HHW Gaming
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HipHopWired Featured Video
Source: Drake / Jumbotron Sh*t Poppin
Drake borrows some of Pharrell’s old bling to stunt on all of us in his new visual for Jumbotron Sh*t Poppin. One item, in particular, is catching fans’ eyes.
While his boy 21 Savage is beefing on Clubhouse, the Six God is hard at work in 2023, delivering his second visual of the year with “Jumbotron Sh*t Poppin” off collaborative album Her Loss.
The Tristan C-M-directed 2:22 visual features Drake in the Caribbean on his braggadocious vibes driving a red Ferrari Enzo while stunting in his absurd jewelry collection, now comprised of Pharrell’s $2.2 million chain and gold PSP he seemingly acquired.
The classic gold PSP (PlayStation Portable) console Drake can be seen holding in his hand while letting off bars stand out more than the chain in the video.
Per The Verge, the PSP-1000 was sold on Pharrell’s auction site Joopiter in November for a modest $20,000. The listing for the iconic device says its case is made of 14-karat solid gold that weighs 659.7 grams, and Pharrell tasked Jacob The Jeweler to bling out the device to compliment his gold Blackberry.
Last year, Pharrell tweeted that he was parting with the jewelry and other items to free himself and “for the beginning of a new era.”
Does The PSP Still Work?
What’s old to Skateboard P is new to Drizzy, who couldn’t help but stunt on everyone with Pharrell’s massive multicolor chain featuring a medallion with the Star-Trak team on it.
As for the PSP also features a custom Goyard carry case, no word if it’s still functioning. Drake did not power on the portable console in the video, but who would spend $20,000 on a broken device?
You can watch Drake call us broke in his new “Jumbotron Sh*t Poppin” video below.
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Photo: Drake / Jumbotron Sh*t Poppin
Source: Future Publishing / Getty / Video GamesWelcome to 2023, and it promises to be another significant year for gamers. 2022 is in the books, and it closed on an extremely high note thanks to God of War: Ragnarok blowing gamers away once again and cementing Kratos as one of the greatest video game characters ever, sorry Mario.Oh, and we can’t forget Horizon Forbidden West, another fantastic entry into Guerilla’s epic franchise adding to PlayStation’s stellar year of exclusives.But that was then. This is now. 2023 looks promising, thanks mainly to games that were supposed to drop in 2022 having their wigs pushed back.Hip Hop Wired decided to narrow that list down to 15 games WE are most excited to pick up the sticks for in 2023. Now, if we miss one, that’s okay; remember, this is our list, but we don’t mind you throwing your suggestion our way.Below are 15 titles we can’t wait to play on our Xbox Series X, PS5, and Nintendo Switch.
1. Dead Space
Resident Evil and Silent Hill had the survival horror genre on lock-in grounded locales. 2008’s Dead Space took the fear from those games and perfected it in outer space.
Fast Foward to 2023, the good folks at EA decided it was time to revive the franchise and bring the necromorph terror to next-gen consoles.
The original team that made 2008’s Dead Space has since moved on and dropped The Callisto Protocol, a similar game but at the same time quite different.
Motive Studios has taken over the franchise and promises the remake will stay true to the original but, at the same time, vastly improve on the game.
Based on what he has seen so far, that looks like that will be the case. Dead Space arrives on PS5, Xbox Series X and PC on January 27.
2. Resident Evil 4
Capcom shook the Resident Evil franchise up when it dropped Resident Evil 4 on the Nintendo Switch in 2005. Ditching slow gameplay mechanics, the tank controls fans came to love in the original games for a new over-the-shoulder camera view and fast-paced action, and a new inventory system turned out to be a successful gamble for the video game company.
Resident Evil 4 would become one of the essential titles in video game history, so it makes sense that Capcom would also give it the same remake treatment that Resident Evil 2 and RE 3: Nemesis have received.
Resident Evil 4 remake sees the return of Leon S. Kennedy, arguably one of the most popular characters in the RE franchise. It looks to build off the momentum started by his introductory adventure in Resident Evil 2.
