November 20, 2018 – Pre-order on Steam from: https://store.steampowered.com/app/411893/DCS_F14_by_Heatblur_Simulations/. The Grumman F-14 Tomcat was a two-crew, variable geometry, maritime air superiority fighter that served with the US Navy for 32 years and continues to serve with the IRIAF in Iran. The F-14 was the US Navy’s frontline fighter from the 1970s until the mid-2000s. Over the course of its long service life it also became the US Navy’s premier precision ground-attack platform and lone airborne reconnaissance asset.
Outstanding features of the aircraft are the swing-wing configuration, crew of two, and the powerful AN/AWG-9 Weapons Control System (WCS) and radar. The AWG-9 allows employment of the powerful AIM-54 Phoenix air to air missile while the LANTIRN pod allows the ability to carry out precision ground strikes using laser guided bombs. The F-14 Tomcat was present during many pivotal historic moments such as the two Gulf of Sidra incidents, Operation Desert storm in Iraq, the conflict in Yugoslavia, Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan and Operation Iraqi Freedom. It was also immortalized in the iconic motion picture, Top Gun, and starred in several other feature films including The Final Countdown, Executive Decision, and others.
HELSINKI – NOV. 19, 2018 – A multinational group of video game creators and executives have assembled to form Redhill Games, a new studio focused on creating high-quality titles targeting underserved market segments in the gaming industry. Headquartered in Helsinki, Redhill Games’ proven leadership team draws from the ranks of top companies like Remedy Entertainment (Quantum Break, Alan Wake, Max Payne) and Wargaming (World of Tanks), with talent hand-picked from around the world from companies like Guerrilla Games, Starbreeze, Next Games and more.
“I’ve had the joy of working with so many wonderfully talented people since beginning in games in 1999. Redhill Games represents the best of the best from all my years of experience, bringing together some of the industry’s top professionals from various disciplines for a new adventure,” said Redhill Games CEO Matias Myllyrinne. “These are people who have collaborated closely before, and I’m confident our best games are still ahead of us.”
Myllyrinne is the former CEO of award-winning AAA studio Remedy Entertainment. As Head of Global Development for Wargaming since 2015, he spearheaded substantial advancements to the company’s development efficiency, quality and output across ten internal studios worldwide.
Redhill Games’ core leadership team is complemented by CTO Mikko Uromo and Executive Producer Milos Jerabek. Uromo previously served as Technical Director at both Wargaming and Remedy, in which he was instrumental in building up and improving the strategies, technologies and productivity of various internal development teams. Jerabek was the Development Director of World of Tanks at Wargaming, which he helped take to new heights of quality and success on a philosophy of “commit and deliver.” He is also experienced in managing publishing relationships and development as a former Production Director at Remedy.
Managing Redhill Games’ global talent is COO Ekaterina (Katya) Dolgova, the former Head of HR and Chief of Staff for Global Development at Wargaming. A lawyer and Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development, Dolgova is a management and human resources professional with over 20 years of experience in the financial, consulting, IT and gaming industries worldwide.
With multiple veterans of one of PC gaming’s five top grossing games at the helm, Redhill Games’ core focus is creating new titles rooted in the genres the team knows best, particularly free-to-play tactical shooters and ongoing games-as-a-service titles. The leadership team has rallied around the principles of cooperative and social play, fair monetization models and data-driven development.
The next phase of Redhill Games’ company roadmap will focus on continuing to expand its development and production team with additional world-class talent while progressing toward delivery of an engaging proof of concept. Further announcements from the studio are expected in 2019. https://www.redhillgames.com/
November 19, 2018 – Razer will offer unprecedented deals on its best-in-class gaming mice, keyboards, headsets, mouse surfaces and other products. These deals will be offered online with the following retailers:
WHEN: Black Friday through Cyber Monday, Nov. 22-26
WHO: Razer, the leading lifestyle brand for gamers.
