If there’s one thing the last year living through a global pandemic and lock down conditions has taught us all it’s that we need to switch off from the world and look after our own state of mind more often than we probably were before. But what has that got to do with golf and video games? Playtonic Friends has partnered with Okidokico, creators of the chart topping OK Golf, to announce the third title under its new publishing label which sets out to answer that very question.
A Little Golf Journey is a relaxed, playful experience built around a stripped back version of the game of golf where it’s all about the journey, not the driver. Explore diverse destinations, uncover each course’s secrets and tee off on the most relaxing round you’ve ever experienced.
“With our previous title, OK Golf, we received so much feedback from players about how relaxing they found the experience but we really thought we could take that side of it further and that’s where the core ideas for A Little Golf Journey came from.” commented Charlie Goatly, Co-Founder at Okidokico “We’ve removed all those stressful elements of a traditional round of golf and replaced them with beautiful imagery, a soothing soundtrack and a narrative adventure layer for those who want to seek it out. For us, it was all about creating a game we could truly escape into and get away from the pressures of daily life”
Gavin Price, CEO of Playtonic, added “After a year of nothing but home schooling, video calls and hardly leaving the house, the idea of not a round of golf instantly grabbed the Playtonic Friends team and we knew we wanted to help the guys at Okidokico make their next vision a reality. A Little Golf Journey is the anti Souls-like; there’s no pressure or frustration, just a pure, relaxed experience which is as deep as the player wants it to be.”
A Little Golf Journey will be launching on Steam for PC and Nintendo Switch later this Summer – join in the conversation on the official channels.
With the original Youtubers Life smashing through sales of more than 1.4 million units across the world, Raiser Games is today excited to announce it’s once again working with UPLAY Online.
The two parties will bring the world of content creator kings and queens to the hands of their legions of fans in Youtubers Life 2.
Almost five years has passed since the original game first made waves, with the world of streamers and content creators having shifted radically within that time. With new names and new opportunities coming to the fore on an almost weekly basis, Youtubers Life 2 is set to offer a revised, more contemporary look into the life of this burgeoning profession’s biggest stars, launching on PC, PlayStation, Xbox, and Nintendo Switch.
Building on the foundations laid in the original game, Youtubers Life 2 is being designed to simulate all areas of a content creator’s rise, including:
More content options for Youtube videos, including reviews, gameplays, speedruns, unboxings, interviews, and more.
Subscriber and video statistics that directly react to a broadening of a creator’s content.
A new mechanic called “Trends”, which fluctuates daily and affects your popularity as a YouTuber.
More personalization options for your character, and a fully customizable and expandable home.
Scores of new and expansive features to be announced in the coming months.
Deeper relationships with NPCs, including additional questlines.
It’s an offering that, according to Quim Garrigós – Project Director & Co-Founder at UPLAY Online, will directly reflect the changing nature of being a content creator in 2021.
“The original Youtubers Life has been such a big success and continues to be to this day, but the kinds of things content creators are both doing and achieving now is monumentally different to the world we first looked to simulate back in 2016,” continues Garrigós. “We wanted that original premise to grow with the content creators themselves, which is why we’ve been working on expanding our offering significantly with Youtubers Life 2. There’s nobody else, operating in this space, nobody else simulating Youtubers either big or small, so we’re proud to stand as the go-to game for gamers looking to live out their content creating dreams.”
For Raiser Games, the potential for the IP to continue to expand its reach as the content creator sector similarly grows at a pace meant working with UPLAY Online again was a no-brainer.
“The original game enjoyed the exact same kind of virality the best content creators amass every day,” adds Sergio de Benito, Marketing Director at Raiser Games. “In all, Youtubers Life videos have passed the 350,000 mark, generating more than 500 million views for more than 50,000 content creators. We think UPLAY Online’s plans for Youtubers Life 2 will enable the franchise to cement its position as the ultimate content creator simulator.”
Many industries have suffered and struggled last year because of the pandemic. However, it’s a different story for the gaming industry. Somehow, the on-going health crisis has boosted the growth of the gaming market including esports.
Lockdowns had to be implemented last year, and this forced people to stay at home and find indoor activities to be busy with. Many resorted to gaming including playing real money casino games. The best UK online casinos have reported a spike in their traffics when lockdowns have started.
Why People Resorted to Gaming
Well, to some, the pandemic happening in the modern age is still quite a blessing because it’s simply hard to stay at home if there isn’t much to do. Thanks to technology and the internet, people have plenty of things to get busy with when they weren’t allowed to go out.
Online gaming was an easy solution or answer to many who have felt boredom at home. It’s not just because they get to play any games with their computers or mobile devices. Gaming has become a social platform as well.
Through online games, people get to interact with their friends, families, or even strangers. Gone are the days when gaming has been thought to be an isolating activity. Even online casinos have the option for their players to enjoy a live dealer game and chat with other online players worldwide.
