To celebrate the 30th anniversary of Super Mario Bros. Nintendo UK created a special Super Mario Maker mural in Shoreditch, London. Here’s how it was made.
Team17 announces The Escapists The Walking Dead
Team17 have today unveiled that they are developing and publishing The Escapists The Walking Dead, a new game in collaboration with Skybound Entertainment.
Merging the award-winning, smash-hit, indie game The Escapists with the worldwide phenomenon that is The Walking Dead, Team17 have taken the very best of both worlds and are now providing players with the opportunity to play Rick Grimes as he takes on hordes of zombies let loose upon the world.
In this unique game, recreated entirely in the charming 8-bit pixel art style of The Escapists, Rick is in charge of a band of survivors featuring many of the original comic book cast. He must secure the safety of the group by seeking out a safe escape route from each area, and manage several dangerous tasks to keep as many of the group alive as possible. The game faithfully matches the timeline of the comics and so as the player makes progress in the game they play through locations that mirror the progress of the band of the survivors taken from the award-winning comic’s epic story.
Daniel Murray, President at Skybound Entertainment said, “Team17 presented a creative plan to blend The Walking Dead into The Escapists and our response was simple. When do we get started? The Escapists is a charming example of a single creator’s vision come to life. We are excited to offer fans of The Walking Dead something different and The Escapists The Walking Dead is just that. A playful interpretation that we believe fans of great games in general will love.”
Debbie Bestwick, Team17’s Managing Director added, “With well over 600,000 units sold, the award-winning The Escapists is one of the hit indie titles of 2015. Masterminding your escape from prison is hard enough but how can we make it harder? Zombies. Remember poor Rick Grimes trying to escape hospital, organise life at a farm or hold up in an abandoned prison? A little bit of awesome 8-bit pixel love later and BOOM! It is great to partner with Skybound and The Walking Dead and we are really excited to ‘escapify’ the amazing, rich and sinister world of Robert Kirkman.”
Team17 will be globally debuting the game at the Walker Stalker Fan Fest in Petco Park, San Diego, California during the 10th and 11th July.
Attendees, roamers and fans will be able to get exclusive first hands-on playable with Rick Grimes in the Harrison Memorial Hospital level. The Escapists The Walking Dead is scheduled for a 2015 release on Xbox One and PC.
Skylanders SuperChargers Dark Edition announced
Activision will today reveal the new Skylanders SuperChargers Dark Edition at Comic-Con International: San Diego 2015 where attendees will be among the first consumers in the world to play the game with dark versions of the Starter Pack characters, including Dark Turbo Charge Donkey Kong and his Dark Barrel Blaster land vehicle; Dark Hammer Slam Bowser and his Dark Clown Cruiser sky vehicle; and Skylanders fan-favourite Stealth Elf in a new Dark version.
Dark Super Shot Stealth Elf and Dark Sea Shadow will be available exclusively in the Dark Edition Starter Packs for Xbox One, Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and PlayStation 4.
The Wii U Dark Edition Starter Pack will include Dark Turbo Charge Donkey Kong and Dark Barrel Blaster, exclusively. A different, unique adventure including Dark Hammer Slam Bowser and Dark Clown Cruiser will be made available on Nintendo’s Wii system. The Skylanders SuperChargers Dark Edition Starter Packs will be available exclusively at GAME in the UK from £69.99 to £84.99.
Skylanders Comic-Con offerings also include a first-look at the highly collectible figures from the all-new Eon’s Elite lineup, as well as the popular franchise-inspired comic book series, Mad Libs and costumes.
Eon’s Elite is a premium toy line offering fans the ultimate versions of some of the most iconic heroes from the game that started it all, Skylanders Spyro’s Adventure. Each hero is powered up to three times the normal level and updated with premium decorations, new poses and unique sculpts that represent how they appear in their fully upgraded form. The figures are presented in premium packaging featuring a display case with a 3-D lenticular background, making them truly collectible items. This year’s fan-favourite roster includes Voodood, Zook, Slam Bam, Ghost Roaster, Boomer and Dino-Rang.
Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice new stills
Ahead of this weekend’s San Diego Comic-Con, Warner Bros. UK today has revealed the first batch of official stills for BATMAN V SUPERMAN: DAWN OF JUSTICE. Out in cinema in March 2016 are you ready for Batman to meet Superman yet.
Fearing the actions of a god-like super hero left unchecked, Gotham City’s own formidable, forceful vigilante takes on Metropolis’s most revered, modern-day saviour, while the world wrestles with what sort of hero it really needs. And with Batman and Superman at war with one another, a new threat quickly arises, putting mankind in greater danger than it’s ever known before.
