There’s a possibility that Sony’s PlayStation 5 may be crackable at some point in the future.
Over the weekend, well-known hacking group FailOverflow tweeted that it was able to get its hands on the PS5’s root key, which then allowed the console’s firmware to be decrypted. FailOverFlow was the first group to get through the PS3’s security features back in 2010.
The Verge also reported that Andy Nguyen, a security engineer at Google that goes by the online handle @theflow0, accessed the console’s debug settings. Though not directly related to FailOverFlow’s efforts, this is another example of someone circumventing Sony’s security software.
Though these exploits don’t mean much yet, in the future, it could eventually lead to hackers having more access to the PS5’s software, allowing it to be reversed-engineered. While this would allow the installation of emulators, Linux and homebrew software to be installed on the PlayStation 5, it will also, unfortunately, lead to game piracy.
It’s important to remember that Sony is likely aware of these hacks and is working to patch them. In a sense, exploits like this are inevitable and happen whenever a video game console releases. Whether it’s running emulators on the Xbox Series S/X or jailbreaking the Switch, life always finds a way.
Following the overcrowded, dangerous mess that was Astroworld, Fortnite has decided to remove a music emote from the item shop that featured Travis Scott.
As reported by EuroGamer, The “Out West” emote, inspired by Scott’s song “Out West,” has been pulled from the Fortnite Item Shop. In fact, the whole subsection of the Item Shop that displayed the dance emote has vanished.
The emote was supposedly on sale in conjunction with Scott’s music festival Astroworld, which was cut short due to the death of eight people. As of Tuesday, at least 18 lawsuits have been filed in the aftermath of the overcrowded event that took place in Houston, Texas.
Fortnite fans have mostly applauded the removal of Scott’s emote from the item shop. However, there is no restriction in place to prevent existing owners from wearing the skin in-game.
As of now, it appears that the “Out West” emote was the only Travis Scott item removed from the shop, and it is currently unknown whether Epic Games will remove other Travis Scott emotes or skins in the future.
Alongside Fibit’s reveal of the new Charge 5 fitness tracker in August, the company announced a new ‘Daily Readiness’ feature coming to several of its trackers and smartwatches. Daily Readiness is now rolling out to users.
First, Daily Readiness is part of the Fitbit Premium subscription, so those without the subscription won’t have access to the feature. Even if you have Premium, you’ll also need a Fitbit Sense, Versa 2 or 3, Charge 5, Luxe or Inspire 2 device to use it.
Daily Readiness leverages data from users’ Fitbit devices to provide a personalized score each morning indicating how ready the body is for exercise. Depending on the score, the Fitbit app can make recommendations about how best to exercise — or if you should exercise at all.
The score pulls data about users’ activity, heart rate variability (HRV) and sleep patterns to help determine the score. Fitbit says the score is built on “proven research” and that it can help improve users’ overall fitness by helping them mix high-intensity workouts and active recovery.
Image credit: Fitbit
To start using Daily Readiness, you’ll need to ensure your Fitbit app is up to date (version 3.50+ on Android or 3.49+ on iOS). With an up-to-date app, a Premium subscription, and a supported Fitbit wearable, you should see a new Daily Readiness card on the ‘Today’ screen in the Fitbit app.
To start using the new feature, however, users will have to navigate a short onboarding process. This includes providing consent to use the feature. Additionally, you’ll have to allow four days for Daily Readiness to calibrate. Once calibrated, Daily Readiness will show a score every morning (Sense and Versa 3 users will be able to see the score on-wrist) along with tips about how they should aim to exercise that day. Additionally, Daily Readiness will show a personalized Active Zone Minutes target and suggested Premium in-app workouts based on the score.
Those interested can learn more about Daily Readiness here.
November 15th marks 20 years since the first Xbox and Halo: Combat Evolved was released, and Microsoft is celebrating the occasion with a video stream. Here is how you can participate in the festivities that are set to feature trivia games, rewards, giveaways and updated membership badges.
This event will allow the brand and die-hard Xbox fans to reflect on the last 20 years while pondering what the future holds for the console line. It’s important to note that Xbox has confirmed that no new game announcements will be made during this stream.
The event will air on Monday, November 15th at 10am PT/1pm ET on the official Xbox channel on YouTube, Twitch, or Facebook. The broadcast can be accessed globally with subtitles in over 25 languages, including German, French, Spanish, Chinese, Korean and Hindi. The broadcast will also be broadcasted with American Sign Language (ASL) and Audio Descriptions (AD) in English on the official Xbox YouTube channel.
