Victrix, a San Diego based professional gaming accessories brand owned by PDP, announced today that it will partner with The Evolution Championship Series (Evo), one of the most pioneering and storied events in gaming, where it will launch early pre-orders for the Victrix Pro FS and Pro FS-12 Arcade Fight Sticks, the newest versions of their premium tournament fight line for PlayStation and PC. Early pre-orders will become available in person at the Victrix booth at Evo and online starting today, August 5.
The Victrix Pro FS is a traditional stick with 8 face buttons and joystick, while the Victrix Pro FS-12 is an all new 12 button style layout. Like its predecessor, the arcade fight stick boasts authentic Sanwa Denshi Parts, and an extremely durable shell made from a single piece of aircraft-grade aluminum featuring an integrated 6.28° wrist slope to help reduce fatigue. Both editions of the arcade fight stick will be available in either purple or white color schemes, and will have a detachable USB-C cable for connection as-well-as a quick-access back panel for easy mods and updates. The officially licensed stick is compatible with PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, and PC, with a built in mode switch.
“The fighting game community has been asking for another Pro FS, and now we’re bringing them the most advanced iteration yet along with the all new Pro FS-12 button style stick,” said Trevor Lehr, Director of Product Development at Victrix. “We’re excited to be able to offer our first early pre-orders at Evo, directly reaching the community that cares most about our products.”
In addition to offering early pre-orders, players who place top 3 in their respective game will receive an exclusive gold edition Pro FS, engraved with the title of the game they competed in. Gold editions of the fight stick are only available exclusively to winners at Evo and will not be sold anywhere outside of the event. Additionally, fans will have the opportunity to bring their own personal Victrix Fight Sticks and have them custom engraved on site.
Limited quantities of the four stick variations are available for early pre-order now at Evo, as well as on VictrixPro.com, with an MSRP of $399.99 USD.
The coffee shop management game Coffee Shop Tycoon, developed by Riff Studios, is receiving today a new content patch in the so-called Economy Update. This update features new mechanics that allow everyone to modify the food and beverages pricing, and observe how these prices affect the customers’ perception of each coffee shop. Players can take a further look at the update in this link and get their hands on Coffee Shop Tycoon’s Early Access on Steam for $7.99 / €6,59.
The economy update will let players fix average prices for their food and beverages that will follow the supply and demand laws. But the game will also let them raise or lower prices. Its performance will be tied to the quality of the items sold, so they should be priced accordingly. The better coffees players are able to roast, the most they will be able to charge customers… always within a reasonable range!
ECONOMY UPDATE NEW FEATURES
Each coffee will have a unique price depending on what customers expect to pay for it, and it will be similar to what you’d pay in Starbucks-styled coffee shops. Say goodbye to the $1,000 cup!
Food and coffee prices will be set in different ranges: $5-$15 for coffee, and $5-$25 for food.
The ideal price won’t be the same for all the coffee shops you manage.
Clients will expect expensive products from the best reputated places. Those who frequent a Diamond Bean coffee shop will be willing to pay more than those who usually visit a Bronze Bean cafe.
The performance of each beverage will be tied to the quality of the beans and the roasting feature. The better coffee players are able to produce, the higher the prices could be set!
Welcome to the Wild West, partner! Good Shepherd Entertainment and developer Ice Code Games have released Hard West 2 today on PC via Steam and GOG.com for $29.99/€24.99, with a 10% launch week discount available until August 11. Battle the living and undead through the lawless American frontier in this supernatural sequel to the hit original turn-based strategy game experienced by over half a million players worldwide.
When first-class con man Gin Carter raids a legendary “ghost train” in search of gold, he discovers it haunted by the Devil himself! Now Gin must lead a posse of extraordinary outlaws to save his soul in a land claimed by darkness.
Hard West 2 aggressively ups the ante on the usual tactics gameplay experience, with multiple ways to go on the offensive and change the tide of a fight to your advantage based on your posse’s configuration, skills and traits. Each kill will activate your Bravado and refill your Action Points, so you can keep the streak going with the unstoppable force of a steam train.
With careful planning and positioning, a clever player can blow a hole through enemy lines and lay waste to the stragglers before they even have a chance to take their turn. The smallest decisions can have an explosive impact in the blink of an eye, rewarding creative thinking and skillful execution at every opportunity.
