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Stories discussed in this episode:
The iPod touch and ‘iPod’ brand are officially dead
iPhone 14 Pro screen size: What we know
USB-C iPhone 15 in the works, claims Kuo, following supply-chain survey
Apex Legends Mobile release date, new trailer, new Legends teased
Electronic Arts and Respawn Entertainment have released a new trailer for Apex Legends Mobile, announcing the game will make a full, worldwide launch on May 17 for iOS and Android devices.
The end of the trailer features a shot of Kuben Blisk in a bar observing a victory by Mirage as the silhouette of a new challenger is seen briefly on-screen. Are they teasing another legendary player?
Based on Respawn Entertainment’s popular 2019 free-to-play battle royale shooter, Apex Legends Mobile will be standalone experience based on the core gameplay of the original game, EA said in a news release. The publisher said Apex Legends Mobile will have new game modes, social systems, and other features specifically designed with mobile devices in mind. That includes mobile-exclusive maps and other unique content to be released in the future.
Apex Legends Mobile has been in a limited-region beta (including Oceania, Southeast Asia, and South America) since March 7. In a blog post on March 17, Respawn said Apex Legends Mobile would feature “new mobile-first Legends with new stories to tell.”
Players can pre-register to help the Apex Legends Mobile community unlock rewards set to go live during the game’s launch next week for either iOS and Android versions of the game.
Could public wifi become obsolete with latest 5G speeds?
Opensignal’s latest study published today looks at 4G and 5G cellular performance compared to public wifi across the US. The big takeaway: in a change from past years, users will have a much faster experience if they’re able to use 5G (even Sub 6Ghz/mid-band) instead of a public wifi network.
Public wifi has become extremely common across the US in retail stores, other businesses, schools, government buildings, and more. Opensignal’s new report tackles the notion that it’s better hop on public wifi when it’s available by showing off how much faster 5G (and mmWave 5G) is than the former.
There is a transformation in how 5G and Wifi speeds compare from the situation when we last looked at how U.S. Wifi and cellular speeds match up a year ago. Then as now, mmWave 5G was way faster than Wifi. Now for the first time, our users enjoy average download speeds with 5G that are indisputably faster than all types of Wifi network — Public Wifi or Other Wifi.
For average download speeds, sub 6Ghz 5G now comes in at 112.9 Mbps. That’s 4.8 times faster than public Wifi at 23.3 Mbps.
And if you have access to mmWave 5G, Opensignal found it to deliver average download speeds of 571.6 Mbps, a massive 24.6 times faster than public wifi.
Contributing to slower speeds for public wifi were greater congestion and interference, older underlying foundations for broadband, and older wifi access points with little incentive to upgrade equipment.
Opensignal highlights that 5G offers a better gaming experience, particularly for real-time multiplayer action:
And for upload speeds, 5G mmWave outpaces public wifi, but standard 5G averages are close but a few Mbps shy.
Opensignal is also optimistic about the overall 5G experience continuing to improve in the coming months as all three major US carriers keep rolling out mid-band 5G spectrum coverage. And with the delta only looking to increase in 5G’s favor, public wifi (at least broadband-based) could become a thing of the past in the years ahead.
The annual developer’s conference Google I/O is starting today and the opening keynote will begin at 10 AM PT/1 PM ET/5PM UTC. Everybody can follow the live stream via YouTube, as is tradition.
Google did not reveal what will be announced at the keynote, but we’re expecting a Pixel Watch and a budget Pixel 6a on the hardware side, as well as some updates on the Android 13 development.
A full program on Google’s website reveals what will be talked about during the two days of the conference. We expect plenty of AI-related announcements but Chrome OS and AR should also be in the mix.
We will also follow live so even if you can’t stay for the entire keynote, come back later, and we’ll have all the latest news and announcements once the event ends.
Although we’re almost two years into a new console generation, we’re heading into a relatively light summer in terms of flagship releases. The pandemic has pushed a variety of blockbusters back toward the tail end of 2022 or the beginning of 2023, making a previously stacked lineup look uncharacteristically sparse. However, if you’re willing to dig a little deeper, there are still a whole bunch of games worth getting excited for.
