Gadgets and Gaming
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Nintendo / Nintendo Switch 2 / Getty Images / Donald Trump
Donald Trump’s stupid trade war and his blatant abuse of tariffs continue, showing no clear indication this madness will end.
Orange Mussolini said aht aht aht after numerous reports claiming he was gonna exempt smartphones, PCs, and chips from his sweeping tariffs.
Spotted on Eurogamer, Donald Trump has backtracked on those exemptions, saying “no one is getting off the hook” and “there was no Tariff ‘exception” on his Truth social account. This kills all hope of anyone avoiding the absurd 145 percent tariff he slapped on China.
There is also a separate tariff specifically for semiconductors coming as well.
Per Eurogamer:
Chinese electrical goods would simply now be placed in “a different tariff bucket”, Trump continued, concluding that National Security Tarriff Investigations would be reviewing “the WHOLE ELECTRONICS SUPPLY CHAIN”.
US commerce secretary Howard Lutnick has told ABC News that a separate “semiconductor tariff” was now planned – exact details of which are yet to be determined.
“We need to have semiconductors, we need to have chips, and we need to have flat panels, we need to have these things made in America,” Lutnick said. “We can’t be reliant on Southeast Asia for all of the things that operate for us.”
Speaking to CBS News, US trade representative Jamieson Greer confirmed this semiconductor tariff meant Chinese electrical goods had therefore been given something that was “not really an exception. That’s not even the right word for it.”
“It’s not that they won’t be subject to tariffs geared at reshoring,” Greer continued. “They’ll just be under a different regime. It’s shifting from one bucket of tariffs to a different bucket of potential tariffs.”
There is no clear plan for anything this Trump administration does; there is no exact date on when the Trump administration will introduce the semiconductor tariff or how much it will be.
The Gaming Industry Has Begun Prepping For Trump’s Tariffs
The video game world has been prepping and making moves ahead and after Trump’s “Liberation Day.”
Nintendo has already delayed Nintendo Switch 2 preorders in the US indefinitely, begun stockpiling the console in the country, and shifted most of its non-Chinese output there.
Nintendo is not alone. Sony just recently announced it was raising the price of the PlayStation 5’s digital edition in the UK, mainland Europe, Australia, and New Zealand.
The company said the “tough decision” was a result of “the backdrop of a challenging economic environment, including high inflation and fluctuating exchange rates.”
This nightmare has no end in sight.
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Source: Bungie / Marathon
Bungie hopes to get back in the good graces of gamers following what many deem was a disappointing swan song for Destiny with its highly-anticipated extraction shooter Marathon. The verdict is still out after the reveal if Bungie accomplished that mission.
Finally, we know what Marathon is aiming for following the epic reveal in the form of a livestream event on Saturday. The game’s developers were understandably giddy and excited to show off the fruit of their labor, which some media and 40 creators had the opportunity to get their hands on during an alpha playtest.
In the gameplay highlights trailer, we feast our eyes on the lucky few getting hands-on with Bungie’s ambitious extraction shooter, and they looked like they were enjoying their time with Marathon.
As for the game itself, players will take control of “Runners,” cybernetic mercenaries with unique abilities. Unfortunately, you can’t create your Runner, but you can customize their playstyle with the weapons, implants, and equipment you collect on your runs.
Source: Bungie / Marathon
The action takes place in the lost colony of Tau Ceti IV, where its inhabitants disappear without a trace, and rival factions hire Runners to loot the colony. Runners will link up in teams of 3 on maps, allowing up to 18 players, so up to six teams, or if you’re bold enough, you can go a run alone to increase your take. You will take on rival teams, hostile security forces, and creatures as you search for rare loot and try to survive until it’s time to be extracted.
If you die, you loose your loot, it’s that simple.
How Much Will Marathon Cost?
Source: Bungie / Marathon
Bungie also announced the release date for Marathon: September 23 on PS5, Xbox Series S / X, and PC. The game will feature full cross-play and cross-save, and if you head over to Marathon’s Discord server or Bungie’s website, you can sign up to play in the alpha later this month ahead of its full release.
