Independent developer Fatshark announced today the development of Warhammer: End Times - Vermintide, a co-operative action first person shooter and melee combat adventure set in the End Times of the iconic Warhammer Fantasy universe.  Vermintide is scheduled for release in the second half of 2015, for Windows PC, the Xbox One and PlayStation 4.

In Vermintide, the city of Ubersreik is under siege as players select from a band of five heroes with different play-styles and abilities, all equipped with unique gear and personalities. Working together cooperatively, players must use their individual attributes to survive an apocalyptic invasion from hordes of relentless, power hungry Skaven, across a range of environments stretching from the top of the Magnus Tower to the bowels of the Under Empire.

“Combining gritty combat with cooperative multiplayer action, Vermintide will provide the player with a completely new perspective of the Warhammer Fantasy universe, through the eyes of the heroes they play,” said Martin Wahlund, CEO of Fatshark. “Staying true to the fantasy lore, with familiar foes and locations, we look forward to winning the hearts of enthusiasts and newcomers with this new take on the Warhammer story”.

The time of mortals is ending, and the reign of Chaos draws ever closer. The Dark Gods are at last united in a singular purpose, loosing their madness across the world as never before. In the Empire of Sigmar, Karl Franz's gaze is focused on the incursion of the savage northmen, but it is not the only threat. As the Chaos moon Morrslieb waxes full, shrill voices echo through tunnels gnawed far beneath the Empire's cities, and a Skaven host swarms towards the surface. It emerges first in the city of Ubersreik, a screeching mass that consumes all before it. Soon Ubersreik is a charnel-town, drowning beneath the malevolent shadow of the Horned Rat.

Yet even in the darkest times, there are always champions to light the way. As Ubersreik cowers, five heroes, united by capricious fate, carry the fight to the rat-men. It remains to be seen whether they have the strength to survive, let alone work together long enough to thwart the invaders. One truth, however, is beyond all doubt: should these five fall, then Ubersreik will fall with them.

Sony has today detailed the cloud-based TV service it originally announced at CES 2014. Called PlayStation Vue, it aims to offer an array of TV channels without a monthly contract across a range of devices, and is Sony's bid to offer a TV service that it hopes will replace traditional cable subscriptions.

Read Full Article

The moment you’ve been waiting for is finally here. The trial for Dragon Age: Inquisition is now available to all EA Access members. Begin the battle for Thedas today, before the game's release! Members can download the trial through the EA Access Hub app on Xbox One, and play BioWare's epic new RPG for six hours.

Read Full Article

The first Mario Kart 8 DLC pack is available now. Players who have already pre-purchased the content will be advised upon starting the game that the pack is ready and be given a prompt to download it. The first DLC pack contains eight new tracks, three fresh characters and four new vehicles.

Read Full Article

It’s no secret that videogame fans are itching to get their hands on Super Smash Bros. for Wii U. To help shoppers avoid the day-one rush, Nintendo is offering a new pre-purchase service for people wanting to start playing as soon as it goes on sale on Nintendo eShop, all without having to leave the comfort of their homes.

Starting today, Wii U owners who visit the Nintendo eShop can pre-purchase Super Smash Bros. for Wii U. From pre-purchase, most of the game’s data will be transferred to the purchaser’s Wii U system, and as soon as the game releases on Nintendo eShop at midnight on 21st November in North America, 28th November across Europe (23:00 on the 27th November in the UK), the final data needed to unlock the full game will automatically download.

This pre-purchase service offers a tremendous benefit to players, as they can avoid waiting in lines and be among the first people able to play the game once it arrives on their Wii U systems.

Iridium Studios, developer of the critically acclaimed Sequence, has unveiled just the barest fraction of the remarkable plot of There Came an Echo in a new, character-focused trailer. Beyond the insane action and innovative voice commands, the story reaches incredible levels of production quality thanks to its AAA voice cast, headed up by Wil Wheaton.

“We have the best voice cast in the history of indie games,” said Jason Wishnov, CEO of Iridium Studios. “Well, the guy from Bastion, he was really awesome. But we’re at least second.”

Joining Mr. Wheaton is Ashly Burch, Laura Bailey, Yuri Lowenthal, Cassandra Lee Morris, Rachel Robinson, and Cindy Robinson. The group braves extreme danger to uncover the mysteries around a seemingly unbreakable cryptographic lock and prevent a devastating secret from changing the very fabric of society.

Iridium Studios ran a successful Kickstarter campaign in March of 2013, and then procured further funding from Intel in a partnership to utilize their advanced Intel RealSense technology. They are very thankful to their fans around the world, regardless of gender, race, or beliefs.

For more details about the game and Kickstarter campaign, you can visit Iridium Studios’ website at www.playiridium.com.

From majestic peaks to the sprawling lowlands, get the low down on Kyrat & Far Cry 4 with this 101 trailer presented by Rabi Ray Rana from Radio Free Kyrat!

It is with regret that I must inform you that Bloodborne will be slightly delayed.While development continues unabated, we would like our team to deliver the best possible final experience. We were gratified by the feedback and data we received from those who participated in our limited Alpha test. The extra production time will also allow us to better integrate these learnings. Bloodborne is now set to launch in North America exclusively on PS4 on March 24th, 2015. All territories have been delayed.

