Azerion Moves Beyond Games to Provide IP-Driven Multimedia Content for Hello Kitty and Friends within Azerion Platforms 

Amsterdam, The Netherlands — July 7, 2021 — Azerion, the leading pan-European digital gaming and monetisation company, and Sanrio, the global lifestyle brand recognized worldwide for its universally beloved pop icon Hello Kitty, today announced a three-year partnership to provide fans of the popular Japanese character with a series of casual games. 

Through this partnership, Azerion will launch five Hello Kitty and Friends-branded games as web-enabled versions powered by HTML5. The games will be accessible to a wider audience on both web and mobile devices.

Azerion is planning a series of joint marketing initiatives to introduce the new Hello Kitty and Friends games across its diverse platforms to its audiences across the globe. Multimedia promotional events and community engagement through social media channels, featuring video trailers and other assets will be developed and distributed by Azerion. Promoting and activating its audience to drive awareness for the new Hello Kitty and Friends experience will enable Azerion to reach new audiences on publisher and user side and offer new entertainment content for existing Sanrio fans no matter where they are or what device they use.   

Silvia Figini, COO of Sanrio- EMEA, India and Oceania, Mr. Men – Worldwide said: “We are extremely glad to partner with Azerion on this new project. The combination of the global appeal of Hello Kitty and the great experience of Azerion in developing and publishing high quality engaging games will generate the perfect formula to deliver fantastic gaming experience to our worldwide audience.”

Erol Erturk, EVP Games & Strategic Partnerships at Azerion said: “Azerion’s partnership with Sanrio’s Hello Kitty and Friends supports the iconic brand in becoming a fully fledged media franchise. Azerion will give Hello Kitty and Friends cross- and multi-platform reach, specifically with customized concepts for our publishing partners. We are honoured to have Sanrio’s trust in this and are thrilled about the possibilities.”

With a series of games to rollout within the coming years, the first games include: Hello Kitty Pinball, and Hello Kitty and Friends Jumper.

About the games

Hello Kitty and Friends Jumper

Choose your favorite Hello Kitty and Friends character and jump up on the platforms! Every few seconds a new floor will appear and you have to time your jump correctly. 

Play as Hello Kitty, My Melody, Kerokerokeroppi or Bad Badtz-Maru and explore different environments. Jump as high as you can and set a new high score!

Hello Kitty Pinball

Enjoy a classic Hello Kitty pachinko pinball game and obtain the highest score by shooting yellow, green, blue and pink balls! Unlock the bonus and Hello Kitty will throw in some special bonus balls. You have ninety seconds to set the highest score!

About Azerion

Azerion is a fast-growing and leading pan-European digital gaming and monetisation company. We develop and operate a safe and reliable online social gaming and entertainment platform for people of all ages to enjoy. Our integrated platform includes monetisation features and provides technology solutions to automate the purchase and sale of digital advertising for media buyers and sellers.

Content creators, publishers and advertisers work with us to reach millions of people across the globe that play our games and use our entertainment concepts to increase engagement, loyalty and drive e-commerce.

Founded in 2015 by two Dutch entrepreneurs, Azerion has experienced rapid expansion thanks to organic growth and strategic acquisitions. Azerion employs more than 900 employees across 19 offices and is headquartered in Schiphol-Rijk, the Netherlands.

About Sanrio
Sanrio is the global lifestyle brand best known for Hello Kitty who was created in 1974, and home to many other beloved character brands such as My Melody, LittleTwinStars, Cinnamoroll, Pompompurin, gudetama, Aggretsuko, Chococat, Bad Badtz-Maru, Kerokerokeroppi and the British icons Mr. Men Little Miss. 

Sanrio was founded on the small gift, big smile philosophy – that a small gift can bring happiness and friendship to people of all ages. Since 1960, this philosophy has served as the inspiration to offer quality products, services and activities that promote communication and inspire unique consumer experiences across the world. Today, Sanrio’s business extends into the entertainment industry and includes the operation of a number of theme parks. Sanrio boasts an extensive product lineup of around 50,000 products, which are available in over 130 countries and regions around the world. To learn more about Sanrio, please visit www.sanrio.eu and follow us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

At this year’s FarmCon, Farming Simulator 22 will be the main theme of GIANTS Software’s own annual event. Streamed from July 21-23 on the official GIANTS Software Twitch channel. Tune in as publisher and developer GIANTS Software shows a first look at Farming Simulator 22 gameplay footage.
 
Carefully cultivated: gameplay premiere, new features and more!
Each day, from July 21-23, GIANTS will stream for a couple of hours, starting at 11:00am PT / 2:00pm ET. Viewers can expect exciting insider information directly from the developers: Viewers will get a deeper look into already announced features like production chains and witness the reveal of even more content and unannounced gameplay mechanics.

