EA has big plans to expand its sports games over the next five years as it targets an audience of 500 million players.
In an interview with Axios, EA Sports General manager Daryl Holt said that the company has plans to get “even bigger — on mobile, in football, maybe even with basketball again.” The company, known for publishing iconic sports games such as FIFA, Madden NFL, and NHL, says that it currently reaches an audience of over 230 million players but that it’s trying to more than double that number to 500 million across the next five years.
In the interview, Holt said that the expansion will involve “new business models, new geographies.” The idea of new business models might cause some speculation, after FIFA’s chief rival PES recently underwent a name change, ditched annual releases, and adopted a free-to-play model. There’s been no word on whether EA might follow suit with its mainline console sports games.
More nebulously, Holt added that EA Sports will focus on the social aspects of playing its games, adding that it’s creating “social networks” within its titles.
The company then formally completed a $1.2 billion acquisition of Codemasters – the publisher known for creating a range of racing franchises such as Formula 1, Dirt, and Project Cars – in February 2021. EA confirmed at the time that it would be treating Codemasters’ studios as an independent group but did highlight a potential interest in perhaps bringing the Formula 1 license back under its own EA Sports brand.
EA also announced late last year that it had extended two licensing deals – one with the NHL and another with UFC, which would allow it to continue making games for both sports well into the newest console generation. Whilst on mobile, EA recently acquired Playdemic Mobile Games from Warner Bros in an all-cash deal valued at around $1.4 billion. Playdemic Mobile Games are best known for creating its Golf Clash series.
Elsewhere in the interview, Holt spoke about the company’s flagship series, Madden NFL. The series’ latest iteration, Madden NFL 21 released in August 2020 to mixed reviews. IGN reviewed Madden NFL 21 at release where we awarded it a 6/10 noting that the game had a “lack of innovation across the board,” and “technical issues”.
Holt, who oversees the series said that this year’s Madden NFL 22 should “run better” and acknowledged that there’s “a responsibility for us to deal with craftsmanship in terms of bugs or any issues of instability.” EA will be hoping that Madden NFL 22 releases to positive reviews as this could help to bring in new players to the franchise.
Running out of room after installing that latest Call of Duty update? Then we’ve got some good news. Xbox’s official Seagate 1TB Expansion Card, is now on sale at Amazon and down to £179.99. Previously listed at £219.99, this is the best deal we’ve seen on the SSD so far in 2021. I’ve used the Expansion Drive myself, and tell you what it’s like magic in a bottle. Speeds of the Xbox Series X with no fuss and no issues, it’s the perfect addition to the console.
You can always expand your storage with a regular Hard Drive, but these are nowhere near as quick and won’t utilise the Xbox Series X velocity architecture, whereas the Seagate Expansion Card will. This deal usually lasts around 24-hours, so don’t hang around you’ll want to pick this up as soon as possible.
Xbox Series X|S Seagate SSD Now £179.99 (was £219.99)
Xbox Series X consoles come with a lighting quick 1TB SSD, and Xbox Series S comes with a 500GB SSD that is also absolutely rapid. The only issue? These next-gen consoles fill up their storage space remarkably quickly. This is likely down to all the 4K textures that come packed with new titles, and thankfully there’s a solution available with this new deal at Amazon.
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Robert Anderson is a Commerce Editor and deals expert for IGN. Send him awesome gaming screenshots @robertliam21 on Twitter.
Bless Unleashed is a free-to-play MMORPG that’s now making its way to PC, following its 2020 release on Xbox and PlayStation consoles. Set for launch on August 6, the PC version of Bless Unleashed will continue with the console’s version fast-paced, action-oriented approach to combat and exploration–putting a greater emphasis on players being active in how they engage with the game’s different challenges. GameSpot not only has some details on what’s in store of the launch of the PC edition, but we also have an exclusive first look at a new cinematic trailer in anticipation of the PC release.
As a relaunch of the original Bless Online back in 2019, Bless Unleashed was effectively reboot, revamping much of the combat and progression systems while also generally improving its predecessor’s technical shortcomings. These issues plagued Bless Online and prevented it from finding an audience, but the game’s relaunch last year has since fared much better than the original.
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Now Playing: Bless Unleashed – Official Exclusive Cinematic Launch Date Trailer
In this new trailer, we get to see much of the game’s scope and combat emphasis, which focuses on different classes of adventurers facing off against undead monsters, dragons, and other giant foes. Like with other online RPGs within the framework of a high-fantasy setting, Bless Unleashed will have you team up with others to explore dangerous dungeons, collect loot, and evolve your character throughout their adventure in the game’s expansive world.
