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Need for Speed showed off on the PC at 1080p 60FPS
The new Need for Speed has been shown off once again, ahead of its release next week, this time on the PC with 9 minutes of footage. Check it out below, running at 1080p 60FPS on the PC.
The footage is courtesy of YouTuber 'BlackPanthaa' who says he captured the footage at 1440p (2560x1440) but had issues with his video editing software - so he dumped it down to 1080p. The footage still looks great, thanks to the gorgeous Frostbite 3 engine powering Need for Speed. The smoothness that 60FPS provides is beautiful, with BlackPanthaa noting that the framerate is completely uncapped - so if you've got an awesome 144Hz or 165Hz gaming display - you're in for a treat, if your PC can handle it, of course.
Continue reading: Need for Speed showed off on the PC at 1080p 60FPS (full post)
In Win celebrates its 30th anniversary with a new Mod in Taiwan event
In Win is a company that never ceases to impress, with the company celebrating its 30th anniversary this year. Kicking off their big 3-0, the company will "we renew our gaming products website and hope to provide more detailed information to visitors".
Not only that but In Win is starting off their first modding contest - hosting it at their own Taoyuan factory, between May 27-29. The Mod in Taiwan event will kick off days before Computex, and will be a live modding event. Modders from around the world will mod In Win's famous cases, as well as get a peek into In Win's production center where all of their signature chassis and products are made.
TweakTown will be a media partner at the event, so you can expect live coverage from us during the entire show.
Continue reading: In Win celebrates its 30th anniversary with a new Mod in Taiwan event (full post)
AMD will be livestreaming its 'Capsaicin' event during GDC
AMD will be teasing their next-gen Polaris architecture, the Radeon R9 Fury X2, and latest software improvements for Radeon video cards during the Game Developers Conference next week - but, there's a larger event that I feel AMD will be shining a spotlight on - its Capsaicin party, in San Fransisco on March 14, and we will be there - but now you can join us, through a live webcast!
AMD has announced that there will be a live webcast of the Capsaicin event, where the company will be showcasing the latest innovations from the Radeon Technologies Group. RTG Marketing Director Chris Hook posted on Twitter that they will be showing off some very hot and spicy new innovations during GDC 2016.
Last year, AMD announced their LiquidVR software program during GDC 2015, but this event is called "Capsaicin", which is a marquee developer and press event hosted by RTG's Senior VP and Chief Architect Raja Koduri. We will be there in person, bringing you everything live from the event.
Continue reading: AMD will be livestreaming its 'Capsaicin' event during GDC (full post)
SK Hynix hits mass production of 4GB HBM2 in Q3, 8GB HBM2 in Q4 2016
Both sides of the video cards war will be using HBM2 (High Bandwidth Memory) with the new super-fast HBM2 going into mass production later this year, kicking off with 4GB HBM2 dies in Q3 2016, followed up by 8GB HBM2 dies in Q4, reports Golem.de.
With AMD expected to unveil its new Polaris architecture in more detail at GDC next week, and NVIDIA following up with its reveal of Pascal at its own GPU Technology Conference in early April, the GPU scene is heating up. SK Hynix setting off its 4GB HBM2 die mass production in Q3 2016 signifies when the next-gen GPUs will launch, where I think we'll see a launch in June/July and availability in the months proceeding their launch.
The professional-orientated next-gen cards will require the 8GB HBM2 dies to get things kicked off in a higher fashion, as that's when we'll see 32GB of HBM2 on a video card - and by just typing that, there's feelings in my body that I've never felt before. 32GB of HBM2? Freakin' incredible, isn't it? We will be at both GDC and GTC, so expect some quick and plentiful coverage from both events in the coming weeks.
Continue reading: SK Hynix hits mass production of 4GB HBM2 in Q3, 8GB HBM2 in Q4 2016 (full post)
'No more CDs' promises Kanye West
Even though Kanye West has a vested interest in streaming company Tidal, and despite the fact that physical CD sales are down from their heights of a number of years ago, it's not a revenue stream that many distributors can go without. Except West.