Further, if you register for the Xbox FanFest, you’ll be able to participate in a special trivia event that’ll test you on your Xbox knowledge. The event will take place on Saturday, November 13th at 2pm PT/5pm ET. It’s worth noting that registration for the FanFest ends at 11:59pm PT 2:59am ET on November 9th. The event will also host a bunch of giveaways. However, you need to have registered for the FanFest to win.
Lastly, membership badges for Xbox Live Gold and Game Pass Ultimate, which are visible on Xbox profiles, are being updated for the 20th anniversary. “The old badges which showcase how long you have been a member of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate or Xbox Live Gold will be replaced with a colorful new badge,” reads Xbox’s blog.
“No other changes are being made to the membership badges aside from the artwork, so the number shown on your badge will still be determined the same way as it is today. The new colorful versions of the membership badges will start rolling out in the next week, leading into the November 15 celebration.”
NBCUniversal has announced that Hayu’s ad-free video-0n-demand service is now available directly on LG TVs running webOS 4.0 through webOS 6.0.
The Hayu app offers a wide variety of programming with over 300 series and 8,000 episodes, all of which are now available directly on LG Smart TVs in 27 countries, including Canada.
Hayu offers a range of on-demand all-reality shows, including The Real Housewives, Below Deck and every season of Keeping Up With the Kardashians.
You can try out Hayu for free with a seven-day trial, after which you’ll be charged $5.99 CAD per month.
Facebook Meta has teamed up with Canadian-based Indigenous artist Alanah Astehtsi Otsistohkwa (Morningstar) Jewell to make new global stickers for Instagram, Messenger, Messenger Kids, as well as one for Instagram Shops, in celebration of Native American Heritage Month.
Those in Canada and all around the world can use Jewell’s stickers during the month from their sticker tray.
Meta says its initiative builds on its work to support Indigenous communities in Canada by making a “celebratory, respectful and empathetic environment.”
The symbols and themes in Jewell’s art derive from conversations she’s had with her global community of Indigenous creators on Instagram.
Jewell is an illustrator, painter and muralist and organizes local Indigenous Art Markets through @IAmKitchener on Instagram.
Microsoft is celebrating Native American Heritage Month by highlighting games, movies and TV inspired by Indigenous creators, cultures and protagonists around the world on Xbox and Windows.
The Microsoft Store on Xbox and Windows in countries like Canada, Brazil, Argentina, Australia, Colombia, the UK, the US and more can find Indigenous community picks by searching for “Indigenous” in the Stores.
This past week, Netflix officially made its next large leap into the video game industry. The Netflix Games umbrella has now arrived on Android devices, giving us a first look at what the streaming goliath may bring to the table.
For the past few days, I’ve dedicated some time to explore the five mobile games available at launch. On November 3rd, Netflix released the following titles: Stranger Things: 1984, Stranger Things 3: The Game, Shooting Hoops, Card Blast, and Teeter Up. All of these games are now available to download and play for free as long as you have an active Netflix subscription and are able to sign in to your account.
From a development and publisher perspective, Netflix partnered with a Texas-based studio BonusXP to develop Stranger Things: 1984 and Stranger Things 3: The Game. Shooting Hoops and Teeter Up stem from publisher Frosty Pop. Rounding out the bunch are Amuzo & Rogue Games, who brought Card Blast to life.
Across the five titles, Netflix Games currently ranges from casual to more immersive experiences. Let’s take a look at each game to see just how successful the first wave of Netflix Games is for the mobile market.
Stranger Things: 1984 (formally known as Stranger Things: The Game) is a pretty robust pixel-based adventure game centred around Netflix’s premier Stranger Things series. It’s packed with retro nostalgia, not solely based on the material but also how the game looks and plays. You can play as a number of core characters, solve puzzles, defeat enemies, and cruise around the city of Hawkins. I had a lot of fun with this one as it invokes a lot of NES-era energy.
As for Stranger Things 3: The Game, the game still holds a very retro feel while playing. However, the scope of the game is a bit more expansive. The game serves as a companion piece to the third season of the series. You can play as one of 12 characters and team up with friends for some classic beat ‘em up action. The game offers some really unique puzzles. Fans of the show will also appreciate some of the character moments depicted in the game.
Teeter is a game that is not based on an established Netflix IP. Here, you’ll balance a ball on a board and try to guide it into a hole by tapping the screen to raise the board. It’s simple in concept but challenging in execution, as the game throws more physics-based puzzles into the mix. While still remaining on the casual side, I had some brainless pop-in and pop-out fun with this game.
Next up is Shooting Hoops. At first glance, I was positive that this game was based on the short-lived animated series Hoops, starring Jake Johnson. However, once I started playing, I quickly realized that the game wasn’t based on the Netflix IP at all. In the game, you must sink a basketball strapped with a dart gun into a hoop. The ball will bounce in the opposite direction of which you tap on the screen. There’s a steep learning curve that threw me off the game initially. Over time, I did get a hang of it but the game wasn’t engaging enough to stick with past a dozen or so levels.
