Registration Now Open for Annual Summit and 25th Annual D.I.C.E. Awards, February 22 – 24
LAS VEGAS (Oct. 26, 2021) — Game developers, industry executives and more will reconnect and celebrate video games in person early next year as the 2022 D.I.C.E Summit (#DICE2022) returns to Las Vegas. The Academy of Interactive Arts and Sciences (AIAS) today announced registration is now open for the annual event, to be held February 22 — 24, 2022, at the Mandalay Bay Resort. In addition, submissions are open for the 25th Annual D.I.C.E. Awards (#DICEAwards), the premier, peer-based video game awards show honoring the best of the industry from 2021.
“There’s nothing that can replace gathering in person to show that we are Better Together as we connect and celebrate the art and craft of video games at D.I.C.E. in February,” said Meggan Scavio, president, Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences (AIAS). “The 2022 Summit will give us an opportunity to acknowledge the difficulties we’ve experienced, discuss the virtual connections we have cultivated, and truly celebrate our resilience as we reflect on the incredible accomplishments our industry has made in the past year under unprecedented circumstances.”
2022 D.I.C.E. Summit
#DICE2022 will explore the theme, Better Together, looking at the human connections that drive everything forward in business and in life. D.I.C.E. has always been about the amazing people that build the art form of interactive entertainment, and this summit will explore how communication and collaboration, aided by next gen technology, fuel a desire to grow and share these new experiences.
Unmatched networking opportunities are a hallmark of the D.I.C.E. Summit experience. This year’s networking events include go-karting, golf, poker and Magic: The Gathering tournaments, an industry Town Hall, the popular roundtable discussions, speed networking, investor meetings, intimate workshops, meals and happy hours.
25th Annual D.I.C.E. Awards
Award submissions are open for the 25th Annual D.I.C.E. Awards, which recognizes excellence among peers currently working in games. The AIAS acknowledges the skill, excellence and craft that fuels the video industry with the #DICEAwards.
Highlights include recognizing the best in Art, Animation, Story, Music, Game Design and Game Direction, as well as celebrating emerging technologies such as Immersive Reality. The evening culminates with the Academy’s top honor, Game of the Year (GOTY). This award celebrates a single title that stands above every other game released due to the strength of its craft, depth and innovation. Previous Game of the Year winners include: Hades (2021), Untitled Goose Game (2020), God of War (2019) and Zelda: Breath of the Wild (2018).
To be eligible for submission, a game must have been released to the public between Jan. 1 and Dec. 31, 2021. Deadline for submission to the Academy is December 7th at 5 PM PST.
Stay up to date on all AIAS news by following @Official_AIAS on Twitter and Instagram. To register for the D.I.C.E. Summit and Awards Show, visit www.dicesummit.org. Act now for early-bird rates. Prices go up for regular registration tickets on November 30, 2021.
In line with recommendations from public health authorities and to facilitate a safe environment, attendees and staff will be required to show proof of a U.S. FDA- or WHO-recognized vaccine against COVID-19 or a negative COVID-19 test prior to the event. For additional information and updates, check here.
About Academy of Interactive Arts and Science
The Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences (AIAS) was founded in 1996 as a not-for-profit organization dedicated to the advancement and recognition of the interactive arts. The organization has more than 30,000 members. The mission of the AIAS is to promote and advance the worldwide interactive entertainment community; recognize outstanding achievements in the interactive arts and sciences; and host an annual awards show, the D.I.C.E. Awards, to enhance awareness of the interactive art form.
The prestigious D.I.C.E. (Design, Innovate, Communicate, Entertain) Summit brings together the top video game designers and developers from around the world and business leaders from all major publishers to discuss the state of the industry, its trends and the future.
‘90s Mystery Adventure Game Kathy Rain: Director’s Cut Is Available Now on PC, iOS & Android
The revamped detective classic arrives with new features and content on Nintendo Switch very soon
STOCKHOLM — Oct. 26, 2021 — A classically stylish ‘90s-set mystery returns today with the release of Kathy Rain: Director’s Cut. This overhaul of the 2016 point-and-click detective mystery improves and expands upon the original with updated features like new puzzles and locations, as well as over 700 fully voiced lines of bonus story and dialogue.
