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May 3, 2014

CALL OF DUTY: ADVANCED WARFARE BOOSTS FRANCHISE TO NEW HEIGHTS ON THE NEXT GENERATION

Power Changes Everythingon November 4

Starring Academy Award® Winning Actor Kevin Spacey, New Call of Duty Delivers a Stunning Vision of the Future

First Call of Duty game created with three-year development cycle

First Call of Duty game helmed by new AAA studio, Sledgehammer Games

Prepare for the Next Generation Advanced Soldier

Sydney, NSW – May 3, 2014– The power of the next generation of advanced soldier. The power of a gripping performance from Kevin Spacey. The power of all-new, exoskeleton gameplay mechanics. Power changes everything. Call of Duty®: Advanced Warfare delivers an inspired new era of Call of Duty®. Published by Activision Publishing, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Activision Blizzard (Nasdaq: ATVI), and developed for next gen consoles and PC by Sledgehammer Games, Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare delivers a breathtaking, new vision for the blockbuster franchise.

“We’ve made several key decisions with an eye towards creative excellence on Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare. We’ve really approached this game differently,” said Eric Hirshberg, CEO of Activision Publishing. “This is our first three-year development cycle. It’s our first time with Sledgehammer Games at the creative helm. And we’re shaking up the formula in several ways. New core gameplay mechanics with the exoskeleton suit. A riveting new story. An iconic new character played by one of the world’s best actors in Kevin Spacey. We’re having a lot of fun making this game, and we think the world is going to have even more fun playing it.”

Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare jolts players forward in a groundbreaking experience that’s ripped-from-the-headlines-of-tomorrow, envisioning a future where both technology and tactics have evolved to usher in a new era of combat for the franchise. Set in the year 2054, a private military corporation (PMC) has emerged with the power to rescue humanity from a devastated world struggling to rebuild after a global attack on its military and infrastructure. You are the advanced soldier. Empowered with new, cutting-edge exoskeleton abilities, technological advancements and high-tech gear, players join the ranks of a highly-trained, specialised unit committed to restoring order in a state of advanced warfare.

“It’s been a lot of fun working with the team to bring Jonathan Irons to life. The technology is truly remarkable and unlike anything I’ve done before. I’m excited to see where this goes,” said Academy Award® winner Kevin Spacey.

Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare is being developed specifically for next gen consoles and PC. This is the first iteration of publisher Activision’s expanded three-year development cycle allowing the debut lead title from Sledgehammer Games an added year of studio development. With the expanded production capabilities, Sledgehammer Games is able to create an astonishing new, next generation experience, featuring an array of technical advancements from the sights and sounds that create a near photorealistic world unlike any Call of Duty before, to new performance capture and facial animation technologies that deliver lifelike characters, to a rich and immersive story that brings the fiction to life.

“This is an opportunity of a lifetime, and an honor for Sledgehammer Games. Call of Duty: Advanced Warfareis the most ambitious and creative project we have ever worked on. From the endless research and thousands of production designs, to our incredible focus on the narrative and amazing attention to detail – we’re taking nothing for granted,” said Glen Schofield, co-founder and game director of Sledgehammer Games. “Call of Duty connects with the fans on such a deep level, and crafting a new vision for the next generation has been so inspiring for us.”

Michael Condrey, co-founder and studio head of Sledgehammer Games added, “Glen and I created this team with the singular vision of delivering the best work of our lives. We know we’re stepping into some pretty big shoes, but every day I’m amazed at the talent and focus at work here touching everything from the story experience to multiplayer. We’re excited to lead the next chapter in this great franchise, and we can’t wait for November 4^th.”

Starting today, fans can begin pre-ordering their copy of Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare at retail outlets worldwide. The title is scheduled for release on November 4. For the latest intel, check out: www.callofduty.com, www.facebook.com/callofduty,www.youtube.com/callofduty or follow @CallofDuty_ANZ @CallofDuty on Twitter and Instagram. Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare is not yet rated.

About Activision Publishing, Inc.

Headquartered in Santa Monica, California, Activision Publishing, Inc. is a leading worldwide developer, publisher and distributor of interactive entertainment and leisure products.

