Tag: ios

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Mobile Syrup

Tomb Raider Reloaded will launch on Android and iOS on Valentine’s Day

Tomb Raider Reloaded will release on Android and iOS on February 14th, 2023. The game soft-launched in some Asian markets in 2021, but this marks its official wide release.

Reloaded was developed by Burnaby, B.C.’s Emerald City Games and Montreal’s Onoma (formerly Square Enix Montreal) in partnership with main Tomb Raider studio Crystal Dynamics. Onoma’s involvement is particularly notable since the team, best known for acclaimed mobile titles like Lara Croft Go, was shut down in November shortly after being acquired by Embracer Group.

For the uninitiated, Reloaded is an isometric action-adventure game featuring roguelike elements. This means that throughout each run, Lara Croft will acquire new perks like XP modifiers and outfit-upgrading manuals to enhance her abilities.

Meanwhile, Crystal Dynamics is promising daily and weekly challenges like Temple of the Sun, a Gears of War-style ‘Horde Mode’ in which Lara must face waves of enemies.  

On the whole, Crystal Dynamics intends for the game to be a celebration of the Tomb Raider‘s history after the game was delayed out of 2022, which marked the series’ 25th anniversary. To that point, Reloaded features veteran Lara Croft voice actress Keeley Hawes (Tomb Raider: Anniversary), as well as returning characters like Winston, Anaya Imanu and Werner Von Croy. Grammy-nominated musician Tina Guo has also overseen orchestral recordings of classic Tomb Raider themes.

Tomb Raider Reloaded will be available on iOS and Android as a free download with in-app purchases, or through Netflix Games at no additional cost without ads or in-app purchases. Pre-registration is now available on iOS (via the game’s website) and Android.

In addition to Reloaded, Crystal Dynamics is in early development on a new AAA Tomb Raider game that will be published by Amazon. Additionally, The Hollywood Reporter revealed last week that Amazon is planning its own Marvel-esque “cinematic universe” of Tomb Raider movies and shows. Meanwhile, Captain America star Hayley Atwell will also voice Lara Croft in an undated Tomb Raider animated series on Netflix.

Image credit: Embracer Group

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Mobile Syrup

EA kills Apex Legends Mobile and Battlefield Mobile

EA is pulling the plug on Apex Legends Mobile and Battlefield Mobile.

The former game will shut down on May 1st, 2023, while the latter, which was still in development, has been formally cancelled.

In a blog post, developer Respawn said Apex Legends Mobile had fallen short of its “bar for quality, quantity and cadence.” Therefore, it made the “mutual decision” with development partner Tencent to axe the game one year after launch. EA says it will not refund players for any in-app purchases that have been made. However, Respawn will continue to support the main Apex Legends experience on consoles and PC.

In a separate post, Respawn parent company EA simply attributed the Battlefield cancellation to the ever-evolving games industry. Instead, EA says it’s still “hard at work at evolving Battlefield 2042” as pre-production on “future Battlefield experiences” remains underway.

The announcements come as part of EA’s Q3 2023 earnings release, in which it also announced the six-week delay of Star Wars Jedi: Survivor until April 28th.

Image credit: EA

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Mobile Syrup

Here’s how to turn on Gmail’s new package tracking feature

If you need to track a lot of packages, a new Gmail feature might be right up your alley. Google’s popular email app now has a built-in package tracker, though for the moment, it seems you need to enable it manually.

9to5Google detailed the new feature and noted that Gmail should show a ‘Track your packages in Gmail’ card at the top of users’ inboxes when the feature rolled out. However, that card isn’t showing up for everyone, but the feature is still available for a bunch of people.

To enable it on Gmail for Android, you can head into Settings > Select your email address > Scroll to General > Tap ‘Package tracking’ to enable it. The process differs slightly for iOS users, who need to first switch to the Gmail account they want to enable the feature for, then head into Settings > Scroll to General > Tap ‘Data privacy’ > Toggle on ‘Package tracking.’

In my own testing, I was able to turn on package tracking on Gmail on my Pixel 7, but only for my personal accounts — my work Gmail account didn’t have the feature. Moreover, the toggle for Package tracking wasn’t present on Gmail on iOS.

Gmail’s package tracking feature in action | Image credit: 9to5Google

Once enabled, users should see a few things change in their Gmail app. First up, when browsing the inbox, emails with package tracking information should show an estimated delivery date in green text with a truck icon. Then when you open the email, you’ll see a card with more details about the package, including stages like ‘Order placed,’ ‘Shipped,’ and ‘Delivered.’ There are shortcuts to track the package or view the order details as well.

