SQUARE ENIX® today announced the debut of a new video program called SQUARE ENIX PRESENTS, a series of shows in which the company will reveal new games, updates and news directly to the global gaming community throughout the year.
The first show, debuting on March 18 at 10:00 a.m. PDT / 1:00 p.m. EDT on Square Enix’s official Twitch and YouTube channels.
These shows will run approximately 40-minutes and include the world premiere of the next game in the critically acclaimed and award-winning Life is Strange™ series, featuring an all-new protagonist wielding an exciting new power.
The show will also feature trailers, gameplay videos and announcements for the following:
Outriders™, the high-intensity RPG-shooter set in an original dark and desperate sci-fi universe, coming out on April 1
Balan Wonderworld™, which arrives on March 26
The ongoing celebration for the 25th anniversary of TOMB RAIDER®
Marvel’s Avengers, the story-driven, third-person action-adventure game from Crystal Dynamics
Upcoming action shooter Just Cause® Mobile
New mobile game announcements from the award-winning Square Enix Montréal studio
A look at a few of the whimsical games from Square Enix sister company TAITO
To receive event updates and other Square Enix news, sign up to become a Square Enix Member; and be sure to subscribe to Square Enix’s official Twitch and YouTube channels ahead of the showcase on March 18.
Video game playing rose to a new level, with UK consumers’ time playing up 4 percent over last year.
The desire to stay connected and entertained while stuck at home during the pandemic has driven online gaming popularity – more than a third of UK gamers (37 percent) have made new friends through online gaming in the last year. In fact, gamers in the UK are now playing video games an average of seven hours 10 minutes each week according to the “State of Online Gaming 2021,” a report commissioned by Limelight Networks, Inc. (Nasdaq: LLNW), on global gaming preferences and habits.
New data shows that the increases in gaming over the last year are driven by gamers’ desire for social connections. Over a third of UK gamers (37 percent) say they’ve made new friends through online games in the past year and 15 percent say the ability to interact with other players is extremely important. Opportunities for interactivity and social engagement are likely drivers for video game adoption with the majority (51 percent) of UK gamers saying they started playing online video games in the past year.
Additional findings from the report include:
Performance drives demand for next-generation consoles. Three quarters (74 percent) of global gamers are interested in purchasing a new console, due to updated technology (32 percent) and faster game play (31 percent). Gamers in China are most likely to consider upgrading their console (92 percent).
Gamers demand fast gaming experiences. Fast performance is extremely important to 35 percent of UK gamers, the lowest response among all countries surveyed. In addition, 87 percent of UK gamers say the process of downloading games is frustrating.
Binge-gaming reached an all-time high. The average global gamer has played video games consecutively for five hours and six minutes, which is a eight percent increase from last year. Sessions in the UK were 4 percent higher than the global average, at five hours and 18 minutes per week. Young gamers ages 18 to 25 have binge-gamed for the longest at an average of nearly six hours.
Video games have become a spectator sport. Over half (56 percent) of global gamers say they’ve started to watch others play video games in the past year. The proportion of UK gamers watching others play video games online on a weekly basis reached a tipping point in the past year, increasing from 49 percent to 53 percent.
Playing video games is the top entertainment choice for many. Nearly half of UK gamers (44 percent) say they prefer to play video games versus watching a movie or TV show.
“Video gaming has evolved into a social platform. Gamers want interactive, high performance, disruption-free experiences that allow them to connect with others and play longer,” said Nigel Burmeister, Vice President at Limelight Networks. “This evolution is putting pressure on gaming companies to match this demand and requires technology investments like edge computing to deliver high-quality gaming environments to users across the globe.”
The “State of Online Gaming 2021” report is based on responses from 4,000 consumers in China, Germany, India, Indonesia, South Korea, the United Kingdom, the United States and Vietnam, ages 18 and older who play video games. This included 500 respondents in the UK.
Indie game developer Pixel Ghost Studios is proud to announce the release of Realm Engine, a system-agnostic Virtual Tabletop worldbuilder aimed at RPG enthusiasts.
Created by Blake Johnson, Realm Engine is available as a FREE download via STEAM™ and is continuously being updated with additional content and features.
Realm Engine allows for images of created maps to be exported for easy integration to other platforms and includes 100s of high-quality assets supporting a diverse range of campaign styles from arid deserts to ocean-based campaigns.
