gizmosure

Author: Joshua Bartholomew

  • First photos of PlayStation 5 devkit leaked on the web

    First photos of PlayStation 5 devkit leaked on the web

    Earlier this month, Sony revealed some enticing details about the upcoming PlayStation 5 console. In an interview, CEO Jim Ryan stated the DualShock controller that’ll come bundled with the PS5 will feature haptic technology and adaptive triggers. According to Sony, haptic technology will allow gamers to truly feel a broader range of feedback. The second innovation is called adaptive triggers, will be incorporated into the L2/R2 trigger buttons. Sony says that these two innovations when combined ‘can produce a powerful experience that better simulates various actions’.

    “Developers can program the resistance of the triggers so that you feel the tactile sensation of drawing a bow and arrow or accelerating an off-road vehicle through rocky terrain,” explained Sony

    Besides, the company said it’ll stick with the existing naming pattern, which essentially means that the next console will be officially called the PlayStation 5. Finally, the company also confirmed its plans to release the PS5 sometime during the 2020 holiday season. Now, leaked photos of the console’s devkit have surfaced on the web.

    The photo falls in line with previously leaked patent sketches of the PS5. We can see several front-facing ports as well as multiple vents. Besides, the top of the console features a V-shaped design, which happens to be Roman numeral V. Elsewhere, we can see a big circle on the console’s right, which rumors indicate will allow 4K live streaming at the press of a button. The leaked image also shows as many as six USB ports, along with the standard eject, reset, and standby buttons.

    That said, even if this leak is genuine, there’s no guarantee that the actual finished product will look similar to the PlayStation 5 devkit.

    Sony has confirmed its plans to release the PlayStation 5 during the 2020 holiday season. Though we can expect plenty of photos and rumors to emerge before the company officially unveils the PS5 next year. We’ll update you as soon as we hear anything new. Until then, keep checking back for more.

  • League of Legends Wild Rift to launch on iOS and Android in 2020

    League of Legends Wild Rift to launch on iOS and Android in 2020

    Rumors about ‘League of Legends’ making its way to smartphones initially surfaced in May. Now, Riot Games has officially confirmed that League of Legends: Wild Rift will launch on iOS and Android in 2020. The company gave the official confirmation during a bunch of announcements posted on YouTube to celebrate the game’s 10th anniversary.

    According to Riot Games, the mobile version of League of Legends is inspired by the wildly popular original MOBA title, which was released on the PC ten years ago. It’ll be built from scratch and will feature a similar five-on-five gameplay that made the original title so popular. However, the company adds that individual matches are much shorter at around 15-20 minutes. Besides, there’s a twin-stick control scheme which Riot says will allow for faster responses during battles.

    “Wild Rift is not a port of LoL on PC.It is a new game built from scratch to ensure it is a polished, legitimate LoL experience that’s worth players’ time,” the company said.

    Apart from these changes, the mobile version of the game will remain largely similar. It’ll have the same 5v5 maps alongside a huge character roster.

    Launched nearly ten years ago, League of Legends is still one of the most popular PC game in the world. However, sources indicate that compared to 2017, the game’s revenue dipped by 21 percent last year. Therefore, it appears Riot Games wants to cash in on the growing popularity of mobile games. Games like Fortnite and PUBG have enjoyed massive success on both iOS and Android, hence it’s not surprising that Riot Games is looking to jump onto the mobile platform.

    Riot plans to launch the mobile version of League of Legends across the globe by the end of 2020. Not to mention, the game is slated for a debut on consoles next year.

    Are you excited about League of Legends coming to iOS, Android, and consoles? Let us know in the comments below.

  • New PlayStation 5 details revealed by Sony

    New PlayStation 5 details revealed by Sony

    Sony has revealed new and rather exciting details about its next-gen PlayStation console. To begin with, the company has confirmed it’ll stick with the existing naming pattern, which essentially means that the next console will be officially called the PlayStation 5.

    Besides, Sony has also confirmed the console’s release date. In an interview with Wired, company CEO Jim Ryan confirmed that the console will launch for the 2020 holiday season. Also, the company shared some specific details about what we can look forward to in the PlayStation 5. For instance, the DualShock controller that’ll come bundled with the PS5 will feature haptic technology and adaptive triggers.

