Star swarm offers glimpse into future of strategy gaming

Stress-Test Demo Simulates Thousands Of Units In Oxide Games’ Nitrous Engine

TIMONIUM, MD. – Jan. 30, 2014 – Oxide Games has released today the first look at its next-generation Nitrous engine, Star Swarm. The engine demo, freely available for Windows PC through Steam, demonstrates the ability of Nitrous-powered games to simulate and display thousands of high-detail units in a single scene.

Star Swarm is also one of the first publicly available demonstrations of AMD’s groundbreaking Mantle technology, which runs on AMD graphics chips based on the Graphics Core Next architecture. By reducing the processing power wasted on traditional driver overhead, Mantle allows Nitrous to realize significant performance gains. In real-world terms, Mantle systems running Star Swarm can sustain playable framerates with higher graphical fidelity than non-Mantle configurations.

Though not a game itself, Star Swarm is a demonstration of the new types of game designs that Nitrous enables. “We can’t wait to see what game developers are able to do when they can count on thousands of units all running individual AI and physics, rather than limiting their designs to a relative handful of objects at a time,” said Oxide Games co-founder Tim Kipp.

Nitrous is available for licensing by external game development studios, and already has three games in active production using the technology. Stardock’s Star Control reboot, Oxide Games’ own unannounced game, and the first title from Civilization IV designer Soren Johnson’s Mohawk Games run on Nitrous. All three games are published by Stardock.

“Nitrous is already opening up endless development possibilities for our future games,” said Stardock’s CEO and President, Brad Wardell. “As a game developer and strategy fan, no one is more excited about this than I am.”

Learn more about the Nitrous engine at http://www.oxidegames.com/nitrous.

Download Star Swarm for free at http://store.steampowered.com/app/267130/.

RESPAWN UNVEILS OFFICIAL TITANFALL MERCHANDISE

Fans Can Get Their Hands on Premium Gaming Peripherals, Apparel, Accessories, Strategy Guides and More

Sydney, Australia – Jan. 31, 2014 – Electronic Arts (NASDAQ: EA) and acclaimed independent videogame developer Respawn Entertainment today announced a full line of licensed products celebrating the upcoming release of Titanfall™.  Winner of more than 80 coveted awards from critics around the world, Titanfall is the first original shooter on next-gen and is winning over fans with its thrilling, dynamic first-person action gameplay featuring elite assault pilots and agile, heavily-armored, 24-foot titans. Titanfall delivers a unique world that combines pure adrenaline, wall-running, double-jumping action with powerful, fast-paced titan warfare to set the new bar for online multiplayer gameplay.

Providing players new ways to engage and connect with the Titanfall brand, a wide range of licensed merchandise will be available including the Titanfall standard and collector’s edition strategy guides from Prima Games, premium gaming peripherals from Turtle Beach and MadCatz, apparel from Jinx! and Level Up Wear and Titan constructions sets from K’NEX. The full line of Titanfall licensed products consists of:

1. Turtle Beach Xbox One Headset
2. MadCatz PC gaming peripherals including Keyboard, Xbox 360 headset, PC/MAC/Smart Device Headset, Mouse and Mouse Pad
3. Prima Standard and Collector’s Edition Strategy Guides
4. Titan Publishing Art Book
5. JINX! Apparel & Accessories
6. Level Up Wear Apparel and Accessories
7. Posters by Trends and GB Eye
8. EP Memory USB Drives and Cases
9. K’NEX Construction Sets

Crafted by key developers behind the CALL OF DUTY franchise, Titanfall delivers heart-pounding multiplayer action combined with dramatic, cinematic moments that lets players enjoy the fiction and characters of the universe without having to leave their favorite online multiplayer mode. Set in the near future on a distant frontier torn apart by war, Titanfall drops players in the middle of a conflict between the Interstellar Manufacturing Corporation and the Militia. The freedom to shift back and forth between pilot and titan allows players to change tactics on the fly, attacking or escaping depending on the situation and extending the action vertically to new heights.

