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.

• Cooltek Announces the NC-Series Gaming Cases
• Corsair Announces the GLAIVE RGB Gaming Mouse
• MSI Launches Its GeForce GTX 1080 Ti Sea Hawk EK X
• ASUS ROG Maximus IX Extreme Motherboard Comes With Preinstalled Monoblock Cooler
• Colorful Launches Its iGame GeForce GTX 1080 Ti Vulcan X OC
• A Pair Of Gently Overclocked GIGABYTE RX 550 GPUs Debut
• Temperature Spikes Reported on Intel’s Core i7-7700, i7-7700K Processors
• ViewSonic Adds 42-inch VX4380 Ultra HD IPS Monitor

Major Update 1.69 “Regia Aeronautica” Adds Italy As Sixth Playable Faction

Gaijin Entertainment announces the impending release of a new playable nation for the vehicular combat MMOG War Thunder. War Thunder Update 1.69, called ‘Regia Aeronautica’, will introduce Italy as the sixth playable nation, represented with its own vehicle tree, alongside USA, Germany, Great Britain, Japan and USSR. This is the first new nation to be added to the game since the launch of War Thunder.

“With the addition of Japanese Ground Forces at the end of last year, all of the game’s nations are now represented with more than 800 aircraft and ground vehicles in total, early testing of Naval Forces is full steam ahead and very soon War Thunder will feature a new nation. We will add more than 20 new Italian vehicles and update the existing models, so Italy will be represented with several dozens of aircraft on its launch,” says Kirill Yudintsev, Creative Director of Gaijin Entertainment.

Italy’s initial aviation lineup consists of several dozen aircraft, ranging from the famous light and maneuverable Italian biplanes of the 1930s to post-war Jet aircraft. Among those machines is the Fiat CR.32, one of the most mass produced aircraft employed by the Regia Aeronautica at the beginning of World War II. This robust all-metal biplane can withstand serious damage and even carry bombs into combat – a feature that allows it to temporarily act as a light attack aircraft instead of a fighter, either to destroy light ground units or suppress the enemy’s anti-aircraft resistance.

Another symbol of Italy’s aviation besides the CR.32 are its famous heavy three-engine bombers, which will also be featured in War Thunder right from the start. Next to the well-known SM.79 Sparviero (the ‘Sparrowhawk’), other indigenous three-engine designs will be included, such as the CANT Z.1007bis Alcione, or ‘Kingfisher’. Although the latter was mostly overshadowed by the mass produced ‘Sparrowhawk’, it exceeded its counterpart in both speed and maneuverability and could also be equipped with a heavy 840 kg torpedo. This will make it especially useful as an attack aircraft in the coming full-scale Naval battles.

Read more about the incoming Italian machines in War Thunder’s developer diaries here.

The first Italian fighter aircraft are available for pre-order in Gaijin.net store:

Fiat CR.32 bis

Fiat G.55S

To download War Thunder, please visit the official War Thunder website.

Today, Ubisoft announced Tom Clancy’s The Division kicks off a free weekend, May 4th 2017 until May 7th 2017 on Windows PC, and until May 8th 2017 Xbox One and PlayStation® 4 computer entertainment system.

Players will be able to access the games on each platform during the following times:

• Xbox One: 04/05 at 7AM UTC to 08/05 at 7AM UTC.
• PlayStation 4: 04/05 at 7AM UTC to 08/05 at 7AM UTC.
• Uplay PC: 04/05 at 5PM UTC to 07/05 at 8PM UTC.

To coincide with this free weekend, there will be discounts on Tom Clancy’s The Division’s Standard and Gold Editions on all digital stores. Please visit www.thedivisiongame.com/freeweekend_news for downloads and detailed information about the Tom Clancy’s The Division free weekend.

All progress from the free weekend will carry over to the full game if players purchase it. The current free trial offer, which gives players full access to the main game until they reach level 8 or complete six hours of playtime, will be on hiatus during the free weekend but reinstated once the free weekend promotion ends. Players who have downloaded the free trial before May 4th will see trial restrictions lifted until the end of the free weekend.

Tom Clancy’s The Division takes place weeks after a devastating pandemic sweeps through New York City on Black Friday. One by one, basic services fail and in only days, without food or water, society collapses into chaos. The Division, an autonomous unit of tactical agents leading seemingly ordinary lives among us, is activated to save society. In this immersive online open world action RPG, discover a hostile and dynamic environment where exploration and player progression are essential. Team up with other players to investigate the sources of the virus and reclaim the city from the overwhelming turmoil.

