This vibrant and whimsical VR title is now available exclusively on the Meta Quest 2

Sydney, Australia, January 23^rd, 2023 – Vertigo Games, the VR publishing and development arm of the PLAION Group as well as developer Devil Cow Studio are delighted to launch the VR puzzle-platformer adventure PathCraft, now available globally on the Meta Quest 2. In this deceptively simple and colourful journey, players enter a quirky and vivid world inspired by the boundless imagination of childhood, using building blocks to complete increasingly complex puzzles, helping guide their papercraft companion to safety and success. Check out the launch trailer below!

Watch the trailer here:

Think playing with blocks is easy? Think again! PathCraft is a colourful puzzle-platformer in the tradition of 90’s classics, reimagined and built from the ground up for VR, with handtracking technology for total puzzle-solving and path-building immersion. Set within a colourful world that reflects all the brightness and charm of childhood, players must construct and reconfigure their environment to create increasingly elaborate paths that help guide their adorable papercraft friend to each level’s endpoint. Solve challenging puzzles that grow in difficulty as you progress, or take your creative talents to level-editor mode to craft your own elaborate pathways and test your friends and other players. You can even try and master the levels that others have built!

Originally designed and produced as a project for Oculus Go and in the Meta App Lab, PathCraft is the work of solo developer, Daniel Yu from Devil Cow Studio. PathCraft allows players to physically make and remake their world with their own two hands and puzzle their way to the top. Can you think outside the blocks?

Other features include:

• An immersive, hand-crafted world that celebrates the joy and wonder of childhood imagination
• Wholesome, appealing puzzle-platforming action that’s suitable for all ages to enjoy
• 8 different blocks to utilize and 4 unique environments for a wider variety of puzzles and solutions
• Unlockable new gameplay mechanics, environments, and even costumes for your robot companion
• Level-editor mode that allows players to build and upload their own challenges for others to tackle
• Endless replayability with new community-made levels to download and master

With a wide range of challenges for players of any skill set, PathCraft is the perfect entry point for anybody itching to try a VR title for the first time. Find PathCraft on the Meta Quest Store today!

To stay up to date about all things PathCraft and Vertigo Games’ other VR titles, join the community on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram and sign up for the VR newsletter at http://vertigo-games.com. PathCraft is available for the Meta Quest 2 and the Meta Quest Pro.

Platforms:

Meta Quest 2and Meta QuestPro

About Vertigo Games

Vertigo Games, the VR publishing and development arm of the global PLAION Group, is a multi-platform VR publisher and developer with offices in Rotterdam & Amsterdam, The Netherlands, and Los Angeles, California. With teams in the areas of development, publishing and LBE (location-based entertainment) distribution, the company offers a portfolio of quality VR games that provide novel, powerful and full-featured gaming experiences both inside of the home, as well as outside of the home through its leading LBE content provider and management platform SpringboardVR. Games include Vertigo Studios’ evergreen brand Arizona Sunshine®, the epic VR action FPS After the Fall® and the music game Unplugged VR®. Upcoming games include the highly anticipated Hellsweeper VR. Vertigo Games is a PLAION (previously Koch Media) Group company. http://vertigo-games.com

About Devil Cow Studio

Devil Cow Studio is an indie game dev team based in Budapest, established in 2016.

About PLAION

PLAION is a leading independent developer and producer of games and entertainment products, with nine development studios and five publishing units based all over the world. Founded in 1994 as Koch Media, PLAION offers a unique breadth of services and solutions, dynamically growing its business to push ourselves and our partners to the forefront in all the segments we operate in.

PLAION runs a multi-label strategy, with fully owned publishing units, such as Deep Silver, Prime Matter, Milestone, Vertigo Games and Ravenscourt, publishing games for consoles, PC and VR platforms across all physical and digital channels.

Additionally – as a global publishing partner – PLAION has formed long-term multinational publishing collaborations with numerous game publishers including Activision Blizzard, Bethesda, Capcom, Focus Multimedia, Giants Software, Koei Tecmo, Paradox, Sega, SNK, Square Enix, Techland, THQ Nordic, Tripwire, Warner Bros and many others.

With its parent company in Höfen, Austria – and the HQ in Munich, Germany – PLAION owns local publishing companies in Germany, UK, France, Spain, Italy, Sweden, the Netherlands, Austria, Switzerland, Poland, Australia, the United States as well as Japan and Hong Kong.

PLAION owns nine game development studios: Deep Silver Dambuster Studios (Nottingham, UK), Fishlabs (Hamburg, DE), Warhorse Studios (Prague, CZ), Milestone (Milan, IT), Voxler (Paris, FR) , DigixArt (Montpellier, FR), Flying Wild Hog (Warsaw, Kraków, Rzeszów, PL), Free Radical Design (Nottingham, UK) and Vertigo Games (Rotterdam, Amsterdam, NL). Additionally, PLAION collaborates with numerous independent development studios around the world.

Part of PLAION is also PLAION PICTURES, a leading independent film distributor in Europe with a library of more than 1.400 titles. Further business operations include Sola Media, a sales agency and production company for family entertainment, Spotfilm Networx, a multi-channel streaming network, and a sub-label dedicated to Japanese animation.

PLAION also owns the leading video game merchandise company DPI Merchandising (Denver, Roseburg, USA and Munich, DE) and a Quality Assurance Facility in Olomouc, CZ.

PLAION is an Embracer Group company.

Samsung’s new Odyssey G6 is a high-performance gaming monitor that doubles as a Smart TV, expanding the entertainment possibilities of those who don’t play fair.

