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The Gladiator Update for MIRAGE: ARCANE WARFARE Unleashes New Content Into The Arena

The Gladiator Update for MIRAGE: ARCANE WARFARE Unleashes New Content Into The Arena

Bots, New Weapon, New Magic Abilities, New Maps and Localization of 12 Total Languages Included in First Big Post-Release Content Drop

TORONTO, CANADA, July 20, 2017— Mirage: Arcane Warfare, the skill-based multiplayer FPS from the creators of the popular first-person medieval melee slasher Chivalry: Medieval Warfare, is receiving its first big addition of new content since launching on Steam May 23. The Gladiator Update includes new weapons and new Arenas, and the addition of language localization, adding 10 new languages to bring the total up to 12. In addition to English and Russian, Mirage: Arcane Warfare is now also fully localized in French, Italian, Spanish, German, Traditional Chinese, Simplified Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese, and Portuguese Brazilian.

The Gladiator Update will also add a much-requested new feature with the implementation of bot-assisted servers. On select 6v6 and 3v3 maps and modes, AI opponents will be added or removed as players join or leave to keep the teams populated and even throughout the match.

Check out the new trailer for The Gladiator Update here:

The powerful Taurant class will have a new double-handed Greatsword to hack enemies to gibs with, with dozens of art variants to keep the visuals fresh. Other characters will receive new magic abilities to punish their enemies in battle with including:

  • Alchemancer – Depth Charge: Release a flurry of explosions along the ground in front of you
  • Vypress – Pincer: A brutal melee attack with a long wind-up that leads to a crushing blow on a single rival
  • Vigilist – Surround Parry: Put up a magical armor barrier around you that stops all incoming attacks for the time it is active

Players can explore these new tools of chaos in two new Arena maps. Both Arena maps feature smaller areas for more intense 3 on 3 combat action:

  • The Pit: Beware of the exploding geyser in the center of this map, a sunken pit under the blaze of a hot desert sun. Prisoners are thrown into this arena to fight to the death, for the entertainment of their captors
  • Old Arena: Located high in remote mountains, battle in this crumbling, forsaken gladiatorial arena with a twist. Avoid falling through the collapsed floor or risk losing your limbs in a death trap of painful wooden scaffolding

Veteran players of Mirage: Arcane Warfare who have achieved higher rankings will also get their own special new content in The Gladiator Update. New armor variant unlocks will be available to those high-ranking players, with exclusive color gradients per team.

In Mirage: Arcane Warfare, the calm of a strange fantasy world is shattered by ruthless civil war. Warriors armed with steel and magic bring violence and death as they do battle across a fantastical Arabian and Persian-inspired setting of desert sands, market bazaars and grand palaces. Built using the powerful new capabilities of Unreal Engine 4, Mirage: Arcane Warfare presents visually stunning backdrops to some viscerally brutal multiplayer combat.

For the latest information on Mirage: Arcane Warfare, please visit @MirageGame on Twitter, on Facebook or go to MirageArcaneWarfare.com.

About Torn Banner Studios

Torn Banner Studios is a small indie games studio that makes BIG games. Based in Toronto Canada, Torn Banner Studios was founded in 2012 by a group of passionate game developers who are dedicated to creating powerful and unique games for a dedicated audience of fans. The nucleus of the team first came together from a group of modders who created a well-known Half-Life 2 mod called Age of Chivalry. Their first full game, Chivalry: Medieval Warfare, was a critical and commercial success and has driven the dedicated team at Torn Banner to continue to develop great games and ongoing content for their passionate community of fans. For more information visit TornBanner.com or follow @TornBanner.

GIGANTIC OFFICIALLY LAUNCHES ON STEAM, ARC, WINDOWS 10 & XBOX ONE

GIGANTIC OFFICIALLY LAUNCHES ON STEAM, ARC, WINDOWS 10 & XBOX ONE

Motiga’s Strategic Hero Shooter Offers Players Biggest Fight of Their Lives

REDWOOD CITY, Calif.July 20, 2017 – Today Perfect World Entertainment Inc., a leading publisher of free-to-play online games, and Motiga, Inc. announced Gigantic has officially launched on Steam, Arc, Xbox One and Windows 10. The free-to-play strategic hero shooter combines visually stunning heroes, diverse creature families to summon and massive Guardians to aid in epic battles for victory.

