SHANGHAI — December 18, 2020 — Coconut Island Games and developer echo Games have announced that their roguelike, beat-based, beat ‘em up Rhythm Fighter will launch on Nintendo Switch on January 14. Get a glimpse of the groovy action on Switch in the newest trailer!
In Rhythm Fighter, players must follow the beat to take down enemies. After Commander Chaos uses dark Beat Energy to turn Earth’s vegetables into evil minions, it’s up to the planet’s heroes to save the world by following the beat! Choose from a variety of characters, each with their own weapons, skills and style, and move, roll and attack in time to the music. With hundreds of cards to choose from, including items from a collaboration with the indie rhythm game MUSYNX, the fun never ends! Just remember though: you’ve only got one life!
Coconut Island Games is an independent game studio located in Shanghai, China. Since our establishment in 2009, we have been committed to developing all kinds of original games that we love. Most of our members have worked in famous companies in the industry like Konami and Autodesk, and our games have earned honors at China IGF, the Unity Gold Award and more.
We also assist in the management of IndieACE, China’s largest independent game community, and contribute to the rise of domestic independent games.
Hi-Rez Showcase Brings Huge Announcements &$600,000 Prize SMITE World Championship in January 2021
Stories of intense rivalry, plus epic updates for SMITE, Rogue Company & Paladins
Alpharetta, Georgia USA – 18 DECEMBER 2020: Hi-Rez Studios will be making explosive announcements for Rogue Company, SMITE and Paladins at their new online-only headline event ‘Hi-Rez Showcase’ on Thursday 7 January, including keynote reveals and unique panel sessions. In addition to revealing their huge 2021 plans, Season 7 of the SMITE Pro League World Championship (SWC) will reach its epic conclusion on Sunday 10 January.
The $600,000 prize pot is being contended by a global roster of incredible professional, semi-professional and amateur teams competing together across both PC and console. Viewership of the championship this year has rocketed 180% over 2019 thanks to intense rivalries, dramatic personal stories and epic gaming moments:
Breaking the Rival Curse
Ghost Gaming (formerly known as Team Rival) has come in second place at SWC for three consecutive years: Season 4, Season 5, and Season 6. Neither they, nor team member Ben “CaptainTwig” Knight (who has competed in every World Championship) have ever lifted the winner’s trophy. Will January see them finally lift the Hammer and break the “Rival Curse”?
Sanguine Esports: The LATAM Underdogs
Will Sanguine Esports’ incredible run take them all the way to the trophy? Having shattered expectations in the this year’s league – achieving a #1 ranking in the first half of the championships and currently placing #3 – all eyes will be on this talented LATAM team.
SWC Wildcards: Amateur Team Upsets the Whole Semi-Pro Bracket
Having completely upset the North American SWC Wildcards bracket to earn a place at the championships, amateur console players Mind The Gap will see if they can dominate their PC rivals using SMITE’s clever crossplay.
Going for the Threepeat: iRaffer & Adapting
Former teammates Craig “iRaffer” Rathbone (support for Spacestation Gaming) and Kennet “Adapting” Ros (jungler for Radiance) are both vying for their third World Championship win. Having both been active in SMITE esports since 2014, many believe this will be their last SWC – if that’s true, they’ll both be looking to beat the other to the top spot.
Many of these stories will reach their epic conclusion on 10 January. Season 8 will then usher in a new era of the SMITE Pro League, with Hi-Rez Studios revitalising the structure by bringing all eight Pro League teams in-house. This will give teams and players many more opportunities for direct sponsorship and increased revenue. Among the updates are:
Teams will have all-new names and branding.
Player & coach salaries will be completely standardised and will increase significantly from the base salary requirements in Season 7.
Teams / players will have the opportunity to secure their own sponsorships to further supplement their base income.
Hi-Rez will also offer 100% revenue sharing to the players on all sales of merchandise or in-game items for their team, effectively cutting out the “middle man” and allowing players to reap the full benefits of their promotional efforts.
For more information about Hi-Rez Showcase, including a schedule of panels and announcements, please visit www.hirezshowcase.com.
