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Cloud-based virtual PC rental comes to the US with Shadow

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Shadow Box

The ‘cloud’ has been a buzzword in the games industry for a while now. Although, in theory, it’s a brilliant idea, it’s not a concept that has ever really gained mainstream traction. From pioneers OnLive to current services such as Playstation Now and GeForce Now, cloud-based gaming is still in its infancy.

French startup Blade is hoping to buck this trend with their ‘Shadow’ subscription service, which is now available for the first time in America. Their unique selling point is that they don’t want to help you stream games. They want to help you stream an entire virtual PC, and an absolute powerhouse at that.

The thinking behind it is fairly simple. Blade wants to help people that don’t have the money or space to splash out on serious hardware. Instead of spending $2,000 on a new rig, why not just rent your own for a monthly fee?

By signing up to Shadow, you’ll get your own virtual PC, ready to go wherever you have a screen and a decent internet connection. The impressive part? You’re not sharing anything with anyone else. Each and every paying customer will get their own setup. The Shadow service currently offers a full Windows 10 PC fitted with an Intel Xeon CPU running four cores, 12 GB of DDR4 RAM and 256 GB of storage. Their graphics solution isn’t anything to sniff at either. For your money, you’ll get the equivalent of a GeForce 1080 with 16GB of video memory.

Blade even handle upgrades, constantly improving their offering as technology advances. Asher Kagan, president and co-founder of Blade, touched on this in a recent interview with Polygon:

The idea is that the user will never need to care about the hardware anymore“.

The Shadow service originally launched in France in 2016 and quickly reached capacity with 5,000 subscribers. Since its inception, other countries have steadily followed including Belgium and Switzerland. Now, as we enter 2018, Shadow is finally landing on American soil. California, to be exact. Initial backers are estimated to receive the service as of February with more and more data centres rolling the service out nationwide throughout the year.

Obviously, building an infrastructure that can initially handle and then maintain cloud-based computing at scale is expensive. As a result, Shadow isn’t cheap. With the lowest priced plan setting you back $35 / month for a year, you’re looking at around £420 to rent a PC for 12 months. Regardless, Blade is confident that their plan is ideal for those who want to sidestep a large initial cost.

Shadow Box 2

Boxing Clever

At this point, you’re probably asking how this all works for you sitting at home. There are essentially two ways to go about it. Either you grab the app on whichever screen you’re looking to use (this could be a Smart TV, low-end desktop PC, Mac or even your phone) or you opt for the official Shadow Box. As you’d expect, the Shadow experience varies depending on the screen and the quality of your Internet connection. With this in mind, it’s entirely possible that you could stick a controller into your Smart TV or MacBook and play the latest games at 4K as long as you have the bandwidth to back it up.

The Shadow Box is the second option. This dedicated local console is a basic hub, with several USB ports, display ports and room for an Ethernet cable. Acting as a replacement for a dedicated PC, the Shadow Box is the purest way to experience the service. Any peripherals you plug into the box will appear as accessories on your virtual PC, just as it would with a physical desktop. This slick looking box is also the only way to achieve the maximum framerate, 144Hz/1080p.

Naturally, because your Shadow PC is yours, you can essentially do what you like with it. You can download any games you own from popular stores such as Steam, GOG or Origin and play them as you usually would. Software can be downloaded and used as long as it doesn’t break the terms and conditions (which forbids things such as cryptocurrency mining).

Security is another major concern that Blade wants to address. The company itself has stated that they cannot access any user uploaded data, outside of the hosting and sharing that allows the platform to run. With each virtual PC essentially its own walled garden, they’re confident that network security will be equally as tight.

All in all, Shadow is an intriguing prospect. Although it has seen excellent success in Europe, cracking America is a different ballgame. With vastly different internet speeds, a larger prospective user base and much more land to cover, achieving similar success in the US will be a real test for Blade and the Shadow service.

UK based gaming writer, raised on a diet of Street Fighter and Isometric RPG's. I enjoy playing every game I can get my grubby little hands on.

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Shift Up unveils the intriguing details behind the physical packaging of Stellar Blade for the PS5

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It appears that many

are eagerly anticipating the launch of the highly anticipated PS5 exclusive, Stellar Blade. Shift Up, the developer, has shared a lengthy video showcasing the “secrets” found in the physical box of the game for PS5. From what we can gather, these secrets include a reversible cover/dust jacket and a download code for cosmetic items.

