The French government is expanding its restrictions on “recreational” apps on government phones, banning apps like TikTok, Twitter, Netflix, and even Candy Crush. According to the public service minister’s office, these apps pose cybersecurity risks that could compromise data for both employees and the administration. The ban takes effect immediately, but there may be some exceptions for necessary communication. The US federal government, dozens of states, Canada, the European Commission, and the UK have already banned TikTok on their workers’ devices due to similar concerns about data security. The French ban is not aimed at any specific country or app category but rather represents a general concern about entertainment apps putting government data at risk.
Mark your calendars! ‘Honkai: Star Rail’, the new turn-based RPG from the makers of ‘Genshin Impact’, is set to launch on April 26th for PC and mobile devices. While details are still scarce, the game’s trailers promise an anime-inspired visual feast, featuring a cast of unique characters in a space-fantasy setting.
Unlike ‘Genshin Impact’, ‘Honkai: Star Rail’ will feature turn-based combat, and will use gacha loot boxes to monetize the free-to-play game. The story takes place in the same universe as ‘Honkai Impact 3rd’, with the protagonist embarking on a quest to uncover the truth behind the “Cancer of All Worlds”. The game will begin on Herta Space Station before moving to other planets.
Although the game will be available for PC (via a standalone installation or Epic Games Store), iOS and Android, there is also a PlayStation version in the works. However, we don’t yet know when it will be released. The game has a Teen rating, so get ready for some exciting intergalactic action!
Levi’s is teaming up with AI company Lalaland.ai to incorporate computer-generated fashion models alongside human models. The company frames the move as part of a “digital transformation journey” for diversity, equity, inclusion, and sustainability. Although Levi’s claims the initiative is about increasing diversity, critics argue that the company is using AI to generate the appearance of diversity while avoiding paying human models.
Lalaland.ai aims to promote diversity and inclusivity by creating “hyper-realistic” models of every body type, age, size, and skin tone, allowing customers to see how fashion items would look on someone who looks like them.
Levi’s insists that AI will not replace human models, but some view this as a potential first step toward automating the industry. The company recently underwent a restructuring plan that resulted in the loss of nearly 20% of its corporate workforce, raising concerns about its motives for incorporating AI-generated models.
Regardless, Levi’s is moving forward with its partnership with Lalaland.ai, citing its high-quality technology as a means of providing a more diverse and inclusive customer experience.
Airrack, a popular YouTuber whose real name is Eric Decker, teamed up with Pizza Hut to smash the Guinness World Record for the largest pizza ever made. The colossal pizza was created using a whopping 10,000 pounds of dough, 5,000 pounds of sauce, and 9,000 pounds of cheese, all prepared in under 48 hours. The finished product was an impressive 13,990 square feet (1,296.72 square meters), breaking the previous record by a significant margin.
To make the mammoth pizza, 6,193 kilograms (13,653 pounds) of dough, 2,244 kilograms (4,948 pounds) of sweet marinara sauce, 3,992 kilograms (8,800 pounds) of cheese, and roughly 630,496 pepperoni slices were used.
After setting the record, the pizza was generously sliced up and donated to various charities in and around Los Angeles.
The city of Wichita, KS has agreed to pay $5 million to settle a civil lawsuit filed by the family of Andrew Finch, who was killed by police in a swatting incident that stemmed from a Call of Duty match. The incident occurred in December 2017 and was instigated by two players, Casey Viner and Shane Gaskill, who got into a fight over a $1.50 bet. Viner recruited Tyler Barriss, a known hoaxer, to swat Gaskill. However, Gaskill provided the wrong address to Barriss, leading the police to surround Finch’s house, where he was fatally shot by Officer Justin Rapp.
Despite calls for accountability, Rapp was never charged for the shooting. The settlement comes after local officials declined to prosecute him. The incident was widely reported as the first-known fatal swatting incident and sparked concern about the practice in gaming circles. The settlement also follows reports of racist memes and jokes about killing people being traded among Wichita police officers.
The Game Developers Conference (GDC) Awards 2023 has announced its winners, with Elden Ring and God of War Ragnarok being the most celebrated games of the night. These awards are given each year to honor the best games from the previous year. Elden Ring, the action role-playing game developed by FromSoftware and published by Bandai Namco Entertainment, earned three awards, including Best Visual Art, Best Design, and the most coveted title of the night, Game of the Year. God of War Ragnarok, the latest installment in the God of War series, also received three awards, including Best Audio, Best Technology, and the Audience Award.
The list of winners of the Game Developers Choice Awards 2023 is quite impressive. The Best Debut award went to Stray, while Pentiment took home the Best Narrative award. Citizen Sleeper won the Social Impact Award, and Immortality won the Innovation Award. The Pioneer Award was given to Mabel Addis, and the Lifetime Achievement Award was presented to John Romero.
The Independent Games Festival Awards 2023 also had some exciting winners. Slider won the Best Student Game award, The Case of the Golden Idol won Excellence in Design, RPG Time: The Legend of Wright won Excellence in Visual Art, and The Forest Quartet won Excellence in Audio. The Nuovo Award went to Betrayal at Club Low, and the Audience Award was presented to Potionomics. Finally, the Seumas McNally Grand Prize was awarded to Betrayal at Club Low.
