Lympo to build Champions Chess Tour NFTs and social tokens, bring chess game experiences to The Sandbox

Oslo, 16 February 2022 – Animoca Brands and Play Magnus Group (PMG) today announced a partnership to bring PMG’s Meltwater Champions Chess Tour into the metaverse. As part of the partnership, Lympo, a sports NFT ecosystem and a subsidiary of Animoca Brands, will create an NFT collection, social tokens, and a blockchain-based chess-inspired game for PMG’s Champions Chess Tour; PMG will build Champions Chess Tour experiences in The Sandbox, a leading decentralized gaming virtual world and another subsidiary of Animoca Brands.

Lympo will spearhead the development and launch of a Champions Chess Tour NFT collection over the next five years. Lympo will also create custom-designed and animated NFT collections depicting top chess players such as World Champion Magnus Carlsen, Anish Giri, and Hans Niemann.

Lympo will create individualized NFT digital collectible cards of varying rarity and supply for each eligible professional chess player. The Champions Chess Tour NFTs will be integrated into the existing Lympo NFT ecosystem and will offer utility in upcoming games produced by Lympo.

In addition, Lympo will launch a social token for the Champions Chess Tour, which will allow fans to engage and interact with their favorite Tour players. Champions Chess Tour NFT holders will have the opportunity to acquire the social tokens and use them to participate in voting sessions, lotteries, questionnaires, and polls.

Together with PMG, Lympo is also developing a blockchain chess-inspired game centered around PMG’s Champions Chess Tour. At the same time, Play Magnus Group will be entering The Sandbox to forge a virtual experience for fans and chess enthusiasts within the open metaverse.

“Chess has emerged as one of the fastest-growing esports. By partnering with Play Magnus Group and its Champions Chess Tour, we will create unparalleled experiences for chess players, casual gamers, and fans,” said Yat Siu, co-founder and executive chairman of Animoca Brands.

“We strongly believe in the metaverse and the opportunities it brings for immersive fan engagement. Animoca Brands is a global leader pushing the advancement of the open metaverse and we are excited to grow chess together in this bold new space,” said Andreas Thome, CEO of Play Magnus Group.

“By utilizing NFTs and virtual worlds we are opening a whole new communication channel for chess and fans of the Champions Chess Tour. Working with Animoca Brands and the partners in our network, we are creating something more immersive than anything that has come before,” commented Ada Jonuse, CEO of Lympo.

About Play Magnus Group

Play Magnus Group is a global leader in the chess industry focused on providing premier digital experiences for millions of chess players and students. The company offers e-learning and entertainment services via its market leading brands: chess24, Chessable, iChess, New In Chess, Everyman Chess, Silver Knights, Aimchess, the Play Magnus App Suite, and the Meltwater Champions Chess Tour. The Group’s mission is to grow chess to make the world a smarter place by encouraging more people to play, watch, study, and earn a living from chess. Play Magnus Group is listed on Euronext Growth Oslo under the ticker PMG.

About the Meltwater Champions Chess Tour

The Champions Chess Tour is the leading online chess tour worldwide, determining the world’s best chess player over a full competitive season of online chess. The 2022 season begins on 19 February 2022 and features monthly tournaments culminating in the final held in November 2022. The best chess players in the world are competing in rapid chess. All games take place online on www.chess24.com with players competing for a total prize pool of over USD 1.6 million. For more information visit www.championschesstour.com.

About Lympo

Lympo, a subsidiary of Animoca Brands, is building a sports NFT ecosystem based on world-famous athletes and sports clubs. The Lympo ecosystem will include sports stars, clubs, and custom sports characters created by various artists and sports influencers. Users can mint NFTs and utilize them in play to earn blockchain games developed by Lympo.

