Dual Dokkan Festival Features Two Fusion Fighters, Two Story Events Based on the “Dragon Ball Super: Broly” and the “Future Trunks Saga” of the Anime Series “Dragon Ball Super”, and Special Rewards for Players
Santa Clara, Calif., – (July 9, 2020), Leading interactive entertainment publisher and developer BANDAI NAMCO Entertainment Inc. is celebrating the fifth anniversary of DRAGON BALL Z DOKKAN BATTLE, the thrilling mobile battle game based on the iconic DRAGON BALL series, by introducing the powerful new characters, new Story Events and daily login bonuses. DRAGON BALL Z DOKKAN BATTLE is available for free on the iOS App Store and Google Play store.
Players can now summon Gogeta and Vegito, who can be Dokkan Awakened into powerful Legendary Rare (LR) characters who boast their own Active Skills and voice lines. Two new Story Events featuring “Dragon Ball Super: Broly” and the “Future Trunks Saga” from the “Dragon Ball Super” anime series have also been added to the game. The two events represent big expansions to the in-game content, and within these events players can recruit Broly (Kid), Vegeta (Kid) and Zamasu to their teams.
Lastly, players who log in each day starting from July 6 to August 10 (PST) will receive daily login bonuses. On the first day alone, all players will receive 45 Dragon Stones, 5 “55” Special Summon Tickets and “Super Saiyan God SS Goku.”
DRAGON BALL Z DOKKAN BATTLE combines intense action puzzle game experiences, elements of classic board-games, and character deck creation featuring fighters from across the immensely popular DRAGON BALL universe. The game has been downloaded over 300 million times on Android and iOS mobile devices worldwide.
Detectives Wanted: Investigations Into Mysterious Suicide Case Begin on August 25, 2020
In case you missed the news, it’s time to don your detective cap! Publisher Assemble Entertainment announced an August 25, 2020 release date for the thrilling investigative full-motion video (FMV) game Jessika. Launching on Steam via Windows, Steam OS, Mac, and Linux, Jessika tasks you with cracking the case of a lifetime, uncovering the truths behind unanswered questions. Was it a suicide, or was the titular Jessika’s demise something far more sinister?
Those interested in getting an early glimpse into the tragic world of Jessika can now do so, as Assemble Entertainment has released a new demo of the game on Steam as part of the Steam Summer Sale, which runs until July 9th.
Additionally, Assemble today released a set of new in-game screenshots, which give you an even closer look at the kinds of things you’ll encounter while sifting through Jessika’s online presence — which seems innocent enough…at first. Will you be able to read between the lines and decipher her cryptic messages?
Also, players with a particular hankering for Assemble Entertainment’s fantastic titles will be pleased to know that the publisher also released demos for the humorously horrific, Lovecraft universe-inspired visual novel The Innsmouth Case, cyberpunk point-and-click adventure Encodya, and their post-apocalyptic survival RPG Highrisers.
More about Jessika
Convinced of foul play, Jessika’s father has hired you to uncover the truth about her untimely death. What appears to be a textbook suicide — at least, at first — may prove to be your career-defining moment. With only your laptop and an unrivaled determination for unearthing the truth, you’ll need to dig through the victim’s extensive digital footprint to locate clues and keywords embedded within Jessika’s tangled online presence to piece together what really happened.
Developed by TriTrie Games and published by Assemble Entertainment, Jessika will arrive on Steam via Windows, Steam OS, Mac, and Linux on August 25, 2020, and retail for $12.49 USD. Players can wishlist the game by visiting the official Jessika Steam store page, here: https://store.steampowered.com/app/1251980/Jessika.
Live Tournaments, Battle Royale, and Friend Challenge Modes Launch In Select Markets, Providing a Variety of Game Styles for Any Type of Player
SAN FRANCISCO – July 9, 2020 – N3TWORK has launched a game-changer for Tetris® on mobile. The world’s most iconic puzzle game now features Tetris Primetime, an entertaining blend of game show and live, competitive Tetris gameplay that is free to enter and features more than $1 million in annual cash prizes. N3TWORK’s newest release also includes Tetris Royale, an always-on 100 player Tetris battle royale, and Tetris Together, a new way to play Tetris with friends and family. From the familiar single player experience to private games with friends to competitive play against the global Tetris community to the once daily adrenaline rush of Primetime, the new Tetris app has something for everyone.
