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Archived News:
A new
Letter from the Chairman on the Roberts Space Industries website announces
another milestone for Star Citizen, which has now passed $38 million in
crowd-sourced funding. The $38 million unlock is the Cano System, which is home
to a fully aquatic planet. Looking ahead, Chairman Roberts lays out the dual $39
million goals, and dangles this tidbit about an announcement that will come at
that time: "At $39 million, we’ll announce a new goal that will help chart the
course for the future of Star Citizen in a different way… and it’s one I’m
personally very excited about, so be sure to check back then and learn more!"
Thanks Aaron.
Oculus VR announces CCP's upcoming multiplayer space combat game EVE:
Valkyrie will be an exclusive Oculus Rift launch title. They note this was
initially called "EVE-VR" by its team of Oculus supporters at CCP, making this
"one of the first AAA games designed exclusively for the Rift." Word is: "We
couldn’t be more excited for the future of Valkyrie, and we’re thrilled to help
CCP bring the best possible made-for-VR experience to the Rift." Thanks
Gamasutra.
The
HAWKEN website has details on the mech game's relaunch on Steam,
saying a free Steam account will be required to play the game from this point
forward. They have a Steam
Transition Guide and a Steam
Transition FAQ, to help with what seems to be a complicated process, as they
will spend the next week giving current pilots access to the game on Steam,
saying new account creation is disabled during the transition period. Thanks
Eurogamer.
Ubisoft announces plans for a standalone version of Assassin's Creed Freedom
Cry, which is already
available as an expansion for Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag. The version of
Freedom Cry that's been granted its freedom from AC4 will come to Windows on
February 25th. "We decided to release Assassin’s Creed Freedom Cry as a
stand-alone game for both fans and newcomers to the Assassin’s Creed universe,"
said Tony Key, senior vice president of sales and marketing, Ubisoft.
"Assassin’s Creed Freedom Cry delivers key elements of an Assassin’s Creed game,
including a new hero, new environments and new weapons." There's more on this on
the
official website and here's an overview: Assassin’s Creed Freedom Cry
tells the story of Adewale, a man born into slavery. Once a pirate and now a
trained Assassin, Adewale is shipwrecked in 18th-century Haiti, home to the most
brutal slavery in the West Indies. In an effort to get back to the sea, Adewale
assists the locals in exchange for a crew and a ship. The more he fights for
freedom from slavery, however, the more he is drawn into the Maroon slave
community, forcing him to face his vicious past. In the game, Adewale will take
his new crew and set of weapons, including a machete and a blunderbuss, to
assassinate enemies and free slaves, delivering merciless justice in plantations
and cities alike. No stranger to the sea, Adewale will command a fearsome brig
to take down slave owners in the Caribbean.
Strider will come out next week,
announces CapCom Unity, saying the reimagined platformer will hit Windows
PCs along with the Xbox editions on February 19th, which is one day after the
game's debut on PlayStation 3 and PlayStation 4. The game will be $14.99 on all
platforms, and prepurchases are now underway
on Steam, offering the
soundtrack as a bonus. They also announce two new gameplay modes as well as the
chance to wear dead people's clothes, offering new screenshots to illustrate the
news. Here's the deal: We're also happy to reveal today that the game will
feature some fun extras to elevate replayability. First, there are two new
Challenge Modes:
Beacon Run
This is a speed run-style racing mode that challenges players to get from
checkpoint to checkpoint in record time, slashing their way through enemies all
the while.
Survival Mode
Test your combat skills and earn that Special-A Class ranking Hiryu's known for
by taking on progressively difficult waves of enemies while equipped with
different ability loadouts.
Additionally, the game will support global leaderboards in both the
Challenge Modes and the main Story Mode. That means you can compete with your
friends, or random dudes in France. It also means Unity events!
Finally, we've got Costumes. Throughout the Story Mode, you'll come
across the costumes of fallen Striders. Once discovered, Hiryu will be able to
wear them during the game. Find all the costumes to unlock a full array of
cosmetic customization options, letting you choose your own style.
Frontier Developments has released version 2.0 of the Elite: Dangerous
multiplayer alpha to backers of the space combat sequel, providing the
opportunity to check out four distinct multiplayer scenarios. "This is an
incredibly exciting and important phase in the development of Elite: Dangerous,"
says David Braben. "Player stat tracking, the multiplayer networking code and
associated management are all big new systems that are being tested with Phase
2.0 plus it’s the first time we’ll be able to test how the game mechanics
perform with significant numbers of players all playing simultaneously." Word is
there will be two more major alpha updates before the game hits the premium beta
stage, and those interested in becoming an alpha backer can do so
on this page.
