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Hell has frozen over. The famously violent Yakuza series is coming to the Nintendo Switch. Yakuza Kiwami, a remake of the very first game in the franchise, releases for the console on October 24, as announced at today’s Nintendo Partner Showcase event.

This is notable because the Yakuza series is known for being mature and morally ambiguous, and Nintendo doesn’t always like that kind of thing. Masayoshi Yokoyama, the head of the development team behind the series, once told GameSpot that Yakuza games would likely never come to a Nintendo console.

“First of all, whether our games will run on the Switch is probably the first question,” he said. “And when it comes to the Switch, it’s kind of a system for a younger audience. So do we want to put a title, where we’re going and picking a fight with the world, and doing all this Yakuza stuff, on a Switch?”

It looks like the answer to that last question is a resounding “yes.” Yakuza Kiwami first released for the PS4 and Xbox One back in 2016, though there was a version that ran on the PS3. Given the Switch’s power, it should be able to handle a reworked PS3 port.

As for the console’s kid-friendly image, well, that hasn’t entirely changed in the intervening years, but the Switch has made serious inroads with older gamers. The console is home to all kinds of mature and violent fare, from 2016’s Doom to Red Dead Redemption and Mortal Kombat 1. 

The Yakuza franchise is on the upswing. Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth, a sequel to 2020’s Yakuza: Like a Dragon, was a bona-fide hit when it was released earlier this year. There’s also a franchise TV show coming to Amazon Prime Video on October 24. Wait a minute. That’s the same day that Yakuza Kiwami hits the Nintendo eShop. Gotta love that sweet, sweet corporate synergy.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/nintendo/the-yakuza-series-is-finally-coming-to-nintendo-switch-164657508.html?src=rss 

HP is the latest recipient of CHIPS and Science Act funding. The Biden-Harris Administration said on Tuesday that the Department of Commerce has agreed to preliminary terms with the company to funnel up to $50 million into modernizing the company’s Oregon-based plant. The expansion of HP’s “lab-to-fab” facility, which combines R&D with chip manufacturing, is expected to create over 250 jobs.

Once finalized, HP’s funding would support the development of chips for life sciences lab equipment. This includes devices used for drug discovery, single-cell research and cell line development. HP says the expansion will also advance tech built for microfluidics, the study of the behavior and control of fluid on a microscopic scale. “Microfluidics has the potential to drive revolutionary changes across industries, delivering speed, efficiency, and precision, to help pave the way for the next generation of innovation in life sciences and technology,” HP’s President and CEO Enrique Lores wrote in a Department of Commerce press release.

The proposed $50 million would support the expansion and modernization of HP’s existing plant in Corvallis, OR, around 80 miles south of Portland. In addition to manufacturing silicon, the plant is one of the company’s three global R&D centers. The 80,000-square-foot plant has incubated 39 startups, including 20 spun off from Oregon State University faculty and students. The company has academic partnerships with Portland Community College on training and recruitment programs.

The proposed $50 million funding is through a preliminary memorandum of terms (PMT). The non-binding agreement is “conditional on the achievement of certain milestones.” Having completed a merit review of HP’s application, the Department of Commerce will begin due diligence on HP’s proposed projects before the agency negotiates or refines its final funding terms.

The $280 billion CHIPS and Science Act, signed by President Biden in 2022, directs funding to incentivize semiconductor companies to manufacture in America, boosting America’s ability to compete with China while generating job growth. It includes $39 billion in subsidies for domestic chip manufacturing and $13 billion for workforce training.

Previous recipients include $8.5 billion for Intel, $6.6 billion for TSMC and $6.4 billion for Samsung. In addition, GlobalFoundries received $1.5 billion and Texas Instruments got $1.6 billion to produce legacy chips (less advanced silicon for things like phones, appliances and defense equipment).

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/hp-secures-up-to-50-million-in-chips-act-funding-to-expand-an-oregon-facility-171233289.html?src=rss 

Instagram has introduced new text tools meant to help you design a grid that’s more reflective of your personality. To start with, you can now layer your photos and add text to them, as stickers, to achieve the look you want. You can start the whole process by selecting an image and then tapping the text button to write a text overlay for it in the font that you prefer. If you’d rather layer several images for one post, tap on the gallery button in the top right corner of the screen instead. You can then change the shape of the sticker, which again can contain either a text or another image, into a square, a circle, a heart or a star by tapping on it. 

