Author - Jerry Paxton

Ubisoft’s VR Escape Room experience Beyond Medusa’s Gate Now Open

SAN FRANCISCO, May 13, 2019 – Today, Ubisoft announced that the VR Escape Room experience Beyond Medusa’s Gate is now available at more than 100 location-based entertainment centers across the US and Europe. Beyond Medusa’s Gate is an incredible, larger-than-life virtual reality adventure that is designed as a cooperative multiplayer VR experience. Players will be transported to the world of Ancient Greece where they must team up in order to solve a series of complex puzzles that include various activities, including interaction with ancient objects, climbing, shooting arrows, and more.

Developed by Ubisoft Blue Byte, Beyond Medusa’s Gate is the second experience available on the Ubisoft Escape Games platform and is set in the re-creation of Ancient Greece from Assassin’s Creed® Odyssey. Teams of two or four players will have 60 minutes to work together and find a way out of a vast Aegean coastal cave where the legendary ship of the Argonauts is anchored. To successfully escape, players must use cooperative teamwork, problem-solving skills and precise timing to solve riddles and find their way out of this room-scale experience. As part of the immersive VR experience, players start the adventure by choosing their avatar among six diverse characters and can customize them with ancient Greek accessories.

More information about Ubisoft’s Escape Games and locations can be found at https://www.ubisoftescapegames.com/beyond-medusas-gate/.

Oddworld: Soulstorm First Teaser Trailer

May 13, 2019 – Oddworld Inhabitants Inc. proudly unveil the first look at gameplay from Oddworld: Soulstorm, the second game in a planned Oddworld pentalogy. It is the first true follow-up to the critically acclaimed, best-selling Oddworld: New ‘n’ Tasty, which was a ground-up remake of Oddworld: Abe’s Oddysee. With more than 15M games sold, and dating back to the original PlayStation, Oddworld has always been developed with fans in mind.

Oddworld: Soulstorm picks up from where New ‘n’ Tasty ended. Abe has defeated Mollusk the Glukkon, his former boss and RuptureFarms’ meanest inhabitant, overthrown RuptureFarms and liberated workmates.

Now, Abe finds himself – along with 300 newly emancipated Mudokons – without food, water or a place to call home. Stranded alone in the desert, they find solace in a strange new brew – a delicious drink that has insidious ramifications for their newfound freedom.

Oddworld: Soulstorm will continue to chew up the themes of environmentalism, capitalism, consumerism and addiction that critics and fans found so engaging in the “AAA Indie” release of Oddworld’s last pensive platformer, New ’n’ Tasty.

Oddworld: Soulstorm will launch on PC & consoles in 2020.

To feel the heat, please see our website at oddworld.com and follow us on Twitter and Facebook, where we will be revealing an all new Abe for Soulstorm. For details, please check oddworld.com.

Tabletop Gods Launches May 16

CHARLOTTETOWN, PEI, CANADA – May 13, 2019 –Tabletop Gods, the game combining arcade action, real-time strategy, tower defense, and highly competitive multiplayer is poised to be the next big Virtual Reality game! Launching on May 16, Tabletop Gods is playable on Oculus Rift, HTC Vive, and Windows Mixed Reality (PSVR coming soon), as well as crossplay with non-VR PC gamers and provides a unique viewing experience especially for VR players!

Tabletop Gods has been designed with Virtual Reality in mind from the ground up! Among the many VR features included are a UI system created specifically for VR, options to customize VR controls, comfort vignettes, movement, etc., and voice chat supported from HMD! While playing on PC is great, the VR experience of Tabletop Gods really captures the social experience of hanging out with friends as you battle across tabletop battlefields.

To celebrate the upcoming launch, Tabletop Gods is now on sale for 25% off on the Humble Store and 25% off on Steam starting May 16. These sale prices will not last long, so act fast, get your copy and save!

