PowerA is launching two new models of its Fusion Pro controller for Xbox consoles and PC. The new Fusion Pro Wireless and Fusion Pro 4 wired gamepads are licensed by Microsoft, and feature Hall Effect thumbsticks and triggers, remappable back buttons, and more. Both controllers have built-in height-adjustable analog sticks. The Fusion Pro Wireless is available to preorder now for $150 at Amazon ahead of its September 24 release, and the Fusion Pro 4 Wired is available now at Amazon for $70.The prolific accessory manufacturer is making a big push in the pro-style controller market this year. The new Fusion Pro Wireless isn't the only upcoming wireless controller with customizable features for Xbox.PowerA is also releasing a Fortnite-themed wireless Xbox controller that sports many of the same features as the new Fusion Pro Wireless. You'll lose out on the Lumectra RGB lighting and unique analog stick customization features, but it's $50 cheaper than the Fusion Pro Wireless and comes with the Tooth Pickaxe in-game item for Fortnite. You can preorder PowerA's Fortnite Special-Edition Wireless Controller for Xbox and PC for $100 at Amazon before it launches on October 1.Meanwhile, Amazon is now shipping PowerA's new OPS V3 Pro Wireless Controller, which we found to be a very impressive pro-style controller, especially at its $100 price point...
Amazon announced its next big 48-hour sale, Prime Big Deal Days, will take place October 8 and 9. The event is essentially Prime Day round two, giving Prime members a chance to grabs tons of great discounts on everything from electronics, video games, collectibles, and much more.Shop Prime Big Deal Days at AmazonEarly Amazon Big Deal Days DiscountsWhile the best deals will be available during the sale itself, there are already some notable early Prime Big Deal Days discounts to take advantage of, including price cuts on a wide variety of Amazon devices, including Fire TV 4K Sticks, Kindle Fire tablets, and this 50-inch Fire 4K Smart TV. If you want to browse the early deals for yourself, Amazon has a Prime Big Deal Days hub live right now. Here's a list of notable categories of deals:Amazon Prime Big Deal Days at a glanceAmazon device dealsVideo game dealsElectronics dealsComputing and PC hardware dealsToys & board games dealsTVs and accessories dealsWe've rounded up some of the Prime Big Deal Days early deals that caught our attention below. Make sure to check out GameSpot's Prime Day hub in the coming weeks as more early discounts become available.Streaming and TV Deals ahead of Prime Day Round 2Amazon's 4K Fire Sticks and Fire TV Cube now work with Xbox Cloud Gaming, so now's a good time to grab one and pair it with a Game Pass Ultimate subscription and Xbox Wireless Controller for $44 (was $60). Amazon is still selling three months of Game Pass Ultimate for $45--you'd pay $60 directly from Microsoft.Fire TV Stick 4K Max-- $40 ($60)Fire TV Stick 4K -- $30 ($50)Fire TV Stick -- $25 ($40)Fire TV Cube 4K -- $110 ($140)50-inch Fire TV 4-Series 4K Smart TV -- $300 ($450)Build your own Xbox Cloud Gaming bundle with early Prime Big Deal Days Fire Stick 4K deals.Kindle Fire Deals ahead of Prime Day Round 2It's a great time to buy a Kindle Fire tablet, with 8-inch HD models available for over 50% off. You can snag one for only $60 (was $130) at Amazon. If you need a tablet geared toward kids, you can get the Fire Kids edition for as low as $55. There are standard and Pro models for these tablets. Fire Kids Pro tablets have thinner rubberized cases and are designed for kids ages 6-12. The standard Fire Kids tablets are for kids ages 3-7.Fire HD 10.1-inch Tablet -- $90 ($140)Fire HD 8-inch Tablet (64GB) -- $60 ($130)Fire Kids 7-inch Tablet -- $55 ($95)Fire HD Kids 8-inch Tablet -- $95 ($180)Fire HD Kids Pro 8-inch Tablet -- $90 ($150)Fire HD Kids 10-inch Tablet -- $140 ($190)Fire HD Kids Pro 10-inch Tablet -- $140 ($190)Amazon Echo Deals ahead of Prime Day Round 2Echo Pop and Sengled Smart Light BulbThe standout early Prime Big Deal Days offer for Amazon's Echo smart home devices is the Echo Pop with a Sengled Smart Color Bulb for only $25, down from $60.Echo Pop with Sengled Smart Light Bulb -- $25 ($60)Echo Dot (5th Gen) with