NEOWIZ is thrilled to share that Lies of P is taking home three major awards from this past week’s Gamescom convention in Cologne, Germany.
Announcing during Opening Night Live, Lies of P was given the Most Wanted Sony PlayStation Game. And then later in the weeklong event, Gamescom’s Awards presented NEOWIZ and Lies of P with awards for Best Action Adventure Game and Best Role Playing Game.
Lies of P came out swinging at Gamescom this year with an all-new gameplay trailer, and walkthrough videos of the show floor demo that have amassed over one million views in recent days. The demo was met with long lines at the Xbox Booth as eager players and press alike tried to get their hands on the keenly anticipated RPG.
In addition, NEOWIZ’s latest indie title also debuted at Gamesom, and Aka found itself to be a crowd pleaser as well – taking home two awards of its own in the process: Best Unity Game, and the Gamescom 2022 Indie CommUnity Choice Award. There’s an ongoing playtest of Aka right now via Steam, for those who wish to take a peek at the little Red Panda before it launches in the coming months.
About Lies of P
Lies of P tells the story of Pinocchio as never seen before. As the puppet mechanoid Pinocchio, players will wind their way through the streets of a ruined city, crafting weapons from the materials found in the world and interacting with the remaining few who manage to survive in this hellscape. The more lies told, the more human players become, with all the advantages and disadvantages it entails. Lies of P features profound narrative choices and deeply customizable character progression to round out its RPG features.
Lies of P has been built from the ground up using Unreal Engine 4 for PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S. More information about Lies of P, its features, and release information can be found on the official website.
The Future Games Show at gamescom Powered by Mana returned today, hosted by Christopher Judge, who played Kratos and Danielle Bisutti, who played Freya, both from God of War.
The 75 minute show was packed with over 50 games: Including ten world premieres; new developer presentations and gameplay from titles such as Layers of Fears, Snaccoon and Goat Sim 3; as well as exclusive trailers, teasers, reveals and a virtual show floor stacked with playable demos now available on the Future Games Show Steam page.
Here is a quick recap of the announcements from tonight’s show:
The Gap The show started with a scintillating world premiere for The Gap, a mysterious narrative thriller about a man salvaging his memories. The Gap is coming soon to PC, PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X and S.
Aliens: Fireteam Elite – Pathogen A new trailer showing off the new content coming in the fast-approaching Pathogen DLC for Aliens: Fireteam Elite. Aliens: Fireteam Elite – Pathogen launches on August 30 for PC, PlayStation and Xbox.
Hypercharge: Unboxed Digital Cybercherries dropped by to recruit Xbox players to its viral toybox shooter Hypercharge: Unboxed. The action-packed trailer saw small soldiers hiding in teacups and plenty of explosions. Hypercharge Unboxed is out now on PC and Nintendo Switch, with an Xbox and PlayStation release coming soon.
The Case of the Golden Idol World premiere – The Case of the Golden Idol, a dynamic detective game for proper super sleuths, which is coming to PC in 2022. A demo for the game dropped during the show, which you can check out on the official Future Games Show Steam page.
Snaccoon After that came the adorable chaos of Snaccoon, a stealth exploration game where you play as a trash-hungry raccoon in a world without snack foods. Fans of Stray looking for their next animal adventure fix should keep their eye on this one. Snaccoon is coming soon.
Tainted Grail: The Fall of Avalon Tainted Grail: The Fall of Avalon is a dark, gripping atmospheric open-world RPG from Awaken Realms Digital. Steam Early Access release date of Q4 2022.
Floodland Another world premiere! Vile Monarch revealed gameplay from Floodlands, the studio’s post-climate apocalypse city builder. Floodlands is coming to PC on November 15, 2022.
The Last Case of Benedict Fox The Last Case of Benedict Fox developers, Plot Twist, presented some spooky-looking exploration gameplay. Coming in Spring 2023 to PC and Xbox.
A Little to the Left From a psychological thriller to a cosy puzzler! Max Inferno’s A Little to the Left is coming, mischievous cats and all, to PC and Mac on November 8 later this year.