Read Full Article

PixelNAUTS Games, an independent game studio, today announced that LOST ORBIT will be shipping in 2015 on Playstation 4 alongside the Steam release. The game will be playable at the PlayStation Experience event in Las Vegas on December 6th and 7th. Sony made the announcement on their blog today, featuring a new game play trailer for Lost Orbit.

Read Full Article

Konami has revealed the full list of club and national licenses that will feature in the upcoming Pro Evolution Soccer 2015 (“PES 2015”) title – including second-tier teams for the first time and all Brazilian top-flight teams. The publisher also revealed the content of a comprehensive day one update file that adds key new elements to the game.

Pre-orders are now live for the forthcoming Final Fantasy XIII-2 for Windows PC, Square Enx has announced. It is the second instalment in the Final Fantasy XIII series of games to launch for Windows PC and will release on 11th December 2014, priced at £12.99/ €15.99. The game is available to pre-order via the Square Enix Store and Steam, with those pre-ordering receiving 10% off.

The Windows PC launch of Final Fantasy XIII-2 includes a number of new features such as 60 FPS support from launch, customisable rendering resolution (720, 1080 and more) and Japanese Voice support with subtitles.

Square Enix  has also confirmed that following feedback from fans, the already released Final Fantasy XIII on Windows PC will also be updated in December to include the customisable rendering resolution option.

The most recent release in the Final Fantasy XIII series, Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII will be available for Windows PC in spring 2015.

Square Enix and Avalanche Studios today unveiled Just Cause 3, a vast open-world action adventure, and the latest instalment in the much-loved Just Cause series. Just Cause 3 will be available in 2015 for PlayStation 4, Xbox One and Windows PC.

"We’ve been waiting for this moment ever since Just Cause 2 was released, said Christofer Sundberg, founder and Chief Creative Officer at Avalanche Studios. “This is the culmination of a decade’s worth of open-world evolution and innovation. In Just Cause 3, we’ve sent Rico to a beautiful Mediterranean archipelago. He is of course bringing his Grapple and Parachute, both with game-changing upgrades, as well as the brand new Wingsuit. Just Cause 3 truly represents the next generation of chaotic sandbox fun, and we can’t wait to show you more next year."

Exclusive coverage and developer interviews can be found in Game Informer’s December issue. Additionally, visit GameInformer.com/JustCause3 throughout the month for on-going coverage.

In the open world of Far Cry 4 the elephant can be a powerful weapon, a deadly enemy, or a rampaging vehicle. Find out what makes these massive animals the most impressive creatures in Kyrat.. Far Cry 4 will be available November 18th, 2014 on PlayStation 4, PlayStation 3, Xbox One, Xbox 360, and PC.

Given that PC players have already waited a year for a version of Grand Theft Auto V to arrive on computers, last week's delay had to come as particularly disappointing news. Following its announcement about the PC version being pushed back, Rockstar has offered a brief (but fairly vague) explanation for why PC fans will be waiting until next year to get their hands on its latest open-world game.

Read Full Article

The Limited Edition 3DS will come with Smash Bros. 3DS pre-installed, as well as a host of characters on the lid. The pack will cost £209.99, and the website even offers what looks like a free t-shirt. Here's the pack shot:

Read Full Article

Rockstar Games has announced that Grand Theft Auto V will arrive on the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One on November 18th, 2014, with the PC version to follow on January 27th, 2015.

Grand Theft Auto V for PlayStation 4, Xbox One and PC will feature a range of major visual and technical upgrades to make Los Santos and Blaine County more immersive than ever. In addition to increased draw distances and higher resolution, players can expect a range of additions and improvements including:

- New weapons, vehicles and activities;

- Additional wildlife;

- Denser traffic;

- New foliage system;

- Enhanced damage and weather effects, and much more.

Grand Theft Auto V for PlayStation 4, Xbox One and PC will also feature enhanced radio selections, with over 100 additional new songs and new DJ mixes from returning DJs across the game's 17 radio stations.

All players who pre-order the game will receive $1,000,000 in-game cash to spend across Grand Theft Auto V and Grand Theft Auto Online.

A host of new, exclusive content also awaits for players returning from the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 versions including rare versions of classic vehicles to collect from across the Grand Theft Auto series such as the Dukes, the Dodo Seaplane and a faster, more maneuverable Blimp; activities, including wildlife photography; and new shooting range challenges, new weapons and more.

Enhancements to Grand Theft Auto Online include an increased player count, with online play now for up to 30 players on PlayStation 4 and Xbox One. All existing gameplay upgrades and Rockstar-created content released since the launch of Grand Theft Auto Online will also be available for the PlayStation 4, Xbox One and PC with much more to come.

Existing players on PlayStation 3 or Xbox 360 will be able to transfer their current Grand Theft Auto Online characters and progression to their choice of PlayStation 4, Xbox One or PC.

Watch 11 minutes of uncut single player Assassin’s Creed Unity gameplay. Narrated by Creative Director Alex Amancio, follow a full single player assassination mission from start to finish and experience the all new immersive gameplay elements. You’ll get a look at the all new parkour system, enhanced stealth, and the beautiful city of Paris all made possible by Ubisoft's all-new next gen engine.