Smart Light Bulb -- $35 ($70)Echo Dot Kids (5th Gen) -- $40 ($60)Echo Show 8 (3rd Gen, 2024) -- $105 ($150)Echo Spot with Sengled LED Smart Light Bulb (2024 version) -- $80 ($100)Smart Plug Deals ahead of Prime Day Round 2Amazon's popular smart plugs aren't discounted at the moment, but you can save on highly rated smart plugs by Kasa.Kasa Smart Plug Ultra (2-Pack) -- $13 ($20)Kasa Smart Plug (4-Pack) -- $24 ($30)Kasa Smart Plug (2-Pack) -- $14 ($20)Kasa Smart Plug Mini (4-Pack) -- $23 ($30)Kasa Smart Plug Mini for Apple HomeKit -- $34 ($50)Arcade1Up Deals ahead of Prime Day Round 2You can also save on a selection of Arcade1Up cabinets, including the Ms. Pac-Man Countercade for only $120 (was $180), Mortal Kombat Head-to-Head arcade machine for $300 (was $700), and the Attack From Mars pinball machine for $500 (was $750).Arcade1Up Ms. Pac-Man Countercade -- $120 ($180)Arcade1Up Mortal Kombat Head-to-Head Arcade Machine -- $300 ($700)Arcade1Up Pong Head-to-Head Arcade Table -- $300 ($400)Arcade1Up William Bally Attack From Mars Pinball -- $500 ($750)Ms. Pac-Man Countercade by Arcade1UpPrime Big Deal Days is only for Amazon Prime membersPrime Big Deal Days is slated for October 8-9.Like Prime Day, official Prime Big Deal Days discounts are exclusively available to Amazon Prime members, so you need to be an active subscriber once the sale begins in order to qualify for the deals. You can join Amazon Prime for $15/month or $140/year.New subscribers can get their first 30 days free, and since we're within the 30-day window, you can sign up now and take advantage of all of the upcoming deals.It's worth signing up now since we expect more early deals to crop up in the days leading up to the sale on October 8 and 9. Amazon Prime members also get access to free Prime shipping, access to Prime Video streaming, and more.Sign up for Amazon Prime...
Ubisoft has released an updated Year One roadmap for its free-to-play shooter, XDefiant, highlighting important changes and new content coming down the road. The blog post also denies reports that XDefiant is dying, stating that the game is in a healthy state and that Ubisoft has provided additional resources to the team to fix some of the larger issues, like hit registration.The blog post starts by addressing the issues players have been having with the hit registration in XDefiant, which doesn't work as reliably as some other multiplayer shooters. The simplified explanation given is that currently packets are sent twice between players, but the industry standard is four times. In order to achieve this, the XDefiant team needs to reduce the size of their packets so they can send them more times. No solid release date was given, but the team hopes to make significant progress by the end of Season 2.Season 2 will add the Highwaymen from Far Cry New Dawn.The blog post also denies reports that XDefiant is in trouble at Ubisoft, although it doesn't respond directly to some of the claims. The report from Insider Gaming from late August stated that XDefiant player numbers have dropped off significantly since launch and that if Season 3 doesn't turn things around, the game could be in danger of shutting down. The blog post states that "no, the game is absolutely not dying," and reiterates that quality-of-life improvements are high on the priority list.The blog post also includes an updated roadmap for XDefiant. It reiterates that each season will include three new maps, three new guns, and a new faction to play, but now it also lists progression changes and quality of life changes. Season 2 includes player collision and footstep audio improvements, in addition to event challenges and improved battle pass progression.Executive producer on XDefiant Mark Rubin shared on Twitter that the team is still working on free-for-all and will provide an updated ETA when they can. Rubin also clarified that updates coming in later seasons are not being held, but are still being worked on, like the prestige system coming in Season 3.Season 2 of XDefiant will be revealed on September 18, where the new faction, the Highwaymen, and weapons should be showcased. Ubisoft recently suffered layoffs, adding to the over 10,000 gaming jobs lost this year...