Key Features:
Lead a Supernatural Posse: Responsibility for your squad of gunslinging outlaws, witches and other mysterious beings lands at your boots. Give your team members bonus skills or enhance existing powers with cards from the Deck of Haunts, then arm them with guns, explosives, trinkets, or just some beans and whiskey to keep them in top shape. Synergize your party’s abilities to pull off devastating attacks and control the battlefield. Make the right calls to get more Loyalty Points and use their support to solve predicaments and sub-quests.
Conquer the Dark Frontier: Explore the frozen wastelands and lawless frontier towns of the Wild West in a desperate battle against the living and undead. Fight across dynamic levels that’ll keep your brain as busy as your trigger. Let your Western imagination run wild with thrilling horseback chases and train heists.
Unleash Your Bravado: In Hard West 2, you no longer have to hide behind cover, as each kill will replenish your Action Points! Go on the offensive, and chain together brutal kills to extend your streak as you take down anyone or anything brazen enough to stand in your way!
The Good, the Bad & the Undead: Wild West folk tales and the occult collide in a character-driven story featuring the voice talents of Kevin Conroy (Batman: The Animated Series), Darien Sills-Evans (Days Gone) and Adam Gifford (The Colony), co-written by Origins Award winner and New York Times bestseller Matt Forbeck (Deadlands) with a score by BAFTA Award winner Jason Graves (Dead Space).
Fulqrum Publishing and Best Way have just released the first installment in a series of Developer Diary videos for Men of War II, the highly anticipated sequel to the acclaimed real-time strategy franchise. This behind-the-scenes dive into the game explores the franchise’s roots and transformations throughout the years, the new game’s single-player gameplay mechanics, playable factions present in Men of War II, and general state of its development.
This Developer Diary #1 marks the start of a new stage in the development of Men of War II and you will be able to enjoy much more information and content from the game on a regular basis from now on! Men of War II is expected to launch in 2022 on PC via Steam, Epic Games Store and other digital stores.
Lead your troops in intense real-time battles on the Western and Eastern Fronts and overwhelm your opponents in epic narrative single-player campaigns and skirmish modes, before then diving deep into the multiplayer action. Utilize sophisticated military strategies, lay ambushes, or use brute force to show your ability as the greatest military leader of all time. Attain full command of different roles: from Air and Armor to Infantry and Support in fast-paced battles packed with action.
It’s almost back-to-school season, so what better way to celebrate than throwing the wildest milkshake keg party in Two Point County history! If dairy doesn’t agree with you, we’ve also got this brand-new launch trailer to celebrate Two Point Campus releasing on August 9th.
You can throw your own parties in Two Point Campus™, complete with laser lights, over-flowing red cups, and some killer tunes, it’s sure to keep your students happy – or at least distracted. And if a typical student shindig isn’t enough, as administrator of your very own campus, you have the power to schedule live gigs from definitely 100% real bands like Helium Baboon, Alchemical Friendship, or Boogie Knights. So, build yourself a Student Union and get the party started, and yes, the floor is supposed to be sticky.
Maybe you want to take things a little slower? Hopefully not too slow since the local Speed-Walking Club is looking for new recruits. Clubs are the perfect way to avoid thinking about your studies, whether it’s powerwalking around campus, scoring some mid-lecture Zs with the Power-Napping Club, or taking up gardening in the Nature Club. Feel the earth beneath your feet, the sun on your face and the wind… wherever it is you feel that.
Two Point Campus is a charming university management simulator that lets you live out your dreams of running your very own campus environment – complete with wild and wacky courses like spell-casting wizardry, dragon-slaying knight school, or top-secret spy school.
You can be the college party champion when Two Point Campus releases on PC, PlayStation 4|5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, and Nintendo Switch on August 9th. Two Point Campus will also be available with Xbox Game Pass for console and PC on day one. If you’re after a physical copy, then check out our special Enrolment Edition, which comes with an awesome foldout campus map, a stylish University Prospectus, and exclusive packaging. You can pre-order a physical or digital copy of the game here and receive some awesome in-game items for both Two Point Campus and Two Point Hospital™.
For more information about Two Point Campus head to www.twopointcampus.com, where you can sign up for County Pass today, which unlocks the most sought after free in-game item at launch: The Golden Toilet! You can follow the game on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, and Twitter.
