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Four years after the last in-person edition, a full-on version of BlizzCon has been scheduled for later this year. Blizzard’s fan convention will take place at its long-standing Anaheim Convention Center home on November 3rd and 4th. More details will be revealed next month, including ticket information, though hotel blocks are already open. As always, some of the panels will be livestreamed, including the opening ceremony.

A lot has changed since BlizzCon 2019. Of course, the COVID-19 pandemic upended everything, and BlizzCon has beenonhiatus (save for a virtual edition that took place in early 2021) ever since. 

In the interim, Blizzard has faced accusations of fostering a toxic work culture. BlizzCon is saddled with its own baggage and the company has yet to detail the safety policies that will be in place at this year’s event. Reports also suggest there may be an exodus of Blizzard developers due to the publisher’s return to office policy.

Nevertheless, the studio will surely have news and updates to share for its various franchises at BlizzCon, including Warcraft, Overwatch and Diablo. BlizzCon will likely host some esports events as well.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/blizzcon-returns-as-an-in-person-event-later-this-year-180934125.html?src=rss 

Analogue’s universally compatible TurboGrafx-16 console, the Duo, will finally be available for preorders later this week, on May 19th. The company made the reveal on Twitter and also noted that preorders begin sharply at 8AM PDT. These kinds of niche gaming consoles tend to sell out of preorders quickly, so set your alarm.

There’s a spot of bad news to go along with the announcement. The Analogue Duo was first revealed all the way back in 2020 and was set to launch for $200. The updated price tag is now $250.

For the price, you do get an all-in-one system that promises to play every single TurboGrafx-16/PC Engine title, thanks to dual media readers that play both the originally manufactured cartridges and the compact discs that came later. The console even runs games that require the Arcade RAM add-on that comprised the unsuccessful SuperGrafx console that was only released in Japan.

The Duo includes some modern bells and whistles, like an HDMI port, 1080p resolution, an SD card slot, two USB ports for wired controllers and Bluetooth for wireless accessories. The console doesn’t come with a controller, though it works with plenty of budget-friendly offerings by 8BitDo and others.

To the uninitiated, the TurboGrafx-16, called the PC Engine in Japan, was a competitor to the NES and SNES that saw some success in its home country but only modest sales in the US. Despite never reaching the heights of Sega and Nintendo, the console holds a place in the hearts of retro gamers, thanks to a robust library of hundreds of titles.

Just like all Analogue consoles, the Duo isn’t an emulation machine, as it features near-identical internal components that integrate with physical media. The company has made popular recreations of many iconic consoles, including the Pocket device that plays games from nearly every retro portable console.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/you-can-preorder-analogues-turbografx-inspired-duo-console-this-friday-182539002.html?src=rss 

Game developer Panic, the studio behind Firewatch and Untitled Goose Game, is dropping a unique soccer title on PS5 next year. It’s called Despelote and is described as a “beautiful slice-of-life adventure” about childhood and the world’s favorite sport. The title’s set in Ecuador in 2001, which was when the country had its first qualifying run for the World Cup.

Gameplay involves exploring the city of Quito, playing soccer and engaging in “playful, funny interactions” with various townspeople. It boasts a first person perspective and a highly unique art style that merges grainy photo realism with flourishes of animation. Not sure what that means? There’s a teaser trailer.

Panic says the game was inspired by lead co-creator Julián Cordero’s childhood and it boasts full voice acting in Spanish with the option for localized subtitles. Much of the dialogue was actually captured in real life on the streets of Ecuador to give it a bit more flavor. The same goes for the background ambient noise.

It’s worth noting that this is a narrative title first and a soccer game second, so don’t expect a full-on sim like FIFA. There looks to be plenty of opportunities to kick things, pass things and dribble, however, as you explore the town, “getting caught up in mischief and soaking in the local culture.”

Despelote first appeared on the scene in 2021 at that year’s Summer Games Fest, but there wasn’t an official publisher or release platform back then. As for Panic, the company’s been busy meeting the demands of PlayDate portable console owners in addition to publishing nifty indie titles.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/panic-and-sony-drop-trailer-for-unique-soccer-game-with-a-narrative-twist-164017770.html?src=rss 

The New York Times is doubling down on podcasts. The outlet announced Tuesday the launch of its long-awaited NYT Audio app. Available to download only on iOS at the moment, the software collects all of the Gray Lady’s audio journalism, including podcasts from the Athletic and Serial Productions, under one roof.