“Tetris is truly timeless in its appeal and one of the greatest games ever designed. We wanted to build a version that respected everything amazing about the original but that innovated in a way that could delight the billions of people who know and love Tetris,” said Neil Young, founder and CEO of N3TWORK. “We’ve kept the gameplay that you remember, and have infused it with competition, communication, community and an incredible global, daily game show with cash prizes. We think Tetris has the opportunity to be bigger than ever before as fans around the world can now play in both familiar and exciting new ways.”
Tetris Primetime is a breakthrough hybrid of live television and tournament play that supercharges the fun and excitement of Tetris by adding more than $1 million in annual cash prizes. Hosted by award-winning actor Millen Baird, Tetris Primetime lets players star in a live game show experience with cash prizes on the line every night at 7:30 p.m. in the anchor city closest to them. The anchor cities are currently Auckland, Perth, Moscow, Berlin, London, New York City and Los Angeles.
“Tetris fans who have dreamed of clearing lines under the spotlight for a chance to win cash prizes can now rejoice with this remarkable opportunity,” said Maya Rogers, President and CEO of Blue Planet Software, the sole agent for the Tetris brand. “N3TWORK’s Tetris app delivers just that and much more! Whether it’s a relaxing match with several friends or an intense battle against thousands of other players, the mobile game now has something for everyone to enjoy.”
In Tetris Royale, players will battle it out in 100-player Tetris matches, where the last player standing wins. Tetris Royale players compete for weekly dominance in their city, country, and around the world. Players can also choose to compete against their own high scores in Tetris Solo Marathon mode, a familiar single-player Tetris experience that fans can play anytime, anywhere, even offline. Those looking for fun closer to home can also enjoy Tetris Together, a new mode where players can create sharable Tetris games for friends and family where they can stay connected with voice chat while they play. In addition to the new game modes, N3TWORK’s Tetris app also features intuitive touch controls with the option to use on-screen controls, as well as custom themes and avatars.
Tetris® Primetime is currently available in select territories with more being added soon. These territories include the United States, Canada**, United Kingdom, Germany, Ireland, Spain, Switzerland, Belgium, Sweden, Norway, South Africa, Russia, Chile, Australia** and New Zealand.
**In Canada, Tetris Primetime is not available in Quebec. In Australia, Tetris Primetime is not available in New South Wales or Victoria.
Fans can also join the conversation by following @tetrismobile on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and TikTok or go to https://www.tetrismobileapp.com/.
About N3TWORK
N3TWORK is a new type of games, media, and technology company at the intersection of entertainment and community. N3TWORK is backed by a variety of investors including Blue Planet Software, Eniac Ventures, Floodgate, Griffin Gaming Partners, Galaxy Digital Capital, Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers, Korea Investment Partners, Ocean Road and Table Management. The company’s flagship title Legendary: Game of Heroes, an innovative mobile fantasy puzzle RPG, has established new standards in live service and community engagement. N3TWORK’s Scale Platform was announced in 2019 and will provide mobile app developers an opportunity to scale their businesses by providing user acquisition technology, expertise and capital. For more information on N3TWORK visit: www.n3twork.com
About the Tetris® Brand
The Tetris® brand is one of the leading and most distinctive video game brands and franchises in the world. Now after more than 35 years, the brand continues to be loved globally by people of all ages and all cultures. Billions of Tetris games are played online every year, and over 500 million Tetris mobile games have been downloaded to date. The Tetris brand’s global licensee network includes major video game publishers, including Ubisoft and Sega, as well as many partners in electronics, toys, apparel, lifestyle goods, entertainment and more. Tetris Holding, LLC, is the owner of Tetris rights worldwide, and The Tetris Company, Inc. is its exclusive licensee. For the latest information about the Tetris brand and Tetris products, please visit www.tetris.com. Become a fan of Tetris on Facebook (www.facebook.com/Tetris) and follow Tetris on Twitter (@Tetris_Official) and Instagram (@Tetris_Official).