Kathy Rain: Director’s Cut is available today on Windows PC, Mac, and Linux via Steam and GOG.com for $14.99 — as well as on iOS and Android for $4.99 — with a version for Nintendo Switch coming in the very near future. All owners of the original Kathy Rain on PC are eligible for a loyalty discount of 50% off this new installment via the platform they own the original title on.
Kathy Rain: Director’s Cut Launch Trailer:
Kathy Rain first released in May 2016 to modest attention, but won over fans of the genre over time thanks to its compelling story, excellent voice acting, and clever puzzles. Kathy Rain eventually found its audience, achieving over 1.2 million users on Steam alone.
Set in the ‘90s, Kathy Rain follows a strong-willed journalism major (Kathy) who returns to her small hometown of Conwell Springs following the death of her grandfather. But it isn’t long before questions surrounding her grandfather’s final days begin to arise, spurring Kathy into action as she seeks to uncover the dark secrets of the town she left behind. What are the people of Conwell Springs hiding? With limited technology, Kathy will have to use her wits alongside her notepad and trusty motorcycle to reveal this deeply personal mystery.
Kathy Rain: Director’s Cut Features:
Extended storyline, including a more fleshed out and satisfying ending
Multiple new areas to explore, with additional gameplay and puzzles
700+ new lines of dialogue performed by the original voice actors
Widescreen 16:9 backgrounds
Expanded and remixed soundtrack
Different motorcycle skins to personalize Kathy’s motorcycle
Full controller support
No spoilers, but… DEATH SEQUENCES!
Twice the number of Steam achievements
Brazilian Portuguese translation, with additional languages to follow
And more!
About Clifftop Games
Clifftop Games is an indie game developer based in rural Hedemora, Sweden. We’re committed to thought-provoking, intimate, story-driven experiences.
About Raw Fury
At Raw Fury, we pride ourselves on being an indie publisher that doesn’t care about genres or mechanics – what we really care about are experiences and emotions. At the end of the day, what’s most important to us is helping developers make magic.
Blast into the Action as Star-Lord Today for an Epic and Original Guardians of the Galaxy Experience
MONTRÉAL, CANADA (October 26, 2021) – Buckle those seat belts and get ready for an epic journey across the cosmos. Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy is now available for PlayStation®5 (PS5), PlayStation®4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PC, and streaming via GeForce NOW. Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy: Cloud Version for Nintendo Switch™ is also available in select regions. In celebration, the team has released a new trailer detailing what fans can expect in the game.
Watch the new “What is” Trailer here
Created by the Eidos-Montréal™ team, who worked closely with Marvel Entertainment, Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy is a single player action-adventure with an all-new story and fresh take on the Guardians of the Galaxy.
“Collaborating with Marvel Entertainment to bring Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy to life has been an absolutely incredible journey and experience for the Eidos-Montréal team” said David Anfossi, Head of Studio at Eidos-Montréal. “We’re excited for fans to jump into Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy and for the first time ever, step into the boots of Star-Lord and show the universe what they’re made of.”
In Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy, take on the role of Star-Lord, the self-proclaimed leader of the Guardians of the Galaxy, and lead the guardians in combat, exploration and conversation. Discover new cosmic superheroes, super villains and worlds. Upgrade guardians and experiment with 40+ in-game outfits, and much more.
“We knew that Eidos-Montréal would be the right partner to create an original, authentic, and fun Guardians of the Galaxy experience, and they delivered on that vision in spades,” said Jay Ong, EVP and Head of Marvel Games. “We hope fans enjoy this unique spin on our beloved Guardians and have a thrilling ride across the cosmos.”
Last, but not least, rock out to a killer soundtrack with 30+ classic 80s hits, including songs from Bonnie Tyler, Rick Astley, KISS, Hot Chocolate, Mötley Crüe and many more. Headbanging required.
For more information on Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy, please visit the official website and follow Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy on social networks.
