Apple : PS5 games reveal live blog: the PS5 and games revealed, as it happened |
- PS5 games reveal live blog: the PS5 and games revealed, as it happened
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| PS5 games reveal live blog: the PS5 and games revealed, as it happened Posted: 11 Jun 2020 02:23 PM PDT The PS5 games reveal is over and below you can read our live blog covering today's event, which Sony called The Future of Gaming. The live stream began at 1PM PDT / 9PM BST / 4PM EDT, and we got our first look at PS5 games coming to the console at launch and likely beyond. In a total surprise, too, we even saw the PS5 for the first time. We learned everything except the PS5 price and release date, basically. The array of games shown off included Horizon Forbidden West, an amazing-looking Ratchet and Clank game that seems to make the most of the PS5's SSD and Spider-Man: Miles Morales, the latter of which is coming later this year. Here's our live blog from the Future of Gaming event, then.
PS5 games reveal live blog: as it happenedAll times in Pacific Daylight time (PDT). 14.22 - We're wrapping up here, guys. We have the strangest-looking PlayStation console to date, arguably, and the surprise of an all-digital version without a disc drive. Loads more is expected down the line, including the price of the machine and probably a deeper look at the software revealed here today. 14.14 - That's the end of the presentation. Sony totally surprised us by revealing what the PS5 looks like, and ends with a compilation of all the games we just saw. Do you think it lived up to the hype? We think the combination of games and hardware reveal made this feel like a real event, even if we're unclear on the release dates for many of the exclusive titles for now. 14.11 - But wait. One more surprise. Here it is. The PS5, revealed. An extremely unusual-looking design for the machine, seemingly built for cooling at the top of the unit. As well as a disc edition of the console, there will be an all-digital edition. Can you lay it on its side, though? We're also shown the pulse 3D headset, media remote, charging station for the DualSense and camera. 14.10 - Looks like we're done! A solid set of reveals, though we're disappointed there seems to be no release date for Horizon Forbidden West yet. We're expecting Spider-Man to be the big launch title, by the looks of it. 14.08 - It's officially called Horizon Forbidden West, as Aloy heads to America, a world ravaged by storms. And yes, it has mammoth robots. 14.06 - Here it is! Horizon Zero Dawn 2. Aloy returns to battle even more dazzling-looking machines. The environments on display here look like a real cut above the 2017 original, and it looks like she'll be heading underwater too. 14.05 - Another PlayStation Studios game. Surely this is Horizon Zero Dawn 2... 14.05 - Missed the trailer for Gran Turismo 7? Here it is. 14.04 - That game was Pragmata, coming 2022. Is this game set in space, or on a twisted version of Earth, or both? It's hard to tell. 14.03 - Okay, we start this trailer in Times Square, and our first impression is it looks like a more sci-fi version of The Division. Surely not, though... 14.02 - Turns out it's Resident Evil 8, but it looks very different from anything the series has shown us before, with a folklore influence, seemingly. It looks incredibly nice, and features the return of Ethan from Resident Evil 7, and long-time hero Chris Redfield, seemingly in a villainous role. 13.59 - This looks like another post-apocalyptic horror game, in first-person by the looks of it. 13.57 - Missed the Ghostwire: Tokyo trailer? Check it out below. 13.57 - Every time you die, the loop seems to reset. The environments, movement and combat look very Dishonored, but the setting appears to be more contemporary. It's all set on an island, where folks are having a never-ending party. You've got eight targets to take out before midnight, it seems, which is again a little similar to Dishonored, which is about picking off targets one by one. We can't wait to play this. 13.56 - Here's Deathloop, from the talented creators at Arkane Studios (Dishonored). It's about rival assassins set in a time loop, as the name hints. 13.55 - The beginning of an entire lineage of Souls games returns on PS5 in what looks like a full remake, worked on by Bluepoint Games, as heavily rumored. 13.54 - Wow at these environments. It's a PlayStation Studios game again...the return of Demon's Souls! 13.53 - We're nearing the end of the show, it seems. What else has Sony got up its sleeve? 13.52 - Here's Bugsnax, a (seemingly) kid-friendly game coming in holiday 2020. Hard to tell what kind of game it is from the trailer. Was it a platformer? Do you control multiple bugs at once? Hmm. 13.50 - That was our first look at NBA 2K21, the ever-beautiful sports series. This is what we can expect sports games to look like on PS5, it seems... 13.49 - That was Little Devil Inside, a beautiful and unique-looking third-person action game where you fight monsters of some kind. The setting is sort of story book-y. 13.46 - Another PlayStation game, this time the return of Astrobot, star of arguably the best PS VR exclusive to date. It's called Astrobot's Playhouse, and seemingly isn't in VR this time, but we'll wait and confirm that first. 13.44 - Next up, it's the return of Agent 47 in Hitman 3. Not played Hitman 2? It's one of the most underrated games of the generation. This third stealth action game has a release date of January 2021, and will conclude the trilogy of games. 13.43 - Another AnnaPurna game, with colorful, slightly trippy visuals. It's set in a sci-fi universe, and it's called Solar Ash. That's coming in 2021. 13.41 - That was GodFall, an action RPG that looks a little bit like Diablo crossed with Darksiders. We already knew that was coming to PS5. 13.40 - Here's a trailer for Returnal, one of the best reveals so far, as silly as the name is. 13.38 - Next up, a game from developer Superbrothers, which made Sword and Sorcery EP. You're tasked with "carving out a future for your people while haunted by oblivion, but filled with dreams", according to the trailer. It looks like a third-person game where you control a ship of some kind on alien planets, looking for a new home. 13.37 - Next up is our next look at Bethesda's Ghostwire: Tokyo, announced at E3 2019, which is a first-person game, this new trailer reveals. It looks like we'll see a mix of real-world environments with warped, otherworldly creatures for you to take down with magic powers. It's a pretty wild-looking horror-action game that actually reminds us of BioShock more than anything. Coming 2021. 13.33 - Here's Oddworld creator Lorne Lanning with a new game in the long-running series, Oddworld: Soulstorm, which started life back in the late '90s, and is synonymous with PlayStation for lots of people. 13.32 - This game, which we're guessing is an indie title, feature anthropomorphic animals in high school, by the looks of it. It's called Goodbye Volcano High, and it's coming 2021. 13.29 - Developer Ember Lab presents a new game called Kena: Bridge of Spirits, which looks like a third-person action adventure. We're vaguely reminded of Kameo: Elements of Power. 13.27 - Here's a new game by developer Lucid, which looks a lot like the old Destruction Derby series, except it seems to involve a certain amount of running across the environment while cars ram into each other. You can also equip weapons for your car, and it's called Destruction All-Stars. It's like Twisted Metal meets Rocket League, based on this first look. 13.25 - Here's a new LittleBigPlanet game from Sumo Digital, which looks like it's taking us into 3D for the first time. It's called Sackboy: A Big Adventure. The series is known for letting players create and share their own levels. 13.21 - Here's a brand new exclusive, about a woman who crashes on an alien planet. The premise of the game seems to be that she's trapped in a cycle of death, Edge of Tomorrow-style, with the planet environment changing each time she wakes up. A little Major's Mask influence in here, maybe? It's a third-person shooter, based on the snapshots of gameplay here. It's got a bad name, though: Returnal. 13.20 - Now we're getting some examples of what the PS5 hardware can do. Adaptive triggers, ray-tracing, built-in microphone, 3D audio, a motion sensor. And yes, there's an audio jack. Now here's Hermen Hulst, head of Sony's Worldwide Studios, to introduce a new franchise for PS5. 13.20 - That was a trailer for Stray, a game about a cat set in a sci-fi universe, published by high-end indie outlet Annapurna Interactive. 13.19 - Here's the trailer for Spider-Man: Miles Morales, coming to PS5. 13.17 - Project Athia is a new Square Enix game, made by the Final Fantasy 15 developers, Luminous Productions. And it actually looks a lot like FF15, with bright, vibrant natural environments and real-time combat. It's a PS5 exclusive, too, which is a surprise for a third-party game. 13.16 - Built just for the PS5, Ratchet and Clank is doing things we've not really seen before in games, with instant hopping between worlds. We're watching gameplay, here. And the game features ray-tracing on Clank. Who'd have thought this old platformer series would be the one to truly show off the capabilities of Sony's next-gen console? 13.12 - Next up, a new Ratchet and Clank game, Rift Apart. The PlayStation platforming favorites have been mainstays since the PS2, and every generation edges closer to Pixar quality. It looks like we're seeing gameplay here, too, with a pretty amazing dimension-hopping concept. We leap between a pirate world, a cyberpunk city. Could this be the power of the PS5's SSD at work? 13.08 - Here's the newest Gran Turismo game, always a dazzling showcase of PlayStation hardware. It's officially called Gran Turismo 7. And it looks pretty amazing in first-person. 13.07 - After a brief intro from PlayStation's Jim Ryan, here's our first PlayStation Studios game: Spider-Man: Miles Morales, starring the Spider-Verse favorite this time! And wow, it looks nice. That's coming to PS5 later this year, which is a massive surprise. 13.04 - First up, GTA 5. No doubt Rockstar wants to keep GTA Online players going seamlessly between generations. GTA 5 is 'expanded and enhanced', and coming to PS5 in 2021. GTA Online will be free at launch for PS5 owners, too, with current PS4 GTA Online getting GTA$1 million per month until it launches. 13.03 - We've started with a compilation of PlayStation favorites of the past, with everything from Uncharted 4 to WipEout getting a quick shoutout. 13.02 - Here we go! The Future of Gaming PS5 games stream has begun. Sony has recommended listening to the show with headphones to enjoy some "cool audio work", so you might want to do that to make the most of what we'll see revealed today. 12.45 - 15 minutes to go until we see what Sony has up its sleeve. We're going to play it safe with our last-minute predictions: we expect to see Horizon Zero Dawn 2 and 12.30 - 30 minutes to go! Our first look at PS5 games is almost here. A reminder that you can watch the PS5 Future of Gaming live stream here, and follow along with our observations on today's set of reveals. 12.19 - The rumor mill goes into overdrive on events like this, but it's best to go in with expectations in check on the PS5 games reveal. For example, the below (joke) tweet is hoping for a Metal Gear Solid remake. We think that's unlikely, but everyone has a wish list when a new generation comes around. 12.00 - With just an hour left until the live stream, refresh your memory of how the PS5 vs Xbox Series X battle is going so far. Both manufacturers have discussed console specs in detail, even if key details like price remain elusive. Games, ultimately, will be the deciding factor. 11.34 - Just under 90 minutes to go until The Future of Gaming live stream kicks off. A bit of trivia: this console generation will have lasted almost exactly as long as the PS3/360 generation before the consoles were succeeded - seven years (holiday 2006 to holiday 2013 vs holiday 2013 to holiday 2020). 11.03 - With just a couple of hours to go, you might want to read our PS5 specs analysis for how the console lines up next to the Xbox Series X. Sony's slow trickle of information about the PlayStation 5 has been a little different to Microsoft's approach, but today it's likely to take a huge step forwards. 10.35 - PS5 game announcements have been slowly trickling out ahead of this live stream - you can read about the PS5 games we know about and expect to see here. Just this week, it was announced that Destiny 2 is coming to PS5 in time for the expansion Beyond Light. 10.00 - As mentioned above, what we're not expecting to hear about today is the PS5 price. We think this showcase will only feature games, based on Sony's wording, and not the console itself. 09.33 - The last time Sony did a proper, traditional E3 conference was in 2017. That lasted for about one hour, give or take a few minutes. This showcase event will run for just over an hour, too, so you're potentially looking at an event that's equivalent to an E3 showing in breadth. Here's hoping we see plenty of new games. 09.00 - Which games will be revealed today? In terms of Sony's own developers, logic points towards Horizon Zero Dawn 2, since the first game is more than three years old, it sold a bucketload of copies and the developers have theoretically had enough time for a sequel to be made. Guerrilla has a reputation for being a developer that showcases PlayStation technology at its best, too - perfect for a first next-gen unveiling. We think it's still slightly too early for God of War 2 and Spider-Man 2, but we're willing to be surprised. A new Gran Turismo is rumored based on a recent trademark filing. A Demon's Souls remake from port specialists BluePoint Games is also expected. Other, wilder rumors point towards a new Silent Hill game, and possibly Resident Evil 8, too. 08.33 - For context, the PS4 was greeted with game reveals from both Sony and third-party publishers and developers when the console was unveiled in 2013. They included games like Killzone: Shadow Fall, Knack and Driveclub, and key titles from other publishers like Destiny and Watch Dogs. It's likely we'll see a similar mix here, as publishers use this platform to get people excited about what they have planned for these new consoles. 07.55 - Hello there! Today is the day of the PS5 games reveal. The Future of Gaming is a 'digital showcase' that Sony has said "will run for a bit more than an hour". While the livestream today will be broadcast in 1080p 30fps to ease the production process for Sony's staff, a lot of whom are still working from home, it's pointed out the games will look far superior on 4K TVs. This is arguably the most exciting reveal in the next-gen console wars, and we're hoping that Sony doesn't pull any punches with revealing its biggest upcoming projects. Microsoft, of course, did its first gameplay reveal last month, and it was a little too lean for some of those watching at home, with bigger Xbox Series X games being saved for a separate reveal in July. We predict Sony will counter-program that, and bring a lot of big guns to the fore, both from its own developers and publishers it's partnered up with.
