THQ Nordic to swap participation at E3 for the 2018 FIFA World Cup
See you at Gamescom 2018 and PAX West instead
Vienna, Austria, April 13th 2018; It is with great regret that we at THQ Nordic must report that we will be unable to miss a single moment of this great sporting event. Therefore, we will be forced to stay in our lovely Viennese beer gardens, blowing the froth off a couple, watching football and one or two cool press conferences on Twitch (looking at you, Devolver) instead of rocking it ourselves.
We have to admit, we are going to miss our 9 AM pint of beer in the „Ye Olde King’s Head“-Pub in Santa Monica, where they show all matches live, but with the World Cup being held in Russia, it would mean a 7 AM beer – that’s too early, even for Austrians, let alone the Swedes.
We are looking forward to presenting all our great upcoming games like Darksiders 3, Biomutant, Fade to Silence or Wreckfest and even some unannounced titles for the first time at gamescom in Cologne, Germany and shortly after at PAX West in Seattle!
Big Ant Studios Announces AO International Tennis – Featuring Rafael Nadal, The World’s #1 Player
Overhauled gameplay, new features driven by community feedback, and introducing Big Ant’s biggest innovation yet: PlayFace™
MELBOURNE, Australia – April 12, 2018 –Big Ant Studios has today announced AO International Tennis for release on May 8, 2018. Featuring world #1 Rafael Nadal, AO International Tennis offers the most comprehensive feature set of any tennis game ever made, giving players unprecedented control over how they play their favorite sport.
Additionally, AO International Tennis will be the first game to be enhanced with PlayFace™, Big Ant’s in-depth character creator software that gives users the ability to create photorealistic likenesses in-game.
“Tennis fans are passionate about their sport and made it clear what they wanted to see in a tennis game,” said Big Ant CEO Ross Symons. “Building on our previous titles, we’ve made adjustments and significant additions to meet those expectations. We’re incredibly committed to the sport of tennis and proud of the results. We believe that what players will see and do in AO International Tennis will impress even the most diehard fan.”
“Each year, the eyes of the world turn to Melbourne Park for the Australian Open for the start of the tennis calendar, and 2018 was no different,” said Tennis Australia CEO and Australian Open Tournament Director Craig Tiley. “We’re excited to be able to give fans from around the world the chance to experience the Australian Open from their own homes with AO International Tennis.”
AO International Tennis’ key feature set is outlined below:
PlayFace™
Big Ant has always been known for its comprehensive player creator options, but PlayFace™ takes things to the next level. Through this PC-based companion app, users will be able to take real-world photography of themselves or their friends, and then integrate the faces from those photos onto character models, effectively meaning that through AO International Tennis, a user can put their photorealistic likeness directly into the game. These creations can then be uploaded to the Big Ant servers and downloaded with full cross-platform support to the PlayStation®4 or Xbox One versions of AO International Tennis.
This app is completely free to use and is available now from www.bigant.com/AOTool, meaning that fans can get themselves on the servers and ready for download from day one.
Play Around The World
Play glamorous and prestigious tournaments all over the world on all court surfaces. Take the title in singles, doubles or mixed doubles. Select your favorite player – or play as yourself through an entire career, all the way to #1 and the biggest championships of them all.
Play On Hard, Grass Or Clay Courts
Play on your surface of choice; each has a distinct play style and presents different challenges. Master the techniques required for each, and adjust your approach to truly excel.
Customize Matches!
Play an epic 5-set Grand Slam final, or play with one of the more experimental formats, like Fast Four, for a quicker tennis game. Or design your own! AO International Tennis is all about customization, allowing you to play your game your way.
Venue Creator – Design Your Own Championships
Enhance any mode with custom stadiums created in a unique venue by either yourself or others in the community. From your local courts to a renowned international stadium, the editor allows you to tailor countless elements and share your creations online.
Don’t stop at a single court, either; create an entire venue with multiple courts. Customize the main, outside and show courts, and create your dream park for hosting a tennis championship.
Licensed To Offer A Depth Of Tennis Experiences
AO International Tennis includes plenty of fully licensed players, including Rafael Nadal and Angelique Kerber. Tennis isn’t just about the superstars; you’ll be able to take on some of the future heroes of the sport, such as Hyeon Chung, Naomi Osaka and many more, and follow their heroics through the very biggest tournaments.
