A3: STILL ALIVE OPENS THE FLOODGATES WITH ALL-NEW FLOODED METIUM BATTLE ROYALE MODE WITH LATEST IN-GAME UPDATE

Special Event Starts on Jan. 21 as Netmarble’s Latest Original Game Sees over Five Million Global Downloads along with Somius Night Festival Event Begins on Jan. 28

LOS ANGELES – JAN. 14, 2021 – The latest update for A3: STILL ALIVE, Netmarble’s Dark Fantasy Open World MMORPG on the App Store® and Google Play, is now live and introduces an all-new Battle Royale mode, enhancements to the Soul Linkers system, and in-game events that will run from today to February 4 for players to participate in. One of these events is also celebrating the game’s recent achievement of over five million global downloads less than two months after its November 10 worldwide launch.

Starting today, an all-new Battle Royale mode– Flooded Metium – is now available for competitive warriors eager to conquer an unexplored map. Player Soul Linkers have also been enhanced, as the original 7-Star Soul Linkers can now be upgraded to the 8-Star level. In addition, the Somius Wake Night Festival will launch on Jan. 28 before A3: STILL ALIVE’s next major update so players can prepare and collect additional rewards and Bonus Time in advance.

This month also brings other in-game activities to A3: STILL ALIVE, including:

• January Content Update Events
  • Battle Pass Season 2: 7 Day Check in Event (1/14~1/28) – By checking in for seven days, players can receive a max reward of a Rare 5-Star Soulstar and a Heroic Accesory Chest
  • Veteran 7 Day Guide Mission (1/14~2/4) – By beating Veteran Missions, players can exchange earned medals for rewards, such as a Blue Diamond, a 4~6-Star Exp Soulstar, a 5-Star Upgrade Soulstar, and a Heroic Soul Linker
  • 8★ Release Celebration Exchange Event (1/14~2/4) – By collecting tickets earned from playing A3: STILL ALIVE, players can earn rewards, including up to five 5-Star Heroic Soul Linkers
  • 8★ Release Celebration Event: Upgraded Reward for Today’s Activity (1/14~2/4) – Players will earn a free 8★ Release Celebration Chest in Today’s Activity
  • Refuge of the Dead B2 – Winner Takes it All (1/14~2/4) – Players who join and contribute the most, or achieve the last hit, will receive several in-game rewards
  • Open! Guild Exchange Market (1/14~3/4) – By earning tickets from participating in guild activities, users can exchange for one monthly reward every week.
• Five Million Downloads Events
  • 7 Day Check-In (1/21-2/4) – Log in for seven days and receive maximum rewards, including a 5 Million Downloads Congratulations Chest (500x Shining Soulstar included), BOX Event Tickets, and a 5-Star Hero Soulstar
  • BOX Event (1/21-2/4) – Players can get BOX tickets through daily events, check-ins, or purchase them with in-game gold. They can use the 5 Million Downloads Congratulations Chest for a chance to receive a Heroic Accessory Selection Chest
  • Gold Consumption Event (1/21-2/4) – By spending in-game gold, players can earn rewards like items, in-game gold, 8-Star Update Celebration Exchange Event Tickets’ and more
• Somius Wake Night Festival Events
  • Prepare for the Adventure (1/28~2/4) – Bonus Time events are now active on certain maps and offer 30% increase drop rates for Equipment
  • Complete the Codex (1/29~2/3) – Every day, players will receive a special Monster Card Box by accessing A3: STILL ALIVE’s push notifications.

Set in an apocalyptic fantasy world of swords and sorcery, A3: STILL ALIVE is a cross-genre mobile experience that pairs the enormous and living worlds of Open-World RPGs with the extreme combat of Battle Royale. Players must be vigilant in an always-open Player vs. Player (PvP) environment as they fight against enemies with intense hack & slash combat and prove their mettle in a variety of PvP and Player vs. Environment (PvE) modes. A3: STILL ALIVE is beautifully rendered with splendid console-quality 3D graphics that are brought to life thanks to the outstanding optimization of the Unity Engine.

