Tag: gaming

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Stadia players plead to Google to expand wireless Stadia controller support

Following the announcement and confirmation that Google is shutting down its cloud-based gaming service Stadia next year, fans are asking the tech giant to expand wireless support for the controller.

Last week, Google informed Stadia players that on January 18th, the platform’s servers are going offline. Alongside this announcement, the company confirmed it’s providing refunds for hardware and software through the Google Play Store. Additionally, Google doesn’t require players to return the hardware to claim a refund.

With this in mind, fans of the Stadia controller have taken to the Google Stadia subreddit to plead with Google, asking the tech giant to update the gamepad to enable wireless use without the need for Stadia or Chromecast. The goal is for the Stadia gamepad to live on as a third-party wireless controller with universal Bluetooth support.

Players can currently use the Stadia controller as a wired gamepad on several platforms, including PCs, Macs and smartphones. However, the gamepad does not support wireless Bluetooth.

Even if Google was unwilling to fulfill the request to update the controller and enable universal Bluetooth, there could still be an option. Some are hoping Google provides a solution to open source the controller’s firmware, which in theory, would allow the feature to be added by Stadia users.

We’ve seen the untimely demise of both hardware and software in the past. In the case of Google Stadia, the writing was on the walls for quite some time. Although the cloud-based gaming technology worked to a certain degree, game support always remained lacklustre.

While it’s hard to gauge how many Stadia controllers there are in the wild, there’s no harm in using them elsewhere, especially since Google doesn’t want to go through the hassle of asking players to return the controller.

Source: Game Developer

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Modders have finally been able to jailbreak the PlayStation 5

The PlayStation 5 has been on the market for nearly two years, and the console has finally been jailbroken. Skilled modders have revealed the jailbreak online alongside its many limitations.

A modder that goes by the name SpecterDev publicly disclosed the jailbreak on GitHub, revealing that it’s an experimental IPV6 kernel exploit that also utilizes a WebKit vulnerability.

However, SpectreDev does note that there are some limitations. Preventing many from replicating this jailbreak, the PlayStation 5 must be running firmware version 4.03 or earlier. This version of the console’s firmware dates back to last October and was replaced by 4.50 in December. Because of this, most PS5s currently out there won’t be able to run this exploit.

Modders who are able to successfully jailbreak the PlayStation 5 are able to access the console’s debug menu. In addition, modders are able to install games from outside the PlayStation Store. However, sideloaded software isn’t able run.

Another modder known as Lance McDonald was also able to jailbreak the PlayStation 5. Afterwards, McDonald successfully installed the now delisted P.T. demo. However, the demo for Hideo Kojima’s cancelled Silent Hills wasn’t able to start. The jailbreak exploit enables read/write access but isn’t able to execute sideloaded files. This limitation means that the dream of playing P.T. on contemporary hardware is once again dead.

Seeing relatively new hardware being jailbroken is always an impressive feat. However, given the number of restrictions and limitations, it’s unlikely many people will want to go through the multistep process to get it up and running.

The modders also throw out a word of caution, emphasizing that the exploit works only roughly 30 percent of the time and requires multiple attempts.

The last major advancement in PlayStation 5 modding came last year after a modding group gained access to the PS5’s root key, allowing the console’s firmware to be decrypted.

As with any story regarding modding, it’s important to note that there is always a risk of the exploit bricking the console. Additionally, Sony could track down and ban the account of modders as well.

Source: @SpecterDev, @manfightdragon Via: Engadget

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Sony reportedly doesn’t expect supply issues for PS VR2

Sony is putting a lot of resources into PlayStation VR 2, according to a new report from Bloomberg. The report indicated that Sony is looking to launch around two million PS VR2 units by March 2023. This means the company is putting nearly a third of the total PS VR unit sold on sale during the release window.