More details about the next entry in the Battlefield franchise have been revealed during a recent EA Investor's presentation, with a "large scale community-driven testing program" for the game set to begin in early 2025.During the presentation, Battlefield general manager Byron Beede shared more insights into how the four studios working on the upcoming shooter are operating, putting a focus on "finding the fun" through rapid prototyping and player feedback. Beede said the teams have been "playing the game nearly daily for well over a year," which has helped the development process.Each of the four studios working on the game are contributing to different aspects of it. DICE is handling the trademark multiplayer the franchise is known for with help from Criterion. Additionally, Criterion is also working on the single-player campaign for the next Battlefield alongside Motive. Finally, Ripple Effect is working on a mysterious "new Battlefield experience.""They're working on a new Battlefield experience fueled by the unique Battlefield DNA that's been testing really well with players," Beede said. He did not go into additional detail as to what the mode would entail.Beede went on to say that the teams are building a Battlefield connected universe set in the modern day, and that with the full support of EA, the next Battlefield game has the "largest, strongest, and most focused team" in the history of the franchise.Few other details about the next Battlefield have been revealed, but head of Respawn and Battlefield boss Vince Zampella did recently confirm the game will have a modern setting and that the new entry in the series will be "more akin to previous Battlefields."That means fewer player counts compared to the 128-player matches seen in Battlefield 2042 and that 2042's Specialist system won't be returning, with the new game instead returning to class-based gameplay. He said while Battlefield 2042 wasn't a failure and that the team spent "a lot of time learning" to get it into a better place, the goal with the new entry is for it to be "good out of the gate."Zampella said he believes there is a possibility the next Battlefield game could outsell Call of Duty, though he acknowledged that the two series are distinct and offer different experiences to fans.Battlefield 2042 released in 2021 and was quickly criticized for its buggy launch and changes to the classic Battlefield formula. Many of Battlefield 2042's maps and systems were dramatically reworked in the years since launch with the game's Season 7 update, released in March, being its final season...
Microsoft released a new edition of the official Xbox fridge late last year. The practical collectible was quite expensive at launch, but right now Walmart is selling the Xbox fridge for a massive discount, dropping the price from $250 down to $115. You may want to be quick, because this deal is unlikely to stick around for long. You can pair your new fridge with the Xbox Series S toaster, which is available at Walmart for $39.Technically, this is the first Xbox refrigerator, because the first one was actually a thermoelectric cooler. The newer model is actually a fridge, making it a big upgrade over its predecessor, which was light on shelf space, wasn't all that great at chilling drinks, and was extremely loud to the point where you may have been better off unplugging it and using it to store desk supplies. The old Xbox thermoelectric cooler is available for $68, but as mentioned, you may want to use it for something else other than holding cans of soda--and keep it unplugged, unless you find that the loud noises it makes help you fall asleep.The Xbox Thermoelectric Cooler and Xbox Toaster It’s not currently on sale, but you can complete your Xbox appliance collection with the Xbox Series S toaster. This is exactly what you’d expect--a toaster modeled after the Xbox Series S.Not only does it look like the digital-only console (complete with a decorative vent fan), but it actually toasts the Xbox logo onto your bread. It's a hot commodity, so check it out while it's in stock. At just $39, it makes for a humorous addition to any kitchen. It’s also a funny gift for any Xbox fan in your life. But it's probably an even better gag gift for the PlayStation fans you know...
During Summer Games Fest 2024, EA and Full Circle didn't have much footage of Skate to show off, so instead they featured I Think You Should Leave star Tim Robinson in a comedy skit that set up the game's story. But if you've been waiting for good news about the next game in the franchise, it's finally arrived. Early access for Skate will arrive in early 2025.EA made the announcement on the official X account for Skate, along with a frustratingly brief 19-second teaser for the game.we're incredibly stoked to announce that skate. will be launching in Early Access in 2025. we'll share more details on what to expect in the coming months. pic.twitter.com/ZbFL3WycWu — skate. (@skate) September 17, 2024As revealed in the previous teaser, M-Corp--which was formerly known as MongoCorp--is abandoning the city of San Vansterdam. That gives players a free hand to reshape the city as they see fit to make it into a skater's paradise.Players who want to get in on the early access can sign up through the Skate Insider site. PC gamers have already had the chance to try out the game as playtesters. EA hasn't set a date for when console playtesting will begin.Unlike the first three games in the franchise, Skate will be a free-to-play game that supports cross-play across PC and consoles. There will also be a mobile version. Full Circle is developing the game on behalf of EA, and it's expected to launch in 2025. In other skate game news, Tony Hawk says he has been contact with Activision ahead of the game franchise's 25th anniversary. So perhaps Skate will have some competition again...
