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Backbone+ paid membership announced, offering 1080p 60fps gameplay recording and more

Backbone Labs, the team behind the successful Backbone One iOS mobile controller and app, has announced Backbone+. This premium membership adds more benefits to the user and enables 1080p 60fps gameplay recording features and sharing functionality.

Since launching the Backbone One last year, Backbone Labs has caught the attention of many mobile gaming enthusiasts. Now, the company is launching a paid membership to give users even more features and performance improvements.

Announced in a blog post, Backbone+ enables players to use their Backbone One on a variety of devices including iPad, Mac, PC while playing games via Xbox Cloud Gaming and Google Stadia. In order to do so, players can select which device they want to use from the app’s settings and connect the Backbone One to the device via USB. The company states that this service has been optimized for low latency and performance.

In respect to gameplay recording, Backbone Labs has announced that the tools offered will now support the recording, editing, and sharing of 1080p 60fps recordings. Any iOS device running iOS 15.0 will be compatible (iPhone 6S or later). HEVC encoding for 60fps is also being supported.

Using the Smart Record feature, players can save the last 15 seconds of gameplay while holding down the Capture Button. Twitch integration is also set up so players can livestream their gameplay.

Backbone has also confirmed Gaming Focus mode integration thanks to iOS 15. Using this new Focus mode, all inbound notifications will remain hidden while the Backbone is connected.

The Backbone+ membership costs $4.17 USD per month (roughly $5.20 CAD), though the cost is billed annually. As part of the announcement, new users will receive a one-year subscription to Backbone+ with a purchase of Backbone One. The membership will also grant perks like access to the revamped app, future updates and free months of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate.

Image credit: Backbone Labs

Source: Backbone Labs Via: IGN

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Nintendo now expects to ship 24 million Switch consoles this year

In its latest earnings report, Nintendo revealed a slightly lower Switch sales forecast, bringing the expected number down to 24 million from 25.5 million between April 2021 and March 2022.

The Japanese gaming giant says the sales expectations shift is due to “the extended impact of both COVID-19 and the global semiconductor shortage creates a state of continued uncertainty.” However, Nintendo isn’t revising its expected revenue and still expects its operating profit to be four percent higher than its previous prediction.

This past quarter, the Switch sold 3.83 million units between July and September. This is a stark decrease from the 6.86 million units the console sold during the same period last year. However, to be fair, the Switch’s sales last year were buoyed by the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The company’s net sales for the year are down 18.9 percent to 624.2 billion yen ($6.8 billion CAD) compared to last year. Regarding sales projections, Nintendo says it plans to match its total revenue from the year prior at 1,600 billion yen ($17 billion CAD).

In total, Nintendo has sold 92.87 million Switch units since its release roughly four and a half years ago. The console is currently on track to surpass the Wii’s lifetime sales if it manages to hit its upcoming sale targets given the Wii sold 101.63 million units in total. The fact that the Switch OLED model was recently released should also help boost the handheld-home console hybrid’s overall sales.

Moving into the holiday season, Nintendo’s release schedule is relatively sparse. While Metroid Dread and Mario Party Superstars recently released, the only major releases coming up are the remakes of Pokémon Diamond and Pearl. 

Source: Nintendo 

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Animal Crossing: New Horizons’ 2.0 free update has launched early

Ahead of its scheduled November 5th release, Nintendo has launched Animal Crossing: New Horizons’ 2.0 update. This free DLC will serve as the last major content update for the critically acclaimed game.

Announced during the Animal Crossing Direct last month, Nintendo revealed that the 2.0 update will bring new activities for players to complete, quality of life improvements and more. Players can now download the 2.0 update now on their Switch.

A significant focus of the 2.0 update is the introduction of Brewster, a character that opens up within the island’s Museum. Players can take on the task of tracking down Brewster and bringing him to their island by interacting with Blathers. Fan-favourite Kapp’n is also integrated into the island. The quirky sailor will take players on boat rides to other islands, similar to Dodo Airlines. Additionally, Harv’s Island now hosts an open market, where proprietors new and old can be found.

Quality of life improvements to the game have been made. Players can now expand the storage of their homes even further for the steep price of 700,000 bells. Your island also harbours gyroid fragments that can be planted. Additionally, new DYI recipes can be purchased, including the ability to cook meals. You can also now fix lights and hanging objects to the ceiling of your home.

