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BioShock creator Ken Levine announces Judas, a stylish new shooter
After years of waiting, Ken Levine finally reveals his next game. It's called Judas, and it looks like a spiritual successor to the best-selling FPS franchise.
Years ago, Ken Levine closed down Irrational Games and carried over a lean team of developers to form Ghost Story Games, a new division within Take-Two Interactive. It's been a long, long time since we've heard from Levine and his team, but tonight at The Game Awards the team revealed their next immersive project.
Ghost Story Games isn't make BioShock 4. The team's new game is called Judas, and it looks like an innovative and stylish blend of Borderlands and BioShock, complete with awesome powers and a very retro-style 1950's aesthetic with Levine's signature look and feel.
Continue reading: BioShock creator Ken Levine announces Judas, a stylish new shooter (full post)
PlayStation 5 exclusive Returnal coming to PC in early 2023
Sony has officially confirmed that Returnal is coming to PC soon.
Ultra-tough bullet-hell action game Returnal is coming to PC in early 2023, Sony has announced at The Game Awards. The news comes months after the game showed up on SteamDB under the codename Tower of Sispyhus, and it was not exactly a surprise.
Returnal will be the next major PS5 game to cross over to PC following a 2021 release, meaning PlayStation exclusives can now jump onto PC after just one year of exclusivity. This falls in line with Sony's previous cadence, however it's worth noting that Returnal was not exactly a commercial success and was panned by critics for lack of a save feature.
Continue reading: PlayStation 5 exclusive Returnal coming to PC in early 2023 (full post)
FTC sues to block $68.7 billion Microsoft Activision merger
The FTC has officially sued to block Microsoft's $68.7 billion buyout of Activision-Blizzard.
BREAKING: The Federal Trade Commission has formally issued intent to block the Microsoft-Activision merger.
"Agency alleges that maker of Xbox would gain control of top video game franchises, enabling it to harm competition in high-performance gaming consoles and subscription services by denying or degrading rivals' access to its popular content," the FTC stated.
Continue reading: FTC sues to block $68.7 billion Microsoft Activision merger (full post)
Valve's Gabe Newell improves Microsoft's chances in closing Activision merger
Valve's Gabe Newell has significantly helped improve Microsoft's chances in closing the Activision merger.
Microsoft is pulling out all the stops to get the Activision merger approved. Just two days ago Microsoft announced a significant 10-year deal that guarantees Call of Duty on both Nintendo and Steam, both of which are competing platforms to the Xbox brand. The tech giant is aggressively trying to debunk Sony's claims of industry foreclosure due to Call of Duty exclusivity.
Interestingly enough, Valve disregarded Microsoft's offer. Not because Valve doesn't agree with the deal, but because the PC publisher simply doesn't need the guarantee. Valve Corp. President Gabe Newell trusts Microsoft enough already and doesn't need a binding contract. Newell believes that Microsoft will keep its word, which is something that will significantly help Microsoft's chances in closing the deal.
Failed Avengers live service game may shut down in 2023
The failed Marvel's Avengers live game may be shut down in 2023, sources have told Exputer.
Crystal Dynamics could stop supporting Marvel's Avengers as early as next year and possibly shut down the game servers. Announced in 2017 and then released in 2020, the Avengers live game has been problematic for developer Crystal Dynamics and publisher Square Enix, who reportedly lost $200 million on its multi-game partnership with Marvel.
Game site Exputer chronicles the trials that Crystal Dynamics faced while making Avengers, noting the live game was based on the studio's proprietary Foundation engine, which was never really meant for big online games. The studio has since switched to Epic's highly-optimized and flexible Unreal Engine 5 so that developers have a more even-keeled engine environment. Crystal Dynamics' debut UE5 project will be a new Tomb Raider game, the studio has confirmed.
Continue reading: Failed Avengers live service game may shut down in 2023 (full post)
Uncharted reboot planned for PlayStation 5 generation, reports say
The Uncharted series could make a come back on PlayStation 5 with new titles, sources have told The Leak.
Following the success of a the major motion picture adaptation starring Tom Holland, Sony is reportedly planning to reboot the Uncharted series with new game releases. Two sources tell gaming website The Leak that the Uncharted franchise is getting rebooted but Naughty Dog won't be developing the project.
