BATTLEZONE BRINGS ACCLAIMED 4-PLAYER TANK COMBAT TO PSVR

PlayStation VR's most hotly anticipated launch title is AVAILABLE NOW!

The father of VR and mother of all tank games is back!

BATTLEZONE is available NOW as a launch title for PlayStation VR on PlayStation 4, offering hours of exhilarating, futuristic tank warfare in stunning first-person VR.

Delivering a procedurally generated campaign for 1-4 players that ensures no two playthroughs are ever the same, and drop-in, drop-out online play, BATTLEZONE is an essential purchase for all early adopters of PlayStation VR.

Watch the heart-pumping launch trailer

"When we set out to bring BATTLEZONE to PlayStation VR, we were always adamant we wanted to create a fully-fledged game, and not something you'd just call an experience," said Rebellion CEO and Co-founder Jason Kingsley OBE. "It's great to see so many positive early reviews, and I'm personally so thrilled to see one of gaming's most beloved IPs come back to VR with a bang!

"The original arcade game inspired a generation of gamers and developers, including my brother and me. If our BATTLEZONE is even a fraction as influential, we'll be delighted."

KEY FACTS
Release date: October 13th, 2016
RRP: £49.99 / $59.99 / €59.99
Ratings: PEGI - 7 / ESRB - T for Teen
Players: 1-4 (online co-op)
Platforms: PlayStation 4 (requires PlayStation VR)
Developer and Digital Publisher: Rebellion
Boxed Publisher: Sony Interactive Entertainment Europe
Available worldwide, both at retail and on the PlayStation Store.
For more information, visit battlezone.com

STEEP™ SPECIAL EDITION EXCLUSIVELY AVAILABLE AT GAME

HIT THE SLOPES WITH STEEP™ ON DECEMBER 2^ND 

Ubisoft^® and GAME have today confirmed that the STEEP™ Moonlight Pack will be available exclusively at GAME in the UK for anyone who pre-orders the Special Edition. Available to pre-order right now, the STEEP Moonlight Pack Special Edition allows players to extend their night-riding experience with an array of exclusive added content. This pack contains new challenges and equipment, including:

·        Three extra night challenges

·        Three new night outfits

·        Glowing equipment for each activity (ski, snowboard, wingsuit and paraglide)

·        Night flare

·        Wingsuit Sparkle Flare

With development led by Ubisoft Annecy, STEEP drops players onto the peaks of mountains with exhilarating experiences including skiing, wingsuiting, snowboarding and paragliding. Riders can traverse the Alps solo or drop in side-by-side with friends to record and share the most insane tricks ever captured on the slopes. Designed for a generation that’s all about sharing their experiences with the world, STEEP encourages players to challenge their friends to see who truly comes out on top of the world.

STEEP will be released on December 2^nd, 2016 on Xbox One^®, PlayStation^®4 computer entertainment system and Windows PC. For the ultimate STEEP experience, players can purchase the Gold Edition.

The STEEP Moonlight Pack Special Edition is available to pre-order at GAME now: click here to visit the GAME website.

WARNER BROS. INTERACTIVE ENTERTAINMENT LAUNCHES
BATMAN™: ARKHAM VR FOR PLAYSTATION VR

BE the Batman in the First Dark Knight Virtual Reality Experience from Rocksteady Studios

Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment and DC Entertainment today announced the release of Batman™: Arkham VR, the very first virtual reality experience that allows fans to become Batman, as well as explore Gotham City and Wayne Manor like never before. Developed by Rocksteady Studios, creators of the critically acclaimedBatman™: Arkham trilogy, Batman: Arkham VR is based on DC’s core Batman license and is available exclusively on PlayStation®VR for the suggested retail price of £15.99.

In June, Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment announced Batman: Arkham VR to excitement from fans all over the world and soon went on to win the first ever E3 Game Critics Award for Best VR Game.

“Just when we thought we were done with Arkham, virtual reality pulled us back in. It was a game changer for the team because we could put the player  inside this universe for the first time and let them become The Batman,” said Sefton Hill, Creative Director, Rocksteady Studios. “It’s been amazing to see the reactions of players as they descend into the Batcave, don the cowl and delve into an emotional mystery. Batman: Arkham VR really is an experience like no other.”  

Batman: Arkham VR allows players to plunge into the Dark Knight’s universe and experience Gotham City through the eyes of the World’s Greatest Detective.  Delving deep into an all-new Batman: Arkham mystery, those who enter this virtual reality world must think like Batman and utilize his legendary gadgets to unravel a plot that threatens the lives of his closest allies.

