September 2020

It was only a year ago, when I moved into my new apartment, that I realized I'd been enjoying an insufficient audio experience whenever I hopped on to play some games. There is so much technology out there creating amazing sound, and here I was settling for the cheapest Sony headphones I could find at Best Buy. When I was able to test out the A40 Astro Gaming last year, it was like I was actually hearing these games for the first time. Since then, I've upgraded to the wireless A50 headset, which provides equally extraordinary sound quality.

With the next generation of consoles right around the corner, there is a real possibility I'll be getting both the PS5 and Xbox Series X. One for the exclusives, the other for GamePass. If that is the road I do indeed travel, there's a good chance I'll also pick up the second generation A20 headset from Astro Gaming as it will be its first wireless headset to work with both Sony and Microsoft consoles, as well as PC and Mac.

We live in wild, wild times when even Tetris and Bomberman are joining in on the battle royale craze.

While Konami naturally doesn't enter the arena as gracefully as Arika did with the former, Super Bomberman R Online is a weird, crazy game that I'm going to enjoy diving into occasionally.

Sony and Microsoft have already laid out how current-generation controllers will work on their next-gen consoles, but if you've spent money on a headset you really like, you might be wondering if you can still use those when you pick up a PS5 or Xbox Series X. The good news is, if you use Astro Gaming headsets, they're most likely going to be compatible with the new consoles. 

It's important, I think, to be grateful for what you've got, and as a fan of racing games I can say with some conviction it's rarely been any better than it has right now. The current crisis that saw garages shuttered at racing tracks across the world put the spotlight on sims as drivers looked to get their kicks in the virtual space, and showed us what a fine crop there currently is: there's iRacing, looking as strong as it ever has in its 12 year history, with rFactor 2 finally taking shape as a proper contender too, while console players recently got a chance to sample the delights of Kunos Simulazioni's Assetto Corsa Competizione - and looking beyond that, on console you're spoilt for choice, with F1 going from strength to strength while off-roaders get not just Dirt Rally but also Kylotonn's equally excellent WRC series. What a time to be alive, frankly.

"But!" I hear you ask, "what about the arcade racers?" Well, my friend, have patience and perhaps put a few pennies aside, because they're coming. And they're coming very, very soon.

Next week is set to be one of the most remarkable for the genre since Blur and Split/Second famously clashed at release (and infamously crashed and burned soon after, but I'm hopeful that won't be the case here), with two of the very best arcade racers I've played in the last decade going head-to-head. Hotshot Racing is first up, the hotly-awaited spin on early 90s arcade classics from Lucky Mountain Games releasing on September 10th. A day later and the lesser-known but no less fantastic Inertial Drift from Level 91 and PQube comes out, the game drawing inspiration from late 90s racers and with more than a few twists of its own.

After weeks of teasing, today’s the day that Nvidia are going to announce their next-gen Ampere RTX 3000 graphics cards. Or at least we jolly well hope so. Their GeForce Special Event is due to take place at 5pm BST / 9am PDT today, and here’s how to tune in so you can watch it live.

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The Japanese CESA announced the lineup of developers that will broadcast at  Tokyo Game Show, which will be hosted exclusively online this year.

Besides Square Enix and Koei Tecmo, which already announced detailed line-ups, the list of livestreams is pretty long.

You can find the major names below. Simply click play on the embed for each livestream to see the time automatically converted to your time zone.

Capcom

For now, we know that Capcom will present a “special program” on September 25, plus dedicated livestreams for Street Fighter V: Champions Edition on September 26, and Resident Evil Village on September 27.

GungHo Online Entertainment

The livestream will be on September 25. For the moment, the lineup is unannounced. 

Tokyo Game Show 2020 Online live streams will run from September 24 to 27, and numerous Japanese publishers will reveal their new games. Check the schedule here.

The post Check Out the Tokyo Game Show 2020 Online Live Stream Schedule appeared first on Siliconera.

Resident Evil Village will be part of Tokyo Game Show 2020 Online and Capcom's own TGS LIVE 2020!https://t.co/jXTSrLQqkI

Previously, if you pre-ordered a digital Nintendo game and then changed your mind, tough! As soon as the order was placed, your credit card was charged. That’s now changed—in the Japanese eShop, at least.

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Over the weekend, Ubisoft published and then deleted a claim that the PS5 will not offer backwards compatibility with older PlayStation consoles.

A post on Ubisoft's support site stated PS5 backwards compatibility would be available for "supported PlayStation 4 titles", but would "not be possible for PlayStation 3, PlayStation 2 or PlayStation games".

Sony is yet to discuss whether it might offer some form of backwards compatibility for older PlayStation consoles, so Ubisoft's statement raised eyebrows.

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World Of Warcraft

‘s Shadowlands expansion is getting a formal release on October 27th, but Blizzard’s recently updated PC requirements for the game have been causing quite a stink among its player base. While the minimum CPU and GPU requirements haven’t changed all that much, the minimum storage requirement now seems to imply that you need an SSD to play WOW’s Shadowlands expansion rather than a traditional HDD.