PlayStation’s most imaginative franchise, LittleBigPlanet, is back with a new cast of playable plush characters in the biggest handcrafted adventure yet! Discover endless surprises that the LittleBigPlanet Community have created and shared for you to enjoy, with new levels and games to play every day. Then if you’re feeling inspired, flex your creative muscles with the powerful and intuitive customization tools, to bring your own imagination to life in LittleBigPlanet 3.

Today The Pokémon Company International showcased the Mega-Evolved form of Audino in a new trailer made especially for the crowds at gamescom, taking place this week in Cologne, Germany. Audino was not known to evolve from or to any other form, so this is an interesting twist in the mysterious story of Mega Evolution.

Before Mega Evolving, Audino is known to use the feelers on its ears to tell how others are feeling or when a Pokémon Egg might hatch. It may have either the Healer Ability or the Regenerator Ability. After Mega Evolving, Mega Audino adds Fairy type to its Normal type, automatically gaining all the advantages of Fairy type. Mega Audino always has the Healer Ability.

Thanks to its improved Defense and Special Defense stats, Mega Audino can be a great support in Double Battles. It emits a powerful, soothing pulse from its body that reduces hostility in others and calms any opponent within range. Pokémon should avoid contact with Mega Audino’s new secondary feelers lest they fall into a deep sleep and become easy prey to an opponent’s attacks!

Independent developer Forge Reply, today announced that In Space We Brawl, will be coming soon exclusively to the Sony PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 3 platforms. In Space We Brawl combines the best of classic arcade “beat ‘em up’s” with the competitive nature of a local multiplayer twin stick shooter. Players face off across different intergalactic battlegrounds, selecting from 11 spaceships and 11 weapon attachments, unleashing true cosmic mayhem.

“We couldn’t be more thrilled to be launching In Space We Brawl, exclusively on the PlayStation platforms,” said Alessandro Mazzega, head of PR and Marketing for Forge Reply. “In Space We Brawl brings back the classic couch multiplayer that we think players will really identify with. We’ve been testing the game in the streets all over Europe and the feedback has been incredible. We look forward to releasing more details soon and getting In Space We Brawl into the hands of players all over the world.”

In Space We Brawl features a local multiplayer setting with the gameplay mechanics of a fast paced space shooter. Players can select a ship and a weapon choosing among 100+ different combinations, looking for the best mix for their combat style. When battling in one of the eight different locations, they will also face environmental space hazards such as solar winds, black holes and alien nests that they must carefully navigate or use to their advantage when fighting against other players.

The anticipated Pinball FX2 pinball platform which allows players to import their tables from Xbox 360 to Xbox One at no charge is now available on Xbox One, Zen Studios has announced.

Pinball FX2 is a free to play pinball platform download on Xbox One, offering most of the Pinball FX2 library on day one, including the Star Wars Pinball table packs, a great selection of Marvel Pinball tables including the recently released Guardians of the Galaxy and Deadpool tables, and Zen’s original roster of tables available for purchase. Prices range between $2.49 and $2.99 for single tables and $9.99 for table packs, and are available from the Xbox Games Store. Pinball FX2 will receive regular content updates, including The Walking Dead pinball table releasing on August 28th, 2014.

Any available tables originally purchased on the Xbox 360 will transfer over to the Xbox One version of the game at no additional cost. For detailed information on the import process, visit the Pinball FX2 Xbox One FAQ on the Zen Studios forums.

Pinball FX2 brings all the pinball action for which the franchise is known into the next-generation with 1080p graphics at 60 frames per second, worldwide tournaments, new achievements, and a slick new menu interface.

505 Games and Hidden Path Entertainment today announced that Defense Grid 2, the sequel to the 2008 tower defense critical hit, will launch on September 23rd, 2014. The game is currently available for pre-order on Steam and will be released for digital download on PC, Mac, Linux, PlayStation 4 and Xbox One.

Gamers interested in Defense Grid 2 will find a robust pre-order campaign on Steam. In addition to receiving ten percent off of the launch price, consumers who pre-purchase Defense Grid 2 now will receive immediate access to the beta (currently only for Windows users). As more people pre-order, additional incentive tiers will be unlocked, including the original Defense Grid digital art book, a free copy of the Containment expansion to Defense Grid: The Awakening, and much more.

Trion’s MMO crossover, Defiance, is now free-to-play on PlayStation 3. Already free-to-play on PC, and coming soon to Xbox 360, Trion has rolled out a ton of new content to players including new missions, enemies, and a new region - Silicon Valley. New players and veteran ark hunters alike can band together and fight through the game’s entire Bay Area storyline, as well as charge into new exciting missions that will continue bridging the game and TV series throughout the summer.

Players who purchase a new box or digital copy of Defiance are also granted the following bonuses:

• A grant of 1,000 Arkforge, an in-game currency redeemable for resetting weapon mastery, upgrading a weapon’s power rating or even bumping an uncommon weapon to epic rarity.
• 4 Character Slots, 5 Loadouts, up to 75 Ark Keycodes and a minimum 70 Inventory Slots.
• 30 days of Paradise Patron status.

