The ‘Drone Age’ update features dozens of new military vehicles and new visual effects

Gaijin Entertainment announces that the “Drone Age” update for the military online action game War Thunder is already available to players. It expands the range of available weaponry from various eras: reconnaissance and combat drones (Russian Orion, Chinese Wing Loong 1 and the American MQ-1) make modern battles more believable, and the legendary Su-25 and Mirage 2000 show what piloted aircraft are capable of. There are dozens of new military vehicles added to the game including a new Chinese helicopter tech tree, Israeli versions of the M48 and M60 tanks, the Turkish T129 ATAK helicopter and the South African Rooivalk Mk1F CSH helicopter, the Italian Andrea Doria dreadnought, two new maps – “Golden Bay” and “Pradesh”, new visual effects for vehicle destruction, and much more.

The history of Chinese combat helicopters can now be experienced by progressing through their lineup in War Thunder. At first, local engineers adapted imported designs, like they did with SA.342L Gazelle. The first attack helicopter built entirely in China was the Z-9WA, created after studying French Dauphins. That led to even more local projects like the light strike-reconnaissance Z-11WA or the very successful Z-19. Finally, a full-fledged heavy attack helicopter Z-10 was designed with the involvement of specialists from the Russian Kamov design bureau.

Check out the trailer HERE.

The Mirage 2000C-S5 is the new top jet fighter that will capture the hearts of virtual pilots playing for France. The iconic delta wing, excellent flight characteristics and powerful armament make it a worthy competitor to other fourth-generation fighters. The French Air Force Mirage 2000 saw action in many conflicts in the 1990s, ranging from the Gulf War to Allied operations in Afghanistan. The aircraft is also in service in Egypt, India, Greece, Qatar, Brazil, Peru and other countries.

The new “Golden Bay” map for naval battles was created based on the coast of San Francisco with a recognizable silhouette of a picturesque bridge across the strait. The ground part is inspired by the landscape of the areas east of the bay, where small towns, green hills and mountains meet. And the location “Pradesh” (in Hindi this means “region”) is designed for ground and air battles and reproduces the foothills of the Himalayas on the border of India and Pakistan. Grassy hills and forested mountains coexist here with watery meadows and shrubbed plains.

In land and sea battles, procedurally generated shell-to-armor contact effects have been added that take into account the caliber and type of the projectile – now smoke and wisps of flame escape from the holes in armor. Tank explosion simulation has been improved, and track wheels can now fly off destroyed vehicles and interact with other objects on the battlefield. In addition, high-quality models of shells and missiles are now used in the kill camera and in the protection analysis menu. The player can now better see exactly how the enemy vehicle (or your own) was hit, and can better prepare for the upcoming battles.

Detailed information about the content of the update is available on the official website of the game.

Rebellion, one of the world’s most successful independent video games developers and publishers, has today released a free Survival Map for Sniper Elite 5, as well as the latest batch of Season Pass One content. Entitled ‘Amongst the Rubble’, the new Survival Map is available free to all players as part of the latest title update while the new Concealed Target pack, which features a new pistol as well as character and weapon skins, is available as part of Season Pass One or as an individual purchase.

You can watch a trailer for the new content HERE.

Playable in both solo and co-op ‘Amongst the Rubble’ takes you back to the once beautiful city of Saint Nazaire. Now ravaged by war, it’s down to you and your teammates to defend the Command Post as you fight a seemingly never-ending streams of Nazis in the smoke-filled streets and ruins.

The Concealed Target Weapon and Skin pack will take your stealth to the next level as you hunt down your enemies from the shadows. The pack includes:

• HS.22 pistol
• Pea Dot Camo weapon skin
• Ghillie Suit Elite character skin (Karl and Monika)

The authentic World War 2 Ghillie Suit Elite character skin (available for Karl and Monika) is designed to break up your visual silhouette allowing you to blend in with your surroundings for the ultimate stealthy approach. When paired with the Pea Dot Camo weapon skin it becomes particularly effective as you stalk your prey.

Meanwhile the covert HS.22 pistol features an integral suppressor which makes it practically silent. Firing .22 calibre rounds with almost no recoil, this sidearm is deadly and accurate.