Activision maintains operations in the U.S., Canada, Brazil, Mexico, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Sweden, Spain, Norway, Denmark, the Netherlands, Australia, South Korea, mainland China and the region of Taiwan. More information about Activision and its products can be found on the company’s website, www.activision.com.

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 the expected Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare release date of November 4, 2014, 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.

# # #

ACTIVISION, CALL OF DUTY, and CALL OF DUTY ADVANCED WARFARE are trademarks of Activision Publishing, Inc.

Switch Review

Simon Wolfe

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May 3, 2014

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Switch
Studios: China Film Group, Pegasus Entertainment, Media Asia Films
Publisher: FUNimation
Release Date: April 15th, 2014
Format: DVD
Price: $24.98 – Available Here

Overview
In the world of secret agent movies, it can be easy to quickly think to more about Western countries, like the UK and US, but they of course aren’t the only ones. Switch is a Chinese-Hong Kong action film centered on the attempts of a Chinese secret agent trying to protect an ancient painting from being stolen by smugglers, complicated with the fact that the painting was historically damaged and split in two, each part stored in a separate museum. Are the exploits of this Chinese secret agents something that action film fans can enjoy, or is it best to find some secret agent thrills elsewhere?

Story
The film itself opens up to different people being informed of the proposed reunion of the two pieces of the “Dwelling of the Fuchun Mountains” and goes right into the action as a few separate groups happen to pick the same night to steal the first half of the Chinese Yuan Dynasty era painting. It is nice to see a fair amount of inter-criminal conflict as they all try and get the final drop on the others to be the one that comes out on top, but only one team can ultimately succeed and tip off the authorities to the fact that the other half should get a severe boost in security.

The biggest source of security? Sending Agent Xiao Jinhan to protect the second half and recover the first. Jinhan himself is an interesting take on the agent lifestyle, in that he is married with a child, masking his job and late night missions under the guise of affairs with a beautiful woman who is actually his partner agent. Though to spice up the plot even more, his wife is also an agent with a different group whose job is to prevent the second half of the painting from being stolen at all. Needless to say there are a lot of things going on in the film, both in terms of action and characters, and the husband/wife team on the tip of the iceberg.

While the film is only a little more than two hours long, the action that takes place feels to extend much long as there is so much going on it could almost encompass three movies. This is especially noticeable with the fight that occurs only half way through the movie that at the time feels as if it could be the climax, only to lead to entirely new act focused on recovering both pieces from their respective captors. Though with only an hour left in the film the focus on the British smugglers is extremely limited, so that much more focus can be put on the super villain-like Yamamoto, which ends up working out in the film’s favor as he is a much stronger antagonist than any of the others.

Unfortunately, with such a wide sweeping story in the end the action goes so far as to become absurd in the strangest ways. Storming the Yamamoto lair leads to fights across a ridiculous variety of areas for crazy range of fights and props to be destroyed in the melee. Culminating in Jinhan and Yamamoto fencing in full gear for almost no reason, as the time it would take to don the appropriate clothing undermines the tension built up between the two throughout the film. Despite the action reaching too far over the top, there is still plenty of interesting things going on in the film providing a nice level of depth.

Visuals
The look of the film has plenty of flourish and style that includes a lot of detail into the different scenes taking place in plenty of locations from Hong Kong, to Taiwan, to the United Arab Emirates. However, the scenes in Yamamoto’s lair have by far the most unique designs in the entire film, that all go back to the most interesting aspect of his character. On top of that his minions are also the most varied, even themed depending on what is happening, while the other groups consist of smaller numbers of more mundane designed character.

The special effects in Switch are not exactly anything to write home about, in fact some border on cheap looking, which is even more apparent with how well some of the other aspects. There are some scenes that are clearly green screened to present an otherwise unavailable location, but not all of the special effects are this bad as the opening title sequence looks fantastic capturing the James Bond-esque feel of the film.

Audio
There is both the original Mandarin and an English dub available for the film, which each have there only pluses. With so much going on plot and character-wise in the film it may be better to watch with the English dub, so that it is a bit easier to keep up with the action. Though the original Mandarin really lets the performances of Andy Lau and Tong Dawei, Jinhan and Yamamoto respectively, really show through, but many of the English-speaking characters have very poor performances. So, the English dub might be a good idea for the first time watch and those wanting to see it again can enjoy both.