THQ Nordic GmbH and All Elite Wrestling, LLC (AEW) and YUKE’S Co., Ltd. today confirmed that the release of AEW: Fight Forever will be the tag-team event of the century! The two companies have joined forces to bring developer YUKES’ latest creation to PS4™, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, and Nintendo® Switch.
“One of the first things I did after signing with AEW was to ask Tony Khan to let me help assemble the best gaming team on the planet, to make the best wrestling game ever,” said Kenny Omega, EVP of AEW and former AEW World Champion and AEW World Tag Team Champion. “Well, we just landed the perfect finisher by partnering with global publishing and distribution powerhouse THQ Nordic for AEW: Fight Forever. The THQ brand has long been synonymous with wrestling games – there is simply no more qualified partner to bring AEW: Fight Forever to the millions of wrestling fans the world over.”
YUKE’S president and CEO Yukinori Taniguchi said “I am both gratified and excited to have the opportunity to work with AEW – who is breathing new life into the pro wrestling industry – and the THQ Brand, with whom we have created an entire era of pro wrestling games. Using the expertise we have cultivated over the years, we are taking on this project with the ultimate staff from the YUKE’S Development Team in order to recreate AEW’s appeal within a video game to the highest degree. We hope that fans will enjoy experiencing the most cutting-edge technology, and the next evolution, in pro wrestling gaming.”
“Kenny’s incredible vision for AEW: Fight Forever is informed by his wrestling pedigree both inside the ring and on the controller,” said Executive Producer Reinhard Pollice, THQ Nordic. “Combine that vision with YUKES’ unparalleled wrestling game development history is resulting in an AEW experience that draws heavily on the arcade feel that first won wrestling gamer hearts more than two decades ago.”
A touch of nostalgia is just the beginning in AEW: Fight Forever. Players can look forward to pulling off the most current wrestling moves seen on wildly popular AEW programming. This, in addition to innovative tandem offensive moves. Online co-op wrestling is going completely next level with Tag Team matches that feature sequences of team maneuvers performed with simple commands. A long roster of the most popular AEW wrestlers, deep career mode, create-a-wrestler, signature AEW arenas, multiple match types and even some good ol’ fashioned, unsanctioned fun await!
Indie developer Jonworks Interactive has brought its real physics driving game Drift Type C to Steam Early Access for $19.99. To celebrate this, a new high octane Gameplay trailer has gone live showing off some of the 50 real spec cars, 100 miles of track, 13 bosses, and a level editor on offer. Drift Type C brings a complete, authentic driving experience without any micro-transactions, air control, nitrous, or brake assist.
This Early Access period is so players can give feedback about what to add before releasing the finished version in a few months time. Potential upcoming features include: traffic, steering wheel support with force feedback, vehicle models that better resemble their real-life counterparts, an easier difficulty setting, and expanded tutorial, AI improvements, additional surfaces to drive on, and car modifications, among others. What features sound most important to you? Visit the Steam page to see the full list.
Your journey in Drift Type C will take you across 9 biomes, as you compete against 13 warriors and 13 ghosts to free the God of Time. To aid you in your quest, the God of Time gives you the Hypervesicle, an item that slows down your race timer every time you pull off a successful drift. Master it, and set a two second lap time in a two minute race!
“In truth, drifting isn’t usually the fastest way to drive, but it is the coolest. Other racing games try to get around this by making drifting faster, but that totally goes against the supposedly realistic physics that they pride themselves on,” said game director, programmer and writer Jonathan C. Haman. “Drift Type C doesn’t change physics to be more realistic, but time itself! Our unique Hypervesicle mechanic lets players pull off super slick drifts while setting a superior score on the race timer. We’ve also included loads of fine turns that really encourage players to master the art of drifting!”
Drift Type C specialises in hyper realistic car specs offering a detailed handling model for everything from power to weight, to differential setup, to factory tire compound and alignment settings. While the physics may be real, the variety of activities on offer is limited only by your imagination. Drift Type C features: off-roading, multi-stage rally races, dorifuto batadu, driving on trays, flagging, delivering tofu, DIY Space Gymkhana, texting while driving, or driving a bus for some reason. All this can be done in daytime or night through assorted weather conditions. You can even try your hand at driving in an alternate realm with different air density affecting aerodynamics. If you can dream it, you can drive it!