Career Mode – Play Hard And Reach The Coveted #1 Ranking
Start out as a star, or work your way from the bottom, climbing through the rankings all the way to #1 in the world. There are hundreds of tournaments that occur every year – are you able to replicate the success of one of the great tennis champions to select the right tournaments to play in, and then perform well enough at those tournaments to get the ranking points you need to get into that top 100, then top 50, top 10, and finally #1, playing against the world’s best?
Logo And Clothing Creators – Look Great As You Play
Comprehensive clothing and logo creators allow you to be “sponsored” by your workplace or favorite company. Replicate any kind of tennis fashion that you might have seen right into the game. Download and share your favorite creations through the community, which is continuously growing with player-generated content.
Prove You’re The Best In The World
Challenge the world and become the world champion from the comfort of your living room. Full online leaderboards track your progress and win/loss records for extra bragging rights.
Learn The Ropes As You Play
AO International Tennis is a serious simulation of the sport, so we’ve included a tutorial to get you into the game and hitting winners off both sides of the court quickly and easily.
“The enhancements that we’re bringing to AO International Tennis offer a deeper, richer and more varied experience,” Symons said. “The refinement, polish and enhanced feature sets that we’ve been able to bring to tennis will really give fans the ability to play their sport their way.”
AO International Tennis launches on May 8, 2018, for PlayStation®4 and Xbox One. Purchasers of the original AO Tennis will be able to upgrade to this new edition for free via a patch on the same day.
Big Ant Studios Pty Ltd, a privately owned and operated independent game developer and publisher, is one of Australia’s largest and longest-running game development studios. Founded in 2001, it has developed and published games from historic platforms, including the Game Boy Advance and PlayStation®Portable, through to modern consoles, including the PlayStation®4 and Xbox One. Big Ant is best known for producing high-quality niche sports titles, and has developed and released bestselling titles based on AFL, Rugby League, Motorsports, Lacrosse and Cricket.
A new well-known character joins the SOULCALIBUR VI roster as BANDAI NAMCO Entertainment Europe today welcomed Siegfried! SOULCALIBUR VI will be launched in 2018 for PlayStation®4, Xbox One and PC Digital via STEAM® and other distributors.
After losing to Kilik and his comrades in the form of Nightmare, Siegfried awoke in an unfamiliar place and he is now unable to free himself from the unforgiving memories of his time spent as the cursed sword’s puppet. The memory of having killed his own father is haunting him. His true nightmare had only just begun…Full of regrets, he is looking for redemption and he desperately wants to free himself from the cursed sword’s grasp!
About BANDAI NAMCO Entertainment Europe S.A.S. BANDAI NAMCO Entertainment Europe S.A.S., 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™, ACE COMBAT™ and DARK SOULS™. BANDAI NAMCO Entertainment Europe is the premier publisher for anime based video games including NARUTO SHIPPUDEN™, DRAGON BALL™, and ONE PIECE™. More information about the company and its products can be found at http://www.bandainamcoent.eu or www.facebook.com/BandaiNamcoEU
Ode to Street Art – Sneak ‘n’ Paint ‘em Up Puzzler Vandals Released Today for Steam, iOS and Android
Launch trailer shows details of the turn-based puzzle game by indie studio Cosmografik and publisher ARTE
Paris, France – April 12, 2018 – ARTE is pleased to confirm that the turn-based puzzle game Vandals is available today for iOS and Android, priced at €4.49/£3.99/$5.49, and on Steam (PC, Mac) at €4.49/£3.99/$5.99. Vandals lets players explore the street art of five different cities, create their own artwork, and evade the authorities. Along the way, the evolution of street art can be uncovered including works by Keith Haring and Blek Le Rat.
“Vandals was born when I started to create my own street art with my collective, RaspouTeam,” said interactive designer Théo Le Du Fuentes, aka Cosmografik. “From there, I wanted to put the stresses inherent with illegal painting, the anxiety of being caught, and of course the pleasure that is covering the urban grey in bright, volatile pigments, into a video game. And so, this is Vandals: my first game set in the world of undercover urban arts.”