“Rocksteady has embraced virtual reality with Batman: Arkham VR and innovated upon the franchise so that fans can really immerse themselves into this beloved Batman: Arkham world,” said David Haddad, President, Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment.  “The game truly places players into the role of the World’s Greatest Detective unlike any other form of entertainment and it is a high quality VR experience.”

Batman: Arkham Knight is rated PEGI 18. For more information or to join theBatman: Arkham VR conversation, please visit www.batmanarkhamvr.com or find us @BatmanArkham on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.  

ACTIVISION SHOWCASES WORLD-CLASS ENTERTAINMENT PROPERTIES AT

BRAND LICENSING EUROPE 2016

Call of Duty®, Skylanders™ and Destiny Deliver Hot New Products this Fall

Activision Publishing, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Activision Blizzard, Inc. (NASDAQ:ATVI), will be presenting an array of opportunities from its top entertainment properties at Brand Licensing Europe 2016. Exhibiting at the event for the first time (booth B60), the company will showcase some of the year’s most anticipated videogames – Call of Duty®: Infinite Warfare, Skylanders™® Imaginators and Bungie’s  Destiny – which are supported by massive, deeply engaged audiences. Activision is expanding its international licensing footprint across its portfolio, building on a roster of top partners including MEGA Brands/Mattel, Crayola, Astro Gaming, Power A, KontrolFreek and Bioworld International, among others.

“Activision is home to some of the world’s most engaging entertainment content supported by passionate fans,” said Ashley Maidy, vice president of global licensing and partnerships at Activision Publishing, Inc.  “From the award-winning, billion dollar franchises Call of Duty and Skylanders, to Destiny, the biggest new videogame franchise launch in history, we are focused on delivering impactful, far-reaching extensions to our brands that resonate with our massive player base. Expanding our reach in the European market is an area of focus for us.”

Key property updates for Brand Licensing Europe 2016 follows:

Call of Duty

The pop culture phenomenon Call of Duty franchise continues to engage audiences worldwide with compelling entertainment content across multiple initiatives and products.

• New Content: 4th November  marks the year's most anticipated video game launch when Call of Duty®: Infinite Warfare, which includes Call of Duty®: Modern Warfare® Remastered in the Digital Deluxe and Legacy Editions, hits store shelves worldwide. Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare breaks ground in storytelling by exploring the weight of leadership and the responsibilities that come with it in an emotional, character-driven narrative. Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare introduces new weaponry, unique player abilities and stunning all-new settings to the franchise, in addition to a riveting single player story campaign, all-new zombies co-operative experience with Zombies in Spaceland and of course the epic multiplayer gameplay fans expect from Call of Duty.

• Deep Fan Engagement: Call of Duty XP, the largest fan experience in franchise history, was held in Los Angeles in early September and was attended by thousands of Call of Duty fans and millions more, who tuned in online to watch the competition. 

The multi-day fan celebration featured first hands-on with Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare multiplayer, the Zombies in Spaceland co-op mode, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare Remastered multiplayer, and new Call of Duty®: Black Ops IIIdownloadable content. The massive event featured a theme-park of Call of Duty-inspired activities, along with the most viewed Call of Duty eSports competition in franchise history -- Call of Duty® World League Championship, presented by PlayStation® 4, which topped more than 20 million  views as teams competed for the $2million prize purse. Broadcast in five languages, the worldwide peak concurrent viewership topped the previous record for Call of Duty eSports events by more than 40 percent.  Heading into Call of Duty XP, fans had consumed an astounding 1.1B minutes of content.

In support of the award-winning Call of Duty franchise, Activision has amassed the largest licensing program to date featuring new categories and partners, including: ongoing partnerships with Bioworld International (Apparel), Astro Gaming (Headsets), MEGA Brands (Construction Sets), KontrolFreek (Gaming Accessories), Prima (Strategy Guides), and Funko (Figures).  New licensees include GBEye (Posters), Games Alliance, Danilo (Calendars), 1Run Studios (Collectible Art Posters) and Trends (Posters, Calendars). 

The program will continue to expand in 2017 across Europe, LATAM and Australia with new partners across a broader range of categories.

Skylanders

The family game phenomenon Skylanders is evolving into a true transmedia entertainment franchise with a break-through new game and television series this year.   

• New Ways for Fans to Engage: Continuing to drive innovation and engagement in the family games category, the eagerly anticipated Skylanders Imaginators will launch in Europe on 14th October  and North America on October 16. For the first time ever, Skylanders Imaginators will empower players to unleash their imaginations by giving them the freedom to create their own Skylander characters both in-game and on-the-go with the free mobile app, Skylanders™ Creator.

