The latest firmware update for the Nintendo Switch has landed, but as usual, you should not expect much from it. Version 10.2.0, which was released on September 14, is another general stability patch.
The single-sentence patch notes state that the update provides “general system stability improvements to enhance the user’s experience.”
As usual, it’s possible there are other, unnoted changes that the community will have to discover. But for the time being, you should not expect anything major.
Switch firmware updates are automatically downloaded if your console is connected to the internet. You can visit the System Settings menu to confirm that you’re running the latest firmware.
Cloud Gaming with Xbox Game Pass Ultimate is launching on September 15 in multiple markets, including the US, and it’ll let you stream your Game Pass titles to an Android phone or tablet. For most games, you’ll still want to sync up a controller with your phone for play, but if you’re deep into Minecraft Dungeons, that won’t be necessary.
In a post to Xbox Wire, Microsoft’s corporate vice president of cloud gaming Kareem Choudhry outlined how the Minecraft spin-off has been adapted for mobile players who stream the game through Game Pass Ultimate. The UI and controls have been optimized for touch screens, they explain, with on-screen buttons being used for all the functions usually assigned to a controller.
UI changes will be made to your inventory and the menu screens, too, making them easy to navigate through touch controls. Choudhry says that it’s received the same attention that the mobile version of Minecraft has. You can see this in action in the video below.
Players who choose to stream the game to their mobile devices will be able to play co-op with friends on Xbox One, and when crossplay is enabled later this year they’ll also be able to team up with PC, PS4, and Switch players.
While this news is specific to Minecraft Dungeons, it’s likely that other games–when possible–will do something similar for Cloud Gaming customers.
In this video, Persia talks about PlayStation 5’s box contents being reported by Niko Partners’ senior analyst Daniel Ahmad. The contents include the console, wireless DualSense controller, attachable base, an AC power cord, HDMI cable, and more. Astro’s Playroom will also come pre-installed on both consoles but might need to be updated when you get it. There is a PS5 showcase coming up on September 16th.
She also talks about rumors of Microsoft potentially acquiring Bungie being debunked by the CEO of Bungie, Pete Parsons on Twitter. DeeJ from Bungie’s community team also requested that people use Bungie’s new logo when “circulating gossip” about the company.
Lastly, Persia talks about Halo 3: ODST arriving on PC on September 22 as part of Halo: The Master Chief Collection. ODST’s description on Xbox Game Pass says, “Firefight is joining The Master Chief Collection on console and PC for the first time, with online matchmaking, dedicated servers, and new custom game modes.” This inclusion could imply that Firefight is also coming to Xbox One on September 22, but it’s not explicitly confirmed.
Ikea and Republic of Gamers (ROG), Asus’ PC gaming hardware and accessories line, will be releasing a new affordable gaming furniture and accessories line. The two companies plan to deliver around 30 products, starting in China in February 2021. Other Ikea markets will receive the items after October 2021.
So far, no details on what type of furniture or accessories have been revealed. But considering that ROG mainly carries PC gaming attachments and other related hardware, it could be a good bet that Ikea and ROG’s collaborative gaming line skews more towards PC gaming items.
The new gaming line is being spearheaded by the Ikea Product Development Center in Shanghai. Ikea and ROG emphasize that as part of the design process, employees from both companies have held workshops together with professional gamers and other people who love games.
Global business leader of workspace Ewa Rychert stated that Ikea hopes to create a line that emphasizes the positive benefits of gaming and the way it enhances home life. “There are a lot of existing conventions about gaming which are often stereotypical or negative, for example, all the games are built on violence, gaming is asocial and it is predominantly a men’s activity,” he said.
“In fact, figures show that gaming is among the most truly cross-demographic activities, and it can improve an individual’s mental health and general well-being. It’s a source of relaxation, independence, fun; through gaming, people develop skills within problem solving, teamwork and communication. Playing games also provides a new way of connecting with others which has become even more important recently to feel connected remotely. We hope that the new gaming range will help to embrace and enable the benefits of gaming in life at home.”
We’ll have to wait until 2021 to see what Ikea and ROG’s gaming furniture vision looks like. But in the meantime, if you’re looking for gear, you can check out our roundup of the best cheap gaming chairs and best gaming desks.
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While there’s been a neverending stream of news about Sony’s various Spider-Man-adjacent projects, there’s still that little thing known as the Marvel Cinematic Universe that still has its entire Phase 4 to unleash. And after that will come even more superhero movies set in the MCU, like Ant-Man 3. While there’s still quite a bit of time before anyone will see that movie, some interesting news has arrived.
According to Deadline, Lovecraft Country star Jonathan Majors has been cast in the third Ant-Man movie in a major role. According to the report, Majors has been selected to portray the movie’s villain, Kang the Conqueror.
If that’s correct, this could be massive news for the MCU. For those that don’t know, Kang the Conqueror is a recurring Avengers super-villain who just doesn’t seem to go away. Since first being introduced in the early 1960s, the time-traveling villain has been a pretty regular foe throughout Marvel Comics. What’s more, Avengers Endgame has pretty perfectly set up his arrival.
After Endgame, time travel is a major part of the MCU. What’s more, the Ant-Man movies have been focussed on exploring the quantum realm, which is key to the franchise’s time travel mechanics. Who better than Ant-Man to first discover Kang–a character that could potentially become a much bigger threat throughout Phase 5 of the MCU?
Of course, this is all speculation at this point. No concrete details about the plot of Ant-Man 3 or the overarching story of the MCU’s future are known as this point. What we do know is Paul Rudd and Evangelina Lilly will be reprising their roles as Ant-Man and the Wasp, respectively. Additionally, director Peyton Reed will be back once again to helm the new film.
A release date for Ant-Man 3 has not been revealed.
Razer released its first lifestyle Bluetooth headphone option earlier this year, and if you’re interested in getting the premium pair of headphones at a discount, you can save $40 on a pair right now. With a regular price of $200, you can get the Razer Opus Bluetooth headphones for just $160 with promo code CNETNYOPUS10. All you have to do is add the headphones to your cart and input the promo code before checking out. This deal is valid until September 19.
The Razer Opus Bluetooth headphones are THX-certified, which means the Opus headphones will produce audio at the quality that it was originally mixed at. The Opus headphones also boast leather memory foam ear cushions and active noise-canceling, the latter of which utilizes the Opus’ microphone to detect and eliminate outside sounds. It features four microphones dedicated to ANC and two more for recording and transmitting your voice.
The Razer Opus comes in Midnight Blue and Black variants, both of which are eligible for the special promo code discount. It also folds for easy storage in the included carrying case. If you’re using the Razer Opus with your mobile device, you can download the Razer Opus app and customize the equalizer and more.
In addition to Bluetooth, the Razer Opus headphones can also connect via 3.5mm jack. This makes it so if you run out of battery or just want to connect to a non-Bluetooth compatible device like the Nintendo Switch, you can use a 3.5mm cable to listen to your media; however, there are some great and easy ways to connect your Switch to Bluetooth headphones wirelessly.
Despite still not having a price or concrete plans for pre-orders (outside of a Sony-run raffle), Sony is anticipating high demand for the PlayStation 5 this holiday season. So much so that it’s planning to speed up shipments to the US via air freights.
According to Daniel Ahmad, analyst at Niko Partners, Sony has already scheduled numerous flights with PS5 stock for the US in order to meet retail demand for the next-gen console over the holidays. Ahmad states that he isn’t sure whether it is 60 flights, or 60 planes worth of flights being readied, but that this method of shipping will incur a bigger cost to Sony over traditional shipping via the sea.
This is identical to what Nintendo did back in 2017 to meet the growing demand of the Nintendo Switch at the time. The company absorbed the additional cost in order to ensure 2 million Switch units were available to retail ahead of its launch in March of that year, which was only disclosed a few months later in an earnings report. Back then, it was estimated that the cost of this shipping was around $45 more per unit.
Sony are using air freight to ensure that PS5 can meet demand / supply enough units The company has booked 60 flights from October (Delta 747) to ship consoles to retailers. This supply is expected to last through the quarter Air freight is faster than sea, but more expensive.
Sony is hosting another digital showcase this week on September 16, which might finally disclose both the PS5’s price and release date. Currently we know that the company is preparing two versions of its console, one with a disc drive and one without. This is different to Microsoft’s strategy, with the Xbox Series S not only removing the disc drive but also shipping with less powerful components for a drastically reduced price of $300.
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Godfall, an upcoming action-RPG for PS5 and PC, has been flying a bit under the radar, but it could wind up being one of the more unique AAA games in 2020. Developed by Counterplay Games and published by Gearbox, Godfall will combine action-RPG gameplay with loot-focused systems to create what the developers call a “looter-slasher.” PC preorders for multiple editions are available now at the Epic Games Store ahead of its holiday release on PS5 and PC.
Godfall takes place in a high fantasy world dubbed Aperion and places you in the role of a Valorian Knight. In fact, you’re the last Valorian Knight, and you must make your way through the five realms (Earth, Water, Air, Fire, and Spirit) to save your crumbling, post-apocalyptic home. Your main foe is the mad god Macros, who you will square off against after you slash your way through droves of underlings and challenging boss fights.
A third-person action-RPG, Godfall has skill-based melee combat. There are five classes of weapons, each with their own playstyles and customizations as well as 12 unique Valorplates, armor sets that have different buffs and abilities. Valorplates essentially act as classes as some fare better depending on the mission. With a heavy emphasis on both leveling and loot, Godfall will join the growing number of AAA games that focus on tinkering with your build as you find new gear. Each of Godfall’s story missions will have mid- and end-bosses, and there will also be various side missions to complete throughout. Godfall can be played solo or with up two friends in online co-op.