Fans Can Now Pre-register for ThisBrand-New Mobile Crash BandicootTMGame and Unlock Exclusive Rewards
NEW YORK / LONDON, July 9, 2020 – King, a leading interactive entertainment company for the mobile world, today announced that everyone’s favorite marsupial is getting ready to run, jump and spin onto mobile in Crash Bandicoot: On the Run!™. Running faster, fearlessly and further than ever before, this brand-new mobile adventurebrings the best of the Crash Bandicoot franchise from the last 20 years with fan-favorite characters, bosses, moves, mischief and mayhem. The free-to-play game is now available for pre-registration on the Google Play store or on the website www.CrashOnTheRun.com.
“We’re really excited to bring this well-known and much-loved franchise back to mobile,” said Stephen Jarrett, VP of Game Design at King, and Creative Lead on Crash Bandicoot: On the Run!. “Our ambition is to transform the runner experience with classic Crash gameplay, while adding depth and progression through a variety of exciting features including meaningful social, crafting and base building. Drawing inspiration from Crash’s vibrant history we plan to bring back classic characters, bosses, enemies and lands and wrap them in a brand-new adventure for gamers to play on the go.”
In Crash Bandicoot: On the Run!, the dastardly Dr. Neo Cortex has returned to take control of the multiverse, with the help of his maniacal mutagen henchmen. Only Crash and his sister Coco can save the day and put a stop to their plans. Video game fans will immediately recognize regions from previous Crash Bandicoot games, such as Temple Ruins, Turtle Woods, Bear It and more.
Crash Bandicoot: On the Run! is now available for pre-registration on Android and soon on iOS. Any player that pre-registers will receive an exclusive Blue Hyena Skin on launch day – a fun and exotic skin which fans may remember from Crash™ Team Racing: Nitro Fueled. For more information and to pre-register, visit www.CrashOnTheRun.com.
About King
King is a leading interactive entertainment company for the mobile world. It had 273 million monthly active users as of first quarter 2020 across web, social and mobile platforms, and has developed more than 200 exclusive games that are enjoyed all around the world through its king.com, Facebook, and mobile distribution platforms such as the Apple App Store, Google Play Store, Microsoft Windows App Store and Amazon Appstore. King was acquired by Activision Blizzard (NASDAQ: ATVI) in February 2016. King has game studios in Stockholm, Malmö, London, Barcelona and Berlin, along with offices in San Francisco, Los Angeles, New York, Chicago, and Malta.
Poland – July 9th, 2020 – Bugbomb Games’ single-celled party brawler, Gerrrms, is now available for pre-order on Nintendo Switch via the eShop for £8.99 / €9.99 / $9.99. Gerrrms will be launching and available to play on July 23rd, so prepare to engage in microscopic brawls of epic proportions!
Gerrrms is a multiplayer party brawler where players take control of tiny germs as they partake in a big ole scrap for dominance within the human body. Choose from 12 quirky, germy candidates and start swinging from hooks inside a corporeal arena to move around as you engage in microbial warfare, competing in seven gutsy game modes, either in single-player or local multiplayer up to 4 players. With this two-button control scheme and straightforward gameplay mechanics, Gerrrms is the perfect game to jump into with friends regardless of their skill level.
Stand your ground against rival germs performing sick single-celled combat manoeuvres. You’ll be over-prescribed with power-ups: dropping dirty mines, packing punches, launching microscopic missiles, getting gooey to slow your opponents down, exploding in size pushing your rivals into surrounding hazards, making lightning-fast dashes or tactically using a pseudopod to transplant items with someone else – be it a flag or a bomb.
There are seven game modes on offer: Deathmatch – Swing your germ around and eliminate your foes by bouncing them onto spikes surrounding the arena. Swing for the win to be the last germ standing! Capture the Flag – With only one flag, four germs and countless obstacles, be sure to hold on for the win. Hot Potato – Bombs 101: don’t be holding it when the timer runs out… Makes a good gift for fellow germs though. Synapse Snatch – The goal is simple: grab the ball and bring it to your coloured corner. Like typical cell behaviour, there’ll be copies – stop the others from doing the same! Gobble – A germ’s gotta eat! Make sure you’re first to the feast when food spawns around the arena. Antibody – Avoid ‘Barney the Antibody’ at all costs. He’s big, mean and out to get you so keep him busy by encouraging your opponents to pay him a visit instead.
