“We’re thrilled that over 1 million gamers have discovered the fast-paced and skill-based gameplay of Tribes,” said Todd Harris, Hi-Rez Studios Chief Operating Officer. “It is truly the player support of the title that has driven the population growth and fuels our team to deliver updates.”

Hi-Rez Studios also announced that over 110,000 people have joined Tribes: Ascend via the recently introduced friend referral system.

“We see the community expanding primarily through positive word of mouth,” continues Todd. “Since release we’ve already recognized seven players who have each individually referred over 500 new people to Tribes: Ascend. The game’s success allows us to give back to the community through free DLC updates, tournament events and expansion into new markets in coming months.”

Tribes: Ascend has received three free DLC updates to date and has outlined a summer schedule for tournaments that include over $30,000 in cash and prizes for players.

About Hi-Rez Studios

Hi-Rez Studios was established in 2005 to create exceptional online interactive entertainment. In 2010 the company released their first title, the squad-based shooter MMO Global Agenda. In April 2012 the company released the critically acclaimed Tribes: Ascend, billed as the World’s Fastest Shooter. Hi-Rez Studios is is now developing the upcoming action MOBA game SMITE. For more info visit www.hirezstudios.com or contact press@hirezstudios.com.

Cash Tournaments Begin For Tribes: Ascend. Integrated Live Streams Coming Soon

ATLANTA – May 10, 2012 — Hi-Rez Studios, independent developer of AAA free-to-play online games, today announced the Summer of Tribes tournament series.  Between May and August 2012, Tribes: Ascend tournaments will award over $30,000 in cash and prizing, with each event being broadcast live over the internet with supporting game commentary.

Tribes: Ascend, billed as the World’s Fastest Shooter, will be featured by leagues and tournament providers including North American Star League (NASL), Electronic Sports League (ESL), Cyber Sports Network (CSN), European Game Series (EGS), Curse Networks and FPS General.

The finals for the first event are this Saturday, May 12th with CSN and over $2,500 in prizing.

The top prize for the summer will be $10,000 prize pool for NASL Season 3.  The NASL Tribes: Ascend semi-finals will be broadcast from E3 and the grand-finals will be a live LAN event in Toronto, Canada.

“Given that we just released Tribes: Ascend mid April, we’re pleased with how quickly the e-Sports community is growing,” says Todd Harris, Hi-Rez Studios COO. “Our team believes that Tribes can be a premier spectator event and we’re thrilled to have partners who share this vision and support the community with great broadcast content as well as prizing.”

Hi-Rez announced intent to stream selected tournament games within the Tribes: Ascend game client itself.  The next digital update to Tribes: Ascend will integrate live viewing of featured games powered by TwitchTV.

Todd Harris continues, “The community is already using TwitchTV to stream Tribes: Ascend game activity.  With the next update we’ll feature certain streams as viewable within the game itself so those become broadcast events.”

“We enjoy working with developers like Hi-Rez Studios who harness live video to support their game community,” says Kevin Lin, TwitchTV Chief Operating Officer.  “At Twitch we’ve seen a phenomenal rise in eSports, and it is exciting to see the growing popularity of a fast-action FPS like Tribes: Ascend.”

About Hi-Rez Studios

Hi-Rez Studios was established in 2005 to create exceptional online interactive entertainment. In 2010 the company released their first title, the squad-based shooter MMO Global Agenda.  In April 2012 the company  released the critically acclaimed Tribes: Ascend, billed as the World’s Fastest Shooter.  Hi-Rez Studios is  is now developing the upcoming action MOBA game SMITE.  For more info visit www.hirezstudios.com or contact press@hirezstudios.com.

About TwitchTV

TwitchTV is the world’s leading video game broadcasting network where more than 16 million gamers gather every month to watch and interact around the games they love. TwitchTV’s proprietary video delivery platform and infrastructure form the backbone of a distribution network for leading video game broadcasters including pro players, tournaments, leagues, developers and gaming media organizations. TwitchTV is leading a revolution in gaming culture, turning gameplay into an immersive social video experience. Learn more at http://twitch.tv.

This release includes two new maps – Tartarus (CTF) and Hinterlands (Arena).

You can also now configure up to four pre-established loadouts per class. Use these to quickly switch between favored configurations for each class. You also now have an alternate way to change classes/loadouts via the QUICK SWITCH option that does not require you to open the game menu and is much faster.

Each user will now be presented with a customized “DEAL OF THE DAY,” – a customized deal with special pricing based on items that the user does not already own.

We’ve also modified the gold packages. The $30 and $50 packages now give significantly more bonus gold than previous, but do not include an XP booster. Remember that you still earn permanent VIP status (which increases XP gain by 50%) after their first real-money purchase).

Finally, an important usability update – with this release, you always close the console window using the ESCAPE key rather than the same key that launches the console (default “tilde”). This is necessary to solve issues when people rebind that key, as well as on some countries’ keyboard layouts.

