SCI-FI ROGUELIKE ANVIL: VAULT BREAKERS RECEIVES FIRST UPDATE
Seoul, South Korea – Dec. 22, 2021 – Top-down co-op sci-fi shooter ANVIL: Vault Breakers received its first update since its December Early Access launch for Steam and Xbox. Implemented based on player feedback, the latest update introduces an all-new relic, adjustments to balance and improvements to combat to enhance the gameplay experience.
Developer Action Square has actively listened to community feedback through the Early Access period to continue modifying the game ahead of its full launch. This initial update includes:
A new relic, as well as tweaks to several relic stats
Improvements to sudden deaths and in-game interactions
Enhancements to combat effects and feedback
Lower difficulty scaling depending on the number of party members
Changes to the alert and anti-hack systems
Patches for known bugs and crashes
Buffs for Breakers Sandman and Jungler
“Although we are still in the early stages, we are issuing this balance and convenient feature update after actively listening to player feedback,” said Wonho Son, head producer, Action Square. “We are continually listening to our community which can expect future updates based on their valuable feedback. There’s a ton of new content coming to ANVIL, so I hope people are just as ecstatic as we are for the game’s future.”
Following its Early Access launch, ANVIL: Vault Breakers doubled its server numbers and rose to the number one spot on the gaming sales chart in South Korea.
ANVIL: Vault Breakers is a live multiplayer matchmaking that lets players take control game characters called Breakers to battle against hostile aliens and monsters. Teams of Breakers must work together to locate relics and artifacts from fabled Vaults brimming with the remnants of alien civilizations. The powerful energy and technology found within allows players to increase their ability survive and fight.
ANVIL: Vault Breakers is available now on Steam Early Access as well as GamePass and Game Preview on Xbox.
Action Square (KOSDAQ – 20550:KS) is a game development company founded in 2012 with a mission to develop action-packed games for all to enjoy. The company’s first mobile Action Role Playing Game (ARPG) called Blade was a major success in Korean market. The company have since then moved on to develop a sequel called Samguk Blade and have several other projects under development for various platforms like Steam and Xbox.
Uncover the Mysteries in .hack//G.U. Last Recode, Coming to Nintendo Switch on March 11, 2022
Beloved Japanese RPG Series Celebrating its 20th Anniversary with Remastered Collection of Classic hack//G.U. titles Rebirth, Reminisce, Redemption and Reconnection
SANTA CLARA, Calif., (December 22, 2021) – Leading video game publisher and developer BANDAI NAMCO Entertainment America Inc. today announced that .hack//G.U. Last Recode™ will release for the Nintendo Switch on March 11, 2022. Originally released from 2006 to 2007 for the PlayStation 2, then re-released as a compilation for the PlayStation 4 computer entertainment system and PC via STEAM® in 2017, .hack//G.U. Last Recode returns to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the franchise with the ultimate experience for fans and newcomers alike. In one single integrated experience, players receive a collection of remastered .hack//G.U. action-RPG titles including; Rebirth, Reminisce, Redemption and Reconnection.
.hack is a multimedia franchise developed by famed Japanese developer CyberConnect2, the developers behind the critically acclaimed Naruto Storm series of video games. Comprising video games, anime, novels, and manga, the world of.hackfocuses on the mysterious events surrounding a wildly popular in-universe massively multiplayer role-playing game called The World..hack//G.U.begins after the events of the original .hack series with players assuming the role of Haseo as he tracks down a powerful Player Killer named Tri-Edge who killed his friend’s in-game avatar Shino, which put her into a coma in real life.
“.hack//G.U. Last Recode brings together four massive RPG experiences to form one epic compelling story for fans and newcomers to the franchise,” said Summer Nguyen, Associate Brand Manager at BANDAI NAMCO Entertainment America Inc. “We’re so excited to bring the game to Nintendo Switch for the 20-year-anniversary of the series, and we can’t wait to see how fans celebrate with .hack//G.U. Last Recode!”
