As Lady Gaga once said, it’s time to just dance. It’s going to be okay. Da da doo-doo-mmm or something like that. Anyway, Just Dance 2022 is out this week on all major platforms. (Sadly, not the Wii.)
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Sunday, 31 October 2021
The Week In Games: Dance Like Nobody's Watching
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Roblox comes back online after three-day outage
Roblox is finally returning to normal after a nearly three-day outage. The gaming platform's developer said it was "incrementally" bringing regions back to service after having pinpointed the cause roughly three hours earlier. The company had a possible candidate on October 30th, but didn't narrow it down until a day later.
The company didn't detail the cause, but had previously ruled out particular "experiences or partnerships." Some had blame the outage on a Chipotle promo that launched half an hour before the failure took place on the evening of October 28th.
Whatever the reason for the outage, it may have had a lasting effect. Roblox has over 40 million daily users, and has been home to major concerts in recent months. That could leave more than a few frustrated kids, not to mention parents and creators wondering about the long-term reliability of the platform.
Quick update as we work to get things back to normal. We are incrementally bringing regions back online.
— Roblox (@Roblox) October 31, 2021
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Astronomers may have spotted a planet in another galaxy for the first time
The hunt for exoplanets is venturing beyond the Milky Way. Astronomers using NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory have detected what might be the first signs of a planet in another galaxy. The team noticed dips in X-ray brightness that hint at a planet transiting in front of a star in the Messier 51 (aka M51) galaxy 28 million light-years away. For context, all the exoplanet candidates in the Milky Way are no more than 3,000 light-years from Earth — this planet would easily set a distance record if confirmed.
The very nature of stars made the feat possible. As the researchers had to focus on X-ray bright binary systems where the region of bright rays is relatively tiny, the transit was considerably easier to spot. Conventional detection of nearby stars requires much more sensitive light detection, as a planet might only block a small amount of light from a given star.
The planet itself is believed to be as large as Saturn, but would orbit its hosts (a star 20 times the mass of the Sun as well as a black hole or neutron star) at twice the distance.
Scientists didn't believe the dimming was due to gas clouds or dust, as those aren't consistent with the event they recorded in M51. A planet, however, would line up with the data.
The challenge, as you might guess, is verifying that data. The planet's large orbit could rule out another transit for roughly 70 years, and it wouldn't be clear exactly when astronomers would have to take a look. The three-hour transit of this planet candidate didn't provide a large window. That's also assuming the 'living' star doesn't explode and bathe the planet in radiation.
If there's ever a confirmation, though, the discovery would be very significant. While there aren't many doubts that planets exist in other galaxies, it would be useful to have evidence of their existence. This could also significantly widen the scope of future planetary searches to include the galactic neighborhood, not just close-by stars.
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Fantastic Looking Bloodborne PS1 Demake Is Out January 31
Sure, we still don’t have a PC port of Bloodborne, but next year folks will finally be able to play Bloodborne PSX, a fan-made demake of the first section of Bloodborne, complete with boss fights and more. A new trailer released today revealed it’s out for free on January 31, 2022.
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Grant Kirkhope just put out a fun new Banjo Kazooie: Re-Jiggyed album
These Banjo-Kazooie remixes are so playful I’ve been listening to new takes on classic Banjo-Kazooie tunes from Grant Kirkhope, and...
The post Grant Kirkhope just put out a fun new Banjo Kazooie: Re-Jiggyed album appeared first on Destructoid.
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Lenovo's rumored 17-inch ThinkBook Plus has a second screen for drawing
Lenovo's next ThinkBook Plus might be more practical, at least if you'e a budding artist. Well-known leak purveyor Evan Blass has shared what he said is an image of a 17-inch ThinkBook Plus model. Unlike the current 13.3-inch system, though, you wouldn't have to flip your machine around to use an e-paper display on the back. Instead, you'd have a pen-capable color display next to the keyboard you could use to draw or take handwritten notes.
Blass didn't share other details, but the 17-inch ThinkBook Plus would seemingly have an extra-wide main display and fit in a full keyboard along with a large trackpad. We'd expect reasonably speedy internals to help drive the second display, much like the vaguely comparable ASUS ZenBook Duo.
It's not certain when this extra-large ThinkBook Plus would ship. Lenovo has historically reserved some of its largest laptop introductions for CES in January, but that doesn't preclude the company from a last-minute launch for the holidays. Either way, the image suggests Lenovo hasn't given up on the Plus concept — if anything, it's exploring new concepts that might prove appealing for creatives and others who shied away in the past.
Have you guys seen this yet? 17-inch ThinkBook Plus from Lenovo... pic.twitter.com/OElc5ZM3pb
— Ev (@evleaks) October 31, 2021
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LEGO Super Mario to expand with Luigi’s Mansion inspired sets
If there is no Mario-in-a-painting piece then what’s the point The partnership between LEGO and Nintendo seems to be a...
The post LEGO Super Mario to expand with Luigi’s Mansion inspired sets appeared first on Destructoid.
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Are you playing any Halloween favorites today?
Cblogs of 10/23 to 10/29/2021 –Kerrik52 reviews Fatal Frame 3: The Tormented as part of his Traveler in Playtime reviews...
The post Are you playing any Halloween favorites today? appeared first on Destructoid.
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G20 deal raises the minimum tax rate for big tech companies
Large tech companies may soon have to pay significant taxes no matter what tax loopholes they had before. BBC Newsreports G20 leaders have reached an agreement that would set a global minimum tax rate of 15 percent for large companies. The long-in-the-making deal should be official as of today (October 31st) and would be enforced starting in 2023.
The US originally pitched the concept to prevent companies from using creative accounting (such as the "Double Irish arrangement") to avoid paying most of their taxes in the country. Other countries embraced the idea, though, and the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) toldCBC News the move could rake in about $150 billion from corporations around the world.
The deal could discourage tech giants like Amazon, Apple, Google, Meta and Netflix from relying on loopholes to maximize their profits. If the deal collects the promised money, governments could better fund public services and help tackle problems like climate change.
There are numerous criticisms, however, and not just from those who generally oppose higher taxes. Oxfam, for instance, blasted "generous carve outs" that protected sone income and take 10 years to phase out. The pro-equality group also claimed the deal was "extremely limited" and would affect fewer than 100 companies while generating little money for poorer countries. The arrangement might beat the status quo for G20 nations, but it won't necessarily address some outstanding concerns.
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Scooby-Doo! Night Of 100 Frights Is A PS2 Classic Thanks To Its Great Music And Tim Curry
I don’t expect much from licensed video games. So I was shocked when I came across the soundtrack for Scooby-Doo! Night of 100 Frights, a 2002 PS2 game based on the popular ‘70s cartoon. Turns out this game’s music slaps.
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Nintendo's Online Expansion Pack Trailer Is Now Its Most Disliked Video On YouTube
Well, it seems a lot of people don’t like Nintendo’s new Switch Online Expansion Pack based on the reveal trailer’s likes and dislikes. The video, which revealed the pricing details for the plan, now has 104k dislikes on YouTube, overtaking the previously most hated video on Nintendo’s channel: A trailer for Metroid…
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Elden Ring’s network test isn’t far off and today is your last chance to sign up
If you’re reading this after Oct. 31, you’re too late Happy Halloween! But before you go full hollow on All...
