president Archives

AppWizard

August 14, 2025

Steel City sets up new studio in Leamington Spa

Steel City has established a new studio in Leamington Spa, UK, to enhance its creative capabilities and talent pool. The leadership team includes Nathan Fisher (Head of Art), Alison Beasley (Head of Marketing and Communications), Sylvain Cornillon (Head of Technology), Todd Matherne (Head of Quality Assurance), and Anna Lapworth (Head of People and Culture). This studio will collaborate with the existing team in Sheffield. Tim Coupe, Vice President of Studio, stated that the expansion aims to attract senior talent and strengthen the studio network. Clive Moody, Vice President of Product Development, emphasized Leamington Spa's importance in the UK gaming industry.

AppWizard

August 14, 2025

Officials in North Ossetia ordered to use Russian Max messaging app

Officials in North Ossetia are required to use the Russian messaging app Max for all official communications, as mandated by Daniil Gakhov, head of the region's Digital Development Committee. This directive is part of a federal initiative promoting 'digital sovereignty' in Russia and follows restrictions on platforms like Telegram and WhatsApp. A working group has been formed under regional head Sergei Menyailo to facilitate Max's integration into government operations, with communications to foreign services restricted to this domestic app due to national security concerns. President Vladimir Putin has called for increased use of Max within government frameworks. A new law aims to streamline domestic digital services and create a unified national information exchange service. Users have reported disruptions in established platforms, with selective blocking being tested by telecom operators. The introduction of Max has raised skepticism, especially regarding user data access by state authorities. Meanwhile, residents of Ingushetia are experiencing mobile data outages affecting essential services.

Winsage

August 13, 2025

MS sells cloud VMs for when Windows 11 inevitably breaks

Microsoft has launched Windows 365 Reserve, a service that allows organizations to transition users to temporary virtual machines (VMs) in the cloud during device failures. This service provides employees with access to a secure Cloud PC for up to 10 days, minimizing downtime. The cloud-hosted VMs can be managed through Microsoft Intune, but accessing them requires a secondary device with a web browser or the Windows App. Scaling may be a challenge, as multiple simultaneous users could face resource limitations due to Azure capacity constraints. Applications for the gated beta are open to Microsoft customers, MVPs, or partners with specific licensing requirements, and successful applicants will receive complimentary access for up to 12 weeks.

AppWizard

August 9, 2025

The Battlefield 6 beta has broken Call of Duty’s Steam player count record, surging past half a million concurrents

The open beta for Battlefield 6 has reached 500,000 concurrent players on Steam, peaking at 521,079, making it the 18th highest peak for concurrent players in Steam's history. This surpasses the Call of Duty app's peak of 491,670 players recorded in November 2022. Battlefield 6 has become the most-played game in the series on Steam during its first day of availability, achieving five times the player count of Battlefield 2042's peak. An open beta is scheduled for August 14-17, and the full release is set for October 10.

AppWizard

August 9, 2025

Blizzard’s ex-CEO says Battlefield 6 will “boot stomp” Call of Duty this year because the franchise has “gone downhill” — calls it a victory for players as COD “won’t be lazy” anymore

Mike Ybarra, former president of Blizzard Entertainment, expressed on social media that he believes "Battlefield will boot stomp CoD this year," suggesting that the competition will push Call of Duty to improve. Battlefield 6 is taking a back-to-basics approach and has shown strong interest with over 250,000 players in its open beta. Critics have noted Ybarra's bias against Call of Duty, which is now owned by Microsoft, and pointed out that despite criticisms, Call of Duty has outsold Battlefield 1. Ybarra described Call of Duty as "a mess," citing issues like cheating and large installation sizes. Battlefield 6 is set to release on October 6 for PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC, with modest hardware requirements and a default 60 FPS mode on Series S consoles.

Winsage

August 9, 2025

Windows Central Podcast: Will Windows Become Agentic?

This week’s episode of the Windows Central Podcast features hosts Daniel and Zac discussing Microsoft’s vision for the future of Windows, focusing on insights from Corporate Vice President David Weston about the decline of traditional mouse-and-keyboard computing. The conversation highlights a shift towards multimodal, AI-powered interactions, covering key topics such as: - Voice Commands: Integration of natural language processing for seamless communication with devices. - Contextual Awareness: Systems that adapt to user behavior and preferences. - Agentic Systems: Development of intelligent agents to assist users in various tasks.

AppWizard

August 9, 2025

We might actually have a tenuous Silksong release date, absolutely nobody on my team believes me, and I think I can hear Hornet in my walls

Silksong's potential release date is hinted to be October 16, coinciding with the launch of the ROG Xbox Ally and its availability on Game Pass. The game is expected to arrive before Christmas, as confirmed by Team Cherry's head of marketing at Gamescom in August. The leaker billbil_kun, known for reliable information, has contributed to the excitement, although past announcements have led to disappointment. A demo is anticipated, and there is cautious optimism among fans regarding the game's release.

AppWizard

August 7, 2025

EA “pretty motivated” to bring Apex Legends to TV or film

Laura Miele, president of EA Entertainment, expressed the company's interest in expanding the Apex Legends franchise into film and television, citing untapped narrative potential within the game. EA is collaborating with Amazon's MGM Studios and Margot Robbie's LuckyChap to develop a film based on The Sims franchise. Miele emphasized the importance of cross-promotion between film and game, highlighting the current technological landscape that allows for innovative co-creation of content. She envisions a future where fans can engage with content in both linear and interactive formats simultaneously, with multiple ideas in development for marketing and exploring the franchise.

Winsage

August 7, 2025

Microsoft teases AI-powered Windows 2030 where keyboards and mice may feel obsolete

David Weston, Microsoft’s Corporate Vice President for Enterprise and OS Security, predicts that by the end of the decade, traditional input devices like keyboards and mice will coexist with more interactive technologies. He envisions AI agents taking over roles traditionally held by security analysts, allowing them to manage tasks such as reading and responding to emails. Microsoft is investing in AI technologies, including the development of Copilot, which aims to enhance productivity. Weston anticipates a shift toward voice and visual inputs for device interaction, moving away from typing and clicking. Microsoft has introduced features like the "Hey Copilot" wake word for voice commands. He also highlights the importance of quantum computing for future security, indicating that quantum-safe encryption is being integrated into Windows. While details about Windows 12 are limited, early indications suggest a deeper integration of Copilot and enhanced security features, potentially transforming Windows into a more intuitive collaborator.

Winsage

August 6, 2025

Kiss goodbye to your keyboard and mouse, in Microsoft’s vision for the Windows OS in 2030 they’ll both ‘feel as alien as it does for Gen Z to use DOS’

David Weston, Corporate Vice President of Enterprise and OS Security at Microsoft, predicts a significant transformation in user interaction with devices by 2030, driven by advancements in artificial intelligence and quantum computing. He suggests that traditional input methods like the mouse and keyboard may become obsolete, although he does not provide a specific timeline for this change. Weston emphasizes that the core principles of security will remain unchanged, asserting that fundamental practices such as updating security patches and rotating passwords still prevent 98% of cyberattacks. Despite the potential for new technologies like voice interaction and brain-computer interfaces, traditional input devices still dominate the current landscape, and practical concerns about new methods persist.