Virtual Show Floor The Future Games Show Virtual Show Floor featured bespoke booths showing off a series of games, each with a Steam demo attached that went live during the show. Search ‘Future Games Show Steam’ to find and play them all:
Faerie Afterlight
Moonshine Inc
Gloomwood
The Wandering Village
Power Chord
NeverAwake
The Fabulous Fear Machine
Anno: Mutationem
Misc: A Tiny Tale
Goat Sim 3 An absurd and awesome new Goat Simulator 3 trailer from Coffee Stain Studios, featuring lightsabers, explosions and… fartjumping? Goat Simulator 3 is coming to PC, Xbox Series X and S and PS5 on November 17.
The Chant Brass Token delivered a developer presentation for The Chant, a third-person horror game set on a spiritual retreat corrupted by a botched ritual, releasing all manner of horrors, like creepy cultists and beasts. The Chant is coming to PC, PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X and S on November 3.
Ereban: Shadow Legacy Another developer presentation from Baby Robot Games – Ereban: Shadow Legacy, the studio’s stealth platformer debut. Viewers caught a closer look at the game’s Shadow Merge power, which lets players climb walls and navigate with versatility. Ereban Shadow Legacy is coming to PC and Xbox in 2023.
Wizardy: The Five Ordeals Hardcore RPG fans rejoice! The English translation of Wizardry: The Five Ordeals is here. The game is available on Steam now.
Soulstice A demo for Reply Game Studios’ Soulstice is available on Steam right now, as revealed during the show. The chimera brawler is coming to PC, PS5 and Xbox Series X and S on September 20, 2022.
Afterimage A gameplay trailer for Aurogon Shanghai’s Afterimage introduced the game’s gorgeous handcrafted world. AfterImage is coming this winter to PC, PlayStation, Xbox and Nintendo Switch.
Deliver Us Mars KeokeN Interactive presented a deeper dive into the mission at hand. Deliver us Mars is coming soon to PC, PlayStation and Xbox.
Phantom Hellcat An in-depth look at the slasher-platformer Phantom Hellcat. Ironbird Creations’ creative director (and his cat) introduced some awesome, theatrical gameplay. Phantom Hellcat is coming soon to PC, PlayStation and Xbox.
Edge of Sanity Another world premiere! Viewers got their first glimpse at the sinister survival game Edge of Sanity, which involved a terrifying descent into the dark. Edge of Sanity is coming soon.
Wired Productions Wired Productions jumped in to deliver three trailers for some of their most exciting upcoming games. We got a world premiere glimpse of Hotel Architect and Bulwark: Falconeer Chronicles and found out that The Last Worker is coming to PC on October 19!
Ones to Watch Several exciting upcoming games were shown off during the Ones to Watch montage:
Grid Force: Mask of the Goddess
Sker Ritual
Do Not Feed The Monkeys 2099
Moonrider
Park Beyond
Schim
Pharaoh: A New Era
Dome-King Cabbage
The Great War: Western Front A World Premiere trailer for The Great War: Western Front, an intricate historical strategy game coming to PC in 2023.
Backfirewall A trailer for Backfirewall came next, revealing that a demo for Naraven Games’ tragicomedy set inside a smartphone is available on Steam. Backfirewall is coming to PC, PlayStation, Xbox and Nintendo Switch in 2022.
Team 17 Team 17 dropped by to update viewers on some of the cool games in their catalogue, including:
Moving Out 2
Age of Darkness: Final Stand
The Knight Witch
Marauders
Bravery & Greed
Hokko Life
Sunday Gold
Thymesia
Ship of Fools
SCP: Secret Files Come face to face with anomalous items and inexplicable phenomena in this spine-tickling trailer for SCP: Secret Files which debuted during the show. SCP Secret Files is coming to PC on September 13, 2022, and consoles in 2023.
Teslagrad 2 Another World Premiere. A follow-up to the beloved Teslagrad was debuted during the Future Games Show, including cybernetic elks and plenty of electronically charged gameplay. Teslagrad 2 is coming to PC, PlayStation, Xbox and Nintendo Switch in Spring 2023.
The Dark Pictures: The Devil In Me Next came an update on the release date for the next adventure in The Dark Pictures Anthology, Supermassive Games’ horror bonanza. The Dark Pictures: The Devil in Me is coming to PC, PlayStation and Xbox on November 18, 2022.
EXP: War Trauma A simply terrifying trailer for EXP: War Trauma. The game is coming soon and there’s a demo available on Steam right now!
