Tech
HHW Gaming: Xbox Teaming Up With The Special Olympics For First Inclusion Esports Tournament
HipHopWired Featured Video Source: Microsoft / Xbox Microsoft and the Special Olympics formed a unique bond in 2014 with the goal to help empower Special Olympics athletes and programs through technology. Seven years later, that partnership continues with a new Esports tournament. The Special Olympics Games and Xbox Gaming began working together back in 2018 with an Xbox Gaming Tournament, a first in the world of competitive gaming. In 2020 during the height of the pandemic, Xbox partnered with the Special Olympics USA Games “to find innovative ways to support Special Olympics athletes” while stay-at-home orders were being implemented with the 2020 Special Olympics Xbox Virtual Gaming Event. Now, Xbox and the Special Olympics are going global with their latest effort with the inaugural esp...
Samsung Unfolds Its Newest Smartphones, The Galaxy Z Fold3 & Galaxy Z Flip3
HipHopWired Featured Video Source: Bernard Smalls / @PhotosByBeanz83 We previously reported that Samsung is comfortably ahead of the curve thanks to the Galaxy Z Fold2 5G and Galaxy Z Flip. The Korean tech giant is now looking to lap the competition with its newest foldable devices. Wednesday (Aug.11), Samsung literally unfolded its new foldable smartphones, the Galaxy Z Fold3 5G and Galaxy Z Flip3 5G, during its latest virtual Unpacked event. These new flagship models take what made the previous models stand out and add enhancements like IPX84 water resistance, new Armor Aluminum—the strongest aluminum ever used on a Galaxy smartphone— and Corning Gorilla Glass Victus that Samsung promises will protect against scratches and accidental drops. Both devices include a new protective fil...
Ariana Grande Is Taking Over ‘Fortnite’ This Weekend: Inside The Rift Tour
Over the past several years, the music industry has opened its eyes to gaming as a new way to connect with fans and drive revenue. In-game performances offer multiple revenue streams to artists, from up-front payments to virtual goods and a streaming spike for the artist’s music that tends to follow an in-game show. Compared to “Astronomical,” Grande’s performance is less visually chaotic, with fewer scene changes, and has an expanded focus on the player experience. In Grande’s world — which looks like if the Lisa Frank brand were an entire planet — players aren’t just watching the show, but actively participating in it, a key element that will be part of future experiences, according to Phil Rampulla, head of brand at Epic Games, Fortnite‘s parent company. “You’ll ...
HHW Gaming: ‘NBA 2K22’ Will Allow Players To Record Music In The Game Through A Beats Pack
HipHopWired Featured Video Source: 2K / NBA 2K22 Next to the player ratings and actual gameplay footage, the soundtrack you will be vibing to while you browse the game’s menus and enjoy while warming up during MyCareer and timeouts in NBA 2K is equally important. Wednesday (Aug.4), 2K Sports announced it is taking a new approach to NBA 2K22’s soundtrack. For this year’s installment, 2K will establish new connections with Soundcloud and record labels like Def Jam, Warner Music, and Columbia to deliver new experiences and opportunities to players to discover new artists highlighted by 2K throughout NBA 2K’s ever-changing season structure. NBA 2K22 will introduce “First Fridays,” a new feature that will allow players to discover new music throughout the year. 2K says it will be adding new son...
HHW Gaming: DaBaby ‘Fortnite’ Tie-In Discovered In Update By Data Miners, Epic Games Stays Silent
HipHopWired Featured Video Source: Jason Koerner / Getty Epic Games is definitely not reading the room following this discovery. As spotted on The Verge, data miners made an interesting find while digging deep into Fortnite’s v17.30 update released on Tuesday (Aug.3) morning. A file containing audio for a new emote from The Migos latest track, “AM to PM,” which features currently embattled Hip-Hop star DaBaby, was discovered. If you have no clue what is going on with the North Carolina Hip-Hop star, he has been embroiled in controversy following his headass homophobic comments toward people with HIV and AIDS he blurted out during his Rolling Loud Miami performance. Instead of apologizing, DaBaby doubled down on his comments leading to “DaBookings” and “DaBags” being fumbled. DaBaby has sai...
HHW Gaming: Xbox’s Latest Wireless Controller Feautres A “Dazzling Blue” Finish & Rubber Grips
HipHopWired Featured Video Source: Xbox / Xbox Wireless Controller – Aqua Shift Special Edition Xbox’s newest wireless controller is almost elite status. Tuesday (Aug.3), Xbox unveiled a new wireless controller, but this one isn’t like the models the have come before it. This new controller, called the Aqua Shift Special Edition that comes in a dazzling blue finish. Each controller features it also has rubber grips on the side that Microsoft says have “a unique dual-color swirl on every unit” that will “keep you in control.” The triggers, bumpers, and back case also feature a textured grip that Microsoft promises will “makes sure you stay connected to the game no matter how intense things get.” Source: Xbox / Xbox Wireless Controller – Aqua Shift Special Edition The controller also feature...
