Train2Game News Future Games Show Returns

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GamesRadar+ is delighted to announce the return of the Future Games Show at Gamescom Powered by AMD.

This summer’s showcase, broadcast on Twitch, Facebook, YouTube, Twitter and GamesRadar will take place on Thursday, August 26 at 13:00 PDT / 16:00 EDT / 21:00 BST / 22:00 CET.

The Future Games Show is a truly multi-format event spanning all game genres from indie gems to AAA blockbusters. The series of Future Games Shows have enjoyed over 100 million viewers so far, with a record-breaking E3 2021 event which reached three million+ live viewers and 35 million+ post-show views.
 

The show will be packed with more than 40 games from publishers including Frontier Developments, Team17, Koch Media and Tripwire Interactive and hosted by actor Maggie Robertson (Lady Dimitrescu, Resident Evil Village) and voice actor Aaron LaPlante (The Duke, Resident Evil Village).
 

Maggie Robertson, show co-host, commented:

“I’m delighted to be presenting the Future Games Show on August 26th with my Resident Evil Village co-star Aaron LaPlante! There are some incredible games featured in the show and I can’t wait to show you all what’s in store for this year and beyond.”
 

Aaron LaPlante, show co-host, commented:

“As we start to move into the ‘new normal’ it’s incredible to think all the games you’re playing now were developed, at least in part, in people’s bedrooms, kitchens, and home offices. On August 26th myself and Maggie will be showing you what’s still to come in 2021 and what to expect in 2022 and beyond. They haven’t told me much, but from what I’ve seen so far there’s something that will interest all of you. See you live for the Future Games Show.”
 

The Future Games Show will feature expanded ‘Virtual Show Floor Booths’, first introduced at the E3 2021 event, to give gamers access to demos from the comfort of their own homes. Also returning will be the ‘Future Hits’ montage of exciting upcoming games and quirky indies.
 

Daniel Dawkins, Content Director of Games and Film at Future said: “We’re delighted to be bringing our fifth digital showcase to Gamescom 2021 as an official media partner. We’re building on the amazing reception to our Virtual Show Floor from E3 2021, allowing partners to create spectacular custom virtual booths to showcase their games with playable demos. One of the Virtual Show Floor titles from our E3 event, Timberborn – about a post-apocalyptic beaver colony – became a breakout E3 title.
 

“The Future Games Show has a growing reputation for spotlighting breakout titles from a variety of genres, with some previous show partners seeing 10,000% increases in Steam wishlists. Our E3 event covered 57 multi-format titles and over 36% of those were non-violent games, in line with our mission to showcase gaming’s true inclusivity and creativity.
 

“GamesRadar+ and the Future Games Show can’t wait to showcase more exciting games on August 26 and look forward to sharing our plans for 2021 and beyond – starting with the Golden Joystick Awards in late November.”

The show welcomes streamers to apply to be an official partner. Anyone can stream the show for free but to become an official partner, receive a special asset pack, plus a chance to be listed on Gamesradar+ as an official co-streaming partner, applications can be made through the Official Streaming Partner form.
 

When To Watch:

●   Date: Thursday, August 26 at 13:00 PDT / 16:00 EDT / 21:00 BST / 22:00 CET

●   Streaming on: Twitch, Facebook, YouTube, Twitter and GamesRadar.

To stay up to date with news from GamesRadar+ follow us on Twitter or Facebook or visit the website.

Train2Game News Amiga A500 Mini Announced

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The latest retro console has been announced in the form of the Amiga A500 Mini.

It’ll release in early 2022 for £119.99 and it’ll include the original 2 button mouse as well as an 8-button precision gamepad. You can also plug in a standard PC keyboard.

There will be 25 games on the unit.

So far 12 have been announced: Alien Breed 3D, Another World, ATR: All Terrain Racing, Battle Chess, Cadaver, Kick Off 2, Pinball Dreams, Simon The Sorcerer, Speedball 2: Brutal Deluxe, The Chaos Engine, Worms: The Director’s Cut, Zool: Ninja Of The ‘nth Dimension.

Train2Game News Fatal Frame Maiden of Black Water

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Today, KOEI TECMO America unveiled the long-awaited release date for their thrilling Japanese horror-adventure title, FATAL FRAME: Maiden of Black Water.