Speaking of text you can add to your photos, Instagram is adding new fonts you can use in the app. You can combine those fonts with the new animations and effects the app is adding, as well, to jazz up your Reels and Stories. Earlier this month, Instagram doubled the number of photos and videos you can share in a carousel post. From 10 files, the app now allows you to upload up to 20, giving you an easy way to add photo dumps to your account. These new features will let you personalize your photo dumps and to potentially use them as an outlet for your creativity… sort of like how Myspace users could customize their profiles back in the day. In fact, Instagram also recently announced a feature that lets you attach a song to your profile, which Myspace was known for in the early days of social media. 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/social-media/instagram-lets-you-add-texts-on-photos-and-layer-images-for-grid-posts-160030041.html?src=rss 

Due to a “challenging external environment,” Sony will increase the PS5’s price in Japan by 19 percent. The new price of the standard PS5 model will be ¥79,980 (about $554) and will come into effect by September 2, 2024. Prices for the console in other countries are not affected.

It’s important to note that Sony raised PS5 prices around the world two years ago, with the exception of the US. Similar to the Japanese price hike, Sony also remarked that “challenging economic decisions” led to this difficult decision. Without getting into specifics, the console isn’t the only product about to cost more, as accessories like the DualSense controller and PlayStation VR2 are also experiencing price hikes.

A price hike this late into the console’s life and by this much is rather unusual, and Sony is expecting fewer PS5 sales for the fiscal 2025 year. But despite that slowdown, the PS5 reached 50 million sales last year and is outselling the Xbox Series X/S by a wide margin.

There are also rumors that a PS5 Pro will come out this fall. While it’s not likely why the PS5’s price in Japan is increasing, it’s still a potential factor in how Sony considers pricing the current model. Nevertheless, the PS5 Pro is still unconfirmed.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/playstation/sony-hikes-the-playstation-5-price-in-japan-by-19-percent-160557944.html?src=rss 

PC gamers who use Sony’s PlayStation DualSense Edge controllers can now customize them using an updated PlayStation Accessories app. This app used to be called “Firmware updater for DualSense wireless controller” (a really long name).

Users can still use the app to update the controller’s firmware, which is necessary to ensure flawless operation. But the app also now lets DualSense Edge users adjust trigger deadzones, change layouts, modify stick sensitivity and alter controller vibration intensity. Naturally, you can swap between custom profiles for specific games on your PC for convenience.

While you can customize Sony’s more flexible and expensive DualSense Edge wireless controller, it’s currently not possible to do so for the standard DualSense controller. However, you can still use the app to update the firmware of both models. You can update both controllers using a USB or Bluetooth connection.

On a related note, Sony has been increasingly focused on the PC market, as it has brought major titles to PC (including God of War, The Last of Us Part I, Marvel’s Spider-Man and Horizon Zero Dawn) in recent years. PS VR2 support has also been live since early August, provided you shell out for an adapter.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/playstation/you-can-now-customize-playstation-dualsense-edge-controllers-on-pc-151715163.html?src=rss 

The beloved platformer Pizza Tower is finally playable on Nintendo Switch, as revealed at the company’s Indie World event. As a matter of fact, it’s one of those surprise drops, so the game’s available right now.

It’s about time the title is on a Nintendo console as, well, it feels like a Nintendo game. Pizza Tower is a frantic 2D sidescroller that cribs a whole lot from the Wario Land franchise and, to a lesser extent, Mario and Sonic games.

You play as a balding chef named, and this is real, Peppino Spaghetti. The game tasks you with scaling the titular tower to fight a sentient pizza that is kind of like the Bowser of Italian food. The game was largely designed by someone named McPig and the soundtrack was created by a high school student. It’s an indie game miracle!

However, forget all of that. Gameplay is where Pizza Tower shines. The movement feels perfect so the platforming is, simply put, S-tier. It’s been polished to a Nintendo-like sheen, which is quite a feat for a high schooler and someone who goes by the moniker McPig. There are tons of fully-realized abilities and a dedication to speed pulled straight from Sonic. Also, Peppino can’t die, allowing for insane platforming experiments.

In other words, this is one heck of a game and now it’s on a Nintendo console. That’s gotta be quite a thrill for the development team.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/nintendo/pizza-tower-has-surprise-dropped-for-nintendo-switch-152859625.html?src=rss