Chris and Jason Kingsley, the co-founders of Rebellion have both received a CBE (Commander of the Order of the British Empire) as part of the King’s New Year Honours List for their services to the economy.
The brothers play an active role in the promotion of the wider UK games industry as leaders of TIGA, the non-profit trade organisation for independent games developers, in-house publisher-owned developers, outsourcing companies, technology businesses and universities. Jason is the Chair of TIGA, while Chris Chairs the Education Committee. Both Chris and Jason had previously been awarded OBEs in 2018 and 2012 respectively.
Jason Kingsley CBE, CEO of Rebellion, said: “To be awarded a CBE is an incredible honour. It, in part, reflects the growth and success of Rebellion but also the wider UK games industry. Games are now the leading form of entertainment media. I hope such a British success story will be reflected in many more honours being awarded to our diverse and talented games industry leaders. Having said all that, I shall also buy myself a new sword to celebrate.”
Chris Kingsley CBE, CTO of Rebellion, added: “I am extremely proud to receive an CBE. This award is testament to the hard work and dedication of everyone at Rebellion and TIGA. Rebellion sits at the forefront of the UK industry as its largest independent studio and as an industry we continue to create new and exciting worlds, experiences and adventures, pushing the boundaries of technology. We look forward to an even more exciting future.”
The time has come. Sniper Elite VR: Winter Warrior is out now on Meta Quest 2, 3 and Pro! Click here to watch the launch trailer via our official Rebellion YouTube channel.
Brace yourself for an all-new story-driven campaign, coupled with two thrilling new game modes. Plus, elevate your gaming experience with ProTubeVR and bHaptics support, promising the pinnacle of hyper-immersive gunplay.
Thrilling new campaign
Deploy into the ultimate immersive World War II sniping experience. Tackle the Axis forces head on with a range of authentic weapons, using stealth tactics as a means to banish their forces from your homeland. As The Partisan you will uncover Nazi wonder weapons that could turn the tide of the war. They must be destroyed and it is up to you make sure the Allied forces are victorious!
Authentic Arsenal
It’s time to become a weapon aficionado and delve into a huge cache of authentic World War II weapons. Whether you prefer the power and range of sniper rifles, the burst fire chaos of sub-machine guns or the close range but equally fearsome pistols, you will almost certainly find a loadout to suit your battlefield needs. Customise your ideal loadouts for your playstyle and deal fiery justice upon your enemies.
Challenging New Game Modes
Having wreaked havok upon your enemies, why not turn your attention on two exciting additional game modes. Last Stand pits you against waves of enemies, all hell bent on putting you in an early grave! Utilise the weapons you have at your disposal and try and get through as many waves as you can manage. Sniper Hunt makes you face elite enemy snipers as well as other Axis enemy distractions. One wrong move and the glint of the scope will be the last thing you see. Will you survive their sharpshooting skills?
Immersive Gunplay
Grab your rifle with both hands. Manually reload each bullet before taking that essential mission defining shot. Draw the scope to your eye, pick your target and immerse youself with virtual reality combat like never before. Stash your weapons how you see fit and equip when the time is right to strike.
It is time to return to the battlefield. Equip your rifle and make your way behind enemy lines once again with Sniper Elite VR: Winter Warrior.
You have uncovered Axis ‘wonder weapons‘ and your mission is to ensure they never see the light of day! You play as ‘The Partisan’, fighting as part of The Italian Resistance during World War II to regain control of your homeland from enemy forces.
Unleash an array of weaponry and tactical equipment and take VR gunplay and handling to a whole new level.
In addition to the campaign, there are two new game modes: Sniper Hunt and Last Stand. Sniper Hunt is an intense game of cat and mouse that pits you against expert Nazi snipers. Take out a patrol of enemy soldiers to lure out the sniper before relocating, collecting ammo and getting ready to face the next opponent. Last Stand sees you digging in against waves of enemies. You will have to think and act fast to gather weapons and ammunition, and set traps, before fighting to survive against the oncoming forces.
Sniper Elite VR: Winter Warrior comes to Meta Quest 2, 3 and Pro on November 30th.You can now wishlist here.
Good Shepherd to Develop Games Based on Rebellion Owned Comic IP including 2000 AD and More
Good Shepherd, a Devolver Digital company, and Rebellion (Sniper Elite) have entered into a groundbreaking partnership for Good Shepherd to develop and publish video game adaptations based on stories from the beloved 2000 AD universe, the home of Judge Dredd, Rogue Trooper, ABC Warrior and more, as well as Rebellion’s other comic IP, including Roy of the Rovers and Battle Action.
