After a series of delays, Hogwarts Legacy is now available for the Nintendo Switch console. The wizardly game was released in February for PS5, Xbox Series X/S and PC, with the PS4 and Xbox One versions following in May. The Switch version was also expected during the first half of the year. However, it was pushed to July and finally, November 14.
Hogwarts Legacy developers said the Switch version was delayed to create the “best possible experience” for players. The Switch's aging hardware may have also contributed to the delay as this isn't the first setback we've seen for third-party publishers bringing their games to the console.
As for gameplay, Hogwarts Legacy is, as you’re probably aware, based on the Harry Potter series. The game is a prequel, set over a hundred years before Harry and the gang entered the school of witchcraft and wizardry. Once the game starts, players can choose and customize their characters, including which Hogwarts House to join. After that, players will learn to cast spells, brew potions and master different magical abilities. Hogwarts Legacy is currently available for $60 in the Nintendo Store. There's also a deluxe edition with a Dark Arts Pack, featuring a Dark Arts cosmetic set and a new battle arena. The Hogwarts Legacy: Digital Deluxe Edition will cost $70.
Since its release, Hogwarts Legacy has sold millions of copies — making it one of the best-selling games of 2023 so far. But despite its obvious popularity across platforms, Hogwarts Legacy did not snag a single nomination for this year's Games Awards.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/hogwarts-legacy-is-finally-available-for-the-switch-192159972.html?src=rss
Uber drivers (and riders) need to maintain a high rating to keep using the app, but bad actors can pull that score down. Some may even give a driver or courier a poor rating for a perfectly fine ride or food delivery just so they can get a refund. Uber says it's doing more to tackle that problem and to make the platform fairer and safer for riders and couriers.
The company says it has established new systems to pinpoint users who make complaints solely in an effort to get a refund or other appeasement. Uber says any allegations that these flagged users make will not impact a driver's rating or play a factor in account deactivation decisions. The company notes that this builds on a policy it's had since 2017 to discard low ratings for issues that are outside of a driver's or courier's control, such as heavy traffic.
Elsewhere, drivers and couriers will receive clearer information as to why Uber deactivated their account. They'll be able to ask Uber to review the decision and include any details that may help their case, such as video or audio recordings. In addition, drivers in the US who have been accused of operating their vehicle under the influence of drugs will have the option of taking a test to prove their innocence. Uber will cover the cost of the drug test.
These are part of a number of measures Uber is bringing in to make the platform safer and fairer for drivers. For one thing, the company is expanding its Record My Ride feature to more cities in the US. Drivers in more locations will be able to use their iPhone's front-facing camera to capture video of their trips. As with the audio recording feature that's now available nationwide, no one will have access to an encrypted video capture unless a driver sends it to Uber for review.
In another safety-oriented update, Uber says that in 2024 it will "significantly expand verification of rider identities to compare rider account details against trusted data sources or an ID document." Eventually, it will start informing drivers whether the rider they're set to pick up is verified. The idea is to give drivers more peace of mind before they accept a trip.
Other updates Uber has announced include Android Auto integration so the Uber Driver app can be accessed on a larger screen. That builds on previous CarPlay integration.
Drivers will soon be able to share real-time traffic and route information that other drivers can access, while information on roadworks, crashes and lane closures that are sourced from TomTom are automatically factored into Uber's suggested routes. Meanwhile, couriers can now see if there's free parking close to their destination and they can access more information about their drop-off point, including photos of the building or door.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/uber-is-clamping-down-on-users-who-give-bad-ratings-just-to-get-refunds-164045280.html?src=rss
iRobot's Roomba Combo j5+ robot vacuum is $300 off in an early Black Friday deal via Wellbots. This is a record-low for the appliance, dropping the price to $500 instead of the MSRP of $800. In the past, discounts for the j5+ stalled at around $200 off. As typical with Wellbots deals, there’s a promo code. Just enter “ENGBF300” at checkout and you’ll be good to go.
