by Joe Neate, Executive Producer, Rare • Aug 4, 2022 @ 8:00am

First unveiled as part of this summer’s Xbox & Bethesda Games Showcase – via a jaunty musical number, no less – the seventh Sea of Thieves Season is here, heralding the arrival of ship Captaincy! As one of the features most anticipated by our community, we’re excited to give players the chance to name their ships for the first time, try out a wealth of new decorative choices, and dive into the Captain’s Logbook to review their accomplishments across the waves.

If you’ve been itching to carve a maritime moniker into a Ship’s Crest and set sail as a Captain, you’ll be glad to know that Season Seven is now available as a free update for all players with Xbox Game Pass, across Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Windows 10/11 PC, and Steam.

As with all past seasons, Season Seven also offers 100 levels of rewards free to all Sea of Thieves players, with summer-themed cosmetics and plenty of other goodies to be earned as you build Renown by living your pirate life. If you want to further your seasonal ambitions with more premium items not yet available elsewhere, you can pick up the latest optional Plunder Pass! Find out more about seasons in our Seasons Explained and Plunder Pass Explained articles.

Captain on Deck!

What is it that might inspire a pirate to splash out and spend gold on a ship of their own? To begin with, Captains are able to bestow a name of their choice upon a new vessel for all to see, visible both on the Ship’s Crest or in Ship’s Banners when someone spies you at a distance.

Captains can also purchase a wealth of new decorative options for their quarters (ranging from rugs to the Captain’s Table itself), not to mention make the ship feel truly unique by picking out places to display trinkets. A huge selection of ornaments can be purchased right away, while trophies can be earned by establishing yourself as a consummate Captain and will reflect your time at sea.

Whether you’re a dedicated treasure-taker, fishing fanatic, or simply can’t get enough of smashing skellies, your actions will be reflected in Pirate and Ship Milestones, a new form of progression that encourages different play styles. New rewards will become available along the way, and you can show off your favorite accomplishments in the Captain’s Logbook, which handily also keeps track of your current sailing session.

Shipwrights and Sovereigns

The Outposts are more than ready to handle the arrival of Captained ships. For a fee, shipwrights will save the customization of a Captain’s vessel ready for future sessions, meaning it’ll be just as you remember it next time you wake up in the tavern. Scuffs and scars from previous repairs will mount up over time, so pirates can opt to restore these at the shipwright too, bringing even the scruffiest ship back to pristine condition.

Shipwrights can also deliver premium supplies to the barrels on a captained ship. This courtesy extends to Captain’s Voyages, which are stored aboard ship rather than in your pirate’s pockets and let you influence the difficulty and duration of your next objective – so anything from a swift skeleton hunt to a lengthy, lucrative commission can be plucked straight from storage.

Eager to ensure the shipwrights don’t take all the glory, the swanky Sovereigns have arrived at Outposts ready to deal with Captains of all kinds. They act as highly convenient intermediaries, accepting most treasures at their marquee on behalf of the other companies and permitting captained ships to make full use of their facilities when offloading valuables.

Of course, you don’t need to be a Captain to enjoy the next installments of our ongoing, time-limited adventures. These continue on August 18 with ‘A Hunter’s Cry’, which sends pirates on a risky rescue mission into hostile waters in the hopes of saving the captured hunter Merrick.

Along with 100 levels of Seasonal Renown to reap, new commendations and achievements, and the continuing intrigue of our first mystery, there’s plenty waiting in Season Seven for every pirate to sink their teeth into!

The Emporium Expands

Naturally, a new season brings a bevy of new treasures. The Season Seven Plunder Pass offers advance access to the Baleful Bloom Costume – which sees your pirate gradually succumb to a horticultural hex – and the Beachcomber’s Bounty ship set, created by a marooned mariner who got themselves seaworthy with whatever they could lay their hands on. As ever, once a pass is purchased these items are unlocked by raising your Renown and climbing the levels of the new season, and are initially exclusive to the Plunder Pass before arriving in the Pirate Emporium at a later date.

