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Source: SOPA Images / Getty / Grand Theft Auto 6
As we get closer to the big reveal of Grand Theft Auto 6, the hype for the highly-anticipated video game is so thick you can cut it with a knife.
GTA VI is trending on X, formerly known as Twitter, but this time around, the energy is much different. Unlike the other times the long-awaited sequel to GTA V trended, there is actual excitement now because a trailer for the game is on the horizon.
Rockstar Games confirmed a trailer is on the way following the equivalent of Woj Bomb in the video game space due to Bloomberg’s Jason Scheirer coming through with slam dunk reporting claiming the studio was dropping a trailer for the game.
In a post shared on X, formerly known as Twitter, Rockstar Games president Sam Houser wrote:
“We are very excited to let you know that in early December, we will release the first trailer for the next Grand Theft Auto. We look forward to many more years of sharing these experiences with all of you.”
Gamers React To GTA VI’s Trailer Coming In December
With that in mind and Thanksgiving and Black Friday now behind us, gamers have taken to Elon Musk’s trash platform to express how excited they are about GTA VI’s announcement being on the horizon.
“The only thing on my mind right now is #GTAVI December hurry up!!! Its gonna be game of the generation bruh….,” one post on X read.
Another post read, “I hope we get that #GTAVI trailer Friday but I’m expecting nothing until next week at least. Regardless, I can’t believe we’ve made it this close.”
We feel both posts and wonder when the trailer will drop in December.
There is a strong chance it could happen during the upcoming Game Awards.
We shall see.
Until then, hit the gallery below for more reactions.
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Photo: SOPA Images / Getty
2. Howling
3. The graphics will be mind-blowing
4. Not confirmed, but if true, this will be crazy.
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Source: Epic Games / Eminem x Fortnite Big Bang Event
Slim Shady is officially coming to Fortnite. Enimen and Epic Games confirmed the rapper will be a part of the upcoming “Big Bang” event in the extremely popular video game.
After a day of speculation, Fortnite and Eminem confirmed his existence in the game and will be a part of the Big Bang event to close out the highly successful Fortnite OG chapter.
Epic Games confirmed that Fortnite players will be greeted by a new Big Bang loading screen featuring the “Without Me” rapper in preparation for a virtual performance from the Detroit rapper.
Source: Epic Games / Fortnite / Eminem
Also, if you’re going to attend the event, you have to look the part, so of course, three Eminem-related skins will be available: Rap Boy, Slim Shady, and Marshall Never More, which also come with matching accessories.
The new looks, the latest edition to Fortnite’s “Icon Series,” will be available starting Wednesday, November 29, at 7 PM ET.
Source: Epic Games / Eminem x Fortnite Big Bang Event
Those who attend the Big Bang event will unlock the Marshall Magma Style for the outfit, whether you purchased the outfit before or after attending.
As expected, Eminem and Fortnite fans have been reacting to the news of the legendary rapper coming to the video game.
“imma be honest… Eminem in Fortnite will go hard,” one X user wrote.
You can see more reactions to the news in the gallery below.
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Photo: Epic Games / Fortnite Big Bang Event
1. Good question
2. Proper use of Em bars.
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Source: Insomniac Games / PlayStation / Dove
Black and Brown video game characters are constantly plagued with awful-looking generic hairstyles. Dove and Open Source Afro Source Hair Library to fix that glaring issue.
Did you know that 85% of Black gamers do not feel video games are coming up painfully regarding the representation of Black characters?
Did you also know that 74% of game developers really want to actively promote better representation?
Dove and Open Afro Source Hair Library are on a mission to fix the Black hair issue in video games with the launch of “Code My Crown,” the first complete and free guide about coding textured hair and protective styles specifically for video games.
Code My Crown aims to eliminate the tired excuse that Black hair is hard to emulate in games by providing coders and developers with an instructional guide allowing them to code more diverse and “true to life” hairstyles in 3D games.
As mentioned above, the guide is free to download at Dove.com/CodemyCrown. This site was also created to help increase diversity in the video game world.