For the latest information on the SMITE Pro League and World Championships please visit www.smiteproleague.com.
The ‘Hi-Rez Presents’ keynote address (starting 7 January @ 3:30 p.m. EST / 21:30 CET) and all the updates for each game will be broadcast on each title’s official Twitch channels:
Rogue Company: www.twitch.tv/roguecompany
SMITE: www.twitch.tv/smitegame
Paladins: www.twitch.tv/paladinsgame
About Rogue Company:
Rogue Company is a free-to-play multiplayer shooter with crossplay and cross-progression across all major platforms: Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, and PC on the Epic Games Store. Rogue Company mercenaries are indispensable to solving the world’s deadliest and most challenging missions. Group up with friends and dominate the competition in various PVP game modes in iconic locations. For more information visit www.roguecompany.com.
About SMITE:
SMITE is the online Battleground of the Gods, a mythology-themed action game for PC and consoles. Since launching in Europe and North America in March 2014, SMITE has quickly established itself as one of the Top 3 games in the rapidly growing MOBA genre, with over 30 million players. Themed around gods of mythology and offering a third-person camera and more game modes than any other leading game in its genre, the game provides a unique, action-packed experience that puts the player in the thick of the action. SMITE is free-to-play on PC through Steam and the Epic Games Store, Xbox One, PlayStation 4, and Nintendo Switch. For more information on SMITE, visit www.smitegame.com.
About Paladins:
Paladins is a fantasy team-based shooter with strategy elements and deep character customization through its unique use of cards. These cards amplify and augment a character’s core set of abilities in many interesting ways. Paladins is free-to-play for PC and current-generation consoles and boasts over 45 million players worldwide. For more information on Paladins, visit www.paladins.com.
About Hi-Rez Studios:
Based in Alpharetta, Georgia, Hi-Rez Studios is an industry-leading video game publisher and developer at the forefront of the games-as-a-service industry. Hi-Rez Studios’ games have been played by more than 70 million people worldwide across PC, Xbox One®, PlayStation®4, Nintendo Switch™, iOS and Android. With multiple games regularly among the Top 10 free-to-play games on Steam, Hi-Rez Studios is one of the few Western developers to have successfully launched multiple, multi-platform games-as-a-service titles to a large audience. Having won multiple awards and accolades for innovation and technology, Hi-Rez Studios has also been recognised for its company culture, leadership and diversity as an employer. More information about Hi-Rez Studios can be found at: www.hirezstudios.com.
Ziggurat Interactive Launches Three Classic New World Computing Games Exclusively on GOG.COM Today
Cyberpunk Underworlds, Disappearing Planets, and Hardcore Hover-Racing are All Part of an Exclusive Package of New Releases on GOG.COM
DENVER, COLORADO (December 18, 2020) — Today, publisher of retro-and-modern games Ziggurat Interactive is pleased to announce the launch of three beloved classic PC titles from famed publisher/developer New World Computing. The hit classic games Wetlands, Zephyr, and Planet’s Edge are available exclusively on GOG.COM’s digital storefront for purchase for the first time in their history.
To celebrate the exclusive release of these games, all three will be on sale for 25% off, making it the perfect time to pick up these classics from New World Computing.
Ziggurat’s newest GOG.COM releases include:
Wetlands:A cyberpunk-themed 3D rail shooter, Wetlands drops you into the combat boots of mercenary John Cole, tasked with bringing back a recently “liberated” scientist. Beautifully animated with a mix of 3D and hand-drawn elements, this atmospheric sci-fi shooter features fast gameplay and a gritty story rich with sci-fi and film noir overtones.
Zephyr: In a dark future, corporate scores are settled through hyper-violent vehicular competition on the Interplanetary Battle Circuit. Pilot your Zephyr hover-vehicle in deadly combat-packed races as you dodge and fight your way to the finish line in a battle for glory…and your life.
