Schlagwort: streaming

Sony has today revealed some interesting stats about the PlayStation 4 on its 5th anniversary.

The most interesting fact is definitely the five best selling games since the PS4 launched. It’s not really surprising to me, but I’m sure it’d be eye opening to see that two CODs, two FIFAs and Grand Theft Auto have sold more than any other game released on the PS4.

THE TOP 5 BEST SELLING TITLES

1. Call Of Duty: Black Ops III
2. Call Of Duty WWII
3. FIFA 17
4. FIFA 18
5. Grand Theft Auto V

THE TOP 5 DUALSHOCK 4 COLOURS

1. Black
2. Blue
3. Red
4. White
5. Camo

MOST DOWNLOADED PLAYSTATION PLUS GAMES

• Call Of Duty: Black Ops 3
• Destiny 2
• Dead By Daylight
• Just Cause 3
• Mafia III

86 million PS4 units have now sold with 777.9 million software units being sold across the world.

Website: LINK

ASTRO Gaming, known for their incredible headsets, is now taking over the controller world with the newly unveiled C40 TR controller. The powerhouse tech company announced their upcoming line in the video above showcasing just how powerful the newest peripherals will be.

The new Astro C40 TR is highly customizable thanks to its swappable and removable modules. That means that you’ll be able to remove and replace the analog stick and D-pad covers, and swap in alternatives, depending on your style of play. Furthermore, you’ll be able to swap the positions of all of the modules on the front face, giving players access to different types of button configurations. You can see an example of the process in the image below.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i4IoRWSAuS0]

The rear buttons on the controller can be remapped without any additional software and are designed for optimal functionality. In order to fully customize the controller, you will need to install software on a PC. The model will work as a wired or wireless controller and also has a 3.5mm jack to deliver audio to headphones and also relay voice over chat.

ASTRO also broke down the key features for the new line for us, which you can see below:

REPLACEABLE, SWAPPABLE STICK MODULES: Quickly and easily swap the Analog Stick or D-Pad Modules for consistently sharp performance. Setup the controller in either Offset or Parallel configurations. Replaceable Stick Caps provide added customization for a competitive advantage.

INTEGRATED, REMAPPABLE REAR BUTTONS: Optimum rear button layout for superior ergonomics improves precision during critical moments. Mappability streamlines the controller for any genre and playstyle while improving response time and accuracy. Remap buttons and save your mappings directly on the controller with no PC software required.

ASTRO CUSTOMIZATION SOFTWARE: ASTRO customization software exponentially increases the C40 TR’s versatility and accuracy. Create profiles that can be switched directly from the controller. Adjust trigger and stick sensitivity, remap buttons, tweak EQ, audio output, mic out and sidetone.

WIRED/WIRELESS MODES: With the on-board Mode Switch, quickly change between wired and ASTRO’s proprietary 2.4 GHZ wireless mode to adapt to any gaming environment. Both offer low-latency for pro level performance.

WIRELESS AUDIO: The C40 TR Controller delivers high fidelity game sound and voice chat in Wired and Wireless mode via the 3.5mm jack. The C40 offers game sound and voice chat in Wireless mode. Compatible with any gaming headset with a 3.5mm jack.

TRIGGER STOPS: Quickly and easily activate the trigger stops, which adjusts the trigger pull distance, to allow hair trigger performance in most FPS titles.

12 HOUR BATTERY LIFE: Outlast your game with up to 12 hours of battery life.

INCLUDED TRAVEL CASE: Travel safe and secure with the travel case for the C40 TR. Protect your controller, module, stick caps and tool all in one hard-shelled case.

TOURNAMENT READY: Ready for any environment, the TR line of ASTRO Gaming products deliver premium design and performance for every type of gamer. All Tournament Ready products are designed and developed to meet the demanding specifications of pro gamers.

The C40 TR is now available for pre-order, costing $199.99 and is slated to start shipping in March 2019.

Source: Astro, PlayStation

Website: LINK

Just last month, Sony effectively confirmed that there will be a PS5. What this means is that there is a good chance that there could be a next-gen Xbox console as well, given how intertwined Microsoft and Sony’s actions are as far as the console space is concerned. More recently it appears that Microsoft’s Xbox boss Phil Spencer seems to be pretty excited about the future of the console.

Speaking to LevelUp (via GameSpot), Spencer expressed his excitement for the next Xbox where he was quoted as saying, “The reason I love the consoles that we build is because I think we can build very special consoles. I see it today with Xbox One X and how games run on the Xbox One X; I think it’s a fantastic place to play. When I look at our future plans, I am very excited about what we are going to do in the console space.”

It is actually interesting that Microsoft is pursuing a next-gen Xbox following the announcement of their own game streaming service. However according to Spencer, he does not believe that game streaming will replace traditional consoles just yet. Instead he says that it’s all about “choice”, where players will be able to choose how they want to play.

There is no word on when the next-gen Xbox console will drop, although some analysts have predicted that it might only be in 2020. Some rumors surrounding the console have suggested that the next-gen Xbox could actually be more than one device, where one of the devices could be a streaming box which seems to be in line with what Microsoft has announced so far.

Website: LINK

Hey everyone, today we are thrilled to unveil the exciting announcement that PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds is officially coming to PlayStation 4! Bringing PUBG to the PS4 has been an ambitious project for us, and we are beyond thrilled to finally be sharing this news with the world.

What is PUBG?
PUBG is a battle-royale shooter where 100 players drop into a map and fight for survival. It’s a game of life or death as you explore and loot the map for weapons and armor. Internet and PlayStation Plus are required to play on PS4. Be the last one standing to achieve the elusive Chicken Dinner – bragging rights included.

Pre-order Bundles
PUBG will launch on December 7 with three iconic maps – Erangel, Miramar, and Sanhok – with the highly anticipated snow-themed map coming this winter. The game will include all major features like custom matches, ranked system, event mode, Trophies, and much, much more.

Today, we’re kicking off pre-order sales with various options:

Disc Edition
$29.99 USD (MSRP) / $39.99 CAD (MSRP)
Includes: Base Game
Looter’s Digital Edition
$29.99 USD (MSRP) / $39.99 CAD (MSRP)
Includes: Base Game
Survivor’s Digital Edition
$59.99 USD (MSRP) / $79.99 CAD (MSRP)
Includes: Base Game, Survival Pass: Vikendi, 2,300 G-Coin Pack, 20,000 BP
Champion’s Digital Edition
$89.99 USD (MSRP) / $119.99 CAD (MSRP)
Includes: Base Game, Survival Pass: Vikendi, 6,000 G-Coin Pack, 20,000 BP
Pre-order Bonuses – Digital Skins
We teamed up with our friends at Sony to bring you some amazing pre-order digital skins that will be included in each pre-order bundle.

Nathan Drake Desert Outfit
Uncharted Series

Ellie’s Backpack
The Last of Us

We are also offering a PUBG avatar and theme to rock on your PlayStation Network User ID as an instant download for pre-ordering!

A few words from the PUBG HQ Team in Korea
From Koo Sung Jeong, PS4 Lead Project Manager:
“One of most memorable moments while developing PS4 PUBG was the first time we had 100 people join a test match. Before the test, the dev team’s mission was to deliver the finished product this year – it was a big challenge and it felt almost impossible. But as soon as we had 100 people drop in for the test, our confidence started to build and and we pushed ourselves harder to make everything happen. We are proud of the game we have created and can’t wait to get it into your hands!”

From Changmin Lee, PS4 Engineering Lead
“It’s always exciting and tense presenting our work to the players as a developer. Getting our game into the hands of the PS4 community that haven’t experienced PUBG is a thrill equal to creating a new game. Everyone on the PS4 dev team have worked passionately on every single moment of the game to create a perfect experience for our players – we hope you all enjoy your journey on getting a chicken dinner!”

As we prepare for the official launch on December 7, be sure to stay up to date on the latest news at our website and social channels. The team here at PUBG have worked tirelessly to bring our unique Battle Royale experience to this platform, and we can’t wait to start this new journey with you.

Website: LINK

While it’s harder to cheat in online games in a close platform like the PS4 and Xbox One compared to PCs, it’s not impossible. One such way that some people try to cheat is via lag switching. It seems Sony knows about this and has filed a patent for “detecting lag switch cheating in games” at the United States Patent Office.

Detecting lag switch cheating in a gaming network is disclosed. Data packets are received from a client. The data packets have tracking data including at least one of a sequence number and a time stamp. The tracking data is monitored to determine that a cheat-detection event has occurred.

1. A method for detecting lag switch cheating in a gaming network, the method comprising: receiving data packets from a plurality of client devices at a network server in the gaming network, wherein the received data packets include a time stamp and correspond to respective client device activity in the gaming network; identifying latency for each received data packet, wherein the latency for each received data packet is a time between a respective time stamp and a time the received data packet is received at the network server; evaluating latency of a set of data packets from a first client device to detect changes in the latency among the set of data packets; identifying that a cheat detection event has occurred when additional latency identified from evaluating the set of data packets meets a predefined threshold; and moving a character of the first client device associated with the cheat detection event from a current location to a location of the character prior to the cheat detection event.

If you’re unfamiliar with how lag switches work and how someone can cheat using it, here’s a good explanation by Lifewire:

A lag switch is a piece of equipment installed on a home network that temporarily delays the flow of traffic to the internet. In an online gaming context, the physical toggle can be switched on to delay gameplay to give the lag switcher the upper hand.

One example that indicates a lag switch is being used is if the opponent jumps around on the screen when you shoot at the character. Or maybe the character will appear invisible and completely unscathed from point-blank shots.

Lag switches are not part of normal gameplay; online gamers who care about sportsmanship do not use them. Some gaming communities even ban players that they suspect are lagging on purpose.

How a Hardware Lag Switch Works

When a lag switch is activated, it runs on a short timer that typically lasts just a few seconds. During this time, it effectively blocks all network traffic between the gaming console and the internet.

Because the game recognizes that the user’s internet is down, the player appears to be paused and unresponsive. However, the game won’t kick out the user because it assumes the connection will resume shortly. However, during this time, the user can still play locally.

When the lag switch timer expires, the local device will re-synchronize with the online game, which appears to opponents in a sudden burst.

This is definitely a step in the right direction. Let’s hope Sony implements this the moment they can. Have you experienced lag switching in games? How did you find out about it? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.

Source: USPTO via AlphaFoxWarfare (Twitter)

Website: LINK

With Sony finally acknowledging the existence of the PS5, could we finally getting new bits and info regarding the new iteration of the DualShock 4 for the company’s upcoming console?

Sony Interactive Entertainment America, which is the PlayStation brand of the company, has filed a patent for a gaming controller that has a touchscreen at the United States Patent Office.

A controller for interfacing wirelessly with a computing device is provided, including the following: a housing defined by a main body, a first extension extending from a first end of the main body, and a second extension extending from a second end of the main body, the first extension and the second extension for holding by a first hand and a second hand of a user, respectively; a touchscreen defined along the top surface of the main body between the first extension and the second extension; a first set of buttons disposed on the top surface of the main body proximate to the first extension and on a first side of the touchscreen; and a second set of buttons disposed on the top surface of the main body proximate to the second extension and on a second side of the touchscreen.

It could very well be a new version of the DualShock 4, but given how the current controller has a not-so-good battery life, adding a touchscreen to it might very well make it last for only a few hours at most.

Could this be the new controller for the PS5? Maybe the DualShock 5 if ever Sony decides to stick with the name? Then again, it could very well be a patent that we won’t ever see the actual product come to fruition.

Source: USPTO via Reddit

Website: LINK

For several years now, AMD’s GPU lineup has been leveraging the same architecture. Codenamed Polaris, and featured in all the Radeon RX 400 and RX 500 cards, I believe it’s high time AMD brings something new to the table. If WCCFTech is to be believed, AMD has finalized their first Navi design, codenamed Navi 12.

As per the outlet, Navi 12 will feature 40 CUs which translates into 2560 stream processors. This new design is expected to power the Radeon RX 600 series and succeed the battered Polaris lineup. As per the report, Navi 12 will be primarily aimed towards the mainstream PC market, i.e- gamers. In case some of you are wondering if this is the same Navi designed for the PS5, then no. In fact, it is a derivative of the original Navi core.

Furthermore, this will be the first GPU from AMD that won’t be based on the GCN architecture. It will be the first new GPU uArch from AMD in a very long time. This new micro-architecture will also be powering the Navi 10/20 graphics cards down the line. In case you have forgotten, Navi 20 will be AMD’s answer to the RTX 20 series cards and are supposed to ship in 2020 or probably later.

AMD RADEON ROADMAP AS PER WCCF

• Vega 7nm will not be for gamers.
• Navi 12 will be the first Navi part to arrive sometime in 2019.
• Navi 10 has either been scrapped or will follow later sometime in late 2019 or early 2020. The performance level of this part will be on par with Vega and will be based on the 7nm node.
• Navi 20 is going to be AMD’s answer to NVIDIA RTX 20-series and will also be based on the 7nm node. Don’t expect it before 2020.
• Navi will also be the first architecture to transition away from GCN and will feature the first new uArch from team red in almost a decade

Website: LINK

With the PlayStation 5 and next-gen Xbox Scarlett family on the horizon, many gamers are worried about backward compatibility. But how do publishers like Take-Two Interactive feel about it? It’s not all that important, says the Rockstar Games parent company.

Red Dead Redemption 2 was built explicitly from the ground up for current-gen PS4 Pro and Xbox One X consoles. The game was essentially tailor-made to eke the most out of each respective system and help propel the new-ish wave of 4K gaming experiences. But like GTA V, Rockstar’s latest Western could (and likely will) be future-proofed to carry over to the next PS5 and Xbox Scarlett console gen. But will it? Take-Two Interactive CEO Strauss Zelnick adds some insight.

“I don’t think backwards compatibility is actually all that important,” Mr. Zelnick said in Take-Two’s Fiscal Year Q2’19 earnings call. Interestingly enough, the CEO lends credence to the possibility of a next-gen RDR2 port (if, of course, backward compatibility is off the table). Essentially RDR2 should mirror the same blockbuster, high-tech motivation that was behind Grand Theft Auto V’s rollover from Xbox 360/PS3 to Xbox One/PS4.

“I think the reason that we had such a great experience with Grand Theft Auto V when we brought it to new generation is, first of all, the content was meaningfully updated with amazing new features. And secondly, because the title was so extraordinary that it remained the standard bearer for the new generation straight through until the release of Red Dead Redemption 2 because nothing stood up to it technically or creatively.

“So, how Red Dead Redemption 2 fares going forward, it’s hard to know, but it’s certainly off to a great start.”

There’s already evidence Sony’s PlayStation 5 will be backward compatible and play existing PS4 games. Recent patents indicate the next-gen system should run older PS4-era games, however key sources say that the PS5 could actually be quite close to the current console insofar as capabilities.

Not much is known about Microsoft’s next-gen Xbox Scarlett family when it comes to backward compatibility. But given the company’s strong stance on support Xbox 360 games on the Xbox One family, I’d be surprised if it wasn’t an option. Microsoft is also making a low-cost streaming-only box to compliment a new high-end Xbox.

Ultimately Take-Two’s CEO says it makes games and doesn’t try to predict what will happen in the console market. Surely they have rumblings and are privy to information as it comes out–Rockstar’s games push console tech pretty hard–but it’s not about to plan around new systems. Essentially Take-Two just adapts to the market as it changes.

“Our success is not built defensively by managing platform transitions. Those things are really out of our control,” Mr. Zelnick said in the earnings call.

“Our success is built by making the very best entertainment that we possibly can and we’re grateful that at least so far, it appears that it’s some of the best entertainment made. And that’s the whole drill.”

At the same time, there’s a few reasons RDR2 could bridge the current and next generation of consoles.

Remember Take-Two makes most of its money from consoles and big marquee games that are backward compatible and span many platforms like GTA V are main drivers for these earnings. For example, Take-Two made $372,240 million in FY Q2’19 from consoles, or 76% of total platform split earnings. PC pulled in just $120,427 million.   Consoles are very, very important for Take-Two’s business.

If PS5 and Xbox Scarlett are backward compatible we may not see a re-release. But if the consoles aren’t, we should definitely see older games updated and remastered in a bid to resell and re-market strong titles. This could be a boon for publishers like Take-Two…but a backward compatible update a la Xbox One X and PS4 Pro enhanced iterative software refreshes could bring stronger engagement in Red Dead Online and GTA Online, thus ensuring a stronger tail for both online experiences.

Website: LINK

Last August Chinese PC maker Zhongshan Subor announced a mysterious new console/PC hybrid called Subor Z+ with an interesting spec sheet. The most intriguing part of that machine was none other than a new AMD SoC custom with the code name ‘Fenghuang/FireFlight’. Based on the Zen architecture instead of the Jaguar used in consoles such as the Xbox One X or PS4 Pro, this SoC has a CPU with 4 cores and 8 threads at 3.0 GHz a Vega-based GPU with 24 CUs at 1300 MHz, 8 GB GDDR5, 128 GB SSD and 1 TB HDD.

The preliminary tests that we could see thanks to DigitalFoundry have now been completed with a new series of benchmarks from a Chinese YouTube user in which we can see the Subor Z+ running different Windows games at more than 60 fps in some of them. The graphics power sits between a RX 570 and a GTX 1060 according to the content producer, and among the results we have different scores showing how far this can go. For example, Fire Strike Extreme (486 points), Time Spy (3288), Tomb Raider (74.81 fps without clarifying graphic config), Cinebench (110/581) or PUBG, which was running at around 50-55 fps at 1080p and with low level of detail.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KgHA7GNwcyA]

The Subor Z+ will be able to behave in console mode (a customized version of Windows will be used in this case) and in PC mode. According to the official website, the Subor Z+ will use Windows 10 IoT Enterprise as the base OS, so their functional aspects for the end users could be limited. The price of this hybrid machine is 4998 RMB, which translates to around $730, or $625 if we don’t include Chinese taxes.

Website: LINK

Next generation consoles talk continues to be a hot topic with even publishers themselves discussing what’s next on the gaming horizon. We still don’t know when exactly Sony plans to announce the PS5, but Sony CEO John Kodera said earlier this year that the company “will use the next three years to prepare the next step, to crouch down so that we can jump higher in the future”.

While it is currently unknown what the PS5 (or whatever it ends up being called) will look like and what its technical specifications will be, there are many fan-made concepts online, but one concept – in particular – is breathtaking.

A gamer decided to put their own creative input into the mix with a visually stunning render of what they’d like to see the next PlayStation platform look like. He even provided the list of features this console would have, so let’s take a look at them… Sony should take notes!

All the elements which compose this post are only an artist’s view and have nothing official from Sony Interactive Entertainement.

Website: LINK

While the PS4 Pro might be the most powerful console on Sony’s roster, it doesn’t come without drawbacks. Initial launch units of the PS4 Pro get notoriously loud, especially when playing newer games like Spider-Man, God of War or Red Dead Redemption 2. Sony has been quietly revising the PS4 Pro over the last couple of years to eliminate the issue and the latest version seems to do a pretty good job of it.

The latest PS4 Pro ships with the model number ‘CUH-7200’, which the second revised PS4 Pro on the market. According to tests conducted by Digital Foundry, this new version brings noise levels down from 50dB/55dB to 44dB/48dB, with the trade off being slightly higher temperatures. The launch PS4 Pro would top out at 60 degrees Celsius, meanwhile the CUH-7200 revision tops out at 66 degrees Celsius.

Right now, this new PS4 Pro revision appears to only be shipping with Sony’s Red Dead Redemption 2 bundle but as we get closer to the holiday shopping season, we will likely see these pop up in new bundles and as standalone machines.

Website: LINK

Considering that Insomniac Games planned to release all three of its downloadable content packs for Marvel’s Spider-Man before year’s end, we figured it wouldn’t be long before we heard about the next pack that would be following last month’s The Heist. And now we have.

A new report from IGN indicates that the next downloadable content for the game will be called Turf Wars, and it’ll be set for release this month, on November 20.

Website: LINK

This generation has been rather telling when it comes to virtual reality. Sony has gone all in with its PlayStation VR, creating a number of experiences for users to enjoy. Microsoft, however, has taken the opposite route, focusing more on traditional games rather than fancy virtual reality ones. And don’t look for that strategy to change any time soon.

While speaking with GamingBolt, Andrea Marinelli, who serves as head of development for Mind Labyrinth VR Dreams over at Frost Earth Studio, explained that VR should be a focus when it comes to next-generation hardware. “I hope they’ll be powerful enough to make sure they’ll handle really good higher resolution VR headsets, and most importantly I hope they’ll release a VR bundle with much improved VR inputs,” she said. “It would be really cool to have inputs made specifically for VR.”

That said, she doesn’t expect everyone to be on board with it. While Sony will obviously have some sort of virtual reality features in mind for PlayStation 5, the next Xbox likely won’t be that way. “For Sony? Probably, yes,” she continued. “They’re seeing a growing and potential market. For Microsoft, it’s hard to tell, because they seem to be ignoring VR a bit this last generation.”

Obviously neither Sony nor Microsoft have laid out their plans for their next generation hardware and likely won’t for some time since the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One seem to be doing rather well on the market. But we’ll likely start seeing things roll out next year during E3 2019 when we’ll at the very least get teasers on what to possibly expect.

And while Sony’s VR division isn’t flourishing as much as its routine game division, the PlayStation VR has been picking up steam as of late; and games like Astrobot have certainly provided the kind of entertainment to make its set-up worthwhile. Here’s hoping that Sony can continue to carry that on through the next generation and make the peripheral more of a must-have.

Website: LINK

Many people enjoying Red Dead Redemption 2 have noticed the sudden disappearance of several gang members from the main camp. Sadie, John, Abigail, and Jack will all go missing after a certain point early on in the game, leaving players concerned they weren’t able to play missions given by these characters.

The bug is so prominent that Rockstar has released an article on its support page. The developer says it is “aware of the issue” and that it’s currently working towards a fix, which will be included in the next patch for the game. It also highlights what is triggering the problem. If you die during the mission ‘Polite Society, Valentine Style’ in Chapter 2 and use the ‘Retry Checkpoint’ option, the aforementioned characters will disappear from camp — unless they have a mission for you.

For now, the advice given to avoid the bug is to complete the mission with no failures, or load a save from before you failed it. Fortunately, at the start of Chapter 4, all characters will return to camp, so you could either carry on until then, wait for the patch to appear, or attempt the Chapter 2 mission again.

Have you noticed this bug in your time with Red Dead Redemption 2? Are you way past that point in the story, or will you attempt to bypass the issue by playing the bug-causing mission again? Sit down by the campfire in the comments below.

[via vg247.com, support.rockstargames.com]

Website: LINK

About a couple of months ago, an official listing on the Korean Ratings Board’s website pointed to the possibility of Bluehole Studio’s battle royale game, PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds, getting a PS4 release. Now, it looks as if the evidence for PUBG‘s PlayStation 4 port continues to grow, as Content-ID for the title and images of the game have apparently shown up on the PlayStation Store, potentially indicating that its launch on the platform is imminent.

According to a user posting on the PSNProfiles forum, PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds is supposedly already on Sony Interactive Entertainment’s servers, leading some to speculate that Bluehole is preparing to launch PUBG on PS4 at some point in December 2018. What’s more is that Niko Partners’ industry analyst, Daniel Ahmad, seems to have insider information on the matter, as he chimed in on a ResetEra forum to say, “It’ll be out next month, yeh [sic].”

Since Bluehole and PUBG Corp. have yet to officially confirm that PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds is indeed coming to PlayStation 4 next month, it’s best for gamers awaiting its arrival on the console to hold off on popping open any champagne bottles just yet. Even though there’s a good chance that PUBG will finally be coming to PS4 at the end of this year, there’s also the possibility of unforeseen issues occurring in between then and now that could cause delays.

Should the aforementioned details be accurate, then it will be interesting to see just how PS4 players as a whole will respond to PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds coming to the system. There’s no doubt that its appearance on the console has been anticipated for quite some time. However, with so many other battle royale products populating the market at the moment and garnering a lot of attention in the process–namely Fortnite and Call of Duty: Black Ops 4‘s Blackout mode– it’s a wonder if PUBG coming to PS4 could be a tad too late for the title to catch on with the PlayStation crowd.

Source: ResetEra

Website: LINK

Since the release of the current gen consoles, the one thing that has plagued most gamers is whether or not to get an Xbox One or PlayStation 4. One modder has decided to solve this conundrum with the XStation, a console that combines the best of both worlds.

The XStation was created by modder Eddie Zarick, who also designed the PlayStation 4 Laptop. The aptly named console combines a PlayStation 4 Slim and a Xbox One into a single gaming console. The console uses parts from both of the slim versions of the PS4 and Xbox One consoles which aided him in keeping the build size surprisingly compact.  The use of one HDMI port makes switching between the two console modes as easy as pressing one button, with a two LED’s indicating which mode the console is currently in (blue for PS4 and green for XBox One).

Zarick has confirmed that the project was born out of curiosity and that the console will not be mass produced. Below is a video showcasing the wonder that is the XStation.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ngQPbk4H9Dw]

Website: LINK

Controller Rumble

Save for a brief debacle regarding the PlayStation 3’s lack of support for the feature, gamers have been able to count on rumble to be a standard inclusion in most video game controllers. Back in the ’90s, however, this wasn’t the case until Nintendo offered the rumble pack add-on for the controllers of their Nintendo 64 console.It was far from the ideal accessory, taking up the memory pack slot in order to be used, but it was still an undeniably cool and immersive step forward for how people could play games.It’s no surprise, then, that Sony was quick to hop on the rumble bandwagon with the release of PlayStation controllers vibration support, dubbed Dualshock for its use of dual vibration motors and some obvious copyright reasons.Granted, one can’t blame Sony for this as it was clearly set to be a norm in how games were played moving forward. All the same, we remember who came up with it first, and who continues to innovate on it with new iterations like HD Rumble in the Nintendo Switch’s Joy Con controllers.

Portable Gaming

For years, Nintendo has dominated the handheld gaming market, and the reason why is simple: They were the only ones in it for years. From the Gameboy all the way up to the Game Boy Advance, they were the only publisher willing to put out hardware dedicated to play on the go, and as a result became the de facto creators of handheld gaming consoles.With this in mind, it wasn’t at all shocking that Sony’s first foray into the handheld market was done using a console design strangely similar to the GBA. Sure, it had an analogue stick and a button layout in line with a PlayStation controller, but the publisher clearly looked to the only other company in handheld gaming for design inspiration.

PlayStation All-Stars Battle Royale

Let’s not beat around the bush: PlayStation All-Stars: Battle Royale was, is and always will be a shameless rip-off of Super Smash Bros. Sony saw the success of the franchise where Nintendo pitted characters from their many IPs against each other and wanted to do the same using their own roster of notable names and characters.It was by no means a bad move, and for some, it proved to be plenty of fun to pit God of War’s Kratos against PaRappa the Rapper’s PaRappa, Infamous’ Cole MacGrath or any of the roster’s other varied contenders. And yet, due to the fame of Super Smash Bros., the fact that it was playing copy-cat was inescapable, and many if not all that saw it almost instantly registered it as a clone made by a different publisher.

Motion Controls

Say what you will about the Nintendo Wii, but the one thing no one can deny is that it put motion controls at the center of many developers’ and publishers’ design frameworks. Whereas some might have seen it as a gimmick, Nintendo saw it as an opportunity to introduce players to a whole new world of gameplay where the player’s motions and input were integral to their experience, and designed a console with peripherals, aka the Wii-mote and Nunchuck, that could properly utilize it.Once this caught on though, Sony wasn’t far behind with its own iteration of the tech. In 2010, the company released the PlayStation Move, a peripheral for the PlayStation 3 which allowed players to utilize motion controls in both AAA and third-party offerings on the console.It didn’t quite have the polish of some of the Nintendo Wii’s offerings, but it did open the door for further use of the peripheral in later tech related to VR. Still though, it’s tough to say if they would have embraced it in the first place if Nintendo hadn’t tested the water and found such success.

Classic Consoles

Even with their continuous production of new, groundbreaking titles, Nintendo has more than a few who still sing the praises of their past titles and happily shell out cash for digital rereleases when they appear. Even still, few could have predicted just how high demand would be when they announced the release of an NES Classic, which served as a miniature version of their original console with several of its most popular titles built in.Selling out almost instantly and even outselling current generation consoles at certain points in the year, it proved an instant hit and fueled enough demand for the release of a SNES Classic, providing the same treatment to the console and its most cherished titles.So, of course, Sony followed suit, announcing the release of a PlayStation Classic with, you guessed it, several of its most popular titles built in. It was far from shocking considering Nintendo’s success with the endeavor, but it was also hard not to notice how quickly Sony joined in on the craze once Nintendo had tested the waters first.

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In Red Dead Redemption 2 you can come across some pretty mature and heavy content. But not much is more heavy and jarring then when you run into a KKK rally for the first time. Whether unexpectedly or while you’re looking for them, it’s unsettling. The KKK appearing in video games isn’t new.

For example, in Wolfentstein II: The New Colossus, they make multiple appearances, though, for some reason, it’s not as impactful as it is in Red Dead Redemption 2. And that’s perhaps because of how immersive the open-world western is.

Whatever the case, they’re in the game. And yes you can throw dynamite at them or run them over with your war horse. Or you can sit there and listen to them spew their hateful nonsense. Let them flee. You can do whatever with them, but we recommend at the very least beating them up and then hogtying them to your horse and then dropping them into the alligator-infested swamp.

If you’re on the honorable path and worried about taking a hit to your honor meter (a dozen murders would be a substantial hit), well, you don’t have to be, because killing KKK members doesn’t lower your honor, making them the one exception to the rule (other than other gang members and baddies in the story).

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IwT-8-4Z3oU]

If you’re trying to find the KKK in the game, you will simply have to explore wooded and remote areas at night outside of settlements. They don’t have a set location, so it’s up to you to trigger it by exploring the game’s world before the sun rises and they disperse.

If you do come across a KKK gathering, one of three different events can trigger. One, they’re initiating a new initiate. Two, they’re burning a cross. Or three, they are complaining about their lack of participants. Whatever one plays out, we recommend dynamite, lots and lots of dynamite. And maybe some predator bait, too.

Red Dead Redemption 2 is available for PlayStation 4 and Xbox One. For more news, information, and media on the critically-acclaimed western, be sure to peep all of our precious coverage of it by clicking right here. And if you haven’t already, be sure to also take a gander at our official review of the game to learn what all the hooplah is about.

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Normally, killing another character unprompted in Red Dead Redemption 2 means taking a hit to your honor meter in the game, but there’s one notable exception to that rule: the KKK.

GameRevolution confirms that there’s pretty much no downside the killing every hooded racist you meet in Red Dead Redemption 2. Just don’t let any Ku Klux Klan members escape or you will get reported for murder. (Maybe in a future update Rockstar Games can fix that so instead a nearby town throws a parade in your honor.)

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w7fECXSURyY]

As you can see in the video above, once you crash a KKK gathering in RDR2, the startled racists will attack you before fleeing. As you chase them down your character will also hurl appropriate insults like “Goddamn hooded rodents, I’ll kill all you bastards” and “You pathetic sack of shit.”

Actually finding the KKK in RDR2 is a little more difficult than killing them. There’s no set location where they gather. Instead, your best bet is to ride around in wooded areas outside of towns and cities late at night until you eventually trigger one of these chance encounters.

If you do stumble upon a KKK meeting, you’ll see one of three scenarios. In the first, the racist organization initiates a new member, while in another they complain about poor attendance. A third features a flaming cross.

Website: LINK

Shared by Rockstar Intel and compiled by a series of Reddit users, the impressive list of Red Dead Redemption 2 hidden controls, tips, and tricks is growing by the day. Below is a compiled list of some hidden tricks and controls for RDR2that players need to know. While some of these secrets aren’t that hard to figure out, others have been hidden deep in the game’s code, and elude even the most seasoned Red Dead players.

• Holding start brings up the map straight away.
• Holding circle/B in a menu/shop catalogue lets you exit straight away
• Double tapping L1/LB lets you do a cool trick when you put away your gun
• Holding R2/RT lightly allows you to draw into deadeye
• Pressing up with a gun in your hand allows you to shoot into the air to scare predators away
• Tapping left on the d-pad brings up a task list of requests, hunting challenges etc
• Holding down lets you have quick-access to radar options (expanded, normal, compass, off)
• Likewise, pressing down quickly brings up information on the screen if the map is off etc. Great for them full screen immersions!
• If you press x/A in time with your horse’s gallops, you won’t use as much stamina, this apparently also works when Arthur is on foot
• Waypoints can be enabled from the settings, I’m pretty sure they’re disabled by default? Which is odd (Display settings)
• Toggle to run in the settings lets you just tap x/A once to keep running (still have to tap to sprint) *If you keep x/A held whilst going into the cinematic camera view, you don’t need to hold run anymore, and with a waypoint active, your horse will follow the route
• Using the ledger in camp, after Dutch’s tent has been upgraded (might be worth doing this early since more people begin to contribute), Arthur’s tent can be upgraded to enable fast travel ($260)
• The lasso is great and can be used for a multitude of things
• You can lasso witnesses without losing honour/being caught
• Lassoing large animals lets you keep them in place and get in close for a (albeit pretty brutal) knife kill without damaging the animal
• Pressing down whilst in first person will enable iron sights
• Crouching whilst crawling up a steep incline may help with grip and stop Arthur from falling over
• If you steal a carriage, train etc. You can just whistle your horse and it will follow behind you
• Holding triangle whilst on your horse will hitch up anywhere, even into the ground or a tree
• Running into someone and pressing triangle will tackle them to the ground
• Courtesy of u/phantomsignal “… if no one’s mentioned this you can sell Legendary Buck Antlers for a trinket that improves the quality of pelt of animals you skin. Super helpful! I’m not 100% the mechanics of it, but looked like it would improve a pelt but one quality level. One good pelt would be perfect. The Legendary Buck is NW of strawberry next to an Indian Burial ground.” (Fences sell the trinket, like the one in Saint Denis)
• You can interact with mirrors by pressing L2+o (LT+B), thanks u/dj4y_94
• “Check the chimneys”, u/DavyJones317
• You can hold square/X to continually loot things from cupboards etc. (thanks u/DoStuffAndStuff)
• You can lasso animals that are dead in rivers and bring them towards you by holding R2/RT (u/Jinghy)
• You can start a fist fight if you have a bounty and let the police arrest you by surrendering to have your bounty go away, but you will lose all your money (spend it first) (u/benedictxxii)
• A dark red X after shooting someone means that their wound is fatal and they will die soon, usually accompanied by a very good animation (u/English_American)
• You can equip a pocket watch from your satchel/buy one from the shop and access it from your inventory in the camera/binocular slot. Great for immersion!
• Dynamite/Gunshots can be used on lockboxes to open them if you don’t have a lockbreaker yet. Make sure to get rid of the horses first or they may run off (u/standingfierce)
• Eagle eye can be used to locate items in the environment as well, like plants etc (u/longpantsman18)
• “If anyone is trying to figure out the horse perks from bonding with your horse; RB + X from a stand still will rear your horse and it seems to get you into a gallop faster. Horse drifting is holding X while moving LT left or right and helps for dodging trees, rocks, or making wide turns. RB + A is great for stopping on a dime and making sharp turns. To get the drifting like the gameplay video, you actually dont need to drift with X. Get a little bit of speed going (tap A a couple times) and then use LT to spin in a circle. Your horse’s back end will kick out like youre doing donuts and then choose a direction to peel out with your horse. No benefit really, but looks tight.” (u/PsijicMonkey)
• Not sure if anyone put this yet, but if you punch someone with the lasso equipped, you instantly hog tie them. (u/mattwisconsin)
• You can hold triangle/Y to rest on the spot, if you’re not on your horse and craft etc. This also raises stamina a bit
• Left on dpad while ads switches shoulder aim.
• Arthur grabs to most ledges. (Jumping rooftops in St Denise feels great.)
• Full masks work better than the half bandana.
• Running up to someone with a weapon and pressing RT/R2 activates a kill shot animation. Works with lasso to skip the throw. Works also after a tackle.
• Activating dead eye when reloading skips animations. (u/OneManDrinkingGames)
• Pressing square/X whilst aiming lets you dive and it’s really cool (u/HighViscosityLuv)
• Hold right next to the horse to see its cargo, this stuff also automatically appears in the shop menu as long as your horse is close
• You can have an additional horse follow you around on your house for extra hunting storage (pelts/carcasses) just highlight a tamed horse and ask it to follow you (u/peg4sus)
• This one might be obvious but don’t be afraid to drop your guns in order to pick up new ones if you find them, your old guns can be retrieved from your saddle just like your hat. (u/bluebox_breaks)
• I really like the fishing but if you don’t or you’re in a rush you can just shoot the fish. Haven’t tried it but I’m guessing dynamite probably works too. (u/KingOfTheHillBanana)
• Hold X/A to continually craft ammunition at the campfire. It skips most of the animation (u/Greenmanssky) As a note, you can craft split points easily and they do more damage
• You can fire from the hip by tapping R2 without holding L2, bit more inaccurate but useful in a bind and faster
• You can carry multiple skins on the back of your horse (u/Pretty_Sharp)
• You can recall your horse from a stable (u/TunnelVisions_3) also “If you end up in the middle of nowhere without your horse: save and reload it will be teleported near you.” (u/algent)
• “Wearing a mask is not always enough to hide your identity, if you’re known in town people may be able to identify you from your clothing, your horse, or your custom weapons. Set up a “crime outfit” and don’t wear it while you’re out being a law-abiding citizen!” (u/standingfierce)
• Press square/X for more customisation options
• You can store multiple outfits on your horse and access them with L1 while near it
• Sell all of your canned food supplies and instead cook and stow meat from your campfire. Venison and Beef give great benefits, it’s easy to come by, and you won’t clog up your satchel with a bunch of canned corn. (u/ChickerWings)
• Throwing all the hair info out here, if anyone wants it. Everything is straight from strategy guide.
• Hair tonic doubles growth rate, stackable (×4, x8)
• Hair tonic lasts up to two stages of hair growth
• You can only grow one increment at a time before needing a screen fade (sleeping, respawning, fast travel, cut scenes, etc.) Hair pomade applied by barber lasts 5 in game days (2 if done yourself)
• Hair doesn’t grow past stage 7, beard goes to 10
• Beard stops growing without tonic at stage 6

The above list is definitely comprehensive, and makes gameplay in Red Dead Redemption 2 a little more interesting if nothing else. There are also simple things like a red X appearing on an enemy meaning their wound is fatal, and there will soon be a cool animation. Elsewhere, one redditor simply says “check the chimneys,” while another suggests that lockboxes can be opened with guns or dynamite if players don’t have a lockbreaker yet – make sure the horses are out of earshot or they’ll run away.

Website: LINK

According to Sony, the company’s latest financial report confirms that the PlayStation 4 rounded off Q2 with sales of 86.1 million. This means the PS4 has sold a further 3.9 million in the past three months and nudges the next-gen console ahead of the PS3’s lifetime sales of 83.8 million. On the software side, the statistics reveal that Sony sold 75.1 million units in its second quarter (up 17% on 2017), and subscribers to online services have reached a whopping 34.3 million (up 6.2 million on 2017).

Known for titles like Little Big Planet, God of War II, and Uncharted 2: Among Thieves, the PlayStation 3 boasted some impressive exclusives in its day. First hitting shelves in 2006, the PS3 remained in mainstream production until 2016, and was still being made in Japan until May 2017. Despite the PlayStation 3 stepping aside to make room for the PlayStation 4 in 2013, it’s still fondly remembered in gaming circles.

As for the PlayStation 4, the sales are great news, as gamers look at what comes next for the likes of Sony and Microsoft. Although the recent boost to PS4 sales will likely change Sony’s sales predictions for 2019, it looks like the console will still trail behind some of its predecessors. Looking at the figures, the PlayStation 4 is still a long way off from beating the original PlayStation’s 102.49 million units and the PlayStation 2’s 155 million units. Considering the PlayStation 2 is the best-selling game console of all time, it’ll be tough for anything to topple it from the top spot.

Back in July, it was reported that the PlayStation 4 had passed 80 million units sold, but the new financials have surpassed that, and now put the PS4 as the sixth best-selling console of all time – which is no mean feat so late in the game. How much longer the PlayStation 4 has left on its lifespan remains to be seen, but let’s not forget that the upcoming releases of The Last of Us Part II and Death Stranding are sure to sell a few more consoles for anyone who doesn’t have a PlayStation 4 yet.

Website: LINK