games
HipHopWired Featured Video
CLOSE
Source: Nintendo / Nintendo Switch 2
After a delay, primarily due to Donald Trump’s blatant abuse of tariffs, Nintendo was forced to postpone pre-orders for the Nintendo Switch 2 for fans in the US. After some waiting, the day has arrived for gamers stateside to secure Nintendo’s new console, and as expected, things did not go smoothly.
Although people have been complaining about the Switch 2’s price, demand is still strong. Gamers had a frustrating time trying to secure a Nintendo Switch 2 due to several sites offering pre-orders crashing under the high volume of traffic.
Best Buy, Target, and Walmart all experienced issues with their websites on Thursday morning once pre-orders for the Switch 2 went live, according to Downdetector.
For about 45 minutes, starting around midnight, following the announcement that pre-orders for the Switch 2 went live, more than 2,000 customers reported experiencing issues while trying to connect to Target’s website.
Best Buy wasn’t any better. Even though they required customers to have an account on the website, a tactic to combat scalping, customers began encountering issues around 9 PM on Wednesday, which persisted until 2 AM on Thursday.
GameStop, remember them? Kicked off their Nintendo Switch 2 pre-orders on Thursday at 11 AM; spoiler alert, it was also a hot mess.
Still, some were able to secure their Nintendo Switch 2 consoles, even though it required some searching. To those people, congratulations on your major accomplishment.
The Buzz & Discourse Around The Nintendo Switch 2
The Nintendo Switch 2 is set to launch on June 5, a date Nintendo says will hold firm. Since its announcement, there has been considerable excitement, as well as considerable discourse, particularly regarding the costs of its games.
Mario Kart World, one of the console’s launch titles, will cost $80, and that is not sitting well with some gamers.
Many were worried that Nintendo would raise the price of the console in response to Trump’s tariffs, but the company has recently announced that the console’s price will remain unchanged. However, they did raise the price on accessories.
Welp.
You can see more reactions to the Switch 2 pre-order situation in the gallery below.
1. Felt this
3. Gotta kill time somehow
8. Nature is healing
HipHopWired Featured Video
Play Company / 2K
Play Company and 2K are partnering to give NBA 2K players another way to take on each other and back up all the trash-talking using a new dedicated tournament system.
The new, groundbreaking multi-year partnership announced last week allows NBA 2K players to win monetary prizes through online tournaments, giving them the ability to truly put their money where their mouth is, if they are as skilled in NBA 2K as they claim to be.
The new tournament system, called Play NBA 2K, will be integrated within The Play Company’s flagship product, Play OS. The deal also makes Play OS the official tournament platform for the game. It will introduce a dedicated menu button in the NBA 2K25 Play Now section for eligible players, allowing them to learn how to gain access to NBA 2K tournaments.
Through Play NBA 2K, players can participate in free-to-enter tournaments and entry-fee-based tournaments, providing NBA 2K fans with even more opportunities to compete in the basketball video game.
“Unlocking the ability for NBA 2K players to earn real cash prizes through competitive play marks a major milestone for us and the industry. We’re incredibly grateful to the team at 2K for helping make this transformative partnership a reality,” said The Play Company CEO, Brandon Pitts.
“2K’s partnership with The Play Company will further expand the ways that we are trying to build engagement and connect with our players,” said 2 K’s head of lifestyle and content marketing Ronnie “Ronnie 2K” Singh. “For us the deal with The Play Company serves as yet another way to quench the thirst of our competitive 2K community,” Singh said.
The service will go live with Play Now and MyTEAM tournaments. Additional tournament formats will be rolling out in the months ahead. Gamers can join Tournaments by downloading the Play OS mobile app on iOS or visiting this website.
NBA 2K Continues To Find Ways To Keep Players Engaged
NBA 2K remains at the forefront, allowing its players to enhance their gameplay experience and earn money. There the NBA 2K League that partners with the NBA, allowing those who are exceptionally good at the game to make a living playing 2K and be treated like actual athletes and there was the players only tournament that took place during the pandemic featuring some the league’s biggest stars who are also good at NBA 2K.
We are intrigued to see how successful this new partnership will be.
HipHopWired Featured Video
Nintendo / Nintendo Switch 2
Mark your calendars, U.S. Nintendo fans, you can now officially preorder your Switch 2 on April 24.
Nintendo announced the new preorder date for U.S. customers and revealed that the price for the Switch will also remain at $449.99 for the base console and $499.99 for the Mario Kart World bundle.
Prices for both physical and digital versions of Mario Kart World ($79.99) and Donkey Kong Bananza ($69.99) will remain unchanged.
However, there is some bad news: the price of Nintendo Switch 2 accessories is going up. The Switch 2 Joy-Con, Switch 2 Pro Controller, and Switch 2 Camera are seeing price bumps.
The Joy-Con 2, originally priced at $89.99, will now be priced at $94.99. The Pro Controller increased from $79.99 to $84.99, and the Nintendo Switch 2 Camera rose from $49.99 to $54.99.
Gamers who usually use video games as an escape from politics are now seeing how politics can invade their space.
All of these moves by Nintendo are a direct result of Donald Trump’s abuse of tariffs. Originally, preorders for the Switch 2 were supposed to begin on April 9, but were delayed after Orange Mussolini announced his tariffs, which would affect everyone, including an island inhabited by penguins and seals.
In response to his boneheaded actions, Nintendo said it was delaying Switch 2 preorders in the U.S. “to assess the potential impact of tariffs and evolving market conditions,” but also stated that the June 5 release date remains unchanged.
How We Got Here
On April 8, Nintendo also delayed preorders for the Switch 2 in Canada “in order to align with the timing of preorders to be determined in the US.”
