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In the press today…
SEGA FOREVER MAKES TIME TRAVEL* COST-EFFECTIVE, CONVENIENT
In celebration of a simpler time – an era that came before cool kale, hyper-connectedness, DIY artisanal beer-making, and social media mayhem – SEGA Networks Inc. is bringing a growing collection of classic video games from every console era to your mobile device for free. The collection, called SEGA Forever, is a re-awakening of archetypal gaming, an ode to the deep and diverse SEGA catalogue, and the beginning of a retro revolution that will transport players back through two decades of console gaming.
Each game in the SEGA Forever lineup is free-to-play, ad-supported, playable offline, and includes added features like cloud saves, controller support, and leaderboards. For players who prefer a pristinely ad-free mobile gaming experience – folks who want to play SEGA just like they remember playing in their basement, without interruptions from parents, siblings, or homework – we’ve rolled back the price so each game can be purchased without ads for $1.99. As the SEGA Forever collection expands through months and years, it will include both official emulations and ported games that pan all SEGA console eras, each adapted specifically for mobile devices while remaining faithful to the original games.
“Above all else SEGA Forever is a celebration of nostalgia. It’s about allowing fans to reconnect with past experiences and share them with family and friends in an accessible and convenient way,” explains Mike Evans, CMO of SEGA’s Mobile Division in the West. “Join us on a journey of rediscovery as we roll out two decades of classic games free on mobile. Create your own ‘SEGA Forever folder’ and collect your favorite classics. Enjoy moments of nostalgia on the go, or sync a Bluetooth controller to enjoy a console-like experience in your living room. SEGA Forever democratizes retro gaming, and seeks to change how the world plays, rediscovers, and shares in classic game experiences.”
The first batch of SEGA Forever games has been carefully curated, boasting both blockbusters and core fan favorites; The collection will officially kick off tomorrow with five Mega Drive / Genesis titles, all of which will be available to download for free on the Google Play Store for Android devices and on the App Store for iPhone and iPad, where they will be accompanied by iMessage sticker packs:
- Sonic The Hedgehog, the 1991 household classic that has remained at the forefront of hearts and minds since inception
- Phantasy Star II, the longtime fan-favourite RPG from 1989
- Comix Zone and Kid Chameleon, two American titles developed by SEGA’s in-house studio STI
- Altered Beast, the original Genesis pack-in title, a beat-em-up set in Ancient Greece that represents a weird and wonderful segment of the SEGA catalogue that is ripe for rediscovery
Following tomorrow’s launch, the SEGA Forever collection will continue to grow with additional releases coming every two weeks. To stay up-to-date with launch news, share your love of the golden age of video games, cast your vote in polls, share your opinions in surveys, and interact with other SEGA fans, check out the SEGA Forever website and follow our dedicated Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram accounts.
*Please note that playing games from the SEGA Forever collection does not technically count as “time travel,” although intense feelings of nostalgia have been linked to exposure and extended play.
EXPLORE THE WILD AND WACKY NEW GAME MODES IN KILLING FLOOR 2 SUMMER SIDESHOW’S ‘WEEKLY OUTBREAK’
The PC version of the KILLING FLOOR 2 Summer Sideshow kicked off last week on Steam, introducing players to a new map set in a freaky scary circus filled with terrifying clown Zeds, and a host of other new content to unlock and play around with. One of the ways players can unlock new content is by playing the Weekly Outbreak, a rotating series of new weekly game modes that challenge fans to play the game in new ways.
Each Weekly Outbreak mode will be introduced with an original trailer showing off the mode’s unique rules and win conditions. New exclusive cosmetic items will be unlocked every time you beat one of the Weekly Outbreak mode, so make sure you play each week to unlock that special Weekly Outbreak item!
KILLING FLOOR 2 Summer Sideshow Weekly Outbreak Schedule:
June 20 – Cranium Cracker – Brain damage is the best damage.
In this outbreak, the Zeds have mutated such that they can only be put down for good with damage to the head.
Check out the new Cranium Cracker trailer here:https://youtu.be/VyS3suWdA2w
June 27 – Tiny Terror – A small threat is still a threat.
Shooting Zeds in this outbreak will cause them to shrink, making them harder to hit.
July 4 – Bobble Zed – …that must hurt their necks.
