Latest News - Page 1632

Sucker Punch's stylish samurai epic has been delayed a few weeks as Sony adjusts its first-party release slate.

Ghost of Tsushima is now launching July 17, three weeks after its original June 26 launch date, Sony today announced. The move comes as part of PlayStation's new first-party salvo that sees two heavy-hitters launching back-to-back: First with The Last of Us 2 in June, then Ghost of Tsushima in July. Sony accelerated TLOU2's release date to help combat the game's recent devastating story spoilers.

Today's news was surprising to say the least and many expected Sucker Punch's samurai slasher to be delayed indefinitely thanks to COVID-19 work-from-home orders.

Some new details have leaked that are for a next-generation Samsung Galaxy smartwatch, but exactly which model remains a mystery. What we know is that Chinese regulators are testing a Samsung smartwatch with two versions codenamed SM-R840 and SM-R850 listed. The mystery is that no one is sure if these are different sizes of the Galaxy Watch 2 or if they are the Galaxy Watch Active 3.

The assumption with two codenames is that we're looking at both a 42 mm and a 46 mm version. Other leaks have mentioned two different codenames, including R845 and R855, that are believed to be the LTE versions. The wearable is tipped to come in black, silver, and gold colors.

Rumors also suggest that the devices will have 8 GB of internal storage. That is a healthy gain from past Samsung Galaxy smartwatches and will be useful for people who like to store music on the watch for listening off-line. The battery reportedly increased in size to 330mAh, which is a significant gain from the 247mAh battery used on the Active 2.

One question that's been on the minds of many Apple fans and shareholders is when will the next iPhone generation launch. The coronavirus pandemic has caused significant delays for Apple, as it has for most of the world and other smartphone makers. A new report surfaced that claims that Apple is still gearing up for the next iPhone generation launch this fall, but it's launch plans could change.

According to the new report, mass production for the new iPhones has been pushed back about a month. That doesn't mean Apple couldn't announce the smartphones in September as it usually does, but it does mean that the devices may not be available to purchase the same month they are announced. The report also claims that Apple is planning four new iPhone models.

The new models are said to include one with a 5.4-inch screen, a pair of 6.1-inch screen models, and a high-end model with a 6.7-inch screen. It's unclear if all or only some of those models have been delayed. The original report started with the Wall Street Journal and claimed that the "flagship iPhones" would be delayed, which could indicate only the high-end models.

UPDATE: Naughty Dog has officially commented on the Last of Us 2 leaks:

The Last of Us 2's main story beats have been leaked out, and Sony is responding in the best way: By releasing the game early.

The Last of Us 2 will now release on June 19, 2020 on PlayStation 4, Sony today confirmed. The accelerated timeline comes weeks after Sony and Naughty Dog delayed the sequel indefinitely due to shipping issues. The game is basically finished, Naughty Dog said in the previous announcement, so an accelerated release makes sense (reports say Sony wanted to wait until Fall or thereabouts when COVID-19 is expected to fade and retailers open back up). Whether or not Sony will forego possible physical retail sales due to COVID-19 limitations remains to be seen, but the games-maker will assuredly sell millions of digital sales.

One of the big challenges for many people during the coronavirus pandemic with parents working from home and kids trying to learn from home is having access to enough computers. Many homes have one shared computer, leaving people looking for budget options to get more people online. A Chromebook is an excellent way to get someone on the internet to work from home, or learn, on the cheap. Lenovo has a machine called the Chromebook S340 that runs the Chrome OS operating system and has plenty of performance for average computing needs.

The Chromebook uses an Intel Celeron N430 processor operating at 1.10GHz and up to 2.60GHz with Turbo Boost. The processor has dual cores and can handle two threads at a time. The display is a 14-inch HD resolution unit with anti-glare coating and 220 nits of brightness. Native resolution for the screen is 1366 x 768.

Chromebook S340 has 4 GB of RAM, that isn't upgradable, and 32 GB of eMMC storage. Graphics are handled by Intel UHD Graphics 600, which won't do much for video games but will handle video playback and other general computing needs. Other connectivity options include Bluetooth 4.2 and Intel 9650 802.11 AC Wi-Fi connectivity.

A lot of people out there enjoy filming from the air using drones, such as the line made by DJI. The company is gearing up to launch a new drone that has been leaked several times, called the DJI Mavic Air 2. The latest leak shows appear to be images of the device from the official press release, which is expected today.

The leaked images show the drone from multiple angles and give us a good look at the controller as well. The images give us a good look at the camera mounted up front on a gimbal and the folding design that makes it more compact to transport. The controller is interesting with the sliding section designed to hold the smartphone allowing the pilot to view the camera feed in real-time.

Another interesting feature of the drone are hints that it will have an advanced ActiveTrack feature. The camera is tipped using Sony IMX586 sensor that allows it to capture 4K images and video. The smartphone holder built into the controller is an alternative to the screen integrated into some past devices.