The Roomba Combo j5+, as the name suggests, is a combination unit that includes both a vacuum and a mopping feature. It can pinpoint no-mop zones, so you don’t have to worry about the robot spraying fluid all over your brand-new carpet. The j5+ can also avoid more than 80 common floor obstacles. As a matter of fact, iRobot will replace the unit for free if it doesn’t avoid pet waste, as part of the company’s “P.O.O.P.” pledge. No, we didn’t make that up. It stands for “Pet Owner Official Promise.”
This is a well-regarded robovac with one obvious downside when compared to pricier models like the Roomba j7+ and the flagship j9+. Despite the combo functionality, you have to manually swap out the bins when switching between vacuuming and mopping. The more expensive robots do this automatically. Still, the j9+ costs $900 and the j5+ is currently on sale for $400. You’ll have to decide if that automation feature is worth the price difference.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/irobots-roomba-combo-j5-is-300-off-in-an-early-black-friday-deal-150047886.html?src=rss
In the history of modern gaming handhelds, Sony was there in the fairly early days with the PSP and Vita. Both were well regarded, if flawed, living and dying long before the age of the Switch and the Steam Deck. So it would be reasonable to expect the new PlayStation Portal, which marks Sony’s return to handhelds, would be a triumph. Yeah. About that.
Portal is a $200 handheld that can only stream from your own PlayStation 5, either at home or when you’re on the go. There are no local titles, or any bells and whistles for that matter, it’s just a way to play on your own PS5 when the TV isn’t available. Devindra Hardawar has been testing one for a while and the obvious flaws remain obvious.
If your internet connection isn’t rock-solid, then the Portal isn’t very useful, especially when you can pick up a mobile handheld dock for a lot less cash. It doesn’t help that Sony’s not the best at perfectly integrating its hardware and software, so things you might expect to be seamless are anything but. Click to read Devindra’s full review, but if you’re a Sony diehard, it might be best to hide behind your hands while you do so.
— Dan Cooper
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It’s common knowledge that Google pays Apple a king’s ransom to be the default search engine on Safari. What is less well known is Google also hands over a 36 percent commission on the revenue generated by those searches. The news accidentally let slip during a recent hearing, despite both companies’ insistence the figure remain strictly confidential. Oops.
Volvo’s first fully electric minivan, the EM90, which it describes as a “living room on the move,” has been announced for the Chinese market. Based on the Zeekr 009, it includes plush reclining chairs, air suspension and external noise cancellation. The range is no slouch, either, with a promised 450 miles on a single charge, if you can believe those sorts of promises.
There are plenty of words a respectable newsletter writer can’t use when describing how people behave online. You’ll just have to imagine how I’d like to describe the operators and members of an AI marketplace encouraging its users to create the most realistic-looking deepfakes of real people. It’s not just creepy requests for celebrities, which would be bad enough, either, since reporters also found requests for fakes of private citizens.
Sony has apparently learned nothing from the success of the Nintendo Switch and Steam Deck. Or from its own portable systems like the Vita and PSP, for that matter. The PlayStation Portal (yes, technically it's another PSP) is a $200 handheld system that can only stream games from your PlayStation 5. There aren't any built-in apps, it can't play anything locally, and there's no connection to Sony's cloud game streaming service. It's purely a streaming window into your PS5, hence the name.
Consequently, it's also a device that lives and dies based on the quality of your internet connection. While it's mostly meant for in-home play, you could technically hop on any Wi-Fi connection to play remotely when you're traveling. But that's only possible if that connection and your home internet can keep up, and if your PS5 doesn't crash or get wonky. If anything along that chain fails, you're left with an ugly $200 doorstop.
That's the main problem with the PlayStation Portal: Its downsides are so immediately apparent that it's unclear why anyone should get one. You could, for example, spend $100 for a Backbone controller to stream games from your phone. Or you could use any existing gamepad to access the PS Remote app on a phone, table, Mac or Windows PC. There are so many better ways to access games on the go, the PlayStation Portal already feels obsolete before it launches.
