Thursday, 13 December 2018

FINAL FANTASY XV MULTIPLAYER: COMRADES STANDALONE EDITION NOW AVAILABLE

Journey with the Mysterious Miqo’te in the FINAL FANTASY XIV Online Collaborative Quest Starting Today

Square Enix Ltd., continues to commemorate the two-year anniversary of the award-winning FINAL FANTASY XV® with the release of a standalone edition of FINAL FANTASY XV MULTIPLAYER: COMRADES. Players can also jump into the game for a special collaboration with the popular MMO FINAL FANTASY XIV Online beginning today, featuring a new in-game quest, “Adventurer from Another World.”

In the FINAL FANTASY XV MULTIPLAYER: COMRADES standalone edition, available for the Xbox One family of devices including Xbox One X and the PlayStation®4 computer entertainment system, players can partake in various Hunt, Defense and Escort quests in co-op gameplay with up to four players. The new update offers 10 powerful bosses (one will be available at a later date), including Fierce, Cerberus and Melusine for players to square up against. Current owners of FINAL FANTASY XV MULTIPLAYER EXPANSION: COMRADES who wish to continue playing on Xbox One and PlayStation®4 can download the standalone edition for free. PC players will be able to download ongoing updates for the COMRADES expansion.

In the main game, players can also participate in the FINAL FANTASY XIV Online collaborative quest, “Adventurer from Another World,” beginning today. In the quest, Noctis embarks on a journey with the mysterious Miqo’te, Y’jhimei to Perpetouss Keep, which culminates in an epic battle against the primal Garuda. Upon completion of the quest, especially brave players may challenge “The Howling Eye (Extreme)” in a higher difficulty setting. Special FINAL FANTASY XIV-themed costumes for Noctis, Ignis, Gladiolus and Prompto will be awarded to adventurers who successfully complete the quest, while new weapons, including a new Sword, Greatsword, Dagger and Firearm inspired by the Garuda weapon, may be acquired by exchanging items at the trade shop inside the Perpetouss Keep after the quest is finished.

As anticipation builds for the release of the EPISODE ARDYN DLC in March 2019, fans can look forward to a new trailer for a special anime episode titled, FINAL FANTASY XV EPISODE ARDYN - PROLOGUE, on Saturday, December 15 on the official YouTube Channel.

HITMAN 2 Upcoming Free Live Content Details; New “How to Hitman” Video Shows Players How to Hide in Plain Sight

Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment and IO Interactive recently released details on the free live content coming to HITMAN 2 this month, including new Contracts, Escalations and the next Elusive Target mission. Below is snapshot of what is in store for Agent 47.

New Featured Contracts: Occupational Hazards (Available Now) – All Featured Contracts are created by members of the community and then added to the game for all players to enjoy. For HITMAN 2, Featured Contracts will be chosen based on themes – and the first is ‘Occupational Hazards,’ as all contracts are focused on jobs, occupations and professions.
New Escalation Contract: The Aelwin Augment (13^th Dec) – Escalation Contracts focus on how players can adapt their skills and playstyles to the various complications that can be thrown Agent 47’s way. This new Escalation Contract takes place on the mysterious Isle of Sgàil and it is sure to be a memorable visit.
Holiday Surprise! (16^th Dec) – Stay tuned for a time-limited, Christmas-themed surprise coming later this month.
New Elusive Target: The Revolutionary (21^st Dec) – A new Elusive Target will arrive in Santa Fortuna for 10 days, and you’ll be able to unlock the Casual Tourist with gloves suit if you manage to complete it. More details on this contract will be available in the coming weeks. In the meantime, check out the Elusive Target Rewards blog post for a full overview of the ET rewards.
New Escalation: The Turms Infatuation (27^th Dec) – The month will be wrapped up (pun intended) with an Escalation Contract in Santa Fortuna.

To check out the full HITMAN 2 December Live Content

HITMAN 2 is the follow-up to the internationally acclaimed video game, HITMAN. Featuring entirely new hyper-detailed sandbox locations full of living, breathing environments to explore, HITMAN 2 offers players the freedom to plan the ultimate assassination utilising an assortment of tools, weapons, disguises and a variety of stealth techniques to creatively trigger their own unique chain of events.

