Put out the decorations, hang up your stocking and enjoy our latest monthly content update, Festival of Giving. This update is available for free to all Sea of Thieves players who have bought the game on Xbox One or on Windows 10 PC, or those who have access to it with Xbox Game Pass. Simply download and install the latest Sea of Thieves update to join in with the Festival of Giving!

Available to all players for free from today, the Festival of Giving update brings with it a stocking full of festive treats. Holiday hijinks are in full swing with Gift Seeker Voyages, offering a pretty penny for pirates who can track down and retrieve a shipment of gifts lost at sea. Speak to Stitcher Jim in any tavern to get started and earn valuable Doubloons for each lost gift you deliver safely to the Masked Stranger at The Reaper’s Hideout. What’s more, in the spirit of the season we’ve introduced the Calendar of Giving, offering all players daily in-game incentives from December 13th–24th!

For players who find Sea of Thieves in their stockings this year, the Festival of Giving update brings with it the Maiden Voyage, a new introductory adventure that’s a must-play for every pirate. For those new to the game or in need of a refresher, it’s an ideal first experience and a ‘safe’ place to hone your skills. For more seasoned pirates, it’s a chance to check out an unexplored island hidden beyond the Devil’s Shroud, meet the Pirate Lord and unlock new Commendations and exclusive cosmetics.

If you’re interested in the latest seasonal fashion and wares, visit the Pirate Emporium to stock up on a time-limited set of festive-themed weapons and pet outfits or take advantage of the Emporium’s first ever sale! What’s more, selected Ancient Coin bundles have been boosted by 10%, giving you even more coin to treat yourself to a special Christmas gift. Additionally, players have the chance to give back and donate to charity by purchasing a unique SpecialEffect ship cosmetic.

It has also been announced that the ‘Crossplay Opt Out’ preference (same as Arena Mode) is about to go into Insider Program testing with the aim to release in January’s or February’s update. This will give Xbox Players on controller the option to set a “preference” to only play with other Xbox with Controller players instead of crossplay with Mouse & Keryboard and PC players.

There’s lots more to tuck in to, including more Ashen Tomes to seek, three new Skeleton Lords to battle at active Forts and new cosmetics available from Outpost shops and the Black Market. For full details, check out the Festival of Giving page on the Sea of Thieves website or explore the full release notes.

The holiday fun doesn’t stop there! Follow Sea of Thieves on Twitter and Facebook for the chance to win swag in regular giveaways and check out our Christmas song ‘Deck the Hulls’, complete with our very own Creator Crew music video competition!

To see everything that’s been added to Sea of Thieves since launch, head to the official What’s New page: https://www.seaofthieves.com/whats-new

For More Information Check out:
Sea of Thieves website: https://www.seaofthieves.com
Sea of Thieves Forums: https://www.seaofthieves.com/forum
Sea of Thieves on Discord: https://discord.gg/seaofthieves
Sea of Thieves on Twitter: https://twitter.com/SeaOfThieves
Sea of Thieves on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SeaOfThievesGame
Sea of Thieves on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/SeaofThieves
Sea of Thieves on Twitch: https://twitch.tv/SeaofThieves
Sea of Thieves on Mixer: https://mixer.com/SeaofThieves

With PlayStation withdrawing from gaming events like E3 and especially not holding their usual end of the year PlayStation Experience, the only real “news” to come direct from PlayStation this year has really just come from their take on the Nintendo Direct style date drops. Today Tuesday December 10th, we have another one and with only a couple of days until the annual Game Awards, this is a bit of a surprise to be having. But, below you will find the news and trailers from this pre-recorded briefing:

We open with a trailer of a…….sandwich…which quickly turns into the reveal and confirmation that PC hit of 2019, Untitled Goose Game is coming to PS4 December 17th!

Spellbreak is then announced, this online MMORPG coming to PS4 in 2020, no doubt a response to titles landing on Xbox One first such as Black Desert.

Next we have an update from Media Molecule on DREAMS, with the release date finally of February 14th 2020!

A Look at a new mind bending puzzle game called Superliminal, coming to PS4 in 2020

A chance to look at the PSVR titles, Paper Beast, a delightful game with a wonderful living breathing world for players to immerse themselves in, coming early 2020.

Now we look at the first DLC Expansions for Kingdom Hearts III, Re-Mind, coming January 23rd 2020 on PS4.

Next an update on Predator Hunting Grounds, due to release on April 24th 2020, trailer showing different Predator classes in this 4V1 multiplayer based game.

Babylon’s Fall is a game from the collaboration of Square Enix and Platinum Games , coming next summer.

Project Resistance is up next but with a surprising twist, as it is revealed that it is actually a game mode to be included in the Resident Evil 3 Remastered coming April 3rd 2020  to PS4!

PlayStation 25th Anniversary is celebrated next as Ken Kutargari has a special message for fans.