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I got a new controller for my Xbox since mine was broken. Interestingly enough, the Game Pass Ultimate trial code sheet mentions the unannounced @Xbox Series S. It’s definitely a thing. pic.twitter.com/GX1rOYG5g7

Welcome to Morning Music, Kotaku’s new, daily hangout for folks who love video games and the cool-ass sounds they make. Today’s pick comes out of left field: an obscure PlayStation 2 puzzler that randomly happens to have an achingly gorgeous soundtrack.

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Gundam models have excellent box art. Twitter user Cody has brought classic mecha art to life with a three-dimensional plastic model.

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After a rocky launch for Pokémon Go's big new Mega Evolution feature, developer Niantic has promised to address widespread fan criticism of its implementation.

At present, Mega Evolution is temporary (as it is in Pokémon's main series games) but requires a consumable resource named Mega Energy to unlock and continue using. This is primarily obtained from Go's new tier of Pokémon raids.

Fans have said Mega Energy is being doled out too sparingly, which means a large number of raids are required to unlock each Mega Evolution. The rewards from each raid (a non-Mega Pokémon without its best moveset) and the requirement to battle it with as many people as possible to earn more Mega Energy have also been criticised.

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About a fortnight ago, Fall Guys developer Mediatonic began pitting brands against each other in a bidding war to get their skin design in the game, with proceeds going to video game charity Special Effect. And after a fierce battle that included bids from Warframe and even a bidet company (complete with an "ask me about my butthole" t-shirt), we now have a winner. Or several.

Totalling a whopping $1m (£744k), the combined bid comes from Tyler "Ninja" Blevins, Jimmy "MrBeast" Donaldson, G2 Esports and Aim Lab, who will each get their own costume design added to the game. On top of this, the quartet has announced they will soon host a charity stream to raise even more money for Special Effect.

Special Effect is a charity dedicated to making video games accessible for those with physical disabilities, and helps create custom controls adapted to each individual's needs. Recently the charity uploaded a video of eight-year-old Theo and his setup for Fall Guys, which includes a special joystick and buttons combo to make the game easier for him to play. Special Effect thanked the donors, and said the Fall Guys contribution would "enable us to continue making gaming dreams come true for people with physical disabilities around the world".

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Millions of Monster Energy drink cans with Halo Infinite double XP codes and cosmetic gun skins are now rolling onto shop shelves - even though you won't be able to use that sweet, sweet loot until some point next year.

Halo Infinite was meant to be Microsoft's big Xbox Series X launch title, released in just a couple of months' time. Alas, that is no longer the case.

But this delay clearly came too late to stop the Monster Energy train. Cans boasting double XP codes are rolling onto US shop shelves from today, 1st September, and will be available here in the UK from 1st October.

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A girl worth fighting for

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Marvel's Avengers is here and to celebrate, we're going live to show off the game's opening hours and see what changes Crystal Dynamics has made since our time with the beta.

We went live earlier but be sure to check out the full archive of the stream above! If you can't get enough of our live shows, remember to subscribe on YouTube, Twitch, Twitter, and Facebook to get notified when we go live each week!

The fifth and final free title update for Monster Hunter World: Iceborne will arrive on the 1st of October, Capcom have announced, adding one last megamonster to mash. The big, bad, black dragon Fatalis is coming back, complete with the ruined castle where it’s historically fought in Monster Hunter. Yes, absolutely you’ll be able to turn Fatalis into a fetching jacket. You’ll also be able to dress your Palico as Fatalis, and the little catfriend jogging around a big doofy dragon costume does look delightful.

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Intel’s Gamer Days deals continue this week with discounts aplenty across a whole range of retailers, and the next one I wanted to highlight is this gaming desktop deal from Scan UK. They’ve currently slashed £150 off their 3XS Arctic Evo RTX PC, taking this normally £1650 desktop down to £1500. Inside, you get one of Intel’s brand-new Core i7-10700K CPUs as well as an RTX 2070 Super graphics card, and it also comes with a free code for Marvel’s Avengers when it launches on September 4th.

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Electronic Arts left Steam nine years ago to do their own thing with Origin, but over the last few months their games have been returning. Now, their subscription service, EA Play, is on Valve’s platform, too, allowing you to play games like the Dragon Age series, Battlefield V, and more on Steam for a monthly or yearly fee. It’s not just the old stuff EA are letting Steam have though, because you’ll be able to access some of the publisher’s new releases through the service as well.

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As if the gaming community wasn't already on tenterhooks for CD Projekt RED's long-awaited Cyberpunk 2077, the action-RPG adventure wowed judges at gamescom this past weekend, scooping up no less than five "Best of gamescom" awards.

