commander, you are in charge of seeking the destruction of the enemy naval forces and preventing your opponent, the Japanese Navy, from accomplishing its objectives. To achieve your aims, you have at your disposal the most fearsome sea projection weapon known to Man in 1942: your carrier air groups and the task forces that support them.

Forget about the limitations of the past and let the best of wargaming and simulation blend and blossom together in this new take on command at sea! Re-live the great battles of the first year of the Pacific War as if you were there yourself. In here there is no dice roll, no artificial skill-tree, no arbitrary stats, selective fog of war or supernatural crystal-clear communications. It is real-time crisis management for you, realism and historicity without concession, as little abstraction as can be, and loads of action, suspense and refreshing gameplay packed in the same single computer software.

About MicroProse

Founded in 1982, is a world-famous simulation software company, known for developing groundbreaking, classics and cult titles like, the Falcon, F15 Strike Eagle, Silent Service, Gunship, Grand Prix, Civilization, B-17 The Mighty Eighth and X-COM series and many more simulation products, that sold millions of copies each at retail. Today, MicroProse is not only remaking select classics from its past but also paving the road to next-generation, state of the art games that will create the memories and experiences of the demanding new generations of gamers.

Skater XL Launch Date and New in-Game Brands Announced

LOS ANGELES, CA – MAY 5, 2020 – Easy Day Studios announced today that Skater XL, a game that delivers unparalleled access to skateboarding culture, will be launching on July 7 for digital release on PlayStation@4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch and PC, and to brick and mortar retailers on PS4 and Xbox One. Preorder for Xbox One and PlayStation@4 discs is available now at select retailers. Click HERE for more information.

Easy Day Studios also announced today that Skater XL will feature apparel, footwear, decks, wheels, and more from top skate brands, including:

  • New Balance – Numeric Shoes and Apparel
  • Etnies – Footwear and Apparel
  • Enjoi – Skateboards and Apparel
  • Blind – Skateboards and Apparel
  • Almost – Skateboards and Apparel
  • DC Shoes – Footwear and Apparel
  • Santa Cruz Skateboards – Decks
  • Vans – Shoes
  • Primitive – Decks and Apparel
  • Element – Decks and Apparel
  • Independent Truck Co. – Trucks and Apparel
  • Venture – Trucks
  • Thunder – Trucks
  • Spitfire – Wheels
  • Lakai – Footwear and Apparel
  • ẻS – Footwear and Apparel
  • Emerica – Footwear and Apparel
  • Grimple Stix – Decks
  • Sk8Mafia – Decks and Apparel
  • SOVRN – Decks and Apparel
  • Ricta – Wheels
  • Mob Grip – Grip tape
  • Bones – Wheels and Apparel
  • Crupie – Wheels
  • Grizzly – Grip tape and Apparel
  • Dickies – Apparel
  • Old Friends – Apparel
  • Transworld Skateboarding – Apparel
  • 411VM – Apparel
  • The Nine Club – Apparel