Save Neutron City from the Octoids in Wicked Dog’s Ekon the Cyborg—a Frenetic Dual-Stick Shooter for iOS

SINGAPORE – May 14, 2014 – An army of invading Octoids is threatening Neutron City and only Ekon the Cyborg can stop them! Developed by Wicked Dog Games, an indie studio based on Singapore, Ekon delivers frantic dual-stick action for iOS—reminiscent of the best PlayStation-era shooters. Players can download the game for free from the App Store. 

As Ekon, the player battles evil (and goofy) Octoids using a vast array of powerful weapons that include fan favorites Toxic Infector, SubZero Cannon, and the almighty Decompressor. Quick reflexes and special attention to loot drops are necessary at all times; they’re the quickest path to new weapons, ammo refills, and upgradable stats such as Reload Speed and Health Regen. Ekon the Cyborg ships with 34 levels and includes both Story and Survival modes unlocked from the start.

“We’re all hardcore gamers at Wicked Dog,” says Jeffrey Lim, producer at Wicked Dog Games. “With Ekon the Cyborg, we wanted to prove that mobile games don’t need to be ridiculously easy or cater to a casual audience in order to succeed. Ekon is a love letter to those early PlayStation games that wowed us with amazing (for the time!) flat-shaded polygon graphics and deviously challenging gameplay. Hope you enjoy mowing down Octoids as much as we enjoyed creating them :)”

Key Features

• Frenetic, action-packed twin-stick shooter built from the ground up for touch screens
• Gorgeous 3D arenas inspired by the early PlayStation era
• Two gameplay modes: Campaign and Survival
• Wide variety of upgradable primary and secondary weapons
• Special events (like falling bombs!) that can turn the tide in a matter of seconds
•  Tons of unique enemy types
• Awesome boss fights
• Leaderboards that let you immortalize your exploits!

Ekon the Cyborg is free to download and play. Gamers looking to gain access to more powerful weapons and stat upgrades can acquire them through in-app purchases.

Supported devices

iPhone, iPad, iPod touch (4th gen and above)

Trailer

YouTube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZRWG-O8rbxI

Social Media

Facebook

https://www.facebook.com/WickedDogGames

Twitter

https://twitter.com/WickedDogGames

YouTube channel

http://www.youtube.com/wickeddoggames

About Wicked Dog Games

Wicked Dog Games was founded in 2011 in sunny Singapore by talented developers who fondly remember Street Fighter 2: The World Warrior, Super Nintendo games, and 1990s isometric RPGs on PC. The studio is laser-focused on mobile with a classic console gaming sensibility. For more information on Wicked Dog Games, visit http://www.wickeddoggames.com/

Strike It Rich in 1849 Gold Rush Sim, Released Today for PC, Mac, iPad, & Android Tablets

City management game from indie developer SomaSim can be downloaded from Steam, GOG, App Store, Google Play, and other online stores

SAN FRANCISCO – May 8, 2014 – The year is 1849, and gold has just been discovered in Northern California! Grab a pickaxe and claim your fortune in SomaSim’s new game 1849, a bustling Gold Rush sim reminiscent of city management classics like SimCity and Caesar III. Following an early access beta release and acceptance by Steam Greenlight, the final version of 1849 is now available worldwide for download on PC, Mac, iPad, and Android tablets (see below for links).

Set during an unparalleled period of American history, 1849 features 20 levels set in existing California cities brought to life with graphics inspired by period photographs and surviving architecture. In each level, players must establish and grow the local economy while balancing citizens’ needs against the backdrop of real Gold Rush scenarios and challenges. Should Sacramento be a mining town, a farming community, or a hub for trade? Will the pioneers flocking into Monterey become productive prospectors or devolve into unruly drunks at the local saloon? That’s your call!

Two versions of 1849 have been released:

• Mobile version (iPad & Android tablets) includes a story mode and the ability to replay scenarios to try different strategies in each city. This version sells for $4.99 USD from the App Store (https://itunes.apple.com/app/1849/id840299641) and Google Play (https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=air.com.somasim.fortynine).

• Desktop version (PC & Mac) includes story mode, the ability to replay scenarios, and an open-ended sandbox mode. This version sells for $14.99 USD from Steam (http://store.steampowered.com/app/290970), GOG (http://www.gog.com/game/1849_the_gold_rush), IndieGameStand (https://indiegamestand.com/store/788/1849/), GamersGate (http://www.gamersgate.com/DD-1849/1849), and the developers’ website (http://www.somasim.com/1849/buy.html).

In both versions, the gameplay has been tuned to accommodate brief play sessions or longer marathons, with no in-app purchases or incremental charges to mar the experience.

“Over the last few years casual city management games have gained popularity, but they’re nothing like the in-depth simulation games that defined the genre back in the day. Those were games I could lose myself in for hours, building a massive empire out of nothing. We’ve tried to bring back this gameplay and experience in 1849,” says developer Robert Zubek. “It’s a game tuned for today’s technology and players — the scenarios are designed so you can play for a few minutes on the bus if that’s all the time you have, or spend hours building a huge bustling city. At its heart 1849 is a classic city management game with all the bells and whistles that make this genre so much fun.”

