Sony announced it will increase the production of the PlayStation 5 in preparation for the holiday shopping season. The company still plans to hit its projected 18 million units sold for the 2022 fiscal year, but a new financial earnings report published on July 29 reveals that “significant improvements” in the supply chain give the console manufacturer even more wiggle room.
It has been almost impossible to get to PS5. The global pandemic, now fueled by a string of new Omicron variants, caused a shortage in various parts necessary to produce the system. With semiconductors in short supply, Sony couldn’t pump out PS5s fast enough to meet the demand. However, according to the company’s latest earnings report, all of that seems poised to change.
ReadMore: A Year Later, It Still Sucks Getting A PS5 Or Xbox Series X
“At this point in time, we have made no change to our 18 million unit sales forecast for PlayStation 5 hardware in FY22,” Sony wrote in the report. “But since we are seeing a recovery from the impact of the lockdown in Shanghai and a significant improvement in the supply of components, we are working to bring forward more supply into the year-end holiday selling season.”
This is good news… kinda. Whenever Sony replenishes PS5 stock — be it on digital shelves or in physical stores — it sells out in minutes. So, Sony essentially planning to flood the market with more consoles means you might actually have a chance at securing the bag (or I guess “box” in this context but you get it). However, we are talking about the “holiday selling season” here, which likely means Black Friday, Cyber Monday, Christmas, and any other shopping day that lands in that two to three month period. Be ready to fight some people.
It’s 2022 and is adding the most basic of functions to its iOS and Android apps: dedicated play and shuffle buttons on playlists and album pages. Until now, tapping the button on most playlists started playback with shuffle mode enabled. To play tracks in order, you’d need to tap an individual song.
The split play and shuffle buttons will only be available to Spotify Premium subscribers. While at first glance it might seem odd to only grant paying members access to the separate icons, it makes sense. Beyond , free users are only able to use Spotify in on mobile (this doesn’t apply to the desktop or tablet app). In the coming weeks, Spotify will roll out the separate play and shuffle buttons, which really should have been baked into the app from the jump.
Last year, Adele pressured the streaming platform to remove the shuffle button from albums. She argued that albums should be listened to in order, in the way artists intended. It seems Spotify agreed, as it for albums — though it’s bringing the shuffle button back to those pages with the latest update.
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Project L, the new 2D fighting game from Riot Games set in the League of Legends universe, will be free to play, senior director and executive producer Tom Cannon said in a development update Monday. Cannon noted the news likely won’t come as a surprise to players of League of Legends, Valorantand other free-to-play Riot games, and added the Project L team is being mindful about how and when it will ask players for money.
“When it comes to monetization, we promise to be respectful of both your time and your wallet,” Cannon said.
Cannon also confirmed the next League champion coming to Project L: Illaoi, the Kraken Priestess. League of Legends players will likely be intimately familiar with Illaoi, who was added to Riot’s MOBA in 2015. But in Project Land in fighting game terms, Illaoi will be a “Big Body Juggernaut” with a “huge hurtbox, massive hits, and slower movement, with a simple-to-learn, hard-to-master kit,” game designer Caroline Montano said in to Project L development blog.
“Illaoi is a strong and muscular woman who attacks with a giant totem, so it makes sense she would hit with her own physical strength, as opposed to hiding behind the power of her god or magical abilities,” Montano explained about Illaoi’s gameplay design. “We also needed tentacles. Illaoi’s god, Nagakabouros, is a tentacled sea monster, and there needed to be some aspect of that in her kit. But beyond empowering her attacks from her, Nagakabouros also gives Illaoi the strength to steal her opponent’s soul from her. ”
There’s a lot more insight into Riot’s approach to bringing Illaoi to Project L in the team’s blog, if you’re interested. Illaoi will join five other previously confirmed League champions in Project L: Ahri, Darius, Ekko, Jinx, and Katarina.
Project L was first announced in 2019. The fighting game is being developed by former members of Radiant Entertainment, the studio behind canceled free-to-play fighting game Rising Thunder. Riot acquired Radiant in 2016.
