MAJOR SPLATOON 2 UPDATE FEATURES NEW X RANK, TONS OF NEW GEAR AND THE RETURN OF CALLIE
The free software update is available now
26th April, 2018 – Some fresh and free new content is available now for Splatoon 2 on Nintendo Switch. After downloading a major new update (Version 3.0.0) for Splatoon 2, players will have access to a huge amount of new features. This new content includes the introduction of a challenging new X Rank for the top-performing players in Ranked Battle, the addition of more than 100 pieces of new and returning gear, weapon balance adjustments, and the return of Callie of the famous Squid Sisters.
X Rank is an extremely challenging Ranked Battle experience targeting the best-of-the-best players. Players who are S+10 in the current Splatoon 2 ranking system will automatically be registered as X Rank after downloading the update. Players who are X Rank will battle for an X Power level. Players with similar X Power levels will be matched together even within the same X Rank. Once a month, 500 players with the highest X Power level for each of the four different Ranked Battle modes will be announced in the SplatNet2 section of the Nintendo Switch Online app for mobile devices.
Along with this ranking announcement, X Power levels will be reset every month. During this reset, players whose X Power level ends up lower than a set threshold will rank down to S+9. This new system encourages players of all ranks to enjoy improving their play and maintaining their skills, as opposed to simply focusing on ranking up.
The first X Power reset is currently scheduled for 31st May and any future resets will take place on the first day of the month. As a part of these periodic resets, the rotation of 8 selected stages in each mode – with 2 stages rotating every 2 hours – the addition of new weapons and the introduction of new stages will also occur. The update tomorrow will also see the return of the popular stage Camp Triggerfish, along with four additional weapons.
In addition to X Rank, this new update adds more than 100 pieces of gear – some new, some returning from the original Splatoon – as well as new songs from Chirpy Chips, a popular in-game chiptune-style band featured in the first game. The update will also include some weapon balance adjustments, bug fixes and other changes.
The software update also marks the long-awaited return of Callie of the famous Squid Sisters. Once players meet a certain condition after downloading the update, Callie will appear in Tentakeel Outpost in Octo Canyon. Callie will also offer recent multiplayer stats about the player’s character.
In other Splatoon 2-related news, the 2018 AUNZ Splatoon 2 Cup recently came to a close on 21st April, and it was team Yeah Nah who came out on top with a 5-0 victory against ScarthAce in the final. Yeah Nah will now represent Australia and New Zealand on the biggest stage of all, at the Splatoon 2 World Championship from 11th – 12th June in Los Angeles. They’ll be up against the top teams from the U.S. and Canada, Europe and Japan – can they emerge victorious on the world stage?
A major new update (Version 3.0.0) for Splatoon 2 is available now, including the introduction of a challenging new X Rank for the top-performing players in Ranked Battle, the addition of more than 100 pieces of new and returning gear, weapon balance adjustments and the return of Callie of the famous Squid Sisters. On 21st April, team Yeah Nah were crowned as Australian and New Zealand champions and will now compete at the Splatoon 2 World Championship which takes place from 11th – 12th June in Los Angeles
THE INFINITY WAR BEGINS TODAY IN MARVEL FUTURE FIGHT
Latest Game Update Features Costumes, Stages, and More Inspired by the upcoming film, Marvel Studios’ Avengers: Infinity War
Seoul, Korea (April 26, 2018) – With the theatrical release of Marvel Studios’ Avengers: Infinity War, Netmarble Corporation, the fastest-growing mobile game company worldwide, today released a new Infinity War-themed update for its hit mobile game MARVEL Future Fight.
The update added new movie-inspired costumes for Super Heroes and Super Villains including Captain America, Iron Man, Spider-Man, Black Widow, Groot, Thor, Winter Soldier, Corvus Glaive, Proxima Midnight, and Thanos himself. It also implemented a new movie-themed Legendary Battle, introducing three new stages featuring characters and recreated locations from the film, including the Sanctum Sanctorum, Wakanda, and Titan.
The latest game update also adds new ways for players to grow and level up their characters. Certain characters have a Potential function added where players can search and open the Potential by clearing the World Boss content. Enhancing this Potential allows players to increase the character’s maximum level along with the gear enhancement level. Once the character reaches the maximum level and maximum gear level, it can be advanced to Tier-3 where additional stats and new skills can be earned.