About Animoca Brands

Animoca Brands, a Deloitte Tech Fast winner and ranked in the Financial Times list of High Growth Companies Asia-Pacific 2021, is a leader in digital entertainment, blockchain, and gamification. It develops and publishes a broad portfolio of products including the REVV token and SAND token; original games including The Sandbox, Crazy Kings, and Crazy Defense Heroes; and products utilizing popular intellectual properties including Formula 1®, Disney, WWE, Power Rangers, MotoGP™, and Doraemon. The company has multiple subsidiaries, including The Sandbox, Blowfish Studios, Quidd, GAMEE, nWay, Pixowl, Bondly, and Lympo. Animoca Brands has a growing portfolio of more than 150 investments in NFT-related companies and decentralized projects that are contributing to building the open metaverse, including Axie Infinity, OpenSea, Dapper Labs (NBA Top Shot), Yield Guild Games, Harmony, Alien Worlds, Star Atlas, and others.

16^th February 2022: Paramount Pictures and SEGA CORPORATION today announced that they have commenced development on a third feature film installment to the Sonic the Hedgehog franchise. Additionally, SEGA and Paramount+ are developing the first-ever original live-action Sonic series, to launch in 2023. The Paramount+ series will feature the character Knuckles, voiced by Idris Elba.

Sonic the Hedgehog, broke multiple box office records, including becoming the domestic top-grossing video game adaptation of all time, and earning nearly $320 million in worldwide box office. Sonic the Hedgehog 2 is set for release on 31^st March of this year bringing back the original cast, as well as re-teaming director Jeff Fowler with writers Pat Casey & Josh Miller. Producing are Neal H. Moritz, Toby Ascher and Toru Nakahara, with Haruki Satomi, Nan Morales, and Tim Miller executive producing.

Said Haruki Satomi, CEO of SEGA CORPORATION “We are delighted to announce that the third Sonic theatrical film and the first live action Sonic series for Paramount+ are being actively developed. We’ve got a remarkable partnership with Paramount, and we are excited to continue expanding the Sonic the Hedgehog franchise with them. 2022 is shaping up to be a significant year for the franchise with the second film being released in the US this April, as well as Sonic Frontiers, the highly anticipated video game title, coming this holiday. Sonic has been beloved by fans across the world for over 30 years and we look forward to continuing to bring memorable moments and experiences to them for many years to come.”

“For more than three decades, Sonic the Hedgehog’s universe of vibrant, unique characters has generated one of the most passionate fanbases,” said Brian Robbins President and CEO, Paramount Pictures & Nickelodeon; Chief Content Officer, Movies, Kids & Family – Paramount+. “We look forward to continuing our collaboration with SEGA, Neal Moritz, and all our creative partners as we explore additive ways to holistically scale the Sonic the Hedgehog franchise across platforms and captivate its loyal audience around the world.”  

Said producer Neal Moritz, “The world of Sonic the Hedgehog has been capturing imaginations for decades, and we are thrilled to stretch the limits of what this franchise is capable of with world-class offerings both on the big screen and for Sonic fans at home. The sky is truly the limit, and I am immensely proud to be part of creating new Sonic content for longtime fans as well as introducing Sonic to a new generation.”

Based on the global blockbuster videogame franchise from Sega, the Sonic the Hedgehog film series tells the story of the world’s speediest hedgehog as he embraces his new home on Earth. The first installment of the film series, a live-action-adventure comedy released in February 2020, tells the story of Sonic and his new best friend Tom (James Marsden), who team up to defend the planet from the evil genius Dr. Robotnik (Jim Carrey) and his plans for world domination. The family-friendly film also stars Tika Sumpter and Ben Schwartz as the voice of Sonic.

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About Paramount Pictures Corporation

Paramount Pictures Corporation (PPC), a global producer and distributor of filmed entertainment, is a unit of ViacomCBS (NASDAQ: VIAC; VIACA), a leading content company with prominent and respected film, television and digital entertainment brands. Paramount controls a collection of some of the most powerful brands in filmed entertainment, including Paramount Pictures, Paramount Animation, and Paramount Players. PPC operations also include Paramount Home Entertainment, Paramount Pictures International, Paramount Licensing Inc., and Paramount Studio Group.