Speaking on the lack of texture hairstyles in games, Isaac Olander, lead Code My Crown developer 3D Artist, said in a press release, “Out of hundreds of possible hairstyles to choose from in the video games I play most often, only a handful are textured hairstyles,”
Olander added, “I am personally grateful to the many talented artists that have selflessly shared their knowledge before me. Their generosity has shaped my artistic journey, and it feels incredibly rewarding to give back to our artistic community with this guide.”
What Is The Open Source Afro Hair Library?
Open Source Afro Hair Library features a bunch of Black creators, developers, and natural hair experts who point out the top textured and protective hairstyles that are always absent in video games.
Code My Crown also features 15 original hair sculpts created by international Black 3D artists, animators, programmers, and academics to help give developers a foundation to create better virtual hairstyles for Black characters.
Each sculpt has 360-degree image mapping, step-by-step instructions, and cultural context to help them create Black hairstyles in the game.
“In the real world, there is an incredible variety of Black hairstyles. But this is rarely reflected in the gaming world,” A.M. Darke, founder and lead Code My Crown contributor, said in the release. “When Black hair is absent from the games we play or are consistently low-quality, it communicates that Black players and our culture are an afterthought, that our stories aren’t worth telling.”
Black Hair In Video Games Has Been A Hot Topic Issue
In March, Kinda Funny’s Blessing Adeoye Jr. released a fantastic video highlighting the need for immediate fixes to Black hairstyles in video games.
The video notes there have been some strides.
For example, see Miles Morales’ crispy ceaser haircut in the above photo from Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales or his latest hairstyle in Marvel’s Spider-Man 2, but the issue in gaming is still glaring.
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We can still find some recently released games that provide users with subpar cornrows, afros, and other hair options that only Tyler Perry would use in his television shows or films.
However, we applauded Dove, the Open Source Afro Hair Library, the developers, and Blessing for bringing attention to this important issue.
Representation will always matter.
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Photo: Insomniac Games / PlayStation
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Source: Sony / PlayStation Portal
When the PlayStation Portal was officially unveiled, there were more skeptics than believers about the latest PlayStation accessory. Now that people have tried it, surprisingly, it is being well-received by many.
The PlayStation Portal is an unusual device. For $200, you’re basically getting the perfect PS5 companion device that truly puts the console’s Remote Play option to use better.
Of course, there are caveats; it doesn’t allow for cloud streaming, even though there are reports that the feature could be coming eventually. Another complaint is the lack of Bluetooth functionality.
Plenty of people have said you don’t need this device, given that you could use Remote Play on your smartphones and even connect your DualSense controller. Still, after using the PlayStation Portal leading up to its release, some reviewers are much more optimistic about the device than initially.
What Are The Critics Saying About The PlayStation Portal
Tech Radar’s Rob Dwiar had nothing but glowing words for the PlayStation Portal, giving it a perfect score in his review:
“Offering superb ergonomics as well as excellent design and build quality with all those exquisite DualSense controller features on top, this Remote Play beaut and its bright and sharp 8-inch LCD screen present a wonderful portable PS5 experience. … The Portal is not pretending to be anything else apart from a quality remote-play device for your PS5, and it absolutely nails its brief. As long as you come to it knowing what it does and what it can offer you, then it wholeheartedly, unabashedly, spectacularly succeeds.”
Surprising Skeptics
IGN’s Seth G. Macy had his issues with the device but overall was surprised by the PlayStation Portal after initially being skeptical about it, writing in his review:
“The PlayStation Portal is the most surprising device I’ve ever come away from loving after going in loaded with skepticism. It’s such a better experience than using your phone with a slap-on controller, and it works so much better than I was anticipating. I really love the freedom it gives me to play my PS5 from anywhere with decent WiFi coverage … The biggest things keeping the Portal from being a truly amazing device are its current lack of a way to access WiFi that requires a web browser to log in, and its lack of Bluetooth support for audio. [Grade: 8/10]”
A Perfect Gift For Gamers, But There Is Room For Improvement
Kotaku’s Jen Glennon praised the PlayStation Portal’s battery life, calling it “a solid sub-$200 gift option,” but also noted in her review that there is room for improvement with the Portal.