    “First, we’re adopting haptic feedback to replace the “rumble” technology found in controllers since the 5th generation of consoles. With haptics, you truly feel a broader range of feedback, so crashing into a wall in a race car feels much different than making a tackle on the football field. You can even get a sense for a variety of textures when running through fields of grass or plodding through the mud”, explained Sony.

    The second innovation is called adaptive triggers, which are incorporated into the L2/R2 trigger buttons. Cerny stated that adaptive triggers offer varying levels of resistance.

    “Developers can program the resistance of the triggers so that you feel the tactile sensation of drawing a bow and arrow or accelerating an off-road vehicle through rocky terrain. In combination with the haptics, this can produce a powerful experience that better simulates various actions. Game creators have started to receive early versions of the new controller, and we can’t wait to see where their imagination goes with these new features at their disposal,’ explained Sony.

    The upcoming DualShock 5 controller will also get USB-C charging and larger battery capacity.

    Another notable mention is ray-tracing support. System architect Mark Cerny stated that ‘there is ray-tracing acceleration in the GPU hardware, which I believe is the statement people were looking for”.

    Cerny also mentioned the console’s sold-state-drive id designed to keep everything nice and smooth. He added that SSD will not only offer faster reading, but it’ll also save space. Now, this implies that the extra space can be used to make games or patches smaller or to make more detailed environments. The PlayStation 5 will come equipped with a 4K Blu Ray player that supports discs of up to 100GB.

    “Rather than treating games like a big block of data, we’re allowing finer-grained access to the data,” explained Cerny.

    Meanwhile, Marco Thrush, President of Bluepoint Games, the studio behind Shadow of Colossus remake, also seemed excited about the PS5’s solid-state drive.

    “The SSD has me really excited. You don’t need to do gameplay hacks anymore to artificially slow players down- lock them behind doors, anything like that. Back in the cartridge days, games used to load instantly; we’re kind of going back to what consoles used to be,” said Thrush.

    As far as games go, Thrush also mentioned that ‘we’re working on something big right now’, I’ll let you figure out the rest”.

    Sony plans to launch the PlayStation 5 during the 2020 holiday season. More details about the console are likely to surface as we near its official release. We’ll update you as soon as we hear anything new. Until then, keep checking back for more.

  • PS4 System Update 7.0 brings Remote Play for all Android devices

    PS4 System Update 7.0 brings Remote Play for all Android devices

    Sony is prepping the launch of the new PS4 System Software update version 7.0 later this week. As expected, the new update will bring several changes to the platform, however, the most notable among them is the official rollout of Remote Play for Android devices.

    With the new update, gamers will be able to stream games from the console directly to their Android smartphone or tablet. Therefore, any Android device running Android 5.0 or later will allow PS4 owners to transmit audio and video from their console. All you’ll need to do is download the PS4 Remote Play app from the Play Store and follow the instructions to create the link.

    “For those who want to stream select PS4 games on mobile devices, Remote Play can now be used on smartphones and tablets running Android 5.0 or higher. Just download the PS4 Remote Play App from the Google Play store to use the feature,” Sony explained in a blog post.

    Not to mention, the Remote Play App has been updated for iPhone or iPad users, so they now can display the controller at all times, as well as lock the screen orientation.

    Elsewhere, Sony has also added the ability to use your DualShock 4 controller via Bluetooth on iOS, Mac, and Android devices.

    “Also, players will be able to use their DualShock 4 wireless controllers via Bluetooth for Remote Play on an Android, iPhone, iPad, and Mac. All you need to do is update to Android 10, iOS 13, iPadOS 13, or macOS Catalina (releasing in October) to use this feature,” Sony further added in the blog post.

    Apart from Remote Play, Sony has also enhanced the ‘Party’ feature on PS4 with the new update. From now on, you can play alongside sixteen as opposed to just eight friends. Besides, there’s been an improvement in Network connectivity as well as audio quality. Also, there’s now accessibility support in the form of chat transcription in the United States.