About SEGA CORPORATION

SEGA CORPORATION is headquartered in Tokyo, Japan, and is a worldwide leader in interactive entertainment both inside and outside the home. The company develops, publishes, and distributes a variety of games for consoles, PCs, and wireless devices, as well as developing and distributing arcade machines, merchandise, and various other products. Moreover, SEGA distributes a range of gaming content developed by its domestic and overseas studios worldwide via its global publishing bases. SEGA CORPORATION’s website is located at https://www.sega.co.jp/

About Paramount+

Paramount+, a direct-to-consumer digital subscription video on-demand and live streaming service from ViacomCBS, combines live sports, breaking news, and a mountain of entertainment. The premium streaming service features an expansive library of original series, hit shows and popular movies across every genre from world-renowned brands and production studios, including BET, CBS, Comedy Central, MTV, Nickelodeon, Paramount Pictures, and the Smithsonian Channel. The service is also the streaming home to unmatched sports programming, including every CBS Sports event, from golf to football to basketball and more, plus exclusive streaming rights for major sports properties, including some of the world’s biggest and most popular soccer leagues. Paramount+ also enables subscribers to stream local CBS stations live across the U.S. in addition to the ability to stream ViacomCBS Streaming’s other live channels: CBSN for 24/7 news, CBS Sports HQ for sports news and analysis, and ET Live for entertainment coverage.

Update 0.11.1 brings all new aerial threats and mission types, alongside the return of Personal Challenges, and for the first time, a ship from Spain

16^th February 2022 – World of Warships has announced the details of its latest update with new ships, an all-new battle type and a long awaited nation.

New Super Aircraft Carriers

Jet planes on the horizon! — not one, but two new Super Aircraft Carriers are entering World of Warships, celebrating both British and US naval powers. The Eagle hails from the British Navy, which housed some of the most advanced deck-based aircraft of the 1950s, including jet aircraft. The United States has been recreated in the game based on original unfinished plans from 1949, giving players a glimpse of what could have been. Both ships carry two types of squadrons: standard and an all new tactical squadron. These very fast jet-propelled aircraft can quickly cover substantial distances and carry out lightning-fast attacks against enemy ships.

Dirigible Derby

In the newest update, players can also dive into a brand new temporary game mode: Dirigible Derby. This will see teams of 12 facing off in a Tier X ship showdown, escorting these iconic airships to their destinations. Based on historic tactical warfare, where important diplomats would be escorted to conduct secret negotiations in neutral territories, players can get a feel for high-stakes missions first-hand. Those who can outrun their opponents and deliver their dirigible first will be victorious.

Pan-Asian Cruisers

The all new Pan-Asian Cruisers will continue their steady course in Early Access, with the Rahmat and Harbin available for Pan-Asia Tokens, while Jinan and the Sejong are available for doubloons. Port Dragon has also been updated to celebrate this release, with access to a special combat mission to unlock a unique commemorative flag.

Personal Challenges and the Mediterranean event: Spain enter the fray!

From the launch of Update 0.11.1, players will be able to take part in Personal Challenges, to earn the most XP possible while mixing up different ship types and nations. As a reward of this Mediterranean themed event, players can receive two tier VI ships, the Spanish heavy cruiser Canarias which will be the first of the Spanish ships in game, and the long-awaited cruiser Dido from the Royal Navy.

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About World of Warships

World of Warships is a free, historical, online combat PC game from Wargaming. With its massive fleet of most iconic war vessels, including four different ship classes and strategically designed environment, World of Warships provides the ultimate naval warfare gaming experience, suitable for everyone. Thanks to its largest collection of historically accurate ships available to play, World of Warships prides itself as a digital ship museum and a focal point for naval history enthusiasts. New thematic content and innovative game modes are being added on a regular basis, providing a diverse and exciting gameplay to its broad player base.