Currently in Early Access, you can make or furnish each room in a crowded Inn or map out large village scenes for a chase scene. The base world supports 250 x 250 and the upcoming Elite version for later release will support unlimited sizes. Scenes can be set with dynamic weather and you may control fog, rain and the sun using intuitive sliders to tailor your needs. The dynamic lighting allows you to create very realistic scenes and light-levels experienced by the players. With a little practice you can achieve just the right mood for your setting. Fog-of-war is supported as well and adds an additional layer of realism.
Realm Engine has 3D terrain sculpting options that enable you to build mountains, valleys, rivers, islands and almost anything you can imagine. Alternatively, using a single click, you can create randomly generated environments. From the TableTop there is projector and second-monitor support, capable of delivering an amazing experience for those who want to utilize its in-person/tabletop features through the use of an external screen.
Realm Engine has a thriving community supporting the creation and development of upcoming content and features. An online multiplayer feature is currently in the works for BETA Testers via Patreon. The project is a labor of love and more than 8000+ hours of development has gone into the current build.
At its core, Realm Engine is a world builder that supports the building and running any game of your choice and with more than 500+ of placeable assets, interactive doors, locks and lighting, there is plenty to get you up and running.
Rising Star Games are proud to announce Harvest Moon: One World is available now across Europe for Nintendo Switch.
The game is rated PEGI 3 and USK 0 and is available across Europe physically and digitally for £39.99 / €49.99*.
“Harvest Moon: One World is our largest Harvest Moon game yet,” said Hiro Maekawa, President and CEO of Natsume. “With five different lands inspired by real life places, mystical Harvest Wisps, innovative tools that help you quickly travel and take your barn with you, and new rare and exotic animals, this is truly a new world for players to explore. Players will ride camels across the deserts of Pastilla, venture deep into the snowy mountains of Salmiakki, and even visit a volcano near the cozy mountain town of Lebkuchen!”
Can you imagine a world without cabbage, tomatoes, or even carrots? Believe it or not, that’s the world you’ll find yourself in at the beginning of Harvest Moon: One World, as the Harvest Goddess, the queen of crops herself, has vanished…
However, before the Harvest Goddess disappeared from this world, she imbued the tiny Harvest Wisps with the knowledge of various seeds, thus ensuring the various fruits and vegetables of the world would not be lost. Using the power given to these Harvest Wisps, you’ll unlock various seeds as you progress through the game! But the Harvest Wisps can be tricky to find, as they all appear at different times and places. You’ll need to use your noggin to make sure you seek out as many of them as you can!
Explore five unique and colorful areas: the sprawling grasslands of Calisson, the gorgeous beaches of Halo Halo, the searing desert heat of Pastilla, the cozy hills of Lebkuchen, and the snowy mountains of Salmiakki!
Choose your main character and meet all of the five handsome bachelors and five beautiful bachelorettes, each with their own unique personality and backstory!
Raise and keep animals such as cows, sheep, goats, and even reindeer!
Use your Expando-Farm to easily travel from one area to another!
Season Pass & Four DLC Packs
We also have a free feature update coming later this year to Lonely Mountains: Downhill. Introducing Daily Rides where players will compete cross-platform for the top spot on the daily leaderboard. Each day a trail will be selected randomly with new obstacles and shortcuts. The daily challenges will take place in a 3 to 8 week season where you can unlock new and unique rewards for participating and be among the top players at the end of a season.
The farming fun continues in four DLC packs! Interior Design & Tool Upgrade Pack and the Season Pass are available today. Far East Adventure Pack, Precious Pets Pack, and Mythical Wild Animals Pack will be launching later this Spring.
Live your best life! Customize the interior of your house with five fabulous designs! You will also be able to upgrade your hoe, watering can, hammer, axe, and fishing rod an additional level, making growing crops, fishing, and mining easier and faster! This pack includes an additional level for all of your tools and five Different Interior Design Sets: Farm, Castle, Steampunk, Spaceship, and Starlight!
The Interior Design & Tool Upgrade Pack is available NOW!
Purchase the Season Pass today to receive access to all four DLC’s for a special price*.
DLC’s launching after March 5th will automatically update in-game on their release dates.
To learn more about all DLC Packs, please follow our social media channels for more information.
*Physical and digital prices may slightly vary in your territory
Leading online retailer Ebuyer has joined forces with Make-A-Wish® UK as their official tech gaming partner.
Every day, the lives of 10 families in the UK are changed forever when a child is diagnosed with a serious illness. From that moment, childhood takes a backseat to medical appointments and worry.
When children with serious illness or life-limiting condition are referred to Make-A-Wish, they really do make a wish, and the charity does everything it can to make it come true. The charity, established in 1986, works with partners around the world to help fulfil those wishes.