Game Features:

  • Human, Undead and Demonic Governance factions
  • Castle Grounds, Nether Realm and Void Temple Tabletop battlefields
  • Powerful spells
  • Killer traps
  • Single and Multiplayer Gaming
  • Achievements and Leaderboards
  • Localization into French, Italian, Spanish, German, Korean and Mandarin

Tabletop Gods is NOW available on Steam Store and Humble store ​for PC Windows, and on Oculus Home and Viveport for Virtual Reality with HTC Vive, Windows Mixed Reality and Oculus Rift + Touch with Xbox controller support; Other VR platforms including PSVR are planned to follow. It is priced at $19.99 USD. The game was developed in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island with valued support from the Canada Media Fund, the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency and Innovation PEI.

A Plague Tale: Innocence Launch Trailer

May 13, 2019 – Asobo Studio’s debut new IP, A Plague Tale: Innocence, launches tomorrow for PlayStation 4, Xbox One and PC on May 14. Watch the Launch Trailer now and embark on a dark adventure through a war-torn, medieval France, relentlessly pursued by the Inquisition and never-ending hordes of ravenous rats.

A Plague Tale: Innocence tells a grim and emotional story, with gameplay blending action and adventure. Follow Amicia and her little brother Hugo, as they attempt to survive a harsh, brutal world plagued by war and the Black Death. On the run from the Inquisition and surrounded by unnatural swarms of rats, the siblings’ rocky journey will not leave them unscathed.

A Plague Tale: Innocence releases tomorrow, May 14, on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC. Pre-orders are still available!

RoboRob and Materia Collective Unleash Kingdom Heartbeats Album

SEATTLE – May 10, 2019 – Materia Collective is thrilled to release KINGDOM HEARTBEATS, a pumping electronic album by producer RoboRob paying tribute to the KINGDOM HEARTS franchise. It features several key themes from the series re-imagined in unique and pleasantly surprising ways, including a track from the most recent addition to the series, KINGDOM HEARTS III. KINGDOM HEARTBEATS is available digitally with limited edition CD and sleek clear vinyl versions to follow. KINGDOM HEARTBEATS is licensed and available now:

KINGDOM HEARBEATS on All Stores

The track list for KINGDOM HEARTBEATS is as follows:

  • 01. Simple and Clean (KINGDOM HEARTS)
  • 02. Tension Rising (KINGDOM HEARTS II)
  • 03. The 13th Struggle (KINGDOM HEARTS II)
  • 04. Sora’s Theme (KINGDOM HEARTS II)
  • 05. Passion (KINGDOM HEARTS II)
  • 06. Dearly Beloved (KINGDOM HEARTS)
  • 07. Face my Fears (KINGDOM HEARTS III)
  • 08. Traverse Town (KINGDOM HEARTS)
  • 09. Sinister Sundown (KINGDOM HEARTS II)
  • 10. This is Halloween (KINGDOM HEARTS)

“I’ve always loved the fluid and soulful nature of the music from KINGDOM HEARTS,” notes producer RoboRob. “My main focus when diving into this project was to capture nostalgia while subverting expectations. Electronic dance music has so many sub-genres. With the help of several talented vocalists and producers, we tackled multiple styles while adding a personal degree of grit and attitude to these classic songs that I think fans of the game’s original score and electronic music fans alike will enjoy.”

Audeze Unveils Premium LCD-GX Gaming Headphones

SANTA ANA, CALIFORNIA – MAY 10, 2019 – Audeze, the leading high-end audio headphone manufacturer, announces at the High End Munich 2019 show the launch of the world’s first high-end purist gaming headphones – the Audeze LCD-GX. After pushing the envelope in the gaming industry with its award-winning Mobius headphones, the new open-back LCD-GX delivers unprecedented sound quality with clear voice chat for the serious audiophile gamer. Combining Audeze’s magnesium construction with patented Fluxor™ magnets and ultra-thin Uniforce™ diaphragms delivering astonishing immersion and transient response, the GX’s advanced LCD planar magnetic drivers are 2 to 4 times the size found in other gaming headphones. This delivers superior attack and bass response not only for gaming, but for monitoring, mixing, and editing audio.