About Eidos-Montréal Established in 2007, Eidos-Montréal™ is a premiere developer of interactive entertainment based on new intellectual properties and beloved franchises including the acclaimed Tomb Raider® and Deus Ex® series. Renowned as master storytellers, the studio builds immersive worlds and adventures that create lasting memories for players across the globe. Eidos-Montréal crafts its multiple interactive projects with close-knit teams in a hybrid work environment, keeping their focus on creativity and technological innovation. Eidos-Montréal and its network of studios, Eidos-Sherbrooke™ and Eidos-Shanghai™, are part of the Square Enix® group of companies. More information on Eidos-Montréal can be found at https://eidosmontreal.com.
About Square Enix Ltd. Square Enix Ltd. develops, publishes, distributes and licenses SQUARE ENIX®, EIDOS® and TAITO® branded entertainment content in Europe and other PAL territories as part of the Square Enix group of companies. Square Enix Ltd. also has a global network of leading development studios such as Crystal Dynamics® and Eidos Montréal®. The Square Enix group of companies boasts a valuable portfolio of intellectual property including: FINAL FANTASY®, which has sold over 164 million units worldwide; DRAGON QUEST®, which has sold over 83 million units worldwide; TOMB RAIDER®, which has sold over 85 million units worldwide; and the legendary SPACE INVADERS®. Square Enix Ltd. is a London-based, wholly owned subsidiary of Square Enix Holdings Co., Ltd. More information on Square Enix, Inc. can be found at https://www.square-enix-games.com
Saber Interactive & iLLOGIKA Announce Development of A Quiet Place, a New Video Game Based on Paramount Pictures’ Blockbuster Film Franchise
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — Oct. 26, 2021 — Saber Interactive and iLLOGIKA, along with EP1T0ME, have announced the development of A Quiet Place, a new single-player, story-driven horror adventure video game based on Paramount Pictures’ acclaimed film franchise. This first official video game set in the terrifying A Quiet Place universe will deliver an original story and gameplay that captures the compelling suspense, emotion and drama for which the series is famous. The game is in development by iLLOGIKA, the Montreal-based studio with veteran talent from the Rainbow Six and Far Cry franchises, and published by Saber Interactive, the Embracer Group company behind the hit game World War Z and the upcoming Evil Dead: The Game.
“The A Quiet Place video game will let fans experience the tension of the films with a level of immersion they’ve never felt before,” said Hervé Sliwa, Creative Director at iLLOGIKA. “We’re excited to work with EP1T0ME and to team up with Saber Interactive to share this unique vision of hope and horror with players everywhere in the future.”
“The amazing success of the A Quiet Place movies makes it clear audiences are hungry for more adventures in this universe, and iLLOGIKA is creating their own truly engaging experience that lives up to the name of this beloved property. We are proud to say that A Quiet Place is the first game we will be releasing by an external studio from the growing Saber publishing label,” said Todd Hollenshead, Head of Publishing at Saber Interactive.
An Embracer Group company headquartered in the U.S., Saber Interactive is a worldwide publisher and developer operating across 19 studios in the Americas and Europe, including 4A Games, Aspyr Media, New World Interactive, as well as Saber development offices in Russia, Spain, Belarus, Sweden, Portugal and more. Creating games for all major platforms based on both original and licensed IPs, Saber’s titles include World War Z with over 15 million players worldwide (built on the proprietary Swarm Engine™), SnowRunner, the NBA Playgrounds franchise, and the upcoming Evil Dead: The Game. Founded in 2001, Saber is known for two decades of development partnerships with AAA publishers, producing The Witcher III for Nintendo Switch and next-gen consoles, Halo: The Master Chief Collection, Crysis Remastered, Quake Champions and many others.
About iLLOGIKA
iLLOGIKA (illogika.com) is a video game developer and creator of immersive experiences with a multifaceted team of over 70 professionals, all of whom bring a unique mix of creativity and technological expertise to their craft. With numerous video game and immersive experience co-developments under their belt — including Cuphead, Lara Croft Go and the world-record-breaking Hunger Games exhibition at MGM Grand Las Vegas — iLLOGIKA now stands ready to bring its own titles and experiences to the world’s stage.