Year 2 of Tom Clancy’s The Division will see the release of two new major updates in the coming months. Both will be free and released simultaneously across all platforms. For more information about Year 2’s upcoming updates, please visit: http://blog.ubi.com/division-celebrates-anniversary-free-year-2-content-plans-revealed

Tom Clancy’s The Division is now available for Xbox One, PlayStation 4 and Windows PC. For more information, please visit the games official website​.

By AkG @ Hardware Canucks

It might not be much to look at but the Nixeus NX-VUE27P has specifications to impress like a 27″ AH-IPS panel and a 1440P resolution. Oh, and did we mention its priced less than $399 USD?

Read The Review Here

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.

• SilverStone Releases Two New Essential Series PSUs
• EVGA Releases the GeForce GTX 1080 Ti SC2 HYBRID
• LG Introduces the 43UD79-B Display – 43″, 4K, IPS, 60 Hz, Freesync
• EK Water Blocks Launches Quick Disconnect Couplings
• ASUS Announces Its Take on the RX 550 Graphics Cards
• Corsair Launches New Carbide Series SPEC-04 Mid-Tower Gaming Case
• Transcend Announces Four SSD Product Lines Based on 3D NAND
• ASUS Launches CM-32 AC2600 Cable Modem Router
• EK Water Blocks is Releasing a New Monoblock for the ASUS ROG Strix Z270I Gaming
• G.SKILL Announces RIPJAWS KM560 MX Tenkeyless Mechanical Gaming Keyboard
• BenQ To Release EW3270ZL and EW2770QZ Monitors

Historically Accurate World War II Experience Launches with 15 Percent Discount from May 1-7

Historically accurate, hardcore wargame Tank Warfare: Tunisia 1943 is now available on Windows PC via Steam. Continuing the developer Graviteam’s long history of making authentic strategy war games such as Graviteam Tactics: Operation Star and Steel Armor: Blaze of War, Tank Warfare: Tunisia 1943 is available for purchase at $33.99, a 15% discount from $39.99, and will remain on sale until May 7 to commemorate the ending of World War II.

Tank Warfare: Tunisia 1943 transports players to the infamous Battle of Tunisia, one of World War II’s grandest displays of armored unit combat. In the game’s large scale battlefields, players can engage in realistic tanks battles using more than 50 meticulously detailed vehicles from the Allied Forces and Axis Powers to gain the upper hand in a heated struggle to dominate the North African territory. Two different methods of control, either turn-based or real-time strategy, makes battlefield management an experience tailored to each player’s personal preferences and provides a true overarching look at the complexities of war.

“Hardcore strategy gamers want the upmost sense of realism to match the urgency of real-world conflict,” said Vladimir Zayarniy, Graviteam CEO. “Our combination of smart design and definitive history, put together by true World War II aficionados, will floor those looking for a new take on the uncompromising game of war.”

Tank Warfare: Tunisia 1943’s key features include:

• Unparalleled Realism: Each game mechanic is intricately crafted to match the coarseness of war through destructible environments, dynamic time of day and weather effects and advanced damage modeling based on ballistic histograms
• Efficient Theater of War Management: Balance the morale of hardened soldiers, fight for dominance over critical supply lines and keep precious vehicles in top-repair by using the game’s enhanced and well-designed user interface
• True-to-life Accuracy: The realistic organizational structures and definite strategies of the U.S. Army and German Wehrmacht are on full display for history buffs to engage with.

Published by Strategy First, Tank Warfare: Tunisia 1943 is now available for purchase on Windows PC via Steam for $33.99 from May 1-7. Afterwards, the game’s price will return to $39.99.

Tripwire Interactive today is pleased to announce that the sequel to the smash hit Rising Storm, PC Gamer’s 2013 ‘Multiplayer Game of the Year’, Rising Storm 2: Vietnam is now available for pre-purchase through Steam. As it marches closer to its impending release, the Digital Deluxe Edition of Rising Storm 2: Vietnam can be pre-purchased now, at a 25% discount. At release, the Standard Edition will be priced at $24.99 and the Digital Deluxe Edition at $29.99. The pre-purchase discount offers the DDE version at $22.49 from now until launch. In addition, the pre-purchase will enable buyers to join a final closed beta weekend before launch.

The Rising Storm 2: Vietnam Digital Deluxe Edition contains a mix of exclusive in-game items, cosmetic unlocks and cool bonuses, including:

• 2 Exclusive Items: Camouflage “Boonie” Hats for the North Vietnamese and U.S. factions
• 4 Early Cosmetic Item Unlocks:
• PAVN – Camo Ushanka
• NLF – Headscarf
• US Army/Marines – Lowland ERDL Helmet
• US Pilot – Dark Horse Helmet
• The official soundtrack featuring original music from the game

The sequel to the smash hit Rising Storm, Rising Storm 2: Vietnam is a hardcore tactical first-person-shooter set in the brutal killing fields of the Vietnam War. The game is a brutal, authentic recreation of the Vietnam War, allowing players to join the fight – whether it be on the sides of the powerful United States Military or the fearless Vietnamese resistance fighters.

