Author - Jerry Paxton

Creative Labs to Unveil Super X-Fi Gen 2 at CES 2020

SINGAPORE – 2 January, 2020 – A year on after sweeping 15 best-of-CES awards with its breakthrough Super X-Fi Headphone Holography, Creative Technology will be unveiling the all-new Super X-Fi Gen2 audio profile, which features key improvements to provide users with a more natural headphone audio experience than ever before.

Unprecedented Realism in Headphones

Super X-Fi recreates the soundstage of a high-end surround speaker system in headphones, and personalizes it with Artificial Intelligence (AI) for a natural listening experience. Since its worldwide launch at CES 2019, users and critics have been blown away by the realism of personalized audio, which is tailored according to their anthropometric profiles.

“At the beginning, our user profile base was in the range of tens of thousands. Over the past year, riding on the successful launch of Super X-Fi, we have accumulated hundreds of thousands of user profiles. This significant jump in real-world data has provided us with the capacity for more research, and importantly, it has enabled us to train the Super X-Fi AI engine to be even more accurate in personalizing the audio experience for our users. This was key in our development of the Super X-Fi Gen2 profile,” said Lee Teck Chee, Vice-President of Technology at Creative and inventor of Super X-Fi.

Super X-Fi Gen2 incorporates other important enhancements as well, including the preservation of more details in the surround sound configuration, along with higher positioning accuracy. Audio fidelity is improved, resulting in a clearer sound signature. This translates to more pristine audio across a broader range of content, and a much higher level of enjoyment for users overall. For movies, dialogue becomes clearer, and audio cue positioning is more precise, with an enhanced bass performance. This is also better across various genres of music, as the improved restoration of details moves users closer to a studio environment.

For gaming, the Super X-Fi experience is improved across a broad range of game types, with better perception of distance and position. Furthermore, Creative will be showcasing at CES 2020 a special gaming sound profile designed for first-person-shooter games in a preview of the SXFI GAMER headset.

The benefits of the new Super X-Fi Gen2 profile do not end there. With its new approach in design methodology, power consumption becomes more efficient. For instance, the SXFI AIR headphone will gain more than 10% of battery life.

The Super X-Fi Gen2 profile will be implemented on all existing user profiles worldwide during CES 2020, and users just need to perform simple firmware updates on their products, and download their new profiles through the SXFI APP to experience the all-new holographic audio.

Lee added – “Super X-Fi Gen2 is the new fruit of our unrelenting research for audio excellence. Also, while Gen2 is the best sound profile we have, we are constantly looking into developing the next higher standard. Gen3 is already on the horizon.”

Seagate Unveils New External Storage Options at CES 2020

LAS VEGAS, NV – CES 2020 – The Venetian, Level 3 San Polo Ballroom – January 6, 2020 – Seagate Technology plc (NASDAQ: STX), a global leader in data solutions, today added new high-performance external solutions to its industry-leading line of storage for gamers. The Seagate® FireCuda® Gaming SSD and BarraCuda® Fast SSD deliver elite performance and convenience for gamers and power users on the go.

Designed as the perfect companion to Seagate’s recently released FireCuda Gaming Dock, the portable FireCuda Gaming SSD delivers performance to help scorch the competition. Purpose-built for gamers, it marries Seagate’s premium FireCuda NVMe 510 SSD and the latest cutting-edge SuperSpeed USB 20Gb/s (USB 3.2 Gen2×2) interface, delivering staggering read speeds of up to 2000MB/s1.

Optimized for performance and high on style, the drive offers capacities of 500GB, 1TB, and 2TB and features a signature chisel metal enclosure with customizable RGB LED lighting. Gamers can personalize the drive’s full-range RGB LED with the free Seagate Toolkit software and synchronize the LEDs with a FireCuda Gaming Dock, creating an immersive setup.

Also new to the Seagate SSD line-up is the BarraCuda Fast SSD offering 500GB, 1TB, and 2TB of capacity. With mobile gamers and active power users in mind, the SATA SSD external drive features rapid read/write speeds of up to 540 MB/s1 for improved gameplay and quick file transfers. Pocket-sized, the sleek drive features an attractive green LED and offers versatility with a USB 3.1 Gen2 Type-C port. It is PC and Mac (exFAT) compatible out of the box, includes Seagate’s Toolkit with simple backup and sync, and a complimentary two-month subscription to the Adobe Creative Cloud® Photography Plan2.

