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Elon Musk made Tesla stock spike with hint the company will go private
Maybe Twitter user Elon Musk thought he was being funny with a terrible pot joke, or maybe he was serious. Either way, the Tesla CEO just sent the company's stock soaring after a tweet. He said he might take the company private again after the stock hits $420 (which, if you're unaware, is a weed reference).
YouTube cancels Pewdiepie's original series after anti-Semitic jokes
Just hours after Disney-owned Maker Studios severed ties with Felix "Pewdiepie" Kjellberg for broadcasting anti-semitic messages, the Swedish-born vlogger has now lost support from another key supporter: YouTube. A company spokesperson confirmed today that the second season of Kjellberg's original series Scare PewDiePie has been cancelled, meaning it will not appear on the YouTube Red subscription service.
No, SoundCloud didn't remove a silent track for violating copyright
On November 22nd, artist collective DJ Detweiler posted a screenshot of a message from SoundCloud that said its track, "John Cage - 4'33 (DJ DETWEILER REMIX)," had been removed because it appeared to contain copyrighted content. The joke here is that the original "4'33"" is completely silent and a remix would supposedly be just as soundless. DJ Detweiler shared the image with the caption, "MADE A NEW REMIX TODAY, SOMEHOW THIS HAPPENED," and tagged a handful of music publications. The story was picked up online with headlines decrying SoundCloud's over-reach of copyright law and the absurdity of content-protection algorithms.However, DJ Detweiler's "remix" wasn't silent at all, according to SoundCloud. "The upload referenced in the screenshot was not a track of silence and was taken down because it included Justin Bieber's 'What Do You Mean' without the rightsholder's permission," the company says.
An Android is urinating on the Apple logo in Google Maps (update)
Google and Apple have always had their differences, but a new Easter egg inside Google Maps has just taken their rivalry to a whole new level. As spotted by Team Android, if you head to these coordinates with the regular Map view enabled, you'll see Google's iconic Android mascot taking a leak on the Apple logo. At the moment, it's unclear who created this little piece of mischief and whether Google is taking action. But if this hidden message is any indication, it was snuck through by a member of the public using Google's Map Maker service, rather than a Google employee. Regardless, it's a crazy (and pretty hilarious) addition that's sure to rile some of the employees in Cupertino. Shots fired!
Funcom yanks mankini costume from The Secret World
Players who logged in this week to The Secret World might have noticed that there was a new male costume option in the game store: a neon green mankini that covered very, very little. However, those who purchased said mankini discovered the costume gone today, as Funcom pulled the April Fools' Day outfits from characters' dressing rooms, refunded the points spent on them, and gave each previous owner a free mystery box. While there was no explanation as to why the outfit was removed, Funcom apologized for the handling of the joke on the forums: "You may or may not be aware, but the mankini was removed. Anyone that purchased the item has been refunded points and has received a mystery box for the inconvenience. However, if you had purchased points in order to buy the mankini, you can contact customer service for a refund of those points. We're terribly sorry for the trouble, folks. Our CS staff will be happy to help."
The Daily Grind: What was your favorite April Fools' Day prank?
You might not have noticed, but yesterday was April Fools' Day, and in the MMO industry that means a lot of studios blowing off steam by being abnormally silly and trying to trick players with weird promises. Some people like the goofs, some don't, but I'm willing to bet that there was at least one that got your nod of approval. So what was your favorite April Fools this year? Did you get genuinely tricked by anything or find yourself laughing in delight at the cleverness of developers? Every morning, the Massively bloggers probe the minds of their readers with deep, thought-provoking questions about that most serious of topics: massively online gaming. We crave your opinions, so grab your caffeinated beverage of choice and chime in on today's Daily Grind!
Sega launches 'Rappy Bird' [April Fools!]
