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SHOPKEEPING SIMULATOR GAME SHOP TITANS CELEBRATES ‘GRAND OPENING’ ON STEAM

SHOPKEEPING SIMULATOR GAME SHOP TITANS CELEBRATES ‘GRAND OPENING’ ON STEAM

Join Mobile Merchants with Cross Platform Play for Endless Entertaining Mercantile Gameplay

MONTREAL – APRIL 8, 2020 – Attention all shoppers! The award-winning simulation role-playing game Shop Titans is arriving on Steam for PC starting May 5, 2020. Players on PC and mobile devices can assemble to create a bustling city through the game’s synchronous cross-platform play feature. Whether at home or on the go, Shop Titans players can craft, negotiate and sell their way to the top.

Shop Titans blends an extensive item crafting system, one-on-one negotiation gameplay with customers to secure the best sale price, and treasure-seeking adventures – all supported with hilarious character-driven humor and stunning in-game graphics. Players can create powerful equipment to stock their shop and sell to customers, assemble a team of customizable heroes and explore dungeons to gather valuable crafting materials.

Other features for Shop Titans on Steam for PC include:

  • Synchronous Cross-Platform Play – Players can tend to their store on PC or run the shop remotely on mobile devices for seamless, never-ending entertainment. Players can also team up across both devices, making for an even greater multiplayer experience.
  • Enhanced Visuals and PC Support – Shop Titans on PC supports 1080p resolution, 60 frames-per-second gameplay, refined controls for mouse and keyboard input, interface optimizations designed for long play sessions and re-scaled UI elements, giving players an all-new way to experience the game.
  • Personalized Hero Creation Players can recruit and customize Heroes from 18 classes with handcrafted items to fight monsters and gather valuable resources. 
  • Cooperative Guild Teamwork – Team up with friends from around the world by joining a guild to conquer special limited-time events and play in the worldwide player-driven marketplace to accelerate earnings and progress alike.

“It is a testament to Shop Titans’ success as we continue to see a steady growth in the community since launching the game on mobile devices over a year ago,” said Johan Eile, General Manager of Kabam Montreal. “The PC platform is a great opportunity for new players to discover this innovative title and find out why millions of people have come to enjoy it.”

“This is an exciting time to be a Shop Titans player,” said Tim Fields, CEO of Kabam. “Players new and established can benefit from these PC enhancements, especially the synchronous cross-platform play between PC and mobile. I am very proud of our team on what they have accomplished to elevate the Shop Titans experience even further.”

Shop Titans launches on Steam May 5, 2020 as a free-to-play download and is now available for wish-listing here. For more information, please visit Shop Titan’s official website, Facebook and Twitter.

ABOUT KABAM

Kabam is a world leader of developing entertaining, immersive, and highly social multiplayer games for mobile devices. They merge consumer behavior with the art of game design to create experiences that are enjoyed by millions of players across the globe. Each game has raised the benchmark in mobile gaming, bringing high-quality graphics, next-generation technology and revolutionary gameplay to the console in every player’s pocket.

Kabam has partnered with leading entertainment brands like Disney, Hasbro and Universal to create mobile games based on some of the world’s most iconic franchises.

Kabam’s games have generated hundreds of millions of downloads including Fast & Furious 6: The Game, Fast & Furious: Legacy, Marvel Contest of Champions and Transformers: Forged to Fight. These games have also received multiple awards such as Apple’s Editors’ Choice and Google Play’s Best Game of the Year.

Founded in 2006, Kabam has studios and offices in Vancouver, Montreal, Charlottetown, San Francisco and Austin, Texas. Kabam is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Netmarble.

