Flying Wild Hog today announced "Hard Reset", an upcoming sci-fi FPS that's scheduled to be released this September.
"In the only remaining human city of Bezoar, Major Fletcher, an Army Combat Veteran and soldier of the CLN, is dragged into a conflict between two of mankind's greatest enemies. He is to discover that nothing is what it seems to be.
Hard Reset may be Flying Wild Hog’s debut title, but the 35-person studio is comprised of veterans of Warsaw’s bustling development scene, with past experience at such renowned developers as People Can Fly, CD Projekt RED and City Interactive, where they worked on acclaimed games like Bulletstorm, Painkiller, The Witcher 2, Sniper and more. Hard Reset is built upon the studio’s own Road Hog technology, which delivers stunning visuals that bring the game’s incredible atmosphere to life.
Given the game’s rapidly approaching release date, expect much more information and footage of Hard Reset in the coming weeks and months. In the meantime, visit https://hardresetgame.com"
Hi-Rez Studios today announced that "Tribes: Ascend" will be featured at this year's QuakeCon.
"Tribes is one of the most lauded brands in multiplayer gaming, with previous titles in the franchise being played by over one million people.
Tribes: Ascend is a new generation of the online multiplayer shooter, incorporating classic Tribes elements such as fast-paced jetpack enabled combat, skiing, and vehicles, combined with teamwork and strategy. Tribes: Ascend is being designed by Hi-Rez Studios as a AAA free-to-play title.
Although the game is still in Closed Alpha, conference attendees will get the first public hands-on with Tribes: Ascend at Booth 333 of QuakeCon, held in Dallas, Texas from August 4th-7th 2011. Attendees can also register to win a limited number of keys to the Tribes: Ascend Closed Beta."
Focus Home Interactive today announced "Cities XL 2012", a new installment in the city building simulation series.
"Cities XL 2012 allows players to become real urban planners, balancing economic & energy developments of their cities while managing transportation, housing, social services and recreational activities. Content is key to the new game, as Cities XL 2012 offers a staggering number of unique structures with over 1,000 in total.
The 60 huge 3D maps are entirely constructible and sport incredible detail. Cities XL 2012 offers more variety than any other city building game. At the request of its fast-growing community, Cities XL 2012 is now open to modding and even features a special guide within the game to get players started. With these new tools, dedicated players can build and share their creations to their hearts’ content!
We invite you to discover the very first images of Cities XL 2012 that show off some of the new environments and construction features. A lost oasis in the middle of the harsh desert, the Cayman Islands, Lake Powell and many others are some of the stunning new playgrounds where you’ll build increasingly gigantic cities. Your cities are now visually richer than ever, with typical buildings from mountain townships or seaside resorts, but also a much bigger variety among all the building types of the game!
Cities XL 2012 will be available in October 2011 as a standalone game. It will be fully compatible with the 2011 version, so Cities XL 2011 owners can upgrade their game by downloading a special version at a discount price."
gamingo today announced that "Black Prophecy", the space combat MMO game, has launched in North America.
"Developed by Reakktor Media, Black Prophecy is a beautifully rendered MMO complete with a rich sci-fi back story that takes players on a journey into space to experience fast-paced, real-time combat in countless missions and epic battles. North American players have waited for lift off and now the time has come to experience exciting PVP, modular ship design and a deep crafting component steeped in state-of-art graphics and a rich storyline. Right from the start, players will be drawn into the frenzy of space combat while following the rich and exciting background story. The story is told in spectacular cutscenes complete with voice-over recordings and a top-quality soundtrack.
Players can choose to join one of the two factions: the genetically-perfected Genides or the cybernetically-optimized Tyi. Whichever side they choose, there's lots to be done in the vast endlessness of space. Besides the story missions that unveil the plot, players can also complete hundreds of action-packed PvE and PvP missions or group up to form clans. Together they can collect resources and build their own clan station, which can then be expanded upon with a variety of different modules. Ships can also be customized to suit each player's preferences using some of the countless building parts available.
Players can download and play the game for free at https://blackprophecy.gamigo.com and delve into vast online universe full of action and adventure."
Eidos today released a new "conspiracy" trailer for "Deus Ex: Human Revolution", giving viewers more of a look at the anticipated sequel.
"In DEUS EX: HUMAN REVOLUTION you play Adam Jensen, a security specialist, handpicked to oversee the defense of one of America's most experimental biotechnology firms. But when a black ops team breaks in and kills the scientists you were hired to protect, everything you thought you knew about your job changes. "
Electronic Arts today announced an agreement to purchase PopCap Games, the casual game developer known for "Plants vs. Zombies" and "Bejeweled", among others. The purchase price is $650 million plus $100 million in stock options.
"PopCap is one of the largest and most respected digital and social gaming companies with more than 150 million games installed and played worldwide on platforms such as Facebook®, RenRen, Google™, iPhone™, iPad™ and Android. In calendar year 2010, approximately 80% of PopCap’s revenue was on high growth digital platforms.