Rooted A gameplay trailer for the Unreal Engine 5 survival game Rooted showed off the game’s post-apocalyptic world. Get ready to build, explore and defend yourself against security robots, as Rooted is coming soon.
Hellsweeper VR A new gameplay trailer from the creators of Sairento VR, Hellsweeper VR is bringing its gory, magical combat mayhem to Meta Quest and Steam VR.
Stray Blade A gameplay trailer for Stray Blade debuted during the show, offering a closer look at the game’s combat mechanics and world exploration. Stray Blade is coming to PC, PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X and S in 2023.
Crossfire Legion Blackbird Interactive launched Update 1.3 of Crossfire Legion, which includes new units, a new faction and a level editor. Check it out on Steam.
God of Rock It’s World Premiere time again! God of Rock is a rhythm fighting game from Modus Studios Brazil, starring divine duellists of musical fate. God of Rock is coming this winter to PC, PlayStation, Xbox and PC.
Lightyear Frontier An exclusive first look at gameplay from Lightyear Frontier, with the developers walking viewers through farming, crafting and exploration gameplay. Lightyear Frontier is coming to PC and Xbox in Spring 2023.
System Shock A trailer for System Shock gave viewers a look at the flesh and steel fusion monsters of Nightdive Studios’ take on Citadel Station. System Shock is coming soon to PC, PlayStation and Xbox.
Layers of Fears Rounding off the show, Bloober Team dropped an astonishing first look at gameplay from Bloober Team’s Layers of Fears. This mysterious reimagined entry in the horror series is coming in early 2023 to PC, PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X.
Off The Grid The super special one more thing came from Gunzilla Games, who provided a world premiere trailer showcasing the universe of Off the Grid, which arrives from the visionary mind of District 9’s Neil Blomkamp. Off the Grid is coming to PC, PS5 and Xbox Series X and S in 2023.
Since Saturday, August 28, 3:00 PM (CEST), gamescom fans have been able to vote for their favorites in the two fan categories Best Streamer and gamescom “Most Wanted” Consumer Award.
The latter is chosen from among the nominated titles.
Winners of these fan categories as well as further jury categories such as Best Announcement, Best Lineup, Best Trailer and the HEART OF GAMING Award will be awarded throughout the program of gamescom studio.
The same is true for the main award Best of gamescom.
Both gamescom: Opening Night Live and the gamescom studio as well as all further gamescom shows can be watched online: https://now.gamescom.global/
Nominees of gamescom award 2021: Winners of the following Platform categories will be announced during gamescom: Opening Night Live on Wednesday, August 25, starting 8:00 PM (CEST).
Best Microsoft Xbox Game – Elden Ring, Bandai Namco Entertainment – Far Cry 6, Ubisoft – Halo Infinite, Microsoft
Best Nintendo Switch Game – Just Dance 2022, Ubisoft – Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope, Ubisoft
Best PC Game – Age of Empires IV, Microsoft – Elden Ring, Bandai Namco Entertainment – Syberia: The World Before, astragon Entertainment
Best Sony PlayStation Game – Elden Ring, Bandai Namco Entertainment – Tales of Arise, Bandai Namco Entertainment – The Dark Pictures: House of Ashes, Bandai Namco Entertainment
Winners of the following Genre categories will be honored in the gamescom studio on Thursday, August 26, and Friday, August 27.
Best Action Adventure Game – Elden Ring, Bandai Namco Entertainment – Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope, Ubisoft – Syberia: The World Before, astragon Entertainment
Best Action Game – Far Cry 6, Ubisoft – Halo Infinite, Microsoft – Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Extraction, Ubisoft
Best Family Game – Just Dance 2022, Ubisoft – Run Prop, Run!, PlayTogether Studio – Super Dungeon Maker, rokaplay
Best Indie Game – Dorfromantik, Toukana Interactive – Inua, Arte France – Lost in Random, Electronic Arts
Best Role Playing Game – Elden Ring, Bandai Namco Entertainment – Encased, Koch Media – Tales of Arise, Bandai Namco Entertainment
Best Simulation Game – Climber: Sky is the Limit, Art Games Studio – Farming Simulator 22, astragon Entertainment – Undisclosed Title
Best Sports Game – Climber: Sky is the Limit, Art Games Studio – FIFA 22, Electronic Arts – Riders Republic, Ubisoft
Best Strategy Game – Age of Empires IV, Microsoft – Company of Heroes 3, SEGA – Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope, Ubisoft
Best Multiplayer Game – Halo Infinite, Microsoft – Riders Republic, Ubisoft – The Dark Pictures: House of Ashes, Bandai Namco Entertainment
Best Ongoing Game – Apex Legends, Electronic Arts – Black Desert Online, Pearl Abyss Corp. – Endzone – A World Apart: Prosperity, Assemble Entertainment
Most Original Game – Dice Legacy, Koch Media / DESTINYbit – Riders Republic, Ubisoft – tERRORbane, Whisper Interactive
Best Announcement – All announcements, reveals or premieres of gamescom’s partners at gamescom: Opening Night Live are eligible.
