The first update to World of Warships: Legends in 2021 brings many exciting additions, most notably the first appearance of a new ship type—Aircraft Carriers! Besides that, there’s a new campaign for a German battlecruiser, British heavy cruisers, and a pair of special events for a new game mode and the Lunar New Year!
Aircraft Carriers are here at last. For the first two weeks of the update, players can battle with and against the early carriers Langley, Ranger, Hōshō, and Ryūjō in a separate Air Strike gamemode. To start playing in the new class, players will have to play a few battles of the Air Strike game mode first. Being a fundamentally different type of warship, aircraft carriers are defined by avoiding direct combat and using their aircraft to sink their enemies. These early carriers were experimental in many ways and their first arrival is also, as we will be gathering feedback from this event for future carrier releases! It’s an exciting addition to World of Warships: Legends, be sure to hop into a few Air Strike battles and try out the new ship type.
The new Dragonslayer campaign features the German battlecruiser Siegfried, a battle-hardened cruiser built with six powerful 15-inch guns and a set of torpedo launchers on each side. Designed as a heavy surface raider for the German navy, Siegfried is well protected too. Like the legendary hero she is named for, this ship is a mighty opponent on the field of battle. As the final reward of the campaign, players will need to pass through a hundred milestones over the next five weeks, completing a set of missions each week in order to command this “Dragonslayer” of yore. After completing the campaign, players can also continue completing missions to earn Steel.
There are some newcomers to the British tech tree in this update as well, a series of heavy cruisers. Starting at Tier IV, these ships carry powerful, low-velocity guns and are relatively well protected. Plus, they are well equipped with torpedoes, Sonar, and a Repair consumable. It’ll take clever positioning to get the most from these ships, but they are sure to shake things up! Players can take command of these ships in early access by opening British Cruiser Containers, plus get the new Union Jack camouflage for their ships.
A new Arena game mode is here as well, pitting players against each other in four teams of three ships. Starting after the Air Strike event on February 15th, players can prove their skills in this mode by climbing up a community-wide ladder during this seasonal event. The ultimate prize of the Arena mode is a stockpile of steel, a new resource to use to get equipment and unique vessels. Arena mode is a good way for the best players to get a boost towards unlocking the new steel-exclusive Tier VII premium battleship Missouri.
Of course, it would be remiss to forget Lunar New Year! Starting February 12th, there are a pair of collectable premium cruisers available, special event containers, unique camouflages. Plus, there’s a new port for the event throughout the update!
No, Mr. Bond, I expect you to buy EVIL GENIUS 2: WORLD DOMINATION when it launches March 30, 2021 on Steam.
As revealed in today’s new “Release Date” trailer featuring brand new gameplay footage, Evil Genius 2 will take over the world with its secret weapon of excellent strategy simulation in just two months’ time.
Developed and published by Rebellion (Sniper Elite 4, Zombie Army 4), Evil Genius 2 lets you live out your dreams of being the bad guy. Build your secret island lair, recruit and train a workforce of loyal minions and powerful henchmen, defend your base from the Forces of Justice and dominate the world stage.
Here’s what all you supervillains can look forward to in Evil Genius 2 at launch:
Four campaigns – play as narcissist despot Max, heavy-muscle madman Ivan, manipulative ex-spymaster Emma or scientist zealot Zalika. Guide your chosen evil genius through their own unique story campaign as they impose their twisted vision upon an unsuspecting globe.
Three island locations – choose where to build your supervillain HQ from three island paradises, each with their own gameplay challenges. From the outside your base looks like a beautiful casino resort, but behind closed doors lies all manner of unimaginable evil.
Intuitive lair-building – design, build and customize your lair as you see fit. With modern base-building mechanics and loads of gameplay features totally new to the series, including multiple-floored lairs, strategy fans will feel right at home with Evil Genius 2.
New rooms, henchmen, agents, traps and more – as showcased in today’s trailer, Evil Genius 2 features tons of menacing characters and devilish contraptions to use in your lair. From the deliciously fatal Sushi Chef to the always famished Venus Spy-Trap, you have a huge number of ways to stop the Forces of Justice from foiling your dastardly plans.