Read the complete patch notes here!

It showcases the Raid & Pillage Update coming to Tribes: Ascend this week! The Update includes new content for the Raider Class including:

• Plasma Gun
• NJ5-B SMG
• Cluster Grenade
• Griever skin
• Mercenary skin

The cosmetic skins will be purchasable via real-money only (Tribes Gold). All new weapons can be unlocked with gameplay XP, or purchasable with Tribes Gold.

Anticipated fast-paced shooter now generally available

ATLANTA.  April 12,  2012.  Hi-Rez Studios, independent developer of AAA free-to-play online games, today announced the official release of Tribes: Ascend.  The fast-paced, sci-fi multiplayer shooter has completed Beta testing and is now a live PC game available for digital download.

Tribes: Ascend is the world’s fastest shooter.  The game features jetpacks, skiing, vehicles, team-based gameplay, and cutting-edge graphics using Unreal 3 technology.  With this official release, the game is available for download directly from the developer at www.tribesascend.com.

The Tribes: Ascend release build includes 9 playable classes, 5 game-modes, and 16 unique maps.

Recent additions include the CTF map Raindance, as well as a new game-mode called Capture and Hold.  The Release build also includes a preview of the Custom Server functionality that will soon be available to players.

ATLANTA. April 4, 2012. Hi-Rez Studios, independent developer of AAA free-to-play online games, today announced its lineup of games for PAX East. Attendees can check out and play Hi-Rez’s games at booth 962 at the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center between April 6 and April 8, 2012.

As is typical, the Hi-Rez booth has been designed to accommodate hands-on competitive multiplayer, maximum audience visibility, shoutcasting, and interaction with studio team-members.

PAX East attendees can play exclusive, pre-release content from two of Hi-Rez Studios’ new marquee titles including:

Tribes: Ascend - The World’s Fastest Shooter – featuring jetpacks, skiing, vehicles, and team-based gameplay. Tribes: Ascend releases as a digital download for the PC on April 12th, and attendees can preview Release Build content:

• A classic map returns… Raindance. Shipping first within the original Starsiege: Tribes in 1998, Raindance is a popular Tribes map and has been cited as one of the most influential multiplayer game maps of all time.
• And a brand new game-mode – Capture & Hold. Playable at PAX on the map Katabatic this new gametype showcases core Tribes features of speed, vehicles, objectives, and teamwork.

SMITE – A Battleground of The Gods that shakes up the MOBA genre with a 3rd person camera and action skill-shot combat. SMITE is currently in Closed Alpha.

• Choose Your God from 15 deities including six gods playable for the first time at PAX East. Attendees can select from: Zeus, Kali, Anubis, Odin, Ymir, Sun WuKong, HeBo, Hades, Bastet, Ao Kuang, Ra, Arachne, Hel, Vamana, and Agni.
• Play 5 versus 5 multiplayer in a battleground map with Boss Minotaurs, new jungle camps, and exclusive first look at Fire Giant.

To schedule press appointments at the Hi-Rez Studios booth, contact press@hirezstudios.com.

For press assets, including art, trailers and screenshots, visit: http://press.hirezstudios.com.

About Hi-Rez Studios

Hi-Rez Studios was established in 2005 to create exceptional online interactive entertainment. In February 2010, the company released their first title, the squad-based shooter MMO Global Agenda. The team is now developing two other AAA free-to-play online games – Tribes: Ascend, the next installment of the popular Tribes franchise, and the upcoming MOBA game SMITE. For more info visit www.hirezstudios.com.

Remarkably the Refer-A-Friend program for Tribes: Ascend was only soft launched on Thursday March 29th with a single posting to the community forums. In less than five full days, TotalBiscuit’s direct referrals have netted thousands of new accounts and over 500 new active Tribes: Ascend players. Each referred player progressed to at least level 6 in order to qualify as a counted referral.

Per the Tribes: Ascend Refer-A-Friend reward program, TotalBiscuit has earned 5000 xp for each referral plus over 30,000 additional units of Tribes Gold. And upon reaching 500 Referrals TotalBiscuit becomes the first name to be added to the Player Celebrity Wall at Hi-Rez Studios.

“We knew TotalBiscuit was on a fast path with referrals”, explains Hi-Rez Studios Chief Operating Officer Todd Harris, “But we honestly didn’t expect it quite this fast! He’s a knowledgeable and authentic voice in gaming. And we couldn’t be more pleased that players worldwide are trying and enjoying our fast, skill-based shooter. In terms of the referral race, there are a couple of other players hot on his heels but he is currently the odds-on favorite to reach the grand milestone of 10,000 first”

Tribes: Ascend is scheduled to release on April 12, 2012 but is already available as a digital download in Open Beta.

Players can create an account and download the game from www.tribesascend.com.

For press assets, including art, trailers and screenshots, visit: http://press.hirezstudios.com.

