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In the press today…

TINY TRAX RACES ON TO PLAYSTATION VR

Award-winning Brighton-based studio FuturLab has announced Tiny Trax, a stunning new slot racing game for PlayStation VR.

Set for release this summer, Tiny Trax sees childhood imaginations come to life as tiny cars boost around your body, jump overhead and drift around bends on a virtual slot racing track just inches from your face.

Importantly, a player’s viewpoint of the game mimics that of a child surrounded by a giant toy racing track inside each virtual world, which creates an extremely comfortable and satisfying experience.

Boasting online multiplayer functionality for up to four players, Tiny Trax features 12 tracks across three environments – Tropical, Fire & Ice and Outer Space – with six vehicles to choose from.

The music has been composed by leading video game composer Joris de Man, whose previous work includes Horizon: Zero Dawn, Killzone and FuturLabs’ own Velocity 2X.

Tiny Trax will be available for hands-on demo at Sony’s pre-E3 press event  next month (Monday June 12th), on the show floor during E3 and with a roll-out in Europe and North America expected this summer.

The game is the brainchild of game designer Dave Gabriel, who came up with the concept when he was a game tester at FuturLab. Backed by FuturLab’s management team, Gabriel took on the challenge of designing Tiny Trax from the ground up – covering everything from the controls, to the levels, to deciding trophies. He has since been promoted to game designer.

“We’re delighted to announce Tiny Trax – it’s a game that will appeal to players of all ages, allowing them to dive straight in and recreate the thrill of slot racing in immersive virtual environments,” said FuturLab MD James Marsden. “In addition, it’s a great testament to the team here at FuturLab – particularly Dave Gabriel – that Tiny Trax will be demonstrated alongside titles from industry heavyweights at Sony’s E3 booth.”

Gameplay trailer:-

EU (PEGI): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ozgxvLhIkDA

US (ESRB): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MXGZ2irc8dw

More information about Tiny Trax can be found here: www.futurlab.co.uk/games/tiny-trax

Strategy Roguelike Thea: The Awakening Now Available on PlayStation 4 and Xbox One

Indie studio MuHa Games is pleased to inform about the console release of its successful strategy roguelike game, Thea: The Awakening. All PlayStation 4 and Xbox One players can now step into a dark fantasy world of Slavic mythology and lead a group of mankind’s last survivors.

PlayStation 4 gameplay trailer: https://youtu.be/vFOX8EO1gWs

Xbox One gameplay trailer: https://youtu.be/WQzowu-dy7s

Thea: The Awakening combines strategy and tactics with the tension and grit of a roguelike survival, a captivating story uncovered through in-game events, and a unique combat system based on a complex card battle game. In the game, the player takes the role of a Slavic god caring for a group of survivors, helps them rebuild their village, explore the dark fantasy world, and battle evil creatures lurking on every corner.

Console versions feature procedurally generated single-player campaign full of non-linear events and challenges making each playthrough a completely new adventure. Turn-based strategy gameplay, advanced character and resource management, crafting, and card battles are mixed into a truly unique experience never before seen on PlayStation 4 and Xbox One. The game was ported from PC to consoles by Tactile Fusion studio which also designed completely new controls for gamepads and created a new and enjoyable way of playing Thea.

Key game features include:

  • A dark fantasy setting with hexagonal, turn-based strategy gameplay.
  • Huge procedural world to explore – each playthrough is a new adventure.
  • Over 270 non-linear story events that can grant riches or deprive of all your goods.
  • Over 4400 items that can be crafted in your village or gathered in the game’s world.
  • Character management with gear and experience gained in battles, collecting resources, diplomacy, healing, black magic and dozens of other abilities.
  • Village management – building structures and discovering new technologies.
  • Unique card battles resolving combat, diplomacy, curses and more.
  • Over 100 types of deadly creatures inspired by the Slavic Mythology.
  • Day & night cycle influencing your gameplay style.
  • Multiple endings with rewards and unlocks carrying to the next playthrough.

Thea: The Awakening was originally released on PC and now is available digitally on PlayStation 4 and Xbox One. For more details visit your platform’s online store or the developer’s website at www.muhagames.com .

