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Archived News:
Starbreeze Studios announces a new The Walking Dead game in
development at PAYDAY developer OVERKILL, the first project to come from a new
long-term licensing partnership with Skybound Interactive for the
zombie-infested IP. The co-op game is due in 2016 and will use a next-generation
version of Starbreeze’s Diesel engine. Here's
a first trailer from
the project, and here's what they are announcing for now: Starbreeze
Studios unveils OVERKILL’s The Walking Dead
Starbreeze AB, an independent creator, publisher and distributor of computer and
video games, today unveils its new project, OVERKILL’s The Walking Dead, based
on the hugely popular The Walking Dead series created by Robert Kirkman.
OVERKILL – a Starbreeze Studio, will deliver a completely new co-op experience
to The Walking Dead universe, exploring new characters and storylines.
“The collaboration between Starbreeze Studios and our partner Skybound
Interactive will deliver something uniquely exciting for our millions of fans.
We’re two independents joining forces to create the ultimate survival horror
game. With Robert on the team, we will bring The Walking Dead into the world of
first-person shooter co-op games.” says Bo Andersson Klint, CEO, Starbreeze AB.
He continues, “It will be gameplay focused, ferocious and bring chaos to the
traditional industry model – from us developers straight to you. This time it’s
big – don’t walk alone.”
“From day one on this project it’s been clear to me that this is the Walking
Dead co-op action game fans have been waiting for. I can’t wait for people to
learn just what OVERKILL has been cooking up for this game. Skybound is always
about breaking new ground and trying to find something unexpected in all
endeavors and this game continues that tradition in grand style.” says Robert
Kirkman, CEO, Skybound Entertainment.
OVERKILL’s The Walking Dead will be powered by Starbreeze’s Diesel engine
updated for the next generation. The title is set to release in 2016.
In 2016, Washington will fall. What will you do?
Continue here to read the full story.
SEGA announces Company of Heroes 2: Ardennes Assault, a new standalone
single-player expansion for Company of Heroes 2, that brings the famed
Battle of the Bulge to Relic's World War II RTS game. This is due for release on
November 18th for Windows PCs, and we have
some
screenshots along with word on what to expect: The new campaign
content will see players take control of the US Forces in this pivotal World War
II battle in the densely forested, strategically critical Ardennes region of
Western Europe. They will face huge tactical and navigational challenges as they
strive to repel a surprise attack from the relentless German Oberkommando West
forces in 18 brand new, single-player scenarios.
Company of Heroes 2: Ardennes Assault will feature three entirely new Companies
to choose from within the US Forces, each with their own unique Officers and
play-style. Players will see their decisions and actions reflected across the
Ardennes landscape in this dynamic new single-player campaign. Player choices
are crucial as every decision will not only impact the story but also their
Company with upgrades and Veterancy carrying over from mission to mission. With
limited soldiers under your command, you must manage their lives and well-being
effectively or risk losing that Company for good. Will you lead your Company
valiantly and emerge as heroes?
“We can’t wait to bring our players this awesome new single-player campaign for
Company of Heroes 2,” said Greg Wilson, Executive Producer at Relic
Entertainment. ”We managed to include more missions in this expansion than we
had in the original release and it’s packed full of great new features which
we’ll be revealing over the coming months.”
Atari announces plans to revive the RollerCoaster Tycoon brand with
RollerCoaster Tycoon World, a new installment in the theme park simulation
coming to Windows next year, saying this will be a full premium AAA game with no
microtransactions. They show off the ups and downs of this game in
a new Gamescom trailer,
and here's word on what to expect: Atari®, one of the world's most
recognized publishers and producers of interactive entertainment, today
announced the development of RollerCoaster Tycoon World™, a new PC version of
the world-renowned RollerCoaster Tycoon® franchise, to be released in early
2015. RollerCoaster Tycoon World will be available for PC and feature a
combination of fan-favorite and completely new gameplay – such as an innovative
track builder, more rides than ever before, and all-new cooperative multiplayer
functions in addition to classic single player modes. In advance of Gamescom,
taking place August 13-17 in Cologne, Germany, fans can view the RollerCoaster
Tycoon World teaser trailer for a sneak peek of the upcoming game.
