First-Person Shooters

Experience the ultimate sniper gameplay, set against the rough terrain of the Siberian wilderness and featuring a brand new contracts system that encourages strategic thinking across engaging, replayable missions

CI Games have announced the next game in its acclaimed tactical shooter series: Sniper Ghost Warrior Contracts. The title takes its genre-defining sniping gameplay to the harsh climates of the Siberian wilderness and introduces a brand new way to play – the contracts system. The game features both single player and multiplayer modes, and is set to release on PC, PS4 and Xbox One in 2019.

Drawing upon community feedback, Contracts delivers tense, mission-based scenarios with CI Games’ best sniping ever. This is all thanks to the new contracts system, which takes a step back from Sniper Ghost Warrior 3’s open world. In the single player campaign, players dive headfirst into tailor-made contract missions that offer a clear main objective with a fixed monetary reward, and have the option to complete secondary objectives for bonus payouts. Feel like you can do better? Jump back in and tackle the mission from a different angle — players can repeat every contract to earn more money.

Contracts distills the core sniping gameplay that series fans have come to love, offering dense, more focused maps that reward tactical thinking. With a wealth of optional objectives to complete, the combination of open-ended missions and emergent gameplay ensure these scenarios are wildly replayable. Couple this with the intense environmental obstacles presented by the harsh, modern-day Siberian wilderness, as well as hundreds of ways to take down a wide range of targets, and Contracts offers sniping gameplay at its absolute best.

“It is exciting to see the team really motivated and working hard on our next sniping game,” said CI Games Chief Executive Officer, Marek Tymiński. “They don’t have to start from scratch this time and can now – on top of developing new content – spend way more time on improving things they already have.” This highlights CI Games’ commitment to listening to their community and iterating on their feedback.

Tymiński continued, “We were too ambitious in terms of the scope of Sniper Ghost Warrior 3, but we’ve learned from our missteps. Sniper Ghost Warrior Contracts will be more focused on emergent gameplay with an open-ended mission design that the team feels strong about, but it will not be set in an open world. It is going to be a more tactical, more condensed experience and the game will offer plenty of replayability, both on the single player campaign and on the multiplayer modes.”

All of this is coupled with a more optimized game engine, minimizing load times and maintaining a stable FPS, keeping players grounded in the rich, moment-to-moment sniping gameplay. Between the introduction of its Siberian setting, a return-to-form with an intense mission-based system, and sniping at its best, Sniper Ghost Warrior Contracts is locked and loaded to impress genre and first-person fans alike.

Sniper Ghost Warrior Contracts will launch in 2019 on PS4, Xbox One and PC.

If you’re looking for a tense, tactical game where skill and cunning are equally important, then look no further than Rainbow Six: Siege. Starting Thursday, August 16, PS4, Xbox One, and PC players can play the game for free until August 20.

If you find yourself hungering for some more Siege after the weekend, you can pick up the Standard, Advanced, Gold, and Complete Editions of the game for a discount of up to 60% off if you purchase before August 27. Players who participate in the free weekend will see all of their progress carry over.

The free weekend coincides with the Six Major Paris tournament, Europe’s largest Rainbow Six: Siege competition ever. Tune in to witness the best professional players from around the world compete at the highest level. The tournament will take place from August 13 to August 19 and be broadcast on twitch.tv/Rainbow6.

The Six Major Paris broadcast is also the place to see the full reveal of Siege’s next season, Operation Grim Sky. The new season will feature two new Operators – an American Attacker and a British Defender – as well as a completely reworked Hereford Base map.

The free weekend is the perfect time to join the more than 35 million Siege players around the world. Rainbow Six Siege is currently available on PS4, Xbox One, and PC.

Get into the Free Weekend August 16-20th.

Ubisoft has announced that Far Cry 5: Lost on Mars, the second post-launch adventure, is now available on PlayStation®4 computer entertainment system, the Xbox One family of devices including Xbox One X and Windows 10 PC.