Though Good Shepherd has been producing games since 2011 with runaway hits like Monster Train and the Transport Fever franchise, the label has seen strong growth in the adaptation space in recent years propelling the label’s new dawn of marrying top-class, worldwide publishing services with sought-after entertainment brands like John Wick Hex and Hellboy.
“We are huge fans of Rebellion and 2000 AD” said Amanda Kruse, head of business development and publishing for Good Shepherd.
“It’s still early days, but building this out with partners who understand the art of adaptation across mediums has been incredible. We are excited to bring fans the hits they are expecting, but even more excited to play with the deep cuts in the library.”
Rebellion is the custodian and rights holder for a huge number of the British comics created throughout history. Alongside the legendary Judge Dredd, Rebellion owns iconic British comics characters like footballing legend Roy of the Rovers, the original action detective Sexton Blake, supervillain-turned-hero The Spider – famously written by Superman co-creator Jerry Seigel, Romans-in-space epic The Trigan Empire, Alan Moore’s celebrated heroine Halo Jones and it also contains incredible curiosities such as Gorillaz artist Jamie Hewlett’s surreal graphic novel collaboration Hewligan’s Haircut.
“We are honored to be the foremost custodians of the rich history of the British comics industry, and as we aim to preserve these legacies. Rebellion is proud to bring these stories to entirely new generations who will experience them for the first time through our partnership with Good Shepherd” said Jason Kingsley OBE, CEO and co-founder of Rebellion.
“My brother Chris (co-founder of Rebellion) and I have read 2000 AD from issue 1, and we look forward to seeing some of these stories brought to life with Good Shepherd.”
The new agreement includes game adaptations of stories from 2000 AD, the long running beloved comic anthology purchased by Rebellion in 2000. 2000 AD has published countless iconic stories in comics, such as Sláine, Judge Dredd and Rogue Trooper, and is currently on issue number 2,334.
Join Rebellion as we celebrate this year’s GAAD (Global Accessibility Awareness Day)! Promoting and contributing to the online discussion surrounding digital access and inclusion, and the more than one billion people with disabilities/impairments around the world.
Did you know that one of the most common accessibility failures online is missing image Alt text? With that in mind…this year, we’re putting YOU to the test with our Alt Text competition!
Craft your best Alt text for the above image and share your results on Twitter using the hashtag #SniperAltLite. Alt text copy can be uploaded using Twitter’s in-built Alt text feature or via the main post copy.
Entries will be judged by @TheWobblyGamer – a visually impaired Streamer, Content Creator, Accessibility Advocate and Consultant and @EveryoneCanUK Ambassador (You might recognise him from playing Sniper Elite 5 for Everyone Can Game Together last October).
The winner of the contest will receive a key for Sniper Elite 5, Sniper Elite 5: Season 2 and a mammoth Sniper Elite 5 merch bundle, complete with a branded Army Rucksack, Ammo Tin, Canvas Map Bag, Dog Tags, A5 Notebook, T-Shirt, Hip Flask and more!
The competition is open to UK residents only and ends on Friday 19 May 2023, 5pm GMT. For information on how to enter and for our full terms & conditions, pleaseclick here.
What is Alt Text?
Alt Text means Alternative text and is text that describes the appearance or function of an image so screen readers (a tool that reads digital screens aloud) can communicate them to the user. People who use screen readers may have visual impairments or blindness, so unless Alt text is provided, they can’t “see” images. This makes them incredibly important!
Rebellion’s top tips for crafting Alt Text
Without Alt Text, this post would read:
Devs gotta do what devs gotta do! Smiling face with sunglasses emoji. Did you find them all? Unlabelled graphic.
For someone with a screen reader, there is no context for what “them” is.
This post does have Alt Text, so it reads:
Devs gotta do what devs gotta do! Smiling face with sunglasses emoji. Did you find them all? Graphic. Meme of Nicolas Cage and Pedro Pascal in two parts, on the left is an image of Nicolas Cage frowning looking towards Pedro Pascal, text “producer, ok seriously what easter eggs are we putting in our gritty world war two themed Sniper Elite game”, and on the right is Pedro Pascal, smiling widely and looking high, text “devs, what about garden gnomes?”.
Now someone using a screen reader can understand what “them” is referring to and enjoy the meme!
What should Alt Text include?
✅ Content of the image – what’s in it?
✅ Purpose & context of an image – what is important about it?
✅ Text in the image.
❌ Reference to the fact it’s an image, such as “an image of.” The screen reader will already say it’s a graphic.