9to5 also notes Google plans to enhance the feature with proactive labels for delays as well as bring the email to the top of the inbox so it’s easier to spot. The package tracking feature will also make its way to Gmail on the web, but these changes will only arrive in the “coming months.”

Of course, if you prefer using a third-party app for package tracking (or if you’re like me and primarily do all your package tracking in a work Gmail that doesn’t yet have the feature), you can keep on doing that.

Source: 9to5Google

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Mobile Syrup

What’s new on Xbox Game Pass on console, PC and mobile in late January, early February

Every month, Xbox brings new titles to its Xbox Game Pass subscription service.

Normally, these come in two waves spanning the first and second halves of the month, but this time, the list begins at the end of January and spills over into early February. It seems like Xbox held the list for the special January 25th announcements that the GoldenEye remaster is coming this week and The Evil Within developer Tango Gameworks’ new game, Hi-Fi Rush, is actually launching on the 25th.

Read on for the full list. Note: ‘Cloud’ refers to a game that can be streamed via Xbox Cloud Gaming to a variety of devices, including Android and iOS.

  • Hi-Fi Rush (Cloud, PC, and Xbox Series X/S) — January 25th
  • GoldenEye 007 (Console) — January 27th
  • Roboquest (Game Preview) (Console) — January 30th
  • Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition (Cloud and Console) — January 31st
  • Inkulinati (Game Preview) (Cloud, Console, and PC) — January 31st
  • JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure All-Star Battle R (Cloud, Console, and PC) — January 31st
  • Darkest Dungeon (Cloud, Console, and PC) — February 2nd
  • Grid Legends (Cloud) [EA Play] — February 2nd
  • Hot Wheels Unleashed – Game of the Year Edition (Cloud, Console, and PC) — February 7th

Meanwhile, here’s what’s leaving the Xbox Game Pass catalogue:

  • Donut County (Cloud, Console, and PC)
  • Taiko no Tatsujin: The Drum Master (Console and PC)
  • Telling Lies (Cloud, Console, and PC)
  • Worms WMD (Cloud, Console, and PC)

As always, Game Pass subscribers can take advantage of an exclusive 20 percent discount to purchase any game on the service and keep playing even after it leaves the catalogue.

An Xbox Game Pass subscription costs $11.99 CAD/month for either Console or PC, while a $16.99/month Game Pass Ultimate membership includes Game Pass for both Console and PC, Xbox Live Gold, EA Play and Xbox Cloud Gaming.

Find out what came to Game Pass earlier this month here.

Image credit: Xbox

Source: Xbox

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Mobile Syrup

Square Enix RPG Various Daylife launches on Android and iOS

Square Enix RPG Various Daylife is now available on Android and iOS.

As a settler in the newly-discovered continent of Antoecia, players will have to embark on expeditions to uncover secrets and lucrative rewards. The game features a streamlined turn-based battle system and over 20 unique jobs for party members to take on.

Unlike most mobile games, Various Daylife is actually as a premium title for $28.99 CAD. Until February 28th, Square Enix is also offering a bonus digital artbook (which includes over 180 pages of behind-the-scenes artwork) alongside the purchase of the game.

Notably, Various Daylife was an Apple Arcade launch title in 2019, meaning it’s one of the few games that has left the service’s normally mobile-exclusive catalogue to date. The game, which was developed by staff who worked on acclaimed Square Enix RPGs Bravely Default and Octopath Traveler, also came to Nintendo Switch and PS4 last year.

Meanwhile, Octopath Traveler II is set to launch on PlayStation 4/5, Nintendo Switch and PC on February 23rd.

Image credit: Square Enix

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Mobile Syrup

Nintendogs could be making a comeback on iOS and Android

Since the release of Mario Kart Tour, Nintendo seems to have mostly abandonned its once lofty smartphone gaming ambitions.

However, that could change if a new patent uncovered by My Nintendo News comes to fruition. A recently approved patent shows off a version of the 2005 Nintendo DS virtual pet game running on iOS and Android devices.

In Nintendogs, players use the DS’ touchscreen to play, train, pet, wash and walk their virtual dog. The title also took advantage of the DS’ built-in mic to allow players to give their dogs verbal commands. The experience was sort of like an advanced version of a Tamagotchi, but in the form of a DS title.

Image credit: U.S. Patent and Trademark Office

Given the real-time pet simulation series sold 23.96 million copies worldwide, it makes sense that the Japanese gaming giant would want to bring it back on smartphones.

Nintendo has made no official announcements regarding Nintendogs being revived on mobile devices.

