BANDAI NAMCO ENTERTAINMENT AMERICA INC. LAUNCHES SWORD ART ONLINE RE: HOLLOW FRAGMENT IN THE AMERICAS 

Relive The Adventures in Aincrad on the PlayStation^®4 for the Very First Time! 

SAN JOSE, Calif., (July 28, 2015) – BANDAI NAMCO Entertainment America Inc. the premier anime videogame publisher today announced that Sword Art Online RE: Hollow Fragment has launched in the Americas exclusively through the PlayStation™Network (PSN) for the PlayStation^®4 computer entertainment system. Sword Art Online RE: Hollow Fragment features original stories based on the light novel and anime Sword Art Online. Sword Art Online RE: Hollow Fragment was one of 2014’s best-selling PlayStation^®Vita titles and is making its debut on the PlayStation 4 with enhanced localization, online play, additional bosses, and more.

“We are excited to be able to bring Sword Art Online RE: Hollow Fragment to our PlayStation 4 fans. Featuring all of the content packed into last year’s PlayStation Vita game, Sword Art Online RE: Hollow Fragment is sure to keep fans busy for months to come,” said Eric Hartness, Vice President of Marketing for BANDAI NAMCO Entertainment America Inc. “As the Sword Art Online light novels and anime continue to take the world by storm, we are delighted to be able to include the franchise in our roster of fantastic anime games.”

Sword Art Online RE: Hollow Fragment follows the simulated Virtual Reality Massively Multiplayer Online Role Playing Game (VRMMORPG) gameplay from the Sword Art Online storyline. Players take on the role of Kirito, the main character in Sword Art Online and fight through the different levels of Aincrad to break free from being locked within the virtual game world. As Kirito, players will interact with over a hundred characters, including new characters and series favorites that fight alongside Kirito throughout the adventure. Players with saved data from the PlayStation Vita version of the game will be pleased to learn that some items from that game will be transferrable to the PlayStation 4; additionally DLC from the PlayStation Vita title will be unlockable on the PlayStation 4 at a later date.

Rated T for Teen by the ESRB, Sword Art Online RE: Hollow Fragment for the PlayStation 4 is available now through the PlayStation Network at the suggested retail price of $19.99. Additionally, starting today, Sword Art Online fans that pre-order Sword Art Online: Lost Song from the PlayStation Network for $59.99 will receive a digital copy of Sword Art Online RE: Hollow Fragment at no extra cost. Upon completing their pre-order of Sword Art Online: Lost Song, players will be able to instantly download and play Sword Art Online RE: Hollow Fragment. 

Sword Art Online: Lost Song, the next video game in the Sword Art Online series, is scheduled for release this fall for the PlayStation 4 and PlayStation Vita.

For more information on BANDAI NAMCO Entertainment America Inc. game titles and products, please visit http://www.bandainamcoentertainment.com or follow us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/BandaiNamcoUS.

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About BANDAI NAMCO Entertainment America Inc.
BANDAI NAMCO Entertainment America Inc., part of BANDAI NAMCO Holdings Inc., is a leading global publisher and developer of interactive content — including all major video game consoles, iOS, mobile and online.  The company is known for creating and publishing many of the industry’s top video game franchises, including PAC-MAN^®, TEKKEN^®, SOULCALIBUR^®, NARUTO™, NARUTO SHIPPUDEN™, Dragon Ball^®, GALAGA^®, RIDGE RACER^® and ACE COMBAT^®.  More information about the company and its products can be found at http://www.bandainamcoent.com or www.facebook.com/BandaiNamcoUS

DUNGEON DEFENDERS II UNLOCKS ‘LOOT & SURVIVE’ UPDATE TODAY ON STEAM EARLY ACCESS 

New hero levels, gear, stats and evolving pets give players the power to take on additional game modes and challenges 

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – July 28, 2015 – Today Trendy Entertainment released the largest update yet to its action tower defense game, Dungeon Defenders II. The ‘Loot & Survive’ patch significantly improves leveling and progression by increasing the player hero level cap, expanding the loot system, adding new gameplay and difficulty modes, and evolving the pet system.

First and foremost, ‘Loot & Survive’ increases the hero level cap from 25 to 50. As heroes level up, players can choose rewards, like skill spheres, to advance them even further. The update revises the hero deck so that players can unlock more slots (up to four) as they play, and when a hero is fully leveled, players will receive an experience boost for the rest of their deck.