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Bless Unleashed is a free-to-play game without a subscription fee, but like most other games of this type, it includes some premium options that focus on cosmetics and other options items that can be bought with real money. Newcomers can either jump into the game for free or purchase a different set of buy-in options from the founder’s program for the PC release. These different options offer some added perks for players to start their new adventure, allowing for a somewhat easier start. Here’s a quick rundown of the different options you have to purchase.
Deluxe Edition – $20 – Founder’s Pack Title, emotes, 500 Lumena, 50,000 Star Seed, and premium benefits.
Exalted Edition – $30 – All previous rewards, Star Seed 20% booster, Telepost Discount Ticket for 30 Days, 5 bag expansion tickets, and premium benefits.
Ultimate Edition – $80 – All previous rewards from Deluxe and Exalted editions, new emotes, 300,000 Star Seed, Gold Boost Ticket, character and account storage expansions.
The timing for the release of a new MMO on the PC is interesting. With the shift in player bases from World of Warcraft to other games like New World or Final Fantasy XIV, Bless Unleashed could be another viable option for players looking for new possibilities or lapsed online players. Whether Bless Unleashed will keep up with the other, more established games remain to be seen. Still, it does look to be making its debut on PC in style and with a suite of content for players to immerse themselves in.
PAX West will require fans, exhibitors, and all other attendees to show proof of full vaccination or a negative COVID-19 test in order to enter the event. The organizers of the notable gaming event announced the move on Tuesday, July 27, amid an uptick in coronavirus cases across the United States. To be accepted, a negative antigen COVID-19 test must be taken within six hours of the event start time, and PCR COVID-198 tests must be taken within 72 hours of each day a visitor plans to attend.
The full statement on the PAX West site also notes that attendees will be required to wear approved face coverings during the event. As part of this, cosplayers and other costumed fans will not be allowed to wear cosplay pieces on their head that prevent them from wearing an approved face covering. PAX West will run from August 30 to September 2.
PAX organizer ReedPop faced criticism from fans and pun when it announced that attendees will not be required to be vaccinated back in June. However, this move would appear to assuage some of those concerns. As with almost all in-person events, the expo will have significantly less capacity for attendees than in a pre-pandemic year.
PAX West is one of the first major gaming events to return to in-person attendance. For example, GDC 2021 was still an all-virtual event this year. However, GDC 2022 will be an in-person event, barring any major changes. QuakeCon and Gamescom will both be digital-only in 2021 as well.
The best ring lights are among the most overlooked peripherals. In fact, outside of the vlogging and content creating communities, most people can’t even imagine needing one. But, one of the many, many things the COVID-19 pandemic has taught is that one can’t simply sit in front of a webcam for a work meeting and hope for the best. And, if we’re going to continue this work from home trend post-pandemic, we have to find ways to stop looking like zombies during video conferences.
That’s where the best ring lights come in. These light halos are designed to make any subject look good in front of the camera by illuminating it softly and evenly – and yes, that includes any human who’s just stumbled out of bed mere minutes before a Zoom meeting or a hardcore game streamer who may or may not have skipped a shower. We’ve gathered the best ones for you right here, from a webcam with its own mini ring light to a premium one with all the trimmings.
There’s a lot to love about Neewer’s 20-inch LED Ring Light. The ring light itself is a massive 20-incher that makes it just as great for studio-quality photographs as it is for vlogging and streaming.
It’s got a decent color temperature range and over 97 CRI that helps keep things natural yet vibrant. You can plug it into a wall outlet or pop in batteries that last 50 minutes or less at full charge in case you need to take it outdoors. It also comes with accessories like a heavy-duty light stand with an adjustable height of 36 to 79 inches to a smartphone holder. Most importantly, the price is right, which makes it among the best value ring lights out there.
The Qiaya Selfie Ring Light is more for casual users and budding content creators with a tight budget and aren’t too savvy at making videos. At less than $50, this is definitely in the economy class of ring lights, but don’t let that price fool you.
There’s a lot of value in this ring light, touting an adjustable color temperature range of up to 6,000K, two power solutions, 10 levels of brightness, a highly adjustable lighting angle, and a decently sized ring diameter. Its stand is solid and has four different levels. It’s still very much for novice users, however, with only three color modes and a CRI of less than 90. Still, this is a very capable ring light for beginners and those who just want to look good during video calls.