WHERE: Best Buy (online and in-store), Amazon, Newegg, Microsoft, and other retail partners
TOP DEALS:
Peripherals –
Razer Kraken 7.1 V2 Headset Sale Price: $49.99 MSRP: $99.99
Discount: 50% Off Where:Best Buy
Razer BlackWidow Chroma V2 Keyboard Sale Price: $84.99 MSRP: $169.99 Discount: 50% Off Where:Best Buy
Razer BlackWidow Ultimate 2016 Keyboard
Sale Price: $54.99 MSRP: $109.99
Discount: 50% Off Where:Best Buy
Razer DeathAdder Elite Mouse Sale Price: $39.99 MSRP: $69.99 Discount: 43% Off Where:Amazon
Kraken Pro V2 Headset Sale Price: $49.99 MSRP: $79.99 Discount: 38% Off Where:Amazon
Razer Ornata Chroma Keyboard Sale Price: $69.99 MSRP: $99.99 Discount: 30% Off Where:Amazon
Razer Holiday Chroma Bundle with Cynosa Chroma Keyboard, Abyssus Essential Mouse, and Goliathus Chroma Mouse Pad
Bundle Price: $95.00 MSRP: $149.97 Discount: 35% Off Where:Walmart Exclusive
Razer Electra V2 Headset
Sale Price: $39.99 MSRP: $59.99
Discount: 33% Off Where:Best Buy
Laptops & Phone –
Razer Phone Sale Price: $399.99 MSRP: $699.99
Discount: $300 Off Where: Microsoft
Razer Blade Pro (various configurations) Sale Price: Starting at $1799.99 MSRP: Starting at $2299.99
Discount: $500 Off Where: Best Buy, Newegg, Microsoft
Razer Blade Stealth (various configurations) Sale Price: Starting at $1299.99 MSRP: Starting at $1499.99
Discount: $200-$300 Off Where: Best Buy, Amazon, Newegg, Microsoft
Razer Blade 15 Advanced Model (various configurations) Sale Price: Starting at $1799.99 MSRP: Starting at $1899.99
Discount: $100-$200 Off Where: Best Buy, Amazon, Newegg, Microsoft
Razer Blade (15.6” FHD/60Hz/i7/GTX 1060/256GB SSD/2TB HDD) Sale Price: $1699.99 MSRP: $1799.99 Discount: $100 Where: Best Buy, Amazon, Newegg, Microsoft Date: Monday, Nov. 26 only
November 16, 2018 – JUST CAUSE 4 is the biggest, most varied and most beautiful game in the series. The brand new Deep Dive Trailer released today gives players an overview of everything they can expect from the most ambitious Just Cause game to date.
In JUST CAUSE 4, there are more biomes, vehicles and weapons than ever before, all set over the largest land mass ever seen in a Just Cause game. Expect better vehicle handling, deeper, more sophisticated enemy AI and an overhauled grappling hook, just to name a few of our brand new features in JUST CAUSE 4. The unique and incredible real time extreme weather events like tornadoes, sand storms and lightning storms are a game-changer for JUST CAUSE 4 and it is all powered by Avalanche Studio’s ground-breaking sandbox technology, the Apex Engine.
Set in the fictional South American world of Solis, JUST CAUSE 4 takes the series’ incredible destruction and unique physics to a whole new level with the introduction of fully simulated tornadoes and other extreme weather events. Rico Rodriguez returns in JUST CAUSE 4 with his trademark parachute, wingsuit and, of course his grapple hook, now enhanced with new functionality and fully customizable making it the most powerful and creative tool the player has ever had.
JUST CAUSE 4 is a landmark entry in the series, and will release on December 4, 2018 on Xbox One, PC and the PlayStation®4 computer entertainment system.
SAN FRANCISCO, California and LAUSANNE, Switzerland – Nov. 15, 2018 – ASTRO Gaming, a leader in premium video gaming equipment, has continually innovated and forever redefined what pro gamers can expect from their audio equipment. Today, ASTRO further extended that expertise and announced its commitment to the professional controller category with the launch of the ASTRO C40 TR Controller.