ABOUT NETMARBLE

Netmarble Corporation strives to entertain audiences of all ages around the world by providing great mobile gaming experiences. Established in Korea in 2000, Netmarble is one of the fastest-growing mobile game companies and consistently ranks as a top mobile developer and publisher worldwide. With more than 6,000 employees, Netmarble has been producing and servicing some of the most successful mobile games including Lineage 2: Revolution, Blade & Soul Revolution, MARVEL Future Fight, BTS WORLD, Everybody’s Marble, and Seven Knights. As a parent company to Kabam, a top mobile game developer in massively multiplayer free-to-play games, the largest shareholder to Jam City, a leading casual social game developer and a major shareholder of BigHit Entertainment, a music production and artist management company, Netmarble has a strategic partnership with CJ ENM Corporation, Asia’s largest entertainment company, Tencent Holdings, Asia’s largest internet company, and NCsoft, a prominent MMORPG company. More information can be found at http://company.netmarble.com

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Langrisser I & II Review

Langrisser I & II

Developer: Chara-ani
Publisher: NIS America
Platforms: Nintendo Switch, PC, PlayStation 4 (Reviewed)
Release Date: Available Now
Price: $49.99 USD – Available Here $79.95 AUD – Available Here

Overview

For many in the West, the first time that Langrisser appeared on the radar was through a spin-off 3DS entry in 2016 or a mobile game released in English last year since the only game in the core franchise to ever be released in the West was given the name of Warsong back in 1991. Now after letting the core series rest for many years, it seems like Langrisser may be making something of a return through a remake featuring both the first and second game in the series coming over to the West in one package. So with a tactical RPG that once rivaled the greats making an appearance after all this time how does it hold up?

Story

In Langrisser I players find themselves taking on the role of Ledin, a young prince that finds himself on the run and exiled after an enemy invades his kingdom. In an attempt to regain what he has lost, Ledin must join with those who support him but it quickly becomes clear that something far more sinister than a simple invasion is afoot. The storyline for Langrisser I is fairly straightforward though players will be able to enjoy a few extra scenarios even if the majority of the cast is a bit flat in terms of development. 

Langrisser II on the other hand is where things get a bit more interesting. The story this time follows a lone traveler by the name of Elwin who will shape the fate of the realm depending on the choices that players make and who they choose to align with. This type of player choice and the fact that the characters, and the plot itself, are far better written and detailed help Langrisser II really stand out between these two games. It is also worth noting that, since player choice does play a role here, there are multiple endings and various developments that players won’t see depending on how things play out, creating quite a bit of replayability in the second entry.

Gameplay

Although the sequel may feature the better storyline, both Langrisser I & II have the same mechanics as one another, making it fairly understandable as to why these two entries in five entry series were bundled together. Both entries are a fairly standard grid-based strategy RPG that features turn-based battles where the player’s team moves and attacks before having to weather the attacks from their opponents. 

Various classes, of which characters can change into by leveling up and obtaining “Combat Points” that can then be allocated into improving their combat abilities and slew of unique skills, are strong against certain classes and have their own weaknesses. These combat points can even be used to change to another class entirely with very little loss to the player, allowing for some experimentation at times to find out the best skills and class layout to best fit their playstyle. Alongside this the points can be used to unlock additional types of mercenaries that can provide a number of additional bonuses as well, some of which can be quite unique.

What helps Langrisser I & II stand out here is the aforementioned mercenary system. Players can bring with them a band of mercenaries that can cost a bit of gold but will aid the player’s units in battle. These mercenaries can provide a number of status boosts depending on how well they are paired with the main unit allowing for them to grow quite strong. As a result a lot of the strategy can come down to making sure that the player’s team is properly equipped and assigned the proper mercenaries in battle. 

It is worth noting that Langrisser I & II is far from an easy game even once players get the hang of things as the enemy AI can be extremely aggressive here, and should a commanding unit die, all of the mercenaries they have with them will also vanish. Thankfully this remake of the two games does allow players the option to replay a previously cleared mission, allowing for the player to strengthen their team should they find themselves struggling.

Visuals & Audio

Players will have quite a few options open to them when it comes to how they want Langrisser I & II to look as both the modern and retro options are available for character portraits and backgrounds. All of the character portraits have been redrawn with a smoother and more modern art style and with this art style come a number of new CG scenes that help add a little extra flair to some of the major events that occur in the series. Oddly enough however, should the player choose to use the original art that fans of the original franchise loved then all of these new scenes are removed entirely which is an extremely odd choice. Along those same lines, while the option to choose between the retro style maps and backgrounds are a nice addition, the actual character sprites remain the same. This leads to a massive clash in presentation as the character sprites are, unfortunately, quite awful looking in their new design to the point that a few look worse than the mobile game sprites.

