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Articles by Nicholas TanThursday
Google Stadia Exclusives: Which Games Will Be Lost After The Shutdown?
A handful of Google Stadia exclusives are on the chopping block with the sudden announcement that Google will be ending service to the platform on January 18, 2023. This has caught many game developers by surprise, particularly those who have their games currently slated for a Stadia release within the next six months.
Can Apple Watch 8 Measure Blood Pressure?
Unfortunately, Apple Watch 8 blood pressure monitoring is not available, but Apple does have plans to roll out a blood pressure feature within the next few years. That the Apple Watch 8 lacks this capability may be a surprise given that it has many other health features, like being able to detect blood oxygen levels and having an app that can generate a ECG similar to a single-lead electrocardiogram.
Xbox Free Play Days Lineup Revealed for Week Ending September 25
The next week of Xbox Free Play Days has already begun, with Dead Island Definitive Edition and Hunting Simulator 2 available for free this weekend ending on September 25. Both games will be free to anyone with an Xbox Live Gold or Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscription on Xbox One or Xbox Series X|S. Both games can be downloaded starting now until 11:59 pm PDT this coming Sunday.
Pokemon Ed Sheeran Song 'Celestial' Release Date Revealed
The Pokemon Ed Sheeran song “Celestial” has been given a release date of September 29, as revealed by the official Twitter account of the popular singer and known Pokemon fan. It will release just in time to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the series. This isn’t the first time Sheeran has collaborated with Pokemon either. In November 2021, he was featured in a performance for Pokemon Go where he sang a handful of songs from his album.
Dragon Quest Treasures Base Building Explained in New Trailer
Square Enix has provided an in-depth look on the Dragon Quest Treasures base building that youthful protagonists Erik and Mia will need to construct. Revealed in the second half of the new overview trailer for the game, the pair will find a castle that will become their one-stop shop for storing treasure, recruiting new monsters, and purchasing items.
Call of Duty Modern Warfare II Last Stand Perk Is Only Technically Gone
Infinity Ward boldly proclaimed that Call of Duty Modern Warfare II won’t have the much-maligned Last Stand perk, but that’s only technically correct. A presenter at the Call of Duty Next showcase announced to great fanfare from the crowd that the upcoming game will nix the perk, which in prior CoD games allows players to drop on their back upon death and attempt to fire back at an enemy. Many players dislike this because they feel that getting killed by someone in this dying state is frustrating.
Call of Duty DMZ Mode Release Date Revealed, Will Be Free-to-play
Infinity Ward has revealed that the Call of Duty DMZ mode release date is November 16 during the Call of Duty Next showcase earlier today. Not only was it confirmed to be free-to-play, but it will have the same launch date as Call of Duty Warzone 2.0. With Modern Warfare II releasing on October 28, players will only need wait several weeks before trying this new extraction mode.
Uncharted: Legacy of Thieves Collection PC Release Date, 4K Support Announced
Naughty Dog and PlayStation Studios have revealed that the release date for the Uncharted Legacy of Thieves Collection PC port will be October 19. The two-pack bundle that includes Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End and Uncharted: The Lost Legacy, which released in January this year remastered on PS5, will come with new graphical options when it arrives on PC. 4K support is merely the tip of the iceberg.
Street Fighter 6 Closed Beta Release Date Revealed With Cross-play
Capcom has finally announced details for the Street Fighter 6 closed beta, including the release date, cross-play features, and the multiplayer modes and hubs you’ll be able to explore during the test. The closed beta will run from October 7, 2022, at 7 a.m. UTC to October 10, 2022, at 7 a.m. UTC, and allow for cross-play between PS5, Xbox Series X and S, and Steam platforms. The test will not be running on PS4.
Eidos Montreal Now Owns Deus Ex and Thief Franchises
In a short but sweet announcement, Eidos Montreal has stated that is “now the owner of the games it developed, like the Deus Ex and Thief games.” The Canadian developer has also officially announced that it has “joined the Embracer Group,” adding further confirmation that the deal between the two has completed, as reported by our sister site PlayStationLifestyle. In May, the Sweden-based holding company acquired multiple studios like Crystal Dynamics and Square Enix Montreal.
