The embargo on a new wave of Far Cry 6 previews has just lifted, allowing various outlets the chance to share their first thoughts based on four to five hours of gameplay. The overwhelming theme quickly materialising is that the sixth entry is absolutely more Far Cry rather than a new take on the series. That was to be expected since marketing hasn't hinted at an overhaul, but it does spell bad news for those sick and tired of the FPS formula.
The preview from IGN, for example, details how character progression appears to have received the most notable overhaul. Instead of levelling up and slotting skill points into an ability tree, you'll now need to focus on improving equipable gear. It sounds quite a lot like a loot system, which may be music to the ears for some of you. Elsewhere, cutscenes are now presented in the third person and enemies have health bars viewable in the hud. Why does that final point already feel like clutching at straws? Well, it feels like most of these previews simply want to tell you this is even more Far Cry.
Easy Allies points this out in another preview you can view below. As Ben Moore says: "It's familiar to a fault." The game launches for PlayStation 5 and PS4 on 7th October 2021.
Are you interested in some more Far Cry, or are you done with this type of game? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
Microsoft today announced plans to launch Windows 11 on October 5th, inviting us to a world of exciting new features like rounded corners and a new default desktop wallpaper. As new named versions of Windows goes, 11 seems a smaller upgrade than from, say, Windows 3.1 to Windows 95, or from Window 8 to straight-up not owning a PC at all. Still, it has a few handy features for gaming. And it will roll out as a free upgrade from 10, if you want it.
With the October 28th release of Age Of Empires IV looming, last week’s Gamescom event saw a clutch of new reveals for the medieval strategy extravaganza, including a new trailer, a couple of live interviews, and - my personal favourite - an unexpected short documentary about trebuchets. In just three minutes, it told us a surprisingly large amount about history’s finest rock-chuckers, including the fact that they were sometimes armed with such strange ammunition as diseased livestock, dead bodies, and bee hives.
Naturally, then, when I spoke with AoE franchise creative director Adam Isgreen and game director Quinn Duffy following the show, there was one question I needed to ask more than any other. Indeed, so urgent was I to know, that I entirely forgot to say hello or introduce myself, instead opening the interview by blurting, “so, we’ll be able to shoot bees, then?”
It's claimed Apple’s upcoming iPhone 13 can use satellites in low Earth orbit for communication.
According to MacRumors, which on Sunday quoted industry analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, the smartphones will be able to make calls and send text messages in regions with little or no Wi-Fi or cellular coverage, provided the handsets can reach a satellite up above.
The iGiant’s latest phone, expected to be revealed next month, will apparently sport a Qualcomm-designed X60-series modem chip that supports satellite connectivity. Apple has had a team working on integrating satellite comms into its iGadgets for years now, and Kuo said US-based Globalstar would be Cupertino's most likely partner.
Globalstar began in the early 1990s as a joint venture between defense contractor Loral Corporation and Qualcomm, and it specializes in operating birds in low Earth orbits for satellite phones. Its stock price jumped 64 per cent on Monday amid these whispers.
But what's actually likely the case is that Qualcomm's X65 modem, which supports Globalstar's radio band N53, may be used in future iPhones. And, crucially, though Globalstar is best known for its satellites, N53 is chiefly aimed at terrestrial connectivity and small-cell 5G.
It may be the case that future iPhones, with an X65 inside, use available Globalstar N53 networks, which may be backed by satellite backhaul as well as other connectivity, to send messages and make calls where wireless coverage is otherwise low.
And word of this feature mutated into the rumor of direct satellite connectivity, it seems.
Speaking of satellite communications... SpaceX’s satellite operator Starlink wants to provide a phone service for customers, judging by paperwork submitted to the FCC at the start of the year.
“Starlink Services will provide voice telephony services, including: (a) voice-grade access to the public switched telephone network ('PSTN') or its functional equivalent; (b) minutes of use for local service provided at no additional charge to end users; (c) access to emergency services; and (d) toll limitation services to qualifying low-income consumers…,” its filing [PDF] stated. “Starlink Services will offer voice services on a standalone basis at rates that are reasonably comparable to urban rates.”
Meanwhile last week, Amazon was upset about Starlink's proposals for a second-generation constellation, which includes another 30,000 sats. Amazon has plans of its own for a network of satellites, of course.
After market close, Bloomberg reported that a source said Apple was working on two satellite-related additions to its upcoming iPhones.