The Begins Edition Bundle for .hack//G.U. Last Recode is now exclusively available for pre-order through BANDAI NAMCO Entertainment America’s new eCommerce store. The bundle includes one physical copy of each of the following: .hack//G.U. Last Recode for Nintendo Switch, .hack//G.U. begins Manga and Concept Art booklet, and the original soundtrack. To learn more about the game’s exclusive availability, please visit: https://store.bandainamcoent.com/hack-g-u-last-recode/
BANDAI NAMCO Entertainment America Inc., part of BANDAI NAMCO Group, is a leading global publisher and developer of interactive entertainment for all major video game consoles, iOS, Android, and online platforms. The company is known for creating and publishing many of the industry’s top video game franchises including PAC-MAN®, GALAGA®, TEKKEN®, SOULCALIBUR®, and ACE COMBAT®. BANDAI NAMCO Entertainment America Inc. is the premier publisher in the Western hemisphere for anime based video games including NARUTO SHIPPUDEN™, DRAGON BALL Z®, and ONE PIECE®. More information about the company and its products can be found at http://www.bandainamcoent.com or www.facebook.com/BandaiNamcoUS
Grav-Lev Improvements, New Drake Cutlass Steel Ship, and More Includedin Latest Update for the Expanding Universe of Star Citizen
LOS ANGELES – Dec. 22, 2021 – Cloud Imperium Games (CIG) announced today the release of the Star Citizen – Alpha 3.16: Return to Jumptown update. Scheduled to launch at 10:00 a.m. (PST), today’s release marks the introduction of the newest in-game server-wide dynamic event called Jumptown 2.0 – inspired by the original fan-favorite PvP event Jumptown – which finds both law enforcement and criminal factions across the ‘verse gathering to battle for control of an overabundance of illegal narcotics. Expect large-scale battles around old and new event locations as players either team up to secure the drugs or deliver them to criminal hands.
In addition, players more interested in their pilot’s personal journey can look forward to more PvE Star Citizen content later in the 3.16 patch cycle in January, with Derelict Ships that offer traps to avoid, puzzles to solve, and valuable rewards to secure. Head here for full details about the Jumptown 2.0 PvP event, and the new Derelict Puzzles PvE mission expansions coming during the
Star Citizen – Alpha 3.16: Return to Jumptowncycle.“2021 has been another fantastic year for Star Citizen and our amazing community, and I’m excited for us to end the year with another explosive Dynamic Event in Alpha 3.16: Return to Jumptown,” said Star Citizen Creative Director Chris Roberts. “Long-term players remember the emergent PvP Jumptown battles from the early days of the Persistent Universe. We’ve taken the intense action from the old event as inspiration for Jumptown 2.0, which promises to deliver the exhilarating and large-scale battlefields we want to see more of in Star Citizen. On top of that, today in 3.16.0 we are also adding big improvements to the handling of hover vehicles, a new Cutlass Steel dropship, and a few more surprises for our players. And later in January in 3.16.1, we’ll be adding Derelict Ship Graveyards and hidden treasures protected by deadly traps.”
Star Citizen – Alpha 3.16: Return to Jumptown update key features include:
Jumptown 2.0: Inspired by the popular PvP community event where players waged war over valuable drug resources, Jumptown 2.0 seeks to introduce the excitement and chaos of largescale PvP ground conflicts in Star Citizen. During this event, both Lawful and Criminal players will race to battle over control of valuable drug crates at various outposts in the Stanton system.
Drake Cutlass Steel: This dropship variant of the Drake Cutlass replaces cargo capacity with room for 18 jump seats to transport troops to the frontlines of battle, along with a variety of weaponry, including door-mounted guns, manned and remote turrets, ballistic Gatling guns, laser repeaters, and a powerful payload of missiles.
Grav-Lev Physics Rework: Hover bikes will see major improvements following a significant rework of the flight and driving model for grav-lev vehicles. The result is improved handling, stability, and a far better experience for hover bikes moving forward.
Atmospheric Bounties: Bounty hunters can now pursue contracts above the caves on microTech, outposts on ArcCorp, and more with new bounties across Stanton, including targets hiding in-atmosphere across all of the system’s major planets.