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| This is what the PS5 looks like Posted: 11 Jun 2020 02:19 PM PDT Sony is changing things up with the PS5 and the newly announced PS5 Digital Edition that were unveiled today during the PS5 gameplay reveal event. The console, shown at the very end of the event, has an almost Alienware-esque, space age design to it with a black center piece and a rounded white top and bottom. The console was shown in a vertical position on a stand throughout the unveiling, leading us to believe that it stay in that orientation, but we've yet to have that confirmed by Sony. What has been confirmed by Sony is a new Digital Edition of the console - seen on the right - that doesn't feature a disc tray / 4K Blu-ray player like the main console. Developing... This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| DualSense PS5 controller release date, news and confirmed features Posted: 11 Jun 2020 01:54 PM PDT Update: We just got a better look at the new PS5 controller – that new DualSense controller – with a brand new YouTube video that explores its features. It comes courtesy of Sony's PS5 games reveal event. Sony has officially announced the PS5 controller, dubbing it the DualSense controller, and it looks radically different from the company's previous designs. It'll launch alongside the PS5 console before the Christmas holiday this year. We're likely to get a good look at the DualSense controller in all its glory during Sony's PS5 games reveal event, which takes place today, June 11, at 1pm PST / 4pm EST / 9pm BST. You can keep up with the event as it happens over on our PS5 games reveal live blog. The PS5 controller design reveal includes some of what the leaks predicted: adaptive shoulder button triggers with haptic feedback, a built-in microphone so you can talk to friends without having to wear a headset, and a new 'Create' button that replaces the PS4 Share button. In addition, Sony is moving the previous DualShock 4's LED Lightbar from the top of the controller to the surrounding of the touchpad on the PS5. It's supposed to give the LED a larger look and feel, according to the company. What's more the DualSense features a two-tone color scheme that's black-and-white and devoid of color on the face buttons. Triangle, Circle, Square and Cross (or X) are still here, but they don't sport their usual hues. Interestingly, the teaser trailer for the PS5 games reveal event appears to show the controller in its familiar all black design. Could Sony have reverted on the two-tone color scheme after monitoring fan feedback? Or will another color option be provided for those who prefer the black model? We'll have to wait and see. Sony says that this is a "radical departure from our previous controller offerings and captures just how strongly we feel about making a generational leap with PS5." The black-and-white design is likely to extend to the PS5 console, which is different than the usual black color Sony has chosen for its console launches since the PS2. Sony hasn't revealed exact PS5 controller specs, and there are a number of details we're eager to hear about, including the expected battery life. It did say, however, that the team made sure "to maintain a strong battery life for DualSense’s rechargeable battery, and to lessen the weight of the controller as much as possible as new features were added." Cut to the chase
PS5 controller release dateSony finally revealed the DualSense Controller to the world in a PlayStation Blog post on April 7, 2020 - giving us our first glimpse of the next-gen gamepad. The Sony PS5 controller will release alongside the PlayStation 5 during the "Holiday" 2020 period – so sometime between October and December. We're expecting that the DualSense PS5 controller, like the DualShock 4 before it, will work not only on the PlayStation 5 but also with PC. PS5 controller price: not confirmed, but this is our predictionA price for the DualSense PS5 controller has not been confirmed yet, but with the PS4 controller retailing for around £40/$50/AUD$80, we expect the DualSense to be just a bit more expensive – we'd predict around £60/$70/AUD$120. This is pure speculation at this point, based solely on the confirmed features and Sony's previous price strategy for controllers. It's likely Sony will confirm the PS5 controller price in the coming months ahead of launch.
PS5 controller features: haptic feedback, Create button and audio jackThe formal reveal of the DualSense confirmed what we've heard about the PS5 controller features for a while. Haptic feedback will replace the DualShock 4's rumble technology. While the rumble technology seen in the PS4 controller vibrates intensely during particular in-game events, it wasn't particularly fine-tuned to the player's experience. Haptic feedback simulates touch, meaning the controller will output vibrations or movements to replicate a real-life touch experience. This aims to improve the controller's feedback and therefore player's immersion. The PS5 controller will also feature adaptive triggers which Sony says have "been incorporated into the trigger buttons (L2/R2)". These adaptive triggers will allow developers to program the resistance of the triggers to simulate actions more accurately. There's no Share button on the DualSense controller, but there is a Create Button, and it'll perform the same function and more. "We’re once again pioneering new ways for players to create epic gameplay content to share with the world, or just to enjoy for themselves," is how Sony describes it. Expect more on this as we get closer to launch. The PS5 will still feature an audio jack, too, so you can plug in your own headphones and headsets. This was tweeted in response to a user question by PlayStation project manager Toshimasa Aoki (their account isn't verified, though, it's worth noting): T In an interview with Business Insider Japan (translated by Gematsu), SIE CEO Jim Ryan said: “3D audio and the haptic feedback support of the controller are also things that, when you try them, you will be surprised at how big a change they are. Even just playing the racing game Gran Turismo Sport with a PlayStation 5 controller is a completely different experience. While it runs well with the previous controller, there is no going back after you experience the detailed road surface via haptic control and play using the adaptive triggers." It will also include a built-in microphone, and Sony says you'll be able to use this to talk with your friends online without the use of a gamepad. Of course, for folks who still want one, Sony says it will still support them. PS5 controller colors: the DualSense is white-and-black, but expect other colors in the futureThe DualSense controller is a two-tone affair, as you've seen in the images above. It's primarily white, with black elements, like the shoulder buttons and analog sticks. But expect Sony to produce all kinds of colors in the years after release, as we've seen with every PlayStation controller going back to the PSone. Including limited edition controllers, there are more than 30 different PS4 controller colors. There's no reason to expect anything different with the PS5 controller color options after launch. DualSense PS5 controller specs: a full list is still to comeAs mentioned above, the DualSense PS5 controller's look has been revealed, and we've learned that the controller will incorporate haptic feedback, while the L2 and R2 buttons have adaptive triggers. Full specs for the DualSense are yet to be revealed, though, including the battery life of the console. We'll update this section when we know the full list of PS5 controller specs. PS5 controller rumors: what else has been reported about the DualSense?Now that the PS5 controller has been revealed, we've updated our list of rumors below to strip out those that are no longer relevant. Given that we don't know the exact specs of the DualSense, though, or its full range of functionality, we've kept some of the related stories we've heard about the last few months. If they turn out to be true, or not, we'll adjust this section accordingly. Wireless charging? A patent suggests that wireless charging could be in the works for the DualSense, although no such thing was mentioned during the announcement. Found by Saqib Mansoor of SegmentNext, the patent shows a “Wireless charging adapter with game control keys for computer game controller,” and seems to show a “wireless charging adapter that can snap onto a computer game controller and can be inductively coupled to a charging base to wirelessly recharge a battery in the controller.” The images that appear alongside the patent show what appears to be a DualShock controller with an attachment on its back that keeps the controller charged along with a charging mat, no annoying cables involved. Patents, however, as we all know, are no guarantee. Just because a patent has been published doesn't mean that Sony has any intention of pursuing the technology so this should be taken with a pinch of salt. It is interesting, however, that this technology appears to be an optional extra rather than included as standard—it suggests that if Sony did opt for wireless charging capabilities it could make them available separately and maybe even later than the console's launch. Keeping this capability separate would also likely keep the price of the base controller lower for those not all that interested in wireless charging. There's precedent for controller accessories, too, given the DualShock 4's recent back button attachment. Heart rate and sweat sensors The patent's abstract describes a "biofeedback sensor attachment for a controller", that is made up of "one or more sensors" which gather types of biofeedback from players, such as heart rate and sweat secretion levels, with certain measurements potentially indicative of a player's emotional state. The information gathered would then aim to feedback the player's likely emotional state to the controller, and influence gameplay accordingly – although exactly how this would work hasn't been detailed. In the coming months, we should find out if this is true or not. Voice control "While the user is inputting voice from the microphone, the sound of the speaker is suppressed, and tactile presentation control by the tactile presentation device is performed." The DualSense has a built-in microphone, Sony confirmed at announcement, but voice control wasn't touched on specifically.
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| GTA 5 enhanced and expanded edition is coming to PS5 in 2021 Posted: 11 Jun 2020 01:27 PM PDT GTA 5 is coming to PS5 in the second half of 2021, Sony has announced. The game will be enhanced and expanded, and feature a range of visual upgrades and improvements to performance that will take full advantage of the PS5’s beefy hardware. The announcement was made during Sony’s PS5 games reveal event, where Rockstar’s open world epic had the honor of kicking off the show. Despite releasing in 2013, GTA 5 continues to be a big seller for Rockstar, and it seems like the publisher is determined to get the game into even more hands. GTA Online will also continue on PS5, with additional content that’s exclusive to Sony’s new console. A standalone version of GTA Online will also be made available for free, exclusively for PlayStation 5 players during the first three months.
Grand returnStarting today, all PS Plus members will get GTA$1,000,000 deposited into their Maze Bank account for GTA Online, and this amount will be topped up every month until the launch of GTA 5 on PS5. That’s a lot of Rockstar cash to be earned, then. Interestingly, GTA 5 might be the first game to release for three generations of consoles. The game first debuted on PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360, before making its way to PS4, Xbox One and then PC. With a PS5 release now on the horizon, it seems like the wait for GTA 6 might be further off than we think.
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| PS5 gets Spider-Man Miles Morales sequel as launch title Posted: 11 Jun 2020 01:18 PM PDT Your friendly neighbourhood Spider-Man will be making a return to PlayStation consoles, with Spider-Man Miles Morales officially confirmed as a PS5 launch title. Set to land with the console in 'Holiday 2020', it replaces old-school Peter Parker with Miles Morales, the latest fan-favourite incarnation of Spider-Man. A full sequel to the 2018 title Marvel's Spider-Man, we saw only a glimpse of the game, with Miles kitted out in his signature red and black costume amidst a snow-swept NYC.
Into the Spider-VerseWith a nod to the hugely-popular Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse film, the game's color palette is awash with neon and spectacle. The 2018 Spider-Man was a pleasant surprise, with many seeing it as good a superhero game as there's ever been, alongside the Batman Arkham series. Insomniac Games nailed Spider-Man's motion and swinging, making for a fluid traversal and combat system that was a joy to play, and a great comic-worthy storyline. With the 2018 game being used early on by Sony to showcase the power of the PS5's SSD, expect Miles Morales to be swinging in through a New York City free of loading screens and pop up.
