Build your weed empire from the “grass” roots up
and stick it to the man!

Amsterdam, The Netherlands — July 15, 2020 — There’s a lot more to cannabis than just smoking! Blaze Revolutions is a real-time strategy, deep narrative game created by Little Chicken and Kanolio Ventures Ltd, where you start a revolution using the green gift from the gods! Set in a dystopian future where the totalitarian SomaCorp pollutes the environment, gobbles up small business to maintain its monopoly and keeps a watchful eye on every citizen, Blaze Revolutions calls on you to help save society by starting an industrial and social revolution with kindly green cannabis! With a slew of bug fixes, updates and improvements, Blaze Revolutions moves into final launch today on Steam $17.99/€14.99/£13.99. Download the game today and get growing!

More than just a cultivation and resource management RTS game, Blaze Revolutions tells a thrilling narrative about the effects of big business and government corruption on our planet. Our environment is suffering from pollution, small businesses are going under as big corporations grow increasingly stronger, and governments are tightening their chokehold on the common man. In Blaze Revolutions you get to fight back, creating idyllic enterprises using the natural resource of hemp in its multitude of uses. As part of the resistance against the SomaCorp and its totalitarian corporate rule, you must plant and cultivate cannabis, hack drones, evade surveillance and manage your resources as you turn this grassroots movement into a full-fledged revolution!

“We’re excited to see Blaze Revolutions finally come to full fruition today on Steam. It’s been a very educational journey for us, as we went deep into the cannabis industry to discover how many uses and purposes this hearty little plant fulfills,” said Erik Kors, Lead Developer for Little Chicken Game Company. “We were inspired by the idea of a green movement bringing communities together and uniting humanity to fight back against pollution and corruption, and along the way building a more sustainable future. In such unprecedented times, we see Blaze Revolutions as a welcome message of hope and harmony.”

Add Blaze Revolutions to your Steam Wishlist: 
https://store.steampowered.com/app/1187650/Blaze_Revolutions/
Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/BlazeRev
Follow us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Blaze-Revolutions-111154010471052/
Join our Discord: discord.gg/vRpVQJ9
For more information about Blaze Revolutions visit: http://blazerevolutions.com/

About Little Chicken Game Company 
Little Chicken is an Amsterdam (Holland) based game company, specialised in the development of digital entertainment. Since its inception in 2001, Little Chicken has made the forest fire dousing airplane adventure Rescue Wings, the VR DJ-ing sim Track Lab, and the physics-based racer Rekt! It is currently working on the cannabis empire building RTS Blaze Revolutions, coming to Steam in 2020.

The Penrose Combines Audeze’s Award-Winning Planar Magnetic Driver Technology with a Broadcast Quality Microphone Engineered for Enhanced Chat and Streaming to Set the Standard for Next Generation Wireless Gaming Headsets

LOS ANGELES, CA, JULY 15, 2020 – Audeze, the leading premium audiophile headphone manufacturer, today announces the launch of their new Penrose wireless headset aimed at console and PC gamers. Extending Audeze’s family of gaming headphones that includes the high-end LCD-GX and the Mobius 3D Surround Sound PC gaming headset, the Penrose is designed with Microsoft’s Xbox Series X and Sony’s PlayStation®5 in mind. Penrose is equipped with Audeze’s 100mm planar magnetic drivers, a broadcast quality microphone for enhanced chat and streaming, and a 2.4 GHz low-latency lossless wireless connection, so gamers can experience the best in audio quality and wireless functionality.

To commemorate this announcement, the Audeze Penrose is now available to pre-order for the limited promotional price of $249 ($50 off MSRP). Pre-order details can be found at audeze.com/penrose

The patented planar magnetic technology in the Penrose delivers the best audio quality for next-gen consoles.

The Penrose microphone was engineered to bring enhanced voice quality for chat and streaming. Its flexible boom construction makes positional adjustments effortless, and built-in noise filters reduce up to 20dB of background sound so players can communicate with greater confidence.

The Penrose wireless headset comes with a USB dongle that can be connected to Xbox Series X, launching this fall, or PlayStation 5 gaming consoles, as well as current generation consoles and desktop computer systems. Penrose can also be connected to mobile devices using Bluetooth 5.0, with support for SBC and AAC codecs. Both wireless and Bluetooth connections can be activated simultaneously, allowing users to customize their Penrose sound settings in real time using the Audeze HQ mobile and desktop app.