Planet’s Edge: A misunderstanding of intergalactic proportions has caused Earth to vanish to an unknown dimension, and it’s up to you to assemble a team to find it. Gather scientists and a ship’s crew and head out on a galaxy-spanning adventure searching for a way to bring Earth back. Take part in mining, trading, exploration, and combat, both on the ground and in space, as you search for our missing homeworld!
“New World Computing was an innovative studio known for being bold, taking risks, and breaking genres. They laid the groundwork that modern game studios stand on today,” said Michael Devine, SVP of Business Development. “We are so pleased to add three fan favorites to our library and make them available to modern gamers.”
Ziggurat Interactive has over 40 retro classic games in development, with new games releasing every month. Keep up to date on the latest news from Ziggurat on Facebook, Twitter, and the company’s official website.
About Ziggurat Interactive
Ziggurat Interactive was launched in late 2019 with the goal of preserving and expanding the legacy of video games. Headquartered in Denver, Colorado, Ziggurat creates and celebrates games — expanding the audience for both retro and new titles by making them accessible to players of all types while bringing classic licenses and new IPs to market through a variety of distribution channels across multiple platforms.
AUSTIN, Texas, December 18, 2020– The climactic conflict between the Sith Lords and the Jedi Exile makes its long-awaited debut for mobile gamers. Aspyr announced today that Star Wars Knights of the old Republic™—The Sith Lords™ is now available for digital purchase on the App Store and Google Play. The single-player RPG classic returns with modernized controls for touchscreen devices.
About Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic II – The Sith Lords™ Set five years after the events from the award-winning Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic, Sith Lords have hunted the Jedi to the edge of extinction and are on the verge of crushing the Old Republic. With the Jedi Order in ruin, the Republic’s only hope is a lone Jedi struggling to reconnect with the Force. As this Jedi, players will be faced with the galaxy’s most dire decision – follow the light side or succumb to the dark.
Key Features:
Choose the light or the dark side of the Force as you progress through the story.
The choices made will affect the player’s character, their party and those who may join the quest.
Add fan favorite characters to your party including HK-47, Canderous Ordo, and Kreia!
Optimized for mobile play with new touch screen controls.
Availability: Star Wars™ Knights of the Old Republic ll – The Sith Lords™ is now available for purchase on the App Store and Google Play for $14.99 USD.
About Aspyr Aspyr is a leading video game publishing and development partner focused on maximizing the potential of games across all platforms and for all players. Today, the company supports a growing network of partners that includes many of the industry’s leading entertainment IP holders, publishers, developers, and technology providers. Aspyr is based in Austin, TX. For more information, visit www.aspyr.com.
Crowdfunding campaign begins for novel AR hero shooter game, set to launch globally in 2021
TOKYO, Japan – December 18, 2020 – Graffity, an augmented reality game company, today launched its Kickstarter campaign for the novel AR hero shooter game, Leap Trigger. The campaign aims to raise $7500 USD (750,000JPY) to produce new champions and buddies in the upcoming game, which is targeted to launch globally for iOS and Android AR-supported devices in 2021.
Leap Trigger is a free-to-play AR hero shooter combining PvP with mystical and man-made “buddies”. Players can become “champions” and gain unique abilities. Leap Trigger also makes it fun to move! Players must move their body to dodge the opponent’s bullets and hit the opponent with Ultimate Skill from advantageous positions. The battlefield for Leap Trigger can be at home, in the park, at school or any open space.
Toshiaki Morimoto, CEO of Graffity, said: “We’re excited for the launch of our Kickstarter campaign for Leap Trigger. Your contributions and enthusiasm will make Leap Trigger become the best game it could be. With your support and feedback, we will be able to polish and perfect this game. Let’s create this brand-new genre of ‘AR hero shooter games’ together!”
Shinichiro Aiki, Executive Officer of BANDAI NAMCO Amusement Inc., said: “BANDAI NAMCO Amusement Inc. is a company that develops games, experiences, and original interfaces with cutting-edge technology to enable entertainment and gameplay to escape the confines of a screen or a monitor. Graffity’s HoloBreak, which was developed in our BANDAI NAMCO Accelerator Program, received extremely high ratings from both players and administrators during our open test plays at our company’s amusement park, VSPARK. Leap Trigger is an even more advanced version of HoloBreak, so I cannot help but to expect amazing results. I am very much looking forward to its release.”
