Netflix is beginning to test its cloud gaming service in the U.S. after initially launching limited trials in Canada and the U.K. The service, an expansion on the company’s mobile gaming efforts which began in 2021, has seen the streamer picking up gaming studios and licensing titles from individual developers …
Read More »After 50,000 hours, this AI can play Pokémon Red
Almost 10 years ago, the online phenomenon “Twitch Plays Pokémon” convened over a million people to play Pokémon Red at the same time, with each player’s keystrokes registering as commands for the one pixelated avatar. Now, like a Magikarp growing into a Gyarados, the evolution of technology begs a new …
Read More »Roblox acquires voice moderation startup Speechly
Two years after announcing voice chat was coming to Roblox, the gaming company has acquired a voice tech startup, Speechly, offering voice chat moderation, real-time transcription and Voice API that lets companies add AI voice technology and voice interfaces to their products and experiences. The Helsinki, Finland-based startup Speechly was …
Read More »Orion, from makers of Halide, lets you use an iPad as an external HDMI display
Lux, the makers of popular iPhone photography apps like Halide, Spectre and Skylight, is out today with its latest app: Orion, an app that turns an iPad into an external HDMI display for any camera, video game console or even VHS. The new app is a bit of an offshoot …
Read More »YouTube confirms it’s testing a games offering called ‘Playables’
YouTube is letting a select number of users play online games as part of a new experiment. The games will live in a new “Playables” section on YouTube’s home feed, and can be accessed on both desktop and mobile. This confirms a previous report by The Wall Street Journal, which …
Read More »Wicked Saints is making Pokémon GO for young activists
Jess Murrey isn’t your typical founder. After 10 years working in nonprofits to train young activists, Murrey and behavioral change researcher Alicia Clifton decided that mobile gaming could be an unexpected way to broaden their reach. And so, Wicked Saints was born. “American teens care very deeply about the planet, …
Read More »Traderie, a marketplace for in-game items, alerts users to data breach
In-game trading marketplace Traderie has alerted users to a data breach impacting their personal information, TechCrunch has learned. Traderie, owned by U.S.-based company Akrew, is a website that allows users to trade and sell in-game items from titles including Roblox, Rocket League, Diablo and Elden Ring. In an email sent …
Read More »Connections is The New York Times’ most played game after Wordle
The gamers behind the Gray Lady have a new game to add into our morning rotations: Connections, which invites the player to categorize 16 words or phrases into four distinct groups of four. The daily puzzle game debuted in beta on June 12, and according to The New York Times, …
Read More »MoonPay launches venture arm to invest in web3 infra, gaming and fintech
Web3 infrastructure firm MoonPay has launched an investment arm that will focus on early-stage startups in web3, gaming and adjacent fintech categories, TechCrunch has exclusively learned. The investment arm, dubbed MoonPay Ventures, will mainly invest between $100,000 to $1 million, targeting seed and Series A rounds. It has already invested …
Read More »No Man’s Sky updates are going strong with Starfield around the corner
With a big-budget space exploration game debuting in days, indie spacefaring mainstay No Man’s Sky continues to deepen its own world with no signs of slowing down. No Man’s Sky is one of gaming’s biggest unlikely success stories: After launching as a widespread letdown, the team at Hello Games dedicated …
Read More »