Activision announces February 27th is when the Xbox exclusivity for Call of
Duty: Ghosts Onslaught will end, saying owners of Call of Duty: Ghosts for
Windows and PlayStation 3 and 4 will be able to get the latest DLC for the
military shooter sequel. Word is: "Onslaught delivers four unique and
classically designed Call of Duty multiplayer maps, the all-new 'Maverick'
dual-purpose Assault Rifle/Sniper Rifle, and the first installment in
Extinction's four-part episodic narrative, 'Episode 1: Nightfall'." The DLC will
be sold individually, and it is also part of the game's season pass.
Cyanide has opened beta testing of Dogs of War to all
on Steam in what is
essentially a soft launch for the tactical multiplayer strategy game, since it
uses a free-to-play business model. Here's a
new game trailer, and
here's word on the game: After a closed beta, which attracted tens of
thousands of players, Dogs of War Online today opens its arenas to the whole
world! Based on the Free-to-Play model, this multiplayer game, set in the world
of the Confrontation miniatures, offers an intense combat experience to all
strategy game enthusiasts. By making the game available in Open Beta on Steam,
the development team hopes that the community will help to fine-tune the game
before its official release.
Become the leader of a squad of Wolfen, an army of the Living-dead of Acheron or
even a troop of Knights of the Lion and sow terror on the battlefield! Dogs of
War Online, played through a turn-based game system on a terrain that is broken
down into hexagons, allows you to clash with your opponents in different game
modes, ranging from the simple "Versus" to "Kill the Captain or "King of the
Hill. You can augment your mercenary purse and progress your team as you advance
from battle to battle or as you complete the various missions that are on
offer.
Continue here to read the full story.
A
Steam Community Announcement tells us that 50 more titles were greenlit
today for distribution on Steam upon release.
This
page offers an interactive listing off all the new approvals.
- Battle Worlds: Kronos on
GOG.com. Save
50%.
- Jets'n'Guns Gold on
Steam. Save 50%.
- The Mixer Bundle on Indie
Royale.
- Nightmares from the Deep: The Cursed Heart on
Steam. Save 25%.
- Paradox Mid-Week Mega Sale on
The Humble Store.
- SimCity 4 Deluxe Edition on
Steam. Save 75%.
The
Dark Age of Camelot website announces Dark Age of Camelot has entered a new
age, as the MMORPG is now being managed by Broadsword Online Games, a new
company composed of former Mythic developers. There's a FAQ about this on the
Broadsword
website saying that while nothing should change as of today's transition,
some things will be different in the future: "Going forward, we hope to bring
about some exciting new changes, improved Customer Support, and increased
correspondence with the DAoC community." They also talk about other improvements
going forward: "DaoC’s transition to Broadsword will certainly have a positive
effect on our future plans. With increased bandwidth and resources we will work
toward modernizing some of the game’s features and developing a tangible
marketing plan to attract more players, both new and returning. The mission of
the Dark Age of Camelot team will remain the same: to improve the game, listen
and respond to feedback, and to provide the best possible content to ensure a
great game experience for our players." Thanks Sean.
CCP reveals plans to build a monument to EVE
Online players in Reykjavik, Iceland. This will be a structure that stands
over five meters, which may not exactly be the Eifel Tower, but we're talking
about a country where the 10th tallest building is 26 meters, according to
Wikipedia. Here's word: The monument is an a outdoor sculpture by the
artist Sigurður Guðmundsson with help and input from EVE Online‘s own art
directors Börkur Eiríksson and Ásgeir Jón Ásgeirsson. “Worlds Within a World”
will stand over five meters tall and consist of two main elements facing each
other through a highly polished stainless steel surface that reflects and
mirrors the elements and the landscape. On the left side of the model stands a
dark aluminum structure with a quote from the EVE Universe and on the right a
dark granite facial figure representing the game’s players.
A new trailer from
Castlevania: Lords of Shadow 2 shows off the Toy Maker, one of the
adversaries in the upcoming action/adventure sequel. Here's word: "The
Toymaker is a mischievous adversary of mysterious origin first introduced in
Castlevania: Lords of Shadow – Mirror of Fate, and returns in Castlevania: Lords
of Shadow 2, when his macabre lair plays host to one of the game’s key
confrontations. The new assets showcase the evolution of the character, from
initial sketches to full implementation." Continue here to read the full story.
South Park: The Stick of Truth is now available for pre-purchase
on Steam, offering the
Ultimate Fellowship content pack as a bonus for this advance commitment.
Speaking of the cartoon-inspired action/RPG's release on Steam,
Obsidian tweets
that that the game will not use Ubisoft's Uplay service, saying "Nope, Uplay is
not featured in Stick of Truth," going on
to clarify:
"Yep, it's a Steam game, with Steam achievements, etc." Responding to a question
about whether there was any way to use Uplay from the fan of the service,
they explain
this will not be an option: "Unfortunately, no. Uplay was not integrated at all
into SP:SOT." Thanks
MCV.