• Debut TV Series:  Skylanders™ Academy, the new animated comedy-adventure show inspired by the award-winningSkylanders franchise, will debut October 28 on Netflix.  Jam-packed with humor and heart, Skylanders Academy promises to keep viewers on the edge of their seats with epic action for kids of all ages. This Netflix original series will debut 13 episodes in 190 countries on October 28, with a second season planned in late 2017.  

Led by showrunner Eric Rogers (Futurama), the series features the voices of Justin Long (DodgeBall) as Spyro; Ashley Tisdale (High School Musical) as Stealth Elf; Jonathan Banks (Breaking Bad) as Eruptor; and Norm MacDonald (Saturday Night Live) as Glumshanks. Additional voice talent includes Susan Sarandon, Daniel Wu, Bobcat Goldthwait, The Diamond Minecart, Parker Posey, James Hetfield, Catherine O’Hara, Chris Diamantopoulos and Harland Williams, among others.

Since Skylanders pioneered the Toy-to-Life category in 2011 in which consumers have invested

billions of dollars, the award-winning brand has delighted fans worldwide. Skylanders is supported by a comprehensive global kids licensing and promotional programs that includes premier European partners such as: Power A (Videogame Accessories),Aykroyds (Nightwear), Fashion UK (Apparel), GBEye (Posters), Danilo (Calendars/Gifting), Immediate Media (Magazine), among others. 

Destiny

Destiny, the epic action shooter from Bungie, continues to draw a highly engaged fan base into its rich worlds with more than 30 million registered players.

Last year’s Destiny: The Taken King drove massive success for the brand.  Additionally, Bungie and Activision recently launched the highly anticipated, large expansion to the Destiny universe Destiny: Rise of Iron, which drove record-setting pre-orders* for any individual Destiny expansion to date. In Destiny: Rise of Iron, the all-new, cinematic-filled adventure sets players on a heroic journey to battle an ancient, vicious enemy from the past and ultimately earn their place in history.

Bungie, in collaboration with Activision, work with new and existing leading licensing and promotional partners to expand theDestiny adventure for fans. The roster of Destiny’s licensees include: MEGA Brands/Mattel (Construction Sets), Funko (Pop Vinyl Figures), BioWorld (Apparel), Insight Editions (Art Books, Journals and Poster Books), GB Eye (Accessories), Cooke and Becker (Fine Art Prints),  The Coop (Bags and Collectibles), GB Eye (Accessories),  Accutime (Watches), Trends (Posters), ThreeA (Collectible Figures), McFarlane Toys (Collectible Figures), KontrolFreek (Gaming Accessories), Insert Coin (Apparel), Rubber Road (Apparel and Accessories), Musterbrand (Fashion Apparel) and Akroyds (Nightware).

As the story of Destiny unfolds, the licensing program continues to expand. Visit the Bungie Store at: http://bungiestore.com.

Official Call of Duty®: Infinite Warfare Multiplayer Beta Trailer

It’s almost here! Be among the first to experience 3+ new MP maps, powerful new Combat Rigs, all-new Mission Teams, and more in the Infinite Warfare Multiplayer Beta, starting on 14th October for PS4 Infinite Warfare pre-orders.

Suit up in the Warfighter, Merc, and Synaptic Combat Rigs, each with their own unique Payloads and Traits. Field-test a fresh new arsenal of weapons and equipment as you level up. Battle through new and classic Multiplayer game modes. And put your skills to the test in the brand new Mission Teams that rewards you for completing challenges issued by each team’s unique commander. 

It all begins on 14th October. The Beta schedule is as follows:

Weekend 1: PS4™ only – 14th Oct at 6PM BST to 17th Oct at 6PM BST

Weekend 2: PS4™ and Xbox One only – 21st Oct at 6PM BST to 24th Oct at 6PM BST

Pre-order Infinite Warfare and get access to the Multiplayer Beta, first on PS4™ on 14th October 2016: http://bit.ly/IW-COD

Follow us for the latest intel:

Web: http://www.callofduty.com

Facebook: http://facebook.com/CallofDuty and http://facebook.com/InfinityWard

Twitter: http://twitter.com/CallofDuty and http://twitter.com/InfinityWard

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Snapchat: callofduty

WWE 2K17 Now Available

2K today announced that  WWE® 2K17, the newest addition to the flagship WWE video game franchise, is now available worldwide for the PlayStation®4 and PlayStation®3 computer entertainment systems, Xbox One and Xbox 360.  WWE 2K17 delivers an unprecedented combination of authenticity, realism and action-packed gameplay in a WWE video game experience, including the largest roster of WWE and NXT Superstars in franchise history; extensive new options in Creation Suite and Universe Mode; the opportunity to “Become a Paul Heyman Guy” in MyCareer Mode; as well as a host of substantial gameplay additions and enhancements.