Furthermore, a “Raid Level” system has been newly added to the World Boss content where players can increase the Raid Level by clearing World Boss stages to earn extra boost effects in the World Boss content. The World Boss Ultimate content has also been renewed with a new stage with Proxima Midnight (Marvel Studios’ Avengers: Infinity War) added as a boss.
Other improvements like menu consolidation, design improvements, and a quick menu addition have been made to increase convenience.
“We are incredibly excited for the arrival of Marvel Studios’ Avengers: Infinity War in theaters and bringing special movie-inspired in-game content to the game,” said Seungwon Lee, Chief Global Officer at Netmarble. “We hope MARVEL Future Fight players continue to enjoy the content that we have prepared in this update.”
MARVEL Future Fight is available worldwide on the App Store® and Google Play™.
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 the fastest-growing mobile game company and consistently ranks as a top mobile developer and publisher worldwide. With more than 4,000 employees, Netmarble has been producing and servicing some of the most successful mobile games including Lineage 2: Revolution, MARVEL Future Fight, 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 E&M 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 Studios’ “Avengers: Infinity War”
An unprecedented cinematic journey ten years in the making and spanning the entire Marvel Cinematic Universe, Marvel Studios’ “Avengers: Infinity War” brings to the screen the ultimate, deadliest showdown of all time. The Avengers and their Super Hero allies must be willing to sacrifice all in an attempt to defeat the powerful Thanos before his blitz of devastation and ruin puts an end to the universe.
Anthony and Joe Russo direct the film, which is produced by Kevin Feige. Louis D’Esposito, Victoria Alonso, Michael Grillo, Trinh Tran, Jon Favreau, James Gunn, and Stan Lee are the executive producers. Christopher Markus & Stephen McFeely wrote the screenplay. “Avengers: Infinity War” releases in U.S. theaters on April 27, 2018.
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.
’39 Days to Mars’ Now Available on Steam, Humble and itch.io
Solve co-op puzzles on a Victorian-era adventure to the Red Planet for PC, Mac and Linux
April 25th, 2018 — Indie developer It’s Anecdotal is proud to announce its co-op steampunk puzzle-adventure game 39 Days to Mars is now available for $14.99 (on sale for $13.49 during launch week) on Steam, Humble Store and itch.io!
39 Days to Mars is a 1-2 player co-operative adventure game set in an alternate reality some 150 years in the past. You play as Sir Albert Wickes and The Right Honourable Clarence Baxter, two 19th century explorers who are piloting the HMS Fearful — a masterpiece of unreliable engineering — on its maiden voyage to Mars. Single-player adventuring and puzzle-solving can be had as well, with the ship’s computer-controlled cat there to keep you company.
When the steam engine runs out of coal, the ship’s aforementioned cat shreds the navigation chart, and the tea gets cold, it becomes clear that interstellar transportation isn’t a walk in the park. It will take the talents of two working together on a mix of puzzles and action sequences to get to Mars in one piece (let alone in 39 days).
39 Days to Mars is available on Windows, Mac and Linux platforms. A console release is also in the works for later this year.
It’s Anecdotal is the one-person indie development studio of Philip Buchanan. Having previously worked on titles such as Lara Croft GO and Hitman GO, Philip is now focused on bringing small indie titles to life. Working out of Montreal, Canada; and Christchurch, New Zealand, his aim is to produce concise games that give memorable experiences and have strong atmosphere.
Remaster of Bullet Witch Casts and Blasts onto PCs Today
Dispatch Dangerous Demons by Gun or by Spell in PC Release of the Xbox 360 Cult Favorite, Complete with All DLC
Torrance, Calif. — April 25, 2018 — XSEED Games, the independent-minded publishing brand of Marvelous USA, Inc., today announced that the remaster of the Xbox 360 cult favorite, Bullet Witch, is now live on PC and available digitally on Steam and the Humble Store by Humble Bundle with a 10% launch week discount from its regular selling price of $14.99, €14.99, and £12.99. The PC release of Bullet Witch comes complete with updated visuals and graphical options including uncapped framerate to support modern PCs and includes all DLC costumes and bonus missions for free.
