A ground-breaking narrative experience sees The City and MyCAREER come together on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S consoles

2K today revealed an in-depth look at the updates coming to The City* in NBA® 2K22 for PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S, featuring a vibrant basketball community, a variety of rewards and activities, and a fresh new MyCAREER story with an original quest-driven narrative, cutscenes, and vibe that all takes place within The City.

New innovations in The City in NBA 2K22 for PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S include:

• New City Quests will be solo ventures for players to experiment with their careers off the court, from becoming a fashion mogul to a rap icon;
• An increased population will make The City feel as if it’s teeming with life, featuring new NPCs to fully bring the world around you together;
• Ability to upgrade your crib – such as a penthouse with a zipline to take you directly to specific courts – as a player’s home plays a part in MyCAREER as a location where coaches and friends will give players new quests;
• Explore new buildings added to The City, including a matchmaking building and Club 2K, where players can access music from some of the hottest labels that drop with every Season;
• Rewards include new ways to get around The City, such as Go-Karts and Inline Skates, new emotes, intros and outros, animations, customized name plates and more.

The Neighbourhood is also returning for PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and PC players. This year, set sail aboard the “Cancha del Mar”; from the lobby to the top deck, each level of the ship is designed to offer various hoops activities. Additionally, Seasons will offer exciting new Excursions that take place in tropical and recognizable locales, with every Season providing fresh content, new rewards, and unique events for engagement.

For more details on what’s new in The City and The Neighbourhood for NBA 2K22, check out the latest Courtside Report below.

NBA 2K22 MyCAREER

Hi everyone! Before we get to our newest Courtside Report for NBA 2K22, we’d like to send a big shout-out to the 2K Community and 2K fans around the globe. We work hard every year to bring you the best sports gamingexperience possible, and it’s always exciting when we finally get to share what we’ve been working on for the latest instalment of NBA 2K. So without any further ado, let’s talk about what’s new in MyCAREER and the Cityon next-gen PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S platforms, as well as some exciting new makeovers to the Neighbourhood on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and PC.

New Gen NBA 2K22 Experience

MyCAREER

We always strive to deliver a unique MyCAREER experience, and last year’s introduction of the City was a big step toward making 2K an immersive, open-world basketball adventure. This year we take a giant leap, as the MyCAREER story takes place entirely within City limits, bringing a level of immersion and control to the mode that feels completely new.

What makes this possible is a quest-based MyCAREER that not only delivers the kind of engaging, unique storytelling that MyCAREER players have come to love over the years, but also allows the user to take full control of the narrative, completing both main storyline Quests and a host of Side Quests in various City locations. We’ll have more details on story specifics and the Quest system below, but the main takeaway here is that MyCAREER is no longer like a movie, and is more like an interactive adventure. We think you’ll find this change refreshing and unlike any other basketball video game experience out there.

Of course, it wouldn’t be MyCAREER without taking your tricked out MyPLAYER to the City to compete on the blacktop against the best MyPLAYERs in the community, and we’ve got a host of improvements and enhancements to the City experience too — including the introduction of Seasons to the City — that will help bring your online multiplayer experience to new heights. Again, we’ll have many more details on what’s new below, but let’s start by talking about MyCAREER and your brand new MyPLAYER, MP.

Meet MyPLAYER

Each year, MyCAREER allows you to take control of a unique MyPLAYER’s journey to the NBA and beyond, and this year is no different. 2K22’s MyPLAYER is MP, a high school star with a hit social channel featuring videos of him embarrassing amateurs on the playground.

MP has just moved to the City with his best friend and business manager Ricky Bennett, and they’ve got big plans. Not only do they want to take over the basketball world, but they want to make their marks in the exciting worlds of music and fashion. The ultimate goal remains to make it to the NBA and lead your team to a championship (or three!), but how you get there and how you build your Personal Brand along the way (more on our new Personal Brand system below) offers more diverse and entertaining options than ever.

In NBA2K22’s MyCAREER, you progress through the story however you like. It’s a much less linear and much more open experience, allowing you to build draft stock through pickup games, college, the G League, training sessions, interviews, and more. The story hasn’t left MyCAREER. In fact, it’s become more immersive than ever, allowing you, the player, to dictate the terms. There are many paths you can take to the NBA, and many side hustles you can pursue once you get there, but it’s up to you and your friend Ricky to find the path that’s right for you.

NBA Intrigue

Getting to the NBA is just the beginning of this year’s MyCAREER story. Once you make it to the league, you’ll have to navigate a complex set of circumstances that we don’t want to give away just yet, but they involve difficult conversations with coaches, GMs, agents, and the press, and you will find yourself right in the thick of the behind-the-scenes drama that NBA fans love and that makes up such a huge part of the NBA fan experience. The choices you make in your first NBA season will be hard, each with its own set of pros and cons. These choices allow you to pursue the career and Personal Brand that’s right for you, making you feel more in control of your career than ever as you live with the consequences of how you choose to chase NBA glory.

Characters

The sheer number of characters you interact with is one of the highlights of this year’s MyCAREER. You’ll be visiting your PR Director at the team facility, reporters in their offices, and reps of brands like Nike and Adidas at their company headquarters. Almost anything you do in MyCAREER can be done by interacting face-to-face with colourful personalities. A favourite around the office is Marvin Castleberry, the pretentious record store employee. Make sure you stop by for a little music trivia. You’d be surprised what you can earn as a reward!

Quest System

As we touched on earlier, this new structure exists with the help of our all-new Quest system. Players of open-world RPGs will be familiar with the type of vibe we’re going for. You’re not just taken from cut scene to cut scene. Instead, you choose who to talk to and when triggering tons of unique interactions with interesting personalities filmed in a cinematic style. It’s a lot of fun to play, and allows us to add more narrative beats and story arcs than ever before, deepening the feeling of living in a real, breathing world. Not only will things happen to you that are outside of your control, just like in real life, but the choices you make, in everything from play style to interview responses, unlock mini-story arcs and rewards that tailor the experience to what’s going on in your MyPLAYER’s career.