Sony’s production started in September without supply issues, and the company is also expected to sell more PS5 consoles early next year as well.  It’s good to see that supply issues aren’t currently happening, as other parts of the gaming industry are still being affected by supply chain problems.

PS VR2 only works with a PS5, so it’s great that the company is also planning on making more console units as well.

Back in May, Sony reported that it has sold nearly 20 million PS5 consoles. Selling PS VR2 to only two million of those customers might not actually be all that difficult with the new VR headset being highly praised.

The new console has been in short supply in no small part due to semiconductors that are also in hot demand for smartphones, cars and more.

Source: Bloomberg

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Will you miss Google Stadia?

Google is finally shutting down its cloud gaming service, Stadia, on January 18th, 2023. The tech giant is refunding all Stadia hardware purchased through the Google Store and games and add-on content bought from the Stadia store.

Stadia allowed players to game on the Chromecast Ultra, Android TV and desktops via Google Chrome, Safari and on Android devices/iPhones. The game streaming service streams games at up to 4K resolution at up to 60fps, and offered notable games like Cyberpunk, Destiny 2, Red Dead Redemption 2, Assassin’s Creed Valhalla and more. But unlike competing services like Xbox Cloud Gaming — which is bundled with Xbox Game Pass Ultimate — you needed to purchase titles individually on Stadia in order to play them.

I only ended up using Stadia a few times, and I wasn’t a big fan of it. I don’t have anything against cloud gaming, but I wasn’t too fond of the latency I’d occasionally encounter, though it’s worth noting that the underlying tech powering Stadia is some of the best in the game streaming industry.

That said, I’m definitely not going to miss the service.

Will you miss Google Stadia? Let us know in the comments below.

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Apple Arcade adds Gris+ alongside content updates for The Oregon Trail and more

Today, Apple Arcade is adding award-winning Gris+ to the service. In addition, a slew of content updates is hitting a wide array of Apple Arcade titles.

Devolver Digital’s hit game Gris+ is making its way to Apple Arcade. Starting today, subscribers to the service can take part in the title that Apple describes as “serene and evocative.” Gris first launched on Switch, macOS, and PC in 2018 before arriving on iOS the following year. Gris is an artistic puzzle game with platforming aspects. The game revolves around a young girl and the way she sees the world in front of her.

The game has been critically acclaimed for its art direction and minimalism. Gris features nearly no text and a simple control scheme. Thus, it’s perfect for many players around the world no matter their spoken language. As with other ‘App Store Greats,’ the game is now dubbed Gris+ on the platform.

Alongside Gris+, Apple Arcade is rolling out a list of content updates. Here is what you can expect across the many titles:

  • The Oregon Trail: This latest update will continue to introduce players to intriguing and pivotal moments of history as they embark on new quests where they can encounter the ill-fated Donner Party or meet Mato Oyuhi and Thomas Fitzpatrick on their way to Horse Creek for the signing of an important treaty. This update also adds the ability to visit storytelling campsites and listen to tales of fearsome critters from folklore.
  • LEGO Brawls: Kicks off Brick-or-Treat, a two-week limited time Halloween-themed event featuring “spookified” versions of classic Brawls levels.
  • Kingdom Rush Vengeance TD+: A new excavation on the dwarven mines has opened an unknown path to an old forgotten land and now the primordial horrors are on the loose on Linirea. Get ready to fight on behalf of the Dark Lord and defeat hordes of ancient dwarves, dinosaurs and man-eating plants. This update includes new terrain, new enemies, new boss fights, and more. 
  • What the Golf?: Introduces the sea-themed Maritime Day Event, which runs through October 9 and includes new unique levels, and an unlockable trophy and achievement. 
  • Angry Birds Reloaded: Check out the Halloween-theme Episode Ham’O’Ween, which includes 45 new levels.
  • SP!NG: Adds a new chapter filled with 18 new levels and the new Rush mode, which is a collection of unique time attack levels.
  • Spire Blast: Try out the all-new world Cosmic Valley, 20 new levels, and the new Pointing Block gameplay mechanic, which creates a chain of destructive chaos.
  • Bleak Sword: Take on 10 new challenging levels in the Castle of Despair, face the evil maker of the Bleak Sword in an epic new boss battle, and encounter two new diabolical enemies — the Hunched Knight and the Bleak Sword maker’s fiendish tentacle demons. 