Get the Concealed Target Weapon and Skin pack on Steam.

To keep up to date with all the latest Sniper Elite 5 news please visit sniper.com.

New Baltic Themed Expansion for Europa Universalis IV Available Now

For almost a decade, Europa Universalis IV has encouraged players to explore new and exciting alternate histories of the early modern world. In the newest immersion pack, Lions of the North, dramatically different pasts can unfold before your eyes. Denmark can keep its hold on its northern subjects. The Teutonic Order can retreat to its past crusader glories. Gotland can become a pirate haven.

All of these dramatic “what ifs” are now available in the new Baltic Sea themed add-on to Europa Universalis IV. With branching missions, new government options for major players and even new military units, Lions of the North is packed with variety and excitement. Make your enemies hear your roar!

Highlights of Europa Universalis IV: Lions of the North include:

• Expanded Branching Missions: Decisions taken along some mission trees will determine what options are available to you in the future, allowing you to follow distinct and dramatically different alternate paths.
• New Mission Trees for Denmark: Maintain power in Scandinavia while expanding your influence over the northern German cities.
• New Mission Trees for Sweden and Norway: Break free from Danish dominance, and turn a foothold on the continent into the base for a northern empire.
• New Mission Trees for Teutonic Order, Livonian Order and Riga: Follow a path of religious zealotry or secularize your realm with an eye on the future.
• New Mission Trees for Poland, Lithuania and the Commonwealth: Vast lands on the border of East and West present unique challenges for ambitious rulers.
• Other Mission Tree Changes: Pirate kings of Gotland, unique options for a united Scandinavia, a free Finland, and a powerful Danzig.
• New Government Reforms and Estate Privileges: Some regional powers will have unique government options and new ways to court the favor and influence of local estates.
• New Units: The Swedish Carolean Infantry and Polish-Lithuanian Winged Hussars will be available for recruitment.
• New Unit Art: 35 new army sprites for regional powers.
• New Music: 3 new pieces of Scandinavian music, plus 3 other Baltic themed songs.

Lions of the North is accompanied by a major update to Europa Universalis IV, free for all players.

Europa Universalis IV: Lions of the North is available for a suggested retail price of $14.99/£11.39/€14.99.

More info is available and you can purchase Lions of the North on Steam.

Eagerly awaited by many players and strategy game enthusiasts, the upcoming sequel to the acclaimed RTS franchise Men of War II will launch in 2023. The decision to reschedule the original 2022 release date was made in order to accommodate new features and content suggested by its fans and improve the game itself, which would not be possible due to delays caused by the war in Ukraine.

The Ukrainian studio Best Way was based in Severodonetsk and had to help its staff and their families relocate after the events of February 24th, 2022, during which period the development was put on hold. Despite this, the Best Way team has eagerly returned to development in the last several months, and with the help of the supportive community of fans surrounding the franchise, already ran several rounds of closed playtests and the participants were satisfied with the combination of classic Men of War gameplay and new features like the Frontline, Direct Control, and much more.

However, thanks to player feedback gathered through these tests, the development team plans to make the game bigger and better than anyone originally imagined. Realizing this vision will require more development time, but both Best Way and Fulqrum Publishing agreed that it would be well worth it to make the best and biggest Men of War game yet.

This extra development time will allow the Best Way team to add a lot of new content, such as the much requested standalone campaign for the Third Reich and new missions for other factions, improve upon many gameplay features such as the Dynamic Campaigns, significantly upgrade the user interface, and much more. More information will be coming soon about all the new features and improvements for the game, but in the meantime, discover a new epic trailer for Men of War II!

Experience World War II real-time strategy gameplay like never before! Men of War II, the new chapter in the evolution of the top-rated RTS franchise, brings you more units with different specializations to lead, pinpoint historical accuracy, and new levels of visual and audio excellence, all combined with the series’ original heart-pounding action. Lead your troops in intense real-time battles on the Western and Eastern Fronts and overwhelm your opponents in epic narrative single-player campaigns and skirmish modes, before then diving deep into the multiplayer action.

