Apple : iPhone 11 and 11 Pro deals US: get the best prices for February 2020 |
- iPhone 11 and 11 Pro deals US: get the best prices for February 2020
- Cyberpunk 2077 release date, price, trailers, gameplay and news
- Doom Eternal release date, trailers, modes, and gameplay
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| iPhone 11 and 11 Pro deals US: get the best prices for February 2020 Posted: 12 Feb 2020 01:52 PM PST The Apple Event unveiled the highly anticipated iPhone 11 and iPhone 11 Pro smartphones. The latest iPhone is officially available to order from all major carriers and retailers like Walmart and Best Buy. To help you wade through all the different plans, we've listed the best iPhone 11 and iPhone 11 Pro prices and deals that are available in the US today. iPhone 11 deals from US carriers:iPhone 11 Pro deals from US carriers:iPhone 11 Pro Max deals from US carriers:The iPhone 11 Pro Max, the bigger version of the 11 Pro, is priced at $1,099 from carriers such as AT&T, T-Mobile, Sprint, and Verizon. Sprint is offering the Pro Max for $45.84 on a Sprint Flex 18-month lease, and Verizon is offering up to $500 off with select trade-in and Unlimited. AT&T is offering up to $700 off when you switch to AT&T and port-in your number, or up to $500 off without port-in. Learn more about the newest iPhone with our hands on iPhone 11 review, iPhone 11 Pro review, and iPhone 11 Pro Max review. This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Cyberpunk 2077 release date, price, trailers, gameplay and news Posted: 12 Feb 2020 01:39 PM PST The Cyberpunk 2077 release date was delayed to September 17, meaning it won't be hacking into our digital lives this April after all. The game is complete, says developer CD Projekt Red, but the extra time allows for more polish, and you can expect new teasers, trailers and gameplay footage in the coming months thanks to the delay. Cyberpunk 2077 is a massive dystopian RPG launching on Xbox One, PC, and PS4, and it could be the current-gen swan song before PS5 and Xbox Series X come out. This vast open-world game is draped in dizzying neon colors and futuristic gadgetry, and packed with more branching storylines than you could shake a high-tech drone at. In both an extended Cyberpunk 2077 trailer and in our hands-off demo at E3 2019, we saw a bit more of the metropolis of the future, where body modification has become an obsession, and you play a mysterious outlaw in the sleazy underbelly of the city. Here's all the news, trailers, and announcements we've had on Cyberpunk 2077 so far. Or, if you can't take the anticipation ahead of the game's 2020 release, check out our thoughts on the Cyberpunk RED tabletop role-playing game instead. UPDATE: VR isn't on the cards for Cyberpunk 2077 according to a recent interview. Read on for more. Cut to the chase
What is Cyberpunk 2077?Cyberpunk 2077 is a neon cyberpunk game that has The Witcher 3 developer CD Projekt Red moving from a gritty, high fantasy world to an equally gritty, science fiction world metropolis. It's based off the pen-and-paper RPG of the same name, but plays a hell of a lot like The Matrix game we've always wanted. We caught our first peek at the game behind closed doors at E3 2018 – you can check out what we saw in the 48-minute walkthrough video below (in the trailers section). Cyberpunk 2077 is a game that looks vastly different from its developer's The Witcher series, with towering neon skyscrapers, bionic enhancements and a focus on vertical movement rather than wide open plains. It's also all in first-person. At E3 2019 we learned a lot more about the plot of the game, which features the one and only Keanu Reeves. Reeves plays a character named Johnny Silverhand who's embedded in a biochip that's placed in the main character's brain. In order to unlock the secrets to the biochip, what basically becomes the main thread of the game, Silverhand will guide you to Alt Cunningham, the most legendary net runner of all-time. The only problem? She’s dead. But her consciousness lives on the web and you’ll need to do whatever it takes to track her down – including, but not limited to, befriending or eliminating leaders of the biggest gangs in Night City. Cyberpunk 2077 trailersThe latest Cyberpunk 2077 trailer is a 15-minute deep dive into the game's lore, world, and gameplay. If you don't mind spoiling some of the visual treats in store – including what it's like to actually step into cyberspace – check out the video here. E3 2019 gave us an incredibly slick trailer, with a look at some new characters, weapon-play – including Keanu Reeves, who will be playing the rock star Johnny Silverhand. Get your fix in the trailer below. In March 2019, we got yet another video, this time of the development team gearing up for the E3 2019 showcase event. Those hoping for a 2019 release may want to start to brace themselves however – though the game remains without a release date, the suggestion of the video below is that development is still in full swing, and a release date may be some time away yet: After a veritable truckload of hype, CD Projekt Red released 48 minutes of gameplay footage, based on the demo journalists saw at E3 2018. In it, you'll see what gunplay looks like, character creation and backstory assignment, plus how you'll upgrade yourself via cybernetic enhancements. You'll meet some of the characters in Cyberpunk's seedy crime circuit and explore the city on foot and in vehicles. (Quick warning: the trailer contains nudity, violence and swearing.) We were treated to a Cyberpunk 2077 trailer during E3 2018 which you can watch below:
Cyberpunk 2077 release date: September 17The Cyberpunk 2077 release date is September 17, 2020. It wasn't always that way, as the game's first official teaser trailer stated it would come out “when it’s ready.” It didn't have a solid date attached to it until the E3 2019 trailer, which gave it an April 16, 2020 launch date. That was the constantly touted Cyberpunk 2077 release date for six months until the latest (and hopefully last) delay. The reason for the Cyberpunk 2077 delay to September isn't because the game isn't done. CD Projekt Red says it's finished, but more time to fine-tune the expansive game is necessary. It is, after all, a massive RPG. We're a long way from an investor call in early 2016 that suggested that Cyberpunk 2077 would be released before June 2019. Obviously timetables shifted dramatically as development progressed. It was also said in this call that CD Projekt Red is planning to release two new triple A RPGs before 2021. It was later clarified in forums that Cyberpunk 2077 would be the first of these games to arrive and work on the second would not start before Cyberpunk 2077 was finished. Image Credit: CD Projekt Red Considering The Witcher 3 took around three and a half years to develop, a 2019 release didn't seem unmanageable for the studio. But the scale of the development, as well as rumors of the game being a cross-gen PS5 and Xbox Series X title, it makes sense that the game has taken longer than initially anticipated. Cyberpunk 2077 news and featuresVR not happening It seems that a virtual reality element was considered by CD Projekt Red for Cyberpunk 2077 but was ultimately found to not be viable. In an interview with OnMSFT, producer John Mamais said that VR is "very experimental and niche" and therefore just wasn't a great fit for the game. “We tried," he explained, "We were thinking about VR but, yeah, we’re not doing anything with VR.” Mamais wasn't particularly forthcoming on the topic of a port for Nintendo Switch, either, saying it's unlikely but that similar things had been though of The Witcher 3. “I don’t know if Cyberpunk 2077 would work on the Nintendo Switch. It might be too heavy for it. But then, we did put Witcher 3 on it and we thought that would be too heavy too, but somehow we pulled it off.” Big names on the soundtrack CD Projekt Red has used The Game Awards to give players a better idea of the music that will feature in Cyberpunk 2077 and set the tone for exploring Night City. A behind-the-scenes segment confirmed that artists including Run the Jewels, Refused, Grimes, A$AP Rocky, Gazelle Twin, Ilan Rubin, Richard Devine, Nina Kravitz, Rat Boy, and Tina Guo will appear and there are more to be confirmed. You can watch the segment for yourself below: Game map An official art and lore book for Cyberpunk 2077 has appeared on Amazon and its cover gives us a look at part of the game's map of Night City. The map shown on the cover isn't massive but it is dense and it looks like it doesn't cover the whole game world—cutting off at the edges suggests that exploration will extend beyond the city walls, correlating with earlier interviews with Pawel Sasko which revealed an external area known as the Badlands will be explorable. Not only that, the fact that we've previously had a glimpse at a city metro map makes us think Night City will be about exploring vertically as well as horizontally. Reddit Q&A reveals more details More has revealed more about the depth of Cyberpunk 2077 in a recent Reddit Q&A in which a user has recounted information from their attendance at a Q&A day with CD Projekt Red in Poland. According to the poster, the game's day and night cycle will have an impact on quests; at certain times of day, for example, a location may be more or less guarded which could impact your likelihood of success. Weather, though, won't have an impact quite so severe although in-game characters will react to it. The game's crime system has been revealed as being similarly dynamic— so police won't jump on you for a small crime like, say, assault on a particular individual. But they will "absolutely try to fry your ass" for more extreme things like causing harm to large groups of people with a gun or vehicle. Quests in the game will be wide-ranging, branching and evolving, even impacting one another. And the game won't necessarily end with the completion of the main story; you can opt to keep playing. Replayability is said to be higher with this game than The Witcher 3. As far as customization goes, the developer has acknowledged that players are interested in car customization but has asked for more patience before saying anything with regards to any plans, while, interestingly, there won't be an option to buy a new apartment. Instead V's apartment will evolve and change depending on the paths that players take when playing the game and it'll feature options within it for customization and expression though what they are has not been confirmed. Post-launch content We're still a long way away from any kind of post-launch content for Cyberpunk 2077 but fans have been thinking about how CD Projekt Red may consider monetising it. Well, the studio doesn't seem to have locked down any definite path just yet but it is being considered and the most likely scenario appears to be that the game will follow in the post-launch content footsteps of The Witcher 3. In an interview with GameSpot at PAX Australia, the head of CDPR's Krakow office, John Mamais said “I think it’s a bad idea to do microtransactions after you release a game. It seems like it’s very profitable, though. It’s probably a hard decision for the guy that runs the business to decide if we should do it or not. But if everyone hates it, why would we do something like that and lose the goodwill of our customers?” As far as Mamais is concerned, the Witcher 3's model which saw free DLC launched with big paid expansions was "a good model" which "worked pretty well." As a result, Mamais added "I don’t see why we wouldn’t try to replicate that model with Cyberpunk 2077. We’re not talking about that yet, but it seems like that would be the smart way to go.” Photo mode? Let's face it, we all want to take pictures of Night City and there have been hints that this may be possible when the game launches. The developer told fans previously that there were plans to include a photo mode in the game and a recent video posted to Twitter has suggested that may still be the case. The video shows a scene of the Night City skyline while the symbol of a camera shows briefly. The hashtags on the tweet itself read Capture Cyberpunk and Photos From Night City. This makes a photo mode seem very likely and given it's a feature found in most big budget games these days that may not be entirely surprising. However, the game's first person perspective may present some challenges if CD Projekt Red wishes to allow players to take pictures which will include their fully-customised avatars. No Reeves romance for you We know, you're devastated. We all are. But it's now been confirmed that Keanu Reeves is not a character you'll be able to romance during Cyberpunk 2077 (via PCGamer). What about multiplayer? After repeatedly stating that multiplayer elements were in R&D but saying nothing more, CD Projekt Red has confirmed on Twitter that it's definitely in the works. So far, the plan appears to be to release the game in September as a single-player experience and then follow this up with various single DLCs that will be free to download and play, after which players will begin to be invited for "some multiplayer action." Multiplayer is, then, slightly down the road but it is coming. Character creation will be gender fluid Jonkers said that "you don’t choose your gender anymore. You don’t choose, ‘I want to be a female or male character’ you now choose a body type. Because we want you to feel free to create any character you want." GTA-style radio Coming to Stadia Spin-off card game “The game thrusts players into the dark alleyways of Night City, where ruthless gangs clash with corporations in an endless war for money, power, and control. “In Cyberpunk 2077: Afterlife, players become Fixers, the data brokers and masterminds in Night City that recruit cyberpunks, equip them with gear, and send them out on missions. But nothing's free in Night City. Players need to balance between what they want and what they can actually afford. Using an innovative drafting mechanic and special dashboard, players must decide which cards they want to buy, and which to sacrifice for funds in order to purchase new ones. Each successful mission raises the player's Street Cred, with mission survivors becoming Veterans, imparting their knowledge and experience to newer recruits. In this chrome-infused world, Street Cred is the only currency that truly matters.” Hardcore mode that says goodbye to UI In an interview with Wccftech, CD Projekt Red’s Alvin Liu discussed hardcore mode, revealing that it will get rid of the game’s UI to provide a “real challenge” for players. That means there’ll be no markers or indicators telling you where things are or what level of enemy you’re going up against. It’s real immersion in Night City and the desert beyond with the potential for real frustration. Of course, it’s not just the hardcore players that are being catered to in Cyberpunk 2077; Liu revealed that there will also be modes for those who are less experienced with first person games and shooters and wish to enjoy a more laidback experience. “If you want to play more casually for the story and maybe you’re not experienced with shooters, which was a real big concern for us. We want to tell a story and maybe you’re a big fan of The Witcher and you’re not comfortable playing a shooter, we have settings available for that.” Liu explains that as well as settings for less experienced players, there will also be weapons. The smart gun, for example, will help players to aim. Though it comes at the cost of the smart gun being a weaker and slower weapon. It will, however, be