State Champ Radio gaming
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Bernard Smalls / iOne Digital / HHW Gaming
PlayStation continues to make the PS Portal an excellent companion device to the PlayStation 5.
When the PS Portal was first released, it was nothing more than a competent device capable of remote playing titles on your PS5. It was eventually unlocked, allowing cloud streaming.
Following the latest update, PlayStation is bringing a boatload of features that PS Portal owners have been screaming for, making the device even more attractive, especially for people still on the fence.
Most notably, following the latest system update, PS Portal owners with PlayStation Plus Premium accounts can now purchase and stream games without a PS5.
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They can also stream select titles like Astro Bot, Borderlands 4, Final Fantasy VII Rebirth, and the recently released PS5 exclusive Ghost of Yotei, effectively untethering your PS Portal, with the only requirements being a Premium subscription and a strong internet connection.
To see the complete list of streamable games, you can head here.
Here are the other new features coming to the PS Portal thanks to the PlayStation system update, as announced on the PlayStation Blog.
Redesigned UI
A refreshed home screen***** now features three tabs: Remote Play, Cloud Streaming, and Search.
Remote Play home screen: Connect to a PS5 console paired with the PS Portal to enjoy games installed on that console. A PlayStation Plus membership is not required for Remote Play.
Cloud Streaming home screen: A new dedicated home screen for Cloud Streaming allows PlayStation Plus Premium members to instantly stream a range of compatible PS5 games without waiting for downloads.
Search screen: Quickly look up any game that supports Cloud Streaming. If you don’t have the entitlement to stream a game, a QR code will be displayed to direct you to the PlayStation App or to a web browser on another device.
Enhancing Gameplay Experience
This update also introduces several new features designed to make playing on PS Portal more immersive and convenient.
New Features for Remote Play and Cloud Streaming
3D Audio Support: 3D Audio is now available during Remote Play and Cloud Streaming on supported games, when using a compatible audio device. Immerse yourself in spatial sound with wired headphones or a compatible PlayStation Link wireless audio device such as the Pulse Explore wireless earbuds and Pulse Elite wireless headset.
Passcode Lock: Protect your device by setting a passcode on your PS Portal.
To set a passcode, go to Settings > System > Passcode.
Network Status Screen: A stable internet connection is essential to ensure the best experience on PS Portal. You can now quickly check your connection quality with an easy-to-access status view.
During Cloud Streaming or Remote Play, open the Quick menu and go to Troubleshoot > Show Network Status.
New Features for Cloud Streaming
In-Game Store: In-game purchases are now supported during Cloud Streaming. You can purchase add-on items and in-game currencies without leaving your game session, and receive benefits instantly.
Just like before, you can also make in-game purchases during a Remote Play session.
Accessibility Options: Enable new accessibility options during Cloud Streaming, such as screen reader and adjustable text size.
Go to Settings > Cloud Streaming > Accessibility Settings for Cloud Streaming.
These settings will only apply to select screens during Cloud Streaming. You can continue to access the PS5 console’s settings menu to adjust accessibility settings during Remote Play.
Game Invitations: Receive game invites from friends that are playing the same game during Cloud Streaming, and join a multiplayer session directly from the Quick menu.
Getty Images / NBA 2K League
The NBA 2K League, the eSports organization tied to the NBA 2K video game franchise, is back—but this time, it’s boasting significant changes.
NBA Take-Two Media announced the relaunch of the NBA 2K League, which will now focus on entertainment and online content.
The new NBA 2K League will highlight creators and NBA players who will battle it out on the sticks throughout the season.
NBA 2K players, don’t worry, you haven’t been forgotten. There will also be an open ladder competition for fans.
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NBA players will now be able to be involved in the NBA 2K League because of NBA Take-Two Media’s new multi-year partnership with the National Basketball Players Association.
NBA Take-Two Media, an entertainment company formed earlier this year by the professional basketball league and Take-Two, focuses on eSports and online social content.
Sticking to that focus, you can expect to see various creators throughout the season, including honorary commissioner Jess’ Jesser’ Riedel, a popular sports YouTube creator with over 35 million followers.