Titanfall  will be available for Xbox One, Xbox 360 and PC on March 13, 2014 in Australia, and March 14, 2014 in New Zealand. For more information on the game and how to pre-order, please visit  www.titanfall.com/au. Join the conversation on Twitter® at www.twitter.com/titanfallgame and #Titanfall, or on Facebook® at www.facebook.com/titanfallgame. Press assets are available at  www.ea-anz-press.com.

NAMCO BANDAI GAMES AMERICA INC. ANNOUNCES TENKAI KNIGHTS: BRAVE BATTLE TO ARRIVE IN THE AMERICAS ON THE NINTENDO 3DS 

Master the Tenkai Energy Within and Champion the Fate of Two Worlds 

SAN JOSE, Calif. – (January 30, 2014) – NAMCO BANDAI Games America Inc. today announced that TENKAI KNIGHTS: Brave Battle for the Nintendo 3DS™ hand-held system will be arriving in the Americas in summer 2014. Based on the animated action TV series currently broadcasting on Cartoon Network and the innovative line of shapeshifting construction bricks by Spin Master Ltd., TENKAI KNIGHTS: Brave Battle offers robot action gameplay that immerses players into the world of Quarton as the legendary and powerful Tenkai Knights fight tirelessly to stop the evil Vilius and his army of shapeshifting robots.

Eons ago, Quarton was a peaceful planet protected by The Corekai, valiant fighters who were sworn to protect the planet’s most valuable resource—Tenkai Energy. However, The Corekai were overrun by The Corrupted, an evil army led by the ruthless warlord Vilius, leaving Quarton ravaged by centuries of war and destruction. Before Vilius delivered his final crushing blow, four valiant heroes known as the Tenkai Knights emerged to save the planet from Vilius’ grasp. With peace restored, the Corekai regrouped but the four Tenkai Knights were never to be seen again. Thousands of years later, Vilius has returned more powerful than ever with an even more malicious plot to not only seize control over Quarton but take over the planet Earth as well; will the Tenkai Knights prevail once again?

Players will step into the role of one of the four Tenkai Knight heroes and engage in 2D robot combat in either the mission-based Story mode to live the Tenkai Knight experience or compete against up to three friends in the Versus mode to determine who is the strongest. In order to become the most powerful hero, players will be able to customize their robot’s parts, enter various unit modes to support allies in battle, and modify their battle styles to exploit their enemy’s weaknesses. With the fate of two worlds in their hands, players must master their Tenkai powers, dive into the thick of battle and defeat Vilius and The Corrupted once and for all!

TENKAI KNIGHTS: Brave Battle for the Nintendo 3DS is slated for release in the Americas in summer 2014. For more information on NAMCO BANDAI Games America Inc. or its other products, please visit www.namcobandaigames.com or join the conversation on our official Facebook page at www.facebook.com/NamcoBandai.

NAMCO BANDAI GAMES AMERICA INC. ANNOUNCES RETAILER EXCLUSIVE PHYSICAL VERSION AND NEW ARCADE MODE FOR JOJO’S BIZARRE ADVENTURE: ALL-STAR BATTLE

Over-the-top Manga-Based 1-on-1 2D Fighting Game Lands at Amazon.com and ClubNamco.com as Online Retail Exclusive Edition

SAN JOSE, Calif., (January 30, 2014) – Leading video game publisher and developer NAMCO BANDAI Games America Inc. today announced that it will be manufacturing a limited run of physical copies for JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure: All-Star Battle to be sold exclusively at Amazon.com and ClubNamco.com within the United States this spring exclusively on the PlayStation®3 system.  In addition to the online retail edition, JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure: All-Star Battle will be available digitally on the PlayStation®Network for the PlayStation 3 system.

JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure: All-Star Battle is developed by famed Japanese developer CyberConnect2, best known for their hit NARUTO SHIPPUDEN™: Ultimate Ninja® series of games and has been widely praised for delivering an authentic and high quality anime experience to video games.  The studio now sets its sights on one of the most prolific and influential manga series ever with JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure: All-Star Battle, bringing the beloved manga straight from the page to the TV screen in an action-packed fighting game.  Players will be able to choose from an impressive cast of characters spanning the entire series.  Each character comes with their signature moves punctuated by dynamic camera angles to capture every highlight of the fight against computer AI or human adversaries.

The Western release of JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure: All-Star Battle will feature a brand new mode not seen in the original Japanese release as well as balance changes applied to the game post-launch in Japan.  The new Arcade Mode lets players fight through eight AI controlled opponents through a series of battles.  On rare occasions, the Arcade Mode icon will switch to Harvest when connected online allowing players to earn more gold when they complete matches.

JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure: All-Star Battle will be released throughout the Americas in 2014.  The Japanese version launched on August 29, 2013 with a perfect 40/40 score in Famitsu, Japan’s most popular weekly video game magazine.  For more information about JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure: All-Star Battle and the rest of NAMCO BANDAI Games America Inc.’s lineup please visit: http://www.namcobandaigmes.com or http://www.facebook.com/namcobandai.

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Take to the Skies for Intense Aerial Combat in the ACE COMBAT INFINITY PSN Beta Beginning on February 4^th

Your attack coordinates have been delivered, jet armed and fueled, all you have to do is climb in the cockpit on February 4^th to participate in the ACE COMBAT INFINITY beta on the PlayStation Network. Returning to its classic ACE COMBAT gameplay roots, ACE COMBAT INFINITY will take combat aces and jet jockeys on numerous missions to take out enemy bogies, cities, and more. The ACE COMBAT INFINITY Beta will feature the following:

–          Beta begins on February 4^th and runs through February 11^th

–          Experience a variety of Campaign and Co-op missions

–          Choose your “Contracts” (Power-ups to augment missions)

–          Select from a variety of Skins and Emblems to customize your war plane

–          A special bonus “Test Pilot” Emblem will be awarded to all fighter pilots that participate in the February 4^th beta

Head over to the NAMCO BANDAI Press FTP site to grab today’s ACE COMBAT INFINITY trailer and a new batch of Beta screens. You’ll find today’s trailer in the ACE COMBAT INFINITY/Trailer folder and the Beta screens in the screenshot folder

For more information on ACE COMBAT INFINITY fly on over to the ACE COMBAT Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/AceCombat

SHORT PEACE AND RANKO TSUKIGIME’S LONGEST DAY ANNOUNCED FOR THE AMERICAS 

Experience the Fifth and Final Part of the Highly Acclaimed Japanese Animation SHORT PEACE Project 

SAN JOSE, Calif., (January 30, 2014) – NAMCO BANDAI Games America Inc. today announced that SHORT PEACE and Ranko Tsukigime’s Longest Day will be coming to the Americas in spring 2014 exclusively for the PlayStation^®3 computer entertainment system. SHORT PEACE is the highly acclaimed anime movie compilation featuring works by legendary anime artist Katsuhiro Otomo and features POSSESSIONS, which was recently nominated for an Academy Award^® for best Animated Short Film, along with three other short films titled COMBUSTIBLE, GAMBO, and A Farewell to Weapons. The fifth and final part of the SHORT PEACE project, Ranko Tsukigime’s Longest Day, is a 2D side-scrolling action game directed by Goichi Suda (Suda51) of Grasshopper Manufacture and developed by Crispy’s Inc. who also developed the well praised action game Tokyo Jungle^™. Ranko Tsukigime’s Longest Day introduces a whole new storyline featuring stunning animation, thrilling gameplay, and psychedelic visuals that will draw players into Ranko Tsukigime’s story.