SYDNEY, Australia – 23 January 2023 – Fresh from unveiling its 2023 lineup at CES 2023, Samsung Electronics has today announced the availability of the Samsung Odyssey G6 (G65B) in Australia – the brand’s first 27-inch and 32-inch gaming monitor to pair blistering fast refresh rates and pin-sharp QHD resolution with Smart TV features. The Odyssey G6 easily transforms from a gaming monitor to a Smart TV, giving gamers direct access to their favourite streaming services^[1] without compromising gaming performance.

With entertainment and gaming the two most common uses for monitors outside of work^[2], Samsung has developed the Odyssey G6 to deliver high refresh rates and low latency, and exceptional contrast and colour, in a 1000R curved display for a truly immersive multi-content experience.

“As seen at CES, our 2023 Odyssey Gaming Monitor range focuses on delivering exceptional speed and image quality with a range of innovative features that now means you can  game, work and watch from an all-in-one Monitor display,” said Phil Gaut, Senior Director of Display and Brand Memory Samsung Australia. “In combining game-winning features with Smart TV options, the Odyssey G6 is a one-stop gaming monitor that personalises home entertainment experiences without compromising on the gaming performance that Odyssey is known for.”

Slick Gameplay and Spell-Binding Visuals

The Odyssey G6 boasts an ultra-smooth 240Hz refresh rate, 1ms response time (GtG), and AMD FreeSync Premium Pro, reducing screen tearing and input latency, providing a near flawless gaming experience and an ultra-reactive competitive edge. With its QHD resolution packing 1.7 times the pixel density of FHD paired with DisplayHDR600, the Odyssey G6 makes gaming worlds appear almost life-like via bright colours and deep contrast images. Vivid scenes wrap even more tightly around gamers via the 1000R curved display that helps to fill peripheral vision and draws gamers into their virtual avatar’s shoes.

The Odyssey G6 features Game Bar, enabling players to easily check and control game settings such as FPS or HDR, modify response time or screen ratio, as well as the game picture mode without interrupting play. To provide a competitive edge, screen ratios can extend from 16.9 to an ultra-wide 21.9 game view, providing more content to bring gamers closer to the top of the leaderboard.

The Odyssey G6 brings Samsung’s Smart TV Hub to a 27 and 32-inch gaming monitor form factor for the first time, offering flexibility and value to gamers looking to switch between their go-to games and streaming their favourite shows with no downloads or sign-ups^[3].

Users can wirelessly connect to a Windows or Mac PC, use Samsung DeX or AirPlay 2 to mirror their screen use, or access Microsoft 365 cloud services^[4] for work productivity. Furthermore, the Odyssey G6 is equipped with a high-sensitivity Far Field Voice microphone, allowing gamers to control the device with voice assistants such as Bixby. The Always On Voice^[5] function allows users to interact with Bixby even when the monitor is turned off, while displaying conversation related information on the monitor’s screen.

For comfort and convenience, the Odyssey G6 features a VESA-standard ergonomic stand that can swivel, tilt and adjust to the optimum height for gaming or content consumption.

The Odyssey G6 (G65B) is currently available via select retail stores, online gaming resellers, and the Samsung Online Store and is available in 27 and 32-inch display options with an RRP $949.00 and $1,099.00, respectively.

For more information, visit the Samsung website here: samsung.com/au/monitors/gaming/odyssey-g65b-g6-32-inch-240hz-1ms-curved-qhd-1440p-ls32bg652eexxy

Innovation beyond expectations in 2023

As announced at CES 2023, Samsung’s new Odyssey lineup will include the 57” Odyssey Neo G9, Samsung’s first single monitor with dual ultra-high definition resolution. Samsung will also introduce OLED displays to the Odyssey range by way of the Odyssey OLED G8, and Odyssey OLED G9.

The Odyssey OLED G8 will be available in Australia in Q1 2023, while local availability for the Odyssey Neo G9 and Odyssey OLED G9 is yet to be announced. Australians can register their interest for more information on these monitors here: samsung.com/au/firstlook/

To explore Samsung’s full range of display and storage solutions for gamers, visit: https://www.samsung.com/au/monitors/gaming/

About Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.

Samsung inspires the world and shapes the future with transformative ideas and technologies. The company is redefining the worlds of TVs, smartphones, wearable devices, tablets, digital appliances, network systems, and memory, system LSI, foundry and LED solutions. For the latest news, please visit the Samsung Newsroom at news.samsung.com.

[1] Includes cloud gaming apps such as XBOX. Requires internet connection and separate subscriptions may be required. TV tuner is not included. **Samsung TV Plus and Universal Guide may not be available in some regions.

[2] Samsung Monitors, conducted by Nature Research from March 2021(fieldwork conducted continuously via online survey) n=2000 Australians aged 18-60 years nationally representative.

[3] Requires internet connection and separate subscriptions may be required. TV tuner is not included.

[4] Samsung DeX app only downloadable on PC and Mac. Requires compatible monitor PC or Mac computer, keyboard, mouse and USB-C to HDMI cable, sold separately. For more information visit: https://www.samsung.com/au/apps/samsung-dex/. Microsoft 365 account required to access Microsoft 365 cloud services.

[5] Availability of voice assistant services may vary by region.

Amsterdam, Netherlands – January 20th, 2023 – Digital entertainment and media platform Azerion has coupled up with ITV Studios to open the doors to its Love Island Villa in Hotel Hideaway! As the new Winter season of Love Island kicked off last Monday 16th January welcoming new islanders to the villa high life, three former islanders are going back to the villa virtually to reminisce about their most memorable moments on the show. This ‘Back to the Villa’ branded video series launches on the World of Love Island YouTube channel on Saturday 21st January.

