Malmö, Sweden, May 30^th, 2023 – The 23^rd Nordic Game Conference from May 23^rd to 26^th was a resounding success, with speakers and attendees from all over the world exchanging knowledge about the games industry and connecting with each other.

Impressions from NG23 Spring can be found here (flickr). More photos will be added shortly.

The first signs of success came already on the day before the conference started, where Nordic Game had organized two summits – Games Capital Summit, and Exec Summit. Both were filled to the brim with VC investors and industry leaders respectively, and the feedback afterwards were ambiguously positive.

More than 2,000 attendees visited the live event, while another 300+ participated online. 11,000+ unique viewers watched the live streamed talks and sessions from the main theatre at the Slagthuset venue, via streams and the NG Discord. 169 speakers from 33 different countries discussed current trends, best practices and interesting learnings from game development to team management and influencer marketing. Topics such as AI, sustainable design, Web3 and the metaverse, as well as good conduct practices, were debated throughout the show by industry experts and game studio leads.

Safety was also a huge focus area for the organisers, and this year the measures to ensure that all participants at NG23 Spring would have as safe an experience as possible, was expanded on many different fronts, including having professional and independent safety teams walking the conference halls, as well as obligatory sign-off to the NG Code of Conduct visible on entrance badges. As of this date, no incidents were reported to the conference’s independent whistle-blower function.

Business high as usual

Business is one of the three major pillars Nordic Game is built on, and the meeting system MeetToMatch played a very important part of NG23 Spring. They reported some record-breaking results, with the major one being this: During the conference days 3,328 confirmed meetings were held, compared to 2,850 last year.

Networking and celebrations

The conference also once again hosted the Nordic Game Awards, celebrating the best games from the Nordics in 2023. Winner of Best Nordic Game after a tiebreak live on stage was Skábma – Snowfall, a title inspired by the legends and folklore of the Sámi people.

Since NG23 boasted the probably highest concentration of metal heads of all gaming conferences worldwide, the attendees were happy to not only celebrate Metal: Hellsinger winning two awards, but also to headbang to World of Sickness performing live. On top of that, the developers of Best Technology Award winner Virtuoso showcased what creating music in VR can feel and sound like. And those who still didn’t get enough shredded their vocal cords with Ste Curran and Maraoke songs rewritten to be about the gaming industry.

Next year will mark Nordic Game Conference’s 20th anniversary, and it will happen at Slagthuset in Malmö and online from 21-24 May 2024. If you don’t want to wait that long, the next event is going to be NG Helsinki, during the Slush week end-November 2023.

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About the Nordic Game conference

Nordic Game is the leading games conference in Europe, and 2023 will mark its twenty-third and twenty-fourth editions with our return to Malmö, Sweden and online as well as to Helsinki, Finland.

Gathering thousands of industry professionals in the spring and autumn each year, Nordic Game is the one and only “home turf” meeting place for the highly successful game developers of Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden.

Kingston Returns to COMPUTEX 2023 with New Non-Binary DDR5 Memory and XS1000 External SSD

• Step into the future and experience how “Kingston Is With You” in all aspects of your daily life

Taipei – March 30, 2023 – Kingston Technology, a world leader in memory products and technology solutions, today announced it will make a grand return to COMPUTEX Taipei event after three years. Continuing its philosophy, “Kingston Is With You”, Kingston invites everyone to step into the future with the world’s first “Kingston Future Hub” showroom and “Kingston Starship No.35”.

At COMPUTEX 2023, Kingston showcases its latest products including the non-binary DDR5 memory, XS1000 External SSD, Industrial SD card, Data Center solutions and more. As the leading storage brand and reliable partner of the industry, Kingston’s DataTraveler® microDuo™ 3C (DTDUO3CG3) USB was selected by TAITRA (Taiwan External Trade Development Council) as the official media gift for COMPUTEX 2023.

