Animation NOW! festival returns to Auckland for third year

Animation NOW! festival returns to Auckland for third year The New Zealand International Film Festival (NZIFF) presents Animation NOW!, a smorgasbord of international animated shorts . Animation NOW! returns for a third festival year as a stand-alone weekend of screenings immediately following NZIFF in Auckland.

Image: Five Thirty Five – Alex Dunford (International Showcase programme)

Myriad voices and styles are packed into six thought-provoking and artistically distinct collections of animated shorts curated by Malcolm Turner and Annie Murray. “We look at the strangely normal aspects of urban life in Crazy Towne, explore the re-occurring dark themes in our modern climate in Dark Hearts, are delighted by movement, mutations and textures in Morph ‘n’ Move, look at stunning hand-crafted animation in Handmade, travel the world through a miscellaneous mix of shorts in the International Showcase and put a spotlight on the best to come out of an animation oasis in Fresh Eyes on Estonia,” says Animation NOW! programmer Malcolm Turner. Two New Zealand shorts will screen as part of the programme. David Midgley’s Tom features in the Dark Hearts collection while Paul James’ Trap will screen as part of the International Showcase. Another highlight will be the Oscar-nominated marvel Negative Space by Max Porter and Ru Kuwahata which will screen as part of Handmade. The Festival will screen at Academy Cinemas in Auckland from Friday 10 August until Sunday 12 August. The full schedule is available now, and tickets go on sale from Friday 29 June at the special Festival price of $12.50 each. The six collections screening at Animation NOW! 2018 are: Animation NOW! Crazy Towne 78 mins approx. | Censors rating TBC Sunday 12 August 6:00pm A tumultuous, surreal and sometimes comical ride through the complexities of an urban landscape. Animation – plugged into the right power supply – can take you to some pretty crazy places. Any semblance of real-world norms is jettisoned as a fusion of images, energy and imagination takes charge of the controls and sends us full speed ahead. The power of this programme derives from each work’s ability to maintain the pace, as they race down paths void of the usual signposting and narrative edifice that are part and parcel of conventional cinema. Only in the world of animation could ideas bounce off each other like this and careen inexorably towards one wildly improbable conclusion after another. If you’ve been looking for a place where none of the rules apply, you just took the right turn. — MT https://www.nziff.co.nz/2018/film/animation-now-crazy-towne/ Animation NOW! Dark Hearts 78 mins approx. | Censors rating TBC Saturday 11 August 8:00pm A thought-provoking collection dissecting modern fears through animated metaphors. Some animators treat their craft as a kind of creative poultice; a savage form of therapeutic release drawing out all manner of inner demons. Oh God (Betina Bożek), God Bless America (Dane Cree, Michelle Brost) and Parasitic Endeavours (Simon Christoph Krenn) share this visceral willingness to marshal the unique properties of animation to explore the furthest imaginings of what can be done to a human body, in ways impossible in any other artform. — MT https://www.nziff.co.nz/2018/film/animation-now-dark-hearts/ Animation NOW! Morph ‘n’ Move 75 mins approx. | Censors rating TBC Sunday 12 August 4:00pm A satisfying exploration of movements, twists and warps that can only be achieved through masterful animation. Morph ‘n’ Move is animation’s street parade moment. It’s a chance to show off all its fanciest moves, wow the crowds and win new hearts. — MT https://www.nziff.co.nz/2018/film/animation-now-morph-n-move/ Animation NOW! Handmade 78 mins approx. | Censors rating TBC Saturday 11 August 4:00pm Beautifully crafted objects take on a new life in this wonderful collection honouring the analogue world. This screening includes the Academy Award Nominated short, Negative Space. Some animators just want to see their drawings move, their paintings come to life and their puppets take the stage. To these animators – and they are legion – animation is very much a hands-on medium created with the most physical of materials. They simply know no other way. This programme is our annual tribute to the very best of these works. In them resides a passion to create with one’s own hands and a heroic patience sufficient to build a world and tell a story, one painstaking frame at a time.— MT https://www.nziff.co.nz/2018/film/animation-now-handmade/ Animation NOW! International Showcase 79 mins approx. | Censors rating TBC Friday 10 August 6:30pm This is where animation is right now. There has never been a time when more animation was being made by more people in more places. In excess of 4,000 films vied for a spot in Animation NOW! this year. Trying to honour the breadth of what the international animation community is creating is the starting point for this programme. https://www.nziff.co.nz/2018/film/animation-now-international-showcase/ Animation NOW! Fresh Eyes on Estonia 77 mins approx. | Censors rating TBC Saturday 11 August 6:00pm A taste of the unique artistic and cultural perspective from a northern oasis of Animation. Animation NOW! has long championed Estonian animation. No country produces such persistently great, immediately recognisable work. It is home to Priit Pärn, one of the undisputed living masters, as well as rising stars such as Ülo Pikkov, Priit Tender, Mait Laas and Chintis Lungren. Animator, musician and VJ Annie Murray journeyed to Estonia and came home with this wonderful programme of the best of the new Estonian animation, it would seem, is in very fine shape indeed. — MT https://www.nziff.co.nz/2018/film/animation-now-fresh-eyes-on-estonia/ Visit nziff.co.nz for full programme details Tickets go on sale from Friday 29 June at the special Festival price of $12.50 each.