“We’re thrilled to welcome all players to the vibrant world of Gigantic,” said Chris Chung, CEO of Motiga. “The team has worked incredibly hard to develop an experience unlike any other. We hope you join us and the community of players who have fallen in love with the game and helped us throughout its development.”

Check out the Gigantic Launch Trailer: https://youtu.be/muLx0HxqWh0

Assets for Gigantic’s launch can be found here: https://perfectworld.box.com/v/GiganticOfficialLaunch

Gigantic launches with an exciting new update which introduces text chat, new packs and a brand-new, blade-wielding hero. Players can now access the game’s 19th hero, Ramsay, a cunning heavy-hitter brandishing a seriously lethal blade. Ramsay is the first of many characters to join the game’s original diverse roster, with a new hero planned for release each month following launch.

In addition, Steam players who log in to the game and play a match will receive an exclusive Stone Relics skin for the jet pack pilot Beckett. Logging into Arc and playing a match will grant players a Lightning skin for the stealthy assassin Tripp, while Xbox One and Windows 10 players who do the same can get the Excelsior skin for the spinning cyclone of blades, Tyto the Swift.

Players looking to unlock even more for their Gigantic experience can purchase the Ultimate Pack for $29.99 to gain access to all 19 current heroes and any future heroes for life, along with unique skins, progression boosts, fortune cards and premium currency. Steam and Arc players purchasing the Ultimate Pack will also receive a free Starter Pack code to gift to a friend. As a thank you to supportive players, purchasers of the Founder’s Pack will be automatically upgraded to the Ultimate Pack.

Finally, Plays.tv has partnered with Gigantic to launch a Top-5 Plays contest starting today. All players can participate in the global contest and clip their best moments using Plays.tv to win gaming hardware and Steam gift cards.

Gigantic is a free-to-play strategic hero shooter developed by Motiga. Gorgeously rendered, light-hearted and charming, Gigantic is for all types of gamers, pitting teams of five heroes and their massive Guardians against each other in epic battles across a variety of maps. The game combines explosive combat with fast-paced teamwork, strategy and skill, as players must work together and fight relentlessly to defeat the opposing Guardian with spells, guns and swords.

For more information about Gigantic, please visit the official website: www.GoGigantic.com.

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ABOUT PERFECT WORLD ENTERTAINMENT INC.

Perfect World Entertainment is a leading North American online games publisher specializing in immersive free-to-play MMORPGs. Founded in 2008, Perfect World Entertainment has published a number of popular titles, including Swordsman, Blacklight Retribution, Forsaken World, PWI and Star Trek Online. The company works closely with its American development teams and partners, such as Cryptic Studios, developer of the highly acclaimed MMORPG Dungeons & Dragons Neverwinter, and Runic Games, developer of the hit Torchlight series, to provide unparalleled quality of service and game experiences to its players. A subsidiary of Perfect World Group, Perfect World Entertainment is headquartered in Silicon Valley, California. For more information, please visit: www.perfectworld.com.

ABOUT MOTIGA

Motiga is an independent game studio based in Bellevue, Wash., that has been working on Gigantic since 2012. Motiga is dedicated to enabling passionate teams to create magical game experiences and do its part in helping the industry move forward.

Little Red Lie Review

Little Red Lie

Developer: WZOGI
Publisher: WZOGI
Format: PC (Reviewed)
Release Date: 7 Jul 2017
Price: $9.99USD – Available Here

Overview

We don’t see often games who decide to grapple with serious topics. After a while, we begin to understand why is that. The majority of those who try approach such issues in a safe way, sometimes with a ham-fisted lesson that beats you over the head with its “subtlety”. Not to mention, many of them are just scared to scratch more beneath the surface. Will O’Neill is not one of those people. His previous game, Actual Sunlight, dealt with the topic of depression in a brutally honest way. The first time I saw his new release of Little Red Lie on Steam, I knew there was a lot more besides that pitch of “a contemporary adventure game about debt, family, and the truth about honesty”. My assumptions were correct.

