LONDON, UK – 26 April 2018 – Rev your engines, Hello Kitty fans! Videogame publisher Rising Star Games wants you to know that the fast and fun multiplayer arcade karting game Hello Kitty Kruisers is available on Nintendo Switch™ in Europe, Middle East, Australia, New Zealand and more. The game has released digitally via Nintendo eShop with a suggested retail price of €24.99/£24.99. Hello Kitty Kruisers is available at physical retailers across Europe and beyond from tomorrow with a suggested retail price of €29.99/£29.99.
Hello Kitty fans who purchase the UK English-language version of the physical version of Hello Kitty Kruisers will find a bonus super-cute item inside! Inside each of the UK English-language boxed versions of the game is one of six adorable official Sanrio iron-on badges. Which surprise will you get?!
In Hello Kitty Kruisers players take to the starting grid with Hello Kitty along with her Sanrio friends as they race on land, over water in addition to through the air. Will anyone pip Hello Kitty to the podium? Race in single-player or with up to three friends, along with unlocking new outfits and vehicles for your favourite characters. In addition, you can challenge your racing skills in the super-exciting Adventure mode!
Hello Kitty Kruisers
Hello Kitty Kruisers is published by Rising Star Games and is available now on Nintendo Switch™ across Europe and beyond. For more information follow Rising Star Games on Instagram, Twitter,Facebook, or visit the official Rising Star Games website.
Can you tell I tend to favor PC Gaming? It is how I am wired, lol. Check out Battletech!
STOCKHOLM – April 24, 2018 – Paradox Interactive and Harebrained Schemes have announced the release of BATTLETECH, the first turn-based tactical BATTLETECH / MechWarrior PC game in over 20 years, made possible by the support of 55,000+ Kickstarter backers. BATTLETECH is available on PC and Mac for the suggested retail price of $39.99, with Linux-support to be added post-launch. The game can be purchased from Paradox Plaza, Steam, GOG, and other digital retailers.
“There’s a lot of love for the BattleTech / MechWarrior universe, and the entire Harebrained team feels incredibly fortunate to have had the chance to work on a tactical combat game worthy of its legacy,” said Jordan Weisman, CEO of Harebrained Schemes and creator of the MechWarrior universe and original BattleTech board game. “We hope that fans of the universe and strategy gamers in general find as much fun and excitement playing BATTLETECH as we found creating it.”
Developed by Harebrained Schemes, the studio responsible for the critically acclaimed Shadowrun Returns series, BATTLETECH is the next generation of turn-based tactical ‘Mech combat. The year is 3025 and the galaxy is trapped in a cycle of perpetual war, fought by noble houses with enormous, mechanized combat vehicles called BattleMechs. Take command of your own mercenary outfit of ‘Mechs and the MechWarriors that pilot them, struggling to stay afloat as you find yourself drawn into a brutal interstellar civil war. Upgrade your starfaring base of operations, negotiate mercenary contracts with feudal lords, repair, maintain, and customize your stable of aging BattleMechs, all in the service of executing devastating combat tactics to defeat your enemies on the battlefield.
BATTLETECH Basics: Story
“BATTLETECH is Game of Thrones meets Pacific Rim in space,” said Mitch Gitelman, studio manager at Harebrained Schemes. “[Kamea] hires you to do the types of jobs that her standing army can’t do.”
“That is within the context of your larger campaign, of reputation building and working for all the different houses… It’s a wonderful way to get a true, classic BATTLETECH story,” said Jordan Weisman, CEO of Harebrained Schemes and creator the MechWarrior and BATTLETECH universe. “This really opens it up for the player to extend their own story of their mercenary unit, in whichever direction they want to go.”
Developed by Harebrained Schemes, the studio responsible for the critically acclaimed Shadowrun Returns series, BATTLETECH is the next generation of turn-based tactical ‘Mech combat. You play as the commander of a mercenary company on the edges of civilized space, negotiating and executing a variety of combat contracts while attempting to keep your ‘Mechwarriors happy and your operations prosperous. The game’s story features the player falling in with the deposed ruler of a noble house and, fighting for either coin or cause, becoming a player in her bid to retake her throne. This game is available for PC and Mac, at a suggested retail price of $39.99. Linux will be added post-launch.
“It’s knights and nobility, except instead of knights, it’s giant war machines,” said Mike McCain, Game Director.
Some Videos Released Prior to the 24 April 2018 Launch
BERLIN – 25 April, 2018 – Get set for fast-paced action and innovative bullet-time shooting in Wanted Killer VR—a stylized high-octane FPS coming to Steam Early Access in May 2018.
