The Battle for Liu Kang’s New Era Continues with All-New Cinematic Story Expansion, Adding Kombatants Cyrax, Sektor, and Noob Saibot to Join the Fight Guest Fighters Ghostface, T-1000 Terminator, and Conan the Barbarian Arriving Later as Part of Expansion Animality Finishing Moves Available Now as Free Content Update for All Mortal Kombat 1 Players 

Sydney, Australia – Sept. 25, 2024 – Warner Bros. Games have announced that Mortal Kombat 1: Khaos Reigns, an all-new expansion for Mortal Kombat 1, the latest instalment in the iconic videogame franchise, is now available digitally for PlayStation®5, Xbox Series X|S, the Nintendo Switch™ system, and PC (Steam and Epic Games Store). 

Developed by award-winning NetherRealm Studios, Mortal Kombat 1: Khaos Reigns continues the cinematic narrative with new Story mode chapters centred around peace and anarchy. To defend his New Era of peace, Fire God Liu Kang must rally his champions and put faith in his enemies to defeat a perilous threat from an alternate timeline, led by the ruthless Titan Havik, whose sole purpose is to plunge the realms into khaos. 

Mortal Kombat 1: Khaos Reigns adds to the growing roster of playable characters with the return of Cyrax, Sektor, and Noob Saibot,whoare available now as part of Kombat Pack 2 and incorporate unique backstories that fit within the reimagined Mortal Kombat 1 Universe. Cyrax is a young Lin Kuei warrior and martial arts prodigy who can leverage cybernetic technology; Sektor, a master armorer and skilled Lin Kuei warrior in her own right, is Cyrax’s mentor and Sub-Zero’s most trusted lieutenant; and Noob Saibot is a shadowy henchman created from Bi-Han’s (a.k.a. Sub-Zero) soul, dedicated to fomenting anarchy alongside Havik. 

Kombat Pack 2 will alsobring a new batch of guest fighters into the mix with Ghostface, the recurring identity donned by antagonists from the Scream horror movie franchise, voiced by Roger L. Jackson; T-1000, the liquid metal-based Terminator and deadly cybernetic assassin from the Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991) film, featuring the voice and likeness of actor Robert Patrick; and Conan the Barbarian, the towering warrior from the Conan the Barbarian (1982) film, featuring the likeness of actor Arnold Schwarzenegger in the role of the title character. Release timing for the three guest fighters will be announced at a later date. 

Additionally, all Mortal Kombat 1 owners have access to a free content update beginning today, including Animalities, the fan-favourite finishing moves allowing all playable characters to morph into their spirit animal to annihilate defeated opponents; Towers of Time, a returning mode with an on-going rotation of challenges and in-game events; and four new arenas – Chaoseum, Night Market, The Maze, and Havik’s Citadel. 

• View the Mortal Kombat 1: Khaos Reigns Launch Trailer https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=29AmS1UQhLQ

For players who already own Mortal Kombat 1, the Mortal Kombat 1: Khaos Reigns Expansion is available now on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC for $75.95 (SRP) and Nintendo Switch for $59.95 (SRP), including the cinematic Story mode expansion and six playable characters within Kombat Pack 2 – Cyrax, Sektor, and Noob Saibot (available now), plus one-week early access to guest fighters Ghostface, T-1000, and Conan the Barbarian (post-launch release timing to be announced at a later date). 

Current Mortal Kombat 1 owners can also purchase the Mortal Kombat 1: Khaos Reigns Bundle, available now on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC for $90.95 (SRP) and Nintendo Switch for $75.95, including the Mortal Kombat 1: Khaos Reigns Expansion and previous Kombat Pack, featuring six characters (Omni-Man, Quan Chi, Peacemaker, Ermac, Homelander, and Takeda Takahashi), five Kameo Fighters (Tremor, Khameleon, Janet Cage, Mavado, and Ferra), and the Jean-Claude Van Damme character skin for Johnny Cage. 

New players can join the fight with the Mortal Kombat 1: Khaos Reigns Kollection, available now on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC for $129.95 (SRP) and Nintendo Switch for $114.95 (SRP), including the Mortal Kombat 1 main game, Mortal Kombat 1: Khaos Reigns Expansion, previous Kombat Pack, and 1,250 Dragon Krystals (in-game currency). 

All players who previously pre-ordered the Mortal Kombat 1: Khaos Reigns Expansion, Mortal Kombat 1: Khaos Reigns Bundle, or Mortal Kombat 1: Khaos Reigns Kollection will receive four new character skins, including Wedding Scorpion, Empress Mileena, and klassic Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3 versions of Sub-Zero and Noob Saibot. 

For all Mortal Kombat 1owners, exclusive rewards will be available via Twitch Drops from now through Oct. 1 in the form of the Fiery Amaranth and Iris Inferno character palettes for Kameo Fighter Scorpion, Weird Phlox and Palatinate Cyborg character palettes for Kameo Fighter Cyrax, and Amethyst Demon and Indigo Girl character palettes for Kameo Fighter Sareena. For more information on Twitch Drops for Mortal Kombat 1, visit our FAQ. 