That’s where we come in. We’ve taken the liberty of highlighting some of the most promising titles slated for release between May and August. Some will be games you’ve likely forgotten about, whereas others might be totally new to you. We also have new entries in mammoth series like Mario and Saints Row. This summer, as it turns out, might not be as slow we originally thought.
So, for the days when you’re not crossing another winter game off of your backlog or diving back into that service title you’d previously sworn off, here are 14 of the most exciting video game releases for the summer of 2022.
Gloomhaven: Jaws of the Lion
Image: Flaming Fowl Studios
Gloomhaven: Jaws of the Lion looks like a particularly strong way to kick off the summer — especially if you dig dark fantasy.
For those unacquainted with Gloomhaven, it’s a tactical RPG based on the extremely popular board game of the same name. Jaws of the Lion is an upcoming expansion that adds a bunch of new features to the game, increasing the already excellent bang for your buck. Gloomhaven’s base game alone is deeper and more complex than many of its ilk, so Jaws of the Lion’s arrival will be especially welcome for anyone (un)fortunate enough to have gotten locked in its grip over the last few months.
If you need to be convinced further, read Polygon’sGloomhaven review, in which we called it “a marvelous turn-based dungeon crawler.” It’s an excellent adaptation of an already excellent board game, particularly because of the Guildmaster mode, which adds original story missions unique to the digital incarnation.
Gloomhaven: Jaws of the Lion will be released on May 17 on Windows PC
Vampire: The Masquerade – Swansong
Image: Big Bad Wolf Studio/Nacon
Here’s one stealthy little bloodsucker: After being delayed because of COVID-19, Vampire: The Masquerade – Swansong is finally just around the corner. If you’re one of many people on the lookout for quality single-player games, this is something to keep an eye on — particularly if you’re excited for Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines 2, which has been pushed back indefinitely.
Developed by Big Bad Wolf, Swansong is one of several games based on the beloved tabletop RPG Vampire: The Masquerade. This particular adaptation is set in Boston and revolves around a vampire cult’s attempt to unite with opposing factions. You assume control of three different vampires — each from a unique background — and are tasked with uncovering a mystery at the heart of the U.S. underground vampire scene. Not a bad concept, eh?
The thing is, all of your detective-ing has to be done in secret — the eponymous Masquerade refers to the ancient practice of concealing your vampirism from humanity. There’s a lot going on here, from strange conspiracies to intense moral dilemmas. And if you’re interested in skulking through Boston as a trio of roguish bloodsuckers … well, that’s a very specific request, isn’t it? And you can’t really get closer than this.
Vampire: The Masquerade – Swansong will be released on May 19 on Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Windows PC, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X
Sniper Elite 5
Image: Rebellion
Set in France toward the end of World War II, Sniper Elite 5 is the latest installment in the methodical series. As with the previous games, 5 will feature tactical third-person combat, stealth, and a variety of immersive-sim elements — and even newcomers should be able to tell that a game called “Sniper Elite” is focused on, you know … snipers.
Beyond its incorporation of factors like gravity, wind, and heart rate, the environments in the game are also replicas of their real-life counterparts that have been captured using cutting-edge photogrammetric techniques. If you’re at all interested in a shooter that prides itself on realistically inhabiting WWII, this stealthy jaunt along the coast of 1944 Brittany may very well resonate.
If you want to know more about how Sniper Elite 5 feels to play, be sure to check out our preview, in which we said it still has “the slowest and most sensual burn among shooters.”
Sniper Elite 5 will be released on May 26 on PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Windows PC, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X
Diablo Immortal
Image: Blizzard Entertainment
The response to Diablo Immortal over the last few years has been … interesting, to say the least. It was originally announced during BlizzCon 2018, and to say that fans were unhappy with the free-to-play MMO would be like saying hellfire is hot.
Basically, fans were expecting news pertaining to Diablo 4. When they were instead served a spiel about yet another free-to-play mobile game with a dizzying variety of different progression systems, they were pretty pissed off. Since then, however, impressions of the game have skewed relatively positive.
