New concept art and vampire design details revealed in Interview with Art Director Johan Wahlbäck
Skövde, Sweden – 23rd June, 2021 – Stunlock Studios today have published a Dev Update interview with Art Director Johan Wahlbäck for their open-world vampire survival game, V Rising, coming to PC on Steam with the Beta planned later this year. While the Beta version is coming soon, excited fans have wasted no time sending in questions to gain greater insight into the dark and wonderful world of V Rising. This Dev Update is full of information regarding the atmosphere of the game, the design of characters, the gothic themes across the game’s architecture and the violent contrast between humanity and the bloodthirsty vampires. The art director warns that bloodshed is a key part of the vampire’s visuals, but it is contrasted with their darkness and beauty.
Stunlock Studios’s previous game Battlerite is a competitive game where readability is a crucial element of the intense tactical gameplay. With V Rising’s more detailed graphics and higher fidelity, there are concerns that visual clarity may be affected. Art Director Johan allays those fears with the following statement:
“Even though readability isn’t as crucial as in a competitive arena game like Battlerite, we still work a lot with this in V Rising to make the player feel they are in control of the various gameplay situations. Since the world is high in detail, we chose to simplify the shapes of our characters to make them read better. We’re using an approach similar to what you see in traditionally animated Ghibli and Disney movies, where the characters are outlined to stand out on watercolor-painted backgrounds. This direction enables us to design more distinct characters for better readability without compromising the atmosphere-heavy and richly detailed world.”
Sharpen your fangs and get ready to rule the twilight as V Rising enters Beta in 2021. Sign up for the V Rising Beta and Newsletter here:http://www.playvrising.com
More on V Rising V Rising is an open-world vampire survival game. Awaken as a weakened vampire from centuries of slumber and survive a world full of peril. As a vampire, you need to hunt for blood in nearby settlements to regain your strength and quench your thirst. Build and customize your castle, invite friends to join your clan, and convert humans to servants to grow your empire. Engage in real-time combat and compete for world domination with PvP and PvE challenges. Will you become the next Dracula?
About Stunlock Studios Stunlock Studios is one of the leading independent Swedish game developers in Skövde and most known for arena brawler Battlerite. Since the launch of Battlerite, more than 6 million unique players have tried their luck in the arena, shooting Battlerite up to the peak of the ‘top-selling’ free-to-play games on Steam on several occasions. With a passion for multiplayer action games, the studio crafts groundbreaking and community driven games, always with their players in mind. Visit: https://www.stunlockstudios.com.
Tokyo, Japan – June 23rd, 2021 –My Hero Academia: The Strongest Hero is celebrating its first month of launch with a series of in-game events, new characters, and a fresh mode. The hit-anime based game first arrived on the scene back on May 19th in Europe. Since then, it’s been downloaded over 1.8 million times for both Google Play and the iOS store.
The two newly added characters introduced are Endeavour & Shota Aizawa. Both of them are S rarity heroes, harnessing great power. Endeavour can be acquired using tickets earned by competing in the game’s special access event, while Shota Aizawa is available at the beginning of July. During this event, the exclusive hero’s active card drop rate will significantly increase and their passive card will be easily available as well.
More exciting content will be added over time. In the coming weeks we’ll see a new roguelike gameplay mode for PvE play. Also, a featured Group Battle mode will be introduced with Boss Raid, allowing teams of players to tackle a series of bosses to reap greater rewards. German and French language options are also on the way.
For more on the differences between S, P or T heroes, here are some quick tips:
With an S hero, pulling off an extreme dodge will initiate a time slowdown effect; if the player is using a P hero, an extreme dodge will put a dizzy effect on certain enemies; while a T class hero will automatically heal themselves with a certain percentage of their HP level upon performing an extreme dodge.
In Mock Contest, there are special mechanics that can strengthen or weaken a Hero’s attributes if they fight against another class of Hero. For example, when an S Hero encounters a T Hero, they get a damage boost buff. Buffs are likewise granted if a T Hero faces off against a P Hero, or a P Hero fights an S Hero. Think of it like a game of Rock, Paper, Scissors.