Lost on Mars continues the uncanny adventures in the Far Cry 5 Season Pass as players travel to Mars as Nick Rye and Hurk eradicate alien arachnids. Lost on Mars can be purchased as stand-alone DLC, as part of the season pass or with the Gold Edition.

Lost on Mars transports the franchise’s insanity to the Red Planet as Nick Rye and Hurk teleport to Mars in an effort to restore power to ANNE, a futuristic AI representing humanity’s last line of defense. This adventure will also give players a new arsenal of alien weaponry, including:

• Blaster of Disaster: A single-shot space gun made of trusty alien hardware.
• Hellfire: Fires 15 bouncing laser balls, inflicting serious damage.
• Morphinator: Harness the power of science to turn predators into prey – with an explosive twist.
• Space Jets: Defy gravity and blast across Mars in an entirely new way to navigate extraterrestrial terrain.

In addition, all Far Cry 5 players can access new Mars-themed assets in Far Cry Arcade, available now. Map builders will be able to integrate these assets into their existing maps or create new sci-fi-themed maps.

Ubisoft also released the Far Cry 5: Lost on Mars soundtrack , a funky, sci-fi, 70s-inspired spaghetti western track list created and performed by film composer Anthony Marinelli. Marinelli used his original vintage analog synthesizers from iconic films Young Guns, Starman, War Games and Michael Jackson’s Thriller, as well as sci-fi orchestra riffs, baritone guitar, banjo, dobro, wah guitar and funky bass lines to get players grooving with the spiders on Mars. The soundtrack is available HERE.

The Far Cry 5: Lost On Mars Launch Trailer is available for viewing HERE.

For more information about Far Cry 5, please visit farcry.com.

Following the announcement of Just Cause 4 at E3 this year, we’ve seen a lot of excitement generated around the game. In order to provide more information on what to expect from the game, we are excited to share with you the first five videos in our “Just Cause 4 Making Of” series. Straight from the mouths of the developers, this series delivers key, new information as well as detailing all of the most impressive new features in Just Cause 4.

The following videos are ready to be viewed now:

Apex Power

Named upon the concept of an Apex being a pinnacle or peak, the team at Avalanche discuss the new Apex Engine, built from the ground up to enable them to create the most dynamic instalment of the Just Cause series with best-in class features.

Force of Nature

The team explain how Rico, a force of nature in his own right, will work through and with the elements of tornadoes, sandstorms and torrential rain, and detail the simulation systems necessary for allowing extreme weather the perfect combination of realism and fun.

The Grapple Hook

The embodiment of Rico is the grappling hook, the ultimate sandbox tool. Not only can it still achieve the same explosive destruction that players had in previous titles, it also now has new abilities, new options, and is fully customisable.

Redefining Rico

A best in class sandbox with unrivalled physics would be nothing without a hero to match. A new challenge awaits for Rico, he has left the agency and gone rogue. He returns in Just Cause 4 with more depth and complexity, but is no less the action hero fans have come to expect.

The World of Solis

The team explains how they created 500 years of backstory to inspire the world design and narrative, from colonial style original settlers to contemporary buildings.

The Making of Series originally aired as part of the Just Cause E3 Blowout Livestream at E3.

Set in the fictional South American world of Solis, Just Cause 4 takes the series incredible destruction and unique physics to a whole new level with the introduction of fully simulated tornadoes and other Extreme Weather events. Rico Rodriguez returns in Just Cause 4 with his trademark parachute, wingsuit and, of course his grapple hook, now enhanced with new functionality and fully customisable. Making it the most powerful and creative tool the player has ever had.

Just Cause 4 is available to pre-order now before it is unleashed unto the world on the 4th of December.

New Game Mode, Graphics Overhaul, and BattleRank System are Go!