The post Elden Ring’s network test isn’t far off and today is your last chance to sign up appeared first on Destructoid.
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Seven video game neighborhoods I want to go trick-or-treating in
Do they have Twizzlers in Hyrule? Trick-or-treating: a time-honored tradition of showing up to strangers’ houses and demanding candy. Of...
The post Seven video game neighborhoods I want to go trick-or-treating in appeared first on Destructoid.
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Apple's mixed reality headset might play 'high-quality' VR games
Apple's rumored mixed reality headset may be a boon for VR gaming. In his most recent newsletter, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman claimed Apple is aiming for a headset that can handle "high-quality" VR games with both fast chips and high-res displays. While it's not certain just what chips would be involved, a previous leak mentioned a possible 8K resolution per eye — Apple might not expect games to run at that resolution, but it would hint at serious processing power.
The headset is still poised to arrive "as early as" 2022, Gurman said. He also suggested Apple would eventually follow up the mixed headset with an augmented-reality-only model, but that was "years down the road."
However accurate the claim might be, it's doubtful the mixed reality headset would be meant primarily for gaming The price (rumored to be as high as $3,000) might relegate it to developers and other pros. It wouldn't be a rival to the $299 Quest 2, then. Instead, the report suggests Apple might use this initial headset to pave the way for more affordable wearables where gaming is more realistic.
It's safe to presume Apple is committed to a headset, no matter the end result. Apple has acquired companies and reportedly shuffled executives with mixed reality in mind. This wouldn't just be a side project for the company, even if the mixed reality tech could take years to reach the mainstream. Gaming might play a pivotal role if Apple intends to reach a wider audience.
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Arizona Sunshine Dev’s Co-Op FPS, After the Fall, Headed to PS VR on December 9th
Vertigo Games has announced that its virtual reality co-op first-person shooter, After the Fall, will release on the PlayStation VR, Oculus Quest 2, and PC on December 9th.
First revealed during E3 2019, After the Fall was initially announced for Steam and Oculus. It wasn’t until March 2021 that it was confirmed for PS VR. Nevertheless, it’s brought to you by folks behind the VR hit Arizona Sunshine, so this one certainly has our attention.
After the Fall is set in the ice-covered ruins of LA, some 20 years after an apocalypse struck the earth. As a player, you’ll be one of the survivors who’s immune to a mysterious outbreak that has wreaked havoc.
An overview reads:
2005, LA. A generation has passed since a mysterious outbreak caused by the excessive use of designer drugs birthed the terrible Snowbreed, infesting our cities and collapsing civilization. You, one of the survivors seemingly immune to the side-effects of the substances, are humanity’s last hope of resurgence. Explore the remains of a civilization ground to a halt in an alternate 1980s, craft deadly weapons and wield devastating powers with real-life movements as you develop your combat style, and join forces with players worldwide as you go head to head with relentless hordes and larger-than-life bosses in a bid to take back the city. It’s time.
Features include:
- An Epic Multiplayer Virtual Reality Shooter – Go solo or join forces in seamless co-op on a campaign through a post-apocalyptic, infested virtual reality world from the creators of Arizona Sunshine.
- Hell Has Frozen Over – Discover, scavenge and survive the ice-covered and Snowbreed-infested ruins of a post-apocalyptic LA ground to a halt in an alternate 1980s.
- Larger-Than-Life Boss Fights – Survive unprecedented hordes, fight tactically to defeat Specials and think on your feet as you square off against awe-inspiring bosses.
- Discover Your Combat Style – Wield a huge variety of deadly weapons and devastating powers, all with real-life movements.
Check out a new trailer below.
The post Arizona Sunshine Dev’s Co-Op FPS, After the Fall, Headed to PS VR on December 9th appeared first on PlayStation LifeStyle.
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Sledgehammer Lists Call of Duty: Vanguard Multiplayer’s Visual, Audio, and Gameplay Changes Since Beta
In addition to dropping a huge Call of Duty: Vanguard pre-launch info dump including a detailed roadmap, Sledgehammer Games has provided an entire list of multiplayer changes that it has made since the beta, which range from visual and audio changes to weapon and movement changes.
You can find the entire lowdown below.
Visibility
- Distortion effects were removed from muzzle flash and we reduced smoke emitted when firing a weapon
- Completed a pass on muzzle flash placement/coverage when aiming down sights
- VFX Environment ambient placement for better sightlines
- Removed the droplets of water that get all up in your face when it rains
- Various bugs have been fixed including a bug where certain optics would stop enemy and friendly HUD icons from displaying while ADS
- We’ve fixed cases of nametags appearing through Destruction
- Lens flare reduced across all maps (we nerfed the sun)
- We will continue to refine VFX, Lighting, and UI into launch and monitor player feedback surrounding the various topics of visibility.
Audio
- Audio received a complete mixing and content overhaul to address community feedback from the Public Beta, including more audible footsteps, player and non-player weapons, and map environment content
- Footsteps are silent when players ADS, Crouch Walk, or have a Perk / Field Upgrade equipped which silences movement
- Fixed a bug that caused shots after the first shot to be too quiet
- Operator quips occur less frequently
- Asked Butcher to chill out. VO lines are less frequent
Spawns
- A bug resulting in unpredictable spawns in Patrol has been fixed as well general tuning of spawn logic globally
- We will continue to refine spawn logic over time to improve spawns in matches with higher player counts
Movement
- Grenades and incendiaries no longer slow movement speed of players
- A cap has been placed on max suppression effects
- Changes have been made to animation times including weapon swap speeds and throwing of equipment (ie: Gammon bombs can be thrown more quickly)
- Sprint out times have been sped up and re-balanced
- Dev Tip: Dauntless, a perk that players didn’t have access to in Beta, makes players immune to movement reducing effects
Weapons
- Shotgun lethality has been improved
- Effective Range of most Shotguns, SMGs, and Pistols have been reduced (SMGs and Pistols were overperforming at range and Shotguns were adjusted down due to increased lethality overall)
- Hipfire spread has been adjusted on most guns (mainly to add more consistency across weapon categories)
- Tradeoffs on barrels, magazines, and stocks have been reduced
- Ammo types were rebalanced to include more tradeoffs
- Squashed bugs affecting Weapon Progression and Detailed Stats
- Dev Tip: Vanguard’s version of the smoke grenade works differently than previous games. You’re fully hidden from distant enemies, but can be seen at closer ranges allowing you to close the distance between you and the enemy and hunt them down with close-quarter combat builds.
- Dev Tip: Try setting your mount options to use ADS rather than ADS+Melee. It’s not for everyone but it’s a powerful way to become more accurate in an instant while staying out of harm’s way. It can be combined with blind fire for some great results.
Killstreaks and Field Upgrades
- Friendly Spy Planes and Counter Spy Planes will no longer appear overhead
- Spy Planes and Counter Spy Planes move slower and are easier to hit
- Counter Spy Planes have a shorter duration
- Health has been reduced on Spy Planes, Counter Spy Planes, and most placed Field Upgrades
- Death Machine and War Machine have swapped costs
- Glide bomb is easier to control
- A max timer has been added to the Radar Jammer and Field Mic Field Upgrades
- Bugs resulting in graphical corruption of the Attack Dogs have been fixed – no more Dognados
Perks
- Low Profile has been removed and replaced with Ninja
- Dead silence has gained the ghost effect in addition to silent movement while active. This offers more flexibility in perk loadouts.
