First-Person Shooters

Today, Ubisoft announced that the second expansion for Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon: Wildlands, Fallen Ghosts, will be available to season pass owners simultaneously on Xbox One, PlayStation® 4 computer entertainment system and Windows PC on May 30th, 2017. The expansion will release for individual purchase for all players a week later, on June 6th, 2017.

Fallen Ghosts takes place after the fall of the Santa Blanca Cartel. With Unidad’s military force unable to maintain control over Bolivia, the country is in a state of civil war. To help restore order, the Unidad enlists cartel members, veterans, mercenaries and criminals from various nearby countries as volunteers. Together, they form a new brutal special unit, Los Extranjeros, which is ordered to track and eliminate all American agents.

In this chaotic situation, the Ghosts have one last mission: evacuate the last CIA members and American civilians remaining in the country. Shot down enroute to their mission, the Ghosts find themselves in the middle of the jungle, without external support, facing deadly enemies equipped with the latest gear and technology. These dangerous elite soldiers are separated into four distinct classes:

• Armoured: Equipped with heavy bulletproof plates, they are especially threatening in close combat.
• Elite Sniper: Geared up with an advanced movement detector, these Elite Snipers are able to spot far away targets, and never miss their shot.
• Jammer: With a jamming antenna directly in their backpack, they are able to neutralise drones and interfere with all electronic equipment.
• Covert Ops: Equipped with a new prototype cloaking device, that makes them almost invisible, and a powerful crossbow, they give a new meaning to the word “Ghost.”

The Fallen Ghosts campaign will feature 15 new missions in which players will have to take down four new bosses located in three different regions. In the expansion, players will start with a new character at level 30 and equipped with all of the main game skills. The level cap will increase from 30 to 35, and players will be able to unlock nine new skills, including physical, weapon and drones skills.

Fallen Ghosts also features six exclusive new weapons, ranging from new assaults rifles, sniper rifles and a crossbow that can be equipped with explosive arrows.

Finally, the more hardcore players will be pleased to know that the advanced and expert difficulties have been tweaked to offer an even higher challenge. By turning the HUD off, players will get the most extreme and tactical experience possible in Ghost Recon: Wildlands.

For more information about Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon: Wildlands, please visit games official website.

Source: UbiBlog

Rainbow Six: Siege boasts a thriving community of online players, and the game’s overall health is always chief among the development team’s priorities. As such, the team has made the decision to focus on improving the overall Rainbow Six: Siege experience over the next three months with a series of improvements and changes called Operation Health.

Operation Health is a hard push toward tech improvements and bug fixes, and it introduces a new three-stage deployment process for updates, with new features first rolling out on a Technical Test Server, then on PC, then on consoles. (There’s also a new on/off feature in case a rollback is needed). Because of this new focus, the planned Hong Kong season will be pushed back to Season Three in August, while November’s Season Four will feature South Korea. Poland will no longer have its own season in Year Two, but its GROM Operators will be available at the start of seasons three and four. The number of new maps has also been reduced to three, and includes the most recent map set in Spain.

Read on…

Source: Blue’s News

The Battlefield website has details on a new map called Prise de Tahure coming to Battlefield 1 as part of what they’re calling the “Summer of Battlefield,” a somewhat incongruous twist on the 50th anniversary of the Summer of Love. They recap all the new content coming to the game, and offer a bunch of screenshots from the newly announced map. Here is some of what they have to say about it:

We’re glad to announce that a new map called “Prise de Tahure” will be released shortly for testing on the CTE (Community Test Environment). Set in the autumn after the Nivelle Offensive, Prise de Tahure sees French troops desperately holding on to re-captured heights in the Butte-de-Tahure region. The frontline trench networks cut right through several villages facing obliteration from the constant skirmishing between German stormtroopers and French raiders. This is a war of attrition. Adaptability and tactics are the means to wear your adversary down.

Stay tuned for more details and join the CTE to try the content early and give your feedback.

Tripwire Interactive today is pleased to announce that the sequel to the smash hit Rising Storm, PC Gamer’s 2013 ‘Multiplayer Game of the Year’, Rising Storm 2: Vietnam is now available for pre-purchase through Steam. As it marches closer to its impending release, the Digital Deluxe Edition of Rising Storm 2: Vietnam can be pre-purchased now, at a 25% discount. At release, the Standard Edition will be priced at $24.99 and the Digital Deluxe Edition at $29.99. The pre-purchase discount offers the DDE version at $22.49 from now until launch. In addition, the pre-purchase will enable buyers to join a final closed beta weekend before launch.

The Rising Storm 2: Vietnam Digital Deluxe Edition contains a mix of exclusive in-game items, cosmetic unlocks and cool bonuses, including:

• 2 Exclusive Items: Camouflage “Boonie” Hats for the North Vietnamese and U.S. factions
• 4 Early Cosmetic Item Unlocks:
• PAVN – Camo Ushanka
• NLF – Headscarf
• US Army/Marines – Lowland ERDL Helmet
• US Pilot – Dark Horse Helmet
• The official soundtrack featuring original music from the game

The sequel to the smash hit Rising Storm, Rising Storm 2: Vietnam is a hardcore tactical first-person-shooter set in the brutal killing fields of the Vietnam War. The game is a brutal, authentic recreation of the Vietnam War, allowing players to join the fight – whether it be on the sides of the powerful United States Military or the fearless Vietnamese resistance fighters.