To max out one hero, players have to remember the three most important things to focus on are their Gear, Support Card, and Chip. Watch the video here:
About My Hero Academia My Hero Academia is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Kōhei Horikoshi. It follows the story of Midoriya, a boy born without superpowers in a world where everyone else has them. Japan’s greatest hero All Might chooses this unlikely candidate as his successor and enrolls him in a prestigious academy for heroes in training. Since debuting in 2014, My Hero Academia has sold over 50 million copies globally and spawned a popular animated series by Bones, which debuted in 2016, had three feature length spin-off films, and a fifth season will premiere in 2021.
About A PLUS JAPAN INC. A PLUS JAPAN INC. focuses on Japanese anime-based mobile game development and publishing. They have a solid long-term partnership globally with several anime IP and broadcast / distribution channels. Under the mission of “Bring fun to the world”, they continue to get exciting games derived from anime to players all over the world.
About Crunchyroll Crunchyroll connects anime and manga fans across 200+ countries and territories through the content they love. Best known as a top streaming service delivering AVOD and SVOD content, Crunchyroll also provides experiences to deepen fan engagement and community through social, events, games, consumer products, content distribution, content creation, and manga publishing. More information can be found at http://www.crunchyroll.com
On July 15th, reminisce about what was and what could have been.
Cologne, June 23, 2021 – Headup announced the release date for their upcoming narrative adventureLost At Seafor next-gen consoles and PC. Fans of unique adventure games, emotional storytelling and Studio Fizbin can look forward to Lost At Sea’s launch on July 15th.
Studio Fizbin are the critically-acclaimed creators of the beloved The Inner World adventure franchise and the studio behind the 2020 IGF honorable mention Minute Of Islands
Lost At Sea is a game about universal themes like life and death, coming to terms with your past and family. Set on a beautiful island, this game will force you to face your fears and take stock of your life through imaginative minigames and a relatable story. What are the most important moments of your life, and how do you want to live it?
With Lost At Sea, the developers are taking a whole new direction: psychological aspects, first-person gameplay, free exploration and, for the first time ever in their games, an omnipresent feeling of imminent danger.
“Life is what happens to you while you’re busy making other plans” – John Lennon
Lost At Sea tells the story of Anna, who, in the later stages of her life, has come to be alone. To live her new future, she will first have to take stock of her past. Construct her memories by finding objects and solving puzzles on a strange island, and face the question we all face eventually: “Did I do it right?”
In Lost At Sea players experience poignant moments in Anna’s life, moments that we can all relate to, moments that make us all wonder how life can suddenly take a hold of us, instead of the other way around.
Set on a mysterious island, where every biome represents a phase of life, you will explore your surroundings and solve riddles to reclaim memories. All the while your fears are chasing you, trying to trap you in your misery and prevent you from moving on. In the end, this is a game about the things you want to remember, the things you wish for and about life as a whole.
FEATURES INCLUDE
A personal story: Experience moments from someone’s life first-hand and help the main character relive and re-assess them to move on
Island of the mind: Explore the different phases of life, each of them with their own beautiful biome on the island
Beautiful memories: Gorgeous illustrations capture the essence of the most important moments in Anna’s life, while elaborate sound design brings her deepest fears to life
Face your fears: Did I make the right choices? Did I fail my loved ones? As Anna, face all fears head-on, or walk away from them until you’re ready
Game to remember: Unlock memories with specifically designed minigames and puzzles that capture these memories in unique gameplay
About Headup
Headup is a hybrid games publishing and development company providing players worldwide with the best content in the independent gaming sector. Established in 2009, it is active on all major platforms such as consoles, mobile devices, and PC and was awarded as “Best Publisher” at the German Developers Awards in 2012, 2013, 2017 and 2019. With over 80 million customers served on mobile and further several million players on the PC and consoles, Headup is always looking to raise awareness and commercial success for developers thinking outside the box. More information can be found at www.headupgames.com and twitter.com/headupgames.
About Studio Fizbin
Studio Fizbin is an Independent Games Studio located in Ludwigsburg and Berlin, Germany. Founded in 2011, the studio strongly focuses on story-based games and interactive apps with exciting and unique characters, worlds and tales. Their first project “The Inner World“ received tremendous critical acclaim. Critics love the intense atmosphere, the intelligent puzzle design and the funny, ambiguous humor. Studio Fizbin also creates games for clients, such as a multiplayer-game-table for a museum or the elephant-app, based on the famous German TV show. The Studio won several awards for their projects, including “Best Family Game”, “Best German Game“ and “Best Innovation“, which reflects their high standards of quality. More at www.studio-fizbin.com and twitter.com/studiofizbin.
