Another RPG Dev Says They’re Skipping Xbox Because of Microsoft, Not Sony

Yet another upcoming video game has become a de facto PS5 console exclusive because its developer is skipping Xbox due to Microsoft‘s non cooperation and lack of communication. Enotria: The Last Song developer Jyamma Games complained that it has been completely ignored by Microsoft while Sony helped with the game’s PS5 development.

Plot twist: More games are becoming PS5 exclusive because of Xbox

While Xbox fans — and even some journalists — continue to accuse Sony of secret deals to keep games off of Xbox platforms, more and more developers are speaking out against Microsoft and its lack of communication. The issue mostly affects indie developers who aren’t well-connected, leaving them at the mercy of the ID@Xbox team.

Sony, meanwhile, offers development support. We’re pretty sure it is this that was misinterpreted as a “secret exclusivity deal” by some journalists and their sources when the accused Sony of paying for Black Myth: Wukong to skip Xbox at launch.

We’ll let the tweets below do the talking:

We believe that Xbox is blessed with a huge gaming community and we would love to release Enotria on your platform as fast as possible, as we spent a lot of money and resources to make it happen, but this task is nearly impossible with Microsoft taking months to reply to us when…

— Enotria: The Last Song (@enotriagame) September 2, 2024

The only thing Sony did was work with us on getting the game ready on their platform, Microsoft, on the other hand, is taking 2 months to reply to our submission when we have the game practically ready for both Series S and X

— Enotria: The Last Song (@enotriagame) September 2, 2024

This is the second such instance I’ve seen over the past month alone. Another indie dev recently took to X to make a similar complaint, but ended up being attacked by fans. In response, they published screenshots of their email communication with Microsoft, announcing that they are now abandoning the platform altogether.

The post Another RPG Dev Says They’re Skipping Xbox Because of Microsoft, Not Sony appeared first on PlayStation LifeStyle.

from PlayStation LifeStyle https://ift.tt/A0e5r3I

How to watch the new iPhone 16 unveiling at the September Apple event

Planning to upgrade your iPhone this week? Hold off because Apple's iPhone 16 event is just days away, which means you can buy the newest iPhone or score last year's model at a cheaper price. The Apple event takes place on Monday, Sept. 9 at 1PM EST (10AM PST) at the Steve Jobs Theater at Apple Park in Cupertino. You can stream Apple's It's Glowtime event live on Youtube (which we’ve embedded here for your convenience), as well as on Apple’s site.

As far as new products go, expect the usual September upgrades – a new iPhone 16 lineup alongside new Apple Watch models (Series 10 or Series “X,” and maybe an Ultra 3). New AirPods in both entry- and Pro-level models could also be showcased at the Apple event.

As for the iPhone 16 models, not much is expected to change from last year's model, which Engadget's Billy Steele called the “most substantial update to the regular iPhone in years.” Look for the iPhone 16, 16 Plus, 16 Pro and 16 Pro Max, with a slight increase in size and a new camera button on the latter two compared to the 2023 models, per most of the rumors.

For anyone not planning to buy any new Apple devices this year, you'll still have access to the latest iOS 18 update, likely later in September, as long as your device is eligible. Here's everything coming with the iOS 18 update this year, including Apple Intelligence and more home screen customization options.

Engadget will also be liveblogging the September 9 iPhone event from the ground in Cupertino with real-time news and analysis.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://ift.tt/qCrTjvu

from Engadget is a web magazine with obsessive daily coverage of everything new in gadgets and consumer electronics https://ift.tt/qCrTjvu

The Morning After: Bang & Olufsen’s new headphones cost over $1,500

No stranger to heady prices, Bang & Olufsen is taking its high-end design (and price multiplier) to headphones with the Beoplay H100. Following the $999 Beoplay H95, the H100 is over 50 percent more expensive, at $1,549.

In B&O tradition, the Beoplay H100 is made of premium materials, with lambskin leather pads and a scratch-resistant glass touch interface on the outside of the ear cups. The company says it was inspired by fine jewelry for the black, sand and apricot color options. B&O says it doubled the active noise cancellation (ANC) performance of the H95 for this set, with 10 microphones to help offer an improved transparency mode.

The company says the H95 has been its “most successful headphones to date,” but it didn’t specify whether that was units sold or sheer insane profit margins. Still, I want to try a pair.

— Mat Smith

The biggest stories you might have missed

Starlink is refusing to comply with Brazil’s X ban

Resident Evil mobile ports now require an online check-in before you can play

Disney cuts DirecTV customers’ access to ABC, ESPN and more

​​You can get these reports delivered daily direct to your inbox. Subscribe right here!