a good start for those looking to get to grips with the aiming system. For those unfamiliar with first person games, there’s also going to be a Field of View slider. Making more of the game world visible through the eyes of the avatar should alleviate that sense of tunnel vision that comes from trading third person view for first person and the potential for nausea this can cause some players. Environmental hazards In an interview with Wccftech, UI director Alan Liu revealed Cyberpunk 2077 will feature dynamic weather such as acid rain and other environmental hazards. Settings available for those uncomfortable with FPS Cyberpunk 2077 will look just as good on console as PC "Actually no, we have a very custom engine, the RED Engine," Liu responded. "And actually, we’re targeting consoles as first-class platforms and it looks amazing there. So obviously, if you spent, you know, $2,000 building your PC rig, it’s going to look better on that. But the graphics are quite amazing for what you’re going to get from Cyberpunk 2077 on consoles and low-end PCs." Could we see a movie adaptation in the future? "I can’t really say anything on that," Pondsmith told VGC in response to whether he is optioning the Cyberpunk movie rights. "But with Keanu Reeves being tied up in things, it’s become much more of a possibility." "At this point we are teaching people about this new kind of cyberpunk. My favorite film is Blade Runner, but I recognise inherently that it’s a cerebral film and 2049 was even more cerebral. A cerebral film is not necessarily going to allow other people to enter that space and understand it, but at the same time you don’t want to do it totally action." Keanu Reeves' band gets its first single There may or may not be three games in development Take your pick of protagonists There will be romance There will be no morality system There's more than Night City Multiple Endings New Cyberpunk 2077 gameplay shown at E3 2019, but not playable Inside Pacifica, two gangs – The Animals and The Voodoo Boys – are fighting for supremacy. In order to meet Bridgitte, the head of the Voodoo Boys, you'll have to first deal with her lieutenant Placide, who wants you to infiltrate The Animals' hideout. Your goal, at least you're told, is to find a high-tech van that's monitoring all the network traffic in Pacifica. To get to this van, you'll have to make your way past The Animals' crew. The reason they're called The Animals, it turns out, is because they take a drug that enhances their muscle mass. To get through them you'll either need to fight your way through – a risky proposition – or sneak your way into the hideout. Image Credit: CD Projekt Red Customization: perks, skills and attributes The choices are vast, and while they're not completely limitless, CD Projekt Red doesn’t want to confine you to a single play style or set path. The reasoning behind that, it seems, is to better mirror the game’s source material – a 30-year-old tabletop role playing game called Cyberpunk (however, there was also a later edition called Cyberpunk 2020). Behind all of the hacking and gunplay lies a fairly complex RPG – the perks screen we saw during our demo had more than 20 perks to choose from and level up. These perks impact how your character plays, but can also impact what choices you have in conversations with the world’s NPCs. Image Credit: CD Projekt Red Vampire Bloodlines and Deus Ex were inspirations for the game Tomaskiewicz said that games such as Deus Ex, Vampire Bloodlines and Elder Scrolls had influenced him in his work on Cyberpunk 2077's quests. He cites the original Deus Ex as a particular influence and praises the ways in which it gives players the freedom to complete missions in multiple ways. This suggests we can expect a great deal of freedom and complexity and non-linearity in Cyberpunk 2077’s missions as well as in the protagonist you'll be using to cause havoc in the game world which is something quite different from the tight gameplay-loop found in The Witcher. CD Projekt Red is working on two AAA titles – both to be released by 2021 This release window was reaffirmed on the official CD Projekt Red forums, with moderator Donata Popławska confirming the studio is sticking to its original roadmap. "As far as the strategy of the CD Projekt Capital Group for 2016-2021 is concerned, its plans to release the second AAA game by 2021 remain unchanged," the moderator wrote (translated via Resetera user Antiax). However, Popławska did not expand on what the second AAA title to be released in this time frame could be. "We are currently focusing on the production and promotion of Cyberpunk, so we do not want to comment on further projects," they continued. Lady Gaga could be making an appearance? In addition ActuGaming claims the collaboration will be officially announced at E3 2019, with Gaga rumored to be making an appearance at the gaming convention. Last year Gaga tweeted a strange mix of letters and numbers, which the official Cyberpunk 2077 Twitter account replied to with "Of course! Of course we will!", suggesting the A Star is Born actress would be involved with the game in some way or another. E3 2018 confirmed features It's a first person RPG set in a huge open world known as Night City – a metropolis split into six districts, each offering a different environment to explore. During the demo we only saw a small part of one of them. Players can create their own character called V and embark on their journey to crawl up from the criminal underbelly. This is a dark game and though The Witcher series is mature, this takes it to a new level. As you'd expect, the game lets you augment your body using various bits of tech – illegal or otherwise – and you can use drugs to enhance your combat, or a kind of digital brain-hack called 'Braindance'. We know weapons are wide ranging and seriously creative, with smart guns and bullets as well as terrifying Mantis Blades for melee. There are no loading screens in Cyberpunk 2077 and the story and side quests are branching and numerous, and your choices genuinely impact the outcome. You can read more about how impressed were were by what we saw. E3 2018 secret message In the message CD Projekt first apologises for "staying silent longer than we planned" but following the release of The Witcher 3 Blood and Wine the developer wanted to wait until it had "something meaningful and substantial" to show. It goes on to say that the vision for Cyberpunk is "an alternative version of the future where America is in pieces, megacorporations control all aspects of civilized life, and gangs rule the rest." This game will, CD Projekt says, be a "true single player, story-driven RPG" where you'll be able to create your own character. At the moment the developer isn't ready to confirm any kind of release date and asks for more patience. It also says it has "no bloody clue" about how big the game is but does say it's "seriously big." Image Credit: CD Projekt Red It could be on the next generation of consoles Given the game's current timeline, it's possible it could launch on current systems in September (PS4, Xbox One) and then next-gen systems (PlayStation 5, Xbox Seriess X) later in the year or in 2021. It will be on Steam It’s going to be bigger than The Witcher 3 In fact, he said that The Witcher 3 was being treated as a learning experience and that they could do better. To do better, the studio has doubled in size with studio head Adam Badowski saying that after The Witcher 3, Cyberpunk 2077 needs to be “even better, even bigger, even more revolutionary” than what had originally been planned. Image Credit: CD Projekt Red You’ll be travelling on more advanced tech than boats and horses Don’t expect horses and basic boats here – a job listing for a Senior Vehicle Artist for the studio said they’d be expected to work on “incredibly complex vehicles, planes, bikes, robots and mechanics.“ There may be multiplayer The company president said in March 2018 that these elements are not on the table right now, so it's possible that they'll be introduced after the game's release in a sort of online world like GTA Online. There will be online Whether or not the online elements will feed into the multiplayer is unclear. But there won't be microtransactions It appears that while many studios are feeling the need to move to a service model to ensure their titles make money, CD Projekt is staying committed to the story-driven single player experience with Cyberpunk 2077, one which served them very well with The Witcher. This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Doom Eternal release date, trailers, modes, and gameplay Posted: 12 Feb 2020 01:30 PM PST Ready to raze some hell? Well, Doom Eternal is just months from release and we can't wait to properly get our hands on the sequel to the much-loved 2016 reboot. The new game looks even faster, more frenetic, and more gore-filled than its predecessor – and was meant to be hitting our screens in November. However, we now know that the Doom Eternal's release date has been pushed back to March 20 2020, delaying the instant gratification only tearing through hordes of the undead with our bare hands can provide us. But from what we've seen and played of Doom Eternal, we think it will still be worth the wait. It's worth mentioning that March 20 release date only applies to the PS4 and Xbox One versions too – while a Nintendo Switch release is confirmed, it will be arriving some time after the other consoles. Doom Eternal comes four years after the 2016 Doom reboot, and will feature the same unnamed marine (AKA the Doom Slayer) taking on the forces of hell – this time bringing the action to our own humble planet, and possibly even to heaven. With a larger backdrop to the blood-fuelled action, and new online multiplayer modes confirmed for the game, there's still plenty to be excited about, even if we have to wait a little longer to get our hands on it. Here's everything we now about Doom Eternal. [Update: We now have two more hours of Doom Eternal footage as well as the game's file size. Read on to find out more.]
Cut to the chase
Doom Eternal release dateDoom Eternal will release on March 20, 2020 for PS4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, Google Stadia and PC. The game was initially due for release on November 22, 2019 but, back in October, it was announced that the release date had been pushed back. A press release from id Software stressed that this was "to make sure we’re delivering the best experience – for DOOM Eternal to live up to our standards of speed and polish." Doom Eternal trailersIf the most recent Doom Eternal trailer doesn't sell you on the game then nothing will. It's got a bit of everything that you would expect from the series: demons, guns blazing, a hint of narrative and a lot of gore. Check it out below: Bethesda released a longer trailer showcasing Doom Eternal's new multiplayer Battle Mode. Check it out below: Bethesda's E3 2019 keynote included a big, bad trailer with even more incredible action, giving us a little more info on the story to come in Doom: Eternal. Y'know, so it's not just guns and gore. Bethesda also revealed Battle Mode, a 2-demons-vs-1-Doomguy versus mode for 3 players. Even if they don't introduce a multiplayer mode, this is a neat little addition to shake up the carnage. The Doom Eternal worldwide premiere gameplay reveal of Doom Eternal took place during the QuakeCon 2018 keynote, and was our first chance to see the sequel in action. You can check out the gameplay trailer below: Doom Eternal's E3 2018 trailer had everything we love about the series, dialled up to 11. Get a glimpse of its apocalyptic vision of Earth, with a suitably thumping soundtrack and some jacked-up demons staring down the barrel of a shotgun. Doom Eternal news and rumorsFile Size The Microsoft Store page has been updated with Doom Eternal's file size. On Xbox One the main game will take up 39.03 GB while its multiplayer element called Battle Mode is listed separately as being 38.74 GB. That's a total file size of 61.21 GB. T-Pain gameplay While we wait for Doom Eternal's release date, T-Pain has been playing it and broadcasting on Twitch. The rapper uploaded two hours of gameplay footage. There isn't a whole lot that we haven't seen before in the footage but, hey, it's still fun to see the new mechanics at work. More hands on id Software has clearly said that it doesn't want Doom Eternal to be "mindless" and, while the general run and gun structure is there, there's much more beneath the surface. Doom Eternal introduces some welcome RPG elements that take it beyond a simple shooter, we enjoyed the weapon customization options, exploration factors and the well-paced action. But for those who still want to shoot up some demons to metal, you won't be disappointed. We could tell you all about it, but you would rather see it right? Check out some epic gameplay from the event below: Centred Weapons Campaign playtime Quakecon 2019 and Battle Mode The premise of battle mode is 2v1, with one player taking on the role of the Demonslayer and the other two taking on the role of demons. Doom Eternal's battle mode will have six unique maps at launch, each designed to allow the Doomslayer and demons to partake in a hellish game of cat and mouse. These arenas include portals, monkey bars and jump pads to make play as dynamic as possible - and fun obviously. But what demons are available for you to play as? At launch, there will be five playable demons: the Revenant, Pain Elemental, Mancubus, Marauder and Arch-vile. Each demon has its own particular abilities, strengths and weaknesses to harness against the Doom Slayer. While some are more hard-hitting, others focus on stealth. id Software emphasises that it's important for the playable demons to work together to best the Doom Slayer, as a demon alone is an easy target for the BFG. When it comes to the Doom Slayer themselves, you'll be fully-loaded with all mods available. Like in the single-player campaign, you will need to manage spawning demons as well as resources - not to mention your player foes. As the demons it is your job to kill the Doom Slayer to win, while the Doom Slayer has a harder task at hand. The Doom Slayer must kill both playable demons, but this is where it gets tricky: When you kill one demon, they have the chance to respawn after a certain amount of time if you don't kill the other within that time limit. If a demon does respawn, it will do so with half health. Between rounds, players will be able to upgrade their demons and Doom Slayer to make things a bit more difficult - like it wasn't already, From what we've seen, battle mode certainly looks like it will be a blast and we can't wait to get our hands on it. Stadia launch title Slayer 2.0 A host of new demons (and returning favorites) Invasion Hands on Or will we see a VR version? Coming to Switch Keep checking back here for all the latest Doom Eternal news This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Essential phone company will shut its doors, orphaning its super-thin Gem concept Posted: 12 Feb 2020 01:26 PM PST Essential will shut down operations, leaving a slew of Essential Phone users with a final February security update and its Gem phone concept, which it had been working on for some time. The startup, founded by Android creator Andy Rubin (who had left Google after accusations of sexual misconduct detailed in The New York Times), hoped to take on established companies with a more sustainable option that used modular add-ons to change functionality over years - but reception for the Essential Phone was lukewarm at best.