Story

The central premise of the game is lies. Whether it is about living one or telling them to others (and ourselves) on daily basis. In this game, lies are conveniently colored in red whenever we interact with anyone or anything. That way it serves as an interesting contrast when we observe between what the characters are saying and actually thinking. Speaking of characters, we will be stalking two major ones in this game. Their lives and backgrounds are vastly different but what connects them are -you guessed it- lies. Sarah Stone is a middle age office administrator. Well, ex office administrator. We meet her shortly after she lost her job and pretty early it’s clear to us it couldn’t happen at the worst time. Money problems with her family, sister suffering from depression who decided to go full hikikomori and there is the issue of Sarah’s anxiety that just the icing on a cake. Her life is falling apart and we have to use lies to our advantage to fix what can be fixed that way. On the other hand, we have Arthur. Oh, Arthur. Think of someone who worked really hard in his life using lies and all the following tactics and it actually got them somewhere. Arthur is a sexist, racist, misogynistic and every-other-bad-thing-you-can-think-of kind of guy. He is a life coach/motivational speaker aka someone getting rich on other peoples stupidity.

Gameplay

As we control these characters, our interaction doesn’t go beyond that. We are not there to make them see the errors of their ways. If anything, we are nothing more than observers of how one might end up using lies to their advantage. What matters the most though, is deciding when we use them and to what extent. For example, Arthur Fox is your average, profit-driven sociopath who made the most of it once he removed morals and conscience from the equation. Sarah, on the other hand, is someone using lies as an escape window when you’re pretty much out of ideas. Good ones, especially. Funny thing is, while playing Little Red Lie most of the interactions happen on the other side of the screen. It’s almost like the game is…..playing you (duun duun duuuuun ♪). To elaborate in a more serious manner – Actual Sunlight dealt with one heavy topic and Little Red Lie deals with that one plus some more. Depression, debt, anxiety, feeling lost,  feeling you’ll never amount to anything – pick your poison. And they will all get to you. There were plenty of times where I had to put down a game for a second and space out because something a character said would send me down that contemplative path. This is not a game about making choices. All the crucial ones already happened and now it’s just about observing the aftermath and pondering if we would do things any differently.

Visuals

The story of Little Red Lie already sucked me in more than I expected so it’s not a surprise that the visual aspect went somewhat unnoticed. The environments and design served their purpose and can’t say anything really stood out on that front. Well, almost anything and sadly it wasn’t in a good way. Some examples of backdrop art or backgrounds were rather peculiar, to say the least. It’s like the artist went with the initial sketch, added color and called it a day. It is not a major flaw, you only notice it once the first few backdrops are shown. Eventually, you get used to it but that’s mostly because you’re far engrossed in the story at that point.

Audio

Significant effort went into crafting the music pieces for Little Red Lie so they would often reflect what is happening on screen. At more than one occasion, the audio toys with you by producing unsettling notes as something equally tense is happening. Sometimes it even “rewards” you with chill and relaxing tune as you managed to weasel your way out of a tricky situation. The music here does not serve as a forced addition, it is almost a narrative angle imperative to the story.

Overall

In the end, do I recommend Little Red Lie? Absolutely. Just keep in mind you might be playing something that might not make you feel good at the end. However, it will make you feel. There won’t be any resolution or a happy ending in Little Red Lie. Sometimes characters don’t lie for the sake of a greater good, they do it because they can. You will witness bad things happening to good people and bad things happening to bad people and some things won’t even make sense in how unfair they are. But you know what else doesn’t make sense most of the time? Life. At the end, that’s what Little Red Lie is about. Reggie Fils-Aime once famously said “if the game is not fun, why bother?” I’d also add that if the game doesn’t move you, what’s the point? Will O’Neill understands that and Little Red Lie is a game that will (despite its soul crushing topics) move you to the core. And it will do a damn good job at it.
Capsule Computers review guidelines can be found here.

CRYSTAL DYNAMICS CELEBRATES 25 YEARS

CRYSTAL DYNAMICS CELEBRATES 25 YEARS

Award-Winning Studio Gives Back To the Community and Revisits its Extensive History 

SYDNEY, 20TH July, 2017 This July marks the 25th anniversary for Crystal Dynamics®, the studio behind the critically acclaimed and world-famous TOMB RAIDER® franchise which has sold over 58 million copies globally.  In celebration, the studio has organized a series of charitable events and activities that takes us on a trip down memory lane, commemorating Crystal’s 25 years of producing unforgettable experiences.