For all of its graphical problems Langrisser I & II manages to excel when it comes to its soundtrack and voice work. While there is only the original Japanese voice track accompanying the game the English subtitles are quite fitting and the soundtrack features not only a number of newly arranged tracks that sound amazing but players can also choose to listen to the original tunes instead should they want to change things up.

Overall

There is a reason that the Langrisser series managed to hold itself together so well in Japan back when it originally debuted. While the story for the first game may not be the most endearing, the sequel is far more entertaining and with both games featuring solid strategy RPG mechanics players will find this collection offering a lot of classic gameplay. It is a bit unfortunate however that outside of bringing Langrisser I & II to a modern audience, most of this remake doesn’t really improve upon the original outside of the soundtrack. The visuals often feel out of place and while the new artstyle is pleasant with roots close to the original, the punishment the player receives if using the classic portraits is an odd one.

Capsule Computers review guidelines can be found here.

Grounded Story Trailer Released

Many were rather surprised back when Obsidian Entertainment and Microsoft announced that they were working on a new survival game by the name of Grounded and now these companies have shared a bit more about the game. In Grounded players find themselves being shrunken down to the point that they are smaller than an ant in a suburban backyard and with the help of a strange robot named BURG.L. players must try to survive while finding the machine that will return them to normal size.

Grounded is playable solo or with up to three friends if the player wishes, and to survive they will need to gather, craft, and build bases scavenged from the backyard. To go along with this trailer the company also revealed that Grounded will be released as an early access game on July 28th where it will be available through Xbox Game Pass Ultimate.

PlayStation 5 DualSense Controller Unveiled

Sony has been keeping many aspects of the PlayStation5 under wraps these days but now fans know what they will be holding once the console is released as the company has revealed their brand new “DualSense” controller for the console. This marks the first step away from the DualShock name since it was introduced during the original PlayStation era. In a statement from the reveal Sony Interactive Entertainment president and CEO Jim Ryan stated that the “DualSense marks a radical departure from our previous controller offerings and captures just how strongly we feel about making a generational leap with PS5.”

The company has implemented “haptic feedback” and incorporated adaptive triggers into the L2 and R2 buttons of the controller to help add tension to the player’s actions. To fit with these new features the controller will feature a stronger battery while still offering a lightweight feel. It is also worth noting that the “Share” button has been modified to simply be a “Create” button that will be detailed more in the future as well as the inclusion of a built-in microphone that can allow for players to easily talk with others without a headset though it is stated this is best used for “quick conversation.”

Sony has still not priced nor given an exact release date for the PlayStation 5 but the company did state in the announcement that they are aiming to have the console launched during the holiday season in 2020.

World of Tanks Blitz Players Gifted Genuine Moon Real Estate in New Game Mode!

Gravity Force mode will pit players against the outer-space elements as well as each other – with the best players winning legitimate Moon land! 

April 8, 2020 — World of Tanks Blitz players should prepare to do battle on the final frontier this April, taking the fight to their foes in the all new Gravity Force game mode, and on the new ‘Sea of Tranquillity’ moon map! Between April 10 and April 16, the mode will replicate space conditions for all commanders, with mind-bending anti-gravity physics, including recoil recalibration and a floaty feel on the following maps: Sea of Tranquillity, Mirage, Winter Malinovka, Desert Sands, El Alamein, Normandy and Dead Rail.

The best players will be in the running for legitimate certificates of ownership for the real Sea of Tranquillity – purchased in partnership with Lunar Embassy®, USA. As the world’s only recognised legal seller of ‘Land Off Planet’ since 1980 – Lunar Embassy.com has worked closely with World of Tanks Blitz to deliver this amazing prize for the best Gravity Force mode players.

Dennis Hope, Head Cheese at Lunar Embassy said of the project: ‘We were delighted to partner with the World of Tanks Blitz team tank battles to the surface of the Moon – and we will be thrilled to welcome some new neighbours on to our Lunar home. This is one small step for man, but one giant leap for Tank-kind.’