Mobile Gaming
Gaming today is also no longer an expensive hobby or activity. At least it doesn’t need to be expensive anymore. While there are still people who prefer to play with gaming consoles like PlayStation and Xbox, mobile gaming is quickly dominating the gaming market.
It’s easy to understand why mobile gaming is growing fast. People would just really rather spend money on a smartphone device rather than a computer or a gaming console. Smartphones today are becoming more and more powerful than it’s no longer just used to communicate with others. It has become a great source of entertainment for many. Some even need their smartphones to ensure productivity.
Gambling companies are also quick to adapt to the latest trends. Since the mobile market is growing, casinos are also shifting their focus this way. There are now plenty of gambling apps that people can download. Even Google is already starting to embrace this activity somehow. Recently, Google has allowed gambling apps to be on Play Store in 15 more countries.
Cloud Gaming
Technological advancements have also allowed gaming to be cheaper. Mobile gamers can now play with their friends who use gaming consoles and computers too. Cloud gaming is also becoming quickly popular.
Even before the pandemic, cloud gaming was already getting a lot of attention. Cloud gaming allows people to play video games on different devices. It uses remote servers in data centers which means that players no longer have to download or install a game to their device.
It somehow works like video streaming platforms (Netflix, YouTube, Hulu, etc.). Players stream the game that they’d like to play and their controls are then passed on to the server where the game is installed. This is why a fast internet connection is important here.
As the 5G internet connection becomes more available worldwide, cloud gaming services will likely be more in demand. This is a great solution to cut the costs of gaming. People will no longer have to spend money on the latest gaming consoles.
E-Sports
The pandemic has also boosted the e-sports sector. Last year, most of the major sports leagues were forced to cancel or delay their events. The English Premier League, the NBA, and the IPL all had to be rescheduled and because of that, there weren’t a lot of sports events for people to look forward to.
With this, sportsbooks had to find other ways to stay in business, and many of them have shifted their focus to other events like e-sports tournaments. E-sports is also taken more seriously nowadays. People have seen how big prize pools are and how pro players would take their games seriously. Even if professional sports events are back, likely, people who have discovered e-sports last year will still be interested in it this year.
Conclusion
The pandemic is not yet over but governments are becoming less strict when it comes to the implementation of the COVID 19 protocols. Still, 2021 and the next few years are expected to be good for the gaming industry. This year, more games will be released. PS5 took the gaming industry by storm despite a health crisis and Xbox also released Series X last year. This year will be another great one for the gamers out there.
Online card game platform Solitaired is upping the ante with its new and exquisitely designed trivia decks. Players around the world can discover fun facts about some of history’s most fascinating figures here with Genshin Accounts for sale
The browser-based site offers more than 500 classic solitaire games, making them the perfect opportunity to educate and entertain yourself during COVID-19-enforced lockdowns. Enjoy the likes of card-based classics such as Solitaire, FreeCell, and Spider, all with an educational spin.
Created in collaboration with partners like Encyclopedia Britannica, the Jeopardy-winning biographers of Who2, and MIT’s Lemelson program, the educational deck designs have been created to add an additional flare to the hugely popular card games. For those who enjoy a mental workout beyond cards, exploring free online crossword games can be a great way to challenge your mind while staying entertained.
Created in collaboration with partners like Encyclopedia Britannica, the Jeopardy-winning biographers of Who2, and MIT’s Lemelson program, the educational deck designs have been created to add an additional flare to the hugely popular card games.
Solitaired founders, Neal Taparia and Darshan Somashekar previously created and sold EasyBib, an education software company that reached 30 million students annually, and looked at how games could be used to teach.
Somashekar said, “Solitaire continues to be one of the most popular games played. Millions of people play it every day as a fun way to take a break. Instead of just traditional cards, we saw an opportunity to shake things up and tell a story around fascinating figures. Now, when millions of people play this classic game, not only will they have fun, they’ll learn about individuals who’ve made a difference too.”
Play Solitaired in your browser, at solitaired.com, or download the free app on Android
Team17 and Ghost Town Games have today announced that Overcooked! All You Can Eat will be coming to Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Steam, and Xbox One on 23rd March. First launched on Xbox Series X|S and PlayStation5 in 2020, Overcooked! All You Can Eat plates up all 200 + levels from both games, including all DLC, seven new levels, and a brand-new assist mode, fully remade in up to 4K, and running at a smooth 60fps (30 frames per second on Nintendo Switch). Cross-platform multiplayer will also be made available for chefs playing on all platforms in a free post-launch update.
Not only do players get three new and exclusive chefs, they can also choose from the entire back catalogue of over 80 calamitous chefs, each enjoying at least one brand-new alternate skin variant. For a limited time only, The Muppet’s Swedish Chef is available to download for free for all Overcooked! All You Can Eat players.