There's an element of cruelty to some of the most memorable April Fool's jokes, and Sega's prank this year is among the cruelest. Responding to years of Phantasy Star Online 2 localization requests from diehard fans, Sega has released Rappy Bird, an online clone of the mobile hit Flappy Bird starring Phantasy Star's iconic Rag Rappy character. Surely you remember Rappies -- they're those little bird guys that you slayed by the thousands in Phantasy Star Online. Rappy Bird itself is unremarkable, since it was obviously put together quickly and is too difficult to enjoy, but at least there's a 3D mode. Fans still hoping for a localized release of Phantasy Star Online 2 may want to keep an eye out for an upcoming English-language version hitting southeast Asian territories this year. The fact that Sega of America is acknowledging Phantasy Star after letting the series lie fallow for several years could be seen as a promising development, however. [Image: Sega]
Guild Wars 2 inflates your character's head
So everyone thought that Guild Wars 2 was just going to do Super Adventure Box again. But no, this year is going a different route. After all, you're super important in the game, aren't you? So why not let all of that importance go straight to your cranium? The designers have turned on the game's big head mode, and it's probably going to significantly improve your experience within the game as a whole. Maybe. Who knows, it could happen. The point is that the super adventure is now in your skull, which is greatly engorged, and you can log into the game right now to start playing with the biggest head your character has ever had in Tyria. Bigger even than Trahearne's head! Check out the full infographic on the update just past the break (click for a larger version) and enjoy the new visuals as you head into battle. [Source: ArenaNet press release]
Netflix mocks Amazon Prime Air with hilarious 'Drone 2 Home' video
Netflix's not-Qwikster DVD-by-mail business doesn't get the same amount of attention as the company's streaming arm, but as this video (embedded after the break) shows, it still has some imagination. Dug up by Hacking Netflix, the Drone 2 Home demo video imagines Netflix's famous red envelopes being delivered by quadcopter -- wherever you may be (camping, in the office, in the bathroom -- wherever). Posted by a couple of employees, it was apparently produced for the DVD division's annual meeting. We're still not sure if Jeff Bezos' holiday-timed Amazon Prime Air drone-delivery reveal was anything more than a publicity stunt, but GM Hank Breeggemann's tongue is firmly in cheek as he announces Netflix's "return to our creative roots." Of course, there are some drawbacks to spending "literally days" working out the bugs -- but you'll have to watch to find out.
FlapMMO brings non-combat gameplay to new heights
For years, players have sought MMOs that truly offered a combat-free experience. FlapMMO, a massively multiplayer version of the sadly defunct Flappy Bird (not officially sanctioned), is that rare gem that delivers precisely that. In fact, it delivers everything you could ask for in the genre -- no combat, no levels, and a wide-open world to simply explore. It even offers exclusively horizontal progression (since that's the way the screen scrolls, you can't go backward). If all this sounds too good to be true, you should consider also the fact that the game is entirely free-to-play without so much as a cash shop. Chat functions are currently limited, as is character customization, but there's no word from the developer on whether or not this is part of the design or something that will be addressed in the first expansion. You might want to consider giving this wide-open combat-free exploration simulator a try if you've got some free time on your hands.
The Soapbox: The horror of embargoes
We're right on the cusp of one big holiday or another. Festivus, I think? I don't really pay attention to the calendar. So we're going to take this opportunity to talk about something near and dear to our hearts that a lot of you don't even know exists because you aren't working here. It's the magical miracle known as the press embargo. Embargoes work something like this. Let's say that Bungie is hard at work developing My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic Online, and the company wants to reveal a new piece of information on August 9th. The company sends a lot of different press outlets a release with all of the information on August 2nd, mentioning exactly when the embargo lifts. So on August 9th, everyone can cover it at the same time! It sounds like a great way to ensure that the press knows things in advance and that every big revelation is nicely coordinated across all media. In practice, though, it's something less than beneficial due to failures to communicate and the very nature of the beast. Giving more time between the information and release just means more space for things to go wrong.
Samsung unveils plans for new campus shaped like a figure 8, insists it liked open interior gardens before Apple
Just days after Apple's plans for a massive new campus scored the approval of the Cupertino City Council, Samsung showed off its own design for a brand-new campus that will house its consumer electronics business. The design elements include curved corridors, glassy walls, large outdoor seating areas and the signature open garden in its interior. The structure has been named "Campus 8." In a press release, Samsung was quick to point out that it had plans for such a structure "for years," and the reveal "is in no way a response to any recent announcements made by any other high-profile tech company named after a fruit." According to a reliable source, Samsung is waiting to see what type of trees Apple plants in its garden before making an official flora announcement of its own. Psst... this is a joke, ok?
Why World of Warcraft passed on April Fools' Day this year
World of Warcraft usually puts together some pretty ornate pranks for the first of April. It's hard to forget about the console version of Molten Core, the Bard class, or the Tinfoil Hat. This year, fans were treated to... well, nothing. That's a pretty dramatic departure, and it prompted community manager Zarhym to take to the field and answer the obvious question about why no one got to have a laugh this year. Zarhym explains that there were two main causes, the first being that the team simply hadn't come up with a joke that really stuck despite several ideas being bandied about. Add to that the fact that the team members usually responsible for assembling these jokes were otherwise occupied, and they were left without a joke and without people to implement the gag. So this year will go down as being sadly bereft of foolery from Blizzard.
Listen to the entire Guild Wars 2 Super Adventure Box soundtrack
Enjoying your Super Adventure Box groove in Guild Wars 2? Then you've probably noticed the kicking 8-bit tunes as well. ArenaNet Composers Maclaine Diemer and Leif Chappelle put together 26 minutes of brand-new (and old-school) music tracks to power the super adventure, and you can listen to the whole shebang on SoundCloud. "It's not easy reducing a lush, bombastic orchestral piece into just the four channels we have available to us for 8-bit music," Diemer said. "After the initial statement of the theme, a galloping rhythm and bass line with more of a classic Zelda feel kick in, followed by a new melody that bridges the gap between the Guild Wars 2 we know and love and the world of Super Adventure Box." What's even better is that each of the tracks has composer notes attached to them, so if you're interested in how the duo came up with these catchy tunes and what inspired them, your curiosity shall soon be sated.
