Reicast Git (2020/10/19) - Dreamcast Emulator for Android

November 12th, 2020, 17:32 Posted By: wraggster

Reicast Git (2020/10/19) is compiled. reicast is a multi-platform Dreamcast emulator. The project is currently in Alpha, usability, performance and stability issues are to be expected. Cortex-A9 dualcore, 1ghz+ is the minimum hardware for decent speeds.

Reicast Git Changelog:
* Merge pull request #1926 from geckor14/geckor14/compile-fix
* Fix typo.
* Fixed a compile-time error when using MSVC build tools.

http://enroll.reicast.com/


https://github.com/reicast/reicast-emulator

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ColEm v5.4 - Colecovision Emulator for Android

November 12th, 2020, 17:13 Posted By: wraggster

ColEm v5.4 is released. ColEm is a ColecoVision emulator. ColEm will run software written for the ColecoVision video game console. ColEm package itself does not contain any games. You should place your own game files onto the SD card before running ColEm. Please, do not run any software you do not own with ColEm. The author cannot and will not tell you where to find free ColecoVision games.

ColEm v5.4 Changelog:
- adds a simple CPU-based linear interpolation scaler, used when GPU-based interpolation is unfeasible. The new ColEm-Windows includes drag'n'drop support and a separate option for linear interpolation scaling.

http://fms.komkon.org/ColEm/

https://play.google.com/store/apps/d...s.colem.deluxe


http://www.emucr.com/2020/10/colem-v54.html

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SSF PreviewVer R18(V6) - Sega Saturn Emulator for Android

November 12th, 2020, 14:32 Posted By: wraggster

SSF PreviewVer R18(V6) is released. SSF is a Sega Saturn emulator for Windows systems using DirectX 9.0b. The current version claims near-complete implementation of the Sega Saturn hardware (not counting emulation bugs), and can emulate the Saturn based Sega Titan Video arcade hardware too. As with most emulators, CDs or disc images are not included and have to be owned separately. The BIOS is also not included; as of 0.07 Beta R3, games run without the BIOS however. The usage of BIOS files is optional but recommended for better compatibility, and needed for tasks such as management of the contents of the internal memory of the Sega Saturn, or setting the system clock.

https://twitter.com/fessx

http://www.emucr.com/2020/11/ssf-previewver-r18v6.html

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ScummVM News - Android Love

November 11th, 2020, 20:20 Posted By: wraggster

Our new and shiny Android port for ScummVM v2.2.1 is now live on the Google Play Store. After quite a long period of dedicated work from our team developers, and a month of public beta testing by members of our community who helpfully reported quite a few issues for us to address, we are finally ready to give you the stable release for our ScummVM Android app.
This app has been significantly re-written and tested on modern Android devices, running up to Android 10+. It includes new features which bring it up to speed with the desktop ScummVM application, such as FluidSynth support, Cloud Saves and more localization choices for the UI. Also included is the Local File Server (LAN) feature, whereby your device can act as a temporary file server allowing you to download files (eg. save files and even the config file) or upload new ones (eg. game data) using a web browser from a PC or another client.
With this release we have resolved a few long standing issues such as:

• upgrading from previous versions without losing access to your previous configuration and save files
• folder navigation (based on storage access permission settings)
• Working special keys on the virtual keyboard (such as F-keys) as well as handling of repeated keys

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Epic refutes Apple's theft claims as "implausible and deficient as a matter of law"