Masaru Ohnogi, co-founder and CBO of Thirdverse, said: “In the history of games, console, PC, mobile, VR and all game devices included, multiplayer games is one of the most popular genres, and at our company, Thirdverse, we have invested and developed in multiplayer games like the VR sword action game, Swords of Gargantua. AR requires a completely different development concept since the games are embedded in reality, however, multiplayer AR games are sure to be popular, too. Leap Trigger utilizes the very essence of augmented reality, and its gameplay is extremely exciting. I look forward to working with Graffity and supporting them in this new endeavor.”
Ori Inbar, co-founder and CEO of Augmented World Expo, said: “Looking forward to seeing how players react to Graffity’s game changer in the world of AR: Leap Trigger.”
Successfully meeting the Kickstarter target will enable Graffity to continue creating more champions and buddies in-game to make Leap Trigger the best game it can be, which has already been in development since earlier this year. Throughout the campaign, Graffity will add more reward tiers as funding milestones are hit.
Learn more about Leap Trigger and follow the crowdfunding campaign here:
About Graffity Inc. Graffity Inc. is a Tokyo-based augmented reality game company founded in 2017 with the mission of “Play AR Play Real”, which means to change communication through AR entertainment. The company is tenured in AR development, having launched four AR communication apps in two years, including the world’s first AR battle, Pechabato, which achieved 160K downloads organically. Graffity has raised $2.7 million from investors and is currently developing a new AR hero shooter game called Leap Trigger that will make AR gaming even more fun and engaging. For more information, visit https://graffity.jp/en.
Iron Harvest 1920+ – Rusviet Revolution DLC Out Now!
New Trailer unleashes the “Rusviet Revolution” in Single Player & Coop Multiplayer
Sydney, Australia – December 18th, 2020 – KING Art Games are happy to release a new trailer heralding the launch of the Rusviet Revolution DLC for the critically acclaimed RTS Iron Harvest 1920+. The Rusviet Revolution DLC expands the original campaign and can be played in classic single player or in two/three player coop multiplayer. Stay safe, stay home, play COOP and enjoy the intriguing story around the Rusviet Tsar Nikolai and his mysterious counsellor Rasputin. The Rusviet Revolution DLC is free to all Kickstarter Backers and Deluxe Edition owners and is available on Steam, GOG and the Epic Games Store (EGS).
To celebrate the launch of the Rusviet Revolution DLC, Jakub Różalski, Polish painter, illustrator and creator of the 1920+ world, has released a specially created new artwork.
Rusviet Revolution:
Over 100 years ago, the real Russian revolution came to a halt when the red forces won the final battle at the Krim. However, the alternate history of 1920+ has never seen this kind of revolution, until now. December 18th marks the day the Rusviet people will raise up against the Tsar. Players will follow an additional story line over the course of four new single player campaign maps that shed some light on the mysterious Rasputin and his machinations.
ESL Iron Harvest Fall Tournament Finale:
KING Art Games and ESL are looking forward to the second grand Iron Harvest 1920+ finale on December 19th. The Iron Harvest Fall Tournament attracted 75 players from over 15 nations fighting for the 2nd diesel crown, a place in 1920+ history and a prize pool of 5000€. The finalists are ready, their engines oiled… it’s time to start the Mechs for one final showdown! Find more details, rules and results here.
One last word…
2020 is drawing to a close. Even though the year offered more negative news than positive ones, the team at KING Art Games is happy to have successfully launched “their baby” Iron Harvest 1920+ to a loving and motivated community. With weekly improvements, fixes, new maps and a coop campaign, The game continues to expand. Over 22million mechs were built, but only 15.5 million survived long enough to become veteran (and see the new DLC). But with over 24million captured resource points, new ones are surely being assembled. Stay tuned for more over the holiday period, including special opportunities to win unique themed cosmetics.
