Award-winning Game Designer Jon Shafer Joins Paradox Development Studio

Lead Designer of Civilization V Working on New Title with Grand Strategy Development Team

STOCKHOLM – May 12, 2017 – Paradox Interactive, a global publisher and developer of genre-defining games, today announced that Jon Shafer, the award-winning designer of such strategy titles as Sid Meier’s Civilization V, has joined Paradox Development Studio to work on new projects. A twelve-year veteran of game development, Shafer has won a BAFTA award for his work on Civilization V, and is now working on a new game with Paradox with details to be announced in the future. Shafer joins the creators of such iconic grand strategy franchises as Europa Universalis, Hearts of Iron, and Crusader Kings and will help to drive Paradox’s continuing growth and domination of the strategy genre worldwide.

“Bringing Jon Shafer onto our team is exciting for all of us; there’s probably nobody here who hasn’t personally played and enjoyed his work,” said Johan Andersson, EVP of Creative Direction at Paradox Development Studio. “Adding a new designer to our studio is always a significant challenge. Our fans have very high expectations for us based on the games they play – deep, complex titles with long-lasting, replayable experiences. I’ve known Jon for 15 years now, and I’m excited to have him join us. Jon has the expertise to create more of those experiences, and he shares our core design philosophies; we can’t wait to share his games with our fans.”

“I’ve been a fan of Paradox’s games for years now, and moving onto the team behind some of my favorite titles is an exhilarating moment for me,” said Jon Shafer, Game Director at Paradox Development Studio. “I’ve been drawn to strategy games for as long as I can remember, and it’s harder to find a better selection of rich strategy experiences than at Paradox. I look forward to working on the next big title in their catalog – stay tuned!”

Shafer is best known as the lead designer for Civilization V, though his work also includes designing the Beyond the Sword and Warlords expansions for Sid Meier’s Civilization IV, and he is also currently developing At the Gates, a Kickstarter-funded strategy title of his own creation. He will continue development of At the Gates independent and separate from his work for Paradox Development Studio and Paradox Interactive.

Paradox is currently looking for experienced programmers and other roles to join Shafer’s team – for more information please visit: https://www.teamtailor.com/en

For more information on Paradox Development Studio and Paradox Interactive, please visit https://www.paradoxinteractive.com/.

Paradox Interactive is a leading global publisher of strategy games for PC.  The world-renowned strategy catalog stretches back to 1999, and the company holds a particularly strong presence in the United States and Europe.

The publisher’s steadily-growing portfolio includes firmly established PC franchises such as the critically acclaimed Europa Universalis, Cities: Skylines, Crusader Kings, Magicka and the Hearts of Iron series created by Paradox Development Studio and a network of partner studios.

A Tsar is Born. Can You Bring Third Rome to Glory?

First Immersion Pack for Europa Universalis IV has Russian Focus

STOCKHOLM – May 12, 2017 – For 500 years, the princes of Russia have kept the faith. Through civil wars and Mongol conquest, the word of God has not just survived, but has united our people. Those princes who embrace the church will find glory, those who turn their back will be cast to dust. There have been two Romes, and both have fallen. Muscovy is the third.

There shall be no fourth.

Paradox Interactive and Paradox Development Studio are thrilled to announce Europa Universalis IV: Third Rome. The first immersion pack for the best-selling historical strategy game introduces a wealth of region-specific content, and takes a deeper look at one of the greatest powers of the early modern era – Russia. Russian cultured nations will find new interactions for their government and the Orthodox Patriarchate, deepening the experience of playing this rich and fascinating region.

Russia now gets two unique governments, with special abilities that allows them to tighten their grip on power. Use your administrative ability to reduce provincial autonomy. Call on your diplomatic resources to suppress incipient revolts. Use your military resources to quickly recruit streltsy units for your army. Rule with the iron fist that comes with a divine blessing.

Features of Europa Universalis IV: Third Rome include:

• Tsardoms and Principalities: New ranks of Russian government with new abilities and, for Tsars, strong bonuses including the right to claim entire States – not just provinces
• Iconography: Commission great religious icons for the Orthodox Church, boosting your empire’s power depending on the saint you choose to revere
• Patriarchs: Consecrate highly developed provinces with Patriarchs, adding to the authority of the Orthodox Church, but for a cost.
• Streltsy: Special Russian soldiers that excel in combat, but raise the cost of stabilizing your empire
• Siberian Frontier: Russian nations can slowly colonize uninhabited border regions, with no fear of native uprisings
• New Graphics: Includes three full unit packs and new portraits for Eastern Europe.