Traditionally, Dungeons & Dragons video games have stuck to the tabletop RPG’s roots, leaning heavily on turn based combat. Dungeons & Dragons: Dark Allianceis the latest title to join the small group of D&D branded games to offer a new take on the long running franchise. This action RPG combines elements of Dark Souls and D&D inspired progression.
Story
The game uses the ever popular Icewind Dale setting, previously explored by other video games like Neverwinter Nights 2: Mask of the Betrayer and several novels. Dungeons & Dragons: Dark Alliance is set after the events of R.A. Salvatore’s novel The Crystal Shard, the first book in The Icewind Dale Trilogy. Players do not need to read The Crystal Shard or the other novels in Salvatore’s extensive bibliography to appreciate Dark Alliance’s plot, but it will help significantly. Without the background, the game’s plot feels a bit on the shallow side.
Gameplay
First 30 Minutes of Gameplay Video
Dungeons & Dragons: Dark Alliance is a Dark Souls lite action RPG. The game offers four characters from Salvatore’s novels, each representing one of four D&D classes. Combat mechanics emphasizes stamina management, effective combo usage, and avoiding damage. The RPG mechanics in the game have elements of the pen and paper version of D&D, but it is not a 1:1 match.
The combat in Dungeons & Dragons: Dark Alliance is just barely passable. The combat isn’t nearly as difficult as Dark Souls type games, but it isn’t as easy as a mass market hack ‘n slash either. There is a large range of difficulty levels so everyone can find something that provides the desired degree of challenge.
The offensive flow is good. Stamina management is a big part of the game, so players can’t just spam attacks without consequence. Not only do players burn stamina in the short term, their soft cap lowers over time too. The combo system feels solid. Each character has a good number of purchasable moves and abilities to expand their arsenal. I like that many moves have specific purposes in mind, such as disengaging a target or dealing massive damage to a single large enemy. Yet at the same time, there isn’t an overwhelming number of moves to learn.
Defense, on the other hand, is poorly executed. The dodge mechanic feels like it has either no invincibility frames, or the frames are poorly timed. Several large enemies have unblockable hits with short telegraph animations that are impossible to dodge unless the player is willing tank the shot or make one hit, then retreat to see what the enemy does and finally dive in for another hit. The parrying isn’t great either. It is supposed to be a high risk, high reward action that raises the stamina soft cap. The refunded stamina soft cap is simply not enough to be meaningful considering how risky parrying can be.
The biggest problem with Dungeons & Dragons: Dark Alliance’s combat is how easy it is for players to cheese their way through the game. As the difficulty rises, the enemies hit harder and elemental protection becomes more important, but it doesn’t address the fact the AI is dumber than a sack of bricks. There is a large area where the enemy AI will not respond to repeated ranged attacks. The AI will also stare at a player who has retreated across a gap instead of hurling rocks, chasing after the player, or doing anything beyond spewing hurtful insults. The fact each group is limited to only to one archer is probably the game’s only saving grace.
Stamina management is completely broken. The stamina soft cap, especially for the archer, is supposed to force players to close the gap with the enemy so the soft cap can be recovered with parries. Because the soft cap refund is so pathetic, it’s exponentially more efficient to only carry health and fully upgraded stamina potions to ensure there is at least a 50% chance for every chest to drop stamina potions. Then take the talents to gain more potions from small chests and higher potion capacity. As long as players remember to top up their health and stamina before opening every small chest, players can maintain a high soft cap for most of the run.
The RPG mechanics are enjoyable, although nothing stands out. While several elements use similar terminology as Dungeons & Dragons, the mechanics are more in line with the instant gratification offered by video games. Instead of the more varied level up rewards of the tabletop RPG, level ups simply provide points to unlock feats and upgrade attributes. Magical gear drops regularly in dungeons, similar to isometric action RPGs, so players will usually haul back a pile of rares and the odd epic or legendary equipment each run.
