DC UNIVERSE™ ONLINE’S SUMMER OF WONDER OPENS EPISODES TO ALL PLAYERS FOR WONDER WOMAN’S 75^th ANNIVERSARY

 SUMMER OF WONDER: This week, the Summer of Wonder kicks off, celebrating the 75^th anniversary of the iconic character Wonder Woman in DC Universe™ Online (DCUO). The Summer of Wonder honors decades of characters and community, and a new video released today with commentary from developers and VO actress Susan Eisenberg shines a light on the character’s design and legacy in DCUO. To commemorate this milestone, Daybreak Games will be implementing Open Episodes in DC Universe Online, which will allow all DCUO players to enjoy the content, regardless of Daybreak Membership or purchase status*, starting with Game Update 62 on July 20 until Aug. 21, 2016.

If players own the content, either from a previous purchase or through membership, they will keep the standard loot lockout times. If not, they will still be able to play with everyone else, but with extended loot lockout times. Open Episodes are designed to encourage everyone to play together, to see the whole game, and have fun saving the world. The developers want this summer to be one of the best times for players to advance their characters, get back into the game, or go further than they ever have.

Additionally, all players that log into the game during the Summer of Wonder will be granted a special Wonder Woman 75 in-game emblem for free. 

Earlier this month, Daybreak Games announced that after Episode 26 this August, DCUO will transition from its current system of monthly Episode launches to larger, more substantial content releases in an effort to address the community’s desire for more meaningful advances in endgame progression and storytelling. Episode 27 – Amazon Fury Part III – will be the first new Episode to arrive in this format, maintaining many of the expectations set in prior Episodes, including multiple storylines and Elite versions of content. Game updates will continue to bring new features, as well as seasonal events and survival modes, to the DCUO experience in the interim.

More info here: https://www.dcuniverseonline.com/news/dcuo-large-content-releases-2016

DC Universe Online is licensed by Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment on behalf of DC Entertainment. For more information, please visit www.DCUniverseOnline.com.

*Players must still be at an appropriate level or combat rating to access certain Open Episode content.

About DC Universe Online

Lex Luthor has traveled back through time with news of a dire future: While the heroes and villains spent years battling amongst themselves, Brainiac has been feeding on their powers, building strength to return to Earth and destroy humanity. To change the future, Lex has come back to set off a device that bestows superpowers to thousands of everyday citizens and give humanity a fighting chance. Can Brainiac be stopped, or is this another nefarious Lex Luthor plot?

For the first time, players and fans will be able to enter the DC Universe as an active force for good or evil. A massively multiplayer experience, DC Universe Online delivers unparalleled high-energy, physics-powered combat that brings the player’s extraordinary powers to life.

DC Universe Online was created in the artistic vision of legendary comic book artist Jim Lee, and set within a world created by famous DC writers including Geoff Johns and Marv Wolfman.

Rated T for Teen with Mild Blood, Mild Language, Mild Suggestive Themes and Violence, DC Universe Online is now available for the PC, PlayStation®4 computer entertainment system, PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system and Xbox One. DCUO Legendary access is available for a $14.99 monthly fee.

About Daybreak Game Company

Daybreak Game Company LLC is a worldwide leader in massively multiplayer online games and emergent gameplay. Best known for blockbuster hits and franchises such as H1Z1®: King of the Kill™, H1Z1®: Just Survive™, EverQuest®, EverQuest®II, PlanetSide®2, DC Universe™ Online, and Landmark®, Daybreak creates, develops and provides compelling online entertainment for a variety of platforms.

About Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment

Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment, a division of Warner Bros. Home Entertainment Inc., is a premier worldwide publisher, developer, licensor and distributor of entertainment content for the interactive space across all platforms, including console, handheld, mobile and PC-based gaming for both internal and third party game titles.

About DC Entertainment

DC Entertainment, home to iconic brands DC (Superman, Batman, Green Lantern, Wonder Woman, The Flash, etc.), Vertigo (Sandman, Fables, etc.) and MAD, is the creative division charged with strategically integrating across Warner Bros. and Time Warner.  DC Entertainment works in concert with many key Warner Bros. divisions to unleash its stories and characters across all media, including but not limited to film, television, consumer products, home entertainment, and interactive games.  Publishing thousands of comic books, graphic novels and magazines each year, DC Entertainment is one of the largest English-language publishers of comics in the world.