As for the game’s price, it won’t be free, and as the game announced on its official account on X, formerly Twitter, “Marathon will be a premium title. Marathon will not be a ‘full-priced’ title.”
Word on the video game streets is that Marathon will cost $40 at launch, which is giving many gamers pause for concern, given that they are bringing up PlayStation’s epic flop, Concord.
What Are Gamers Saying About Marathon?
Source: Bungie / Marathon
Reactions are all over the place for Marathon. A lot is riding on the upcoming April 23 alpha, which can hopefully leave a great lasting impression on gamers.
But as of right now, things are on the mixed side. Some folks complement the game’s unique art style, but some also don’t like the fact that you can’t create your Runner and are skeptical about the game’s price.
“Marathon just looks… fine? I can’t really imagine playing this more than a few hours without getting bored, but that aside, the fact it’s NOT free to play is insanity. There’s no reason you’d play this over free games like Apex/Warzone/Fortnite/D2,” one user on X said.
Gamer influencer True Vanguard was more positive about Marathon, writing on X, “Marathon is wild. Inventive, beautiful, distinct. It certainly leaves an impression. I hope the team is proud of what they showed today, they should be.”
We are cautiously optimistic and will reserve judgment until we experience Marathon. Until then, you can see more reactions to the game in the gallery below.
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Getty Images / PlayStation / PS5 / PlayStation Portal
The PS5 and PS Portal just got exciting updates.
PS5 owners have been screaming for PlayStation to give them the ability to customize their PS5 homepages with themes, specifically dynamic ones like on the PS4, and we are finally getting something in that same vein.
PlayStation Lifestyle reports that PlayStation has been slowly rolling out an update that allows PS5 owners to change their welcome screen with one of many new animated backgrounds.
Players with access to the new animated backgrounds will be greeted by a system notification about adding the animated themes.
A screenshot revealed that players can access themes from these games: Days Gone Remastered, Ghost of Yotei, Ghost of Tsushima, Demon’s Souls, God of War Ragnarok, the Horizon Zero Dawn games, and more.
https://twitter.com/Genki_JPN/status/1909954530080444446
The PlayStation Portal Also Gets A Significant Update
The PS Portal has also gotten a significant update that dramatically improves it. Now, players can access many new features that will enhance their gaming experience while using Cloud Game Streaming Beta.
Here is a breakdown via the PlayStation Blog:
Sort
You can now sort games in the Cloud Streaming (Beta) catalog screen. There will be a new sort icon added to the top left corner, allowing you to sort games by: Recently added to PS Plus (default), Name, and Release date.
Capture gameplay
The Create button on your PS Portal will now be enabled during a Cloud Streaming (Beta) session. Here is what you can do:
Press once: Display the create menu
Press and hold: Take a screenshot
Press twice: Start/finish recording a video clip**
Images and videos captured during a streaming session will be automatically uploaded to the cloud server, which can be accessed from the PlayStation App by selecting [Library] > [Captures]. Your captures will be stored for 14 days after they were created.
Queue
You can now wait for your turn to play when the streaming server is full. The estimated wait time will be displayed on screen, and the game session will automatically start as soon as it’s your turn.
Pause
During a Cloud Streaming (Beta) game session, gameplay will now pause in the following situations:
Gameplay will pause when you open the PS Portal quick menu. You can open the quick menu by pressing the PS button, swiping left from the top right corner of your screen, or tapping the quick menu icon from the status bar.
When you press the power button once, PS Portal will be put into rest mode and the game will be paused. You can un-pause and get back to your game play by pressing the power button again. If PS Portal remains in rest mode for more than 15 seconds, the cloud streaming session will be disconnected.
Gameplay will also pause when a system error message is displayed at the bottom of the screen.
Note that the pause feature will not be supported in some cases, such as during an online multiplay session.
Notification of inactivity
You will now receive a system notification when your streaming session is about to close due to inactivity of over 10 minutes.