The Audeze Penrose wireless planar magnetic headset comes in two versions, Penrose (for PlayStation®4 and PlayStation 5 consoles, and Windows and Mac desktops) and Penrose X (for Xbox One and Xbox Series X consoles, and Windows desktops). Penrose will retail for $299 US, and the first 1,000 pre-orders are available for $249 US at audeze.com/penrose, and through participating international distributors. Shipments are expected in early September 2020.

Audeze Penrose features include:

• Audeze 100mm planar magnetic drivers
• Broadcast quality microphone
• 2.4GHz lossless low-latency wireless
• Bluetooth 5.0 (SBC and AAC)
• Audeze HQ mobile and desktop app with custom EQ and sidetone toggling

“We’re excited to finally offer gamers a true wireless planar headset,” says Audeze CEO Sankar Thiagasamudram, adding “Penrose is a huge leap forward for wireless console gaming audio and we can’t wait for people to hear it.”

For more information on the Audeze Penrose, follow Audeze on Twitter, “Like” us on Facebook, subscribe to Audeze on Youtube to see and hear video demonstrations of Audeze products, and visit the website at www.audeze.com.

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ABOUT AUDEZE
Audeze LLC is the California-based high-end audio manufacturer delivering the most accurate sound reproduction available today. Audeze products, engineered with the latest innovations in materials science and technology, are built with precision craftsmanship. Audeze’s commitment to research, development, and uncompromised audio is reflected in every facet of their leading-edge products. This has earned Audeze the distinction of being the world’s best reviewed headphone brand.

Vancouver, Canada – July 15, 2020 – It’s time to take on death with the launch of puzzle platformer REZ PLZ from Graffiti Games and Long Neck Games. Now available for $14.99 USD on Nintendo Switch^TM, Xbox One and Steam (PC), REZ PLZ is a pixel-art puzzle platformer with a new twist on co-op and single player gameplay.

Join apprentice wizard brothers Arcan and Zeph as they fight the forces of Dark Arcanum armed with little more than the Resurrection Scroll, a tool they can use to bring each other back to life. While traversing through platforming challenges and solving puzzles, the brothers will encounter dangerous monsters and traps that require one of them to die in order to advance. But thanks to the magical scroll, the brothers are able to resurrect each other from a multitude of one-hit deaths, ranging from being sliced in half, eaten by creatures, burned alive and more. While progressing through the game, the brothers will unlock new spells that grant them abilities to conquer the increasingly difficult challenges ahead.

“REZ PLZ has been a passion project for me and my brother, and we’re ecstatic to see it out in the wild,” said Nathan Pearce, developer at Long Neck Games. “Making a platforming game about brothers working together has brought back memories of passing the controller between the two of us as kids. Only with REZ PLZ, we can play together and no longer have to take turns!”

REZ PLZ’s features include:

• Co-op Play – REZ PLZ puts a unique spin on the traditional co-op concept. Instead of trying to keep each player alive through each level, players must strategically kill one of the brothers to solve puzzles and defeat enemies. Use the Resurrection Scroll to bring Arcan and Zeph back to life.
• Death Around Every Corner – Death is everywhere in REZ PLZ, and can come from a multitude of one-hit deaths, ranging from being sliced in half, eaten by creatures, burned alive and more. Death is part of the adventure!
• Unlock Magical Spells – Unlock new spells to conquer the increasingly difficult challenges ahead, but be careful because these brothers are poor at magic and one bad spell can mean death!
• Unlockables – Explore and find a bevy of unlockable cosmetic items and unlockable challenging gauntlet levels to customize your gameplay.

For more information regarding REZ PLZ please visit the game’s Steam page, or Graffiti’s Twitter page.

About Graffiti Games

Graffiti Games is an independent video game publisher comprised of industry veterans that understand what it takes to launch a successful indie game. Graffiti views game publishing as a collaborative effort between its team and developers and strives to ensure everyone benefits from a game’s success. To find out more about Graffiti and its titles please visit www.graffitigames.com.

About Long Neck Games

Long Neck Games is an Oregon-based independent video game studio. Having worked on many different game development engines, Long Neck is now working on their first commercial title, REZ PLZ, a game that has won numerous awards including Betacon Indie Game of the Year.

