STOCKHOLM (October 16, 2023) – Avalanche Studios Group announced today that it will open a new location in Montreal, Canada. The expansion follows the acquisition of Monster Closet, a Montreal-based studio founded in 2021 by a core team of veteran game developers with over 100 years of combined experience in AAA game development
Montreal is the company’s fifth location following Stockholm, New York City, Malmö, and Liverpool. The full force of Monster Closet’s developers has now been integrated into Avalanche Studios Group’s existing teams, joining the development of current and future IPs.
– 2023 marks Avalanche Studios Group’s 20th anniversary, and becoming a part of Montreal’s thriving game development scene is a fantastic way to start our new chapter, says Stefanía Halldórsdóttir, CEO of Avalanche Studios Group. With this addition to our locations, we bring on board some of the brightest talents in the industry, reinforcing our ability to create fantastic games for millions of players around the world.
– From the very first moment we met, we knew that Avalanche Studios Group would be a perfect fit for us, says Graeme Jennings, former CEO of Monster Closet, now leading the Montreal location of Avalanche Studios Group. We share the same passion for our craft and for creating great games. Not to speak about our common values around people, inclusion, collaboration, and making sure all voices are heard. If you add the fact that Avalanche has been making amazing titles for 20 years – becoming part of such a legacy and contributing to its continuation is a dream come true.
In its rich 20-year history, Avalanche Studios Group has developed a strong portfolio of games that redefine open-world vastness, player agency, and emergent gameplay. Combined with our focus on a sustainable work environment and inclusive work culture, we aim to fill a unique position in Montreal.
About Avalanche Studios Group
Avalanche Studios Group is a leading interactive entertainment company offering a wide range of games and live services from creative divisions Avalanche Studios, Expansive Worlds, and Systemic Reaction. Its portfolio includes the Just Cause franchise, theHunter: Call of the Wild, Generation Zero, Rage 2, Call of the Wild: The Angler, Ravenbound, and the upcoming Contraband. Founded in 2003, Avalanche Studios Group draws from over two decades of open-world experience. All its games are developed using the proprietary Apex engine, enabling vast and dynamic worlds, full of emergent gameplay and endless creative possibilities.
Dejima Studios announces that their first video game title will be Hyper Blade 2050.
Hyper Blade 2050 is a futuristic text-based sports management simulation, set on a future Earth and based on the fictional sport of Hyper Blade. Players will experience the emotions and excitement of professional sports management, whilst being drawn into the rich story of the people living on a future Earth in 2050.
Hyper Blade is a combination of the sports of ice hockey, handball, and roller derby, and is inspired by the movie Rollerball (1975).
Dejima Studios is a new game studio, creating compelling games with a focus on intelligent and innovative game experiences that players will love to explore.
For more information, or to sign up for playtesting, please visit www.dejimastudios.com.
The Holiday season starts now as The Grinch and Max set out to steal the Whos presents, in this new adaptation of the Christmas classic
Bandai Namco Europe together with Outright Games, the leading global publisher of family-friendly interactive entertainment, and Dr. Seuss Enterprises, a leading global children’s entertainment company, are for the release of The Grinch: Christmas Adventures. Based on the classic Christmas story written and illustrated by Dr. Seuss, How The Grinch Stole Christmas!, the game will take players on a mischief-filled journey throughout all of Who-ville. It is available now to play now on PlayStation 4®, PlayStation 5®, Nintendo Switch™, Xbox One, Xbox X|S, and Steam.
In this 2D platformer adventure game, fans can play as The Grinch and his faithful dog Max with up to 2 player local co-op mode, as they go on a mission to ruin Christmas for the town of Who-ville and steal all their presents. Players can also collect puzzle pieces as they go through levels to construct and unlock new abilities that will aid schemes, including a Santa disguise for stealthy sneaking and a snowboard for faster travel between locations.
Watch the full launch trailer
With three main locations to visit – The Grinch’s cave, the countryside and Who-ville itself – fans will be treated to colourful and festive visuals inspired by Dr. Seuss’s original drawings, as well as appearances from recognisable characters. Explore and adventure, as players help The Grinch discover the true meaning of Christmas and make his heart grow three sizes.