Ebuyer E-Commerce Director Andy Roberts said, “We’re really excited about being the official tech partner of Make-A-Wish. They do such an incredible job creating life-changing wishes. Ebuyer is playing a small part by providing the tech that the children and young people wish for, yet this small gesture can make a huge difference to them and their families.”
The East Yorkshire based online retailer has over 6 million registered customers and supplies tech to consumers, businesses and educational establishments throughout the UK.
Make-A-Wish Corporate Partnerships Manager Gina Fuoco said: “Ebuyer has been helping us grant our gaming and tech wishes since August 2020. Their support came at a vital time – making 54 wishes a reality when so many had to be cancelled or postponed because of the pandemic.
“That included 21 wishes for PS5s which were like gold dust to obtain! Gaming enables young people to interact, improve their motor skills and have fun. It often creates a level playing field online that contrasts with a seriously ill child’s real life experience so these wishes have a long-term impact.
“Ebuyer’s support has also included gifts-in-kind worth £22,636 which is incredible. We are hugely grateful to Ebuyer and excited to grow our partnership to grant even more wishes together this year.”
Over the weekend, during a Pokémon Presents video presentation, Tsunekazu Ishihara—president and CEO of The Pokémon Company—announced Pokémon Brilliant Diamond, Pokémon Shining Pearl, and Pokémon Legends: Arceus—new video games coming to the blockbuster series that spans 25 years.
Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Pokémon Shining Pearl will launch in late 2021, and Pokémon Legends: Arceus will launch in early 2022. All three games will be available exclusively on the Nintendo Switch™ system.
In 2006, Trainers were introduced to the Sinnoh region with the release of Pokémon Diamond and Pokémon Pearl on the Nintendo DS system. Players can once again visit the Sinnoh region in Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Pokémon Shining Pearl, which are faithful remakes of two iconic Pokémon games. Pokémon Legends: Arceus will introduce fans to the Sinnoh region of old—before the existence of Pokémon Trainers and Pokémon Leagues. It’s in this long-gone era that players will embark on an entirely new adventure to create the region’s first Pokédex.
“Trainers caught their first Pokémon in 1996 and began an adventure that has lasted 25 years. Through eight regions, many different platforms, and countless Pokémon encounters, they have strived to be the very best,” said Mr. Ishihara. “We hope that fans of all ages will enjoy creating new memories while exploring the Sinnoh region in these new games.”
More details about the highly anticipated New Pokémon Snap game were also shared in the video presentation, in addition to information about special in-game events taking place in celebration of Pokémon’s 25th anniversary.
For more information about the Pokémon 25th anniversary celebration, please visit Pokemon.uk/25.
A Pokémon Presents video presentation will be streamed later today—at 3:00 p.m. GMT on the official Pokémon YouTube channel.
Fans can look forward to approximately 20 minutes of Pokémon news.
Separately, in anticipation of the Pokémon Day virtual concert on Sunday, February 28, Post Malone has released a cover of Hootie and the Blowfish’s smash 1995 hit “Only Wanna Be with You” – appropriately dubbed the “Pokémon 25 Version”. The original record was last on the Billboard charts 25 years ago and Post recorded his version to help celebrate the 25th anniversary of Pokémon.
The song will be included as part of Post’s headlining appearance in the Pokémon Day virtual concert which begins promptly at 00:00 GMT on February 28 (7:00 p.m. EST / 4:00 p.m. PST on February 27), and can be viewed for free on the official Pokémon YouTube and Twitch channels, and on Pokémon’s 25th anniversary website.
In the meantime, fans can find links to the song here.
In addition to this exciting news, starting today, Trainers will have the opportunity to add a special Pikachu to the Pokémon Sword and Pokémon Shield video games by using a special password.
In keeping with the music theme for this year’s celebration of Pokémon’s 25th anniversary, this Pikachu knows the move Sing, which Pikachu can’t ordinarily learn.
Fans will be able to find the special password in Pokémon’s email newsletter and on Pokémon’s official social media channels, as well as on the 25th anniversary website and Pokémon.com.
For more information about this Pikachu distribution and the year-long Pokémon 25th anniversary celebration, please visit 25.Pokemon.com/en-gb/
It’s time again to suit up and hit the frontlines of Geonosis with Delta Squad in the fight for the Republic of the Clone Wars!
Aspyr today announced the return of a Star Wars classic – Star Wars Republic Commando, the fan-favorite, first-person tactical shooter where players lead a team of clone commandos as they battle through increasingly difficult missions that take place throughout the legendary Clone Wars.
