Blizzard’s games will once again be available in China, over 15 months after titles such as World of Warcraftand Overwatch 2 went offline in the planet's largest gaming market. Blizzard has renewed its licensing agreement with long-time partner NetEase and many of its games will return to mainland China in the coming months.
NetEase oversaw Blizzard games in China for 15 years, but their agreement expired in January 2023, leading to the likes of Hearthstone and Starcraftshutting down in the country. The two sides had kept discussions going over the last year and they finally reached a new deal.
It'll take a little while for Blizzard and NetEase to resolve technical issues and get things in place for the relaunch, but the games are expected to come back online in China starting this summer. According to Bloomberg, players will be able to resume progress they’d previously made on their accounts.
Blizzard could be set for a notable boost to its bottom line with its games coming back to China. Overwatch is one of its more popular games there — the country is said to have made up most of the Overwatch League’s viewership in the circuit’s later seasons. One pro team based in China didn’t play at all during OWL’s final season in 2023.
In addition, Chinese players will for the first time officially be able to play Diablo IV, which Blizzard released last June and was an instant hit. (Diablo Immortalremained available in China during the spat with NetEase as that game was subject to a separate agreement.)
Meanwhile, Blizzard’s parent company Microsoft has struck a separate deal with NetEase. They’ll explore the possibility of bringing NetEase games to Xbox consoles and other platforms.
“Blizzard and NetEase have done incredible work to renew our commitment to players — Blizzard’s universes have been part of players’ lives in the region for many years,” Phil Spencer, CEO of Microsoft Gaming, said in a statement. “Returning Blizzard’s legendary games to players in China while exploring ways to bring more new titles to Xbox demonstrates our commitment to bringing more games to more players around the world.”
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/blizzard-games-are-returning-to-china-this-summer-145109338.html?src=rss
Fallout’s transition to TV starts with a bang (or three depending on how you’re counting). But even after the show emerges from the vault, the hits keep coming. That’s because unlike a lot of other video game adaptations that receive a thin veneer designed to appeal to fans of the source material, the essence of Fallout runs so deep throughout this series it could weather an atomic blast. Its characters are magnetic and its visuals are downright impressive. But most importantly, just like HBO’s The Last of Us, Fallout is more than just a video game adaptation. It’s a really good show in its own right – an apocalyptically good one at that.
The first thing that stands out about the show is just how good it looks. Every set and costume is packed with detail. The clean blues and yellow of vaultsuits are the perfect counterpoint to the dilapidated buildings and shaggy clothes of surface dwellers, which look so grimy you can almost feel the rads coming out of your screen. Meanwhile, Fallout’s Power Armor might be some of the best-looking live-action mech-suits this side of Pacific Rim. Locations are also incredibly diverse and fleshed out while still paying homage to the franchise that inspired them. The settlement of Filly looks almost exactly how I imagine Megaton might appear in real life, you know, aside from having a massive bomb in the middle of town. The show’s audio is also a treat, right down to the crunchy sounds of analog electronics and all the rockin’ oldies that wafting in the background (including an obligatory playing of the Inkspots’s “I don’t want to set the world on fire”).
Courtesy of Prime Video
I really liked how all the show’s easter eggs and references to the video game never felt forced. Iconic gadgets like the Pipboy help build the world while simultaneously pushing the plot forward. Even its cinematography makes callbacks to the game with slow-mo that evokes the V.A.T.S. mechanic during firefights. And all the little critters Fallout fans love and hate like rad roaches, irradiated bears and a very good canine companion make appearances that feel right at home.
Of course, all this would simply be window dressing without characters that bring the world to life. And once again the show doesn’t disappoint. As a vault dweller, Lucy MacLean (played Ella Purnelle) is the perfect foil to ease us into the world of Fallout. As she explores and adapts to the surface, we get to meet an incredible cast of characters who highlight the struggles and revel in the weirdness of a post-doomsday world. I also need to call out the casting of Walton Goggins as the Ghoul, which feels like an especially enlightened choice. This man was made for this role, and even considering some of his previous appearances in Justified and The Hateful Eight, this might be his most engaging performance yet.
Courtesy of Prime Video
The most impressive thing about the Fallout show is how it balances several different stories with grace and intrigue. So often when you have branching plotlines, one arc drags while the others shine. But in Fallout, they are woven together so well that even if one scene goes long, the show on the whole never bores. Now I will admit that those new to the franchise may need to be a bit more patient, as Maximus’ arc and the story surrounding the Brotherhood of Steel takes some time to get rolling.