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The High-Energy Battles and Anime-Inspired Cinematic Gameplay from the Fan-Favorite Windows PC Action-Adventure MMORPG is Headed to Mobile Devices This Month

KARLSRUHE, GERMANY (July 15, 2020) – Gameforge — the leading Western publisher of popular multiplayer online games including AION, NosTale, OGame, SoulWorker, and TERA — and South Korean developer Aprogen Games today proudly announced SoulWorker: Anime Legends for Android and iOS as the latest entry in the acclaimed action-packed massively-multiplayer SoulWorker franchise. Available this July, SoulWorker: Anime Legends brings the universe of the popular post-apocalyptic free-to-play MMORPG to mobile devices, offering an exciting new experience packed with high-energy battles, anime-inspired cinematic gameplay, and all-new and exciting quests. 

Check out the SoulWorker: Anime Legends announcement trailer here:

“We are excited to invite players to an all-new SoulWorker experience on the go through their mobile devices,” said Botond Nemeth, Executive Producer at Gameforge. “As a fully stand-alone title in the franchise with new adventures to embark upon, players can expect new, dynamic gameplay set in the SoulWorker universe that they love plus new and exciting updates after release, so stay tuned!”

Like its popular Windows PC counterpart, SoulWorker: Anime Legends invites players to choose between 6 heroes, known as SoulWorkers, who must halt the forces of evil in quick and intense battles using their own unique spiritual weapons and combat techniques. The birthplace of this evil? The Great Void, an all-absorbing portal which has been the cause of death for many people and has already paved the way for countless demons to arrive. The emotions of SoulWorkers are so strong that they are able to transform their souls into powerful weapons. But first, they have to learn how to handle their newly acquired strength — and do so before all of humanity is wiped out.

SoulWorker: Anime Legends’ Key Features:

• Separate from SoulWorker, SoulWorker: Anime Legends introduces new and exciting quests for players to enjoy
   
• New action-packed solo gameplay comprised of the cast of highly-specialized class-based characters from the SoulWorker universe that players have grown to love: Haru Estia (Soulum Sword class), Lilly Bloommerchen (Mist Scythe class), Erwin Arclight (Gun Jazz class), Jin Seipatsu (Spirit Arms), Stella Unibell (Howling Guitar class), and Iris Yuma (Hammer Stol class)
   
• Character exclusive battle skills that can be leveled up to unlock new combos and abilities, which are affected by a unique emotion system — Integrity, Revenge, Pleasure, Misery, Madness, and Rage
   
• Experience new areas, maps, and content, including 8 X 4 mazes, and multiple PvE and PvP features and ranking systems, for players to test their mettle during epic mass battles on an open battlefield
   
• A dark post-apocalyptic setting with a captivating story and impressive cel-shaded animations, giving players a “playable anime” experience

SoulWorker: Anime Legends will be available for free this July for Android and iOS mobile devices via the App Store and Google Play. At launch, the game will be initially available in English, French, and German, with more languages to come. SoulWorker: Anime Legends will receive a similar progression path as SoulWorker for Windows PC, with new content planned for post-release updates.

For the latest, up-to-date news about SoulWorker: Anime Legends, “Like” SoulWorker on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

About Gameforge 
 
Founded in 2002, Gameforge is a leading publisher and operator of highly acclaimed Massively Multiplayer Online (MMO) and browser-based game titles. Gameforge builds active, enduring global communities while supporting players through the highest quality LiveOps, localized community management, and impactful delivery of fresh content. 
 
Gameforge’s diverse portfolio of highly successful gaming brands provides engaging experiences for players from all walks of life: core MMORPG titles AION, TERA, Kingdom Under Fire 2, and Metin2, beloved anime MMOs Elsword, NosTale, and SoulWorker, along with strategy-focused browser games like OGame and Ultimate Pirates. 
 
More information is available on gameforge.com.

About Aprogen Games

Founded in 2013 as a mobile video game publishing subsidiary of Locojoy International Corporation, Aprogen Healthcare & Games Inc. quickly became one of South Korea’s leading game studios, holding the honor of ranking No. 1 in sales in China — the world’s largest mobile game market. Aprogen Games is staffed by talented video game developers working on a variety of multi-platform games for the global market. The studio previously released popular Asian mobile games Dragon Raja M and Fortress M. The South Korean and Southeast Asia release of SoulWorker ZERO for iOS and Android devices won the “Good Beta Game Award” from Korean retailer ONEstore. To learn more, visit the official website here: http://www.aprogen-hng.com/en. 

