Author - Jerry Paxton

Lucasfilm Announces Art Pavilion and The Mandalorian Sneak Peek for D23

2019/07/11

SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. (July 11, 2019) — For the first time at D23 Expo, Lucasfilm will host a pavilion on the show floor from August 23-25 with an impressive display showcasing the evolution of the Star Wars stormtrooper. The exhibit will include several of the screen-used costumes seen throughout the iconic movie series. From the classic stormtrooper to the new design featured in the upcoming Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, this stunning display is a rare opportunity to examine these production costumes up close and study the many unique styles deployed throughout a galaxy far, far away.

Also featured in the Lucasfilm pavilion will be a special section for young Padawans that will include Star Wars Galaxy of Adventures video shorts along with multiple interactive activities for kids.

Plus, as part of the Disney+ panel on Friday, August 23, at 3:30 p.m. in Hall D23, fans will get a sneak peek at Jon Favreau’s action-packed bounty hunter series, The Mandalorian. The Mandalorian (played by Pedro Pascal) is a bounty hunter who travels the outer reaches of the lawless galaxy, surviving as a mercenary-for-hire. Dave Filoni (supervising director on Star Wars: The Clone Wars and writer/director on The Mandalorian), along with special guests, will join Favreau for the on-stage presentation. The highly anticipated program for Disney+ represents the first-ever Star Wars live-action series.

Single-day tickets for Friday and Sunday of D23 Expo 2019 are available for $89 for one-day adult admission and $69 for children 3–9. Gold Members of D23: The Official Disney Fan Club can purchase tickets for $77 for a one-day adult admission and $59 for children 3–9. Single-day Saturday tickets and three-day passes are sold out. For more information on tickets and D23 Expo 2019, visit D23Expo.com.

New French Battleships Steaming Towards World of Warships Blitz

2019/07/11

Jerry Paxton

Geek News, Mobile News, News, Trailers / Videos

July 11, 2019 — Joining the cruisers in the French tech tree, a group of battleships are set sail for battle in World of Warships Blitz. The premier French battleship is the Turenne, sitting at Tier III, is researchable from Friant, the Tier III cruiser. The new additions are:

Turenne, Tier III
Courbet, Tier IV
Bretagne, Tier V
Normandie, Tier VI
Lyon, Tier VII
Gascogne, Tier VIII
Alsace, Tier IX
République, Tier X

At lower tiers, these battleships are much like those in other nations: good armor with hard-hitting guns. When progressing up the tech tree, these vessels eventually morph and become much like battle cruisers that are quite speedy. From Tier VII and up, these battleships start to really show their class; the high-tier battleships boast strong AA armament and their turrets now have 4 guns. The only downside of having more guns is that they are of a smaller caliber.

Overall, these battleships are fast and agile—a not-so-common trail for this class—which can go even faster with the Engine Accelerator skill. In addition to their pace, these French ships have pretty accurate guns, which is a perfect counter for their biggest weakness—their weak armor.

All the new French vessels are locked and loaded, eager to take to battle in World of Warships Blitz.

Dual Universe Alpha 2 Features Trailer

2019/07/11

Jerry Paxton

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

PARIS, FRANCE – July 11, 2019 – Today, Novaquark is excited to launch the second playable Alpha phase for its civilization-building sci-fi MMO, Dual Universe. Continuing to deliver on its roadmap promises, the Alpha 2 unleashes upon its passionate community a freighter full of new content focused on expanding the game’s player-driven economy.

See Dual Universe’s Alpha 2 in action with a video overview of its features:

In November 2018, the Alpha 1 introduced the foundations of the game’s emergent gameplay, with the ability to mine ore, reshape the world and build just about anything players can imagine. On top of the existing market tools, the release of the Alpha 2 takes the game’s economy to a whole new level, with the ability to mass-produce and barter goods. Combined with a fully editable world, this bolstered economy fuels the promise of a game in which all content is created by the players, from ships to outposts to cities and, soon, space stations.

With the introduction of this Industry gameplay, players are now able to build their own fully-functioning factories to mass-produce goods. Just like in the real world, this empowers them to build complex production lines and optimize their efficiency in order to increase their profit.

