The PS5 and Xbox Series X have dominated the conversation online when it comes to video games in 2020. But I’m not pre-ordering either, nor am I even planning to buy them this holiday season.
We all have our reasons for saying “yas!” or “nah” when it comes to new console purchases, but I don’t think I’m much of an edge case here. I’m planning on waiting because it feels like I’m not being given a reason to buy yet.
To get this out of the way, I’m not looking down on anyone who is ready to pre-order the PS5 or Xbox Series X. Supply chains and scarcity are reason enough, and I’ll get to how there are some pretty important games on those platforms in a minute.
But for now, here are the three reasons why I’m skipping the PS5 and Xbox Series X for now, which go beyond the simple argument of “that’s a lot of money I could spend on a lot of other things.”
I still have plenty of PS4 games to play
Let’s start with the PS5, the console I was more likely to buy in the first place (I run a PS4 household, and I didn’t even buy my own Xbox One X). The PS5 feature I’m most excited about is its wild design. This thing looks like a Wi-Fi Router and a tower fan had a secret love child that grew up around EVE and WALL•E. As a piece of statement art, it’s as strong as it is divisive.
(Image credit: Sony)
But considering that’s the thing about the PS5 I’m most excited about, you might already know where I’m going next: the games. Or, rather, the lack thereof.
This is the list of the games that are expected to be coming to the PS5 at launch or by the end of 2020:
Assassin’s Creed Valhalla – Holiday 2020
Astro’s Playroom – PS5 Launch
Bugsnax – Holiday 2020
Chivalry 2 – 2020
Dirt 5 – 2020
Fortnite – PS5 Launch
Godfall – December 2020
Gods and Monsters – Holiday 2020
Jett: The Far Shore – Holiday 2020
Madden NFL 21 – 2020
NBA 2K21 – 2020
Observer: System Redux – Holiday 2020
Oddworld Soulstrom – 2020
Outriders – Holiday 2020
Planet Coaster: Console Edition – 2020
Quantum Error – 2020
Redo! Enhanced Edition – 2020
Spider-Man: Miles Morales – Holiday 2020
Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines 2 – 2020
Watch Dogs: Legion – Holiday 2020
Worms Rumble – 2020
WRC 9 – 2020
Of those, the two that have some of my interest are the horror-based first-person-shooter Quantum Error and Spider-Man: Miles Morales. The former feels like something I could “get to” somewhere down the road (I’m only about to start Horizon Zero Dawn), and while the trailer for the latter got me excited as heck… I know myself well enough to wait.
Why should I wait? Because I still haven’t beaten the original PS4 Spider-Man game. And I know I should, but earlier this year, Animal Crossing: New Horizons and Persona 5 Royal teamed up to each take over 100 hours of my play time. As much as I want to explore the virtual version of the NYC I can’t really explore during this pandemic, Spider-Man faded into the background.
(Image credit: Marvel)
Looking at that launch list, I can see games that I know some of my friends will rush to buy. Assassin’s Creed: Valhalla has a strong and dedicated fan base behind it. Dirt 5 is already impressing one of my colleagues. Heck, even the cute and peculiar Bugsnax is making fans out of some folks in the Discord I spend some time in.
But those three games aren’t for me. And even if they were, all three of them are also coming to PS4.
I’ve only recently begun Ghosts of Tsushima (which is rad), and since I got both Yakuza 0 and the Yakuza Remastered Collection for cheap on sales, I know I should give them the ol’ college try too. Sitting above those titles is Resident Evil 7, which tests my love of horror as I play it one small sliver at a time.
Oh, and knowing me, I’ll some day give another 100+ hours to the New Game Plus for Persona 5 Royal (yes, I’m trying to play Persona 4 Golden on Steam, but wow that game is buggy to the point of being unplayable, at least for me).
A new Xbox isn’t for me (even at $299)
Sure, the Xbox Series S is tempting at its $299 price, but even if I were to grab it, I feel like it would go unattended to, just like the Xbox Series X I lucked my way into last year.