Players can expect further improvements following today’s Star Citizen – Alpha 3.16: Return to Jumptown update, coming at the end of January as an Alpha 3.16.1 release and ahead of the next Alpha 3.17 update. Derelict Puzzles: A number of derelict ships have been discovered throughout the Stanton region. Explore and navigate through the wreckage, avoid deadly laser trip mines, and recover valuable cargo in these new derelict variants
For full details on theStar Citizen – Alpha 3.16: Return to Jumptown update, please head here. Players interested in what each development team is working on are encouraged to visit the Star CitizenProgress Tracker and roadmap on the official website.
Star Citizen combines classic space sim and FPS gameplay with boundary-pushing visuals in a massively multiplayer setting of unprecedented fidelity. Live how you want to live: shift paths from cargo hauler to outlaw, explorer, or any other role, whenever you want. Explore multiple planets and moons, including vast cities and underground caverns, all created with a unique combination of procedural planet technology and complementary hand-crafted design.
For further information, including how to download and play Star Citizen, visit the official website. Enlist today and join this ever-expanding universe by visiting the game’s Welcome Hub and Guide System for tips on how to play. Millions of players from around the world have already joined to help CIG build the most ambitious game ever made.
About Cloud Imperium Games
Cloud Imperium Games is a new kind of independent studio dedicated to delivering AAA games outside the established publisher system. It was founded in 2012 by renowned visionary game developer Chris Roberts (Wing Commander series, Freelancer, Privateer), Sandi Gardiner, and international media lawyer and producer Ortwin Freyermuth (Carlito’s Way, Shattered, Das Boot – Director’s Cut), with industry veteran and studio director Erin Roberts (Lego videogame series, Starlancer, Privateer) joining the team in 2013. Cloud Imperium Games is creating Star Citizen, a record-shattering, largely crowdfunded space sim, and Squadron 42, a Hollywood-caliber, story-driven single-player game set in the same universe. Cloud Imperium Games operates in “open development” – sharing progress and updates in near real time. This paradigm-shifting development process (game development usually occurs behind closed doors) gives the community an unprecedented look at Star Citizen and Squadron 42’s development and allows direct feedback and interaction between players and developers, thereby ensuring that the games being developed are what players want to play.
Amsterdam, The Netherlands — December 22, 2021 — A little over two months after its official launch, Elyon has opened pre-registration for a brand new combatant, the Archer Class.
Elyon, developed by Bluehole Studio and published by Kakao Games, is set in a world of magic and technology, where factions battle to claim the mystical world of Elyon. With deep character customization, skill-building, weapon choices, one-of-a-kind PvP, PvE and more, Elyon offers a rich, exciting experience for every play style.
The new Archer Class debuts January 12th, bringing another unique ranged character to the battlefield, raining arrows down on enemies and draining their Energy via their remarkable abilities. Archers are powerful allies with deadly precision, striking at the heart of those foolish enough to take them on.
Pre-registration for the Archer Class can be completed by signing up for the Kakao Games newsletter here, with those doing so receiving an Epic Grade +8 Bow & Quiver.
Watch the trailer below for an exciting introduction to theArcher:
Elyon is also celebrating its Season of Snow from now until January 12th, offering enhancement related rewards, holiday-themed furniture, and a piece of Legendary Gear through a variety of events. End-of-year Twitch Drops will also be enabled, offering new players and veterans alike great rewards for participating.
Details on these and upcoming Season of Snow events can be found here.
About Kakao Games
Founded in 2016, Kakao Games is a leading publisher of online and mobile games, responsible for releasing titles including Pearl Abyss’ Black Desert Online (serviced in North America and Europe until early 2021), KRAFTON’s PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds (serviced in Korea), Bluehole Studio’s MMORPG Elyon (serviced in North America, Europe and Oceania), Kong Studios’ Guardian Tales (serviced in North America, Europe, Latin America and Oceania), XLGAMES’ Moonlight Sculptor (serviced in North America and Europe) and ArcheAge (serviced in North America, Europe and Oceania), also developed by XLGAMES.