Even its design seems haphazard: It's as if Sony chopped up a DualSense controller and shoved a basic 8-inch tablet in the middle. In place of the DualSense's center touchpad, you can tap and swipe on the Portal's screen (a process that was never as smooth as I wanted). On the bright side, the Portal includes the DualSense's satisfying haptics, and its sci-fi-ish black and white case looks right at home alongside the PlayStation 5.
Photo by Devindra Hardawar/Engadget
Holding the PlayStation Portal feels like holding an oversized DualSense controller. My hands and fingers were perfectly comfortable, but the 8-inch screen throws off the balance. I also couldn't help but notice how fragile the bottom corners of the screen were. It really does look like a tablet, with thick bezels and a relatively thin profile. But unlike the Switch, Steam Deck or even PlayStation Vita, there's nothing protecting the lower part of the Portal's screen from a hard drop, or from being crushed inside of a backpack. (Sony isn't selling a Portal case of its own, but you can find some from third-parties.)
I'm sure the controller arms would offer some protection for many falls, but I couldn't help treating the system with kid gloves during my testing. I didn't let my 5-year old daughter handle it during my review, even though I feel comfortable letting her hold a Switch. Perhaps this is just my paranoid dad brain speaking, but the Portal's screen is practically asking to be damaged — it's like getting your child an overly-expensive doll and just knowing it's going to lose a limb within a day.
Setting up the PlayStation Portal involves linking it to your PlayStation 5 from within the console, or the PlayStation app. For some reason, my phone (an iPhone 15 Pro Max) had a hard time making out the QR code on the Portal's screen, so I plugged in the pairing code manually. Once that was clear, I sat back and waited for the Portal to connect to my PS5. And I waited. And waited.
Photo by Devindra Hardawar/Engadget
Thirty seconds later, I received a message saying that I needed to turn on my PS5's Remote Play feature, something I could have sworn I did when reviewing the system. The only problem? I was snuggled in bed, hoping to get some portable Spider-Man 2 time in before I dozed off. Rather than trek down two flights of stairs to reach the PS5 in my basement, I decided to wait until morning. I’ll admit, this was mostly my fault, but it would have been nice to flip on Remote Play from the PlayStation app.
When I got up, I immediately flipped on the feature on my PS5 and proceeded to make breakfast. While my kids were chomping down on pancakes, I turned on the PS Portal and tried to connect to my PS5 — once again, I waited. About a minute later, I finally heard a successful chime from the system and was presented with my PlayStation 5's home screen. But when I tried to get a game of Thumper going, all I saw was a sea of video compression artifacts. The game's normally fluid controls felt like mud. I gave up after five minutes of frustration.
Here's where I need to reiterate that your experience with the PlayStation Portal comes down to your home's internet setup. Sony recommends having a connection of at least 5Mbps, and it suggests 15Mbps for better quality. But raw internet speed is just one factor: You also have to consider the age and networking technology in your router, as well as Wi-Fi reception throughout your home. For the best possible experience, you'll want a modern router (or even better, a mesh setup) that can bathe your home in full wireless bars, as well as a direct Ethernet connection for your PS5. (Sony isn't saying if the PS Portal supports Wi-Fi 6, but that's a technology worth investing in if you have an older router.)
What's confusing, though, is that I have pretty great internet throughout my home. I'm using AT&T's gigabit service with a modern Wi-Fi 6 gateway on my first floor, and there's a mesh extension for my office in the basement. I typically see full wireless reception on my main floor, with speeds between 600 and 800Mbps on most devices. So why was the PlayStation Portal having such a rough time? I have no clue. My PS5, which sits in the basement, isn’t connected via Ethernet. But I also see 500Mbps speeds down there, so it didn't seem necessary. During breakfast, I was sitting about 20 unobstructed feet from my router, so there wasn't much physical interference either.