Best Lineup – All gamescom partners having submitted to gamescom award 2021 are eligible.
Best of gamescom – All category winners of the category groups Genre and Platform are eligible for the main award Best of gamescom.
Best Trailer – All trailers of gamescom’s partners shown at gamescom: Opening Night Live are eligible.
Winners of the following categories will be announced during the show “Spielesause” on Sunday, August 29.
Best Streamer – Select partner streamers and content creators are eligible in the online voting.
gamescom “Most Wanted” Consumer Award – Nominees in all Genre and Platform categories are eligible in the online voting.
HEART OF GAMING Award – Each and every gamescom highlight is eligible for this extraordinary award: not only games, add-ons, and technologies, but also people, institutions, companies, concepts, or terms.
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
Just announced during Microsoft’s Inside Xbox show at Gamescom, Devil May Cry 5 will be releasing on March 8, 2019.
The latest title in the iconic gaming series is coming to the Xbox One family of devices including the Xbox One X, PlayStation 4 computer entertainment system, and Windows PC early next year. A brand new trailer showcasing the high-octane stylized action gameplay featuring demon hunter Nero can be viewed below.
The threat of demonic power has returned to menace the world once again in Devil May Cry 5. The invasion begins when the seeds of a “demon tree” take root in Red Grave City. As this hellish incursion starts to take over the city, a young demon hunter Nero, arrives with his partner Nico in their “Devil May Cry” motorhome. Finding himself without the use of his right arm, Nero enlists Nico, a self-professed weapons artist, to design a variety of unique mechanical Devil Breaker arms to give him extra powers to take on evil demons such as the blood sucking flying Empusa and giant colossus enemy Goliath.
The first arm Nico makes for Nero, the Overture Devil Breaker, looks plain in style allowing Nero to wear it inconspicuously throughout the city, but the hidden electric generator inside is enough to shock any demons that come too close. Adding a bit more versatility, the Gerbera Devil Breaker generates an intense heat that can be shot out as a highly powerful shockwave which can be used as a direct attack, reflect enemy projectiles, or even to propel Nero through the air and augment his evasion capabilities.
Combined with melee attacks using his ‘Red Queen’ sword and the long range firepower of his ‘Blue Rose’ handgun, the power of Nero’s Devil Breaker arms add dramatic adrenaline fueled action to the eternal battle between the forces of good and evil that plays out in the streets of Red Grave City. With the arrival of Dante on his flashy motorbike, the pair of demon hunters are set to try and save the city and find out what’s behind this latest demon invasion.
VRFocus Ltd., the UK-based specialist media outlet focusing on immersive technology has today announced a new event in collaboration with Realities Centre London, to bring virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) experiences being shown off at this year’s Gamescom event to London for a special showcase.
The Post Gamescom #XR Review will play host to a number of developers and studios from the UK and showcase their projects; allowing people not able to attend the world’s largest videogame convention this August another chance to get hand-on and find out more about those utilising VR and AR.
Amongst those currently confirmed are Cherry Pop Games with Football Nation VR, Dream Reality Interactive and Rebellion’s physics-based platform title Arca’s Path VR and The Persistence, Firesprite’s roguelike horror for PlayStation VR.
Along with the opportunity to play the videogames on show there will also be a number of speakers and a panel discussing VR and AR’s role at this year’s Gamescom event and the latest in immersive technology news. Led by VRFocus.com Editor and CEO Kevin Joyce and the website’s Video Production Manager Nina Salomons.
