Entertainment
Journey Through the History of Gaming: The Legendary Colossal Cave Adventure Now Reborn on Xbox
Legendary Designer Roberta Williams Revives the Spirit of Classic Adventures with the Xbox Launch of Colossal Cave
SEATTLE, Aug. 1, 2023 /PRNewswire/ — Cygnus Entertainment, a boutique studio helmed by industry legends Ken and Roberta Williams, proudly announces the launch of the legendary Colossal Cave game on Xbox One and Series X|S. For the first time ever, Xbox users can embark on a journey that marries retro-cool with magical adventure, exploring the enigmatic and fantastical world of Colossal Cave, brimming with secret treasures, mystical creatures, and riddles to confound even the wisest sage.
Originally developed in the mid-1970s as a text-adventure game, Colossal Cave has enchanted generations of gamers and challenged their problem-solving prowess. The game’s sprawling cave system and intricate puzzles ignited the imagination of industry pioneers like Roberta Williams, leading to the birth of the world’s first graphic computer game, Mystery House. Colossal Cave would go on to inspire games like King’s Quest, Zork, Monkey Island, ToeJam & Earl, and Carmen Sandiego. Today, Cygnus Entertainment stays true to the spirit of this golden age classic, all while breathing new life into it through the best technologies available.
Players journey through 14 magical realms, each whispering hidden tales, offering breathtaking vistas, or hosting an array of cave-dwelling oddities. “I want them to sense danger, or experience exhilaration upon finding something important,” Roberta Williams explains. “I leave it to them to figure out how to get past an obstacle, solve a puzzle, and successfully reach a goal. Discovery is important! And, unlike many adventure games, this is an open world.”
According to Ken Williams, “Initially, I feared players may see this as an ‘old’ game. I remind them that Lord of the Rings is an ‘old’ book. Like Peter Jackson made The Lord of the Rings into a movie, we reimagined the Colossal Cave for modern technologies. It is something completely new, but with deep historical roots.”
In honor of the game’s launch, Cygnus Entertainment is offering a special launch promotion, available for a limited time only. The company invites all adventurers to dust off their home-crafted, vintage Colossal Cave maps and descend into the adventure of a lifetime.
About Cygnus Entertainment:
Rekindling the magic of the golden age of gaming, Ken and Roberta Williams, the trailblazers behind the industry dominating Sierra On-Line, return with Cygnus Entertainment. Their ambition is no less than to reinvent the adventure genre, delivering a gaming experience that’s both familiar and classic, but innovative and enhanced for modern platforms. Cygnus Entertainment, through games like Colossal Cave, is reigniting the legacy, reimagining the past for the future. These pioneers are back, eager to share their visionary journey. Their saga is your saga; let’s tell it together.
Ken and Roberta are currently taking interview requests. Contact Press@CygnusEntertainment for scheduling.
Expanding Horizons: Colossal Cave
Colossal Cave, already a hit on platforms like PC, Mac, Linux, SteamDeck, SteamVR, Meta Quest 2, Nintendo Switch, and PlayStation 5, continues its mission to captivate players across every gaming platform. A ‘living game’, Colossal Cave thrives on continuous enhancements with a pipeline of exciting updates lined up. Upcoming releases are set to conquer PicoVR, PlayStation 4, PlayStation VR2, iOS, and Android.
The latest thrilling chapter: an eagerly anticipated Xbox release!
Stay tuned as the world of Colossal Cave keeps expanding.
SOURCE Cygnus Entertainment
Entertainment
Treydora Launches NFT Comic Book & VR Education
Treydora revolutionizes entertainment and training with NFT comics and VR education for healthcare.
Treydora, a multimedia entertainment and education company based in New York, is set to launch an innovative non-fungible token (NFT) comic book universe and virtual reality (VR) education platform. With the aim of revolutionizing storytelling and workplace training, Treydora combines blockchain technology, VR, and artificial intelligence to create immersive experiences.






Founded by Mark Loudermilk, a registered nurse, respiratory therapist, and computer scientist, Treydora seeks to utilize emerging technologies in a creative way. Loudermilk’s experiences working in New York City hospitals during the pandemic motivated him to launch something new and innovative.
In November, Treydora will introduce its first-ever NFT comic, featuring a science fiction saga centered around an ancient being named Treydora. The company has partnered with renowned comic artists to bring the meticulously crafted storylines and characters to life. Treydora plans to expand the universe into NFT artwork, VR real estate, eBooks, movies, and more.
Treydora also aims to transform workplace education and training through its pioneering VR education platform. By creating hyper-realistic 3D simulations of clinical environments, the platform has the potential to revolutionize training for healthcare professionals and enhance patient care. The company plans to extend its VR educational technology to other industries and corporate training programs.