Created by Berlin-based developer Playsnak, Wanted Killer VR casts you as a member of the clandestine WK4 group – an elite team of agents sent in to protect the weak and oppressed when lesser heroes bail out. Only by upgrading your characters and weapons will you stand a chance against the evil GENETIC MINDS Corp., its maniacal private army, and ruthless CEO. So get ready to stretch your skills – and ammo supplies – to the limit as you battle countless enemy types and bosses, from mad scientists to fiendish firefighters.
As you progress through the single player campaign, skill challenges, or wave-based survival mode, a unique brand of teleport system lets you experience player-driven bullet time shooting with a twist. Paired with a flow-based combo system that invites you to take out enemies in style, Wanted Killer VR allows for unparalleled strategic combat as you dash between opponents and complete diverse challenges in spectacular settings – including skyscrapers in the clouds, a mysterious genetics lab, and an ever-changing subway station.
The game is loosely based on the eponymous mobile game WantedKiller created by Korean developer nChant Interactive. While it resorts to the mobile game’s assets, it features all-new gameplay, story and progression, thus making it its own game as opposed to just a VR port.
Wanted Killer VR Subway Flamethrower
Game Director Comments
Game Director on Wanted Killer VR, Patrick Esteves, said: “We set out to create a game that blends over-the-top B-movie type characters and storyline with innovative VR gunplay. Our goal at Playsnak is first and foremost about how the gameplay feels and how it can push VR forward. For Wanted Killer VR we found that by combining a variety of interesting weapon types, unique gun steal mechanics, and an innovative approach to teleport, we have made something that we think VR gamers will appreciate. The cherry on top was adding stylized graphics to the mix that really highlight the game’s ‘arcadey’ feel. We’re bringing Wanted Killer VR to Early Access very soon which gives us the amazing opportunity to share our progress with the community and use our players’ suggestions to tweak our dev roadmap and ultimately increase the quality of the game.”
Steam!
Wanted Killer VR will be available on Steam Early Access in May 2018. Visitors and press attending gamesweekberlin can be among the first to experience the all-action shooter when Playsnak takes it to the show floor of Gamefest in Säälchen Berlin on April 27 and 28. As well as showing off Wanted Killer VR, Playsnak will be giving gamers a chance to sample futuristic hoverbike racer Neon Seoul: Outrun at the same event.
Founded in 2015, Playsnak is a global next-generation games company with offices in Berlin, Germany and Los Angeles, USA. Playsnak strives to create groundbreaking experiences for the maturing VR and AR markets. For more information, please visit https://www.playsnak.com .
Free Splatoon 2 Software Update With Tons of Gear, New X Rank and the Return of Callie
REDMOND, Wash., April 24, 2018 – Nintendo’s dropping some fresh (and free!) new content for Splatoon 2 on Nintendo Switch tonight! After downloading a major new update (Version 3.0) to the Splatoon 2 game at 6 p.m. PT, players will have access to a huge amount of new content. This includes the addition of more than 100 pieces of new and returning gear, new songs, the introduction of a challenging new X Rank for the top-performing players in Ranked Battle, weapon balance adjustments and the return of Callie of the famous Squid Sisters.
“As promised when the game was first announced, we are determined to provide players with new experiences and content in Splatoon 2,” said Doug Bowser, Nintendo of America’s Senior Vice President of Sales and Marketing. “Through these regular updates, we are ensuring that both players old and new will log on to fun new experiences.”
X Rank is an extremely challenging Ranked Battle experience targeting the best-of-the-best players. Players who are S+10 in the current Splatoon 2 ranking system will automatically be registered as X Rank after downloading the update. Players who are X Rank will battle for an X Power level. Once a month, 500 players with the highest X Power level for each of the four different Ranked Battle modes will be announced within SplatNet 2, a service of the Nintendo Switch Online app for mobile devices.
X Power levels will reset every month. During this reset, players whose X Power level ends up lower than a set threshold will rank down to S+9. This new system encourages players of all ranks to enjoy improving their play and maintaining their skills, as opposed to simply focusing on ranking up.
The first X Power reset is currently scheduled for May 31, and any future resets will take place on the final day of that month. As part of these periodic resets, the rotation of eight selected stages in Ranked Battle (with two stages rotating every two hours), the addition of new weapons and the introduction of new stages will also occur. In fact, tonight will also see the return of the popular stage Camp Triggerfish, along with four additional weapons.