‘Loot & Survive’ adds a tutorial and multiple gameplay and difficulty modes to Dungeon Defenders II, as well. The game has been rebalanced overall to be more fun for solo adventurers, and there are new mini-bosses throughout the campaign. Completing the campaign unlocks the endless survival challenge of Onslaught Mode and Adventure Mode, which lets players take on base maps at a harder difficulty setting. And for true punishment, Nightmare Modes I-IV open up at level 40.

Player companion pets are also growing. Not only are there more to acquire in ‘Loot & Survive,’ but pets can now evolve, giving them new active abilities and, in some cases, changing their appearance. Today’s patch also allows players to reroll their current pets for more desirable stats.

Furthermore, ‘Loot & Survive’ moves Dungeon Defenders II closer to another development milestone with the addition of the very first story tools to the game. NPCs are now able to talk (though what they say may not make very much sense yet). New daily missions with better rewards are now available, as are monthly missions with very unique and exciting prizes. The update also includes a host of balance changes, new special enemies, an improved game launcher, and new costumes, including the Pirate Monk, Tiger Monk and Farmer Apprentice.

Set in the magical world of Etheria, Dungeon Defenders II is a third-person action tower defense game featuring single-player and cooperative online multiplayer gameplay. Players set up and evolve their characters and defenses to withstand wave after wave of invading enemy minions and bosses. The title builds on the core combat, strategy and RPG elements of the original Dungeon Defenders with new systems, abilities, loot and challenges.

Dungeon Defenders II is now available on PC via Steam Early Access, on sale for $14.99 for a limited time. An upgraded Collector’s Edition bundle with exclusive skins, costumes and more is also on sale for $44.99 for a limited time. It can also be purchased on sale as part of the Humble Store Tower Defense Madness Sale, from July 28 to 31.

In the future, Dungeon Defenders II will launch on PC, Mac, Linux and the PlayStation®4 computer entertainment system as a free-to-play title supported by ethical in-game purchases. For more information, please visit www.DungeonDefenders.com, and follow along at www.facebook.com/DungeonDefenders and www.twitter.com/TrendyEnt.

About Trendy Entertainment

Trendy Entertainment is an independent video game development studio based in Gainesville, Fla. Created by veterans of the video game industry, Trendy Entertainment is focused on developing fun and innovative video games across multiple platforms. The company believes digital distribution deserves the same AAA-quality releases as retail.

THE DEBUT CHAPTER OF KING’S QUEST™ FROM SIERRA™ IS NOW AVAILABLE

King’s Quest™: A Knight to Remember begins the new adventures contained within the five-chapter release

SANTA MONICA, Calif. – July 28, 2015 – Today Sierra™, part of Activision Publishing, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Activision Blizzard, Inc. (Nasdaq: ATVI), released the first chapter in its new reimagining of one of adventure gaming’s most treasured franchises, King’s Quest™. Titled King’s Quest: A Knight to Remember, this debut chapter is now available as a digital download in North America for $9.99 on Windows PC via Steam. It will be available later today for the same price on the PlayStation^®4 and PlayStation^®3 computer entertainment systems through the PlayStation®Store, as well as for Xbox One and Xbox 360 on the Xbox Games Store. It is rated E10+ (Everyone 10 and Up) by the ESRB.

Players may also purchase King’s Quest: The Complete Collection, a bundle containing all five chapters of the new King’s Quest along with an exclusive bonus playable story epilogue*, for $39.99 on the PlayStation®Store, Xbox Games Store and Steam. Alternately, those who buy King’s Quest: A Knight to Remember individually at launch can choose to purchase the King’s Quest Season Pass, securing their access to the remaining four chapters of the game once available, but not the bonus epilogue, for $29.99.

Developed by The Odd Gentlemen, an independent studio with a talent for crafting fantastical tales, characters and worlds, the new King’s Quest rekindles the classic charm and curiosity that has captivated fans of this family-friendly series for over 30 years. As an aging King Graham looks back on a life of heroic adventure with his precocious granddaughter, Gwendolyn, players will be able to experience firsthand the unforgettable puzzles, places and personalities of his greatest untold stories. The first passage in a five-chapter journey, King’s Quest: A Knight to Remember unfolds on Graham’s early days as a bright-eyed teen in Daventry, competing in a contest of wits and valor for a knighthood in King Edward’s royal court.