Keen to get in on the Captaincy fun, August’s Emporium offerings introduce additional designs for Ship’s Crests, lending extra flair to your newly named ship when anyone – crew, boarders, stowaways and so on – come aboard. If your chosen name no longer seems to fit as your ship carves out its legacy, Renaming Deeds can be purchased to scrub the Ship’s Crest clean and let you choose something new.

If you’re the kind of pirate who lights up dark places (and not with firebombs), the luminous Wrecker Wrangler ship set calls to you from the Emporium shelves this month, paying tribute to those flighty fish that call shipwrecks their home. Meanwhile, the boisterous Bilge Rat Weapon Pose Emote and puffed-up Portable Portrait Emote Bundle will bring out your merry and egocentric sides respectively. And don’t forget to snare the Promising Portrait Emote while it’s free for the taking, then use it to turn any vista into a wobbly work of art!

Find Out More

For more information on the Sea of Thieves Season Seven update, including full release notes, visit the Sea of Thieves website. The update is available for free to all Sea of Thieves players who have bought the game on Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Windows 10/11 PC, or via Steam, or players who have access to it with Xbox Game Pass. Simply download and install the latest Sea of Thieves update to get access.

New to Sea of Thieves? Find out about the latest free content updates on our What’s New page, get familiar with Who’s Who or pick up some gameplay tips from our Pirate Academy, which provides invaluable information on topics ranging from sailing to swordplay as you prepare for your maiden voyage. Learn more about Sea of Thieves here, or join the ongoing adventure at www.seaofthieves.com where you can embark on an epic journey with one of gaming’s most welcoming communities!

Sydney, Australia, August 5^th, 2022 – Koch Media GmbH have announced that all Koch Media companies worldwide will be renamed PLAION, accompanied by a complete rebranding.

Klemens Kundratitz, Co-founder and CEO at PLAION states: “Over the last 28 years, we have built an incredibly strong business, partnering with many of the best-known names in the industry. Since joining the Embracer Group in 2018, growth has accelerated and we have become increasingly diversified. To reflect the evolving nature of our business in terms not only of content, but also of geography as we continue our expansion across the globe, we have chosen our new name to better portray who we are and the journey we are taking.”

Watch the unveil video:

Along with the new name comes a new logo that represents the interactive play button, the abstract “P” inside as representation of our new name, and the ribbon symbolising the embracing and connecting role we as PLAION have as a leader in the digital entertainment ecosystem.       

Kundratitz adds: “Our new name offers us the opportunity to build on our rich history as a publishing partner and our outstanding, constantly growing network of world-class development studios and creative people, to keep delivering premium service to our partners, to highlight our ambition as a global player within the entertainment industry but also to reinvent ourselves. Our vision is to enable and inspire our worldwide teams and partners, unlocking their full potential.” ​

At PLAION, our mission is to offer unique entertainment experiences and to create meaningful conversations with our customers, connecting them with our content in any way they choose.

“Our industry is incredibly dynamic, the expectations of our customers and our partners are continually evolving, and we must recognise this. Relying on our strong foundation whilst embracing change will deliver something new, something better. As PLAION, we’re building on our years of success while striving for more, much more. PLAION is a promise to deliver outstanding entertainment to our customers. I’m happy and proud to continue our journey as PLAION”, Kundratitz concludes.

​Over the coming days, you will find more information across our social channels and at plaion.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.

Despot’s Game: Dystopian Army Builder Brings Chaotic Battles to PC, Consoles on September 15

Players can download the prequel, Despotism 3k, for free this weekend

SEATTLE — August 4, 2022 — Despot’s Game: Dystopian Army Builder, the roguelike tactical auto-battler where commanders build their squad of puny humans into a legion of wizards, ninjas, and dozens of other heroes while leading them through a strange post-apocalyptic labyrinth, marches out of Early Access toward a PlayStation 5|4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and PC via Steam and Epic Games launch on Thursday, September 15, 2022. 