MultiVersus Velma Police Car Changed in Update 1.02 Ending LeBron Memes
The MultiVersus Velma police car special move has been changed in the latest patch 1.02 of the popular fighting game, putting memes of cops arresting LeBron James to an end. Before the update, Velma would hail a police car to take an opponent away after gathering enough evidence through her attacks, with some fans creating memes about how uncomfortable it is to call the cops on basketball superstar LeBron James.
Xbox Fall Showcase Will Feature New Game Pass Titles, Ghostbusters Gameplay
Microsoft has announced a new Xbox Fall Showcase that will be airing on both Twitch Gaming and Xbox Twitch channels on September 14. Focusing primarily on indie games through the [email protected] program, it will feature upcoming Game Pass titles, developer interviews, and gameplay footage of Ghostbusters: Spirits Unleashed. The pre-show for the stream will start at 9:30am PT / 12:30pm ET, with the main show scheduled a half-hour after that.
Xbox Dashboard Update Revealed, Alpha Test on Xbox Insider This Week
Microsoft has revealed that the next major Xbox Home update, for the front user interface for Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S, will release sometime in 2023. In a “multi-month series of experiments,” the Xbox team will be adding new features to the UI as requested by the community and asking for feedback from those enrolled in the Xbox Insider program. Those lucky enough to be in the Alpha Skip-Ahead ring in Xbox Insider will be getting sneak previews of these tests starting this week.
Sonic Frontiers Chaos Emeralds Explained in New Trailer
From the outset, it’s been clear that the Sonic Frontiers Chaos Emeralds are precious items that the blue hedgehog will be searching for in the upcoming open-world adventure releasing on November 8. Now, Sega has revealed a new overview trailer that explains exactly how Chaos Emeralds are incorporated into the game, and fans are already reacting positively to the fact that these gems have made a triumphant return to Sonic’s story.
MultiVersus Gizmo Reveal Causing Confusion on Stripe
A surprise MultiVersus Gizmo reveal on Twitter by Player First Games has created confusion how Stripe will be released on the roster. The short but sweet trailer suggests that Gizmo, also from Gremlins, will be arriving “on Tuesday,” which would be a release date of September 6 that’s interestingly before Rick Sanchez is planned to be added. But the question of whether Gizmo and Stripe will be one character like Tom & Jerry or two separate characters has not been clearly answered.
Assassin's Creed Mirage Finally Announced, Will Appear in Ubisoft Forward
Ubisoft has finally revealed Assassin’s Creed Mirage, confirming multiple rumors and leaks surrounding the game. More than that, it will be the centerpiece for the upcoming Ubisoft Forward presentation, scheduled for September 10 at 12 PM PT / 3 PM ET / 9PM CEST.
No Xbox Price Increase for Now Says Microsoft
Microsoft has confirmed there are currently no plans for an Xbox price increase for the Xbox Series S and Xbox Series X. Fans have been concerned that these two consoles would see a price hike following today’s announcement from PlayStation that the PS5 would cost more in many countries outside of the US.
Dark Souls 3 Servers Back Online for PC, Dark Souls 2 and Remastered Servers Restored Later
Making good on its promise, FromSoftware has restored the Dark Souls 3 servers for online play on PC. Announcing the update on the official Dark Souls account on Twitter, the developer promises the online capabilities for Dark Souls Remastered and Dark Souls 2 will be reactivated at a later date. It’s taken nearly seven months for the Dark Souls 3 servers to be restored, but hopefully it won’t take that long for the other two games to return to the bonfire.
PlayStation CEO Jim Ryan Trends After PS5 Price Increase
Jim Ryan, president and CEO of Sony Interactive Entertainment, has been put on blast on Twitter by fans reacting to the news that the PlayStation 5 will be receiving a price hike in numerous territories outside of the US.
Xbox Free Play Days August 2022 Includes Destiny 2 Starting Today
For this upcoming weekend, the Xbox Free Play Days for August 2022 has switched things up by including Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night and the story campaigns for Destiny 2. With Fortnite skins appearing in Destiny 2 to celebrate the game’s launch on the Epic Games Store and the announcement of Destiny 2: Lightfall arriving in February 2023, this is a great time to jump into Destiny 2 and storm through all of the story missions you may have missed.