• Wednesday (July 21) highlights seasonal changes, the new US map ‘Elmcreek’, a look behind the scenes of the Cinematic Trailer and more.
• Thursday (July 22) will focus on the gameplay premiere of Farming Simulator 22, the GIANTS Engine 9 and its vast improvements and brand-new features.
• Friday (July 23) is about the three new crops, various customization options, and sound improvements. Also, a Bale Stacking Challenge with real tractors.
• Saturday & Sunday (July 24-25) are reserved for the Farming Simulator League and will see the competitive esports league continue with season 3. The tournament finale will stream live on July 25th at 7:00pm PT / 10:00pm ET on Twitch and YouTube.

That’s not all: even more features and details will be revealed!
Prepare for surprises! Even more insightful presentations, multiple Q&As, raffles and dedicated Discord chat rooms with developers to discuss the FarmCon news of the day will be unveiled soon. All this will allow fans to learn more about Farming Simulator 22 and even interact with GIANTS Software and the developers directly.
 
“As we approach FarmCon, the game grows bigger by the day in terms of features and polish. We are excited to present Farming Simulator 22 from almost all sides with a wealth of new details. Fans around the world should mark their calendars and come chat with us – as is the tradition at FarmCon”, reminds GIANTS Software CEO, Christian Ammann in excitement of the upcoming online event.
 
FarmCon is the official and annual community event for modders, developers and players of the Farming Simulator series. Since 2016, fans can meet at FarmCon to chat with GIANTS Software and other players.
 
Farming Simulator 22 will release on November 22, for PC, Mac, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 4, Xbox One and Stadia. For more information, please visit the official Farming Simulator website

# # # 

© 2021 Published and developed by GIANTS Software. GIANTS Software and its logos are trademarks or registered trademarks of GIANTS Software. All manufacturers, agricultural machinery, agricultural equipment, names, brands and associated imagery featured in this game in some cases include trademarks and/or copyrighted materials of their respective owners. The agricultural machines and equipment in this game may be different from the actual machines in shapes, colours and performance. ©2021 Sony Interactive Entertainment LLC. “PlayStation Family Mark”, “PlayStation”, “PS5 logo”, “PS5”, “PS4 logo”, “PS4”, “PlayStation Shapes Logo” and “Play Has No Limits” are registered trademarks or trademarks of Sony Interactive Entertainment Inc. Microsoft, the Xbox Sphere mark, the Series X logo, Series S logo, Series X|S logo, Xbox One and Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, and Xbox Series X|S are trademarks of the Microsoft group of companies. Stadia, the S logo, and related marks and logos are trademarks of Google LLC. “Mac” is a trademark of Apple Inc., registered in the U.S. and other countries and regions. All rights reserved. All other names, trademarks and logos are property of their respective owners.

ABOUT GIANTS SOFTWARE
GIANTS Software is an international video game developer and publisher from Switzerland established in 2004 and known worldwide for creating the popular Farming Simulator series. The team with offices in Switzerland (Zurich), Germany (Erlangen), USA (Chicago) and Czech Republic (Brno) is very committed to maintain close contact to the agricultural industry and to engage with the community. For more information, please visit giants-software.com

ABOUT FARMING SIMULATOR
Since 2008, over 25 million versions of Farming Simulator have been sold worldwide. The game series has been released on all popular platforms including consoles, mobile phones, tablets and PCs since 2008. From the start, the team enabled users to create mods with the company’s own GIANTS Engine. With the Farming Simulator League (FSL), the series introduced a competitive eSports mode in 2019 – with teams competing in professional tournaments and many acclaimed brands and sponsors on board. More information available at farming-simulator.com

A Sinister Bookstore and a Spate of Unusual Customers Opens a Pandora’s Box of the Paranormal

Hermitage isn’t your ordinary book shop. If customers are purely looking for something to read, they won’t find that here. From Japanese folklore to superstitious tales from Southeast Asia, the books on offer here are as colourful as the shop’s clientele. But when one customer comes to the sales desk clutching a book of ancient texts and rituals, Hermitage takes a turn towards the truly dark…

Location – Wednesday 7th July, 2021 – Giiku Games is excited to announce it will bring gripping paranormal horror adventure Hermitage: Strange Case Files to PlayStation, Xbox, Nintendo Switch, and Steam this summer.

Having already made waves in China, acclaimed story-driven studio Arrowiz’s latest is being fully localised for a western release across all major platforms, bringing the game’s sinister brand of mystery and investigation to an entirely new audience.

The aforementioned ‘Hermitage’ is a quirky and altogether curious bookshop stood at the crossroads of a lonely junction, serving as a port of call for only the most eccentric of book worms. The store’s manager – usually to be found casting a critical eye over Hermitage’s patrons with a cigarette in his hand – is used to endearing oddities perusing his dusty shelves, but when one customer comes in searching for literature to solve the mystery behind some particularly lucid ritualistic dreams.

“Hermitage: Strange Case Files is what Chinese developer Arrowiz does best: an engaging mystery wrapped up in a multi-layered and immersive story where every line of dialogue is an important cog in the wheel that is the game’s overarching narrative,” says Rinalda Faraian, Product Manager at Giiku Games. “It’s important then that we do the script justice, and we can’t wait to bring this new localised version to gamers on console and PC this summer.”