Join Liam Reardon (Winner of Love Island UK Season 7), Molly Smith (Contestant Love Island UK Season 6) and Paige Thorne (Contestant Love Island UK Season 8) on their trip down memory lane, as they explore the Love Island Villa in Hotel Hideaway and look back at some classic firepit moments, some saucy secrets, the low-down on what went on in the bedroom and just generally reliving the Love Island villa vibes. If all this sounds like 100% your match on paper and you want to explore the villa for yourself, download Hotel Hideaway from the App Store and on Google Play now!

About Hotel Hideaway
With over 17.5 million registered users, Azerion’s Hotel Hideaway is a 3D social virtual community full of opportunities to meet new people and make new friends. The Hotel is a lively and vibrant world full to the brim with social adventures and fun activities! Dress to impress and stand out from the crowd with an abundance of stylish clothing, items and accessories. Customise your room with a variety of furniture items and decorations. Learn secret gestures and dance moves – and then party into the early hours inside unique public rooms. No matter what you like to spend your time doing, Hotel Hideaway is the place to be. There’s oodles of fun to be had and secrets to discover, so jump in and make sure the other guests recognise your name!

About ITV Studios
ITV Studios is a creator, producer and distributor of world-leading programmes and formats that people can’t get enough of. Connecting millions of people every day and shaping and reflecting the world they live in, ITV Studios is More Than TV. Its Brand & Licensing department is responsible for all global commercial activities including sponsorship, brand licensing, consumer products, gaming, and live events. It represents a diverse portfolio including scripted and non-scripted content, game shows and kids titles, which offers a wide range of commercial opportunities. Brands include The Voice, Hell’s Kitchen, Love Island, I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here!, The Chase, Coronation Street, Schitt’s Creek, The Last Unicorn, Thunderbirds, Space: 1999, The Prisoner, and more.

About Azerion
Azerion is a high-growth digital entertainment and media platform. As a content-driven, technology and data company, Azerion serves consumers, digital publishers, advertisers and game creators globally. Azerion’s integrated platform provides technology solutions to automate the purchase and sale of digital advertising for media buyers and sellers, supported by in market sales and campaign management teams. Through our technology, content creators, digital publishers and advertisers work with Azerion to reach the millions of people across the globe that play Azerion’s games and view its distributed entertainment content to increase engagement, loyalty and drive e-commerce.

Founded in 2014 by two Dutch entrepreneurs, Azerion has experienced rapid expansion driven by organic growth and strategic acquisitions. Azerion is headquartered in Amsterdam, the Netherlands and is a publicly traded company listed on Euronext Amsterdam. For more information visit: www.azerion.com

An open-ended, interactive sci-fi adventure where your decisions matter

Warsaw, Poland January 20th, 2023 – Developer Fallen Leaf has just partnered with Dear Villagers on the upcoming cinematic sci-fi adventure Fort Solis. Explore an abandoned mining facility on Mars, solve the mystery of the missing crew, and make crucial decisions when Fort Solis comes to PC this Summer.

Fort Solis has you assume the role of engineer Jack Leary, as he spends the longest night of his life on an isolated mining base on Mars. Explore Fort Solis station at your own pace, gathering clues from its bunkers, labs, crew quarters, and harsh, stormy surface to understand what enigmatic horrors befell its inhabitants. As the night grows longer events escalate, spiral out of control, and the mystery as to what’s really going on deepens. You must race against time to locate the Fort Solis crew members and escape to tell the tale!

Utilizing the power of Unreal Engine 5, Fort Solis offers an intricately immersive setting in the deepest reaches of space. Featuring a first class crew that includes Red Dead Redemption 2 lead Roger Clark, Troy Baker (The Last of Us, Death Stranding), and Julia Brown (The Last Kingdom, World on Fire), Fort Solis grounds you in its hard sci-fi drama with no camera cuts, load times, or HUD. Fort Solis’ cinematic ambitions can be seen in the movie poster-inspired key art for its main cast below.

Make tough decisions in real time as you piece together the sinister forces that have befallen Fort Solis. Your actions will have key consequences, leading to multiple endings. Do you have what it takes to solve the mystery of Fort Solis and report back alive?

“We’re all fans of hard sci-fi and horror, so with Fort Solis we wanted to create a tense, classic sci-fi tale that players are free to piece together at their own pace,” said James Tinsdale, Game Director at Fallen Leaf. “To us immersion was the key factor here, and we’re very proud of all the work our team and our collaborators have done in bringing Fort Solis to life. It’s such a fully realized, lived in place, and we’re thrilled for everyone to discover it when it launches later this year.”

“Dear Villagers seeks to bring people new and engaging experiences, and Fort Solis is exactly that,” said Guillaume Jamet, Head of Publishing for Dear Villagers. “We’re so happy to have partnered with Fallen Leaf, as Fort Solis offers such a unique mix of narrative-driven adventure, open-ended exploration, immersive sim interaction, and chilling, ominous atmosphere. We love its vision, and are confident you will too!”

For more information on Fort Solis:
Wishlist on Steam: https://store.steampowered.com/app/1931730/Fort_Solis/
Visit the official website: fortsolis.com
Visit Fallen Leaf’s official site: https://www.fallenleafstudio.com/
Visit Dear Villagers’ official site: https://dear.link/dearvillagers/

About Fallen Leaf
Fallen Leaf is an exciting new independent Polish games developer based in Liverpool and Warsaw. With decades of experience from some of the world’s top studios, Fallen Leaf is breaking new ground with its innovative technology and narrative-based storytelling. They’re currently hard at work on their upcoming title Fort Solis.