The first is said to be Emergency Message via Satellite, which would allow people outside of cell tower range to get a message through to the emergency services. Data length would be limited to a few lines of text initially.
The second feature is an app that reports general emergencies and crises, such as road accidents and fires, when wireless coverage is unavailable. “The phone will ask what kind of emergency is happening, such as whether it involves a car, boat, plane or fire,” the news wire reported.
Neither system will be functional this year, apparently, and both fit the N53 band explanation better than the outlandish notion that iPhones are turning into chunky satellite phones.
Apple hasn't set a date for its annual hardware launch event yet; it's due to be held in September or thereabouts. ®
We'll get a "very early look" at the new Dead Space project tonight, developer Motive Studios has announced.
The action will take place over on Motive's Twitch, and is due to kick off at 6pm UK time (that's 1pm Eastern or 10am Pacific).
It's perhaps a little surprising to see Motive showing more of the project so soon after its announcement at the end of July, and with a fair while still to go (it can be reasonably assumed) until the project launches. But we won't say no.
If you missed the announcement last month, EA has tasked its Star Wars Squadrons studio with remaking the original Dead Space game from the ground up.
The Z Fold 3 and Z Flip 3 have inherited a battery protection that was previously exclusive to Samsung’s tablets, which when enabled is designed to maximize the lifespan of batteries, SamMobile reports. The “Protect battery” feature limits the devices’ charge level to 85 percent, preventing the full charge to 100 percent that’s believed to wear down batteries over years of use.
The feature, which is available in the Settings app under Device Care > Battery > More battery settings, comes with the obvious trade-off of limiting the max battery life you’ll get out of either phone per charge. In our reviews we noted that both the Z Fold 3 and the Z Flip 3 average around a day of battery life by default, which means you might have to commit to a midday top-up if you’re only charging to 85 percent.
That might be a price worth paying if you want to get as many years of use as possible out of the pricey flagship phones, especially considering the difficulty of repairing either device.
SamMobile notes that this isn’t the first time Samsung has included the Protect battery feature on its devices. But this is the first time it’s appeared on one of the company’s phones. The feature is available with One UI 3.1.1 on the two foldables, but reportedly hasn’t appeared on its other smartphones with the same update.
Other smartphone manufacturers already offer similar battery protection features. However, while Samsung’s feature won’t ever let a device’s battery charge beyond 85 percent, Apple’s and OnePlus’s equivalent features only temporarily limit their charging levels to 80 percent, before aiming to top up their batteries to 100 percent just before they’re unplugged to limit the time spent fully charged.
Apple's newest iPhone will offer technology that lets it connect to satellites, allowing users to make calls and send messages when they're out of range from a 4G or 5G network, according to a new analyst report.
TF International Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said the new device will feature a customized Qualcomm chip that allows for low-earth-orbit (LEO) satellite communications, effectively making the next iPhone a satellite phone, according to a report seen by MacRumors.
The analyst said Qualcomm is teaming up with Globalstar on the chip, a customized version of Qualcomm X60 baseband chip.
Kuo added that the 'simplest scenario' to get connectivity would have network operators, such as AT&T or Verizon, work with Globalstar.
Apple's newest iPhone will offer technology that lets it connect to satellites, according to a new analyst report
Qualcomm is said to be working with Globalstar on the chip, a customized version of Qualcomm X60 baseband chip. At present, Globalstar has 48 LEO (pictured) satellites in operation
In this case, a customer of AT&T or Verizon would be able to use Globalstar's service with no additional contract or payments.
At present, Globalstar has 48 LEO satellites in operation, according to Aerospace Technology.
It's presently unclear if messages and calls over satellite would be available for iMessage and FaceTime or all forms of communication on the iPhone, 9to5Mac reported.
In addition to the technology potentially being a part of the next iPhone, Kuo said it could be a part of future Apple devices, including the oft-rumored augmented reality headset, the Apple Car and other products.
Shares of Globalstar soared more than 63 percent to $2.34 on back of the report.
Shares of Globalstar soared more than 63 percent to $2.34 on back of the report
Apple and Globalstar have not yet responded back with a request for comment from DailyMail.com.
A Qualcomm spokesman declined to comment for this story.
Globalstar's satellites pick up signals from over 80 percent of the Earth's surface, using CDMA technology to antennas at the appropriate gateway, then signaled through local networks, according to the company's website.
