ECONOMIC REAL TIME STRATEGY GAME OFFWORLD TRADING COMPANY TO BE RELEASED ON APRIL 28

Plymouth, MI. – April 7, 2016 – Stardock and Mohawk Games have announced April 28, 2016 as the release date for Offworld Trading Company, the economic strategy game from Civilization IV lead designer Soren Johnson. Set in a future where humans have begun to colonize on Mars, the player will take on the role as an investor trying to control the Martian market and drive all of the competition out of business and back to Earth.

“Offworld Trading Company is a new direction for real-time strategy, where money is both your deadliest weapon and your toughest defense,” said Johnson. “After all of the lucrative resource mining on the asteroid belt is claimed by mega-corporations, savvy business hopefuls turn to Mars to stake their claim to the red planet and build an economic engine capable of out-producing the competition.”

The real-time, player-driven market is the foundation of the game, allowing players to buy and sell resources and materials – even the food and water that the colonists need to survive. Players will need to build up enough capital to gain access to the lucrative offworld markets so that they can buy out their rivals and claim the Martian economy for themselves. But this battle isn’t limited to the board room. Players also have access to a black market that allows them to employ some more underhanded methods for victory, such as hiring pirate raiders or hackers to disrupt production or sending a covert electromagnetic pulse to an opponent’s base.

“All of the feedback we’ve received from fans during our development process has been great,” Johnson said. “We used it to refine and polish this game. We’re really excited to share it with everyone.”

Offworld Trading Company is currently available in Early Access on Steam or through Stardock. The full version with all of its intended features will be released on April 28, 2016.

For more information about Offworld Trading Company, please visit www.offworldgame.com.

Screenshots

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About Stardock

Stardock is a developer and publisher of PC games and desktop software founded in 1991 by nationally recognized technology expert Brad Wardell. Located in Plymouth, Michigan, Stardock is a powerful leader in the video gaming and software development world.  Its PC games include Sins of a Solar Empire, the critically acclaimed Galactic Civilizations series, and the highly anticipated upcoming Ashes of the Singularity. Stardock puts the user experience first through software that enriches the Windows experience for everyone from casual computer users to highly technical professionals. Products offered by Stardock include Start8, Start10, Fences, WindowBlinds, Multiplicity, and more at www.stardock.com.

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REVAMPED WINTER IS COMING IN ENDLESS LEGEND SHIFTERS EXPANSION, AVAILABLE NOW ON STEAM

Amplitude Extends the Legend: Explore the Allayi Faction, Visit The Altar of Auriga, and Chill in an Enhanced Winter

Paris, France – April 7, 2016 – Critically-acclaimed developer Amplitude Studios announced today the newest expansion for its award-winning 4X strategy game Endless Legend is available now on Steam PC with 25% off, while the entire Endless series is also discounted to celebrate the release (up to 80% discount). Following four expansions since PC launch in summer 2014, Amplitude Studios today unleashed another content package to continue the 4X strategy game that game critics have called a reinvention of the 4X genre. Endless Legend Shifters introduces the new Allayi Faction, a civilization with an intrinsic relationship to planet Auriga, an enhanced winter that carries significant repercussions, and a new building called the Altar of Auriga, among other things.

Watch the EL Shifters release trailer on YouTube HERE: www.youtube.com/watch?v=JC6y1a592Cg

The Allayi: Carrying a fundamental relationship with the Pearls of Auriga, The Allayi is a mercurial, magical tribe that’s dedicated itself to defending planet Auriga from others. The Allayi shift with the seasons from friendly neighbors to enraged thieves and, in the right hands, can become extraordinary opponents.

Enhanced Winter: Shifters features an enhanced winter, with a new resource to collect around the map during winter called the Pearls of Auriga. These give players the opportunity to influence the effects of winter, to help gain advantages and hinder enemies. Winter will be a whole new experience for players with the possibility of lakes and seas freezing over to allow passage of troops.

Altar of Auriga: Factions can spend their pearls to acquire blessings on the Altar of Auriga, a new building where blessings can be bought instantly by spending pearls. Blessings are unique and can help earn players defensive towers to protect their territory, unique districts and city improvements, pearl stockpiles and pearl item sets. The Allayi has exclusive blessings enabling them to shift. 

