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Train2Game News Nintendo at E3 2017

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As part of Nintendo’s plan to deliver news about upcoming games all throughout the year, the company will provide a packed week of activities at the E3 video game show, which runs from June 13 to June 15 in Los Angeles. 
Proceedings will be headlined by the first-ever opportunity to play the Super Mario Odyssey game, Mario’s upcoming sandbox-style adventure for the Nintendo Switch system, as well as other Nintendo Switch games. Additional activities at the annual show include a Nintendo Spotlight: E3 2017 video presentation announcing new details for Nintendo Switch games launching this year, the return of Nintendo Treehouse: Live at E3, and tournaments for the ARMS and Splatoon 2 games livestreamed from the show floor.
“Our various E3 activities will showcase the next steps for Nintendo Switch, from a summer of social competitive gaming to a holiday season highlighted by a milestone Mario adventure,” said Reggie Fils-Aime, President and COO, Nintendo of America. “With Nintendo Treehouse: Live at E3, fans at home can watch in-depth gameplay of Nintendo Switch and Nintendo 3DS games launching this year.”

Nintendo’s E3 activities kick off Tuesday, June 13, at 9 a.m. PT with its Nintendo Spotlight: E3 2017 video presentation. 

Available to view live at http://e3.nintendo.com, this presentation will offer more details about Super Mario Odyssey and other Nintendo Switch games, with a focus on games launching in 2017.

Immediately following Nintendo Spotlight: E3 2017, Nintendo is once again bringing back Nintendo Treehouse: Live at E3, a livestreamed showcase of upcoming games for Nintendo Switch and the Nintendo 3DS family of systems. Gameplay for all the featured games will be streamed from the E3 show floor June 13 to June 15 via http://e3.nintendo.com, as well as on Nintendo’s channels on YouTube and Twitch. In addition to gameplay, the livestream will include behind-the-scenes info and commentary from game developers and members of the Nintendo Treehouse.

When Nintendo’s booth space opens at noon on June 13, show attendees will be among some of the first people in the world to get their hands on Super Mario Odyssey, as well as other games for Nintendo Switch. Super Mario Odyssey is Mario’s first sandbox-style game since Super Mario 64 and Super Mario Sunshine.

In addition to all of these activities, Nintendo will also host game tournaments that will be livestreamed from the E3 show floor. The 2017 Splatoon 2 World Inkling Invitational splats onto the scene on June 13 and features Splatoon 2 for Nintendo Switch. Composed of four pre-qualified squid squads from the U.S., Japan, Europe and Australia/New Zealand, the tournament will find teams participating in the first-ever international Splatoon 2 competition. The second tournament, the 2017 ARMS Open Invitational, takes place on June 14 and will feature Nintendo’s upcoming ARMS fighting game for Nintendo Switch.

Further details about Nintendo’s activities at E3, including information about the tournaments, will be shared closer to the event. For more information about Nintendo’s activities and announcements at E3 2017, visit http://e3.nintendo.com.

Train2Game News Digital For Good Initiative

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​Today, UK games industry charity GamesAid is pleased to announce the launch of a new era of fundraising with the ‘Digital For Good’ initiative.
‘Digital For Good’ offers videogame developers and publishers the opportunity to donate in-game content so it may be monetised and raise funds for the charities GamesAid supports. 

Full games, in-game items or DLC can be donated via Steam either in perpetuity or for a specified period of time to help the good causes.

The new initiative launches today with the Cynical Imp Charity DLC for lighthearted dungeon manager War for the Overworld. This variety pack of skins and themes is available at three different donation tiers, with 100% of the proceeds going to GamesAid. 

As regular supporters of GamesAid, Gamer Network – the world’s leading network of independent video games media – is supporting the launch of of the Cynical Imp Charity DLC. 

For more information and to purchase the Cynical Imp, please visit the War for the Overworld website. The Cynical Imp is also available on Steam.

To date GamesAid has raised over £2.5million and it is hoped that this new initiative will enable the charity to leverage its greatest asset in the industry to benefit those who need it most.

Last year Access Sport, Accuro, Action For Kids, Aidis Trust, Blackpool Carers Centre, The Clock Tower Sanctuary, Lifelites, MAPS, Solving Kids’ Cancer, and Special Effect all received cheques for £95,400 each during a special ceremony held at Warner House, London. It’s hoped that this new initiative will help increase that number for 2017 and beyond.