Learn more about 1849 and its inspirations at the official website: http://somasim.com/1849

About SomaSim

SomaSim is a San Francisco-based studio founded in 2013 to create simulation games for modern devices and audiences. Their first game is the Gold Rush-themed 1849, which released for PC, Mac, iPad, and Android tablets in May 2014. Lead developer Robert Zubek has previously worked at EA, Three Rings Design, and most recently Zynga, where he was a founding team member on both CityVille and Farmville 2. Writer and art director Matthew Viglione comes from a publishing background and has over ten years of graphic design and communications experience. Together they designed 1849 to recapture the magic of the simulation games they loved to play growing up. Learn more at http://somasim.com.

SomaSim Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/somasimgames

SomaSim Twitter: https://twitter.com/somasim_games

Dying Light – Release Timing Announcement

We know you’ve been waiting on a Dying Light release date for quite some time now. After careful consideration, we have decided to release our upcoming game in February 2015. Since this means Dying Light will launch a few months later than originally planned, we feel obliged to explain the reasons that influenced this important decision.

When we started the development of Dying Light, we were committed to innovation. We wanted to give you a freedom of movement unprecedented in open world games. After many improvements and months of hard work, we have now come so close to realizing our initial vision we feel we cannot stop before it is ready.

We believe the Natural Movement element of our game will change what you expect from the genre, and we don’t want to sacrifice any of its potential by releasing too early. This quality-focused thinking underlines all our development choices and we hope you share our belief that the gameplay must always come first.

The new date ensures that we can fully realize our vision of an innovative open world game. We won’t need to make compromises or trade-offs on any of the five platforms we’re working on. For you, it means an outstanding, original game that makes the wait more than worthwhile.

Finally, we would like to thank our publishing partner, Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment, which fully supports our decision. It’s a real pleasure to work in an environment where quality is universally accepted as the top priority. We believe that this is the only way to make truly incredible games.

We also have an additional announcement for you: starting next month at E3 2014, we’ll be telling you much more about all the exciting features and different aspects of Dying Light. Stay tuned!

— Dying Light Team

Dying Light

Developer: Techland

Publisher: Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment

Platforms: PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360

Release Date: February 2015

Treasure Castles Come to Stronghold Kingdoms

London, UK – 8^th May 2014 – Stronghold Kingdoms, one of the ten most popular free-to-play games on Steam, has just been updated with new gameplay content in the form of Treasure Castles and new strategy cards.

Stronghold Kingdoms’ May update adds Treasure Castles, an all-new type of AI castle appearing soon in a parish near you! Unlike regular AI, Treasure Castles do not send out attacks to harass the player. Instead they fortify their defences and force you to make the first move, as a result these new castle types cannot be besieged with brute force. Attacking troops must be placed strategically to cover the most ground, in search of Treasure Chests buried deep within the castle walls.

Soft launched last month to test the waters and ensure proper game balance, this new gameplay feature presents a unique gameplay puzzle for players to solve, with a chance to win unique and powerful rewards. Choose your attacks wisely and work together to keep these treasures out of the hands of the enemy!

The new update also adds 20 brand new strategy cards to the game. These new cards further bolster the Kingdoms deck, affecting various areas of gameplay such as diplomacy, trading, village construction and castle defence. Avoid enemy attack with Expert Diplomacy, increase your siege defences’ rate of fire with Expert Ballistae or strengthen your attacking forces with Mercenaries.

Stronghold Kingdoms can be downloaded and played for free at www.strongholdkingdoms.com

About Stronghold Kingdoms
Stronghold Kingdoms is the medieval online castle game. Join hundreds of thousands of players in a rich world of Lords, Ladies, Bumpkins and Barons as you build your village, research new technology and strive to be the greatest in the land. Construct mighty castles to defend your lands against insolent intruders, develop your economy and trade your way to victory, lead your fellow noblemen to war and control of the Kingdom.

About Firefly Studios

Firefly Studios is an independent PC game developer specialising in real-time strategy and MMO titles. Formed in 1999 by Simon Bradbury and Eric Ouellette, the company has brought to market a number of high profile and commercially successful strategy games, including the Stronghold series with lifetime sales of over six million. Firefly has offices in the UK and US.

ESL AND WARGAMING.NET PARTNER UP TO OPERATE THE WORLD OF TANKS WARGAMING.NET LEAGUE IN NORTH AMERICA

ESL’s New Studio in Los Angeles, California to Play Host to Upcoming American Wargaming.net Seasons

(Los Angeles) May 8, 2014 – ESL, world’s largest independent eSports brand and Wargaming.net today announced that they are extending their working relationship across the Atlantic. ESL is pleased to confirm that it is set to operate all upcoming Wargaming.net League North America seasons live from the brand new ESL TV Studios in Los Angeles, California.