“We’ve collected great feedback thanks to the community that participated in the closed Beta and that helped us polish the Allayi faction,” said Romain de Waubert de Genlis, Creative Director at Amplitude Studios. “Players are in for an entirely new experience with the enhanced winter, as they will be able to master the elements thanks to new game mechanics.”

Endless Legend Shifters is available now on Steam for $12.99/$9,99/€12,99 with 25% off, while the entire Endless series is also discounted to celebrate the release (up to 80% discount). 

Known for its deep, engaging, and gorgeous 4X strategy games, Amplitude Studios won the venerable 2013 Golden Cube and Community Choice Unity Awards for Endless Space and the 2015 Best 3D Visual Experience for Endless Legend. For more on Endless Legend, visit Amplitude Studios on its Website (www.amplitude-studios.com), like it on Facebook, and follow it on Twitter.

Telltale Publishing bringing the hit survival game ‘7 Days to Die’ to PlayStation® 4 and Xbox One® in June 2016

Telltale Publishing continues its goal of bringing genre-defining games to new audiences

SAN RAFAEL, Calif., and Dallas, TX, Apr. 7th, 2016 — Telltale Publishing today announced a new partnership to bring the hit survival horde crafting game ‘7 Days to Die’, to PlayStation 4 and Xbox One, for the first time in June, as a digital, and a retail product in collaboration with the Dallas-based independent developer, The Fun Pimps.

Set in a brutally unforgiving post-apocalyptic world overrun by the undead, 7 Days to Die is an open-world survival game that is a unique combination of first person shooter, survival horror, tower defense, and role-playing games. It presents combat, crafting, looting, mining, exploration, and character growth, in a way that has seen a rapturous response from fans worldwide, generating hundreds of thousands of hours of community content on YouTube and other streaming video platforms.

ROCKET LEAGUE DEVELOPER TEAMS UP WITH POPULAR iD TECH SUMMER CAMPS

Leading Summer STEM Program to Incorporate Rocket League Competitions at Over 130 Campuses in 30 U.S. States

SAN DIEGO, CA – April 7, 2016 – Independent video game developer and publisher, Psyonix, and iD Tech, the leading educational STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) summer program, unveiled today plans to incorporate the eSports sensation Rocket League into more than 130 summer camps across 30 states in the U.S.

Throughout the summer, more than 50,000 students ages 6-18 will attend iD Tech STEM programs on prestigious campuses such as Stanford, UC San Diego, Rice, Caltech, Yale, and Princeton, and many others nationwide. They’ll design video games, learn programming, code apps, build robots, solve engineering challenges, model in 3D, and create hands-on tech projects. Rocket League was selected as the primary pre-teens (ages 10-12) game for iD Tech Camps competitions. This smash sports-action hit will also be used by all iD Tech students during non-instructional time, at night, during weekends, and for those participating in the Ultimate Gaming Weekends.

“Our task force team unanimously chose Rocket League because it’s challenging and entertaining with that fun, eSports feel,” said Pete Ingram-Cauchi, CEO, iD Tech. “Having an E-rated game is also a big selling point because it’s age appropriate and fun for all kids.”

“We were immediately excited by the prospect of being included in the popular iD Tech programs,” said Jeremy Dunham, Vice President, Psyonix. “We believe in their vision and we love their programs, but we also know that Rocket League’s accessibility will give sports fans and non-sports fans alike the chance to compete in a game that’s unique and different than anything else.”

In addition to Rocket League, iD Tech incorporates a number of popular games such as Minecraft, Torchlight II, Dota 2, Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, and others.

Founded in 1999 by Alexa Ingram-Cauchi and her mother, Kathryn Ingram, iD Tech lets students discover their passions, develop new tech skills, complete a tech project, and gain a competitive advantage. It prepares students for the booming technical job market, delivering innovative, hands-on STEM courses in a fun summer camp environment. Students learn in small class sizes with only eight students per instructor for more personalized learning. Additionally, they build key 21st century skills like problem-solving, creativity, collaboration, critical thinking, and innovation. Balanced fun is also important so campers can spend time competing in gaming tournaments and playing popular games like Rocket League.

Winner or nominee of more than 100 game of the year awards, Rocket League is one of the most critically-acclaimed games of 2015. Boasting a community of more than 13 million players, Rocket League is a high-powered hybrid of arcade-style soccer and vehicular mayhem that offers easy-to-understand controls and fluid, physics-driven competition. Available digitally on Xbox One, PlayStation®4 computer entertainment system, and Windows PC via Steam, Rocket League includes more than 100 billion possible customization combinations, a fully-featured offline season mode, multiple game types, casual and competitive online matches, and special “Mutators” that let you change the rules entirely.

