Latest news with #Techland
Geek Culture
25-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Geek Culture
Zombie Parkour Game 'Dying Light' Celebrates Tenth Anniversary With 'Retouched' Update
Despite being 10 years old, Techland's original 2015 zombie parkour game, Dying Light , is far from being dead, as the game is getting a surprise content drop, dubbed the Retouched update, bringing visual and audio enhancements to the ageing title. The Dying Light: Retouched update is due to launch on 26 June, and according to a post on Steam by franchise director Tymon Smektała, it will focus on 'squeezing out even more' from the game, but will not be a complete overhaul or remaster. The free update will include visual enhancements like upscaled texture quality for its environments, alongside improved lighting and shadows. Screenshots featured in the post give a better picture of what players can expect, with some impressive improvements, especially concerning ground textures, which have seen a massive boost to tessellation, ambient occlusion and depth. The game's audio will also be touched up, with original composer Paweł Blaszczak returning to recreate its soundtrack, with new tracks, ambient sounds and hit reaction audio in combat, with Blaszczak even re-recording the soundtrack on tape to emulate the original's retro vibe. The team also touched on why it took so long to complete the Retouched update, which was teased following the celebration of Dying Light's tenth anniversary in January. 'We were working with 10+ year old technology,' explained Smektała, 'Even with all the new experience we've gained over the years, figuring out how to apply those learnings to the original Dying Light engine while keeping everything stable was a challenge. Smektała further added that the team had to 'walk through the entire map, looking for assets to be improved', which were all changed manually by artists, and that they also made it a priority not to change the game's system requirements, balancing the updates fresh details with the limitations of last-gen console hardware. The Dying Light: Retouched update will release on 26 June 2025, and will be free for owners of the game across the PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S and PC. Kevin is a reformed PC Master Race gamer with a penchant for franchise 'duds' like Darksiders III and Dead Space 3 . He has made it his life-long mission to play every single major game release – lest his wallet dies trying. Dying Light Dying Light: Retouched Update techland
Digital Trends
08-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Digital Trends
Dying Light: The Beast turned me into a bloodthirsty animal
In real life, I'm not a violent man. I'd even go so far as to say that I'm a bit of a pacifist, though 2025 has really tested the limits of that day after day. It takes a special kind of game to really bring the animal out in me, leaving me to soak in some digital bloodshed with a smile. Dying Light: The Beast is very much that flavor of game. At this year's Summer Game Fest, I got 45 minutes of hands-on time with Techland's latest zombie survival game. I've only really experienced the series from a distance until now, so I walked into my demo unsure if its gory combat would hook me. As soon as I beat down an entire room full of monsters with Kyle Crane's beastly new powers, I felt like I had found the safe outlet for my repressed rage that I've really needed all year. Recommended Videos Despite being more of a spinoff, Dying Light: The Beast isn't so different from Dying Light 2: Stay Human. It takes place in a zombie filled world full of shambling monsters whose flesh can be torn up with barbed wire baseball bats and crowbars. Kyle Crane, the hero of the first Dying Light game, returns here in a revenge story as he tracks down the Baron, a villain who performed some kind of horrible experiment on Crane. That kicks off a quest for blood that features all of Dying Light's signature features, from rooftop parkour to deadly dropkicks. The one slight departure from Dying Light 2 is that The Beast leans more into survival horror territory this time. When the sun is out, I can easy get around sporadic patches of zombies who are easily felled by a few good bat bonks or fooled with a decoy grenade. The earliest part of my demo as me treating them like punching bags as I hack through their flesh, skin and blood flying everywhere. That changes when night falls and far more dangerous creatures fill up the streets. I need to go into stealth mode to survive, scrambling up abandoned train cars and hiding in thick forests to avoid getting chased down and beaten to death. Those are the rare moments where I feel powerless. Any other time? I'm the one in control. Techland goes to great lengths here to make sure that every one of Crane's weapons just feels morbidly satisfying to use. When I get a bow midway through my demo, I take pleasure in lining up headshots that take out wandering guards with laser precision. Shortly after that, I drop into a dark basement and get to blow through corridors full of zombies with a tremendously powerful shotgun. Even my dropkick is a weapon