There’s also a handy FAQ on Sledgehammer’s website, in case you need more information.
The post Sledgehammer Lists Call of Duty: Vanguard Multiplayer’s Visual, Audio, and Gameplay Changes Since Beta appeared first on PlayStation LifeStyle.
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Amazon offers steep discounts on recent Echo devices
This may be one of your best chances of scoring a smart speaker or e-reader before the holiday rush. Amazon is selling multiple recent Echo devices (plus a Kindle reader) at very low prices. To start, the fourth-generation Echo speaker is on sale for just $60 (usually $100), or the same as its Prime Day pricing. You can also buy the new Echo Show 5 for an all-time low of $55 (normally $85), while its larger Echo Show 8 counterpart has dropped to $100 (typically $130).
Buy Echo (4th-Gen) on Amazon - $60Buy Echo Show 5 on Amazon - $55Buy Echo Show 8 on Amazon - $100You might also appreciate the Kindle deal if you're a book lover. Amazon is selling the standard Kindle (with ads) for just $50 — that's $40 below its official sticker, and even better than the Prime Day price. You'll get a similar discount on the ad-free version, which sells for $70. Either price drop makes the Kindle an easy choice if you prefer to wind down with a digital book at the end of the day.
The Echo devices are safe choices. The fourth-gen Echo sounds great for the money and boasts a memorable design along with Alexa's healthy ecosystems for smart home devices and skills. The newer Echo Show 5 and 8, meanwhile, build on that Alexa know-how with visuals. The Show 5 fits best as a bedside clock, while the 8 works well for video calls or as a family hub in the kitchen or living room. The main hiccups are simply the interface and streaming app selections — Google has a slight edge in both departments, but that might not matter much if you're mainly using voice commands or checking the news and weather.
Get the latest Black Friday and Cyber Monday offers by visiting our deals homepage and following @EngadgetDeals on Twitter.
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Sunday Comics: Trick Or Treat!
Hello! It’s time for Kotaku’s Sunday Comics, your weekly roundup of the best webcomics. The images enlarge if you click on the magnifying glass icon.
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Final Fantasy VIII Is So Popular That Square Enix Often Receives Easter Egg Requests From Hollywood
1999’s Final Fantasy VIII was a huge commercial success for Square Enix both inside and outside of Japan. According to Director Yoshinori Kitase, the game took the franchise into a new direction – at least visually – and had quite an impact on Final Fantasy‘s future.
While recalling Final Fantasy VIII‘s development and success on the PlayStation Blog, Kitase said that he liked how the game appeared in the 2000 movie Charlie’s Angels starring Cameron Diaz. He then went on to reveal that Final Fantasy VIII is so popular among “young” filmmakers that he often receives such Easter Egg requests from Hollywood.
I think it’s fair to say that Final Fantasy VIII had an impact on the future of the Final Fantasy series. Not necessarily mechanically – the gameplay of the Final Fantasy games changes with each entry – but certainly the realistic proportions and designs of characters set a visual direction for the series.
This is unrelated to development, but I also liked how Final Fantasy VIII appeared briefly in the movie Charlie’s Angels, starring Cameron Diaz. We often receive such Easter egg requests from Hollywood for Final Fantasy VIII – it seems to be a favorite amongst young filmmakers for some reason!
Kitase added that while he was very happy with Final Fantasy VIII overall, he wasn’t a fan of the characters not having any voices at a time when sound effects and music “were reaching film-like levels of quality.” He really wanted the characters to have voices, and wishes it was something he could have achieved back then.
[Source: PS Blog]
The post Final Fantasy VIII Is So Popular That Square Enix Often Receives Easter Egg Requests From Hollywood appeared first on PlayStation LifeStyle.
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Capcom Says Its Intriguing Next-Gen Sci-Fi Game, Pragmata, Is Making Steady Progress
We haven’t heard anything about Capcom’s mysterious sci-fi game Pragmata since its initial announcement in 2020, except for the news of its delay to 2023. You’ll be forgiven for thinking it went the way of Deep Down, but Capcom has reassured investors in its latest financial report that Pragmata‘s development is making “steady progress.”
Capcom wrote that it has hired young, new employees to give them a chance to acquire development know-how and skills by working on major franchises and new IPs. Pragmata is one such project that the publisher has assigned to fresh talent.
The report reads:
Based on our medium-term goals, as the head of development, I am striving to fulfill my revenue responsibilities by allocating 80% of the development investment budget to steadily developing popular IP series such as Resident Evil and Monster Hunter for various platforms. At the same time, we are also working on creating new IPs utilizing the talent pool we have expanded through our proactive hiring efforts. Most recently, we announced the action adventure title PRAGMATA for the new generation of consoles, and we are making steady progress on its development.
Newly hired young employees are given the chance to acquire know-how and skills through hands-on experience in the field as they are assigned to the development of popular IPs and major titles. PRAGMATA is just one such endeavor for our young employees. I feel that incorporating the youthful sensibilities of digital natives adds a new appeal to IP.
Pragmata is in development for current-gen consoles and PC.
[Source: Capcom]
The post Capcom Says Its Intriguing Next-Gen Sci-Fi Game, Pragmata, Is Making Steady Progress appeared first on PlayStation LifeStyle.
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iRobot's poop-detecting Roomba j7+ vacuum is cheaper than ever right now
iRobot's latest Roomba that can detect obstacles — including pet poop — along its cleaning journey is cheaper than ever right now. Both Amazon and Wellbots have the Roomba j7 and j7+ for $150 less, so you can grab them for $499 and $699, respectively. Both robots are the same, but you'll get the clean base with the j7+ model, allowing you to set and forget the robot and only empty the clean base about once every 60 days.
Buy Roomba j7 at Amazon - $499Buy Roomba j7+ at Amazon - $699Buy Roomba j7 at Wellbots - $499Buy Roomba j7+ at Wellbots - $699The j7 series builds upon the Roomba i7 robots with more powerful cameras, better sensors and more power. The AI-driven computer vision technology allows the device to detect obstacles and move around them as it cleans, and you can label those obstacles as permanent (in the case of a chair or another piece of furniture) or temporary. Not only does this mean the j7 robots should better navigate around things like piles of clothes and charging cords, but they can also detect a robot vacuum's arch nemesis: pet poop. iRobot even has a Pet Owner Official Promise (yes, P.O.O.P.) which states that you'll get a new robot vacuum if your j7+ runs into poop in the first year of you owning it.
Aside from that, the j7 series takes advantage of iRobot's improved mobile app, which lets you schedule cleanings and set routine triggers. You can also label rooms in your home after the robot has created a map, so you can better direct it to a specific room when you only need a quick clean.
While the clean base included in the j7+ package isn't necessary, it takes the convenience level up a notch. Instead of emptying your robot's bin after every job, the j7+ will automatically empty its contents into the clean base when it's done. You then only have to worry about emptying the base once every two months.
Follow @EngadgetDeals on Twitter for the latest tech deals and buying advice.