Paradise Patrons are granted: 

Following the unveiling during the Xbox news briefing at gamescom 2014, Double Eleven and Coffee Stain Studios have announced that gamers will soon be able to embark on the adventure that is Goat Simulator on Xbox One, via the ID@Xbox self-publishing program!

Double Eleven will honour the hilarious, unique and somewhat violent nature of Goat Simulator to ensure Xbox One owners get the ultimate goat experience.

Players will be able to live the dream and cause as much destruction as an actual goat from the comfort of their couch. Live life as a goat and wreck the world around you; add some creativity to your destruction and you’ll rack up even more points! Goat Simulator’s charm comes in part from the bugs that were deliberately left in. Coffee Stain Studios, the original developers, fixed the crash-bugs but left everything else to ensure a well-rounded, realistic experience of life as a goat (with hilarious consequences).

Lee Hutchinson CEO, "We're delighted to be working with Coffee Stain. They've created something truly enjoyable and completely disruptive; we want to bring that to Xbox One."

Anton Westbergh CEO, "Getting on Xbox One with the help of Double Eleven is really exciting. Everyone deserves a chance to goat around, and this is one step in the right direction!"

Handsome Jack’s back in Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel, and the fate of Pandora and its moon is in his hands…well his hands and the four unlikely Vault Hunters that he’s hired. Meet Nisha the Lawbringer, Athena the Gladiator, Wilhelm the Enforcer, and Claptrap the Fragtrap. They’re Pandora’s last hope and they’re not exactly the good guys.  Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel is out on October 14th, 2014.

Starbreeze has today unveiled its new project, OVERKILL’s The Walking Dead, based on the hugely popular The Walking Dead series created by Robert Kirkman. OVERKILL – a Starbreeze Studio, will deliver a completely new co-op experience to The Walking Dead universe, exploring new characters and storylines. OVERKILL’s The Walking Dead will be powered by Starbreeze’s Diesel engine updated for the next generation. The title is set to release in 2016.

Read Full Article

Today Ubisoft and Blue Byte announced the Closed Beta dates for The Settlers - Kingdoms of Anteria. The upcoming online PC game offers a persistent city building challenge with cooperative adventure gameplay and a comprehensive trading system within its community.

The German Closed Beta will start on August 20th, 2014 and the international English Closed Beta will begin on September 16th, 2014. In the Closed Beta players will be able to dive into the untamed lands of Anteria to experiment with gameplay mechanics including the persistent kingdom and the adventure gameplay, a new addition to The Settlers games. The Closed Beta will serve as an opportunity for the studio to test in game features and balance the game as needed.

To apply for the upcoming Closed Beta and receive updates about the game, sign up at the official website: http://www.thesettlers.com.

In the lates Insider Video, “The Cast of Alien”, see academy award nominated and golden globe winner actress, Sigourney Weaver (Ellen Ripley), Veronica Cartwright (Lambert), Harry Dean Stanton (Brett), Tom Skerritt (Dallas) and Yaphet Kotto (Parker) reveal further details of their return in Alien: Isolation. Players will be able to explore the Nostromo from habitation deck down through to engineering as they race to escape the terror that confronts them from within the depths of the ship. Alien: Isolation will be released on October 7th for the PlayStation 4, PlayStation 3, Xbox One, Xbox 360 and PC.

Following the Sony unveiling at Gamescom 2014, Double Eleven and Q-Games have announced that Nom Nom Galaxy (NNG) is coming to PlayStation 4 and PlayStation Vita!

The two studios have previously brought PixelJunk Monsters Ultimate and Shooter Ultimate to PlayStation, building on some great titles from the past. NNG however is a new venture for the studios, as it represents their first co-development on a new project alongside the Strategic Content team at Sony Computer Entertainment Europe.

Lee Hutchinson, CEO of Double Eleven, opens up about their work on the project: “We’ve always been impressed with Q’s ability to generate very unique worlds and play mechanics, and NNG we believe is the pinnacle of their efforts! It’s a big project, both in terms of scope and ambition and we’re delighted to be involved in designing and developing the game with Q.”

NNG is a genre melter that’s a co-op multiplayer game about building, expanding and maintaining an interstellar soup factory with your friends. It blends elements of tower defence, sandbox exploration, co-op platforming, resource management and construction, set in a unique living eco-system.

Dylan Cuthbert, founder of Q-Games had this to say, "Working with Double Eleven on bringing our games to life on PlayStation has been brilliant all around, letting us focus on gameplay fun more instead of the attention to detail and logistics needed for other versions. This is great for fans as they get the best of both worlds!"

In NNG there is heavy emphasis on playing online as Double Eleven are putting a lot of energy into creating a seamless drop-in co-op experience, allowing PS4™ and PS Vita players to all play within the same game; whether playing online or on the couch. Co-op play, has been at the core of the PixelJunk games and it will remain central to Nom Nom Galaxy PSN.