User feedback screen
We have added a user feedback screen at the end of the streaming sessions to rate the quality of your streaming experience. This will help us identify what went well or could be improved, as we continue to enhance the quality of our service.
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Source: The Washington Post / Getty / Elon Musk
Elon Musk didn’t help convince people he’s good at Path of Exile 2.
Musk, who is reportedly on his way out of the White House, didn’t do much to repair his credibility as a gamer after he admitted to “fraudmaxing” in Path of Exile 2, which is basically paying someone to play the game and level up his character for him.
The billionaire decided to stream himself playing the game while on his private jet during an “airborne continuity test” of his Starlink internet service.
During the stream, Musk was mercilessly trolled by viewers, who attacked the Tesla chief for his “work” with DOGE, laying off government workers in the name of “efficiency” and his wild personal life, making babies, he’s currently at 13 kids.
The stream, which is still on his X profile, lasted about an hour and 45 minutes. Musk rarely said a word, instead staring into the camera while playing the game’s early parts.
Musk died a few times, and he had to create a new character because he played on hardcore (i.e., perma-death) difficulty.
The Trolls Showed Elon Musk No Mercy
It didn’t take long for the trolling to begin. One message said to Musk was, “make it clap for daddy.” Another person claiming to be Ashley St. Clair, one of Musk’s many former partners, and is currently locked into a custody battle over their five-month-old.
Another comment read, “Elon, deep down you will always be cringe no matter how much money or power you have.”
https://x.com/YourAnonCentral/status/1909473669522260134
Elon Musk has been silent as his buddy Trump destroys the global economy with his stupid tariffs. Musk has broken his silence on the matter, saying he hopes for zero tariffs and even called Trump’s top financial advisor a “moron” and “dumber than a sack of bricks.”
You can see reactions to Elon Musk getting trolled in the gallery below.
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Nintendo / Nintendo Switch 2
Unfortunately, Nintendo is sticking to its no-achievement formula for the Nintendo Switch 2.
Switch 2 will not join PlayStation and Xbox because Nintendo is sticking to its guns by not adding its own version of achievements. Nintendo confirmed the sad news in a recent interview with Polygon.
Nintendo’s vice president of player and product experience simply said “Nope” when Polygon asked if potential Switch 2 owners can expect to see trophies or achievements on the console.
With the Switch 2 passing on an achievement system, the console stays in line with its predecessor by leaving the ball in the developer’s courts to implement their own in-game trophies.
Ubisoft already does that with Ubisoft Connect, which rewards players for completing tasks in their games and gives them points they can redeem and use towards in-game purchases. Those achievements do pop up while playing games on the Switch.
But there is some sliver of an achievement system when you play the Switch 2 versions of The Legend of Zelda: Breath of The Wild and Tears of The Kingdom.
The company revealed that players will earn medals for completing in-game tasks like traveling long distances or collecting large amounts of rupees via Zelda Notes inside the Nintendo app.
You can also compare your progress to that of other players globally.
We guess it’s a start, but honestly, Nintendo needs to stop being stubborn about achievements. Players do enjoy them, and they keep playing games for a longer period of time.
Who wouldn’t want to see a trophy pop for collecting all 900 Korok Seeds in Breath of The Wild?
We’re just saying.
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Source: PlayStation / PS5 Pro
Gamers are taking immediate action, anticipating that Donald Trump and his stupid tariffs will make buying a PS5 Pro or PS5 console more expensive.
Spotted on PlayStation Lifestyle, some gamers purchasing PS5 Pro and PS5 consoles in a panic to get ahead of looming price hikes as a direct result of Donald Trump’s ridiculous sweeping tariffs on every country.
The website says gamers have been scooping up the recently released Astro Bot PS5 Bundle and sharing receipts for PS5 Pro and standard PS5 console purchases on web forums.
Gamers’ actions might be premature, as Sony has taken measures to combat Trump’s tariffs and avoid raising prices for now.