It's possible Uncharted will be rebooted and/or adapted by way of PlayStation's new live service game focus with a heavier emphasis on multiplayer action, or that the new Uncharted titles could have some form of online co-op play mixed with singleplayer action adventure questing.
Continue reading: Uncharted reboot planned for PlayStation 5 generation, reports say (full post)
Amazon is paying customers $2 a month to monitor their phone traffic
Amazon has announced a new program that will pay customers $2 per month to monitor their phone traffic.
The invite-only program is called Ad Verification and is designed to help the company gather data on when and where customers viewed advertisements on their phones. The program tracks users' ads, informing the company when a user saw an ad, where they saw it, what type of ad, and more. Notably, this tracking includes Amazon's own ads as well as third-party ads.
According to Amazon, the data collected through the program will be used to improve its products and services, as well as provide a more personalized advertising experience for all its customers. Amazon customers not invited to the program can join a waitlist and can potentially enter at a later date, according to an Amazon spokesperson that spoke to Insider.
Continue reading: Amazon is paying customers $2 a month to monitor their phone traffic (full post)
Adobe announces artists can sell AI-generated artwork on Adobe Stock
Adobe is excited to announce that it is now accepting submissions of AI-generated art from artists around the world for sale on its platform, according to an exclusive report from Axios.
The use of artificial intelligence in art and design has been growing rapidly in recent years, and Adobe is at the forefront of this movement. According to Adobe, AI-generated art has the potential to revolutionize the way that art is created and consumed. It offers a unique opportunity for artists to explore new creative possibilities and to produce one-of-a-kind pieces of art that are created using cutting-edge technology.
Artists interested in submitting their AI-generated art for sale on Adobe Stock can do so through the company's website. Its team will review each submission and provide feedback on the quality and originality of the artwork. Once a submission is accepted, the artist will be able to set their own pricing and will earn a royalty on each sale of their art.
Continue reading: Adobe announces artists can sell AI-generated artwork on Adobe Stock (full post)
NASA captures record-breaking video of helicopter flying on the surface of Mars
NASA's Ingenuity helicopter, which is currently deployed on the surface of Mars, has set a new maximum altitude record of 46 feet.
The Ingenuity helicopter was deployed to Mars as part of NASA's Mars 2020 mission, which seeks to explore the Red Planet and search for signs of past microbial life. The helicopter was designed to be a technology demonstration, with the goal of demonstrating the feasibility of powered flight on Mars, which has long since been achieved time and time again.
On May 22, 2021, the Ingenuity helicopter took off from the Martian surface and flew to a height of 16 feet, before hovering for 30 seconds. This marked the first time that a powered, controlled flight had been achieved on another planet, and now the helicopter is breaking its own records.
Two women sue Apple for AirTag being used to stalk their locations
Apple's AirTag, a small device that allows users to track and locate their personal items, has recently come under fire for privacy concerns.
AirTag utilizes Apple's Find My network to track the location of an item, allowing users to see its location on a map in the Find My app. However, some have raised concerns that this technology could be used to track individuals without their consent.
One of the primary concerns with AirTag is that it could be used by stalkers to track their victims. AirTag is small and easily concealable, making it difficult for someone to know if they are being tracked. In addition, AirTag does not require any explicit consent or notification when it is attached to an item, meaning that someone could attach an AirTag to another person's belongings without their knowledge.
Continue reading: Two women sue Apple for AirTag being used to stalk their locations (full post)
Blue Marble: the iconic photo that inspires us to protect our planet
The Blue Marble photograph, taken by the Apollo 17 spacecraft on December 7, 1972, is an iconic and inspiring image.
The photograph shows the Earth in all its beauty and majesty, with the deep blue of the oceans, the white of the clouds, and the browns, greens, and whites of the continents all visible. The photograph was taken during the final moon mission of the Apollo program, as the spacecraft was departing from the moon's orbit. As the spacecraft flew around the far side of the moon, the astronauts were able to capture the first-ever photograph of the Earth that showed the entire planet.
The Blue Marble photograph has been credited with helping to spark the modern environmental movement. Seeing the Earth from space, with no political boundaries or other distinctions visible, gives a sense of the planet's fragility and interconnectedness. This has inspired many people to work towards protecting the environment and preserving the planet for future generations.
