Ubisoft unveils Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon Wildlands, the first open-world installment in the Ghost Recon spec ops series. This is coming to Windows, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One, though it does not yet carry a release date. The Ghost Recon website is updated with the news, and the reveal trailer sets the stage for this announcement:

Today, at the Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3), Ubisoft® announced the development of Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon® Wildlands, a new entry in the acclaimed Ghost Recon series and the franchise’s first open world title. Ghost Recon Wildlands is scheduled to be released on Xbox One, PlayStation®4 computer entertainment system and Windows PC.

Development on Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon Wildlands is being led by Ubisoft Paris in collaboration with five other Ubisoft studios*.

Set a few years from now, Ghost Recon Wildlands lets players lead a team of Ghosts, a four-player U.S. Elite Special Operations unit, on a covert mission to eliminate the Santa Blanca drug cartel, an underworld power and growing global threat within Ubisoft’s imagining of an incredibly beautiful, yet dangerous Bolivia. Ghost Recon Wildlands takes place in the largest and most diverse action-adventure open world Ubisoft has created to date. With hundreds of villages and well-known landmarks, local legends and various factions and regions, players venture into a vast world with which to interact and explore. The Ghosts’ upgradable skills, along with a vast arsenal of weapons, vehicles and drones, will help them take down their almighty enemy.

“With Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon Wildlands, we’re moving the Ghost Recon franchise in a new direction, with a massive, beautiful and living open world that reacts to players’ choices,” said Nouredine Abboud, Senior Producer, Ubisoft. “Whether going it alone or teaming up with friends in co-op, players in Ghost Recon Wildlands will never encounter the same situation twice, providing amazing possibilities and creative freedom to cultivate very personal stories and experiences with the game.”

Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon Wildlands gives players unprecedented freedom. Players can engage in the entire game solo or team up with up to three friends in co-op to roam freely in this gigantic playground. Players will have complete flexibility in how they tackle the game’s story, missions and objectives, as well as their approach, whether it’s stealth, distraction, tactical or frontal assault, or a combination of styles. As a member of the Ghosts, players face countless difficult decisions, and those choices have tangible - and often unexpected - consequences for enemies and allies alike creating dynamic and emergent gameplay throughout.

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Ubisoft announces South Park: The Fractured But Whole, a new sequel to South Park: The Stick of Truth, the action/RPG based on the animated series. Here's a trailer and here's the announcement:

Today, at the Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3), Ubisoft® and South Park Digital Studios announced that South Park™: The Fractured but Whole™, a sequel to 2014’s award-winning South Park™: The Stick of Truth™, is currently in development. Players will once again assume the role of The New Kid and join South Park favorites Stan, Kyle, Kenny and Cartman in a new hilarious and outrageous adventure.

Developed by Ubisoft San Francisco, South Park: The Fractured but Whole will enable players to delve into the crime-ridden underbelly of South Park with Coon and Friends. This dedicated group of crime fighters was formed by Eric Cartman, whose superhero alter ego, The Coon, is half man, half raccoon. As The New Kid, players will join Mysterion, Toolshed, Human Kite, Mosquito, Mint Berry Crunch and a host of others to battle the forces of evil while Coon strives to make his team the most beloved superheroes in history.

Ensuring another truly authentic South Park experience, creators Matt Stone and Trey Parker are involved in every step of the development of the game.

“The success of South Park: The Stick of Truth proves our fans crave a deeper interactive experience with South Park,” said Dan Yang, EVP and GM, Consumer Products, Viacom Music & Entertainment Group. “Working with Ubisoft to extend the South Park gaming franchise will no doubt galvanize the audience’s interest across all platforms.”

“By successfully mixing outstanding comedy with excellent gameplay, South Park: The Stick of Truth created a game genre: the Comedy Role-Playing Game,” said Laurent Detoc, president at Ubisoft. “Our teams worked hard, laughed hard, and players loved it so we’re back to collaborate on the fantastic world created by Matt, Trey and the talented group at South Park Digital Studios with South Park: The Fractured but Whole.”

South Park: The Fractured but Whole will be available for Xbox One, PlayStation®4 computer entertainment system and Windows PC.

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Anno 2205 was announced today at E3 as the futuristic future installment in Blue Byte's long-running strategy series coming to Windows PCs on November 3rd. Where prior Anno games involved building on Earth, a new engine will help take the new game to the stars. The Anno 2205 website offers beta signups and say you can guarantee early access by preordering. Here's the announcement trailer and more details:

Today, at the Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3), Ubisoft® announced Anno® 2205, the sixth installment of the strategy city-building series. Anno 2205 is set in a futuristic world, and will allow players to leave earth venturing into outer space for the first time in the series. Currently in development at Blue Byte, a Ubisoft studio, the game will release worldwide on PC on November 3rd 2015.

In Anno 2205 players will join mankind’s next step into the future, with the promise of building a better tomorrow by expanding into space. Players must develop rich metropolises on Earth that are capable of launching missions to the moon as they race to establish production colonies on the lunar surface. By mining the Moon’s resources to send back down to Earth, Anno 2205 players will receive the benefits of technological advancements and the tools to help expand their cities and transform them into thriving metropolises.