The Audeze LCD-GX will be shown and demonstrated at the High End Munich 2019 show, at the MOC event center in Munich, Germany (Stand M02, Hall 3). Projected USA retail price is expected to be $899.

The Audeze LCD-GX is handcrafted in Audeze’s California factory featuring magnesium housing, memory foam ear pads, and a weight-reducing suspension headband design for long-lasting comfort during marathon gaming sessions. The detachable microphone cable includes a mute button and flexible gooseneck arm, allowing customized positioning to ensure the optimal angle when communicating with online teammates. The GX also includes a standard LCD series headphone cable for use without the mic, and a splitter/adapter for the separate mic and headphone signals. A foam pop filter is included with each LCD-GX to further reduce unwanted noise and improve voice clarity.

The Audeze LCD-GX will begin shipping in July 2019 and retail for $899 on Amazon and from the official Audeze website. For more information on the Audeze LCD-GX, follow Audeze on Twitter, “Like” us on Facebook, subscribe to Audeze on Youtube to see and hear video demonstrations of Audeze products, and visit the website at www.audeze.com.

Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon Breakpoint Announced

SAN FRANCISCO — May 9, 2019 — Today Ubisoft announced Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon© Breakpoint, the latest installment in the Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon franchise, will be available October 4 on the PlayStation®4 computer entertainment system, Xbox One family of devices including the Xbox One X, and Windows PC. After successfully rebooting the Ghost Recon formula with Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon® Wildlands, Ubisoft Paris* has created an entirely new adventure, putting players back in the boots of the Ghosts, an Elite US Special Operations Unit. But this time they are stranded behind enemy lines, facing their toughest enemy to date.

Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon Breakpoint is a military shooter set in a diverse and hostile open world entirely playable solo or in up to four-player co-op. Players will discover Auroa, a mysterious island where the most technically advanced facilities meet wild and untamed nature. Home to drone creators, tech giant Skell Technology, Auroa has fallen into the wrong hands and all contact has been lost.

The Wolves, a lethal ex–US Military unit of former Ghosts gone rogue, have taken over the island. Led by Nomad’s ex-brother-in-arms, Lt. Colonel Cole D. Walker, portrayed by Jon Bernthal, they have reprogrammed Skell’s drones into killing machines and are ready to use them, no matter the casualties. Nomad and the Ghosts are sent in on a recon mission, but their helicopters are shot down. Injured, without support, and hunted down, players will live an intense military experience as they fight to survive, take down the Wolves and regain control of Auroa.

Steep slopes, accumulating injuries, and fatigue are new challenges for players to tackle as they test their survival skills in the varied terrains of Auroa. To overcome adversity, players will enjoy total freedom to accomplish their missions and have plenty of tactical options and tools at their disposal, including a set of new military features. They will be able to carry enemies and teammates’ bodies, blend into their environment with prone camo and set up camp with teammates in the bivouac to manage equipment, change classes, and fine-tune their strategies.

They will also be able to choose among thousands of customization combinations to create their perfect Ghost, and keep their character and progression through the game in both the main campaign and Player-versus-player (PvP), available at launch.

Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon Breakpoint will include a robust post-launch content support plan, with regular updates after launch. New story arcs, classes and features will be continuously added, and for the first time in a Ghost Recon game, a new type of endgame content: raids.

Additionally, Ubisoft announced the Gold, Ultimate and Wolves Collector’s Edition** of Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon Breakpoint as well as the standalone Ubicollectibles® figurine of Nomad:

  • The Gold Edition will include the base game and the Year 1 Pass.
  • The Ultimate Edition will include the base game, the Year 1 Pass and the Ultimate Pack.
  • The Wolves Collector Edition will include the base game, the Year 1 Pass, the Ultimate Pack, a Ubicollectibles® high-end figurine of Lt. Colonel Cole D. Walker, a Steelbook®, exclusive lithographs, Walker’s dog tag, a waterproof map of Auroa as well as the soundtrack.
  • The standalone Ubicollectibles figurine of Nomad is available for preorder on the Ubisoft store.