“For over 35 years, Kingston has set many important milestones, such a maintaining its position as the No.1 supplier of third-party DRAM modules for 19 consecutive years, and the leader in channel SSD market share since 2019. This demonstrates Kingston’s consistency in enabling our customers to achieve more.” Kevin Wu, Sales/Marketing and Business Development Vice President of APAC region said, “We’re thrilled to be back at COMPUTEX to present comprehensive solutions that will help users in different fields of their lives succeed, as ‘Kingston Is With You’.”

World’s First Look at the Kingston Future Hub Showroom

The “Kingston Future Hub” showroom exhibits how Kingston enriches the lives of users with its memory and storage solutions. The five zones include:

• Creator Gadgets, with the ever-increasing demands of data storage and computer performance, Kingston brings in a personal studio equipped with Kingston FURY memory, Kingston SSDs and workstation gadgets. Kingston debuts its non-binary DDR5 memory that satisfies users’ ideal memory-to-core ratios without sacrificing bandwidth. With more flexibility in capacity, the non-binary DDR5 models provide cost-effective options that can drive down system costs.
• Enterprise Suite, is a walk-in data center that showcases Kingston’s enterprise level SSD and Server Premier DDR5 memory, trusted by leading server manufacturers and the world’s largest data centers. Kingston launches the DC600M Enterprise SSD, optimized for mixed-use workloads with excellent Quality of Service (QoS) that ensures latency and IOPS consistency to hit service-level agreements. Additionally, Kingston introduces Industrial SD Card, ideal for write-intensive recording in harsh working environments.
• Gamer Ecstasy, shows customized PC builds constructed by the world’s top PC modders, alongside the newest Kingston FURY non-binary DDR5 memory product lines and Kingston FURY Renegade SSD. Kingston FURY DDR4 memory with brand new heat spreader designs will be displayed on-site along with DDR5 RGB options with 18 RGB FURY CTRL™ lighting effects to empower gamers with cutting-edge performance and aggressive style.
• Vlogger Essentials, showcases Kingston’s best-in-class storage solutions for the generation always on-the-move. Kingston joins forces with its long-term travel partner, EVA Air, a Star Alliance member with a far-reaching global route system to take the smart-travel experience to the next level. Whether it is for work, play or even passion projects, Kingston and EVA Air makes travel easy with its trusted products and services. Kingston gives an exclusive first look at the XS1000 External SSD, the extremely compact form factor offers ultimate portability that helps users save, share and transfer important files and memories on-the-go.
• Smart Living, dives into Kingston’s embedded solutions for leading global brands, including Acer, ASUS, BBK Electronics, OPPO and more. Kingston’s embedded memory products can be found in smart home devices, drones, eBooks and educational tools, further strengthening the “Kingston Is With You” credo. Even in unexpected places, Kingston is everywhere.

Bringing Kingston Starship No.35 to COMPUTEX 2023

In March, Kingston launched the “Kingston Starship No.35” experiential truck, which brings alive an immersive space exploration that highlights Kingston products’ extreme performance. “Kingston Starship No.35”, which has already reached over 50,000 people, will enter the Taipei Nangang Exhibition Hall during COMPUTEX 2023. Attendees will get a chance to win cash prizes, Kingston swag, or round-trip EVA Air Premium Economy ticket to an Asia destination of their choice.

For more information visit kingston.com.

Kingston can be found on:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KingstonAPAC
YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/user/KingstonAPAC

About Kingston Technology

From big data, to laptops and PCs, to IoT-based devices like smart and wearable technology, to design-in and contract manufacturing, Kingston helps deliver the solutions used to live, work and play. The world’s largest PC makers and cloud-hosting companies depend on Kingston for their manufacturing needs, and our passion fuels the technology the world uses every day. We strive beyond our products to see the bigger picture, to meet the needs of our customers and offer solutions that make a difference. To learn more about how Kingston Is With You, visit Kingston.com.

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Kingston and the Kingston logo are registered trademarks of Kingston Technology Corporation. IronKey is a registered trademark of Kingston Digital, Inc. Kingston FURY and the Kingston FURY logo are trademarks of Kingston Technology Corporation. All rights reserved. All trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

Days of Play is back this week, here’s the first look at some of the deals players can find across PlayStation Plus, and PlayStation Store, along with additional offerings available at participating retailers.