Drift Type C offers a massive sandbox featuring a hybrid-procedurally generated world that curates over 100 miles of road. And if you want even more, you can go into Creative Mode and make your own roads, cities, and events. With over 20 terrain surfaces, each offering their own particle and skid effects and traction profiles, the possibilities are endless!
Today marks the beginning of a new chapter for Insta360 as they announced the launch of Insta360 Link, an AI-powered 4K webcam.
Insta360 Link offers the powerful combination of premium image quality with a seamless user experience for business professionals, educators and live streamers. Equipped with 4K resolution and an industry-leading 1/2’’ sensor, Link delivers life-like image quality, detail, and high dynamic range in any lighting conditions. A 3-axis gimbal and built-in AI algorithms enable the webcam to always keep the user in frame and respond to gesture controls. With versatile modes like DeskView and more, Insta360 Link is ready for any kind of remote work.
“Developing Insta360 Link was a natural evolution of our mission to help people share their lives. With the pandemic shifting work to our homes at an unprecedented rate, we saw the opportunity to help people ‘work from home’ better with our expertise in AI image processing. Link’s ultra-precise AI tracking algorithms and premium imaging hardware make communicating remotely more intuitive than ever before,” said JK Liu, Founder of Insta360.
Insta360 Link is available to order from August 2, 2022 via Insta360.com and select retailers.
Premium imaging
Insta360 Link offers best-in-class 4K Ultra HD resolution at 30fps, for online interactions that are true to life, with detail in all the right places. There are several resolutions and frame rates to choose from, as well as full settings customization for brightness, exposure, white balance, and more in the companion Link Controller software.
Link’s 1/2” sensor puts it head and shoulders above many other webcams with similar resolutions. The larger sensor size means it captures far more detail, has a better dynamic range, and stronger low light capabilities. This ensures a consistently perfect image in any room or environment.
A specialized HDR mode is also available to give greater balance between highlights and shadows in the image, ensuring the background isn’t blown out by a nearby window or other light source.
And blurry shots are a thing of the past thanks to True Focus. Link uses Phase Detection Auto Focus (PDAF) and auto exposure technology for near-instant focusing.
Work smarter with AI
“Insta360 Link is as much about the software as the hardware. Insta360 has been a pioneer in developing AI image processing technologies for 360 cameras since 2020, and we’re now bringing that expertise to a wider audience of people with Insta360 Link,” said Max Richter, Vice President of Insta360.
Link’s AI-powered features make life easier for webcam users in a number of ways. The 3-axis gimbal lens uses AI tracking to follow the user’s movement, keeping them perfectly centered at all times. With automatic framing and zooming, there’s no need to manually adjust the camera during a call.
For adjustments from a distance, Link responds instantly to gesture control. Using simple hand gestures, users can enable AI tracking, zoom in and out, and activate other camera modes. No clicks necessary.
Link’s advanced software also enables DeskView Mode, which allows users to quickly toggle between showing their face and their tabletop. Software algorithms level the perspective for easier viewing of documents, perfect for presenting during a video call or working out a math problem.
Specialized modes for improved communication
With so many potential use cases, Link has a series of specialized modes to give users every possible advantage when communicating online:
Whiteboard Mode: Enhance a designated whiteboard area to give students or meeting participants a much clearer view.
Portrait Mode: Live stream with a totally uncropped 9:16 view for optimal mobile viewing and better image quality.
Overhead Mode: Capture precisely level top-down views with Link mounted on a table stand, perfect for unboxing a product or sketching a design.
When you’re done with your call, Link’s lens will automatically point downwards within 10 seconds of inactivity to maintain privacy protection.
Life compatible
From dual noise-canceling mics to block out unwanted interruptions, to easy mounting with a built-in screen clip and 1/4” mount, Link is designed to fit seamlessly into everyday work and life. For video calling, it’s fully compatible with Zoom, Microsoft Teams, Skype, Google Meet, and various other platforms on both macOS and Windows computers.
Available Now
Insta360 Link is available to order from August 2, 2022 via Insta360.com and select retailers. It retails for US$299.99, with the webcam, 4 reusable whiteboard recognition markers, a USB-C cable and USB-C to A adapter included in the box.