Finally, Isabelle grants a way to set island-wide Ordinances. For instance, if you regularly play in the morning, you can set shops to open earlier and have all your villages more active during that time. Alternatively, you can create an Ordinance to have all villagers help clean weeds and shells on the island.

While the free DLC is now available, the paid Animal Crossing: New Horizons Happy Home Paradise DLC is still set to release tomorrow. As announced by Nintendo, this expansion allows players to design vacation homes off-island for characters through Lottie’s Paradise Planning. It’s an expansive new piece of content that will cost $32.99. Players can also access the Happy Home Paradise DLC through Nintendo’s $63.99 ‘Expansion Pack’ online subscription tier.

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FromSoftware shows off 19 minutes of Elden Ring gameplay

Developer, FromSoftware, has shown off 19 minutes of gameplay of its upcoming title, Elden Ring. 

The 15 minutes of gameplay includes traversing the map on horseback, random encounters with a dragon, and a map, which is incredibly uncommon for a Souls-like. Additionally, it showed the player crafting in-world, sneaking around, cool spells, unique weapon attacks (similar to Dark Souls 3’s ‘Weapon Arts”), and summoning ‘Spirits,’ which are collectable AI-controlled companions.

One area where the player summoned a friend showed a random boss fight that seemed to come out of nowhere as they didn’t walk through a clouded doorway, which we would typically see in Dark Souls games. Additionally, this fight revealed various spells, including one where the player’s friend summoned a dragon head to breathe fire.

At the end of the gameplay trailer, we saw a Legacy Dungeon, called Stormveil Castle, where the player had two options to go in headfirst or to sneak around the enemies as FromSoftware describes these dungeons as multi-layered. Players will need to enter Stormveil to battle one of the high-level bosses and complete the game. This boss was blocked off by a cloud doorway, which likely signifies how difficult it will be.  This boss we’ve seen before in previous trailers, and it’s a multi-armed monster and likely how the other play got the aforementioned dragon-head power. This is not an optional boss fight, so if you’re worried about spoilers, I’d avoid watching it.

Elden Ring is coming to PS4, PS5, Windows PC, Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S on February 25th. This fantasy role-playing game is likely why you haven’t gotten a new A Song of Ice and Fire novel as the author George R.R. Martin collaborated with FromSoftware to create the lore of this upcoming game.

If you signed up for the Closed Network Test for Elden Ring, the first session starts Friday, November 12th at 6am ET.

Source: Elden Ring

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Forza Horizon 5 shows Playground Games at the height of its ambition

Barrelling down a barren path in Forza Horizon 5, I approach a sandstorm on the skyline. Though ominous, the winds picking up grains of sand compel me to floor the gas and head straight on through. As the adrenaline kicks in, I’m reminded of why Playground Games’ open-world racing series is so special to me.

Forza Horizon has been Microsoft’s long-running racing franchise alongside sim-focused sister series Forza Motorsport. Across console generations, we’ve seen the Forza Horizon series evolve and become more ambitious with each outing. Forza Horizon 5 provides the familiar moments I crave from the series while elevating itself by utilizing all that the Xbox Series X offers.

Playground Games spared no expense in showing how ambitious the team is this time around. Set in the heart of Mexico, Forza Horizon 5 offers the largest, most interesting and diverse backdrop we’ve seen in the series. While the moment-to-moment stylings of the game are par for the course, Forza Horizon 5 is, bar-none, one of the most visually robust games from Xbox Game Studios.

Forza Horizon 5 opens up like any other contemporary racing game. As the Horizon Festival is kicking off in Mexico, I was taken in to help expand the festival, drum up excitement, and race to my heart’s content. What propels you to hit the roads and reach for the stars is charted territory. However, Playground Games has invested time in creating more compelling side stories that I wasn’t expecting. Throughout my time with Forza Horizon 5, I found myself taking on Horizon Stories. These small-self contained narrative threads still revolve around time or skill trials and races, yet there are interesting stories unfolding because of them. They’re not too deep but they do add more texture to the typical ‘race for the sake of racing’ structure we’re so used to.

As you reach new levels, you can then unlock new activities. It isn’t before long that the map is covered in an overwhelming amount of things to do.

