Month: October 2018

Gaijin Entertainment today released content Update 1.83 “Masters of the Sea” for their vehicular combat MMO War Thunder. The comprehensive update opens the previously closed test of Naval Forces to all players, giving them command of over 80 vessels from the United States, Germany and Soviet Union. Furthermore, helicopters are now available to unlock, the game has become free-to-play on Xbox One and the update includes many other improvements, new features and vehicles for players to try.

The anticipated public release of the Naval Forces for all players on PC and consoles is the biggest feature of “Masters of the Sea”, making 85 historically accurate ships from the United States, Germany and the Soviet Union now available to all players. On locations all over the globe, all War Thunder captains can now command a variety of warships, ranging from torpedo boats to cruisers, in challenging sea battles with and against other player-controlled ships and aircraft. While the battle for the high seas is on, a new Naval nation, Great Britain, enters closed testing with 26 ships alone, including the famous Flower-class corvettes – the symbol of victory for Britain. Players that wish to be among the first to try the British fleet can obtain tester access through in-game tasks or by purchasing a British naval pack in the War Thunder store. Development of the Naval Forces mode continues in full swing, with more nations to receive their own ship trees, more ships for existing trees, additional game modes and extended features all planned for future War Thunder content updates.

Also now available are the recently introduced helicopters of the United States and Soviet Union, as well as an entirely new set of German helicopters debuting with this update. Helicopters are a new branch of modern vehicles available in War Thunder that excel in support duty against ground vehicles, but are vulnerable against attack, especially from the air. Players can employ their helicopters in combined arms battles including player-controlled tanks and aircraft, or partake in dedicated helicopter vs helicopter encounters featuring AI ground targets.

With the pre-release phase on Xbox One coming to an end, War Thunder is now finally available as a free-to-play game for all current subscribers of Xbox Live Gold. Players on the console can now join their comrades-in-arms on PC in seamless cross-platform gameplay on tanks, aircraft, helicopters and, last but not least, ships.

Extended features of the update include several new aircraft and tanks for the existing nations, such as the German Ju 288C bomber and Japanese Type 75 multiple rocket launcher tank, as well as new and improved locations and plenty of other changes and under-the-hood improvements. Recent economy changes saw significantly increased research point (RP) rewards for active ground forces players, especially during longer battles.

More information about War Thunder Update 1.83 “Masters of the Sea” is available on the game’s official website: http://www.warthunder.com.

The final chapter of the “krieg” trilogy is here: after four years of campaigning the battle-tested Wehrmacht will have to face its hardest challenges in Order of Battle: Endsieg.

The Endsieg campaign, the biggest and longest yet, includes 16 unique scenarios. The story begins right after the Battle of Kursk, where the game provides the option to import a core force from either the Panzerkrieg or Sandstorm campaign.

The first five scenarios are based on the historical 1st Soviet offensive in the Donbass in summer 1943, up to the Leningrad–Novgorod strategic offensive in early 1944. A decisive defeat of the Red Army will eventually allow total victory over the Soviet Union, while failure to do so will turn the campaign away from the Eastern Front and into the Battle of Anzio in Italy.

In the second part of the campaign the player’s forces are transferred to the west, where the Allied invasion of Normandy has opened a new front. Initially you’ll be forced on the defensive, and you’ll be tasked to extract other German forces from the Falaise trap, defeat Allied airborne units in Market-Garden, and defend the city of Aachen and the Huertgenwald against heavy attacks. By reaching a decisive victory in the German Ardennes Offensive in December 1944 the tide of the war can finally be turned again, leading to a set of ultimate battles to destroy the Allied armies once and for all.

Covering the final years of the war, Endsieg offers powerful weapons such as Tiger II heavy tanks, Jagdpanther tank destroyers and Me-262 jetfighters as well as several new specializations. But beware, the enemy has brought many deadly new weapons of their own!

Are you ready to change history?

Endsieg is due to release in November.

For more game information please visit the official Order of Battle: Endsieg  product page.

Heralded WWII Strategy Title Gets Eastern Front Expansion with New Faction and Vehicles

1C Entertainment today announced the launch of new Ostfront Veteranen DLC for the celebrated RTS series, Men of War: Assault Squad 2, which is the latest chapter in the award-winning and long-running Men of War strategy game series. The Ostfront Veteranen faction-based DLC, which is now available on PC via Steam for $9.99, expands the game with a brand-new unit selection available for the first time in the franchise—players can now join the battle as a new German faction with more than 10 new vehicles and hardened infantry squads from the brutal Eastern Front.