Horror fans will be able to get their hands on this spine-chilling new adventure when it launches digitally on Oct. 28, 2021 across North America on Nintendo Switch™, PlayStation®4, PlayStation®5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, and Windows PC via Steam®.            

  FATAL FRAME: Maiden of Black Water is an enhanced version of the 2014 Wii U release of the same name, allowing players on all platforms to enjoy this unique horror experience.

Players will step into the shoes of Yuri Kozukata, Ren Hojo, and Miu Hinasaki as they venture up the eerie Mt. Hikami in hopes of finding those who have previously disappeared. In order to overcome the malevolent spirits housed in the mountain’s waters, they will have to master the Camera Obscura – a unique camera that can deal damage to ghosts upon taking a photo.

Each successful shot will cause a spirit to emit Spirit Fragments and if players are able to capture an image of the ghost and these mysterious fragments in the same frame, they will unleash a high-damage Fatal Frame attack. Upgrading the camera’s parts, such as equipping a stronger lens or changing out the film, allows more powerful images to be taken, giving players more protection as they venture further up the mountain.

When a ghost has been defeated, the camera is able to perform the Glancing ability to uncover the ghost’s past – helping to uncover the truth behind the disappearances on the mountain.

  New to this enhanced version is a brand-new Photo Mode where players can use any character or ghost from their adventure, position them on a background of their choice, while adding a variety of effects (lens type, frame choice, focus, etc.) to make the perfect scary photo.

New costumes and accessories have also been added including Yuri’s ‘Punk Ensemble’, ‘Cutesy Goth Ensemble (Black)’, ‘Swimsuit (Blue)’, and the ‘Triathlon Suit’ as well as Miu’s ‘Miku Hinasaki Outfit (The Tormented)’, ‘Cutesy Goth Ensemble (White)’, ‘Swimsuit (Yellow)’, and ‘Swimsuit (Pink)’, along with Ren’s ‘Groom’s Outfit’.

  The FATAL FRAME franchise celebrates its 20th anniversary this year, with the original game launching in Japan back in 2001. In celebration of its 20-year milestone, KOEI TECMO America revealed a special Digital Deluxe Edition for FATAL FRAME: Maiden of Black Water that comes packed with a copy of the game, a digital artbook, and six costumes inspired from previous characters in the series. These anniversary costumes include the Mio Amakura and Rei Kurosawa outfits for Yuri, the Mayu Amakura and two Miku Hinasaki outfits for Miu, and the Kei Amakura outfit for Ren.

  KOEI TECMO America also revealed that gamers who pre-order FATAL FRAME: Maiden of Black Water, or purchase the game within the first two weeks of launch, will be entitled to a special Ryza costume – inspired by the one featured in the first Atelier Ryza title – allowing the main characters to don the popular alchemist’s outfit and hat.

  For more information on FATAL FRAME: Maiden of Black Water, please visit the official site, Like them on Facebook www.facebook.com/koeitecmous and Follow them on Twitter

Train2Game News Zool Redimensioned Coming Soon

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Retro gaming fans rejoice! Secret Mode and Sumo Digital Academy are proud to announce Zool Redimensioned coming to Steam on August 18th.

Originally released by Gremlin Graphics in 1992 on the Amiga to critical acclaim, iconic gaming mascot Zool returns in Zool Redimensioned! 

This brand-new reimagining of the classic action platforming adventure has been rebuilt from the ground up for modern audiences. Help Zool jump, spin, and shoot his way across eight alien worlds, taking down menacing bosses and saving the universe from the nefarious influence of Krool.

Zool Redimensioned has been brought back to life by the students of Sumo Digital Academy, a talent development programme focused on creating new pathways into the games industry. With guidance from the developers of the 1992 original at Gremlin Graphics, this team of talented young developers earned their coding wings by programming their own C++ game engine to bring Zool to a new generation of retro gamers.

Zool’s old school platforming action will challenge the most hardcore gamers, with modern enhancements that bring the game into the 21st century: 

  • Over 28 retro platforming challenges, all enhanced for the best possible experience
  • Choose between two main game modes: Redimensioned for a more accessible modern experience, or Ultimate Ninja to experience a true hardcore challenge
  • Trade blows with the dimension’s most dangerous creatures in seven completely redesigned boss fights
  • Discover new secrets, challenges, and extras across your adventure, with over 25 achievements to unlock
  • Enhanced quality-of-life options, including a level select screen, checkpoints, accessibility options and more
  • Play the original Mega Drive version for a truly authentic retro adventure

Zool Redimensioned will also be coming to consoles in the near future, so stay tuned!

