Tag Archives: Consumer Discretionary

VW is bringing casual multiplayer games to EVs and other cars

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Several Volkswagen EVs and other models will soon have access to a range of casual multiplayer games that you can play using your phone as the controller. VW teamed up with AirConsole to bring its gaming platform to the ID.7, ID.5, ID.4 and ID.3 product lines, as well as the new Passat, Tiguan, Golf and Golf Estate. VW expects to roll AirConsole out to vehicles in some European markets by mid-September ahead of a broader expansion with more games and territories.

After firing up the AirConsole app on the VW Active Info Display, you'll just need to scan a QR code to connect a smartphone. Passengers in the rear will be able to join the multiplayer games too. Bear in mind that AirConsole will only work when the vehicle is in park, so it's primarily intended as a way to help everyone pass the time while waiting at an EV charging station or otherwise idling.

VW isn't the first automaker to incorporate AirConsole into its vehicles as BMW started doing so last year. The platform is also available on a desktop web browser as well as Android TV, Google TV and Amazon Fire TV. 

Offering games in cars has become a bit of a trend over the last few years, with Tesla even offering access to Steam in some models (at least until it ended support for that earlier this year). Personally, I'm more interested in installing a PS5 in an ID.Buzz, Pimp My Ride-style.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/transportation/vw-is-bringing-casual-multiplayer-games-to-evs-and-other-cars-090034594.html?src=rss

SpaceX will soon send the Polaris Dawn crew off to attempt the first commercial spacewalk

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Polaris Dawn, a private space mission that aims to complete the first-ever civilian spacewalk, is expected to launch this week. On X, SpaceX said it’s targeting Tuesday August 27 at 3:38AM ET for liftoff of the Falcon 9 rocket that will carry the Polaris Dawn crew to orbit. Led by billionaire Jared Isaacman, Polaris Dawn plans to send its crew of four private citizens as far as 870 miles from Earth — farther than any human has traveled since the Apollo program. The spacewalk, in which two of the crew members will step outside the SpaceX Dragon capsule, will take place at an altitude of 435 miles above Earth.

The Polaris Dawn crew includes Isaacman, CEO of Shift4, as commander, retired Air Force Lieutenant Colonel Scott “Kidd” Poteet as its pilot, and SpaceX engineers Sarah Gillis and Anna Menon as mission specialists. Menon will also serve as the medical officer. The mission is expected to last about five days. 

While only two crew members will actually leave the spacecraft during the flight, all will be exposed to the vacuum of space when the hatch opens — the Dragon capsule doesn’t have an airlock. It’ll be a critical test for SpaceX’s new Extravehicular Activity space suits, which the entire Polaris Dawn crew will have to wear to keep them safe. In an interview with Florida Today ahead of the mission, Menon said the suits have gone through extensive testing on the ground and expressed confidence in their performance. “We absolutely know the suits can pressurize there,” Menon said, adding that the team has “spent a lot of time pressurizing the suits at this point.”

Polaris Dawn will also put Starlink laser-based communications to the test in space for the first time, and gather data to support research into the effects of spaceflight on human health. The mission comes several years in the making and is the first of three planned Polaris spaceflights.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/science/space/spacex-will-soon-send-the-polaris-dawn-crew-off-to-attempt-the-first-commercial-spacewalk-171538506.html?src=rss

The trailer for Call of Duty: Black Ops 6’s zombies DLC has risen

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A new Zombies mode is headed to Call of Duty: Black Ops 6. A new cinematic trailer released on Friday shows that the DLC will take players to a small town called Liberty Falls infested with the running dead.

The trailer starts in a picturesque piece of America with an old-timey song setting the tone. Then everything goes to hell and our unnamed hero wakes up in a post-apocalyptic world from what was just a nightmare all along. He receives a bulletin that the running dead are on their way so he picks up a shock rifle to start popping off some zombies’ tops. The big reveal at the end features some kind of menacing villain that feels like a cross between ZAX from Fallout 76 and GLaDOS from the Portal games.

