Microsoft announces great value Xbox Game Pass Ultimate
As well as revealing the Xbox One S All-Digital Edition yesterday, Microsoft also has another treat in store for gamers -- the Xbox Game Pass Ultimate.
Just as there had been rumors about the Xbox One S All-Digital Edition ahead of the announcement, there had also been talk about this new combined subscription. Due to launch at an undisclosed time later this year after beta testing, Xbox Game Pass Ultimate combines the existing Game Pass with Xbox Live Gold, all for $14.99 per month.
Leaked: Microsoft's Xbox One S All Digital console
The future of the Xbox console certainly appears to be a disc-less one. German website WinFuture has obtained images and details of the console which could be officially revealed in the coming days.
The name has already been spotted on packaging, so we can be fairly sure that it is the final name. As the moniker suggests, the Xbox One S All Digital eschews discs in favor of game downloads -- the packaging itself proclaims "disc-free gaming". The box also reveals some details about the hardware specs of the Xbox One S All Digital.
How to change your name on PSN -- if you don't mind a couple of catches
It's something people have been asking, practically begging, for for years; now it is finally possible. You can change your PlayStation Network ID.
Sony announced back in October that the change was coming, and now it has gone live. But before you rush in and change your name to get away from the embarrassing moniker you adopted, there are a couple of things you need to keep in mind -- not least that it may cause problems with some games.
SuperTuxKart 0.10 RC1 is here -- download the free open source Mario Kart clone now!
Nintendo is the king of the "Kart Racing" genre. While there are many imitators -- some of which are very good -- Mario Kart remains the best. And no, it is not just about mascots, although it does help having Mario, Luigi, Donkey Kong and such. Actually, the real magic is the gameplay -- solid controls and well-designed levels. The Mario Kart franchise is consistently excellent.
The problem? Mario Kart costs money and, emulators aside, only works on Nintendo consoles. If you want to get your kart racing on, but you don't want to open your wallet, you are in luck! SuperTuxKart is an excellent clone of Nintendo's game, featuring popular open source mascots. Best of all, the open source game is not only cross-platform, but totally free! The upcoming SuperTuxKart 0.10 will even introduce network multiplayer play, and now that version has reached Release Candidate status. And yes, you can download and play SuperTuxKart 0.10 RC1 now!
Competition and Markets Authority investigates Microsoft, Sony and Nintendo's online gaming subscriptions
The UK's Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has launched an investigation into the business practices of Microsoft, Sony and Nintendo, partly in relation to the companies' online gaming subscription services.
The CMA has voiced concern about what it says is the unfair practice of automatic renewing Nintendo Switch, PlayStation and Xbox subscriptions. There are also concerns about the associated cancellation and refund policies, and terms and conditions.
Valve responds to European complaints about Steam geo-locking
Having been slapped with antitrust accusations by the European Commission, Valve has responded to complaints about geo-blocking on its Steam gaming platform.
After the Commission complained that Valve and five game publishers had come to arrangements between themselves to region-lock certain titles, the company says that only a very small portion of games available on the platform are subject to geo-locking.
Europe hits out at Valve for geo-blocking Steam games
The European Commission has informed Valve that geo-blocking in Steam contravenes EU competition rules. Similar warnings have been issued to five games publishers.
Valve, Bandai Namco, Capcom, Focus Home, Koch Media and ZeniMax have been told that "European consumers should have the right to buy and play video games of their choice regardless of where they live in the EU". The Commission says that the use of geo-blocking to prevent cross-border sales is a breach of antitrust rules.
Microsoft brings Spotify, performance monitoring widgets and more to the Game Bar
If you're signed up to the Xbox Insiders program, you can beta test an updated version of the Game Bar in Windows 10. Originally designed to allow for recording and broadcasting of game footage, The Game Bar now includes Spotify integration and cross-platform messaging.
The Game Bar beta also includes a number of new widgets that can be used to monitor system performance, control audio, and more.
Sega Genesis Mini is coming soon, and you can pre-order the game console now
During both the 8-bit and 16-bit video game console eras, Nintendo was king. The NES was much better than the Sega Master System, while the Super Nintendo Entertainment System was far superior to the Genesis. In both eras, Nintendo had better controllers and a greater game library. Sure, Genesis had some good games too, such as Sonic the Hedgehog and Altered Beast, but SNES had Nintendo's classic mascots that many people desired, such as Mario, Kirby, and Link to name a few.