of mass destruction, sending weak zombies flying. Everything just hits. That idea gets taken to the next level here thanks to Kyle Crane's new trick. Due to the experiments inflicted upon him, Crane can now activate beast mode when building up enough power. When activated, it essentially turns him into an unstoppable killing machine for a brief moment. I first get to use it when I fix a fuse box in a basement and find myself trapped in a room with a dozen zombies. I unleash my inner animal, throwing out rapid punches without my stamina bar draining. Seconds later, the undead are back on the floor. It happens in an instant and I'm almost left panting when it's done. It's absolutely thrilling. Everything comes together in the demo's final boss fight, as I need to take down a hulking flesh monster in a junkyard filled with abandoned cars. I unload every bullet I have into it while dodging away from its charging attacks at the last second. I get to use another lethal tool there: a flamethrower that chars its skin until it looks like a well-done steak. It gets desperate in its second phase, grabbing hold of a shambling zombie and tossing it at me. I dodge, get some final shots in, and eventually tear my foes head clean off. It feels like I've just watched a battle between lions in the jungle, and I'm the one left with blood in my jaws. If bloodshed isn't your thing, there's a lot more to The Beast than its sheer brutality. I'm especially impressed by the environmental design here, a parkour playground that sends me running around densely detailed rooftops. One puzzle segment has me climbing my way up an abandoned water tower, pushing me to observe the intricate design to find loose pipes I can mantle up with the right timing. It all makes for a world full of pathways that feel like they exist naturally in the world, rather than heavily signposted platforming gauntlets. I'm sure I'll appreciate that even more in the final game, but I mostly look forward to swinging that baseball bat again and watching it cave in a zombie's face. It's grotesque, but I can be grotesque when a game is this good at turning me into a depraved little monster. Dying Light: The Beast launches on August 22 for PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC.
Time of India
07-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Dying Light The Beast official release date, pre-order perks, and more announced
(Image via Techland) Techland has officially announced some major details about Dying Light: The Beast during Summer Game Fest 2025. The official launch date and timing, along with some enticing pre-order incentives, remained in the spotlight. The upcoming title was originally planned as Dying Light 2 DLC, but instead, it evolved into a full-fledged standalone experience. It marks a significant step for the highly anticipated standalone entry within the popular zombie survival game franchise. Here is all we know about the brutal new chapter. Dying Light The Beast official release date Mark the calendars, as Dying Light: The Beast is coming on August 22, 2025. It will be released on PlayStation, Xbox Series X/S, and PC too. The date was confirmed by Techland during the Summer Game Fest event, with the new gameplay trailer premiering brutal combat, intense parkour action, and a deeper look into the dark storyline of the game. The date follows the earlier confirmation of the studio, made at Gamescom 2024. It stated that the standalone project targets a mid-2025 release. With the release date available now, players can get excited about stepping into the shoes of Kyle Crane—the original protagonist from Dying Light (original game), but with a horrifying transformation (part zombie, part human) coming after the enduring gruesome experiments. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Khám phá bí quyết sở hữu nhà container hiện đại giá tốt tại Việt Nam – tìm hiểu ngay Container houses | Search Ads Tìm Ngay Undo Additionally, the narrative even promises survival, revenge, and uneasy alliances in the world that's overrun by the infected. Dying Light The Beast pre-order details and exclusive bonuses Dying Light: The Beast pre-orders are now officially open. The game carries the standard price of $59.99 across all the available platforms. PC players will be able to secure the copy through Steam or Epic Games Store. Additionally, Techland has sweetened the deal with the Hero of Harran bundle, which is exclusively available with pre-orders. Dying Light: The Beast - Gameplay Premiere Trailer | Summer Game Fest 2025 The package will also deliver 5 distinct items that blend the practical use with the nostalgic call-backs. The list of items includes the Ultimate Survivor Outfit (apocalyptic look), stealth-focused Follower Crossbow (deadly tool), the swift melee Harran Combat Knife, In Jade's Memory Pistol, and also rugged Castor Woods Patrol vehicle to mow down the infected hordes. Additionally, players who own Dying Light 2: Stay Human Ultimate Edition will get The Beast for free, automatically, as part of their pre-order bundle. Dying Light The Beast offers discounted deals on previous titles Celebrating the upcoming title's announcement, Techland rolled out some major discounts on Dying Light and Dying Light 2. Fans can grab the time-limited deals at less than half the original price of the games. Dying Light 2: Stay Human is available at 67% off and now is priced at $23.09 on both Steam and the PlayStation Store. Original Dying Light, on the other hand, is available at 80% off ($3.99) and 70% off ($8.99) on Steam and PlayStation, respectively. The offers will last until June 19, 20025. It is a perfect opportunity for the newcomers to catch up on the Dying Light franchise before Dying Light: The Beast arrives. With the gripping story, rewarding pre-order bonuses, and enhanced gameplay, Dying Light: The Beast will shape up to be one of the must-plays for fans of survival horror.