As the newest addition to the best-selling Tournament Ready (TR) series, the modular and highly customizable ASTRO C40 TR will deliver a competitive edge while adapting to any gaming environment, ranging from professional tournaments to head-to-head competitions with friends. The new ASTRO C40 TR Controller is an Officially Licensed product for PlayStation® 4, also featuring additional compatibility with Windows™ PCs. It is available for pre-order now online direct from ASTRO’s website for $199.99 USD ($269.99 CAD), shipping in early 2019, and available at key retailers including Gamestop, Amazon and Best Buy and Best Buy Canada in the same timeframe. It is available in the United States and Canada, with more countries to follow.
“Our products have dramatically changed the esports landscape – improving team and player performance along the way,” said Aron Drayer, Vice President of Marketing, ASTRO Gaming. “Our new ASTRO C40 TR Controller is the next natural evolution of our continued commitment to esports, pro gaming and gamers in general. After more than two years of development while incorporating feedback from pro gamers, we’re excited to finally get the C40 TR into the hands of customers. The C40 TR will be a literal game changer.”
The ASTRO C40 TR Controller delivers best-in-class features and premium components in an ergonomically comfortable controller that can withstand rigorous use by professional gamers in high-stress environments. The controller has been designed from the ground up with pro gamers and professional tournaments in mind — aspiring pros, hardcore gamers or any gamer who demands more from their gaming equipment will find much to like in ASTRO’s new controller. The new C40 TR offers replaceable analog sticks and d-pad modules, swappable analog stick and d-pad positions, variable length stick tops, programmable rear buttons, custom software complete with stick and trigger sensitivity control, on-board button remapping, custom profiles and more.
Key features include:
REPLACEABLE, SWAPPABLE STICK MODULES: Quickly and easily swap the Analog Stick or D-Pad Modules for consistently sharp performance. Setup the controller in either Offset or Parallel configurations. Replaceable Stick Caps provide added customization for a competitive advantage.
INTEGRATED, REMAPPABLE REAR BUTTONS: Optimum rear button layout for superior ergonomics improves precision during critical moments. Mappability streamlines the controller for any genre and playstyle while improving response time and accuracy. Remap buttons and save your mappings directly on the controller with no PC software required.
ASTRO CUSTOMIZATION SOFTWARE: ASTRO customization software exponentially increases the C40 TR’s versatility and accuracy. Create profiles that can be switched directly from the controller. Adjust trigger and stick sensitivity, remap buttons, tweak EQ, audio output, mic out and sidetone.
WIRED/WIRELESS MODES: With the on-board Mode Switch, quickly change between wired and ASTRO’s proprietary 2.4 GHZ wireless mode to adapt to any gaming environment. Both offer low-latency for pro level performance.
WIRELESS AUDIO: The C40 TR Controller delivers high fidelity game sound and voice chat in Wired and Wireless mode via the 3.5mm jack. The C40 offers game sound and voice chat in Wireless mode. Compatible with any gaming headset with a 3.5mm jack.
TRIGGER STOPS: Quickly and easily activate the trigger stops, which adjusts the trigger pull distance, to allow hair trigger performance in most FPS titles.
12 HOUR BATTERY LIFE: Outlast your game with up to 12 hours of battery life.
INCLUDED TRAVEL CASE: Travel safe and secure with the travel case for the C40 TR. Protect your controller, module, stick caps and tool all in one hard-shelled case.
TOURNAMENT READY: Ready for any environment, the TR line of ASTRO Gaming products deliver premium design and performance for every type of gamer. All Tournament Ready products are designed and developed to meet the demanding specifications of pro gamers.
Pricing and Availability
ASTRO Gaming’s new ASTRO C40 TR Controller is available for pre-order now online direct from ASTRO’s website for $199.99 USD ($269.99 CAD), shipping in early 2019, with key retailers Gamestop, Amazon and Best Buy and Best Buy Canada also offering the product in early 2019. It is available for PlayStation® 4 and Windows™ PC in the United States and Canada, with more countries to follow. For more information about ASTRO Gaming or the C40 TR, please visit www.astrogaming.com.
