Month: May 2024
The incredibly charming Astro Bot launches on the PS5 in September
Image: Sony Interactive Entertainment
Sony’s most adorable character (sorry, Sackboy) is getting another outing. At its State of Play showcase today, the company revealed the latest Astro Bot game, which was rumored earlier in the month.
It appears to be a direct sequel to Astro’s Playroom, so it should make excellent use of the PS5’s controller and all of its various functions. The game features 50 worlds to explore — like its predecessor, it looks like those levels will explore PlayStation history to varying degrees — and launches on September 6th. It’ll be a PS5 when it does come out.
This will be the first title in the series since Astro’s Playroom, a Wii Sports-style pack-in for the PlayStation 5, which was designed to show off the console’s then-new DualSense controller. It was developed by Japan Studio, which has since morphed into Team Asobi, a studio focused entirely on the Astro series.
Image: Sony Interactive Entertainment
Sony’s most adorable character (sorry, Sackboy) is getting another outing. At its State of Play showcase today, the company revealed the latest Astro Bot game, which was rumored earlier in the month.
It appears to be a direct sequel to Astro’s Playroom, so it should make excellent use of the PS5’s controller and all of its various functions. The game features 50 worlds to explore — like its predecessor, it looks like those levels will explore PlayStation history to varying degrees — and launches on September 6th. It’ll be a PS5 when it does come out.
This will be the first title in the series since Astro’s Playroom, a Wii Sports-style pack-in for the PlayStation 5, which was designed to show off the console’s then-new DualSense controller. It was developed by Japan Studio, which has since morphed into Team Asobi, a studio focused entirely on the Astro series.
Sony’s Overwatch-esque Concord is coming to PS5 and PC on August 23
Save for Destiny 2, it’s been a long time since there’s been a first-person shooter from a PlayStation studio. As such, there’s been quite a bit of interest in Firewalk Studios’ Concord since it was announced a year ago.
We learned more details about the sci-fi game during Sony’s State of Play showcase, including a release date and the first look at gameplay. It’s coming to PS5 and PC on August 23. (Heads up: You will need a PlayStation Network account to play on PC.) There will be a beta before the full release.
Firewalk says it focused on making sure Concord has tight movement, precise gunplay and a range of abilities — just as you might expect from a studio led by former Destiny developers. Given that it’s a five vs. five hero shooter, there are plenty of similarities with Overwatch 2 as well (Microsoft now owns that game, for what it’s worth).
As you might imagine, there are several roles to choose from, while each of the initial 16 characters, who are dubbed Freegunners, has unique abilities. Firewalk aimed to make Concord approachable for a wide range of players, no matter their preferred play style or skill level. There should be at least one or two Freegunners whose abilities you can get to grips with relatively quickly.
You might throw exploding knives, deploy spores that grant speed boosts, cast a wall of fire or block an entire lane with a wall. Some of these abilities will persist on the map between rounds and respawns, and others are designed for more spontaneous use.
There will be six different game modes at launch. Firewalk plans to add more modes, Freegunners, maps and cinematic vignettes as free post-launch updates.
There’s a lot of competition in this genre and in the live-service market overall. But Sony already has a hit shooter this year in Helldivers 2. Concord has made a solid impression to date, so it has a fair chance of being successful too.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/sonys-overwatch-esque-concord-is-coming-to-ps5-and-pc-on-august-23-224046362.html?src=rss
Save for Destiny 2, it’s been a long time since there’s been a first-person shooter from a PlayStation studio. As such, there’s been quite a bit of interest in Firewalk Studios’ Concord since it was announced a year ago.
We learned more details about the sci-fi game during Sony’s State of Play showcase, including a release date and the first look at gameplay. It’s coming to PS5 and PC on August 23. (Heads up: You will need a PlayStation Network account to play on PC.) There will be a beta before the full release.
Firewalk says it focused on making sure Concord has tight movement, precise gunplay and a range of abilities — just as you might expect from a studio led by former Destiny developers. Given that it’s a five vs. five hero shooter, there are plenty of similarities with Overwatch 2 as well (Microsoft now owns that game, for what it’s worth).
As you might imagine, there are several roles to choose from, while each of the initial 16 characters, who are dubbed Freegunners, has unique abilities. Firewalk aimed to make Concord approachable for a wide range of players, no matter their preferred play style or skill level. There should be at least one or two Freegunners whose abilities you can get to grips with relatively quickly.
You might throw exploding knives, deploy spores that grant speed boosts, cast a wall of fire or block an entire lane with a wall. Some of these abilities will persist on the map between rounds and respawns, and others are designed for more spontaneous use.
There will be six different game modes at launch. Firewalk plans to add more modes, Freegunners, maps and cinematic vignettes as free post-launch updates.
There’s a lot of competition in this genre and in the live-service market overall. But Sony already has a hit shooter this year in Helldivers 2. Concord has made a solid impression to date, so it has a fair chance of being successful too.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/sonys-overwatch-esque-concord-is-coming-to-ps5-and-pc-on-august-23-224046362.html?src=rss
IRS Opening Free Online Tax Filing Program To All States
The free online tax filing program known as IRS Direct File will be made permanent for the 2025 tax season, with all 50 states and Washington D.C. invited to participate. Axios reports: Treasury announced earlier this month that more than 140,000 people participated in the Direct File pilot program in a dozen states claiming more than $90 million in refunds. The pilot exceeded its 100,000-person target during this past tax season.
“President Biden is committed to saving Americans time and money and ensuring families receive the tax benefits they’re owed,” Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said in a statement. “Providing a free tool to all Americans who want the option to file directly with the IRS is key to achieving those goals.” The pilot program targeted people with simple tax returns based on W-2 forms. In her remarks today Yellen said that over the next few years they will expand Direct File to support more situations. The announcement from the Treasury Department comes a week after the IRS’ Free File program was extended through 2029.