Elgato’s ring light is, for lack of a better word, elegant. This RedDot award winner boasts up to 2,500 lumens and an impressive color temperature range of 2,900 – 7,000 K. But, it doesn’t just make you look stunning with its two diffusion layers; it also does it while looking just as good with its bezeled look and large setting buttons, which are strategically-placed to be easily accessible and blend seamlessly with the design
Its operation is just as elegant. While the aforementioned buttons adjust the ring light’s brightness and color temperature. It also comes with its own app that allows you to make those adjustments from your smartphone or computer. That means you can toggle the ring light setting without needing to physically touch it. Ideal for everything from game streaming and video conferencing to full-on photoshoots. Plus, it comes with a rubber-padded clamp and Elgato’s robust and highly expandable Master Mount S stand.
Go for gold and purchase the whole affordable expandable system that includes a heavy base, a solid arm and a flexible arm, as well as the longer Master Mount L so that you’ll never feel the need to upgrade to another lighting system again.
If you’re more of a minimalist, you can keep things simple and uncomplicated with the Razer Kiyo. While this is more of a webcam than a ring light, it’s a nifty 2-in-1 device is perfect for those who want to look good jumping on a video call with friends and colleagues. The ring light itself is just as simplistic and easy to handle, with just a dial around it to adjust the brightness.
The light looks tiny but it’s more than good enough to make you look flattering in front of your audience, especially if you’re on video calls with colleagues. And, that versatile clamp-style mount makes it effortless to attach to any display. As for the webcam, it’s 1080p at 30fps and 720p at 60fps video resolution should be more than enough to keep most users happy, and is an incredible upgrade to whatever is on your laptop.
The Yongnuo YN-14EX is not so much a continuous ring light, but a ring flash best used for still photography. It’s a vital tool for those looking to up their macro and modeling photography game.
There are a lot of ring flashes out there, but if you’re looking for something that won’t burn a hole in your pocket, Yongnuo is the brand for you. The Yongnuo YN-14EX supports exposure compensation, rear-curtain sync, and FE lock to start, and yields just as good results as its pricier rivals for less. It’s also compatible with 52mm, 58mm, 67mm and 72mm filter size lenses – though you’ll have to invest in a set of adapters for larger lenses, and fitted with the standard PC synchronous interface and an LCD display. This is a great addition to your beginner photography set, especially if you plan on doing a lot of macro and portrait photos.
Not everyone needs a pro-level ring light. For many users, a simple and portable clip ring light is good enough, something you can simply clip on to your smartphone, tablet or laptop. If that sounds ideal for you, you cannot go wrong with the Qiaya Clip Selfie Ring Light, which is probably the best clip ring light on the market.
It has a built-in rechargeable battery, three different light settings, and good clamping power to keep it in place. What’s more surprising here is that it’s powerful enough to light up your selfies in a dark room. The best part might just be the price, as it’s less than $20, which means it’s affordable for pretty much every one.
7. Best Portable Ring Light: Rotolight Ultimate Vlogging Kit
Not all ring lights have to be massive, at home lighting solutions, the Rotolight’s Ultimate Vlogging Kit is a portable option for your smartphone. This nifty little tool comes with a smartphone clip, a mini tripod, and an accessory bar that lets you mount your smartphone and the ring light at the same time.
Speaking of that ring light, it’s Rotolight’s award-winning RL48-B Stealth ring light that comes with its own calibration filters – seven of them – so you can adjust the color temperature, as well as apply dimming, minus green and diffusion. It’s got everything to make you look good on camera. The best part is that everything is portable and travel-friendly, and you won’t have to worry about being weighed down by heavy equipment when you’re on-the-go.
8. Best Multi-Use Ring Light: UBeesize 10’’ Ring Light
Every multifaceted content creator on the budget needs something extremely versatile yet also incredibly affordable. For that, we recommend the UBeesize 10-inch Ring Light. This kit lets you mount practically every smartphone or portable camera kit up to 1kg, has 360-degree rotation for every lighting angle possible, and a color temperature range of 3000K to 6000 K. It even has a Bluetooth remote so you can easily operate that shutter without needing to go back and forth, and a tripod with a height range of 15.7 inches to 50 inches.
Another feature we love about this ring light is its touch operation for adjusting brightness and color temperature, as well as toggling on and off. The only thing missing here is the option to be battery-operated so you can still use it when there’s no outlet on hand. Still, for something that’s under $50, it already offers a whole lot for a low price.
For a ring light that costs as much as other mid-range brands, Lume Cube’s 18-inch wonder sure boasts some uniquely premium features. It has a built-in diffuser, a backlit display so you can visually see the settings you’re on, and can run on battery power– two batteries are even included – that lets you utilize it for about an hour at full power without being connected to a power outlet. To keep with that portable nature, it’s surprisingly lightweight and comes with its own carrying case.