Primarily, I use my Xbox Series X for the rare game that shows up on Game Pass that is intriguing enough for me to restart my subscription. Most recently, that was Tell Me Why, a point-and-click mystery game about two siblings uncovering the truth about their mom’s death. It’s an emotional and at times harrowing tale, and I’m glad I can play it.
(Image credit: Xbox)
But just as with the PS5, I don’t see the reason to invest in the new Xbox early. So far, it has one game that truly makes me excited: Tetris Effect: Connected. I love Tetris Effect, but I mostly love playing it with my buddies when they come over.
Tetris Effect: Connected adds online multiplayer, which is the fix that this modern age of quarantine requires. But as great as that is, that would require my friends who I play Tetris Effect with to own an Xbox or PC. Plus, as with many upcoming first- and third-party Xbox games, I’ll be able to play Connected on the Xbox One I already have.
My Nintendo Switch is right here
I’m one of those types who keeps finding new ways to make their Nintendo Switch the most important game console they own. Most importantly, Ring Fit Adventure practically changed my life this past summer, getting me to work out which helped my sleep and back pain issues. I play RFA for about a half an hour every single morning, and while it does feel like less of a game and more of a workout, it’s become an important part of my life to the point where I cannot stop.
The Switch also just got Spiritfarer, a really interesting and unique indie title (that’s also on Xbox Game Pass, which I wish I knew before I hit Buy). Spiritfarer is about death and the high seas, and it looks to be such a compelling title that I might get drawn into finishing it.
(Image credit: Tom’s Guide)
The Switch keeps getting quality ports, too, which makes me know that I can keep feeding it small $20 to $40 purchases and stay entertained, rather than splurge upwards of $500 on the PS5 immediately.
And my love of all things Nintendo Switch, from Animal Crossing: New Horizons and Ape Out to Untitled Goose Game and Celeste, has shown me something about myself. Gameplay matters a lot more to me than load times or graphical fidelity.
Why I’m waiting on PS5 and Xbox Series X
Sure, come summer or winter 2021 I might have a change of heart about this incoming pair of next-gen consoles. Maybe someone will be allowed to have guests over and show me the error of my ways.
But when I have more games than I can play at the same time already (oh, I almost forgot, I’m enjoying Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 1+2 no matter how bad I am at it), I just don’t see the big reason. Especially when the few next-gen games that are coming this year that pique my interest don’t do it enough to feel like they’re worth buying a whole console for.
Although no one likes a know-it-all, they dominate the Internet.
The Internet began as a vast repository of information. It quickly became a breeding ground for self-proclaimed experts seeking what most people desire: recognition and money.
Today, anyone with an Internet connection and some typing skills can position themselves, regardless of their education or experience, as a subject matter expert (SME). From relationship advice, career coaching, and health and nutrition tips to citizen journalists practicing pseudo-journalism, the Internet is awash with individuals—Internet talking heads—sharing their “insights,” which are, in large part, essentially educated guesses without the education or experience.
The Internet has become a 24/7/365 sitcom where armchair experts think they’re the star.
Not long ago, years, sometimes decades, of dedicated work and acquiring education in one’s field was once required to be recognized as an expert. The knowledge and opinions of doctors, scientists, historians, et al. were respected due to their education and experience. Today, a social media account and a knack for hyperbole are all it takes to present oneself as an “expert” to achieve Internet fame that can be monetized.
On the Internet, nearly every piece of content is self-serving in some way.
The line between actual expertise and self-professed knowledge has become blurry as an out-of-focus selfie. Inadvertently, social media platforms have created an informal degree program where likes and shares are equivalent to degrees. After reading selective articles, they’ve found via and watching some TikTok videos, a person can post a video claiming they’re an herbal medicine expert. Their new “knowledge,” which their followers will absorb, claims that Panda dung tea—one of the most expensive teas in the world and isn’t what its name implies—cures everything from hypertension to existential crisis. Meanwhile, registered dietitians are shaking their heads, wondering how to compete against all the misinformation their clients are exposed to.
More disturbing are individuals obsessed with evangelizing their beliefs or conspiracy theories. These people write in-depth blog posts, such as Elvis Is Alive and the Moon Landings Were Staged, with links to obscure YouTube videos, websites, social media accounts, and blogs. Regardless of your beliefs, someone or a group on the Internet shares them, thus confirming your beliefs.
