New Fairy Tail Trailer Highlights Early Game

-

November 30, 2019

New Fairy Tail Trailer Highlights Early Game

A new trailer for the upcoming Fairy Tail game has been released by Koei Tecmo and it shows off various bits of gameplay from the early segments of the game, this includes everything from special moves to cinematic sequences, and even a few scenes from the manga that fans may recognize.

The trailer can be found below, where a number of characters are also shown off and some of the series’ signature fan-service, and the game itself is set for release worldwide sometime in 2020 for the PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch, and PC though it is currently unknown if the Western release will be released with English voice work.

VVVtunia Announced as Next Hyperdimension Neptunia Game

Travis Bruno

-

November 30, 2019

0

VVVtunia Announced as Next Hyperdimension Neptunia Game

Compile Heart has announced that they are working on a new game in the Hyperdimension Neptunia series for the PlayStation 4 and although it may be the series’ 10th anniversary when it releases in 2020, the game will be a spin-off story rather than a mainline entry in the franchise. The game, called VVVtunia, will see the four goddesses team up with a virtual idol unit with six idols in it named Mewtral to save the digital “Virtual Land.”

The planet “EMO” is facing a world destroying threat by the name of “Anti” and the goddess Fair summons the four goddeses from a seperate dimension into their own in an effort to save the planet. A teaser video announcing the game has been released and you can check it out below.

Machine Building Kitchen Game Neon Noodles out on Steam Early Access

Jamie Laike Tsui

-

November 30, 2019

0

Canadian indie developers Vivid Helix announced their automation puzzle game Neon Noodles is out now on Steam Early Access. Inspired by Zachtronics’ puzzle games like Opus Magnum, players will build a cyberpunk restaurant run by an army of robots that will prepare and cook over 100 recipes based on over 200 ingredients. Each action is coded using the record-and-replay system that allows for quick and easy editing.

Currently, the Steam Early Access build offers 27 puzzles in three settings. New content is expected to be added every few weeks until the 1.0 version launches in approximately six months time. The 1.0 version will mark the launch of the story campaign along with console versions of Neon Noodles.

Neon Noodles is currently priced at $14.99 USD/$21.50 AUD. The prices is expected to rise when the full game is released. For those weary about dropping money on an early access title, a free demo is available on the Steam store page.

SQUAD UP, RAIDS NOW AVAILABLE IN TOM CLANCY’S GHOST RECON® BREAKPOINT

Press Releases

Philip Federico

-

November 30, 2019

0

Team Up to Fight New Deadly Enemies in the Ghost Recon Franchise’s First-Ever Raid

Sydney, Australia — November 29, 2019 — Today, Ubisoft announced that Project Titan, the first raid in franchise history, is now available for free for all Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon^® Breakpoint players on the Xbox One family of devices including the Xbox One X, PlayStation^®4 computer entertainment system, Windows PC and UPLAY +, Ubisoft’s subscription service* starting November 28. Additionally, Project Titan will be available on Stadia, the new generation gaming platform from Google, starting later in 2019.

Project Titan introduces a four-player raid, which will test the teamwork and ability of the most experienced players as they take on the game’s toughest end-game challenge and face the most advanced Skell Technology drones, The Titans.

Project Titan takes place on Golem Island, an entirely new location off the coast of Auroa featuring unique environments full of sulfur, ashes and an active volcano. A faction of Wolves, called the Red Wolves, have taken over the island and refactored the AI to work on new lethal prototype drones. Ghosts will need to gather intel to find these drones, and push their skills to the limit to take them down.

To successfully complete a raid, players will need to destroy four bosses, Baal, Quantum Computer, Gargoyle and Cerberus, each with their own unique design and mechanics that will require tactical coordination and communication to overcome.

Players will need to assemble a full squad of four players with a Gear Level over 150 to access Project Titan. The raid will open with Normal difficulty and reward players with some of the best loot and gear in the game. The raid will be reset weekly, providing a fresh challenge to players by introducing objectives, enemy setups and rewards. In addition, Easy and Heroic difficulty modes will be introduced in early 2020. More information about Project Titan can be found here.

Project Titan is the first major content addition since the launch of Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon Breakpoint and follows a series of free updates which brought major improvements to the game. The latest patch, TU 1.03.1, notably introduced improvements on adaptive magazine pouches on tactical vests, the gender and face selection at any time as well as a variety of important bug fixes. Patch notes can be found here. The game will continue to receive regular updates in the coming months, in line with the commitment made in the Moving Forward letter to expand and improve the game based on player feedback.

For the latest news about Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon Breakpoint, please visit ghost-recon.ubisoft.com.

For the latest news about other Ubisoft games, please visit news.ubisoft.com.

*$19.95 AUD per month. Cancel anytime. More information at uplayplus.com.

About Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon Breakpoint

Developed by Ubisoft Paris,* Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon Breakpoint is a military shooter putting players in the boots of the Ghosts, an elite US Special Operations unit. Set in a diverse and hostile open world, Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon Breakpoint offers an entirely new adventure playable solo or in up to four-player co-op, as well as PvP at launch.