Now, following in Nintendo's footsteps (see SNES Classic and NES Classic), Sega is releasing a mini version of a classic console -- Genesis. Yes, if you were a Sega fan back in the 16-bit era, you will be able to buy a tiny version of that gaming system and relive those years. Hopefully Genesis Mini will turn out better than the much-maligned Sony PlayStation Classic, which offered terrible emulation.
GDC 2019 recap: 5 takeaways and headlines from the show floor
The 2019 Game Developers Conference (GDC), held last week in San Francisco, welcomed an estimated 20,000-plus developers, gamers, publishers and tech vendors from across the globe.
From the tech driving the future of gaming to the industry’s most prevalent conversations and trends, here are five takeaways and headlines from the 13th annual show.
Download yourself a free copy of The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind right now!
There are some gaming franchises that have some serious staying power, and Elder Scrolls is one with longevity. The series has been around for an incredible 25 years now, and gaming behemoth Bethesda has a treat for you to help celebrate.
To mark the quarter-century landmark, the company is giving away free copies of The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind to anyone who fancies delving into the world of Tamriel. The special offer was only meant to be available yesterday, 25 March (to coincide with the anniversary of the birth of Elder Scrolls), but now Bethesda has extended the giveaway until the end of the month -- but you still need to act fast!
Apple TV+ and Apple News+ are likely flops, but Apple Arcade gaming service could be a winner
Apple has done very well financially under Tim Cook, but the company's hardware is starting to lose its luster. iPhone sales are down, and the Mac line continues to be a confused mess -- "Flexgate" and an unreliable keyboard plague the once great MacBook Pro. We still don't have the promised new Mac Pro, and AirPower is missing in action too. While Apple Watch and AirPods are successful, I still hate them both -- the former has a terrible user interface, while the latter can hurt some users' ears (including mine). Quite frankly, I suspect most folks simply use Airpods and Watch as status symbols and for fashion -- their staying power may be limited.
So now, Apple is trying to pivot to services, and that's a very good idea. The problem? Its News+ service is lacking key news sources, such as The New York Times, for instance. Apple TV+ is a Netflix-like video service with exclusive Apple original content, which, let’s be honest, will probably be lame. Ultimately, I don't envision News+ or TV+ being successful. Thankfully, Tim Cook and company seemingly got one thing right today, Apple Arcade -- an upcoming video game subscription service for iOS, macOS, and Apple TV which will offer access to more than 100 premium games.
ZOTAC launches diminutive, yet powerful, MEK MINI gaming PC
Does size matter? Well, that depends on what we are talking about. Regarding computers, gaming variants used to be massive towers loaded up with several fans and a full-sized ATX motherboard. Nowadays, small is in fashion -- many system builders opt for Micro ATX or Mini-ITX boards. It can be fun to see how much performance can be crammed into a tiny system.
ZOTAC is a company that likes to focus on the diminutive, and today, it launches an all-new such gaming PC. Called "MEK MINI," it's not as small as some of its other computers, but this one is designed for playing games, so it needs to be larger to accommodate the higher-end components. The beautiful chassis features an easy-open side panel, allowing you to more easily access the internals. Despite the small size, the specs are actually quite impressive -- it has a six-core Intel i7-8700 and an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 8GB GDDR6 GPU. Windows 10 Home comes pre-installed -- not Pro, sadly. And yes, since this is a gaming product, it has RGB lighting.
Google announces Stadia, its new instant-play game streaming service
Downloading and installing is just so passé, and Google knows it. It is with this fact in mind -- and an eye firmly on the future -- that the company today announces its new game streaming service, Stadia, at GDC 2019.
The audience at this year's Game Developers Conference were treated to a preview of the cloud-based gaming service that can be accessed from mobiles, desktops, laptops, TVs and more. Google is hoping that the allure of cross-platform, instant-play gaming will attract droves of gamers to the platform.
Watch Google's big gaming announcement here, live
Google will be holding a keynote at the Game Developers Conference (GDC) in San Francisco shortly, where it is widely expected that the search giant will take the wraps off its new cloud gaming platform.
Google says it will be revealing its "vision for the future of gaming" at the event and you can watch the announcement here, live, as it unfolds.
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