Misinformation is the Internet’s currency used to get likes, shares, and engagement; thus, it often spreads like a cosmic joke. Consider the prevalence of clickbait headlines:
You Won’t Believe What Taylor Swift Says About Climate Change!
This Bedtime Drink Melts Belly Fat While You Sleep!
In One Week, I Turned $10 Into $1 Million!
Titles that make outrageous claims are how the content creator gets reads and views, which generates revenue via affiliate marketing, product placement, and pay-per-click (PPC) ads. Clickbait headlines are how you end up watching a TikTok video by a purported nutrition expert adamantly asserting you can lose belly fat while you sleep by drinking, for 14 consecutive days, a concoction of raw eggs, cinnamon, and apple cider vinegar 15 minutes before going to bed.
Our constant search for answers that’ll explain our convoluted world and our desire for shortcuts to success is how Internet talking heads achieve influencer status. Because we tend to seek low-hanging fruits, we listen to those with little experience or knowledge of the topics they discuss yet are astute enough to know what most people want to hear.
There’s a trend, more disturbing than spreading misinformation, that needs to be called out: individuals who’ve never achieved significant wealth or traded stocks giving how-to-make-easy-money advice, the appeal of which is undeniable. Several people I know have lost substantial money by following the “advice” of Internet talking heads.
Anyone on social media claiming to have a foolproof money-making strategy is lying. They wouldn’t be peddling their money-making strategy if they could make easy money.
Successful people tend to be secretive.
Social media companies design their respective algorithms to serve their advertisers—their source of revenue—interest; hence, content from Internet talking heads appears most prominent in your feeds. When a video of a self-professed expert goes viral, likely because it pressed an emotional button, the more people see it, the more engagement it receives, such as likes, shares and comments, creating a cycle akin to a tornado.
Imagine scrolling through your TikTok feed and stumbling upon a “scientist” who claims they can predict the weather using only aluminum foil, copper wire, sea salt and baking soda. You chuckle, but you notice his video got over 7,000 likes, has been shared over 600 times and received over 400 comments. You think to yourself, “Maybe this guy is onto something.” What started as a quest to achieve Internet fame evolved into an Internet-wide belief that weather forecasting can be as easy as DIY crafts.
Since anyone can call themselves “an expert,” you must cultivate critical thinking skills to distinguish genuine expertise from self-professed experts’ self-promoting nonsense. While the absurdity of the Internet can be entertaining, misinformation has serious consequences. The next time you read a headline that sounds too good to be true, it’s probably an Internet talking head making an educated guess; without the education seeking Internet fame, they can monetize.
TORONTO – A new survey says a majority of software engineers and developers feel tight project deadlines can put safety at risk.
Seventy-five per cent of the 1,000 global workers who responded to the survey released Tuesday say pressure to deliver projects on time and on budget could be compromising critical aspects like safety.
The concern is even higher among engineers and developers in North America, with 77 per cent of those surveyed on the continent reporting the urgency of projects could be straining safety.
The study was conducted between July and September by research agency Coleman Parkes and commissioned by BlackBerry Ltd.’s QNX division, which builds connected-car technology.
The results reflect a timeless tug of war engineers and developers grapple with as they balance the need to meet project deadlines with regulations and safety checks that can slow down the process.
Finding that balance is an issue that developers of even the simplest appliances face because of advancements in technology, said John Wall, a senior vice-president at BlackBerry and head of QNX.
“The software is getting more complicated and there is more software whether it’s in a vehicle, robotics, a toaster, you name it… so being able to patch vulnerabilities, to prevent bad actors from doing malicious acts is becoming more and more important,” he said.
The medical, industrial and automotive industries have standardized safety measures and anything they produce undergoes rigorous testing, but that work doesn’t happen overnight. It has to be carried out from the start and then at every step of the development process.
“What makes safety and security difficult is it’s an ongoing thing,” Wall said. “It’s not something where you’ve done it, and you are finished.”
The Waterloo, Ont.-based business found 90 per cent of its survey respondents reported that organizations are prioritizing safety.