“While there are tweaks I’d like to see in the weeks and months ahead, I’ve been quite impressed with the time I’ve spent with Portal so far. I’ve played for about six hours on a single charge and still have a bar of battery life left to go. It’s a solid sub-$200 gift option for the gamer in your life who’s always hogging the TV when you’re trying to watch Vanderpump Rules or Monday Night Football.”
Some Are Meh On The PlayStation Portal
With the good, some people were always left feeling meh about the PlayStation Portal experience.
The Loadout’s Callum Self described his experience with PlayStation Portal as “enjoyable and disappointing” but noted in his review that it is the best way to use Remote Play.
“My overall time with the PlayStation Portal was both more enjoyable and disappointing than I expected. It’s certainly the best way to use Remote Play currently, by a long shot, and I’m sure I’ll be using it frequently in the future. But the washed-out screen, lack of cloud gaming support, and so-so battery life make me wish for a better, but unlikely, PlayStation Portal 2. [Grade: 5/10]”
No Reasonable Use For The PlayStation Portal
Then, of course, some just feel PlayStation swung and missed with the Portal. PC Mag’s Will Greenwald calls the Portal “just a screen sandwiched between a controller” and not worth the $200 price point.
“The screen works as intended, but the 1080p resolution looks fuzzier than most modern mobile devices. … The most baffling aspect of the Portal is its fundamental limitation. … I can’t see a reasonable use case for the Portal that wouldn’t be served more economically, and with a better screen, with many other devices. Ultimately, the Portal is just a screen sandwiched between a controller, and for $200, it should be more than that. [Grade: 2.5/5]”
Well, for the most part, people are high on the PlayStation Portal, but it sounds like this is a device for a very niche group of people, and those are the gamers who love Remote Play and hate using their smartphones to utilize it.
Will you be buying a PlayStation Portal? Let us know in the comment section below.
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Photo: Sony / PlayStation Portal
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Nearly 30 years after its release, Nintendo remastered the classic Super Nintendo game Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars.
Exclusively for Nintendo Switch, Super Mario RPG is priced at $57.99-$59.99 at Amazon, Best Buy, Walmart and Target. After saving Princess Peach from King Bowser, the Smithy Gang, led by an evil robotic blacksmith named Smithy, invades the Mushroom Kingdom and shatters the Star Road into seven pieces.
Nintendo
Super Mario RPG
As far as gameplay, you play as Mario and his friends — Princess Peach, Mallow, Geno and even Bowser — trying to defeat the gang and restore the Star Road to its former glory. The role-playing game has elements of turn-based combat with up to three characters, while it was heavily influenced by Final Fantasy, but in an isometric 3D platform game. Think of Super Mario RPG as Nintendo’s version of Final Fantasy, but with Mario and the Mushroom Kingdom.
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The Super Mario RPG remake has updated graphics that are brighter, colorful and modern, while audio is deeper and richer — specifically designed for the Nintendo Switch. It also has some new gameplay mechanics, like timed attacks and triple moves, that varies from different character groups, so it’s encouraged to mix and match between the five characters to discover new attacks and abilities.
Back in 1996, Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars was the first Mario RPG and the last Mario game released for the Super Nintendo. The game is very influential for Nintendo fans, as it paved the way for more role-playing games, such as the Paper Mario and Mario & Luigi series.
Super Mario RPG for Nintendo Switch is available at Amazon, Best Buy, Walmart and Target for $57.99-$59.99. In the meantime, watch a trailer for the game, below.
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Source: Sascha Schuermann / Getty / Amazon Games
While gamers are enjoying what might be the most remarkable year in gaming history, the people behind the scenes are enduring massive layoffs. Amazon is the latest company to let workers go.
Spotted on The Verge, Amazon announced, via a memo sent to employees by the VP of Amazon Games, Christoph Hartmann, that it would cut 180 jobs in its gaming division and make “some” changes to its games initiative.
The changes will see Amazon shut down its Crown Twitch channel and shutter its Game Growth effort, which helps game developers market their products, while “refocusing” its work with the free games it offers through its Prime Gaming service.