As for what Diablo Immortal actually entails, it aims to tell a story set between Diablo 2 and Diablo 3, and it takes design influence from both. There are six champions to choose from and, as announced in April, the game is also now slated for a simultaneous release on PC — although this likely has more to do with avoiding emulation than appeasing fans.
Diablo Immortal will be released on June 2 on Android, iOS, and Windows PC
Mario Strikers: Battle League
Image: Nintendo
On one hand, you have soccer — a fast-paced, 11-on-11 sport with very precise rules and regulations. On the other, you have Mariosoccer, which flies in the face of literally all of that.
Mario Strikers: Battle League replaces typical soccer with “Strike,” a 5-on-5 version of The Beautiful Game that eschews any semblance of order for unadulterated chaos. Instead of catching someone offside, you can shoulder them into an electric fence. If you thought two-footed challenges were bad, wait until you see what you can pull off with a banana peel. And don’t even get us started on Waluigi, the Marioequivalent of Maradona.
Fans of previous Mario Strikerstitles may be particularly excited for Battle League given that it’s the series’ first entry in a whopping 15 years. Mario sports games are also just pretty great in general. Hopefully this is, too.
Mario Strikers: Battle League will be released on June 10 on Nintendo Switch
The Quarry
Image: Supermassive/2K Games
In stark contrast to the family fun of Mario Strikers: Battle League, Supermassive’s upcoming horror romp The Quarry calls for the coining of a new term: “family unfun.”
That’s not to say it isn’t fun! It’s just not the kind of game you should be playing with your 4-year-old. The Quarry follows a ragtag band of nine teenagers working as counsellors at Hackett’s Quarry summer camp. It’s your last day on the job and, with neither kids nor adults around to bother you, you decide to have a party. Yes, a party hosted by teenagers on the final day of camp — what could possibly go wrong?
Everything goes wrong, obviously. As the game progresses, you’ll be forced to make a variety of difficult decisions that determine who lives and who dies. One second you’re bantering away around the fire. The next, your best friend is murdered. All nine characters can either be the surviving protagonist or the first victim, meaning that there are loads of different ways the story can play out, incentivizing both multiple playthroughs and co-op with friends.
It’s also worth noting that The Quarry — which we previously called “Supermassive’s next swing at Until Dawn-style horror” — looks like a real love letter to old-school horror cinema, complete with cutting-edge performance capture and even a Movie Mode that reduces the amount of player input necessary to finish the story. It’s certainly not for the faint of heart, but if you’re into Supermassive and want an extra dose of summer vibes, this is a promising June release. You know, provided you’re not a scaredy-cat.
The Quarry will be released on June 10 on PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Windows PC, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X
AI: The Somnium Files – Nirvana Initiative
Image: Spike Chunsoft
What little we know about AI: The Somnium Files – Nirvana Initiative has been revealed via snazzy hacking stunts. But we do know that protagonist Special Agent Mizuki will be making her return. We also know that six years ago, half of a corpse was found.
Now, the other half has turned up. Bit strange, yeah? We think so too. Your job is to play as Mizuki and another Special Agent named Ryuki to figure out the origins of a string of half-body serial killings. Based on trailers, the game will feature multiple timelines that hop between legs and their long-separated torsos.
Characters such as hardboiled detective Kaname Date and internet idol Iris Sagan are also set to make a return. Whether or not they also have a weird narrative affinity for halves is anyone’s guess.
AI: The Somnium Files – Nirvana Initiative will be released on June 24 on Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Windows PC, and Xbox One
Capcom Fighting Collection
Image: Capcom
A veritable time capsule for fans of classic fighting games, Capcom Fighting Collection includes 10 fighters from its arcade catalog: Darkstalkers, Night Warriors, Vampire Savior, Vampire Hunter 2, Vampire Savior 2, Red Earth, Cyberbots, Super Puzzle Fighter 2 Turbo, Hyper Street Fighter 2, and Super Gem Fighter Minimix. Yes, most of the names are ridiculous.
