PC Game News

Firefly Studios today announced that Stronghold Kingdoms, the free-to-play MMORTS, has reached 500,000 registered players this week.

“Yesterday Kingdoms’ 500,000th player joined ‘World 4’, bringing the total number of Lords and Ladies to half a million. World 4 is the game’s newest English-language server, launched on Saturday 3rd March to keep pace with the recent influx of new subscriptions that is showing few signs of subsiding. Achieving this milestone puts Firefly half-way to achieving their goal of one million registered players, which it is hoped can be achieved with new markets and platforms. Firefly does not expect World 4 to be the last opened in 2012.
 
Here’s to another 500,000!
 
More information on Stronghold Kingdoms and Firefly Studios can be found at www.strongholdkingdoms.com“

Marcin Iwinski, CEO of CD Projekt Red, spoke at the GDC today, announcing that the company “will never use any DRM anymore.”

Here’s more from Joystiq:

“Every subsequent game we will never use any DRM anymore, it’s just over-complicating things,” Iwinski said. His presentation was hinged on how the Polish publisher sold over a million copies of the game on a modest budget.

“We release the game. It’s cracked in two hours, it was no time for Witcher 2. What really surprised me is that the pirates didn’t use the GOG version, which was not protected. They took the SecuROM retail version, cracked it and said ‘we cracked it’ — meanwhile there’s a non-secure version with a simultaneous release. You’d think the GOG version would be the one floating around.”

“DRM does not protect your game,” Iwinski told Joystiq after the presentation. “If there are examples that it does, then people maybe should consider it, but then there are complications with legit users.”

Peter Molyneux, who was more or less the face of Lionhead Studios, has announced he has left for an independent developer called 22 Cans, which was founded by former Lionhead CTO Tim Rance.

His tweet from this morning reads:

“I have left the lovely amazing Microsoft and lionhead. Now for something really amazing, scary and brave a new company called 22 Cans”

Electronic Arts and BioWare today announced the release of Mass Effect 3, which is now available in North American retail stores. The game releases in Europe on Friday.

“Mass Effect 3 thrusts players into an all-out galactic war to save mankind from an ancient alien race known only as the Reapers. Players will assume the role of Commander Shepard, a war-torn veteran who’s willing to do whatever it takes to eliminate this nearly unstoppable foe. With a team of elite soldiers at their side, each player decides how they will take Earth back, from the weapons and abilities they utilize to the relationships they forge or break. Mass Effect 3 also features the Galaxy at War* system, where players will have the option to fight the galactic war on multiple fronts. The system includes the franchise debut of co-operative multiplayer, as well as two iOS-exclusive apps, the cover-based, third-person shooter, Mass Effect Infiltrator, and the Mass Effect 3 Datapad. Progress made in each of these components will directly link back to the player’s main campaign, helping Commander Shepard rally the forces of the galaxy to eliminate the Reaper threat once and for all.

For more information on Mass Effect 3, please visit https://masseffect.com“

The list of new PC game releases, Blu-ray releases, and movies opening the week of March 5th, 2012.

PC games:

• 2K Sports MLB 2K12 / NBA 2K12 Combo Pack
• DC-6B Legends of Flight
• Major League Baseball 2K12
• Mass Effect 3
• The Sims 3: Showtime
• The Sims 3: Showtime – Katy Perry Collector’s Ed.

Movies opening this week:

• A Thousand Words
• Footnote (limited)
• Friends with Kids
• Jiro Dreams of Sushi (limited NYC)
• John Carter
• Playback (limited)
• Salmon Fishing in the Yemen
• Seeking Justice (limited)
• Silent House (limited)
• The Ballad of Genesis and Lady Jayne
• The Decoy Bride (limited)

Blu-ray releases:

• 54
• 9 1/2 Weeks
• Agatha Christie’s Poirot, Series 3
• Alabama Moon
• Aquamarine
• Benji
• Chesapeake Bay By Air
• Columbus Circle
• Dead in the Water
• Despicable Me
• Dinosaurs: Inside and Out
• Disclosure
• Duets II: The Great Performances
• Evil Roy Slade & Brother’s O’Toole – Double Feature
• Ferngully: The Last Rainforest
• Footloose
• Forest Warrior
• Game of Thrones: The Complete First Season
• High Road
• Immortals
• Jack and Jill
• Kevin Smith Triple Feature
• Like Crazy
• Man From Snowy River
• Meet the Parents
• Meeting Spencer
• Monty Python and the Holy Grail
• Nature: Fortress of the Bears
• NFL Super Bowl XLVI Champions: 2011 New York Giants
• Out of Africa Collector’s Series
• Over Hawaii
• Parenthood
• Plan 9 From Outer Space
• Recoil
• Reindeer Games
• Striptease
• The Blues Brothers
• The Deer Hunter
• The Lion King 1 1/2 Special Ed.
• The Lion King II: Simba’s Pride Special Ed.
• The Little Shop of Horrors
• The Nutty Professor
• The Search for One-Eye Jimmy
• The Skin I Live In
• The Town
• Thumbelina
• To Catch a Thief
• Tomboy
• Tooth Fairy 2
• Transformers Prime: Season One Limited Ed.

Ubisoft today released the first trailer for Assassin’s Creed 3, which is scheduled to be released on October 31st, 2012. The new game will be set during the American Revolutionary War. According to an exclusive interview with CVG, Ubisoft describes the upcoming sequel as the largest project in the company’s history, with over twice the production capacity and work split across six studios. In addition, the game will be powered by a new engine titled Ubisoft-AnvilNext with all kinds of improved performance and breakthroughs.

Darksiders II is set to have great music as THQ today announced that Jesper Kyd has composed the musical score for the game and Giles Lamb has done the trailer music.

“Kyd’s emotionally dynamic score for DARKSIDERS II combines dark ethereal themes and melodic fantasy that enrich the player’s cinematic journey through each of the game’s unique realms.

As well as the game soundtrack by Jesper Kyd, the Darksiders II campaign creative score has been composed by renowned composer Giles Lamb. Giles Lamb has composed TV and Film Music for 100’s of TV, films, commercials and games over the years, recently enjoying international repute for the sensational game trailer for ‘Dead Island’ which won a Golden Lion at Cannes 2011.

Darksiders II is scheduled to be available for console and PC on 29th June 2012.”

• For more information on DARKSIDERS II visit www.darksiders.com.
• For more information on Jesper Kyd visit www.jesperkyd.com.
• For more information on Giles Lamb visit www.gileslamb.com.

A Castlewood trailer for the ATLUS/Cyanide Game of Thrones game has been released, giving viewers more of a look at the upcoming RPG based on the HBO television series. Season 1 of the TV series is set to release on Blu-ray and DVD tomorrow.

“Situated on the banks of the Blackwater in the Riverlands, Castlewood is the prosperous seat of House Harlton, bannermen to the Tullys.”

Mass Effect 3 launches next Tuesday, March 6, featuring an all new multiplayer co-op mode.

“The Mass Effect franchise is set in an epic science fiction universe, filled with dangerous alien life and mysterious, uncharted planets. Featuring intense action, a rich, futuristic storyline, space exploration and emotionally engaging character interaction, the franchise delivers an unparalleled cinematic experience.”

Adhesive Games launched a new website for the upcoming Hawken game and also released a new trailer today. This new video features even more gameplay with a look at some intense fight scenes.

“Hawken is a multiplayer mech combat game. The focus is on creating an intense and enjoyable battle experience that captures the feeling of piloting a heavy war machine while keeping the action fast-paced and strategic.”

2K Games and Irrational games today announced the North American release date for BioShock Infinite, which will be October 16th, 2012. The international release date will be October 19th.

“BioShock Infinite puts players in the role of Booker DeWitt, a hard-bitten former Pinkerton agent, together with the revolutionary AI companion, Elizabeth. The two struggle to escape the sky-city of Columbia, in a 1912 America that might have been. Armed with an arsenal of new weapons and abilities, they face menacing enemies, in unique expansive environments. Classic BioShock gameplay joins innovations such as aerial combat on high-speed Sky-Lines in the service of an immersive storyline – an Irrational Games signature.