Nom Nom Galaxy is being created with the support of Sony Computer Entertainment’s Strategic Content team, who aim to bring the best new games to PlayStation. Shahid Ahmad said “At PlayStation, we’re big fans of Double 11 and Q Games. Together, they blend technical prowess and design flair to perfection, serving up game after excellent game. We’re delighted to be working with them again on Nom Nom Galaxy, which is shaping up to be their best collaboration yet for PlayStation 4 and PlayStation Vita.”

In addition to co-operative play, Double Eleven are going to introduce asynchronous and community challenges as well as many other new enhancements that will be revealed in future announcements. Double Eleven were the first studio to release a PS4 and PS Vita cross play title.

Atari has announced the development of RollerCoaster Tycoon World, a new PC version of the world-renowned RollerCoaster Tycoon franchise, to be released in early 2015.

RollerCoaster Tycoon World will be available for PC and feature a combination of fan-favorite and completely new gameplay – such as an innovative track builder, more rides than ever before, and all-new cooperative multiplayer functions in addition to classic single player modes.

With RollerCoaster Tycoon World, Atari is bringing back the incredible theme park experience to PC gamers and introducing a variety of thrilling new features. “The RollerCoaster Tycoon franchise has captured the heart of gaming enthusiasts globally for close to 15 years, and we’re eager to provide the next installment of the phenomenal series to new and life-long fans,” said Fred Chesnais, Chief Executive Officer, Atari. “Many of the new features in RollerCoaster Tycoon World were not possible a few years ago, but we have taken advantage of technological improvements to offer a wildly fun gaming experience that stays true to the storied franchise. This is the game fans have been asking for.”

RollerCoaster Tycoon World is packed with numerous fun-filled features that fans know and love, including designing an amusement park with different rides, attractions, and shops to manage, deep simulation, and destructible coasters. New gameplay includes visiting other player-created parks from around the world, sharing blueprints of other coaster creations, and choosing various landscapes on which to construct each park. Gamers can engineer their own individual environments in a full-featured single player mode, or enhance their experience by collaborating with up to four players to create one massively grand amusement park.

Developed by Pipeworks, RollerCoaster Tycoon World will be released as a full premium PC experience, giving fans the ability to enjoy a micro-transaction free amusement park. Atari will be announcing future updates about the game and entire franchise at: www.rollercoastertycoon.com.

SEGA has today announced Company of Heroes 2: Ardennes Assault; an all new standalone single-player expansion and a harrowing new chapter in the critically acclaimed series.

Company of Heroes 2: Ardennes Assault is inspired by the conflict that Winston Churchill once described as “undoubtedly the greatest American battle of the war” – the Battle of the Bulge. The new campaign content will see players take control of the US Forces in this pivotal World War II battle in the densely forested, strategically critical Ardennes region of Western Europe. They will face huge tactical and navigational challenges as they strive to repel a surprise attack from the relentless German Oberkommando West forces in 18 brand new, single-player scenarios.

Company of Heroes 2: Ardennes Assault will feature three entirely new Companies to choose from within the US Forces, each with their own unique Officers and play-style. Players will see their decisions and actions reflected across the Ardennes landscape in this dynamic new single-player campaign. Player choices are crucial as every decision will not only impact the story but also their Company with upgrades and Veterancy carrying over from mission to mission. With limited soldiers under your command, you must manage their lives and well-being effectively or risk losing that Company for good. Will you lead your Company valiantly and emerge as heroes?

“We can’t wait to bring our players this awesome new single-player campaign for Company of Heroes 2,” said Greg Wilson, Executive Producer at Relic Entertainment. ”We managed to include more missions in this expansion than we had in the original release and it’s packed full of great new features which we’ll be revealing over the coming months.”

Company of Heroes 2: Ardennes Assault is developed by Relic Entertainment and will be launching on November 18, 2014, for Windows PC and PC digital download platforms.

EA today announced that EA Sports is rewriting Next Gen Goalkeepers, bringing a new level of realism to gameplay in FIFA 15 on Xbox One, PlayStation 4, and PC, fuelled by EA Sports Ignite.

Goalkeepers in FIFA 15 will now look, move, and think like their real world counterparts with new AI that allows them to anticipate shots and passes, move with positional awareness, and display an array of new animations. Next Gen Goalkeepers is just one element of this season’s gameplay innovations that make FIFA 15 more immersive and responsive so fans can Feel the Game.

FIFA 15 adds all 18 clubs from the Turkish Süper Lig and gives the Barclays Premier League, the most played league across EA Sports FIFA, an authenticity overhaul. Fans will be able to play FIFA 15 in all 20 stadiums of the Barclays Premier League, with chants captured from live events of the 2013/14 Barclays Premier League season, and new commentary - matches will showcase broadcast overlays that are synonymous with the international TV presentation of the league. And more than 200 new realistic player faces have been 3D scanned and rendered for FIFA 15.

“We’re delivering innovations and improvements that have been at the top of our fans’ wish list: new goalkeepers, more responsive gameplay, and the Turkish Süper Lig,” said David Rutter, Vice President and General Manager at EA. “This year we’ve put the game in the hands of fans earlier than ever before, listened, and delivered what they want in gameplay, authenticity, and modes.”