One franchise – multiple platforms

After the successful launch of World of Warships on PC, its unique gameplay and design has been adapted to bring free massive naval battles to other platforms with World of Warships: Legends available on PlayStation and Xbox and World of Warships Blitz on iOS and Android mobile devices. Official website: http://www.worldofwarships.eu

About Wargaming
Wargaming is an award-winning online game developer and publisher headquartered in Nicosia, Cyprus. Operating since 1998, Wargaming has grown to become one of the leaders in the gaming industry with 5,500 employees and offices spread all over the world. Over 200 million players enjoy Wargaming’s titles across all major gaming platforms. Their flagship products include the massively popular free-to-play hit World of Tanks and the strategic naval action game World of Warships.

Official website: wargaming.com.

Coming Soon to Xbox Game Pass: Total War: Warhammer III, Madden NFL 22, and More

by Megan Spurr, Community Lead, Xbox Game Pass

Don’t mind me, just bringing more games to the Game Pass library! We’re closing out February with some games from our friends at EA, as well as some PC games to work out those mechanical keyboard muscles. Let’s look at what’s coming soon!

Available Today

Mass Effect Legendary Edition (Cloud) EA Play
The Mass Effect Legendary Edition is now available with Xbox Cloud Gaming (Beta), via EA Play! The Legendary Edition includes single-player base content and over 40 DLC from the highly acclaimed Mass Effect, Mass Effect 2, and Mass Effect 3 games, including promo weapons, armors, and packs.

Coming Soon

Lawn Mowing Simulator (Xbox One) ID@Xbox – February 17
Available now for PC and Xbox Series X|S and coming soon to Xbox One! Take a break from the real world and enjoy the challenge and serenity of mowing the Great British countryside in Lawn Mowing Simulator.

Madden NFL 22 (Console and PC) EA Play – February 17
Madden NFL 22 is coming soon to PC Game Pass and Ultimate via EA Play, allowing members to get on the field and play on the platform of their choice. Plus, claim recurring member rewards like Ultimate Team Packs and gear sets for The Yard and save 10% on purchases of EA digital content like games, Madden Points, and more.

Total War: Warhammer III (PC) – February 17
Available on day one with PC Game Pass: The cataclysmic conclusion to the Total War: Warhammer trilogy is coming. Rally your forces and step into the Realm of Chaos, a dimension of mind-bending horror where the very fate of the world will be decided. Will you conquer your Daemons… or command them? Check out the achievements you can earn to boost your Gamerscore.

Roboquest (Game Preview) (PC) ID@Xbox – February 22
A fast-paced FPS roguelite playable in solo or co-op. Set in a scorched future world, you battle against hordes of deadly robots in high octane gameplay. Your high-powered, hyper-mobile Guardian is ready to fight through ever-changing environments fuelled by an adrenaline-pumping soundtrack.

Galactic Civilizations III (PC) ID@Xbox – February 24
Build a civilization that will stand the test of time and take the galaxy by storm in the largest space 4X strategy game ever. Choose from dozens of unique races and make a name for yourself through diplomacy, espionage, technological advances, and much more.

Super Mega Baseball 3 (Console) EA Play – February 24
Run up the score in a relaxed slugfest or push the limits of your reflexes in this refined baseball simulator that’s perfect for rookies and pros alike. The third entry in the series features all-new Franchise, Online Leagues and Practice modes, plus improved graphics and on-field additions!

Alice: Madness Returns (PC) EA Play – February 28
Coming soon to PC Game Pass & Ultimate via EA Play! Alice: Madness Returns delves deep into the dark and violent side of the imagination, creating nightmarish Wonderland where Alice must face the demons that haunt her visions.

In Case You Missed It

Battlefield: Bad Company 2 (PC) EA Play – Available now
Get ready for an intense and action-packed single-player campaign and intense multiplayer battles featuring the rag-tag squad known as Bad Company. Operate tanks, attack helicopters, armored personnel carriers, and other vehicles across fully interactive landscapes that you can destroy or use for cover.

Peggle Nights (PC) EA Play – Available now
The ultimate Peggle test! Shoot and clear the orange pegs from 60 wild, dreamscape levels and bask in Extreme Fever glory. Meet the Peggle Masters’ alter egos and wield 11 Magic Powers, then try the ultimate Peggle test — 60 Grand Master challenges!