To commemorate the release, the developers at Konfa Games and publisher tinyBuild are offering the game’s prequel, Despostim 3k, for free via Steam between August 4-7, 2022. Players who purchase Despot’s Game before it leaves Early Access on September 15 will also receive the DLC “Despot’s Game: Challenges” for no additional charge.

Despot’s Game departs Early Access with reworked mechanics, brand-new quests, strange never-before-seen enemies and mutations, and an expanded soundtrack to terrorize amnesic humans. Equip rag-tag units with 50 weapons from 10 unique classes for near-endless possibilities on the battlefield. Transform terrified (and naked!) humans into battle-ready gunslingers, fearless laser sword-wielders, stalwart stale pretzel-throwers, and much more. Face off against 60 different monsters ranging from giant skeletons and undead zombies to the mythological beast Cerberus and giant man-eating cabbages.

Turn the tide of battle by mutating the armed masses. Buff up poor souls with defense-boosting thicker skin and increased attack, or take things to the next level by combining mutations to blur the lines between Summoners and Shooters to create humans that charge into battle with rapid-firing robots at their sides. Walk a darker path by invoking the “Glory to Satan” ritual to summon an eldritch tentacle by sacrificing an innocent newcomer. 

Tyrants seeking a break from narrowly escaping the clutches of abominable monsters can jump into the all-new Massacre mode for a more classic auto-battler gameplay with quick, back-to-back multiplayer matches to see whose motley crew can come out on top. 

A colorful, quirky pixel art style brings Despot’s Game to life with numerous references to pop culture icons in an unimaginable battle mashup to the sound of upbeat tracks sure to keep players pumped at each turn of the mysterious labyrinths. “Despot’s Game represents our childhood and all of our love for gaming wrapped in one,” said Nikolay Kuznetsov, Game Creator, Konfa Games. “The weapons are filled with easter eggs that represent movies, TV shows, games, and books we read growing up. It’s really fun to see players’ excitement when they recognize and relate to them as well, because without our community, it wouldn’t have been possible to create this game.”

Despot’s Game: Dystopian Army Builder launches on PlayStation 5|4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, Steam, and Epic Games for Windows PC for USD $19.99 / EUR €19.99 on Thursday, September 15, 2022. It supports English, Russian, Brazilian Portuguese, French, Italian, German, Spanish (Spain), Japanese, Korean, and Simplified Chinese languages.

For more information, visit the official Despot’s Game website, follow @Despotism_3k and @tinyBuild on Twitter, like the game’s official Facebook page, and join the melees on Discord.

About Konfa Games

Konfa Games is an independent international studio dedicated to bringing the funniest roguelike experiences to players around the world. Despot’s Game: Dystopian Army comes equipped with the same dark humor and pop culture references as its predecessor and the studio’s first title, Despotism 3k.

About tinyBuild

tinyBuild is a Seattle-based indie label behind the Hello Neighbor franchise and over 30 renowned titles, including Hello Neighbor, Graveyard Keeper, SpeedRunners, Happy Humble’s Burger Farm, and Party Hard. With additional development offices in Amsterdam, Netherlands, and Riga, Latvia, tinyBuild is rapidly building a portfolio of fun, high-quality games across multiple platforms.

Explore the history of the series, learn more about the single-player content of the upcoming game, the state of its development and much more

Prague, Czech Republic – August 04, 2022 – Fulqrum Publishing and Best Way have just released the first installment in a series of Developer Diary videos for Men of War II, the highly anticipated sequel to the acclaimed real-time strategy franchise. This behind-the-scenes dive into the game explores the franchise’s roots and transformations throughout the years, the new game’s single-player gameplay mechanics, playable factions present in Men of War II, and general state of its development.

Watch the first Men of War II Developer Diary video here:

This Developer Diary #1 marks the start of a new stage in the development of Men of War II and you will be able to enjoy much more information and content from the game on a regular basis from now on! Men of War II is expected to launch in 2022 on PC via Steam, Epic Games Store and other digital stores.

