STOCKHOLM and SEATTLE — Oct. 17, 2023 — Paradox Interactive (Paradox) and Harebrained Schemes (HBS) – developers of the Shadowrun trilogy, BATTLETECH and The Lamplighters League – have decided to part ways on 1 January 2024. The separation is the result of a mutual agreement, stemming from each party’s strategic and creative priorities. Paradox will retain ownership of The Lamplighters League and other games developed by the studio. HBS will seek new publishing, partnership, and investment opportunities. 

“Paradox has refocused its strategy towards its core niches within strategy and management games with endless qualities,” said Charlotta Nilsson, COO of Paradox. “We and HBS’ leadership have been discussing what would happen after the release of The Lamplighters League, but a new project or sequel in the same genre was not in line with our portfolio plans. Hence, we believe that a separation would be the best way forward. We’re very happy that this talented, gifted studio has the chance to continue and can’t wait to see what they will make next.”

“Harebrained Schemes will support The Lamplighters League through the end of the year while we seek funding and partnerships for an independent future in 2024,” said Brian Poel, Studio Operations Manager of HBS. “Our studio mission remains the same: to make games that challenge your mind and touch your heart.”

About Paradox Interactive

The Paradox group today consists of both publishing and internal development of games and brands. Paradox has a broad portfolio of games and owns the most important brands, including Stellaris, Europa Universalis, Hearts of Iron, Crusader Kings, Cities: Skylines, Prison Architect, Victoria, Age of Wonders and the World of Darkness catalog of brands.

Since 2004, the company has published its games all over the world, initially through physical distribution but primarily in digital channels after 2006. Paradox games are developed primarily for PC and console platforms, but the company also releases games on mobile. The largest markets today include the US, UK, China, Germany, France, and Scandinavia. In total, Paradox games have over five million players each month.

For more information, please visit http://www.paradoxinteractive.com

King of Kings Immersion Pack coming in November

STOCKHOLM – 17 October 2023 – The great nations of the East look back on better days. Constantinople is no longer the center of a mighty empire. In Cairo, the Mamluks struggle to keep pace with an ascendant power to the north. And, in the plains and mountains of Persia, the Iranian people are divided among many petty kings. Reclaim the mantle of empire and restore your nation to greatness in King of Kings, a new Immersion Pack for Europa Universalis IV.

On November 06, join thousands of other armchair emperors in rewriting the history of Persia, the Mamluk Sultanate, the Byzantine Empire and many other minor nations. Paradox Interactive’s flagship grand strategy game about the early modern world adds even more historical flavor in King of Kings, a pack devoted to the historic non-Ottoman powers between the Eastern Mediterranean and India. With hundreds of new missions and dozens of other changes, King of Kings is a substantial addition to Europa Universalis IV, which recently celebrated its tenth anniversary since release.

Europa Universalis IV: King of Kings includes major updates for:

Persia:

• Use the influence of Persian art and culture to bring neighbouring kingdoms into your orbit.
• Over 70 new National Missions
• Unique mission choices depending on the state religion – Sunni, Shia or Zoroastrian – as well as Centers of Reformation and other ways to expand the faith.
• New National Idea sets, unique Government Reforms and unique Estates and agendas.

Mamluk Egypt:

• Over 30 new National Missions
• New Diplomatic options including exporting Egyptian grain and promoting the Hajj.
• Unique Mamluk Government Reforms, Mercenary Companies and Estate Privileges.
• Option to Westernize Egypt.

Byzantine Empire:

• Over 60 new National Missions
• Unique Government Reforms and Estate Privileges
• New Subject type – the Pronoia
• Over 50 new Byzantine themed events and 10 new Decisions

There are also changes for:

• Armenia and Georgia: Two Christian kingdoms, pinned between rising empires
• Arabia and Yemen: Competing powers on the Arabian peninsula, guarding the holy sites of Islam and the trade routes to India.
• Ardabil: A major seat of Iranian culture, and the origin state of modern Persia/Iran.
• Aq Qoyunlu and Qara Qoyunlu: Turkmen middle powers resisting Ottoman expansion before the unification of Persia.