“The collaboration of our top industry talent all focused on creating ground-breaking, unprecedented gaming experiences is the engine that drives Crystal,” said Ron Rosenberg, Co-Head of Studio at Crystal Dynamics. “We’re extremely proud of all that we’ve accomplished over the last twenty-five years, and, as we look to the future, we are excited to bring our passion and craftsmanship to even more games including the ‘Avengers’ project.”

Starting today, Square Enix® and Crystal Dynamics are offering an exclusive Crystal Dynamics 25th Anniversary game bundle through GameChanger. Patrons who donate $25 or more will receive this exclusive PC bundle of 12 new and classic Crystal Dynamics games, including Tomb Raider, Lara Croft® and the Temple of Osiris™, Legacy of Kain™: Defiance, Project Snowblind™, and more. Funds raised will be given to GameChanger Charity and support their mission of bringing happiness and gaming to children facing life-threatening illnesses in hospitals around the world.

“This is a momentous milestone for Crystal Dynamics, one we’re delighted to share with gamers everywhere by using this time to give back to charities that move and inspire us,” said Scot Amos, Co-Head of Studio at Crystal Dynamics. “Our studio is full of passionate creatives who shaped Lara Croft and Tomb Raider into iconic franchises. Our developers constantly give of themselves, pouring their heart and their art into each game. Now we are giving back in another way through this GameChanger campaign.”

“At Crystal Dynamics, we continually push ourselves to try and master the craft of storytelling through art, animation and innovation,” said Noah Hughes, Franchise Creative Director at Crystal Dynamics. “Our Crystal Dynamics 25th Anniversary game bundle provides an awesome sampling of that creativity.  We’re confident that longtime fans as well as new players will jump at the opportunity to play all of this amazing history in a single download while contributing to children’s hospitals through our partnership with GameChanger.”

Last year’s hit Rise of the Tomb Raider® 20 Year Celebration received over 100 awards and nominations and is one of the highest rated games on next generation systems.  The studio has developed and published more than 30 award-winning titles over its 25-year history, including Gex™, Legacy of Kain, and Tomb Raider. The studio is currently hard at work on the highly anticipated ‘Avengers’ project, which was announced earlier this year.

SANRIO AND BANDAI NAMCO ENTERTAINMENT JOIN FORCES WITH NEW HELLO KITTY ♥ PAC-MAN MOBILE GAME AND MERCHANDISE

SANRIO AND BANDAI NAMCO ENTERTAINMENT JOIN FORCES WITH NEW HELLO KITTY PAC-MAN MOBILE GAME AND MERCHANDISE

Pop Icon Hello Kitty and the First Video Game Hero to Chomp Tasty Dots and Pesky Ghosts, Debuting Collaboration at Comic-Con International: San Diego 2017

SANTA CLARA, Calif., (July 19, 2017) – Sanrio, Inc. and leading anime video game developer and publisher BANDAI NAMCO Entertainment today announce Hello Kitty ♥ PAC-MAN, a new collaboration featuring PAC-MAN, the world’s first video game hero, joining forces with supercute global pop icon, Hello Kitty. Developed by Sanrio, Inc. and BANDAI NAMCO Entertainment as a license program, the collaboration kicks-off on July 19th at Comic-Con International: San Diego with a Hello Kitty themed update to the PAC-MAN app available now as a free download on Google Play and the Apple App Store.

Sanrio and BANDAI NAMCO Entertainment will debut its limited-edition Hello Kitty ♥ PAC-MAN merchandise collection at Comic-Con International: San Diego.  Starting on July 20th, the collection will be available at the BAIT booth (#5146), — and will include t-shirts, caps, socks, tote bags, pins, and a Hello Kitty ♥ PAC-MAN collectible figure set. The design blends the classic arcade pixelated PAC-MAN look with the supercute iconography of Hello Kitty. BAIT will debut an additional version of the collectible figure set at Comic-Con International: New York in October 2017. Additional products will be available at specialty retailers this fall.

Hello Kitty and PAC-MAN have both endeared themselves to pop culture fans around the world for decades, it’s about time that these two became best-friends,” said Eric Hartness, Vice President of Marketing at BANDAI NAMCO Entertainment America Inc. “We look forward to celebrating this new friendship with fans at Comic-Con and have them experience the limited-time Hello Kitty update to the PAC-MAN app as they chomp dots, weave through corners, and avoid colorful ghosts.”