LEGENDARY OVER-THE-TOP ACTION SERIES RETURNS WITH DEVIL MAY CRY 5

LEGENDARY OVER-THE-TOP ACTION SERIES RETURNS WITH DEVIL MAY CRY 5

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LEGENDARY OVER-THE-TOP ACTION SERIES RETURNS WITH DEVIL MAY CRY® 5

The Latest Chapter in the Much-Loved Gaming Franchise Arrives on Consoles and PC in Spring 2019

SYDNEY – Jun. 12, 2018 – At the Microsoft E3 2018 Media Briefing today, Capcom, a leading worldwide developer and publisher of video games, announced Devil May Cry® 5, the latest title in the iconic 16 million unit selling action series. Devil May Cry 5 will be releasing on Xbox One, PlayStation®4 computer entertainment system and Windows PC in Spring 2019. The announcement trailer can be downloaded here.

The Devil May Cry® series, known for its blend of high-octane stylized action and otherworldly characters, grew to be a global success since its first release in 2001. The main protagonist of the series is Dante, a demon hunter and son of the Legendary Dark Knight and demon Sparda and human Eva. Throughout the Devil May Cry series, the eternal battle between the forces of good and evil plays out through the lens of this supernatural family drama, as the Son of Sparda Dante, seeks vengeance for his brother’s corruption and his mother’s murder.

Now, 10 years since the last iteration, Devil May Cry® 4, Director Hideaki Itsuno and the core team have reunited to conclude the long awaited Sons of Sparda saga.

Several years have passed in Devil May Cry 5 and the threat of demonic power, long since forgotten, has returned to menace the world once again. The demonic invasion begins with the seeds of a “demon tree” taking root in Red Grave City. This hellish incursion attracts the attention of the young demon hunter, Nero, an ally of Dante who now finds himself without his demonic arm, the source of much of his power. As Nero heads to Red Grave City in his motorhome named “Devil May Cry” with his partner Nico, he ruminates on how everything started. The loss of his demonic arm, the demonic invasion, and Dante’s unknown whereabouts. Things must be settled once and for all.

Capcom’s proprietary in-house RE Engine ensures that with Devil May Cry 5, the series continues to achieve new heights in fidelity, featuring ground-breaking graphics that utilise photorealistic character designs and stunning lighting and environmental effects. The game features three playable characters, each of which offer a radically different stylish combat play style as they take on the city overrun with demons. Adrenaline-fuelled boss fights play out against destructible environments in the striking streets of Red Grave City.

ICONIC FIGHTING FRANCHISE, DEAD OR ALIVE, RETURNS IN EARLY 2019!

ICONIC FIGHTING FRANCHISE, DEAD OR ALIVE, RETURNS IN EARLY 2019!

ICONIC FIGHTING FRANCHISE, DEAD OR ALIVE, RETURNS IN EARLY 2019!

Witness DOATEC’s Greatest Showdown To Date; DEAD OR ALIVE 6, on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC via STEAM.