Go in-depth with Dual Universe’s Industry feature in the latest dev diary:

Industry isn’t where Alpha 2 ends, though. Dual Universe now offers an in-depth Talent system, which allows players to develop their character as they acquire new skills. Furthermore, the Virtual Projector opens up even more creation options and makes it easier than ever for players to build from a template, importing existing 3D models as holograms to act as visual support. Couple this with graphical improvements – including luscious, volumetric clouds and a revamped water system – plus much more and you have one of the biggest Dual Universe updates yet!

“Alpha 2 is a major milestone for us and one we’re really excited to get into player hands,“ said Novaquark founder and Creative Director Jean-Christophe Baillie. “I’m consistently blown away by the ingenuity of the community, so empowering them to run and expand the game’s economy will take Novaquark one step closer to creating the first Metaverse.“

The Alpha 2 release comes hot on the heels of Novaquark’s expansion into Canada with a Montreal office, and the recent news that total project funding for Dual Universe has surpassed $22.6M USD. Alpha 3 is already in the works and planned to launch later this year, with the beta planned for 2020.

The Alpha 2 of Dual Universe is available now at the reduced price of $60 USD / 60 Euros. Pledge packs and more information can be found on the game’s website.

Comedy Central Unveils Comic Con 2019 Lineup

2019/07/10

Jerry Paxton

Geek News, Movie News, News, SDCC

NEW YORK, July 10, 2019 – Comedy Central will descend upon San Diego Comic-Con with an awesome array of events from South Park and Crank Yankers. The festivities kick-off on Thursday, July 18 at 9:30 a.m. with a no-badge-required, free and open to the public South Park activation at the San Diego Wine & Culinary Center (200 Harbor Dr. #120) located directly across from the Convention Center, and a Crank Yankers immersive fan experience on Thursday, July 18 inside the Convention Center at Booth #3729.The #1 brand in comedy will also present a Crank Yankers panel on Thursday, July 18 at the Hilton Bayfront in the Indigo Ballroom at 6:45 p.m.

The South Park Bigger Longer Uncut Mini-Golf activation will be revealed to fans on Thursday, July 18 at 9:30 a.m. at the San Diego Wine & Culinary Center. The 9-hole golf course is an homage to the iconic movie with each hole themed to celebrate the 20th anniversary of South Park: Bigger Longer Uncut. The activation will also feature four limited-edition South Park t-shirts, with a different shirt available each day for fans to purchase during a limited window. The South Park fan activation is free and open to the public from Thursday, July 18 to Sunday, July 21.

For the return of the beloved comedy series Crank Yankers, Comedy Central is hosting a Crank Yankers panel in the Indigo Ballroom at the Hilton Bayfront on Thursday, July 18, featuring executive producer and showrunner Jonathan Kimmel, voice talent David Alan Grier, Chelsea Peretti and Bobby Moynihan, and production designer Gary Kordan with moderator Brian Posehn from 6:45 p.m. – 7:45 p.m. The panel will offer fans never-before-seen clips from the new season as well as behind-the-scenes anecdotes from the making of the series.

Comedy Central is also bringing a slice of Yankerville to the Convention Center. Located at Booth #3729, this immersive experience will give fans an exclusive first listen to crank calls from the new season. Additionally, fans can pose and take photos with some of the Crank Yankers puppets. This activation will be open to all badge holders throughout the weekend, Thursday, July 18 – Sunday, July 21 during convention hours (Thursday-Saturday from 9:30 a.m. – 7:00 p.m. and Sunday from 9:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.).

First GRID Gameplay Trailer

2019/07/10

Jerry Paxton

Geek News, News, PlayStation 4 News, Trailers / Videos, Xbox One News

Larkspur, Calif. – July 10, 2019 – Sparks fly, cars spin-out and rivalries are formed in the first GRID gameplay trailer released by Codemasters®. As the lights turn green, cars jostle for the lead in the long-awaited return of the much-loved racing franchise, which comes to PlayStation^®4 computer entertainment system and the Xbox One family of devices, including the Xbox One X, on Oct. 11, 2019.