With RollerCoaster Tycoon World, Atari is bringing back the incredible theme
park experience to PC gamers and introducing a variety of thrilling new
features. “The RollerCoaster Tycoon franchise has captured the heart of gaming
enthusiasts globally for close to 15 years, and we’re eager to provide the next
installment of the phenomenal series to new and life-long fans,” said Fred
Chesnais, Chief Executive Officer, Atari. “Many of the new features in
RollerCoaster Tycoon World were not possible a few years ago, but we have taken
advantage of technological improvements to offer a wildly fun gaming experience
that stays true to the storied franchise. This is the game fans have been asking
for.”
RollerCoaster Tycoon World is packed with numerous fun-filled features that fans
know and love, including designing an amusement park with different rides,
attractions, and shops to manage, deep simulation, and destructible coasters.
New gameplay includes visiting other player-created parks from around the world,
sharing blueprints of other coaster creations, and choosing various landscapes
on which to construct each park. Gamers can engineer their own individual
environments in a full-featured single player mode, or enhance their experience
by collaborating with up to four players to create one massively grand amusement
park.
Developed by Pipeworks, RollerCoaster Tycoon World will be released as a full
premium PC experience, giving fans the ability to enjoy a micro-transaction free
amusement park. Atari will be announcing future updates about the game and
entire franchise at:
www.rollercoastertycoon.com.
Continue here to read the full story.
Here's a trailer
with about four minutes of gameplay from Shadow Realms, shot off a monitor, and
while the ShakyCam is not very shaky, the off-axis angle does not help the
quality of the second generation clip. Continue here to read the full story.
The
official website for The Elder Scrolls Online has details on Update
4, an upcoming patch for Bethesda's MMORPG. The post is accompanied by an
Update 4 preview video,
and here's word on the patch, which is due next month: Update 4 is on its
way to ESO with tough new challenges. The mysterious tale of Craglorn continues
as you and your friends explore a new region of the Adventure Zone and take on
the new Trial that awaits you there. You’ll also find a new kind of challenge
for your group: the Dragonstar Arena is ready to put the toughest heroes to the
test. Watch the video now and prepare for new quests, delves, Trials, and much
more in Update 4, slated to launch in September.
The
Gearbox Software website is now serving up a new
"Last Hope" trailer
from Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel, explaining why our heroes are getting
mixed up in Handsome Jack's ugly business, including the shocking sight of
Claptrap making himself useful. Word is: Find out why Athena, Wilhelm, Nisha and
Claptrap are teaming up with Jack to save Pandora in the latest
Borderlands: The
Pre-Sequel trailer, 'Last Hope.' You'll also get your first look at
Claptrap's action skill too, if you're into that kind of thing." Continue here to read the full story.
- Always Sometimes Monsters on
Steam. Save 50%.
- Humble BOOM! Bundle on
Humble Bundle.
- Leisure Suit Larry: Reloaded on
GOG.com.
Save 75%.
Noting that the release of The Evil Within is still a couple of months
off, the
Bethesda Blog nevertheless dares to venture into a discussion of
post-release DLC plans, detailing a season pass for the survival horror game.
There is an odd aspect to this, as they say this "will be available soon at
select game retailers, PSN, Xbox LIVE, and PC," while also warning: "Season Pass
and game add-on content may not be available on all platforms or in all
territories." Presumably we'll learn more soon. Here's what they say for
now: With only two months until the release of The Evil Within (yes, it’s
still coming in October!), we’re excited to share details on our Season Pass
plans for the game.
The Evil Within Season Pass will allow you to experience survival horror from a
new perspective. In the first add-on, assume the role of
The
Keeper (aka Boxman) in a sadistic collection of mission-based maps. The
second and third add-ons take you further down a path of madness in a two-part,
story-driven experience in the role of Juli Kidman — Sebastian Castellanos’
rookie partner from The Evil Within. Encounter new weapons, discover unthinkable
enemies, and new areas that reveal hidden motives and harrowing evil.
