video games
HHW Gaming: ‘Call of Duty’ Takes It Back To World War II In ‘Vanguard’ Reveal Trailer
HipHopWired Featured Video Source: Sledgehammer Games / Call of Duty: Vanguard Activision let the cat out of the bag earlier this week when it finally revealed Call of Duty: Vanguard, the next installment in the iconic first-person shooter franchise. Now we get to see even more about the upcoming title. Thursday (Aug.19), Warzone players got the first opportunity to feast their eyes on the Sledgehammer Studios produced game during the “Battle of Verdansk” event in the free-to-play online component of the game. Eventually, the trailer made its way online, showing the World War II action gamers can look forward to when the game arrives later this year. Source: Sledgehammer Games / Call of Duty: Vanguard Call of Duty: Vanguard will feature a “historically inspired” single-player campaign that...
Austin Wintory & His Grammy-Nominated Talents Broke the Alien Composers’ Curse on Aliens: Fireteam Elite
Aliens: Fireteam Elite has some big shoes to fill. When the cooperative multiplayer shooter releases next week, it’ll need to find a way to bring the three-person squads directly into the Alien universe — one of the most recognizable franchises in sci-fi, horror, and everything in between. But while Alien: Isolation (2014) channeled the original movie by focusing on the horrors of trying to hopelessly survive against a single Xenomorph, the upcoming title is more about the nonstop sci-fi action of Aliens. Of course, it’ll still need to keep some suspense and terror in the air to fit in with the classic movie trilogy and numerous spinoffs, but players won’t feel nearly as helpless this time around. To set the mood for the adrenaline rush of a release, Cold Iron Studios brought in award-winn...
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...
After Winning Dozens of Awards, Hades and Its Killer Soundtrack Come to PlayStation and Xbox
For those who haven’t played Hades yet, well, you should. And now that it’s coming to PlayStation and Xbox (including physical releases through a partnership with Private Division), you really don’t have an excuse not to. Not only is it one of the most nominated and award-winning games of 2020, but it’s also arguably Supergiant Games’ masterpiece up to this point. In addition to being the finest work from one of the most beloved indie studios, Hades takes roguelikes to a new level as well. Much like how Pyre used Supergiant’s beloved art style and narrative talents to bring elements of sports to an audience that would never play a sports game, Hades serves as a perfect introduction to the often merciless and repetitive gameplay associated with roguelikes. Aside from the visuals and stories...
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...
Take a Chill Adventure in a Bug-Sized Mech With Stonefly
Anyone who’s delved into any of Flight School Studio’s games already knows that there’s really nothing else like them. Titles like Creature in the Well and Manifest 99 are the kind of weird little indie adventures that a larger studio wouldn’t dare to touch. Their most recent release, Stonefly, is their biggest and most robust game yet, but it’s certainly not any less strange. It combines surprisingly strategic combat, customizable mechs, a Pixar-like visual and narrative appeal, and a supremely relaxing atmosphere, all scaled down to the size of insects. Will it appeal to everyone or compete with the biggest names in the industry? Almost certainly not, but that’s not what Creative Director Adam Volker and Game Director Bohdon Sayre are after. The Flight School Studio team wants to put for...
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...
Listen to Six Minutes of the Psychonauts 2 Soundtrack in New ‘Musical Tour’ Video
For anyone who played the original Xbox and PlayStation 2 classic, the long-awaited sequel to 2005’s Psychonauts is easily one of the most anticipated video games to release this month. And as of today, fans will have a better idea of what the latest adventure for Razputin Aquato and the rest of the Psychonauts will sound like on August 25. Composer Peter McConnell and the Double Fine team just released a 6-minute “Psychonauts 2 Musical Tour,” with SPIN getting an exclusive first peek at it. Throughout the video, snippets of McConnell’s score flow from one to the next as images of Psychonauts 2’s various environments and characters set the tone for what to expect. As those who played the first game and/or 2017’s VR exclusive, Psychonauts in the Rhombus of Ruin, may have gues...
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 ...