❌ Information that’s not in the image, such as hiding a joke in the Alt Text.
❌ Be cautious of being overly wordy – often images can be summed up concisely.
Rebellion’s efforts towards more accessible social content
Since GAAD 2022, Rebellion has made strides to improve the accessibility of their social content so that more people can enjoy and engage with the content we produce via our social and community spaces.
We completed a workshop with Accessibility Specialist, Stacey Jenkins, on accessible community management. Here are some quotes from our Community Management team on the value of the workshop.
The workshop reiterated the need to consider accessibility from every angle. It wasn’t just about adding alt text, it was about exploring the various ways all users would engage with a post – and how even with the best intentions, your posts can exclude people from participating in challenges and discussions. The workshop has certainly had an impact on the kinds of social media competitions we’ve run since, as we aim to ensure we’re not excluding anyone from the chance to win keys and giveaways.
A lot of the value from Stacey’s workshop came from understanding where I could better embed myself into the online discourse surrounding accessibility. Stacey was able to share a lot of useful accounts, influencers and resources that I still use on a weekly basis now. As we all know, the accessibility space will continue to evolve and develop so it’s crucial that our ears are always on the ground in terms of how we [Rebellion] move with this change.
In addition to the impacts of the workshop, we now have live captions on our streams and engage with accessibility fundraising events like One Special Day and Everyone Can Game Together.
In-game accessibility features
Of course, accessibility doesn’t start and end with social media! If you want to find out how we support accessible features in our latest title Sniper Elite 5, head over to our brand new Accessibility Overview page by clicking here.
From Aim Toggle to Traversal Assistance, to our extensive difficulty customisation, Sniper Elite 5 boasts a range of customisable features making it the most accessible title in the franchise. We’re incredibly proud of what we have achieved and we can’t wait to build on this success for future titles.
If you’re interested in getting actively involved in the conversation surrounding Rebellion’s accessibility efforts, join our Discord server where the conversation keeps going all year round.
We regularly share updates and respond to feedback in our #accessibility channel, whilst also discussing crucial in-game accessibility features elsewhere in the server. Share your feedback, chat to developers and have your voice heard!
Can everyone play? Lessons from Rebellion’s Accessibility Journey
Fresh from delivering her talk at this year’s GDC, Senior Accessibility Designer Cari Watterton shares her thoughts on the past, present and future of accessibility at Rebellion via LinkedIn Live Stream.
Giving a sneak peak into Rebellion’s ambitions for a more inclusive future and reflecting on the work we’ve already carried out on existing titles. If you’re looking to inject a more accessibility aware energy into your workforce or if you’re simply interested in how Rebellion approaches accessibility, this is the stream for you!
Come armed with questions, reflections and suggestions on Thursday 18 May, 3pm GMT via LinkedIn. Register your interest via the LinkedIn event page here for a notification when we go live!
Furthering your learning
Whether you’re a gamer, a game dev or someone just passing through, there’s never been a better time to further your understanding of accessibility within the online and gaming landscape. Here are a few of our favourite resources to do just that:
Rebellion is working together with Everyone Can to support their Game Together annual online fundraiser that takes place on the weekend of the 17th & 18th September.
Everyone Can is a charity that specialises in technology that can improve and enrich the lives of disabled people. Through the careful research of both existing and developing digital technologies they’re able to deliver services that can increase the level of independence for disabled people.
Game Together is an annual online fundraiser aimed at helping disabled gamers by spreading awareness and raising much needed funds to provide assistive technology.
Developer Challenges
The event encourages people to stream themselves playing their favourite games and completing community challenges. So, we’ve asked the Sniper Elite 5 dev team to create a list of challenges for seasoned sniper or fresh cadets – varying in difficulty!
They’re Behind You!
During Axis Invasion, get a photo of yourself directly behind your opponent.
Chain Reaction
Kill the most enemies with one bullet.
Sniper Minus Sniper
Complete a level without using your Sniper Rifle.
Nut on my Watch
Only kill enemies with testicle shots.
Gnothing Like a Gnice Gnomish Gname
On Guernsey, only kill enemies whose names begin with G, N, O, M or E.
Don’t Need Guns Where We’re Going
Complete a level without using any guns.
Enhancing Accessibility
To better advocate accessibility in games and spread awareness, we’ve also put together a set of guidelines people can adhere to when playing:
Audio Described
Describe all cutscenes to your audience and, when you can, describe the environment.
Take Control
Play the game with an Xbox Adaptive Controller or other custom hardware that helps players with physical impairments to play more easily.