ASUS has launched a pair of new notebook computers today that include the VivoBook S14 (S433) and the VivoBook S15 (S533). The pair of notebooks are 14-inch and 15-inch computers that aim to strike a balance between portability and performance. ASUS also put a lot of work into the style of the laptops to give them "personality."

Both machines have diamond-cut edges and metallic textured finishes with multiple colors available. The keyboard features an "enter" key that has color-blocked edges. Both of the devices are powered by Intel Core i5 processors and use integrated Intel UHD graphics. Buyers can opt for up to 8 GB of RAM and high-capacity PCIe SSD storage.

The new machines bring additional colors to the VivoBook S line, including Resolute Red, Gaia Green, Dreamy White, and Indie Black. The notebooks also come with stickers that allow younger users to customize the laptops further match with each of the four colors. Machines weigh in at 3.09 pounds and have a thin profile that's as slim as 1.59 mm.

The Nintendo Switch is practically sold out across the globe. So if you can't buy a handheld, why not make one instead?

Custom handhelds are pretty amazing. They often carve up old-school consoles like the Wii and jam them into small form factors like an Altoids tin (yes, really). And now you can make your own...but there's some assembly required.

Renowned modder G-man is selling a unique DIY kit for his G-Boy handheld, which packs in a Wii console into a custom 3D-printed Gameboy chassis. The kit costs $325, and comes with a 3.5-inch LCD screen, custom-designed chips, screws, triggers, and PCBs, including one that fully emulates the functionality of a GameCube controller. But there's some big catches: You have to solder everything together and dremel your own Wii PCB to exact specs. The kit doesn't come with a pre-cut Wii motherboard (Nintendo would NOT be happy if it did).

Covidsafe has now launched Down Under, with the Australian government unleashing its coronavirus tracking app -- which is powered by Bluetooth, and millions of Australians who will download it.

How does it work? Covidsafe is an app that you can download from the Australian Apple App store and Google Play store, and once installed it'll use Bluetooth to record anyone else (that has the Covidsafe app installed) that gets too close to you. Covidsafe will be scanning Australians that are within 1.5 meters (5 feet) of you, for 15 minutes or more.

Covidsafe will transfer anonymized IDs between Australians' phones over Bluetooth, gets cycled every 2 hours, and then the government promises that the data is encrypted on your phone and deleted after 21 days.

I don't know how the developers and staffers at Naughty Dog feel right now, but it wouldn't be good -- news is breaking over the weekend that the entire story for The Last of Us Part 2 have leaked online.

A video was posted up on YouTube which Sony must've orders its lawyers to have removed, but then the internet did what it does best -- spread The Last of Us Part 2's entire story. If you do not want any spoilers to The Last of Us Part 2 then I would suggest not continuing to read this news.

I'm not going to write about or quote the leaks to The Last of Us Part 2 so that I'm not responsible for spoiling what should've been one of the best games ever made.

The first ever geologic map of the Moon's surface has just been released, showcasing what kind of structures are on the Moon's surface.

United States Geological Survey (USGS) in partnership with NASA and the Lunar Planetary Institute have posted the first detailed map of what the Moon's surface looks like from a geological standpoint. The map is was created using data from satellites such as the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter and Japan's SELENE as well as some Apollo-era maps.

The idea behind this map is double headed. Firstly, it can definitely influence future Moon missions as scientists and the astronauts will have a much more thought out and accurate representation of the Moon. Secondly, releasing the geologic map to the public will allow for scientists and the general public around the world to further study the surface of the Moon.

The Avengers: Endgame was met with some extreme popularity, but how extreme exactly? Well, it had enough backing that the movie is now the most commercially profitable movie in history.

According to a new report by Deadline, Endgame made a whopping $2.79 billion at the global box office, with $890 million of that being in profit, setting the new record for any future movie that will try and beat it. The report also states that Endgame cost $356 million to produce, additionally $175 million went towards paying the cast and staff, and $155 million went towards marketing the movie on the global stage.

In total, Endgame cost $899 million to produce, which includes all of the costs such as staff/actor payments, marketing, budget, and any other hidden costs. In just the first weekend of release, Avengers: Endgame made $1.2 billion at the worldwide box office, which covered all of the costs and even left a surplus of money.

We know that the next-gen consoles will handle 60FPS with ease, as well as finally delivering console gamers native resolutions like 4K (but with fluid 60FPS frame rates) -- but what about 21:9 aspect ratio UltraWide support?

It seems they will have these features, as Philips have just unveiled their new 345M1CR Momentum, a new 34-inch UltraWide gaming monitor made not for PCs... but for consoles. The new monitor supports up to 3440 x 1440 at 144Hz, with a 4ms response (1ms with Philips' motion blur reduction mode).

