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Call of Duty Warzone leak details a free, cross-platform battle royale
Call of Duty developer Infinity Ward is preparing to launch a brand-new battle royale mode called Warzone. Well, game might be more appropriate. It's complicated, okay? The successor to Blackout, which shipped with last year's Black Ops 4, was leaked last month and detailed further in a Video Games Chronicle (VGC) report. Now, we have an 11-minute breakdown courtesy of Chaos, a video game-focused YouTuber, based on a preview event at Infinity Ward's offices. Or rather, we did: the video has now been pulled, suggesting it was put live by mistake ahead of an agreed embargo.
Recommended Reading: The AI surveillance company watching Utah
This small company is turning Utah into a surveillance panopticon Jason Koebler, Emanuel Maiberg, and Joseph Cox Motherboard If you think Clearview's AI-powered facial recognition is a major problem, buckle up. An artificial intelligence company called Banjo has agreement with Utah that gives it real-time access to traffic cameras, CCTV/public safety cameras, 911 systems and other data. Banjo says it can combine all of that with info from social media, apps and satellites to "detect anomalies." Basically, the company claims it can alert law enforcement to a crime while it's happening. It also says the system strips all personal details so it's able to assist without sacrificing privacy. Motherboard has more on the agreement and how it's working so far.
Easy-to-use mods brought me back to ‘Freespace 2’
Game genres can wax and wane in popularity. It's a sad truth that two of my favorites, real-time strategy and space simulation games, have been on the decline since the glory days of Tie Fighter and Warcraft. We may never see the likes of Warcraft 3 again, but in recent years there have been some valiant attempts to revive the space sim, with releases like Everspace, Rebel Galaxy, and Elite breathing new life into the genre. But I haven't been playing any of those, because all my free time has been completely consumed by Freespace 2.
'Connected' is a kids' movie about the dangers of tech obsession
For all the potential that AI and robotics hold, there's still plenty of fear around the negative impacts they could have on society, as well as concerns that we already spend too much time staring at screens. Sony Pictures plans to capitalize on that sentiment with a new animated film Connected. It's another family-saves-the-world plot, but its message probes our reliance on technology, and it has some impressive talent behind it.
Twitter pulls out of SXSW 2020 over virus fears
Twitter has announced that it will not be sending its employees to South by Southwest (SxSW) 2020 this year in an attempt to avoid the spread of coronavirus. A spokesperson confirmed to the Verge that the company, where CEO Jack Dorsey was going to make a keynote, has pulled out. Twitter had issued an edict over the weekend, saying that it was restricting all non-essential travel to reduce the risk of exposure to the virus.
Riot's five-on-five hero shooter is officially called 'Valorant'
Riot's foray into the highly-competitive first-person shooter genre finally has a name: Valorant. The eight-letter word isn't too surprising given it leaked with a bunch of other details last week. Still, it beats the 'Project A' codename that we've all been forced to use since the title was announced last October. A teaser video and the official Valorant site confirm that the online-focused five-on-five shooter will launch sometime this summer.
Google's latest VR app lets you gaze at prehistoric paintings
Over the years, Google has digitized countless museums, galleries and landmarks for Arts & Culture, an encyclopaedic platform that anyone can access through a browser or mobile app. Today, the company is launching a new collection based on the Chauvet Cave in Ardèche, France, which contains some breathtaking prehistoric art. While the exact age of the paintings is unknown, radioactive dating has pinned the earliest to a period 36,000 years ago. The site was discovered in 1994 and, to prevent damage, closed off to the public that same year. Beyond a full-size replica, Google's new exhibit is the closest you'll ever get to standing inside the cave.
Harmonix’s next music-making game puts your DJ skills to the test
Harmonix, the developer behind Rock Band and Dance Central, is back with a new music-making game: Fuser. Players will become music festival DJs, mixing vocals, bass lines, beats and riffs from artists like Billie Eilish, Lil Nas X, Lizzo, 50 Cent, The Chainsmokers and Imagine Dragons. They'll earn points for timing and crowd feedback, and they'll be able to share their mixes with friends.
Model:Cycles review: An affordable and approachable FM groovebox
Fair or not, Elektron has a reputation for making complex and kinda pricey electronic music gear. Last year though, it made a serious play for the entry level with the Model:Samples ($299), an affordable, sample-based groovebox that simplified Elektron's unique workflow for beginners. In a lot of ways, it's a stripped-down version of the company's Digitakt sampler. If you're familiar with the Digitakt, you've no doubt often seen it paired with the Digitone, a sort of sibling groovebox that relies on FM synthesis instead of samples. So it only makes sense that Elektron would want to give the Model:Samples its own FM-based partner in crime. Physically the Model:Cycles is basically a palette-swapped version of the Model:Samples -- Subzero to the M:S' Scorpion. At its core it's the same six-track monophonic sequencer -- but with a streamlined version of the Digitone's sound engine under the hood. Obviously though sacrifices had to be made to hit that $299 price point. As a result, the Cycles isn't exactly a budget-friendly replacement for the Digitone. It's very much its own instrument.
Smithsonian opens up 2.8 million images to the public
The Smithsonian Institution is releasing a whopping 2.8 million high-res, two- and three-dimensional images from its collections to a new Open Access online platform. The material comes from all 19 Smithsonian museums, nine research centers, libraries, archives and the National Zoo, and it's available for free to anyone with a web browser.
