2K announced that XCOM: Enemy Unknown is free-to-play on Steam starting now until 1pm ET on Sunday, September 13th. Additionally, players who participate in the free-to-play weekend will be able to purchase XCOM: Enemy Unknown at 75% off, and retain all their progress.
Also starting today, fans can pre-purchase XCOM 2. Those who pre-purchase XCOM 2 will receive the Resistance Warrior Pack, which will offer additional soldier customization options such as bonus outfits and facial war paint, as well as a Survivor of the Old War, who will instantly show up as a new recruit in the Avenger’s barracks.
XCOM 2 is coming to PC on February 5th.
This fall, inkle will make their PC debut with the release of four games previously released on iOS and Android. First up is IGF winner 80 Days, coming to Steam and other digital retailers on September 29th. Three installments of Steve Jackson’s Sorcery! will follow soon after.
Ubisoft announced that Grammy-nominated composer Austin Wintory (Journey, The Banner Saga) has composed the score for Assassin’s Creed Syndicate. The game and its soundtrack album will be available when the game launches on October 23rd.
Ubisoft has released a conversation with Jon Van Caneghem, the father of the Might & Magic Heroes saga, to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the brand. This industry veteran is sharing his vision of the Heroes saga’s evolution through the past 20 years, as well as his testimonies on Might & Magic Heroes VII and the video game industry evolution. Might & Magic Heroes VII will be available exclusively for PC on September 29th.
As part of the 20th Heroes anniversary and to thank the community, some free content will be released post-launch. Thanks to the modding tools available in Might & Magic Heroes VII, the team has planned to deliver eight unproduced Heroes IV maps. Based on scripts written by Heroes IV’s original writer, Terry Ray, these stories will finally be brought to life with Heroes VII’s engine, and will enlarge the content present in the base game. These modding tools will be available for free in Might & Magic Heroes VII; allowing players to give life to their own creations. They will also be able to share and submit them to other community members on the Shadow Council platform.
These eight maps are divided into two campaigns: the first one called Unity, will add a total of five maps focused on the Academy faction and will be released end of 2015. The second one, Every Dog Has His Day, will include three maps of the Stronghold faction and will be released early 2016.
Nintendo today announced the launch of Super Mario Maker exclusively for the Wii U. This new game lets players’ imaginations run wild. Anyone with an Internet connection can play a near-limitless number of Mario levels created by people all over the world. Using the Wii U GamePad controller, players can quickly and easily create their own original levels using items, enemies, graphical styles and even power-ups from four classic Mario styles: Super Mario Bros., Super Mario Bros. 3, Super Mario World and New Super Mario Bros. U. These levels can then be uploaded online to share with players everywhere. Things that were never possible before in a Super Mario Bros. game are now possible in Super Mario Maker – and players are in control of it all.
What does director and screenwriter, Kevin Smith have in common with Anaheim Ducks stars, Ryan Getzlaf and Fredrik Anderson? Watch the new NHL 16 TV spot to find out.
NHL 16 will be available for Xbox One and PlayStation 4 on September 15th.
Beginning today, FIFA 16 fans can enjoy a sampling of the game’s new soundtrack through the official FIFA Spotify profile, featuring tracks from top artists like Disclosure, Icona Pop, Kygo, Years & Years and many more. Additionally, a number of new songs will debut for the first-time on the FIFA 16 soundtrack, including tracks from Bastille, Zibra, Tiggs Da Author, Skylar Grey feat. X. Ambassadors, and many others.
FIFA 16 will be available on September 22nd on Origin for PC, Xbox One, Xbox 360, PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 3.
Rockstar Games announced that Freenmode Events will be coming to Grand Theft Auto Online next week, September 15th. Freemode Events in Grand Theft Auto Online are a new advancement in open world gameplay, giving players access to a range of integrated games and challenges in GTA Online’s Freemode. Taking full advantage of the latest generation of consoles and PC hardware, there are no menus, lobbies, or load times – just an open Freemode session filled with Friends, Crewmates, rivals, and randoms where spontaneous new games and challenges will appear.
At any given moment while in Freemode, one of these events may kick off and players can tailor and customize their session to decide exactly which ones they want to occur. With countless variations on each Freemode Event, there are tons of unique new experiences each offering new opportunities for reaping GTA$ and RP in GTA Online.
Look out for King of the Castle – an every man for himself turf war where players will need to ascend and claim the designated ‘castle’ as their territory – and then fend off others. Players can form fragile alliances and work together in modes like Hunt the Beast, where one volunteer is temporarily transformed into a faster, stronger, beastly character who must escape relentless pursuers. Freemode Events also take the shape of stunt challenges, such as popping the longest wheelie, catching the most air in a land vehicle, or performing the most near misses in a vehicle without crashing.
Also included with next week’s update are two brand new Adversary Modes. First, Hunting Pack: players are part of a team tasked to deliver a priority vehicle rigged to explode if it drops below a minimum speed, while their opponents race, ram and batter to take it down. Or Cross the Line, where heavily-armed squads face off across a neutral zone – with the goal of having all team members strategically penetrate their opponents territory to claim victory. The Freemode Events Update also brings the Rockstar Editor to PlayStation 4 and Xbox One with new features (also being added for current PC users as well) such as an ambient audio and sound effects library, Snapmatic integration, Director Mode updates and more.
Do you know what makes you S.P.E.C.I.A.L.?
Following total atomic annihilation, the rebuilding of this great nation of ours may fall to you. That’s why we at Vault-Tec have prepared this educational video series for you to better understand the seven defining attributes that make you S.P.E.C.I.A.L.!
Strength, Perception, Endurance, Charisma, Intelligence, Agility and Luck – all of these attributes will impact how you survive and thrive aboveground.
Bethesda Softworks has released the first video in the series, starting, of course, with Strength. Study these materials carefully to ensure your survival and to discover what makes you S.P.E.C.I.A.L.
Fallout 4 will be available on November 10th for Xbox One, PlayStation 4 and PC.
Indie developer Redacted Studios, in partnership with indie publisher Versus Evil, announced that the sequel Afro Samurai 2: Revenge of Kuma, Volume 1 will be available for digital download on PC and PlayStation 4 on September 22nd. The game will also be available for Xbox One via the ID@Xbox self-publishing program shortly thereafter at a date to be announced.
Afro Samurai 2: Revenge of Kuma will be delivered in three distinct volumes, each with its own new story arch, characters and combat styles to master, plus original soundtrack by indie hip-hop artists that have been mentored by music producer and rapper RZA of the Wu-Tang Clan. A PC and a limited-exclusive console PlayStation 4 bundle of all three volumes will be available day one for $34.99 on PC and 20% off the SRP for PlayStation 4. PlayStation Plus members can get the bundle for the best value at 30% off. Volumes 1, 2 and 3 will be sold separately as they become available for an SRP of $14.99 on all platforms.
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