US tanks join the fight

Gaijin Entertainment announces that Update 1.45 (code named Steel Generals) for the award-winning MMO WWII online game War Thunder is now live. Now War Thunder’s eight million players worldwide have access to a slew of new and improved features, including new maps, new armored vehicles and aircraft, an improved damage model, a tow cable system and reworked Artillery Strikes. To see the full list of new improvements and features, visit the War Thunder developer’s blog.

The biggest addition to War Thunder with this update is the beta of the Steel Generals expansion, which includes the first six American tanks available now. By the end of Q1 2015, more than 30 US WWII tanks will be available. This release schedule allows Gaijin Entertainment to test each of the tanks to ensure that they are ready for battle when commercially launched. In honor of the update launch, special packages are available for purchase that contain premium US tanks and other bonuses alongside closed beta access. Players can participate in the Steel Generals beta by entering into contests and in-game events in War Thunder.

Click here for more information about the special US tank beta packages.

War Thunder is a free-to-play, cross-platform, massively multiplayer military masterpiece for PC, PS4, Mac and Linux with more than eight million players worldwide, that allows players to fight their way across air and ground with access to almost 500 of historically accurate planes and armored vehicles from WWII and Korean War. Fans can expect hundreds more added as Gaijin Entertainment commits to ongoing development via regular updates. For more game information, please visit the official War Thunder website.

New combat mode, map and custom warplane added to game

Wargaming today announced that the new winter game mode Snowball will be added to the action MMO World of Warplanes. The new Snowball combat scenario available starting December 18 through January 15 includes a unique battle arena, daily missions, new consumables and custom built aircraft for pilots to enjoy during this holiday season.

In Snowball mode, players will battle to eliminate the opposition in standard Team Deathmatch rules on the Lapland map created exclusively for this mode. The only aircraft available is the UFO Odin 42M vehicle that fires snowballs instead of rockets. This aircraft comes with 100% trained crew, hangar slot and is free to all registered players.

During the holiday event, special consumables—Fireworks, Sparklers and Smoke Flare—will be available for players that accomplish specific combat missions and earn achievements.

Players that complete the “Happy New Year!” mission will be awarded the Dornier Do 17Z-7 Kauz warplane.

For more information about World of Warplanes and additional information on holiday events, visit:

• http://worldofwarplanes.eu (Europe)
• http://worldofwarplanes.com (North America)

Flexibility, Sandbox and Creativity are the new pillars of Command: Modern Air/Naval Operations

In the spirit of the coming Christmas holidays, the restless developers at WarfareSims have unleashed an Arc-Light strike with a new huge free update for Command: Modern Air/Naval Operations, continuing their support to this deep military simulation. With this update, the players have been given some great tools to keep them occupied during the winter! Command: Modern Air/Naval Operations was already lauded for its technical accuracy, attention to detail, gameplay flexibility and its powerful integrated editor and version 1.06 really takes it to the next level.

The new update brings two great boons to airwar enthusiasts, and an a-bomb for modders and scenario creators.

Surge and Quick-Turnaround air operations allow players to faithfully recreate the frantic tempo of historical operations like the Six-Day War or the first nights of Desert Storm (or apply the same sortie rates on their own hypothetical conflicts), while also having to deal with the inevitable punishing wear and tear on both crews and airframes that this relentless pace enforces. The faithful depiction of the critical choice between sustained or “surge” rates is a first for any unclassified strategy/wargaming title on the market and pushes Command into the arena of hardcore flight simulators.

At the same time, customizable unit-level proficiency settings allow scenario creators to model both hard-seasoned eagles and green nuggets on the same side, even down to the same squadron. The effects of unit proficiency are also even more amplified than before, and veteran or ace operators now have decisive advantages over their less experienced counterparts. So now not only do you have to manage and favorably arrange the hardware, but the people too. How do you know your crews are entering battle with a vastly more proficient enemy? Maybe your briefing will tell you…. or maybe you’ll find out the hard way.

The third, and perhaps the most far-reaching improvement is the integration of the popular Lua scripting language right into the scenario editor, allowing unprecedented (indeed, undreamed of) levels of editing power and flexibility! Amongst other things, the use of Lua scripting allows players to write their own mission scripts, swap units between missions, place new units on either specific or random locations, set a wide range of unit properties, change the Doctrine/RoE settings during the course of the scenario as response to events happening (or not), and much more.