KEY FEATURES
This Is My Broomstick – Alicia’s gunrod can transform on the fly into four different weapons, each of which can be enchanted for extra punch and special perks. Mow down enemies to charge her magic meter then can call down thunderbolts, tornadoes and even meteors to blast the rest of them to kingdom come. Few gaming heroines have ever wielded as much raw power as Alicia at her peak.
The Path Of Destruction – Nothing is safe from Alicia’s wrath, least of all the environment around her. Her magic can tear the roofs off of buildings, ignite an entire gas station, or level towers. If any enemies survive, use her telekinesis on the rubble to throw it at them and crush them flat.
Alicia Is Not Alone – Alicia’s strength and bravery will inspire the battle-hardened resistance fighters around her, and soon enough they’ll fight by her side. Use her magic to keep them alive and they just might return the favor.
About Bullet Witch
First came the calamities of nature: earthquakes and plagues. Then came the calamites of mankind: rioting and war. But neither could have prepared humanity for what followed – a literal army of demons marching out of the gates of Hell to exterminate what remained of society. Armed with supernaturally enhanced military hardware and driven by pure evil, humanity’s extinction seemed all but inevitable. However, tales of a woman in black with a long gun like a witch’s broom and magical powers to match circulated amongst survivors. They told stories of battles so intense that whole city blocks were leveled, leaving regiments of demons riddled with smoldering bullet holes. They whispered rumors of this woman sharing her own blood to save wounded victims’ lives. It’s said she can even control the elements and summon clouds of ravens to do her bidding. Her name is Alicia and while her past is a mystery and nobody knows where she came from, she may be humanity’s last shot at surviving this apocalypse.
Originally released for the Xbox 360 in 2006, Bullet Witch offered a unique combination of Japanese dark-fantasy aesthetics and Western-style military action. This hidden gem is back and ready for action on Windows PC for a new generation of gamers with a host of visual and quality of life improvements fit for the modern gamer. Take control of Alicia and her powerful, multi-purpose gunrod to lay waste to demonic foes by bullet or spell, even using the surrounding environment as part of your arsenal. All cosmetic and content DLC is included in this re-release, providing access to all in-game costumes immediately and bonus missions following the conclusion of the campaign.
Published for Windows PC worldwide by XSEED Games, Bullet Witch released digitally on Steam and the Humble Store by Humble Bundle on April 25, 2018 with a 10% launch week discount from its regular selling price of $14.99, €14.99, and £12.99. This PC release of the title has not been rated by the ESRB.
Additional information about Bullet Witch can be found on its official product website at http://bulletwitch.com. For more information on XSEED Games products, please visit www.xseedgames.com. Fans can also follow XSEED Games on Facebook, on Twitter, and via their localization blogs on Tumblr.
About XSEED Games:
XSEED Games is the independent-minded publishing brand of Marvelous USA, Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Marvelous Inc., which is a publicly-traded company listed in the First Section of the Tokyo Stock Exchange. Formed in 2004 and located in Torrance, California, XSEED Games publishes interactive entertainment content for PC and consoles from the Marvelous portfolio as well as from a wide variety of third-party partners. Whether it’s Marvelous properties such as STORY OF SEASONS (Bokujo Monogatari), SENRAN KAGURA, and Rune Factory, or third-party titles such as the Corpse Party, AKIBA’S TRIP, or The Legend of Heroes: Trails series, XSEED Games has grown its reputation among gamers with its critically acclaimed localizations and commitment to fans, remaining ever dedicated to its “indie spirit, player-first” approach.
Klotzen! Panzer Battles is an upcoming turn based strategy game that re-imagines World War II with its branching campaign. Players take control of the Axis forces as they attempt to hold out against the invading Allied armies. The game is set to launch on Steam in Summer 2018 (Winter 2018 in the Southern Hemisphere). We had a chance to chat with Maxim Games Founder and Game Designer Zoran Stanic about game development, history, and Klotzen! Panzer Battles.
World War II is an incredibly popular setting for video games. What are some of the design decisions that makes Klotzen! Panzer Battles unique?
