Pandemic Event - A New Strain

Thanks to the great reaction that we've gotten from the Epidemic event, we've decided to give the infection a whole new vector that starts with today's patch!

Introducing the Agrotech Close Engagement System, AKA the ACES.

The ACES comes in two varieties - the ACES SMG and the ACES Rifle. 

The ACES Rifle and the SMG are two entirely different animals. The SMG is a short range, fast firing weapon. Low damage and a huge magazine, but you'll want to consider firing in bursts to maintain accuracy. It also features a Red modification called Short Barrel that allows the system to output more bullets than its sister weapon, with the downside that accuracy tends to degrade due to the lack of a rifled barrel. If you want something with a faster fire rate than the OCA but find the Tommy Gun too difficult to control, then the ACES SMG is the perfect gun for you!

The Rifle version of the ACES is similar, but features an Extended Barrel Red modification that effectively transforms the weapon from an SMG into a pseudo rifle platform. The longer, rifled barrel allows for higher velocity rounds to be used, thus increasing the weapons damage at the cost of firing speed, due to recoil management systems inside the weapon. This is actually a blessing in disguise because it makes accuracy bloom more manageable than the Rifle's sister weapon. If you want something that fills in the gap between the ATAC and the OCA then the ACES Rifle is for you!

Players that have 26 total kills with the Colby .45 AP will get a 10-Day ACES SMG. 10 kills with the ACES SMG will get you the 'Mutated' title. 50 kills with the ACES SMG will net you the ACES Rifle for 10 days. If you didn't manage to get a Colby .45 AP during the Epidemic Event, it's now available for purchase from Armas and Joker Distribution. 

Better get crackin'.

Epidemic Event

San Paro Sickness
For the last few months we've been thinking about different ways to bring new weapons into the game. We want to give everyone a try with the brand new gun before giving people a chance to get hold of it on a more permanent basis, and we think we've come up with something pretty special this time. Starting today, we'll be running something that we're calling the Epidemic Event where we'll be introducing a new weapon - the Colby .45 AP.

The Weapon
The Colby .45 AP is our latest secondary weapon. Built with very high killing potential and maneuverability, this weapon should remind our long-term players of the classic FBW. It suffers from a small magazine, but it has enough of a kick to make quick tap-firing of the weapon quite challenging. It works well at short-to-medium ranges and we think it sits pretty happily between the FBW and the ACT 44 in terms of power and usability. It's got a classic style and a fearsome sound, so if you're looking for a secondary weapon to help you press the advantage in a fight, then the .45 AP is for you!

Here, for the first time ever, is a view of the Colby .45 AP in-game:

Looks pretty great, huh? Well, here's how you get your hands on it...

The Epidemic
The only way to unlock this weapon in-game is to get killed by it. The Reloaded Productions team will be killing random people in random districts on random worlds with this gun; anyone who is killed with the gun will get the gun, and thus be able to 'spread the epidemic' themselves.

When you get killed by the Colby .45 AP, you'll get mailed a version of the weapon for ten days and a 'Patient Zero' title if you manage to kill 25 enemies with the .45 AP. So get in there and see if you can get infected!

Keep an eye out for potential mutation in the event rules...

Artist Program Part 1

Just a quick post today to say that we've added Part 1 of the Artist Program to APB Reloaded in our most recent patch!

Part 1 contains eight new tracks to the game from ForestPunk, Evo Evolver, Solar Deity, Magnifikate, The Fevers and Dope Stars Inc. They've all been picked for the game from hundreds of submissions, and this is only the beginning of tons of new tracks we'll be adding gradually over the coming months. We tested all of the songs in-game to see how awesome they were in every situation you'd find yourself in while playing APB. Every single track we've selected for inclusion is stellar, so get in game and check them out! We've got a pretty great mix of alternative rock, electro, rap, and classic rock, and we know there's going to be something that you'll love.

Reloaded Games are also very proud to announce the first Featured Artist of the Artist Program:

Dope Stars Inc. is an award-winning Italian cyberpunk rock band, and they're perfect listening for driving through Waterfront. Seriously, give driving around Baylan shipping a try with this in the background - it's like they were made for each other!

You can check out Dope Stars Inc.'s website here and then get into the game!

If you just can’t wait to get into game to hear the new tracks, you can preview them here:

• Dope Stars Inc: Lies Irae (http://soundcloud.com/dopestarsinc/liesirae)
• Dope Stars Inc: No Life Belongs to You (http://soundcloud.com/dopestarsinc/nolifebelongstoyou)
• Dope Stars Inc: We Are The New Ones (http://soundcloud.com/dopestarsinc/wearethenewones)
• Evo Evolver: Boomsday (https://soundcloud.com/evoevolvermusic/boomsday)
• Magnifikate: Sarasota (http://soundcloud.com/magnifikate/magnifikate-sarasota-original)
• Solar Deity: Seen My Death (https://soundcloud.com/solar-deity/solar-deity-seen-my-death)
• Forest Punk : Be Smart (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H4_01f5NZGU)
• The Fevers: Heatbeats (Like a Drum) (https://soundcloud.com/thefevers/the-fevers-heartbeats-like-a)

If you want to learn more about the Artist Program, check out details here. And if you want to submit your own tracks, email artistprogram@gamersfirst.com (please read the rules regarding submission beforehand - if you submit your track incorrectly, it will be ignored).

We'll keep everyone updated when we add new tracks, so watch this space...if you've submitted a track, you could be the next Featured Artist!