The most popular game mode in the franchise,  FIFA Ultimate Team (FUT) adds new features to help fans build and manage a team of their football heroes. Loan Players gives fans a chance to determine if some of the most highly sought after FUT players are suitable for their squads by signing players on loan via EA Sports Football Club Catalogue and playing with them for a limited number of games. A powerful new squad planning tool Concept Squads gives access to every player available in FIFA Ultimate Team so fans can view team chemistry and plan their next line-up or transfer market move. Once fans build a squad, they can play Friendly Seasons in FIFA 15 Ultimate Team – fans can challenge friends in a five match season format and track their stats in the new progress menu. FIFA 15 Ultimate Team also sees the arrival of a number of new FIFA Ultimate Team Legends, only on Xbox.

In Career Mode, an all-new Team Management system gives fans the chance to customize up to six different team sheets and alter formations, tactics, and roles based on their next opponent – making it a seamless transition as they progress from game-to-game throughout their careers. Team Management also offers fans the chance to personalize gameplay by assigning up to five different attacking and defending player Instructions to each of the 10 outfield player positions. Instructions dictate the type of attacking runs and defensive positioning players will adopt.

EA Sports Football Club is more interactive than ever before connecting fans to their club, friends, and favourite modes.  Fans can now share news, interact with friends, and redeem items all via a new contextual EA Sports Football Club widget that gives fans direct access to the Football Club Catalogue and news feed. Strengthening the connection to clubs and leagues around the world, FIFA 15 adds a live football news hub, Match Day Live. Updated as news is published, and powered by Goal.com, Match Day Live will bring stories, stats, and league tables directly to the FIFA 15 menu so fans can stay up-to-date with information from the top leagues around the world.

FIFA 15, developed at EA Canada, will release worldwide in September on PC, Xbox One and the PlayStation 4, and is available for pre-order now on Origin and other retailers. A version of FIFA 15 will also release on the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, Wii, Nintendo 3DS and PlayStation Vita this Fall. Not all game features are available on all gaming platforms.

Fans who pre-order FIFA 15 Ultimate Team Edition will receive approximately $40 USD value of FIFA Ultimate Team content including new EA Sports Football Club items and game celebrations.

The Crew will be coming to the Xbox 360 on November 11th, in addition to the Xbox One, PlayStation 4 and Windows PC, Ubisoft has announced.

“It’s Ubisoft’s objective to continue to meet the needs of consumers who have not yet made the move to the new console generation,” said Geoffroy Sardin, senior vice president of sales and marketing, Ubisoft.

“The Crew was originally built for the new generation of consoles, but we have always had a desire to make it accessible to as many people as possible. We’re excited to bring The Crew’s same core features, massive scope, mission variety, and overall driving experience to Xbox 360 players.”

Asobo Studio is leading development of The Crew for Xbox 360 with support from the teams at Ivory Tower, Ubisoft Reflections and Ubisoft Shanghai.

Ubisoft also announced that after the closed beta on PC, that took place in July and will resume again on August 25th, a limited number of players will be invited to participate in a closed beta for Xbox One and the PlayStation 4 starting in late September. Exact dates and further details on this closed beta period will be revealed at a later time.

Activision and Sledgehammer Games today unveiled a new era for Call of Duty with the world premiere of  Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare multiplayer. Built for next generation gaming systems, Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare fundamentally changes Call of Duty multiplayer, delivering new player movements and capabilities, along with the deepest customization and player engagement features in franchise history.

With the all-new exoskeleton, players can boost jump, dodge, dash, slide, slam and more as the action goes vertical, while using future-tech, cutting-edge capabilities and a brand-new weapon class as part of nearly 350 custom weapons. Offering a new reward system, including more than 1,000 in-game player rewards, and nearly limitless customization options that create more than 2 billion unique player combinations and more, the title offers the most in-depth, robust and advanced  Call of Duty multiplayer experience ever on both next generation and current generation systems.

In addition to the multiplayer premiere, Activision today announced the Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare Day Zero Edition, which offers fans for the first time 24-hour early access to the game starting November 3rd. The  Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare Day Zero Edition is available on all platforms to customers who pre-order the game* and pick up on day zero - at no added cost. Collector's Edition copies of  Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare  will also be available for Day Zero early purchase and play, and will include the special  Day Zero Edition content. In addition to the early access of up to 24 hours in some territories, the  Day Zero Edition also includes two new, custom weapons as well as the previously announced Advanced Arsenal incentive.

"With  Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare we introduced the first new lead developer to the franchise in a decade and our first three-year development cycle, with one mission: bring breakthrough innovation to the franchise, while also honoring its roots. We feel Sledgehammer Games has risen to that challenge," said Activision Publishing, Inc.'s CEO, Eric Hirshberg. "Advanced Warfare introduces significant new mechanics to multiplayer that truly change the game, but more importantly just speaking as a gamer it's a hell of a lot of fun."

Three years in the making,  Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare  delivers a new level of tactical combat on all platforms, giving players all-new frenetic ways to move, starting with the power of the exoskeleton. The new gameplay abilities, movements, perks and mechanics expand the verticality of sightlines and maneuverability, increasing the amount of strategic options available to players, while staying true to  Call of Duty's fast, fluid multiplayer experience. Players can combine these new mechanics for offensive, defensive and overall evasive maneuvers unlike anything ever seen in  Call of Duty.