After watching the global economy tank and the U.S. stock market nosedive for a few days, Trump issued a 90-day pause on some of the tariffs, but kept the 145 percent tariff on China in place.
Then, news broke that the Trump administration had announced exemptions for smartphones, computers, and chips. Unfortunately, gaming consoles were not on the list, but then Trump said that “no one is getting off the hook.”
In anticipation of Trump’s tariffs, Nintendo began stockpiling the Switch 2 in the United States and shifted most of its non-Chinese production there.
The Switch 2’s announcement has been a clusterf***, with some issues being on Nintendo’s part, but mainly due to the company trying to navigate Trump’s erratic behavior with the tariffs.
Let’s hope this date stands firm, and people won’t have to choose between putting food on the table or getting a Switch 2 at this point.
HipHopWired Featured Video
CLOSE
Source: Sprayground / Destiny 2
Sprayground, the popular brand best known for its collectible backpacks and luggage, is back with another fire collaboration. Fans of Bungie’s shooter, Destiny 2, definitely need this in their collection.
The limited Destiny 2 collection from Sprayground will feature two eye-catching backpacks that have become a staple among street style enthusiasts and young kids.
This latest collection celebrates Guardians, Ghosts, and lunar frontiers, all found in Destiny 2, with two amazing backpacks.
“Destiny has cultivated a passionate global community, and we wanted to craft something that truly resonates with the players,” said David BenDavid, Founder and Chief Creative Director of Sprayground. “These backpacks are more than just accessories – they’re a tribute to the game’s lore, visuals, and those who embrace the adventure.”
Source: Sprayground / Destiny 2
The first backpack is inspired by the Guardians’ floating companions, the Ghosts, which also guide the Lightbearers on their mission to protect the Last City and the solar system from the Witness, Fallen, Hive, Vex, Cabal, Taken, and various other threats.
Dubbed the Destiny Ghost Buddy Backpack ($120), it features a plush Ghost on the backpack along with other intricate detailing to help it truly stand out from other backpacks.
Source: Sprayground / Destiny 2
Next, the Destiny First Light Backpack ($90) draws inspiration from the First Light Lunar Installation, one of the first locations the Guardians explored in the Destiny franchise.
It incorporates the facility’s distinctive logo with 曙光 (shǔguāng), meaning “Dawn” or “First Light,” delivering fans another magnificent backpack that is a must-have.
Source: Sprayground / Destiny 2
How To Get One of The Destiny 2 Backpacks
Both backpacks are currently on sale via Spraygrounds’ website and select retailers, featuring staple features such as a spacious laptop compartment, a plush velour pouch for valuables, and Sprayground’s signature hidden pockets.
Hit the gallery below for more photos.
1. Sprayground x Destiny 2
Source:Destiny 2
Sprayground x Destiny 2 destiny 2,sprayground
2. Sprayground x Destiny 2
Source:Destiny 2
Sprayground x Destiny 2 destiny 2,sprayground
3. Sprayground x Destiny 2
Source:Destiny 2
Sprayground x Destiny 2 destiny 2,sprayground
4. Sprayground x Destiny 2
Source:Destiny 2
Sprayground x Destiny 2 destiny 2,sprayground
5. Sprayground x Destiny 2
Source:Destiny 2
Sprayground x Destiny 2 destiny 2,sprayground
6. Sprayground x Destiny 2
Source:Destiny 2
Sprayground x Destiny 2 destiny 2,sprayground
7. Sprayground x Destiny 2
Source:Destiny 2
Sprayground x Destiny 2 destiny 2,sprayground
HipHopWired Featured Video
Ubisoft / Assassin’s Creed Shadows
For the lames out there wishing Assassin’s Creed Shadows would flop, this news will not sit well with you.
Ubisoft has already been proudly announcing that Assassin’s Creed Shadows has been a massive win for the company despite all the hate, numerous delays, and made-up controversy that encircled the game well before its release.
A closer look at the sales data shows that the latest entry in the iconic Assassin’s Creed video game franchise accomplished some monumental sales feats.
According to Mat Piscatella, Executive Director at Circana, Assassin’s Creed Shadows was the best-selling game in the United States for each of the first three weeks following its release, per Circana’s tracking data, which is accurate up to April 5.
Only one other game has sold more at that’s Capcom’s latest hit, Monster Hunter Wilds, which continues to do numbers. Ubisoft has yet to comment about Shadows sales accomplishments, but the game publisher did toot its own horn, announcing the AC Shadows 3 million player count on March 27.
Shadows’ success is the win Ubisoft needed after Star Wars Outlaws‘ disappointing showing. We don’t know exactly how many players are still playing AC Shadows or how many copies were sold because Ubisoft remains mum, but we expect them to announce those details soon.
The Critics Remain Positive On Assassin’s Creed Shadows
Assassin’s Creed Shadows is currently at a strong 81 on OpenCritic, with 82% of reviewers recommending the game and a very good 90% player rating.
We were one of the critics high on the game writing in our review:
Assassin’s Creed Shadows is an exceptional entry into the franchise that brilliantly combines all of the good features from the games over the years and stuffed them into a game that doesn’t require you to play 100+ hours to complete. It’s so good that you want to spend as much time in its world as possible to uncover more of the story because it’s absolutely worth it.
Congrats to the Ubisoft Quebec team on the win, and a nice hidden blade to haters who said the game was going to flop because it was “woke.”
HipHopWired Featured Video
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.
HipHopWired Featured Video
CLOSE
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.
HipHopWired Featured Video
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.
HipHopWired Featured Video
CLOSE
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.
HipHopWired Featured Video
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.