Utilize sophisticated military strategies, lay ambushes, or use brute force to show your ability as the greatest military leader of all time. Attain full command of different roles: from Air and Armor to Infantry and Support in fast-paced battles packed with action. Men of War II brings significant visual improvements, destructible environments, and an advanced AI, to create the classic real-time strategy game fans have been waiting for.

Men of War II will be available for PC via Steam, Epic Games Store and other digital stores in 2023. For more information, visit the official Fulqrum Publishing website or follow them on Steam.

Reconnaissance and strike UAVs will revolutionize modern warfare

Gaijin Entertainment announces that the “Age of Drones” major content update for War Thunder will be released in September, bringing reconnaissance and strike UAVs to the virtual battlefield. This new feature will greatly expand tactical options for players that fight using modern armored ground vehicles. The update will also add dozens of new tanks, aircraft, helicopters and ships to the already vast roster of carefully recreated real world military hardware, as well as new maps and other content.

Drones are a crucial asset for any high-tech army nowadays and provide an opportunity to be the first to detect and destroy the enemy. On the other hand, drones are quite vulnerable and basically are consumables in modern warfare. They can be shot down with small arms or ‘locked-on’ by radar from an anti-aircraft complex and destroyed with a missile. War Thunder players will see and experience exactly how drones influence the tactics of tank battles in the 21st century.

Check out the trailer HERE.

Modern light tanks in War Thunder will get the ability to launch small reconnaissance drones. The commander will be able to send such a device into the sky right in the middle of the battle and, switching to it using a special button, control the drone to reconnoiter the location for enemy vehicles. Such a UAV has a battery capacity large enough to patrol over the battlefield until the end of the battle – or until it is shot down, or if the vehicle from which the drone is controlled is destroyed. All UAVs have a “sighting camera” that allows players to scout an area of ​​interest from a great distance, plus, some models are equipped with thermal sights.

The Age of Drones update also introduces three types of attack drones: the Russian Orion, the Chinese Wing Loong 1, and the American MQ-1 (it can be used in War Thunder while playing as any country except Russia and China). Each strike UAV carries anti-tank guided missiles that can be used to strike enemies that are sitting in an ambush position without endangering the drone operator. The legendary MQ-1 drone was in service with the US Army from 1994 to 2018 and was used in many modern conflicts – from Yugoslavia and Iraq to Afghanistan, Syria and Yemen and it also became the star of iconic Hollywood films.

More information about Age of Drones content and new features will be published on the official website of the game in the coming weeks.

Matrix Games and Naval Warfare Simulations are partnering to release the upcoming grand fleet management, design and battle simulation Rule the Waves III. This new cooperation between two of the most renowned brands in the wargaming community will bring new life to a franchise recognized as the best-in-genre by thousands of players worldwide.

“We are thrilled to start a new collaboration with NWS,” said Erik Rutins of Matrix Games.“ We strive to give more visibility to key wargaming franchises and make them available to a broader public, and Rule the Waves has always been one of our favorite series in naval wargaming. We look forward to working with NWS to expand its audience and allow more players worldwide to enjoy this title’s depth of gameplay and accuracy”.

NWS is a US-based developer and publisher of both digital and physical naval simulations. The release of Rule the Waves 3 is the first collaboration between Matrix Games and NWS. The game will release on the Matrix Games store, Steam, and other third-party stores by the end of the first quarter of 2023.

The beta testing phase is starting today and interested players can sign up HERE.

Rule the Waves III is a simulation of naval ship design and construction, fleet management and naval warfare from 1890 to 1970. and will place you in the role of ‘Grand Admiral’ of a navy from the time when steam and iron dominated warship design up to the missile age.Rule the Waves III will let you design and build the ships of your navy, and lead them into battle when war erupts. You will guide your navy’s deployment, construction and operations during a period of great technological innovation and political tensions. While the game derives much of its technology and events from ‘actual’ history, you will find that you forge your own new history each and every time you play!