    Finally, Sony recommends that gamers should use a PS4 system with a wired connection via a LAN cable.

  • Arnold Schwarzenegger’s Terminator DLC revealed for Mortal Kombat 11

    Arnold Schwarzenegger’s Terminator DLC revealed for Mortal Kombat 11

    Back in August, it was announced that Arnold Schwarzenegger’s character from the blockbuster Sci-Fi movie would soon join the character roster in the wildly popular fighting game, Mortal Kombat 11. Now, we have the first gameplay reveal of the character from the iconic action franchise, the T-800 Terminator, which looks exciting, to say the least.

    Going by the gameplay trailer, it looks like the T-800 plays on the heavier side with slow-moving attacks, relying on brute force as opposed to fast movements. Besides, the trailer also shows that the character gets a powerful projectile. Yes, you guessed it right! It’s the famous shotgun from Terminator 2. Classic Terminator stuff!

    Also, the T-800 gets a grenade projectile, allowing you to put some distance between you and your opponent making it a setup heavy character.

    Not to mention, Netherealm has paid meticulous attention to detail as the character certainly reminds you of the Terminator movie franchise. For instance, the camera zooms-in to show the T-800’s metal exoskeleton when the character is dealt with a crushing blow. Besides, the trailer also shows the T-800 being fired by Scorpion. And instead of just burning off as any character would, the T-800 turns into a full-fledged metallic skeleton who’s been chasing Sarah Connor for years.

    Terminator’s first brutality

    To pay further homage to the iconic film franchise, Sony Blade is getting a Sarah Connor DLC costume. So yes, you can certainly go back to the T1 days and beat the hell outta the T-800.

    Finally, Terminator’s first brutality is also here! And as you would expect, Netherealm did not disappoint as it’s very, very brutal. In the brutality, the Terminator grabs his opponent by the throat and then chokes it until their head shoots up in the air, and finally, blasts the head with a shotgun. Very nice touch.

    The Terminator T-800 will be available as early access on October 8 via the Kombat Pack. Mortal Kombat 11 is available for PS4, Xbox One, PC, and Nintendo Switch. Besides, the game is also set to release on Google Stadia next month.

  • Critical iOS exploit impacts millions of devices from iPhone 4S to the iPhone X

    Critical iOS exploit impacts millions of devices from iPhone 4S to the iPhone X

    A newly discovered bootrom exploit in iOS, dubbed as ‘checkm8’, could lead to permanent jailbreak on iOS devices that run on Apple’s A-series processors.

    According to security researcher axiomX, the vulnerability affects hundreds of millions of iOS devices starting from the iPhone 4S, to the iPhone 8, as well as the iPhone X. The affected devices also include iPad models starting with the iPad 2 up to the 2017 iPad Pro.

    The vulnerability could give attackers deep access to iOS devices. axiomX claims that ‘checkm8’ is possibly one of the biggest news in the iPhone hacking community for years. Being a bootrom exploit, it affects devices at bootrom level instead of taking advantage of vulnerabilities in the OS or software. Now, this essentially means that Apple won’t be able to fix the issue with a simple patch or an update. To fix the issue, Apple would need to make physical changes directly to its A-series processors.

    As expected, the new flaw has some serious security concerns, as the vulnerability can offer root access to affected devices. Therefore, it’s possible that attackers could use the exploit to take control and delete sensitive information from other user’s devices.

    However, there’s some good news as axiomX explained that the vulnerability can’t be used remotely. Now, this means that attackers would need physical access to an iOS device to take undue advantage of this vulnerability. Therefore, just make sure you’re iPhone or iPad is passcode protected.

    Apple is yet to make any official statement regarding this exploit, though we’ll update you as soon as Apple responds to the matter.

    iPhone jailbreaking isn’t as popular as it was 7 years from now. During the early days of the iPhone, jailbreaking was primarily done to install third party apps that were not available via the App Store. Jailbreaking allows iOS users to add apps and other functions that Apple wouldn’t usually allow users to perform on their iPhones. iOS has rather strict limitations that are designed to protect users from malicious apps but also gives Apple’s more control over the ecosystem. Therefore, jailbreaking hurts your iPhone’s security, but at the same time gives users more control over the phone.