Hello Kitty and PAC-MAN are global icons with a crossover fan base,” said Jill Koch, Sr. Vice President of Brand Management and Marketing at Sanrio, Inc. “Merging Hello Kitty into the pixelated world of PAC-MAN is a gift both for fans that grew up with the brands and new fans alike.”

The PAC-MAN mobile game, which is free to download and play, will feature Hello Kitty, along with special in-game integrations and themed levels, customized icons, and ghosts. The Hello Kitty content will be included as part of a free, limited-time update to PAC-MAN on Google Play and the Apple App Store, available to download now through August 19.

Visit the Sanrio booth (#4737) and BAIT booth (#5146) at Comic-Con International: San Diego for a free limited edition Hello Kitty ♥ PAC-MAN keychain, while supplies last!

For more information on BANDAI NAMCO Entertainment game titles and products, please visit http://www.bandainamcoent.com/ or follow us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/BandaiNamcoUS or on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/bandainamcous.

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About 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 Sanrio®  
Sanrio is the global lifestyle brand best known for pop icon Hello Kitty®, who celebrated her 40th Anniversary in 2014. Home to many endearing characters including Chococat® My Melody®, Badtz-Maru® and Keroppi®, Sanrio was founded on the ‘small gift, big smile®’ philosophy – that a small gift can bring happiness and friendship to people of all ages. Since 1960, this philosophy has served as the inspiration for the broad spectrum of unique products and experiences.  Today, more than 50,000 Hello Kitty-branded items are available in over 130 countries and upwards of 15,000 U.S. retail locations including department, specialty, national chain stores and Sanrio boutique stores. For more information please visit www.sanrio.com and www.facebook.com/hellokitty.

XSEED Games Reveals Release Date for Trails of Cold Steel PC Version

XSEED Games Reveals Release Date for Trails of Cold Steel PC Version

Beginning of Critically Acclaimed ‘Trails’ Arc to be Primed and Polished for PC Gamers along with Over 5,000 New Lines of Voiceover Dialogue on August 2

Torrance, Calif. — July 19, 2017 — XSEED Games, the independent-minded console publishing brand of Marvelous USA, Inc., today announced that The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel, the start of a new story arc in developer Nihon Falcom’s acclaimed series of role-playing games, is headed to Windows PC on August 2, 2017 via Steam, GOG.com, and the Humble Store by Humble Bundle with a launch week discount of 10% off the regular price of $39.99, €39.99, and £29.99. Originally released in North America to wide acclaim in 2015 for the PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system and PlayStation®Vita handheld entertainment system, The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel will make its debut on Windows PC with visual enhancements and over 5,000 new lines of English voiceover dialogue (approximately a 50% increase).

The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel builds on Nihon Falcom’s beloved Trails franchise, improving on the series’ formula while delivering an expertly told, standalone narrative that both series fans and newcomers alike will enjoy. Taking place on the same continent as fan-favorite Trails in the Sky, Trails of Cold Steel further explores Erebonia and gives players a chance to delve deep into the inner political conflicts of this oft-mentioned and powerful empire. Players take on the role of elite military students at a time of great turmoil, who enjoy school life as they bond with fellow students to earn new abilities in battle, and then utilize those abilities via tactical turn-based combat. In between skirmishes, players can upgrade their party members with the “ARCUS” system – a streamlined version of the classic “Orbment” magic system from previous titles – allowing for greater access to abilities and quicker customization.

Developed by Nihon Falcom and published on Windows PC worldwide by XSEED Games, The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel is headed to Windows PC on August 2, 2017 with a launch week discount of 10% off the regular price of $39.99, €39.99, and £29.99. Peter “Durante” Thoman has been recruited to help optimize the game for PC, and fans can read what kind of technical hurdles he encountered in the first of his multiple guest blog posts detailing this game’s journey on XSEED’s blog at http://xseedgames.tumblr.com/post/163180020530/the-legend-of-heroes-trails-of-cold-steel-pc.

The game is now available for PS3™ and “PSVita” systems in both digital and physical formats, and the digital “PSVita” system release is compatible with PlayStation®TV. This title has been rated “T for Teen” in North America on PS3 and “PSVita” by the ESRB. The Windows PC release has not been rated. For more information on The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel please visit the official website at www.trailsofcoldsteel.com/cs1/.