Gerrrms has been highly anticipated since its second place finish at the Big Indie Pitch at White Nights Amsterdam 2020, offering an infectious experience for all as they battle to become the germicide master!
“Gerrrms is just what the doctor ordered – with it’s wide variety of game modes, cute characters and fun frantic gameplay it’s the perfect way cure yourself from the stresses and strains of life,” said Robert Kujawa, co-founder for Bugbomb Games. “Playing against your friends and family will make you feverish for more – in a good way.”
About Bugbomb Games Bugbomb Games is a game development studio from Poland, established in 2018. Since its onset, the team has been devoted to delivering the best digital entertainment to the players. With a broad experience of working for the largest publishers in mobile gaming, they decided to work on their own titles and venture into the console segment. Bugbomb’s productions have been praised for top quality and high playability, with the games being valued both by publishers and players.
Tripwire Interactive Invites Players to Download and Play the Award-Winning, Co-Op, Horror Shooter for Free on the Epic Games Store
ROSWELL, Ga. — Thursday, July 9 –Publisher and developer Tripwire Interactive is proud to announce that the critically acclaimed co-op, horror, first-person shooter Killing Floor 2 officially releases on the Epic Games Store later today. To celebrate Killing Floor 2’s arrival, Tripwire Interactive has teamed up with Epic Games to share Killing Floor 2 as a free game for a week starting today, July 9, ending July 16 — and is excited to welcome more new players to the bustling Killing Floor 2 community.
To ensure the player base is not divided between storefronts, Tripwire Interactive has worked in advance to enable cross-play and cross-invites between the Steam and Epic Games Store versions of Killing Floor 2.Moving forward, the entire PC global community can band together and form parties more quickly to slaughter more zeds than ever before.
To receive a free copy of Killing Floor 2 on the Epic Games Store, anyone with an Epic Games account can login in online at EpicGames.com or via the Epic Games Launcher, click to the store section, and select Killing Floor 2 under free titles. Once logged in and at the Killing Floor 2 page, click “Get,” and Killing Floor 2 will be added to the player’s Library, free of charge. Killing Floor 2 will be free for one week, so anyone intent on annihilating zeds should grab it on the Epic Games Store before July 16.
Killing Floor 2 is cross-play ready and allows current users to connect with specific friends across versions by enabling ‘Steam to EGS’ invites when loading into the main menu. From there, players can sign in to an Epic Games account and their friends list will be populated with the ability to invite players from the Epic Games Store version of Killing Floor 2 into a Steam party. If players do not have an Epic Games Store account, there will be no impact on the Steam friends list. Players can expect a Steam update for Killing Floor 2 today to enable cross-play functionality.
In Killing Floor 2, players descend into continental Europe where the outbreak caused by Horzine Biotech’s failed experiment has quickly spread and gained unstoppable momentum, essentially paralyzing the European Union— Just one month after the events in the original KILLING FLOOR, the specimen clones are everywhere and civilization is in disarray; communications have failed, governments have collapsed, and military forces have been systematically eradicated. The people of Europe know survival and self-preservation too well and lucky survivors have gone into hiding.
Not all have given up hope though… A group of civilians and mercenaries have banded together to combat the outbreak and established privately funded operation bases across Europe. Upon tracking specimen clone outbreaks, players will descend into zed-laden hot zones and exterminate them.
Killing Floor 2 is developed and published by Tripwire Interactive and is published at retail by Deep Silver and Iceberg Interactive for the Xbox One, Xbox One X, PlayStation®4 Pro, PlayStation®4, and PC. This title has been rated M by the ESRB, PEGI 18, USK 18.
Formed in 2005 as a humble independent developer and founded by gamers who found success in the video game modding community, Tripwire Interactive has developed and self-published multiple critically acclaimed titles in the wildly popular Killing Floor and Rising Storm franchises, which have collectively sold over 20 million units to date. The studio’s most recent hit release, Maneater, breaks new ground in the popular action RPG genre and finds players taking on the role of a deadly shark with the uncanny ability to evolve as it feeds.
Since then, Tripwire Interactive has expanded its business and now turns its experience and resources to include publishing titles spanning multiple platforms and genres from other talented independent studios. The publishing division named “Tripwire Presents” aims to help like-minded independent studios bring their titles to market, including Chivalry 2 developed by Torn Banner Studios, Espire 1: VR Operative developed by Digital Lode, and Road Redemption developed by EQ Games and Pixel Dash Studios.