Globalstar's satellites pick up signals from over 80 percent of the Earth's surface, using CDMA technology to antennas at the appropriate gateway, then signaled through local networks, according to the company's website
Low-earth orbit forms of communication have received significant mainstream coverage, due in large part to SpaceX and its Starlink internet venture.
In June, SpaceX CEO Elon Musk said the company was on track to have more than 500,000 Starlink users by 2022 and could invest as much as $30 billion into the project.
In 2019, Bloomberg reported that Apple had a team working on having satellites send data to its devices.
Apple is likely to announce the next iPhones in the first half of September.
The new devices are likely to have upgrades to both its photo and video taking capabilities and a smaller notch, DailyMail.com previously reported.
They are expected to retain the same screen sizes as the iPhone 12 models, including 5.4-inch and 6.1-inch for the regular models and 6.1-inch and 6.7-inch for the Pro models.
The new iPhones are likely to be made of the same material as previous devices, something that may change with the 2022 iPhone model.
Microsoft has included a feature in the most recent Windows 10 releases that alerts users when Windows 11 is available and ready to be installed.
Customers are then offered the opportunity to directly update their systems to Windows 11 by using the Windows update feature. This notification is already displayed in the most recent build, but it also states that the precise time when the upgrade will be made accessible may vary. In addition, it is said that some Windows 10 capabilities may not be available in Windows 11 and that some apps and functions may have additional prerequisites in order to function. It is expected that Windows 11 will be introduced on October 20th of this year.
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We recently found out that Microsoft would allow anyone to download the Windows 11 ISO and install it, even if their PC didn’t meet the requirements. However, there’s a significant catch, as the company may withhold security updates from PCs who update this way.
Seriously? Microsoft Won’t Update Some PCs?
If you go through the Windows 10 to Windows 11 upgrade process with a PC that meets all requirements, you’ll get updates like usual. But if you’re a PC user who wants to upgrade to Windows 11 on a PC that doesn’t meet Microsoft’s stringent upgrade requirements, the company might withhold updates.
This isn’t just Windows 11 feature updates, though. According to The Verge, Microsoft might actually hold security updates back from PCs that don’t meet the system requirements.
This applies to driver updates, too. Imagine going back to the old days of manually updating drivers for each hardware component of your PC. It sounds terrible, and it’s definitely enough reason to make many want to stick with Windows 10, especially since it’ll be supported until 2025.
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For whatever reason, Microsoft didn’t reveal this critical piece of information when it first announced that it wouldn’t prevent users from installing Windows 11. Naturally, we were extremely excited by that bit of information, but the revelation that updates might be withheld takes a bit of wind out of our sails.
Will Microsoft Really Do This?
We’ll have to wait and see if Microsoft withholds essential security updates from Windows 11 users just because they have an older CPU. The amount of security issues that pop up constantly is terrifying, and the idea of running a PC without receiving updates that prevent them is not a pleasant one.
Hopefully, Microsoft realizes that allowing users to install an OS that won’t receive critical security updates is a bad idea, and it either doesn’t allow Windows 11 installations on PCs without new enough hardware, or it keeps those PCs updated. The current plan of leaving ISO installers on an island seems like an awful way to go.
Naughty Dog is currently making its first-ever standalone multiplayer game, but what other projects might the studio make in the future? We don't know for sure just yet, but Naughty Dog co-president Evan Wells said fans can look forward to the studio making new IP and also working on established franchises.
"I think the easy answer is: both. I think there's excitement to develop new IP, but there is still a ton of love for Uncharted and The Last of Us, and I think you'll see both kinds of projects from us in the future," Wells said in an interview with Game Informer.
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Naughty Dog is known for its big, cinematic single-player story-focused games, and you can expect this to continue in the future.
"Single-player experiences are near and dear to us. It's what has attracted a lot of people to Naughty Dog, and that's what inspires them, so I think we're going to keep at it as long as we can," Wells said.
Naughty Dog's Neil Druckmann is also quoted in the interview, saying Naughty Dog studio owner Sony has never come to the team with a mandate to make a certain type of game.
"There has never been a mandate like, 'Oh, this is where we see the winds shifting. Can you start making these kind of games instead?' We know just as they know that when you work on something you're excited by, something you're passionate by, you're going to do great work," he said.
One of Naughty Dog's first successful games was Jak and Daxter, and Wells said if the studio had "endless resources and time," it would be fun to return to making "lighter fare" games like that. "You look at what Insomniac is doing with Ratchet and Clank and it's exciting. It's great to see that stuff. We're just limited with time, you know, I'm 48 years-old and how many more games do you get to make, so you got to pick and choose," Wells said.