DUNGEON DEFENDERS II WILL OFFICIALLY LAUNCH ON PLAYSTATION 4, XBOX ONE AND WINDOWS PC ON JUNE 20

Independent game developer Trendy Entertainment has announced that the action-tower defense RPG Dungeon Defenders II will officially launch on June 20 for the PlayStation 4 computer entertainment system through the PlayStation Store, Windows PC via Steam, and Xbox One through the Xbox Games Store, where it will debut for the very first time.

“We’re very excited to finally be able to bring the Dungeon Defenders franchise back to the Xbox platform,” said Marco Busse, Chief Executive Officer at Trendy Entertainment. “Dungeon Defenders II expands on the combination of shared action and tactics that made the original game so enjoyable, and that experience has only continued to evolve as we’ve grown it alongside our incredible community through early access.”

Inspired by some of the best aspects of tower defense games and RPGs, Dungeon Defenders II features classic elements like loot, pets, a variety of heroes to level up and more. Building your defenses is important to surviving against progressively tougher waves of enemies, but executing a strategy together with the other players on your team while fighting actively on the move is just as critical.

Dungeon Defenders II supports single-player and up to four-player online cooperative game modes, as well as local splitscreen co-op on consoles. The game will be free-to-play across all platforms, supported by in-game purchases like new heroes, costumes, tower skins, pets, inventory space and more.

Dungeon Defenders II is currently available as a Steam Early Access title for Windows PC and is in early access on the PlayStation 4 system. For more information as its official release approaches, visit www.DungeonDefenders.com , and follow the development team on Facebook, Twitter and Twitch.

Sonic Mania Speeds Into The World August 15th!

Sonic Mania is almost here! Today, SEGA unveiled a brand-new trailer featuring sketch animation to announce that the game will launch on August 15th– check it out here. Fans can pre-order the game digitally now for Sony PlayStation 4, Microsoft Xbox One, and PC here.

The Sonic Mania Collector’s Edition for Nintendo Switch will also be available to pre-order exclusively through Amazon*, available while stock last. The Collector’s Edition for Sonic Mania on Nintendo Switch will include a deluxe “SEGA Mega Drive” style collector’s box, 12″ Classic Sonic Statue featuring SEGA Mega Drive Base which plays the “SEEGAA” startup audio, and a SEGA cartridge cast with golden ring.

Developed by Christian Whitehead, Headcannon, and PagodaWest Games in collaboration with SEGA of America, Sonic Mania celebrates the best of Classic Sonic, pushing the envelope forward with stunning 60 FPS gameplay and pixel-perfect physics. Play as Sonic, Tails and Knuckles as you race through all-new Zones and fully re-imagined classics, each filled with exciting surprises and powerful bosses. Harness Sonic’s new drop dash, Tails’ flight, and Knuckles’ climbing abilities to overcome the evil Dr. Eggman’s robots. Discover a myriad of never-before-seen hidden paths and secrets. Welcome to the next level for the world’s fastest blue hedgehog!

The previously announced versions of the Collector’s Edition of Sonic Mania can be pre-ordered here for a limited time. To stay current on Sonic the Hedgehog news, follow Sonic on Twitter and Instagram, like him on Facebook, and subscribe to the Twitch channel and the YouTube channel.

*Only available on amazon.co.uk, amazon.es, amazon.fr and amazon.de

Tokyo 42 – Out Today on Steam and Xbox One – Launch Trailer Released

SMAC Games and Mode 7 are overjoyed to announce the release of Tokyo 42 on Steam and Xbox One today, Wednesday May 31st.  A PS4 version will follow in mid-July.

The game is live now on the Xbox Store and will go live on Steam at 10am PST / 6pm BST.  It costs an extremely reasonable $19.99 or regional equivalent.

Please behold the majestic launch trailer.

We would love any news posts, tweets, videos or contemporary dance galas dedicated to the celebration of this event – thank you!

When asked to give a quote to mark the occasion, SMAC developers Sean Wright and Maciek Strychalski responded only with:

“All our friends are having kids these days, so it feels good to join the club.”

We’re going to let them have a rest now, but if you would like to interview them, just let me know.