CAR of the Future Competition Winner Named!
Professional racing driver, Nicolas Hamilton, has crowned 10 year Jack Hillery as champion designer of the CAR of the future! To celebrate the arrival of Project CARS, BANDAI NAMCO Entertainment UK and Explore Learning joined forces to launch a nationwide competition of Explore members to design a racing CAR of the future. But only one of the 8,000 entries could be crowned winner by professional racing driver Nicolas Hamilton and that was 10 year old Jack from Bristol.
Not only did Nicolas select the winning design but he also attended the Explore Learning centre in Bristol to meet his winner and present him with a framed picture of his design, a certificate and a PlayStation 4. Jack’s winning CAR of the future would certainly revolutionise driving as we know it. His slick design was flexible in the middle to ensure uber- manoeuvrability around bends and was good for the environment as it is powered by the wind and the sun.
Lee Kirton, PR and Marketing Director at Bandai Namco Entertainment said: “We were thrilled to team up with Explore Learning on CAR of the future. Dreams, fun and inspiration are what games are all about. This couldn’t have been more evident in the childrens designs, the standard was exceptionally high but Nicolas certainly chose well, as Jack’s talent really shone through with his well thought out and striking design.”
Nicolas is an inspiring role model for the young competitors, as a shining example of how to overcome challenges in order to achieve one’s dreams. Despite his Cerebral Palsy, Nicolas’ ambition to be one of the top racing drivers in the world has not waned. This tenacity has led him to much success and he will soon become the first disabled competitor to participate in the Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship, the top national motorsport series here in the UK.
The CAR of the Future competition is inspired by Slightly Mad Studios’ Project CARS which is a technically-advanced and an infallible depiction of the car racing experience. Gamers will be able to test their skills online either in competitive fully-loaded race weekends, leader board-based time challenges, or continually-updated community events – sometimes for real-world prizes.
Nicolas Hamilton said of Jack’s success: “I was really impressed by the standard of entries and the imagination behind the CARS of the Future designs. But Jack’s stood out to me, not only did it look great but he had been very creative in how the car would run and even how it would bend around corners! There was such great attention to detail, which is why he was my winner.”
Top runners up in the CAR of the Future competition will also be rewarded with a bagful of BANDAI NAMCO Entertainment goodies. Peter Ioannou, Sahab Singh, Aneeq Shaikh, Sante Rusu and Jethan Smith all created exciting entries that made it difficult to pick just one winner.
Carey Ann Dodah, Head of Curriculum at Explore Learning says: “Our members really loved exploring what racing cars of the future would look like. We had an incredible response and the designs really illustrated their efforts and how much thinking they put into it. It was really pleasing to see the children not only being creative artistically but also very engaged with how their CARS would operate. Our members were so excited to take part and to meet Nicolas, who is such a great role model for our young members.”
Explore Learning provides English and maths tuition to children aged five to 14. Through their tuition they create a fun and vibrant atmosphere for children to work in, helping them grow in confidence and fulfil their potential.
Stone Cold Steve Austin is the cover of WWE 2K16
2K today has announced WWE Hall of Famer Stone Cold Steve Austin as the cover Superstar for WWE 2K16, the forthcoming release in the flagship WWE franchise. After setting the WWE Universe on fire during one of WWE’s most celebrated time periods – the “Attitude Era” – to his wealth of television, film and podcasting accomplishments, Austin has amassed worldwide admiration through his unequivocal presence both in and out of the WWE ring.
WWE 2K16 is currently in development for Xbox One and Xbox 360, as well as the PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 3.
The game is scheduled for release on 27th October, 2015 in North America and 30th October, 2015 internationally. “I’ve had the privilege of working with 2K to support the WWE 2K franchise, and now I’m absolutely honored to serve as the WWE 2K16 cover Superstar,” said Stone Cold Steve Austin. “No disrespect to the previous and extremely deserving WWE 2K cover Superstars – Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson and John Cena – but it’s about time the franchise raised some hell with yours truly on the cover. I look forward to injecting a dose of ‘Texas Rattlesnake’ into this year’s game and overall campaign.” Austin is regarded by many as one of the most popular WWE Superstars to ever enter a WWE ring, holding 21 championships throughout his career and being inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2009. His relentless work ethic has also made him a significant mainstream fixture and pop-culture icon as an actor, producer and host in television, film and podcasting.