The level design is good. Players are free to explore the expansive levels or push through efficiently to the end. Completionists will be able to explore the many back alleys littered with loot and gold. Most of the optional areas are marked with red cloth or paint, but really keen-eyed players can find secret areas that simply look out of place. There’s also a number of optional side quests and puzzles for extra rewards, including bonus feat or points.
One of the glaring issues plaguing Dungeons & Dragons: Dark Alliance is the utter lack of quality-of-life features. It appears little thought has gone into making the experience accessible and efficient. Mouse and keyboard users will discover the extremely limited key bind options. There’s no mark as junk and mass sell function, which is desperately needed considering how slow it is to sell items to begin with. Small chests that drop gold and potions are automatically distributed to the whole party, but each party member is required to visit the larger equipment chest to retrieve their gear. Gold bags sitting on the ground needs to be picked up manually. Games have ditched this mechanic en masse in the last decade, and this mechanic has not aged well at all.
The end of levels is unnecessarily slow and clunky. I am not sure if the game is hiding a load screen by making the process involve a 10 second timer to the score screen, followed by the unskippable score screen, then an option to return to town, followed by a return to the game level, where the player must wait until they suddenly get pushed to the loading screen for town. If the game is loading things behind the scenes during this extended process, the developers need to be more up front about it by putting the loading logo in the corner of the screen to let players know what’s the hold up.
Visuals
The graphics are solid. Dungeons & Dragons: Dark Alliance sticks to the standard high fantasy aesthetic commonly associated with the tabletop franchise. The architecture and environments are an enjoyable walk through different racial styles, from the Dwarves towering stone structures to the rickety goblin huts. I really like how the artists use bright colours to signal points of interest in contrast to the darker and earthen tones in the game.
Audio
The audio experience is a hit and miss. The voice acting is iffy. Some voice actors are solid, including those providing idle enemy chatter. There are a few who are a step or two behind, such as Cattie-Brie’s actor. The sound effects are enjoyable, but the real gem is the soundtrack. It’s an excellent mix of traditional video game scores, choral music, and some Tuvan throat singing. It’s a soundtrack I’ve happily added to my streaming library.
Overall
Dungeons & Dragons: Dark Alliance is a nice change from the other D&D video games that almost exclusively are pure RPGs, but that doesn’t mean the game itself is good. It needs serious fixes. It’s too easy to cheese the game. The defense mechanisms are poorly balanced. The AI is impressively stupid. The quality-of-life features is almost non-existent. With some major polishing, the game might become a diamond in the rough, but I’m not sure if the public can wait that long.
Capsule Computers review guidelines can be found here.
Team17’s real-time annelid action shooter available across all console platforms from today; Xbox and Nintendo Switch players receive free, platform specific skins.
Wednesday, 23rd June 2021 – Team17 has today completed docking procedures and launched Worms Rumble, the first real-time action instalment in the beloved, multi-award-winning Worms series, onto Nintendo Switch, Epic Games Store, and on Xbox Series X|S and Xbox One (via the Microsoft Store and Xbox Game Pass. The release of the game, which first launched on PlayStation consoles and Steam for PC in November last year, will coincide with the availability of a brand-new and free arena – Spaceport Showdown – across all platforms.
Enjoy ‘orbit’ of the new space-age Worms Rumble trailer:
Set far above the stratosphere, the Spaceport Showdown features a new, randomly generated, low-gravity mechanic that slows the action down during battle and joins the existing available maps: Deadly Dockyard, Battlegrounds Bank, Missile Mall, Portal Park, and Transforming Towers. New 1extra-terrestrial premium skins, banners, and emotes will help acclimatise the weapon-toting annelids to their new surroundings. A free exclusive outfit, the Series Green Hoodie, will be available to Xbox players, while those on Nintendo Switch can enjoy the free Patchwork Bear outfit.
Worms Rumble key features:
Fast-paced, arena action: Open fire in six varied arenas in up-to-32-player, real-time combat across five solo and team-based game modes, including Deathmatch, Team Deathmatch, and the battle royale mode, Last Worm Standing
Take aim across the platforms: Take on friends, frenemies, and unfamiliars whatever the platform, with cross-play matchmaking
Make your Worm its own: Choose and unlock over 1000 options to full customise your worm, from outfits and hats, to eye colour and teeth shape; further personalise the weapons they wield with additional skins to unlock
Lock and load your arsenal: Crates across the arenas contain a host of weapons and items, including fan favourites like the Sheep Launcher, Holy Hand Grenade, and Grapple Gun.