The music is outside the look and style of the film one of the best aspects of Switch. Able to match up well to the high standards of the look of the opening title sequence and the rest of the action throughout. This is another part that Switch gets right in trying to match the style of a James Bond-esque movie, including long dialogue-less parts that rely on the music to carry the feelings of the scene. Despite all the slight flaws the other aspects have across the course of the film, the music is a strong constant of quality.

Extras
In true Bond style the usual sampling of trailer for this film and other Giant Ape Media brand releases have additional special features in the form of music videos for some of the bigger songs related to Switch. The first music video is the song “Fate” which is the closing theme for the film and focuses on the main love story between Jinhan and his fellow agent and dealing with those feeling while working closely together. The second is the main theme song for Switch, which does a good job of summing up the main themes of the movie itself in the song, though the theme song has much more original footage of the band while “Fate” music video is mainly footage from the movie.

Overall
There are a few slight problems here and there, but for the most part Switch is filled with a good portion of action and plot, though at times there seems to be a bit too much of it. While the special effects leave something to be desired, the music of the film can almost make up for it. There is still plenty of good things to be found in the two hour run time for fans of action and secret agent style, so those willing and able to get past the slight mars of somewhat hokey special effects and borderline quality acting on the part of the English characters should find something to enjoy.

Capsule Computers review guidelines can be found here.

Xbox Newsbeat April 28 – May 2

Andrew Day

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May 3, 2014

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“Cause you can’t stop the (News)Beat!” Relax ladies and gentlemen, because after a little bit of a holiday hiatus we are proud to bring back Xbox Newsbeat! Newsbeat is your all-access, VIP backstage pass to all the latest happenings and goings on down at Microsoft HQ. This week we have four killer Xbox One news pieces, one Xbox 360 snippet and a cross-platform headline for you to sink your teeth into like the ravenous gaming vampires that you all are (suck it, Windows Phone). Anyway lets get this show on the road!

Xbox One will launch in China this September

A nice, simple and small piece to kick us off – Microsoft in conjunction with Chinese Media Company BesTV will finally be bringing the Xbox One console to Chine. As of September, players living in China will have access to all the goodness that we have had for the past few months. Xbox has historically never done too well in the Asian markets, so hopefully Xbox One can bump that trend.

May Games with Gold for Xbox 360 – Dust: An Elysian Tail and Saints Row: The Third

Ok now here is some goodness. This month’s Games with Gold are available and they are goodies. Dust: An Elysian Tail and Saints Row: the Third are both available NOW totally free for Xbox Gold subscribers. We rated both games very highly when they dropped so if you haven’t done so already, check out our reviews for Dust: An Elysian Tail and Saints Row: The Third. Then of course go download those games!

Xbox Originals: Coming Soon to a Screen Near You

As we reported earlier in the week, Microsoft are bringing television to its home consoles in the form of Xbox Originals. Everything from the long-gestating Halo series, to documentaries about discarded Atari games will be available for you to watch on demand, right through your console. Three is a lot to this, so for the full report including some of the shows currently in development check it here.

Xbox Fitness Adds Yoga and Spotlights Jillian Michaels’ Top Fitness Tips

Let is never be said that here at Newsbeat we don’t provide something for everyone. Whether you are a gym junkie, a professional yogi that can spit fire, or are just trying to tone that tummy then this is some pretty cool news. Starting on May 6th, a bunch of new yoga workouts will be available through Xbox Fitness. Jillian Michaels’ Yoga Inferno Workout 1 and Yoga Inferno Workout 2 will be added to the Xbox Fitness library along with a 10-Minute Solutions yoga program and a 5 Day Get Fit Mix: Power Yoga.