The Team at KING Art Games would like to thank you for the amazing support and wishes everyone Happy Holidays. (And a better 2021!)
About Iron Harvest
At the dawn of the 20th century, shortly after the end of the Great War, the world is full of secrets and mysteries, of opportunities and challenges. Tradition clashes with scientific and technological progress, while Europe is still recovering from the brutal battles of the World War. Iron Harvest is a real-time strategy game (RTS) set in the alternate reality of 1920+, just after the end of the Great War. To create the perfect RTS-experience the team has been working in close cooperation with global RTS-fans ever since the highly successful Kickstarter campaign.
Iron Harvest 1920+ is available now for PC, versions for PlayStation®4 and Xbox One will follow at a later date.
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About King Art Games
KING Art is an independent game developer with years of experience in creating high-quality games for all major platforms. More than 40 employees across several teams are located at the offices in Bremen, Germany and work with about as many freelancers around the globe. Founded in 2000, KING Art has since released more than 50 titles in different genres, with a focus on narrative games, RPGs and strategy games. The company and its games have received multiple prestigious awards, including Best Strategy Game and Best Development Studio.
KING Art is a licensed developer for Microsoft, Sony and Nintendo plattforms and member of Verband der deutschen Games-Branche (GAME) and bremen digitalmedia.
About Deep Silver Deep Silver develops and distributes interactive games for all platforms. The Deep Silver label means to captivate all gamers who have a passion for thrilling gameplay in exciting game worlds by creating products of the highest possible quality, always focusing on what the customer desires.
Deep Silver has published more than 200 games since 2003, including its own brands like the open world extravaganza Saints Row, the zombie action franchise Dead Island, and the gritty, post-apocalyptic Metro series. Upcoming highlights from Deep Silver include the next entries into the Saints Row, TimeSplitters and Dead Island franchises. Deep Silver also owns the development studios Deep Silver Dambuster Studios in Nottingham, UK; Deep Silver Fishlabs in Hamburg, Germany, and Deep Silver Volition based in Champaign, IL, USA. For more information please visit www.deepsilver.com
About Koch Media
Koch Media is a global developer, publisher and distributor of computer and videogames, gaming hardware and merchandise.
The company’s publishing activities, marketing and distribution extend throughout Europe, America and Australia. Koch Media has more than 25 years of experience in the digital media business and has risen to become a leading games publishing partner. Koch Media runs a multi-label strategy with fully owned content providers, including the labels Deep Silver, Milestone and Ravenscourt which publish games for consoles and PC across all physical and digital channels.
Koch Media has formed long-term multi-national publishing collaborations with numerous game publishers including Bethesda, Capcom, Codemasters, Konami, Koei Tecmo, NC Soft, Sega, Square Enix, Warner 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 and the United States. The Koch Media group owns six 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) and Voxler (Paris / France). Additionally Koch Media collaborates with numerous independent development studios around the world. Koch Media also owns Gaya Entertainment, a leading games merchandise company in Langenfeld, Germany and the Quality Assurance Facility in Olomuc, Czech Republic. Furthermore, with Koch Films the Koch Media Group runs an established film business. Koch Films is a European independent film distributor with business primarily in Germany, Switzerland, Austria and Italy as a cinema, TV, online and Home Entertainment distributor.
Developed by the Team Behind the Popular ‘The Coma’ Series, Arriving on Steam in February
December 18, 2020, Cologne – Publisher Headup and Devespresso Games, the developer of popular The Coma series, are delighted to announce the upcoming launch of Scarlet Hood and the Wicked Wood, a new story-driven fantasy puzzle game with multiple endings, on Steam Early Access in February.
Featuring Devespresso’s signature manhwa-style with hand-illustrated graphics by Minho Kim and story by T.L. Riven, Scarlet Hood and the Wicked Wood is a vibrant puzzle adventure set within an Oz-esque fantasy world. The game features a recurring time loop (think Groundhog Day) that creates unique branching story paths.