This is just a premature judgment based on the trailer but it looks and sounds a lot like Fallout, another game that takes place in a world where humanity ends and mutant humans roam the landscape.

There’s no official wide release date for Black Ops 6’s Zombies DLC or any indication that it will or won’t be available when the game launches on October 25. The first gameplay footage of the Liberty Falls maps and story mode will premiere on August 28 at Call of Duty NEXT in Washington DC. Open beta access will start on August 30. Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 will also be available on Xbox Game Pass on launch day.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/the-trailer-for-call-of-duty-black-ops-6s-zombies-dlc-has-risen-191550462.html?src=rss

iFixit put the landfill-bound Samsung Galaxy Ring through a CT scanner

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iFixit took apart Samsung's Galaxy Ring, scrutinized its components and wrote its findings, which could make you think twice about buying the device. It warned that the Galaxy Ring is "100 percent disposable" which is to say: once the battery died, the whole thing becomes junk. It "isn’t designed to last more than two years," iFixit warned.

To be fair the website did say that "all smart rings like it" are disposable, because they can't be non-destructively opened. It explained that lithium ion batteries "have a shelf life," and while they could be replaced on other devices, it's not possible to dismantle a smart ring to do that without wrecking the device completely. If the battery dies in the ring, you'll have to throw it away. 

The website also put the Galaxy Ring through a CT scanner found that Samsung used a press connector to attach the battery to a circuit board. A press connector, as its name implies, connects components inside a device without solder. iFixit said it typically loves press connectors, because they make replacing individual parts easier. However, the one inside the Galaxy Ring is apparently sealed and doesn't make the device repairable. It said that the company most likely used a connector instead of soldering the components for its own benefit, because the parts came from different production facilities. 

We gave the Galaxy Ring a score of 80 in our review; we found it basic and expensive at $400 — $100 more than its competitor, the Oura Ring. That said, Oura charges $6 a month to use its software, which does add up over time. 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/wearables/ifixit-put-the-landfill-bound-samsung-galaxy-ring-through-a-ct-scanner-131529577.html?src=rss

First trailer for Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim shows an anime-styled Middle-earth

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The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim has been in the works for about three years now, but with its release date fast approaching we now have our first trailer. It's one of the more unusual and intriguing projects under the Lord of the Rings franchise, an anime-style standalone movie that covers events in the kingdom of Rohan some 200-ish years before the War of the Ring. 

The trailer starts with some iconic footage from the '00s Lord of the Rings films focused on Rohan before diving into the animation. It's immediately obvious that this project is connected to Peter Jackson's films, as the designs for key areas like Edoras and Helm's Deep clearly reference those earlier movies despite the distinctly different style. As for characters, we're introduced to King Helm Hammerhand and his daughter Hera who, judging by the trailer, will likely be our main protagonist. It looks like an attempt to marry her off goes south, angering the family of suitor Wulf — things get decidedly more tense after that, with plenty of action and Oliphaunts and, naturally, some teases of ring-related events to come.

The film is directed by Kenji Kamiyama, who has been a writer and director on various anime including Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex and Eden of the East. He's also directed episodes of Star Wars: Visions and Ultraman. Most of the cast is still under wraps, but we know Brian Cox is voicing King Hammerhand, while Gaia Wise is voicing his daughter Hera. Miranda Otto is also reprising her role from the Lord of the Rings films as Eowyn, who will serve as the narrator for the story. 

The movie is set to be released on December 13, and it's the first of several Lord of the Rings films in development — Andy Serkis, perhaps best known for his performance as Gollum in Jackson's Middle-earth films, is directing a new film tentatively entitled The Hunt for Gollum. While that movie is years away, fans can also catch Middle-earth on-screen in a week when season two of Amazon's Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power premieres.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/tv-movies/first-trailer-for-lord-of-the-rings-the-war-of-the-rohirrim-shows-an-anime-styled-middle-earth-202139240.html?src=rss

The Epic Games Store’s latest freebies are The Callisto Protocol and the revived MOBA Gigantic

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The best thing about the free games that the Epic Games Store offers is they're genuinely yours to keep forever. They're not locked behind a subscription of any kind. The only form of payment you provide is a little personal information in the form of your email address and whatever else is required to create an Epic account. It might be worth signing up if you haven't already, as this week's free games are pretty notable.

