First-Person Shooters

Source: Blue’s News

Ubisoft offers new E3 videos for Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon Breakpoint: Walker Manifesto and Jon Bernthal on Bringing Walker to Life covering the new star of the series, a We Are Brothers trailer showing off gameplay, and a Delta Company trailer introducing a new community program. They also reveal a beta test for Breakpoint will get underway on September 5th. Those interested in testing the next installment in the shooter series can sign up for a chance at being selected to participate. Those who do not want to leave this to chance can guarantee access by preordering the game, which, of course, carries its own risks. Here’s word:

Today, at the Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3), Ubisoft announced that Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon® Breakpoint, the latest installment in the Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon franchise, will hold a beta phase from September 5 to 8. It will be available on PlayStation®4 computer entertainment system, the Xbox One family of devices including the Xbox One X and Windows PC. Players can sign up now for a chance to participate at ghostrecon.com/beta. Players who pre-order any edition of the game will gain access to the beta.*

In Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon Breakpoint, Ghosts confront foes with the same training and experience that they have. The Wolves, a lethal ex–US military unit gone rogue, have seized the archipelago of Auroa, home of tech powerhouse Skell Technology. The Wolves are now armed with powerful killing machines from Skell’s cutting-edge drone factories. Stranded behind enemy lines and hunted down, players will face an intense military experience as they fight to survive and take down the Wolves and their leader, Lt. Colonel Cole D. Walker.

The game stars critically acclaimed actor, Jon Bernthal, as Cole D. Walker, the most formidable villain ever in a Ghost Recon game. A former brother-in-arms, Walker took part in several missions alongside the Ghosts in the past. While his ties with his former brothers still exist, he is ready to do whatever it takes to defend Auroa and pursue his own ideals, which players will discover as they confront him in the game.

“The team was thrilled to work with Jon Bernthal to bring Cole D. Walker to life,” said Nouredine Abboud, executive producer at Ubisoft Paris. “Walker is a complex villain, and it was important for us to find someone who could bring the necessary level of depth to the character. Jon did a fantastic job, and we can’t wait for players to see him in action!”

Ubisoft also presented its new community program, Ghost Recon Delta Company, which will support the passion and creativity of community members with special content and direct discussions with the lead development studio. Available globally and in more than ten languages, this is the largest community program Ubisoft has ever launched. Submissions to join Ghost Recon Delta Company are available at ghostrecon.com/DeltaCompany.

Bethesda.net has released the official E3 2019 trailer for Wolfenstein: Youngblood. Wolfenstein: Youngblood is a brand-new co-op adventure from award-winning studio MachineGames, developers of the critically-acclaimed Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus, in partnership with Arkane Studios Lyon. Play as one of BJ Blazkowicz’s twin daughters and undertake a do-or-die mission to find their missing father in 1980s Paris. Wield an arsenal of new weapons, gadgets, and power armor abilities in a fight to kick Nazis out of the city of lights.

As BJ Blazkowicz’s twin daughters, Jess and Soph, you’ll take to the streets of 80s Nazi-occupied Paris as you search for your father. Establish a home base in the Parisian Catacombs and take on missions in any order you want. If you choose to roll solo, you’ll be paired up with an AI companion. As you complete missions, you’ll level up and unlock unique abilities, weapon attachments, gadgets, cosmetics and more.

Wolfenstein: Youngblood releases July 26 for PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch and PC. Also launching in July, take the battle to virtual reality with Wolfenstein: Cyberpilot, where you’ll join the French Resistance and hack into mechanized infantry to use against the Nazis!

Pick up the Wolfenstein: Youngblood Deluxe Edition for a bevy of in-game bonuses plus the Buddy Pass, which will let you partner up with a friend even if that friend doesn’t own the game. Learn more here.

Source: Blue’s News

A free weekend is underway on Steam for Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six: Siege, the most recent installment in this tactical first-person shooter series. This is free to try until tomorrow, and the game and all its content are also on sale for up to half-off if you want to reenlist. Word is if you do so, all progression from the free period will carry over. Here’s the pitch on the game:

Master the art of destruction and gadgetry in Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six: Siege. Face intense close quarters combat, high lethality, tactical decision making, team play and explosive action within every moment. Experience a new era of fierce firefights and expert strategy born from the rich legacy of past Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six games.