In addition to X Rank, when Version 3.0 goes live this evening, this new update adds more than 100 pieces of gear – some new, some returning from the original Splatoon game – as well as new songs from Chirpy Chips, a popular in-game chiptune-style band featured in the first game. The update will also include some weapon balance adjustments, bug fixes and other changes.
Fans of the Squid Sisters will need to sit down, as the software update also marks the long-awaited return of Callie. Once players meet a certain condition after downloading the update, Callie will appear in Tentakeel Outpost in Octo Canyon. As exciting as it is to see the Squid Sisters reunited, Callie will also offer recent multiplayer stats about the player’s character.
Remember that Nintendo Switch features parental controls that let adults manage the content their children can access. For more information about other features, visit https://www.nintendo.com/switch/ .
Tuesday, April 24, 2018 – Revival Productions is saying that Overload, the new six-degree-of-freedom tunnel shooter from the original creators of the critically-acclaimed 90s classic Descent, will be available for PC (Windows, Mac, & Linux) beginning May 31, 2018 for $34.99. The PlayStation4 and Xbox One versions will release Q3 2018. Revival Productions was founded by Matt Toschlog and Mike Kulas, co-founders of legendary Parallax Software. Revival created Overload, an FPS that combines the best of classic 6-Depth Of Field gameplay found in Descent with the latest in today’s technology to provide intense 3D action on PC, PlayStation4 and Xbox One.
“We started Overload as a nostalgic homage to Descent, but it’s really grown into something more. We were able to create a deep story with voice, a new challenge mode and add VR support. And all this is on top of graphics and sound we could only dream about 20 years ago,” said Mike Kulas, co-creator, Revival Productions. Matt Toschlog added, “It’s been a blast creating this game, and we especially value the relationships we’ve formed with our Kickstarter backers and Early Access players.”
Descent, developed by Parallax Software and published by Interplay in 1995, received critical acclaim for its 3D six-degree-of-freedom gameplay that combined the best of space flight simulation with FPS experience. Overload offers a Descent-like style of play, but brings the labyrinthine environments to new and vibrant life with updated features, deeper gameplay, and dramatically enhanced graphics. Overload is currently available in Early Access on Steam with a user rating of 97%.
Overload Gameplay Features
15 level single-player campaign plus secret levels
Numerous level challenges including lava, forcefields, lockdowns, ambushes and secret rooms
20 terrifying robot enemies, plus Super-Robots and Variants and three bosses
Multiplayer with public and private matches
Challenge mode (with two variants) and 12 Challenge Mode levels Story by the writer of FreeSpace 2 with fully-voiced audio (English Only)
Adrenaline-pumping soundtrack
Optional training level for refining your piloting skills
Achievements and Leaderboards
Upgrades and XP system and advanced player stats
Automap and Holo-guide for navigation assistance
Save anywhere
Six difficulty levels ranging from a casual challenge to very punishing
Support for mouse, keyboard, gamepad and/or joystick controls
Surround sound audio options
Virtual reality support for Oculus and Vive
Interface and Subtitle Available in: English, French, German, Spanish and Russian
Post launch: Release of Level Editor and support for user-created levels and campaigns
Playful and GameTrust premiered an all-new experience for Star Child at the Tribeca Film Festival’s Immersive Arcade, which features engaging VR and AR exhibits from some of the world’s top creators. The exclusive hands-on Star Child Demo offers the first new playable experience for the futuristic adventure since it debuted at E3 last year.
Scroll just a bit for the trailer!
Star Child is the story of Spectra, a deep space repair technician on a mission to aid an intergalactic facility. Spectra and her partner, King, find themselves in a race against a dangerous entity – a hostile, overwhelming force that threatens to destroy everything. The demo debuting today features Spectra’s first major task in bringing the Meridian Facility back online – with unexpected results.
Star Child
Star Child Demo
You will be transported to a stunning world through a cinematic lens where narrative and gameplay are seamlessly integrated. Further enhancing the story’s impact are the lack of onscreen displays or other UI elements, as well as a simple, intuitive control scheme. This frees up players of all experience levels to focus on interacting with the Meridian Facility, exploring the unfamiliar alien world, and solving intricate challenges.
Playful Corp Founder and CEO Paul Bettner said, “We are drawn to the possibilities new technologies provide in reaching new audiences, creating a stronger connection between them and our characters. Our team is building a unique narrative and story approach for Star Child, and we hope this allows players to truly explore this world in their own way.”