*In collaboration with Ubisoft Bucharest, Montpellier, Bordeaux, Odessa, Kiev, Belgrade and Milan studios.

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.

© 2019 Ubisoft Entertainment. All Rights Reserved. Tom Clancy’s, Ghost Recon, the Soldier Icon, Ubisoft, and the Ubisoft logo are registered or unregistered trademarks of Ubisoft Entertainment in the US and/or other countries. Stadia, the S logo, and related marks and logos are trademarks of Google LLC.

Atelier Ryza: Ever Darkness and the Secret Hideout Review

Travis Bruno

-

November 29, 2019

0

Atelier Ryza: Ever Darkness and the Secret Hideout

Developer: Gust
Publisher: Koei Tecmo
Platforms: PlayStation 4 (Reviewed), PC, Nintendo Switch
Release Date: Available Now
Price: $59.99 USD – Available Here $89.95 AUD – Available Here

Overview

2019 has been a very interesting year for Gust as not only has the developer released three Atelier games this year in the form of Atelier Lulua that continued the Arland storyline a bit and the spin-off Nelke and the Legendary Alchemists, but also the third game that has perhaps garnered the most attention of any of their previous Atelier games, Atelier Ryza: Ever Darkness and the Secret Hideout. This attention came primarily due to the developer taking a different approach to a main character both in attitude and design as the Reisalin Stout, better known as Ryza, brought with her a new attitude and some rather eye catching features. So now that this entry in the series has been released, is the game worth the attention that Ryza managed to pull in?

Story

Life in the country can be a boring one for someone with an adventurous spirit and when a young girl grows up and spends nearly her entire life taking care of a farm on a small remote island, it creates a girl longing for adventure and a rather tomboyish attitude. Such is the case with Reisalin Stout, better known around the island as Ryza, who dreams of adventure with her two childhood friends Lent and Tao. One day while hanging out and shirking her duties on the farm, Ryza and her friends take an abandoned boat to the mainland to try to spice things up and while venturing into an area where monsters reside may be adventurous enough for some, this trio isn’t prepared to let a few monsters get in their way.

This continues to be the case when they hear a girl named Klaudia in distress and save her from monsters. Seeking to protect their new friend, the group tries to return home only to find themselves needing rescuing from an even stronger creature. Only with the help of a passing alchemist named Empel and his mysterious companion Lila does the group manage to survive but this encounter sparks a new passion in Ryza. One for alchemy. With Klaudia staying in town with her father’s business, and Empel wanting to research mysterious ruins that Tao appears to have undeciphered books of, Ryza finds her world opening up as her skills as an alchemist continue to grow, and even Lent begins to learn from being trained by Lila.

Generally the Atelier series takes a slower approach to storytelling by focusing on the characters and their own journey and Atelier Ryza takes an even more close approach than normal as most initial problems simply fall into dealing with bullies or troubles within the family. Not only do players find Ryza just when she learns about alchemy and her own potential rather than already being well-versed in the craft but we also find a whole collection of characters looking to grow in their own ways. Ryza’s close friends and even the new ones she just met make for a great cast of characters and, although the specific character stories themselves are unfortunately separated from the standard release this time, they are still given plenty of time to shine and grow throughout the core storyline alongside Ryza.

There are also a few times the game can be a bit vague on progression, relying on an ever updating diary to point the way at times. This does mean that things can be a bit slow going, especially in this case as Ryza’s freshness to the world of alchemy and most of the world in general, but this slow start does settle into a solid storyline filled with charming characters led by Ryza who is probably one of the best protagonists the series has seen since Rorona.

Gameplay

Similar to past releases in the Atelier franchise, Atelier Ryza has made a number of changes to the three core mechanics in the game, with one undergoing a rather drastic change. These happen to be resource gathering, crafting items in Ryza’s atelier, and fighting against enemies and this last one is the one that has changed the most. It is worth mentioning for those who haven’t been around for recent entries, there is no time limit for story progression though passage of time does happen while exploring, fighting, and crafting items.

Players will find that rather than using a standard turn-based combat system this release has changed combat to focus entirely around another style best known as Active Time Battle (ATB). This means that the player’s party and the enemies will all take actions immediately when their turn arrives while combat continues on and if the player isn’t ready yet, their character will be left standing still until an action is taken while combat moves around them. This also means that players will also only have the option of directly controlling one character at a time in a fight, though it is possible to issue Action Orders eventually to tell your party to use certain attacks.

Another unique facet to the combat system is the usage of AP as both a method of using skills and powering up the party as a whole. AP is earned every time an attack is used and using skills with a character expends some of this AP but if the player manages to fill up their AP gauge it can instead be used to boost the party’s total basic combo chain and skill casting level. These various elements plus a few more such as being able to execute immediate attacks or skills if the player is in a pinch makes the fights in Atelier Ryza a faster paced affair that takes some time to get used to and more difficult as a result. This is by no means a bad thing as it helps keep players engaged in the action and, if things do end up being too difficult, there are a variety of difficulties to choose from.