Riot Games and Radiant Entertainment released a video about Project L, the League of Legends fighting game they are hard at work on, ahead of the global fighting game tournament, Evo. The most significant thing announced during this August 2021 update is that Project L is a free-to-play game.
Project L is a 2-vs-2 assist-based fighting game in the same vein as titles like the Marvel vs Capcom series. The game stars characters made popular in the League of Legends franchise, with its latest addition being the juggernaut champion, Illaoi. A developer blog specifically focused on Illaoi’s creation also came out today.
Like League of Legends, Project L is going to be free-to-play, so it’s likely to feature in-game purchases for things like characters and skins. You can see this same business model successfully achieved in the recently released Warner Bros. platform fighter Multiverse.Project L developmental lead Tom Cannon also says Project L’s monetization will be “respectful of both your time and your wallet.”
Cannon also states that the development of Project L is going well. The team is confirmed to be currently finishing up its work on the core mechanics of the game, with a lot of the development team moving on to building playable champions. The game is also going to apparently have tons of side features other fighting games have lacked, as the update also confirms things like competitive play and social systems are on the way.
While there is no confirmed release date or even window for Project LCannon confirmed that we’ll hear about the game at least one more time before the end of 2022.
The Crossfade 3 headphones can fold up very small and hardly take up any room when packed away in … [+] their zippered hard case.
V-FASHION
Chic Italian headphone brand V-MODA has released its latest pair of Bluetooth headphones in the form of the new Crossfade 3 Wireless. These headphones are V-MODA’s flagship model in the Crossfade series and look superb.
Crossfade 3 Wireless headphones have the classic V-MODA signature sound but also feature new audio refinements that the company says can deliver the most immersive club experience ever. The Crossfade 3 can go almost anywhere thanks to a battery life of up to 30 hours from a single charge. There’s also support for Qualcomm’s aptX HD audio codec and the AAC codec favored by Apple for iOS devices.
While the wireless sound of these headphones is impeccable, it’s also possible to listen to the Crossfade 3 using a cable connection for even higher-resolution audio. Using the supplied audio cable, the Crossfade 3 can cover a frequency range from 5Hz to 40,000Hz. In addition, the headphones have been officially certified as suitable for hi-res Audio by the Japan Audio Society. To my knowledge, the Crossfade 3 have one of the widest frequency ranges I’ve ever seen quoted for a pair of wired headphones and probably far wider than most of us humans can hear.
The Crossfade 3 Wireless headphones from V-MODA can be used wired or wirelessly. They are also … [+] Available in three striking finishes.
V-FASHION
Regarding their looks, the V-MODA Crossfade 3 headphones are available in three new finishes. They feature a subtle tweak of the classic V-MODA design with enhancements that give the Crossfade 3 a slightly more contemporary look.
The Crossfade 3 Wireless deliver the classic V-MODA sound signature that’s favored by many DJs and fans of club music. The latest tuning provides a bit more punch and impact. The upper mid-range sounds more evident than on the previous generation of Crossfadses; there’s a smoother definition in the treble frequencies. Altogether, it’s a pleasing sound that can suit a wide range of musical genres. For my ears, the Crossfade 3 now have a more detailed soundstage than the V-MODA S-80 headphones I reviewed last month.
The impactful sound of the Crossfade 3 is due to V-MODA’s use of dual-diaphragm 50mm drivers and some carefully tuned materials, plus a construction method that gives the Crossfade 3 a more immersive sound. As a result, there is plenty of club energy on offer here, plus the excitement of deep and well-defined bass.
The V-MODA Crossfade 3 headphones are so comfortable to wear thanks to the flexible and padded … [+] headband plus the plump ear cushions.
V-FASHION
With up to 30 hours of battery life from a single charge, the Crossfade 3 Wireless have enough stamina for a couple of weeks of commuting. They offer double the listening time available using the previous generation Crossfade model. With USB-C charging connectivity, these headphones can also be topped up using the latest generation of USB phone chargers.
Perhaps the most striking feel about the Crossfade 3 Wireless is their incredibly lightweight and compact size. These headphones feel much lighter than their 315g, largely thanks to a generously padded and flexible headband plus the plump ear cushions that completely cover the wearer’s ears. The Crossfade 3 feels so comfortable to wear, even for long listening sessions.