The new Anno 2205 Engine paves the way for players to build cities on islands five times the size of those in previous Anno games. It also allows for a high level of graphical detail in the game, so players can immerse themselves in futuristic cities that come to life with flying cars, more than a million thriving citizens, churning factories, and grinding mines. Gameplay uses a revolutionary session mode that lets players control several sessions on Earth and on the Moon simultaneously, and connects multiple regions via different sessions.

“We’re proud to take players beyond the realms of planet earth with the biggest Anno game ever,” said Benedikt Grindel, studio manager at Blue Byte. “The development team has been working hard to ensure we are integrating fresh and innovative new content, whilst remaining faithful to the roots of the Anno franchise.”

Anno 2205 will be available in three versions: the Standard Edition which includes the full game experience, and the Gold Edition, which extends the experience with additional content.

Starting now, fans can pre-order any version of the game to gain guaranteed access to the closed beta phase ahead of launch. Additional details regarding the closed beta will be announced in the future.

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UbiBlog has details on For Honor, a newly announced multiplayer melee combat game that will pit four-player teams against each other on Windows, Xbox One, and PlayStation 4. This trailer offers a look at the game, and here's word:

History as we know it has come undone. Three warrior cultures that never crossed swords in real life – armored knights, Vikings, and samurai – will clash for supremacy in For Honor’s medieval battlefields. Just announced for Xbox One, PC and PlayStation 4 at Ubisoft’s E3 press conference, For Honor’s action blends strategic thinking and deliberate swordplay with shooter-like pacing and melee crowd control. Hurling players into chaotic scenarios as a powerful special-ops warrior, it takes a unique approach to medieval warfare.

“Our vision with Sanctuary is to create a game that ignites the same emotions that a warrior would feel on a real battlefield. The tension of face-to-face encounters with deadly enemies, the adrenaline of charging alongside your army against the opposition, the danger of a chaotic battle when you don’t know where the next strike will come from,” says Creative Director Jason Vandenberghe. “It’s a game that celebrates the art of sword-fighting and the legacy of the legendary warriors from those great legacies, the knights, the Vikings and the samurai that we brought together in one single experience.”

Playing as legendary heroes from one of three factions – the Viking Warborn, the Chosen Samurai or the knightly Legions – you’ll spend much of For Honor’s single-player campaign and multiplayer matches stomping through enemy infantry and archers, clearing a path for your own troops to pour through, while also taking part in lethal duels with other champions.

“You’re the top one percent. The characters you play in For Honor are the difference makers. They’re the ones who get called in to finish the fight,” says Vandenberghe. “You need to make tactical decisions about which pieces of this ground you’re going to fight over. And then you encounter other badasses who are equally as important as you, and you duel them to find out who’s the bigger badass. If you’re dead, it was them.”
For Honor’s duels take advantage of the Art of Battle combat system, a key features of which is to let you adjust your stance with the right analog stick, which blocks incoming attacks and lets you strike at openings in your opponent’s defenses.

“Wherever you’re holding your weapon, that’s where you’re blocking automatically,” says Vandenberghe. “So if I’m holding my sword to my left and you attack me on my left side, I’m going to block it. But if you attack me from the right or from above, I’m going to get hit. It takes time to change my stance, so I need to anticipate what you’re going to do.”

For Honor will be playable during E3, so we’ll have more details on what it’s like to play as an armored juggernaut very soon.

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Rare announces Sea of Thieves, an upcoming seafaring adventure where the player can take on the swashbuckling role of a pirate. This was announced by the Microsoft-owned studio at the Xbox conference, but the E3 announce trailer says this is also coming to Windows 10. The announcement was vague, but referred to shared adventures, suggesting this is possibly an MMOG. Continue here to read the full story.

PopCap Games announces Plants vs. Zombies Garden Warfare 2, saying the action sequel is coming to Windows, Xbox One, and PlayStation 4 in Spring 2016. As is the way with such things, we have an announce trailer and an announce:

The battle for suburbia grows to crazy new heights. PopCap Games, creator of some of the world’s most beloved video game franchises and a division of Electronic Arts Inc. (NASDAQ: EA), today announced Plants vs. ZombiesTM Garden Warfare 2, the outrageous new adventure set in the Plants vs. Zombies universe. For the first time in franchise history, zombies have taken over Suburbia and plants are on the attack. Each faction has enlisted new characters from the past, present, and future to join the fight. Play your way through all new modes, discover unique gameplay features, and explore all-new maps. Launching Spring 2016 on Xbox One, the all-in-one gaming system from Microsoft, PlayStation®4 computer entertainment systems and Origin™ for PC, Plants vs. Zombies Garden Warfare 2 taps into the heart of what fans loved about the original and goes above and beyond to deliver the funniest, craziest and most over-the-top shooter – and that’s only the beginning. Garden Warfare 2 will also deliver free content updates to ensure Zomburbia stays fresh and action packed.