Mortal Kombat 1 is the latest installment in the acclaimed Mortal Kombat videogame franchise developed by NetherRealm Studios, which has sold more than 4 million units worldwide to date. Introducing a reborn Mortal Kombat Universe with iconic heroes and villains reimagined as they’ve never been seen before, the game features a wide-ranging cast of legendary fighters with all-new backstories, including Liu Kang, Scorpion, Sub-Zero, Raiden, Kung Lao, Kitana, Mileena, Shang Tsung, Johnny Cage, Kenshi, Smoke, Rain, Li Mei, Tanya, Baraka, Geras, Reptile, Ashrah, Havik, General Shao, Sindel, Nitara, and Reiko, along with a separate roster of Kameo Fighters who can assist during matches. 

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About Warner Bros. Games 

Warner Bros. Games is a part of Global Streaming and Games for Warner Bros. Discovery and a premier worldwide publisher, developer and licensor of entertainment content for the interactive space across all platforms, including console, handheld, mobile and PC-based game titles. Additional information can be found at WBGames.com. 

About NetherRealm Studios 

NetherRealm Studios is a leader in the development of interactive entertainment, and the creator of the billion-dollar Mortal Kombat franchise. Mortal Kombat has spawned two theatrical films, multiple television series, and has sold more than 80 million games to date. Located in Chicago, Illinois, the award-winning NetherRealm team has been working and creating games together since 1992. Additional information about NetherRealm Studios can be found at NetherRealm.com. 

Mortal Kombat 1 Software © 2024 Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. Developed by NetherRealm. All other trademarks and copyrights are the property of their respective owners. All rights reserved. Mortal Kombat, the dragon logo, NetherRealm Studios, NetherRealm logo and all related characters and elements are trademarks of © Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. PEACEMAKER and all related characters and elements © & ™ DC and Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. (s24). THE BOYS™ © 2024 Sony Pictures Television Inc. and Amazon Content Services LLC. All rights reserved. Based on the animated series Invincible by Amazon Content Services LLC and the comic book Invincible by Robert Kirkman, Cory Walker and Ryan Ottley. INVINCIBLE and any related images are registered or otherwise protected trademarks of Robert Kirkman, LLC. Used with permission. All Rights Reserved. SKYBOUND, SKYBOUND GAMES and any related logos are registered or otherwise protected trademarks of Skybound, LLC. Used with permission. All Rights Reserved. Conan, Conan the Barbarian (R) and (C) Conan Properties International LLC. The GHOST FACE Mask is protected by registered copyrights of Easter Unlimited Inc. GHOST FACE MASK, THE ICON OF HALLOWEEN and GHOST FACE LIVES are registered trademarks of Easter Unlimited, Inc. All rights reserved. ©2024 Paramount Pictures. All Rights Reserved. Terminator 2: Judgment Day, T2, T1000, and any depiction of T1000 are trademarks of Studiocanal S.AS. All Rights Reserved. 

Experience Kain and Raziel’s epic conflict in this new collection featuring remastered graphics and enhancements, available to pre-order now with a 10% discount!

AUSTIN, Texas — Sept. 24, 2024 — Aspyr and Crystal Dynamics have teamed up to reveal Legacy of Kain™: Soul Reaver 1-2 Remastered, a new collection featuring remastered versions of the original hit action-adventure games Legacy of Kain™: Soul Reaver and Legacy of Kain™: Soul Reaver 2, beautifully restored with higher-resolution textures, models and VFX, as well as a new photo mode, upgraded camera, new control options, improved performance and more.

Remastered and published by Aspyr based on Crystal Dynamic’s beloved games, this new collection launches on Dec. 10, 2024, for Nintendo Switch, PlayStation®5, PlayStation®4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, and PC via the Epic Games Store and Steam for $29.99. It is available to pre-order today on PC, PlayStation and Xbox (Nintendo Switch coming soon…) with a 10% discount on PlayStation Plus and PC until the official launch!

Celebrate the 25^th anniversary of the original Legacy of Kain™: Soul Reaver with Legacy of Kain™: Soul Reaver 1-2 Remastered. Immerse yourself in a timeless story of vampires, betrayal and revenge as you traverse the hauntingly beautiful land of Nosgoth in higher fidelity than ever before. Experience these epic adventures your way, with the ability to toggle on-the-fly between the games’ original visuals and remastered graphics, as well as switch between a new modern control scheme and classic controls.

