Square Enix not thinking about Final Fantasy XIV sequel, new Final Fantasy MMO
Square Enix is not working on a sequel to Final Fantasy XIV or a new Final Fantasy MMO, according to producer and director Naoki Yoshida and main story writer Banri Oda. From the developers' comments, it appears that support for the game, which was first released in 2010, will continue for years to come.
Netflix starts testing Collections section: Curation by humans, not algorithms
Netflix has started testing Collections, a feature that will recommend lists of TV shows and movies curated by humans, not algorithms. The section will appear on the iOS app for selected participants, and it contains lists such as Oddballs & Outcasts, Dark & Devious TV Shows, and Artful Adventures.
Epic Games nerfs mechs in competitive Fortnite after player complaints
The mechs of Fortnite, named the B.R.U.T.E. vehicles, have been the subject of player complaints ever since they were added in Season X because they are too powerful. Epic Games has nerfed the mechs in competitive play, though it remains to be seen if the change is enough to quell the outrage.
Epic Games insists Fortnite B.R.U.T.E. is fun; #RemoveTheMech not happening
Epic Games said that the controversial B.R.U.T.E. vehicles are part of providing "a fun experience" to Fortnite players. It appears that the developer has no plans of listening to the #RemoveTheMech movement, which calls for the removal of the mechs from the competitive modes of the battle royale game.
Despite lawsuit, there’s no PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds vs. Fortnite rift
There is no animosity between PUBG Corp. and Epic Games, despite the lawsuit that the former filed against the latter and the competition between PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds and Fortnite. PUBG Corp. studio director Brian Corrigan even tagged Epic Games as one of the developer's best partners.
Starman on Tesla Roadster makes first orbit around sun, braces for loneliness
Starman, the passenger of the Tesla Roadster that SpaceX sent to outer space last year, has completed his first orbit around the sun. The people on Earth may be able to catch a glimpse of the cherry-red electric vehicle on November 2020, after which Starman will go through a rough patch of loneliness.
Phantom Thieves get ready: Persona 5 Royal Western release set for spring 2020
Atlus revealed a spring 2020 Western release window for Persona 5 Royal, the extended version of the popular Japanese RPG Persona 5. The developer also uploaded new screenshots for the game, showcasing some of the new Personas and in-game events, as well as the new palace and the mysterious Jose.
Apple Arcade early access program now underway with Apple employees
Apple has started the Apple Arcade early access program with its employees, charging them $0.49 per month after a free one-month trial. The internal testing will end with the release of iOS 13, expected in mid-September, which may also be when the video game subscription service is rolled out.
Fire Emblem: Three Houses prepares to invade Tetris 99’s 6th Maximus Cup
Fire Emblem: Three Houses will collaborate with Tetris 99 for the battle royale puzzler's 6th Maximus Cup. Players who are able to earn 100 points by participating in the four-day event, which starts on August 23, will be able to unlock an exclusive Fire Emblem: Three Houses theme for Tetris 99.
Microsoft Surface Pro 6, Surface Book 2 throttled to 400 MHz by safety feature
Numerous complaints have flagged throttling issues with the Microsoft Surface Pro 6 and Surface Book 2 that are slowing down the devices to 400 MHz, which is a quarter of their processing speeds. The problem is apparently related to an Intel CPU flag that is designed to keep systems from overheating.
Apple implants warning message to restrict third-party battery repairs
Third-party battery replacements for the newest iPhone models will result in a warning message in the device's settings menu. The only way to clear it is to take the iPhone to an Apple Store or an Apple Authorized Service Provider, as a new feature prevents other batteries from being inserted in the device.
Google flags preinstalled malware as hidden threat on millions of Android phones
Maddie Stone from Google's Project Zero flagged preinstalled malware on Android smartphones as a hidden threat. Her team discovered that the Chamois malware was preloaded in 7.4 million Android devices in March 2018, while the attention was on malware that people downloaded themselves.
Shop discovers $13,000 treasure in grocery bag filled with old NES cartridges
A man walked into a Pink Gorilla Games store in Seattle with an unassuming grocery bag of old NES games. One of them turned out to be a Nintendo World Championships 1990 cartridge, a rare piece of video game history that the store purchased from the man for $13,000, then sold to a buyer within 24 hours.
Heavy sleepers, beware: Researchers bypass Apple FaceID using glasses with tape
Researchers demonstrated a new method at Black Hat USA 2019 that bypassed Apple's FaceID security system. The attack used an ordinary pair of glasses and tape in two colors to trick the facial recognition system, though it also requires the victim to be sleeping heavily or unconscious.
Group dating app 3Fun caught exposing real-time locations, private photos
Pen Test Partners discovered that 3Fun, a dating app for arranging threesomes, was severely lacking in protecting the data privacy of its more than 1.5 million users. The app stored real-time locations, private photos, birth dates, and other sensitive information on its servers without encryption.
PlayStation 4 destroyed to protest The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild clone
A man destroyed a PlayStation 4 Pro at ChinaJoy 2019 in protest against Genshin Impact, a game that is being criticized as a clone of The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. A new trailer for the game illustrated its similarities with the Nintendo Switch exclusive but also attempted to highlight differences.
Valve apologizes for leaking new Street Fighter V DLC characters on Steam
Valve apologized for leaking Street Fighter II's E. Honda, Final Fight 3's Lucia, and Final Fight's Poison as the next DLC characters for Street Fighter V. Capcom was planning to make a splash at the Evo 2019 fighting game tournament, but a trailer that revealed the characters was uploaded early on Steam.