Scarlet, the protagonist and a rock diva in the making, awakes in the realm of Glome after being flung over by a rogue tornado. She discovers a vibrant world brimming with magic, beauty, and artifacts from a mysterious bygone culture. Her strange journey begins when she takes up the mantle of the Red Witch and leads a troupe of Munchkins through the forbidden Wicked Wood. In a world full of riddles and wonders, she encounters witches, tin knights, talking beasts, monsters, and many fearsome creatures to overcome.
The fledgling witch soon discovers a Recursion Hex has her reliving the same day. However, each death presents new opportunities to branch the adventure in exciting new ways. Ultimately, her decisions lead to multiple endings. In the deep wood, where a bad hungry wolf roams and a wicked witch casts her evil spells, Scarlet must rely on her wits and a small fox, acting as her pathfinder, to overcome the disasters that await her at every turn.
About Scarlet Hood and the Wicked Wood
Scarlet Hood and the Wicked Wood is a story-driven adventure game. As Scarlet, you must relive seven days of misfortune, and make a series of decisions to guide your Munchkin troupe safely out of the Wicked Wood. Experience branching outcomes based on your decisions. Most importantly, immerse yourself in a bewitching story of fantastic adventure!
Survive a narrative time-loop.
Solve ridiculous puzzles.
Follow your own multi-path story.
Unlock multiple endings based on your decisions.
Ogle the hand-illustrated graphics.
Use Scarlet’s witching skills to avoid detection.
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, Twitter and Discord.
About Devespresso Games
Devespresso Games is an independent, four-man team based out of Seoul, South Korea and San Francisco, USA. The team focuses on crafting interactive stories, immersive worlds, and memorable characters through the medium of games. The guys followed up on the success of their console debut and cult hit, The Coma: Recut, with the fantasy, roguelike adventure game, Vambrace: Cold Soul. Their last game, The Coma 2: Vicious Sisters, was released in 2020 on PC, PS4, Nintendo Switch and Xbox One. Currently they are working on Scarlet Hood and the Wicked Wood. More at www.devespressogames.com.
Irdning, Austria, December 18, 2020; Toplitz Productions is pleased to offer their medieval spectacular – Medieval Dynasty in the Epic Game Store.
“We are very proud that Medieval Dynasty will be included in one of the biggest and most important game stores and we see this as being the start of a long-term, successful cooperation. The success of this game genre mix, set in the intriguing medieval age, confirms us in our strategy to develop special games in fascinating scenarios.“ explains Matthias Wuensche, CEO of Toplitz Productions GmbH. “The Unreal Engine offers almost endless possibilities and we will continue to promote developments on the engine provided by Epic in the future.”
Medieval Dynasty is available now on the Epic Game Store. Download Now! LINK
About Medieval Dynasty:
Europe in the early Middle Ages — Nobles and clergy rule and the trade between the nations brings prosperity as well as envy, distrust, and greed. Military conflicts are everywhere and whole continents are changing.
In Medieval Dynasty, you take on the role of a young man who has fled the war and wants to take his fate into his own hands. From being alone, inexperienced and poor you will develop into a master of many skills, a leader of your community and the founder of a prosperous dynasty which is meant to last and expand for generations to come.
Defending against wild animals while hunting for food, gathering resources and crafting equipment, building a house and erecting a whole bustling village while founding a family all contribute to a unique gameplay across many genres. Tough winters and unexpected events challenge your skills and dexterity as you strive to build your own legacy.
You can choose to follow the main chapters, solve the questlines or just roam around and explore the vast medieval world – but be careful as wolves or bears may try to take a bite from you…
Begin with the simplest things for your own survival like hunting and farming as well as building yourself a home. Found a family and have a heir – entice others to live near and work for you, erect many other building to transform your settlement into a vibrant village and, ultimately, a thriving dynasty that will reign for generations.
A massive medieval open 3D world awaits… Be aware of harsh winters and unexpected events while honing your skills to turn from a medieval survivor into a dynasty ruler. Grab your axe, hammer, or hunting bow – and craft your legacy!
Medieval Dynasty is a unique combination of different successful genres:
Survival: The need to survive, feed and ensure survival through hunting, farming and cultivation of the land
Simulation: Create tools and weapons, construct and extend houses, stables and all manner of buildings as you grow an Empire.