HITMAN 2 introduces new ways to play with the Sniper Assassin mode, a standalone feature that brings a co-op experience to the Hitman series for the first time, allowing two players to work together online to take down their targets. HITMAN 2 will also feature a unique and brand-new take on 1-versus-1 multiplayer competition with Ghost Mode. Players will put their assassination skills to the ultimate test as they compete against each other online, both as Agent 47, to assassinate the most targets faster and cleaner than their opponent, while utilising weapons, items, outfits and ghost crate supply drops to help accomplish the overall mission.

HITMAN 2 is now available for PlayStation 4, PlayStation 4 Pro, the Xbox One family of devices including the Xbox One X and PC.

To learn more about HITMAN 2, please visit www.hitman.com or join the HITMAN 2 conversation on Twitter (@Hitman), Facebook (@Hitman), Instagram (@Hitman), YouTube (Hitman), Twitch (Hitman), Discord (Hitman), Reddit (Hitman) or the Hitman Forum.

TOM CLANCY’S GHOST RECON^® WILDLANDS PAYS HOMAGE TO TOM CLANCY’S GHOST RECON FUTURE SOLDIER^® IN A TWO-PART SPECIAL MISSION

Experience the Expansive Universe of Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon in this Unique Event Starting December 11

Today, Ubisoft announced that Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon^® Wildlands will introduce a free Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon^®Future Soldier^®–themed special mission featuring iconic characters Scott Mitchell and John Kozak as part of Special Operation 3. In this third major update of Year 2 content, players will be able to team up with Mitchell and Kozak for this free two-part special crossover event starting tomorrow, December 11, on all platforms.

Exclusive Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon^® Future Soldier–themed content will be introduced to the Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon^® Wildlands main campaign and PvP mode, including two new Future Soldier–inspired Ghost War PvP classes and a PvE mission, Operation Silent Spade. In Operation Silent Spade, Ghost Leader Scott Mitchell calls on Nomad and his team to help rookie John Kozak investigate a plot that links the Santa Blanca Cartel to a nuclear threat. The special challenge is playable solo or with up to four players in co-op.

Upon completing Operation Silent Spade, players will be rewarded with the Optical Camo Backpack, perfect for a stealth approach. In addition to the rewards for completing the challenge, players can further customise and arm their Ghosts with the Silent Spade Pack, which include a weapon and new customisation items.

Special Operation 3 will also bring two new Ghost War PvP classes, Vanguard and Sharpshooter, inspired by Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon^® Future Soldier characters. Vanguard uses sensor grenades to uncover and highlight hidden enemies in the area of effect to his team, while Sharpshooter charges his shots by using his Long Range Specialist ability, which at a full charge enables him to negate the effects of sway and bullet drop. In addition to two new classes, this update will also contain two new PvP maps, Lithium Mine and Outskirts.

Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon^® Wildlands Year 2 Pass offers seven-day early access to the two new Ghost War classes starting December 11, along with one exclusive customisation pack. Non-owners of the Year 2 Pass will be able to access the new Ghost War classes starting December 18.

PC players wanting to share the experience with friends can gain Battle Crate rewards including Spec Ops and Ghost War Crates, via the PC Referral Program from December 11 - February 11, 2019. Invited friends who purchase the game will also receive Battle Crate rewards, including one Ghost War Crate and One Spec Ops Crate. The more friends players invite, the more rewards they will receive.

Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon Wildlands Year 2 will continue to expand the Ghost Recon universe with free major Special Operation updates, each featuring a unique theme, updates to the PvE campaign with free special content and special challenges with exclusive rewards, community-requested features and updates for the Ghost War 4v4 PvP experience. The development team is committed to supporting the game with free new content and improvements to the core experience.

