Facebook wants you to look and move like you in VR, even if you’ve got a headset strapped to your face in the real world. That’s why it’s building a new technology that uses a photo to map someone’s face into VR, and sensors to detect facial expressions and movements ...
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In-app purchases are coming to Facebook’s Instant Games on Android and the web
Facebook is adding support for in-app purchases to its Instant Games platform, the company announced during a session on gaming at its F8 developer conference this afternoon. The feature will allow game developers to add another form of monetization beyond advertising to their games on select platforms, but not on ...
Read More »Chinese authorities dish out $5M in fines for developers of PUBG hack software
There has long been speculation and evidence of cheating software for PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds (PUBG), but action is being taken to stamp it out. The makers of the smash-hit game have confirmed that they have worked with authorities in China who have dished out over $5 million in fines to at least 15 ...
Read More »PlayVS wants every high school to have an esports team
Nearly 200 colleges and universities across the U.S. and Canada are actively recruiting for esports scholarships. But unlike other sports, there is currently no real infrastructure for high school esports. PlayVS, a Science-backed startup out of Los Angeles, is looking to change that. Founded by Delane Parnell, PlayVS has signed ...
Read More »A university is giving scholarships to top Fortnite players
A Midwestern university wants to recruit the nation’s best Fortnite players for its varsity esports team, and it’s throwing out the dough to bring on some quality talent. Ashland University in Ohio will embrace the feverishly popular battle royale title into its competitive esports program, which it will officially launch ...
Read More »New Harry Potter game, launching today, lets players enroll in Hogwarts
In the first step of what could be an endless exploration of the wizarding world of Harry Potter, the Los Angeles mobile games studio Jam City is releasing its Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery game on the App Store and Google Play. Developed in partnership with Warner Bros., the game will launch under Warner Bros. ...
Read More »Twitch solidifies its lead with viewership up 21% in Q1, while YouTube Gaming drops
Twitch further solidified its lead in the game streaming market in the first quarter of the year, with gains in both average concurrent viewership and peak concurrent viewership, while the number two streaming site, YouTube Gaming, saw losses on both fronts. According to a new report from Streamlabs, which has ...
Read More »Snapchat launches AR selfie games called Snappables
Snapchat wants to let you play its augmented reality Lenses, not just play dress-up. Today it launched Snappables — AR games that use your touch, motion and facial expressions to compete for high scores or in literal head-to-head multiplayer match-ups. Snappables live alongside Snapchat’s other Lenses and are rolling out ...
Read More »Twitch’s creators and developers gain a new revenue stream with launch of Bits in Extensions
Twitch’s Bits, a virtual good that allows fans to cheer on their favorite streamers, have been one of the ways Twitch creators could make money from their channels while also recognizing and rewarding their top fans. Today, the game streaming site is expanding the power of those Bits by allowing ...
Read More »Unstoppable exploit in Nintendo Switch opens door to homebrew and piracy
The Nintendo Switch may soon be a haven for hackers, but not the kind that want your data — the kind that want to run SNES emulators and Linux on their handheld gaming consoles. A flaw in an Nvidia chip used by the Switch, detailed today, lets power users inject ...
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