Players can explore an abandoned floating city and engage in co-op play from 1-4 players in upcoming VR title to release this spring 2022 for Meta Quest2 and PCVR

SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. – March 17, 2022 – Thirdverse Inc. is pleased to announce that its new VR multiplayer sword-fighting action game, ALTAIR BREAKER, will be available for purchase in the spring of 2022. The newest title from Thirdverse leverages the expertise from the company’s first and most successful VR title “SWORDS of GARGANTUA“, and features top talent, including Noisycroak famous composer Hideki Sakamoto to direct the game soundtrack and popular anime and games voice actor Xanthe Huynh to dub navigator character “Stella”. The game is set on an abandoned city floating in the void of the VR world Altair, where players can dive in to unravel the mysteries of this AI-controlled world.

Thirdverse will offer the first hands-on demos of ALTAIR BREAKER to visitors of the annual Game Developers Conference in San Francisco from March 23-25 at the Moscone Convention Center North Hall in booth N3011.

Check out the preview trailer for ALTAIR BREAKER here:

◆ A New Generation VR Sword-Fighting Action
Designed with casual players in mind, this title 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 for up to four players and cross-play between Meta Quest 2 and PCVR, leaving players free to be matched with users from all over the world and communicate via voice chat.

◆ Introducing the World of ALTAIR BREAKER
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, with the experimental battle AIs left behind and free to wander around. Players are guided by the humanoid AI that observes this land and challenged to fight against the vicious battle AI.

◆ Popular Anime and Games Voice Actor Xanthe Huynh to dub navigator character “Stella”
Xanthe Huynh is a Los Angeles actor with a degree in the Dramatic Arts from the University of California, Irvine. Represented by Dean Panaro Talent, she’s been working in voice over for over 10 years and is known for roles such as Palla-Palla from Sailor Moon SuperS, Tsugumi in Scarlet Nexus, Miggy in Aggretsuko, Maquia in Maquia When the Promised Flower Blooms, Haru in Persona 5, Marianne in Fire Emblem Three Houses, Kanon in Neo: The World Ends With You, and Vatista in Blazblue Cross Tag Battle.

◆ Noisycroak famous composer Hideki Sakamoto to direct the game soundtrack 
Composer/Representative of Noisycroak. Music creator in many fields, mainly for games’ soundtracks. Key works include “Super Smash Brothers Ultimate” (main theme “Lifelight”, composition and arrangement), “Crayon Shin chan: Ora to Hakase no Natsuyasumi – Owaranai Nanokakan no Tabi” (main theme, composition and arrangement), “Windboys!”, “Bungo to Alchemist”, “Romance of The Three Kingdoms 14”, “Echochrome” Series, and “Holy Invasion of Privacy, Badman! What Did I Do to Deserve This?” series.

Product Overview

• Supported Platforms: Meta Quest2, PCVR
• Title: “ALTAIR BREAKER”
• Genre: VR Multiplayer Sword Fighting Action
• Price: to be announced
• Release: Spring 2022
• Supported Languages: Japanese, English (more in future update)
• Players: 1-4 Co-op (online only)
• Teaser Website: https://altair-breaker.com/

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.

Thirdverse is best known for its flagship title SWORDS of GARGANTUA, a top-rated VR game in the Oculus and Steam stores, which has continued to grow its fanbase as well as its breadth through the release of feature expansions, such as with the adventure modes, Tesseract Abyss 1 and 2. Additionally, the company currently has several unannounced VR and blockchain projects in development.

For more information visit www.thirdverse.io.  

Nostalgic, action-packed dogfight with online multiplayer and comic-book visuals

Krakow, Poland — March 17, 2022 – Publisher All in! Games announced that its arcade biplane shooter, Red Wings: American Aces, a spin-off of their previous in-house developed arcade shooter, Red Wings: Aces of the Sky will be launching on PC and Nintendo Switch on March 31st. A 20% pre order discount is available for Nintendo Switch until March 31st.

Red Wings: American Aces puts players in the pilot’s seat of a nostalgic, action-packed arcade shooter illustrated in a vibrant comic-book style with a gaming mode for every occasion, also featuring online multiplayer. Budding air aces have 15 different planes to choose from, each with its own unique plane skin across 30 campaign missions available in local co-op for 1-2 players.

Players can also embark on three different gameplay modes, Score Battle, Time Battle, and Hide n’ Seek in a game where fast frenetic arcade gameplay and short gameplay sessions are sure to keep budding pilots on their toes. For larger aerial battles players can build a squad of 5 other players in elimination mode against other squads where safety in numbers can make all the difference. 

“Red Wings: American Aces honors the older arcade classics but adds a modern twist allowing for online multiplayer – the first arcade aerial shooter to do that! ” said Norman Lenda, Development Director. “We wanted to pile on the fun factor in a big entertaining way rather than creating something locked into historical accuracy. There’s plenty of different planes and modes to choose from so each play session offers a new experience.”