    The last jailbreak we heard was back in August this year when a new vulnerability was found in iOS 12.4. It was the first iOS jailbreak to be publicly revealed in years.

  • Microsoft finds critical zero-day bug in Internet Explorer

    Microsoft finds critical zero-day bug in Internet Explorer

    Microsoft has alerted users about a new flaw found in its age-old Internet Explorer browser, citing a vulnerability which allows hackers to take control over a user’s entire PC. The vulnerability has been described as ‘scripting engine memory corruption’ by Clement Lecigne at the Threat Analysis Group.

    According to Microsoft, the vulnerability causes memory corruption in a way that allows attackers to hijack a user’s entire PC. For instance, it gives the hacker the same administrative rights as the legit owner who can perform tasks such as install or delete programs.

    “In a web-based attack scenario, an attacker could host a specially crafted website that is designed to exploit the vulnerability through Internet Explorer and then convince a user to view the website, for example, by sending an email,” Microsoft explained.

    Besides, Microsoft also notes that the flaw is found in all versions of Internet Explorer, be it Windows 7, Windows 8.1, or even the latest Windows 10. To tackle the issue, the software giant has rolled out an emergency patch to fix the ‘critical’ bug. Microsoft is now urging users to install the patch immediately.

    Is it time to ditch Internet Explorer?

    Microsoft’s Edge is now the default browser in Windows, however, it doesn’t mean that IE is dead. The company would have axed IE a long time ago had it not been for compatibility reasons.

    The issue with Internet Explorer is that many apps are specifically designed and optimized for the browser, which means that Microsoft has no other choice but to keep it around for a little longer. Therefore, even though we have new Chromium-based browsers in Windows, IE is the only browser that is compatible with such apps.

    However, users not using such apps should refrain from using Internet Explorer and replace it with modern browsers such as Edge and Chrome, as they offer better security, privacy, cookie controls, and so much more.

    Put simply, Internet Explorer is just a piece of history, which’ll get axed sooner or later. Though for now, the sensible thing to do would be ditch IE and move on to a modern browser which offer better security, privacy, and customization.

    Besides, Microsoft’s security chief has also warned millions of users who still use Internet Explorer as their default web browser are putting themselves at a huge risk.

  • Google Play Pass launched with 350 games and apps

    Google Play Pass launched with 350 games and apps

    Google has finally launched its version of Apple Arcade with the ‘Play Pass’ subscription service for Android-powered devices. The service will be available in the US starting this week, and it’s expected to roll out in other countries ‘soon’.

    Google Play Pass is similar to Apple Arcade, however, Google’s take on its app-based subscription model is slightly different than that of Apple. Google’s Play Pass Service includes apps as well as games, while Apple Aracde solely offers games with a library of 100 titles.

    Google Play Pass service bundles 350 games and apps with no ads and without any in-app purchases for $4.99. Besides, Google will offer users a 10-day free trial period and also plans to give users the first year at an introductory price of $1.99 a month.

    “The Play Pass collection spans hundreds of titles, from games that help you unwind to apps that power productivity,” said Google product manager Austin Shoemaker in a blog post.

    Some of the game titles offered in the service at launch include long-time favorites such as Limbo, Monument Valley, Stardew Valley, and Risk. Other notable games include the likes of Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic, Terraria, Old Man’s Journey, and Mini Metro. Nearly two-thirds of the apps included in the Play Pass service are games. Apart from games, the service also includes popular apps such as Accuweather which are served free of ads and without any in-app purchases.

    Besides, Google also promised that it plans to add new games and apps to the service every month.

    The launch of Play Pass comes as Google plans to make big headway in the gaming sector. The search engine giant plans to release Stadia in November. The upcoming streaming platform is designed to run games without a high-end PC or console. All you’ll need is a Chromecast and television which allows you to access high-resolution games via the cloud.

  • John Wick Hex set to arrive on Windows and Mac on October 8

    John Wick Hex set to arrive on Windows and Mac on October 8

    The official John Wick game finally has a release date. John Wick Hex will launch on the PC and Mac exclusively via Epic Games store on October 8 for $19.99 The game is developed by Bithell Games, in partnership with Good Shephard Entertainment and Lionsgate Games.