With Hermitage: Strange Case Files causing its protagonist to question the lines between fantasy and reality, players take on the role of said bookshop owner –  a former anthropology professor who has strangely never been seen outside of Hermitage. With the help of a hacker genius on the run, a self-proclaimed detective and a short-tempered legal consultant, players will need to get to the bottom of a series of horrific incidents, taking on the supernatural horrors that lurk between the pages of Hermitage’s weird and wonderful book collection.

Hermitage: Strange Case Files features:

• A unique adventure with a multi-layered story and a visual novel style
• Interviews with characters where choosing the approach that matches their personality serves up important leads
• Clues discovered through TV news, online forums, phone messages and emails
• Analyze characters and events using an interactive pinboard
• Investigate character backstories to discover secrets
• Match your intel with your suspicions to uncover the truth
• Take your adventure on a new path by unlocking various storylines with your choices

About Giiku Games

Giiku Games is a digital publisher for Anime and Asian games for PC and console. The portfolio includes the successful Anime MMO Florensia and the mystery visual novel Detective Kobayashi. For more information about Giiku Games please visit https://www.giikugames.com/

About Arrowiz Founded in 2016 by a group of game industry veterans and young talents, Arrowiz aims to build a leading studio focused on story-rich experiences with unique design and gameplay. Please visit http://arrowiz.com/

Set to Release in 2023 for Console and PC, The Game Will Be a Brand-New Story

Lesquin, France July 6, 2021 – One of the most exciting sci-fi franchises of all time is coming to a gaming screen near you! Game publisher NACON and Metro Goldwyn Mayer (MGM), a leading entertainment company focused on the production of premium film and television content across platforms, announce they have signed an agreement to launch an all-new RoboCop^TM video game based on the first three films in the original RoboCop universe. The highly-anticipated game will feature a new RoboCop story and is being developed by the studio Teyon, who is behind the critically successful Terminator: Resistance. The game is planned to release in 2023 for console and PC platforms. 

Discover the reveal teaser of RoboCop: Rogue City

RoboCop is a classic sci-fi action-adventure and one of Hollywood’s most iconic film franchises of all time. First released in 1987, the franchise continues to resonate with audiences around the world today. Celebrating its 35^th anniversary next year, RoboCop has transcended pop culture with a robust consumer products and licensing program and a strong legacy in the gaming space.

NACON and Teyon will work with MGM to develop an authentic RoboCop game experience that is faithful to the franchise’s DNA, while immersing gamers in an original story that enables them to play as none other than RoboCop himself. In the original RoboCop film, when good cop Alex Murphy is fatally wounded by ruthless criminals, innovative doctors are able to piece him back together as an unstoppable crime-fighting cyborg called “RoboCop.”

“We’re delighted to be teaming up with MGM to offer a new vision of a popular franchise that was created over 30 years ago. This game is the perfect fit to pursue our aim of offering different gaming experiences to the widest possible audience,” said Alain Falc, CEO of NACON.

Robert Marick, Executive Vice President Global Consumer Products and Experiences, at MGM, said, “We’re very much looking forward to collaborating with NACON and Teyon to bring one of MGM’s most timeless I.P.’s back to gaming platforms with a brand-new story.  The film is known for gripping action and complex storytelling, and we are excited for RoboCop fans to experience this first hand through the game.”

More information about RoboCop: Rogue City will be shared at a later date.

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Check all NACON games and accessories on the new website nacongaming.com

ROBOCOP – ROBOCOP 3 © 1987-1992 Orion Pictures Corporation. ROBOCOP is a trademark of Orion Pictures Corporation. ROBOCOP INTERACTIVE GAME TM & © 2021 Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc. All Rights Reserved.

About NACON
NACON is a company of the BIGBEN Group founded in 2019 to optimize its know-how through strong synergies in the video game market. By bringing together its 11 development studios, the publishing of AA video games, the design and distribution of premium gaming devices, NACON focuses 20 years of expertise at the service of players.
https://corporate.nacongaming.com/

About MGM 
Metro Goldwyn Mayer (MGM) is a leading entertainment company focused on the production and global distribution of film and television content across all platforms. The company owns one of the world’s deepest libraries of premium film and television content as well as the premium pay television network EPIX, which is available throughout the U.S. via cable, satellite, telco, and digital distributors.  In addition, MGM has investments in numerous other television channels, digital platforms, interactive ventures, and is producing premium short-form content for distribution. For more information, visit www.mgm.com

Lesquin, 6 July 2021 – NACON is delighted to share a summary of the many announcements made at NACON Connect, its online press conference broadcast today at 7pm CEST.
 
Watch NACON Connect 2021 on demand here:

NACON Connect 2021 showcased some projects gamers have already been looking forward to, such as Vampire: The Masquerade – Swansong (Big Bad Wolf), Steelrising (Spiders) and the highly anticipated Test Drive Unlimited Solar Crown (KT Racing). It also announced several games still under development: Ad Infinitum (Hekate), Clash: Artifacts of Chaos (Ace Team) and RoboCop: Rogue City (Teyon).
 