First up is The Callisto Protocol, a 2022 survival horror game from Dead Space co-creator Glen Schofield. It's cut from the same cloth as Dead Space, but — stellar visuals aside — we didn't like it much. (In fact, a Dead Space remake that arrived shortly afterward was much more warmly received.) Still, it can be yours for absolutely zilch right now.

The Callisto Protocol hit Epic's free game lineup just as the studio behind it announced a spinoff called [REDACTED]. The upcoming title from Striking Distance, which is no longer led by Schofield after he stepped down last year, is a stylized, roguelike dungeon crawler in which you play as a prison guard.

You must try to survive the threat of infected inmates and escape a penitentiary on Callisto, an icy moon of Jupiter. [REDACTED] will arrive on October 31 on PC, PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S.

This week's other Epic Games Store freebie is interesting too. It's a MOBA-hero shooter hybrid called Gigantic that has a long and convoluted history. To keep things brief, the game debuted in 2017, was killed in 2018 after failing to gain enough traction and revived under a different studio this year. I played it for a bit and found the matches to be fun and chaotic.

The original Gigantic was free-to-play. While the revival — dubbed Gigantic: Rampage Edition — typically costs $20, it has zero microtransactions. So you won't have to worry about being nickel-and-dimed after claiming this one.

You'll have until August 29 to snag those two games. There's some good stuff to look forward to on the Epic Games Store next week as well. Starting on August 29, you can claim a Fallout bundle that includes Fallout, Fallout 2 and Fallout Tactics for free, along with an arcade-style football game called Wild Card Football.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/pc/the-epic-games-stores-latest-freebies-are-the-callisto-protocol-and-the-revived-moba-gigantic-192403774.html?src=rss

Lonely Mountains: Snow Riders makes its gameplay trailer premiere at Gamescom

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Better get out your winter parka and a thermos full of hot cocoa because the hit downhill mountain biking game Lonely Mountains: Downhill is getting a very snowy sequel. Megagon Industries’ released a gameplay trailer with commentary during Gamescom for its new blocky skiing game Lonely Mountains: Snow Riders.

The new downhill racing game will get a Steam release by the end of the year. If it becomes a big enough hit just like the first Lonely game, it could be ported to consoles.

The Lonely Mountains titles are racing games at their core but they aren’t loud and brash. They don’t even have any music. There are times and challenges to beat with rewards like new bikes and new trails and mountains to explore. The game’s real focus is more on the simple, serene experience of riding downhill through beautiful polygonal landscapes at the pace you want to go and finding new paths that can carve seconds off your best times. Just like your therapist always tells you, it’s more about the journey, not just the finish line.

Lonely Mountains: Snow Riders carries that same, simple gaming formula but with some added features. Snow Riders will offer a solo and live multiplayer mode with up to eight other players. The multiplayer matches can also be a simple race to the bottom of the mountain or a cooperative mode in which players must work together to complete certain milestone challenges and work towards getting the highest collective score, according to the trailer commentary.

The new downhill game will also have a special “Zen Mode.” This mode allows you to just go on a ride and explore the different paths on the mountain to uncover shortcuts and other secrets. You can even pause your snow session and just sit and take in the scenery with your block headed rider friend.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/pc/lonely-mountains-snow-riders-makes-its-gameplay-trailer-premiere-at-gamescom-210059169.html?src=rss

Samsung’s glasses-free 3D gaming monitor isn’t vaporware, apparently

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Samsung just officially announced a glasses-free 3D gaming monitor at Gamescom after first teasing it back at CES. The Odyssey 3D uses a light field display, a lenticular lens on the front panel and eye tracking technology.