November 11th, 2020, 20:08 Posted By: wraggster

Epic Games has strongly refuted Apple's claim that its use of direct payments in Fortnite constitutes "theft," on the grounds that it is "implausible and deficient as a matter of law."
In a new filing with the US District Court, Epic addressed various allegations in the countersuit Apple issued last month -- itself the response to a legal complaint filed by Epic after Fortnite was removed from the App Store for adding direct payments to avoid paying a 30% share of revenue.
The filing -- first spotted by The Verge -- asserted that "Apple has no right to the fruits of Epic's labor, other than the rights arising under a contract."
Epic's legal team continued: "Consumers who choose to make in-app purchases in Fortnite pay for Epic's creativity, innovation and effort -- to enjoy an experience that Epic has designed."
While Epic's contractual agreement with Apple includes a mandatory share of all payments made in Fortnite, Epic took action due to its belief that "those contractual restrictions are unlawful" -- a fundamental repudiation of Apple's claim that Epic's actions were "theft, period."
"Apple seeks to compare Epic's conduct to stealing cash from a vault in ApplePark, or raiding Apple's bank account," the document stated.
"The money in Apple's vault or bank account is the property of Apple, in which Apple unquestionably has a possessory interest; the money paid by Fortnite users is not. It is money that Fortnite users choose to pay in return for Epic's creative endeavors.

https://www.gamesindustry.biz/articl...-matter-of-law

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PUBG Mobile has ceased operations in India due to government ban

November 11th, 2020, 19:45 Posted By: wraggster

PUBG Mobile will cease operations in India effective today, due to an order from the country's government.
Tencent's global hit was one of 118 apps targeted for a ban by the Indian Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology in September.
The government cited concerns related to privacy and national security, apparently connected to the apps' ties to Chinese companies.
In a statement released today, Tencent Games announced that it will "will terminate all service and access for users in India... on October 30, 2020."

https://www.gamesindustry.biz/articl...government-ban

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Pokémon Go's 2020 revenues estimated at $1bn so far

November 11th, 2020, 19:31 Posted By: wraggster

Sensor Tower estimates show that Pokémon Go has already surpassed $1 billion in player spending so far this year.
Revenues for the first ten months of 2020 are 30% higher than the same time last year, and 11% higher than the entirety of 2019, according to the company's blog post.
Since its launch in 2016, Pokémon Go has taken more just shy of $4.2 billion in player spending globally. The US is the game's biggest market at $1.5 billion -- 36.3% of total spending.
Japan is second with $1.3 billion, 31.3% of the total, followed by Germany with $238.6 million or 5.7%.
Earlier this year, developer Niantic made several changes to the game in order to make it easier for players to participate at home, without having to travel to different locations as they have since launch in 2016.
The changes led to an immediate spike in player spending, and Niantic has since decided to make some of these changes permanent.

https://www.gamesindustry.biz/articl...usd1bn-already

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Judge rejects Google's attempt to push Epic case to October 2022

November 11th, 2020, 17:38 Posted By: wraggster

Google's suggestion of dealing with the lawsuit it faces from Epic Games in two years' time has been rejected.
Esports Observer reports that Judge James Donato, who is overseeing the case, told both Epic and Google that such a delay in starting the case would be unacceptable.
Donato is open to the two parties agreeing on a date together, but warned them they should "get moving."
Epic has suggested starting the case in February 2021.
The firm filed a lawsuit against Google back in August after the company removed Fortnite from the App Store.
As with the ongoing Apple case, this was due to Epic introducing direct payments and bypassing the 30% commission Google takes for every sale and in-game transaction from apps distributed via the Google Play marketplace.
Epic is arguing that while Google, unlike Apple, allows alternative ways to download apps, it still pushes users and app makers towards Google Play, meaning said alternatives are less viable or profitable and ultimately forcing people into a marketplace with a 30% cut.

https://www.gamesindustry.biz/articl...o-october-2022

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Fortnite reportedly returning to iOS via GeForce Now

November 11th, 2020, 17:31 Posted By: wraggster

Epic Games' Fortnite may be able to make a comeback on iOS via Nvidia's GeForce Now.
The BBC reported that Nvidia developed a version of its cloud gaming service for Apple's browser Safari, which would allow players to have access to Fortnite on iOS all while circumventing the App Store.
At the moment, iOS users can't download games using storefronts other than Apple's, but third-party services running in web browsers are not restricted in any way.
Nvidia hasn't revealed when a version of GeForce Now running on iOS could be launching, but the BBC claimed that an announcement is expected "before the winter holidays." But as far as Fortnite is concerned, the publication pointed out a possible caveat: Epic's battle royale hit might still be excluded from the portfolio of games available on Apple's devices from GeForce Now.

