September 13, 2011 6:00 AM

Paragon Studios has announced that VIP players will today have exclusive access to City of Heroes Freedom and Issue 21: Convergence. Freedom introduces a hybrid of free-to-play and subscription models, featuring a new microtransaction friendly in-game store.

If your account subscription is active on September 13, you will automatically become a VIP player and you will be able to log into our live servers and enjoy City of Heroes Freedom! This includes Issue 21: Convergence, the Paragon Rewards ™ program and all of the services and items available through the Paragon Market™!

We are also having a plethora of activities to make the VIP Head Start truly amazing and to welcome you into a new era!

And if that wasn't enough, all our VIP players will receive:

A Respec Token per existing character (make sure you've used up your free Respec token if you already had one, they don't stack!)
A Tailor Token per unlocked costume slot
A Global Handle Rename Token per account
The "Door Buster" badge, celebrating the VIP Head Start!

Read on for a schedule of all the fun we have in store for you!

Paragon Market Head Start Sales!
We have treats a-plenty for all our VIP players during Head Start! Use the brand new Paragon Market easy access in game button to get the following discounts during the first two weeks!

50% off the Restore Power
50% off the Revive Power
50%off Enhancement Unslotters
20% off of Beam Rifle.

And for the first week ONLY, you'll be able to get:

6 Character Transfers for 480 Paragon Points or $6! (one time purchase)

In Game Giveaways
Members of the Paragon Studios Community team will be giving away in game items randomly on the Exalted server during the first week! All you need to do is be on Exalted and you may be one of the lucky winners!

Play the new Sewer Trial and Underground Incarnate Trial with the Team
Throughout the day during the first week of the VIP Head Start, members of the Paragon Studios Development and Community teams will be jumping onto the Exalted server to team up with randomly selected players and play through the brand new Sewer Trial and the Underground Incarnate Trial! For the latter, make sure your Level 50 characters are up for the challenge and show us your worth!

Costume Contests
Join us on Exalted for Costume Contests judged by the Paragon Studios™ team and showcase your creativity by crafting a costume corresponding to a different theme each day!

In Game Praetorian Invasion Part II
Log in on certain days and not only will you get to fight for your life and that of the citizens of Paragon City and the Rogue Isles, but you will also get the "Defender of Primal Earth" badge!

Exalted Low Level Invasion!
Only on September 15 and 16, create brand a new character on Exalted and join us in a low level fight for survival in Atlas Park and Mercy Island!

For more information head over to the website below.

City Of Heroes Freedom VIP Head Start
NCsoft
TransGaming
City of Heroes

September 13, 2011 6:00 AM

Feral Interactive has today announced that the action RPG video game Deus Ex: Human Revolution will be released for the Mac in winter 2011/12. Developed by Eidos-Montreal and published by Square Enix for game consoles and Windows PCs, Deus Ex: Human Revolution is a prequel to the classic Deus Ex.

“Deus Ex: Human Revolution presents the player with truly meaningful decisions in a unique and captivating game world.” said David Stephen, Managing Director of Feral Interactive. “The degree of freedom it offers is extraordinary.”

“We are delighted to partner with Feral, a leading expert in development for the Mac platform, to bring the acclaimed Deus Ex: Human Revolution to Mac players,” said Stephane D’Astous, general manager of Eidos-Montreal. “The game presents a powerful vision of a dystopian future, and we’re excited that gamers will now be able to experience it on the Mac.”

Set in 2027, Deus Ex: Human Revolution immerses players in a world where amoral corporations market biomechanical modifications that blur the boundary between man and machine. The player controls former SWAT commander Adam Jensen who has been forced to undergo cybernetic augmentations after a terrorist attack on Sarif Industries, the biotech company where he works as security chief.