DLC / Game Updates

Grounded Reaches 10 Million Players
The Grounded team has announced that over 10 million players have visited the Backyard! Check out their announcement on Xbox Wire to learn more about the Into The Wood update and the road ahead to 1.0.

Sea of Thieves: Shrouded Islands – February 17
Set forth on the first of Sea of Thieves’ new time-limited Adventures on February 17! Meet the enigmatic Belle and help her investigate the sinister fog engulfing Golden Sands Outpost as the next chapter in the Sea of Thieves story starts to unfold.

Xbox Game Pass Ultimate Perks

Whether you’re a Spartan trying to refresh your armory, or just want to kick back and stream some quality entertainment, we have you covered with this new batch of Perks. Go claim via the Perk gallery on your Xbox console, Windows PC, or Xbox Game Pass mobile app.

2 Months of Hulu (No Ads) – Available now
Enjoy Hulu (No Ads) free for 2 months! Stream full seasons of exclusive series, current-season episodes, hit movies, Hulu Originals, kids shows, and more. Watch on your favorite device, at home or on the go.  Offer valid for new and eligible returning Hulu subscribers only. Terms apply.

Halo Infinite (Cloud, Console, and PC): Pass Tense BR75 Battle Rifle Bundle – Available now
Customize your multiplayer arsenal with the exclusive “Pass Tense” BR75 Battle Rifle Coating, four 2XP Boosts and four Challenge Swaps!

Apex Legends (Console) EA Play: Lucky Loot Weapon Charm – February 15
Show the competition what you’re made of with your new Lucky Loot Weapon Charm, brought to you by EA Play! Equip this to your favorite weapon and battle for glory, fame, and fortune in style.

Madden NFL 22 (Console and PC) EA Play: Supercharge Pack – February 17
Give your Ultimate Team a major boost with the EA Play Supercharge Pack, featuring eight Elite Players to help you dominate on the field! Members can automatically claim their Supercharge Pack now by entering Ultimate Team.

Eternal Return (PC): Season 5 Special Pack – February 17
More characters to master and some Skins to make them look even cooler! What’s not to love? Unlock 3 Characters, 3 Skins, some A-Coin and XP Boosts, and the special Midnight Shinobi Yuki skin! Everything you need to leave your mark on Lumia Island!

Xbox Touch Controls Added to Six More Games

Ultimate members, we’ve added Xbox Touch Controls to six more games ready to play from the cloud today! Play over 100 touch-enabled games with cloud gaming on the Xbox app for Windows PCs, Xbox Game Pass mobile app on Android devices, or Xbox.com/play on your Windows PCs and Apple phones & tablets, no controller needed!

• Dreamscaper
• Firewatch
• Lake
• The Pedestrian
• Yakuza 3 Remastered
• Yakuza 4 Remastered

Leaving February 28

The following games are leaving the Game Pass library soon. Before they go, be sure to jump back in to play for a proper farewell! Remember to use your Game Pass membership discount to save up to 20% to keep them in your library.

• Hypnospace Outlaw (Cloud, Console, and PC)
• Killer Queen Black (Cloud and Console)
• Stealth Inc 2 (Cloud and Console)
• Touhou Luna Nights (Cloud, Console, and PC)

Additionally, Titanfall will be leaving EA Play for Console and PC on March 1, 2022. Learn more here.

I have some decisions I need to make, like which race am I going to play first in Total War: Warhammer III? Before I go away and plan out my first playthrough, be sure you’re following us on Twitter at @XboxGamePassPC and @XboxGamePass for updates when games are ready for your download queue!

