Video

The Weeknd Maze and Blumhouse Terror Tram Unveiled for Halloween Horror Nights

Multi award-winning artist The Weeknd makes his terrifying return to Halloween Horror Nights at Universal Studios Hollywood with an all-new experience, “The Weeknd: Nightmare Trilogy” haunted house and “Terror Tram: Enter the Blumhouse” invites guests to step into a slate of popular horror films from Blumhouse Productions. “The Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Legacy of Leatherface,” which celebrates 50 years of the iconic maniacal monster, rounds out this year’s gruesome line up of terrifying haunted houses.

Halloween Horror Nights at Universal Studios Hollywood kicks off on Thursday, September 5 and will continue select nights through Sunday, November 3. With less than a month until the event begins, now is the time to purchase the popular Frequent Fear Pass as they may sell out. The Frequent Fear Pass offers guest the opportunity to experience up to 33 nights of General Admission and revisit the terror over and over and over again.

The Weeknd is one of the 21st century’s most significant artists and the enigmatic superstar has continued to shatter records year after year. In 2022, he joined forces with Halloween Horror Nights to create the popular haunted house, “The Weeknd: After Hours Nightmare,” inspired by his highly successful “After Hours” album.

This year, he returns with “The Weeknd: Nightmare Trilogy,” which provides fans an authentic, one-of-a-kind horror experience with surprises at every turn and music by The Weeknd scored by seminal producer, artist, and seven-time Grammy® award winner Mike Dean.

Universal Studios Hollywood’s exclusive Terror Tram is back with a vengeance. On “Terror Tram: Enter the Blumhouse,” horror fans will set off on the Universal Studios backlot and encounter some of the most frightening characters from Blumhouse’s popular franchises, including M3GANThe Black PhoneFreakyThe Purge and Happy Death Day.

Plus, guests who purchase or opt to upgrade their event tickets to the R.I.P. Tour will encounter themed photo ops along with exclusive access to the Jupiter’s Claim set from the hit film Nope.

Continuing the momentum, Leatherface also makes his horrifying return to Halloween Horror Nights with “The Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Legacy of Leatherface.” The haunted house will debut an all-new storyline celebrating the 50th Anniversary of the original 1974 slasher film. Set in an abandoned slaughterhouse, visitors will encounter the many iterations of Leatherface from all nine films in the franchise, dodging his relentless chainsaw at every turn.

Additionally, “The Purge: Dangerous Waters” returns to the WaterWorld venue, taking visitors on a fiery, rock-fueled adventure while they fight to survive the night.

Rounding out the slate, horror fans will encounter multiple scare zones throughout the park. When exiting the “Monstruos 2: The Nightmares of Latin America” haunted house, visitors will encounter “Luchadores Monstruosos,” an all-new scare zone. As they begin their terrifying night at Halloween Horror Nights, fans will first need to escape a troop of chainsaw killers in “Chainsaw Punkz,” then dodge a gothic inspired royal court of the dead in “Skull Lordz.” The menacing “Murder of Crowz” will flock to a new dedicated space, including mama crow debuting at the nest.

These exciting experiences join previously announced haunted houses, including Paramount Pictures’ critically-acclaimed franchise “A Quiet Place,” Sony Pictures’ horror-comedy “Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire,” Universal Pictures’ Classic Monsters in “Universal Monsters: Eternal Bloodlines,” “Insidious: The Further” based on the latest film in Blumhouse’s terrifying film series, “Monstruous 2: The Nightmares of Latin America” a sequel to the hit 2023 haunted house and “Dead Exposure: Death Valley” an original concept house with petrifying radioactive zombies.

Adding to the scares, guests also can experience select theme park attractions open during the event, including “Jurassic World—The Ride,” “The Wizarding World of Harry Potter™” highly immersive land featuring “Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey™” and “Flight of the Hippogriff™,” “Transformers™: The Ride-3D,” “Revenge of the Mummy—The Ride” and “The Simpsons Ride™.” Those purchasing select tickets will have same day access to the interactive land SUPER NINTENDO WORLD™ from 7:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. (subject to change).

Halloween Horror Nights at Universal Studios Hollywood begins on Thursday, September 5 and continues select nights through Sunday, November 3. A variety of Halloween Horror Nights ticket options for Universal Studios Hollywood are now available, including General AdmissionUniversal ExpressAfter 2 PM Day/Night, the Early Access Ticket, which provides access to select haunted houses beginning at 5:30 p.m. (subject to change), in advance of the scheduled 7:00 p.m. event opening time, the premium R.I.P. Tour and popular passes, Frequent Fear Pass and Ultimate Fear Pass, which enable guests to experience the scares again and again. Click here to purchase tickets and for Terms and Conditions.

Nostalgic VR Lightgun Shooter On Point in Early Access

On Point, the vibrant VR light gun shooter from developer Actuator Digital, pulls the trigger on its Early Access launch for Meta Quest and Steam VR today!

