Train2Game News Mankind Divided supports Eye Tracking

Tobii, the global leader in eye tracking, and Eidos® Montreal, the award winning studio, today announced that the PC version Deus Ex: Mankind Divided® will support multiple eye-tracking features. 
Powered by Tobii eye trackers, Tobii EyeX and the SteelSeries Sentry allow for greater game immersion, a cleaner UI, and enhanced navigation. A Tobii EyeX and Deus Ex® game bundle is set to be released on the 23rd of August.

“With the Deus Ex franchise being a window to the future, we always try to provide innovative, ground-breaking experiences for our players,” says André Vu, Executive Brand Director at Eidos Montréal. “The numerous Tobii eye tracking features built into the game will provide PC gamers an extra layer of immersion that blends perfectly with the futuristic universe depicted in Deus Ex.”

The Tobii EyeX, a €119 (or UK equivalent) peripheral eye tracker that connects to any existing PC via USB, empowers gamers with new, more realistic experiences in their games. Eye tracking serves as an additional modality that adds to the game experience without taking anything away or restricting the gamer in any way. Tobii sees numerous opportunities for eye tracking to enhance game immersion and realism, including the development of more responsive characters that interact with you when you make eye contact or features that mimic the functions of the eye, like dynamic depth of field or light exposure.
“The commitment by Eidos Montréal and Square Enix® to bring eye tracking to the mega Deus Ex franchise is another demonstration of the industry’s belief in the value of eye tracking,” said Oscar Werner, president of Tobii Tech. “We applaud the team at Eidos Montréal for their forward thinking approach and drive to give their gamers more.”

Deus Ex: Mankind Divided comes with a ton of new innovations to make gamers salivate. With eye tracking integration, gameplay becomes more immersive as the gamer’s eye movement is harnessed to create more natural and more realistic actions, making them part of this futuristic, dystopian world. Tobii eye tracking features include:

·         Aim at Gaze – Look at the target to take aim, then press a button and fire. This feature let players take out enemies using their natural gaze and will even work when locking the tesla gun for all-out mayhem.

·         Extended View- Look to the edge of the screen and the game’s camera will pan – giving players a wider field of view with just a glance. The natural eye movement will allow further immersion into the game’s environment and let players control what they want to see – just as in real life.

·         Icarus Dash at gaze – Simply look in the direction you want Adam to move in – even vertically. This will allow players you use the controls in a more fluid manner.

·         Interact at gaze – This feature lets players move effortlessly using the natural gaze to intuitively interact with objects. Look at an object, press a button and automatically move towards it before picking it up.

·         Clean UI- This feature lets player access UI info only when needed, giving them deeper immersion into the game’s environment. Look and they’ll appear. Look away, they’ll become nearly transparent. The screen is always covered fully in the game’s world, with the vital stats just a glance away. Helps you embrace the game’s environment. Helps players keep track of what you need to –when they need to.

·         Cover at Gaze – This feature lets players find refuge when the heat is on just by gazing across the environment – highlighting places you can hide behind. (Not available on August 23, this feature will be available in an upcoming update.)

Deus Ex: Mankind Divided, the sequel to the critically acclaimed Deus Ex: Human Revolution®, builds on the franchise’s trademark choice and consequence, action RPG based gameplay, to create both a memorable and highly immersive experience. Players will once again take on the role of Adam Jensen, now an experienced covert agent, and will gain access to his new arsenal of customizable state-of-the-art weapons and augmentations. With time working against him, Adam must choose the right approach, along with whom to trust, in order to unravel a vast worldwide conspiracy. The game also includes Deus Ex: Mankind Divided – Breach, a new and innovative game mode. This new take on the game offers, for the very first time, an arcade approach on the gameplay of Deus Ex: Mankind Divided, providing players with a unique puzzle shooter experience.

New Tobii EyeX customers will receive a free copy of Deus Ex: Mankind Divided when they purchase the Tobii EyeX and Deus Ex Bundle here.

Train2Game News Insomnia58 confirms Microsoft

Multiplay, the company behind the largest gaming festival in the UK has today revealed the games Microsoft will be showcasing at Insomnia58 this August bank holiday.  
The blockbuster titles join an already exciting line-up, making this summer’s event the best place for fans to try the latest games.

Upcoming releases from Microsoft’s biggest franchises, all highlights of its E3 presentation, will be available to play for the first time in the UK, including Gears of War 4, Forza Horizon 3 and the latest zombie epic, Dead Rising 4. All Titles will be exclusive to Xbox One and Windows 10 PC, with the majority being part of the Xbox Play Anywhere programme.