“We are proud of the work the teams have been doing, pushing into new areas with weekly content on Crown Channel and finding more ways to help publishers reach new audiences with Game Growth,” Hartmann said in the memo. “But after further evaluation of our businesses, it became clear that we need to focus our resources and efforts to deliver great games to players now and in the future.”
Speaking on the free games that are a beloved benefit to Amazon Prime subscribers, “We’ve listened to our customers, and we know delivering free games every month is what they want most, so we are refining our Prime benefit to increase our focus there,” Harmin added.
It’s A Spooky Time To Work In The Video Games Industry
These changes came after Amazon announced in April that over 100 staffers in Amazon’s games organization were let go.
This news joins the list of layoffs in the world of video games. Destiny 2 developer Bungie laid off dozens of staff, The Last of Us developer Naughty Dog cut developers in October, and Humble Games was also affected recently by layoffs.
Our thoughts are with all of the workers affected by these layoffs.
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Photo: Sascha Schuermann / Getty
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Source: NurPhoto / Getty / Sony / PS5 / PlayStation
Sony’s PS5 is on its way to being one of the company’s most successful consoles.
It was a successful quarter for Sony regarding PS5 sales. Spotted on Engadget, the company has sold 4.9 million PS5 units during its second financial quarter.
That number now brings the total of PS5 consoles sold to 46.6 million. While impressive is still short of last year’s holiday figures, Sony did manage to move 1.6 million units more than it did in the previous year.
The impressive numbers come as Sony (as well as Nintendo and Xbox) all struggled to keep up with the demand for its PS5 consoles due to global supply chain issues due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
As things slowly got back to “normal” and the shortages began to ease up, Sony was able to ramp up production on the PS5 console.
By the end of July 2023, Sony announced that more than 40 million PS5 units had been sold since the console hit shelves in November 2020.
Sony has set an ambitious target of shipping 25 million PS5 units in this financial year, but to achieve that goal, the company has to move 16.8 million more units.
While it seems like a bit of a stretch, according to Reuters reporting, Sony President Hiroki Totoki believes the goal is something his company “can attain very easily.”
The new “PS5 Slim” model due out this month could be that shot in the arm that Sony needs this holiday season to reach that goal, as the PS5 will surely be on the top of children’s and adult’s Christmas wishlists.
Sony Also Moved A Lot of Games
Hardware/consoles was not the only thing Sony talked about. The company sold 67.6 million games in the second quarter; 4.7 million were first-party titles.
The first-party numbers should also get a boost thanks to Insomniac Game’s Marvel’s Spider-Man 2, which the studio happily announced sold 5 million copies since launching exclusively on the PS5 console.
That’s quite a feat for a game, not Grand Theft Auto or Call of Duty, which launches on multiple consoles.
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Photo: NurPhoto / Getty
All products and services featured are independently chosen by editors. However, Billboard may receive a commission on orders placed through its retail links, and the retailer may receive certain auditable data for accounting purposes.
The third installment in the reboot series Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III drops on Friday, Nov. 10
Ready for pre-order for $69.99 at Amazon, Best Buy, Walmart and Target, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III — for current generation consoles PS5, Xbox Series X, as well as previous generation PS4 and Xbox One — is a first-person shooter with open-world elements from Sledgehammer Games and Activision. Modern Warfare III is the reboot of 2011’s Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3.
Modern Warfare III follows a multinational special operations unit called Task Force 141. The unit is on the trail of Vladimir Makarov, a Russian ultranationalist and terrorist who wants to start World War III. Task Force 141 must stop him and his roaming armies.
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The game has 16 base maps from the previous installment Modern Warfare II, and also features a new special Zombie Mode that’s open world — a first for any Call of Duty game. Players can select linear missions, which are straightforward and on rails, or “Open Combat Missions,” which are open world. And of course, Modern Warfare III has online multiplayer with up to 24 players at once.
One of the best features is “Carry Forward,” which imports inventory from Modern Warfare II to Modern Warfare III. This is ideal for those who don’t want to spend the time to re-collect or upgrade their weapons and gear.
