With the roll-out of new smart devices coming soon from various companies (such as Samsung’s foldable phone), there is a need for a faster network connection. The idea of 5G has already started at Verizon, where they claim their 5G broadband will be 20 times faster than current 4G LTE speeds.

The issue is, AT&T released “5GE” (5G Evolution), which is reportedly slower than Verizon and T-Mobile’s 4G LTE speeds. AT&T claims that 5GE runs on an “advanced” LTE network, but Verizon, T-Mobile, and Sprint all currently run 4G on that network, making AT&T’s claim false and misleading.

Sprint took this false claim seriously, and filed a lawsuit against AT&T. They say that what AT&T is doing to customers is completely unethical and wrong. This is because what they claim is their 5GE network, is literally the same as Sprint’s advanced 4G speeds.

The fact that AT&T was able to release this network and call it 5G is concerning. This is because as technology develops, consumers need to be able to purchase reliable speeds for their devices, and not be lied to by powerful corporations. AT&T needs to accept what they did wrong, and actually work on a future connection with real 5G speeds.

This spring is sort of boring when it comes to most video games. Because there are not a lot of big holidays around the springtime, developers don’t always put out the big and interesting games. Plus, many of the “new games” aren’t actually new but are old games being ported to the new systems. Some of these games include: Resident Evil 1 and 4, Assassin’s Creed III, and Final Fantasy X/X-2 HD Remaster. But, there are some new games coming out, and here are a few of the most interesting.

Mortal Kombat 11

The Mortal Kombat series has been a long running series of fighting games. They’re known for their very bloody fights that occur in the game. And because of this, most of the games are rated M. Mortal Kombat 11 was developed by Netherrealm Studios, and published by Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment. The game is coming out for Nintendo Switch, Playstation 4, Xbox One, and Microsoft Windows. The current release date is set for April 23, 2019.

Super Dragon Ball Heroes: World Mission

The Dragon Ball Heroes franchise up to this point has exclusively been in Japan. This is the first to be localized to the rest of the world. It is an action card game that creates what if characters and situations that aren’t originally used in the Dragon Ball manga or anime. So far, it is only being released on Nintendo Switch and Microsoft Windows, and is developed by Bandai Namco. It has recently been released on April 5, 2019.

Super Meat Boy Forever

Originally, this game was made for iOS but was changed to an actual sequel to the original Super Meat Boy game. Super Meat Boy is a single player platforming game that is known for how difficult of a game it can be. The new game will now have new controls and randomly generated levels based upon the players skills in the game. The game is being developed by Team Meat, for iOS, Android, Linux, Microsoft Windows, Xbox One, Playstation 4, and the Nintendo Switch. It is set to release on the 29th of April, 2019.

Battle royale games have gained a lot of popularity in the past couple of years. Games such as Fortnite and Pubg have been some of the most played games in the past year. But why are battle royale games so popular?

Battle royale style games are pretty recent. The first iteration, that people consider battle royale, is the “Hunger Games” mini game in Minecraft servers, which was styled after the movie and book series The Hunger Games.

Today, according to digitaltrends.com, battle royale games have 6 defining characteristics:

• giant maps for the player to explore
• that you start of with nothing
• caches and chests from which you get items from
• a storm or barrier that forces players to get closer together
• the last player or group standing wins the game
• something that makes the specific battle royale game unique (or every game would be extremely similar)

Which brings me to the first point on why they are popular, which is their aspect of being unique. Games such as Fortnite are widely played because they are unique. In Fortnites’ case, it’s building system is what makes it unique, and so fun to play, because you don’t have to sit in specific areas for cover, you can build your own.

But uniqueness is not the only reason battle royale games are popular. They are also popular because its system is very easy to apply to many games. Like how recently, they released a game called Tetris 99 which uses an old and very popular popular game, Tetris, and then they made it so you had to play against 98 other people, effectively making a battle royale Tetris game.

But, not only that, battle royale games are also super popular today because many of the biggest battle royale games are free. Games like Fortnite and Apex Legends can now be played by pretty much anyone because people aren’t blocked by a hefty price for the game. So, everyone can try them, and why wouldn’t you, it’s free.