Fans who purchase the Gold, Ultimate, or Collector’s Edition will have access to the game up to three days early. Fans who pre-order*** Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon Breakpoint will receive access to the Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon Breakpoint Beta closer to launch, as well as the Sentinel Corp. pack which includes exclusive gear.

For more information about Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon Breakpoint, please visit ghostrecon.com, follow us on twitter.com/ghostrecon, instagram.com/ghostrecon_us or facebook.com/ghostrecon and join the conversation by using #ghostrecon.

For the latest about Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon Breakpoint and other Ubisoft games, please visit news.ubisoft.com.

SEGA Acquires Two Point Studios

London, England – May 9, 2019 – SEGA® Europe Ltd., a subsidiary of Tokyo headquartered SEGA Games, is delighted to announce the acquisition of Two Point Studios, the Farnham-based developer behind the award-winning Two Point Hospital. Two Point Studios had been working with SEGA Europe in a publishing partnership capacity since January 2017 as part of SEGA Europe’s Searchlight programme. The Searchlight team look for exciting new development talent, working on new IP, with franchise potential, and this acquisition is the first of its kind of as a direct result of this internal initiative.

Two Point Studios was set-up in 2016 by Lionhead alumni, Gary Carr, Mark Webley and Ben Hymers, with the goal of creating accessible games with understated depth, set in atypical worlds. The trio set about assembling a 17-strong team, featuring talent from some of the best and most experienced developers, who between them have worked on titles like Black and White, Alien: Isolation and Fable at studios including Creative Assembly, Lionhead and Mucky Foot. On 30 August 2018, Two Point Hospital launched worldwide as a PC digital download, garnering critical acclaim and commercial success.

Following the acquisition, Two Point Studios becomes a wholly owned SEGA studio and a fully integrated SEGA Europe pillar, alongside Creative Assembly, Sports Interactive, Relic Entertainment, Amplitude Studios and HARDlight. Two Point Hospital will take its place alongside SEGA Europe’s other illustrious franchises like Total War™, Company of Heroes™, Football Manager™ and Endless Space™. The studio will continue to work on several exciting unannounced projects of which there will be more news in the coming months. For SEGA Europe’s Searchlight initiative, the ongoing task of seeking out the best new studios, ones that fit with SEGA’s ethos to deliver new IP with strong franchise potential, continues to gather momentum.

“We’re delighted to welcome Two Point Studios officially in to the SEGA family. As a relatively new, British-based developer with a global hit already under their belts, we knew we had to move quickly on this deal because they are an extremely attractive investment proposition with a great deal of talent,” said Gary Dale, President/COO for SEGA Europe Ltd. “The Searchlight team at SEGA Europe have done a fantastic job integrating the studio over the past two years and the studio have gone on to produce a fantastic title with clear franchise potential.”

“It’s a landmark step for Two Point Studios and we’re thrilled to be joining the SEGA family. We’re looking forward to executing the next phase of our plans as we continue to evolve Two Point County” said Mark Webley, Co-Founder of Two Point Studios. “It’s a hugely exciting time to be a part of Two Point and we are here today thanks to the hard work, passion and dedication of our small, but amazingly talented team here in Farnham and the incredible fans that have supported us throughout and guided our continued development of Two Point Hospital.”

For more information about Two Point Studios, log on to www.twopointstudios.com or follow them on Facebook or Twitter. For more information about SEGA Europe, log on to www.sega.co.uk or follow us on Facebook or on Twitter.

Cities: Skylines future – Campus Announced

STOCKHOLM – May 9, 2019 – Paradox Interactive and Colossal Order today announced the next step in the Cities: Skylines future – Campus. University life abounds with new area types for any sort of student – Trade School, Liberal Arts and University. Players will be able to increase the reputation of their campuses by attracting students and creating Academic Works. With five types of varsity sports arenas, nine unique faculties, seven new policies, seven new achievements and five new maps, Campus will take higher education to new heights on May 21, 2019 for $12.99 MSRP.

