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Xbox Series X can improve older titles with HDR and 120FPS support
Microsoft is bringing a new automatic HDR technique to older games on the Xbox Series X, and some will even be ale to run at 120FPS.
Xbox co-founder J. Allard is working on the Intellivison Amico
The exec who created the Xbox, Xbox 360 and Xbox Live has joined Intellivision to work on its Amico console.
Sony job listing hints PS5 may launch in October (updated)
A Sony job opening has hinted that the PlayStation 5 might debut in October -- that is, if the pandemic and other factors don't cause problems.
Microsoft to slowly reveal Xbox Series X details through a monthly video series
E3 is cancelled, so Microsoft will reveal more details about its upcoming Xbox Series X console via monthly updates.
Microsoft will show off Xbox Series X gameplay next week
Microsoft will reveal gameplay on its upcoming Xbox Series X console next week during its Inside Xbox streaming event.
Nintendo lets Japanese gamers build their own Joy-Con color schemes
Nintendo lets Japanese gamers build custom Switch bundles
Accidental cross-play makes Star Wars 'Jedi Academy' a console bloodbath
The classic 2003 Star Wars Jedi Knight: Jedi Academy game recently arrived on PS4 and Switch, but console users excited to try it have encountered a formidable enemy. PC players have figured out how to cross-play on consoles, so they're invading online multiplayer games and slaughtering their hapless Jedi opponents.
PlayStation 5 will feature a 10.2-teraflop GPU and a speedy custom SSD
It's been almost a year since Sony started talking about the PlayStation 5 in an uncharacteristically revealing Wired interview. We learned the next-generation console will be powered by AMD's third-generation Ryzen CPU and a custom Radeon Navi GPU. Additionally, it'll support hardware-accelerated ray-tracing and feature speedy SSD storage. But beyond confirming the name "PlayStation 5" and announcing a familiar-looking logo, Sony hasn't given us many specific details about the console -- certainly not as many as Microsoft has around the Xbox Series X, which on paper has similar hardware.
9010090100Switch Lite review: The best way to play on the go
The Switch Lite is for everyone who found the original Switch too big. Really, that's it. By going with a smaller screen and fixed controllers, Nintendo has crafted something that feels more like a genuine portable console. The Switch Lite is significantly lighter and more comfortable to hold, it can finally fit into your pocket and, at $200, it's $100 less than the Switch. The major downside: There's no more support for TV output. The Switch Lite is purely focused on portability, but I don't think many gamers will mind.
The Switch Lite is the cutest console we ever did see
The Switch Lite is exactly what it sounds like: A smaller, more portable version of Nintendo's latest console darling. It forgoes the ability to well, switch, between docked and portable modes, in exchange for a sleeker experience. Tl;dr: It's a Switch that can actually fit into your pocket, and that alone will be incredibly appealing to plenty of gamers. And, as a nice bonus, it's also freaking adorable.
US delays tariffs on some Chinese-made electronics until December 15th
The Trump administration announced a tariff earlier this month on an additional $300 billion of Chinese imports that was to take effect from September 1st, but the 10 percent levy will only kick in then for about half of the goods. The tariff on others -- including mobile phones, laptops, monitors, game consoles, some toys and LED lamps -- is set to be enforced from December 15th.
This week in tech history: Nintendo's N64 goes on sale in Japan
At Engadget, we spend every day looking at how technology will shape the future. But it's also important to look back at how far we've come. That's what This Week in Tech History does. Join us every weekend for a recap of historical tech news, anniversaries and advances from the recent and not-so-recent past. This week, we're looking at the N64, which arrived in Japan 23 years ago.
Nintendo Switch revisited: Two years makes a big difference
The Nintendo Switch is no Wii U -- we knew that much when we reviewed it on March 1st, 2017. Its portable design lets you play your games anywhere, and it seamlessly turns into a home console when you dock it, something that still feels magical today. Best of all, you can hand off one of its controllers to a friend for some quick head-to-head action. While Sony and Microsoft chased the specter of high-end 4K gaming, Nintendo, once again, took a different path -- one that ultimately led to its most innovative console yet. It's still not perfect, but Nintendo managed to fix most of the complaints, like a lack of titles and no real online service, from our initial review. And it also showed us a few surprises along the way.