World War II rages on this year with four new maps as DICE announced Chapter 4: Defying the Odds starting 27th June. From huge sandbox all-out vehicle warfare to smaller infantry battles, Battlefield V is giving fans more of what they’ve been asking for – new multiplayer map experiences.

Kicking off the new content are two new large 64-player maps. The first coming at the start of Chapter 4 is the Al Sundan map, built for classic multiplayer action, focusing on big distances, vehicle-based teamplay, and battles across all ranges. This map is based on the single player war story in the game, Under No Flag, in the vast North African desert. The Marita map comes next in July, bringing the second of the two Greece maps, after Mercury launched in Chapter 3: Trial by Fire, and sees the Battle of Greece rage on. Marita transports players to a gorgeous mountainside with cobblestone roads overlooking a river, and features infantry-focused combat where Allied forces are making a last stand to halt the Axis army.

Frantic close-quarters fights comes later in the summer with two maps tailored for intimate infantry combat. Players will destroy an explosives production factory in Lofoten Islands, and unseat the Axis occupation in Provence.

Then in October between Chapters 4 and 5 Operation Underground comes into play. Inspired by the iconic Battlefield 3 map Operation Métro, this map will feature fierce man-to-man combat across diverse play areas like urban streets, courtyards, the plaza area, service tunnels, train platforms and more.

Watch the Battlefield V – Chapter 4: Defying the Odds Trailer HERE.

Fans can get a deeper look at all of this content and more this Saturday, June 8 by tuning into the EA Play Battlefield V livestream at 10:30am PT (more info). Broadcasting live from the Hollywood Palladium in Los Angeles, the stream will be hosted by Julia Hardy and Adam Freeman with a couple special guests as well.

An overview about Chapter 4: Defying the Odds can be found on the Battlefield V website.

Square Enix Collective is pleased to announce that Battalion 1944 has launched alongside a major new update Battalion 1944: Eastern Front and will feature integration with FACEIT, the largest global online competitive platform.

Big things are happening in Battalion 1944 as Bulkhead Interactive are also releasing an exciting update that introduces the highly anticipated Russian faction.

Other new features included in this update are:

• 8 new weapons (PPSH41, PPS43, Mosin Nagant Rifle, Mosin Nagant Scoped, TT-33, Baikal 22, SVT-40, Fedorov Avtomat)
• New competitive matchmaking powered by FACEIT
• 3 new maps – take the fight to Italy, Russia and France with all new levels inspired by classic shooters
• New game mode: Free for All – where everyone becomes your enemy!
• Improved game modes – Wartide, CTF, DOM and TDF all updated with more modern and rewarding design, with audio that reacts to your gameplay
• Match replay system & match history – download and play your previous matches with high settings to create epic video content!
• New BattleRank season
• Challenges, medals and leaderboards – earn and collect medals based on gameplay to show off your in-game achievements and get ultimate bragging rights
• Community modding – create your own maps via the all new Battalion 1944 Development Kit

With currently more than 12 million users and over 100,000 concurrent players, the FACEIT platform aims to empower and grow the competitive ecosystem of the game titles it integrates with. The integration between FACEIT and Battalion goes deeper than ever before: thanks to in-game widgets and an in-game overlay, players will be able to access the main FACEIT features, including competitive matchmaking, rankings and leaderboards, without leaving the game. For those players who prefer the traditional FACEIT experience, Battalion will be available through the FACEIT client and website at www.faceit.com/en.

“We are excited to work with Bulkhead Interactive to provide the Battalion 1944 community with an engaging and rewarding competitive experience at launch. For the first time we will manage the entire competitive life-cycle of the game which will be accessible within the game client as well as the FACEIT platform, ensuring players have the most seamless experience to play competitively. This will be the first integration of this kind with many more to come and I can’t think of a better partner to be the first developer to take full advantage of the series of developer tools that we have built through the years,” said Niccolo Maisto, CEO & Co-Founder of FACEIT.

Joe Brammer, CEO of Bulkhead Interactive, is eager to let fans get hands-on with the full launch of Battalion. “I’m so excited. Early Access isn’t easy but the feedback from the community has been imperative to this massive overhaul of the game. I love that we took a step back and pivoted to target people’s core issues such as Time To Kill and wanting the game to be more like the older classic titles. We’ve kept sprint in the game, but there are so many new features that will feel familiar to classic FPS players.”