Players in Vandals need to sneak past police, cameras and dogs to successfully complete stencil-style graffiti designs. Aspiring artists can discover the work of real-life, iconic street artists, and learn how they have influenced urban culture in the some of the most street art-rich cities in the world, including Paris, New York, Berlin, Tokyo and Sao Paulo.
Vandals is made by the French indie developer Cosmografik, whose previous title, Type:Rider, earned highly positive reviews and has been downloaded more than 1,7 million times. Vandals can be played in English, French, German, Spanish and Italian. Players can get a taste of the game’s Paris levels by downloading a sample version from the ARTE website: vandals.arte.tv/en.
ARTE has previously acted as a co-producer for titles such as the multi-award winning Bury me, my Love, which recently won the European Google Play Indie Award. The renowned European TV and digital network is now venturing deeper into the games industry, and is looking forward to developing its portfolio with Vandals and further upcoming titles including Homo Machina.
Vandals is produced by EX NIHILO in coproduction with ARTE France and developed in partnership with Novelab.
About ARTE
Created in 1992, ARTE is a public service European culture channel and digital network with a focus on creation and innovation. In the last decade, ARTE has co-produced a number of major interactive works, including the games Type:Rider, Californium, SENS VR and Bury me, my Love. www.arte.tv/videogames, Twitter (Arte France) and Twitter (Arte Interactif).
About Cosmografik
Cosmografik is the brand of Paris-based interactive designer Théo Le Du Fuentes, whose work covers video games as well as animation and toys. His previous game, Type:Rider, earned highly positive reviews and has been downloaded more than 1.7 million times since 2013.Together with a team of creatives, Cosmografik is currently developing Vandals, a turn-based puzzle game about street art, which released on April 12, 2018. Find more information at the official website and Twitter.
About EX NIHILO
EX NIHILO is a collective focused on the production and promotion of feature films, creative documentaries, animated films, and Interactive works. The team is united by shared values, focused on unique perspectives and the appreciation of cultural and political sensitivities surrounding every project.
EX NIHILO’s New Media productions featured the awards winning video game Type:Rider and the VR experience Notes On Blindness.
About Novelab
Novelab is a Creative Tech studio established in 2013 by AudioGaming SAS, a company specialized in next generation audio and interactive tools for movies, tv, anime and video games.
Novelab is specialized in the creation of high quality interactive experiences and has garnered international prizes like the Tribeca Storyscapes Award and the New Frontier selection at prestigious Sundance Film Festival.
Immortal players on Xbox One, Playstation 4 and PC meet the new hybrid Grovewalker class
It is morphing time in Action MMO Skyforge as the ‘Overgrowth’ update arrives on all platforms, and with it, the new Grovewalker class. The Grovewalkers are a hybrid class, taking on the role of powerful mages as well as frontline tanks. In caster form the class wields a legendary staff to safeguard its allies, draining the life force from its opponents while dealing surprising amounts of damage. But when the situation asks for it, the Grovewalker can morph into its “Living Armor” and smash even the toughest enemies into submission. A sight to behold and a hulking feature that will transform combat in Skyforge forever.
Besides a brand-new class, ‘Overgrowth’ will also let players rediscover Skyforge’s game world, with a new difficulty level for its adventures and a completely new challenge system!
Challenge System
Immortals will find a new ‘Challenges’ tab in the game. Here players will find all completed tasks and points earned by their characters, including platform specific ones. The unfinished challenges will give them hints on what to do next and maybe even show players parts of Skyforge they may have missed before. The first tasks will be quite simple, but with the release of subsequent updates, more unique challenges will appear in the list. Players can show off their progression with special titles and compare challenge points with friends!
New difficulty levels
Sometimes, a hard adventure is not hard enough. The most logical next step is to create a full blown ‘nightmare difficulty’ for Immortals to sink their teeth in! Players can challenge themselves and their whole Pantheon, Skyforge’s Guilds, in this new difficulty setting.
WARHAMMER VERMINTIDE 2 SURPASSES ONE MILLION SOLD UNITS
If the Skaven and Chaos had a hard time with 500,000 heroes – here are 1,000,000!