About Dear Villagers
Dear Villagers is a publishing label of Plug In Digital. It’s a place where talented studios can unleash their creativity and focus on bringing unique single player experiences to players on PC and console, experiences that will stay with them long after the credits roll. Dear Villager’s lineup includes the award-winning The Forgotten City, The Dungeon of Naheulbeuk, ScourgeBringer and Edge Of Eternity.

CD PROJEKT RED announces that the box release of The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt – Complete Edition for PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X will be arriving on store shelves in North America, Europe and select territories across the world starting January 26th, 2023.

Released on December 14th, 2022 as a free next-gen update for owners of the PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC versions of the game, alongside a standalone next-gen digital purchase, The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt – Complete Edition takes advantage of the extra power of modern gaming hardware to offer numerous visual and technical enhancements over the original. 

For PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X, which are now receiving a physical release of the game, these include Performance and Ray Tracing modes, support for AMD FidelityFX Super Resolution, faster loading times, and more. On PlayStation 5 the game also utilizes the advanced haptics and adaptive triggers of the DualSense controller, allowing players to further immerse themselves in the experience.

Furthermore, the next-gen version introduces items and a quest inspired by the The Witcher Netflix show, as well as quality of life additions: new camera options, quick Sign casting, Photo Mode, cross-platform progression, map and UI tweaks, a selection of community-created mods integrated into the experience — among many others. The Complete Edition also comes with all previously released content for The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt — the award-winning Hearts of Stone & Blood and Wine expansions, as well as 16 pieces of extra content.

For more information on The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt – Complete Edition and The Witcher series of games, visit the official website, as well as follow the game on Facebook and Twitter.

About The Witcher franchise

Created by CD PROJEKT RED, The Witcher is a series of fantasy role-playing games following the adventures of professional monster slayer Geralt of Rivia. To date, the series has sold over 65 million copies worldwide and garnered over 1000 awards. The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, which released in 2015 for PC, PlayStation 4 and Xbox One, and later in 2019 on the Nintendo Switch, won a total of 250 Game of the Year awards and has sold over 40 million copies worldwide. The Witcher games are set in the universe created by Andrzej Sapkowski in his series of books.

About CD PROJEKT RED

CD PROJEKT RED is a game development studio founded in 2002. It develops and publishes video games for personal computers and video game consoles. The studio’s flagship titles include The Witcher series of games, Thronebreaker: The Witcher Tales, GWENT: The Witcher Card Game, and the futuristic AAA role-playing game — Cyberpunk 2077, upon which the Netflix anime series Cyberpunk: Edgerunners, created by CD PROJEKT RED and Studio Trigger, is based. Together with GOG.COM, a game store offering hand-picked titles for PC and Mac, CD PROJEKT RED is part of the CD PROJEKT Group. CD PROJEKT S.A. is listed on the Warsaw Stock Exchange (ISIN: PLOPTTC00011).

New premium DLC will launch on March 7th

Cyprus, Nicosia 19 January 2023 — Owlcat Games is excited to announce that critically acclaimed CRPG Pathfinder: Wrath of the Righteous has reached 1 million sales worldwide on PC, Xbox One, PlayStation 4 and Nintendo Switch (cloud version). 

Launched in September 2021 Pathfinder: Wrath of the Righteous (indirect sequel to Pathfinder: Kingmaker) started out as a Kickstarter project and is based on the tabletop Pathfinder Adventure Path campaign of the same name. 

“Reaching such a milestone again with our second game is a very important sign for us that the company is developing in the right direction. – says Alexander Mishulin,  Creative Director at Owlcat Games – We are keen on bringing the best cRPG experience on the market and will continue to fill the rich world of Pathfinder with more content including premium and free DLCs.” 

The first premium DLC from Season Pass 2 is going to be available on PC, PlayStation 4 and Xbox One on March 7th, 2023. Cloud version for Nintendo Switch will arrive later. The Last Sarkorians premium DLC features a new companion for the Knight Commander’s party and a new playable class: the ever changing shifter! The nation of Sarkoris was destroyed by the demons, yet the last of its people are ready to fight back. Meet Ulbrig Olesk, a Sarkorian shifter capable of turning into a mighty griffon, who remembers Sarkoris as it was before Areelu Vorlesh opened the Worldwound. Take him into your party and experience the crusade through the eyes of the last surviving tribal chieftain of old Sarkoris. Explore a new region, fight new enemies… And maybe even find new love! 

Moreover, abilities, similar to Ulbrig’s, will be available for the player as well with the new Shifter class! Choose from one of six available archetypes, fight as a humanoid armed with sharp claws, or transform into a mighty beast—or both!

To commemorate the significant milestone , Owlcat has announced a special RPG Sale on Steam and GOG with following discounts:

70% on base game, Mythic and Commander Editions, 50% off on the released premium DLCs.

The promotion runs from today through to January 26th, 2023.

Pathfinder: Wrath of the Righteous is now available on all major digital storefronts, including Steam, Epic Games Store, and GOG, together with consoles on PlayStation 4, Xbox One (PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X / S via backward compatibility) and Nintendo Switch (via Cloud). Prime Matter, PLAION’s premium gaming label, distributes the physical console copies.

About Owlcat Games

Owlcat Games is a team of developers united by a love of RPGs. From our beginnings as a small group of games industry veterans obsessed with the idea of making our dream games a reality, we have grown into a truly international company, with our headquarters in Cyprus and more than 120 employees spread across offices in various countries. We are continuing to expand and take on new hires from around the world, and we also get together every week to play tabletop games in the office and on Roll20 online.

About META Publishing

META Publishing is a rising video game label powered by industry veterans and gaming enthusiasts worldwide. We do not only publish games but create unique relations between the game and the players. With love and passion for games, we cater to developers’ needs and help them make each game shine!