About EP1T0ME
EP1T0ME Studios, Inc. (http://www.ep1t0me.com) is a video game company headquartered in Austin, TX with locations in Los Angeles, CA and Montreal, Quebec. EP1T0ME is focused on delivering story-driven game experiences across multiple platforms, including PC, console, mobile and VR. EP1T0ME works with exceptional independent game developers and experienced creative talent on both original and established IP. EP1T0ME is developing original IP specifically for multiplatform storytelling, including games, comics, film, television, audio drama and podcasts.
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, Paramount Television Studios, and Paramount Players. PPC operations also include Paramount Home Entertainment, Paramount Pictures International, Paramount Licensing Inc., and Paramount Studio Group.
Hotly Anticipated HATSUNE MIKU: COLORFUL STAGE! Is Coming to iOS and Android on December 7th, 2021
Newly released trailer features characters and songs from each of the five bands from the game, including Leo/need, MORE MORE JUMP!, Vivid BAD SQUAD, Wonderlands x Showtime and Nightcord at 25:00.
TOKYO, Japan – October 26, 2021 – SEGA, in partnership with Colorful Palette, has announced today that the mobile rhythm game HATSUNE MIKU: COLORFUL STAGE! will release on December 7th, 2021, on iOS and Android. The hotly anticipated mobile rhythm game HATSUNE MIKU: COLORFUL STAGE! features a wide array of original characters, music and storylines that SEGA and Colorful Palette will reveal on the game’s official social channels leading up to its launch later this year.
Recently, SEGA conducted a successful public beta test for the game, which ran for two weeks and engaged more than 60,000 players on both Android and iOS platforms.
Check out the newest trailer for HATSUNE MIKU: COLORFUL STAGE!:
In the newest trailer for HATSUNE MIKU: COLORFUL STAGE!, fans are introduced to the five featured bands and an original cast of 20 characters, each showcasing their own musical style and backstories, including:
Leo/need: “The High School Rock band,” formed by a group of four childhood friends who overcome their differences and reunite as a band to strengthen their friendship.
MORE MORE JUMP!: “The Idol group,” where a young girl who dreams of becoming an idol teams up with three girls who already faced the harsh reality of being a public idol. Will she achieve her dream?
Vivid BAD SQUAD: “The Street group”, featuring a shy girl who enters the world of street music and joins a band trying to surpass a Legend.
Wonderlands x Showtime: “The Entertainment group,” consisting of an eccentric group of entertainers who take up a deserted stage in a popular theme park to bring laughter and cheer to the world.
Nightcord at 25:00: “The Online Music group,” not knowing each other’s names and faces, four friends meet online to create music in the late hours of the night.
From these five bands, players will enjoy a variety of songs and their fully-animated 3D music videos. Additionally, the game offers players the chance to participate in virtual live performances from their favorite in-game bands and engage with the community, participate in online events and earn rewards such as exclusive stamps.
HATSUNE MIKU: COLORFUL STAGE! will be available worldwide later this year as a free-to-play game with in-app purchases. The game, fully voiced in Japanese, will be available with English subtitles.
Stay tuned for news on the official HATSUNE MIKU: COLORFUL STAGE! social channels:
About Sega of America, Inc. Sega of America, Inc. is the American arm of Tokyo, Japan-based SEGA CORPORATION, a worldwide leader in interactive entertainment both inside and outside the home. The company develops, publishes and distributes interactive entertainment software products for a variety of hardware platforms including PC, wireless devices, and those manufactured by Nintendo, Microsoft and Sony Interactive Entertainment Inc. Sega of America’s website is located at www.sega.com.
About Colorful Palette Inc. Colorful Palette Inc. develops and operates the mobile game “Project Sekai: Colorful Stage feat. Hatsune Miku” in conjunction with SEGA Corporation (based in Tokyo Japan, COO: Yukio Sugino) under the corporate mission “To Keep Creating Contents to Color Your Life.”
About Crypton Future Media, Inc. Crypton Future Media, Inc. is a music technology company based in Sapporo, Japan. Since our foundation in 1995, we are importing music software and BGM media, but also develop diverse music software, such as the singing voice synthesizer Hatsune Miku. We are also the official licensor of Hatsune Miku. Our company’s team philosophy is based on “Expressing ideas with sound”. We strongly believe in our mission to develop new sounds for the future world of music.