As usual, Third Rome will be accompanied by a free update to Europa Universalis IV, available for everyone who owns the base game.

Paradox Interactive is a leading global publisher of strategy games for PC.  The world-renowned strategy catalog stretches back to 1999, and the company holds a particularly strong presence in the United States and Europe.

The publisher’s steadily-growing portfolio includes firmly established PC franchises such as the critically acclaimed Europa Universalis, Cities: Skylines, Crusader Kings, Magicka and the Hearts of Iron series created by Paradox Development Studio and a network of partner studios.

Paradox Interactive and Harebrained Schemes Partner to Publish BATTLETECH

STOCKHOLM – May 12, 2017 – Paradox Interactive today announced a partnership with Harebrained Schemes, the studio behind the Shadowrun Returns series, to publish BATTLETECH, the first turn-based tactical ‘Mech PC game in over 20 years. Set in the MechWarrior universe, the game is being led by Jordan Weisman, creator of BattleTech and MechWarrior, Mitch Gitelman, Producer of the MechCommander series, and Mike McCain, Creative Director of the Shadowrun series. BATTLETECH was successfully Kickstarted in November 2016, and now Paradox is providing a full loadout of publishing support in BATTLETECH’s march to launch.

MechWarriors and Mercenaries alike can see the first trailer for BATTLETECH here:

BATTLETECH

“We couldn’t miss the chance to work with Harebrained Schemes given how big of fans we are of their work on the Shadowrun Returns series. The opportunity to reintroduce our strategy-minded players to the tactical roots of the BattleTech universe makes this partnership even sweeter,” said Johan Sjöberg, Chief Product Officer of Paradox Interactive. “We are as excited about BATTLETECH as the early backers are, and we can’t wait to do our part to bring the game to market.”

“We at HBS have enormous respect for the long history of quality strategy games that Paradox has published and we are proud to have BATTLETECH become part of that history,” said Jordan Weisman, CEO of Harebrained Schemes. “We are confident in our ability to create a game worthy of the MechWarrior franchise’s legacy and are really excited to have Paradox’s expertise as a publisher to help us present BATTLETECH to the widest possible audience.”

Thanks to the generous support of the Kickstarter community, BATTLETECH will be the first turn-based tactical BattleTech game on PC in more than 20 years. Set in the year 3025, the universe is trapped in a cycle of perpetual war, fought by militarized noble houses utilizing huge, mechanized combat vehicles called BattleMechs. Players will take command of their own Mercenary outfit, struggling to stay afloat as they find themselves drawn into a bloody interstellar civil war. BATTLETECH features explosive tactical `Mech combat, deep Mercenary management gameplay, a rewarding story campaign, and addictive PvP multiplayer. The game is scheduled to launch in 2017.

Harebrained Schemes was cofounded in 2011 by Jordan Weisman and Mitch Gitelman, and received widespread critical acclaim for Shadowrun Returns, their recreation of classic cyberpunk RPG, Shadowrun. Paradox Interactive was founded in 1999, and is known for its development of grand strategy titles such as Europa Universalis, Crusader Kings, and Hearts of Iron. As a publishing partner, Paradox most notably worked with Obsidian for the launches of Pillars of Eternity, Pillars of Eternity’s DLC content, and Tyranny.

Paradox Interactive is a leading global publisher of strategy games for PC.  The world-renowned strategy catalog stretches back to 1999, and the company holds a particularly strong presence in the United States and Europe.

The publisher’s steadily-growing portfolio includes firmly established PC franchises such as the critically acclaimed Europa Universalis, Cities: Skylines, Crusader Kings, Magicka and the Hearts of Iron series created by Paradox Development Studio and a network of partner studios.

Prison Architect: Mobile Available this Spring on Tablets

Paradox Prepares to Share Introversion’s Breakout Hit on iOS and Android

STOCKHOLM – May 12, 2017 – Paradox Interactive, a publisher of games that are always in, mate, today announced that Introversion Software’s Prison Architect: Mobile will be available on mobile devices worldwide in spring of this year. Prison Architect: Mobile brings the original BAFTA award-winning management simulation game to new platforms, challenging players to design, build, and maintain a maximum security prison. The game will be available within the next few months, and will be available for both iOS and Android tablets via the Google Play Store and the App Store. Prison Architect: Mobile will be free to download and play at launch, with additional content and gameplay modes available for purchase in-game.

Take a look at life on the inside (of your tablet) in a new trailer here:Prison Architect: Mobile

In Prison Architect: Mobile, players are tasked with the construction and maintenance of a maximum security prison, from laying out cell blocks and inmate facilities to managing staff pay and prisoner morale. Inspired by management simulators like Theme Hospital, Dwarf Fortress, and Dungeon Keeper, the game has won a BAFTA award for the “Persistent Game” category and has sold two million copies across PC and console platforms. The game is currently undergoing an early access inmate outreach program in the Netherlands and Sweden, and will be available worldwide soon.