The state-of-the-art ESL TV Studios in Los Angeles will play host to two World of Tanks Wargaming.net League shows each week, across the next three seasons of competition. ESL will continue to operate the Wargaming.net League in Europe from the ESL TV Studios in Cologne, Germany, home to previous seasons of the competition. The region’s best teams will battle it out for a chunk out of US$2,500,000 prize money – the total that will be distributed in this year’s competitions worldwide. The dates for shows in both American and European competitions will be announced later this month.

The new 7,000 square foot venue showcases top-of-the-line video and gaming equipment, doubles not only as a broadcast studio but also as an event location. Capable of hosting hundreds of live spectators, President at ESS Han Park assures eSports fans that the studio is the perfect fit for Wargaming.net League North America:  “We are looking forward to this partnership with Wargaming and are very excited to deliver the highest possible level of eSports experience, both through our broadcast and through local community events surrounding the upcoming North American League.”

“We are very excited to announce that our working relationship with ESL is being extended to cover the Wargaming.net League in North America. Past experience with the eSports team has brought us amazing events, such as the Wargaming.net League Grand Finals in Warsaw, Poland, and we’re confident that the future of the American League looks just as bright. – If not brighter!” – said Mohamed Fadl, eSports Director Europe & North America at Wargaming.net.

For more information please visit www.eslgaming.com.

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About Electronic Sports League (ESL) – is world’s largest, independent eSports brand, leading the industry across various games with numerous online and offline competitions. This includes high profile international and national leagues and tournaments such as the Intel Extreme Masters, ESL One, ESL Pro Series, Starcraft II World Championship Series, Wargaming.net League, as well as grassroots amateur cups, leagues and matchmaking systems. ESL covers a broad field of services in gaming technology, event management, advertising and TV production, fully catering to the needs of the eSport’s ecosystem. With offices in Germany, Russia, France, Poland, Spain, China and the USA, it has a true global footprint. www.eslgaming.com

About Wargaming.net – Wargaming is an award-winning online game developer and publisher and one of the leaders in the free-to-play MMO market. Founded as a privately held company in 1998, Wargaming has shipped more than 15 titles. Currently, Wargaming is focused on its team-based MMO war series dedicated to the mid-20th century warfare that will include the armored World of Tanks, the flight combat World of Warplanes, and the naval World of Warships. The three intertwined titles will form a common gaming universe integrated within the portal www.wargaming.net

ARCHAEOLOGY ADVENTURE LOST CIVILIZATION™ NOW AVAILABLE FOR iOS MOBILE

Puzzle-Solving Tale for All Skill Levels Invites Players to Unearth Mankind’s Lost History

SAN JOSE, Calif. – May 8, 2014 – Phoenix Online Publishing™ today announced that Lost Civilization, an atmospheric adventure that challenges players to unearth the mysteries of a forgotten chapter in human history, is now available for $4.99 in Apple’s iTunes App Store. Offering a haunting blend of puzzle-solving and investigation, this archaeological thriller, accessible for all skill levels, challenges players to discover whether or not alien life exists on Earth as they explore the globe’s most far-flung corners. Lost Civilization was released on PC and Mac via Steam and the Phoenix Online Store (www.postudios.com) last month.

In Lost Civilization, players take on the role of Suzanne, an amateur archaeologist, as she races to unearth the mystery of a forgotten civilization and rescue her kidnapped fiancé?. Suitable for beginners and diehards alike, players are invited to journey from the dark corners of Prague to the fog-shrouded streets of London as they solve clever puzzles and unravel ancient secrets. Featuring over 70 richly-detailed and animated scenes, haunting sound effects, and a refreshing variety of challenges ranging from clever brainteasers to eye-catching interactive mini-games, the fate of the world rests in gamers’ hands.

For more information, please see www.POStudios.com.

About Phoenix Online Publishing – Every Game Has a Story™

Phoenix Online Publishing is a new independent video game publisher dedicated to bringing compelling and cutting-edge story-driven titles to market worldwide in every genre and across the full range of gaming platforms and devices. Providing game makers with business management, marketing, media and digital/retail distribution services, the company is committed to providing a platform for bringing titles with rich storytelling and atmosphere to life. Designed by indie game developers for indie game developers, Phoenix Online Publishing operates in parallel with Phoenix Online Studios, an award-winning game development studio (The Silver Lining, Cognition), and maintains a global network of development, publishing and distribution partners. More information about Phoenix Online Publishing can be found on the company’s website, www.POStudios.com.

About Icarus Games

Icarus Games was founded in 2011 with the goal of developing premium and free-to-play casual titles for mobile platforms (iOS, Android) and personal computers (PC, Mac). Based in the Czech Republic, and collaborating with talent from Eastern Europe and the U.S., their mission is simple: to make games people love to play! For more information, visit the company’s website at www.icarusgames.com.

Assets and additional information for Lost Civilization and other Phoenix Online Publishing games are available at http://pressroom.postudios.com.