Regular Lab events: The time-limited event Lab mode provides preset maps, weapons, and gameplay mechanics for players to master and unlock new skins
A physical release2 for Worms Rumble is coming to all console platforms on 13th July.
To keep up to date with all the information on Worms Rumble please like us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter and join us on Discord.
Notes to Editor
1The Spaceworm and Alien downloadable content pack includes three spaceworm outfits (Voyager, Apollo, and Pioneer) and three alien outfits (Grey Alien, Green Alien, and Pink Alien), the Invasion and Rocket Banners, and two Emotes (Salute and Come In Peace) for $4.99/£3.99/€4.99.
2The Nintendo Switch physical edition will feature the case and a downloadable game code.
About Team17 Group plc
Founded in 1990, Team17 Group plc is a leading developer, video games label, and creative partner for developers around the world. Floated on AIM in 2018, Team17, with its extensive portfolio of over 100 titles, embodies the spirit of independent games. In addition to the award-winning Overcooked!, Yoku’s Island Express, and the iconic Worms, which celebrated its 25th anniversary in 2020, Team17 has helped bring critically acclaimed titles including Hell Let Loose, Moving Out, Golf With Your Friends, Yooka-Laylee and the Impossible Lair, Blasphemous, and The Escapists to gamers everywhere.
This morning we announced Minecraft is partnering with Sega to release the Sonic the Hedgehog DLC pack in the Minecraft Marketplace!
Players can fulfill their need for speed at famous Sonic the Hedgehog locations such as Green Hills Zone and Chemical Plant Zone. Collect rings, dash past obstacles, defeat bosses and build momentum as you run toward a high score.
Players can also pick up a free Sonic the Hedgehog Character Creator item and celebrate Sonic’s 30th birthday this year by joining a special server event hosted by The Hive starting June 28! The two-week special server will feature Sonic-themed mini-games and additional surprises.
For more information on this Sonic the Hedgehog DLC and Minecraft’s latest news, please visit Minecraft.net.
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Time to celebrate Sonic’s thirtieth year!
Phew! You’ll have to give me a second. I ran all the way over here, and I am a little out of breath. I was busy playing the new Sonic DLC when I realized, it’s Sonic’s 30th birthday tomorrow and I’m already late for the party! Sadly, I was sweating profusely before I started sprinting, so there’s no real excuse for that. Maybe the trailer will reveal how Sonic has yet to break a sweat after three decades of running but all it takes for me is a glance at my sneakers.
What a relief! I never have to make up an excuse for not voluntarily jogging, because now I have an infinite 3D runner at my fingertips. I can get all the need for speed my system craves in the different acts and procedurally generated locations instead. Boring forest trail? Tired beach route? Pass! I’ll stick to the Green Hills Zone and Chemical Plant Zone, thank you very much.
Look, before we go any further, let me address the elephant in the room. Yes, there are rings to collect. They are the blockiest rings you have ever laid your eyes on and I love them. I’m not saying there was anything wrong with the original rings, but these right angles just feel right. The rings aren’t the only thing that Sonic brought with him, there are also plenty of obstacles to dash past, bosses to defeat, and momentum to build as you run towards a high score.
Sonic isn’t only known for his speed or spikes, but also as a generous celebrator of birthdays. He doesn’t expect gifts on his special day, he hands out his own! That’s classy. Get your hands on a Character Creator item, available for free in the Minecraft Marketplace.
You can also celebrate Sonic’s birthday by joining the special server event! Starting soon, The Hive are hosting a two-week server-hub takeover featuring mini-games and a few festive surprises. I heard a rumour that something special is happening on one of the weekends, so make sure to check in regularly! Keep an eye on @minecraft on Twitter for details!
Hurry up and get the Sonic the Hedgehog DLC so I can meet you at the finish line! Go on, I’ll be there as soon as I catch my breath.