A3: STILL ALIVE is now available as a free digital download (with in-app purchases) on Apple’s App Store and Google Play, in 172 countries around the world.

For more information, please visit the official website and forum, and follow A3: STILL ALIVE on Facebook and YouTube.

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About Netmarble Corporation

Established in Korea in 2000, Netmarble Corporation is a top developer and publisher pushing the boundaries of the mobile gaming experience with highly innovative games including Lineage 2: Revolution, The Seven Deadly Sins: Grand Cross, Blade&Soul Revolution and MARVEL Future Fight. As a parent company of Kabam, and a major shareholder of Jam City and Big Hit Entertainment, Netmarble strives to entertain audiences around the world with a variety of mobile games based on its powerful franchises and collaborations with IP holders worldwide. More information can be found at http://company.netmarble.com

Risk it All in Full Online Multiplayer Matches for Free on Steam for a Limited Time

TEL AVIV, ISRAEL – JANUARY 14, 2021 – Independent developer Gavra Games announced today its new turn-based gladiator combat game, Warriors: Rise to Glory Online Multiplayer, will be available on Steam for free for a limited time beginning on January 28.

Enter the arena and step up to be the ultimate gladiator as you honor the legacy of your ancestors in a world where blood and guts decide the fate of men. Decapitate your enemies (or online friends), inflict a death touch, or crush skulls as you rise to glory, but be warned – you could be the one begging for your miserable life or your riches as your enemy towers above you with a shiv.

Warriors: Rise to Glory Online Multiplayer Gameplay Features:

• High Stakes, Over-the-top Brutal Combat: Crush other players’ skulls with a mighty axe, pierce their armor with a deadly arrow or kick them onto deadly traps all in the name of glory! Raise the stakes and bet wisely to win great rewards – but if you fail, you could lose your life, glory and all your gear!
• Settle Your Beef: Play online with and against your friends to prove once and for all which lineage’s brood really is peak of the pack.
• Form Powerful Alliances: Keep your enemies close and your allies closer! Pick trustworthy and strong allies to execute a winning strategy in battle…but trust no one – alliances are fragile…
• Level Up: Gain experience and level up your warriors with better weapons, armor, stats, and skills to pass down for generations to come.
• Battle Your Way: Prove your strength in a 1 v 1 battle, team up in a 2 v 2 battle, or take on the world in “Free for All” combat.
• Are You Not Entertained?: Boost your favorite warrior’s lineage, hype up the crowd and rally them to your advantage or line your pockets by betting on a game of chance at the local tavern.
• Roguelike Gameplay: in Warriors: Rise to Glory Multiplayer Once a warrior is dead, he is dead, however, the house they built will remain solid and upright for future generation.
• You Are Judge, Jury, and Executioner: As the all-powerful and superior warrior in a deathmatch, you decide the fate of your fallen foe – to kill or to humiliate? Each decision has its own reward.
• No Two Lineages Alike: Use the creation tools to make the warriors of your lineage as fearsome or goofy as you want. Prove to everyone that it is not just about being the best, it’s also about being the best looking.

In Warriors: Rise to Glory Online Multiplayer, players will receive hype from the crowd as they chuck bananas or toilets at your foes from the stands. Earn XP and coins as you defeat other players and their warrior spawn and use the riches to don killer armor and weaponry. Warriors: Rise to Glory Online Multiplayer is not just about flatulence and stabbing someone until their innards pool at their feet – this game goes deep, real deep. Beyond the farting, stabbing, memes, slicing, and fighting, you will discover that positioning, calculated risk, and the knowledge of your surroundings are what line the path to victory.

Warriors: Rise to Glory Online Multiplayer is coming to Steam January 28 and will be free for a limited time. Stay up to date with all Warriors: Rise to Glory Online Multiplayer news on the website, watch on YouTube, follow on Twitter, and “Like” us on Facebook.

