Monthly Archives: March 2016

Call of Duty Black Ops III: Eclipse Update Coming April 19th

Black Ops 3

Call of Duty®: Black Ops III Eclipse, the second DLC pack for the No. 1 top-selling console video game of 2015, Call of Duty: Black Ops III, is set to release on April 19, first for the PlayStation 4 with other next-gen platforms to follow*.  In addition to a thrilling array of four new multiplayer maps, Eclipse features an all-new Zombies experience that immerses players in an undead World War II Pacific theater.

“The incredible amount of engagement and response to Black Ops III from our fans continues to inspire all of us at the studio,” said Mark Lamia, Studio Head, Treyarch.  “Eclipse continues to demonstrate our commitment to delivering the most exciting gameplay experiences possible with each DLC pack.  We are pushing ourselves at every turn to craft new and unique ways to play.”
Eclipse comes packed with four new multiplayer maps: Spire, Rift, Knockout; and Verge, a re-imagining of the Call of Duty®: World at War classic, Banzai.
  • Spire: Spire takes Multiplayer combat to a futuristic sub-orbital airport terminal set high in the clouds. Multiple levels and open areas promote intense, mid-range combat around a clean, high-tech civilian environment. Watch your step, because one wrong move could send you plummeting back through the stratosphere.
  • Rift: Head to the core of a harsh futuristic military complex, set high above an active caldera. Rift funnels and forces tight, intense engagements, where the only way through is forward. Utilize the unique core movement opportunities to outsmart and outplay enemies as you traverse the suspended rail system.
  • Knockout: Housed in a traditional Shaolin Temple with a retro twist, Knockout sets the stage for a bloody Kung Fu tournament. This mid-sized map showcases a sharp contrast between the mid-range engagements of the traditional exterior architecture and the tight close-quarters of an eclectic 1970’s styled interior.
  • Verge: In this re-imagination of the classic Call of Duty: World at War map, Banzai, Verge drops Multiplayer combat into the center of a distant post-apocalyptic future, where two warring factions are entrenched in constant battle. Take control of the key bridge, fortresses, tunnel systems and waterfalls as you engage in high-speed action through this medium-sized map
Eclipse also sets the stage for Zetsubou No Shima, the highly-anticipated, all-new entry in the Call of Duty: Black Ops III Zombies storyline that spans the four DLC Map Packs for Black Ops III this year.  The Origins characters continue on their mission to stop the zombie apocalypse not only in this universe but in all universes.  Our heroes find themselves stranded on a remote Pacific island which is home to the Division 9 facility: a secret biological research lab whose experiments with Element 115 and its effects on human, animal, and plant biology has created horrors beyond belief.  Zetsubou No Shima features a foliage rich island map including new terrifying zombie enemies, a variety of innovative transport mechanics, more devastating traps and classic Zombies side quests.
The Call of Duty: Black Ops III Eclipse DLC Map Pack is available at a discounted rate via the Call of Duty: Black Ops III DLC Season Pass**, which features four DLC Map Packs planned for the year, as part of the discounted bundle offered at a suggested retail price of $49.99. Individual purchase of DLC Map Packs is at a suggested retail price of $15.  Call of Duty: Black Ops III is rated M for Mature with Blood and Gore, Drug Reference, Intense Violence and Strong Language.
Call of Duty: Black Ops III Eclipse is scheduled for release on PlayStation 4 games and entertainment system from Sony on April 19, 2016 with other next-gen platform availability to follow*.
For more info, visit www.activision.com

Melty Blood AACC: Coming to Steam on April 19th

Melty Blood

Arc System Works Co., Ltd. is pleased to announce, Melty Blood Actress Again Current Code the latest fighting game from Arc System Works’ catalog will be released on April 19, 2016 on Steam (PC) platform.

Developed by FRENCH-BREAD, Melty Blood Actress Again Current Code is the latest iteration of the 2D fighting game featuring an eclectic cast of 31 fighters from the Melty Blood universe based on the visual novel. The game’s events take place one year after the TATARI incident that left Misaki Town scarred.