Key Features:

• Fly online – Test your skills against a max of 9 other players in Last Man Standing, Score Battle, or Time Battle modes or gather your squad of up to 5 pilots and battle other squads in Elimination, Time Team Battle, or Score Team Battle modes
• Fly locally – Play custom games in 3 different modes (Score Battle, Time Battle, and Hide n’ Seek (2 players only)) solo against AI or against another player 
• Complete 30 missions in campaign mode – relive the aerial dogfights of WWI and encounter all manner of unexpected challenges (available in local co-op for 1-2 players)
• Upgrade your pilot progression skill tree – develop your pilot skills and rearrange points depending on the mission at hand
• Pilot 15 different warplanes, each with unique skins – stand out in the heat of battle with a plane your enemies won’t soon forget
• Rise to the challenge – be prepared for thunderstorms that blast skill cooldowns, sandstorms that reduce visibility, missions where you’ll only be able to take out enemies with barrel rolls, and more!

To stay up to date with Red Wings: American Aces visit the game blog at All In! Games here or the games Steam page here.

About Red Wings: American Aces

Red Wings: American Aces puts you in the pilot’s seat of a nostalgic, action-packed arcade shooter illustrated in a vibrant comic-book style with a gaming mode for every occasion. Prove yourself in exciting aerial battles and make a name for your squad as the best aces of WWI!

About All in! Games

All in! Games is a publicly traded video game publishing and production house based in Krakow, Poland. Founded in 2018, the team creates and supports local and international games for PC and consoles. All in! Games’ portfolio features titles such as Chernobylite (The Farm 51), Paradise Lost (PolyAmorous), Alaloth: Champions of The Four Kingdoms (Gamera Interactive), Tools Up! (The Knights of Unity), and many more. For more information, visit: https://www.allingames.com/

IAM8BIT AND SKYBOUND GAMES, TOGETHER WITH COIN CREW GAMES, UNVEIL ESCAPE ACADEMY 

An Interactive Mystery that Brings the Teamwork and Time-Pressure of Escape Rooms 

to the Living Room

Coming to PC, Xbox and Xbox Game Pass and PlayStation Consoles This June

LOS ANGELES – Mar. 16, 2022 – – iam8bit and Skybound Games have teamed up with the creative minds at Coin Crew Games to reveal Escape Academy, one of the first video games to capture the authentically mind-bending escape room experience. Escape Academy invites players to follow in the footsteps of extraordinary Escapists, puzzling their way through a variety of team-based, exploration and time-pressure challenges, created specifically to bring the mystery, intrigue and fun of brick-and-mortar escape rooms into players’ homes.

The Escape Academy announcement trailer can be viewed here.

Escape Academy is available to be added to wish lists for each platform at the following links for Steam and PlayStation with Xbox coming at a later date. 

Coin Crew Games, co-founded by Wyatt Bushnell and Mike Mohammed Salyh, has deep roots in designing real-world experiences that blend immersive gameplay with a keen focus on group interaction. Bushnell has built attractions for amusement parks and arcades including the tech-infused Two Bit Circus, which features massive escape rooms, and Salyh has designed games for Disney, Zynga and Two Bit Circus. Once Wyatt and Mike met, they subsequently became business partners after they were contracted to create an IRL escape room experience together.

“Our goal has always been bringing people together to play, whether that’s in arcades or at home,” said Mike Mohammed Salyh, co-founder, Coin Crew Games. “As a studio, we’re rigorous about playtesting our designs early and often, a philosophy we pulled from our years developing games for the location based entertainment space.”

“We were stoked to take those development ideals to iam8bit and Skybound, who were pivotal in helping us navigate the digital side of game development,” said Wyatt Bushnell, co-founder, Coin Crew Games. “We’ve heard a lot of horror stories about publishing relationships, but this one felt more like a romantic comedy.”

Escape Academy is the first original title to be revealed under iam8bit Presents, as the company adds games publishing to its repertoire.

“iam8bit and Coin Crew share the same ideals in bringing truly special, one-of-kind experiences to players,” said Jon M. Gibson and Amanda White, co-owners, iam8bit. “Escape Academy really captures the thrill of teaming up with friends and the real adrenaline rush to beat the clock – and we’re saying this based on our own experience designing IRL escape rooms for Resident Evil and Alita: Battle Angel. There are so many layers to the narrative and nuanced elements that make the puzzles feel like compelling challenges.”

“Skybound Games is focused on giving a platform to creators making unique interactive experiences, and we knew right away that Coin Crew was creating something special,” said Ian Howe, co-CEO, Skybound Games. “Wyatt, Mike and the Coin Crew team have expertly crafted a group gaming experience that will both define and challenge the team dynamic, bringing out the best in friends and family to manage the pressure of unlocking each room.”

Set in a secret world, players find themselves swept up by the mysteries of Escape Academy, a training ground for individuals with roguish skills suited to the “art of escape.” These new recruits must puzzle their way through deadly challenges set forth by zany and charismatic professors to secure their place among the legendary “Escapists.” Filled with shocking twists and turns, players will navigate through high stakes escape rooms, ultimately uncovering a threat they could have never imagined.

Escape Academy will be available this June Day One on Xbox Game Pass and for Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4 and PC via Steam and the Epic Games Store.

Additional information can be found on the webpage at escape.academy.