Available in March, the FireCuda Gaming SSD includes a five-year limited warranty and retails for $189.99 (500GB), $259.99 (1TB), and $499.99 (2TB). Seagate’s BarraCuda Fast SSD is available this February, offers a three-year limited warranty, and retails for $94.99 (500GB), $169.99 (1TB), and $299.99 (2TB).

Knott’s Berry Farm Unveils NYE Celebration

BUENA PARK, CA (December 2019) – The countdown to the New Year is on at Knott’s Merry Farm! With special fireworks, live entertainment, and extended hours, plus Knott’s signature rides and attractions, Knott’s New Year’s Eve celebration is the place to experience an unforgettable night.

Unique one-night-only entertainment serves up fun for a variety of ages and interests including a family-friendly comedian, dancing lessons and more. Guests are invited to count down to the New Year with festive music, party hats, noisemakers, and endless fun. To culminate the evening and the final seconds of 2019 Knott’s will light up the night sky with a dazzling firework display at the stroke of midnight.

  • Martini Pop Swing Band is on hand to play the slickest standards ever. Professional swing dancers and instructors will be there to make sure guests don’t miss a single step.
  • The Calico Mine Stage will blast timeless pop and rock music courtesy of Hiatus.
  • DJ Howly brings the party to the farm for a special New Year’s celebration with high-energy music and dancing taking place at the Calico Mine Stage.
  • Next to the Calico Mine Stage, the PEANUTS characters will be posing for pictures with guests to celebrate the New Year.
  • The stage will be set at Boardwalk BBQ as two sets of piano players go head to head in full keys wage war with PianoMania Dueling Pianos.
  • Family-friendly comedian, Chipper Lowell, brings his hilarious comedy, magic and audience participation to the Bird Cage Theatre.
  • Krazy Kirk and the Hillbillies, four country boys from deep in the hills of Anaheim will have the crowd’s toes tappin’, hands clappin’ and guts bustin’. The best darn tootin’ entertainment this side of the Santa Ana freeway. The comical and musical number can be seen at the Wagon Camp.
  • Fiesta Plaza will feature DJ JC playing upbeat music and will host a dance instruction to teach guests how to dance the Latin way.
  • Midnight Fireworks Spectacular, guests can ring in the New Year with a bang as the park’s skies wonderfully light up for a firework display that will leave the young and young at heart in awe.
  • A New Year’s Eve celebration is not complete without a delicious meal. Spur’s Restaurant is serving up a special New Year’s Eve buffet from 4pm-10pm; prices are $34.99+tax for adults, $29.99 for Seniors (62 and over0 and $18.99+ tax for kids (11 and under).

In addition to the special New Year’s Eve entertainment, guests can experience all the magic of Knott’s Merry Farm’s festive lineup of entertainment, delectable food, holiday shopping and much more. Showtimes vary, check knotts.com for more information:

  • Merry Christmas, Snoopy! In this exciting show filled with whimsical and spectacular ice skating, Snoopy enjoys all of the best parts of the season including trimming the Christmas tree, awaiting Santa’s arrival and attending the festive Christmas Ball!
  • When the sun sets on the farm, the buildings and paths in Ghost Town twinkle brightly to the beat of holiday favorites as snow gently falls. Park goers can enjoy the nightly Snow and Glow experience on School House Road and Main Street in Ghost Town.
  • Another nighttime tradition at Knott’s Merry Farm is the joyous Tree Lighting Ceremony. TheCalico Tree Lighting Ceremony features the Calico Bell Choir and the mayor of Calico gathering around the tree for an illuminating Christmas celebration.
  • The holiday season celebration continues in Camp Snoopy with a lively performance at the Camp Snoopy Theater A Peanuts Guide to Christmas features delightful mash ups of holiday songs with a cheerful and heartwarming dose of the Peanuts Gang.
  • In the intimate setting of Ghost Town’s historic Bird Cage Theatre, catch a live performance ofCharles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol or its brand-new holiday sequel, Marley’s Wings.
  • Savor the ultimate comfort foods with Knott’s world-famous holiday treats. Santa’s Christmas Cabin serves up an array of holiday treats like warm roasted nuts, mouthwatering pastries and handheld cookie shots filled with a cold drink of milk or warm chocolate. Guests can also enjoy more holiday dishes throughout the park like an apple pie pizza sprinkled with a warm brown sugar crumble topped with cream cheese icing at Beechy Keens Pizza or savor the legendary cooking at Mrs. Knott’s Chicken Dinner Restaurant.
  • In Ghost Town, the streets transform into a shopping wonderland with the Knott’s Christmas Crafts Village that offers dozens of local artisans selling their unique gifts.