The game arrives on PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series S | X, and PC on March 24.
3. Marvel’s Spider-Man 2
Sony is looking to have another strong year for the PS5, which could be easily attainable thanks to Insomniac Games’ Marvel’s Spider-Man 2.
We still don’t know much about this game except that both Spider-Man and Miles Morales will be playable and will be taking on Venom.
Insomniac assured fans that the game will arrive in 2023 but has yet to share a solid release date, we expect that information to come soon.
4. Final Fantasy VII: Rebirth
It took a long five years for Final Fantasy VII: Remake to hit consoles, and thankfully so because that game was a masterpiece.
Fortunately, we won’t have to wait long for the next installment, Final Fantasy VII: Rebirth. The game will pick up where the first chapter ended, with Cloud and the crew trying to stop Sephiroth from enacting his plan, and that’s all we know.
The game is set to arrive “next winter,” so that could mean 2023 or the beginning of 2024, we’re hoping for this year because we are thirsty for more.
Like the previous title, this game is exclusive to the PlayStation 5.
5. Final Fantasy XVI
Final Fantasy XVI, the next installment in the Final Fantasy saga, is taking it back to the times of knights, kings, queens, wizards, and palace intrigue, and it looks L I T.
This one will be a timed exclusive coming to PlayStation 5 consoles first on June 22, and eventually on Windows PC.
6. Assassin’s Creed Mirage
With the changing year, you can always expect a new game in the Assassin’s Creed franchise. For Mirage, Ubisoft’s next installment is returning to the original formula that made the game a hit with fans.
This game will ditch the Action/RPG format returning to its stealth roots and will be set in Baghdad in the 9th century, and will follow the assassin Basim Ibn Ishaq, a character you met in Assassin’s Creed: Valhalla.
Get ready to assassinate and get your parkour on when Assassin’s Creed Mirage drops on PlayStation, Xbox, Windows PC, and Amazon Luna sometime later this year.
7. Forspoken
The developers behind Final Fantasy 15 took a break from the iconic franchise to bring to the gaming world Forspoken, a new IP from Square Enix.
The game follows Frey, played by the beautiful Ella Ballinska, who is magically transported to a fantasy world where she will be guided by a talking bracelet and armed with magical spells to help her find her way back home to New York City.
Forspoken is PlayStation 5 console exclusive and will also arrive on Windows PC on January 24.
8. RoboCop: Rogue City
Teyon Games made a first-person shooter featuring our favorite cyborg cop, and it looks pretty damn good. RoboCop: Rogue City will have players taking on the role of Alex Murphy as he dishes out his brand of justice across Old and New Detroit while trying to stop a massive crime wave.
RoboCop: Rogue City arrives on PS5, Xbox Series X, and PC via Steam on June 2023.
9. The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom
It’s been almost 6 years since the release of The Legend of Zelda: Breath of The Wild, which many consider being a game changer.
While we still wait for a new Nintendo Switch, we won’t have to wait too long for The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, the highly-anticipated follow-up to Breath of The Wild. We still don’t know much about the game’s plot except that Link will have some new abilities, and a lot of the adventure will possibly take place in the skies above Hyrule.
The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom supposedly launches on the Nintendo Switch & Switch OLED on May 12.
10. Street Fighter 6
Capcom is looking to have a much better launch with Street Fighter 6 than it did with Street Fighter V. When the next installment in the iconic fighting game franchise arrives, it will do so with three modes.
Players can look forward to the classic mode Fight Ground that delivers old-school Street Fighter action, the new World Tour mode where players have to fight their way to the top, and a Battle Hub for multiplayer hands, feet, and dragon punches can be exchanged.
Street Fighter 6 launches on PS5, Xbox Series X, PS4, and PC on June 2.
11. Suicide Squad: Kill The Justice League
Rocksteady Games gives Batman a break and gives players control of Task Force X in Suicide Squad: Kill The Justice League.