DRAGON QUEST BUILDERS arrives in Europe this October

Exclusive Day One Edition digital content and box art revealed

LONDON (20^th July 2016) –   Square Enix Ltd., today revealed details of the “Day-One Edition” of its all-new block-building adventure, DRAGON QUEST BUILDERS™ – arriving in Europe and PAL territories on 14^th October.

Players who pre-order the game ahead of launch will receive a selection of exclusive in-game item recipes that allow for the creation of materials for use in the game’s Terra Incognita (Free Build) mode, including;

• Springtide Sprinkles Recipe – Transform trees into festive Cherry Blossom Trees and soil into comfortable Straw Floor Blocks
• Slimy Blocks Recipe – Craft delightful blocks adorned with cute blue Slimes
• Gold Blocks Recipe – Show off your opulent side with blocks made of pure gold

In DRAGON QUEST BUILDERS, players will use their creativity to build a variety of unique tools from the materials they gather, and rebuild towns and cities to restore life to the shattered world of Alefgard– a human realm destroyed and plunged into darkness by the menacing ruler of the monsters, the Dragonlord. Explore with the freedom of sandbox gameplay, combined with an immersive and charming DRAGON QUEST® story – battling with iconic DRAGON QUEST monsters and interacting with gorgeously designed 3D characters along the way. With an intuitive control system, DRAGON QUEST BUILDERSwill have you building the towers and castles of your dreams in no time!

DRAGON QUEST BUILDERS will arrive in Europe and PAL territories in 14^th October 2016 for the PlayStation®4 Computer Entertainment System and PlayStation Vita (digital only). For more information visit: www.dragonquest-game.com

Related Links:
Official Homepage: www.dragonquest-game.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/DragonQuest
Twitter: @DragonQuest

About DRAGON QUEST BUILDERS
Generations ago, the realm of Alefgard was plunged into darkness when the hero fated to slay the terrible and treacherous Dragonlord, the ruler of all monsters, was instead tricked into joining him. Through this vile villain’s magical machinations, mankind was scattered to the winds and robbed of the power to build. With even the idea of creativity relegated to mere legend, the people of Alefgard wander the ruins of their former home, scrounging and scavenging in the dust to survive.
But now, a legendary figure arises – a hero chosen by the Goddess herself – who sets out to return the power of creation to the people of Alefgard. Only when the wonder of imagination has been returned to the land will mankind be able to overthrow the evil Dragonlord once and for all!

About Square Enix Ltd.
Square Enix Ltd. develops, publishes, distributes and licenses SQUARE ENIX®, EIDOS® and TAITO® branded entertainment content in Europe and other PAL territories as part of the Square Enix group of companies. Square Enix Ltd. also has a global network of leading development studios such as IO Interactive™, Crystal Dynamics®, and Eidos Montréal. The Square Enix group of companies boasts a valuable portfolio of intellectual property including: FINAL FANTASY®, which has sold over 115 million units worldwide; DRAGON QUEST, which has sold over 68 million units worldwide; TOMB RAIDER®, which has sold over 45 million units worldwide; and the legendary SPACE INVADERS®. Square Enix Ltd. is a London-based, wholly-owned subsidiary of Square Enix Holdings Co., Ltd.
More information on Square Enix Ltd. can be found at http://eu.square-enix.com/en

BATTLE OF EQUALS EVENT BEGINS IN SKYFORGE

Brand New Skill Based PvP Tournament Starts Today

Amsterdam, The Netherlands – July 20, 2016 – Developer Allods Team and global publisher My.com announce the Battle of Equals Tournament has begun! Fight on equal footing, with or against your friends, to prove who truly has the skills to become the best player in Skyforge. In the upcoming weeks, players will be participating in 3v3 matches in which the playing field is normalized like never before, to let skill be the true deciding factor in this almighty competition.

Watch the Skyforge Battle of Equals trailer

Updates include:

• Battle of Equals: Players will be on equalized footing in this brand new tournament – Transportation, Divine Form, Symbols from each atlas cannot be used. Players will join the battle as a hero that has only the current Talents, Skills, and Weapon properties of their character.
• Antean Wasteland: This new area is one of the most dangerous places in Aelion: its ruthless weather conditions and deadly creatures will provide great challenges for players to complete, including weekly changing special missions.