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Ubisoft announces a March 8, 2016 release date for The Division, and that Xbox One owners can get to play the closed beta in December by preordering the post-apocalyptic action/RPG. Here's the new E3 2015 trailer and here are the details:

Tom Clancy’s The Division is back in our sights once again, this time with new revelations from Microsoft’s E3 press conference: The Division will launch on March 8, 2016, and Xbox One owners will get the first crack at exploring its apocalyptically broken New York City when its closed beta begins this December. Details on a beta for PS4 and PC will be revealed later, but for now, those who want guaranteed access on Xbox One can secure a spot in the beta by pre-ordering.

The news comes alongside a new trailer for The Division, showing off some of the hostile groups and semi-ruined urban environments you’ll face when the open-world online action-RPG arrives on Xbox One, PlayStation 4, and PC next year. In the meantime, keep it here for more on The Division as E3 2015 continues!

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• E3 2015 Digital Ticket on Humble Bundle.
• Shockwave Bundle on Bundle Stars.

• Supernova Alpha 6 now live.

• Xbox One console to run old 360 games. Thanks Daniel.
• Xbox Elite Wireless Controller announced.
• Rock Band 4 on October 6th - Preorders underway.
• Fallout 4 PC Mods Available on Xbox One For Free.
• Halo 5 Guardians - Single Player Gameplay Demo.
• Madden NFL 16 E3 Trailer.
• Just Dance 2016 Announced.
• Source: Sony to confirm Call of Duty DLC exclusivity partnership in E3 press conference.

• Slow Internet Speed- Throttling Issues- Now You Can Complain To The FCC. Thanks Acleacius.

• Modding the EVGA GTX 970 SC ACX 2.0 Graphics Card - PC Perspective.
• SpaceX wants you to build Elon Musk’s Hyperloop pod.

Thanks j.c.f.

• Texas Medicaid patients have private data exposed online.
• Medical Informatics Engineering notifies Patients of a Data Security Compromise.
• Auditor: 12 agencies failed to properly handle sensitive computer records.
• OpenSSL Patches Logjam Bug, DoS Vulnerabilities.
• 44.5 Million New Malware Variants Recorded in 1 Month.
• Apple Fixed a Nasty MitM Vulnerability in the Latest watchOS.
• Encryption Keys Hard-Coded in Industrial Access Point.
• Fileless Malware Makes Almost 200,000 Victims, Mostly in the US.
• CryptoWall 3.0 Delivered in Campaign Started More than a Week Ago.
• Only Few Organizations Patched Recent Honeywell SCADA Flaw: Researchers.

• Update: Targeting Cheaters in GTA Online - Rockstar Games…

Link of the Day: Pranksters Dressed As Dinosaurs Scare The Crap Out Of Chris Pratt (NSFW). Thanks nin.

Ubisoft announces The Crew Wild Run, a new expansion for The Crew, coming to the MMO driving game on November 17th for Windows, Xbox One, and PlayStation 4. Here's the E3 trailer and you can keep up with the project on its official website. Here's word:

The Crew Wild Run will take players to “The Summit,” a huge gathering of drivers and racing enthusiasts facing off in a series of extreme events in iconic US locations. Players will put their skills to the test competing to determine who will become king of the road. Players can choose dragsters designed to reach incredible top speeds, drift cars that demonstrate impressive control, unstoppable monster trucks that can perform dangerous backflips and insane jumps, or a wide range of agile motorcycles from prestigious brands geared to take on the fastest cars on and off the road.

No challenge is ever the same at “The Summit” – the largest challenge in a driving game to date, where players will showcase their talents across a wide range of skillsets and terrains. From qualifiers to finales, players can earn exclusive rewards and rare bonuses based on their performance. To accentuate every driving nuance, a major graphical update will be applied, creating stunning environments, enhanced by new lighting effects and redesigned areas adapted for all vehicle types.

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Ubisoft announces Trackmania Turbo, a new installment in the Trackmania racing series coming to Windows, Xbox One, and PlayStation 4 on December 1st. Here's a trailer for this one, and here's the news:

Today, Ubisoft announced the development of Trackmania Turbo, the latest installment of the Trackmania franchise developed by Nadeo, a Ubisoft studio. Trackmania Turbo marks the first time in the series that the game will be available on new-gen consoles, as it will be released on PlayStation®4 computer entertainment system, Xbox One and Windows PC on December 1 2015 in North America.

Trackmania Turbo features an “easy to learn, hard to master” gameplay style that relies on time attack racing where players set their own limits and challenges. The gameplay revolves around the perfect combination of matchbox car fantasy on a massive scale, focusing on the pursuit of the perfect run around the track. Players can test their skills in the campaign mode which includes more than 200 head-spinning tracks set in four beautiful environments each with their own gameplay style.

Among these environments is the brand new Lagoon Rollercoaster set in a tropical paradise which relies on gravity and magnetic forces to keep the drivers on track. To bring these new environments to life, the team has created a new art direction led by Academy Award winning creative director Francois Alaux*. The new direction uses next-generation graphics based on racing culture elements to create a visual identity that immerses gamers in the arcade racing experience.