World domination 2.0 – Take to the world stage and execute your campaign of total supremacy. Send your minions and henchmen on missions across the globe as you exert your influence and control over world regions. Complete lucrative schemes, expand your criminal network, recruit new henchmen and steal all manner of useful loot – from the Doors to Fort Knox to a living, breathing dodo.
[CLASSIFIED] – There are loads of fiendishly exciting surprises on the way in the coming weeks – including a mode we’ve not yet talked about… stay tuned for more soon.
To keep up with all the latest in taking over the world, be sure to follow Evil Genius pages on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube and to wishlist Evil Genius 2: World Domination on Steam.
SEGA and Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio are welcoming players back to the tough streets of Kamurocho, Tokyo in the Yakuza Remastered Collection, available now on Xbox Game Pass, Xbox One, Windows 10 and Steam. This collection includes remastered versions of Yakuza 3, Yakuza 4 and Yakuza 5 presented in full 1080p resolution and 60 framerate, purchasable now as a bundle for $39.99 or individually for $19.99 on each platform. Xbox Series S|X owners can also dive in using the platform’s backwards compatibility feature.
This action-adventure brawler series follows the intense saga of Kazuma Kiryu, a hardened yakuza with an unshakable moral code. Yakuza 3 picks up where Yakuza Kiwami 2 left off, where Kiryu is laying low on the idyllic Okinawa coast until the demons of his former yakuza life re-emerge and force him to choose a side. Join Kiryu in mastering combos to beat up thugs in his path, weaponizing environments, and fighting to protect the ones closest to him caught up in the seedy underworld of organized crime.
For fans who have recently experienced Yakuza: Like A Dragon, the Yakuza Remastered Collection serves as a fresh opportunity to experience Kamurocho through the eyes of O.G. Yakuza series protagonist, Kiryu. Yakuza 0, Yakuza Kiwami and Yakuza Kiwami 2 (remasters of Yakuza 1 and Yakuza 2), are also available separately with Xbox Game Pass for those who are looking to experience the first six entries of the series before the concluding chapter, Yakuza 6: The Song of Life, makes its Xbox One and PC debut on March 25, 2021.
While work on King’s Bounty II continues, 1C Entertainment and Koch Media have collected and answered some of the most frequently asked questions from fans eager to return to the King’s Bounty universe. In today’s new seven-minute Q&A video, King Bounty II’s developers detail which races and monsters players will lead or face in battle, key differences between units, customization options, King’s Bounty II’s connections with previous games in the King’s Bounty series, and much more.
King’s Bounty II expands upon tactical turn-based battles to offer players a truly immersive RPG experience that adds weight to their every decision, whether leading an army into battle against unliving horrors, or building relations with local townsfolk. Experience a rich world that blends realism and fantasy, filled with compelling stories, memorable characters and moral choices aplenty.
Players take on the role of one of three heroes – each with their own distinct personality and background – and experience a non-linear adventure in an open and vibrant fantasy world. Split into two distinct phases, players traverse the realm from a third-person perspective, picking up quests, exploring the wilderness, and getting to know the people they meet. When conflict arises, however, the perspective shifts to tactical, turn-based combat. Players must then make smart use of their units as they fight to win. The game will release on PlayStation® 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and PC. To learn more about King’s Bounty II, visit www.kingsbounty2.com.
The Pinball wizards at Zen Studios are excited to announce that a new, next-generation version of Pinball FX is in development for release later this year.
Zen’s most ambitious pinball project to date, Pinball FX will introduce Pinball Royale, a frantically exciting multiplayer action mode incorporating battle royale-style gameplay. The game will also feature a new Career mode, challenge modes, a clan system, enhanced visuals and more. Leagues, tournaments and competitive play have been retooled to bring the community together in unique ways, and live events and seasonal content will mean there’s always something new going on. In addition, Zen will introduce original tables featuring brand-new IPs, which will be revealed in the future.