About Hi-Rez Studios

Hi-Rez Studios was established in 2005 to create exceptional online interactive entertainment. In February 2010 the company released their first title, the squad-based shooter MMO Global Agenda. The team is now developing two other AAA free-to-play online games – Tribes: Ascend, the next installment of the popular Tribes franchise, and the upcoming MOBA game SMITE. For more info visit www.hirezstudios.com.

The infamous bug was introduced in 1998 with the release of the original Starsiege: Tribes. A defect deep within the game’s physics subsystem allowed players to slide or ‘ski’ very quickly across wide-open terrain. For over 13 years, and across numerous Tribes sequels, this exploit has been used by players to gain incredible movement speeds – earning Tribes a reputation as the World’s Fastest Shooter.

Now, thanks to the debugging skills of Hi-Rez developer Don Zubis, skiing in Tribes has been eliminated.

“No more skiing! Tribes players can now travel at the more comfortable walking speed found in other modern shooters”, explains Todd Harris, Hi-Rez Studios Chief Operating Officer. “With this bug finally behind us, our dev team can move onto new gameplay mechanics including Super-Slow Walk, Go Prone, and the highly anticipated Crawl.”

The release date of Tribes: Ascend remains April 12, 2012. And Hi-Rez would not confirm whether this bug fix would indeed make it in time for that release build.

There remains significant risk that, on release day, Tribes: Ascend players will be able to go very, very fast.

About Hi-Rez Studios

Hi-Rez Studios was established in 2005 to create exceptional online interactive entertainment. In February 2010 the company released their first title, the squad-based shooter MMO Global Agenda. The team is now developing two other AAA free-to-play online games – Tribes: Ascend, the next installment of the popular Tribes franchise, and the upcoming MOBA game SMITE. For more info contact www.hirezstudios.com

To play Tribes: Ascend Open Beta today visit: http://www.tribesascend.com. All player progress and unlocks in Beta will be preserved through release with no planned character wipes.

For press assets, including art, trailers and screenshots, visit: http://press.hirezstudios.com

It showcases the Cloak & Dagger Update coming to Tribes: Ascend this week!  The Update includes new content for the Infiltrator Class including:
- Assassin skin,
- Mercenary skin,
- Smoke Grenade,
- Jackal,
- and Throwing Knives.

The cosmetic skins will be purchasable via real-money only (Tribes Gold).   All new weapons can be unlocked with gameplay XP, or purchasable with Tribes Gold.

Going forward we will offer similar updates for other Tribes classes – including cosmetic  skins as well as alternate weapons.

New Capture The Flag Maps, New Servers, and Badge for Beta Participants

ATLANTA. March 20, 2012.  Today, Hi-Rez Studios introduces another significant update to the Open Beta of the free-to-play fast-action multiplayer shooter Tribes: Ascend.

Patch Highlights include:

• Added Sunstar, a new Capture the Flag map.
• Temple Ruins, a Capture the Flag map, has been revised based on community feedback and returns to the Quick Play rotation.
• Additional European servers added.  Region selection includes Europe – London and Europe – Amsterdam.
• Additional Asian servers added.  Region selection includes Asia – Japan, and Asia – Singapore
• Server performance optimizations.
• More polished reticules and HUD icons.  Also, users may now disable unwanted HUD elements using SETTINGS menu.
• User settings now stored server-side.  Settings may be reset with this patch but settings should be preserved upon future patches.

Other balance changes, features, and bug-fixes are detailed here.

Hi-Rez Studios also announced their intent to reward the very active Beta community.  When Tribes: Ascend officially releases on April 12th, all Beta players who have reached level 10 will receive an exclusive in-game Beta badge.

To play Tribes: Ascend Open Beta today visit: http://www.tribesascend.com.  All player progress and unlocks in Beta will be preserved through release with no planned character wipes.

For press assets, including art, trailers and screenshots, visit: http://press.hirezstudios.com.

About Hi-Rez Studios

Hi-Rez Studios was established in 2005 to create exceptional online interactive entertainment. In February 2010 the company released their first title, the squad-based shooter MMO Global Agenda. The team is now developing two other AAA free-to-play online games: Tribes: Ascend, the next installment of the popular Tribes franchise; and the upcoming action MOBA game SMITE. For more information, please contact press@hirezstudios.com or visit www.hirezstudios.com.

Tribes: Ascend is a fast paced sci-fi FPS for the PC that bills itself the “World’s Fastest Shooter.”

Supporting the announcement Hi-Rez Studios also released a parody trailer titled “Tribes Ascend – Llama Island.”

“Tribes is all about speed and movement,” explains Todd Harris, Hi-Rez Studios’ Chief Operating Officer.
“In fact the community uses the term llama to refer to a player moving too slowly, like a plodding llama.  So this video demonstrates the perils of trying to capture a flag while going too slow.  The outcome is predictable but no less tragic.”