Overcooked! All You Can Eat also includes new accessibility options and an assist mode, which adds the option to increase level times; boost scores awarded for each meal; lengthen recipe times, and the ability to turn off order expiration. The accessibility options include colour-blind friendly chef indicators, a scalable user interface and the ability to enable dyslexia friendly text.
Overcooked! All You Can Eat Key Features:
Every mouthful: Includes every piece of Overcooked! and Overcooked! 2 content, remastered and available in 60 frames per second in up to 4K resolution
Multiple multiplayer courses: Levels originally from Overcooked! are playable with online multiplayer support for the very first time, with every Overcooked! All You Can Eat kitchen also featuring cross-play functionality in a post-launch update
Exclusive new kitchens & cooks: New levels, new chefs, and additional skins for every single chef – all exclusive to Overcooked! All You Can Eat
Trophies/Achievements: Brand new trophy and achievement sets for players to unlock
Cooking for all: Accessibility options and a new assist mode opens the game to more players than ever before
Overcooked! All You Can Eat will be available digitally on all platforms for £30/$40/€40 and will also be launching physically on Nintendo Switch and PlayStation 4 on the 23rd March.
SNK CORPORATION has announced today that THE KING OF FIGHTERS 2002 UNLIMITED MATCH (KOF 2002 UM) is now available to download on PlayStation®4 for £11.99/€14.99. A physical edition will arrive this spring. As the fully tuned up 2009 sequel to the critically acclaimed KOF 2002, KOF 2002 UM includes a bevy of new features on PlayStation®4, including a larger roster of 66 playable characters, a graphical overhaul, and redesigned abilities. The game’s online functionality is much smoother this time around thanks to the addition of rollback netcode.
Witness the unlimited matches that await with today’s launch trailer:
ONLINE FEATURES GALORE
◆ ROLLBACK NETCODE
KOF 2002 UM features updated rollback netcode that greatly reduces online lag during matches. Players are able to tweak settings in order to improve their online experiences.
◆ QOL ONLINE VERSUS FEATURES
KOF 2002 UM includes online features that allow players to study their matches and learn from their mistakes. These include the ability to rewatch one’s 10 most recent online matches, options that enable win/loss counters, and cooldowns to prevent rematching after a quick bout.
◆ 2 UNIQUE ONLINE MODES
Choose between “Rank Match,” where battle results are shared and ranked online, and “Player Match,” where fans can set their own versus battle settings. Fight to become the true King of Players on the international stage! The world is yours!
KOF 2002 IS FULLY TUNED UP!
◆ IMPRESSIVE ROSTER OF 66 PLAYABLE CHARACTERS!
In addition to the original cast of KOF 2002, a host of returning characters from previous instalments of “THE NESTS CHRONICLES,” hidden characters, and an exclusive character called “NAMELESS” join the tournament for the largest character roster in KOF history.
◆ REARRANGED GRAPHICS AND BGM
Every demo screen, cutscene, and winning screen has been completely overhauled. Furthermore, the game’s soundtrack has been remastered for even more intense matches.
◆ NUMEROUS NEW AND OLD MOVES ADDED
Along with the new moves and special moves specially created for this title, plenty of old moves return in KOF 2002 UM. Moreover, the game’s mechanics and characters’ abilities have been redesigned.
◆ LARGE UPGRADE OF MAX MODE AND MAX2
All the Desperation Moves in KOF 2002 UM can now be cancelled anytime via the “MAX Mode” system. The “MAX 2” ultimate moves are even more flashy and easier to use.
Following on from the success of the X2 Type C Mobile Game Controller which was designed to give users an outstanding cloud gaming experience, GameSir has updated the X2 to give bring this innovative mobile gaming experience to everyone.
Now equipped with Bluetooth, the X2 Bluetooth version supports both iOS and Android devices and is compatible with Apple Arcade.
Like its predecessor, the X2 Bluetooth version is designed to provide a full array of controls and minimise lag to ensure a maximum gaming experience. With smartphones getting bigger and more powerful to ensure they can handle the ever increasing complex games played on them, the X2 Bluetooth version will keep you ahead of your competitors no matter what phone you choose to use.
Compatible with both Android and iOS, the X2 Bluetooth version features a split design that includes a joystick on both the left and the right sides and ABXY buttons. The buttons come with a lifespan of up to 3 million presses so you needn’t worry about wearing them out! The simple design will expand to securely hold phones measuring up to 173mm, and the soft rubber grips will ensure a comfortable hold throughout your gaming session.
Have you ever had a moment in game when you wished you had the option of getting a record of a particularly good move? Thanks to the added screenshot button you now have the chance to take quick snapshot of your best on screen gaming moments.
