Tag Archives: Sports & Recreation

Fubo TV streaming plans are $30 off for the first month right now

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More standard streaming services include live sports now — Sunday Night Football on Peacock, CBS NFL games on Paramount+, Thursday Night Football on Prime Video — but if you want a comprehensive suite of sports channels, plus other live programming and local news, Fubo might be the way to go. It came out on top for sports in our guide to the best live TV streaming services and right now you can get your first month of Fubo's Pro-tier subscription for $50 instead of $80. The Elite with Sports Plus plan is down from $100 to $70 for the first month and the top-level Deluxe package is $80 as opposed to the usual $110. 

Whichever plan you go with, you'll get more sports coverage than a human person can reasonably consume — even the cheapest tier grants access to ESPN and ESPN2, FS1 and FS2, multiple NBC Sports channels, CBS Sports, Fubo's own sports networks and more. The Elite with Sports Plus tier throws in NFL RedZone and about 100 additional channels, and enables 4K streaming quality. And, finally, the Deluxe plan gets you all that plus international sports.  

Fubo makes it easy to record games you want to watch later and every plan comes with unlimited DVR cloud storage with a nine-month expiration for recordings.  

When you're not watching athletic matchups, you can try out the rest of what Fubo offers. When I tested it out for our guide, I found the service to be nicely organized with a clean and easily navigable interface. It really shines at showcasing live content (though browsing through VOD content wasn't quite as breezy). 

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This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/fubo-tv-streaming-plans-are-30-off-for-the-first-month-right-now-171510242.html?src=rss

You can finally fish in No Man’s Sky as its Aquarius update rolls out today

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Worlds Part I, the No Man's Sky update that rolled out in July, made waters in the game more responsive to wind, depth and weather conditions. An artist drew fan art of their character fishing while perched on the wing of their boat after the update went out, which in turn inspired Hello Games to add a fishing mechanic to No Man's Sky. If you look at No Man's Sky communities online, you'll see a lot of people talk about wanting a fishing feature. Make sure to be on the lookout for the the game's latest update called Aquarius that's going out today if you're one of them.

Aquarius is packed with new features, all centered on fishing. You can either fish on your own or fish with friends if that would make it easier to wait for a bite. While you can sit, cast your line and wait for a catch on the shore, you can also set up automated traps. It's also possible to fish in deep water from an "Exo-Skiff" platform, which can be personalized with colors and comes with an inventory for storing your catches. Ocassionally, you'll pull up non-aquatic items like messages in bottles and technology upgrades. The Aquarius update also arrives with a new expedition, Expedition 15. Completing the various quests over the six weeks the expedition runs will unlock customization options like a deep-sea diving suit, a special fishing rod and a nautical-themed Aquarius jetpack.

The developer says it's releasing a huge array of fish in the game, "from common minnows to wild alien catches," and some can only be caught using fishing pots that can bait and trap rare catches. And while you can fish to relax, you can also challenge yourself by completing the fishing logs and taking part in expedition quests to find the biggest catch of the day. 

Finally, you can cook whatever you catch using new recipes that you can discover around the No Man's Sky universe. It sounds like Hello Games intends to expand the game's fishing mechanic, though, so we may get more equipment, competitions and species to catch in the future. For now, if you enjoy fishing mini-games like I do, you may want to grab some snacks and prepare for hours of virtual angling. 

Update, September 4, 5:50PM: This story was updated after publishing with more details on the Aquarius update and the expedition unlocks.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/you-can-finally-fish-in-no-mans-sky-as-its-aquarius-update-rolls-out-today-130042560.html?src=rss

Concord players keep jumping off the map in a race to claim the Platinum trophy

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Even though Concord evidently didn't sell anywhere close to the number of copies it needed to be sustainable, the team shooter does have some dedicated players. Sony and Firewalk Studios have stopped selling the PS5 and PC game before taking it offline this Friday, two weeks after its launch. And yet, some folks are still striving to unlock Concord's Platinum trophy before the servers are shut down. What's more, many of them are taking a creative approach to earning that honor, which they get after unlocking the rest of a game's trophies.

