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Xbox Series S Suitcase Is Now A Thing Celebrating Microsoft Flight Simulator’s Console Release, But Only Through A Giveaway

In the age of oddities in the video game industry, Microsoft appears to be embracing some of the memes toward its platform to produce products that turn a profit. While the jokes of the Xbox Series X being a fridge was enjoyable, the firm did go on to make a functioning unit that was part of a giveaway. But it did not stop there. Elsewhere as part of an collaboration with Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson’s ZOA brought fiction into reality with the Xbox Series X minifridge. Yet another giveaway, fans were excited to hear that the third time will be a product up for purchase. As part of a deal winning the Twitter Brands Poll, Aaron Greenberg of Xbox announced the minifridge will enter production. Followed by a cool trailer later in June, now the unit is said to be arriving later this year. But, Xbox Series S is also joining in on the fun. While no it is not a speaker, Microsoft is planning a giveaway for an Xbox Series S suitcase to celebrate the release of Microsoft Flight Simulator on Xbox Series consoles. However, this giveaway is not available to those in traditional Untied States. Instead, the promotion is only unique to those in Australia & New Zealand this time around. To enter – if eligible – simply follow @XboxANZ and retweet the post above for your chance at winning the console-themed luggage carrier. That is not the only news on Xbox Series S in recent weeks. Previously, product manufacturer UPspec Gaming revealed the xScreen: an attachable screen that can be linked to the Xbox Series S and taken to play anywhere – even in the car. You can read the full report by heading here. Are you interested in the Xbox Series S suitcase or would you prefer the a speaker based on the console’s design?

UPspec Gaming Holding Kickstarter Campaign For Xbox Series S Attachment xScreen, Generates 100K In Crowdfunding

Among the two – the Xbox Series X & Xbox Series S – demand continues to cry out for the heftier SKU thanks to the power within. But those that picked up the latter model show to be contempt with the purchase showing how small a device can deliver parallel-like results to its sibling system. Previously, Xbox lead Phil Spencer did share his prediction that the Xbox Series S would sell more than the Xbox Series X namely due to the $200 difference. Additionally, Xbox Series S is said to come with some benefits thanks to its stature. For one, it could deliver games with potentially “double frame-rates” due to the hardware delivering at a lower resolution than the Xbox Series X. Atop of that, another positive factor also tells that load times could be shorter than Xbox Series X as well with less content to render into the respected game. But what if the Xbox Series S was a portable device? Yes, while xCloud is certainly a thing that welcomes the largest titles from Microsoft and the rest of the industry already with its arriving to PC & iOS most recently, what if there was a way to mobilize the Xbox Series S? Well, UPspec Gaming is making a device called the xScreen to do just that. You can watch the showcase trailer in the video below: “The power and performance of the Xbox Series S can now be taken anywhere,” reads the overview from the device’s Kickstarter campaign. “xScreen perfectly complements the stunning aesthetic of the Xbox Series S to create a single cohesive unit.  xScreen transforms your Xbox Series S into a laptop form factor that can be easily transported and used anywhere there is a power outlet.” With the Kickstarter campaign recorded going live as of July 7, 2021, it is already apparent to be an attachment that Xbox Series S owners are wanting. As of writing, the Kickstarter campaign states to have obtained roughly 105K in pledges of its $9,589 goal from over 670 backers supporting the xScreen project. In recent news, it was discovered that the Xbox Series systems are the most successful for Microsoft since beginning its venture into the video game industry. Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella also explains that xCloud already welcomes “millions” of users which stretches the platforms reach beyond the living room. You can read the full report by heading here. Are you interested in getting an xScreen for Xbox Series S? Source: Kickstarter