When Supermassive Games made their mark on the horror genre years ago with Until Dawn many wondered just what the company would have up their sleeves the next time around. Since then the company began an anthology series that has seen players survive terrors on the high seas in Man of Medan and navigate through the eerie town of Little Hope. This time around things are moving in a far different direction, in many different ways, as The Dark Pictures Anthology: House of Ashes proves that the developer is continuing to improve upon their craft with every release as this third release is easily the best of the anthology.
Story
Following a mysterious prologue, the story begins in 2003 near the beginning of the Iraq War with the CIA searching for Saddam Hussein’s chemical weapons and various WMDs that the country was meant to be in possession of. New intel from a state-of-the-art satellite has pointed to what appears to be a series of tunnels and possible weapon silos located in the Zagros mountains deep in Iraqi tribal territory. With the inventor of the technology Lieutenant Colonel Eric King spearheading the mission alongside his estranged wife CIA agent Rachel King, as well as many US Marines including First Lieutenant Jason Kolcheck and Sergeant Nick Kay, the force sets out via helicopter to the remote region in an effort to find what may be hiding out there.
Shortly after arriving the group is ambushed by Iraqi soldiers including Lieutenant Salim Othman, managing to take out not only some of their support but triggering a massive earthquake that opens the ground beneath the forces, swallowing everyone deep below the sands into an ancient Mesopotamian temple once owned by self-proclaimed God-King of the Akkadians. While initially concerned about their own injured and potentially running into an enemy soldier in the winding tunnels beneath the earth, it quickly becomes clear that there is something far more dangerous lurking in these temple halls. With death possible around every bend, it will be up to the player’s choices to try and help bring these five souls back to the light.
Rather than focus more on a slow build-up of tension, House of Ashes harkens back to a more ambitious style that combines horror with plenty of action as well similar to film series such as Alien and Predator. Instead of placing mostly helpless characters in a horrific situation we find ourselves with heavily armed fully trained soldiers that are in way over their heads when they encounter something far more dangerous than just another human with a gun. Even at this point the type of horror tale that is spun from these encounters undergoes yet another twist that is far more shocking further down the line, making the game’s story incredibly interesting to experience especially if players can make it through alive.
As mentioned before, House of Ashes takes a very different approach to its scares as well as its story focus and ends up being the best in the anthology because of this. Without spoiling the events of the previous two entries, House of Ashes moves beyond the common element of those games and instead doesn’t beat around the bush when it comes to ratcheting up the stakes by offering the largest variety of deaths the series has seen so far while also introducing some quite early in the story. It is worth noting that there are over sixty different ways characters can meet their ends in the game though it is incredibly likely that players would have to actually be aiming to kill off a character in a certain way to meet some of the more interesting death conditions.
It also helps that while the threats around every corner feel like they truly have weight to them at almost every opportunity, the characters that players will be trying to keep alive are rather dynamic in their own rights. Players will find that the marines such as Nick struggle with their past actions during the war while even the hardcore soldier Jason can show a deeper part of himself if given the chance, especially with Salim. Salim, being an Iraqi soldier, is given a unique perspective on the soldiers’ fight for survival and it is here where one of the game’s main themes comes into play often, that the enemy of my enemy is my friend and that teaming up to survive is probably the best option for everyone. Even the relationship drama that plays out between Eric and Rachel is handled decently enough with players able to take their story down a variety of paths though some scenes do feel like they drag on a bit too long when their “heart to heart” conversations are happening while others are potentially dying.
Of course, whether or not things play out this way can be entirely up to the choices that players make throughout the game and whether or not certain characters can even make it through the game alive. This once again gives House of Ashes some incredible replay value, perhaps even more than Man of Medan, as playing through the title multiple times knowing the many secrets and twists that end up being revealed throughout the game really helps add some extra context to a number of earlier scenes and of course seeing how things play out differently should the player make different decisions.