For more information on Prison Architect: Mobile, visit https://www.facebook.com/PrisonArchitectMobile/

Paradox Interactive is a leading global publisher of strategy games for PC.  The world-renowned strategy catalog stretches back to 1999, and the company holds a particularly strong presence in the United States and Europe.

The publisher’s steadily-growing portfolio includes firmly established PC franchises such as the critically acclaimed Europa Universalis, Cities: Skylines, Crusader Kings, Magicka and the Hearts of Iron series created by Paradox Development Studio and a network of partner studios.

CALL OF DUTY WORLD LEAGUE PRESENTED BY PLAYSTATION 4 RETURNS TO AUSTRALIA FOR THE SYDNEY OPEN II

Top Teams from the Asia Pacific Region Clash in Competition 12-14 May

SYDNEY, Australia – 12 May, 2017 – The Call of Duty® World League Presented by PlayStation®4 (CWL) returns to Australia this week as teams will compete for a share of the event prize pool and an important step toward the CWL Championship in August. Starting this Friday, APAC’s best will face off at the CWL Sydney Open II, hosted by ESL, 12-14 May at the ESL Studios in Sydney.

Teams from the APAC region, including fan-favorites Tainted Minds and the Chiefs, are expected to compete in an effort to best position themselves for entrance into Stage 2 of the CWL Global Pro League.

The CWL Sydney Open II marks the second APAC LAN event for the 2017 season of the CWL, as Mindfreak captured the top honors in a thrilling final in March.

The top team coming out of the APAC region by June 3 will enter the CWL Global Pro League relegation tournament for a chance to participate in the CWL Global Pro League Stage 2. Teams taking part in the relegation tournament will also be included in the open bracket at the CWL Anaheim Open, June 16 – 18, for a chance at their share of a $200,000 prize pool. The CWL 2017 season culminates in the year’s premiere competition on the Call of Duty World League calendar, the CWL Championship, August 9 – 13 in Orlando, Florida.

Call of Duty World League Presented by PlayStation®4 is proud to partner with Major League Gaming Corp. (MLG) as North American tournament operator and broadcast partner for the season.  Through MLG’s proven live streaming capabilities and technology, MLG.tv will help to deliver the CWL Sydney Open II event across a number of platforms including mlg.tv/callofduty.

For the latest intel on the Call of Duty World League Presented by PlayStation®4 and for live broadcasts check out: http://www.callofduty.com/cwl, Mlg.tv/callofduty, www.youtube.com/majorleaguegaming, or follow @CODWorldLeague and @Call of Duty_ANZ on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.

About Activision Publishing, Inc.

Headquartered in Santa Monica, California, Activision Publishing, Inc. is a leading global producer and publisher of interactive entertainment. Activision maintains operations throughout the world and is a division of Activision Blizzard, Inc. (NASDAQ: ATVI), an S&P 500 company.  More information about Activision and its products can be found on the company’s website,www.activision.com or by following @Activision.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-looking Statements: Information in this press release that involves Activision Publishing’s expectations, plans, intentions or strategies regarding the future are forward-looking statements, including event timing, that are not facts and involve a number of risks and uncertainties. Factors that could cause Activision Publishing’s actual future results to differ materially from those expressed in the forward-looking statements set forth in this release include unanticipated product delays and other factors identified in the risk factors sections of Activision Blizzard’s most recent annual report on Form 10-K and any subsequent quarterly reports on Form 10-Q. The forward-looking statements in this release are based upon information available to Activision Publishing and Activision Blizzard as of the date of this release, and neither Activision Publishing nor Activision Blizzard assumes any obligation to update any such forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements believed to be true when made may ultimately prove to be incorrect. These statements are not guarantees of the future performance of Activision Publishing or Activision Blizzard and are subject to risks, uncertainties and other factors, some of which are beyond its control and may cause actual results to differ materially from current expectations.

