Assassin’s Creed 4: Black Flag Collector’s Edition Blow Out

Ubisoft has rolled out some of the collector’s editions for Assassin’s Creed 4: Black Flag, and they’re highlighted by the Uplay exclusive Black Chest Edition. This combo has a 55 cm diorama of Captain Edward Kenway on the Jackdaw’s bow, an exclusive steelbook case, an artbook, official soundtrack, two lithographs in a protective envelope, two canvas prints, a collector’s box, “pirate booty” in the form of a parchment world map and a original Black Flag replica along with all release DLC.

There will also be a Buccaneer Edition coming to Game in the U.K. and Gamestop in Ireland with has a slightly different Edward Kenway figurine, this time on the Jackdaw’s Crow’s Nest and has everything else in the Black Chest Edition but the steelbook case, canvas prints, and “pirate booty” but does have its own custom collector’s box. The Skull Edition will have the same contents as the Buccaneer Edition, lacking the Edward Kenway figurine and coming in a jumbo steelbook case.

Finally, there’s the Special Edition (exclusive to Game in the U.K. and Xtravision in Ireland) that will be a pre-order exclusive including unlockable in-game content only available at game launch.

 

Disney Dragons Meet Game Of Thrones

The sure sign that you’ve struck a chord with popular culture is when you’re fans find clever ways to mix up your characters with other famous elements of popular culture. Take, for instance, this Disney rendering of Daenerys Targryen from Game of Thrones.

For those keeping score, the three dragons perched around Daenerys are Maleficent from Sleeping Beauty, Elliot from Pete’s Dragon  and Figment from the Epcot theme park. The rendering of the khaleesi seems particularly apt, since actress Emilia Clarke has unusually large eyes in real life.

Source: Dorkly.com

HD Voice Coming To AT&T

AT&T will be implementing HD Voice’s improved voice calling to customers later this year. This feature uses hardware and software components on both the phone and on the network to enhance voice clarity and reduce background noise, devoting more frequency to handle the amount of audio coming in and automatically kicking in when both handsets support it.

Senior VP Kris Rinne said that the carrier’s support for the technology would begin later in 2013 as it begins routing voice calls over its LTE network. “HD Voice is part of our voice over LTE strategy,” she said.

Source: AllThingsD

Epic Camry Ad Collage

Nate Walsh, ad copywriter, is looking to leave St. Louis and move out to California, so he’s looking to sell his 1999 Toyota Camry. He could have just put up a regular car ad — instead, he made up a collage in the style of a drunken, profane second grader… and the results are magical.

Source: AdWeek.com

Google Rolling Out Shopping Express

Google has announced that it is kicking off Google Shopping Express. Currently limited to the San Francisco Bay Area, the pilot program will allow people to receive items ordered through a new Google storefront on the same day.

The stores taking part in the experiment include American Eagle Outfitters, Office Depot, Staples, Target, Walgreens, Toys ‘R’ Us, and other smaller companies. It is expected to be a subscription service; those eligible can sign up now to get six months of free and unlimited same day deliveries.

Those interested can sign up on the Google Shopping Express page.

More Reasons For Women And #1ReasonWhy

By Elena Zanone

It was only a mere six months ago when the game industry took to Twitter with #1ReasonWhy to voice concerns and share stories about perceptions of women in games.  Based on a couple of incidents at recent industry shows PAX East and Game Developers Conference (GDC), this hashtag isn’t going away any time soon.

The most recent high profile incident happened last week at GDC.  After a party sponsored by IGDA special interest group Women in Games featured scantily clad female dancers, one of the group’s most high profile board members Brenda Brathwaite resigned.  It didn’t help that the party was held hours after Brathwaite was on the women’s issues GDC panel 1ReasonToBe, a discussion meant to continue the dialogue started by the #1ReasonWhy Twitter thread.

After claiming she was bombarded with messages about the IGDA party, Brathwaite took to Twitter and also issued this statement to announce her resignation from the body: “I have been a long-time supporter of the IGDA. However, my silence would have been complicity. I had no choice. And just hours after our panel, too.”

During the panel, Brathwaite had singled out how uncomfortable booth models made her, how they created a sexually charged atmosphere at an event, and that it was an affront to the women of the games industry.  There seems to be a trend, and it’s not just Brathwaite who’s apparently uneasy about it.  The week before GDC at PAX East, Crystal Dymanics’ community manager Meaghan Marie had an experience where a reporter turned an interview of Tomb Raider cosplay models into a sexual Q&A.  She filed a complaint and managed to get the reporter banned from all PAX events, and the incident moved her to detail her personal anecdotes with sexism in the industry in a Tumblr post, “What would you do if you weren’t afraid?”

The string of these recent incidents started with last year’s Eurogamer Expo in October, where YouTube personality KSIOlaJidebt decided to take what he thought would be a fun approach to reporting on the event with a man-on-the-street style video.  Whatever comedic talents he has, they were misguidedly focused on one shtick — harassing women at the show.  His act went beyond distasteful jokes and verbal innuendos to moments one might classify as physical harassment if not for his subjects being good natured for the camera.  The video prompted an outcry on Twitter, with people eventually direct tweeting event organizers.  Ultimately Eurogamer editor-in-chief Tom Bramwell stepped in and announced that KSIOlaJidebt would be banned from all future Eurogamer events.

That ugliness simmered for less than a month before another incident at New York Comic Con.  Fashion designer and cosplay model Mandy Caruso was subjected to a distasteful press interview which she was forced to cut short. Caruso took to Tumblr to detail her rough encounter, which has now been shared by more than 47,000 followers and supporters.

Since the most recent events at GDC, Brathwaite has received massive support from her Twitter followers and women and men from all corners of the game industry.  One fellow IGDA board member, Darius Kazemi, supported Brathwaite by tendering his own resignation from the IGDA, an act that other members have followed.

The IGDA has since apologized for what transpired at its event, issuing this statement: “We recognize that some of the performers’ costumes at the party were inappropriate, and also some of the activities they performed were not what we expected or approved. We regret that the IGDA was involved in this situation. We do not condone activities that objectify or demean women or any other group of people. One of the core values of the IGDA is encouraging inclusion and diversity. Obviously we need to be more vigilant in our efforts. We intend to be so in the future.”

 

The Story Of Rock Band

On April 2, 2013, Harmonix released the last piece of weekly Rock Band DLC – appropriately, it’s American Pie which is often played by radio stations when they shut down. The developer paid tribute to their over five years of work on Rock Band by having various members of Harmonix explain their experiences with the game while singing the Don McLean classic.

 

Thief Returns In Debut Trailer

The Thief series has always had a cult following, allowing players to live out the fantasy of being a mysterious ne’er-do-well pilfering treasures from a medieval city. That’s returning in the reboot of the series, simply named Thief.

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