Wizards of the Coast Releases Dungeons & Dragons DARK ALLIANCE
Co-op Action Brawler Arrives on PC & Consoles
Sydney, Australia,June 23, 2021 – Wizards of the Coast, a division of Hasbro, Inc (NASDAQ: HAS), is proud to announce that DARK ALLIANCE, the explosive four-player, co-op action brawler is now available on Steam for PC, PlayStation®4, PlayStation®5, Windows 10 PC, Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S consoles and on Xbox Game Pass. Developed by Wizards of the Coast and Tuque Games, DARK ALLIANCE is the first Dungeons & Dragons video game published by Wizards of the Coast; a new CGI trailer was released to celebrate the launch:
“Whenever I’m at the table playing Dungeons & Dragons with my friends, I always anxiously await that moment in a scenario when the Dungeon Master says, ‘Roll for initiative’. That’s when you know things are about to get intense and dangerous,” said Jeff Hattem, Studio Head at Tuque Games and Creative Director for DARK ALLIANCE. “We designed DARK ALLIANCE from those moments in D&D campaigns; our game puts combat at the center of the experience and we can’t wait for players to feel what it’s like to battle a Frost Giant up close and personal.”
Check out Co-Op Gameplay Here:
Featuring real-time combat and dynamic co-op gameplay, Dark Alliance pits Drizzt Do’Urden and his legendary companions – Catti-brie, Bruenor, and Wulfgar – against some of the most iconic monsters from the Forgotten Realms of Dungeons & Dragons. Frost Giants, Beholders, and White Dragons roam the frozen tundra of Icewind Dale in search of the Crystal Shard— and it’s up to the companions to muster the strength to stop them from claiming and using it to destroy their home.
“Gathering a party and having fun with your friends is what Dungeons & Dragons is all about,” said Chris Cocks, President, Wizards of the Coast. “Launching DARK ALLIANCE today marks a big milestone for Wizards of the Coast, in that we’re opening up new ways for friends to experience the epic combat scenarios they’ve been imagining for all these years.”
Dark Alliance is available digitally and at retail.
Wizards of the Coast is making it easy to assemble your party. Players who purchase DARK ALLIANCE on PlayStation®4 will receive a free digital download code so that they can upgrade to the PlayStation®5, and vice versa. Players who preordered on Xbox One consoles or Xbox Series X|S only must buy the game once and receive it on both platforms through Smart Delivery. DARK ALLIANCE is also available for Xbox Game Pass.
To learn more about DARK ALLIANCE and to watch the all-new CGI trailer, visit the official website at www.DarkAlliance.com.
ABOUT WIZARDS OF THE COAST
Wizards of the Coast, a subsidiary of Hasbro, Inc., is an award-winning developer and publisher of tabletop and digital games that ignite a sense of adventure in passionate players around the globe. Best known for publishing groundbreaking fantasy franchises, MAGIC: THE GATHERING® and DUNGEONS & DRAGONS®, Wizards is dedicated to bringing together world-class talent to create unforgettable play experiences at its headquarters in Washington and studios in Austin and Montreal. Learn more at www.wizards.com.
ABOUT TUQUE GAMES
Tuque Games, a subsidiary of Wizards of the Coast, is a video game developer based in Montreal, Canada. One of Montreal’s growing list of independent development studios, it released its first title, Livelock in 2016 and is developing the co-op action RPG DARK ALLIANCE set in the Forgotten Realms and based on the massively popular Dungeons & Dragons franchise. Learn more at www.tuquegames.com.
OLYMPIC GAMES TOKYO 2020 – THE OFFICIAL VIDEO GAME™ NOW AVAILABLE
Go for Gold across 18 Olympic events and build your dream Olympian in the officially licensed game of the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020
Sydney, Australia – 23rd June 2021: SEGA of America and the International Olympic Committee (IOC) announced the launch of Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 – The Official Video Game™ worldwide. Featuring 18 arcade-style Olympic events, a robust Avatar Creator, 8-player online play, and rich customisation including over 50 costumes, Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 offers aspiring Olympians of all ages the chance to live out their Olympic dreams at-home. Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 is now available at Australian retailers on Nintendo Switch™, PlayStation®4 and Xbox One.