Watch the Tribes: Ascend Llama Island video here.

Tribes: Ascend is currently in Open Beta with over 400,000 players participating.  Hi-Rez has announced that all player progress in Beta will carry over to the release build.  Anyone interested in trying Tribes: Ascend can create an account and download the game from  http://www.tribesascend.com, without the need for a beta key.

View the Tribes: Ascend Focus video here.

Find Tribes: Ascend on Facebook here.

About Hi-Rez Studios

Hi-Rez Studios was established in 2005 to create exceptional online interactive
entertainment. In February 2010 the company released their first title, the squad-based
shooter MMO Global Agenda. The team is now developing two other AAA free-to-play
online games: Tribes: Ascend, the next installment of the popular Tribes franchise; and the upcoming action MOBA game SMITE. For more information, please contact press@hirezstudios.com or visit www.hirezstudios.com.

ATLANTA – February 28, 2012 – This week, the professional e-Sports North American Star League (NASL) celebrates the Open Beta of Tribes: Ascend by airing the first exhibition matches for NASL Season 3.

The first night of Tribes: Ascend streaming will be Wednesday 2/29 at 8pm PST / 11pm EST on www.nasl.tv.

Night two will begin after Starcraft II, Thursday 3/1 at 8pm PST / 11pm EST.

This week’s matches feature top European and North American teams, shoutcasted from the NASL studio.

“Tribes: Ascend is a very fast-paced, skill-based shooter,” says Todd Harris, Hi-Rez Studios COO.  “We prioritized spectator mode early in Beta to support the competitive community.  This week’s NASL broadcast is really the kick-off of Tribes: Ascend as an eSport.  These team rosters include some of the world’s best Tribes players and we look forward to intense games.”

Now in Open Beta, Tribes: Ascend has already seen:

• Over 350,000 accounts created
• Active servers supporting growing communities in North America, Europe, Australia, Brazil and Asia
• Over 200 competitive scrimmage matches, with over 30 teams representing more than 10 countries, leading up to this week’s NASL broadcast.

“We are excited to add truly compelling FPS content to our eSports lineup,” says Russel Pfister, North American Star League CEO.  “Already broadcasting exciting content five nights a week, NASL is looking forward to showcasing Tribes: Ascend as an eSport with the high quality production NASL is known for and that this epic title deserves.”

To play Tribes: Ascend today visit: http://www.tribesascend.com

For press assets, including art, trailers and screenshots, visit: http://press.hirezstudios.com

About Hi-Rez Studios

Hi-Rez Studios was established in 2005 to create exceptional online interactive entertainment. In February 2010 the company released their first title, the squad-based shooter MMO Global Agenda. The team is now developing two other AAA free-to-play online games – Tribes: Ascend, the next installment of the popular Tribes franchise, and the upcoming MOBA game SMITE. For more information, contact www.hirezstudios.com

About NASL

Based in Southern California, the North American Star League is the premiere eSports broadcaster in the world. Its goal is to expand and elevate eSports awareness and participation worldwide. The NASL is renowned for broadcasting high-definition, high quality eSports league events involving games such as StarCraft 2: Wings of Liberty and Heroes of Newerth. With broadcasts 5 days per week during seasons of competition, live events, and several seasons of content per year, the NASL provides viewers with a multitude of viewing opportunities. http://www.nasl.tv.

Estimated Maintenance Window

• Date: Tuesday, February 28th 2012
• Start Time: 03:00 AM EASTERN (08:00 UTC)
• End Time: 07:00 AM EASTERN (12:00 UTC)

ATLANTA – February 22, 2012 – Today, Hi-Rez Studios announced major content updates to the highly anticipated, fast-action multiplayer shooter Tribes: Ascend in advance of starting Open Beta this Friday, February 24.

“The Tribes: Ascend Closed Beta has exceeded our expectations,” says Todd Harris, Hi-Rez Studios Chief Operating Officer.  “Over 300,000 players participated in the Closed Beta and the game has improved greatly based on community feedback.  We are now excited to launch Open Beta this Friday.  We have expanded capacity in North America, Europe, and Australia and added new local servers to support growing communities in Brazil and Asia.”

All player progress and unlocks will be preserved with no planned character wipes.

In advance of Open Beta, a significant patch this week will include:

• New gametype, Arena Deathmatch, with two initial maps
• New Capture The Flag map, Temple Ruins
• New Team Deathmatch map, Inferno
• Two new unlockable items for the Soldier class:  Proximity Grenade and Utility Pack
• New default suits for Doombringer and Brute
• Ability to view either Blood Eagle or Diamond Sword skins from Class menu
• Service supporting Name Change
• Large number of bug-fixes and balance adjustments.

Please find the details in the patch notes.

As of Friday at noon EST / 5pm GMT, anyone interested in trying Tribes: Ascend can create an account and download the game from http://www.tribesascend.com, without the need for a beta key.