The Classic Ninja Blood Brothers fight again and introduce a new Map

Sydney, Australia — February 16, 2022 –“Knowing is half the battle!” Today, Ubisoft, in collaboration with Hasbro, Inc., announced that Snake Eyes and Storm Shadow from G.I. JOE will be available in Brawlhalla as Epic Crossoverson February 23. The clash of these iconic G.I. Joe and Cobra Ninjas will kick off an in-game event, featuring a new Showdown game mode map called Arashikage Dojo that will also be featured in the Brawl of the Week. The Arashikage Showdown is a four-player free-for-all skirmish where players will be faced with traps that can make or break the match. The player in the new Arashikage Dojo map with the highest score in three minutes wins, so using the traps and pressure plates to their advantage is key.

In addition to the new characters and map, some other G.I. JOE themed in-game items will be revealed next week before the Event launches. All new items and the map will still be purchasable and playable after the Epic Crossover Event ends.

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

About Hasbro

Hasbro (NASDAQ: HAS) is a global play and entertainment company committed to making the world a better place for all children, fans and families. Hasbro delivers immersive brand experiences for global audiences through consumer products, including toys and games; entertainment through eOne, its independent studio; and gaming, led by the team at Wizards of the Coast, an award-winning developer of tabletop and digital games best known for fantasy franchises MAGIC: THE GATHERING and DUNGEONS & DRAGONS.

The company’s unparalleled portfolio of approximately 1,500 brands includes MAGIC: THE GATHERING, NERF, MY LITTLE PONY, TRANSFORMERS, PLAY-DOH, MONOPOLY, BABY ALIVE, DUNGEONS & DRAGONS, POWER RANGERS, PEPPA PIG and PJ MASKS, as well as premier partner brands. For the past decade, Hasbro has been consistently recognized for its corporate citizenship, including being named one of the 100 Best Corporate Citizens by 3BL Media and one of the World’s Most Ethical Companies by Ethisphere Institute. Important business and brand updates are routinely shared on our Investor Relations website, Newsroom and social channels (@Hasbro on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn.)

Dark Deity Tactically Strikes Nintendo Switch March 17

SAN FRANCISCO – Feb. 15, 2022 – Dark Deity, the turn-based tactical RPG inspired by the genre’s classics, makes its anticipated debut on Nintendo Switch Thursday, March 17, 2022. Developer Sword and Axe, land publisher Freedom Games’ debut a host of graphical and gameplay improvements alongside the Nintendo Switch launch.

Immerse in completely reworked environmental art across all 28 battlefield maps. Experience the heat of battle, hotter than ever, with a new lighting system giving each encounter a more polished appearance. Wield more than 320 rebalanced weapons, spells, and skills to better prepare the ultimate squad of heroes for the hardships to come.

Explore new combat strategies hidden within highly customizable class trees including Mage, Rogue, Warrior, Cleric, Ranger, and Adept. Collect Eternal Aspects, physical manifestations of divine power, to change character capabilities and choose a different speciality. The Grave Wounds system provides a different spin on the classic perma-death system where instead of being removed from the party after hitting zero health points, units take on a brutal injury, permanently and negatively changing their stats.

Follow Brookstead Military Academy recruits Irving, Garrick, Maren, and Alden as their graduation is expedited in response to the violation of a thousand-year-long pact. Being thrust into a complex war, the quartet readies themselves and recruits allies along the way. Compelling character stories and their striking designs solidify Dark Deity’s identity as a true love letter to the TRPGs that paved the way before it.

Fall in love with the cast of 30 playable characters voiced by English talent like Kira Buckland (Nier Automata, Persona 5 Strikers, Demon Slayer) as they overcome the challenges of war and the inner demons that reside in us all. Characters form connections and bond with one another during battle to unlock more than 450 character interactions leading to a variety of romantic and platonic relationships.

“Taking the classic tactical RPG experience on the go with the Nintendo Switch has been a strong desire for us,” said Chip Moore, Game Director, Sword and Axe. “Not only are we able to bring the game to an even wider audience, but now the game has never looked more beautiful with its new graphical upgrades. Thank you to everyone for supporting us and making this happen, we couldn’t have done it without your support for the initial launch.”