State of Play comes to close with something PlayStation fans have been crying out for all year, an update and new look at PlayStation exclusive ‘Ghosts of Tsushima’, but alas…no release date just a to be continued…but more will be shown at the Game Awards on Thursday.

My Thoughts…

Well that was actually quite good I thought, the focus on release dates for titles fans have been waiting for this year, a couple of reveals which were interesting but ‘Ghosts of Tsushima’, perhaps the biggest game fans have been waiting to hear more about has been at least teased as having its release date announced at The Game Awards on Thursday. Overall, just safe and nothing hugely big news really but some release dates for titles announced in 2018 and finally landing in 2020.

Now eyes turn to The Game Awards to see if PlayStation has anything else to reveal!

The Surge 2, the hardcore Action-RPG from Deck 13 and Focus Home Interactive, continues to get bigger and better with the release of the Jericho’s Legacy Gear Pack today on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC. This brings three brand new gear sets to your game, and is available both standalone and as part of the Season Pass. With the pack out today, new screenshots take you to the heart of the action.

This is the second major release as part of The Surge 2 Season Pass, with a massive story DLC yet to come. Jericho’s Legacy includes the BEAST Tank Buster for pushing back enemies, the Kyoko Hacker Suit, giving extra range to horizontal attacks, and the Jericho Firetails Mascot, which encourages a block-and-attack playstyle.

Further down the line, a whole-new storyline, complete with new enemies and new bosses, all aboard an enigmatic repurposed aircraft carrier in the Kraken expansion are coming in January. Season Pass owners will get access to Kraken 48 hours early.

The Surge 2 is available now on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC. The Jericho’s Legacy Gear Pack is available today for free as part of the Season Pass or standalone. The Kraken expansion is coming in January.

Frontier Developments plc welcomes players back to Jurassic Park in the latest premium DLC pack Jurassic World Evolution: Return to Jurassic Park, available now. Made in partnership with Universal Pictures and Amblin Entertainment, and created in collaboration with Universal Games and Digital Platforms, the DLC pack is available now on PC, the PlayStation®4 computer entertainment system and the Xbox One all-in-one games and entertainment system from Microsoft, from £15.99 / €19.99 / $19.99.

In Jurassic World Evolution: Return to Jurassic Park, players step back in time to 1993 and return to Isla Nublar and Isla Sorna to rebuild the original Jurassic Park. After being charged to restore order to the islands, Dr. Hammond convinces Dr. Alan Grant (Sam Neill), Dr. Ellie Sattler (Laura Dern) and Dr. Ian Malcolm (Jeff Goldblum) to return, reclaim, and rebuild the destroyed Park and successfully open the towering Main Gates to the public.

Dive into an original story set after the events of Jurassic Park in this latest premium DLC pack for the immersive simulation game, Jurassic World Evolution. Face external sabotage attempts, tackle exciting challenges, hatch all-new dinosaurs, the Compsognathus and Pteranodon, build rides and attractions including the Aviary and the Jurassic Park Tour, and balance guest needs once the Park is opened to the public. Additionally, replay all existing Jurassic World Evolution challenge and sandbox levels with a 1993-inspired inventory. For a full list of all new items and features, visit the Frontier forums here.

Alongside the Jurassic World Evolution: Return to Jurassic Park premium DLC pack, existing players will receive a free update including changes to the ranger interactions with dinosaurs, guest restroom needs and general fixes and tweaks.  Players must already own a copy of Jurassic World Evolution in order to download free content updates.

Jurassic World Evolution: Return to Jurassic Park is available now from £15.99 / €19.99 / $19.99 on PC, PlayStation 4 and Xbox One digital stores. Pricing may vary across regions and systems.

“As we continue growing our product portfolio, we remain inspired by opportunities to invest further in our valuable IP, great people and their collective, long-term potential,” said David Ismailer, President of 2K. “BioShock is one of the most beloved, critically praised and highest-rated franchises of the last console generation. We can’t wait to see where its powerful narrative and iconic, first-person shooter gameplay head in the future with our new studio team at Cloud Chamber leading the charge.”

A 22-year industry veteran with more than 40 games shipped to date, Kelley Gilmore will serve as Cloud Chamber’s Global Studio Head and be the first woman in 2K history to launch and lead a development studio. Her wealth of experience transcends executive production, marketing direction and public relations management, including nearly two decades of service to another of 2K’s wholly owned studios, Firaxis Games, on franchises such as Sid Meier’s Civilization and XCOM. Her role is based in Novato.

“We founded Cloud Chamber to create yet-to-be-discovered worlds – and their stories within – that push the boundaries of what is possible in the video game medium,” said Kelley Gilmore, Global Studio Head, Cloud Chamber. “Our team believes in the beauty and strength of diversity, in both the makeup of the studio and the nature of its thinking. We are a deeply experienced group of game makers, including many responsible for BioShock’s principal creation, advancement and longstanding notoriety, and honored to be part of the 2K family as stewards of this iconic franchise.”