We must clarify that while we do appreciate the variant cover, it may be more appealing than the game’s standard art. However, it is not something we would typically classify as a “secret.”. However, what’s interesting is that Shift Up has confirmed through the comments section that this will be the case in all regions. Additionally, the visually striking action RPG will remain uncensored worldwide.

It’s refreshing to witness a developer going the extra mile for physical collectors, and it’s evident that the developer is determined to leave a favorable mark in the console realm. Stellar Blade is set to make its highly anticipated debut this Friday, April 26th, exclusively on the PS5.

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Here are all the patch notes for the new PS5 firmware update that adds the community game help feature

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Sony has recently launched the newest PS5 system software update, which is always an exciting occasion for avid PlayStation fans. With a size of slightly over 1GB, you can download and install it right away. As always, the question remains: What exactly does the update bring to the table?

According to the official patch notes, there have been some notable improvements, particularly in the area of game help. We are introducing an exciting addition to our platform: the Community Game Help feature. This feature enhances the PS5’s Game Help system by providing you with gameplay videos from fellow players. Players have the option to choose whether or not they want their gameplay videos to be shared using this feature.

If you’re concerned about it, you can now hide your Remote Play connection status as well.

Presenting the complete patch notes:

  • Game Help has been enhanced with the addition of Community Game Help features
  • Within Game Help, players can find Community Game Help hints in supported games. These cues come from gameplay videos that other players have shared.
  • If you’re up for it, you have the option to contribute to Community Game Help by giving permission for your gameplay video to be automatically recorded and included in the feature after it’s been reviewed
  • If you want to join in, navigate to Settings, then Captures & Broadcasts, followed by Captures, Auto Captures, and finally Community Game Help. From there, simply choose the option to participate. Users have the option to unsubscribe whenever they choose
  • During Remote Play, players now have the option to hide the persistent message “Remote Play connected.” that appears on their game screen. To ensure a seamless gaming experience, navigate to the Settings menu, then proceed to the System section. From there, locate the Remote Play option and activate the Hide Remote Play Connection Status feature
  • The system’s software performance and stability have been significantly enhanced
  • The messages and usability on some screens have been enhanced

While not the most groundbreaking update, the Community Game Help feature has the potential to be intriguing, contingent upon the number of games that offer support for it. What are your thoughts on the latest update? Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments section below.

 

 

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New PS5 Patch Introduces Rare 40FPS Mode for Avatar Game

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Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora has received an exciting update that introduces a new graphical mode, elevating the game’s visual experience. With a smooth frame rate of 40 frames per second and enhanced resolutions, players can now immerse themselves in even more stunning and detailed environments. Now downloadable on PS5 with the latest patch 3.2, this mode is compatible with 4K TVs that can handle up to 120 Hz. Before this update, Avatar PS5 only offered quality and performance modes. However, with this new option, players can now enjoy the benefits of both modes after downloading the 2.4GB update.

Throughout the PS5 era, 40fps modes have been a rarity, much to the disappointment of the hardcore community. Insomniac Games first introduced them in Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales and later added the feature to Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart. They also included it in Marvel’s Spider-Man 2. Other PS5 titles, such as Hogwarts Legacy, Lies of P, and God of War Ragnarok, also offer 40fps modes.

In addition to that, Patch 3.2 for Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora brings along the following:

Worldwide:

  • Research Station Alpha now features a convenient Fast Travel option
  • The issue of controller re-mapping and resetting on game restart has been resolved
  • Addressed multiple instances of crashes
  • I corrected a few spelling errors
  • Addressed the issue of voice lines overlapping during dialogue

Primary Objectives & Optional Objectives:

  • [Main Quest: Shadows of the Past] This main quest is an intriguing journey into the depths of history. Addressed a bug that previously hindered quest progression in co-op mode

More bug fixes have been implemented.

  • [Available on all platforms] The rescued human characters no longer return to the Resistance HQ wearing masks
  • Available on all platforms. There is a noticeable improvement in the visibility of NPCs when they are at the edge of the Player’s vision

 

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