Gears of War 4, the cover based shooter, features an all new cast of characters, including JD Fenix, the son of the legendary Marcus Fenix. Set 25 years after the events of Gears of War 3, the newest instalment in the franchise is set to be a huge hit with Xbox fans.

Insomnia58 will be the first time driving game fans in the UK will be able to experience the fast-paced action of Forza Horizon 3, experience thrilling racing, addictive gameplay and stunning graphics.

The Xbox One timed exclusive, Dead Rising 4, due for release later in December, will also be at Insomnia58, giving fans of the ever popular zombie-smashing genre exclusive access to the hotly anticipated game, months before its release.

Additional titles on display include Remedy’s Quantum Break, fighting classic Killer Instinct as well as the exciting new Xbox exclusive action-adventure Recore. Microsoft is also bringing the latest details on Indie games such as Cuphead, Everspace, Raiders of the Broken Planet and The Turing Test. 

Insomnia58 is taking place at the NEC, Birmingham from 26-29 August 2016, with day tickets available online from £25: https://insomniagamingfestival.com/tickets/.

Train2Game News Pokémon at Insert Coin

A brand new apparel range will be showcasing at a special Pokémon X Insert Coin store in London later this month.
A collaboration which brings together Pokémon’s twenty-year heritage and Insert Coin’s industry-leading reputation of creating stylish designer gamer-wear will be launching later this month. The collection aims to bring together everyone’s love of the Pokémon brand and will feature fan favorites such as Magikarp, Snorlax, Jigglypuff and Charmander… and of course Pikachu! 

The new range will debut at a special ‘Pokémon X Insert Coin’ pop up shop from 25 – 30 August at London’s Old Truman Brewery. The shop will also include some memorabilia from Pokémon’s 20-year history and there will be live appearances from Pikachu.

Products will only be available in-store whilst stocks last. The initial run of products will be limited in availability to the Pokémon x Insert Coin store and will be sold on a first come, first served basis – before appearing on www.insertcoinclothing.com later this year.

Train2Game News Mobius Final Fantasy available today

MOBIUS FINAL FANTASY™, the FINAL FANTASY® role-playing adventure game custom-tailored for mobile platforms, is available for iPhone, iPad and Android devices today.
This new RPG adventure features in-depth character customization, ongoing live events, and HD graphics that push the boundaries of the mobile platform. The all-star development team includes producer Yoshinori Kitase and writer Kazushige Nojima – known for their work on the acclaimed  FINAL FANTASY VII and upcoming  FINAL FANTASY VII REMAKE.

As part of a special promotion running through August 31, SQUARE ENIX® is awarding players with special in-game items, including Tidus’s signature weapon from FINAL FANTASY X, Brotherhood; a Yuna character card; extra Ability Tickets; Summon Tickets; and much more. Daily login rewards, including extra Bronze Openers, Ability Tickets and Elixirs, will also be available through August 12.

MOBIUS FINAL FANTASY is available as a free download (with in app purchases) from the App Store and Google Play.

The new launch trailer can be viewed on YouTube: https://youtu.be/qZ80g2Dlolc.

Train2Game News Gamers make best drivers

Marmalade, the leading specialist in learner and young drivers’ insurance, has revealed that contrary to public perception, gamers are in fact amongst the safest young drivers in the UK.
To ascertain whether hobbies and interests have an impact on how young people drive, Marmalade also surveyed a group of customers. It analysed their driving behaviour, using telematics data from their recent journeys, to identify which interests are most likely to make a driver safer or more reckless.

Marmalade’s own telematics data analysis of its customers concluded that gamers were amongst the safest drivers on UK roads, with many customers gaining higher than average safety scores of over 90% in an average journey.

These findings were then measured against a YouGov survey* commissioned by the insurance company to understand the general public’s perceptions of drivers and what makes a safe driver.

The survey asked the public which hobbies were most generally indicative of reckless driving. 52% of YouGov survey respondents who identified a hobby as indicative of reckless driving, said that those who liked computer gaming are more likely to be a careless driver, significantly more than any other hobby listed. Other options included reading, computer gaming, listening to music, socialising and watching TV/films.

Marmalade wanted to investigate correlations between lifestyle choices and driving style to work with its young customers to help improve driver safety.

Guy Knight, Director of Marmalade, says: “Our ethos has always been to support our drivers by offering second-to-none customer service alongside fantastic products that suit them and their lifestyles. We’re thrilled that our data confirms whatever hobby you choose you can still be a safe driver.”

In support of Marmalade’s findings, research from the University of Rochester, USA,  shows that video game players develop a heightened sensitivity to what is going on around them, and this benefit doesn’t just make them better at playing video games, but improves everyday activities like driving.

