Civilization VI – Pre-Order Civilization VI and Get Early Access to the Aztec Civilization led by Montezuma I

2K and Firaxis Games today revealed that Montezuma I will lead the Aztecs in Sid Meier’s Civilization VI and starting today, those who pre-order Civilization VI will exclusively gain early access* to the Aztec civ, when the game launches on October 21, 2016. After 90 days, this content will unlock for all Civilization VI players at no additional charge.

Montezuma I, born in 1398, was the fifth king of the city of Tenochtitlan and second emperor of the Aztecs. His 29-year reign was categorized by a major consolidation and expansion of the Aztec Empire, also known as the Triple Alliance, as well as enacting a new series of sumptuary laws – which aim to curb rampant consumption of goods and decadent lifestyles – that reinforced an already existing class system permeating every facet of Aztec life.

Montezuma I’s reign ended when he passed away from unknown causes in 1469 AD. He was succeeded by his 19-year-old son Axayacatl, who later sired Montezuma II – the Aztec leader who managed to lose it all to Hernan Cortes and his group of conquistadors.

For more information, please see 2K’s official Civilization blog: http://steamcommunity.com/app/289070/allnews/.

The new video is available to view or embed on YouTube: https://youtu.be/wVoUiAo7E1M

For the latest news on Sid Meier’s Civilization VI, visit the official site, follow @CivGame on Twitter, and become a fan of Civilization on Facebook.

Next Games Makes the Heroes of AMC’s The Walking Dead Playable in The Walking Dead: No Man’s Land

Take on the Apocalypse as Fan-Favorites like Daryl, Rick, Michonne, Carol and more

Next Games Teams Up with YouTubers at Comic-Con International to Reveal Their Favorite TV Show Characters

San Diego, CA – July 21, 2016 – Next Games has announced at Comic-Con International that the heroes of AMC’s hit series The Walking Dead, including Daryl, Rick, Michonne, Carol and many more, are now playable characters in The Walking Dead: No Man’s Land, the official mobile game of the blockbuster TV show.

“We are very excited to continue working with AMC to make The Walking Dead: No Man’s Land an experience that is true to this one-of-a-kind TV universe,” said Saara Bergström, CMO at Next Games. “For years, viewers have seen these complex characters through countless triumphs and challenges, and it’s incredibly rewarding to offer fans new ways to engage with those adventures.“

Next Games is teaming up with NoahJ456, SsssniperWolf, FaZe Rug and five other prominent YouTube personalities for a big Comic-Con International in-game event starting Thursday, July 21. Each content creator will unlock their favorite TV show character during an eight-day campaign.

The cast and producers of AMC’s The Walking Dead will participate in a panel discussion at Comic Con on Friday, July 22 at 1:00 p.m. PT in Hall H. In addition, fans can visit AMC’s The Walking Dead-themed booth (#4237) in the Convention Center, to take photos of themselves among Negan’s (Jeffrey Dean Morgan) infamous “lineup” from the season six finale.

Nearly 15 million players have immersed themselves in the life and death struggle of The Walking Dead: No Man’s Land. It gives fans an unparalleled experience inside the world of this thrilling series with cinematic graphics, intense turn-based combat, intuitive touchscreen gameplay and unique connections to its story.

Download the game on the App Store and Google Play: http://www.getnomandsland.com

Based on the comic book series written by Robert Kirkman and published by Image Comics, “The Walking Dead” reigns as television’s most watched drama for Adults 18-49. “The Walking Dead” tells the story of the months and years that follow after a zombie apocalypse, and follows a group of survivors, led by police officer Rick Grimes, who travel in search of a safe and secure home.  The series is executive produced by showrunner Scott M. Gimple, Robert Kirkman, Gale Anne Hurd, David Alpert, Greg Nicotero and Tom Luse.

About Next Games

Next Games, the developers of the critically acclaimed The Walking Dead: No Man’s Land, redefines the way franchise entertainment transforms into highly engaging mobile games played together with friends and fellow fans. Next Games has assembled a veteran team with a profound love for games and a burning desire to develop lasting global entertainment. The 70-people-strong company is funded by an elite list of investors and headquartered in Helsinki, Finland, at the heart of mobile games development. www.nextgames.com

ESCAPE FROM TARKOV REVEALS THE FIRST PLAYABLE LOCATION IN THE UPCOMING CLOSED ALPHA

Battlestate Games has released a new screenshot pack from its in-development title Escape from Tarkov. The new screens, taken directly from the Alpha build of the the upcoming MMO/FPS combat simulation, showcases the first location “The Customs” that will be playable in the soon-to-launch Closed Alpha.