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Turn-based open-world RPG tells a brooding tale about a blood-sucking hero.. or a villain, if one wishes

Stockholm, Sweden — July 15th, 2020 — Indie developer Early Morning Studio today announced that their gothic turn-based RPG, Vampire’s Fall: Origins is coming to Nintendo Switch and Xbox One this Autumn. Available on Steam, App Store and Google Play, Vampire’s Fall: Origins, has amassed a dedicated community of players praising the clever way the game applies classic RPG elements to create a fun, slightly dark-humoured roleplaying experience that doesn’t take itself too seriously.

“Vampire’s Fall: Origins is our tribute to classic RPGs,” said Emir Kuljanin from Early Morning Studio. “After receiving very positive feedback from our mobile and PC players, we are excited to announce Vampire’s Fall: Origins’ upcoming release on consoles so that more people can enjoy our dark fantasy vampire-themed RPG born out of love for old-school gaming.”

Vampire’s Fall: Origins, is a 2D open-world RPG featuring tactical turn-based combat set in a medieval fantasy world. After the malevolent Witchmaster destroys the Vamp’Ire village, players wake up as a newly born vampire with a mission to get revenge and halt the dark magic conjurings of the evil foe. The lone hero wanders the vast open world, takes on quests, and encounters a variety of NPCs, engaging in entertaining dialogues and snarky comments, that add tasteful lightheartedness to an otherwise gritty atmosphere.

Whether choosing to be on a righteous path or venture with deceit, players face countless enemies and level up their character by unlocking skills and abilities, as well as upgrading gear. With more than 50 hours of gameplay, over 250 pieces of weapons and armour, and rich character customization, Vampire’s Fall: Origins puts a modern vampire-themed twist on the classic RPGs of yesteryear.

Follow Vampire’s Fall: Origins on:

Steam: https://store.steampowered.com/app/1167950/Vampires_Fall_Origins/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/vampiresfall
Discord: https://discord.com/invite/2MsQVsf

About Early Morning Studio
Founded in 2010, Early Morning Studio is a Swedish indie developer with a passion for creating high quality old-school RPG games without any hand-holding. Their title Vampire’s Fall: Origins was released on mobile in 2018 to great success which led to its launch on Steam in January, 2020 with a review rating of Very Positive. For more information, visit: http://earlymorningstudio.com

The Sims 4 Nifty Knitting Stuff Pack announced

While many are staying safe at home, it could be time for a new hobby. How about gaming and knitting combined? We are introducing The Sims 4: Nifty Knitting, where you can experience the two and enhance your Sims knitting skills while playing with an array of knitted items and objects. The Sims 4: Nifty Knitting launches on Wednesday, July 29, 2020 for PC via Origin and Steam, Mac, PS4, and Xbox One.

The Sims 4: Nifty Knitting is a community based stuff pack that was voted on by Simmers in early March of 2019 and brought to life this year. Simmers have helped choose the theme, art style, Create-A-Sim assets, and even the title and icon for this pack and now it is finally theirs as much as it is ours.The stuff pack features brand new items such as a rocking chair, yarn, knitted clothing, brand new hairstyles and much more.

As players increase their knitting skill, they can teach other sims to knit and unlock new knitting styles. Players can also experience being a handmade shop owner by selling their items on Plopsy – an online in game marketplace. Additionally, making an appearance in the game is Yarny from Unravel (EA Originals), a unique game about a tiny character made from a thread of yarn that slowly unravels as it embarks on a seemingly larger than life journey.

Hired Guns Wanted

Head-hunters and hired guns, step up – successfully completing any Legendary Bounty Mission will result in a 50% boost to your RDO$ payout and Role XP.

And newcomers who get their Bounty License to become a Bounty Hunter between July 14th and 27th will receive a RDO$200 Reward, plus all Bounty Hunters who rank up once will get an extra RDO$100 Reward. Veterans who already maxed out their Bounty Hunter ranking will receive a Treasure Map and 10 sticks of Volatile Dynamite for their determination and continued efforts in frontier justice. Much obliged.