As for Druckmann, he said when Naughty Dog finishes a particular project, the team will spend "quite a bit of time" deciding what to do next and if it should make a new IP or dig back into its catalog for a sequel.
"We really take our time with it, and if you were to see our folders of concept art you'd see unused concepts that are all over the gamut," Druckmann said. "Then we look at everything and we ask ourselves what are we excited by? What's something that's going to challenge us and push us, and push the medium as far as games that can be? Because that inspiration is so important to carry through years of production."
This new trick, which has been named vishing, has now got experts worried with the team at Kaspersky saying there's been an influx of rogue emails being pushed out to consumers.
Getting people to phone a number makes scamming far more effective and efficient for cyber thieves as they can simply sit and wait for the calls to come in and that's why this method looks set to become more popular in the future.
Explaining more about the threat Kaspersky's Roman Dedenok said: "We recently detected several waves of spam e-mails, seemingly from reputable companies, notifying recipients of substantial purchases. The item in question is usually a high-end device such as the latest Apple Watch or a gaming laptop purchased from Amazon or paid for through PayPal.
"The scam relies on recipients being so alarmed by the not-insubstantial loss that they will act rashly, hoping to get their money back."
There's a fresh Android warning that's just been announced and this is one you definitely don't want to ignore. Police in Belgium have confirmed that Google recently deleted eight apps from its Play Store with users now advised to remove them from their devices without delay. These applications are all thought to contain the dangerous Joker malware which is capable of wreaking havoc on any phone it infects.
Once installed, Joker has the ability to install hidden spyware and premium dialers onto devices, which can then sign-up unsuspecting users to expensive monthly subscription plans.
In the past, some victims have found themselves paying in excess of £240 a year for these fraudulent subscriptions.
In a post on its website, Belgium police said, "Warning! The Joker virus is back in the Android environment. This malware has been spotted in 8 apps from the Play Store which have meanwhile been withdrawn by Google, but if you have already installed one, remove it as soon as possible.
According to researchers at cybersecurity company Quick Heal Security Lab, this later Joker virus can gain access to text messages, contacts and a lot of other information on smartphones.
Zimperium says that it has witnessed over 1,000 new samples of Joker since its last report on the problem back in 2020. And the company is warning that cyber thieves have routinely found new and unique ways to get this malware into both official and unofficial app stores.
"Joker trojans are malicious Android applications that have been known since 2017 for notoriously performing bill fraud and subscribing users to premium services," explained Zimperium. "The outcome of a successful mobile infection is financial gain for the cybercriminal, oftentimes under the nose of the victim until long after the money is gone, with little to no recourse for recovery."
Here are some top tips to keep your Android phone safe from attack
• Download applications only from trusted sources like Google Play Store
• Do not click on alien links received through messages or any other social media platforms
• Turn off installation from the unknown source option
• Read the pop-up messages you get from the Android system before accepting/allowing any new permissions
As the adage goes, there are two types of gamers, and I’m the type that bounced off Hideo Kojima’s oeuvre and didn’t pick up his long-awaited opus, Death Stranding, when it finally released in late 2019. When I read reviews detailing the extensive length of the game, much of which is spent simply walking and meditating on the world, I felt reaffirmed in skipping it. But the changes coming in the Death Stranding Director’s Cut are just the things to get me to finally play the game.
We all got an in-depth look at the new features coming in the Director’s Cut during the Gamescom 2021 Opening Night Live showcase. While the ‘various updates’ include indisputably positive additions like 4K support and a 60fps performance mode in the game’s PS5 version, I’m focused on the extras that make the lengthy travel easier and faster.
Before you say anything – yes, I know I’ll be robbing myself of how the game is intended to be played as Sam Bridges, the lonely everyman tasked with connecting the world one parcel delivery at a time. I know that walking the long, unpeopled expanse of the world is the point, giving players time for their minds to wander just like they would during a real-world jaunt outside civilization.
As our reviewer Cian Maher put it, the game opens with the player “travers[ing] harsh terrain while keeping delicate cargo intact. As you cross impassable abysses and sinuous rivers, the involuntary descent into loneliness is juxtaposed with a solemnity that is, despite itself, quite warm.”
But I can’t deny feeling some relief at the prospect of launching that cargo out of a catapult to save me some time.