Trackmania Turbo also introduces an all-new mode to expand the gaming experience. Double Driver is a co-op mode which challenges two players to coordinate and control the same car with two controllers. It also implements a new systemic music feature, where the music is tied to the racing experience, creating its own variations of intensity and dramatic drops.

For those looking to create their own experiences, Trackbuilder is an innovative feature that provides a diversified gaming experience by blending arcade-style racing with an intuitive, customization toolbox. Players can use Trackbuilder to design an infinite number of unique and creative tracks or try their luck by generating random ones. Tracks built in Trackbuilder can be saved and shared amongst the Trackmania community.

Additionally, Ubisoft announced Trackmania Turbo is currently being developed for Virtual Reality devices as a separate project that will be released at a later date than the standard version.”

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UbiBlog now offers the E3 2015 multiplayer trailer from Rainbow Six Siege, the upcoming installment in the tactical shooter series. Here's the accompanying explanation:

One team defends, the other attacks. It’s a simple dynamic, but what Rainbow Six Siege’s multiplayer does with it is immediately, irresistibly compelling, as two squads of five counter-terrorist experts use every trick at their disposal to hamper, misdirect and destroy one another. Rainbow Six Siege’s matches are as open-ended as they are vicious, and you can get another glimpse of them in this trailer, unveiled today during Microsoft’s E3 2015 press conference.

Each of Siege’s multiplayer stages presents its own unique challenges – a fortified jetliner, for example, doesn’t offer as many entry points as a windowed building with skylights in its flat roof – and overcoming your enemies’ fortifications and traps is just as fun as laying them. If you’d like an early sample of Siege’s cerebral shootouts, you can sign up for the closed beta, which begins on September 24. Everyone else won’t have long to wait, however, as Rainbow Six Siege launches on October 13 for Xbox One, PlayStation 4 and PC.

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The Star Wars Battlefront website now features the E3 trailer for Star Wars Battlefront, showing a "Walker Assault on Hoth." Here's word: "In Star Wars™ Battlefront™ you can battle in epic 40 multiplayer battles reminiscent of The Battle of Hoth. As the Empire, you must accompany AT-AT walkers as they march towards the Rebel base to destroy it. And as a Rebel, you must do everything you can to stop them." Continue here to read the full story.

The E3 2015 trailer for Gigantic shows off this upcoming MOBA, and the news accompanying the clip is that closed beta testing of the game is set to kick off in August. Those interested in participating can sign up on this page. Word is:

Gigantic is an online free-to-play game mixing action and strategy where teams of five players fight side-by-side with their massive Guardian monster. The enemy team and opposing Guardian will do exactly the same in objective-based battles set in a colourful world. Motiga, in partnership with Microsoft, are set to release Gigantic exclusively on the Xbox One and Windows 10 later this year. As one of the first titles, the game will specifically feature Cross-Play support allowing the players to compete across both platforms.

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The official E3 trailer from Need for Speed introduces EA's "five ways to play" the upcoming installment in the driving action series, which they say will be released for Windows and consoles on November 3rd. Here's more on the whole five ways to play deal:

The new Need for Speed introduces compelling and innovative gameplay through Five Ways to Play – Speed, Style, Build, Crew, and Outlaw. Each drives your Need for Speed game through an interconnected narrative. Built around five real world automotive icons, each of whom is a hero of today’s car culture, they will inspire the player to experience all Five Ways to Play. Earn their respect and build your reputation on your journey to become the ultimate icon.

Action-packed overlapping stories, rich with distraction based gameplay, ensure variety and personal preference. Carve your own path through Ventura Bay by playing different event types and propel your progression by ultimately winning your way.

Speed – Pedal to the metal, high speeds, maximum adrenaline rush. Keep your nerve and never lift off the gas, the fearless always push the limits.
Style – Expression through driving, sliding the car into a corner sideways with ultimate precision. For some, style is all that matters.
Build – Take your car to the extreme through visual and performance modification. The constant need to improve and personalize. Craftsmen build, searching for perfection.
Crew – Ride together with your Crew and never hit the streets alone. Put your faith in others and the skill of close proximity chaos.
Outlaw – Messing with and escaping from the cops. Push the limits and live life on the edge as you crave the thrill of the chase.

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METAL GEAR SOLID V: THE PHANTOM PAIN is on display in the E3 2015 trailer from the upcoming stealthy action/adventure. Word is: "Check out the newest trailer for The Phantom Pain debuting at E3 2015, edited by Hideo Kojima! Pre-order now: http://www.konami.jp/mgs5/." Continue here to read the full story.

Here's an E3 gameplay trailer for Warhammer: End Times - Vermintide, showing off the newly revealed Dwarf Ranger class in Fatshark's upcoming strategy game. There's more on this class in a post on the Vermintide website. Here's an overview: "He may be the shortest in the group of heroes, but the Dwarf Ranger Bardin Goreksson certainly makes up for it in ferocity, determination and spirit. Gregarious, prideful and not afraid to offend, Bardin is frequently seen charging into the thick of battle, axe or hammer in full swing and leaving a trail of Skaven corpses behind him. Once the victory is assured, he will be the first back to the pub, roaring and laughing at the top of his lungs in a manner only is a dwarf is capable of." Continue here to read the full story.