Dr. Mario World Shut Down This November For All Mobile Platforms

While Nintendo continues to capitalize on its moneymaking Nintendo Switch video game platform with the announcement of the Nintendo Switch OLED Model arriving this fall, the Japanese company is also making moves within the mobile platform as well. Titles such as Super Mario Run and Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp are prime examples of the games that Nintendo has attempted to reach within the past. Proven success shows to be the namely Mario Kart Tour that proved to be an instant hit – accumulating over 20 million installs within the first 24 hours of hitting Android & iOS. But, the game did happen to come up short compared to the juggernaut that is Call of Duty: Mobile shortly after. One game that holds little presence is Dr. Mario World. Tailing off the original Dr. Mario, it arrived in fall 2019 and is on the way out this holiday. At the start of November, Nintendo plans to pull the plug for all versions of Dr. Mario World, the firm announces in an update post on the game’s website. But, there is bad news for that. Unlike a traditional delisting, Dr. Mario World will be unplayable regardless if you have the game installed already. “If you start up the Dr. Mario World game after the game’s service has ended, an end-of-service notification will be displayed and you will not be able to play the game. You will be able to look back at your play history in Dr. Mario World Memories, which is a web page that will become available after the game’s service ends.” Are In recent news, Nintendo happened to denounce any hopeful speculation of a new Nintendo Switch model following the release of the OLED Model. In that, the firm tells that there is no plans to make an announcement anytime soon which rains on the parade of those hoping for a Nintendo Switch Pro of sorts. You can read the full report by heading here. Are you disappointed with the fate given to Dr. Mario World? Dr. Mario World is currently available for Android and iOS. Source: Nintendo

Kena: Bridge Of Spirits Delayed To September 21

When it comes to the highly-anticipated Kena: Bridge of Spirits, the game has faced some uncertainties that leaves fans waiting for the game to launch. Originally, the game was propped to ship during the PlayStation 5 launch window during its unveiling. But, developer Ember Lab announced the project would be expecting a 2021 release window by the end of last year. Understanding, perhaps there would be a spring release for the game. Following that, Sony Interactive Entertainment listed the game to arrive sometime in March 2021. However, the PlayStation company quickly retracted the original claim by altering the ending of the original trailer. It was not until February that Ember Lab officially announced Kena: Bridge of Spirits is to ship in August this year. But now just less than a month away, Ember Lab in a new update on Twitter announced to push the game’s release just over three weeks further from arriving for the betterment of the game when it launches. “The team has been working extremely hard and we feel the extra time is critical to ensure the best experience possible,” the studio writes in the letterhead. “We know many of you are eager to play and we appreciate your patience as the team continues to work on delivering the best version of Kena: Bridge of Spirits.” Of course, this also indicates that the game’s timed-exclusivity for PlayStation consoles will be extended to honor the agreement between Sony Interactive Entertainment & Ember Lab. Fans on Xbox will not find the game hit the Microsoft Store until September 2022 at the earliest. Are you understanding to wait a few more weeks until the launch of Kena: Bridge of Spirits? Kena: Bridge of Spirits is now arriving on September 21, 2021 for PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, and PC.

Forza Motorsport 7 To be Delisted This September On Xbox & PC, Turn 10 Studios Announces

While the Forza series is still thriving with the announcement for the November-scheduled Forza Horizon 5, there is some bad news for the titles that came before. It appears September always greets its users with an update regarding one of the older releases of yesteryear. In 2019, it was announced that Forza Motorsport 6 would be delisted from the Microsoft Store. With that, all content and the game itself would be removed permanently from the game. With that, players can find an extended sale on its add-ons and the game itself counting down to the final day. For 2020, Playground Games shared the same fate to be applied to Forza Horizon 3 as well. Noted, those that own games being delisted are still enabled to play said title after the decision is made. On Thrusday, Turn 10 Studios announced that Forza Horizon 7 is now on the way out the door. The game is now scheduled for its deathbed landing on September 15 later this fall. Of course, there is a string of discounts for the game that Microsoft is to host leading to the day the game gets axed from the storefront. But, Xbox Game Pass owners do get a benefit from this. “For any Xbox Game Pass players who previously purchased DLC for the game, but not the game itself, we have good news! You will receive a token for the game through the Xbox Message Center so that you can continue playing Forza Motorsport 7. Token distribution will be through August 2.” The key for Forza Motorsport 7 is said to be redeemable until September 15, 2023. From our review for Forza Motorsport 7, it reads, “the game is gorgeous and the visuals will look even better on the Xbox One X, there is over 700 cars to choose from, the dynamic weather makes racing more exciting and intense at times, and all I can say is to just buy it because you will not regret it.” You can read the full report by heading here. Are you upset by the ending for Forza Motorsport 7 on the Microsoft Store? Forza Motorsport 7 is out now for Xbox One and PC; available via backwards compatibility on Xbox Series X|S. Source: Turn 10 Studios