Find Tribes: Ascend on Facebook
here.

About Hi-Rez Studios

Hi-Rez Studios was established in 2005 to create exceptional online interactive
entertainment. In February 2010 the company released their first title, the squad-based
shooter MMO Global Agenda. The team is now developing two other AAA free-to-play
online games: Tribes: Ascend, the next installment of the popular Tribes franchise; and the upcoming action MOBA game SMITE. For more information, please contact press@hirezstudios.com or visit www.hirezstudios.com.

Server downtime: The Tribes Servers are expected to be down for several hours on THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 2012 while the patch is deployed. Watch the Server Status in the Tribes launcher for latest availability information.

The new Raider look (Blood Eagle).

Major Highlights

• The Sentinel, Infiltrator, Technician and Raider classes have new suits/visual aesthetics. The Doombringer and Brute will have modifications in an upcoming patch.
• XP prices of many weapons have been lowered. Those that purchased the weapons at the older XP prices will be refunded XP as if they had purchased at the new prices.
• The front-end menu has undergone a significant number of usability improvements and bug fixes. Some of the changes include:
• Easier navigation to modify your class from the in-game class select screen.
• Several improvements to the Friends list layout and usability.
• Reduced clicks to join a quick match.
• Hot-keys to access some menu items.
• A number of bug fixes and cleanups.
• Several maps have had adjustments for performance, playabiity and aesthetics.  More is planned for future releases.

Read The Patch Notes

Are you taking advantage of the FREE 3-Day Booster offer on Facebook?

Click the image above to get your Booster today!

ATLANTA – February 2, 2012 — Today, Hi-Rez Studios released screenshots previewing enhancements coming to the fast-action multiplayer shooter Tribes: Ascend.  Tribes: Ascend, currently in Beta, has been receiving regular updates since early November.  This next planned patch delivers the most significant update to date.

“We feel very good about the fast and fluid combat we’ve been playing and refining with the community over the past few months” explains Todd Harris, Hi-Rez Studios Chief Operating Officer.  “We are now excited to announce new features that have been among those most requested by our Beta group.”

“Our next update will include additional class customization and a much more polished user interface that really showcases the sci-fi, high resolution graphics of Tribes: Ascend.  We will be collapsing the total number of playable classes from 12 to 9, but adding the ability for players to unlock new weapons for each class and further customize their loadout.  Three of the nine classes will be available right away so a new player will have access to a Light, Medium, and Heavy class in his or her first match”

“We believe this system preserves class-based combat but offers additional flexibility for players to customize classes around individual playstyle.  It continues to provide a balanced and level playing field for all players – free and VIP.”

The full patch notes are available here.

Tribes: Ascend is a free-to-play shooter for the PC Platform with servers currently located across North America, Europe, and Australia.  In addition to unlockable classes, weapons, skills and perks, the Beta version includes 3 drivable vehicles, 3 game modes, and 9 playable maps.  Hi-Rez Studios is also planning to support Ranked Servers and Custom Servers.

Players interested in joining the Tribes: Ascend Closed Beta can register for an invitation at http://www.tribesascend.com.

Those wishing to guarantee a Closed Beta spot may purchase the Tribes: Ascend VIP Starter Bundle at the game’s official website. The bundle includes automatic admission into Beta, permanent VIP status in the game, a 30-day Booster and 3000 Tribes Gold. The VIP Starter Bundle is priced at a 33% discount to list price, as a reward to the game’s Beta testers.

Additional information can be found in the online FAQ.

Find Tribes: Ascend on Facebook here.

Tribes: Ascend Focus video here.

About Hi-Rez Studios

Hi-Rez Studios, Inc, located just outside of Atlanta GA, was established in 2005 to create exceptional online interactive entertainment. In February 2010 the company released the squad-based Shooter-MMO Global Agenda. Hi-Rez is currently developing other AAA free-to-play online games including Tribes: Ascend and SMITE. For more information, contact press@hirezstudios.com or visit www.hirezstudios.com.

ATLANTA – January 30, 2012 – This week, Hi-Rez Studios celebrates the two-year anniversary of the award-winning, free-to-play game Global Agenda.  The  Shooter MMO launched on February 1, 2010 as an action combat and sci-fi alternative to more traditional fantasy MMO titles.

“Elves still exist in the MMO world”, says Todd Harris, Hi-Rez Studios Chief Operating Officer.  “Just not within our world.”

In 2011 Global Agenda transitioned to a free-to-play model, was relaunched as the very first free-to-play game on Steam and delivered the Recursive Colony expansion which included new instanced PvP, new instanced PvE, and an entirely new Open Zone.