Step Into the Arena with the Next “Ryse: Son of Rome” Add-On Pack, “Duel of Fates”

Topping off the hour today is a game that appears in the Newsbeat more times than any other – Ryse: Son of Rome. The game’s third downloadable content pack – Duel of Fates is available now for owners of the game. The downloadable content features two new arena mode round-to-round maps in Invictus and Barbarous, and a survival map simply titled “Island.” Players will also be able to access two new gladiator skins for their combatants, both taken from “Ryse: Son of Rome’s” single-player campaign: Glott the barbarian chief, and “Ryse” protagonist Marius Titus. If you are a season pass owner then you will get this, along with all over previous (and future) DLC, or you can grab this pack on its own for the low, low price of $11.95.

That’s it for another installment of Xbox Newsbeat. We had to shake off the dust after our holiday but I think we got there in the end. Which of this week’s headlines grabbed you the most? Let us know in the comments below and remember to stay tuned to Capsule Computers for all the Xbox news as it becomes available.

MATT SMITH SET TO STAR IN PARAMOUNT PICTURES AND SKYDANCE PRODUCTIONS’ “TERMINATOR” REBOOT

Press Releases

Philip Federico

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May 3, 2014

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MATT SMITH SET TO STAR IN PARAMOUNT PICTURES AND SKYDANCE PRODUCTIONS’ “TERMINATOR” REBOOT

HOLLYWOOD, CA (May 1, 2014) – Paramount Pictures and Skydance Productions announced today that “Doctor Who” star Matt Smith will join the cast of the upcoming “TERMINATOR” reboot.

Smith will play a new character with a strong connection to John Connor, alongside Arnold Schwarzenegger, Jason Clarke, Emilia Clarke, Jai Courtney, J.K. Simmons, Dayo Okeniyi and Byung Hun Lee.

Alan Taylor is directing the film from a screenplay by Laeta Kalogridis and Patrick Lussier. David Ellison and Dana Goldberg of Skydance Productions are producing. Skydance’s Paul Schwake, Annapurna Pictures’ Megan Ellison, Kalogridis and Lussier are executive producing.

Smith is best known for playing The Doctor on the popular “Doctor Who” television series during the 2011-2103 seasons. His other television credits include “Christopher and His Kind,” “Moses Jones,” and “The Street.” He can be seen next on the big screen in “LOST RIVER,” directed by Ryan Gosling, alongside Christina Hendricks, Saoirse Ronan and Eva Mendes.

He is represented by United Talent Agency and Michael Duff at Troika.

The “TERMINATOR” franchise launched in 1984 with Schwarzenegger as the title character and spanned three subsequent films, which have earned more than $1 billion at the worldwide box office.

Paramount will distribute the film worldwide on July 1, 2015.

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About Paramount Pictures Corporation

Paramount Pictures Corporation (PPC), a global producer and distributor of filmed entertainment, is a unit of Viacom (NASDAQ: VIAB, VIA), a leading content company with prominent and respected film, television and digital entertainment brands. Paramount controls a collection of some of the most powerful brands in filmed entertainment, including Paramount Pictures, Paramount Animation, Paramount Vantage, Paramount Classics, Insurge Pictures, MTV Films, and Nickelodeon Movies. PPC operations also include Paramount Home Media Distribution, Paramount Pictures International, Paramount Licensing Inc., and Paramount Studio Group.

About Skydance Productions

Skydance Productions creates and produces elevated event-level commercial entertainment. Skydance’s recent releases include JACK RYAN: SHADOW RECRUIT, from director Kenneth Branagh and starring Chris Pine, WORLD WAR Z, starring Brad Pitt and directed by Marc Forster; J.J. Abrams’ STAR TREK: INTO DARKNESS, starring Chris Pine and Zachary Quinto, and G.I. JOE: RETALIATION, starring Bruce Willis, Channing Tatum and Dwayne Johnson. Skydance projects currently in development include the reboot of the TERMINATOR franchise, to be released on July 1, 2015, MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE 5 with Christopher McQuarrie directing and a disaster film on a global scale titled GEOSTORM written by Dean Devlin and Paul Guyot with Devlin also directing. Skydance’s previous projects include the award-winning Coen Brothers film TRUE GRIT, starring Jeff Bridges and Matt Damon; MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE – GHOST PROTOCOL, starring Tom Cruise and Jeremy Renner and Christopher McQuarrie’s JACK REACHER, starring Tom Cruise. Skydance’s new television division recently started production on its first series, Manhattan, to WGN America. From writer Sam Shaw and director Tommy Schlamme, this 13-episode drama is set against the backdrop of the clandestine mission to build the world’s first atomic bomb in Los Alamos, New Mexico and follows the brilliant but flawed scientists and their families as they attempt to co-exist in a world where secrets and lies infiltrate every aspect of their lives.