After discontinuing the phone at the end of 2018, the company teased a new phone in October 2019, called the Gem. It had a ‘radically different’ form factor: a thin, long design half the width of phablets with the length of an average phone – but given its narrow profile, made it look like at TV remote. But in its press release today, Essential noted that the startup has “no clear path to deliver [the Gem] to customers.” Whether that means issues cropped up in design, production, or even funding is unclear. The effect, unfortunately, is that the company will cease operations and shut down after April 30. A final look at the Gem so farAs a parting gift, Essential's closure-announcing blog post includes a slew of professional videos showing off the Gem so far - which seems like a finalized design with apps, services, camera, and voice control all optimized for the tall-yet-narrow format. The footage shows off how services like Google Maps work in the phone - which is simply using half the normal real estate, something that would conceivably take time to get used to - as well as the single, massive rear ultrawide camera, and extensive push-to-talk voice controls. The Gem seemed to abandon metal sides for an all-glass body, which rises around the camera (glass bump) and depresses under the fingerprint sensor - all of which seem like an advanced design that typical phones might adopt in the years to come. Ditto for the in-display front-facing camera. Of course, whether the Gem would actually have appealed to consumers, who have been told that bigger = better for over a decade of smartphone releases, is a question we’ll probably never have answered. Yes, the design is neat - but would it convince buyers to get a device with half the display real estate they’ve become accustomed to? Unless someone else picks up the Gem torch, we’ll never know. Via The Verge
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| COBOL remains hugely important programming priority Posted: 12 Feb 2020 01:12 PM PST Micro Focus has announced the findings of its new COBOL Survey revealing the latest global trends and 2020 plans for enterprises utilizing both COBOL and mainframe technology. According to the survey by Micro Focus, which follows data gathered in previous 2017 survey, 70 percent of enterprises favor modernization as an approach for implementing strategic change. This is opposed to replacing or retiring their key COBOL applications as they continue to provide a low-risk and effective means of transforming IT to support digital business initiatives.
COBOL and modernizationMicro Focus' survey asked COBOL-connected architects, software engineers, developers, development managers and IT executives from 40 different countries about the strategic importance of COBAL applications to their business including future application roadmaps and planning as well as their development toolchains and resources. When asked about their company's plans for COBOL in 2020, 63 percent of those surveyed stated that they are planning to modernize their system and applications with a focus on functionality and process. This is further supported by the results of the survey with an increase in the size of the average application code base which grew from 8.4m in 2017 to 9.9m this year, showing continued investment, re-use and expansion in core business systems. Senior vice president of application modernization and connectivity at Micro Focus, Chris Livesey explained that even after 60 years, COBOL still has a place in the modern enterprise, saying: “As we see the attitudes around COBOL modernization with changes to where and how it needs to be delivered and how its usage continues to grow, COBOL’s credentials as a strong digital technology appear to be set for another decade. With 60 years of experience supporting mission-critical applications and business systems, COBOL continues to evolve as a flexible and resilient computer language that will remain relevant and important for businesses around the world.” “Thanks to the original design’s readability, adapability and portability, COBOL adds tremendous value for companies as a dependable solution that will continue to grow and thrive”, Livesey added.
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| Final Fantasy 7 Remake release date, trailers, news and features Posted: 12 Feb 2020 01:07 PM PST First released in 1997, Final Fantasy 7 immediately cemented its place as one of the best JRPG titles around and introduced millions of gamers around the world to the genre. Now, due to the success of Final Fantasy 7 over 20 years ago (and the pleads from die hard fans), Square Enix is releasing a remake. Unfortunately, those high expectations have been both a blessing and a curse for the game as the path to release hasn’t been smooth. But now, nearly five years after it was announced at E3 2015, we finally have a Final Fantasy 7 Remake release date: April 10, 2020. Although, even that hasn't been smooth-going, with Square Enix pushing the release date back from March 3, 2020. Despite the delay, we are firmly on the hype train for Final Fantasy 7 Remake. We've now seen the game a half-dozen times in trailers – and even got hands on time at Gamescom 2019 and E3 2019 – but it can be hard to keep track of everything that's going on with the long-awaited remake. So, we’ve gathered up everything that's been confirmed about Final Fantasy 7, what we've learned from our hands-on time and everything fans suspect right here for your perusal. [Update: It looks as though the end of the PS4 exclusivity window for Final Fantasy 7 might have been moved to April 2021. Read on to find out more.] Cut to the chase
Final Fantasy 7 Remake release dateImage credit: Square Enix Final Fantasy Remake is due for release on April 10, 2020 - after Square Enix announced its initial release date of March 3, 2020 had been pushed back. It's unclear if this release date is for all of the episodes (remember, FF7R is an episodic game with more than two Blu-rays worth of content) or if that's just the release date of episode one. The latter seems likely as development on episode 2 is still underway. The Final Fantasy 7 remake has had something of a troubled development, which makes it less surprising that the game's release date has been delayed. The game has been in the works since 2014 but, for a few years, there were few significant official updates since the E3 2015 reveal. During that time, development of the game moved from external developer CyberConnect2 to Square Enix’s in-house team. The good news is that this new release date should be set in stone and PS4 players will get to play then. Fans using other platforms could potentially see a release in 2021, which is when the game's period of exclusivity on PS4 apparently ends. We're also expecting Final Fantasy 7 Remake to be a cross-generation release, likely releasing on both PS5 and Xbox Series X, alongside current generation consoles. Final Fantasy 7 Remake trailersThe first trailer for the game was released upon the remake's announcement at E3 2015. The trailer is largely cinematic and you can watch it for yourself below: A further trailer (this time featuring gameplay) was revealed at PSX in 2015: There's also the Final Fantasy 7 Remake trailer that was revealed during a Sony State of Play event last year. In it, we got a great look at what the action-heavy combat would look like (think Kingdom Hearts and you'll be on the right track) and one of the series most well-remembered protagonists, Aerith. Check it out below: The most important trailer we have is the one that was unveiled at a Final Fantasy 7 concert held in Los Angeles, where the game's director, Tetsuya Nomura, unveiled Remake's initial March 3, 2020 release date. It's only a minute long but it's important. Another Final Fantasy 7 Remake trailer was released as part of Tokyo Game Show 2019 and showcased a first look at characters, summons, mini-games and more. Check it out below: The most recent trailer for Final Fantasy 7 appeared at The Game Awards 2019. The trailer shows snippets of combat and flashes of some of the game's iconic characters. It's a minute and a half you don't want to miss. We know, there's lots of trailers for Final Fantasy 7 Remake, but the latest is pretty great. Not only do we get to hear the theme but we also get a much better look at the cast of characters in all their revamped glory. Final Fantasy 7 Remake news and rumorsExclusive on PS4 until April 2021 Perhaps unsurprisingly given its release date delay, it looks like Final Fantasy 7's exclusivity period on PS4 may now end in April 2021 rather than March as it was before the delay, still giving it a full year on the console before going to any other platforms. Though this news hasn't come from any official comment, it has been spotted (via PCGamer) as a change on the box art on the official Square Enix website. Release date delay In a statement, Final Fantasy 7 Remake producer, Yoshinori Kitase, explained that the delay was to allow the developer more time to polish the highly-anticipated remake. “In order to ensure we deliver a game that is in-line with our vision, and the quality that our fans who have been waiting for deserve, we have decided to move the release date to April 10, 2020. "We are making this tough decision in order to give ourselves a few extra weeks to apply final polish to the game and to deliver you with the best possible experience. I, on behalf of the whole team, want to apologize to everyone, as I know this means waiting for the game just a little bit longer." Demo leak Even more significant than this is that files relating to the wider game have been found in the demo's code and now details of the game and changes that have been made from the original are leaking out. A rip of the game's soundtrack is even floating around out there. It's something of a disastrous start to the new year for the Square Enix team which had, before now, managed to keep much of Final Fantasy 7's specifics under wraps. Those hoping not to be spoiled before the game's release ought to be vigilant when searching online while those who just can't resist will find the leaked demo on YouTube. A demo coming soon? Timed exclusivity Work is underway on part 2 At the very least, we do now know that development on part 2 is well underway. In a recent Square Enix blog, Tetsuya Nomura said "We’ve already begun working on the next one as well, but I’m confident that playing through this title will expand your expectations just like the world that extends beyond Midgar." From what Nomura has said with regards to the "density and volume" of part 1's Midgar, we may need a little space between releases to get through it all anyway. Pre-orders available If you would rather pick up the 1st Class Edition, you'll get all the Deluxe Edition content, the Carbuncle Summon Materia DLC, as well as a Play Arts Kai Cloud Strife and Hardy Daytona box set. Those who pre-order any version of the game will also receive the Chocobo Chick Summon Materia DLC at launch. Those who pre-order any digital edition from the PlayStation Store will also receive the Cloud & Sephiroth Dynamic Theme for the PS4. Mini-games Those Xbox One rumors However, Square Enix confirmed in a statement to IGN that Final Fantasy 7 will only release on PS4 on March 3, 2020 (we know know the release date is April 10) and that there are “no plans for other platforms”. Whether this means there are no plans for other platforms just on March 3 or whether there are no plans for other platforms for good is unconfirmed but so far it seems like the game will be a PS4 exclusive. Microsoft has deemed the Facebook video which was quickly removed an “internal mistake”. Preview Midgar Cast change Image credit: Square Enix Deeper into story and characters Tactical Mode FF7 Remake is based around core values E3 2019 news - two discs and new ATB system So what's worth pointing out here is that the sedentary turn-based combat you may remember from the original has been replaced with a FF15-style approach that allows you to control the characters and move them around the battlefield. You'll still have some familiar options in combat - like Limit Breaks - but expect combat to be a bit more engaging this time around. During E3 2019 we also learned that Final Fantasy 7 Remake is not only episodic, but actually requires two Blu-ray discs to hold all the content. The first disc, released on March 3, 2020, will actually only take place in Midgar - that futuristic city you've seen so much of in the trailers. Nomura admits an announcement was premature "I am well aware of the fact that we announced it too early," Nomura told Italian gaming mag Multiplayer (translated by Kingdom Hearts Insider) . "But even in the industry, word was beginning to spread that we were working on the game, so we just decided not to keep it more secret and officially reveal it." Image credit: Square Enix It’s a reconstruction, not a shot-for-shot remake Considering it’s so beloved there’s a lot of pressure on Square Enix to not stray too far from the original source material but according to director Tetsuya Nomura it won’t be a completely direct recreation. In an interview with Wired, Nomura said “We're not intending for this to become a one-to-one remake, or just the original Final Fantasy VII with better graphics.” Nomura has said that he wants the remake to "apply to the current era" and "the current generation of players." He added the caveat that he doesn't "want to change it so much that it's unrecognizable" but it has to be offering something "fresh and new." To accommodate modern consoles and gamers, changes will naturally have to be made to the game both in terms of gameplay, mechanics and perhaps even to some elements of the story. For starters, early trailers show a game more akin to Final Fantasy XV mechanically, with fixed viewpoints and static backdrops swapped out for full-3D terrain, and a turn-based battle system removed in favour of a real-time action-orientated one. Image credit: Square Enix It’s episodic The reasoning behind the decision, according to series producer Yoshinori Kitase is that “a proper HD remake” just wouldn’t fit into one instalment and maintain the “same feeling of density of the original.” “We've seen everyone's comments and reactions to the news that Final Fantasy 7 remake will be a multi-part series and many have speculated correctly as to the reason why we have made this decision,” he said, “If we were to try to fit everything from the original into one remake instalment, we would have to cut various parts and create a condensed version of Final Fantasy 7. We knew none of you would have wanted that. “I hope that by explaining a little more about our design decisions that you can appreciate the size of this project and what we have planned for this remake. Going beyond the scale and depth of the world, narrative and gameplay from the original to deliver something that feels familiar yet new. As I said before, we like delivering surprises.” Each episode will apparently be its “own unique experience” but as yet we don’t know how many episodes there will be or how they’ll be structured in relation to the original story. Image credit: Square Enix No more turn-based