The Grand Finals 2015 marked the biggest eSports event in Wargaming’s yearly calendar, uniting fans and players from around the globe. Two days of exhilarating tank combat have finally come to end, with CIS team HellRaisers crowned The Grand Finals 2015 champions. Over April 25–26 at the EXPO XXI in Warsaw, 12 teams battled it out, treating thousands of spectators to shocking victories, brutal annihilations and underdog comebacks in search of a slice of $300,000.
“This event left us speechless,” said Mohamed Fadl, Global Head of eSports at Wargaming. “We knew that the top teams have a huge fan base but to see tens of thousands of them joining us to watch their stars play for the world championship was truly breathtaking. We have a new world champion, and we saw so many big surprises during these two days. This is just the beginning of a long journey for all of us, and we can’t wait for the next The Grand Finals to be even bigger and better.”

The final saw HellRaisers, a team who had shocked everyone by defeating last year’s champions Na’Vi, go head-to-head with EL Gaming. In the end, it was a decisive victory for HellRaisers, who conquered their opponents 7:1.

“It’s been the best, most significant tournament for HellRaisers,” said Yuriy Buharov, Manager of HellRaisers. “The competition was both stressful and exhilarating. We gave our all, fought tooth and nail, and won! The work Wargaming has done to organize an event this massive at such a quality level impressed all of us. Tournaments like The Grand Finals push the entire eSports industry forward, bringing it closer to popular real life sports of today, and it’s great being a part of this revolutionary trend.”

For more info, visit http://na.wgleague.net

Verdun has officially been released, surprising the players with a new sector of the Western front; Aisne! Verdun is the first multiplayer FPS set in a realistic First World War setting. The merciless trench warfare offers a unique battlefield experience, immersing you and your squad into intense offensive and defensive battles.

The new map Aisne represents a large sector of the Western front, which was held by the French for most of the war. It is noticeably different in setting, because the environment is as of yet unspoiled by the ravages of war with lots of greenery, something the game hasn’t covered yet.

To celebrate the years of hard work, Verdun has a special 10% release discount. Also, there are a number of celebration events that you can attend, amongst which the first ever official Verdun Tournament.

Jos Hoebe, co-producer of Verdun says;
“Early Access gave us the opportunity to build up a community and in turn realize the potential of our game together with them. This is what we could only dream of and we’re very grateful for the players that stuck by us during the development process.”

The developers, however, aren’t finished. There are many more free thematic expansions soon to follow, of which a few are revealed today.

For more info, visit http://www.verdungame.com/

Paradox Interactive, a publisher of games that loves the spell of napalm, today announced that Magicka: Wizard Wars has officially launched worldwide on PC. Magicka: Wizard Wars, the free-to-play player-versus-player (PvP) action game based around the iconic Magicka spellcasting system, has finished its Steam Early Access period and is now available as a general release. Today’s launch includes an all-new game mode, “Soul Harvest,” for the more strategically-minded sorcerer, where Wizards will have to worry about fighting AI creatures and monsters in addition to their opponents, all while dodging the always-on friendly fire of their own well-meaning teammates. Magicka: Wizard Wars is free to download and play at www.wizardwars.com/ .

In Soul Harvest, player-Wizards play a 4v4 match where each team must reach and destroy a magical effigy possessed by the opposing team. In order to destroy the effigy’s defenses and reach the target, players must collect souls by casting deadly spells upon AI monsters roaming the map – or upon enemy Wizards. True to the on-the-fly strategies and action of Magicka, there are no lanes, last-hitting, or levels in Soul Harvest – only pure skill at spellcasting and picking the right magic for the right moment. It’s never too late for a comeback!

“Obviously the launch of a game is a momentous occasion, and it’s definitely a relief to have it officially out there after two years,” said David Nisshagen, Game Director for Magicka: Wizard Wars. “Our job is certainly not over yet, however. Our players have been with us every step of the way, supporting us, giving us crucial feedback, and helping us make a Magicka PvP experience that feels right. We couldn’t have gotten to this point without them, and now that we’ve launched, we’re going to stick by them to keep the game growing, evolving, and repeatedly setting everybody on fire in new and unexpected ways.”

For more info, visit www.wizardwars.com/

Shadowrun is the mother of all cyberpunk settings, captivating fans around the globe for over 25 years. Now, with Shadowrun Chronicles: Boston Lockdown (previously known as Shadowrun Online), Cliffhanger Productions is releasing a unique and tactically challenging online game. In a world where magic and technology collide, the player takes control of the combat unit of one of the mighty megacorporations, tasked with doing their dirty work. And there’s a lot of that in the world of Shadowrun Chronicles…

The campaign mode in Shadowrun Chronicles: Boston Lockdown can be tackled either solo or in co-op multiplayer mode. First, you create your own hero in true RPG fashion in a level-free character system and gradually assemble a formidable team of Runners. With over 50 different enemy types, the missions require smart and prudent planning, cover from fire, suppressive fire, heavy weaponry and, of course, the well-considered use of powerful magic.

The Early Access phase of Shadowrun Chronicles: Boston Lockdown officially ends today and, following the successful Kickstarter campaign with over 6,000 supporters, to whom the developers extend their special thanks, is finally available in stores off- and online.

For more info, visit http://www.shadowrun.com/shadowrun-online/