DISCOUNTS

If you are eyeing a couple of things in the Wheeler, Rawson & Co. Catalogue, might we recommend taking advantage of the myriad of discounts on offer, including 40% off all Single and Double Bandoliers, Sniper Rifles, Machetes, Skirts, Chaps, Half-Chaps and select Winter-style Coats:

• Leather Duster
• Bison Duster Coat
• Tempest Coat
• Sheep’s Wool Jacket
• Hagen Coat
• Torranca Coat
• Dunaway Coat
• Ballard Jacket
• Durham Coat
• Finley Jacket
• Cinched Jacket
• Riggs Fringe Coat

TWITCH PRIME

Link your Social Club and Twitch Prime accounts and claim your benefits on Twitch Prime to get RDO$1,000 and more within 72 hours of claiming your benefits. Head to the Benefits section to claim your Offers and Rewards:

• Offer for 5 Gold Bars off the Butcher Table which starts the Trader Role
• Rewards for 6,000 Trader XP
• Offer for 40% off a Horse
• Offer for 40% off a Stable Stall
• Offer for 40% off a Shotgun
• 50 Incendiary Buckshot Slugs

Check Rockstar Support for details and limitations.

by Jason Ronald, Director of Program Management, Xbox Series X

When we set out to design the Xbox Series X, we aspired to build our most powerful console ever powered by next generation innovation and delivering consistent, sustained performance never before seen in a console with no compromises. To achieve this goal, we knew we needed to analyse each component of the system, to push beyond the limitations in traditional console performance and design. It was critical in the design of the Xbox Series X to ensure we had a superior balance of power, speed and performance while ensuring no component would constrain the creative ambition of the world’s best creators, empowering them to deliver truly transformative next gen gaming experiences not possible in prior console generations.

At the heart of the Xbox Series X is our custom processor leveraging the latest RDNA 2 and Zen 2 architectures from our partners at AMD to deliver a best in class next generation processor delivering more than 12 TFLOPs of GPU power and more than 4 times the CPU processing power of the Xbox One X. Xbox Series X includes the highest memory bandwidth of any next generation console with 16GB of GDDR6 memory, including 10GB of GPU optimised memory at 560 GB/s to keep the processor fed with no bottlenecks. As we analysed the storage subsystem, it became clear that we had reached the upper limits of traditional hard drive technology and to deliver on our design aspirations, we would need to radically rethink and revolutionize our approach with the Xbox Series X.

Empowering Next Generation Game Design and Creative Vision

Modern games require a significant amount of data to create the realistic worlds and universes that gamers experience. To enable the processor to work at its optimum performance, all of this data must be loaded from storage into memory. The explosion of massive, dynamic open-world environments and living, persistent worlds with increased density and variety has only increased the amount of data required. From environmental mesh data, high polygon character models, high resolution textures, animation data, audio and video source files and more all combine together to deliver the most immersive game play environment for the player.

Despite the ability for modern game engines and middleware to stream game assets into memory off of local storage, level designers are still often required to create narrow pathways, hallways, or elevators to work around the limitations of a traditional hard drive and I/O pipeline. These in-game elements are often used to mask the need to unload the prior zone’s assets from memory while loading in new assets for the next play space. As we discussed developers’ aspirations for their next generation titles and the limitations of current generation technology, this challenge would continue to increase exponentially and further constrain the ambition for truly transformative games. This feedback influenced the design and development of the Xbox Velocity Architecture.

Introducing the Xbox Velocity Architecture

The Xbox Velocity Architecture was designed as the ultimate solution for game asset streaming in the next generation. This radical reinvention of the traditional I/O subsystem directly influenced all aspects of the Xbox Series X design. If our custom designed processor is at the heart of the Xbox Series X, the Xbox Velocity Architecture is the soul. Through a deep integration of hardware and software innovation, the Xbox Velocity Architecture will power next-gen gaming experiences unlike anything you have seen before.

The Xbox Velocity Architecture comprises four major components: our custom NVME SSD, hardware accelerated decompression blocks, a brand new DirectStorage API layer and Sampler Feedback Streaming (SFS).