The 2K League Will Feature Six Teams
The new season will feature six teams: Boston Celtics, Detroit Pistons, Memphis Grizzlies, Toronto Raptors, Utah Jazz, and Washington Wizards.
Each team will be represented by duos featuring content creators and NBA players who participate in various challenges throughout the year.
The league’s revamp was first teased by the NBA 2K League back in July. The decision to switch things didn’t come without some bad news: a significant number of staff lost their jobs, according to Dexterto.
“With the new 2K League, we’re building an entirely new type of entertainment universe that blends competition with content,” said Andrew Perlmutter, CEO of NBA Take-Two Media.
“Filled with wild, wacky, unpredictable and emotionally resonant moments, we’re extending the immensely popular world of NBA2K beyond competitive gaming and will show fans who their favourite athletes and creators are off the court.”
Lookout For These 2K League Events
The new season of the NBA 2K League will start with a new reality series called MyPlayer Mayhem that will be a combination of competitiveness and entertainment.
You can catch the first episode on November 5 on the NBA 2K League’s YouTube channel, with new episodes dropping every week.
MyPlayer Mayhem will conclude with two live tournaments on Twitch from November 8 to 9th and November 15 to 16th, 2025.
Next Fan Up, the 2K League tournament, begins on November 16 and will offer NBA 2K players who think they are good enough to compete with creators and NBA players.
Those participating in Next Fan Up will have the opportunity to represent an NBA team of their choice by climbing the online ranks through gameplay and social media challenges.
Getty Images / Soulja Boy / SouljaGame Flip
Soulja Boy is back with his console-copying shenanigans. The rapper is being accused of stealing Retroid’s flow, bar-for-bar, with his newly released SouljaGame Flip console.
We at HHW Gaming are always rooting for everyone Black, especially for significant accomplishments like releasing your own gaming console.
However, we can’t get behind jacking another company’s whole design and then partaking in price-gouging by selling that same fugazi console for a ridiculous price.
That’s precisely what DeAndre “SouljaBoy” Cortez did with his SouljaGame Flip console, which is a blatant ripoff of Retroid’s Retroid Pocket Flip 2.
Aside from ripping off the Pocket Flip 2’s design, what sets Soulja Boy’s retro handheld apart from Retroid’s device is the ridiculous $435 price tag, which is double the Pocket Flip 2’s $210. In the comment section of Soulja Boy’s post, one person said, “Not a single gamer buying this. Especially at that price.”
Another commenter wrote, “Play some games on it. Where’s the gameplay? Is it an emulator??? Rather get a Steam Deck for less that does more.”
The “Turn My Swag On” crafter did share videos in his story of him playing 50 Cent’s Blood In The Sand video game on the device, and Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas while doing other things like “making beats.”
Still doesn’t justify the price he was charging for the device, and he has since marked the console down to $200, Kotaku reports.
Retroid Immediately Responded Regarding Soulja Boy’s Fugazi Handheld
Soulja Boy’s grift was first reported on by Retro Dodo, which quickly reached out to Retroid about the console. A representative for the company responded, “I didn’t know about this,” the site reported. “This is not any kind of official licensing deal. He does not have permission to rebrand our products and sell them as his own. The Retroid Pocket Flip 2 is patented in the U.S by ourselves.”
So that means he can be swiftly sued if Retroid wants to apply pressure.
It wouldn’t be the first time Soulja Boy gets pressed by a gaming company. Nintendo, which is infamous for suing people for ripping off its property, went after the rapper for selling a Soulja Boy-branded emulation console preloaded with Nintendo ROMs.
After hilariously saying Nintendo wouldn’t sue, he changed his tune, telling his followers on X (formerly Twitter), “I had to boss up, I didn’t have a choice,” after Nintendo threatened him with legal action.
Soulja Boy needs to chill, unless he wants to be the first rapper sued by a video game company.
You can see more reactions below.
Rockstar Games / Grand Theft Auto
Rockstar Games, the developer of the highly anticipated game Grand Theft Auto 6, is being called out following the firing of 30 employees at its UK and Canadian offices.
Bloomberg reports that after Take-Two, the parent company of Rockstar Games, stood behind the firings, claiming the former employees were “for gross misconduct,” the Independent Workers’ Union of Great Britain (IWGB) is singing a different tune, accusing the game developer of “union busting.”
