State Champ Radio HHW Gaming
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HipHopWired Featured Video
Source: Blizzard Entertainment / Diablo IV
Still on the fence about entering Sanctuary and taking down Lilith? Well, thanks to Xbox Free Play Days, you can take the game for a spin without opening your wallet.
Diablo IV is currently in its second season, The Season of Blood, and many players have already taken down the game’s big bad Lillith, but many still have not yet experienced the greatness that is Diablo IV.
Kicking off on Thursday, October 19, Xbox Free Play Days gives gamers a chance to play 10 hours of Diablo IV for free, and when the trial is up, buy the game for 25% off.
Players will have access to Diablo IV’s content, and your progress will carry over if you purchase the game.
In our review of Diablo IV, our resident gamer, Beanz, wrote, “I’ve been through hell and back and enjoyed every minute of my hellishly addictive journey in Diablo IV.”
Diablo IV Is Rewarding Players In A Unique Way
In more Diablo IV news, players are encouraged to donate real blood to save lives and earn in-game rewards to celebrate the Season of Blood.
The new season sees Lord Zir use his Blood Seekers to raid the Sanctuary to procure blood for him using Blood Harvest rituals where players must defeat mini-bosses.
Diablo offers players in the United States residents a chance to donate “666 quarts of actual donated blood (equaling around 1,332 separate donations, with 1 pint per donation) into in-game rewards, while ultimately helping to save lives.”
Once the goal is reached, players who donated and those who didn’t will be entered in a contest to win a new custom-built PC infused with real human blood in its liquid cooling, which pays tribute to the game.
Well damn.
Here is a breakdown of the giveaway:
Tier 1: At 33% participation of the total 666-quart goal, all players will receive weapon cosmetics which include:
Dagger – Bloodpetal Anlace
Axe – Bloodpetal Sever
Necro Offhand – Bloodpetal Heart
Sword – Bloodpetal Blade
Druid Staff – Bloodpetal Bludgeon
Tier 2: At 66% participation, all players will receive the aforementioned rewards plus The Loch Raeth Maor Barbarian armor set.
Tier 3: At 100% participation, all players will receive the aforementioned rewards plus the Vermilion Eye Piebald mount, and the custom real human blood-infused PC sweepstakes will become available to enter.
So what are you waiting for? Download the gamer and start a journey in Sanctuary to spill some demon blood and guts.
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Photo: Blizzard Entertainment / Diablo IV
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Source: NurPhoto / Getty / PS5 / PlayStation 5
Cloud streaming on the PS5 is finally here, and it could alleviate one major headache when utilizing space on your console.
In a recent blog post, Sony broke bread about the cloud streaming feature now available for PlayStation Plus Premium subscribers.
Information about the new feature, including bandwidth recommendations, stands out the most and is not as demanding as some believed it would be.
Per the blog post, Sony recommends 52Mbps for 4K, 38Mbps for 1440p, 23Mbps for 1080p, and 13Mbps for 720p. The recommended settings sit at HDR or SDR at 60Hz; at minimum, the bandwidth drops to 5Mbps for 720p and 38Mbps for 4K.
Another notable tidbit from the blog post is the information we were already privy to: you can only stream PS5 games on your PS5 console.
No games can be streamed on the soon-to-be-released PlayStation Portal companion device, which only allows you to play games over Wi-Fi locally.
Cloud streaming is currently available in Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Republic of Cyprus, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, and the United States.
PlayStation Plus Premium subscribers in Japan enjoy the new features, while European subscribers will see it go live on October 23, and folks in the United States have to wait till October 30.
This could be a helpful game-changer for PS5 console owners and make the PlayStation Plus Premium subscription look even more attractive and worth its asking price.
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Photo: NurPhoto / Getty
HipHopWired Featured Video
Source: NurPhoto / Getty / Grand Theft Auto
Finally, there is some Grand Theft Auto news; unfortunately, it has nothing to do with GTA 6.
According to a Wall Street Journal report, Netflix Games is trying hard to secure a Grand Theft Auto game on its service in an attempt to bolster its lineup of original games after acquiring several development studios.