Sydney, 12th June 2018 – Team NINJA is proud to announce the triumphant return of the celebrated DEAD OR ALIVE fighting game franchise with DEAD OR ALIVE 6, currently in development for PlayStation®4 Computer Entertainment System, Xbox One, the all-in-one games and entertainment system from Microsoft, and digitally on Windows PC via Steam®. At the Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3), the developer revealed that aspiring fighters will be able to experience the sixth DEAD OR ALIVE World Combat Championship in Early 2019; and every fight will be presented in amazing detail, allowing fans to discern intricate facial expressions unparalleled to those seen in previous entries.

The DEAD OR ALIVE Tournament Executive Committee and hosts of DEAD OR ALIVE 6, DOATEC, already released the names of the first set of fighters involved in this installment - including the owner of DOATEC, Helena Douglas. Other notable fighters include the eighteenth master of the Mugen Tenshin clan, Hayate, and past DEAD OR ALIVE (DOA) tournament winners; Kasumi of the Mugen Tenshin clan, the ultimate ninja, Ryu Hayabusa, the ever-entertaining host, Zack, and the most recent tournament winner, the scorching soul Jann Lee!

Two new locations have been scouted to host key matches in the sixth tournament: the remarkable DOA Colosseum, complete with three bold statues showcasing famous fighting stances, and The Throwdown, a gritty back street where raw unfiltered fighting can take place in its prime. Select locations, such as The Throwdown, allow the live audience to get even closer to the action than ever before - with some unruly fans breaking the rules and pushing fighters back into the centre of the ring. Combined with the fan-favourite ‘Mass Destruction’, where fighters can use the environment in their attacks, this tournament is set to be one of the most entertaining ever hosted by DOATEC.

To celebrate the sixth DEAD OR ALIVE World Combat Championship, Team NINJA & DOATEC have released a trailer showcasing footage from the preliminaries, alongside images of our returning competitors in and out of action!

ACTIVISION AND FROMSOFTWARE ANNOUNCE SEKIRO: SHADOWS DIE TWICE SET TO ARRIVE IN EARLY 2019

ACTIVISION AND FROMSOFTWARE ANNOUNCE SEKIRO: SHADOWS DIE TWICE SET TO ARRIVE IN EARLY 2019

ACTIVISION AND FROMSOFTWARE ANNOUNCE

SEKIRO: SHADOWS DIE TWICE SET TO ARRIVE IN EARLY 2019

New Game Developed by FromSoftware Introduces

Players to a Reimagined and Deadly Sengoku Period In Japan

June 13, 2018 – Your death won’t come easily. Enter the world of late 1500s Sengoku Japan; a brutal, bloody period of constant life-and-death conflict. As tensions rise, a compelling new story unfolds amongst the chaos. Introducing Sekiro™: Shadows Die Twice, a dark and twisted new gameplay experience developed by the renowned team at FromSoftware and published* by Activision, a wholly owned subsidiary of Activision Blizzard, Inc. (NASDAQ: ATVI). Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice is scheduled for release globally in early 2019 for the family of Xbox One devices from Microsoft, including the Xbox One X; PlayStation®4, PlayStation®4 Pro; and PC via Steam. View the official Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice trailer here.

Directed by Hidetaka Miyazaki, Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice is a third-person, action-adventure game with RPG elements. The single-player game puts players in the protagonist role of a hard-hearted warrior whose mission is to rescue his master, a young lord, and exact revenge on his arch nemesis. As “Sekiro,” or the “one-armed wolf,” players will discover the many ways to strategically approach combat and engage enemies.

“Collaborating with Activision on Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice has been a very exciting experience for us,” said Hidetaka Miyazaki, president and game director at FromSoftware. “With Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice many FromSoftware team members, including myself, are thrilled to be exploring themes of Sengoku Japan and ninja for the first time. We can’t wait for everyone to discover what’s in store for the game.”

Fans of FromSoftware will find familiarity in the gritty gameplay found in Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice where combat reigns supreme. Players will enjoy combining new features, such as vertical traversal, with visceral head-to-head battle to fulfill their destiny in a vast world filled with beautiful vistas, enormous castles, bizarre weaponry, and fearsome enemies.