Let’s dive deep into each component:

• Custom NVME SSD: The foundation of the Xbox Velocity Architecture is our custom, 1TB NVME SSD, delivering 2.4 GB/s of raw I/O throughput, more than 40x the throughput of Xbox One. Traditional SSDs used in PCs often reduce performance as thermals increase or while performing drive maintenance. The custom NVME SSD in Xbox Series X is designed for consistent, sustained performance as opposed to peak performance. Developers have a guaranteed level of I/O performance at all times and they can reliably design and optimise their games removing the barriers and constraints they have to work around today. This same level of consistent, sustained performance also applies to the Seagate Expandable Storage Card ensuring you have the exact same gameplay experience regardless of where the game resides.

• Hardware Accelerated Decompression: Game packages and assets are compressed to minimise download times and the amount of storage required for each individual game. With hardware accelerated support for both the industry standard LZ decompressor as well as a brand new, proprietary algorithm specifically designed for texture data named BCPack, Xbox Series X provides the best of both worlds for developers to achieve massive savings with no loss in quality or performance. As texture data comprises a significant portion of the total overall size of a game, having a purpose built algorithm optimised for texture data in addition to the general purpose LZ decompressor, both can be used in parallel to reduce the overall size of a game package. Assuming a 2:1 compression ratio, Xbox Series X delivers an effective 4.8 GB/s in I/O performance to the title, approximately 100x the I/O performance in current generation consoles. To deliver similar levels of decompression performance in software would require more than 4 Zen 2 CPU cores.

• New DirectStorage API: Standard File I/O APIs were developed more than 30 years ago and are virtually unchanged while storage technology has made significant advancements since then. As we analysed game data access patterns as well as the latest hardware advancements with SSD technology, we knew we needed to advance the state of the art to put more control in the hands of developers. We added a brand new DirectStorage API to the DirectX family, providing developers with fine grain control of their I/O operations empowering them to establish multiple I/O queues, prioritization and minimising I/O latency. These direct, low level access APIs ensure developers will be able to take full advantage of the raw I/O performance afforded by the hardware, resulting in virtually eliminating load times or fast travel systems that are just that . . . fast.

• Sampler Feedback Streaming (SFS): Sampler Feedback Streaming is a brand-new innovation built on top of all the other advancements of the Xbox Velocity Architecture. Game textures are optimised at differing levels of detail and resolution, called mipmaps, and can be used during rendering based on how close or far away an object is from the player. As an object moves closer to the player, the resolution of the texture must increase to provide the crisp detail and visuals that gamers expect. However, these larger mipmaps require a significant amount of memory compared to the lower resolution mips that can be used if the object is further away in the scene. Today, developers must load an entire mip level in memory even in cases where they may only sample a very small portion of the overall texture. Through specialised hardware added to the Xbox One X, we were able to analyse texture memory usage by the GPU and we discovered that the GPU often accesses less than 1/3 of the texture data required to be loaded in memory. A single scene often includes thousands of different textures resulting in a significant loss in effective memory and I/O bandwidth utilisation due to inefficient usage. With this insight, we were able to create and add new capabilities to the Xbox Series X GPU which enables it to only load the sub portions of a mip level into memory, on demand, just in time for when the GPU requires the data. This innovation results in approximately 2.5x the effective I/O throughput and memory usage above and beyond the raw hardware capabilities on average. SFS provides an effective multiplier on available system memory and I/O bandwidth, resulting in significantly more memory and I/O throughput available to make your game richer and more immersive.

Through the massive increase in I/O throughput, hardware accelerated decompression, DirectStorage, and the significant increases in efficiency provided by Sampler Feedback Streaming, the Xbox Velocity Architecture enables the Xbox Series X to deliver effective performance well beyond the raw hardware specs, providing direct, instant, low level access to more than 100GB of game data stored on the SSD just in time for when the game requires it. These innovations will unlock new gameplay experiences and a level of depth and immersion unlike anything you have previously experienced in gaming.

Unlocking Next Generation Experiences

What does this all mean for you as a gamer? As the industry’s most creative developers and middleware companies have begun to explore these new capabilities, we expect significant innovation throughout the next generation as this revolutionary new architecture enables entirely new scenarios never before considered possible in gaming.  The Xbox Velocity Architecture provides a new level of performance and capabilities well beyond the raw specifications of the hardware itself. The Xbox Velocity Architecture fundamentally rethinks how a developer can take advantage of the hardware provided by the Xbox Series X. From entirely new rendering techniques to the virtual elimination of loading times, to larger,  more dynamic living worlds where, as a gamer, you can choose how you want to explore, we can’t be more excited by the early results we are already seeing. In addition, the Xbox Velocity Architecture has opened even more opportunities and enabled new innovations at the platform level, such as Quick Resume which enables you to instantly resume where you left off across multiple games, improving the overall gaming experience for all gamers on Xbox Series X.