Fans can check out WWE 2K17 on  Facebook, follow the game on  Twitter and Instagram using the hashtag #WWE2K17 or subscribe on  YouTube.

Developed collaboratively by Yuke’s and Visual Concepts, a 2K studio, WWE 2K17 is rated PEGI 16.  Consumers who pre-ordered WWE 2K17 at participating retailers will receive two playable characters of legendary WCW® and WWE star Bill Goldberg, well as playable WCW Monday Nitro and Halloween Havoc arenas, at no extra cost on launch day.  

Video Game and Entertainment Icon Celebrates Two Decades of Adventures in Rise of the Tomb Raider: 20 Year Celebration

The Ultimate Rise of the Tomb Raider Experience Features New Story Chapter, New Co-Op Endurance Gameplay, Limited Edition Art Book, and In-Game Content Honoring Classic Lara Croft Games

Square Enix®, Crystal Dynamics®, and Nixxes Software today announced that Rise of the Tomb Raider®: 20 Year Celebration™ is now available for the PlayStation®4. In addition, the new content will be available for Xbox One and PC Season Pass owners. In Rise of the Tomb Raider, Lara becomes more than a survivor, and embarks on her first Tomb Raiding expedition in search of the secret of immortality. She’ll explore a vast and hostile world, engage in guerilla combat, and discover deadly tombs.

Watch the launch trailer for Rise of the Tomb Raider: 20 Year Celebration and view an infographic for the Year of Tomb Raider.

“Tomb Raider is one of Square Enix’s crowning achievements, and I am proud of the many adventures we’ve taken with Lara Croft over the years, particularly withRise of the Tomb Raider,” said Yosuke Matsuda, president and representative director of Square Enix Holdings Co., Ltd. “We plan to continue Lara’s enduring legacy by exploring new and innovative ways for players to experience her character and story.”

Rise of the Tomb Raider: 20 Year Celebration is the most comprehensive version of the award-winning experience, and includes Rise of the Tomb Raider, along with a host of completely new content such as the new story chapter “Blood Ties,” “Lara’s Nightmare” zombie combat mode, PlayStation® VR support for “Blood Ties,” co-op Endurance gameplay, an “Extreme Survivor” difficulty, five classic Lara skins, and an outfit and weapon inspired by TR III. It also includes all of the previously released downloadable content such as the critically acclaimed “Baba Yaga: The Temple of the Witch,” “Cold Darkness Awakened,” 12 outfits, seven weapons, multiple Expedition Card packs, and more.

“Our development team has crafted the ultimate package in Rise of the Tomb Raider: 20 Year Celebration,” said Scot Amos, Co-Head of Studio at Crystal Dynamics. “The game and all of the new additions delivers something for every gamer with an epic single-player story, survival co-op action, and a fully immersive virtual reality story chapter.”

After uncovering an ancient mystery, Lara must explore the most treacherous and remote regions of Siberia to find the secret of immortality before a ruthless organization known as Trinity beats her to it. Faced with the mysterious Remnant leader Jacob, the constant threats of Trinity's leader Konstantin, and driven by her Father’s unfinished legacy, Lara must become the Tomb Raider she is destined to be.

“Being a part of Tomb Raider history has been such an honor for the team,” said Ron Rosenberg, Co-Head of Studio at Crystal Dynamics. “We’re excited to share this journey with our fans, in what has become the Year of Tomb Raider.”

Since her first appearance in 1996 in the original Tomb Raider from Core® Design, Lara Croft® has trekked more than 25 countries and revolutionized the way the gaming community perceives lead characters in video games. Lara is an intrepid, empowered adventurer who must rely on her skills and intelligence not only to unravel ancient mysteries but also to survive in the most treacherous environments.

Rise of the Tomb Raider: 20 Year Celebration is now available in all major retail stores in North America at a suggested retail price of MSRP $59.99. As a special launch week bonus, Square Enix is awarding everyone who logs in and plays Rise of the Tomb Raider on any available platform with 100,000 in-game credits, with which players can purchase Expedition Cards to be used in a variety of replay modes.

To date, the critically acclaimed Rise of the Tomb Raider has received more than 85 “Best of” nominations, winning more than 30 awards.

Related Links
Official Homepage: www.TOMBRAIDER.com  
Official Twitter: @TOMBRAIDER
Official Facebook page: http://facebook.com/TOMBRAIDER
Official Tumblr: http://tombraider.tumblr.com/
Official YouTube Channel: http://youtube.com/TOMBRAIDER
Scavenger Hunt: www.TRScavengerhunt.com