“From Dark Souls to Bloodborne, FromSoftware has established a level of excellence that stands by itself in our industry, and we are incredibly honoured to work with them in bringing Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice to fans worldwide,” said Steve Young, Chief Revenue Officer at Activision. “Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice will not only add a new and exciting genre to Activision’s portfolio, but will also give players an experience that’s unlike any other FromSoftware game to date.”

For more information, please visit www.SekiroTheGame.com and follow @SekiroTheGame on Twitter and Instagram, as well as SekiroTheGame on Facebook.

New in GTA Online: Double Rewards on Select Heists & Contact Missions, Massive Property, Gear Discounts and More

New in GTA Online: Double Rewards on Select Heists & Contact Missions, Massive Property, Gear Discounts and More

Through June 18th, you and your trusted crew of Heist tacticians can double your take with Double GTA$ & RP on the following:

SCOPE OUT | KURUMA | THE FLEECA JOB

Lester's been busy lining up high stakes job opportunities, and it's time to cut your teeth on a bank job to prove your worth. The target is a safety deposit box in an unassuming Fleeca Bank branch on the Western Highway – the bonds in the box are well worth the risk. Scope it out, head to Little Seoul to source the getaway vehicle, then infiltrate the vault and get away clean. Have talent behind the wheel of the Armored Kuruma and make sure the Driller keeps a cool head to handle the hacking, along with a steady hand to infiltrate the safety deposit box.

PLANE | BUS | STATION | WET WORK | THE PRISON BREAK

Agent 14 is commissioning you and your team to spring a high-profile asset from Bolingbroke Penitentiary. Standard op for a breakout: you'll need an inmate transport bus, a smuggler's plane being used by the Vagos to traffic goods out of the country, a hardcopy of the inmate transfer schedule stolen from inside a police department and some heavy weaponry for good measure. To help things go smoothly, make sure you recruit a skilled pilot and a demolitions expert to the team. The good news for you, Professor Rashkovsky pays well.

THE DATA BREACHES (FINALE ONLY)

When foreign agents mount an attack on a hidden IAA Facility, your crew must mobilize and breach the base to prevent international calamity. You'll be up against a veritable army of Merryweather mercenaries, so pack heavy weaponry and heavy combat armor to fend them off. Repel the invasion, save the day, and net a tidy ransom.

Your old friend and totally legitimate businessman Mr. Yetarian is upping the ante for all skilled carjackers this week. Put in an honest day's work and receive Double Cash & RP on all Simeon Contact Missions through June 18^th.

Take advantage of discounted heavy combat outfits and bulletproof helmets when tackling Heists, which can be the difference maker in surviving your getaway. Also this week, Heist ringleaders can save on Facilities to launch The Doomsday Heist missions while up and coming entrepreneurs also get up to 50% off various criminal properties.

• Facilities – 40% off
• Hangars – 50% off
• Executive Offices – 50% off
• Bulletproof Helmets – 50% off
• Street, Light & Heavy Combat Heist Outfits – 50% off

And in honor of the World's game, sport the flags of the world with 50% off all Yacht Country Flags & Country Flag Parachute Bags through June 18th:

In addition, Warstock, Legendary Motorsport and Southern San Andreas Super Autos are offering up to 30% off a diverse range of Vehicles to get the job done in style:

For details on all GTA Online bonuses and discounts, check out the Social Club Events page.

KONAMI Announces HYPER SPORTS R for Nintendo Switch

KONAMI Announces HYPER SPORTS R for Nintendo Switch

KONAMI Announces HYPER SPORTS R for Nintendo Switch

New Sports Simulation Title to Feature Fun Variety of Sporting Events

Konami Digital Entertainment, B.V. revealed today HYPER SPORTS R, a new sports simulation title, to arrive on the Nintendo Switch™. Compete in a variety of individual and team sports, and train a team to take on rivals as you race for a spot at the top.

In HYPER SPORTS R, players can choose from a variety of 20+ characters to build up and compete. Become the best competitor in a variety of different sports, which include track and field, beach volleyball and swimming.

HYPER SPORTS R will also feature several fun modes, some of which include:

• Quick Play: Play with up to four friends for a quick gameplay experience.
• Campaign: Single-player mode; Build and train a team by completing various competitions and character storylines.