    John Wick Hex takes place before the events shown in the movies, where the lead protagonist Wick still works as a professional assassin. Actors from John Wick movies such as Ian McShane and Lance Reddick also feature in the game as Winston and Charon. Meanwhile, Mike Bithell also announced that Troy Baker (Uncharted 4, The Last of Us, Infamous Second Son, Batman: Arkham Origins) will play the original villain in the game. Sadly, Keanu Reeves won’t be the voice of his in-game character.

    John Wick Hex combines action sequences from the movie into a top-down strategy game where players are supposed to plan their moves ahead of time. It’s more like a real-time strategy game where your actions will have consequences that will play out. The game mixes real-time strategy with tactical decisions, and Wick’s every move and action in the game will take place in a timeline. For instance, you’ll have limited ammo and reloading obviously takes time, so you’ll need to devise a strategy before you run into enemies. It’s essentially all about time management here.

    John Wick Hex will be exclusively available via the Epic Games store. The action-packed strategy puzzler will be available on the PC and Mac starting October 8. Besides, you can also pre-order the game for just $20. The game is also expected to arrive on consoles, but there’s no word on when yet.

  • OnePlus 7T teased ahead of September 26 event

    OnePlus 7T teased ahead of September 26 event

    OnePlus recently announced its plans to take the wraps off the OnePlus 7T at an event on September 26. Just like the Pixel 4, the OnePlus 7T has been the subject of numerous leaks. In fact, the device has leaked so often that OnePlus has now officially teased an image of the handset.

    OnePlus CEO Pete Lau has given us an early look at the device by posting an image of the handset on the OnePlus forum. The device shown in the image falls in line with past OnePlus 7T leaks. The image posted on the OnePlus forum shows a new rear circular camera module that packs a triple rear camera system. The image also shows-off the new blue color gradient, which Pete Lau explains has a “smooth matte surface with a brilliant metallic radiance”.

    In other related news, credible tipster Ishan Agarwal has allegedly revealed the exact configuration of the triple-lens camera setup. It includes a 16MP 17mm ultra-wide-angle camera with a 117-degree field of vision, a 48MP 26mm wide-angle lens at f/1.6, and a 12MP 51mm telephoto lens with f/2.2 aperture and 2x optical zoom.

    Elsewhere, both OnePlus 7T models are said to offer 90Hz displays and run Snapdragon 855+ processor. Reports also indicate that the OnePlus 7T Pro may launch with Android 10 pre-installed.

    OnePlus on Monday announced its plans to unveil the OnePlus 7T at an event on September 26. The Chinese smartphone maker will hold an offline event on the said date in New Delhi, India, along with a North American reveal which starts at 10:30 am ET. Following these two, there’ll be another launch event on October 10 in London, where the company says there is ‘much more to come’.

  • Google Pixel users facing issues after Android 10 update

    Google Pixel users facing issues after Android 10 update

    Google recently began rolling out the latest Android 10 update to all Pixel devices. However, several Pixel users have reported issues related to sensors after updating their phones to the newest version of Android. Key sources suggest that some Pixel users are reporting dead sensors after updating to Android 10.

    Several users have come out and reported the issue on XDA Forums, Pixel Phone Help forum, and Google Issue Tracker. With this bug, users are experiencing problems with features such as Active Edge functionality, auto-rotate, auto-brightness, double-tap to wake, and lift-to-wake. Besides, it appears that Pixel 3 XL users are mostly facing the bug, as only one user has reported about the issue on his first-gen Pixel.

    “When I make a phone call, the screen goes dark and no swiping or pressing of the power button brings the screen back on. If the call goes to voicemail, you can’t see the dial pad to respond to prompts,” reads a user complaint on Google Issue Tracker.

    For now, it appears there’s no way to bypass the bug as Google is yet to release a fix for the same. Users affected by the bug have reported that downgrading to Android 9 Pie is one way to get your sensors up and running.

