After nearly half a decade away, Epic Games’ Fortnite has finally returned to the Apple App Store in the United States. As of Tuesday, players across the country can once again download and enjoy the wildly popular multiplayer shooter on their iPhones and iPads, ending a ban that began in 2020.

This comeback is a significant win for Epic Games, which has been locked in a high-profile battle with Apple for years over App Store policies and control. While Fortnite had already made its way back to the App Store in the European Union last year—following regulatory pressure on Apple—the US market remained closed off to the game until now.

The Battle Between Epic and Apple

The saga began in August 2020 when Apple removed Fortnite from its App Store after Epic introduced a direct payment system within the game, bypassing Apple’s standard 30% commission fee on in-app purchases. This move triggered a major legal clash between the tech giant and Epic Games, sparking lawsuits, widespread debate about the power of app stores, and discussions about fair competition in digital marketplaces.

For years, Apple stood firm on its App Store rules, which led to Fortnite being unavailable on iOS devices, frustrating millions of loyal fans who were forced to turn to alternative platforms or devices to keep playing.

Fortnite’s Massive Popularity

Since its launch in 2017, Fortnite has been one of the most popular games globally, famous for its fast-paced “battle royale” format, where 100 players fight to be the last person standing. Its colorful graphics, regular content updates, and collaborations with pop culture icons have made it a cultural phenomenon.

At the time of its removal from the Apple App Store in 2020, Fortnite boasted approximately 116 million users on Apple’s platform alone—showcasing just how big the fallout was from the ban.

What This Return Means for Players

Epic Games announced the return on social media platform X, confirming that Fortnite is also available through the Epic Games Store and AltStore in the European Union, expanding options for players across different regions.

For US players, the return to Apple’s App Store means seamless access to the game without needing to rely on workarounds or other devices. This is especially important as mobile gaming continues to grow in popularity, making the iPhone and iPad key platforms for millions of gamers.

The Future of Epic and Apple’s Relationship

While the return signals some easing in the dispute, the broader legal and regulatory battles between Epic Games and Apple are far from over. The issues at stake—including app store fees, developer rights, and platform control—continue to be hot topics in the tech world and could shape how digital marketplaces operate in the future.

For now, players can simply enjoy jumping back into Fortnite on their Apple devices, rekindling a favorite pastime that had been missing for years.

Source: CNN – Epic Games’ Fortnite back up on Apple app store in US after nearly 5 years

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New Outfits Coming in the Second Half of Version 1.3

A recent Infinity Nikki leak has revealed two new 4-Star outfit Evolutions, Dream Banquet and Adventure Ride, set to debut in the second phase of Version 1.3. These outfits bring unique abilities and stylish transformations, adding to the excitement of the game’s growing global audience.

Since its December 2024 launch, Infinity Nikki has significantly outperformed its predecessors, attracting both longtime fans and new players. While some technical performance issues remain, players continue to enjoy exploring the world of Miraland.

Version 1.3 Update: Queen’s Palace Ruins & Haunted Mansion Theme

The latest update introduces the Queen’s Palace Ruins, a new area in Breezy Meadows, featuring a theme inspired by:
Timeless Melody – Wind-up doll aesthetics
Spectral Mist – Haunted mansion vibes

With Limited Banners split into two phases, the second phase will introduce the Adventure Ride and Dream Banquet outfits—each offering unique interactive abilities.

New 4-Star Outfits & Evolutions

Adventure Ride (Cowgirl-Themed Outfit)

Ability: Summons a motorbike that functions like a Whimcycle
Base Colors: White & Orange
Evolution Colors: Purple & Pink

Dream Banquet (Elegant Banquet-Themed Outfit)

Ability: Summons a magical banquet for photo opportunities
Base Colors: White & Orange
Evolution Colors: Blue, White, & Red

These outfits are connected to the upcoming Dye Event, focused on giving the Bullquet outfit a fresh new look. Thanks to leaker kachagain, players now have a sneak peek at these stylish ensembles in both their base forms and evolved states.

How to Obtain Adventure Ride & Dream Banquet

Estimated Release Date: The second phase of Version 1.3 banners typically launches 9–14 days before the next update, giving players plenty of time to save resources.

Cost Breakdown:

• Adventure Ride + Recolor: 90 Revelation Crystals
• Dream Banquet + Recolor: 80 Revelation Crystals

Fortunately, Version 1.3 appears to be a generous patch, providing players with ample Diamonds to secure these limited-time outfits.