The WSJ reports that Netflix Games “discussed plans” to drop a Grand Theft Auto game on its service by securing a licensing deal with Rockstar Games parent company, Take-Two Interactive.
What would that game look like? That remains to be seen, but according to IGN, it will likely be a mobile title.
Per IGN:
As things now stand, any GTA spin-off that ended up on Netflix would inevitably be a mobile game, as currently the only way to play Netflix’s portfolio is through its mobile app. The report suggests that Netflix hopes to eventually expand its library to include games that can be streamed from TV or PC.
According to one analyst speaking to the WSJ, Netflix has spent about $1 billion on games so far. And it seems to be aiming to hire more game executives to oversee a foray into AAA titles. But there’s currently no good way to tell exactly how well that investment is paying off for the company, or whether it ever will.
Netflix Games Is A Pure Struggle
It’s clear Netflix is looking for a win for its Netflix Games service. Since launching in 2022, the service has yet to take off. IGN reports that 20 games on the service have been downloaded 70.5 million times.
That’s a drop in the bucket compared to other mobile game downloads. Apptopia claims only 1% of Netflix subscribers enjoy Netflix Games daily.
We shall see if Netflix Games can land its golden goose.
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Photo: NurPhoto / Getty
HipHopWired Featured Video
Source: Microsoft / Xbox / Activision Blizzard
After months of court battles, unfortunate document leaks, and social media discourse, Microsoft can officially welcome Activision Blizzard into the fold.
Call of Duty, Diablo, Overwatch, World of Warcraft, Starcraft, Candy Crush, and other titles have a new home: Xbox. Friday, October 13, Xbox Wire shared a post announcing the news Team Xbox has been waiting months, if not years, to hear the $69 billion Activision Blizzard acquisition is a done deal.
Phil Spencer happily announced in the blog post that Xbox is now working on bringing Activision Blizzard’s library of games to Game Pass.
“Today we start the work to bring beloved Activision, Blizzard, and King franchises to Game Pass and other platforms. We’ll share more about when you can expect to play in the coming months. We know you’re excited – and we are too,” Spencer said.
PlayStation & Nintendo Gamers, Y’all Are Safe… For Now
The Xbox Chief also reassured the millions of gamers on other platformers.
“For the millions of fans who love Activision, Blizzard, and King games, we want you to know that today is a good day to play,” he said. “You are the heart and soul of these franchises, and we are honored to have you as part of our community. Whether you play on Xbox, PlayStation, Nintendo, PC or mobile, you are welcome here – and will remain welcome, even if Xbox isn’t where you play your favorite franchise. Because when everyone plays, we all win. We believe our news today will unlock a world of possibilities for more ways to play. Thank you for the ongoing support. We have so much more to come in the months ahead – I’m excited for the future and cannot wait to share it with you.”
With the deal finally closing, that doesn’t mean Call of Duty and Diablo are going to Game Pass immediately. Activision Blizzard made it clear that Modern Warfare 3 and Diablo IV would not be on the gaming streaming service.
Call of Duty Is Coming To Ubisoft+
But thanks to a deal with Ubisoft granting the publisher cloud streaming rights, which helped Xbox secure the deal, Ubisoft announced Call of Duty and other Activision Blizzard games will be coming to Ubisoft+.
“In August, Ubisoft announced an agreement with Microsoft granting the publisher the perpetual cloud streaming rights for Call of Duty and all other current Activision Blizzard games and those released over the next 15 years once Microsoft’s acquisition of Activision Blizzard is complete,” the blog post begins.
Sayonara Bobby Kotich
Also, with the news of the deal closing, current problematic Activision Blizzard CEO Bobby Kotick is on his way out. In an email to his employees, he announced he is staying until the end of 2023 to help with the transition period.
“I have long said that I am fully committed to helping with the transition,” says Kotick in the email to Activision Blizzard employees. “Phil has asked me to stay on as CEO of ABK, reporting to him, and we have agreed that I will do that through the end of 2023. We both look forward to working together on a smooth integration for our teams and players.”
Congrats to Team Xbox and Activision Blizzard.