In “The Customs” most of the abandoned or occupied places are guarded by bands of civilian Scavengers who took over most of the Tarkov when the conflict started. These ‘Scavs’ are desperate for loot and ruthless in protecting what they have managed to salvage.

Download the New Escape from Tarkov Screens and Closed Alpha location description “The Customs” HERE: spaces.hightail.com/receive/MQxMT

Escape from Tarkov is a hardcore story-driven MMO featuring elements of FPS and RPG. The events take place in the Russian city of Tarkov, which has been sealed of by roadblocks and sunk into the chaos of local warfare between private military companies. Escape from Tarkov‘s Hazardous Environment Combat Simulator employs a number of custom system modules to create incredibly immersive gameplay and make players feel the reality of what is happening in the game.

To get more information on Escape from Tarkov or to Pre-order and unlock early access visit the game’s official page: www.escapefromtarkov.com. Also ‘Like’ the game on Facebook and follow the game’s development on Twitter @bstategames for all the latest developer updates and news.

KOEI TECMO AMERICA REVEALS DATE OF SECOND DOWNLOADABLE DEMO FOR HIGHLY-ANTICIPATED SAMURAI ACTION RPG, NIOH 

Further Explore and Conquer the Mysterious World of ‘Nioh’ in Beta Demo from August 23 Until September 6

Burlingame Calif. – July 21, 2016 – KOEI TECMO America today revealed new assets and information on the second downloadable demo for the highly-anticipated samurai action RPG Nioh, exclusively for the PlayStation®4 computer entertainment system. This Beta Demo will be available via the PlayStation® Store from August 23 until September 6, after which point download and play of the demo will be disabled.

Following the overwhelming success of the Alpha Demo in April, Nioh returns with a Beta Demo featuring more intense and rewardingly dangerous gameplay. New challenges await players who venture deeper into the ominous world of Nioh, and in turn, new ways to conquer foes emerge. The long-range hand cannon rifle allows humans and Yokai alike to be taken down with a forceful blow, and a fresh selection of Katanas, Spears, Axes and Hammers will provide players with new options to suit their gameplay style. Among the demo’s locales is a new dojo stage which teaches players the basics of the game’s fast-paced combat system. Players will also be able to explore a to-be-announced stage in addition to the Usuki stage featured earlier this year in the Alpha Demo.

Blending a compelling narrative loosely based upon the tale of the first western samurai, William Adams, with a myriad of strange supernatural creatures from Japanese folklore (Yokai), players of Nioh will discover a diverse and comprehensive world dripping with lore. Vile and daunting creatures await challengers, who must learn their enemies’ tactics to gain an advantage in battle.

William is not alone against the perilous Yokai, however, as he will be accompanied by a diverse cast of characters who assist him on his travels across Japan. Hanzo Hattori, the head of the ninja clan retained by Ieyasu Tokugawa, serves as William’s guide through the country. Hanzo’s cat is possessed with the long-living spiritual guardian Nekomata, who aids William with his strong knowledge of the supernatural and history of the land. Muneshige and Ginchiyo Tachibana, experienced samurai and leaders of the Tachibana clan, also help William on his quest with their deadly fighting abilities. Both Tachibana leaders possess their own Raiken guardian spirits—creatures which control the element of Thunder—which come together to perform a devastating special attack.

To coincide with this announcement, KOEI TECMO America has released a batch of all-new screenshots introducing these characters and their guardian spirits, the explosive hand cannon, and the sinister Yokai which will be encountered on William’s journey.