Andrey Ryabovol, Product Director of World of Tanks Blitz said: ‘We are excited to bring players an outer-space experience, with real outer-space prizes! Get prepared for moon mechanics that will have commanders and tanks fighting physics across many different maps, and we look forward to rewarding the best out-of-this-world warriors amongst you!’

A dedicated stream will be live on the evening of April 8 – giving audiences the chance to learn more about the game mode and to win 1 acre of the real Sea of Tranquillity, with a legitimate certificate of ownership! The stream will be held in English and start at 3.30am AEDT. You can tune in to the stream here.

To take part in the event, tankers must have at least one Tier V or higher vehicle. For more information, visit wotblitz.com.

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About World of Tanks Blitz

World of Tanks Blitz is a cross-platform, free-to-play, team-based MMO action game dedicated to fierce tank combat. Available on iOS, macOS, Android, Windows 10, and Steam, the game lets players control over 370 legendary armoured vehicles and boasts more than 120 million downloads worldwide. 

World of Tanks Blitz is a fun, light-hearted approach to the genre that bends the rules of reality, putting an engaging twist on tank combat. Deep mechanics and realistic physical models across both authentic and alternative historical settings combine to create fluid gameplay and tactical diversity.

Official website: wotblitz.com

NEW JUST DANCE INITIATIVES TO KEEP PLAYERS MOVING!

NEW JUST DANCE INITIATIVES TO KEEP PLAYERS MOVING!

Sydney, Australia – April 8, 2020 – Today, Ubisoft® announced a series of initiatives for Just Dance® 2020, the latest instalment of the #1 Music Videogame Franchise of All Time*, to encourage players to stay active at home with or without a game console by offering options to keep the world dancing!

  • Players who own Just Dance 2020 will receive one free month of Just Dance Unlimited, to enjoy the catalogue of more than 500 additional songs.
  • Players who don’t own Just Dance on any platforms can head over to the official Just Dance YouTube page and get access to a host of playlists. From Just Dance Kids to Just Get Fit – and even a Katy Perry playlist – there are plenty of tracks to get moving. These playlists will be made available for free on the channel for the next month.

More details on the offer, including platform specificities, can be found on our UbiNews article!

Just Dance 2020 is already available on the Nintendo Switch™ system, the Wii™ system, PlayStation®4 Pro and PlayStation®4 computer entertainment systems and the Xbox One family of devices including Xbox One X. Each copy includes a free one-month trial of Just Dance Unlimited**, which will be automatically updated to include the latest content.

* Source: NPD, GfK & GSD – August 2017

**High speed internet connection required

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 2018–19 fiscal year, Ubisoft generated net bookings of €2,029 million. To learn more, please visit www.ubisoftgroup.com/.

© 2020 Ubisoft Entertainment. All Rights Reserved. Just Dance, Ubisoft, and the Ubisoft logo are registered or unregistered trademarks of Ubisoft Entertainment in the US and/or other countries. Nintendo trademarks and copyrights are properties of Nintendo.

Inside Xbox April 2020 Episode News Recap

Inside Xbox April 2020 Episode News Recap

by Will Tuttle, Xbox Wire Editor in Chief 

Today, on our first Inside Xbox episode of 2020, we got a closer look at the single-player campaign in Grounded, the upcoming survival adventure game from our friends at Obsidian Entertainment, revealed the latest Xbox Game Pass titles, discussed the recently revealed Xbox Series X tech, and gave viewers the skinny on the most important things to know about the upcoming Gears Tactics.

There was also plenty of surprise news dropped on today’s show: Typhoon Studios revealed the Journey to the Savage Planet DLC, Hotline Miami Collection is getting a surprise Xbox One release, and we got our very first look at The Last Campfire, an intriguing new title from developer Hello Games.

For a full recap, read on below or watch the replay of Inside Xbox episode here when the VOD is available.

Go Big or Never Go Home in Obsidian Entertainment’s Grounded

Obsidian Entertainment announced upcoming survival adventure game Grounded will enter Xbox Game Preview with Xbox Game Pass Ultimate and Steam Early Access on July 28, 2020. As part of today’s announcement, the team also revealed a brand-new trailer focusing on the single player experience for Grounded, and a first-ever livestream with Obsidian Entertainment’s Game Director, Adam Brennecke and Social Media Manager, Shyla Schofield, who gave a closer look at the game. For more details, check out the full Grounded Inside Xbox post here.