NYT Connections bot uses AI to highlight the top wrong answers

You’ll get a daily skill score.

The New York Times’ daily word game isn’t exactly easy. The solve rate dips below 50 percent some days, apparently, so why not rub it in? I mean, highlight the most common mistakes? After winning or losing each day’s game, you can saunter to the Connections Bot. As with the bot for Wordle, you’ll see how well you did compared with other players and receive a skill score out of 99. This is primarily based on how few mistakes you make.

Continue reading.

The UK government is looking into Ticketmaster’s dynamic pricing model

It’s after maddening prices for Oasis’ reunion tour.

The UK government will look into the company’s dynamic pricing model after millions of Oasis fans scrambled over the weekend for tickets to the band’s reunion tour . Once fans got through hours-long queues to make their purchase, some found the price of a standing ticket was suddenly 2.5 times more expensive — in one case, going up from £135 to £337.50 ($177 to $444). Ticketmaster often gives customers just seconds to decide whether to complete a purchase once tickets are in their cart, so they don’t have much time to determine whether such a hefty price increase is worth it. It was also a great time to resurface a vintage Liam Gallagher tweet from 2017, complaining about ticket prices to see his brother’s band, which was touring the US.

Continue reading.

Thank Goodness You’re Here is a vibrant, funny, unashamedly silly game

It’s a very northern English edition of TMA.

Coal Supper

It’s called a ‘slap-former.’

Continue reading.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://ift.tt/QUwsA40

from Engadget is a web magazine with obsessive daily coverage of everything new in gadgets and consumer electronics https://ift.tt/QUwsA40

Astro Bot PS5 Physical Edition Out in the Wild and It Looks Great

Astro Bot PS5 disc/physical edition is already out in the wild as a retailer — reported to be Walmart — has broken the game’s street date. Astro Bot is releasing on Friday, September 6, but one player managed to pick up their copy, and it has us appreciating the level of detail in the package — a rarity in this day and age.

Astro Bot PS5 disc/physical edition comes with some cool goodies

X user RandomMGSFan posted photos of their copy of Astro Bot, and claimed that they picked it up from Walmart. The disc features cute Astro Bot art, and pulling the disc out reveals even cuter artwork underneath. We spotted the Ape Escape and God of War bots, among others.

Just a reminder: Astro Bot’s physical edition also comes with a reversible poster, and although the photo below isn’t the best one, the colors still pop out so we can only imagine how much better it looks in person.

Neato pic.twitter.com/wN2ElKRTDI

— Just a Random LaD Fan ??? (@RandomMGSFan) September 1, 2024

The physical edition also includes the following digital bonuses:

• PaRappa Lovestruck Lyricist outfit
• Glorious Graffiti Dual Speeder paint color
• 2 Astro Avatars

Pre-ordering any of the editions will reward players with the Astro Lovestruck Lyricist outfit, the Glorious Graffiti Dual Speeder paint color, and two Astro Avatars. All of the above cost a sweet $60!

Don’t forget to unlock the four special bots in Astro’s Playroom to carry over.

The post Astro Bot PS5 Physical Edition Out in the Wild and It Looks Great appeared first on PlayStation LifeStyle.

from PlayStation LifeStyle https://ift.tt/NpDRMvG

The Morning After: A Tamagotchi made with real egg

It’s Labor Day, so tech news typically slows down. We’ve still got some intriguing headlines to share, though, like, er, a new Tamagotchi. Bandai’s newest digital pet is made with recycled eggshells. The Original Tamagotchi Celebration digital pet is even colored like a tan/brown egg, with green and white designs with pink accents and buttons.

In ways, it’s a bit of a throwback compared to the recently released Tamagotchis. In May, the company re-released Tamagotchi Connection, the model with a faux antenna, to celebrate its 20th anniversary. Last year’s Tamagotchi Uni had WiFi connectivity and gave users access to the Tamaverse.

This one is a little more basic, and it’s available at Amazon, currently on pre-order for $30.

— Mat Smith

The biggest stories you might have missed

Engadget Podcast: iPhone 16 and Apple rumors with Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman

Seeking Mavis Beacon is a wild search for a lost tech icon

Apple reportedly plans to drop USB-A ports with the M4 Mac mini

​​You can get these reports delivered daily direct to your inbox. Subscribe right here!

There’s a creepy, sonar-like sound coming through one of Starliner’s speakers

Mission Control is trying to help figure out the source of a pulsing noise.

