North America Archives

AppWizard

November 25, 2025

Quantic Dream’s upcoming MOBA is opening its doors for a closed beta weekend in just a couple of weeks, but only a few players will make the cut

Quantic Dream will release Spellcasters Chronicles, a MOBA featuring three-on-three battles against other teams and waves of enemies. A closed beta will run from December 4 at 3 PM UTC to December 8 at 9 AM UTC for players in Europe and North America. Participants can choose from six spellcasters: the Swamp Witch, Astral Monk, Iron Sorcerer, Fire Elementalist, Mystic Scribe, and Stone Shaman, each with unique abilities and an ultimate power to summon a titan. Not all applicants will gain access, but those who do not will be eligible for future testing phases. A second closed beta is planned for early next year with additional content. Players can follow updates on the game’s Steam page or official website.

Tech Optimizer

November 24, 2025

Computer Security for Consumer Market Size Reache at US$ 56.06 billion by 2031 | NortonLifeLock, Fortinet, McAfee, Avast

The global Computer Security for Consumer market is projected to grow from an estimated value of US$ 31.23 billion in 2024 to approximately US$ 56.06 billion by 2031, with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 8.9% from 2025 to 2031. Key drivers include the surge in cybersecurity threats and increased reliance on digital technologies. Major players like NortonLifeLock, Fortinet, McAfee, Avast, and Trend Micro hold over 25% of the market share, with North America contributing over 40% of consumer revenue. Antivirus software accounts for over 35% of consumer revenue, while there is a shift towards comprehensive security suites. Future trends indicate growth in AI-powered threat detection and demand for privacy-centric solutions. The market is segmented by type (Network Security, Identity Theft, Endpoint Security, Computer Virus, Others) and application (Traditional Terminal Device Security, IoT Security). The report includes a geographic assessment of regions such as North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, and Latin America.

AppWizard

November 22, 2025

The PUBG extraction shooter spinoff springs back to life with a closed alpha test set for December, and its focus on exploration over pure combat sounds a lot like my favorite part of Arc Raiders

In 2023, Project Black Budget, a spinoff of the PUBG franchise designed as an extraction shooter, was announced with a closed alpha testing phase scheduled for December 2025. The testing will take place from December 12-14 and December 19-21, accessible to players in North America, Europe, and Asia. Interested players can request access via the game's Steam page, but entry is not guaranteed. There is no non-disclosure agreement for the alpha phase, allowing players to stream and share their gameplay. Access keys will also be available through Twitch Drops during the testing period. PUBG Studios has acknowledged potential technical issues during the alpha and aims to refine gameplay systems through community feedback.

Tech Optimizer

November 22, 2025

Percona Brings Transparent Data Encryption to Postgres

Percona introduced an open-source Transparent Data Encryption (TDE) extension for its PostgreSQL distribution at KubeCon+CloudNativeCon North America, addressing the demand for data protection solutions, particularly among financial institutions concerned about vendor lock-in. The TDE extension, named pg_tde, operates transparently, allowing users to input and query data without changes to interactions or schemas, while unauthorized access reveals only encrypted information. It supports all major key management services and is included in Percona's PostgreSQL distribution without additional licensing fees. The TDE solution helps organizations comply with standards like GDPR, HIPAA, SOX, and PCI DSS v4.0, offering benefits such as open-source readiness, stronger data protection, user-controlled encryption, seamless integration, centralized key management, effortless online encryption, and trusted support. Percona also offers solutions for MySQL and MongoDB and supports emerging technologies like Valkey.

AppWizard

November 10, 2025

Square Enix making layoffs in UK and US businesses

Square Enix has announced layoffs in its UK and US operations as part of a restructuring initiative to reorganize its overseas business. The company is shifting focus to consolidate operations within Japan and will implement a "globally integrated" approach to managing intellectual properties (IPs), with overseas studios no longer responsible for this. As part of this transition, Square Enix has sold its Western studios—Crystal Dynamics, Eidos Montreal, and Square Enix Montreal—to Embracer Group. Employees in the US and UK have been informed of impending redundancies, and a company representative expressed gratitude to those affected while emphasizing the difficulty of the decision, which was made after careful consideration. Square Enix is committed to supporting departing team members during this transition.