EA and PopCap are a compelling combination,” said EA CEO John Riccitiello. “PopCap’s great studio talent and powerful IP add to EA’s momentum and accelerate our drive towards a $1 billion digital business. EA’s global studio and publishing network will help PopCap rapidly expand their business to more digital devices, more countries, and more channels.”
“We picked EA because they have recast their culture around making great digital games,” said David Roberts, CEO of PopCap. “By working with EA, we'll scale our games and services to deliver more social, mobile, casual fun to an even bigger, global audience.”
“PopCap has a proven financial trajectory with sustained revenue growth and double-digit operating margins,” said EA CFO Eric Brown. “On a non-GAAP basis, this deal is expected to be at least ten-cents accretive in fiscal year 2013.”
EA will pay approximately $650 million in cash and $100 million in shares of EA common stock to be issued to certain stockholders of PopCap. In addition, the PopCap sellers are entitled to additional variable cash consideration, contingent upon the achievement of certain non-GAAP earnings before interest and tax (“EBIT”) performance milestones through December 2013, EA’s third fiscal quarter end."
Gameinformer again has exclusive information on "Dishonored", the newly revealed first-person stealth-action game in development at Arkane Studios.
"Who are you?
Players take on the role of Corvo, the Empress’ legendary bodyguard. As the game starts, Corvo is falsely imprisoned for her murder. What the corrupt Lord Regent behind the coup didn’t realize is that Corvo is legendary for a reason. He’s not only a skilled combatant accomplished in the art of not being seen, but Corvo has a suite of supernatural powers that combine with his natural talents and unusual gadgets to make him one of the most lethal men in the known world."
Vogster Entertainment today announced the release of the Summer Update for "CrimeCraft", adding new features, content and a new Assault, Capture, Destroy (ACD) game mode.
"Major community-suggested changes include a spectator mode accessible to all players and a “death camera” to watch a character’s killer after death. Spectator Mode is a powerful community tool that allows up to eight users to follow other players in a match or switch to a free-roaming camera mode at will.
In addition to the new game modes, numerous improvements have been implemented, including a new addition to the Safeguard PvE game mode for a total of seven PvE variations across three modes, a reduced download size of 1.5GBs for new players and advanced graphics options to deliver smoother gameplay on lower spec computers.
A variety of customized game options arrive with The Summer Update as well, including Friendly Fire, a Vampire mode where users gain health as they inflict damage, No Knives, No Explosives, and a Password Protected mode available to all users.
Coinciding with the Summer Update launch is the release of the Bleedout graphic novel from Archaia Entertainment. Archaia’s graphic novel tells the frighteningly plausible tale of a world destroyed by its own greed and shortsightedness, the world of CrimeCraft. The Bleedout graphic novel will be available in all book stores July 15. Check on the web at https://www.archaia.com for more information about Bleedout and other Archaia products.
For more information and up-to-the minute news on the world of CrimeCraft, please go to https://www.crimecraft.com."
Chris took the time to make a video review for "Duke Nukem Forever", adding to our small Youtube collection.We realize that video reviews are a great way to highlight certain in-game features or issues but they can be a lot of work to make. Expect one or two every once and a while – hopefully we can increase the rate at which these are published. If you prefer a written review, check out the Duke Nukem Forever Review by Chris that we published on June 27th.
"Duke Nukem Forever" is, of course, the game that has been mocked on a regular basis for the past several years due to development delays and had been classified as vaporware until last Fall, when 2K Games and Gearbox took over.
1C Company today announced "Men of War: Condemned Heroes", an upcoming new installment in the RTS series.
"Men of War: Condemned Heroes tells the story of one of the infamous Soviet penal battalions during the WWII. These battalions are famous for being formed under Stalin’s “No step back!” order #227. They consisted of court-martialed officers that were given a chance to redeem their crimes, or incompetence, in blood by serving as the lowest enlisted rank in a battalion that was assigned the most dangerous tasks. These battalions’ images are surrounded by many myths, and this game tells the truth about these regiments based on real evidence from their former members.
Take command of one of these notorious companies and lead it to victory against all odds through most of the war on the Eastern front. Fight from desperate battles in 1942 in the area of Volyn in the Ukraine, to the massive operation “Bagration” in the Brest area, Magnush bridgehead and Warsaw area in Poland and finally to attacks on the German Altdam and Stettin near the end of the war. Key features:
Ultimate singleplayer experience – 4 campaigns consisting of 15 missions telling the story of the penal company from crucial 1942 to victorious 1945
Truth about Soviet penal battalions from their former members
New ultra-detailed photorealistic human models, faces and uniforms
A comprehensive encyclopedia describing the structure of penal battalions and their operations"
Sony Online Entertainment today announced "Planetside 2", a reimagining of the first Planetside.