The Grinch phenomenon began in 1957 with the publishing of the original book, How the Grinch Stole Christmas! Today he is one of the most culturally celebrated and beloved holiday characters that millions of families have incorporated into their holiday celebrations. Earlier this year, a sequel to the original bookwas released by Dr. Seuss Enterprises and Random House Children’s Books. Taking place one year after the original story, The Grinch sets out to win the Who-ville’s Christmas Crown with the most spectacular Christmas tree ever seen, but once again learns a valuable lesson about the true spirit of the holiday from an old friend. The brand continues to expand, as the #grinch has 9.3B views on TikTok, generated over 15B impressions in 2022 and The Grinch (2018 movie) is the #1 holiday movie worldwide.
Stephanie Malham, COO, Outright Games Ltd, said: “It has been an incredible pleasure to work with Dr. Seuss Enterprises to translate the beloved story of ‘How The Grinch Stole Christmas!’ into the world of video games. We’re bringing this incredible adventure to a whole new generation of fans, and it’s been an exciting experience adapting the core elements that make the book such an enduring classic into a completely different entertainment medium.”
Hernán Castillo, CTO from Casual Brothers Ltd, said: “’How The Grinch Stole Christmas!’ is a classic Christmas story beloved by so many. We wanted to keep the spirit of the book alive within our game and side-scrolling platform adventures are a timeless game design that is familiar to gamers across generations and skill levels.”
The Grinch: Christmas Adventures is available now on Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch and PC.
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.
About Outright Games:
Outright Games is a global video games publisher with a focus on bringing quality family entertainment to a worldwide audience. Founded in 2016, Outright Games has established its place in the market delivering engaging interactive games of beloved entertainment licences globally. Outright Games brings stories and characters to life with titles including favorites such as Peppa Pig: World Adventures with Hasbro, DC’s Justice League: Cosmic Chaos with Warner, Star Trek Prodigy: Supernova and Paw Patrol: Grand Prix with Nickelodeon, and DreamWorks Dragons: Legends of The Nine Realms with NBC Universal. With an Outright Games title there will be fun for all the family to enjoy. For more information please visit: www.outrightgames.com
About Dr. Seuss Enterprises
Founded in 1993, Dr. Seuss Enterprises is a leading global children’s entertainment and licensing company focused on promoting literacy, education, self-confidence and the wonderful possibilities of a child’s imagination through the beloved works of Dr. Seuss. All Dr. Seuss Enterprises’ profits benefit charitable organizations that focus on causes such as education, health, animal conservation, and the arts. For more information visit DrSeussEnterprises.com.
About Casual Brothers
Casual Brothers LTD is an experienced game development team founded in 2010, based out of the UK. They’re comprised of team members with decades of experience in digital games, and have released their own titles, as well as supporting the development of projects for other studios, across PC, console, and mobile platforms.
With a call from a mysterious Songbird leading V to the lawless Dogtown neighborhood, we find ourselves neck-deep in trouble as the President has been forced down and the only one capable of helping her is us. With the promise of salvation on the line, V must help in any way she can in Cyberpunk 2077’s DLC expansion Phantom Liberty.
Phantom Liberty is a new spy-thriller adventure for Cyberpunk 2077. Return as cyber-enhanced mercenary V and embark on a high-stakes mission of espionage and intrigue to save the NUS President. In the dangerous district of Dogtown, you must forge alliances within a web of shattered loyalties and sinister political machinations. Do you have what it takes to survive?
Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty Developer: CD PROJEKT RED (Homepage) Publisher: CD PROJEKT RED (Homepage) Platform: Windows, Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 5/4 Release Date: 26 Sep, 2023 Price: $29.99 USD
Recommended – “Cyberpunk 2077 had an awful reputation three years ago but CD Projekt Red’s efforts to fix it and the exceptional content found in Phantom Liberty more than redeem this futuristic RPG.”