With a focus on worldbuilding, gaming, and training, Treydora is at the forefront of interactive digital experiences, ownership, and learning. To stay updated on the latest developments, visit Treydora’s website at www.treydora.com.
animation
DOLL OF THE YEAR FINALIST, THE FRESH BEATS DOLLS SET FOR ANIMATED SHORT SERIES
Ahead of the Biggest Week in Toys, The Dr. Lisa Company and Composition Media to Bring Entertainment Content to Diverse Audiences
ORLANDO, Fla. /PRNewswire/ — Rocking to the rhythm of authenticity and diversity, The Fresh Beats Dolls, Doll of the Year Finalist at this week’s 2023 Toy of the Year® (TOTY®) Awards, will come to life in an animated short series from EPI, the toy and publishing division of The Dr. Lisa Company, founder Dr. Lisa Williams, and Carl Reed’s animation studio Composition Media.
Being honored as a Doll of the Year Finalist with the biggest names in the toy industry is monumental for EPITweet



“From being honored as a Doll of the Year Finalist with the biggest names in the toy industry, showcasing our diverse line at Toy Fair, and preparing for our first animated series, this is a monumental week for EPI,” said Dr. Lisa Williams, The Dr. Lisa Company, CEO and Founder.
“We’ve been working to expand into content behind the scenes for some time,” Williams continued. “Carl’s extensive experience and mission to highlight minority and underrepresented communities perfectly align with our vision – to ensure Black and Brown children see themselves reflected in toys and entertainment, to embrace their beauty and build their self-esteem.”
“It’s an honor to be working with Dr. Lisa Williams, a pioneering leader in the toy industry who shares the same commitment to bringing diversity to young audiences,” said Carl Reed. “By bringing The Fresh Beats Dolls to life, we’re expanding the opportunity for kids to experience these relatable and captivating characters in a new way.”
The Fresh Beats Dolls is an animated series of six, three-minute shorts and centers around a titular girl group forming over the course of a EuroVision-type singing competition. The short series is set to debut later this Fall on YouTube.
Each 10″ doll in The Fresh Beats Dolls Collection features custom-blended skin tones and premium rooted hair with authentic textures, including patent-pending locs. From pop princess Bao BBY, to non-binary hip hop queen Beigne au Lei, and rock star Loxx, each embraces diverse and relatable personalities and stage-ready fashions. Dolls are available now at Target for $17.99 each.
Dr. Lisa Williams is also a 2023 Toy of the Year Finalist in the Champion of Diversity and Inclusion category and recognized as an individual who has made outstanding contributions or acted as a change catalyst to develop purposeful, environmentally friendly, and mission-driven programs that lead the way in creating a better future for the toy industry. The 2023 Toy of the Year Award winners will be announced on Friday, September 29, in New York City ahead of this year’s Toy Fair®.
EPI won Doll of the Year in 2022 for Marvel’s Black Panther: Wakanda Forever Fresh Fierce Collection. The company will be showcasing The Fresh Beats Dolls and more at New York Toy Fair at Booth 2779.
Carl Reed, producer of the Academy Award-winning short “Hair Love,” founded Composition Media to present universally themed stories to audiences seeking elevated content. Earlier this year, the company announced a major anime production partnership with Black Sands Entertainment, a leading force in Black comic book publishing. Additional projects in development include a feature film co-produced alongside Steve Harvey’s East 112; and “Sky & Luna,” the first movie in an eight-picture slate partnership with Labid Aziz’s PoC Studios and Man of Action Entertainment. Reed most recently served as a producer on Max’s “Young Love,” the “Hair Love” spinoff series starring Issa Rae and Kid Cudi.
About The Dr. Lisa Company:
The Dr. Lisa Company is a Black Woman-Owned multi-million dollar powerhouse, incorporating EPI, a leading multicultural toy manufacturing and design firm, including an animation division. Since establishing the company in 2003, to create dolls so children of all ethnicities can grow up seeing their beauty reflected back at them, Dr. Lisa Williams has since been recognized as a pioneer and leader in the industry. Dr. Lisa was named the 2022 Women in Toys Wonder Woman Rising Star Manufacturer and 2023 Toy Association’s Finalist for Champion of Diversity and Inclusion.
EPI brands include The Fresh Dolls (named Oprah’s Favorite Things), The Fresh Beats (2023 TOTY Doll of the Year Finalist), Positively Perfect Dolls, Fresh Squad, Simply Fresh Dolls, Fresh Fashions and Accessories. The sculpts are one-of-a-kind pieces of art, with unique facial features, custom blended skin tones, and a variety of hair textures, reflective of ethnicities found around the world – African American, Afro-Latina, Latino/Hispanic, Caucasian, and Mixed-Race/Bi-Racial. EPI dolls are priced for every budget, so every child has access and can be found in stores across the globe, including giant retailers like Target, Walmart, Meijer, Amazon, and Macy’s. https://thefreshdolls.com/
About Composition Media:
Founded by Carl Reed, Composition Media is a diverse and forward-thinking animation studio with an innovative approach to making animated film and TV content for a global audience.
As an organization that embraces and embodies disruption in the entertainment ecosystem, Composition Media presents universally themed stories to audiences looking for elevated content. Adopting a transmedia approach to seed and develop IP through collaboration with storytellers around the world, Composition Media brings fresh entertainment properties to audiences globally.