TURTLE BEACH STRENGTHENS PRESENCE IN AUSTRALIA

Leading Gaming Headset Maker Joins Forces with eSports Organization SYF GAMING and Signs with Five Star Games as New Distribution Partner in Move to Increase Its Presence in the Australian Market

San Diego, CA – May 11, 2017 – Leading gaming headset and audio accessory company Turtle Beach Corporation (NASDAQ: HEAR) today announced two significant steps that will strengthen its presence in the Australian market. First, Turtle Beach has joined forces with SYF GAMING – an Australian professional gaming organization fielding teams across a variety of competitive games, including Counter Strike™: Global Offensive, Call of Duty^®, Battlefield 1™ and StarCraft 2^®. As part of the new partnership, SYF GAMING teams and players will don Turtle Beach’s professional-level ELITE PRO line of gaming audio gear tailored for today’s competitive gaming athletes. Additionally, Turtle Beach is proud to announce a new Australian distribution partner in Five Star Games. Effective immediately, Five Star Games is working directly with Turtle Beach to expand the company’s overall reach in the Australian market.

“Growing and expanding our business in int’l markets is a key goal for us this year, and our new partnerships with SYF GAMING and Five Star Games are two major steps for achieving this in the Australian market,” said Juergen Stark, CEO, Turtle Beach Corporation. “eSports is growing rapidly in Australia, and we’re excited to have SYF GAMING join-up with us because they recognize the competitive value of using the best gaming audio gear available. And via our new relationship with Five Star Games, we’re further expanding our ability to bring Turtle Beach’s best-in-class gaming headsets and audio products to a wider audience of Australian gamers.”

“We decided early-on that our organization would only ever partner with businesses that share our value and passion for gaming, so we’re very excited to start our journey with Turtle Beach, which we see as a massive step for Australian eSports, and one that will capture and drive additional attention of competitive gamers and spectators in the Oceanic gaming scene,” said Mackenzie Lund, Head Business Manager, SYF GAMING. “We’re always looking for new ways to provide a better experience for our teams and fans, and with such a well-known brand like Turtle Beach backing us, and their ELITE PRO gear in our arsenal, we now have the highest quality headsets as well as an enormous range of gaming audio solutions for our organization to capitalize on.”

“The experienced team at Five Star Games are ecstatic to be partners with Turtle Beach – the world’s premiere gaming headset brand,” said Tom Dekker, General Manager, Five Star Games. “Through our strong retail partnerships and an exceptional product portfolio, we look forward to strengthening Turtle Beach’s presence and growing the category in the Australian market.”

SYF GAMING will be competing in the Call of Duty^® World League Sydney Open 2, Presented by PS4™, hosted at the ESL Sydney Studio and taking place this coming weekend, May 12-14, 2017. This event follows the extremely successful Sydney Open 1 event and will host the Asia-Pacific region’s most elite Call of Duty^®: Infinite Warfare teams as they once again compete for a first place prize of 10,000 CWL Pro Points and the lion’s share of a $30,000 prize pool. For more information and for tickets to watch SYF GAMING compete, visit the ESL Australia website.

The TURTLE BEACH^® ELITE PRO is the first gaming headset designed from the ground-up for today’s generation of eSports athletes and hardcore gamers. The ELITE PRO’s large 50mm Nanoclear™ over-ear speakers deliver more efficient, crisper audio with less distortion for a game changing sound experience, while the Pro Gaming Microphone with TruSpeak™ Technology provides crystal clear chat so your commands are always heard. The ELITE PRO also features Turtle Beach’s unique ComforTec™ Fit System – a revolutionary adjustment system for truly personalized comfort, including AeroFit™ Ear Cushions – where groundbreaking material technologies combine to deliver cooling comfort as well as passive noise isolation and deeper bass response, and the patented ProSpecs™ Glasses Relief System – alleviating ear cushion pressure for gamers who wear glasses.

For more information on the latest Turtle Beach products and accessories, visit www.turtlebeach.com and be sure to follow Turtle Beach on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Torn Banner Studios Announces Open Beta for Mirage: Arcane Warfare

Beta Now Open to Public, Includes Brand New Arena Mode

TORONTO, May 11^th, 2017 – After a successful closed beta run, Torn Banner Studios upcoming magic ‘n melee multiplayer combat game Mirage: Arcane Warfare is opening its doors to a wider audience of gamers with a new Open Beta, beginning today and running until May 14th. This will be the final beta before the game launches on May 23^rd. Gamers can instantly play the new Open Beta by visiting the Mirage: Arcane Warfare Open Beta page starting now.

Featuring the current roster of nine maps that are cycling through the beta, as well as the latest gameplay and technical improvements to the still-in-development game, the Mirage: Arcane Warfare Open Beta will also introduce a brand new gameplay mode called Arena. The new Arena mode is a 3-on-3, last-man-standing style competitive tournament mode that takes place on an entirely different set of smaller, more close-combat maps. The final game will ship with six Arena mode maps, but two are included in the Open Beta: Spire and Tunnel.

Spire
Fight on the top of a huge monolith. Bait your opponents to the perilous edges of the tower – then shove them to their doom!