Or climbing atop 'Buddy Bot' – a pair of autonomous legs – as they ferry me and my awkwardly large backpack.
Or hurling myself off a misty cliff and letting vernier jets bring me to a soft landing instead of trudging down a hill.
Even to someone who’s not spent a moment in the game, these “delivery support” options feel ludicrously alien, both to the world and to how players are meant to explore it. Ease betrays fidelity to Sam’s journey, cheapens the impact of his shipping pilgrimage, and so on.
But if it’s the choice between balking at a game that’s just over 40 hours just doing the main story, as the site How Long To Beat suggests, and trying out Death Stranding with shortcuts at hand that could trim that down, I’ll take the latter.
(Image credit: Kojima Productions)
Yes, I'm robbing myself of the 'true experience', and that's okay
Part of this comes down to time – schedules and commitments mean I rarely stick with a game longer than 20 hours, and I think many games that do last longer overstay their welcome with repetitive padding (most recently, NieR: Automata, an intriguing 15-hour game that plods on for 20 more hours after). As the years go on, my tolerance for lengthy single-player experience has waned, especially since it competes with multiplayer gaming with friends online – which has been most of my social interaction in the last year-plus of lockdown.
Here’s the thing – I do regret not feeling able to spare the time to enjoy Death Stranding like everyone else did when it launched in November 2019, especially once it became eerily prophetic in early 2020 as Covid lockdown set in. I lament that stress over unfinished projects, family commitments, and daily obligations keeps me from even relaxing into a long play of a game like Death Stranding.
The Director’s Cut’s bizarre transportation additions to the game ease that stress; they’re little relief ripcords I can pull if I reach a ridge and realize I need to scramble down a valley and up the other side. Just having the options available makes the game feel less intimidating and more accessible.
But I’m also relieved that these easements aren’t the result of a mod – like it or not, they are Kojima-blessed, as part of (and I’ll quote the trailer’s massive text here) “T H E DEFINITIVE EXPERIENCE.” At least his seal of approval means these extras don’t violate the spirit of his game too much, at least from his perspective.
Some players will probably disagree. As Kotaku’s Ethan Gach writes, “Death Stranding elevated the mundane drudgery of safely delivering packages undamaged by the elements into an irresistibly tense existential crisis. Drones are fun, but I’m not sure how cutting through obstacles by delivering cargo via remote control plays into that.”
I might have agreed if I'd played the game at launch – and maybe I still will, if I come to accept that those extras dilute the experience too much. But at least they’ll get me in the door to try out a game that I just didn’t think I’d get around to. And hopefully more of these kinds of pain point-easing options get added to games in the future for later-wave players who just needed that one thing to ensure the game might be for them, too.
A hot potato: We recently reported about a new PS5 hardware revision and how units with a new model number popped up at Australian retailers about a week ago, as well as speculation over how the lighter weight was achieved. It seems now that "removing unnecessary materials" was right on the mark -- at least, if Sony counts a significant amount of the cooling assembly as unnecessary materials.
YouTuber Austin Evans was able to get one of the new CFI-11-series PlayStation units imported from Japan to compare it with a launch model (watch below), and while it sported a lighter weight and a new hand-adjustable stand screw as expected, a cursory test also found that temperatures at the rear exhaust were consistently 3 to 5°C hotter on the new model.
After opening up the console itself, the reasons were quickly made evident: besides the change in fan design, the fin stack was significantly smaller on the revised version and the heatsink seemed to have been switched from copper to aluminum.
Other components may have also been changed -- Evans noted a difference in Wi-Fi antenna setup, although the two models weren't tested on that front -- but the difference in cooling setup was substantial.
Sony recently shared that the standard edition of the PS5 had reached profitability, but it also stated that the all-digital edition (the model bought by Evans) was still being sold at a loss, and it looks like the company is looking to trim off any fat it can in order to lower production costs.
It's worth noting that the thermal testing conducted by Evans was fairly limited -- a thermal camera pointed at the exhaust doesn't compare to the more robust testing conducted by Gamers Nexus when they called out the launch PS5 for already having a weak cooling solution, and were able to identify its memory modules as an issue. Still, less fin surface area with a less conductive heatsink generally isn't a recipe for better thermals.
Either way, it feels a little mercenary for Sony to be skimping out on cooling like this; since the PS5's processor variably boosts depending on headroom (as opposed to the fixed-frequency Xbox Series consoles), it might end up simply throttling back performance in order to mitigate heat issues brought on from inferior cooling.