Xbox One X review: A console that keeps up with gaming PCs
The Xbox One X is the ultimate video game system. It sports more horsepower than any system ever. And it plays more titles in native 4K than Sony's PlayStation 4 Pro. It's just about everything you could want without investing in a gaming PC. The only problem? It's now been a year since the PS4 Pro launched, and the One X costs $500, while Sony's console launched at $400. That high price limits the Xbox One X to diehard Microsoft fans who don't mind paying a bit more to play the console's exclusive titles in 4K. Everyone else might be better off waiting, or opting for the $279 Xbox One S.
Futuristic racing game 'Lightfield' lands on PS4 and Xbox One
If you have a hankering for a different kind of racing game, Lightfield might pique your curiosity. You maneuver around by clinging to objects in a stylized, futuristic environment, with light trails streaming behind you. At any given moment, you can leap off the surface, parkour-style to find the fastest possible line to victory. Visually, it sort of looks like Tron meets Miami Vice, with pastel blue, pink and green colors trailing behind ships.
Microsoft's Xbox One X is still a tough sell
We get it, Microsoft. The Xbox One X is a beast! It'll run games in native 4K! (Not like that sometimes-4K from the PlayStation 4 Pro.) It's basically everything we've ever wanted, spec-wise, from a video game console. And yet, many aspects of the Xbox One X still fall flat, even though we're just a few months away from its November 7th release. That was more clear than ever at Gamescom this week, where Microsoft kicked things off with an overly long presentation that didn't give us many reasons to actually get excited for the One X.
'Splatoon 2' is a cautious but excellent evolution of the original
The Wii U was far from the most popular console of its generation -- but fans who took a chance on Nintendo's first HD machine were rewarded with a tightly curated library of modern-day classics. Exclusives like Super Mario 3D World, Pikmin 3 and Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze showed that the value of the Wii U wasn't in its hardware but in Nintendo's creative library of games. Among them was Splatoon, the company's first online competitive shooter. The game's quirky squirt gun multiplayer battles were a genuine, delightful surprise -- and its Nintendo Switch sequel takes everything that was great about the original and makes it just a little bit better.
Engadget's editors on the Nintendo Switch
We were lucky enough to get an early look at the Nintendo Switch and The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. But now that the console and its killer launch game are finally available to all (if you can find them, at least), we've asked several of our editors about their thoughts on the system. Despite the Switch's limited launch-title selection, most of them came away impressed.
What to expect from the Nintendo Switch's day-one update
The Nintendo Switch can't do much out of the box. It can play game cards (the system's tiny cartridges), but that's pretty much it. If you're getting a Switch tomorrow, you'll want to make sure you've got internet access to snag its day-one update, which adds support for the eShop, friends list and social-network posting. They're all things we couldn't use while reviewing the Switch, so I spent a bit of time with the new features today to see how they actually work.
8810088100Nintendo Switch review: Revolutionary, but it still needs work
There's a certain magic in the air ahead of a console launch. Unlike with phones and other gadgets, we don't see new game systems very often, so each new release feels momentous. That's particularly true for Nintendo, a company that's been striving to differentiate itself from its rivals. While Sony and Microsoft are pushing their consoles to be more like gaming PCs, Nintendo has focused on creating unique experiences that you can get only by buying one of its systems. The Switch has a lot riding on it. Nintendo has to make up for the missteps it made with the Wii U, and it has to convince gamers that a portable system can also be a decent home console. And of course, the company is under pressure from Sony's PlayStation 4 Pro and Microsoft's upcoming Scorpio. But while those systems are focused on offering powerful specs for 4K gaming and VR, Nintendo is once again selling something completely different.