Skyforge is a free-to-play MMORPG set in a universe where mortals and immortals use cutting edge technology to fight for survival against mythical creatures and invaders from space. Players start as immortals, newly reborn into the world and vie to become gods themselves.

To learn more about Skyforge and to download for free today, visit sf.my.com. ‘Like’ the game on Facebook and follow the game’s development on Twitter @GodsofSkyforge for all the latest developer updates and news.

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About My.com

My.com comprises myMail, MAPS.ME, myTarget, and online and mobile games. Its mobile communications and entertainment services and apps facilitate people in pursuing their business goals – and let them relax and have a good time gaming in-between. Copyright © 2015 My.com.

For more information, visit my.com/

Life is Strange Episode 1: Chrysalis free to download from 21st July

London (July 20, 2016) Square Enix and DONTNOD Entertainment today announce that the first episode of the award-winning and critically-acclaimed narrative driven game LIFE IS STRANGE™ will be available to download for free indefinitely, on PlayStation 4, PlayStation 3, Xbox One, Xbox 360, Mac and PC, starting from July 21^st 2016. To celebrate, there is a brand new trailer showing Max and Chloe in action that is available now.

“Although our team set out to create an award-winning narrative we still cannot believe the response we’ve had from players of Life is Strange” said Oskar Guilbert, CEO of DONTNOD Entertainment. “We’re really glad that Square Enix have decided to give the first episode away for free so more players can begin their journey and see why people have fallen in love with the game for themselves”.

As well as winning the BAFTA for Best Story, the Peabody Award, the Golden Joystick’s Performance of the Year and The Game Awards’ Games for Impact Award, LIFE IS STRANGEhas garnered over 75 Game of the Year awards and listings.

“By making the first episode of Life is Strange free, we’re really excited to welcome new players to the world of Arcadia Bay and our passionate, vibrant community” said Jon Brooke, VP Brand and European Marketing at Square Enix, “We’re incredibly pleased with the awards that the series has won to date as well as the support that our community have given us throughout the campaign.”

LIFE IS STRANGE follows the story of Max Caulfield, a photography senior who discovers she can rewind time while saving her best friend Chloe Price. The pair soon finds themselves investigating the mysterious disappearance of fellow student Rachel Amber, uncovering a dark side to life in Arcadia Bay.

Check out the brand new LIFE IS STRANGE Episode 1 Free trailer on YouTube here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W29uOjrz318

Official LIFE IS STRANGE Episode 1 Free Website: http://www.lifeisstrange.com/free

About DONTNOD Entertainment:
Based in Paris, DONTNOD develops video games for consoles and PC based on original concepts and innovative technologies. Since the release of Remember Me and the critically acclaimed Life Is Strange, the studio is internationally recognized for the quality of its narrative games set in immersive and innovative worlds. Today DONTNOD is working on the action-RPG Vampyr, and new yet unannounced projects. For more information, please visit:http://www.dont-nod.com/

About Square Enix Ltd.
Square Enix Ltd. develops, publishes, distributes and licenses SQUARE ENIX®, EIDOS® and TAITO® branded entertainment content in Europe and other PAL territories as part of the Square Enix group of companies. Square Enix Ltd. also has a global network of leading development studios such as IO Interactive™, Crystal Dynamics®, and Eidos Montréal. The Square Enix group of companies boasts a valuable portfolio of intellectual property including: FINAL FANTASY®, which has sold over 115 million units worldwide; DRAGON QUEST®, which has sold over 68 million units worldwide; TOMB RAIDER®, which has sold over 45 million units worldwide; and the legendary SPACE INVADERS®. Square Enix Ltd. is a London-based, wholly-owned subsidiary of Square Enix Holdings Co., Ltd. More information on Square Enix Ltd. can be found at http://eu.square-enix.com/en

Dear Esther: A live music and gaming experience, featuring Jessica Curry’s original soundtrack

Friday 14 October 2016 / Milton Court Concert Hall / 19:30 Tickets £22.50 plus booking fee

In 2012 the UK game company The Chinese Room released first person game Dear Esther and created a new genre of videogames. Nearly five years on, Dear Esther remains a landmark in gaming, internationally renowned for its deep, rich storytelling, extraordinary art and powerfully emotive score by BAFTA winning composer Jessica Curry.