Key Features:

  • Degrees of Freedom – Design your own campus based on three area types – Trade School, Liberal Arts College and University. Increase reputation by attracting students and creating Academic Works to unlocking new buildings!
  • Var-City Sports – Bring college sports to your city by building football, basketball, baseball, track & field, and swimming arenas. Manage your teams, hire coaches, sell tickets — and collect prizes for winning matches! Customize your teams with unique jerseys and increase their chances of winning with cheerleaders and coaches.
  • Syllabuster – Employ seven new policies including book fairs and for-profit education. Sponsor academic works by handing out research grants and supporting the staff.
  • We Fancy – Display your scientific achievements in Museums.
  • Cheers! – Celebrate with your citizens during graduation ceremonies.
  • Ludocartography 101  – Five new maps for your building pleasure.
  • Three New Chirper Hats – Be the big chirp on campus!

But no Cities DLC is complete without some freebies! In addition to two new radio stations and a new Content Creator Pack , there will be two new library buildings, a new yellow school bus, job titles in the citizen info panel, and new industry policies added to the game in a free update later this month. Let’s recap:

Cities: Skylines – Content Creator Pack: University City
Give your city that real “university town” look and feel with a selection of new building spawns designed by Mike “KingLeno” Leno. For $4.99 MSRP, University City adds 36 low-density residential buildings, 32 low-density commercial buildings, and 15 props including commercial signs and logos to reflect the student residents in your neighborhood!

Cities: Skylines – Deep Focus Radio
For those late night term papers or relaxing city-building sessions, Deep Focus Radio has the chilled-out ambiance you need. For $3.99 MSRP, enjoy a selection of Ambient and Lo-Fi study music presented by DJ “Deep Thought.” This station comes with 16 unique tracks that will help you to focus on what’s truly important: perfect street layouts.

Cities: Skylines – Campus Rock Radio
Relive your freshman year with a collection of College Rock, Teen Pop, Happy Punk, and Power Chord music. For $3.99 MSRP, let DJ Claude Couture spin the tracks of your higher education with 16 unique songs!

For more information, please visit https://www.paradoxplaza.com/cities-skylines/CSCS00GSK-MASTER.html

Warhammer 40,000: Inquisitor – Prophecy Announced

May 9, 2019 – We are pleased to announce WARHAMMER 40,000: INQUISITOR – PROPHECY, a stand-alone expansion pack for Warhammer 40,000: Inquisitor – Martyr. It is a brand new action-RPG experience in the Warhammer 40,000 universe, and although Inquisitor – Martyr is not required to play, the story is designed to fit both for new and for returning players.

KEY FEATURES

  • New Class: Play as a Tech-Adept Inquisitor. Summon and enhance units to help defeat enemies and complete investigations. This new summoner class comes with new unique abilities and mechanics, a unique skill-tree and various new melee and ranged builds.
  • New Campaign: The story of Inquisitor – Martyr continues in three new chapters, with one chapter solely focusing on the Tech-Adept, as its story slowly ties into the main plot.
  • New Environments: Players can discover huge monasteries, hazardous factories, unforgiving deserts and ruthless worlds engulfed by lava and volcanoes.
  • New Enemy Races: Inquisitor – Prophecy adds the Eldar and the Tyranids as new enemy races.
  • New Gameplay Mechanics: Inquisitor – Prophecy will be based on Inquisitor – Martyr’s 2.0 update, bringing the base game’s new level cap, redesigned loot-system and leveling, its new end-game, the co-op campaign mode, new items and a much faster, ARPG-focused gameplay to the stand-alone expansion as well.

Warhammer 40,000: Inquisitor – Prophecy will be available on PC on May 28 for $24.99, while those who already own a copy of Inquisitor – Martyr receive -30% off of their purchase for a limited time.

PlayStation 4 and Xbox One players will be able to pick the game up at a later date.