To find those responsible, the player must explore the full potential of Adam’s augmented body and develop it to suit their playing style. Every situation can be approached in countless different ways, either by focusing on one of the four pillars of gameplay - combat, stealth, hacking and social - or by deploying an artful combination of all four. As they progress, players will be able to “purchase” new augmentations or upgrade existing ones to manipulate Adam’s body into their perfect machine.

Deus Ex: Human Revolution’s engrossing plot puts players in strikingly inventive futuristic visions of real cities such as Detroit and Montreal, where they must scrutinize everything to uncover the secrets behind a global conspiracy that threatens everyone. The outcome of the game depends on the actions and judgements made by the player, whether in choosing an upgrade, hacking a computer, or choosing to hide in the shadows rather than open fire.

Feral Interactive will reveal more details about the game's pricing, system requirements, and specific release date later in the year.

Feral Interactive
Deus Ex: Human Revolution

September 13, 2011 6:00 AM

Guild Software has released game and status updates for its massively-multiplayer online space strategy game, Vendetta Online. Version 1.8.188 offers a variety of updates and changes including changes to player capships.

What's new in 1.8.188:

• The Trident Type M, player-constructable capship, now includes an integrated 2000-meter Heavy Storm Radar Extender (the feature is present on all existing and future vessels).
  
• The Trident Type M also now features a 2000-meter Shared Group Radar Extender, allowing the sharing of radar data with those in a group with the capship.
  
• PC versions now feature the updated graphical startup and loading screens used on the Android build.
  
• "Delete Key" button added the key info interface, allowing removal of keys used for station and capship ownership. Read the Help menu in PDA->Inventory->Keychains for more information.

Learn more at the link below.

Vendetta Online 1.8.188 Updte
Guild Software
Strategy First
Vendetta Online

September 13, 2011 6:00 AM

Blizzard Entertainment recently released some new information about the upcoming action RPG sequel, Diablo III. This time the company revealed details about the shared stash feature, and the Nephalem Cube and Cauldron of Jordan items obtained during some of the game's quests.

Shared Inventory
In addition to a character's personal inventory, players in Diablo III will also have access to a shared stash, a new storage option which can be used by all characters on a Diablo III account. Accessible from each major town at the beginning of every act, the shared stash will give you an unprecedented amount of storage space, more flexibility when it comes to inventory management, and -- perhaps most importantly -- the ability to share the items you collect (or create) with whichever of your characters need them most.

While players will start out with only a single tab in their shared stash with a limited number of slots, upgrades in the form of additional slots and tabs can be purchased for gold by any character you create. You'll be able to buy up to 5 tabs, each containing 70 slots of space, for a total of 350 slots of shared storage! Once bought, the upgraded storage space will be available to every character on your Diablo III account.

Read more at the pages linked below.

Diablo III: The Shared Stash
Diablo III: Quest Items Described
Blizzard Entertainment
Diablo III

September 13, 2011 6:00 AM

Macgamestore.com has once again expanded its catalog of digital download titles with the addition of Frima Studios' Big Brain Wolf. In the point and click adventure game players take the role of an asthmatic vegetarian wolf studying to become a genie.

Big Brain Wolf is a hilarious point and click adventure game for puzzle lovers. The player takes upon the role of an asthmatic vegetarian wolf studying to become a genie. In the course of his adventures the player will encounter a large cast of famous funny characters and solve sixty different puzzles. Six neuroscientist designed highly replayable brain training exercises will earn the player precious hints to help solve the more difficult puzzles

Features:

• 60 Different challenging puzzles and enigmas to solve
  
• 20 Puzzle filled scenes spanning a 5 chapters captivating story
  
• A funny new take on universal characters that will appeal to all
  
• 6 brain training exercises designed and approved by the neuroscientists of Brain Center International
  
• Great original soundtrack by a jazz quartet

Big Brain Wolf is available now for $9.95 (USD).

