First-Person Shooters

Bohemia Interactive has released the Arma 3 Helicopters DLC – the second premium DLC for Arma 3. Featuring the highly detailed CH-67 Huron and Mi-290 Taru, the DLC adds new helicopters, the Sling Loading showcase scenario, and helicopter Time Trial challenges (watch new trailer).

The CH-67 Huron is a twin-engine, tandem rotor heavy-lift helicopter. Its primary role is the transportation of troops, vehicles and cargo – and is available in both an armed and transport variant. The Mi-290 Taru is a heavy utility helicopter with coaxial rotors and a unique modular construction. Various mission pods enable the Taru to serve many different roles. It can transport cargo, troops, and provide battlefield supplies (ammunition, fuel, repair facilities, and medical equipment). Both helicopters are also capable of sling loading, which is a brand new feature in Arma 3 – and is further demonstrated in the premium Sling Loading showcase scenario. The Helicopters DLC also features four exclusive Time Trials, where helicopter pilots can show off their skills by winning the gold medal.

The Helicopters DLC is supported by a free Arma 3 platform update – released alongside the Helicopters DLC. The 1.34 update includes the brand new Support multiplayer mode, where players need to provide various types of helicopter support – such as troop transport and medevac – in a Sector Control multiplayer scenario. In preparation of the new multiplayer mode, players can enroll in the brand new VR Training helicopter stages, and learn the ropes of rotary flight. In addition, Arma 3 content creators will be happy to learn that a variety of new in-game objects, ranging from landing platforms to military decorations and more, have also been added in the new update.

The Arma 3 platform update also introduces several major new features to Arma 3. For instance, players can now choose to enable the optional RotorLib helicopter flight model, which is an upgraded version of the flight model used in Bohemia Interactive’s Take On Helicopters, and provides an even more authentic helicopter flight experience. Furthermore, the platform update includes the aforementioned new ability to sling load cargo, which places a stronger emphasis on the importance of logistics on the battlefield. Last but certainly not least, the update implements the much-anticipated firing-from-vehicles feature – enabling passengers to engage targets while seated in a vehicle.

“With this DLC, we’ve turned our attention towards enhancing helicopter flight, but there’s much more to it than that alone. With our new features and content, combined arms gameplay in general has benefitted, and the Arma 3 platform is all the better for it!”, said Jay Crowe, Creative Director on Arma 3.

The Arma 3 Helicopters DLC is now available for 12.99 EUR/10.99 GBP/15.99 USD on Steam and Store.bistudio.com. People can save 25% by purchasing the Arma 3 DLC Bundle, which includes the Arma 3 Karts, Arma 3 Helicopters, and the upcoming Arma 3 Marksmen DLC, for 19.99 EUR/16.99 GBP/24.99 USD on Steam and Store.bistudio.com.

For more information about Arma 3 Helicopters, please visit helicopters.arma3.com.

EXO-LLENT

By Brian Albert, IGN

Advanced Warfare has gone to great lengths to reinvigorate Call of Duty. From the unsettling vision of powerful mercenaries run amok in 2054 America, to the cybernetically enhanced abilities, to the touch of a whole new lead development team at Sledgehammer Games, this iteration is the biggest and most successful departure from what’s expected from a Call of Duty game since Modern Warfare brought the series into the 21st century. Advanced Warfare definitely hasn’t discarded the the excellent, fast-paced run-and-gun shooting that made Call of Duty a household name; instead, it’s taken that strength and committed itself completely to the idea that mobility and flexibility are king, making it faster and more focused than any Call of Duty game before it.

Read on…

New Era of Call of Duty Begins, Highly Acclaimed Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare Now Available Worldwide with First Ever Limited Access Day Zero Edition

Starring Academy Award® Winning Actor Kevin Spacey, New Call of Duty Delivers a Stunning Vision of the Future

New Call of Duty Studio Sledgehammer Games Puts its Stamp on the Franchise Starting with Game Changing Exo Movement System

Power changes everything starting today, as Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare Day Zero Edition is now available worldwide. Eager fans lined up at midnight at thousands of retail locations around the globe to get access to the Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare Day Zero Edition, available today. The new title from Activision Publishing, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Activision Blizzard, Inc., marks the first Call of Duty game led by developer Sledgehammer Games and the first time for a three-year development cycle. Advanced Warfare also introduces the exoskeleton – the biggest core movement change in franchise history. With the power of the exo, players can boost jump, dodge, slam and more through a visceral and compelling new story; built from the ground up multiplayer experience; and a brand new cooperative mode for the complete entertainment package that only Call of Duty can deliver.

Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare envisions a powerful future, where both technology and tactics have evolved to create a ripped-from-the-headlines-of-tomorrow story. Kevin Spacey stars as Jonathan Irons – one of the most powerful men in the world – shaping this chilling vision of the future of war. Based on plausible technology and extensive research, the all-new story, conceived by the storytellers at Sledgehammer Games, introduces a world where private military corporations (PMCs) wield more might than national governments, and soldiers fight not for country but for profit; militaries for the highest bidder. These PMCs are outfitted with the latest in combat technology – the exoskeleton – empowering soldiers to overcome enemies with incredible and varied abilities, giving them a whole new way to traverse the battlefield. This is war like never before.

Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare also drops players into an adrenaline-filled multiplayer experience, allowing fans to take the exoskeleton and its array of special abilities online. A first for the franchise, the power of the exoskeleton introduces all-new ways to manoeuvre combat situations on the ground and in the air, alongside an arsenal of futuristic weapon technology that affords players more ways to take opponents on, all while maintaining the signature breakneck Call of Duty multiplayer feel. Fans have more options than ever when customising their multiplayer soldier with the new Create-an-Operator system, featuring gear and appearance personalisation from head to toe. Players and their tailor-made advanced soldiers will benefit from the all-new Supply Drop system, unlocking weapons, gear and cosmetic items through extended play. With 13 included maps out of the box and several new modes, Advanced Warfare is the complete multiplayer package.

Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare also debuts Exo-Survival, a 1-4-player, new cooperative experience. The new mode is a frenetic, cooperative battle to fight off waves of unrelenting exoskeleton-suited enemies in a struggle to stay alive. Players can upgrade their weapons, exo abilities, scorestreaks, perks and more as they try to survive. Communication, teamwork and positioning are crucial components for a successful strategy to handle the Exo-Survival swarm.

In addition to up to 24 hours of early access, the Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare Day Zero Edition also gives players access to two custom in-game weapons, the AK-12G assault rifle and Crossbow-B2, a full day of double XP on 3rd November, and access to the Advanced Arsenal. The Advanced Arsenal consists of an in-game custom Bullet Brass exoskeleton and in-game custom EM1 Quantum weapon.

Also available today, is the Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare Season Pass. The Season Pass lets gamers access four Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare DLC Map Packs to be released in 2015 at a bundled discount. With Season Pass, gamers get instant access to the Atlas Gorge Bonus Multiplayer Map, a re-envisioning of the fan favourite Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare map. Pipeline. The DLC Map Packs will be available on the Xbox Live online entertainment network from Microsoft first and pricing and release dates may vary by platform.

For the latest intel, check out: www.callofduty.com.

Source: Blue’s News

This “Discover Your Power” video promotes Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare with some live-action, because it is apparently difficulty to get Hollywood directors like Peter Berg to work with video game characters, who do not take kindly to feedback. Word is: “Suit up and unleash the raw power of the advanced soldier in the live action trailer for Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare. Directed by Peter Berg and starring Taylor Kitsch and Emily Ratajkowski, fight your way through a series of enemy forces and discover new movements, capabilities and weaponry along the way in this heart-racing journey through 2059 Lagos.”

Independent developer Rebellion has announced the launch of a completely FREE new singleplayer mode for Sniper Elite 3 called the “Shooting Range”. Testing the skills of even the sharpest marksmen, the Shooting Range offers four sharpshooter challenges and new achievements across dedicated rifle, SMG and pistol ranges.

The Shooting Range also enables any player to plan their perfect loadout for the campaign and multiplayer modes by enabling them to test the game’s complete collection of over 30 weapons, including all firearms developed and released as DLC since launch.

This week you can get 33% OFF individual Sniper Elite 3 weapon packs on Steam or save a massive 50% with the Weapons Pass on the Rebellion Gamestore, gaining instant access to 24 new weapons! Upgrade your arsenal to a new level today to become the ultimate sniper! Sale ends November 5th.

EA announces a release window for the next game in the Battlefield series.

Source: GameSpot

The Battlefield game that follows Battlefield Hardline won’t be released until the last quarter of 2016, roughly two years from now, Electronic Arts announced today.

During a conference call with EA investors today, CEO Andrew Wilson revealed the release window for whatever the next Battlefield game might be–Battlefield 5 or otherwise. “Battlefield 4 continues to add new players and engage existing fans a year after launch,” Wilson said. “As a result of the extended services and content updates that we provide, it’s clear that players want to experience the games we’re delivering for longer periods of time. Looking into next year, we will ensure that our players have enough time between releases to fully explore the depth and innovation in our shooter titles.”