Old recruits, new recruits, stand to attention! Players of Bulkhead Interactive’s ambitious old-school WW2 shooter Battalion 1944 are about to feel the force of a fairly hefty ammo drop, opening up a new game mode, a slick new graphics overhaul, and a brand new free progression system called BattleRank, amongst scores of other major updates.

Rolling out on 12th July 2018, this package of updates is the latest in a line of tweaks and improvements being worked on by the Bulkhead Interactive team as they continue to manage the game’s run through Early Access – a process bolstered by the team’s decision to solicit feedback from the Battalion 1944 community, helping to improve the game’s stability by testing the latest version.

Leading the line is a brand new competitive game mode Wartide 2.0, a new matchmaking system, a complete visual overhaul (including brand new character models, an impressive graphics revamp, and a total rework of character movement), a new map, a new sound engine, and a massive rebalancing of the game’s weapons.

This new update will also see the launch of BattleRank, which is designed to make Battalion 1944 an even more engaging and rewarding prospect. Split into seasons of roughly three months each, BattleRank will unlock new exclusive rewards and weapon skins that can only be acquired during that period. Continued play will enable gamers to build up their experience points (XP) in order to unlock new levels of rewards. Unlike ‘battlepass systems’ in other games, however, BattleRank will be free.

“This is the biggest round of updates we’ve released for Battalion 1944 to date, and is the result of our mission to make the game as absorbing and captivating as it can possibly be,” says Joe Brammer – Studio Lead at Bulkhead Interactive. “We’ve been listening to our players and taking their feedback into consideration as we look to build the game in a way that both meets their expectations and offers a few surprises for them along the way, too.”

The update follows on from Square Enix Collective® and Bulkhead Interactive’s previous unveiling of a four day long, $50,000 tournament, set to occur September 27-30 of this year. The best Battalion 1944 players will head to the Esports Game Area to compete amongst open qualifiers victors and an invited team for an opportunity to win prizes from a total prize pool of $50,000.

Click here for the full changelog and view the new Major Update 2 trailer.

Battalion 1944 is currently available on Steam via Early Access for $14.99/€14.99/£11.39.

Insurgency: Sandstorm is New World Interactive’s reborn, improved, and expanded sequel to indie multiplayer FPS hit Insurgency, coming September 2018 to PC and 2019 to consoles. In the new E3 2018 trailer, discover how Insurgency: Sandstorm brings you closer to the action than ever in tense, coordinated skirmishes where skill is rewarded, and teamwork wins the fight.

New World Interactive and Focus Home Interactive are also excited to announce the opening of pre-orders on Steam. PC players can pre-order with a 10% discount and get access to the beta a few weeks before the release of the game. An additional 10% discount will be given to players that own the original Insurgency – this additional discount will be offered until the end of 2018.

Prepare for a hardcore depiction of combat with deadly ballistics, light attack vehicles, destructive artillery, and unprecedented audio design putting the fear back into the genre. Death comes fast, ammunition must be carefully managed, and the environment must be tactically navigated at every step toward victory.

Insurgency: Sandstorm is a game of team-based tactics and objective-oriented gameplay in a fictional, contemporary Middle Eastern conflict, complete with player versus player, competitive matchmaking and co-operative game modes versus AI. Your soldier’s appearance, weapons, attachments, armor, and amount of carried ammo are all up to you. Call in airstrikes, use vehicles with mounted weapons, and equip a wide range of specialist weaponry from grenades to drones to C4 explosives.

Visit the Insurgency: Sandstorm  website for more game information.

Source: Blue’s News

EA rolled out the Battlefield V Official Multiplayer Trailer today at their pre-E3 show. This was a quick drive-by, but they mention a few details about the game in passing, including word on plans for a battle royale mode after rumors of one had been seemingly shot down. As for the video, in spite of being the official multiplayer trailer, it seems to consist entirely of cutscenes. Here’s word from the description:

Every battle is unique. Every mode its own challenge. Battlefield V multiplayer provides unmatched intensity and scale in a sandbox of all-out war.