 

Knott’s New Year’s Eve Celebration is included with regular daytime admission.  Park hours on New Year’s Eve are 9am to 1am. A new 2020 Season Pass includes one free visit to enjoy Merry Farm in 2019, unlimited visits in 2020 with no blackout dates, discounts on select food and merchandise, and access to exciting year-round seasonal events. A Regular Season Pass includes unlimited admission in 2020 to Knott’s Berry Farm and a Gold Season Pass includes unlimited admission in 2020 to both Knott’s Berry Farm and Knott’s Soak City Waterpark with no blackout dates. Now at the lowest price of the year, Regular Season Passes start at just $99 or nine easy payments of $9.50 after initial payment and Gold Season Passes are $120 or nine payments of just $11.50 after initial payment. These offers end January 5, 2020. Applicable taxes and fees apply. Payment plans are only available at knotts.com. To purchase Season Passes or tickets, or for more information about Knott’s Berry Farm, visit www.knotts.com or download the Knott’s mobile app for your smartphone today. And join the conversation using #KnottsNYE.

McFarlane Toys Unveils Cyberpunk 2077 Action Figure Deal

Tempe, Ariz. – December 26, 2020 – Entering into the new year, McFarlane Toys announced today that it has begun a licensing agreement with CD PROJEKT RED to create action figures for Cyberpunk 2077! For the next 3 years, McFarlane Toys will be bringing fans the newest figures from the role-playing video game Cyberpunk 2077. Today, you can pre-order the latest figures online at GameStop.

The first wave of the McFarlane Toys Cyberpunk 2077 range will feature two sizes of the Johnny Silverhand action figure, including a 7-inch and 12-inch version. It will also include a 7-inch (Male) V figure as well. The 7-inch figures will have 22 points of articulation and replicate the likeness of the character, for the price of $24.99. The 12-inch Johnny Silverhand has an MSRP of $39.99. All figures will be available to purchase at major retailers in Spring 2020!

Cyberpunk 2077 will be released April 16, 2020 for PC, Xbox One, and PlayStation 4, with the version for Google Stadia set to launch the same year. The game has won more than 200 awards, including the Golden Joystick Award for Most Anticipated Game. Recently, Cyberpunk 2077 has also received media and fan attention for its star-studded soundtrack.

Fans of both McFarlane Toys and Cyberpunk 2077 can check www.mcfarlane.com and the McFarlane Toys social media channels for updates and news, www.mcfarlane.com; www.instagram.com/mcfarlane_toys_official; and www.facebook.com/mcfarlanetoys;

Happy Holidays 2019

From all of us at GamingShogun.com, we hope you and yours have an incredible holiday celebration. We will see you all in a couple days once the crazy gift exchanges, caroling, and big meals are done with. Thanks for an amazing year so far.

 

Warhammer: Vermintide 2 – Winds of Magic Out on Xbox One

STOCKHOLM, SWEDEN, December 19, 2019. Today Fatshark announced that the Warhammer: Vermintide 2 expansion, Winds of Magic, is available to Xbox One.

The first expansion for Warhammer: Vermintide 2 brings a brand new enemy faction and new challenges to the game. As a meteor crashes down in the Reikland, the Beastmen rush to the epicenter to claim it as a Herdstone. It is up to the five heroes to stop them before a dreadful disaster strikes the Empire.

“We are happy to bring the Winds of Magic expansion to our Xbox One players, and have them join the fight against the Beastmen.” says Martin Wahlund, CEO Fatshark.

Warhammer: Vermintide 2 – Winds of Magic features
Beastmen – The New Enemy
Dark Omens – New Level
Winds – New Game Mode
Raised Level Cap
New Talents
New weapons for all heroes
New Difficulty

Winds of Magic Xbox One
https://www.microsoft.com/store/productid/9pj0jjw2gq9v

Not playing Warhammer Vermintide 2 on PC? Pick it up now.
https://store.steampowered.com/app/552500/Warhammer_Vermintide_2/

The Walking Dead: Saints & Sinners Up for Pre-Order

12/16/19 – Skydance Interactive, a division of Skydance Media, and Skybound Entertainment today announced that digital pre-orders for the highly-anticipated VR title The Walking Dead: Saints & Sinners are now available. The studio also revealed the game will be launching on Oculus Rift, Rift S, Quest (via Link cable only) and HTC Vive on January 23, 2020. The game is slated to arrive on PlayStation VR in Spring 2020, followed by Oculus Quest standalone later in the year.

