NASA hacked: 500 MB of mission data stolen through a Raspberry Pi computer
NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory was hacked last year by an attacker who used a Raspberry Pi computer to gain access to its systems. The hacker took advantage of the network's weaknesses to steal 500 MB of data from one of its major mission systems, while remaining undetected for 10 months.
Uber drivers reportedly triggering higher fares through Surge Club
Uber drivers are reportedly participating in a so-called Surge Club to artificially trigger higher fares for the ride-sharing service. Many drivers said that they do not want to join the shady practice, but they are forced to do so due to the pay cuts that they have suffered over recent years.
Microsoft reportedly wanted Halo: The Master Chief Collection on PlayStation 4
Microsoft reportedly considered launching Halo: The Master Chief Collection on the PlayStation 4 a few years ago. It remains unclear if the desire for the Halo series to make a platform jump is still there, ahead of Halo Infinite and its launch alongside the next-generation console Project Scarlett.
Nintendo 3DS nowhere to be seen at E3 2019, but apparently not yet dead
The Nintendo 3DS was missing at E3 2019, but it appears that support for the console will continue due to demand from consumers and support from retailers. No first-party games are planned for the device, but it features an extensive collection of titles that may still attract both old and new players.
Square Enix has no clue how many episodes Final Fantasy VII Remake will take
The Final Fantasy VII Remake will be rolled out in multiple parts, with the initial release on March 3, 2020 to feature the part of the adventure that takes place in Midgar. Square Enix, however, still has no idea on how many episodes it will take to tell the full story of the original RPG.
Israeli company claims it can unlock any iPhone up to iOS 12.3 for police
Israel-based forensics firm Cellebrite claimed that its UFED Premium service can unlock iPhones and iPads up to iOS 12.3 and high-end Android smartphones such as the Samsung Galaxy S9. The device will be sold as an on-premises tool, which means that the police will be able to use it any way they want.
How Epic Games almost made the mistake of ending Fortnite
Rod Fergusson, the former director of production at Epic Games, said in an interview with Game Informer that if he had stayed with the developer, he would have canceled Fortnite. The game only started soaring in popularity when the Battle Royale mode was released a few months after launch.
Niantic Labs sues hackers who help players cheat in Pokémon Go
Niantic Labs has filed a lawsuit against Global++, which was described as an association of hackers who are allegedly behind hacked versions of its mobile games Pokémon Go and Ingress. The legal action comes as the developer is preparing to launch Harry Potter: Wizards Unite, its next major project.
Impossible Foods struggles to keep up with Impossible Burger demand
Red Robin and White Castle have reported Impossible Burger shortages, as it appears that Impossible Foods is struggling to keep up with demand. The company will be selling its meat-like patties in retail outlets within the year though, which should give fans of the product another option.
Facebook builds virtual homes to train A.I. agents in realistic environments
Researchers at Facebook have created Habitat, a platform that enables rapid training for A.I. agents by placing them in virtual homes. While it may take years for robots to learn tasks in the physical world, A.I. will receive thousands of hours of training in just a few minutes in Habitat.
Nintendo Switch owners, beware: Broken game cards may cause permanent damage
Nintendo Switch owners should always take time to check their game cards before inserting them. According to a repair shop in Japan, broken cartridges may bend the contact pin inside the slot, resulting in permanent damage as the console will not be able to read game cards even after repairs.
Defense-focused Wattson may change the Apex Legends meta for Season 2
Wattson was revealed at EA Play 2019 as the new character for Apex Legends, which will launch Season 2 in July. Wattson's skills include the ability to create electric fences and a pylon that can intercept incoming projectiles, for a defense-focused character that may change the metagame.
Hidden message by God of War director finally found: Sequel on the way?
God of War director Cory Barlog posted a series of tweets in April that took a trip down memory lane on the development of the highly-acclaimed PlayStation 4 exclusive. Two months later, the hidden message in the tweets were finally discovered, potentially hinting at the sequel for the game.
Destiny 2 to move to Steam, shift to free-to-play model starting with Shadowkeep
Destiny 2 will undergo massive changes with its latest expansion, Shadowkeep, which will take players to the moon once it launches on September 17. The PC version of the game will transfer from Battle.net to Steam, and its base game will become free-to-play to give newcomers a new entry point.
Leaked free Borderlands 2 DLC will set the stage for Borderlands 3
Borderlands 3 is set to launch in September, but Gearbox Software will first roll out free Borderlands 2 DLC in June to bridge the gap between the two games. The DLC, titled Commander Lilith & The Fight for Sanctuary, was leaked on Steam, and will allow players to explore new zones and receive new loot.
