During our conversation, I ask Kick (Stephen Kick - CEO of Night Dive Studios) if he ever sees himself tiring of this line of work. After all, he entered the games industry as an artist, but now spends most of his days managing staff and talking with rights holders. He responds by noting that every day is different, and insists he’s in it for the long haul.
Still, Night Dive’s business is starting to change. With most of its current catalog, Night Dive merely licenses the rights for a rerelease, and splits the sales revenue with the rights holder. Night Dive is becoming more interested in acquiring rights in their entirety, as this gives the company much more flexibility.
One example: Night Dive is developing a full remake of the original System Shock, going well beyond the basic rerelease that launched a couple months ago. Night Dive has acquired the full rights to the franchise, and Kick says he’s been working with Robert Waters, the game's original concept artist, to reimagine his designs from the early 1990s.
"Seeing the difference between his artistic abilities back then compared to now, and his ablity to reinterpret those ideas, it's just been really exciting for us," Kick says.
Part of the plan for this remake also includes a console version, which would be a first for Night Dive. Kuperman believes much of the company's future growth will come from creating console adaptations for more PC games, along with some ports for mobile devices.
'Game of Thrones: A Telltale Games Series' Season Finale Trailer Looks Back at Players' Choices in the Saga
Based on the award-winning HBO television drama series, Game of Thrones: A Telltale Games Series tells the story of House Forrester. Caught up in the fight for the Iron Throne, they are placed in a precarious position where members of the household must do everything they can to prevent the house from meeting its doom.
The final of six episodes in the season, 'The Ice Dragon' will be available starting Tuesday, November 17th on PC/Mac from the Telltale Online Store, Steam, and other digital distribution services, the PlayStation Network for PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 3 in North America (SCEA) and Europe (SCEE), the Xbox Games Store for Xbox One and Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, and on compatible iOS and Android-based devices. This marks the first time in Telltale's release history that a finale will be available to download simultaneously across all console, PC/Mac and mobile platforms, day and date, worldwide.
The season will also debut on disc at retailers in North America beginning November 17th on PlayStation 4, PlayStation 3, Xbox One, and Xbox 360 for the suggested retail price of $29.99 USD or equivalent; and beginning November 20th in Europe on these consoles as well as for PC.
Your story is about to come to an epic conclusion. With House Whitehill tightening its grip on Ironrath at the behest of Ramsay Bolton, the remaining Forresters must give their all to save the family, whether through diplomacy, subterfuge, or violent force. In the frozen wilds beyond The Wall, Gared learns the secrets of the mysterious North Grove, and Mira discovers that political games in a King's Landing controlled by Cersei Lannister often involve the highest stakes of all.
What is the fate of House Forrester? When you play the Game of Thrones, you win or you die. Your choices, your story: you decide.
The game series is based on the world, characters and events seen in HBO's TV show, which in turn is based on George R. R. Martin's books (A Song of Ice and Fire). The events in the game series begin towards the end of Season Three of the series, and end right before the beginning of Season Five. Players will visit familiar locations such as King's Landing and The Wall, as well as unfamiliar locations such as Ironrath, the home of House Forrester.
The game is played from five different points of view. Each is a member of House Forrester; either a direct family member, or a person in service to the House. Scattered across Westeros and Essos, each will play their part in seeking to save House Forrester from destruction.
For more information on Telltale Games, visit the official website, Facebook for Game of Thrones: A Telltale Games Series, and follow Telltale Games on twitter @TelltaleGames.
Funcom to Launch 'The Park' on PlayStation 4 and Xbox One
Funcom is excited to announce that 'The Park', the company's brand new single-player psychological horror experience, will be unleashing its scares on PlayStation 4 and on Xbox One consoles via the ID@Xbox self-publishing program in Q1 2016. After a successful launch for Windows PC during Halloween this year, Funcom is looking forward to once again opening the gates to its horror theme park in what will be the company's first console release in almost ten years.
"Encouraged by the positive reactions we have received on the Windows PC version, we are very excited about bringing it to consoles," says Funcom CEO Rui Casais. "Exploring a dark, sinister and frankly terrifying location from the comfort of your sofa, with the lights turned off and controller in hand, is sure to be a very rewarding experience."
Offering up a psychological horror story set in a unique and unusual setting, 'The Park' generated a lot of attention when it premiered during Halloween this year. It quickly became a favorite among streamers, and a quick YouTube search revealed more than seven million views on various Let's Play videos during the first week following release. Among the extensive media coverage, UK newspaper The Telegraph included it in its list of 'Five Modern Horror Games You Must Play This Halloween'.
In 'The Park' players step into the shoes of Lorraine, a mother whose son goes missing at the Atlantic Island Park. Here players must explore the dilapidated amusement park and face panic and paranoia as they progress unravel Lorraine's story and the history of the park itself. The Windows PC version is currently available on Steam, Humble Store, Green Man Gaming and GamersGate. The game is one to two hours long and focuses entirely on exploration and storytelling.
For more information about 'The Park', please visit the official website at theparkgame.com.
Rocket League Welcomes the Apocalypse With New "Chaos Run" DLC
This is the way the world ends; not with a bang, but a RIPPER!
Independent video game developer and publisher, Psyonix, announced today that Rocket League, the popular sports-action phenomenon enjoyed by more than 8 million players worldwide, is breaking its own rules and going off-road with its new "Chaos Run" DLC.