Per PlayStation Lifestyle:
Over the weekend, we spotted numerous posts across gaming forums and social media, where players shared screenshots of their order screens while encouraging others to purchase a PS5 and/or PS5 Pro and accompanying accessories before prices skyrocket. However, it might be a little too soon to panic.
As pointed out by renowned industry analyst Daniel Ahmad, the idea of Trump tariffs was being floated for quite a while before it was implemented, and Sony would have taken measures like “duplicating supply chains and stockpiling PS5s” in the U.S. “The strategic stockpiling of PS5 units in the U.S. will provide Sony with a temporary buffer against the impact of tariffs,” he added.
Only A Temporary Solution
Sony’s countermeasures to Trump’s tariffs are only a temporary solution because all of the company’s manufacturing locations are feeling the tariffs’ sting. It’s only a matter of time before the company will feel their effect.
Trump’s tariffs have already negatively impacted the video game industry. Nintendo has already paused Nintendo Switch 2 US preorders in an unprecedented move.
Sighs.
It hasn’t been 100 days, and Trump is already putting on a masterclass of ruining our lives in so many ways.
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Source: NetEase / Marvel Rivals / Emma Frost
Emma Frost and her thick thighs in Marvel Rivals are definitely saving gamer’s lives.
Marvel Rivals is heating up once again with the arrival of season 2, The Hellfire Gala, and with it comes one of the newest playable characters, Emma Frost, or, as we nerds know her affectionately, the White Queen.
Marvel Rivals’ second season will also see a new map, Krakoa, the sentient living island.
A description for the new season reads:
“After the inaugural Hellfire Gala, the Mutants’ meticulously crafted fireworks show once again left us awestruck. Emma Frost’s telepathic projections seemed to materialize right before our eyes, as the barren landscape of Mars transformed into a thriving sanctuary housing Krakoa’s sister: Arakko. In that electrifying moment, we decisively welcomed both the Hellfire Gala and Arakko into Marvel Rivals, ushering in a plan for new heroes, epic maps, and an entirely fresh series of costumes.”
NetEase isn’t shy when making the characters attractive in Marvel Rivals, but Frost has activated the BIG HORNY alt in gamers following the release of her trailer.
Instantly, many players began comparing Frost’s look to that of Chun-Li, who’s been the thigh queen of the video game world for years. A new challenger in Emma Frost has arrived and is currently the talk of the gamer world.
Since her unveiling, the comments have been rolling, and they are pure virtual thirst. “Crush me with your thighs, Emma Frost,” one post on X, formerly Twitter, read.
“Emma Frost has thighs so thick that solo tanking will be a thing of the past in Marvel Rivals,” another post read.
Grass needs to be touched immediately, lol.
You can see more reactions in the gallery below.
5. We wonder why
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Source: Getty Images / Nintendo / Nintendo Switch 2
Donald Trump and his stupid tariffs are already having an unfortunate impact on regular American lives. If you were one of the excited gamers hoping to preorder the Nintendo Switch 2, we have some bad news.
Orange Mussolini continues to show his financial incompetence, especially regarding tariffs and how they work. After Trump’s masterclass in tanking the global economy following his bonehead announcement of “reciprocal tariffs aimed at countries, mainly our allies, he feels have treated us “unfairly.”
Anyway, it’s no secret the tech space, mainly the gaming community, was apprehensive about the effect of Trump’s looming tariffs, and low and behold, we are seeing just how impactful they will be.
Nintendo is gearing up to launch the Switch 2, with preorders in the US set to go live on April 9. However, the Japanese-based company has taken the unprecedented step of delaying preorders because of the tariffs imposed on Japan and Vietnam.
Nintendo spoke on its decision sent to Gamespot:
“Preorders for Nintendo Switch 2 in the US will not start April 9, 2025 in order to assess the potential impact of tariffs and evolving market conditions. Nintendo will update timing at a later date. The launch date of June 5, 2025 is unchanged.”
Bruh.