Reuters
12-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Reuters
Videogame publishers rush to seize fall launch window after 'GTA VI' delay
May 12 (Reuters) - Days after Take-Two Interactive delayed the launch of "Grand Theft Auto VI" to May next year, rival publishers are using that opportunity to lock in release dates for their games to avoid a direct clash with one of the industry's most anticipated titles. Analysts and industry executives told Reuters they expect a wave of announcements for the fall, as the absence of Take-Two-owned Rockstar Games' potential blockbuster from this year's lineup creates breathing room for other titles. "Publishers had delayed the announcement of the release dates of their games. Releasing after or even just before GTA VI would diminish their sales," said Obbe Vermeij, former technical director at Rockstar Games. "Expect a number of announcements in the coming months of games that will now target fall release dates." Electronic Arts (EA.O), opens new tab was the first to act last week, announcing four days after the "GTA" delay that it would release its new "Battlefield" title this fiscal year, which ends in March 2026. Take-Two (TTWO.O), opens new tab is also planning to use that window to launch its other game, "Mafia: The Old Country." Other titles could also benefit, including Techland's "Dying Light: The Beast" and Embracer's "Killing Floor 3," which have yet to lock in launch dates. The window from September to early December is a golden stretch for the gaming industry, buoyed by public holidays and a year-end shopping rush. But not many have the capacity to tap that opportunity for their new releases. Long development cycles for major titles - some of which can stretch from five to seven years - mean most big games cannot be rescheduled at short notice. Instead, the period may serve as a sweet spot for expansion packs, remastered titles and smaller studios, particularly for developers with games already nearing completion, analysts said. For established publishers like EA and Activision, the delay could come as a boon. Competing directly with a title as massive as "GTA VI" could have dented sales of "Battlefield". EA's strategic timing with "Battlefield" boosted its shares as investors cheered the return of the popular first-person shooter franchise. The company's CEO, Andrew Wilson, was not shy about the opportunity on a post-earnings call earlier this month. The launch window is "clearer than it was before," he said. Joost van Dreunen, games professor at NYU's Stern School of Business, expects EA to sell 4 million to 5 million units of the new "Battlefield" by the end of fiscal year 2026, but believes it would have sold 3 million to 4 million units if "GTA VI" had not been delayed. EA's annual releases such as the "FC" soccer franchise and "Madden NFL" will also have less competition in the period. "It does create opportunity for them to maybe further monetize their games that have a live ops component to it, whether it's the sports games or things like Apex Legends," said Chris Hewish, strategy chief at gaming fintech firm Xsolla and former studio head at VR game developer Survios. But a boost in sales for the publishers rescheduling their titles for fall 2025 is not guaranteed, as an increase in the number of launches would intensify competition at a time when consumers tighten budgets and get picky with buying new games. The delay of "GTA VI" has also raised broader questions about the industry's growth prospects for 2025. The game was expected to be a sales juggernaut, drawing in billions within weeks and driving console sales. And its delay comes at a time when prices of popular consoles such as Microsoft's Xbox and Sony's (6758.T), opens new tab PlayStation have already gone up in response to the hefty tariffs the U.S. has imposed on major manufacturing hubs including Japan, China and Vietnam. Sales of the consoles were declining already, and the price hikes could worsen that. Still, there have been some signs that gaming was proving resilient amid the economic uncertainty. Both Roblox and EA issued forecasts that were above Wall Street estimates, and some analysts said that titles stepping in for "GTA VI" in the fall could help drive the industry's growth. "There is an opportunity for that growth to be replaced by other titles ... it creates space for other games to step in," Hewish said.