Austin hosted the return of WWE’s reality competition series Tough Enough on USA Network in 2011, and since 2012 has hosted four seasons of Redneck Island on CMT. He also serves as the host of Steve Austin’s Broken Skull Challenge, which is currently in production for its third season on CMT. His film credits include appearances in several feature films, including The Longest Yard, The Condemned and The Expendables, while his no-holds-barred weekly podcast, The Steve Austin Show, regularly appears on the Top Podcasts list within the Sports & Recreation category on iTunes. He also hosts the Stone Cold Podcast, Live!, a monthly interview series on the award-winning WWE Network, where he has interviewed several special guests including Vince McMahon, Triple H and Paul Heyman. In addition, Austin is a brand ambassador for Kawasaki Motors Corp., USA. “Stone Cold Steve Austin’s iconic style, unmistakable personality and worldwide reverence from the WWE Universe make him the ideal fit for WWE 2K16,” said Chris Snyder, Vice President of Marketing at 2K. “Not only will Austin grace the video game’s cover, but he’s involved in shaping its creative direction. Through his numerous contributions, inclusion on the largest roster in franchise history and the game’s to-be-announced features, WWE 2K16 is certain to put everyone on notice.”
Developed collaboratively by Yuke’s and Visual Concepts, a 2K studio.
Win The Royals Season One on DVD
To celebrate the release of The Royals Season One on DVD, we’re giving three lucky winners the chance to bring home the DVD!
Get to know a royal family like no other this June as the outrageous, excessive and utterly addictive THE ROYALS – SEASON 1 comes to DVD on July 6, 2015 courtesy of Lionsgate Home Entertainment.
Presenting a scandalous look at an alternative and extremely modern royal family, THE ROYALS – SEASON 1 tells the story of Queen Helena (Elizabeth Hurley – Bedazzled, TV’s Gossip Girl), and her wayward offspring, womanising Prince Liam (William Moseley – The Chronicles of Narnia, TV’s Goodbye Mr Chips), and wild child Princess Eleanor (Alexandra Park – TV’s Home and Away), at a time when this high gloss version of the United Kingdom faces a constitutional crisis following the accidental death of the heir to the throne. But don’t expect any kind of crisis to get in the way of the party when this particular royal family is ruling…
With the legendary Dame Joan Collins (TV’s Dynasty, Benidorm) appearing as Queen Helena’s mother and with the camp factor turned all the way up to 11, THE ROYALS – SEASON 1 is your newest, very guilty pleasure – by royal decree!
How to enter to win
We have three copies of The Royals Season 1 on DVD to give away:
The contest ends at 12.00AM on Monday 20th July, and THE ROYALS – SEASON 1 comes to DVD on July 6th 2015 courtesy of Lionsgate Home Entertainment.
XCOM 2 Exclusive Interview with Garth DeAngelis at E3 2015
At E3 I had the chance to talk to Garth DeAngelis from Firaxis about the forthcoming XCOM 2.
XCOM 2 is the sequel to the 2012 Game of the Year, award-winning strategy game, XCOM: Enemy Unknown.
Twenty years have passed since world leaders offered an unconditional surrender to alien forces and XCOM, the planet’s last line of defence, was left decimated and scattered. Now the aliens rule Earth, building shining cities that promise a brilliant future for humanity on the surface, while concealing a sinister agenda below and eliminating all who dissent from their new order.
Only those who live at the edges of the world have a margin of freedom. Here, a force gathers once again to stand up for humanity. Always on the run, the remnant XCOM forces must find a way to rise from the ashes, expose the insidious truth behind the occupation, and eliminate the alien threat once and for all.
Garth DeAngelis is the Lead Producer from Firaxis working on XCOM 2, so over to Garth:
XCOM 2 will be released in November on the PC.
Skylanders SuperChargers Exclusive Interview with Joshua Taub at E3 2015
At E3 I had the chance to talk to Joshua Taub from Activision about the forthcoming Skylanders SuperChargers.
In Skylanders SuperChargers, the evil Kaos has unleashed The Darkness to take control of Skylands. Fortunately, a special team of Skylanders known as the SuperChargers has been assembled to pilot an incredible fleet of vehicles with the power to travel through the destruction – over land, sea, and sky! But with Skylands on the verge of collapse, the Skylanders have reached out across all dimensions to call for reinforcements. Answering the call is the most unexpected duo – Donkey Kong and Bowser! Using their own elite vehicles to magically travel between worlds, they have joined the epic battle against Kaos and The Darkness!