For more information on XSEED Games products, please visit www.xseedgames.com. Fans can also follow XSEED Games on Facebook at www.facebook.com/XSEEDGames and on Twitter at www.twitter.com/XSEEDGames.

©Nihon Falcom Corporation. All Rights Reserved. Licensed to and published by XSEED Games / Marvelous USA, Inc.

ITHRIVE GAMES AND CARNEGIE MELLON’S ETC PRESS PARTNER TO SHOWCASE THE USE OF VIDEO GAMES TO PRACTICE AND ENHANCE POSITIVE SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL SKILLS

ITHRIVE GAMES AND CARNEGIE MELLON’S ETC PRESS PARTNER TO SHOWCASE THE USE OF VIDEO GAMES TO PRACTICE AND ENHANCE POSITIVE SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL SKILLS

Non-Profit iThrive Games Issues an Open Call for Essays and Research Studies to Highlight Positive Contributions of Video Games in Peer Reviewed Well Played Journal

NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE (July 19, 2017) iThrive Games — a non-profit that partners with game developers, researchers and youth organizations to facilitate the positive use of video games to enhance social and emotional skills — is proud to announce a partnership with academic publisher Carnegie Mellon’s ETC Press for a special peer-reviewed issue of Well Played, the analytical video game journal. The two organizations have issued a call for contributors to submit in-depth essays on the various meanings, values and experiences provided by video games in their design and during play. Essays can be empirical or theoretical. Submissions will be curated by a team of highly respected game industry academics from around the United States.

iThrive Games specializes in the promotion of games as tools for emotional and social skill development in growing teens by practicing in-game positive psychology habits, such as growth mindset and empathy. The organization collaborates with game developers, tests games with teens and provides resources to foster teens thriving through gaming. iThrive Games’ vision for this special issue of Well Played is to encourage new scholarship in the area of game design that encourages personal growth and prosocial outcomes for adolescent gamers.

The Well Played journal gives academics and junior faculty a place to share their ideas, theories and analysis of the game industry and its works as a means of advancing knowledge in the field.  Contributors are encouraged to analyze sequences in a game in detail to illustrate and interpret how the various components of a game come together to create a fulfilling play experience unique to this medium.

Well Played journal essay submissions should be sent by September 1, 2017. Peer reviewers will assess all essays through a blind process and notify all authors of their submission status by November 1, 2017.

About iThrive Games

iThrive Games is a team of social and emotional learning experts, psychologists and game developers that work to produce meaningful games through collaborations with game studios as well as experts in teen development and positive psychology. The iThrive Games team embraces teens’ love of video games, and explores how great games can empower teens to discover and use their unique strengths, unlock their potential and take charge of their well-being. For more information about iThrive Games, please visit www.ithrivegames.org.

About ETC Press

The ETC Press is an academic and open-source publishing imprint out of Carnegie Mellon University that distributes its work in print, electronic and digital form. It represents an experiment and an evolution in publishing, bridging virtual and physical media to redefine the future of publication.

Well Played is a forum for in-depth readings of games that parse out the various meanings to be found in the experience of playing them. Contributors are encouraged to analyze sequences in a game in detail to illustrate and interpret how the various components of a game come together to create a fulfilling play experience unique to this medium. Follow Well Played on Twitter at @etcwellplayed to learn more.

The List of Madman’s Anime Releases of July 19, 2017

Madman Entertainment’s anime releases of July 19, 2017, are now available. A full list of those releases is featured below. Unless otherwise stated, they contain dual audio tracks. Additionally, the seventh season of the Cartoon Network series Regular Show is now available on DVD and the Japanese live-action film Shin Godzilla is now available on DVD and Blu-ray in Australia.