Dark Deity will be available on Nintendo Switch for $24.99 on Thursday, March 17, 2022, with English, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, French, Italian, Spanish, and German language support bringing the magic to players everywhere.

For more information on Dark Deity, pleasevisit the official website and follow it on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram and search for #DarkDeity on social media.

About Sword and Axe, LLC.

Sword and Axe was founded by childhood friends who aspire to make games they would have loved as kids themselves, reusing the name of their middle school gaming club. Prioritizing game quality and experiences over profit projections, Dark Deity is their first foray into game design.

To learn more, visit the official Dark Deity website.

About Freedom Games

Freedom Games is a publisher dedicated to offering best-in-class services to partners and providing players around the world with unique and memorable experiences. With over 50 years of combined industry experience at the executive level, Freedom Games seeks to leverage its expertise to facilitate great games and even better publishing experiences.

For more information, visit the official Freedom! Games website.

Today’s Panel From Hell: 5th Edition live show reveals the Barbarian class alongside more features and improvements coming today in Patch 7: Absolute Frenzy

DUBLIN – Feb. 15, 2022 – During today’s Panel From Hell: 5th Edition live show, Baldur’s Gate 3’s seventh major patch – Absolute Frenzy – was revealed, heralding the arrival of the playable Barbarian class and the introduction of the soon-to-be world-famous sport of goblin-tossing (AKA Improvised Weapons), alongside many other additions, changes and fixes that march Baldur’s Gate 3 further down the path toward 1.0.

Patch 7 opens up new ways to approach adventuring in Faerun, like a fog of war mechanic that obfuscates unexplored rooms, and tweaks to Darkvision and light/dark detection that make for much more effective stealth gameplay. The full patch notes will be available on Steam with a more in-depth look at what’s changed, but below are some highlights. Patch 7: Absolute Frenzy will be available to Baldur’s Gate 3 players later today. In the meantime, catch the Panel From Hell: 5th Edition VOD on our YouTube and Twitch channels for smashing good fun:

Larian Studios on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/LarianStudios/
Larian Studios on Twitch: http://twitch.tv/larian

New Class: Barbarian:

• Merciless in the heat of battle, fueled by nature’s fury, and boasting chaos energy louder than a thousand reality TV stars combined, Barbarians are the latest class to join Baldur’s Gate 3
• Two subclasses:
  • Wildheart Barbarians choose a Bestial Heart to inspire, protect and guide them, receiving different combat abilities and facial piercings depending on their choice.
  • Berserker Barbarians pull from a reservoir of pure fury, turning their Rage into a Frenzy that grants two new bonus actions – Enraged Throw wreaks additional damage to enemies and inflicts the prone status, and Frenzied Strike allows Berserkers to attack twice using a bonus action like Improvised Weapon.
• Improvised Weapons: Almost anything has the potential to become a deadly projectile to be hurled at your foes! Improvised Weapons do damage based on their weight, and characters can wield an Improvised Weapon that weighs up to three times their Strength ability score. In short, this means with a high enough Strength stat, you can use something as big as a Mindflayer as a tool for thwacking your foes – although we don’t think he’d like it.
• Thrown Weapons: Patch 7 also adds throwable Daggers, Javelins, Handaxes, and Spears that allow you to attack from a distance, making melee combat feel more dynamic.
• Total UI Overhaul: Patch 7 includes a total overhaul of Baldur’s Gate 3’s HUD UI, making it slicker, streamlined, and easier to use.
• Stealth & Exploration: Improving exploration in Baldur’s Gate 3 is one of the cornerstones of this patch. We want to ensure that as you explore, the surprises that are waiting around the corner stay just that: a surprise!
  • Light & Dark: We’ve improved how light and dark areas are detected, meaning you’re less likely to miss when in daylight and hiding from NPCs is more precisely affected by the darkness around you.
  • Darkvision: Improved visualization means that characters using Darkvision won’t see a brightly lit room, but will instead see in the dark via a cone of vision effect.
  • Room Portals: Blackened barriers that cover the doors of unexplored rooms and conceal the characters and objects within them.
• New Magic Loot: We’ve placed a fresh batch of Magic Loot throughout the world, ranging from helmets and gloves to lightning-charged tridents, each granting its owner an impressive stat boost, buff, or additional perk.
• Upgraded Cinematics: We’ve improved nearly 700 cutscenes – upgrading visuals, tweaking characters, adding and enhancing animations, and improving pacing.