DYNASTY WARRIORS ENTERS A NEW BATTLEFIELD

Press Releases

Philip Federico

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May 2, 2014

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DYNASTY WARRIORS ENTERS A NEW BATTLEFIELD

Fan-favourite tactical action series makes PC debut in the west

Hertfordshire, May 2014- TECMO KOEI EUROPE announced today that critically acclaimed tactical action title DYNASTY WARRIORS 8: XTREME LEGENDS COMPLETE EDITION will be released for PC through Steam® across the western territories for the first time in franchise history on 13 May 2014.

‘We are very happy to finally be able to bring this fantastic game to PC’ said Yasutomo Watanabe, General Manager of Tecmo Koei Europe. ‘We feel that this is a very fitting platform for tactical action titles and believe that it will satisfy our fans as well as allow them to enjoy hours of gameplay with enhanced graphics and higher frame rates’.

DYNASTY WARRIORS 8: XTREME LEGENDS COMPLETE EDITION is a combination of two games:

The first is DYNASTY WARRIORS 8 -a historical tactical action game that follows the stories of the kingdoms of Wei, Wu, Shu and Jin through the actions of historical military and political figures of the time as they fight to gain control over the Three Kingdoms of China. It features more than 40 completely new stages: verdant plains, desolate wastelands, sharp ravines, huge castles, and other breath-taking sites, giving stronger emphasis in the stage of these epic battles and inspired by ancient landscapes.

While the second is DYNASTY WARRIORS 8: XTREME LEGENDS– a stand-alone expansion which includes new episodes that add to the story of the three kingdoms the game revolves around, focusing on the exploits of the mightiest of warriors, Lu Bu. Additionally, DW8XL introduces five new characters, giving players the option to choose between 82 warriors in total. DW8XL features multiple hypothetical scenarios that alter the plotlines of various episodes throughout the ‘Romance of the Three Kingdoms’ story, an expanded Ambition Mode and the popular Challenge Mode. The Free Mode has also been significantly enhanced, featuring among other things, the Xtreme Legends ‘Ultimate’ difficulty level

PC minimum requirements:

ü Operating system Windows Vista / 7/8 / 8.1,

ü main body CPU: (i7 860 or more recommended Core)

ü Core2Duo 2.4GHz or more

ü Memory : 512MB of RAM or more ( 1GB or more recommended)

ü Recommended Display : 1280X720 pixels or True Color display (can display 16:9)

ü Hard drive space: 18GB

ü Video card : VRAM256MB or more ( 512MB or more recommended)

ü 3D acceleration corresponding to pixel shader 3.0 and above

ü DirectX9.0c

ü Game Pad compatible

For more DYNASTY WARRIORS 8 news please visit www.facebook.com/koeigames and follow us on twitter @tecmokoeieurope

Live Colors for Kids By Omega-R Inc.

Press Releases

Philip Federico

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May 2, 2014

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Live Colors for Kids By Omega-R Inc.

View More by This Developer

Open iTunes to buy and download apps.

View In iTunes

This app is designed for both iPhone and iPad

Free
Category: Education
Updated: May 01, 2014
Version: 1.1
Size: 222 MB
Languages: English, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Portuguese, Russian, Simplified Chinese, Spanish, Traditional Chinese
Seller: OOO Omega-R
© Omega-R

Rated 4+

Compatibility: Requires iOS 6.0 or later. Compatible with iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch. This app is optimized for iPhone 5.

Description

Easiest-to-use coloring app ever! Your little artist will bring masterpieces to life while coloring, drawing and mixing colors! The app is a unique combination of gaming and learning. Watch your child’s motor skills and creativity blossom. Help your child discover the whimsical world of colors!