Microsoft’s Xbox Series X is primed to deliver this holiday season in a big way. In fact, I’d go so far as to say that this is the strongest position Microsoft has been in since the glory days of the Xbox 360 generation – it’s as though all the pieces have finally fallen into place.
Not only will Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S owners get to enjoy two major exclusives in the run up to Christmas – Forza Horizon 5 and Halo Infinite – Sony’s PS5 is suddenly bereft of first-party releases now that Horizon: Forbidden West has slipped to February 25, 2022.
It’s a stark turnaround from how the new PlayStation and Xbox consoles began life back in November 2020, with Sony delivering a slew of top tier exclusive games such as Demon’s Souls, Marvel’s Spider-Man Miles Morales and Sackboy: A Big Adventure. Microsoft, meanwhile, felt the sting of Halo Infinite missing its intended launch date, and had to make do with Xbox Game Pass releases and spruced up versions of its existing library of titles.
Sony continued to turn the screw on Microsoft throughout the year with more exclusive games like Returnal and Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart, which both harnessed the strengths of the PS5 to great effect. But since then, the good ship Sony has encountered more tumultuous waters.
A lack of announcements about what’s coming to PS5 in future, as well as the decision to release titles that were previously championed as PlayStation 5 exclusives on PS4, like Gran Turismo 7, weren’t met with the warmest of receptions. The delay of Horizon: Forbidden West almost seemed like a formality, too, after months of radio silence.
(Image credit: Sony)
Of course, that doesn’t mean that PlayStation owners will be completely devoid of games to play in the run up to Christmas. Ghost of Tsushima: Director’s Cut just landed – though some may take exception to the way it locks PS5 features behind a paywall – and the polarizing Death Stranding is also set to receive the Director’s Cut treatment on September 24, 2021. There’s also Deathloop, a timed-exclusive, from the Xbox-owned Arkane Studios.
The reality is, though, if you’ve already played either of these two Sony published titles before, there’s technically nothing “new” from Sony Interactive Entertainment's worldwide studios until early next year. And that’s not something we expected to see during the PS5’s first year on sale.
Green with envy
Microsoft, in comparison, has been riding a wave of momentum since its sterling Xbox Bethesda Showcase event at E3 2021 in June. Not only does its subscription service, Xbox Game Pass, continue to dwarf Sony’s PS Now in terms of value and widespread appeal, but we’re now starting to see quality, not just quantity.
In July, players were treated to Microsoft Flight Simulator, a game that was previously confined to the realms of high-end PCs, but is now capable of running on an Xbox Series S, a console that costs $299 / £249.
August has seen the arrival of Psychonauts 2, an inventive platformer that’s received widespread critical acclaim; and in November, fans can put pedal to the metal in Forza Horizon 5, a game which I think few would argue has the potential to be a game of the year contender for many.
The announcement of Xbox Cloud Gaming coming to Xbox One is also significant. Soon owners of Microsoft’s last-gen console will be able to stream Xbox Series X titles at 1080p/60fps, and play Gen 9 titles that simply wouldn’t run on older hardware. It’s an unprecedented move, and something that’s in keeping with Microsoft’s consumer-friendly approach this generation.
Wake me, when you need me
(Image credit: Microsoft)
And then there’s Halo Infinite. Delaying the game by over a year was undoubtedly a risk, a gamble even – but it’s a decision that I don’t think the old guard at Microsoft would have had the foresight, or stomach, to take.
The company could never have known that Sony would be without a big hitter this holiday, of course, but it continues to represent a shift in commitment from the Xbox team that has been present ever since the disastrous launch of the Xbox One.
And the delay of Halo Infinite has paid dividends, for now at least. Even though development has been akin to a rollercoaster ride, with regular peaks and troughs, the mood around the game has shifted dramatically.
An extremely well-received multiplayer technical preview certainly helped, and two gorgeous pieces of limited edition hardware help make Halo Infinite’s upcoming release feel like a marquee event – something that one of Microsoft’s most beloved franchises deserves.
But once again it’s Microsoft’s ace in the hole, Xbox Game Pass, that really ties everything together with a pretty little bow on top. All of the games mentioned above are available on Xbox Game Pass on day one, offering phenomenal value for those who subscribe.
