discontinuation Archives

AppWizard

May 10, 2025

PC gaming remains undefeated: Nintendo now says it has the right to brick your Switch if it thinks you’re pirating games or modifying the console

Nintendo has updated its online user agreement, allowing the company to make a console "permanently unusable" if a user violates the agreement. The revised End User License Agreement (EULA) includes extensive restrictions on actions such as publishing, modifying, or distributing Nintendo Account Services, as well as using unauthorized copies. The EULA also places responsibility on legal guardians for minors and emphasizes that users do not own their games outright but merely license them. Concerns about backward compatibility and potential service discontinuation for the upcoming Switch 2 have emerged, alongside a growing preference among gamers for more control over their gaming experiences.

AppWizard

May 8, 2025

Mojang has just killed support for Minecraft VR, an underrated but very flawed VR experience

Mojang has announced the discontinuation of VR support for Minecraft, with plans to cease support by March 2025 and a suspension of VR functionality that occurred in May. The transition away from VR has received mixed reactions, as the experience was often described as temperamental and underwhelming. Alternatives like Vivecraft, a fan-supported mod, allow players to enjoy Minecraft in VR on PCs, but come with challenges such as requiring additional setup and coordination among friends. The decision to discontinue support likely stems from Minecraft's evolving nature, which complicates development and leads to the obsolescence of older versions.

AppWizard

May 8, 2025

Mojang’s big Minecraft VR mistake

Mojang has officially discontinued VR support for the Bedrock version of Minecraft on PCs, ending a VR initiative that began in April 2016. The Gear VR version was initially available on devices like the Oculus Go and original Oculus Quest, but support for older games on the Oculus Quest 2 rendered these experiences obsolete. Modders, particularly through the Vivecraft mod, have filled the gap left by Mojang, with QuestCraft being a notable port for Meta Quest headsets. Despite Mojang's claims of lacking resources for VR, the company has over 55 million daily active players and a workforce of more than 600 employees, indicating financial stability. The demographics of the Meta Quest user base suggest a strong potential interest in Minecraft if officially supported. Recent collaborations between Meta and Microsoft hint at potential opportunities for an official Minecraft VR port, yet progress remains stagnant. The QuestCraft Discord server has 80,000 members, indicating significant interest in a VR version of Minecraft, which could attract hundreds of thousands of active users.

AppWizard

May 6, 2025

Google Play update may break apps on Android 12 and older

Google will implement an update to its Play Integrity API in May 2025, affecting devices running Android 12 or earlier. This update coincides with the end of security updates for these older versions, potentially leading to app failures and increased vulnerability to cyber threats. Developers will need to revise their applications to comply with the new API standards, while users on outdated systems may face degraded performance or complete app failures. The urgency to upgrade to Android 13 or newer is emphasized for both users and developers.

AppWizard

April 30, 2025

EA makes job cuts at Respawn

Electronic Arts is implementing layoffs at Respawn Entertainment, affecting approximately 100 employees, due to the discontinuation of two early-stage incubation projects, including an extraction shooter set in the Titanfall universe, codenamed R7. Additionally, EA is reducing between 300 and 400 positions across the company, primarily within the Experiences team. Respawn has assured fans of its ongoing commitment to developing Apex Legends and its Star Wars titles. EA's representative stated that the layoffs are part of a strategy to align teams and allocate resources for future growth. Respawn expressed gratitude to affected employees and is offering support, while reaffirming its dedication to player-first experiences and innovation.

Winsage

April 26, 2025

Blame your phone for killing off this traditional Windows app

Microsoft has announced that Windows Maps will be deprecated by April, with the app being removed from the Windows Store by July and ceasing to receive support thereafter. A July update will deactivate the Maps app entirely. Personal data saved in the app will remain intact but will not function after July 2025. New PCs running future versions of Windows 11 will not come preinstalled with the Maps app beyond the current 24H2 release. Users can still access mapping services through Bing’s dedicated maps page.

Winsage

April 25, 2025

Windows 11 25H2 shows signs of life: what can we expect?

The upcoming Windows 11 25H2 update is expected to be a modest enhancement rather than a major overhaul, continuing to use the Germanium codebase established with 24H2. A preview build, specifically build 27842 from the Canary Channel, has been identified, and references to GE25H2 were found in the AppraiserRes.dll file, which assesses PC compatibility for the new version. The update is anticipated to arrive in the latter half of the year, similar to previous incremental updates. Concerns exist regarding the stability of 25H2 compared to 24H2, which faced installation issues and compatibility problems. Windows 10 will reach the end of regular support on October 14, 2025, prompting users to transition to Windows 11. Smaller updates like enablement packages tend to present fewer stability risks, and Microsoft has not officially confirmed any details about 25H2 or its update process for versions 23H2 and 24H2. Speculation about Windows 12 continues, but its timeline remains uncertain.

Winsage

April 19, 2025

Surface Hub v1 has less than six months of support left

Microsoft is ending support for the Surface Hub v1 and Surface Hub 2S, with the last security updates for Windows 10 Team edition scheduled for October 14. The original Surface Hub v1 will be unsupported after October 2025, while users are encouraged to transition to the Surface Hub 3. Launched in 2015, the Surface Hub shipped 2,000 units in its first nine months, priced at ,999 for the 84-inch version. The device is becoming obsolete as Microsoft discontinues support for Microsoft Teams, prompting users to consider alternative uses for the Surface Hub v1.

Winsage

April 19, 2025

Microsoft «kills a feature that protected «older» versions of Windows 11 — and no one knows why

Microsoft will discontinue support for virtualization-based security enclaves (VBS enclaves) in Windows 11 versions 23H2 and 22H2, as well as in Windows Server versions 2022, 2019, and 2016. Support for VBS enclaves will only be retained in Windows 11 version 24H2 and later, and in Windows Server 2025 and later. VBS enclaves enhance memory operation security by creating virtual trust levels within a Trusted Execution Environment. Microsoft previously addressed a privilege escalation vulnerability within VBS enclaves (CVE-2025-21370) and plans to integrate the Rust programming language into the Windows kernel starting with Windows 11 version 23H2 in 2024.

Winsage

April 14, 2025

Windows 7 Elite Edition fixes Microsoft’s biggest Windows 11 mistake

Microsoft ceased support for Windows 7 in January 2020, leading to nostalgia among its users who appreciated its streamlined interface and reliability. Many users prefer the simplicity of Windows 7 over the modern features of Windows 10 and 11. The Windows 7 Elite Edition theme for Windows 11 aims to replicate elements of Windows 7, such as repositioning the Start menu and taskbar to the left. A video by Link Vegas provides details on the theme's transformations and a step-by-step installation guide, which involves meticulous file renaming and copying. Users need to gather specific resources to install the theme.