Historic Origins of Classic Online Games

Classic games and Retro video games have been around long enough that now much of the accessories and titles that were being used and played back in the 80s and 90s are now highly sought-after collectables. However, in many cases the origins of such games go back even further, with many inspired by historical influences that date back hundreds or even thousands of years. Here we take a look at the historical origins of some the games that are still favorites of today’s online gaming community. Chess is a game that dates back further than almost any other, although its exact origins are disputed by scholars Ancient Classics Have History to Burn While most video games were first brought to life at the turn of the internet age, there were others which had existed for a long time before dial-up or broadband connections came along. These tend to come in the form of card, board, and strategy games, many of which were played centuries ago in Arab souks, Chinese dynasty palaces, and on European galleys. Of course, since those days many such games have found their way online, maintaining their popularity despite their age. The beginnings of modern chess as players know it today were in North India, where a game then known as Chaturanga consisted of playing pieces with varying capabilities, the most important of which was the king. However, there are other games from Arabia and Asia which also claim to be the forefathers of chess. The origins of poker are just as contested as those of chess, but at least there is some certainty around how the suits found on a poker game’s deck of cards came to be. It was the French who first came up with the idea of trèfles (clubs), carreaux (diamonds), coeurs (hearts), and piques (spades) which began appearing around 1500 or just before. Meanwhile, backgammon is another ancient game that is still going great guns today. It was first brought to life in what used to be known as Mesopotamia, which is now part of the country of Iraq. The Romans then further developed the game after having come across it on their travels. Pac-Man’s History Steeped in a Wish for Less Violence Even as far back as the 1980s there were some video game designers who were worried about the fact that too many video games were based around some form of violence. That was what inspired Japanese designer Toru Iwatani to create Pac-Man, whose focus was more on gobbling up food rather than letting bullets fly. The result was one of the most played games in history and one that still influences games of all varieties to this day, such as Pac-Man 99 for the Nintendo Switch. New versions of the arcade classic that is Pac-Man are still being released all the time as new generations of gamers fall in love with this pixelated icon of the gaming world Space Invaders Has Intergalactic Beginnings While Pac-Man was born of a desire to see more wholesome gameplay for people to enjoy, movies have also had a profound effect on their gaming counterparts. Before the days of there being tie-ins between movie and gaming franchises, there were games developers who were putting their own spin on the motion pictures they saw come out of Hollywood and other film studios around the world. One of these was Tomohiro Nishikado, who took his love for Star Wars and The War of the Worlds and turned it into the smash hit game, Space Invaders. Every space-based video game since has paid homage in some degree to this button bashing arcade classic. Ludo – Made in India When it came to developing classic games that have stood the test of time, India really was one of the powerhouses. One such game that is exploding online and particularly among mobile gamers is Ludo. This was originally called Pachisi in 6th century India and went on to conquer the hearts of European gamers soon thereafter, a feat it continues to achieve to this day.