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Lego adds 'Luigi's Mansion' sets to its Super Mario World collection
Now that Luigi is part of Lego Super Mario, the toymaker is ready to show the other heroic plumber a little more respect. Lego has introduced a trio of Luigi's Mansion expansion sets that give its namesake star more to do in a game designed with him in mind.
The $30 Lab and Poltergust set helps you get started with Luigi's ghost vacuum, while a $40 Entryway set introduces you to the mansion proper as well as Polterpup and the game series' Boo ghosts. Splurge on the $80 Haunt-and-Seek kit and you can create a full-fledged level, complete with hidden gems and rotating hallways. As you'd expect, you can combine the sets or mix them with other Lego Super Mario packs.
The timing is off. Lego may be announcing the Luigi's Mansion sets on Halloween, but they won't be available until January 1st, 2022. It's a missed opportunity, then, but you might not mind if you or or your kids enjoy the existing Super Mario collections and want more variety. If nothing else, this will provide fond memories for anyone who remembers collecting ghosts in Luigi's games.
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Review: Dungeon Encounters
Encounter? I hardly know her! I wasn’t quite sure what to make of Dungeon Encounters when Square Enix announced it,...
The post Review: Dungeon Encounters appeared first on Destructoid.
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Saturday, 30 October 2021
24 Years After Release, GoldenEye N64 Is No Longer Banned In Germany
GoldenEye 007 for the N64 was released in 1997 in most of the world. However, in Germany, it was banned and designated as “Media Harmful To Young Persons.” But now someone has stepped in to help unban the classic shooter.
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Pokémon's Creepy Lavender Town Myth, Explained
Pokémon may be famously cheery, but the series has its share of dark, spooky myths. The most famous of those have got to be the ones about Lavender Town.
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Apple quietly discontinues the 21.5-inch iMac
You'll have to go large if you want an Intel-powered Mac desktop. 9to5Macreports Apple has quietly discontinued the 21.5-inch iMac about half a year after introducing the M1 model. The company had been selling a lone dual-core model for $1,099 through a relatively hard-to-find page, but YouTube Tech God noticed that it disappeared sometime on October 29th.
We've asked Apple for comment on the move. The company has a long history of keeping legacy Macs around for a while before silently dropping them, but it seldom elaborates on those decisions. A notable exception came in March this year, when Apple confirmed it was winding down iMac Pro sales.
This won't thrill educational customers that may still want the 21.5-inch iMac for its relatively low price, small size and legacy ports. You'll have to buy at least a 27-inch iMac or a $1,099 legacy Mac mini if you're not ready to leap to Apple Silicon. This does signal Apple's confidence in its processors, though — it clearly believes its mainstream desktop customers are ready to make the switch.
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14 Horror Games Available Now On Xbox Game Pass
A good scary game is often a thrilling experience. And if you are currently a Game Pass subscriber and in the mood to play something terrifying, creepy, or just downright spooky you already have access to some fantastic horror games for no additional cost. This is nice, because the only thing scarier than deadly…
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NASA delays SpaceX Crew-3 launch to November 3rd
You'll have to wait a little bit longer to watch SpaceX's third crewed NASA mission. NASA has delayed the launch of Crew-3 from early on Halloween to 1:10AM Eastern on November 3rd. The agency pinned the setback on "unfavorable" weather. There probably won't be another delay, though, as officials are predicting an 80 percent chance of good weather for the new date. Live overage of the launch on NASA's channel will start November 2nd at 8:45PM.
Crew-3 will bring NASA astronauts Raja Chari (the mission commander), Tom Marshburn and Kayla Barron to the International Space Station alongside the ESA's Matthias Maurer. They're expected to dock at 11PM Eastern on November 3rd and will stay until late April 2022.
Crewed SpaceX flights are still relatively rare. Crew-1 launched in November 2020, while Crew-2 didn't lift off until April 2021. Crew-3 and the recent all-civilian Inspiration4 mission are steps toward making these occupied flights relatively routine — ideally, they'll soon be as uneventful as SpaceX's other flights.
NEW LIFTOFF DATE: NASA's @SpaceX Crew-3 mission is now targeting 1:10am ET (05:10 UTC) on Wed., Nov. 3, for its next launch attempt due to weather along the flight path.
— NASA (@NASA) October 30, 2021
Watch NASA TV coverage starting Nov. 2 at 8:45pm ET (00:45 UTC Nov. 3): https://t.co/KXTmDNSZWmpic.twitter.com/BB3HkTizZo
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Roblox says its extra-long outage can't be blamed on Chipotle
It hasn't been a good weekend for Roblox players. The Vergenotes that the gaming platform has been down since 7PM Eastern on October 28th (nearly two days as of this writing), with no resolution in sight. It's not clear what prompted the failure beyond an "internal system issue," but Roblox Corporation stressed that it wasn't due to a Chipotle promo that launched just half an hour earlier. This wasn't linked to "any specific experiences or partnerships," Roblox explained.
The promo offers a total $1 million in free Chipotle burritos to players as part of a Halloween event. That could prompt a spike in activity on Roblox, but it's not likely to disrupt a game with over 40 million daily users.
The outage certainly won't help the platform, though. Over half of Roblox players are pre-teens, and its surge during the early pandemic helped fuel high-profile concerts and platform-exclusive games. Failures like this could easily anger kids (and their families) that spend much of their time in Roblox's virtual universe. While the downtime likely won't hurt the platform's long-term reputation, the company clearly can't afford many incidents like this.
Still making progress on today’s outage. We’ll continue to keep you updated. Once again, we apologize for the delay.
— Roblox (@Roblox) October 29, 2021
We know that this outage was not related to any specific experiences or partnerships on the platform.
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Arcade Archives’ Namco trend continues with 1985’s Sky Kid
Yo, I don’t know what all those birds are about Hamster is still feeling that old-school Namco love, with this...
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Review: Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy
Groot out of 10 The whole “Square Enix has the Marvel license” thing didn’t start out so well. Marvel’s Avengers was...
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New Warner Bros. Multiversus Leak Reveals It’ll Feature a Percentage System Akin Smash Bros. Knockback
Design documents for the rumored Warner Bros. fighter, Multiversus, have leaked online. Images of the document were first published on ResetEra, where user Sponge summarized information that was recently shared on a Discord server.
It appears that Multiversus is heavily inspired by Smash Bros. and WB is looking to capitalize on the game’s popularity by making a multiplatform iteration of it with its own spin on the genre. It certainly helps that WB has a lot of popular characters in its portfolio.
Apparently, Multiversus will feature a percentage system akin to Knockback in Smash Bros. There will also be Smash-style stages.
You can check out the design docs over at Imgur.