Europa Universalis IV: King of Kings will be available on 06 November 2023, and can be pre-ordered now for the suggested retail price of 14.99$ / 14.99€ / 12.99£.

About Paradox Interactive

The Paradox group today consists of both publishing and internal development of games and brands. Paradox has a broad portfolio of games and owns the most important brands, including Stellaris, Europa Universalis, Hearts of Iron, Crusader Kings, Cities: Skylines, Prison Architect, Victoria, Age of Wonders and the World of Darkness catalog of brands.

Since 2004, the company has published its games all over the world, initially through physical distribution but primarily in digital channels after 2006. Paradox games are developed primarily for PC and console platforms, but the company also releases games on mobile. The largest markets today include the US, UK, China, Germany, France, and Scandinavia. In total, Paradox games have over five million players each month.

For more information, please visit http://www.paradoxinteractive.com

Mulching, modding and more: Publisher and developer GIANTS Software today released the Official Farming Simulator Magazine issue #3, available on newsstands or digitally via the Farming Simulator website. The November issue is filled with insightful articles, news and interviews, providing an entertaining and interesting look at various topics related to the globally successful Farming Simulator series.

Bundled with Branded Keychain

Issue #3 comes to the newsstands with a useful gift for the fans, who receive an exclusive keychain with the Farming Simulator logo. The cover’s main art motif is also a two-page poster and features the impressive highlight machine from the Premium Edition, which will be launched in November as the most comprehensive Farming Simulator 22 offering to date.

The November issue also reveals a sweet update for Farming Simulator 23, as the developers are working on adding sugarcane to the mobile versions soon. Interviews and tips from the developers, event reports and a list with the best 25 mods this fall, round out the 52 pages.

Published in Multiple Languages

GIANTS Software offers the official Farming Simulator Magazine as a quarterly publication in seven languages (English, German, French, Italian, Polish, Dutch, and Czech). Physical copies are distributed in twelve countries; the digital edition is available worldwide via the Farming Simulator website.

Farming Simulator 22 is available for PC, Mac, PlayStation®5 (PS5™), Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation®4 and Xbox One. The mobile spin-off Farming Simulator 23 is available as Nintendo Switch™ Edition in retail shops and in the Nintendo eShop, the mobile versions for iPhone, iPad and Android™ devices are available in the App Store and on Google Play respectively. Further information can be found on the official Farming Simulator website.

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About GIANTS Software

GIANTS Software is an international video game developer and publisher from Switzerland established in 2004 and known worldwide for creating the popular Farming Simulator series. The team with offices in Switzerland (Zurich), Germany (Erlangen), USA (Chicago) and Czech Republic (Brno) is very committed to maintain close contact to the agricultural industry and to engage with the community.

About Farming Simulator

Since 2008, over 30 million units of Farming Simulator have been sold worldwide. The game series has been released on all popular platforms including consoles, mobile phones, tablets and PCs since then. From the start, the team enabled users to create mods with the company’s own GIANTS Engine. With the Farming Simulator League (FSL), the series introduced a competitive esports mode in 2019 – with teams competing in professional tournaments and many acclaimed brands and sponsors on board.

© 2023 Published and developed by GIANTS Software GmbH. Farming Simulator, GIANTS Software and its logos are trademarks or registered trademarks of GIANTS Software GmbH. All manufacturers, agricultural machinery, agricultural equipment, names, brands and associated imagery featured in this game in some cases include trademarks and/or copyrighted materials of their respective owners. The agricultural machines and equipment in this game may be different from the actual machines in shapes, colors and performance. © 2023 Sony Interactive Entertainment LLC. “PlayStation”, “PS5” and “PS4”, are registered trademarks or trademarks of Sony Interactive Entertainment Inc. Microsoft, the Xbox Sphere mark, the Series X logo, Series S logo, Series X|S logo, Xbox One and Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, and Xbox Series X|S are trademarks of the Microsoft group of companies. Mac, Apple, the Apple logo and the App Store are trademarks of Apple Inc., registered in the U.S. and other countries. Google Play is a trademark of Google LLC. Nintendo Switch is a trademark of Nintendo. All other names, trademarks and logos are the property of their respective owners. All rights reserved.