Lead your troops in intense real-time battles on the Western and Eastern Fronts and overwhelm your opponents in epic narrative single-player campaigns and skirmish modes, before then diving deep into the multiplayer action. Utilize sophisticated military strategies, lay ambushes, or use brute

force to show your ability as the greatest military leader of all time. Attain full command of different roles: from Air and Armor to Infantry and Support in fast-paced battles packed with action.

Also don’t forget to visit the game’s Steam Page and wishlist it now!

For more information, visit the official Fulqrum Publishing website or follow them on Facebook, Twitter, and/or Steam.

About Fulqrum Publishing

Fulqrum Publishing is a global games publisher with a diverse portfolio of titles, that includes both in-house and independent productions. Fulqrum Publishing has successfully launched over 100 game titles including the critically acclaimed series – King’s Bounty, Men of War, and Space Rangers. Recent releases include such games as Ancestors Legacy, Deep Sky Derelicts, Fell Seal: Arbiter’s Mark, Forgive Me Father, and more.

About Best Way

Best Way is a video game development company founded in 1991 in Sievierodonetsk, Ukraine. After the release of its first title, Soldiers: Heroes of WWII (2004), a real-time tactics strategy game set in World War II, the franchise that would come to be known as Men of War was born. Historical accuracy, in-depth simulation systems, and realistic combat are the studios’ three design pillars. Over the years, Best Way has offered detailed and intense tactical combat experiences and is currently working on Men of War II, the long-awaited sequel to the classic RTS series.

Outsmart and outgun the forces of darkness in the new turn-based strategy title from Good Shepherd Entertainment and Ice Code Games

AMSTERDAM – Aug. 4, 2022 – Welcome to the Wild West, partner! Good Shepherd Entertainment and developer Ice Code Games have released Hard West 2 today on PC via Steam and GOG.com for $29.99/€24.99, with a 10% launch week discount available until August 11. Battle the living and undead through the lawless American frontier in this supernatural sequel to the hit original turn-based strategy game experienced by over half a million players worldwide.

When first-class con man Gin Carter raids a legendary “ghost train” in search of gold, he discovers it haunted by the Devil himself! Now Gin must lead a posse of extraordinary outlaws to save his soul in a land claimed by darkness.

Hard West 2 aggressively ups the ante on the usual tactics gameplay experience, with multiple ways to go on the offensive and change the tide of a fight to your advantage based on your posse’s configuration, skills and traits. Each kill will activate your Bravado and refill your Action Points, so you can keep the streak going with the unstoppable force of a steam train.

With careful planning and positioning, a clever player can blow a hole through enemy lines and lay waste to the stragglers before they even have a chance to take their turn. The smallest decisions can have an explosive impact in the blink of an eye, rewarding creative thinking and skillful execution at every opportunity.

Key Features:

• Lead a Supernatural Posse: Responsibility for your squad of gunslinging outlaws, witches and other mysterious beings lands at your boots. Give your team members bonus skills or enhance existing powers with cards from the Deck of Haunts, then arm them with guns, explosives, trinkets, or just some beans and whiskey to keep them in top shape. Synergize your party’s abilities to pull off devastating attacks and control the battlefield. Make the right calls to get more Loyalty Points and use their support to solve predicaments and sub-quests.
• Conquer the Dark Frontier: Explore the frozen wastelands and lawless frontier towns of the Wild West in a desperate battle against the living and undead. Fight across dynamic levels that’ll keep your brain as busy as your trigger. Let your Western imagination run wild with thrilling horseback chases and train heists.
• Unleash Your Bravado: In Hard West 2, you no longer have to hide behind cover, as each kill will replenish your Action Points! Go on the offensive, and chain together brutal kills to extend your streak as you take down anyone or anything brazen enough to stand in your way!
• The Good, the Bad & the Undead: Wild West folk tales and the occult collide in a character-driven story featuring the voice talents of Kevin Conroy (Batman: The Animated Series), Darien Sills-Evans (Days Gone) and Adam Gifford (The Colony), co-written by Origins Award winner and New York Times bestseller Matt Forbeck (Deadlands) with a score by BAFTA Award winner Jason Graves (Dead Space).

Visit www.HardWestGame.com for more information, and join the community on Facebook, Discord and Reddit.

