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Proposed emojis include the drunk face and sad poo we've all been missing
It's only been a month since the Unicode Emoji Consortium released version 10 of the colorful little communication icons, including more diverse images along with zombies, a T-rex and (yes) a sandwich icon. Now, though, the group has yet another set of proposed emojis for next year. Along with more math and science items and a silly drunk face emoji, the new group of 67 tiny pictures includes, wait for it, a new sad poo emoji.
Consumer Reports drops its Tesla Model S recommendation
Once upon a time, Consumer Reports gave the Tesla Model S P85D its highest rating ever, but the love affair is over, for now. While it still loves the way the sedan drives, the review organization has concluded after its Annual Auto Reliability Survey that reports from 1,400 owners show the cars have a "worse-than-average overall problem rate." While it also noted that these problems are mostly covered by Tesla's four year/50,000 mile bumper-to-bumper warranty or its eight year, unlimited mileage powertrain warranty, it still decided the vehicle isn't deserving of its "Recommended" rating. In response, Tesla says it strives to make hardware fixes "painless," and noted that the study also found owners rated the company's service as the best in the world.
Off the Grid: The Witcher Adventure Game and Star Wars Imperial Assault
Like most sci-fi shows on Fox, Off the Grid is getting canceled (we're all saying goodbye, actually). In this series finale of the board and card game series I had hoped to evolve over time, we're keeping our spirits high with a look at two recent, fantastic releases from publisher Fantasy Flight Games: The Witcher Adventure Game and Star Wars: Imperial Assault.
Joystiq Presents: Close project
Mike Suszek (@mikesuszek) talks with Joystiq's Editor in Chief Ludwig Kietzmann (@LudwigK) about the site's history as well as a newfound opportunity to grow. Listen to the MP3 Listen to other Joystiq Presents episodes.
Joystiq Presents: Can't stop
In this episode, Mike Suszek (@mikesuszek) takes his turn in the hot seat as he tells Features Content Director Xav de Matos (@Xav) about the rant that landed him the job of his dreams. He also talks about barely surviving his first PAX and what Joystiq and video games mean to him. Listen to the MP3 Listen to other Joystiq Presents episodes.
Joystiq Presents: Team spirit
In this episode, Mike Suszek (@mikesuszek) chats with News Content Director Alexander Sliwinski (@Sliwinski) about Team JOY and Team Joystiq. He also discusses the "Internet dating" side of working in the industry. Listen to the MP3 Listen to other Joystiq Presents episodes.
Joystiq Presents: Take care of business
In this episode, Mike Suszek (@mikesuszek) talks with Weekend Editor Sam Prell (@SamPrell) to discuss happiness, horses and his writing career prior to joining Joystiq. Listen to the MP3 Listen to other Joystiq Presents episodes.
Games of a Lifetime: Xav's picks
After more than ten years devoted to video games and the people who make them, Joystiq is closing its doors. We won't be reporting on the best games of 2015, so join us for one last hurrah as the Joystiq family reveals their Games of a Lifetime. Chrono Trigger In my recent Joystiq Presents episode I talked about the profound impact the strategy guide of Chrono Trigger had on my love of games. Being able to finally play the game, just thinking of the first time I had that chance, still gets me a little choked up. It still stands as my favorite game of all time. I've played it a countless amount of times on so many platforms. It has wonderful characters, a story about fighting fate and shaping the world. I don't know if was supposed to be so "heady," but I think of it that way. It was meaningful, it showed the consequences of action, it had a talking Frog and a badass Robot. To me, Chrono Trigger is perfect.
Joystiq Presents: We live and die by this
Mike Suszek (@mikesuszek) chats with Features Content Director Xav de Matos (@Xav) about his upbringing as well as his career in the video games press. Listen to the MP3 Listen to other Joystiq Presents episodes.
Joystiq Presents: You start with a fire
Mike Suszek (@mikesuszek) chats with Community Manager Anthony John Agnello (@ajohnagnello) about being handed the keys to the Joystiq community. He also refuses to eat his vegetables. Listen to the MP3 Listen to other Joystiq Presents episodes.
Joystiq Presents: This is my family
Mike Suszek (@mikesuszek) sits down with Senior Reporter Jess Conditt (@JessConditt) to discuss her background in journalism and how Joystiq became her family. Listen to the MP3 Listen to other Joystiq Presents episodes.
Joystiq Presents: One missed call
In the latest episode, Mike Suszek (@mikesuszek) talks with Weekend Editor Thomas Schulenberg (@T_Schulenberg) about the years leading to him joining Joystiq, including one crucial missed phone call. He also talks about going to E3 for the first time in his career. Listen to the MP3 Listen to other Joystiq Presents episodes.
Joystiq Presents: Too good to be real
Mike Suszek (@mikesuszek) talks with Reviews Content Director Richard Mitchell (@TheRichardM) about the years Richard spent watching Joystiq grow. He reminisces about his Xbox 360 Fanboy days as well as the time he accepted a job at Joystiq. Listen to the MP3 Listen to other Joystiq Presents episodes.