However, when asked about why safety may not be a priority for their organization, 46 per cent of those surveyed answered cost pressures and 35 per cent said a lack of resources.
That doesn’t surprise Wall. Delays have become rampant in the development of tech, and in some cases, stand to push back the launch of vehicle lines by two years, he said.
“We have to make sure that people don’t compromise on safety and security to be able to get products out quicker,” he said.
“What we don’t want to see is people cutting corners and creating unsafe situations.”
The survey also took a peek at security breaches, which have hit major companies like London Drugs, Indigo Books & Music, Giant Tiger and Ticketmaster in recent years.
About 40 per cent of the survey’s respondents said they have encountered a security breach in their employer’s operating system. Those breaches resulted in major impacts for 27 per cent of respondents, moderate impacts for 42 per cent and minor impacts for 27 per cent.
“There are vulnerabilities all the time and this is what makes the job very difficult because when you ship the software, presumably the software has no security vulnerabilities, but things get discovered after the fact,” Wall said.
Security issues, he added, have really come to the forefront of the problems developers face, so “really without security, you have no safety.”
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 8, 2024.
As online shoppers hunt for bargains offered by Amazon during its annual fall sale this week, cybersecurity researchers are warning Canadians to beware of an influx of scammers posing as the tech giant.
In the 30 days leading up to Amazon’s Prime Big Deal Days, taking place Tuesday and Wednesday, there were more than 1,000 newly registered Amazon-related web domains, according to Check Point Software Technologies, a company that offers cybersecurity solutions.
The company said it deemed 88 per cent of those domains malicious or suspicious, suggesting they could have been set up by scammers to prey on vulnerable consumers. One in every 54 newly created Amazon-related domain included the phrase “Amazon Prime.”
“They’re almost indiscernible from the real Amazon domain,” said Robert Falzon, head of engineering at Check Point in Canada.
“With all these domains registered that look so similar, it’s tricking a lot of people. And that’s the whole intent here.”
Falzon said Check Point Research sees an uptick in attempted scams around big online shopping days throughout the year, including Prime Days.
Scams often come in the form of phishing emails, which are deceptive messages that appear to be from a reputable source in attempt to steal sensitive information.
In this case, he said scammers posing as Amazon commonly offer “outrageous” deals that appear to be associated with Prime Days, in order to trick recipients into clicking on a malicious link.
The cybersecurity firm said it has identified and blocked 100 unique Amazon Prime-themed scam emails targeting organizations and consumers over the past two weeks.
Scammers also target Prime members with unsolicited calls, claiming urgent account issues and requesting payment information.
“It’s like Christmas for them,” said Falzon.
“People expect there to be significant savings on Prime Day, so they’re not shocked that they see something of significant value. Usually, the old adage applies: If it seems too good to be true, it probably is.”
Amazon’s website lists a number of red flags that it recommends customers watch for to identify a potential impersonation scam.
Those include false urgency, requests for personal information, or indications that the sender prefers to complete the purchase outside of the Amazon website or mobile app.
Scammers may also request that customers exclusively pay with gift cards, a claim code or PIN. Any notifications about an order or delivery for an unexpected item should also raise alarm bells, the company says.
“During busy shopping moments, we tend to see a rise in impersonation scams reported by customers,” said Amazon spokeswoman Octavia Roufogalis in a statement.
“We will continue to invest in protecting consumers and educating the public on scam avoidance. We encourage consumers to report suspected scams to us so that we can protect their accounts and refer bad actors to law enforcement to help keep consumers safe.”
Falzon added that these scams are more successful than people might think.
As of June 30, the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre said there had been $284 million lost to fraud so far this year, affecting 15,941 victims.
But Falzon said many incidents go unreported, as some Canadians who are targeted do not know how or where to flag a scam, or may choose not to out of embarrassment.
Check Point recommends Amazon customers take precautions while shopping on Prime Days, including by checking URLs carefully, creating strong passwords on their accounts, and avoiding personal information being shared such as their birthday or social security number.
The cybersecurity company said consumers should also look for “https” at the beginning of a website URL, which indicates a secure connection, and use credit cards rather than debit cards for online shopping, which offer better protection and less liability if stolen.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 8, 2024.