Thematically inspired by films and literature set in grim, post-apocalyptic futures, Chaos Run brings those happy-go-lucky scenarios to Rocket League's universe with two brand new Battle-Cars (Ripper and Grog), 12 new Decals (six for each new vehicle), and several new Paint Types, Wheels, Rocket Trails, Toppers, and Antennas.
"Chaos Run" will be available this December on both the PlayStation™Network and Steam PC for $3.99 USD or its regional equivalent.
But that's not all. In addition to its paid downloadable content, Psyonix will also release a FREE new arena, dubbed "Wasteland." Based on a popular map of the same name found in the original Supersonic Acrobatic Rocket-Powered Battle-Cars, Wasteland is the first "non-standard" Rocket League stadium to hit the game - boasting a completely-sloped perimeter, entirely different Boost placements, and a much more prominent, physically-wider pitch.
The New Rocket League Chaos Run DLC Includes
• 2 New Battle-Cars, Ripper and Grog
• 12 New Decals (six for each new Battle-Car)
• 2 New Paint Types (Camo and Sun-Damaged)
• 2 New Wheels (Ripper and Grog)
• 2 New Rocket Trails (Sandstorm, Nuts and Bolts)
• 3 New Toppers (Boombox, Cow Skull, Mohawk)
• 3 New Antennas (Bomb Pole, Radioactive, Retro Ball – Wasteland)
• 5 New Trophies (PS4) and Achievements (Steam)
Rocket League is one of the most critically-acclaimed games of the summer, boasting a community that is already more than 8 million players strong. Available digitally on the PlayStation 4 computer entertainment system via PlayStation Network and on PC via Steam, Rocket League brings gamers a high-powered hybrid of arcade-style soccer and vehicular mayhem.
Offering easy-to-understand controls and fluid physics-driven competition for 1-8 players, Rocket League boasts more than 10 billion possible garage customizations, giving players the opportunity to distinguish their Battle-Cars in either local or online play, while showing them off in a broadcast-quality replay viewer that perfectly complements the video-editing capabilities of PlayStation SHAREfactory.
To learn more about Rocket League, please visit RocketLeagueGame.com, "Like" it on Facebook, and follow it on Twitter @RocketLeague for all the latest developer updates and news.
'Minecraft: Story Mode - A Telltale Games Series' Episode 3 - The Last Place You Look
Today we can share the trailer and release date for 'The Last Place You Look,' the third of five episodes in Minecraft: Story Mode: A Telltale Games Series.
The episode will be available digitally worldwide starting Tuesday, November 24th on PC and Mac from the Telltale Online Store, Steam, and other digital distribution services, on the PlayStation Network for PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 3, on the Xbox Games Store for Xbox One and Xbox 360, for compatible iOS devices via the App Store, and for compatible Android-based devices via Google Play and the Amazon Appstore. The episode will also be available the same day for season pass disc owners via online update.
In Minecraft: Story Mode, playing as either a male or female hero named 'Jesse,' you'll embark on a perilous adventure across the Overworld, through the Nether, to the End, and beyond. You and your friends revere the legendary Order of the Stone: Warrior, Redstone Engineer, Griefer, and Architect; slayers of the Ender Dragon. While at EnderCon in hopes of meeting Gabriel the Warrior, Jesse's friends discover that something is wrong... something dreadful. Terror is unleashed, and you must set out on a quest to find The Order of the Stone if you are to save your world from oblivion.
In Episode 3, trapped and running out of time, Jesse and crew must discover a means to locate Soren, the final member of the Order of the Stone. They'll see sights and wonders beyond belief, including the horrors lurking beneath the starless sky of The End. Only Soren's knowledge can help push back the all-consuming Witherstorm, but will it be enough to save the world?
The season features Patton Oswalt as male Jesse, Catherine Taber as female Jesse, Brian Posehn, Ashley Johnson, Scott Porter, Martha Plimpton, Dave Fennoy, Corey Feldman, Billy West, John Hodgman, and Paul Reubens.
For more information on Telltale Games, visit the official website, Facebook, and follow @TelltaleGames on Twitter .
Take a Peek into Stories: The Path of Destinies with a New Trailer
Spearhead Games has released a new trailer for Stories: The Path of Destinies, an action RPG about a sword-wielding fox who’s gotten himself into a bit of trouble. Reynardo reluctantly joined a losing battle against the mad Emperor and he quickly became the rebellion’s last hope. Can he come up with a plan that won’t blow up in his face, for a change?
In Stories, each choice you make takes Reynardo into a unique narrative. From tongue-in-cheek takes on heroic adventures to dark, Lovecraftian scenes, Stories’ repertoire is as diverse as it is action-packed. But Reynardo’s fateful decisions won’t always be easy: Sometimes retrieving a weapon lost at the beginning of time means sacrificing the life of an old friend.
If he has any hope to save the realm, Reynardo must journey across Boreas, a world of floating islands with locales ranging from half-buried desert ruins to vertiginous, ice-topped mountains. And with the Emperor’s troops intent on stopping him at every turn, Reynardo is sure to make use of his Sword Fu technique, a fluid, offense-oriented combat style that players can customize to suit their preferences.
With more than a few ways to screw up, can Reynardo choose the path that will lead him to victory?