Tripwire Interactive is also pleased to reveal to fans the final suggested hardware specs for Rising Storm 2: Vietnam:

Minimum Spec
Windows® 7 / Windows® 8 / Windows® 10 64-bit (latest Service Pack)
Intel® Core™ i3 @ 2.5GHz or AMD Phenom @ 2.5GHz
NVIDIA® GeForce® GTX 460 or ATI Radeon™ HD 5850
4 GB RAM

Recommended Spec
Windows® 7 / Windows® 8 / Windows® 10 64-bit (latest Service Pack)
Intel i5 @ 3.2GHz or AMD @4GHz
NVIDIA® GeForce® 760 or AMD R9 270X
6 GB RAM

Click here for the full press release and to view a dozen new screenshots.

Source: Blue’s News

This post on Steam has details on a new version 3.5 title update for Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon: Wildlands. They say this is now available through Steam and Uplay, offering the following notes on what it does:

The PC Title Update 3.5 is now live on Uplay and Steam. Please update your game to take advantage of all the fixes and new features. Here is the complete list:

NEW FEATURES

• Players can request for help now while in down state.

BUG FIXES

• Fixed the fast travel icon not being displayed on the tacmap when using a Steam Controller.
• Fixed an issue where the screen would flicker when exiting the vehicle while using the Tobii Eye tracking device.
• Fixed an issue where the game language was not automatically set if the Arabic language was set as the title’s language, from the Steam client.
• Fixed an issue where the game would show an incorrect display resolution in the Video menu if ALT+TAB was used during the confirmation pop-up message.
• Fixed an issue where the gray screen when the character is downed was displayed in NVIDIA Ansel.
• Fixed an issue where the 360 screenshot in Ansel had visual corruption if Ansel was used while the Night Vision was activated.
• Fixed an issue where the Weapon Fanatic achievement was not awarded if the weapon pack item was bought from the in game store.

NARCO ROAD

• Fixed and issue where the screen would flicker when using nitro boost while being detected.

Source: Blue’s News

These Battlefield 1 Update Notes detail the Spring Update that’s now live in the World War I first-person shooter. This post is long and quite detailed, but the intro is a pretty concise summary:

Being a successful Battlefield player is all about playing the objective and working together as a team. With the Spring Update, we want to further push the team aspect of Battlefield and make teamwork an even bigger part of the experience – with the introduction of Platoons as this update’s central feature.

In this update, we are also releasing some much asked for server administration settings – yes, we heard you! More on that below.

We hope you will like the new features, bug fixes, and balance tweaks. See you on the Battlefield!

Source: The Activision Blog

Today, Activision and Sledgehammer Games provided the first glimpse of the title that’s taking Call of Duty back to its roots – Call of Duty: WWII. We’re talking boots- on- the- ground gameplay delivering a visceral and immersive gameplay experience unlike anything we’ve seen before.

In addition to watching the worldwide reveal stream today, we also met with Sledgehammer Games Co-Founders and Studio Heads, Michael Condrey and Glen Schofield for added insights on what’s to come in the new game. They explained to us that Call of Duty: WWII is a very personal journey for the team, as they have been hard at work on this project for the last two and a half years. “This is based on one of the most monumental moments in human history, and we get to honor and respect that global sacrifice, to honor the men and women who fought for freedom on all fronts, on a global scale,” said Condrey.

Schofield added that the team named the main character after his father, who passed away during production. “The story Call of Duty: WWII follows a global and diverse cast, but for me it honors my father Ronald “Red” Daniels and his squad, and not just what they went through from a global perspective, but what they went through personally. We like to tell a story within a story, and this is no different.”

Both Condrey and Schofield underscored the fact that Call of Duty: WWII is about a squad’s remarkable journey of personal growth and heroism across Europe in World War II, and is a story about common men and women doing uncommon things to preserve freedom.

Welcome to the Fighting First
No mission too difficult. No sacrifice too great. Duty first!

Call of Duty: WWII focuses on the actions of a squad from 1944 to 1945, but will also touch on events from 1940 to 1944 to help set the stage for the narrative and establish the characters. It takes place in the European theater of conflict, at a time when the Allied forces were finally starting to gather strength on their march into Germany. You and your squad will fight your way through occupied France, Belgium, and across the Rhine into Germany.

The Front Lines and Beyond
Highlighting the diverse ensemble cast, players will also encounter the French resistance movement, featuring strong and vibrant characters who were fighting for their homeland even after all seemed lost. The game takes players from the beaches of Normandy to the liberation of Paris and beyond, across a variety of heart-racing engagements and epic battles.