    That said, it doesn’t seem to be a widespread issue. In the meantime, if you haven’t updated to Android 10 on your Pixel yet, we’d suggest that you wait for a few days before going ahead with the update.

    Google started rolling out the latest version of its Android OS to Pixel phone users on Tuesday. As expected, Android 10 brings several tweaks and performance improvements. Some of the highlights in Android 10 include the new gesture system, improved Privacy Settings, new Focus Mode, along with the ability to save photos in HEIF format.

    Android 10 also happens to be the first version of Android that doesn’t have a dessert name. Google decided to ditch dessert-themed names, global users because global found it easier to relate to numbers instead of cookies or desserts.

  • Google Pixel 4 detailed images leaked

    Google Pixel 4 detailed images leaked

    While Google has officially teased several images of the upcoming Pixel 4 flagship. That said, those photos didn’t reveal anything concrete apart from the square camera housing on the back. However, a new set of alleged leaked images of the device seemingly gives us our first close look at the Pixel 4.

    The images show both front and back of the Pixel 4, along with sensors and bezels. The photos show a rather thin bottom bezel, but it still appears pretty big compared to several other phones. Meanwhile, it appears Google has ditched the notch on top. However, it doesn’t seem too tall despite all the sensors it houses. Besides, the image also shows a narrow, but a slightly taller speaker grille compared to the Pixel 3. Also, we can see a greyish-white power button housed on the right edge, with volume rockers placed right below it.

    The back of the phone shows the massive square camera housing, which is rumored to pack a standard 12MP lens with phase detection autofocus and a 16MP telephoto lens. Besides, the image suggests that Google has possibly used glass on the back instead of the dual-tone matte soft-touch glass, as the Pixel 4’s rear appears quite shiny.

    Though as is the case with every leak, readers are advised to take this with a pinch of salt as there’s no confirmation that these images are real. With that being said, these images were seemingly taken by a Sprint engineer as the “Sprint” text is clearly visible on the lockscreen. Given the fact that Sprint currently sells the Pixel 3 and 3 XL, it shouldn’t be a surprise that these images show the real Pixel 4.

    As per earlier leaks, Google is expected to release the Pixel 4 range in October, while shipping is likely to begin later that month. More leaks about the Pixel 4 are likely to surface as we near its official release. We’ll update you as soon as we hear anything new. Until then, keep checking back for more.

  • Spider Man PS4 ‘Game of the Year Edition’ leaked

    Spider Man PS4 ‘Game of the Year Edition’ leaked

    It appears last year’s PS4-exclusive blockbuster Spider will get a Game of the Year edition. The GOTY edition for Spider-Man will likely include the latest version of the game with three different DLC releases for the PS4, and presumably for the PS5 as well. While Sony Interactive is yet to acknowledge such a product officially, many believe one is on the cards. Now, it appears Amazon UK might’ve accidentally leaked Marvel’s Spider-Man Game of the Year edition for the PS4.

    While the listing doesn’t reveal any concrete details, but it does suggest one is on the horizon. Leaks via retail listings generally lack credibility, though something leaked on Amazon usually turns out to be a real product. Of course, Amazon UK has removed the listing, but what goes up on the internet, stays on the internet. That said, just like any leak, we’ll take this information with a pinch of salt.

    In any case, Marvel’s Spider-Man for the PS4 is one of the best open-world games out there. Insomniac Games has intricately crafted a fantastic story that hardcore comic books fans have come to appreciate. The PS4- the exclusive title was the Insomniac’s most successful game, reportedly selling 13.2 million copies worldwide. Given the game’s enormous success, it’s apparent Sony and Insomniac might pair up for a Spider-Man sequel on the PlayStation 5.

    In other related news, Sony Interactive Entertainment has officially announced the acquisition of Insomniac Games, developer of last year’s Spider-Man game. The latest acquisition brings Sony Worldwide Studios to a total of 14 game development studios.

    Insomniac Games was founded in 1994 and has largely remained an independent studio for around 25 years. They’ve worked with big-name companies like Sony and Microsoft on several projects. Besides, Insomniac has also worked with Oculus on several VR games. They’ve also developed the yet-to-be-released VR game ‘Stormland’, currently announced as an Oculus exclusive.