Train2Game News Petition For Gamer Emojis

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Love them or hate them, emojis have arguably become as important as the written alphabet, essentially becoming a language of their own!

From the age-old classic smiley face to cute pictures of animals, the list of emojis has been growing since the first one was released way back in 1997!

The Unicode Standard (the officially recognized library of emojis) hosts a staggering 3,521 emojis, but as of yet, gaming characters have so far been refused entry into this prestigious list.

However, fear not as this is set to change! Ebuyer has released a list of downloadable gaming character emojis, as well as creating a petition to get them added into the official Unicode Standard.

The new emojis – which can be downloaded from https://www.ebuyer.com/emojis-for-gamers , hosts everything from Mario, Sonic and GTA to Halo emojis. So, gamers will never have to go without again.

Furthermore, a Change.org petition has been set up to raise awareness of this issue and demand change for gamers globally.

The petition can be seen at https://www.change.org/p/unicode-standard-make-our-favourite-gaming-characters-into-emoji-s-on-the-official-unicode-standard-library

Commenting on the petition and newly released emojis Andy Roberts, E-Commerce Director of Ebuyer.com stated:

“With over 3,500 emojis to choose from, its hard to believe that our favorite gaming characters have yet to make the list. Hopefully, our petition will encourage change whilst our online library allows users to access their favorite emojis immediately.”

Train2Game News Playdate Available To Pre-order Now

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Panic has opened pre-orders for Playdate for $179 USD at play.date.

The Playdate Cover will also be available for pre-order on the Playdate site for $29 USD, and a bundle with the Playdate and the Playdate Cover will be available for pre-order for $199 USD.

Visit help.play.date for more information.

Also available today is a new episode of the Panic podcast focused around the Playdate and the many twists and turns that led to the creation of the handheld!

The podcast touches on the story of Panic’s first meeting with Teenage Engineering, interviews with the folks at Panic who made Playdate a reality, and how COVID-19 affected production and plans for Playdate.

The episode will also be the first of a brand new Podcast feed, the Playdate Podcast from Panic, that will in the future feature interviews with Playdate developers and much more interesting stories on all things Playdate.

Train2Game News Women In Games On Harassment In The Industry

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Women In Games, the global not-for-profit organisation dedicated to promoting equity and parity for all women and girls in games and esports, has issued a statement following the recent media reports on discriminatory and toxic behaviour within the games industry.

  Women In Games CEO Marie-Claire Isaaman said:

  “International, widespread news of the growing furore mounting around Activision Blizzard, stemming from allegations reported across the media about a Californian Department of Fair Employment and Housing (DFEH) lawsuit, and the subsequent response from the company, shine a harsh spotlight on a culture that Women in Games is actively working to reform.

  “All of the media coverage points to a work culture gone badly wrong – harming women through discrimination and harassment – issues that are horribly familiar. 

  “Perhaps what is genuinely new, is that the world, connected as it is now by global movements such as MeToo and Black Lives Matter, as well as the continuing global disaster of the COVID-19 pandemic, is more equipped and ready to vociferously reject such a culture.

  “In addition, we are seeing high level efforts from The UN through its sustainable goals, the EU with its strategy for weaving gender equality through all of its policies, and the UK’s presidency of the G7, integrating gender equality into all of its strategies – all demonstrate support for radical change.

  “Women in Games brings its proactive support to both the popular demand for change and the wider political will that provide a more formal backdrop. As an organisation we are actively engaged in a range of initiatives and activities to counter discrimination, harassment and inequality for women in the workplace and in online spaces. 

  “The problems that confront women, whether they are players or makers of games are not history, and are not news, and Women in Games is proud to highlight our ongoing initiatives to achieve change.”

  Toxicity directed at female gamers online is taking on an increasingly sexual nature: results of latest Bryter research to be presented at the Women in Games Conference
Since 2018, Women in Games has worked with Jenny McBean, Director of Research at Market Research Company Bryter, to better understand the severity, and persistence of online harassment.