Apple Arcade is available in Canada for $5.99 per month. Subscribers can also add it to their Apple One subscription and bundle it with Apple TV+ and Apple Music.

Image credit: Devolver Digital

Source: Apple

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Hideo Kojima reportedly pitched a Stadia-exclusive follow-up to Death Stranding

Prior to Google pulling the plug on its poorly supported cloud gaming service, developer Hideo Kojima was working on a potential Stadia-exclusive game.

The dust has just begun to settle, following Google’s abrupt announcement regarding Stadia being nixed. Now, news of an ill-fated partnership with famed Japanese developer Hideo Kojima has surfaced.

According to reports, Kojima was at one point working on a Stadia-exclusive title for Google. The timeframe of this deal appears to have been around mid-2020. Kojima’s Stadia title would have been a follow-up to Death Stranding.

Death Stranding first launched on PlayStation 4 in 2019. At the time, the game was exclusive to the console. The game is heavily narrative-based but is deeply woven with asynchronous multiplayer and community aspects. The game features a diverse cast including Norman Reedus, Mads Mikkelsen, Léa Seydoux, Margaret Qualley, Troy Baker, Tommie Earl Jenkins, and Lindsay Wagner. As Sam Porter Bridges (played by Reedus) players traversed the post-apocalyptic United States. Along the way, players establish networks, roads, and deliver supplies.

Details on this supposed follow-up are scarce at the moment. However, it’s believed that Kojima positioned the game as a single-player-only experience. In fact, this basis is believed to be the reason Google cancelled the project. Google is reported to have believed that the market for single-player exclusives wasn’t viable.

At the time, Kojima’s proposal had only been given initial approval by Google. The developer and studio Kojima Productions then began the early stages of development. Once early mockups were shown, Google pulled the plug.

It wasn’t long after that the card began to fall for Stadia. In 2021, Google shut down the internal Stadia development house. Stadia Games and Entertainment vice president Jade Raymond also left the company at this time. Stadia GM and vice president Phil Harrison then began to pivot to focus on third-party game support. This ultimately led to Harrison breaking the news that Google is shutting down it Stadia services on January 18th, 2023.

As for Death Stranding and Kojima, the game has gone on to be ported to PC and is now also available via Microsoft’s PC Game Pass. Kojima is now working alongside Microsoft on “ a video game for Xbox like no one has ever experienced or seen before.” It’s said the game will utilize the power of the cloud. It seems that Kojima’s sullied partnership with Google did not avert the creator from working with cloud-based tech.

Image credit: Kojima Productions

Source: 9to5Google

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Here are the free games hitting Xbox Games with Gold in October 2022

Xbox has announced two games that will be offered at no additional cost to Xbox Live Gold subscribers in October 2022.

It’s worth noting that up until July, Xbox offered one or two Xbox 360 titles with Xbox Games with Gold. The titles could be played on the Xbox One and Xbox Series S/X. In July, the company announced that “we have reached the limit of our ability to bring Xbox 360 games to the catalogue.” At the time, Xbox said that Games with Gold will continue to feature “exciting Xbox One titles and exclusive savings” each month, which is what we’re getting in October.

In Canada, an Xbox Live Gold subscription costs $11.99 for one month or $29.99/three months. Additionally, Xbox Live Gold is included with Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, which is priced at $16.99/month and also offers Game Pass and PC Game Pass, Cloud Gaming (mobile streaming) and EA Play.

Find out what came to Xbox Games with Gold in August here.