Four in February challenges you to finish the fight
The shortest, yet greatest month of the year is upon us, February. If you followed along with us last year, you know what that means: Four in February is back! The month-long initiative starts tomorrow, challenging you (yes, you) to pick four games to finish in one month. The rules: There are no rules. Seriously, there are no rules. You can pick new games, old games or even titles that you stopped playing that one time during finals week in college because your academic life depended on it (it's cool, we've all been there). The only requirement is that you pick four games. Start at the beginning of a game, or start where your old save file left off, it doesn't matter! We can't drive over to your house to force you to start a game over; we don't know where you live, after all. By joining in the fun on Four in February's Facebook page or using the cute little hashtag #4iF on Twitter, you can update us on your progress, like that friend that uploads their daily jogging times to your news feed, except way more fun. Joystiq may be closing its doors, but we refuse to shut our consoles down. Join us in finishing the fight against our backlogs. Head past the break to see Four in February father Mike Suszek's lineup, then share yours in the comments!
Joystiq Presents: Sinan buys a Virtual Boy
Mike Suszek (@mikesuszek) talks with Joystiq's Sinan Kubba (@SinanKubba) about the lengths Sinan went to buy a Virtual Boy during a trip to the United States as a teenager. He also discusses his time covering games and spending time with the staff at Joystiq. Listen to the MP3 Listen to other Joystiq Presents episodes.
On my iPad: Helix
This is On my iPad, a quick look at an iOS game we think you'll enjoy. We can't seem to put down Michael Brough's Helix. Here's a brief video explaining why the retro-inspired avoidance game is special to us. The challenging, "hectic piece of momentary action" is available on iPhone and iPad for $2.99. [Image: Michael Brough]
Fable just the first step in getting more Xbox One games on Windows
It's easy to forget the Xbox's place inside the Windows empire. The bespoke platform is hinged on games and entertainment, looming over the console world but still living in its own fiefdom under Microsoft. The Xbox 360 and Xbox One are seen as instrumental to the software giant's goals, but their reach is about a billion behind that of Windows. Microsoft wants to dismantle the barriers within itself now, unifying games, productivity and phones under the banner of Windows 10. The Xbox One will host new universal apps – programs designed to run on both Windows devices and Xbox architecture – alongside a Windows 10 update later this year, but that's a lesser gesture compared to what Microsoft announced on Wednesday during its Windows 10 event. Even having the Xbox and its games there, on stage, represents a change in the Windows message. Head of Xbox, Phil Spencer, took that stage to announce a PC version of Fable Legends, the latest entry in developer Lionhead's long-running and lovably lighthearted fantasy role-playing series. Not only is the game coming to Windows PC players, but it's coming in a way that allows them to play and chat with Xbox One players through Xbox Live. According to Spencer, it's the first game of several first-party Xbox games coming to PC.
Screamride: For those who dream of disaster
It's only fair to start this with an apology to Screamride, which joins us just as every second game gets to be called a 'roller coaster ride,' usually because it has a car chase, some explosions, and at least one scene of the protagonist going NO NO NO N- [explosion cuts off the rest, but an additional NO is strongly implied]. Screamride, in contrast, is actually about roller coasters: riding them; building tightly coiled tracks for them; destroying them in fiery catastrophe. It's so in love with pleasing disaster that it's likely to be wrongly categorized as 'cinematic action game.'
Who The Hell Is: Johnny Gat
The following feature contains spoilers for the existing Saints Row franchise. On Tuesday, gamers will be able to go to Hell – literally – and fight off both Satan himself and hordes of undead in the Saints Row 4 standalone expansion, Saints Row: Gat Out of Hell. Previous Saints Row games have allowed players to customize an avatar which, over the course of the series, rises from lowly street thug to President of the United States and even intergalactic badass supreme. Gat Out of Hell though, does not. In Gat Out of Hell, players will be stepping into the shoes of either Kinzie Kensington or Johnny Gat. If you've never played the previous games and don't have either the time or inclination to power through them before the standalone expansion's January 20 release date, you might be asking yourself: who the hell is Johnny Gat? Friends, we are here to help.
Off the Grid: XCOM - The Board Game
You may not be aware, but a new XCOM is on the way to stores later this month! No, don't bother firing up those spiffy new consoles, this XCOM experience is for your tabletop. Board and card game publisher Fantasy Flight Games has teamed up with 2K to bring you XCOM: The Board Game, and Joystiq has survived the alien invasion. While you may expect a board game based on the XCOM strategy video game franchise would resemble more of a dungeon crawler, where you hunt and kill aliens, XCOM: The Board Game attempts something unique. Utilizing an app, XCOM: The Board Game randomizes alien movement, in-game events and keeps up to four players on their toes with strictly timed and very tense situations. In this episode of Off the Grid, Xav is joined by Jeff Cannata and Christian Spicer from the DLC Podcast, to play XCOM: The Board Game and discuss the pre-release copy of the game, the app functionality and what it's like to be in charge of the budget to save the human race. XCOM: The Board Game is expected to launch later this month from Fantasy Flight Games and designer Eric M. Lang (Marvel Dice Masters, Arcadia Quest). [Image: 2K, Fantasy Flight]