A bullet-point summary of the Discord leak shared on ResetEra is as follows:
- Finn plays like Coin Battle (think like Steve in Smash, where he needs resources in a way)
- Shaggy is literally based entirely on Ultra Instinct Shaggy
- No sign of Morty in Rick’s moveset
- No sign of Big Chungus in Bugs’s moveset
- Garnet from Steven Universe and Arya from Game of Thrones are in [This is extremely significant as it confirms that different playtesters had different, incomplete rosters. This explains how the Reddit leak, Hbox photo leak, and now this guy know about characters the others don’t]
- Bat Cave, Finn’s Treehouse, and Schwifty Planet are stages. They have multiple variants, but that’s likely the devs just testing which one they want
- Every alt is a full costume. Since the game is a WIP, some characters have multiple alts and some have none. The alts he saw include Pickle Rick, OG Harley, Bizarro Superman, Cake (female cat Jake), Pirate Tom & Jerry, Gentleman Shaggy. VAs change for alts
- It’s percentage-based, like Smash, if that wasn’t already obvious
- Rick is projectile-heavy, and uses his portal gun, leaving portals that allies can go through, but not enemies. Also has an AoE attack that turns you into a helpless baby version of the OC
- Tom and Jerry is more like Rosalina & Luma, with Jerry being Luma, except Jerry can’t be hurt. Stuff like an attack where Tom swings a tennis racket and Jerry is the ball
- OC is named Rein “maybe”
[Source: ResetEra]
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FromSoftware Parent Company Kadokawa Forms Strategic Alliance With Tencent to Strengthen IP Development
FromSoftware parent company Kadokawa Corporation has announced that it has entered into a strategic alliance with Tencent group in order to “strengthen its global IP development and rollout capabilities in the increasingly important games domain in the global market.”
In a notice published on its website, Kadokawa said that it aims to achieve medium and long-term enhancement of its corporate value via global deployment of its “rich and unique” collection of properties within books, live-action film, anime, video games, and user-generated content.
As part of the strategic alliance, Kadokawa will issue new shares. The notice reads:
The Company has been continuously working for collaborations with Tencent Group so far. Such collaborations include Guangzhou Tianwen Kadokawa Animation and Comics Co., Ltd, headquartered in Guangzhou, China; Tencent Group acquired a 41% stake in the company in 2016, a joint venture that operates a publishing business in China, and distribution of our IP e-books, animations, game titles, etc. in China, etc. As a result of discussion with Tencent Group, the Company has reached a capital and business alliance agreement with the Group because the Company judged that the establishment of a capital alliance between the two companies, as well as the strengthening of joint efforts by both companies in the animation and game fields, would contribute to the further strengthening and acceleration of the Global Media Mix strategy for the Company’s IP in the global market including China.
FromSoftware is one of Kadokawa’s most valuable asset in the gaming space. It purchased the developer in 2014. In April this year, Kadokawa formed a capital alliance with Sony, who now owns a stake in the company.
[Source: Kadokawa via ResetEra]
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2021 MacBook Pro teardown reveals easy-to-remove batteries
Apple may have given us a glimpse of what the new 14- and 16-inch MacBook Pros' insides look like, but it had a surprise waiting for the folks at iFixit nonetheless. The iFixit team said removing batteries from recent MacBook Pros required "infinite patience, a bottle of isopropyl alcohol, and an optional bottle of human-friendly alcohol." They expected the same from this generation of laptops but were pleasantly surprised by the presence of pull tabs instead when they tore down the new MacBook Pros.
The outer battery cells have noticeable pull tabs that you can, well, pull to detach them from their adhesive underneath. Even the central battery cells have pull tabs — they're just harder to find inside the laptop chassis beneath the trackpad. iFixit was able able to confirm that the laptops will recognize and work with battery replacements just fine.
In addition, most of the laptops' ports, except for the SD card reader and the HDMI port, are modular. That means they can be easily and cheaply replaced if they suddenly break or malfunction. Conversely, the laptops' keyboard will still be hard to replace, but hey, at least the days of Apple's butterfly keyboard are now over. You can watch iFixit's teardown process in the video below, and it also has more photos of the laptops insides on its website if you want to have a better look at their components. iFixit also took apart Apple's $19 polishing cloth, in case you're wondering what makes it more expensive that its typical counterparts.
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Patreon may let you reward creators with crypto
Patreon doesn't let creators offer crypto coins for the sake of profit, but that might change before long. TechCrunchreports Patreon executives Jack Conte and Julian Gutman said at The Information's latest summit that the company was "evaluating" the use of crypto, including a previously hinted-at possibility of allowing "creator coins" that fans can buy to show support. You could invest in creators and reap rewards if they hit the big time, or access special content reserved for coin owners.
Conte wouldn't say if Patreon had staff devoted to crypto projects, but did say the company was "thinking about it." The company had discussed the possibility of allowing creator coins during an online September discussion, but it was sidelined as the company grappled with the implications of Mastercard's tougher adult content standards.
Gutman added that Patreon was "interested" in studying the potential benefits of NFTs and related technologies for creators looking to sustain a business. NFTs have boosted the value of digital art, sometimes leading to sales worth millions, but there are also widespread concerns about the highly speculative nature of the market and the blockchain-based technology's environmental impact.
It wouldn't be surprising if Patreon embraced coins, NFTs or both. Patreon has fared well despite early pandemic jitters and raised $90 million just a year ago, but there's little doubt the service is trying to court as many creators as possible. A new stance on crypto might entice content producers who currently have to go elsewhere if they want to dabble in the technology.
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ICYMI: Apple’s new MacBook Pros have (nearly) everything you’d want
This week, we tested out new flagship smartphones, high-powered laptops and much-improved earbuds. Devindra Hardawar reviewed the latest 14- and 16-inch MacBook Pros and reports back that they provide almost everything one could want out of a powerful laptop. Billy Steele spent time listening to the third-generation AirPods and concluded they sound much better than the previous version. And Cherlynn Low used Google’s Pixel 6 and 6 Pro and found that the camera-heavy handsets have a lot more to offer, including a great starting price.
The new MacBook Pros have a ton of power (and ports)
Devindra Hardawar/Engadget
Devindra Hardawar says the 14- and 16-inch MacBook Pros are precisely what media professionals have been waiting for: speedy M1 Pro and Max processors, a comfortable keyboard, serious battery life and great speakers. They also feature most of the crucial ports MacBooks have been missing for years, including (finally!) an SD card reader, though the laptops are thicker and heavier as a result. And of course, all that comes with a high starting price of $1,999.
Devindra was particularly impressed by the Liquid Retina XDR displays, which come close to 4K resolutions, and have mini-LED backlighting to produce up to 1,600 nits of brightness. He was also pleased to find support for 120Hz refresh rates, and by the benchmark testing in which both MacBook Pros blew away competing Windows PCs. However, while the laptops were able to speedily convert a 4K video clip to 1080p, Devindra doesn't think they'd make the best gaming machines — trying to load Borderlands 3 produced an unplayable mess. Overall though, he says these computers have practically everything one, especially a creative professional, would want in a powerful notebook — as long as you can stomach the price tag.
The third-gen Airpods have a better fit and more features
Billy Steele/Engadget
Apple’s latest AirPods have been almost completely redesigned from the previous version; the buds themselves have a new look, courtesy of the contoured shape which reduces weight and features a tapered silhouette and an angle to increase comfort. Billy Steele says the company’s efforts to build better AirPods have paid off: the new buds are more comfortable and and have much better audio quality, with bigger and more immersive sound that remained open and airy. That’s thanks to a custom driver paired with a high-dynamic-range amplifier, as well as the new H1 chip and the inward facing mic. Billy says these changes made the AirPods something he actively wanted to listen to music with.