Days of Play 2023 will begin on Friday June 2 until Monday 12 June. PlayStation’s official Days of Play website will be updated with more information later this week, so be sure to check the site for the latest details. Please note that offers may vary by region and are available while stocks last.

Here are some of the upcoming deals to look out for:

Save on PlayStation Plus memberships

Players can start, renew, or extend their PlayStation Plus membership during Days of Play at a discount. Get access to quality titles, from Monthly Games, to Game Trials, to the compelling Game Catalogue and Classics Catalogue with hundreds of blockbusters and classics to choose from – depending on the plan they choose.*

For both new and current PlayStation Plus members, all 12-month plans will be offered at 25% off – this includes Essential, Extra, and Deluxe.

Current PlayStation Plus Essential and Extra members can also receive 25% off a 1-month, 3-month, or 12-month membership when upgrading to a higher tier plan – it’s a great time to try PlayStation Plus Deluxe.

Offers on select digital games available on PlayStation Store

This year, save on a variety of digital games and add-ons on PlayStation Store. Offers vary by region, so head to PlayStation Store when Days of Play begins to view the full list of local deals.

There will also be additional deals on PlayStation accessories** during this year’s Days of Play from participating local retailers; offers may vary by region.

Be sure to check back on Friday June 2 for details on this year’s promotion on the Days of Play 2023 site.

To check out the full list of updates, players can head to the PlayStation Blog, PlayStation Store, or PlayStation Plus to find their regional discount.

For the latest PlayStation news, follow PlayStation Australia on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and Instagram. 

*Availability of Classics, Game Trials and Game Catalogue varies over time, region/country, and plan. See https://www.playstation.com/Plus for details and updates on PlayStation Plus offerings. PlayStation Plus is an ongoing subscription subject to a recurring subscription fee taken automatically (at the then-current PlayStation Store price) at the frequency you choose at purchase until cancellation. Terms apply: play.st/psplus-usageterms.

**Offer limited to selected PlayStation games and accessories. Colour(s)/Stock availability may vary by store.

HyperX Redefines Comfort Once Again with the Introduction of Cloud III – HyperX also Introduces Cirro True Wireless Earbuds during Computex

May 30, 2023 – HyperX, the gaming peripherals team at HP Inc. and brand leader in gaming and esports, today announced the HyperX Cloud III Gaming Headset during COMPUTEX 2023. The Cloud III gaming headset offers signature comfort and an immersive in-game audio experience with re-engineered 53mm angled drivers and lifetime activation of DTS^® Headphone:X^® for accurate 3D audio spatialisation. Following up on the tremendous success of Cloud II introduced back in 2015, HyperX has improved all aspects of the product to bring the most comfortable and superb sounding gaming headset on the market.

“We’re thrilled to introduce Cloud III, our next generation Cloud gaming headset,” said HyperX. “HyperX Cloud has always stood for the most comfortable gaming headsets on the market and with the Cloud III, we took time to dive deep into what gamers love about Cloud II and enhance every aspect of the new headset. We improved the comfort with new materials and fit. We improved the sound by re-engineering our drivers and tuning. We also improved the communications feature by including a 10mm microphone with noise-cancellation and an internal metal mesh pop filter.” 

HyperX also revealed HyperX Cirro Buds Pro True Wireless designed to provide an enhanced listening experience with utmost comfort. Features include up to 35 hours of battery life, 8mm dynamic drivers and Bluetooth® wireless connectivity. The buds offer precision noise cancelling with hybrid active noise cancellation technology to ensure clear sound without external interferences.  

HyperX continued, “We’re also excited to share the new Cirro Buds Pro with gamers and casual listeners, offering immersive sound and comfort to meet a range of audio needs”. 