Of course, that flicker-free operation, adjustable temperature range 3200-5600K, and 97 CRI keeps that light as bright and natural as you need it to be. That 6.5-foot stand is easily adjustable yet also robust at the same time, allowing you to mount both the ring light and up to a 10 pound camera. Meanwhile, its small collection of accessories that comes included make it an even better value for your money.
In fact, this is a definite contender for the best overall ring light title had it not been for the fact that we absolutely recommend this for outdoor shooters – even though it’s just as impressive to use indoors.
Shooting primarily with smaller devices such as smartphones and action cams? The Vabogu Selfie Ring Light might just be perfect for you, especially if you want a ring light that’s decently-sized and still capable.
Despite being only 10-inches in diameter it’s plenty bright and offers three lighting modes – white, natural, and warm. You can adjust between 11 different brightness levels for a plethora of lighting scenarios, as well as a 360-degree rotation for all sorts of lighting angles. And, just because it’s meant for smaller devices, doesn’t mean it can’t go high. With a height range of 18 to 63 inches, that tripod will let you shoot all sorts of subjects from different angles. And, true to its “perfect for beginners” nature, it’s also very easy to set up. It’s a fantastic value for less than $30. Just bear in mind that if you do upgrade to a DSLR or mirrorless camera, you’ll have to upgrade to a more robust setup as well.
Choosing the best ring light
If you haven’t owned (or used) a ring light before, choosing one can be a tad tricky. You probably already know that you can’t just get the first one that pops up in your Amazon search, but did you know there are other considerations beyond quality and price?
When choosing the best ring light for you, you should consider the size or diameter of the ring, first and foremost. Usually, the larger ring lights produce softer and more diffused lighting. However, smaller ones should be good enough for close-ups. It’s the same with a ring light’s Color Rendering Index. The higher the CRI, the more natural the light is and the more vivid it will make the colors look.
Most ring lights are dimmable, but the cheap ones don’t often offer adjustable color temperatures. Keep in mind that if you’re looking for something with a wider color temperature range, you might have to spend a bit more. It’s worth it, however, especially if you need extra versatility for different shooting scenarios.
Speaking of versatility, you’ll find that some ring lights are both AC- and battery-powered, making them ideal for outdoor and remote location use by being battery-powered. Again, they’ll probably cost more, so if you’re shooting everything indoors, you should just go for an AC-powered option.
Lastly, consider the type of bulbs being used. Some use fluorescent lights while a few others utilize LED lights, which are more energy-efficient, more robust, and better for the environment.
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Michelle Rae Uy is a freelance tech and travel writer, part-time production editor, and a full-time traveler from Los Angeles, California. She currently splits her time between Los Angeles, London and the rest of the world. Follow her on Instagram @straywithRae
The Season 2 premiere of Ted Lasso, which was released on July 23, is officially Apple TV Plus’ biggest ever launch to date.
Per Variety, Apple confirmed that the Season 2 premiere episode generated the largest audience of any original film or TV show in Apple TV Plus history to date.
The comedy, in which Jason Sudeikis coaches a professional soccer team in England despite having no soccer experience, has received a wealth of praise this year from critics and audiences alike. Ted Lasso picked up a number of awards at the 26th annual Critics Choice Awards in March this year, including Best Comedy Series. Prior to the season 2 premiere, the comedy also boasted 20 Emmy nominations – leaving it only 4 nominations behind pack frontrunners “The Crown” and “The Mandalorian” which each received 24 nominations. It was also named as IGN’s Best TV Show of 2020.
While news of Ted Lasso’s successful Season 2 launch is impressive within the context of Apple TV Plus, it remains unclear how many viewers actually streamed the show across its opening weekend. At the time of writing, Apple has not released any specific audience viewing numbers from the weekend and it is seemingly unlikely to do so any time soon.
Despite this, Apple has said that the show both “increased its viewership by 6x over season one,” and helped to “lift viewership and engagement” for the series’ first season as well as a number of other comedies on Apple TV Plus such as Mythic Quest and Physical. The company also said that, “Apple TV Plus expanded its number of new viewers by a record-breaking 50% week over week.” Without context, however, these comments offer little insight into the show’s success against others.
Whilst Apple celebrated the success of Ted Lasso’s season 2 premiere in terms of audience numbers, the show’s official Twitter account took a different approach to notify fans of its return – by tweeting about butterflies.
New season starts today and I’ll be honest – I’ve got butterflies. But one great fact about butterflies is that they only show up when you care a lot about something. And also they taste with their feet.