Key Features:

• Experience a Legendary Tale of Vampires & Vengeance: Centuries after your master Kain betrayed and executed you, you’ll rise again and embark on a relentless quest for revenge.
• Wield the Powers of a Wraith: Slay your former vampire brethren with your claws, bolts of telekinetic energy, and the elemental Wraith Blade. Grow stronger by devouring the souls of your enemies.
• Shift Between Realms: The Elder God has granted you the ability to shift between the Spectral and Material Realms. Traverse these planes to solve puzzles, reveal new paths, and vanquish your foes.
• NEW! Remastered Visuals: Toggle instantly between original graphics and new remastered visuals featuring enhanced textures, models and VFX whenever you choose.
• NEW! Modern Controls: Play with classic controls or a new modern control scheme.
• NEW! Updates & Features: Navigate Nosgoth with a brand-new map and compass, capture your favorite shots with the new photo mode, and hunt for new achievements and trophies.
• NEW! Bonus Materials: Explore an interactive lore map, view never-before-seen concept art, and delve into environments from the fabled “Lost Levels.”

Legacy of Kain™: Soul Reaver 1-2 Remastered releases on Dec. 10, 2024, for Nintendo Switch, PlayStation®5, PlayStation®4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, and PC via Steam. Pre-order before launch for 10% off on PlayStation and PC!

About Aspyr

Aspyr is a leading video game publishing and development partner focused on maximizing the potential of games across all platforms for all players. Most recently, the organization released STAR WARS™: Bounty Hunter™, available now on Steam, Xbox, PlayStation, and Nintendo Switch. Today, the company supports a growing network of partners that includes many of the industry’s leading entertainment IP holders, publishers, developers, and technology providers. Aspyr is an Embracer Group company. Aspyr is based in Austin, Texas. For more information, visit www.aspyr.com.

About Crystal Dynamics

Crystal Dynamics is an award-winning, best-in-class game development studio headquartered just south of San Francisco in sunny San Mateo, Calif. Founded in 1992, Crystal Dynamics has grown into a world-class studio by developing iconic franchises and keeping at the forefront of the very latest in technology and graphics. Having created beloved properties such as Gex and the Legacy of Kain series, as well as driving the award-winning, massively successful Tomb Raider franchise at over 95M franchise units sold to date, Crystal Dynamics is now laying the groundwork for the next generation of innovative and technologically stunning projects.

Watch the Nameless Hero Fight through Hordes of Enemies in the Action-Packed New Trailer!   

BURLINGAME, Calif. – Sept. 24, 2024 – A new champion rises in an epic battle against some of the fiercest fighters of the Three Kingdoms in KOEI TECMO’s upcoming action game, DYNASTY WARRIORS: ORIGINS. Developed by Omega Force, DYNASTY WARRIORS: ORIGINS introduces a nameless hero to the 1 vs. 1,000 gameplay of Warriors lore as a mysterious martial artist steps to the forefront of the game’s epic story. Scheduled to release worldwide on Jan. 17, 2025 on PlayStation®5, Xbox Series X|S, and Windows PC via Steam®, the title promises to deliver the most intense combat of any game in franchise history.

As seen in the stirring new video, DYNASTY WARRIORS: ORIGINS begins during the dawn of an era of tremendous upheaval in the Three Kingdoms, when the original protagonist — a traveling martial artist with amnesia – finds himself in the middle of great conflict. Here, the game’s hero partakes in this dramatic tale of ancient China, where he plays an active role in the storyline while giving players first-hand experience in the drama of the war-torn land. Throughout the journey, players will make various choices as the protagonist — but he too carries a secret — which will have an impact on the Three Kingdoms, helping illustrate a turbulent time in history in exciting new ways.

Throughout his battles, the nameless hero will sometimes forge into combat on his own, while at other times, he’ll join alongside allied officers and soldiers to storm towards large forces of enemies. Players can rely on the strength of accompanying Musou officers, issue commands to units, or charge forward into oncoming armies, varying up strategies to conquer the deadly battlefield in this epic showcase of 1 vs. 1,000 action.

Throughout DYNASTY WARRIORS: ORIGINS, there will also be many well-known and powerful officers such as Lu Bu waiting to test the young martial artist’s skill. Battles against these officers who possess near superhuman strength results in combat that is both highly action-oriented and challenging while keeping players on the edge of their seats throughout every encounter. This extraordinary power also thrives within your allies as the Companion officer that accompanies the protagonist can become temporarily playable if certain conditions are met during battle, leading to an exhilarating experience of clearing out enemies with dominance on a completely different scale!

For more information on DYNASTY WARRIORS: ORIGINS, be sure to visit the official site, Subscribe to the official KOEI TECMO America YouTube channel, Like us on Facebook, and Follow us on X, Instagram, and Discord.

ABOUT DYNASTY WARRIORS

DYNASTY WARRIORS is a tactical action series of games that spans over 20 years and has shipped over 21 million units worldwide. Traditionally, players take on the role of officers from the Romance of the Three Kingdoms while battling through hordes of soldiers in 1 vs. 1,000 gameplay. With the latest title, DYNASTY WARRIORS: ORIGINS, developer Omega Force returns to these roots and delivers what the series has aimed for since its inception: the overwhelming sense of realism of a battlefield where large armies of opposing sides meet, the exhilarating feeling of advancing with your allies and pushing up the battle line, and the thrill of striking down countless enemies.