There are quite a few –the most important one is strategic bombing. Since historically supply was coming either through railroad or ports, bombing any town on the supply chain decreases a chance the supply will reach units at the end. This effect is not visible for light bombing as units can absorb some disruption, but a dedicated bombing campaign has a potential to paralyze ALL the units on the map, or a sizable portion of them. Therefore, the defender will need to carefully balance between protecting the frontline and protecting the major supply chain hubs. The second game mechanic is an air interdiction, by which we consider attacking exposed moving columns, Normandy-style. By placing an air unit over enemy units, you force the opponent to either sit in the trenches and the forests or risk the air attacks interrupting any movement in the open. There is a chance a unit will not get attacked, but if it does, the attacking planes receive a nasty bonus to damage. I believe this brings air power much closer to how it was actually employed.
Another major addition is the bombing of the airfields. Planes are always considered based on some airfield, and even if they are away on the mission they do receive damage if their airfield is attacked.
This gives a lot of flexibility to the player on how to use his air power, allowing lots of surprise moves and it helps to keep the game unpredictable.
Another major change is airplane range – planes have a range around the airfield and they can move and attack in any hex in that range during one turn. This gives both more flexibility and unpredictability to the air power, which was its main asset in WW2 – the possibility to strike at any target over thousands of square kilometers. Since fighters have a significantly shorter range, the attacking player must choose to either limit the bombing range to the range of fighter escorts, or to risk unescorted bombers, but over a four to eight times larger area to pick the targets from. In this way capturing of the enemy airfields to provide fighter cover becomes a necessity and spreads the attackers focus.
Commanders and generals with custom skills and flaws will add a lot of customization to the experience – both for the whole army and each unit.
A lot of effort was put into making ship combat feel realistic. I think players will have a much better feeling of ship to ship combat than in Panzer General for example.
Also, a lot of thought was put into increasing replayability, and I think players will appreciate it. Scenarios start with different starting conditions so replay value should be high. There are lots of minor differences that will make for a different wargaming experience – for example unit commanders and generals, each with unique skill sets, and other unique mechanics to explore and use.
Part of the popularity of the World War II setting is the richness of material. How did Maxim Games choose which battles, what if scenarios, and units to portray in the game?
Most of it was there well ahead of making this game. I actually started working on a game only after reading all that I could get my hands on, and because I was not satisfied with how Panzer General handled some things. So there was this creative streak that forced me into doing Klotzen 😊. The first scenario list I made had over 100 maps, so I had to cut it down to 65 which is still almost too much for a small studio. There was a lot of inspiration waiting to come out, and lots of scenarios I wanted to cover. Some are simply given of course – Poland, Case Blue etc. Also, my initial Poland map design differs from what is currently in the game, simply because you can’t throw a 100-unit map that early into the campaign. Same is with the units – the T-34, the Sherman or a Tiger are a must. For the rest we were considering mostly impact on the war or impact a unit could have made if the ‘what-if’ scenario occurred. So we have a lot of units that were just prototypes. But we covered probably all historical units that had any impact on the war.
Are there any World War II games, books, or movies that inspired the team or the game directly?
Without a doubt, Panzer General. I love that game and am still impressed with how it manages to make gameplay feel close to how WW2 battles played out. Another is Unity of Command, with how it captured the essence of encirclement battles of WW2 and the importance of the railroads for supply. Panzer Corps showed that you can make a successful 2D game in this era. I have studied WW2 from the early age, and I got a book for my tenth birthday. It was about 3000 years of sea battles. I guess that was the most influential. Also, there would not be this game without Memoirs of a Solider/Panzer Leader by Heinz Guderian. I decided to make a game using supply system after reading his motivations to develop Blitzkrieg (to cut of enemy supply, stop him from fighting without killing him).
War strategy games likeKlotzen! Panzer Battles can be difficult for new players to learn. What are you doing to ease the learning curve for new players?
We are mostly aiming at experienced players – our battles will be large and complex. But the inherent simplicity of the Panzer General rules that we are basing our game on should make the game approachable and easy to learn. I always admired the games that are simple to learn and difficult to master. I think we managed to do that with Klotzen. There are a lot of options for a player, and it will probably take a few playthroughs to learn how to utilize them all. We also have a few easy first missions with tutorials to introduce players to basic and new concepts.
The problem with what if scenarios are the initial outcomes are easy to predict, but the long-term repercussions are anyone’s guess. What was the creative process for imagining the results of Klotzen! Panzer Battles’ alternate history scenarios?