WASHINGTON – NOVEMBER 15, 2018 – After a record-breaking E3 2018, the Entertainment Software Association (ESA) today announced beginning plans for E3 2019. This year’s event will engage attendees and fans through new experiential activations on the showfloor and on social, digital, and online platforms. E3 2019 will be held June 11-13 at the Los Angeles Convention Center, and exhibit space is now available for purchase.
E3 2018 broke all-time tradeshow records, and ESA expects E3 2019 to build upon that positive momentum. E3 2018 generated:
A record 2.9 million concurrent viewers on Twitch;
More than 15 million tweets;
Approximately 55 million Facebook interactions;
More than 1.6 billion minutes of E3 content viewed on multiple streaming platforms; and,
Over 69 million views of E3’s top video game trailers on YouTube.
“E3 is an outstanding opportunity for us to share new games and experiences with fans and business partners from across the globe,” said Reggie Fils-Aime, Nintendo of America President and COO. “Every year, we discuss what will be the best way for us to take advantage of the next E3 show in order to bring smiles to people’s faces.”
“E3 is an incredible platform to showcase the vibrancy and creativity of the video game industry. The ESA continues to expand the event’s reach to fans and the industry, both in attendance and online, and we look forward to what’s ahead at E3 2019,” commented Phil Spencer, executive vice president, Gaming at Microsoft.
With an expanded emphasis on featuring never-before-seen content and providing immersive new experiences for attendees, E3 2019 will be unlike any prior E3. In addition, this year’s E3 will include an expanded presence for burgeoning video game sectors, including esports and the independent video game development community.
“E3 2018 broke records, and we sold out of both exhibit space and attendee badges,” said Stanley Pierre-Louis, interim CEO of ESA, the trade association that represents the U.S. video game industry and owns and produces E3. “We are confident that, through the continued creative innovations delivered by our participating member companies, E3 2019 will deliver the same kind of excitement and energy. This year, we’re looking forward to expanding E3 beyond the walls of the LACC and connecting gamers and attendees with incredible video game content throughout the entire LA Live complex.”
“E3 2018 marked the first-ever Fortnite Pro-Am, which brought together people from all corners of the community for the love of the game in support of charitable causes,” said Donald Mustard, worldwide creative director, Epic Games. “We also welcomed attendees into Epic’s largest E3 booth to date, and then threw a Party Royale. Our team made unforgettable memories with players, partners and friends.”
The E3 Coliseum will also return to provide behind-the-scenes discussions and previews from celebrities and video game leaders. The E3 Coliseum in 2018 hosted Westworld’s series creators Jonathan Nolan and Lisa Joy; Elijah Wood; Bethesda Softworks’s Todd Howard; an all-star celebrity reading of Grim Fandango with special guest Jack Black; and Camilla Luddington, performance artist for Lara Croft. The 2018 E3 Coliseum, which five platforms livestreamed, had more than 3.4 million video views.
Among the leading video game companies already committed to participating in E3 2019 are: Microsoft/Xbox, Nintendo of America, Activision, Bethesda Softworks, Capcom, Epic Games, Konami Digital Entertainment, Square Enix, Take-Two Interactive Software, Ubisoft, and Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment.
Consumer tickets, which sold out in 2018, will go on-sale in early-2019 at www.E3Expo.com.
November 14, 2018 – The wait is over. Star Wars: Jedi Challenges – Dark Side Expansion is available now as a free content update to the augmented reality (AR) experience, along with a limited-edition Kylo Ren Lightsaber Controller that is available for purchase today. What’s more—we’ve added a new local multiplayer game to the content update: Ship Battles.
Since its global launch last winter, Jedi Challenges has enthralled fans with the first-of-its-kind Star Wars AR gameplay, becoming one of the most popular and sought-after Star Wars tech devices of the season. Energized by fans’ excitement and requests, Lenovo™ worked with Disney on new gameplay experiences. In the Dark Side Expansion, the third free content expansion from Jedi Challenges, players can wield Kylo Ren’s iconic Lightsaber against formidable light side opponents such as Rey and Yoda in AR Lightsaber duels.