When it launched for the 3DS, Detective Pikachu got a lot of attention, but is mainly remembered for spawning a successful cinematic adaptation of the same property. A good time later, Nintendo are ready to give this sleuth another stab at it in Detective Pikachu Returns for the Switch. Sure, its a bit niche – but Pokemon is something that carries a lot of weight. Does the charms of this follow-up manage to retrigger interest of this spin-off, or is this one adventure worth skipping? Let’s find out.
Story
The story is kind of the main meat on the bone for Detective Pikachu Returns, but that doesn’t mean it hits a home run in that area. Players are reunited with Pikachu as he teams up with Tim Goodman, who is out looking for his father around Ryme City. Pikachu, who used to partner with the older Goodman is very involved as well, and works to solve minor crimes in the city with Tim, which all begin to lead to the overarching plot.
This is a very dialogue-heavy game, so there is definitely writing pushing the plot and atmosphere forward, but the game kind of has issues with keeping the player’s attention. To put it bluntly, this can be a very boring game that struggles to find its footing in its own universe. Sure, Pikachu is fine, but the rest of the cast offer little, occasionally bringing a chuckle with jokes that give it an offbeat charm. That said, humor doesn’t keep the plot afloat, as the interactions just are not enough to keep the player caring about the story and its main focus of where the narrative is actually going. Will a kid care? Probably not, but older fans may have a hard time staying invested until the credits.
Gameplay
The gameplay in Detective Pikachu Returns is relatively simple. Players control Tim and go from area to area, interrogating humans and Pokemon alike to resolve the simple issues plaguing the town. The controls work fine enough and the layout is never cumbersome, as for what it does, this title does well when it comes to solving cases. In fact, there is a lot of rewarding elements to discover within both cases and the overall world, which makes exploration interesting.
That said, the game holds the player’s hand a lot, like in almost every crime, meaning it is almost impossible to get stuck or feel much of a challenge as the gameplay more or less pulls you along until the correct answer presents itself. It really comes down to genre here. If you can accept that this game is just a visual novel with a little more interaction, you will probably be a bit more open-minded than someone who expects more from the Pokemon franchise. Regardless, I think the first worked a bit better as it at least had the gimmickry of the touch screen to keep it engaging, and the Switch fails to capitalize on its own software in order to modernize those same techniques. For a portable, yes this is kind of neat to have. For a home platform like the Switch – it just feels like a downgrade from the experiences like Snap and other spin-offs that are just far more involved.
Visuals
Visually, Detective Pikachu Returns is colorful, bright, and mostly well-animated as the city of Ryme looks great and the Pokemon themselves look great. The humans however, well – that is a different story. Humans seem generic and don’t really come across as interesting, as each perform in hollow bodies that lack much emotion or detail that would depict a sense of character. In a way its like those movies that were knock-offs of your favorite Disney flicks. You know, where Aladdin looks sort of like the hero you know and the story is there, but you just find it hard to care about him because the designs seem cheap and forced in. Those may seem like hard critiques, but visuals are what could have saved this game, and there just isn’t a lot to really brag about with what Creatures put into this.
Audio
The audio is at least a bit better. The music is outstanding and I loved the voice acting we got to hear, as it almost makes it feel like a movie. However, most voice lines are done through text, and due to the heavy amount of that throughout – these little stories within can fall flat quickly as a result. I will say it was nice to hear actual Pokemon voiced, but without a lot else, there is another missed opportunity here that again fails to make the game feel like a complete, polished package.
Overall
I really love Pokemon, but Detective Pikachu Returns is hard to recommend. The visuals are bland and basic, and the story never comes together with enough substance to keep the player entertained. Sure, some of the cases are well thought out, but I found myself speeding through a lot of those to find the gold here that never seemed to appear. This feels like a release that was put out to prepare the property for a possible cinematic sequel, but leaves out a lot of engagement to keep the player invested long enough to care. Younger players and hardcore fans may find some entertainment here, but most fans of the franchise would do better to check out the other offerings for the franchise on the platform, rather than spend too much time in a world that feels generic and lifeless.
Capsule Computers review guidelines can be found here.