Developed by Ubisoft Paris,* Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon Wildlands is a military shooter entirely playable in up to four-player co-op or single-player from beginning to end. Players have total freedom to accomplish their missions how they want and watch as the world reacts to their actions. Players can choose to move quietly in the night, go in hot at dawn or work together to execute a sync shot that takes out enemies in one fell swoop. Each choice has a consequence, and players must improvise or adapt their plans to ensure the completion and success of each mission. Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon Wildlands Ghost War allows players to live the ultimate co-op experience in 4v4 modes. Featuring a growing roster of classes, maps and modes, Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon Wildlands Ghost War focuses on teamwork, strategy and tense tactical engagements.

For more information about Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon Wildlands, please visit ghostrecon.com, follow us on twitter.com/ghostrecon or facebook.com/ghostreconand join the conversation by using #ghostrecon.

For the latest about Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon Wildlands and other Ubisoft games, please visit news.ubisoft.com.

UBISOFT^® REVEALS MORE DETAILS ABOUT BROKEN DAWN, THE NEW TOM CLANCY’S THE DIVISION^® NOVEL

Today, Ubisoft^® announced that Tom Clancy’s The Division: Broken Dawn, a brand new novel set in the universe of The Division, will go on sale on 15^th March, 2019, coinciding with the worldwide release of Tom Clancy’s The Division 2. Published by Titan Books^® and written by award-winning fiction author Alex Irvine Tom Clancy's The Division: Broken Dawn is a suspenseful and action-packed prequel story of The Division 2..

Months after the devastating pandemic outbreak in New York City on Black Friday, spring has come to the world of Tom Clancy’s The Division, and with it the challenge of protecting society’s rebirth. The Division Agent Aurelio Diaz and civilian April Kelleher, embark on a journey into a troubled American Midwest. As they uncover an imminent threat to the future of the country, Agent Diaz and April must act together to preserve civilization’s last hope to stop a new virus and save itself from a final collapse.

Fans of The Division and of Irvine’s previous entry in the franchise, New York Collapse, will get to immerse themselves into the fractured vision of post-pandemic world of Tom Clancy’s The Division 2 through this new story.

As previously announced, Dark Horse Comics will publish and extensive lore book as well as three-issue comic book series based on Tom Clancy’s The Division universe.

The World of Tom Clancy’s The Division

Filled with incisive lore and detailed art, The World of Tom Clancy’s The Division is a meticulously crafted 160-page hardcover book, offering readers a unique insight into the chaotic and dangerous world of the hit games. Available in 2019.

The World of Tom Clancy’s The Division Limited Edition

With only 2500 units available worldwide, this limited edition of the lore book includes a tactical clamshell case with light-up SHD Tech icon, an exclusive cloth poster and an exclusive dossier cover. Available 23^rd April 2019.

Tom Clancy’s The Division: Extremis Malis

Set between the bitter cold of the original game and sweltering summer of The Division 2, the Tom Clancy's The Division: Extremis Malis series is a 3-part comic series releasing early 2019. The first issue of the comics is already available for pre-order online in UK digital store only.

The three-issue hardcover book, regrouping all three comic books, of Tom Clancy's The Division: Extremis Malis will release this summer in Europe.

Led by Massive Entertainment in collaboration with seven other studios around the world*, Tom Clancy’s The Division 2 is the next evolution in the open-world online shooter RPG genre that the first game helped establish. Set seven months after a deadly virus was released in New York City, Tom Clancy's The Division 2 will bring players into a fractured and collapsing Washington D.C. The world is on the brink, its people living through the biggest crisis ever faced in human history. As veteran Division agents, players are the last hope against the complete fall of society as enemy factions vie for control of the city. If Washington D.C. is lost, the entire nation falls. Building upon more than two years of listening to and learnings from The Division community, Tom Clancy's The Division 2 will offer a substantial campaign that organically flows into a robust endgame, to create a cohesive and meaningful experience for all types of players. The game will be released on 15^th March, 2019 on the Xbox One family of devices including the Xbox One X, PlayStation®4 computer entertainment system and Windows PC. Players can register for beta access now for a chance to play at http://thedivisiongame.com/beta.

For more information on Tom Clancy’s The Division 2, please visit: tomclancy-thedivision.ubisoft.com.