Overall, the GDC Awards 2023 celebrated the best of the best in the gaming industry, and it was an excellent night for Elden Ring and God of War Ragnarok, who both received multiple awards for their outstanding work in game development.
The vampire game Redfall by Arkane Studios, which was bought by Microsoft after its acquisition of ZeniMax in March 2021. The director of the game, Harvey Smith, revealed that there was a “huge sea change” for Redfall after Microsoft bought the company, which included a decision to not bring the game to PlayStation 5.
While some are speculating that Arkane was working on a PS5 edition of Redfall and canceled it after the buyout, Microsoft has denied any such action and stated that it has not “pulled any games from PlayStation.” The company spokesperson also mentioned that Microsoft has expanded its footprint of games on Sony’s PlayStation since the acquisition of ZeniMax, and the first two games that were shipped after closing were PlayStation 5 exclusives.
However, some have criticized Microsoft for taking a formerly multiplatform game developer and assigning them to a single console platform, which in this case is Xbox. Nevertheless, Microsoft has always maintained that future decisions on whether to distribute ZeniMax games for other consoles will be made on a case-by-case basis.
In a separate interview, Smith reiterated that Microsoft’s acquisition of ZeniMax allowed Arkane to focus on fewer platforms because PlayStation was no longer in the mix. He also mentioned that Redfall coming to Xbox Game Pass is a significant development because it expands the game’s potential audience considerably.
Redfall is set to launch on May 2 for Xbox Game Pass on console and PC. The game has an always-online requirement, even for its single-player mode, but Arkane may remove this requirement at some point.
Get ready for some humor and adventure with the upcoming release of Dungeons and Dragons: Honor Among Thieves. The film has already garnered positive reviews from special sneak screenings, with some comparing it to the first Guardians of the Galaxy. The final trailer dropped today, highlighting Chris Pine’s comedic timing and the fantastical creatures that inhabit the Forgotten Realms.
Directed and written by Jonathan Goldstein and John Francis Daley, along with Michael Gilio, the film has been in development for almost a decade, drawing inspiration from a previous attempt by director Chris McKay and Gilio. The star-studded cast includes Chris Pine, Michelle Rodriguez, Justice Smith, Regé-Jean Page, Hugh Grant, and Sophia Lillis, each taking on a different class from the game.
Dungeons and Dragons: Honor Among Thieves follows a charming thief and a band of unlikely adventurers on an epic heist to retrieve a lost relic. However, their plans go awry when they cross paths with dangerous foes. With a playful spirit and action-packed adventure, the film brings the rich world of the legendary roleplaying game to the big screen. Don’t miss its nationwide release on March 31.
With millions of players registered on multiple platforms, PUBG: Battlegrounds has achieved incredible success since its launch. To celebrate its sixth anniversary, the battle royale shooter has released a list of impressive stats highlighting its milestones over the years. Available in 242 countries, the game has sold over 75 million units on consoles and PC, with a concurrent player peak of 3.25 million on Steam. It has also remained one of the platform’s most-played games and top-selling IPs for six consecutive years.
In total, PUBG: Battlegrounds boasts 150.7 million registered users who have played for a combined 16.3 billion hours. As part of its anniversary celebrations, the game has released its 22.2 update on consoles, featuring server fixes, map service, gameplay balancing, and a new Famas assault rifle. The update also includes map changes such as billboards, more hills on Deston, and a dirt racetrack on the peninsula south of Sancara.
Moreover, PUBG: Battlegrounds has introduced a new Progressive Weapon Skin for the AUG called Neon Dream, which will appear as a world spawn item. The game has also added a new BLACKPINK skin bundle featuring all four members of the K-pop group.
Launched as PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds in 2017, PUBG: Battlegrounds has become one of the leading battle royale games and has inspired numerous similar titles since its release.
A 1996 Super Mario 64 manga suggests that 1-Up Mushrooms grow from the bodies of dead Marios, perpetuating the cycle of life and death. pic.twitter.com/KjGsnig3hB
A staple of every Mario game, the 1-Up mushroom is a lifesaver in fungal form that gives players an extra chance to complete a level. These green power-ups are synonymous with resurrection in the Mario Bros. universe, but what if there’s more to them than meets the eye?
According to a page from the Super Mario 64 manga, which dates back to 1996, Mario is caught in a cycle of eco-friendly life and death. The manga suggests that every time Mario dies in the Mushroom Kingdom, his body feeds the soil and produces 1-Up mushrooms that the next Mario can consume. This idea is intriguing but may seem like a joke or eccentric theory from the manga authors, as pointed out by the Twitter account Super Mario Broth. They clarify that it’s just an interesting thought experiment, and not something that would be endorsed by Nintendo.
As Mario prepares to make his big-screen debut in his first animated feature film, April is shaping up to be a significant month for the franchise. Super Mario Bros., set for release on April 5, is expected to gross between $85 million-$90 million at the US box office over the Easter weekend. The star-studded cast includes Chris Pratt as Mario, Charlie Day as Luigi, Anya Taylor-Joy as Princess Peach, Seth Rogen as Donkey Kong, and Jack Black as Bowser.