To learn more about Rocket League, please visit www.RocketLeagueGame.com, “Like” it on Facebook, and follow it on Twitter @RocketLeague for all the latest developer updates and news.

For more info about iD Tech, please visit www.iDTech.com.

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ABOUT PSYONIX

Based in San Diego, CA, Psyonix is a critically-acclaimed independent video game developer and leading experts in Unreal Engine technology. For more than a decade, the studio has been a driving force behind some of the most successful games in the industry, including Gears of War, Mass Effect 3, XCOM: Enemy Unknown, Bulletstorm, Unreal Tournament III, Unreal Tournament 2004, Nosgoth, and the award-winning Sports-Action hit, Rocket League.
For more information, visit www.psyonix.com.
ABOUT iD TECH

iD Tech is the leader in summer STEM education programs for students ages 6-18, with over 235,000 students who have attended iD Tech since 1999. Students design video games, solve engineering challenges, learn programming, code apps, build robots, model in 3D, and more. Programs are held at over 130 prestigious campuses nationwide, including Stanford, Rice, Caltech, Yale, Princeton, and many others. In addition to iD Tech Camps, there are 4 other iD Tech summer STEM programs held nationwide: Alexa Café (weeklong, all-girls, ages 10-15), iD Tech Mini (weeklong, co-ed, half-day options, ages 6-9) as well as teen academies iD Programming Academy and iD Game Design & Development Academy (2-week, pre-college, co-ed, ages 13-18).
To learn more, visit iDTech.com.

AVALON LORDS: DAWN RISES ARRIVING ON PC THIS MONTH

Indie Developer Animus Interactive Signs Publishing Deal with Reverb Triple XP

Twain Harte, CA – April 7, 2016 – Reverb Triple XP, the indie publishing initiative of Reverb Communications, and developer Animus Interactive have combined forces for the release of the medieval real time strategy game, Avalon Lords: Dawn Rises. Arriving on April 28 for Windows PC via Steam’s Early Access program, Avalon Lords: Dawn Rises features massive single and multiplayer battles set in a realistic medieval world where players develop their kingdoms through both plow and sword – building cities, raising armies and battling their foes. Reverb Triple XP will provide Animus Interactive with all aspects of marketing, PR and production support.

PAX East 2016 attendees will have an opportunity to play the game and meet with representatives from Animus Interactive’s development team. Avalon Lords: Dawn Rises will be shown in booth #10219 during the expo.

Avalon Lords: Dawn Rises is a medieval real time strategy game set in the land of Spero and features a single-player campaign and multiplayer combat. In the single-player campaign, players start as a minor lord of the city of Avon, one of Spero’s five city states. Lord Lutherian has sent the player out to form a new city in a strategic and desirable part of the realm to defeat anyone seeking to claim those lands for themselves. Along the way players will meet a rising leader who seeks to unite the warring Lords under one order – The Order of Dawn.

For fans of multiplayer combat, Avalon Lords: Dawn Rises supports up to six players in all out team versus team and one versus all combat. Players will build cities and armies in Conflict Mode for an expansive military campaign of conquest.

In Battle Mode, competitors can jump straight into the action as they skirmish with friends, taking their armies into the fight for world domination.

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ABOUT ANIMUS INTERACTIVE

Animus Interactive is an independent games company based in Cliffside Park, New Jersey with staff from all over the world to create a game that will revolutionize the RTS genre. Our team includes AAA developers, talented artists and writers, and a dedicated community team.

ABOUT REVERB TRIPLE XP

Reverb Triple XP provides a spectrum of services customized to focus on the publishing and marketing needs of indie game developers. Triple XP titles stand out with excellent gameplay, creative design, and that elusive fun factor. A cornerstone of the program is that the developer retains creative control and ownership of its intellectual property while receiving a custom solution tailored to their exact needs. Reverb Communications has over twelve years of experience in public relations and marketing. Reverb Triple XP builds on that foundation by pairing it with production and distribution services.

Crytek Announces VR First Partnership with IEEE

The IEEE joins growing list of high-profile partners for Crytek’s academic virtual reality initiative

Frankfurt am Main (Germany) April 7, 2016 – Expanding the reach of its VR First academic initiative, Crytek today announced a new strategic partnership with the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE).

