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Elder Scrolls: Online to be relaunched as Free-to-Play Tamriel Unlimited on PC, PS4 and Xbox One

Sai Mealing
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Elder Scrolls: Online to be relaunched as Free-to-Play Tamriel Unlimited on PC, PS4 and Xbox One

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Many have tried but almost all have failed. Zenimax Online have today became the latest mainstream MMO provider to publicly admit defeat with an announcement that The Elder Scrolls: Online will be dropping it’s mandatory subscription system to make way for a free-to-play model. In an increasingly competitive marketplace it seems that only Blizzard are able to get away with the subscription plus paid addon pack (AKA greedy bastard) model.

What separates this announcement from others however is that the game will be completely relaunched under the new title of Tamriel: Unlimited. Anybody who has ever purchased ES:O or does so before the update in March will be automatically upgraded to the new version. A subscription model will remain for premium members and any remaining subscription time will be automatically moved over. As with Guild Wars 2, new players will need to buy a basic copy of the game separately however that will be the only essential cost.

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As a massive Elder Scrolls fan but not a usual MMO person, I enjoyed my time in a massively multiplayer Tamriel during some closed beta sessions last year. Obviously not to the extent that I was willing to throw down a tenner a month for it though, after all, I’m the sort of mean-fisted tight arse who won’t even pay for Netflix. That being said, I am really looking forward to jumping back in later this year and the lower barrier for entry should hopefully increase the population of an MMO that received a very mixed reception when it launched and has been struggling to maintain a sizeable player base ever since.

Incidentally, PC copies of The Elder Scrolls: Online purchased before March will be automatically upgraded at no extra cost and usually include 30 days of subscription time free so if you can find a cheap copy instore or online then now is the time to buy it.

A full FAQ is available here and new game accounts will receive some free in-game currency as a bonus. As long as Bethesda and Zenimax don’t go overboard on the micro-transaction front, this one could turn out to be something really interesting.

The Elder Scrolls Online: Tamriel Unlimited will launch for PC on 17th March 2015 and for PS4 and Xbox One on 9th June 2015. 

The Oatmeal Kickstarter “Exploding Kittens” Blows Up

Andy Haigh
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The Oatmeal Kickstarter “Exploding Kittens” Blows Up

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Exploding Kittens is a prime example of what happens when you combine three things the internet loves- namely cats, The Oatmeal and crowdfunding.

The card game (thought up by the trio of Elan Lee , Shane Small and Matthew Inman) features Inman’s instantly recognisable art seen on the phenomenally popular website The Oatmeal. The Kickstarter campaign has quite aptly exploded, managing to rack up over $1m in pledges in just 24 hours and it’s still climbing, currently sitting at a hefty  1.5 million.

The game is simple,

Exploding Kittens is a highly strategic kitty-powered version of Russian Roulette.  Players take turns drawing cards until someone draws an exploding kitten and loses the game. The deck is made up of cards that let you avoid exploding by peeking at cards before you draw, forcing your opponent to draw multiple cards, or shuffling the deck.

Anyone interested in the game which involves catnip sandwiches and weaponized enchiladas amongst other things should check out Exploding Kittens Kickstarter.

Fox in Talks to Bring Back The X-Files

therockfairy
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Fox in Talks to Bring Back The X-Files

Could our favourite FBI agents really be making a return to the small screen?  Fox have confirmed that they are in talks with…well whoever they need to have talks with…about the possibility of a reboot of The X Files with Gillian Anderson and David Duchovny set to reprise their roles as sceptical FBI agent Dana Scully and Fox “Spooky” Mulder.  This would of course depend on their busy schedules with both having moved on since the days of chasing little green men but it’s certainly not a pipe dream.

No further details have been released beyond the fact that talks are being had but with 2008’s I Want To Believe leaving a few stones unturned, X Philes are likely to rejoice in the prospect of mini series to tie up those loose ends.  Watch this space non-believers!

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Zachary Levi to Star in Heroes Reborn

Becca Harper
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Zachary Levi to Star in Heroes Reborn

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The star of Chuck and proud geek, Zachary Levi has been confirmed to star in NBC’s Heroes Reborn.

Levi had this to say about the announcement,  “One of my first, and fondest, memories of joining the NBC family in 2007 was having the pleasure of getting to know Tim Kring, and the cast of Heroes. I was a fan of their collective work and always thought it was such a fantastic and fun world they got to play in. With Heroes: Reborn, I’m honored to have the opportunity to bring more of that world to life, and excited to help in offering the fans of the franchise an epic new installation of a series that made such a huge impact on entertainment.”

Though we have no information on the character Levi is playing, NBC boss, Bob Greenblatt had this to say “We’re still keeping Zac’s role under wraps because everything is shrouded in mystery for this miniseries, but we’re very excited he’s been cast,” So still no clue, but Greenblatt did confirm there will be more casting announcements over the next few weeks.

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Noah Bennett is back!

Heroes Reborn is a relaunch of the original series Heroes that ran from 2006 to 2010 with mixed reviews – it started off great but then kind of lost it’s way. The 13 episode series will bring a new story but with some familiar characters, with Jack Coleman’s Noah Bennett already confirmed as returning. Though still coy about it Greenblatt said “I think you’ll see several of the old cast popping in to episodes.”

Are you interested in the return of Heroes and we still haven’t got a second series of Firefly? Which characters would you like to see return? Have missed Zachary Levi as much as I have? Let us know in the comments below, our Facebook page or twitter.

 

Batman vs. Robin Animated Film Trailer Released

Becca Harper
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Batman vs. Robin Animated Film Trailer Released

Batman Vs. Robin is the next animated feature film to come from DC Comics. The first trailer has been released via IGN and confirms that our heroes will be coming face to face with the Court of Owls – the antagonists introduced during the current ongoing run of ‘Batman’ by Scott Snyder and Greg Capullo.

