violence Archives

AppWizard

June 8, 2025

Cozy conversational campfire game Fireside Feelings for PC now available

Fireside Feelings, a cozy conversational campfire game developed by Team Empreintes and published by The CoLab, is now available for PC on Steam. The game aims to provide a serene escape from modern life's complexities, encouraging heartfelt conversations among players. Players can customize avatars from six animal options and engage in discussions guided by a sentient campfire named Spark, who poses thought-provoking questions. The game prioritizes player safety by anonymizing responses and using a moderated database for conversations. Players can also avoid sensitive topics by customizing discussion parameters. Additionally, the developers have partnered with Safe In Our World to support mental health awareness, providing resources within the game.

AppWizard

June 8, 2025

Tormented Souls II demo for PC now available

Publisher PQube and developer Dual Effect have released a demo for Tormented Souls II on PC via Steam. The demo features about 60 minutes of gameplay, starting with Caroline Walker and her sister Anna's journey to Villa Hess, a clinic in southern Chile. Upon arrival, Anna goes missing, leading Caroline to confront captors and a sinister plan involving the Wildberger twins. Caroline's character design has evolved, featuring a blood-red dress and rugged leather jacket, reflecting her growth as a protective older sister. Tormented Souls II is set to launch for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series, and PC in 2025.

AppWizard

June 4, 2025

Watch: Fetal development model created in Minecraft

Sara Leonard's video, "The Cubed Sphere," which models fetal development using Minecraft, won the top honor in the 3D visual art category of the 2024 "Create | Encounter" contest hosted by Rehumanize International. Rehumanize International is a nonprofit organization focused on promoting peace and human dignity. The "Create | Encounter" contest invites artists to engage with issues surrounding human dignity and encourages dialogue through creative works.

AppWizard

May 24, 2025

Ubisoft CEO Guillemot to be summoned for trial involving former execs

The trial involving three former high-ranking executives at Ubisoft, including Serge Hascoët, Tommy François, and Guillaume Patrux, has been rescheduled to June 2nd due to delayed information from Ubisoft. CEO Yves Guillemot and HR director Marie Derain will testify, though they are not accused of direct involvement in the alleged sexual harassment and bullying. The trial aims to explore Ubisoft's broader responsibility in creating a workplace culture that allowed such behaviors to persist.

AppWizard

May 23, 2025

A MINECRAFT MOVIE Levels Up to Another Major Milestone

A MINECRAFT MOVIE has become one of the top 75 highest-grossing films of all time, currently ranking 75th with a global total of 0,696,673, surpassing BOHEMIAN RHAPSODY. It is also the highest-grossing domestic release of the year and the second highest-grossing film worldwide. The film has received praise for its uplifting worldview and themes of friendship, courage, and redemption, though it includes action violence, mild foul language, and frightening imagery. It has been nominated for the Kid’s Choice Awards, with stars Jason Momoa, Jack Black, and Emma Myers receiving individual nominations. The success of A MINECRAFT MOVIE indicates a growing trend in Hollywood towards video game adaptations, potentially leading to films based on franchises like Grand Theft Auto, Call of Duty, Fortnite, and Roblox.

Winsage

May 22, 2025

Brian Eno Criticizes Microsoft for Support of Israeli Military

Brian Eno has written an open letter to Microsoft titled “Not in My Name,” urging the company to stop providing artificial intelligence and cloud services to the Israeli military. He expresses concern that Microsoft's technological contributions could enable war crimes, stating that the company has acknowledged its support for Israel’s Ministry of Defense. Eno plans to donate his fee from the Windows 95 project to aid victims of the conflict in Gaza. He references a Microsoft blog post about the company's software and services being used by the Israeli government in ways condemned by legal scholars and human rights organizations. Eno emphasizes that selling advanced AI and cloud services to a government involved in systemic ethnic cleansing constitutes complicity and calls for a reevaluation of corporate ethics. He commends Microsoft employees who have spoken out against the company's actions and invites others to join his call for accountability.

Winsage

May 22, 2025

Windows 95 chime composer Brian Eno denounces Microsoft for its ties to Israeli government

Renowned musician Brian Eno announced he will donate the earnings from his Windows 95 startup chime to support those affected in Gaza. This decision follows scrutiny of Microsoft’s contracts with the Israeli government amid ongoing humanitarian crises. Eno criticized Microsoft for its involvement in operations contributing to violations of international law and called for the company to suspend services supporting such actions. Microsoft acknowledged its contracts with Israel’s Ministry of Defense but claimed an internal review found no evidence of its technologies targeting civilians in Gaza. Following the October 7, 2023 attack by Hamas, significant casualties have been reported in Gaza, with estimates of over 52,000 to as high as 109,000 deaths. Human rights organizations have accused Israel of war crimes. Protests by Microsoft employees have occurred, demanding accountability for the company's actions. Eno emphasized the need for artists and corporations to consider the implications of their contributions.

AppWizard

May 13, 2025

I wish Ubisoft had ever made the game it promised with Assassin’s Creed 1, but instead the series just spiralled into a weird identity crisis

Ubisoft aimed to create a historical assassination simulator that emphasized careful planning and execution, allowing players to embody a master assassin targeting high-ranking individuals. The original Assassin's Creed, while memorable, fell short of this vision, devolving into repetitive missions. As the series evolved, it strayed from its core elements, introducing new systems that overshadowed the original concept. The closest realization of the initial vision was in Assassin's Creed: Unity, which allowed for intricate schemes but suffered from technical issues at launch. Currently, it seems unlikely that Ubisoft will return to the original concept, though the idea of a cunning, strategy-focused assassin game remains appealing.

AppWizard

May 13, 2025

A MINECRAFT MOVIE Just Hit Another Major Milestone

A MINECRAFT MOVIE has surpassed HARRY POTTER AND THE CHAMBER OF SECRETS at the global box office, earning 6.8 million and claiming the 15th position in Warner Bros' history, while HARRY POTTER AND THE CHAMBER OF SECRETS previously held 6.1 million. The film features Jack Black and Jason Momoa and has a 48% score on Rotten Tomatoes, with an 86% audience approval rating. It is a live-action fantasy adventure inspired by the video game MINECRAFT, following misfits in the Overworld facing destruction. The digital release is set for May 13, and physical copies will be available on June 24. Warner Bros. executives have hinted at plans for a sequel.

AppWizard

May 12, 2025

Doom: The Dark Ages helms a week of GTA-style cop games, sweaty animal spas and feudal strategy

- Chambers is a new Weird West shooter from the creators of Golden Light. - Labyrinth Of The Demon King is a first-person dungeon-crawler set in feudal Japan. - The Precinct is a top-down 1980s urban sandbox game where players are policemen battling gangs. - Animal Spa is a resort for chibi creatures that allows players to enjoy their bathing rituals while managing tasks. - Doom: The Dark Ages features "gratifying and chunky violence" but has been criticized for restrictive combat and tedious exploration. - Into The Restless Ruins allows players to build dungeons as they explore them. - House Of Legacy is an isometric strategy management game inspired by imperial China. - Kulebra And The Souls Of Limbo is a whimsical adventure game based on Latin American myths, focusing on helping shades find closure. - The editorial team is working on longer-form pieces about survival games and nihilism, with Nic and James collaborating on a review of Doom: The Dark Ages. - Brendy missed the morning meeting but provided information about Take Two Interactive's financials, which may relate to the anticipated delay of GTA 6.