Zen is also launching “The Pinball Show,” an entertaining new source for monthly news, updates, surprises and more on everything pinball from Zen Studios. The first episode is available right now on Zen’s YouTube channel and features a closer look at the upcoming Pinball FX. Subsequent episodes will air once a month throughout the course of the year.
Pinball FX originally launched on Xbox LIVE Arcade in 2007 and has become the #1 brand in digital pinball, featuring an extensive library of pinball tables based on Marvel, Star Wars, Jurassic Park, Back to the Future, DOOM, Williams Bally, Family Guy and more. At the heart of the series is an amazing community of passionate players, whose input, ideas and contributions have helped shape the Pinball FX experience for well over a decade.
Firefly Studios has revealed a unique ‘shared base’ co-op mode for their upcoming RTS Stronghold: Warlords. Allowing players to share control of a single castle when playing together online, the game’s co-op mode is different from regular team-based multiplayer. In addition to being able to party up and build separate castles in team deathmatch, Stronghold: Warlords will also allow players to share control over a large shared army, peasant population, castle defences and network of warlords under their command.
“Stronghold is already a complex game for newcomers, with the mix of economic city building, castle simulation and real-time strategy” said Marketing Director Nick Tannahill. “Introducing co-op means that one player can handle base building, while the other leads their forces into battle or prepares their defences for an incoming siege.”
The new warlords system, which allows players to command a network of unique warlords across the battlefield with their own castles and armies, also benefits from this new game mode. Co-op means advanced players can share the ‘grand strategy’ gameplay between them, optimising their use of each warlord for economic or militaristic purposes.
Early on in a match one player could manage their castle estate, while the other forms alliances with warlords to bring in valuable resources and secure strategic positions across the map. Then in the endgame while one player lays siege to the enemy their co-op partner can divert resources and direct pincer attacks from nearby friendly warlords.
Now scheduled for release on March 9th 2021 on Steam, players can find out more about Stronghold: Warlords by visiting the game’s official website: www.StrongholdWarlords.com
Today Disney+ gave fans a first look at its original series “The Mighty Ducks: Game Changers” premiering Friday, March 26. Nearly 30 years after first taking flight, “The Mighty Ducks” returns in a brand new chapter starring Lauren Graham and Emilio Estevez in the iconic role he originated as legendary Coach Gordon Bombay.
In the 10-episode season set in present day Minnesota, the Mighty Ducks have evolved from scrappy underdogs to an ultra-competitive, powerhouse youth hockey team. After 12-year-old Evan Morrow (Brady Noon) is unceremoniously cut from the Ducks, he and his mom, Alex (Lauren Graham), set out to build their own team of misfits to challenge the cutthroat, win-at-all-costs culture of youth sports today. With the help of Gordon Bombay, they rediscover the joys of playing just for love of the game.
The series features a talented new team of up-and-coming young actors including Brady Noon , Maxwell Simkins, Swayam Bhatia, Luke Islam, Kiefer O’Reilly, Taegen Burns, Bella Higginbotham, and DJ Watts.
“The Mighty Ducks: Game Changers” is produced by ABC Signature, a part of Disney Television Studios. Steve Brill, the original creator, writer and executive producer of all three films, which spawned an NHL franchise, is back as co-creator and executive producer of the new series. Josh Goldsmith and Cathy Yuspa (“The King of Queens,” “13 Going On 30”) are co-creators and will serve as executive producers and showrunners. Michael Spiller serves as executive producer / director on the series, with James Griffiths serving as director/EP on the Pilot. Emilio Estevez is an executive producer and Lauren Graham is co-executive producer. George Heller and Brad Petrigala of Brillstein Entertainment Partners and Jon Avnet and Jordan Kerner also serve as non-writing executive producers.
Legendary wrestler Stone Cold Steve Austin is hitting WWE Undefeated TOMORROW, Friday January 29th. Featuring real-time head-to-head competition, WWE Undefeated blends over-the-top arcade action with the depth of a real-time strategy game. WWE Undefeated is free to download on App Store and Google Play now.
