island Archives

AppWizard

March 28, 2025

New Zealand partners with Warner Bros to showcase Māori culture to tourists through Minecraft

Tourism New Zealand has launched a collaboration with Warner Bros., Mojang Studios, and Māori game developers to create a Minecraft campaign celebrating Māori culture and promoting tourism. The campaign, which began on March 24, 2025, features a free downloadable content (DLC) pack that allows players to explore six iconic locations in New Zealand, aiming to inspire real-world travel and generate significant visitor spending. The DLC includes locations such as Waitomo Caves, Te Puia, and Kāpiti Island, and incorporates activities that reflect real-life experiences. Piki Studios, the Māori game design studio behind the DLC, emphasized the importance of accurately representing Māori culture. The initiative aligns with Tourism New Zealand's strategy to promote the country as a year-round destination and is linked to the upcoming release of ‘A Minecraft Movie’.

BetaBeacon

March 27, 2025

Android Gaming: The Best Mobile Games and Accessories in 2025

Android gaming has evolved significantly in 2025, offering console-level titles, powerful chipsets, and higher refresh rate screens.

AppWizard

March 24, 2025

PC VR Survival Game Bootstrap Island Adds Weather And Warthogs In Major Update

Maru VR has released Major Update 3 for its early access PC VR survival game, Bootstrap Island. This update introduces dynamic weather systems and new wildlife, enhancing the immersive experience. Players must now deal with unpredictable weather conditions, including torrential rainstorms, lightning strikes, and strong winds that affect survival activities like cooking and hunting. New gameplay elements include palm leaves for constructing roofs, new creatures such as lizards and frogs for sustenance, and warthogs that can be hunted but may attack players. Bootstrap Island is available on Steam and Viveport, with a full release expected in late 2025.

AppWizard

March 21, 2025

People Can Fly announces survival first-person shooter Lost Rift for PC

People Can Fly has announced a new survival first-person shooter titled Lost Rift, set to launch in Early Access on PC via Steam in 2025. Players will explore Pioneer’s Landing, an island in an archipelago, where they can choose to play solo or with up to five players. The game features base-building, resource gathering, crafting, and player-versus-player-versus-environment challenges. Key features include the ability to build custom base camps, engage in competitive expeditions for loot, and navigate dynamic weather conditions that pose threats to survival. The game will utilize dedicated geo-located servers for a seamless experience.

AppWizard

March 20, 2025

Minecraft Just Dropped a New Free A Minecraft Movie DLC

The Aotearoa New Zealand DLC for Minecraft is set to launch on March 18th and will be available for free across multiple platforms, including Xbox, PC, PlayStation, Nintendo Switch, and mobile devices. The DLC features six real-life locations from New Zealand: 1. Waitomo Caves (Waikato) - A parkour adventure through a cave network with digital glowworms. 2. Te Puia, Rotorua (Bay of Plenty) - A fast-paced challenge to capture photos of geothermal features. 3. Kapiti Island (Wellington) - A birding challenge to photograph different bird species. 4. Abel Tasman (Nelson/Tasman) - Exploration of a coastal region aboard a waka taua boat with rhythm games. 5. Tekapo (Mackenzie) - An outdoor activity hub where players traverse the landscape on 4-wheelers. 6. Patea Doubtful Sound (Fiordland) - Navigation on a skipper boat while avoiding obstacles and observing wildlife. The DLC allows players to experience New Zealand's landscapes virtually.

BetaBeacon

March 19, 2025

Free iOS and Android Apps of the Week

The fact described in the text is that the deals for the Android apps and games mentioned were live as of the publishing date, and if any deal is expired, readers are encouraged to share it in the comments.

BetaBeacon

March 19, 2025

Free iOS and Android Apps of the Week

The fact described in the text is that the deals for the Android apps and games mentioned were live as of the publishing date, and if any deal has expired, readers are encouraged to share it in the comments.

AppWizard

March 19, 2025

Minecraft recreates NZ’s most popular tourism destinations

Gamers will be able to explore six iconic New Zealand locations, including Abel Tasman National Park and Lake Tekapo, in Minecraft, thanks to a collaboration with Tourism New Zealand. This initiative aims to introduce New Zealand and Te Ao Māori to millions of players worldwide and inspire them to visit in real life. The six locations—Waitomo Caves, Rotorua, Kāpiti Island, Abel Tasman National Park, Lake Tekapo, and Doubtful Sound—were selected for their cultural significance and representation of New Zealand's landscapes. Minecraft, created by Mojang Studios and acquired by Microsoft, has sold over 300 million copies and has more than 100 million active users monthly. The collaboration includes input from local iwi to ensure respectful representation of Māori culture.

AppWizard

March 19, 2025

New Zealand launches Minecraft tourism campaign DLC

Tourism New Zealand has partnered with Warner Bros. Pictures, Mojang Studios, and Piki Studios to launch a new Minecraft downloadable content (DLC) called “Aotearoa New Zealand DLC,” available for free starting March 19. This DLC allows players to explore New Zealand's landscapes and engage in activities such as paddling a traditional canoe, visiting the Waitomo Caves, and discovering various regions like Rotorua and Doubtful Sound. It also includes elements of Māori culture and wildlife. The collaboration is linked to the filming of the upcoming A Minecraft Movie in New Zealand. The DLC will be accessible on the Minecraft Marketplace.

Winsage

March 14, 2025

Linux or Landfill? End of Windows 10 Leaves PC Charities with Tough Choice

Microsoft will cease free security updates for Windows 10 in October 2023, pushing users to upgrade to Windows 11. However, approximately 240 million PCs do not meet Windows 11's hardware requirements, which only support Intel 8th generation CPUs and AMD Ryzen 2000 series and newer. Many older computers from 2017 and 2018 will remain on outdated versions of Windows, be repurposed with alternative operating systems, or end up as ewaste, with only 14 to 40 percent of ewaste in the U.S. being recycled. Charities like PCs for People are shifting to provide Linux laptops for older systems, as they discontinue distributing Windows 10 due to security concerns. Windows 10 still accounts for 58.7 percent of all Windows installations, and experts warn that continuing to use it after the update cutoff poses significant security risks.