Dungeons & Dragons 6th Edition Playtest Announced as ‘One D&D’
Wizards of the Coast has boldly announced the playtest for “One D&D” or what fans will colloquially call Dungeons & Dragons 6th Edition or perhaps 5.5 Edition. The plan for One D&D is to revise the three core rulebooks (The Player’s Handbook, Dungeon Master’s Guide, and Monster Manual) without throwing out any of the rules introduced in 5th Edition. All of the books, expansions, updates, and errata for the last edition will be backward compatible with One D&D.
Xbox Free Play Days August 2022 Games Lineup Announced
Microsoft has announced that three games will be part of Xbox Free Play Days August 2022 starting today. Available for Xbox Live Gold and Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscribers, both Just Die Already and Outriders will be available from now until Sunday, August 21 at 11:59 PM PDT.
Xbox Game Pass Buys Cooking Simulator for $600,000 — Report - GameRevolution
Xbox Game Pass buys games for its catalog frequently, but the exact amount it gives developers has been purposely vague to say the least. However, a new financial report by developer Big Cheese Studio has revealed that Microsoft allegedly paid a lump sum of $600,000 to purchase Cooking Simulator for the Xbox subscription service.
Cult of the Lamb Steam Launch Reaches Over 61K Concurrent Users
The Cult of the Lamb Steam launch has had a very impressive start, climbing over 61,000 concurrent users. With these numbers, publisher Devolver Digital and developer Massive Monster will likely be a huge success. With the exception of Fall Guys, Cult of the Lamb is looking like it will be one of the publisher’s best hits. Do we have, ahem, a cult classic on our hands?
Genshin Impact 3.0 Livestream Date and Time Confirmed
Developer miHoYo has confirmed the special Genshin Impact 3.0 livestream date and time as August 13 at 5am PT / 8am ET. The stream will be available on both Genshin Impact’s official Twitch and YouTube channels. This special program preview promises to reveal “juicy details” and give away some redemption codes that viewers will be able to redeem in the game.
Fortnite Dragon Ball Crossover Release Date Announced
In a surprise, Epic Games has teased a Fortnite Dragon Ball crossover with a release date of August 16. This ends months of rumors that the event was actually going to happen, and while the only thing the developer has revealed is an image on its official Twitter account, it has made all of the prior leaks far more credible than before.
Kirby's Dream Buffet Multiplayer, Release Date, and Gameplay Revealed Through Trailer
Nintendo has revealed some delicious details on Kirby’s Dream Buffet multiplayer through a new overview trailer. The adorable four-player gameplay as well as the release date were also announced. Now available for pre-order, Kirby’s Dream Buffet arrives exclusively in the Nintendo eShop on August 17, 2022 for the low price of $14.99.
Xbox Game Pass Ultimate Family Sharing Plan Sign-Ups Enter Beta Testing in Limited Markets
Microsoft has at last unveiled the Xbox Game Pass Ultimate Family Sharing plan that will allow a group of five members to be given access to all of the benefits of a standard membership. Currently, only Xbox Insiders in Colombia and Ireland will be able to preview the new family plan. It’s uncertain how long this beta testing phase will last, but former reports suggest that it will be ready before the holiday season.
Latest Xbox Series S GDK Update Gives Devs Access to More RAM
The newest Xbox Series S GDK update will finally give developers one thing they’ve requested for a while: more RAM. Microsoft’s Game Dev channel on Youtube has uploaded a June 2022 video (which is unlisted at the time of this writing) explaining improvements that the console maker has made to Xbox Series devkits. And this includes the ability for developers to access more memory, which is great news for games that are coming down the pipeline.
Tactics Ogre Reborn Release Date and Pre-Order Bonuses Announced
Square Enix has finally revealed the Tactics Ogre Reborn release date, along with pre-order bonuses for both the Premium Edition and Standard Edition. The game will release on November 11, 2022 for PS5, PS4, PC, and Nintendo Switch, confirming an earlier leak of the release date from PS Store price tracker site PSDeals (thanks to our sister site PlayStation Lifestyle).