WORK YOUR MAGIC BY COLORING
Live Colors for Kids includes 20 vivid coloring pages designed in cooperation with the professional educators. Each coloring page is introduced with a funny poem. If your child likes to color and dreams of being a magician, help him or her work magic in this coloring book by making pictures come to life!

DREAM AND DRAW
Is your young talent tired of coloring? Then it’s time to take a canvas and create a masterpiece from scratch! Take advantage of Draw mode to develop your child’s talents, inspire confidence and spark creativity and imagination. Hours of fun are guaranteed!

MIX COLORS
Mixing colors is the wonder of turning certain colors into others! Initially, only 6 basic paints are available in the app. Then, with Live Colors, the young magician follows in-game help to mix colors in the palette and create numerous tones. Your little one can even compare them with colors in real nature!

WHAT’S INSIDE:
— The most simple and handy interface
— Eye-candy graphics
— 20 animated coloring pages
— Soundtracks recorded by professional actors
— In-game help to mix the colors in the palette
— Color the picture by template or conjure it free-hand
— Automatic saving of all pictures in the gallery
— Come back and complete the masterpiece at any time
— Eraser in case the drawing needs slight corrections
— Share your young artist’s work in social networks
— Print your artwork, hang it on the wall and admire
— Nice bonuses and surprises
— Localized for English, Russian, French, German, Italian, Portuguese, Japanese, Spanish and Chinese

CHILD PRIVACY POLICY
•Included Kids Lock gated area to protect settings just for parents
•NO third party advertising
•NO in-app purchases
•NO collection of any personal information of any kind
•Now member of the “KNOW what’s inside” program

If you have any questions, comments, or feedback — email us anytime at [email protected] or visit us at www.liveappsforkids.com

Join us on FB:
https://www.facebook.com/livecolorsforkids

…More

Live Colors for Kids Support

What’s New in Version 1.1

– NOW COMPATIBLE WITH IPHONE
– Bug fixes
– Localization to the other languages

Screenshots

iPhone iPad

Disney Infinity 2.0 Marvel Superheroes Announcement Video + Pictures

Andrew Day

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May 2, 2014

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Disney Infinity 2.0 Marvel Superheroes Announcement Video + Pictures

Last night, Disney Infinity and Marvel fans across the world got an awesome announcement – Disney Infinity 2.0 Marvel Superheroes is on its way, and it adds the Avengers (and others) to the already impressive Disney Infinity lineup. We posted the important news this morning, but now we can share with you the entire presentation as well as a picture gallery of the event, including all of the special guests.

Check out the image gallery below, and then check below that for the presentation. It goes for about an hour so settle in for a pretty cool show. After checking it out let us know your thoughts in the comments below on the game’s new mechanics, as well as who you want to make an appearance and make sure you stay tuned to Capsule Computers for all the Disney news as it becomes available.

New Bound by Flame Screenshots Showcase Companions

Kane Bugeja

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May 2, 2014

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New Bound by Flame Screenshots Showcase Companions

Friendships forged in the heat of battle

With just one week left until Bound by Flame hits PS3, PS4, Xbox 360 and PC, developer Spiders has released a few new screenshots that focus on one of the RPGs core assets: Companions. Set to assist the previously shown Hero, these friends will aid players in their perilous journey.

Should you desire a little long range backup and a nifty healing skill, perhaps you would do well to enlist the help of Sybil the Young Mage. Edwen the Witch avoids healing and instead opts for mind control, more in line with her proficiency in dark arts. Rhelmar the Elf forgoes magic and utilises a bow to rain down arrows onto your foes. If close combat is more your style, Randval the Warrior specialises in creating powerful diversions, leaving you free to attack. Finally, there’s Mathras. An undead more ancient than even the Ice Lord. Having spent the last several thousand years honing his skill, Mathras’ swordsmanship is top tier. Also, using willpower alone, he is able to force enemies to fight on your side, much like Edwen can. Handy.

Though backup is always appreciated, Companions prove far more crucial in higher difficulty modes. Of course, it is up to the player to utilise their unique skills to the fullest. But don’t be fooled by their status, Companions also play an important part in the story. Driven to aid you for their own reasons, players are able to form friendships, rivalries and even romances with Companions as their journey progresses. So choose your partner wisely, and try to stay on their good side.