Players who pre-order GRID or GRID: Ultimate Edition will get the Aston Martin Vantage GT4 as bonus content.

The action builds as the chasing pack bears down on the leaders to display some new race locations. From the heat of the Havana streets to the track circuit of Brands Hatch, the Race for Glory trailer showcases theexciting, unpredictable, and dramatic racing experience players will have when they take the wheel this October. The stunning visuals of San Francisco and Zhejiang Circuit insert the player at the heart of the action and give a true sense of speed, as they look for the smallest window of opportunity to take the lead either by conventional means or by slamming their rival into a wall.

The race culminates with the Pontiac Firebird Modified and Chevrolet Camaro SSX Concept going head–to–head on the final corners and long straight of San Francisco. One mistake could be the difference between the sweet taste of victory or the bitter regret of what might have been. Played out to the backdrop of the anthemic ‘The Light’ by Sophie and the Giants, the trailer demonstrates both the risks and the rewards of pushing some of the most iconic racing cars to their absolute limits.

GRID is a racing experience like no other. Taking inspiration from the original franchise, GRID is a fresh take on the genre with new content, new experiences and stories waiting to be written by you, the player. GRID is about unpredictable racing where anything can happen when the lights turn green. It’s a brand-new chapter of the GRID franchise; a game that not only resets expectations, but exceeds them.

“The response to the GRID announcement has been incredible and there is genuine excitement for us to reveal much more of the game,” said Chris Smith, GRID Game Director at Codemasters. “We set out to create an exhilarating racing experience which is like no other and the new trailer gives our fans a glimpse of what to expect. Players will encounter challenging and combative racing from all the AI drivers and this creates a living, breathing world where anything is possible and finishing positions must be earned. Whether it’s competing in the middle of the pack or going wheel-to-wheel for victory, there are no easy wins and our players will both enjoy and marvel at our most competitive GRID to date.”

For the latest GRID news go to the website (http://www.gridgame.com/) and social channels on Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/gridgame), Twitter (https://twitter.com/gridgame) and Facebook(https://www.facebook.com/gridgame).

Zombie Driver – Immortal Edition Prepurchase Trailer

2019/07/10

Jerry Paxton

Geek News, News, Nintendo Switch, Trailers / Videos

July 10th, Szczecin, Poland – The world is filled with zombies. So what can someone like you do? Just sit and wait to die, right? Hmm wait… You have a car! Hop in and start getting rid of those pesky, moaning zombies. Dismember their limbs and smash their bodies through 31 missions in awesome Story Mode. Upgrade your car with anything you’ll need to survive against vicious bosses. And if that’s not enough for a meat machine like you, try Slaughter Mode, with never-ending swarms of zombies. You can also select Blood Race Mode and join a race spiced up with guns and loads of zombies.

Zombie Driver: Immortal Edition is now available for pre-order on the European Nintendo eShop (https://www.nintendo.co.uk/Games/Nintendo-Switch-download-software/Zombie-Driver-Immortal-Edition-1596011.html) at a price of £12.14 with a 10% discount included. Gory pre-orders in the American Store (https://www.nintendo.com/games/detail/zombie-driver-immortal-edition-switch/) will start on July 11th and then gamers will be able to get the game for $13.49 also with a 10% discount. Hurry up, as others are preparing their meat grinders for July 25th, 2019 to show the zombies their place in this world.

ABOUT THE GAME

Zombie Driver: Immortal Edition is an insane mix of cars, speed, explosions, blood, and zombies! Fight through an epic narrative campaign, or test yourself in the Slaughter and Blood Race modes. Engage huge bosses, save survivors, drive crazy vehicles such as a bulldozer, fire truck, or even a tank, and smash everything in your way. Take part in the Blood Race tournament – chase other cars and take them down without mercy on brutal racing tracks. Jump into Slaughter Mode and survive as long as possible in specially crafted arenas.