Melty Blood Actress Again Current Code Features 31 fighters in the game with each of the unique fighting styles (Crescent Moon, Full Moon, and Half Moon.), Arcade Mode, Training Mode as well as Local and Online play, all for the price of $24.99 with a one week 20% launch discount.
For more information please visit the official website: http://arcsystemworksu.com/game/melty-blood-actress-again-current-code/, or the Steam store page: http://store.steampowered.com/app/411370

Twitch & Super Evil Megacorp Partner to Expand Vainglory Esports

Twitch & Super Evil Megacorp Partner to Expand Vainglory Esports

Super Evil Megacorp, maker of the leading touchscreen esport Vainglory, and Twitch, the world’s leading social video platform and community for gamers, have inked a three-year partnership in North America and Europe for the official Vainglory Championships and supporting esports structures. The collaboration will include a multi-million dollar investment from each company and a multi-pronged program across sales, promotions, broadcasts and live events.

Vainglory was the fastest growing mobile game on Twitch in 2015, with 150 million minutes viewed. The touchscreen esport was also the largest with a $350,000 prize pool around the world last Fall, and professional teams like TSM, SK Gaming, Team Secret and G2 Esports joining the fray in the last few months. Vainglory’s Winter Championships, which were recently held at Red Bull’s esports Studio in Santa Monica, California and the Gfinity Arena in London, grew its audience more than three times the Autumn Championships, drawing more than 1.5 million views on Twitch.

The Twitch partnership will help better serve the millions of players and fans of Vainglory and its esports teams and the robust Vainglory support exhibits Twitch’s commitment to esports and touchscreen games. Twitch will expand and grow Vainglory’s presence with key promotions of Vainglory streamers and esports broadcasts, dedicate a team to help run Vainglory esports events, build official esports websites as well as handle sponsorship and merchandise sales.

“The esports industry has been dominated by PC and console titles, but Vainglory is ushering in a new mobile games movement,” said Nick Allen, Director of Esports Operations at Twitch. “The incredible engagement Vainglory has garnered on our platform is testament that our community welcomes the convergence of esports and mobile gaming.”

Starting today, teams of three players hopeful to win the Spring Championship can register at VaingloryLeague.com. The three-month season kicks off with open qualifiers and will have a total prize pool of $80,000 USD.

“We’ve been working closely with Twitch since even before the global launch of Vainglory, and their massive, wildly passionate gaming community has helped our game develop a loyal and growing following,” said Kristian Segerstrale, COO and executive director at Super Evil Megacorp. “By working with Twitch in this new and expanded capacity, we’re going to be able to bring our esports programming to the next level and provide better and more frequent coverage to fans.”

Vainglory’s Spring Season has today kicked off with a new game mode (in beta) “Battle Royal”, a new hero “Alpha”, a new map skin, a massive “Halcyon Days” event and new skins for Fortress. New players will be eased into the game in new, bite-sized tutorial pieces, and the competitive season begins late April. In the beta Battle Royal mode, each player is assigned a random hero, and the game starts with heroes already leveled up; as opposed to starting from level one with a certain hero like in a normal match.

2015 was a momentous year for Vainglory, with more than $350,000 in prize money awarded to players across live events held in North America, Europe, Southeast Asia and China. 2016 has already been action-packed, with the North American Winter Season Championships having just taken place at the sold out Red Bull esports Studio in Santa Monica, Calif, and the European Championships at the Gfinity Arena in London. Amazon and NVIDIA are two of the key sponsors that have returned this year.

Recently, renowned professional esports organization Team SoloMid (TSM) acquired the reigning North America champions, following a series of recent eSports team acquisitions in the Vainglory competitive world, including Team Secret, G2 Esports and SK Gaming. The Vainglory eSports scene also includes hundreds of original teams, including home-grown professional teams paying players under contract such as GankStars, Halcyon Hammers and Phoenix eSports.