Compete with up to four players using Joy-Con™ for classic control, or opt for a more intuitive gameplay using motion controls during Quick Play mode.

Additional details, including more sports, modes, storyline and launch timing will be announced soon.

Nintendo Smashes E3 With 2018 Line-Up, Details About Super Smash Bros. Ultimate

Nintendo Smashes E3 With 2018 Line-Up, Details About Super Smash Bros. Ultimate

NINTENDO SMASHES E3 WITH 2018 LINE-UP, DETAILS ABOUT SUPER SMASH BROS. ULTIMATE

Fortnite arrives today for Nintendo Switch; new Super Smash Bros., Pokémon games and many more all launching this year

13^th June, 2018 – Nintendo opened its activities for the annual E3 2018 video game trade show with a bang – and a smash. Showing world-first footage of Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, Nintendo shared details about the latest entry in a series with sales of more than 40 million worldwide. A new game built for Nintendo Switch, Super Smash Bros. Ultimate lets up to eight players square off in action-packed battles that are all about smashing beloved video game characters off the screen. Legendary game worlds and fighters collide in the ultimate showdown at E3 2018, which runs through 14^th June at the Los Angeles Convention Center. Nintendo made its announcements during its Nintendo Direct: E3 2018 video presentation, which can be viewed at https://e3.nintendo.com/*.

Super Smash Bros. Ultimate will include every single fighter ever featured in the series’ nearly two-decades run, making it one of the biggest crossover events in gaming history. Fans can enjoy returning favourites like Ice Climbers and Pokémon Trainer, as well as newly announced fighters like Ridley from the Metroid series and Inkling from the Splatoon series. The game supports a variety of controller options, including Nintendo GameCube controllers (original or newly designed), Joy-Con, or the Nintendo Switch Pro Controller. With Nintendo Switch, players can throw down whenever and wherever they like in handheld or tabletop mode while enjoying online play.

Super Smash Bros. Ultimate combines many stages and new items with gameplay that makes it easy for players of all skill levels to jump in. All Super Smash Bros. series amiibo figures are compatible with the game, and any fighter’s amiibo figure from other series will also be supported. Super Smash Bros. Ultimate is set to launch on 7^th December, exclusively for Nintendo Switch. It is being developed by Nintendo, Sora, Ltd., and BANDAI NAMCO Studios, and is directed by Masahiro Sakurai.

Nintendo also announced that Fortnite, the Battle Royale phenomenon from Epic Games, will be available for Nintendo Switch from 7:00am AEST today. Players can download it for free from Nintendo eShop, then test their mettle in thrilling crucibles of combat. The action never stops with Fortnite on Nintendo Switch, where players can build and battle together anytime, anywhere. Team up online with friends in the same room or around the world. Weekly updates and new gameplay modes will keep the action fresh for seasoned Fortnite players and newcomers alike.

At its E3 booth this week in the Los Angeles Convention Center, Nintendo will give attendees their first chance to play Pokémon: Let’s Go, Pikachu! and Pokémon: Let’s Go, Eevee!, two Pokémon games launching for Nintendo Switch on 16^th November. Pokémon: Let’s Go, Pikachu! and Pokémon: Let’s Go, Eevee! are a new way to experience Pokémon that lets players adventure with their partner Pokémon in the vibrant Kanto region, discover fresh and exciting Pokémon encounters and Trainer battles, as well as share the adventure cooperatively with a friend anytime, anywhere on one Nintendo Switch console. Players can even transfer Kanto region Pokémon into the game from the Pokémon GO app. These games serve as an entry point to the Pokémon series for newcomers, but they also provide fun and engaging experiences for Pokémon fans of all ages. A new controller, called Poké Ball Plus, comes with Mythical Pokémon Mew and is sold separately from the games. Poké Ball Plus includes a pressable analogue stick and button, so players can control the new games entirely with the controller, if they want. Nintendo also announced two bundle versions of the games, in which players can purchase either Pokémon: Let’s Go, Pikachu! or Pokémon: Let’s Go, Eevee! with one Poké Ball Plus.