The new AirPods also have an IPX4 rating so they’ll survive sweaty workouts or small splashes. They can also detect skin which, combined with the built-in accelerometer, makes for more accurate pausing and extends battery life. The new chip means you can listen to tracks in Dolby Atmos on Apple Music, and the spatial audio is available with dynamic head tracking to change the position of the audio when you turn your head. However, the latest AirPods still lack active noise cancellation and Transparency mode as these features are still reserved for the pricier AirPods Pro. While Billy acknowledges that these earbuds aren’t for everyone, he says they continue to offer Apple users features that are well integrated with iPhone, iPad and Mac.
Google’s Pixel 6 and 6 Pro are excellent phones with great prices
David Imel for Engadget
Cherlynn Low says the newest Google phones — the Pixel 6 and 6 Pro — are the most intriguing phones that the company has made in years. Featuring the first Google mobile processor, Tensor, the two handsets also have improved camera hardware, lovely OLED screens, speedy refresh rates (120Hz for the 6 Pro, 90Hz for the 6), and decent speakers. Cherlynn says the best feature is the surprisingly low starting price — only $599 — which makes some of the drawbacks more forgivable.
One of the issues she had with the phones was the laggy under-screen fingerprint sensor, which requires the display to be on before it unlocked — a process that she says doesn’t need to have two steps. She was more impressed by the new voice keyboard, which did an excellent job of transcribing speech, and the additional camera features. The sensors are sharper and bigger with larger pixels, producing bright, clean photos — and special camera features, like Magic Eraser and Face Unblur, give users a lot of control over their photos. The Pixel 6 and 6 Pro excelled in our battery tests, too, lasting 20.5 hours and 17 hours, respectively. Overall, Cherlynn calls the handsets a superb return to form, showing off Google’s strengths in the software and photography departments.
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PAX South Canceled Indefinitely Due To Lack Of Growth And Covid-19
Yesterday, ReedPOP announced that it was indefinitely canceling PAX South with no plans for when or if it will return. The organizers blamed a lack of growth and the ongoing covid-19 pandemic.
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Roblox Has Been Down For Over 35 Hours And It's Probably Not Chipotle's Fault
Roblox, one of the most popular games in the world, has been down for over a day now and while many frustrated players are blaming an in-game Chiplote promotion, the devs say that free burritos aren’t the reason for the outage.
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Retro Horror Steam Shooter Nails That Unsettling Halloween Vibe
Don’t let the highly stylized art fool you. The first-person shooter Forgive Me Father is unsettling because of its flat comic-book graphics, not in spite of them. At first, I was charmed by how the art style made the game feel like a distant cousin to Paper Mario. By the end of the second level, I was a paranoid mess.
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PS5 Console Exclusive Forspoken Employs a Diverse Team of Film, TV, Games, and Fantasy Literature Writers
Square Enix’s upcoming PlayStation 5 and PC game Forspoken is so ambitious that it’s being written by an entire team of “impressive names” from across film, television, video games, and fantasy literature – some of whom haven’t been revealed yet.
That’s according to writer Garry Whitta, who told GamesRadar in a recent interview that the team is working hard to bring a detailed fantasy, magical world to life. So far, we’ve been told that Whitta is joined by former Uncharted writer Amy Hennig, Shadowhunters‘ Allison Rymer, and Devil Inside‘s Todd Stashwick.
“It quickly became clear to me that an undertaking of this scale — the construction of an entirely new universe, with deep mythology and an epic storyline, all to its full potential — required more imagination than I could provide on my own,” Whitta said. “It’s common practice in the worlds of film and television to assemble a group of talented writers to collaboratively explore and flesh out all the creative possibilities, so I suggested we do just that. We wound up bringing together an incredibly diverse and talented group of writers from across the fields of film, television, video games, and fantasy literature, to really dive deep into this world and build it out in far greater detail. There were some really impressive names in that room that haven’t been announced yet, but I suspect you’ll be hearing more about that as we get closer to release.”
Forspoken follows the story of Frey Holland (Ella Balinska), who somehow lands in the fantasy world of Athia all the way from New York City. She has to survive Athia and find her way home.
Forspoken is expected to release in 2022.
The post PS5 Console Exclusive Forspoken Employs a Diverse Team of Film, TV, Games, and Fantasy Literature Writers appeared first on PlayStation LifeStyle.
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The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Anniversary Edition’s Free Creations Detailed, More Creations Incoming
Bethesda has detailed the previously announced four new creations headed to The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Anniversary Edition, and has released a new trailer that provides an overview of what’s coming.
Check out the video below.
New creations include Saints and Seducers expansion, Rare Curios, Survival Mode, and Fishing, which have been detailed as follows:
- Saints and Seducers: Originally released in 2019, this creation introduces an additional storyline across two quests (complete with side quests) for players to delve into. With additional armor sets, weapons, enemies and much more to discover, Saints & Seducers features some of the largest amounts of content we’ve ever packed into a single creation!
- Rare Curios: Included as part of Saints & Seducers, the Rare Curios creation brings additional goods imported from all over Tamriel to Skyrim’s Khajiit Caravans. So long as you have coin, these merchants can supply you with all sorts of useful wares, including ingredients to concoct special potions, arrows and poisons!
- Survival Mode: Looking to immerse yourself in Skyrim’s untamed wilderness like never before? Previously released in 2017, the Survival Mode creation has your Dragonborn contend with the very elements of Skyrim itself to survive! Players must wear warm gear and seek shelter in cold climates to keep from freezing to death, as well as mind their hunger and exhaustion on top of the usual threats like pesky bandits and ambushing dragons. Thankfully, Skyrim is rich in food to harvest (or scavenge), weather-appropriate armor and even taverns to rest your weary head. If you’re looking for a different way to experience Skyrim, we highly recommend you check Survival Mode out!
- Fishing: On the topic of obtaining your own food, Skyrim’s all-new Fishing mode creation lets you angle over 20 unique aquatic species across the area’s many bodies of water. Cook your catch for a meal, display it as trophy in your den or even keep it inside your own home aquarium – the choice is yours! With many of Skyrim’s fishing spots located in the region’s most breathtaking and tranquil spots, there’s nothing like unwinding on the shores as you tackle (pun intended) the questlines in this upcoming free creation.
Skyrim Anniversary Edition will also include all previously released Creation Club creations. And in case that isn’t enough, Bethesda has said that it’ll be adding all-new creations including new modes and new quests.
The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Anniversary Edition will release on the PlayStation 4 and 5, Xbox One and Series X/S, and PC on November 11th.
The post The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Anniversary Edition’s Free Creations Detailed, More Creations Incoming appeared first on PlayStation LifeStyle.
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Shuhei Yoshida’s Photo of Horizon Zero Dawn Running on Steam Deck Has Fans Asking for PlayStation Vita 2
PlayStation indies boss Shuhei Yoshida tweeted a photo of Horizon Zero Dawn running on Steam Deck, which inevitably sparked conversations about the non-existent PlayStation Vita 2.
It appears that Valve provided Yoshida the handheld device, and he understandably took the PlayStation-published title for a spin.
Thanks to @valvesoftware, checking out #HorizonZeroDawn on Steam Deck
pic.twitter.com/rO9ev0NLkR
— Shuhei Yoshida (@yosp) October 29, 2021
One can only imagine what God of War and Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End will look like on Steam Deck.