EA presents this E3 trailer for FIFA 16 narrated by association football/soccer immortal Pelé. The clip promises the game on September 16th and adopts the adverb-free approach invented by Apple, showing us how to "Play Beautiful." Here's more on what that means:

Electronic Arts Inc. (NASDAQ: EA) today announced that EA SPORTS™ FIFA 16 delivers Innovation Across the Entire Pitch in gameplay, helps all fans Compete at a Higher Level with FIFA Trainer, and brings New Ways to Play by introducing Women’s National Teams to the franchise. At the heart of FIFA 16, innovative gameplay* features will deliver a balanced, authentic, and exciting football experience that lets fans play their way. The new trailer Play Beautiful can be seen here.

Confidence in Defending
Defenders and attackers are balanced, creating a realistic and enjoyable experience when trying to regain possession of the ball.

• Defensive Agility brings balance in movement between attackers and defenders, driven by more than 25 gameplay feature changes to defender locomotion.
• Defend as a Unit injects intelligence and positional-awareness into players so they can better decide between marking an opponent and covering dangerous space.
• New Tackling Fundamentals offers new behaviors like fake and standing tackles, as well as full-body challenges and the ability to bridge out of sliding tackles when caught out of position.

Control in Midfield
In midfield, two game-changing features make the battle in the middle of the pitch as important as it is in real football.

• Interception Intelligence gives players the smarts to close passing channels and shutting down options.
• Passing with Purpose offers a new driven pass to play sharp, incisive passes so you can find teammates with precision.

Moments of Magic
FIFA 16 gives fans the tools they need to create thrilling moments in attack.

• No Touch Dribbling gives players the option to let the ball run to buy time, create separation, feint, and blow by the defender in the final third. A feature inspired by the motion capture of Lionel Messi, it changes the way players attack.
• Clinical Finishing provides variety in shooting and more exciting goals than ever before.

“This year we’re looking at every single role on the pitch, evaluating where we wanted to innovate with all the feedback from fans, and setting out to develop the most balanced and exciting football game in the long history of the EA SPORTS FIFA franchise,” said David Rutter, VP and GM, EA SPORTS FIFA. “Whether fans prefer short and precise passes through the middle, or getting it outside and whipping in crosses, the beauty of FIFA 16 is that it offers fans the freedom to play their way and find success on the pitch.”

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BioWare announces Knights of the Fallen Empire, an upcoming digital expansion for Star Wars: The Old Republic, their forceful MMORPG. They show it off in this cinematic trailer, appropriate to what they say is a renewed focus on cinematic storytelling in the add-on. They also announce a new rewards program for the free-to-play game, and say all of the original eight Class stories will be enhanced for higher level characters. Here's a bit:

BioWare™, an Electronic Arts Inc. (NASDAQ:EA) studio, and Lucasfilm revealed that a brand-new digital expansion, Star Wars: The Old Republic- Knights of the Fallen Empire, will be available for download on October 27, 2015. The largest story-driven expansion to date, Knights of the Fallen Empire marks a renewed focus on cinematic storytelling in Star Wars: The Old Republic by introducing a new personal story arc where player choice will shape the journey. The expansion puts the player at the center of their own personal saga, playing as the Outlander, a veteran of the Great Galactic War. The player will come face-to-face with a new enemy, the Emperor of the Eternal Empire, only to discover that his dark destiny is tied to their own. The digital expansion will deliver on the hallmarks of what makes a great BioWare game: new worlds to explore, new companions to recruit into your alliance, and a dynamic story that players will be able to shape based on the choices they make. Knights of the Fallen Empire will launch with the first nine chapters of an evolving story, with new chapters releasing regularly to offer new challenges, fresh storylines, and an expanding cast of new characters to meet and join – or betray. The expansion will also raise the player level cap to 65, and includes a Level 60 character so players can immediately jump into the new story-driven content.

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EA announces Unravel, an upcoming "beautiful" platformer. They show off this beauty in this gameplay trailer from the official website. Here's the pitch:

Coldwood and Electronic Arts Inc. (NASDAQ: EA), today announced a partnership on the development of a new puzzle platformer game titled, Unravel™. Unravel introduces Yarny, a tiny, new character made from a single thread of yarn, who embarks on a seemingly larger than life journey through the breath-taking, lush environments of Northern Scandinavia. Using Yarny’s small thread and big heart, players will traverse nature’s obstacles in this unique physics-based puzzle platformer. To watch the first gameplay trailer and learn more about the game, please visit www.unravelgame.co.uk .

“The idea of Unravel was created from a very personal place. We didn’t start out by saying we’re going to make a puzzle platforming game. We started by thinking more about our lives, and the things we hold meaningful. We wanted the game to have a heart and the gameplay could always be designed to represent that,” says Martin Sahlin, Creative Director at Coldwood. “The tale of Unravel is about love, and the bonds between people. And the yarn is a representation of that. Yarny’s red thread is the tie that connects everything in the game, from the gameplay mechanics to the story, and the people in it.”