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ABOUT GAVRA GAMES
Two cousins obsessed with video games from the time we were old enough to hold a controller decided to follow our lifelong dream of becoming game developers and open our own gaming studio that is now a team of six developers. As a team of hardcore gamers, we understand the value of creating a fun easy to learn – hard to master experience for our gamers by removing any surprise mechanics, creating pure fun and entertainment. All this while placing our unique sense of humor pretty much everywhere because well… we can!

Coming to PC, Xbox One, PlayStation 4, and Nintendo Switch on January 28

STOCKHOLM – January 14, 2021 – Paradox Interactive and Double Eleven today announced Prison Architect: Going Green, the next expansion for their prison management simulator, Prison Architect. Going Green expands the management gameplay mechanics and introduces farming, allowing prisoners to grow produce and create a self-sustaining compound. Prison Architect: Going Green will be available on PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch on January 28.

Prison Architect: Going Green offers new means of making an environmentally-friendly prison. Players can farm the land, construct green energy sources, and customize their compound with sustainable materials. Crafty Inmates will seize the opportunity and produce thematic contraband, increasing the challenge to keeping a prison under control. 

Going Green Key Features

• Fruits of Labor: Farming introduces a new type of Prison Labor, allowing prisons to grow potatoes, wheat, apples, and more. Produce can be exported or used as ingredients for inmate meals.
• Room to Grow: Three outdoor rooms facilitate farming: Fruit Orchard, Farm Field and Vegetable Allotment. But that’s not all, players can recruit staff Farm Workers, build a Pantry to store produce, and construct a Shed to house farming-related items.
• Best Buds: Inmates who enjoy nature’s beauty can grow flowers and other plants recreationally. Gardening affects inmates and gives them a positive recreation activity.
• Trouble is Brewing: With new crops comes new contraband. Prisoners can now secretly grow herbs in the fields and swipe kitchen ingredients to brew Booze. Fields can also become Gang Turf, so keep your guards on alert!
• A Greener New Deal: Prisons get an eco-friendly makeover with Solar, Wind, and Solar/Wind Hybrid power sources. Excess power created by these sustainable methods can be sold back to the grid using the Power Export Meter.

Launching alongside Going Green is The Glasshouse, a free content update available to all Prison Architect players. The Glasshouse introduces additional objects, quickrooms, community improvements and two new top-notch employees – K9 units Shepherd and Bowtie Bandit. Wardens can create a more sustainable prison with Recycling Systems and objects like recycling bins or solar lights. Players will also be excited to see the addition of Object Menu Sorting Methods and improvements to the dump and demolition tools, which have been requested by the community and will make menus more intuitive.

“Going Green continues Prison Architect’s history of riffing off popular prison fiction seen in movies, TV, and other media. This will be the third Prison Architect expansion we will have launched since Paradox took over the IP in 2019 and we can’t wait to see your latest creations,” Steacy McIlwham, Product Manager for Prison Architect at Paradox Interactive. “The Glasshouse also kicks off a series of updates we will make to the game’s interface, starting with the dump and demolition tools, making it more user-friendly. We understand this is something the community has been asking about for a long time and we want you to know your voice has been heard.”

You can add Going Green to your Steam wishlist here: https://store.steampowered.com/app/1493470/Prison_Architect__Going_Green

For more information on Going Green and Prison Architect, and Paradox Interactive, visit www.prisonarchitect.com.

About Paradox Interactive
The Paradox Interactive group includes development, publishing, and licensing of games and brands, consisting of a portfolio of more than 100 titles created both internally and by independent studios. Paradox owns an array of award-winning and top-selling brands including Cities: Skylines, Stellaris, Crusader Kings, Age of Wonders, and many more games available on PC and console platforms. Paradox is the owner of the World of Darkness IPs and is publishing Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines 2 on PC and consoles in 2021.