battles In an interview with Famitsu, Nomura said that battles in the remake will be “action-based” rather than command-based. Nomura didn’t go into much more detail with regards to the game’s combat system but it’s widely expected that we’re going to see a formula more similar to Kingdom Hearts and FFXV. This would mean a more active and seamless style of battling involving party members whom the player will be able to switch between. Though the loss of turn-based combat will be mourned, a move towards a system like Kingdom Hearts will be more accessible to new players. A PS5 release? For Sony, it'd be a system seller right out of the gates for the new console generation, and for the developers you'd imagine it'd offer more processing grunt and a little longer in terms of the development window. This is speculation at this point, but as the sun sets on the PS4, and titles like Final Fantasy 7's remake being no closer to even having a release date, it starts to seem like the looming next generation machines may be now what they're being aimed at. This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| The Last of Us 2 release date, trailers, news and rumors Posted: 12 Feb 2020 12:38 PM PST There are only a few months left to wait until we can all finally get our hands on The Last of Us 2 - and we're getting excited. The ending of The Last of Us was pretty conclusive. But as it turns out, that hasn't stopped developer Naughty Dog from cranking out a sequel in the form of The Last of Us 2 – or, The Last of Us: Part 2 if we're using its proper name. Given the first game was hailed by players and critics alike as a masterpiece with excellent, emotional storytelling and engaging, realistic characters, we have to admit that the decision to release a follow-up isn't particularly shocking. We'd probably have been more surprised if there wasn't one. And yet, when The Last of Us 2 was first announced, we'd be lying if we said our hearts didn't skip a beat. The Last of Us 2 was first announced by Naughty Dog at PlayStation Experience in 2016 alongside a teaser trailer, but it wasn't until September 2019 that we were finally told the game's initial release date of February 2020 during a State of Play livestream. However, Naughty Dog later announced that the release date has been delayed by a few months, and we now know we'll be joining Ellie and Joel again in May 2020. Now we're into 2020 there's not long to wait, so let's break down everything we know about the highly-anticipated The Last of Us 2 so far. [UPDATE: The Last of Us 2 is in the final stages of its development and there's a plan for an hour-long PAX East demo. Read on to find out more.] Cut to the chase
The Last of Us 2 release dateThe Last of Us 2 was initially due to release on February 21, 2020. However, Naughty Dog later announced that the game's release date was being pushed back to May 29, 2020. The game's director, Neil Druckmann, apologized in a blog post and explained that the developer wanted to prioritize game quality over a punctual launch. "We realized we simply didn’t have enough time to bring the entire game up to a level of polish we would call Naughty Dog quality," Druckmann wrote. It seems The Last of Us 2 is still on track for this new release date and it's been confirmed the game will launch on PS4. However, it's possible we will see The Last of Us 2 as a cross-generation title, launching on PS5 also. Although, neither PlayStation nor Naughty Dog have confirmed if this is the case yet. The Last of Us 2 trailersThe most recent trailer for The Last of Us 2 is also its (initial) release date announcement trailer. Shown during the September 2019 State of Play stream, it revealed the game's initial release date and shows Ellie in action as well as a glimpse at Joel. Check it out below: Probably the most emotion-evoking Last of Us 2 trailer was shown during E3 2018. This trailer finally gave us a look at Ellie in an intimate scene before cutting away to some of the brutal but stealth-based combat we can expect to see in the game when it's launched. The gameplay sequence gives us a look at Ellie fighting for her life in the wild. Success in a fight appears to require the right balance between stealth and all out attack as damage seems to have a more realistic impact. Ellie can move quietly between areas, taking weapons from bodies and crafting, before bursting out and taking down her enemies. It's a different creature in many ways to the original The Last of Us but it looks like something to look forward to, with more advanced enemies to challenge us and more complex gameplay to thrill us. See the gameplay for yourself below: The Last of Us Part 2 had another trailer drop during PSX 2017. During a panel it was confirmed that the game will be set in the city of Seattle and the darker themes we know are coming were touched upon. You can watch the panel for yourself below: Another trailer for the game was shown at Sony's press conference during the 2017 Paris Games Week. This trailer is around 5 minutes long, focusing on conflicts between the human factions in the game. It shows that part 2 is going to have a dark story, perhaps even darker than the first, and the trailer is fairly harrowing to watch. Visually impressive though it is, do note that it's gory before you watch it for yourself below: The first look at The Last of Us 2 came with its announcement at PlayStation Experience in 2016. Despite the fact that the game was early in development, the trailer showed a full (non-gameplay) scene that features both Ellie and Joel. You can watch it below: The Last of Us 2 news and rumorsAn update and a PAX East Demo Naughty Dog has given an update on the progress of The Last of Us 2, writing on the official blog that it's "entered the final stretch of production" and the team is "putting the finishing touches" on things. In addition to that tantalising bit of information it's also been confirmed that The Last of Us 2 will be getting a playable demo at PAX East. Members of the public who attend the show between February 27 and March 1 will have the chance to play an early area of the game called "Patrol" that features Ellie and Dina. The demo is around an hour long and is apparently just a "small glimpse" of what the full game will offer. Ashley Johnson has been honing her archery skills We've already seen Ellie wielding a bow in trailers for the game, but perhaps we'll be relying on it as a primary weapon in the upcoming sequel. Although, Johnson did point out that her desire to learn archery isn't indicative of how heavily a bow and arrow will feature in the game. Much more violent and sexually explicit The game's website now features an ESRB rating of 'M' for Mature (via DualShockers) which, in itself, isn't a surprise as it's the same rating awarded to its predecessor. However, the content warning describes 'blood and gore', 'intense violence', 'nudity', 'sexual content', 'strong language' and 'use of drugs'. And, while The Last of Us's rating warned of 'blood and gore', 'intense violence', 'sexual themes' and 'strong language', it seems that Naughty Dog is upping the nudity and sexual content in the game's sequel. While we're not surprised that The Last of Us 2 is going to be extremely violent (the trailers have suggested that), this will be the first Naughty Dog game to feature nudity. But what does that mean we can expect? Well, as GameSpot points out, the ESRB defines 'nudity' as "graphic or prolonged depictions of nudity", while 'sexual content' is defined as "non-explicit depictions of sexual behavior, possibly including partial nudity". That means we'll be seeing a lot more nudity and sexual scenes than we did with The Last of Us, which had a "sexual themes" descriptor that warns about "references to sex or sexuality." We're not sure exactly what form this will take, and the ESRB hasn't published the rating publicly, but it looks like things are about to get much sexier in The Last of Us. Pointing out Parallels It's a teasing comment that's left many fans asking for more information and some are theorising that there could be narrative and visual parallels between the games. Regardless, those who enjoyed the original game are likely going to be happy to see any nod of acknowledgement which will tie the titles together in a more meaningful way. New job listings Last year, Naughty Dog confirmed that The Last of Us 2 won't launch with an online mode due to a wish to completely focus on the game's substantial single-player story. However, it was added that something would be coming eventually and separately from the main game. We won't know for certain what game this online project is related to but it's exciting to see that something is in the works. There's been another job-listing recently that also hints at some exciting news: could The Last of Us 2 be coming to a PC near you?. There's been a lot of online speculation recently thanks to a LinkedIn job posting, which specifies some interesting skills for a graphics programmer to be part of the team working on The Last of Us 2 - including PC programming chops. Halley Gross Interview In the interview, Gross praised her colleagues at Naughty Dog as "wizards" and said that they're working together to "make the most complex, nuanced character in a videogame". This character is undoubtedly Ellie who Gross touches on later in the interview. Ellie, Gross explains, is a traumatized character on a "mission for justice" who is, overall, "driven by love" for other characters like Joel and Dina. According to Gross, the narrative is about seeing who Ellie "can become when she grows up in such a hostile environment." This, unfortunately, means putting Ellie in difficult situations which will test her values and her drive: "while we love Ellie, and we’re really excited to see her grow up, we’re certainly not going to coddle her". Neil Druckmann Interview Rather than throw in new enemies just because they can, Druckmann says that the studio has carefully considered new Infected additions like the Shamblers. These new enemies emit clouds of burning acid and will force players to consider how they approach combat in a different way, especially when they’re appearing alongside the fast Runners and powerful Clickers. Human enemies are also more dynamic. According to Druckmann, every human enemy in the game will have a unique name so that when they die their comrades might scream out their name in grief. Human enemies can become emotional and unpredictable, making combat more dynamic and realistic. Fans of visuals will also be happy to know that The Last of Us 2 will be making the most of the power of the PS4 like The Last of Us did with the PS3 before it. This means, according to Druckmann, that the game is “able to have much wider environments, sequences with a horde of infected, several squads of enemies looking for you in big spaces.” Similarly, this has made it possible to give Ellie and all of the other characters a new animation system called motion mapping making their movements more responsive and more realistic: “The fidelity we can get in the faces and the motion capture — we can better translate what the actors are doing on stage into the game, and get these nuances so we can rely more on the way someone blinks or the way they squint instead of lines of dialogue. It allows the writing to be much more nuanced than it’s been before.” Two Discs Allies “In the past in almost all of our games, the allies have done kind of fake damage, where you see them shoot enemies and it's a little bit theatrical—like their bullets are clearly doing way less damage than yours,” Newman said. For The Last of Us 2, however, ally bullet “do exactly as much damage as yours do" so players can count on the AI to help them. Multiplayer Story At the moment we know The Last of Us 2 will take place in the city of Seattle, five years after the end of the original game, with a 19 year old Ellie taking the starring playable role. Joel will still appear in the game but if the teaser trailer is anything to go by, he could be a much more passive presence. This time around, Ellie is extremely angry about...something. From what we saw from the teaser trailer she wants revenge, which to her appears to be a dish best served deadly. She does, after all, promise to “kill every last one of them.” It’s not clear who “them” is but it could signal that the Fireflies, the first game's well-meaning but morally grey antagonists, will make a return. Anger, hate and revenge are going to be key themes this time around so expect to be in for an emotionally heavy ride. In the trailer for the game shown at Paris Games Week in 2017, we got a look at how dark the game is likely to be. The trailer focuses on the opposing relationships between human characters in the game and features some seriously cringe-inducing violence. It doesn't tell us much about any new characters of how they'll relate to one another but it does confirm that we're going into a dark game world in The Last of Us part 2. In a recent panel at PSX both Druckmann and Gross said that though the game's story will indeed be dark and there'll be a focus on the theme of hate, "there is hope" and there will be "lighthearted moments." We can't pretend we're not relieved to hear this after the game's controversial Paris Games Week trailer which, Druckmann said, was intended to highlight the game's exploration of the pursuit of justice. Ellie is one of the most real and refreshing characters we’ve seen in gaming so it’s exciting that Naughty Dog are going to take her story further and put her in center stage. The creative director of the game, Neil Druckmann has said that the story will be about Ellie and Joel’s relationship and that though the story would be complementary to the story of the first game, it would be much larger. When asked at a PSX panel whether or not Joel or Ellie may die, Druckmann responded that "no one is safe" highlighting that the game's story really could go anywhere. Hopes are particularly high for this larger story as it’s been revealed that one of the writers of Westworld, Halley Gross, will be co-writing the game’s story. Having someone who’s written scripts for such an incredibly popular and successful show should be a boon for the game's story. Gameplay Ellie will have some moves similar to Joel but there are some things she'll be able to do that are completely different. For one thing she can jump - the new jump button should make the world of The Last of Us Part 2 more complex and more enjoyable to traverse. It also has the potential to make combat more interesting. Speaking of combat, Ellie doesn't really throw punches as her first form of attack, she has a stealthy knife. Melee combat generally appears to offer a little more than the original game, with evasions and an environment that can help as well as hinder your fighting. Not only has Ellie matured as a character, the enemies she faces have developed and they're more realistic than ever. The Infected in The Last of Us Part 2 are smarter and more reactive than their predecessors, making them a tougher foe to face. AI has improved, allowing enemies to communicate with one another and to look for Ellie when she's hiding. Expect some tense moments to arise from this.