Additionally, Standard and Cross-Gen are the two editions of the game that are available. First is the Standard Edition, which just has the game. The second is the Cross-Gen Edition, which has the game itself and five different content packs, which includes early access, new locations, new missions, new characters and more — all unlocked.
Dropping on Nov. 10, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III comes out for PS5, Xbox Series X, PS4 and Xbox One, and is available for pre-order for $69.99 each. In the meantime, watch a trailer for the game, below.
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Source: Dia Dipasupil / Getty / Snoop Dogg / Cordell Broadus
Snoop Dogg is looking to do more than give out Death Row chains since acquiring the iconic music label. He is teaming up with his son, Cordell Broadus, to help put minority creators and gamers on the map.
Spotted on HypeBeast, the iconic Hip-Hop star and his seed are working together to give minority creators and artists a platform to develop and publish on Fortnite using the company’s Unreal Editor.
Broadus made the dope announcement while speaking at AFROTECH.
Per HypeBeast:
“We’ve been creating games, and none of them has been published anything on a huge scale, but on a very amateur level,” Broadus told AFROTECH. “We’ve been around games for the last five to six years. And Snoop, he’s done mobile games. A few of them in the past five to six years in apps and stuff like that. So we’ve always had the mindset of building it on our own.”
He added, “We felt like let’s really put resources into building Death Row Games and making a home for diverse creators in the gaming ecosystem and be a part of the narrative, the storytelling of what the next game should be looking like. And I keep saying ‘show representation of the culture in these sectors,’ versus us just being the talent. We wanted to make sure that we’re part of the decision that’s being made and more importantly tell these stories from diverse creators and focus on creatives in underserved communities.
Calvin Broadus Is Excited To Work With His Dad
“I think it’s dope for a father and a son to be working together for one, and for two he’s 51 years old. So he may be out of touch with some of these things.” He continued, “And I’m always there to keep him up to speed and translate information to him in a tone that he can understand. I think that’s more important… but just as much as I’m giving him game he’s given me the keys to make these decisions with a IP as big as his.”
Salute to both of them. We hope Death Row Gaming accomplishes its mission by opening the doors for Black and Brown creators in the video game space.
Photo: Dia Dipasupil / Getty
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Source: SOPA Images / Getty / GTA 6
GTA 6 trends on X, formerly known as Twitter, almost every month, and usually, it’s for no good reason. Well, that finally changed last night, and gamers have a reason to be very excited.
It’s happening, it’s finally happening. After years of silence and one massive leak, Rockstar Games is ready to unveil Grand Theft Auto IV, promising to share a trailer of the highly anticipated game.
The news was first revealed via bombshell exclusive reporting from Bloomberg’s Jason Scheirer, and it was officially confirmed with a post on X from Rockstar Games, who is notoriously quiet about upcoming projects.
“We are very excited to let you know that in early December, we will release the first trailer for the next Grand Theft Auto. We look forward to many more years of sharing these experiences with all of you,” said Rockstar Games president Sam Houser.
Leading up to this long-awaited day, word on the video game streets is that GTA 6 would feature its first female protagonist and will be influenced by Bonnie and Clyde while possibly returning to Vice City, Grand Theft Auto’s fictional spin on Miami.
It’s been no secret that Rockstar Games has been working on GTA 6 while continuing to add content to Grand Theft Auto Online, which launched alongside Grand Theft Auto V, which astonishingly came out in 2013 and has lived on three console generations.
GTA V is also one of the most profitable pieces of entertainment, bringing in more cash than any film or book since.
So, it should come as no shock that Rockstar Games took its sweet time making GTA IV.
Gamers Can Finally Rest: GTA 6 Is No Longer A Rumor
As expected, the video game world has been beaming with excitement at the news, knowing they are going to the first official look at Grand Theft Auto 6.
“No more GTA 6 rumors, we can finally rest,” one person said on X.
“The GTA 6 reveal rumours are finally over,” Tom Henderson tweeted.
We will be sharing that news when it officially drops. Until then, you can peep more reactions in the gallery below.
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Photo: SOPA Images / Getty
1. We feel you
2. The accuracy
3. Yes please