The NACON and RIG accessory teams were obviously there as well. They gave an exclusive first look at a range of new products that owners of Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, PC and PlayStation®5 will love.
 
Through some 20 trailers and brand-new content, along with appearances from special guests like Sébastien Loeb (WRC 10), The Bloody Beetroots (RiMS Racing) and professional skateboarder Daewon Song (Session.), NACON presented a catalogue offering an unprecedented variety of experiences from a video game publisher.
 
By placing gamers at the core of its strategy, NACON is aiming to delight the most passionate among them. Whether they are fans of racing, sport, roguelikes, action-adventure or simulators, this new edition of NACON Connect provides plenty of excitement.

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Descend into the darkness of Vampire: The Masquerade – Swansong
 
Galeb, one of the three playable characters in Vampire: The Masquerade – Swansong (Big Bad Wolf), is a 300-year-old vampire. Just and unsentimental, Galeb plays a central role in the events that are impacting the Camarilla, the secret society that most vampires belong to. Watch the video.

Return to Middle-earth with The Lord of the Rings™: Gollum™
 
Daedalic Entertainment has unveiled a new developer’s interview for The Lord of the Rings: Gollum during which Producer Harald Riegler introduces characters and environments Gollum encounters on his journey. In this stealth-action adventure, players take on the role of the iconic character to win back his Precious lost ring. Torn between two personalities, it is up to you to decide whether the darker side of Gollum takes over or if there is a spark of reason left in what once was Sméagol… Watch the video.

Steelrising, an alternate version of the French Revolution
 
Introduced by Jehanne Rousseau, Founder and Creative Director of the development studio Spiders, Steelrising gave us a first look at its combat gameplay, which is a core part of the experience. In this action-adventure game set in an alternate 18th-century Paris, the combat will be challenging and any error in judgement could be fatal. Watch the video.

Blood Bowl 3: are you ready to score touchdowns?
 
Funnier, bloodier and more spectacular than ever, Blood Bowl 3 introduced its Campaign mode through an interview with Yoann Drulhe, Lead Cinematic Artist at Cyanide. Blood Bowl 3 will be released on PC and consoles in February 2022. Watch the video.

RoboCop: Rogue City – NACON’s adaptation of an iconic franchise
 
You play as Alex Murphy aka RoboCop™ – part man, part machine, all cop – in this first-person shooter. Development studio Teyon is creating an original story in the franchise’s universe, in which your mission will be to protect the city of Detroit. Watch the video.

* * *
Roguebook: new free content coming soon after a successful release
 
Following a highly successful launch on 17 June, new content is already on the horizon for Roguebook. The first free update will soon be available for the roguelike deckbuilder developed by Abrakam and co-designed by Richard Garfield, creator of Magic: The Gathering™. Watch the video.

Ad Infinitum: can you survive the unexpected horrors of the war?
 
NACON is working with the German studio Hekate, the developers behind Ad Infinitum, a new story-driven horror game franchise. Descend into the nightmares of a First World War soldier in this first trailer, which conveys the game’s unique atmosphere. Watch the video.

Rogue Lords: the Devil is coming in September
 
More details about Rogue Lords (Cyanide, Leikir Studio), the diabolical roguelike where cheating is part of the game, were revealed in a new gameplay trailer, along with its PC release date: 30 September. Watch the video.

The creators of Zeno Clash return with Clash: Artifacts of Chaos
 
Introducing Clash: Artifacts of Chaos, a game announced at NACON Connect and developed by ACE Team, a talented Chilean studio. Explore the unique world of Zenozoik and defeat the best warriors while respecting the strange rules of the Ritual. Watch the video.

* * *
Professional skateboarder Daewon Song praises the excellence of Session.
 
Awarded Skater of the Year in 2006 by Thrasher Magazine and inducted into the Skateboarding Hall of Fame in 2017, it was an honour to watch Daewon Song introduce Session., the skateboarding game from crea-ature Studios Inc. that sets a new standard for the genre. It was also a chance to announce a new update, available in early access today on Steam, Xbox Series X|S and Xbox One. Watch the video.

New teaser for Rugby 22
 
NACON and Eko Software showed the first trailer for Rugby 22, which is planned for release in January 2022. Watch the video.

The Bloody Beetroots – Original music for the RiMS Racing soundtrack
 
To present RiMS Racing from RaceWard development studio, the microphone was handed over to Sir Bob Cornelius Rifo from the group The Bloody Beetroots, who announced his contribution to the game’s original soundtrack and the opening of preorders on consoles and PC. Watch the video.

WRC 10 – 50 years of legendary rallies with Sébastien Loeb
 
Nine-time world WRC champion Sébastien Loeb was the prestigious ambassador for WRC 10 (KT Racing) during the conference.  NACON was delighted to welcome him as a special guest to discuss the new edition, which is celebrating 50 years of the FIA World Rally Championship. Watch the video.