The Men of War series has a storied and acclaimed history since first launching in 2009. In 2014, Men of War: Assault Squad 2 updated the game with significant tech improvements as well as new skirmish modes that take players from extreme tank combat to deadly sniper stealth missions. Commanders can face off against opponents on multiplayer maps ranging from 1v1 to 8v8 in scope, with a dedicated player community still ready to commence WWII battles on a daily basis.

“Even now, nearly ten years after the game’s initial release and four years after launching Men of War: Assault Squad 2, today’s Ostfront Veteranen DLC release shows the enduring vitality of the Men of War franchise,” said Nikolay Baryshnikov, CEO of 1C Entertainment. “Opening the Eastern Front with new vehicles and battle-hardened infantry is something our community has been looking forward to tackling, and it’s a pleasure to continue supporting this great game.”

The base game, which is required to play the DLC, has been lauded as one of the great masterworks of RTS games, and currently has an 84% positive rating on Steam. The Ostfront Veteranen DLC continues developer Digitalmindsoft’s commitment to providing new and exciting content for the game’s active community with new troops, units, and features based on the Eastern Front.

Ostfront Veteranen DLC Features

• New German faction of veteran Eastern Front troops, which is available for both multiplayer and player vs. AI matches
• More than 10 new vehicles including the Brummbär, StukazuFuß, and Flak37 mounted on SdKfz 8
• Battle-hardened new infantry squads from the Eastern front

Men of War: Assault Squad 2 is developed by Digitalmindsoft and published by 1C Entertainment. The full game is priced at $29.99 on PC via Steam.

Check out these latest hardware announcements for today from around the web. Also included are some hardware news bits, and on some days, a few rumors tossed in for good measure. Click on the links below to read the official press release, visit the products web page, or to an independent news source.

• New iCHILL X3 by INNO3D is the First Gen Cooling Solution for the Geforce RTX Series
• Corsair Introduces New K70 RGB MK.2 LOW PROFILE Keyboards
• Cooler Master Releases the ATX 24 Pin 90° Adapter
• ASUS Intros ROG Swift PG258Q Call of Duty – Black Ops 4 Edition
• RIOTORO Introduces GTX100 Morpheus Convertible PC Chassis
• Cooler Master Offers New 120 mm & 140 mm Addressable RGB MasterFan
• Patriot Launches the Viper V765 RGB Mechanical Keyboard
• ARCTIC Releases P-Fan Series High-static Pressure with Six Fan Models
• ADATA Launches XPG SX8200 Pro SSD, GAMMIX S5 SSD, and GAMMIX D30 DDR4 Memory
• Thermaltake Intros Core P3 TG Chassis with Curved Tempered Glass Panel

Best-Selling Series in Call of Duty Returns with Deepest, Most Engaging Title From Award-Winning Developer Treyarch

Black Ops 4 is here! The best-selling series in Call of Duty® returns with Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 available now, digitally and at global retailers worldwide. The most anticipated multi-platform game of this holiday according to Nielsen Game RankÔ, Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 delivers a game-changing experience with more ways to play together with friends than ever before.

“Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 is packed with an amazing array and a massive amount of content across Multiplayer, Zombies and Blackout, and the launch marks just the beginning of an incredible journey ahead,” said Rob Kostich, EVP and GM, Call of Duty. “When you pick up a Black Ops game, you know you have something you are going to play for a really long time, but Black Ops 4 takes that to an entirely new level. The team’s commitment is clear – no matter what kind of player you are, there is a ton of content to be enjoyed, and there is even more to come for everyone in the community. Black Ops 4 is unlike anything Treyarch has ever created and we think fans are going to have a blast.”

“We revealed playable Multiplayer earlier than ever, put in more Zombies available on day one than any other game, held two Betas, and along the way the response from the Black Ops community has been nothing short of incredible,” said Dan Bunting, Co-Studio Head, Treyarch. “Our mission was to build a game from the ground up that allowed fans to have fun together and play with one another in new ways – that’s just what we did, and the launch of Black Ops 4 is just the start. This is a game that we plan to support for the long haul.”

“The ambition driving the studio’s efforts doesn’t end there however; in fact, it’s been a colossal endeavor: from creating a signature take on battle royale with Blackout, to going all-out on PC with Beenox and working with Blizzard to bring the game to Battle.net for the first time, we pushed ourselves more than any game we’ve ever made. We feel that says something and we believe that it shows,” said Mark Gordon, Co-Studio Head, Treyarch. “We’ve been developing Black Ops games for ten years now, and I’ve never seen the studio create anything on this scale before.”

Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 features three distinct modes of play: Multiplayer, Zombies and Blackout. Multiplayer features gritty, grounded combat in the most tactical, team-based experience in the Black Ops series to date. It features the return of the iconic Pick 10 system, along with a series of innovations in weapon controls, combat flow, health regeneration, and player movement. Black Ops 4 also features a combination of new and returning Specialists, each with their own unique equipment and playstyles, allowing players to not only be powerful alone, but devastating as a team working together.

Celebrating the 10-year anniversary of the original Call of Duty Zombies, Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 debuts an entirely new Zombies experience that is the biggest Day One offering in franchise history, with three fully-featured Zombies experiences at launch – IX, Voyage of Despair and Blood of the Dead. With the most customisable action to date, the mode introduces new systems for creating and completing community challenges, and social systems designed to connect players.

Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 introduces Blackout, an all-new Battle Royale mode that brings together characters, locations, weapons and gear from across the series in all-out survival combat, all with Black Ops signature gameplay. Blackout features land, sea and air vehicles, and offers a variety of new and classic playable characters, including campaign characters like Mason, Reznov and Woods; Zombies characters like Richtofen and Takeo; and Specialists like Crash, Battery and Seraph, to name a few. Across the sprawling Blackout map – the largest in Call of Duty history – players will fight in locations inspired by fan-favorite maps like Nuketown, Firing Range, Raid, Cargo and more.

The release of Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 also heralds the biggest season to date in Call of Duty esports with $6 million in total season prizing on the line. The Call of Duty World League will get underway with the first open LAN event of the new season, Dec. 7 – 9, in Las Vegas. For more information, visit CallofDuty.com/CWL.

In conjunction with the release of Call of Duty: Black Ops 4, the Call of Duty™ Endowment has kicked-off the #CODNATION Challenge, a live three-day charity event featuring Black Ops 4. Formerly known as the Race to Prestige, the annual stream brings together an array of video game personalities in a relay-style, fundraising gaming marathon. Across its nine-year history, the Call of Duty community has been instrumental in supporting the Endowment’s drive to place 50,000 veterans in high-quality jobs. The #CODNATION Challenge kicked-off yesterday and continues through tomorrow. Fans can watch all the action live on Twitch.tv/TheRace and follow @CODE4Vets for the latest updates and information for the #CODNATION Challenge.

Additionally, launch is just the beginning for Call of Duty: Black Ops 4, which will feature a steady stream of post-release content across all modes, and a variety of free content for the entire community through a robust calendar of events, playable first on PlayStation 4.

Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 comes in the following editions:

• Standard and Digital Standard Edition – Suggested Retail Price
• Digital Deluxe Edition – Black Ops Pass and more
• Pro Edition – Black Ops Pass and more
• Digital Deluxe Enhanced Edition – Black Ops Pass and more
• Mystery Box Collector’s Edition

For more information, fans can visit www.callofduty.com.

Add-on Brings New Missions, New Commanders and Challenging New Environments

Kalypso Media is thrilled to announce the release of Africa – Desert War, the next chapter in the World War 2 strategy title, Sudden Strike 4. Released today for PC and Xbox One (with PlayStation®4 following on 15th October, Europe only), the Africa – Desert War add-on is based on the most notorious desert skirmishes in North Africa during World War 2.

Sudden Strike 4: Africa – Desert War features two new mini campaigns with six new singleplayer missions from the North African campaign of World War 2. In the Axis campaign, start the Italian advance on Egypt to take the city of Sidi Barrani, besiege the city of Tobruk and take over its harbour, as well as break through the Kasserine Pass in Tunisia. In the Allied campaign, take part in Operation Compass and retake the village of Sidi Barrani, relive the watershed of the Western Desert Campaign, the Second Battle of El Alamein, and break through the German defensive line in the Battle of Mareth. Fight in an unforgiving and harsh desert setting with sandstorms to challenge your tactical wits.

As well as the new campaigns, players can choose from five new doctrine commanders to lead their troops into battle. On the side of the Axis, armchair generals can choose from the highly decorated German general Erwin Rommel, as well as three additional Italian commanders, including renowned field marshal Giovanni Messe. On the Allies, play as legendary armoured division general Sir Richard O’Connor.

