STARDOCK RELEASES MERCENARIES, THE FIRST EXPANSION TO GALACTIC CIVILIZATIONS III

New Expansion Adds Mercenary Bazaar, New Factions, New Ships, and More

Plymouth, MI. – February 18, 2016 – Today, Stardock released Galactic Civilizations III: Mercenaries. The first expansion to its popular 4X space strategy game adds a new campaign, Galactic Bazaars, new races, the ability to recruit elite units with special abilities, new ship parts, and more.

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

“Once they’re gone, they’re gone,” said Paul Boyer, Lead Designer of Galactic Civilizations III. “When a mercenary is hired by a civilization in a game, it is no longer available to the others. You will need to act quickly and choose wisely in order to get the best mercenaries and leave your enemies without.”

The campaign for Mercenaries centers around the peaceful Torian race who have long been enslaved and farmed for their meat by the cruel Drengin. Explore and discover mercenaries, then hire them to aid in escaping the oppressors. Liberate the Torians and help them rebuild their shattered civilization while staying out of reach of the Drengin.

The expansion also includes the Arcean faction and an old favorite from Galactic Civilizations II, 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.

Along with this 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.

The expansion costs $19.99 and is available now on Steam at http://store.steampowered.com/app/411650/  or directly through the Stardock website.

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.

POST-APOCALYPTIC STORY-DRIVEN ADVENTURE THE DESCENDANT ARRIVES MARCH 24 ON STEAM

In the not-so-distant future, climate change has wrecked the planet, and a man-made extinction event has wiped humankind off the face of the Earth. Only a few thousand ‘descendants of humanity’ were hand-picked to survive the apocalypse, cryogenically suspended in underground bunkers known as Arks.

Centuries passed. The world recovered, and all the Arks reopened, except one — Ark-01.

Watch the trailer on YouTube

In The Descendant, from developer Gaming Corps, you play through two timelines – in the past you’ll play as Mia, a janitor tasked with keeping the chosen humans housed inside Ark-01 alive, while in the present you’ll play as Donnie, one of the investigators trying to rescue any survivors trapped within the facility.

Coming to Steam for Windows PC on March 24, the game is a post-apocalyptic narrative adventure where players solve puzzles, explore the dangerous underground facility, and discover a far greater conspiracy buried within the subterranean Ark complex.

●     The Descendant on Steam

The first of five episodes of The Descendant will be available on Steam starting March 24 for $3.99 USD. An “Exclusive Season 1 Bundle” priced $14.99 USD is available now from the game’s official website until 48 hours before the first episode releases. This pre-launch bundle includes all five episodes of the game (with episodes 2 -5 to be released over the course of 2016), grants players 48-hours early access to each episode, and features a full game Soundtrack, a Digital Poster and a Digital Art Book.

For more information on The Descendant, visit the official website, ‘Like’ the game on Facebook, follow us on Twitter, and subscribe to our YouTube channel.

NEXON’S MEDAL MASTERS BRINGS ACTION-PACKED, RETRO RPG GAMING TO IOS AND ANDROID 

Seoul – Feb. 18, 2016 – NEXON Korea Corporation, subsidiary of NEXON Co., Ltd. (“Nexon”) (3659.TO), a worldwide leader in free-to-play online and mobile games, today revealed Medal Masters, the latest action-packed mobile, collectible RPG set to adore fans cross the globe as it launches globally on Android and iOS. 

Medal Masters, developed by Korean-based Enfeel Inc., gives a players a real-time, party-based RPG, with character designs reminiscent of retro gaming. Moreover, taking advantage of the ‘old school’ feel of the character design, Medal Masters ramps up the tactical elements of the game with the addition of its Blitz and character training systems to provide fast-paced and non-repetitive battles to keep all, from newcomers to diehard RPG players, entertained. 

Medal Master players can now experience a brand new adventure as they journey to save more than 248 different heroes, collect medals, and become the ultimate medal master.

Players of all levels can now experience the following features:

• Gameplay controls that make it easy to play with just one hand
• Blitz system to harness and control skills to win strategic battles
• Built-in training that will allow your heroes to level up even when the game isn’t running
• Wide variety of gameplay featuring an exciting storyline, adorable characters, special dungeons to explore, and immersive player-versus-player mode 

Medal Masters available for download now via mobile device from the App Store for iOS and Google Play for Android worldwide.

Additional information for members of the press:

• Assets for Medal Masterscan be downloaded here: http://bit.ly/MedalMastersLaunch
• Official Medal Masterswebsite: https://www.facebook.com/MedalMasters

About NEXON Co. Ltd.