Test Drive Unlimited Solar Crown will release 22 September, 2022
 
There was a gripping new cinematic trailer for Test Drive Unlimited Solar Crown, which revealed the setting that the many fans of the iconic franchise will be able to explore: Hong Kong. An interview with Amaury Beyris and Alain Jarniou, Game Director and Creative Director at KT Racing respectively, revealed more details about some of the game’s features. Watch the video.

* * *
NACON revisits the “life simulator” genre with the LIFE range
 
The LIFE range of games offers new experiences for simulation fans. Watch the video.

• Chef Life: A Restaurant Simulator (Cyanide) puts you at the head of a restaurant, which you need to manage from top to bottom, from supplying the kitchen to serving tables.
• Hotel Life: A Resort Simulator (RingZero) is a hotel simulator that takes you behind the scenes of an idyllic holiday destination. 
• In Train Life: A Railway Simulator (Simteract), you drive trains, including iconic ones, and for the first time in a simulator in this genre, you also manage the development of your company. Train Life: A Railway Simulator will be available in early access on 15 July.

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Yannick Allaert, Head of Accessories at NACON, revisited some of this year’s highlights. He also unveiled some new projects currently under development, including new official accessories for Xbox and PlayStation®5 consoles. Watch the video.

• NACON MG-X Series for smartphones – Designed for Xbox

The MG-X and MG-X PRO smartphone controllers have been specially designed to provide the ultimate experience for Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscribers. The MG-X series is compatible with all Android smartphones up to 6.7 inches and will arrive in Europe and North America in fall 2021.

• NACON Revolution X Pro Controller – Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One & PC

The Revolution X premium controller benefits from NACON’s extensive expertise in terms of features, comfort and customisation. On Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One and PC, the Revolution X includes a wide range of manual and software customisation options, as well as Dolby Atmos for Headphones support. Arriving in fall 2021, the Revolution X will offer competitive gamers a new standard in terms of performance. Watch the video.

• RIG 400 HS & RIG 500 PRO HS GEN 2 Headsets – PlayStation®5

At NACON Connect, the RIG teams were excited to give an exclusive first look at their new audio peripherals for the PlayStation®5. With two new headsets, the RIG 500 PRO HS GEN 2 and RIG 400 HS, PlayStation®5 owners can now enjoy the same unrivalled audio quality and comfort behind RIG’s global success. More details will be shared very soon.

• RIG 200 HS Stream Mic for PlayStation®5

RIG is adding an officially licensed streaming microphone for PlayStation®5 to its range of products. Currently under development, the RIG 200 HS Steam Mic boasts a metallic finish and technology specifically adapted to recording and streaming voice on PlayStation®5.

• NACON Daija Arcade Stick for PlayStation®5

To finish, Yannick Allaert and all NACON teams are very proud to announce the forthcoming release of a new officially licensed Daija Arcade Stick for PlayStation®5. Already available for PS4™, this arcade stick, which was developed in collaboration with professional gamer Marie-Laure ‘Kayane’ Norindr, won praise from legions of players for its ergonomics and SANWA components. NACON intends to repeat this success with a new and improved PS5™ version.
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All NACON’s games and accessories are on nacongaming.com

About NACON
NACON is a company of the BIGBEN Group founded in 2019 to optimize its know-how through strong synergies in the video game market. By bringing together its 11 development studios, the publishing of AA video games, the design and distribution of premium gaming devices, NACON focuses 20 years of expertise at the service of players. This new unified business unit strengthens NACON’s position in the market and enables it to innovate by creating new unique competitive advantages. https://corporate.nacongaming.com/

7 JULY 2021 –  Prime Matter and Dark Crystal Games have unveiled a new gameplay trailer for Encased, the upcoming isometric dystopian sci-fi RPG scheduled to release this autumn.

The new trailer reveals scenes, characters and weapons from all three acts – including previously unseen footage from the later part of the game – highlighting the dangers and challenges players will face as they roam across the devastated landscape.

Set in an alternative 1976, a vast and inexplicable artifact – The Dome – is discovered in the remote desert and, inside, is packed to the brim with amazing technology that could advance humanity hundreds of years. And you are one of those selected to venture inside.

Players start off in one of five disciplines – science, engineering, security, management or convict –  which affects both their initial stats, specialisation and opens (or prevents) unique dialogue within the game. After entering the dome and completing the initial level, a cataclysm happens that changes what was once the bright hope of tomorrow into a desolate world of survival.

The player will fight in tactical turn-based battles, explore the vast wastelands, bunkers and settlements under the Dome. Make decisions with long-term consequences, avoid anomalies and find mysterious artifacts. Act stealthily, improve character skills and upgrade weapons.

While traveling under the Dome, the protagonist will encounter factions that are competing for power. Each of them see the future of humanity differently and this will affect the ending.

The protagonist can go through the story alone or invite unique characters into the party. For example, Yoko, a robot child on the path of self-discovery and self-identification; Sparrow, a mysterious fighter for justice, and other unconventional heroes.