About Bluehole Studio
Based in Pangyo, Seongnam, Bluehole Studio is KRAFTON’s independent studio focused on MMORPGs. Known for TERA and Elyon, Bluehole Studio aims to bring fun and inspiration to the global user community, and to be recognized as a leading MMORPG game production studio.
About KRAFTON, Inc. KRAFTON, Inc. is a collective of independent game development studios brought together to create innovative and engaging entertainment experiences for gamers across the world. The company consists of PUBG STUDIOS, Bluehole Studio, Striking Distance Studios, RisingWings, and Dreamotion, each with its own unique expertise. KRAFTON is responsible for premier entertainment properties including PUBG: BATTLEGROUNDS, PUBG: NEW STATE, The Callisto Protocol, Elyon and TERA. As a technology-driven company that boasts world-class capabilities, KRAFTON seeks to expand its areas of business beyond games to multimedia entertainment and deep learning.
Earlier this year the British Esports Association selected the 2021 teams to represent Great Britain for this year’s Global Esports Games (GEG) 2021 in Singapore.
Teams from more than 80 countries competed last weekend at a medal event which didn’t include prize money. The 2021 games had tournaments in Street Fighter V, Dota 2 Open, Dota 2 Women and eFootball PES. The inaugural games took place from December 17th-19th where Great Britain had teams and players competing for their chance to secure a medal. The teams were led by Vexed Gaming’s Chief Gaming Officer, Mark Weller, as team manager.
The Dota 2 Women’s team played on the main stage, securing a Silver medal to the hosting country Singapore.
Great Britain team manager Mark Weller commented “Great Britain team manager Mark Weller commented “Closing out the first global esports games with a Silver medal and 2 close 4th place finishes (1-2 and 2-3) is a fantastic start for what could be a strong national programme, Our journey to Singapore was met with many struggles, but I feel we are building the foundations of something truly fantastic with your GB esports roster. I think we can walk away proud, showing that Great Britain is home to some exceptional talent and I look forward to building on these foundation’s we laid in 2021″.
For an overview of all events, please see below.
Dota 2 Open
With an early start the Dota 2 Open team competed in their semi-finals game against Singapore. Despite their best efforts, Great Britain fell short against the home nation 0-2, ending their journey in the Global Esports Games 2021 with a 4th place finish. Captain of the Great Britain Dota 2 Open team commented: “Unfortunately we did not reach the expectations we had but I’m happy we are able to learn from this experience so we can come back stronger next year.”
Dota 2 Women
Firstly, Great Britain faced Mongolia in the semi-finals with their chance to secure a spot in the grand finals. The team secured the victory 2-0 where their next game would see them face against the hosting country’s team: Singapore. Heading onto the main stage, Great Britain started off the first match in the best-of-three series with a victory, putting themselves 1-0 up against Singapore. After a long game filled with nail-biting moments, the hosting country leveled up the series 1-1, taking it to its full lengths.
The final match saw the game running over 70 minutes long, where Singapore took the edge resulting in Great Britain securing a Silver medal finish.
Great Britain player Bellemiku commented: “From where we started in the beginning, I am so proud of how far we have come. We prepared for the matches to the best of our ability and our series vs Mongolia and Singapore showed that. We went into the finals with low expectations and winning that first match felt amazing, it’s a shame we couldn’t close out the series but the final 80 minute match just displays how close it really was. I’m very excited to see more opportunities like this in the future!”
eFootball 2022 PES
On December 17th the eFootball 2022 PES qualifiers took place, where MrMyClub1 was representing team Great Britain and Northern Ireland. The day started off strong with a victory against Hungary. Moving into the next two sets of games against Montenegro and Libya, despite a valiant attempt from MrMyClub1, he wasn’t able to progress further in the tournament losing to both countries. He commented: “Overall it’s been an incredible experience, very very competitive as I had imagined and just unlucky not to get through in the end as it was very close.”
Closing Interview – MrEHughes eFootball 2022 PES – YouTube
Street Fighter V
The Street Fighter V action started off with a group stage where player Kim-Phillipe finished off with a clean sheet 4-0, progressing to the bracket stages of the tournament. Countries within the group were: Paraguay, Singapore, Jamaica and Mongolia. The following day The4Philzz took to the main stage against Brazil. Starting off 0-1 down, he later tied up the series with the character Falke. With the momentum of taking game two, he managed to close out the series 3-1 and secured his place in the semi-finals against Chinese Taipei.