Now, that’s not to say that Forza Horizon 5 doesn’t include the usual trappings you’ve come to expect from the series. The game features standard events like Road Races, Street Races, PR Stunts, etc. As you begin completing each activity, you’ll start to unlock Accolades that will go towards boosting your advancement in the Horizon Adventure. As you reach new levels, you can then unlock new activities. It isn’t before long that the map is covered in an overwhelming amount of icons. Adding to that are XP Boards and Fast Travel Boards to find throughout the open world.

There’s no shortage of events to complete, especially when striving for the three-star challenges, for more Accolades. In turn, you’ll eventually unlock Expeditions and Showcase Events, offer deeper experiences outside of hitting a fast racing time or total skill count. Expeditions will take you through optimized courses made to showcase all Forza Horizon 5 has to offer. Showcase Events, on the other hand, are long-drawn-out races that test your mettle against other racers and Drivatars pulled off your Friends list.

For me, Mexico is such a rich and diverse location to experience while racing. Spread across 11 unique biomes, I found myself speeding through sandy deserts, lush forests, and snowy mountain tops. The map is so dynamic that as I found myself racing from one area to the next, the transition between biomes is seamless. On top of that, the game incorporates a dynamic weather system. Throughout the game, you’ll encounter sandstorms, rainstorms, and more. They add tension and sheer spectacle to the screen when driving. I never found that they appear too frequently, which helped keep these events from becoming saturated. I almost feel a bit giddy every time I see one on the horizon and hope that feeling never goes away.

Playground Games has shown prowess in open-world environment building. Thankfully the game offers a Photo Mode. I found myself hard-pressed from progressing too long without taking a photo of my vehicle in the wide array of environments.

“The lighting and reflections border on realism when bouncing off the hood of a beautiful car like the Mercedes-AMG ONE.”

When playing on the Xbox Series X, I was consistently surprised by how well the lighting systems and particle effects added to the experience. Forza Horizon 5 offers both a Graphics Mode and Performance Mode. Although I typically opted for 60FPS performance, I was compelled to bounce between during my playtime. The lighting and reflections border on realism when bouncing off the hood of a beautiful car like the Mercedes-AMG ONE.

Character models do take a back seat. However, it’s for good reason. All 500+ cars in the game look immaculate. The hyper-focused realism put into the way the breadth of cars looks is unparalleled. Notable vehicles included in the catalogue are the 2021 Ford Bronco Badlands, 2020 Corvette Stingray C8, Porsche 911 Desert Flyer. Of course, what’s Forza Horizon without a little Halo love? Yes, even the UNSC Warthog is in the mix.

Although the Forza Horizon series has continued to evolve and become grander in its visuals, aspects of the game I wish grew along with it. Most notably, the game features an overbeating UI and menu system. Fortunately, I’ve played a number of Horizon games so I knew what to look for a where to find it. For newcomers, the menus could seem clunky. Having to fast travel from my location to the Forza Garage in order to buy a car is restrictive. The same goes for customizing my avatar. It’s an inconvenience to be ripped from where I am on the map in order to change the appearance of my driver. Small quality of life improvements could have been made to streamline to UI experience for players.

Forza Horizon 5, while leaning on some of the more sim-like racing mechanics and handling systems, doesn’t shy away from the arcade side of the gameplay. Thus, Forza Arcade and EventLab exist in-game for players to dive into multiplayer challenges that air on the wackier side. Admittedly, this is not an aspect I was able to get all that much time into. However, Forza Arcade is a section of the game I want to spend more time with as it can be a hoot with friends. EventLabs, as it stands, offers a small selection of races built using the gameplay toolset. Though, it won’t be long until the community builds an impressive selection of races, stunts, and custom game modes.

While keeping on the straight and narrow, Forza Horizon 5 is the best the series has ever been and is a must-play on the Xbox Series X.

Playground Games pulled no punches when bringing its ambitious take on the Forza Horizon franchise to the table. Loaded with familiar elements and new core features all wrapped into a delightfully stunning package, it’s hard not to be impressed with the robust offering. We often look at sports and racing games and wonder how they can be elevated. While keeping on the straight and narrow, Forza Horizon 5 is the best the series has ever been and is a must-play on the Xbox Series X.

Forza Horizon 5 is available on November 9 on PC, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S. It’s also available on Xbox Game Pass. Physical copies of the game are available at Best Buy, Amazon and more.