While this is obviously targeted at retro enthusiasts, younger players should also definitely consider picking it up. A collection like this can provide valuable insight into the history of one of video games’ most storied genres, while modern quality-of-life improvements make even the oldest titles in the bundle significantly more approachable by contemporary standards. Hell, it even supports online play!
Now that Street Fighter 6 is on the way, it doesn’t matter whether you’re a fighting aficionado or have no idea what a Roman Cancel is — you’d best get to learning your combos before Ryu hadoukens you into oblivion.
Capcom Fighting Collection will be released on June 24 on Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Windows PC, and Xbox One
Fire Emblem Warriors: Three Hopes
Image: Nintendo/Twitch
Like with the majority of Musou games, reception to the announcement of Fire Emblem Warriors: Three Hopes has been fairly mixed. It wasn’t that Byleth has been replaced by a new protagonist called Shez, nor has it got much to do with basing a new story around characters like Edelgard, Dimitri, and Claude. It’s just the Musou bit.
Friends, let’s be honest here: Musou is great. You just need to give it a chance.
Admittedly, the change from Three Houses’more strategic, turn-based combat to one-on-1,000 battles is drastic, to say the least. That being said, Persona 5 Strikers retained much of its strategy element even after its conversion to the Musou format, meaning that Three Hopes could be every bit as tactical as Three Houses before it. You can still order your companions around and exploit enemy weaknesses to your own personal advantage — it has the spirit of Fire Emblem, if not the exact style.
Speaking of which, there’s still a large emphasis on your relationships with other characters and how they influence the rest of the game. Seriously, just give this one a chance, OK?
… Please?
Fire Emblem Warriors: Three Hopes will be released on June 24 on Nintendo Switch
Cuphead: The Delicious Last Course
Studio MDHR
Like Gloomhaven: Jaws of the Lion, this is an expansion, rather than a game in its own right. But still, it’s a Cuphead expansion — which makes it an extremely big deal.
Most people will recognize 2017’s indie smash-hit Cuphead as a cutesy and cartoonish game that is deceptively difficult in the most demonic way imaginable. It revolves around a brutal boss gauntlet that pits you, a sentient cup, against ferocious monsters who relentlessly batter you until you master the game.
The Delicious Last Course introduces an all-new character, Ms. Chalice, who can accompany Cuphead and Mugman on their odyssey through Inkwell Isle. It also features new weapons, extra bosses, and a whole host of other additions. As the final adventure for these ceramic slayers, The Delicious Last Course is one well worth gorging on.
Cuphead: The Delicious Last Course will be released on June 30 on Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Windows PC, and Xbox One
Outriders: Worldslayer
Image: People Can Fly/Square Enix
OK, so Outriders: Worldslayer is a bit … odd. It’s technically an improved version of the existing Outriders experience with an all-new campaign, additional gear, fresh ways to customize and build your character, and more. But at the same time … it’s still Outriders.
That’s not necessarily a bad thing. In Polygon’spreview of the new version, we said it “improves on the game’s already solid build crafting,” meaning that there is definitely value in People Can Fly’s decision to overhaul the core game. It’s just a bit difficult to know how much fresh material there is for people who have spent the last two years exploring Enoch, or how much of a barrier to entry there may be for fledgling Outriders who are considering arriving late to the party.
It’s worth noting that all of the original content is there, and anyone with an existing Outriders character can import it into Worldslayer. Those elements certainly help to alleviate any concern that people might have too much or too little experience with Enoch to truly enjoy Worldslayer, but we suppose nobody will know for sure until it launches at the end of June.
Outriders: Worldslayer will be released on June 30 on PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Windows PC, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X
F1 22
Image: Codemasters/Electronic Arts
The first and only racing game on this list, F1 22 has a lot to live up to after the successes of Forza Horizon 5 and Gran Turismo 7.
Fortunately, F1 is in an interesting position in that it has been tasked with reflecting a bunch of changes that have occurred in real-life Formula One, which is something Polygonhad the chance to speak to Codemasters about earlier this month. Essentially, the studio has taken it upon itself to design the most immersive racing game possible — whether or not they succeed with that fairly lofty task will be apparent in a month and a half’s time.