About Nioh

In the dark, fantasy action RPG Nioh, players will traverse war-torn Japan as William, a blonde-haired swordsman whose background as a fierce warrior and seasoned knowledge of the blade allows him to survive in the demon-plagued land of the samurai. Players will face off against other samurai in epic sword battles and intense, multi-target engagements offering a level of difficulty that will truly test even the most hardened samurai’s skills, patience, and strategy. Nioh not only incorporates iconic elements from Japanese folklore such as samurai and supernatural creatures—the game also offers the exhilaration of an authentic samurai sword fight straight from Team NINJA. Nioh is guaranteed to challenge players in a way that makes every mission feel earned and their accomplishments worthwhile.

Scheduled for launch in 2016, Nioh is in development exclusively for the PS4™ system. For more news and information on Nioh, please visit the official website at http://teamninja-studio.com/nioh/us and Like Nioh on Facebook at www.facebook.com/Niohofficial. This title has not yet been rated by the ESRB, but a rating of “M for Mature” is expected.

For more information on KOEI TECMO products, please visit the official website at www.koeitecmoamerica.com, Like KOEI TECMO America on Facebook at www.facebook.com/koeitecmous, and become part of the #KTfamily by following KOEI TECMO America on Twitter at @KoeiTecmoUS. For more information on Team NINJA products, Like Team NINJA on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/teamninjastudio and follow Team NINJA on Twitter at @TeamNINJAStudio.

ABOUT KOEI TECMO AMERICA CORP.

KOEI TECMO AMERICA CORP. is a publisher of interactive entertainment software for current generation consoles, handhelds and digital download content based in Burlingame, California. The company is a wholly owned subsidiary of KOEI TECMO HOLDINGS CO., LTD., headquartered in Yokohama, Japan. KOEI is best known for its Dynasty Warriors® and Samurai Warriors® franchises. TECMO is best known for the Dead or Alive®, Ninja Gaiden®, Tecmo Bowl®, and Fatal Frame® series.

JOURNEY INTO THE GRAVITY-DEFYING WORLD OF THE LAND OF EYAS – NOW AVAILABLE ON PC

Enjoy a Seven-day 15% Launch Discount For This Challenging Platform Puzzler that Flips the Genre Upside Down

LOS ANGELES, CA – July 21, 2016 – Rising Star Games and indie studio Happy Square Productions today announced that the ingenious and devious platform-puzzle game, The Land of Eyas, is now available on PC from Steam and selected digital retailers. In addition, for seven days from launch, the game will be available at 15% off when purchased via Steam. The Land of Eyas is the story of a young boy named Eyas – dressed adorably in a cat outfit – lost in a mysterious realm of two opposing gravity forces. Players will learn how to use the unique gravity-based jumping mechanics to catapult Eyas through an escalating range of dangers in order to regain lost memories and discover the way home.

Review codes are available for press members – please send a review code request to Shannon McPherson ([email protected]).

Explore the endless, colorful worlds of The Land of Eyas

“In a battle of David and Goliath, where indie game devs are David and the gaming industry is Goliath, David would actually lose the vast majority of the time despite what might have happened in the story,” said Stephen Hoskins, founder of Happy Square Productions. “However, if you only consider the cases where indie developers do this one thing, then you will probably find that they actually win the majority of the time. That one thing that I am referring to is innovation.”

In The Land of Eyas, Eyas has to learn how to navigate the strangely beautiful world using the opposing gravitational forces and objects he interacts with along the way to help him complete his quest. On his journey, he is guided by tree wisps that direct him to find the one they call Mother. By manipulating jumps between the different gravity fields, Eyas is able to use the additional momentum to sling-shot to new heights and access new areas. Each world will present its own challenges and dangerous obstacles reflected in the elegantly simple art styles that change from magical ancient forests to grim, cutting-edge industrial factories.

The Land of Eyas is now available on Steam and selected digital retailers. For more information, follow Rising Star Games on Twitter and visit the official Rising Star Games website.