Priced at $19.99/£14.99/€19.99, the Season Pass offers savings on three planned
add-ons for the game and will be available soon at select game retailers, PSN,
Xbox LIVE, and PC.
The Evil Within releases on Xbox One, Xbox 360, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 3,
and PC on Tuesday, October 14th in North America and Friday, October 17th in
Europe. Pre-order on the
game’s official website.
NOTE: Season Pass and game add-on content may not be available on all
platforms or in all territories. Pricing and release dates may vary by territory
and/or platform.
A playable demo is now available for Always Sometimes Monsters is now
available through Steam,
offering the chance to check out Vagabond Dog's throwback role-playing game,
which is currently on sale for half-off. They give this the full meta treatment,
as the demo places the player in the role of a game journalist playing a demo of
the game at a launch party. Here's one of the most offbeat demo descriptions we
can ever recall seeing: Video game media from all over the world are
converging on Dubstown to attend the Always Sometimes Monsters launch party
hosted by independent game developer Vagabond Dog. The prestigious Daily News
Times has tasked you with attending the event to play the game many are touting
as an "introspective ethical role-playing game" and write a review for the
paper. Can you endure the unenviable torment of interviewing game developers?
Will you survive the all-you-can-eat assortment of appetizers and hors
d'oeuvres? How much free alcohol will you drink?!
- Mingle amongst your peers at the event to glean
their thoughts about the game or down a cocktail before interviewing the
developers.
- Settle in at a demo kiosk and play a short slice
of Always Sometimes Monsters to see what all the fuss is about.
- Write your review of the game and assign a score
which ultimately decides the fate of developer Vagabond Dog forever.
Konami seems to have prematurely spilled the beans that both Metal Gear Solid
Ground Zeroes and Metal Gear Solid Phantom Pain will be coming to PCs
via Steam in addition to the console releases of the next installments in the
stealth/action series. There's a blurb about this on the
Konami
website saying each game is coming to Steam, but clicking through does not
lead to an actual article yet (though the inclusion of the classic
Konami code on their
404 error page makes it worth the effort). Thanks nin via
Kotaku.
Following up on
the news that
Rise of the Tomb Raider will come exclusively to Xbox,
Eurogamer has confirmed with Microsoft's Phil Harrison that this is in fact
a timed exclusive which "has a duration," meaning it could eventually come to
other platforms. When this could happen is unclear, though, as the duration of
the deal is not specified. "Yes, the deal has a duration. I didn't buy it. I
don't own the franchise," explains Harrison, who does not bit when asked how
long the deal is for. "No," he says. "It's not because I'm trying to be a
headfake on anybody. It's a deal between us and the partner. People ask me how
much did we pay. There are certain things I'm just not going to talk about
because it's a business deal between us and them. Obviously the deal does have a
duration. I didn't buy the IP in perpetuity."
Obsidian Entertainment announces they've entered into a long-term licensing
agreement with Paizo Inc. to create videogames based on the
Pathfinder tabletop RPGs. This may
eventually lead to a PC release, but their first move is to make a tablet-based
virtual card game, which they will show off at Gen Con 2014, which kicks off
tomorrow in Indianapolis, IN. Word is: Obsidian Entertainment, the
developer of Fallout: New Vegas, South Park: the Stick of Truth and the
Kickstarter phenomenon Pillars of Eternity, announced that they have entered
into a long-term licensing partnership with Paizo Inc. to produce electronic
games based on its popular Pathfinder Roleplaying Game intellectual property
Obsidian's first licensed product will be a tablet game based on the highly
successful Pathfinder Adventure Card game, a cooperative game for 1 to 4
players. Players each have a unique character composed of a deck of cards and a
set of stats. Characters have classes such as fighter, rogue, wizard and cleric,
as well as numbers that define attributes such as strength, wisdom and charisma
etc. Players will be able to customize their deck to better suit each
individual’s vision of their character.
Continue here to read the full story.