About Prime Matter

Headquartered in Munich, Germany, Prime Matter is the premium gaming label dedicated to delivering a range of diverse and immersive games from amazing game development talent all around the globe. Working across projects of all styles, scopes and sizes, single-player, co-op to live ops, from producing to publishing, from ambitious teams taking their first step that need full support without compromising their dream to larger established successful studios searching that next step in the global market and building of brands. Prime Matter looks to lead through creativity, expression and passion, with games that will grip and enchant with enthralling story-telling, winning an audience with its incredible moments and larger-than-life experiences. Prime Matter is a proud member of the Koch Media Group.

About Paizo

Paizo Inc. is one of the world’s leading hobby game publishers. Since 2002, millions of players have joined the goblin army by playing the Pathfinder® and Starfinder® roleplaying games across tabletops, at conventions, at their favorite local game store, and digitally on virtual tabletops. Paizo.com is an online retail hobby destination for millions of gamers that carries the latest products from top hobby game publishers. Players also find accessories, like dice and maps, miniatures, T-shirts, goblin plush toys, and the newest releases to quickly replenish those adventuring supplies for the next dungeon run.

London (January 20, 2023) The award winning and top-selling Monster Hunter™ series brings the critically acclaimed Monster Hunter™ Rise to Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PlayStation®5, and PlayStation®4 today. The global launch is also available with Xbox Game Pass for console, PC, and cloud. Receiving widespread praise for its trademark action RPG gameplay, exciting new features, and ongoing free post-launch support, Monster Hunter Rise has already sold over 11 million units. Monster Hunter Rise offers features including 4K resolution support, advanced graphics options, voice chat, 3D audio, and more. Following its highly regarded Nintendo Switch™ and Steam releases, Monster Hunter Rise transports players to the colorful Kamura Village as it prepares to defend against the looming Rampage.

A new trailer for Monster Hunter Rise can be found on the Monster Hunter YouTube channel

To overcome the looming Rampage, the hunters of Kamura make use of the new Palamute hunting companions and “Wirebug” grappling mechanic as they engage in the series’ trademark action-packed combat. The “Canyne” Palamute companions join the series favorite “Felyne” Palicoes in assisting players while out on hunts. In addition to lending their considerable offensive capabilities to any fight, Palamutes can also carry hunters on their backs to swiftly chase fleeing monsters and traverse the open maps. Wirebugs, on the other hand, enable hunters to nimbly grapple in any direction during a hunt, and can be paired with each of the 14 weapon types to create unique “Silkbind Attacks.” Damaging monsters with these new attacks make them susceptible to the new “Wyvern riding” technique, which allows players to temporarily take control of a monster and yield spectacular battle sequences during a hunt.

When players aren’t exploring the five expansive locales, such as the Shrine Ruins, Flooded Forest, and Sandy Plains, they can also battle hordes of massive monsters in the new Rampage quest type introduced in Monster Hunter Rise. In these quests, hunters work with the citizens of Kamura Village to prepare defensive installations and guard the Stronghold barricades against waves of invading monsters, including any powerful Apex monsters that may arrive during the siege. In addition to the new game mode, Monster Hunter Rise also introduces new “Switch Skills” for each weapon as hunters progress through the game. By swapping out these new skills with existing Silkbind or regular attacks, players can create all new combos and strategies that match their preferred playstyles.

Monster Hunter Rise also includes new features to improve joining up with others for hunts. Dynamic difficulty scaling for multiplayer automatically adjusts as new players enter and exit hub quests. The new “Hunter Connect” feature allows players to create tags with their objectives and playstyles, search for other players with the same tags, or invite friends to any tags they have joined. Upon completing a quest in multiplayer, players are also able to like the other hunters in their party, and increase the odds of finding each other in matchmaking.

Monster Hunter Rise features customizable optimizations, enabling hunters to enjoy their journey in 4K resolution and 60 FPS on Xbox Series X and PlayStation 5, while also offering 3D audio for Xbox Series X|S and PlayStation 5. Ranged and shielded weapons also make use of DualSense™ adaptive triggers on PlayStation 5. Additionally, the massive Monster Hunter™ Rise: Sunbreak paid expansion will arrive in Spring 2023.

About Capcom

Capcom is a leading worldwide developer, publisher and distributor of interactive entertainment for game consoles, PCs, handheld and wireless devices. Founded in 1983, the company has created hundreds of games, including groundbreaking franchises Resident Evil™, Monster Hunter™, Street Fighter™, Mega Man™, Devil May Cry™ and Ace Attorney™. Capcom maintains operations in the U.S., U.K., Germany, France, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Singapore and Tokyo, with corporate headquarters located in Osaka, Japan. More information about Capcom and its products can be found at www.capcom.com or news.capcomusa.com. Capcom, and the Capcom logo are registered trademarks of Capcom Co., Ltd. in the U.S. or other countries. Ace Attorney, Devil May Cry, Mega Man, Monster Hunter, Resident Evil and Street Fighter are trademarks and/or registered trademarks of Capcom Co., Ltd. and/or its subsidiaries, in the U.S. and/or other countries. All other trademarks and trade names are the property of their respective owners.

Sydney, Australia, January 20^th, 2023 – When developing a successor to a legendary franchise like Jagged Alliance, the most mentioned wish from fans is: “Don’t f*** it up!” It’s a tightrope walk to make sure the game feels familiar to those who loved both, Jagged Alliance 1 & Jagged Alliance 2 but also brings new improvements to the table.

To make sure to get that vision right, who’s better to ask for guidance than one of the original creators of the franchise? That’s why developer Haemimont Games has been working with Ian Currie, designer of and responsible for the original concept of Jagged Alliance. Ian’s been involved in the Jagged Alliance 3 project since day one.