Outside of a few slightly more difficult objectives such as killing five enemies in a row without dying, Concord's trophies are largely based around grinding. They include eliminating a total of 50 opponents as each character (or Freegunner) and reaching level 10 with each. Earning one trophy is as simple as playing a match with a friend.

Perhaps the most time-consuming trophy to earn is a Silver that requires players to reach a reputation level of 100. After news of the game's shutdown emerged, some players called for Firewalk to offer extra XP (or experience points) to help them earn the Platinum before Concord goes offline. One of them, GoodGameKofi, wrote on X on Tuesday that they were at level 48 and wouldn't have enough time to hit level 100 in order to claim the last remaining trophy based on how much XP players earn per game.

However, as noted by Gene Park of The Washington Post, Concord players have found a way to speed up matches and farm XP faster. They're yeeting themselves off the map over and over again. It seems that they're primarily doing so in Rivalry, a mode in which players only have one life and don't respawn.

That said, the strategy won't get players to level 100 in a hurry. After claiming to hurl themselves off the map constantly for an hour, X user Radec "only went from Level 44 to 45... I am NOT getting this Platinum bro."

After taking down Concord, Firewalk and Sony plan to "explore options, including those that will better reach our players." That suggests that Concord may return at some point, and if so it will probably have a free-to-play model. However, if Concord remains offline for good, the game will have one of the rarest of all Platinum trophies. According to one trophy tracker site, just 14 players have earned the Platinum so far. Those are some valuable bragging rights for those willing to do nothing but jump off the map for dozens of hours.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/playstation/concord-players-keep-jumping-off-the-map-in-a-race-to-claim-the-platinum-trophy-143258391.html?src=rss

MLB’s virtual ballpark returns for four regular-season games in September

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Major League Baseball’s virtual ballpark is back. Like a metaverse experience for traditional (non-VR) devices, it lets you watch actual games as they're happening in real time, albeit recreated in a 3D environment. MLB will host interactive watch parties in the environment for select games each Wednesday in September.

Like a baseball-centric take on Second Life (for the old folks in the back), it includes 3D avatars corresponding to players’ movements. The plays and athletes’ precise positions are tracked using the same Sony Hawk-Eye cameras used for the league’s Statcast analytics system. The experience sounds tailor-made for headsets like the Vision Pro and Meta Quest, but it’s limited to traditional screens for now. Improbable, a London-based company known for metaverse experiences, created the tech.

There’s also an audio element, as you can hear the play-by-play and game sounds and chat with other fans in spatial audio. New for this season is a party system that lets you talk directly with your friends. The league is also bringing back a virtual scavenger hunt to keep you interested in case the game is a bore.

MLB’s virtual ballpark debuted during the 2023 season, first for an All-Star exhibition and then for a late regular-season game and a Postseason matchup. This season’s virtual lineup kicks off on Wednesday, with three more games following throughout September:

  • Wednesday, September 4, 6:50PM ET - Tamba Bay Rays vs. Minnesota Twins

  • Wednesday, September 11, 7:45PM ET - Reds vs. Cardinals

  • Wednesday, September 18, 6:35PM ET - Giants vs. Orioles

  • Wednesday, September 25, 6:40PM ET - Rays vs. Tigers

It isn’t clear who this experience was made for, but hey, at least it’s free. You can log into the virtual ballpark using any modern device with a web browser at MLB’s virtual ballpark website. You’ll need to create or log into an MLB account before they let you past the virtual turnstile.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/mlbs-virtual-ballpark-returns-for-four-regular-season-games-in-september-171533897.html?src=rss

The MLS Season Pass on Apple TV is now $10 for the rest of the season

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Soccer fans (or football to me, a Malaysian) who want to catch up on the latest Major League Soccer (MLS) matches for the rest of the 2024 season can now purchase the MLS Season Pass through Apple TV for $10. For Apple TV+ subscribers, the MLS Season Pass is free. The pass will last until the end of the 2024 season, October 19, and includes playoffs.

All matches will have English and Spanish audio, but you can also listen to the home club’s local radio announcers if you like. Additionally, the season pass includes MLS 360, the show completely covering each matchday, including pre-and post-game coverage, highlights, interviews and more.