For the latest news on Tom Clancy’s The Division 2 and all of Ubisoft’s games, visit Ubisoft News: news.ubisoft.com.

THE CREW^® 2 OFFERS FREE WEEKEND

13^TH– 16^TH DECEMBER

Today, Ubisoft announced that The Crew^® 2 will be available to play for free starting tomorrow, 13^th December to 16^thDecember on PlayStation^®4 computer entertainment system and the Xbox One family of devices, including Xbox One X, and Windows PC. Players will have access to the full game – including the newest addition, the Demolition Derby discipline and PvP mode – plus hundreds of challenges and the freedom to explore the entire US on land, sea and in the air behind the wheel of their dream vehicles, solo or in four-player co-op.

Players who want to continue their journey in the US open world of The Crew 2 will not only keep their game progression but also enjoy a discount of up to 67 percent off The Crew 2 Standard, Deluxe and Gold Editions and 30 percent off of the season pass on all digital stores from 13^th December to 20^th December. Additionally, players who participate in The Crew 2 free weekend from 13^th December to 16^th December will receive one free exclusive vehicle on 17^th December according to their platform.

· Xbox One: BMW Z4 GT3 2011

· PlayStation^®4: Maserati Gran Turismo S 2009 – Touring Car Edition

· PC: Ford GT 2005 – Touring Car Edition

The Crew 2 is already available for preload on Uplay PC. More information on the free weekend, including exact starting and ending times for each platform can be found here: https://thecrewgame.com/free-weekend-dec18

Developed by Ubisoft Ivory Tower,* a studio based in Lyon, France, The Crew 2 lets players experience the thrill of the American motorsports spirit inside a fully redesigned USA. The game’s playground pushes physical boundaries to let driving and open world fans test their skills in nonstop competition and exploration. From coast to coast, drivers can explore America and compete to become the greatest motorsports champion by collecting a wide variety of exotic cars, bikes, boats and planes, and dominating the motorsports scene on land, on the water and in the air. They can find challenges and inspiration among four different motorsports families: street racing, off-road, pro-racing and freestyle, and will be given a broad set of options among a wide selection of vehicle types.

For the latest news on The Crew and all of Ubisoft’s games, please visit blog.ubi.com.

For more information about The Crew 2, please visit thecrewgame.com and please follow us on Facebook at facebook.com/thecrewgame.uk and on Twitter attwitter.com/TheCrewGame or #TheCrew2.

Friday, 7 December 2018

UBISOFT UNVEILS A POST-APOCALYPTIC SETTING IN FAR CRY NEW DAWN

Today at The Game Awards, Ubisoft unveiled Far Cry^®New Dawn, the newest installment of the award-winning Far Cry franchise. Set in a breathtaking post-apocalyptic world, Far Cry New Dawn will release on 15^th February, 2019 for PlayStation^®4 computer entertainment system, the Xbox One family of devices including Xbox One X and Windows PC. Players can pre-order Far Cry New Dawn now.

Set seventeen years after a global nuclear catastrophe, Far Cry New Dawn brings players into a wildly beautiful and radically transformed Hope County, Montana. Life has begun to emerge from the chaos, but the survivors now face a new threat – the merciless Highwaymen and their leaders The Twins, Mickey and Lou. Raised in a lawless frontier, the twin sisters and their band of scavengers live only for today and have descended upon Hope County to take all available resources. To push back this devastating threat, players must help the Survivors grow stronger, craft a makeshift arsenal and form unexpected alliances to fight for survival in a dangerous new frontier.

At the Homebase, players will prepare to face off against the threat of the Highwaymen. The Homebase, called Prosperity, is the stronghold of the Survivors. Here, players can craft makeshift weapons and vehicles and train their Guns for Hire – including new and familiar faces. As players progress, they can upgrade the Homebase for more powerful weapons and gear. The Homebase is also a launchpad to Expeditions, where for the first time in Far Cry, the adventure is more than local. Set in memorable locations across the US, from wetlands to canyons and more, Expeditions drop players into unique locations where they must grab a package of valuable materials and get out, quickly.