Whilst the games were close, he unfortunately fell 1-3 in the semi-finals and is set to participate in a third-place match-up against Pakistan.
Pakistan took the series 3-1 in a heavily contested bout for the bronze medal, leaving Great Britain with a 4th place finish in the Street Fighter V tournament at the Global Esports Games 2021.
He commented: “My time at the Global Esports Games 2021 in Singapore was great! Started my group stages with a flawless 4-0 record. I then moved on to the top 8 qualifiers the next day. Many hard battles were fought and my journey ended in 4th place.”
In the coming weeks you can watch back Great Britain’s journey behind the scenes in Singapore, with videos to be uploaded to the British Esports Association’s YouTube channel. You can also view all Great Britain rosters and final placements on the British Esports website.
Hot Wheels Unleashed™ Sold One Million Copies Worldwide
Sydney, Australia – December 22, 2021 – Mattel, Inc. (NASDAQ: MAT) and Milestone, a leading global racing game developer, announced today that critically acclaimed Hot Wheels Unleashed™, the action-packed arcade-style racing experience, sold one million copies worldwide across both physical and digital since its launch on September 30, 2021, making it Milestone’s fastest-selling title ever.
“Ever since we announced Hot Wheels Unleashed back in February, we’ve received thousands of love messages from fans. This milestone is the umpteenth display of affection of our passionate community,” said Luisa Bixio, CEO, Milestone.
“Hot Wheels is all about encouraging the challenger spirit and Hot Wheels Unleashed brings that mission to life for gamers of all ages. We’re proud of this exciting milestone, and we look forward to even more fans discovering the game and new upcoming content as we head into 2022.” Andrew Chan, Head of Digital Gaming, Mattel.
Hot Wheels Unleashed™ offers players the opportunity to drive the cars as if they were playing with the die-cast toys. The gameplay includes adrenaline-filled races, an extended choice of Hot Wheels® vehicles with different attributes and rarity levels that players can customise with different skins, and jaw-dropping tracks set in everyday-life locations with special track pieces and interactive items. The game also features a revolutionary Track Editor enabling players to customise tracks in any game environment and share them with the game’s community.
Hot Wheels Unleashed™ is available on PlayStation®5, PlayStation®4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One X, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch and PC (Steam and Epic Games Store). For more details, visit the official website [https://hotwheelsunleashed.com/]
As the #1 selling toy in the world*, Hot Wheels is the global leader in car culture. For the last fifty plus years, Hot Wheels has proven its influence on the automotive community with legendary design and epic performance. Today, Hot Wheels has become a worldwide powerhouse franchise, with live and virtual events on almost every continent, highly sought-after consumer products and top-tier collaborations, a #1-rated content channel on YouTube, and more. While 16.5 Hot Wheels are sold every second and over 8 billion cars have been sold to date, the brand continues to expand its presence in digital gaming, with success across mobile, console and PC platforms.
For more information, visithotwheelsunleashed.com. Drivers can also join the #HotWheelsUnleashed conversation online at Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and Twitter.
* Source: The NPD Group/ Retail Tracking Service, U.S. Dollar Sales, January-December 2020
About Mattel
Mattel is a leading global toy company and owner of one of the strongest catalogs of children’s and family entertainment franchises in the world. We create innovative products and experiences that inspire, entertain, and develop children through play. We engage consumers through our portfolio of iconic brands, including Barbie®, Hot Wheels®, Fisher-Price®, American Girl®, Thomas & Friends®, UNO®, Masters of the Universe®, Monster High® and MEGA®, as well as other popular intellectual properties that we own or license in partnership with global entertainment companies. Our offerings include film and television content, gaming, music, and live events. We operate in 35 locations and our products are available in more than 150 countries in collaboration with the world’s leading retail and ecommerce companies. Since its founding in 1945, Mattel is proud to be a trusted partner in empowering children to explore the wonder of childhood and reach their full potential. Visit us online at mattel.com.