When not in combat players will be spending the rest of their time exploring a lush and varied world where they can gather up various materials to bring back to Ryza’s room and craft together with her alchemy skills. Players will be able to gather various materials from a number of different places and similar to more recent games the usage of certain gathering tools will result in different materials depending on the location. Once the materials are gathered players will find that once again the item crafting system has been given an overhaul and although things may seem a bit more complicated at first glance, it is perhaps the most streamlined it has ever been to the point that players can even auto-fill the necessary ingredients if they don’t care too much about the quality or special effects the item will end up with. Of course, adding ingredients yourself allows for the better adjustment of elemental types, traits, and a higher quality of produced item but the option for streamlining things for newer players is a nice choice.

Alongside these standard features players will find that Atelier Ryza has a number of little extra features that have expanded a bit on the game. First is the fact that side-quests that used to simply be gathered up in one visit to the inn/tavern now have a more personal feeling to them as players will receive them from other people in Ryza’s village while the second is the ability to customize Ryza and friends’ little hideout with a variety of different furnishings, and finally the eventual option to “Rebuild” items that you have already created and strengthen them with new materials, perhaps pushing them to a higher level of quality or applying new traits in the process.

Visuals & Audio

Gust has taken a slightly different approach to the way the world in Atelier Ryza is designed and it is for the better as the environments the player explore are quite vibrant and lush with things to see while the character designs themselves remain as strong as ever. Combat animations are fluid though keeping track of some of the more flashier skills can be a bit difficult at times with every character fighting at the same time with the exception of larger finishing style skills that do pause battle for a cinematic. It is worth noting that while the character models and designs are improved, there does seem to be an unusually high amount of clipping at times so be prepared to see a few odd scenes where pieces of clothing or a weapon is clipping through a character.

Once again Koei Tecmo has chosen to release Atelier Ryza without an English dub of any kind and while the Japanese voice cast is great here, with Ryza’s voice actress really nailing her personality, it would be nice to hear an English cast again especially since combat dialogue is not subtitled in any way. As far as the soundtrack goes there are a number of great tracks mixed throughout the game with a few pieces of background music really standing out.

Overall

With the number of changes that Gust has made with Atelier Ryza: Ever Darkness and the Secret Hideout it feels like the developer is trying to reach out to those who may never have played an entry in the series before and thankfully they’ve managed to pull that off without actually hurting the game for longtime fans in the process. With a faster paced combat system that helps make fights more engaging and an alchemy system that longtime fans will still find plenty of depth in, Atelier Ryza: Ever Darkness and the Secret Hideout manages to tell a great story that even newcomers will be able to appreciate.

Capsule Computers review guidelines can be found here.

MEMBERS FROM DEADPOOL’S ‘MERCS FOR MONEY’ TEAM ENTER MARVEL FUTURE FIGHT IN ALL-NEW UPDATE

Press Releases

Philip Federico

-

November 29, 2019

0

MEMBERS FROM DEADPOOL’S ‘MERCS FOR MONEY’ TEAM ENTER MARVEL FUTURE FIGHT IN ALL-NEW UPDATE

Slapstick, Gorilla-Man, and Negasonic Teenage Warhead Added Along with New Uniforms and More

LOS ANGELES – NOV. 27, 2019 – Netmarble announced that a fan-favorite Super Hero team has been added to their popular mobile game MARVEL Future Fight. Deadpool is now joined by his top-tier mercenary team in the fight to save the universe, as new characters from the ‘Mercs for Money’ Super Hero team, along with new uniforms, upgrades and more, are now available for players to collect and experience in today’s update.

This month’s update introduces three new Super Heroes from the ‘Mercs for Money’ team for Agents to collect – Slapstick, Gorilla-Man, and Negasonic Teenage Warhead. A variety of uniforms are also available for players to earn, including Cable’s Cable & Deadpool uniform, Apocalypse’s Messiah Complex uniform, Deadpool’s Lady Deadpool uniform, and Domino’s Marvel Now uniform.

New content has also been added in today’s update, including adding Cable and Apocalypse to ‘World Boss Ultimate’ mode. Agents can up their game even further as Apocalypse can now be upgraded to Tier-3 to unlock his new ultimate skills. Apocalypse, Bullseye, Green Goblin, Punisher, Carnage, Phil Coulson, Kingpin, and Warwolf can now unlock the ‘Realize Potential’ functionality.

Other additions included in this update are new CTPs and new Comic Cards of Crescent & Io, Luna Snow, and White Fox all from Future Fight Firsts.

MARVEL Future Fight celebrated its four-year anniversary with over 100 million players across the world. The game is currently available worldwide in the App Store® and Google Play™.

For more information, please visit http://marvelfuturefight.netmarble.com.

# # #

About Netmarble Corporation

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, and the largest shareholder to Jam City, a leading casual social game developer, 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

About Marvel Entertainment

Marvel Entertainment, LLC, a wholly-owned subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company, is one of the world’s most prominent character-based entertainment companies, built on a proven library of more than 8,000 characters featured in a variety of media over eighty years. Marvel utilizes its character franchises in entertainment, licensing, publishing, games, and digital media.