When I moved to my living room later in the day, which is also where my router sits, the Portal was able to connect to my PS5 in around 15 seconds. I spun up Spider-Man 2 and crossed my fingers. For some reason, it loaded up just fine and I was able to play for an hour with my daughter curled up beside me. That was the first time I could actually see the potential of this thing. My daughter and I have been gaming together a lot, but only with portable systems we can use together in bed or on the couch. It would take a lot more effort to bring her into my basement home theater, and frankly, she'd probably be bored there.
Photo by Devindra Hardawar/Engadget
So there we were, swinging through New York City streets as Peter Parker and Miles Morales, and it felt like magic. Spider-Man 2 appeared to be running at 60fps on the Portal in performance mode, and it was perfectly fine. Colors certainly didn't pop as they do on my Switch OLED, and it couldn't hold a candle to the Steam Deck's new 90Hz OLED HDR screen, but it was still decently immersive without many video artifacts. The controls felt just as responsive as the DualSense, and its haptic rumble felt powerful and nuanced (certainly more so than the Switch or Steam Deck).
Moving up to my bedroom later in the day (one floor above the router, two floors above the basement) we were able to clock another 30 minutes in Spider-Man 2 with only occasional hiccups. Thankfully, the game automatically paused in those instances, similar to what you'd see if your DualSense controller lost power during normal gameplay. Every time we disconnected, I couldn't help but look over at the Switch OLED and Steam Deck, handhelds that can actually play games offline without a sweat.
During a recent grocery run, I brought the Portal along just to test the limits of its remote connectivity. To my surprise, I was able to tether it to my phone (using Verizon's 5G ultra-wideband network) and launch Spider-Man 2 just fine. The game looked far less clear than when I was at home, naturally, but I could still make out enough to explore the city and take on a few side missions.
So sure, the Portal isn't entirely useless on the go, but you're risking a lot if it's your only portable gaming option. You still couldn't use it on a plane — even if the internet was fast enough, network latency would be abysmal — and hotel Wi-Fi is notoriously unreliable. Meanwhile, you could play Tears of the Kingdom on Switch or Baldur's Gate 3 on the Steam Deck without issue. (Power is a concern, but planes often have outlets and both systems can be charged with portable battery packs.)
When I got back home, my daughter was excited to see more of Mile's story in Spider-Man 2. But for whatever reason, the Portal refused to connect to my PS5 while we were sitting in bed, even though it worked just fine there the night before. We didn't have enough time to run downstairs and reset the PS5, so we resorted to playing Dave the Diver on the Steam Deck instead.
Photo by Devindra Hardawar/Engadget
I can't abide hardware I can't trust, and the PlayStation Portal is among the most fickle devices I've encountered. Even if you have an excellent home networking setup, it’s hard to predict just how well it will perform. That’s a shame, since its battery life is among the best we’ve seen for a portable system, lasting between seven and eight hours of gameplay. (The one bright side to being a streaming-only device? It’s basically just decoding incoming video.)
There are other annoyances too, like the Portal’s complete lack of Bluetooth support. You can connect a pair of Sony's $200 Pulse Explore earbuds, but that's your only wireless option. Otherwise, you'll have to plug in wired headphones at the bottom of the Portal, or deal with the system’s anemic speakers. Sony likely wanted to keep the Portal's price down, but losing Bluetooth feels like the Sony of yore forcing people to buy their proprietary Memory Sticks, instead of using SD cards like everyone else.
Photo by Devindra Hardawar/Engadget
Despite its many downsides, I'm sure some PlayStation fans will jump on the Portal. Engadget Executive Editor Aaron Souppouris and Deputy Editor Nathan Ingraham were both intrigued about playing on the couch while watching something else on their TVs. And based on my time with it, I can see the Portal's limited appeal — but not for $200.
As someone who genuinely loved the PlayStation Vita, it's disappointing to see Sony delivering a bare-minimum portable system. I'm not expecting the Vita 2, but at least give us true cloud gaming.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/playstation-portal-review-a-baffling-handheld-for-no-one-but-sony-diehards-201558485.html?src=rss
Remedy's latest title, Alan Wake II, is garnering rave reviews and is a surefire game of the year contender. The studio will be hoping to build on that success with the several other games it has in the works, including a Control sequel and co-op spinoff. However, Remedy is going back to the drawing board with another game it has been piecing together.