Users can fold down the Crossfade 3 thanks to V-MODA’s patented CliqFold hinge. They can be safely stored away in the supplied hard-shell carrying case that protects the headphones no matter where the user goes. As you’d expect with wireless headphones, the Crossfade 3 also includes built-in microphones for making phone calls, taking part in video conferences or for issuing commands to voice assistants. The sound quality picked up by the microphones is good and there’s also some effective noise canceling when making calls.
DJs and fans of club music are big fans of the V-MODA Crossfade range. This latest Crossfade 3 are … [+] sure to please.
V-FASHION
To customize the headphones there’s the V-MODA smartphone app, which is available for iOS and Android devices. The app can be used to personalize the wireless sound of the headphones by adjusting the overall EQ response.
As well as sounding great, the Crossfade 3 Wireless also look superb, thanks to the tweaking of the original V-MODA design and the choice of three new colorways. The Crossfade 3 are available in Matte Black, Gunmetal Black or Bronze Black finishes. Customizable ear-cup shields can be added to promote a brand or stamp the headphones with their owner’s personality by using unique artwork available through V-MODA’s color printing and laser engraving service.
Verdict: The V-MODA Crossfade 3 headphones sound stunning with their brilliantly balanced tone featuring plenty of energy and punch. They also look amazing and can be customized even further with the removable ear-cup shields. I love how the headphones fold down into such a small size and can be safely tucked away in the supplied zippered hard case. The sound over Bluetooth is exemplary, but using the provided audio cable, the Crossfade 3 can sound even better thanks to the 50mm drivers and a super-wide frequency response of 5Hz to 40,000Hz over wires. Whether you’re out clubbing, commuting, or listening to a high-end audio system at home, the V-MODA Crossfade 3 are a superb pair of earphones and are well priced for the sound quality on offer.
Pricing & Availability: The V-MODACrossfade 3 Wireless headphones are available now and cost $299.99.
Spotify is fully separating its play and shuffle buttons — but only for Premium subscribers. Today, the company announced that it’s beginning to roll out individual buttons for the two functions, which will replace the combined play / shuffle button that’s currently at the top of playlists and artist pages. The change is expected to hit Android and iOS devices “in the coming weeks.”
“This new change will allow you to choose the mode you prefer at the top of playlists and albums and listen the way you want to,” Spotify wrote on its blog. “Whether you love the joy of the unexpected with Shuffle mode, or prefer listening to tunes in order by simply pressing Play, Spotify has you covered.”
Spotify’s penchant for shuffling tracks has, at times, drawn the frustration of artists who want their albums to be heard in the original running order. “We don’t create albums with so much care and thought into our track listing for no reason,” Adele tweeted last year. This led Spotify to display the standard play button by default on album pages instead of the play/shuffle combo. Now, Spotify Premium customers will see individual buttons throughout the app. “From the moment you hit play on Spotify, you decide the way you want to hear your favorite playlists or that new album you’re obsessed with,” the company wrote.
It seems a bit ludicrous that Spotify is now using buttons and its user interface as a differentiator between the service’s free and paid offerings, but here we are. Unfortunately, you still won’t be able to play or shuffle any Spotify HiFi tracks. It’s now been almost 18 months since Spotify announced its lossless-quality streaming tier, and the company has yet to roll it out to subscribers. And no, I’ll never stop bringing it up.
Chinese domestic chipmaker, Zhaoxin, is entering the realm of APUs with their first product, the KX-6000G CPU, offering up to 1.5 TFLOPs of GPU horsepower.
Chinese Domestic Chipmaker, Zhaoxin, Preps KX-6000G CPU With A 1.5 TFLOPs Integrated GPU That’s As Fast As NVIDIA’s Decade-Old GT 630
To elaborate things, Zhaoxin is a Chinese chip manufacturer that offers both CPU and GPU IPs based on its own architectures. The manufacturer’s next-generation KX-6000 CPU lineup will be replacing their KX-5000 and ZX-200 CPUs which have been on the market from 2017-2018. The latest chips are expected to feature 4 cores, 8 threads, up to 3.0 GHz clock speeds, DDR4 DRAM support, PCIe 3.0 I/O, and a homegrown 16nm architecture.
