Raise a family, farm the land, run a business, and build an everlasting legacy in a vast world filled with adventure, creativity and meaningful choices 

Guildford, UK – 6 December 2022. PixelCount Studios has today launched the life sim sandbox RPG Kynseed for PC. Developed by former Fable developers, Kynseed offers players a vast and beautiful hand-crafted world to explore, countless lives to live and experiences to discover, and an RPG story spanning generations. Kynseed is available now on Steam with a 10 percent launch discount running from 6 December to 13 December. 

Developed by veterans of the Fable series, in Kynseed players plant a mystical acorn and raise it into a family tree where their choices form the branches. Players will raise a family, farm the land, run a business, and explore a vast world as its inhabitants age and reveal their secrets. When the player character dies, control passes to their children and the adventure continues across generations. 

More than five years in development, Kynseed is already enjoyed by more than 125,000 Early Access players. With today’s launch, Kynseed reaches 1.0 with the arrival of arrival new gameplay alongside an enthralling story told across the generations. An epic tale of adventure and ambition will unravel in a beautifully hand-crafted world as players discover the secrets of the land of Quill and its cast of memorable characters.  

Kynseed Features:   

• A generation-spanning story. Embark upon an epic adventure filled with joy, sorrow, comedy, and tragedy, where choices matter and decisions echo through the generations.  
• Run a business. Forge tools as a blacksmith, run a store, mix potions as an apothecary, or find other ways to build a fortune.   
• A world of exploration. The land of Quill is filled with characters, secrets, danger, and dark faery tale creatures to battle.  
• Farm the land. Grow ingredients for food and potions, work the soil, and set up a home for your family.   
• Develop lasting relationships. Quill is full of colourful NPCs who will remember your deeds, actions, and pranks.    
• Find proverbs. Unlock the lore and secrets of this mysterious faery tale world.  
• Gather materials. Forage and farm to craft items, cook recipes or mix cures for a range of bizarre maladies.  

To celebrate the launch of Kynseed and to thank the game’s community, players who have been enjoying Early Access will receive an exclusive cosmetic item for their farm.  

Kynseed is available today on Steam with a 10 percent discount for £17.99/$22.49/€22.49. After 13 December Kynseed will be available to purchase for £19.99/$24.99/€24.99.   

ABOUT PIXELCOUNT STUDIOS   PixelCount Studios is a small team of independent developers who have come together to build the game of their dreams. Kynseed is an original RPG life sim inspired by the charm, eccentricity, and humour that permeated Lionhead Studios’ games. PixelCount Studios was founded by Fable developers Charlie Edwards and Neal Whitehead and is Chaired by game industry legend Sir Ian Livingstone.  

ROCKFISH Games has secured a grant to develop post-launch expansion content for their upcoming open-space looter shooter, EVERSPACE 2.

Hamburg, Germany – December 6, 2022 – Independent AA developer ROCKFISH Games is the recipient of a sizable 1.65 million Euro grant from the German federal parliament. The latest distribution of the German games fund grant by the Federal Ministry of Economics and Climate Protection in October from, totalled nearly 10 million Euro, bolstering small, mid-sized, and large video game studios of all kinds in Germany. For ROCKFISH Games, this means a jump start in the development of additional content for the upcoming installment of their popular fast-paced space combat franchise.

“The government’s continued interest in supporting German studios shows a commitment to fostering local talent and the creation of new IP in a growing creative field,” shared Michael Schade, CEO of ROCKFISH Games. “As we close in on the launch of EVERSPACE 2 in 2023, our team is looking to what’s to come in the future, and this grant is helping make it happen. We’re excited to share that ROCKFISH Games will be using this grant as part of our €3.9 million major expansion for EVERSPACE 2 planned to release in 2024. While we’ll have more to share about this content in the future, I will say that this major expansion will give EVERSPACE fans more star systems to adventure in as we explore stories focused on the companions of EVERSPACE 2.”

As part of the studio’s commitment to self-publishing and marketing their exciting space-faring EVERSPACE IP which has sold over 2.5M copies across all platforms to-date, ROCKFISH has expanded their marketing team with a seasoned hire: 

In January 2023, Lee Guille joins ROCKFISH Games as Communications & PR Director from Canada. In addition to his background working with independent developers around the globe, he brings a decade’s worth of communication, marketing, and PR experience from roles in gaming and ecommerce industries. 