About Milestone
Founded in Milan in 1996, Milestone S.r.l. is one of the leading and longest established racing game developers in the world. The 200+ people team is responsible for hit series like MotoGP™, MXGP and Monster Energy Supercross – The Official Videogame, as well as RIDE and Gravel, Milestone’s own IPs. For more information, please visit www.milestone.it
Systemic Reaction’s Co-op Dino Shooter Second Extinction Is Free to Keep on the Epic Games Store for 24 Hours
STOCKHOLM — Dec. 21, 2021 — Second Extinction, the action-packed co-op dinosaur shooter from Systemic Reaction, is free to download and keep on the Epic Games Store now through December 22 at 11 a.m. ET. Team up with friends and battle mutated dinosaurs in a devastated world filled with seasonal contracts and rewards from the recently debuted Pre-Season 7 update.
Second Extinction pits teams of up to three players against swarms of bloodthirsty dinos in fast-paced battles across Earth’s post-apocalyptic wastelands. Equip a range of uniquely powerful weapons and abilities and fight on your own or with friends against monstrous dinosaurs long thought extinct — now mutated and deadlier than ever! The War Effort is Second Extinction’s community-driven global metagame: by completing missions and activities, you’ll directly impact the threat level and challenges players around the world face.
Second Extinction is also available on Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, the Microsoft Store for PC, and Xbox Game Pass for consoles and PC via Xbox Game Preview. You can find it on Steam Early Access, as well.
Small but fierce, we started as a group of veterans from within Avalanche Studios Group. Based in Stockholm and Malmö, we focus on crafting new and empowering games with unique settings. Drawing from our experiences within the industry, we want to create games that appeal both to us, and to you — our players. We want to play in a sandbox that lets your creativity thrive.
Our focus is freedom, exploration, and a drive to create games like the ones that kept us up at night as kids. We’ve got Generation Zero launched and Second Extinction on Xbox Game Preview and PC early access — with even more to come. Join us in the sandbox!
A brand-new immersive Assassin’s Creed concert experience
SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA – Ubisoft and Overlook Events are proud to introduce Assassin’s Creed Symphonic Adventure, a new official symphonic concert created especially to celebrate the 15th anniversary of the globally acclaimed video game series.
Over the past 15 years, the Assassin’s Creed franchise has become one of the most beloved and popular video game series of all time, becoming synonymous with rich and engrossing storytelling, spectacular recreations of worlds, and for its ability to allow players to treat History as their own personal playground.
Assassin’s Creed Symphonic Adventure features a full orchestra and choir in a unique and immersive concert experience that covers the musical journey of Assassin’s Creed from its ancient origins through to modern-day Animus settings. In this original concert performance, the narrative of the games is at the heart of the music experience. The audience will be able to follow each game with its individual musical identity, accompanied by video montages on screen, perfectly synchronized with the orchestra, choir, and soloists.
A fully immersive symphonic concert amplified with video, lighting and special sound effects.
This brand-new immersive concert is developed by the dynamic team from Overlook Events, creators of the world-acclaimed Dragon Ball & Saint Seiya Symphonic Adventure concerts, alongside Ubisoft’s own creative teams.
The world premiere of Assassin’s Creed Symphonic Adventure begins in Paris, France on October 29th, 2022 at the prestigious Grand Rex in the heart of the city. This event will celebrate not only the 15th Anniversary of the game series, but also the 90th Anniversary of this historic venue! A World Tour is scheduled from early 2023 internationally during the anniversary year.
“Music has always played a pivotal role in the Assassin’s Creed experience and I’m thrilled to join Overlook Events’ Symphonic Adventures Concert in celebrating the music, mythology and rich stories of the Assassin’s Creed series. I hope you will join us for this exciting new concert production touring in 2022 and beyond,”comments Jesper Kyd, composer of the Assassin’s Creed series.
“This collaboration with Overlook Events will allow fans to immerse themselves in the rich and powerful world of Assassin’s Creed, as a special celebration of the 15th anniversary. Overlook brings creative expertise to put together this symphonic concert, using high-quality special effects to enhance the immersion and deliver a thrilling Assassin’s Creed experience,” comments Azaïzia Aymar, transmedia and business development Director at Ubisoft.