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| Cryptomining syndicate hijacks Kubernetes clusters Posted: 11 Jun 2020 12:38 PM PDT Microsoft has released a new report highlighting a new series of attacks targeting a toolkit called Kubeflow which is used for running machine learning operations on top of Kubernetes clusters. The attacks first began in April of this year and have continued with the aim of installing a cryptocurrency miner on Kubernetes clusters that are exposed to the internet and run Kubeflow. In a blog post, security research software engineer at the Azure Security Center, Yossi Weizman provided more details on Kubeflow and why nodes used for machine learning tasks are such an attractive target for cybercriminals, saying:
“Kubeflow is an open-source project, started as a project for running TensorFlow jobs on Kubernetes. Kubeflow has grown and become a popular framework for running machine learning tasks in Kubernetes. Nodes that are used for ML tasks are often relatively powerful, and in some cases include GPUs. This fact makes Kubernetes clusters that are used for ML tasks a perfect target for crypto mining campaigns, which was the aim of this attack.” Misconfigured Kubeflow instancesMicrosoft has tracked these attacks since they first started showing up online back in April. However, after the first attack wave, the cryptomining syndicate behind them switched from targeting general-purpose Kubernetes clusters to focus specifically on those using Kubeflow to run machine learning operations. Based on findings from its initial investigation, the software giant now believes that misconfigured Kubeflow instances are the most likely point of entry for the attackers. This is likely the result of Kubeflow admins changing the toolkit's default settings which exposed its admin panel online. By default, the Kubeflow management panel is only accessible from inside the Kubernetes cluster and not over the internet. According to Weizman, a cryptomining syndicate is now actively scanning for these dashboards online. When found, the group deploys a new server image to Kubeflow clusters that runs a Monero cryptocurrency mining application called XMRig. Server admins can check to see if their Kubeflow instances have been hacked by entering this command: kubectl get pods –all-namespaces -o jsonpath=”{.items[*].spec.containers[*].image}” | grep -i ddsfdfsaadfs. To prevent falling victim to these attacks, server admins should make sure that Kubeflow's daashboard is not exposed to the internet.
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| Best free and public DNS servers of 2020 : free, paid and business alternative domain name servers Posted: 11 Jun 2020 11:17 AM PDT If you're looking for the best DNS servers around today, we're here to help. DNS (Domain Name System) is a system which translates the domain names you enter in a browser to the IP addresses required to access those sites, and the best DNS servers provide you with the best service possible. Your ISP will assign you DNS servers whenever you connect to the internet, but these may not always be the best DNS server choice around. Slow DNS servers can cause a lag before websites start to load, and if your server sometimes goes down, you may not be able to access any sites at all. Switching to a free public DNS server can make a real difference, with more responsive browsing and lengthy 100% uptime records meaning there's much less chance of technical problems. Some services can also block access to phishing or infected sites, and a few offer content filtering to keep your kids away from the worst of the web. You need to choose your service with care - not all providers will necessarily be better than your ISP - but to help point you in the right direction, this article will highlight six of the best DNS servers around. Why paid DNS is better than freeAs with every service, you get what you pay for and it’s no different here. Free DNS can be good but it’s nothing compared to a Premium paid version. Granted, not everyone wants to pay and depending on their needs they might not need to, but paid DNS is always a better choice. Apart from the increased website performance and security, you also get additional features. For instance, Dynamic DNS and Secondary DNS are a staple of the premium DNS service. The Dynamic DNS works with dynamic IP addresses and it allows users to access their home computer from anywhere in the world. The Secondary DNS works as a backup of sorts which is always a plus. This is just a small fraction of what a premium DNS can do and the exact number of features will depend on the service provider.
OpenDNS Founded in 2005 and now owned by Cisco, OpenDNS is one of the biggest names in public DNS. The free service offers plenty of benefits: high speeds, 100% uptime, phishing sites blocked by default, optional parental controls-type web filtering to block websites by content type, along with free email support if anything goes wrong. Commercial plans enable viewing a history of your internet activity for up to the last year, and can optionally lock down your system by allowing access to specific websites only. These aren't going to be must-have features for the average user, but if you're interested, they can be yours for around $20 (£14.30) a year. If you're an old hand at swapping DNS, you can get started immediately by reconfiguring your device to use the OpenDNS nameservers. If you're a newbie, that's okay too, as OpenDNS has setup instructions for PCs, Macs, mobile devices, routers and much, much more. Cloudflare Best known for its top-rated content delivery network, Cloudflare has extended its range to include a new public DNS service, the catchily-named 1.1.1.1. Cloudflare has focused much more on the fundamentals. These start with performance, and independent testing from sites like DNSPerf shows Cloudflare is the fastest public DNS service around. Privacy is another major highlight. Cloudflare doesn't just promise that it won't use your browsing data to serve ads; it commits that it will never write the querying IP address (yours) to disk. Any logs that do exist will be deleted within 24 hours. And these claims aren't just reassuring words on a website. Cloudflare has retained KPMG to audit its practices annually and produce a public report to confirm the company is delivering on its promises. The 1.1.1.1 website has some setup guidance, with simple tutorials covering Windows, Mac, Android, iOS, Linux and routers. These are very generic - you get one set of instructions for all versions of Windows, for instance - but there are some pluses (IPv6 as well as IPv4 details) and you should be able to figure it out. Additionally, mobile users can use WARP which secures all of the phone’s internet traffic. The product doesn't offer ad-blocking or attempt to monitor what you can access, and what you can't. The one caveat is that Cloudflare has introduced content filtering for malware and adult content blocking, with their 1.1.1.2/1.0.0.2 and 1.1.1.3/1.0.0.3 services respectively, but this is an option a user can choose rather than have forced on them. If you have any problems, Cloudflare offers a community forum where you can ask questions or see what others are doing, a nice extra touch which we'd like to see followed by other providers. Google Public DNS Google has its fingers in most web-related pies, and DNS is no exception: it's free Public DNS is a simple and effective replacement for your own ISP's nameservers. Privacy can't quite match the 'we don't keep anything' promises of Cloudflare, but it's not bad. The service logs the full IP address information of the querying device for around 24 to 48 hours for troubleshooting and diagnostic purposes. 'Permanent' logs drop any personally identifiable information and reduce location details to the city level, and all but a small random sample of these are deleted after two weeks. There's a further benefit for experienced users in Google's detailed description of the service. If you'd like to be able to assess the significance of Google's privacy policy, for instance, you can read up on absolutely everything the service logs contain to find out for yourself. Google's support site offers only very basic guidance targeted at experienced users, warning that "only users who are proficient with configuring operating system settings [should] make these changes." If you're unsure what you're doing, check the tutorials from a provider such as OpenDNS, remembering to replace its nameservers with Google's: 8.8.8.8 and 8.8.4.4. Comodo Secure DNS Comodo Group is the power behind a host of excellent security products, so it's no surprise that the company also offers its own public DNS service. Just as you'd expect, Comodo Secure DNS has a strong focus on safety. It doesn't just block phishing sites, but also warns if you try to visit sites with malware, spyware, even parked domains which might overload you with advertising (pop-ups, pop-unders and more). Furthermore, you can try out the Comodo Dome Shield service, which adds additional features to Comodo Secure DNS. Comodo claims its service is smarter than average, too, detecting attempts to visit parked or 'not in use' domains and automatically forwarding you to where you really want to go. Performance is key, of course, and the company suggests its worldwide network of servers and smart routing technology give it an advantage. DNSPerf's Comodo stats are less impressive, unfortunately. As we write, DNSPerf reports its average query time as around 72ms. That said, Comodo may still be interesting if you're looking for an extra layer of web filtering, and the support website has some short but useful instructions on setting the service up on Windows PCs, Macs, routers and Chromebooks. Quad9 Quad9 is a young DNS outfit which has been providing a fast and free DNS service since August 2016. The company sells itself on its ability to block malicious domains by collecting intelligence from 'a variety of public and private sources.' It's not clear what these sources are, but the website says Quad9 used 18+ 'threat intelligence providers' as of December 2018. That's a little too vague for us, and we're not convinced that using a large number of threat intelligence providers will necessarily help – the quality of the intelligence is generally more important than the quantity. There's no arguing about Quad9's performance, though. DNSPerf currently rates it seven out of ten for average worldwide query times, lagging behind Cloudflare and OpenDNS, but effortlessly outpacing contenders like Comodo. Drilling down into the detail reveals some variations in speed - Quad9 is in eighth place for North American queries - but overall the service still delivers better performance than most. Setup guidance is a little limited, with tutorials for the latest versions of Windows and macOS only. They're well presented, though, and it's not difficult to figure out what you need to do. Verisign Verisign was founded in 1995 and through the years offered various services, including several security services, like managed DNS. Verisign DNS service is free to use and the company highlights the three features they deem the most important and those are stability, security, and privacy. The service definitely delivers on that account, especially for security and stability. As for privacy, while you can never be 100% sure when it comes to the company claims, there weren't any issues and the company assures you that your public DNS data will not be sold to third parties. Performance, however, wasn't that great when compared to some other providers. Still, it's decent and depending on your needs, you might not be bothered by this. At the moment, DNSPerf.com ranks the service at the eleventh place, worldwide. On their website, you can find tutorials on how to set up their public DNS. Tutorials are available for Windows 7 and 10, Mac, Linux, and mobile devices. There is also a tutorial on how to configure DNS server settings on your router. All in all, Verisign offers a good alternative to some other DNS providers, plus it's free so it's worth checking out. Got further questions about DNS? Here are some common queries along with our answers. What is DNS?The Domain Name System (DNS) is a phonebook for the internet, a framework which translates domain names, like facebook.com or twitter.com, into the IP addresses necessary for devices to load those internet resources. The mechanics of DNS can be quite complicated, as information isn't held in a single database, but rather distributed in a worldwide directory including a vast number of DNS servers. Fortunately, the average internet user doesn't normally have to get involved in any of the low-level technical details. Your ISP automatically provides you with access to a DNS server whenever you go online, and whenever you enter a URL into your browser, this will find the relevant IP address for you. Your ISP DNS isn't performing? Verisign is one of many big-name companies offering a free alternative Why might DNS matter to me?DNS servers can vary hugely in speed, particularly in areas which don't always have the best internet coverage (Africa, South America, Oceania.) To take an example of a single day when we tested, DNSPerf.com reported Cloudflare achieved an average 4.43ms query time for Oceania, while Yandex was left trailing at 350.24ms. That's potentially more than a third of a second in extra waiting time before your browser is able to access any new website. This is an extreme example, to be fair. European or US lookups may see less than 30ms variation between most DNS services, and as your device or router will probably cache the address for reuse later, even this delay will only occur very occasionally. Still, a sluggish DNS server can noticeably slow down your browsing in some situations, and trying an alternative – especially as the best options are all free – is generally a good idea. There's a second possible benefit in terms of uptime. If your ISP DNS server fails, you might not be able to access some or all of your favorite sites. Big-name providers such as OpenDNS claim they've had 100% uptime going back years. How can I find the fastest DNS service?DNS speed depends on many factors, including your location, the distance to your nearest server, and that server having enough power and bandwidth to handle all the queries it receives. DNS Jumper is a portable freeware tool which tests multiple public DNS services to find out which delivers the best performance for you. The program has a lot of options, but isn't difficult to use. Launch it, click Fastest DNS > Start DNS Test, and within a few seconds you'll be looking at a list of DNS services sorted by speed. DNS Jumper can be useful, in particular because it's checking how servers perform from your location, but it doesn't run enough tests over a long enough period to give you a definitive answer. DNSPerf tests multiple DNS services every minute from 200+ locations around the world and makes the results freely available on its own website. This gives a very good general idea of performance, and also enables seeing how services compare on different continents, as well as assessing their uptime. How can I switch DNS servers?The steps involved in changing your DNS service vary according to your hardware and possibly your operating system version. Generally, you must start by finding the primary and secondary nameservers for the DNS service you'd like to use. These IP addresses are normally displayed very clearly on the service website, so, for example, Cloudflare DNS uses 1.1.1.1 and 1.0.0.1. The simplest approach for home users is to update their router to use the new addresses. Most other devices will then pick up the new DNS settings automatically, with no further work required. To make this happen you must log in to your router (the default password may be printed on its base) and look for the current DNS primary and secondary nameservers. Make a note of the current values in case of problems, then replace them with the nameservers you'd like to use. If you run into problems, check out your DNS service website for any setup guidance. Keep in mind that you can also use the tutorials of other DNS providers, as long as you remember to replace their nameserver IPs with your preferred options. OpenDNS, for instance, has specific guidance for many different router types on its support site. If router tweaks aren't right for your situation, you may have to change the DNS configuration of each individual device. Cloudflare has short and simple guidance here, while the OpenDNS website goes into more depth. How can I find my current DNS servers?If you're troubleshooting your internet connection, or maybe thinking of switching DNS servers, it might be useful to check which DNS servers you're using at the moment. The simplest way to do this is to visit DNSLeakTest.com and tap the Standard Test button. Within a few seconds the website will usually display your DNS server IP addresses, host names, and sometimes (if appropriate) the name of your ISP. After that, life gets more complicated as there are several potential options. Your device could be set up to use specific DNS servers; it might ask your router to give it the best DNS servers every time it boots; or it might not know anything about DNS servers, and leave your router to handle everything. On Windows, you could get started by entering IPCONFIG /ALL in a command line window. Look for your network adapter and you should see its DNS servers specified in the list. If there's a single DNS IP address which points at your router – 192.168.x.x – that suggests the router is handling all DNS queries. Enter that IP address into your browser, log in to the router if necessary and your DNS servers should be listed amongst the settings. How can I test a DNS service?If your browser is telling you a website's 'server IP address could not be found', even though you're sure it's up and available, then this could be due to a problem with your DNS. But you might not want to go to the trouble of changing your DNS service to find out. Windows users can use the command line tool nslookup.exe to look at the results of any DNS server without touching their system settings. Run cmd.exe to open a command line window, then type: nslookup website.com Then press Enter (replace website.com with the address of whatever website you're trying to reach). Nslookup uses your default DNS server to look for the IP address of website.com. If it tells you it 'can't find website.com', this means your DNS server doesn't have a record for that domain. Next, tell the tool to use another DNS service by entering a command like: nslookup website.com 8.8.8.8 The 8.8.8.8 address uses Google DNS – replace that with any DNS service you like, such as 1.1.1.1 for Cloudflare. If nslookup returns errors using multiple servers, this doesn't look like a DNS issue. If one server returns an IP address and another doesn't, you might want to try setting up your system to use the working DNS and see if it makes any difference. You might also want to look over our many web hosting guides:
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| Mobile banking apps could be major security threat, says FBI Posted: 11 Jun 2020 10:55 AM PDT Users of mobile banking apps will be increasingly targeted by cybercriminals attempting to steal their credentials and take over their accounts according to a new alert from the FBI. The agency's Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) published the alert which warns that increased use of mobile banking apps during the pandemic could lead to more exploitation attempts targeting their users. As banks were closed while US cities were in lockdown, Americans relied on mobile banking apps to make payments, transfer funds and cash checks. In fact, studies of US financial data indicates a 50 percent surge in mobile banking use since the beginning of this year.