Players can choose between the Standard, Deluxe and Collector’s Editions, and collect in-game bonuses and exclusive items unique to the game’s special editions and platforms. Details on these exclusives include:

The Walking Dead: Saints & Sinners Standard Edition – $39.99

  • PlayStation VR

    • Pre-order not available but there is a free Playstation theme available for Playstation players in the coming weeks.

  • Oculus Store or Steam or The Walking Dead: Saints & Sinners website

    • Digital game code + Pre-order bonus cosmetic In-game item: craft recipe for “The Sheriff” (Revolver)

The Walking Dead: Saints & Sinners Tourist Edition (Digital Deluxe Edition) – $49.99

  • Digital game code + Bonus cosmetic In-game items:

    • In-game craft recipe for “The Judge” (Baseball Bat)

    • In-game craft recipe for “The Sheriff” (Revolver)

    • In-game craft recipe for “The National” (Combat Knife)

    • “Bustomization” New Orleans voodoo dolls

The Walking Dead: Saints & Sinners Tower Edition (Collector’s Edition) – $149.99

Available only via The Walking Dead: Saints & Sinners website

  • Digital game code + Bonus In-game items:

    • In-game craft recipe for “The Judge” (Baseball Bat)

    • In-game craft recipe for “The Sheriff” (Revolver)

    • In-game craft recipe for “The National” (Combat Knife)

    • “Bustomization” New Orleans voodoo dolls

  • Collector’s SWAG Physical Items

    • Special Edition Reversible Unicorn Backpack / HMD Travel Case

    • Magnetic Camping Lantern

    • Concept Art Stash

    • Collector Saints or Sinners Challenge Coin

    • Set of 4 Collector’s Pins

    • Eerie Postcard

    • 16GB “Thumb” Drive

In The Walking Dead: Saints & Sinners, freedom of choice and visceral combat offer players a new way to live survival horror in a deep-rooted VR gaming experience. Scale buildings to ambush enemies from above, hold down a walker’s head to rip a knife out of its skull or attack from a distance with throwing weapons, bows and long-range firearms. Players can choose from an arsenal of weapons or craft their own to fit their play style and survive their way. Physics-based combat makes every swing of an axe or jab of a knife resonate with impact.

Choices in The Walking Dead: Saints & Sinners will affect not just how the combat plays out but the fate of the city and its other survivors. New Orleans is at war and the living are not just fending off the dead, but each other as well. As players dive deeper into this unforgiving journey they will uncover the mystery at the heart of the conflict that threatens to tear the city apart.

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

Wreckfest Holiday Update Trailer

Vienna, AUSTRIA / Helsinki, FINLAND, December 17th, 2019 – Vroom-Vroom-Vroom! Celebrate Christmas early with Wreckfest’s holiday update as well as the new car pack DLC.

The holiday update contains the following additions. See here for the detailed patch notes.

  • Two new free tracks
  • Multiplayer event voting
  • Player-hosted public servers
  • Car customization in lobby

The Modified Monsters Car Pack brings you a collection of five backyard built vehicles with a mix that will make you go hog-wild! Strike fear with the crazy monster truck, or head into battle in a fully loaded military pickup! Burn rubber like a pro with the dragster, or try the hilarious mini racing car for size! And finally, try taking the pig car out for a spin – enjoy the roast! The Modified Monsters Car Pack is out today on all platforms for $3.99 | €3.99 | £3.29.

Gladiux Teaser Trailer

Dec. 16, 2019 – Starcaster Games (Starcaster LLC) is happy to share the first look at Gladiux® coming to Consoles and PC in 2020. Gladiux is an Action Combat game that takes place in the days of Ancient Rome. We will reveal more about the story and the full trailer closer to GDC 2020 in San Francisco.

This is the first title by Starcaster Games since the studio was founded in April 2019. We have a lot more in store down the road and are excited to be coming out of the shadows finally.

You can find out more about the game at www.gladiux.com as well as follow our company for future announcements.

We hope you enjoy our humble first look.