Gilmore has tapped Ken Schachter to be Cloud Chamber’s Studio Manager in Montréal. An executive with extensive experience in development, production, technology and creative roles, Schachter will also be an ambassador for both the studio and 2K in establishing a significant Company presence in Montréal. Prior to joining 2K, Schachter served as General Manager for Zynga in Toronto, as well as founded independent game developer and publisher Trapdoor. He has also held notable positions with companies such as Gameloft, Autodesk and more.

Cloud Chamber’s decision to open a new office in Montréal was supported by the Gouvernement du Québec and Montréal International.

Cloud Chamber will join the Company’s family of wholly owned development teams, including Visual Concepts, Firaxis Games, Hangar 13, Cat Daddy Games and 2K Silicon Valley. Those interested in pursuing career opportunities with the new studio may visit the Cloud Chamber website or 2K Careers for more information.

For more information on 2K, visit www.2k.com, become a fan on Facebook, follow the Company on Twitter or Instagram or subscribe on YouTube.

Ten years after their original debut, Bayonetta and Sam Gideon return once more in the Bayonetta & Vanquish 10th Anniversary Bundle on PlayStation 4 and Xbox One, set to launch on February 18, 2020! This bundle, available in physical or digital format, comes with both the original Bayonetta and Vanquish, remastered in 4K resolution at 60fps on PlayStation 4 Pro and Xbox One X.

A collaboration with Weapons Van will celebrate both games’ anniversaries in style. All physical copies of the Bayonetta & Vanquish 10th Anniversary Bundle come in an embossed SteelBook featuring brand-new key art for both Bayonetta and Vanquish.

This art was created especially for the 10th anniversary by artist Dan Dussault, with supervision by Bayonetta director Hideki Kamiya, PlatinumGames, and SEGA.

Pre-orders for the Bayonetta & Vanquish 10th Anniversary Bundle for PlayStation 4 and Xbox One are available today through all major retailers.

For PlayStation 4 players who prefer to build their digital library, two themes are available for purchasing the Bayonetta & Vanquish 10th Anniversary Bundle on the PlayStation Store:

• Bayonetta & Vanquish Theme – available instantly for all digital pre-orders, will not be available at or after launch.
• Bayonetta & Vanquish 10th Anniversary Theme – available for a limited time for all pre-orders and purchases up to March 3, 2020 – two weeks after launch.

A new campaign to encourage gamers to vote in the upcoming General Election has been launched in the UK.

An industry-wide initiative, the Gamechangers Giveaway will feature over two hundred video game prizes, which voters can win by tweeting a selfie of themselves outside their polling station. In addition, one lucky voter will win the Grand Prize, which includes over twenty games, tickets to EGX Rezzed, a £50 voucher from Insert Coin, a Cyberpunk 2077 jacket, Modern Warfare x DRKN clothing, Dungeons and Dragons kit, and a range of game merchandise.

Founded by video game presenter and voice actor Elle Osili-Wood, the Gamechangers Giveaway is being supported by AAA studios like Ubisoft, Bethesda, and Activision, PR agencies like Indigo Pearl, Dead Good Media, and Renaissance PR, and indies like Frontier, Spilt Milk Studios, and Raw Fury, as well as gaming-targeted companies like EGX and Insert Coin.

Elle Osili-Wood said, “It’s never been more important to vote – it’s time to step up and be a gamechanger. With 85% of UK adults under 35 regularly playing video games, gamers are a significant demographic in the upcoming election, so I’m thrilled to see the games industry come together to get out the vote.”

The Gamechangers Giveaway will go live on Thursday, when polls open, and can be found at twitter.com/ElleOsiliWood, or by following the Twitter hashtag #GamechangersGiveaway.

THQ Nordic and Airship Syndicate today announced the release of the highly anticipated Darksiders Genesis on PC and Google Stadia. Featuring the long-awaited debut of the fourth and final horseman – STRIFE, plus two-player co-op mode, Darksiders Genesis is the first Darksiders action adventure played from the top-down perspective and is now available worldwide (SRP: $29.99, €29.99, £26.99 | Stadia SRP: $39.99, €39.99, £34.99.)

In Darksiders Genesis, STRIFE can battle alongside his brother and fellow horseman WAR in the first ever Darksiders two-player co-op mode. Solo players will be able to alternate between STRIFE and WAR on the fly, taking advantage of STRIFE’s ranged and WAR’s melee style attacks. In addition, gameplay includes combat atop both horsemen’s fabled steeds: RAMPAGE and MAYHEM. Darksiders Genesis also features the introduction of Creature Cores, a combat system that empowers players to customize their own upgrade system fueled by the enemies they defeat.

Darksiders Genesis is scheduled for release on PlayStation 4, the Xbox One and on Nintendo Switch on February 14, 2020.