Fake apps and banking trojansThe FBI believes that cybercriminals will use fake banking apps and banking trojans among other techniques to target mobile banking customers. Banking trojans are malicious programs that disguise themselves as other apps such as games or tools. However, when a user launches a legitimate banking app, the trojan, which has been lying dormant on their device, is triggered and creates a fake version of a bank's login page and overlays it on top of the legitimate app. To avoid detection, the trojan passes the user to the real banking app after they enter their credentials into the false login page. Cybercriminals also create and circulate fake banking apps online in order to steal users' credentials. These apps are designed to impersonate legitimate apps from major financial institutions. They also provide an error message after a user tries to login and use smartphone permission requests to obtain and bypass security codes sent to users via text. To prevent falling victim to fake apps and banking trojans, the FBI recommends that users only install mobile banking apps from official app stores such as the Google Play Store or Apple App Store, enable two-factor authentication (2FA) and use strong and unique passwords for their banking accounts.
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| Best domain registrars in 2020 Posted: 11 Jun 2020 10:35 AM PDT Every great website needs a snappy, memorable domain name. Coming up with something new is a serious challenge, but once inspiration strikes, you'll need to register that name with a domain name registrar before you can use it online. Registration isn't difficult, but first you must choose from the hundreds of companies competing for your business, and there are several things for you to consider before signing the virtual dotted line.
How to choose the perfect domain registrar
With a name like Domain.com, the EIG-owned brand, means business, focusing primarily on small and medium businesses. It offers most popular top level domains and over 25 country code top level domains and also sells premium domains as a broker. With nearly two decades of online presence, the company - which is one of the world’s biggest domain name registrars - expanded in web hosting and now ranges a number of products including a website builder, a full design service and web hosting. Domain.com prices tend to be average but we have managed to blag a 25% discount off almost everything in your cart*. Non-premium TLD (.Biz, .Men, .Win etc) start from $2.99 for the first year ($2.24 with our code). In line with the rest of the industry, they rise significantly after the second year). You need to pay for privacy protection, a reasonable $6.99, plus you can add email, web hosting, SSL certificates and malware protection, none of which is compulsory. You can stick with its basic website builder which is free with every domain: you get a drag and drop website builder, tons of mobile-friendly templates, up to six pages, SEO tools, Paypal integration and even access to stock image library. Support is more than adequate with 24/7 chat, email and phone support. Domain.com may not have the cheapest prices but it provides with a very balanced offering. *All renewals after the initial discounted period will be charged at the then current standard list price for the selected period. Coupon is not valid with sunrise registrations, landrush registrations, EAP registrations, pre-registrations, premium registrations, renewals, transfers, custom website design, other coupons, or special pricing. Web giant GoDaddy is the world's biggest domain registrar, currently managing more than 75 million domains for 17 million customers around the globe. The company is well-known for its low headline prices, and it's the same story here, for instance, .mobi domain is available for $7.17 in year one. On the other hand .com and .org are less impressive (though still apparently cheap) starting at $12.17 and $9.17 respectively. Beware, though: these aren't the bargains they initially seem. The first catch is that GoDaddy's starting prices only apply if you pay for two years upfront, and the second year is significantly more expensive (.com rises to $18.17, .uk and .co.uk domains are $12, .co, .org and .mobi are ridiculously high, $34.99 for .co, $21.17 for .org and $29.17 for .mobi. The second problem is that there are no bundled extras, so adding something like Whois privacy – a valuable service often included for free with other providers – costs $8 a month for year one, and $10 on renewal. There's clearly much better value to be had elsewhere, but GoDaddy may still appeal to web beginners looking for a bundled hosting and domain registration deal. The company has an array of products covering every possible requirement, with telephone support if you need it, and buying your domain and hosting from the same provider will make life a little easier. Just keep in mind that other providers can also combine hosting and domain registration, and GoDaddy may not provide the best package for you. Check out our various hosting guides for possible alternatives. Hover is a popular domain name registrar owned by Tucows, which also operates eNom and the domain reselling platform OpenSRS. Hover's website is clear and straightforward. A domain pricing page allows for checking registration costs before you start, or you can use the search box to immediately locate your preferred TLD (top-level domain). By default the results page displays every domain you can register and their prices, giving you a lot to scroll through and read. But a handy sidebar allows filtering domains by categories including Personal, Businesses, Audio and Video, Food and Drink, and more. It's a neat touch which could help you spot an appealing domain that you otherwise might have missed. Prices are very reasonable, with .com domains costing $12.99 for year one, .co.uk priced at $10.99, .org costing $13.99 and .mobi reaching $19.99. Shop around and you'll find slightly lower prices elsewhere, but Hover generally provides good value. There's a welcome bonus in Whois Privacy, which comes free for as long as the domain is managed by Hover. The company keeps upselling to a minimum, even in the final shopping cart stage. You're simply offered three email-related extras: email forwarding at $5 a year, a 10GB email account for $20, or you can opt for a 1TB inbox, file sharing, a calendar and more, for an annual $29. If you have any questions, support is available via email and chat, although it's not 24/7. Working hours are 8am to 8pm (Eastern Time) Monday to Friday, and 12pm to 5pm at the weekend. Most domain name registrars offer a simple identikit service with little to separate them from the competition, but Dynadot is an interesting exception which has some unusual advantages. This starts right at the beginning, with your initial search. You can use the website much like any other – type your preferred domain, press Enter, read the results – but you also get Bulk and IDN (Internationalized Domain Name) search tools, and advanced options allow defining which domain extensions to include in your searches, as well as setting those as defaults for all future searches. These searches can optionally return results from domain auctions, Dynadot's Marketplace (where other customers sell domains they no longer need) and other sources. There's also a Backorder option to try and grab a domain that isn't currently available, if it's not renewed. Prices are on the low side, with Dynadot offering both special deals on some extensions and good value at renewal. For instance, .com sites have the same initial and renewal price at $8.99. If you’re after a .co.uk domain, that’ll set you back $6.95, .org is $7.99 initially, $10.99 on renewal, and .mobi domains are $5.99 initially, $17.99 on renewal. That's just the start: Dynadot also piles on the free extras. A Website Builder allows you to build and host a simple one-page responsive website. There's free domain forwarding if you'd like to redirect visitors somewhere else. DNS support allows creating 50 subdomain records, 10 email addresses, and 5 each of MX and TXT records. There's even a Grace Deletion list which allows returning a domain if you change your mind. This requires a small fee and won't always be allowed (the details on how it works are here), but it's still a welcome extra you'll rarely find with other registrars. Dynadot's support wasn't always as impressive, with live chat being offline when we checked. But the website does have a publicly available forum, allowing anyone to browse common questions and see how happy (or otherwise) Dynadot's customers might be. Founded in 2000, Namecheap is a popular domain name registrar and web host which now manages more than five million domains. Namecheap's excellent website allows searching for individual domains, or in batches of up to 50. If the domain is taken, you can view the Whois record or offer to buy the domain (via DomainAgents) from the current user. If the domain is available, results are displayed across four tabs: Popular, New, Discounted and International. This is a neat approach which makes it easier to browse the list and find what you need. Prices are generally very good at $8.88 (£6.8) for .com domains - $12.98 on renewal, $6.88(£5.6) for .co.uk - $8.58 on renewal, $12.98 (£9.3) for .org - $14.98 on renewal, and $3.88 (£3.15) for .mobi ($17.98 on renewal). There are some special deals available, and Namecheap has an Agent 88 set of domains which are almost always available at $0.48 (£0.35) for the first year (these usually include the following: .site .website .space .pw .press .host .tech .online and .fun – but there may be others as well). That would be good value all on its own, but Namecheap doesn’t stop there: you get WhoisGuard domain privacy thrown in for free. Namecheap's billing is straightforward and honest, with current and renewal prices clearly described in your Namecheap shopping cart, and Auto-Renew turned off. But if there's something you don't understand, helpful FAQ pages and live chat are just a click or two away. Shopping around for a domain registrar can involve a lot of hassle as you research companies you've never heard of, try to separate genuine bargains from marketing tricks, and browse the small print looking for hidden catches. With potential savings only amounting to a few pounds or dollars a year, at best, you might prefer to simply sign up with a big-name provider that you know will give you a reasonable service, even if it does cost a fraction more. Enter Google Domains, Google's lightweight domain registration arm, a straightforward provider that puts speed and simplicity at the top of its priority list. Google Domains doesn't confuse you with endless sales, or 'special' deals that turn out to be not so special after all. Upselling is kept to a minimum. Instead, it's all about making the purchase process as easy as any other online shopping site: search, click, and check out. The difference is obvious from the moment you reach the site. There are no animated ads at the top of the page, no 'Sale!' banners, no low headline prices: just a search box where you enter a single domain. The results page is equally straightforward, with prices listed for nine common top-level domains, and an All Endings tab listing every option in alphabetical order (domain.academy, domain.bargains, domain.camera). One potential problem is that Google Domains doesn't support all the domain extensions you'll get elsewhere, and this includes some quite common examples (.mobi, .tv). If you think you might ever want to buy something beyond the most popular extensions, it’s a good idea to check that your likely choices are available before you buy. Prices are standardized to whole numbers, so for example .com, .co.uk and .org domains are all priced at $12. That's a little above average overall, but better than some, especially as Google Domains throws in free Whois privacy for as long as you're registered. That's a valuable extra which could cost $2.80 to $11.20 a year elsewhere. If you do have any questions, a Help link displays articles on common problems. If that's not enough, the Contact Us page enables talking to a support agent by email, live chat or telephone (Google calls you), the highest level of domain registrar support we've seen anywhere.