###

About iam8bit

Founded in 2005, iam8bit is a creative production emporium that has quietly redefined the entertainment industry, time and time again. Collaborating with a plethora of partners and narrative-busting IPs, iam8bit punctuates the importance of engaging with fans directly. By creating the videogame industry’s very first community events, the company injected the idea of experiential immersion into game and film marketing (back when it was simply known as “theatre”). iam8bit also played a crucial role in the vinyl renaissance, minting its first record in 2010, and is the industry leader in premium physical editions of top-tier games. In 2020, iam8bit evolved into financing and publishing games, with several yet-to-be-announced PC, console and tabletop games on the horizon under its iam8bit Presents imprint. The company is based in Los Angeles and co-owned by Jon M. Gibson and Amanda White. Visit iam8bit.com or follow @iam8bit on Instagram or Twitter.

About Coin Crew Games

Coin Crew Games is an indie games studio founded in 2018 with one goal in mind: bringing people together to play. With innovative concepts and research-driven design, Coin Crew Games is developing multiplayer experiences and games to be played both in and out of home. Based in Los Angeles, Coin Crew Games is best known for the arcade machine “Hot Wheels: King of the Road” found at every Dave & Buster’s and now the upcoming puzzle-adventure game “Escape Academy”. To learn more, visit www.coincrew.games or follow us on Instagram and Twitter.

About Skybound Games

Skybound Games, a division of Skybound Entertainment, collaborates with creators to publish, produce, develop, and license exceptional video game IP across a variety of genres and platforms. The Skybound Games publishing slate includes Telltale’s The Walking Dead, Before Your Eyes, Rainbow Billy and The Big Con among others.

As a strategic partner of Striking Distance Studios, Skybound Games brings its global marketing and distribution capabilities to the highly-anticipated survival-horror game The Callisto Protocol.

The Skybound Games team also manages physical distribution of several award-winning indie games including Boneloaf’s Gang Beasts, and alongside partner iam8bit, Ori and the Will of the Wisps, Untitled Goose Game and more. Skybound Games can be found on YouTube, Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, and at www.skybound.com.  

Paradox Announces PC Milestone Before Console Release

Sydney, Australia – 17^th March 2022 – A year and a half after its release in September 2020, Paradox Interactive’s medieval grand strategy game Crusader Kings III has sold two million units, making it one of the fastest Paradox titles to hit that landmark number. A game of almost endless variety and potential for story-telling, Crusader Kings III launched to critical acclaim and succeeded in reaching a new generation of strategy gamers.

Last month’s release of Royal Court, the first major expansion for Crusader Kings III, was also a cause for celebration, as that add-on has already topped one million sales. This expansion added new ways to rule your realm from your own throne room, including major changes to the game’s culture system and adding artifact items.

“Two million is a huge milestone for us on the Crusader Kings team,” says Game Director Alex Oltner. “It’s a strong vote of confidence from the community at large, and we’re overjoyed that our games can reach such a wide audience. This is good not only for us, but for strategy games in general, I think. We have big plans for CK3, and it’s good to know that so many people will be taking this journey with us.”

Soon, aspiring emperors will be able to manage their brave knights and scheming courtiers on the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S consoles. Developed in partnership with Lab42 Studios, the console adaptation of this beloved strategy role-playing experience will bring even more subjects under the mostly benevolent rule of a game that has entertained gamers around the world for millions of hours.

Scheduled for release on March 29^th, the console adaptation of Crusader Kings III is available for pre-order on both systems, and for pre-loading on Xbox Series X|S machines.

About Paradox Interactive:

The Paradox Interactive group includes development, publishing, and licensing of games and brands, consisting of a portfolio of more than 100 titles created both internally and by independent studios. Paradox owns an array of award-winning and top-selling brands including Cities: Skylines, Stellaris, Crusader Kings, Victoria, Age of Wonders, and the World of Darkness catalogue.

From the company’s start in 2004, Paradox has published its games worldwide, with top markets including the USA, UK, China, Germany, France, Russia, and Scandinavia. Today, over five million gamers play a Paradox game each month.

Paradox Interactive AB (publ)’s shares are listed on Nasdaq Stockholm First North Premier under ticker PDX. FNCA Sweden AB is the company’s Certified Adviser. For more information, please visit www.paradoxinteractive.com

About Koch Media

The Koch Media Group is a global developer, publisher and distributor of video games, VR games, gaming hardware and merchandise.

The group’s publishing activities, marketing and distribution extend throughout Europe, America, Australia and Asia. Koch Media has more than 25 years of experience in the digital media business and has risen to become a leading global publishing partner. The Koch Media Group runs a multi-label strategy with fully owned publishing units such as Prime Matter, Deep Silver, Milestone, Vertigo Games and Ravenscourt, publishing games for consoles, PC and VR platforms across all physical and digital channels.

Additionally, as global publishing partner Koch Media has formed long-term multi-national publishing collaborations with numerous game publishers including Activision Blizzard, Bethesda, Capcom, CI Games, Giants Software, Kalypso, Koei Tecmo, Konami, Paradox, Sega, SNK, Square Enix, Techland, Tripwire, Warner Bros, and many others.
With its parent company in Höfen, Austria, and the Publishing HQ in Munich, Germany, Koch Media 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.