Something went horribly wrong with this batch of Zeds and their heads are wwwaaaayyyyyyy larger than normal! Huge even!
July 11 – Poundemonium – All Fleshpounds, all the time. Almost.
The Fleshpound Convention is in town!
July 18 – Up, Up and Decay – Try to make ninety-nine Zed balloons.
Shooting Zeds in this outbreak will cause them to inflate like balloons, even to the point of floating away and popping!
July 25 – Zed Time – All the Zed Time in the world.
Ever think that life is passing you by? Not in this outbreak! You’ll be in Zed Time any time you’re near a Zed.
August 1 – Beefcake – Bigger they are, harder you fall.
In this outbreak, Zeds increase their health, size, and reach when they hit players or are affected by certain Zed abilities.
August 8 – Boom – Zeds under pressure; may explode.
Maybe it was something they ate? Bad gas? Whatever it was, Zeds explode when killed in this outbreak.
Be sure and check out Tripwire’s Official YouTube Channel each Wednesday morning at 9AM EST to see the latest Weekly Outbreak Trailer!
NOTE – KILLING FLOOR 2: Summer Sideshow along with the Weekly Outbreaks will also be coming to the PS4 Pro & PS4 later this Summer.
RICO Announced!
Inspired by films such as Bad Boys and Bad Boys II, and a raft of games including Virtua Cop, Action Quake, F.E.A.R, and SuperHot – RICO is a contemporary first-person action shooter, which throws players into the roles of loose cannon police detectives given just twenty-four hours to solve a case and bring down a network of organised criminals.
Playing either solo or partnering-up cooperatively via split screen or online, gameplay is kept simple as players kick down doors and take down criminals in their pursuit of their own brand of justice.
Planning is tactical rather than strategic, players must react in the moment to shootouts as they unfurl. A burst of slow-motion gameplay as players breach a room gives them a necessary advantage over their numerous opposition. Ammo and enemies are plentiful, and combat is punchy and impactful, supported by an extensive destruction system that ensure every shot looks and feels great.
Every case, objective, and environment is randomly generated, ensuring each playthrough is different, and the game’s longevity is sustained with a rich collection of unlockable weapons, traits, enemies, environments.
Ground Shatter is a four-person, games development studio, based in the Bristol Games Hub. Founded in 2014 by veteran industry ne’er-do-well, James Parker, to bring short-session, arcade-style games to PC and console. RICO is the company’s second original title after 4-player arcade platformer, SkyScrappers.
SpecialEffect launches One Special Day Fundraiser
SpecialEffect, the gamers’ charity, is calling on the games industry to join Electronic Arts, SEGA, GAME, First Touch, Twitch, Yogscast, Seriously and other big names to support its One Special Day fundraising initiative on Friday 29th September.
Following the success of One Special Day 2016, which raised £90k, this year’s event coincides with the charity’s 10th anniversary of helping severely disabled people of all ages enjoy the fun and inclusivity of video games. This year, SpecialEffect aim to raise over £100k from the annual event in which games industry partners, large and small, can donate 100% of sales from the day, provide exclusive auction items, place titles for a special Humble Bundle sale and hold fundraising events.
SpecialEffect’s Fundraiser, Nick Streeter, said, “One Special Day is a key event in the SpecialEffect fundraising calendar. It’s a day when the games industry can get behind us and celebrate another year of us helping make their video games accessible to people of all abilities and ages.”
“The success of One Special Day is particularly important in light of larger, non-gaming charities seeking support for their work from the gaming community and games industry. As THE gamers’ charity we’re looking to inspire the industry to rally to our cause and support disabled gamers in the UK and all across the globe.”
“If we’re not here for them, they’re likely to really struggle to find the help they need to play.”
Andrew Stalbow, Co-founder & CEO of leading mobile games developer Seriously, said “We’ve been lucky to work with SpecialEffect in the past, and continue to be blown away by the incredible work the team does, helping everyone be able to experience the joy of gaming. We’re fortunate to be part of a thriving community of mobile developers, and we’ve had fun working to find other enthusiastic companies to support One Special Day, alongside us at Seriously.”