“Today is a new beginning, both for those of us who grew up with the King’s Quest games that Roberta Williams and Sierra Entertainment created, as well as for those who are visiting Daventry for the very first time,” said Matt Korba, President and Creative Director of The Odd Gentlemen. “We hope we’ve made something that feels special for everyone as we turn together to a new page in Graham’s legend.”

The second chapter of King’s Quest is expected to arrive later this year. For more news and updates until then, please visit www.sierra.com, and follow Sierra on Facebook and Twitter.

*Subsequent chapters and epilogue may be downloaded in-game as available upon individual release throughout 2015 and 2016.

About The Odd Gentlemen

The Odd Gentlemen are a small team of gentlefolks based in Los Angeles. Founded in 2008, they create games that are humorous and charming with fantastical worlds, quirky characters, and compelling stories that highlight creative and innovative gameplay. Striving to create experiences that all ages can enjoy, they want to bring classic charm and wonder back into games. For more information or updates about The Odd Gentlemen, visit www.theoddgentlemen.com or follow them on Twitter.

About Sierra

Developer-led and player-focused, Sierra publishes highly curated titles that embody best-in-class efforts from indie developers. From providing development funding and deep first-party relations to marketing and retail distribution, Sierra caters to the individual needs of each indie studio. Sierra will primarily publish on digital distribution platforms including Xbox Live, PlayStation®Network and Steam for PC. For more information, please visit www.sierra.com.

About Activision Publishing, Inc.

Headquartered in Santa Monica, California, Activision Publishing, Inc. is a leading global producer and publisher of interactive entertainment. Activision maintains operations throughout the world. More information about Activision and its products can be found on the company’s website, http://www.activision.com or by following @Activision.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-looking Statements: Information in this press release that involves Activision Publishing’s expectations, plans, intentions or strategies regarding the future, including statements about King’s Quest, are forward-looking statements that are not facts and involve a number of risks and uncertainties. Factors that could cause Activision Publishing’s actual future results to differ materially from those expressed in the forward-looking statements set forth in this release include unanticipated product delays and other factors identified in the risk factors sections of Activision Blizzard’s most recent annual report on Form 10-K and any subsequent quarterly reports on Form 10-Q. The forward-looking statements in this release are based upon information available to Activision Publishing and Activision Blizzard as of the date of this release, and neither Activision Publishing nor Activision Blizzard assumes any obligation to update any such forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements believed to be true when made may ultimately prove to be incorrect. These statements are not guarantees of the future performance of Activision Publishing or Activision Blizzard and are subject to risks, uncertainties and other factors, some of which are beyond its control and may cause actual results to differ materially from current expectations.

©2015 Activision Publishing, Inc.  SIERRA, SIERRA with mountain design and KING’S QUEST are trademarks of Activision Publishing, Inc. All rights Reserved. “PlayStation” and “PS3” are registered trademarks. “PS4” and “PSN” are trademarks of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

The ultimate FINAL FANTASY TYPE-0 HD experience arriving on PC next month

Pre-purchase FINAL FANTASY TYPE-0 HD on Steam and receive exclusive bonus characters for DOTA 2

LONDON (28^th July, 2015) –  Square Enix Ltd., publishers of SQUARE ENIX® interactive entertainment products in Europe and PAL territories, today announced that the recently released FINAL FANTASY TYPE-0™ HD is set to arrive on PC on 18^th August 2015.

FINAL FANTASY TYPE-0 HD for PC will bring a selection of updated features including an improved in-game battle camera, full STEAM achievements and trading cards, scalable motion blur settings and a customisable dynamic screen shot mode. The PC release will also offer full controller support, and for high end PCs – upgraded graphics resolution options. Other additions include increased blood levels and new character speed boost.

SQUARE ENIX also announced a collaboration with VALVE’s DOTA 2, bringing fans a special pre-purchase offer. Those who pre-purchase FINAL FANTASY TYPE-0 HD will receive two exclusive pre-purchase items – the Master Chocobo as your courier and Moogle (Class Zero) as your ward for DOTA 2. In addition, those who pre-purchase as will also receive and exclusive FINAL FANTASY TYPE-0 HD loading screen and a 10% STEAM discount.