Brammer also goes on to talk about how the studio has grown and learnt a lot during their early access period. “We had a lot to improve on but I think it shows in the full release of Battalion 1944. Personally, I’ve learned a lot about being accountable to players and communicating issues from the players across all social media to the developers who are toiling away on the game. I think that link between the players and devs is now more important than ever in 2019.”

Watch the Battalion 1944: Eastern Front Release Trailer HERE.

Battalion 1944 is available out of Early Access on Steam for £15.99/$19.99/€19.99.

This Reboot Wants to Make You Uncomfortable

By Ryan McCaffrey  @ IGN

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare is probably going to upset people, perhaps by design. The reboot, which brings familiar characters like Captain Price into modern-day, “ripped from the headlines” missions but is otherwise not connected to the previous entries in the brand’s best-known subfranchise, brings with it all of the expected technical upgrades: ray tracing, multi-layer shading, spectral rendering, 4K resolution, HDR, etc. But it’s the renewed focus on realism and the single-player campaign, which was so unimportant to Call of Duty in last year’s Black Ops 4 that it literally didn’t have one, that’s going to help Modern Warfare leave its mark.

Read on…

One of the Most Iconic Series in Gaming History Returns in Ground-Breaking Experience

Prepare to go dark, Modern Warfare is back! The most celebrated series in Call of Duty will make its highly-anticipated return when Call of Duty: Modern Warfare launches October 25th in a powerful experience reimagined from the ground-up. The all-new title, published by Activision and developed by Infinity Ward, engulfs players in a modern-day conflict, where split-second decisions could affect the global balance of power. The new Modern Warfare features a unified narrative experience and progression across a heart racing, epic single-player story, an action-packed multiplayer playground, and new cooperative gameplay.

View the Official Call of Duty: Modern Warfare – Reveal Trailer HERE.

“This is an all-new Modern Warfare reimagined in every way,” said Dave Stohl, co-Studio Head, Infinity Ward. “We are creating an emotionally charged experience that’s inspired by the headlines in the world today, where the rules are grey and battle lines are blurred. Players will join a varied cast of international special forces and freedom fighters in gripping and heart-pounding missions through iconic European cities and volatile expanses of the Middle East. It’s intense, it’s exciting, and we can’t wait for our fans to play this October.”

“Every design decision has been made with our players in mind,” said Patrick Kelly, Creative Director and co-Studio Head, Infinity Ward. “With the launch of Modern Warfare, we’re taking steps to unite the community. First, we plan for Modern Warfare to be played together across PC and console through cross-play support. Second, we’re eliminating the traditional season pass, so that we can deliver more free maps and content as well as post-launch events to all players. This is just the beginning – there’s much more to come.”

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare features a new engine delivering an immersive and photo-realistic experience. The new technology utilizes the latest advancements in visual engineering, including a physically-based material system allowing for state of the art photogrammetry, a new hybrid tile based streaming system, new PBR decal rendering system, world volumetric lighting, 4K HDR, DirectX Raytracing (PC) and more as well as a new GPU geometry pipeline. Spectral rendering delivers thermal heat radiation and infrared identification for both thermal and night-vision in-game imaging. The technical investment provides a cutting edge animation and blend shape system, while the new suite of audio tools supports full Dolby ATMOS, on supported platforms, along with the latest in audio simulation effects.

Starting today, fans can pre-order the digital version of the new Modern Warfare and receive a prestige token to be used immediately in-game in Call of Duty: Black Ops 4*.

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare is scheduled for release globally October 25th on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC. The title features a fully-optimized PC version, developed in partnership with Beenox, which will be available exclusively on Blizzard Battle.net®**, Blizzard Entertainment’s online gaming platform. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare is published by Activision, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Activision Blizzard (NASDAQ: ATVI) with development led by award-winning developer, Infinity Ward, with additional development support from Raven Software.

Winner of numerous awards and honors following its release in 2007, including the Academy of Interactive Arts and Sciences “Game of the Year,” the original Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare received worldwide acclaim as it won the hearts of fans everywhere. With the two sequels that followed, the Modern Warfare series has left an indelible mark as one of the most iconic and decorated gaming series in history.

*Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 game on pre-order platform required. Sold separately.
**Battle.net is a trademark or registered trademark of Blizzard Entertainment, Inc., in the U.S. and/or other countries.

On May 30, the fight moves to the Mediterranean as a brand-new map becomes part of the ever-evolving Battlefield V. Prepare for a violent struggle along a beautiful coastline. This is Mercury.

Map Overview

Based on the events of Operation Mercury in 1941, this map lets you deploy on the coast of Crete where the British take on the invading German forces. Gameplay-wise, Mercury is all about verticality, all-out war, and asymmetrical vehicle forces; British troops have tanks and only a small number of planes while Germans will control the skies. Leverage the rocky slopes for intense vertical gameplay and close quarters gameplay.

Watch the Battlefield V – Mercury Map Official Reveal Trailer HERE.

Mercury at a Glance

Units:

• Infantry
• Aircraft
• Vehicles

Size:

• Medium-Large

Tempo:

• Moderate-Fast

Playstyle

Mercury caters for many different playstyles. It’s built to be a proper all-out war map, where players will be pushing with tanks, holding out for air support, or desperately defending a flag position. Battlefield veterans will see shades of three classic maps from older titles: Guadalcanal from Battlefield 1942, the Altai Range map from Battlefield 4, and Battlefield 1’s Monte Grappa.

Due to the size and verticality of the map, tempo will vary. Find holes in the defense to flank or engage in a hot firefight around one of the flags. There’s a place in the map for SMGs to clash with shotguns, while Recon players can snipe at Support players, who in turn suppress enemies with their LMGs.

More info about the new Battlefield V  Mercury Map can be found HERE.

What if humanity suddenly encounters extraterrestrial intelligence on Earth?

Bohemia Interactive is excited to present: Arma 3 Contact – a spin-off expansion for their military simulation game Arma 3 (watch trailer). Scheduled for release on Steam (Windows PC) on July 25, the Arma 3 Contact expansion features a military science fiction singleplayer campaign, which will arrive together with a fresh new sandbox terrain, factions, weapons, vehicles, gear, and more.

In the “First Contact” singleplayer campaign, players will assume the role of NATO drone operator Aiden Rudwell, who is deployed to Eastern Europe as part of a military training exercise. When a massive alien vessel suddenly enters the atmosphere, you are sent to investigate the extraterrestrial visitors and determine their intentions. However, amid the tension and chaos, armed conflict inevitably unfolds. Over the course of the campaign, players will engage in field science, electronic warfare, and combat reconnaissance, in an experience delivered in authentic Arma style.

Although conventional infantry engagements can be expected, a significant portion of the campaign will focus on non-shooting gameplay. This involves operating a mini UGV sampling laser and CBRN defense equipment to study strange alien anomalies, as well as controlling the electromagnetic spectrum with the aptly named Spectrum Device. This advanced modern tool – depending on what antenna is fitted – can be used for navigation, intelligence gathering, and deception.

Besides its story-driven campaign, the upcoming Contact expansion also brings various additions to the greater Arma 3 sandbox. One highlight is the massive new 163 km2 terrain set in the fictional Polish-speaking country of Livonia. With this new locale come two smaller yet capable fighting forces: Livonian Defense Force and Russian Spetsnaz. These new factions are equipped with their own combat fatigues, vests, and helmets. Furthermore, the expansion packs 5 additional weapons, 2 new vehicles plus variants, extra gear, and more.

“Many of us have wondered if humanity is alone in the universe. I, for one, want to believe we are not. The premise of intelligent life visiting Earth from outer space has fascinated me since childhood, and combining that with the military authenticity of Arma 3 always seemed like it would make for a very cool and unique experience“, said Arma 3 Contact Project Lead, Joris-Jan van ‘t Land. “After our team’s previous project – Laws of War DLC – proved that players enjoy gameplay that’s a little different, our team felt motivated to go for it. I am personally very grateful for the opportunity to explore this theme, and I want to thank all Arma 3 players for their support and making it possible for this dream to come true.”