The Haunted by Daylight Event is Back and Scarier than Ever
MONTRÉAL – Oct. 13, 2023 – The most frightening event in the Dead by Daylight Universe, Haunted by Daylight, is just around the corner. Starting Oct. 18, players are invited to step into the Void, take part in thrilling gameplay challenges, and of course get decked out in spooky Outfits. A new Tome also awaits any brave soul looking to delve deeper into the world of Dead by Daylight.
Enter the Void From Oct. 18 at 2 p.m. (EDT) until Nov. 6 at 2 p.m. (EDT), players will be able to experience an eerie new section of the Entity’s Realm for the first time.
The Haunted by Daylight Event introduces Void Zones: pockets of a mysterious Realm where former Survivors and Killers, now called Haunts, are discarded by The Entity. Players must deposit the Void Energy they collect into Unstable Rifts to open portals to the Void. Once inside, their goal will be to release Haunts into the Map where they’ll provide unique advantages throughout the Trial.
Halloween Livestream Players are invited to tune in to Dead by Daylight’s official YouTube and Twitch channels for a Haunted by Daylight LIVESTREAM beginning at 2 p.m. (EDT) on October (Friday the) 13th. Watch the team do a deep dive on all the new Haunted by Daylight gameplay mechanics, seasonal cosmetics, and other updates as well as a developer Q&A with a few surprises along the way. Only the bravest will dare enter the Void…
Explore New Stories Available now, Tome 17: COMMITMENT uncovers new memories for The Oni and Feng Min, with appearances from The Dredge, Adam Francis and Dwight Fairfield. Explore Feng Min’s past through snapshots of heated e-sport competition and a difficult home life, while The Oni’s memories reveal the hulking Killer’s unmatched brutality and descent into madness.
Outfits to Die For Available on Oct. 18, the Void Collection features Very Rare Outfits for David King, Yun-Jin Lee and Haddie Kaur.
These Void-touched Outfits present the Survivors with glowing blue eyes as the edges of their clothing seem to fade into an eerie oblivion. Ice-like spikes protrude from their shoulders and sleeves for a ghastly effect. Players will need to be quick as this Collection is only available until Nov. 6.
The Hallowed Blight Collection is also adding some new looks beginning Oct. 24 with Very Rare Outfits for The Onryo and Yoichi Asakawa, and an Ultra Rare Outfit for The Xenomorph.
The Onryo’s Hallowed Blight Outfit features her hair and clothing covered in eerie Blight Serum pustules while Yoichi’s Hallowed Blight Outfit features a chic deep-blue jacket, burgundy undershirt, and beige trousers stained with Blight Serum. As for the Xenomorph, its torso is covered with bulbous glowing growths, adding to an already terrifying silhouette.
The Haunted by Daylight Event arrives on Oct. 18, 2023, and will be playable until Nov. 6, 2023 on all supported platforms.
About Dead by Daylight™
Created by Behaviour™ Interactive, Dead by Daylight is a multiplayer action horror game of hide and seek, set in a dark fantasy and drawing from all corners of horror, where each match is a different experience. Dead by Daylight boasts more than 50 million players both globally and across all platforms. On any given day, up to 2 million players step into The Fog, whether on PC, console, or mobile. Since its release in 2016, the game has become a place where cult classic horror survives and thrives, having welcomed legends from TV, movies, and video games. For more information, please visit deadbydaylight.com.
About Behaviour™ Interactive
Behaviour Interactive is the largest Canadian gaming studio, with more than 1,300 employees worldwide. Behaviour is best known for its flagship franchise, the multiplayer survival horror game Dead by Daylight™, which has entertained over 50 million players across multiple platforms. The studio is currently expanding its portfolio of original IP with multiple projects, including the acclaimed building and raiding title Meet Your Maker. Behaviour has also established itself as one of the world’s leading providers of external development services. The company has partnered with many of the gaming industry’s leaders, including Microsoft, Sony, EA, Warner, Netflix, and Take-Two, among many others. Over 30 years, Behaviour has developed an unparalleled, award-winning culture. The company was named one of the Best Places to Work in Canada by GamesIndustry.biz, and has been recognized with Deloitte Canada’s Enterprise Fast 15 and Best Managed Company awards. Headquartered in Montreal, Behaviour has expanded its global presence with studios in Toronto (Behaviour Toronto), Seattle (Midwinter Entertainment), the United Kingdom (Behaviour UK – North and Behaviour UK – South) and the Netherlands (Behaviour Rotterdam). For more information, visit www.bhvr.com.