“The industry is evolving and with it so are the options to raise funds for the charities that GamesAid supports,” commented GamesAid Chair Ian Chambers. “This initiative offers game developers and publishers a straightforward and impactful way through which to raise funds from their content.”

Train2Game News Injustice 2 Everything You Need to Know Trailer

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Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment and DC Entertainment have unveiled a new Everything You Need to Know trailer showcasing every element of the Injustice 2 game. 
The video gives players a closer look at the game’s Story Mode and the variety of Super Hero and Super-Villain alliances at play, including factions led by the Dark Knight, Gorilla Grodd, and others, along with wild card characters like Supergirl and Swamp Thing.
To view the Official Injustice 2 – Everything You Need to Know trailer, please click here: https://youtu.be/nVbPeX_ZlUk.
Players will also get an introduction to the brand new social experience that Injustice 2 is bringing to the fighting game scene. In the game, players will be able to form a guild with up to 50 other players to share gear and build their own team of Super Heroes. They’ll also earn gear and other rewards that are exclusive to guild gameplay in daily and weekly cooperative objectives as they collaborate with friends to climb the worldwide leaderboards.

This comprehensive overview has everything players need to prepare for the launch of Injustice 2 on the 19th of May– from an in-depth look at the new Gear System, to a sneak peek at Multiverse mode and even the Injustice 2  mobile experience, out on the 11th May.

In development by the award-winning NetherRealm Studios, Injustice 2 features a massive roster of DC Super Heroes and Super-Villains and allows players to build and power up the ultimate version of their favourite DC characters. The game will be available for PlayStation 4 and Xbox One in the UK on the 19th of May 2017.

For more information about Injustice 2, please visit www.injustice.com. 

Train2Game News Prey now available

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Bethesda Softworks®, a ZeniMax® Media company, today announced Prey®, the first-person sci-fi action game from Arkane® Studios, is now available worldwide for the Xbox One, PlayStation® 4 computer entertainment system and PC.

The alien forces have escaped containment, so step into your TranStar uniform, board Talos I, and prepare to fight the invasion.

“Prey is set in an immersive world that layers in shooter and RPG elements. Players can craft their own playstyle based on gameplay choices, while incorporating alien abilities and unique skills,” said Creative Director Raphael Colantonio. “We’re excited to show off the sci-fi world of Prey to players worldwide.”

When you awaken aboard the Talos I space station, you find that you are the key subject of an experiment meant to alter humanity forever – but things have gone terribly wrong. Talos I has been overrun by an alien force that’s now hunting down any surviving crew members, including you. As mankind’s last hope, fend off the alien infestation armed with the tools found on the station, your wits, weapons, and mind-bending abilities. You must stop the Typhon threat from destroying humanity – should these creatures reach Earth, life as you know it will end. It’s up to you to uncover the mysteries of Talos I and safeguard the world from the Typhon threat.

Prey is the latest game from Arkane Studios, the creators of the award-winning Dishonored series which includes the 2012 ‘Game of the Year’ and the critically-acclaimed follow-up, Dishonored 2. Embracing its signature style, Arkane developed Prey as an “open space station game,” complete with the studio’s characteristic freedom, player choice and deep story.

For more information about the game visit: prey.bethesda.net.

Train2Game News Rogue Trooper Redux

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ROGUE TROOPER REDUX will once again bring to life the adventures of iconic 2000 AD® hero Rogue Trooper, remastering his classic 2006 shooter for a new generation.
With new fans in mind, independent UK developer Rebellion® have released “Who is Rogue Trooper?” – a video feature detailing the blue-skinned soldier’s fascinating origins and offering an exclusive glimpse at his new remastered, in-game character model.

Watch the “Who is Rogue Trooper?” trailer
Rogue is one of the Genetic Infantrymen (‘GIs’), an army of bio-engineered soldiers, created by Southers to fight their all out war against the colonial Nort regime. Not only can GIs survive the poisonous surface of Nu Earth unharmed, but their enhanced abilities make them a phenomenal force.

And yet, Rogue is the last GI standing following a devastating massacre that all but wipes out his kind. Carrying the consciousnesses of three fallen comrades as biochips implanted in his equipment, enhancing his powers further, Rogue transforms from super soldier into a one-man squad of death and destruction. He knows no allegiance but to his own mission, and he is hell-bent on completing it. That mission is REVENGE.