The Koch Media Group owns nine game development studios: Deep Silver Volition (Champaign, IL / USA), Deep Silver Dambuster Studios (Nottingham / UK), Deep Silver Fishlabs (Hamburg / Germany), Warhorse Studios (Prague / Czech Republic), Milestone (Milan / Italy), Voxler (Paris / France) , Flying Wild Hog (Warsaw, Kraków, Rzeszów  / Poland), Free Radical Design (Nottingham / UK), Vertigo Games (Rotterdam /The Netherlands) and DigixArt (Montpellier, France). Additionally, the Koch Media Group collaborates with numerous independent development studios around the world.

Part of the Koch Media Group is also Koch Films, a leading European independent film distributor with business primarily in Germany, Switzerland, Austria and Italy as a cinema, TV, online and Home Entertainment distributor. The Koch Media Group also owns Gaya Entertainment, a leading video game merchandise company in Munich, Germany, and the Quality Assurance Facility in Olomouc, Czech Republic.  

Koch Media is an Embracer Group company.

Today we are pleased to present the next episode of Into the Starfield: Made For Wanderers. Join members of the Starfield development team including Game Director Todd Howard, Design Director Emil Pagliarulo, Lead Quest Designer Will Shen and Lead Artist Istvan Pely for a roundtable discussion as they talk about team’s approach to designing an immersive, next-generation RPG that gives players the freedom to navigate their own path through the cosmos.

Check out Into the Starfield: Made For Wanderers here. 

Stay tuned for more episodes of Into the Starfield in the coming months to learn even more about how the team is building a new universe from the ground up. 

Starfield arrives exclusively on Xbox Series X|S and PC on 11.11.22. Fans can play it day one with Xbox Game Pass.

For more information head over to the Bethesda News site.

Sydney, Australia

The E-League is back and wants you to be its next big esports star

• The E-League competition is back, bigger and better than ever.
• The A-Leagues bring you a fresh new look and a revved up format, sure to excite EA SPORTS^TM FIFA 22 players everywhere.
• In a first for the competition, any eligible EA SPORTS FIFA 22 player can now enter, for the chance to call themselves Australia’s best, and make it all the way to the EA SPORTS FIFA 22 Global Series Playoffs.

The E-League competition is back, bigger and better than ever.

The A-Leagues bring you a fresh new look and a revved-up format, sure to excite EA SPORTS FIFA 22 players everywhere.

In a first for the competition, any eligible EA SPORTS FIFA 22 player can now enter, for the chance to call themselves Australia’s best, and make it all the way to the EA SPORTS FIFA 22 Global Series Playoffs.

Brought to you by A-Leagues, the E-League is an Official League Qualifying Partner of EA SPORTS FIFA 22 Global Series.

The A-Leagues have partnered with the teams at eGEN esports and Disorder Media House (DMH) to produce and deliver a world-class E-League tournament in 2022.

 “The build up to the E-League Finals in May starts now, with the best EA SPORTS FIFA 22 players in the country getting ready to don their A-League club shirt, excite their fans and compete for glory,” said A-Leagues Chief Commercial Officer Ant Hearne.

“For the first time in the competition’s history we are running a Path to E-League tournament for any eligible EA SPORTS FIFA 22 player to try and get a slot in the E-League Finals, compete against the best in Australia, and star in Australia’s biggest FIFA event.

“EA SPORTS and FIFA 22 are a major part of the football fan journey and at A-Leagues we see great potential in the E-League to connect Football directly to the fan, wherever that fan may be, with entertainment & fan obsession at our core.”

eGEN Founder Brad Timmins said: “eGEN is delighted to be working with the A-Leagues on their gaming & esports strategy. “The E-League has delivered high tier FIFA for the professional esports scene in Australia over the last 4 years, and we are excited to be helping take this franchise to the next level.

“There is a clear opportunity for the E-League to be for all forms of gamers from amateurs to the pro leagues, similar to the way that the A-Leagues look at fan bases in all forms of football.

“eGEN is working closely with the A-Leagues, DMH and our respective partners on delivering one of the best FIFA leagues in the region.”

Disorder Media House (DMH) Chief Executive Officer Marc Edwards said: “We are excited to be partnering with the A-Leagues to bring operational excellence in gaming production and broadcast to the E-League across Oceania.

“DMH has a rich history in Oceania esports through our professional team ORDER, and collectively with eGEN, we look forward to building an ecosystem that gives players more opportunities to compete, brings fans closer to the action, and supports a deeper engagement with football’s next generation.”

Players will battle it out over four days between March 29 and April 6, with a handful of qualifiers being considered for spots with A-League clubs in the E-League Group Stages in early May.

In this way, the E-League in 2022 is marrying the best EA SPORTS FIFA Pro Players with selected Path to E-League qualifiers from across Australia to compete for the E-League Finals at the end of May.

The top two players in the E-League Finals will qualify to represent their A-Leagues club and country in the EA SPORTS FIFA 22 Global Series Playoffs.

All of which is exciting E-League and FIFAe Commentator Nate Patrick:

“This season, the focus is firmly on the players – new and old. The Path to E-League tournament enables any aspiring gamer from our region to live out their dream, and play against their idols in front of the whole world.

“The competition for EA SPORTS FIFA 22 Global Series Playoffs spots has never been this intense. Between returning veterans, new heroes, and undiscovered talent, there is no doubt that this will be the most competitive year of E-League yet.”