The service continues to pick up delightful indies - with many more announced during Gamescom 2021’s Opening Night Live - exclusive content and various perks to keep those who subscribe feeling like there’s more content than they know what to do with. It’s the noisy neighbor that Sony’s desperate to keep quiet.
The Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S will certainly be attractive to consumers this holiday season, but much like the PS5, stock issues will continue to dictate just how many units both Microsoft and Sony can shift this Christmas. However, there’s no doubt where you’ll be able to play the biggest games this year.
Death Stranding and The Walking Dead star Norman Reedus has reportedly confirmed that a Death Stranding sequel is "in negotiations".
Though Reedus didn't give away too much in the Portuguese interview - and auto-translations can sometimes be inaccurate, meaning we can only take this as a rumour for now - IGN Brasil reports he said he "thinks" a second Death Stranding is on the way.
"I think we're doing a second Death Stranding," Reedus told AdoroCinema, which is a partner site of IGN Brasil. "[Death Stranding 2] is in negotiations right now. So... yay!" Reedus reportedly said to journalists at a recent The Walking Dead roundtable.
ICMYI, this expanded version of Hideo Kojima's oddball post-apocalyptic courier adventure adds new story missions, new combat mechanics, a firing range and yes, even a racing mode.
PS4 save data will carry over to the PS5 Director's Cut. You can also upgrade any PS4 copy for around $10 to get the Death Stranding Director's Cut Digital Deluxe Edition Upgrade for PS5.
Now that the Edge browser is built on Chromium, you’d think it would be virtually identical to Chrome, but both Google and Microsoft have maintained separate and quite distinct experiences even though their development teams are working closely together. For example, Edge implemented coupon hunting before Chrome added it to its new tab page modules via the Chrome Cart experiment, and it’s already added in vertical tabs while Chrome has shied away from them.
However, the fact that they’re owned by two very different companies with very different philosophies on tech and user data is reason enough for users to pick a side. Because of this, Chrome users who are testing out Windows 11 Insider Preview obviously begin their desktop experience by installing their browser of choice, and it’s not Microsoft’s new Internet Explorer replacement.
At first, the Insider Preview respected a user’s choice to swap to Chrome as the default browser, and it only took a few clicks – one to choose Chrome from the list, and another to tell Edge to get lost after a very direct suggestion to give it a try before switching. Now, Tom Warren of The Verge has discovered that Windows 11 now forces users to go through a slew of file type associations and swap from Edge to Chrome manually.
This means that instead of choosing Chrome once, you’ll have to select it eleven freaking times (HTM, HTML, PDF, SHTML, SVG, WEBP, XHT, XHTML, FTP, HTTP, HTTPS). Check out Tom’s tweet below where he painstakingly goes through the process one item at a time for his report.
Microsoft is making it harder to switch default browsers in Windows 11. Alongside the new Widgets that ignore your default browser choice, Microsoft's browser competitors aren't happy. My report here: https://t.co/57PTPAMgRDhttps://t.co/zozUpZpk9r
“We have been increasingly worried about the trend on Windows,
“Since Windows 10, users have had to take additional and unnecessary steps to set and retain their default browser settings. These barriers are confusing at best and seem designed to undermine a user’s choice for a non-Microsoft browser.”
Selena Deckelmann, Senior VP of Firefox to The Verge
Obviously, this is deeply concerning, but not unexpected. Microsoft does own Windows, so it can technically do whatever it wants – just like Google has done with Chrome OS. However, Windows 11 isn’t called Edge OS, so the company should probably sort this out before it ships the shiny, new operating system so it doesn’t anger millions of users. Several industry professionals stepped in to give a statement on this decision to make switching default web browsers more difficult in the early test build of Windows, including the Senior VP of Firefox, and Hiroshi Lockheimer, SVP at Google, himself.
This from the company that claims to be the most open, with “the most choice.” I hope this is just a developer preview thing, and the shipping version of Windows 11 lives up to their claims. This is far from “choice.”
Hiroshi Lockheimer – Senior Vice President, Google – Twitter
Several of Hiroshi’s Twitter followers were quick to point out the fact that Chrome OS doesn’t directly allow a full-fledged version of Edge to be installed, and that swapping default browsers on Android takes several clicks as well. One user specifically targeted his concerns about Microsoft by stating that Google is just worried that Microsoft’s decision would directly affect how many users operate in Chrome as opposed to Edge. So many parties are clearly divided on this as you’ll see when you read the tweet responses, but I want to know your thoughts in the comments below!
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