About Good Shepherd Entertainment

Good Shepherd Entertainment is an award-winning independent game publisher based in the Netherlands. The company has built a robust global footprint, shepherding talented and innovative development teams to create games that delight, surprise, challenge, and – most importantly – entertain. We’ve done this by pairing creators with writers, musicians and IP powerhouses and through strategic partnerships with some of the industry’s most notable names, including Devolver Digital, Croteam and Perfect World. In addition to the critically acclaimed John Wick: Hex, GSE’s selection of titles include Monster Train, Phantom Doctrine, the Transport Fever series, Hard West and its sequel, Hard West 2. www.GoodShepherd.games

About Ice Code Games

Ice Code Games is a Polish indie game development studio based in Warsaw. Since its conception, it has developed and published several games, including a cyberpunk RTS about cults. It recently made its way to the Polish stock market and is working on several tools for game developers. Ice Code Games is made up of a veteran team of professionals with experience producing games ranging from indie to AAA. www.IceCodeGames.com

‘THE DARK HEART OF BALOR’ AVAILABLE NOWTest Your Skills, Might, and Magic on Your Journey To Slay Balor and His Army in This Demonic Side-Scrolling Hack and Slash Game

August 4th, 2022 — Hack and slash hordes of demons and monsters in The Dark Heart of Balor, available now for PC on Steam as Early Access (https://store.steampowered.com/app/1247580/The_Dark_Heart_of_Balor/).

Archdemon Balor has unleashed Hell on the human realm, allowing man’s world to be flooded by hordes of demons and monsters set on destroying everything in their path. You must protect those who are still alive and ultimately destroy Balor to close the Gate. Your quest will take you across a deadly continent of dark crypts, demon-infested wilds, and demonic rifts in the fabric of the world itself. Watch out for traps, prepare for ambushes, and try your best to outsmart puzzles on your way to end Balor’s reign of terror. The fate of the world rests on your shoulders.

Features:Thrilling 3D side-scrolling hack and slash gameplayAn atmospheric dark fantasy world to exploreUnique levels with a variety of NPCs and interesting tests of player skills and movementA plethora of deadly weapons and powers to unlock, melee and magicalAn army of monsters and demons to slayA robust character upgrade system to craft the hunter of your choice

Pick up The Dark Heart of Balor for PC on Steam.

To find out more, visit:http://www.gameartists.com/
Twitter:https://twitter.com/gameartists
Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/gameartists/
Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/GameArtists/
Discord:https://discord.gg/2AC832p

About Game Artists, LLC:
Game Artists started in 2003 making games for mobile phones. We released games “Master of Lines” and “Chess Conquest”. Later we released “Chess Conquest” for modern phones on all major platforms. Throughout the years we collaborated with other companies and studios bringing our expertise in game and software development. Besides gaming, our company has excessive expertise in the lottery and fintech industries. Now we are focused on releasing our first major game for PC and Consoles.

Hamburg, August 4, 2022 – gamigo is announcing to Envoys of anime MMO Aura Kingdom that there will be a special “Requiem of the Lost Souls” in patch 87.

The latest update for Aura Kingdom offers – amongst others – the following content:

• New Dungeon: “Nightmare – Grief Requiem (Solo)”: Enter the Cactakara Forest to experience how suffocating it feels, as if some forces are being suppressed. The villagers say that the Dark Dragons are the source of all evil. In times of chaos, is it right or wrong to blame the Dark Dragon Zika? If you dare to find out, beware of the miasma coming from the ground!
• New Dungeon: “Demon King Fantasies XII – Tribal Battle”: The next installment in this series of quests leads to the Ventos Prairie and one will have to wonder why the Crystal Horn behaves this way. Faced with a powerful opponent and an insurmountable wall of ice, the fate of the Crystal Horn is uncertain…
• Update Hero Score Ranking 1st Place Reward: In addition to the usual prizes, you can get Feyna’s Cursed Horn. If players defeat Feyna, they will receive a special treasure chest that offers a chance to get Eidolon fragments.
• Upgrade the skills of the following Eidolons: Sif, Ares, Summer Alucard, Summer Nidhogg and Tsukuyomi.