Jagged Alliance games are known for their unique blend of strategic campaign management, a huge world to explore, diverse side-quests, in-depth tactical combat, and beloved characters. The upcoming Jagged Alliance 3 stays true to these elements and in the new Legacy Trailer, Ian Currie and the Haemimont Games team give us a taste of what makes it special.

If you want to learn more, check out the latest developer diary: https://thqn.net/ja3-dd02

Jagged Alliance 3 is currently in development for PC and set to release in 2023. Add the game to your wishlist now!
Wishlist on Steam: https://thqn.net/ja3-steam

If you want to learn more about the game, make sure to follow on social media or discuss with other fans in the forums or on Discord:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jaggedalliancegame/
Forums: https://community.jaggedalliance.com/
Discord: https://discord.gg/jaggedalliance

###

About Jagged Alliance 3
Grand Chien, a nation of rich natural resources and deep political divides, is thrown into chaos when the elected president goes missing and a paramilitary force known as “The Legion” seizes control of the countryside. Now, the President’s family has pulled together all their resources, including an arrangement with the powerful Adonis corporation, to hire a group of skilled mercenaries tasked with finding the President and bringing order back to the country.

In Jagged Alliance 3, select from a huge cast of mercenaries all with their own unique personalities, quirks, and backstories. Then go out and explore Grand Chien as you meet new people, earn money, grow your team, and ultimately make your own decisions that will decide the country’s fate.

• Engage in rich, tactical turn-based combat
• Recruit from a large cast of unique mercenaries, including many familiar fan favourites
• Loot, salvage, and customise an arsenal of weaponry and equipment
• Choose from a wide array of special perks to customise your mercs as they level up
• Decide the fate of Grand Chien in an open RPG structure
• Control territory, train the locals, command multiple parties, and defend against enemy forces in an alive, active world
• Experience the campaign with friends in online co-op mode

Jagged Alliance 3 Website 

About THQ Nordic

The THQ Nordic official boiler plate can be found here: https://thqnordic.com/company/about

THQ Nordic Website

Today we’re excited to reveal 13 more amazing games to the PS VR2 library – all expected to arrive within one month of the February 22 launch.

Currently, more than 30 games are scheduled for the launch window through March*, including titles from popular IP like Horizon Call of the Mountain, No Man’s Sky, and Resident Evil Village. A free PS VR2 update for Gran Turismo 7 is also on track for launch day and there is also a quick update from the President of Polyphony Digital, Kazunori Yamauchi:

“We’re thrilled that Gran Turismo 7 will be a PS VR2 launch title! Through a free upgrade, for those who have already purchased Gran Turismo 7, players will experience all cars and tracks in VR like never before. GT7 in VR takes full advantage of PS VR2’s next-gen features. With eye tracking and foveated rendering, players will experience stunning visual fidelity while racing in any of the 450+ cars. While 2-player split-screen races are not supported in VR, all other races, including online races, will be available. From the Nürburgring to Tsukuba, tracks can be experienced exactly as they are in real life.”

Now, let’s let the developers introduce today’s newly revealed titles:

Before Your Eyes

Embark on an emotional and award-winning adventure where you control the story and affect its outcomes with your real-life blinks. In this unique VR experience, you will fully immerse yourself in a world of memories, both joyous and heartbreaking, as your whole life flashes before your eyes.

The game uses the PS VR2 headset’s front-facing camera to immerse you in a way you’ve never experienced before. You will learn to control the flow of the narrative with your actual eyes – blinking through precious memories of family, first love, and the rise of an artistic career, ultimately revealing a heartbreaking truth.

Kayak VR: Mirage 

Paddle through the ice caves in Antarctica, kayak with dolphins in Costa Rica, conquer a thunderstorm in Norway, and discover the canyons of Australia. Explore these breathtaking locations with photorealistic graphics, a rich variety of wildlife, and immersive soundscapes that bring it all together.

With PS VR2’s foveated rendering and HDR OLED displays, Kayak VR: Mirage is looking sharper and more vibrant than ever. Whether you want to take it easy and enjoy the scenery or get your heart rate up and compete in the race mode, we’ve got you covered. And because paddling is so intuitive, it’s a great game to show off your new headset to friends and family.

Pavlov VR

The #1 most popular multiplayer PC VR shooter is coming to PS VR2, featuring realistic weapon interactions and attachments, and a range of competitive and social game modes.

Take down a failed laboratory experiment that has escaped in an asymmetrical style of 1 vs. all gameplay. Bring three friends and queue up for a wave-based zombie co-op. Drive a T-34 tank and communicate with your gunner to eliminate a group of axis soldiers. Use your sharp wrinkled brain and the power of reasoning to find the bad actors in a twisted murder mystery style of game called TTT. Or, you could just clone yourself into the form of a traffic cone and hide behind the storage shelf of a warehouse; it’s up to you.

Puzzling Places

Puzzling Places brings relaxing and wholesome 3D jigsaw puzzling to VR! Put together hyper-realistic miniatures of beautiful places from around the globe.

The award-winning PlayStation VR title is coming to PS VR 2 with major enhancements such as higher visual fidelity (sharper textures, 120 Hz, higher render resolution); eye tracking for enhanced piece selection; haptic feedback and adaptive triggers from PS VR2’s Sense controller; room scale support (puzzle in a larger play area); and now includes a PS VR2 1000 piece puzzle!

Puzzling Places for PS VR2 launches February 22 and will be available in the PS Store for $19.99 / €19.99**, and is a free upgrade for players who currently own the PS VR version.