Build Your Own Game Company and Dominate the Industry in Mad Games Tycoon
Build a Burgeoning Games Industry Empire! Irdning, Austria (July 9th 2020) — Publisher Toplitz Productions released very successfully their game studio simulation Mad Games Tycoon for PC and consoles. Now the Austrian publisher is going to release the game for mobile devices on IOS and Android this summer.
Mad Games Tycoon, which asks players to manage the challenges of launching a game company — starting out as an indie studio and working their way up to becoming a major player in the ‘biz. Aspiring studio heads will do more than just play games all day, as they’ll need to manage day-to-day logistics — including hiring new programming talent and renting office space — and then craft games everyone will want to play. As business booms, they’ll need to think about building their own game engines, cutting licensing deals, and even creating next-generation consoles.
Features of Mad Games Tycoon include:
● Start a Game Development Studio and develop and market games in any combination of over 15 genres with nearly 200 sub-categories
● Explore over 40 technologies (e.g. graphics, sound, control) and create your own game engines as a basis for your games, or license them to other development houses
● Produce a next-generation game console that puts everything else on the market to shame
● Set up your studio – from the proverbial backyard garage without heating – to modern skyscrapers with server farms for your grand-scale MMO’s
● Expand your workforce – hire both “green” programmers and development legends – then staff departments like testing, marketing, sound, and graphics with the best people
Mad Games Tycoon challenges players to go from a garage-based two-person game development team to a mega-business based not only on games but engine development and console creation! Aspiring development superstars will need to hire the right people to craft amazing games, while handling all the logistics of a real-world studio, from making deals to license the hottest IPs, to renting the right-sized office space for a growing super-studio.
About Toplitz Productions
Toplitz Productions is an Austrian publisher and developer with one goal – to offer consumers games that feature “Heart and Soul”. The company is comprised of veteran game developers and executives and collaborates with multiple studios throughout the world. Featuring a mix of sports, strategy, adventure, and simulation games, Toplitz’s titles can be found on PC and major console platforms, offering something for every type of player.
Keep up with all things related to Toplitz Productions and Mad Games Tycoon by following the company on Twitter, Facebook, their official website, and Instagram.
CD PROJEKT announces the release of Thronebreaker: The Witcher Tales on iOS. Players can purchase the game from the Apple App Store right now.
Thronebreaker is a single player RPG set in the world of The Witcher, combining narrative-driven exploration with unique puzzles and turn-based battles. Players take on the role of Queen Meve of Lyria and Rivia, who is forced to enter the warpath in the face of an impending Nilfgaardian invasion. To stand a chance against her enemies, Meve must amass a powerful army, which means setting out on a dark journey of destruction and revenge.
This latest release brings the complete Thronebreaker experience to iOS, with dedicated touch-screen controls designed for mobile play, as well as cloud-save support so players can pick up from where they left off on PC — and vice versa. By playing Thronebreaker on iOS, players can also unlock various bonuses in GWENT: The Witcher Card Game for iOS, PC, and Android, including unique ornaments and 20 cards to be used in multiplayer battles. Additionally, players can claim a set of digital Thronebreaker goodies for free, including the official soundtrack, concept art from the game, and an annotated map of Lyria.
Thronebreaker: The Witcher Tales is currently available on iOS, PC (GOG.COM & Steam), as well as Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4 and Xbox One. An Android version is planned for release later this year. For more information regarding the game, visit the official website.
About The Witcher franchise Created by CD PROJEKT RED, The Witcher is a series of fantasy role-playing games following the adventures professional monster slayer Geralt of Rivia. To date, the series has sold over 33 million copies worldwide and garnered over 1000 awards. The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, which released in 2015 for PC, PlayStation 4 and Xbox One, won a total of 250 Game of the Year awards. The Witcher games are based on the prose of Andrzej Sapkowski.