In another first, this year’s competition will be run exclusively on PlayStation®.

Entries for the Path to E-League tournament are open now and the competition kicks off on Tuesday 29th March, so don’t miss out. Get yourself entered, spread the word.

Go to keepup.com.au/news/e-league, home of the E-League for more information.

A-Leagues commercial partners McDonald’s, Isuzu UTE Australia, Liberty Financial and NEDS share our excitement about the competition and are supporting as proud partners of E-League 2022.

About A-Leagues

The A-Leagues represent the pinnacle of professional football in Australia, comprising men’s, women’s, youth and E-League competitions.

Since gaining independence from Football Australia at the start of 2021, the A-Leagues are embarking on an ambitious strategy to drive engagement with men’s and women’s elite football and build on football’s undisputed position as the country’s most popular participation sport.

The re-branded men’s and women’s competitions (brought under the A-Leagues brand to reflect football’s young, inclusive and forward-looking audience) are shown on the 10 Network and on its sibling, the Paramount+ streaming service.

With 12 clubs in the Isuzu UTE A-League, and 10 this season in the Liberty A-League – plus a commitment to add at least two more next year – the A-Leagues has a stated aim to grow both competitions, and to do the same for the E-League, creating new heroes for its deepening cohort of members and supporters.

Players can register for the Path to E-League 2022 event directly via their PS4 console by heading to the ‘Events’ menu and selecting ‘Tournaments’.

Players will then need to link their ESL account to their PlayStation Network account. If they don’t have an existing ESL account, they can create a new one all on the console.

EA SPORTS is a trademark of Electronic Arts Inc. FIFA and FIFA’s Official Licensed Product Logo are copyrights and/or trademarks of FIFA.

Label to publish upcoming titles from industry-leading creative talent at Die Gute Fabrik, Evening Star, Piccolo Studio, and Yellow Brick Games.

Private Division, a publishing label of Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc. (NASDAQ: TTWO), today announced that they have signed four new publishing agreements with leading independent developers Die Gute Fabrik, Evening Star, Piccolo Studio, and Yellow Brick Games. Following the recent acquisition of Roll7 in January, the unannounced titles from these four studios will add to Private Division’s portfolio of titles that includes the Kerbal Space Program franchise, OlliOlli World, The Outer Worlds, and more.

“At Private Division we champion the best creative talent in the games industry, and these four teams and the experiences that they are building represent an array of genres that will appeal to many different gaming audiences,” said Michael Worosz, Executive Vice President and Head of Private Division. “Die Gute Fabrik, Evening Star, Piccolo Studio, and Yellow Brick Games each have their own wildly diverse creative visions, and we’re thrilled to help introduce their games to the world.”

Die Gute Fabrik was founded in 2008 by Nils Deneken and is now led by CEO and Creative Director Hannah Nicklin. The Copenhagen-based company develops story-driven games and are best known for 2019’s IGF and Indiecade award-winning Mutazione, a mutant soap opera where small-town gossip meets the supernatural. Die Gute Fabrik aims to draw inspiration from a variety of disciplines and histories, and to push the boundaries of what games can be. The team is creating a new story-driven game.

“We’re excited about how strongly Private Division shares our vision for the experience we want to build for our playing audience, and for the ethos with which we’re collaborating on the process,” said Hannah Nicklin, Studio Lead and Creative Director at Die Gute Fabrik. “We’re so thrilled about our next story-driven adventure game and the team we’ve brought together to create it, and we can’t wait to share more down the line.”

Evening Star was founded in 2018 by Christian Whitehead, Dave Padilla, Tom Fry, Hunter Bridges, and Brad Flick, and is headquartered in Los Angeles with additional operations in London and Melbourne. The founders previously worked on the critically-acclaimed Sonic Mania Plus for SEGA. Their debut title is an unannounced 3D action platformer utilising their proprietary Star Engine.

“We are focused on leveraging the team’s unique backgrounds with an aim to develop electrifying experiences charged with our signature sense of style,” said Dave Padilla, CEO at Evening Star. “Private Division has been a fantastic partner, and their team is equally passionate about our vision.  As we grow the studio, we are excited to share more about the new world we are creating.”

Piccolo Studio was founded in 2015 by Alexis Corominas, Jordi Ministral, and Oriol Pujado when the three friends left their successful advertising agency in Barcelona to pursue their passion for videogames. After enlisting many of Spain’s most talented game developers, Piccolo’s debut title, Arise: A Simple Story, garnered critical acclaim for its storytelling and gameplay. They are developing a unique new IP in partnership with Private Division.

“At Piccolo Studio, we craft stories that are very personal yet center on universal themes that have an impact on everyone who plays our games,” said Alexis Corominas, Co-Founder of Piccolo Studio. “We tell our stories in unique ways, and we’re thrilled to have found a publisher that supports our vision and is equally invested in seeing the story reach a wide audience.”

Yellow Brick Games was founded in Quebec City in 2020 by industry veterans Thomas Giroux, Mike Laidlaw, Jeff Skalski, and Frederic St-Laurent B. Having worked on numerous successful AAA franchises including Dragon Age, Assassin’s Creed, and Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six, the Yellow Brick Games team aims to deliver innovative and emergent gameplay crafted by a small but highly skilled team. The studio firmly believes that emergent systems create rich, interactive worlds. In that vein, Yellow Brick Games is creating an ambitious new action RPG.