Philips is asking gamers to buy their new monitor, so that they can "take your console gaming experience to a new level".

There are many reasons why I love the internet and Reddit, but gamers in particular -- like 'Ninjakilla_X' on Reddit, who chopped the additional game footage from CD Projekt RED's Q&A video on Cyberpunk 2077, are the real heroes. Check it out here.

The video shows much more of the Cyberpunk 2077 world which is dripping in atmosphere, and it isn't centered around shooting and killing -- it is walking around and experiencing the world, interacting with characters towards the end. I think I prefer some of this world-exploring side of Cyberpunk 2077 as much as the action, the world feels so... cyberpunk.

Hell, the top comment on the video from 'Cloudless_Sky' says: "I'm gonna be spending so much time just walking around and looking at things". Cloudless_Sky, whoever you are -- I totally agree. Walking around in this game is going to be absolutely epic in its own right. I want to set up my entire gaming setup for Cyberpunk 2077 when it comes out and just go in for a few weeks or months and experience it in all its glory.

In news that began spreading nearly 3 weeks ago now, it has been confirmed that hospitals are indeed getting paid more if they list patients with COVID-19... and up to 3x that amount if the patient is placed on a ventilator.

The news was reported by The Spectator on April 9, and "fact checked" by USA Today on April 26 -- where it was said that hospitals are being paid a lump sum payment of $5000 if they have a patient with COVID-19. If the patient has COVID-19 pneumonia then the payment increases to $13,000 --- but if that COVID-19 pneumonia patient gets put on a ventilator, that payment skyrockets to $39,000.

Senator Scott Jensen, R-Minn, who is a physician in Minnesota, was interviewed by The Ingraham Angle by host Laura Ingraham on April 8 on Fox News. He claimed that hospitals were being paid if they listed patients with COVID-19, where he said:

Epic Games has broken yet another record in Fortnite, with its recent in-game Travis Scott event seeing a gigantic 12.3 million concurrent players joining in for the insanely huge event.

The developer took to Twitter (above) to boast about the 12.3 million concurrent players in the Travis Scott event, which was an insane event in its own right. You can read more about that here. There were crazy lightning storms, dancers on fire, gravity flips, and a journey through space. Yeah, all in Fortnite, and all for a Travis Scott in-game concert. Awesome stuff.

The last time Epic Games reached a huge record was with 10.7 million players tuning into Marshmello's in-game concert. That was back in early 2019, but now Travis Scott appears and breaks the record in April 2020 with 12.3 million concurrent users -- no stadium in the world can host 12.3 million people at once so this is pretty damn insane when you sit down and think about it.

Epic Games has announced its huge new FNCS Invitational for Fortnite, throwing a huge $2 million of prize money into the mix.

The new FNCS Invitational will happen across 3 weekends starting on Saturday, May 9 -- with Epic inviting "the best of the best" in each region. This includes:

Epic Games will be kicking off the Open Qualifier for Champion ranked players on May 2, with 100 players in each region capable of earning an invite to the huge FNCS Invitational. This will give you the chance to play against "some of the biggest names in Competitive Fortnite" and more excitedly, possibly win a share in the $2 million prize pool.

If the reality of our world with COVID-19 coronavirus wrecking havoc left, right and center wasn't bad enough -- GTA Online is now art imitating life with its new missions.

A new update for GTA Online adds a bunch of new missions with one of them focusing on Gerald, a character that has received a myriad of missions over the years -- but his latest one involves him preparing for a recession. As the player, you will need to prepare for a recession which Gerald fears will destroy the criminal ecosystem.

Gerald needs to prepare for the worst, so you'll need to line up a bunch of drug deals and make a bunch of green with your green, before things go into the red. Rockstar Games most likely made these missions months ago, so there are (unfortunately) no jokes about toilet paper, cleaning stuff, or COVID-19 coronavirus.

One of the best-looking games on the horizon would have to be Microsoft's upcoming Flight Simulator, which has been shown off in some utterly gorgeous new screenshots. Check them out:

Microsoft is really showing the world what Flight Simulator can do when it can flex its graphical muscles, with some beautiful bokeh depth of field effects, gorgeous volumetric clouds and huge (real) worlds on display and running in real-time.

Seriously, how good does this game look?

NVIDIA has pushed out its new GeForce hot fix drivers in the form of the new 445.98 drivers, which fix up some of the issues that weer in the GeForce 445.87 Game Ready drivers.

Those drivers were released with optimizations and support for games like Minecraft RTX beta, Saints Row: The Third Remastered, Snowrunner, and Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 Campaign Remastered. The new drivers fix up problems with the shadow cache that was being purged incorrectly, brightness problems with HDR-enabled games, and more.

Overwatch fans might enjoy some more "improved game stability", while F1 2019 gets an issue with randomly crashing to the desktop with the new drivers.