Sega Genesis Mini release date and price revealed, along with first 10 of 40 games
The Sega Genesis Mini will finally roll out in September with an $80 price tag, following the retro console trend started by Nintendo and Sony. The device, 55 percent the size of the original console, will come with a pair of wired controllers. The first 10 of its 40 pre-loaded games have been revealed.
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild bug lets Link ignore temperature effects
A newly discovered bug in The Legend of Zelda: Breath of Wild allows players to max out both hearts and stamina. The glitch also disables temperature effects such as the heat of Death Mountain and the cold of Hebra, which means that players may be able to complete the game with Link just in his boxers.
Sony to launch State of Play videos for PlayStation 4, PlayStation VR
Sony will debut a new video program named State of Play on March 25, which may be watched on Twitch, YouTube, Twitter, and Facebook. The first episode will focus on PlayStation 4 and PlayStation VR games, including new game announcement, though it remains to be seen if Sony will tease the PlayStation 5.
Final Fantasy XIV: Shadowbringers to add Dancers and the Hrothgar
Final Fantasy XIV: Shadowbringers will add a second set of new jobs and races to the MMORPG, namely Dancers and the Hrothgar. The Dancers use throwing weapons and can buff teammates, while the Hrothgar are a male-only, leonin race in contrast to the female-only Viera that will also be in the expansion.
Mortal Kombat 11 to add Shang Tsung, in likeness of 1995 movie actor, as DLC
Mortal Kombat 11 will add Shang Tsung as its first DLC character, and he will be in the likeness of, and voiced by, the actor who played him in the 1995 movie based on the series. Noob Saibot, the ghost-like ninja with the ability to summon a shadow of himself, was also revealed as a part of the roster.
Atlus reveals Persona 5 The Royal, teases mysterious new female character
Atlus revealed that the official title of Persona 5 R is Persona 5 The Royal through a trailer that features a mysterious new female character standing in Shibuya Square. It appears that the redhead, who is also a student at Shujin Academy, will be an antagonist to the Phantom Thieves of Hearts.
Hearthstone: Rise of Shadows shines the spotlight on Warcraft villains
Rise of Shadows, the next expansion for Hearthstone, will shine the spotlight on villains that have previously appeared in Blizzard's digital card game. The set will kick off the Year of the Dragon with 135 new cards and two mechanics, and will start first-ever year-long storyline for Hearthstone.
Teens are using Google Docs as the modern version of passing notes in class
Google Docs, a powerful collaboration tool, is reportedly being used by teens as a secret communications app. Instead of passing notes written on tiny pieces of paper, students are now using the software's live chat function or comment boxes to talk with their friends while in the middle of classes.
Nintendo Switch controllers will soon be compatible with Google Chrome
Nintendo Switch controllers, namely the Joy-Cons and the Pro controller, will soon be supported by Google Chrome, according to a new commit spotted by 9to5Google. The code is likely related to Google's rumored push into gaming with Project Yeti, which includes the Project Stream game streaming service.
Apex Legends cheaters reportedly being kicked out with permanent hardware bans
Respawn Entertainment has reportedly started issuing permanent hardware bans against Apex Legends cheaters. The studio is raising the bar on how cheating in online multiplayer games should be dealt with, as failing to address the problem results in a ruined experience for legitimate players.
Overwatch League teams will host home games starting in 2020
Overwatch League commissioner Nate Nanzer revealed plans for the teams to start hosting games in their home cities next year. The teams will play half of their games at home and the other half visiting other teams, in an arrangement that will resemble the schedules of traditional sports leagues.
Walmart to launch it’s own low-priced tablet, powered by Android 9.0 Pie
Walmart will soon launch its own low-cost, kid-friendly tablet, which will be powered by Android 9.0 Pie. The price and release date for the device has not yet been revealed, but leaked specifications claim that it will be powered by a MediaTek processor, with 2 GB of RAM and 16 GB of expandable storage.
Most Android antivirus apps fail to provide malware protection, study shows
A study by AV-Comparatives analyzed the effectiveness of Android antivirus apps in protecting against the 2,000 most common malware threats in the OS. Only 23 of the apps were able to detect 100 percent of the malware samples, and only 80 of the apps were able to detect over 30 percent of the malware
Nvidia shows why PUBG, Fortnite gamers should invest in graphics cards, monitors
Nvidia published a report that shows players who use more advanced graphics cards and monitors with higher refresh rates have better kill-death ratios in games such as Fortnite and PUBG. The company claims that investing in hardware will allow players to unlock their full potential on the battlefield.