“I find myself energised by the challenge of helping build a new studio—full of incredible talent, ambitious ideas, and real focus on our product—while taking risks that might not be possible in AAA game development,” said Mike Laidlaw, Chief Creative Officer at Yellow Brick Games. “We want to deliver something special for our debut title, and partnering with Private Division provides our team with the support to create a game that’s truly memorable.”

In collaboration with these developers, Private Division will announce more details about each specific project in the future. All four titles are currently in early development, and do not currently have announced release dates. The first of these titles is not expected to launch until Take-Two’s Fiscal Year 2024.

To stay up to date on announcements from Private Division, sign up for the newsletter: https://www.privatedivision.com/newsletter/ 

Private Division is a publishing label of Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc. (NASDAQ:TTWO).

All trademarks and copyrights contained herein are the property of their respective holders.

About Private Division

Private Division is a developer-focused publisher that partners with the finest creative talent in the video game industry, empowering studios to develop the games that they are passionate about creating, while providing the support that they need to make their titles critically and commercially successful on a global scale. The Label publishes the Kerbal Space Program franchise, Ancestors: The Humankind Odyssey from Panache Digital Games, The Outer Worlds from Obsidian Entertainment, Disintegration from V1 Interactive, and OlliOlli World from Roll7, with future unannounced projects in development with Moon Studios, Die Gute Fabrik, Evening Star, Piccolo Studio, Yellow Brick Games, and other esteemed independent developers. Private Division publishes the physical retail edition of Hades from Supergiant Games on PlayStation^® and Xbox consoles. Private Division continues to build its internal studio capacity, with Roll7 and Intercept Games as internal developers for the Label. Private Division is headquartered in New York City with offices in Seattle, Las Vegas, Munich, and Singapore. For more information, please visit www.privatedivision.com.

About Take-Two Interactive Software

Headquartered in New York City, Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc. is a leading developer, publisher, and marketer of interactive entertainment for consumers around the globe. We develop and publish products principally through Rockstar Games, 2K, Private Division, and T2 Mobile Games. Our products are designed for console systems and personal computers, including smartphones and tablets, and are delivered through physical retail, digital download, online platforms, and cloud streaming services. The Company’s common stock is publicly traded on NASDAQ under the symbol TTWO. For more corporate and product information please visit our website at www.take2games.com.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

The statements contained herein which are not historical facts are considered forward-looking statements under federal securities laws and may be identified by words such as “anticipates,” “believes,” “estimates,” “expects,” “intends,” “plans,” “potential,” “predicts,” “projects,” “seeks,” “should,” “will,” or words of similar meaning and include, but are not limited to, statements regarding the outlook for the Company’s future business and financial performance. Such forward-looking statements are based on the current beliefs of our management as well as assumptions made by and information currently available to them, which are subject to inherent uncertainties, risks and changes in circumstances that are difficult to predict. Actual outcomes and results may vary materially from these forward-looking statements based on a variety of risks and uncertainties including: risks relating to our pending acquisition of Zynga; the uncertainty of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and measures taken in response thereto; the effect that measures taken to mitigate the COVID-19 pandemic have on our operations, including our ability to timely deliver our titles and other products, and on the operations of our counterparties, including retailers and distributors; the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on both consumer demand and the discretionary spending patterns of our customers as the situation with the pandemic continues to evolve; the risks of conducting business internationally; the impact of changes in interest rates by the Federal Reserve and other central banks, including on our short-term investment portfolio; the impact of potential inflation; volatility in foreign currency exchange rates; our dependence on key management and product development personnel; our dependence on our NBA 2K and Grand Theft Auto products and our ability to develop other hit titles; our ability to leverage opportunities on PlayStation®5 and Xbox Series X|S; the timely release and significant market acceptance of our games; the ability to maintain acceptable pricing levels on our games; and risks associated with international operations.

Other important factors and information are contained in the Company’s most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K, including the risks summarised in the section entitled “Risk Factors,” the Company’s most recent Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q, and the Company’s other periodic filings with the SEC, which can be accessed at www.take2games.com. All forward-looking statements are qualified by these cautionary statements and apply only as of the date they are made. The Company undertakes no obligation to update any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

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The New Mystical Legend Launches Alongside the Luck o’ the Brawl Event

SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA — March 17, 2022 — Today, Ubisoft announced that Brawlhalla’s 55^th Legend, Arcadia, makes her magical debut alongside the annual Luck o’ the Brawl Event.

Arcadia, The Faerie Queen, is a wise leader who rules over the Fangwild as a noble and compassionate queen. Equipped with a Greatsword and a Spear, she is accompanied by her trusty war beetle, Domo, and enchanted magic to help with her Signature attacks. Arcadia can also fly, using her entrancing wings to pursue enemies on the field.

Arcadia is available now for 7200 Gold, and the skins Rogue Queen Arcadia, Carapace Armored Arcadia, and Briar Rose Arcadia are also available now for 140 Mammoth Coins each.