Kevin Spacey in Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare, Releasing November 4

Zac Elawar

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May 2, 2014

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Kevin Spacey in Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare, Releasing November 4

After a major leak of media and information on the next Call of Duty entry, Activision have released the official reveal trailer, originally scheduled to debut on May 4. Introducing Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare, developed by Sledgehammer Games, and starring none other than Kevin freakin’ Spacey!

Releasing on November 4 for the Xbox One, PlayStation 4 and PC, Advanced Warfare is the first of the franchise to have undergone the now mandatory 3-year development cycle. That doesn’t mean we’ll be getting a new CoD title only every three years from now on, as Infinity Ward and Treyarch are also working on their own entries, alternating in release amongst themselves. Check out the reveal trailer embedded at the bottom of this article, which showcases the futuristic hoverbikes, mech-suits and exoskeletons we’ll be able to pilot and establishes the story, focused on a private military corporation headed by Kevin Spacey, which has turned on the United States government. If you’d like to learn more about the themes of the story, also check out the following mini-documentary on PMCs and “what happens when the highest bidder becomes the next superpower.”

Team17’s Third-Party Publishing Program Ramps up Global Expansion as They Sign Dutch Indie Game Penarium

Press Releases

Philip Federico

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May 2, 2014

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Team17’s Third-Party Publishing Program Ramps up Global Expansion as They Sign Dutch Indie Game Penarium

2^nd May 2014 – UK – Industry veteran Team17 is continuing full force ahead with the global expansion of its third-party publishing program. Today they have announced their partnership with Netherlands based independent developers Self Made Miracle and together they will be releasing the fantastically sadistic circus extravaganza Penarium onto PC later this year.

“We are really excited to work together with Team17, with over 24 years of experience as an indie developer themselves we feel like this is the right place for us. Not only are they experienced with publishing games but they understand both the human and technical aspects of development culture as well. We grew up playing the first Worms games and have always been inspired by their game design; instantly accessible basics with a whole lot of varied weapons, each of them providing a different mechanic on their own. This is the foundation of Penarium’s game design and we feel our game fits right in their lineup of fun and somewhat quirky games,” said Rick van Ginkel, Game Designer and Producer at Self Made Miracle.

Debbie Bestwick, Team17’s Managing Director added, “We’re thrilled to take our third-party publishing program global. We’re extremely focused on disrupting traditional publishing and helping indies with the wealth of experience and knowledge we have to offer. The team at Self Made Miracle is incredibly talented; Penarium fits absolutely perfectly within our growing lineup of fantastic independent games. Ever since we received the first build of the game we’ve been competing internally for the highest score and we can’t wait to take on the world at launch, see you on the leaderboards!”

Penarium is a frantic 2D arena arcade game where you take on the role of our quirky antihero; Willy. Willy is trapped in a crazy circus show where he needs to run, jump and avoid an array of killer death-traps while being cheered on by a sadistic crowd that’s out for blood; his blood. Survive the ever ongoing armada of destruction for as long as you can and crown yourself champion of the Penarium!

Penarium is scheduled for a 2014 release on PC.

About Team17’s publishing options

Let Team17 help you realise your game’s full potential, contact Team17 on [email protected]. Team17 will work with you directly to create tailor-made packages designed around your individual needs. These can include a wide range of professional services from funding, lifecycle management, brand building, audience cross-promotion, PR, marketing, localisation, QA and much more!

About Penarium
Penarium. Developed by Self Made Miracle. © 2014. Published by Team17. Team17 are trademarks or registered trademarks of Team17 Digital Limited. All other trademarks, copyrights and logos are property of their respective owners.

About Team17 Digital Ltd
Founded in 1990, Team17 Digital Limited is a leading independent developer and digital publisher headquartered in West Yorkshire (UK). Team17 publishes games for PC, console, mobile and handheld devices and other digital platforms. Visit www.team17.com for more info.

About Self Made Miracle

Founded in 2013 Self Made Miracle is an independent publisher based in Utrecht, Netherlands. Visit http://selfmademiracle.nl for more info.