On the contrary, Codemasters has also introduced a new hub for showing off your cars and accessories, which has given some fans pause on account of its implication of microtransactions. So, as of now, we won’t know whether the game is an immersive marvel or a money-printing catwalk for cars until early July. Fingers crossed for the former.
F1 22 will be released on July 1 on PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Windows PC, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X
Xenoblade Chronicles 3
Image: Monolith Soft/Nintendo
It’s been nearly five years since the launch of Xenoblade Chronicles 2, so it’s only natural that Nintendo fans have gone borderline feral about the prospect of Xenoblade Chronicles 3 being just a couple months away.
This is further compounded by how bizarre Xenoblade Chronicles 3 is shaping up to be. Its setting is directly related not just to that of Xenoblade Chronicles 2, but also the location of the series’ inaugural game — it simultaneously depicts the futures of both, which, when you consider its status as a Xenoblade title, isn’t surprising in the slightest. The franchise is bonkers.
The story, meanwhile, takes place on Aionios, where two nations with differing views are at war with each other. You actually play as trios from both countries and can have up to seven party members.
Despite initially being slated for release in September, Nintendo recently revealed that Xenoblade Chronicles 3 was being brought forward for a release date of July 29. At least one game wasn’t delayed, eh?
Xenoblade Chronicles 3 will be released on July 29 on Nintendo Switch
Saints Row
Image: Volition/Deep Silver
Last but not least is Saints Row, the eagerly awaited reboot of a series that has long been in need of one.
Currently in development at Volition, Saints Row will be the first entry in the series in quite a while. If you include Gat Out of Hell — which many people don’t — it will have been seven years by the time launch rolls around. If you go off Saints Row 4, however, it will have been nine. Almost a decade!
Details on what exactly we can expect from Saints Row aren’t in high supply, but we do know that you assume control of a character named “The Boss,” who leaves one of three local gangs to form their own. Your job, then, is to establish dominance over the other groups.
Like previous Saints Row games, there will be a large emphasis on driving and combat, while you’ll also be able to disguise your illegal businesses as legitimate ones. Oh, and the character creator looks rad, which is nice.
Saints Row was originally slated for a release of Feb. 25, 2022, but it was pushed back to late August in November of last year. Given how this year’s release schedule has shaped up, it may be a great palette cleanser to round out the (relatively) relaxed summer.
Saints Row will be released on Aug. 23 on PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Windows PC, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X
Infinix Note 12i quietly launches with 90Hz IPS LCD, 50MP camera and 5,000mAh battery
A new Infinix model has appeared in Kenya – the Infinix Note 12i. It is a more affordable alternative to the Note 12 and a follow-up to the Note 11i (though not a strict upgrade).
The phone arrives with a 90Hz IPS LCD and while it is fairly large at 6. 82″, it is smaller than the 6. 95″ 11i display. Anyway, the higher refresh rate is the upgrade, but the cost of that is that the resolution dropped from FHD+ to 1,640 x 720 px.
This model is powered by the same Helio G85 chipset (12nm, 2x A75 + 6x A55, Mali-G52 MC2) as the Note 11i. It is paired with 4GB of RAM and 3GB of virtual RAM. Storage has been doubled to 128GB (while retaining the microSD slot) and you get Android 12 out of the box (skinned with XOS 10.6).
The Note 12i has a new camera starring a 50MP sensor with a bright f/1. 6 aperture (replacing the 48MP, f/1. 8 camera of the 11i), matching the Note 12 camera setup. This also includes a 2MP aux camera and an additional QVGA model (function unknown).
Infinix Note 12i
Video recording tops out at 1440p at 30fps as before. On the front is an 8MP selfie camera, which is a downgrade from the 16MP cameras on the vanilla 12 and the 11i.
The phone runs on a 5,000mAh battery, which supports 18W fast charging. The charger is included in the box along with a USB A-to-C cable, a pair of headphones (to use with the 3. 5mm jack) and even a basic protective case. Another note about audio, there are stereo speakers on board with DTS audio support.