You can also stream up to four matches at once thanks to Multiview, but the option is limited to 4K Apple TV devices or iPads. The Catch Up feature helps fans stay updated through automatically selected plays, going through goals, penalty kicks, red cards, notable shots and saves.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/streaming/the-mls-season-pass-on-apple-tv-is-now-10-for-the-rest-of-the-season-145100471.html?src=rss

Apple Sports is ready for some football with new game tracking updates

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If you’re the kind of pro or college football fan who wishes they could time travel so they can watch every game as they happen, Apple Sports may be able to help. The iPhone sports app can’t break the laws of quantum physics but it can help you keep track of all the games during football season.

Apple Sports’ newest update adds more comprehensive alerts and features for National Football League (NFL) and National Collegiate Athletic Association Football (NCAAF) games. The app will not only provide up-to-the-minute scores and stats on games but it will also deliver play-by-play updates for scoring drives with its new “dynamic drive tracker” that can show the ball’s location on the field. The Apple Sports app will also provide real-time betting odds during every game.

The app will eventually add a drop-down screen that will show the main scorecards from game to game, a feed of updates for your teams and a search function that makes it easier to find and switch between games even if you don’t follow them. It'll also cannibalize the “Live Activities” alert feature from Apple TV. Both those features will drop when the iOS 18 beta launches in the fall.

The Apple Sports app launched in February for free and is available now on the App Store. As of Thursday, the app can track games for 15 different leagues’ seasons including the NFL, NCAAF, Major League Soccer (MLS), Major League Baseball (MLB) and the National Basketball Association (NBA). Apple says more leagues will be added to the app in future updates.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/apps/apple-sports-is-ready-for-some-football-with-new-game-tracking-updates-181536944.html?src=rss

ESPN’s Where to Watch offers a TV and streaming guide to sports viewing

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ESPN launched a feature called Where to Watch in its app and website. This guide is a list of all the sporting events happening on a given day and, fittingly, where you can watch them. The resource covers not just ESPN's own channels, but also broadcast, cable and regional sports networks and streaming services. Users can prioritize their favorite leagues and teams to make details about those games front and center. People who are authenticated pay TV customers or ESPN+ subscribers can click through to watch the live events if they are an ESPN network stream or a select partner network.

ESPN is hardly the first to come up with this idea. In fact, you can already see a comprehensive list of all kinds of athletic events on the Sports page of Just Watch. But the fact that it's such a useful tool is a sign of just how convoluted it can be to watch a specific game. Sports leagues are fragmented across a host of rights deals that mean your team might play on one media platform one night and a totally different one the next. For instance, NBA and WNBA matches will predominantly be on ESPN in the coming years. Except for when the games are on NBC and Peacock. And when they're on Prime Video. Resources like Just Watch or ESPN's Where to Watch might give you the information, but they don't reduce the costs of being a loyal viewer.

If that wasn't enough, there are also new sports-centric streaming options on the horizon from ESPN. The Disney-owned company is planning to offer a standalone streaming subscription next year and it's also a partner in the proposed Venu sports streaming package (although that's hit some hurdles).

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/espns-where-to-watch-offers-a-tv-and-streaming-guide-to-sports-viewing-221350244.html?src=rss

Valve bans Razer and Wooting keyboard automation in Counter-Strike 2

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Earlier this week Valve started kicking Counter-Strike 2 players who used a feature called Simultaneous Opposing Cardinal Directions (SOCD). It’s available on some of Razer and Wooting’s keyboards, and you'll be kicked from matches if you play Counter-Strike 2 and the game detects you using it. Fortunately, Valve isn’t planning to ban Steam accounts right now.

The Verge tested Valve’s ruling and confirmed the game kicks you from matches if you play with SOCD. We still don’t recommend challenging Valve’s leniency, as the admins still have every right to ban accounts from playing the game. Don’t come crying if they do, thanks.

Razer calls the feature Snap Tap, while Wooting prefers the cuter term Snappy Tappy. Valve’s post says that those who own these keyboards must disable the features to “avoid any interruption to your matches.”

