Today Firefly Studios becomes the first developer to place the fate of entire game worlds in the hands of its players. The Stronghold developer announced that their ‘Final Age’ expansion for medieval castle MMO Stronghold Kingdoms will give a single player, the Marshall of a winning House, the option end their game world with the press of a single button.

Stronghold Kingdoms: The Final Age – Launch Trailer

As the British developer prepares for the cross-platform release of Stronghold Kingdoms on iOS and Android, players on PC and Mac ready themselves for the unique trials of the Final Age. In this expansion a single House of players must conquer and capture all Royal Towers, a new PvE target on the world map, before deciding whether or not to press ‘The Button’ and close their world forever. Players are then rewarded with multiple prize tiers based on their rank and position at world end, with up to $500 of in-game loot each.

“From the very beginning we knew players would be involved in development, this is the ultimate expression of that” said Simon Bradbury, Lead Designer at Firefly Studios. “Players deserve a proper endgame and in the case of Kingdoms we believe this means letting the community decide whether or not to close their game worlds. This doesn’t mean Stronghold Kingdoms is coming to an end, far from it! For those worlds that players do decide to close new ones will open. We also have updates planned for the game, including our upcoming events system and redesigned iOS and Android versions.”

While the Sixth Age is already available, the Final Age expansion is set for release in the near future. Meanwhile Firefly is responding to one particular request from the community by developing a new in-game event system, offering global PvE and PvP challenges in which players compete for rewards. There are even new world types on the horizon to replace the old and give all players the opportunity for a fresh start in new and uncharted lands.

For more game information please visit the official Stronghold Kingdoms website.

Source: TechPowerUp!

NVIDIA has released the GeForce 372.70 WHQL “Game Ready” drivers. These drivers feature day-one optimization for “Battlefield 1″ Open Beta, “World of Warcraft: Legion,” and “Quantum Break” Steam release (Win32 variant, supports multi-GPU). The drivers also include a DPC fix for multi-GPU machines, building on the fix NVIDIA released for single-GPU machines in the previous release. The drivers also enable NVIDIA Fast Sync for GeForce 900 series “Maxwell” GPUs.

You can download the new GeForce 372.70 WHQL drivers from GeForce Experience and GeForce.com.

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.

• XFX Announces Fanless Radeon RX 460
• Colorful iGame GTX 1060 3GB Series Released
• BIOSTAR Announces the TB150 PRO Motherboard Designed for Professional Mining
• EVGA Launches GeForce GTX 1080 FTW Hybrid
• ADATA Launches XPG Flame DDR4 Memory Modules
• Logitech Introduces Its First Ever Silent Mice
• G.SKILL Expands Mechanical Gaming Keyboard Family with KM780R Models
• EK Releases Full-Cover Water Blocks for Multiple PALIT and Gainward Graphics Cards
• LG Electronics Announces the World’s Largest UltraWide Gaming Monitors
• Acer Announces Predator 21 X – World’s First Curved Screen Gaming Notebook
• BIOSTAR S100 SATA 6.0 Gbps SSDs Introduced
• iiyama ProLite Releases GB2888UHSU 28-Inch 4K LCD Monitor

Get the Expansion on October 11th, Live Streams Begin

In the wake of the announcement of “Rights of Man”, Paradox Development Studio is reviving their Europa Universalis multiplayer stream. In these weekly streams fans can watch the development studio compete against each other for world domination. Tune in on Tuesday the 30th of August at 15.00 CEST for the first episode of what will most certainly be an epic tale of betrayal and tense work environment relations.

For those who desire a more in-depth look at the features coming to the “Rights of Man” expansion without all the drama of developers trying to annex one another, there will be a feature live stream on the same channel on Wednesday August 30th at 16.00 with Junior Game Designer Jake and Johan Andersson, EVP of Creative Direction at Paradox Development Studio.

Check out the Europa Universalis IV: The Rights of Man, Release Date Reveal Trailer here.

For more information about Europa Universalis IV: Rights of Man please visit the “Rights of Man” webpage.

“The Reaper’s Due” Kills Your Free Time (and half of Europe) 

Few things are more contagious than the stories people tell about Crusader Kings II. Tales of intrigue, piety, conquest and murderous sibling rivalry have circled the internet for over four years. Today, Paradox Development Studio adds the world’s greatest pandemic to the mix in The Reaper’s Due, the latest expansion to its best-selling medieval grand strategy-roleplaying game. Watch the release trailer here.

The Reaper’s Due adds a host of new mechanics centered on the Black Death and other world shaping epidemics. Lock your gates to keep the plague from infecting your court, even if it means cutting yourself off from your suffering citizens. Peace and good management will see your provinces reward you with greater wealth and manpower, but rampant disease may depopulate your countryside.

The Reaper’s Due introduces many new systems and features to what is already the richest medieval tapestry in gaming:

• The Black Death: New additions to epidemic system include this super destructive disease and a new map mode that track the expansion of deadly illnesses.
• Court Physicians: This new position for learned courtiers opens up a series of events tied to the diagnosis and treatment of diseases with medieval tech.
• Hospitals: Slow down the spread of epidemics by investing in these outposts that care for the sick and infirm.
• Prosperity and Depopulation: Watch your provinces thrive under your careful attention and degrade under the pressures of diseases run amok.
• Seclusion: Take a page from the Masque of the Red Death and hide yourself away with your court as plagues ravage the countryside.
• And even more: New physical traits, new events chain and a host of smaller changes.