https://www.gamesindustry.biz/articl...ia-geforce-now

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FIFA leads renewed mobile strategy at EA

November 11th, 2020, 17:30 Posted By: wraggster

EA is preparing a major push for FIFA on mobile, with CEO Andrew Wilson confirming that six mobile games based on the license are currently in development.


Speaking to the company's investors yesterday, Wilson said that EA has "six new soccer mobile games in development for new genres and new markets."


Later in the call, Wilson reiterated that the "six new FIFA titles" were part of a renewed push into mobile since the return of Jeff Karp -- who left an executive position at EA in 2011 to work at a number of major mobile games companies, including Zynga and Big Fish Games.


Karp rejoined EA in June this year as its senior vice president of mobile games, and Wilson said he quickly identified untapped potential in the company's IP stable -- FIFA and Apex Legends chief among them.


"[Karp] has a tremendous network out there in the mobile sphere," Wilson said. "And there are a lot of great developers out there who have... a lot of experience and expertise, but they do not have the IP to build their games around or the marketing muscle to really drive acquisition and what is becoming an increasingly competitive market."

https://www.gamesindustry.biz/articl...strategy-at-ea

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Judge dismisses Apple's claim of theft in Epic case

November 11th, 2020, 17:20 Posted By: wraggster

The judge overseeing the dispute between Apple and Epic has dismissed the former's claim of theft.
Apple filed a countersuit back in September following Epic's antitrust lawsuit the month before.
The iPhone maker claimed Epic's circumvention of its 30% fee violated the contract between them, but also accused Epic of theft and sought extra monetary damages beyond these two claims.
However, Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers dismissed two of Apple's claims, including theft, at a hearing yesterday, Bloomberg reports.
"This is a high-stakes breach of contract and an antitrust case, and that's all in my view," she told lawyers during the hearing.
Specifically addressing Apple's lawyer, she later added: "You can't just say [Epic's conduct is] independently wrongful. You actually have to have facts."
Apple disagreed with Gonzalez Rogers, but maintained it is clear Epic breached its contract.
Epic previously refuted Apple's claim of theft as "implausible and deficient as a matter of law."

https://www.gamesindustry.biz/articl...t-in-epic-case

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Apple market value tops $2tn

August 23rd, 2020, 21:33 Posted By: wraggster

Apple's market value has now topped $2 trillion.
The company's share price rose as high as $468.65 yesterday, which equates to a market capitalisation of $2.004 trillion, according to Reuters.
At the time of writing, the share price has dipped back down to $462.83 but the peak made Apple the first publicly-listed US company to pass the $2 trillion milestone.
The news occurs exactly two years since the iPhone maker because the first to be valued at more than $1 trillion.
Apple's stock has surged following strong results in July and as investors bet on major tech firms to succeed amid the coronavirus pandemic.
It's also a sign of confidence in its shift towards more services, such as Apple TV+ and games subscription Apple Arcade, rather than relying on iPhone sales.
Earlier this year, Apple surpassed petroleum and natural gas firm Saudi Aramco as the most valuable company in the world.

https://www.gamesindustry.biz/articl...ue-tops-usd2tn

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Epic Games turns Apple dispute into Fortnite event