The Battle Arrives at the Bad Doctor’s Door in Killing Floor 2: Last Hans Standing; Free Annual Halloween Update and Event Begins Oct. 17.

Developer and publisher Tripwire Interactive today released the latest free content update for their brutal first-person co-op shooter, Killing Floor 2,just in time for the Halloween holiday. Titled Last Hans Standing, the update is available now to download for free on the PlayStation®4 computer entertainment system, Xbox One family of devices including the Xbox One X, and PC (via Steam and the Epic Games Store), adding in a new official map to paint with Zed viscera, event with bonus rewards, weapons, and ongoing weapon and perk balancing based on community feedback.

The mercenaries have received their most dangerous mission to-date, assaulting Dr. Hans Volter’s WWII-era stronghold hidden deep within the Bavarian Alps. Castle Volter, as it’s called by the locals, is a feast for the eyes with high vaulted ceilings, flying buttresses, gilded hallways, and of course, scientific equipment untethered from moral and ethical considerations. This equipment is the secret source of the bad doctor’s death-defying existence, housing the original Dr. Volter in stasis to use his organic matter to create endless clones. Consign him to the dustbin of history and be quick about it; Castle Volter is teeming with Zeds and the situation needs to be dealt with before it gets out of Hans.

Killing Floor 2: Last Hans StandingUpdate Highlights:

New Official Map: Castle Volter:

• Having been driven from his ancestral Manor, the mercenaries have tracked down the seemingly immortal Dr. Hans Volter to his castle deep in the Bavarian Alps, home of the progenitor to Horzine’s cloning technology.
• Supports Survival, Endless, and Weekly modes

Last Hans Standing Event:

• Five in-game objectives related to Castle Volter have been added, each rewarding 150,000 Vault Dosh upon completion. Completing all five objectives during the event will reward mercenaries with a special Volter-themed weapon skin for the MKB Assault Rifle.
• This event ends on Tuesday, Nov. 14 at 10:00am PDT/1:00pm EDT.

Weekly Game Mode:

• Bounty Hunt: In this mode, a fixed number of “Bounty Zeds” will spawn at the beginning of each wave. These special Zeds are tougher than their normal comrades, and will work to avoid engaging with mercenaries. Quickly hunt down and eliminate these “Bounty Zeds”, because the longer they roam the map the more dangerous they become. Completing a successful Bounty Hunt while the weekly mode is active will earn players a special Bounty Hunt weapon skin for the Desert Eagle handgun.

Weapons:

• Paid DLC: MG3 Shredder Machine Gun with 5 Weapon Skins; this weapon is also available freely for players who own the Ultimate Edition or Armory Season Pass 2
• Free DLC: HRG 93R Pistol

Cosmetics: Three Weapon Skin Bundles, One Outfit Bundle; included for for free for players with the current Cosmetic Season Pass:

• Chameleon MKIV Weapon Skin Bundle
• Medieval MKII Weapon Skin Bundle
• Spectre HRG MK II Weapon Skin Bundle
• Last Stand Uniform

To celebrate the release of the new Killing Floor 2: Last Hans Standing update, Tripwire Interactive will be participating in several Halloween themed sales and special promotions on all the various platform stores. Be sure to follow Tripwire Interactive’s social channels for information on these special sales discounts coming soon!

In Killing Floor 2, players descend into continental Europe where the outbreak caused by Horzine Biotech’s failed experiment has quickly spread and gained unstoppable momentum, essentially paralyzing the European Union— Just one month after the events in the original KILLING FLOOR, the specimen clones are everywhere and civilization is in disarray; communications have failed, governments have collapsed, and military forces have been systematically eradicated. The people of Europe know survival and self-preservation too well and lucky survivors have gone into hiding.