Star Child
Check out the Star Child Demo in the Immersive Arcade at Tribeca Film Festival now through Sunday, April 29. This teaser trailer offers a glimpse at the new demo, and additional information and screenshots can be found here.
Micro Pico Racers is a fun top-down arcade racing game with a retro style graphics where you control of little cars racing over exciting tracks. Start your engines and prepare for the craziest and most addictive racing game ever. Fast-paced racing game with a fresh interpretation of the 16-bit style. This is an arcade racing game based on games that I loved playing in the arcades growing up. You could say it’s inspired by those games, maybe a tribute to them or simply a rip off, any of these could be true!
Micro Pico Racers is:
Developed by Josep Monzonís Hernández
Released: April 18th, 2018
Platforms: PC and Mac (Steam) (Did he say Mac?)
Price: $9.99
Availability: Digital Download
Languages: English
File Size: ~170MB
Social: www.twitter.com/2ksomnis
Micro Pico Racers Features
– Great retro pixel art design
– Select from over 20 vehicles each with its own unique handling and performance
– Grand prix mode witth 60 levels provides hours of fun and challenging races
– Multiple views (top down, isometric, back view)
– Detailed pixel art enviroments
– Different game mechanics (racing, destroy your rivals, drift challenge, time attack)
– Great car drive physics
– Split screen 2 player mode
– Online multiplayer mode
– Easy to learn, simple to play, but a real challenge to Master
– An awesome Soundtrack inspired by the glory days of top down racing games
Developer
I’m a indie game developer and my name is Josep Monzonís Hernández. I love create simple, fun and well designed games. My great inspirations are mostly games from the 8-bit and 16-bit era. I like every aspect of the process involved in making video games: pixel art, coding, game design and drawing. I hope that you’ll enjoy my games as much as I enjoy making them!
The Call Of Duty franchise is getting a lot of attention so far this year. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2, the 2010 release, appears to be getting a remaster. See this article from CharlieIntel. Several sources are saying this, but this has yet to be confirmed by Activision. I will refrain from too much speculation other than to say, bring it on!
BLACK OPS 4
In what looks to be a game-changing experience, Call of Duty®: Black Ops 4 launches worldwide on Friday, 12th October for the PlayStation 4, Xbox One and PC. Tune in Thursday, 17th May, when publisher Activision, a wholly owned subsidiary of Activision Blizzard, and award-winning developer Treyarch, host the community reveal to a worldwide audience. Places to check: www.callofduty.com , www.youtube.com/callofduty and follow @Treyarch and @CallofDuty on Twitter and Instagram and Facebook.
I am hearing that Black Ops 4 will not include a single player campaign mode. There could be any number of reasons for this. Making sense is the speculation surrounding the remaster of Modern Warfare 2 being Single player only. You would get one game for Single Player, another for the Multiplayer experience. Black Ops 4 may get a mode involving Zombies, but that is not the same as a single player mode. On a digression, I personally do not understand the fascination with zombies in video games. But anyway..
Collegiate Esports Players Competing for Over $100,000 in Scholarships at 2018 Grand Finals
Los Angeles CA: April 19, 2018 – The Collegiate StarLeague (CSL) is excited to announce the top teams competing at the 2018 North American Grand Finals on April 28-29. The two day tournament will take place at Ultimate Media Ventures in Huntington Beach, California and will feature top collegiate esports players from across North America competing for more than $100,000 in scholarships.
The finalists include teams from:
Dota 2 : McMaster University, Rochester Institute of Technology, UC Davis and Stony Brook University
Counter-Strike: Global Offensive : Virginia Commonwealth University, Robert Morris University, CUNY Baruch and UCLA
League of Legends: Simon Fraser University, University of British Columbia, Robert Morris University and University of Illinois Urbana Champaign
The event features a first-of-its-kind collegiate Fortnite tournament, an Overwatch invitational, Vainglory invitation, open beta access to Quake Champions and Super Smash Bros for Wii U and Melee West Divisionals. Guests can also experience a speaker series, meet and greet and a collegiate gaming festival with music, food and entertainment.
Twitch, through the Twitch Student program, will be the exclusive streaming and distribution partner for the Grand Finals.
For more information, or to follow the live action, see www.cstarleague.com .
About The Collegiate StarLeague
Collegiate StarLeague, a division of WorldGaming, is the world’s largest collegiate gaming league. Since 2009, it has awarded over $400,000 in scholarship money to student gamers from around the world. It has over 38,000 registered players across 1,500 registered schools. For more information, visit www.cstarleague.com