About CD PROJEKT RED
CD PROJEKT RED is a game development studio founded in 2002. It develops and publishes video games for personal computers and video game consoles. The studio’s flagship titles include The Witcher series of games, Thronebreaker: The Witcher Tales, GWENT: The Witcher Card Game and the upcoming futuristic AAA role-playing game — Cyberpunk 2077. Together with GOG.COM, a game store offering hand-picked titles for PC and Mac, CD PROJEKT RED is part of the CD PROJEKT Capital Group. CD PROJEKT S.A. is listed on the Warsaw Stock Exchange (ISIN: PLOPTTC00011).
Lesquin (France), July 8th 2020 – NACON and KT Racing are pleased to unveil the preorder bonus and Digital Deluxe edition content for WRC 9, the official video game of the FIA World Rally Championship. The game is planned for release on September 3, 2020 on PlayStation®4, Xbox One and PC from the Epic Games Store, then on PlayStation®5, Xbox One Series X and Nintendo Switch™ at a later date.
Rediscover the Safari Rally Kenya gameplay trailer unveiled during NACON Connect:
WRC 9: Digital Deluxe edition – loaded with official content
TheDigital Deluxeedition ofWRC 9 includes everything fans can dream of for total immersion in the WRC experience. As well as the base game, players who can’t wait will get advance access to the game 48 hours before it officially releases on 1 September. The exclusive Digital Deluxe edition also includes a 3-month subscription to WRC +, the official video platform for the championship. It airs all stages of the season live and includes expert analysis, driver profiles and much more.
In addition, the WRC 9 Digital Deluxe edition includes 3 DLCs with even more official content:
A bonus car – the legendary Toyota Corolla WRC, the championship winning car in 1999, which has an impressive record of sealing a podium finish in 95% of the races it was involved in – a true icon in the hands of the most prestigious drivers!
A super special stage – the Barcelona Super Special Stage, one of the most technical of the season right in the heart of the city of Barcelona. With narrow roads and full of bends, it requires extreme concentration.
A head start – start WRC 9’s Career mode with more experienced staff to give the start to your professional driving career a boost.
Preorder bonus – The Audi Quattro A2 in the starting blocks!
The Audi Quattro A2 is a legendary car from the 1980s and one of the most popular of its time. A double world champion in both the Drivers and Manufacturers categories in 1984, it was the undisputed star of Group B. Players who preorder WRC 9 will get the chance to take the wheel of this iconic car and relive some of its best WRC moments! Immaculately recreated, the Audi Quattro A2 will provide fans with an extra challenge and even more fun hurtling down the roads.
WRC 9 will be available on September 3rd, 2020 on Xbox One, PS4™ and PC from the Epic Games Store. Release timing for Xbox Series X, PS5™ and Nintendo Switch will be announced at a later date.
With WRC 9, the passionate developers of the French studio KT Racing have pulled out all the stops to once again meet the high expectations of rally fans looking for tougher challenges and heightened realism. With an enhanced career mode and many technical improvements, players are thrust into the heart of the new FIA World Rally Championship season with all content in the yearly calendar and much more:
3 new rallies: Japan, New Zealand, Kenya
Over 50 official teams and their livery from the WRC, WRC 2, WRC 3 and Junior WRC
Over 15 bonus cars that have left their mark on the history of the WRC
Exclusive new game modes soon to be discovered
About Nacon NACON is a company of the BIGBEN Group founded in 2019 to optimize its know-how through strong synergies in the video game market. By bringing together its 8 development studios, the publishing of AA video games, the design and distribution of premium gaming devices, NACON focuses 20 years of expertise at the service of players. This new unified business unit strengthens NACON’s position in the market, enables it to innovate by creating new unique competitive advantages and achieve its ambition to become one of the world’s leading players in gaming. https://corporate.nacongaming.com/
About Kylotonn Created in 2006, Kylotonn is one the most important French video game development studios, also known under KT Racing label. Specialized in motorsports and official developer of the WRC FIA World Rally Championship series and Isle of Man Tourist Trophy, the company is internationally recognized for its know-how and for the passion of its teams. With more than 100 employees as of today in Paris and Lyon, Kylotonn has developed more than 25 titles distributed by major publishers. Kylotonn has forged itself a strong technological expertise thanks to the real-time 3D engine KT Engine that the company owns. At the forefront of the video game industry, this technology is also used within R&D partnerships on autonomous vehicle projects in the automotive industry. Since 2018, Bigben Interactive, one of Europe’s leading video game publishers, holds a 100% stake in the company. Kylotonn is member of the French National Developers Federation (Syndicat National du Jeu Vidéo) and Capital Games. The company is supported by BPI, IFCIC and the Ministry of Higher Education, Research and Innovation.