The latest HyperX line of products offers new levels of comfort, performance and control and are designed to improve the user experience. More information on the new audio products includes: 

• HyperX Cloud III Gaming Headset: HyperX has built its now-legendary Cloud gaming headset product line on signature HyperX comfort, and the attention to detail continues with Cloud III. Equipped with the re-engineered 53mm angled drivers and DTS^® Headphone:X^®, it also delivers immersive and accurate 3D audio spatialisation. HyperX’s acoustic engineering team custom tuned the headset’s drivers for optimal sound and precision. The Cloud III is also designed for extended gaming sessions, thanks to its plush HyperX memory foam ear cushions and extra padding in the headband. The headset includes an ultra-clear 10mm microphone with noise-cancellation and an internal metal mesh pop filter that reduces disruptive noise. It also has simple onboard audio and mic controls, and is compatible with PC, PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and mobile devices. The headset features 3.5mm, USB-C, and USB-A connectors and comes with a slim US adapter that provides both USB-C and USB-A connectivity.

• HyperX Cirro Buds Pro True Wireless Earbuds: The Cirro Buds Pro earbuds offer precision noise cancelling with hybrid active noise cancellation technology to ensure clear sound. The Cirro Buds Pro earbuds also provide an ambient sound mode for users to stay connected to their surroundings, as well as low-latency audio connectivity for mobile gaming. With Bluetooth^® 5.2 connectivity, these earbuds provide wireless freedom while offering HyperX durability with an IPX4 water-resistant rating, and the protective charging case can fully charge the earbuds in just 40 minutes. The earbuds feature three sets of ear tips for a personalised and secure fit and up to 35 hours of battery life. The Cirro Buds Pro are available in black, blue and tan colourways.

Availability

The Cloud III Gaming Headset will be available at most electronics stores and online on May 31 for MSRP AUD 159 and NZD 169. For more information on HyperX products, please visit HyperX www.hyperx.com.

Information about the Cirro Buds Pro local availability will be available soon. 

About HyperX  

For 20 years, HyperX’s mission has been to develop gaming solutions for every type of gamer and the company is consistently recognised for delivering products that provide superb comfort, aesthetics, performance, and reliability. Under the tagline of “WE’RE ALL GAMERS,” HyperX gaming headsets, keyboards, mice, USB microphones, and console accessories are the choice of everyday gamers as well as celebrity ambassadors, pro gamers, tech enthusiasts, streamers and influencers. Visit www.hyperx.com.   

YouTube: youtube.com/hyperx
Facebook: facebook.com/hyperxanz 
Twitter: twitter.com/HyperXAnz

About HP Inc.

HP Inc. is a technology company that believes one thoughtful idea has the power to change the world. Its product and service portfolio of personal systems, printers, and 3D printing solutions helps bring these ideas to life. Visit http://www.hp.com.

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HyperX and the HyperX logo are registered trademarks or trademarks of HP Inc. in the U.S. and/or other countries. All registered trademarks and trademarks are property of their respective owners.

Minecraft is excited to announce the highly anticipated Trails & Tales Update will release on June 7, 2023 for all players!

As a reminder, here are the major features arriving when the update releases on June 7:

• ARCHEOLOGY: Archeology adds an increased history to worlds—allowing for more storytelling possibilities. Players will discover suspicious sand in new desert temple rooms and the newly introduced suspicious gravel in ocean ruins or trail ruins, a new structure found in cold biomes. Players can carefully uncover hidden tools, bones, sniffer eggs, and pottery sherds. Craft four of these sherds together to make a pot with patterns telling a unique story.  

• SNIFFER: The winner of the 2022 Minecraft Live mob vote has been brought back from extinction! Players will find the sniffer eggs in archeology sites. A baby snifflet will hatch from these eggs and grow into the huge sniffer, one of the largest friendly mobs ever in Minecraft! The sniffer will “sniff” out ancient seeds you can grow into the new torchflower and pitcher plant.

• CAMELS: Another huge mob with a mind of its own, players can saddle it and raise it – but when a camel without a rider wants to sit, it sits. With its tall legs, the camel keeps players out of reach of zombies on the ground allowing you to sprint or dash to safety. Just be careful of skeletons’ ranged attacks! The camel can hold two riders, making it the perfect mob to go on an adventure with a friend.

