Gaming

Last time PlayStation threatened to close PS3 and Vita digital stores, the players revolted: “As gamers and collectors this is a hard pill to swallow”

• PlayStation is again reportedly considering closing PS3 and Vita digital stores.
• A previous closure attempt sparked a fierce player and collector backlash.
• Sony reversed that earlier decision, keeping the ageing stores open.

PlayStation is once again reportedly weighing the closure of the digital storefronts for its older PlayStation 3 and PS Vita consoles, and this article recalls how a similar move was received the last time it was floated. When Sony previously announced plans to shut these stores, the reaction…

Xreal’s $299 lightweight a01+ AR glasses are now available to buy

• Xreal's a01+ AR glasses are on sale now for $299.
• They weigh 62 grams, omitting a camera to prioritise media viewing.
• 120Hz Micro-OLED displays simulate a 147-inch screen at 4 metres.

Xreal has begun selling the a01+, the debut product from its new budget-focused sub-brand X by Xreal, priced at $299. The glasses are aimed at a mainstream audience — such as commuters and frequent flyers — who want a portable "pocket cinema" for gaming and watching films. A…

Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced Has The Best Launch The Series Has Seen In Years

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• Headline suggests Black Flag Resynced had the series' best launch in years.
• Supporting figures and context are unavailable to confirm.

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I want to love the Switch 2 Belkin Charging Grip, but it’s so heavy that I might as well be playing my hefty Steam Deck

• Belkin's Switch 2 Charging Grip adds battery life but too much weight.
• The reviewer says it feels as heavy as a Steam Deck.
• Extra bulk undermines the Switch 2's handheld comfort.

GamesRadar+ reviews the Belkin Charging Grip, an accessory for the Nintendo Switch 2 that combines a handheld grip with a built-in battery to extend play time away from a dock. The reviewer likes the concept but finds the added bulk and weight a serious drawback, arguing that the…

Adventures Of Elliot Patch Lets You Remove The Incessant Voice Support

• Elliot patch adds an option to disable support character voices.
• Also fixes frame-rate drops, tutorials and minor bugs.
• Out now on Steam; consoles to follow.

Square Enix has released a new patch for its role-playing game The Adventures of Elliot: The Millennium Tales, most notably adding an option to fully disable the support character voices. The feature had been a significant source of frustration for players since launch, with many complaining about the…

‘Sony Knows a $1,000 PS6 Won’t Sell as Much’: Analyst on Manufacturer’s Plan to Maximise Revenue

• Analyst says Sony ending discs is inevitable, revenue-driven, like Apple dropping CD drives.
• Digital now makes up around 80% of PlayStation full-game sales.
• PS6 could launch at up to $1,000, targeting hardcore gamers.

Niko Partners director Daniel Ahmad has published a fact-based analysis explaining the reasoning behind Sony's decision to stop manufacturing physical PlayStation game discs, cutting through the emotional backlash from fans. He compares the move to Apple removing the CD drive from its laptops in 2008, arguing that although…

Exclusive Riftbound card reveals bring League of Legends’ shadows to life

• GamesRadar+ exclusively reveals new League of Legends Riftbound cards.
• The cards spotlight the franchise's darker, shadow-themed characters and art.
• The preview aims to build hype ahead of wider availability.

GamesRadar+ has published an exclusive first look at new cards for Riftbound, the League of Legends trading card game, spotlighting entries themed around the franchise's darker, shadow-aligned characters and lore. The reveal is part of the ongoing rollout of cards ahead of and around the game's wider release,…

Every outfit in Black Flag Resynced and how to get them

GamesRadar+ has published a guide detailing every outfit available in Assassin's Creed 4: Black Flag Resynced, the reworked version of the pirate-themed action-adventure game, along with instructions on how to unlock each one. The piece is aimed at players who want to customise protagonist Edward Kenway's appearance and…

“This is not how I imagined it would end”: Ubisoft to lay off Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced devs at its Barcelona studio, with one calling the remake’s release “bittersweet”

Ubisoft is set to lay off members of the team behind Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced, the recently released remake of its 2013 pirate-themed adventure, at the company's Barcelona studio. The redundancies have prompted emotional reactions from developers who worked on the project, with several sharing their feelings…

Xbox’s Halo and Fallout strategy shows signs of following Marvel

• Xbox reset favours big franchises over smaller studios, risking Marvel-style oversaturation.
• July memo cites lower profit margins, not lack of money, as the reason.
• Reported Obsidian Fallout game unlikely to align with the hit show's schedule.

Xbox CEO Asha Sharma has announced a company reset, laid out in a 6 July memo, that pairs thousands of layoffs with a promise to reinvest resources into ventures the company believes will boost revenue. In this opinion piece, Polygon argues the strategy — funnelling investment away from…