Music and Fashion

NBA stars are some of the most creative, enthusiastic entrepreneurs in the business world. We wanted to capture the excitement of pursuing side hustles in this year’s MyCAREER by introducing music and fashion storylines that you are free to pursue if they match your interests. That being said, some of our favourite scenes in the game take place in these storylines, so we recommend you check them out, especially if you’ve ever wanted to lay down a track in a professional recording studio. We don’t want to give too much away here, but we’re very excited for the community to see what’s in store for them should they choose to pursue outside interests in these always fascinating industries.

Personal Brand

Speaking of outside interests, an NBA star has to carefully develop his Personal Brand to make the most of endorsement opportunities, so this year we’re introducing a Personal Brand system that mirrors this real-world dynamic. We’ll keep track of everything you do, on and off the court, and assign Personal Brand points to a variety of characteristics like Free Spirit, Flashy, Corporate, Fundamental, and more. Your actions and decisions influence your Personal Brand, and your Personal Brand dictates what off-court opportunities are available to you, so think carefully about what you do and how you do it.

Side Quests

This year we’ve added lots more Side Quests to enrich the experience outside of the main story arc. We mentioned music and fashion above, but there’s a lot more where that came from, ranging from races around the City (more on that below) to sit-down interview opportunities that crop up when you do things like run up the score at the end of a blowout. So while there is the main story arc that you can follow, there are also tons of opportunities for fun diversions throughout the City that can change on a daily, weekly, and yes, Seasonal, basis.

MVP of the City

Everything you do in the City — and we mean everything — earns you MVP points. NBA and City games, interviews, Side Quests and runway walks (yes, runway walks!), among other things, all bring you one step closer to becoming MVP of the City, the ultimate goal for any 2K baller. MVPs of the City unlock a penthouse apartment, quick access to affiliation courts, and more. No matter if you’re a City player, NBA enthusiast, or somewhere in between, you can become an MVP of the City just by playing the game the way you like to play it.

Seasons

On top of everything else discussed, we’re introducing the concept of Seasons to MyCAREER and the City, meaning you’ll have fresh content to look forward to every six weeks. New Side Quests, new apparel, and much, much more. To learn more about how Seasons will keep NBA 2K22 fresh throughout the year, see our just-released Seasons Pre-Launch Courtside Report.

We’ve given you a lot to chew on when it comes to all the enhancements we’ve made to MyCAREER, but we don’t want to gloss over what we’ve done to keep the City itself fresh, so let’s get to it!

An All-New City

The first thing you’ll notice when you enter this year’s City is how real it looks. Our art team did an incredible job making everything from bricks to fire escapes to windows look a lot more lived in. There’s dirt, scuffs, and aging exactly where you’d expect to see them in a city that wasn’t built yesterday, and depending on what time of day it is, the light hits buildings and monuments just so in a way that really showcases these enhancements. Take a moment to look around at sunset and we think you’ll see exactly what we mean.

We’ve also added interiors that you can seamlessly enter and exit without any load whatsoever, including a huge, open-air mall that makes browsing quicker and more enjoyable than ever.

The City looks and feels exactly how you’d expect a real-life City to look and feel, and we can’t wait for you to check it out.

New Locations

Part of bringing the City to life is adding new locations. We touched on this above, but everyone you interact with in 2K22 now has a place in the City, and you’ll find yourself seeking out underground rappers, baristas, reporters, former MyPLAYERs, NBA stars, and more. There might even be a couple of newcomers throughout the year thanks to Seasons. Keep your eyes peeled for the newest additions to the City. You never know who you’ll meet…

You’ll also notice that new locations and returning favourites are now teeming with life. Visit Perco Latte and observe everyone enjoying coffee and a conversation. Take a stroll through the farmer’s market and see all the people vying for the best produce in the City. The goal here is to make the City feel real and lived in, and we think you’ll be happy with the results.

Daily Quests

Ever wonder what you should be focusing on today? Now, you will have the opportunity to get 5 new Daily Quests that will help you earn rewards like VC, XP, Personal Brand Points, MVP Points, exclusive gear, and more. There’s a lot of variety to what you can do, too, ranging from completing statistical milestones in City, NBA, and Pro-Am games, to earning endorsement cash for promoting local businesses in creative ways, to taking selfies in front of City landmarks. You’ll meet people like Zach LaVine cover every inch of our new and improved City while completing Quest objectives. Whether you’re a completionist looking to cross every “t” and dot every “i”, or someone who’s just looking for a change of pace, Daily Quests are exactly what you’re after.

Seasons

Season XP

We touched on Seasons in the MyCAREER section, but they’re also being added to the City at large, and there are some BIG changes here. In prior editions of NBA 2K, Park and City players have had one big grind from Rookie to Legend, but this year there will be a new way to mark progress every Season, from Level 1 to Level 40, with fun new rewards at every level along the way. Does that mean you’ll lose all the cool stuff you’ve earned when a new Season rolls around? Absolutely not! Everything you’ve earned from previous Seasons carries over to future Seasons. The real benefit to moving towards Seasonal XP is that it keeps each Season fresh and allows you to achieve satisfying progress quicker than ever before. Every 6 weeks there will be a new pool of rewards like player panels, green indicators, clothing drops, jump shot releases, and more.

Get to Level 40 and you’ll earn the BIG REWARD for that Season. Level up to 40 in 4 seasons (doesn’t have to be in a row) and you’ll become a Legend! We obviously can’t give away what Legends will earn, but we can already tell you the Legend reward will be as fun as ever.