The Infinix Note 12i is already available in some regions. For example, in Kenya it costs KES 20,500 ($175/EUR170/Rs13,500). For comparison, the regular Note 12 (with a 6. 7″ FHD+ AMOLED display and Helio G88) is KES 24,000. The Note 11i was KES 18,500. You should also be able to find the 12i in Nigeria where it appears to be pricier at NGN 100,700 ($245). The model is available in three colors: Sunset Golden, Jewel Blue and Force Black.
ZTE Axon 40 Ultra takes another stab at the full-screen phone design
We might finally be close to reaching the point where there is little to no sacrifice needed just to hide that unavoidable selfie camera.
When we use our smartphones, 90% of the time, we spend it on the screen, either looking at it or touching it. The screen is still used by many people to capture the perfect shot, even when the camera on the smartphone has been disabled. It’s not surprising, then, that almost all smartphone users and manufacturers want the front of the device to really be all about the screen and only about the screen. Due to limitations in technology and manufacturing, however, that wasn’t the case until recently. Although there are many ways to get rid of any imperfections or holes on the phone, not all have been successful. ZTE isn’t giving up, however, as it continues to try and find the Under-Display Camera trick.
There’s something almost disturbing about looking at a cutout or hole on your screen. Your mind will filter it out eventually and be blind to it. But every once in a while, it can draw our attention and distract. A lot of designers and engineers now want to wage war against those notches, but those didn’t exist until just a few years ago. It wasn’t really until smartphone makers tried to be smart and increase the space occupied by screens that they had to resort to cutouts.
Under-display cameras or UDCs are, to some extent, a solution to a problem of our own making. The best of both the worlds: a phone that has a large screen and a front-facing camera. Unfortunately, this was not possible until recent. Samsung is a well-known player in the market. However, it was disappointed to see that ZTE had already perfected UDC.
The newly announced ZTE Axon 40 Ultra, at first, looks almost like more of the same things, just with slight improvements that widen the brand’s lead in this department. The highlight is, of course, the fact that you can’t even see where the front camera is hiding underneath the screen, not unless you inspect it very closely. There is still some debate whether the output of that front-facing 16MP camera will be decent enough, but it definitely can’t do worse than what Samsung put underneath the Galaxy Z Fold 3’s flexible display.
The Axon 40 Ultra isn’t just a rehash of the past two years, though, but you might find its new design oddly familiar at the same time. It finally says goodbye to the flat screens of its predecessors and makes its 6. 8-inch AMOLED panel wrap to the sides with a gentle curve, meeting the equally curved edges of the back glass panel. The top and bottom edges, in contrast, are completely flat, so don’t be surprised if parallels to the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra are drawn, especially considering the same suffix.
While the front of the phone is beautiful because of its clean and seamless surface, the same can’t be said of its back. With lots of space for labels, the camera bump appears larger than necessary. Curiously, ZTE takes it even further with a small “tab” that peeks out of that structure, an embellishment with no other purpose than the have yet another area for branding. Then again, that’s not surprising given today’s smartphone design trends, and, thankfully, we spend most of our time looking at the front of our phones rather than their backs.
Switch successor a “major concern” for Nintendo, says president
It’s been over five years since Nintendo Switch was released. Since then, Nintendo’s current-generation console has amassed a robust library of titles and become the company’s bestselling console of all time with more than 103. 54 million units sold as of last year.
If you’re wondering what Nintendo has in mind for the Switch’s eventual successor, you’re not alone — as Nintendo president Shuntaro Furukawa himself as recently expressed that the transition to a new hardware platform is a “major concern” for the company.
Speaking during a Japanese investor Q&A meeting this week, as translated by VGC, Furukawa said that the company wanted to make the transition to a potential new console as smooth as possible for its 100-million-plus Switch users.
“To help alleviate this risk, we’re focusing on building long-term relationships with our customers,” Furukawa said during the meeting, according to VGC’s translation. We will still launch new software for the Nintendo Switch. However, we will offer services that use Nintendo Accounts as well as other IP. We intend for this to help build a lasting impact with our customers.”
In an investor Q&A back at 2021, Furukawa said that the Nintendo Switch is currently in its “middle stage” and that whatever Nintendo’s next hardware platform takes, it will likely include the same hardware-software approach that was used in the Nintendo Switch.