Perhaps the biggest issue with Fallout is its brutality. This is not a series for the faint of heart. Warning: There is some animal cruelty and there’s so much gore that a regular bullet wound seems tame in comparison. It’s also important to mention that the jump from pixels to live action adds even more impact to this. But coming from a franchise that’s reveled in crass and crudeness since the beginning, it would feel weird any other way.
Courtesy of Prime Video
As a fan of the franchise, there’s always a little trepidation when a game tests the waters of a new medium. But Fallout has absolutely nailed it. And looking back, it probably shouldn’t have been a surprise, because unlike Street Fighter or Mortal Kombat whose stories always felt like afterthoughts, it was the world and the characters of Fallout that kept people coming back to the wasteland. While the game may have provided the blueprint to make the show a success, this adaptation can stand on its own.
The Fallout series is available to stream today starting at 9PM ET on Amazon Prime Video.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/the-fallout-tv-series-is-a-very-awesome-tv-show-130039789.html?src=rss
Fallout’s transition to TV starts with a bang (or three depending on how you’re counting). But even after the show emerges from the vault, the hits keep coming. That’s because unlike a lot of other video game adaptations that receive a thin veneer designed to appeal to fans of the source material, the essence of Fallout runs so deep throughout this series it could weather an atomic blast. Its characters are magnetic and its visuals are downright impressive. But most importantly, just like HBO’s The Last of Us, Fallout is more than just a video game adaptation. It’s a really good show in its own right – an apocalyptically good one at that.
The first thing that stands out about the show is just how good it looks. Every set and costume is packed with detail. The clean blues and yellow of vaultsuits are the perfect counterpoint to the dilapidated buildings and shaggy clothes of surface dwellers, which look so grimy you can almost feel the rads coming out of your screen. Meanwhile, Fallout’s Power Armor might be some of the best-looking live-action mech-suits this side of Pacific Rim. Locations are also incredibly diverse and fleshed out while still paying homage to the franchise that inspired them. The settlement of Filly looks almost exactly how I imagine Megaton might appear in real life, you know, aside from having a massive bomb in the middle of town. The show’s audio is also a treat, right down to the crunchy sounds of analog electronics and all the rockin’ oldies that wafting in the background (including an obligatory playing of the Inkspots’s “I don’t want to set the world on fire”).
Courtesy of Prime Video
I really liked how all the show’s easter eggs and references to the video game never felt forced. Iconic gadgets like the Pipboy help build the world while simultaneously pushing the plot forward. Even its cinematography makes callbacks to the game with slow-mo that evokes the V.A.T.S. mechanic during firefights. And all the little critters Fallout fans love and hate like rad roaches, irradiated bears and a very good canine companion make appearances that feel right at home.
Of course, all this would simply be window dressing without characters that bring the world to life. And once again the show doesn’t disappoint. As a vault dweller, Lucy MacLean (played Ella Purnelle) is the perfect foil to ease us into the world of Fallout. As she explores and adapts to the surface, we get to meet an incredible cast of characters who highlight the struggles and revel in the weirdness of a post-doomsday world. I also need to call out the casting of Walton Goggins as the Ghoul, which feels like an especially enlightened choice. This man was made for this role, and even considering some of his previous appearances in Justified and The Hateful Eight, this might be his most engaging performance yet.
Courtesy of Prime Video
The most impressive thing about the Fallout show is how it balances several different stories with grace and intrigue. So often when you have branching plotlines, one arc drags while the others shine. But in Fallout, they are woven together so well that even if one scene goes long, the show on the whole never bores. Now I will admit that those new to the franchise may need to be a bit more patient, as Maximus’ arc and the story surrounding the Brotherhood of Steel takes some time to get rolling.
Perhaps the biggest issue with Fallout is its brutality. This is not a series for the faint of heart. Warning: There is some animal cruelty and there’s so much gore that a regular bullet wound seems tame in comparison. It’s also important to mention that the jump from pixels to live action adds even more impact to this. But coming from a franchise that’s reveled in crass and crudeness since the beginning, it would feel weird any other way.