Song in the Smoke: Rekindled

Song in the Smoke: Rekindled is the ultimate VR survival action-adventure – a physical, immersive game where you craft, hunt, and survive in a fantastic, dangerous world. Fully remastered with supercharged graphics, gameplay that takes advantage of the PS VR2 Sense Controllers and haptics, and an all-new free jump and clamber mode completely unique to PS VR2. Featuring a 15+ hour single-player campaign, you’ll challenge a savage world filled with strange beasts who are both prey and predator. Craft melee and ranged weapons, make clothes, build fires, and brew potions as you traverse the landscape in your quest for survival. Free upgrade from the PlayStation VR version.

Synth Riders: Remastered Edition

Kluge Interactive is excited to announce that a remastered Synth Riders is coming to PlayStation VR2. Delivering the best version of the game to date launching alongside the new VR headset – our PlayStation fans are in for a treat!

With remastered visuals, nuanced controller haptics as you ride the rails, headset feedback for in-game obstacle feedback, next-gen performance, and SSD optimisation to dramatically reduce load times, players will have a deeply-immersive & seamless gameplay experience.

The remastered version is a free upgrade for everyone who owns the PS VR version of Synth Riders – including all music DLC already purchased.

Thumper

Become a space beetle on a rhythm-action hellride in Thumper. The gameplay is fiendishly simple: tight controls, classic action, and breakneck speed. Combined with psychedelic visuals, a throbbing soundtrack, and adrenalising boss battles, it’s pure rhythm violence.

On PlayStation VR2, the 4K visuals (2000 x 2040 per eye), 3D audio, and PS VR2 Sense controller’s haptic feedback deepen the immersion and monumental dread. Get ready to feel every satisfying thump and punishing crash. Thumper will leave you bruised, battered, and hungry for more.

NFL Pro Era

Now’s your chance to be QB1 of your favourite NFL team with NFL Pro Era, the first fully licensed NFL and NFLPA virtual reality (VR) game. Utilising real-time game data, NFL Pro Era brings the bright lights, team chants, and thousands of screaming fans to your home in one of the most authentic and immersive first-person VR games ever. Step under centre and see if you have what it takes to lead your team to a Super Bowl or play virtual catch with friends in your favourite stadium. Whatever you decide, the future of the game is up to you!

What The Bat?

What The Bat? is a whimsical slapstick comedy from the people behind the anti-golf golfing game What The Golf? It’s a bit like What The Golf?, except instead of golf, it’s all about baseball, and it’s in VR, and you have bats instead of hands. Get swingin’, champ. In a series of increasingly absurd minigames, What the Bat? challenges you to live as a modern-day bat-girl, shooting, cooking, smashing, swinging, parking, painting, pickling, and even petting (there’s a dog). Experience fully immersive silliness in a first-person experience like no other. 

Rez Infinite

In October 2016, Rez Infinite debuted as a PS VR launch title and we’re excited to be back, just in time for the launch of PS VR2! Prepare yourself once again for THE ultimate version of Rez, a thrilling journey of sights, sounds, and shooting action, except this time in PS VR2 with eye tracking (you can track and aim at enemies!) and haptic feedback from the controllers and headset feedback. 

Experience 360 degrees of mind-blowing synesthesia as you blast your way through waves of enemies and massive transforming bosses, with your every move triggering colours and sounds that sync and blend to the beat of the unforgettable soundtrack. Rez Infinite is also playable in standard TV mode on PS5. Owners of the original PS4/PS VR game will be able to upgrade to PS5/PS VR2 version for $9.99 USD / €9.99.

Tetris Effect: Connected

Over four years ago, we launched Tetris Effect on PS4 and PS VR. Reinventing a classic and delivering a whole new experience – one that you’ve never seen, heard, or felt before in any other Tetris game – wasn’t easy but the overwhelmingly positive reception motivated and pushed us further to evolve the title as ‘Connected’ with the multiplayer expansion. Today we’re excited to announce Tetris Effect: Connected is coming to PS5 and PS VR2 on February 22. With eye tracking enabled, you can enter the Zone by closing and then opening your eyes. You can also feel key moments of the game and your actions through headset feedback and haptic feedback on the DualSense controller. These enhancements deliver a truly unique Tetris experience. The game is also playable on PS5 without a PS VR2 headset. Owners of the original PS4/PS VR game will be able to upgrade to PS5/PS VR2 for $9.99 USD / €9.99. 

Creed: Rise to Glory – Championship Edition

In partnership with MGM, we are excited to confirm the return of Creed: Rise to Glory with Creed: Rise to Glory –  Championship Edition, coming to PlayStation VR2 in 2023. We’re thrilled to pair up again with MGM and expand on what Creed: Rise to Glory has to offer for old and new fans alike. Fights have never felt more visceral, as we intend to deliver an even more immersive boxing experience, only possible with the hardware and features of the PS5 and PlayStation VR2. Creed: Rise to Glory –  Championship Edition returns you to the ring, this time with a fresh set of gloves. Experience brand new game content, modes, and settings to create a more immersive and personalised experience for new and seasoned Creed players alike. Additionally, Championship Edition players will have the opportunity to truly test their skills in a reworked online PvP with optimised matchmaking and cross-platform play. Creed III, the third instalment of the hit franchise, opens in theatres nationwide on 3rd March, 2023. 

The Last Clockwinder

The Last Clockwinder is a puzzle automation game about making synchronised contraptions out of your own clones. You play as Jules, a young woman on a mission to repair the Clocktower: an ancient haven for the galaxy’s plants and seeds that’s fallen into disrepair.