By day, Ranko Tsukigime is an average high school girl who lives alone, but at night she is a deadly hitman who deftly assassinates her targets.  One fateful night as Ranko heads out to eliminate her next target, a demonic enemy organization creeps up and threatens the lives of Ranko and her friends. Players will put their reflexes and quick judgment to the test in the fast-paced platforming gameplay that will have them blazing through dangerous, obstacle-ridden environments to flee from an ominous enemy looming close behind.

With Suda51 and Crispy’s Inc. at the development helm, fans can look forward to a fantastical conclusion to the SHORT PEACE collection on par with Katsuhiro Otomo’s previous animation masterpieces. Katsuhiro Otomo is widely celebrated as an animation visionary who is most known for his popular cult film Akira, along with hit Japanese anime movies such as Steamboy and Memories. The SHORT PEACE movie and game project boasts unique visual artistry and masterful storylines that have touched audiences around the world.

“POSSESSIONS is a piece in which I realized that I was completely satisfied with myself since the staff and I honestly poured our souls into the project,” said Shuhei Morita, Director of POSSESSIONS. “We are so glad that POSSESSIONS has drawn enough international attention to earn an Oscar^® nomination and we are looking forward to the final awards ceremony.”

SHORT PEACE and Ranko Tsukigime’s Longest Day are scheduled to launch in the Americas in spring 2014 for the PlayStation^®3 system. For more information on NAMCO BANDAI Games America Inc. game titles and products, please visit http://namcobandaigames.com/home.

MULTIPLAYER ARENA SPORTS GAME EPIGENESIS NOW IN FREE TRIAL ON STEAM THROUGH SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 2

Developer Dead Shark Triplepunch Announces Next Tournament for Feb. 21 – 23

KARLSHAMN, Sweden—Jan 30, 2014—Independent studio Dead Shark Triplepunch today announced Epigenesis, now in Beta and Early Access on Steam, is now available for free trial on Steam today until Sunday, February 2: http://store.steampowered.com/app/244590. After the trial, players can purchase the game to keep in their Steam library for $2.50—75% off the original price of $9.99—until Sunday. Epigenesis is an online multiplayer arena sports game in which two sides are locked in a never-ending fight for world-domination by playing ball.

Developer Dead Shark Triplepunch also announced the next Epigenesis tournament is scheduled for Friday, February 21 through Sunday, February. 23. More information about sign-ups will be available soon at: http://www.epigenesisthegame.com.

Tournament prizing includes:

• Three QPAD QH-90 PC gaming headsets engraved with the Epigenesis logo for the winning Team
• Three QPAD mouse pads for the 2nd place team
• Dead Shark Triplepunch T-shirts for the top three teams

Epigenesis won Make Something Unreal Live (2013) hosted by Epic Games and won Game of the Year from the. For more information about Epigenesis, please visit the website: http://www.epigenesisthegame.com.

Twitch: http://www.twitch.tv/deadsharktriplepunch
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/deadsharktriplepunch
Twitter: @DS3P

About Epigenesis
Epigenesis is an online multiplayer sports/FPS game in which two sides are locked in a never-ending fight for world domination by playing ball. In this non-lethal ballgame of the future, players leap across platforms suspended high up in the air trying to get a ball located in the middle of the arena and score goals against their opponents. Each player carries a gravity cannon capable of pushing enemies (and friends) down from the heights of the arena.

When a player scores, he receives a genetically modified super-seed and gets the opportunity to plant it onto a platform to capture it. To win the game you must capture towers and construct a node system from your goal post all the way to your opponents’ goal post. If this hasn’t happened by the time that the clock reaches zero, the team with the most scores win!

Teamwork, tactics and precision is key to win eternal glory in a game of Epigenesis!

About Dead Shark Triplepunch
Dead Shark Triplepunch is an indie developer team consisting of 10 crew members based in the city of Karlshamn, which lies in the southern parts of Sweden. They are currently working on the Non-lethal FPS Domination/Ball game Epigenesis.