A Closer Look at Xbox Series X Technologies

A few weeks ago, we took an in-depth look at some of the tech powering the Xbox Series X and got our first look at the new Xbox Wireless Controller. On today’s show, our own Major Nelson had a chance to sit down with Jason Ronald, Director of Product Management on Xbox Series X, to break down some of what was shared about our most powerful console ever. They discussed everything from graphics technology like DirectX raytracing and variable rate shading to audio processing, Quick Resume and storage options. Ronald also highlighted the Xbox Velocity Architecture, including what this entails and what it will enables for games.

The Evolution of Xbox Game Bar Continues

We’re continuing the evolution of Xbox Game Bar, the customisable gaming overlay built into Windows 10 for PC. Starting today, Insiders will have access to apps from partners like Razer, XSplit and Intel directly from Xbox Game Bar through new widgets — no more having to Alt+Tab to separate apps while gaming. We’ve seen incredible interest from PC gaming partners in this fan-requested feature, and we look forward to growing the number of available widgets. For more information on the Xbox Game Bar news announced today, please check out this post.

Announcing More Great Titles Hitting Xbox Game Pass

We’re thrilled to announce that on April 13, Xbox Game Pass will be expanding to Japan and Korea. Xbox Game Pass for PC will launch in beta for gamers in Korea and will be included as part of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate benefits, which is already available for gamers in the region, while all Xbox Game Pass services for console and PC will come to Japan for the first time. We also shared new titles joining the Xbox Game Pass libraries across console and PC, including Alvastia Chronicles, Journey to the Savage Planet, Overcooked! 2, Football Manager 2020, Mistover and Stranger Things 3: The Game. For more details on our Xbox Game Pass news this episode, check out the Xbox Game Pass post here.

Project xCloud Preview Adds More Great Games from EA

We’ve added even more titles to the Project xCloud preview! Beginning today, participants can play three more great games from EA on their Android phones or tablets, including The Sims 4Unravel Two, and Dragon Age: Inquisition. Additionally, this morning we announced that the Project xCloud preview will be heading to 11 new countries across Western Europe. If you’re interested in joining the Project xCloud preview so you can stream these great games, please visit xbox.com/projectxcloud.

Forza Street Races onto Mobile on May 5

Get your engines ready … Forza Street is coming to your iOS and Android devices on May 5. We’ve received incredible engagement from players during Android pre-registration and are excited to let iOS gamers know they too will hit the streets in just a few weeks. For a limited time, we’ll also be giving out the Founder’s Pack to anyone who plays Forza Street between May 5 and June 5 as a welcoming gift. Pre-register now on Google Play and the Samsung Galaxy Store, and for more information, check out the full Forza Street Wire post here.

Breaking Down Five Things You Need to Know About Gears Tactics

Today, The Coalition celebrated Gears Tactics going gold with a new video highlighting five badass things you need to know before launch and their commitment to a gameplay experience tailored to PC, including new details on a partnership with Intel. Available April 28 on Windows 10 PC, Steam and with Xbox Game Pass for PC (Beta), Gears Tactics has players assume the role of Gabriel “Gabe” Diaz as he recruits, equips, and commands his squad on a mission to hunt down the relentless leader of the Locust army: Ukkon. For more on Gears Tactics, including the latest design collaboration with acclaimed artist Luke Preece, click here.

Set Sail with Sea of Thieves’ Free Ships of Fortune Update

Prospective pirates got a look at the new Sea of Thieves Ships of Fortune update arriving later this month. Ships of Fortune adds new depth to the game’s trading companies, allowing players the option to represent their favourite Trading Companies as emissaries for boosted rewards and exclusive cosmetic items. What’s more, a new and mysterious Company known as The Reaper’s Bones is also making their debut tasking players with pillaging rival ships and taking their Emissary Flags and loot as trophies. For more details on our Sea of Thieves news this episode, check out our full post here.