The future-noir title, currently in development for PC and both current and next-gen consoles - came out on top in multiple categories, walking away with the awards for Best RPG, Best PC Game, Best PlayStation Game, Most Wanted, and the coveted Best in Show/Best of gamescom. No doubt this will only help to stoke the anticipation of fans awaiting Cyberpunk 2077's November 19 launch.

In other categories, DontNod's dramatic tale Tell Me Why won Best Xbox Game, while Reflector's mysterious Unknown9: Awakening won Best Announcement. Tarsier Studios' Little Nightmares II won the Best Trailer/Presentation and Best Nintendo Switch Game awards. The Most Wanted Hardware award was won by Xbox Series X, though it appears that this category only included three nominees - none of which was PlayStation 5 - which frankly makes the award completely moot.

You can check out the full list of winners below, courtesy of GamesIndustry.biz.

Sony had potential PlayStation 5 developers talk about what the PS5 SSD could mean for games' abilities and possible loading options.

The post Sony Had Developers Speculate on PS5 SSD Possibilities appeared first on Siliconera.

More information on Kingdom Hearts: Melody of Memory will be revealed at this year's event.

The post Kingdom Hearts: Melody of Memory Will Be at Tokyo Game Show 2020 appeared first on Siliconera.

More information will be revealed during a special broadcast. There are also items available to buy.

The post Resident Evil Village Will Be Part of Capcom’s Tokyo Game Show 2020 Lineup appeared first on Siliconera.

It’s September in Animal Crossing: New Horizons unless you’re a dirty time traveler, and the onset of Autumn brings new bugs, new sea critters, new crafting components and recipes, and no more Sundays wasted on August firework shows, thank goodness.

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The fine folks at 8BitDo sure know how to put together attractive controllers. This is their new arcade stick for the PC and Nintendo Switch. It’s super-moddable, supports wired and Bluetooth connections, has easy button mapping, and even has a turbo function. All that tech, yet it still looks like a time traveller…

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Save up to 60% on Computers. Printers, and Accessories | HP Labor Day Sale

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Shiny new graphics cards, live from 5pm BST.

It is now September of 2020 and Microsoft is still to announce Xbox Series S. But here we are, again, with the Xbox Series S name popping up on official Microsoft products out in the wild.

The Xbox Series S is now being name-dropped by Xbox Game Pass trial codes given out with Xbox controllers, as spotted by Twitter user BraviaryBrendan (thanks MSPowerUser).

"Unlimited access to over 100 high-quality games on Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One and Windows 10," the Xbox Game Pass card states.

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I have doctored someone's school grades to make sure they fail and I have exposed a cheating politician. I have taken down a company like Nestle, ended a cult and landed aeroplanes. I have destroyed chemical weapons, I have stopped a nuke. I've done all this and more in Greyhat because I'm the hacker everyone turns to when they need something done.

All I need is an IP address. I plug it into a tunnelling program and then I'm inside their machine, on their desktop, files and folders before me. Some might be locked but there are always clues to passwords lying around. Maybe it's the name of a loved one, maybe it's a birthday, maybe it's their favourite band. I check their emails, their documents and webcam feeds, and sooner or later I find what I need.

Greyhat leapt out at me earlier this year when I played a preview build. I found it sharp, imaginative and intriguing. I particularly loved the way it emulated the feeling of being an elite hacker in a film. You know, one of those people mashing away at a keyboard as a weird interface pops up and then crumbles away under their relentless assault.

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Sir Ridley Scott is best known for his work directing critically-acclaimed films like Alien, Blade Runner and Gladiator, but he was also responsible for directing Apple's famous 1984 advert for the Apple Macintosh. This advert, of course, has somehow found itself dragged into the ongoing dispute between Epic Games and Apple over microtransactions in Fortnite - and Scott has a couple of things to say about Epic's parody version.

Following Epic's decision to introduce a secondary payment method to skirt Apple's 30 per cent cut of in-game transactions (and the subsequent booting of Fortnite from the App Store), Epic released a parody of the 1984 ad called Nineteen Eighty-Fortnite, intended to rally Fortnite fans to its #FreeFortnite anti-monopolisation cause. When asked about the parody advert, Scott told IGN that he had written to Epic Games about the video, but his reaction was mixed to say the least.

"...On the one hand I can be fully complimented by the fact they copied [my commercial] shot for shot," Scott said. "But pity the message is so ordinary when they could have been talking about democracy or more powerful things... And they didn't use it."

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The Nintendo Switch eShop now lets you cancel a pre-ordered game, up to a week before its release.

Previously, payment was taken as soon as you pre-purchased a game. This has changed so that payment is now taken seven days before a game's launch - at which point you can no longer cancel your pre-order.

The change does not affect pre-orders made within a week of launch (which will be charged immediately) or existing pre-orders already placed.

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The duo take on Liu Cixin’s novel with The Terror: Infamy writer Alexander Woo

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Well, in the Northern Hemisphere, at least

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Give Blathers a break and stop forcing him to talk about insects

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There’s a whole new gang to find this month

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