To complement today’s gameplay reveal trailer (NSFW) and touch on more of the action that is coming in Call of Duty: WWII, here’s a few insights on two of the missions from the Campaign:

• Hürtgen Forest: An old-growth forest on the German border where Allied forces engage in devastating encounters. In the heat of battle, the German Army uses tree burst bombs that detonate at treetop level, showering soldiers with wooden shrapnel. When your unit is zeroed-in-on by hostile artillery, the forest explodes around you as debris rains down.
• Normandy: From inside a Higgins landing boat, your squad will storm Omaha Beach in a visceral audiovisual experience unlike any D-Day landing experienced in a game to date. You and your fellow soldiers must overcome the enemy defenses to serve as the tip of the spear for the Allied invasion.

Multiplayer
There will be a Multiplayer reveal for Call of Duty: WWII at E3, which will take place in Los Angeles from June 13-15. You won’t want to miss it.

Multiplayer elements coming to Call of Duty: WWII include:

• War: This narrative-driven mode brings a gripping new layer of excitement to Axis vs. Allies team play.
• Divisions: A new approach to Create-a-Class and character customization as you enlist in a division and progress through the ranks.
• Headquarters: A brand-new, social feature for Call of Duty, where you rally and interact with your fellow soldiers.

Call of Duty: WWII will be released on November 3, 2017. Pre-orders at participating retailers include access to the Private Beta, available first on the PlayStation4, scheduled for later this year.

Visit the official Call of Duty website to watch the hour plus long Call of Duty: WWII Worldwide Reveal Pre-show.

Also: FREE map, mode and Survival mission for ALL Players!

The second chapter in DEATHSTORM, a BRAND NEW mini-campaign for Sniper Elite 4, is available to purchase today on PlayStation®4, Xbox One and PC. This exciting addition headlines a glut of new content, including a huge FREE update for all players that delivers a new map, competitive mode and Survival mission.

DEATHSTORM PART 2: INFILTRATION is the second chapter and mission in the new three-part campaign for Sniper Elite 4 for 1-2 players.

Agent Karl Fairburne has recovered the ‘Deathstorm’ package – canisters full of deadly plutonium particles. Now he’s been dispatched to the Fascist-occupied north of Italy to find out what the Nazis are planning for their new weapon. The beautiful medieval town of Niroli, now a regional centre for the Nazi propaganda machine and garrisoned with a strong Italian force, holds the key to Deathstorm. Karl must infiltrate the town, find a prominent Italian scientist and rescue his wife – a crucial Allied informant – before it’s too late.

Set at dusk amidst the winding alleys, yawning rooftops and lofty towers of a venerable walled city, DEATHSTORM PART 2 offers an atmospheric and tactically varied environment packed with deadly opportunity, a new elite enemy unit and an explosive new weapon…

The new Sniper Elite 4 content doesn’t end there; The URBAN ASSAULT EXPANSION PACK also arrives on April 25th packed with 8 urban-themed rifle skins, male and female ghillie characters and 3 iconic new weapons: the Winchester, Sten and Walther PPK.

In addition, Rebellion have released a HUGE FREE UPDATE FOR ALL PLAYERS packed with new content and gameplay tweaks.

A free new map, “Urban”, works across Survival mode and all competitive multiplayer modes, including a returning favourite – Capture the Flag!

Stay tuned for more updates in late Spring and Summer as Sniper Elite 4 continues to deliver fans a compelling flow of free and paid post-launch content.

For more game info head to the Sniper Elite 4 website.

Today is the day Sniper: Ghost Warrior fans around the world have been waiting for. Sniper: Ghost Warrior 3 officially launches today globally on Windows PC, Xbox One, and on PlayStation®4 systems.

Go behind enemy lines to help the resistance and discover what has happened to Jonathan North’s younger brother, Robert. With three sprawling open-world maps set in the country of Georgia, it’s up to the player how he or she would like to approach each mission. Will you snipe from afar, creep in the shadows, or go in guns blazing? Only by perfecting all three tiers will you become a true Sniper Ghost Warrior.

Watch the Launch Trailer HERE.

Sniper: Ghost Warrior 3 tells the story of brotherhood, faith and betrayal in the most complete sniper experience ever. Take the role of an American sniper named Jonathan North, who is dropped into enemy territory in northern Georgia, nearby Russian borders. Explore large open-world maps with dynamic weather and a day and night cycle that actually impacts play and decisions. Customize weapon equipment, accessories, vehicles and a drone, and utilize the three pillars of gameplay to your liking: Sniper, Ghost and Warrior.

To learn more about Sniper: Ghost Warrior 3, visit the games official website.

Source: Jason Schreier @ Kotaku

The next Call of Duty is probably set during World War II, as is evidenced pretty strongly by its title, Call of Duty: WWII. Activision announced the game today, adding that there will be an official “reveal” next Wednesday at 1pm ET.

We’ve known about Call of Duty: WWII since last month, when it was leaked via early marketing materials. This one is developed by Sledgehammer Games, the Activision-owned studio that was last responsible for Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare.