Gadgets and Gaming
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Source: Eva Marie Uzcategui / Getty / Elon Musk
Elon Musk claims to be a top-tier gamer, but gamers aren’t so sure about that based on his Path of Exile 2 streaming footage.
Musk somehow found a way to squeeze in a lot of time to play Path of Exile 2 despite spending most of his time kissing Donald Trump’s ass t Mar-a-Lago and supposedly pushing to make America efficient again.
While streaming himself playing the game with two extremely high-ranking builds on hardcore mode, which features a permadeath mechanic permanently killing your character if you die, gamers noticed something very peculiar: his lack of skill.
Watching Musk clumsily navigate the game despite having a high-ranking character raised gamers’ eyebrows, leading many to question whether he is a gaming god.
After some investigation, the answer is a resounding no. Gamers, including popular Twitch streamer Asmongold, have called him a “fake gamer” and accused him of paying someone to grind the game for him or as one YouTube commenter called it, “fraudmaxing.”
Per Vulture:
The key evidence that Musk doesn’t know what he’s doing is as follows: Musk burns past the high-value items while picking up the worthless ones; Musk seemingly does not know which icon to click on to enter a map; Musk doesn’t seem to realize that he needs to replenish his mana (essentially his magic levels) in order to deal effective damage against a boss (it is unfathomable that he should not know how to do this if he’s played even an hour of any RPG); worst of all, and certainly the most painful to watch for a seasoned Path of Exile 2 player, is the way Musk — supposed veteran PC gamer — inefficiently drags and drops loot into his inventory.
Musk, being the man-child he is, also unfollowed Asmongold, stripped him of his verified status and shared the DMs they exchanged with each other.
Elon Musk removed Asmongold’s check mark and leaked private DMs after POE criticism pic.twitter.com/upC4M0jWuD
— yeet (@Awk20000) January 16, 2025
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Leaking my DM’s is one thing but this is absolutely uncalled for https://t.co/I4eRo2QPKF
— Zack (@Asmongold) January 16, 2025
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What a loser.
Now you see why we call him Phony Stark.
You can see more reactions in the gallery below.
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Source: Emanuele Cremaschi / Getty / Nintendo Switch 2
Here. We. Goooooooo. The company that Mario built will allegedly finally show off Nintendo Switch 2 this week.
Video Games Chronicle reports Nintendo will finally unveil the successor to the uber-popular Nintendo Switch on Thursday, January 16, per reliable podcast Nate the Hate.
The website further reports that a trailer for the Nintendo Switch 2 will showcase only hardware, similar to the previous reveal for the first Switch.
A software showcase is allegedly coming in early March, although there are rumblings that Metal Gear Solid Δ: Snake Eater andAssassin’ss Creed are some of the third-party games Switch 2 owners can look forward to playing.
Regarding first-party releases, Nate The Hate claims a new version of Mario Kart could be available at launch, followed by a 3D Mario.
Per Video Games Chronicle:
“I can share with you that Nintendo Switch 2 will be revealed in the coming week… I have been told Switch 2 will be revealed on Thursday, January 16… just a few days from now,” they said.
“I’ve heard that the reveal itself is going to focus almost exclusively on the console itself. There is not going to be any presence of games. There could be a game shown running on the screen, depending on how the trailer is put together, but software is not going to be a focus.”
Nate The Hate claims the Nintendo Switch 2 is looking at a May or June launch.
This latest news follows the ” leak” surrounding the Switch 2 at CES, which resulted in Nintendo allegedly sending lawyers to press gaming accessory company Genki for showing off a Switch 2 mock-up at CES.
Gamers are reacting to the news of the long-awaited Switch 2 reveal allegedly going down this week.
You can see those reactions in the gallery below.
1. Truuueeee
3. Reeeelllaaaxxxxx
5. We understand the skepticism
6. We might be
7. We understand
8. We need it
9. Pretty much all of us
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Source: Xbox / Xbox Developer_Direct
Xbox is back with its first Developer_Direct presentation for the new year!
On Thursday, January 9, Xbox announced that a Developer_Direct is coming. Gamers can expect updates and an inside look at several games launching on the Xbox Series X and Series S this year.
Like the last Developer_Direct, Xbox will take us inside the studios for Compulsion Games in Montreal, Canada, to get more insight on South of Midnight, then jump to Montpellier, France, to visit Sandfall Interactive for a look at Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, then the iconic id Studios in Richardson, Texas to see how far DOOM: The Dark Ages, has come along.
But that’s not all. Like the last Developer_Direct, Xbox has a surprise, teasing a brand new game from a mystery studio, which will also be revealed during the presentation.
Aaron Greenberg, Microsoft’s VP of Games Marketing, tweeted that the mystery title is a “surprise unannounced game.”
A surprise unannounced game we hope you will enjoy along with the rest of the show! 💚
— Aaron Greenberg (@aarongreenberg) January 9, 2025
https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js
The Developer_Direct can be viewed on all Xbox channels at 10 a.m. PT / 1 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. UK time.
Here is a breakdown from Xbox about each title, except for the mystery game below.
DOOM: The Dark Ages:
Developed by id Software, DOOM: The Dark Ages is the prequel to the critically acclaimed DOOM (2016) and DOOM Eternal that tells the epic cinematic origin story of the Doom Slayer’s rage. In this third installment of the modern DOOM series, players will step into the blood-stained boots of the Doom Slayer in this never-before-seen dark and sinister medieval war against Hell. Learn more during the full game reveal at Developer_Direct.
South of Midnight:
Compulsion Games, the creators of Contrast and We Happy Few, will share a deep dive on South of Midnight, a third person action-adventure game set in the American Deep South. As Hazel, you will explore the mythos and confront mysterious creatures inspired by Southern Folklore to unravel her family’s hidden past in this dark, modern folktale.
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33:
Sandfall Interactive will take us behind-the-scenes at their studio to shed some light on the development of Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, this debut studio’s incredible new RPG. The team will share more about the game’s creation and how they plan to deliver an incredible story in a gorgeous fantasy world.
Sounds lit. We can’t wait to see what the mystery game is.
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Source: Arrowhead Game Studios/ Sony Interactive Entertainment / Helldivers 2
Sony is all in on Hollywood and announced several projects based on its popular video game IP are on the way.
Building on the success of its hit HBO series, The Last of Us, and other movies, Sony announced at CES that film cameras would continue to roll as the company builds a strong portfolio of titles at PlayStation Productions.
During its CES presentation, Sony announced that popular PlayStation games, Horizon Zero Dawn and Helldivers, will get film adaptations while Ghosts of Tsushima will be developed into an anime.
Guerilla Games Horizon Zero Dawn has become one of PlayStation’s most popular IPs, spawning a sequel, Horizon Forbidden West, a PSVR2 title, Horizon Call of The Mountain, and most recently, LEGO Horizon Adventures.
Horizon Zero Dawn was initially supposed to be an animated series for Netflix, but the studio eventually scrapped it, and we now know why.
Helldivers II has become one of the biggest titles to launch on the PlayStation console in 2024 and continues to be a hit with fans as new content continues to be added to the live-service game. So it makes all the sense to drop a Helldivers movie, even though it will be a complete rip of the cult classic film Starship Troopers, which the game is an adaptation of.
Both Horizon Zero Dawn and Helldivers have no release dates.
Sucker Punch’s Ghost of Tsushima will be adapted into an anime series called Legends that will live on Crunchyroll and will be made by Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba studio, Aniplex. It is set to release in 2027.
PlayStation Productions Lineup Is Strong
Horizon Zero Dawn, Helldivers, and Ghosts of Tsushima: Legends join God of War, which is coming to Prime Video. Twisted Metal, starring Anthony Mackie on Peacock, is in its second season. Box office hits include Uncharted, based on the Naughty Dog video game franchise, starring Tom Holland and Mark Wahlberg, and Gran Turismo, starring David Harbour.
We will be seated for every single project.
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Source: NYVGCC / 2025 NY Game Awards
The nominees for the 2025 NY Game Awards have been revealed!
The next big night in gaming goes down in NYC on January 21 at the Paley Center when the 14th annual NY Game Awards return. On Tuesday, January 7, the nominees were revealed during a livestream featuring Hannah Telle (voice actor Max from Life is Strange: Double Exposure) and Logan Cunningham (voice actor Hades from Hades II) at the Paley Center for Media.
Speaking on this year’s strong list of nominees, Harold Goldberg, president and founder of NYVGCC, said, “2024 was another standout year for video games, and we’re thrilled to recognize these stunning projects at the 14th New York Game Awards on January 21. Our team of journalists, interns, and volunteers at NYVGCC look forward to hosting and honoring the many talented individuals who work in the video game industry. Get your tickets to join us for a truly special awards show!”
With that said, let’s get into the nominees. Team ASOBI, who ended the year strong by taking home numerous Game of The Year honors for their exceptional platformer, Astro Bot, could have a big night at the NY Game Awards, grabbing three nominations.
Big Apple Award for Best Game of the Year
Final Fantasy VII: Rebirth
Astro Bot
1000xResist
Indiana Jones and the Great Circle
Metaphor: ReFantazio
EA Sports College Football 25
Off Broadway Award for Best Indie Game
Tales of Kenzera: ZAU
Lorelei and the Laser Eyes
Balatro
I Am Your Beast
1000xResist
Thank Goodness You’re Here!
Herman Melville Award for Best Writing in a Game
Harold Halibut
Metaphor: ReFantazio
1000xResist
Life is Strange: Double Exposure
Phoenix Springs
Indiana Jones and the Great Circle
Statue of Liberty Award for Best World
Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree
Tales of Kenzera: ZAU
Final Fantasy VII: Rebirth
Kunitsu-Gami: Path of the Goddess
Astro Bot
Indiana Jones and the Great Circle
S.T.A.L.K.E.R 2 Heart of Chornobyl
Tin Pan Alley Award for Best Music in a Game
Kunitsu-Gami: Path of the Goddess
Life is Strange: Double Exposure
Black Myth Wukong
1000xResist
Great White Way Award for Best Acting in a Game
Abubakar Salim as Zao, Zuberi and Griot Echo in Tales of Kenzara: ZAO
John Eric Bentley as Barret in Final Fantasy VII: Rebirth
Hannah Telle as Max Caulfield in Life is Strange: Double Exposure
Melina Juergens as Senua in Senua’s Saga: Hellblade 2
Troy Baker as Indiana Jones in Indiana Jones and the Great Circle
Humberly González as Kay in Star Wars Outlaws
Coney Island Dreamland Award for Best AR/VR Game
Batman: Arkham Shadow
Umurangi Generation VR
Skydance’s Behemoth
Silent Slayer: Vault of the Vampire
Central Park Children’s Zoo Award for Best Kids Game
Astro Bot
Super Mario Party Jamboree
Little Kitty, Big City
Sonic X Shadow Generations
The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom
A-Train Award for Best Mobile Game
Rabbids: Legends of the Multiverse
Wuthering Waves
Zenless Zone Zero
Pokémon Trading Card Game Pocket
Freedom Tower Award for Best Remake
Soul Reaver 1 and 2 Remastered
Silent Hill 2
Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door
Final Fantasy VII: Rebirth
Age of Mythology: Retold
Persona 3: Reload
Chumley’s Speakeasy Award for Best Hidden Gem
Vampire Therapist
Mouthwashing
Llamasoft: The Jeff Minter Story
Mars After Midnight
Starstruck: Hands of Time
NYC GWB Award for Best DLC
Alan Wake II: Night Springs and The Lake House
Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown – Mask of Darkness
Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree
Remnant 2: The Dark Horizon
Splatoon 3: Side Order
Diablo IV: Vessel of Hatred
Knickerbocker Award for Best Games Journalism
Duncan Fyfe
Alexis Ong
Grant Stoner
Mason Andrew Hamberlin
Edwin Evans-Thirlwell
Simone De Rochefort & Clayton Ashley
The nominees for this year were revealed after it was announced that Remedy’s Sam Lake is taking home the Andrew Yoon Legend Award, one of the night’s biggest awards.
There will also be a performance by Mega Ran, who will debut a brand-new original song for the NY Game Awards.
It’s a night you don’t want to miss if you’re a fan of video games, and if you want to be in the building, you can purchase tickets by heading to Eventbrite. Reserved seats cost $80. If you want to attend the afterparty to rub shoulders with the winners and enjoy some free drinks, it will cost $100. Proceeds from the New York Game Awards help fund NYVGCC’s educational efforts and programs for 2025.
If you can’t attend, don’t worry; IGN is an official media sponsor and will stream the show on its channels.
For more information on the NY Video Game Critics Circle and the critical work they do to ensure inner-city youth can find their way in the game journalism space, you can head here.
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Source: Treyarch / Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War
It’s no secret that making AAA video games has become expensive for game studios, but we have no idea how much coins are needed to bring some of the biggest titles to players. A new report has revealed how much Activision spent to develop several Call of Duty games, and the amount is eye-watering.
Stephen Totitlo of Game File exclusively reports that Activision dropped a BIG BAG on three top-selling Call of Duty games in the franchise, a court filing reviewed by Game File revealed.
In the court filing, which is part of a declaration filed to a California court on December 23 in response to a lawsuit filed against Activision in May 2022 in connection with the 2022 school shooting at Robb Elementary in Uvalde, Texas, Patrick Kelly, Activision’s current head of creative on the Call of Duty franchise, revealed that three titles in the first-person shooter franchise between 2015 and 2022 cost between $450 and $700 million to make.
Of the three titles, 2020’s Black Ops Cold War cost the most. Activision spent over $700 million to develop it, selling 30 million copies.
Those numbers are the highest development costs ever reported for a video game, easily topping the roughly $220 million spent on Naughty Dog’s The Last of Us: Part II. We only learned about this in 2023 when a poorly redacted court filing went viral online.
Per Game File:
Black Ops III (2015): “Treyarch developed the game over three years with a creative team of hundreds of people, and invested over $450 million in development costs over the game’s lifecycle.” (Kelly also discloses that it has sold 43 million copies.)
Modern Warfare (2019): “Infinity Ward developed the game over several years and has spent over $640 million in development costs throughout the game’s lifecycle.” (41 million copies sold)
Black Ops Cold War (2020): “Treyarch and Raven Software took years to create the game with a team of hundreds of creatives. They ultimately spent over $700 million in development costs over the game’s lifecycle.” (30 million copies sold)
According to Game File, Kelly explicitly named those three titles and their budgets in the lawsuit because the shooter was an avid player of them.
That’s a lot of money, but are we shocked? Not in the least bit.
Also, it’s time people stop blaming video games for real-life behavior; just saying.
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Source: Xbox / LG Smart TVs
Yup, that’s right, your new LG Smart TV is now an Xbox. Microsoft announced at CES 2025 a partnership with LG Electronics to bring the Xbox app to select LG Smart TVs as part of its push, allowing players to play Xbox games on devices not called a Series X or S.
Soon, gamers will be able to enjoy titles like Call of Duty: Black Ops 6, upcoming releases like Avowed (launching February 18, 2025), and hundreds of others via Game Pass Ultimate on the television’s Game Portal.
“We are thrilled to announce the partnership with Xbox, which aims to enrich the gaming experience on LG Smart TVs with a broader selection of popular games,” said Chris Jo, senior vice president of platform business at LG Media Entertainment Solution Company. “The Gaming Portal will provide users with a seamless, convenient, and exciting way to enhance the gaming experience on LG Smart TVs.”
“Our partnership with LG will help players easily discover and play games through the new Gaming Portal on LG Smart TVs,” said Lori Wright, Corporate Vice President of Xbox. “We’re fortunate to have a great partner in LG who will bring Xbox Cloud Gaming to more players, letting new and longtime Xbox’ers find their favorite games and play with friends across screens.”
Xbox Is Dead Serious About It’s New Vision
This latest move comes as Microsoft launches its new “This is an Xbox” campaign. The campaign aims to sell gamers on the idea that their smartphones, gaming laptops, handheld gaming systems, and smart TVs are all Xbox consoles.
Team Green has straightforwardly changed its company approach, ditching exclusivity by bringing games like Indiana Jones and the Great Circle, Hi-Fi Rush, and other future Xbox exclusives to the PS5 and Nintendo Switch.
Depending on who you ask, the decision is either good or a slap in the face, but with the PS5 currently torching the Series X in sales, Microsoft had no choice.
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Source: Activision / Acitivision
Netflix’s famed Squid Game franchise comes to Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 and Call of Duty: Warzone and plans to take all your attention and forsake your responsibilities and pick up the sticks.
COD players will be able to compete in multiple Squid Game-themed and Limited Time Modes in Multiplayer, Zombies, and Call of Duty: Warzone via Squid Game Bundles and Event Rewards.
Hip-Hop Wired got a chance to play the Red Light, Green Light multiplayer mode where the familiar Squd Game character Young-hee is watching, and if she spots you, you’re dead. The game is not typical of a shooter like COD but nevertheless it will be addictive once you get your hands on it. Note, you will take plenty of L’s when figuring out its nuances.
Source: Activision / Acitivision
But, more familiar territory arrives in the Pentathlon mode, where you compete in a series of Multiplayer modes (including Domination, Kill Confirmed, and Hardpointas well as two news mode variants; Piggy Bank Team Deathmatch and Roulette) in one match.
The full list of Squid Game x Call of Duty modes is chunky (like XP Rewards, a new Cleaver Melee Weapon, Squid Game-themed operators and much, much more), and you can get your full fill of details over at https://www.callofduty.com/blog/.
Good hunting.
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Source: Blizzard / Blizzard
It looks like the University of Washington will be entering a new arena of gaming. On Tuesday, Nov. 12, the home of the Huskies announced a partnership with video game developer Blizzard Entertainment to celebrate the 20th anniversary of World of Warcraft.
Source: Blizzard / Blizzard
In a press release announcing the new venture, the University of Washington touts it will be transformed into the “University of Warcraft” throughout the rest of the week, with everything culminating on Friday night (Nov. 15) when the team takes on the UCLA Bruins. The NIL deal will feature star players like Jonah Coleman, who will be creating custom World of Warcraft content to promote the rebranding.
During the game you can expect to see all kinds of World of Warcraft-related decorations and symbolism including special WoW t-shirts for the student section in the stadium, World of Warcraft visuals and thematics being integrated into the entire in-game video board production, and even WoW mascots running with the team out onto the field. There will even be a World of Warcraft-themed fan zone featuring different characters from the video game for the hardcore players to indulge in when they attend the game.
Sounds like a helluva good time. With everything that Blizzard Entertainment is blessing the University of Washington with, the Huskies better win that game, man. Just sayin.’
Deputy Athletic Director for External Relations at the University of Washington, Kurt Svoboda expressed his gratitude for the collaboration with Blizzard Entertainment.
“We’re excited to partner with Blizzard Entertainment in a groundbreaking collaboration that brings together the worlds of sports and gaming, highlighting our shared commitment to innovation and creativity,” said Kurt Svoboda, in a statement. “Our football players have had the unique chance to contribute to Blizzard’s 20th anniversary celebration, gaining valuable insights into the creative production process behind an iconic brand. We look forward to Friday’s World of Warcraft takeover at Husky Stadium, where two powerhouse brands will come together for an unforgettable experience.”
Sounds unforgettable indeed.
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Source: Serato / Serato
Serato Scratch Live shifted DJ culture, and probably saved millions of dollars in future chiropractor bills. To celebrate its 25 anniversary, Serato just released a special limited-edition reissue of its original Serato Scratch Live Control Vinyl.
Source: Serato / Serato
The OG Digital Vinyl System (DVS) helped the art of the DJ become digital yet maintain its analog roots of manipulating vinyl physically. Think DJ’s like Jazzy Jeff being able to scratch and mix their digital files instead of lugging around heavy crates of records. Instead, all you needed was a pair of control vinyls and a hard drive full of music (and software and hardware but that’s another story).
Originally released in 2004, 20 years later only 1,500 units are available for sale for $49 USD. That gets you the “Serato Scratch Live Control Vinyl – 25th Anniversary Edition” package that includes a pair od 12” 140g control vinyls tucked into a commemorative jacket. The reissue arrives in five colors (black, transparent red, transparent blue, orange, and gray marble). However, you won’t see what color you get until you unwrap your purchase.
“At Serato’s core is a passion for music and technology, and we’ve built our foundation on the ongoing commitment to creating best-in-class products for DJs and music producers,” said Nick Maclaren, Serato’s Chief Strategy Officer, and a DJ himself, in a statement. “When Serato Scratch Live was first introduced, it reinvented what was in the realm of possibilities for DJs at the time. As we celebrate 25 years of empowering artists through Serato’s advanced technology, we’re excited for our community to experience the magic of this innovation once again with the reissue of the Serato Scratch Live Control Vinyl.”
Find out where to get the Serato Scratch Live Control Vinyl – 25th Anniversary Edition set right here.