STOCKHOLM, SWEDEN – April 12, 2018 – Independent developer Fatshark today announced that Warhammer: Vermintide 2 has surpassed one million units sold within five weeks after being released on PC.
“We are genuinely humbled by the reception of Warhammer: Vermintide 2 from gamers all over the world” says Martin Wahlund, CEO Fatshark. “We reached half a million units within the first week, and one million within five weeks, which is far quicker than we ever expected.”
Vermintide 2 is a visually stunning and ground breaking melee action game pushing the boundaries of the first person co-op genre. Set during the apocalyptic End Times of the Warhammer world – the game introduces the dark, bloody and twisted forces of Chaos as an enemy faction. Other new features include 15 hero careers, new environments, talent trees and the proprietary Heroic Deeds System.
Warhammer: Vermintide 2 is also coming to Sony Playstation 4™ and Xbox One, the all-in-one games and entertainment system from Microsoft. Console BETAs will be available during the spring.
About Warhammer: Vermintide 2
The 5 heroes have returned to take on an even greater threat during the End Times – the combined forces of the cowardly Skaven army and the barbaric Chaos faction. Prepare to be challenged like never before as you and your team desperately try to survive the never-ending hordes of enemies. Choose between 15 different careers, climb the talent tree, and customize your weapon arsenal to fit your unique play style as you fight your way through 13 stunning levels. The only thing standing between utter defeat and victory is you and your allies – if you fall, so will the Empire.
About Fatshark
Headquartered in Stockholm, Sweden and established in 2007 independent developer Fatshark is comprised of a team of 70+ experienced games developers, who strive to create compelling interactive experiences. Apart from Warhammer: End Times – Vermintide, the team has previously developed titles including Lead and Gold, Krater and War of the Roses. For more information, visit www.fatsharkgames.com
About Games Workshop®
Games Workshop® Group PLC (LSE:GAW.L), based in Nottingham, UK, produces the best fantasy miniatures in the world. Games Workshop designs, manufactures, retails, and distributes its range of Warhammer®: Age of Sigmar® and Warhammer® 40,000® games, miniature soldiers, novels and model kits through more than 469 of its own stores (branded Games Workshop® or Warhammer®), the www.games-workshop.com web store and independent retail channels in more than 50 countries worldwide. More information about Games Workshop and its other, related, brands and product ranges (including our publishing division ‘Black Library’ and our special resin miniatures studio ‘Forge World’) can be found at www.games-workshop.com.
Downward Spiral: Horus Station Devs Showcase Their Art And Process In Second Development Diary The team talk influences, design and storytelling of the PC, PS4 and VR sci-fi thriller
Having recently released 17 minutes of gameplay of the eerie sci-fi thriller Downward Spiral: Horus Station, 3rd Eye Studios are back to discuss the game’s sci-fi production design. Drawing on the classic set design of the 1970s from films and TV such as 2001: A Space Odyssey, Star Wars and Star Trek, the environments of the abandoned Horus Station are defined by striking patterns and moody, atmospheric lighting. Lead artist, Kari Huttunen, explains how the team are channelling the “practical, old tech” of the ‘70s to give Horus Station a unique, analogue look.
Downward Spiral: Horus Station is a first-person, zero-g sci-fi thriller which lures players through a lost vessel abandoned by its crew. Solving the mystery of the space station will take wits and ingenuity as you fight or avoid dangers unknown. Use the ship’s maintenance hardware – like bolt throwers, rail guns, and arc welders to take out threats, solve puzzles and find the truth of why Horus Station has been left drifting in space.
Downward Spiral: Horus Station will launch this Spring on PlayStation 4, PC with optional PlayStation VR, Oculus Touch, HTC Vive and Windows Mixed Reality support.
About 3rd Eye Studios
Located in Helsinki, Finland, 3rd Eye Studios was founded in June 2016 by a group of game industry veterans, who previously worked in senior positions at Remedy Entertainment, Unity Technologies, Bugbear Entertainment, RedLynx and Moon Studios. The team develops innovative games and groundbreaking technology built specifically for developers. The company launched its first game Downward Spiral – Prologue at the end of March 2017, with its follow-up Downward Spiral: Horus Station due in Spring 2018. http://www.3rdeyestudios.fi/
Aksys Games Announces Quad Fighter K Retro 4-player co-op celebrates pure shooting action for the Nintendo Switch™
Torrance, Calif. – April 12, 2018 – Aksys Games is ecstatic to announce that Quad Fighter K, the local 4-player co-op retro shooter you never knew you needed until now, will be coming to the Nintendo eShop summer 2018 for the Nintendo Switch™!