• CHERRY GROVES: These beautiful new trees fill the horizon with a stunning shade of pink. These new trees can be crafted into a full pink wood-set, including the newly introduced hanging signs, and cherry tree saplings to grow more of the lovely pink trees. Players will also be delighted to find a unique petal falling particle effect only in the cherry groves, as well as a new pink petals ground cover decoration.

• ARMOR TRIMS: Using the new smithing templates found across biomes and structures, players can express themselves through their armor by combining different materials and smithing template patterns for a wide variety of customisation options. In total, there are 16 armor trims, including new trims found in ancient cities and trail ruins, and numerous unique combinations.

• BAMBOO WOOD, CHISELED BOOKSHELVES & MORE: Bamboo can now be crafted into a full set of bamboo wood blocks—including signs and fences! Bamboo rafts function as boats but have a unique look. Players can now add Piglin heads to their worlds, dropped when a Piglin is killed by a charged creeper. Chiseled bookshelves take Minecraft storytelling to the next level, allowing players to record the stories and lore of their world in their own custom bookshelves—alongside their most valuable enchanted books. Hanging signs add new ways to decorate. That’s not all – signs can now have writing on both sides and be edited without destroying them (waxing the signs with honeycomb prevents them from being edited).

You may notice some of the major features have received small tweaks and improvements based off feedback from the community. We’re also excited to share we’ve also made some quality of life changes to features in recent snapshots and previews, including:

• Calibrated Sculk Sensors: Opening up a plethora of possibilities for redstoners, this new variant of Sculk Sensors which allows you to filter vibrations based on their frequency level. They are not found naturally and can only be crafted.
• Vibration Resonance: Blocks of Amethyst have a new behavior when placed adjacent to Sculk Sensors. If that Sculk Sensor receives a vibration, the Block of Amethyst will re-emit its frequency as a separate vibration at its location.
• Full Changelog: You can find the full list of changes as a result of recent snapshots on Minecraft.net.

Alongside the release of Trails & Tales on June 7, Minecraft: Bedrock Edition is releasing on Chromebook, featuring cross-device play with friends, access to Minecraft Marketplace, and the ability to play on Realms. While Minecraft has been in early access on selected Chromebook devices, now everyone with a compatible Chromebook will be able to download it from the Google Play Store. Wherever people play Minecraft, they can play the new Trails & Tales update together!

For players eager to immerse themselves in the new update ahead of launch, check out the Trails & Tales soundtrack here. Stay tuned to @Minecraft on May 26 when we’ll ask players to vote on whether the new custom Minecraft-themed Xbox Series X will be inspired by the camel or sniffer. The winning console will be given to a lucky voter alongside exclusive Xbox Wireless Controllers inspired by the new cherry grove biomes—only available in this giveaway.

Battle Alongside Tanta Cinta and Venture Deeper into the World of Athia with Prequel Story DLC

SYDNEY (May 29, 2023) – Today, Square Enix Ltd, announced that Forspoken: In Tanta We Trust, a brand new story DLC for the action-RPG Forspoken is now available for the PlayStation®5 (PS5™) console and PC via STEAM®, Epic Games Store, and the Microsoft Store. With the new DLC, players return to the world of Athia for another exciting adventure as they take on the role of Frey Holland once more.

Watch the Forspoken: In Tanta We Trust DLC launch trailer

Forspoken: In Tanta We Trust serves as a prequel to the main game, Forspoken. Continuing her search for a way to eradicate the Break once and for all, Frey is transported to Athia’s past. Accompanied by Tanta Cinta and a new set of magic, Frey must uncover the answers and save Athia once more – and attempt to save herself.

In the Forspoken: In Tanta We Trust story DLC, players will battle alongside Tanta Cinta and unlock new combat strategies to coordinate devastating attack combos against the invading Rheddig forces. Scale to new heights in unique vertically designed environments with Frey’s honed magic-enhanced parkour skills. 