ABOUT KOEI TECMO AMERICA CORP.

KOEI TECMO AMERICA CORP. is a publisher of interactive entertainment software for current generation consoles, handhelds and digital download content based in Burlingame, California. The company is a wholly owned subsidiary of KOEI TECMO HOLDINGS CO., LTD., headquartered in Yokohama, Japan. KOEI is best known for its Dynasty Warriors® and Samurai Warriors® franchises. TECMO is best known for the Dead or Alive®, Ninja Gaiden®, Tecmo Bowl®, and Fatal Frame® series.

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©KOEI TECMO GAMES CO., LTD. All rights reserved. Omega Force is a trademark of KOEI TECMO GAMES CO., LTD. The KT logo is a trademark of KOEI TECMO HOLDINGS CO., LTD. ©2024 Valve Corporation. Steam and the Steam logo are trademarks and/or registered trademarks of Valve Corporation in the U.S. and/or other countries.

©2024 Sony Interactive Entertainment LLC. “PlayStation Family Mark”, “PlayStation”, “PS5 logo”, “PS5”, “PS4 logo”, “PS4”, “PlayStation Shapes Logo” and “Play Has No Limits” are registered trademarks or trademarks of Sony Interactive Entertainment Inc. Microsoft, the Xbox Sphere mark, the Series X logo, Series S logo, Series X|S logo, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, and Xbox Series X|S are trademarks of the Microsoft group of companies.

The PlayStation VR2 version will feature dual-wielding, full ambidexterity, intuitive controls, active reload, as well as VR enhancements and makeovers for the most immersive experience of HITMAN World of Assassination to date

Copenhagen, Denmark, September 24^th, 2024 – IO Interactive, the independent video game developer and publisher behind, among others, the internationally acclaimed HITMAN franchise, debuted a first look at HITMAN World of Assassination on PlayStation VR2 during the PlayStation State of Play. Planned for release in December 2024, the PlayStation VR2 version of HITMAN World of Assassination will feature brand-new VR features including dual-wielding, full ambidexterity, room-scale implementation, as well as general improved VR experience through new intuitive controls and gameplay mechanics. Players will be able to access the PSVR2 version through an upgrade pack available for HITMAN World of Assassination owners on PlayStation®5.

HITMAN World of Assassination on PlayStation VR2 will support the full main campaign of HITMAN World of Assassination, allowing players to enjoy the award-winning game with added immersion and brand-new additions. Become the world’s best assassin through the 4K HDR display of PlayStation VR2. Explore your surroundings, create unique strategies using the environment, disguise yourself to blend in the crowd, and strike when the timing is right, all through Agent 47’s eyes. 

 HITMAN World of Assassination on PlayStation VR2 has been enhanced to completely immerse players during their missions. Now supporting dual-wielding, a wide array of actions and interactions have been added, including the possibility of performing actions with both controllers at the same time, active reloading, on-body weapon holstering, aiming through the sniper’s scope. Enhancements have been added to improve the core VR experience, such as Room scale implementation, spatial interactions to touch, grab, and position, integration of the PlayStation VR2 controllers’ adaptative triggers, and many more.

Players who already own HITMAN World of Assassination on PlayStation 5 will be able to buy an upgrade pack to the PlayStation VR2 content for $9.99, €9.99, £8.99. HITMAN World of Assassination will launch on PlayStation VR2 for PlayStation 5 in December 2024. HITMAN World of Assassination is available now on PlayStation 5, PlayStation®4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PC, and Nintendo Switch. 

The blog post regarding HITMAN World of Assassination coming to PlayStation VR2 can be found here. 

About HITMAN World of Assassination

HITMAN World of Assassination brings together the best of HITMAN 1, HITMAN 2 and HITMAN 3 in a bumper package of content that includes the main campaign, Contracts mode, Escalations, Elusive Target Arcades and featured live content.

HITMAN World of Assassination also includes the ‘Freelancer’ mode, a new way to play on your own terms, that combines rogue-like elements and deep strategic planning with a persistent and infinitely replayable gameplay experience.

About IO INTERACTIVE

IO Interactive is an independent videogame developer and publisher with studios in Copenhagen, Malmö, Barcelona, Istanbul, and Brighton. As the creative force behind some of the most talked-about multiplatform videogames in the last two decades, IOI is dedicated to creating unforgettable characters and experiences using their award-winning proprietary Glacier technology.

IO Interactive will develop and publish the very first James Bond origin story with the working title Project 007 and is currently developing a new IP under the codename Project Fantasy. For more information, visit: https://ioi.dk. © 2024 IO Interactive A/S. IO Interactive, IOI, HITMAN are registered trademarks of IO Interactive A/S. © “PlayStation”, “PS5 logo” and “PlayStation VR2 logo” are registered trademarks of Sony Interactive Entertainment ©Inc. XBOX and Xbox logos are registered trademarks or trademarks of the Microsoft group of companies and are used under license. © 2024 Nintendo. Nintendo Switch and Joy-Con are trademarks of Nintendo.  All other trademarks and copyrights are the property of their respective owners.  All rights reserved. 