The game, brought back as a single player experience with modernized controls, arrives for Nintendo Switch and PlayStation 4 on April 6 for $14.99.
“Since its original launch in 2005, Republic Commando continues to be a fan-favorite Star Wars game. We’re honored to be able work with Lucasfilm Games to bring back this beloved moment in franchise history.” said Ted Staloch, Aspyr Co-founder.
Star Wars Republic Commando
Chaos has erupted throughout the galaxy. As leader of an elite squad of Republic Commandos, your mission is to infiltrate, dominate, and ultimately, annihilate the enemy. Boss, Fixer, Scorch, and Sev, better known as Delta Squad, are back! Your squad will follow your orders and your lead, working together as a team – instinctively, intelligently, instantly. Relive the legendary campaign.
Welcome to the Clone Wars: Chaos has erupted throughout the galaxy. As leader of an elite squad of Republic Commandos, your mission is to infiltrate, dominate, and ultimately annihilate the enemy.
Battle Relentless Enemies: Battle a variety of highly intelligent and deadly enemies—from brutal Trandoshan mercenaries to the flying insectoid warriors of Geonosis.
The Squad is Your Weapon: Your squad will follow your orders, performing complex commands and strategic maneuvers. You are their leader. They are your weapon.
Pre-orders start today for Nintendo Switch on the eShop LINK.
Star Wars Republic Commando launches April 6 on Nintendo Switch and PlayStation 4
Razer™, the leading global lifestyle brand for gamers (Hong Kong Stock Code: 1337), today announced the Razer Kiyo Pro, a USB camera with a high-performance Adaptive Light Sensor to deliver market-leading image fidelity, even in low-light conditions.
Combining an ultra-sensitive CMOS sensor with STARVIS™ technology, the Kiyo Pro brings a professional level of image quality to video conferencing and streaming.
With working from home now being a large part of professional life, the demand for better image quality on video calls is greater than ever. Built-in laptop cameras lack the resolution and framerates for professional looking conference calls and most webcams struggle to cope with less-than-ideal lighting, giving a dim, blurry video image which can impact a professional presentation. The Kiyo Pro solves these issues with a high-performance Adaptive Light Sensor, providing superior imaging under almost any lighting conditions.
“For both video conferencing and streaming, smooth and crystal-clear video quality under any lighting conditions is a vital part of the experience,” said Alvin Cheung, Senior Vice President of Razer’s peripherals business unit. “The Kiyo Pro, with its fantastic low-light performance, is ideal for those working from home who want to impress their customers and colleagues, and for streamers wanting to entertain their audience with a bright, vibrant image.”
Advanced Imaging. Absolute Fidelity.
At the heart of the new Kiyo Pro is the advanced Type 1/2.8 CMOS sensor with STARVIS™ technology. STARVIS™ is a back-illuminated pixel technology, used in surveillance camera CMOS sensors, to create high quality images from visible and near infrared light regions. By incorporating this technology into the Kiyo Pro, video conference calls will have a consistently bright, clear image, even under a wide variety of typical work-from-home lighting conditions such as dim rooms, harsh lighting, backlighting or just screen lighting.
The Kiyo Pro is capable of uncompressed full HD 1080p 60FPS, for unsurpassed image fidelity and detail. The HDR 30FPS mode ramps up the dynamic range, correcting under or over exposed areas on the fly, eliminating silhouetting if the subject is lit from behind, for vibrant colors and even lighting, across the whole image.
The wide-angle lens on the Kiyo Pro gives a choice of three fields of view: 103°, 90° or 80°, making it ideal for video conferencing or streaming. The 103° view is wide enough to include everyone in a group video call or allow stream viewers to clearly see live activities, while the 80° view is perfect for professional headshot view or an engaging facecam window on gaming streams.
Flexible and fast
The Kiyo Pro has a range of extra features to adapt to any set-up and situation. With flexible mounting options for monitor, tabletop or tripod mounting, the Kiyo Pro can be positioned perfectly for use as a streaming camera regardless of the space available. The wide field of view and tripod mounting make the Kiyo Pro ideal for group conference calls, and its 16bit, omni-directional stereo microphone array ensures all participants’ voices are picked up.
For maximum uncompressed video performance, the Kiyo Pro utilizes a USB 3.0 connection to pass a 5GB/s signal. A separate privacy cover is included to both protect the lens and assure user privacy when not in use.
For more information on the Razer Kiyo Pro, please see here.
Leading UK games publisher and developer Jagex has today shone a light on the genuine habits of players when it comes to gaming, from preferred play location, to snack choice, to hours spent and more.