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ABOUT HAPPY SQUARE PRODUCTIONS
Headquartered out of Fairfax Station, Virginia U.S.A. Happy Square Productions is a collaborative and integrated network of creative specialists in the field of interactive digital entertainment. The Land of Eyas project is written and coded by Stephen Hoskins, with distinguished artwork by Matthew Kiehl, Trung Nguyen, McKenzie Kerman, and Kristin Parker.  Additional contributions and influences were taken from many luminary individuals active in the digital entertainment space.  All music in The Land of Eyas is composed by Stephen Hoskins. thelandofeyas.com www.facebook.com/HappySquareProductions

ABOUT RISING STAR GAMES
Rising Star Games is a privately held video games publisher with a global reach. With operating offices in Europe and USA the company publishes video game entertainment across all gaming platforms from Sony, Microsoft, Nintendo and via Steam. With decades of combined experience and a genuine passion for interactive entertainment, Rising Star Games is proud of its ever-expanding and enormously diverse catalogue of over 120 titles. www.risingstargames.com

Play Beautifully With Dots & Co, the New Puzzle Game From Dots

NEW YORK – July 21, 2016 – Dots, the acclaimed NYC-based developer of Dots and Two Dots, has released Dots & Co, a new mobile game available as a free download from the Apple App Store and Google Play Store. Dots & Co introduces an enhanced visual palette and new companions with a variety of powers, bringing an exciting layer of magic to the original gameplay of Dots and Two Dots, which have 100 million downloads to date combined.

“Dots & Co is a beautiful, thoughtful and immersive experience we wanted to feel like a little mental oasis,” said Patrick Moberg, co-founder and chief creative officer at Dots. “It elevates our portfolio of games with new worlds, charming in-game companions and fresh ways to approach challenges.”

Like Two Dots before it, Dots & Co features specially crafted levels of colorfully matching dots with distinct mechanics that change and combine as players progress. It launches with 155 new and completely reimagined stages that move across a bright landscape of beautifully painted environments with colorblind mode support and an original musical score. Additional puzzles will arrive in free updates after release.

“Dots & Co is designed around the principles of strategy, simplicity and style,” said Margaret Robertson, game director for Dots & Co. “It’s both a satisfying challenge for your brain and a restorative treat for your senses.”

Dots & Co can be downloaded for free from the Apple App Store and Google Play Store globally.

About Dots

Dots builds unique games with thoughtful design. The studio’s first game, Dots: A Game About Connecting, has garnered a massive and loyal following since its launch in 2013. In 2014 the studio launched Two Dots, an acclaimed global mega-hit. You can learn more about Dots by following @playdots on Twitter, @dots on Instagram, www.facebook.com/playdots on Facebook and visiting the Dots website: www.dots.co.

Crytek and ESL partner for new Warface esports series

Cash prizes up for grabs in free-to-play weekly Go4Warface ESL tournament series

Frankfurt am Main (Germany) July 21, 2016 – Today Crytek announced that Warface, the always-evolving free-to-play FPS, has joined forces with the leading esports event provider ESL to launch the ESL Go4Warface online tournament series. ESL is the largest esports company in the world, and many of today’s top esports stars started out on their journey to professional gaming by participating in free-to-enter ESL Go4 tournaments, which have distributed over €1,000,000 to players in cash prizes.

Ilya Mamontov, Director of Game Operations at Crytek, said: “We’re delighted to join forces with ESL and offer FPS players and our ever-growing community a new way to compete. Warface’s gameplay is built around rapid action and tactical teamwork which is ideally suited to intense esport competition. Warface is always evolving with regular content and feature updates, and this is an exciting push forward into the esports scene for us – we can’t wait to see players give it their all on the battlefield.”

The Go4Warface tournament series will launch with a prize pool of over €10,000, which will grow over time. Players will join together in teams to compete in weekly tournaments with €100 prize money up for grabs, and the eight top-performing teams will become eligible for a monthly final tournament with a prize pot of €500. The first tournament begins on Sunday, August 7th and is free to enter for players and teams of all levels of experience. Players can find out more information and sign up by visitinghttp://play.eslgaming.com/warface/europe/ and stay up to date with all the latest news by following ESL Warface on Facebook and Twitter.

Powered by Crytek’s award-winning CRYENGINE, Warface brings AAA production values to the free-to-play, game-as-a-service space, immersing players in the heat of battle. Gamers play as one of four unique combat classes – Rifleman, Sniper, Engineer, or Medic – and combine the strengths of each to dominate the battlefield as a team. Players can enjoy over 100 weapons with thousands of attachment combinations while new content and features, including missions, maps, and equipment, are regularly added as the game serves its expanding community of over 30 million registered players worldwide.

Warface is available for free download by visiting www.warface.com .