City Spruce Up

In addition to refreshing rewards, Seasons will also refresh the look and feel of the City. There will be new court floors, new murals, and of course seasonal changes. Every six weeks the Season will change in ways both profound and subtle, just like a real-life City! And hey, start preparing yourself for the City Slam! What’s that you say? In time…

Seasonal Quests

Every season will introduce 4 new Seasonal Stat Quests, pushing City ballers to do things like score a ton of points, throw down vicious alley-oops, drop dimes, and more, over the course of an entire Season. On top of that, every week there will be one new Race of the Week. Speaking of…

Race of the Week

This might just be the king of all Side Quests. That’s because whoever wins the Race of the Week will win One. Million. VC. You read that right! One million VC! Each week there will be a new racecourse set up throughout the City. You’ll use one of the various vehicles available to you: skateboard, BMX bike, etc., to complete the course as quickly as you can. The person with the fastest time in the entire community – one winner across both PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S platforms – will receive one million VC. Pretty cool, huh? This isn’t a winner-take-all, though. Those who don’t finish first still get fun rewards like MVP points, VC, and XP. Start your engines! (or your feet…)

New Apparel

Fashion’s a big part of a baller’s lifestyle, and we’ll be adding new looks every season, allowing you to spruce up your wardrobe as the year progresses. Be on the lookout for drops from clothing brands like DIM MAK and Billionaire Boys Club, in addition to returning favourites. There will even be some apparel items that boost attributes (think shooting sleeves…), so this part of the game is as robust as ever.

Matchmaking Buildings

One of our most requested features over the past few years has been matchmaking. We still love hooping on Affiliation Courts and holding them down, but for those of you who want a matchmaking experience, we’ve got you covered with the introduction of four brand new, 24/7 matchmaking modes that take place in locations throughout the City:

3v3 Player vs Player – No Squads Allowed!

Want to hop into a game without having to deal with a super team that’s been playing together for years? This is the mode for you. Randoms only! Randoms unite!

3v3 Player vs AI

Team up with other MyPLAYERs (squads allowed!) to take on a wide array of famous ballers, starting with our cover stars: Dirk, Kareem, and KD. Think you’ve got what it takes to defeat these legends? Hop in this mode and find out. And oh yeah, the player pool will grow and change every Season, so you’ll always have a new batch of NBA legends to test your skills against.

3v3 Player vs Player – Cage Matches

Trampolines and basketball go together like peanut butter and jelly. Now you can get into a cage quickly and take on all comers. Feel like running with a squad? You can do that here, too.

1v1 Player vs Player

Sometimes you need to settle things the old-fashioned way: a one-on-one duel. This matchmaking mode allows you to get into 1v1 games quicker than ever.

Affiliations

The City wouldn’t be the City without Affiliations, and we’re delighted to announce they’re back and better than ever, with each Affiliation occupying its own unique borough in the City. We’ve also made a tweak to the XP system, giving you a 20% XP boost for playing games on your home court.

Events

A big part of playing in the City is events, and that hasn’t changed in 2K22. We’re bringing back some of your favourites, while adding new and exciting events to keep things fresh. One of the biggest events coming to Season 1 in 2K22 is the Chips Ahoy! Weekend Challenge where the winning baller takes home 1 million VC! We don’t want to give away too much more here either, but we think you’ll enjoy what we’ve got in store for you. And of course, events will update with each new Season.

Gatorade Private Courts

With the addition of Gatorade Rental Courts last year, we allowed players to work on their game solo or play pickup with other players of their choice. However, the Courts weren’t always available, and some players didn’t love having to spend VC on rental time, so this year we’ve eliminated the VC charge completely and added the ability to hop on a Gatorade Private Court whenever you feel like it. A small change, maybe, but one that we think will improve your quality of life in the City.

All Aboard the New Neighbourhood for PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and PC

We’ve talked about what’s coming to the City, now what do you say we discuss the new horizons PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and PC players will experience in NBA 2K22? For the first time ever, players will set sail on a Neighbourhood that moves, aboard the “Cancha del Mar” for some competition on the high seas! From the lobby to the top deck, each level of the ship is artistically designed with plenty of your favourite hoops activities to keep you entertained all year long.

The Lobby

The ship is constructed with five tiers, starting in the lobby on Deck 4. The moment you board the cruise will make you feel as if you’re actually on vacation, ready to indulge in some festivities. To help get you situated, Heather will assist you with navigating the ship, offering tutorials to help accommodate your stay. She’s one of many NPCs that will assign you quests during your voyage.

MyCOURT

When you’re ready to settle in, take the elevator to Deck 8, where you’ll find your MyCOURT, Pro-Am games and Team Practice Facility. MyCOURT is essentially your homebase and you can choose to customize it however you want; whether that entails plastering a colourful mural on the walls, reimagining the court, or changing out the scoreboard, the choice is yours. Competition is around every corner on the cruise and some of the best competition will take place in the Engine Room. Pro-Am 3v3 games will be accessible to you, but only if you join a Pro-Am squad.

Rewards

As you work your way through the ship, you’ll find Ante Up, the Game Room, Restaurants, Daily Pick Em, and the Daily Spin on Deck 14. We’ve got so many rewards to share with you guys this year and we’re excited to see what you earn. On top of the daily rewards, the restaurants will do more than just serve fine-dining, they’ll also give out gifts and boosts a couple times per Season, which you won’t want to miss.

Game Modes

Resting above Deck 14 is Deck 15, which features 2v2s, 3v3s, and the Gatorade Training Facility, which has everything you need to keep your conditioning at an elite level — plus some breathtaking views.

Once you finally reach Deck 16, you’ll find numerous courts waiting to host 3v3 games and even a new 5v5 court – with Park rules – surrounded by a lazy river, properly titled The Moat. You’ll be able to easily identify which NPCs offer side quests because they have an “!” floating above their head. In addition, the top deck features a reality show called “The GOAT Boat” and you can interact with the members to receive more challenges.