“I’ve been a fan of EVERSPACE for quite some time now and have admired the team’s transparency and commitment to working with the community during development. In working with the team at ROCKFISH, I saw an incredible commitment to creating polished, exciting adventures that combine three of my favourite things: spacefaring action, deep RPG mechanics, and lore-filled science fiction stories,” said Lee Guille ROCKFISH Games Communication & PR Director. “I can’t wait to help take this incredible franchise into the future!”

In addition to the expanded Marketing department, the ROCKFISH Games team is continuing to expand. Opportunities in Programming and Art roles are currently open to increase momentum on EVERSPACE 2 and aid in developing future projects. 

EVERSPACE 2 is currently available in Early Access on Steam, GOG, and the Microsoft Store. With the sixth and final major content update Ancient Rifts dropped just a few days ago, version 1.0 is planned to release on PC, as well as Xbox and PlayStation consoles in early 2023. This is also when a fully optimized version for Steam Deck will be available.

Watch the official release trailer for the EVERSPACE 2 Ancient Rifts update here.

About EVERSPACE™ 2

EVERSPACE 2 continues the story of Adam Roslin from the first part of the series. EVERSPACE 2 currently has four sprawling star systems that can be explored by space pilots. Players experience Adam’s emotional journey and personal development from an immortal clone space pilot to an individual character whose death has final consequences in an open-world action RPG. EVERSPACE 2 offers in the current Early Access version more than 35 hours of gameplay and already contains all core mechanics of the targeted final version.

EVERSPACE 2 can be purchased on Steam here and on GOG here. The full version for PC, including Mac, native Linux, and optimized Steam Deck support as well as Xbox and PlayStation, will be released at a reasonably increased price in early 2023.

About ROCKFISH Games GmbH

ROCKFISH Games is an independent AA game studio specializing in high-quality Unreal Engine 4 action RPG video games for PC and consoles. Industry veterans Michael Schade and Christian Lohr founded ROCKFISH Games to create a new breed of adrenalin-filled adventures for space shooter fans through their acclaimed EVERSPACEIP. After spending 30 years as joint entrepreneurs in the 3D graphics and mobile gaming space, Schade and Lohr built ROCKFISH Games from the ground up alongside their former team of veteran talents to the current studio of 25 cherry-picked game developers and community experts from across the industry.

Using Kickstarter as a platform to build a new community in 2015, ROCKFISH Games reached a runaway success with EVERSPACE, which has sold over two million copies on PC and consoles. Building on this success and propelled by yet another wildly successful Kickstarter campaign in 2019, ROCKFISH Games is dedicated to crafting a compelling next-gen single-player open-world space shooter experience that is driven by quality storytelling while being highly accessible at the beginning and yet deep in its gameplay mechanics to appeal to casual as well as hardcore space action aficionados from around the globe with EVERSPACE 2.

God of War Ragnarök is now picture-ready! With the latest update, players will now have access to the Photo Mode feature.  

From quiet moments with Kratos and Atreus, to the elegant and brutal combat shots with ice and fire flying – the range of the photographers who take shots in God of War has been a constant source of inspiration.

With this latest update to God of War Ragnarök, PlayStation is pleased to finally be able to give players access to Photo Mode in this game as well!  

God of War Ragnarök – Photo Mode Features 

• Apply expressions to the following characters in a scene:
  • Kratos, Atreus, Freya, Brok, Sindri, Tyr, Angrboda, Thor, and Thrúd
  • Hide main or side characters in a scene
  • Adjust camera controls with:
    • Field of View
    • Focal Length
    • Camera Roll
  • Adjust shutter controls with:
    • Depth of Field
    • Focus Distance
    • F-Stop
  • Adjust brightness and filters with:
    • Film Grain
    • Exposure
    • Filter Intensity, with finer controls for Vibrance and Saturation
  • Apply vignettes, borders, and logos

To get players started, Santa Monica Studio Photo Mode aficionado and QA Lead Tim Ward has shared some tips (and amazing photos)! 

Photo Mode Tips 

• Adjust the Filter Intensity, Vibrance, and Saturation on your desired filter for a wider range of colours. 
• Be sure to add a vignette when appropriate to give your shot more depth.
• Don’t be afraid to roll the camera a little bit, especially when shooting combat. It can make your screenshots feel more dynamic and less like the camera is always shooting from a fixed horizontal position. 
• If you like to take vertical shots, you can roll the camera 90 degrees to give yourself the much-needed headroom.
• Remember, lighting is everything! Your screenshots will really pop if the subject of your shot is properly lit. Know where your light source is when entering Photo Mode to give your subject proper visibility.
• Take your time looking for a shot you’re happy with. A lot of times, you can enter photo mode thinking of taking a specific shot only to find something else better during that moment. Explore with the camera and move about the scene and see what jumps out at you.

