A federal court jury has decided that Google’s Android app store has been protected by anticompetitive barriers that have damaged smartphone consumers and software developers, dealing a blow to a major pillar of a technology empire. (AP)

Epic Games emerges victorious in antitrust lawsuit against Google regarding obstacles to its Android app store

Adriana MaraisDecember 12, 23epic games, Google

A major setback has been dealt to Google’s technology empire as a federal court jury has ruled that the company’s Android app store has been shielded by unfair barriers, causing harm to smartphone consumers and software developers. Monday’s unanimous verdict came after just three hours of deliberation following a four-week trial that revolved around the Google Play Store’s lucrative payment system. The store is the main place where hundreds of millions of people around the world download and install apps that run on smartphones running Google’s Android software. Epic Games,…

GTA 6 trailer is finally out, but some finer details might have escaped your notice. Let's see what Rockstar has in store for gamers once the game launches.

Latest Update on GTA 6 Reveals Exciting Developments

Febin MathewDecember 6, 23Gaming, Grand Theft Auto, GTA 6, ps5

The official trailer for GTA 6 is finally out, and the 1 minute and 30 second trailer nicely highlights what fans can expect from the game when it launches in 2025. The trailer opens with a sunset in Vice City, Rockstar’s fictional Miami, and then reveals Lucia – the first female protagonist in the GTA franchise. Throughout the runtime, we can see several details surrounding the story, including a possible relationship between Jason, the male protagonist, and Lucia, possibly inspired by Bonnie and Clyde. While most of the trailer shows…

Netflix is expanding its games catalog with the launch of GTA: The Trilogy - The Definitive Edition on December 14. Here's what you need to know.

Grand Theft Auto Comes to Netflix: Play for FREE on Mobile!

Adarsh V.KNovember 30, 23netflix

Netflix is offering subscribers Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy – The Definitive Edition starting December 14th – arguably the biggest addition to its game catalog to date. This game is not just one game, it consists of GTA III, GTA Vice City and GTA San Andreas – their remastered versions with updated graphics. It should be noted that these games will be available on the Apple App Store, Google Play Store and of course the Netflix mobile app. For the uninitiated, GTA III, GTA: Vice City and GTA: San Andreas…

Some of the titles on YouTube Playables are mini-games such as Angry Birds Showdown, Brain Out, Daily Solitaire, The Daily Crossword, and more. (Unsplash)

Unlock the Fun with YouTube Playables – Discover 30+ Mini-Games Now!

Adarsh V.KNovember 28, 23Online Gaming, YouTube

YouTube made an announcement in September 2023 about its new Playables segment, which marked its return to the gaming industry after discontinuing its Stadia gaming service in January 2023. After a two-month testing period with a limited group, YouTube Playables has now been officially launched, offering over 30 mini-games or arcade-like games. Premium subscribers can enjoy titles such as Angry Birds Showdown, Brain Out, Daily Solitaire, The Daily Crossword, and others. Droidlife reports that a notification alerting Premium users that the feature is coming to YouTube was sent last week.…

Ubisoft accidentally showed ads in Assassin's Creed Odyssey while gamers were playing, and users are upset despite the company's statement.

Ubisoft’s Advertising Blunder: What Happened After Ads Appeared in Assassin’s Creed?

Adarsh V.KNovember 28, 23Games, Gaming, Ubisoft

Ubisoft has been making Assassin’s Creed games for over a decade, and while the series has had its ups and downs, it’s developed a cult following for its mysterious gameplay and historical settings. However, fans were recently frustrated when Ubisoft accidentally showed in-game ads in Assassin’s Creed Odyssey, its 2018 flagship action RPG. This affected the gaming experience, and many users reported that these ads appeared in the middle of in-game “pop-ups”. Since then, Ubisoft has acknowledged this bug and dismissed it as a “technical issue”. “We have learned that…

Deceptive Designs: Dark patterns manipulate consumers, (unsplash)

Liz Weston Exposes How Amazon and Epic Games’ Deceptive ‘Dark Patterns’ Cost You Money!

Adriana MaraisNovember 28, 23Amazon, Apps, epic games

Do any of these things sound familiar to you? ● You can’t find an easy way to cancel an unwanted subscription, so you let it continue for another month. You tell yourself you’ll try again later. ● You feel rushed to make an online purchase that you regret, but you cannot cancel the transaction or request a refund. ● You want to read an article or shop online, but you are bombarded with pop-ups asking for your information. There’s no easy language to say, so you click “allow” just to…

Gaming as a career is on the rise, going mainstream. HP study finds nearly half of Indian gamers now view it as a viable income source.

Parents Rejoice: Indian Gamers Making 6-12 LPA, Study Finds!