  • Sony acquires Insomniac Games, developer of Spider Man

    Sony acquires Insomniac Games, developer of Spider Man

    Sony Interactive Entertainment has officially announced the acquisition of Insomniac Games, developer of last year’s Spider-Man game. The PS4 – the exclusive title was the Insomniac’s most successful game, reportedly selling 13.2 million copies worldwide. According to Sony, Insomniac will shortly become a first-party PlayStation studio. The latest acquisition brings Sony Worldwide Studios to a total of 14 game development studios.

    “Insomniac Games is one of the most highly-acclaimed development studios in the industry and their legacy of best-in-class storytelling and gameplay is unparalleled,” Shawn Layden, Chairman of SIE WWS, said in a statement. “We have enjoyed a strong collaborative partnership with the studio for many years, and are thrilled to officially welcome them to the Worldwide Studios family. The addition of Insomniac Games to SIE WWS reiterates our commitment to developing world-class gaming experiences that can only be found on the PlayStation platform.”

    “The decision to join forces with Sony extends far beyond familiarity. Our studio vision is to create experiences that have a positive and lasting impact on people’s lives. As we look ahead to our future, we know that joining the WWS family gives us the best opportunities to fully achieve that vision on a much larger scale. Further, we believe that Sony shares a similar vision to positively impact players’ lives, their employees’ lives and the games industry at large,” said Ted Price of Insomniac Games in a statement to fans.

    Apart from last year’s Spider-Man, Insomniac has also developed popular games like ‘Ratchet & Clank’ as well as ‘Resistance’. Insomniac Games was founded in 1994 and has mostly remained an independent studio for nearly 25 years. It has worked with big-name companies such as Sony and Microsoft on several projects. Besides, Insomniac has also worked with Oculus on several VR games. They’ve also developed the upcoming Stormland game, currently announced as an Oculus exclusive.

    That said, there weren’t any announcements about future games alongside the acquisition. However, given the fact Spider-Man on PS4 has sold over 13.2 million copies worldwide as of July 28, 2019, it’s apparent Sony and Insomniac might pair up for a Spider-Man sequel on the PlayStation 5.

  • Apple likely to tweak namimg scheme for next iPhones

    Apple likely to tweak namimg scheme for next iPhones

    Just like last year, Apple is widely expected to launch three iPhone models in 2019. With only a few weeks left before the official unveiling, leaks about the iPhone 11 are pouring thick and fast. The latest leak via Twitter suggests that Apple plans to change the naming scheme for its 2019 iPhone lineup slightly.

    Multiple sources point to the fact that Apple will incorporate a triple-lens camera setup for this year’s flagship iPhone model. Now, the latest leak via Twitter suggests that Apple’s top-end iPhone model for 2019 might have the word ‘Pro’ in its name, as opposed to the ‘Max’ moniker.

    This suggests that Apple’s top-end iPhone for 2019 might be called the iPhone 11 Pro, or simply the iPhone Pro. Whether this could be a step in the right direction, it remains to be seen. That said, incorporating the Pro moniker for the flagship iPhone makes more sense, as it clearly suggests the device offers top-of-the-line features to help distinguish it from other models in the iPhone lineup.

    As already mentioned, Apple plans to launch three iPhone models in 2019. These include the successor to the iPhone XR with a 6.1-inch LCD screen, along with two OLED models with 5.8-inch and 6.5-inch displays. The upcoming iPhones are expected to get similar screens as the current-gen iPhone models, though with larger batteries.

    New iPhones coming in September

    The flagship iPhone 11 Pro or Max is expected to pack three rear cameras. The selfie camera is likely to get an upgrade, while one of the rear lenses is expected to boast a 14-megapixel sensor.

    Meanwhile, leaks indicate that the iPhone XIR is expected to boast dual-rear cameras, as opposed to a single-lens primary camera found on the current iPhone XR. Also, analysts at Citi Research have indicated that Apple Pencil support might arrive with the iPhone 11.

    As far as the release goes, leaks suggest that Apple will unveil its 2019 iPhone range on September 11, while shipping is likely to commence on September 20.