 Features:

• Campaigns start in either 1890, 1900,1920 or 1935 and can run through 1970.
• Monthly strategic turns with Battles resolved in a realistic tactical naval battle resolution system.
• Manage your naval budget, and deal with interfering Kaisers, presidents or navy ministers as well as a variety of historical events including naval treaties.
• Realistic design of ships ranging from corvettes to battleships and aircraft carriers.
• Research and technical development will determine ship design and tactics.
• Espionage will keep you up to date on the progress of competing navies
• Submarines, airships, aircraft and missiles will all appear and change the naval balance of power.
• Build, train, maintain and fight with your own ‘ideal’ navy.
• Construct coastal fortifications, airbases and other defenses
• Play as USA, Great Britain, Germany, France, Russia, Italy, Japan, Spain, Austria-Hungary, or China.

Rule the Waves III Product Page

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.

• Roccat Introduces the Vulcan II Mini 65% Gaming Keyboard with Optical Switches
• Cougar Intros Puri Mini 65% Gaming Keyboards
• Logitech Introduces the G502 X Gaming Mouse in Wired, Wireless and PLUS Versions
• Thermaltake Intros TG-60 Liquid Metal Thermal Compound
• AeroCool Unveils the Skribble Case: Tempered Glass Drawing Panels
• Antec Releases DP503 and DP505 Series Cases
• G.SKILL Announces Trident Z5 Neo & Flare X5 Series DDR5 Memory, Designed for AMD Ryzen 7000 Series Processors
• CORSAIR Announces DDR5 Memory Featuring AMD EXPO Technology
• EK Announces Socket AM5 QuantumVelocity² CPU Water Blocks
• LG Unveil its New UltraGear 240Hz Curved OLED Gaming Monitor
• EK Introduces the Quantum Lumen 7″ LCD Case Screen

Frontier Foundry, the games label of Frontier Developments plc, unveiled today The Great War: Western Front, a thrilling take on the real-time strategy genre that allows players to experience World War 1 through the eyes of both Theatre Commander and Field Commander, launching on PC in 2023.

Developed by Petroglyph who boast a heritage of genre-defining strategy games, in collaboration with games label Frontier Foundry, The Great War: Western Front invites players to experience an authentic WW1 RTS. In this immersive new title, players must step back in time to take charge of difficult choices, as they opt to either relive or redefine one of the most fundamental conflicts in modern history.

The Great War: Western Front Official Reveal Trailer

Commanding either the Allied Nations or the Central Powers, players will make tactical and strategic decisions with repercussions that will resonate throughout the entire Western Front, one of the main theatres of war during WW1. Offering unparalleled levels of strategic depth, they’ll take on the dual role of Theatre Commander and Field Commander to master both turn-based grand strategy and real-time battles.

The Great War: Western Front features authentic trench warfare in detail never-before-seen within the RTS genre. Each vantage point provides its own unique mechanics with which to gain the advantage over the opposition, whether attacking or defending. Players must consider strategy at every level, carefully allocating resources and choosing which locations to fortify in a war won by inches. Researching new technologies, from poisonous gas to state-of-the-art tanks, will also provide the upper hand that could turn the tide of the war.

Battles take place in a living, persistent world, with existing battlefields holding the scars of previous battles and deteriorating as players revisit them, while changing weather conditions will provide additional challenges for each unit.

With the impact of every decision underpinned by an evocative soundtrack from award-winning composer and audio director Frank Klepacki, The Great War: Western Front is a deep, atmospheric take on real-time strategy. Battle by battle, players must consider the weight of choices great and small to earn victory and change the outcome of the war.

The Great War: Western Front is available to wishlist on Steam and Epic Games Store now, and will be launching on PC in 2023.

Visit playthegreatwar.com for more game information.

Dominate the Baltic in Upcoming EU4 Immersion Pack

Rich in natural resources and medieval trading cities, the Early Modern Baltic is fertile ground for a rising empire. Whoever controls the western passage can dictate access to lands ripe for development, exploitation and conquest. Old ways and ancient allegiances are quickly giving way to new ambitions. On 13 September, you will have your chance to be one of the Lions of the North.

