Author - Jerry Paxton

Bee Simulator Launch Trailer

One year after its official release, Bee Simulator praised by the families for its fun and educational aspects, is now coming to Steam.

Explore the world through the eyes of a bee with Bee Simulator! In this educational family game, you play as a pollinator bee in an urban park inspired by famous Central Park. Collect pollen, fight off wasps, interact with your fellow bees and confront multiple threats. Your entire hive is threatened the day when humans decide to chop down the tree you call home. The fate of the whole swarm is in your tiny hands!

Developed in close collaboration with beekeepers, Bee Simulator is a fun and educational experience that conveys an environmental message suitable for all ages. Freely explore and evolve in a vast realistic environment. Tips and information are shared throughout your adventures explaining the secret life of bees. With cooperative and competitive multiplayer game modes for up to four players, Bee Simulator brings the whole family together!

  • Learn while having fun – communication methods, hive and community life, protection techniques and threats that bees face
  • A realistic open world
  • Co-op and PvP multiplayer modes for up to four players

Change your perspective and discover the world through the eyes of a bee!

Bee Simulator is now available on PC via The Epic Games Store and Steam, Xbox One, PlayStation®4 and Nintendo Switch™

New Night City Wire Shows Cyberpunk 2077 Xbox Series X Gameplay

In the special Night City Wire episode, the studio invites gamers to check out gameplay from CD PROJEKT RED’s upcoming title captured on both Xbox One X, as well as Xbox Series X via the console’s backwards compatibility feature. The scenes shown offer yet another glimpse into the world of the dark future players will be able to dive deep into when they begin their journey in Night City come December.

A PlayStation gameplay video is also planned for release, with a specific date set to be revealed in the near future via the game’s official channels.

Cyberpunk 2077 will release December 10th, 2020, for PC, Xbox One, PlayStation 4, and Stadia. The game will also be playable on Xbox Series X|S and PlayStation 5 consoles. At a later date, a free upgrade to Cyberpunk 2077, taking full advantage of next-gen hardware, will become available for owners of the Xbox One and PlayStation 4 versions respectively.

For more information regarding the game, follow Facebook, Twitter, and visit cyberpunk.net.

The 2KFest 24-Hour Celebration is Coming

2KFEST is a 24-hour worldwide celebration of basketball, music and culture that showcases the incredible game-play features and innovation of NBA 2K21.

NVE jumped in on the action to develop original content for and virtually produce this first-of-its-kind digital event. Join us as we experience the evolution of the game over the last decade, tour the 2K Motion Capture studio, go behind the scenes with the NBA 2K21 Development team, sit down with the biggest stars of the NBA, WNBA and 2K League, and much, much more. Whether you’re a gamer, NBA fan, or just a casual viewer, this jam-packed program is guaranteed to have something for you!

Musical Performances By:

  • Dame D.O.L.L.A.
  • Quavo
  • Saweetie
  • Aitch
  • 88Rising
  • J.I The Prince of New York
  • Hotboii
  • And more!

Interviews and Commentary by:

  • Damian Lillard
  • Zion Williamson
  • Candace Parker
  • Kevin Durant
  • Jayson Tatum
  • Anthony Davis
  • Ben Simmons
  • Shaquille O’Neal
  • Vince Carter
  • And more!

Tune in Friday, November 20th for 24-hours loaded with never-before-seen content, tipping off at 12AM PT, with the block of content specific to North America launching at 1PM PT. The event will be simulcast on Twitter, YouTube and Twitch with program captioning available in English, Spanish, French, and Traditional Chinese.

Star Wars Miniatures Titles Under New Command

In a strategic reorganization of its Star Wars miniatures titles, Asmodee is announcing today that oversight of its three Star Wars miniatures titles will be moving to their dedicated miniatures games studio, Atomic Mass Games.

Development of all future miniatures games will be handled by Atomic Mass as well. The move to a specialty studio positions Asmodee’s miniatures titles for even greater success in the future.

“Atomic Mass is committed to bringing people together through fun games, and Star Wars has been bringing people together through the power of myth and story for over 40 years,” Steve Horvath, Head of US Publishing, said.