DreadXP — an independent horror publisher and production company — and developer DarkStone Digital today launched the highly-anticipated supernatural first-person horror game, The Mortuary Assistant. Available now for Windows PC, The Mortuary Assistant casts players as Rebecca Owens, a recent Mortuary Sciences graduate who starts an apprenticeship at the infamous RiverFields Mortuary. She soon learns that the dead don’t stay dead at this mortuary. Demonic forces are at play at RiverFields Mortuary…
Late one night, you are called into work to process and embalm some cadavers. Death doesn’t keep day time hours. But there is something different about these bodies, because there is something different about you. The phone rings with the Mortician on the other end. The rumors are true, and you can not leave.
The Mortuary Assistant features demonic banishments, creepy puzzles, realistic mortician tasks, and multiple endings. Each playthrough of the game is unique, featuring different demons, bodies, and scares. As Rebecca, you must balance your mortuary tasks while hunting for clues as to what’s behind these paranormal occurrences. Brave dark hallways and pay close attention to details if you wish to walk away with your soul intact. With a story told through multiple playthroughs, each run offers something unique.
“Following a very successful demo released last October, and lots of positive buzz from PAX East 2022, The Mortuary Assistant has now officially been released for PC gamers worldwide,” said Patrick Ewald, owner and producer at DreadXP. “We’re proud of our collaboration with developer DarkStone Digital to create one of DreadXP’s biggest games to date, and we look forward to players discovering what secrets (and nightmares) wait ahead.”
“Launching a game that you’ve worked on by yourself is like showing the world your high school journal. It’s deeply personal; you’re kind of afraid to let others see it, but you feel such a deep happiness when someone connects with it. I’m showing two years of blood, sweat, and tears to the world with The Mortuary Assistant,” said Brian Clarke, owner of DarkStone Digital and solo developer of The Mortuary Assistant. “It’s exhilarating and terrifying, but I’m truly proud of what I’ve created. I’m excited for players to see what I’ve been working so hard on.”
The scares in The Mortuary Assistant aren’t limited to the supernatural, as the game features authentic tasks practiced by real-life morticians — this include making incisions on the dead, draining corpses of residual blood, retrieving bodies from cold storage, and conducting embalmings. The first person perspective puts you right into the macabre medical action, which only ramps up the tension as the bodies being worked on start to wander.
The Mortuary Assistant Key Features:
Keep your eye on the (em)bal(mings): Perform various jobs around the mortuary including embalmings, body tagging and general upkeep. But watch out for disappearing bodies. They’re the worst!
Creepy But Make it Authentic:The Mortuary Assistant features authentic mortician tasks that are fun for all! Who knew that retrieving bodies, making incisions, and draining blood could be so much fun?
Get Your Daily Exorcize: Some pesky bodies just won’t stay dead, and you’ll have to hit them with a standard exorcism. A word of warning, the learning curve to exorcisms are a real killer.
Collect them all!: The RiverFields Mortuary is chalk full of useful items that will make your job more pleasant. From matches and scalpels, to PCs with Windows 95 and demonic artifacts, they’ll help cure your boredom and maybe even keep you alive.
The Mortuary Assistant is available now for purchase for Windows PC on Steam and Itch.io for $24.99 USD. Fans can purchase the game with a limited 10% launch-week discount and also grab the official game soundtrack featuring eleven original tracks by Cody Pawlak (Cpaws Music).
Today, Disney+ released an exciting new trailer and key art for “Andor,” an original, 12-episode series from Lucasfilm. The series, which takes place prior to the events of “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story,” debuts exclusively on Disney+ on its new date, Wednesday, September 21, with a three-episode premiere.
The “Andor” series explores a new perspective from the Star Wars galaxy, focusing on Cassian Andor’s journey to discover the difference he can make. The series brings forward the tale of the burgeoning rebellion against the Empire and how people and planets became involved. It’s an era filled with danger, deception and intrigue where Cassian will embark on the path that is destined to turn him into a rebel hero.
Diego Luna returns as Cassian Andor and is joined by cast members Genevieve O’Reilly, Stellan Skarsgård, Adria Arjona, Denise Gough, Kyle Soller and Fiona Shaw. The executive producers are Kathleen Kennedy, Tony Gilroy, Sanne Wohlenberg, Diego Luna and Michelle Rejwan. Tony Gilroy is also the creator and showrunner.
