Latest news with #PSN
Scoop
2 days ago
- Scoop
Sky Tower To Shine A Light On Family Violence
Auckland's Sky Tower will be lit up bright orange on July 1st to help draw attention to the high rates of family violence in New Zealand as part of Shine's annual Light It Orange fundraising appeal. Shine is an Auckland-based specialist family violence provider that delivers a range of services that support people experiencing family violence. It is part of Presbyterian Support Northern's (PSN) group of social services. GM Fundraising & Social Enterprise Lisa Rudolphe says Sky Tower's support will be a big boost for the Light It Orange fundraising appeal, which runs for the month of July. 'The colour orange is used to symbolise hope and Shine provides hope for people experiencing family violence. 'As the Sky Tower can be seen from many parts of Auckland, we are thrilled that on July 1 it will be lit up orange – it will be a beacon of hope for women living with family violence as we call upon the community to help Shine support them and their children,' says Lisa Rudolphe. The theme for this year's Light It Orange campaign is Let's light the way out of family violence and is aimed at highlighting the specialist services that Shine needs support for. These include support for family violence advocates who work with those at risk; KIDshine which supports children traumatised by family violence; emergency short-term accommodation; and programmes to hold people who use violence accountable and support them to change their behaviour. 'This year, we're encouraging the community to join the campaign and be a light in the lives of women and children needing to escape family violence,' says Lisa Rudolphe 'Every year, women and children are killed as a result of family violence. At this moment, women and children are living with abusive family members in our communities – we need support right now to help.' Lisa Rudolphe encourages workplaces, communities, teams and schools to get behind Shine's campaign throughout July. 'Whether your team loves to be social, prefers to support behind the scenes, or you're a mixed bunch, you can turn your collective creativity into real-world impact. Every single dollar counts!' Visit the Light It Orange website to create anindividual or team fundraising page to get started. You'll also find tips and ideas, plus resources to help. About Shine Shine works to make New Zealand homes violence-free. We provide a range of effective, practical, and innovative services to achieve our mission to stop family violence in New Zealand. Key services include: support for family violence advocates who work with those at risk; KIDshine which supports children traumatised by family violence; emergency short-term accommodation; and programmes for people who use family violence to motivate and support them to change their behaviour. We also indirectly help thousands more through our Shine Education & Training professional programmes in workplaces, and our justice and health sector partnerships.
Metro
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Metro
Games Inbox: Do video game exclusives still matter?
The Tuesday letters page thinks PlayStation made a mistake relocating to the US, as one reader is surprised by how little Sonic the Hedgehog sells. To join in with the discussions yourself email gamecentral@ Lost exclusives I do wonder if we are making more of a big deal of exclusives than actually necessary. The weekend feature said 'It's all pretty bleak and depressing really. Good games will continue to be made – this year has been great so far – but not by Sony, or at least not more than once a year or so.' When you are initially choosing between formats, exclusives are pretty important, and particularly as launch titles near the start of a generation. However, once console sales slow and users have made their choice, how much does it matter who makes the games, as long as they are good? I can see the logic that says it matters long term to the platform manufacturers, but you could almost argue that more multi-platform games are better for the actual game players and game developers? Matt (he_who_runs_away – PSN ID) GC: Sony games are very distinctive and nobody else makes anything quite like them. That's doubly true for Nintendo. Sign up to the GameCentral newsletter for a unique take on the week in gaming, alongside the latest reviews and more. Delivered to your inbox every Saturday morning. Blue shelled Mario Kart World is definitely not as good as Mario Kart 8. The worst part of Mario Kart World is when you get swamped by the field and can't get out of the hole that is being constantly hit by shells or fireballs or boomerangs or whatever else the AI has up its sleeve. So upping that field to 24 is, in my opinion, not good. The next worst part is one that this game has introduced me to: dull tracks with never-ending, impossibly wide straights. The best way to beat the rubber band AI in Mario Kart is being better round the corners, which this game has absolutely minimised in favour of