About Tokyo 42

Tokyo 42 is a hyper-stylish isometric open-world shooter. Framed for a murder you didn’t commit, you’ll delve into a world of assassins, deadly corporate intrigue and tactical cats.

Spin the camera to see every angle of this beautifully hand-crafted micro Tokyo, as you discover a huge range of weapons, secrets and stories.

Skillful shooting, bullet physics, sneaky stealth and crowd simulation all play a role in this ultra-colourful kinetic frenzy.

A single player open-world story mode and compelling multiplayer deathmatch arenas await in this unique and critically acclaimed action masterpiece.

BEELINE PARTNERS WITH SKILLZ TO LAUNCH STREET FIGHTER ON LEADING MOBILE COMPETITION PLATFORM

Today Skillz, the worldwide leader in mobile competitive gameplay, announced that a new Street Fighter game will be joining the platform. First released in 1987, Street Fighter has defined the fighting genre for generations of gamers. More recently, the franchise has become one of the most spectated video games and a staple of professional play.

“We’ve always believed that multiplayer and spectatorship are integral to the Street Fighter experience,” said Midori Yuasa, CEO of Beeline Interactive, Inc. “We’re excited to partner with the Skillz platform to deliver the next evolution of this competitive series to mobile gamers.”

With the upcoming release, fans will be able to experience a wholly unique and competitive Street Fighter experience on mobile. In addition, fans will be able to tune in to live broadcast competitions integrated natively within the game, powered by the Skillz platform.

“With this partnership, Street Fighter will define the future of competitive mobile gameplay,” said Andrew Paradise, CEO and founder of Skillz. “With worldwide competitions and countless physically organized events, Street Fighter has helped lay the foundation of modern pro gaming for both players and spectators. We’re excited to facilitate the delivery of this competitive experience to mobile gamers.”

For more information on Skillz-enabled games and implementing mobile competitions, visit www.skillz.com or email launch@skillz.com .

DEADCORE EMERGES FROM THE VOID JULY 14

Publisher and developer Grip Digital, announced today, that they will be bringing the award-winning first person platformer, DeadCore, to Xbox One and PlayStation 4, July 14.

Watch the new DeadCore trailer, here: https://youtu.be/ncqd8h9GpMY

DeadCore is a gritty first person platformer seamlessly blending exploration, speedrunning and puzzles. Originally developed by 5 Bits Games, the game launched to critical acclaim on PC in 2014. Now, Grip Digital are delighted to be bringing this exciting iteration of DeadCore to Xbox and PlayStation fans by popular demand, this July.

After falling endlessly through powerful magnetic storms, players awaken in a desolate world. With no memory, they will explore an unforgiving futuristic environment, surrounded by void. On the discovery of a gigantic Tower emerging from the dense fog, they must make their way to the top, deciphering cryptic messages en route as they search for answers.

Equipped with a ‘SwitchGun’, a special weapon allowing players to activate or deactivate the Tower elements, fans will embark on a perilous journey full of traps, complex mechanisms, gaps to cross, and lethal foes, a journey that will eventually allow them to solve the mystery surrounding this strange and abstract world.
Key Features:

  • Explore a mysterious world made of immense and staggering levels with a labyrinth of secret passages to discover.
  • Unlock new powers and upgrades in order to gain access to new areas of the Tower.
  • Reveal the secrets of the Tower by collecting fragments of memory from its former inhabitants as well as new levels and music for Speedrun mode.
  • Challenge your friends to see who can top our online leaderboards in Speedrun mode where every hundredth of a second counts!

Viking strategy game Northgard welcomes new multiplayer mode in a massive update

Shiro Games’ hugely popular strategy game Northgard will today receive a new, massive update introducing the highly-anticipated competitive multiplayer mode. The update will also add new combat units and buildings, new language localisations, as well as a host of bug fixes and other improvements.

To celebrate the addition of the multiplayer mode to the game, Shiro Games has published a brand-new teaser, which can be found here.

The multiplayer mode has been one of the features most requested by the community since Northgard launched into Early Access back in February 2017. Up to 6 players will now be able to determine who truly has the favour of the gods by fighting against each other, either in teams or in intense ‘free-for-all’ matches.