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| Apple WWDC 2020 starts June 22 – here's the full schedule Posted: 11 Jun 2020 10:15 AM PDT It’s official: Apple WWDC 2020 is starting June 22 in online-only format, and we now have a schedule for all the talks taking place at this year’s online version of the tech giant’s annual developer-focused show. Given it's an online-only show, no part of WWDC 2020 will cost money to experience, unlike the pricey tickets Apple sold to attend the event in-person. While the keynote and first day's videos will be free, the following content from June 23 to 26 will require viewers to be members of the Apple Developer Program; so long as you signed up before Apple's WWDC 2020 blog post went live, you can watch everything. After the WWDC 2020 keynote, which will go live at 10 AM PT / 1PM ET on June 22, a ‘Platforms State of the Union’ will go over ‘the latest advancements across iOS, iPadOS, macOS,’ and other operating systems – presumably giving an early look at what’s coming in the next versions of each. Even if you aren’t into software, these talks will give insight into the devices headed our way, like the iPhone 12 lineup expected to come later in 2020. Following those opening remarks, the WWDC 2020 schedule continues from June 23 to 26 with over a hundred engineering sessions led by Apple engineers diving into niche topics – which are aimed at developers, but could provide interesting insight into Apple devices to come. As previously stated, you'll need to be members of the Apple Developer Program to watch these. Developers can also request appointments with Apple engineers for 1-on-1 meetings, though you’ll have to be a member of the Apple Developer Program to sign up.
How to watch WWDC 2020While tickets to attend WWDC 2020 in person have been pretty expensive in years past, with limited video access for remote attendees, everyone’s watching from afar this year. The typically free-for-everyone keynote will stream live on June 22 on Apple’s website, the Apple TV app, YouTube, and through the Apple Developer app and website. To watch the following ‘Platforms State of the Union,’ you’ll need to log in to the Apple Developer app or website. Ditto for the engineering sessions, which will be posted as videos at 10am PT / 1pm ET the day they’re scheduled (June 23 to 26). Apple’s also planning to unveil its redesigned Apple Developer Forums on June 18 for anyone who wants to follow along or ask company engineers questions or start up some technical discussions. More info is coming ahead of the keynote via the Apple Developer app and website; developers who sign up for the Apple Developer program also get instructions over email.
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| Death Stranding system requirements point to a surprisingly adept PC port Posted: 11 Jun 2020 10:08 AM PDT Death Stranding is finally coming to PC next month, and the minimum and recommended PC requirements been revealed ahead of its imminent release. If you run the minimum requirements, you can expect the game to display in 720p and run at 30fps. You'll need to be using a Windows 10 machine with at least an Intel Core i5-3470 or AMD Ryzen 3 1200 CPU and a GeForce GTX 1050 3GB or AMD Radeon RX 560 4GB graphics card. 505 Games and Kojima Production have released two sets of recommended specs, one for playing Death Stranding in 1080p at 30fps, and one for playing 60fps.
For the former, you’ll need an Intel Core i5-4460 or AMD Ryzen 5 1400 processor, along with a GeForce GTX 1050 Ti 4GB or Radeon RX 570 4GB GPU. If you're looking to play Death Stranding at the best possible settings, your rig will need to be kitted out with Intel Core i7-3770 or AMD Ryzen 5 1600 CPU, and a GeForce GTX 1060 6GB or AMD Radeon RX 590 graphics card. No matter how visually-impressive your gameplay, all PCs installing Death Stranding will need at least 8GB of RAM, version 12 of DirectX, a DirectX sound card and a hefty 80GB of available storage. The specs released today don't mention anything about the game's ultra widescreen mode or 4K options, though it's safe to assume that running the game with those settings will require even more power. And, you better believe that we here at TechRadar will put the game through its paces, just like we did with games like Resident Evil 3 and Doom Eternal. Along with added support for ultrawide monitors, the long-awaited port of the third-person action game promises some other nice bonuses for PC players, including support a neat Photo Mode and some Half-Life bonus content. Originally slated for a June 2 release, the game will arrive on Steam and the Epic Games Store July 14 and it’s available to pre-order now. This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| PS5 vs PS4 Pro: will it be worth the upgrade? Posted: 11 Jun 2020 09:46 AM PDT PS5 vs PS4 Pro: which should you buy? As the PS5 launch date approaches, there's still the current mid-gen refresh, the PS4 Pro, to consider. This beefed-up PlayStation 4 released in 2016 and represents a decent chunk of the 100 million PS4s sold this generation. Plenty of base PS4 owners upgraded to the Pro for the 4K-ready horsepower, and it remains the best way to play exclusives like God of War, Uncharted 4, and Horizon: Zero Dawn. But now we're coming to the end of this generation, and the PS4 Pro vs PS5 dilemma is a worthy question. So, here's a breakdown of what we know about the two consoles so far, including their prices (or rumored prices), specs, and flagship games, to help you weigh up whether it'll be worth upgrading from the PS4 Pro to the PlayStation 5. UPDATE: The hour is, finally, almost upon us. Sony is hosting a PS5 games reveal event today, June 11, at 9PM BST/ 4PM ET / 1PM PT. Could this be the moment we not only get to see some PS5 games, but also a glimpse at the console itself, it's price and the PS5 release date? You can follow along with all the announcements that take place over on our PS5 games reveal live blog.
PS5 vs PS4 Pro priceThe most difficult thing about weighing up the PS5 price is that even Sony doesn't know it yet. That said, there are some ideas out there. It looks like the PS5 price won't be as bad as you think. PSErebus, who correctly estimated The Last of Us 2 release date, claimed in November 2019 that the PS5's RRP would be $499 (about £380 and AUS$745). And, while Sony admitting it didn't know the price of its upcoming box in February 2020 somewhat undermines the leak, this certainly wouldn't be a bad price considering the power of its rumored components. The leak puts the PS5 price at $100 more than the PS4 Pro launch cost of $399 (£349, AU$559), but Amazon currently lists the Pro for around $320, £300 and AU$484 in the US, UK, and Australia, respectively. That said, you can still do better than that. The PS4 Pro plunged to just £299 in the Black Friday PS4 sales when bundled with Death Stranding. Either way, the PS4 Pro is highly likely to be the cheaper option, and its price will tumble even more once its big brother releases later this year.
PS4 Pro vs PS5 specsThere's still plenty to find out about the PS5's internals, but here's what we know so far:
One of the highlights is the AMD GPU and CPU pairing. We've now learned officially that these will be a combination of eight Zen 2 CPU cores running at 3.5GHz and 36 compute units running at 2.23GHz to handle the graphics. The GPU will be capable of 10.28 TFLOPs. PS5 lead system architect Mark Cerny has also confirmed to Wired that the new hardware is capable of ray tracing. Seen in some of the prettiest PC games around, like Control, Metro Exodus, and Battlefield V, ray tracing is an innovative means of rendering light and shadows. But since every 'ray' of light has its own simulated source, only now has the power required been viable in a console. In other words, ray tracing is going to make the rumored God of War 2 and Horizon: Zero Dawn 2 look properly next-gen. And if that wasn't treat enough for your corneas, there's word of 8K support, too. But when it comes to whether you should choose between the 4K vs 8K consoles, know that 8K won't be a mainstream prospect for some years yet. Excellent news for PlayStation players is the PS5's solid state drive (SSD) – a long overdue upgrade that PC players have enjoyed for years. Games are claimed to load 19-times faster. And, although the SSD coming in the PS5 is only 825GB, Cerny noted that the faster speeds of the SSD mean developers won't need to duplicate data onto multiple parts games' files, thereby cutting down on wasted space. Meanwhile, the PS4 Pro is still held back by its ageing mechanical HDD. While the PS4's UI design felt seamless as you could easily pick up a game where you left off from standby or after visiting other apps, you'll eventually be envious of the few loading screens PS5 players will be enjoying. Even if you upgrade the PS4 Pro with an SSD, it won't be able to offer the same bandwidth available in the PS5. The Pro also doesn't have the 4K Blu Ray player that the PS5 will. Cerny also made clear to Wired that the PS5's audio will reach a new "gold standard" thanks to its upgraded audio engine. Sony is using the Tempest 3D audio tech to power the sound experience. It will be capable of handling hundreds of sound sources for impressive spatial audio, so you're going to want to invest in the very best gaming headsets. Cerny did mention that Sony is working on virtual surround sound for speakers as well, though. Meanwhile, here are the PS4 Pro's specs:
The refreshed mid-gen model proved a decent jump on the base PS4: it supports 4K streaming from Amazon and Netflix, but native 4K gaming isn't possible on all titles, and only then at 30fps. Naturally expect the PS5 to be a healthy power jump over the Pro, but if you're all about the best graphics, don't want a PC, and are platform agnostic, it's worth considering the most powerful console on the market today, the Xbox One X.
PS5 vs PS4 Pro gamesIf you buy a PS4 Pro now, we hope you've got some time off sorted: Bloodborne, God of War, Uncharted 4, The Last of Us, The Last Guardian, and Marvel's Spider-Man are exclusive to Sony's box, along with other killer multi-platform experiences like Red Dead Redemption 2 and Control. However, we still don't know much about the PS5 launch lineup. There's not much to get players excited yet, so it might be worth holding fire until there's something that really excites you. Here's what's confirmed (so far):
That said, PS5 backwards compatibility with the PS4 has been confirmed for the upcoming console. This means those that skip a generation won't miss out: it looks like you'll be able to play most PS4 games on the new box, since they're based on a similar architecture to the PS5. Sony has even said the PS5 will launch with support for most of the top 100 PS4 games.
PS5 vs PS4 Pro verdictWhile there's still plenty more to learn about the PlayStation 5 – the price being arguably the most crucial point – there's little reason to buy a PS4 Pro right now. Not only will the PS5 be the more powerful, faster box, but Sony's efforts to enable backwards compatibility means that even if you buy a PS5, it's likely you won't miss out on the PS4's finest experiences, and probably those older than that, too. If you've been waiting this long to buy your first PS4, you might as well do so a little longer and either skip a generation and buy a PS5, or take advantage of an even cheaper PS4 Pro once the newer console launches. That said, upgrading from a Pro is a tougher dilemma. The Pro already supports native 4K for many games at decent performance, and you'll need deep pockets for an 8K TV to fully benefit from the PS5's power. And that's only when 8K gaming is fully supported. As ever, early adopters pay a premium, so it's worth waiting for the next-gen exclusive you really can't do without.