The IEEE is the world’s largest professional association for the advancement of technology, and supports a network of over 2,300 universities worldwide by providing course accreditation and learning resources.

Yu Yuan, Chair of the IEEE Digital Senses Initiative, said: “The IEEE Digital Senses Initiative is pleased to be a partner in the VR First initiative. We believe that virtual reality, as well as augmented reality, will have a great impact on all aspects of industry.”

Tom Coughlin, Director of the IEEE Region 6 and Chair of the IEEE Consumer Electronics Society Future Directions Committee, said: “Providing laboratories at Universities and Colleges where students can learn and create using state-of-the-art VR tools will be important to prepare the next generation of innovators who will make these technologies a part of our daily lives.”

Welcoming the partnership, Ferhan Özkan, Crytek’s Senior Business Development Manager Partnerships & Alliances, said: “Collaborating with the IEEE dramatically broadens the potential reach of VR First, and emphasizes our commitment to ensuring the program makes a genuine impact on the landscape of VR research and development at the grassroots level.”

Crytek’s collaboration with the IEEE follows on from news that the VR First program – which provides state of the art VR research facilities on university campuses – is being rolled out to seven new academic institutions in North America with support from AMD, Leap Motion, OSVR, and Razer.

For more information on VR First, visit vrfirst.cryengine.com.

About the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers
The IEEE is the world’s largest professional association advancing innovation and technological excellence for the benefit of humanity. IEEE and its members inspire a global community to innovate for a better tomorrow through its highly-cited publications, conferences, technology standards, and professional and educational activities. IEEE is the trusted “voice” for engineering, computing and technology information around the globe. There are more than 430,000 IEEE members in more than 160 countries.

About VR First
VR First is an academic initiative designed to provide state-of-the-art facilities to anyone interested in exploring the power and potential of virtual reality development. The program encourages educational institutions around the world to establish dedicated VR labs on their campuses by partnering with Crytek and leading VR hardware innovators. VR First participants have full access to Crytek’s CRYENGINE software alongside the latest technology required for VR development. The overarching goal of VR First is to nurture new talent in VR development and create a global community equipped to embrace this exciting field of technology.

About Crytek
Crytek is an independent videogame developer, publisher, and technology provider with headquarters in Frankfurt am Main (Germany) and six other studios around the world. Established in 1999, Crytek has created multiple award-winning titles, including the original Far Cry, the Crysis series, Ryse: Son of Rome, and Warface. All of Crytek’s games are developed using CRYENGINE, the company’s cutting-edge 3D game technology, which is also the first choice of other leading developers and licensees when creating games for PC, Xbox One, PlayStation^®4, and Android. Crytek’s ongoing growth in the games-as-a-service market has extended the company’s reach as they continue to deliver top quality interactive experiences to players through self-publishing platforms online.

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

Total War: WARHAMMER – See the Chaos Warriors in Battle for the First Time

Watch Emperor Karl Franz and the Forces of The Empire Join Battle with the Chaos Warriors, Led by the Archaeon the Everchosen

Creative Assembly unveils new gameplay for the Chaos Warriors in Total War: WARHAMMER with a massive new Let’s Play video of Chaos Warriors vs. The Empire.

This first-look at the Chaos Warriors showcases a range of Chaos units, from core infantry such as Chaos Marauders and Warriors, to higher-tier monstrosities such as the Chaos Giant and the brutal Helcannon – a foul instrument which transmutes souls into flesh-searing bolts of arcane energy and hurls them into the enemy ranks.

Accompanied with developer commentary, this land battle also showcases spells from the Lore of Light and Lore of Fire as the two armies clash on the frigid plains of Norsca.

To view the Chaos Warriors in battle for the first time in Total War: WARHAMMER, please visit: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-MYlmb3gip8&feature=youtu.be

Please note that players will be able to replicate battles such as this in Total War: WARHAMMER’s Custom Battle menu, regardless of whether they own the Chaos Warriors Race Pack.

A fantasy strategy game of legendary proportions, Total War: WARHAMMER combines an addictive turn-based campaign of conquest and empire-building with explosive, colossal, real-time battles, all set in the vivid and incredible world of Warhammer Fantasy Battles. Total War: WARHAMMER will release on May 24^th 2016 and is available now to pre-order http://store.steampowered.com/app/364360/.

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The latest Pokémon TCG: XY expansion collides into shops in May!