Tripwire Interactive is also pleased to reveal to fans the final suggested hardware specs for Rising Storm 2: Vietnam:

Minimum Spec
Windows® 7 / Windows® 8 / Windows® 10 64-bit (latest Service Pack)
Intel® Core™ i3 @ 2.5GHz or AMD Phenom @ 2.5GHz
NVIDIA® GeForce® GTX 460 or ATI Radeon™ HD 5850
4 GB RAM

Recommended Spec
Windows® 7 / Windows® 8 / Windows® 10 64-bit (latest Service Pack)
Intel i5 @ 3.2GHz or AMD @4GHz
NVIDIA® GeForce® 760 or AMD R9 270X
6 GB RAM

Click here for the full press release and to view a dozen new screenshots.

By James Cobb @ The Wargamer

Ah, innovation –so oft desired, so seldom achieved! Yet a combination of familiar functions and concepts can be considered innovative if set in a new context. Eugen Systems and Paradox Interactive have teamed up to produce the first historical tactical game to be published by Paradox: its Steel Division: Normandy ’44 RTS offering. By picking one of the best known theaters of combat, they are tempting the cattiness of Grognards. This game better be special and the beta version is a good place to check out the probability of success.

Read on…

Source: Blue’s News

This post on Steam has details on a new version 3.5 title update for Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon: Wildlands. They say this is now available through Steam and Uplay, offering the following notes on what it does:

The PC Title Update 3.5 is now live on Uplay and Steam. Please update your game to take advantage of all the fixes and new features. Here is the complete list:

NEW FEATURES

• Players can request for help now while in down state.

BUG FIXES

• Fixed the fast travel icon not being displayed on the tacmap when using a Steam Controller.
• Fixed an issue where the screen would flicker when exiting the vehicle while using the Tobii Eye tracking device.
• Fixed an issue where the game language was not automatically set if the Arabic language was set as the title’s language, from the Steam client.
• Fixed an issue where the game would show an incorrect display resolution in the Video menu if ALT+TAB was used during the confirmation pop-up message.
• Fixed an issue where the gray screen when the character is downed was displayed in NVIDIA Ansel.
• Fixed an issue where the 360 screenshot in Ansel had visual corruption if Ansel was used while the Night Vision was activated.
• Fixed an issue where the Weapon Fanatic achievement was not awarded if the weapon pack item was bought from the in game store.

NARCO ROAD

• Fixed and issue where the screen would flicker when using nitro boost while being detected.

The game gets an improved matchmaker, new SPG mechanics, and Tier X light tanks

Wargaming today released Update 9.18 for World of Tanks, bringing fundamental changes to the game. The dev team started on their quest to evolve the game’s core by tackling some of the most heated issues the project has today. With this update, they introduced the new, template-based matchmaking system, made comprehensive changes to artillery, and revised light tank lines, stretching them to Tier X.

The improved matchmaker assembles teams choosing from a set of server-based algorithms—templates—so that both camps always have the same number of vehicles at the top/middle/bottom of the list. It also limits the number of SPGs per side to 3 at the most and significantly reduces the instances of map duplications. Together, these new rules and restrictions are designed to foster an engaging gaming experience where it’s almost impossible to predict the battle outcome and every player gets to contribute to it.

“9.18 is one of the most significant updates ever introduced, both in terms of the importance of the issues it tackles and sheer scope of fundamental changes it simultaneously brings into the game,” said Thaine Lyman, World of Tanks Product Director. “It’s been a massive quest for the team. We are thankful to players who pitched in to help us improve the core gameplay aspects. We’ll continue refining these newly introduced features, while also working on further improvements that fundamentally push the quality of the game forward.”

The newly implemented stun mechanic transforms SPGs into long-range support fire vehicles that can now debilitate enemy tanks, affecting factors such as their reload speed. Instead of inflicting critical damage, SPGs now play in close cooperation with the team. They set the attack direction and support their fellow tankers from afar.

Finally, light tank branches were stretched to Tier X, which marked the introduction of the regular ±2 tier spread for them. Five nations (USA, Germany, France, U.S.S.R., and China) were reinforced with new Tier X vehicles and went through a series of balance tweaks to make them suitable for ±2 battles. Boasting excellent speed and decent firepower, topped with superior scouting abilities, light tanks are now more capable than ever in augmenting their teammates and making a decisive impact on the battle. For more information on Update 9.18, visit the official World of Tanks website.