Visually Accessible Streaming
Have all game text set to the largest it can be, and all text/prompt opacities to 100%.
Tuning In
SightlessKombat (Gamer without sight & Accessible Gaming and Immersive Technologies Research Officer – RNIB) and Cari Watterton (Senior Accessibility Designer – Rebellion) will be streaming this weekend in aid of Everyone Can. The stream will take place at 3pm-5pm on Sunday 18th on Sightless’ channel where they’ll be running a charity raffle for Sniper Elite 5 keys during their stream.
Good Luck
If you wish to take part in the Game Together weekend, you can sign up here
Don’t forget to tag us on our usual social channels if you’re taking part. You can also connect with fellow Snipers to share all the latest tips and tricks on completing these challenges via our official Discord server.
The battlefield waits for no one. Sniper Elite 5 will launch globally on Thursday, May 26th 2022.
Available to pre-order now, the latest game will release simultaneously on Xbox Game Pass, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S and PlayStation 4 & 5, Steam and Windows Store and will be fully cross-platform compatible. To celebrate the announcement, our brand new Pre-Order trailer is now available to watch here.
The latest trailer gives all our well-trained recruits a glimpse of the action-packed storyline and main characters that will feature in Sniper Elite 5 as elite marksman Karl Fairburne uncovers a Nazi plot to turn the tide of the Second World War, codenamed Operation Kraken. Karl has to use all of the skills at his disposal to gather intelligence about the plans and make sure they never come to fruition. This will pit him against the scheme’s mastermind, Abelard Möller, an Axis Obergruppenführer, who must be stopped at any cost.
Pre-Order Bonus
Players who pre-order Sniper Elite 5 will also receive the latest mission of the much heralded ‘Target Führer’ campaign entitled “Wolf Mountain”. Players will get to infiltrate the Berghof, Hitler’s private mountain retreat in the Bavarian Alps, which is crawling with heavily armed personal guard, and a slew of collectables for eagle-eyed snipers. They are tasked with taking down the Führer in the most imaginative way possible.
Additionally those who pre-order will receive the P.1938 Suppressed Pistol. Based on a Special Forces experimental prototype, this powerful handgun is a must have for covert operations.
Deluxe Edition
Rebellion has also revealed the details of the Sniper Elite 5 Deluxe Edition, which will not only include the pre-order content but also the Season Pass. This will give players access to a post-release two-part campaign on extensive maps where they can arm themselves with an expanded armoury of authentic World War II weapons and customise their sniper with new character packs and weapon skins.
The Season Pass comes fully loaded with:
2 Campaign Missions
2 Weapon skin packs
2 Character Packs
6 Weapon Packs
Rebellion Store Bundles
Also on offer are our Cadet and Marksman Bundles featuring a range of exclusive Sniper Elite 5 merchandise, the Resistance Graphic Novel, plus a copy of the Deluxe Edition on Steam. To find out more and pre-order your bundle via the official Rebellion shop, please click here.
With an extensive Campaign, which can be played as 2 player online co-op, diverse and expansive mission locations, painstakingly recreated using photogrammetry to ensure a deeply immersive experience, Sniper Elite 5 promises the biggest, most interactive maps in the history of Sniper Elite.
As teased in the previous CGI trailer, the new online Invasion Mode also allows players to drop into each other’s Campaign and take the role of an Axis Sniper with high rewards on offer. This brings a whole new dimension to the game’s intense drama and extra diversity to the enemies you will face on the battlefield.
For the first time, up to 16 players can also face off in adversarial multiplayer in a variety of game modes, so get practicing Snipers, it’s time to return to the battlefield once again.
Don’t forget to stay up to date with all the latest Sniper Elite 5 intel by following us on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube or by joining your fellow comrades in the official Rebellion Discord. For our FAQ, please head over to the official Sniper Elite blog.
Rebellion Statement: The thoughts of Rebellion are with everyone affected by the current situation in Ukraine. We are supporting the Red Cross DEC Ukraine Appeal to deliver humanitarian support. Please consider supporting them if you are able:https://donate.redcross.org.uk/appeal/ukraine-crisis-appeal.
Zombie Army 4: Dead War Switch pre-orders are now LIVE! Bringing the same insane levels of mayhem, gore and carnage you would expect from the bone-chilling series to the Nintendo Switch with zero compromises.