Red Dead Online’s second “opportunity,” or heist, has arrived much sooner than expected, landing in the game today alongside other new Blood Money content and the usual fare of discounts. Besides a suite of weapons and Old West getups, players can even purchase a furry friend for their camp for much less than usual.
Today’s updates can be found on the Rockstar Newswire, but we’ve detailed them down below for you.
Steal The Ember Of The East
Red Dead Online’s newest heist has players going after a valuable flawless ruby, the Ember of the East. The gem is being kept somewhere in Annesburg, but to find out where, players will have to collect enough Capitale, Blood Money’s new currency, to take on the mission. The Ember of the East marks the second of three opportunity missions that Rockstar has announced. It’s not clear when the third will be added to the game or if more will be released afterward.
Players that manage to steal the jewel before August 2 will receive a reward for a free off-hand holster. Desperados who finish the heist on its highest difficulty on the other hand will be able to purchase the Annesburg Cap from Madam Nazar.
A New Contract For The Taking
Starting today, players can now tackle an extra Blood Money contract in Red Dead Online. Contracts, as opposed to the game’s Crimes, are multi-part free roam missions. The game’s newest contract, The Dockside Contract, takes place in Saint Denis, and gives players the opportunity to earn some extra Capitale.
Same Some Cash And Gold
As usual, Red Dead Online players can take advantage of a slew of discounts and rewards this week. There is also a full discount on moving camp, so players can haul their belongings across the west for no charge. Similarly, any player trying to get into the business of animal pelts can purchase a butcher table at a discount of five gold bars.
You can find a list of other discounts being offered this week down below:
Non-role outfits – 40% off
Repeaters – 30% off
Role improved saddles and saddlebags – 30% off
Bounty wagon- 30% off
Varmint rifle – 30% off
Navy revolver – 30% off
Camp Dogs – 40% off
Camp Themes – 40% off
Clothes, trinkets, and equipment at Gus’ store – 40% off
A Dragon Age TV series is reportedly in “active development” at Netflix.
According to a report from Giant Freakin Robot, the sprawling epic fantasy universe of BioWare’s Dragon Age game franchiseis the latest title to have been selected for a series adaptation over at Netflix. The streaming giant is said to be actively working on the Dragon Age series, even though it hasn’t been officially announced by Netflix or BioWare yet.
Word of the series has allegedly come from a “trusted and proven” source, however, very little is known about the adaptation at this point — particularly in regards to whether the show would take an animated approach, much like Castlevania, or whether it would be a live-action affair, similar to The Witcher, though the report seems to indicate that it could be the latter.
BioWare’s popular action RPG game series takes place on the fictional continent of Thedas and follows the experiences of the fantasy crew that inhabit the vast mystical world. The franchise has spawned numerous spin-off games alongside its main series titles, including Dragon Age 4, which is currently in development.
Video game adaptations have become big business on Netflix as the games market has experienced rapid growth, with the interest in gaming exploding even more so during the pandemic. Netflix wants to be the service that players turn to when they need to take a break from gaming, and the streamer is making big moves to make it happen.
As part of EA’s week-long Madden NFL 22 player ratings reveal, the publisher is revealing the ratings for the game’s top players, and the best of the best get a 99 rating. This puts them in the elusive “99 Club,” as it’s known, and two members have been announced so far.
Davante Adams, a wide receiver for the Green Bay Packers, was the first player to be announced for the 99 Club. EA Sports surprised Adams with the news while he was playing golf, and it was all documented on video. Every member of the 99 Club gets a special “99” necklace and other goodies, as you can see in the video below.
The second member of the 99 Club is Aaron Donald, who, in addition to his 99 OVR rating, boasts a 99 in the Strength category–this makes him the strongest player in the entire game. “He also has the holy grail of RE skills with absurdly high ratings across all line-penetration attributes and top scores in field awareness,” EA said in its announcement.
This is actually the fifth time that Donald has been selected as a 99-rated player for Madden. While he is no stranger to the honor, Donald still looks happy and enthusiastic about getting the rating, as you can see in the nice video below where he receives the news at home with his family.
Remember that these are just the ratings for the game’s launch period. The ratings will go up or down during the season based on how the athletes perform on the field.
Three more 99 Club members will be announced on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday on ESPN’s Get Up TV show, which airs at 5 AM PT / 8 AM ET on ESPN. Keep checking back with GameSpot to see the rest of the Madden NFL 22 player rating reveals for the 99 Club and other positions.
Madden NFL 22 launches on August 20 across console, PC, and Stadia, with Tom Brady and Patrick Mahomes sharing the cover. For more, check out GameSpot’s Madden 22 preorder guide.