Courtesy of Prime Video
As a fan of the franchise, there’s always a little trepidation when a game tests the waters of a new medium. But Fallout has absolutely nailed it. And looking back, it probably shouldn’t have been a surprise, because unlike Street Fighter or Mortal Kombat whose stories always felt like afterthoughts, it was the world and the characters of Fallout that kept people coming back to the wasteland. While the game may have provided the blueprint to make the show a success, this adaptation can stand on its own.
The Fallout series is available to stream today starting at 9PM ET on Amazon Prime Video.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/the-fallout-tv-series-is-a-very-awesome-tv-show-130039789.html?src=rss
The debate over using copyrighted materials in AI training systems rages on — as does uncertainty over which works AI even pulls data from. US Congressman Adam Schiff is attempting to answer the latter, introducing the Generative AI Copyright Disclosure Act on April 9, Billboard reports. The bill would require AI companies to outline every copyrighted work in their datasets.
"AI has the disruptive potential of changing our economy, our political system, and our day-to-day lives. We must balance the immense potential of AI with the crucial need for ethical guidelines and protections." said Congressman Schiff in a statement. He added that the bill "champions innovation while safeguarding the rights and contributions of creators, ensuring they are aware when their work contributes to AI training datasets. This is about respecting creativity in the age of AI and marrying technological progress with fairness." Organizations such as the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), SAG-AFTRA and WGA have shown support for the bill.
If the Generative AI Copyright Disclosure Act passes, companies would need to file all relevant data use to the Register of Copyrights at least 30 days before introducing the AI tool to the public. They would also have to provide the same information retroactively for any existing tools and make updates if they considerably altered datasets. Failure to do so would result in the Copyright Office issuing a fine — the exact number would depend on a company's size and past infractions. To be clear, this wouldn't do anything to prevent AI creators from using copyrighted work, but it would provide transparency on which materials they've taken from. The ambiguity over use was on full display in a March Bloomberg interview with OpenAI CTO Mira Murati, who claimed she was unsure if the tool Sora took data from YouTube, Facebook or Instagram posts.
The bill could even give companies and artists a clearer picture when speaking out against or suing for copyright infringement — a fairly common occurrence. Take the New York Times, which sued OpenAI and Microsoft for using its articles to train chatbots without an agreement or compensation, or Sarah Silverman, who sued OpenAI (a frequent defendant) and Meta for using her books and other works to train their AI models.
The entertainment industry has also been leading calls for AI protections. AI regulation was a big sticking point in the SAG-AFTRA and WGA strikes last year, ending only when detailed policies around AI went into their contracts. SAG-AFTRA has recently voiced its support for California bills requiring consent from actors to use their avatars and from heirs to make AI versions of deceased individuals. It's no surprise that Congressman Schiff represents California's 30th district, which includes Hollywood, Burbank and Universal City.
Musicians are echoing their fellow creatives, with over 200 artists signing an open letter in April that calls for AI protections, theGuardian reported. "This assault on human creativity must be stopped," the letter, issued by the Artist Rights Alliance, states. "We must protect against the predatory use of AI to steal professional artists' voices and likenesses, violate creators' rights, and destroy the music ecosystem." Billie Eilish, Jon Bon Jovi and Pearm Jam were among the signatories.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/us-bill-proposes-ai-companies-list-what-copyrighted-materials-they-use-123058589.html?src=rss
The debate over using copyrighted materials in AI training systems rages on — as does uncertainty over which works AI even pulls data from. US Congressman Adam Schiff is attempting to answer the latter, introducing the Generative AI Copyright Disclosure Act on April 9, Billboard reports. The bill would require AI companies to outline every copyrighted work in their datasets.
"AI has the disruptive potential of changing our economy, our political system, and our day-to-day lives. We must balance the immense potential of AI with the crucial need for ethical guidelines and protections." said Congressman Schiff in a statement. He added that the bill "champions innovation while safeguarding the rights and contributions of creators, ensuring they are aware when their work contributes to AI training datasets. This is about respecting creativity in the age of AI and marrying technological progress with fairness." Organizations such as the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), SAG-AFTRA and WGA have shown support for the bill.
If the Generative AI Copyright Disclosure Act passes, companies would need to file all relevant data use to the Register of Copyrights at least 30 days before introducing the AI tool to the public. They would also have to provide the same information retroactively for any existing tools and make updates if they considerably altered datasets. Failure to do so would result in the Copyright Office issuing a fine — the exact number would depend on a company's size and past infractions. To be clear, this wouldn't do anything to prevent AI creators from using copyrighted work, but it would provide transparency on which materials they've taken from. The ambiguity over use was on full display in a March Bloomberg interview with OpenAI CTO Mira Murati, who claimed she was unsure if the tool Sora took data from YouTube, Facebook or Instagram posts.