Season Excursions

Lastly, to avoid getting cabin fever, the cruise will dock at myriad locations this year. Seasons will serve as the gateway for exciting new Excursions, taking you to tropical and recognizable locales each Season. The launch of every Season will lead to more fresh content, new rewards, and unique events for you to engage with. There’s so much to do on and off the cruise, bolstered by thrilling new events. Without giving too much away, keep an eye on the horizon this year for some things you’ll have to see to believe.

Closing Remarks

We here at Visual Concepts couldn’t be more excited to see MyPLAYERs from around the world unleashed in our all-new City and nautical Neighbourhood. Whether you’re a new-gen player or a current-gen player, we’re giving everyone more to do and more to see, plus a wealth of new content. Exploring these new worlds will bring new challenges, thrills, and modes designed to get the most out of your experience. We’ve come a long way from The Park, and we’re thrilled with how much we’ve evolved and where we’re heading. You now get to live in a massive, open world that’s all about hoops. And the world is yours to do whatever you want in it. How cool is that?

Before we wrap this thing up, we’d like to thank the fans and the community from around the world for playing NBA 2K and giving us feedback year after year. We do this for you, and we’re looking forward to providing you with the premier NBA and hoops experience on both the new-generation PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S consoles, as well as PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and PC. We’ll see you on the courts!

NBA 2K22 is currently scheduled for release on September 10 for PlayStation 5 and PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X|S and Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and PC platforms. For more information, please visit the game’s official website. 

Developed by Visual Concepts, NBA 2K22 is rated PG by the OFLC.

Follow NBA 2K22 on TikTok, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, and Facebook for the latest news.

Visual Concepts is a 2K studio. 2K is a wholly owned publishing label of Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc. (NASDAQ: TTWO).

*PlayStation 5 or Xbox Series X|S required to play the new-generation version of NBA 2K22.

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In this new gameplay summary trailer for Tales of Arise, players can discover what adventure awaits them when the game releases this Friday, September 10, on PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S and PC.

Check out the new gameplay trailer:

A demo of the game is still available on PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S that will grant its players the possibility to redeem the Vacation Hootle as a bonus for the game once it releases.

Tales of Arise will be available on September 10, 2021 for PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S and PC.

For more information on Tales of Arise and other products from BANDAI NAMCO Entertainment Europe please visit our website or follow us on Facebook or Twitter, or subscribe to our YouTube channel.

Discover Osa, the new Croatian operator and play for free from September 9 to September 13

SYDNEY, AUSTALIA — September 8, 2021 — Today, Ubisoft^® announced that Crystal Guard, the third season of Tom Clancy’s Rainbow SixSiege Year 6, is now available on PlayStation^®4, PlayStation^®5, the Xbox One family of consoles, Xbox Series X | S and Windows PC, including Ubisoft+, Ubisoft’s subscription service*. This new season brings innovations with the addition of the Croatian operator Osa, and the rework of the maps Bank, Coastline and Clubhouse. Additionally, players will be able to play Rainbow Six Siege and Crystal Guard for free from September 9 to September 13.

In Crystal Guard, players will discover a brand-new attacker: Osa, equipped with the Talon-8 shield, a deployable transparent shield that she can carry. Osa is armed with a 556xi or a PDW9 as a primary weapon and a PMM as a secondary weapon. In addition to the new operator, players will have access to the reworked maps Coastline, Bank and Clubhouse. These maps have had a few modifications such as closed windows, new alleys, more destructible walls, bomb site placement and more. Also, improvements have been made to the following operators: Finka, Sledge, Glaz, Iana, Twitch, IQ, Mute and Fuze among other updates.

In addition, Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Siege will be available for free from Thursday September 9 to Monday, September 13 on Playstation^®4, Playstation^®5**, Xbox One and Xbox Series X | S, and Windows PC via Epic Games, Steam and Ubisoft Connect. Players will also benefit from a discount up to 80% during this period, depending on the platform and version of the game. For more information, please visit: rainbow6.com/freeweekend.

Year 6 Season 3 comes with a brand-new Battle Pass, including 100 tiers and 133 rewards, available until November 24. For the first time, the Battle Pass introduces a new reward: Battle Point Boosters, which are consumables that boost Battle Point gain by 20% when used at any time. The Battle Pass includes a free and a Premium track available for 1200 R6 Credits.  Owners of the Premium Battle Pass can play with Osa immediately and progress faster, while other players can unlock her with Renown or R6 Credits starting September 22. New seasonal content including the map reworks and operator updates are available right now for free and for all players.

Additional updates coming with Crystal Guard include:

• Elite customisation
• HP now replaces armour rating
• Updates for Finka, Sledge, Glaz, Iana, Twitch, IQ, Mute and Fuze
• Lower price for operators Maverick, Clash, Amaru, Goyo and Zero
• Seasonal weapon skin

*Ubisoft+ is AUD$19.95 per month. Cancel anytime. More information at ubisoft-plus.com.

**During the free week, Playstation^®5 players will access the Playstation^®4 version without any next gen visual enhancements.

About Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Siege

Alongside a thriving professional esports scene and a community of over 70 million registered players, Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Siege puts players in the middle of a fast-paced, ever-evolving multiplayer experience grounded in the selection of unique operators. Using the right mix of tactics and destruction, Rainbow Six teams engage their enemies in sieges, where both sides have exclusive skills and gadgets at their disposal. Defenders prepare by transforming the environments around them into modern strongholds, while attackers use recon drones to gain intel for carefully planning their assault. With access to dozens of operators inspired by real-world counterintelligence agents from around the globe, players can choose exactly how they want to approach each challenge they encounter. Through the constant addition of new operators and maps that add to the depth of both strategy and combat, the unpredictability of each round of Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Siege sets a new bar for intensity and competition in gaming.

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.