A New Batch of ID@Xbox Games is Coming to Xbox One

In today’s show, we took a look at a brand-new game called The Last Campfire, a dark fantasy from developer Hello Games that combines a beautiful art style with a wide variety of puzzles to create a wholly unique experience. There was also a new trailer for Atomicrops, an action-packed farming simulator where you must cultivate and defend the last farm in a post-apocalypse wasteland. Finally, it was announced that the action-packed top-down shooter Hotline Miami Collection is not only coming to Xbox One, but is available right now. Surprise!

We hope you enjoyed the show, and we’ll see you next time!

Introducing DualSense, the new Wireless Game Controller for PlayStation 5

Sony Interactive Entertainment has today revealed the first images and design details of the DualSense™ wireless controller, the new wireless controller for PlayStation 5.

Building on the successes of the DualShock 4 controller, DualSense is set to captivate more of the player’s senses as they interact with the virtual worlds in PS5 games. The features of DualSense, along with PS5’s Tempest 3D AudioTech, will deliver a new feeling of immersion to players.

Utilising haptic feedback DualSense will heighten the feeling of immersion within games, and add powerful sensations you’ll feel when you play, such as the slow grittiness of driving a car through mud. DualSense will also incorporate adaptive triggers into the L2 and R2 buttons of DualSense so players can truly feel the tension of their actions, like when drawing a bow to shoot an arrow.

The design of DualSense has been curated with playability and ergonomics front of mind. The design team worked closely with hardware engineers to place new features of the controllers, without giving a bulky feeling. In the end, designers changed the angle of the hand triggers and also made some subtle updates to the grip. Thoughtful consideration also went into ways to maintain a strong battery life for DualSense’s rechargeable battery, and to lessen the weight of the controller as much as possible as new features were added.

For the buttons, players will notice there is no longer a “Share” button as featured on DualShock 4. Don’t worry – it’s not going away. In fact, building upon the success of our industry-first Share button, DualSense will also bring players a new “Create” button feature. The Create button pioneers new ways for players to create epic gameplay content to share with the world, or just to enjoy for themselves.

DualSense also adds a built-in microphone array, which will enable players to easily chat with friends without a headset – ideal for jumping into a quick conversation. But of course, if players are planning to chat for a longer period, it’s good to have that headset handy.

With a new two-toned design, DualSense offers a new colourway for players to enjoy. Additionally, the changed the position of the light bar that will give it an extra pop. On DualShock 4, it sat on the top of the controller; now it sits at each side of the touch pad, giving it a slightly larger look and feel.

DualSense has been tested by a wide range of gamers with a variety of hand sizes, in order to achieve the comfort level we wanted, with great ergonomics. The goal with DualSense is to give gamers the feeling of being transported into the game world as soon as they open the box. We want gamers to feel like the controller is an extension of themselves when they’re playing – so much so that they forget that it’s even in their hands!

SIE President & CEO Jim Ryan also shared with the community around the reveal of DualSense:

“DualSense marks a radical departure from our previous controller offerings and captures just how strongly we feel about making a generational leap with PS5. The new controller, along with the many innovative features in PS5, will be transformative for games – continuing our mission at PlayStation to push the boundaries of play, now and in the future. To the PlayStation community, I truly want to thank you for sharing this exciting journey with us as we head toward PS5’s launch in Holiday 2020. We look forward to sharing more information about PS5, including the console design, in the coming months.”

For more information about the DualSense Wireless Controller, head to the PlayStation Blog.

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Borderlands Science Enlists Players to Help Advance Scientific Research

Borderlands Science Enlists Players to Help Advance Scientific Research

Dr. Mayim Bialik Lends Her Voice to Inspire Millions to Help Generate Data for Medical Community

Sydney, Australia – April 8, 2020Interactive entertainment companies Gearbox Software and 2K have launched Borderlands Science, an interactive game within the critically acclaimed Borderlands 3 that invites players to map the human gut microbiome to advance vital medical studies while earning in-game rewards. This major initiative is the result of international partnerships with researchers and scientists at McGill University, Massively Multiplayer Online Science (MMOS), and The Microsetta Initiative at UC San Diego School of Medicine. Emmy-nominated Big Bang Theory star, scientist, and researcher Dr. Mayim Bialik lent her voice to the project, helping guide players on their journey.