We can’t wait for gamers around the world to get to experience these new, next generation gaming experiences on Xbox Series X this holiday and beyond. For more information on the Xbox Velocity Architecture, check out the video above.

The 25^th Annual QuakeCon will be the very first QuakeCon held remotely, but that won’t stop us from getting together to frag with friends, bond over video games, and raise money to do good in the world … just like always.

This year, due to COVID-19, QuakeCon at Home will be a global, totally online event – kicking off August 7 and ending August 9 – filled with three days of livestreams from around the world, tournaments (of course!), charity fundraising, and more. And the BYOC – the heart of QuakeCon – is going virtual, using Twitch Teams to bring fans together through games in new ways.

Here are a few QuakeCon at Home highlights:

• Global Super Stream – QuakeCon at Home will feature a weekend packed with streamed content from around the globe, kicking off on Friday, August 7 at 11:00am AM CST with Bethesda’s QuakeCon Digital Welcome. The event schedule will feature round-the clock programming with special influencer streams, surprises, and our very own Bethesda Community teams from around the globe – all streaming from home in support of charitable causes. Stay tuned for more info, including the full stream schedule, in the coming weeks!
   
• QuakeCon Twitch Team – Playing and sharing games with friends in the BYOC is the core of QuakeCon, and this year the global QuakeCon community will unite and connect for the first time through the official QuakeCon at Home Twitch Team. The Team will celebrate QuakeCon, play and share games, and help raise money for the QuakeCon-supported charities. Some players will be featured on the QuakeCon Twitch Team page.

 We will be releasing more details on how players can register to join the QuakeCon at Home Twitch Team soon.

• Esports Tournament – It’s not QuakeCon without a tournament full of frags, so that too has gone virtual for 2020. The 2019-2020 Quake Pro League season will conclude at our Quake World Championship, Sunday, August 9 at 4:00pm CST. From the comfort of their own homes, the top 24 players around the globe will compete to win their share of $150,000 Prizing and the title of Season Champion. Quake fans can watch online live via the Global Super Stream – stay tuned for details.
   
• Charity Initiatives – Raising money for charities has been a key part of QuakeCon for years, and attendees have made a huge impact for local, national and international groups. We are excited to continue this legacy in both a global and local way. QuakeCon players will be able to donate to organizations directly from the official QuakeCon at Home Twitch stream, including Direct Relief, UNICEF, NAACP Legal Defense Fund, and The Trevor Project.

Animal Charities: Everyone will miss the good doggos who visit the Exhibit Hall every year, so this year we are bringing the furry fundraising global. QuakeCon at Home will have new, exclusive “Dogvahkiin” and “Catodemon” t-shirts for sale, with 100 percent of the profits going to both our long-time Dallas animal adoption partner, Dallas Pets Alive, as well as FOUR PAWS, a global animal welfare organisation.

• Official QuakeCon at Home Swag – With luck, this will be the only QuakeCon at Home we ever have to hold, so this year’s tee-shirt will be truly one-of-a-kind. QuakeCon collectors can preorder QuakeCon at Home merch today to complete the set and receive it in time for the live event.
• NA Bethesda Gear Store: beth.games/2ZtStON
• EU Bethesda Gear Store: beth.games/31E3vUq

Razer’s first ever 60% keyboard built with community-driven improvements is now available with traditional clicky or newly improved linear optical switch options

Razer™, the leading global lifestyle brand for gamers, today announced the Razer Huntsman Mini 60% optical gaming keyboard. This new ultra-compact form factor keyboard is the latest addition to the Huntsman family lineup, known for its industry-leading optical switches that outperform traditional mechanical switches in both speed and response times.

The Huntsman Mini will be available in Black and Mercury White finishes as well as in both the clicky purple, and newly improved linear red optical switch variations.

The Rise of the 60% Keyboard

The Huntsman Mini answers the growing demand from gamers for a compact, high-performance gaming keyboard. This includes professional Fortnite gamers such as Ceice and Cloakzy, as the ultra-compact form fits perfectly in their limited tournament desk space.