Also, the much loved Pick 10 create-a-class is back with even more customizable options than before with Pick 13. Gamers can now choose their favorite scorestreaks, which are fully customizable, and include them in their preferred class, raising the bar on personalization from top to bottom. The introduction of co-operative scorestreaks also allows friends to experience  Call of Duty multiplayer together in a new way, as for the first time ever, two players can now join a scorestreak and work co-operatively.

The technology of the future in  Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare  wouldn't be complete without advancement in weapon technology, beginning with the debut of a directed energy class of weapons. This all-new weapon class for  Call of Duty uses the power of focused energy to overcome enemies and relies on tactical heat management instead of reloads. Players can test out this new class, along with all their weapons, on the new Virtual Firing Range, a brand new feature that allows players to instantly test-drive their favorite weapon loadout with the click of a button before the next match starts.

"When we set out to envision the 2054 world of  Call of Duty, we spent a lot of time focused on evolving the multiplayer - offering all new experiences to the fans," said Glen Schofield, co-founder and game director of Sledgehammer Games.

"We can't wait for players to discover all of the new movement, mechanics, equipment, and modes built into  Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare,   as well as the depth of customization layered in for the most personalized  Call of Duty multiplayer experience to date," added Michael Condrey, co-founder and head of development of Sledgehammer Games.

Featuring 12 modes out of the box on day one, led by fan-favorites  Capture the Flag and  Hardpoint, Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare's multiplayer modes not only include classics such as Team Deathmatch, Domination, and Search and Destroy, but also new options for the playlist such as Uplink and Momentum, a new take on the classic War  mode.

Sledgehammer Games is also taking personalization to the next level with Create-an-Operator, a new character system, which allows players to personalize their soldier however they want from heads, helmets, eyewear, shirts, vests, kits, gloves, pants, knee-guards, boots and even the exoskeleton itself. Create-an-Operator is bolstered by a brand new reward system called  Supply Drops. The more someone plays, the more they earn.  Supply Drops can contain anything from custom weapons to unique character gear in different classes of rarity, all giving players multiplayer bragging rights.

In addition to showing off their Supply Drops gear in-game, the new Virtual Lobby lets players display their hard-earned challenge rewards and rare items, while waiting for the map to start. Billions of possible combinations exist, allowing gamers to personalize nearly everything on their in-game operator from head to toe. Players can finally see what their friends and opponents are bringing to the match, as the  Virtual Lobby is a quick and easy way to size up the competition and also plan your next move in create-an-operator.

Led by Sledgehammer Games,  Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare is being developed for Xbox One, PlayStation 4, PC, Xbox 360 and PS3.

Oddworld: New ‘n’ Tasty will be available to play on PlayStation 4 in the US, Canada and the rest of the Americas from July 22nd; and in the UK, Europe, Australia and New Zealand on July 23rd.

Top-down Tomb Raider spin-off Lara Croft and the Temple of Osiris will release on PlayStation 4, Xbox One and PC on December 9, Square Enix has confirmed.

Read Full Article

PopCap games is testing out a new Peggle title for launch, according to EA CEO Andrew Wilson. The executive told investors and analysts in a conference call Tuesday that the studio is working on another entry in the peg-bouncing, ball-shooting series, as transcribed by Seeking Alpha.

Read Full Article

Pre-order bonuses for Batman: Arkham Knight may have surfaced prematurely, thanks to a leaked promotional ad from Gamestop. Batman News originally got hold of the image, which you can see below, offering anyone who pre-orders the final chapter in Rocksteady's saga at the store a DLC pack where you play as Harley Quinn, and another in which you take on the role of Red Hood.

Read Full Article

• Special Anime Pack” 10th anniversary Collectors Edition packaging
• Samurai Warriors: Legend of the Sanada anime (Blu-ray Disc)
• Samurai Warriors 4 game (PlayStation 4)
• Samurai Warriors 4 Official Soundtrack (CD)
• Special Costume Pack 4: Garcia, Ina, Nene and Oichi (DLC)
• Old Costume Pack 1: Yukimura, Mitsuhide, Nobunaga, Noh, Oichi, and Ranmaru (DLC)
• Edit Parts Pack 1 which allows facial and Western themed armor customization (DLC)

GameStop (U.S.) and Game (Europe) pre-orders will include:

• Scenario Pack 1: New stages "Sinister Beauties" and "Men of Charm and Courage", new items "Gold Lacquered Box" and "Lion Censer"
• Special Costumes for: Mitsunari Ishida and Toyohisa Shimazu

Amazon and Best Buy (U.S.) pre-orders include:

• Weapon Pack 1: New weapons for over 25 characters (ShopTo.net in Europe)
• Old Costume Pack 2: Costumes inspired by the original Samurai Warriors for Keiji Maeda, Kenshin Uesugi, Kunoichi and Shingen Takeda (CentreSoft in Europe)

Creative Director Alex Amancio presents the technological leap which will allow you to live a unique experience in Assassin's Creed Unity. With a redesigned game engine, refined fighting skills and combat system, but also a breathtaking atmosphere: welcome to the true new-gen experience!