Players be sure to tag @SonySantaMonica or use the hashtag #GodofWarRagnarök to share. 

For more information on God of War head to the PlayStation Blog.

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

Launch discount revealed at INDIE Live Expo Winter 2022

TOKYO — Dec. 4, 2022 — Goonya Monster, the asymmetric multiplayer party action game published by MUTAN, kicks off festivities and undead heads today with a surprise 10% launch discount on PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch and PC via Steam, as announced during INDIE Live Expo Winter 2022. 

Jump into an adorable world of chibi cuteness brought to life by all-star voice actors such as Shiori Izawa (Made in Abyss, Chainsaw Man), Rikako Aida (Love Live! Sunshine!!), Nogami Sho (Azure Striker Gunvolt), Fairuz Ai (JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure, Chainsaw Man) and Tomokazu Sugita (Persona 5, Fire Emblem).

Grab two friends (and one enemy!) and have a blast as the Busters take on the Monster in an asymmetric 3-vs-1 extravaganza. Team up as the gun-toting Busters and master wild weaponry with shotguns, lasers, flamethrowers, land mines at your disposal to round up the souls of the undead roaming the stage. Collect all of the souls to win, but watch out for the Monster controlled by the fourth player!

Unleash an arsenal of special powers as the Monster who will stop at nothing to defeat the Busters. Go super-sized, fire gigantic laser beams, send waves of minions and use the ultimate “predation” attack to turn Busters into ghosts and steal back the undead souls. Terrorize opponents as an unrelenting Monster and stop the Busters from reviving their teammates! Survive the time limit or destroy all three Busters to win the round. 

Japanese rock band SAKANAMON and Goonya Monster theme song creators FAKE TYPE. and Chogakusei will join the cartoony action with their band members to be used as custom skins for both Monsters and Busters starting Thursday, Dec. 8th, 2022. 

“Terada Tera’s iconic art style combined with the musical talents we’ve partnered with are a perfect match for a party game,” says Hiroyuki Watanabe, CEO of MUTAN. “We are beyond grateful to have collaborated with FAKE TYPE, Cho Gakusei and SAKANAMON, and can’t wait to showcase more in-game events we have planned for the future.”

Goonya Monster is available now for $19.99, with a 10% launch discount on Steam, Switch and PlayStation 5 for a limited time. Goonya Monster is supported in English, Japanese, simplified Chinese and traditional Chinese. 

For more information, please visit the official website, and follow @GoonyaEN and #GoonyaMonster on Twitter. 

About MUTAN

MUTAN is a game development studio that aims to create digital content that captures the child-like excitement of playing a game for the first time, creating new, dreamlike experiences for the next generation of gamers.  

About Ryu’s Office

Ryu’s Office offers in-depth marketing solutions for smartphone, console, arcade, and PC games in Japan. They are particularly focused on the planning and production of numerous live broadcasts based out of Japan for the gaming industry.

To learn more, visit the official Ryu’s Office website.

Uncover Dark Secrets on Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S

BRISTOL, England – Dec. 5 2022 – Chasing Static, the retro psychological horror game from the twisted minds of developer Headware Games and publisher Ratalaika Games S.L., creeps from the darkest Welsh forests and onto Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One on Thursday, 12 January 2023.

The dark woods of rural North Wales welcome back the prodigal son Chris Selwood, returning to attend the funeral of his late father. After a pit stop for a hot coffee and a break from the rain with the diner’s waitress, Aneira, his world turns upside down after an unknown terror pins her to the ceiling. Chris awakens later after the shock dispatches him momentarily, and finds himself in the same diner, now broken, rusty, and inexplicably worn with age.

Left with many questions, Chris turns to his estranged father’s journal, filled to the brim with strange and seemingly unrelated notes. With a semblance of knowledge in hand, he must explore the blackened ruins now surrounding him for answers. Chris finds he’s not alone, however, as terrifying horrors and monsters now stalk his surroundings, waiting to tear him apart with violent glee.

Chris must survive with the help of the Frequency Displacement Monitoring Device, a tool capable of deciphering sounds and the conversations of spirits long departed. Discover clues for puzzles and paint an image of what the dead experienced before their demise. Experience hi-fi sound design setting the eerie stage, with full voice acting.