Of course there is a lot more to this update, including interface, AI & mechanics improvements and gameplay additions. The list here is so long, that the document containing the full list of changes is over 53(!) pages long.

All combined, these updates takes some of the features of Command that players love the most – such as attention to realism, vast amount of detail and the freedom to set up scenarios as you wish – and took them to the next level. All of this means that version 1.06 marks another key point in the continues improvement of Command: Modern Air/Naval Operations.

Check the full list of changes by reading the pdf file online.

Get more information on Command: Modern Air/Naval Operations from its official product page.

Today marks the 70th anniversary of the Battle of the Bulge – a battle generally regarded as the turning point of World War II and referred to by Winston Churchill as “arguably the most important victory in American military history.”

The battle began on December 16, 1944 when German troops unleashed a brutal artillery on the Ardennes region with an intense barrage that took Allied troops by surprise. Leveraging poor weather and thinly spread out Allied forces, the German forces then invaded the area in an attempt to divide the U.S. and British troops. Despite being significantly outnumbered and struggling with the coldest weather on record, U.S. forces valiantly held the line until reinforcements arrived. The Battle of the Bulge would ultimately go down in history as the bloodiest battle for U.S. forces in World War II, helping to set the stage for Allied forces to finally end the war. The sacrifices made by all soldiers involved were significant both in losses sustained and in the role this victory played in the war.

Company of Heroes 2: Ardennes Assault is based on the Battle of the Bulge, and allows players to take on 18 all-new single player scenarios as they attempt to drive the advancing German forces out of the Ardennes region and lead their heroes on a path to glory.

You can watch the new Ardennes Assault trailer HERE.

In this completely standalone Company of Heroes 2 experience, players will be able to utilize the unique abilities and skills of four US Force Companies; Airborne, Support, Mechanized and Fox as they tackle the German forces on Company of Heroes 2: Ardennes Assault’s revolutionary new meta-map system. This all new feature to the series adds an extra layer of non-linear strategy and tactical planning to an already deep and challenging RTS experience and allows players to plot their own way through the campaign, adding a huge amount of variety and replayability.

Company of Heroes 2: Ardennes Assault is available on Windows PC to purchase online and in stores with an MSRP of £29.99/$39.99/€39.99.

For more information and to keep ahead with the latest news, find us at our official website.

My.com and Obsidian Entertainment are delighted to bring you the second dev diary, which once again goes behind the scenes at Obsidian Entertainment to find out more about Armored Warfare.

In Armored Warfare, players will take on the role of private military contractors who are called into action throughout a modern virtual world. Overseeing their own personal command base, players will expand, enhance, and customize their headquarters, manage and upgrade their military convoy of vehicles, and train and develop their crews through a robust reputation and experience system. Dynamic environments in Armored Warfare require players to change strategies on the battlefield at a moment’s notice keeping them ever vigilant to the tides of battle. In addition, players will be able to join Clans and participate in large scale Territory Wars in the power struggle for world domination.

To learn more about the level of detail in the vehicles and environments, the importance of strategy, and the development team’s dedication to realism, watch the video HERE.

For more information on Armored Warfare, visit My.com.

Internationally acclaimed game developer, publisher and distributor CI Games today revealed that it is deep in the development of Sniper: Ghost Warrior 3, marking the popular tactical shooter franchise’s first AAA production effort. Due for release in the first half of 2016 for PC, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One, Sniper: Ghost Warrior 3 is being created from the ground up by an all-star development team that includes Steve Hart, former senior producer of Rebellion’s Sniper Elite V2, as well as combat veteran and former Marine Paul B. Robinson, who has an extensive resume of game development reaching back over 20 years.

“The Sniper: Ghost Warrior franchise is one of the most popular in the CI Games portfolio with over 5.5 million copies sold, so we’re investing a significant amount of effort into the third installment,“ said Marek Tyminski, CEO, CI Games. “We’re fully committed to creating a AAA franchise that gamers can rely on for the ultimate first-person sniper experience.”