Since launch Global Agenda has seen:

• Over 1,000,000 registered players
• Over 12,000,000 PvE missions
• Over 1,400,000 PvP missions

Anniversary Promotions Include:

Free Limited Edition Pet - Hi-Rez Studios is enticing players new and old to join in this week’s celebration of the two-year anniversary.  Any player winning an instanced PvP or PvE mission between January 30th and February 6th will receive a miniature version of the Switchblade Boss as a player Pet. NOTE: Please allow up to 24 hours for pet delivery after your win!

PvP Tournament Reward – Hi-Rez is sponsoring player managed PvP tournaments including a recent 6v6 competition.  As 2012 is the year of the dragon, all tournament participants receive a free dragon themed helmet in addition to an exclusive item and cash prize for the winning team.

More Flair  - Over 100 back-catalogue appearance and flair items from days past are returning for sale within the Dome City Burning Fashion vendor.

Players interested in playing Global Agenda for free can create an account at http://www.globalagendagame.com

For press assets, including art, trailers and screenshots, visit: http://press.hirezstudios.com

About Hi-Rez Studios

Hi-Rez Studios was established in 2005 to create exceptional online interactive entertainment. In February 2010 the company released their first title, the squad-based shooter MMO Global Agenda. The team is now developing two other AAA free-to-play online games – Tribes: Ascend, the next installment of the popular Tribes franchise, and the upcoming MOBA game SMITE. For more information, please contact www.hirezstudios.com.

Server downtime: The Tribes Servers are expected to be down for several hours on FRIDAY, JANUARY 06, 2012 while the patch is deployed. Watch the Server Status in the Tribes launcher for latest availability information.

Major Highlights

• An early version of the Arx Novena Capture the Flag map has been released. This map is in an early state and is not at its final intended art or design quality.
• Added a new “Target Practice” mode under the Training menu. This is a variant of the Crossfire map that contains a variety of bots in it. These can be used to practice shooting.
• Improved vehicle handling in high-latency situations. This is most noticeable on the Shrike.
• Reduced stuttering when skiing/jetting.
• By default, damage numbers appear above a players hit when you damage them. This can be turned off through the Settings menu.
• The game warm-up period has been extended, in order to allow more users to load into the game prior to match start.
• Adjusted flag bounce physics to help prevent punting a flag too far from a large impulse.

Read The Patch Notes

Estimated Maintenance Window

• Date: Thursday, January 5th 2012
• Start Time: 03:45 AM EASTERN (08:45 UTC)
• End Time: 06:15 AM EASTERN (11:15 UTC)

Estimated Maintenance Window

• Date: Friday, December 30th 2011
• Start Time: 04:00 AM EASTERN (09:00 UTC)
• End Time: 06:00 AM EASTERN (11:00 UTC)

Server downtime: The Tribes Servers are expected to be down for several hours on WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 28, 2011 while the patch is deployed. Watch the Server Status in Hi-Command for latest availability information.

Major Highlights

• Improved tracers on most rapid-fire projectile weapons.
• Modified projectile inheritance on all Spinfusors, all Bolt Launchers, the ArxShotgun, and Thumper (flat 50%).
• Reduced sniper rifle effectiveness versus Shrikes.
• Fixed a bug in the First Win of the Day bonus.
• Fixed a bug that would prevent players from getting their rewards at end of match under some conditions.
• Fixed a bug with the gravcycle that could cause all players to disconnect from a match under some conditions.

Read The Patch Notes

Server downtime: The Tribes Servers are expected to be down for several hours on WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 21, 2011 while the patch is deployed. Watch the Server Status in Hi-Command for latest availability information.

Major Highlights

• Bella Omega has been added to the Team Deathmatch rotation.
• Variety of changes to fully automatic projectile weapons (see notes).
• Significant updates to Spectator support (see notes).
• Variety of different performance optimizations (both client and server). More are planned for future patches.

Read The Patch Notes

Make sure to hop in-game to grab these seasonal* shop items while supplies last!

*Items are permanently bound to account and can be worn year-round. However, these items will no longer be sold after the holiday season.

The patch fixes a few bugs, including an issue with skiing, an issue with Heavies using the Inventory station in some condition, and a problem causing occasional map crashes and server instability.

Don’t get so busy with the holidays that you miss out on the January event for AgendaTourney.com! Along with the fan site, Hi-Rez Studios will also be contributing to the prize pool!

Stay tuned to this all-new fan site, the Hi-Rez blog, and our Facebook page for a follow-up announcement with prize details.

Register today, and start getting your team in place for the event!

Server downtime: The Tribes Servers are expected to be down for several hours on THURSDAY, DECEMBER 15, 2011 while the patch is deployed. Watch the Server Status in Hi-Command for latest availability information.

Major Highlights

• Converted all fully automatic hitscan weapons to use projectiles. This includes the Ranger’s Assault Rifle, Technician’s TCN4, and Infiltrator’s Rhino SMG.
• Significantly improved projectile inheritance.
• A votekick option has been added. Open the console and type “/votekick” to initiate a vote to kick another player.
• Significant improvements have been made to spectator functionality (see patch notes for details). Further improvements are planned for future updates.
• Added new accolades to reward flag grabs based on speed, e-grabs, vehicle destruction, flag defense, and generator defense.

