PC Game News

Today is of course the launch date for the "Cataclysm" expansion for "World of Warcraft", which adds a variety of new content to the popular MMORPG.

"In World of Warcraft: Cataclysm, the corrupted Dragon Aspect Deathwing has returned, and the world has been reshaped by the devastation left in his wake. In an effort to survive the planet-shattering cataclysm, two new playable races — worgen and goblins — join the struggle between the Alliance and the Horde. Players can now begin their journey to the new level cap of 85, discover newly revealed locations, acquire new levels of power, and come face to face with Deathwing in a battle to determine the fate of the world.

For more information on World of Warcraft: Cataclysm, visit the official website at https://www.worldofwarcraft.com/cataclysm/."

The second part of a developer diary video on the game engine in "The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings" has been released, which discusses middleware, post processes, multi-platform abilities, and hardware requirements.

"The second entry in the Witcher saga is characterized by an incredibly gripping, mature and challenging non-linear plot. In addition, the new combat system is even smoother and guarantees a greater variety of tactical possibilities."

Valve today announced a "treasure hunt" in Steam, in which players will be entered into game giveaways after completing certain tasks. The contests run through December 20th and three grand prize winners will be awarded 100 games of their choosing.

"Every 48 hours a new set of four tasks will be announced. Select games will also be on sale throughout The Great Steam Treasure Hunt.

Completing a objective qualifies you for a drawing to win the top 5 games on your Wishlist. Each objective has its own drawing, so the more you complete, the better your chances. At the end of the Great Steam Treasure Hunt, there will also be three grand prize winners, each awarded 100 individual Steam games of their choosing.

The first objectives are:

• Self Portrait: Setup an avatar on your Steam Community profile.
• Got Tanked?: Earn the Desert Fox Steam Achievement in R.U.S.E.
• Up the Ante: Win The Iron Curtain in Poker Night at the Inventory
• More Cowbell: Set a leaderbord score of at least 1,124,400 in easy mode for the 'Paul Hartnoll' level in Chime

For more details, please visit https://store.steampowered.com/treasurehunt."

Square Enix today announced "Tomb Raider", a new installment that focuses on the "origin story." Not many details have been released yet but more is coming with a reveal in the January issue of Game Informer magazine.

"Here begins the first adventure for a young and inexperienced Lara Croft in a story which charts the journey of an ordinary woman who finds out just how far she must go in order to stay alive.

"Forget everything you knew about TOMB RAIDER, we are exploring things that have never been done before in this game," said Darrell Gallagher, Head of  Studio, Crystal Dynamics. "This is an origins story that creates Lara Croft and takes her on a character defining journey like no other."

TOMB RAIDER makes its worldwide debut in the January issue of Game Informer® magazine. The cover story features 10 pages of exclusive content and is available beginning today for subscribers and on newsstands December 11.

Follow TOMB RAIDER on Twitter @TombRaider. For more information on TOMB RAIDER please visit www.TombRaider.com."

Electronic Arts released a new trailer for "Darkspore", giving viewers more of a look at the upcoming next installment in the series by Maxis.

"Darkspore will feature dynamic, fast-paced action as players battle across alien worlds to save the galaxy from the mutated forces of Darkspore in a four-player co-operative and full single-player campaign, as well as intense multiplayer battles. In order to defeat the malicious Darkspore, players will need to collect an arsenal of living weapons – genetic heroes with different combat abilities – and upgrade them with tens of thousands of collectible body parts and armor."

1C Company today released a new intro trailer for "Off-Road Drive", the upcoming racing title by Avalon Style Entertainment. In addition, several more screenshots can be found on the game's website.

"Off-Road Drive is the first game ever to deliver a true-to-life, off-road, racing experience.  Players will take part in The Russian Trophy, Off-Road Trial, Thai Trophy and many other events through the worst driving conditions such as swamps, rocks, snow and sand.

Featuring the largest variety of off-road sport vehicles, Off-Road Drive includes tuned stock SUVs and trucks, as well as several classes of prototypes specifically built for extreme driving. The vehicles can be equipped with an assortment of special cross-country equipment and accessories including winches, low gear, differential gear locking, GPS, clinometer, altimeter, tire air pressure control, sand tracks, etc.

Featuring the most innovative simulation of interactive terrain response, vehicles will act just like they do in real life; Cars will sink in the dirt and the dirt will create a rut which will stick to the cars and tires affecting their handling. Stones will fly from underneath the wheels and damage other trucks. The game will feature various surfaces that will not only affect tire friction but have complex reactions based on car weight, speed, wheel torque, tire condition, time on this surface, depth of car immersion into the surface and much more. "

Flying Lab Software today announced that "Pirates of the Burning Sea" is now free to play.

"With its beautiful graphics and immersive gameplay, would-be swashbucklers can strap on their swords and hit the high seas for free in this bold adventure of piracy and plunder, where the seas are teeming with new captains ready for battle.

Set against the backdrop of the New World of the 18th century, players can choose one of three nations — England, France or Spain — or choose the role of a Pirate to battle it out for power and prestige.  Premium content is available for purchase at the in-game store, Treasure Aisle, or through a Captain's Club membership. 

Captain’s Club memberships are available for US $14.99 per month (plus applicable taxes), and offer exciting benefits. Captain’s Club members receive more character slots, a 20% discount from the Treasure Aisle, automatic access to premium content, 10% bonus to experience and loot, automatic ship insurance, plus a variety of other exciting account perks.

Visit https://www.burningsea.com/play/ now to start your swashbuckling adventure!"

The "Cradle of Civilization" map packs that were previously available only to customers who pre-ordered the game have now been released for anyone to purchase. The packs can be purchased individually and there's also a bundle. The Cradle of Civilization packs consist of the following maps: Americas, Asia, Mediterranean,  and Mesopotamia.