"Across the continents of Auraxis, thousands of players will come together in enormous battles to win control of territory and resources for their empire. With an extensive skill tree and a free-form class-based system, players will be able to customize their soldier, weapons and vehicles to match their play-style, or the needs of their squad, outfit or empire. Battles can last for days or weeks, so players will need to build real alliances and combat outfits to take on long-term strategic and tactical initiatives. With air, ground and seaborne combat, the battles are more intense than ever.
"For years we've talked about creating another PlanetSide game, and we're thrilled that technology has caught up with our vision," said John Smedley, President of SOE. "I'm incredibly impressed by what our team has done with PlanetSide 2. They've made everything as big, bold and brutal as possible. PlanetSide 2 is truly representative of what a next generation MMOFPS will look and feel like."
"With huge war zones populated by thousands of fighters at once, the size and intensity of PlanetSide 2 are simply unequaled. Both longtime players of the series and FPS fans are going to be blown away by the massive scale of PlanetSide battles," said Matt Higby, creative director of PlanetSide 2 at Sony Online Entertainment. "The immense scope, powerful vehicles and wealth of character customization options means players must think tactically and act as a team to conquer the battlegrounds."
Various character, vehicle and artillery customization features will be available to players constructing the perfect fighter for their favorite of the three empires: The Terran Republic (the conservative, authoritative nation aiming to reunite the clashing factions), The New Conglomerate (a liberated faction fighting to remaining free) or The Vanu Sovereignty (technophiles seeking to develop and exploit alien technology). Also, an in-depth and adaptive class system – with ranks, unlockable traits and skill sets – will give players complete control over their online warrior.
PlanetSide 2 will harness the power of SOE's next-generation Forgelight™ MMO engine; a true technological feat, as it is specifically created to bring all of the best-in-class features from the single player arena to next-gen MMOs. Forgelight equips SOE developers with the power they need to create the massive, vibrant worlds, intense combat and immersive experience emblematic of the future of online gaming.
SOE has also partnered with NVIDIA® to provide the game's physics engine, utilizing its PhysX® technology to allow art and design environments in PlanetSide 2 to become truly interactive. NVIDIA PhysX technology is considered the world's most comprehensive physics solution for designing real-time, real-world effects into interactive entertainment titles.
This technology along with SOE's Forgelight MMO engine create a development platform for ensuring that players experience the ultimate online MMO experience saturated with stunning visual effects that make game environments seem as realistic as possible.
PlanetSide 2 is currently in development and will be available on PC systems via digital download and retailers worldwide."
Bigpoint announced yesterday that "Battlestar Galactica Online", the MMORPG by Artplant based on the popular science fiction television series, is now out of beta.
"Battlestar Galactica Online has officially shed its “beta” tag for the following reasons:
After less than five months, the game has attracted over three million registered users.
The game’s design and development has transitioned to the San Francisco team.
The dev team’s focus is shifting away from making patches and optimizing performance to adding new content and features – stay tuned!"
GameInformer has the exclusive reveal story of "Dishonored", an upcoming first-person stealth/action adventure title in development at Arkane Studios with a ton of developer talent at the reigns. The game will be published by Bethesda and the game will be featured in GameInformer's August issue. A teaser website is up at https://www.dishonored.com/
"Arkane Studios and founder Raf Colantonio have made memorable games in the past (Arx Fatalis, Dark Messiah of Might & Magic) that ultimately suffered from a lack of publisher support. Bethesda Softworks believes in their vision and is giving them all the time, money, and development help (regular meetings with guys like The Elder Scrolls' Todd Howard don't make your game worse) they need. Harvey Smith, one of the main minds behind the first two Deus Ex games and a legendary veteran of game development, shares the vision and is on board as Dishonored's co-creative director along with Colantonio. Viktor Antonov designed Half-Life 2's iconic City 17 and is lending his talents to Dishonored's world. This is a perfect storm for creating a game that shatters the mold that first-person action games have built for themselves in the mainstream."
Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment today released a new trailer for "The Lord of the Rings: War in the North", which highlights the similarities between the upcoming action RPG by Snowblind Studios and the film trilogy.
"As the ring bearer’s adventure begins to the East, a new threat arises in the North. The Lord of the Rings: War in the North takes gamers to the unexplored locations of Northern Middle-earth, while also encompassing regions and characters well-known from the award-winning movie trilogy.
Crossing paths with Aragorn in Bree, seeking Elrond’s counsel in Rivendell, these critical names from the movies will set our Fellowship’s journey in motion. Traversing the Misty Mountains and Mirkwood – gathering place of Sauron’s forces – the Fellowship of three begins an expedition to Gundabad and to Carn Dûm itself, their path forever splintering from their brethren in the East. While these iconic film characters depart for the East, our Fellowship in the North will encounter many of the same gruesome enemies. Giant spiders, orc warrior armies and trolls… the darkness pervades all of Middle-earth.
For the sake of Middle-earth, may the journeys lead to victory for our heroes."