Adarsh V.KNovember 26, 23gamers, Gaming

As games and eSports begin to impact the economy of content creators more than ever before, gaming careers are becoming more mainstream and diverging from the niche market that existed just a few years ago. Amidst this shift, a recent survey by HP has revealed that nearly half of Indian gamers are seriously considering gaming as a source of income. Based on the answers, they earn between Rs 6,000 and Rs 12,000. This study involved 3500 participants including 500 parents from 15 tier 1 cities and 15 tier 2 cities…

In his testimony, Epic CEO Tim Sweeney faced some tough questions from the opposing attorney. (Bloomberg)

Uncovering the Truth: Tim Sweeney’s Epic Testimony at the Google Antitrust Trial

Adriana MaraisNovember 21, 23epic games, Google

After nine days, the Google antitrust lawsuit, initiated by Epic Games, has unveiled significant revelations. Sundar Pichai, the CEO of Google, disclosed that the company pays Apple a staggering $18 billion annually to secure the default iPhone search position. Additionally, Don Harrison, Google’s partnerships boss, revealed that Spotify pays no percentage when users opt for Spotify’s payment system, but between 6 to 10 percent when transactions are conducted through Google’s platforms. On the ninth day, Tim Sweeney, the CEO of Epic, was sworn in to provide testimony. These ten revelations…

Sony is remastering The Last of Us Part 2. It will be available exclusively for the PS5 system and will be released on January 19, 2024.

The Last of Us Part 2: Remastered for PS5 – Out January 19, 2024!

Jim HendlerNovember 19, 23Gaming, ps5

The Last of Us Part 2 was released for the PlayStation 4 system in 2020. The game is currently only a little over three years old, but it is already receiving a remastered final version for the PlayStation 5 — The Last of Us Part. II Remastered. This version is available exclusively for the PS5 system and will be released on the 19th. January 2024. Naughty Dog, developer of the critically acclaimed series, states that the remastered version of the game will include technical improvements, new modes and new “behind…

It's not the Vita successor we were looking for.

Unraveling the Mystery of the PlayStation Portal: Engadget Podcast Investigates!

Adarsh V.KNovember 17, 23Gaming, Sony

Sony’s upcoming gaming device, the PlayStation Portal, is an unusual gadget that has limited functionality. Priced at $200, it can only stream games from the PlayStation 5 and lacks essential features such as Bluetooth audio support. In a discussion with CNET’s Scott Stein, Cherlynn and Devindra express their confusion and disappointment with the Portal. While it does perform well in streaming games from the PS5, its high cost and cumbersome design make it suitable only for dedicated PS5 enthusiasts, who may still want to wait for a discounted price. Listen…

The Game Awards 2023 nominees across different categories are finally out, with Remedy's Alan Wake 2, and Larian's Baldur's Gate 3 receiving most nominations.

2023 Game Awards: Spider-Man 2 and Alan Wake 2 Nominated for ‘Game of the Year’ – Who Will Take Home the Prize?

Sanjay PatilNovember 14, 23Gaming, PlayStation

We finally know the nominees for The Game Awards, which will take place on December 7, 2023. If you’re not familiar with these awards, they’re like the Grammys or Oscars, but for video games. Simply put, the Game Awards is a big annual event that celebrates games, culminating in the coveted Game of the Year announcement. This year, Larian’s Baldur’s Gate 3 and Remedy’s Alan Wake 2 have received the most nominations in different categories. Baldur’s Gate 3 and Alan Wake 2 are nominated for Game of the Year alongside…

Netflix has announced that titles such as Hades, Death's Door, and more will be making their debut on the streaming giant. Here are the details.

“Console” Games Now Available on Netflix – Get Ready to Play!

Jim HendlerNovember 13, 23Gaming, netflix

Streaming giant Netflix has been allowing its subscribers to play games on the platform for some time along with subscriptions for iOS and Android users, and over the years the streaming giant has become more and more serious about gaming – now offering around 90 games. The company recently announced that Hades, named Game of the Year for 2020 by several publications, will make its debut on the service. Notably, this is the first time Hades is available on mobile devices. However, the game is currently only available to iOS…

Here are five games from different genres and platforms that you should check out before the year is over.

2023’s Countdown Begins: 5 Games You Can’t Miss!

Adarsh V.KNovember 12, 23Gaming, ps5

As 2023 draws to a close and awards season approaches, it’s time to reflect on the video games released this year. Not only have we seen critically acclaimed cross-platform games like Alan Wake 2, but exclusives like Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 and The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom have really shown what their platforms are capable of. . It’s safe to say that 2023 has been a great year for gaming, as the best games have appeared on all platforms. Both first- and third-party games for PlayStation, Xbox/PC and…

Google charges developers a commission to publish apps on the Play Store and that has created issues in the industry.

Google Pays Big Bucks To Bring Fortnite To Android: $147 Million To Play!