Read The Patch Notes

Server downtime: The Tribes Servers are expected to be down for several hours on THURSDAY, DECEMBER 8, 2011 while the patch is deployed. Watch the Server Status in Hi-Command for latest availability information.

Major Highlights

• Bella Omega has been re-added to the CTF Map Rotation. Significant changes have occurred since the map was last available for play.
• Vehicles have undergone a variety of improvements and cleanups.
• An early (still unpolished) preview of Spectator functionality is available for testing. See additional notes below.
• Token gain from the “First Win of the Day” challenge has been doubled.
• A variety of changes have been made to the in-match credits system.
• Early versions of “Mute Player” and “Report Player” functionality have been added. See additional notes below.
• Fixes to prevent some disconnects and server instability. Additional fixes planned for future patches.

Read The Patch Notes

ONTARIO, CALIFORNIA – December 5, 2011 — Hi-Rez Studios showcased their new free-to-play, first person shooter Tribes: Ascend at the North American Star League (NASL) Season 2 Finals this past weekend.

The NASL is a premier broadcaster of eSports and includes more than 80 of the world’s top professional players between its two existing tournaments, with many more competing each season for a coveted spot in the league

Tribes: Ascend is the first FPS to be selected for inclusion by the NASL and will be featured as a Promotional Title throughout their third season. Supporting this announcement is a new video highlighting skill-based combat within Tribes: Ascend.

Tribes: Ascend is a new game within the lauded sci-fi shooter franchise Tribes. The original game, Starsiege: Tribes, was one of the first multiplayer only online games and has been cited as a grassroots early influence on eSports and shoutcasting. Building upon this legacy, the new Tribes: Ascend has been designed from the ground up with competitive eSports in mind, making it an ideal addition to the NASL.

“As developers, we are excited to offer a fast paced, high skill-ceiling shooter for this generation of gamers.” says Todd Harris, Hi-Rez Studios COO. “Tribes: Ascend and NASL are a great fit in terms of dedication to competition and high-quality, high-engagement content.”

Players looking for more information about NASL can visit NASL.tv and find the broadcast of the second season Grand Finals.

Players interested in joining the Closed Beta for Tribes: Ascend can register for an invitation at www.tribesascend.com.

Find Tribes: Ascend on Facebook here.

About Hi-Rez Studios

Hi-Rez Studios, Inc, located just outside of Atlanta GA, was established in 2005 to create exceptional online interactive entertainment. In February 2010 the company released the squad-based Shooter-MMO Global Agenda. Hi-Rez is currently developing other AAA free-to-play online games including Tribes: Ascend and SMITE. For more information, contact press@hirezstudios.com or visit www.hirezstudios.com.

About North American Star League

Based in Southern California, the North American Star League is the premiere eSports broadcaster in the world. Its goal is to expand and elevate eSports awareness and participation worldwide. The NASL is renowned for broadcasting high-definition, high quality eSports league events involving games such as StarCraft 2: Wings of Liberty and Heroes of Newerth. With broadcasts 5 days per week during seasons of competition, live events, and several seasons of content per year, the NASL provides viewers with a multitude of viewing opportunities. http://www.nasl.tv.

Server downtime: The Tribes Servers are expected to be down for several hours on THURSDAY, DECEMBER 1, 2011 while the patch is deployed. Watch the Server Status in Hi-Command for latest availability information.

Major Highlights

• The Team Deathmatch gametype is now available for play on two maps.
• Reduced the token amounts required to unlock classes.
• Added a “First Win of the Day” Challenge which rewards additional XP and tokens.
• Fixed a number of bugs that caused sudden speed drops when skiing or jetting uphill.
• Added the “Orbital Strike” call-in. It is similar to the Tactical Strike, with a much wider radius and higher credit cost.
• Settings: “Reduce Weapon Size” option has been added along with many others, including an option to disable help messages.

Read The Patch Notes

Tribes: Ascend Closed Beta Version 0.1.563.0 arrives on Tuesday, November 22.

Server downtime: The Tribes Servers are expected to be down on TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 2011 from ~9:30 AM to 2:00 PM US Eastern (14:30 to 19:00 GMT) while the patch is deployed.

Major Highlights since Version 0.1.549

The Pathfinder and Juggernaut classes are now priced at half their previous price (7500 tokens or 260 Gold). Players that have previously unlocked these classes will be refunded the difference between the original purchase price and the new purchase price.