Bandai Namco E3 2019 leak spoils Elden Ring, Tales of Arise, Ni No Kuni remaster
The planned announcements for E3 2019 by Bandai Namco were leaked ahead of the annual event, through a publicly accessible URL on its website. The leak revealed three unannounced games, including the collaboration between From Software and George R.R. Martin, a new Tales game, and a remastered Ni No Kuni.
Tesla owners will soon be able to play Cuphead while parked
Tesla CEO Elon Musk confirmed that Cuphead, the notoriously difficult bullet-hell shooter on the Xbox One, PC, and Nintendo Switch, will soon be playable on the built-in dashboard screens of the company's electric vehicles. The game, however, will only include the Inkwell Isle One section.
Blizzard esports teams for Call of Duty, Overwatch reportedly low on morale
The esports teams of Blizzard, particularly those working on Call of Duty and Overwatch, are reportedly low on morale under the leadership of Pete Vlastelica. Staff are said to be "miserable" due to management's vision for the company's esports initiatives, which are more in line with televised sports.
New Google Search feature will let you see life-size animals up close with AR
A new Google Search feature allows owners of augmented reality-enabled smartphones to go on a safari from the comfort of their living room. Searching for an animal on Google may bring up an option to view it in 3D, which will call a tiger, panda, or shark to a person's side through their device's camera.
Minecraft: Story Mode will no longer be available for download on June 25
Minecraft: Story Mode Season 1 and 2 will be taken down permanently on June 25, with all episodes to no longer be available for download on that date. The game is the latest casualty of the closure of Telltale Games, which laid off most of its employees and canceled multiple titles last year.
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare will ditch zombies for authentic, realistic world
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare will not have a zombies mode, said Campaign Gameplay Director Jacob Minkoff. Compared to Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 by Treyarch, which has spearheaded the addition of zombies in the series, this year's Call of Duty will look to build "an authentic, realistic feeling world."
Cyberpunk 2077 release date reportedly set for 2019, but likely delayed to 2020
CD Projekt Red is reportedly targeting the release of the long-awaited Cyberpunk 2077 this year, but it will likely be delayed to 2020. The studio, which is aiming to launch the game with the same quality as Red Dead Redemption 2, is expected to reveal more information about the project at E3 2019.
Niantic Labs will soon drop support for Pokémon Go on Apple Watch
Niantic Labs said that it will end Apple Watch support for Pokémon Go on July 1, so players who have been using the smartwatch will need to rethink their strategy. The watchOS app, which was rolled out in December 2016, was made redundant by the release of the Adventure Sync feature for the mobile game.
Google’s DeepMind A.I. defeats human opponents in Quake III Capture the Flag
Google's DeepMind lab created For the Win, an artificial intelligence program that was able to learn Quake III Arena's Capture the Flag mode well enough to beat human opponents. Interestingly, a team with a human player and an A.I. agent had a better chance of winning than a team with just A.I. agents.
Mortal Kombat 11 Shang Tsung trailer confirms Spawn, teases Ash from Evil Dead
NetherRealm Studios released a trailer for Mortal Kombat 11 that highlighted the moves of the shapeshifter Shang Tsung. The trailer also confirmed that Spawn will be unleashed in the game, while teasing that one of two more guest characters may be the chainsaw-wielding Ash from the Evil Dead series.
Laptop with some of world’s most dangerous malware sells for $1.35 million
A laptop infected with six of the world's most dangerous malware, including the WannaCry ransomware and the BlackEnergy trojan, was sold in an auction for $1.35 million. Titled "The Persistence of Chaos," it contains malware that are said to have caused financial damages worth $95 billion.
Snap reportedly wants more music in Snapchat to compete against TikTok
Snap is in discussions with major record labels for broader licensing deals, according to the Wall Street Journal. The plan is to add more musical features to Snapchat, in order to better compete against the offerings of rival apps such as TikTok and Instagram that allow song clips to be added to posts.
Xbox One S Fortnite Limited Edition leak reveals a very purple console
The Xbox One S Fortnite Limited Edition bundle, which includes a very purple Xbox One S, was leaked. Buyers will also reportedly receive a matching wireless controller, a copy of Fortnite, the Dark Vertex skin, 2,000 V-Bucks, and one-month subscriptions to Xbox Live, EA Access, and Xbox Game Pass.
Square Enix may tease long-awaited The Avengers Project at E3 2019
Marvel and Square Enix formed a multi-game partnership in January 2017, starting with The Avengers Project that will be developed by Crystal Dynamics and Eidos Montreal. Nothing has since been heard about it, but Square Enix may be teasing the presence of The Avengers Project at E3 2019.