Completely true. I’ve read a book “If the Allies Had Fallen” about major alternative scenarios of WW2, and I was surprised how the most established authors shy away from concluding that anything would change. I have a feeling that in at least a few scenarios they were simply too afraid to explore the consequences of what could have happened, since they would then have to defend it against their colleagues. Once history turns in another direction, the entire war with all the battles gets overwritten. I spent hundreds of hours reading discussions about alternative history scenarios on different forums and subreddits. We had to cut some corners there or the battle count in Klotzen could have easily been in the hundreds. We also took some artistic freedom about what the chances for some scenarios were. But with some constraints, and lots of research it’s doable and I think players will enjoy our large branching campaign with lots of what-if scenarios.
Striking the balance between historical accuracy and enjoyable gameplay is a never-ending challenge for developers creating games based on historical events. What are some realistic mechanics Maxim Games wanted to incorporate in the game during the design phase? Were there any realistic features that sounded great on paper but had to be axed because they were no fun?
Oh my god yes. Luckily, we managed to put in most of it, but there were some defeats.
Basically, the whole game is only half of the game I envisioned and started working on. Luckily, I realized it was way too ambitious. Supply, commanders and planes were my main concerns, and I think they now work great. Also, AI is still in the works, but I think it is already very good and will be able to handle battles of maneuver. I wanted to make morale much more pronounced, but in the end I went with the very limited version since it would be to unbalancing. I wanted to make the first battle much more important for the personnel experience than the rest (trial by fire) but again, it would favor the Germans too much.
Another one I am very sad about is naval combat – land battles lasted for days, and naval battles mere hours, and I wanted to model this. But any way I tried ended being worse than the Panzer Generals turn based one. So I axed doing fleet combat as a mini-turn-based game interrupted between the turns and had to be content with just an upgraded ship damage system.
Klotzen! Panzer Battles offers a high level of customization, from the individual unit all the way up to the entire army. What are some of the challenges that come with balancing such a large game?
It simply boils down to testing time available. I had to choose between increased replayability and balance and I went with a less balanced but unpredictable game. I think it will be loads more fun to play. It will lead to some frustration as in some combinations opponents will have the advantage, but the added fun factor and the unpredictability of battles will make it worth it I believe.
Besides the never-ending quest of bug stomping and game balancing, what are Maxim Games’ post-launch plans for Klotzen! Panzer Battles?
There are a few roads we can take, but it will very likely be support for other platforms, then DLCs (I have idea for 3 great ones!), and then possibly Klotzen 2, based on the initial idea for Klotzen 1 we had to axe because it was WAY too ambitious.
Community made content is a great way to ensure a game’s replayability long after a game is released. How powerful is the scenario editor compared to the developer tools? Do you have plans for mod support?
We are creating all of our maps in scenario editor, and it will be included with the game. We are planning the game around mod support but it’s still too early to tell if we’ll be able to pull it off on the release.
With digital distribution and crowdfunding, the romantic idea of developing your own indie game is in reach of more people than ever before. What are some of the less glamorous and challenging aspects of developing your own indie game that most people don’t consider? What about some unexpected benefits?
Actually, having indie development within the reach of lot of people is also its greatest problem – profits are falling rapidly, and a huge percentage of people are struggling to make end’s meet. This is especially true for strategy games, and lots of studios close. Financing is difficult to obtain, and usually personal money is involved, so this is a great and scary risk. We always hear only stories of the people that made it, but 9 out of 10 people fail and lose a lot of money and time. I have a family and failure would be much more painful in my case compared to a student for example. I see a lot of people doing indie dev “only to make a game” and I think it’s the completely wrong approach – if you are not making money, you are not contributing to the world enough. I think it is a hint a person should start doing something more profitable/useful.
As for the benefits, the most important one is the great people you meet. I’ve just returned from a Reboot Develop conference and it was a fantastic experience.
Also, it is usually pretty easy to find a job with a decent game in your CV. And finishing a project this big “raises you a few levels” in a professional way, to use a RPG terminology.
FURNACE AND RIPOSTE GAMES & COANNOUNCE DUNGEON STARS AVAILABLE NOW ON STEAM EARLY ACCESS
DUNGEON STARS EARLY ACCESS LAUNCH TRAILER REVEALED!
Montreal, April 26, 2018 – Riposte Games & Co and Furnace Games today announced that their side scrolling hack & slash dungeon crawler, Dungeon Stars, will be available for PC via Steam Early Access starting on April 26, 2018 for $14.99.