3Doodler's newest kit lets preschoolers 3D-print tiny toys
3Doodler makes pens that shoot out lines of hot plastic, allowing you to make freeform 3D-prints without the hassle of learning how to use a dedicated printer. It already has products for the school and education markets, but now it's targeting an even younger group: preschoolers. The 3Doodler 3D Build and Play is a chunky gun-shaped device with a nozzle and trigger, as well as a turning handle.
The Morning After: 'Halo' Nerf guns are here
Hey, good morning! You look fabulous. This isn't how the Sonic Cycle is supposed to go. I haven't seen the live-action Sonic the Hedgehog movie yet, but according to Nick Summers it's actually... OK? And apparently, better than Detective Pikachu. With a $113 million (and counting) tally at the box office, it's clearly bypassed concerns over the CG, but I'm just amazed any time a video game-based movie isn't setting new lows for a cinematic experience. -- Richard
Miraculously, 'Sonic the Hedgehog' is a fine movie
Sonic fans are used to being let down. Unlike Mario, who has rarely starred in a bad video game, the famous 'blue blur' has featured in countless duds. These include Sonic the Hedgehog 4, a disappointing follow-up to Sega's Genesis classics, and Sonic the Hedgehog, a 2006 reboot that was full of bugs and featured a now-infamous kiss scene between the hyperactive hero and a human princess. Expectations for the Sonic movie were, therefore, low. The film's distributor, Paramount Pictures, had already been criticized for releasing a trailer with a horrifically unfaithful and human-like version of Sonic. The backlash was so severe that the studio was forced to delay the movie's release, redesign the character and remake every shot he featured in. A second trailer revealed a more recognizable and authentic Sonic, which earned some respect and appreciation from the Sega faithful. Still, many were understandably skeptical. Shockingly, though, the Sonic movie is okay. Amusing, even. The 99-minute feature rarely feels original, ambitious or narratively interesting, but it's also not the cinematic train wreck that so many were expecting. The bar was exceptionally low, but this simple live-action comedy might be the best video game to movie adaptation ever made.
What we’re listening to: Caspian
In this installment of what we currently have in our earbuds, senior editor Billy Steele explains why some post-rock tunes are is current favorite work music.
'Half Life: Alyx' will hit Steam on March 23rd
Unlike many other publishers who've delayed big games in recent months, it appears as though Valve is actually sticking to the March release window it set for Half Life: Alyx. Even better, the VR prequel to Half-Life 2 now has an actual release date: March 23rd.
Capcom is crushing it
Today, Capcom published an updated list of its all-time bestselling video games. The sales figures are correct up to December 31st, 2019, and reaffirm something that most video game fans have been believed or known about for sometime: man, Capcom is killing it. As Video Games Chronicle (VGC) notes, Devil May Cry 5 has now sold 3.1 million copies since its launch last March, making it the top-selling entry in the franchise. Devil May Cry 4, for comparison, currently stands at 3 million sales, while the "DmC" reboot by Ninja Theory has sold 2.4 million units to date.
Yamaha’s tiny wireless guitar amp gets everything right but the price
With the original THR line of guitar amps, Yamaha basically invented a new product category: the connected desktop amplifier. It filled a need that honestly many guitar players didn't even realize they had. These amplifiers are small enough to sit on a table or desk, they sound great even at low volumes and they're stylish enough that you won't feel compelled to hide them when company comes over. You don't have to search long or hard to find people singing their praises. I bought one a couple years ago and have zero regrets. But the THR amps weren't without flaws. And in the nine years since they were introduced, the competition has caught up. The highly revered Roland Katana line made a play for the space with the Air. And the iconic Vox brand introduced Adio. So Yamaha announced the THR II in September with new features, new amp models and a rich new app in the hopes of not only keeping pace but also showing the competition it's still the benchmark for tiny amps.
The making of a diverse game studio
The original name for Manveer Heir's new game studio that focused on stories of people of color was Big Mouth Games. The former BioWare and Raven Software designer embraces his loudness. Now, he's putting his money where his considerable mouth is.
The next Need for Speed game will be made by Burnout creator Criterion
Need for Speed fans, rejoice: Electronic Arts (EA) is giving the long-running racing franchise back to Criterion Games. "With a strong history and passion for racing games and vision for what we can create, the Criterion team is going to take Need for Speed into the next-generation," an EA spokesperson told Gamesindustry.biz. Criterion is a Guildford-based developer that worked on the critically-acclaimed Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit (2010) and Need for Speed: Most Wanted (2012). The studio was also responsible for the breakneck and destruction-focused Burnout franchise, including the open-world (and recently remastered) Burnout Paradise.
Apple TV+'s Mythic Quest is 'Silicon Valley' but for game devs
Mythic Quest shouldn't work. The new Apple TV+ comedy, created by the folks behind It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia and co-produced by Ubisoft, dives into the day-to-day adventures of a gaming studio behind an incredibly popular MMO. But who needs another workplace comedy, especially one about game development? And can we trust a show sprung from a giant publisher like Ubisoft to portray the gaming world fairly -- warts and all? Yet somehow, despite everything going against it, Mythic Quest: Raven's Banquet is phenomenal.