April Fools' Day comes to the PTR courtesy of Wowhead
If you haven't had enough of April Fools' Day quite yet -- and in light of Blizzard's joke no-show this year, maybe you haven't -- you'll enjoy Wowhead's celebration of this silly holiday in the form of what they tell us is new information about patch 5.3 on the PTR. So just what have we got to look forward to? We think the highlight is the new Earth Week holiday, in which we'll be cleaning up Azeroth and battling the forces of evil otherwise known as The Crown Chemical Co. We'll also be fighting a new boss called the Sky Sludge, which drops five epic rings that seem awfully familiar. But if that doesn't strike your fancy, there's also new cosmetic armor and auras, in-game Hearthstone, and the delicious-looking Doritos Locos Feast. And, while we are pretty sure this is all a joke, Blizzard has been known to have a strange sense of humor before...
Your guide to Guild Wars 2's Super Adventure Box
April is almost upon us, which means that the first day of April is almost upon us, which means that April Fools' Day is almost upon us. In the past, the folks at ArenaNet have proven themselves fond of celebrating this occasion, which has given fans high hopes for continued trolling in the world of Guild Wars 2. Since March's patch, strange things have been appearing that all seem to hint at some sort of April Fools' joke: Super Adventure Box achievements on the hero panel, mysterious Continue Coins falling out of chests, and a new range of weapon skins added to the sPvP weapon pane. Of course, it's been pointed out to me that perhaps the most delicious joke of all would be to put in all those clues and then have no actual prank. I can almost taste the rage of fans who had compulsively run characters through jumping puzzles for days in an attempt to stock up on Continue Coins that suddenly turned out to be worthless. Fortunately (or not, depending on your sense of humor), that's not the case at all. The Super Adventure Box is real, and it's almost time for you to start playing it. Let's talk about it, shall we?
City of Steam offers players barrels of fun before beta
Primitive human beings didn't understand many things. They didn't understand quantum physics or literary theory or fine French cooking. But they did understand one important thing: Somewhere in the world, there were barrels and crates, and smashing those barrels and crates would yield items and riches. It's that primordial instinct that the development team behind City of Steam has tapped into, and with the devs' newest development blog about the joy of smashing barrels, they're inviting you to indulge it. You see, aside from just talking about the game approaching its closed beta testing phase, this particular developer journal contains an old gem from early internal testing: a minigame built specifically to allow the team to test barrel destruction effects. And wouldn't you know that you can now play with that same tool yourself in your browser? Go ahead and read for updates on development, but stay to wipe out a room full of barrels with an exploding barrel.
Modern Warfare 3 gets a free Steam weekend, we've never heard of it
This is obscure, but a few people might be interested in it: A little indie title called Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 is going to be free on Steam this weekend. The publisher, "Activision" (we've never heard of them – probably a really artsy two-man studio in Canada somewhere) needs a little more exposure for this game, so the multiplayer features will be free to download and play starting this Thursday, April 26, through the rest of the weekend, for anyone with a Steam account.So if you've got some free time this weekend, maybe give the game a download and give some struggling indie developers a little bit of your attention for once. Who knows – maybe if the weekend goes well, this "Activision" will be encouraged to enter a competition or two. It could be the next Independent Games Competition finalist in waiting!
Arkham action figure line includes Titan Joker, Killer Croc and the Bats
DC Comics is releasing a new line of action figures based on the lead and supporting casts of Batman: Arkham Asylum and Batman: Arkham City, though you'll have to wait a while to get your hands on them. The line is segregated into regular and "deluxe" figures; the five regular figures (Batman, Ra's Al Ghul, Azrael, a Clown Thug and The Penguin) will find their way to comic shops and toy stores this September.Two of the deluxe figures, Mr. Freeze and Killer Croc, will launch this June, while Titan Joker -- everyone's least favorite part of Arkham Asylum -- won't be available until November. %Gallery-145681%
New RIFT Ascend-a-Friend commercial offers players strong incentives
Do you play RIFT? Are you familiar with the Ascend-a-Friend promotion? Of course you are; it's not uncommon for MMOs to offer rewards for recruiting new players after all, and RIFT's program's main advantage is that it's lucky enough to have a clever rhyming scheme. But perhaps you're not convinced that you should be worried about the ascension of your friends or lack thereof. Trion Worlds is taking a big step toward rectifying this with its latest commercial. What's in the commercial? Well, we'd rather not say. But you can trust us when we say that it's a short watch that should prove quite convincing -- not only in displaying the rewards you get for recruiting your friends, but in convincing you of the inherent desirability of these rewards. So jump on past the cut to watch the commercial, and you may very well want to watch it even if you're not currently playing RIFT. [Thanks to Joemamma for the tip!]