Unravel is a game all about overcoming obstacles, both big and small. Some challenges are simple, like using Yarny’s thread to swing across a gap, or rappel down a tree. Sometimes things get more complex, and players will need to use Yarny’s thread in clever and creative ways to find the path forward. Whatever the case, no feat is too big for Yarny. Along the way, witness him unlock a heartfelt story about love and longing, and the ties that bind. The tale is told completely without words and Yarny is the red thread that runs through it all.

Unravel will be available for digital download on Origin™ for PC, the PlayStation®4 computer entertainment system, and Xbox One, the all-in-one games and entertainment system from Microsoft.

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EA announces Mirror's Edge Catalyst will be released on February 23, 2016 in North America, February 25th in Europe, and February 26th in the U.K. They celebrate the news with a new trailer for the parkour action game. Here's word:

DICE™, an Electronic Arts Inc. (NASDAQ: EA) studio, today announced that Mirror’s Edge™ Catalyst will be available February 26, 2016 in the United Kingdom (February 23, 2016 in North America and starting February 25, 2016 in Europe). Mirror’s Edge Catalyst immerses players in the origin story of Faith, and her rise from a careless young woman to a heroine who opens the eyes of an entire city. Featuring fluid movement and combat in a massive city where you can run free and explore, Mirror’s Edge Catalyst adds a new level of immersion to action adventure games by putting you in the first person perspective. You are not just watching Faith’s fight for freedom, you will experience it through her eyes. To watch the reveal trailer from E3 2015 for Mirror’s Edge Catalyst, please visit: http://www.mirrorsedge.com/en_GB/ .

“When we set out to bring Mirror’s Edge to a new generation of gamers, we knew we wanted to deliver on the potential of the first game – building an iconic heroine in Faith, bringing a beautiful, stylised world to life, and delivering fluid first person action,” says Sara Jansson, Senior Producer at DICE. “In Mirror’s Edge Catalyst, you will get to feel what it’s like to glide across the skyline of the city. You will get to know what it feels like to be a projectile who plows through your opponents. And you will get to experience Faith’s story.”

In Mirror’s Edge Catalyst, you will experience the rise of Faith, a daring Runner who uncovers a hidden truth within the walls of the city of Glass. Through her journey, Faith will explore every corner of the city, from the highest, most pristine skyscrapers, to the dark and gritty tunnels that lie beneath. Players will need to master the environment, using their momentum and timing their combat to fight the oppression of the ruling elite, uncovering the dark secrets behind the city’s beautiful façade. Mirror’s Edge Catalyst gives players the freedom to explore the entire city, discovering a variety of new activities, like ‘Dash’, races from point A to B, environmental puzzles and story missions to complete at their own pace.

For players that want to show off their perfect technique or how well they’ve mastered the city can pre-order Mirror’s Edge Catalyst to receive the Combat Runner Kit or Speed Runner Kit*, respectively. The Combat Runner Kit includes unique in-game items including a combat-themed Projection Shader, changing how a player appears in their friend’s game world, a Runner Tag to stand out in the leaderboards, and a unique background to customize a player’s Screen Hacks. The Speed Runner Kit also comes equipped with a Projection Shader, Runner Tag and unique Screen Hack background, but the features are more themed to the speed of their skill.

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EA and BioWare announce Mass Effect Andromeda is in development at BioWare Montreal as a follow-up to the action/RPG/shooter trilogy coming to Windows, Xbox One, and PlayStation 4 in time for the 2016 holidays. A post on the BioWare Blog introducing the game and offering its official E3 trailer, which includes the following one-liner: "A new adventure awaits in the Mass Effect universe. With stunning visuals and a new galaxy to discover, BioWare delivers the next generation of space exploration." Here's word from the blog on what's going on this time around:

While we aren’t ready to go into too many details just yet, as you saw in the trailer and can tell by the name, this game is very much a new adventure, taking place far away from and long after the events of the original trilogy. You will play a human, male or female, though that’s actually not the character you saw in the trailer (more on that later). You’ll be exploring an all-new galaxy, Andromeda, and piloting the new and improved Mako you saw. And through it all, you will have a new team of adventurers to work with, learn from, fight alongside of, and fall in love with.

We built this trailer in Frostbite™, our game engine, and it represents our visual target for the final game. We are thrilled by what we’ve already been able to achieve in bringing Mass Effect to Frostbite and by putting our entire focus on PC and current gen consoles. With the time remaining in development, we’re excited about the possibility to push things even more.

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Rocketwerkz announces ION will be the debut release from this studio formed by DAYZ creator Dean Hall, saying this is an "emergent narrative" MMORPG being developed in collaboration with Improbable "coming first" to Windows and Xbox One. The ION Website offers the ION teaser trailer, showing off the game's science-fiction setting, and the announcement elaborates a bit:

ION is an emergent narrative massively-multiplayer online game in which players build, live and inevitably die in huge floating galactic constructions, tracing humanity’s first deadly steps towards colonizing the universe. Thanks to technology from Improbable, ION is a massive interconnected universe with fully simulated real-time environments, including air pressure, heat and cold, power grids and much more, which all must be carefully balanced to keep the unending vacuum of space at bay.