Community Feedback, Early Access & 1.0

We’ve listed some of the highlights here, but the full patch notes will be available once the patch goes live – a whopping twelve pages of them, with asterisks noting changes and fixes that were the direct result of feedback from the Baldur’s Gate 3 community.

Early Access continues to be a key part of Larian’s development process, allowing us to iterate and improve with feedback from our players to make the best game possible.

Our internal goal post for release is a quality bar rather than a date. A ton of progress has been made towards that quality bar over the past year in Early Access, but we know many players are waiting for an actual date. That date will come when we’re even closer to meeting our goal, but right now our expectation is that Baldur’s Gate 3 will be released out of Early Access in 2023.

About Larian StudiosLarian Studios is an independent RPG developer founded in 1996 in Ghent, Belgium. Over 300 people work between the seven worldwide studios in Ghent, St Petersburg, Quebec, Dublin, Guildford, Malaysia and Barcelona. Larian is best known for the Divinity universe, which they introduced to the world with Divine Divinity in 2002.

In 2014, Larian launched Divinity: Original Sin, a classic CRPG that won over 150 awards and nominations. The company released its critically acclaimed sequel Divinity: Original Sin 2 on September 14, 2017, followed by the Definitive Edition in August 2018 for PlayStation 4 and Xbox One to a 93 Metacritic rating. The Nintendo Switch version released in September 2019 featuring cross-save progression between Nintendo Switch and Steam. Divinity: Original Sin 2 won a BAFTA for Best Multiplayer Game. In October 2020, Larian Studios released the Early Access version of Baldur’s Gate 3.

Aerie Digital’s Rock & Roll Roguelike Battle Bands Shreds Steam Early Access on March 17

Open beta is live now! Take your band to the top in the new fantasy deck-builder featuring co-op and competitive multiplayer, free to try until Feb. 22

PORTLAND, Maine — Feb. 15, 2022 — Aerie Digital has announced that Battle Bands, the multiplayer deck-building game set in a rock & roll fantasy land, will release on Steam Early Access for PC on March 17. But you don’t have to wait that long! You can try out this amped-up battle-of-the-bands experience with friends right now with the game’s free open beta, going on today until February 22 on Steam.

Your deck is your instrument in Battle Bands — choose from guitar, bass, keyboard, or drums, then craft your deck with hundreds of unique unlockable cards. Take on roguelike co-op campaigns for up to four players against challenging AI rivals in Tour Mode, and create or join a band with other players in online tournament team play for up to 64 bands in Royale Mode. Customize your group’s look and instruments, deck out your van in style, and hit the stage like a rock star.

Early Access Features:

• Co-op Tour Mode: Full roguelike campaigns with challenging bosses for 1-4 players
• Competitive Multiplayer Royale Mode: 64-band online tournaments supporting up to 4 players in each band
• 4 Instrument-based Decks: Each with 30 levels of unlockable cards
• Free Season 1 Backstage Pass with 50 levels of unlockable cosmetic items
• Customize your characters, instruments, and van in a variety of ways

Early access gives Aerie the opportunity to work together with players to create a better Battle Bands experience, consider feedback, and develop iteratively with the community. As early access progresses, Battle Bands will expand with new content and customization options toward its official launch.

Battle Bands is available to wishlist now on Steam. For more on the game, check out www.PlayBattleBands.com, and follow the Aerie team on Twitter @AerieDigital and Discord.

About Aerie Digital

Aerie Digital is an independent developer and publisher of video games and digital entertainment experiences. Headquartered in Portland, Maine, our team specializes in creating original and innovative entertainment experiences. www.aeriedigital.com