success Archives

AppWizard

February 21, 2025

PlayStation games on PC is “almost like printing money”, says former exec Shuhei Yoshida

Shuhei Yoshida, a former PlayStation executive, discussed the financial benefits of porting PlayStation-exclusive titles to PC, describing it as "almost like printing money." He expressed a desire to transition first-party games to PC earlier but noted that the previous business model did not support this vision. Porting games allows Sony to reach a broader audience, particularly in regions with low console ownership, and is cost-effective compared to creating original titles. Yoshida emphasized the importance of tapping into emerging markets like China, where the PC gaming landscape is strong. Since 2020, Sony has gradually transitioned its exclusive titles to PC, with recent releases including Marvel's Spider-Man 2 and the upcoming The Last of Us Part 2 Remastered. The release of Helldivers 2 was noted as a significant success for Sony. Yoshida also mentioned future plans for live service games, including insights on Naughty Dog's The Last of Us Online.

AppWizard

February 21, 2025

Rabbit AI’s new tool can control your Android phones, but I’m not sure how I feel about letting it control my smartphone

HP's acquisition of Humane AI has led to the upcoming launch of Rabbit's Android app, designed as a personal assistant that automates tasks and streamlines daily activities. Unlike traditional AI chatbots, Rabbit's agent can coordinate tasks across various applications, such as sending dinner party invitations via WhatsApp, selecting meals from recipe apps, compiling grocery lists, curating YouTube playlists, and creating revenue plans in Google Docs. The app is not yet widely available but will be downloadable from the Play Store, allowing users to prompt the AI to perform tasks in the background. Rabbit faces competition from other AI tools like OpenAI's Operator and Anthropic's Claude AI, but distinguishes itself by focusing on Android devices and everyday applications. This shift to a software-based model is seen as essential for Rabbit's independence, following the limited success of its standalone R1 device.

AppWizard

February 21, 2025

Payday 3 sales dropped off hard in 2024, but Starbreeze has hope for the future

Payday 3's financial performance has significantly declined, with sales dropping to million in the 2024 financial year, compared to million in its inaugural year. In contrast, Payday 2 generated million during the same period. The game's disappointing performance led to the departure of the CEO in early 2024 and the game director in September 2023. A lead producer described the 2023 launch as 'disastrous.' Starbreeze is collaborating with platforms like PUBG and Roblox and is offering Payday 3 for free on PlayStation Plus in February to attract new players. The company is also developing a co-op Dungeons & Dragons game, currently in internal playtesting, which has received positive feedback from potential business partners.

AppWizard

February 21, 2025

Former Sony exec finally says the quiet part out loud: putting PlayStation games on PC is ‘almost like printing money’

Console manufacturers have historically neglected the PC platform as a revenue source. Microsoft has shifted its strategy by releasing games on PC and PlayStation, while Sony has begun to release more PS4 and PS5 titles on Steam, including the successful simultaneous launch of Helldivers 2 on both PS5 and PC. Shuhei Yoshida, a former Sony executive, indicated that he had envisioned bringing Sony games to PC earlier but faced resistance within the company. He noted that releasing games on PC could attract players to buy PlayStations in the future and highlighted the financial benefits of porting games to PC, which is cheaper than creating new titles. Yoshida also emphasized the importance of the Chinese PC gaming market, citing the success of titles like Black Myth: Wukong. He speculated on the absence of Bloodborne on PC and expressed that he would have resisted Sony's shift towards live-service games if possible.