App Store is a trademark of Apple Inc., registered in the US and other countries. App Store is a service mark of Apple Inc. Google Play is a trademark of Google Inc.

2K Announces $500,000 Donation to The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society®

Press Releases

Philip Federico

-

November 29, 2019

0

Sydney Australia – November 27, 2019 – 2K has today announced that the Company will donate $500,000 (USD) to The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society® (LLS) as the culmination of a partnership and fan activation surrounding the launch of WWE® 2K20 earlier this fall. The donation will support breakthrough blood cancer research to advance lifesaving treatments and critical support for patients and their families.

2K announced a partnership with LLS in September, aligning with the Company’s selection of WWE 2K20 cover Superstar and leukemia survivor Roman Reigns™. The combined efforts of 2K, WWE and Reigns will support LLS’s mission, including its new Children’s Initiative, a comprehensive effort to take on pediatric cancer through more research grants and expanded free education and support services. 2Kissued a call to action via the WWE Games Twitter account, urging consumers to retweet and spread the LLS message, as well as the donation link, with 2K committing to make a donation for every retweet – up to a maximum donation commitment of $500,000 (USD). 2K is happy to now confirm that the maximum amount of $500,000 (USD) will be donated.

“We are proud of the support our fans have shown to The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society,” said Chris Snyder, Vice President of Marketing for 2K. “With their retweets and personal contributions, our partnership with this great patient advocacy organization enables us to give back in a meaningful way and help save lives.”

In addition to its financial commitment, 2K will provide copies of Company-published video games to blood cancer patients, as well as coordinate visits with 2K personnel and WWE Superstars to LLS hospital partners. 2K previously hosted LLS leaders, patients and their families at a WWE 2K20 promotional event in Las Vegas in October, giving them an opportunity to play WWE 2K20 prior to its release. The attendees also met several WWE Superstars, including WWE 2K20 cover Superstars Roman Reigns and Becky Lynch ®. “I was honored to be among the first to preview this exciting new WWE 2K offering, and to personally thank 2K’s executives for their support for LLS,” stated Louis J. DeGennaro, PhD, LLS President and Chief Executive Officer. “We are grateful to our partners at WWE and Roman Reigns for introducing us to 2K and their legions of fans, as we aim to create widespread awareness for our mission, and our significant investment in cutting-edge research to advance new treatments and cures for cancer patients, including children with cancer and their parents.”

Developed by Visual Concepts, a 2K studio, WWE 2K20 is rated “T” for Teen by the ESRB. WWE 2K20 is now available worldwide for the PS4™ system, Xbox One and Windows PC. For more information on WWE 2K20 and 2K, visit wwe.2k.com, become a fan on Facebook, follow the game on Twitter and Instagram using the hashtag #WWE2K20 or subscribe on YouTube.

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 WWE

WWE, a publicly traded company (NYSE: WWE), is an integrated media organization and recognized leader in global entertainment. The company consists of a portfolio of businesses that create and deliver original content 52 weeks a year to a global audience. WWE is committed to family-friendly entertainment on its television programming, pay-per-view, digital media and publishing platforms. WWE’s TV-PG, family-friendly programming can be seen in more than 800 million homes worldwide in 28 languages. WWE Network, the first-ever 24/7 over-the-top premium network that includes all live pay-per-views, scheduled programming and a massive video-on-demand library, is currently available in more than 180 countries. The company is headquartered in Stamford, Conn., with offices in New York, Los Angeles, London, Mexico City, Mumbai, Shanghai, Singapore, Dubai, Munich and Tokyo.

Additional information on WWE (NYSE: WWE) can be found at wwe.com and corporate.wwe.com. For information on our global activities, go to http://www.wwe.com/worldwide/.

Trademarks: All WWE programming, talent names, images, likenesses, slogans, wrestling moves, trademarks, logos and copyrights are the exclusive property of WWE and its subsidiaries. All other trademarks, logos and copyrights are the property of their respective owners.

Forward-Looking Statements:

This press release contains forward-looking statements pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, which are subject to various risks and uncertainties. These risks and uncertainties include, without limitation, risks relating to: entering, maintaining and renewing major distribution and event agreements; WWE Network (including the risk that we are unable to attract, retain and renew subscribers); our need to continue to develop creative and entertaining programs and events; the possibility of a decline in the popularity of our brand of sports entertainment; the continued importance of key performers and the services of Vincent K. McMahon; possible adverse changes in the regulatory atmosphere and related private sector initiatives; the highly competitive, rapidly changing and increasingly fragmented nature of the markets in which we operate and greater financial resources or marketplace presence of many of our competitors; uncertainties associated with international markets including possible disruptions and reputational risks; our difficulty or inability to promote and conduct our live events and/or other businesses if we do not comply with applicable regulations; our dependence on our intellectual property rights, our need to protect those rights, and the risks of our infringement of others’ intellectual property rights; the complexity of our rights agreements across distribution mechanisms and geographical areas; potential substantial liability in the event of accidents or injuries occurring during our physically demanding events including,