Persona 5 Royal gameplay livestream reveals reworked Mementos, new Palace
A new full-length trailer and gameplay livestream revealed more information about Persona 5 Royal. The new version of Persona 5, which will add a new semester to the storyline, will feature several changes to Mementos, a mysterious new palace, and the return of a fallen character to the Phantom Thieves.
GTA Online draws crowds, shatters records with Diamond Casino & Resort update
The Diamond Casino & Resort update for GTA Online delivered the biggest ever daily and weekly player numbers for the online component of Grand Theft Auto V. The update, which finally opens The Diamond, contains six new story missions and allows players to customize their own private penthouse suite.
Nintendo Switch sales will get a boost thanks to Tencent partnership in China
Nintendo and Tencent revealed more details on their partnership to finally release the Nintendo Switch in China. Nintendo Switch sales is expected to receive a significant boost once the console is launched in the world's biggest gaming market, but there remains several layers of regulatory approval.
Razer teams up with Nio to roll out limited-edition electric SUV
Gaming accessories company Razer and electric vehicle manufacturer Nio teamed up for the Nio ES6 Night Explorer Limited Edition, integrating Razer's design into the Nio ES6 Performance Edition. Only 88 units of the electric SUV will be manufactured, as the start of a partnership between the two companies.
Sealed copy of Kid Icarus for NES found in attic, sold in auction for $9,000
Scott Amos from Reno, Nevada found a sealed copy of Kid Icarus for the NES, complete with its original receipt, when he was cleaning out the attic of his childhood home. He thought he could get a few hundred dollars for it, but the game sold for much more than that, to the tune of $9,000 in an auction.
FTC looking into official Apple store on Amazon, negative impact on resellers
The Federal Trade Commission is investigating the deal that allowed Apple to launch direct sales of its products on Amazon, according to The Verge. The official Apple store on Amazon aimed to address counterfeit and misleading marketed devices, but it also negatively affected third-party resellers.
Smartphone case augments touchscreens with physical buttons, scroll wheels
A customizable smartphone case featuring mechanical widgets provides a more tactile experience, compared to tapping and swiping on touchscreens. Vidgets, created by Snap researchers and Columbia University students, translate input through physical buttons and scroll wheels into onscreen commands.
Google’s DeepMind is training Waymo’s self-driving cars like StarCraft II bots
DeepMind is teaming up with Waymo, a fellow unit of Google parent Alphabet, to train the neural networks of self-driving cars. The partnership is using the technique named population-based training, which was created as a way to speed up the learning process of computers playing StarCraft II.
Facebook will move Instant Games to main app, further simplifying Messenger
Facebook will be transferring Instant Games to the Facebook Gaming tab on the main app, in a move that will take several stages. The migration of the platform will also help to further simplify Messenger, which was recently redesigned with a simplified user interface and new customization options.
Todd McFarlane told NetherRealm to get crazy with Spawn for Mortal Kombat 11
Todd McFarlane said in an interview with IGN at SDCC 2019 that he wanted NetherRealm to "get crazy" with Spawn in Mortal Kombat 11. The comic book legend did not reveal specific details on the character, but he is very excited about Spawn's upcoming entry into the "super cool" fighting game.
Overwatch Role Queue system will change the metagame, for better or worse
Blizzard is attempting to make Overwatch matches "fair and fun" with the Role Queue system, which forces teams to be made up of two Damage heroes, two Tank heroes, and two Support heroes. The feature's sudden entry into the Overwatch League will shake up the metagame, as it will kill the GOATS strategy.
Magic: The Gathering SDCC 2019 panel reveals addition of Brawl to MTG Arena
Wizards of the Coast revealed at the Magic: The Gathering panel at SDCC 2019 that Brawl is coming this year to MTG Arena. The arrival of the Commander variant to the digital version of the card game is part of a wider announcement on Throne of Eldraine, the new expansion that will be released in October.
Android will soon monitor battery of wireless earbuds, find them if they get lost
Google will soon roll out new features that will improve Android support for true wireless earbuds. The planned features include the ability to monitor the charge of the wireless earbuds and their case, compatibility with the Find My Device app and website, and an enhanced details page in Android Q.
Blizzard teases Overwatch hero 31, but name and image may have already leaked
Blizzard teased hero 31 of Overwatch through a faux Developer Update that featured a wormhole and several complex equations. While a Redditor speculated on the skills of the new character, his name and image may have already been leaked by Mexico's official team in the Overwatch World Cup.
Google Chrome 76 will stop websites from seeing users in Incognito Mode
Google Chrome 76 will implement a fix that will stop websites from detecting visitors who are in Incognito Mode. Google acknowledged that the change will complicate matters for publishers who have metered paywalls on their news websites, but it is more committed to the principles of private browsing.
Law firm files class-action lawsuit over Nintendo Switch Joy-Con drifting issue
A law firm in the United States has filed a class-action lawsuit against Nintendo over the Joy-Con drifting issue of the Nintendo Switch. The lawsuit alleges that the joysticks on the Joy-Cons are defective, resulting in the controllers registering movement even when there is no player input.
Instagram will give users chance to fix accounts in danger of being banned
Instagram will start issuing warnings for accounts that are in danger of being banned, to give users the chance to change how they post on the platform. People will also be able to appeal for the restoration of deleted content through the notifications, so they will not have to go to the Help Center.