"The Cradle of Civilization map packs are Firaxis-designed maps of real-world locations. You can play random leaders in these settings, or choose leaders appropriate to the history of these areas. The maps can also be opened up in World Builder, where you can even create specific scenarios."

The Bad Company 2 blog has been updated with word on release dates for the VIP Map Pack and the Vietnam expansion. The Map Pack will go live tomorrow and Vietnam is scheduled to be released on December 18 (digitally – Dec. 21 retail).

"VIP Map Pack 7 goes live tomorrow! This is your chance to relive the awesomeness of fan favorite map Oasis, plus three more maps never before available in Battlefield: Bad Company 2 multiplayer. For a complete rundown of everything VIP Map Pack 7, here are some posts we prepared earlier.

Also: December 21. Save the date. That is when Battlefield: Bad Company 2 Vietnam will launch (December 22 for PS3 in Europe). If you prefer your battlefielding on PC, you can get a three day headstart on EA Store and Steam, where it will be available on December 18."

CCP today launched the first part of the Incursion expansion for "EVE Online", which includes over 80 new storyline missions, and UI improvements among several other things.

"The November 30th release, Incursion 1.0.0, is first in a multi-part release for one of the most ambitious EVE expansions to date. It includes a long list of changes, many of which were prioritized and added with the help of the Council of Stellar Management, a representative group of EVE players elected by the playerbase to interact on their behalf with the CCP development team since 2008.

CCP recently launched the Incursion feature site, which will be updated frequently throughout the next two months with video interviews, art assets and more information about the expansion. It also features the Incursion trailer, which shows an amazing, in-engine glimpse at our avatar technology and the future of EVE in the character of Sansha Kuvakei, leader of Sansha’s Nation."

The list of new PC game releases, DVD and Blu-Ray releases, and movies opening the week of November 29, 2010.

PC Games:

• Nail'd
• SpellForce 2 – Faith in Destiny

Movies Opening This Week:

• All Good Things (limited)
• Black Swan (limited)
• I Love You Phillip Morris (limited LA/NY)
• Meskada (limited LA/NY)
• Night Catches Us (limited LA/NY/Phil)
• Rare Exports: A Christmas Tale (limited NY)
• The Warrior's Way

DVD and Blu-Ray Releases:

• A Touch of Frost: Season 15
• Diary of a Wimpy Kid
• Fantasia / Fantasia 2000 – Four Disc Combo [Blu-Ray]
• Going the Distance [Blu-Ray]
• Have Gun Will Travel: Season Five, Vol. One
• Knight and Day
• Knight and Day [Blu-Ray]
• Meet John Doe
• Meet the Fockers [Blu-Ray]
• Meet the Parents [Blu-Ray]
• Michael Douglas Film Collection – set
• New Faces
• Parks and Recreation: Season Two
• Red-Haired Alibi / Stolen Jools – set
• Renown Pictures Crime Thriller Collection
• Roger Corman Collection 3 Escape from Prison
• Sid and Marty Krofft's Saturday Morning Hits
• The Adventures Of Ozzie & Harriet, Vol. 17
• The Lucy Show: Official Third Season
• The Lucy Show: Three Season Pack
• The Return of Draw Egan
• The Sorcerer's Apprentice [Blu-Ray]
• The Special Relationship
• The Twilight Saga: Eclipse [Blu-Ray]
• Vampires Suck [Blu-Ray]
• Waking Sleeping Beauty
• Wallace and Gromit: Curse of the Were-Rabbit and Chicken Run – set
   

Winch Gate today announced the release of a native Linux client for their MMORPG "Ryzom". Interested players can download a ready to run version or compile a version.

"After releasing Ryzom to the free software community six months ago, with support from the Free Software Foundation, Winch Gate is now officially releasing a native Ryzom client for GNU/Linux game players.

To celebrate the release of the native GNU/Linux client Ryzom will host an in-game contest ending January 10th, 2011. The grand prize is a ZaReason Linux Terra-HD Netbook, valued at $450 or the equivalent in cash. The second and third prizes are a one year free subscription to Ryzom. "

New screenshots from "The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings" have been released, giving viewers more of a look at anticipated upcoming sequel by CDProjekt.

"The second entry in the Witcher saga is characterized by an incredibly gripping, mature and challenging non-linear plot. In addition, the new combat system is even smoother and guarantees a greater variety of tactical possibilities."

EA DICE released a new video interview with community manger Daniel Matros, in which he discusses several elements in the upcoming Vietnam expansion for "Battlefield: Bad Compan 2".

"The Battlefield: Bad Company 2 Vietnam digital expansion pack takes all of the intensity, action and addictive gameplay of Battlefield: Bad Company 2 and ups the ante with enhanced persistence, new weapons, vehicles, unlocks, awards, achievements and trophies. Featuring four new maps playable in classic Battlefield modes including Conquest and Rush, Battlefield: Bad Company 2 Vietnam will be available worldwide this winter."

Paradox Interactive today announced that "Europa Universalis III: Divine Wind" will be released on December 14.

"The fourth expansion to this classic historical strategy epic, the trailer for Europa Universalis III Divine Wind illustrates the brand new options for players to look forward to including defeating rival Daimyos in the quest to become Shogun in feudal Japan, playing off the factions at the Imperial Chinese court, as well as new and improved in-game graphics.

With a focus on the Far East, Divine Wind enhances every aspect of the original game to create an even deeper and more rewarding experience. Requiring Europa Universalis III Complete as well as the Heir to the Throne expansion to play, Divine Wind introduces a new graphical look, a more detailed map, and a wealth of new oriental provinces to control."