Wednesday, March 15, 2023

Niantic Talks About Its Continuing Commitment To Pokémon GO Real-World Play

 Pokemon GO has been available on mobile devices for almost 7 years at this point. Niantic continues to provide the game with a ton of support, and the most recent illustration of this can be seen in a new blog post the business published on the official Pokemon GO website.

Niantic had made the decision to talk about "our renewed commitment to improving Pokémon GO's in-person experience" in the blog post. The corporation specifically mentions the Community Ambassador Program, Campfire, and game updates as three components that assist their effort.

Niantic says they're working on ways to make it simpler for users to take part in local Raid Battles and develop friendships with Trainers they've engaged in combat with. They also intend to include "new features that provide rewards and encounters with additional Pokémon while roaming outside" and "enhancements to the gaming experience when playing in person with family and friends".

The second feature Niantic introduced was Campfire, which allowed "Trainers to interact, discover local groups, and find active nearby Raid Battles". Despite the fact that they did not provide any specifics, they did state that further upgrades would be coming "soon" for Campfire.

Last but not least, Niantic discussed the Community Ambassador Program, which aims to "nurture in-person Pokémon GO communities while also developing new communities for Trainers to find". Niantic just mentions that they "look forward to sharing additional details about the initiative later this year, including new ways to join and celebrate your local community" in their statement regarding it.

ICYMI: Apple Has Increased The Price For Battery Replacements On iPhone, iPad And Mac

Apple's has increased the price for out-of-warranty battery replacements for iPhones, iPads, and Macs. Older iPhone 13 models, Macs, and iPads that are out of warranty and do not have AppleCare+ will be charged more.

For example, the price of a battery replacement for an iPhone 13 model has increased by $20 to $89 from the previous repair price. Apple charges $69 for repairs on the iPhone 8 and older, while the $89 pricing is valid for the iPhone X through the iPhone 13. For iPhone 14 models, the out-of-warranty battery replacement price is still $99, as it was when Apple first offered it in September.

The cost of the iPad has increased by $20 for a number of models, including the 12.9-inch iPad Pro models from the fifth generation and later, the 11-inch iPad Pro models from the third generation and before, the 10.5-inch and 9.7-inch iPad Pro models, all iPad mini models, and all iPad Air models. The price to replace the battery in these smartphones has increased to $119.

The cost of a battery replacement for the most recent iPad Pro devices is still $179 for the 12.9-inch model and $149 for the 11-inch model.

All MacBook Air batteries now cost $159, and all MacBook Pro batteries now cost $249, reflecting a $30 to $50 price increase for Mac battery replacements.

Although the prices in the article also apply to the United States, the cost of replacing batteries has increased in other countries as well. On the websites for Apple's Mac, iPad, and iPhone repair services, replacement cost estimates are accessible.

Monday, February 27, 2023

Diablo IV Open Beta Begins In Late March

Fans of Diablo IV will soon be able to play the next action role-playing game before it is released on June 6th according to Blizzard. Blizzard will hold an early access weekend before letting everyone play the new game. Only those who have pre-ordered Diablo IV will be able to participate in the early access weekend, which will run from March 17 to March 19. The open beta starts on March 24 and is available to everyone. The previews will be accessible on PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 4, and PlayStation 5. Both will provide the same amount of content access.

Wednesday, February 22, 2023

ICYMI: Microsoft Signs 10 Year Deal To Bring Call Of Duty Games To Nintendo Platforms With Same Features

The Call of Duty video game series will now be available on Nintendo consoles, according to a 10-year deal that Microsoft President Brad Smith has revealed. In accordance with the agreement, Call of Duty titles will be released concurrently on Xbox and PlayStation. The games will be equal in terms of functionality and content to the aforementioned platforms. Although the wording makes it appear that this refers to Nintendo's upcoming system, it may also apply to the Switch.


Pokemon Presents Happening On February 27th

Trainers, mark your calendars! On February 27, 2023, at 6 am Pacific Time / 2 pm UK Time, a special episode of Pokemon Presents will air on the official Pokemon YouTube channel. In honor of the franchise's 27th anniversary, fans may "Celebrate Pokémon Together" with 20 minutes of franchise news.


Horizon Forbidden West, The Quarry And More Are Now Available In The PlayStation Plus Extra And Premium Catalog

Those subscribed to PlayStation Plus’ Extra and Premium tiers have an impressive batch of new monthly games that are now available.


Ace Combat 7: Skies Unknown (PS4)

Borderlands 3 (PS4/PS5)

Earth Defense Force 5 (PS4)

The Forgotten City (PS4/PS5)

Horizon Forbidden West (PS4/PS5)

I Am Setsuna (PS4)

Lost Sphere (PS4)

Oninaki (PS4)

Outriders (PS4/PS5)

The Quarry (PS4/PS5)

Resident Evil 7: Biohazard (PS4)

Scarlet Nexus (PS4/PS5)

Tekken 7 (PS4)

PlayStation Premium Classics

Destroy All Humans! (PS4)

Harvest Moon: Back to Nature (PS1)

The Legend of Dragoon (PS1)

Wild Arms 2 (PS1)

Thursday, February 16, 2023

ICYMI: Dead Island 2 Releasing A Week Early

The long-awaited release of Dead Island 2 has been delayed by one week, which will disappoint the fans who have been waiting eagerly for it. The game's release date will now be April 21, as revealed by Dambuster Studios.

The game has gone gold, which means it is basically finished and ready to be printed on discs, according to an official tweet that announced the news. Before being postponed until April 28, the release date of Dead Island 2 was originally set for February 3. Speaking of April 28, Star Wars Jedi: Survivor was just moved to that day. Dambuster might have moved its launch to avoid Star Wars' blast zone, which wouldn't be unexpected.