It would seem all it is not well in the Batcave with the rebellious Damian Wayne taking a joyride in the Batmobile and Batman attempting to guide and train his son in the ways of a hero…

Directed by Jay Oliva and starring the voice talents of Jason O’Mara (Batman), Stuart Allen (Robin/Damian Wayne), Sean Maher (Nightwing), David McCallum (Alfred), Jeremy Sisto (Talon), “Weird Al” Yankovic (The Dollmaker), Grey Griffin (Samantha), Robin Atkin Downes (Grandmaster) and Peter Onorati (Draco).

Harebrained Schemes’ Shadowrun: Hong Kong is Now Live

Andy Haigh
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Harebrained Schemes’ Shadowrun: Hong Kong is Now Live

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Harebrained Schemes Kickstarter campaign for Shadowrun: Hong Kong is now live. This will be the third Shadowrun game from the indie developer following Shadowrun Returns and Shadowrun: Dragonfall – Director’s Cut.

Hong Kong: A stable and prosperous port of call in a sea of chaos, warfare, and political turmoil. The Hong Kong Free Enterprise Zone is a land of contradictions – it is one of the most successful centers of business in the Sixth World, and home to one of the world’s most dangerous sprawl sites. A land of bright lights, gleaming towers, and restless spirits where life is cheap and everything is for sale.

As well a new setting which features a culture that is steeped in “guanxi” – a network of influence and relationships based upon a combination of social status, and prestige – this new game features an all new gang of Runners to join you on runs through the shadows: Gobbet an Ork street shaman, Duncan an Ork security specialist, and Is0bel a Dwarf decker. An additonal character named Rachter, a Russian rigger with a custom drone, will also be joining the team if a certain stretch target is hit. The game will feature the now Harebrained Schemes-hallmark of old-school text-driven non-linear story featuring numerous characters.

Harebrained Schemes has already smashed their base target of $100,000 within 2 hours so it’s all “co-funding goals”, Harebrained Schemes version of stretch goals, from here on out. To check the various rewards available (which include a copy of the game, soundtracks from all three games and desktop wallpaper for a measly $15, that’s less than £10, seriously) then check out their Kickstarter here: Shadowrun: Hong Kong

F.A.B. It’s the Thunderbird Board game!

Bevan Clatworthy
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F.A.B. It’s the Thunderbird Board game!

5!…. 4!…. 3!… OK, you get the idea. In conjunction with its 50th anniversary, a new co-operative board game based on the classic TV series Thunderbirds is going to be produced this year by Modiphius Entertainment (Achtung! Cthulhu, DUST Adventures) and designed by Matt Leacock (Pandemic, Forbidden Island). TBtBG will see players taking on the roles of the Traceys in an effort to do what they did best: saving the world!

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The artwork for the box

“Thunderbirds has always been the geek dad brand of choice as people introduce models of Thunderbird 2 or the original TV show to their kids,” said Chris Birch, Publishing Director of Modiphius.“From collecting the models and avidly watching the shows as a kid, it has been a dream of mine to create an awesome game with Thunderbirds. With Matt Leacock on board, I know we’ll be able to create the ideal co-operative gaming experience for whole families to enjoy the Tracys’ world. F-A-B!”

Much of the design work has already been completed, including minis for all the vehicles from the series and a Kickstarter campaign has been earmarked for February to generate funds for the production run (although I’m sure the additional marketing provided by a KS campaign has been an intended side effect!) with a planned release for Autumn/Winter of this year.

With such publishing and design pedigrees behind this game and the popularity of the original show, will this be a success? Are there enough Thunderbird fans remaining in the world to give this game some love? Only time will tell, but this is definitely one to watch for 2015.

Are there any TV shows from your youth you’d like to see given the board game treatment? Let us know in the comments below or hit us up on Facebook and Twitter!

Second Age of Ultron Trailer Released

Callum Tyndall
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Second Age of Ultron Trailer Released

I don’t think words can do justice to the sheer awesome, overwhelming incredibleness of what is being built up to with these trailers. Check out the new trailer for Age of Ultron below and tell us what you think in the comments or on Facebook/Twitter. This hype train is pulling out of the station.

 

The Walking Dead Season 5 returns with atmospheric trailer

Andy Haigh
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The Walking Dead Season 5 returns with atmospheric trailer

AMC has just released a new trailer The Walking Dead‘s mid-season 5 return. The atmospheric trailer ,which could also double as an ad for Eau de Zombie, shows things for stalwart survivor Rick Grimes, played by Andrew Lincoln, and the rest of the survivors aren’t going to get easier after finding themselves on the road again following the tumultuous events earlier in Season 5.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z6Ge6Op2mAk

New trailer for Neill Blomkamp’s Chappie is jaw droppingly good.

Andy Haigh
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New trailer for Neill Blomkamp’s Chappie is jaw droppingly good.

The new trailer for Neill Blomkamp’s upcoming sci-fi venture Chappie looks just as impressive as you would expect from the man behind District 9 and Elysium. The film, which looks like a mash up of Short Circuit and Robocop with shades of Appleseed, is the story of the eponymous Chappie, an experimental robot built and designed to feel and learn from the world around him. Chappie finds himself part of a dysfunctional family unit after being kidnapped.

Hugh Jackman stars as an embittered former soldier wary of A.I with his own manually controlled robot hired by Corporate boss Sigourney Weaver to take out the experimental A.I Chappie. The film looks set to be a combination of Blomkamp’s signature motifs, impressive action FX, dustbowl future aesthetics and scifi underwritten by social commentary. The film also stars Ninja and Yolandi of Die Antwoord.

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