“Combing their talent with the strength of our current Star Wars miniatures games and the limitless possibilities of a galaxy far, far away is going to lead to incredible new experiences for tabletop gamers and Star Wars fans to enjoy.”

Simone Elliott, who has shepherded Fantasy Flight’s relationship with Lucasfilm Licensing since 2015, will lead Atomic Mass Games during this time of expansion as Head of Studio. Will Shick assumes primary creative oversight as Head of Product Development. Joining them will be key members of the teams involved in the creation and evolution of Fantasy Flight’s current Star Wars miniatures games, Star Wars X-Wing, Star Wars Legion, and Star Wars Armada.

BFF or Die Console Trailer

2Awesome Studio is proud to announce that BFF or Die is snuggling up on consoles in November, 2020. The crazy and cozy cooperative puzzle game that’s amassed over 23k downloads between popular game hosting sites Steam, Itch, and Game Jolt is launching on PlayStation®4, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch™ for $7.99!

BFF or Die is a co-op puzzle game that challenges up to 4 local players to use their cunning wit and camaraderie to survive as time-traveling space aliens. Never forget the academy motto: “BFF or Die!”

ABFF Or Die Launch Dates
– PlayStation®4 – Launch: November, 24th
– Xbox One – Pre-order: November 18th with 15% discount | Launch: November 25th
– Nintendo Switch™: Pre-order: November, 20th with 15% discount | Launch: November, 27th

BFF or Die is developed by ASA Studio, and is partnering with 2Awesome Studio as part of the 2Awesome Partners Initiative.

Previously, BFF or Die was featured in 2016’s Indie Showcase at Develop Conference and Intel’s Level-Up Competition at PAX West. In 2017, ASA Studio was one team awarded of hundreds of applicants to secure £25k from the UK Games Fund, and, in 2018, pitched BFF or Die to an industry panel, placing in top three games at the event, and receiving marketing support across the Steel Media Network.

“We’ve been developing BFF or Die for a long time. That dream marked the beginning of a road that led us… here! In collaboration with our new publishing friends over at 2Awesome Studio, BFF or Die is now available for you to play on console,” says Shaz from ASA Studio.

Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino Gets Reopening Date

Caesars Entertainment, Inc. (NASDAQ: CZR) (“Caesars” or “the Company”) today announced plans to resume operations at Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino, as its final property to reopen company-wide in the U.S. and Canada, following the COVID-19 pandemic. Beginning Tuesday, Dec. 22 at 10 a.m. Pacific Time, the hotel will accommodate weekend stays, Thursday through Monday, while the gaming floor will be open seven days a week.

The resumption of business at Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino follows the successful reopening of all Caesars regional casinos and hotels across the country, in addition to the Company’s other Las Vegas properties.

“As the Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino prepares to resume operations on December 22, this marks the final Caesars Entertainment resort to reopen in the U.S. and Canada,” said Anthony Carano, President and Chief Operating Officer of Caesars Entertainment, Inc. “The past nine months have been filled with challenges, as well as opportunities including the merging of our two gaming companies to form the new Caesars Entertainment. We recognize the incredible effort it has taken to reopen our resorts and get us to this important milestone, and we look forward to welcoming our Team Members and Guests back to Rio with their health and safety still top of mind.”

The following amenities will open at Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino:

Entertainment

  • Penn & Teller – Performance schedule to be announced at a later date. For more information and to purchase tickets, please visit www.riolasvegas.com.

Restaurants

  • All-American Bar & Grille
  • Hash House A Go Go
  • Starbucks (near the hotel elevators)
  • VooDoo Steak
  • Sports Deli

Bars and Lounges

  • Shutters Bar
  • iBar
  • Purple Zebra Daiquiri Bar
  • Race & Sports Book Bar
  • Masquerade Bar

Gaming

  • William Hill Race & Sports Book
  • Keno Lounge
  • Slot Machines
  • Table Games

Fitness Center

  • Fitness Center

Retail

  • Rio Logo

Additionally, Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino will debut the newly branded William Hill Sports Book on reopening day, with new customer offerings that include self-service sports betting kiosks and an expanded betting menu featuring LIVE InPlay Wagering.