KEY FEATURES
Set to launch on April 26th, Zombie Army 4 on Nintendo Switch supports two to four players in both local wireless and online modes, will include enhanced controls, allowing players to use the gyroscope to fine tune their aim, and Steam Cross Save* which allows you to take your Steam saves onto your Nintendo Switch to continue the fight on the move. The title will also dynamically change resolution to ensure a smooth 30fps experience, running up to 1080p when docked and 720p when undocked.
Watch the carnage unfold in the latest Features Trailer by clicking here.
FREE SEASON ONE CONTENT
Complete with support for the Pro Controller the Nintendo Switch version also includes all of the additional content from Season Pass One and every post-release Horde Map on the game card. Season Pass One gives players three additional levels, four character packs, nine weapon bundles, five weapon skin packs and four character outfit bundles.
Season Pass Two and Season Pass Three will be available to purchase at launch, giving players a huge amount of additional content. Complete with an in-game Achievements system, players who complete the base game’s storyline will unlock Zombie Army’s famous Nightmare Mode to increase the challenge even further.
With more content on the horizon, we encourage all our slayers to keep up to date with all the latest news from the undead by following the game on social media: Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube or by joining fellow survivors in the official Rebellion Discord Channel. Don’t forget tag us in your latest undead captures using the hashtag #ZA4Screamshot for your chance to feature in our weekly Community spotlight!
*Please note that Steam Cross Save only allows players to import a save game from their Steam account to Nintendo Switch, it does not support transfer from Switch to Steam. There is no mid-level progression and cross-platform purchasing is not supported.
No rest for the wicked, they say – there’s always more peril available for plucky adventurers!
In Campaign mode, choose one of four dashing agents trained to tackle the supernatural. Unleash devastating magical powers and powerful prototype weapons to defeat Seteki and her army of mythological menaces. Face this ancient evil alone if you’re feeling especially brave, but it might be a good idea to band together – all the better to help you spot suspicious clues, secret entrances and ancient contraptions! Who knows what alluring treasures and buried riches await you on the other side…
Horde mode sees you take on wave after wave of foul foes and accumulate gold by killing enemies – but how do you spend it? Do you splash the cash on special weapons, or do you save your gold to open up new parts of the level to potentially unlock more goodies like health potions or loot?
Score Attack is a fast-paced mode, all about cutting through large numbers of enemies with as much speed and style as you can, in an attempt to keep that combo-multiplier as high as possible! As well as this, there are also big bonus points up for grabs, and devilish challenges to keep you coming back for more!
You can create or join games locally with players close to you, or you can head online to find games. When in a lobby, press the Minus button to open the invite menu and send invites to friends. When receiving an invite, press the Home button and accept the invite to join a game. You can also open your friends list from a lobby by pressing ZR to invite them directly.
Coming up next time – Introducing the Strange Brigade!
Join the resistance! Rebellion is proud to reveal that Sniper Elite VR will be launching July 8, 2021 on PlayStation® VR, Steam VR, Oculus Rift and Oculus Quest. The latest entry in the award-winning franchise puts you deep into the heart of the action with fully immersive virtual reality first-person shooter gameplay.
You can view the first trailer for Sniper Elite VR here:
Built from the ground up as a virtual reality experience, Sniper Elite VR enlists you as an Italian partisan, fighting fascism in a powerful World War II story told through his harrowing memories, as you protect your fellow countrymen and drive back the merciless invaders. Developed in partnership with Just Add Water and Coatsink, the game delivers a new perspective on Rebellion’s critically acclaimed sniping and stealth mechanics which marries breathtaking immersion with the authenticity for which the series is famous.
Sniper Elite VR Key Features:
HEART-POUNDING GUNPLAY – Grab your rifle, gaze down the scope and take aim, as realistic ballistics and immersive weapon interactions, such as physically reloading while under fire, bring a whole new dimension to this intense sniping simulation. EXCLUSIVE CAMPAIGN – Take on a new explosive stand-alone campaign with 18 replayable missions as you relive the battles through the memories of an Italian veteran. SUITE OF MOVEMENT OPTIONS – From full locomotion to accessible single stick teleport, you can tailor the controls to your preference as you use stealth and cunning to outmanoeuvre enemy troops and vehicles across levels packed with tactical possibilities. AUTHENTIC WW2 WEAPONS – Experience the firepower of historically accurate WW2 weaponry, with an armoury of rifles, SMGs, pistols, shotguns, grenades & explosives. VISCERAL X-RAY KILL-CAM – Witness the devastating effect of your shot as Sniper Elite’s signature kill-cam returns, rebuilt for VR.
SNIPER ELITE VR is coming to PlayStation VR, Steam VR, Oculus Rift and Oculus Quest on July 8, 2021.