without limitation, claims alleging traumatic brain injury; large public events as well as travel to and from such events; our feature film business; our expansion into new or complementary businesses and/or strategic investments; our computer systems and online operations; privacy norms and regulations; a possible decline in general economic conditions and disruption in financial markets; our accounts receivable; our indebtedness including our convertible notes; litigation; our potential failure to meet market expectations for our financial performance, which could adversely affect our stock; Vincent K. McMahon exercises control over our affairs, and his interests may conflict with the holders of our Class A common stock; a substantial number of shares are eligible for sale by the McMahons and the sale, or the perception of possible sales, of those shares could lower our stock price; and the volatility of our Class A common stock. In addition, our dividend is dependent on a number of factors, including, among other things, our liquidity and historical and projected cash flow, strategic plan (including alternative uses of capital), our financial results and condition, contractual and legal restrictions on the payment of dividends (including under our revolving credit facility), general economic and competitive conditions and such other factors as our Board of Directors may consider relevant. Forward-looking statements made by the Company speak only as of the date made and are subject to change without any obligation on the part of the Company to update or revise them. Undue reliance should not be placed on these statements. For more information about risks and uncertainties associated with the Company’s business, please refer to the “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” and “Risk Factors” sections of the Company’s SEC filings, including, but not limited to, our annual report on Form 10-K and quarterly reports on Form 10-Q.

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 and 2K Silicon Valley. 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.

*According to 2008 – 2019 Metacritic.com

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,” “should,” “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, including the risks summarized in the section entitled “Risk Factors,” the Company’s most recent Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q, and the Company’s other periodic filings with the SEC, which can be accessed at http://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.

About the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society

The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society® (LLS) is a global leader in the fight against cancer. The LLS mission: Cure leukemia, lymphoma, Hodgkin’s disease and myeloma, and improve the quality of life of patients and their families. LLS funds lifesaving blood cancer research around the world, provides free information and support services, and is the voice for all blood cancer patients seeking access to quality, affordable, coordinated care.

Founded in 1949 and headquartered in Rye Brook, NY, LLS has chapters throughout the United States and Canada. To learn more, visit www.LLS.org. Patients should contact the Information Resource Center at (800) 955-4572, Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. ET.

For additional information visit lls.org/lls-newsnetwork. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

THE FORCE IS STRONG WITH STAR WARS JEDI: FALLEN ORDERTM

Press Releases

Philip Federico

-

November 29, 2019

0

In the First Two Weeks, EA Achieves Fastest-Selling Digital Launch for a Star Wars Game Ever, Becomes EA’s Top-Selling Star Wars Title on PC in its Initial Launch Window.

Australia – November 27, 2019 – Today Electronic Arts Inc. (NASDAQ: EA), Respawn Entertainment and Lucasfilm announced that the critically acclaimed Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order™ is the fastest-selling digital launch for a Star Wars game in its first two weeks. The game is also now EA’s top-selling Star Wars title on PC in its initial launch window.

Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order is a critical success as well as being the highest rated Star Wars game of this console generation. Business Insider exclaims that Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order is “the best Star Wars game ever made,” while GameSpot calls it “one of the most compelling game additions to the Star Wars franchise in years.” GQ notes that the game “lives up to the hype,” while IGN says it is, “an all-around amazing game” in their 9.0 out of 10 review.

“On behalf of Respawn and EA, we thank everyone for their support of the studio and the team throughout the development and launch of Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order. Telling a story in the Star Wars galaxy is a dream come true and the reception from the fans has been incredible,” said Vince Zampella, Head of Respawn. “With the launch of the game, the debut of The Mandalorian and the upcoming release of Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, it’s a great time to be a Star Wars fan!”

“Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order demonstrates the amazing potential for original storytelling in Star Wars games,” said Sean Shoptaw, SVP, Games and Interactive Experiences, Disney Parks, Experiences and Products. “The close collaboration between Respawn and Lucasfilm is a perfect example of how we can deliver an experience for fans that is authentic to the stories and worlds they love, while also being an incredibly fun and innovative game. With the fantastic reception and launch so far, Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order has proven to be the must-play game this Holiday.”

In Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order, players take on the role of Cal Kestis, a former Padawan hiding in plain sight after the Jedi were all but wiped out after Order 66 was executed by The Emperor. When he’s forced on the run, Cal is quickly met by his companions Cere Junda, a former Jedi Knight played by Debra Wilson and Greez, the larger-than-life Latero pilot voiced by Daniel Roebuck, who flies the crew’s ship known as the Stinger Mantis. BD-1, Cal’s faithful droid that’s as charming as he is useful, will help players navigate and explore diverse planets including the Wookiee homeworld, Kashyyyk, and the never-before-seen planet Zeffo. Cal and his companions are trying to stay one step ahead of the Empire and his new enemy, the Inquisition’s Second Sister, while they unravel a mystery tied to an ancient alien civilisation that could help rebuild the Jedi Order.

Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order is now available both digitally and in stores on the Xbox One, PlayStation®4 and PC via Origin™, Steam and the Epic Games Store. Origin Access Premier subscribers will get full access to Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order Deluxe Edition on PC for as long as they are subscribed. For more information on Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order, please visit: https://www.ea.com/games/starwars/jedi-fallen-order.

About Electronic Arts

Electronic Arts (NASDAQ: EA) is a global leader in digital interactive entertainment. The Company develops and delivers games, content and online services for Internet-connected consoles, mobile devices and personal computers.

In fiscal year 2019, EA posted GAAP net revenue of $4.95 billion. Headquartered in Redwood City, California, EA is recognised for a portfolio of critically acclaimed, high-quality brands such as EA SPORTS™ FIFA, Battlefield™, Apex Legends™, The Sims™, Madden NFL, Need for Speed™, Titanfall™ and Plants vs. Zombies™. More information about EA is available at www.ea.com/news.

EA SPORTS, Origin, Battlefield, Apex Legends, The Sims, Need for Speed, Titanfall and Plants vs. Zombies are trademarks of Electronic Arts Inc. John Madden, NFL, and FIFA are the property of their respective owners and used with permission. “PlayStation” is a registered trademark of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc.

Lucasfilm, the Lucasfilm logo, STAR WARS and related properties are trademarks and/or copyrights, in the United States and other countries, of Lucasfilm Ltd. and/or its affiliates. © & TM Lucasfilm Ltd. All rights reserved.

Winter Fury: Longest Road Storms Over Early Access, Launches Fully December 18

Press Releases

Philip Federico

-

November 29, 2019

0

Winter Fury: Longest Road Storms Over Early Access, Launches Fully December 18

DALLAS — 27 Nov. 2019 — Winter Fury: Longest Road, the VR tank action and first-person shooter from former Activision and THQ developers at SpiderMonk Entertainment and publisher 10th Reality, advances onto the battlefront with a full launch December 18, playable on HTC Vive, Oculus Rift, Valve Index, and Windows Mixed Reality.

Saddle up in a World War II-era experimental M-4 Sherman tank and take the fight to the Axis. The brand-new first-person Tank Commander mode allows players to experience tank combat from the inside of the M-4 cockpit. Fend off both enemy armor and infantry while peeking out of the hatch to monitor threats coming from all sides. Clash with the Third Reich with devastating cannon shells and .50 caliber machinegun fire.

For a more personal touch, exit the tank entirely for ground battles. Get hands-on with historical armaments including Tommy guns, BARs, American Bazookas, and ever-reliable grenades. Line up precise pot-shots with the sniper rifle for long-distance engagements. Whittle the opposition down one-by-one as they desperately try to hold back the Allies’ advance to each new flagged checkpoint.

Sow freedom throughout the countryside in The Longest Road mode. Assume the gunner position and take aim at enemies coming from all directions as the tank automatically moves from checkpoint to checkpoint. Available at launch, a new periscope option allows players to step back into the tank to shell out destruction while the tank escorts players between objectives.

Formidable foes with rehauled AI are capable of flanking and taking cover across the countryside and through war-torn cityscapes. Witness the wake of devastation left by the M-4’s arsenal with satisfyingly destructible environments. Encounter colossal bosses including Tiger Tanks, attack planes and even coastal destroyer ships and triumph over each mounting threat the German forces deploy.

“Winter Fury: Longest Road’s Tank Commander Mode changes the game entirely,” said Scott March, founder of SpiderMonk Entertainment. “Immersing yourself in the boots of tank operators and seeing through their eyes is both humbling and intense.”

Winter Fury: Longest Road is available now in English on Steam Early Access for $19.99 and launches on VR headsets December 18.

About SpiderMonk Entertainment

Home to industry veterans from Activision, 3D Realms, THQ and multiple game awards, SpiderMonk Entertainment was founded to create games where every team member has creative input and is free from the crunch that the industry is used to. They aim to deliver games with creativity where players have fun.

For more information, please visit their website and follow them on Twitter.

Pokemon Sword Review

Travis Bruno

-

November 28, 2019

0

Pokemon Sword

Developer: Game Freak
Publisher: Nintendo
Platform: Nintendo Switch
Release Date: Available Now
Price: $59.99 USD – Available Here $79.95 AUD – Available Here

Overview

For over twenty years the Pokemon franchise has captured the hearts of audiences worldwide with Game Freak holding the reins through every main title release on Nintendo’s most popular handhelds. Through the years we’ve seen various spin-offs in different forms, a few of which have landed on Nintendo consoles, but through the years Pokemon has been a handheld franchise with an ever growing roster to capture and train. Now with Pokemon Sword and its counterpart Pokemon Shield being the first brand new games in the series to arrive on an actual console, as portable as it might be, how has the company handled the transition to the Nintendo Switch?