Considering PlayStation Vita’s fate, it’s unlikely that we’ll get another Sony handheld anytime soon. Steam Deck is as close as we’ll get in the meantime.
Sony has made it abundantly clear that porting PlayStation first-party titles to PC now forms part of its corporate strategy. But the company is adamant that it won’t be going for day-and-date releases on both platforms. That said, never say never. Sony recently established a dedicated PlayStation PC label, and said in its earnings call this week that it will “aggressively” invest in its development capabilities and is committed to taking its franchises to PC, mobile, and beyond.
Many have argued that releasing PlayStation games on PC will impact console sales. However, NPD Group’s Mat Piscatella pointed towards a PlayerPulse survey which found that only about one-third of PC players in the United States own a PS4 and only eight percent own a PS5.
“That leaves a huge PC audience that can be reached, and is also why releasing ports on PC is not likely to impact content sales on the consoles,” Piscatella tweeted. “People will keep buying consoles so long as consoles provide convenience and ease of use while connected to the big shiny TV.”
The post Shuhei Yoshida’s Photo of Horizon Zero Dawn Running on Steam Deck Has Fans Asking for PlayStation Vita 2 appeared first on PlayStation LifeStyle.
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The weirdly late PS4 version of Zombies Ate My Neighbors (and Ghoul Patrol) is finally out
It’s a less-than-ideal port but hey, it’s still Zombies Ate My Neighbors on modern platforms Every so often, there’s a...
The post The weirdly late PS4 version of Zombies Ate My Neighbors (and Ghoul Patrol) is finally out appeared first on Destructoid.
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Apple's worst shipping delay is for a $19 polishing cloth
You'd think global supply shortages would hit Apple's tech products the hardest, but that's apparently not the case. As The New York Timesreports, Apple's most backordered new release is its $19 Polishing Cloth. Order the microfiber cloth from the company store as of this writing and you'll wait 10 to 12 weeks — in other words, you won't get your Apple-branded polishing experience until January 2022 at the earliest. You could buy a new MacBook Pro and wait another two months to (officially) wipe smudges off the screen.
It's not clear what prompted the backlog, but it might be sheer popularity. An anonymous Apple official talking to The Times said the company wasn't surprised by high demand, and that the cloth was both specially designed (it was originally meant for the nano-texture glass on the Pro Display XDR) and particularly effective.
It's no secret that you can find far, far less expensive alternatives if you're cleaning a regular screen. Amazon is selling a six-pack of MagicFiber cloths for $9, and even the pricer options tend to offer better value. However, the shortfall illustrates both the cachet of the official product and the sheer range of supply constraints affecting tech, sometimes in unexpected ways. If you can't even count on getting a polishing cloth in a timely fashion, you know the industry is struggling with broad supply issues.
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Meta is acquiring the maker of VR workout app 'Supernatural'
Facebook made it pretty clear that it's focusing on the metaverse when it rebranded itself as Meta, and its latest acquisition is part of that effort. Jason Rubin, the company's VP of Metaverse Content has revealed that Meta is acquiring Within, the creator of immersive virtual reality workout app Supernatural for Oculus Quest headsets. A rep for Within previously described Supernatural to Engadget as "part Beat Saber, part Dance Dance Revolution, part Guitar Hero with your whole body.
In a separate announcement (via TechCrunch), Within CEO Chris Milk and Head of fitness Leanne Pedante said that its coaches, choreographers and managers will continue being part of the team. They'll work on VR fitness experiences for Supernatural independently under Meta's Reality Labs. While Within will have to answer to its new parent company going forward, Milk's and Pedante's statement says the the acquisition will give them access to more resources, including more music, more features and more social experiences.
In Supernatural, you'll have to hit colored orbs flying at you from its various VR environments using your controllers. The balls will shatter if you hit them with enough force, but they'll only float away if you don't — you'll get scored at the end based on how you do. Supernatural has a 30-day free trial period, after which it'll cost you $19 a month for continued access.
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Whatcha been playing this week, Destructoid?
Purely and simply… evil Howdy friends, and you are my friends, and welcome to Whatcha Been Playing? As we head...
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Friday, 29 October 2021
Microsoft buys Two Hat to improve Xbox community moderation
On Friday, Microsoft announced the acquisition of Two Hat, a company best known for its AI content moderation tools. Financial details have not been disclosed, but Microsoft did share its vision for how they’ll work together moving forward. Over the years, the two companies have frequently collaborated to make Xbox Live and other gaming communities safer, and by the sounds of it, that will be the focus of Two Hat moving forward.
“We have partnered with Xbox and the Microsoft team for several years and share the passion and drive to make meaningful change in the advancement of online civility and citizenship,” said Two Hat founder Chris Priebe and CEO Steve Parkis in a joint statement. “We are committed to ensuring safety, inclusion and online health and wellness are always at the forefront of our work and through joining Microsoft, we can provide the greatest concentration of talent, resources and insight necessary to further this vision.”
Before today’s announcement, Microsoft was only one of Two Hat’s customers, and that won’t change following the acquisition. “This is a deep investment in assisting and serving Two Hat’s existing customers, prospective new customers and multiple product and service experiences here at Microsoft,” the company said. “With this acquisition, we will help global online communities to be safer and inclusive for everyone to participate, positively contribute and thrive.”
Since 2019, Microsoft has placed an emphasis on combating toxicity and abuse. "Gaming is for everyone," Xbox chief Phil Spencer said at the time. This acquisition should tie in nicely with that goal.
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A Psychedelic Horror Game About Exploring A Haunted Train
Boarding a city subway is always a dice roll for whatever terror awaits you once the train doors close. Maybe there’s some trash taking up a seat, or annoying passengers who are hell bent on making their business yours. The new psychological horror game, Subway Midnight, taps into that uncertainty and spices it up by…
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Hooray, Oculus Quest Devices No Longer Require Facebook Accounts
While the biggest news from the Facebook Connect livestream was Facebook’s rebranding to Meta (which I refuse to use), the social media company also announced that Oculus Quest VR headsets will no longer require a Facebook account.
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Majora’s Mask Is A Masterpiece Of Existential Horror
The first thing that comes to mind when I think of The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask is that horrifying moon. It’s ominous, always smiling, a reminder that death is an inevitability for everyone. It lingers in the background, like a shadow against a wall, waiting to strike. If, after three days, you fail to save the…
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The Best Switch Carrying Cases
Even if you primarily use your Nintendo Switch as a living room console, situated in its dock and hooked up to your TV, you’ll probably want to take it on the go from time to time. That’s...kind of the portable’s whole deal. Even figures released by Nintendo show that roughly 80 percent of Switch owners use their…
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Netflix's First Witcher Season 2 Trailer Sees Yennefer's Return
Toss a coin to your Witcher-song-singing friends. Netflix released the first official trailer for The Witcher’s second season, which debuts on December 17. No other way to put this: It looks bonkers. It also kinda muddies the suspenseful setup from the end of the first season.
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Report: Vicarious Visions is Dropping its Name As Part of Merger With Blizzard Entertainment
Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 1+2 developer Vicarious Visions is reportedly dropping its studio name and merging completely with its Blizzard Entertainment. Management announced the decision to employees at the studio earlier this week. Some employees are criticizing the studio’s lack of transparency, as they did not announce the name change would occur during its initial merger with Blizzard earlier this year.