From the company’s start in 2004, Paradox has published its games worldwide, with top markets including the USA, UK, China, Germany, France, and Russia. Today, over four million gamers play a Paradox game each month with a global community reaching over twelve million registered Paradox users.

Paradox Interactive AB (publ)’s shares are listed on Nasdaq Stockholm First North Premier under ticker PDX. FNCA Sweden AB is the company’s Certified Adviser. For more information, please visit www.paradoxinteractive.com.

Comet sighted!

About Double Eleven
Double Eleven Limited is a full-service publisher and developer, based in Teesside, England. Since becoming an independent publisher, they have focused on bringing great games to new platforms and audiences including titles from the PixelJunk series, Prison Architect, and Goat Simulator. Double Eleven have also developed a strong reputation for technical skill, working on games such as the Lego Harry Potter series (PS4/XB1/Switch), Limbo (Vita) and most recently Crackdown 3 (Windows 10) and Minecraft Dungeons.

BZt Bzt Bzt TSCH BZZZZ — wom wom wom WOMMM

SHANGHAI — Jan. 14, 2021 — Rhythm Fighter, the roguelike, beat-based, beat ’em up from Coconut Island Games and developer echo games, is available today on Nintendo Switch for $16.99. Check out this groovy game’s new launch trailer below!

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! Fight through randomly generated battlefields and choose from a variety of characters, each with their own weapons, skills and styles, to move, roll and attack to the time of the music. With hundreds of items, cards, and weapons to pick from, including items from a collaboration with indie rhythm game MUSYNX, the fun never ends! Just remember though: you’ve only got one life!

Rhythm Fighter is also available on Steam.

About Coconut Island Games

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.

For more information, visit https://coconutisland.games, and follow us on Twitter and YouTube.

Curse of the Dead Gods Nears End of Early Access, Landing February 23 on PC, PlayStation®4, Xbox One & Nintendo Switch

Experience Focus Home Interactive and Passtech Games’ hit action roguelike for the first time on consoles with totally new content

PARIS — Jan. 14, 2021 — Passtech Games and Focus Home Interactive are excited to announce that Curse of the Dead Gods, the uniquely demanding dark fantasy action roguelike, will officially release on February 23 on Steam and the Epic Games Store. It will also make its console debut that same day, arriving on PlayStation®4, Xbox One and — in a new announcement — Nintendo Switch.

Curse of the Dead Gods succeeded throughout development on Steam Early Access, maintaining about 90% positive reviews thanks to frequent new gameplay additions and improvements based on community feedback. Alongside the vast array of content already available, Curse of the Dead Gods will launch with a brand-new update featuring the true ending of the journey, as well as a unique way to explore the Temple dedicated to the God of Death itself.

“The full release of Curse of the Dead Gods wouldn’t have been possible without all of the incredible work from the entire team and our excellent community of early access players,” said Sylvain Passot, Studio Director at Passtech Games. “The amazing community that has grown around the game has really pushed it to the right direction. We can’t wait to welcome all the players to the Temple, and we’re looking further ahead to 2021 for exciting new content!”

For more information, visit Curse of the Dead Gods’ official website.

You Can’t Drive this, but you can buy (then crash it) it when the chaotic multiplayer racing game arrives in stores for PlayStation®4 and PlayStation®5

LONDON January 14th 2021 – Pixel Maniacs and Perp Games are proud to announce their partnership to bring ‘Can’t Drive This’ to physical retail on PlayStation®4 and PlayStation®5, in early 2021.

‘Can’t Drive This’ is a competitive co-op multiplayer party racing game (yes, this is such a thing) and some of the most fun you will have on your console in 2021.

The unique gameplay sees players frantically building the road in front of them as your CO-OP partner attempts to drive their monster truck on your newly made raceway.   Easy right?   Maybe,, but the driver must keep the vehicle above the speed-limit, or the vehicle will explode (Heard that plot line before..).  Of course, if they they drive too fast, they will run out road, so don’t think you get it easy as the road builder. Then, if you can’t take the pressure of building the track, customise your own truck with gazillions of options and try your hand at driving while your mate scrabbles to pave the way. 