  • Chivalry of a Failed Knight on DVD and Blu-ray.
  • Date a Live Complete Series (Seasons 1 and 2) on DVD.
  • Digimon Adventure Tri. Part 1 – Reunion on DVD and Blu-ray.
  • Dimension W on DVD.
  • Divine Gate on DVD.
  • Erased Volume 1 (Episodes 1-6) on DVD and Blu-ray.
  • Gangsta Season 1 on DVD and Blu-ray.
  • Garo Crimson Moon (Season 2) on DVD.
  • Girls Beyond the Wasteland on DVD. This series is presented with Japanese audio and English subtitles only.
  • Grimgar, Ashes and Illusions on DVD and Blu-ray and in a limited edition combo pack.
  • Gundam Reconguista in G Complete Series on DVD.
  • HaruChika – Haruta & Chika on DVD. This series is also presented with Japanese audio and English subtitles only.
  • Himouto! Umaru-Chan on DVD and Blu-ray and in a limited edition combo pack.
  • Magi: The Labyrinth of Magic Complete Season 1 on DVD.
  • Magi: The Kingdom of Magic Complete Season 2 on DVD.
  • Nurse Witch Komugi-Chan R on DVD. No English dub was produced for this series.
  • One Piece Film: Gold on DVD and Blu-ray.
  • One Piece: Heart of Gold TV Special on DVD and Blu-ray.
  • The Asterisk War Part 2 (Episodes 13-24) on DVD.
  • The Red Turtle on DVD.
  • Undefeated Bahamut Chronicle on DVD. This series has not been dubbed into English.

The limited edition release of Grimgar, Ashes and Illusions includes art cards and a poster. The on-disc extras include OVA episode 2.5: “Staking Our Youths On The Bath Wall – One More Centimeter” and video commentary for episode 4.

The limited edition release of Himouto! Umaru-Chan comes with art cards and a toy. The on-disc extras include Japanese promotional videos, commercials, “UMR” shorts, the textless opening and ending animation sequences and a feature titled “Banquet Mondays “Daranama””.

UBISOFT® REPORTS FIRST-quarter 2017-18 SALES

UBISOFT® REPORTS FIRST-quarter 2017-18 SALES 

Ongoing excellent momentum, led by digital transformation A successful E3 for Ubisoft, supporting our expectations for the year 

Sydney, Australia – July 19, 2017 – Today, Ubisoft released its sales figures for the fiscal quarter ended June 30, 2017. 

Yves Guillemot, Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer, stated: “Fueled by the digital segment – which saw a sharp increase in player recurring investment – as well as a strong showing from our back catalog, our sales for the first quarter of 2017-18 came in well ahead of our targets, up 45%, despite the fact that there were no major new releases during the period.” 

“At this year’s E3, our teams presented an outstanding line-up and I would like to thank them for their amazing work which has been recognized by the entire industry. Our games have generated enormous enthusiasm among the player community, which supports our expectations for the full year.” 

“Thanks to our increasing ability to engage players over the long term, combined with our unique creative strengths, we are even more confident of achieving our targets for 2017-18 and 2018-19. We expect both of these factors to continue being key drivers of value creation in the coming years.” 

  • Sales up 45.2% to €202.1 million, exceeding the Group’s target of approximately €170.0 million 
  • Digital revenue up 55.0% to €162.4 million (80.4% of total sales vs 75.3% in first-quarter 2016-17)
    • PRI[1] up 73.4% to €83.1 million (41.1% of total sales vs 34.4% in first-quarter 2016-17) 
  • Back-catalog sales of €190.4 million, (94.3% of total sales vs 91.1% in first-quarter 2016-17)
    • Confirmation of the increasingly recurring profile of the Group’s business
    • Entire Ubisoft portfolio contributed to performance
    • Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon® Wildlands: the industry’s biggest hit[2] since the beginning of the year
  • Targets for full-year 2017-18 and 2018-19 confirmed
  • Signature of a new revolving credit facility 

Sales:

Sales for the first quarter of fiscal 2017-18 amounted to €202.1 million, up 45.2% (45.7% at constant exchange rates) compared with €139.1 million for the first three months of 2016-17. 

Outlook: 

Second-quarter 2017-18 sales

The Group expects second-quarter 2017-18 sales to come in at approximately €190.0 million, up 34.0% on the second quarter of 2016-17. The period will see the following main releases:

  • Mario + Rabbids® Kingdom Battle for Nintendo Switch™
  • The third season of For Honor® for PC, Playstation®4 and Xbox one™
  • The Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Siege® Hong Kong expansion for PC, Playstation®4 and Xbox one™

Full-year 2017-18 and 2018-19

Ubisoft is standing by its targets:

  • For 2017-18: sales of around €1,700.0 million and non-IFRS operating income of approximately €270.0 million.
  • For 2018-19: sales of around €2,100.0 million, non-IFRS operating income of approximately €440.0 million and free cash flow of approximately €300.0 million. 

