Latest News - Page 2488

Earlier this year, SuperData predicted that some 38.9 million VR headsets would be sold by the end of 2016 - well, it looks like they've had some time to think, and have reduced their VR forecast by 30%.

The research firm expects console VR to reach a larger audience than PC, with the company expecting worldwide VR revenues to hit $3.6 billion - 30% less than the $5.1 billion it predicted in January. SuperData's Director of Research and Insights Stephanie Llamas explained to GamesIndustry.biz: "Since we published our original figures, we have had a number of conversations with both hardware and software developers, as well as access to newly public information".

Llamas continued: "We previously overestimated PC and mobile hardware penetration and underestimated console hardware sales. Console will be high-end VR's white horse since it has lower hardware requirements, easier set-up and lower pricing. PlayStation's 35 million-plus users are also a far larger accessible audience than that of high-end PCs, which tops off at about 17 million".

Out of nowhere, Google has released Android N in preview form, limited to Nexus smartphones and tablets. Android N is a very early beta of Google's next mobile OS, something it should release in fuller, more finished form as we get closer to Google I/O in mid-May.

For now, the beta is available on g.co/androidbeta and judging by the screenshots - Android N has three big new features. The first is split screen, for an improved multitasking experience - something that the likes of Samsung have been doing with TouchWiz on their Galaxy smartphones for a while now.

The second one is a new notifications panel, and a new and improved Doze power saving feature. There's heaps more in Android N, with a full list of what the Preview has to offer.

Quantum Break's live-action video can be skipped on all platforms, alleviating the need for always-online connections.

We recently reported that PC players have no choice but to stream Quantum Break's live-action segments, raising questions whether or not the game would need a persistent internet connection on PC. Xbox players, on the other hand, have the option to download the videos for offline play.

Now a Remedy developer confirms that players will have the option to skip the game's video segments, meaning the game can be played offline on PC. "I see a few people who are upset that you can skip the live action show in #QuantumBreak if they want to... what? Are options bad?" Remedy developer Lennie Hakola said in a recent Tweet.

Now that The Division has launched, the first 24 hours have been a huge success for Ubisoft. The company has said that The Division sold more copies in its first 24 hours than any other Ubisoft game, ever.

The Division also sold incredibly well when it comes to digital sales, but Ubisoft didn't reveal any concrete numbers. Ubisoft CEO Yves Guillemot said: "The launch of The Division is a tremendous achievement for Ubisoft, and demonstrates our unrivaled capacity to create fantastic new game brands and transform them into entertainment blockbusters".

Guillemot continued: "This is a momentous day for Ubisoft, but more importantly it marks the start of millions of players' enduring engagement in The Division's game world, which we are confident they will love".

While the Windows 10 Facebook app is pretty great for serving your Facebook needs, you may prefer to use the Messenger portion only, as many do on mobile. That's where the upcoming Facebook Messenger Windows 10 app comes in, which we get a first look at today courtesy of screenshots leaked by Windowsblogitalia.

There aren't any big surprises aesthetically: it's pretty much what you get now. However, it includes more features such as GIF support, voice, a like button, and so on.

Not pictured: notifications, live tile support, contact groups, and message forwarding.

Virtual reality is almost here, and Sony's PS4-powered PlayStation VR will be the first console-ready VR experience on the market. But what about the games? According to Sony, we can expect to pay as much as $59.99 for a single PSVR game, and the games won't be extensive AAA experiences, they'll be small and experimental.

In a recent interview with Polygon, Sony exec Shuhei Yoshida says that PlayStation VR games will cost "anywhere from $10 to $60". We know that Sony has plans to release more than 100 games throughout the headsets lifecycle, with the games described as "simple, passive experiences".

"At this point, VR is about creating new experiences, and we don't need as much content--asset creation. That's where it takes the largest number of resources," Yoshida said.

There's been a lot of talk in sports media in recent times about giving the viewer control over what they're watching, such as changing angles at will. It was finally put to work at the NBA All-Star Weekend, where Israeli startup Replay Technologies allowed fans to view replays and highlight reels from virtually every angle with its "freeD" tech.

FreeD works by rendering a 3D simulation of the court based on captures from 28 ultra HD cameras positioned around the arena, which is then uploaded to Intel servers for fans to play with.

Intel has been working with Replay Technologies since 2013 on this project (referred to as "immersive sports"), which has culminated in the former acquiring the latter for $130 million today. Intel says the acquisition means Replay will be better able to speed up freeD processing and add more customization for users.

Back in January, Google's DeepMind AI beat the European champion of the complex board game Go, marking a major achievement for AI. Today -- or yesterday, depending where you are in the world -- began the matchup against world champion Lee Sedol, widely regarded as significantly more skilled than the previous opponent Fan Hui.