Speaking on the release of the PC version, Hajime Tabata, FINAL FANTASY TYPE-0 HD Director, said; “Developing FINAL FANTASY TYPE-0 HD for Steam gave us the opportunity to fully realize our original vision of the game in an enhanced and refined experience exclusively for PC players,

FINAL FANTASY TYPE-0 HD offers a new type of FINAL FANTASY experience not seen before in the series – one that is sure to captivate a new generation of players as well as long-time fans. With more than one million copies shipped worldwide, FINAL FANTASY TYPE-0 HD brings an immersive world, memorable characters and the production value known of the series, together with high-quality gameplay and storytelling. To pre-purchase now, and for more information, visit:http://store.steampowered.com/app/340170/

The full list of PC minimum and recommended system requirements is listed below.

Minimum System Requirements:

Operating System: Windows 7, 8, 8.1 64bit
Processor: CPU Core i3 2.5GHz
Memory: RAM 4GB
Disk Space: HDD/SSD 30GB
Video: GTX560Ti or AMD Radeon 7790   mp4 [H.264]
Sound: DirectX XAudio2API
DirectX®: 11 and over

Recommended System Requirements:

Operating System: Windows 7, 8, 8.1 64bit
Processor: CPU Core i5 2.7GHz
Memory: RAM 6GB
Disk Space: HDD/SSD 30GB
Video: GTX750 mp4 [H.264]
Sound: DirectX XAudio2API
DirectX®: 11 and over

Related Links:

FINAL FANTASY TYPE-0 HD Homepage:  http://finalfantasytype0.com/
FINAL FANTASY TYPE-0 HD Facebook® Page:http://www.facebook.com/finalfantasytype0
FINAL FANTASY Facebook Page: http://www.facebook.com/finalfantasy
FINAL FANTASY Twitter®: @FINALFANTASY

About FINAL FANTASY TYPE-0 HD
Step into the fray as Class Zero, a group of fourteen students from an elite military academy whose country is attacked by an aggressive neighbouring Empire. Using the powerful abilities and magic of all fourteen characters in fast-paced action RPG combat, players must face the brutality and injustices of war to uncover the secrets of its genesis.

About Square Enix Ltd.
Square Enix Ltd., a part of the Square Enix Europe business unit, 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. 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 boasts a valuable portfolio of intellectual property including: FINAL FANTASY®, which has sold over 110 million units worldwide, DRAGON QUEST® which has sold over 66 million units worldwide and TOMB RAIDER® which has sold over 42 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://www.square-enix.com/eu/en/ .
FINAL FANTASY TYPE-0 HD © 2011, 2015 SQUARE ENIX CO., LTD. All Rights Reserved. CHARACTER DESIGN: TETSUYA NOMURA

FINAL FANTASY TYPE-0, FINAL FANTASY, the FINAL FANTASY logo, DRAGON QUEST, SQUARE ENIX, the SQUARE ENIX logo, SPACE INVADERS and TAITO are registered trademarks or trademarks of the Square Enix Group. VALVE, Steam, and DOTA are trademarks and/or registered trademarks of Valve Corporation. All other trademarks are properties of their respective owners.
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Busan Indie Connect: An International Indie Game Festival in Busan, Korea!

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

July 28^th, 2015.  Busan, Korea.

Busan Indie Connect (BIC) Festival is a celebration of the best Korean and international indie game talent.  It will be held from September 10th to 12th at the Busan Cultural Content Complex near the beautiful Haeundae Beach in Busan, Korea.

BIC Fest is co-organized by the Busan IT Industry Promotion Agency, Korea Mobile Games Association, and the Indie Ra game developer community.  Under the theme of “Build, Inspire, Connect,” developers from Korea and around the world have the opportunity to compare experiences and inspire one another.

The main exhibition showcases 100 indie games across mobile, PC, console, VR, board game platforms.  Exhibitor applications are open now and until August 7th.  Exhibition is free and accommodation for exhibitors is provided during the festival.  During the expo, fun activities will motivate attendees to play games, meet developers, and offer feedback.  The best games will receive awards in various categories during the BIC Award ceremony.

