1+ week, 2+ day ago (286+ words) Preservation has become a pressing topic for games in this era of digital-only releases and games-as-a-service. So it's wonderful to have a big win in archiving a trio of seminal text games for the ... Preservation has become a pressing topic for games in this era of digital-only releases and games-as-a-service. So it's wonderful to have a big win in archiving a trio of seminal text games for the ages. Microsoft announced today that the code for Zork, Zork II and Zork III will be made available open source under the MIT License. The company's Open Source Programs Office, Xbox and Activision all contributed to the effort. "The goal is not to modernize Zork but to preserve it as a space for exploration and education," Microsoft team members wrote in the blog post sharing the news. They're works well-worth studying. The…...

3+ week, 3+ day ago (264+ words) The Games section is one of the highlights of reading The New York Times, and Wordle has been one of the crowning successes for the team since acquiring it in 2022. Now, fans of the popular word game can create their own custom puzzles. The publication announced today that its All Access and Games subscribers have the option to make World challenges of their own to send to friends and family.The custom puzzles must be four to seven letters long, and the creator can opt to include a clue. The puzzle will get a custom URL for sharing, and a subscription isn't required for people to play an original Wordle challenge. Wordle creation is available on the Times' mobile apps for both iOS and Android as well as in mobile web and desktop browsers. It's a fun idea and a…...

2+ week, 6+ day ago (190+ words) The whole show will air in Japanese on the PlayStation YouTube channel for Japan, but the general PlayStation YouTube channel will show State of Play Japan with English subtitles. Catch State of Play ... Sony is bringing things home with State of Play Japan. The "special episode" will feature the same type of PlayStation gaming announcements as a typical State of Play broadcast, but with a focus solely on Japan and Asia. While we don't know exactly what Sony will unveil, it promises 40 minutes of everything "from beloved series to distinctive indie creations, the show, hosted by voice actor Yuki Kaji, will be packed with great games, interviews, and new looks at anticipated titles." Maybe if we all think hard enough we can manifest updates on Phantom Blade Zero or Marvel Tokon: Fighting Souls, which we first learned about at Playstation's…...

1+ week, 2+ day ago (115+ words) Meta won its antitrust case, will keep control of Instagram and WhatsApp " 2:30 Chat with the Livestream: Flickr's repository of aughts memories and who uses Facebook anymore " 23:59 The Cloudflare issue that took down a lot of the web? It was a database error " 32:49 Google's new Gemini 3 model is now available " 34:57 Roblox wants tens of millions of kids to send them a selfie for age verification " 38:27 TikTok's screen time management function now includes an'affirmation journal? " 41:30 Around Engadget " 43:47 Working on " 50:36 Pop culture picks " 52:27 " Host: Devindra HardawarProducer: Ben Ellman Music: Dale North and Terrence O'Brien...

2+ day, 4+ hour ago (307+ words) We finally have a release date for the early access build of Hytale. The fun starts on January 13. The game costs $20 and is available for PC players via Steam. Preorders go up on December 13. This is a true early access build, so don't go in expecting a polished experience. Developer Hypixel Studios says it's "still very much unfinished and will be buggy for a while" but that the team is committed to perfecting the game over time. Studio co-founder Simon Collins-Laflamme recently said "I don't think the game is good yet," so make of that what you will. For the uninitiated, Hytale is a nifty-looking open world adventure game that looks to be visually inspired by Minecraft. It's been on our radar for years and development goes all the way back to 2015. It's been a long road getting to early…...

1+ week, 3+ day ago (603+ words) MasterClass is running a limited-time offer that cuts up to 50 percent off all annual subscriptions for Black Friday. The deal gives you access to hundreds of lessons taught by experts and well-known names across nearly every field, from cooking and business to film and design. MasterClass has built a reputation as one of the best streaming platforms for learning new skills and creative hobbies. The service features courses led by industry leaders who share practical insights drawn from their own careers. Whether you want to cook with Gordon Ramsay, explore storytelling with Neil Gaiman or study filmmaking with Martin Scorsese, the range of topics is broad enough to appeal to almost any interest. Classes are organized into short, easy-to-follow video lessons, making it simple to fit learning into a busy schedule. Each one comes with supplemental materials like downloadable workbooks,…...

1+ week, 6+ day ago (237+ words) Xbox is hosting a partner showcase event on November 20 at 1PM ET. It'll be available for streaming on the platform's official YouTube page and Twitch page. We don't know how long this stream will run for, but previous Partner Preview events have lasted around 25 to 30 minutes. As indicated by the name, this stream will highlight third-party publishers. Xbox called out companies like THQ Nordic, Tencent and IO Interactive in the press release that announced the event. We do know some games that'll be getting the spotlight this week. Xbox has stated that we'll be seeing "an exciting first look" at content coming to the James Bond game, 007 First Light. IO Interactive is behind that one and it comes out on March 27. We got to watch this title in action at Gamescom and called it "Hitman meets action blockbuster." This is appropriate…...

6+ day, 18+ hour ago (597+ words) MasterClass is running a limited-time offer that cuts 50 percent off all annual subscriptions for Black Friday. The deal gives you access to hundreds of lessons taught by experts and well-known names across nearly every field, from cooking and business to film and design. MasterClass has built a reputation as one of the best streaming platforms for learning new skills and creative hobbies. The service features courses led by industry leaders who share practical insights drawn from their own careers. Whether you want to cook with Gordon Ramsay, explore storytelling with Neil Gaiman or study filmmaking with Martin Scorsese, the range of topics is broad enough to appeal to almost any interest. Classes are organized into short, easy-to-follow video lessons, making it simple to fit learning into a busy schedule. Each one comes with supplemental materials like downloadable workbooks, assignments or…...

1+ week, 3+ day ago (278+ words) Command & Conquer: Red Alert 2 knew how to lay on the camp. But it wasn't only known for having some of the most delightfully cheesy cutscenes this side of The 7th Guest. Red Alert 2 was also an acclaimed real-time strategy game for its time, and it's still perfectly playable today. Want to see for yourself? It's now as easy as opening your browser. The Chrono Divide project (via PC Gamer) lets you play the 2000 RTS in Chrome, Edge, or Safari. Although it supports Firefox, too, its developer says it should be avoided if you want "good performance." It even works in mobile browsers. Chrono Divide supports cross-platform multiplayer using all the original maps. (You can use some mods, too.) In fact, according to PC Gamer, multiplayer is about your only option. Red Alert 2's single-player campaign modes (where you'll encounter those "so…...

1+ week, 1+ day ago (375+ words) If you've wanted to check out The Paper or any other new NBC show on Peacock, you can do so now while spending less thanks to this hack. Walmart, believe it or not, comes into play here: the retailer is offering Walmart+ subscriptions for half off right now, bringing the cost down to $49 for your first year. Thanks to a streaming benefit for subscribers, you can then sign up for Peacock at no extra cost. Walmart+ subscribers are able to choose between a Peacock Premium or a Paramount+ Essential subscription. Considering Peacock premium would run you $110 for the year on its own, signing up for Walmart+ while this discount is available gets you access to the streaming service for less than half the normal cost. Just about every major streaming service has raised its prices in the last year, including…...