As the war heads into new territory, Africa – Desert War introduces over 30 new vehicles including an all-new medical truck, the Marder II Tank Destroyer, the British Bishop SPG, as well as the Italian Semovente da 105/25 Assault Gun.

To celebrate the release, Kalypso has prepared a new trailer showcasing the new DLC in all its glory.

The time has come. Moscow and Tokyo seem to have discharged every further diplomatic effort to solve the rising crisis over the Kuril Islands.

Claimed by Japan but occupied buy Russia after the end of the Second World War, these small islands have been turned in a symbol of Nationalism for both the governments.

Now, a strong Russian contingent is being dispatched to strengthen their positions. Will the JSDF attack the convoy and risk an-all-out war with its old enemy?

Command LIVE: Kuril Sunrise the ninth installment in the Command LIVE series, has been released! This new episode explores a scenario in which two powerful Navies must face each other having an impressive array of sea denial weapons.

Which one shall prove to be superior?

DLC’s Features:

• Playable as Russia or Japan.
• 21st Century convoy warfare. Using advanced aircraft, ships, and submarines, face the challenge of either escorting or attacking a convoy of civilian ferries. Which previous tactics will work and which ones will not in a new era?
• Control advanced submarines. The nuclear vs. diesel dispute is on as the Yasen and Akula II submarines on the Russian side face the Soryu and Oyashio SSKs on the Japanese side. The strengths and weaknesses of both types are on display.
• Fight the air battle with upgraded F-15s and Su-27s alongside classics like the F-4 and MiG-29.
• Plan carefully. Each side has its own technological or logistical weakness the other can exploit.

Source: TechPowerUp!

NVIDIA today released GeForce 416.34 WHQL “Game Ready” drivers. These drivers provide optimization for “Call of Duty: Black Ops 4″ (retail), “Soulcaliber VI,” and “GRIP.” Among the fixed issues with this release are buggy shadows in “Player Unknown’s Battlegrounds,” some games launching to a black screen when DSR is enabled, a colorful shimmering line noticed in some games when playing full-screen with G-SYNC enabled, Surround display not being available from NVIDIA Control Panel with Edge browser running, and green screen display corruption on certain games with HDR enabled. Grab the drivers from the link below.

You can download the new GeForce 416.34 WHQL drivers through GeForce Experience or via GeForce.com.

Source: TechPowerUp!

AMD has released the Radeon Software Adrenalin 18.10.1 Beta drivers. These drivers include support for Microsoft’s Windows 10 October 2018 Update as well as optimizations for Call of Duty: Black Ops 4. Along with improved support, AMD has addressed a number of issues with this latest release. First of which is a fix for the HDMI audio drivers not upgrading during the Radeon Software installation in some circumstances. Random reboots when upgrading from Radeon Software versions older than RSAE 18.8.1 on CPUs with more than 16 cores has also been resolved. In regards to gaming fixes, Fortnite sees lighting corruption when effects quality is set to High or Epic resolved, while Sea of Thieves sees texture flickering in multi-GPU configurations fixed. You can grab the drivers from the link below.

The new Radeon Software Adrenalin 1810.1 Beta drivers are available online at the AMD driver download page.

Source: Blue’s News

The Fighter Collection & Eagle Dynamics announce the F-14 Tomcat is the next aircraft coming to DCS World, their aerial combat simulation. The DCS E-Shop has loads of details on the plane, and it is already available for preorder. Here’s the announcement video along with more on the Tomcat and its appearances in theaters of operation and movie theaters:

The Grumman F-14 Tomcat was a two-crew, variable geometry, maritime air superiority fighter that served with the US Navy for 32 years and continues to serve with the IRIAF in Iran. The F-14 was the US Navy’s frontline fighter from the 1970s until the mid-2000s. Over the course of its long service life it also became the US Navy’s premier precision ground-attack platform and lone airborne reconnaissance asset.

Outstanding features of the aircraft are the swing-wing configuration, crew of two, and the powerful AN/AWG-9 Weapons Control System (WCS) and radar. The AWG-9 allows employment of the powerful AIM-54 Phoenix air to air missile while the LANTIRN pod allows the ability to carry out precision ground strikes using laser guided bombs. The F-14 Tomcat was present during many pivotal historic moments such as the two Gulf of Sidra incidents, Operation Desert storm in Iraq, the conflict in Yugoslavia, Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan and Operation Iraqi Freedom. It was also immortalized in the iconic motion picture, Top Gun, and starred in several other feature films including The Final Countdown, Executive Decision, and others.