Today, Bloober Team, the studio behind acclaimed horror games including Blair Witch, Observer: System Redux and Layers of Fear, are proud to release The Medium, the third-person psychological horror game featuring next-gen game mechanics exploring two worlds at the same time. The game is available today for $49.99/€49.99/£39.99 exclusively on Xbox Series X|S, and PC via Steam, Epic Games Store, GOG, and the Microsoft Store. To celebrate the global launch, Bloober Team is excited to announce that The Medium will be available for a 10% off launch discount on PC and Xbox Series X|S for the first week of release beginning today.
The Medium Deluxe Edition is also available for PC players on Steam for $54.99/€54.99/£43.99, which includes The Medium, The Medium Original Soundtrack (by Akira Yamaoka and Arkadiusz Reikowski) and The Art of The Medium (digital artbook). Players can also purchase these separately on Steam; the Original Soundtrack for $9.99/€8.19/£7.19, and The Art of The Medium for $5.99/€4.99/£4.79.
Watch the new official launch trailer for The Medium featuring the original song “Voices,” performed by Mary Elizabeth McGlynn and composed by Akira Yamaoka & Arkadiusz Reikowski.
“Everyone at Bloober Team is ecstatic to see The Medium release on Xbox Series X/S and PC as it has been a vision we’ve had for years,” said Piotr Babieno, CEO at Bloober Team. “Seeing first-hand how the game has changed from its original idea years ago to now how immersive it is with Bloober Team’s innovative dual-reality mechanics has been incredibly inspiring to our entire team. We can’t wait to showcase this as one of our most ambitious titles to date and deliver to players around the world one of the first next-gen horror games.”
While the launch trailer features the rekindled musical collaboration between Mary Elizabeth McGlynn and Akira Yamaoka, known for their work together on the Silent Hill series, Bloober Team also teases a second playable character in The Medium that was previously shown as the gloved man from The Medium – The Threats Official Trailer.
The Medium is a third-person psychological horror game that features an innovative dual-reality gameplay that has been patented by Bloober Team. Players will play as Marianne, a medium gifted with a number of psychic abilities, and explore the real and spirit world both alternatively and simultaneously to uncover a dark mystery masked by disturbing secrets, sinister spirits, and devious puzzles only a medium can solve.
Developed and published by Bloober Team, and rated “M for Mature” by the ESRB and PEGI 18, The Medium is Bloober Team’s largest and most ambitious project to date, with no loading screens and utilizing the full potential of the latest version of the Unreal Engine 4, alongside Microsoft DirectX Raytracing and NVIDIA DLSS technology with the newest GeForce Game Ready Drivers from NVIDIA for PC today and Raytracing support for Xbox Series X. Akira Yamaoka, known for his work on the Silent Hill series, and Bloober Team’s Arkadiusz Reikowski collaborated together on the game’s original ‘dual’ score, creating truly unique atmospheres across both worlds.
For more information on The Medium, please visit www.themediumgame.com; Follow us on Twitter @TheMediumGame; Like us on Facebook @MediumGame, or follow us on Instagram @the_medium_game.
Razer™, the leading global lifestyle brand for gamers, today announced their new proprietary Razer™ HyperPolling Technology, debuting in the new Razer Viper 8KHz mouse, the world’s first esports gaming mouse with true 8000Hz polling rate. Razer HyperPolling Technology surpasses the industry-standard 1000Hz polling rate with a true 8000Hz polling rate for performance at the speed of thought, ushering in a new era of gaming responsiveness, speed, and reliability.
Currently, most top gaming mice support polling rates of up to 1000Hz, and whilst manufacturers have focused on making mice more accurate and responsive, little consideration has been given to the frequency with which click and positional data is transmitted to the PC. With faster PCs and higher refresh rate monitors, higher polling rates can eliminate annoying micro-stutters, significantly improving gameplay performance when a fraction of a second can be the difference between winning or losing.