Guests can save up to 20 percent on their next stay at Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino with Caesars’ Fall Savings Sale from Nov. 2-23, for select travel dates through September 2021. This hotel offer is based on availability and cannot be combined with any other offer. Offer code: FALL20.

During the holiday season, Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino will also accommodate hotel reservations seven days a week Dec. 23, 2020 through Jan. 3, 2021. Self-parking at Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino will remain free for all guests, but the valet will remain closed at this time.

Caesars Entertainment has reopened all other Las Vegas properties including Caesars Palace Las Vegas, Flamingo Las Vegas, Harrah’s Las Vegas, Paris Las Vegas, Bally’s Las Vegas, The LINQ Hotel + Experience, Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino and The Cromwell, as well as The LINQ Promenade, High Roller Observation Wheel, FLY LINQ and Eiffel Tower Viewing Deck.

Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino has implemented Caesars’ new health and safety protocols, which enhance its existing plans and practices in these areas. All Caesars properties are focused on the well-being of team members, guests and the community, and continue to work to create an environment with high standards of sanitization and physical distancing practices. Among the enhanced health and safety protocols include more frequent cleaning and sanitization. Caesars has also implemented a health screening program for all employees. Team members and guests are required to wear masks, which the Company makes available, at all Caesars properties.

For more information on the Company’s health and safety protocols, visit: www.Caesars.com/health.

World of Darkness Announces Partner for Tabletop Role-Playing Games

World of Darkness, the transmedia entertainment brand behind celebrated fantasy horror properties including Vampire: The Masquerade and Werewolf: The Apocalypse, announced today that Renegade Game Studios is now the Publishing Partner for its catalogue of tabletop role playing games (TTRPG). World of Darkness also revealed it is bringing IP development of its story universes in-house and is kicking off this change with Vampire: The Masquerade Companion, a free digital supplement that brings new playable clans to Vampire: The Masquerade 5th Edition, that will be available this December.

“Renegade and World of Darkness worked closely together on Vampire: The Masquerade – Rivals and the team proved their passion for our brands and alignment with our values in that collaboration,” said Sean Greaney, Brand Manager for World of Darkness at Paradox Interactive. “Our joint goal is to ensure that there will be no disruption of service for fans looking to get their hands on Vampire: The Masquerade 5th Edition books.”

“We’re thrilled to work with the World of Darkness team and create exciting content for this rich universe of supernatural horror.” said Scott Gaeta, President and Publisher at Renegade Game Studios. “We look forward to supporting the existing community and welcoming in new players very soon.”

World of Darkness is taking over IP development of its story universes, including Vampire: The Masquerade and Werewolf: The Apocalypse. Led by World of Darkness Creative Lead Justin Achilli, they will create the foundational material – including core TTRPG books – for all stories set in a World of Darkness franchise, including video games, comics, and other forms of media. Renegade Game Studios, working with local partners globally, will broaden the offering with additional TTRPG products. Additionally, all World of Darkness books will continue to include sensitivity reviews as part of the development process.

“Bringing IP development in-house is one of the many reasons why the World of Darkness team hired me and I’m thrilled to take on this responsibility. I’ll be working with handpicked teams to set the lore, atmosphere, and tone that players have come to expect, and working with partners like Renegade to create compelling stories within that framework,” Achilli said. “Even though I’m leading this process, we’ll continue to work with teams of writers and freelancers. Our goal is to ensure that book development happens with teams that include a diversity of voices.”

While World of Darkness will take over IP development of its core TTRPG books, as publisher, Renegade Game Studios will handle publishing and marketing of these products. Everything that falls outside of the core story setting, as determined by World of Darkness, will be developed and published by Renegade Game Studios.

To learn more about how World of Darkness will develop content, its partnership with Renegade Game Studios, and what all of this means for the future of its TTRPG line up, head over to this blog post: https://www.worldofdarkness.com/news/vampire-the-masquerade-companion-releases-in-december

The Vampire: The Masquerade Companion book brings highly-anticipated Vampire clans from the community into tabletop play and gives Storytellers more tools to enhance their narratives. To download completely free of charge, fans will simply need to visit the World of Darkness website (https://worldofdarkness.com) and log in with a Paradox account.