Story

Players take on the role of a trainer that they create right out of the gate and find themselves beginning their journey in the Galar region. Here the gym challenges are treated like a festival event with every Gym Leader being a popular celebrity that battles against challengers in a massive stadium in front of a packed audience. With matches broadcast across the region the current “Unbeatable Champion” Leon has grown incredibly popular and garnered a massive amount of sponsors that he wears on his cape. Even with his popularity Leon isn’t one to forget where he came from and it is here that the player’s journey begins as Leon’s younger brother, Hop, happens to be your close friend and neighbor. With Leon returning home, the champion chooses to sponsor both the player and Hop and allow them to take on the Gym Challenge and even gives the player their first pokemon, choosing between the fire type Scorbunny, grass type Grookey, and water type Sobble.

After obtaining their starter and returning home to say goodbye to their mother, a local Wooloo smashes down a gate leading towards a mysterious area where dangerous pokemon are said to roam. Despite the warning, the player and Hop venture into danger and after encountering a mysterious untouchable pokemon in the wild, the pair pass out and are rescued by Leon. Despite this odd encounter the Gym Challenge begins as players travel through the Galar region where they encounter a variety of other gym challengers besides Hop and learn of a myth that happened in the past called The Darkest Day where pokemon suddenly turned giant and rampaged around the land only for a hero wielding a sword and shield to put a stop to it all but there may be some truth to this legend.

Pokemon Sword doesn’t really try to break new ground when it comes to telling its story here though it does make a few scratches that are unfortunately only left at surface level. The core story focuses entirely around the player taking on eight different gyms and obtaining their badges before progressing to face off against the champion but these scratches come in the form of character development and some world building that never really develops deeper than simply being mentioned outside of the aforementioned “Darkest Day.” Numerous Galarian pokemon variants have references to the environmental destruction happening in the world but outside of a few Pokedex entries it takes quite some time for this topic to even be mentioned and even then is left unresolved in any form.

With no real “rival” group to face off against players only deal with other gym challengers, one of which happens to have some obnoxious fans that follow her that even she scolds when getting in the way but we see many of these gym challengers, especially Hop, grow a bit over the course of the story as they deal with a few of their problems but rarely do these sections actually shine as they generally end on a weak note. One thing that is nice to see is that the gym leaders in the game also do appear in various parts of the core story as well, sometimes taking direct action, allowing them to appear more as actual characters rather than one and done boss battles.

Gameplay

In many ways Pokemon Sword plays similar to any standard Pokemone experience as players are initially set on a route path where various other trainers can be battled and wild pokemon hide in the tall grass, though this time around pokemon do appear in the overworld on their own and can even chase after the player in standard routes. In a rather unique fashion, some pokemon in various routes only appear through random encounters in the grass compared to the overworld appearances so those looking to catch certain types will need to explore a bit further. Speaking of exploration, Pokemon Sword only follows the standard pathing formula for a bit before players are introduced to one of this entries’ biggest new features, the Wild Area.

Before players even reach the first major town they are treated to the Wild Area and given nearly full reign over what they want to see. Players will find wild pokemon roaming around grass, popping up in the middle of a pathway, swimming around the various ponds and waterways, and even a few occasionally appearing in the sky. The Wild Area feels like what fans have wanted for quite some time and while it does manage to deliver in many regards, it also falls short in quite a few others.

When connected online in the Wild Area players will see other trainers traveling around the area, popping in and out of the game while riding bikes on land and water, inside camp tents where they can be visited by the player, and waiting for raids but being online with others also leads to a severe performance drop. While traveling alone the game runs fairly well in the Wild Area with only a few random hiccups happening here and there, or a Pokemon spawning on top of the player, but online the game will suffer from extreme slowdown at one point turning the game into a slideshow for a few moments before catching up.

That being said, Pokemon Sword opens up an entire area to the player nearly right out of the gate and gives them a chance to potentially build a team with more variation than ever before in the early game. Yes, Game Freak has removed over half of the Pokedex from the game but this doesn’t really become much of an issue, at least at first, since so many pokemon types, both brand new and old, are introduced so quickly. Even the aforementioned Galarian forms of returning pokemon have a breath of fresh air to them compared to some of the more standard Alolan forms we have seen in the past, especially since more than Gen 1 has been given time to shine in that regard. In fact there are even a variety of new ways that some Pokemon need to be evolved this time around that players wouldn’t expect so the excitement of venturing into a new route or area in the Wild Area is still quite prominent even with there being less to actually find this time around thanks to how varied the type introductions are and how many pokemon are initially available for capture.

For the most part, battling in Pokemon Sword remains the same as ever before, though there is the nice addition of having moves labeled whether they are effective or not if the player is fighting a known pokemon. The biggest change comes in the form of the new mechanic that combines a few others that have come before, Dynamaxing. In Galar pokemon are able to Dynamax to a massive size but can only do so in gym battles, in Max Raid battles, and fights against other players either online or locally. Dynamax, or Gigantamax for a select few pokemon, lasts for three turns and comes with a massive stat boost and transforms every move the pokemon knows into a powerful move of that elemental type. Unfortunately if a fire type pokemon only knows fire moves, this does mean that every attack will do the exact same thing, though the aforementioned Gigantamax pokemon do gain access to special G-Max moves which is a nice touch.