Key Features of Arma 3 Contact

• Singleplayer campaign “First Contact” – You are a member of a NATO training deployment to a remote region of Livonia, presented with a mysterious event that will forever change the face of human history.
• 163 km2 Livonia terrain – A temperate summer environment set in a partly abandoned militarized region of the (fictional) Eastern European country of Livonia.
• 2 Factions – Livonian Defense Force and Russian Spetsnaz, who are equipped with their own gear, and made complete with reskinned variants of existing Arma 3 assets, new character faces, and Polish or Russian radio protocols.
• 5 Weapons – Promet Assault Rifle, RPK-12 Light Machine Gun, AKU-12 Carbine, Mk14 Classic Hunting Rifle, and Kozlice Shotgun – most of which come with various attachments and camo paints.
• 2 Vehicles – ED-1 Mini UGV (a small electric tracked robot with a modular chassis and swivel arm that comes in both a Science and Demining variant) plus the Tractor.
• Gear – CBRN clothing, masks and backpacks, Spectrum Device, radio backpack, blindfold, and tin foil hat.
• Multiplayer Scenarios – Additional Zeus Game Master, Combat Patrol, and Warlords scenarios for the new Livonia terrain.
• Free Bonus Content – NATO woodland camouflage, civilian clothing, 100+ decorative props and terrain objects, and more. These will be made available for free to all owners of Arma 3.

The Arma 3 Contact expansion is scheduled for release on July 25 and will be distributed as DLC for Arma 3 on Steam. It is already available for pre-purchase on Steam and the Bohemia Store for 24.99 EUR / 27.99 USD / 21.99 GBP (with a temporary 10% discount up until one week after release). Those who pre-order will also receive Sneak Preview Access to the new Livonia terrain as of today.

People who are entirely new to Arma 3 can also decide to pick up the Arma 3 Contact Edition on Steam or the Bohemia Store, which bundles the Arma 3 base game and Contact expansion at a much lower price than when both are bought separately. Fans might be interested in the Bohemia Store-exclusive Arma 3 Contact Collector’s Edition (available here). This limited-edition also includes the base game (Deluxe Edition) and Contact expansion, plus more than five unique collector’s items such as a rugged field case, topographic map, two-way radio transceivers, tin foil hats, and more.

For more information about Arma 3 Contact, visit www.arma3.com/contact. Here you will also find the system requirements for Arma 3 and answers to some of the most Frequently Asked Questions about the new expansion.

Rediscover the glitz and glamour of Kafe Dostoyevsky in a major map rework alongside two new eye-opening Operators in Year 4 Season 2

Ubisoft has announced the full details of the second season of Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six: Siege Year 4 content. Operation Phantom Sight introduces an all-new Attacker and a Defender, Nøkk and Warden, as well as a major map rework of Kafe Dostoyevsky, situated at the heart of Moscow. Furthermore, in Year 4 Season 2, Rainbow Six: Siege will introduce new changes to the recently implemented feature, Reverse Friendly Fire, as well as updates to the Rainbow Six: Siege storefront and the Ranked playlist,

In this new season, Nøkk and Warden will redefine how intel is gathered as the newest additions to the Rainbow Six: Siege Operator line-up. Armed with her FMG-9 and SIX12-SD, Nøkk uses her high-tech HEL Presence Reduction gadget to quietly navigate behind enemy lines, invisible to cameras and drones alike. Warden uses his Glance Smartglasses to enhance his vision, providing him with better visibility in smoke as well as immunity to flashes while remaining still. His M590A1 and MPX makes him a powerful anchor in defence.

In addition to these two new Rainbow recruits, players will be able to explore the map rework of Kafe Dostoyevsky, which incorporates significant changes to the current map in order to open up and diversify gameplay: the first floor has been redesigned, new Bomb sites appeared on the second floor, and many other updates gameplay opportunities. Other features that will be introduced in the upcoming season include further updates to Reverse Friendly Fire based on data and community feedback, a reworked Ranked playlist and a new in-game storefront.

The Test Server for Operation Phantom Sight will go live on 21st May. The Test Server is an alternative version of Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six: Siege, allowing players to test upcoming gameplay features that will make their way into the main game itself. Since this is a testing environment, a consistent gameplay experience is not guaranteed on the Test Server. Players are invited to submit the issues they encounter on the Test Server on the R6 Fix platform [link: here]. The Test Server is exclusive to Windows PC.

For more information about Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six: Siege, please visit rainbow6.com.