EA has been forced to radically change its plans for Christmas, as Battlefield Hardline is redesigned following feedback from the beta. Delays have been announced for two of EA’s biggest games this year, with Dragon Age: Inquisition being put back a month from 10 October till November 18.

Read Full Article

EA Sports UFC received a free update this week that adds three fighters to the next-gen mixed martial arts game. Of the three new fighters, two are in the bantamweight division, as bantamweight champion TJ Dillashaw joins the roster along with Takeya Mizugaki. The third addition is in the welterweight division, Tyron Woodley.

Read Full Article

The ‘Best of British’ Car Pack for GRID Autosport is now available for the Xbox 360, Windows PC and PlayStation 3 priced at £2.39, Codemasters has announced.

The ‘Best of British’ car pack features three stunning vehicles, each engineered and produced in the UK. Gamers can see each of the cars in action in a new video below introduced by Lead Handling Designer Gehan Pathiraja, who comments of the creation process, “We spend hours of research and a lot of time behind the pad and the steering wheel to make them [the cars] as accurate as possible. There’s a lot of work that goes into it to make it feel like that car. Because we’ve taken a handcrafted approach, we really care for the gameplay and we want other people to experience that as well.”

The three cars available in the pack, with accompanying comments from Gehan, are as follows:

1995 McLaren F1 GTR
“We all know the McLaren F1 is an awesome road car – this is the GTR designed for Endurance Racing. It’s got a huge wing that will give you massive downforce in the corners, it’s all about being brave and attacking those corners at speeds you never thought possible.”

2011 Aston Martin Zagato V12
“The Zagato model has bodywork styled by Italian designers, but has a typical Aston Martin V12 engine, very powerful, very torquey. If you can manage the weight and the grip and fire it out the corners, you’ll benefit from all that power from the V12.”

2007 McLaren Mercedes SLR 722
“It’s got a huge supercharged V8 engine that sounds like an old World War Two Spitfire. There’s clearly a lot of power being put out from the V8, and you can really feel that in the car in our game.”

Feral Interactive today announced that the fairytale platforming game Castle of Illusion Starring Mickey Mouse, the fantastical re-imagining of the beloved SEGA Genesis/Mega Drive game of the same name, will be released for Mac on Thursday, July 24th.

When Minnie Mouse is kidnapped by the evil witch Mizrabel, it’s up to Mickey to rescue her from Mizrabel’s castle, a magical stronghold where ingeniously challenging levels await the intrepid mouse behind every door. As he ventures deeper into this whimsical world, Mickey discovers that Mizrabel’s powerful illusions make for very real danger.

As Mickey, players will run, jump, swing and swim through a haunted forest, a maze of living books and even a milkshake-flooded candy world as they solve puzzles and confront a series of increasingly tricky tasks and spellbound adversaries in the quest to save Minnie. Brought to life with sparkling graphics inspired by Disney's signature animation style and completely rebuilt from the ground up, Castle of Illusion Starring Mickey Mouse recreates the original game’s side-scrolling platform action for new adventurers and veteran heroes alike.

“Castle of Illusion Starring Mickey Mouse evokes the storybook feel of classic Disney fairytales,” said David Stephen, Managing Director of Feral Interactive. “Everything from the charming environments to the movements of Mickey and his enchanted adversaries harks back to Disney’s rich legacy of animation.”

Castle of Illusion Starring Mickey Mouse for the Mac will retail on the Mac App Store in North America for $14.99, £10.49 in the UK and €13.99 throughout Europe. Prices will vary slightly for versions of the game sold via other stores. Castle of Illusion Starring Mickey Mouse for Mac will be available online for direct download from a variety of digital partner sites worldwide including feralinteractive.com, Steam and the Mac App Store.

Minimum system requirements call for a 1.8GHz Intel Mac with at least 4.0GB RAM, 256MB or better graphics card, and Mac OS 10.8.5 or later. The game requires an Nvidia 600 series, an AMD 4000 series or an Intel 4000 graphics card or better. A Steam account is required to access online multiplayer.

Captured from FIFA 15 gameplay, see players reacting to big moments as they would in real life, unique crowds and new celebrations.

Vivid Games has announced today that the award-winning title Real Boxing has just received a new update, redefining the critically acclaimed formula of the ultimate boxing experience on Mobile with the addition of a brand new Combo System, fresh set of Weekly Tournaments for players to enjoy in multiplayer, and more! To celebrate the launch of the new update, Real Boxing is available for free on the Apple App Store, with the offer extending to the game’s version available on the Mac App Store.

Read Full Article

Microsoft is to close Xbox Entertainment Studios "in the coming months", abandoning its venture into original Xbox video content. The company previously had big plans for the studio, including a live-action Halo TV series and a documentary series based on the crash of Atari. They will reportedly continue as planned but no further content will likely be produced.

Read Full Article

The Last of Us won't receive any further single player content, Naughty Dog has confirmed. Following reports earlier this week that more downloadable content is on the way, community strategist Arne Meyer clarified there is "definitely not" more campaign chapters planned, but revealed more multiplayer add-ons would arrive throughout the year.

Read Full Article