Taking to his favourite social media platform earlier today, the musician has pledged that he won't release any more albums on CD.
West's latest album 'The Life of Pablo' was released exclusively to the Tidal platform last month and no plans have been made to release the album on CD. Presumably now it won't.
Continue reading: 'No more CDs' promises Kanye West (full post)
Facebook Messenger Material design rolling out on Android today
The new Google Material design for Facebook Messenger on Android has been revealed. As you can see, it's much cleaner than what's in use currently, and features a 'new conversation' button.
"If you're using Messenger on Android, you've been wanting a brand new material design for a bit," says Vice President of Messaging Products at Facebook David Marcus. "Any major redesign of an essential app used by hundreds of millions of people around the world is painstakingly hard, and that's why we took every precaution to ensure you'd truly enjoy this evolution."
Continue reading: Facebook Messenger Material design rolling out on Android today (full post)
Amazon will restore encryption to Fire OS 5 in future update
Last week it became apparent Amazon had not included support for local encryption with Fire OS 5, which would seem to contradict its support of Apple's fight for encryption. Asked for comment on exactly that and why they would drop support when it seems all the work is done by Google anyway, an Amazon spokesperson simply told us, "We will return the option for full disk encryption with a Fire OS update coming this spring."
Amazon initially said its customers "weren't using" local encryption, so it decided not to include support for it, which appeared flimsy reasoning. Whatever the case, the company has wisely decided to change course, likely in light of how it looks currently.
Continue reading: Amazon will restore encryption to Fire OS 5 in future update (full post)
Australian retailer censors box art of mature-rated games
To curb the appeal of violent video games, Target stores in Australia has whitewashed the box art of all R 18+ rated games on its shelves.
An image posted on NeoGAF reveals the exact nature of Target Australia's censoring, showing a whole shelf of mature-rated games packed in Blockbuster-style plain packaging. Instead of the glamorous and colorful artwork that pulls the eye, the games are ensconced in ugly monochrome boxes that only show the rating, game name, and an age restricted warning.
This kind of censorship is nothing new for Target Australia; the chain's "war" against video games is notorious across the globe. The retailer even went so far as to pull all copies of Grand Theft Auto V from its shelves, citing a "significant level of concern" over the game's content.
Continue reading: Australian retailer censors box art of mature-rated games (full post)
Google's Project Fi phone service no longer invite-only
If you've been waiting forever to get access to Google's Project Fi service, we've got some great news for you--the line just got a whole lot shorter. In fact, the line no longer exists.
Starting today, Google is dropping the invitation-only requirement for its Project Fi cellular service. Now anyone in the United States that owns a Nexus 5X, 6, or 6P handset can sign up for Google's affordable mobile service, which starts at $30 per 1GB of data with unlimited calls and texting.
"We launched Project Fi as an invitation-only Early Access program to make sure we could deliver the best quality of service to our first customers. Today, we're excited to be exiting our invitation-only mode and opening up Project Fi so that people across the U.S. can now sign up for service without having to wait in-line for an invite. "
Continue reading: Google's Project Fi phone service no longer invite-only (full post)
GOG adds optional two-step login, HTTPS encryption
Classic and indie games download service GOG.com gets more secure as of today: the powers that be have added an optional two-step login, much like what Steam has employed for years now.
As with Steam, it will prompt you to enter a code sent to your email when you attempt to login from a new browser or location, thus hacking into your account becomes that much more difficult. Additionally, you can clear all of your active GOG sessions across every device and browser to ensure nobody but you has access.
Taking it further, the HTTPS encryption supported by the GOG Galaxy client for awhile now is going to extend across the entire service: the store, forum, chat, downloads, and all of Galaxy. A slow rollout has already begun, and will be complete within the coming weeks.
Continue reading: GOG adds optional two-step login, HTTPS encryption (full post)
Not every Xbox One game is coming to PC, says Phil Spencer
Now that Microsoft is bringing its Xbox games lineup to the PC, console owners are worried that their Xbox Ones are now obsolete. As an Xbox One owner myself, I can definitely say I feel left behind, but Xbox boss Phil Spencer says we shouldn't be worried.