Gameplay
For the most part The Dark Pictures Anthology: House of Ashes still handles the same way with players exploring environments, making timed dialogue decisions, executing quick time events to try and stay alive, and of course uncovering various secrets through the many items scattered throughout the game. The standard inclusion of pictures that give players a premonition, both good and bad, of a future event remains the same and the “keep calm” rhythm style events also return and can appear extremely frequently depending on if the player messes up certain scenes. It is nice to note that there are certain sequences implemented in House of Ashes where actually doing nothing or failing a possible quick time event can actually play an important role which is something that is often missing from games that give players such an opportunity in the past.
As similar as House of Ashes plays like past games in the anthology, it is also different. Players will now find that the game has done away entirely with fixed camera angles and instead places it almost directly behind the character they are controlling. This is a mostly welcome change, especially since a few puzzle segments require precise movement and many environments in House of Ashes tend to be rather tight. It is also worth noting that players will also have free control over when their character will have a flashlight or lighter drawn and aimed at various objects to see better, though players will generally almost always want to actually see what is going on.
While some more annoying elements remain unchanged, such as the inability to potentially fast-forward dialogue on previously seen scenes, House of Ashes has implemented a number of quality of life features including an element fans have long asked for, difficulty options. Players now have the choice of selecting from three different difficulty levels that will change how quick time events are handled. Normal will keep things like they always have while Easy can give those who want to enjoy the story or aren’t good at quick time events a better chance of seeing the story through with most of the characters alive. Of course, the harder difficulty option is always available as well for those who really want to test themselves though it does swing things sharply in favor of failure as a result. Along these difficulty options, accessibility options such as single button prompts, push instead of mash, and time limit removal are available as well giving players plenty of options and opening the game up for everyone to have a shot at enjoying it.
Visuals & Audio
With House of Ashes being the first game in the anthology to appear on the Xbox Series X the company has managed to take their already impressive work with character models to the next level. Facial animations are handled amazingly well with characters being incredibly detailed looking while the environments that players travel through aren’t too varied initially, things quickly become more interesting as the story progresses. It is worth noting that there are a few graphical hiccups here and there with some odd looking hair texturing being the most frequent but most of these are minimal
The voice work for the many characters that players will encounter throughout the game is handled incredibly well, especially in regards to the more unnatural noises belonging to the biggest threat in the title. It is also worth noting that while players may not be exploring a creepy haunted location like previous entries, House of Ashes still oozes atmosphere with some solid background noise to fit the areas players travel through.
Overall
It is becoming clear as Supermassive Games makes their way through The Dark Pictures Anthology that the company is listening to their audience as almost every entry has been an improvement over the last with House of Ashes surpassing both of the previous entries quite easily. While it may not be a classic take on horror and instead moves in a new direction from past games, this fresh storyline is filled with plenty of interesting twists and a solid cast of characters that players can’t help but try and pull for as they face down the mysteries beneath the sands. Between an improved storyline and fresh take on horror for the anthology and the many quality of life improvements made to the release, House of Ashes is an excellent take on the action horror genre and one that has dropped just in time for Halloween.
Capsule Computers review guidelines can be found here.
REWIND THE CLOCKS PEOPLE! AGE OF EMPIRES HAS ITS OWN CEREAL SO TIME TO FEED YOURSELF A DOSE OF NOSTALGIA WITH A SIDE OF BREKKY
Xbox creates its own cereal, WOLOL’Os to celebrate the launch of Age of Empires IV
SYDNEY, Australia; 26 October – Xbox ANZ has turned back time and given Aussie gamers a wonderful blast from the past by reviving the incredibly popular Age of Empires and breakfast cereal combination. But this time, Xbox has taken it one step further and created its own Age of Empires cereal – introducing WOLOL’Os.
For many Age of Empires fans, there’s a chance their entry point into the franchise came from receiving a free CD in their cereal over 20 years ago, kickstarting their love of RTS games. Now many years on with the launch of Age of Empires IV, a few lucky fans can combine their love of Age of Empires with this limited-edition cereal.