Not all have given up hope though… A group of civilians and mercenaries have banded together to combat the outbreak and established privately funded operation bases across Europe. Upon tracking specimen clone outbreaks, players will descend into zed-laden hot zones and exterminate them.

Killing Floor 2 has an MSRP of $29.99 / €29.99 / £24.99 and is developed and published by Tripwire Interactive and is published at retail by Deep Silver and Iceberg Interactive for the Xbox One, Xbox One X, PlayStation®4 Pro, PlayStation®4, and PC. This title has been rated M by the ESRB, PEGI 18, USK 18.

Stay up-to-date with the latest Killing Floor 2 news and information on the official website.

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Killing Floor© 2009-2023 Tripwire Interactive. Unreal® is a trademark or registered trademark of Epic Games, Inc. in the United States of America and elsewhere. Unreal® Engine, Copyright 1998-2023, Epic Games, Inc. All rights reserved.

Redefine the outcomes of real races in ‘Race Replay’ and write your name in the records by leading your team to success both on and off track in an improved and expanded career mode.

Frontier Developments’ officially licensed Formula 1® management simulation, F1® Manager 2023, will line up on the grid for Game Pass* subscribers on Xbox and PC from October 19, offering players complete control of an official F1® team from the factory to the front-row of the grid.

In the returning and improved career mode, Team Principals will take responsibility for every area of their team. At HQ they will define every decision, from designing and researching parts to the recruitment and development of drivers and staff, and the training schedule of their pit-crew as they aim to gain an edge on their rivals in the pitlane. On-track, the action unfolds in a stunning broadcast-style experience, bringing every thrilling moment to life with multiple on-board camera angles including the new visor cam, whilst instructions are relayed using real team radio messages from both the race engineer and driver.

Also new to F1® Manager 2023 is the brand-new ‘Race Replay’ mode, where fans will rewrite the outcome of every real-world race in the 2023 FIA Formula One World Championship™, using F1® data from each event such as starting grid positions and weather conditions to put players in the same high-pressure environment seen on the pit-wall. New scenarios will be added after future races, including a first under the glittering neon lights of the new Las Vegas Strip Circuit™.

Physical copies of F1® Manager 2023 are available right now on PlayStation® 5, Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation® 4 and Xbox One for a suggested retail price of £44.99/$54.99/€54.99 and digitally on PC via Steam and the Epic Games Store, PlayStation®5, Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation®4 and Xbox One. Players will also be able to purchase the game via the Windows Store from October 19 for a suggested retail price of £44.99/$54.99/€54.99.

Players can expand their experience with the F1® Manager 2023: Deluxe Upgrade Pack to test their skills by tackling an additional 12 Exclusive Scenarios based around some of the sport’s most asked hypothetical questions. The Deluxe Upgrade Pack is available to purchase digitally only, for a suggested retail price of £12.99/$14.99/€14.99.

*Subscription continues automatically at the regular monthly price unless cancelled through your Microsoft Account. See terms and conditions on Xbox.com.

For more news and information about F1® Manager 2023:

Website: https://www.f1manager.com

About Frontier

Frontier is a leading independent developer and publisher of video games founded in 1994 by David Braben, co-author of the iconic Elite game. Based in Cambridge, Frontier primarily uses its proprietary COBRA game development technology to create innovative genre-leading games for personal computers and videogame consoles.

About Formula 1®
Formula 1® racing began in 1950 and is the world’s most prestigious motor racing competition, as well as the world’s most popular annual sporting series. Formula One World Championship Limited is part of Formula 1® and holds the exclusive commercial rights to the FIA Formula One World Championship™.

Formula 1® is a subsidiary of Liberty Media Corporation (NASDAQ: LSXMA, LSXMB, LSXMK, BATRA, BATRK, FWONA, FWONK) attributed to the Formula One Group tracking stock.