© 2021 Ubisoft Entertainment. All Rights Reserved. Ubisoft and the Ubisoft logo are registered trademarks in the US and/or other countries.

Today, Firaxis Games hosted their first ever gameplay stream for Marvel’s Midnight Suns. In the gameplay stream, creative director Jake Solomon and senior franchise producer Garth DeAngelis showcased a showdown between the Hunter, Wolverine and his arch-nemesis Sabretooth, demonstrating the new and innovative combat system featured in Marvel’s Midnight Suns.

Marvel’s Midnight Suns will launch in March 2022 and will be available on PlayStation®5, PlayStation®4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Nintendo™ Switch and Windows PC via Steam and Epic Games Store.

For more information on the Marvel’s Midnight Suns, visit www.midnightsuns.com, become a fan on Facebook, subscribe on YouTube, follow on Twitter, and Instagram and join the conversation using the hashtag #DarknessFalls.

Motorpass Includes Free Vehicle Designed By Yasiddesign

SAN FRANCISCO – September 07, 2021 – Today, Ubisoft announced that The Crew 2 Season Three Episode Two: US Speed Tour West, the latest update brought to Ubisoft’s open world motorsports game, will be available tomorrow on Xbox One, Xbox Series X | S, PlayStation^®4, PlayStation^®5, Epic Games Store and Ubisoft Store on Windows PC, Stadia and Ubisoft’s subscription service, Ubisoft+*.

After exploring the East Coast of the US, the US Speed Tour relocates to discover the West Coast in the new episode of The Crew 2. Players will have the opportunity to participate in the most challenging competition ever produced by Motorflix. Season 3 Episode 2: US Speed Tour West will push players to challenge themselves, get behind the wheel of their brand-new vehicles, and win the competition by racing along the most iconic places on the West Coast. Each week, players will discover a new stage race from one city to another and special time attack events taking place along the way.

To expand its vehicle line-up, The Crew 2 is also welcoming a special new brand of vehicles named “Creators,” with the goal of adding a new vehicle each Season, all created by 3D artists and designers. In Season 3, The Crew 2 collaborated with Yasiddesign who imagined the perfect mix between an Alpha Grand Prix car and a tractor. 

Season 3 Episode 2: US Speed Tour West will be accompanied by a brand new Motorpass, an optional multi-tiered reward system offering both free and premium rewards, including vehicles such as the Yasiddesign x American Petrol Ed. (Alpha Grand Prix), the Mazda MX-5 Miata NA Spearhog Ed. (Rally Raid) and the Lancia Delta S4 Hoodlum Racing Crew Ed. (Rallycross).

Separate from the Motorpass, Season 3 Episode 2: US Speed Tour West will continue with its free monthly vehicle drops letting players enjoy and pilot new vehicles including the Chevrolet Corvette C3 F1C3 Ed. (Touring Car) on September 8^th or the XtremAir XA42 (Air Race) on September 22^nd. Players can expect more vehicle additions over the course of the Episode alongside new vanity items, including new rooftops, as well as avatar outfits, smokes, tires, underglows and window tints.

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

For more information about The Crew 2, please visit thecrewgame.com and please follow us on Facebook at facebook.com/thecrewgame.usa and on Twitter at twitter.com/TheCrewGame or #TheCrew2.

*$14.99 per month. Cancel anytime.

ABOUT THE CREW® 2

Developed by Ubisoft Ivory Tower, a studio based in Lyon, France, The Crew® 2 lets players experience the thrill of the American motorsports spirit inside a fully redesigned USA. The game’s playground pushes physical boundaries to let driving and open world fans test their skills in nonstop competition and exploration. From coast to coast, drivers can explore America and compete to become the greatest motorsports champion by collecting a wide variety of exotic cars, bikes, boats and planes, and dominating the motorsports scene on land, on water and in the air. They can find challenges and inspiration among four different motorsports families: street racing, off-road, pro-racing and freestyle, and will be given a broad set of options among a wide selection of vehicle types.

Now in its fourth year of live support, The Crew 2 introduced a new seasonal system, centered around a fictional new company, Motorflix, a television production company known for creating the very best motor-fueled action flicks. Players will be recruited to play the starring role in different TV series with themed episodes per Season. Every Season lasts four months and is comprised of two successive Episodes running for two months.

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.

© 2021 Ubisoft Entertainment. All Rights Reserved. The Crew logo, Ubisoft, and the Ubisoft logo are registered or unregistered trademarks of Ubisoft Entertainment in the US and/or other countries.

Tomb Raider creator Toby Gard’s ambitious project invites players to be a part of development by exploring the unknown within the Dreamlands

STOCKHOLM — Sept. 7, 2021 — Developer Cathuria Games and Publisher Raw Fury are happy to announce that action-adventure game Dream Cycle, from Tomb Raider creator Toby Gard, is available now on Steam Early Access for $19.99, with a 15% launch discount. Dream Cycle is based on the singular creative vision of Toby Gard and uses a powerful procedural world generation system that aims to push the boundaries of “epic adventure.”

Dream Cycle is an ever-expanding adventure through a cursed, shattered dimension. Players take the role of Morgan Carter, a modern-day arcane apprentice whose essence has been stolen by her great-great-grand-uncle, the legendary Randolph Carter. After discovering that her path to the waking world has been obscured by dark magic, Morgan must venture into the Dreamlands to purge the realm’s corruption, recover her own powers, and thwart Randolph’s sinister plans to become a god.

Upon entering the Dreamlands, players will venture through 10,000 map shards and pursue a series of objectives, from locating mysterious anomalies to facing off against the vicious Eidolon. Once each adventure’s goal has been reached, the darkness will subside and rewards will be granted, allowing Morgan to claim new abilities and players to change up their strategy with each and every victory.

Cathuria Games and Raw Fury look forward to developing a thriving community where player feedback can help make Dream Cycle an even more sprawling and varied adventure. Updates will be heavily influenced by player responses, who will help shape and expand on spells, perks, story, and more. The game’s roadmap will be shared and continually updated on the Steam Community page.