About Overlook Events
Overlook Events aims to be a recipient of new ideas combining the creativity of talented artists with the need to provide enthusiasts with new and innovative experiences both in design and their representation. Overlook Events works with the greatest artists and composers to develop original concepts and export them around the world, exploring the many possibilities allowing to create unique scenic performances.
About Ubisoft
Ubisoft is a creator of worlds, committed to enriching players’ lives with original and memorable entertainment experiences. Ubisoft’s global teams create and develop a deep and diverse portfolio of games, featuring brands such as Assassin’s Creed®, Brawlhalla®, For Honor®, Far Cry®, Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon®, Just Dance®, Rabbids®, Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six®, The Crew®, Tom Clancy’s The Division®, and Watch Dogs®. Through Ubisoft Connect, players can enjoy an ecosystem of services to enhance their gaming experience, get rewards and connect with friends across platforms. With Ubisoft+, the subscription service, they can access a growing catalog of more than 100 Ubisoft games and DLC. For the 2020–21 fiscal year, Ubisoft generated net bookings of €2,241 million. To learn more, please visit: www.ubisoftgroup.com.
DRAGON BALL GAMES BATTLE HOUR 2022 TO BE HELD ON FEBRUARY 18 & 19, 2022
Next Year’s Dragon Ball Games Battle Hour Promises to Deliver Even More Excitement and Content for Fans to Enjoy
SANTA CLARA, Calif., (December 20, 2021) – Leading video game publisher and developer BANDAI NAMCO Entertainment America Inc. today announced DRAGON BALL Games Battle Hour 2022, an online event broadcast around the world (certain countries and regions excluded),will be held over two days on February 18 & 19, 2022 with the support of SHUEISHA Inc. and TOEI ANIMATION Co. LTD. In the Americas, the event hours are as follows:
– Day 1: 2/18 (Fri) 7:00 PM – 12:00AM EST / 2/18 (Fri) 4:00 PM – 9:00 PM PST
– Day 2: 2/19 (SAT) 12:00PM – 8:00PM EST/ 2/19 (SAT) 9:00 AM PST – 5:00 PM PST
After a successful inaugural event that was held in February 2021, this year’s DRAGON BALL Games Battle Hour will be packed with even more news on the best the DRAGON BALLfranchisehas to offer, including manga, animation, videogames, and action figures.
During the event, there will be several competitions and show matches taking place. For DRAGON BALL FighterZ, the “World Championship” will be held to determine the world’s No. 1 player among the winners of the “Regional Finals,” a tournament featuring the top ranked players from Europe, Japan, and North America. For DRAGON BALL SUPER CARD GAME, there will be a dream match-up between the winner of the “World Championship 2021” and the winner from last year’s DRAGON BALL Games Battle Hour. As for DRAGON BALL LEGENDSa special program will be delivered again. And last but not least, a SUPER DRAGON BALL HEROES special event will pit six players from Japan against each other, separated into two teams for 3 vs. 3 battles.
There will also be additional activities in the event’s “Online Arena” for participants to enjoy. A multiple-choice quiz tournament based on DRAGON BALL Z DOKKAN BATTLE and DRAGON BALL LEGENDS hosted by their development teams. A “DBXV2 Super Fashion Show” will see the top 16 fashion leaders in DRAGON BALL XENOVERSE 2showcasing their work.
Along with these events, fans can look for more information on several DRAGON BALL projects. There will be the latest information on DRAGON BALL SUPER: SUPER HERO, the upcoming movie in which Akira Toriyama is fully participating. DRAGON BALL: THE BREAKERS will also be part of the event with the game producer playing and elaborating on the recently announced title. “Dokkan DATA 2022” will be a program looking back at the seven years since the launch of DRAGON BALL Z DOKKAN BATTLE and sharing some data about how players have been playing the game and its history.