Continue reading: Blue Marble: the iconic photo that inspires us to protect our planet (full post)
Google reveals the most-trending searches throughout 2022
Google's Year in Search 2022 has revealed that the most searched terms of the year were "Worlde", "World Cup," "Ukraine," and "Queen Elizabeth". These terms reflect the major events and trends that have shaped the year, offering insight into the interests and concerns of people around the world.
The search term "Worlde" game likely reflects the popularity of online gaming, which has grown significantly during the COVID-19 pandemic. With many people spending more time at home, they have turned to games as a way to stay entertained and connected with friends and family.
The term "World Cup" likely relates to the 2022 FIFA World Cup, which is happening in Qatar. As the event continues, many people are likely using Google to find out more about the teams, players, and schedule.
Continue reading: Google reveals the most-trending searches throughout 2022 (full post)
Sam Bankman-Fried is being investigated for a role in the TerraUSD collapse
The collapse of what was the world's second-largest cryptocurrency exchange, FTX, is still being felt across the cryptocurrency industry, and the individual at the center of it all, Sam Bankman-Fried, is now finding himself at the center of another collapse that happened back in May 2022.
A new report from the New York Times reveals that Manhattan prosecutors have launched an investigation into Sam Bankman-Fried's (SBF) involvement in the collapse of the Terra blockchain and its Luna stablecoin. The report claims that FTX pushed out a large number of sell orders of TerraUSD while simultaneously shorting the price of Luna, according to an unnamed source.
SBF is alleged to have manipulated the market, which created the domino effect that resulted in the collapse of the two interlinked currencies in a move to "make a fat profit". In November, SBF's cryptocurrency empire completely collapsed when $8 billion of customer funds was found in the company's balance sheets, resulting in SBF filing for chapter 11 bankruptcy and investigations launched by federal prosecutors and the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) over funds being transferred to FTX's sister company Alameda Research.
Phison's 8TB SSD gets NASA certification for Lunar Moon Mission in 2023
Phison has just announced that its 8TB M.2 2280 SSD memory module has passed the required certification for space flight required by Lonestar Data Holdings and its initial data center mission into space.
Lonestar's upcoming mission to the Moon will see the Phison 8TB SSD inside of their systems, with space logistics company Skycorp being a p[partner to Lonestar's engineering design and manufacturing for the mission. Phison had certification for NASA Technology Readiness Level 6 -- TRL-6 -- by checking all the required boxes for flight and space tests.
This includes conditions like the vacuum of space, and deep cryogenic temperatures that the Phison 8TB SSD will have on the surface of the Moon. Phison also had to complete testing with their SSD against environmental and stress testing, working with SpaceX and its Falcon 9 rocket at Silicon Valley commercial and governmental testing facilities.
Travis Pastrana shows off what his 862-bhp 1983 Subaru GL Wagon can do
Adrenaline junkie Travis Pastrana decided to wind down 2022 by releasing "Gymkhana 2022" - a video of him driving a tricked out 1983 Subaru GL Wagon able to produce more than 850 horsepower.
Of course, a simple driving video wouldn't be any kind of fun for Pastrana and company. Instead, the video needs to feature cameos of a fighter jet, helicopter and 3000-hp Chevrolet El Camino - along with Pastrana managing to grind his car like it's some kind of insanely oversized skateboard.
The car has full active aero, AWD sequential transmission, rear-mounted radiators and a 2.3-liter billet Subaru Boxer 4-cylinder engine - with carbon fiber roof racks and carbon fiber found throughout the rest of the vehicle.
Continue reading: Travis Pastrana shows off what his 862-bhp 1983 Subaru GL Wagon can do (full post)
XFX's new Radeon RX 7900 XTX and Radeon RX 7900 XT MERC 310 cards spotted
The release of AMD's next-gen RDNA 3 GPU architecture is right around the corner, with AIB partners preparing their new custom Radeon RX 7900 XTX and Radeon RX 7900 XT graphics card designs.
XFX is the latest to have its upcoming Navi 31-based Radeon RX 7900 XTX MERC 310, and Radeon RX 7900 XT MERC 310 graphics cards leaked out ahead of their official December 13 reveal. XFX will be using a thicker triple-fan design, and an interesting black and silver design aesthetic.