With 2-player online multiplayer game as well as up to 4 players on local split screen, single player, 4 games modes, literally trillions of customizable options across vehicles and tracks (no, we have not tried them all), and leaderboards the tension fun never stops. 

Currently available as an Early Access Title on Steam, ‘Can’t Drive This’ has been a huge favorite for You Tubers and Streamers with 1,000’s of videos generating millions of views.

‘Can’t Drive This’ will be available this spring, physically and digitally on PlayStation®4 and PlayStation®5 as well as additional digital formats. 

Steve Crouse, Creative Director at Pixel Maniacs said, “We didn’t develop Can’t Drive This as a remedy for low blood pressure, but it is what it is.  We know how important physical copies are to people and we are thrilled that our fans will have the option to own Can’t Drive this in physical format.”

“Sometimes the simplest ideas are the best and ‘Can’t Drive This’ had everyone at Perp in fits of laughter,” said Rob Edwards, Managing Director.  “It is such a massive pleasure to add ‘Can’t Drive This’ to our growing portfolio of current and next gen games, we are proud to be working with such a talented team”

And yes, it’s as chaotic as it sounds – especially in four player split-screen.

Can’t Drive This’ comes to Global Physical Retail on PlayStation®4 and PlayStation®5, in early 2021.

Steam link https://store.steampowered.com/app/466980/Cant_Drive_This/
Pixel Maniacs Facebook –  https://www.facebook.com/pixelmaniacs
Pixel Maniacs Twitter – https://twitter.com/pixel_maniacs
Pixel Maniacs English TikTok – https://www.tiktok.com/@pixel_maniacs_en

Perp Games Website – www.perpgames.com
Perp Games Twitter – http://www.twitter.com/perpgames

About Perp Games

Perp Games is a global video games publisher, with a proud track record of publishing award-winning titles, exciting indie games and some of the world’s most recognized franchises, from the most talented studios. Perp Games is an established and recognized global force in entertainment, bringing extraordinary and exciting games to market, across multiple formats and media.

About Pixel Maniacs
Pixel Maniacs is an indie game development studio based out of Nuremberg, Germany. The company behind Pixel Maniacs – the Benjamin Lochmann New Media GmbH – was founded in 2003, and has since gone through several stages, eventually ending up in game development. In 2016, with the release of our debut title ChromaGun, we acquired the brand Pixel Maniacs, under which we develop and release all our games.

Defend Earth from an All-Out Alien Invasion in this 2D-Hybrid Shooter from Assemble Entertainment and WhisperGames 

Wiesbaden, Germany (January 14, 2021) – Prepare your battlestations; alien annihilation is on the horizon! Assemble Entertainment and China-based publishing partner WhisperGames have today announced the very first title to be published as a result of the intergalactic alliance: Squadron 51. This dimension-bending shoot-‘em-up features 2D action in a world of deep 3D environments and is inspired by 1950s sci-fi icons such as War of the Worlds, Godzilla, and Dr. Strangelove. Squadron 51 is developed by Loomiarts and will launch its attack on Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and Windows PC via Steam later this year. 

Play as Lieutenant Kaya, a leading force in the rebel cause, and face the unrelenting hostile alien aircraft, martian fighters, and monsters, all in the glorious black-and-white of the 1950s! The future of the Earth is in the hands of Squadron 51!

“We’re huge fans of classic sci-fi horror and we jumped at the opportunity to co-publish Squadron 51 with our partner WhisperGames,” said Assemble Entertainment CEO Stefan Marcinek. “Squadron 51 has found a loving home among Assemble Entertainment’s other award-winning titles known for their charming eccentricity. Fans of all genres will appreciate this delightfully original SHMUP.”  