Madrid October 13, 2023.Kittengumi: The Sakabato’s Thief is a visual novel that takes us to an alternate Japan (Nyppon) where the protagonists, a cat and a panda who believes he is a cat, will have to find the thief of the sakabato, one of the treasures of the Kittengumi – a group of samurai cats that protects the safety of Nyedo (Edo), to which they belong.
This will be the characters’ first official mission and during this adventure, they will interact with many characters and, depending on the decisions, the story will unfold in different ways, not all of them with a happy ending.
Kittengumi: The Sakabato’s Thief is the first in a collection of visual novels that tell different stories starring the members of this group, That its available now on Playstation Store, Steam and Nintendo Switch in several languages and with ten endings to surprise you.
It is a day like any other in the city of Nyedo, in faraway Nyppon. But at the headquarters of the Kittengumi, a group of samurai who watch over security and justice, a great commotion has arisen. The emblematic Sakabato sword has been stolen. This is a huge disgrace for the samurai clan, who will not hesitate to take to the streets to recover their treasure. Together, the young Ryuudama, the panda bear with feline aspirations Kumaneko, the ninja Azuki and other warriors will have to overcome a thousand challenges to discover the thief.
On the other hand, if we tell you that Kittengumi is a visual novel, it is because there is one thing that has been developed with great care. Indeed: The visual aspect. All the characters and scenes in Kittengumi have been drawn by hand, with the care and delicacy of a kanji calligrapher. In addition, the soundtrack, composed for traditional Japanese instruments, adds a unique atmosphere.
It should be noted, for those who are fans of Japanese culture, that Kittengumi is inspired by the Shinsengumi, a historic special police force of the last shogunate of Japan. This fierce team of samurai has been given the appearance of anthropomorphic cats (or pandas who think they are cats), in the purest manga style, and with winks that will please the most fanatical otaku.
They are relentless, they are brave, they are tough. And, above all, they are cute. Kittengumi: The Sakabato Thief is the starting point of a saga that promises to be memorable.
Featured content:
Decide how the story progresses and discover the 10 different endings: Your decisions matter and will determine the path that Ryuudama and Kumaneko choose. Will you catch the thief? Will they get out unharmed? Will you meet all the characters?
All hand-drawn: Our artist has drawn every character, every setting, and every part of the game with great effort, love, and care.
Story with lore beyond the main game: This game is the premiere of a saga that will bring many adventures. The game is full of characters, references, and lore beyond the main story.
Follow the story from any unlocked scene: You can pick up the story from the scene selector and try all the variants without having to start from scratch each time.
Soundtrack with Japanese instruments: The soundtrack is carefully created with period instruments that will accompany you throughout the adventure.
Now available on Steam, Playstation Store and Nintendo eShop
About Gammera Nest
Gammera Nest is a video game development and publishing studio, based in Madrid, which has launched successful titles such as Nubla or Nubla 2. In partnership with Sony Interactive Entertaiment España, it has worked in collaboration with cultural entities, such as the Thyssen Bornemisza Museum, the Prado Museum or the Telefónica Foundation. He is also in charge of overseeing the educational project PlayStation Talents, from which numerous initiatives created by new talents in video game development emerge.
MOBILE SUIT GUNDAM U.C. ENGAGE Global Version – Service set to begin October 17 EDT, 2023!
New-York, New-York, October 13, 2023 – Bandai Namco Entertainment Inc. is pleased to announce that MOBILE SUIT GUNDAM U.C. ENGAGE Global Version, our latest Gundam mobile app, which has already been downloaded over 3 million times in Japan, will allow early downloads starting October 15, 2023, and will officially be launching service the following day on October 17.
We hit over 200,000 preregistrations, so we’re planning to send out some great rewards to celebrate.