Activision originally acquired Vicarious Visions back in 2005. The studio is best known for its work in developing the Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy as well as Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 1+2. Both games were extremely well received upon release. The studio also helped develop games in the Skylanders and Call of Duty series, as well as working as a support studio on Destiny 2.
After the success of its two big reboot titles, Activision Blizzard made the decision to merge Vicarious Visions with its Blizzard division back in January 2021. At the time, Blizzard stated that Vicarious Visions would be “fully dedicated to existing Blizzard games and initiatives,” and it was further reported that the team was working on Diablo II: Resurrected. While Vicarious Visions shifted its 200+ employees over to work on Blizzard games, there was no indication that the studio’s identity would change in any way.
Apparently, Vicarious Vision’s employees thought so too. Speaking with Polygon, one worker at the studio expressed disappointment with management’s lack of transparency. Others revealed that the “writing was on the wall” for some time. Management announced the name change—or rather complete drop of the name—during a quick town hall meeting on Wednesday. Funnily enough, some employees dressed up in Halloween costumes.
The concern is understandable, considering Activision Blizzard’s ongoing controversy involving allegations of workplace abuse, sexual harassment, and discrimination. Recently, Activision Blizzard CEO Bobby Kotick even cut his own salary in an attempt to show that the company was committed to fixing its issues. Activision Blizzard is also facing multiple lawsuits, some of which are spearheaded by government organizations.
While Activision Blizzard and Blizzard Entertainment haven’t yet commented on the reports, it certainly appears that Vicarious Visions is no more, now just additional development staff for Blizzard Entertainment.
[Source: Polygon]
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Activision acquires Digital Legends for mobile Call of Duty titles
Spanish studio to begin work on mobile game Activision has announced that it has acquired mobile developer Digital Legends. The...
The post Activision acquires Digital Legends for mobile Call of Duty titles appeared first on Destructoid.
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The 1TB 11-inch iPad Pro is cheaper than ever right now
If you've been holding out for a better price on a high storage capacity iPad Pro, Amazon may have you covered. The latest 11-inch iPad Pro with 1TB of storage is $200 off right now, bringing it down to $1,299. That's the best price we've seen and $100 cheaper than its previous low.
Buy 11-inch iPad Pro (1TB) at Amazon - $1,299There are very few differences between this year's 11-inch and 12.9-inch iPad Pros. The larger model has Apple's new Liquid Retina XDR display, which will improve your video-watching experience. But just because the 11-inch model doesn't have the latest display tech doesn't mean it has a paltry screen. You're still getting a 2,388 x 1668 resolution Liquid Retina panel with ProMotion and True Tone technology, which is to say, it's still a lovely screen.
Otherwise, the 2021 iPad Pros are much the same. Both run on M1 processors, giving them powerful performance and making them the best laptop alternatives Apple has made yet. They also have 5G support, a USB-C port that double as a Thunderbolt connector with USB 4.0 compatibility and new Center Stage cameras. The latter works to keep you in the center of the frame when on video calls, and that will make a big difference whether you're on a Zoom meeting or just FaceTiming with your family.
Most people probably don't need 1TB of space, but it'll be useful if you're a creative professional using the iPad Pro for both work and play, or someone who wants to ditch their old laptop for a hybrid device. Paired with the right accessories, this iPad Pro would make a solid laptop replacement.
Follow @EngadgetDeals on Twitter for the latest tech deals and buying advice.
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Toyota's first battery EV has 280-mile range and a solar roof option
This past April, Toyota teased the bZ4X, the first of seven “Beyond Zero” fully electric vehicles the automaker said it would debut by 2025. Other than to reveal it was working with Subaru to develop the SUV and that it would include its upcoming e-TNGA powertrain, the company didn’t share many details about the bZ4X. On Friday, it changed that by unveiling the production version of the vehicle.
Toyota will offer the bZ4X in front-wheel-drive and all-wheel-drive variants. The former will feature a single 150 kW capable of accelerating the car from zero to 100 kilometers per hour in 8.4 seconds. Per the WLTC standard, the automaker claims the FWD model’s 71.4 kWh battery will allow it to travel approximately 500 kilometers or 310 miles on a single charge. Expect that estimate to decrease once the EPA tests the car. It’s also worth noting these measurements come from the Japanese model, which may end up featuring different specifications to whatever model(s) Toyota releases in the US.
Toyota
The battery will support 150 kW DC fast charging, allowing it to go from dead to 80 percent after about 30 minutes of charging. As for the AWD model, it will feature two 80kW motors, one built into each axle, for a total power output of 160 kW. It can accelerate from zero to 100 kilometers per hour in 7.7 seconds. Toyota estimates the ranges of the AWD model at 460 kilometers or 285 miles on a single charge. In both variants, the battery is integrated into the chassis, a design choice the automaker helps lower the SUV’s center of gravity and improve the rigidity of the chassis.
Toyota also plans to equip the bZ4X with some nifty extra features. One of those is a solar roof the automaker says will generate about 1120 miles worth of free power generation. It will also offer a steer-by-wire system that removes the mechanical connection between the steering wheel and front wheels. Both features will be available in select models.
The bZ4X will debut in the US and other markets in mid-2022.
from Engadget is a web magazine with obsessive daily coverage of everything new in gadgets and consumer electronics https://ift.tt/3vUJk1o
Cricket brings 5G to all of its phone plans
Cricket is no longer reserving 5G for its priciest service tier. As of today, 5G is enabled for all of the prepaid carrier's plans. As you might guess, the provider is also doing away with the modest 8Mbps cap on most of its plans. You can pay as little as $30 per month (for one line) for 5G, to put it another way — important if you're more interested in raw speed than anything else.
There are some caveats. Cricket isn't changing data caps for its two lowest-priced plans, so you could burn through the modest 2GB or 10GB allotments that much sooner. You also don't have many choices for 5G phones if you buy directly from Cricket, including the iPhone 13 range as well as a handful of low-end Motorola and Samsung models. You'll still have a strong incentive to use the higher-end tiers, and you may want to bring your own phone.
It's no secret as to why AT&T is making Cricket more appealing, though. Cricket added 2 million customers (now 12.4 million total) in just the past two years. While AT&T's regular service clearly has more overall subscribers, Cricket is the hotter property in terms of relative growth. Adding 5G to more plans could keep that momentum alive. And simply speaking, Cricket needed to catch up. Rivals like Boost Mobile and T-Mobile's Metro already offer 5G across multiple tiers. Your choice of prepaid carriers may now boil down to specific plan features and network quality.
from Engadget is a web magazine with obsessive daily coverage of everything new in gadgets and consumer electronics https://ift.tt/3vVSAm0
Unsighted Is The Best Metroidvania Of The Year
Unsighted, the recent isometric Metroidvania from two trans Brazilian developers, Studio Pixel Punk, is the genre at its best. From its impeccable art, music, and atmosphere, to its open-ended “explore how and where you want” structure, deliciously anxiety-inducing time limit, and satisfying combat, it is a…
from Kotaku https://ift.tt/3CrWqWD
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