Owing some of its spiritual inspiration to books like Roadside Picnic, the gameplay mechanics will appeal to RPG and survival fans alike.

Encased –  which will be a digital PC release on Steam, Epic and GOG – is currently in early access where users can experience all the first act and part of the second with the game scoring in the high seventies in user Steam reviews: https://store.steampowered.com/app/921800/Encased_A_SciFi_PostApocalyptic_RPG/

Suggested PC Specs

Minimum: WINDOWS® 7, 8, 8.1, 10, Intel® Core™ i5-3.3 GHz or better, or AMD Equivalent, 4GB RAM, : NVIDIA® GeForce® GTX 660m or AMD Radeon™ R7 260x (2GB of video memory)

Recommended: WINDOWS® 7, 8, 8.1, 10, : Intel® Core™ i7-3.7 GHz or better, or AMD Equivalent, 8GB RAM, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 (6GB), or AMD RX 480 (8GB)

About Dark Crystal Games

Dark Crystal Games is an independent RPG studio founded in 2017 in St. Petersburg, Russia. The core of the team was formed by ex Larian devs, passionate to create their own RPG in the post-apocalyptic setting. In 2018 Dark Crystal Games launched a successful Kickstarter campaign that funded the development of the game and raised its production level. The project was promoted and developed by publisher Black Tower; three years on and Encased is almost ready to ship

About Prime Matter

Headquartered in Munich, Germany, Prime Matter the premium gaming label dedicated to delivering a range of diverse and immersive games from amazing gaming development talent all around the globe.

Working across projects of all styles, scopes and sizes, single-player, co-op to live ops, from producing to publishing, from ambitious teams taking their first step that need full support without compromising their dream to larger established successful studios searching that next step in the global market and building of brands.

Prime Matter looks to lead through creativity, expression and passion, with games that will grip and enchant with enthralling story-telling, winning an audience with its incredible moments and larger-than-life experiences. Prime Matter is a proud member of the Koch Media Group.

About Koch Media

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

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

Additionally, as global publishing partner Koch Media has formed long-term multi-national publishing collaborations with numerous game publishers including Activision Blizzard, Bethesda, Capcom, CI Games, Giants Software, Kalypso, Koei Tecmo, Konami, Paradox, Sega, SNK, Square Enix, Techland, Tripwire, Warner Bros, and many others.

With its parent company in Höfen, Austria, and the Publishing HQ in Munich, Germany, Koch Media owns local publishing companies in Germany, UK, France, Spain, Italy, Sweden, the Netherlands, Austria, Switzerland, Poland, Australia, the United States as well as Japan and Hong Kong.

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

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

Koch Media is an Embracer Group company

by Megan Spurr, Community Lead, Xbox Game Pass

Summer is heating up and we’re ready to catch the next wave of great Xbox Game Pass games coming soon. Now let’s kick back, relax, and enjoy these new arrivals!

Coming Soon

Tropico 6 (Console, and PC) ID@Xbox – July 8

In Tropico 6, travel to a beautiful island state and make it your own. In this sixth entry in the series, build and manage a whole archipelago, decking it out with your choice of buildings, industry, and décor. Will you rule your people as a generous statesman or ruthless dictator? The choice is yours.

UFC 4 (Console) EA Play – July 8

Shape your legend with EA Play and Xbox Game Pass Ultimate – UFC 4 is coming soon to The Play List! Members can enter the Octagon on July 8 to create and customize their own character and start their journey from unknown amateur to UFC superstar.

Bloodroots (Console, and PC) ID@Xbox – July 15

Left for dead by a colourful group of bandits, you will chain killing sprees to exact revenge on the treacherous Mr. Black Wolf. Improvise your kills with utterly everything you can get your hands on from carrots to plasma guns.

Farming Simulator 19 (Console, and PC) – July 15

The ultimate farming simulation returns! Become a modern farmer and develop your farm on two huge American and European environments, filled with exciting new farming activities, crops to harvest and animals to tend to.

DLC / Game Updates

A Plague Tale: Innocence Series X|S Update – Available now
Follow the critically acclaimed tale of young Amicia and her little brother Hugo, in a heartrending journey through the darkest hours of history. Now optimized for Xbox Series X|S with native 4K resolution on Series X, 60 FPS, 3D audio support and improved visuals.

Astroneer: Jet Powered Update – Available now
Explore and reshape distant worlds! Astroneer is set during the 25th century Intergalactic Age of Discovery, where Astroneers explore the frontiers of outer space, risking their lives in harsh environments to unearth rare discoveries and unlock the mysteries of the universe. The Jet Powered Update adds new missions that will help you unlock new vehicles including a VTOL and Hoverboard!

Black Desert: Corsair Update – Available now
Need a break from the heat wave? Meet Corsair! She’s a commander of the sea and the newest class in Black Desert. This seafarer can ride the (actual) waves, use tsunamis, and transform into a mermaid to defeat her enemies. Her combat style mimics the waves of the ocean – unpredictable, unique, and cool. If you want to spend summertime surfing with dolphins, Corsair is the right choice for the adventure!