HHW Gaming: Blizzard Entertainment President J. Allen Brack Steps Down Following California Lawsuit & Employee Walk out
HipHopWired Featured Video Source: Allen J. Schaben / Getty The fallout from the California lawsuit alleging American-based video game publishers, Activision Blizzard being accused of fostering a “frat boy” culture in which female employees are allegedly subjected to unequal pay and sexual harassment” continues. Following the walkout staged by Activision Blizzard employees and gamers online calling for the company to take some real action to address the allegations, Blizzard President J. Allen Brack has stepped down. Activision Blizzard announced to staff that Jen Oneal and Mike Ybarra would “co-lead” in his place. In a statement spotted on Polygon, a spokesperson for Blizzard said: “Both leaders are deeply committed to all of our employees; to the work ahead to ensure Blizzard is th...
HHW Gaming: Peep Some of King T’Challa’s Drip In ‘Marvel’s Avengers’ Upcoming ‘Black Panther: War For Wakanda’ Expansion
HipHopWired Featured Video Source: Square Enix / MARVEL’S AVENGERS EXPANSION: BLACK PANTHER – WAR FOR WAKANDA It’s almost time to head to Wakanda in Crystal Dynamic’s Marvel’s Avengers. Ahead of the highly-anticipated Black Panther — War For Wakanda expansion, we are getting our first look at some of King T’Challa’s outfits in the game. We are slowly but surely learning a lot about Marvel’s Avengers first, and much-needed major expansion that will hopefully help the game live up to its full potential. Crystal Dynamics is hoping King T’Challa, aka the Black Panther, to save the day with the upcoming War For Wakanda expansion. Ahead of Monday, August 16’s Marvel’s Avengers WAR TABLE focused on the War for Wakanda expansion, Square Enix unveiled King T’Challa’s in-game costumes. We ...
Executive Turntable: New Hires at Obama’s Media Company & Warner’s Social Justice Fund
Dan Fierman most recently served as president of Epic Media in Los Angeles, leading the media start-up to acquisition by Vox Media in 2019. Prior to that, he led news coverage at MTV, was the Editorial Director of the pop culture site Grantland and oversaw culture and special packages at GQ. He and Holmes oversaw the launch of The Michelle Obama Podcast and Renegades: Born in the USA, the podcast hosted by President Obama and Bruce Springsteen. Mark R. Wright was an executive at MACRO, where he developed and produced Juel Taylor’s directorial debut, They Cloned Tyrone (Netflix). His slate of projects also includes the Oscar-winning film Judas and the Black Messiah, Alan Yang’s Tigertail and Birth of Cool. He has produced several short films, including an award-winning science fiction film,...
HHW Gaming: Here Is When We Are Heading To Wakanda In ‘Marvel’s Avengers’
HipHopWired Featured Video Source: Square Enix / MARVEL’S AVENGERS EXPANSION: BLACK PANTHER – WAR FOR WAKANDA Crystal Dynamics’ Marvel’s Avengers was supposed to be a big deal when it was launched, but gamers quickly got bored with the game. Now, the game studio hopes Black Panther can help save Marvel’s Avengers and has shared the launch date for the expansion. Thursday (Jul.29) revealed the upcoming Black Panther – War For Wakanda expansion is dropping on August 17 and will be completely free to owners of the core Marvel’s Avengers game. The game will introduce the Black Panther, the third new playable character to be introduced to the game on top of the core six characters and Hawkeye and Kate Bishop. Along with the addition of T’Challa, the War For Wakanda expansion will introduce...
In Demand: Why Justin Timberlake, Coldplay and More Call Federico Vindver For Cutting-Edge Production
The alienation he felt from his classmates during the day, however, was balanced somewhat by the acceptance he found playing nighttime gigs at Black churches and Latin clubs — gigs through which he learned to use technology to live-produce his one-man act (he had competed one year of computer science school back in Argentina when a hand injury prevented him from playing piano). “One day,” he says, “I realized I have more fun doing this than actually playing jazz.” Right after graduation, he signed on as a keyboardist and producer for Lauryn Hill and continued building up his portfolio with projects for Jennifer Lopez, Ricky Martin, Pitbull, Wisin, Marc Anthony, Leona Lewis and Joss Stone. Now, when artists like Kanye West, Mariah Carey and Nick Jonas “want to ge...
HHW Gaming: Sony Has Moved 10 Million PlayStation 5’s Since Its Debut
HipHopWired Featured Video Source: sony press / Sony press The PlayStation 5 took the gaming world by storm late last year, and even though getting your hands on a pair was as tough as getting a pair of kicks on the Nike SNKRS app, Sony has moved quite an impressive amount of units since its release last November. The Verge is reporting that though Sony’s latest console still remains as scarce out on these streets like a pair of OG retro Jordans, Sony was still able to bump off more than 10 million consoles these past few months. Lowkey feels like only a few hundred thousand units have been made available worldwide, but okay, not bad. The massive sales are making the PS5 the fastest-selling videogame system in Sony’s history and had it not been for a global chip shortage. The console would...