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Photo: Microsoft / Xbox / Activision Blizzard
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Source: Sony / InZone Buds
Not to be outdone by its own new PlayStation Pulse Explore earbuds, Sony has unveiled a pair of new Inzone Buds geared explicitly towards gamers.
Sony Electronics is dropping a pair of $199 InZone Gaming Buds, the company’s first pair of gaming-focused wireless earbuds.
When the Inzone Buds arrive (available for pre-order today), Sony promises to deliver exceptional battery life (up to 12 hours of use) and audio at the lowest latency possible.
While not specifically made for the PlayStation 5 console, the InZone Buds will pair with your PS5, the new “PS5 Slim,” PCs, and mobile devices.
Most users will connect using the provided dongle that Sony boasts will cut latency to below 30 milliseconds. For users with the latest Android smartphone, you can use Bluetooth LE Audio.
Source: Sony / InZone Buds
360 Spatial Audio is also an option in the new InZone Buds. The Verge reports setting that all up will require a series of steps that have to be taken.
Per The Verge:
Sound Field Optimization creates a personalized hearing profile by taking photos of the user’s ears using the 360 Spatial Sound Personalizer smartphone app. The InZone Buds go one step further through the Sound Tone Personalization feature, individualized to the ear canal by playing test sounds from the driver units and using feedback microphones to measure how the sound fills the ear canal. Based on the acoustic analysis, the sound is then uploaded onto the InZone Hub PC software, where further personalization can be done to curate a truly personalized spatial listening experience with unparalleled spatial sound precision.
The Fit
As far as comfort, Sony claims the InZone Buds are designed to provide the wearer with a comfortable fit over extending gaming sessions.
The company achieves this goal by designing the buds to reduce the pressure on the wearer’s ears while using them. There are four sets of silicone ear tips, including an extra small sizing because no ear is the same.
Source: Sony / InZone Buds
Can The InZone Buds Be Used For Music & Movies
The Verge reports the InZone Buds that you can use them InZone Buds for other forms of entertainment, but Sony says it has designed them to improve your gaming experience.
Active noise-cancellation is also available to completely immerse you in whatever you may be doing while using the InZone Buds.
The InZone Buds are now available for pre-order and will ship sometime in November.
For more photos, hit the gallery below.
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Photo: Sony / InZone Buds
1. Sony InZone Buds
Source:InZone Buds
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Source: Sony / PlayStation 5 / PS5 Slim
The rumors of Sony dropping a new PS5 model were true, but it’s not the “Pro Model” everyone was anticipating.
On Tuesday, October 10, Sony hit everyone with a big surprise when it unveiled a new, slimmer PS5 model. The new model dubbed the “PS5 Slim,” is slightly smaller and shorter than the original PlayStation 5 disc and all-digital model.
What’s New?
The new PS5 Slim is not only changing esthetically but will also have some improvements. It will also come with a much-needed 1TB of internal storage, and for owners of the new slim all-digital model, a detachable Ultra HD Blu-Ray drive will be available.
The new PlayStation 5 console boasts a significant overall reduction in volume of more than 30 percent and an up to 24 percent reduction in weight, depending on what console you purchase.
There is now a significant bulge on the side where the disc drive is that Sony says you can replace with a side panel if you’re not feeling the look.
Source: Sony / PlayStation 5
“There are four separate cover panels, with the top portion in a glossy look, while the bottom remains in matte,” Sid Shuman, senior director of SIE content communications, notes while speaking on the new console’s design in a blog post.
For those who purchase the PS5 Digital Edition, you can buy the Blu-ray disc drive later for $79.99. There are now visible slits on the console, giving it a much more sleeker look.
Gone is the single USB-C and USB-A ports. Instead, dual USB-C ports will be on the front of the console.
Source: Sony / PlayStation 5
Unlike the previous model, the new PlayStation 5 model will have a new horizontal stand. You have to dish out $29.99 separately if you want a vertical one.
Source: Sony / PlayStation 5
Price & Release Date
Source: Sony / PlayStation 5
The new PS5 model will arrive in North America in November at select retailers and Sony’s PlayStation Direct site for $449.99 without a drive or $499.99 with one.
Shuman says that the new PS5 model “will continue to roll out globally in the following months,” says Shuman. “Once inventory of the current PS5 model has sold out, the new PS5 will become the only model available.”
The announcement of the new PS5 model comes after an Insider Gaming report hinting at the tech giant working on a PS5 console with a detachable drive.
It also follows the massive Xbox leak revealing Microsoft’s plans to drop a “console refresh” of the Xbox Series X.
As you can imagine, the video game world is reacting to the news.
You can see those reactions in the gallery below.
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Photos: Sony
1. Interesting
2. Talk Yo Shi*t
3. The price hike does suck.
HipHopWired Featured Video
Source: Atari / Save Mary
Blow the dust off your old Atari 2600 console. Apparently, there are still new games coming out for it.
The Atari 2600 first arrived in homes in 1977 and is nearly 50 years old, ceasing production in 1992, but that’s not stopping Atari from making games for the iconic console.
Spotted on the company’s website, Atari dropped two limited edition physical cartridges for Save Mary and Outlaw.
Atari reveals Save Mary was a victim of the 1983 game crash, keeping it from being released until now. Tod Frye developed the game that “will keep you on your toes as you build a platform that Mary can use to escape the flooding canyon. Use the crane to carefully lower the different blocks and piece together a platform that Mary can safely stand on — but be careful! If you swing or drop a block carelessly, you may end up crushing poor Mary.”
Outlaw Was Also Announced
Unlike Save Mary, Outlaw did see a release, first arriving in arcades in 1976 before coming to the Atari 2600 in 1978. The game was initially allowed for only a single gunslinger before the home version was optimized for two players.
The description for Outlaw reads:
Based on the 1976 Atari arcade game of the same name, Outlaw is an exciting game for one or two players set in the wild west. While the original arcade game only allowed for a single gunslinger, the Atari 2600 version released in 1978 gives you the option to play alone, where you can practice your aim against moving targets, or against another gunslinger in a contest to see who can first score ten hits against the other player.
As of this writing, both games are sold out. Who knows, there could be more games on the way.
But we are sure you can find them for resale and add them to your collection to play on the Atari 2600+ mini console coming in November.
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Photo: Atari
HipHopWired Featured Video
Source: Visual Concepts / NBA 2K24
Visual Concepts and 2K Sports set up NBA 2K24 with the perfect alley-oop pass with NBA 2K23, but sadly, they couldn’t throw it down for the spectacular finish.
Like the Madden NFL video game franchise, Visual Concepts’s NBA 2K video games are in a very unique position, being the only officially licensed basketball video game on the market.
The last time the NBA 2K franchise had to worry about some competition was in 2018, when EA dropped NBA Live 2018, the last time we would see an NBA Live video game on consoles.
The NBA 2K franchise has been a model of consistency and as dominant as the Jordan-led Chicago Bulls, Kobe and Shaq Lakers, and the Golden State Warriors, but as of recently, fans have grown weary of the games.
The biggest complaints as of late are that the games don’t bring any significant improvements and are nothing but rehashes of the games from the previous year with a fresh coat of paint.
It’s the same complaints Madden NFL fans have expressed about those games.
While Madden has taken a knee with its latest games on next-gen consoles, the NBA 2K franchise gave us hope with their first three entries on the PS5 and Xbox Series X. We hoped that would continue with NBA 2K24, and on paper, it seemed we were getting an improvement from 2K23, but sadly that is not the case.
This is a letdown, especially for a game that features the late Kobe Bryant on the cover.
The Mamba Moments Mode Is Fun But Feels Empty At The Same Time
Source: 2K Sports / Visual Concepts / NBA 2K24
There are still many other memorable moments you get to relive in the game, BUT it’s glaring that you can’t relive Kobe’s 81-point performance against the Toronto Raptors.
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Source: Microsoft / Xbox Series X ‘Brooklin’
Another massive leak, spilling some juicy Xbox details, has the video game world buzzing.