Explore dark forests, abandoned buildings, and a ghost town, in first-person perspective, all rendered in a low-poly visual style reminiscent of late-1990s and early-2000s survival horror classics. Chase signals in the static revealing clues to the fate of the waitress and secrets of his father, while avoiding otherworldly foes pursuing Chris.

“After so many people played Chasing Static on PC, it’s my honor to invite console players on PlayStation, Nintendo, and Xbox to my Welsh nightmare,” said Nathan Hamley, Founder, Headware Games. “Having my game on the platforms that hosted the inspirational games of my youth still feels surreal.”

Chasing Static will release onPlayStation 4 and 5, Nintendo Switch, and Xbox Series X|S and Xbox One on 12 January 2023, and will feature English language voice acting and English, French, German, Spanish, Russian and Japanese text. For more information on Chasing Static, please visit the game’s Steam Page and follow Headware Games on Twitter and Facebook. 

About Headware Games

Founded by solo developer Nathan Hamley of Bristol, England, Headware Games creates adventure games with a focus on accessibility and to experiment with interactive narrative. Chasing Static is the studio’s second title, after previously releasing Guard Duty, an innovative point-and-click adventure game played over two distinct eras of history.

For more information, please visit the Headware Games website and follow Headware Games on Twitter and Facebook.

About Ratalaika Games

Based out of Spain, Ratalaika Games is an indie developer and publisher of games for consoles and PC. Focused on helping other indie creators, the company offers console porting, localization, and promotion services to spread the word about smaller studios to gamers all over the world.

To learn more, visit the Ratalaika Games’ official website, like the Ratalaika Facebook page, and follow @RatalaikaGames on Twitter.

To celebrate the launch of one of the most anticipated and highly acclaimed games of the year, God of War Ragnarök, PlayStation Australia puts one of Australia’s most elite athletes, Alex Volkanovski, to the test by getting him “Ragnarök Ready” to face challenges from across the Nine Realms. 

How will the world’s greatest pound for pound fighter, Alexander ‘The Great’ Volkanovski, stack up to the title’s infamous protagonist and God of War, Kratos? WATCH VIDEO BELOW to find out.

Taking part in a bespoke circuit created by celebrity personal trainer, Jono Castano, Alex is challenged on his stamina, endurance and combat with exercises including wall climbing, boxing, battle ropes, sledgehammer slams and more. 

Patrick Lagana, Director of Marketing at PlayStation Australia said, “In God of War Ragnarok we see Kratos tested like never before as he battles gods and monsters across the Nine Realms to protect his family. Just as Kratos prepared for the ultimate showdown, we wanted to bring his journey to life in a challenging but fun way alongside our Friends of PlayStation. Alex and Jono were perfect candidates to get us Ragnarök Ready. Some of us even tried to keep up and quickly learned what it means to train like Kratos.”

Speaking during the training, Alex said, “Getting Ragnarök Ready is all about staying calm. Composure is key. You never know what’s going to happen in there and you have to prepare for the worst. Before battle you have to prepare and remember what you’re fighting for.” 

Try Jono’s full workout for yourself and see if you can become “Ragnarök Ready”: 

SET ONE: ENDURANCE & EXPLORATION

You’re gonna need to have the stamina and endurance to sprint, climb, jump and row your way through the Nine Realms. 

• Blazepod Agility test – 3 rounds of 60 seconds, 45 second break between rounds
• Interval Sprints – 3 x 30 second jog above 16.0 speed into sprints of max for 15 seconds, 45 second active recovery
• Versa Climber – 3 x 30 seconds work, 15 second sprint climb, 45 seconds off

SET TWO: COMBAT TRAINING

To survive Ragnarok, you’ll have to take on enemies much bigger and much stronger than you. Kratos has a wide range of combat styles so that enemies never know what to expect. 

• Battle Ropes – 4 x 30 second rounds, 30 second break between each
• Hammer Slams – 3 x 30 second slams, 30 second break
• Tyre Push – 3 x 30 seconds on, 30 seconds off
• Boxing – 3x 60 second rounds, 30 second break

God of War Ragnarök is available now online from playstation.com and in selected retailers.

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

About God of War Ragnarök

From Santa Monica Studio comes the sequel to the critically acclaimed God of War (2018). Fimbulwinter is well underway. Kratos and Atreus must journey to each of the Nine Realms in search of answers as Asgardian forces prepare for a prophesied battle that will end the world. Along the way they will explore stunning, mythical landscapes, and face fearsome enemies in the form of Norse gods and monsters. The threat of Ragnarök grows ever closer. Kratos and Atreus must choose between their own safety and the safety of the realms.