August 23rd, 2020, 21:24 Posted By: wraggster

Epic Games is drawing further attention to its ongoing dispute to Apple with an in-game event for Fortnite.
Now Apple has blocked Fortnite from the App Store, iOS users are prevented from downloading future updates. So as the current in-game season comes to a close, Epic Games is marking the occasion with the #FreeFortnite Cup.
The event runs across all platforms this Sunday -- August 23, 2020 -- and offers prizes themed around the dispute, including #FreeFortnite hats that feature a parody of Apple's logo.
There will also be the chance to win a Tart Tycoon outfit, the Apple-themed Big Brother character from Epic's Nineteen Eighty-Fortnite short film.
Epic Games is even giving away 1,200 hardware prizes, including Alienware gaming laptops, PlayStation 4 Pro, Xbox One X and Nintendo Switch.
Since the original ban on Fortnite and Epic's subsequent lawsuit, the dispute has escalated with Apple terminating Epic's developer accounts and tools access.

https://www.gamesindustry.biz/articl...fortnite-event

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COVID-19 drives first-half mobile app spending to $50b

August 18th, 2020, 22:20 Posted By: wraggster

The global pandemic "has changed consumer behavior on mobile forever," according to App Annie.
The mobile analytics firm today released its first-half consumer behavior report, detailing how consumers used their phones more often -- and for more reasons -- as COVID-19 spread around the world.
In the first half of 2020, iOS and Google Play apps and games were downloaded 64 billion times, an increase of 5% year-over-year and 10% from the back half of 2019. Consumer spending over the first half was greater than $50 billion, also up 10% from the second half of 2019.
People were also spending more time on their phones, with App Annie finding the average daily hours spent on Android phones jumped as countries began locking down.
In Russia, the second quarter average time spent on Android phones was 3.5 hours a day, up 40% compared to 2019's average. Canada (up 39%) and India (up 37%) were also among the countries seeing significant increases in time spent on mobile.
Many of the countries App Annie looked at are continuing to see growing engagement, but two countries that dealt with the pandemic early on -- South Korea and China -- saw time spent on Android dipped in the second quarter compared to the first.

https://www.gamesindustry.biz/articl...d50b-app-annie

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Mobile version of Fall Guys is a scam, Mediatonic warns

August 18th, 2020, 22:16 Posted By: wraggster

There is no mobile version of battle royale hit Fall Guys: Ultimate Knockout, developer Mediatonic had to clarify.
A video called 'Play Fall Guys on Mobile' appeared on YouTube over the weekend, with more starting to crop up since. It sparked questions about whether an iOS or Android version of the title existed.
"If you see any ads for a mobile version, they are scams," Mediatonic warned on the Fall Guys Twitter account, reminding users that the Devolver-published game is only available on PC and PS4.
Talking about one of the videos that appeared on YouTube, Mediatonic also pointed out how blatantly fake it was: "They're literally playing a video and pretending to play it. There's literally a mouse cursor on the screen."
Fall Guys released in early August and instantly became a hit, reaching 1.5 million players in 24 hours.

https://www.gamesindustry.biz/articl...diatonic-warns

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Apple defends its controlled ecosystem in the face of antitrust investigation

August 15th, 2020, 00:07 Posted By: wraggster

Apple has responded to complaints about its App Store ecosystem, emphasising that its rules and policies are in line with those of other digital marketplaces.
The iPhone maker commissioned a study by the Analysis Group to compare its platform not only with rival app stores, but also with leading online marketplaces that sell physical products and even bricks-and-mortar retail chains.
The report follows the European Commission's announcement that it has opened an antitrust investigation into the App Store's rules.
Chief concerns include that developers can only use Apple's store to handle downloads, sales, subscriptions and in-app purchases, that they are restricted from promoting alternative payment options that operate outside the App Store, and the 30% share Apple takes of all sales, in-app purchases and subscriptions.
The Analysis Group's report focuses primarily on the latter, and is even entitled 'Apple's App Store and Other Digital Marketplaces: A Comparison of Commission Rates.'
However, in a section entitled 'Digital marketplaces need rules and governance to thrive,' the Group asserted that the restrictions Apple imposes on developers are not only common, but essential.
"Because trust and integrity are central to making buyers and sellers comfortable trading on the platform, digital marketplaces often employ common rules and enforcement strategies to foster such an environment," the report reads.

