Valve  just released a new feature  that lets you sign into Steam and check to see how many of the games in your library will run on the new Steam Deck handheld. I’ve ended up with a  lot  of games over my time in this job, from all kinds of genres and eras, so figured running the test on them might be a useful real-world indication of how things are shaping up ahead of the device’s release. As of today (February 24, 2022 in Australia), I have 810 proper, actual games in my Steam library. That sounds like too many video games, but I’ve been doing this job for 15 years, which has involved a ton of companies/people sending me games to check out for impressions/reviews. They add up over time. It’s not like I’ve bankrupted myself in the name of grand strategy games and roguelikes. Because of the number of games involved, but also the variety—most of these are games I’ve had to check out professionally, not the ones I’d be into personally—I was interested...

  Horizon Forbidden West has a very handy but subtle feature that makes sure you never miss an item as you're exploring its expansive, richly detailed world. Guerrilla Games' acclaimed sequel throws you into a beautiful world, to the point where it can be a distraction. For that reason, it can be easy to miss chests and plants hiding in amongst all the tall grass and machine wreckage. However, it's crucial, especially in the beginning of the game, to pick up everything you can and use it to craft ammo, traps, and upgrades. Pressing R3 sends out a focus pulse that reveals items for the taking in the surrounding area, but if you're much of a collector at all, your right thumb is probably going to get tired pretty quickly. Thankfully, as pointed out by AbusedBanana1 on Reddit, there's a built-in feature tucked away in Horizon Forbidden West's settings that automatically scans the area and reveals any items and collectibles you might've otherwise missed.

  In context:  In the past six months, half a dozen game studios, including Activision Blizzard, Bungie, and Bethesda have been acquired for billions. Everyone is wondering which studio will be next, including Ubisoft and its shareholders. This week the company published its quarterly report with some wording that made it read more like a sales brochure, prompting questions about the company’s intentions. Ubisoft published its quarterly report on Thursday and its executives held an earnings call with analysts and shareholders afterward. Subtitles in the 10-page report like "Ubisoft’s assets have never been so strong at a time when the value of assets has never been so high" and "The richest pipeline of games in Ubisoft’s history" made it read like a sales brochure, prompting questions about the company’s intentions. "In a consolidating industry I guess I’m wondering why you guys haven’t had an offer given the embedded value of your IP," analyst Matthew Wal...

  Fortnite  developer Epic Games confirmed this weekend it will transition most of its US-based contingent workers to full-time positions with benefits. The news comes after  The Verge   obtained an internal memo detailing the company’s plans. Epic spokesperson Elka Looks said the studio plans to hire “a few hundred” existing contractors, and that most of those workers currently serve as quality assurance testers. Epic will directly employ those individuals and they’ll have access to the company’s benefits plan. Looks also noted the company will still hire contingent workers to fill “short-term needs,” and the memo  The Verge  obtained said Epic would not extend the full-time employment offer to some workers. “There are a few exceptions in which it makes sense for both the worker and Epic to maintain contingent worker status,” the document said, according to the outlet. Epic’s decision to convert many of its QA testers to full-time employees comes at a mome...

  If you’re not planning to buy the Booster Course Pass for  Mario Kart 8 , don’t worry. You’re not completely out of luck. The new premium tracks will be randomly available for players playing Global or Regional races online. If one of your friends owns a copy of the DLC, you don’t have to purchase it when you’re playing with them in a group either. As originally reported by  Eurogamer , the first wave of premium courses will be available for Random selection when playing Global or Regional races online, starting March 22. Alternatively, you can play them as soon as March 18 by playing in Friends and Rivals races with someone who already purchased the DLC. So  someone  still needs to buy the DLC, or you’d need to pay for the Nintendo Switch Online bundle. But that’s still cheaper than everyone in your local  Mario Kart  meetup purchasing the DLC for themselves. This information has been detailed in the  U.K. version  of Nintendo’s website, b...

  Motorola has a new wearable 5G neckband that is designed to power lightweight VR and AR headsets (collectively known as XR headsets) such as parent company Lenovo’s   ThinkReality A3 smart glasses , the   company announced today . The neckband looks a lot like a large plastic lanyard, and is equipped with a Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 processor, a 5,000mAh battery, a touchpad, SIM card slot, speakers, and a range of sensors including a gyroscope and accelerometer,   Engadget  reports . Motorola says it’s partnered with Verizon on the neckband, which is able to connect to the carrier’s mmWave 5G network. The idea is that the neckband, which Motorola doesn’t provide an official product name for, will be able to act as the brains and brawn for a connected VR or AR headset. By offloading components like a powerful processor and heavy battery, the headset itself can become lighter and more comfortable to wear. For example, Lenovo’s ThinkReality A3 smart glasses are generall...

  A new entry in the Grand Theft Auto series is in active development,   Rockstar Games has confirmed . “We are pleased to confirm that active development for the next entry in the Grand Theft Auto series is well underway,” the company wrote in a post on its website. In the more immediate future,   GTAV   and   Grand Theft Auto Online   will release on PS5 and Xbox Series X and S on March 15th. The popularity — and profitability — of  GTAV ’s online component has meant that there’s been an unusually long wait for a sequel. The game originally released for the PS3 and Xbox 360 in 2013, over eight years ago. In contrast,  GTAV  released a little over five years after 2008’s  GTAIV . “With the unprecedented longevity of  GTAV , we know many of you have been asking us about a new entry in the Grand Theft Auto series,” Rockstar Games writes. “With every new project we embark on, our goal is always to significantly move beyond what we hav...