Gearbox Software announces Mad Moxxi and the Wedding Day Massacre
will be the next Headhunter pack for Borderlands 2, saying this will be
released on February 11th and 12th, depending on your territory. This comes just in time for Valentine's Day, which
they say is the inspiration for the pack, though the first thing we thought of
when seeing the title was Kill Bill. Here's
a trailer and here's
word from the post on how the Headhunter pack that follows will be
the last content release for the role-playing shooter sequel: Up to now,
it is safe to say that Borderlands 2 has seen a lot of extra content added in
the 17 months since it released – to the point where we’re pushing some
technical limitations making it near impossible to add more missions, items and
such. With that said, we still have one more Headhunter add-on planned. So, make
sure to look out for the fifth and final Headhunter add-on for Borderlands 2,
Sir Hammerlock Versus the Son of Crawmerax, coming in April and featuring the
offspring of a fan-favorite enemy from the first Borderlands!
Continue here to read the full story.
2K Games announces Sid Meier's Civilization V: The Complete Edition
is now available in North America and that this "definitive Civilization V
collection" will be released for Europe on Friday (thanks Bill). This bundles
the turn-based strategy sequel with its Gods & Kings and Brave New
World expansions, along with a new Conquest of a New World Deluxe
Scenario for Brave New World. In a
separate post 2K also clarifies that this scenario will be given for free to
those who already own Brave New World, and will be included with future
purchases of that expansion, saying: "In addition to the Conquest of the New
World Deluxe scenario being part of Civ V Complete anyone that owned the Brave
New World expansion will be getting it for free via Steam. Also, if you purchase
Brave New World in the future, the Conquest of the New World Deluxe scenario for
free as a bonus." This
trailer shows off the new scenario. Continue here to read the full story.
Irrational Games announces a March 25th release date for BioShock
Infinite: Burial at Sea – Episode Two, saying the next DLC for the
first-person shooter prequel will be come out that day for Windows, Xbox 360,
and PlayStation 3. Here's the deal: BioShock Infinite: Burial at Sea –
Episode Two is built almost entirely from scratch by Irrational Games, the
studio behind the original BioShock and BioShock Infinite. The narrative of this
add-on content pack concludes the storyline of BioShock Infinite and Burial at
Sea, as seen through the eyes of a new player character, Elizabeth, and features
all-new stealth-oriented gameplay, as well as new weapons and modes.
“In Burial at Sea – Episode Two, we are delivering a story that involves nearly
every major character from the original BioShock and BioShock Infinite,” said
Ken Levine, creative director of Irrational Games. “It is a story that will give
gamers a new perspective on the BioShock universe and conclude the story of
BioShock Infinite and Burial at Sea.”
- be quiet! Dark Rock 3 Silent Wings CPU Cooler on
eTeknix.
- CM Storm Reaper Mouse from the Aluminum Gaming on
Modders-Inc.
- Cooler Master Glacer 240L Expandable Liquid CPU Cooler on
Legit Reviews.
- Corsair Obsidian 250D on
Vortez.
- GIGABYTE GeForce GTX 780 Ti GHz Edition Graphics Card on
Hardware Heaven.
- GIGABYTE R9 290X WindForce OC on
Hardware Canucks.
- Gigabyte Radeon R9 290X OC & R9 290 OC on
Legion Hardware.
- Motorola Moto G on
TechSpot.
- Raidmax Cobra Mid-Tower Case on
Benchmark Reviews.
- Razer Blackwidow Tournament Edition on
HCW.
- ROCCAT Kone Pure Phantom White on
ocaholic.
- Rollei CarDVR-110 Full HD GPS Car Camera on
Nikk Tech.
- Sapphire R9 290X Tri-X OC 4 GB on
techPowerUp.
- SilverStone Strider Gold S ST85F-GS 850W Power Supply on
HARDOCP.
- Thermaltake Max 5 Quad Storage Rack on
TweakTown.
- XFX Radeon R9 280X on
ULTIMATE HARDWARE.
- Western Digital Black² Dual Drive 120GB SSD & 1TB HDD on
eTeknix.
I just got Monday's snow all shoveled yesterday and we got socked with another
big snowstorm overnight. And even though yesterday's chore came hours after the
snow ended, it already looks like it will be a worse today even though it's
still coming down, as the snow is wet and heavy, and there's lots of it. Maybe
instead of shoveling and making a cup of hot cocoa, I'll make gallons of hot
cocoa and pour it over the sidewalks.
R.I.P.:
Gloria Leonard, ex-porn actress and publisher of High Society, dead at 73.
Thanks Devicer.
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