The Times first previewed the app back in 2021. At the time, it billed the software as a way to give its journalists more freedom to experiment outside of the limits imposed by platforms like Spotify and Apple Podcasts. “This is a canvas for all of those audio stories the newsroom wants to tell but didn’t quite have outlets for it before,” Times Deputy Managing Editor Sam Dolnick told Axios at the time.

In addition to the outlet’s entire back catalog of podcasts, the NYT Audio will feature new content, including short audio pieces where journalists from The Times will retell how they reported a story they wrote recently. Home cooks can also look forward to listening to recipe advice from the outlet’s Cooking section. You need a digital News or All Access subscription to access the app. If you’re like me and only subscribe to the Cooking section, that won’t cut it, unfortunately. The good news is podcasts like The Daily and The Coldest Case in Laramie aren’t leaving Spotify, Pocket Casts and other platforms.

The release of the NYT Audio app comes as other companies that bet big on podcasts during the pandemic are reducing their investments. Spotify, most notably, cut 11 original podcasts, including the highly acclaimed How to Save a Planet, at the end of last year.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/the-new-york-times-built-a-standalone-app-for-audio-journalism-165530840.html?src=rss 

The first episode of The Expanse: A Telltale Series at last has a release date. You’ll be able to jump in to the game on July 27th on PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One and PC via the Epic Games Store.

Unlike previous Telltale titles, which often left fans hanging for months between episodes (sometimes due to external issues), you won’t have to wait long for more installments. Telltale says that a new episode will drop every two weeks until all five are out in the wild. The standard version of the game costs $40 and the deluxe edition is $45. Pre-order either on PlayStation or the Epic store and you’ll get to play a day early, while the deluxe edition will include access to more content that’s on the way in the future. Expect to learn more about that at a later date.

The game acts as a prequel to The Expanse, a TV show that originally ran on Syfy for three seasons before Amazon Prime picked it up and produced another three seasons. Cara Gee reprises her role as Camina Drummer, the game’s playable character.

The Expanse is said to have the “largest and most immersive exploration” of any Telltale game to date. Drummer, who helps run a scavenger crew, will scour shipwrecks, walk on ceilings and walls using mag boots and use zero-gravity thrusters to float through open space. You’ll need to deal with the threat of a mutiny and, since this is a Telltale game, make difficult decisions that impact the future of The Artemis’ crew.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/the-first-episode-of-the-expanse-a-telltale-series-will-arrive-on-july-27th-171001556.html?src=rss 

Get ready to deal with things that go clank in the night on the big screen. A Five Nights at Freddy’s movie is on the way later this year, and Universal Pictures has revealed the first teaser for the long-gestating adaptation. The clip doesn’t seem to hold too many surprises for those who are familiar with the jump scare-laden FNaF games, but it captures the aesthetic well enough.

It focuses on a character played by Josh Hutcherson as he starts a new gig as a night-time security guard at a family entertainment center. However, the animatronics at Freddy Fazbear’s pose a terrifying threat to anyone still in the building after the doors close. The animatronics look spot on, which isn’t exactly a shock given that Jim Henson’s Creature Shop brought them to life.

Five Nights at Freddy’s will arrive in theaters and on Peacock on October 27th. If you can’t wait that long and simply need to watch a movie in which possessed animatronics go on a killing spree, check out Willy’s Wonderland. It has both a similar concept and Nicolas Cage, and it’s enjoyable enough.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/five-nights-at-freddys-movie-teaser-shows-off-murderous-animatronics-154621702.html?src=rss 

Virgin Galactic’s lengthy road to space tourism is nearing an end. The firm now expects its final VSS Unity test flight to launch as soon as May 25th at 10AM Eastern, with specialist training starting on May 22nd. The mission will check the technical functionality and the “astronaut experience” one more time before commercial service begins.

The company hasn’t narrowed down the official start to paid service. It has delayed the rollout multiple times, most recently due to challenges upgrading the VMS Eve “mothership” that carries Unity to 50,000 feet. Virgin launched its first fully crewed spaceflight in July 2021, with founder Richard Branson aboard.

A successful test may be crucial for Virgin. The company is still bleeding money, and lost just over $500 million in 2022. When tickets cost $450,000 each and require a $150,000 deposit, commercial service could help Virgin stem those losses and fund its long-term ambitions, which include a next-gen spaceship (the VSS Imagine) due to enter service in 2025.

There’s also external pressure. Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin is already carrying civilians into space, and SpaceX is slowly moving closer to its dreams of lunar tourist trips. While these flights will also be out of reach for many people, Virgin still doesn’t want to be seen lagging behind rivals competing for wealthy passengers.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/virgin-galactics-final-vss-unity-flight-test-is-slated-for-may-25th-161034011.html?src=rss