Use the Clockwinder’s gloves to turn everything you do into a perfectly looping clockwork clone. Create an interconnected system of clones to grow plants, harvest resources, and synthesise new seeds. You can coordinate your clones to create marvels of precision teamwork, hare-brained Rube Goldberg machines, or a troupe of synchronised dancers.

This brings our current launch window lineup to more than 30 games, with hardware and software available beginning February 22, 2023. Here’s what we’re tracking:

• After the Fall (Vertigo Games)
• Altair Breaker (Thirdverse)
• Before Your Eyes (Skybound Interactive, launch window)
• Cities VR (Fast Travel Games) 
• Cosmonious High (Owlchemy)
• Creed: Rise to Glory – Championship Edition (Survios, launch window)
• The Dark Pictures: Switchback (Supermassive, launch window)
• Demeo (Resolution Games)
• Dyschronia: Chronos Alternate (MyDearest Inc., Perp Games)
• Fantavision 202X (Cosmo Machia, Inc.)
• Gran Turismo 7 (via a free update to the PS5 version of GT7)
• Horizon Call of the Mountain (Firesprite, Guerrilla)
• Job Simulator (Owlchemy)
• Jurassic World Aftermath (Coatsink)
• Kayak VR: Mirage (Better Than Life)
• Kizuna AI – Touch the Beat! (Gemdrops, Inc.)
• The Last Clockwinder (Pontoco/Cyan Worlds)
• The Light Brigade (Funktronic Labs, purchase includes PS VR and PS VR2 versions) 
• Moss 1 & 2 Remaster (Polyarc)
• NFL Pro Era (StatusPro, Inc., free PS VR2 upgrade)
• No Man’s Sky (Hello Games, launch window)
• Pavlov VR (Vankrupt)
• Pistol Whip (Cloudhead, free upgrade)
• Puzzling Places (Realities.io, free upgrade)
• Resident Evil Village (Capcom, via a free update to the PS5 version of RE Village) 
• Rez Infinite (Enhance)
• Song in the Smoke (17 Bit)
• Star Wars: Tales from the Galaxy’s Edge – Enhanced Edition (ILMxLAB)
• Synth Riders (Kluge Interactive, free upgrade)
• The Tale of Onogoro (Amata K.K)
• Tentacular (Devolver)
• Tetris Effect: Connected (Enhance)
• Thumper (Drool LLC)
• The Walking Dead: Saints & Sinners: Ch. 2: Retribution (Skydance, launch window)
• Vacation Simulator (Owlchemy)
• What the Bat (Triband)
• Zenith: The Last City (Ramen VR, free upgrade) 

As more games confirm their launch window availability, we’ll add them to the list. See you February 22!

To find out more about the titles available at launch, head to the PlayStation Blog.

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

*Final launch software lineup subject to change without notice.

The next DLC pack for Civilization VI: Leader Pass – Rulers of China – is now available! Establish new dynasties with the Rulers of China Pack*, which includes Yongle (China), Wu Zetian (China) and Qin Shi Huang the Unifier (China).

Yongle (China)

When Zhu Di, prince of Yan, ascended to the throne, he took the reign name Yongle. As emperor, he didn’t overindulge in luxuries, but sought and received tributes from dozens of other countries. In-game, he likes Civilizations with positive income per turn and dislikes those with negative income per turn.

New Ability: Lijia

• All Cities receive projects where they can convert 50% of their Production into Food, Faith, or 100% if it is Gold.
• Cities with 10 or more Population receive +2 Gold, +1 Science, and +1 Culture per turn for each Population in the city (requires Rise and Fall or Gathering Storm DLC pack).

Wu Zetian (China)

The only woman ever to sit on China’s throne, Wu Zetian shifted the focus of power away from powerful families in favour of a more centralized bureaucracy and, by opening administrative examinations to all, moved Chinese politics towards a more meritocratic system. As the empress regnant, she relied on her secret police to eliminate any perceived rivals, and she’s no more tolerant of competition in-game. She dislikes any nearby armies and settlements that aren’t hers.

New Ability: Manual of Entrapment

• All offensive Spies operate at 1 level higher.
• Whenever an offensive spy mission is successful, you also gain 25% of the Culture and Science that the targeted city earned that turn.
• Receive a free spy after discovering Defensive Tactics.  

Qin Shi Huang the Unifier (China)

While he didn’t personally lead troops, Qin Shi Huang is remembered as a warlord who unified China, even going so far as to standardize weights and measures, make Chinese writing uniform, and issue a new Imperial currency.  He’s also remembered for the creation of what we now know as the Terracotta Army, which was constructed to protect him in the afterlife. Since he likes to recruit Barbarians in-game, he dislikes when other Civilizations attempt to defeat them.

New Ability: Thirty-Six Stratagems

• Melee units receive the Converts Barbarian Action. This action transforms Barbarian units into your units.       

Civilization VI: Leader Pass** is a new season pass that adds 18 new playable leader selections to Civilization VI. Civilization VI: Leader Passcontent will be delivered via six DLC packs scheduled for release through March 2023*** on Windows PC via Steam and Epic, MacOS via Steam and the Mac App Store, and iOS via the App Store. For more details on Civilization VI: Leader Pass, visit www.civilization.com. 

*Base game and Leader Pass required to access Rulers of China content.
**Base game required to access all Civilization VI: Leader Pass content and additional DLC packs required to access certain leaders and content included in the Leader Pass. Leader Pass is only available on Steam, Epic, Mac App Store, and iOS, and is already included as part of the Civilization VI Anthology Edition. See https://civilization.com/news/entries/new-leaders-coming-to-civilization-vi/ for more info.

*** Estimated release dates, subject to change. Leader Pass content will be automatically delivered in-game as it is released