According to Bloomberg’s report, the fired employees were all either current union members or working to organize at Rockstar, and were also members of the same private Discord group.
IWGB is calling CAP on Take-Two’s Claims
The IWGB reacted to the latest developments, writing on X:
“This is the most ruthless act of union busting in the history of the UK games industry. Yesterday, @RockstarGames fired over 30 employees for union activity. We won’t back down, and we’re not scared – we will fight for every member to be reinstated.”
In a statement sent to Bloomberg’s Jason Schreirer, IWGB president Alex Marshall categorizes described Rockstar’s firings as “flagrant contempt for the law and for the lives of the workers who bring in their billions is an insult to their fans and the global industry.”
Take-Two Fully Supports Rockstar Games’ Decision
Take-Two company spokesperson Alan Lewis issued a statement on the matter:
“We strive to make the world’s best entertainment properties by giving our best-in-class creative teams positive work environments and ongoing career opportunities. Our culture is focused on teamwork, excellence, and kindness. Rockstar Games terminated a small number of individuals for gross misconduct, and for no other reason. As always, we fully support Rockstar’s ambitions and approach.”
Well, the news isn’t sitting well with the gamer social media. We don’t expect this to kill the hype surrounding GTA 6. However, people are still not feeling that Rockstar Games can allegedly fire employees who are trying to unionize during some trying times in the gaming industry.
You can see those reactions below.
JUNG YEON-JE / Xbox
Given recent news about the state of the Xbox Series S and X consoles, it shouldn’t come as a surprise that Xbox’s hardware sales continue to nosedive.
Microsoft shared its Q1 2026 earnings, revealing that Xbox hardware revenue was down 29 percent year over year.
This latest financial news paints a bleak picture for the hardware division, as the numbers keep getting worse rather than better. Last quarter, hardware sales were down 22 percent, down 29 percent for the first two quarters of 2025, and down 42 percent in Q4 of 2024.
Things will only get more challenging as the company also has to contend with Donald Trump and his blatant abuse of tariffs, which have forced Microsoft ot make some unpopular decisions like raising the price of the Series X console to $599.
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The company has also implemented a new strategy with its “Xbox everywhere” initiative, which promotes the idea that any device that can play its games in the cloud is an Xbox.
Microsoft’s gaming division has also begun ditching the idea of exclusive games and, basically, conceded the “console wars” when it announced that Halo: Campaign Evolved, a remake of the first game in the franchise, is coming to the PlayStation 5.
Despite all the dire news about hardware sales, Microsoft is not out of the console business yet. The company just released two new handheld devices in partnership with ASUS, the ROG Xbox Ally and Xbox Ally X.
Company heads like Xbox President Sarah Bond and CEO Satya Nadella have also begun teasing the next Xbox console, sharing that it will be a premium, high-powered PC/gaming console experience that will most likely include multiple storefronts, like Steam.
We shall see what the future holds for the company.
Play By Play Studios / NBA The Run
Gamers have been screaming for the return of NBA Street. Now, former developers of the long-dormant video game franchise look to answer those cries with NBA The Run.
Play By Play Studios, which is comprised of former EA Sports developers, has secured both official NBA and NBPA licenses for its new game, NBA The Run.
NBA The Run will serve as a spiritual successor to EA Sports Big’s iconic 3v3 basketball game, NBA Street, and its equally, if not more popular, sequel, NBA Street Vol . 2.
Before the game landed NBA and NBPA licenses, it was known simply as The Run: Got Next in 2024 and was only going to feature original characters. Now players can look forward to playing street-style basketball using their favorite pro hoopers like Giannis Antetokounmpo, Steph Curry, Anthony Edwards, and even Cooper Flag.
Speaking with Brian Shea of Game Informer, studio founder and CEO Scott Probst touched on learning that he and his team were not alone in their love and appreciation for arcade-style streetball basketball games.
“We didn’t know; we were working in the shadows,” Probst told Game Informer. “We were making The Run: Got Next before it was licensed, and we didn’t really know. We had this sense that players would love this and players would still want it, and I think the reaction that we got was bigger and better than we actually thought it was going to be.”