EA BioWare announces Shadow Realms, an online episodic action/RPG in a
modern fantasy setting featuring asymmetrical 4v1 multiplayer (which they refer
to as co-op for some reason). They are already accepting signups for alpha
testing on the Shadow Realms
website, which unsurprisingly will require an
Origin account. They are
obviously itching to tell us about the game, as
the website includes
an overview
from James Ohlen (who says "Shadow Realms isn’t just hearkening back to those
early BioWare PC games—it’s finally bringing the magic of tabletop RPGs to the
digital realm"), a
producer's letter from Dallas Dickinson, an
introduction to the setting, a
class overview,
and a gameplay
description. The game does not carry a release date, and there's no word
when the alpha kicks off, but the
Shadow
Realms Facebook page has word on how Gamescom attendees can check this out
in person. Here's the announcement: BioWare™, a division of Electronic
Arts Inc. (NASDAQ: EA), today announced Shadow Realms™, a new 4v1 story-driven
online action RPG, set in a constantly evolving BioWare world where modern meets
fantasy. Four heroes adventure against another player-controlled enemy, a
malevolent force called The Shadowlord, in dynamic 4v1 co-op missions, ensuring
that no two battles are ever the same. Players will have the choice to play
either as – or against – The Shadowlord, building experience and progression
whether they have chosen good or evil. The over-arching narrative will be
released episodically, playing out over time like a great TV series, providing
players the ability to experience story-driven adventures as a community.
“This game brings us back to our roots in the realm of classic Pen and Paper
RPG, but also delivers something that’s completely new and innovative for our
fans,” said Jeff Hickman, General Manager and Vice President at BioWare Austin.
“Shadow Realms is a new BioWare RPG that has the hallmarks of all BioWare games
with a rich story, a unique world setting and deep combat progression, but built
as an interactive experience that evolves the genre and broadens the appeal to
online gamers all over the world.”
In Shadow Realms, Modern Heroes on Earth are being awakened and recruited,
because of magical powers they never knew they had, to fight in a new and
dangerous war against the Shadow Legions of Embra. The Shadow Legions, who have
been battling on Embra for years against the members of the Radiant Empires,
have gained new strength with the coming of a powerful, unknown force that we
call the Shadowlords. And, they have just figured out how to leave Embra and
invade Earth.
Join the battle with three other modern-day Heroes to fight the demonic Shadow
Legions and a player-controlled Shadowlord to save all of humanity. Build both a
Hero and Shadowlord that are deeply customized to the way players want to play.
Visit www.ShadowRealms.com/play
to sign up for a chance to get into the closed alpha. Become a fan of
Shadow Realms on Facebook
and follow us on Twitter via @shadowrealms.
Shadow Realms is in development at BioWare Austin and will be available for the
PC from Origin™ at www.origin.com. The game
has not yet been rated the ESRB and PEGI; visit
www.esrb.org and www.pegi.info for more
information.
Ubisoft announces Might & Magic Heroes VII, a next installment in the turn-based
strategy series in development at Limbic Entertainment for release on Windows
PCs later this next year. The Might & Magic
Heroes 7 website is already online, which is where those interested in the
game can sign up to join its
Shadow Council, an advisory board that will have
a
direct say in the direction its development takes. Here's an
announcement trailer,
and here's word on the next installment in the series formerly known as Heroes
of Might and Magic: Today, Ubisoft announced Might & Magic® Heroes VII, a
return to the fan-beloved turn based strategy games. Developed by Limbic
Entertainment, a team of devoted Might & Magic fans, Might & Magic® Heroes VII
promises to be the best of the series, respecting its long-standing tradition
and introducing new innovative features to the franchise. Might & Magic® Heroes
VII will be available exclusively on Windows® PC in 2015.
For 20 years the Might & Magic® Heroes titles have set a new standard for
computer strategy games. Combining a deep fantasy universe with a complete
strategic experience, a rich RPG progression and a strong story narrative, Might
& Magic® Heroes VII offers players a more detailed world than ever to explore
and conquer, a complex economic system to master and legendary creatures to face
in epic battles.
By joining the Shadow Council, available on the Might & Magic® Heroes VII
website, fans will be able to share their passion and enrich the game formula
with their own contributions. Being part of the Shadow Council will allow fans
to chat with developers, comment, share, interact and influence the content of
the game, each step of the way granting them its own reward. As a remarkable
start, fans will be able to vote for 2 of the 6 factions that will be available
in the final game.
