spending 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’.

AppWizard

March 26, 2025

Jack Black Became Obsessed With Lapis Lazuli While Playing 100 Hours Of Minecraft

Jack Black is dedicated to his role as Steve in the upcoming A Minecraft Movie, reportedly spending over 100 hours playing the game during filming. Torfi Frans Ólafsson, Mojang's senior director of original content, noted that Black's portrayal is a unique interpretation of the character. To enhance the cast's connection to the game, Xbox consoles were installed in their trailers, allowing collaborative gameplay. Black developed a fascination with lapis lazuli, a crafting material in the game. A hero pack tie-in featuring pixelated Jack Black’s Steve has been introduced in Minecraft, and an action figure based on the film has been released. The film is set to be released on April 4, and it promises to combine Black's comedic style with the Minecraft universe.

AppWizard

March 25, 2025

Report: Publishers preparing to bump games to miss GTA 6

Game publishers are adjusting their release schedules in anticipation of Grand Theft Auto 6, which is expected to launch in 2025, likely in the autumn. Executives express concerns that Rockstar's titles dominate consumer attention and spending, making it challenging for new games to succeed. There is a preference among publishers to avoid releasing games close to GTA 6, particularly around late October or early November, to prevent competing directly with it.

AppWizard

March 24, 2025

Minecraft isn’t going free-to-play

Ingela Garneij, the executive producer of Minecraft, confirmed that the game will not adopt a free-to-play model, stating that such a change would not align with its foundational principles. She emphasized that Minecraft is designed for purchase, ensuring accessibility for a broad audience. Garneij and Agnes Larsson, the game director for Minecraft Vanilla, highlighted the importance of maintaining the game's integrity and core values, which contribute to its appeal and community spirit.

Winsage

March 24, 2025

How to Easily Install Pending Windows Updates: A Comprehensive Guide

AI-powered invoice data extraction is transforming accounts payable processes by using machine learning and optical character recognition (OCR) to automate the extraction of information from invoices. This technology increases accuracy, improves time efficiency, reduces costs, and offers scalability for growing businesses. It integrates seamlessly into existing financial systems, enhancing transaction speed and providing insights into spending patterns and vendor relationships. The shift towards automated invoice data extraction is essential for organizations embracing digital transformation and aiming for future growth.

AppWizard

March 22, 2025

Why McDonald’s Minecraft Movie Meal Is A Generational Block Party

McDonald’s Happy Meals have evolved into cultural artifacts, reflecting the interests of different eras, such as Beanie Babies in the '90s, Star Wars collectibles in the 2000s, and Pokémon trading cards in 2025. The introduction of the Minecraft Movie Meal highlights McDonald’s engagement with a cultural phenomenon that resonates with Millennials, Gen Z, and Gen Alpha. Food and gaming have become intertwined, with 56% of Gen Alpha spending weekends gaming, making it a key avenue for social interaction. Minecraft incorporates food as a vital gameplay component, emphasizing its role in community experiences. McDonald’s has successfully leveraged nostalgia and pop culture collaborations, with the Minecraft Movie Meal fostering intergenerational bonding similar to the Pokémon Happy Meal. This meal signifies the ongoing evolution of food, play, and nostalgia, reflecting the convergence of digital and physical play in contemporary culture.

BetaBeacon

March 21, 2025

Epic Games Store now offers free Android games every week: Here’s how to claim free title

Players can expect new free games every week from the Epic Games Store on mobile, with the first titles being Super Meat Boy Forever and Eastern Exorcist available for free until March 27.

AppWizard

March 20, 2025

McDonald’s Reveals Official Minecraft Movie Meal, Including Exclusive Collectibles ‘Crafted Just for Adults’

McDonald’s is launching a collaboration with the upcoming A Minecraft Movie in the UK and Ireland, starting March 26. The promotion features the A Minecraft Movie Meal for £8.19, which includes a choice of a Big Mac, nine McNuggets, or four Veggie Dippers, a side, and a drink, along with one of six exclusive adult collectibles: Grimace Egg, Zombie Hamburglar, Birdie Wings, Fry Helmet, Soda Potion, or Big Mac Crystal. The meal also includes a Nether Flame Sauce and an Apple Cake McFlurry for £2.19. There will not be a kid-focused Minecraft Happy Meal, which may lead families to spend more for collectibles. The film releases on April 4, and related promotional items include Lego sets and a themed popcorn bucket.

AppWizard

March 20, 2025

Telegram reached 1 billion users — and became the world’s second largest messenger after WhatsApp, or «a miserable copy» according to Durov

Telegram has reached 1 billion active users each month, making it the second most popular messaging app globally, after WhatsApp. Telegram generated revenues of 7 million in 2024, with each user opening the app 21 times daily and spending approximately 41 minutes per day on it. Pavel Durov returned to Dubai after facing legal challenges in France, where he was detained for nearly six months due to serious allegations. In Ukraine, around 73% of users rely on Telegram for news updates, reflecting a 1% increase over the past year.

AppWizard

March 19, 2025

Analysts reveal a vast majority of PC gamers are shying away from games released in the last few years

The PC gaming sector has surpassed consoles in popularity, with the number of PC gamers increasing from approximately 873.5 million in 2023 to 907.5 million in 2024, while console players number around 653 million. A report by Newzoo indicates that 92 percent of PC gamers prefer older titles, with 67 percent of player hours in 2024 spent on games released six years ago or more. Popular older PC titles include Counter-Strike: Global Offensive/Counter-Strike 2, League of Legends, Roblox, Dota 2, and Fortnite. The report highlights the growing popularity of live service and free-to-play games, which are favored for their revenue generation potential through microtransactions or subscriptions. Newzoo's findings will be presented at the Game Developers Conference, focusing on player engagement and revenue models projected for 2025.