ZOMBIE DRIVER: IMMORTAL EDITION MAIN FEATURES:

Horrifyingly entertaining modes:

Story:

–   Epic boss fights with enormous mutated zombies.
–   Defending key targets against huge waves of zombies.
–   Racing against time to rescue survivors.
–   Transporting dangerous cargo.
–   Spraying anti-zombie repellent around town.
–   13 different vehicles to drive, including a fire truck, a bulldozer, and even a tank.

2. Blood Race:

–   Race – classic racing spiced up with guns and loads of zombies.
–   Eliminator – take down as many vehicles as you can before the time runs out.
–   Endurance – there’s a bomb on your car and it’s ticking. Race through checkpoints to extend your time.

3. Slaughter:

–   Fight through endless waves of zombies.
–   Upgrade your car on the fly.
–   Kill thousands of zombies.

Nine different upgrades that can transform even an innocent taxi into a Chariot of Death.
Miniguns, flamethrowers, rocket launchers, and dual rail guns.
Vicious zombie types including even zombie dogs.
Advanced, dynamic combo system with tricks – and hordes of zombies to try it on.
All previously released DLC extensions have been incorporated into the Immortal Edition. The Apocalypse Pack, Tropical Race Rage, Burning Garden of Slaughter, and Brutal Car Skins have been included in the game as rewards for completing gameplay objectives.
Zombie Driver: Immortal Edition has been ported to the Schmetterling engine, which EXOR Studios previously used to develop X-Morph: Defense. Thanks to this upgrade the game runs super smooth on the Nintendo Switch and is graphically improved, even compared to previous console releases and the PC version of the game.

Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 – Operation Apocalypse Z Launch Screenshots

2019/07/09

Jerry Paxton

Geek News, News, PlayStation 4 News, Screenshots / Photos, Windows PC News, Xbox One News

SANTA MONICA, Calif. – Jul. 9, 2019 – The new community event for Call of Duty®: Black Ops 4 – Operation Apocalypse Z – is available now on Playstation®4, with other platforms to follow. Operation Apocalypse Z unleashes hordes of the undead across the game as it channels the series’ Zombies legacy through updates across the entire game. The new content includes a fan-favorite Specialist “Reaper” who makes its Black Ops 4debut, three Multiplayer maps, new eerie atmosphere in the Blackout map, and a variety of themed personalization items and gear to acquire. Additionally, players will return to Treyarch’s epic Aether story in the new action-packed Zombies Experience, Alpha Omega.

“We have a team of talented storytellers that have been helping to craft Zombies experiences for more than 10 years, and we wanted to bring that imagination to every mode of Black Ops 4, which is why we’re excited to put Operation Apocalypse Z in player’s hands,” said Dan Bunting, Co-Studio Head, Treyarch. “This is a veteran team that strives to do their best work with each new experience and this is no exception –Operation Apocalypse Z represents a ton of creativity and passion from everyone to really immerse fans in our unique world of the undead.”

“We can’t wait for the Zombies faithful to experience Alpha Omega, which marks the return of the Aether story and the opportunity to play as both the Primis and Ultimis crews – it’s a unique mix of gameplay that has truly been inspired by our community of fans,” said Mark Gordon, Co-Studio Head, Treyarch. “This map is over four times larger and features more dialogue than the Nuketown you’ve played before, and combined with everything else that’s coming in Operation Apocalypse Z, this is our most exciting season to date.”

Operation Apocalypse Z’s free, new content includes:

New Blackout Updates – As the Zombie apocalypse has begun, sunny skies have departed in favor of something more un-deadly in the main Blackout map. Zombies have leeched most of the life from the landscape forcing the alive to take refuge and survive amongst a deep fog and familiar Zombies sights and sounds. Additionally, the Alcatraz map debuts a nighttime atmospheric change complete with new Zombie enemies. Coming later in the Operation, brand-new Zombie-themed Blackout modes will also debut in the game, including Pandemic and Alcatraz Horde.
New Specialist – Available now in both Multiplayer and Blackout, Reaper makes his Black Ops 4 debut. Reaper is a cutting-edge combat robot with a robust fighting style wielding the Scythe, a high-powered, two-handed minigun unleashing heavy gunfire. This fan-favorite Specialist is also equipped with a Radar Shroud that prohibits enemies from using their minimap and deploys a scrambling device to block out areas on enemies’ minimap.
New Black Market Gear – The Black Market has been restocked with a variety of new Zombie-themed Specialist outfits and personalization items, weapon camos and gestures for Operation Apocalypse Z. This includes new weapons like the Reaver C86 Crossbow, Black Ops III’s Argus Shotgun, Daemon 3XB Mastercraft, MOG 12 MKll and Vendetta MKll that players can acquire and master.
New Zombies Features – Operation Apocalypse Z introduces new Perks and Elixirs across all Zombies maps, providing new variations on gameplay once they’re equipped and activated.