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| Animal Crossing: New Horizons release date, news and features Posted: 12 Feb 2020 12:25 PM PST Nintendo has finally given Animal Crossing fans what they want. During a Nintendo Direct in September 2018, the company announced (via a short teaser trailer) that Animal Crossing is coming to the Nintendo Switch sometime in 2019. Unfortunately, however, that news was overturned when Nintendo's Yoshiaki Koizumi announced that the game would be delayed until March 20, 2020 during the company's E3 2019 Nintendo Direct presentation. While the Nintendo Direct and Koizumi brought us some disappointing news at the show, they also brought us our first look at actual gameplay, plus some needed story details of what we're doing on the island and why. Bringing Animal Crossing to the Switch will entice fans old and new, plus we think the game is a perfect match for Nintendo’s hybrid console. Animal Crossing’s sandbox nature makes it ideally suited to long play sessions on your TV, as well as shorter on-the-go bursts on the Switch’s handheld mode. Here's what we know so far about Animal Crossing: New Horizons. [Update: It looks like Animal Crossing will be a one island only kind of game. And there are suggestions of in-game transactions. Read on to find out more.] Cut to the chase
Animal Crossing: New Horizons release dateBoth a huge disappointment for fans and a huge relief for those working on the game, Nintendo recently announced that New Horizons will be available on March 20, 2020. We'll likely hear more about the game later this year, probably around September and October when Nintendo drops its next Nintendo Direct. Animal Crossing: New Horizons trailersNintendo brought in 2020 with a brand new Animal Crossing trailer. It's a short video at only 30 seconds but naturally it's charming and fans will see some familiar excited faces in the crowd during the Nook presentation taking place. September 2019 brought a brand new gameplay trailer which gives us a better idea of what we can expect from life on the island between crafting, decorating and shopping. While it doesn't hold a lot of information, the game's first trailer was shown off back in September of 2018 – promising a late 2019 release date that we now know won't happen. Still, it serves as a nice introduction to the game and one of its most illustrious characters, Tom Nook. The arguably much more important trailer came to us during E3 2019, when Nintendo dropped a slew of new details about the game. Based on the trailer we know that crafting will now play a major role in the game, and subtle tweaks like being able to place furniture anywhere on the island will really help make everyone's home base look different from one another – a huge step in the right direction for a franchise that can come off as a bit too vanilla. Check out the E3 2019 trailer below: Animal Crossing: New Horizons news and rumorsMicrotransactions The Nintendo eShop page for Animal Crossing is live and while it confirms that the game is rated E (as if we expected anything else) it also mentions "in-game purchases". There's no information just yet on what those actual purchases might be (we'll update here when that becomes clear) but the mobile game Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp does offer some ideas with its limited-edition items and fees to shorten construction times. One island only John Donne might have said "no man is an island" but he didn't say anything about the Nintendo Switch. It's been confirmed that Animal Crossing New Horizons will allow only one island per console "irrespective of the number of user accounts registered to or copies of the game used on one console". This is no doubt disappointing to households who share a Switch using multiple accounts. There has at least been some kind of hope left that the game will allow Nintendo Switch Online users to back up their save data after it was spotted on the official website (via VGC) that Nintendo is "considering allowing this software to use the save data back-up feature for those who are Nintendo Switch Online members as a unique feature in case the software breaks, is lost, or stolen." No time frame was, however, given. New screenshots Japanese outlet Famitsu has shared some new screenshots from Animal Crossing: New Horizons. The images give a glimpse of the game world as well as the day-to-day activities that can be engaged in while there. Check out some of the images below and find the rest on Famitsu itself. A look at customisation A handful of new images from Animal Crossing have emerged online and have been shared by GameXplain. These new images don't give much away in terms of gameplay but they do give a good insight into the more extensive range of customisation options players will have available to them when creating their New Horizons character. Players will be able to change hair, eyes, mouths, noses and outfits to create a character that suits them and you can see the images in the video gallery below. Nook Miles In a September 2019 gameplay trailer we got a look at Nook Miles, the game's new currency which will sit alongside Bells. You can earn Nook Miles by doing tasks around the island and you can then exchange them for things like recipes and items, though what the full range of things you can get with Nook Miles isn't confirmed just yet. Multiplayer On online multiplayer, things get bigger as up to eight players will be able to play on the one island. As far as talking to one another goes, Animal Crossing will be compatible with the Nintendo Switch Online app. Saves Region Setting Crafting Farming Expanding the home Officially announced Nintendo’s trademark As well as this, the trademark also covers stuffed animals, game machine controllers, board games, playing cards, protective carrying cases, and trading card games, so it’s clear that Nintendo still has big plans for the series. It’s been a long time since the last mainline release What’s also interesting is that the Wii U never received a mainline title (no, Amiibo Festival absolutely does not count) despite the fact that many fans expected to see one. It’s possible that Nintendo started work on an Animal Crossing Wii U or settled on waiting to launch one for the Switch. The success of previous releases Given one of Nintendo’s most staunchly handheld titles, Pokemon, is now confirmed to be coming to the Switch, we don’t think it’s likely the company will keep Animal Crossing languishing on the 3DS for much longer. What we want to see from Animal Crossing: New HorizonsWider, more dynamic, cast More furniture Bigger spaces or more areas More chances to craft your own story Of course, for those interested in continuing along the mayor route that would still be there, but it’d also be exciting to see shopkeeper or cafe owner paths open up. Creating your own designs or crafting furniture to sell to the locals, or collecting ingredients from your town and others to add some interesting flavors to your cafe menu – all of these sound like enjoyable pursuits in an Animal Crossing world. Mobile tie-in It’d actually be nice if Nintendo managed to tie the mobile and console releases together in some way so that players can get more depth out of the mobile game, and give us another way to enjoy the console release. Whether that’s unlocking and transferring items, earning money or improving relationships, we’d just like a way to keep playing even on days where we can’t carry our Switch. Now that we've seen it's possible with Pokemon Let's Go, our hopes are even higher. This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Apex Legends Season 4: latest update news, tips, patch notes and more Posted: 12 Feb 2020 12:06 PM PST EA surprised many with the sudden announcement of Apex Legends back in February 2019, a free-to-play battle royale shooter that sees the publisher going toe-to-toe with genre mammoths PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds and Fortnite Battle Royale. Developed by Respawn Entertainment and set in the Titanfall universe, Apex Legends is a squad-based battle royale shooter where teams of three go up against 57 other players to try to gather loot and be the last person (or squad) standing. However, unlike Fortnite and PUBG, Apex Legends sees players take on one of eight classes, each represented by a unique character (imagine Fortnite mixed with Overwatch and you’ll be on the right track.) Apex Legends has now celebrated one year of play and is into its fourth season, Assimilation, which began on February 4 2020. If you're new to Apex Legends and looking to see what you're missing or you've dropped off the map for a while and you'd like to catch up on the latest, we're here to keep you up to date on what's fresh in Apex Legends.
As we said in our full Apex Legends review: "Truth be told, the Battle Royale movement has never quite grabbed me. I dabbled in PUBG and spent a dozen hours or so with Fortnite, yet nothing ever quite stuck the landing. Apex though, has got me hook, line and sinker. Featuring intuitive controls, an outstanding comms system and remarkable rogue’s gallery, Respawn has created what feels like the AAA outing for the genre." Apex Legends update news
Valentine's Day Celebration It might be a Battle Royale game but that doesn't mean Apex Legends can't celebrate Valentine's Day. From February 12 to 19, players will be able to take part in the Valentine's Day Rendezvous. Those who log in to play will receive a special Valentine's 2020 badge and will enjoy a double XP boost when squadding up with a friend, with a 20k limit. Two new Pathfinder and Nessie gun charms will be available alongside last year's “Through the Heart” DMR Longbow and “Love of the Game” Banner frame at discount. Best of all, the event will see the return of the beloved Duos mode which appropriately, allows players to team up in twos rather than threes. Apex Legends AssimilationAs of February 4 2020, Apex Legends: Assimilation is underway. So what's new? Well, there's a new Legend, a new weapon, some map changes and an all new Battle Pass to get started on. Read on for a rundown of what to expect. New Legend As with previous seasons, Apex Legends Season 4 has introduced a brand new Legend. This time, things went a little differently. Originally, Forge, a robotically enhanced fighter was introduced as the legend for Season 4. However, he was then murdered and replaced by Revenant (the character fans long-suspected to be the Season 4 legend anyway). Revenant, also known somewhat more tellingly as the "synthetic nightmare" was once human and the "greatest hitman the Mercenary Syndicate ever had". But when his programming failed, he saw what his employers and Hammond Robotics had turned him into: "a walking nightmare of steel and vestigial flesh.” Revenant vowed to get revenge and killed everyone involved in ruining his life. Now, two centuries later Hammond Robotics has returned to the Outlands and he's renewed his vow to take out anyone involved with Hammond Robotics. Those familiar with the Titanfall universe will know Hammond Robotics as the creators of the Titans and it seems that they're going to be playing a bigger role in Apex Legends this season. As far as abilities are concerned, Revenant's tactical ability is "Silence" which allows his to throw a device that deals damage and disables enemy abilities for ten seconds. His passive ability is "Stalker", which makes it possible to crouch-walk faster and climb higher than the other Legends can. Finally, his ultimate ability is "Death Totem" which allows him to drop a totem that protects those who use it from death for a set amount of time. Instead of being killed or downed, a player will be returned to the totem instead. New Weapon The Sentinel has been confirmed as the new weapon in Season 4 of Apex Legends. It's described as a powerful bolt-action sniper rifle which stands apart from other weapons of its ilk as it comes with a charge mechanic. In the dev stream released before the season launch, it was hinted that this mechanic will give players a little more decision making to do when making a shot and could provide some interesting gameplay. Map Changes Season 4 has brought some map changes, the designs for which have been driven by a desire to "get players to make new decisions". The Planet Harvester is a key addition to the World's Edge skyline. Hammond Robotics are using the device to harvest materials from the core of the planet for unknown (but likely nefarious) reasons. The Planet Harvester offers a large, multi-level space in which to play and since there's not been anything like it before, it brings new gameplay options. According to Respawn, fights in this area tend to be "self-contained as squads will tend to enter the fights through the long hallways that lead to the center of the structure." The expectation is that this will make third parties more predictable. As well as being a change, Planet Harvester has wrought some changes of its own: it's split Capitol City in two. Now the city is made up of two zones, Fragment East and Fragment West, with a large fissure of dead space between them. This fissure can only be crossed in two locations by means of a zipline and a fallen skyscraper bridge. If you do happen to fall into the fissure between the zones because of a poorly timed jump or sheer curiosity, you'll find yourself carried slowly back up and allowed to land on the other side you were probably trying to get to. The downside is you'll take 25 damage for the fall and, as you float up, you run the risk of being a sitting target for enemies. A smaller addition is the Survey Camp. This area will have Weapon Racks which will have guaranteed weapons up for grabs, making it a tempting place to visit. Anniversary Event As Season 4 is launching on the one year anniversary of Apex Legends, there's going to be a special event. According to Respawn, those who log into the game in the first week of Season 4 (that's February 4 to February 11) will receive an Anniversary Gift. this includes a Year 1 Origami Flyer charm, a Year 1 loyalty badge and 10k XP for your first match of the day for every day the event is running. Battle Pass It wouldn't be a new season of Apex Legends without a brand new Battle Pass. For 950 Apex Coins you can pick up this pass which offers 110 levels to climb by completing daily and weekly challenges, with more than 100 exclusive items including Legendary Skins, Apex Packs, Loading Screens and Music Packs to earn. Players who pick up the battle pass immediately unlock the Legendary R99: Zero Point skin and three new Epic Legends skins. Getting through the rest of the levels could see you earn Rare and Legendary rewards like the Health Drain Lifeline, Blue Steel Crypto, Cyber Punked Wattson and Heat Sink Flatline. Ranked League Series 3Alongside Season 4, Ranked League Series 3 has also launched. Ranked League Series 3 brings a few changes, including Splits and a new tier: Master Tier. As Respawn is seeing more players move into the upper echelons of the rankings to become Apex Predators, it's finding that it's getting harder to "showcase the skill between any two Apex Predators this season." As a result, a new tier, Master Tier, has been added between Diamond and Apex Predator. Players will need to reach 10,000 RP to make it to Master Tier as was the case with Apex Predator. The Apex Predator Tier will now be exclusive to the top 500 players per platform, so players who reach Apex Predator Tier could find that they drop down to Master Tier if other players earn more RP than them. Respawn has said "We feel this should give more prestige to making and keeping your Apex Predator rank, while still keeping the tiers above Diamond very exclusive." As far as Splits are concerned, after looking at the lengths of previous Ranked Series, Respawn has decided that Series 3 will be three months long, like Series 1, but that it will be divided into two Splits. This means that Ranked Series 3 essentially comes in two parts, with Split 1 taking place on World’s Edge, while Split 2 will freshen things up by taking place back at King’s Canyon. Split 1 is to take place between February 3 and March 23, and Split 2 will follow on from March 24 to May 5. Soft resets will take place between each Split and Respawn has confirmed that "ranked rewards will be granted for the highest tier achieved in either split of the series, but exclusive animated badges will be granted if you can make it to the same tier both splits." There are also some new party restrictions as the game moves into the new Ranked Series. Players will find that once they get to Platinum Tier or higher, they'll only be able to party with players who have 1 Tier of difference from them. It's hoped this will keep matches more tight when it comes to higher skill levels. As far as what's staying the same, players will still see soft resets take place going into the new series. So, "at the start of Series 3 everyone will be soft reset on their ranked position by 1.5 Tiers down. That means if you ended Season 3 in Gold II, you’ll be reset to Silver IV. Players in Platinum IV will be reset to Silver II, and Apex Predators will be reset to Platinum II." As previously said, the soft reset will also now take place at the beginning of each Split. Entry RP cost to Ranked Series is also the same and there won't be any further changes to the scoring system. Apex Legends tips and tricksApex Legends can be difficult to get to grips with. There are a lot of different characters each with their own abilities and skills, plus this battle royale arguably leans more heavily on strategy and teamwork than some of its competitors. Get ahead of the pack with our selection of Apex Legends guides, designed to help you become a champion.