Finally, we have Card Blast, Netflix Games’ last offering. Once again, this game isn’t based on a series or movie. Card Blast is a thinly veiled ‘match-three’ type game. As a random hand of cards floats across the screen, you must pair cards together to make the best poker hands possible. Points are determined by whether you can form a flush, pair, three of a kind, or straight. Power-ups can also be collected to improve scores or freeze the cards from moving across the screen. Some puzzle elements are interesting, but this was another title that failed to keep my attention for all too long.
As far as the Stranger Things content goes for Netflix Games, the offering is pretty solid. BonusXP put a lot of thought and care into their games. Though, a lot of why its games stand out is attributed to the fact that both titles were developed and published outside of the Netflix Games launch. Stranger Things: 1984 was first launched in 2017, while Stranger Things 3: The Game followed in 2019. It’s only the three unestablished titles that are truly new to the mobile ecosystem.
It’s admittedly a little disappointing that Netflix Games didn’t release a new must-play experience based on something recently in the zeitgeist. Stranger Things content is always welcome in my life but we’re currently in an extended lull between seasons. If I was looking for something more involved outside of that IP, Shooting Hoops, Card Blast, and Teeter Up sadly aren’t going to give that to me. Netflix thankfully has a lot of interesting IPs to work with. The possibilities are endless with the likes of Squid Game, The Queen’s Gambit, Big Mouth and others up its sleeve.
That said, Netflix Games does show promise. Netflix has ensured players that the games released will range and cater to beginning players to the more established. Also, it’s clear that ads, microtransactions, time gating, and other nefarious tactics commonly seen on the mobile market won’t be included in the games. Netflix has also confirmed that some of its games can be played offline, though there will be those that require an LTE/Wi-Fi connection.
Mike Verdu, vice president of Netflix’s Game Development branch, has made it clear that the company will be adding to the “entertainment offering in the months ahead.” In September, it was announced that Netflix acquired its very first game development studio, Oxenfree maker Night School Studio, to become the first major supporting team in its pursuit of establishing itself in gaming. Not much is known on what the studio will be working on or if it will even be a mobile game. However, the prospect of a game based on a Netflix IP in the same vein as Oxenfree or After Party is very tantalizing.
Currently, the Netflix Games catalogue is only available on Android devices. iOS support is said to be “on the way.” However, details on when Apple users can dive in have not been announced by Netflix.
Employees who work for the Toronto Transit Commission may have had their personal information stolen in a company-wide cyber attack.
The agency says that up to 25,000 employees might have had their names, addresses and SIN numbers compromised when the transit agency was hacked a few weeks ago. On top of that, the transit authority is also looking into whether any businesses and customers might have also been affected.
The only silver lining that the TTC has provided is that it is “very important to note that, at this time, there is no evidence that any of the personal information that was accessed has been misused.” Do with that what you will.
The TTC was attacked on October 29th, and the hackers began by messing with vehicle tracking systems, online booking portals, internal emails and more. The agency has been working to resolve the issues and has said that it’s been notifying affected individuals. It’s also providing credit monitoring and theft protection as it deems appropriate. This seems like a bit of a weak response from a company whose employees now have to worry about identity theft.
There will be compatibility differences depending on which device you’re using to run the game.
The max resolution for PC is up to 3840 x 2160p with up to 60fps, support for HDR and ray tracing via a patch.
On PS4 it’ll run 1920 x 1080p with up to 30fps; on PS4 Pro it’ll support 30fps and up to 3200 x 1800p max resolution; and on PS5, it’ll run at 3840 x 2160p resolution, up to 60fps and raytracing via a patch.
Lastly, on Xbox One (Xbox One S) the game will run at up to 1600 x 900p, with 30fps and does not support HDR. Further, n Xbox One X it’ll support 3840 x 2160p max resolution and 30fps. On the Xbox Series X it’ll offer up to 2560 x 1440p max resolution and 60fps and, lastly, on the Series X it will run the game at 3840 x 2160p max resolution and up to 60fps. The Xbox One X, Series S and Series X all support HDR while the Series X also supports ray tracing.
Bandai Namco also notes that the PS4 version can be ported to PS5 and your saved data will transfer, but it’s a one-way street so you can’t go back and forth. Xbox platforms will offer cross-generational compatibility which will let you play across both.
We got a look at 19 minutes of the upcoming title that you can check out here. More news about the game will also break when the Closed Network Test goes live this Friday at 6am ET. Elden Ring launches on February 25th, 2022.