And Envoy, don’t forget: The Prism Collection and Anti-Epidemic Attack events are still active! Don’t miss out and take advantage of these special opportunities to get your titles, summoning contracts, and more!

For more information, please visit the following link: https://linktr.ee/AuraKingdom

About gamigo group
The gamigo group is one of the leading publishers of online and mobile games in Europe and North America. The group’s diverse game portfolio includes free-to-play titles such as Fiesta Online, Trove and Aura Kingdom and mobile games like Fantasy Town and Heroes of Twilight. Counting more than 400 employees, gamigo group is one of the largest players in the gaming industry. Besides its German locations in Hamburg (HQ), Berlin and Darmstadt, the gamigo group also has branches in Austin and Bellevue (US), and in Seoul (South Korea). In addition to gamigo AG, the group includes the subsidiaries gamigo Inc. operating as “WildTangent”, gamigo US Inc., gamigo Publishing GmbH, and KingsIsle Entertainment, Inc. The gamigo group strives to grow organically as well as through acquisitions. Since 2013, it has made more than 25 acquisitions, including titles, gaming and technology companies as well as individual game assets. The gamigo group is part of Media and Games Invest (MGI).

Elite Dangerous’ long-running storyline, The Azimuth Saga, is about to reach its dramatic finale. The controversial figure known as Salvation is preparing to unleash the Proteus Wave, a superweapon he claims will stop the Thargoid menace once and for all. 

The finale of the Azimuth Saga, coinciding with the release of Update 13 for Elite Dangerous: Odyssey on Tuesday August 9^th, will pave the way for future Elite Dangerous content updates throughout the rest of 2022 and beyond.  

For any Commanders who wish to join the intensifying fight against the Thargoids, they should head to the HIP 22460 system where they will find it swarming with Anti-Xeno Conflict Zones. Some of these zones feature capital ships from the Federation, Empire and even the Alliance, as they attempt to buy Salvation the time he needs to construct the Proteus Wave. 

Players will be updated on Salvation’s progress in building the Proteus Wave via in-game broadcasts until the moment it is activated. Commanders won’t want to miss what happens next.

The Azimuth Saga began back in October 2020, with the mysterious appearance of an abandoned 200-year-old Megaship – The Adamastor. This also coincided with the emergence of Salvation, an enigmatic and contentious figure who, over the next 18 months, would oversee a series of major victories against the Thargoid threat, using a new and increasingly powerful prototype Anti-Xeno weapon.  

Following a series of major victories, Salvation accumulated the backing of the three main superpowers in the Elite Dangerous galaxy – The Alliance, Empire and Federation. Recently, however, and perhaps too late, Commanders discovered grim revelations about Salvation’s true identity, personal history and unethical research methods. Despite this, the superpowers remain committed to Salvation and trust that he will put an end to the Thargoid threat.

All Elite Dangerous players can witness the finale of the Azimuth Saga, no matter which version of the game they are playing. Read more about the events of the saga so far here.

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Elite Dangerous: Odyssey is available to purchase now on Steam, via the Epic Games Store, or via the Frontier Store.

Note: In order to play Elite Dangerous: Odyssey or Elite Dangerous: Horizons, players must also own a copy of the Elite Dangerous base game.

Visit the Elite Dangerous official website at www.elitedangerous.com 

About Elite Dangerous
Take control of your own starship in a cutthroat galaxy. Some may know you as an ally; others will call you a pirate, a bounty hunter, a smuggler, an explorer, an assassin, a hero… Fly with friends, fight for a cause or go it alone. Your actions change the galaxy around you in an ever-unfolding story. Explore a detailed 1:1 model of our real galaxy, and be the first to discover one of 400 billion star systems. Start with a small starship and a handful of credits, and do whatever it takes to earn the skill, knowledge, wealth and power to stand among the ranks of the Elite.
 