“We see Borderlands Science as an opportunity to use the enormous popularity of Borderlands 3 to advance social good,” said Gearbox Software co-founder Randy Pitchford. “Borderlands Science is the vanguard of a new nexus between entertainment and health: an innovative game-within-the-game, complete with scores, progression and rewards, where your playtime actually generates tangible data that will be applied toward improving research, helping cure diseases, and contributing to the broader medical community.”

Trillions of microbes inhabit the human body – some of which may be associated with conditions like inflammatory bowel disease, diabetes, autism, Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, cancer, obesity, allergies, and more. Mapping these microbes will help scientists better understand them and provide an important foundation for future microbiome studies that may lead to more sensitive diagnostics and personalized treatments. However, because of the number of microbes, computers struggle to relate them, which makes mapping the gut nearly impossible.

This is where Borderlands Science, a mini-video game within Borderlands 3, comes in. Leveraging the massive breadth of the video gaming community, the project crowdsources players’ skills and applies them to mapping the human gut biome, saving medical researchers hundreds of thousands of hours in training computers to do the same.

Borderlands Science encodes the DNA of each gut microbe as a string of bricks of four different shapes and colors. Players connect those colored shapes to help scientists estimate the similarity between each microbe. The more puzzles players solve, the more they help decode the human gut microbiome, all while earning rewards that can be used in Borderlands 3. A brief video featuring Dr. Bialik explaining Borderlands Science can be found here.

“We are always looking for new partners in the field of gaming, and this is a perfect fit for us,” said MMOS CEO and co-founder Attila Szantner. “We created MMOS to connect scientific research and video games as a seamless gaming experience, and that is exactly what this has become. I believe that Borderlands 3 players advancing microbiome research will change how we think about video games.”

“It was a simple choice to join Gearbox and its partners in making Borderlands Science a reality,” said McGill University professor Jérôme Waldispühl. “Working to help align the gaming community with the biomedical field allows these two passionate groups to work together toward a result that we might not realize without the collaborative effort.”

To learn more about the Borderlands Science project, visit Borderlands Science online.

2K is a publishing label of Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc. (NASDAQ: TTWO).

All trademarks and copyrights contained herein are the property of their respective holders.

About Gearbox Software

Gearbox Software is a Frisco, Texas-based award-winning, independent developer of interactive entertainment. It was founded in 1999 by game industry veterans, and its first release was Half-Life: Opposing Force. Since then, the company has become known for successful game franchises including Borderlands, Brothers in Arms, and Battleborn, as well as acquired properties Duke Nukem and Homeworld. For more information, visit www.gearboxsoftware.com.

About Take-Two Interactive Software

Headquartered in New York City, Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc. is a leading developer, publisher and marketer of interactive entertainment for consumers around the globe.  We develop and publish products through our labels Rockstar Games, 2K, and Private Division, as well as Social Point, a leading developer of mobile games.  Our products are designed for console systems and personal computers, including smartphones and tablets, and are delivered through physical retail, digital download, online platforms and cloud streaming services.  The Company’s common stock is publicly traded on NASDAQ under the symbol TTWO.  For more corporate and product information please visit our website at http://www.take2games.com.

About 2K

Founded in 2005, 2K develops and publishes global interactive entertainment for console and handheld gaming systems, personal computers and mobile devices, with product availability including physical retail and digital download. The Company is home to many talented development studios, including Visual Concepts, Firaxis Games, Hangar 13, Cat Daddy Games, 31st Union and Cloud Chamber. 2K’s portfolio currently includes the renowned BioShock®, Borderlands™, Mafia and XCOM® franchises; NBA® 2K, the global phenomenon and highest rated* annual sports title for the current console generation; the critically acclaimed Sid Meier’s Civilization® series; the popular WWE® 2K and WWE® SuperCard franchises, as well as emerging properties NBA® 2K Playgrounds 2, Carnival Games and more. Additional information about 2K and its products may be found at 2k.com.