Dungeon Stars is an explosive evolution of the classic dungeon crawler with addictive button-smashing action set in a world populated by lovable characters, a beautifully rich 3D environment, rapid progression and procedurally generated levels.
“It is great to see the indie development team born from our partnership with Furnace Games taking their first step towards a bigger audience and we are excited to see the progress and how player feedback shapes Dungeon Stars in the coming months in Early Access.” said Johan Eile, CEO of Riposte Games & Co.
Key Features available with the Early Access launch of Dungeon Stars are:
– Visually stunning blend of 3D lighting technology with hyper expressive 2D-Style characters.
Collect 15 charming and adventurous heroes, each with their own unique powers and special quests to perform. Team them up to take on various challenges.
– Simple and addictive action-combat that has heroes blasting through hordes of enemies.
Block powerful enemy attacks, Smash through enemy shields, and unleash rapid Attacks to deal damage as fast as possible. As you defeat enemies, you power up your Special Abilities to turn the tables on dangerous opponents and powerful Bosses.
– Powerful pets and gear creating a variety of magical combinations and capabilities to explore.
Level-up your heroes to unlock abilities and boost their stats; equip magic gems and pets to give them new powers; customize your heroes to match your play style.
– 40+ adventures with special procedural content that bolsters replay and exploration.
Random encounters, secret rooms and loot are never the same twice.
– Choose from 3 different heroes to play with.
Switch heroes on the fly and assign them to your squad depending on the ability you need to face your enemies, defeat the boss and complete the dungeon.
Platform: Windows PC (support for other platforms is under consideration)
During the Early Access period, participants will help shape the final details of Dungeon Stars and provide invaluable input as the title rolls to a full launch. As we are not yet feature complete, gamers can expect a number of new features, optimizations, and enhancements to be released during and after the Early Access period. These include, but are not limited to, new dungeons, new modes, new bosses, and new characters.
Players are encouraged to visit the Official Dungeon Stars Forum and leave their Early Access feedback:
Dungeon Stars is developed by FURNACE GAMES for PC and is available now on Steam Early Access.
More news on the Dungeon Stars Full Release will be made available in the coming months.
Stay up-to-date with the latest Dungeon Starsnews and information atfurnacegames.com. You can also keep track of the game on Facebook.
## About Riposte Games & Co.
Founded in 2014, Riposte Games & Co (formerly Cloudcade Canada) has emerged as a development powerhouse for mid core F2P games on mobile, PC, and Web. Over the last few years the team has developed and released top performing games across all platforms, including the titles Shop Heroes, Swords & Potions, and Card Monsters. Led by a group of savvy video game professionals, the company is built on a rock solid foundation that combines technology and art to create a fantastic player experience.
About Furnace Games
Furnace Games was founded by Jim Montgomery and Allan Ditzig and is based in Dallas TX. The team is composed of an award-winning group of game makers with decades of collective experience and 6 years working together on hit games. The team has a proven track record of creating successful franchises on console, PC and mobile platforms. With more than 40 combined years of experience across genres and consoles, including work on hit titles like Mortal Kombat, Dark Age of Camelot, CastleVille and Dungeon Boss.
PC Building Simulator Sells a Very Real 100,000 Copies in Its First Month
We heard you liked building PCs so we built a game about building PCs so you can play it on the PC you built
LONDON – April 25, 2018 – UK-based independent game publisher The Irregular Corporation announced today that its virtual PC building title, PC Building Simulator, has sold more than 100,000 copies in its first month on Steam Early Access.
The demo, originally created by Claudiu Kiss, enjoyed viral success in 2017 and was the 3rd most downloaded free Itchi.io title that that year. Launched last month as a fully-fledged simulator the title enjoyed critical praise from the global tech and games community for its attention to detail, realism and sheer fun factor.
Stuart Morton, producer at The Irregular Corporation said,, “The overwhelming support we have had from the PC gaming and building community has been nothing short of phenomenal and we are extremely grateful to all the players who have been so passionately providing feedback, this is the whole reason we wanted to launch into Early Access. There are plenty of new and exciting things to come for PC Building Simulator and we can’t wait to share them with our ever-expanding community.”
The Irregular Corporation is continuously working to update the title with new hardware and software partners and enhancements as it rounds the bases to its 1.0 launch, scheduled for later this year.