New Ship Battles Game Experience
And with the newest Ship Battles mode, we’re giving players the experience to command capital ships in space battles against opponents in real-time, local multiplayer matches. Ship Battles lets players take command of an Imperial Star Destroyer or Rebel Mon Calamari Cruiser, managing offensive and defensive maneuvers in space combat. Each ship contains four sections which players must manage and continually recalibrate, including turbolaser fire, defensive shields, deployment of ‘Power Up’ ships, and bomber runs.
Tips and Tricks for the Win
Here are a few tips and tricks to help new players get started on the Dark Side Expansion and Ship Battles:
Dark Side Expansion
Defeating the strongest opponents in the galaxy will require the use of abilities such as Pull. Wait for Yoda to hurl rocks at you before activating this power – cancelling out his ability and pulling him closer for attack.
Select the Second Wind passive ability so that when your opponent lands the final blow you’ll be able to fully heal yourself and grab a second chance to strike down your adversary.
Ship Battles
Prioritize Shielding and Communications sections to stay in the fight longer, or concentrate your attack strength on the Hangar Bay or turbolaser to blitz your opponent.
In order to prevent turbolaser damage to your ship, when your opponent starts their bombing run, use the Support Call to begin your own bombing run.
Learn to split your attack power throughout the game. At the start of your match, place two targets on the turbolasers and two on the Shielding section of the enemy’s ship. During the mid-late phase, focus three targets on the section with the least damage, and the fourth on the most damaged.
To use the Kylo Ren Lightsaber Controller or play the Dark Side Expansion update, the full Star Wars: Jedi Challenges starter kit is required (sold separately), which includes the Lenovo Mirage™ AR headset, Lightsaber controller, and Tracking Beacon. A compatible smartphone and the latest Jedi Challenges app, free to download on the App Store® and Google Play™, are also required.
About Star Wars: Jedi Challenges
Star Wars: Jedi Challenges brings iconic Star Wars experiences to life through the power of AR. Offering more than 30 hours of multi-level immersive content, Jedi Challenges features multiple gameplay experiences:
Lightsaber Battles: Perfect your Lightsaber skills by taking on some of the most menacing villains the dark side has to offer like Kylo Ren and Darth Vader, or battle new heroes like Rey and Yoda in the new Dark Side Expansion.
Strategic Combat: Command forces against enemies in large-scale legendary ground wars.
Holochess: Outwit your opponents in the ultimate game of concentration and strategy in the beloved Star Wars game that first appeared in Star Wars: A New Hope™.
Pricing and Availability
The Star Wars: Jedi Challenges – Dark Side Expansion update is available now through the Star Wars: Jedi Challenges app as a free download on the App Store and Google Play.
The Star Wars: Jedi Challenges – Kylo Ren Lightsaber is available now in select markets. In the U.S. availability is $99.99 on www.jedichallenges.com, www.bestbuy.com, www.amazon.com, www.walmart.com, www.target.com and others. Local pricing and availability will vary by country. The controller is fully compatible with all content in the Jedi Challenges app.
The Star Wars: Jedi Challenges starter kit is available on www.jedichallenges.com and select local retailers. Local pricing and availability will vary by country.
13 November 2018, Reykjavik, Iceland – Today, CCP Games released ‘Onslaught’, the newest expansion to EVE Online, the deep and uniquely player-driven spaceship MMO game. A free update, EVE Online: Onslaught invites players of all experience levels to explore the dangerous and isolated Abyssal Deadspace together in cooperative play. This high-risk, high-reward gameplay offers new weapons and technologies to obtain, including blueprints for two powerful and exotic ships. The expansion also adds new Upwell navigation structures, allowing players to jump between two points in space and forge their own faster-than-light travel networks. In addition, EVE Online: Onslaught introduces the highly-anticipated Activity Tracker, transforming the way all players are able to navigate their personal journey within EVE’s persistent, living universe.
CCP has marked the new expansion’s launch with this feature tour video.