Starliner is scheduled to undock from the International Space Station and return to Earth, uncrewed, in just a matter of days, but it’s keeping the team busy before it departs. On Saturday, astronaut Butch Wilmore alerted NASA’s Mission Control to an unexplained “strange noise” coming from a speaker in the spacecraft. You can hear the mystery sound right here, around the 45-second mark.

Continue reading.

Engadget review recap

The Pixel 9 phones are surprisingly great.

Given the speed of tech news and announcements, sometimes our more involved reviews might pass under the radar. Our bi-weekly (ish) recap should make sure nothing gets missed. This second edition includes our reviews of the Pixel 9, Pixel 9 Pro and the latest CoPilot+ laptop from Dell.

Continue reading.

The best Labor Day sales from Apple, Amazon, Samsung and more

Wasn’t it just Prime Day?

Engadget

The final summer holiday weekend is here, and there are Labor Day sales. Historically, Labor Day isn’t a big deal for tech bargains, but there are usually a few worth your time. Some good deals cut a chunk of change off several MacBook models.

Continue reading.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://ift.tt/sBxc48h

from Engadget is a web magazine with obsessive daily coverage of everything new in gadgets and consumer electronics https://ift.tt/sBxc48h

Microsoft Promoting Narrative of Consoles Dying, Former Xbox Exec Suggests

Image: Xbox/Microsoft advert

Former Xbox executive Mike Ybarra has made comments that seem to suggest that Microsoft is helping to push the false narrative of consoles dying. Ybarra, who spent nearly two decades at Microsoft before a 4-year stint at Blizzard, is no stranger to ruffling feathers. But this time, many — including those in the Xbox community — seem to agree with his take.

Consoles aren’t dying, says former Xbox exec Mike Ybarra

During an exchange with fans on X, Ybarra said that console exclusive titles are a necessity if platform manufacturers are aiming to “win the living room.” Ybarra said that both from a platform and games perspective, having exclusives is a winning strategy, which Microsoft is increasingly moving away from.

“Sony knows how to make hits, and how to pick the hits from others to be exclusive,” Ybarra added. “If I was them I would double down right now because the blood in the water is all over the place.”

If your strategy is to win the living room, you need exclusive hits because winning is both a platform and games perspective. Sony knows how to make hits, and how to pick the hits from others to be exclusive. If I was them I would double down right now because the blood in the…

— Mike Ybarra (@Qwik) August 30, 2024

Ybarra was then quizzed about the belief that consoles are dying, to which he said, “I think those losing push the narrative that fits for them. Consoles will never die in my opinion.” Ybarra was evidently talking about Microsoft, which has in recent years consistently bemoaned exclusives while emphasizing that it has lost the console war. And this year, the company has gone all in on its strategy of bringing its games to all platforms, promoting the message that consoles aren’t needed.

I think those losing push the narrative that fits for them. Consoles will never die in my opinion.

— Mike Ybarra (@Qwik) August 30, 2024

Meanwhile, Sony and Nintendo continue to invest in exclusives and post record profits.

The post Microsoft Promoting Narrative of Consoles Dying, Former Xbox Exec Suggests appeared first on PlayStation LifeStyle.

from PlayStation LifeStyle https://ift.tt/aWkKwGF

PSA: All Astro’s Playroom Special Bots Out Now, Will Transfer to Astro Bot PS5

The final Astro’s Playroom update for all four special bots is out now, and the DLC can be carried over to Astro Bot when it launches on Friday, September 6, for the PS5. The special bots are from Bloodborne, Returnal, Gran Turismo, and Ape Escape. All four come with separate trophies in Astro’s Playroom.

Astro’s Playroom special bots update isn’t the end of celebrations for Astro Bot PS5

Alongside releasing the four special bots and a new launch trailer for Astro Bot, Sony has announced a “special celebration countdown” for the game in Astro’s Playroom. Players have until September 6 to pre-order the game and unlock costumes and paints for the DualSpeeder before everyone else.

Pre-ordering the digital edition comes with the above as well as Astro Bot’s digital artbook and soundtrack. Sony‘s really going all in on the upcoming adventure, and gauging fan response, it’s working wonders.

In case you’re having trouble unlocking the four special bots, make sure to check out Astro’s Playroom’s community on PSNProfiles, which has solutions to the most common issues players are facing.

We’ll be playing Astro Bot for our readers and will have our thoughts ready in time for the game’s launch.

The post PSA: All Astro’s Playroom Special Bots Out Now, Will Transfer to Astro Bot PS5 appeared first on PlayStation LifeStyle.

from PlayStation LifeStyle https://ift.tt/4M76otY