“Free file is where some of your tax dollars go to create the bridges between 3rd parties and the IRS filing system,” notes Slashdot reader slack_justyb. “Direct file is the taxpayer to IRS direct system that we got a taste of this year. We want to keep on the direct file path, but the free file path helps breakup the larger entities out there that lobby hard to keep the return-free system from ever getting started.”
Read more of this story at Slashdot.
The free online tax filing program known as IRS Direct File will be made permanent for the 2025 tax season, with all 50 states and Washington D.C. invited to participate. Axios reports: Treasury announced earlier this month that more than 140,000 people participated in the Direct File pilot program in a dozen states claiming more than $90 million in refunds. The pilot exceeded its 100,000-person target during this past tax season.
“President Biden is committed to saving Americans time and money and ensuring families receive the tax benefits they’re owed,” Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said in a statement. “Providing a free tool to all Americans who want the option to file directly with the IRS is key to achieving those goals.” The pilot program targeted people with simple tax returns based on W-2 forms. In her remarks today Yellen said that over the next few years they will expand Direct File to support more situations. The announcement from the Treasury Department comes a week after the IRS’ Free File program was extended through 2029.
“Free file is where some of your tax dollars go to create the bridges between 3rd parties and the IRS filing system,” notes Slashdot reader slack_justyb. “Direct file is the taxpayer to IRS direct system that we got a taste of this year. We want to keep on the direct file path, but the free file path helps breakup the larger entities out there that lobby hard to keep the return-free system from ever getting started.”
Read more of this story at Slashdot.
Until Dawn is coming to PS5 and PC this fall
The Until Dawn remaster is heading to PS5 and PC this fall. Sony gave the announcement at its State of Play event after teasing the game earlier this year. The company also dropped a new trailer, and it certainly looks like a spooky delight. In other words, that fall release date is starting to make sense from a themed holiday perspective.
The Until Dawn remake was built in Unreal Engine 5 and boasts several new features that were missing from the original PS4 title. You’ll be able to experience the action from a third-person perspective for the first time, which is pretty neat. Developer Ballistic Moon, taking the reins from original dev Supermassive Games, has also said it has expanded the color palette to make it more cinematic and to allow for contextual character movement animations.
We don’t have an exact release date other than fall, but I’ll put money on October. In related news, Sony’s prepping an Until Dawn movie which should release sometime in the nearish future.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/until-dawn-is-coming-to-ps5-and-pc-this-fall-223945702.html?src=rss
The Until Dawn remaster is heading to PS5 and PC this fall. Sony gave the announcement at its State of Play event after teasing the game earlier this year. The company also dropped a new trailer, and it certainly looks like a spooky delight. In other words, that fall release date is starting to make sense from a themed holiday perspective.
The Until Dawn remake was built in Unreal Engine 5 and boasts several new features that were missing from the original PS4 title. You’ll be able to experience the action from a third-person perspective for the first time, which is pretty neat. Developer Ballistic Moon, taking the reins from original dev Supermassive Games, has also said it has expanded the color palette to make it more cinematic and to allow for contextual character movement animations.
We don’t have an exact release date other than fall, but I’ll put money on October. In related news, Sony’s prepping an Until Dawn movie which should release sometime in the nearish future.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/until-dawn-is-coming-to-ps5-and-pc-this-fall-223945702.html?src=rss
Monster Hunter Wilds looks very wild in new gameplay trailer
Image: Capcom
We finally have a few more details about the previously mysterious next Monster Hunter game. Capcom released a new gameplay trailer for Monster Hunter Wilds at Sony’s State of Play event, and it features some free-flowing combat, a pretty dark-looking world, and what appears to be some new monsters — including one that looks a lot like a Final Fantasy chocobo. Naturally, it serves as a mount. Capcom describes the new game as taking place in “a living world.”
Wilds is a follow-up to 2018’s open-world title Monster Hunter World, which went on to become Capcom’s bestselling game ever, topping the likes of Resident Evil, Street Fighter, and Devil May Cry. It was first announced at The Game Awards last year and is coming to the PS5, Xbox Series X / S, and PC sometime next year. 2023 also saw the launch of the MonHun mobile spinoff Monster Hunter Now from Pokémon Go developer Niantic and EA’s take on the monster-hunting genre with Wild Hearts.
Image: Capcom
We finally have a few more details about the previously mysterious next Monster Hunter game. Capcom released a new gameplay trailer for Monster Hunter Wilds at Sony’s State of Play event, and it features some free-flowing combat, a pretty dark-looking world, and what appears to be some new monsters — including one that looks a lot like a Final Fantasy chocobo. Naturally, it serves as a mount. Capcom describes the new game as taking place in “a living world.”
Wilds is a follow-up to 2018’s open-world title Monster Hunter World, which went on to become Capcom’s bestselling game ever, topping the likes of Resident Evil, Street Fighter, and Devil May Cry. It was first announced at The Game Awards last year and is coming to the PS5, Xbox Series X / S, and PC sometime next year. 2023 also saw the launch of the MonHun mobile spinoff Monster Hunter Now from Pokémon Go developer Niantic and EA’s take on the monster-hunting genre with Wild Hearts.
Elon Musk’s X to Host Election Town Hall With Donald Trump
The social media platform will produce video town halls with Mr. Trump and Robert F. Kennedy Jr., extending its push into politics.
The social media platform will produce video town halls with Mr. Trump and Robert F. Kennedy Jr., extending its push into politics.