NBA The Run Will Utilize Rollback Netcode
What made NBA Street so popular among gamers was its coop couch play, sparking many a battle between friends.
NBA The Run hopes to recapture that same energy, but with online crossplay, while using rollback netcode, which fighting games use to reduce the impact of ping differences in multiplayer sessions and level the playing field.
Bobbito Garcia, who handled the play-by-play in NBA Street, is in talks to return to NBA The Run when it launches on PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X|S in 2026.
The reception to the game has been lukewarm, with many asking why not just bring NBA Street back?
We’re gonna hold judgment until we get hands-on with the game. Who knows, NBA The Run could be a banger.
Peep more reactions below.
NurPhoto / Electronic Arts
After being acquired and on the verge of going private, Electronic Arts saw its sales fall 13% year over year in the July-September quarter, according to its latest earnings report.
The company announced it will also stop holding quarterly Q&A calls between analysts and EA leadership, something it has done for years, and will no longer share forward-looking financial guidance.
Variety reports the company’s decisions could be tied to the $55 billion acquisition deal that will see the Saudis and Jared Kushner’s Affinity Partners and Silver Lake Group take control of the video game developer.
The Sept. 29 acquisition hasn’t been completed yet, but is on track to be completed by next spring.
Per Variety:
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Wall Street forecast earnings per share (EPS) of 35 cents on $1.87 billion in revenue for the quarter, according to analyst consensus data provided by LSEG. EA reported non-GAAP diluted EPS of 54 cents on $1.82 billion in net bookings ($1.84 billion in revenue).
That net bookings figure was down 13% from the $2.1 billion in net bookings EA posted from July-September 2024, which EA attributes to especially strong sales for “College Football 25” at that time.
Despite sales falling, EA CEO Andrew Wilson expressed optimism in a letter sent to shareholders.
“Across our broad portfolio — from ‘EA Sports’ to ‘Battlefield,’ ‘The Sims,’ and ‘skate.’ — our teams continue to create high-quality experiences that connect and inspire players around the world,” Wilson said. “The creativity, passion, and innovation of our teams are at the heart of everything we do.”
We shall see if that optimism remains if the sales numbers don’t improve.
NurPhoto / Electronic Arts
After being acquired and on the verge of going private, Electronic Arts saw its sales fall 13% year over year in the July-September quarter, according to its latest earnings report.
The company announced it will also stop holding quarterly Q&A calls between analysts and EA leadership, something it has done for years, and will no longer share forward-looking financial guidance.
Variety reports the company’s decisions could be tied to the $55 billion acquisition deal that will see the Saudis and Jared Kushner’s Affinity Partners and Silver Lake Group take control of the video game developer.
The Sept. 29 acquisition hasn’t been completed yet, but is on track to be completed by next spring.
Per Variety:
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Wall Street forecast earnings per share (EPS) of 35 cents on $1.87 billion in revenue for the quarter, according to analyst consensus data provided by LSEG. EA reported non-GAAP diluted EPS of 54 cents on $1.82 billion in net bookings ($1.84 billion in revenue).
That net bookings figure was down 13% from the $2.1 billion in net bookings EA posted from July-September 2024, which EA attributes to especially strong sales for “College Football 25” at that time.
Despite sales falling, EA CEO Andrew Wilson expressed optimism in a letter sent to shareholders.
“Across our broad portfolio — from ‘EA Sports’ to ‘Battlefield,’ ‘The Sims,’ and ‘skate.’ — our teams continue to create high-quality experiences that connect and inspire players around the world,” Wilson said. “The creativity, passion, and innovation of our teams are at the heart of everything we do.”
We shall see if that optimism remains if the sales numbers don’t improve.
NICHOLAS KAMM / Microsoft / Donald Trump
Well, this isn’t surprising. Microsoft is biting its tongue following Donald Trump’s latest AI-generated slop featuring himself as Master Chiefand DHS using Halo to promote ICE.
While the country faces a wave of uncertainty amid the government shutdown that is now in day 28, the Trump administration showed how unserious it is after White House officials shared an AI-generated photo of Trump as Halo’s main protagonist, Master Chief, standing in front of the White House while saluting an American flag with only 40 stars.