Prior to launching Composition Media, Carl Reed co-founded Lion Forge Comics, and later co-founded Lion Forge Animation, serving as its President and Chief Creative Officer. While with Lion Forge, Reed produced Matthew Cherry’s “Hair Love,” which won an Academy Award® for Best Animated Short, “Rise Up, Sing Out,” an Annie Award and NAACP Image Award-nominated animated musical series featuring music by The Roots for Disney Junior/Disney+, and the Emmy-nominated animated musical series “Rhymes Through Times” created by Nick Jr./Noggin featuring music performed by Christopher Jackson (“Hamilton”).
SOURCE The Dr. Lisa Company
art, culture and humanities
THE HIP HOP MUSEUM & MASS APPEAL ANNOUNCE THE HIP HOP MUSEUM TOUR SPONSORED BY CÎROC KICKING OFF IN NEW YORK CITY ON OCTOBER 14TH
FREE TICKETS AVAILABLE HERE
NEW YORK /PRNewswire/ — Today, The Hip Hop Museum announces The Hip Hop Museum Tour Sponsored by CÎROC Ultra-Premium Vodka (tickets available HERE) – kicking off in Hip Hop’s birthplace, New York City, on October 14th before traveling to Atlanta, Houston, Charlotte, Los Angeles, and Miami. In celebration of Hip Hop’s 50th anniversary, entertainment company Mass Appeal, and CÎROC Ultra-Premium Vodka, the official vodka of Hip Hop 50, have partnered with The Hip Hop Museum to tell the story of the pioneers who created and cultivated a sound that sent waves around the world.



Ahead of the museum’s 2025 opening date, the touring exhibit will feature early Hip Hop artifacts from 1973-1990, highlighting important firsts along the genre’s road from block parties to sold out stadiums. Each tour stop will shine a light on the cultural and social accomplishments of a community that fought for a voice and prevailed, moving the needle on what Hip Hop was and ultimately could be.
“The Hip Hop Museum is thrilled to be in partnership with Mass Appeal and to have the support from CÎROC Ultra-Premium Vodka as we celebrate Hip Hop 50. Fifty years of growth and the global impact of Hip Hop culture in all its expressions. By taking the museum’s exhibition on tour, we’re shining a light on the culture’s regional creative influences, its creators, and the communities nationwide that helped give rise to the genre,” said Rocky Buccano, Executive Director of the Universal Hip Hop Museum.
Curated by Hip Hop historians, Pete Nice and Paradise Gray, the exhibit focuses on the genesis of Hip Hop, from its grassroots inception to the first worldwide tours.
Hip Hop is one of the most influential cultures the world has ever seen. In its genesis, it challenged generational thinking and disrupted everything from fashion and art, to language and politics. For fifty years, this global phenomenon has fostered new creative expression from often overlooked and underserved communities. It’s given voice to the silenced; purpose to the oppressed.
We welcome you to join us on a journey back to where it all began.
A complete list of tour dates can be found below (subject to change)
- New York City: 10/14
- Atlanta: 10/21
- Houston: 11/4
- Los Angeles: 11/11
- Charlotte: 11/18
- Miami: 12/5-12/9
The Hip Hop Museum Tour is the latest punctuation of the Mass Appeal led #HipHop50 initiative, a multi-faceted cross-platform campaign honoring the birth and rise of the most enduring movement of the last half-century. Mass Appeal recently hosted Hip Hop 50 Live – A Star Studded Concert on Hip Hop’s birthday featuring the Bottom of the Ninth performance from Run DMC. This partnership with The Hip Hop Museum will continue Mass Appeal’s quest to honor Hip Hop in the most authentic and globally impactful way possible.
Follow @MassAppeal and the @UHHM on social media to keep an eye out for the Hip Hop Museum Tour near you!
About Hip Hop Museum
The Hip Hop Museum in the Bronx celebrates and preserves the history of local and global Hip Hop music and culture to inspire, empower, and promote understanding. Anchored in the birthplace of the culture, The Hip Hop Museum opening in 2025, in the Bronx will provide a space for audiences, artists, and technology to converge, creating unparalleled educational and entertainment experiences around the Hip Hop culture of the past, present, and future.
About Hip Hop 50
Hip Hop 50 is Mass Appeal’s love letter to Hip Hop. A manifestation of the company’s commitment to celebrating the culture in the most authentic and globally impactful way possible. Hip Hop 50 is activating through unique storytelling that is realized in timeless content, original music, live experiences, strategic partnerships, custom products and much, much more. Every facet of the Hip Hop 50 Universe includes a charitable component connected to the The Hip Hop Museum. Find #HipHop50 online, on-air and on the block.
About Mass Appeal
Mass Appeal is an entertainment company dedicated to telling stories from the perspective of those who shape and shift culture. Since 1996, we have documented the emerging movements that influence popular ideas. Today, Mass Appeal is the elevated voice of Hip Hop and its ever-expanding sphere of influence. Integrated offerings in content, music, and creative services stoke Mass Appeal’s ability to maximize the impact of our output. Our diverse school of thought separates us from friends and foes alike. Follow Mass Appeal on all social platforms @massappeal.
For Mass Appeal contact:
Lydia Kanuga
[email protected]
Shannon Atran
[email protected]
Cassandre Brissot
[email protected]
SOURCE Mass Appeal
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