Microsoft made its best next-gen showing yet with the Xbox Games Showcase this week, which marked a big step up from the misfiring first effort back in May.
But it still wasn’t great. A couple of its biggest new Xbox Series X games only appeared in cinematic trailer form, and while the much-touted Halo showing surely looked appealing to most long-time fans, it’s been mocked online by some for how ugly its screenshots look.
Sony’s The Future of Gaming PS5 presentation had its own issues (starting with GTA 5 was a weird choice), but I generally thought it was a lot stronger, with more interesting third-party reveals like Deathloop, Resident Evil Village and Project Athia from the Final Fantasy 15 developers. Crucially, too, it felt like Sony demonstrated more of its future games in action, with clear (if sometimes brief) gameplay showings for Gran Turismo 7, Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart and Returnal.
Below, I’ll compare how the two console manufacturers are hyping people up for their hardware launches later this year.
Xbox didn’t show much gameplay outside of Halo
Avowed from Obsidian is a first-person RPG, but this was a super early showing. (Image credit: Obsidian)
Some of Microsoft’s more enticing titles like Avowed or the new Fable game seem very far away from release, based on how their announcements went down.
Choosing to release cinematic trailers for these games makes sense if they’re not ready to be shown, and both games sound enormously appealing based on their developers, RPG specialists Obsidian and Forza Horizon creators Playground Games respectively. But the lack of release dates or many details means they don’t feel like reasons to get excited about the Xbox Series X right now.
Of Microsoft’s big exclusive games at the Xbox Games Showcase, only Halo felt like it made a meaningful gameplay showing. Rare’s Everwild trailer, too, appeared to feature in-game visuals, but the footage didn’t offer much of a sense of what it’s like to actually play despite looking very nice. Forza Motorsport’s in-engine showing looked convincingly lovely, but it was only a minute long.
Sony, meanwhile, began its PS5 presentation with the message, “All game footage you are about to see from this point forward in the show has been captured from PlayStation 5 systems.” Still, even its impressive Horizon Forbidden West trailer looked like it was mostly made up of cinematics. That said, Sony did show off what Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart, Returnal and Spider-Man on PS5 actually look like in action, if only briefly.
It means it’s weirdly hard to get an idea in your mind’s eye of what games will actually look like on either system – which is arguably a drawback of having no E3 this year, where gameplay footage is more freely circulated by the media and streamers for scrutiny.
Elusive release dates
(Image credit: Microsoft)
Microsoft didn’t have many release dates or windows to offer for its big new games, either. Avowed, State of Decay 3 (which is in early pre-production), Fable and Everwild weren’t given any dates at all.
It was a surprise, too, that the new Forza game doesn’t seem to be targeted for launch. Not that I mind – making a new Forza game for next-gen with ray-tracing no doubt offers plenty of challenges, but it means the mainline series will have taken a break of more than three years when it releases. Traditionally, Forza players get a new entry every two years.
Some exclusives got dates: The Gunk is coming in September 2021, and Halo Infinite, of course, is coming this holiday season. We also know about a few other partner games coming to Xbox this year, like The Medium and Call of the Sea. It’s weirdly hard to tell what next year is going to look like for Xbox when it comes to big games, though. My best guess is you’ll see both Forza and Everwild as its major titles in 2021, and Avowed and Fable further off.
While the PS5’s initial release calendar looks pretty bare, with Spider-Man: Miles Morales marking the only PlayStation Studios title to release alongside the console’s launch this year, it also has the added bonus of the Bethesda-published Deathloop as a timed exclusive around launch.
Sony could’ve been better with providing release dates for its games, too. Guerrilla Games mentioned a target release of 2021 for Horizon Forbidden West, but only after the game’s actual reveal had occurred. Still, it at least gives us some idea of what shape the PS5 line-up will take next year. I’d also expect to see Ratchet and Clank at some point in 2021.
What about Halo?
This weirdly-angled and ugly Halo Infinite screenshot has been slammed repeatedly on social media. (Image credit: Microsoft)
With almost nine minutes of Halo Infinite gameplay footage, Microsoft deserves credit for making a meaningful showing of what its flagship game actually looks like during its presentation (even if it was apparently running on PC).
If I didn’t already know what Halo was, I don’t know if that demo would blow my mind enough to invest in a new console.
But did Halo actually look good? It’s become a strangely contentious issue, with the screenshot above becoming a lightning rod for memes and general mockery. I really liked how Halo Infinite looked in motion, honestly, especially as a fan of older Halo games, but it’s true that some of these screenshots looked rougher than you’d expect from a game set to launch alongside a next-gen console.
The choice of the developers to lean towards nostalgia with the choice of setting, too, also prompts questions over whether Halo Infinite looks too insular for modern audiences to get excited about.
The world has moved on around Halo, with games like Fortnite, Apex Legends and Call of Duty: Warzone emerging as monster hits while the series took a five-year break after Halo 5.