“Latency is a very important part of gameplay that significantly affects the overall gaming experience – and yet, it is overlooked by many companies that focused for too long on increasing DPI. Unlike DPI, lower latency benefits everyone from casual to professional players by shaving off important milliseconds from the overall reaction time,” said Alvin Cheung, Senior Vice President of Razer’s peripherals business unit. “During our testing and development process with a large pool of competitive players and mouse enthusiasts, many reported significantly smoother and more responsive input when using the HyperPolling Technology featured in the new Viper 8KHz esports gaming mouse.”
At least 8x faster – the science behind its speed
Polling rate is the frequency at which a device reports data to the PC, with an industry standard of up to 1000Hz (1000 times a second). Razer HyperPolling Technology utilizes a high-speed USB microcontroller to surpass this standard with a true polling rate of 8000Hz. This allows the Viper 8KHz to send up to eight times more data each second, effectively reducing input delay from 1ms to just 1/8th of a millisecond.
Razer HyperPolling Technology can send more up-to-date data to better match a monitor’s faster refresh rate. As a result, the delay between the latest report and the monitor’s frame rendering is much less when compared to that of a 1000Hz polling rate, resulting in smoother and more up-to-date cursor positions.
Higher polling rates can reduce the input delay, minimizing micro-stutters and sudden jumps in the cursor position, resulting in smooth, accurate cursor movement on the screen. Razer HyperPolling Technology not only provides the fastest click latency, but also keeps the click-to-click variance to an absolute minimum – making it superior to other leading gaming technologies.
“This technology is perfect for games that require high precision and responsiveness like CS:GO,” said Tarik “tarik” Celik, CS:GO star of Evil Geniuses. Nikolay “Nikobaby” Nikolov from Dota2 team Alliance agreed, saying, “I’d instantly tell the difference between 1000Hz and 8000Hz.”
Outpace the competition with the Viper 8KHz
The Viper 8KHz is the first Razer peripheral to feature Razer HyperPolling Technology, marrying 3 key innovations in one device to create the world’s fastest competitive gaming mouse. The 2nd-gen Razer Optical Mouse Switches and Razer Focus+ Optical Sensor, combined with Razer HyperPolling Technology, deliver a gaming mouse with unparalleled speed, precision, and responsiveness.
The 2nd-gen Razer Optical Mouse Switches have been improved with greater tactile feedback, making each click feel and sound more satisfying than before. Eliminating the need for debounce delay used in traditional mechanical switches, this lightning-fast actuation is complemented by HyperPolling Technology to provide the lowest input latency, helping gamers achieve those pro-levels of reaction times. Ultra-fast and durable, the 2nd-gen Razer Optical Mouse Switches are built to last for 70 million clicks.
The Razer Focus+ Optical Sensor has an industry-leading 99.6% resolution accuracy, so even the finest movements are tracked with consistency. With the sensor’s unique intelligent functions, combined with Razer HyperPolling Technology, gamers will experience ultra-smooth, stutter-free cursor tracking for an acute level of precision and those crucial game-winning headshots.
First-class performance. Down to every last detail.
This groundbreaking performance and technology is packed into a solid, ambidextrous chassis, weighing just 71 grams. The Viper 8KHz is fitted with 100% PTFE mouse feet for smoother glides, and features Razer’s snag-free SpeedFlex Cable to ensure minimal drag for fluid swipes.
Through Razer Synapse 3, gamers can rebind the eight programmable buttons, assign macros or secondary functions, and save all profile configurations to the Viper 8KHz’s advanced on-board memory. With storage for up to five on-board memory profiles, users enjoy instant access to their personal settings wherever they are.
A stark upgrade over its predecessor, the Viper 8KHz incorporates most of Razer’s technology innovations to achieve a level of performance bar none.
ABOUT THE VIPER 8KHz
True 8000Hz (0.125ms) polling rate
True 20,000 DPI Focus+ optical sensor
Up to 650 inches per second (IPS) / 50 G acceleration / industry best 99.6% resolution accuracy
2nd-gen Razer™ Optical Mouse Switches rated for 70 million clicks
True ambidextrous design with ultra-durable integrated rubber side grips