In addition, the patch contains:

• There are now separate server regions for “N. America – East” and “N. America – West.”
• DryDock has been re-added to the CTF playlist. The map has been better optimized for performance, with more to come.
• CTF Scoreboard now includes Class and Rank of each player.
• Maximum number of players in a rabbit match raised to 12 (from 8).
• Lowered credit prices for vehicles.
• Players may now use unlocked class Skills and Perks in Training maps.
• Explosive Looter perk gives the ability to have an extra grenade in a player’s inventory if that grenade was acquired from an ammo pickup nugget.
• Fixed Air Show and Wheel Deal perks not reporting reduced prices in the Vehicle Pad menu.
• Various UI cleanups and improvements
• LOTS of bug fixes
• And more!

Read The Patch Notes

The Tribes Servers are expected to be down for several hours while the patch is deployed (~9:30 AM to 2:00 PM US Eastern, 14:30 to 19:00 GMT) .

Major highlights include:

• A new CTF map, Bella Omega, has been added to the Free Servers rotation.
• Several optimizations and fixes meant to help reduce system crashes, minimize “disconnects”, and improve overall performance.
• You can now test all classes (even those classes you do not yet own) in the single-player “Roaming Maps” on the Training menu.
• Added a new perk for Juggernaut. Super Heavy reduces knock-back effects from AOE blasts.
• The separate VIP Queue has been removed. VIPs will continue to earn 50% bonus Tokens and XP by playing on the Free Servers.
• Players who rejoin a match they have left or were disconnected from will have their kills, score, unspent credits, etc. all returned.
• Various UI cleanups and improvements.
• LOTS of bug fixes.
• And more!

Read the Patch Notes here!

The first significant patch to Tribes: Ascend since the Closed Beta began arrives tomorrow, Thursday, November 10.

Server downtime: The Tribes Closed Beta Servers are expected to be down on THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 10, 2011 from ~9:00 AM to ~2:00 PM US Eastern (14:00 to 19:00 GMT) while the patch is deployed.

What’s in it?

New maps have been added to the Rabbit Rotation (Drydock Night Map) and the CTF Rotation (Drydock Day Map). In addition:

• The speed cap has been removed and various falling, skiing and jetpack physics changes have been implemented, including modifications to Skills.
• Various server stability improvements
• Various UI cleanups and improvements
• LOTS of bug fixes
• And more!

Read The Patch Notes

Tribes: Ascend Closed Beta Begins Tomorrow!

Player Progression Will Be Preserved In Beta, No Character Wipes Planned

ATLANTA – November 3, 2011 — Hi-Rez Studios today confirmed that the Closed Beta for Tribes: Ascend will begin on Friday, November 4, 2011.

Studio representatives also announced that no character wipes are planned during Beta. Player advancement in terms of rank, class unlocks, and skill progression will carry forward beyond Closed Beta, into Open Beta and into Release

Previous Tribes titles have been played by well over 1 million gamers and feature fast-paced, jetpack-enabled multiplayer combat. Tribes: Ascend continues this tradition, delivering speed, verticality, vehicles and stunning graphics within an entirely new, free-to-play game for the PC.

The Closed Beta build of Tribes: Ascend includes two initial class options – the Soldier and the Ranger, 10 additional classes available to be permanently unlocked, 3 drivable vehicles, 2 game-modes, and servers located across North America, Europe and Australia. Prior to release Hi-Rez will also support Ranked Servers and Private Servers.

“Compared to Alpha, Tribes: Ascend enters Beta with even more unlockable classes, a skill & perk system, and additional projectile-based weapons” said Todd Harris, Hi-Rez Studios Chief Operating Officer.  “And we plan to deliver new playable maps and classes after Beta and even after Release.   Our dev team is excited to reintroduce such a fast-paced, team-based shooter and we are looking forward to playing alongside the Beta community.”

Players interested in joining the Tribes: Ascend Closed Beta can register for an invitation at http://www.tribesascend.com.

Those wishing to guarantee a Closed Beta spot may purchase the Tribes: Ascend VIP Starter Bundle at the game’s official website. The bundle includes automatic admission into Beta, permanent VIP status in the game, a 30-day Booster and 3000 Tribes Gold. The VIP Starter Bundle is priced at a 33% discount to list price, as a reward to the game’s early testers.

Additional information can be found in the online FAQ.

Find Tribes: Ascend on Facebook here.

About Hi-Rez Studios

Hi-Rez Studios, Inc, located just outside of Atlanta GA, was established in 2005 to create exceptional online interactive entertainment. In February 2010 the company released the squad-based Shooter-MMO Global Agenda. Hi-Rez is currently developing other AAA free-to-play online games including Tribes: Ascend and SMITE. For more information, contact press@hirezstudios.com or visit www.hirezstudios.com.

Bart has temporarily lowered the price on Starry Eyes and added the year-round variants of Halloween flair to Burning Fashion for AP purchase!

Last week’s contest winners will soon see a new piece of flair in their inventory.

For this week’s contest . . .
To Enter: You must have a pair of this week’s clearance item, Starry Eyes.

Prize: Everyone with a visible player name in the winning screenshot gets next week’s clearance item for free!