Lions of the North is a new immersion pack for Europa Universalis IV, Paradox Interactive’s best selling historical grand strategy game set in the dramatic centuries of the early modern world. In Lions of the North, you will find a host of new National Missions and unique content tailored for the great and middle powers of the Baltic and Scandinavian regions. Preserve or undermine the Kalmar Union between Denmark, Norway and Sweden. Revive the Teutonic Order as a Crusader state. Build an island pirate kingdom to threaten thriving commercial centers. Dozens of new alternate historical paths are open to you.

Europa Universalis IV: Lions of the North – Release Date Announcement Trailer

Highlights of Europa Universalis IV: Lions of the North include:

Expanded Branching Missions: Decisions taken along some mission trees will determine what options are available to you in the future, allowing you to follow distinct and dramatically different alternate paths.
New Mission Trees for Denmark: Maintain power in Scandinavia while expanding your influence over the northern German cities.
New Mission Trees for Sweden and Norway: Break free from Danish dominance, and turn a foothold on the continent into the base for a northern empire.
New Mission Trees for Teutonic Order, Livonian Order and Riga: Follow a path of religious zealotry or secularize your realm with an eye on the future.
New Mission Trees for Poland, Lithuania and the Commonwealth: Vast lands on the border of East and West present unique challenges for ambitious rulers.
Other Mission Tree Changes: Pirate kings of Gotland, unique options for a united Scandinavia, a free Finland, and a powerful Danzig.
New Government Reforms and Estate Privileges: Some regional powers will have unique government options and new ways to court the favor and influence of local estates.
New Units: The Swedish Carolean Infantry and Polish-Lithuanian Winged Hussars will be available for recruitment.
New Unit Art: 35 new army sprites for regional powers.
New Music: 3 new pieces of Scandinavian music, plus 3 other Baltic themed songs.

Lions of the North will be accompanied by a major update to Europa Universalis IV, free for all players.

Europa Universalis IV: Lions of the North will be available on 13 September 2022 for a suggested retail price of $14.99/£11.39/€14.99.

More info available and you can add to your wishlist on Steam.

Italian Themed “By Blood Alone” Set for Late September

Explore new alternate histories of humanity’s most titanic struggle in By Blood Alone, a new expansion for Hearts of Iron IV, Paradox Interactive’s grand strategy wargame about World War II. Adding three new major National Focus Trees, By Blood Alone offers a series of tantalizing what-if stories, where the player writes new histories of ideological and military struggle.

Now scheduled for a 27 September release, By Blood Alone centers the political and military fortunes of Italy. The historical path, as always, is open to those who want to relive the dramatic years before and during the war. Alternatively, players can engineer the end of Mussolini’s rule through a socialist revolution or a strong monarchy.

Watch the Pre-Order Trailer for Hearts of Iron IV: By Blood Alone

Other features of Hearts of Iron IV: By Blood Alone include:

New Ethiopian Focus Tree: Defy the odds to defeat the Italian invader or resist the conqueror from abroad using unique Government in Exile abilities.
New Swiss Focus Tree: Surrounded by France, Germany and Italy, the mountain nation of Switzerland finds strength in its neutrality, balancing competing factions and overtures from the great powers.
New Peace Conference Options: Demilitarize zones of the map or entire nations, bid on the capital ships of defeated powers, or claim control of enemy resources or factories as reparations.
Aircraft Designer: Design and build your own planes, from nimble interceptors that prioritize speed to durable bombers crafted to unload tons of destruction from high above.
Unit Medals: A log of each division’s accomplishments lets you track their performance, and even allow you to award medals to those that have performed well.
Embargo Interaction: Embargo your enemies with a new diplomatic interaction, preventing them from trading with you if they have generated enough world tension.
New Unit Models: More than 20 new pieces of unit art for Italian, Ethiopian and Swiss armies.
New Plane Models: 67 new plane models.
12 New Music Tracks

As usual, the release of By Blood Alone will be accompanied by a major update to Hearts of Iron IV, available for free for everyone who owns the game.

Hearts of Iron IV: By Blood Alone will be available on 27 September 2022 for a suggested retail price of $19.99/£15.49/€19.99.

For more game information please visit the official Hearts of Iron IV website.