“The UK XR community is hugely passionate, and the Realities Centre is keen to enable everyone access to all the latest developments whether or not they have the budget to attend international trade shows. Partnering with VRFocus for the Post Gamescom #XR Review enables Realities Centre further reach into the UK community and to attract the biggest names in XR.” said Thomas Gere, Realities Centre CEO.
“Gamescom is always a highlight in the annual videogames event calendar, and over the years has become one of the biggest showcases for new and exciting hardware and software. Working with UK developers to bring their titles back to UK audiences is exactly the kind of opportunity that VRFocus was always designed to provide.”, added Kevin Joyce, VRFocus CEO and Editor.
The event takes place on Thursday, 6th September 2018, at the Realities Centre at Huckletree West, Mediaworks, White City in London.
Regular tickets are free, and demos and talks will begin at 7PM. Those who purchase a VIP ticket however will be able to gain access to the demos an hour earlier. Please See the Eventbrite listing for further details.
Announced today at Gamescom 2016, PlayStack is a new UK games publisher made up of a team of highly experienced leaders and individuals from across the games, entertainment and finance industries.
PlayStack brings diverse experience and access to investment and marketing capital to redefine the way in which games are developed, enjoyed and shared.
PlayStack is led by CEO & Founder Harvey Elliott who has previously shipped games worth over $1BN in market value. By building a powerhouse team which, in conjunction with his experiences as chair of the BAFTA Games Committee and across the industry, PlayStack will seek out creative developers with world-class IP to fund and support their studios from concept to launch.
Identifying and surfacing new talent and studios is at the heart of the PlayStack business strategy. “The closure of so many leading studios means that a huge amount of creativity is at risk of going to waste, and puts us as players at risk of missing out of some of the defining experiences of the industry.”, says Harvey Elliott “By centering ourselves in the UK we will harness a rich pool of developer talent whilst creating an organisation capable of building global success for new IP”.
PlayStack are also announcing their first title Nemesis: Air Combat developed by Stratosphere Games, a mobile development studio formed by gaming veterans from Splash Damage, Nexon, Rocksteady, and Yager. Releasing in late 2016 this new top-tier mobile IP exemplifies PlayStack’s dedication to surfacing games created by new and highly talented development studios.
For further information, or if you think you have the next big hit, please visit www.playstack.com.
Over a dozen heroic videogaming cyclists will be taking on the mammoth 352-mile, four-country, three-day challenge for the fifth consecutive year, between August 20th – 22nd, in an effort to raise funds for numerous UK-based youth and children’s charities.
Generating valuable funds for the worthwhile causes and hot on the wheels of gamescom, one of the toughest work weeks of the year, the troop will kick away their collective stabilisers with a 5am start from Cologne on Friday 20th August. The two-wheeling troop will set out across Germany, heading straight for the Dutch and Belgian borders, before finally venturing into France for the home straight.
Averaging close to 110 miles a day for 3 days solid, their mighty distances are on par with those endured by Le Tour De France’s most challenging routes. Hi-Rez will be supporting the cyclists with a sponsored van that will provide much needed aid every mile on the way.
Hi-Rez Studios has a long history of giving back through gaming and has raised over $830,000 for good causes over the past 4 years. You can check out some of the recent charity events of Hi-Rez Studios in this video.
Speaking about the partnership, Veronique Lallier, VP of European Publishing at Hi-Rez Studios Europe said, “We’re thrilled to be partnering with GamesAid on what has become such an iconic UK fundraising institution. In addition to the practical support we’ll be offering the cyclists, our community will be reaching out to them both virtually and, we hope, personally, boosting morale every pedal of the way. We wish them the very best of luck!”
Led by Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment’s Cat Channon, and supported by industry veteran Keef Sloan, Director of Through The Line Consulting, it’s not too late for folks to show their support and join them and the gang or donate to the team’s fundraising efforts.
Those in need of inspiration need look no further than these videos for reasons to join the 2016 troop:
James Beavan, company director of Keymailer and cycle hero since the beginning, colourfully illustrates why you should join in his amusing video.
Keef Sloan, Director of Through The Line Consulting, is already on his training bike. He too has been with us since the beginning and has a few words to say about why you should join him this year.