Today’s new ROGUE TROOPER REDUX trailer also reveals for the first time the game’s new, fully remastered Rogue model, offering a glimpse of the extensively updated visuals coming to the remaster.

Rogue has been completely remade from the ground up using current-gen quality materials and higher resolution geometry. He sports a new look, based on the classic style of the original 2000 AD® Rogue Trooper comics.

ROGUE TROOPER REDUX is coming soon to PlayStation®4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch™ and PC.

Train2Game News Darksiders III

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​THQ Nordic today announced that hack-n-slash action adventure Darksiders® III is currently in development for PC, PlayStation®4 computer entertainment system and Xbox® One, and is slated for release in 2018. 
“As promised, we have taken our time to ensure that this next Darksiders will be everything action-adventure gamers and especially Darksiders loyalists could dream of and more,” said Lars Wingefors, Co-Founder and Group CEO, THQ Nordic AB. 

The company also announced that it is working with the team at Gunfire Games, which is largely comprised of the original creators of the Darksiders franchise, on development of the long and highly-anticipated project. 

“The Gunfire team brings an intimate involvement with every aspect of the Darksiders franchise since its inception,” said Reinhard Pollice, Director of Business and Product Development, THQ Nordic. “There is simply no team better qualified to create Darksiders III, beginning with our unpredictable and enigmatic hero FURY – a mage who is considered the most powerful of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse!”

Meet FURY in the trailer: http://bit.ly/2pyxmbH

For more information check: http://darksiders.com

Train2Game News Jagex Charitable Giving

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​Jagex, the creators of RuneScape, today announced a partnership with three key charities to support mental health awareness, with a focus on affecting change for young people, as part of a two-year fundraising programme.

Jagex will link up with CPSL Mind, The Prince’s Trust, and YMCA Right Here on a local, national, and international level and has a target of raising £150,000 in 2017 to support their programmes. The games developer and publisher has raised hundreds of thousands of pounds for good causes in recent years, including over £100,000 for SpecialEffect in 2016.
The Prince’s Trust Macquarie Youth Index report, released at the start of the year, revealed that young people’s happiness and confidence are at their lowest levels since the organisation launched its study eight years ago. Over a third – 37 percent – of young people aged 16-25 admitted to feeling stressed about coping with work and school, while NEET young people (those not in employment, education or training) are more likely to feel worried about their circumstances and their future. These burdens impact the mental health of young people and increase their chances of not fulfilling their potential.
Throughout 2017, Jagex will host a series of in-game and real-world events to support the charities and promote mental health awareness. During Mental Health Awareness Week (8th-14th May), RuneScape will run a two-week long charity-specific in-game event – Gielinorian Giving – in which any currency purchased by players will be donated to the causes; in return players will receive exclusive rewards, such as an amour set and in-game pet.
Jagex will also participate in several key initiatives driven by the charities, including The Prince’s Trust career introduction programme, Get Started in Games Design, which will see young people participate in game design workshops hosted by Jagex in addition to a company game jam during Mental Health Awareness Week.
Additionally, the company will become one of the first commercial companies to join the likes of the local police service, some local NHS services, and Cambridgeshire County Council to sign a pledge supporting CPSL Mind’s ‘STOP Suicide’ campaign in Jagex’s home city. Working with YMCA Right Here, Jagex will support the organisation’s ‘Find, Get, Give’ initiative.

The programme will help young people aged 13-25 years old to find and receive support, and then give feedback around the mental health services they’ve accessed. Jagex will be assisting YMCA Right Here in the development of a mental health support networking app.
Phil Mansell, COO and Acting CEO of Jagex, said, “Our passionate and generous RuneScape community has helped raise hundreds of thousands of pounds for some incredible causes over the last few years. By focusing on supporting the mental health and wellbeing of young people through partnering with these three charities, we hope they will once again come together and help people receive the backing they need to cope with the turbulence of the world today.”
Ben Marson, Director of Corporate Partnerships at The Prince’s Trust, said: “Here at The Prince’s Trust, we’ve recently seen an increase in the need for mental health support amongst the young people coming to us for help, so the focus of this partnership with Jagex couldn’t be more timely. By hosting Get Started in Games Design with Jagex, we can develop young people’s confidence and skills to improve their wellbeing and help them get a job.”