MOBILE SUIT GUNDAM U.C. ENGAGE’s total preregistration count has surpassed 200,000.
To celebrate this milestone, users may receive the following in-game rewards once service launches.
*Users will receive rewards based on the total number of preregistrations at the end of the campaign. (Ex: In case of 100K preregistrations, users will receive “UR Gundam” and a total of 3,000 Diamonds.)
*The preregistration process can be completed by preregistering via one of the app stores and by following the official Twitter and Facebook accounts. Preregistration numbers count the total number of preregistrations for the app’s global version in all languages.
The Release Celebration Campaign is coming soon! To kick off the release celebration, an in-game campaign will be launched where users can earn great rewards like 5,000 diamonds and more.
Behind-the-Scenes Video Project, ENGAGE Documents, Coveringthe Gundam Series’ Production is Now Available
ENGAGE Documents A special documentary to commemorate MOBILE SUIT GUNDAM U.C. ENGAGE.
This documentary is set to feature a behind-the-scenes look at the making of the Gundam series and the development of U.C. ENGAGE.
Watch and discover new charms hidden within the wide world of the Universal Century.
Vol.01 – New Gundam and protagonist come to light!
https://youtu.be/Xpq5PTUJZ1M
Vol.02 – A new adaptation of “The Nightmare of Solomon”…?
https://youtu.be/YsC0l9pSY_Q
Vol.03 – Harutoshi Fukui and the Animation of “Moon Gundam”
https://youtu.be/7yUYcE0I_8Y
Vol.04 – Universal Century Timeline
https://youtu.be/ssxQGija_hs
MOBILE SUIT GUNDAM U.C. ENGAGE MOBILE SUIT GUNDAM U.C. ENGAGE is a UNIVERSAL CENTURY war/strategy battle game that brings together all the Gundam characters into one mobile game.
You can enjoy an animated depiction of the UNIVERSAL CENTURY from Gundam and a new storyline that combines animation and battle/adventure!
In addition, experience the battlefields in space firsthand through awesome 6 vs. 6 battles with realistic 3D mobile suits in an easy-to-use/auto-play war/strategy battle game!
Story Mode, where you can look back on past Universal Century series
6 on 6 battles made easy with autoplay
Form your very own squad full of your favorite mobile suits
Gundams portrayed in gorgeous 3D graphics
New story added every month
Title MOBILE SUIT GUNDAM U.C. ENGAGE Genre Anime Battle Strategy / Robot Release Date October 17 EDT, 2023 Price Free download with purchasable items Platforms App Store, Google Play Languages English, Traditional Chinese (Hong Kong), Traditional Chinese (Taiwan)
Distributor Bandai Namco Entertainment Inc. *This information is current as of its day of announcement. Following announcement, details may change without prior notice. We appreciate your understanding.
*The App Store is trademark of Apple Inc., registered in the U.S. and other countries and regions. *Google Play and the Google Play logo are registered trademarks of Google LLC.
Glassbreakers: Champions of Moss Open Beta Launches on Steam
Polyarc has today launched Glassbreakers: Champions of Moss‘ Open Beta via Steam. Lifting the player cap, Steam players with SteamVR-compatible headsets including Quest 2, Quest Pro, Rift, Index, and HTC Vive can now download and play the game. Both Steam and App Lab players can play against each other thanks to crossplay.
Watch the Steam launch trailer below:
Glassbreakers is a real-time battler inspired by the Moss universe, where players face-off in 1v1 matches with a squad of three Champions. Each Champion comes with their own set of special abilities, making teams unique and bringing an endless variety to gameplay.
Glassbreakers is now available via App Lab and Steam.