The F1 logo, F1 FORMULA 1 logo, FORMULA 1, F1, FIA FORMULA ONE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP, GRAND PRIX, PADDOCK CLUB and related marks are trademarks of Formula One Licensing BV, a Formula 1 company. All rights reserved.

Publisher Bandai Namco Europe and developer Limbic Entertainment implement today for PC the free 2.0 update for Park Beyond, the theme park management game with an impossible twist, released earlier this year for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S and PC. The same update will be made available for PlayStation and Xbox on October 18^th.

Watch the new trailer here:

Taking into account community’s feedback, the 2.0 patch will bring major improvements including performance optimisation, camera behaviour, roller coaster creation, element placement and more for players to have the best experience when playing Park Beyond.

This free update also brings the Parks and Prefabs sharing platform powered by mod.io. From the smallest decor element to customized shops or rides, to full parks, players can share their creations with their friends and the world, across all platforms through the “Community Content” menu.

Finally, today also marks the release of Park Beyond’s first Theme Word, Beyond eXtreme, which adds a touch of the 90’s extreme sport vibe to any park with two new missions to take on, crazy entertainers, new rides designed with daredevils in mind, and loads of scenery items to create an explosive atmosphere for visitors. Beyond eXtreme is part of the Annual Pass and is available separately for purchase on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S and PC.

For more information about Park Beyond and other titles from Bandai Namco Europe please visit: https://www.bandainamcoent.eu or follow us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/BandaiNamcoEU. Join the conversation on Twitter at https://www.twitter.com/BandaiNamcoEU. 

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About Bandai Namco Europe S.A.S.

Bandai Namco Europe S.A.S. is a leading global publisher and developer of entertainment content for platforms including, but not limited to, all major video game consoles and PC.

Bandai Namco Europe is producing intellectual property for a global audience and is building its reputation with franchises such as LITTLE NIGHTMARES™, PARK BEYOND™, and the upcoming UNKNOWN 9™ Awakening – developed by the recently acquired Reflector Entertainment based in Montreal, QC.

Bandai Namco Europe serves as the Headquarters of Bandai Namco Holdings Inc. for mainland Europe, which is known for creating and publishing many of the Toy & Entertainment industry’s top franchises, including PAC-MAN™, TAMAGOTCHI™, GUNDAM™, TEKKEN™, DARK SOULS™ and the recently released ELDEN RING™. For more information please visit www.bandainamcoent.eu

Win Sonic SUperstars and NINTENDO SWITCH CONSOLE BUNDLES with the brickman DESIGNED sonic LEGO building challenge

Winning builders will also win Sonic LEGO Sets and Sonic Plushies as Sonic Superstars Launches Today

To commemorate Sonic’s appearance as a LEGO® minifigure in Sonic Superstars, SEGA has partnered with one of the world’s leading LEGO brick artists and only LEGO Certified Professional (LCP) in the southern hemisphere, Ryan McNaught, aka Brickman, to create a Sonic Building Challenge.

See Brickman’s Mini Sonic Creation below:

Brickman has created his own mini version of Sonic and has laid down the challenge for other LEGO builders and Sonic fans to create their own versions of Sonic, inspired by Sonic Superstars. Builders can then submit their creations via Twitter, Instagram or Facebook by simply sharing an image of their LEGO Sonic and using the hashtag #myownsonicsuperstar.

The five most creative entries will win prize packs containing a copy of Sonic Superstars and a Nintendo Switch OLED console, a Sonic LEGO set and a Sonic Plushie.

Sonic Superstars is available from today on PlayStation®5 (PS5®) and PlayStation®4 (PS4®) consoles, Xbox Series X, Xbox One and the Nintendo Switch™ family of systems starting at $99.99 AUD.