SYDNEY (Sept. 25, 2024) – In addition to their twist-filled stories and memorable characters, the LIFE IS STRANGE games are also known for their powerful, emotionally driven and beloved soundtracks. The soundtrack for the latest entry in the franchise, LIFE IS STRANGE: DOUBLE EXPOSURE, is no exception. Featuring original songs performed by artists such as dodie, chloe moriondo and Matilda Mann, among many others, this eclectic soundtrack is the perfect companion piece to the game’s mysterious and dramatic story, as Max journeys to uncover the truth behind her friend’s murderer across two parallel timelines.

Launching on Oct. 29, the same day as the game, the soundtrack will feature the following tracks:

• dodie – Someone Was Listening
• Matilda Mann – Everything I’m Not
• Tessa Rose Jackson – So This is Lonely
• JFDR – Spectator
• Ape Dos Mil – Missing Out
• Tessa Rose Jackson – Under & Over
• chloe moriondo – September
• Tessa Rose Jackson – Wake
• Pale Honey – The Heaviest of Storms (Devotion Pt. 1)
• New Dad – Under My Skin
• Lights on Moscow – I Must Come Clean
• Tessa Rose Jackson – I Think You Change
• Tessa Rose Jackson – Illusion

Keen listeners can also tune in to some of the singles on the soundtrack here:

• chloe moriondo – September
• Tessa Rose Jackson – So This is Lonely
• dodie – Someone Was Listening

More singles for additional tracks will be released in the future on the LIFE IS STRANGE social media accounts, including the release of dodie’s original track “Someone Was Listening” on Sept. 24.

A digital version of the soundtrack will be available to purchase and stream on major digital storefronts starting on Oct. 29.

LIFE IS STRANGE: DOUBLE EXPOSURE will launch on Xbox Series X|S consoles, PlayStation 5^®, and PC via Steam and Windows Store on Oct. 29. It is also coming to Nintendo Switch at a later date.

LIFE IS STRANGE: DOUBLE EXPOSURE

Max Caulfield, photographer-in-residence at the prestigious Caledon University, discovers her closest new friend, Safi, dead in the snow. Murdered. To save her, Max tries to Rewind time – a power she’s not used in years… instead, Max opens the way to a parallel timeline where Safi is still alive, and still in danger! Max realizes the killer will soon strike again – in both versions of reality. Only Max can Shift between the two parallel timelines to solve and prevent the same murder.

Read more on the Life is Strange website: https://lifeisstrange.square-enix-games.com
Pre-order LIFE IS STRANGE: DOUBLE EXPOSURE: https://lifeisstrange.square-enix-games.com/en-us/games/life-is-strange-double-exposure/buy

About Square Enix External Studios

Square Enix External Studios is a London based development and publishing group that works with top development studios across the world, establishing new intellectual properties and developing new franchises within the umbrella of Square Enix Holdings. Square Enix External Studios have been responsible for multiple games including the Just Cause® and Life is Strange® series, Outriders®, as well as titles such as Batman: Arkham Asylum® and Sleeping Dogs®.

About Square Enix, Ltd

Square Enix Ltd develops, publishes, distributes, and licenses SQUARE ENIX® and TAITO® branded entertainment content in Europe and other PAL territories as part of the Square Enix group of companies. The Square Enix group of companies boasts a valuable portfolio of intellectual property including FINAL FANTASY™ which has sold over 185 million units worldwide; DRAGON QUEST™, which has sold over 88 million units worldwide; and the legendary SPACE INVADERS™. Square Enix Ltd is a London-based, wholly owned subsidiary of Square Enix Holdings Co., Ltd. 

© SQUARE ENIX – STEAM is a registered trademark of Valve Corporation

“PlayStation”, “PS5”, and “PS4” are registered trademarks or trademarks of Sony Interactive Entertainment Inc.
Nintendo Switch is a trademark of Nintendo. – All other trademarks are properties of their respective owners.

Celebrate Japan’s Tofu Day with the Winner of the First GYAAR Studio Indie Games Contest

TOKYO, Japan – 24 Sept 2024 –The Strongest TOFU, the ultimate condensed soy milk action platformer from developer Zounoashi Games and publisher Phoenixx, leaps onto PC via Steam on Japan’s Tofu Day, Wednesday, 2 Oct 2024. The Strongest TOFU will be exhibited from Thursday, Sept. 26 to Sunday, Sept. 29 at Tokyo Game Show in the Phoenixx/GYAAR Studio booth in Hall 9’s Indie Game Corner.

Choose between Momen (firm), Kinu (silken), and Koya (freeze-dried) tofu then withstand crumbling, frying pans, and breaking apart. Falling will cause tofu to break apart, but freeze-dried tofu is firmer, being able to withstand fall damage. Utilize unprecedented jiggle physics to fully encapsulate the feeling of tofu and jump into a hot bowl before the deliciousness expires.