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| PlayStation VR 2: all the latest PSVR 2 rumors Posted: 11 Jun 2020 09:32 AM PDT Sony is hosting its PS5 games reveal event today (June 11), and fans of PSVR will be hoping the company sheds some light on its plans for virtual reality. Sony has kept relatively quiet in terms of PSVR 2 and whether it exists, but we're keeping our fingers crossed that we get some new information about the headset during its event. The PS5 games reveal event will be available to watch on the PlayStation Blog – Sony's go-to spot for game announcements and stories about PlayStation-related news – or over on its YouTube channel at 1pm PST / 4pm EST / 9pm BST. With the PS4 and PS4 Pro life-cycles officially reaching their ends, and Sony confirming a "Holiday" release date for the PS5 , we can't help but wonder what Sony has in store as a successor to PlayStation VR. Could it be PSVR 2? What features will it include? We'll have to wait to find out more. Sony did technically release a second PSVR headset back in 2017: the CUH-ZVR2 added an HDR pass-through, integrated headphones and a smaller connective cord. But the true PSVR 2.0 could feature a much greater jump in specs that will take advantage of the PS5's next-gen hardware - upping its resolution, pixel quality and refresh rate. The main question is, will the PlayStation VR 2 simply improve on its predecessor’s visuals, or will it add features like inside-out tracking or even go wireless to compete with the premium technologies found in the ranges from Oculus (such as the Oculus Quest) and HTC? While Sony did officially divulge more details on the PlayStation 5's hardware, they didn't disclose what's next for the company in terms of virtual reality. We’ve got the latest rumors and industry insider info on what the PlayStation VR 2 could look like, its likely release date, potential backwards compatibility and much more. Moss on PSVR. (Image credit: Sony) Cut to the chase
PSVR 2 release dateIt’s almost certain that PSVR 2 will work exclusively with the PlayStation 5, but we now know we won't be seeing the next-generation Sony console until late 2020. That means we definitely won't see PSVR 2 until the end of 2020 at the very earliest and (more likely) at least 2021. If Sony mostly allocates its manpower to PS5 production, then the PSVR 2 could launch much later than the console’s release date - perhaps even years later. PlayStation VR launched three years after the PS4, after all. But the relative success of PSVR means that Sony is likely exploring the potential of a refreshed, next-gen headset. PSVR (Image credit: Sony)
Astro Bot Rescue Mission on PSVR. (Image credit: Sony) PSVR 2 news and rumorsPatent hints PSVR 2 controller could have finger sensors Published by WIPO (via 91mobiles), the newly published patent is for a controller device, shaped similarly to a Wii controller, with finger-tracking sensors that can determine which user is playing and the distance between the controllers themselves. "This controller device is worn on the hand of a user and includes: a plurality of sensor units that detect the fingers of the user; and a sensor support part that supports the sensor units," the patent description reads. "The sensor support part supports the sensor units so that the distance between adjacent sensor units can be changed." According to the patent, the controller will feature a strap for the wrist, a trigger button on the top and then a long, vertical strip with the finger sensors, so when a player's hand grasps the controller, their fingers cover the sensors. If this is the design of the new PSVR 2 controllers then it's welcome news, as we will be happy to see the back of the Move's colorful orbs. Plus, these streamlined gamepads should be more accurate at detecting in-game interactions due to its finger-tracking sensors. Could PSVR 2 be wireless? Sony Interactive Entertainment filed a patent earlier this year - which was approved on October 3, 2019 - with the United States Patent and Trademark Office titled 'Data processing'. This patent details a virtual reality headset with three built-in cameras - two at the front and one at the back - alongside motion detection technology. If that's not enough, it looks like the PSVR 2 headset could also be wireless, and boast a built-in power supply, microphone and its own video/audio signal source. In other words, no more plugging in headphones for sound or cables for imagery, with speakers built-in. This is a big change from the current PSVR headset that is wired, and lacks a built-in speaker and microphone, although the actual look of the potential PSVR 2 headset doesn't look far off its predecessor if the patent proves indicative of industrial design. The potential PSVR 2 headset could also be much better at movement tracking, according to the patent, with numerous LEDs positioned around the back of the headset to better allow any external tracker to gauge player movement. While the headset itself may be wireless, a separate camera (like the PlayStation Camera) may still need to be used to track these LEDs. We could also see the PlayStation Move controller getting an upgrade, including its own built-in camera, according to the patent – though its purpose is unclear at the moment, beyond suggestions of further motion tracking improvements. Next up is the potential addition of transparency mode. This would allow the headset the ability to show a certain amount of transparency when required, allowing the user to see their real-life environment. The purpose of this? To allow for AR applications, as well as a safety option, restoring the player's view of their immediate surroundings without the need to remove the headset. Leaked internal email - debunked In addition, the email states that "new investments have also been made in the VR sector of the company", with "numerous tests being carried out on the new PSVR 2 prototype". The email also states that "top management of the marketing team started planning official consultations on the official marketing presentation of the new PSVR 2 device before the start of the fiscal year 2021", suggesting PSVR 2 may not release until late 2020 or 2021. However, we've now passed that date with no official reveal or news from Sony. Live events? The first relates to live events. Sony's patent describes a scenario where a user is in attendance at a real world location, such as a sports stadium, with the headset "anchoring" them "to a physical location in the venue". They'd be surrounded by real-world attendees, letting them watch the event as if they were actually there. It sounds similar to other live VR applications, like Next VR, Melody VR or Oculus Venues. Buddies as NPCs These avatars could be true to life, or any sort of stylized representation they choose to submit. They could either choose to spectate in real-time in virtual reality, or show their support through a "pre-programmed" clip. Could it track eye movement and head motion? What will that do for VR? According to the Sony Interactive Entertainment patent, it will enhance immersion by refining what each eye sees - aka ‘parallax images’ - for improved stereoscopic depth. Sony is also developing tech to keep those images relative when you rotate/tilt your head. But there are other possibilities for eye-tracking in VR, including alternative control methods and/or interface options - which would be a great accessibility option for disabled gamers. Image credit: Sony/USPTO PlayStation VR 2 could fuel the future of Gran Turismo “The first thing that’s going to be affected by more power is VR,” Yamauchi told GT Planet. “I don’t think that there’s anything else that requires that much processing power. I really like VR; I’m one to believe in the possibilities of it, and it’s very suited for a driving game.” As Gran Turismo is a PlayStation exclusive series, it's likely that the future of the racing franchise will be fuelled by PlayStation VR and its likely successor: PlayStation VR 2. While Sony hasn't officially confirmed that PSVR 2 is in development, Yamauchi's comments suggest that the company will be leaning into VR in a big way when it comes to the upcoming PS5. “VR is something that really depends on the evolution of GPU power, and the hardware for it, like display devices even," Yamauchi continued. "It’s something where you can never have enough computing power; there’s always going to be that hardware limit, and that limit is never going to be high enough for us! Obviously that’s going to gradually improve over time and we’ll make sure to follow that.” Gran Turismo Sport (Image credit: Polyphony Digital) Current PSVR headsets will work with the PS5 Speaking to Wired, Mark Cerny (lead system architect at Sony working on the upcoming console) confirmed that all existing versions of the PlayStation VR will be compatible with the next-gen console. Whether there will be a new PlayStation VR 2 at launch is currently unclear. Cerny said, “I won't go into the details of our VR strategy today." While he didn't say that Sony won't be updating its virtual reality headset at the launch of the next-gen console, he was swift to clarify that it's worth buying an existing PSVR if you haven't already got one. He also said, "VR is very important to us and the current PSVR headset is compatible with the new console.” Backwards compatible Good news for glasses wearers? These Sony developed prescription glasses would be custom-designed for the wearer and gaze would be able to be detected by the VR headset via an encoded sensor. In other words, glasses-wearers could use VR much easier. We don't expect these glasses to come cheap, but the implementation of eye gaze software does mean we can probably expect it to arrive in the PSVR 2... PSVR 2 priceThe current PlayStation VR starter bundle retails for $200 / £259 / AU$420, but this affordable cost came after several price drops. The original price for a full bundle, $499 (£399, about AU$650), could give us a good idea of what Sony will charge for the PSVR 2 headset. Of course, this new headset will have some potentially expensive tech to go with the PS5’s increased potential. Japan Display (JDI), a LCD manufacturer co-run by Sony, recently unveiled its 3.2-inch, 1,001 pixels-per-inch (ppi) displays with 2160 x 2432 resolution. PSVR currently uses 386 ppi and 1920 x 1080 resolution for its one 5.7-inch screen. How pixel density can improve the VR experience. (Image credit: JDI) Adding better display quality, as well as doubling the screen count, could jump up the price. For comparison, a “premium” VR headset currently on the market is the HTC Vive Pro, which retails for $800, £800 or around AU$1,045. Depending on the PSVR 2’s hardware, Sony could choose to list it as a premium device. But, that would likely go against its brand of offering an affordable entry into VR. We’re hopeful Sony will avoid pricing all but the wealthiest among us out of VR.
We also spotted a patent for upgraded motion-control wands with finger tracking and haptic feedback. Higher-cost bundles of PSVR 2 may very well include these controllers for VR experiences that a DualShock controller can’t provide. The PS4 Pro will be over four years old by early 2021. (Image credit: Sony) All the updated hardware, design and accessoriesThe most concrete info we have on what PSVR 2 could be capable of comes from JDI’s announcement of its 3.2-inch display with 1,001ppi and 2160 x 2432 resolution. JDI claims that this display will reduce latency to 2.2msec (compared to >18msec today), allow for 120Hz (same as the PSVR 1), and demand less processing power to achieve better image quality—potentially unlocking a lighter, smaller design for the headset. The upgraded AMD Ryzen chip that Sony has implemented in the PS5 could certainly achieve the processing power necessary to support these displays. Credit: AMD Sony, which uses JDI’s screens for its smartphones, will very likely rely on these upgraded displays for its new headset. Considering we already found the PSVR 1’s design comfortable for long playing periods, this could make its heir apparent even more enjoyable to use. Of course, if the PlayStation VR 2 does go with dual displays, this will make the graphical demand for the headset much more difficult to achieve. For example, if Sony wanted 4K VR, then the PS5 would need to be capable of 8K output - which it will be. We do suspect that the PSVR 2 could go wireless, considering Sony prioritized cutting down the size and weight of the cord that connects the headset to the console in its PSVR 1 upgrade, it’s clear the company sees it as disruptive, even annoying. Removing it entirely is the logical next step. By doing so, Sony will also make it easier to support room-scale tracking for PSVR 2. Oculus and HTC have supported it for a couple of years now, and it’s one of the primary areas in which PSVR falls short of its competition. The PlayStation Camera does track your head and controller movements as you play while seated, but can struggle to keep track accurately if you move around (especially with your back to the camera), and our reviewers found that it frequently lost track of the controller even while motionless. Adding support for room tracking will only help Sony in increasing the size of its game library, as it will support more experiences that rely on wandering around a room. Of course, this could mean that the new PSVR 2 bundle will include a couple of room sensors to augment the Camera’s tracking – or opt for 'inside-out' tracking that uses onboard cameras in the headset to monitor the space around it. Most first-gen VR bundles came with the camera included, but none included 6DoF tracking sensors. (Image credit: Sony) We also suspect that Sony has plans to double down on Move controllers. A patent shows that it wants to compete with the Oculus Touch and Vive controller by adding improved tracking functionality to its Move wands. (Image credit: Sony) Sony’s most promising idea is its “reaction force generator”, which would have portions of the Move wand expand or contract based on whatever the user is currently “holding” in-game. This tech could make experiences feel more immersive than before, without having to give up on controllers entirely (see: Oculus’ haptic gloves).
PSVR 2: just what the VR industry needs?PlayStation VR hasn't met Sony's sales expectations, but its sales are nothing to sneeze at compared to the high-end VR headset competition, but Sony had expected the entire VR market to grow. Instead, Sony likely worries that VR will stay too niche to make the profits the company once hoped for. Kodera said Sony would have a more “realistic outlook” on what kind of future sales it can expect. Kodera’s statement implies that Sony remains committed to producing more VR devices. Unfortunately, the tepid VR market could mean Sony invests less time and money into future VR experiences. But, ideally, the PlayStation VR 2 and other next-gen headsets with better specs and fewer cords could revitalize the market and keep Sony fully on board with VR.
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| PS5 games: all the games confirmed and expected on the PlayStation 5 Posted: 11 Jun 2020 09:25 AM PDT PS5 games are about to be fully revealed for the first time. Well, okay, some PS5 games have been revealed already, but not those made by Sony's own studios. That's what we're expecting in today's imminent The Future of Gaming event, where we'll get a proper first look at next-gen titles coming to PlayStation 5 (here's how to watch the PS5 games reveal live stream).