Relive the glory days of fast-moving targets, colorful stages, and clicky plastic guns in 90 eccentric minigames reminiscent of notable arcade and lightgun classics. Wreak havoc in a china shop or blast away at waves of free-falling fruit and red-hot lava balls in each increasingly challenging stage.

Despite On Point’s ‘90s arcade inspirations, no tokens are required! Bring a sharp eye and split-second judgment to take down bullseyes hiding behind glass, leaves blowing in the wind, and seemingly innocent targets that could transform into game-ending bombs in an instant! Perfect the art of hand-eye coordination and quick reflexes to rocket to the top of the global leaderboards.

On Point will see several significant updates in the lead-up to its full 1.0 launch including a fully optimized PC mode, a new achievement system, light gun customization, leaderboard improvements, and Twitch chat support.

“On Point is our team’s tribute to iconic ‘90s arcade games,” says Sebastiaan Fehr, Founder of Actuator Digital. “We’ve brought the best of these games to VR in the most accessible way possible. On Point emphasizes aim and coordination with limited locomotion, reducing the risk of nausea. We’ve worked hard to breathe new life into this genre and can’t wait for gamers of all skill levels to play it for themselves!”

On Point enters Early Access today for Meta Quest 2 and Steam VR, retailing for $14.99 USD. For more information about On Point please visit their official website, follow the team on Twitter, join the community on Discord, and search #OnPointGame on all social media platforms.

Haunted House Renovator: Prologue Announcement Trailer

Image Power is delighted to announce that the Haunted House Renovator Prologue will be avalible in Q4! This will be a great opportunity to check what the game has to offer.

The full version of Haunted House Renovator has been funded in 180% on Kickstarter!

In the Prologue, players will be able to check out all the features available in the full version of the game, such as; improved UI, 2D cutscenes, secret passageways, a sneak peek at the upgrade system, an enhanced magic circle system, game saves, as well as many more new and interesting mechanics! Players should prepare to meet new creatures and spirits, and learn more about the mysterious Ancestor first met in the demo!

The feedback that developers received after the Steam Next Fest was extremely helpful and all improvements are based on it.

Players will have the opportunity to try Haunted House Renovator: Prologue without additional fees and without a time limit. The presented version will have many mechanics from the full version (without the selection of orders) and the location itself will be larger than the one presented in the demo. Additionally, furniture created especially for this level will be available, as every map has one.

Haunted House Renovator: Prologue – Steam link

D&D Inspires Legions of Fans at Gen Con 2024

More than 64 million D&D fans love THE WORLD’S GREATEST ROLEPLAYING GAME and a huge number of them were in Indianapolis this past weekend. At Gen Con 2024 in Indianapolis, Indiana, more than 3,000 lucky DUNGEONS & DRAGONS fans got their hands on early copies of the 2024 Player’s Handbook before it releases widely on Sept 17th. More than 10,000 fans played D&D at Gen Con, including the amazing cast of the immersive live D&D game which featured Neil Newbon (Astarion) and Samantha Béart (Karlach), reprising their roles from the smash hit Baldur’s Gate 3, alongside Brennan Lee Mulligan, Anjali Bhimani, and Aabria Iyengar as DM.

“It was so cool being in the audience when Aabria revealed Brennan and Anjali were both playing secret dragons in the D&D Live game,” said Jess Lanzillo, VP of D&D Franchise and Product at Wizards of the Coast. “Gen Con 2024 was such a celebration of the five decades of DUNGEONS & DRAGONS and a testament to the countless imaginations that have been inspired by this special community.”

The climactic encounter in the adventure titled “An Astarion and Karlach Adventure: Love is a Legendary Action” played out in Project Sigil, an upcoming immersive 3D sandbox that empowers fans to build their own D&D experience using Unreal Engine 5. Anyone can sign up for the Project Sigil closed beta at DnDBeyond.com/project-sigil. All you need is a free D&D Beyond account!

Everyone is talking about the D&D Live game from Gen Con 2024! Head to youtube.com/@DNDWizards to check it out today at this link: https://youtu.be/Cn7XLBykzEU. The YouTube Premiere of “An Astarion and Karlach Adventure: Love is a Legendary Action” will be live at 3pm PT!

Atlas Fallen Reign of Sand – Launch Trailer

Get ready to rediscover Atlas Fallen with Reign of Sand, a massive, free overhaul update that refines your experience in this action-packed RPG where you control the power of the sand. Packed with new content and features, Reign of Sand is the ultimate version of Atlas Fallen and promises to elevate your solo or co-op adventure with a wealth of improvements, perfect for both returning players and newcomers alike. Available now on PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S, Focus Entertainment and Deck13 are pleased to present what’s waiting for you with the all-new launch trailer for Atlas Fallen: Reign of Sand.