The next big iteration of The Sims franchise, known as Project Rene, apparently won't be The Sims 5. Or at least it won't function the way numbered entries in the have in the past, with players starting over from scratch while EA stops development on the previous game. This time around, however, EA will continue to support and release content for The Sims 4 after Project Rene is released, and the two games may even share content and progression somehow.A catch-all blog detailing the future of The Sims franchise, including the live-action movie, had a few details to share about what Project Rene actually is, referring to it as an experience "focused on building ways for friends to meet, connect, and share while playing together in an all-new world." In other words, it's a true multiplayer version of The Sims, but we already knew that.The real info came from The Sims franchise general manager Kate Gorman, in an interview with Variety, who described this situation as a change in philosophy for the franchise."It’s not Sims 5 as a replacement for 4," Gorman said. "What this means is that we will continue to bring HD simulation experience and what people would want from a 5 — but it doesn’t mean that we’re going to start you over, reset all your progress, and really feel like you’re going to lose all of that amazing play you put into 4."This change is an understandable one, given that The Sims 4 has been around twice as long as any of the previous three mainline titles, and has accumulated a massive collection of DLC over the decade it's been out. Abandoning all that would have been a tough proposition, and apparently they've decided against doing that."Historically, The Sims franchise started with Sims 1 and then Sims 2, 3 and 4. And they were seen as replacements for the previous products," Gorman told Variety. "What we’re really working with our community on is this a new era of The Sims. We are not going to be working on replacements of previous projects; we’re only going to be adding to our universe. With that, you’ll see there are more ways to experience The Sims on different platforms, different ways to play, transmedia, and lots of great offerings within this universe. So absolutely, we’re still continuing to support TS4 more than ever. Still continue to deliver expansion packs and updates and fixes. But what this is to say is, the way we’re going to do things going forward is a little different."What all this tangibly means is tough to guess. But we do actually know quite about Project Rene already--it's been lurking in the shadows for years now while fans waited for some kind of big reveal. They're still waiting, but folks can sign up to playtest Project Rene in The Sims Labs here...
The PlayStation 5's latest firmware update, 24.06-10.00.00, introduced several new features, but may have introduced some unintended side effects as well. Users are reporting graphical issues in various titles after the update, with Square Enix confirming the update is affecting Final Fantasy 16 on Sony's console.Players on Reddit have reported cases of Final Fantasy 16 crashing when loading a save or fast-traveling post-update, as well as the screen occasionally disappearing in a swarm of black squares. In a post on the official Final Fantasy 16 X account, Square Enix confirmed the reports and said it is currently working with Sony to investigate the issues."Following the recent release of the PlayStation 5 system update, there have been reports of the game crashing and graphical issues," Square Enix said. "We are currently working with Sony Interactive Entertainment to investigate, and sincerely apologize for any inconvenience caused. Please await our further updates."Other PS5 users on Reddit are reporting graphical bugs they've noticed in games like Death Stranding, Star Wars Outlaws, and more following the PS5 system update, but it's currently unclear how many of those are directly related. Sony has not yet officially commented on the issues.The latest PS5 system update rolled out on September 12, and added support for new features like Party Share and the Welcome Hub, which will roll out to more users in the coming weeks. Welcome Hub is a personalized tab on the PS5 home screen with customizable widgets and backgrounds, while Party Share lets users invite friends from other messaging apps to join a PS Party Voice Chat session via a scannable QR code.While Final Fantasy 16 is currently experiencing issues on PS5, the game just released on PC as well, with producer Naoki Yoshida asking PC players to kindly refrain from creating or installing mods that could be offensive or inappropriate...
The Plucky Squire is a quirky little title with a lot of unique characters to meet and clever mechanics to uncover. As you progress through one of the game's later chapters, you'll find yourself in search of one of these unique characters named Tumba, and you'll need to use one of those clever mechanics to find the little fellow. Though finding this tiny sleeping flamingo isn't so complicated, there's a reasonable chance you can still find yourself stuck due to where he's hiding. If you're stuck, here's where to find Tumba.Where to find Tumba in The Plucky SquireA little way into Chapter 7 of The Plucky Squire, you'll come across a starfish stuck in the ground and be tasked with finding a tiny flamingo named Tumba who loves to dig. However, you're told to seek a new vantage point to find him, as he'll be sleeping somewhere under a tree.You've likely already realized you need to hop out of the book via a portal for that "new vantage point." But if you've been checking all of the trees in the areas you walked through previously, you're likely here because you've found that you're coming up short. That's because Tumba isn't sleeping under any of the many trees you've passed--you'll need to go back further than that.Tumba can be found under a tree on the Chapter 7 title page.While using your book manipulation power, you'll need to flip all the way back to the Chapter 7 title page to find Tumba sleeping under a tree. This is an unusual requirement because to get back here, you'll have to flip past the world map and other pages that you most likely didn't expect you'd need to revisit. Tricky!Once you've found Tumba, you'll just need to hop into the book and meet him before heading back to the buried starfish. Keep in mind, though, that this little dude will follow you throughout most of the remainder of Chapter 7, acting as a digging buddy. As such, keep an eye out for a few optional Xs on the ground that pinpoint some potential treasure you won't want to miss!...