Technically, Batman is still around, but this time he’s on the wrong side of justice. In the game, players will control a team comprised of villains Harley Quinn, Captain Boomerang, Deadshot, and King Shark. Their mission will be to take down the Justice League, including “alpha target” Superman, The Flash, Batman, Green Lantern, and Wonder Woman.
The supes are all under the control of Brainiac, one of Superman’s many enemies.
Task Force X will look to do the impossible in Suicide Squad: Kill The Justice League when the game arrives on PS5, Xbox Series X, and PC on May 26.
12. Dead Island 2
Dead Island 2, the long-awaited follow-up to the 2011 game, has had its wig pushed back NUMEROUS times, so could this be the year the sequel finally comes out?
We hope so.
In Dead Island 2, the action RPG shifts from an island resort to sunny Los Angeles, where players can pick up whatever they want and use it as a weapon to eradicate the undead.
Dead Island 2 arrives on PS5, PS4, PC, Xbox Series X, and Xbox One on April 28, we hope.
13. Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty
Team Ninja, the studio behind the action RPG series Nioh is looking to shake up 2023 with Wo-Long: Fallen Dynasty, a Soulslike game described as a “dark fantasy action game set in the Chinese Three Kingdoms period.”
We played the extensive demo and enjoyed our time with the game. We can’t way to play more when the game drops on Xbox Series X, Xbox One, PS5, PS4, and PC on March 3. It will also be a day-one release on Xbox Game Pass.
14. Hogwarts Legacy
This might be the Harry Potter-themed game fans of the books and movies have longed for. Hogwarts Legacy will see players taking on the role of a student attending the fictional wizarding school during the 1800s, well before Harry Potter and his friends were born.
It’s an open-world adventure full of all the fantastic lore from the Harry Potter books and films. Whether fans will be able to look past the transphobic nonsense the series creator J.K. Rowling has been spewing and pick up the game is another story.
Hogwarts Legacy arrives on PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X on February 10.
15. Star Wars Jedi: Survivor
Cal Kestis’ adventure continues in Star Wars Jedi: Survivor, and he’s no longer the green Jedi on the run we first met. Equipped with new skills, some better lightsabers, loyal droid BD-1, and a new ally and friend, Kestis is trying to survive as Darth Vader and The Empire continue the mission to wipe the Jedi from the universe.
Unlike the first game, Survivor, which takes place five years after the events of Fallen Order, will be much darker in tone.
This sounds like the sequel we were hoping for. Star Wars Jedi: Survivor arrives on Xbox Series X, PS5, and PC on March 17.
HipHopWired Featured Video
Source: Future Publishing / Getty / PlayStation 5
The days of selling your kidneys and doing strange things for a PlayStation 5 are finally over. Allegedly.
Wednesday, Jan.4, during the company’s CES presentation, Sony boss Jim Ryan declared the PlayStation 5 jig is finally over.
“Everyone who wants a PS5 should have a much easier time finding one at retailers globally, starting from this point forward,” Ryan told CES attendees.
Ryan also said that Sony sold over 30 million PlayStation 5 consoles. That’s 5 million more than what was initially reported in November.
Are those consoles sitting in gamers’ entertainment systems is another question entirely.
Acquiring a PlayStation 5 deserves a platinum trophy, as many gamers found out when the next-gen console launched in November 2020. Not until August 2022 was it a tad bit easier to find a PS5, reportedly.
Still, finding a PS5 at retail price requires patience and a bit of luck, of course. The best way to get a PS5 console without dealing with scalpers is to buy the $550 disc drive edition that either comes with Horizon Forbidden West or God of War: Ragnarok.
That’s a steep asking price if you’re budget is set on copping the $399 digital edition of the PS5 console.
Ryan thanked PlayStation fans for their “managed unprecedented demand amid global challenges over the past two years.”
What’s PS5 Stock Looking Like?
We decided to do some investigating, and we checked Best Buy. It seems bundles are in high demand and requires a Best Buy account to purchase one.
Checking Gamestop says there are limited quantities of the Horizon Forbidden West digital, physical bundle, and digital edition console.