Next month, Samsung is expected to release two new phones: the Galaxy S10 and the Galaxy F. The F is the first foldable smartphone that will be on the market. Samsung is currently working on the physical and UI features at the Samsung Design Innovation Center (SDIC). The SDIC is responsible for the design of Samsung’s new products, services, and the report notes for new devices.

Just like many new smartphones these days, this one will be just as expensive, if not more, because of its new, unique design. The phone will have three screens when unfolded, including the primary panel that’s placed on the inside of the phone, as well as a smaller display on the outer shell.

“Our group here is working to reinvent and reimagine how we can create new experiences based on this new platform,” the Samsung executive said. “And of course we are very well situated here because the Android system has not been designed for that (foldable). We need to explore new ways to do so.”

Since Google is helping Samsung with the Android powered software for this new foldable phone, customers will probably see foldable Android phones from various companies in the not too distant future. This includes Huawei, Microsoft, LG, Xiaomi, and Oppo.

Apple is also rumored to be trying out some new design ideas for foldable smartphones, but there will for sure not be an Apple foldable phone in 2019.

The latest big video games released were Pokemon Lets Go Pikachu and Eevee on November 16, 2018. As it is soon to be the end of the year, there are few video games still to be released. So, here are the last few of them.

Darksiders lll

Darksiders lll is a hack and slash action adventure style game. It is part of the Darksiders franchise which began in 2010, with the first Darksiders. It is being developed by Gunfire Games for Xbox One, Playstation 4, and Microsoft Windows. It is based upon Fury, one of the 4 horsemen of the apocalypse. Darksiders lll is set to be released on November 27, 2018.

Just Cause 4

This is an action adventure game and is a sequel to Just Cause 3, in the Just Cause franchise. The game is being developed by Avalanche Studios. The game is set in an open world environment following the protagonist Rico Rodriguez. Just Cause 4 is being released for Xbox One, Playstation 4, and Microsoft Windows. Just Cause 4 is set to be released December 4, 2018.

Super Smash Bros. Ultimate

The last big video game to be released this year, Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, is the successor to Super Smash Bros. for the Wii U and 3DS. It is the 5th installment to the series that debuted on the N64. It is fighting game that does not rely specifically on trying to deplete an opponent’s health, instead it is based more upon doing more damage to knock an opponent off the edge. This game is the biggest of the franchise, including not only new fighters, but every fighter that has ever been in a Super Smash Bros. game. The game includes mostly Nintendo characters but also includes some others like Sega’s Sonic, and Pac-Man. Super Smash Bros. Ultimate is only being released on the Nintendo Switch, and is set to be released on December 7, 2018.

Video games started to slowly get more popular in the mid, and end of, the 1900’s. But originally they were played on computers, until 1972, when the world was introduced to the Odyssey, by Magnavox, the first home console video game system. Slowly though, the hype for the system died because of how basic it was.

The next big video game console to be released was the Atari 2600, from Atari, which began the second generation of video game consoles.

But then, in 1983, due to the competition against computers, and low quality over hyped games, the video game console market crashed in America leading to the bankruptcy of many video game companies.

The video game market in America recovered with the release of the Nintendo entertainment system (NES), and the robotic operating buddy (R.O.B). To get consumers to buy the original NES, it was marketed as a toy with the inclusion of R.O.B.

With the release of the NES, they also released many important video game franchises such as Super Mario (originally from the Donkey Kong arcade game), and Legend of Zelda just to name a few.

Then, in 1989, Sega released the Genesis to compete with Nintendo after their last console, the Sega Master System, couldn’t compete with the NES. With the Genesis being a stronger system (being 16 bit over the NES being 8 bit), having good marketing, and releasing the game Sonic the Hedgehog, Nintendo and Sega began the first console war.

With the release of violent video game series such as Street Fighter, and Mortal Kombat Sega created the entertainment software rating board (ESRB) rating system which is still used today. Nintendo then released the Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES). But the Genesis, having been released before, and for other reasons, had jump started ahead of the SNES.

With further advancements with technology the video game market was hit with the first true 3D games with the 5th generation of consoles. It began with Sega releasing its 32 bit console the Sega Saturn. It was the first video game console to use CDs instead of cartridges.

Then there was the PlayStation which was the first console that Sony had made. It was created after a failed attempt of an add on to a Nintendo console for discs. It was cheaper than the Saturn and was the most popular console for the fifth generation.