About Crytek

Crytek is an independent videogame developer, publisher, and technology provider dedicated to pushing the boundaries of gaming with its cutting-edge 3D game development platform CRYENGINE. With headquarters in Frankfurt am Main (Germany) and studios in Kiev (Ukraine), Budapest (Hungary), Sofia (Bulgaria), Seoul (South Korea), Shanghai (China), and Istanbul (Turkey), Crytek has created multiple award-winning titles, including the original Far Cry, the Crysis series, Ryse: Son of Rome, Warface, and The Climb. Crytek delivers fun and innovative gaming experiences for PC, consoles, and VR and continues to grow its reach in the games-as-a-service market. Every Crytek game is created with CRYENGINE, which can be used by anyone to create games on a Pay What You Want business model.

For more information visit www.crytek.com  and www.cryengine.com .

SBK16 INVITES MOBILE GAMERS TO JOIN ELITE RACERS IN THE MOTUL FIM SUPERBIKE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP

SBK16 Launches for iOS, Android and Windows Phone Devices; Racers Can Show Their Skills to Remove all Ads from the Free-to-play Game

MILAN –July 21, 2016 – Italian Developer Digital Tales today announced it has launched SBK16 Official Mobile Game, the official game of the 2016 Motul FIM Superbike World Championship, for smartphones and tablets on the App Store, Google Play and Windows Phone Store. SBK16 is equipped with elite new features and a radically fair new free-to-play value proposition: prove your skill in the new Test Ride mode and you can play the game completely free with no advertising. The latest game builds on the success of the SBK series for mobile, which has garnered over 20 million downloads and a 4+ user rating while reaching the top sports game slot in over 100 app stores worldwide.

SBK16 will be totally free-to-play through the rest of the championship. After downloading the game, players will be able to immediately access all the bikes and tracks featured in the current season, including the new Yamaha YZF R1 and the Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca circuit in California.

The Motul FIM Superbike World Championship featured in SBK16 is one of the top motorcycle racing series in the world with a global audience of more than 400 million viewers. More than 100 riders, representing 22 countries, compete in 13 events throughout the season in the series and in the game. Unlike most motorsports, SBK motorcycles are based on production models available for sale, allowing manufacturers to showcase new models with a “Win on Sunday, sell on Monday” mantra. The race for the manufacturers’ title is closely fought and this year will see the return of Yamaha with the new YZF-R1 to debut in the World Superbike Class with Honda, Kawasaki, Ducati, Aprilia, BMW and MV Agusta also competing for the ultimate prize. For the last 29 years the passion, speed and excitement of elite Superbike racing have attracted a global fan base and the biggest names in world motorsport—and this excitement is fully captured in SBK16, allowing fans to race to the championship on their phone or tablet.

Thanks to feedback collected from real SBK riders and fans of the series, Digital Tales has further improved the game’s physics and bike handling for better feel and realism: speeding on circuits will be even more fun now that motorcycles are far more responsive and can actually skid or oversteer when the rear wheel loses grip.

SBK16 Official Mobile Game also adds some highly requested features including support for mobile game controllers—widely sought after by core gamers—and the new cockpit view that allows players to literally take the rider’s seat.

Perhaps the most notable addition is Test Ride mode, which offers gamers a chance to measure their riding skills through a series of 250 trials. If all the trials are completed, players can unlock premium features and an ad-free gaming experience for free. This new feature rewards players for the skill, expanding the possibilities for free-to-play gaming by providing a new way for players to get maximum enjoyment whether or not they make any purchases.

SBK16 Official Mobile Game features all the riders, bikes and circuits of the 2016 Motul FIM Superbike World Championship.

For more information, visit sbkmobile.com, and follow the game at facebook.com/SBKOfficialMobileGame, twitter.com/Digital_Tales and youtube.com/DigitalTales.

About Digital Tales:

Founded in 2006 and based in Milan, with offices in Rome and Miami, Digital Tales develops games and e-Learning solutions combining user-friendly technology and strong graphic appeal. Its racing and action-adventure games are based on a proprietary cross-platform C++ framework. Besides collaborating with established developers and publishers, the studio has self-published a few chart-topping, award-winning mobile games totaling over 20M downloads worldwide. For more information, visit http://www.dtales.it/gaming/en.