Destiny 2 Solstice of Heroes Event – Available until August 3
Soar across the EAZ in search of glory and treasure. Each day features a buff based on either Solar, Arc, Void, or – for the first time – Stasis. New Prism days let you choose the element you charge! Earn Legendary Solstice armour and upgrade it until it begins to glow, revealing the power within.

Doom Eternal Series X|S Update – Available now
Attention all Slayers! Patch 6 for Doom Eternal is available now, bringing you free next-gen upgrades that unlock the full capabilities of the Xbox Series X|S. Plus, duke it out online in the new Battlemode arena, Corrosion, and put your skills to the test in the Taras Nabad Master Level. Learn more here!

Gears 5 Operation 7 Free Update – Available now
Strike at the enemy in Gears 5 Operation 7, available now. Jump in with four new characters, a brand-new map and a rebuilt classic map, renewed Tour of Duty and more.

Grounded Shroom and Doom Update – Available now
Grounded’s Shroom and Doom content update brings the game’s terrifying first boss, mushroom building materials to build castles from, and long-awaited community requests like sitting and, best of all, pet companions! Learn more about what’s new in the backyard here.

Greedfall Series X|S Update – Available now
Enjoy exploring uncharted lands filled with magic, secrets, and creatures in 4K resolution, highly improved visual, fast loading and 60 FPS in performance mode! With diplomacy, deception, and force, influence a living world to shape your story and forge your own destiny. Read more here.

Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Siege: Year 6 Season 2 North Star – Available now
Xbox Game Pass members save 10%! North Star will soon ascend in the Siege’s constellation! Discover more about our new operator Thunderbird, the Favela map rework, and much more including some balancing changes, a new death experience animation and the new seasonal “Medicant” skin bundle. Learn more about North Star here.

Zombie Army 4: Abaddon Asylum DLC – Available now
Xbox Game Pass members save 10%! Abaddon Asylum is the second mission in Return to Hell, a haunting three-part Zombie Army 4: Dead War campaign! Explore a terrifying new location in this 1-4 player mission, complete with terrifying enemies, collectibles and more! Plus, grab the free Left4Dead Character Pack 1 containing Bill, Francis, Louis, and Zoey! You may have survived a damned facility – but the dead don’t care! Read more here.

Fallout 76 Steel Reign Update – July 7
Steel Reign is the final chapter in the Brotherhood of Steel storyline. Tensions have never been higher between Paladin Rahmani and Knight Shin. The appearance of Super Mutants and people disappearing are only adding to the divide. Will you take the side of justice or remain committed to duty?Read more here.

Xbox Game Pass Ultimate Perks

Here are lots of brand-new Perks to go claim in the Perks Gallery on your Xbox Console, Xbox App on Windows 10 PC, or the Xbox Game Pass Mobile app for iOS/Android.

Space Jam: A New Legacy The Game – Play It First with Xbox Game Pass Ultimate

Play as LeBron, Bugs, and Lola as they face the Goon Squad in a wacky basketball beat-em up! Claim this Perk to get exclusive early access and play the full game right now through Xbox Game Pass Ultimate Perks. Space Jam: A New Legacy – The Game will be available as a free-to-play title for all players starting July 15 through the Microsoft Store on your Xbox console.

Black Desert – Special Gift Bundle – Available now

The new class Corsair joins the battlefield of Black Desert! Gear up with this special bundle and embark on an adventure you’ve been longing for!

Apex Legends – Protocol 3 Weapon Charm – Available now

Show the competition what you’re made of with your new Protocol 3 Weapon Charm, brought to you by EA Play! Equip this to your favourite weapon and battle for glory, fame, and fortune in style.

World of Warships: Legends – Navy of the Realm – Available now

Get a pair of powerful early German warships in the new Xbox Game Pass bundle: Navy of the Realm. You’ll get your hands on the fan favourite cruiser Königsberg and the destroyer G-101 along with plenty of Camouflages and Boosters.

Xbox Game Pass Quests

Starting on July 6, Xbox Game Pass members can earn 2x points for completing Quests built around select games celebrating 20 Years of Xbox. Check for Quests on your Xbox console or the Xbox Game Pass mobile app. You can also learn more about Xbox Game Pass Quests here.

Check out the new July monthly Quests you can start today:

• Grand Theft Auto V (150 points): Steal 5 cars
• Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Siege (150 points): Play 1 training grounds match
• Grounded (225 points): Earn one achievement

Leaving Soon

It’s time to prepare to say farewell to the games leaving the Xbox Game Pass library on July 15, including a batch of EA Play games to be delisted from The Play List on July 14.

Remember, you can use your Game Pass member discount to save up to 20% on games leaving the Game Pass library, while PC and Ultimate members can save up to 10% on the EA Play games.