Easy to learn but difficult to master with a simple control scheme consisting of a joystick and a single button, tofu must delicately maneuver through each map in order to remain intact.

Become fully immersed with an original soundtrack composed by Ryo Nagamatsu of RH Music. Ryo’s versatile sound gives every level its own distinct ambience, captivating audiences as they progress through each course. The full digital soundtrack will release alongside The Strongest TOFU.

Hattori-Graphics, one of Japan’s top 100 Graphic Designers of 2024, lends his unique lo-res stylings for The Strongest TOFU’s key art and logo. A simple and tasteful design perfectly encapsulating the art of tofu. 

Head developer TomozoP became a tofu master to deliver the most authentic experience possible. His command of the culinary arts helped The Strongest TOFU receive its first award through an Indie Game Contest held by GYAAR Studio (Bandai Namco Studio’s indie game label) in 2022.  

The Strongest TOFU comes to PC via Steam on Wednesday, October 2, 2024, for $4.99 USD. It will support Japanese, English, and Chinese (Traditional and Simplified) languages. To learn more and stay up to date, follow Phoenixx’s official website, X/Twitter, YouTube, the official GYAAR Studio website, Zounoashi Games official website, X/Twitter, and head developer TomozoP’s X/Twitter.

About TOFU

Tofu is made from soybeans and is one of the most delicious foods in the world. Nutritious enough to be a meat substitute and even dates back to ancient times as a beloved food source. Tofu is extremely versatile, and can change a lot depending on its method of preparation, and particular dish it is used for.

About Phoenixx

Established in 2019 by industry veterans, Phoenixx aims to support innovative and creative developers from Japan and around the world. Its mission is to inspire and nurture the human spirit – one creator, one game, and one community at a time.

Build a beautiful homestead and set off into a world of adventure 

Vancouver, B.C. – 24 September, 2024 – Phoenix Labs today announced their cozy farming sim Fae Farm will launch on PlayStation 4 & 5, Xbox Series X│S, Xbox One and Windows Store on 22 October 2024. Both the Standard Edition and Deluxe Edition of Fae farm will be available at launch, as well as the DLC packs Coasts of Croakia and Skies of Azoria.

Fae Farm takes players on a picturesque adventure that they can customize to their heart’s content. Each day players will tend to their farms and farm animals, befriend the denizens of Azoria, explore varied environments, gather resources, decorate their homesteads, and delve into the depths of the world to uncover the magic they’ll need to restore its splendor.  

Fae Farm expands upon genre staples by offering players a deep farm sim experience that can be tailored just for them. The game’s Cozy System rewards players for creating specialized furniture and home decor, buffing their health, stamina, and mana each day. 

The DLC packs further grow players’ worlds. Coasts of Croakia provides new islands, new characters and a new magical croaking companion. In Skies of Azoria players explore the celestial lands above Azoria, tackling new challenges and making new friends along the way.  

Fae Farm is currently available for Nintendo Switch and for PC via Steam and the Epic Games Store. 

For more information, please visit www.FaeFarm.com.  

About Phoenix Labs 

Phoenix Labs is an independent games company based in Vancouver, British Columbia. Founded in 2014, Phoenix Labs creates worlds that empower players to share enduring stories like never before. Their debut title, Dauntless, a co-op Action RPG, has seen incredible success with over 30 million players worldwide. Their second title, the magic-infused cozy farm sim Fae Farm, launched September 8, 2023 on Nintendo Switch, Steam, and the Epic Games Store.

Chart New Royal Paths in Roads to Power – Major Expansion for Crusader Kings III Available Today

STOCKHOLM – 24 September 2024 – Explore a richer and deeper medieval world in Roads to Power, the highly anticipated expansion of Crusader Kings III, Paradox Interactive’s best-selling strategy role-playing game about the Middle Ages. Travel a world of danger and opportunity as your character seeks wealth and adventure, or navigate the perilous waters of imperial politics – a setting where brute force often bows to diplomacy and intrigue.

Roads to Power is the newest Major Expansion of Crusader Kings III, focusing on two significant changes to the core game experience. First, Landless Adventurer characters start with a camp and a few followers but can gain great power and influence by offering their skills to neighboring rules. Second, the Administrative Government playstyle comes to the Byzantine Empire, in a more historically appropriate representation of the political system of one of the great Mediterranean powers. An associated comic book about the rise of Basil I, “Many Roads to Power”, was published in August, free for everyone to read and enjoy.