About McGill University

Founded in Montreal, Quebec, in 1821, McGill University is Canada’s top ranked medical doctoral university. McGill is consistently ranked as one of the top universities, both nationally and internationally. It is a world-renowned institution of higher learning with research activities spanning two campuses, 11 faculties, 13 professional schools, 300 programs of study and over 40,000 students, including more than 10,200 graduate students. McGill attracts students from over 150 countries around the world, its 12,800 international students making up 31% of the student body. Over half of McGill students claim a first language other than English, including approximately 19% of our students who say French is their mother tongue.

About MMOS

MMOS (Massively Multiplayer Online Science) is a Swiss start-up focusing on bringing citizen science activities to AAA videogames; setting up collaborations and providing the necessary infrastructure to connect these two worlds. MMOS together with CCP, the Human Protein Atlas and the University of Geneva created Project Discovery, the citizen science minigame inside EVE Online acclaimed by an extensive worldwide press coverage and winning several awards. For more information visit www.mmos.ch

About The Microsetta Initiative

Established in 2018 as a global extension of UC San Diego’s American Gut Project, The Microsetta Initiative (TMI) aims to allow anyone in the world to participate in microbiome citizen science. To date, the collective projects of TMI have DNA sequenced over 25,000 samples from more than 20,000 participants, and is the largest open-access human microbiome reference database. The de-identified data generated so far have been used in over 100 peer reviewed publications, helping researchers to better understand migraines, depression, how fermented foods modify your gut, and have even provided a backdrop to predict age from poop.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

The statements contained herein which are not historical facts are considered forward-looking statements under federal securities laws and may be identified by words such as “anticipates,” “believes,” “estimates,” “expects,” “intends,” “plans,” “potential,” “predicts,” “projects,” “seeks,” “will,” or words of similar meaning and include, but are not limited to, statements regarding the outlook for the Company’s future business and financial performance. Such forward-looking statements are based on the current beliefs of our management as well as assumptions made by and information currently available to them, which are subject to inherent uncertainties, risks and changes in circumstances that are difficult to predict. Actual outcomes and results may vary materially from these forward-looking statements based on a variety of risks and uncertainties including: our dependence on key management and product development personnel, our dependence on our Grand Theft Auto products and our ability to develop other hit titles, the timely release and significant market acceptance of our games, the ability to maintain acceptable pricing levels on our games, and risks associated with international operations. Other important factors and information are contained in the Company’s most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2016, including the risks summarized in the section entitled “Risk Factors,” and the Company’s other periodic filings with the SEC, which can be accessed at www.take2games.com. All forward-looking statements are qualified by these cautionary statements and apply only as of the date they are made. The Company undertakes no obligation to update any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

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Raw Fury & Bird Bath Games’ Atomicrops Launches May 28 on Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation®4 & PC

Raw Fury & Bird Bath Games’ Atomicrops Launches May 28 on Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation®4 & PC

Farm, marry and kill in this action roguelike farming simulator, coming out of early access on PC and landing on consoles for the first time with all-new content

STOCKHOLM April 7, 2020 — Raw Fury and indie developer Bird Bath Games have revealed that on May 28, Atomicrops will come to Xbox One, Nintendo Switch and PlayStation®4 for the very first time, as well as officially launch out of early access on PC via the Epic Games Store. All content and improvements added to the PC version of the game during early access will be available on consoles on day one, including a major update bringing two new spouses, new mushroom power-ups, and a total of 10 difficulty tiers with score multipliers!

Atomicrops is an action-packed roguelike farming simulator in which you must cultivate and defend the last farm in a post-apocalyptic wasteland. Armed with a hoe, watering pail, and fully automatic weapon, you’ll grow ultra-GMO crops to feed your town and make a hefty profit, guard your land from mutant pests and bandits, and court and wed townsfolk to fight and farm by your side.

For more on Atomicrops, check out the latest from The Atomic Farmer, the official Atomicrops newsletter, and visit https://rawfury.com/portfolio/atomicrops.

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Official Site: rawfury.com
Discord: discord.gg/rawfury
Twitter: @RawFury
Upcoming Games: https://rawfury.com/upcoming-games-from-raw-fury-a-year-of-adventures-awaits