In PC Building Simulator, players can create their own PC empire in career mode. From simple diagnosis and repairs to bespoke, boutique creations that any gamer would love to have, the sky’s the limit. With an ever-expanding marketplace full of real-world and realistically priced components you can finally stop dreaming of that ultimate PC and get out there, construct it in Free Build mode and see how it performs.
Hardware manufacturers such as MSI, CORSAIR, COOLER MASTER, EVGA, NZXT, ARCTIC, SILVERSTONE, RAIJINTEK, TEAM GROUP LTD and more have allowed true-to-life models of their products to be included. More partners will be added throughout the game’s early access period and beyond. In addition to the hardware partners, PC Building Simulator have also teamed up with UL Benchmarks (formerly Futuremark) so players can benchmark their in-game systems using a simulation of 3DMark.
Fans can purchase PC Building Simulator on Steam for £14.99/$19.99/€19.99. For more information on PC Building Simulator, please visit: http://www.pcbuildingsim.com/. Follow PC Building Simulator on Twitter, YouTube and Facebook for the latest news and updates.
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The Irregular Corporation is a British games publisher, based in London. Founded by industry veterans based in the UK, their focus is on creating and supporting original games for niche markets and communities. Since March 2017, the company has been working on Sailaway: The Sailing Simulator for PC, which recently had its full release after evolving in Early Access. The publisher also recently announced that they’re working on the experimental-adventure title Under a Porcelain Sun from Studio Oleomingus.
Uncover the Puzzling Secrets of Lake Ridden With May 10 Release on Windows PC and Mac
Malmö, Sweden – April 25, 2018 – The enigmatic Lake Ridden, an atmospheric, story-driven, puzzle mystery from Swedish indie team Midnight Hub (ex-Mojang, Paradox) is coming to Windows PC and Mac via Steam and GOG.com on May 10. Blending adventure, mystery and first-person puzzle-solving, Lake Ridden’s rich narrative structure complements its imaginative time-bending challenges!
The warm summer is giving way to the first signs of autumn. You are Marie, a 13-year-old girl who, reluctantly, decides to join her younger sister and friends for one last camping weekend in the wilderness. But what begins as the perfect goodbye to summer quickly takes an unexpected turn after an argument with your sister ends with her running off into the forest. While searching for her, you stumble upon an old forgotten estate…
Through narrative-driven, first-person gameplay, you must find clues, solve puzzles, discover secrets and interact with mysterious residents to find your sister and escape Lake Ridden.
Sara Casen, CEO and producer at Midnight Hub, said, “We’re super excited for you to play Lake Ridden! We quit our jobs at the big companies to get a chance to develop this beautiful, puzzling world for you. We’ve basically been four developers in a room doing this for the past two years. It may have been tough at times, but I truly feel we managed to create something fantastic with Lake Ridden! So it’s all been worth it.”
Lake Ridden Features:
Experience a rich narrative in a beautiful, atmospheric setting.
Uncover an old estate filled with mysteries, explore a stunning forest and experience a thrilling time-bending adventure.
Solve tricky puzzles and look for clues as you investigate your sister’s disappearance.
About Midnight Hub
Midnight Hub was formed in 2015 by Johan Bernhardsson, Erik Nilsson and Sara Casén. Before forming Midnight Hub, the founders worked at game companies such as Mojang, Paradox and Massive. The studio is currently a crew of five and, together with various skilled collaborators, hard at work with the upcoming mystery game Lake Ridden for PC.
BANDAI NAMCO ENTERTAINMENT AMERICA INC. ANNOUNCES 11-11: MEMORIES RETOLD FROM AARDMAN STUDIOS AND DIGIXART
Two Master Craft Studios Collaborate to Create an Artistic and Emotional Story-Driven World War I Experience
SANTA CLARA, Calif., (April 25, 2018) – Leading interactive entertainment developer and publisher, BANDAI NAMCO Entertainment America Inc., today announces a collaboration with world famous Aardman Animation Studios and DigixArt to create 11-11: MEMORIES RETOLD, a story-driven narrative adventure, presented within a breathtaking art style reminiscent of paintings, that will deliver a wholly unique experience. 11-11: MEMORIES RETOLD will be available for the PlayStation®4 computer entertainment system, Xbox One, and PC via STEAM®.