In addition to the exhibition, the festival includes unique networking events for developers.  The “After Dark” welcome party is set outdoors alongside the scenic Suyoung River and features large-screen multiplayer games.  The next night, the “Indie Heaven” mixer brings together developers, publishers, and press to meet, relax, and enjoy local Korean cuisine.

The festival includes a conference with prominent figures from the global game industry.  Kelly Wallick, the CEO of Indie MEGABOOTH, will present her company’s initiative to bring indie games into the heart of conferences previously dominated by AAA budgets.  YoungChae Kim, CEO of OddOne Games, will share his development experience and the exceptional success of the MMORPG “Tree of Life.”

For more information regarding sponsorship, exhibition applications, and schedule, please visit the BIC Festival website: http://eng.bicfest.org

Seoul, Korea, 28^th July: Eyedentity Mobile announced the worldwide launch date of “Grand Chase M”, a mobile action RPG based on the popular MMO “Grand Chase”, as 30^th July.  Developed by Davinci Games and published by Eyedentity Mobile, “Grand Chase M” follows in the footsteps of its online predecessor Grand Chase and draws players in with vivid anime graphics, spectacular skill animations and quick paced action gameplay.

“Grand Chase M” continues the story about the divided world of “Bermesiah” and its beloved characters, such as “Sieghart”, ”Elesis” and “Lass”, who are striving for the reunification of the realms. Stemming from Grand Chase’s huge success in 15 countries (including America, Japan, Indonesia and Brazil) with a fan base of more than 20 million players worldwide, “Grand Chase M”’s closed beta already drew massive attention to the game and made over 200,000 users pre-register for the official launch.

With so many users participating in the game testing, Eyedentity Mobile had a lot of feedback to go on and applied various game changes together with the developer. As a result, the battle system and the economy have been rebalanced, the new game mode “Wizard’s Labyrinth” has been added, the opening scene has been changed and the UI as well as the encyclopedia system have been redesigned for a more convenient game experience.

The game will be available in 12 languages (Korean, English, Japanese, Chinese, French, German, Spanish, Portuguese, Italian, Indonesian, Thai and also Vietnamese) and will be accompanied by a new theme song. Despite all these changes, familiar voices like Spellknight Ronan’s original voice actor will make a comeback in the game.

“Grand Chase M” is a quick paced mobile action RPG experience, in which players have to strategically set up a group of five heroes to venture across huge dungeon maps, into PvP Battle Arenas, endless challenge dungeons and dangerous raids. To succeed in their adventure, players have to cleverly set up their Heroes’ elements, skills and equipment to make the most out of their party. Each Hero has five unlockable skills, varying between active, passive and special ones, whereas the special ones can be combined with other Heroes’ ultimate skills to perform a devastating “Chase Attack” combo.

On top of the basic, story-based dungeon gameplay, “Grand Chase M” offers many side activities, such as daily event battles, 25 player raids, PvP rankings, Hero Growth, Gear Enhancement and much more. An intriguing blend of stunning skill animations, intense action and an amazing anime style is what makes this game special.

Andreas Günter, COO of Eyedentity Mobile’s Western division, states: “With Grand Chase M, we have received a flagship title for our mobile branch that perfectly complements our current portfolio. We have put a lot of effort into publishing a mobile game with a free-to-play model that is fair for new players and loyal Grand Chase fans alike.
Grand Chase M’s soft launch showed us how thoroughly players enjoy the game. With the official release, we can now welcome both loyal fans and new players to an intriguing action adventure for mobile devices.
In the future, we will continue to develop new and expand existing content, based on player feedback and close cooperation with our players.”

Plenty of updates are already prepared. For a start, the guild system will be expanded to make the game’s social side more attractive and immersive. Adding to that, more new systems (e.g. “Transcendence”, a new system to upgrade the playable Heroes), a variety of new characters (e.g. familiar Heroes like Asin, Uno, Lass, Edel and Veigas) and new game modes (e.g. the “Trial Tower”, an endless round-based dungeon in which players have to continually clear harder floors) will be implemented in late summer and autumn.

On 30^th July, “Grand Chase M” will officially be launched for both iOS and Android in 198 countries, including the United States, Japan, the United Kingdom, France and the Philippines.

For more information about “Grand Chase M”, please visit the official homepage or check the official Facebook page.