Trump’s ridiculous AI-generated image managed to steal Halo Studios’ thunder, which just announced Halo: Campaign Evolved, a complete remake of the 2001 game Halo: Combat Evolved that will also mark Master Chief’s arrival on the PlayStation 5.
But that wasn’t the only disgusting post. The Department of Homeland Security also got in on the act, sharing a Halo-themed photo with the “DESTROY THE FLOOD JOIN. ICE. GOV.”
Microsoft’s silence shouldn’t come as a shock to anyone. The company’s CEO, Satya Nadella, has already kissed Trump’s ring, attended his inauguration, and Microsoft has donated to the construction of the ugly White House ballroom, plus has many federal contracts.
You know who’s not staying silent, the White House, and they responded to journalist Alyssa Mercante when she reached out for comment on the matter.
Like we said in our previous post on the image, Trump would probably take credit for ending the “console wars,” and that’s precisely what happened in the statement.
“Yet another war ended under President Trump’s watch—only one leader is fully committed to giving power to the players, and that leader is Donald J. Trump. That’s why he’s hugely popular with the American people and American Gamers.”
This administration is definitely the worst.
People Who Used To Be Involved With Halo Are Speaking Out
But some individuals who were involved with Halo at one point have expressed their displeasure with DHS/ICE’s recent posts.
Marcus Lehto, co-creator of Halo and lead designer of Master Chief, spoke with Game File’s Stephen Totilo, calling the DHS’s post “absolutely abhorrent.”
He continued, “It really makes me sick seeing Halo co-opted like this.”
Jaime Griesemer, a chief designer on several of the early games, told Game File that he found Trump’s Master Chief post funny but opposed the ICE post.
“Using Halo imagery in a call to ‘destroy’ people because of their immigration status goes way too far, and ought to offend every Halo fan, regardless of political orientation,” Griesemer said. “I personally find it despicable. The Flood are evil space zombie parasites and are not an allegory to any group of people.”
You can see more reactions below.
Getty Images / Donald Trump / Halo: Campaign Evolved
Donald Trump and his extremely corrupt administration continue to use video games to push his divisive agenda.
Halo Studios is coming off the announcement of Halo: Campaign Evolved, the remake of the iconic first game, Halo: Combat Evolved, that will bring Master Chief to the PlayStation for the first time, and now the studio is probably big mad that Donald Trump and his administration are using their game to promote divisiveness within the country.
In what has become “I can’t believe this is really a moment,” the official White House account on social media shared more AI-generated slop of Donald Trump wearing Master Chief’s Spartan armor while saluting an American flag with a pronounced and egregious error.
The White House’s headscratching post was a response to GameStop’s latest cringeworthy post announcing the end of console wars, and finally, the announcement of Halo coming to the PlayStation 5.
Clearly, the White House intern in charge of posting on the account knows a bit about gaming, as the post’s caption read “Power To The Players,” which is GameStop’s slogan.
We have no idea why the White House would comment on this, but we assume it has to do with Trump’s unproven claims that he has “ended eight wars,” so now he thinks he can add this one to that list.
Don’t be shocked if Trump moronicaly mentions this as a war he brought to an end.
DHS Also Used A Halo-Themed Meme
But that wasn’t the only Halo-themed meme shared by this disastrous administration.
DHS (Department of Homeland Security) also got in on the act and shared a photo from Halo featuring Master Chief in a Warthog with “Destroy The Flood, Jone. ICE. GOV” written across the picture, referring not to the symbiotic alien species from the game but to undocumented immigrants.
This latest video game-themed post follows the distasteful Pokémon video putting detained undocumented immigrants’ faces on Pokémon cards, and another video using DaBaby’s music to show its new vehicles to harass law-abiding immigrants.
It remains to be seen if this tactic is actually helping with recruitment, as ICE is currently struggling to grow the numbers, and some ICE recruits are showing up without being properly vetted.
We wished we could hit reset on this trash video game immediately. All you folks had to do was vote for Kamala Harris.
Just saying.
Also, we can’t count on Microsoft to handle this because ceo Satya Nadella is one of the many who have already kissed Trump’s ring.
You can see more reactions below.