Adventure through the mystical Northstar Islands in this all-new take on classic Sonic high-speed action platforming. Play as Sonic, Tails, Knuckles and Amy Rose and harness all-new Emerald Powers to move and attack in dynamic new ways. Navigate gorgeous, never-before-seen environments solo or with up to three other players and stop Dr. Eggman, Fang and a mysterious new adversary from converting the islands’ giant animals into Badniks before it’s too late!

To stay current on Sonic the Hedgehog™ news, follow Sonic on Twitter, Instagram, and TikTok, like him on Facebook, and subscribe to the Twitch channel and the YouTube channel. For more information, please visit sonicsuperstars.com.

The free-to-play surprise Halloween present pulls players back to the Northbury Grove universe

SEATTLE – 16 Oct. 2023 – Publisher tinyBuild and developer Scythe Dev Team, the forces behind Happy Humble’s Burger Farm, today reveal the horrifically blood-pumping immersive VR experience, Return to Northbury Grove, available now on Steam for free. 

Explore the interconnected Northbury Grove universe through the eyes of Liam Murphy, an aspiring actor determined to land the role of a lifetime at the infamous Rock the Warehouse (RTW) music festival. It’s audition day on the RTW concert grounds, the air is chilly, and the arena is desolate. Liam’s bad feeling turns into a real nightmare as the Spector Forest Slasher kidnaps him and throws him into the basement of his labyrinthian kill house.

Coming off of the success of Happy Humble’s Burger Farm, Scythe and tinyBuild team up once again to deliver a haunting, off-the-wall VR horror experience accessible to all with Return to Northbury Grove. Experience tactile, fully physics-based gameplay, chilling spatial audio, unpredictable and adaptable AI, as well as a bone-chilling atmosphere reminiscent of classic slasher-horror movies.

For more information, visit Return to Northbury Grove’s Steam page, follow @dev_scythe @tinyBuild on Twitter, and subscribe to the Scythe Dev Team’s YouTube channel.

About tinyBuild

tinyBuild started as an indie game developer and morphed into a developer-publisher you can’t miss. Our dedication to creating long-term partnerships and elevating recognizable franchises has resulted in many successful collaborations with talented developers from all over the world. The company has released dozens of games, including Hello Neighbor, Graveyard Keeper, SpeedRunners, and more. Although headquartered in the Seattle Area, USA, the company has established a strong global presence with studios across the US, Netherlands, Latvia, and throughout Eastern Europe.

For more information, visit: https://www.tinybuild.com/ 

About Scythe Dev Team

Based out of Arizona and Massachusetts, the Scythe Dev Team focuses on creating niche titles with unique gameplay experiences that break barriers of conventions through experimental mechanics and an off-the-wall approach to game design. All of the team’s games take place within its own interconnected Scythe Saga Universe. In December 2022, Scythe Dev Team joined tinyBuild as an internal studio with full creative control over their upcoming projects.

Return to the wonder days of summer camp, riding bikes and adventure in this nostalgic spin on the award-winning micro-strategy game series

STOCKHOLM – Oct. 16, 2023 – This year, ring in your Halloween with a trip back to the Summer of Greed! Raw Fury has released Kingdom Eighties, the newest standalone game in the award-winning micro-strategy series, on consoles and mobile devices. Take a ride back in time and save your town from doom in this single-player love letter to the glory days of camp, riding bikes to the mall, and sitting around the TV in your pajamas on Saturday mornings.

Kingdom Eighties is out now on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and Nintendo Switch for $11.99 with a launch discount for Playstation®Plus subscribers and Nintendo Switch players. It is also available on iOS $4.99 and Android devices for $4.99.

Kingdom Eighties’ console launch is part of a grand celebration of the Kingdom series, which turns 8 years old this month. As part of the celebration, games across the franchise will be discounted up to 90% on Steam – learn more here Coronation Week.

A stylish new spin on the hit Kingdom franchise, Kingdom Eighties is an epic adventure of micro-strategy and base-building wrapped in the neon-retro vibes of the ‘80s. As the young Leader, you’ll team up with new friends like the Champ, the Tinkerer, and the Wiz to protect the town of Monarch from the relentless attacks of the mysterious Greed.