MobileSyrup utilizes affiliate partnerships. These partnerships do not influence our editorial content, though MobileSyrup may earn a commission on purchases made via these links.

Image credit: Xbox

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PlayStation’s ‘Remasters and Retro!’ sale offers throwback titles for up to 80 percent off

PlayStation is hosting a ‘Remasters and Retro!’ sale now on the PlayStation Store. The sale offers savings of up to 80 percent off on over  130 PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5 titles.

The sale includes games like Shadow of the Colossus, Crash Team Racing Nitro-Fueled, and Everybody’s Golf.

Some notable deals include:

To see all the deals, click here. The sale runs until November 17th.

Image credit: PlayStation

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Nintendo will manufacture 20 percent fewer Switch consoles due to chip shortage

It seems that nearly every tech hardware company is suffering from the ongoing chip shortage on some level.

The latest victim is Nintendo and its Switch consoles, according to Nikkei Asia. The Japanese gaming giant behind the Switch, Switch Lite and the recently released Switch OLED model will produce 20 percent fewer consoles than it originally planned due to a shortage of semiconductors and other components.

In total, Nintendo will manufacture 24 million Switch units, according to Nikkei.

“The supply and demand of semiconductor parts is tight, and is affecting Switch production. We are assessing the impact,” said a Nintendo spokesperson in a statement to the publication. It’s worth noting that during the holiday shopping season last year, the Switch was also challenging to find.

Last month, Nintendo released a new version of the Switch that features a subtly redesigned build and an OLED display. Though many people expected the company to finally reveal a true 4K-capable successor to the Switch, that has yet to happen.

While the OLED Switch is a decent upgrade to the original console, it still features the same ageing chip and overall design as the nearly four-year-old Switch.

In other Nintendo-related news, the company recently added a new ‘Expansion Pack’ tier to its Switch Online subscription service that includes N64 and Sega Genesis titles. The package has been heavily criticized for featuring poor emulation involving graphical glitches, delayed button presses and more.

Source: Nikkei Asia 

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Ubisoft’s 35th-anniversary sale offers games up to 80 percent

Ubisoft is celebrating its 35th anniversary with a new sale. 

The promotion is ongoing until November 11th and includes titles like Rainbow Six Siege: Deluxe Edition, Assassin’s Creed Valhalla and Immortals Fenyx Rising.

Here are some of the games below:

Most of the games above are PC-only, but that’s not the case for all the titles on sale. A lot of them are also available for consoles.

You can check out the titles, here.

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Riders Republic reignited the spark I once had for extreme sports games

Riders Republic is an expansive extreme sports game that effectively builds on the foundation set by 2016’s Steep.

I used to pour hours into games like SSX Tricky and Mat Hoffman’s Pro BMX as a kid. The extreme sports game genre was important to me during my formative years. Though, as time went on, my interest waned. Riders Republic takes the inherent spirit of the classics and modernizes it with contemporary systems and an open-world setting.

Ubisoft Annecy first broke into the extreme sports genre with Steep. While still having an emphasis on snowboarding and skiing, Riders Republic adds BMX circuits and wingsuits into the mix. This combination added a bit more variety and texture for me. As a newcomer to the Riders Republic, I found myself thrust into a career mode centred on ranking up in hopes of participating in the Riders Ridge Invitational. The narrative outside of this base concept is thin. You’re mentored by a character that is the embodiment of Steve Buscemi’s ‘How do you do, fellow kids’ meme. The dialogue is silly and inconsequential. My focus was always driven to get to the next track and unlock new aspects of the game.

The game is set in the expansive social playground comprising seven regions based around national parks, including Yosemite Valley, Bryce Canyon, and Zion. To build a name for myself and reach those career highs, I had to begin tackling the five different careers — Bike Race, Bike Tricks, Snow Race, Snow Tricks, and Air Sports. As you progress through each career, you unlock new tracks and bigger events. It’s not before long that the map is covered in various event icons for you to complete.

The progression system in Riders Republic is built around accumulating stars. To hit new milestones and unlock additional tracks, circuits, and sponsors, I found myself on a mission to win as many stars as possible. You’ll earn a single star simply for completing a track, whether it’s a straightforward race, time trial, or score competition. Each event also offers optional challenges to earn more stars. The criteria can range from completing the track in a certain amount of time or accumulating a certain score by completing tricks.