The Independent
28-02-2025
- Entertainment
- The Independent
Metal Eden has parkour because ‘traversal is always boring in other games', say developers
Developers behind the upcoming Metal Eden game have revealed parkour plays such a key role in the first-person shooter (FPS) because 'traversal is always boring in other games'. Metal Eden is an 'adrenaline rush sci-fi FPS' according to studio Reikon Games, which is made up of industry veterans from CD Projekt Red (which develops The Witcher series) and Techland. Players control ASKA, an advanced Hyper Unit android built around a digitised human psyche, being plunged into cybernetic warfare to uncover the mysteries of a lost paradise across eight missions. It features breakneck-speed gameplay as missions are navigated using parkour mechanics and this carries into arena sections where players have to take out waves of enemies and complete objectives to progress. The game was first revealed at a PlayStation State of Play event on February 12 with previews of the game's first two missions going live a day after that. Games with parkour mechanics and quality first-person shooters are usually two completely separate entities and fusing these together successfully within one package has proven incredibly challenging for developers. But they revealed why they were so keen to have parkour in Metal Eden. Adrian Kornecki, executive producer of Metal Eden, said: 'For us, traversal is always boring in other games because you can only walk and that's why we started to think how we can improve that. 'There are other games in Poland [where Metal Eden is being developed] that incorporate parkour into the main loop and we wanted to do something similar. 'In the next mission [after the opening two] there is a big surprise too. ASKA is an android so she's a great option to do this with.' Some games have brilliantly unique ideas but struggle to keep the concept from growing stale as the hours go on. Along with parkour, Metal Eden's spin on the FPS genre is 'core-ripping' (where players can rip an enemy core to defeat them and then throw it at another foe to take it out or weaken them, or consume it to regenerate health) and developers have reassured they've got a few tricks up their sleeve to make sure the game never feels repetitive. 'We've got some crazy stuff that's added in later missions,' said Metal Eden brand director Jakub Izydorczyk. 'The start of the game gets players to grips with the mechanics but then things keep being added so the game keeps being a challenge. 'It's a curve we always wanted to have as the player can do impossible stuff already playing as an android but there also needs to be things that are difficult so players feel rewarded for beating it.' There have been a number of challenging aspects throughout the development of Metal Eden, the developers said. 'It's been a hard game to make, gameplay has been hard to nail,' said Izydorczyk. 'It's not been an easy road but we're happy with the game and what we've created. The pacing second-to-second has been different to anything we've done before. 'DOOM 2016 was a big reference for us, Titanfall as well, and we really enjoyed Ghost in the Shell so we thought let's do something with those vibes. 'We thought let's do a shooter that we would like to play and we also want people to really have fun playing this.' Kornecki added: 'There are also timeframes and ambitions we've had to deal with - keeping both in mind while delivering what we have has been the most challenging part. 'We spent a lot of time building the team and finding appropriate actors for voiceovers, finding great animators for the cutscenes - pushing for perfection has been the most difficult part of the production.' Metal Eden releases May 6 on PS5, Xbox Series X/S and PC.