Big Brain Wolf

September 13, 2011 6:00 AM

In a new interview with Inside Mac Games, Aspyr Media's Elizabeth Howard discussed some of the upcoming game developments gamers can expect from the company this year, including an App Store update for Civilization V: Campaign Edition and a Lion friendly re-release of Tomb Raider II. Howard also revealed that the company plans to bring Lion compatibility updates to owners of game versions other than those available on the Mac App Store.

I've noticed that Aspyr recently updated the Mac App Store version of Star Wars: Empire at War to make it compatible with Apple's 10.7 OS. What other older titles are slated for an update? Will gamers who purchased non App Store versions be able to access the updates as well?

EH: We intend on ensuring 10.7 compatibility with all of our Mac App titles. Some of the games released prior to Lion saw a few issues, hence the update for Star Wars: Empire at War. We hope to bring these fixes and updates to the non MacApp titles as well via patches in coming months.

Read more at the link below.

IMG: Aspyr Interview
Aspyr Media

September 13, 2011 6:00 AM

Sports Interactive and SEGA Europe recently announced that Football Manager 2012 for PC and Mac, will be available to European gamers on October 21st, 2011. Football Manager 2012 will once again allow players to take charge of their favorite team and put their managerial skills to the test.

The release date has been confirmed in the first in a series of blogs available, talking about the new features and improvements for Football Manager™ 2012. Miles Jacobson’s blog, which features exclusive content, screens and videos, will deliver all the information you need for the new Football Manager™ season. In addition to this, a demo of the game will also be made available closer to launch to whet every FM fans appetite, with the option to continue their saved game when they buy the full version of Football Manager™ 2012.

Key new & improved features for Football Manager 2012:

• Transfers & Contracts – significant changes to the transfer and contract systems, including loyalty bonuses, better implementation of amateur and youth contracts, an improved transfer centre and the ability to lock areas of the contract negotiation when you aren't prepared to budge. This helps you to manage your budgets and gives you flexibility in what you offer money hungry players, or agents, as incentives.
  
• Scouting improvements – using several real life scouting reports, a new in-game report has been devised which includes squad analysis, tactics information and information about goals scored and conceded alongside lots of other scouting improvements, giving you all the information you need to prepare before kick-off and throughout the season.
  
• 3D Match Improvements – new animations, a whole new crowd system, improved weather system, more stadiums, plus two brand new cameras - "Behind Goal" and "Director Cam" as well as all other camera angles being reversible - meaning you can watch and analyse every aspect of every game.
  
• Manage Anywhere, Anytime – the ability to add or take away playable nations in your saved game as often as you want. Manage in that country at the start of the next season- meaning you don’t have to stay in the nations which are chosen by you to be playable at the start of your career.
  
• Tone – a whole new level has been added to team talks and conversations, with the new tone system, which allows you to specify the way you want to say things – be as cool as a cucumber by saying things calmly or throw tea cups around by saying things with passion. There are 6 different tones to choose from with specific comments per tone.
  
• Intelligent Interface – a new adaptive layout system, which means the higher your screen resolution, the more info is easily at your fingertips. The new interface also contains new filters, customisable columns, a new tactics screen, and lots of new overview screens.
  
• Brand New Tutorial – standing separate from the main game, a mode to help new players find their way around the game easily, whilst also offering tips to experienced managers on how to get the most out of the game, as well as a new in-game “how to” system.

Learn more at the link below.

SI
Football Manager 2012

September 13, 2011 6:00 AM

Blizzard Entertainment has added a new Blizzard Music Section to its website. The update includes information and iTunes store links for the soundtracks to its popular Diablo, StarCraft, Warcraft, and World of Warcraft franchises.

Check out some of your favorite musical numbers from Diablo, StarCraft, Warcraft, and World of Warcraft. With quick-and-easy access to the iTunes store, it has never been easier to browse our music, create your own playlist, and listen to the tunes you want, anytime, anywhere! Also, all you audiophiles out there, be sure to read the track notes straight from Blizzard’s sound team!

Head over to the page below for more information.

Blizzard Music
Blizzard Entertainment