Check out Arcadia’s six ethereal Signature attacks:

• Spear Signatures
  • Side Signature – After summoning Domo from underground, the beetle rushes forward, ramming opponents with its sharp horn. Domo then uses its horn to knock opponents into the air, so that Arcadia can jump off and slash them with her Spear before heading back underground.
  • Neutral Signature – Arcadia flutters her wings and charges up her magic, then sends a spinning attack at her opponent with her Spear. This hit sends her foe into the air for her to land a second hit with her Spear, which then launches her opponent up into the air again.
  • Down Signature – She lifts and spins her spear to charge up her attack. Then, Arcadia leaps into the air and sends her magic down in a swirl that traps her foe before vanishing.

• Greatsword Signatures
  • Charged Side Signature – She slashes a powerful blow with her Greatsword that knocks her foes back. When her Side Signature is charged, she hurls a swarm of magic into her opponent that pushes them back in a full 360 spin.
  • Neutral Signature – She holds her Greatsword above her head and then launches her opponent into the air with her magic aiding her. When this Signature is charged up, Arcadia will flutter her wings to charge up and summon her magic. After this, she leaps into the air as the magic twirls around her Greatsword.
  • Down Signature – She conjures a whirlwind of magic above her head and then sends it forward, trapping her opponents.

The Luck o’ the Brawl Event, also launching today, includes a brand-new skin for Isaiah, two new Avatars, a KO effect, purchasable Lucky Clover Colors for all Legends. Previous Luck o’ the Brawl Skins, Avatars, and KO Effect are also available now.

Developed by Blue Mammoth, Brawlhalla is an epic free-to-play platform fighting game that transports over 80 million players to a fight for glory in the halls of Valhalla. Choosing from more than 50 unique characters, players can jump into single-player and co-op modes, as well as online and local competitions. Brawlhalla also supports cross-platform play between the Xbox One family of devices including the Xbox One X, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch™ system, PlayStation 4^® and PlayStation 5^® system, PC, Mac, iOS, and Android devices where players can play custom games and queue together for all online matchmaking.

For more information on Brawlhalla, please visit: brawlhalla.com

For the latest news on Brawlhalla and all of Ubisoft’s games, please visit: news.ubisoft.com.

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About Blue Mammoth: Founded in 2009 and acquired by Ubisoft in 2018, Blue Mammoth Games is a development studio based in Atlanta, Georgia. The experienced team specializes in online multiplayer games with large player bases.

Blue Mammoth develops Brawlhalla, a Free-To-Play fighting game on Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch, Windows PC, Mac, PlayStation® 4 and PlayStation 5® system, iOS, and Android devices. Brawlhalla has over 80 million players and is currently the most played fighting game on Steam.

About Ubisoft: Ubisoft is a leading creator, publisher and distributor of interactive entertainment and services, with a rich portfolio of world-renowned brands, including Assassin’s Creed, Far Cry, For Honor, Just Dance, Watch Dogs, and Tom Clancy’s video game series including Ghost Recon®, Rainbow Six and The Division. The teams throughout Ubisoft’s worldwide network of studios and business offices are committed to delivering original and memorable gaming experiences across all popular platforms, including consoles, mobile phones, tablets and PCs. For the 2020-21 fiscal year, Ubisoft generated net bookings of €2,241 million. To learn more, please visit: www.ubisoftgroup.com.

© 2022 Ubisoft. All Rights Reserved. Brawlhalla is a registered or unregistered trademark of Blue Mammoth Games in the US and/or other countries. Ubisoft and the Ubisoft logo are registered or unregistered trademarks of Ubisoft Entertainment in the US and/or other countries. Blue Mammoth Games is a Ubisoft Entertainment company.

ELDEN RING REACHES 12 MILLION UNITS SOLD WORLDWIDE

BANDAI NAMCO Entertainment Inc. and FromSoftware Inc. today announced that their new action-RPG game ELDEN RING has reached 12million units sold worldwide*, confirming a fantastic start for the new franchise.

“It’s astonishing to see just how many people have been playing ELDEN RING. I’d like to extend our heartfelt thanks on behalf of the entire development team,” said Hidetaka Miyazaki, President and CEO/Director of FROMSOFTWARE. “ELDEN RING is based on a mythological story written by George R. R. Martin. We hope players enjoy a high level of freedom when adventuring through its vast world, exploring its many secrets and facing up to its many threats. Thank you for your continued support.”

“Co-development between FromSoftware and BANDAI NAMCO Entertainment has brought to life this new action-RPG, ELDEN RING, which has surpassed 12M units in sales worldwide,” added Yasuo Miyakawa, President and CEO of BANDAI NAMCO Entertainment Inc. “I would like to use this opportunity to give my thanks to all our fans who have brought ELDEN RING into their gaming life. I am very proud to have been involved in bringing such a wonderful and fantastic game to life with FromSoftware, under the guidance of Director Miyazaki, and with George R. R. Martin.

Much effort was placed into creating ELDEN RING in order to exceed the expectations of our fans worldwide. With a similar goal, we will continue our efforts in expanding the brand beyond the game itself and into everyone’s daily life. We will continue to create enjoyment and fulfillment through entertainment so that we can come closer and connect to our fans around the world.”

With ELDEN RING, FromSoftware brings to life their signature carefully crafted universe and stories as imagined by Hidetaka Miyazaki, creator of the influential DARK SOULS® video game series, and George R.R. Martin, author of The New York Times’ best-selling fantasy series, “A Song of Ice and Fire.”