Other upcoming items announced during the Nintendo Direct include:

·        Xenoblade Chronicles 2 Expansion Pass owners also will gain access to Xenoblade Chronicles 2: Torna - The Golden Country to be released on 14^th September. In this new story mode, players uncover the full history of Jin and the fall of his homeland, Torna, which existed 500 years before the events of Xenoblade Chronicles 2. This new storyline will also be available as a stand-alone packaged version on 21^st September.

·        Super Mario Party: Inspired by classic Mario Party board game play, the beloved series is coming to Nintendo Switch with new mini-games and play styles that make use of the Joy-Con controllers. Super Mario Party includes features like character-exclusive Dice Blocks that add depth to players’ strategy. Up to four players take turns rolling the dice, and individually race across the board searching for Stars. In Toad’s Rec Room Mode, new gameplay links two Nintendo Switch consoles for side-by-side fun. The game launches on 5^th October.

·        Fire Emblem: Three Houses: A new episode of the Fire Emblem series comes to Nintendo Switch for the first time in autumn 2019. The player can manoeuvre the main character freely and interact with other characters to build relationships and gather information at various points within the game. This turn-based tactical RPG will put new strategic twists on battling, with formations of troops supporting individual units on the battlefield. Players will get to know three main characters – Edelgard, Dimitri, and Claude – who play key roles in the story.

·        DAEMON X MACHINA: A new fast-paced mech action game from Kenichiro Tsukuda is coming to Nintendo Switch in 2019. Players take their fully customisable Arsenal powered suit on a variety of missions to thwart the enemy at all costs. They can choose and equip their Arsenal with a multitude of weapons, obtain more from downed enemies, and swap them on the fly to suit their strategy in the face of ever-changing threats.

·        Overcooked! 2: The kitchen mayhem returns in this sequel from Team17 and Ghost Town Games that’s brimming with even more recipes, characters, kitchens and co-op madness. Bake, barbecue or broil with up to three other players in wireless local and online play modes. Save the world from clumsy cooking when the frantic food-juggler arrives on 7^th August.

·        Killer Queen Black: Redesigned from the ground up, the acclaimed arcade extravaganza that became a multiplayer phenomenon is coming to Nintendo Switch. Players can hop on a snail, hoard berries or wipe out the enemy’s queen to claim victory for their team in Liquid Bit and Bumblebear Games’ Killer Queen Black, when it launches first on Nintendo Switch later this year.

·        Hollow Knight: Venture through the beautifully hand-drawn, mysterious landscapes of a vast forgotten kingdom in Team Cherry’s Hollow Knight, an action-adventure filled with gripping combat and haunting secrets. Hollow Knight on Nintendo Switch also includes the new items, areas, characters and bosses from the currently released content packs – all available today.

·        Octopath Traveler: Players can take another early look at Square Enix’s upcoming fantasy epic when the Octopath Traveler Prologue Demo arrives on 14^th June in Nintendo eShop for Nintendo Switch. Play the demo, then use the save data transfer feature to carry your choices into the main game, once purchased, where players can live the stories of each of the eight travellers and freely explore the world of Orsterra. Octopath Traveler is scheduled to launch on 13^th July.

·        More great games are coming in 2018, including EA Sports FIFA 19 from Electronic Arts, Monster Hunter Generations Ultimate from Capcom, Dragon Ball FighterZ and Dark Souls: Remastered from BANDAI NAMCO Entertainment, Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus from Bethesda Softworks, and Starlink: Battle for Atlas from Ubisoft, which includes characters and content from Nintendo’s Star Fox franchise that are exclusive to the Nintendo Switch version of the game.

To celebrate E3 2018, Nintendo eShop will offer savings on select digital games that helped make some of the fighters in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate famous, as well as other digital games on Nintendo Switch and Nintendo 3DS family systems. The sale kicks off on Thursday 14^th June at 11:00pm AEST and runs until 23.59 AEST on Thursday 21^st June. The full line-up will be announced at 11:00pm AEST on Thursday 14^th June. All titles can be purchased directly from Nintendo eShop.

As always, people can keep an eye on https://e3.nintendo.com/* throughout the show for all of Nintendo’s latest E3 updates, including today’s Super Smash Bros. Invitational 2018 finals and the final round of the Splatoon 2 World Championship, and lots of gaming details on Nintendo Treehouse Live | E3 2018.