Forspoken: In Tanta We Trust DLC requires ownership of the main game, Forspoken which launched earlier this year on January 24, 2023. Players who purchased the Digital Deluxe edition of Forspoken or the Digital Deluxe Upgrade can redeem Forspoken: In Tanta We Trust via the add-on’s product page. Players who own the Standard Edition will be able to purchase the DLC separately from today.

To learn more about Forspoken, visit: www.forspoken.com

About Square Enix Ltd.

Square Enix Ltd develops, publishes, distributes and licenses SQUARE ENIX® and TAITO® branded entertainment content in Europe and other PAL territories as part of the Square Enix group of companies. The Square Enix group of companies boasts a valuable portfolio of intellectual property including FINAL FANTASY®, which has sold over 173 million units worldwide; DRAGON QUEST®, which has sold over 85 million units worldwide; and the legendary SPACE INVADERS®. Square Enix Ltd is a London-based, wholly owned subsidiary of Square Enix Holdings Co., Ltd

More information on Square Enix Ltd. can be found at https://square-enix-games.com.

©2022, 2023 Luminous Productions Co., Ltd. All Rights Reserved

FORSPOKEN, LUMINOUS PRODUCTIONS, FINAL FANTASY, DRAGON QUEST, SQUARE ENIX, the SQUARE ENIX logo, SPACE INVADERS, and TAITO are registered trademarks or trademarks of the Square Enix group of companies. “PlayStation” the “PS5 logo” and “PS5” are a registered trademark or trademarks of Sony Interactive Entertainment Inc. “STEAM” is a trademark and/or registered trademark of Valve Corporation in the U.S. and/or other countries.  All other trademarks are properties of their respective owners.

Drill Deal – Oil Tycoon, an economic strategy with voxel-based graphics, is coming to PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X|S. The game lets players manage a drilling platform and is notable for its light-hearted sense of humor. The release date of Drill Deal – Oil Tycoon is planned for May 26, 2023. The game has already been released for PC and Nintendo Switch.

Developed by A2 Softworks and Manager Games S.A., the strategy game made its debut in March 2022 on PC. Currently, positive player reviews make up 84% of all reviews on Steam. In April 2023, the game hit Nintendo Switch as well.

The studio tasked with porting to and publishing the game on PlayStation 4 and Xbox One is Ultimate Games S.A. Owing to the backward compatibility feature, Drill Deal – Oil Tycoon also runs on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S.

Drill Deal – Oil Tycoon (Trailer)

Drill Deal – Oil Tycoon is a game that combines economic strategy, simulator, and base-building games. It boasts voxel graphics and a good dose of humor. The gameplay involves the construction and further development of the platform, extracting raw materials, managing employees, advancing technology, and responding to various emergencies.

The developers prepared a total of eight varied story scenarios, along with unique locations and challenges for each of them. There’s also a sandbox mode for more freedom.

“The game should appeal to players who enjoy titles such as Two Point Hospital, Prison Architect, or Factory Town. Drill Deal – Oil Tycoon stands out with its own personality, charming design, and careful balance of individual mechanics and other gameplay elements,” says the CEO of Manager Games S.A., Tomasz Sobiecki.

Drill Deal – Oil Tycoon (main features):

• Managing and developing a drilling platform.
• Managing mining, technologies, and employees.
• Voxel graphics.
• 8 varied story scenarios.
• Feature-rich sandbox mode.
• Event and expedition system.
• No less than a dozen hours of fun.

The release of Drill Deal – Oil Tycoon for PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X|S is planned for May 26, 2023.

Drill Deal – Oil Tycoon (PlayStation Store):

https://store.playstation.com/concept/10004245/

Drill Deal – Oil Tycoon (Microsoft Store):

https://www.xbox.com/games/store/drill-deal-oil-tycoon/9plbrnw62s2b

Drill Deal – Oil Tycoon (Nintendo eShop):

https://www.nintendo.com/store/products/drill-deal-oil-tycoon-switch/

Drill Deal – Oil Tycoon (Steam):

https://store.steampowered.com/app/1083300/Drill_Deal__Oil_Tycoon/