Watch the Squadron 51 announcement trailer here: 

Warning! Extraterrestrials from outer space have arrived on our planet, bringing promises of a bright new future for the earthlings. However, this otherworldly partnership soon reveals a darker side as the VEGA Corporation, the alien enterprise led by the hideous Director Zarog, is imposing its predatory politics on the human race. In the midst of this oppression, the rebel group Squadron 51 rises as a response against the violent acts committed by these vile beings. Will the brave pilots of Squadron 51 and their aircraft stand a chance against Zarog’s diabolic fleet of flying saucers?

Key Features Include: 

• SHMUP Yeah!: Enjoy classic shoot-’em-up gameplay with four unique aircraft that can be customized with special weapons
• Cinematic Experience: Marvelous black-and-white aesthetics, live-action FMV sequences, and dubbed voices will tell the story of the battle between Squadron 51 and Director Zarog’s alien fleet
• 11 Ways to Save the World: Fight against enemy ships and bosses in 11 different environments – snowy mountains, forests, cityscapes, and more
• Rookie Pilots Supported: Whether you’re a beginner or a veteran flying ace, Squadron 51 supports dynamic difficulty that allows every pilot to enjoy the alien extermination
• Ducks Fly Together!: Fighting an alien horde is more fun with a squadmate! A second player can enter a level at any time — earn points with a co-op player and unlock together new special weapons and upgrades

To learn more about Squadron 51 and add the game to your wishlist, visit the official Steam store page here. Squadron 51 will launch on Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and Windows PC via Steam later in 2021. For more on the game and the development team, visit the official site at http://loomiarts.com, and for more information on how you can help the rebellion fight off this extraterrestrial invasion head over to the Kickstarter page.

To keep up to date with Squadron 51’s plan of attack, follow Assemble Entertainment on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and join the community on Discord. 

About Assemble Entertainment
 
Based in Wiesbaden, Germany, Assemble Entertainment is an independent games developer and publisher, best known for Leisure Suit Larry: Wet Dreams Don’t Dry, the latest installment in the humorously naughty point-and-click adventure saga, and the multi-award-winning Endzone – A World Apart, that challenges players to survive and thrive following an environmental apocalypse. Assemble Entertainment also organizes GermanDevDays, an annual conference that attracts more than 1,100 attendees from across the German-speaking video game development industry. 
 
About WhisperGames
 
Founded in 2015, WhisperGames is a global video game publisher based in Xiamen, China. They provide multi-language text and audio localization services (including in-house voice-over recording), PR, marketing, community support, maintenance, legal services, and more. WhisperGames have developed strong partnerships in over 20 countries and has provided customized publishing and localization solutions for over 100 video games.  

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Atmospheric, Cinematic Short Produced in Conjunction with Award-Winning Studio Platige Image

KRAKOW, POLAND – Jan. 14, 2021 – Bloober Team, the studio behind acclaimed horror games including Blair Witch, Observer: System Redux and Layers of Fear, today released a live action trailer for its upcoming psychological horror title, The Medium.

The cinematic two-and-half-minute trailer was produced in cooperation with award-winning VFX and animation studio Platige Image, with academy award nominee Tomasz Bagiński serving as Writer and Creative Producer, and talented Paweł Maślona as Director.

The trailer brings to life in stunning detail the game’s unique atmosphere and art style inspired by painter Zdzisław Beksiński – in addition the key characters central to the game’s mystery, including Marianna the titular medium, an enigmatic man named Thomas, a spirit called Sadness, and The Maw, a deceptive and hostile entity who can travel between the material and spirit world.

“The Medium is a game with a very strong narrative backbone. The most important thing for me was to understand what the essence of this story is, who its heroes are and its tone,”said Writer & Creative Producer, Bagiński. “The task was to lean as hard as possible on the emotional side of the story while trying to keep as many of the twists as possible a secret. The script is supposed to build a certain mood rather than reveal a story.”

Bagiński is an academy award-nominated and Bafta-winning filmmaker, visualist and storyteller. He was responsible for directing the now-iconic cinematics for such games as The Witcher series and Cyberpunk 2077, as well as Microsoft and Ubisoft productions.