Image credit: Xbox

Source: Xbox

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PlayStation Stars launches in Canada on October 5

Earlier this year, Sony announced its ‘PlayStation Stars‘ loyalty program for players. This program is free to join and incentivizes players to tackle new challenges while playing on PlayStation consoles.

Now, the experience is finally launching in Canada on October 5th.

In the program, you earn rewards by completing a variety of campaigns and activities. For instance, the ‘Monthly Check-in’ campaign requires you to play any game to receive a reward. Other campaigns task you with earning specific trophies or being among the first to earn a platinum trophy in a specific region for a blockbuster title.

The rewards for PlayStation Stars come in two types, loyalty points and digital collectibles. Points can be redeemed in a catalogue that could include PSN wallet funds, exclusive digital collectibles and select PlayStation Store products. PS Plus members enrolled in PS Stars automatically earn points for purchases in the PS Store.

Digital collectibles, on the other hand, are digital representations of things that fans enjoy including figurines of iconic characters from games. The digital collectibles can be arranged on a display case within the PS app. At launch, by joining, all members will receive the Star Gazer Telescope. PlayStation will also have Punto the gondolier from Ape Escape 2, PocketStation, Toro and Kuro celebrating, and more, as some of the first digital collectables for members to earn or acquire.

PlayStation Stars is free to join, but you’ll need an adult account for PlayStation Network and to accept the program’s terms and services.

Source: PlayStation Blog

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The next big Microsoft Flight Simulator update is all about Canada

The next big update to Microsoft Flight Simulator is focused entirely on Canada.

Launching September 29th, the appropriately named World Update XI: Canada brings a bunch of Canadian destinations and missions to the acclaimed flight simulator. In total, 12 urban regions and 89 hand-crafted points of interest are featured.

Altogether, World Update XI features:

  • Five hand-crafted airports, including B.C.’s Castlegar/West Kootenay Regional Airport, Victoria International Airport and Vancouver Island
  • Three bush trips (Vancouver Island, Newfoundland and the Canadian Rockies)
  • Three landing challenges (Castlegar, Barkerville and Calgary)
  • Three discovery flights (Vancouver, Montreal and Toronto)

As with all previous World Updates, the Canadian expansion is available for free to all Microsoft Flight Simulator players, whether you own the game or play via Xbox Game Pass. Earlier this year, the game added a big crossover with Paramount’s Top Gun: Maverick, and a free 40th Anniversary Edition adding aircraft from older games is set to arrive in November.

Microsoft Flight Simulator is now available on Xbox Series X/S and PC (plus Game Pass), as well as Xbox One and mobile devices via Game Pass’ Xbox Cloud Gaming streaming service.

Image credit: Xbox

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It will take new players 100 matches to unlock all original heroes in Overwatch 2

Overwatch 2 will have a bit of a grinding curve for new players.

While someone like me who owned the original game will have access to all of the title’s characters at launch, it will take new players about 100 matches before they can play as the characters on the original roster.

According to a recent Overwatch 2 blog post, Blizzard has received feedback that its pool of characters is overwhelming for new players, so it’s implementing a ‘First Time User Experience’ (FTUE) for people new to the game.

FTUE occurs in stages. The first stage has new players unlock game modes and chat functions, which will happen quickly. In phase two, players will unlock the original Overwatch heroes by playing roughly 100 matches. In contrast, they’ll only be able to unlock new heroes like Kiriko from the battle pass.

Competitive play won’t be unlocked until a new player wins 50 Quick Play matches, but FTUE functions are lifted when playing in a group for most game modes.

This should also help with ‘smurfing,’ the act of making a brand-new account — usually to help friends climb the ranks — and playing ranked far below your actual skill level.

You will not have to play through FTUE if you have an account with Overwatch playtime or if you own the Watchpoint Pack.

Overwatch 2 hits consoles and PC on October 4th.

Source: Blizzard Via: Destructoid