With the holiday season fast approaching, one of the best gifts you can get is a Nintendo Switch console. Several years after it was first released, the Switch is still a popular choice thanks to its hybrid console design and a killer library of exclusive games. Just like in previous years, Nintendo has introduced a new $350 bundle deal that pairs its best Switch console model with its best-selling game of all time.This deluxe bundle will be available in October, and includes a Switch OLED model console, 12 months of Switch Online, and a digital download code for Mario Kart 8 Deluxe. This particular Switch is the best of the current lineup, as it combines a sharp OLED screen with some thoughtful quality-of-life upgrades when compared to the base model Switch. Storage capacity has been increased from 32GB to 64GB, it has improved speakers, and the built-in kickstand is much more stable in comparison.This is the Switch to have if you're planning to play while on the go or in bed, but it does connect just fine to a TV or monitor through the included dock. There'll also be a $300 version of this bundle that includes the base model Switch, but the OLED version is well worth paying $50 extra for as the more-advanced screen makes a huge difference when you're playing in handheld mode.As for the included game code, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe has been one of the best-performing Nintendo games of all time. First released on the Wii U and then later ported to Switch, the game has been improved upon for several years now and has a wealth of content to access. It's still a fantastic racing game and is especially brilliant for multiplayer sessions in either online or co-op modes.The 12-month subscription to Switch Online also broadens your gaming options, as it lets you access multiplayer, lets you store your game save data online, various game discounts, and gives you a growing library of NES, Super NES, and Game Boy games. While details on the Switch successor are expected to be revealed by next year, there are still plenty of games coming to current Switch consoles throughout 2024 and 2025...
Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang has stated that artificial intelligence has become indispensable to modern computer graphics, signaling a major shift in how visual technologies are built. Speaking at the Goldman Sachs Communacopia + Technology conference on September 11, Huang explained that AI is now integrated into the very foundation of graphical computing."We can't do computer graphics anymore without artificial intelligence," Huang said (via Seeking Alpha), noting that Nvidia uses AI to compute a small part of the image and infer the rest. "We compute one pixel, we infer the other 32... it looks photorealistic, and the image quality is incredible, the performance is incredible."AI has been criticized for its energy consumption, but Huang argued that using it for graphics can reduce energy use. "Computing one pixel takes a lot of energy... inferencing the other 32 takes very little energy, and you can do it incredibly fast." Huang added there are "productivity gains" from using these methods to generate code, and the capacity for that is "just incredible."Relatedly, Huang also emphasized AI's role in software development, particularly with code generation. "There's not one software engineer in our company today who doesn't use code generators," he said, predicting that AI-driven "digital engineers" would become standard across industries.Nvidia's AI-based DLSS (Deep Learning Super Sampling) boosts performance by generating extra frames. Sony is employing similar AI techniques with its PS5 Pro's PSSR upscaling.Huang concluded by outlining Nvidia's broader AI applications, including autonomous vehicles, robotics, and digital biology. AI, he said, is transforming fields like drug discovery with computer-aided tools.Nvidia's AI innovations are part of a growing and already-here trend, with a Unity report showing that 62% of game development studios now use AI, primarily in animation...
Nintendo has not yet announced its next home console, but that hasn't stopped a developer from revealing that it's working on a game for "future Nintendo platforms yet to be announced."The game is My Time at Evershine, and it's the next entry in the My Time series from Chinese developer Pathea Games, which previously made My Time at Sandrock and My Time at Portia. Nintendo has said it will reveal its next console by April 2025, and some believe a reveal could happen before the end of 2024.Nintendo, however, is staying silent for now. Nintendo is expected to release its next earnings report in late October or early November, and some believe the Switch 2--or whatever the next system is called--could be announced by then. For now, though, fans will have to wait and see, as nothing is confirmed.Before this, a report suggested that Hi-Fi Rush was also being planned for the next Nintendo console. The difference here, though, is that Pathea straight-up mentioned the next Nintendo console in its official press release, while the Hi-Fi Rush rumor came from a source speaking to a media site.This new game aims to "redefine" the life-simulation genre, the developer said in a press release. It has a story-driven campaign, a new, more realistic-looking art style, multiplayer co-op, and updates to its relationship system, including as many as 10 romanceable characters in the campaign. The game also includes "full mod support" for single-player and multiplayer.Pathea is looking to fund the game in part on Kickstarter, with a campaign set to go live on September 24 around the world. Whatever funding comes through will allow the team to make My Time at Evershine "bigger and better," the developer said in a news release.My Time at Evershine is in development for PC, PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and the aforementioned next Nintendo console.As for the Switch 2, while it hasn't been announced, there have been loads of rumors, reports, and leaks that have shed light on what the system could be. For more, check out everything we've heard so far about the Switch 2...