In addition to the Operation Apocalypse Z free content, owners of the Black Ops Pass gain access to more new content, available first on PlayStation®4 computer entertainment system:

New Multiplayer Map, Der Schatten – A snowy map set in a village high in the Austrian Alps that sits in the shadows of the castle from the Aether story Zombies experience, “Der Eisendrache.” Combat takes place in a combination of bright and dark areas pushing player to fight in close quarters.
New Multiplayer Map, Remnant – A large-sized map set in the “The Museum of Unnatural History” deep in the Louisiana marshes where historical relics thirst for chaos and blood. Complete with a portal that can transport players to opposite sides of the map, Remnant is structured for mid-ranged combat where longer sightlines flank the exterior of the museum.
Remastered Multiplayer Map, Havana – Reimagined from the original Call of Duty: Black Ops, Havana is a medium-sized map set in a sunny Cuban city during the Cold War tensions. The map is designed in a Z-shape resulting in a combination of close and long-ranged firefights.
New Zombies Experience, Alpha Omega – Continuing the Aether storyline, Alpha Omega lets players jump in as the original, fan-favorite Zombies characters from both the Primis and Ultimis cast, playable together for the first time ever. This allows fans to gain new insight into the ever-twisting story as the timelines converge. Players will fight off hordes of new Zombie enemies, solve challenges, and discover new Easter eggs in a wild experience up to the very end.

The Black Ops Pass* is included in the Digital Deluxe Edition, the Digital Deluxe Enhanced Edition, the Pro Edition, and the Mystery Box Edition of Call of Duty: Black Ops 4, and can also be purchased standalone digitally or at participating retailers.

Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 is published by Activision and developed by Treyarch with additional development support from Raven Software and PC development with Beenox. For the latest intel check out: www.callofduty.com, www.youtube.com/callofduty and follow @CallofDuty and @Treyarch on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook. The game is rated M for Mature (Blood and Gore, Drug Reference, Intense Violence, Strong Language).

*Black Ops Pass (BOP) content is not final, is subject to change, and may not include all downloadable content available for the game. BOP content may not be available in all countries, and pricing and release dates may vary by platform. BOP content should be downloaded from the in-game store only; do not purchase separately, or you will be charged again. BOP content may be sold separately.

The Toys That Made Us Announce Comic Con Panel

2019/07/09

Jerry Paxton

Geek News, Movie News, News, SDCC

July 09, 2019 – On Thursday, July 18th at Comic-Con, the minds behind the smash-hit Netflix series ‘The Toys That Made Us’ are back with their signature brand of insight, wit, and unadulterated love of all things toys! What does the future hold for the continuing series about the toys that we all know and love? You’ll hear from show creator Brian Volk-Weiss and others all about season three, get an exclusive look ahead, and a peek behind the curtain. We’ll also be announcing a special new project!

The Toys that Made Us @ Comic Con
Thursday July 18, 2019 12:30pm – 1:30pm – Room 6A

Spark Championship Update Trailer

2019/07/09

Jerry Paxton

Geek News, News, PlayStation 4 News, Tech News, Trailers / Videos

9 July 2019 – London, UK – CCP Games today announced that Sparc™, the fast-paced competitive v-sport unique to virtual reality currently available for PlayStation®VR, Oculus Rift and HTC Vive®, has received its first major update. Sparc’s ‘Championship Update’ extends and enhances the game’s online features with new cross-platform modes, including Ranked and Custom games, as well as an improved Spectator Mode.