So far, PS5 game reveals have been limited to third-party games, with Destiny 2 and Fortnite confirmed for Sony's next-gen console, along with titles like Watch Dogs: Legion and Assassin's Creed Valhalla. The Future of Gaming will likely show us what Sony plans to use as PS5 launch titles, which has so far remained a total mystery. We're also curious if games like The Last of Us 2 and Ghost of Tsushima to be cross-gen games, we can only speculate about what PS5 launch titles and exclusives are in the works for now. We saw 13 games introduced earlier at the Xbox Series X gameplay reveal and, while some will be heading to the PS5, others are explicitly Xbox exclusives. After the event, it was confirmed that Dirt 5, Chorus, Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines 2, and Scarlet Nexus are definitely headed to PS5, while other titles shown were less certain. We can't say exactly which PS5 games will be launch titles yet, then, but we should find out today. Until then, 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 gamesDestiny 2Destiny 2 will be coming to PS5, Bungie has announced. Purchasing the new Beyond Light expansion on PS4 will allow you to download the PS5 version for free, too. With a new expansion coming in 2022, too, this suggests that a full Destiny 3 is still some years away. FortniteFortnite was confirmed for PS5 in May 2020. It'll arrive at launch, and players can expect some kind of visual upgrade for the game. In mid-2021, the game will be migrated to Unreal Engine 5, too. WarframeLeyou Technology, parent company of Warframe developer Digital Extremes, has revealed that its free-to-play online sci-fi shooter Warframe will be coming to PS5 and Xbox Series X. In an earnings report by Leyou Technology, the company stated that it's "preparing to expand Warframe to more platforms, such as the next-generation consoles and other devices". However, there's no indication of when Warframe will land on PS5 or Xbox Series X. GothicAfter gauging interest with a playable teaser, developer THQ Nordic has confirmed that it's going to remake its 2001 cult classic and bring it to PS5. Nordic is planning to "stay as faithfully as possible to the original experience" and modernise gameplay mechanics but it's also promised fans that it'll be playing close attention to player feedback from the playable teaser; already the developer has said that it's hearing calls for a "grittier and less colourful world". Development is still in the very early stages, though, and we shouldn't expect to see it in 2020. Assassin's Creed ValhallaUbisoft has confirmed that the next chapter in the Assassin's Creed series is coming to PS5 and Xbox Series X. Assassin's Creed Valhalla sees players take on the role of Viking raider Eivor, who leads their clan from their native home of Norway to the the shores of Dark Ages England - with a hope of settling for good. But resistance from the Saxons won't exactly make it easy. This new Assassin's Creed game leans more into RPG elements, allowing players to build and management settlements, raid towns for resources, form alliances and even customize their character. We got our first look at Assassin's Creed Valhalla gameplay during the Xbox Series X gameplay reveal on May 7, with Ubisoft releasing a new trailer for the upcoming game - but it was a bit of a disappointment. Rainbow Six SiegeUbisoft has confirmed to Windows Central that it's planning for its online tactical shooter, Rainbow Six Siege, to be available on PS5 from launch day (whenever that launch day may be). In order to avoid forcing early next-gen adopters from having to leave their Siege friends behind, Ubisoft has also said that the game will support cross-generational multiplayer, so PS5 owners will still be able to play with their PS4 friends. 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." 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 gameThe announcement of a new Bluepoint game was the first time a company came out into the open and said that it is indeed developing a title for Sony's next-generation console. Bluepoint Studios is 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 did, however, make it more likely that Watch Dogs Legion will launch on the PS5 platform. And it will,as the news was officially confirmed by Ubisoft CEO Yves Guillemot at the end of 2019. Battlefield 6Electronic Arts has confirmed that Battlefield 6 is coming to Xbox Series X and PS5 in 2021. Speaking to GameSpot, EA said that Battlefield 6 will be "targeting new innovation that will be enabled by next-gen platforms". We're still largely in the dark about what Battlefield 6 is about, and whether it'll also be available on current-gen consoles, but we can't wait to find out more. 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. WRC 9It's been officially confirmed that the latest version of the FIA World Rally Championship will officially hit Xbox Series X and PS5. The racing title will release in September 2020 for PC, Switch, Xbox One and PS4, but will also release on next-gen consoles. “The introduction of new-generation gaming consoles is a wonderfully exciting step and we’re delighted WRC 9 will be the first rally game to become available to gamers on such platforms,” WRC Promoter managing director Oliver Ciesla said. According to the game's website, WRC 9 will feature rallies in Kenya, New Zealand and Japan from the 2020 WRC calendar, alongside over 400km of roads from all 13 scheduled rounds of the 2020 season. WRC 10 and WRC 11 have also been confirmed. Dying Light 2During an interview with Wccftech at E3 2019, developer Techland confirmed Dying Light 2 is set for next-gen consoles. "Techland always has an eye on the latest new toys!" Techland's chief technology officer, Pawel Rohleder, said. "To be more specific - yes, the plan since the beginning of production has been to make Dying Light 2 a cross-generation title." Dirt 5The racing franchise returns with Dirt 5 (stylized DiRT 5), which was introduced during the Xbox Series X gameplay reveal video and shortly thereafter confirmed to be coming to PS5 (and PS4, actually). Dirt 5 will surely showcase off-road racing in worldwide locations like previous games in the series. While we don't know much about the new title, we do know that the top dogs in male voice acting, Nolan North and Troy Baker, will both lend their talents to the game. ChorvsChorvs is another game introduced during the Xbox Series X gameplay reveal video, but its official YouTube trailer confirmed it's also coming to PS5 (and PS4). The futuristic starfighter shooting game follows Nara as she pilots her sentient ship Forsaken to destroy the cult she once belonged to. Wild! Its visuals evoke the moody red lighting of Control, but the combat feels a lot like Everspace and other arcade-style space shooters. Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines 2Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines 2 had already been announced for current consoles, but a new trailer was unveiled during the Xbox Series X gameplay reveal event indicating it was coming to that console. When that official trailer hit YouTube, we leanred it's coming to PS5 as well. Players take the role of a vampire in the World of Darkness, where undead like yourselves have the capability to entrance, hunt, and gruesomely kill humans. Plots, schemes, and action will change the balance of power in a shifting world. Neat! Scarlet NexusThe anime-styled hack-and-slash Scarlet Nexus was first revealed during the first Xbox Series X gameplay reveal video in May, but publisher Bandai Namco quickly announced the game would be coming to PS5 as well (and PS4, for that matter). The futuristic action game follows a humanity besieged by mutants (that look like flower planters with legs, sure) who can only be fought with psychic powers. In other words, the best part of Control in a stylized anime setting. Bandai Namco confirmed this is the first in a new franchise (likely subject to its success) that's being created by talent from the Tales Of series. 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 PS5. But we do know Cyberpunk 2077 will be releasing on Xbox Series X. Despite no official confirmation, CD Projekt seems to suggest, during an earnings call, that Cyberpunk 2077 will be coming to PS5 – we can't see why it wouldn't – but that the company is waiting for Sony to make the announcement first. “There’s no official announcement coming from PlayStation so we really can’t confirm or deny anything,” Nowakowski said. “It’s PlayStation that first needs to address these issues and then we’re happy to make a comment, but we can’t jump the gun ahead of them.” The company has also confirmed that Cyberpunk 2077 will still release in September and will be available on Xbox Series X "from the get-go", with an enhanced, next-gen version being released at a later date. If CD Projekt Red is planning to release an upgraded version of Cyberpunk 2077 for next-gen consoles, and is planning to release on PS5, then Sony would likely need a feature similar to Smart Delivery to implement this – as it appears this patch is more than a simple update, and is instead a full-blown upgrade. We can only speculate, but it would explain why Sony has held off confirming that the game is coming, perhaps until it itself reveals a forwards-compatibility feature. 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 TsushimaSuckerPunch'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 on July 17, 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 The The Last of Us: Part 2 was due to release on May 29, 2020; however, the game has been delayed until June 19, 2020. We think it's a safe assumption that any Sony exclusives coming in 2020 (or that were due 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 installation 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, Final Fantasy 7 Remake has not been confirmed to be a PS5 game but has released exclusively for PS4 - with an Xbox One and PC release likely in the future . Given the age of the PS4, and the ambitious nature of the game, Final Fantasy Remake on PS5 doesn't seem to be out of the question. Expect Final Fantasy 7 Remake Part 2 to land on Sony's next-gen platform too. 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. 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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| Ark: Survival Evolved and Samurai Shodown Neo Geo Collection are now free on the Epic Games Store Posted: 11 Jun 2020 09:24 AM PDT Ark: Survival Evolved and Samurai Shodown Neo Geo Collection are the latest free games available on the Epic Games Store. Both titles are available to download and yours to keep forever until June 18. Ark: Survival Evolved is probably the closest thing we’ll get to a true Jurassic Park survival game, as you battle and tame various prehistoric creatures who inhabit a remote island. You’ll need to craft, build a shelter and forge alliances with fellow players if you want to prosper.
Samurai Shodown Neo Geo Collection includes all seven Samurai Shodown games that were released on the Neo Geo console, and each game features some modern-day enhancements, such as online battle modes, a museum mode and a music player mode. More free games on the wayEpic has also revealed next week’s free games, which includes Pathway and The Escapists 2. Pathway is a strategy adventure game set in the 1930s great wilderness, while The Escapists 2 sees you attempt to break out of the toughest prisons in the world. Both titles will be available to download for free on June 18. In the past few weeks alone, Epic has given away some notable titles, including GTA 5, Borderlands: The Handsome Collection and Civilization 6.
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| Panasonic shakes up 2020 TV range with new budget OLED TV Posted: 11 Jun 2020 09:08 AM PDT Panasonic has announced a new addition to its 2020 TV range, the HZ980 OLED – and it's the closest the company has got to a budget OLED TV so far. The HZ980 is a distinct offering from the HZ1000 OLED TV, with a less advanced OLED panel, ditching the Master HDR panel of the HZ1000, HZ1500 and HZ2000 in order to bring down the price of an entry-level OLED. It's expected to launch in July. Retailing at £1,699 for its smallest 55-inch size, as well as a 65-inch model in tow, the HZ980 is a surprisingly competitive entry in the OLED market. For comparison, the newly-reviewed LG CX OLED starts at £1,499 for a 48-inch size, and costs £1,799 for a 55-inch size.
The HZ980 will feature the same HCX Pro Intelligent processor as its more premium siblings, meaning that functions like upscaling shouldn't see a drop in quality – though you will be making do with a simplified version of the HZ1000's Smooth Motion Drive Pro, called simply Smooth Motion Drive. It will come with Dolby Vision, HDR10+ and Dolby Atmos support, as well as Dolby Vision IQ to calibrate HDR output to the level of ambient light in the room. Both Filmmaker Mode and Netflix Calibrated Mode are supported as well. You'll also get HDMI 2.1 and eARC, as well as Google Assistant and Alexa integration. The hunt for affordable OLED TVsCompetition is ramping up for mid-price OLED TVs, with LG, Panasonic, Sony and Philips all working hard to offer OLED sets that are affordable without ruining what makes OLED TVs so good – as with the botched processing of the Hisense O8B OLED. The Sony A9G and LG CX both feature 48-inch sizes, which docks a couple of hundred pounds off the price compared to a 55-inch model. LG's BX isn't expected to launch until September, but it's likely to be even cheaper than (if not comparable with) the 48-inch CX too.
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| 6-core AMD Ryzen APU spotted: could this be a new budget champion? Posted: 11 Jun 2020 08:56 AM PDT A mid-range AMD Ryzen 4000 'Renoir' APU has been spotted in 3DMark ahead of its rumored arrival next month. Details of the listing, shared by Twitter tipster @TUM_APISAK, reveal that the AMD Ryzen 4400G will be a 6-core, 12-thread processor with a base clock of 3.7GHz and a boost clock of 3.3GHz. Details about the Ryzen 5 4400G’s onboard iGPU remain a mystery, though previous rumors suggested it would support seven Compute Units (CUs) with its engine clock set at 1.90GHz.