BANDAI NAMCO Entertainment America Inc., part of the BANDAI NAMCO Group, is a leading global publisher and developer of interactive entertainment for all major video game consoles, iOS, Android, and online platforms. The company is known for creating and publishing many of the industry’s top video game franchises including PAC-MAN®, GALAGA®, TEKKEN®, SOULCALIBUR®, and ACE COMBAT®. BANDAI NAMCO Entertainment America Inc. is the premier publisher in the Western hemisphere for anime based video games including NARUTO SHIPPUDEN™, DRAGON BALL Z®, and ONE PIECE®. More information about the company and its products can be found at http://www.bandainamcoent.com or www.facebook.com/BandaiNamcoUS
All other trademarks are properties of their respective owners.
THEA500® Mini is now in full production, has its full line-up of games released and has a release date set
20th December 2021, Sydney, Australia –Retro Games announces that the THEA500® Mini, a fully licensed reimagining of the much-loved 16-bit home computer, has now entered full production and is scheduled for release on March 25th 2022.
Over the past few months the final list of included games has been announced, cumulating in the final game announcement, the seminal Stunt Car Racer from industry legend Geoff Crammond. This ground-breaking game received high praise from press around its launch in 1989, including a 93% in Amiga Format magazine and 92% in CU Amiga-64. Other recently announced games include Arcade Pool and Project-X Special Edition 93 from Team 17, F-16 Combat Pilot from Digital Integration and Super Cars II from Gremlin.
This brings the full games list to 25, every one a highly regarded and critically acclaimed Amiga classic. In addition, if you own other original Amiga games, these can be played via USB stick utilising the WHDLoad functionality of the THEA500®. With users able to tweak setup, controller options and display settings.
The launch stock of the THEA500® Mini is expected to leave the manufacturing plant in early January 2022. In addition, due to many fan requests, standalone “solus” packs of the Mouse and Gamepad will also be made available in selected territories.
“Over the last couple of months, my team have been hard at work finalising the firmware of the THEA500® Mini as well as working closely with our manufacturing partners to ensure the highest production quality” said Chris Smith, CTO at Retro Games, “and as a commitment to our very loyal fans, we will also be shortly putting out a new Christmas THEC64 firmware update”.
“In addition, we have in the past excelled at the unboxing experience and feel that this time we have surpassed expectations and will be bringing you our best looking product yet”, follows up Paul Andrews, Managing Director at Retro Games.
Developed by Retro Games Ltd. and distributed by Koch Media, the THEA500® Mini comes with the original style 2-button mouse and newly engineered 8-button precision gamepad. It hits the shops on March 25th 2022 with a suggested retail price AUD$199.99
Included in the box with THEA500® Mini is a 1.8m (6ft) wired USB classic mouse, a 1.8m (6ft) wired precision 8-button gamepad, a USB-A to USB-C power cable (PSU not included) and HDMI cable (both 1.8m (6ft) in length) allowing full compatibility with all modern TVs. Other features include a save game function, selectable 50Hz or 60Hz screen refresh, CRT filter and multiple scaling options. Also upload your own files, games and firmware revisions via USB flash drive (not included).
THEA500® MINI FINAL GAMES LIST
Alien Breed 3D, Alien Breed: Special Edition’92, Another World, Arcade Pool, ATR: All Terrain Racing, Battle Chess, Cadaver, California Games, The Chaos Engine, Dragons Breath, F-16 Combat Pilot, Kick Off 2, The Lost Patrol, Paradroid 90, Pinball Dreams, Project-X: Special Edition 93, Qwak, The Sentinel, Simon the Sorcerer, Speedball 2: Brutal Deluxe, Stunt Car Racer, Super Cars II, Titus The Fox: To Marrakech And Back, Worms: The Director’s Cut, Zool: Ninja Of The “Nth” Dimension.
Retro Games Ltd is made up of people with a combined games industry experience of over 100 years. Having successfully produced and released many games across many formats, such the C64, Spectrum, GBA, Wii and more. Members of the team also successfully bought to market the C64DTV direct to TV C64 games console, THEC64® Mini and full-sized THEC64®. Based in the UK but operating on a global basis.
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 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) and Vertigo Games (Rotterdam /The Netherlands). 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.