While the live-action trailer takes a thematic, atmospheric and character-driven approach to The Medium, Bloober Team also recently released an extended 14-minute gameplay trailer that can be seen at the following link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PJi-7Ue_7ms. Players will be able to fully recognize and appreciate the many references and interesting details included as part of the live-action trailer once they have the chance to play the game later this month. 

“The Medium is our biggest and most ambitious project to date,” said Piotr Babieno, CEO, Bloober Team. “When we thought who could write a live action trailer for the game, Tomasz Bagiński quickly became the most natural choice. After all, his Oscar-nominated The Cathedral was also inspired by the art of Zdzisław Beksiński, just like the spirit world in our game. I’m personally very happy that we could create something together.”

Players can head to www.themediumgame.com to preorder on Steam, Epic Games Store and the Microsoft Store at the price of $49.99/€49.99/£41.74 with a 10% off discount before launch. Players who pre order via Steam will receive The Medium Original Soundtrack (by Akira Yamaoka and Arkadiusz Reikowski) and The Art of The Medium (digital artbook).

Developed and published by Bloober Team, and rated “M for Mature” by the ESRB and PEGI 18, The Medium will launch on Xbox Series X|S and PC via Steam and the Epic Games Store and the Microsoft Store on Jan. 28.

For more information on The Medium, please visit www.themediumgame.com; Follow us on Twitter @TheMediumGame; Like us on Facebook @MediumGame, or follow us on Instagram @the_medium_game.

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Presented by GamesBeat and Facebook on Jan. 26-28, 2021

January 14, 2021 (SAN FRANCISCO) – The games industry continues to see major uplift stemming from the pandemic and next-gen releases with games contributing $40.9 billion to the US economy. The gaming industry is currently one of the few growing during this time period, with major IPOs and funding rounds keeping pace through 2021. 

With the increased visibility and need to continuously drive growth, GamesBeat, the gaming division of VentureBeat, is gathering the community from January 26th to January 28th for a new 3-day summit focused on Driving Game Growth, hosted in a partnership between GamesBeat and Facebook, and the metaverse. 

The newly expanded 3-day event serves as an opportunity for game developers, publishers, investors, and more, to learn and capitalize on new information in a fast moving and competitive, but hugely growing industry which everyone has their eyes on.

“At VentureBeat Lab, we’re seeking partners who can authentically bring forth the right kind of thought leadership that is valuable to our readers and event attendees. We’re proud to partner with Facebook on the next big gaming event, and announce the diverse pool of speakers we’ve secured for this event,” said Gina Joseph, Vice President of Strategic Partnerships at VentureBeat.

Brought to you in partnership with Facebook Gaming and Facebook Audience Network, we’ll be talking about major ad ecosystem changes, monetization strategies and the cross-platform appeal and accessibility of instant games. 

Opening the first day are Rick Kelley, VP of Global Gaming at Facebook, and Steve Webb, Facebook Audience Network’s Director of Global Sales & Operations, who will tackle Facebook’s perspective on major growth opportunities in 2021. This is followed by Dean Takahashi, Lead Writer for GamesBeat, and Josh Yguado, Jam City’s Co-Founder/President, giving the Jam City perspective.

Following the opening keynotes, Chris Akhavan, SVP of Business Development, Corporate Development & Advertising of Glu Mobile and Joseph Kim, CEO of LILA Games, will dive into data and insights to tackle common misconceptions about ads monetization. Additional panels featuring speakers from Product Madness, Ludia, Game Hive, and FUN-GI will also address new video, ad, and app bidding strategies for game publishers and developers to use across casual, hypercasual, midcore and hardcore games in 2021.  

Uniquely positioned for the current era, Nate Morgan of Facebook Audience Network, Kris Davis of Kabam, Rob Ricca of Scopely, and Nick Tuosto or Liontree will be tackling “Mergers and Acquisitions: Behind the Deal During a Pandemic.”