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BANDAI NAMCO Entertainment officially announces Dark Souls III is coming to Windows, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One in "early 2016," confirming rumors that a third installment in From Software's action/RPG series would be unveiled at this year's E3. The Dark Souls 3 website is already online, and offers this announcement trailer, and here is the announcement:

Leading interactive entertainment company BANDAI NAMCO Entertainment America Inc. today proudly announced DARK SOULS™ III for an early 2016 release date for Xbox One, PlayStation®4 computer entertainment system, and Windows PC. A dark and brooding fantasy adventure awaits players in a vast twisted world full of fearsome beasts, devious traps and hidden secrets.

Developed by acclaimed Japanese developer FromSoftware, DARK SOULS III is the latest chapter in the critically acclaimed DARK SOULS series with its trademark sword and sorcery combat and rewarding action RPG gameplay. Players will travel across a wide variety of locations in an interconnected world of unrelenting challenge and deep RPG gameplay as they search for a way to survive the coming apocalypse.

“The DARK SOULS series has built a revered reputation placing it in the highest echelon of revered video game properties of all time,” said Chris Gilbert, Senior Vice President of Sales and Marketing for BANDAI NAMCO Entertainment America Inc. “We are very excited to see Hidetaka Miyazaki and his talented team at FROMSOFTWARE working on DARK SOULS III.”

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At their E3 briefing, Microsoft unveiled plans for a new version of Minecraft using their upcoming Hololens technology, a move some predicted was the eventual plan when Microsoft scooped up Mojang for a couple of billion bucks. This video capture shows this being demonstrated live on stage in what's said to be real code running in real time. The alternating strident and laconic banter is odd, but the demonstration of the augmented reality version of the sandbox building game is impressive. Continue here to read the full story.

Telltale Games and Skybound announce The Walking Dead: Michonne for release this autumn, calling this "A Telltale Games Mini-Series," since it expands on The Walking Dead: A Telltale Games Series, and requires the first episode of that series to be playable. They promise more details on how access this as it nears release this fall, and in the meantime, offer this announcement:

The Walking Dead: Michonne - A Telltale Games Mini-Series stars the iconic character from the comic book series haunted by her past and coping with unimaginable loss and regret. The story explores her untold journey during the time between issues #126 and #139. Through this Telltale Games mini-series of 3 episodes, players will discover what took Michonne away from Rick, Ezekiel, and the rest of her trusted group... and what brought her back.

Premiering this fall, The Walking Dead: Michonne will be available for download on PC/Mac from the Telltale Online Store, Steam, and other digital distribution services, the PlayStation®Network for PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 3, the Xbox Games Store for Xbox One® and Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, compatible iOS devices via the App Store, and Android-based devices via Google Play and the Amazon App Store.

A new Eye of the Storm trailer from Mad Max offers a look at the story in Avalanche Studios' upcoming vehicular combat game. Here's the accompanying description, which points out they have the balls to name the antagonist Scrotus: "Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment and Avalanche Studios today released the Mad Max™ Eye of the Storm Story Trailer, depicting the merciless Wasteland tyrant Scrotus, who Max must overcome as he attempts to build the ultimate war vehicle and leave the madness of The Wasteland behind." Continue here to read the full story.

The Steam Game and Player Statistics page reflects a new high-water mark achieved by Valve's service over the weekend, reporting a peak in concurrent users of 10,052,802. The peak came around midday yesterday, and the previous record of around 9.5 million users came around a month ago. Thanks Develop.

Part of Bethesda's pre-E3 presentation last night was a showcase trailer for The Elder Scrolls Online: Tamriel Unlimited outlining changes planned for the now subscription-free MMORPG. Word simply is: "Presented by Game Director Matt Firor, get a sneak first look at exciting new changes for The Elder Scrolls Online - Tamriel Unlimited," while the Bethesda Blog says "Dark Anchors descend on The Imperial City, a trip to the city of the Orcs (Orsinium), and much more await! The #BE3 Showcase teased a number of new content pieces and features coming to Tamriel." Continue here to read the full story.

GfK Chart-Track is back with a look at the bestselling games in the U.K., this time for the week ending June 13th. The big move on the PC top 30 is the re-emergence of The Elder Scrolls Online, apparently thanks to the launch of the console editions of the MMORPG. TESO is number one on the all platforms chart where LEGO Jurassic World debuts at number two. Here's how they summarize all the activity:

Bethesda Softworks take top spot as ‘The Elder Scrolls Online’ becomes their first chart topping title since ‘Wolfenstein: The New Order’ just over a year ago.

Although the original PC version of the title launched in April last year, the new updated versions feature a subscription free model as well as several new updates. Having launched on Tuesday ‘The Elder Scrolls Online’ is the third title to break through the 100k sales mark in its first week in 2015, delivering a bigger week 1 than ‘Battlefield Hardline’ but still behind ‘The Witcher III: Wild Hunt’, which remains the biggest debut of the year so far.

