Gaming
PSN Partially Down for Many Gamers
If your PlayStation is struggling to get online right now, chances are you are among the gamers who are experiencing outrage on the service. Sony’s PlayStation Network service is experiencing an intermittent outage that has caused connection errors for people throughout today. Sony Interactive Entertainment has confirmed the issue, and it is trying to get PSN back up and running.
“You may have some difficulty launching games, applications, or online features,” reads Sony’s PSN status page. “Our engineers are working to resolve the issue as soon as possible, and we thank you for your patience.”
This outage is preventing people from logging into PSN. Some PlayStation console owners are also having trouble launching their games or logging into online multiplayer sessions. This is affecting games like Call of Duty: WWII, Destiny 2, and more. Even primarily single-player games are having trouble launching, including Assassin’s Creed: Origins and Horizon Zero Dawn.
But these connection errors are affecting more than just games. PlayStations around the world are struggling to launch video apps like Netflix and Hulu. Sony’s own PlayStation Video service is also not functioning properly at the moment. The publisher has also noted that PlayStation Now, the PS Store, and PS Music are all experiencing similar problems.
Sony has worked over the last couple of years to improve the reliability of PSN, and it has succeeded in a broad sense. The network does not go through regular monthly outages, which is something it experience throughout 2015 and 2016. The culmination of those problems was Christmas 2014 when a distributed denial-of-service attack took PSN offline for a week. But as with all online services, PSN is still vulnerable to outages like this one.
Gaming
Video: Secretlab TITAN Evo Stealth 2024 Gaming Chair – Unboxing + Installation
Ready to upgrade your gaming setup? In this video, we take you step-by-step through the assembly of the Secretlab Titan Evo Stealth 2024 Gaming Chair, renowned for its comfort, durability, and sleek design. Join us as we unpack the box, lay out all the parts, and guide you through the process from start to finish:
Whether you’re a seasoned gamer or just looking to enhance your workspace, this chair is a game-changer. Don’t miss out on our tips and tricks to ensure a smooth setup and optimal performance. Hit that play button, and let’s get started! If you found this video helpful, make sure to like, comment, and subscribe for more exciting content. Happy gaming!
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Gadgets
PS5 Anniversary Update Intros Retro Themes Celebrating Every PlayStation Generation
Sony has delighted gamers with a nostalgic surprise to celebrate PlayStation’s 30th anniversary. In addition to retro hardware that quickly sold out, Sony has released a software update that adds classic boot screens and themes for each generation of PlayStation console. Upon launching the update, users will be prompted to select their favourite generation, with options ranging from the PS1 to the PS4.
This update changes the PS5 dashboard’s menu colours and sounds to match the chosen console’s user interface. Additionally, players can explore other themes through the new “PlayStation 30th Anniversary” item in the settings menu.
However, these themes are available only for a limited time. Sony has not specified when they will be removed, but the decision to make them temporary has raised some eyebrows. While creating a perception of scarcity or avoiding clutter in the settings menu might be strategic, it could be seen as a missed opportunity to let users permanently enjoy the nostalgic themes.
This isn’t the first time Sony has indulged in retro charm. A decade ago, during PlayStation’s 20th anniversary, a free theme transformed the PS4, PS3, and Vita to reflect the PS1’s look and startup sound. As Sony celebrates three decades of gaming excellence, fans are once again treated to a trip down memory lane.
Components
Intel Unveils Budget-Friendly Arc B580 and B570 ‘Battlemage’ Graphics Cards
Intel is gearing up to launch its next — and potentially final — lineup of desktop graphics cards in just 10 days. Announcing the budget-friendly Arc B580 at $249 and Arc B570 at $219, Intel has positioned these cards as the “best-in-class performance per dollar” in the GPU market. The B580 is set to ship on December 13th, while the B570 will follow on January 16th.
The new cards are built on Intel’s Xe2 “Battlemage” GPU architecture, the same technology found in Intel’s Lunar Lake laptop chips, but significantly enhanced for desktop performance. With more than double the graphics cores, up to 12GB of dedicated video memory, and up to 190W of power, the B580 boasts the capability to outperform Nvidia’s $299 RTX 4060 and AMD’s $269 RX 7600 in certain benchmarks, though it still faces stiff competition.
Intel’s benchmarks show the B580 running 10 percent faster on average than the RTX 4060 across various games at 1440p and ultra settings when paired with Intel’s high-end Core i9-14900K CPU. Titles like Cyberpunk 2077, Hogwarts Legacy, Returnal, and The Witcher 3 achieve an average of over 60fps with this setup, surpassing the RTX 4060’s performance. However, Nvidia’s card still leads in games such as Starfield, Gears 5, and certain Assassin’s Creed titles, demonstrating the competitive landscape of GPU performance.
Compared to the previous generation A750, which originally retailed for $289 but is now available for $180, the new B580 runs 24 percent faster on average. This performance boost is more evident in scenarios where memory constraints are an issue, thanks to the B580’s 12GB of video memory compared to the 4060’s 8GB. For instance, in Forza Motorsport, the Nvidia card outperforms the Intel one, 86fps to 77fps, but with ray tracing enabled, Intel’s B580 takes the lead with 64fps to 57fps.
Intel’s own Arc B580 Limited Edition card will feature two fans, and a single 8-pin power connector, and promises “whisper quiet” performance. Additionally, manufacturers such as Acer, ASRock, Gunnir, Sparkle, Maxsun, and Onix will produce their versions of the card.
In addition to the new hardware, Intel is rolling out upgrades to its XeSS technology. The new XeSS 2 will offer frame generation, significantly boosting frame rates by creating new frames between existing ones, and an Xe Low Latency mode aimed at eliminating the latency penalty of frame generation. This new technology will be integrated into various upcoming games, including F1 24, Marvel Rivals, Assassin’s Creed Shadows, and more.
Intel’s budget-friendly approach with the Arc B580 and B570 is a refreshing addition to the GPU market, providing more memory and bandwidth at competitive prices. However, the future of Intel’s discrete graphics cards remains uncertain, following recent comments from former CEO Pat Gelsinger. For now, Intel’s latest offerings are set to make a significant impact in the market as they roll out in the coming weeks.