An FTC leak has produced documents detailing some of Xbox’s future plans and another massive acquisition. The biggest news from the leak was that Xbox plans to drop what it calls a “console refresh” of the Xbox Series X called ‘Brooklin.’
It has been confirmed that it was Microsoft were the one’s who “leaked” the information after accidentally loading it onto a government website, per Bloomberg’s reporting.
Anyway, Brooklin is a new Xbox Series X console version that ditches the original “box shape” small fridge look for a new circular design plus a much-needed increased internal storage of 2TB.
Gamesradar reports that the “console refresh” will have the same price as the previous console with tweaks like a faster wireless connection, more storage as mentioned above, eco-friendly features to reduce the console’s carbon footprint, ditching the disc drive, and even an updated controller that could finally bring it on par, or close to the greatness that is the PS5’s DualSense controller.
The new controller, code-named Sebille, is “more immersive” and will feature gyro support, Bluetooth 5.2, and a direct Cloud connection. There will also be “precision haptic feedback” that doubles as speakers.
“Improved longevity” is also a feature of the Sebille controller, thanks to new modular thumbsticks.
According to the leaks, the controller will launch sometime in August 2024, around the same time as E3 2024, when the company was set to reveal its latest offerings to the video game world.
There are also plans for an Xbox Series S refresh due in August, with the Brooklin console coming in late October, right in time for Black Friday and the Christmas shopping season.
Phil Spencer Was Dreaming of Video Game Domination
The new console and controller weren’t the only news about the FTC leak. According to leaked emails, Xbox Chief Phil Spencer wanted to bring Nintendo into the Xbox ecosystem.
In the August 2020 email sent right before Microsoft bought Bethesda’s parent company ZeniMax, Spencer called a possible acquisition of Nintendo “a career moment.”
Spencer’s lust didn’t stop there. He also expressed interest in Steam owner Valve and Warner Bros’ collection of game studios like Mortal Kombat developer NetherRealm Studios and Rocksteady, the game studio behind the Batman Arkham Series.
Per IGN:
“Nintendo is THE prime asset for us in gaming and today gaming is our most likely path to consumer relevance,” Spencer wrote in the email.
“I’ve had numerous conversations with the LT of Nintendo about tighter collaboration and feel like if any US company would have a chance with Nintendo we are probably in the best position.”
However, Spencer outlined a number of blocks on the merger, including the fact Nintendo seemed uninterested in selling up. Nintendo is “sitting on a big pile of cash”, Spencer said, and was apparently happy with its current position. As a result, Spencer said he couldn’t “see an angle” on a buyout in the short term, adding: “I don’t think a hostile action would be a good move… so we are playing the long game.”
Well damn.
You can see more reactions to the leaks in the gallery below.
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Photo: Microsoft / Xbox Series X ‘Brooklin’
2. Interesting
3. Looks like Tom was right.
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Source: Trolli Candy / PUBG: Battlegrounds
Trolli Candy links up with PUBG: Battlegrounds for a delicious collaboration that also adds flavor to your Battlegrounds experience.
Announced on National Video Games Day, the first-ever partnership between the gummy candy company and popular video game invites gamers to join the Sour Brite Squad.
The collaboration will see four collectible Trolli x PUBG packs featuring iconic PUBG characters on retailers’ shelves nationwide until December.
Gamers will get their hands on the yummy gummies and access exclusive in-game content, including custom Trolli character skins adorned with Trolli’s sour neon Trolli worms.
Source: Trolli Candy / PUBG
“More than 50 percent of Trolli consumers identify as avid gamers, so we know that our Trolli brand is closely connected to the culture,” said Hope Hruska, Brand Manager for Trolli. “We’re always looking for unexpected ways to show up for the gaming community, which is why we’re excited to merge Trolli’s neon brite world with PUBG: BATTLEGROUNDS and bring to life iconic elements of the game that gamers have never seen before.”
PUBG: Battleground players can grab the in-game content when purchasing four specially marked packs of Trolli gummies, including:
You can see more photos from the collaboration in the gallery below.
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Photo: Trolli Candy / PUBG: Battlegrounds
1. Trolli Candy x PUBG
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