If you want to purchase a God of War: Ragnarok bundle, you have to be a pro-member, but it does seem that it is becoming “easier” to find one.
The real test will be if you can actually walk into a Best Buy or Gamestop location and walk out with a PS5 console.
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Photo: Future Publishing / Getty
HipHopWired Featured Video
Source: Burberry / Minecraft
Consider the lines between digital and physical to be blurred thanks to this new collaboration between icon British luxury brand Burberry and the insanely popular videogame Minecraft.
Burberry and Minecraft have teamed up for a new capsule collection available on Burberry’s website and in select retailers.
Gamers will also get to show off their self-expression with in-game items also.
Source: Burberry / Minecraft
The collection includes signature pieces like the iconic trench coat, hoodies, and other accessories that feature Minecraft-inspired prints.
“We are thrilled to be partnering with Minecraft to bring the Burberry brand story to life in such an immersive way,” said Phillip Hennche, Director of Channel Innovation at Burberry. “With a shared belief in adventure, community, and the power of creativity to open spaces, the natural synergy between both of our brands has allowed us to connect our respective worlds in a way that is unexpected and yet entirely natural. By coming together, we hope to connect communities and inspire our consumers with a whole new way to experience our brand.”
“We are excited to announce Minecraft’s first luxury goods collaboration with one of the most iconic fashion brands in the world, Burberry. Our capsule collection and exclusive in-game content bridges the digital and physical worlds through a celebration of adventure, exploration, and self-expression,” says Kayleen Walters, Head of Franchise Development at Mojang Studios. “Through our partnership, we will bring the joy of gaming to the world of luxury fashion and introduce new audiences to the endless creative possibilities within Minecraft.”
Source: Burberry / Minecraft
Minecraft Players Can Also Download Free Burberry-Inspired In-Game Content
The collaboration doesn’t end with real-world and virtual clothing. Minecraft players can also embark on a Burberry-inspired adventure as well.
“Burberry: Freedom to Go Beyond” will encourage players to “complete various outdoor challenges and interact with the animal kingdom.”
The new content also reflects the fashion brand and Minecraft’s appreciation of the wonder of nature. Both entities teamed up to protect naturescapes for the explorers of tomorrow.
Burberry and Minecraft will donate “to help protect 500,000 trees and plant 25,000 trees through environmental organization Conservation International and their forest conservation efforts around the world.”
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Photo: Burberry / Minecraft
HipHopWired Featured Video
Source: Neilson Barnard / Getty / Fortnite
Epic Games, the studio that gave us arguably the most popular game in the world, Fortnite, pockets got a bit lighter.
Spotted on Kotaku, Epic Games will have to dip into its funds and pay an astounding $520 million combined settlement after the FTC (Federal Trade Commission) found the company invaded kid’s privacy and was tricking some of its players into purchasing things in Fortnite, they didn’t want.
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The FTC announced the epic (no pun intended) penalty on Monday, Dec.19, pointing out that it is the most significant penalty in the history of the regulatory commission. In response to the fine, Epic Games said, “No developer creates a game with the intention of ending up here.”
So What Did Epic Games’ Do?
According to the FTC, the multi-billion dollar video game developer was making money off children without following the rules to protect them while playing online games.
One settlement was for Epic Games to collect information from Fortnite players under 13 and in-game settings that automatically turn on voice and text chat by default. That was considered a violation of the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Rule resulting in a $275 million fine and a commitment from Epic Games to change the default settings in Fortnite.
The second settlement was for using “dark patterns to trick players into making unwanted purchases.” According to the FTC, Epic accidentally made it easy to purchase skins and hard to locate the refund option.
The FTC also alleges that Epic Games sometimes banned accounts that could secure refunds leaving players locked out of the content they accidentally paid for. For its egregiousness, Epic Games put $245 million into a fund to help reimburse players for those accidental purchases.
Fortnite has made $9 billion, so this fine is just a slap on the wrist for Epic Games, but still, it’s a costly one.
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Photo: Neilson Barnard / Getty