Most Halo fans were no doubt excited by the footage shown by Microsoft, but if I didn’t already know what Halo was, I don’t know if that demo would blow my mind enough to invest in a new console. And after a generation of being dominated by Sony in sales, that’s surely what Microsoft is hoping will happen with Halo Infinite.
What happens next
(Image credit: Future)
Sony is rumored to have a State of Play livestream planned for August 2020, where it’ll supposedly reveal more games for PS5. Microsoft still has the Halo Infinite multiplayer reveal in its back pocket, which for many people will be the reason to play.
Neither Sony nor Microsoft is likely to have a particularly prolific launch for big exclusives based on what we currently know, but they both at least have one big game. Halo is Xbox’s focus, and Spider-Man is Sony’s. Deathloop, as mentioned, is a nice bonus for PS5, and it comes from the developers of Dishonored 2, one of this generation’s best games.
Xbox also has a few console exclusives like Call of the Sea, The Medium and The Ascent to shore up its line-up, alongside the only next-gen release of Yakuza: Like a Dragon at launch.
Xbox’s commitment to Game Pass was the best thing about its showcase event this week, with every game featured in the show set to land on the subscription-based service, which is remarkable.
A quietly great announcement from Microsoft was the announcement that Destiny 2 will be added to Game Pass, including its upcoming Beyond Light expansion. That game will run at 60fps in 4K resolution on Xbox Series X, and could give Bungie’s title a real second wind beyond its core base of hardcore players.
Both consoles will have big multiformat games this year, too, like Watch Dogs: Legion, Marvel’s Avengers and Assassin’s Creed Valhalla.
In the short term, Sony still feels like it’s got the better exclusives to me, and Horizon will be a huge deal when it lands next year as a showcase for the PS5 hardware.
Long-term, though, Microsoft looks like it’s getting its act together on making the right exclusives. Avowed, a clear attempt at moving into Skyrim’s turf by Obsidian, and Fable, which will hopefully be an open world game to rival the likes of Horizon, are exactly the kind of big-budget gambles Microsoft should be making with its sizeable stable of studios.
The Xbox One has spent this entire generation without a great cinematic open world game, whereas Sony figured out a long time ago that this is the singleplayer genre people are interested in right now. Even though both games seem far, far away, they hint at Microsoft’s long-term strategy to play catch-up with Sony.
Xbox is making some good moves moves, then. It just feels like its most exciting games are a long way away, based on this week’s Showcase – and the world might need to see more compelling evidence that Halo Infinite really is the game that’ll sell people on the Xbox Series X this year.
The federal government is ordering the dissolution of TikTok’s Canadian business after a national security review of the Chinese company behind the social media platform, but stopped short of ordering people to stay off the app.
Industry Minister François-Philippe Champagne announced the government’s “wind up” demand Wednesday, saying it is meant to address “risks” related to ByteDance Ltd.’s establishment of TikTok Technology Canada Inc.
“The decision was based on the information and evidence collected over the course of the review and on the advice of Canada’s security and intelligence community and other government partners,” he said in a statement.
The announcement added that the government is not blocking Canadians’ access to the TikTok application or their ability to create content.
However, it urged people to “adopt good cybersecurity practices and assess the possible risks of using social media platforms and applications, including how their information is likely to be protected, managed, used and shared by foreign actors, as well as to be aware of which country’s laws apply.”
Champagne’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment seeking details about what evidence led to the government’s dissolution demand, how long ByteDance has to comply and why the app is not being banned.
A TikTok spokesperson said in a statement that the shutdown of its Canadian offices will mean the loss of hundreds of well-paying local jobs.
“We will challenge this order in court,” the spokesperson said.
“The TikTok platform will remain available for creators to find an audience, explore new interests and for businesses to thrive.”
The federal Liberals ordered a national security review of TikTok in September 2023, but it was not public knowledge until The Canadian Press reported in March that it was investigating the company.
At the time, it said the review was based on the expansion of a business, which it said constituted the establishment of a new Canadian entity. It declined to provide any further details about what expansion it was reviewing.
A government database showed a notification of new business from TikTok in June 2023. It said Network Sense Ventures Ltd. in Toronto and Vancouver would engage in “marketing, advertising, and content/creator development activities in relation to the use of the TikTok app in Canada.”
Even before the review, ByteDance and TikTok were lightning rod for privacy and safety concerns because Chinese national security laws compel organizations in the country to assist with intelligence gathering.
Such concerns led the U.S. House of Representatives to pass a bill in March designed to ban TikTok unless its China-based owner sells its stake in the business.
Champagne’s office has maintained Canada’s review was not related to the U.S. bill, which has yet to pass.
Canada’s review was carried out through the Investment Canada Act, which allows the government to investigate any foreign investment with potential to might harm national security.
While cabinet can make investors sell parts of the business or shares, Champagne has said the act doesn’t allow him to disclose details of the review.
Wednesday’s dissolution order was made in accordance with the act.
The federal government banned TikTok from its mobile devices in February 2023 following the launch of an investigation into the company by federal and provincial privacy commissioners.
— With files from Anja Karadeglija in Ottawa
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 6, 2024.