AppWizard

February 21, 2025

10 biggest console-exclusive games that make me wish I wasn’t a PC gamer

PC gaming has a vast library, but exclusivity still attracts gamers. Several acclaimed games remain unavailable on PC due to various reasons. 1. Castlevania: Symphony of the Night - High odds of being released; originally a PlayStation title, known for its exploration and iconic protagonist. 2. God Hand - Practically none; a 2006 PlayStation 2 exclusive with a unique combat system. 3. Mega Man Legends & Legends 2 - Basically zero; dormant series with a passionate fanbase but poor sales. 4. Silent Hill - Possible, but unlikely; a hallmark of survival horror with no modern platform release yet. 5. Pokémon Conquest - Absolutely not; a Nintendo DS exclusive with ties to Nobunaga's Ambition. 6. The Last Guardian - Not likely, but a chance exists; known for its emotional narrative and visuals. 7. The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom - Nintendo doesn’t have to; successful on the Switch, likely to remain exclusive. 8. Super Mario Party Jamboree - Less than zero; relies on motion controls, making a PC adaptation unlikely. 9. Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots - Higher than you might think, but not great; technical challenges hinder potential releases. 10. Bloodborne - Definitely coming soon (maybe, probably not though); ongoing rumors about a potential PC release.

AppWizard

February 20, 2025

Does Avowed have multiplayer or co-op?

Avowed is designed strictly as a single-player title and does not support multiplayer functionality. Obsidian Entertainment, the developer, confirmed that initial plans for a co-op feature were scrapped to focus on refining the RPG systems for a cohesive single-player experience. While there is a possibility that modders could create an unofficial co-op function in the future, Obsidian has not indicated any plans to introduce co-op features. Avowed is available on Xbox Series X|S and Windows PC through various platforms, and it is priced at .99, with a promotional deal bringing the price down to .89 at CDKeys.

AppWizard

February 19, 2025

Visual novel x pachinko game Jump the Track announced for PC

Seed by Seed has announced a new game called Jump the Track, set to launch on PC via Steam in 2025. The game combines elements of a visual novel and pachinko, featuring a character named Sam who navigates the gig economy in an absurd comedy style. Players influence the narrative by rolling a ball, leading to various outcomes. Key features include a solo experience, control options for mouse or gamepad, a game length of two to three hours, moderate to easy difficulty, a pause feature, and mature language content. An announcement trailer is available for viewing.

AppWizard

February 19, 2025

“A mini Hulk with no nose”: Fans crack up at first look of Chicken Jockey in ‘A Minecraft Movie’

The upcoming Minecraft Movie, set to premiere on April 4, features a character called Chicken Jockey, depicted as a large, green-skinned creature riding a chicken, which has drawn comparisons to the Marvel superhero, the Hulk. Fans have reacted on social media with a mix of humor and disdain, sharing memes and GIFs expressing their opinions. The Chicken Jockey is a familiar mob in the Minecraft universe, appearing as a newborn zombie riding a chicken. The filmmakers aimed to enhance the chaotic essence of Minecraft's mobs, presenting them humorously and formidably. While some viewers find the design amusing, others worry it may overshadow the film's world-building efforts. Critics are optimistic about the film's originality but caution against an overreliance on meme culture.

AppWizard

February 19, 2025

‘Just couldn’t dodge that big boot I guess, no matter how big the success of the gig’: Marvel Rivals developers in the US say NetEase just laid off their whole team

NetEase has confirmed layoffs affecting the development team behind Marvel Rivals, specifically reducing the design team based in Seattle for organizational reasons. The company emphasized its commitment to treating impacted employees with confidentiality and respect. Despite the layoffs, NetEase stated that the core development team in China remains dedicated to enhancing the game, which has over 200,000 active players on Steam and reportedly generated an estimated million in its first month. Currently, there are no Seattle-based developers working on Marvel Rivals. The layoffs have raised questions given the game's financial success, and industry observers speculate this may be part of a broader strategy to streamline the development team. NetEase has also been scaling back its U.S. operations recently.

AppWizard

February 19, 2025

NetEase makes cuts to US Marvel Rivals team

NetEase has initiated layoffs within its Seattle-based Marvel Rivals team, as confirmed by the company in a statement. The decision was made to adjust the development team structure for organizational reasons and to optimize development efficiency. The layoffs specifically affected the design team, while the Chinese development team remains unchanged. NetEase expressed gratitude for the contributions of those impacted and reaffirmed its commitment to delivering new content for the game.