BioShock Infinite is not yet rated by the ESRB. For more information on BioShock Infinite please visit https://www.bioshockinfinite.com.”

The first MechWarrior Online trailer has been released, giving viewers a tease from the upcoming game by Piranha Games.

“MechWarrior Online will be demoing epic gameplay battles at next week’s GDC, but in the meantime check out this super sweet behind-the-scenes look at an Atlas being prepared for its drop out of a Leopard class drop ship – temporary rockets strategically placed on the Atlas for its drop will help guide it to its land-based objective. We also get the first real look at the details inside the cockpit of a Mech and hear the all-familiar voice telling us, “all systems online!”
 
This trailer also gives fans a sneak peek at the very first in-game assets, as this trailer was developed using CryEngine 3.
 
For more information about MechWarrior Online or to reserve your pilot name, be sure to hit up www.mwmercs.com“

2K Games, Gearbox, and Valve today announced that the PC version of Borderlands 2 will ship with Steamworks.

“Currently in development by Gearbox Software, Borderlands 2 is the sequel to the critically acclaimed four-player cooperative shooter-looter that combined intense first-person mayhemwithrole-playing gameplay.

Borderlands 2 players will enjoy the benefits of Steamworks features, such as Steam Achievements, downloadable content, auto-updating, multiplayer matchmaking, Steam Cloud support and more. Customers who purchase the PC retail version of Borderlands 2 will also be able to enjoy all the great Steamworks features as well. Borderlands 2 features all-new characters and skills, imaginative and diverse new environments with unique missions and enemies, and more exciting, fun weapons, equipment and loot than ever before. All of these features come together in a story that takes players to the world of Pandora to take down the notorious Handsome Jack and his corrupt Hyperion Corporation as a solo campaign or with up to four cooperative players. To pre-order Borderlands 2, please visit www.borderlands2.com/preorder.”

The Baldur’s Gate website has been updated with some kind of teaser. There are some rumors that the games are coming to Steam but nothing solid at this point – it could be more significant. Text on the website currently displays:

“The Lord of Murder shall perish,
but in his doom he shall spawn a
score of mortal progeny, chaos
will be sown by their passage.”

So sayeth the wise Alaundo

In addition to this, if you view the site’s source the following is written in HTML comments:

“February 28, 2012
Shadowy Figure- Raise Dead : Infinity Engine
For years, I clung to the memory of it. Then the memory of the memory.
And then… it returned. Better than it was before.
Pore over the tapestries and works of art hanging from our walls if you wish, Child of Bhaal… perhaps you will find a clue. But patience, ah… patience would reveal it all.
As the silver moon waxes and wanes, so too does life.”

DVDs are still released on a regular basis and this will likely continue for years to come. However, we’ve decided that these weekly new release posts will no longer include DVDs. Blu-ray players and discs have been around for several years now and the DVD format will taper off eventually.

PC games:

• Assassin’s Creed Revelations: The Lost Archive DLC
• Dark Strokes: Sins of the Father
• Take on Helicopters

Movies opening this week:

• Being Flynn (limited)
• Boy (limited)
• Dr. Seuss’ The Lorax
• Last Days Here (limited NYC)
• Let Bullets Fly (limited)
• London Paris New York (limited)
• Project X
• The Salt of Life (limited)
• The Snowtown Murders
• Tim and Eric’s Billion Dollar Movie (limited)

Blu-ray releases:

• Aida
• America’s National Parks Collection – Yellowstone, Yosemite, Grand Canyon
• American Experience: The Amish
• Baba Yaga
• Beneath the Darkness
• Die Entfuehrung Aus Dem Serail
• How The Universe Works
• Hugo
• I Melt With You
• Johnny English
• Johnny English Reborn
• Justice League: Doom
• Lulu – Alban Berg
• Mandrill
• Midsomer Murders, Set 19
• Nijinsky
• Runaway Jury
• Scarlet Street: Kino Classics Ed.
• The Buccaneer
• The Conformist
• The Mountain
• Top Gear: The Complete Season 17
• Vanya on 42nd Street (Criterion Collection)
• Where Love Has Gone
• Wild Life: The Americas
• WWE: Royal Rumble 2012