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At its Stream On event earlier this year, Spotify announced a partnership with Patreon that would bring subscriber-only podcasts from the creator platform to its streaming service. Today, that integration launches for all creators and users globally, allowing patrons to listen to exclusive content alongside other episodes on Spotify. If you stumble upon a show that you don’t yet support monetarily, you can get access with a few taps from the show’s page inside the streaming app. 

Patreon podcasters only need to sync their account with Spotify to get started. Afterwards, all patron-exclusive content will be on a dedicated page on their Spotify show profile. Creators will have the option of adding promotional banners on their free episodes page to help drive subscription numbers. The integration of Patreon is powered by Spotify’s Open Access, which was first announced in 2021. This technology allows shows that host subscription content on other platforms to use their existing log-in credentials to bring those podcasts to the streaming service. Other integrated platforms include Supporting Cast, Supercast and more. Additionally, Spotify has been offering paid podcast subscriptions through its audio production platform Anchor for over two years. 

Just like that Anchor setup, any subscriber-only Patreon podcasts that you don’t have access to will show up with a lock icon in the Spotify app. There’s also a small “paid” tag next to the publish date and runtime info. When you tap the lock, a pop up will ask if you want to hear more from the creator before sending you to their Patreon page to view subscription info. 

Spotify doesn’t take a cut of subscriptions that are generated through Open Access. Patreon and Spotify both explain that creators will retain “full control” over their audiences, content and revenue while using the streaming service to expand their reach. There’s no additional cost to integrate Patreon with Spotify either, and creators publishing both free and paid episodes can use the setup. 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/patreon-creators-can-now-publish-subscriber-only-podcasts-on-spotify-130016901.html?src=rss 

Dead by Daylight has a new Killer in town, and it’s one all horror fans know (and likely fear): the Xenomorph. Behaviour Interactive has released all of the details of its new Alien collaboration following a teaser that provided a glimpse into the new Nostromo Wreckage Map. The announcement confirmed not only the Xenomorph’s role as Dead by Daylight‘s latest Killer but also the introduction of Ellen Ripley as a Survivor. 

This edition introduces seven Control Stations, a new Map feature that allows Survivors to get a Remote Flame Turret (another addition), which they can use to stagger the Xenomorph — though the Killer can destroy the tool. It can also stop the Xenomorph’s unique Power known as Runner Mode, which lets it walk on four legs and shrinks its Terror Radius. 

The control stations sit on top of tunnels that the Xenomorph can enter and exit through. “Creating the Xenomorph’s Tunnel system was very challenging as we had never created a sublevel that could only be accessible to the Killer. This new mechanic grants it Map-wide mobility and definitely amps up the scare factor – which feels very connected to the original character,” said Janick Neveu, Game Designer on Dead by Daylight.

You don’t have to wait long to wander through the Nostromo Wreckage in total fear (a perfect nighttime game, right?) as Dead by Daylight: Alien will be available across platforms starting August 29th. Impatient? You can already download the game’s Public Test Build and try it out early. 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/alien-is-coming-to-dead-by-daylight-105502420.html?src=rss 

Sony has published its earnings report for the first quarter of the year (PDF) ending on June 30th and an adjusted forecast for the fiscal year, and they paint a picture of mixed results for the company. Its overall operating profit for the period was down 31 percent year-over-year, from 364.9 billion yen ($2.54 billion) to 253 billion ($1.76 billion). The company’s revenue was up 33 percent, however, thanks to significant increase in sales by its game and network services, music, imaging and financial services businesses.

Sony believes its game and music segments will continue to do well and has raised (PDF) its sales and revenue forecast for the fiscal year ending on March 31st, 2024 by 6.1 percent due to higher-than-expected sales for those businesses. It also expects its net income to be 2.4 percent higher than its previous forecast, from 840 billion yen ($5.86 billion) to 860 billion ($6 billion).

For its game division, in particular, Sony has tweaked its forecast, because it’s anticipating an increase in sales for non-first-party PlayStation titles, including add-on content. Several much-awaited games are coming out for PlayStation gamers this year, such as Spider-Man 2, Assassin’s Creed Mirage, Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty Expansion, Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora and EA Sports FC. 

This expected increase in sales for non-first-party titles will be aided by a decrease in costs and expenses. That said, they will also offset by a “deterioration in profitability of PlayStation 5 hardware.” Sony has dropped the PS5’s pricing in several regions around the world recently. While that translates to lower overall earnings from the console, it could also get people on the fence to finally purchase the PS5, which in turn could lead to more game purchases. 

To note, Sony has shipped 3.3 million PS5 units in the first quarter of the year. That’s almost half of the previous quarter’s sales of 6.3 million units, though that figure was for the holiday season, when businesses typically do better than usual. This is Sony’s best-performing first quarter for PS5 sales so far, bringing the total number of units sold to 41.7 million. 

Despite adjusting its outlook with better numbers for the year overall, Sony has lowered its expectations for the sales of mobile sensors due to the continuing downward trend in smartphone sales. Sony Pictures’ earnings was also down year-on-year despite the success of Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse. The company doesn’t foresee a recovery for the business, as well, and believes it will perform worse than what was predicted last April due to the impact of strikes by the Writers Guild of America and the Screen Actors Guild. 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/sony-raises-its-annual-forecast-on-the-strength-of-its-playstation-sales-113514305.html?src=rss 

There’s good news if you felt thrown by the $50 price tag for 13-year-old Red Dead Redemption‘s Nintendo Switch and PS4 release: Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick says the cost is right. Seriously, IGN reports that Zelnick had his reasons, which he clearly laid out after the company’s Q2 earnings report, “That’s just what we believe is the commercially accurate price for it.” Satisfied now? 

Points of frustration around Red Dead Redemption‘s sticker price are extensive, including the lack of a multiplayer option and a complete lack of a quality update since its 2010 release (no 4K visuals in sight). There’s also the small matter that the game is already available on Xbox Series X in 4K for $40. 

Take-Two is leaning on the inclusion of Undead Nightmare, a Red Dead Redemption expansion, in the port as a rationale for the higher price. Zelnick called Undead Nightmare “a great standalone game in its own right when it was originally released, so we feel like it’s a great bundle for the first time, and certainly a great value for consumers.” 

If the words of a CEO have convinced you to pay $50 for Red Dead Redemption, you can buy the digital version for the Nintendo Switch or PS4 starting August 17th, with a physical release to follow on October 13th. 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/take-two-ceo-says-50-for-red-dead-redemption-port-is-great-value-093553782.html?src=rss