NEXON Co., Ltd. (“Nexon”) (3659.TO) is a worldwide leader in free-to-play online and mobile games. Founded in Korea in 1994, Nexon developed one of the world’s first graphics-based massively multiplayer online games. Nexon also pioneered the concept of microtransactions and the free-to-play business model, setting a new standard in which play is free, and users have the option to purchase in-game items to enhance their experience. Nexon currently services nearly 150 titles in more than 150 countries. The Company is headquartered in Tokyo, Japan and its shares are listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange. 

About Enfeel Inc.

Enfeel is a mobile developer based in Bundang, South Korea. Established in 2010, the studio has achieved major success in Asia with its acclaimed Birzzle series of games, and looks to expand to many valuable markets worldwide through working with experienced partners and delivering world class content.

ESA Foundation Honors Electronic Arts’ Peter Moore and Humble Bundle at 2016 Nite to Unite

FEBRUARY 18, 2016 – Washington, DC – The ESA Foundation announced today it will celebrate two honorees at its annual “Nite to Unite” (NTU) on March 15, in San Francisco. NTU is the U.S. video game industry’s annual philanthropic gala to support America’s youth. Peter Moore, Chief Operating Officer for Electronic Arts, will be honored as the 2016 Champion Honoree, which honors industry leaders who have contributed substantially to the industry and for their charitable works. Humble Bundle, a digital video game storefront supporting charities, will be presented the “Visionary Award.”

Peter Moore has been a champion and leader of the video game community throughout nearly 20 years in the industry.  In executive roles at EA, Microsoft and Sega, Moore has led efforts to deliver breakthrough devices, experiences and digital services to game players around the world.  A long-time advocate for the way games can give back, Moore has also sponsored EA’s involvement with charities such as Susan G. Komen for the Cure and the American Cancer Society, and encouraged teams to develop innovative ways to incorporate giving through games and services.  Moore is set to receive the ESA Foundation’s Champion Award as he takes on a new role for Electronic Arts beginning in April, bringing his tremendous passion for sports, competition and games to lead the newly-formed Competitive Gaming Division as EA’s Chief Competition Officer.

“Peter is the ideal industry Champion. The competitive spirit evident in every aspect of his career has helped to revolutionize video games and digital technology and assist others in need while doing so,” said Michael D. Gallagher, president and CEO of ESA. “We want to celebrate Peter’s continuing commitment to the true spirit of games during Nite to Unite, and thank him for the positive influence and unending energy he brings to our industry and game players around the world.”

Humble Bundle, which transformed philanthropic giving and digital distribution, will receive the Visionary Award, a new honor established at this year’s Nite to Unite to recognize rising innovators who harness the power of video game technology to make an impactful difference in the community at large. The organization takes advantage of video game sales to benefit major charities, including Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals, charity: water, the American Red Cross, and the Wikimedia Foundation. Since its founding in 2010, Humble Bundle has raised more than $65 million for 50 different charities.

“Humble Bundle’s remarkable leadership in donating to non-profits and encouraging others to give back is a testament to their commitment to the industry and gamers,” Gallagher commented. “They are incredible partners and we value their contributions and spirit of innovation.”

Sponsorships and tickets are still available for purchase. For more information about supporting the event, visit www.nitetounite.org or contact Catherine Brack at [email protected] or 202-253-3761.

The ESA Foundation supports programs that use video games and digital technology to benefit American youth. The ESA Foundation’s 2016 grantees are:

• Alliance for Young Artists and Writers – Identifies and encourages literary and artistic talent in students.
• Bootstrap – Leverages students’ excitement for video games to teach programming that integrates math and reinforce algebraic concepts.
• Children’s Museum of Indianapolis – Provides video games that allow children to imagine they are part of a team of astronauts abroad the International Space Station.
• Girlstart – Promotes young women’s early engagement and academic success in STEM, helping to resolve the gender gap that currently exists in today’s STEM workforce.
• HopeLab Foundation – Utilizes technology as a tool for improving the health and overall well-being of children.
• iCivics – Encourages civics learning through interactive games and resources for students across the country.

Created by the American entertainment software industry, the ESA Foundation works to make a positive difference in the lives of America’s youth by providing scholarships to the next generation of industry innovators. We support organizations that leverage entertainment software and technology to create educational opportunities. For more information about the ESA Foundation, please visit www.esafoundation.org or on Twitter: @ESA Foundation.