Quick Play is now the fastest way to dive into the action with other players, while Custom games offer players a full lineup of modes and settings to create their own matches. For competitors wanting an extra challenge, the Championship Update introduces an all-new Ranked Mode to Sparc, giving hopefuls a shot at competing for a spot at the top of the Leaderboard and a place in Sparc ’s Legend tier, reserved for the top 10 ranked players in the world. Players remain unranked until they have completed their first 10 matches, after which their recent record determines their tier (Legend, Diamond, Gold, Silver, Bronze) and position (1-100) within that tier. While practice makes perfect it comes at a price, as players moving up the ladder will be matched against increasingly accomplished opponents.

When competitors need a break from the action they can relax in Courtside, Sparc’s revamped spectator tool where they can scout their opponents and watch Custom games from the stands. With the Championship Update, spectators can now join as a “headless” observer, invisible to both players and other spectators, where they can cycle through multiple camera locations to view the action or free-fly using their controllers to propel themselves around the arena. The total number of spectators viewing a game will be visible on the in-game scoreboard, ideal for those looking for additional bragging rights.

Sparc’s skill-based, full-body experience makes for a fast-paced and instinctual physical sport that looks and feels spectacular. Players use their two motion controllers to throw projectiles at their opponents from a distance, and in turn defend themselves by dodging, blocking, or deflecting the incoming shots. Players can join one-on-one matches with friends online or find opponents via matchmaking with cross-play on Rift, Vive and PS VR.

As with real-world sports, Sparc players express and improve their skills through their physical actions. In Sparc, players can also track and review their performance on the court with detailed stats on throws, deflections, accuracy, and more. With two distinct gameplay modes, Basic and Advanced, both novice and expert competitors will find a suitable difficulty level.

In addition, Sparc includes a broad range of customization options for competitors. From the cut of the compression suit, to headgear and knuckle guards, a wide variety of elements can be personalized and combined for a unique look.

For more details about Sparc, please visit www.playSparc.com. You can also find Sparc on Facebook via facebook.com/PlaySparc, or follow the game on Twitter via @PlaySparc.

Vane Release Date Trailer

2019/07/09

Jerry Paxton

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

Tokyo, Japan – July 9th, 2018 – Tokyo-based independent studio Friend & Foe is proud to announce that after more than four years in development it will finally be releasing its hallucinatory adventure Vane on July 23rd, 2019 on Steam for $19.99. Additionally, the soundtrack will be on sale on Steam and Bandcamp for $6.99.

Vane initially launched on PlayStation 4 this past January, where it was praised by outlets such as Eurogamer, Frieze, VG247 and The Verge for its awe-inspiring art direction, themes of human evolution, and evocative synthy soundtrack.

Set in a ruined desert, Vane is an exploratory journey, where players will transform between bird and child form to unravel the land’s mysteries and create a path forward through this expansive landscape filled with ominous caves, mysterious machinery and harrowing storms. As they roam this mythical wasteland, the world reacts to their passage, evolving and building into something altogether different.

Vane is the culmination of more than four years of development by the Tokyo-based expat studio Friend & Foe Games, a team with AAA experience spanning titles like The Last Guardian, Killzone, Battlefield 3, and Bionic Commando. Developed with the conviction that players should find their own path through the world, Vane is an enigmatic and unnerving game that aims to leave an impact. The result is a minimalistic, stark environment that encourages exploration just to the edge of getting lost, all set to an all-original brooding synth soundtrack.

This PC release of Vane includes all the updates added to the PS4 version, including more forgiving checkpointing, better performances, and numerous bug fixes.

“We’ve always known Vane was going to be something of a marmite game, as it emphasizes mood and atmosphere over more conventional gameplay mechanics,” said art director Rasmus Deguchi. “We know it’s not a game for everyone, and that’s okay. Those looking for something a little more experimental, a little more arthouse, will find that Vane is unlike anything they’ve played before. We think a good number of PC players seek something a little more ‘out there’, and we believe Vane will satisfy that curiosity.”