With about 60% of the size of a full-sized keyboard, the Huntsman Mini still retains all the essential keys for gaming. Functions normally assigned to dedicated keys on a full-sized keyboard are still present as secondary functions, printed onto the side of the keycaps. Even more functions or macros can be assigned to any key via Razer Hypershift within Razer Synapse 3.

This minimalist design clears the clutter from the desk and allows for more gaming room with large mouse swipes or for a larger sleeping area for that furry friend.

Community-driven Improvements

The Razer product team is continuing the community-validation design approach they adopted with the Razer Huntsman Tournament Edition by listening to product feedback from gaming and tech enthusiast communities. Through multiple stages of iteration and feedback, the Razer Huntsman Mini was developed.

“We have many years of experience in creating and innovating keyboards and switches designed for gamers. That is complemented through the support and feedback from our community,” says Alvin Cheung, Senior Vice President of Razer’s Peripherals Business Unit. “The Huntsman Mini packs the latest and greatest in keyboard technology in an ultra-compact 60% form factor.”

In less than a year from the release of the linear switches on the Huntsman Tournament Edition, Razer has developed an improved Razer Linear Optical Switch, now to first appear on the Huntsman Mini – it features silicon sound dampeners that significantly reduce noise for quieter acoustics without sacrificing any speed or smoothness.

Doubleshot PBT keycaps, which were introduced with the Huntsman Tournament Edition last September, are more durable than regular ABS keycaps on standard keyboards and resist the oily shine from extended use. Razer has also made the investment to produce quality PBT Keycaps in regional layouts later in the year, including Japanese, Nordic, UK, German, French, Russian, and Spanish.

For fans of keyboard customisation, the Huntsman Mini features a standard bottom row to be compatible with most standard keycap sets. A standard USB-C connection port can be used to interchange with the user’s own favorite coloured cable on hand.

Built for Gaming

The Huntsman Mini may be small but still packs a punch in games. Players of fast-paced games such as Fortnite can build and shoot quickly and reliably with the best-performing optical switches that instantly actuate at the speed of light, outperforming and outlasting traditional mechanical switches found on most other gaming keyboards.

For more information on Razer Optical Switches, see here.

Gamers can also fully utilise Razer Chroma RGB lighting effects with popular game integrations like Fortnite, Apex Legends, and an ever-growing list of over 150 games through Razer Synapse 3. Even without external software, gamers can show off their Chroma lighting effects through extra onboard preset lighting profiles.

For more information on Razer Chroma, see here.

ABOUT THE RAZER HUNTSMAN MINI

• Razer™ Optical Switches – with Clicky or Linear options
• 100 million keystroke lifespan
• Razer Doubleshot PBT Keycaps
• Standard Bottom Row Layout
• Aluminum construction
• 60% Compact form factor
• Detachable USB-C Braided Fiber Cable
• Hybrid onboard storage – up to 5 keybinding profiles
• Onboard lighting presets
• Individually backlit keys with Razer Chroma RGB backlighting featuring 16.8 million customisable colour options
• Razer Synapse 3 enabled

PRICE & AVAILABILITY

Clicky: $119.99 USD / 129.99€ MSRP
Razer.com and authorised retailers – July 14, 2020

Linear: $129.99 USD / 139.99€ MSRP
Razer.com and authorised retailers – August 2020

For more information, please see here.

ABOUT RAZER

Razer™ is the world’s leading lifestyle brand for gamers.

The triple-headed snake trademark of Razer is one of the most recognised logos in the global gaming and esports communities. With a fan base that spans every continent, the company has designed and built the world’s largest gamer-focused ecosystem of hardware, software and services.

Razer’s award-winning hardware includes high-performance gaming peripherals and Blade gaming laptops.

Razer’s software platform, with over 80 million users, includes Razer Synapse (an Internet of Things platform), Razer Chroma RGB (a proprietary RGB lighting technology system), and Razer Cortex (a game optimiser and launcher).

In services, Razer Gold is one of the world’s largest virtual credit services for gamers, and Razer Fintech is one of the largest offline-to-online digital payment networks in SE Asia.

Founded in 2005 and dual-headquartered in Irvine (California) and Singapore, Razer has 16 offices worldwide and is recognised as the leading brand for gamers in the USA, Europe and China. Razer is listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange (Stock Code: 1337).

Razer – For Gamers. By Gamers.^™

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