Two standout panels focused on key topics also include “Finding More Gamers via Instantly Accessible Games and the Cloud” and “Moving the Gaming Industry Forward: Impactful D&I initiatives.”

Additional topics covered on January 26th include marketing automation, next-generation consoles, and growing games at scale, plus the importance of culturalizing games and reaching international audiences. 

For the following two days, the focus will shift to the metaverse, a topic Dean Takahashi of GamesBeat has covered in-depth. Key speakers tackling the metaverse include Cyberpunk creator Mike Pondsmith, CEO of R. Talsorian Games; Geoff Keighley, creator of The Game Awards; Siobhan Reddy, head of Dreams creator Media Molecule; and Richard Bartle, a pioneering researcher on AI in games and online gaming. 

For a full list of topics, speakers, and more, please visit our event site here.

Thanks to the support of Facebook, this event is free to those who have registered for the traditional audience of CEOs and executives who will come for the content and the networking, along with the aspiring developers and international audiences. This event will be all-virtual and available online hosted on VentureBeat’s best-in-class digital platform.

Pre-registered games industry executives will have access to behind the scenes Q&A rooms, private networking lounges, 1:1 meetings, and more. Sign up today to reserve your spot.

About VentureBeat

Founded in 2008, VentureBeat is the leading journalistic tech source for news in artificial intelligence, gaming, and tech news and events that provide deep context to help business leaders make smart decisions. We explain the latest tech and gaming trends with an eye on what is transforming people’s lives. VentureBeat games writers are ranked in the top five according to Techmeme and are industry staples when it comes to reliable games industry coverage. The site gets 6 million monthly unique views and 12 million monthly pageviews, 39 percent of which is C-suite business decision makers and 80 percent business decision makers who are focused on transformative technology. The company has a social following of 1.6 million across Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn. 

Discover the inspiration behind the game’s story

Barcelona, Spain – January 14th, 2021 – Game developers JanduSoft S.L and Grimorio of Games have released the third and final Developer Diary for their impending monster summoning action roguelike Sword of the Necromancer, ahead of its launch this January 28th on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and PC. This video delves into the inspirations behind the story and lore of their impending monster summoning dungeon-crawler. All three dev diaries are available on the Grimorio of Games YouTube channel where the development team provides in-depth behind the scenes peeks into the making of Sword of the Necromancer. 

Wishlist Sword of the Necromancer on Steam: https://store.steampowered.com/app/1243890/Sword_of_the_Necromancer/

Sword of the Necromancer is a dungeon-crawler action-RPG with roguelike elements where you can revive your defeated enemies to make them fight alongside you. Turn your foes into allies using the forbidden powers of the Sword of the Necromancer and help the rogue Tama reach the dungeon’s depths to summon enough power to bring her beloved priestess Koko back from the dead. Assemble a small army of monsters, equip yourself with weapons and relics, and level up to take on the guardians that stand between you and your goal.

Each attempt gets you closer to the Necromancer. Upon death you’ll lose all your equipped weapons and monsters, but you will retain part of the level you achieved in your run. As you scour deeper through the dungeon you’ll uncover more of Tama and Koko’s past. Don’t want to go it alone? Then use the Flask of Homunculus to create a copy of yourself and play with a friend in local co-op! Additionally, there are IR codes that can be scanned to make the game easier. Or harder. The choice is yours!

About JanduSoft S.L
JanduSoft is a Catalonian video game developer and publisher located in Barcelona. Its developed titles include Indiecalypse, Caveman Warriors, and Runemals. Now it also operates as a publisher, with a focus on both ports as well as fresh, new titles for PC and consoles.

About Grimorio of Games 
Grimorio of Games is a two-person team based in Barcelona. After developing the hyper-active action platformer Super Hyperactive Ninja, Grimorio of Games launched a Kickstarter for the upcoming roguelike Sword of the Necromancer, which raised over €200K on Kickstarter.