Image credit: wikiHow

Source: U.S. Patent and Trademark Office Via: My Nintendo News, iPhone in Canada

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Mobile Syrup

PlayStation’s LittleBigPlanet gets mobile spin-off called Ultimate Sackboy

PlayStation has unveiled a new mobile game called Ultimate Sackboy, a running game developed by U.K.-based Exient.

Coming to Android and iOS on February 21st, Ultimate Sackboy is a spin-off of PlayStation’s popular LittleBigPlanet series. While the game was previously in closed beta testing in select markets, including Canada, this marks both its official unveiling and confirmation of a wide release date.

In Ultimate Sackboy, you’ll control the titular burlap sack character as he runs through various stages, requiring you to move and jump to avoid obstacles. In this way, the gameplay is very reminiscent of endless runners like Temple Run and Crash Bandicoot: On the Run!, just with a LittleBigPlanet aesthetic. Along the way, you’ll collect LBP‘s signature bubbles and unlock costumes to change Sackboy’s appearance.

The game is confirmed to be free-to-play, so it remains to be seen what sort of microtransactions it may have, such as in-app purchases for more Sackboy costumes. The most recent LittleBigPlanet game, Sackboy: A Big Adventure, launched in November 2020 on PS4 and PS5. A PC port was released last October.

Ultimate Sackboy is the latest in PlayStation’s growing efforts to expand its IPs to mobile. Last September, the company acquired Germany’s Savage Game Studios as part of a newly formed PlayStation Studios Mobile Division. At the time, PlayStation said Savage was working on a “AAA mobile live service action game,” although it was “too early” to reveal more.

It remains to be seen what other PlayStation franchises besides LittleBigPlanet might make the leap to mobile.

Image credit: PlayStation

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Mobile Syrup

Netflix rolls out refreshed interface on iOS

Netflix has revamped the design of its iOS app as part of a new update.

Now, the app sports a billboard layout that moves along with your device, new launch animations, wallpaper gradients, updated haptics and more.

The ‘Info’ tab at the bottom of cards (the shapes that display each Netflix title) has also been removed. Instead, users can click on the card to bring them to a separate page for the show or movie in question.

On Twitter, Janum Trivedi, a former UI designer for Netflix who worked on the update, shared a bit more insight. He says the update has been in the works over the past year and has been designed “to make Netflix feel more fluid, delightful and polished.”

You can see the update in action below:

Trivedi also teased that an update to Netflix’s Apple TV app could be on the way.

In other Netflix news, the company recently shared a sizzle reel for its 2023 movie slate, offering first looks at the likes of Zack Snyder’s Rebel Moon and David Fincher’s The Killer.

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Mobile Syrup

Pre-registration now open for Avatar Generations mobile game ahead of early 2023 launch

Square Enix has confirmed that pre-registration is now open for its Avatar: Generations mobile game ahead of a planned “early 2023” launch window.

This comes after a soft launch of the game in select markets, including Canada, last August.

Developed by the company’s London mobile team in partnership with Vancouver’s Navigator Games (Iron Maiden: Legacy of the Beast), Avatar Generations is a free-to-play RPG set in the world of Avatar: The Last Airbender. 

At launch, the game will retell Aang’s story from the Nickelodeon’s beloved animated series, with additional content updates adding chapters centred around The Legend of Korra and other characters.

You’ll be able to assemble a team of familiar faces, including Aang, Katara and Sokka, and face off in turn-based combat. Each character will have their own unique skills and progression paths.

You can pre-register for the game via the official website (iOS) and Play Store (Android).

Image credit: Square Enix

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Mobile Syrup

Marvel Snap PvP mode to launch later this month

Marvel Snap‘s long-awaited player vs. player (PvP) mode is finally set to launch on January 31st.

Developer Second Dinner confirmed the date in a new blog post regarding its first-ever ‘Series Drop,’ in which some Series 5 cards will move to Series 4 and Series 4 cards will become Series 3.

The launch of the ‘Battle Mode’ PvP feature is an exciting one, though, given that the game has lacked any such option since releasing in October. Until now, you’ve only been able to play online with random opponents, but PvP will allow you to set up private matches with friends.

Interestingly, PvP will play out a bit differently, too. In Battle Mode, players will wager health points instead of cubes. Second Dinner wrote more about the design philosophy of these changes in a blog post.

Additionally, Battle Mode will only support matches between players in the same region to start. Global matchmaking will “come a bit later,” says Second Dinner.

Marvel Snap is available for free on Android and iOS.

Source: Second Dinner