“EVE is best played with friends, so with EVE Online: Onslaught our goal has been to provide thrilling co-op gameplay for our community to experience in the Abyss,” said Bergur Finnbogason, EVE Online’s Creative Director. “It’s not only a race against time and increasingly difficult enemies, but now capsuleers will also have to focus on keeping each other alive, assisting however they can. We’re especially eager to see our players diving into Abyssal Deadspace’s new PvP arena where two ships enter, one ship leaves!”
“EVE Online has always been about putting control in the hands of our players,” said CCP’s CEO Hilmar V. Pétursson. “With capsuleers now able to build their own highway networks between the stars coupled with our use of Abyssal space as an incubator for some of our wilder ideas, after 15 years and over 40 expansions we still find creating new ways for our players to shape EVE’s sophisticated virtual world as they see fit very inspiring.”
The new version of Abyssal Deadspace now allows for co-operative PvE gameplay, with players able to bring two other pilots into the fray. Players can choose from any combination of three frigates to fight new hostile NPCs, scavenge materials and earn valuable rewards together. Difficulty tiers have been adjusted to accommodate the increase in players within the Abyss, but pilots will still need to avoid venturing away from stable pockets of space for too long or risk being destroyed. Pilots who make it to the end of their journeys may now come across an optional gate they can enter to fight in arena-style 1v1 PvP combat against others who have achieved the same feat. Players will have to risk everything to survive these encounters – only the victors will return intact, having plundered their opponent’s haul.
For both cooperative and solo experiences, two new Triglavian ships can also be built from blueprints found in the Abyss and are the first of their kind for their respective classes – the Kikimora, a Triglavian Destroyer with enormous bonuses to range for its weapon systems and the Drekavac, a Triglavian Battlecruiser designed for deadly close-range brawling tactics. Two further ships will be available next month – the Rodiva Support Cruiser and the Zarmazd, a Triglaivan Logistics Cruiser that will remotely buff the armor of other vessels.
EVE Online: Onslaught also features the fully-comprehensive Activity Tracker, available to all players, enabling them to fine tune who they want to be in New Eden and view the various diversification and specialization options open to them. New Upwell Navigation Structures are also available, replacing Jump Bridges, allowing ships to travel between two points in space that are less than five light-years apart, creating a multitude of strategic uses for player organisations seeking territorial control.
For more information about EVE Online: Onslaught, including the new Abyssal Deadspace 2.0, the Activity Tracker, Upwell Navigation Structures and other enhancements, visit https://updates.eveonline.com. EVE Online can be downloaded for free by visiting https://www.eveonline.com/download.
LOS ANGELES (Nov. 14, 2018) – Showcasing the interwoven narrative of the game’s main characters, SQUARE ENIX®’s new trailer provides a deeper look at their dark and gritty stories of survival in LEFT ALIVE™.
Famed illustrator Yoji Shinkawa of the METAL GEAR series from KOJIMA PRODUCTIONS designed each playable character, from the young Ruthenian staff sergeant Mikhail, to confident Nova Slava police force captain Olga, and ex-member of the rebel movement Leonid, who was framed for murder and sentenced to death.
The game features a variety of action-packed playstyles in the war-torn city of Novo Slava, filled with pulse-pounding battles, stealth maneuvers and much more.
LEFT ALIVE is releasing on March 5, 2019 for the PlayStation®4 computer entertainment system and STEAM®. The limited Mech Edition bundle is available for pre-order exclusively from the Square Enix Online Store for $159.99. Digital pre-orders are also now available through the PlayStation®Store and STEAM Store for $59.99. More information is available at: http://rebrand.ly/leftalivegame.
November 13, 2018 – An angel falls, a warrior rises. Watch the all new trailer for #Alita: Battle Angel now, and see the movie in theaters on February 14.
20th Century Fox has released a new trailer for ALITA: BATTLE ANGEL! From visionary filmmakers James Cameron and Robert Rodriguez, the film stars Rosa Salazar, Christoph Waltz, Jennifer Connelly, Mahershala Ali, Ed Skrein, Jackie Earle Haley and Keean Johnson.
ALITA: BATTLE ANGEL will open in theaters everywhere on February 14, 2019 in 3D & IMAX!