Mark Turpin, Yogscast CEO and SpecialEffect Vice-President, added, “Games allow us to escape our world to visit another, experiencing anything and everything and loving every second of it. SpecialEffect give the gift of gaming to people who thought it was lost to them. The tireless work and passion to help that Dr Mick and the team display never ceases to amaze me. We think One Special Day is a fantastic idea and are delighted to get behind the day as promotional partner”.
Albion Online: Presenting the Guardians of Albion
The launch of Sandbox’ MMORPG Albion Online is only a few weeks away now. The developers at Sandbox Interactive are currently preparing the game for the launch on July 17, fixing bugs and planning the first expansions to be added in the future. At the same time though, they want to introduce some of the game features which deserve special attention. Today, it’s the so-called “Guardians of Albion”. These are powerful bosses which require precise planning, utmost concentration and tactical skills from the players.
The Guardians are the true protectors of Albion. Brought to life by ancient magic and having grown bigger and stronger over the centuries, they now protect the world’s natural treasures. There are five different Guardians in Albion; each possesses incredible strength and special skills. Once killed, they turn into a resource node providing the player with a whopping 2,560 tier-6 resources. Hence, a raid against these giants might well be worth it.
The Guardians of Albion at a glance:
Old White (Hide)
Old White is a massive white mammoth that is spiritually connected to all mammoths in the world of Albion, which have lived in the past and will live in the future. It can be found in tier-6 Hide Dens. While in general considered the easiest Guardian, the players first have to fight their way through several groups of hide mobs until they can face him.
Ancient Ent (Wood)
The Ancient Ent is a massive tree spirit and can be found in tier-6 Tree Groves. With its devastating Piercing Roots, team coordination is key when fighting him.
Rock Giant (Rock)
Found in tier-6 Rock Outcrops in the Highlands biome, the Rock Giant has no melee skills and uses ranged attacks only, like his Earthquake attack.
Enormous Dryad (Fiber)
Players should not be deceived by the looks of this Guardian! The Enormous Dryad can be found in the swamps at tier-6 Fiber Meadows, fighting the players with deadly attacks like Eroding Swamp or Pulsing Thorns.
Ore Colossus (Ore)
The Ore Colossus can be found in the Tier 6 Ore Veins of the mountains. Players should not be deceived by his lack of an auto-attack, as its Giant’s Punch and Crystal Swarm have the potential to wipe a party in the blink of an eye!
All details on the Guardians of Albion can be found at: https://albiononline.com/en/news/guardian-indepth-look
What is Albion Online?
Albion Online is a sandbox MMORPG from Sandbox Interactive, set in the medieval fantasy world of Albion. Whether playing a hardened fighter, a farmer, a merchant or a master craftsman, in the player-driven world every single weapon and every single building is created by the players. Thanks to a “you are what you wear” system free of typical class restrictions, a skilled archer can instantly become a powerful mage, and the players define their own role within the game world. PvE, PvP or the battle guild vs guild, every action in the game has a meaning … as well as consequences. PvP battles in the danger zones of the game world are a “winner takes all” affair. Albion Online is the first PC game to enable the exact same experience on tablets.
Albion Online is currently in its final beta phase. The official release is scheduled for July 17, 2017.
Striker Class Awakening Live Today in Black Desert Online
Kakao Games and PearlAbyss today announced that the Striker class, which joined Black Desert Online’s roster last month, will have its Awakening weapon and skills available after the scheduled maintenance today, June 21.
Watch the Striker Awakening Trailer: https://youtu.be/hpg4Ax5RUjE
The Striker reaches a new level of mastery over the martial arts, gaining access to a wider range of close-ranged techniques. With this latest Awakening, Strikers level 56 and above will be able to use the Gardbrace weapon, famed for its ability to temporarily produce a copy of its wielder and double the onslaught of attacks in battle. Also enhancing the Striker’s combat are fire elemental skills, as well as throwing moves like Hell Break and Infernal Destruction.
Striker Awakening Stream
Want to see the Striker’s new powers but don’t have one of your own yet? Tune in to the official Twitch channel Thursday, June 22 at 10:00 a.m. PDT / 1:00 p.m. EDT / 7:00 p.m. CEST for a special livestream all about Striker Awakening gameplay.
Summer Sales
From Thursday, June 22 through July 5, take up to 40% off Black Desert Online packages purchased through Steam or www.blackdesertonline.com .
That’s all for the news today!
~Ciao!