With the name of the cereal deriving from the battle cry of the priest in the early edition of the game, believe or not, but WOLOL’Os is a real and completely edible cereal! Packed full of goodness to help build strong and healthy strategic minds, this cereal is not only a great way to start your day but also a sure way to convert your enemies!
Xbox couldn’t just leave it at cereal and like any commercial from two decades ago, we’d be missing a trick by not saying “But wait! There’s more!” For the lucky fans that do get their hands on the cereal, they’ll also get a 12-month subscription to Xbox Game Pass for PC to be able to play Age of Empires IV (launching on Game Pass on October 29)as well as a CD with the Age of Empires II original soundtrack to really take them back to the early days.
Tania Chee, Xbox Business Lead for ANZ, said “We know how popular this promotion was so we thought we would try and recreate a pivotal moment for many gamers. Receiving a CD in a cereal box all those years ago would have been the first gaming moment for many and kick-started a lifelong passion, so with the much-anticipated release of Age of Empires IV, we’re thrilled to be able to have a bit of fun with this throwback. Age of Empires IV is a brilliant game, and we can’t wait for fans to start playing and developing their civilizations.”
Xbox fans across Australian and New Zealand can get their hands on one of the ten limited edition WOLOL’Os Cereal boxes by liking and sharing the competition post on the Xbox ANZ Facebook page.
Only a few questions remain for the ten lucky winners; do you have a CD player to listen to the soundtrack and are you eating the cereal or are you keeping it as a memento?
About Microsoft
Microsoft (Nasdaq “MSFT” @microsoft) enables digital transformation for the era of an intelligent cloud and intelligent edge. Its mission is to empower every person and every organization on the planet to achieve more.
Australians turned to video games for social connection during the pandemic
Sydney, AUSTRALIA – Tuesday 19 October 2021 – The Interactive Games & Entertainment Association (IGEA), in conjunction with Bond University, today released new research from its Digital Australia 2022 (DA22) report that found over 75 percent of Australians who played video games used them to connect with others during the pandemic. The report, now in its ninth iteration, explores the Australian video game players’ habits and the gaming landscape during the pandemic.
“Video games were not just a vital source of entertainment during the pandemic, but also a means for connection, communication, and social interaction between friends and family, as well as education and comfort for children,” said Bond University’s Professor Jeffrey Brand, who has run the Digital Australia series of research for 16 years.
“70 percent of the participants lived in an area that experienced lockdown during the pandemic, and over a third of those participants said they played more video games. Nearly a quarter said that they used in-game tools to communicate with others, all new findings included in this year’s report,” he continued.
IGEA’s CEO Ron Curry said the research demonstrated the social and mental benefits of video games. “DA22 found that, for the first time since we started the Digital Australia research series, Australians preferred playing video games over watching free-to-air TV, second only to streaming TV and movies.
“More Australians are turning to video games for social activities and mental health, changing video games from a hobby into a larger cultural touchstone enabling families and friends to remain connected. Video games inspire creativity. We see people connected to gaming culture whether that be making games themselves, creating mods, watching streamers, or even attending concerts in-game. Australians love and enjoy games on so many levels and we are seeing the local game development industry evolve accordingly,” said Curry.
DA22 found that the average Australian gamer is now 35 years old, a year older compared to the previous two reports. They’ve been playing video games for around 12 years, and play an average of 83 minutes a day with most play occuring in the evening. Almost half of Australian video gamers are female, and nearly half use online services for gaming.
Highlights from IGEA’s DA22 report: ● 75 percent of players said they played video games with others during the pandemic ● 22 percent of players said they communicated through video games with others ● 77 percent said video games can help a person’s emotional wellbeing (up from 74 percent in DA20) ● 70 percent said video games can help social wellbeing ● Over a third of adults said they met friends through playing video games ● 74 percent said video games could help continue social connections and maintain relationships with friends and family ● 49 percent of parents play online games with their children, a six percent increase from DA20 ● Playing video games to keep the mind active was the number one reason older Australians turned to gaming, and moved to the second highest reason Australians overall play video games during the pandemic ● Retirement age adults played for 61 minutes a day on average, a two-minute increase from DA20 ● Video games rank second among all media choices in Australian game households, second only to streaming TV and movies, overtaking free-to-air TV during the pandemic ● Almost half of adult players have watched esports online, the main reason being for social connections
To learn more about Digital Australia 22, visit the IGEA website or download the full media kit here.