PARIS — Dec. 5, 2022 — BLACKTAIL, the surreal first-person action-adventure game from Focus Entertainment and THE PARASIGHT, has unveiled a new trailer in anticipation of its upcoming release next week! Get a final glimpse at the dark fairy-tale world that awaits you on December 15 on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S and PC.

You play as Yaga, a 16-year-old girl accused of witchcraft and expelled from her medieval settlement following the mysterious disappearance of her twin sister and life-long protector Zora. When living memories of your past return as foul, walking spirits, you are left with no other option than to hunt them down in hopes of unraveling your own mystery. Track them down with your trusty bow, crafting arrows and potions while gathering materials to survive in the ominous woods. Engage in thrilling fights against mighty bosses as you unearth hidden treasures and collect lost recipes to improve your abilities and shape your play style.

Live out the origins of the classic Slavic folktale, experiencing a one-of-a-kind blend of archery combat, magic and dark storytelling in a vibrant fairy-tale land. Witness the impact of your decisions on yourself and the world through BLACKTAIL’s morality system. The fate of the woods is in your hands: will you be a good witch, or turn to evil?

BLACKTAIL pre-orders are available now on Steam with a 20% pre-launch discount. For more information on the game, visit the Focus Entertainment website.

HELL-A, CALIFORNIA, 4^th December 2022 (Sydney, Australia, 5^th December 2022) | Deep Silver and Dambuster Studios are delighted to announce the Dead Island 2 Showcase – Another Day In HELL-A – airs on Tuesday, 6^th December (Wednesday, 7^th December AEDT), introducing brand new gameplay and information through a captivating live action film, and also premiers a thrilling trailer with an extended look at exclusive footage of the game.

Watch on Twitch.tv/DeepSilver from 7am AEDT / 9am NZDT on Wednesday, 7^th December.

Dead Island 2 will release on 28^th April, 2023 on Xbox Series X and Xbox One, the all-in-one games and entertainment systems from Microsoft, PlayStation®5 and PlayStation®4 computer entertainment systems and the Epic Games Store for PC.

For more information on Dead Island 2 follow us on Twitter and Instagram and on Facebook at @DeadIslandGame.

© 2023 PLAION GmbH and published by Deep Silver. Developed by Deep Silver Dambuster Studios. Additional development by Fishlabs GmbH. Deep Silver, Dead Island, Dambuster, Fishlabs and their respective logos are trademarks of PLAION GmbH. All other trademarks, logos and copyrights are property of their respective owners. All Rights Reserved.

ABOUT DEEP SILVER

Deep Silver develops and distributes interactive games for all platforms. The Deep Silver label means to captivate all gamers who have a passion for thrilling gameplay in exciting game worlds by creating products of the highest possible quality, always focusing on what the customer desires. Deep Silver has published more than 200 games since 2003, including its own brands like the open world extravaganza Saints Row, the zombie action franchise Dead Island, and the gritty, post-apocalyptic Metro series. Upcoming highlights from Deep Silver include the next entries into the TimeSplitters and Dead Island franchises. Deep Silver development studios include Deep Silver Dambuster Studios and Free Radical Design, both in Nottingham, UK and Deep Silver Fishlabs in Hamburg, Germany. For more information please visit www.deepsilver.com. All product titles, publisher names, trademarks, artwork and associated imagery are trademarks, registered trademarks and/or copyright material of the respective owners. All rights reserved.

ABOUT DEEP SILVER DAMBUSTER STUDIOS

Deep Silver Dambuster Studios is a AAA game developer with a heritage spanning over 20 years, with around 170 designers, narrators, artists, programmers and engineers making up the talented team.

Established in Nottingham (UK), the studio was founded by a passionate team of games industry veterans, with the genesis of the studio traced back to the late 1990s, when several people formed Free Radical Design where they worked on TimeSplitters.

In 2014 the studio was acquired by Deep Silver and rebranded Deep Silver Dambuster Studios. It released Homefront: The Revolution for PlayStation 4, Xbox One and PC in 2016. In the 12 months following the launch of Homefront it released additional Resistance Mode content and three individual story expansions; The Voice of Freedom, Aftermath and the final story bookend, Beyond the Walls.

The studio is now developing the next instalment in the highly successful Dead Island series of games.

 For more information please visit www.DSDambuster.com.

ABOUT PLAION

PLAION is a leading independent developer and producer of games and entertainment products, with ten 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 ten game development studios: Deep Silver Volition (Champaign, IL, USA), 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.