The last console for the 5th generation was the Nintendo 64, which hinted in its name that it was a 64 bit console. It still used cartridges, which were technologically inferior to CDs, but even so, it still had many critically acclaimed games. It wasn’t good enough to beat the PlayStation though.

During the sixth generation there were 4 big major consoles released. The PlayStation 2, the Xbox, the Nintendo Gamecube, and the Sega Dreamcast. The PlayStation 2, which was the first video game console to use dvds for games, still was on top. It was so popular it still is the best selling video game console of all time.

The Xbox, which came from Microsoft, had some good success starting a fan base that would widely expand itself to very large numbers today. However, originally the first Xbox couldn’t compete with the PlayStation 2.

The Dreamcast was Sega’s last attempt at a console before becoming a third party video game creator. Sega attempted things ahead of its time, such as online gaming, which did very poorly when first introduced.

The Nintendo Gamecube was released in 2001. Though it released games loved by fans today, it couldn’t catch as much hype as its predecessors. So, the Gamecube couldn’t compete with the PlayStation 2 either.

The seventh generation of consoles brought with it the Nintendo Wii, Xbox 360, and the PlayStation 3. The PlayStation 3, which was able to read Blu-Ray discs, had finally found competition with the other consoles.

The Xbox 360, had similar technical capabilities compared to the PlayStation 3. The Xbox 360 also had good internet capability, which was a score for Microsoft because they were finally catching up with Sony.

The Nintendo Wii, being the most successful console of this generation, outsold the PlayStation and the Xbox by a pretty good amount. With its innovation with the motion controlled controllers, it appealed to a non hardcore, and family friendly, demographic. It also had video games more active then ever before

The current generation of consoles, the eighth, began with the Wii U, a successor to the Wii. From bad marketing and many other reasons the Wii U was a commercial failure.

It was followed by the PlayStation 4, and the Xbox One. Both have been very successful in their own rights, and have been re-released as the Xbox One X and the PlayStation 4 Pro to support 4K resolution gameplay.

Nintendo’s latest console, the Switch, has been one of the most innovative thus far. Being a handheld and home console hybrid it also features a controller similar to the Wii controllers, and has been very successful due to its innovativeness. Its first party support, with multiple critically acclaimed games has also helped make it popular.

The gaming company TellTale started up in October of 2004, and nearly 14 years later, they shut down. But why? Were they not making good sales? Were they in the middle of a huge controversy? Did the employees stop caring? Well, here’s where you find out.

TellTale started off small, and it wasn’t until a crisp April day in 2012 that TellTale truly got its start with their game, The Walking Dead. The first season of their game boasted five episodes, and by November it was all complete. It received huge praise, winning over eighty awards. It topped the sales chart for Xbox, and when I say pretty much everyone played it, I mean it.

The Walking Dead started an era. An era of choice-driven games. In TellTale’s series, you, the player, can choose what to say and how to act. You are in charge of your relationships with others, who dies, who lives, and how well your group survives.

But is that true? TellTale tells the player in the beginning “Your choices matter,” but is that a lie? Sadly, pretty much. Sure, you have choices, you can make someone hate you, and you can even sacrifice someone to save another. But it doesn’t matter.

In the game you have to choose between two people to save. Doug and Carly. You would think that whoever you save would change the game. That these two characters will start a new storyline, and the game will change depending on who lives, and who dies. But no matter you save, they die soon later anyway, leaving the game unchanged. It creates an illusion of choice.

Sure, if TellTale’s games were only one of a few choice-based games then maybe nobody would have minded. The problem is that The Walking Dead became so popular that game companies realized they could make massive profit from those types of games. And why play a game that tricks you into believing that your choices matter when you can play a game where they actually do matter?

A good comparison is between TellTale’s The Walking Dead, and Quantic Dream‘s Detroit: Become Human. In the latter game, you can see a map at the end of every episode or section you play. You can see what choices you made, and the different branches of choices that you didn’t. There are tons of endings and small details that differ depending on what you, the player, chose.

So really, TellTale started an era in the gaming world, but it was their eventual downfall. The games being created to capitalize on the popularity of that genre were better than the one that started it all.

But I’m sure you’re thinking “That can’t be the only reason! Just because their games didn’t have real choices!” And you’re right. So let’s look at the next reason why TellTale couldn’t keep afloat.