This MultiVersus Velma and Jake Combo Has Broken the Game
A broken MultiVersus combo that uses Velma and Jake in a 2v2 match has been found that ruins the game’s balance. The free-to-play crossover fighter that has dominated the genre ever since its open beta is still working out the kinks before the first season launches — one of these kinks is a potentially infinite combo that sees Scooby Doo’s Velma and Adventure Time’s Jake completely obliterate their opponents.
Better Call Saul Series Finale Release Date and Time on Netflix
The Better Call Saul series finale release date and time are finally here for Netflix and AMC. The last episode of the sixth season entitled “Saul Gone” will be both written and directed by none other than Peter Gould. Recent events reveal that Saul, as the Cinnabon manager of Gene Takavic, can’t seem to shake his inner conman, no matter how hard he has tried to lay low after the events of Breaking Bad. But with “Saul Gone” being the title of the season 6 episode 13, will Saul survive by the end?
Will Call of Duty Dog Skin Ever Come Back?
After Activision Blizzard swiftly pulled down the Call of Duty dog skin in Vanguard and Warzone likely due to plagiarism claims, some fans are wondering if it will ever return. The offending skin was meant to be part of the Floof Fury Tracer Pack and humorously depicted an anthropomorphized Samoyed dog covered in military gear.
Best Multiversus Mods for Open Beta: Skins and Reskins
It’s of course early to talk about the best Multiversus mods for the open beta, but some creators have been making some excellent skins and reskins. The vast majority of them aren’t full characters made from the ground up, but the character model swaps have been impressive so far. In particular, many have chosen to create sprites of Smash Bros. characters, if just to raise the ire of Nintendo, and have laid them over the existing roster, especially top-tier characters like Shaggy and Batman.
Quordle Answer 186: July 29, 2022 Word Solution
The Quordle answer 186 is now solved for July 29, 2022. After yesterday’s doozy of a puzzle, today’s Quordle is much easier. Two of the words shouldn’t be too difficult to solve near the start because they’re composed of generally common consonants. Three of the words have double letters, but none of them are particularly tough to figure out, and overall the number of uncommon consonants throughout the solution are very low at around three, compared to the average of five.
Saints Row 1 and 2 Remasters
Following my preview of the upcoming Saints Row reboot, I spoke with the Executive Producer of Volition Rob Loftus about the developer’s work on the game, and the divided reactions to its announcement. Looking at the comments and like-to-dislike ratios on multiple trailers for the game, the criticism is obvious: for many fans, the new crew just doesn’t feel as compelling as Johnny Gat, Shaundi, and crew.
Before the Review: Saints Row (2022) Hands-on Preview
Since the Saints Row reboot was revealed last year, many longtime fans of the series have felt that it doesn’t feel “gangster” enough. While some don’t mind the over-the-top ridiculousness that was Saints Row 4, those who are more nostalgically attached to the first two Saints Row games — which are closer in style to Grand Theft Auto — wanted the reboot to hit that middle ground of being serious but comedic.
Quordle Answer 179: July 22, 2022 Word Solution
The Quordle 179 answer for July 22, 2022 has been solved. The primary challenge with today’s puzzle is that it has a high number of uncommon to rare consonants. The typical Quordle has around four or five, but this one has about six and a good number of them are in the rare category. There also isn’t a lot of synergy between the four words in the solution; that is, apart from the occasional vowel or common consonant, solving one word won’t get you a lot of help with another.
Quordle Answer 165: July 8, 2022 Word Solution
The Quordle 165 answer for July 8, 2022 has been uncovered. Half of today’s puzzle is quite simple whereas the other half is not. There are about six uncommon to rare letters throughout the entire solution, and several unusual placements for some of them. Fortunately, one of these uncommon letters is repeated twice in two separate words, which lessens this Quordle’s overall difficulty. By our estimation, the hardest word to solve is the last word in the lower-right position.
Quordle Answer 158: July 1, 2022 Word Solution
The Quordle 158 answer has been uncovered for July 1, 2022. The puzzle today has about average difficulty, with four uncommon letters and several tricky constructions that have multiple possibilities. None of the words are too unusual, apart from the second one which might be found on a vocabulary list, and there’s only a single occurrence of a double letter. Due to the ubiquitous construction, we think that the word in the bottom-right position may be the last one you solve.