The story of Might & Magic® Heroes VII depicts the civil war that changed the
ruling dynasty of the Holy Empire. The Empress’ murder has left an empty throne,
a realm in flames and too many hungry rivals intent on claiming it. The Duke
Ivan calls together a prestigious council of six trusted advisors in search of a
viable path for putting an end to this war of succession.
Continue here to read the full story.
Origin now offers a Create a Sim demo for The Sims 4 to show off the
character creation mode in the upcoming lifestyle simulation.
This trailer shows off
how this works, and here's word: "The Sims 4 is all about the big personalities
and individuality of every Sim and it all starts with the brand new Create A
Sim. It’s not just about what your Sims look like on the outside, it’s also
about who they are on the inside. Reach directly onto your Sims and sculpt them
with powerful precision, and then give them personalities that will lead to
richer, deeper and more meaningful stories. Then share those amazing creations
with the world through the all-new integrated Gallery with just a few clicks of
the mouse." Continue here to read the full story.
Ubisoft and Blue Byte announce that English closed beta testing of The Settlers
- Kingdoms of Anteria will get underway on September 20th, while German testing
of the next installment in the strategy/management series commences this coming
Saturday. If you are interested in participating, head over to
The Settlers website to sign up.
Here's an outline of the responsibilities this will carry: "In the Closed Beta
players will be able to dive into the untamed lands of Anteria to experiment
with gameplay mechanics including the persistent kingdom and the adventure
gameplay, a new addition to The Settlers games. The Closed Beta will serve as an
opportunity for the studio to test in game features and balance the game as
needed."
EA unveils two new multiplayer modes for Battlefield Hardline in
a new video, also
showing off the game's solo campaign in
another clip that
includes over 12 minutes of gameplay footage. Here's the accompanying
description of each: Today, Battlefield fans around the world got a deeper
look into the complete package Visceral Games is delivering with Battlefield
Hardline. First up, Battlefield Hardline’s singleplayer campaign. Narrated by
Ian Milham, Hardline’s Creative Director, the 12 minute demo is shot entirely
in-game and is the first look at Hardline’s new style and take on storytelling,
Inspired by the most popular crime drama’s on TV, Hardline will deliver more
choice and depth throughout the campaign. Peep the
debut video here.
Visceral also debuted two new multiplayer modes, Hotwire and Rescue. In Hotwire,
driving skills and teamwork are key to victory as cops attempt to stop criminals
from stealing marked cars. Rescue is a competitive mode that puts players in the
boots of SWAT operatives tasked with saving hostages from dangerous criminals.
Players will need to be precise in Rescue because there are no second chances.
Get your first look at
Rescue here.
Continue here to read the full story.
A new Gamescom trailer
for Dragon Age: Inquisition offers a look at the next installment in the
action/RPG series. Word is: ""Darkness descends over the world of Thedas in
Dragon Age: Inquisition. Tales of an Elder One emerge from whisper. The
legendary heroes of the Inquisition must stand together when its power and faith
fall under attack." Continue here to read the full story.
I mentioned the BlueTower was being rewired last week, and this is now complete.
Our DirecTV service had started breaking up, and it turned out
this was because some trees had grown tall enough to interfere with the
satellite signal, and since we refused to allow them to attach the dish to our
brand-new roof, we needed a new television provider. We now are using an actual cable for
our cable TV, as well as for Internet and telephone, and everything
seems to be working properly at the moment, so we'll see how this goes. I do
have to say that my first impressions of Cablevision's online DVR are that it's
utterly horrible, and depending on my options for dealing with this, I may end
up getting a TiVo.
R.I.P.:
Actress Lauren Bacall dies at 89. Song tributes. Bertie Higgins: "We had it
all. Just like Bogie and Bacall. Starring in our old late, late show. Sailing
away to Key Largo." And the Clash: "I thought I saw Lauren Bacall. I thought I
saw Lauren Bacall. I swear! Hey fellas, Lauren Bacall!"
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