Tunnel
There’s only one path to death in this long, narrow level. Meet your opponents in the centre, using wall-jumps to gain the higher ground in this claustrophobic corridor.

Due for worldwide release on May 23rd, Mirage: Arcane Warfare is currently available for pre-order for $29.99 for the Standard Edition and $39.99 for the Special Edition via Steam.

For more information please visit MirageArcaneWarfare.com or the game’s Steam page. Like their game’s Facebook page and follow it on Twitter @MirageGame for future news and updates.
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.

Daedalic’s highly anticipated space exploration RPG “The Long Journey Home“ to be released May 30^th

Start your own journey home later this month when the game launches on Windows PC for 34,99 Pounds

11 May 2017, London -Daedalic’s The Long Journey Home will be released on Steam for Windows PC on May 30th at the price of $39.99. In this space exploration RPG, players command a 4-person crew that ends up lost on the other side of the universe after the first light jump goes horribly wrong. Stranded with a rapidly deteriorating ship and dwindling supplies, players must manage the politics of different alien races, the limited yet valuable resources at their disposal, and the survival of the ship all while trying to bring the crew home.

Andreas Suika, lead game designer for The Long Journey Home, explains the idea behind the game: “Being lost and alone is a fear we can all appreciate. Now, imagine being on the other side of the universe, alone, low on resources, never knowing what awaits after the next jump. The Long Journey Home taps into that primal longing for home, while also providing a colourful, comic universe that players will have a blast exploring and returning to.”

Starting your journey

Lead Your Crew: Pick 4 out of 10 possible characters, from astronaut Kirsten to expert pilot Malcolm. Harness their unique skills and personalities to uncover the mysteries of the universe, salvaging lost wrecks, raiding ancient tombs, and investigating alien artefacts.

Real Flying: Flying in space is a bit complicated…really, we looked it up. “The Long Journey Home” provides a flying experience with actual planetary gravity, which can be difficult to master but can also be used to your advantage. Flying in Long Journey Home is a bit different than in many other space games. Be careful not to be sucked into a black hole or outmaneuvered by an alien warship!

Lost in Translation: Meet and try and befriend fifteen strange alien races – four empires out of eight, plus assorted smaller civilisations in every game. Will they appreciate you approaching with raised shields as a sign of respect, or see it as an aggressive display? Can you win their respect, and with it, their assistance? With over two novels worth of dialogue, you’ll feel part of a living universe full of memorable characters and big decisions.

Weigh Your Options: Players have to land on planets in order to gather resources. By doing so, you always risk damaging the landing unit or even losing a crew member. Be sure to carefully consider the risks involved in every reward.

Andreas Suika notes that “‘The Long Journey Home’ is about making the right decisions. When you alone are in space, there is no room for wasteful choices. It’s important to remember: always think twice and once you’ve made a decision, be ready to deal with the consequences.”

Procedural, not Random: Although most of the game is procedurally generated, there are no random aspects in it. For example, dialogues with aliens may vary in different playthroughs but the lore behind each race is very much consistent. Quests or reactions might change, but their core attitude and character always stays the same.

Same Game, Different Journey: Thanks to the variety of the key elements of the game, the experience can be very different with every new run. Players can expect to see about 20% of the possible content in one run which should only take about 6 – 8 hours.

Official links:

•        The Long Journey Home Website
•        Facebook
•        Twitter

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About Daedalic Entertainment

Daedalic Entertainment, based in Hamburg, publishes and develops computer and video games for all platforms. The studio focuses on interactive literature and character and narrative-driven games like adventures and RPGs. Daedalic Entertainment has a staff of more than 160 employees, including the Writer’s Room, a team of writers unique to the German media industry.

Since May 2014, Daedalic Entertainment is part of the Bastei Lübbe group of companies. In July 2014, the publisher opened a new studio, Daedalic Entertainment West, in Düsseldorf. The studio’s first project is the Space Exploration RPG The Long Journey Home.

Daedalic won the German Developer Award 21 times („Studio of the Year“ 2009 and 2013, among others). In 2013, the studio won the prestigious German Games Award for “Best German Game” with “Chaos on Deponia”. Daedalic Entertainment is also the six-time winner of the German Video Game Award and the European Games Award.

With titles like State of Mind, Silence and Ken Follett’s The Pillars of the Earth, Daedalic will raise the bar for the whole adventure genre. With Blackguards they also gained a reputation for creating high quality RPG games. As a publisher, the studio is also known for releasing unique and outstanding titles like Shadow Tactics, Crazy Machines 3, Valhalla Hills and Candle.