Check out the Launch trailer here:
“The Olympic Games enjoy a long tradition of official video games and we are looking forward to fans around the world joining in the excitement of Tokyo 2020 through this newest title,” said Elisabeth Allaman, VP Commercial integration at the IOC Television and Marketing Services. “By working with SEGA, we are able to engage new and existing fans – particularly young people – with the Olympic Games far beyond the Games period. We’re looking forward to seeing the next generation of young Olympic fans build their first tangible connection to the Olympic Games and Olympism through the official video game.”
Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 offers fans of all ages the opportunity to take to the global stage in 18 fun-filled, arcade-style Olympic events including the 100m, Long Jump, Basketball, BMX, Rugby Sevens, Sport Climbing, Tennis, and many more. Players can compete with friends and family across a variety of solo and online modes, including Practice Mode, Ranked Games, and more. Realistic recreations of actual Tokyo 2020 venues (including the Olympic Stadium) add a layer of authenticity to the experience.
“SEGA has a long history of developing fun, family-friendly, and inclusive Olympic-themed video games that bring home the thrill of competing on the world’s biggest sporting stage,” added Ian Curran, President & COO at SEGA of America. “Whether you aim to top the global leaderboards or just want to create a fun Avatar and compete in your favourite arcade sport, Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 offers a fun and authentic Olympic experience for fans of all ages.”
In addition to 18 playable events, Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 also features a comprehensive Avatar Creator that allows players to build and customise the Olympic athlete of their dreams. Want to long jump as a pirate or become the first astronaut judo champion? Over 50 colourful costumes including Miraitowa (the official Olympic mascot!) and Sonic the Hedgehog add a wealth of fun creative customisation. Players can also share their Avatar code with friends to build the ultimate dream team.
Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 – The Official Video Game is available at Australian retailers for an RRP of $59.95 on Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4 and Xbox One.
For more information, including where you can buy the game, be sure to visit the official website.
About SEGA of America
SEGA® of America, Inc. is the American arm of Tokyo, Japan-based SEGA CORPORATION, a worldwide leader in interactive entertainment both inside and outside the home. The company develops, publishes and distributes interactive entertainment software products for a variety of hardware platforms including PC, wireless devices, and those manufactured by Nintendo, Microsoft and Sony Interactive Entertainment Inc. SEGA of America’s website is located at www.sega.com.
Hired Gun Rewards: Bonuses on Free Roam Missions, Legendary and Infamous Bounties
Plus XP Bonuses for Free Roam Missions and Events, a Gift for Reaching Low Honor, and More
These are good times to be a hired gun looking for work: all Legendary and Infamous Bounty Missions are rewarding 2X RDO$, whether your targets are acquired dead or alive. Free Roam Missions are paying out Double RDO$ and XP — while taking on any Free Roam Mission, Free Roam Event, or Bounty Mission as part of a Posse will also boost XP earned by an additional 10%.
Prestigious Bounty Hunters who have reached Rank 30 will receive an Offer for 40% off a Stable Stall and 2 Rewards for 2,000 Character XP apiece (delivered within 72 hours).
Bounty Hunters yet to purchase the Prestigious Bounty Hunter License can complete any three Legendary Bounties to receive an Offer of 5 Gold Bars off the cost of the license, available within 72 hours of hauling in your third Legendary target.
REACH LOW HONOR TO RECEIVE A BLACK GATHERED BANDANA
Crooked individuals who hold Low Honor at any point during this week’s event will receive the Black Gathered Bandana — gifted within 72 hours — to help them disguise themselves in the light of day.
FEES WAIVED
To encourage free and open travel between territories, all Fast Travel Fees and Persistent Posse Setup Fees are waived for the next seven days.
DISCOUNTS
For the uninitiated, the Bounty Hunter License is available for 5 Gold Bars this week.
All cosmetic Bounty Hunter and Prestigious Bounty Hunter Role Items are 40% off this week, while the Reinforced Lasso can be purchased for 50% off. All other Role Outfits are available at a 30% discount, for good measure.
You can’t be a hired gun without a sidearm — Gunsmiths across the five states are selling all Pistols for 40% off. Cripps is also marking down everything available through Wilderness Outfitters by 40%. Stables statewide are selling all War Horses for 30% off, and all Tonics (including those sold by Harriet Davenport) are 30% off.