To the surprise of even the commentators, DeepMind took the first game of the five game series, which will play out over the next few days. While it's just one game, it proves DeepMind can hang with the best of the best -- all the more impressive given it was projected to not be able to even beat the European champion for another decade.

Driveclub just keeps getting better and better with each update. And the March update, which weighs in at a small 300MB, is no exception, even if it's going to be a bit small.

That 300MB includes an all new Drift Mode that's actually scored, with a leaderboard to compare your scores against others. Just remember to try not to slam into walls, even if it's the natural thing to do for the uninitiated. They've also added 25 more levels for Elite and the normal Driver level, so the Elite caps out at 60 and Driver at 120. 35 new club levels have also been added, capping that at 120 as well.

Some of the UI has also been updated a bit to help showcase some of the #PS4share images that are shared throughout the Interwebs. If you participate, then you might also find your photo being enjoyed by others in the future, if you're lucky. Two new cars and two new bikes are also making into the update; the Koeniggsegg Regera and the Jaguar XJ220, MV Agusta Brutale 1090 Corsa and the MV Agusta F4RC. The full patch notes are right here if you need to take a look

Google saw a tremendous 50 percent increase in travel questions on mobile phones last year, so it's only logical they came up with Destinations, a new set of functionality for Google mobile search that accommodates your vacation needs.

It works as simply as you could hope for: search something like "europe vacation" and various travel destinations in Europe will pop up, complete with pictures, and dates and prices for flights and hotels. If you want to get more specific, quick tabs let you change dates, travelers, interests, and your budget. And if you're thinking long-term, you can compare prices across the next six months. Finally, the Explore tab lets you see what the weather is like year-round wherever it is you're thinking about going.

With any luck, Destinations will expand beyond mobile before too long.

iD Software has finally announced the dates that the closed-beta for DOOM will be running, and it'll be on all platforms at the same time, not spread out like some others.

Starting March 31st and lasting until April 3rd 2016 you'll get the chance to enjoy some fast-paced demon hunting destruction in their closed-beta test. But to get in, you have to have pre-ordered or purchased Wolfenstein: The New Order digitally prior to May 26th 2014. If you did, you should have had a DOOM beta code in your email from doing that. Better go check your digital receipts to see if you qualify.

The closed-beta will encompass the multiplayer mode only, to stress-test network functionality and look for the usual bugs that might crop up in their new iD Tech 6 engine in the first wide-spread test. They've also listed the recommended PC specifications to play the beta, which may not translate over to the final game, of course.

XCOM 2 hasn't even been out for six months yet and we're already getting word that the first expansion will come flying in on March 17th.

It's called Anarchy's Children is more of a customizer's dream than anything else, with more than 100 different, new and colorful different options to personalize your soldiers. That means there will be more hairstyles, armor, decals, helmets, masks and even different styles of face paint to make your crew look great while fending off the Alien overlords.

The pack is $5 if purchased by itself, or it's included in the XCOM 2 Reinforcement Pack that's $20 total, but includes additional stuff as well. This will be the first of many different DLC packs that'll be coming to the game, giving you official customization options if you don't want to chance those fan-made mods.

With us recently reporting that Rocket League has tipped over 1,000,000 users, this popular video game has just announced a brand new DLC to hit the e-shelves, released in unison with the upcoming Batman v Superman film.

The Batman DLC allows gamers to adopt their very own Batmobile in-game and is available to Windows PC, Microsft Xbox One and Sony PlayStation 4 users. Priced at $1.99, this DLC has been officially licensed by Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment and was announced in a recently issued press release.

The above YouTube video gives you a look at what you can own if this DLC tickles your fancy, further containing three exclusive Antenna Flags along with the Batmobile itself.

With the announcement of Forza Motorsport 6 Apex Edition, the thought was that we'd be able to compete with our friends on the Xbox One, at least with the courses available. That, however, has just been debunked and is completely untrue. Cross-play functionality is not going to make it into the PC version of Forza 6.

Aaron Greenberg explained that the curated nature of the experience means that it's a Windows 10 only ordeal. He stated that it's not planned at the moment, though that it could be an option in the future. Right now they're concentrating on getting the game polished and released, with that feature possibly on the roadmap later. Of course, with enough pressure from fans, it might become a reality.

Forza Motorsport, and Horizon, have previously been Xbox exclusive games relegated to being the definitive racing sim experience on that platform. This will mark its debut on the PC following Microsoft's commitment to bridging the gap between console and PC games. Turn 10 Studios will be developing the PC version and implementing DirectX 12 and other more advanced effects as befits a proper PC port. Considering the wider use of UWP, this port could theoretically run quite well when released, if lessons are learned from the release of Gears of War: Ultimate Edition on the PC.