July 14 (EA Play)

• EA Sports UFC (Console)
• EA Sports UFC 2 (Console)

July 15

• Endless Space 2 (PC)
• Downwell (PC)
• CrossCode (Console, and PC)

That concludes our first round of July announcements! We’ll be back later this month with more news, but in the meantime be sure to follow @XboxGamePass and @XboxGamePassPC on Twitter to get a heads up when these games are available to play. From there, you can download these games straight to your Xbox console or PC from the Xbox Game Pass mobile app! See you next time!

Bonuses for all Showdown Modes and A Land of Opportunities

Red Dead Online: Blood Money Coming July 13, First Trailer Tomorrow

To gear up for the launch of the new Red Dead Online: Blood Money update on July 13, take advantage of special bonuses in Red Dead Online all this week, including 2X RDO$ and XP on all Showdown Modes and A Land of Opportunities.

Winning in any Showdown Mode this week will earn players a Reward for 30% off an Ability Card Upgrade, while completing “Kill Them, Each and Every One” from A Land of Opportunities will earn you a Reward for a free Treasure Map. Moonshiners above Rank 100 who win any Showdown Mode will also receive an Offer for 3 Gold Bars off any Moonshine Bar Theme.

Long tenured Red Dead Online players that are Rank 100 or above will receive an Offer for 50% off a select Weapon, while everybody who purchases a weapon modification this week will get an Offer for 40% off a select Revolver as well as 200 Express Revolver Ammo. Plus all Weapon and Pamphlet Rank requirements at the Fence have been lifted this week.

New Red Dead Online: Blood Money Details Tomorrow
Look out for a host of new details about next week’s Red Dead Online: Blood Money here at the Newswire on July 7, including the debut of the official trailer.

Discounts

• 40% off all Ability Cards
• 30% off all Turkoman Horses
• 40% off all Weapon Crafting Pamphlets
• 30% off all Sniper Rifles
• 30% off all Shotguns
• 40% off all Weapons at the Fence
• 30% off all Bandoliers
• 30% off all Hats

Prime Gaming Benefits

Red Dead Online players who connect their Rockstar Games Social Club account to Prime Gaming before August 2 will receive Rewards for a free Saddle, 2 free Treasure Maps, and an Offer for 40% off the Fast Travel Post.

Check Rockstar Support for details and limitations.

Koch Media and SNK Corporation partner up for the release of The King of Fighters XV

Sydney, Australia, 7 July 2021 – Today, Koch Media, a leading global publishing partner, and SNK Corporation, the Japanese video game developer and publisher, announced their partnership for the upcoming release of The King of Fighters XV, the latest and upcoming addition to the renowned fighting game franchise. The King of Fighters XV will be launching on PlayStation®5, PlayStation®4, Xbox Series X|S, Steam and Epic Game Store. 

The King of Fighters series is back six years after the release of KOF XIV with a great sequel that will undoubtedly live up to the fighting legacy the franchise has carried since its first release in 1994.

Stephan Schmidt, Director of Global Partner Publishing at Koch Media adds: “We are delighted to be working again with SNK and excited to support them with our local publishing offices around the world. It is particularly thrilling to be able to work on such a legendary fighting game franchise. I’m convinced that we’ll achieve great things together for the digital and physical release of this title.”

Since the original announcement of The King of Fighters XV, fans all over the world have celebrated every subsequent character that has been announced. Koch Media and SNK will be bringing The King of Fighters XV to new heights, allowing the latest title to pave the way towards a new future of fighting games.

Yasuyuki Oda, Chief Producer of The King of Fighters at SNK Corporation adds: “We are very pleased to work again with our overseas publishing partner, Koch Media. Through Koch Media’s global network, I believe we can achieve fantastic results by spreading the appeal of The King of Fighters to game fans all around the world.”

For more information on The King of Fighters XV, please visit https://www.snk-corp.co.jp/us/games/kof-xv and follow SNK on Twitter and Facebook.

©SNK CORPORATION ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

“PlayStation” is a registered trademark or trademark of Sony Interactive Entertainment Inc.

©2021 Valve Corporation. Steam and the Steam logo are trademarks and/or registered trademarks of Valve Corporation in the U.S. and/or other countries.

© 2021, Epic Games, Inc. All rights reserved. Epic, Epic Games, and the Epic Games logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of Epic Games, Inc. in the United States of America and elsewhere.

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About Koch Media

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

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

Additionally, as global publishing partner Koch Media has formed long-term multi-national publishing collaborations with numerous game publishers including Bethesda, Capcom, Codemasters, Konami, Koei Tecmo, Sega, Square Enix, Warner Bros and many others. With its parent company in Höfen, Austria, and the Publishing HQ in Munich, Germany, Koch Media owns local publishing companies in Germany, UK, France, Spain, Italy, Sweden, the Netherlands, Austria, Switzerland, Poland, Australia, the United States as well as Japan and Hong Kong.

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

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

Koch Media is an Embracer Group company.

About SNK

Headquartered in Osaka, Japan, SNK develop, publish, and distribute interactive entertainment software on a global scale. Known for such franchises as THE KING OF FIGHTERS, METAL SLUG, and SAMURAI SHODOWN, SNK continues to focus on their rich console game and arcade history.