PlayStation 5 Sold 10 Million Units Since Launch, Sony Shares In New Release

There is no secret in the success of the PlayStation 5. In March, NPD Group reported that the PlayStation 5 helms the most successful system in history for the United States as it overtakes all platform releases in dollar sales. And while the Xbox Series X|S & Nintendo Switch prove to be successful in its own respects in June, NPD Group reiterates on the juggernaut release from Sony Interactive Entertainment this month still holds its placement. Previously, it was disclosed that the Xbox Series consoles when combined still do not meet the PlayStation 5. Even more, the number of systems from Sony in customer hands doubles that sold by Microsoft as of this May. Elsewhere, Sony disclosed that the first fiscal year also goes on to overtake the PlayStation 4’s impressive performance from before. Then, it was recorded 7.8 million units were purchased. In a new press release from Sony Interactive Entertainment, PlayStation 5 has now sold more than 10 million units. Additionally, the PlayStation company also provided sales numbers for some of its exclusive releases as well which you can view below: Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales from Insomniac Games has sold more than 6.5 million copies* since releasing on November 12, 2020. MLB The Show 21 from San Diego Studio is the fastest-selling title in franchise history with more than 2 million copies* sold across all platforms. The game has reached more than 4 million players since releasing on April 16, 2021. Returnal from Housemarque, a new IP that launched to critical acclaim, has sold more than 560,000 copies* since releasing on April 30, 2021. Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart from Insomniac Games has sold more than 1.1 million copies* since releasing on June 11, 2021. At the end of 2020, Sony did report that PlayStation 5 sold roughly 4.5 million systems at the time. Furthermore, the report also indicated that Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales from Insomniac Games found 4.1 million purchases across PlayStation 4 & PlayStation 5. Now, that number has grew by two million as the number of systems more than doubled as of December. According to new patchwork from Sony for the PlayStation 5 beta, the system is to welcome a myriad of new features for support. The package includes activating the SSD M.2 drive slot, 3D audio for speakers, Trophy Tracking, and improve Game Base. You can read the full report by heading here. Are you part of the 10 million that own a PlayStation 5 so far? Source: Sony Interactive Entertainment

Microsoft: Xbox Game Pass Owners 50 Percent More Likely To Purchase Games Compared To Players Outside Of The Service

Noted how the Xbox platform competes to the likes of Nintendo’s or Sony’s, the line of systems from Microsoft evidently does not turn a profit on hardware alone. During the previous Apple v. Epic Games case it was revealed not a single Xbox system was profitable for Microsoft. While Sony did not find the same success until the PlayStation 4, Nintendo remained the most consistent with its profitability with its hardware. However, Microsoft did comment on the matters by reiterating most gross revenue from its video game division generates in services. Looking at Xbox Game Pass, the service as of reporting currently sits at just over 23 million as of this spring. But, the monthly subscription has proven to influence its users more than just owning it. In that, it was discovered more than 90 percent of users try a game they likely wouldn’t without Xbox Game Pass. Now in a new report from the recent financial report from Microsoft, the firm shares that Xbox Game Pass subscribers play 40 percent more games and is 50 percent more likely to make purchases over non-owners of the service. Gaming is the largest category in the entertainment industry, and we are expanding our opportunity to reach the world’s 3 billion gamers wherever and whenever they play. We are all in on games. At E3 last month, we unveiled our biggest games lineup ever, announcing 27 new titles, which will all be available to Game Pass subscribers. Game Pass is growing rapidly and it’s transforming how people discover, connect and play games. Subscribers play approximately 40% more games and spend 50% more than nonmembers. Satya Nadella, Microsoft CEO Elsewhere during the conference call, it also disclosed the success of the Xbox Series consoles. During that, it was disclosed that the platform is now the best performing in comparison to prior iterations. xCloud game streaming is also said to already have met million of users as well in that. But, this is not the first Microsoft grabbed data from Xbox Game Pass. In a separate interview on the Kinda Funny Gamescast, Xbox lead Phil Spencer explained that Xbox Game Pass is a good source to determine which legacy IPs deserve a reboot. “It was amazing when Bethesda came in and we were able to put so many of the “old new” games or “new old” games, however you want to say it, into Game Pass and going back with the legacy that we have with some of the IP.” You can read the full report by heading here. Do you own Xbox Game Pass and has it proven to be influencing you to purchase or play more games? Source: Seeking Alpha

Xbox Series Consoles Best Performing Xbox Says Microsoft CEO, xCloud Streaming Already Faces Millions Of Users Following Full-on Support