Last month, we talked about how the KH-4000 series CPUs from Zhaoxin managed to deliver single-core performance close to AMD’s 1st Gen Ryzen CPUs based on the Zen architecture. Compared to the KX lineup which is primarily aimed at the domestic consumer segment, the KH series is primarily aimed at the server segment and offers up to 16 cores, and 16 threads. It is also based on a 16nm process node though the architecture is not as updated as the KX-6000G CPUs.
So coming back to the Zhaoxin KX-6000G CPUs which we may as well refer to as APUs since they utilize the same Zhaoxin-made ZX C1080 GPU that is featured on the Glenfly Arise-GT-10C0 dGPU that was launched in the Chinese domestic market just a few days ago. Now the same discrete chip has been packaged within the Zhaoxin’s KX-6000G CPUs. The naming scheme and the design of the chip sounds a lot like AMD’s Ryzen Desktop APUs which also utilize a discrete GPU architecture and have the “G” label attached to them.
According to Zhaoxin, the CPU packs 8 cores and 16 threads which is made possible through fusing two dies on the same package. The standard version of the KX-6000 CPUs only comes with the C-960 integrated GPU that offers VGA, HDMI, DP support at up to 4K resolutions. The new integrated GPU not only offers increased performance but also better graphics capabilities.
Zhaoxin’s KX-6000G CPU with GT10C0 Integrated GPU has been tested in 3DMark 11. (Image Credits: MyDrivers)
For starters, in 3DMark 11, the Zhaoxin integrated GPU scores around 1000 points which is an over 3x increase compared to the older GPU. It comes with a brand new graphics and image processing engine that is compatible with Galaxy Kirin KOS, Tongxin Software UOS, Windows, & various other Chinese mainstream operating systems. The chip also offers full compliance with DirectX 11, Open GL 4.5, and OpenGL 1.2 APIs while outputting a native 4K display. While it is a huge improvement over its predecessor, the integrated chip is still only on par with an NVIDIA GT 630 graphics card in the 3DMark 11 (Performance) benchmark which scores similar points. (Score from Vmodtech’s GT 630 review):
The Zhaoxin KX-6000G CPU was also tested in GLMark 2 where it scored 3116 points, An NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 scored 10,516 points in the same benchmark. As for the CPU, the Zhaxoin chip scores over 15,000 MIPS in multi-threading decompression which puts it faster than the AMD Ryzen 3 1300X and close to Intel’s Core i5-7500. We used the following scores from TechSpot’s review to make a comparative chart:
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With that said, Chinese GPU makers are trying their best to reach parity with AMD & NVIDIA GPUs since 2016. Recently, Jing Jiawei and Innosilicon teased their plans to offer GTX 1080 and Vega class performance in the coming years. Zhaoxin is also working on a range of x86 processors that may rival AMD’s first-generation Ryzen CPUs while Loongson is targetting Zen 3 performance with its upcoming CPUs by 2023.
Xenoblade Chronicles 3 is a JRPG, which is a genre known for its lengthy play times. And, on these lengthy play times, you’ll end up encountering lots of interesting characters that you can interact with. Some of these characters can be recruited into your party, and these are called Xenoblade Chronicles 3 Heroes.
These Heroes will be encountered as you play through the game’s campaign. They are non-playable characters who can be befriended, and who then join your party as aa seventh member to bolster your fighting capabilities. Playable characters can also inherit Heroes’ classes once they’ve fought alongside them for a while, making them very valuable.
We’ve put together this list of Xenoblade Chronicles 3 Heroes so that you can see who you can welcome into your party and plan whose class you want to take for your playable characters next. They can be found all around the game world, so keep your eyes peeled.
