New York City Archives

AppWizard

May 31, 2025

NYC students use Minecraft to reimagine inclusive, sustainable spaces in citywide challenge

The all-girl team from P.S. 86 participated in the Minecraft Education Challenge for the second year, focusing on designing a sustainable and inclusive space at Orchard Beach. The challenge, part of the Battle of the Boroughs, had 3,259 applicants, with 175 students in the semi-finals. The team, consisting of sixth graders Yoselin, Zeynabou, Pearl, Emily, and Sadika, was guided by their teacher Kim Judin. They proposed features like solar panels, wheelchair accessibility, and bilingual signage. Although they did not advance to the finals, the experience was valuable for team bonding. The Mayor’s Cup Finals are scheduled for May 31.

AppWizard

May 26, 2025

A Roblox farming game made by a teenager ‘in like three days’ had 8.9 million players online at the same time—Steam peaked at 11.5 million across all games on the same day

In 2025, the Roblox game "Grow a Garden" experienced a peak of nearly 9 million concurrent players, surpassing the previous record held by Player Unknown's Battlegrounds on Steam by almost threefold. The game reached a peak of 5 million concurrent users just a weekend prior to this achievement. It was developed by a teenage creator in three days and has gained significant popularity, with a player count that surpassed the population of New York City. Despite initial skepticism about player counts, investigations confirmed the game's genuine popularity, driven by strong user retention and community engagement. A Roblox spokesperson noted that the growth is attributed to an authentic community rather than artificial inflation.

AppWizard

May 22, 2025

‘TMNT: Tactical Takedown’ Is an Ingenious Bite-Sized Twist on Strategy RPGs

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Tactical Takedown is a strategy game that features the Turtles in a unique narrative where they are without their mentor, Splinter, or their nemesis, Shredder, as the Foot Clan invades New York City. The game lasts approximately six hours and is divided into four chapters, allowing players to control one Turtle at a time, which enhances character exploration. Each Turtle has a distinct moveset, and gameplay involves optimizing moves and managing action points in evolving battle stages. The game combines strategic elements with a narrative that highlights the Turtles' growth and brotherhood. Tactical Takedown is available on PC.

AppWizard

May 22, 2025

Queens students advance in Minecraft esports competition ahead of NYC’s first-ever Video Game Festival

On May 5, over 270 students from Queens participated in the semi-finals of the 2025 Minecraft Education Battle of the Boroughs at Thomas Edison High School. The event was organized by the NYC Mayor’s Office of Media and Entertainment, NYC Public Schools, and the National Esports Association. This year's competition saw 3,295 students submit 659 entries, a 37% increase from last year and more than double the participation from 2023. Participants used Minecraft Education to create models of a sustainable New York City. The winning teams from Queens are: - Elementary Division: Team Sigma from PS 24 Andrew Jackson, led by Kerry McGarvey and Principal Bani Singh. - Middle School Division: Neo NYC from J.H.S. 185 Edward Bleeker, coached by Ana Silva-Collins under Principal Michael Leung. - High School Division: Diamond Sword Bustamoney from World Journalism Preparatory School, guided by Ernest Lai and Principal Michael Roberts Bacchus. These teams will represent Queens in the Mayor’s Cup Minecraft Education finals during the NYC Video Game Festival at Convene Brookfield Place in Manhattan. The festival will feature esports competitions, virtual reality experiences, indie game demonstrations, cosplay contests, and a career expo focused on the digital games industry. Deputy Mayor Adolfo Carrión Jr. highlighted the event's role in promoting career-connected learning and the city's digital economy. The final round will take place on May 31.

AppWizard

April 23, 2025

Old Skies review

Wadjet Eye Games will release the adventure game Old Skies on April 23, 2024. The game is set in a futuristic New York City in the 2060s and follows Fia Quinn, a ChronoZen agent who guides wealthy tourists through time manipulation. Fia is chronolocked, remaining unchanged by the timeline's fluctuations, which contrasts with her clients' evolving lives. The gameplay features accessible puzzles that encourage logical thinking, including a scenario where Fia must create a life-saving drug from non-existent ingredients. The game departs from Wadjet Eye's traditional pixel art style, using bold colors and comic book-inspired designs. It features a jazzy score by Thomas Regin and explores themes of love, loss, and human emotion. Fia's character development highlights her struggle for agency in her role, with her experiences portrayed through Sally Beaumont's performance.