“We are excited to have this fun, 4-player timeless arcade shooter in our library!” says Akibo Shieh, Founder and CEO.
In the far distant future, a mysterious alien race set its sights on nothing less than the conquest of the Earth and the total annihilation of the human race. To counteract this threat the nations of Earth formed the EDC (Earth Defense Corps) and launched an all-out counter attack. Despite humanity’s best efforts, the alien invaders superior technology proved too much to overcome and they took over most of the planet.
However, before all hope was lost the remnants of mankind came into possession of alien artifacts that would allow it to launch one last desperate assault.
At this point, the enemy forces were already at the doorstep of EDC headquarters, and Earth was bound to fall… With limited recourse left, they came up with the final plan; attack the enemy headquarters with all they have. With help from “Dr. AKEMI” the plan was to destroy the central core of the alien base.
With enemy forces at the gates of the last fortress of the EDC and the fate of the planet hanging in the balance, the leaders of Earth’s forces decide on a desperate course of action: throw everything they had left at the enemy’s headquarters. With the help of the erratically brilliant “Dr. AKEMI,” the goal is no less than the destruction of the very heart of the alien stronghold.
Features of Quad Fighter K include:
It’s Dangerous to Go Alone-The alien forces are an overwhelming force, but one you don’t have to face alone. Bring along three friends and face the alien hordes with local co-op play!
It’s not Retro, it’s Timeless-With 8-bit graphics and a focus on pure arcade shooting action, Quad Fighter K harkens back to the times when it was all about you (and perhaps a couple of friends), a quarter, and lightning-fast reflexes.
Quad Fighter Powers, ACTIVATE! -Do your best work solo, or unleash real damage by linking your ship with a teammate to crush your foes and save the planet. Unlock different attacks by connecting your ship with your allies.
Should I Stay or Should I Go?-Whether you’re gaming at home or on the run, thanks to the mighty morphing powers of the Nintendo Switch™, you can take out the alien hordes threatening our alternate Earth whenever, wherever.
Developed by Happy Meal Inc., Quad Fighter K is rated E for Everyone by the Entertainment Software Ratings Board (ESRB). For more information, visit www.esrb.org.
About Aksys Games
Founded in 2006 in Torrance, California, Aksys Games Localization, Inc. is a visionary video game publisher committed to publishing unique and high-quality interactive content for all current-generation platforms. Its lineup of games includes the critically acclaimed Zero Escape series (Nine Hours, Nine Persons, Nine Doors, Virtue’s Last Reward, Zero Time Dilemma) as well as the wildly successful BlazBlue and Guilty Gear franchises. More information about Aksys Games and its unique products can be found on the company’s website, www.aksysgames.com
Seoul, South Korea – April 12, 2018 – Joycity has announced the details for a brand new character Jason and other important updates for April.
A new premium character Jason is a shooting guard with a cool Skywalk dunk skill. He allows for more strategic and detailed offensive play from the free throw line and half court. Jason is the perfect character for players wanting flashy b-ball moves and strategy at the same time. To celebrate the addition of Jason, exclusive outfits will be available for 2 weeks post launch.
The new update is also adding an option for players to create a custom avatar. The players will now be able to create their own virtual avatars in-game with unique outfits, skin tones and hair styles. More customization options will be added in the future.
The April update rounds out with addition of the Crew Hangout. It’s a housing space specifically for your crew gather together and explore around the town, talk about matches and just hangout with their new avatars. Crew related features such as Crew Quests to earn exclusive Tokens and earn avatar items.
3on3 FreeStyle is a free-to-play, fast-paced and interactive street basketball sports game, featuring unique characters, online and co-op multiplayer modes, and straightforward controls making the game fun for players of all skill levels. 3on3 keeps the successful formula from FreeStyle 1 and FreeStyle 2 and streamlines it for the modern audience by adding a new progression system, simpler revamped interface, and full controller-based gameplay. With over 500,000 players already playing the PlayStation® 4 version, and a sizeable following in North America, Europe and Japan, 3on3 FreeStyle is one of the top free-to-play games on PlayStation® 4.