Gamers Are Not Happy
As you can imagine, gamers who were excited to preorder the Nintendo Switch 2 are unhappy with their decision. The Nintendo Switch 2 is already expensive, but the 46% tariff on Vietnam, where the company has shifted the manufacturing of the console, could raise the price even more.
The 24% tariff on Japan is also significant because that’s where the physical cartridges are made.
“Once again if you are a gamer who voted for Trump you are stupid as shit. Get ready video game fans. You think these shits are expensive NOW?!? BWAHAHAHAHA we’re f****d,” one user on X, formerly Twitter wrote.
Another post on X read, “Not only is the Switch 2 preorder delayed, it is also possible Nintendo will increase the price for the US market. This is a HUGE mess.”
Bruh.
It hasn’t been a year with this man, and he is already ruining our lives.
You can see more reactions in the gallery below.
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Source: Rockstar Games / GTA 6
GTA 6 always trends on social media, usually for no good damn reason at all. But this time, folks are bringing up Rockstar Games’ forthcoming game because of the price of Nintendo Switch 2 games.
Yesterday, gamers were buzzing following the Nintendo Switch 2 Direct, which revealed more information about the company’s new console, which is set to arrive this June.
One thing in particular that sparked many conversations in the video game portion of social media was the price of the Nintendo Switch 2 games, specifically Mario Kart World. The game will cost $80 if you buy the digital version and, according to ScreenRant’s reporting, possibly $97 if you opt for a physical version.
Mario Kart World’s price led to discussions of Rockstar Games doing the unthinkable and possibly charging gamers a smooth $100 for Grand Theft Auto 6, a scary possibility that some feel will happen now that Nintendo has dared to charge $80 and more for a game.
Gamers Are Nervous About GTA 6’s Price
“See man? If Nintendo is really dropping games for $80, that will eventually become the new standard. Y’all already are gushing over GTA6 possibly being $100. Yeah, inflation + tariffs = we’re cooked,” a post on X, formerly Twitter, read.
Another post read, “GTA 6 $100 Announcement is going to hit the TL with the force of a Nuclear Bomb it might genuinely go down as the funniest day on this app.”
“if niggas are ok with paying $80 for dogshit like mario kart imagine what rockstar will charge for gta 6″ said another user on X.
Rockstar Games continues to be quiet about GTA 6, which has only seen one trailer released since its announcement. We are still doubtful that this game will cost $100, but if Nintendo could pull the trigger on a $80 game, anything is possible at this point.
You can see more reactions in the gallery below.
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Source: Asus / ROG Ally X / Xbox
It’s no secret that Xbox is working on a dedicated handheld gaming device and is not too far off from getting into gamers’ hands. We didn’t know who the Microsoft-owned gaming company is working with on the dedicated console, but that could have changed thanks to a teaser dropped by Asus.
Gamers are buzzing after Asus dropped a teaser for a new Asus ROG Ally handheld gaming device. It appears it could be the long-rumored dedicated Xbox handled, and this does not seem to be an April Fools’ joke either.
In the teaser, which also seems to be a homage to the classic sci-fi/horror film The Fly, Asus’ mascot, OMNI, gets into a fusion pod to upgrade himself with “marathon stamina, more capacity, faster speed, and fresh look.”
During the upgrade, a ROG Ally and Raikiri Pro controller fell into the pod with OMN, resulting in an Asus ROG Ally with some Xbox flavor.
Xbox’s response to the post using the meme of the monkey puppet looking and then looking away added more fuel to the fire.
Everyone seems to believe that this is the highly anticipated Xbox handheld. “Yeah, so it looks like ASUS just teased the Xbox handheld…,” journalist Destin Lagarie wrote on X, formerly Twitter.
“This is an Xbox,” Gamertag Radio and Kinda Funny’s Parris Lily said on X.
Again, we’re just reading the tea leaves provided by the two companies. While they haven’t provided any information, we expect a full announcement very soon.
This latest news comes on the heels of Backbone launching a limited edition transparent green controller for smartphones.
Until that announcement comes, you can see more reactions in the gallery below.