Take on classic modes like Conquest or experiences like Grand Operations, where you’ll participate in vast historical battles across multiple maps – and modes – and relive moments of bravery and desperation while fighting your way to the final objective.

Source: Blue’s News

NVIDIA offers this video showing off gameplay from Battlefield V. Word is:

“Battlefield V has been fully unveiled at EA Play 2018, and we’ve been able to capture exclusive direct-feed PC footage from the new Grand Operations mode. Watch now to see how Battlefield V looks on PC.” According to the description, “Watch exclusive Battlefield V Grand Operations PC gameplay, captured on a GeForce GTX 1080 Ti by the amazing Ms Vixen, battling across the Narvik map.”

Deep Silver and 4A Games have released the official E3 2018 gameplay trailer for Metro Exodus.

After spending his entire life underground, it’s time for Artyom to leave the Moscow Metro behind. With the help of Anna and Miller, he is ready to step out into post-apocalyptic Russia. Welcome… To The Volga!

The Volga is just one of the vast, open environments you’ll explore in Metro Exodus.

Metro Exodus is described an epic, story-driven first person shooter from 4A Games that blends deadly combat and stealth with exploration and survival horror in one of the most immersive game worlds ever created. Flee the shattered ruins of dead Moscow and embark on an epic, continent-spanning journey across post-apocalyptic Russia in the greatest Metro adventure yet.

Metro Exodus releases on Xbox One, PlayStation 4 and PC February 22nd.

Visit the official Metro Exodus  website for more game information.

Square Enix today announced Just Cause 4, the pivotal new entry in the highly successful action-sandbox series, developed by Avalanche Studios. Just Cause 4 was unveiled with a new gameplay trailer as part of the Xbox E3 2018 Briefing. Just Cause 4 will be a key release for Square Enix and a landmark entry for the series, when it is available on December 4, 2018 for Xbox One, PlayStation 4®, and Windows PC.

Set in the fictional South American world of Solis, Just Cause 4 takes the series incredible destruction and unique physics to a whole new level with the introduction of tornadoes and other Extreme Weather events. Just Cause 4 has four distinct biomes: Rainforest, Grasslands, Alpine & Desert. With each biome offering its own individual, fully simulated weather event, players will have a truly unique experience as they traverse this deep, diverse world.

Rico Rodriguez returns in Just Cause 4 with his trademark parachute, wingsuit and, of course his grapple hook, now enhanced with new functionality and fully customisable. Making it the most powerful and creative tool the player has ever had.

“We’ve taken everything that players loved from our previous games and with brand new features, enhanced physics and core gameplay improvements, we’ve created the most ambitious Just Cause experience to date,” said Francesco Antolini, Game Director at Avalanche Studios. “The introduction of Extreme Weather is a complete game changer – players will not have seen anything like this in a videogame. We have created fully physicalized tornadoes, blizzards, sandstorms and torrential downpours which affect gameplay in a very real way. All of this is now possible thanks to our brand new Apex engine.”

The new Apex engine underpins everything in Just Cause 4. It delivers the most interactive, extreme weather simulations ever seen in a videogame, complimented by incredible visuals, unparalleled physics and endless creative possibilities.

Check out the “Welcome to Just Cause 4” video to hear more from the developers.

Just Cause 4 is available to pre-order now with a Standard Edition, Digital Deluxe Edition & Gold Edition. Just Cause 4’s Digital Deluxe Edition comes packed with special Black Hand weaponry – the Black Hand Stealth Micro Jet and the Black Hand Prototype Wingsuit. The Gold Edition includes the Expansion Pass, the Golden Gear Pack, and all the Digital Deluxe Content. Players who purchase the Digital Deluxe Edition or the Gold Edition will also guarantee Early Access to the game at launch. A range of pre-order bonuses are on offer across select retailers, for further info visit: www.JustCause.com/buy.