The bill could even give companies and artists a clearer picture when speaking out against or suing for copyright infringement — a fairly common occurrence. Take the New York Times, which sued OpenAI and Microsoft for using its articles to train chatbots without an agreement or compensation, or Sarah Silverman, who sued OpenAI (a frequent defendant) and Meta for using her books and other works to train their AI models.
The entertainment industry has also been leading calls for AI protections. AI regulation was a big sticking point in the SAG-AFTRA and WGA strikes last year, ending only when detailed policies around AI went into their contracts. SAG-AFTRA has recently voiced its support for California bills requiring consent from actors to use their avatars and from heirs to make AI versions of deceased individuals. It's no surprise that Congressman Schiff represents California's 30th district, which includes Hollywood, Burbank and Universal City.
Musicians are echoing their fellow creatives, with over 200 artists signing an open letter in April that calls for AI protections, theGuardian reported. "This assault on human creativity must be stopped," the letter, issued by the Artist Rights Alliance, states. "We must protect against the predatory use of AI to steal professional artists' voices and likenesses, violate creators' rights, and destroy the music ecosystem." Billie Eilish, Jon Bon Jovi and Pearm Jam were among the signatories.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/us-bill-proposes-ai-companies-list-what-copyrighted-materials-they-use-123058589.html?src=rss
At CinemaCon this year, the Motion Picture Association Chairman and CEO Charles Rivkin has revealed a plan that would make "sailing the digital seas" under the Jolly Roger banner just a bit harder. Rivkin said the association is going to work with Congress to establish and enforce a site-blocking legislation in the United States. He added that almost 60 countries use site-blocking as a tool against piracy, "including leading democracies and many of America's closest allies." The only reason why the US isn't one of them, he continued, is the "lack of political will, paired with outdated understandings of what site-blocking actually is, how it functions, and who it affects."
With the rule in place, "film and television, music and book publishers, sports leagues and broadcasters" can ask the court to order ISPs to block websites that share stolen content. Rivkin, arguing in favor of site-blocking, explained that the practice doesn't impact legitimate businesses. He said legislation around the practice would require detailed evidence to prove that a certain entity is engaged in illegal activities and that alleged perpetrators can appear in court to defend themselves.
Rivkin cited FMovies, an illegal film streamer, as an example of how site-blocking in the US would minimize traffic to piracy websites. Apparently, FMovies gets 160 million visits per month, a third of which comes from the US. If the rule also exists in the country, then the website's traffic would, theoretically, drop pretty drastically. The MPA's chairman also talked about previous efforts to enforce site-blocking in the US, which critics previously said would "break the internet" and could potentially stifle free speech. While he insisted that other countries' experiences since then had proven those predictions wrong, he promised that the organization takes those concerns seriously.
He ended his speech by asking for the support of theater owners in the country. "The MPA is leading this charge in Washington," he said. "And we need the voices of theater owners — your voices — right by our side. Because this action will be good for all of us: Content creators. Theaters. Our workforce. Our country."
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/the-motion-picture-association-will-work-with-congress-to-start-blocking-piracy-sites-in-the-us-062111261.html?src=rss
At CinemaCon this year, the Motion Picture Association Chairman and CEO Charles Rivkin has revealed a plan that would make "sailing the digital seas" under the Jolly Roger banner just a bit harder. Rivkin said the association is going to work with Congress to establish and enforce a site-blocking legislation in the United States. He added that almost 60 countries use site-blocking as a tool against piracy, "including leading democracies and many of America's closest allies." The only reason why the US isn't one of them, he continued, is the "lack of political will, paired with outdated understandings of what site-blocking actually is, how it functions, and who it affects."
With the rule in place, "film and television, music and book publishers, sports leagues and broadcasters" can ask the court to order ISPs to block websites that share stolen content. Rivkin, arguing in favor of site-blocking, explained that the practice doesn't impact legitimate businesses. He said legislation around the practice would require detailed evidence to prove that a certain entity is engaged in illegal activities and that alleged perpetrators can appear in court to defend themselves.