Set in a modern day conflict based in Eastern Europe, players will be thrust into the role of a sniper caught between three warring factions, played out in a realistic and immersive environment. Dig deep into the Ghost Warrior DNA as you choose between taking out your targets up close or from a distance, while at the same time focusing on your survival through evasion and stealth. Non-linear, sandbox-style gameplay on large open-ended maps gives players the flexibility to play and replay the missions in a number of different ways. Sniper: Ghost Warrior 3 will offer intriguing challenges for tactically-minded gamers, while still remaining accessible to first-person shooter fans.

SEGA of America, Inc. and SEGA Europe, Ltd. today announced Total War: Arena is now entering Closed Alpha, and interested players can sign-up to get involved in shaping its future development.

Total War: Arena is a free-to-play, team-based strategy game, putting players in the middle of epic-scale battles. Using key elements of award-winning Total War design, it is made from the ground-up for multiplayer realtime strategy fans, with two teams of ten players going head-to-head.

Each player controls three units of warriors, led by an iconic commander from history, each with their own battle style. Players level up commanders and units to open up more specialist skills, weaponry, armour and abilities. Decisive strategies, combat tactics and teamwork decide who is victorious.

First announced at Game Developers Conference in March 2013, the game represents a new direction for the Total War franchise, and is in development by a dedicated team at Creative Assembly, focused on a purely multiplayer experience.

“We have spent time since the announcement evolving both the gameplay and the supporting technology, to ensure we deliver smooth online service for multiplayer gamers”, said Gabor Beressy, Arena Project Lead. “We are excited to say that the game is now in Closed Alpha, and we welcome feedback from players to inform the next stages of development”.

Sign-up for the Closed Alpha HERE. Visit to find out more about taking part and for further news on the game.

New Expansion and Free Patch v2.3 Launches Today

Come all ye lost and prodigal rulers! Hearken unto what I say! Whatever path you are on can be changed, and whatever failings you have can be remedied. Close study, wise decisions and good counsel can help you transform yourself. Choose a new Way of Life!

Paradox Interactive and Paradox Development Studio today announced that Crusader Kings II: Way of Life can now be purchased on digital storefronts worldwide. Way of Life, the latest expansion for the critically acclaimed strategy franchise, is available for $7.99 and is compatible with Windows, Mac, and Linux platforms.

Get a glimpse at the new Way of Life trailer HERE.

Choose who to seduce, which people to spy on, challenge characters to a duel, and much more in this new installment for the Crusader Kings II series that bolsters the role-playing elements of the acclaimed medieval dynasty simulator. Way of Life allows conquerors of all walks to further customize their methods of intrigue by offering 10 different Focuses that players can set for their characters. These, in turn, open up new options for diplomacy and events to participate in, allowing all sorts of wonders (and mischief) to befall characters during their lifetimes. Featuring hundreds of new events and over 20 new event pictures, Way of Life aims to breathe new life into the devilish demesne of Crusader Kings II.

For details on Way of Life and the accompanying patch v2.3, visit the official Crusader Kings II forums.

Alongside the launch of Way of Life, Paradox Interactive is releasing three limited collector’s editions of Crusader Kings II, each with unique offerings that diehard CK2 fans will enjoy, including the option to receive signed swag, thank you credits in the game, an invite to the next Paradox Fan Gathering, and more.

For more details on the limited collector’s editions available for Crusader Kings II, click HERE.

By Jake @ PureOC

Gamdias is a company that is likely not well known by many computer enthusiasts, except for perhaps some of the diehards in the crowd. In truth, Gamdias has only been around for a couple years, designing keyboards (and the company) from the ground up. Needless to say, they’re up against some industry heavyweights in the peripheral market, but perhaps that also means a chance to shine. And today we’re looking at the flagship mechanical keyboard from Gamdias, the Hermes Ultimate.

Read The Review Here

By: Hilbert Hagedoorn @ GURU3D

We test the ASUS ROG Poseidon GTX 980. Armed with a massive liquid cooling block (DirectCU H2O), a custom PCB, quality components and a factory overclock this product is bound to perform, whilst staying silent. The card has 4 GB graphics memory, is energy efficient and factory overclocked for you. Oh and hey, it overclocks very nicely!

Read The Review Here