In this newly devised world premiere event as part of the Barbican’s contemporary music programming at Milton Court Concert Hall, Jessica Curry joins the musical team behind The Chinese Room’s critically acclaimed soundtracks for a live performance of the Dear Esther game. Featuring Nigel Carrington, the game’s BAFTA-nominated narrator as well as Jessica’s live band featuring strings, electronics and vocals, and writer and producer Dan Pinchbeck as the live player, the evening will take audiences on a dark, compelling and ultimately uplifting journey. The music on stage will be triggered by the game protagonist’s progress and audiences will experience a complete play-through of the game.

The setting of the game sees a man standing on a lonely and desolate Hebridean island, unsure whether it is real or just a figment of his grieving imagination. Weaving a complex and poetic tale of love, loss and redemption, Dear Esther journeys to a car crash on the M5, to the crisis of faith of a guilty heart, to the forgotten words of an eighteenth century hermit, to the lost shores of a dreamed shoreline and to a final ascent through the waters of madness to the release of flight.

Dear Esther proves that videogames are capable of musical, narrative and artistic expression that stands proudly alongside film, literature and classical music.

Curve Digital will be releasing enhanced PlayStation 4 and Xbox One versions of Dear Esther this autumn to coincide with this new live event.

Produced by the Barbican
On sale to Barbican Members on Thursday 21 June 2016
On general sale on Friday 22 June 2016
Find out more

“The Afterglow of Grisaia” Now Available from Visual Novel Developer Frontwing

Tokyo, Japan – July 20, 2016 Visual novel developer Frontwing’s latest localization effort, “The Afterglow of Grisaia,” is now available on Steam. The store page can be accessed at the following URL: http://store.steampowered.com/app/464490

“Afterglow” was originally released in Japan as a bonus item for volume 5 of the home release of the “Grisaia” anime adaptation. This is the first time the game has been available as a standalone product, fully translated into English. The game retails for $8.99 USD, with a 10% discount for the first week following release.

“The Afterglow of Grisaia” is a side story for the main “Grisaia” series, taking place before the first game (“The Fruit of Grisaia”), but referencing events shown in the second game (“The Labyrinth of Grisaia”). It is therefore recommended to play “Afterglow” only after having first completed “Labyrinth”.

“Afterglow” is also notable as the first “Grisaia” game to feature voice acting for protagonist Kazami Yuuji, provided by prolific voice actor Takahiro Sakurai, who also voiced Yuuji in the series’ anime adaptation.

The main entries of the “Grisaia” series are currently being localized and released by Sekai Project, with “The Fruit of Grisaia” having released in May, 2015 and “The Labyrinth of Grisaia” in June, 2016, following an immensely successful Kickstarter campaign.

The game has been localized in English by Frontwing’s brand new in-house translation team, the members of which are experienced Japanese to English translators who possess JLPT N1 certification or equivalent. This team also handled the localization of the previous “Grisaia” side story, “The Leisure of Grisaia,” as well as the upcoming “Corona Blossom” series.

About Frontwing
Frontwing is a developer of Japanese visual novels. Since the company’s founding in 1999 as a bishojo games developer and the release of Frontwing’s first title, “Canary’ (Canaria: Kono Omoi o Uta ni Nosete) in August 2000, we have published a number of titles in the visual novel genre. From school life love stories to hardcore adult games, as well as titles which utilize 3D computer graphics, our creations cover a diverse range of genres. Our products, as well as the characters they feature, have come to represent the world of bishojo games. Frontwing marked its first venture into the overseas market May 29, 2015, with the English release of ‘The Fruit of Grisaia’ on Steam.  We have also self-published ‘Grisaia’ series side story ‘The Leisure of Grisaia’, and have more localized titles in the works.

Frontwing is also currently part of a joint crowdfunding project with AKABEi SOFT2 to localize their visual novel “Sharin no Kuni, Himawari no Shojo” (“Wheel Country, Sunflower Girl).