  Toxicity directed at female gamers is taking on an increasingly sexual nature in 2021 and one in five say that such toxicity makes them not want to play again. Almost half of gamers in the US and UK feel there is a lack of female representation in streaming, but toxicity discourages them from streaming themselves.

  A talk on the detailed findings of this research will be presented by Jenny McBean at the forthcoming Women in Games Conference, which takes place on September 15th & 16th as a virtual event, alongside a host of other initiatives central to tackling real world problems.

  The Conference, which has long been a starting point for effective action, sits at the heart of a larger event this year: For the first time, a Women in Games Festival will be a global online event, and between September 6th – 18th will encompass an ambitious array of events including the Conference, which will be broadcast and scheduled to suit all major time zones, allowing delegates around the world to tune in to inspirational speakers, fireside chats, panels, stories.

Train2Game News Zombieland VR Headshot Fever

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Sony Pictures and XR Games’ hit VR shooter launches with a special 10 hour live broadcast this Thursday on Steam

Following a highly successful launch on Oculus Quest, ‘Zombieland VR: Headshot Fever’ hits SteamVR on Thursday 29th July with a special 10 hour live broadcast and thousands of dollars of cash prizes to give away.

A nominee for ‘Game of the Year’ at the 2021 VR Awards, Zombieland VR is developed by Sony Pictures Virtual Reality (SPVR) and XR Games. The game is inspired by light-gun games of the 90s and the racing games of today, and lets players join Tallahassee, Wichita, Columbus, and Little Rock to take on the most lethal zombie-killing racecourse ever – the Zombieland Invitational!

Since its launch in March 2021, ‘Zombieland VR: Headshot Fever,’ has received over 350 Oculus Store ratings with an average rating of 4.5 out of 5, hit the top ten Oculus sales charts in its first two weeks on sale, and won ‘Best Video / Audio’ in the VR category at the 2021 NYX Awards.
 

To celebrate the launch of Zombieland VR: Headshot Fever on SteamVR, XR Games will be hosting a special 10 hour live broadcast on the Zombieland VR Steam page from 6 pm BST / 1 pm PT / 10 am ET, running until 4 am BST / 11 pm PT / 8 pm ET.
 

Featuring popular VR content creators The Lonely Viper, GAMERTAG VR, Simply Chris, Jeaire, and GameOnScorpio, players and viewers will get a chance to win thousands of dollars of cash prizes and giveaways during the live broadcast.

Thursday’s SteamVR release brings with it a host of graphical improvements such as enhanced anti-aliasing, screen space ambient occlusion, supreme colour grading, 4 bone skinning, and the quality of real-time shadows has also been boosted. 
 

This SteamVR version also includes two extra levels, giving SteamVR players a first look at two new levels not seen on other platforms. It also includes the three new levels recently added to the big ‘Kingpin Update’ on Oculus Quest, fixes, improvements, and more.
 

Here’s what else players can look forward to in Zombieland VR on Steam: 
 

  • Join the crew – Get trained up by Tallahassee, Wichita, Columbus, and Little Rock to take on the undead.
  • Adrenaline system – Two headshots in a row makes the world slow, use it to your advantage!
  • Global leaderboards – Challenge your friends, beat their times, and climb the global leaderboards.
  • Powerful weapons – Unlock shotguns, revolvers, assault rifles, and more to find your ideal loadout.
  • Upgrade your arsenal – Improve your weapons with powerful upgrades and perks
  • The Zombieland Invitational – Take your skills, weapons, upgrades, and perks into the fastest, most dangerous zombie killing race course ever devised.
  • Built for VR from the ground up – Bringing light-gun shooters back from the dead, and into your home.

For more information go to https://www.zombielandvrgame.com/https://www.zombielandvrgame.com/

Train2Game News Browser Based MMORPG Makes Come Back

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Today, project lead Heleor announced that his throwback browser-based MMORPG, Genfanad, will soon commence beta testing.

Genfanad sees players thrown into a fantasy world full of traditional RPG tropes turned on their head, creating a refreshingly modern setting wrapped up in the nostalgic packaging that we all remember. Embark on quests, hone your skills, gather resources and slay those lowly chickens.