The built-in stereo camera and proprietary View Mapping technology continuously adjust the image to enhance depth perception and create that all-important illusion of 3D. The technology here is similar to how Acer handled glasses-free 3D with its Helios 300 SpatialLabs Edition laptop or the ASUS ProArt StudioBook 16, only with a much bigger form factor.

To that end, the Odyssey 3D will be available in sizes up to 37 inches. Samsung touts that users can instantly activate the 3D mechanism, or deactivate it for traditional gaming. This is good, because glasses-free 3D can be extremely finicky, going all the way back to the days of the Nintendo 3DS. The sweet spot tends to be tiny and the image typically falls on the blurry side. This is not a perfect technology.

As for traditional specs, the Odyssey 3D features a 4K QLED panel with a 165Hz refresh rate. There’s a 1ms response time and support for AMD FreeSync. The monitors include a DisplayPort 1.4 and two HDMI 2.1 ports on the back. The height-adjustable stand also tilts to help users find the best position for 3D. Again, glasses-free 3D is finicky and the monitor will likely require some maneuvering to get everything perfect.

This isn’t vaporware. Samsung says the monitor will be available by the end of year. However, there is the matter of price. The company remains mum on the total cost and that’s likely because it’ll be extremely expensive. Historically, Samsung Odyssey gaming monitors are pricey, and that’s without glasses-free 3D.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/pc/samsungs-glasses-free-3d-gaming-monitor-isnt-vaporware-apparently-153355242.html?src=rss

Hyper Light Breaker’s early access launch delayed to 2025

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Hyper Light Drifter fans, you'll have to wait a bit longer to start playing its follow-up title. Heart Machine has announced that it has pushed back Hyper Light Breaker's Steam Early Access launch to "very early next year." In its announcement, the developer said that after many conversations with its publisher Arc Games, it determined that it needed more time to polish the title's gameplay experience. It didn't reveal the issues it's still fixing, but it explained that it didn't want to ship a game that's not up to its standards. The studio also said that it didn't want to rush and burn its team out. 

"...we REALLY need to make sure that the core foundational units of the game are as strong as they can be, so that we can build on them during the Early Access period," Heart Machine wrote. The company originally aimed for a spring 2023 launch when it introduced the game two years ago. Since then, though, it has pushed back the game's early access launch date a few times, until it was supposed to come out this summer by the time we were able to play a preview of it. 

Hyper Light Breaker is an action rogue-lite with a full 3D environment, unlike its predecessor that has 2D visuals. It's an open-world game set in a fantasy-cyberpunk universe, where you can explore a landscape called the Overgrowth and play with friends through online co-op. Engadget Senior Editor Jessica Conditt called it a "hoverboard sim" in her hands-on, though, because you can just explore its world on a gliding slab, avoiding enemy encounters and enjoying the scenery if you want to.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/hyper-light-breakers-early-access-launch-delayed-to-2025-110019909.html?src=rss

Animated video game anthology series Secret Level is coming to Prime Video

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Secret Level is a gaming-inspired anthology series coming to Prime Video on December 15. The upcoming Amazon title is from the same team behind Netflix's Love, Death and Robots. From the teaser released during Gamescom, this new project will be continuing the Blur Studio specialty for creating masterful animated works for an adult audience. The creative team was looking to inspire "nerd joy" with Love, Death and Robots and from the first glimpse, Secret Level seems like a natural progression of that goal.

Each of the 15 stories in the show are inspired by a different game. The official list of inspirations is: Armored Core, Concord, Crossfire, Dungeons & Dragons, Exodus, Honor of Kings, Mega Man, New World: Aeternum, PAC-MAN, various PlayStation Studios games, Sifu, Spelunky, The Outer Worlds, Unreal Tournament and Warhammer 40,000.

Games feel like a natural inspiration for this type of animation showcase. The cinematics in some contemporary AAA titles have all the polish and emotion of standalone films. Plus, game-inspired television series have been reaching new levels of success in recent years thanks to projects like Fallout, The Last of Us and Arcane.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/tv-movies/animated-video-game-anthology-series-secret-level-is-coming-to-prime-video-202027254.html?src=rss