KEY FEATURES

• Ten thousand unique map shards to explore at launch
• A library of weapons, spells, and perks to unlock and equip
• Flexible mechanics allow players to go in guns blazing or take the stealthy approach
• A fully voiced story with room to grow
• Original soundtrack by Tomb Raider composer Nathan McCree

Dream Cycle is available now on Steam Early Access. Normally priced at $19.99, players can pick up the game at a special 15% launch discount.

About Cathuria Games

Beyond the Basalt Pillars of the West, simple folk say splendid Cathuria lies, but wise dreamers well know they are the gates of a monstrous cataract wherein the oceans of earth’s dreamland drop wholly to abysmal nothingness and shoot through the empty spaces toward other worlds and other stars.

Official Site: cathuriagames.com

About Raw Fury

Raw Fury is a boutique indie (un)publisher founded in 2015 by Jonas Antonsson, Gordon Van Dyke, and David Martinez. We don’t care about genres or mechanics. We care about experiences and emotions. We want to help developers make magic. 

Official Site: RawFury.com
Twitter: @RawFury
Discord: discord.gg/RawFury

The Indie Houses’ first ever Steam event and Direct showcase has come to an end after a week of streams, sales, and reveals. To make true on the promise to elevate all indies, the focus of this indie collective now turns to the Underrepresented Devs Fund, which is now taking submissions.

The purpose of this fund is to help identify vision holders of great potential in emerging countries or marginalized groups and give them the tools to bring their visions to life. In its inaugural year, the Fund will focus on game development in Africa. Through the African Game Dev Prototype Fund, members of The Indie Houses, Annapurna Interactive, and Games Industry Africa, will distribute funds and necessary resources to the top candidates which are selected by a jury of members from the different houses. Submissions open today and can be found on the Games Industry Africa website.

In addition to the fund, The Indie Houses will continue its commitment to indies helping indies through transparency and cooperation with others in the industry. Discussions amongst the seven current members will begin on how to get others involved with the organization. In the meantime, the website has many useful resources to aid in navigating the indie space, like a list of upcoming industry events (including information on submissions and deadlines), information on getting started on the business side of indies, and links to various grants with plans to add more to the site over time.

Lando Norris and Romain Grosjean revealed among star-studded line-up for Circuit Superstars’ unique take on the “Star in a Reasonably Fast Car” feature

LONDON ( 7^th September, 2021) – SQUARE ENIX® Ltd.,  and Original Fire Games have partnered with BBC Studios and Top Gear for upcoming racing game CIRCUIT SUPERSTARS. The collaboration is kicking off with a special online version of the show’s “Star in a Reasonably Fast Car” feature! The fun-fuelled video series will release on 9^th September, featuring a top-tier line up of motorsport, esports and YouTube stars who will be taking on CIRCUIT SUPERSTARS’ version of the Top Gear ‘Test Track’.

Among the first participants to be revealed from the full list, which includes luminaries from across the motorsports and esports worlds, are IndyCar and former FORMULA 1 driver Romain Grosjean and FORMULA 1 star Lando Norris, alongside teammates from his Quadrant esport team.

“Like every racing fan, I have always wanted to drive the Top Gear test track, and Circuit Superstars is making that a reality. The competition will be tough, with top drivers from a variety of championships and with just one chance to set the perfect hot lap, it will be exciting to see who comes out on top.”- said Romain Grosjean.

Competitors will race their way to the top of the iconic leader board to be crowned champion of the ever so catchy title: “BBC Top Gear x Circuit Superstars Star in a Reasonably Fast Car Invitational 2021”… or “BBCTGxCSSIARFCI2021” for short.

Commentary for both the practice sessions and the hot laps will be hosted by Jack Nicholls, the unmistakable voice of motorsport. Nicholls can be heard lending his voice to BBC Radio 5 Live, FORMULA 1, and Formula E, as well as the Netflix series FORMULA 1: Drive to Survive.

“I’m so looking forward to seeing how our drivers get on,” Nicholls remarks while offering some further insight into CIRCUIT SUPERSTARS. “Make no mistake, this game looks cute, but with a very short circuit and a top-down view, our competitors will find it fiendishly difficult to hook up the perfect lap. The competition will be fierce!”

The Top Gear Test Track will be included within CIRCUIT SUPERSTARS when the game fully launches later this year – players will be able to see if they have what it takes to beat the star-studded line up!

After launch, CIRCUIT SUPERSTARS is set to release additional specially-developed Top Gear content – stay tuned for more details!

Head of Square Enix Collective, Phil Elliott, describes the Top Gear partnership and “Star in a Reasonably Fast Car” feature as the embodiment of the CIRCIT SUPERSTARS spirit. “That combination of a love for driving, fun with friends and family, and searching for the perfect lap, fits perfectly with what we hope to bring to our players around the world. What better way to launch this collaboration than by handing the keys over to some of the best drivers in the world and letting them loose on track.”

Jonathan Williams, Director of Commercial Brand Development at BBC Studios says: “Top Gear is all about mates, motors and mucking about, all of which are captured and celebrated in Circuit Superstars making this a perfect partnership”. “The love and detail that has gone into Circuit Superstars was clear to see the first time we picked up a controller and had a spin, now we can’t wait for players to take on the Top Gear Test Track and set some fast times!”.

CIRCUIT SUPERSTARS, which entered Steam’s Early Access in March of this year, has been building up its paddock of racers and fans around the world, as the development team at Original Fire Games, based in Vancouver, have focused on ensuring stability and polish gearing up for the game’s multi-platform release later this year.