Players will chart their own path in the vast and seamless world of the Lands Between, on foot or riding Torrent, their trusted Spectral Steed. Exploration is endless in this world full of wonders, but dangers lurk around every corner.

For more on ELDEN RING and other products from BANDAI NAMCO Entertainment please visit: www.bandainamcoent.eu, or follow us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/BandaiNamcoEU. Join the conversation on Twitter at: https://www.twitter.com/BandaiNamcoEU.

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ELDEN RING™ & ©BANDAI NAMCO Entertainment Inc. / ©2022 FromSoftware, Inc.

*figures as of March 14, 2022.

About BANDAI NAMCO Europe S.A.S.

BANDAI NAMCO Europe S.A.S. is a leading global publisher and developer of entertainment content for platforms including, but not limited to, all major video game consoles and PC.

BANDAI NAMCO Europe is producing intellectual property for a global audience, and is building its reputation with franchises such as LITTLE NIGHTMARES™, PARK BEYOND™, and the upcoming UNKNOWN 9™ Awakening – developed by the recently acquired Reflector Entertainment based in Montreal, QC.

BANDAI NAMCO Europe serves as the Headquarters of BANDAI NAMCO Holdings Inc. for mainland Europe, which is known for creating and publishing many of the Toy & Entertainment industry’s top franchises, including PAC-MAN™, TAMAGOTCHI™, GUNDAM™, TEKKEN™ and DARK SOULS™.

For more information please visit www.bandainamcoent.eu

Mega Cat Studios and Skybound Games Reveal WrestleQuest

Oooh Yeah! Go Beyond the Ropes with Upcoming Wrestling RPG, featuring a Licensed Roster of Iconic Legends including Randy Savage and Jeff Jarrett

LOS ANGELES, CA — March 16, 2022 — Mega Cat Studios and Skybound Games today revealed WrestleQuest, a new RPG adventure, featuring a licensed roster of iconic wrestling legends. WrestleQuest is scheduled for worldwide release in Summer 2022 for Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, PlayStation®5, PlayStation®4 gaming consoles, Nintendo Switch and PC via Steam.

Watch the WrestleQuest Trailer here.

In WrestleQuest, players assume the role of a young wrestling hopeful, on his quest to become one of the all-time greats while he powerbombs, slams, and suplexes his way to the top. Inspired by icons like the legendary “Macho Man” Randy Savage, our hero must immerse himself in the world of professional wrestling, which will not only test his athleticism but his will and conscience too.

“WrestleQuest captures the spirit and passion of wrestling, through the lens of an unforgettable RPG experience,” said James Deighan, Founder of Mega Cat Studios. “Many of the team at Mega Cat grew up watching wrestling and it holds an undeniable nostalgic place for us. This game is a celebration of that world, complete with special fully licensed appearances by some of our favorite wrestlers from the 80s, 90s and today.”

Throughout the game, players will experience classic turn-based RPG combat that mixes real-time action with tactical choices, as they wrestle through a richly detailed and fantastic storyline, starting out as a newcomer, before ascending the ranks and becoming the sport’s greatest star, with help from legendary wrestlers that span the ages. The pixel-art graphics and overall visual style perfectly represent the combined worlds of wrestling, toys, and action figures.

“Mega Cat Studios have an unbridled passion for wrestling and an incredibly ambitious team that reimagines retro-style entertainment in innovative ways,” said Ian Howe, co-CEO of Skybound Games. “Their level of enthusiasm, creativity and talent makes them a perfect partner for Skybound Games and we can’t wait for players to discover WrestleQuest this Summer.”

Players will meet and interact with a host of legends as they progress through their quest, including “Macho Man” Randy Savage, Booker T, Andre The Giant, Jake “The Snake” Roberts, Diamond Dallas Page, Jeff Jarrett, and many more. With tons of side missions, bonus content, and much more, this is the ultimate main event that you won’t want to miss.

WrestleQuest has not yet been rated by the ESRB.

Additional information can be found on the official website at wrestlequest.com

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About Skybound Games 

Skybound Games, a division of Skybound Entertainment, collaborates with creators to publish, produce, develop, and license exceptional video game IP across a variety of genres and platforms. The Skybound Games publishing slate includes Telltale’s The Walking Dead, Before Your Eyes, Rainbow Billy and The Big Con among others.

As a strategic partner of Striking Distance Studios, Skybound Games brings its global marketing and distribution capabilities to the highly-anticipated survival-horror game The Callisto Protocol. 

The Skybound Games team also manages physical distribution of several award-winning indie games including Boneloaf’s Gang Beasts, and alongside partner iam8bit, Ori and the Will of the Wisps, Untitled Goose Game and more.

Skybound Games can be found on YouTube, Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, and at www.skybound.com.  

About Mega Cat Studios

Based in Pittsburgh, PA, Mega Cat Studios is a creative first video game developer with a retro ethos and a culture of innovation. Their library of past titles includes modern platform releases as well as retro, cartridge-only experiences. While the wrestle-cats at MCS aren’t making games, they’re busy cutting promos and suplexing one another. For more information, please visit megacatstudios.com, Youtube, Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, Discord.