Joshua Taub is a Senior Vice President of Product Management at Activision, so over to Joshua:
Skylanders SuperChargers will launch on September 25th, 2015 in UK & Europe.
Destiny: The Taken King Exclusive Interview with Luke Timmins at E3 2015
At E3 I had the chance to talk to Luke Timmins from Bungie about the forthcoming Destiny expansion The Taken King.
Destiny: The Taken King, is the next great adventure in the Destiny universe and introduces a new story campaign and quests, new enemies to fight, new locations to explore, new Strikes and Crucible maps, a new Raid that will put players to the ultimate test, and more. To stand up to the challenge, players will have access to three new devastating Guardian subclasses, and a massive arsenal of weapons, armour, and gear.
A dark shadow has fallen over our worlds. Oryx, The Taken King, is hell-bent on vengeance and is raising an army of corrupted “Taken” forces by manipulating the Darkness itself. You must find a way into his impenetrable Dreadnaught ship to defeat The Taken King before he and his dark army consume our civilization and bring our solar system to ruin.
Luke Timmins is an Engineering Lead at Bungie, so over to Luke:
Destiny: The Taken King will be released September 15th on Xbox One, PlayStation 4, Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3.
Guitar Hero Live Exclusive Interview with Jamie Jackson at E3 2015
At E3 I had the chance to talk to Jamie Jackson about the forthcoming Guitar Hero Live.
Guitar Hero, the pop culture phenomenon that introduced a new way to interact with music, is back with the all-new Guitar Hero Live, featuring breakthrough innovations that will re-ignite your dreams of becoming a rock star.
Developed by FreeStyleGames, the studio behind DJ Hero and DJ Hero 2, Guitar Hero Live introduces two powerful ways to play, including a first-person point of view where you are up on stage as the star of the show. A quantum leap forward in immersion and realism, Guitar Hero Live is a live-action experience that delivers the full emotional roller coaster of being on stage, with players performing in a real band, in front of real crowds, who react in real time to how well or poorly you play.
Jamie Jackson is the Studio Head of FreeStyleGames who are developing Guitar Hero Live, so over to Jamie:
Guitar Hero Live will be released October 20th on Xbox One, PlayStation 4, Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and Nintendo Wii U.
Call of Duty Black Ops III Exclusive Interview with David Vonderhaar at E3 2015
At E3 I had the chance to talk to David Vonderhaar about the forthcoming Call of Duty Black Ops III.
A dark, gritty future where a new breed of Black Ops soldier emerges and the lines between humanity and military robotics is blurred.
David Vonderhaar is the Studio Design Director at Treyarch working on Black Ops III, so over to David:
Call of Duty: Black Ops III which will hit shelves worldwide on November 6, 2015 on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC, Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3.
Mad Max Exclusive Interview with Emil Kraftling at E3 2015
At E3 I had the chance to talk to Emil Kraftling about the forthcoming Mad Max game.
Set in the post-apocalyptic future, the trailer provides a glimpse into the desperate struggle Max faces after losing it all – his family, his car, his sanity – and the steps he must take to survive in the harsh and desolate Wasteland. For the first time, players get an extended look at the deep car customization, metal grinding vehicular combat, brutal melee combat and a wide range of other activities they can engage in during their quest to build the ultimate survival vehicle, the Magnum Opus, and find solace in the Plains of Silence.
Emil Kraftling works at Avalanche, so over to Emil:
Mad Max will be released on 4th September, 2015 for PlayStation 4, Xbox One and PC.
LEGO Marvel’s Avengers Exclusive Interview with Arthur Parsons at E3 2015
At E3 I had the chance to talk to Arthur Parsons about the forthcoming LEGO Marvel’s Avengers game, and this time he brought the Hulk along with him.
LEGO Marvel’s Avengers, the first console videogame featuring characters and storylines from the critically-acclaimed film Marvel’s The Avengers and the blockbuster sequel Marvel’s Avengers: Age of Ultron. Play as Earth’s Mightiest Heroes in their quest to save the world while reliving some of the most amazing moments from the Marvel Cinematic Universe, including the famed Battle of New York between the Avengers and Super Villain Loki as seen in Marvel’s The Avengers.
Arthur Parsons is a game director at TT Games working on LEGO Marvel’s Avengers – so over to Arthur, and the Hulk:
LEGO Marvel’s Avengers will be available this winter for Xbox One, Xbox 360, PS4, PS3, PS Vita, WiiU, Nintendo 3DS and PC.