SOCD allows players to automate strafing, which means they can move in two directions without releasing the first key. This entails that you can always peek out of cover and get back out of harm’s way as fast as the game’s limitations allow. For example, as you move left with the A key, pressing the D key without letting the A key go enables you to go right instantly. Additionally, your reticule widens while moving, so coming to a stop sooner helps with your aim. SOCD lets you stop almost instantly, which can improve your head-clicking rate.

Both Razer and Wooting have made posts on X accepting Valve’s decision. Wooting, in particular, called for SOCD keyboard owners to disable the feature while playing Counter-Strike 2.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/pc/valve-bans-razer-and-wooting-keyboard-automation-in-counter-strike-2-160502376.html?src=rss

Star Wars: The Acolyte isn’t getting a second season

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Lucasfilm has decided not to renew The Acolyte for a second season, according to Deadline and Variety. Fans won't get to see how the show was supposed to end and won't get to know how the plotlines its creator, Leslye Headland (Russian Doll), teased at the end of the first season would unravel. Engadget Senior Editor Devindra Hardawar called The Acolyte "Star Wars at its best" in his review, discussed how unique its premise was, and drew parallels between the series and Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. 

Deadline says the show had a strong start and garnered 4.8 million views in the first day it became available for streaming, reaching 11.1 million views after five days. However, viewership fell in the coming weeks, and its finale was reportedly the poorest performing finale for a Star Wars series. 

The Acolyte was a mystery-thriller story featuring a former Jedi trainee played by Amandla Stenberg, who's suspected of committing a series of crimes. Her former Jedi Master played by Lee Jung-jae (Squid Game) now has to find her to get to the bottom of things. Manny Jacinto, who played the smuggler Qimir, gained a lot of attention online due to this shirtless scenes. It was revealed in the later episodes that he plays a bigger role in the story, and viewers were even supposed to learn his real name in the next season. 

The show is still available to watch on Disney+ for those who don't mind not getting closure for its story. 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/tv-movies/star-wars-the-acolyte-isnt-getting-a-second-season-120033350.html?src=rss

Valve’s new game racks up 22K concurrent players, without officially existing

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Valve’s next game, which has yet to be officially announced, had over 16,000 concurrent players over the weekend. As of this writing, that number sits at 22,400 via SteamDB. The game is called Deadlock and we’ve known that Valve was working on it for a while, but now it seems as though we are in the midst of a soft launch of some kind.

Again, this game hasn’t been officially announced by the company, though something’s certainly going on. It’s likely that Valve has opened the game up to play tests to gauge how successful the title could be with a proper PR push behind it, as indicated by Eurogamer and others. These numbers are certainly impressive considering, you know, Deadlock has yet to be confirmed by the company.

So what is Deadlock? It’s a competitive MOBA shooter, billed as “the next Dota” by veteran Valve reporter Tyler McVicker. It’s reported to have been in development since 2018 and is a partnership with IceFrog, an unnamed creator who was originally behind the original Defense of the Ancients mod of Warcraft III: Reign of Chaos that started all of the Dota mania.

By all accounts, Deadlock is already in an advanced state of development, given the robust concurrent player count. McVicker describes it as looking “like Valorant, Overwatch, Dota 2 and Team Fortress 2 had a baby.”

After this article was originally published, an Engadget writer got an invite to the playtest, and can confirm many of the details leaked about the game. There are currently 20 heroes to choose from, and you can enter a sandbox mode to try each of them out. You're also able to browse ongoing matches to spectate and get a better feel for things before you're ready to dive in. The playtest build shows that the servers are open every day, for at least 12 hours each day.

While Valve hasn’t officially announced Deadlock, likely waiting for a surprise drop of some kind, the company did trademark the name back in June. So that’s something. With over 22,000 concurrents, it won’t be long before we all know a lot more about this game.

Update, August 13, 3:30PM ET: This story was updated after publishing with a brief explanation of what Valve's Deadlock playtest entails. The number of concurrent players in the headline and article was also updated to reflect the game's current player count. The original article stated there were over 16,000 players.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/valves-new-game-racks-up-16k-concurrent-players-without-officially-existing-184342450.html?src=rss