Xenoblade Chronicles 3 Heroes
There are many recruitable Xenoblade Chronicles 3 Heroes that you will meet along your journey. These are:
Ethel
Valdi
Zeon
Teach
Riku & Manana
Gray
Isurd
juniper
asherah
alexandra
monica
Fiona
Triton
Ghondor
Miyabi
Cammuravi
Segiri
girl
melia
These are all the Xenoblade Chronicles 3 Heroes that you can recruit into your party. These Heroes bolster your party numbers by providing an extra party member for your group in battles and while exploring.
Check out our best hero guide to see who makes the cut, or you can also check out our Xenoblade Chronicles 3 characters guide to see all of the playable characters not on the list above.
The Pokémon Company announced its next Pokémon Presents livestream will take place on August 3. The upcoming info dump on pokemon scarlet and violet and other Pokémon games comes just in time as fans, desperate for new details, pour over a recent flood of alleged leaks for the earlier than expected Gen 9 entries.
The livestream is scheduled for 9:00 am ET and will last roughly 20 minutes according to the experts at the Pokémon news database Serebii. That’s plenty of time to offer updates on pokemon go, unite, and other spin-offs. But what fans are really hoping for is another detailed blowout on Scarlet and violetincluding more information about gym leaders, combat mechanics, and which brand new Pokémon its national Pokédex will feature.
‼️Attention Trainers! ‼️
Tune in to our YouTube channel on Wednesday, August 3rd at 6AM PT for a #PokemonPresents video presentation with updates on Pokémon apps and video games, including #PokémonScarletViolet!
Scarlet and violet were announced back in February, revealing starters Sprigatito, Fuecoco and Quaxly. Another bigger reveal followed in June around the time of Not-E3 showing off two new professors and other clues about the games’ open world. Not surprisingly, however, Pokemon fans want more information ahead of the November 18 release date, and they’ve recently been turning to an unprecedented series of alleged leaks to get it.
In mid-July, players spent days pouring over blurry, incomplete screenshots purporting to show new evolutions and battle mechanics. The leaks were allegedly from someone with access to an unfinished build of the game, and included lots of clues about the total number of Pokémon that would have been in the game as well as controversial design choices like gyms, which can be completed in any order, not scaling to the number of badges already collected.
Community debates and tons of fan art ensued, as well as fake leaks aimed at dunking on impatient fans. “It’s kinda Crazy what happened here,” one Pokemon theory and leak analyst who goes by 3clipse_tt on Twitter told Kotaku. “It’s more than 4 months before release this never happened if I recall. Usually it’s about 1 month before release that big leaks (especially with footage) surfaces the internet.”
Now fans will know soon enough how many of the purported leaks were legitimate or not. I’m sure the official info will keep them content for a couple weeks at least. The Pokémon Presents will be livestreamed here:
Xenoblade Chronicles is a series known for its length, with dozens of hours of story content to devour and quests that seem to never stop filling up your menu. But, if you are jumping into the latest game on Switch, you are probably keen to know how many chapters are in Xenoblade Chronicles 3.
Well, Monolith Soft takes a somewhat different approach to the chapters in the main story, lengthening them overall, but dramatically trimming down how many there are in the game. This makes the story beats somewhat further apart and means that you won’t be changing chapters as quickly as you did in Xenoblade Chronicles 2, despite the game being of a similar length.
So, if you are looking for the answer to ‘how many chapters are in Xenoblade Chronicles 3‘read on below.
how many chapters are in Xenoblade Chronicles 3?
Xenoblade Chronicles 3 has seven chapters that make up the main story. The chapter list looks as follows:
Chapter 1 – Ouroboros
Chapter 2 – Moebius
Chapter 3 – Saffronias
Chapter 4 – Life
Chapter 5 – Eclipse
Chapter 6 – Choices
Chapter 7 – Time Moves Again
Those seven chapters will take you across the Xenoblade Chronicles 3 map from your starting colonies of Agnus and Keves all the way to cities and open landscapes. Aionios is a massive place to explore and these chapters really take you from one end of the land to the other.
That covers how many chapters are in Xenoblade Chronicles 3. If you are looking for additional information on the main game, check out our guide on the Xenoblade Chronicles 3 characters and our guide on how to unlock fast travel, so you can get around quicker.