On top of the multitude of events to complete, you can earn stars by seeking out collectibles through the map. Relics reward you with special rides and boards like a pizza delivery bike. Additionally, stars can be earned by completing stunt tracks and finding landmarks.

“At no point did I find Riders Republic demanding in how it wanted me to approach an event.”

New gear is obtained by completing events. You’ll slowly amass a full collection of different boards, bikes and wingsuits, all with their unique stats. Cosmetics can be purchased using in-game currency earned by completing sponsor and weekly challenges. There are also legendary outfits that can be purchased using real-life currency in the store.

What I find truly compelling about the game is how much emphasis it places on the player’s personal preference. At no point did I find Riders Republic demanding in how it wanted me to approach an event. If you’re like me and feel drawn more to the racing aspects than the tricks, you can lean into that or vice-versa. The game offers two options of Racer and Trickster riding options. The Racer option is more forgiving, while the Trickster option raises the skill gap for advanced players. You can even customize whether landing tricks are manual or automatic without taking a penalty. There’s simply no wrong way of playing.

I found the controls relatively tight, especially when tricking out over jumps. Each sport handles a bit differently. When on a bike, there is a pedal metre in place that provides a small speed boost. On skis and snowboards, you can change your stance. While in the wingsuit, propulsion systems are in place to help boost or slow you down while in the air. Throughout my time with Riders Republic, I grew quite partial to the snow and biking tracks. Hitting a ramp just right and combining a set of tricks for a large score can be very satisfying. Air spots left me wanting a bit more. Out of the three, the gameplay in the sky felt less dynamic than the others.

“Racing with others can be as chaotic and fun as you’d expect with one major drawback: the game’s inconsistent collision detection.”

The map of Riders Republic is filled with other players, all completing their own careers and showing off Photo Mode creations. Whether you’re in a race or simply exploring, you’ll see other players riding around. It’s a large social hub that incentivizes shared experiences. All events can be completed with friends. Every half hour, a Mass Race will spawn on the map. Players have a limited time to reach the destination, which spawns them in a three-run race against roughly 60 other players.

Racing with others can be as chaotic and fun as you’d expect with one major drawback: the game’s inconsistent collision detection. I found that there was no rhyme or reason to when I’d get shoved into a rock or launched off the track. I could be steadily in the top five and suddenly be thrown off a hill and end up back in the 40th spot in seconds. There were proven times when I could ride straight through another player with no resistance. Unfortunately, collision isn’t reliable enough to be used competitively.

Playing on Xbox Series X, Riders Republic has impressively fast loading times. The map has a ton of fast travel locations that are automatically unlocked as soon as new tracks are earned. Fast travelling takes only a second or two and you can take a snowmobile to your destination. Restarting a race takes a bit more time but there’s not too much delay before you’re right back into the action. That said, I have had the game crash on me multiple times. I even had the game lock up on the tail end of a Mass Race, which is more of a time commitment than the standard events.

Overall, Riders Republic has broken the 15-year-old hiatus I had with extreme sports games. Ubisoft Annecy took what was successful with Steep, added modern open-world conventions and made a compelling sports game. The game’s biggest success is not taking itself too seriously. With a whopping three tracks from The Offspring, you can tell Riders Republic knows the vibe it’s aiming for. While the dialogue flounders, having player agency and preferences at the forefront more than makes up for it. It’s a laidback game that incentivizes social presence.

Riders Republic is now available on PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PC and Google Stadia. Physical copies of the game are available at Best Buy, Amazon and more.

Image credit: Ubisoft

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The Source is offering Cyberpunk 2077 for $9.99 in-store only

Cyberpunk 2077 is on sale for just $10 at The Source.

When the game was first released last year, it suffered from a significant amount of bugs, though CD Projekt Red has worked to fix most of Cyberpunk 2077’s most significant issues through several significant updates.

According to RedFlagDeals user ‘ donttoewsmebro,’ The Source is only offering the title for $9.99 in-store only on Xbox One and PlayStation 4, but you can check Cyberpunk 2077 stock at your local The Source location online via stocktrack.

The sale ends on November 3rd.

MobileSyrup utilizes affiliate partnerships. These partnerships do not influence our editorial content, though MobileSyrup may earn a commission on purchases made via these links.

Source: RedFlagDeals, The Source