LONDON (AP) — Most people have accumulated a pile of data — selfies, emails, videos and more — on their social media and digital accounts over their lifetimes. What happens to it when we die?
It’s wise to draft a will spelling out who inherits your physical assets after you’re gone, but don’t forget to take care of your digital estate too. Friends and family might treasure files and posts you’ve left behind, but they could get lost in digital purgatory after you pass away unless you take some simple steps.
Here’s how you can prepare your digital life for your survivors:
Apple
The iPhone maker lets you nominate a “ legacy contact ” who can access your Apple account’s data after you die. The company says it’s a secure way to give trusted people access to photos, files and messages. To set it up you’ll need an Apple device with a fairly recent operating system — iPhones and iPads need iOS or iPadOS 15.2 and MacBooks needs macOS Monterey 12.1.
For iPhones, go to settings, tap Sign-in & Security and then Legacy Contact. You can name one or more people, and they don’t need an Apple ID or device.
You’ll have to share an access key with your contact. It can be a digital version sent electronically, or you can print a copy or save it as a screenshot or PDF.
Take note that there are some types of files you won’t be able to pass on — including digital rights-protected music, movies and passwords stored in Apple’s password manager. Legacy contacts can only access a deceased user’s account for three years before Apple deletes the account.
Google
Google takes a different approach with its Inactive Account Manager, which allows you to share your data with someone if it notices that you’ve stopped using your account.
When setting it up, you need to decide how long Google should wait — from three to 18 months — before considering your account inactive. Once that time is up, Google can notify up to 10 people.
You can write a message informing them you’ve stopped using the account, and, optionally, include a link to download your data. You can choose what types of data they can access — including emails, photos, calendar entries and YouTube videos.
There’s also an option to automatically delete your account after three months of inactivity, so your contacts will have to download any data before that deadline.
Facebook and Instagram
Some social media platforms can preserve accounts for people who have died so that friends and family can honor their memories.
When users of Facebook or Instagram die, parent company Meta says it can memorialize the account if it gets a “valid request” from a friend or family member. Requests can be submitted through an online form.
The social media company strongly recommends Facebook users add a legacy contact to look after their memorial accounts. Legacy contacts can do things like respond to new friend requests and update pinned posts, but they can’t read private messages or remove or alter previous posts. You can only choose one person, who also has to have a Facebook account.
You can also ask Facebook or Instagram to delete a deceased user’s account if you’re a close family member or an executor. You’ll need to send in documents like a death certificate.
TikTok
The video-sharing platform says that if a user has died, people can submit a request to memorialize the account through the settings menu. Go to the Report a Problem section, then Account and profile, then Manage account, where you can report a deceased user.
Once an account has been memorialized, it will be labeled “Remembering.” No one will be able to log into the account, which prevents anyone from editing the profile or using the account to post new content or send messages.
X
It’s not possible to nominate a legacy contact on Elon Musk’s social media site. But family members or an authorized person can submit a request to deactivate a deceased user’s account.
Passwords
Besides the major online services, you’ll probably have dozens if not hundreds of other digital accounts that your survivors might need to access. You could just write all your login credentials down in a notebook and put it somewhere safe. But making a physical copy presents its own vulnerabilities. What if you lose track of it? What if someone finds it?
Instead, consider a password manager that has an emergency access feature. Password managers are digital vaults that you can use to store all your credentials. Some, like Keeper,Bitwarden and NordPass, allow users to nominate one or more trusted contacts who can access their keys in case of an emergency such as a death.
But there are a few catches: Those contacts also need to use the same password manager and you might have to pay for the service.
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Is there a tech challenge you need help figuring out? Write to us at onetechtip@ap.org with your questions.
LONDON (AP) — Britain’s competition watchdog said Thursday it’s opening a formal investigation into Google’s partnership with artificial intelligence startup Anthropic.
The Competition and Markets Authority said it has “sufficient information” to launch an initial probe after it sought input earlier this year on whether the deal would stifle competition.
The CMA has until Dec. 19 to decide whether to approve the deal or escalate its investigation.
“Google is committed to building the most open and innovative AI ecosystem in the world,” the company said. “Anthropic is free to use multiple cloud providers and does, and we don’t demand exclusive tech rights.”
San Francisco-based Anthropic was founded in 2021 by siblings Dario and Daniela Amodei, who previously worked at ChatGPT maker OpenAI. The company has focused on increasing the safety and reliability of AI models. Google reportedly agreed last year to make a multibillion-dollar investment in Anthropic, which has a popular chatbot named Claude.
Anthropic said it’s cooperating with the regulator and will provide “the complete picture about Google’s investment and our commercial collaboration.”
“We are an independent company and none of our strategic partnerships or investor relationships diminish the independence of our corporate governance or our freedom to partner with others,” it said in a statement.
The U.K. regulator has been scrutinizing a raft of AI deals as investment money floods into the industry to capitalize on the artificial intelligence boom. Last month it cleared Anthropic’s $4 billion deal with Amazon and it has also signed off on Microsoft’s deals with two other AI startups, Inflection and Mistral.