XFX originally launched its "Speedster" series graphics cards a few years ago now, but the company is making a rather large -- and I don't know if I like it -- change to the backplate on their upcoming Navi 31-based Radeon RX 7900 XTX and Radeon RX 7900 XT MERC 310 graphics cards.
ASRock teases Radeon RX 7900 XTX AQUA liquid-cooled graphics card
ASRock is preparing its new custom Radeon RX 7900 XTX AQUA graphics card, which is quite the beautiful Navi 31-powered beast, ready for your custom loop water cooling setup.
The new custom ASRock Radeon RX 7900 XTX AQUA graphics card uses the same board as ASRock's other custom Navi 31-powered GPU -- the Radeon RX 7900 XTX Taichi -- but it's designed with a dual-slot, custom full-cover water block that will slot right into your custom loop water-cooled gaming PC.
ASRock has crafted its new Radeon RX 7900 XTX AQUA graphics card to go hand-in-hand with its flagship motherboard, with the high-end ASRock motherboards featuring pre-installed monoblocks that keep your CPU and VRMs nice and cool, as well as rocking the beautiful black and silver design aesthetic that ASRock has used.
Continue reading: ASRock teases Radeon RX 7900 XTX AQUA liquid-cooled graphics card (full post)
Microsoft's Phil Spencer: 'Our intent is to be more relevant on more screens'
If the Activision-Blizzard buyout deal closes, then Microsoft will focus even more on distribution of games, content, and services while simultaneously running its Xbox platform in parallel.
Today Microsoft outlined a big part of its post-merger plans and how it relates to its Xbox games division. Approval of the Activision merger will see Microsoft become more focused on expanding content to as many devices as possible, as evidenced by the significant 10-year Call of Duty deal it has offered to its competitors Nintendo, Valve, and Sony. Microsoft is no longer solely focused on expanding the Xbox storefront per say, but the Xbox ecosystem, further evolving the Xbox platform into a combination of games and services.
Here at TweakTown I've been saying for years that Xbox is no longer a console, but a service that bridges multiple platforms together. The inclusion of Activision Blizzard Kind games will supercharge Xbox's evolution as a broadly accessible platform-market-ecosystem hybrid that delivers a wide variety of content across multiple access points, whether it be platform availability, or distribution model (digital, physical, or subscription).
Sony has not accepted 10-year Call of Duty deal, Microsoft indicates
The merger drama continues as Microsoft fires off a hail Mary pass to the end zone with a deal that can't be beat.
Last night, Microsoft's Phil Spencer delivered a big surprise in the ongoing $68.7 billion Activision merger news cycle. Spencer confirmed that Microsoft has entered in a decade-long commitment to bring Call of Duty to Nintendo and Steam, two of Microsoft's largest direct competitors. Both Nintendo and Valve will be offered 10 years of access to Call of Duty. This deal directly counters one of Sony's core arguments against the merger concerning the $31 billion franchise being locked to Xbox platforms.
Microsoft has also offered the same 10-year deal to Sony, however it appears that Sony has yet to accept the offer or negotiate other terms. Microsoft's previous offer, which would have guaranteed only 3 years of post-contractual access to Call of Duty games up until 2027, was considered grossly inadequate by Sony.
Continue reading: Sony has not accepted 10-year Call of Duty deal, Microsoft indicates (full post)
Microsoft takes big step in dismantling Sony's anti-merger arguments
Microsoft throws a curve ball that directly counters many of Sony's anti-merger arguments.
Last night, Phil Spencer announced surprise deals that Microsoft has offered two of its major competitors. If the Activision-Blizzard merger is approved, Spencer said, then Microsoft will bring Call of Duty to both Nintendo and Steam. The tech giant has offered both Nintendo and Valve a significant 10-year licensing deal for the $31 billion shooter franchise. Call of Duty hasn't been on Nintendo since 2013 when Ghosts released on Wii U.
"Microsoft has entered into a 10-year commitment to bring Call of Duty to Nintendo following the merger of Microsoft and Activision Blizzard King," Spencer said in a Tweet.
Continue reading: Microsoft takes big step in dismantling Sony's anti-merger arguments (full post)





