And, as always, The Reaper’s Due will be accompanied by a major free update for everyone who owns Crusader Kings II, whether they buy the new expansion or not.

Are you a clever enough ruler to make it through one of humanity’s darkest moments? Invest wisely and avoid the plague, or shut yourself off and take advantage of the destruction later. The choice, as always, is yours.

For more information about Crusader Kings II, visit the games official website.

By crazyeyesreaper @ TechPowerUp!

In today’s review, I will be taking a look at the Cooler Master MasterLiquid Maker 92, a dual-fan, all-in-one liquid cooler. At first, it seems to redefine what to expect from an AIO. The radiator and fans are mounted much in the same way as a tower cooler. I will give Cooler Master credit here since this is definitely an interesting design. It may not be pretty, but definitely is interesting.

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.

• MSI Intros GeForce GTX 1060 3GB OCV3 Graphics Card
• Corsair Announces Full New Range of LUX Mechanical Keyboards
• ADATA Announces the Ultimate SU800 3D NAND SSD
• ASUS Unveils the Radeon RX 480 DUAL 4GB
• Sharkoon Announces the Illuminated Skiller SGK1 Mechanical Keyboard
• Samsung Launches Curved CFG70 and CF791 Gaming Monitors – VIDEO
• GIGABYTE Offers Another Free Thunderbolt 3 Upgrade
• X2 Introduces the EMPIRE Aluminum Chassis
• Cooler Master Announces the MasterMouse Pro L
• GIGABYTE Releases GeForce GTX 1060 XTREME GAMING 6GB Graphics Card
• PowerColor Radeon RX 480 RED Devil Gets ‘Unlocked BIOS’
• Cherry Reveals MC 4000 Precision Gaming Mouse
• Jonsbo Unveils Three New PC Cases
• ViewSonic Adds VP2468 1080 IPS Monitor
• Acer Predator XB271Hbmiprz 27-Inch Full HD Gaming Monitor Released

Source: Blue’s News

EA’s Origin offers details on a season pass for Battlefield 1, the upcoming World War I shooter. This will include four expansions with headstart access along with premium extras, including 16 Battlepacks. Here’s the plan:

Expand the Battlefield to New Fronts

Expand the theater of all-out war with the Battlefield 1 Premium Pass. Get two-week early access to new multiplayer maps, armies and more in four themed digital expansion packs. Join the fight with the French army in the first expansion, Battlefield 1 They Shall Not Pass, in March 2017.

Key Features:

New frontline battles. Scout ahead with a two-week head start on four themed expansion packs. And France joins the fight in all new multiplayer maps. An upcoming expansion will bring the Russian Empire into the battle.

All the Premium extras. Get ready for new Operations and game modes, new Elite classes, weapons, vehicles and more. The Battlefield 1 Premium Pass includes 16 new multiplayer maps, 20 new weapons, 14 unique dog tags and 14 Battlefield 1 Battlepacks containing stand-out weapon skins. Each Battlepack is delivered monthly, starting November 2016.

Check www.battlefield.com/games/battlefield-1/premium often for details and release dates for each expansion pack.

Developers from Ageod are very proud to reveal today the main art for their new project, Wars of Succession!

The game will allow you to take the lead of different Great Powers during the turmoil of two greatest wars of the early XVIII° century. The War of Spanish Succession (1701-1713) pitting the French & Spanish Bourbons monarchs against the Grand Alliance built by Austrian Habsburg, Britain and the United Provinces, and the Great Northern War (1700-1721), between Sweden and Russia (and her allies), most of which focused around the succession of Poland.

But the good news are not over! The game has reached the Beta stage, and we invite all the players to join it and help us for the final touches!

You can enlist by signing up here!

Get more information about the game from its official product page.

Matrix Games has announced the release of Command LIVE: You Brexit, You Fix!  an expansion of Command: Modern Air / Naval Operations and requires the base game to be played. Read more:

After decades of slow integration, Europe has to face a decisive turning point. British citizens have expressed their will to leave the Union, adding a new element of instability in a Continent already plagued by economic stagnation and pressed by multiple crisis.

The unpredictability that has followed this event must not be underestimated in the short period.

While Europe is struggling to act as a whole, Russia is trying to turn this new geopolitical situation to its advantage.

Even if weakened by western sanctions, Moscow has showed to the world to have the political will to pursue ambitious projects, despite high risks.

The Baltic States have always been considered by the Russians as part of their historical Sphere of Influence, and several thousands of troops have been already deployed in the region to conduct extensive military exercises.

Maybe this is the right moment to take advantage of Europe’s lack of cohesion and deliver a surgical – but devastating – blow to NATO?

Play history as it happens in the second episode from the Command LIVE series!

You Brexit, You Fix it! is military strategy at his finest, featuring two playable factions – NATO countries and allies against the Russian Federation – fighting a highly technological war!

Expect intense air and naval combats, and the deployment of some of the most modern equipment in use: F-22 & Eurofighter Typhoon featured fighting side by side, the Russian SS-26 Iskander Short Range Ballistic Missile system, S-400 SAMs, SM-3 – Theater Ballistic Missile Defense missiles as well as some of the newest and most capable ships in NATO and the Russian Federation inventory.

The game is an expansion for Command: Modern Air / Naval Operations and require the base game to be played.

Command LIVE: You Brexit, You Fix! it is also available on Steam!