Although the current race between Xbox Series X|S and PlayStation 5 kicked off around the same time, it is clear that one system us already selling more than the latter. In that, it was reported May that the PlayStation 5 already exceed double the number of units in contrast to the Xbox Series X|S combined. However, that does not disqualify achievements on behalf of the Microsoft system to say the least. During the initial launch of the Xbox Series X & Xbox Series S, Microsoft signified the number of milestones broken then. During that, the Xbox company noted the systems to be the most sold units as of recording for Xbox history. Additionally, the firm also recorded a high-frequency of new Xbox owners as well back in November. According to Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella during the recent fiscal quarter report told that Xbox Series consoles are the most successful systems in the history of Microsoft’s video game venture. Atop of that, xCloud is also being touted for its performance as seven-digit counts of users log-in for the service across all platforms, Seeking Alpha transcribes. We continue to lead in the fast-growing cloud gaming market with last month — just last month, we made Xbox Cloud gaming available on PCs as well as Apple phones and tablets via the browser in 22 countries with more to come. Millions have already streamed games to their desktops, tablets and phones. And the Xbox Series S and X are our fastest-selling consoles ever, with more consoles sold live to date than any previous generation. In the slides for the fourth quarter financial report, Microsoft tells that hardware revenue is up again by 172 percent. However, Xbox software is said to be down by four percent. “Xbox content and services declined by 4% (down 7% CC) with growth in Xbox Game Pass subscriptions and first-party titles more than offset by declines in third-party titles on a strong prior year comparable that benefitted from stay-at-home scenarios.” Previously, Microsoft recorded Xbox hardware revenue was up 232 percent as of this spring. At the time, silicon for system manufacturing was at a scarcity to meet demand. But as more systems hit the store shelves, growth will not be as high, but still growth nonetheless. You can read the full report by heading here. Are you happy with the success of Xbox Series consoles? Source: Seeking Alpha, Microsoft

PlayStation 5 Software Updates Brings M.2 SSD Support To Beta Users, Other Features Included In Patch Notes

While the clear contrasts between Xbox Series consoles and PlayStation 5 is namely in the software provided, much of the technological hardware that defines the new systems are closely identical. But what truly draws the line between the pair is what each system offers. On PlayStation, many features are still awaited to be shipped while Xbox users are accustomed to it already since last fall. Namely, external SSD support for instance. While the drive port is there inside the console, it has yet to be enabled; locked behind a firmware patch. The same can also be said for 1440p support. But, Sony Interactive Entertainment did claim it will pursue the feature if demanded enough. Additionally, Variable Refresh Rate (VRR) support is another awaited feature that is also promised to be patch in at a later point. Previously, Bloomberg reported that the slot for the M.2 drive is to be supported later this summer. In a new update in the PlayStation 5 Beta, Sony Interactive Entertainment tells support is being activated for users that signed-up. The Verge’s Tom Warren provides a full list of additional features available, but, clarifies requests for 1440p support & VRR has still yet to be answered. Summing up the full list that was offered, namely features that are now enabled includes 3D audio supported for speakers. “You can also measure the acoustics of your room using the microphone on your DualSense wireless controller to apply the 3D audio setting that’s optimised for your room,” the notes shares. The Game Base/Control Center also received an update as well. The addition includes the ability to rearrange controls for personal preference whilst the Game Base now enables users to view and send messages to friends. The Friends Tab also allows users to view friend activity as stated in the notes. Trophies also received an update which welcomes trophy tracker to a total of 5 trophies per game. One major fix to the PlayStation 5 is categorizing the PlayStation 4 & PlayStation 5 games. During its launch, it was reported that more than 100 titles were wrongly categorized or missing altogether. Not only in respected storage menu, but also on the PlayStation Store as well which affected how you purchase downloadable content as well. Earlier this year, it was reported that PlayStation 5 is expected to face a redesign already. According to the piece from Video Game Chronicles that transcribed writings from DigiTimes, the reworking of the console is said to be specifically for the system’s components and ‘won’t feature any significant external changes.” You can read the full report by heading here. What features are you most excited about coming to the PlayStation 5 beta? Source: PlayStation Support