Adriana MaraisNovember 9, 23epic games, Fortnite, Google

Google has been sharing a lot of interesting details over the past few weeks as the company deals with several lawsuits regarding its business practices. Google was reportedly willing to pay Apple billions to keep Google as the default search engine on iPhones, iPads and more. Likewise, Google and Epic Games discussed the possibility of getting Fortnite on the Play Store, for which Google was willing to pay more than $140 million to the developer. The starting point of the case between these two companies is related to Play Store…

Rockstar Games, the developer behind GTA, has announced that the trailer for GTA 6 is set to release next month, in December. Here's what we know so far.

GTA 6: Rockstar Games Rocks the World with Official Confirmation and December Trailer!

Sanjay PatilNovember 9, 23Gaming, Grand Theft Auto, GTA 6, Rockstar Games

Rockstar Games, the developer of the highly successful Grand Theft Auto series, has confirmed that the trailer for the next game in the series, which could be called GTA 6, will be released next month in December. This trailer is released to coincide with the 25th anniversary of Rockstar Games, owned by Take-Two Interactive. “We are very excited to announce that in early December we will release the first trailer for the next Grand Theft Auto. We look forward to many more years of sharing these experiences with you all,”…

Rockstar is planning to release a trailer for GTA 6 next month in December, but it could announce the game as early as this week, Bloomberg has reported.

GTA 6: Get Ready for the Big Reveal This Week!

Nitin MisraNovember 8, 23GTA 6, GTA V, Rockstar Games

Grand Theft Auto VI or GTA 6 is arguably the most anticipated video game ever. Now, after more than a decade of waiting, it looks like Rockstar, the developer of this hugely successful franchise, could announce the game this week. According to Bloomberg’s Jason Schreier, sources close to the matter, who are not authorized to speak publicly, have indicated that Rockstar plans to release a trailer for the game next month in December, but an announcement is expected this week. This may coincide with the 25th anniversary of Rockstar Games.…

Through this collaboration, players will be able to get an idea of how Indus’ gameplay works, the maps, and weapons—all inside Fortnite’s creator mode.

Fortnite Gets an Indian Makeover with SuperGaming’s ‘Indus’ Battle Royale!

Adarsh V.KNovember 7, 23Fortnite, Indus

Indus, the upcoming made-in-India battle royale from Pune-based developer SuperGaming, will soon be playable as part of Fortnite, Epic Games’ highly successful battle royale game. During this integration, players can get a feel for Indus gameplay, maps, and weapons—all in Fortnite’s creator mode. This collaboration is expected to help Indu grab eyeballs before its release. And since Fortnite is also a battle royale, the game styles and gameplay are also parallel. “This will allow us to test Indus gaming with outside audiences faster and allow more players to experience Indofuturism…

At opening statements on Monday, Epic’s attorney Gary Bornstein told jurors that Google pays off competitors, including those who want to set up their own app stores to directly deal with users, and blocks them from competing with its own marketplace and payment system. (AFP)

Epic Exposes Google Play’s “Pay-to-Play” Scheme!

Adriana MaraisNovember 7, 23epic games, Google

Epic Games Inc. has accused Alphabet Inc. of employing a strategy known as “bribe and block” to stifle competition for its Google Play app marketplace. This alleged tactic has reportedly harmed developers and resulted in increased prices for consumers. The courtroom battle between Epic Games Inc. and the tech giant has commenced with these claims. Epic, the maker of the popular Fortnite game, plans to change Google Play’s practices in an antitrust lawsuit that will determine whether Google has monopolized the Android app distribution and payment market. The case threatens…

It’s also one of this year’s best games.

Apple Arcade’s ‘Japanese Rural Life Adventure’ is a Captivating Tale of Renewal

Adriana MaraisNovember 3, 23Apple, Apple Arcade, Gaming, iOS, mobile

I have contracted COVID-19 for the third time in less than two years, and each time I have found solace in gaming. Back in 2009, while battling swine flu, I immersed myself in Assassin’s Creed II. During my first bout with COVID, I delved into Red Dead Redemption 2 and discovered a narrative centered around illness and the fragility of human life. Now, amidst a year filled with highly anticipated game releases, such as Starfield and Spider-Man 2, I find myself snuggled under the covers with a lesser-known Apple Arcade…

Demand for games in India was robust with 15.4 billion gaming downloads in FY23, marking India as one of the largest gaming markets in the world.

Report Predicts Indian Gaming Industry Will Reach $7.5 Billion By FY28

Adarsh V.KNovember 2, 23Gaming

India’s gaming market is likely to hit the $7.5 billion valuation mark by FY28 — a CAGR of 20 percent — driven by rising in-app purchases and advertising revenue in casual and mid-core games, a new report said on Thursday. The revenue of the Indian gaming industry was $3.1 billion in FY23. Demand for games in India was strong with 15.4 billion game downloads in FY23, marking India as one of the world’s largest gaming markets, according to the State of India Gaming report by gaming and interactive media fund…