About Joycity
Founded in 1994, Joycity is a premier game developer and publisher in South Korea. The company’s lineup of games across PC, mobile, and console include FreeStyle: Street Basketball™, Oceans & Empires, Game of Dice, Gunship Battle™ and 3on3 FreeStyle on PlayStation®4. With the massive success of FreeStyle™ series, the company pioneered a new genre of sports games in the Korean game industry. Joycity’s other recent titles include Disney’s Pirates of the Caribbean: Tides to War, 3on3 FreeStyle on Steam and Gunship Battle 2 VR: Steam Edition. The company recently revealed the highly anticipated The War of Genesis and Gunship Battle: Total Warfare for mobile platforms to be released in 2018.
Geronimo! Rogue Aces’ World War 2 Aerial Combat Out Today On Nintendo Switch™, PlayStation 4® and PS Vita® Launches With A 20% Early Adopter Reward Discount
London, United Kingdom – April 12th – Multi award-winning publisher Curve Digital and Infinite State Games are proud to announce that Rogue Aces, the 2D aerial combat, arcade rogue-lite is out today on Nintendo Switch™, PlayStation 4® and PS Vita®. Players must outflank, barrel-roll and dogfight their way through a series of vibrant 2D procedurally generated World War 2 scenarios in a bid to defeat enemy forces.
Players will face an array of challenges in over 100 frenetic scenarios. Missions include freeing prisoners of war, halting enemy parachuters and protecting ally buildings from enemy bombers. The game’s in-depth arcade scoring system encourages multiple playthroughs while Barons, the toughest propeller plane enemies in the game, are staunch in-air adversaries. Rogue Aces also features multiple game modes. In addition to its campaign, six other modes can be unlocked including Veteran Campaign, Bomber Defence and Rogue Ace Mode alongside PlayStation online leaderboards.
“We developed Rogue Aces within our custom-built engine to make sure the 2D aerial combat action is as sharp, responsive and fun as it possibly can be,” said Mike Daw, Creative Director at Infinite State Games. “We’ve tried to rediscover the essence of those early arcade gameplay experiences, giving it an irreverent, colourful lick of paint and personality in the process!”
“Charlie and Mike have done a fantastic job with Rogue Aces”, said Jason Perkins, Managing Director of Curve Digital. “The 2D action is crisp, absurd and even occasionally balletic and plays perfectly on a home or portable console.”
Rogue Aces asks players to turn the tide of the war as they battle for supremacy across the air, sea and ground over 100 increasingly challenging procedurally generated missions. Using one analogue stick to control the direction of the propeller plane while the other controls the throttle, combat is frantic but graceful, encouraging daring acrobatic manoeuvres. Each plane carries a finite amount of fuel to capture enemy bases and destroy enemy forces making strategic planning, replenishing and repairs a must across its colourful 1940s styled levels.
The first air combat game released on the Nintendo Switch™, Rogue Aces is also available on PlayStation 4® and PS Vita® for £9.99/€12.99/$12.99. Sony platforms are supported with fully functional Cross-Buy and Cross-Save to ensure home and portable play is a super-easy for players across the consoles. An Early Adopter Reward of 20% is also on offer for those that purchase the game on Nintendo Switch in Europe and North America. PlayStation Plus Members in North America and Europe can also take advantage of this offer.
About Infinite State Games
Infinite State Games is an independent video games developer and publisher based in London and Bristol, UK. They are a two-man team consisting of Charlie Scott-Skinner and Mike Daw.
About Curve Digital
Curve Digital is one of the world’s leading publishers of games on PC and consoles. Since 2013, the company has been working with some of the world’s best game developers to help bring their games – from indie hits like Dear Esther to the likes of the multi-million-selling Human: Fall Flat – to the broadest possible audiences all over the world. In July 2017 Curve Digital was recognized by the celebrated Develop Industry Excellence Awards as ‘Publishing Hero’ and recently ‘Indie Games Publisher of the Year’ at the 2018 MCV Awards. www.curve-digital.com