long stretches of nothing. Apart from the first race of each cup, which is on a proper track, most other races feel like a complete gamble, where you're just hoping for a well-timed blue shell against the AI two corners before the end, or a triple/super mushroom to boost yourself back into contention. This entry, for me, is a bit of a swing and a miss. Or a turn and a spin in race car terms. StellarFlux Souls I like I am nearly at the end of the magnificent The First Berserker: Khazan. For anyone not familiar with it, it's an awesome Soulslike/Sekiro hybrid. I really dig the fighting, the enemies, and all of the customisation available. I also quite like the relatively linear level design – it's like a gauntlet to each of the bosses. It is up there with the most difficult games I've played and honestly much harder than Elden Ring/Shadow Of The Erdtree (which I found pretty easy with the right build and with the available summons). There's also a lot of ongoing support from the devs – including a new patch coming soon, which will offer the ability to save loadouts (this is going to be super useful). Overall, I would highly recommend, even if the story is quite generic and the central hub area is really average (it is functional but feels a bit bland). Anyone else enjoyed it like me? Tom GC: We thought it was pretty good too. Email your comments to: gamecentral@ Between two stools Nice review of Death Stranding 2 but I can't help but be disappointed that it seems so similar to the first one, except with the main gameplay apparently dumbed down by the use of vehicles. I don't know exactly how this work, because I haven't played it yet, but the balance and difficulty of walking through the terrain was the whole point of the first game. I also don't like the idea of just shooting BTs, which seems to turn them into ordinary video game monsters. It sounds like the original will remain the best in my eyes and while I can see the desire to try and turn the game into something that's more straight-up 'fun' who exactly is that going to appeal to? It'll upset existing fans and new ones will be put off by the reputation of the first. Much better to have just created a whole new game, I think, and I think Death Stranding 2's sales will suffer as a result. Manny Skynet's revenge Does anyone else feel like the AI in Mario Kart World is a bit broken? I've managed to get gold in all the cups in Grand Prix mode but am struggling with Knockout Tour. I've still manged to get a couple of first place finishes but it's very tricky. It seems like the computer-controlled players are stupidly fast when you get to the last four and unless you've attained an unassailable lead going into that last section of the race it's near impossible. And if you're second or third you can forget about it, there's no catching up. In better news, I fared better online and managed my first ever Knockout Tour victory the other day. matc7884 World's slowest scramble I think the most likely explanation for PlayStation's lack of activity this generation, rather than 'arrogance', is that they made a spectacular misstep with their live service plans and are still playing catch-up. It obviously helps the bottom line that they aren't being punished for their lack of first-party output, but I don't think they are treading water because they aren't being pushed by Xbox. it's more likely that diverting pretty much all of their internal studios onto live service games (for at least a spell), plus the delayed hit from Covid, has left a gaping hole in their first party line-up that they're now scrambling to fill. So the reason they're not saying much is that… they don't have much to say. Personally, while they might come good in the latter half of this generation, they've lost a lot of what made them a unique proposition in the gaming space. Consolidating the different business units (America, Europe, and Japan) and becoming more Westernised meant that some of their previous quirkiness was lost, while decimating their first party single-player output by pursuing (and failing at) live service has come at the expense of the prestige that they had as a developer of boundary-pushing games. There's still loads to play on PlayStation 5, and I think the hardware is great (including how it looks, surprised it's so polarising!) but it does feel like a bit of a soggy explosive of a generation from PlayStation Studios so far. Magnumstache GC: We always said that centralising the PlayStation business in the US was a big mistake. It was one of the first things Jim Ryan did when he took over. Where the money is Seeing how little Sonic the Hedgehog games seem to sell I'm almost kind of shocked that Sega is still going as a business, especially before they bought Atlus (or rather their parent company bought Atlus and they were lumped together). Sonic is the only game series I can think of where it makes more money selling T-shirts and lunchboxes than it does the games themselves. No wonder the games have been so bad for so long, I can't imagine that is much of a