Currently also pedalling in preparation for the epic cycle adventure are:
Alex Cook, (Senior Manager, Business Development, GAME)
Ian Pickstock, (Senior Designer, Arooga)
Michael Pattison, (VP Third Party Relations, Sony)
Richard Keith, (Chief Revenue Officer, The Yogscast)
Nick Haywood, (UK PR Specialist, Razer)
With everyone’s combined efforts they are hoping to raise more than ever before for GamesAid, helping disadvantaged and disabled children and young people across the UK.
As always, all costs associated with the ride are covered personally by the cyclists, ensuring every penny goes to the good causes GamesAid supports.
To join these brave travellers and get more details on the adventure simply get in touch at contact@gamesaid.org
UK stand at gamescom expo generates £31m in potential business for exhibitors at Ukie’s most successful event to date
Ukie’s royal stand at the gamescom expo in August has achieved a record £31m potential business for UK games businesses and attracted over 2,500 visitors, making it the games trade network’s most successful since they started running the UK stand in 2012.
The UK was also the official country partner for this year’s expo, further raising the profile of the UK’s games and interactive entertainment sector to an international audience. Fittingly, the stand this year was the biggest that Ukie has ever had at gamescom, with 60 companies represented on the stand during the three day event.
Ukie held networking events on the stand, with a drinks reception sponsored by Multiplay and Dovetail Games, and a second networking event sponsored by UKTI Germany and UKTI Korea. Visitors to the stand topped another Ukie high, with over 2,500 people visiting, including investors, overseas platforms, VIPs and international press.
The Royal Box presentation area was a new addition to the stand, and was used by companies to showcase new games, host press announcements, and deliver industry insider seminars, covering a range of subjects including UK tax credits, investments, and a talk from Women in Games.
Dr Jo Twist, CEO of Ukie, said, “We are always proud to represent the community of UK games companies at gamescom, and to do so this year as the official country partner made it an even better opportunity to promote the fantastic work that is being done in the UK. The size and buzz of this year’s stand is a real testament to the growth that we are seeing in the sector and being able to bring these businesses to a global audience is something that Ukie is really honoured to do every year. We look forward to making 2016 even bigger and better than this year’s brilliant achievement.”
The stand also saw the return of the UK Game of the Show Award, sponsored by Green Man Gaming, which was awarded to Robo Pixel Games’ upcoming release Gunnihilation. James Batten, Art Director at Robo Pixel Games, said “We’re thrilled and amazed Gunnihilation won UK Game of the Show, there are so many other amazing projects going on out there – we’re in disbelief! Thanks so much to everyone in, on and around Ukie at gamescom 2015!’
The Ukie staff on the stand were once again joined by three student helpers, who were sponsored to attend the expo as part of the Ukie Student Membership Scheme. The students were selected as part of the programme’s sponsorship award to get the next generation of games talent attending relevant games events.
The sixth expansion of World of Warcraft has been announced at gamescom.
Doom comes for the Alliance and the Horde as a great burning shadow falls over Azeroth. During an event streamed live around the world from gamescom 2015, Blizzard Entertainment today unveiled World of Warcraft®: Legion™, the sixth expansion to its acclaimed massively multiplayer online role-playing game.
In this dire new chapter of the Warcraft® saga, the demonic Burning Legion has returned, seeking to call forth their fallen leader—the dark titan Sargeras, Ravager of Worlds. As destruction rains across Azeroth, its heroes must seek salvation among the ruins of the Broken Isles, doomed center of ancient night elf civilization and birthplace of myths dating back to the world’s creation. In the face of hopeless odds, they must learn to master mighty Artifacts—legendary weapons that hold the potential to bring down the corrupted armies of the Legion—and strike an infernal pact with the dread Demon Hunters of the Illidari . . . accursed followers of the infamous Illidan the Betrayer.
World of Warcraft: Legion ushers in an era of unprecedented conflict for the Alliance and the Horde as the Burning Legion’s crusade against creation enters a terrifying new stage. The expansion is loaded with features and content that will transform players into Azeroth’s elite vanguard against the shadow, including:
New Hero Class: Demon Hunter— Unleash the demon within as an all-new melee hero class gifted with preternatural mobility—and the ability to metamorphose into hellish new forms.
New Feature: Artifact Weapons— Smite the Legion with legendary weapons of lore. Earn Artifact power to unlock abilities and traits, and customize your weapon to suit your needs.