Features of Crusader Kings III: Roads to Power include:

• Administrative Government: Experience medieval rule outside of the feudal system with a new style of empire management. A web of Governors jockeys for position in the empire with intrigue and power, sometimes rewarding merit and sometimes rewarding perfidy. Only a truly skilled Emperor can keep these squabbling forces in line.
• The Family Estate: Run and manage a powerful Family Estate, the seat of your House’s power, even when you hold no other land. Construct new buildings and improvements to further your power and influence within an administrative empire.
• Influence System: Build up a character’s influence within an administrative empire to climb the rungs of bureaucracy. Raise your status in the realm and gather more power for yourself. Start as a landless noble on an estate, and compete for valuable provinces to govern before making your bid for the Purple.
• A Life of Adventure: Freely roam the map, untied to any realm or holding, going wherever the winds of fortune blow you. Fulfill contracts as a landless adventurer, even through the generations, building up a reputation of your own. Earn gold, prestige and fame travelling the globe until you decide to settle down and claim land you have earned through merit.
• Choose Successor or Caesar: Spend the influence you have gathered to determine the course of the Empire and get the successor you want, whether a royal family member, a powerful noble, a martial hero, or any other candidate you can rally the people behind. The Emperor can even opt to co-rule if the burden of the throne is too much for one person.
• New Byzantine Flavor Content: New events, monuments and activities built around the Byzantine theme, including chariot racing.
• Cosmetic Additions: A Byzantine-themed UI skin and new court fashions for your characters, new 2D event art, new on-map monuments of the Byzantine world, new on-map holding designs, and a Byzantine throne room for Royal Court sessions, among other aesthetic improvements. New music inspired by Orthodox holy chants is also included.

Crusader Kings III: Roads to Power is now available for the suggested retail price of $29.99/£24.99/€29.99. It is also available as part of Crusader Kings III: Chapter III – which includes the Core Expansion ‘Legends of the Dead’, the Major Expansion ‘Roads to Power’ and the Event Pack ‘Wandering Nobles’.

About Paradox Interactive

Paradox Interactive is one of the premier developers and publishers of strategy and management games for PC and consoles. The players are located all over the world but some of the biggest markets are North America, Western Europe and Asia.

The game portfolio consists of popular franchises such as Stellaris, Europa Universalis, Hearts of Iron, Crusader Kings, Cities: Skylines, Prison Architect, the Surviving games, Age of Wonders and Victoria. Paradox Interactive also owns the World of Darkness brand catalog.

For more information, please visit http://www.paradoxinteractive.com

Sensational SunnySale welcomes new Sandbox mode!

Manchester, UK – September 24, 2024 | With hundreds of farms already up and running, countless relationships started (and ended) and dungeons delved, there’s something new coming to the idyllic town of SunnySide. That’s right, Publisher Maximum Entertainment and developer RainyGames are excited to announce that Sandbox mode will be launching this week, alongside a 30% sale on Steam and 25% sale on consoles.

Players will discover boundless creativity as they build, remodel and decorate with no need to complete quests, collect blueprints or monitor resources. But it’s not just their farms, for the first time, players can now shape the entire SunnySide town to their heart’s desire – allowing true freedom like never before. 

What’s more, enemies can be made into friendlies and their behaviour can be adjusted to fit their artistic vision. And in true SunnySide fashion, all of the settings (and more!) are conveniently accessible through the in-game mobile phone. Praise be a world of modern conveniences! 

The Sandbox mode will land on PC alongside the Steam sale on September 25, and while console players will have to be a bit more patient until the upgrade arrives in their inboxes, SunnySide will be on sale on the Xbox store today and the PlayStation store on Sep 25 for 25% off!

With the combination of RPG mode, Cozy mode, and now the creative Sandbox mode, this modern take on the traditional farming sim really has it all! So hop on a bus and join the thriving SunnySide community today!

About Maximum Entertainment

Maximum Entertainment is a global entertainment company dedicated to crafting indie to AA video game experiences through original content and licensed partnerships. A fully integrated group with a broad portfolio of content, the company emphasizes collaboration and inclusivity in its partnerships to produce the highest level of interactive entertainment. With more than 300 titles in its catalog, Maximum Entertainment has joined forces with talented creators and renowned franchises around the globe to deliver magic to the gamer in everyone. Maximum Entertainment employs experienced professionals across the entire value chain of video games including development, publishing, transmedia, sales, and operations.

About RainyGames

RainyGames is an international indie gaming studio based in the US and UK. With a studio mission to challenge conventional genre norms and create innovative, inclusive video games, RainyGames aims to foster diversity and community through empathetic fiction, self-expression, and harmony. Led by Siavash (Rainy) Shahlaei and Sydney Stockdale, RainyGames always strives to maintain a transparent and honest company that puts the players ahead of profits while always making a point to speak out for those with smaller or quieter voices. At RainyGames, video games are more than just a fun pastime or hobby, but rather are beautiful pieces of art that can and will heavily impact the lives of all those who interact with them. For this reason, every project at RainyGames will always come from the heart.

Oxford Internet Institute carried out the first of its kind study, to understand more about the short-term effects of playing video games.

Brighton, 25 September 2024 – FuturLab and Oxford Internet Institute, part of the University of Oxford, is excited to reveal the results of a new international study that shows positive mood changes during video game play – with data collected from players of PowerWash Simulator who opted to take part in the study via a research edition of the game.