The GameSir X2 Bluetooth version – bringing simply outstanding cloud gaming experience to devices. The X2 Bluetooth version is available at $59.99 / £69.99. For more information, please see https://www.gamesir.hk
‘Reset Earth’ is an innovative educational platform for adolescents about the fundamental role of the ozone layer in protecting the planet. The project launches on World Education Day (January 24th) with a virtual world premiere of the original animation film that explores options for collective positive action here. The film’s plot continues in a challenging mobile game for Android and IOS (February 10th). The platform is initiated by United Nations Ozone Secretariat to sustain the protection of the ozone layer through the sensitisation and engagement of Gen Z.
Ozone-depleting substances (ODSs) like chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), and hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs) have been widely used throughout the 20th century, mostly for refrigeration, in air conditioners and aerosol sprays. ODSs threaten the earth’s upper atmosphere, drive up temperatures and account for close to 11 per cent of total warming emissions to date. Since the 1980s, the international community has acted to protect the ozone layer by banning or strictly restricting the use and production of such super greenhouse effect gases. Consequently, the Antarctic ozone is expected to close by the 2060s (without action, it might have been 40 per cent larger by now) and other regions will return to 1980s values even earlier.
Meg Seki, Acting Executive Secretary of the Ozone Secretariat, said, “The protection of the ozone layer cannot be considered a done deal. It must be a continuous effort by us and by future generations. If our children learn about the grim consequences of a ruined ozone layer through a fantasy cartoon and game app, they will be aware of its importance and protect it.”
Reset Earth begins a year-long education initiative by the Secretariat to raise awareness and inspire action among adolescents and parents about global ozone protection. Immersive, educational and thought-provoking, Reset Earth conveys a positive message around what can be achieved through collective action and cultivates a sense of environmental responsibility and ownership amongst the youth.
The Reset Earth animation film is set in a dystopian post-apocalyptic world in 2084, where the ozone layer has been completely ruined and human life is under threat from an unstoppable virus called “The Grow”. It is the story of three teenagers who team up in an epic time-travel adventure to save the planet and what’s left of human life. Their mission is to find out what caused the “The Grow”. They travel back to critical historical moments in the story of the mysterious ‘ozone layer”, essential to stopping the virus, and learning as they go about the fundamental role it plays in protecting the health wellbeing of the planet. To save the ozone layer, they must jump back in time to ensure the signing of the Montreal Protocol agreement.
The Reset Earth mobile game is a single player platform game, combining a retro graphics style and hand-drawn artwork and aligned with the film’s storyline. Players – whether adolescent gamers or their parents – switch between characters and utilise their unique abilities throughout four levels of the game. Through unlocking puzzles, players learn about environmental history and the science of protecting the planet.
Outplay Entertainment, the largest independent mobile game developer in the UK, is releasing the match-two puzzle game Gordon Ramsay’s Chef Blast (Chef Blast) globally for iOS and Android devices. Created in close collaboration with Ramsay and Chinese co-development partner, iDreamSky, and inspired by the “Culinary Genius” television show, Chef Blast takes the sights, sounds, and joy of cooking and dishes them up in a fun, fresh, and accessible casual puzzle game. As players jostle their way to the top of the leader board, they are cheered on in ways that only Ramsay could as they try to unlock exclusive recipes created by him.
“When the team at Outplay told me the idea behind Chef Blast, I was immediately sold on it,” said Gordon Ramsay. “I can’t wait to turn up the heat on everyone and see how they do.”
Chef Blast challenges players in fun and innovative ways as a cartoon version of Chef Gordon Ramsay offers encouragement or the occasional virtual kick in the backside. By completing challenges, players are able to unlock some of the chef’s favourite recipes as well as new exclusives that have never been available online or in any of his top-selling cookbooks.
Additional Chef Blast features include:
CHEF RAMSAY – Fun animations and hundreds of lines of voice-over from the Chef himself provide an authentic Ramsay experience every step of the way.
BEEFY BOOSTERS – Players can use the satisfying kitchen Hammer, Peeler, Knife, or Whisk to help slice and dice their way to success.
RECIPE BOOK – With new recipes unlocking every two weeks, players have the opportunity to win and keep them within their very own Recipe Book.
GENIUS LEAGUE – Top players can compete in the exclusive Culinary Genius™ tournament to earn trophies and rewards.
“It’s been an absolute thrill and a once-in-a-lifetime experience for the entire team at Outplay getting to work with Chef Ramsay on Chef Blast,” said Outplay Entertainment Co-Founder and President Richard Hare. “I’m incredibly proud of what everyone has accomplished in bringing Chef Blast to players worldwide, especially during this chaotic time, and we can’t wait for players to get their chance to experience it for themselves.”
Gordon Ramsay’s Chef Blast is now available worldwide on the Apple App Store and Google Play. For more information on Outplay Entertainment and Chef Blast, follow the organization via its official websitehere, and onTwitter andFacebook.