Employees were generally unhappy. Many worked long hours, and the management was toxic. There was barely any organization. Nobody really kept track of what was going on. The management stopped interacting with their staff, and that meant less morale.

As TellTale got more popular, the more they made games. Soon they started working on multiple games at once. Instead of choosing developers to stick to one game, they rotated developers. This made the creation process to be more sloppy, and many workers didn’t understand this decision.

There wasn’t even any proper schedule. Rewrites and improvoments of the game were asked very last minute. Employees say that it was a constant barrage of work with no break, six day work weeks, with about 18 hours for each of those days. New developers couldn’t handle it, and the older ones were not putting in all their effort.

Eventually, TellTale couldn’t handle the stress. It collapsed under its own foundation.

Over 200 workers were laid off without severance, many took to Twitter to say not to work extreme overtime for a company that, in the end, will not care about you.

Many other game companies told these employees that they could always come and work them. At least there’s a silver lining to the storm clouds.

It is unknown if TellTale will continue the final season of The Walking Dead. The episodes are set to release in November and December, and their MineCraft Netflix series will be finished.

By: Mateo Barrera

In recent years, social media has become increasingly more popular, with almost everyone having access to an electronic device. Because of almost everyone having an electronic, it’s really easy to get social media apps such as Instagram and Facebook because they are free.

Social media is an access point for people to get recognition from people that they know and people that they haven’t even met. But not only that, it also gives people opportunities to share their opinions to other people. Due to this, people have created a sort of addictive habit to go onto social media constantly to check others’ posts and their own.

 According to an article on The Huffington Post, the psychological reasoning behind the addiction is because  “Social media engagement has been found to trigger three key networks in the brain – the ‘mentalizing network’, the ‘the self-referential cognition network’ and the ‘reward network.’”

The use of the mentalizing network is important because one of the sections of your brain that is being used in the mentalizing network, the dorsomedial prefrontal cortex, is used to basically help us judge how people are, through looking at them, and “has been the reason we exist today.” So, the use of this section of your brain is super important.

The self referencing section of your brain is used because on social media a lot of the time you are talking about yourself, so it is clear to see why it is used.

The reward network of your brain is triggered during the use of social media because the people who post on the platforms get a sense of reward from their friends and other people liking the things that they have posted. This feeling is a lot stronger when you are a teenager because one of the sections of your brain connected with the reward system, the nucleus accumbens area, is connected to “exaggerated” feelings of pain and pleasure. And this is why it is a lot more common for teenagers to use social media than adults, or at least feel more feelings towards the things that they post.

God of War’s concept and game play is based on the hack and slash gaming genre; players control Kratos, and kill enemies throughout the journey in many different and gruesome ways. The amount of action and detail that the developers include allow fans to feel immersed in the game. The dynamic camera angles and cinematic scenes within the game, are created to let the fans feel emotional towards the story of the game and the characters.

The intense, and vast amount of details, in the graphics of the game, and the cinematic scenes were amazing. Fans were able to clearly see and tell what was going on with the story and the events that were occurring. The way the camera allows you to see every scene and detail perfectly, and the character emotions, lets the gamer relate more during their time playing the game.

Published by Sony, and created by Ready at Dawn, the new creation of the God of War game transformed how fans perceived the previous games. For starers the camera view is locked as a third-person view instead of a free, changing camera during the gaming portion while the cinematic scenes are always changing to put more intense and excessive feeling in the scene.

The story and plot they created for the God of War game was different than before but allowed fans to feel nostalgic towards the past installments.

After a time passes, and the events of God of War 3 pass, Kratos finds himself in a place called Midgard and creates a family. Soon after, Kratos and his son, Atreus takes the ashes of his wife to the highest mountain throughout the realms. This is the start of their journey that takes place in Norse mythology, and while on their journey they encounter enemies, creatures, and monsters that cross their path.

Many fans bought God of War because they had played the previous installments and hoped to continue the lore of God of War and the story of Kratos. Some fans never got to play the previous God of War installments, and buying the newest one would allow them to get a feel for the story. Others bought it for the interest of God of War, the genre that the game is made for, or the innovation of graphics, gameplay, and story.

The only drawback of the game is that it is PlayStation exclusive, so owners of the Xbox franchise do not have access to God of War.