Following on from the success of the movie which also released this week Warner Bros’ ‘Lego Jurassic World’ roars into the chart at No2. With ‘The Elder Scrolls Online’ taking No1 the consecutive five week run of Bandai Namco is ended as ‘The Witcher III: Wild Hunt’ (-48%) drops down to No3. Another title making the jump to Gen 8 consoles debuts at No4 with 505 Games’ ‘Payday 2: Crimewave Edition’ for Xbox One and PS4. The original ‘Payday 2’ topped the charts back in August 2013 and the Crimewave Edition adds improved visuals and new content to the title. ‘Grand Theft Auto V’ (-34%) is not far behind but makes way for the new titles dropping down to No5. ‘FIFA 15’ (-23%) is at No6 and remains comfortably ahead of a resurgent ‘Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare’ (+11%), which climbs to No7. Wii U exclusive ‘Splatoon’ (4,948 / -44%) is down to No8 in its third week on chart although is sure to see a boost with an official hardware bundle due to launch on the platform next week. ‘Battlefield Hardline’ ( -39%) is down four places to No9 and ‘Farming Simulator 15’ (-26%) rounds off the Top 10.

• The Bards Tale IV by inXile entertainment — Kickstarter. Funded with 25 days remaining. First two stretch goals are at $50K increments.
• The developer of DarkBase 01 abandons game and harshly criticized the Steam community. Thanks Kotaku.

• H-Hour: World's Elite on GameWatcher.

• Dishonored is getting a remake for PS4 and Xbox One. Thanks nin.
• Either Suzuki is trolling us or... Shenmue 3?
• WiiU Typoman E3 announcement trailer.
• Canvaleon Wii U announcement trailer.

Thanks Ant.

• Dish in Talks to Acquire T-Mobile.
• AT&T, Verizon Ditching iPhone Subsidies Entirely.
• Sprint CEO: Sprint Will Be #1 (or #2) in 18 to 24 Months.
• Fallout Shelter – Now Available on iPhone-iPad.
• Escape the Void on the App Store on iTunes.

• Alibaba to launch Netflix-like video streaming service in two months. Thanks HARDOCP.
• Hulu is Removing the 'Plus,' May Reduce Ads.
• NASA Is Adding 4K Content To YouTube.
• Level3 Starts Blocking Traffic Flow to Criminal Activity.

Thanks Ant.

• Paul Ford: What is Code? - Bloomberg. Thanks Jim.
• Playing games on the PC is making a comeback. Thanks HARDOCP.
• 2015 is the year of 'merger mania'.
• LibreOffice 5.0 Will Offer Microsoft Word-Compatible Text Highlighting. Thanks Linux Today.
• RealDoll is working on AI and robotic heads for its next-gen sex dolls.

Thanks Ant.

• Amazon Web Services - Privacy and Data Security report. Thanks HARDOCP.
• The Police Are Scanning the Faces of Every Single Person at Download Festival. Thanks HARDOCP.
• Norton Security 2016 beta is faster, Windows 10-ready.
• Uber puts passengers at risk with a flawed driver-approval process.
• Sunday Times Snowden Story is Journalism at its Worst. Thanks Acleacius.

• Comcast Wins Case Over Failed Home Security System. Thanks Ant.

• ASUS TUF X99 Sabertooth (LGA 2011-3) Motherboard on eTeknix.
• Kingston HyperX Fury 2400 MHz DDR 4 Memory on Modders-Inc.
• Lexar JumpDrive M20 Mobile USB 3.0 Flash Drive on Mad Shrimps.
• Mushkin Reactor 512GB Solid State Drive on ThinkComputers.org.
• Noctua NH-L9x65 on APH Networks.
• NZXT Noctis 450 on ocaholic.
• Tesoro Excalibur Illuminated Mechanical Gaming Keyboard on Techgage.
• Thrustmaster TH8A on Overclocked Inside.
• Xigmatek Nebula Case on pcGameware.

• MarI/O - Machine Learning for Video Games. Computer teaches itself to play Super Mario World. Thanks HARDOCP…
• Video games are 'better source of physical exercise than playing outside' new study claims. New study claims to be a study…

It's a bit of a stroke of luck that I am with you at the moment, as the thunderstorms I mentioned last week knocked out power in some nearby areas. Things seem fine here, so I will just thank Thor for sparing us today.

Spare Links:	Thanks Ant and Acleacius.
Play:	Sieger: Rebuilt to Destroy. ATV 3D Arena Stunts.
Link:	Jurassic Park’s VFX legacy still casts a shadow—especially for Jurassic World.
Science:	The Food Industry Has Changed How Our Taste Buds Work. Finally, a scientific solution to the dreaded "poop splash." Thanks Joshag. Injectable electronics could be used to monitor brain activity.
Images:	Stunning images of abandoned Soviet space shuttles.
Media:	GAME OF THE YEAR- 420BLAZEIT (Teens React- Gaming). Crowdsurfing Singer Catches, Drinks Cup Of Beer Thrown From Crowd. Thanks ViperFour. Guy Ruins Apartment After Pranking His Girlfriend With A 'Ketchup Bomb.' NSFW.
Auction:	It didn't take long for those E3 Doom, Fallout and Dishonored figures to end up on eBay.