Start over with a fresh face by knocking 5 Gold Bars off the Change Appearance fee and half off Haircuts, Dentistry, and Makeup at all Barbers.
Prime Gaming Benefits
Red Dead Online players who connect their Rockstar Games Social Club account to Prime Gaming before July 5th will receive a Reward for a free Emote, plus Offers for 30% off the Bar Expansion and a Novice or Promising Moonshiner Item of your choice.
War Mongrels’ Limited Edition Pre-Orders Open, New Gameplay Footage Debuts Today
Only 1,944 Units of Limited Edition in Production for WWII Real-Time Tactics Game
Gliwice, Poland — June 22, 2021 —War Mongrels, the grisly WWII real-time tactics game from publisher and developer Destructive Creations, launches pre-orders for a limited edition to be delivered in September, alongside its digital release on PC. PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X|S, and Xbox One versions will follow. Thirteen minutes of new gameplay released today show a taste of the tough conversations War Mongrels hopes to inspire.
Destructive Creations plans to only produce 1,944 copies of the limited editions, and pre-orders open today at 1944.warmongrels.com. Prepare for hard-hitting WWII authenticity with an elaborate limited edition full of high-quality extras:
Huge, heavy ammo crate containing everything else
Personalized mug (choose a nickname or motto) with a coaster resembling barbed wire.
Concrete desk organizer built to look like a wrecked tank with a dedicated space for mobile phones and stationary like pens
Metal poster featuring War Mongrels’ vintage-inspired key art
Destructive Creations magnet crafted in the image of an atomic mushroom explosion
Dog tag imitating authentic German dog tags from WWII
War Mongrels T-Shirt
And of course, a game key! But expect a surprising, era-appropriate format…
The new gameplay video highlights a later section, some time after protagonist Manfred witnesses the horrific results of Hitler’s regime firsthand and abandons his post. Now a freedom fighter, he’s joined by Lead, a member of the “Silent Unseen,” a group of elite special-operations paratroopers of the exiled Polish army. Destructive Creations weaves inspiration from real-life characters and stories into the game, including Manfred himself. His story is loosely based on that of Manfred Zanker, who refused to “risk his life for a madman with a mustache“.
The pair infiltrate an SS internment camp to procure damning evidence of German War Crimes and rescue a member of the resistance. While skulking through the shadows, Lead and Manfred whisper in argument about Manfred’s ignorance. Lead dismantles Manfred’s desperate clings to Hitler’s propaganda, including the supposed execution of 50,000 Germans by the Polish. Listen in as Manfred tries to justify his past, until Lead and other teammates help open his eyes.
The two use every tool at their disposal: cigarette packs to distract guards, stealthy melee kills, and sniper rifles for loud but effective kills. War Mongrels displays information with an intuitive system designed to make stealth fast-paced and strategic. Vision cones and line-of-sight indicators provide a window into the Nazi’s tactics. Carefully consider routes and actions, then pause time with Planning Mode to queue up commands and then execute them all at once.
“While War Mongrels hopes to expose how terrible people have used history to paint themselves in a better light, we wanted to have some fun with the limited edition,” said Marcin Stanek, Business Development Manager at Destructive Creations. “We’ve enjoyed coming up with such premium packages, and we know our fans will love them.”
War Mongrels will be available on PC in September in both digital and limited edition formats. Players can pre-order the limited edition now for $249 USD / 199 EUR (worldwide shipping included). PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X|S, and Xbox One versions will follow. War Mongrels will support English, French, Italian, German, Spanish, Turkish, Japanese, Korean, Polish, Portuguese (Brazil), Russian and Chinese (Simplified + Traditional) language subtitles at launch with an English voiceover. For more information, please visit the official War Mongrels website and follow Destructive Creations on Twitter, Facebook and YouTube.
About Destructive Creations
Destructive Creations is an experienced development and publishing team of highly-skilled game industry veterans. Since the team’s first release in 2015, the common creative work has led to smooth workflow, team stability and increased efficiency. Destructive Creations’ main goal has always been to deliver original, uncompromising games, and its projects prove that it can handle unusual solutions perfectly, both in Development and Publishing. The team’s motto is “we know what developers need in a publisher, as we are developers ourselves, and we supply just that.”