Rivkin cited FMovies, an illegal film streamer, as an example of how site-blocking in the US would minimize traffic to piracy websites. Apparently, FMovies gets 160 million visits per month, a third of which comes from the US. If the rule also exists in the country, then the website's traffic would, theoretically, drop pretty drastically. The MPA's chairman also talked about previous efforts to enforce site-blocking in the US, which critics previously said would "break the internet" and could potentially stifle free speech. While he insisted that other countries' experiences since then had proven those predictions wrong, he promised that the organization takes those concerns seriously.
He ended his speech by asking for the support of theater owners in the country. "The MPA is leading this charge in Washington," he said. "And we need the voices of theater owners — your voices — right by our side. Because this action will be good for all of us: Content creators. Theaters. Our workforce. Our country."
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/the-motion-picture-association-will-work-with-congress-to-start-blocking-piracy-sites-in-the-us-062111261.html?src=rss
Ubisoft just dropped another trailer for Star Wars Outlaws, this time focusing on the story. The new trailer spotlights the various smugglers and thieves you’ll be working alongside in a galaxy far, far away. The game also continues to look absolutely gorgeous, thanks to developer Massive Entertainment’s proprietary Snowdrop engine.
It also looks really fun. You play as a scoundrel named Kay Vess as she attempts to win her freedom by completing various jobs for denizens of the underworld. The trailer features Jabba the Hutt, Han Solo frozen in carbonite and all kinds of other "blink and you'll miss it" easter eggs.
Even better than a new trailer? There’s an actual release date of August 30, which is in a few short months. This release date was originally leaked via a Japanese version of the trailer and was spotted by Insider Gaming, but has now been officially confirmed.
Star Wars Outlaws will be available on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, Amazon Luna and PC, with preorders available right now. The base version of the game costs $70, though there are special versions that cost extra. These premium packs include cosmetic DLC, art packs and an exclusive mission.
The August release date means fans will be able to play it directly after finishing the upcoming Star Wars: The Acolyte series on Disney+. Let’s hear it for shared universes!
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/star-wars-outlaws-gets-a-new-trailer-and-a-release-date-of-august-30-162109976.html?src=rss
Ubisoft just dropped another trailer for Star Wars Outlaws, this time focusing on the story. The new trailer spotlights the various smugglers and thieves you’ll be working alongside in a galaxy far, far away. The game also continues to look absolutely gorgeous, thanks to developer Massive Entertainment’s proprietary Snowdrop engine.
It also looks really fun. You play as a scoundrel named Kay Vess as she attempts to win her freedom by completing various jobs for denizens of the underworld. The trailer features Jabba the Hutt, Han Solo frozen in carbonite and all kinds of other "blink and you'll miss it" easter eggs.
Even better than a new trailer? There’s an actual release date of August 30, which is in a few short months. This release date was originally leaked via a Japanese version of the trailer and was spotted by Insider Gaming, but has now been officially confirmed.
Star Wars Outlaws will be available on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, Amazon Luna and PC, with preorders available right now. The base version of the game costs $70, though there are special versions that cost extra. These premium packs include cosmetic DLC, art packs and an exclusive mission.
The August release date means fans will be able to play it directly after finishing the upcoming Star Wars: The Acolyte series on Disney+. Let’s hear it for shared universes!
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/star-wars-outlaws-gets-a-new-trailer-and-a-release-date-of-august-30-162109976.html?src=rss
Fallout, a TV adaptation of Bethesda's eponymous series of post-apocalyptic RPG games, will hit Prime Video earlier than expected. All eight episodes will hit the streaming service at 9PM ET on April 10.
This is actually the second time Amazon has brought forward the release date. The series was originally supposed to debut on April 12, but it moved one day earlier when a trailer dropped last month.
If you catch the first episode as soon as it hits Prime Video, you'll be able to take part in a live global fan premiere. You can pick your faction and interact with other viewers in a live chat.
Fallout was created by Jonathan Nolan and Lisa Joy, the same duo who were behind Westworld. Nolan (Christopher Nolan's brother) directed the first three episodes. The most recent trailer nailed the look and darkly comic tone of the games. Here's hoping the show itself sticks the landing by having a solid story and performances. Having a strong cast that includes Walton Goggins should definitely help on the latter front.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/the-fallout-tv-series-is-coming-to-prime-video-one-day-earlier-than-expected-140928124.html?src=rss