Jim Knight, a 20-year-old Ambassador for Marmalade, says: “I do enjoy gaming and I feel I’m a good and safe driver –it might even impact positively on my driving. I believe that my hobbies have no impact on my driving, so please don’t stereotype us!”

With this insight, Marmalade has developed a quiz game and competition for young drivers to take part and discover what type of driver they are. Entrants will also be in with a chance to win a Vauxhall Corsa, 1.4 litre SRI: www.wearemarmalade.co.uk/stereotypes .

Train2Game News Batman Telltale Series Episode One now available

Leading and award-winning developer and publisher of digital entertainment Telltale Games, in partnership with Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment, today released the season premiere episode of the highly anticipated  BATMAN – The Telltale Series, now available for download.
BATMAN – The Telltale Series Episode One: Realm of Shadows makes its worldwide debut digitally today on PC from the Telltale Online Store, Steam, and other digital distribution services; on the PlayStation®Network for PlayStation 4; and on the Xbox Games Store for Xbox One®. The premiere episode will also be available later this week on Mac from the Telltale Online Store, Steam, and other digital distribution services; later this month on the PlayStation®Network for PlayStation 3, and on the Xbox Games Store for Xbox 360®; and the week of Sept. 13 for compatible iOS devices via the App Store, and for compatible Android-based devices via Google Play and the Amazon Appstore. 

The series will also be available to purchase at retailers for a MSRP of $29.99 USD or equivalent starting Sept. 13 in North America as a special “Season Pass Disc,” which will include the first of five episodes in the season, and will grant access to the subsequent four episodes as they become available for download via online updates. The series will then be available to purchase at retailers across Europe beginning Sept. 16.

“Creating an entirely original story surrounding the man behind the mask and challenging players to take on the role of Bruce Wayne just as much as the mythic Batman has resulted in one of our most sophisticated Telltale series yet,” said Kevin Bruner, CEO, Co-Founder of Telltale Games. “Our game will explore all aspects of Bruce’s life, from his tense encounters in public with Gotham City’s most notorious criminals by day, to his thrilling chases across the rooftops at night, players will think twice about their choices and consequences in a city that’s always watching the actions of its most famous billionaire.”

“Telltale Games is renowned for its unique style of interactive storytelling, which is a great match for the incredibly iconic character of Batman,” said David Haddad, President, Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment. “We are excited to further expand our partnership with Telltale to bring fans an entirely new way to experience the many layers of Bruce Wayne’s story.”

The series also marks the first ever unique, local multiplayer options for a Telltale game with the all-new  Crowd Play feature. Revealed at the game’s sneak preview during San Diego Comic-Con,  Crowd Play allows game owners to invite a group of players to vote on story decisions and give feedback from their mobile devices using any web browser connected online when following along with the lead player on a main screen. The feature is designed to allow 2-24 or more players to enjoy episodes together in their living rooms, and will also accommodate much larger crowds and audiences of over 1,000 at special upcoming live events in theaters organized by Telltale.  Crowd Play will allow for a new and instantly accessible way for players to enjoy Telltale entertainment together as a group, creating an experience that continues to break new ground in the space between games and interactive cinematic storytelling. 

Visit telltale.com/crowdplay/support for more information on the feature.

BATMAN – The Telltale Series is an episodic game series licensed by Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment and based on DC’s iconic character. Rendered to look like a living, breathing comic book, Telltale’s vision of Batman features an award-winning cast of talent, including Troy Baker in the role of  Bruce Wayne, Travis Willingham as  Harvey Dent, Erin Yvette as  Vicki Vale, Enn Reitel as  Alfred Pennyworth, Murphy Guyer as  Lieutenant James Gordon, Richard McGonagle as Carmine Falcone, and Laura Bailey as  Selina Kyle. Additional cast and characters will be revealed as the season progresses.

Train2Game News Ubisoft announce The Division film

Today, Ubisoft Motion Pictures, the film and television studio of Ubisoft®, announced a new project, “The Division” with Academy Award® nominees Jessica Chastain (The Martian, Interstellar, The Help, Zero Dark Thirty) and Jake Gyllenhaal (End of Watch, Nightcrawler, Southpaw) attached.
“We are excited to collaborate with Jessica and Jake, two of Hollywood’s most talented actors  and perfect creative collaborators to help bring Tom Clancy’s The Division™ to the big screen,” said Gerard Guillemot, Chief Executive Officer, Ubisoft Motion Pictures. “Attaching Jake and Jessica is part of our development philosophy of working closely with top talent from the earliest stages to collaborate on a high quality film,” added Matt Phelps, Vice President, Ubisoft Motion Pictures.