How to download Apex LegendsApex Legends can be downloaded for free from the PlayStation Store, Xbox Store, Origin Store or Apex Legends website. Simply search for the title, download the game and enjoy! But do keep in mind that a good internet connect and subscription to either PS Plus, Xbox Live or Origin Access is required to play. The good news is that Apex Legends is also coming to mobile in the future, following in the footsteps of Fortnite and PUBG. Apex Legends roadmap - what's next?Respawn Entertainment has shared the season roadmap for Apex Legends. Apex Legends Battle Pass seasons run for approximately three months. Currently four seasons have officially been announced:
Now that Season 4's launch date has been confirmed for February 2020, we're reaching the end of the known world for Apex Legends. No doubt, in the coming months, Respawn will establish and reveal its new goals for the game's second year. Is Apex Legends coming to mobile?Yes. In EA’s quarterly earnings report, the publisher announced that it’s looking at bringing the Respawn Entertainment-developed game to mobile platforms and to both South Korea and China. “We’re in advanced negotiations to China and mobile”, EA’s CFO Blake Jorgenson stated, before later mentioning South Korea as another expansion point. We shouldn't expect to see Apex Legends on mobile for at least a year, though. According to EA Chief Executive, Andrew Wilson, the game won't launch until the fiscal year 2021.
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| Prices of .com domain names set to skyrocket Posted: 12 Feb 2020 11:35 AM PST Internet registration outfit ICANN has announced that Verisign, the private company which administers the .com domain, will be allowed to increase prices by more than 70 percent over the next decade. Domain registrars aren't happy with the change as they will be forced to pass on these higher fees to their customers. In a blog post, the domain registrar and web hosting company Namecheap chastised both ICANN and Verisign while promising to lead the fight against future price increases, saying: “ICANN and Verisign made these changes in secret, without consulting or incorporating feedback from the ICANN community or Internet users. Although ICANN has a history of making similar deals behind closed doors, and also of ignoring unified opposition against such action, Namecheap will continue to lead the fight against price increases that will harm our customers and the Internet as a whole.”
In order to register a .com domain for a customer, domain registrars need to pay Verisign a fee of $7.85 and while they usually add a few dollars to this price, competition in the market significantly limits their ability to raise prices. However, Verisign has no competitors which means that anyone who wishes to register a .com domain needs to do business with the company though ICANN does cap the fees it can charge. Price increase for .com domainsICANN and Verisign's new contract allows the company to raise the current $7.85 fee to register a .com domain by seven percent per year over the next four years. After that period comes to an end, Verisign would then be required to maintain its prices for two years before it could then begin another four-year cycle of seven percent annual price hikes which means that by 2030, the price of a .com domain registration could rise by 70 percent to $13.49. ICANN has done away with price caps on .org and other top-level domains (TLDs) but the outfit isn't allowed to do so for .com domains. This is because ICANN and Verisign's oversight of the .com domain is actually overseen by the US Department of Commerce. ICANN has tried to deflect blame for its announced price increase by arguing that it is just complying with the wishes of the Department of Commerce as it authorized the internet registration outfit to raise the price caps of .com domains by seven percent per year back in 2018. Just as non-profits will have to pay more for .org domains, so to will businesses or individuals looking to register new .com domains going forward.
Via Ars Technica This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| MWC 2020 is cancelled out of concern over coronavirus Posted: 12 Feb 2020 11:03 AM PST MWC 2020 has officially been cancelled due to concerns over the coronavirus. The announcement comes as no surprise after a raft of companies withdrew from the event over the past couple of weeks, leaving some sizable gaps in the show's exhibitor list. The viral outbreak has made Mobile World Congress "impossible" to hold, the CEO of the GSMA - the organization behind the show - told Bloomberg: GSMA followed with an official statement, citing coronavirus concerns for those traveling to and living in the host city of Barcelona, Spain, noting: "the global concern regarding the coronavirus outbreak, travel concern and other circumstances, make it impossible for the GSMA to hold the event." The statement went on to assure that the GSMA and partners still plan to hold Barcelona 2021 and future editions. Who already backed out before GSMA pulled the plug?LG was the first company to officially withdraw from MWC back on February 4, and a raft of firms followed as they looked to protect staff, customers, attendees and media from the potential spread of the Novel Coronavirus. While more than 30 companies withdrew from the show prior to the GSMA's ruling, there were still plenty of exhibitors who hadn't pulled out. Some - such as Huawei and Xiaomi - even went as far as to re-confirm their attendance at the show, while others (such as TCL and ZTE) cancelled their press conferences but said they'd still have booths at MWC 2020. As even telecoms like AT&T and phonemakers like Nokia also publicly announced they wouldn't be coming, the industry started wondering if the event would be held at all, even as the GSMA maintained as recently as last week that the show would go on. The decision to cancel the show isn't surprising, as the GSMA has little choice but to pull the plug or let it run as a ghost town with few of the banner attendees that typically announce flagship products. Before the GSMA's official cancellation of MWC 2020 on February 12, the following companies were among those who had already withdrawn from the show.
It's entirely possible that some companies will still hold announcement events in Barcelona anyway - and we'll have further coverage if that happens. Via The Verge Developing... This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Microsoft Safe Documents keeps all your files protected Posted: 12 Feb 2020 10:18 AM PST Microsoft has announced that a new Office 365 ProPlus security feature called Safe Documents is now in public preview for both Microsoft 365 E5 and E5 Security customers. Safe Documents automatically protects users from documents hiding exploits or malicious links by bringing the power of the company's Intelligent Security Graph down to the desktop to verify that documents are safe at the endpoint itself. While Protected View already helps secure documents that originate outside of an organization, users often exit the sandbox to do things such as print physical documents, which leaves their networks vulnerable.
Safe Documents automatically checks each document against known risks and threat profiles before allowing them to be opened. Users no longer need to decide on their own whether or not a document can be trusted and this allows them to instead focus on their work. Application Guard integrationWhile first introduced in Edge to bring hardware-level containerization to the browser, Microsoft's Application Guard is now integrated with Office 365 ProPlus. Application Guard provides an upgrade to Protected View which helps desktop users stay safer and more productive with container-based isolation for Office applications. By using a new instance of Windows 10 as well as a separate copy of the kernel, Application Guard's enforcement completely blocks access to memory, local storage, installed applications, corporate network endpoints and other resources that attackers may target. The security tool allows Office users to open untrusted Word, Excel or PowerPoint files in a virtualized container where they can make edits, print and save changes all while protected with hardware-level security. If an untrusted file is malicious, the attack remains contained while user data and identity both remain untouched. If a user then decides to trust a document to save on the network or start collaborating with others, Safe Documents will then to check to ensure that it is safe before allowing them to do so. Safe Documents and Application Guard both connect to the Microsoft Security Center and this provides admins with advanced visibility as well as response capabilities including alerts, logs, confirmation the attack was contained and the ability to see and act on similar threats across their organization.
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| This cheap web hosting deal has a massive 77% off thanks to Valentine's Day Posted: 12 Feb 2020 09:57 AM PST Rose bouquets have been put together, truffles have been bought and candy hearts have been used as decoration which can only mean...Valentine's Day is almost here! And HostPapa has (sort of) got into the romantic spirit this year, by lowering its WordPress Hosting Business plan price to $3.95 a month and its Web Hosting Business plan to $2.95 a month. The web hosting provider is offering a very impressive 72% and 77% discount on the 36-months plan for both Web Hosting and WordPress Hosting Business plans. Meaning your next three years of web hosting is sorted with one easy payment, with the bonus of unlimited websites and SSD storage for both plans. If you know this web hosting deal would be the perfect Valentine's present for a loved one (lucky them!), or you're just trying to make use of this incredible discount - click here and head over to HostPapa's website. Scroll below to get both details in full, just remember this deal ends on Monday, February 17 so it's best to act fast if you want it! HostPapa's cheap web hosting dealsIs HostPapa any good?Absolutely! Not only does it have a great performance, it also provides telephone support in over 17 countries and offers a range of plans so it suits everyone - from beginners to expert web hosting users. We'll be honest, it's not the best web hosting provider out there but it's great value for money. If you want to find out more, make sure you read our HostPapa review. This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| The Pokémon Sword and Shield DLC is the perfect response to disappointed fans Posted: 12 Feb 2020 09:10 AM PST Pokémon is the highest grossing media franchise of all time, currently with 890 weird and wonderful Pocket Monsters to catch, 22 films to watch (with the twenty-third coming out on Netflix soon) and a whopping 122 video games to play through. That cultural dominance is certainly good business, but it also means criticism from fans can get pretty loud, with the launch of Pokémon Sword and Shield being marred with backlash and controversy. The limited Pokédex drew particular ire, with some fans even calling for a boycott during pre-release. For mainline games expected to usher in a new era for Pokémon RPGs on Nintendo Switch, especially in comparison with the somewhat-light Pokémon Let’s Go games, it probably wasn’t the reaction Game Freak was hoping for. However, the latest Pokémon Direct announcement of new DLC – Crown Tundra and Isle of Armor – goes a long way to addressing fan concerns and moving the franchise in the right direction. But first we need to look at what exactly when wrong. Why the backlash?The pre-release of Pokémon Sword and Shield received an unusual amount of backlash, even for a franchise with such an involved fandom. Longtime fans of the series were particularly unhappy about Game Freak’s decision to not include all of the Pokémon from previous games, given the sheer number now created for the series. This decision would later become known, perhaps unaffectionately, as ‘Dexit’: a surprisingly fitting tongue-in-cheek play on words of Brexit, given Galar’s loosely British setting. Online communities quickly worked themselves up over the smaller Pokédex, culminating in calls to boycott the game entirely. Social media sites such as Twitter and Reddit were filled with people exclaiming they would never buy a Pokémon game again. The reaction was disconcerting enough that Game Freak’s Junichi Masuda issued an official statement in response to the criticism, clarifying that the sheer number of Pokémon now in existence (over 800) had forced the developer to choose quality over quantity – while hinting that, “even if a specific Pokémon is not available in Pokémon Sword and Pokémon Shield, that does not mean it will not appear in future games.” Unfortunately for Sword and Shield, this criticism didn’t die down when the games were released. Players continued to have complaints, from the hand-holding nature of the story, its relatively short length, the quality of the graphics – including re-used, broken and lazy animations – and the fact that several aspects of the game seemed unfinished or rushed. When love wins out over hateOf course, this is still a beloved franchise,, and angry chatter on Twitter did little to impact sales. The two Pokémon games had sold a combined 16.18m copies in their first six weeks, meaning that the franchise’s new installment had already outsold its recent predecessors in lifetime sales, beating the 16.17m units of Pokémon Sun and Moon, and the 11.76m units of fellow Switch titles Pokémon Let’s Go Pikachu and Eevee. There were also several positives to be taken from the new games. The new free-roaming Wild Area and Raid system were gladly received, and a massive indication of what could be possible in a Pokémon game. Several quality of life gameplay changes were also made to improve playability and, for the most part, the new generation Pokémon designs were well received. Not everyone is happy about the state of the games, of course – and Game Freak’s latest announcement shows that there’s plenty happening to amend this. The Isle of Armor: a bright future ahead? You, me, and DLCThree months after the November 2019 release of Pokémon Sword and Shield, a Pokémon Direct stream in January 2020 provided a huge announcement: Pokémon’s first ever DLC, The Isle of Armor (releasing in June) and Crown Tundra (late 2020). The DLC will add 200 Pokémon to the games’ Pokédex, including brand new Pokémon and even more Galarian regional variants, which should appease those upset over ‘Dexit’. Those who thought the main gameplay in Sword and Shield was too short and lacking in side quests, too, will get two more missions to complete – and there’s even a graphics fix that improves upon some of the worst graphical elements of Sword and Shield (the trees in the Wild Area being the main culprits.) Crown of Tundra More importantly, the ability to add DLC gives Game Freak the option to do something they’ve never been able to do before in a Pokémon Game: they can respond meaningfully to player feedback, add in substantial changes, and give players more things to do. There is an additional cost to purchase the DLC – $29.99 / £26.99 for access to both packs – but it’s not out of touch with the way Nintendo (and other publishers) and releasing content for flagship games. The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild similarly had two expansion packs within a year of release. For some, this was another cynical game studio trying to milk their customers for all they’re worth. But for others this was a genuinely positive step in the right direction and, as we’ve posited in the headline, the perfect response to the pre-release criticisms.