It emerged in 2021 that the studio was working on a free-to-play co-op shooter with Tencent. Given the uncertainty of the market for free-to-play multiplayer games, though, the two sides have decided to go in a different direction. They're rebooting Project Vanguard as Project Kestrel, which will be a "premium game with a strong, cooperative multiplayer component."
The game is going back to a concept stage with core leadership and some members of the team remaining on Kestrel. Other folks who were working on Vanguard are being reassigned to other Remedy teams. The studio says Kestrel will "lean more into Remedy’s core strengths." It plans to repurpose many of Vanguard's assets, features and themes for Kestrel.
“We have made some great strides in free-to-play and multiplayer development in Vanguard," Remedy CEO Tero Virtala said in a statement. "After a lot of careful consideration, we believe that taking on a new direction where the game will be built more around Remedy’s core competences is the right way to go. We are creating another distinct Remedy game with Tencent’s continued support in making a great cooperative multiplayer experience."
Changing tack feels like a smart move. The free-to-play multiplayer shooter market is saturated with high-profile competition such as Apex Legends, Fortnite, Call of Duty: Warzone and Overwatch 2. As a result, a number of notable live service shooters have been shut down or canceled this year. One of those was CrossfireX, a free-to-play shooter that Remedy worked on, so the studio may be forgiven for feeling wary about re-entering that fray anytime soon.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/remedy-scraps-plans-for-a-free-to-play-multiplayer-game-174701519.html?src=rss
Volvo has unveiled its first fully electric minivan, which is geared toward comfort. So much so, the brand describes the EM90 as a "living room on the move." While it might be comfy enough to travel in while wearing PJs, Volvo is pitching the EV as an option for those who want a space where they can get work done too.
The EM90 is infused with sound isolation and road noise cancellation tech, while Volvo claims that dual chamber air suspension and silent tires will offer the driver and passengers a smooth ride. If that works as promised, you'll be able to get the most out of an audio system that has 21 Bowers & Wilkins speakers.
Along with a 15.4-inch infotainment screen for the driver, there's a roof-mounted 15.6-inch HD display to which you can cast shows and movies from your phone. Attach a compatible camera, and the screen can be used for video calls. 5G connectivity will come in handy for business-minded users too.
Many of the EM90's functions can be controlled with your voice, including the audio and interior lighting. With a voice command or by flicking a switch, the car's screens, seats, windows, air conditioner and lighting can be adjusted for theater or meeting room use — or even a bedroom setup for the rear seats, Volvo says.
If the EM90 looks familiar, that's because it's based on the 009 from Zeekr, Volvo's sibling brand, as Electrekpoints out. It has a 200 kW electric motor that can take it from 0 to 100 kmph (62.1 mph) in 8.3 seconds. The EV has a 116 kWh battery (with bi-directional charging support) that Volvo claims can charge from 10 to 80 percent in under 30 minutes.
On top of all of that, the EM90 has an impressive range, at least on paper. Volvo says it has a range of up to 738 km (459 miles) based on China's CLTC testing cycle. The vehicle will only be available in China at first and it starts at around $114,000. It's unclear if or when the EV will arrive elsewhere.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/volvos-em90-living-room-on-the-move-minivan-has-up-to-450-miles-of-ev-range-164051908.html?src=rss
It's widely believed that Nintendo will unveil the Switch's successor in 2024, but you can still expect a steady stream of games to hit the current console for the foreseeable future. To that end, the company has announced its latest Indie World showcase, which will start at noon ET on November 14. You can watch it below.
The stream will feature around 20 minutes of announcements and updates related to indie games on the Switch. Typically when an Indie World or Nintendo Direct takes place, a few games that are featured hit the Switch eShop on the same day. So, you'll likely have something unexpected and new to play on Tuesday (that is, if you don't already have an obscene backlog of games to dive into).
