One of the longest running MMOs is coming to an end as developer Jagex is set to wave goodbye to RuneScape Classic later this year. Instead of financial difficulties, the studio has cited increasing compatibility issues as the primary reason, with the developer continuing on with its latest version of …
Read More »Facebook and WhatsApp can once again share data
As the European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) comes into effect, waves of companies are updating their policies in accordance. An interesting amendment comes from Facebook-owned chat service WhatsApp, which suggests that the two platforms can once again share data after agreeing not to with the UK's Information Commissioner's …
Read More »Amazon’s facial recognition efforts with US authorities is drawing privacy and bias concerns
Amazon’s effort in facial recognition was made public this week, with Rekognition being developed in collaboration with US authorities in order to catch up to rival nations. Rekognition faces many problems now that its algorithm is in the wild, from privacy concerns to racial bias. Rekognitions facial recognition technology can …
Read More »New broadband advertisement rules take effect in the UK
Up until today, internet service providers have advertised their top speeds, so long as at least 10 percent of its user base could achieve the displayed “up to” peak download speed. Enforcing strict new rules that were announced last year, ISPs will now have to shake up their advertisement practices, …
Read More »Compulsion Games responds to Australia’s refusal to rate We Happy Few, effectively banning sales
Update (24/05/18): Earlier this week, Compulsion Games suffered a blow when the Australian Classification Board refused to give We Happy Few a rating, banning it from sales in the country. The developer has now responded, reassuring Australian fans that it’s doing all it can to rectify the situation. Compulsion Games …
Read More »HTC clings to the smartphone market, launching its U12+ handset
Given the turbulent year HTC has had, from Google scooping up its smartphone team for $1.1bn to its head of design stepping down in February, it’s a wonder that the handset maker has another device in store. Enter the newly unveiled U12+, an unexpected yet traditionally designed handset set to …
Read More »Four big video game developers candidly discuss developer crunch
At the end of last month, Digital Devolver creator Mike Wilson spoke up about the egregious practices of overworking developers when a deadline nears. Of course, it’s not just the Hotline Miami publisher that suffers from developer crunch, with Blizzard, Bungie, Naughty Dog and Sony all piping up about the …
Read More »Zuckerberg sidesteps questions from European Parliament on shadow profiles
Moving on from his meeting with Congress, Mark Zuckerberg finally met with members of the European Parliament yesterday to discuss security concerns over his social media site, Facebook. Taking just half an hour to answer all of the board’s questions, Zuckerberg managed to dodge enquiries into Facebook’s ‘shadow profiles’ while …
Read More »Trump’s talks with China nearing a deal, ZTE could be out of the woods
Last week, President Trump took to Twitter to ensure the survival of Chinese telecoms firm ZTE, which had recently suffered at the hands of a seven-year trading ban from the United States. Although discussions are confidential, inside sources describe that a deal is nearing completion that could lift the ban …
Read More »Fans are hunting for clues in Hideo Kojima’s cryptic Death Stranding image
E3 is inbound, and while many anticipated titles are set to hit the big stage, Hideo Kojima’s star-studded Death Stranding is one that stands out. But before we get to see too much more on the mysterious action game, fans are scrambling for clues as to what to expect from …
Read More »Epic Games sets aside $100 million funding for Fortnite tournaments
Given that Fortnite: Battle Royale is one of the biggest titles in the world, it is surprisingly lacking in the competitive world. Developer Epic Games is now looking to change that, channelling a staggering $100 million into Fortnite’s esports tournament prize pools. “We're getting behind competitive play in a big …
Read More »Microsoft snaps up A.I. expert Semantic to make Cortana sound more human
Despite predating Amazon’s Alexa and Google’s Assistant, Microsoft hasn’t made as much of an impact with its Cortana voice assistant since its mid-2014 debut. Doubling down on its investments, the company has now absorbed conversational A.I. technology firm Semantic in hopes of playing catch-up and, preferably, make Cortana a little …
Read More »Backers left empty handed after Ossic shuts down its crowdfunded 3D headphones
For every success story, there’s plenty of failures in crowdfunding, with many backers seeing their investments go up in flames. The latest victim is audio startup Ossic, with its Ossic X: Immersive 3D audio headphones no longer able to see the light of day and the company shutting its doors. …
Read More »Spectre-like variant 4 fix can slow system performance by up to 8 percent
After the disclosure of Meltdown and Spectre, Microsoft and Google promptly shed light on Speculative Store Bypass (variant 4), the latest vulnerability in a string of CPU flaws. Much like Intel’s buggy Spectre patches, the latest fix quells variant 4, but at the price of slowing some systems down by …
Read More »HTC U12 Plus images and specs leak ahead of this week’s launch event
Ahead of its unveiling later this week, HTC’s brand new smartphone has been leaked. Alongside giving us a better look at the distinctly notch-less design, the images confirm many of the leaked specifications and hint at what to expect in the way of pricing. Unfortunately for HTC, the images were …
Read More »Paladins caught copying Overwatch artwork in new promotional poster