Ubisoft Motion Pictures will develop the project with Gyllenhaal’s and Riva Marker’s (Beasts of No Nation) Nine Stories Productions, and Chastain’s Freckle Films. The announcement comes after the critically-acclaimed Tom Clancy’s The Division™ video game, developed by Ubisoft’s Massive Entertainment studio, sold more copies in its first 24 hours of availability than any previous title in Ubisoft’s history and recorded the biggest first week ever for a new video game franchise.

Gyllenhaal can next be seen starring opposite Amy Adams in Tom Ford’s Nocturnal Animals, scheduled to open November 18th 2016.  He recently completed filming on Bong Joon Ho’s Okja and begins filming on Daniel Espinosa’s Life this week.  Through Nine Stories, Gyllenhaal produced David Gordon Green’s upcoming Stronger, in which he also stars.

Chastain will next be seen in John Madden’s political thriller Miss Sloane, and Niki Caro’s adaptation of Diane Ackerman’s novel The Zookeeper’s Wife, opposite Daniel Bruhl. She is also set to star in Aaron Sorkin’s film adaptation of Molly Bloom’s memoir Molly’s Game alongside Idris Elba and Susanna White’s period drama Woman Walks Ahead.

Ubisoft Motion Pictures and New Regency’s Assassin’s Creed®, starring Academy Award® nominee Michael Fassbender, has recently completed principal photography. Assassin’s Creed will be released by 20th Century Fox on December 21st 2016. Other Ubisoft Motion Pictures projects currently in development include: Splinter Cell at New Regency with Tom Hardy attached, Ghost Recon with Warner Brothers, Watch Dogs with Sony Pictures Entertainment and New Regency, as well as Rabbids with Sony Pictures Entertainment.

Train2Game News VRTGO 2016 Announced

The organisers of VRTGO have announced the return of their popular future-gazing VR conference and expo.
Entering its successful third year, VRTGO is one of the most established industry VR conferences in the world. This year, VRTGO is going BIG.

This event will see an array of exciting demos that will show the power of VR for business as well as entertainment. In addition, the people who are creating the best hardware and content for this emerging frontier will all be showing their latest and greatest.  Attend and learn about the future potential of virtual, augmented and mixed reality.

Sign up for the early bird all access pass today – click HERE.

The conference will welcome talks from Framestore, Hammerhead, Epic Games, Rewind Studio, ARM and many more.

“VR is pushing the boundaries of interactive experiences to a level only dreamt of in sci-fi, we are constantly developing magical new ways for people to be immersed in new worlds.  An example includes our award winning “Field Trip to Mars”, where school children were taken to Mars in a school bus.  We will be attending VRTGO to share our projects and meet other VR specialists”, said Karl Woolley, Head of VR Studio, London, Framestore.

Steve Jelley, Joint MD of Hammerhead VR said, “we pick and choose our events carefully and we’re excited to be exhibiting at VRTGO this year as they always have an engaged audience, and speakers that bring lots of insights into our rapidly expanding industry.”

Carri Cunliffe, conference director said, “We are excited to have so many great companies involved and we will be announcing more very shortly.  As always, we will have provocative panel discussions, outstanding speakers and amazing demos. This year, social VR will be a main theme as its emergence is changing the worlds of business and pleasure alike.”

See www.vrtgo.co.uk to buy tickets and see more information.

Train2Game News Batman Unmasked

With only a few days left before the debut of BATMAN – The Telltale Series, Telltale are excited to share with you the first episode of their all-new video series Batman: Unmasked!
Hosted by kindafunny.com’s Greg Miller, Batman: Unmasked is a series of after-show discussions on all things pertaining to the The Caped Crusader’s upcoming action-packed interactive narrative adventure. With special guests that include comic book industry experts, community legends, cast and crew, Batman: Unmasked delves into what makes Bruce Wayne tick, as well as in-depth dissections of each episode of the Telltale series as they release.

In this inaugural episode, Greg talks with ComicVine’s Tony Guerrero, Telltale’s CEO Kevin Bruner, and the game’s Executive Producer, Sean O’Connor. Join them as they discuss the origins of the game, as well as what you can expect in this new five part series.

Be sure to let Telltale know what you think of this first in a series of episodic discussion shows on  Twitter,  Facebook, or the community forums!

BATMAN – The Telltale Series Episode 1: ‘Realm of Shadows’ premieres digitally worldwide August 2nd on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC/Mac. It will also arrive digitally on PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 later in August. Season Pass Discs for PS4, Xbox One, PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 will become available September 13th along with mobile versions for iOS and Android devices.

You can enjoy the first episode of Batman: Unmasked, here.