AppWizard

November 2, 2025

Does Dole’s (DOLE) Minecraft Partnership Signal a Shift in Digital Brand Strategy for the Long Term?

Dole Food Company is launching a global campaign called “Make the World a Healthier Place” in collaboration with Minecraft, running from October 2025 to March 2026, aimed at promoting healthier lifestyles and nutrition awareness among families in North America and Europe. This marks Dole's first simultaneous marketing effort across these regions using a major digital platform. The company recently completed a .9 million follow-on equity offering to improve its balance sheet flexibility. Dole projects revenue of .1 billion and earnings of million by 2028, with an expected annual revenue growth rate of 1.4%. Current fair value estimates for Dole range from .41 to .34, reflecting varied analyst outlooks amid ongoing margin pressures and earnings volatility.

AppWizard

November 1, 2025

Dole promotes healthy eating in Minecraft for global campaign

Dole Food Company has partnered with Minecraft to launch a global campaign titled “Make the World a Healthier Place,” promoting healthy lifestyles through education on eating habits, hydration, and nutrition. The campaign will run from October 2025 to March 2026 in countries including the U.S., Canada, Germany, Italy, Greece, and the Netherlands, featuring in-store displays and social media activations. Players can unlock a Dole Banana Hoodie for their Minecraft avatar by uploading a Dole Banana sticker or Dole Pineapple tag on a microsite, which will also offer digital content like activity sheets and coloring pages. Dole will release two waves of stickers featuring Minecraft characters, including iconic figures and animals. The campaign will include Minecraft-inspired recipes such as Golden Banana Ingots and Creeper Crusher Smoothies. Dole has seen a year-over-year revenue increase of 14.3%, reaching .4 billion in the second quarter ending June 30.

AppWizard

November 1, 2025

Dole joins forces with Minecraft to power healthy living through ‘global digital play’

Dole Food Company is launching a global partnership with Minecraft to promote healthy living through the "Make the World a Healthier Place" campaign, starting in October and running until March 2026. This initiative is Dole's first simultaneous campaign across North America and Europe, focusing on encouraging better eating habits and physical activity. A key feature is the Dole Banana Hoodie, which players can unlock by uploading a DOLE Banana sticker or Pineapple tag on Dole's website. The campaign includes downloadable resources like games, recipes, and a digital sticker sheet. Dole will also introduce limited-edition banana stickers and pineapple tags featuring Minecraft characters to connect the digital experience with grocery shopping. The campaign showcases nutritious recipes aimed at energizing gamers in both the game and real life.

AppWizard

November 1, 2025

Europa Universalis V (PC) Review

In 1993, French game designer Philippe Thibaut released the tabletop game Europa Universalis, which focused on the geopolitical dynamics of European powers from the late 15th century to 1792. The game was complex, featuring nearly 1500 counters and extensive manuals, with some sessions lasting over 60 hours. Thibaut collaborated with Paradox Development Studio to adapt the game for PC, launching the video game version in late 2000, which introduced real-time gameplay with a pause feature and an open-ended structure. As of 2025, the franchise has evolved to include four mainline titles and a spin-off, culminating in Europa Universalis V, which introduces a new starting date of April 1, 1337, and ends on December 31, 1836. The game features a detailed world map with 28,570 locations and 1,523 playable nations. New features include a revamped military system, balancing estates, and scripted situations that reflect real-world events. Despite advancements, Europa Universalis V has a high barrier to entry, particularly for newcomers, and may require additional content to reach its full potential. The game has shown stability on mid-range systems, though performance on handheld devices may be lacking.

AppWizard

October 31, 2025

Europa Universalis 5 is an instant grand strategy classic and developer Paradox at its best

Europa Universalis 5 is a grand strategy game set in early modern history, developed by Paradox Interactive, and is scheduled for release on November 4, 2025, for PC. It features familiar mechanics from previous titles, such as production methods from Victoria 3 and ruler dynamics from Imperator, while introducing significant changes like a more tangible population model that affects productivity and military capacity. The game emphasizes strategic depth with a focus on realistic resource management, military costs, and the implications of warfare. Players can govern a vast map with diverse nations and engage with landless nations for unique economic strategies. The AI presents new challenges, and while accessibility features are limited, the game remains approachable for new players.