Signature of a new revolving credit facility: 

On July 18, 2017, the Group signed an agreement to put in place a new revolving credit facility, totaling €300 million with a five-year term and a one-year extension option that may be renewed once. This facility has enabled the Group to refinance the €250 million syndicated loan set up in 2014, under better financial conditions and with a longer maturity. It has further strengthened Ubisoft’s already very solid financial situation, giving it all the resources it needs to implement its ambitious development strategy. 

Recent significant events:

 

Partnership with Tencent to develop and publish a new mobile game in China: Tencent, a leading provider of Internet value added services in China, published Might and Magic Heroes: Era of Chaos®, a new licensed mobile game developed exclusively for China based on a historic Ubisoft franchise. Developed by Playcrab, a subsidiary of Ourpalm specialized in action and strategy games, this new mobile title has been available in China on iOS and Android app stores since June 20.

 

Appointment of two new independent directors: Based on the recommendation of the Nomination and Compensation Committee, Ubisoft’s Board of Directors has decided to increase the number of its members and has nominated Corinne Fernandez-Handelsman and Virginie Haas for appointment as independent directors. If these appointments are approved at Ubisoft’s Annual General Meeting to be held on September 22, 2017, the Board of Directors would be comprised of 11 members, of whom six would be independent and five would be women. As a result, Ubisoft would reach its stated objective of having a majority of independent members on the Board. These nominations form part of the ongoing measures implemented by Ubisoft’s Board since 2006 to increase the diversity of its members and the complementarity of their skills and to raise the number of women and independent directors. If the two new directors are appointed they will strengthen the Board’s expertise in big data, cloud computing, change management and talent recruitment and retention.

Disclaimer

This statement may contain estimated financial data, information on future projects and transactions and future business results/performance. Such forward-looking data are provided for estimation purposes only. They are subject to market risks and uncertainties and may vary significantly compared with the actual results that will be published. The estimated financial data have been presented and approved by the Board of Directors on 05/16/17 and have not been audited by the Statutory Auditors. (Additional information is specified in the most recent Ubisoft Registration Document filed on July 22, 2016 with the French Financial Markets Authority (l’Autorité des Marchés Financiers)).

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, Just Dance, Watch_Dogs, Tom Clancy’s video game series, Rayman and Far Cry. 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 2016-17 fiscal year Ubisoft generated sales of €1,460 million. To learn more, please visit www.ubisoftgroup.com 

© 2017 Ubisoft Entertainment. All rights Reserved. Ubisoft and the Ubisoft logo are trademarks of Ubisoft Entertainment in the US and/or other countries. MARIO + RABBIDS KINGDOM BATTLE © 2017 Ubisoft Entertainment. All Rights Reserved. Rabbids, Ubisoft and the Ubisoft logo are trademarks of Ubisoft Entertainment in the U.S. and/or other countries. Nintendo properties are licensed to Ubisoft Entertainment by Nintendo. SUPER MARIO characters © Nintendo. Trademarks are property of their respective owners.

[1] Player Recurring Investment includes sales of digital items, DLC, season passes, subscriptions and advertising

[2] Physical and digital sales of games between January and June 2017 for consoles and PC in Europe/NA/Japan/Australia (GfK/NPD/Famitsu/Ubisoft estimates)

Drive Girls Racing Onto PS Vita!

Aksys Games proudly announced that the super-charged Drive Girls will be driving into action on the PlayStation®Vita with both physical retail and digital release in North America on September 8th. An experience with the style and splendor of Japan, Drive Girls is developed by the ever-popular Tamsoft and features characters designed by popular illusatrator UGUME. In a world under assault by an army of mechanized Bugs it’s up to the Drive Girls – five girls with the power to transform into souped up supercars – to defend their home of Sun Island, cross the finish line, and save the day!

Check out the official site for more info!

Key Features

Crash Head-on Into Battle
Play as any of the five Drive Girls in this action, driving, hack ‘n’ slash hybrid, and battle it out in human or supercar form to reign victory over the enemy.

Cruise Through Sun Island
Featuring an extensive single-player campaign and local or online multiplayer for up to four players.

Tune Up and Roll Out
Players can boost the Drive Girls’ stats in the garage by tuning and customizing their ride with new parts and sleek decals using the currency earned after every mission.

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.