https://www.gamesindustry.biz/articl...-investigation

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Players spent $17.5m during Pokémon Go Fest 2020

August 15th, 2020, 00:00 Posted By: wraggster

Last weekend's Pokémon Go Fest saw a massive spike in user spending, with $17.5 million spent across the two-day event.
Sensor Tower estimates show players spent $8.9 million on Saturday, July 25 and $8.6 million on Sunday, July 25.
By comparison, revenues for Friday, July 24 reached $7.8 million.
The $8.9 million generated on the first day of the event makes it the most lucrative single day for player spending in the game since July 29, 2016, when players spent $13.3 million.

https://www.gamesindustry.biz/articl...n-go-fest-2020

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Apple's claim that "we treat every developer the same" tested by US Congress

August 14th, 2020, 23:56 Posted By: wraggster

Apple negotiated a lower revenue share in an attempt to lure Amazon's Prime Video to the iOS App Store, according to an email released by the US House Antitrust Subcommittee.
The email was released as part of a hearing this week, in which Apple CEO Tim Cook will be one of many tech leaders questioned about their business practices. In Apple's case, the 30% revenue share it takes from payments made on its platform is under scrutiny.
According to Techcrunch, Cook told the House Antitrust Subcommittee: "We treat every developer the same. We have open and transparent rules... It's a rigorous process, because we care so deeply about privacy and security and quality. We do look at every app before it goes on."
The current structure sees Apple take a 30% cut from revenue made from apps selling digital goods or services. Cook added that only 16% of apps on the App Store pay anything at all to Apple.
However, Cook's position was contradicted by emails between Apple and Amazon, which revealed a negotiation for the Amazon Prime Video player to receive more favourable terms than those given to other developers.
As reported by CNBC, the emails -- which are dated November 2016 -- show Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos recapping a discussion with Apple exec Eddy Cue.
The terms they discussed included a 15% revenue share for new subscriptions made through the Prime Video app -- half of the standard rate for the first year of a subscription -- and a 15% share for upselling services like Showtime.
The emails show only the negotiation rather than the final deal, but the terms Bezos described were offered by Apple a full year ahead of the Amazon Prime Video app launching on Apple TV at the end of 2017.

https://www.gamesindustry.biz/articl...by-us-congress

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15,000 games removed from iOS App Store in China

August 14th, 2020, 23:54 Posted By: wraggster

Around 15,000 games for iOS have been removed from the Mainland China version of the App Store as Apple prepares to comply with the country's regulations.
As of tomorrow, all games will require a valid publishing number or ISBN (International Standard Book Number) from China's National Press and Publication Administration, which handles approvals for game releases in the region.
Earlier this month, it was reported that 8,000 games were pulled from the App Store in one week. Niko Partners analyst Daniel Ahmad told GamesBeat this number has now risen to 15,000.



https://www.gamesindustry.biz/articl...store-in-china

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Apple blocking Project xCloud and Stadia because it can't review every game

August 14th, 2020, 23:18 Posted By: wraggster

Apple has explained why it will not allow Microsoft's Project xCloud game streaming service to launch on iOS in its current form.
Yesterday, it was reported that Microsoft has cancelled the iOS test for xCloud over a month early. The test had reportedly already been limited to one game and 10,000 users.
Now Apple has revealed that these limits are because xCloud, and by extension Game Pass, would bring titles to iOS that have not been through the company's reviews process.
Game Pass offers subscribers over 100 games in a library that is regularly changing, with more games removed and added every month. Apple would require Microsoft to submit each game individually for review; until then, the app that enables access to this library is blocked.
In a statement to Business Insider, an Apple spokesperson said: "The App Store was created to be a safe and trusted place for customers to discover and download apps, and a great business opportunity for all developers.

https://www.gamesindustry.biz/articl...iew-every-game

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