As for what games Nintendo will show off, that remains a mystery for now. I know we mention this every single time there's a Nintendo showcase, but there's always the possibility that Hollow Knight: Silksong makes an appearance and we finally learn its release date. Fans can but hope.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/nintendos-next-indie-world-showcase-takes-place-on-november-14-143518226.html?src=rss
Netflix now has more than 80 games that subscribers can dive into at no extra cost on iOS and Android (and TVs and desktops, in some cases). As part of its Geeked Week event, the company has revealed some more titles that are on the way to the service, including some indie classics.
Hades, one of the very best games of 2020, will soon be available to Netflix subscribers on iOS, but not Android for the time being. It's a rogue-lite dungeon crawler that places a heavy emphasis on replayability.
You'll play as Zagreus, the prince of the Underworld. Whenever he dies (which will probably be often to begin with), he'll go back to the beginning. It's different every time you play, but you'll carry knowledge — and some weapons and abilities — from one run into the next. The Hugo award-winningHades has a rich cast of characters too. It's a real treat, and you might find yourself sinking hundreds of hours into this one.
Classic time-manipulation platformer Braid is on the way to iOS and Android for Netflix users. The long-delayed Braid, Anniversary Editionfeatures upgraded audio, hand-repainted visuals, fresh animations "and a whole new world of puzzles to solve." In a neat touch, there will also be over 15 hours of commentary that delves into game design, programming and other aspects of development. Braid creator Jonathan Blow revealed that the new edition of Braid is coming to Netflix Games, Windows, PlayStation and Xbox on April 30
Death's Door was one of the standout indies of 2021, and the Zelda-esque adventure title will soon be a mobile exclusive for Netflix subscribers. You control a crow that's tasked with collecting souls for the Reaping Commission Headquarters, a bureaucratic entity in the afterlife.
A game based on one of Netflix's biggest hits is coming soon too. In Money Heist, you'll get to take part in a version of the heist from the franchise's original series. Netflix says the game will arrive alongside spinoff series Berlin.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/netflix-is-bringing-hades-braid-and-deaths-door-to-mobile-devices-214008933.html?src=rss
Netflix now has more than 80 games that subscribers can dive into at no extra cost on iOS and Android (and TVs and desktops, in some cases). As part of its Geeked Week event, the company has revealed some more titles that are on the way to the service, including some indie classics.
Hades, one of the very best games of 2020, will soon be available to Netflix subscribers on iOS, but not Android for the time being. It's a rogue-lite dungeon crawler that places a heavy emphasis on replayability.
You'll play as Zagreus, the prince of the Underworld. Whenever he dies (which will probably be often to begin with), he'll go back to the beginning. It's different every time you play, but you'll carry knowledge — and some weapons and abilities — from one run into the next. The Hugo award-winningHades has a rich cast of characters too. It's a real treat, and you might find yourself sinking hundreds of hours into this one.
Classic time-manipulation platformer Braid is on the way to iOS and Android for Netflix users. The long-delayed Braid, Anniversary Editionfeatures upgraded audio, hand-repainted visuals, fresh animations "and a whole new world of puzzles to solve." In a neat touch, there will also be over 15 hours of commentary that delves into game design, programming and other aspects of development. Braid creator Jonathan Blow revealed that the new edition of Braid is coming to Netflix Games, Windows, PlayStation and Xbox on April 30
Death's Door was one of the standout indies of 2021, and the Zelda-esque adventure title will soon be a mobile exclusive for Netflix subscribers. You control a crow that's tasked with collecting souls for the Reaping Commission Headquarters, a bureaucratic entity in the afterlife.
A game based on one of Netflix's biggest hits is coming soon too. In Money Heist, you'll get to take part in a version of the heist from the franchise's original series. Netflix says the game will arrive alongside spinoff series Berlin.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/netflix-is-bringing-hades-braid-and-deaths-door-to-mobile-devices-214008933.html?src=rss