The study looked at player data from 67,328 gaming sessions from 8,695 players in 39 countries, analysing their mood before and during gameplay. Across 162,325 in-game mood reports from players of PowerWash Simulator, the average player reported a more positive mood during play than at the start of each session. Researchers predict 72% of players experience this uplift in mood during the play session based on statistical modeling of player data.

Link to study: https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/3659464

About the study

The study analysed data from players in 39 countries, including the US, UK, Canada and Germany and found that PowerWash Simulator’s players’ moods rapidly increased during gameplay. Players consistently reported a higher mood after the first fifteen minutes of the play session compared to the start of each session.

The researchers collaborated with PowerWash Simulator’s developer, FuturLab, to develop a research edition of the game that recorded gameplay events, game status records, participant demographics and responses to psychological survey items. This latest analysis is based on a dataset the team previously published in the journal Scientific Data last year. 

Lead author Assistant Professor Matti Vuorre, Tilburg University and Research Associate, Oxford Internet Institute said: “At present short-term changes in video game players’ moods are poorly understood. Gameplay research frequently relies on artificial stimuli, with games created or modified by academic researchers, typically played in a lab environment rather than a natural context. Instead, we wanted to know how real play in natural contexts might predict player mood on short timescales.”

Commenting on the findings, second author Nick Ballou, Postdoctoral Researcher, Oxford Internet Institute, University of Oxford said, “By investigating player experiences during natural play of a popular and commercially available game, we found strong evidence for a small positive change in mood over the course of a play session.  Our current study corroborates what qualitative research and reports from video game players around the world have long suggested: People feel good playing video games”. 

They also looked at differences in mood uplift between the population of similar PWS players. The Oxford team statistically modelled between-person differences in mood shifts in the population of PWS players. They found that nearly three-quarters of players (72.1%) were likely to experience an uplift in their mood during PowerWash Simulator play.

James Butlin, Lead Programmer at FuturLab Ltd said: “Working with the team at Oxford Internet Institute was incredibly insightful! They were very supportive throughout and actively engaged with our challenge of designing a user experience that could deliver the study questions with minimal impact on the gameplay.”

Unlike other studies in this field, the Oxford study is the first of its kind to examine changes in mood during play sessions in a minute-by-minute resolution. The research edition was nearly identical to the main game, with the addition of in-game pop-ups asking players to report their mood, delivered by a newly created character called ‘The Researchers’ making them part of the game lore, ensuring minimal disruption to the player experience.

Senior author Professor Andrew Przybylski, Oxford Internet Institute adds: “We believe our findings are most consistent with the notion that gaming – for most people – is a recovery activity that helps to manage day-to-day stresses and mood fluctuations, without necessarily having substantial long-term impacts.

“The fact that we studied only one game – and one that is not likely representative of today’s most commonly played games – suggests caution in generalizing from our findings to other games.  Future work should consider the use of randomised controlled trials to evaluate the effect of playing PowerWash Simulator or other games compared to other leisure activities or therapeutic interventions.

Ultimately better understanding the multiverse of play, including temporal patterns, social experiences, in-game behaviours and events, players’ personalities, its antecedents and consequences warrants continued research efforts coordinated across and beyond academia.”

The paper ‘Affective Uplift During Video Game Play: A Naturalistic Case Study’ by Matti Vuorre, Nick Ballou, Thomas Hakman, Kristoffer Magnusson and Andrew K. Przybylski is published open access in the journal Games: Research and Practice.

About the Research 

The work by Matti Vuorre and Andrew. K. Przybylski was supported by the Huo Family Foundation which had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the article.  The study was approved by the University of Oxford Central University Research Ethics Committee.  (SSH_OII_CIA_21_011).

About FuturLab

FuturLab is an award-winning game studio based in Brighton, UK. We have developed and published remarkable games on PC and console since 2003. Our best known titles include: Velocity 2X, Tiny Trax, Mini-Mech Mayhem, Peaky Blinders: Mastermind and, most recently, PowerWash Simulator. We believe that healthy and happy teams create the best games, which is why we promote a positive working environment with many benefits and zero crunch.

About the OII 

The Oxford Internet Institute (OII) is a multidisciplinary research and teaching department of the University of Oxford, dedicated to the social science of the Internet. Drawing from many different disciplines, the OII works to understand how individual and collective behaviour online shapes our social, economic and political world. Since its founding in 2001, research from the OII has had a significant impact on policy debate, formulation and implementation around the globe, as well as a secondary impact on people’s wellbeing, safety and understanding. Drawing on many different disciplines, the OII takes a combined approach to tackling society’s big questions, with the aim of positively shaping the development of the digital world for the public good.

About the University of Oxford

Oxford University has been placed number one in the Times Higher Education World University Rankings for the seventh year running, and ​number two in the QS World Rankings 2022. At the heart of this success are the twin-pillars of our ground-breaking research and innovation and our distinctive educational offer. Oxford is world-famous for research and teaching excellence and home to some of the most talented people from across the globe.