Vampire: The Masquerade Companion Key Features:

  • Three vampire clans: Tzimisce, Ravnos, Salubri
  • Discipline powers representing each of the new clans
  • How to play rules for ghouls and mortals
  • Details on each clan’s view on vampire coteries
  • Additional Merits for players’ characters
  • Updates to Vampire: The Masquerade 5th Edition core rulebook

“World of Darkness fans have been asking us for more Vampire: The Masquerade content since we launched the 5th edition core book in 2018. Vampire: The Masquerade Companion is our answer, adding in some of their most-requested features like clan Tzimisce and rules for Mortals”, said Martyna Zych, Brand Community Developer for World of Darkness. “We are listening to our players, and now that we are developing IP in-house, we are equipped to respond to their feedback and produce content like the Companion. This is just one of many products we have in the pipeline, and while we can’t reveal anything else now, I will say that it is a great time to be a World of Darkness fan.”

World of Darkness will share more information about its lineup of announced products including, Second Inquisition, Vampire: The Masquerade Player’s Guide, Werewolf: The Apocalypse core book and more in the coming weeks. The first TTRPG book to release under this new process will be the Sabbat Sect Book. Stay tuned to www.worldofdarkness.com for updates.

Farming Simulator 19’s Alpine Farming Expansion Launch Trailer

GIANTS Software and Focus Home Interactive are delighted to release the “Alpine Farming Expansion” for Farming Simulator 19. Available today on PC, Mac, PlayStation®4 and Xbox One, this latest expansion for the best-selling game takes players to a totally new mountain region with tons of farming activities and brand-new vehicles and equipment.

Take control of over 30 authentic agricultural vehicles and machines from leading brands like Aebi, Lindner, PÖTTINGER, SIP and more, including the series’ first-ever electric vehicle: the Rigitrac SKE 50. The idyllic mountain valleys of Erlengrat, the expansion’s new map, feature a wide range of lucrative new activities, such as alpine agriculture and breeding, as well as grass harvesting, the centerpiece of this new addition to the game.

The “Alpine Farming Expansion” is available as part of Farming Simulator 19: Premium Edition, now available on all platforms, which contains the full base game plus 10 bonus DLCs, including the popular “Platinum Expansion.” The physical version of the Premium Edition also contains a 72-page premium artbook!

The “Alpine Farming Expansion” is also available as a free download for Season Pass owners, as well as to purchase standalone.

WRC 9 Next-Gen Gameplay Trailer

NACON and KT Racing today celebrate the launch of WRC 9, the official video game of the FIA World Rally Championship, on Xbox Series X|S consoles!

Thanks to the Smart Delivery, players already in possession of WRC 9 for Xbox One can now directly access to the Xbox Series X|S versions of the game, and thus benefit from a brand-new experience in 4K 60FPS.

Starting today, WRC 9 on Xbox Series X|S also includes the October update including six new stages for Rally Finland, an additional WRC driver and a brand-new Photo Mode.

Underworld Dreams Reveal Trailer

Today, after debuting its trailer on the Indie Live Expo II, Skystone Games is pleased to announce that it will be publishing Underworld Dreams from Drop of Pixel. Underworld Dreams is a first-person horror experience blending adventure, combat, and investigative puzzle elements to piece together a unique psychological thriller. Based on the worlds of H.P. Lovecraft and set in the 1980s, Underworld Dreams creates an enthralling mystery narrative with gameplay that’s not for the faint of heart.

“Nestor is a one-man team making this surreal horror game, and we’re certain that players across the globe will love the puzzles, mystery, action, and terror of Underworld Dreams when it launches on PC and Consoles next year,” said Bill Wang, CEO of Skystone Games.

“My love of horror and the Cthulhu Mythos is something I’ve been dying to turn into a game for years,” said Nestor Alfaro of Drop of Pixel. “We’re thrilled to have partnered with Skystone Games to bring this experience to fans of horror all over the world next year.”

Underworld Dreams will launch on PC and console in 2021, and is available to Wishlist on Steam now.