Modular in design and created for small PC builds, Corsair has just announced its new SF600W and SF450W SFX form factor power supplies, with the SF450W being available immediately and the SF600W to follow soon.

Described as offering "80 plus Gold-certified efficiency with tight voltage regulation" that will deliver "ATX performance in an SFX form factor," these new models come packed with 100% 105-degree celsius Japanese capacitors, a seven year warranty and a 90mm cooling fan with Corsair's Zero RPM Fan Mode switching technology.

Both units are created for SFX form factor PC builds, peaking interest for users looking at building their own Steam machine, media PC and miniature gaming rig. More information on the SF600 here and the SF450 here.

The Coalition is making some great progress on Gears of War 4, bringing back the cover-based shooter to its overarching roots. Some new information regarding how the game will be played has surfaced. Notably a new cooperative play mechanism and just how the story will unfold.

Cooperative play has been a hallmark of the series over the year, where you and three other friends can play through the game together, suffering through some of the worst of times, and the best of times. That co-op has been reduced to only support two total players. Player one is always JD Fenix, and the second person can play as either Kait or Del.

Gears is now taking a page out of the book of some very successful series', where the action unfolds in real-time. That is, the entire story unfolds over a 24-hour period, which starts 25 years after the events of Gears of War 3. Does that mean that there's only 24 potential hours of gameplay? Possibly, but then again, the replay value is most notably going to be in the multiplayer.

Named the SE-904 and announced recently to the public, ID-Cooling's new air-based beast is aiming to show the public that air cooling is still a viable option.

With many members of the public being forced over to the liquid cooled side of things thanks to the advancement of DIY kits and all-in-one units, there is seemingly still a strong place in the market for air cooling options. The SE-904 utilizes 92mm fans to push and pull air through two 40-fin head spreader stacks, which are connected to four 6mm copper heat pipes.

Compatible with LGA2011v3, LGA115x, AM3+, and FM2+ sockets, this product features a hefty weight of 550g, blue LEDs on the fans and is rated at 38.5 CFM of air pushing power with a 14-23.8 dBA noise output. Standing at 100 mm x 121.9 mm x 124 mm (LxWxH), techPowerUp! also tells us that the fans will work with any PC through its 4-pin PWM connection.

A lot of controversy and speculation as to the health and the future of the Xbox One after the closure of Lionhead Studios. Phil Spencer used Twitter to help reassure fans that shutting down Lionhead Studios and Press Play studios don't mean the end of the Xbox, nor is it the end of the world, either.

Furthermore, he continued to explain how important first party studios are to their business model. "I'm proud of the games our 1P Studios have shipped on XB1," he told a fan via Twitter, "our plan is continue to build new IP and expand our franchises."

Despite the outlook seeming grim, closing of studios and consolidating resources is a normal procedure. Without further information as to why we can only speculate based on what we know. Which simply that a studio now no longer exists. Spencer further reiterated their commitment to strong first-party designs in another tweet, explaining that specific information just can't be released at the moment. "It's impossible to go into all the detail and I apologize for that. Just know I'm committed to our 1P."

For those not interested in curved monitors or gigantic panels, ASUS has just announced its new 24-inch 4K Ultra HD (3840 x 2160 pixels) display to the world, naming it the MG24UQ.

This new product comes without Republic of Gaming logos and is seemingly aimed at more of a mainstream audience. Carrying a 100% sRG coverage, a 300 cd/m2 maximum brightness, a color depth ceiling of 16.7 million and dynamic mega contrast ratio support, this monitor comes packed with ASUS GameVisual technology, aiming to reduce blue light aye strain and nullify the issue of a flickering LED display.

Without any pricing scheme announced just yet, ASUS has confirmed that this monitor comes with HDMI 2.0 and DisplayPort 1.2 ports, alongside sporting 'ASUS GamePlus' which allows for six different display options depending on what you're using the monitor for.

With more DPI than you will ever have use for and plenty of color options too, the 10,000 DPI and RGB-backlit Corsair Sabre mouse has been announced recently via press release.

These initial features are backed up by eight programmable buttons that are mappable with Corsair's Utility Engine Software, further allowing control over the four dynamic RGB lighting zones provided on this product.

Other features include a 100g lightweight design, a 1,000 Hz fresh rate, a 1.8m 'easy flex' cable and a low MSRP of $49.99 excluding taxes. Available now around the globe, this mouse is built around an optical sensor and is aimed at users looking for full gaming customization. More information on this new release can be found here.