According to Xbox division head Phil Spencer, Microsoft isn't going to bring over every Xbox One game over to Windows 10 PCs. The console will still have its own unique platform exclusives and although the Xbox One is considered a Windows device, it'll still be at the forefront of Microsoft's gaming plans.
"The argument people give me is that 'hey, I'm just going to sell my Xbox One and play all these games on my PC'. I get the emotion around that argument. Frankly, from a financial standpoint, the most cost-effective way to play these games is to own an Xbox One," Spencer said in an interview with IGN. "We're committed to bringing our biggest franchises to both Xbox and Windows, but it doesn't necessarily mean that every game could end up on both platforms. There could be many differences in the play space and how the games play."
Continue reading: Not every Xbox One game is coming to PC, says Phil Spencer (full post)
GeForce Driver version 364.47 seem to cause massive problems
Users are reporting some strange issues when they try to install NVIDIA's latest WHQL drivers, version 364.47. When installing over a previous driver version you might experience a crash while trying to install them, resulting in a black screen. You won't be able to boot properly into Windows afterward, either.
Quickly after they were released several users took to the feedback thread to share their disdain for the new driver. Once installed, you'll have to boot into safe mode in order to uninstall the drivers. Once completely removed, however, they should reinstall without issue.
The new driver is supposed to bring performance improvements to Ashes of the Singularity, The Division, Hitman, Need for Speed and Rise of the Tomb Raider. It also adds support for the only Vulkan game available right now, The Talos Principle.
Continue reading: GeForce Driver version 364.47 seem to cause massive problems (full post)
Gears of War 4 'blew my mind', says Xbox marketing exec
Despite the disastrous launch of Gears of War: Ultimate Edition on PC, Microsoft is asserting that Gears of War 4 will be "mind-blowing".
Xbox marketing exec Aaron Greenberg was recently shown the most recent build of Gears of War 4, and publicly states that it was absolutely "mind blowing". Greenberg also affirmed that the Gears franchise is in "very good hands" with The Coalition (formerly known as Black Tusk Studios). After Microsoft had purchased the Gears of War series from Epic Games, the company handed off development to The Coalition.
The Xbox exec also revealed that a beta test for Gears of War 4 is coming up soon, so we'll be able to try it out and see if it's truly mind-blowing or not. The beta test will likely be gated off behind pre-order access, which is the norm for the industry these days.
Continue reading: Gears of War 4 'blew my mind', says Xbox marketing exec (full post)
Overwatch release date accidentally leaked by Blizzard advertisement
UPDATE: Blizzard has officially confirmed Overwatch's release date on the game's official website, and a pre-order exclusive open beta will begin on May 3.
An advertisement featured on IGN has prematurely leaked the official release date for Overwatch, Blizzard's new arena-style FPS.
According to the ad (see above), Overwatch will release on May 24 across PS4, Xbox One, and PC. IGN has since pulled the ad from its website, but the evidence has been immortalized thanks to screen grabs. Apart from the release date, the promo revealed that another pre-order exclusive beta test for Blizzard's multiplayer shooter is set for May 4.
Continue reading: Overwatch release date accidentally leaked by Blizzard advertisement (full post)
Wargaming abandons E3 show floor, follows EA, Disney and Activision
The E3 showfloor is getting increasingly lonely it seems, with Wargaming.net taking a page out of Activision and Disney's book. They too have abandoned the main floor and have instead opted to set-up shop elsewhere for more player-focused events.
They say that it doesn't really make sense considering their free-to-play business model. Speaking to VentureBeat, a representative said that "It's a show that is very centralized on retail product, and as a free-to-play digital download gaming company, we've realized that while the show may be a good fit for lots of other publishers and developers, it's currently not a great fit for us." They have a strong fan-base that is excited to see and hear about the franchises they have, but E3 might not be the venue to do it.
More personal and focused, off-site events might be a better way to show their appreciation. "From a company perspective, we're focusing a large majority of activities on events focused on our players and community," a representative from Wargaming told VentureBeat. Meaning that they want to keep the players at the forefront, giving them the attention they deserve for continuing to play their games.