About FrontierFrontier is a leading independent developer and publisher of videogames founded in 1994 by David Braben, co-author of the iconic Elite game. Based in Cambridge, Frontier uses its proprietary COBRA game development technology to create innovative genre-leading games, primarily for personal computers and videogame consoles. As well as self-publishing internally developed games, Frontier also publishes games developed by carefully selected partner studios under its Frontier Foundry games label.

‘Elite’, the Elite logo, the Elite Dangerous logo, ‘Frontier’, the Frontier logo,’ are registered trademarks of Frontier Developments plc. All rights reserved.

To celebrate, Thirdverse is featuring campaigns and events for the fantasy action game for Meta Quest 2 and PCVR.

TOKYO – August 4, 2022 – Thirdverse, Inc. (HQ: Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo; CEO: Hironao Kunimitsu) is pleased to announce that its new multiplayer VR sword-fighting action game, “ALTAIR BREAKER” will be released for Meta Quest 2 and PCVR platforms later this summer. Prior to its release, starting today, the game is available for wishlisting on the Meta Quest store, as well as on Steam.

Add the game to your wishlist to get notified as soon as the game releases, which will be later this year.

Meta Quest Store: https://www.oculus.com/experiences/quest/4599090550122539
Steam: https://store.steampowered.com/app/1909820/ALTAIR_BREAKER/

Official Website: https://altair-breaker.com/

Virtual Athletics League Partnership 
Thirdverse is partnering with the “Virtual Athletics League” (VAL) and their content creators team to deliver several videos and prize campaigns for everyone’s enjoyment.

We are very excited to appoint TikTok content creator Techman_ju (https://www.tiktok.com/@techman_ju) as ALTAIR BREAKER’s Official Ambassador, as well as many other creators on TikTok, YouTube and Twitch. 

Additionally, to celebrate the launch of Coming Soon pages and to prepare for launch, a Gleam Giveaway has just started, featuring prizes such as a Quest 2 headset and Amazon gift card. We look forward to your participation and we hope you will enjoy the content from our partners. 

Gleam Giveaway Page: https://gleam.io/S9tpg/altair-breaker-prelaunch-quest-2-giveaway

Transcendent VR Sword-Fighting
Designed with casual players in mind, ALTAIR BREAKER brings a “new generation of VR sword-fighting action” to the VR world. The game features several unique aspects and actions that would be impossible to perform in the real world, such as high-speed sword-fighting action, blow-ups, aerial combos, and wide-range attacks with special moves. 
ALTAIR BREAKER also enables multiplayer gameplay for up to four players and cross-play between Meta Quest 2 and PCVR, leaving players free to be matched with players from all over the world and communicate via voice chat.

The World of ALTAIR
The game takes place in an aerial city located in the VR world called “ALTAIR”, where AI was created in the past to help and develop singularity-like creatures. Once a group of islands covered in a sea of clouds, most of the islands have collapsed to this day. Now they are nothing but ruins floating in the void inhabited by LAWS, the experimental battle AIs left behind and free to wander around. Players are guided by the humanoid AI “Stella” who observes and manages this land, and are challenged to fight against the vicious “LAWS”.

Listen to ALTAIR BREAKER Main Theme “Singularity”, Composed and arranged by Hideki Sakamoto (noisycroak): 

Product Overview

• Title: ALTAIR BREAKER
• Supported Platforms: Meta Quest 2, PCVR
• Genre: VR Multiplayer Sword-fighting
• Release Date: Summer 2022
• Price: to be announced
• Players: Up to 4 player online co-op
• Developer/Publisher: Thirdverse, Co., Ltd. 

About Thirdverse, Inc.
Founded in 2020, Thirdverse Inc. is a virtual reality game development, distribution and management company paving the path to the metaverse, and based out of Tokyo, Japan and San Francisco. In 2019, the studio released the world’s first VR multiplayer sword-fighting action game, SWORDS of GARGANTUA. Thirdverse is also currently promoting the “Thirdverse Plan”, aiming to create a “Third Space” in the virtual metaverse. The company currently has several VR and blockchain projects in development.