Android Q beta will roll out to more smartphones than Android Pie beta
The Android Q beta will involve more smartphones compared to the Android Pie beta last year, which included seven devices beyond Google's Pixel. The development is due to Project Treble, which makes it easier, faster, and less costly for manufacturers to update devices to the latest Android version.
Apex Legends cheaters beware: 355,000 banned, report system coming soon
Respawn Entertainment has banned over 355,000 cheaters on the PC version of Apex Legends, with the help of the Easy-Anti-Cheat system. The studio revealed some of its plans in how to prevent the problem from getting worse, including the addition of an in-game report feature and a bigger anti-cheat team.
Super Smash Bros. Ultimate may bring back Home Run Contest, Stage Builder modes
Super Smash Bros. Ultimate may soon add the Home Run Contest and Stage Builder modes, both fan favorites that have appeared in previous games in the series. Dataminers have discovered code referencing the two game modes, which may be coming to the multiplayer brawler in the version 3.0 update.
Google gaming console controller design, features reportedly revealed in patent
A newly discovered patent may have revealed the design and features of the controller for the rumored Google gaming console. The patent itself is a for a notification system, but it comes with technical sketches of a controller that resembles the DualShock controller for the PlayStation 4.
The Division 2 will take up lots of hard disk space, especially on PlayStation 4
The Division 2 will launch with a day-one patch that will require players to free up significant space from their hard drives for the initial install. Xbox One and PC owners will need to prepare up to 52 GB of space, but PlayStation 4 owners will need to have up to 92 GB open on their console.
Foursquare introduces Hypertrending feature: Creepy or cool?
At SXSW, Foursquare introduced Hypertrending technology, which shows the most popular spots in town through the size of dots on a map. The company behind the location app remains cautious about a wide release of the feature, and admits it walks the fine line between being creepy and cool.
Apex Legends is getting a flamethrower, remote turret, NPCs, and more
Apex Legends dataminers have discovered files for two new weapons, namely the flamethrower and remote turret, though they may instead be a new character's abilities. A significant number of files related to NPCs have also been uncovered, but it remains unclear how they will be added to the game.
Apple to reportedly keep Touch ID, headphone jack in next iPad
Apple will keep Touch ID and the 3.5-millimeter headphone jack on the 2019 iPad, which will reportedly be unveiled soon alongside the iPad mini 5. The features, which were removed from the 2018 iPad Pro, will live on in the 7th-generation iPad, though there are conflicting reports on display size.
Halo Infinite, a spiritual reboot for the series, will make its way to E3 2019
Halo Infinite, the follow-up to 2015's Halo 5: Guardians, was described by 343 Industries as a spiritual reboot of the series. The game will be at E3 2019, coinciding with reports that Halo Infinite will be a launch title for the next-generation Xbox consoles that will also be unveiled at the event.
Sony is apparently issuing refunds to Anthem players on PlayStation 4
PlayStation 4 owners have reported instances of Anthem causing the console to go back to the dashboard, or in some cases, completely shut down. Some frustrated players claim that it is easy to request for a refund from Sony for digital copies of the game that were downloaded from the PlayStation Store.
Fortnite may soon add respawn mechanic similar to Apex Legends
Fortnite may soon add the respawn mechanic, which was popularized by the surprise Battle Royale hit Apex Legends. Gamers have discovered files related to the Second Chance Van and the Second Chance Card, and have pieced together that respawning in Fortnite will likely work much like in Apex Legends.
Bethesda generates a buzz with previews of Fallout 76 brewing station
Bethesda previewed to Fallout 76 players the Wasted on Nukashine quest and the Brewing Station, which will give players the ability to make wines and spirits, beers, and mixed drinks. The beverages, like their real-world counterparts, will grant various bonuses, alongside different negative side effects.
Facebook Messenger dark mode rolls out: Here’s how to unlock the hidden feature
Facebook Messenger quietly added a dark mode, though users will need to take a few extra steps involving the crescent moon emoji to activate the hidden feature. The app's dark mode is said to be a work in progress, but it appears that most of its sections already support the long-requested feature.
Samsung reportedly wants to be the foldable display supplier to Apple and Google
Samsung allegedly sent samples of its foldable displays to Apple and Google, in a pitch to supply the technology to its rivals. The samples were sent after the unveiling of the Samsung Galaxy Fold, which transforms from a smartphone with a 4.6-inch screen into a device with a larger 7.3-inch display.