Cat Dyson, YMCA Right Here Project Manager, said, “We are thrilled to be working in partnership with Jagex as part of their charitable strategy. YMCA DownsLink Group is focused on supporting young people to belong, contribute and thrive. The YMCA Right Here Project champions this approach by working closely with young people; empowering them to influence mental health work, educate others around health and wellbeing and campaign for change.   We are incredibly excited about the opportunities that this partnership presents, both for the YMCA and young people across the country.”

Aly Anderson, Interim CEO of CPSL Mind said: “We are delighted that Jagex has chosen CPSL Mind – and the STOP Suicide Campaign in particular – as one of their three charities to support this year.  Suicide is the biggest killer of men under 50 and the female suicide rate in England is at its highest since 2005.  However, most suicides are preventable and we are very much looking forward to working with Jagex to train more local people in suicide prevention, to raise awareness of potential suicide warning signs and to encourage everyone to talk more openly about this important subject.”

Further information on the three charities and the Jagex Charitable Giving initiative can be found at https://www.jagex.com/charitable-giving .

Train2Game News Call of Duty World War II

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Call of Duty® is making a dramatic return to the greatest military conflict in history and where the franchise first began, World War II.  
On Friday, November 3rd, Call of Duty®: WWII players will enlist in an unforgettable journey of brotherhood across the European theatre in a mission vital to the success of the Allied powers.  The all-new Call of Duty delivers gritty realism, authenticity and cinematic intensity on an epic scale.  In addition to the game’s boots-on-the-ground combat, Multiplayer offers a host of new mode, system and gameplay innovations across iconic map locations; while an all-new Nazi Zombies Cooperative mode unleashes a startling, new storyline and adrenaline filled experience.  Published by Activision and developed by Sledgehammer Games, Call of Duty: WWII defines the World War II game experience for a new generation of consoles.

“More than two and a-half years ago we made the decision to return this franchise to its roots, and Call of Duty: WWII does so in epic fashion,” said Eric Hirshberg, Activision CEO. “The team at Sledgehammer Games is delivering an authentic, gritty, cinematic experience that honours both the epic scale, and the human struggle of the greatest war the world has ever known.  This game will let longtime fans experience World War II like never before, and will introduce this historic conflict to a whole new generation of gamers in the process.”

“Call of Duty: WWII has been a journey of inspiration and passion for everyone at Sledgehammer Games. The team is dedicated to delivering on the intense nature of war that focuses on the heroism and sacrifice of soldiers in WWII. Our rich narrative driven, action-packed campaign, and engaging and innovative multiplayer experience immerse players into the boots of a soldier fighting for freedom in a world on the brink of tyranny.  And, our co-operative mode delivers a unique storyline that’s an all-new take on Nazi Zombies that we think fans are going to love,” said Michael Condrey, Studio Head and Co-Founder of Sledgehammer Games. 

Added Glen Schofield, Studio Head and Co-Founder of Sledgehammer Games, “the story we’re telling is unlike anything that we’ve tackled before.  It’s such an amazing journey of common everyday people who became heroes. We want to respect this great generation of soldiers, tell a realistic story set in a true inflection point in human history, and deliver the best experience of our careers.”

Call of Duty: WWII takes the franchise back to its roots in a bold cinematic experience that captures the unforgettable heroism of the soldiers who fought together in a war that changed the world forever.  Activision’s gripping new title is an honest portrayal of World War II from the perspective of the famed 1st Infantry Division, with an ensemble cast of global and diverse characters. Through stunning visuals and intense audio, players storm the beaches of Normandy on D-Day, march across France to liberate Paris and ultimately push forward into Germany in some of the most monumental battles of all-time.

Call of Duty: WWII Multiplayer combat immerses players in grounded, fast-paced action featuring an arsenal of authentic weapons and equipment, set in some of the most iconic locations in World War II’s European theatre.  Multiplayer also delivers a new approach to character and create-a-class through Divisions, War, an all-new narrative multiplayer mode of play, and Headquarters, a first of its kind for the Call of Duty social community, designed for players to interact and socialise with friends.  The definitive World War II next generation experience also introduces Nazi Zombies, an all-new cooperative mode featuring a unique standalone storyline set during World War II that’s full of unexpected, adrenaline-pumping action.  Look for more information about Multiplayer at E3 and the Nazi Zombies cooperative experience at a later date.

