It’s an important week for Total War: ARENA’s closed beta, with Creative Assembly launching an Open Week and inviting all comers to the online 10 vs 10 tactical battlefield. We strategically dispatched Gareth Harmer to the studio’s UK HQ to find out more.
PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds – Tencent & PUBG Corp Reveal Mobile Version for China
According to MMOCulture, Tencent and PUBG Corporation have revealed a cooperative effort to bring a game based on PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds to mobile devices. According to sources inside PUBG Corp, development is “going smoothly” and that the game will soon be in the hands of Chinese gamers.
– Tencent Shows Off ‘Europa’, Its Take on Battle Royale
We’ve now officially entered the Era of Battle Royale, thanks in large part to PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds. Tencent has published the first trailer for an upcoming Chinese game called Europa, a slick looking title that has just arrived on Steam in preparation for a 2018 launch.
Pokemon Go – New Study Blames Driver Obsession with Pokemon Go on Increased Vehicle Damages & Deaths
In a new abstract published on the Social Science Research Network (SSRN) site, a pair of Purdue University researchers have examined police accident reports in Tippecanoe County, Indiana. Their studies reveal a huge increase in vehicle accidents, injuries and fatalities attributed to drivers playing Pokemon Go while operating their cars.
Albion Online – iOS Beta Testing Begins
Albion Online is ready to head to mobile devices with the arrival of the closed beta testing phase for the iOS version. Players can sign up for testing opportunities and help the team with the cross-platform experience. Other platforms include: PC, Linux, Mac OS, and Android devices.
Hearthstone – Dave Kosak Chats About Developing Dungeon Runs in Kobolds & Catacombs
In the latest Hearthstone chat, Mission Designer Dave Kosak speaks about the process to develop the upcoming free Dungeon Run portion of the Kobolds and Catacombs expansion. Dungeon Run brings rogue-like elements into the game where players will take on deadly battles to score epic (and phat!) lewt.
Fortnite – Mom Claims Teen is a ‘Scapegoat’ When Sued by Epic Games for Cheating
As we reported last month, Epic Games named two Fortnite players in a lawsuit against cheaters in Fortnite: Battle Royale. The suit alleged that “Vraspir” and “Broom” infringed on the company’s copyright by using a program that made changes to the game’s code and thereby violating the ToS. However, it appears that one of the defendants in the lawsuit is a 14-year-old whose mother says that he is a scapegoat in Epic’s ongoing battle against cheats and hacks in Fortnite.
– Gamers Share the ‘Blame’ for Microtransaction Angst According to SuperData
According to information compiled through SuperData Research, gamer spending has gone through the roof in recent years when it comes to microtransaction purchases and service-based monetization. Sales of add-on content far outpace the more traditional “box purchase” and, at least according to SuperData’s research, “the trend shows no signs of slowing”.
– Helios-Ex AC2200 Wi-Fi Range Extender Review
There’s a downside to moving into a bigger house for my kids to grow up in. My wi-fi signal suddenly doesn’t cover my whole house. There are a lot of solutions for such a problem, and I was happy to find out that the folks at Amped Wireless wanted us to review their Helios-Ex AC2200 Wi-Fi Range Extender. It’s tri-band with a DirectLink option that can eliminate the speed slowdown other extenders often come with.
– Helios-Ex AC2200 Wi-Fi Range Extender Review
There’s a downside to moving into a bigger house for my kids to grow up in. My wi-fi signal suddenly doesn’t cover my whole house. There are a lot of solutions for such a problem, and I was happy to find out that the folks at Amped Wireless wanted us to review their Helios-Ex AC2200 Wi-Fi Range Extender. It’s tri-band with a DirectLink option that can eliminate the speed slowdown other extenders often come with.