Another nice touch is this game’s take on bonding with your Pokemon. While previously players could interact with one at a time and feed various treats, Pokemon Sword has a camping system where their entire party is allowed to roam free while the player’s camera is in first person. Here they can play various types of fetch, dangle a feather toy, and simply talk with their party members as well as make curry. As for why curry was chosen as a dish in a game that is so heavily steeped in the United Kingdom is beyond me but players can cook various types of curry using different ingredients and completing a couple of short mini-games and depending on how well they’ve done, the better the curry will be in not only increasing your pokemon’s bonds but also healing them at the same time.

Of course there are a number of downsides in regards to the choices that Game Freak has made this time around. While previously only traded pokemon would not listen to the player if they didn’t have enough badges, the actual pokemon players can even catch this time around is also hard locked to how many badges they have. While there is some sense in this, as they wouldn’t want players catching a level 50 Snorlax by luck before fighting the first gym, it is frustrating that even if the player’s own pokemon are strong enough to beat a higher level opponent, they are impossible to actually catch. Along those same lines, there is an unfortunate side effect to the Wild Area being so open and the Pokedex being limited and that is there is basically no real exploration outside of the extremely linear story pathway.

While it is fun to travel around the Wild Area, there are no optional dungeons or caves to explore, puzzles to solve, or even random encounters and once the player beats the game, there is almost no end game worth talking about outside of the Battle Tower where players can test their mettle against an ever stronger group of trainers. There are “Max Raids” that players can take part in in the Wild Area that they’ve already had access to before but these come with their own problems that can be attributed to the poor online service. This means that Pokemon Sword, alongside Pokemon Shield, have probably the weakest amount of actual content found in a mainline entry in many years.

The online service itself has more than its fair share of issues as well and they are at their worst during the aforementioned Max Raids. Now a Max Raid is triggered by approaching one of many glowing rock formations scattered throughout the Wild Area and players will form a team of four to take down a massive Dynamaxed pokemon with there being a time and faint limit on the player’s party. Unfortunately thanks to the game’s atrocious online mechanics players will almost always need to rely on randomly selected NPCs (who can occasionally bring Magikarp) to fill out the roster. Only one time throughout my lengthy time in Pokemon Sword did I ever manage to have other people join a raid despite trying countless times and waiting the full three minutes and don’t even bother trying to join someone else’s Max Raid as an error message will always appear.

The “Y-comm” that is used for the game’s online system is quite annoying more than helpful as any time the player is connected to the internet they will see various notification badges appearing in the corner. These represent other players performing various actions such as performing “Surprise Trades” that trade a pokemon from your party and randomly trade it with another stranger, a standard Link Trade, or even whether they’ve camped, cooked curry, or caught a Pokemon. They also feature the aforementioned Max Raid notifications but just like before, trying to join one through one of these pop ups is a fruitless endeavor and even if you try to filter results, it doesn’t work anyways. This leaves players with an online connection that often feels like it takes away from the game, both in performance and immersion, than anything else.

Visuals & Audio

Many have wondered just how Game Freak would manage on a stronger platform and now that Pokemon Sword has been released, the results are something of a mixed bag. The design of the world itself during all of the linear paths and routes is gorgeous, with towns being a real highlight here, and some of the brand new pokemon designs are really great to see, with some nice variety mixed into the bunch and there is no slowdown in actual fights anymore, even when players are fighting in the middle of a gym with two Dynamaxed pokemon.

On the other hand, traveling through the Wild Area and witnessing many Pokemon actually fighting can be a rough looking affair. Despite there being different biomes and weather types in the Wild Area much of the environmental designs in these areas are incredibly rough and simplistic at best. Pokemon animations are also a bit on the rougher side when it comes to some of the moves they unleash. Most moves look fine and a few even have some special animations but more than a handful of very common attacks have the most barebones animations possible that look almost worse than their original 3DS appearance.

Thankfully the game does feature an amazing sounding soundtrack with plenty of familiar tunes that have been remixed and upgraded for release on a home console. Pokemon cries are familiar and clear sounding though that is the only semblance of talking in the game as there is still no voice work of any kind.

Overall

Many wondered just how Game Freak would handle a full blown console release and Pokemon Sword shows that they need a little more experience when it comes to a console RPG. The same experience and joy of training up a fresh team of pokemon including plenty of brand new faces and interesting variations of familiar forms and taking on gym battles that have some unique challenges to them is still there and at times feels better than ever, even if it is the easiest it has ever been. Unfortunately some of the worst online implementation the series has seen so far, an anemic amount of content outside of the storyline, and plenty of graphical issues drag down the experience as a whole. Leaving us with a game that still hits many of the favorite notes that Pokemon fans have loved throughout the years but also a fair share of problems that hamper it from being the great console debut that they had hoped for.

Capsule Computers review guidelines can be found here.