While we still don’t know the official release date for Godfall, it’s slated to arrive this holiday on PS5 and PC. As of now, PC preorders are live at the Epic Games Store and details on the PS5 edition are coming soon.
Godfall preorder bonuses
Godfall preorder bonuses
If you preorder Godfall at the Epic Games Store, you’ll get the following in-game bonuses:
Godfall Starter Pack: Set of Augments and Trinkets
Chrome skins for three Valorplates
Zer0’s longsword from Borderlands 3
Yellow Valorplate skin for Typhon
It’s unclear if PS5 users will get the same preorder bonuses.
Godfall is available to preorder in three different editions at the Epic Games Store:
Standard ($60): Comes with the base game and preorder bonuses
Deluxe edition ($80): Comes with base game, preorder bonuses, and the first expansion
Ascended edition ($90): Comes with Deluxe edition content as well as a red Valorplate skin, Gold Weapon Pack, Gold Shield, Gold Royal Banner, and Zodiac Knight Lobby Title
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Fall Guys studio Mediatonic has revealed an unusual way of dealing with cheaters that it has since abandoned: It sent them to “Cheater Island,” where they were forced to play with other cheaters.
“At launch, we had some of our own cheat detection built into the game. We weren’t banning anyone at this point, just gathering data carefully. We wanted to be 100% sure that our cheat detection would only catch people who were legitimately cheating,” read a tweet by the official Fall Guys account. “After we confirmed that it was working–We secretly launched Fall Guys Cheater Island.”
Somebody actually uploaded this video to Reddit with the title: “Ever played a round of Fall Mountain where all the players are cheating?” The problem is… this LOOKS like Cheater Island but we can’t be 100% sure pic.twitter.com/byJi6r0Ykc
The Fall Guys Twitter account tweeted a long thread about cheater island, how the studio was overwhelmed by the amount of cheaters trying to play Fall Guys, and its upcoming plans to combat dishonest players. The UK-based studio reemphasized that it’s adding Fortnite’s anti-cheat system in the coming weeks.
“Our cheat detection system was good but we hadn’t expected so many players and we had no idea the lengths that some players would go to cheat. We tried to create a system around honesty,” the studio tweeted. “But as soon as we realized we were in an ARMS RACE we called up the experts at Epic.”
I’ve got lots of spicy content for you this week – The Dev team have been super busy on the new update 👀
For now…
BUCKLE UP
Let me tell you a wild story
It’s called
The RISE and FALL of Cheater Island
Tagging @Netflix incase they want to make a film or series out of it
Infinity Ward did something similar when the Santa Monica-based studio put Call of Duty: Warzone cheaters into the same lobby to try and discourage players from cheating. The popular battle royale still has a huge cheating problem.
Mediatonic decommissioned Cheater Island this week after videos of cheater-filled matches started to spread around social media. The studio said that those videos “made the game look bad” and said future updates should help combat the Fall Guys cheating issue.
Talks of Microsoft potentially acquiring Bungie, Destiny and former Halo developer, are circulating–but they aren’t true, according to Bungie. Initially, VentureBeat’s Jeff Grubb spoke on the GamesBeat podcast about hearing that Microsoft and Bungie were in discussions, but that the two companies could not agree on a sale price. Eurogamer then corroborated this, saying it too had heard of such discussions taking place.
However, the CEO of Bungie, Pete Parsons, took to Twitter to succinctly declare the news false. A member of Bungie’s community team also requested that people use Bungie’s new logo when “circulating gossip” about the company.
Bungie recently left a publishing deal with Activision, ending a 10-year partnership earlier than expected, and is currently independent. In an Activision earnings report, the company explained why it broke off from Bungie. While describing the split as a “mutual amicable agreement,” chief operating officer Coddy Johnson stated, “Destiny is highly critically acclaimed, high quality content, but it was not meeting our financial expectations.”
Microsoft did own Bungie once and after buying the company in 2000, when the developer was still making Halo games, Bungie and Microsoft split in 2007, with Microsoft retaining the Halo IP.
Bungie received $100 million from Chinese internet giant, NetEase, in 2018. The money will enable the developer make non-Destiny games and establish separate internal development teams. However, as evident in the past few years, Bungie emphasized that it will not stop stop working on Destiny 2 and “will grow [the game] for many years to come.”
Destiny 2 is in its third year and is still going strong. In the latest news, Destiny 2’s expansions, Forsaken and Shadowkeep, are coming to Xbox Game Pass on September 22. Beyond Light, when it launches on November 10, will be added to Game Pass as well. Destiny 2 is also coming to the Xbox Series X/S and PlayStation 5, where it will run at 4K and 60 FPS.
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