11-11: MEMORIES RETOLD brings together amazing talents from game and animation studios, along with top music production, and narration to create a grippingly emotional story experienced through the lens of World War I.
“Engaging audiences with compelling stories through animation is at the heart of what we are trying to do at Aardman. With this project we want to produce an emotionally rich experience with distinctive visual character to help you understand what war is all about.” – Dave Sproxton, Founder, Aardman
“11:11: MEMORIES RETOLD is a very special game at many levels. From the painted style to the emotional journey we create for the player to revive their heritage, we are pushing the boundaries of what a game can be and hope it will leave a mark on you.” – Yoan Fanise, Game Director, DigixArt
“We are thrilled to be able to partner with the incredibly talented teams at Aardman Studios and DigixArt. Their passion and vision behind the sorts of emotions video games can illicit is very exciting to witness.” – Eric Hartness, Vice President of Marketing, BANDAI NAMCO Entertainment America Inc.
BANDAI NAMCO Entertainment America Inc., part of BANDAI NAMCO Holdings Inc., is a leading global publisher and developer of interactive entertainment for all major video game consoles, iOS, Android, and online platforms. The company is known for creating and publishing many of the industry’s top video game franchises including PAC-MAN®, GALAGA®, TEKKEN®, SOULCALIBUR®, and ACE COMBAT®. BANDAI NAMCO Entertainment America Inc. is the premier publisher in the Western hemisphere for anime-based video games including NARUTO SHIPPUDEN™, DRAGON BALL Z®, and ONE PIECE®. More information about the company and its products can be found at http://www.bandainamcoent.com or www.facebook.com/BandaiNamcoUS
About Aardman Animation Limited
Aardman Animations, Ltd., also known as Aardman Studios, or simply as Aardman, is a British animation studio founded in 1972 and based in Bristol. Aardman is best-known for films made using stop-motion clay animation techniques, particularly those featuring plasticine characters Wallace and Gromit. For more information please visit http://www.aardman.com/.
About DigixArt
DigixArt is a video game development studio founded in 2015 in Montpellier, South of France. It’s located in the famous innovation incubator Cap Omega. Its ambition is to offer meaningful and innovative gaming experiences to a wide audience. After the success of the first game Lost in Harmony™ in 2016, the team is bringing its experience to a second project on HD platforms. For more information about DigixArt please visit http://www.digixart.com/.
NEW PIXIES, MECHA SUITS, AND EVENTS IN EPIC STRATEGY RPG MASTER OF ETERNITY
Nexon’s Immersive Strategy Role-playing Game (SRPG) Master of Eternity Delivers First Ever Content Update
Seoul – April 25, 2018 – Master of Eternity (M.O.E.), the addictive strategy role-playing game from NEXON Korea Corporation, subsidiary of NEXON Co., Ltd. (“Nexon”) (3659.TO), delivers its first ever content update today. M.O.E. pairs cute Pixies with fierce mecha suits to explore, battle and raid the game’s immersive universe. Players will have the opportunity to meet an adorable all-new Pixie, level up their mecha suits, and participate in new events in Master of Eternity’s new update, available worldwide on iOS and Android.
Master of Eternity explores a vast universe plagued by a galactic war fought between bands of eccentric Pixies, commanding unique and powerful mechas to engage rivals, foes and even friends. Today’s content update includes:
Exclusive New Pixie – Latest addition to the Master of Eternity crew is Madi, a kind and loveable Pixie;
Updated Mecha Suits – The US Rating Suit is now obtainable by evolving the S3 Grade Suit;
Special Event – large-scale in-game special event to celebrate the content update;
Additional Content – even more new chapters and temples for players to enjoy.
The Master of Eternity content update is available now for iPhone and Android. Additional information for members of the press:
Visit the official Master of Eternity Facebook page
About NEXON Co. Ltd. NEXON Co., Ltd. (“Nexon”) (3659.TO) is a worldwide leader in free-to-play online and mobile games. Founded in Korea in 1994, Nexon developed one of the world’s first graphics-based massively multiplayer online games. Nexon also pioneered the concept of microtransactions and the free-to-play business model, setting a new standard in which play is free, and users have the option to purchase in-game items to enhance their experience. Nexon currently services nearly 100 titles in more than 190 countries. The Company is headquartered in Tokyo, Japan and its shares are listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange.