About WRC Promoter GmbH WRC Promoter GmbH is responsible for all commercial aspects of the FIA World Rally Championship, including TV production and the marketing of global media and sponsorship rights. The Promoter also has responsibility to increase the field of participants and to propose the venues that form the FIA WRC calendar. The World Rally Championship is the FIA’s premium rally series. WRC showcases authentic motorsport, high performance cars and the world’s best drivers competing in dramatic surroundings ranging from the ice and snow of Scandinavia to the blistering heat of Mexico. Established in its current format in 1973, WRC participants battle for the drivers’ and manufacturers’ world titles at 13 rallies spanning 15 countries and six continents. Additional championship information can be found at www.wrc.com and www.wrcplus.com.
by Allan Poore, Partner Group Program Manager, Project xCloud
What I love most about gaming is its ability to bring people to together. Whether playing with your family on the couch or with a group of friends scattered throughout the world, gaming helps fulfil one of our most basic needs: connection with one another. With many of us self-isolating and working from home, this connection is even more important.
Like many people, the Xbox and Project xCloud team has been adapting to the new environment we find ourselves in. We are having to change how we communicate, collaborate and connect with one another to maintain the inclusive environment we have worked hard to build.
The same is true with our developer community and we know firsthand the challenges that working from home presents. Specifically, many developers are unable to access their Xbox development kits. By not having access to their usual tools, game developers, artists, and designers may not be able to maintain the rapid iteration cycles needed to turn out new content for gamers. Many of the traditional Xbox remote access tools are designed to be used within an office environment; bringing developer kits home is often not an option and activities like playtesting and gameplay tuning require high frame rates and minimal latency.
We’ve set out to solve these remote access challenges by re-allocating our Project xCloud resources; going beyond mobile and creating a PC app experience for developers that runs a low-latency 60fps gaming experience that allows for continued game development. By giving developers access to our PC Content Test App (PC CTA) they can remotely connect to their Xbox Development Kits from their PC, allowing them to test, play and iterate as if they were in the office. It also prevents them from having to download daily builds to local hardware in the home, which can often take hours.
To date, developers across many of the biggest gaming studios have used the PC CTA to significantly improve their remote-working environment. We have received great feedback on the overall quality from those within Xbox Game Studios as well as from several of our third-party partners, including:
Eidos-Montréal
Infinity Ward
Ninja Theory
Playground Games
Rare
Turn 10 Studios
Undead Labs
Many of our partners were early adopters of this solution and shared this with the team:
“xCloud will give the opportunity to dev teams and also internal and external QA teams to put their hands on our latest game builds from everywhere minutes after their release. By allowing the teams to connect remotely to their devkits and take advantage of the high bandwidth LAN network from our various office locations, xCloud will also add another layer of security as the content created will stay on our corporate network.” – Guillaume Le-Malet, Infrastructure Director – Eidos-Montréal
“Our transition to work from home introduced some significant hurdles into our QA and development process. We went overnight from being able to test 2-3 builds daily to being limited to one build for the whole team, downloaded overnight. This was especially painful if that build failed in any way and could wipe out whole days. Using the PC Content Test app enables us to bring back our old workflows wholesale. Installs to kits on-site are now minutes rather than the hours it takes to download remotely, and we have the flexibility to react when something goes wrong.” – Sean Davies, Technical Director – Rare
Microsoft’s key principle is enabling people to achieve more, and our goal in Xbox has always been to bring gaming to more people. Whether it’s by offering up the latest games on a diverse set of platforms or enabling developers to work more effectively at home, we are always looking at ways to help our partners achieve more. We recently announced a new initiative from Azure to create a fast and secure build transfer solution for game developer working remotely, and now we’re offering even more ways to work remotely by using Project xCloud technology.
For Xbox developers interested in utilizing the PC CTA, start by contacting your Microsoft Program Representative who can grant you access. Once you have installed the application you can use the Direct Connect functionality to remotely access your Xbox Development Kit. From here you can use all the developer tools needed to develop your game such as performance simulations, network testing, system resource monitoring and general trouble shooting.