About Polyarc
Polyarc, located in Seattle, was founded in 2015 to explore the energizing and momentous creative possibilities of virtual and augmented reality, and to champion a culture where deep collaboration, creative expression, and high player value are at the forefront of every innovation. Polyarc self-published Moss in 2018 which ranks as one of the top-rated VR games of all time and has received more than 100 global industry awards and nominations. Its critically acclaimed 2022 sequel, Moss: Book II, has won multiple major industry awards including The Game Awards’ Best VR/AR Game and the VR Awards’ VR Game of the Year. Polyarc’s team is made up of talented developers with deep experience working on well-known, AAA franchises such as Destiny, Halo, Red Dead Redemption, and Guild Wars. https://www.polyarcgames.com/
Friday, 13th October 2023 – HEXWORKS, a CI Games studio, has today unleashed the highly-anticipated, dark fantasy action-RPG, Lords of the Fallen, on PC, PlayStation®5, and Xbox® Series X|S. Harnessing the cutting edge power of Unreal Engine 5 – the first action-RPG to do so – Lords of the Fallen delivers a visceral and immersive adventure, featuring a unique dual-realm mechanic that allows players to seamlessly transition from Axiom, the brutal and unforgiving world of the living, to Umbral, the nightmarish world of the dead. Would-be heroes must journey through these vast and interconnected lands of Mournstead in the holiest of quests to defeat a demon god.
Cast in the role of a Dark Crusader, one of the devout and ferocious champions of the Church of Orius, players will find themselves facing demonic hordes and catastrophic bosses across both planes of reality. To aid such endeavours, they must harness the ungodly powers of the Umbral Lamp; an object that imbues its bearers with the ability to transcend realms, flay the very souls of enemies, and even manipulate the environment, itself. The lamp also provides its bearer a second chance to overcome defeat; die in the land of the living, and players will rise again in Umbral… where the longer your stay, the more dangerous it becomes.
“We are thrilled that Lords of the Fallen is finally launching,” said Saul Gascon, Head of Studio at HEXWORKS. “The journey of all lampbearers and their epic quest to overcome the demon god Adyr begins! This is the culmination of almost four years of passion, hard work, and determination, as every single individual at HEXWORKS and CI Games has come together from all corners of the globe to deliver a truly boundary-pushing addition to the action-RPG genre. We couldn’t be more delighted for all of you to dive into our immersive universe. In light, we walk!”
Lords of the Fallen key features
Explore a vast interconnected world: Use the Umbral Lamp to cross between the worlds of the living and dead, reach forgotten places, unearth fabled treasures, and even manipulate the very soul of your foe.
Challenging fluid tactical combat: Master melee and ranged weapons, and wield powerful magics against Adyr’s demonic hordes.
Define your own legend: Choose from nine starting character classes and fully customise your warrior for the herculean journey ahead.
Rise from death: Fall in the world of the living and rise again in the world of the dead. The lamp allows for a second and final chance to return to life, as the nightmarish forces of Umbral descend upon you.
Unite or fight in online multiplayer: Seamless two-player co-op multiplayer enables players to take on Adyr’s forces together; but beware of heroes invading from other realms.
This week has also seen the release of the Lords of the Fallen official soundtrack, in partnership with Laced Records. Available on music streaming platforms now, the launch of the 36-track album precedes the upcoming pre-order and release of a limited-edition triple LP set. The soundtrack, written by award-winning composers Cris Velasco (Bloodborne, Resident Evill VII: Biohazard) and Knut Avenstroup Haugen (Lords of the Fallen 2014, Conon Exiles) was recorded with the 80-piece Budapest Scoring Orchestra and Choir, together with soprano Eurielle, contralto Jess Dandy, and principal cellist of the London Symphony Orchestra, David Cohen.
Check out the 80-Piece Orchestral Performance below:
CI Games is an independent, global Video Games Developer and Publisher, with studios in Warsaw, Barcelona, Bucharest, UK, and the US. Founded in 2002, CI Games have created globally recognised titles for over twenty years; the Sniper Ghost Warrior franchise has sold over 14 million copies worldwide, while the original Lords of the Fallen (2014) has surpassed the 10 million player mark. In 2018, United Label was founded, focusing on smaller but equally ambitious titles, including Röki, Eldest Souls, and Tails of Iron. HEXWORKS, a new studio specialising in action-RPGs and made up of industry veterans, was formed in early 2020, and is currently developing Lords of the Fallen, the company’s most ambitious title to date.
For more information about CI Games, please visit www.cigames.com