Role playing: Develop your own character, interact with NPCs, take care of your family and form community alliances by helping others and trading freely.
Strategy: While pioneering in the Middle Ages you will found and expand a village, manage the inhabitants, collect resources and produce all the goods you need and use or capitalise by trading them.
New Video Explaining Wacky VR Gameplay For Upcoming VR Sim Traffic Jams Released
New city revealed: Traffic Jams is taking you to Amsterdam
Sydney, Australia – December 18, 2020: Vertigo Games and Little Chicken Game Company have debuted a new developer video for their upcoming tongue-in-cheek VR simulator Traffic Jams, providing more insight into the VR mechanics and chaotic gameplay of the game slated to arrive on Oculus Quest, PlayStation VR and major PC VR headsets in Q1 2021.
Watch the Traffic Jams developer video here:
Designed for VR, Traffic Jams uses easy to understand and intuitive gestures allowing players to control traffic the way they see fit while managing all sorts of crazy distractions. “The first feature we added was an angry wasp,” Yannis Bolman, CEO at Little Chicken Game Company, says in the video. “It was easy to recognize and understand, and flailing your arms around on a busy intersection seemed like a fun way to confuse the drivers waiting for your signal. From that point on, we just kept adding more and more funny and absurd ideas!”
In the video we see several of these distractions, from zombie pedestrians to buildings spontaneously catching fire, and a variety of environments set in some of the most iconic cities around the globe. “In the final game there will be 5 different locations that each have its own set of challenges,” Yannis Bolman explains, and he goes on to reveal a new destination for the game, “We’re taking you to our home town: Amsterdam where we’ll introduce a whole new challenge: a tram that stops for nothing!”
In the world of Traffic Jams all traffic lights have gone out and you are the only one who can keep traffic flowing. Sound easy? Think again! Traffic Jams is more than just a traffic control simulator, as each new city throws its own twists and turns at you, from monsters and (un)natural disasters to up to 4 non-VR friends in (couch) party mode!
Published by Vertigo Games and developed by Little Chicken, Traffic Jams is releasing on Oculus Quest, PlayStation VR and major PC VR headsets in Q1 2021. For more news about Traffic Jams, find us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram and subscribe to the newsletter at trafficjams-vr.com.
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About Traffic Jams
In a world without traffic lights, one reigns supreme. Step onto the crossroads as the world’s worst traffic controller and keep traffic flowing in the face of outrageous events and flagrant road rage. Easy? Think again! This chaotic VR game throws in monsters, (un)natural disasters, and up to 4 non-VR friends in party mode! trafficjams-vr.com
About Vertigo Games
Vertigo Games is a multi-platform VR entertainment company with offices in Rotterdam, The Netherlands and Los Angeles, California. With teams in the areas of development, publishing and LBE (location-based entertainment) distribution, the company offers a growing portfolio of quality VR games that provide novel, powerful and full-featured gaming experiences both in- and outside of the home. Current games include Vertigo Studios’ evergreen brand Arizona Sunshine®, critically acclaimed VR titles such as A Fisherman’s Tale, and LBE-exclusive VR experiences like Ghost Patrol® VR. Vertigo Games has six releases in the 2021 publishing pipeline, including Vertigo Studios’ next VR action FPS game After the Fall®, the VR music game Unplugged and the tongue-in-cheek VR sim Traffic Jams. Vertigo Games is a Koch Media Group company. vertigo-games.com
About Little Chicken
Little Chicken started making games back in 2001. With a rich history in work for hire projects, among which a lot of VR projects on the early VR platforms, the studios switched to making their own games back in 2015. They released REKT! and Rescue Wings on mobile platforms.
Assassin’s Creed® Valhalla’s Yule Season Begins Today with Free Content
Discover the first Season with the Yule Festival and more narrative content until January 7, with a second update in February 2021 introducing a new game mode
Sydney, Australia — December 18, 2020 — Today, Ubisoft announced that Assassin’s Creed® Valhalla’s first Season named “Yule Season” is available, lasting for three months with exclusive narrative content and in-game events accessible to all players for free. Starting today, players can celebrate winter as part of the Yule Festival with new challenges and rewards.