New legendaries are afoot This set of DLC has officially replaced the previously traditional ‘third’ game entry for Pokémon Sword and Shield, and arguably offers a lot more new content than you would normally get in a third, sibling instalment. You’ll also be getting it for roughly half the price of a new game, at just $29.99/£26.99, making it far better value for money. Of course, some of that saving may be eaten up by Nintendo Switch Online, and a subscription to the new Pokémon Home app – which will also bring back the Global Trade System – but catching ‘em all and hanging on to your favourite creatures should help soften the blow. Masuda said that Game Freak had a plan, and the incoming DLC looks set to address a lot of the bugbears that players had around Pokémon Sword and Shield pre-release. It might not be enough for some, but it looks like there’s a promising future ahead for many a Pokémon player.
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| The Apple Watch 3 hits lowest price ever for Valentine's Day sale Posted: 12 Feb 2020 09:03 AM PST Valentine's Day is just days away, and to celebrate, Walmart is discounting a range of best-selling tech items that you can shop right now. Walmart's Valentine's Day sale includes massive discounts on TVs, iPads, headphones, and smartwatches like the popular Apple Watch. You can get the Apple Watch 3 on sale for $189. That's a $90 discount and the lowest price we've found for the 38mm smartwatch. Walmart also has the Apple Watch 3 with cellular on sale for $299 and the all-new Apple Watch 5 on sale for $384. The Apple Watch 3 is packed with health and fitness-focused features while also keeping you connected. The smartwatch tracks activity, workouts, and calories burned and offers 24/7 heart rate monitoring. The swim-proof smartwatch will even notify you when an unusually high or low heart rate is detected and features a breathing app to help with everyday stress. The Series 3 watch provides an 18-hour battery life and includes basic smartwatch features such as the ability to make calls, send messages, and receive notifications. See more of Walmart's best Apple Watch deals below and keep in mind these limited-time offers are ending soon, so you should take advantage now before it's too late. Apple Watch deals:More Valentine's Day sales
Discover more Apple watch sales with the best cheap Apple Watch prices and deals on every model still stocked by retailers. This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Samsung Galaxy S20 colors: all the shades available for all three phones Posted: 12 Feb 2020 09:02 AM PST The Samsung Galaxy S20 range will soon be hitting stores, but as well as deciding whether to buy the Samsung Galaxy S20, Samsung Galaxy S20 Plus, or Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra, you also need to decide which color to opt for. There are four shades to choose from at launch, but not all of them are available for all three phones, or in all regions. With that in mind we’ve created this guide, highlighting all the different combinations. Note that more colors may be released later, and that the availability of each shade may also change over time, but at the time of writing you have the following options. Cosmic GrayCosmic Gray is the only shade that all three Samsung Galaxy S20 models are available in at the time of writing. This is a metallic color, ideal for those who want a dark shade but not just black. Cosmic Gray won’t be the most eye-catching color scheme, but as such it’s also smarter and more professional-looking than some. It’s available in the US, UK, and Australia, with all three phones. Cosmic BlackCosmic Black is available for both the Samsung Galaxy S20 Plus and Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra, so you can’t get the standard Galaxy S20 in this color, which might seem slightly surprising, as it’s the most ‘ordinary’ color. That’s not to say you shouldn’t choose it though. It’s a deep, dark black that – thanks to the glass back – still manages to have a bit of shine to it. Cosmic Black is available in the US, UK, and Australia, with both the Galaxy S20 Plus and Galaxy S20 Ultra. Cloud BlueCloud Blue is one of the more playful color options, and is available for both the Samsung Galaxy S20 and Samsung Galaxy S20 Plus, so this time it’s the S20 Ultra that’s left out. It’s a light, youthful blue and is likely to prove more eye-catching than the shades above, but perhaps also more divisive. Still, if you want a splash of color on your phone, this is one of only two options – and the only one for the Samsung Galaxy S20 Plus. Cloud Blue is available in the US, UK and Australia for both the S20 and S20 Plus. Cloud PinkThe Samsung Galaxy S20 in Cloud Pink Finally, there’s Cloud Pink, and this shade is currently only available for the standard Samsung Galaxy S20. In a sense, that makes it the most exclusive of the shades, even if it’s the most low-end phone in the range that you can get it with. This is a light pink, and as with Cloud Blue it’s quite showy and will definitely catch people’s eyes, but it’s also a less professional, ‘safe’ shade than Cosmic Black or Cosmic Gray. That said, it’s nowhere near as bright as some pinks, so it remains classy. If you want your Samsung Galaxy S20 to stand out, then Cloud Pink would make a great color choice. It’s available in the US, UK, and Australia. This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Xbox Series X games: all the games confirmed and expected on the next Xbox Posted: 12 Feb 2020 09:00 AM PST We're starting to hear more about Xbox Series X games as the next-gen console's launch date creeps ever closer. Microsoft officially revealed Xbox Series X (formerly known as Xbox Project Scarlett) during the Game Awards 2019, giving us a better look at Microsoft's next-gen console and what we can expect to see on it. Faster and capable of more advanced graphics than its predecessors, the next-generation hardware promises to be the most powerful games console (or perhaps consoles) in the world when it launches late in 2020 – even more so than the PS5, which is expected to hit shelves around the same time. Microsoft has been slow to announce exclusive launch titles for the console given its release is still a while off, but it has been more forthcoming with its plans for backwards compatibility and cross-generational potential. Similarly, release confirmations and suggestions from third party developers are only now beginning to trickle out. But these announcements are still coming and it's essential if you're thinking about signing up for Xbox in the next generation then you'll want to keep track of what titles you might be playing. So without further ado, we've gathered together this handy guide to all the Xbox Series X games Microsoft has confirmed – and some that we expect to see.
Confirmed Xbox Series X titlesHalo InfiniteImage credit: Microsoft Halo Infinite is was the first title that Microsoft confirmed for Xbox Series X - so we definitely know Master Chief is making the jump to the next-generation console. Not only that, but Halo Infinite will be a launch title for Series X, releasing in Holiday 2020 alongside the console (or consoles). It's not particularly a surprise, considering Master Chief has served as the face of Xbox for nearly 18 years... Senua’s Saga: Hellblade 2Xbox Series X's name and design was officially revealed during the Game Awards 2019. Alongside a look at the next-gen console we also recieved an official announcement that there's another Hellblade on the way - and it's coming to the next Xbox. We don't know much about what Senua's Saga: Hellblade 2 will be about but the announcement trailer, harnessing the Series X's next-gen technology, was extremely impressive. OutridersPeople Can Fly has confirmed that its upcoming co-op shooter Outriders will land on both PS5 and Xbox Series X in "Holiday 2020" (AKA between October and December this year) - the same release window that we have for both next-gen consoles. We don't know a huge amount about Outriders just yet, but the developer has described it as "a co-op RPG shooter for a new generation set in an original, dark and desperate sci-fi universe". The Lord of the Rings: GollumAnnounced in March 2019, Daedalic's Gollum game has now been confirmed for PS5 and Xbox Series X. The developer confirmed to Edge, that The Lord of the Rings: Gollum will be a "stunning next-gen adventure". Previously Daedlic confirmed Gollum will release in 2021 for PC and "all relevant console platforms at that time". Whether the game will be cross-generation (releasing on PS4 and Xbox One also) is still unconfirmed however. But what will the game actually be about? Gollum is an action-adventure which focuses on the ring-obsessed creature. According to Daedalic, the narrative-driven game"tells Gollum's story from a perspective never seen before ... while staying true to the legendary books." Gods and MonstersJust like Watch Dogs Legion, Gods and Monsters is another title from Ubisoft announced for Xbox at E3 2019 that's been delayed from its original early 2020 release into the next financial year. Knowing now that we could see Gods and Monsters released any time between April 2020 and March 2021, we've long thought it's likely that the title will make an appearance on the Xbox Series X platform. This has now been officially confirmed. Along with Rainbow Six Quarantine and Wathdogs: Legion, Ubisoft CEO Yves Guillemot has said it will be coming to the next-gen platform. Rainbow Six QuarantineRainbow Six Quarantine was first confirmed during Ubisoft's E3 2019 press conference. It was never given a solid release date but it has since been delayed into the 2020-2021 financial year. So, while we still don't know a release date, this delay has pushed the game closer to the Xbox Series X launch and increases the likelihood we'll see it playable on the next generation of consoles. Of course this has now been officially confirmed by Ubisoft CEO Yves Guillemot in an earnings call to investors in November, 2019. Watchdogs: LegionFirst announced at E3 2019, Watch Dogs Legion was initially confirmed for a March 2020 release. However, since then Ubisoft has confirmed that the game will now be delayed into the next financial year which runs from April 2020 to March April 2021, meaning Watch Dogs Legion could see a delay of as little as a month or up to a year. This delay does, however, make it more likely than ever that Watch Dogs Legion will launch for Xbox Series X as a cross-generation title. Which has now been officially confirmed by Ubisoft CEO Yves Guillemot in an earnings call to investors in November, 2019. Watchdogs: Legion will be joining Rainbow Six Quarantine and Gods and Monsters on the next-gen platform. Suspected Xbox Series X titlesEverwildA surprise announcement during XO19 was Rare's next original title: Everwild. This game is still in the very early stages of its development and there's no release date just yet. This certainly suggests that the game could be a cross-generational title, launching on Series X and Xbox One as an exclusive. We don't know much about Everwild just yet but Rare has said that it will "give you memorable, engaging and meaningful experiences for players everywhere to share." Cyberpunk 2077Image credit: CD Projekt Red CD Projekt Red has been reticent to say whether or not its upcoming title will be releasing on the next generation of consoles. In an interview with VG247 last year, CD Projekt Red revealed that Cyberpunk 2077 will be able to work with future gaming technology. “Next gen hasn’t been announced yet, so we can only speculate,” CD Projekt Red president Adam Kiciński explained. “Technology-wise, Cyberpunk is very advanced. Our technology is ready to interface with future generations. “The game is developed in such a way that it can use very powerful future equipment." However, since this time the developer has admitted (via GameSpot) that while the possibility of a Series X release is being explored it's not in its "area of interest right now". Instead, the studio wants to focus on what it's doing right at this moment, rather than look too far ahead and lose sight of what's important: launching the game well. This is perhaps unsurprising as Cyberpunk 2077 is due for release in April 2020 and Xbox Series X is not due to launch until late 2020. If the game did launch on Series X it'd be a cross-generational title. At the moment though, as far as CD Projekt Red is concerned, this is still only a "maybe." StarfieldImage credit: Bethesda Bethesda has quite a lot of projects in the works, but the one we seem to know the least about is Starfield. All we know so far is that Starfield is the gaming behemoth's first new IP in 25 years and will be a single player RPG set in outer space. Having only seen an announcement trailer, we don't expect Starfield to release until at least 2020 which means it will land in the prime window to become an Xbox Series X game. Bethesda hasn't let slip if this will be the case, but it seems likely we will be venturing into Bethesda's galaxy on next-generation consoles. The Elder Scrolls 6Image credit: Bethesda As we said, Bethesda has been pretty busy behind the scenes since E3 2018. Not only is Starfield on the cards, but the long-awaited Elder Scrolls 6 has also been confirmed to be in the works. Bethesda's Todd Howard has already stated that The Elder Scrolls 6 won't be coming out until after Starfield. So it'll be a while before we venture into Tamriel again, likely on next-generation consoles. Grand Theft Auto 6Image credit: Rockstar Games Ok, yes, we are being a bit hopeful here - mainly because Grand Theft Auto 6 has not been announced by Rockstar Games. But it's almost guaranteed that we will see a new instalation in the Grand Theft Auto series, and it's not going to be for a while. Therefore, it is likely that a release date will fall into the next generation, making GTA 6 an Xbox Series X game. Final Fantasy 7 RemakeImage credit: Square Enix Again, the Final Fantasy 7 Remake has not been confirmed to be an Xbox Series X game but Square Enix has confirmed the title will come to PS4 first - with an Xbox One and PC release likely in the future . Given the age of the Xbox One, and the ambitious nature of the game - it's coming in multiple episodes across a multi-year release schedule - a cross-generation title with next-gen platforms isn't out of the question. So we're definitely hoping to see the Final Fantasy 7 Remake on Xbox Series X. Battlefield 6Electronic Arts has confirmed that Battlefield 6 is on the way, and that it's coming to next-generation consoles. EA didn't confirm which consoles (so we will keep Battlefield 6 in the rumored section for not) but, regardless, it'll be a few years before we see the shooter on any next-gen consoles as the publisher wants to give the platforms time to build a strong player base. But Xbox Series X looks very likely.
