STARDOCK ANNOUNCES MERCENARIES, THE FIRST EXPANSION TO GALACTIC CIVILIZATIONS III

New Content Pack adds Mercenary Bazaar, New Factions, New Ships, and More

Plymouth, MI. – January 27, 2016 – Today, Stardock announced that the first expansion to its popular 4X space strategy game Galactic Civilizations III is in development and will launch next month. Galactic Civilizations III: Mercenaries will add an all-new campaign, Galactic Bazaars, new races, and the ability to recruit elite units with special abilities and more.

In Mercenaries, players will be able to visit new Intergalactic Bazaars, where they can hire mercenaries to assist in expanding across the galaxy. With over 70 unique mercenary ships and multiple Bazaars to discover on each map, Galactic Civilizations III: Mercenaries offers hours of unique gameplay.

“Each mercenary sets their own hiring price in terms of money and resource,” said Paul Boyer, Lead Designer of Galactic Civilizations III. “Because there are a finite number of mercenaries, each civilization is competing for their services. When one is hired by one civilization, it is no longer available to the others.”

Galactic Civilizations III: Mercenaries also includes two new factions: the Arceans and the Torians. The Arceans are an ancient and honorable civilization of warriors and the Torians are an aquatic species seeking to escape the slavery of the Drengin. Both races come with new traits, abilities, and tech trees. The Torians are also the subject of a new campaign available within the expansion.

The campaign for Galactic Civilizations III: Mercenaries centers on the peaceful Torian race who have long been enslaved and farmed for their meat by the cruel Drengin. To free the Torians, players will need to explore and discover mercenaries, then hire them to aid in escaping from their oppressors. Players will strive to liberate the Torians and help them rebuild their shattered civilization while staying out of reach of the Drengin.

Along with the Mercenaries expansion, Stardock is releasing the v1.6 update to the base game, which is a free update for all Galactic Civilizations III game owners. Improvements include more detailed match results, AI improvements, visual updates and balance improvements.

Galactic Civilizations III: Mercenaries release on February 18, 2016 and will cost $19.99.

For more information about Galactic Civilizations III and its current updates and DLC, please visit www.galciv3.com.

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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.

Atari^® Launches Pridefest™, Mobile Game Celebrating LGBTQ Equality

 Marches onto iPhone, iPad, iPod touch and Android Devices

Pridefest Brings the Colorful Atmosphere and Inclusive Spirit of Real-World Pride Parades to a Mobile Game for the First Time, Connecting LGBTQ Community Members andAllies from Around the World 

NEW YORK – January 27, 2016 – Atari^®, one of the world’s most recognized publishers and producers of interactive entertainment, today announced the worldwide availability of Pridefest™, an original social-sim game inspired by the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer (LGBTQ) community. Available now on the App Store for iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch as well as on Google Play for Android devices, Pridefest is a free-to-play game designed to emulate the colorful atmosphere and inclusive spirit of the hundreds of real-world Pride parades held annually around the world. In anticipation of the launch, Atari first showcased Pridefest at NYC Pride and Flame Con where members of the LGBTQ community and allies received an exclusive sneak peek of the game. For more on their reactions and excitement, check out the highlight video

To download on the App Store for iPhone, iPad and iPod touch:

To download on Google Play for Android devices:

“Pride is only one small portion of the diverse LGBTQ culture and community, but it is one centered on freedom of expression, the pursuit of equality, and shared celebration. Pridefest was designed to celebrate progress the LGBTQ community has made toward equality while working to emulate the spirited and celebratory atmosphere of today’s real-world parades,” said Fred Chesnais, Chief Executive Officer of Atari. “It was that spirited atmosphere that especially drew us to the idea of Pride as an overarching theme and parades as the core gameplay mechanic. ”

As the new mayor of a city that has seemingly lost its fun and color overnight, Pridefestplayers are tasked with bringing the city back to its former glory. The mayor must transform buildings from dull to bright by spreading joy throughout the city, acting as the Grand Marshal and restoring pride throughout the city, neighborhood by neighborhood. Players can showcase their personality by customizing avatars, shops and storefronts, and pride flotillas while following an engaging storyline through more than 40 quests to unlock new content. Fill the “Fun Meter” to achieve the city’s optimal happiness and make the citizens cheerful again. For more on the gameplay, check out the official trailer: INSERT LINK

“As Atari’s first game developed in support of LGBTQ equality, Pridefest works to bridge the gap between this underserved community and the gaming industry,” said Chesnais. “While creating a fun, inclusive game members of the community and allies can enjoy was an important goal, we hope that Pridefest also serves as a platform for members of the LGBTQ community to connect in a safe, supportive atmosphere.”

Packed with social features designed to encourage players to connect on a global scale – Pridefest boasts one-to-one chat functionality, options to visit and run pride parades in far-off cities created by other Pridefestplayers, as well as a “club” system that allows the formation of in-game groups. The various social features can be turned on or off, based on the preferences of players.

Also essential to the Pridefest experienceis the level of personalization, which is incorporated throughout the game. Avatar customization gives players the choice of dozens of body types, hairstyles, clothing, and accessories to personalize. Pride flotillas provide another opportunity for customization, with various themes, mascots, decorations, and more available to incorporate into each parade.

Pridefestis developed in partnership with Mad Marshmallow. To learn more and download on the App Store for iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch or on Google Play for Android devices, visit PridefestGame.com. Join the conversation by liking Pridefest on Facebook at facebook.com/PridefestGame or following (at)PridefestGame on Twitter.

About Atari

Atari (www.atari.com) is an interactive entertainment production company. As an iconic brand that transcends generations and audiences, the company is globally recognized for its multi-platform, interactive entertainment and licensed products. Atari owns and/or manages a portfolio of more than 200 games and franchises, including world-renowned brands like Asteroids®, Centipede®, Missile Command®, Pong®, Test Drive®, and RollerCoaster Tycoon®.

Atari has offices in New York and Paris.

© 2016 Atari Interactive, Inc. All rights reserved. Atari word mark and logo are trademarks owned by Atari Interactive, Inc.  

About Mad Marshmallow

Mad Marshmallow is a European mobile development startup aiming to create new and different games like never before. The collective team consists of an experienced group of developers from multiple companies with an extensive mobile game development background.

The spirit of the studio is to create unexpected approaches to producing fun, diverse and immersive social mobile games. At Mad Marshmallow, the Motto is: Create New Things in a New Way.

The first title for Mad Marshmallow is “Pridefest™”, an exciting new social-sim game created together with Atari. Our goal is to unite people who share common social interests, build a community within a game universe, and create an entirely new platform for communication of LGBTQ community members.