With Hardline now confirmed to be launching in March, we won’t see another Battlefield game pushed out just six or seven months later, as some fans worried. “Following this launch, our next Battlefield experience is planned planned for launch in Q3 FY17,” Wilson said, referencing the period that spans October-December 2016. “We want to give Battlefield 4 and Battlefield Hardline players more time to enjoy these games and immerse themselves in a game, the live service, and the community.”

Hardline was expected out this month before being delayed until early 2015. EA has said previously that it doesn’t want to annualize the series, similar to what Activision has done with Call of Duty.

This announced timeline for the next Battlefield would put about a year and a half between Battlefield releases (BF4 in October 2013, Hardline in March 2015, and the next game in late 2016), but would mean that new Battlefield games debuted in consecutive years.

Source: CVG

Activision has released a new Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare Season Pass video detailing what players will get for paying up-front for additional DLC content.

The Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare Season Pass will cost $50 and will grant buyers access to four DLC packs planned for release throughout 2015 – Havoc, Ascendance, Supremacy, and Reckoning – each one containing new multiplayer content, typically including maps and modes.

Season Pass holders will also get early access DLC weapons, and will get an additional DLC multiplayer map on launch day. Called Atlas Gorge, the map is an enhanced remake of Call of Duty 4′s Pipeline map, and the focus of the above video.

The $50 Season Pass will represent a $10 discount on buying the expansions separately at $15 each. The first DLC expansion, Havoc, is set to drop in January.

Activision recently announced that customers who purchase Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare digitally on Xbox 360 or PS3 will be able to download the new-gen version within the same console family for free.

The Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare release date is November 4 on Xbox 360, Xbox One, PS3, PS4 and PC.

Electronic Arts has announced that Battlefield Hardline, a Battlefield title in the works at Visceral Games, is scheduled to be available on March 17 in North America, March 19 in Europe and March 20th 2015 in the UK.

In a crime drama filled single player story, Miami is embroiled in a drug war and Officer Nick Mendoza has just made Detective. Alongside his partner, veteran detective Khai Minh Dao, he follows the drug supply chain from the streets to the source. In a series of increasingly off-the-books cases the two detectives come to realise that power and corruption can affect both sides of the law.

In multiplayer, the world is simple. You’re on one side of the law or the other – a baton or bat, stun gun or rifle, armoured police truck or powerful muscle cars. But either way, teamwork is going to be essential if you’re going to want to pull off that perfect heist or big time bust in this new take on Battlefield multiplayer.

Battlefield Hardline will be available for the PlayStation®4 computer entertainment system, Xbox One®, the all-in-one games and entertainment system from Microsoft, PC via Origin™, the PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system, and the Xbox 360® videogame and entertainment system from Microsoft.

Get more game information at the official Battlefield Hardline website.

Steam has updated the Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare product page confirming the PC system requirements for the game.

MINIMUM:

• OS: Windows 7 64-Bit / Windows 8 64-Bit / Windows 8.1 64-Bit
• Processor: Intel® CoreTM i3-530 @ 2.93 GHz / AMD PhenomTM II X4 810 @ 2.60 GHz or better
• Memory: 6 GB RAM
• Graphics: NVIDIA® GeForce® GTS 450 @ 1GB / ATI® Radeon™ HD 5870 @ 1GB or better
• DirectX: Version 11
• Network: Broadband Internet connection
• Hard Drive: 55 GB available space
• Sound Card: DirectX-compatible
• Additional Notes: Field of View ranges from 65°-90°

RECOMMENDED:

• OS: Windows 7 64-Bit / Windows 8 64-Bit / Windows 8.1 64-Bit
• Processor: Intel Core i5-2500K @ 3.30GHz
• Memory: 8 GB RAM
• Graphics: NVIDIA® GeForce® GTX 760 @ 4GB
• DirectX: Version 11
• Network: Broadband Internet connection
• Hard Drive: 55 GB available space
• Sound Card: 100% DirectX 9.0c Compatible 16-bit
• Additional Notes: Field of View ranges from 65°-90°

In support of the Make Arma Not War contest, Arma 3 will be available to play for free this weekend on Steam (October 23rd – 27th), and can be purchased with a massive 50% discount. By logging in to www.makearma.com/entries with their Steam account during this free weekend, people will also be able to vote for their favorite Singleplayer entries in the €500,000 Make Arma Not War contest.

More information about the contest, the rules, prizes, and categories is available on www.makearma.com.