Since its 2016 debut, developer Hi-Rez has defended its hero shooter, Paladins, from accusations that it is a copy of Blizzard’s Overwatch. This would be much easier, however, if the title hadn’t been caught red handed recycling official Overwatch artwork within an advertisement for mobile-centred Paladins Strike. Featuring a brand …
Read More »Respawn developers have been returning to Infinity Ward
Call of Duty co-creators Jason West and Vince Zampella founded Titanfall studio Respawn Entertainment after a disagreement with Infinity Ward led them to be unceremoniously let go from the company. Following Titanfall 2’s poor performance, it seems that several of Respawn’s staff are returning to Infinity Ward. At least 8 …
Read More »Child monitoring app leaks sensitive data including passwords
Child monitoring application, TeenSafe offers a service that helps parents track their youngsters’ smartphone activity and location, but in an ironic turn of events has had a security blip itself. Due to user information being housed on dodgy Amazon servers, both parents’ and children’s sensitive data has been leaked. TeenSafe …
Read More »Epic Games will bring Fortnite to Android this summer
While iPhone users have had their hands on Fortnite: Battle Royale’s mobile version since early April, Android users have been left in the wind with no word as to when they might be able to dive on in. Developer Epic Games has now revealed that the title will be hitting …
Read More »The UK will explore social media regulation in the form of new online safety laws
Over the next couple of years, the United Kingdom will be exploring new legislation that addresses “the Wild West elements” on the internet, particularly centred around social media. The proposed laws aim to quell a range of online harassment, from cyberbullying to child exploitation, offering a clearly defined punishment for …
Read More »Ubisoft unveils new Italian operators for Siege’s Operation Para Bellum
Rainbow Six Siege is just about wrapping up with the first season of its third year, ushering in Operation Para Bellum and with it the two new Italian operators. Balancing out the two attackers introduced this season, Alibi and Maestro are both defenders that focus on gathering intelligence. As we …
Read More »Apple begins to chip away at €13 billion payment in Irish tax
Back in 2016, the European Commission ruled that Apple owed €13 billion in back-taxes, which the governing body branded as ‘illegal state aid’. While Ireland and Apple are still disputing the ruling, the iPhone manufacturer has now paid out €1.5 billion ($1.76bn) towards the overall sum. The money is currently …
Read More »Intel’s first 10nm Cannon Lake processor spotted in Lenovo IdeaPad 330
Originally slated for a 2016 debut, Intel has repeatedly delayed its 10nm Cannon Lake processors, now expected to arrive in bulk sometime in 2019. It looks as though we will finally be seeing something from the range, however, with the mid-range Lenovo IdeaPad 330 sporting the firm’s first 10nm chip …
Read More »RED gets two US carriers for Hydrogen One smartphone
Industry-standard camera manufacturer RED has been working on its debut into the smartphone market with its Hydrogen One handset. While the device has been delayed until August due to a small hitch in its design, the US now has its first two carriers. Pre-order deadlines for the 4-View-powered smartphone have …
Read More »There is a new Halo game coming out this year- but it’s only for arcades
Fans of Microsoft’s Halo series have been waiting for news of a sequel since the release of 343 Industries’ Halo 5 in 2015. While it’s not quite the iteration many had hoped for, Microsoft has revealed a new game in the series titled Halo: Fireteam Raven, built for arcades. 343 …
Read More »Ubisoft reveals strong PC sales throughout 2017
Ubisoft released its earnings report for the 2017-18 fiscal year, showcasing solid fourth quarter figures. PC sales in particular have seen tremendous growth for the publisher, which is a result of Ubisoft’s “continued excellent execution across the board,” according to the document. Much of the €1.732 billion ($2.043 billion) yearly …
Read More »No Man’s Sky is finally set to introduce full multiplayer in July
No Man’s Sky’s Sean Murray made a lot of promises in the run up to its release in 2016, and it looks as though developer Hello Games is still working towards making some of them a reality. The next big update for the space explorer will introduce a proper multiplayer …
Read More »Alphacool launches new Eisblock GPX Acetal and RGB-powered Plexi waterblocks
Ahead of this year’s Computex, Alphacool has unveiled its brand new RGB watercooling block for graphics cards. The Eisblock GPX Plexi and GPX Acetal sport full covers on their rear, alongside large windows to better display the cooler’s customisable lighting and coolant. Both the Eisblock GPX Plexi and the Eisblock …
Read More »GSC Game World announces that S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 is back in development
S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Shadow of Chernobyl developer GSC Game World has experienced a turbulent life across the 8 years that a sequel has supposedly been in development, at one point ceasing operations entirely. Fans of the first-person shooter can rejoice, however, as it looks like S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 is back on the table …
Read More »Microsoft is renewing its effort to take on the iPad with cheaper Surface tablets
While Microsoft is throwing a lot of attention towards its high-end business-based Surface Hub 2, it’s also looking to tackle tablets for the everyday user. Reports suggest that this will be a renewed effort to rival Apple’s iPad, meaning Microsoft will be entering the market with Surface tablets costing half …
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