Nintendo Indie World: 7 best announcements from Nintendo’s Indie Direct
Nintendo’s Indie World Showcase showed several new Nintendo Switch games, including a group of four indies (*********) and Aggro Crab’s Another Crab’s Treasure. It also revealed release dates for beloved indies previously unannounced. Wednesday’s Indie World also offered a first look at two brand-new games, Doinksoft’s Gunbrella and Aggro Crab’s Another Crab’s Treasure, and heralded the immediate arrival of Switch versions of Mini Motorways, Soundfall, Opus: Echo of Starsong, and Gibbon: Beyond the Trees.
Here’s a list of other major announcements Nintendo made Wednesday during its livestream.
Gunbrella
The newest game from Doinksoft, developer of Gato Roboto, Gunbrella lets players wield the titular Gunbrella, letting them glide, swing, and shoot in “gritty” side-scrolling combat. Launching on Nintendo Switch sometime in 2023, Gunbrella is described as a noir-punk adventure starring a gruff woodsman on a quest for revenge. As players fight crime and the supernatural, they’ll upgrade their Gunbrella using scavenged parts.
Another Crab’s Treasure
Another Crab’s Treasure is a new soulslike in which the player, as a lowly shell-less hermit crab, battles other crustaceans on a quest to reclaim its armor. Developed by Going Under developer Aggro Crab, this crustacean-themed action-adventure game is headed to Switch in 2023.
ElecHead
A clever and challenging 2D platformer with a clever mechanic: Whatever Elec, a tiny robot who can throw his own head, touches, he charges up with his flow of electricity. This is a brilliant, simple puzzle platformer that will be coming to Switch in the summer.
Mini Motorways
The sequel to Mini Metro, Dinosaur Polo Club’s city-planning puzzle game has players draw and build roads to deal with traffic. Upgrades and changing traffic patterns keep the experience fresh. This addictive puzzle game can be found on Switch right now.
Ooblets
Ooblets, the colorful, Pokemon-esque life simulation first released in 2020, is heading to Nintendo Switch this summer. As they create a Badgetown life, players can train and grow the titular ooblets. Minigames, customization, and friendly neighbors keep the whole Ooblets experience fresh.
Image: Landfall Games
Totally Accurate Battle Simulator, or TABS for short, already a huge hit on Steam, is making its way to Switch this summer. Players can set up weird, wild wars between wobblers in this sendup of strategy sims.
Wildfrost
Chucklefish and developers Deadpan Games and Gatizer revealed Wildfrost, a new deck-building roguelike game coming to Nintendo Switch (and PC). It’s a mix of deckbuilding and adventure, Chucklefish says, in which players rally a deck of “charming companions and powerful elemental items in an attempt to take back a world that has fallen to the Wildfrost.”
To watch the entire Indie World showcase, enjoy the 20-minute video below.
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold4 renders show out foldable’s design
It’s still at least three months until Samsung introduces the fourth iteration of its flagship foldable phone with the Galaxy Z Fold4 but we are already treated to a series of high-quality renders of the unreleased phone. The images are courtesy of OnLeaks who teamed up with the folks over at SmartPrix to bring us our first detailed look at the Z Fold4.
Galaxy Z Fold4 gets a new back design which reminds us of the Galaxy S22 Ultra in terms of the camera layout. There’s no periscope module on the back which is not a surprise though rumors suggest the main cam will finally be upgraded to a 108MP sensor while the telephoto module will now do 3x optical zoom this time around.
The cover display will measure 6. 2-inches just like last year’s model but the phone’s overall dimensions will be a tad squarer standing at 155x130x7. 1mm in its unfolded state. The inner display will come in at 7. 6-inches though it will be shorter than its predecessor which should result in a rumored 23:9 aspect ratio. The phone appears to have the under-display selfie cam on the folding screen which is expected to be improved from last year’s 4MP module.
Elsewhere the Z Fold4 will bring Qualcomm’s upcoming Snapdragon 8 Gen 1+ chipset and a 4,440 mAh battery with 25W charging.
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