Along with the new multiplayer mode, this new update brings two new combat units and the buildings required to hire them to Northgard, offering a wealth of new strategic possibilities to players. They are now able to recruit the powerful but fragile Axe Throwers, the first ranged unit of the game, as well as the Shield Bearers, a strong defensive unit designed to protect your troops against enemy ranged units and watchtowers. Finally, in order for players to enjoy these new features in their own language, a new localisation update allows the game to be played in 3 more languages: Simplified Chinese, Russian and Brazilian Portuguese.

In Northgard, players take control of a Viking clan who arrive on unknown and unforgiving shores, where they have to establish a village, gather resources, grow their society and defeat their opponents. In their quest to conquer this new and mysterious world, clans will not only face off against other Vikings but also undead warriors, giants, dragons and other foes while surviving the harshest of environments. Being developed by popular indie studio Shiro Games (Evoland 1 & 2), by launching Northgard in Early Access, the studio can continuously add new content to the game, with the new multiplayer mode being the first major milestone. Additional features coming in future updates include a story driven campaign mode, new playable clans, improved trading and diplomacy systems, and more victory conditions.

LEGO Dimensions Expansion Packs Based on Teen Titans Go, Powerpuff Girls and Beetlejuice!

Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment today announced five highly collectable, new expansion packs for LEGO Dimensions, the LEGO toy and videogame hybrid, will be available in the UK on the 15th of September. Team and Fun Packs based on Cartoon Network’s animated series, Teen Titans Go! and The Powerpuff Girls, plus a Beetlejuice Fun Pack, will broaden the selection of the world’s most popular entertainment brands available for the game, allowing players to customise their experience by mixing and matching favourite characters and universes with full compatibility.

Players that purchase either Teen Titans Go! expansion pack can access an exclusive, original episode to discover how the vibrant team of teenage superheroes stumbled upon the LEGO Dimensions multiverse and embarked on hilarious, heroic adventures with new friends.

The Teen Titans Go! Team Pack, includes LEGO minifigures of the DC Comics superhero team of Raven and Beast Boy. It also features the 3-in-1 T-Car which can be rebuilt into the Forklift and T-Plane for out of this world adventures by air and sea. Players can transform the Spellbook of Azarath into Raven Wings and the Giant Hand to take flight and dig through the earth for adventures above and beyond this universe.

The Teen Titans Go! Fun Pack includes a Starfire LEGO minifigure. Players can unleash her special abilities to battle enemies and solve puzzles. Players can also build the 3-in-1 Titan Robot for a roller-coaster fun-filled adventure and then rebuild it into the T-Rocket or Robot Retriever for an even more supercharged adventure with the rest of the Titans gang.

Raven, Beast Boy, and Starfire each provide access to the Teen Titans Go! Adventure World in Jump City where players can explore several psychedelic areas from the Titans Tower to Wacka Doodles Amusement Park.

Players can bring Townsville to LEGO Dimensions with The Powerpuff Girls Team Pack which includes LEGO minifigures of the super-powered sisters, Blossom and Bubbles. For access to additional special abilities, the 3-in-1 Octi can be rebuilt into the Super Skunk or Sonic Squid, and the PPG Smartphone can be rebuilt into the PPG Hotline and Powerpuff Mag-Net.

The Powerpuff Girls Fun Pack includes a Buttercup LEGO minifigure. Players can use this cherished champion of justice to fight crime and come just in time with supercool superpowers. The 3-in-1 Mega Blast Bot can be rebuild into the Ka-Pow Cannon and Slammin’ Guitar to rock extra-awesome combat abilities.

Blossom, Bubbles and Buttercup each provide access to The Powerpuff Girls Adventure World where players can unlock iconic locations like Pokey Oaks elementary, Rainbow Land, and Professor Utonium’s lab. When competition beckons, players can go head-to-head in the Battle Arena for endless fun.

The Beetlejuice Fun Pack brings some spookiness to LEGO Dimensions with a Beetlejuice LEGO minifigure. Players can activate his supernatural powers to scare away the living. Saturn’s Sandworm can be rebuilt into the Haunted Vacuum and Spooky Spider for more ghostly powers. Beetlejuice also unlocks the exclusive Adventure World and Battle Arena.

That’s all for the news today!
~Ciao!