About IGEA IGEA (Interactive Games & Entertainment Association) is the peak industry association representing the voice of Australian and New Zealand companies in the computer and video games industry. IGEA supports the business and public policy interests of the games industry through advocacy, research, and education programs, and working with many stakeholders including all levels of government, agencies, media and other trade associations. Further details are available at www.igea.net.
About the Digital Australia Report Digital Australia 2022 is a study of 1,204 Australian households and 3,152 individuals of all ages undertaken for IGEA by Bond University. Participants were drawn randomly from the Nielsen Your Voice Panel in March 2021. The margin of error is ±2.7 percent. The Digital Australia report is the culmination of over 16 years of research on how, why and by whom video games are played in Australia. This edition of the report explores how the pandemic affected Australians’ video game habits and how those habits evolved during the pandemic.
Detailed Fly-On-The-Wall Programme Showing The Journey From Concept To Launch of Hugely Successful Indie Studio Hit
(October 26, 2021) Ravenscourt and DigixArt are today releasing a documentary On The Road 96 which followed the trials and tribulations of this incredible indie studio as they strove to complete and release their now critically acclaimed procedural narrative adventure Road 96.
Financial challenges, Covid 19 and impending deadlines made development anything but a walk in the park.
“I wanted to document the team’s incredible journey throughout, it became bigger than the original idea,” said Yoan Fanise, CEO and Creative Director at DigixArt.
“I hope it gives our fans a look into the passion we as a studio pour into our projects, to see how we live the game”
Watch the trailer and prepare to embark on a remarkable honest and humble journey with DigixArt in this fascinating behind the scenes full length documentary.
Coinciding with the launch of the Documentary, the Road 96 game itself is featured in Steam’s Midweek Madness with 20% off its price! The trip of your life awaits… Road 96 on SteamAbout Road 96 Road 96 is a procedural ever-evolving story-driven adventure game with survival elements in which players must escape a country ruled by an authoritarian regime that’s on the brink of collapse. Road 96 has an ever-evolving story that unveils more and more on each run to escape the country, inspired by road trip movies from the 90s from directors like Quentin Tarantino, The Coen Brothers and Bong Joon-ho. The game soundtrack features tracks from bands like Survive (Stranger Things).
About Ravenscourt Established in 2014 – and operating from its Munich headquarters in Germany – Ravenscourt’s mission is delivering amazing games to a broad audience from both established studios and industry newcomers. With a diverse portfolio, managing the titles of multiple international studios, Ravenscourt games span everything from adventure and management sims through to city builders and indie gems. The label even boasts a good old sing-along karaoke franchise. Our players delight in engrossing narrative driven adventures, relish the challenge of building new worlds and love solving puzzles. We have more delights in store for them. The publishing label Ravenscourt stands for worthy interactive entertainment for a broad range of players. It belongs to the Koch Media Group.
About DigixArt DigixArt is a video game development studio founded in 2015 in Montpellier, South of France. It joined Koch Media group in 2021 to increase its capacity to create innovative and captivating gaming experiences like Road 96. For more information about DigixArt Studio please visit http://www.digixart.com/
Join us as we run through 45 minutes of gameplay of Okinawa Rush. We play through the first stage twice, once as Hiro Yashima and then as Shin Yashima. We also work out and upgrade our Dojo in training mode and practice some combat moves and techniques along with perfecting our Kata patterns.
NOTE Due to copyright on music, section 30:36 to 3:14 is muted with no sound. We apologise for any inconvenience.
Take on the role of the martial arts master Hiro, Meilin, or Shin as they face off in a desperate fight for their lives against the Black Mantis clan. DOUBLE THE MAYHEM: Bring a friend and battle against ninjas, demons, and more in the 2-player local co-op mode of this action-adventure platformer.
Okinawa Rush Developer: Sokaikan ltd Publisher: No Gravity Games Platform: Windows Release Date: 22 Oct, 2021 Price: $16.99