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| PS5 games: all the games confirmed and expected on the PlayStation 5 Posted: 12 Feb 2020 08:57 AM PST PS5 games are almost here. Sure, you may not be able to play them yet, but with a confirmed release window for the next-gen PlayStation console – end of 2020 – and specifications for the PS5 starting to drop, it's no surprise to see developers start announcing titles for the hardware. There aren't many confirmed PS5 games so far, and we don't know the PS5's launch titles quite yet, but they're slowly trickling in and we're expecting to see developers announce even more in the coming months. In fact, rumors point to a PS5 reveal event in February, which may give us a better idea of what we'll be playing on Sony's next-gen console. So what games are we expecting to see on the PlayStation 5? Well, we've gathered together this handy guide to all the PS5 games that have been confirmed so far – and some that we expect to see. Confirmed PS5 gamesOutridersPeople Can Fly has confirmed that its upcoming co-op shooter Outriders will land on both PS5 and Xbox Series X in "Holiday 2020" (AKA between October and December this year) - the same release window that we have for both next-gen consoles. We don't know a huge amount about Outriders just yet, but the developer has described it as "a co-op RPG shooter for a new generation set in an original, dark and desperate sci-fi universe". The Lord of the Rings: GollumAnnounced in March 2019, Daedalic's Gollum game has now been confirmed for PS5 and Xbox Series X. The developer confirmed to Edge, that The Lord of the Rings: Gollum will be a "stunning next-gen adventure". Previously Daedlic confirmed Gollum will release in 2021 for PC and "all relevant console platforms at that time". Whether the game will be cross-generation (releasing on PS4 and Xbox One also) is still unconfirmed however. But what will the game actually be about? Gollum is an action-adventure which focuses on the ring-obsessed creature. According to Daedalic, the narrative-driven game"tells Gollum's story from a perspective never seen before ... while staying true to the legendary books." GodfallAnnounced at the Game Awards 2019, Godfall is an action RPG from Gearbox that kind of looks like Destiny with swords and shiny hardware. We don't know exactly what the gameplay is going to look like, but it can be said that Gearbox popularized the "looter shooter" with its Borderlands franchise, so we imagine that the gameplay loop will be just as satisfying. But, because Gearbox hasn't really made a hack and slash before, we'll just have to wait and see what the actual gameplay will look like and whether the slashing will be as satisfying as Borderlands' shooting. We don't have a specific release date, but we do know that Godfall will be coming to PlayStation 5 and Epic Games Store "Holiday 2020". New Bluepoint Studios gameIt's taken months, but we've finally got our first confirmed PS5 game. That's not to say we have a name, a release date or even a concept, but this is the first time a company has come out into the open and said that it is indeed developing a title for Sony's next-generation console. That company is Bluepoint Studios, the team best known for ports of classic games, having put out the incredibly well received Metal Gear Solid: HD Collection, Uncharted: The Nathan Drake Collection and astonishing Shadow of the Colossus remaster. Talk early in 2019 pointed to the studio's next project being yet another re-imagining of a classic game, and with rumors swirling around a Demon's Souls remake happening (an IP owned by Sony unlike the rest of the Bandai Namco franchise), it's looking like a relatively good guess that'll be the company's next title. Watch Dogs: LegionFirst announced at E3 2019, Watch Dogs Legion was initially confirmed for a March 2020 release. However, since then Ubisoft has confirmed that the game will now be delayed into the next financial year which runs from April 2020 to March April 2021, meaning Watch Dogs Legion could see a delay of as little as a month or up to a year. This delay does, however, make it more likely than ever that Watch Dogs Legion will launch on the PS5 platform, which was officially confirmed by Ubisoft CEO Yves Guillemot at the end of 2019. Gods and MonstersJust like Watch Dogs Legion, Gods and Monsters is another title from Ubisoft announced for PS4 at E3 2019 that's been delayed from its original early 2020 release into the next financial year. We could see Gods and Monsters released any time between April 2020 and March 2021 and have now had official confirmation that it'll be coming to the PS5. Rainbow Six QuarantineRainbow Six Quarantine was first confirmed during Ubisoft's E3 2019 press conference. It was never given a solid release date but it has since been delayed into the 2020-2021 financial year. So, while we still don't know a release date, this delay has pushed the game closer to the PS5 launch. And, according to Ubisoft CEO Yves Guillemot, it's one of a number of games that's been officially confirmed for the next-gen console.
Rumored PS5 gamesCyberpunk 2077Image credit: CD Projekt Red CD Projekt Red has been reticent to say whether or not its upcoming title will be releasing on the next generation of consoles. In an interview with VG247 last year, CD Projekt Red revealed that Cyberpunk 2077 will be able to work with future gaming technology. “Next gen hasn’t been announced yet, so we can only speculate,” CD Projekt Red president Adam Kiciński explained. “Technology-wise, Cyberpunk is very advanced. Our technology is ready to interface with future generations. “The game is developed in such a way that it can use very powerful future equipment." However, since this time the developer has admitted (via GameSpot) that while the possibility of a PS5 release is being explored it's not in its "area of interest right now". Instead, the studio wants to focus on what it's doing right at this moment, rather than look too far ahead and lose sight of what's important: launching the game well. This is perhaps unsurprising as Cyberpunk 2077 is due for release in September 2020 (after being delayed from April) and the PlayStation 5 is not due to launch until late 2020. If the game did launch on PS5 it'd be a cross-generational title. At the moment though, as far as CD Projekt Red is concerned, this is still only a "maybe." Death StrandingImage credit: Kojima Productions Hideo Kojima and Sony have been pretty tight-lipped about whether we will be seeing Death Stranding as a PS5 game. Death Stranding has already launched on the PS4 but in an interview with Wired, Sony's Mark Cerny hinted that we could be seeing the allusive title on PS5 too. When asked by Wired about the transition from PS4 to next generation, and how Death Stranding will fit into this process, Cerny gave a "pregnant pause" and a glib smile before a spokesperson interjected that game would be released for PS4. It's not exactly a confirmation but Cerny's response has definitely fuelled speculation that Death Stranding will be a cross-generation release. Ghost of TsushimaPerhaps more wishful thinking on our part, but we haven't heard much in the way of Ghost of Tsushima news since the new IP was revealed at Paris Games Week 2017. SuckerPunch's historical open world adventure will take players back to Feudal Japan, and now we have a much clearer picture of when that will happen. At the Game Awards 2019, SuckerPunch revealed that Ghost of Tsushima will be hitting the streets in Summer 2020, which means the wait is very nearly over. That means that the game will arrive ahead of the PS5, but given how beautiful the graphics have been so far, we wouldn't be surprised if it launches on Sony's new console. Still, we haven't heard word one from Sony about whether Ghost of Tsushima will be a PS5 game. The Last of Us: Part 2Image credit: Naughty Dog We now know that The Last of Us: Part 2 will release on May 29, 2020 - much earlier than the PS5's late 2020 release date. However we think it's a safe assumption that any Sony exclusives coming in 2020 will likely be cross-generation titles. It would seem slightly odd for Sony to release one of its most eagerly anticipated sequels for just the PS4 at the end of the console's life cycle. So we think it's a safe bet to assume Joel and Ellie will make their way to the PS5, instantly becoming one of the best PS5 games. StarfieldImage credit: Bethesda Bethesda has quite a lot of projects in the works, but the one we seem to know the least about is Starfield. All we know so far is that Starfield is the gaming behemoth's first new IP for 25 years and will be a single player RPG set in outer space. Having only seen an announcement trailer, we don't expect Starfield to release until at least 2020 which means it will land in the prime window to become a PS5 game. Bethesda hasn't let slip if this will be the case but it seems likely we will be venturing into Bethesda's galaxy on next generation consoles. The Elder Scrolls 6Image credit: Bethesda As we said, Bethesda has been pretty busy behind the scenes since E3 2018. Not only is Starfield on the cards, but the long-awaited Elder Scrolls 6 has also been confirmed to be in the works. Bethesda's Todd Howard has already stated that The Elder Scrolls 6 won't be coming out until after Starfield. So it'll be a while before we venture into Tamriel again, likely on next generation consoles. Grand Theft Auto 6Image credit: Rockstar Games Ok, yes, we are being a bit hopeful here - mainly because Grand Theft Auto 6 has not been announced by Rockstar Games. But it's almost guaranteed that we will see a new instalation in the Grand Theft Auto series, and it's not going to be for a while. Therefore, it is likely that a release date will fall into the next generation, making GTA 6 a PS5 game. Final Fantasy 7 RemakeImage credit: Square Enix Again, the Final Fantasy 7 Remake has not been confirmed to be a PS5 game but Square Enix has confirmed the title will come to PS4 first - with an Xbox One and PC release likely in the future . Given the age of the PS4, and the ambitious nature of the game, a cross-generation title with next-gen platforms isn't out of the question. So we're definitely hoping to see the Final Fantasy 7 Remake on PS5. Horizon Zero Dawn 2Now, it's worth noting this title hasn't been officially confirmed nevermind being confirmed for PS5. Sony has had huge success with its PS4 exclusives, particularly post-apocalyptic RPG Horizon Zero Dawn. Horizon Zero Dawn is one of the best-selling games on the PS4, selling over 10 million copies and cementing itself as a must-have title. So it would make perfect sense for Guerrilla Games to develop a sequel, right? It seems that is exactly what's happening. While neither Sony nor Guerrilla Games have announced a Horizon Zero Dawn 2 is in the works, one of the game's voice actors spilled the beans earlier this year and essentially confirmed a sequel is on the way. But with no release date in sight, it looks likely that Horizon Zero Dawn will land on PS5. God of War 2Much like Horizon Zero Dawn 2, God of War 2 hasn't officially been confirmed to be in the works. It's only been a year since the critically acclaimed (and our Game of the Year 2018 winner) God of War reboot launched exclusively on PlayStation 4, but we're already looking to the future. Despite Sony remaining tight-lipped on the subject, the success of God of War means a sequel is probably on the way (perhaps another God of War 2?). In addition, Sony Santa Monica has posted job listings for a number of roles across its teams - with one listing clearly citing the God of War reboot. At this point, it's most likely that God of War 2 will come to PS5 than the PS4. Battlefield 6Electronic Arts has confirmed that Battlefield 6 is on the way, and that it's coming to next-generation consoles. EA didn't confirm which consoles (so we will keep Battlefield 6 in the rumored section for not) but, regardless, it'll be a few years before we see the shooter on any next-gen consoles as the publisher wants to give the platforms time to build a strong player base. But a PS5 looks very likely. Gran TurismoThere are rumors abound that the next Gran Turismo title will be a part of the PS5's launch lineup. While nothing has been confirmed, it does seem likely that a Gran Turismo game will appear on the console at some point as it's PlayStation's landmark racing series. Wired has reported that developer Polyphony Digital has Gran Turismo Sport running on a PS5 devkit while an even more recent leak has suggested that Gran Turismo 7 will release on November 20 as a launch title for the console. We don't know for sure when a Gran Turismo title will appear on PS5, or what form it will take, but we think it's likely it will happen at some point.
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| These are the five best Samsung Galaxy S20 deals that we've seen so far Posted: 12 Feb 2020 08:56 AM PST Samsung's latest iteration of the hugely popular Galaxy S series is finally here. But for anyone who has seen the Samsung Galaxy S20 with its high-end specs and sleek design, you will have likely also seen that it doesn't exactly come cheap. So with that in mind, if this is the handset you've now got your eyes set on, you'll find want to find the absolute best prices. Luckily, we've been devoted to scouring all of the Samsung Galaxy S20 deals currently available to pre-order and we've picked out the five best options. And for those who won't be settling for the smallest of the three handsets, we've found top options on both the S20 Plus and Galaxy S20 Ultra, both complete with free headphones. You can find all of these Samsung phone deals below. And if you find that you're still not able to stomach the pre-order pricing, consult our guide to the best mobile phone deals to see what else is currently available.
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