morale boost knowing you're less important and profitable than a colouring book. Dench Uncertain future The PlayStation 5 generation being the most profitable generation makes for interesting musing. The PlayStation 5 generation profit starts from 2020 and includes PlayStation 4 income. The lack of PlayStation 5 games taking advantage of the hardware has been a big complaint this gen. But having an extended cross gen period hasn't impacted negatively on income, console sales and profit at all. I expect the PlayStation 6 will have an even longer cross-gen period. I think it said 50% of the PlayStation Store revenue is made up from a handful of titles, like FIFA, along with spending on microtransactions. It's no wonder Sony want their own live service games, where they get 100% instead of 30% of that lucrative vein of revenue. That doesn't excuse though, the seemingly cavalier and incompetent manner they've pursued that. Going multiformat by releasing on PC hasn't hurt them either, in console sales or profit. Former CEO Andrew House made the point that when budgets on a game get too high exclusivity becomes unsustainable. Some predicted a mass exodus to PC when Sony starting releasing on it. It hasn't happened. In truth Sony's record profits come from traditional sources of revenue of services, game content, and third party. It's just those, now it seems, account for a bigger part of the pie than ever. The long-term effect on the first party single-player games I and the core fans want will not be fully known for a while. If they don't return the same higher profit margins of game content, services, and live service while also being less important doing their original job, of making people buy consoles to make money from those other things, then you'll commit less resources to them. I'm not hitting any panic buttons yet. But I've a few more lines on my forehead from the furrowed brow I get reading a lot of gaming developments these days. Inversely though I've got more excellent games than I can play in a lifetime, it seems. Who knows where it's all going to end up. Simundo GC: Very few of the Sony exclusives have been successful on PC, just Helldivers 2 and Stellar Blade (primarily in Asia). Inbox also-ransI have many very happy memories of playing Mario Kart 64. I know that's partly nostalgia speaking, but I refuse to accept that it is a bad game. It's not even the worst Mario Kart, that is surely Double Dash!! Onibee We should make a list of all the times Xbox has done a U-turn on things they've said before. Although I have to say, I never had an Xbox VR headset on my bingo card. Walters More Trending Email your comments to: gamecentral@ The small print New Inbox updates appear every weekday morning, with special Hot Topic Inboxes at the weekend. Readers' letters are used on merit and may be edited for length and content. You can also submit your own 500 to 600-word Reader's Feature at any time via email or our Submit Stuff page, which if used will be shown in the next available weekend slot. You can also leave your comments below and don't forget to follow us on Twitter. MORE: Games Inbox: Is Mario Kart World better than Mario Kart 8? MORE: Games Inbox: What is the hardest video of modern times? MORE: Games Inbox: Is the next gen Xbox a console or a PC?
Time of India
18-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
How to add friends in FBC Firebreak and play together?
(Image via Remedy Entertainment) FBC: Firebreak brings Remedy Entertainment's supernatural action to the co-op multiplayer. It allows players to team up with friends (2 other agents) to tackle the paranormal threats. Whether the other players are on the same platform or are playing elsewhere, here is where you can squad up, invite your friends, and dive into complete chaos together in the most seamless way. How to add friends in FBC Firebreak ? To play with friends, there are 2 options available to you. Either use FBC Firebreak direct invites if they are on the same platform or choose the party codes for the crossplay. If your friends are on the same platform, just open the friend list option on your system—Xbox Live, PSN, and Steam, to send the invite. FBC: Firebreak | How To Play Co-Op Note: Create a private space before you generate the Party Code. For the crossplay, go to the Party tab (usually available on the top-right end) in the main menu and choose Create Party. As your lobby is open, generate the 6-digit party code from the Your Party Code box (in the same Party menu). Then share it with friends. Irrespective of which platform they are on, they can enter the game using the code. How to join FBC Firebreak game with a party code and direct invites? To use the party code, your friends need to select Join with Party Code from their Party menu. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like 2025 Top Trending local enterprise accounting software [Click Here] Esseps Learn More Undo There, they can enter the 6-digit code that you have provided. Just within some time, they will be able to load into the session. If you wish to have only specific friends, be sure to turn off Public Matchmaking from party settings. It will help prevent any randoms from filling up the empty slots. For direct invites on identical platforms, use a built-in system as it's quicker. Make sure you are already friends with the ones you wish to play with on the platform's service—PlayStation, Xbox, Steam). While you are in FBC: Firebreak, access the overlay of the platform, Shift + Tab on Steam, and find your friend's profile from the friends list to select and Invite to Game or any equivalent option. Your friends will receive the invite notification via the platform, and they can join directly as they get accepted. Play FBC Firebreak with friends with ease As your party is full, up to 3 agents will appear together in the lobby. Once they do, choose the Select Job option on the main menu. It will allow your squad to choose mission parameters like Corruption Level, Threat Level, and Clearance Level, thereby tailoring the challenge to the readiness of the team. With the assembled team, simply dive within the shifting architecture of Oldest House. Now, coordinate your abilities, contain chaos, and share resources. The true FBC Firebreak gameplay experience will shine as you work side-by-side with the allies. Game On Season 1 kicks off with Sakshi Malik's inspiring story. Watch Episode 1 here
Engadget
15-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Engadget
Sony unlocks regional restrictions for some PC games in more than 100 countries
It turns out that region-locking your games makes it harder to sell more copies. First discovered by Wario64, Sony has lifted regional restrictions for several of its titles that are available to play on PC through Steam. Sony hasn't officially announced the removal of these region locks, nor the reason why, but God of War Ragnarok, The Last of Us Part II Remastered , Spider-Man 2 , and the hit co-op shooter Helldivers 2 can be purchased once again in 177 countries that were previously prohibited, as seen in database changelogs. To understand why Sony decided to limit sales of its games in certain countries, we have to revisit when the video game publisher announced it would require Helldivers 2 PC players to link their Steam accounts to the PlayStation Network. This controversial decision prohibited players in countries that didn't have access to the PSN, so Sony also removed Helldivers 2 from being on sale in those locations. The publisher quickly backtracked on that move, even later removing the PSN requirements for other titles like Spider-Man 2. More recently, the PC release of Stellar Blade on June 11 resurfaced Sony's PSN login requirement debacle. The game's developer, Shift Up, was able to work with Sony to loosen restrictions and make a PSN login optional, allowing for an explosive launch where the game saw a peak of nearly 200,000 players in its opening week. Now, PC gamers across the world can play Stellar Blade and Helldivers 2 without needing a PSN account. However, there are still some Sony titles on Steam that are heavily restricted, like Ghost of Tsushima and Until Dawn .
Business Journals
13-06-2025
- Business
- Business Journals
A St. Louis-Based Firm With a Nationally Recognized Investment Strategy
JAG's Large Cap Growth strategy named a PSN Bull & Bear Masters top 10 performer (3-year period ending 3/31/25) At JAG, we actively manage equity portfolios with a disciplined, transparent process that's stood the test of time. That's why our Large Cap Growth strategy was named a PSN Bull & Bear Masters top 10 performer for the 3-year period ending March 31, 2025. This recognition highlights our ability to capture more during rallies and protect better in downturns. The result, a well-earned spot among the top 10 strategies in PSN's Large Cap Growth Universe. Whether you're an institution or an individual investor, we invest your portfolio like it's our own — because it is. Our team and immediate families have $20 million personally invested in the same strategies we offer our clients. We invest with conviction — and with skin in the game. We can't promise market outcomes, but we can promise clarity, full accountability, and a long-term mindset. Contact us to schedule a meeting at our office to learn more about our boutique investment strategies or more information on the PSN Bull & Bear award and performance. Past performance is not indicative of future results. All investments involve risk, including possible loss of principal. The PSN Top Guns 'Bull & Bear Masters' designation is a third-party award based on objective quantitative criteria (3-year returns and up/down capture ratios) and is not a guarantee of future performance. JAG Capital Management did not pay to enter or influence this award; a license was obtained to use the award recognition in marketing materials. The award is given by Informa Financial Intelligence's PSN, an independent investment manager database, based on gross composite performance data. Net performance (after fees) for the period was lower.