Rise Again with a Reign of Fresh New Content

What’s new in Reign of Sand? Here are the most significant additions and improvements introduced by this free update:

  • New Area: Source – Explore mysterious portals leading to the Source, a twisted divine realm filled with new challenges where you’ll unleash powerful new Wraith abilities.
  • New Enemies – Encounter formidable new Wraiths like the bulky Transmuter and the agile Morpher.
  • New Game+ – Restart with all your progression, gear, and abilities, and discover new enemies, mechanics, and progression systems.
  • New Difficulty Mode: “Nyaal’s Nightmare” – Exclusive to New Game+, this new difficulty mode offers the ultimate challenge!
  • New Essence Stones – Customize your playstyle with 25 new perks and abilities.
  • New Open World Challenges – Engage in dynamic Corruption Breaches for intense combat and special rewards.
  • Reworked Introduction & Voice Acting – Enjoy a smoother, more engaging experience with a revamped intro and new voice actors, including Ben Starr (Final Fantasy XVIWarframe) as the male playable character.

This update also includes new armors, customization options, improved VFX, UI, sounds, and many other fixes and enhancements. While you can carry over progress from your old character, starting a new playthrough is highly recommended for the optimal experience. Returning players can download the update for free on PC and consoles, while newcomers will have it included with the base game.

Frostpunk 2 City Unbound Ep. 4 – The Perils of Human Nature

This week’s episode of Frostpunk 2: CIty Unbound is out now and it focuses on the ominous-sounding Perils of Human Nature. ❄️

In Frostpunk 2, keeping an eye on your city’s ideological landscape is crucial for success. As the communities and factions gain influence you will have to build a council hall that serves as a place for their delegates to collide. As a steward, you can propose laws and put them up for the delegates to vote on and Frostpunk 2 is a constant dance between conflicting interests.

You must be mindful of factions taking too much power and influence. A power imbalance often leads to discontent among others and may even escalate into a violent civil war. To avoid such unpleasantries, you must think through every law and negotiate patiently, especially as the rising tension ball makes your job as a steward more difficult.

Creatures of Ava Launch Trailer

Publisher, 11 bit studios, and Spanish developers, Inverge Studios and Chibig, invite players to embark on a breathtaking mission in Creatures of Ava. Taking on the life-and-death task of cleansing an all-consuming infection—The Withering—ravaging the planet of Ava is the top priority, but is what’s in the planet’s best interest also aligned with your own best interests? Find out when Creatures of Ava, coming to PC, Xbox Series X|S, and Game Pass, launches on Aug. 7th.

Set against a canvas of wholesome and colourful visuals, Creatures of Ava hides a deep narrative—co-written by Rhianna Pratchett—that explores dueling themes of acting with empathy while learning when you may need to let something go. Players take on the role of Vic, a young explorer who finds herself crash-landed on a distant planet alongside her companion, Tabitha. During Vic’s adventure, players will embrace exploration that focuses on taming and saving the many creatures threatened by The Withering while also ensuring the protection of the natural world. The world of Ava is wide open to wandering, helping a myriad of creatures, taking on side quests, and appreciating the beauty of Ava.

Players will journey through four distinct biomes tackling environmental puzzles, unlocking new areas, and capturing the fading beauty of Ava via research photography. By upgrading Vic’s gear and skills, it’s possible to enhance her ability to aid Ava and its inhabitants, while magical flute melodies, learned from the grumpy local inhabitants known as the Naam, let her tame the many living species wandering its terrain.

THQ Nordic Showcase 2024

The stage lights have dimmed, and the 2024 THQ Nordic Digital Showcase has officially taken its final bow! We’ve had a blast unveiling a treasure trove of game updates, reveals, and surprises. Missed the live show? No worries! You can catch all the action on demand across our official channels:

 

Dead Age 2 Console Release Dates Announced

Developer Silent Dreams and publisher Headup today are announcing the upcoming release of Dead Age 2 for consoles. Headup will publish the tactical zombie survival game for Xbox Series X|S and PlayStation 5 on August 8, 2024.

Dead Age 2 is a unique combination of survival, management, rogue-like elements, fast turn-based combat, classic role-playing gameplay, and a story in which your decisions directly affect plot progression!

It’s ten years after the zombie apocalypse, and your group has made camp in Freedom City, rumored to be the birthplace of a cure for the zombie plague. However, it’s not just the ravenous undead who are the monsters here, as multiple factions vie for power and resources, attempting to squash all who oppose them. Will you lead your community to safety and security or fall to the dark machinations of other groups?

Features of Dead Age 2  include:

  • New Story: You won’t need to know what happened in the first game to appreciate this new narrative!
  • Improved combat system: A world of tactical combat opportunities opens up to you as you have more than 24 skills to bring to the battlefield
  • Faction Reputation System: Increase your standing with the three major factions to reap rewards and improve trade
  • Extensive Base Management Features: Assign tasks to survivors, craft items, and expand your camp’s capabilities
  • Open World Survival: Free exploration of the world map with 80 detailed locations to search for valuable resources
  • Decisions with Consequences: Your choices directly affect the story and the path you follow, leading you to one of the six potential endings
  • Rogue-like Elements: Random 3D events with permadeath! If you die, you may purchase upgrades unlocked in previous runs for your next playthrough.
  • Multiple Levels of Challenge: Choose from three difficulty options to customize your survival experience