Polling just under 2,000 gamers from around the world, the in-depth study disputes – and sometimes embraces – the habits that popular culture has often linked to the gamer stereotype.
So, how do gamers play? How have lockdowns affected their habits? And how accurate is the basement-dwelling, pizza-eating gamer cliché?
From the basement to the bedroom
Contrary to popular belief, it seems that gamers do not confine themselves to basements, with over half of respondents (52.5%) actually playing games in their bedrooms. The living room follows second, with 23% seeking its relaxed confines, whereas 20.5% prefer the more formal set-up of a home office. A mere 3.5% live up to basement expectations.
Continuing the popularity of the bedroom, overwhelmingly, and across all age groups, gamers wear pyjamas and loungewear for their stints at the keyboard or at the console (43%). In lockdown life though, a surprisingly large amount (30%) are still happy to slip on a T-shirt and jeans. And a liberated 7% freely admit to wearing absolutely nothing while gaming!
Lockdown life
When it comes to gaming in our new, indoors-focused reality of the past year, many have sought extra comfort from this hobby, both across the age groups and across the globe. Almost half (49%) say they now game more than they used to, and 15% game during the ‘standard’ working hours of 8am- 4pm. However, only a brave 8% owned up to specifically gaming when they should be working. Around13% have altered the times at which they game but maintained the same amount of gameplay, and 25% haven’t seen their habits change at all due to lockdowns. Just 5% say they now game less.
Players are also enjoying connecting with friends online while socialising in real life is on hold: A massive 71% of gamers play with other people, be they online friends, friends from “real life” or family members – this certainly suggests that gaming is a more sociable than solitary sport! Overall, people tend to game slightly more with online friends (36%) than real-life friends (28%).
Sociability is the name of the game when it comes to time of day to play too, with only 7% playing midnight to 4am as gaming night-owls, and just 2% potentially pulling all-nighters (or very early starts) and playing in the 4am – 8am slot. In general, gamers stick to much more sociable hours, with 48.5% playing during the evening slot of 8pm – midnight, and 26.5% playing 4pm- 8pm.
Phil Mansell CEO of Jagex, said: “Although the past 12 months have been incredibly challenging for everyone across the world, it’s great that gaming has cemented its place as a go-to pastime for more and more people looking to interact and socialise through online games, especially as we cope with the restrictions and lockdowns used to fight the pandemic. This past year has also clearly been important in overturning negative stereotypes about video games that linger in popular culture.”
Gaming – and other healthy lifestyle choices
Despite what people might assume when it comes to the food and drink choices of players while gaming, there’s a lot less snacking on fast food and sweets than you might imagine. Perhaps surprisingly, 37% of all players surveyed don’t eat at all while gaming, while the next biggest group (21%) only polish off home-cooked food. Less than half of that amount (10%) consume the next most popular choice – crisps – and fast food such as pizza (9%), and chocolate and sweets (5% each) languish further down in popularity by comparison. At 4%, even fruit beats the possibly more expected choices of chicken nuggets, chips and meat-based snacks (all 3% each).
The healthiest and unhealthiest age groups may also be a surprise – a whopping 60% of players aged 25- 34 either don’t eat or eat home-cooked meals while playing, compared to just 34% of players aged 35- 44. Players aged 35- 44 are also more likely to consume crisps (16%) and pizza and sweets/candy (12.5% each) than they are a home-cooked meal.
Most gamers also opt to rehydrate with water (54%) way before anything else, although a cup of tea or coffee is also enjoyed by 14%, with regular sodas/fizzy drinks the favourite choice for 9%. Again, however, older players are likely to shy away from the healthiest choices, with over 45s being powered by coffee (21%) and soft drinks/sodas (21%) before anything else, and 35- 44s even more so, with 31% for coffee and 28% for soft drinks/sodas.
Music ‘n merch
When it comes to the type of merchandise gamers choose to buy, preferences are split pretty evenly across the board between figurines, plushies, replica weapons and clothes. Posters and art is the firm overall favourite category at 23%, as well as male players’ favourite to the same degree, but female players are all about the cute soft toys with a solid 40% of female-identifying players picking them as their favourite. Curiously, although 16% of players like to buy game-inspired clothing, only 1% wear said items when gaming.
With music genres to listen to while playing, electronic was perhaps, unsurprisingly, a popular category for everyone – 19% pick it over anything else, and it registers as the favourite genre for players aged 18 – 24. The next most popular genre is rock (14%), but podcasts come in a strong third with 11%, perhaps showing that gaming and keeping yourself informed aren’t so incompatible.
The Train2Game Blog 