CIRCUIT SUPERSTARS will be available for PC, Xbox, PlayStation in 2021 and is currently available on Steam Early Access. For more information, visit: https://store.steampowered.com/app/1097130/Circuit_Superstars/

Related Links:
Early Access on Steam: https://store.steampowered.com/app/1097130/Circuit_Superstars/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/circuitsup
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CircuitSUP/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/SquareEnixCollective
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/circuitsuperstars
#TopGear #CSupInvitational

About Original Fire Games

Original Fire Games is a small team originally started by three siblings from Mexico: Carolina, Carlos and Alberto Mastretta. Together they have a combined total of 14 years in game development, as well as more than 15 accumulated years of real motor racing experience. They are bringing every bit of that expertise and passion to Circuit Superstars to make a competitive game with a charming edge. Circuit Superstars is a love letter to the world of motorsport – made for the fans, by the fans.

About Square Enix Collective

Square Enix Collective® is a London-based division of Square Enix Ltd. The Collective programme was launched in 2014 to assist indie game developers build community awareness for hundreds of games pitches and has helped teams to raise in excess of $1.2 million via Kickstarter campaigns. Collective has now published and distributed a range of indie titles since April 2016 and is on the look-out for great new projects and talented teams to work with globally – whether it’s publishing support for a development that’s already funded, or investment to help the creation of a game.

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 161 million units worldwide; DRAGON QUEST®, which has sold over 82 million units worldwide; TOMB RAIDER®, which has sold over 82 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 Ltd. can be found at https://square-enix-games.com.
 

About BBC Studios

BBC Studios, a global content company with bold British creativity at its heart, is a commercial subsidiary of the BBC Group, supporting the licence fee and enhancing programmes for UK audiences. Able to take an idea seamlessly from thought to screen and beyond, its activities span content financing, development, production, sales, branded services, and ancillaries across both its own productions, and programmes and formats made by high-quality UK independents. Award-winning British programmes made by the business are internationally recognised across a broad range of genres and specialisms, with brands like Strictly Come Dancing/Dancing with the Stars, Top Gear, Doctor Who and Bluey. BBC Studios has offices in over 20 markets globally, including ten production bases in the UK and production bases or partnerships in a further nine countries around the world. The company, which ordinarily makes around 2000 hours of content a year for both the BBC and third parties including Apple, Netflix and Migu, is a champion for British creativity around the world.  It is also a committed partner for the UK’s independent sector through a mix of equity partnerships, content investment and international distribution for programme titles.
BBC Studios | Website | Press Office | Twitter | LinkedIn | Instagram |

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CRYSTAL DYNAMICS, DRAGON QUEST, EIDOS, EIDOS MONTREAL, FINAL FANTASY, SPACE INVADERS, SQUARE ENIX, the SQUARE ENIX logo, TAITO and TOMB RAIDER are registered trademarks or trademarks of the Square Enix group of companies. All other trademarks are properties of their respective owners.
Circuit Superstars © Original Fire Games. All rights reserved. Developed by Original Fire Games. Published by Square Enix Limited. CIRCUIT SUPERSTARS and the ORIGINAL FIRE GAMES logo are trademarks of Original Fire Games.
BBC, TOP GEAR, TG and THE STIG are trade marks of the British Broadcasting Corporation and are used under licence. BBC logo © BBC 1996. TOP GEAR logo © 2005. Licensed by BBC Studios.

Explore lava tubes & caves while tuning into the Mars Lifestyle Radio Pack

STOCKHOLM – September 7, 2021 –  Get ready to dig below the Red Planet’s surface and experience a hole new world, because Surviving Mars: Below & Beyond is now available. Developed by Abstraction and published by Paradox Interactive, Below & Beyond is the latest expansion for the hit survival colony management game, Surviving Mars. Players can purchase Surviving Mars: Below & Beyond for a suggested retail price of $19.99 USD / €19.99 EUR / £15.49 GBP on Steam, GOG, Epic, PlayStation™ 4 and Xbox One. 

With the Below & Beyond expansion, Surviving Mars players can expand their colony’s horizons into underground caves and lava tubes, and beyond the surface to fleeting asteroids. The redefined Recon & Expansion tech tree gives players the tools to build, discover and evolve their colony. Construct underground buildings and bases to provide the colony with additional levels of protection against natural disasters. Leverage technological discoveries to mine passing asteroids for exotic resources – just make sure to get back before it leaves orbit!

“We have one of the most supportive and creative communities in gaming. We know that, with these expanded features, our players will blow our minds with their ingenuity,” says Magnus Lysell, Product Manager for Surviving Mars at Paradox Interactive. “We give our players the tools they need to overcome challenges and create their story. With Below & Beyond, we’ve given players a lot to work with and I’m sure they will come up with some incredible colonies.”

Key Features

• Back to the Bases – Expand your colony into caves and lava tubes under the surface. Players can use existing structures, or underground-specific buildings to build a base for exploration. Expand with caution, potential cave-ins can destroy everything.
• Mine Your Own Business – Players can now go below the surface and beyond the red planet for resource mining. Construct special rocket-propelled buildings to mine resources, including exotic minerals and Data Samples, on passing asteroids. Don’t stick around too long or else the Asteroid will drift away with your stuff!
• Branching Paths – The Recon and Expansion research tree unlock additional buildings, vehicles, upgrades, and locales. They will also unlock asteroid mining and tunnel colonization.

“We’re beyond excited to welcome players back to the world of Surviving Mars with Below & Beyond,” says Dominique Morel, COO at Abstraction. “It’s been amazing exploring and expanding Surviving Mars’s horizons so that players can push them even further.”

Players can also purchase the Mars Lifestyle Radio Pack for $3.99 USD / €3.99 EUR / £2.89 GBP on the Steam, GOG, and Microsoft stores, and $4.99 USD / €3.99 EUR / £2.89 GBP on PlayStation.

Surviving Mars is available on PC, Xbox One, and PlayStation 4. For more information about Surviving Mars, visit the Paradox Store page, or check it out on Twitter and Facebook.