Seasons are coming to Assassin’s Creed Valhalla to extend the post-launch experience throughout 2021, delivering a variety of new free content for all players focused on gameplay and world evolution, with updates coming in at different points during the Season.
The first Seasonal content of Assassin’s Creed Valhalla, the Yule Season, invites players to discover the Yule Festival, an in-game event active until January 7 in a dedicated area of the settlement. During the Yuletide celebration, players can join in the festivities with a new Drinking game, an Archery mini-game, a Fist Fight tournament, and two new character quests available in the settlement. In addition, players can earn exclusive rewards including a new gear set, settlement decorations, and more.
To experience the Yule Festival, players must reach England and complete one of the first narrative arcs, either Grantebridgescire or Ledecestrescire. The festival will then be triggered automatically when players visit the settlement.
The real-life Ravensthorpe (population 498*) is also celebrating the in-game Season 1 launch, with the Lord of the Manor, Charlie Reeve, declaring a week-long Valhalliday. From now until December 24, the local Chequers Pub & Village Shop, the village hub, will offer an Assassin’s Creed Valhalla-themed takeway menu to patrons. Finally, a donation of $5,000 from Ubisoft will go towards supporting Ravensthorpe’s playground project, as well as other community projects.
A second update will add more content for the Yule Season in February:
River Raids: a new game mode building on the core raiding mechanic will be introduced, delivering a dynamic, challenging, and highly replayable raid experience. As the River Raids rely heavily on the Jomsviking recruits, players can hire Jomsviking from their friends online to take on an entire crew. The River Raids game mode features raids with higher stakes and different difficulty levels.
Ranks for Jomsviking: In the Yule Season, an update to the Jomsviking feature will allow players’ Jomsviking to earn XP and rank up – the higher the rank, the more silver players can earn when their Jomsviking are recruited by other players
Additional new abilities and rewards
With development led by Ubisoft Montreal**, Assassin’s Creed Valhalla offers players the captivating experience of playing as Eivor, a legendary Viking warrior, driven from Norway by endless wars and dwindling resources in ninth century AD. Players can relive the ruthless fighting style of Viking warriors with a revamped dual-wielding combat system and experience new gameplay features such as raids, assaults, and the settlement, as well as a revamped progression and gear upgrade system. Political alliances, combat decisions and dialogue choices can influence the world of Assassin’s Creed Valhalla, so players must choose wisely to protect their clan’s home and their future.
Assassin’s Creed Valhalla is available on Xbox Series X | S, Xbox One consoles, PlayStation®5, PlayStation®4, the Epic Games Store and Ubisoft Store on Windows PC, as well as on Stadia, Amazon Luna and Ubisoft’s subscription service, Ubisoft+.***
For more information about Assassin’s Creed Valhalla, please visit: assassinscreed.com
To learn more about the making of Assassin’s Creed Valhalla, please watch:
For the latest news on Assassin’s Creed Valhalla and other Ubisoft games, visit news.ubisoft.com.
*Data from 2016 census
**Associate Ubisoft studios are Sofia, Singapore, Montpellier, Barcelona, Kyiv, Bordeaux, Shanghai, Chengdu, Philippines, Quebec, Bucharest, Saguenay, Winnipeg and Pune. Additional help provided by external partner Sperasoft.
***$19.95 AUD per month. Cancel anytime. More information at ubisoft-plus.com.
About Assassin’s Creed
Since it first launched in 2007, the Assassin’s Creed series has sold more than 140 million games worldwide. The franchise is now established as one of the best-selling series in video game history. Recognized for having some of the richest, most engrossing storytelling in the industry, Assassin’s Creed transcends video games, branching out into numerous other entertainment media.
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, 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 2019–20 fiscal year, Ubisoft generated net bookings of €1,534 million. To learn more, please visit: www.ubisoftgroup.com.
