Saturday 9 January 2016

Record-Breaking PlayStation 4 Holiday Sales

Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. (SCE) today announced that the PlayStation®4 (PS4) computer entertainment system has sold through more than 5.7 million units*1 during the 2015 holiday season*2. PS4 has now cumulatively sold through more than 35.9 million units globally as of January 3, 2016.
With robust support from users and partners from around the globe, PS4 software sales also remained strong during the 2015 holiday season*2 with more than 35 million*3 copies sold in retail stores worldwide and through digital downloads on PlayStation®Store as of January 3, 2016.
In addition, 60% more users subscribed to PlayStation®Plus (PS Plus) at the end of 2015*4 compared to the same period the previous year*5. Subscribers to PS Plus have access to a wide variety of features such as "Instant Game Collection," which allows members to play full versions of popular titles from third party developers and publishers, as well as from SCE Worldwide Studios, with no time limits or extra costs. PS4 owners have also been enjoying online multiplayer with PS Plus.
"We are absolutely delighted that so many customers have selected PS4 as the best place to play throughout this holiday season and that the PS4 community is growing more than ever," said Andrew House, President and Global CEO of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. "We remain steadfast in our commitment to deliver innovative entertainment experiences, and look forward to bringing an unprecedented games portfolio from third party developers and publishers and SCE Worldwide Studios, including UNCHARTED 4: A Thief's End, New Hot Shots Golf (working title) and The Last Guardian, this coming year."
SCE will continue to expand the world of PS4 to deliver entertainment experiences that are only possible on PlayStation.
The PS4 system is currently available in 124 countries and regions*6 worldwide.
###
  • ※1 - Number of retail sales to consumers is estimated by SCEI. PS4 sales data in Japan and Asia collected 11/23/2015 - 1/3/2016, in North America, Europe and Latin America collected 11/22/2015 - 1/2/2016.
  • ※2 - 11/23/2015 - 1/3/2016 in Japan and Asia, 11/22/2015 - 1/2/2016 in North America, Latin America and Europe.
  • ※3 - Number of retail sales to consumers is estimated by SCEI. Sales data in Japan collected 2/22/2014 - 1/3/2016, in North America collected 11/15/2013 - 1/2/2016, in Europe and Latin America collected 11/29/2013 - 1/2/2016, and in Asia collected 12/17/2013 - 1/3/2016. Does not include add-on content.
  • ※4 - 11/24/2015 - 12/22/2015.
  • ※5 - 11/24/2014 - 12/22/2014.
  • ※6 - As of 11/16/2015.

Thursday 7 January 2016

iOS 9.2.1 Jailbreak Achieved

Luca Todesco  has tweeted that he has managed to achieve an iOS 9.2.1 Jailbreak on an iPhone 6 running on  iOS 9.2.1. However, the tweet is accompanied by Todesco’s not so reassuring promise that the jailbreak will not be released, at least for now.


However that does not mean that a working iOS 9.2.1 jailbreak will not be released as other teams are also known to be working independently on similar solutions and it’s not yet known if they are all using the same exploits as Todesco.


It is also possible that Luca Todesco could change his mind and release the jailbreak or pass along the information to another team that would be prepared to release it to the rest of us.





Netflix now available in more than 130 new countries

Netflix has announced that they are now fully global. The company expanded its reach to 130 new countries today, including countries like India and Russia. This should mean that most major countries (bar China) should now have access to the streaming service.
As with any multimedia subscription service, Netflix will differ from region to region in terms of content available. One example is that India currently only has around 700 titles available to view as opposed to the 4,000 titles those in North America and other regions have access to.


The reason for these restrictions typically comes down to regional licensing issues. There may be deals in place that only cover specific regions, or Netflix may be unable to add certain shows and movies in areas due to existing licensing deals in place.


The company promises their goal to keep bringing as much content as they can will never waver, though, so if you’re confident in that then be sure to head to Netflix’s website to get started.

Friday 23 May 2014

Watch Dogs System Requirements PC

Watch Dogs comes to PC, Xbox One, Xbox 360, PS4 & PS3 on May 27th here are the system requirements for the PC:


Minimum Specs:


OS: Windows Vista (SP2), Windows 7 (SP1) or Windows 8 (Please note that we only support 64 bit OSs.)
Processor: Intel Core 2 Quad Q8400 @ 2.66Ghz or AMD Phenom II X4 940 @ 3.0Ghz
Memory: 6 GB RAM (although it will run on 4 GB RAM)
Graphics: DirectX 11 graphics card with 1 GB Video RAM – Nvidia Geforce GTX 460 or AMD Radeon HD 5770
DirectX: Version 11
Hard Drive: 25 GB available space
Sound Card: Direct X 9.0c Compatible Sound Card with Latest Drivers
Additional Notes: Broadband connection and service required for multiplayer mode. Supported Video Cards at Time of Release: nVidia GeForce GTX460 or better, GT500, GT600, GT700 series; AMD Radeon HD5850 or better, HD6000, HD7000, R7 and R9 series Intel® Iris™ Pro HD 5200


Recommended Specs:


OS: Windows Vista (SP2), Windows 7 (SP1) or Windows 8 (Please note that we only support 64 bit OSs.)
Processor: Eight core – Intel Core i7-3770 @3.5 GHz or AMD FX-8350 X8 @ 4 GHz
Memory: 8 GB RAM
Graphics: DirectX 11 graphics card with 2 GB Video RAM – Nvidia Geforce GTX 560 ti or AMD Radeon HD 7850
DirectX: Version 11
Hard Drive: 25 GB available space
Sound Card: DirectX 9.0c Compatible Sound Card with Latest Drivers
Additional Notes: Broadband connection and service required for multiplayer mode. Supported Video Cards at Time of Release: nVidia GeForce GTX460 or better, GT500, GT600, GT700 series; AMD Radeon HD5850 or better, HD6000, HD7000, R7 and R9 series Intel® Iris™ Pro HD 5200

Sunday 6 April 2014

GameSpy shutting down

The popular online service GameSpy has confirmed that it will cease all the activity and services on May 31.


According to the company:


"If you have any questions about how this impacts your favourite title please contact the game's publisher for more information. Thanks for a great ride!"

GameSpy was released in 1999 and integrated into more than 1.000 games from more than 800 developers and publishers (even Nintendo on Wii and DS online services).

Watch Dogs PC system requirements released

Watch Dogs is due for release shortly and for those who wish to pre-purchase the title for PC, you can do so now through Steam.


Watch Dogs releases on PC, PlayStation 3, PS4, Xbox 360 and Xbox One May 27. The Wii U version is still expected at some point but for now take a look at the minimum and recommended PC requirements below.


Minimum:
  • OS: Windows Vista (SP2), Windows 7 (SP1) or Windows 8 (Please note that we only support 64 bit OSs.)
  • Processor: Intel Core 2 Quad Q8400 @ 2.66Ghz or AMD Phenom II X4 940 @ 3.0Ghz
  • Memory: 6 GB RAM
  • Graphics: DirectX 11 graphics card with 1 GB Video RAM – Nvidia Geforce GTX 460 or AMD Radeon HD 5770
  • DirectX: Version 11
  • Hard Drive: 25 GB available space
  • Sound Card: DirectX 9.0c Compatible Sound Card with Latest Drivers
  • Additional Notes: Broadband connection and service required for multiplayer mode. Supported Video Cards at Time of Release: nVidia GeForce GTX460 or better, GT500, GT600, GT700 series; AMD Radeon HD5850 or better, HD6000, HD7000, R7 and R9 series Intel Iris Pro HD 5200


Recommended:
  • OS: Windows Vista (SP2), Windows 7 (SP1) or Windows 8 (Please note that we only support 64 bit OSs.)
  • Processor: Eight core – Intel Core i7-3770 @3.5 GHz or AMD FX-8350 X8 @ 4 GHz
  • Memory: 8 GB RAM
  • Graphics: DirectX 11 graphics card with 2 GB Video RAM – Nvidia Geforce GTX 560 ti or AMD Radeon HD 7850
  • DirectX: Version 11
  • Hard Drive: 25 GB available space
  • Sound Card: DirectX 9.0c Compatible Sound Card with Latest Drivers
  • Additional Notes: Broadband connection and service required for multiplayer mode. Supported Video Cards at Time of Release: nVidia GeForce GTX460 or better, GT500, GT600, GT700 series; AMD Radeon HD5850 or better, HD6000, HD7000, R7 and R9 series Intel Iris Pro HD 5200



Monday 31 March 2014

Cut the Rope: Triple Treat launch trailer

Here is the PR from Activision with the release trailer of Cut The Rope: Triple Treat for 3DS.

The title, developed by FUN Labs, bundles together over 650 levels from the physics-based puzzle game franchise, with select bonuses exclusively for the Nintendo 3DS™ hand-held system.

Cut the Rope: Triple Treat compiles nearly 50 hours of challenging and entertaining gameplay, including the original mobile version of Cut the Rope – winner of an Apple Design Award and a BAFTA Award – as well as all the content from its two major expansions, Cut the Rope: Experiments and Cut the Rope: Time Travel.

The Nintendo 3DS stylus adds an easy comfort to the simple and familiar tap and swipe mechanics of Cut the Rope: Triple Treat, while the system’s stereoscopic 3D gives its colourful cartoons charming depth. The Nintendo 3DS edition of the title also features online leaderboards, achievements and animated Om Nom® Stories, giving an extra layer of adorable humour to the game’s hungry little green monster.


What’s Changed in WoW Since You Last Played

Take a look at this video by Yami from Twinfinite explaining exactly how much our beloved WoW has changed.


Thursday 27 March 2014

Leland Yee Arrested

The anti-violent video game politician Leland Yee has been arrested in connection to gun trafficking and corruption including six counts of fraud related to campaign contributions.


Here's the official report by the U.S. Department of Justice:


California State Senator And Chee Kung Tong Dragonhead Among Twenty-Six Defendants Charged In Federal Criminal Complaint
SAN FRANCISCO РA federal criminal complaint, filed on March 24, 2014, was unsealed in San Francisco today, charging twenty-six defendants with firearms trafficking, money laundering, murder-for-hire, drug distribution, trafficking in contraband cigarettes, and honest services fraud, announced United States Attorney Melinda Haag, FBI Special Agent in Charge David J. Johnson, and Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation, Special Agent in Charge Jos̩ M. Martinez.

The defendants include Raymond “Shrimpboy” Chow, the current Dragonhead, or leader, of the San Francisco-based Chee Kung Tong organisation (CKT), and State Senator Leland Yee, who represents San Mateo County and part of San Francisco County in the California Senate.

With respect to Chow, according to the Complaint, as FBI undercover agents infiltrated the CKT through introductions made by Chow and others, a pattern of alleged racketeering activity was uncovered.

According to the Complaint, as the relationship developed among the primary undercover agent, Chow, and other defendants, the undercover agent informed the defendants that he was interested in generating income from illegal schemes. The undercover agent was inducted into the CKT as a “Consultant.” Thereafter, during the course of multiple undercover operations, the undercover agent was allegedly introduced to a number of the defendants in order to launder money, traffic narcotics, traffic in firearms, traffic purportedly stolen cigarettes and liquor, and engage in murder-for-hire schemes.

Chow also introduced Keith Jackson to the undercover agent. Jackson, the owner and operator of “Jackson Consultancy,” a San Francisco based consulting firm, is a “Consultant” to the CKT. Jackson and his son, Brandon Jackson, allegedly responded to a request for weapons by the undercover agent, by indicating that Brandon Jackson, and an associate would be able to accommodate his request. Subsequently, Jackson, Brandon Jackson, and Marlon Sullivan sold various types of firearms, and two ballistic vests, to the undercover agent. Additionally, Jackson, Brandon Jackson, and Sullivan allegedly conspired to commit a purported murder for hire scheme requested by the undercover agent, in addition to other illegal activity, including the sale of stolen credit cards and the purported sale of cocaine to Jackson, Brandon Jackson, and Sullivan from the undercover agent.

Brandon Jackson introduced the undercover agent to Rinn Roeun, one of Brandon Jackson’s sources of supply for firearms. Roeun sold multiple firearms to the undercover agent and, during a series of conversations, told the undercover agent that he was willing to commit murder for a fee.

According to the Complaint, in addition to his relationship with Chow, and the CKT, Keith Jackson is also a close associate of Senator Leland Yee. From at least May 2011 through the present, Jackson has been involved in raising campaign funds for Yee.

With respect to Yee, the Complaint alleges that over the course of 2012 and continuing to the present time, Yee and Keith Jackson allegedly raised money and campaign funds for Yee’s Secretary of State campaign by soliciting donations from FBI undercover agents, in exchange for multiple official acts, and that Yee and Jackson were involved in a conspiracy to traffic firearms.

Starting in May 2011, according to the Complaint, and continuing for several months, Jackson solicited an undercover agent with the FBI to make contributions to Yee’s San Francisco mayoral campaign. These solicitations allegedly included asking the agent for donations in excess of the $500 individual donation limit. The agent declined to make any donations to Yee, but introduced Jackson and Yee to a purported business associate, another undercover FBI agent. Jackson and Yee then solicited the second undercover agent for campaign contributions. This solicitation resulted in at least one personal donation in the amount of $5,000 to Yee’s mayoral campaign.

After Yee lost the November 8, 2011, election, according to the Complaint, he had at least $70,000 in debt from that campaign. In connection with efforts to retire the mayoral campaign debt, according to the complaint, Yee and Jackson allegedly agreed that Yee would make a telephone call to a manager with the California Department of Public Health in support of a contract under consideration with the second undercover agent’s purported client, and would provide an official letter of support for the client, in exchange for a $10,000 campaign donation. Yee allegedly made the call on October 18, 2012, and provided the letter on or about January 13, 2013. On November 19, 2012, Jackson accepted the $10,000 cash donation.

According to the Complaint, in a further attempt by Jackson and Yee to gain money from one of the undercover agents, in August 2013, Jackson told the undercover agent that Yee had a contact who deals in arms trafficking. Jackson requested that the undercover agent provide a campaign donation on behalf of Yee, for Yee to facilitate a meeting with the arms dealer with the intent of the undercover agent to purportedly purchase a large number of weapons. During a meeting with the undercover agent, Yee and Jackson allegedly discussed details of the specific types of weapons the undercover agent was interested in buying and importing.

The defendants are charged as follows:

LELAND LIN YEE

• Conspiracy to Traffic in Firearms Without a License, and to Illegally Import Firearms, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § § 371, 922(a)(1), and (l)
• Scheme to Defraud Citizens of Honest Services, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § § 1343, 1346, 2 (six counts)

Wednesday 19 March 2014

Xbox 360 version of Titanfall delayed

The Xbox 360 version of Titanfall has been delayed a few days, as Bluepoint needs time 'to make a few things even better.


Originally planned for launch on March 25 in North America and 28 in Europe, EA has delayed it to April 8 and 11, respectively.


Here is what Respawn had to say:


Now, I want to update everyone on Titanfall for Xbox 360 in development with Bluepoint Games. I’ve been playing the game a lot, and it is fantastic. But we see a few things that can be made even better, so we’re giving Bluepoint a little more time to do just that and deliver an epic Titanfall experience for Xbox 360 players. Titanfall for Xbox 360 will now be releasing on April 8 in North America, and beginning on April 11 in Europe. The game will feature the same 6v6 gameplay, maps, modes, weapons and Burn Cards as the Xbox One and PC versions of the game.

Wednesday 5 March 2014

OnLive is back

Cloud gaming service OnLive has relaunched itself with a new range of cloud gaming services and a newly announced Steam partnership.


Onlive has launched CloudLift, a new cloud gaming service to play PC games downloaded from any digital store – starting wth Valve’s Steam – on any device.

For a monthly subscription fee of $15/£9.99, OnLive claims that supported games downloaded via Steam can be synced with an Onlive account and played on multiple devices regardless of spec – from tablets and Macs to Google TV and lightweight laptops.

Using the cloud save option players in theory will be able move between devices picking up the game exactly where they left off.

Games supported at launch include Saint’s Row IV, Batman: Arkham Origins and Type:Rider.

Although games don’t have to be bought from Onlive, the company will also begin selling download codes for games with a 7-day trial to CloudLift.

It has also added Mark Jung to its exec pack. Jung sold IGN to NewsCorp for $650 million and was also CEO of video streaming site VUDU.

Finally, the company has launched a beta for Onlive Go, which allows access to MMO and virtual world content via Android tablets and low-spec laptops. The service starts with a “viewer” for Second Life and will roll-out to Gaijin Entertainment’s War Thunder shortly.

Friday 28 February 2014

3DS Update Version 7.1.0-16E

A new firmware update for Nintendo 3DS systems is now available and includes stability improvements and some other minor tweaks.


The latest system update is Version 7.1.0-16E/U
  • "System stability improvements and other adjustments"
  • "Further improvements to overall system stability and other minor adjustments have been made to enhance the user's experience"
Recent updates via wireless Internet connection have included the following improvements:

Added support for Nintendo Network ID:

Users can now create a Nintendo Network ID on the Nintendo 3DS family of systems. Users may either create a new ID or register the same ID they have created for their Wii U system.

Using the same ID on both the Nintendo 3DS and Wii U systems will allow users to combine their Nintendo eShop balances and Wish Lists. A Nintendo Network ID will now be required to download free content, including game demos, from Nintendo eShop.

Added support for Miiverse™:

Now available for Nintendo 3DS, Miiverse is an online social hub that lets users connect with other players around the world via their Mii characters. Users can view posts from their Nintendo 3DS, Wii U system, or online via computer or mobile device. Nintendo 3DS users can post illustrations or comments by signing in to Miiverse with their Network ID.

If you have system update 2.0.0-2U or higher, you don’t need to do anything except agree to the update. It will be downloaded automatically when you are in range of a wireless Internet connection and SpotPass™ is enabled. If you have never performed a system update, connect your Nintendo 3DS system to the Internet, and find the System Update option in your system settings.