About Unreal Engine
Developed by Epic Games, the award-winning Unreal Engine is known for its cutting-edge graphics technology, world-class toolset and scalability across PC, console and mobile platforms. Unreal Engine 3 (UE3) is designed to accelerate developers’ productivity for creating high-quality games, applications, training simulations, visualizations, digital films and animated entertainment. Powering hundreds of games and integrated with two dozen leading middleware technologies, UE3 holds more than 20 technology awards, including eight Game Developer Front Line Awards and six Develop Industry Excellence Awards. The Unreal Engine also owns a seat in the Front Line Awards Hall of Fame. Unreal Engine 4 (UE4), winner of multiple Best of E3 2012 awards, offers unprecedented graphical capabilities and workflow improvements that provide unparalleled accessibility for developers building the next generation of games and applications. For more information, visit http://www.unrealengine.com/” http://www.unrealengine.com and follow @UnrealEngine.

Make Contact With Echo Prime™ Today on Steam

Download Robot Entertainment’s epic sci-fi RPG before February 9th to get 20% off and a free copy of acclaimed action strategy game Orcs Must Die! 2.

Plano, TX – January 30, 2014 – Robot Entertainment released an expanded edition of their sci-fi action RPG Echo Prime on Steam today. The Steam release includes new content, improvements to visual fidelity, and reworked PC controls. Players can now journey across the stars through an expanded array of exciting locations to battle against three races of alien enemies and huge bosses.

To celebrate the PC release, the Steam version of Echo Prime will be on sale for 20% off from now until February 9^th, 2014 (£5.59 instead of the regular £6.99). Additionally, players who download the game during the sale will get a free copy of Robot Entertainment’s Orcs Must Die! 2 on Steam.

Watch the Echo Prime Steam trailer here: http://youtu.be/2Q4peDhvyHs

Battle hordes of dangerous alien creatures, space pirates, and killer mercenaries with blaster and blade as you travel from star to star, uncovering the secrets of the multiverse. Make contact with the Echoes, mysterious beings from alternate universes who will lend you their abilities and aid you in your quest to save humanity from an alien menace. Acquire a myriad of powerful weapons and armor, watch your abilities grow to unmatched levels, and prepare to take on the most fearsome opponents in the galaxy!

Features
•        Optimized for PC – Echo Prime’s real-time action gameplay has been redesigned for PCs, including improvements to visual effects, a retuned economy, and new PC controls with mappable hotkeys.
•        Even More Enemies and Environments – Echo Prime for Steam includes new locations in which to do battle and a new enemy race, the alien “Tide”.
•        New Hardcore Mode – Test your mastery. How far can you get without dying?
•        Upgrade Your Arsenal – Over 100 pieces of gear with a diverse mix of deadly effects, from fire to toxic, all unlockable at no additional cost.
•        Echoes of the Multiverse – As you play you will discover and unlock dozens of “Echoes”, alien life forms from alternate universes. Build connections with them, and Echoes will offer you powers and abilities to help you on your missions. Experiment and find the best combinations to customize your ability loadout.
•        Share Echoes – Use your friends’ Echoes in combat to help them level-up, and level up your Echoes when your friends use them!
•        Random Campaign Generation – Echo Prime features an action-driven story campaign with randomly generated missions. Every experience is different!
·         Includes the Full Soundtrack – All 14 tracks of the Echo Prime soundtrack are included when you buy the game!
For more information, check out http://www.robotentertainment.com/games/echo-prime/

About Robot Entertainment
Based in Plano, Texas, Robot Entertainment is a world-class independent game development studio founded in 2009 by veterans of Ensemble Studios. With a team that has proven experience and expertise in creating games that appeal to massive audiences, Robot Entertainment is focused on developing titles that set new standards for their respective genres as well as groundbreaking original intellectual properties. The studio most recently launched the critically acclaimed Hero Academy and Orcs Must Die! 2. Robot can be found online at http://www.RobotEntertainment.com. To stay up to date with Robot Entertainment, please like them on Facebook and follow on Twitter.