Paradox Interactive is a leading global publisher of strategy games for PC and console. The company has developed and published a world-renowned catalog stretching back to 1999, with players hailing from all around the world.

The publisher’s steadily-growing portfolio includes firmly established franchises such as the critically acclaimed Europa Universalis, Crusader Kings, Hearts of Iron, and Stellaris series created by Paradox Development Studio, the Age of Wonders series created by Triumph Studios, as well as award-winning titles such as Cities: Skylines, Pillars of Eternity, and more from a network of partner studios. Paradox is the owner of the World of Darkness IPs and is publishing Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines 2. Today, over four million people play a Paradox game each month, and the number of registered Paradox users is over twelve million.

Paradox’s head offices are located in Stockholm, Sweden. Our development studios are located in Stockholm, Malmö and Umeå, Sweden, in Delft, The Netherlands, in Seattle, Washington, and in Berkeley, California. We share a passion for gaming and gamers, and our goal is to provide deep and challenging games with hours of gameplay and endless variety to our ever-growing community.

For more information, please visit our forums and follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Comet sighted!

About Abstraction
Abstraction is a game development studio best known for faithfully adapting titles across multiple platforms. It is also renowned for taking on technically challenging projects and providing support teams for AAA publishers. The studio has delivered 170+ SKUs across 60 games over the last 13 years. Engaged with more creative co-development and DLC projects for a number of years, the company is now working on an unannounced internal game based on an original IP. 

The studio is proud to count as its partners, companies such as Bioware/EA, 343/Microsoft,  Paradox Interactive, Snail Games, Aspyr Media and Devolver Digital to name but a few. Abstraction’s HQ is based close to Eindhoven, The Netherlands and has a multi-skilled and multi-national team of 50+ and is in the middle of executing a plan that will see the team grow by at least 50% over the next year. 

The company is privately owned and its executive team has a combined experience of over 70 years in the games industry.

For more information, please visit www.abstraction.games

CD PROJEKT RED announces that the Kickstarter campaign for The Witcher: Ronin has started today, meaning backers can now pledge for their copy of the exclusive Hard Copy Collector’s Edition of the manga.

The Witcher: Ronin is an original comic, created and published by CD PROJEKT RED, which translates the dark fantasy world of The Witcher into a feudal Japanese setting. The story focuses on monster slayer Geralt, who must venture across Yokai-infested lands while attempting to track down the mysterious Lady of Snow Yuki Onna. The Kickstarter campaign is centered on the exclusive Hard Copy Collector’s Edition of the manga, which includes the main narrative of the comic, three short comic stories featuring fan-favorite Witcher characters, as well as behind-the-scenes content — with more additional content planned to be added throughout the campaign.

See The Witcher: Ronin Hard Copy Collector’s Edition Kickstarter Page

Currently, backers can support the project via multiple pledge tiers which, in addition to granting the Hard Copy Collector’s Edition of the manga, also grant supporters with extra artwork created by manga artist Hataya — who pens all the artwork for The Witcher: Ronin. What’s more, backers can supplement their pledge with a choice of add-ons, including a set of 5 Ronin-themed decorative pins, as well as a tote bag. The campaign has also launched with a special Early Bird offer for supporters who back the campaign and reserve their copy of The Witcher: Ronin within the first 24 hours. Those who do so will receive a collectible 12 cm monochrome miniature with their pledge, depicting Geralt locked in battle with a deadly Tengu.

“Being able to break away and take on this ‘what-if?’ scenario, where The Witcher is rooted in Japanese history and tradition, has opened up many compelling storytelling opportunities; and having Hataya on board to create the artwork has also been a real treat,” said CD PROJEKT RED’s Rafał Jaki, who conceptualized and wrote the story for the manga. “I’ve always envisioned Geralt to fit the mould of a wandering Ronin character, and the more I thought about it, the more I could see that feudal Japan, with its rich history of Yokai tales and folklore, fits the style of The Witcher world perfectly.”

Rafał Jaki also spoke about how Kickstarter presents the ideal format for this exclusive version of the comic: “Kickstarter is a great platform for us because it puts us right in touch with the community. It’s a clear way for us to see how many people are also interested in seeing this concept play out, and it also gives us a chance to mould this Hard Copy Collector’s Edition around the supporters. The base version of this Kickstarter exclusive edition is already packed with content, but we can go further, and I believe our Kickstarter supporters can be the key to making that happen. We have many exciting things to present to our backers during the campaign should the interest be there!”

For more information on the Kickstarter campaign, and The Witcher: Ronin itself, visit the official Kickstarter campaign page and follow The Witcher: Ronin across CD PROJEKT RED’s official The Witcher channels on Facebook and Twitter.

About CD PROJEKT RED

CD PROJEKT RED is a game development studio founded in 2002. It develops and publishes video games for personal computers and video game consoles. The studio’s flagship titles include The Witcher series of games, Thronebreaker: The Witcher Tales, GWENT: The Witcher Card Game and the futuristic AAA role-playing game — Cyberpunk 2077. Together with GOG.COM, a game store offering hand-picked titles for PC and Mac, CD PROJEKT RED is part of the CD PROJEKT Capital Group. CD PROJEKT S.A. is listed on the Warsaw Stock Exchange (ISIN: PLOPTTC00011).

About The Witcher franchise

Created by CD PROJEKT RED, The Witcher is a series of fantasy role-playing games following the adventures of professional monster slayer Geralt of Rivia. To date, the series has sold over 50 million copies worldwide and garnered over 1000 awards. The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, which released in 2015 for PC, PlayStation 4 and Xbox One, and later in 2019 on the Nintendo Switch, won a total of 250 Game of the Year awards and has sold over 30 million copies worldwide. The Witcher games are set in the universe created by Andrzej Sapkowski in his series of books.