Watch the Genfanad trailer here: https://youtu.be/0JJ1uJdX4Ts
 

“After spending so much time playing and loving oldschool MMORPG’s as a kid, but not so much enjoying the direction of modern games, I decided to do something about it.” says Heleor, “We’re a few years into the project now and we’ve grown a fantastic community. We’re trying to build and have the game grow into its own voice with the help of our players.”
 

In a world where Abraham Lincoln meets King Arthur’s Knights, there’s little that your imagination can’t achieve – and Genfanad is a sandbox where the sky (or rather, the open seas – there’s sailing planned for the future!) is the limit.
 

“Keeping our expectations realistic and ensuring that we can deliver,” Heleor says, “Is one of our primary goals. We’re aiming for small-scope, weekly content.”
 

With an incredible open world, dozens of quests and over twenty unique skills planned, Genfanad is sure to be a nostalgic funfair. And with the ability to engage in PvP coming, it’s time to gear-up, visit the Fae Realms – an all new location full of vicious, murderous faeries – ready your spells and prepare for battle!
 

Genfanad will be launching to Kickstarter in early September, putting their player-first motto into practice. Offering backers exclusive plushies, in-game titles and physical merchandise, fans both new and old will have the opportunity to bring this project to life.
 

Follow the Genfanad Kickstarter here:

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/rosetintedgames/genfanad
 

Follow the development of Genfanad here: 

Discord:  https://discord.gg/abFsTwf

Twitter: https://twitter.com/genfanad1

Website: https://genfanad.com

Train2Game News 2021 Pocket Gamer Mobile Award Winners

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MiHoYo’s Genshin Impact took home the biggest prize as it scooped Game of the Year at Steel Media’s fourth annual and industry-leading Pocket Gamer Mobile Games Awards, supported by Game Insight, held last week.

The ceremony saw the action role-playing title also awarded Best Audio/Visual Accomplishment, while Tencent and TiMi Studio Group secured Best Publisher and Best Developer, respectively.
Innovation of the Year went to Niantic for its ingenious reworking of augmented reality hit Pokémon Go for the 2020 lockdown, Pollen VC was voted Best Service Provider, and Supercell’s Clash Royale conquered the opposition to the Best Live Ops trophy.

As ever the event, which in this pandemic-affected year took place later than its traditional January slot and adopted a hybrid live/digital format hosted by London’s Ham Yard Hotel, aimed to shine a spotlight on the work of the top mobile games companies over the previous year.

Further highlights from the night included the Rising Star award, shared – an event first – by Jana and Sham Al Bdour of Sakura Games, Unity continuing its Best Game Engine dominance with a fourth win in as many years, and Jam City CEO Chris DeWolfe joining the ranks of Mobile Legend.

The coveted People’s Choice Award, nominated for and voted on by readers of Steel Media’s leading consumer site, PocketGamer.com, went to Tilting Point’s SpongeBob: Krusty Cook-Off.

“We believe the MGAs have a vital role to play in recognising the efforts and achievements of the entire ecosystem that makes mobile gaming the best industry in the world,” said Steel Media CEO, Chris James.

“This is doubly important considering the forced disconnects of the last 16 months and also the incredible role that the mobile games industry has paid not just in contributing to the economy and keeping people in jobs, but moreover in keeping billions of citizens feeling a little more connected and engaged.”

As the full winner breakdown below demonstrates, the 22 categories (including three new additions this year) represent firms spanning the whole industry, from the games developers and publishers to the tools companies, service providers, support agencies, investors and recruiters that all contribute towards this $90 billion sector being the largest and most pervasive in gaming.

After the lobbying and shortlisting phases – the biggest and most complex to date – which took place from March to May, the finalists were subsequently voted on throughout June by our panel of 100-plus mobile games experts from every corner of the industry.

Steel Media is hugely grateful to everyone who took the time to submit themselves, their colleagues, company, or contemporaries, as well as everyone who attended the ceremony itself during these tricky times – whether in person or digitally.

Additionally, we would like to thank main sponsor Game Insight, together with Admix, Huawei Ads, Jam City, Scopely and Tilting Point for coming on board as category sponsors – their support helped make the event a success in a particularly challenging year.

And last but by no means least, congratulations to all the finalists – it really was a hard-fought affair this year – and, of course, the heartiest of praise to the winners themselves.

More info on all things PG Mobile Games Awards at the official website:
www.mobilegamesawards.com