In 3DMark 11, where it was benchmarked with 8GB of DDR4-3200 RAM, the APU racked up a score of 10,241 in the physics test and 4,395 in the graphics test. Compared to the last-generation Ryzen 5 3400G, the AMD Ryzen 4400G falls short in the former, though it shows around a 9% uptick in GPU performance. These results are unlikely to reflect the final performance of the Ryzen 5 4400G, though. In fact, according to an earlier leak, AMD Ryzen 4000 desktop APUs could offer up to a 90% performance increase over last year's Ryzen 3000 processors. AMD’s Ryzen 4000 APUs will be based on Team Red’s Zen 2 CPU and Vega GPU architecture based on TSMC's 7nm process node and will be compatible with the existing AM4 platform. Meanwhile, the rest of the upcoming Ryzen 4000 series will be based on Zen 3. The lineup will be headed-up by the Ryzen 7 PRO 4700G, an 8-core, 16-thread APU was spotted with default clocks set at 3.6GHz and boost clocks running at 4.45GHz. The Ryzen 5 4400G will sit in the middle, while the 4-core, 8-thread Ryzen 3 4200G will round off the lineup as an entry-level option. When they debut later this year, likely alongside AMD's Zen 3-based Ryzen 4000 CPUs, incoming Ryzen 4000 in entry-level desktops and all-in-ones due to their integrated graphics capabilities. This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Nintendo Switch back in stock at Very - but move fast Posted: 11 Jun 2020 08:44 AM PDT The Nintendo Switch is back in stock at Very today, after varying inventory levels over the past week. With bundles and other Nintendo Switch deals on offer over the past few days, it doesn't look like stock is slowing down, however we'd move fast to secure your console. Both of the last shelf refreshes over the last few days sold out pretty quickly. You'll find the Nintendo Switch in stock at Very for £279.99 right now. We'd move fast on this one therefore, as we've been seeing Nintendo Switch stock flash in and out in less than 30 minutes before. We don't know how long this inventory will last, so if you've had your eye on the full console over the last few months you'll want to snag yours quickly. It's been a long time coming, but this latest Nintendo Switch stock may just be the start of the console's return to our shelves, but for now, this is going to be an incredible race to the checkout. Not in the UK? You'll find the latest Nintendo Switch Lite bundle deals still available further down the page. Nintendo Switch in stock at VeryNintendo Switch stock run out? Here's where you can grab a Switch Lite in the UK and USWe're tracking all the latest Nintendo Switch deals and sales right here on TechRadar, but if you're struggling to find more stock you'll want to check out our guide on where to buy a Nintendo Switch. This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Best CDN providers of 2020 to speed up any website Posted: 11 Jun 2020 08:44 AM PDT A content delivery network (CDN) works to accelerate almost any website by caching its files in servers around the world. Whether your visitors come from Europe, North America, Asia or anywhere else, content is automatically served from the nearest location for the fastest possible speeds. If you're new to the technology then it might seem intimidating, and there's no doubt that prices can be high, but don't let that put you off. A CDN is not just for massive corporations. You can set up the simplest services in less than five minutes, and if you choose your plan wisely, it might not cost you anything at all. Whatever your website, from a simple blog to a sprawling site for a big business, we've picked out some of the best services around to help point you in the right direction. If you find anything that looks interesting, give it a try – you can explore many of these CDNs for free, without handing over payment details or signing up for any contract.
Cloudflare is a hugely popular American content delivery service that combines novice-friendly ease of use with expert-level features and functionality. Setup is simple, with no need to edit your code. Just update your DNS nameservers to use Cloudflare and the service kicks in automatically, caching content and serving it to visitors from their nearest location. But there's much, much more. Web filtering can block bots, limit content spam, keep you safe from hackers or detect and mitigate DDoS attacks. Smart image optimizations can reduce image file sizes by up to 35%, further improving speeds. There's wide support for standards like IPv6, HTTP/2 and SPDY, clever page rules to help you manipulate traffic, and a REST API allows developers to take full control of what the service is doing. Also, Flan Scan, a lightweight network vulnerability scanner is thrown in the mix too. Cloudflare's free plan allows you to see what the service can do, without making any commitments. It's very usable, with unlimited bandwidth and no annoying restrictions to try and force you to upgrade. Upgrading to the Pro plan costs a reasonable $20 (£16) a month, and adds the image optimization rules, extra configurability and improved support. Whatever you choose, Cloudflare delivers great performance. As we write, the benchmarking site CDNPerf ranks Cloudflare at eight place for worldwide HTTP request response times out of a field of 20 top CDNs. Fastly provides CDN tricks for some really big organizations, including the likes of Spotify and Reddit, and the firm lives up to its name, delivering impressively fast performance levels. Going by the rough guideline of CDNPerf’s rankings, it’s the second fastest CDN for the UK, and worldwide speeds are mostly good, too. Perhaps Fastly’s strongest point, however, is just how configurable the service is. For example, there’s diverse support for different types of video caching, and tons of low-level controls for those who want to get stuck into the likes of manipulating HTTP headers to customize how content is served. Of course, some know-how is required to set up everything, and novices to the CDN world will doubtless be confused by all the options on offer. But for those who need this level of flexibility and configurability, it’s priceless to have. Speaking of the price, Fastly operates a pay-as-you-go model with a minimum charge of $50 (£37) per month. In addition, you can test up to $50 of traffic for free. KeyCDN is an easy-to-use budget CDN that might be a good pick for first-time users. Getting started couldn't be much simpler. Sign up with your email address and you get an immediate 25GB to play with, no payment details required. A well-designed web dashboard enables creating your first zone with the minimum of clicks, and there are guides to help you integrate the service with WordPress and other apps. Worth mentioning is that as of late November 2018, KeyCDN fully supports IPv6. More experienced users will appreciate options like Origin Shield – this allows you to specify a KeyCDN server to be the source for updates rather than the origin, reducing your server load. You're able to manipulate headers, cache or strip cookies, or set up a custom robots.txt. Once the service is running, a capable set of reporting tools enable watching CDN performance in near real-time. Also, all customers have access to Image Processing feature, which is great for image optimization. KeyCDN's standout feature has to be its low prices. Bandwidth charges start at $0.04 (£0.032) per GB, less than half the price you'll pay with some of the high-end competition. The minimum usage is a tiny $4 (£3.2) per month and the minimum payment is $49 (£38). The company doesn't even try to cash in on the extras, for example offering shared SSL and custom Let's encrypt SSL certificates for free. Perhaps unsurprisingly, these low prices don't get you leading-edge performance, but there's still plenty of power here and you do get a lot for your money. MetaCDN is an Australian company which combines the CDNs of Amazon Cloudfront, Fastly and Verizon's EdgeCast into a single speedy service. Why? It's all about performance. When a visitor accesses your site, MetaCDN has three networks and more than 120 locations to choose from – way more than anyone else. In other words, there’s a much greater chance any visitor will have a server near them. This matters because every CDN delivers its best performance in different areas. EdgeCast scores highly in North America, for instance, but Fastly is quicker in the UK. MetaCDN automatically chooses the best network for every visitor's location, giving you the best of all worlds. This approach does have a catch. When you sign up with a single CDN, you can get access to all its individual settings and options, but combining three means you only get settings which apply to all of them (for obvious reasons). Which essentially means MetaCDN has barely any configuration options at all. (Check the Support site to get a rough feel for how the system works.) Still, MetaCDN is nicely user-friendly and it could be a good pick if speed is your top priority. Pricing is complicated (although not bad for access to enterprise-level CDNs) and there are three plans, Basic, Lite and Pro. The most popular one, Lite, is $50 on a monthly basis (you can also choose a yearly rate, for a $39 a month). This CDN provider focuses mainly on the West, with 14 points of presence (PoPs) in North America, and nine in Europe. There are only five PoPs in Asia, and two in Australia and South America (Brazil). StackPath is user-friendly, complete with a straightforward web console to manage your settings, and if you do get stuck, there’s extremely efficient technical support available via either live chat or phone. Performance seems good in the US and UK, and indeed Europe, but further afield you may see things tail off a bit, which is hardly a surprise given StackPath’s aforementioned focus on Western nations. Another strength here comes on the security front, with this CDN giving users free shared SSL (or the option to use your own SSL certificate, if you prefer). There’s also anti-DDoS technology, a capable Web Application Firewall, and EdgeRules, a powerful tool that lets you customize the behavior of StackPath's CDN at different phases of the CDN request. All in all, this is a tempting offering with a baseline plan that charges $20 (£15.5) for up to 1TB of bandwidth per month. The first month is also free. One of the oldest and most popular providers, Akamai offers a great CDN service and according to the company they serve up to 30% of all internet traffic. Being one of the oldest providers their server coverage is impressive with around 275,000 servers in over 135 countries. Akamai also provides great 24/7 customer support which is to be expected from someone this long in the business. Setting up might be a bit problematic for newbies though. This doesn’t mean newbies can't do it or that they would have much trouble, it’s just that the whole service is more leaned toward advanced users, generally speaking. Akamai has a good number of features and the performance is quite impressive, among the best in fact. For instance, the benchmarking site CDNPerf ranks Akamai among top five worldwide. Pricing is a bit tricky, as there is no definitive information to be found on their website. This just means you’ll have to contact them directly to get the exact quota. Thankfully, they are easy to contact and you can do it by live chat, email or phone. Amazon CloudFront is the CDN facet of AWS (Amazon Web Services), so it’s certainly part of a heavyweight operation. And indeed CloudFront offers a raft of advanced features as you might expect, and you can customize all manner of things such as enabling automatic GZip compression for better speeds. Another strength here is the in-depth analytics on tap, showing you details of your visitors’ device type, OS and so forth. There’s also the handy ability to set up alerts, meaning you can be warned when data transfer usage goes above a certain level. The downside to all the options on offer is that relative novices to the CDN world may find CloudFront’s control panel a little intimidating, at least initially. The other slight sticking points are that calculating pricing can be a rather tricky matter, and if you aren’t an experienced user familiar with CDN basics, tech support isn’t free – if you need help, you’ll have to fork out for it. Prices vary depending on region, but the good news is there’s a free tier (which gives you 50GB of data per month for one year). Performance levels are fairly average, too, but there’s no denying the power and configurability that Amazon offers to the slightly more tech-savvy user. As you’re doubtless aware, Microsoft Azure is a big old stack of integrated cloud tools for building and managing applications and services, with a wide range of coverage including a CDN offering, which is what we’re focusing on here, naturally. Note that this doesn’t use Microsoft’s own edge servers, but rather three plans that use other CDN networks: Standard Akamai, Standard Verizon, and Premium Verizon. We fully discuss these various plans in our review of Microsoft’s CDN service, linked below, but suffice it to say that in terms of pricing – which can be somewhat confusing to work out – this isn’t the cheapest offering around. Still, those who want integration with other Microsoft technologies and services may well find the price worth paying. You get a web dashboard that is absolutely crammed with features, although as ever, this means it’s not particularly easy to use for beginners (and the setup process is pretty involved, too). Performance levels are impressive, and at the time of writing, according to CDNPerf, Azure CDN is the third fastest content delivery network in the US and fourth worldwide. This has to be a tempting prospect if you’re using other Azure services, or if you’re a developer who will appreciate the likes of .NET or PowerShell management features. You can create a free account and get started with 12 months of free services. CDN77 is a big-name player in the content delivery game, with some heavyweight clients signed up including the European Space Agency. It has an expansive CDN network with over 30 data centers across the globe, with many of those in Europe and the US, but there are also locations in South America, Asia and one in Australia. The web console interface is very streamlined and keeps any jargon to a minimum, making it suitably user-friendly for novices to the CDN world. The flipside of this is that there aren’t a huge amount of options, although you can do some tweaking of various settings. In terms of performance, CDN77 is solid enough, and it ranks as a lower-to-mid pack player that’s unlikely to disappoint, but certainly isn’t the fastest CDN network we found when reviewing these various services. You get a free Let's Encrypt SSL certificate, and CDN77 is pretty good value for money overall in terms of its per-GB pricing, although it’s not the cheapest outfit we’ve highlighted here. Pricing starts at $0.049 per GB of data for US and European locations, with Asia and Latin America being more expensive. If you want to test the waters, there’s a 14-day risk-free trial, and you don’t need to supply any payment details for this. If you need a powerful CDN, look no further than Leaseweb, an enterprise-level operation which is still suitable for regular business users – just about, although we should say upfront that it isn’t cheap, as you might imagine. Pricing starts at $113 (£88, €99) per month for an entry-level plan with a 2TB data allowance, the good news being that even with this ‘basic’ subscription, you get all the same security and CDN features as the heavyweight enterprise plans. That being said, you might need to contact them for exact price due to recent website changes they made. That includes a smartly designed console for overseeing your CDN needs, complete with an extensive raft of potential settings and tweaks, featuring many options you don’t get with your average service (like the ability to set the cache-control header, or determine how long to cache 404 responses). There’s also an in-depth statistics section which displays graphs and charts showing many interesting stats, such as visitor and traffic breakdowns, cache performance and the top file types which are seeing action. The one somewhat bleak spot is Leaseweb’s performance, which seems somewhat off the pace going by CDNPerf’s findings, although it’s difficult to gauge exactly what results you’ll get in practice. Users who want a powerful range of features in their CDN could give the 30-day trial a go to find out.
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