For more information visit www.thirdverse.io.

Kwalee Confirms Attendance at BitSummit X-Roads in Kyoto

Playable demos of Die by the Blade and Scathe available at the show

Leamington Spa, UK – 4th August 2022. Leading UK publisher Kwalee today confirmed their attendance at BitSummit X-Roads with playable demos of upcoming bullet-hell FPS Scathe and the brutal one-hit-kill fighting game Die by the Blade. Hosted in Kyoto, Japan, BitSummit X-Roads will run from Saturday 6th to Sunday 7th August. 

“We are very much looking forward to attending BitSummit X-Roads with our two upcoming titles Scathe and Die by the Blade, both perfect titles to showcase to the Japanese audience” comments Max Everingham, Head of PC & Console Publishing at Kwalee. “We will also be meeting with publishers, media, and developers from Japan and explore all the opportunities at this great event”. 

Located at booth IP-03, Kwalee will showcase hands-on demos of the highly anticipated, upcoming bullet-hell FPS, Scathe from developer Damage State, and the intense one-hit-kill 1v1 fighting game Die by the Blade from Grindstone and developer Triple Hill Interactive. 

Launching for PC on 31st August 2022, Scathe is an adrenaline-fueled, classic FPS with big guns and even bigger demons. You play as Scathe, Enforcer of the legions of Hell, forged from the earth by the Divine Creator themself. And you, like your fallen kin before you, must prove your worth by navigating a deviously crafted maze entangled with demonic evil at every twist and turn. So, grab your Hellhammer, lock’n’load, and get ready to unleash your almighty fury! Console versions will be following in early 2023. 

Drawing inspiration from legendary titles such as Bushido Blade, Way of the Samurai, and the Dark Souls series, Die by the Blade is a brutal 1v1 fighter set in a stunning samurai-punk world. Choose from a range of traditional Japanese weapons to determine your moveset and go head to head with your opponents in intense ‘one-hit-kill’ combat. Learn to parry your enemy’s blows with lightning speed before delivering the final devastating strike for the win. Die by the Blade will launch for PC and console in late 2022. 

Keep up to date with all the latest Kwalee news by visiting the official website here

About Kwalee

Kwalee is a multi-award-winning games publisher and developer based in Leamington Spa, UK, which boasts well over 850 million installs on mobile platforms and now also publishes a growing catalogue of PC and console titles, including Eternal Hope and upcoming titles Scathe, Die By The Blade, Wildmender and Robobeat.  

Founded by games industry icon and Codemasters co-founder David Darling CBE, who leads a fast-growing team of global gaming experts with studios in the UK, India and China along with remote team members all over the world, Kwalee is on the lookout for high-quality games to publish on all platforms and encourages developers to get in touch.   

Officially recognised as ‘Best Publisher’ (Mobile Games Awards 2022) and ‘Best Large Studio’ (TIGA Awards 2021), Kwalee is also an ambassador of not-for-profit organisation Women in Games and a regular supporter of the charity SpecialEffect.  

About Damage State 

Damage State is a video games developer situated in Dundee, Scotland, UK. Formed in 2019 by three ex-AAA industry developers sporting over 40 years of combined experience. Their focus is on premium indie titles (III) and a more modern take on game development. SCATHE is Damage State’s debut title and is due for release in 2022.

About Grindstone

Grindstone is the new age publisher from Slovakia founded by industry veteran Peter Nagy in 2015. Despite starting low profile, projects produced and supported by Grindstone stand out of the crowd with their unique concept, ideas and production quality. Beyond the production of games, Grindstone leads the growth of the regional game development ecosystem, organizes the international game conference Game Days, and aims to become a major global publishing and production company.

About Triple Hill Interactive

Triple Hill Interactive is a fast growing game development studio from Košice, Slovakia. Founded in 2015 by Peter Adamondy, Triple Hill is dedicated to bringing innovative and high quality projects to PC and consoles. Triple Hill released several mobile games and currently is working on Die by the Blade – innovative one-hit-kill sword combat game inspired by Bushido Blade slated for 2022 release.