Recruit neighborhood kids and assign them roles like soldiers and builders, use coins to build and expand your kingdom, and fortify it by raising walls and defensive turrets. But be ready – when night falls, the Greed will attack without mercy. Explore your town, unlock new mounts, discover powerful weapons and tech upgrades, and manage your resources wisely to survive.

Key Features

• Step into the Kingdom Franchise: Kingdom Eighties builds on the series’ well-known world and mechanics with a new experience perfect for newcomers to learn the ropes and fall in love with the franchise.
• Befriend Your Trusty Companions: Join forces with three supporting characters who will lend you their aid on your journey: the Champ, the Tinkerer, and the Wiz. Each has different abilities you can combine to progress through the game.
• Hit the Streets in Style: Explore new urban locations never before seen in a Kingdom game. Find fresh wheels at the skateboard park, visit the shops on Main Street, and free the New Lands Mall from the Greed.
• Live for the Summer: Kingdom’s iconic, handcrafted, pixel-art magic is back with a distinctively ‘80s neon feel. Vibe to an original synthwave soundtrack from Andreas Hald, and travel back to the wonder days of bike rides and summer camp, when anything seemed possible!
• Brand-New ‘Survival Mixtapes’ Mode: Press play on the mixtape in the pause menu and get ready for heart-pounding survival gameplay. Try your luck beating endless waves of Greed to earn yourself a crown – how many days will you last?

Kingdom Eighties is also available on PC and Mac via Steam. For more information, visit the game’s official website.

About Fury Studios

Kingdom Eighties is developed by Fury Studios. Founded in 2019 by Raw Fury, the studio is based in Zagreb, Croatia, and Stockholm, Sweden. Along with the development of the Kingdom franchise, Fury Studios supplies 2D/3D asset production and animations, technical support, multi-platform porting, code optimizations and quality control for Raw Fury’s various partners and titles.

About Raw Fury

Raw Fury is a boutique indie (un)publisher founded in 2015 by Jonas Antonsson, Gordon Van Dyke, and David Martinez. We do not care about genres or mechanics. We care about experiences and emotions. We want to help developers make magic.

 492 gaming cosplayers in one place at Hamburg’s pop culture event

Hamburg, October 16th, 2023 – Polaris Convention 2023 surpassed all expectations this weekend with more than 27,000 gaming and cosplay fans assembling at Messe Hamburg. The weekend was completely sold out, with more than three-times the number of visitors compared to last year when it took place for the first time. 

 Content creator Jasmin Sibel aka Jasmin Gnu loved the event: „This was my first Polaris. I really liked the atmosphere and the diverse program. The event had a good size: I had time to talk to my community and to meet other creators and colleagues in a relaxed environment. I also love the huge cosplay area and it was cool to be able to admire all the elaborate costumes.”

 One of the event’s highlights was the official Guinness World Record sponsored by TikTok which was passed with flying colors on Sunday: 492 enthusiastic cosplayers dressed in video game costumes surpassed the previous record of 491 that was established in Tampere/Finland way back in 2013. The impressive display showed the community’s love and passion for cosplay and gaming. Additionally, a cosplay contest was held in front of 2,000 guests and a jury of high-caliber judges on the PLITHC main stage. First place among all the fantastic cosplays went to LazerLiz with her Junker Queen cosplay.  

 Polaris Convention was not just an event, it was a journey into various worlds, each with its own fascinating aspects. Cosplay, gaming, cooking shows, a retro corner, dancing, panels and much more were all part of the program. Additionally, all three days were accompanied by a streaming program on Twitch with more than 200,000 viewers on the Polaris Twitch channel and shared by many of the participating creators for all those who couldn’t take part in person. 

The Polaris team has already started working on next year’s edition, planned for October 11^th to 13^th 2024 in Hamburg – with even more exhibitors, creators, artists and more space. Exhibitors can already sign up and an early bird discount for three-day tickets has also started.