Continue reading: Wargaming abandons E3 show floor, follows EA, Disney and Activision (full post)
Unexpectedly, Fable Legends has been cancelled
Just today Microsoft announced something terribly worrying, that they're completely cancelling Fable Legends.
Fable has been one of the best franchises on the Xbox series of consoles, but the latest installment will no longer be developed. The developer, Lionhead Studios is being shut down completely, along with a few other of their own game studios in an effort to improve their profitability. But the decision to cancel the project does not come easily, either.
These have been tough decisions and we have not made them lightly, nor are they a reflection on these development teams - we are incredibly fortunate to have the talent, creativity and commitment of the people at these studios," Microsoft Studios Europe general manager Hanno Lemke said in a statement. So now the game, which was announced in 2013, is no longer being developed. We were supposed to see a beta sometime later this year, but that won't be happening. The future of the franchise is in trouble, and we may never see another Fable game again.
Continue reading: Unexpectedly, Fable Legends has been cancelled (full post)
A drone versus the McLaren 650s supercar is one serious battle
Set as an advertisement for the upcoming World Drone Prix set to kick off in Dubai, the marketing team for this event has released an awesome video depicting a race between a drone and the McLaren 650s supercar.
Spotted on Gizmodo, we're told that a straight line drag race between these vehicles would be a fruitless venture, but the twists and turns of a drone race actually gives this remote controlled 'rocket' a chance.
This isn't me telling you that travelling to work at over 100mph by drone is going to be the next best thing, but it's something cool to think about at least. If you're a little short on cash and can't pick up a McLaren 650s as your Sunday driver, maybe a pocket rocket drone is more up your alley.
Continue reading: A drone versus the McLaren 650s supercar is one serious battle (full post)
Lionhead Studios may be closing down
Microsoft may add a lion's head to its trophy collection: the tech giant could slay Lionhead Studios once and for all.
Microsoft has announced that Fable Legends has been cancelled, and the creative minds that built the iconic Fable franchise could soon be out of work. Lionhead Studios is being shut down for good and all, and it looks like this is the end to the Fable universe.
"After much consideration we have decided to cease development on Fable Legends and are in discussions with employees about the proposed closure of Lionhead Studios in the UK. Additionally, we will close Press Play Studios in Denmark, and sunset development on Project Knoxville," reads the official announcement.
Continue reading: Lionhead Studios may be closing down (full post)
The Legend of Zelda Picross accidentally revealed, could be soon
If this new leak can be trusted, then a new Picross game could be coming very soon. And this time it's based on The Legend of Zelda, a perfect pairing.
The game was discovered by Cellenseners while looking through the Nintendo US and UK servers. Apparently he found more than just the above pictures. Being on the official servers lends more credence to their being real.
This version of Picross is going to be offered as part of Nintendo's new loyalty program that's scheduled to become fully active later this month. The idea is that you'll be able to get this game by redeeming any acquired My Nintendo points. It will be interesting to see how they integrate the new rewards program and whether or not other mobile games, and in-game purchases, will be part of that program.
Continue reading: The Legend of Zelda Picross accidentally revealed, could be soon (full post)
Launch deathclaws at your foes in this hilarious new Fallout 4 mod
If you're looking for yet another must-have Fallout 4 mod to add to your list, then you've come to the right place. Earlier this morning I found this little gem that allows you to launch deathclaws out of a rocket launcher--yes, really.
Thanks to pigeonmancer, the dastardly creative mind behind the Deathclaw Launcher, Fallout 4 gamers everywhere can now spice up their post-apocalyptic world's with some chaotic humor. The mod adds in a special rocket launcher that blasts deathclaw eggs that instantly hatch on impact, spawning a towering deathclaw to annihilate everything in sight.
The mod is very easy to install and won't conflict with any other weapon mods, but you'll need to do a quick console command 'help "deathclaw egg" 4 ammo' search to find the right ammo--normal deathclaw eggs don't do the trick.
Continue reading: Launch deathclaws at your foes in this hilarious new Fallout 4 mod (full post)