Quordle Answer 151: June 24, 2022 Word Solution
The Quordle 151 answer for June 24, 2022 has been unveiled with relative ease compared to yesterday’s puzzle. While there are two instances of double consonants throughout the solution, they’re for the same consonant and it’s a common letter at that. The vast majority of the letters will be highlighted in either green or yellow if you follow the general technique for solving Quordles.
Final Fantasy VII: Ever Crisis Closed Beta Announced
Square Enix has revealed that the Final Fantasy VII: Ever Crisis closed beta will be arriving later in 2022 for iOS and Android during the Final Fantasy VII 25th Anniversary Celebration livesteram. This upcoming RPG is also slated to release some time in 2022, with the first episode reportedly arriving at the end of September 2022.
The Last of Us Part 1 Firefly Edition Restock: Is It Sold Out?
Naughty Dog fans have been furiously searching for any information about The Last of Us Part 1 Firefly Edition restock and whether it’s sold out. Since the remake was announced at Summer Game Fest 2022 (and was actually leaked a few hours before the event started), the special Firefly Edition of the remake for PS5 has been a hot item.
Diablo Immortal Codes List: How to Redeem Them
With Diablo officially on mobile platforms, we expect Activision Blizzard to hand out Diablo Immortal codes as freebies to the community. That is, eventually. To be clear, there are no codes for the game at the time of this writing, which is surprisingly really. We would expect that this Diablo MMO-esque game would have at least some codes available during the game’s launch on June 2 to entice new Android and iOS players to the franchise.
The Last of Us Part 1 PS5 Remake vs. PS4 Remastered Changes and Differences
With the reveal of The Last of Us Part 1 remake at Summer Game Fest 2022, many fans are rightfully wondering what the differences might be between that and The Last of Us Remastered for PS4. Given that the original game has already been upgraded once from PS3 to PS4 and that there are many options to obtain The Last of Us Remastered for free or at a very low cost through PSN, it is a tough sell to ask consumers to pay a full $70 for what might seem to be just a graphical update.
The Last of Us Part 1 Remake vs. Remastered Changes: Differences Between the PS5 and PS4 Releases
With the reveal of The Last of Us Part 1 remake at Summer Game Fest 2022, many fans are rightfully wondering what the differences might be between that and The Last of Us Remastered for PS4. Given that the original game has already been upgraded once from PS3 to PS4 and that there are many options to obtain The Last of Us Remastered for free or at a very low cost through PSN, it is a tough sell to ask consumers to pay a full $70 for what might seem to be just a graphical update.
'Layers of Fear 3' Is Called Layers of Fears, Release Date in 2023
Bloober Team has revealed that the Layers of Fears release date will be early 2023 at Summer Game Fest 2022. Originally given the placeholder “Layers of Fear 3,” the developer is officially calling the next entry in the psychological horror franchise as simply Layers of Fears. The game is set to release for PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC via Steam and the Epic Game Store.
The Rock Appeared Shirtless at Summer Game Fest to Talk About Black Adam
The Summer Game Fest The Rock appearance has been getting a lot of attention for featuring a shirtless Dwayne Johnson for about four minutes. He talked about him being The Foundation in Fortnite as well as his role in the upcoming Black Adam movie, which is a surprise given that this is a presentation about games, but any way to work The Rock into a show is a good idea. And apparently, he was also there to make everyone thirsty… for a ZOA sugar-free energy drink of course.
Quordle Answer 138: June 11, 2022 Word Solution
The Quordle 138 answer has been solved for June 11, 2022. The puzzle is of medium difficulty with a spare few uncommon consonants and one word that has two double-letters. The most difficult part of the solution is the word in the bottom-right corner due to a very rare letter. For a hint, it is the name of a color. If you’re looking for the entire answer, it’s been placed after the break. What is Quordle answer 138?
Diablo Immortal: "Your Device Isn't Compatible With This Version" Error Fix
Many players attempting to download and install Blizzard’s latest game have experienced a Diablo Immortal error with a message stating “Your device isn’t compatible with this version.” The good news is that this error likely isn’t caused by anything wrong with your phone and Blizzard is working on fixing this as fast as possible. The bad news is that there’s not too much you can do on your end until the support team introduces a patch.
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