AppWizard

April 8, 2025

Half-Life 2’s 2003 beta reveals the mystery behind a City 17 river that once led players to the foot of the Citadel

Various unfinished iterations of Half-Life 2 have emerged over the years, showcasing the evolution of Valve's vision for the game. A recent video by YouTuber CMDR RileySV explores the 2003 beta, focusing on the "City 17 river," which was originally intended to play a significant role in the gameplay. In the beta, players would navigate through canals leading to the Citadel, promising a striking visual reveal. Although remnants of these elements exist in the final version, the canal section was repurposed, leading to mixed player reactions. A comment from user @FlintExp highlights that the city layout of City 17 draws inspiration from New York City, with specific coordinates matching real locations. The river was once a crucial aspect of the journey through City 17, guiding players toward the Citadel. The 2003 beta closely resembles the retail version, with notable differences reflecting Valve's editing process before release.

AppWizard

April 1, 2025

Which Cinema Format Should You Choose For Minecraft: The Movie?

Minecraft's film adaptation is set for release on April 4, 2025, featuring a cast that includes Jack Black as "Steve," Jason Momoa, and Jennifer Coolidge. The film will be available in various formats, including IMAX 3D, 4DX 3D, RealD 3D, and Dolby Cinema. In the UK, IMAX 3D will only be shown at the BFI IMAX, while other venues will present it in 2D. The film maintains a consistent aspect ratio of 1.85:1 and was not specifically filmed for IMAX. HDR by Barco technology has been applied to the film, promising superior image quality, but it will only be available in six locations worldwide, primarily in North America and one in the UK. Moviegoers are advised to check local listings for availability.

TrendTechie

February 4, 2025

Overclockers.ru: Игру “Человек-Паук 2” выложили на торрент через 38 минут после официального релиза на ПК

"Marvel’s Spider-Man 2" has been cracked and made available on torrent trackers within 38 minutes of its release, featuring a Russian voiceover. The game follows Peter Parker and Miles Morales as they face challenges in their superhero lives, including a new antagonist, Venom. It has received positive reviews for its gameplay, storyline, graphics, and character development, although some critics noted similarities to previous games. The unofficial minimum system requirements for the game include Windows 10 or 11, an Intel Core i7-8700K or AMD Ryzen 5 2600X processor, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 Super or AMD Radeon RX 5500 graphics card, and 16 GB of RAM.

AppWizard

December 27, 2024

Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 Is Coming To PC On January 30th – Latest Updates

Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 was released on PlayStation 5 on October 20, 2023. It is set to launch on PC platforms on January 30, 2025, available through Steam and the Epic Games Store. The PC version will be developed by Nixxes Software and will include all updates and enhancements from the PS5 edition, such as new suits, a New Game+ mode, increased difficulty levels, new styles for the Symbiote suit, options to modify the time of day, and additional post-story challenges. The game was part of Sony's strategy to bring more PlayStation exclusives to PC. Pre-order bonuses included early access to specific suits and gadgets, and various editions were available at launch, including a Standard Edition, Digital Deluxe Edition, and Collector’s Edition.

AppWizard

December 3, 2024

NYC launches annual Minecraft education challenge: How to participate

New York City public school students are participating in the fifth annual New York City Minecraft Education Battle of the Boroughs (BOTB), which has opened its submission period. The competition invites student teams from grades K-12 to design inclusive urban spaces, with submissions due by March 7, 2025. It is organized in collaboration with Minecraft Education and C40’s Reinventing Cities initiative, aligning with the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals and the city's climate plan. Students will explore their boroughs and engage with local officials while developing skills in coding, leadership, teamwork, and problem-solving. Teams can consist of up to five members, and schools are encouraged to submit multiple teams. Qualifying teams will compete for the Mayor’s Cup in May. For inquiries, participants can contact minecraft@schools.nyc.gov.