Developed by Ubisoft Montreal with support from Ubisoft Shanghai, Ubisoft Kiev and Ubisoft Bucharest, Far Cry New Dawn is a first-person shooter set in a completely open world. The standalone sequel to Far Cry^® 5, Far Cry New Dawn thrusts players into a post-apocalyptic setting where they will encounter a dual threat – The Twins, Mickey and Lou. Players can recruit an eclectic cast of Guns and Fangs for Hire, or a Friend for Hire for co-op play, to experience unpredictable, unforgettable Far Cry Moments where anything can happen.

For more information about Far Cry New Dawn, please visit farcry.com and follow us on Facebook at facebook.com/farcry and on Twitter at twitter.com/farcrygameor hashtag #FarCryNewDawn.

For the latest on Far Cry New Dawn and other Ubisoft games, please visit news.ubisoft.com.

GET READY TO GO FUR-THROTTLE WITH CRASH TEAM RACING NITRO-FUELED

Legendary Kart Racer Debuts Competitive Online Gameplay and More For Its 20th Anniversary

Preorders Live Now, Including Digital Deluxe Edition

Crash is back again, and this time he’s revved up to the max in Crash™ Team Racing Nitro-Fueled, an authentic Crash Team Racingexperience that’s been remastered in stunning HD and so much more. Power-sliding into players’ hands on June 21^st, 2019, Crash Team Racing Nitro-Fueled also brings fans online multiplayer racing. Get ready to start your engines as the game will be available for the PlayStation® 4, PlayStation® 4 Pro, Nintendo Switch™, and the family of Xbox One devices from Microsoft, including the Xbox One X.

Developed by Beenox and published by Activision, a wholly owned subsidiary of Activision Blizzard, Inc. (NASDAQ: ATVI), Crash Team Racing Nitro-Fueled is built from the ground up and remasters the original Crash^TM racing game by bringing the characters, karts, tracks and arenas to modern console HD graphics. Fans will be able to see Crash and friends’ expressions and antics in beautiful detail as they blast each other with power-ups and whiz around the corners in all the original racetracks. The stakes are high and the competition is fierce as players race with a variety of Crash Bandicoot^TM series characters, including Crash, Coco, Dr. Neo Cortex and others against the egomaniacal Nitros Oxide to save our planet from destruction. In the new game, Adventure, Arcade Single Race and Cup Race, Time Trials and Battle Mode are back. Play Crash Team Racing Nitro-Fueled single player or vs. friends both online and offline.

“The love that fans have for Crash Team Racing goes beyond just a fun kart racing game, and we’re excited to finally show fans what we’ve been working on to celebrate its 20^th anniversary,” said Thomas Wilson, Co-Studio Head at Beenox. “Not only are we revamping Crash Team Racing from the kart up in Crash Team Racing Nitro-Fueled, we are giving fans a whole lot more including all the characters and tracks they love, with tons of added animations and personality that the original platform just couldn’t convey. We can’t wait to see fans go head-to-head as they test their Crash kart racing mettle in online multiplayer.”

Players who want to kick their Crash Team Racing Nitro-Fueled into the highest gear can pre-order the

Crash Team Racing Nitro-Fueled - Nitros Oxide Edition. In the digital deluxe edition, the self-proclaimed fastest racer in the galaxy, Nitros Oxide will be a playable character from day one in all game modes. Players will also receive the full Crash Team Racing Nitro-Fueled game, Oxide’s Hovercraft kart, space-themed character skins for Crash, Coco, Cortex, and much more. Players who do not purchase the Nitros Oxide Edition can earn the Nitros Oxide character and Oxide’s Hovercraft kart by completing some of the fiercest challenges in the Adventure Mode.

Crash Team Racing Nitro-Fueled and the Crash Team Racing Nitro-Fueled - Nitros Oxide Edition are available for pre-order starting today. Watch the official trailerhere. More information about Crash Team Racing Nitro-Fueled can be found at www.crashbandicoot.com. Fans are also invited to follow Twitter, Facebook, andInstagram, as well as subscribe to the YouTube channel at YouTube.com/crashbandicoot.