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TrendTechie

April 18, 2025

Прекратил работу главный торрент-трекер России. Причины неизвестны. Опрос

As of 11:00 PM on April 15, 2025, Rutracker has resumed operations after a significant outage that began around 5:00 PM Moscow time the same day. Users from major Russian cities reported difficulties accessing the site, which has been permanently blocked in Russia since 2016. During the outage, users encountered a "Web Server Down" message due to a 521 error from Cloudflare, indicating a connection termination. The access issues appeared to affect only Russian users, as individuals in Italy and Kazakhstan could still access Rutracker. This incident marks the third occurrence in six months raising concerns about the future of popular web resources among Russians. Rutracker had previously announced its own anti-Russian sanctions in March 2022 but continued to be accessible to Russian users until this outage. In January 2023, Rutracker experienced another outage lasting nearly a full day. The recent issues have been attributed to hosting problems, although some users reported no access issues during that time.

AppWizard

April 18, 2025

Rematch, the soccer game from the maker of Sifu and Absolver, is holding an open beta this weekend

Sloclap has announced a multiplayer soccer game titled Rematch, set to begin an open beta on April 18, 2024. Players will control a single athlete, emphasizing teamwork and coordination, while the game eliminates traditional elements like offsides and fouls to enhance pace. The beta will allow players to experience the game for free, with access granted gradually based on server capacity. The full release is scheduled for June 19, 2024.

AppWizard

April 17, 2025

Minecraft movie is uninspiring

The film "A Minecraft Movie," directed by Jared Hess, features Jack Black as Steve, who embarks on a nostalgic journey after discovering a portal to "the overworld." The plot involves an evil sorceress threatening his new paradise, leading Steve to sever ties with his former life. Alongside an eclectic group of characters, including Jason Momoa and Emma Myers, they navigate the challenges of the overworld. Despite receiving a 46% rating on Rotten Tomatoes and a 6/10 on IMDb, the film has become the highest-grossing movie based on a video game within two weekends of its release and is the most profitable movie of the year so far. The film has sparked cultural phenomena with phrases from the game becoming internet memes.

AppWizard

April 17, 2025

Report: Ubisoft developing battle royale title to Apex Legends

Ubisoft is developing a new battle royale game codenamed Scout, inspired by Apex Legends, with characters resembling those from the popular title. The project aims to attract players from Apex Legends, which has seen a decline in engagement. Ubisoft previously launched Hyperscape in 2020, but it was discontinued after 18 months. The company also canceled its free-to-play shooter XDefiant, which was set for release in late 2024. Additionally, a new version of Apex Legends is in development, expected to launch after April 2026.

AppWizard

April 17, 2025

Etiquette expert discusses “A Minecraft Movie” theater trend

The phrase "chicken jockey," referring to a baby zombie riding a chicken in the "Minecraft" universe, has gained popularity following the release of "A Minecraft Movie," leading to increased audience participation in theaters. Viewers are engaging in behaviors such as throwing popcorn and standing on chairs, driven by social media trends. The hashtag #ChickenJockey has over 53,000 posts on TikTok, indicating the trend's rapid growth. Some theaters, including Regal Cinemas, are introducing designated "chicken jockey screenings" to allow for enthusiastic participation while maintaining a respectful environment for all attendees.

AppWizard

April 16, 2025

The Rise of Gamified Lottery Apps on Android

In the United States, 44 states and three territories operate their own lotteries, with many players now using lottery applications on Android devices for convenience. These apps allow users to check results, scan tickets, participate in Second Chance games, and enjoy digital scratch cards, often rewarding them with points or membership in exclusive clubs. The Georgia lottery app is particularly popular, offering various options and promotions, including a bonus code for account funding. Lottery apps introduce interactivity similar to mobile gaming, allowing users to earn points for logging in and unlock new features as they progress. This gamified experience enhances user engagement by transforming the waiting period into an ongoing adventure. Players can now participate from home or on the go, making ticket purchases and result checks easy and accessible. Lottery apps often provide free offerings, such as bonus codes and rewards for consistent play, which attract new users and encourage trial. They also foster community through social features like leaderboards and challenges among friends, enhancing the overall experience and promoting frequent play.

Winsage

April 14, 2025

There’s a quiet PC boom happening – thanks to Windows 10 and the tariffs

In the first quarter of 2025, PC shipments increased by 12.6% compared to the same quarter in 2024, with over 16 million computers dispatched. All six leading PC vendors in the United States reported growth in shipments: HP shipped 4.1 million PCs (25.1% market share), Dell shipped 3.9 million (23.9% market share), Lenovo shipped 3.1 million (19.2% market share), Apple shipped 2.6 million (15.9% market share), Acer shipped 944,000 (5.8% market share), and ASUS shipped 464,000 (2.8% market share). Globally, PC shipments reached 58.9 million units, a 4.8% increase from 56.2 million the previous year. Lenovo led the global market, followed by HP, Dell, Apple, Acer, and ASUS. In Japan, demand for PCs, particularly for replacing Windows 11 systems and the adoption of Chromebooks, drove a shipment growth of 15.6%.

AppWizard

April 14, 2025

BioWare vet Gaider says there was friction between Dragon Age and Mass Effect teams

David Gaider, former lead writer at BioWare, discussed the internal dynamics between the Dragon Age and Mass Effect teams, noting they operated almost as separate entities with distinct cultures and did not get along. This tension became apparent during the development of Anthem, which aimed to combine talents from both franchises. Despite attempts to ease the friction through staff rotations, these efforts were ineffective. Gaider experienced resistance when joining the Anthem team and faced criticism for contributions perceived as "too Dragon Age." The initial vision for Anthem was a hard sci-fi setting, but he was instructed to shift it to a science fantasy tone without clear communication to the team. Anthem launched in 2019 and was discontinued in 2021.

AppWizard

April 11, 2025

PC Players Spend More On Microtransactions Than Actual Games

Newzoo's report reveals that in 2024, microtransactions account for over 58 percent of spending in the PC gaming sector, while only 28 percent is allocated to full game purchases, reflecting a 2.6 percent decline from the previous year. Players dedicated only 8 percent of their gaming time to new releases, with over 60 percent spent on titles released more than six years ago. In contrast, console gaming shows microtransactions at 32 percent of player spending, a 4.5 percent increase year-over-year, while full game purchases still dominate. Subscription services like Xbox Game Pass and PS Plus Extra capture about 16 percent of the console market.

AppWizard

April 10, 2025

58% Of PC Gaming Revenue Came From Microtransactions In 2024

In 2024, 58% of total PC gaming revenue, amounting to .4 billion, came from microtransactions, reflecting a 1.4% year-over-year growth. Key titles contributing to this growth include Call of Duty: Black Ops 6, Roblox, and Fortnite. Downloadable content (DLC) revenue rose by 0.8% to .3 billion, accounting for 14% of overall revenue, supported by titles like Diablo 4, Elden Ring, and World of Warcraft. The premium games sector declined to .7 billion, a decrease of 2.6%, contributing 28% of total revenue. Overall PC gaming revenue increased by 0.1% to .3 billion in 2024. Since a dip between 2021 and 2022, PC gaming revenue has risen by 5.4%. Newzoo forecasts revenue will reach .9 billion in 2025 and potentially billion by 2027.