Call of Duty: WWII pre-orders at participating retailers includes access to the Private Beta, available first on PlayStation®4, scheduled for later this year.  Call of Duty: WWII is available for pre-order in the following editions:

    Base Edition and Digital Base Edition

    Digital Deluxe Edition – Season Pass and more

    Pro Edition – Season Pass, collectible SteelbookTM and more

https://www.youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&persist_app=1&noapp=1&v=uVcqKcaLO3A

Train2Game News Video Game Development The Rock and Roll Years

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Never before has a book been written about the reality of working for computer games companies, from the early 8 bit days onwards, until now.
This book, Video Game Development – The Rock and Roll Years – By Shaun McClure, is a warts and all account of what it was really like; frequently not getting paid, living under desks, dealing with addiction, and self harming. This book is a first hand account of working on games for some of the biggest companies in computer game history.

Shaun McClure had his first artwork published in computer games whilst still at school, growing up in Yorkshire, in the mid 1980’s. He progressed from working from his bedroom to fulltime employment, all around the UK’s fledgling games industry companies, meeting a few of the more famous game developers of the time along the way, and working on some of the best, and worst, games of that era.

The book is available on Amazon as either a kindle download, or paperback. It is 250 pages long and is packed with some of the original illustrations, game designs, photos, and magazine articles from the era.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Video-Game-Development-Years-Pixels/dp/1521085595
https://www.amazon.com/Video-Game-Development-Years-Pixels-ebook/dp/B071YC3FL1

Train2Game News Xenko Games Engine

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Game maker and middleware pioneer, Silicon Studio, today releases the Xenko game engine, giving developers more options than ever before in creating projects of all sizes, from mobile games to realistic VR experiences and beyond. Xenko is free for educational use, small studios and individual users, with larger studios paying a nominal monthly fee. To celebrate the launch, Silicon Studio is offering all users access to the engine’s unrestricted Pro plan at no cost and with no registration requirements through July 31, 2017.
“We worked with developers to create a tool that lets them explore their creativity without running into some of the limitations they may find with other game engines,” said Terada Takehiko, CEO of Silicon Studio. “By offering advantages like C# and photorealistic rendering, we’re positioning Xenko as the top choice for creators working in 3D, VR and everything in between.”

Xenko was designed by an international team of developers, for developers. Using the latest version of C#, the open source engine features high-end realistic rendering, multithreading with support for the latest graphic APIs (Vulkan & DirectX 12), nested prefabs, particle effects, a built-in script editor and more.

Compared to the beta version, the commercial release boasts major improvements including VR support – with features such as binaural audio, single pass rendering, multi-sampling anti-aliasing (MSAA), one-click VR setup – scene streaming management, a pipeline rendering editor, and light probes (a first step to global illumination), along with greatly improved stability.

“I’ve been developing with the Xenko engine for over two years now,” said beta user and game developer Filip Dusek, creator of the game Children of the Galaxy. “I’m really pleased with the performance and stability of the engine. The renderer is remarkable – both in terms of use and the visual results.”

Xenko represents a new option for developers that want more flexibility from game engines, and this release is just the first step. Silicon Studio will continue to offer new features and updates, including a much more advanced rendering pipeline editor, a visual scripting system, and more.

To celebrate the launch, Silicon Studio is introducing the Xenko Welcome Campaign, allowing unfettered access to the Pro and Personal plans without registration and at no cost until July 31, 2017. Following the conclusion of the welcome program, users that took advantage of the Pro Plan who wish switch to the Personal Plan can simply register their account and select the Personal option (studio size restrictions apply). For more details, see the campaign page.

Pricing, availability, and welcome campaign

Pricing for Xenko is broken into four tiers:

    Xenko Personal – Free for small studios, personal, and students

    Xenko Pro – Designed for small to medium-sized studios; $75 per month (free until July 31, 2017)

    Xenko Pro Plus – Designed for larger studios; $150 per month

    Xenko Custom – Available to accommodate teams with a variety of special needs, projects, and requirements.  

For full details, see the Xenko license plan page.

A Xenko Education version is free for students and universities for use in non-commercial education uses.

During the Welcome Campaign, registration options for the Xenko Pro Plus plan will only be available to corporate customers upon request. When the campaign ends, the Pro Plus plan will be made available to all users through the Xenko store. For details, please contact Silicon Studio.

Xenko is available for PC, and allows developers to build games for Windows, iOS, Android and Xbox One, with Supporting for other consoles coming soon. Xenko can be downloaded directly through the Xenko website.