New Continent: The Broken Isles— Discover the fate of a lost night elf civilization, confront twisted fragments of the Emerald Nightmare, and hunt agents of the Legion in all-new zones.
New Feature: Order Hall— Whether you’re paladin or warlock, unite fellow NPC members of your class’s order to carry out missions at your command.
New PvP Honor System— Fight for fame, glory, and a range of new PvP-specific powers as you face the opposing faction in Arenas and Battlegrounds.
Boost to Level 100— Come fully prepared to battle the Legion with a level-100 character boost, and fight alongside your friends in this epic new chapter of World of Warcraft.
“In World of Warcraft: Legion, the stakes for the Alliance and the Horde are higher than ever, so we’re putting some of Azeroth’s deadliest forces directly in players’ hands,” said Mike Morhaime, CEO and cofounder of Blizzard Entertainment. “Whether they’re wreaking havoc as a Demon Hunter or unlocking awesome new abilities for their Artifact, players will develop their characters’ power in ways they never have before.”
Stalk Your Prey as a Demon Hunter
Dexterous and deadly, World of Warcraft: Legion’s new Demon Hunter hero class turns the twisted power of the Burning Legion against them. Drawing on fel forces to fuel their attacks, Demon Hunters pursue their prey with uncanny agility, dodging away from danger and closing on enemies in the blink of an eye. Demon Hunters sacrifice their natural vision for Spectral Sight—preternatural perception that allows them to detect targets that regular mortals could not normally see. Whether avatars of Havoc (damage-dealing) or Vengeance (tank), these melee-focused assassins unleash pent-up fury in the form of devastating attacks—even metamorphosing into terrifying demonic forms in moments of great need.
As a World of Warcraft hero class, Demon Hunters have honed their skills over millennia—and much like Wrath of the Lich King®’s Death Knight, Demon Hunters appropriately begin their journey prepared to battle the Legion at a higher level than most other World of Warcraft classes. Demon Hunters also have a unique starting experience that reflects their background and the terrible source of their power.
Wield Legendary Artifacts Against the Legion
To face the seemingly unstoppable might of the Legion, the heroes of Azeroth will need a legendary arsenal worthy of the task. World of Warcraft: Legion equips every champion with their own Artifact—a class-specific, highly customizable weapon forged in the fires of Warcraft mythology. Each character’s Artifact grows in power with its owner, and players can personalize their Artifact with perks, abilities, and appearance-altering characteristics that reflect the hero wielding it, transforming the Artifact into an instrument of order . . . or twisting it into an implement of devastation.
The Broken Isles and Beyond
World of Warcraft: Legion sends players on a forbidden journey to the ruins of the Broken Isles in search of the mythic Pillars of Creation—powerful titan relics said to have shaped Azeroth, and last hope for the world’s salvation. Once the magnificent seat of an ancient night elf civilization, the Broken Isles are now haunted by twisted elven aberrations, horrors from the Emerald Nightmare, and other grim remnants of legends long forgotten. Among the Isles, players will face the armies of the Legion and other dark forces across an array of all-new zones, dungeons, raids, and more on the way to the new level cap of 110.
With the Horde and the Alliance in disarray, players must seek out and bring together other like-minded champions to stand against the demonic hordes. In Legion, each player will take charge of an Order Hall—a site of great power linked closely to a character’s class and cause. The Order Hall will serve as each hero’s base of operations—and a bastion of hope—during their journey to the Broken Isles. From there, players will send NPC followers on missions to help defend Azeroth from the demonic incursion . . . and forge their Artifact into a Legion-felling force to be reckoned with.
For those seeking glory in Arenas and Battlegrounds, Legion also features a new Honor system that provides an entirely new PvP progression path. As players dominate the enemy faction, they’ll unlock PvP-specific spells and abilities that open up a range of new tactical possibilities, and earn prestigious new titles and rewards.
To help the heroes of Azeroth prepare for the coming invasion, World of Warcraft: Legion will allow players to boost one character to level 100, including a newly created character, quickly getting them primed and ready to battle the Burning Legion alongside their friends.
For more information about World of Warcraft: Legion or to sign up for the beta test scheduled to begin later this year, visit www.worldofwarcraft.com/legion .
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