Upcoming Dye System & Customization Features

One major update on the horizon is the Dye System, allowing players to customize outfit colors. While details remain unclear, past Nikki titles suggest that evolving outfits could unlock a wider range of color options. Players looking to personalize their favorite outfits should consider evolving them to maximize their customization potential.

Final Thoughts

With new outfits, exciting abilities, and enhanced customization, Infinity Nikki continues to expand its fashion-driven adventure. Whether you’re saving up Diamonds or planning your perfect outfit evolution, Version 1.3 promises plenty of content for both veterans and newcomers alike.

Source

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Apple has officially introduced the iPhone 16e, the latest addition to its iPhone 16 lineup. With a focus on performance, battery life, and advanced AI features, the iPhone 16e brings flagship capabilities to an affordable price point. Featuring the A18 chip, Apple Intelligence, a 48MP Fusion camera, and Apple’s first cellular modem, the iPhone 16e offers an exceptional experience for users who want the power of the iPhone 16 series at a lower cost.

Pre-orders begin on Friday, February 21, with the device officially available on Friday, February 28.

A Beautiful, Durable Design with Unbeatable Battery Life

The iPhone 16e combines durability with elegance. It features IP68 water, dust, and splash resistance, along with a Ceramic Shield front cover—the toughest glass on a smartphone. The 6.1-inch Super Retina XDR display brings vibrant HDR videos, sharp text, and immersive visuals.

One of the standout features is the best battery life ever on a 6.1-inch iPhone, offering up to 6 hours more than the iPhone 11 and 12 hours more than the iPhone SE. Whether you’re watching videos, playing games, or browsing, the A18 chip ensures smooth performance and energy efficiency. For extra security, Face ID lets users unlock their iPhone, authenticate purchases, and sign in to apps effortlessly.

Next-Level Performance with the A18 Chip

At the heart of iPhone 16e is Apple’s A18 chip, offering 80% faster performance than the A13 Bionic chip found in iPhone 11. This chip powers both everyday tasks and more demanding activities, including mobile gaming and machine learning.

• 6-core CPU: Delivers faster processing power for seamless multitasking.
• 4-core GPU: Supports stunning graphics, including next-gen mobile gaming and hardware-accelerated ray tracing.
• 16-core Neural Engine: Speeds up machine learning tasks by 6x compared to the A13.

Apple’s C1 modem, the first cellular modem designed by Apple, ensures fast and reliable 5G connectivity while maximizing battery efficiency.

Built for Apple Intelligence

The iPhone 16e is designed to work seamlessly with Apple Intelligence, a next-gen AI system focused on making users’ lives easier and more intuitive.

Key Features:

• Clean Up Tool: Remove unwanted elements from photos.
• Natural Language Search: Search for specific images or videos with simple descriptions.
• Image Playground & Genmoji: Explore creative tools for visual expression.
• Siri: More conversational and capable of following a sequence of requests, even if you stumble over your words.
• ChatGPT Integration: Now available directly within the iPhone’s Writing Tools and Siri, users can ask for assistance without leaving the app.

Privacy is a top priority with Apple Intelligence. The system works primarily on-device, and when cloud computing is needed, Private Cloud Compute ensures that your data is never stored or shared with Apple.

The Action Button: More Control at Your Fingertips

The Action button on the iPhone 16e offers a customizable shortcut to help users quickly access their favorite features. Whether it’s opening the camera, switching to silent mode, or launching third-party apps like Shazam or Snapchat, the Action button gives you the freedom to streamline your experience.

Additionally, it unlocks a new Visual Intelligence experience, allowing users to identify objects, translate text, or even search for products online by pointing their camera at them.

A 48MP Camera System That Does It All

iPhone 16e’s 48MP Fusion camera system is packed with features to capture every moment in stunning detail. From bright daylight to low-light environments, the camera uses computational photography to ensure your photos are sharp and vibrant.

• 2x Telephoto Lens: Zoom in with optical quality—it’s like having two cameras in one.
• Night Mode & Portrait Mode: Capture great photos in any lighting.
• 4K Dolby Vision Video: Record stunning videos with spatial audio for a cinematic experience.
• Autofocus on the Front Camera: Get sharper selfies and group shots.

Stay Connected Anywhere: Satellite Features and Safety

When you’re outside of Wi-Fi or cellular coverage, iPhone 16e’s satellite features ensure you stay connected:

• Emergency SOS via Satellite: Reach emergency services when there’s no signal.
• Roadside Assistance via Satellite: Get help when you’re in need on the road.
• Messages and Find My via Satellite: Stay in touch with family or share your location when off the grid.

Crash Detection is another critical safety feature, detecting a severe car crash and automatically dialing emergency services if you’re unable to do so.

iOS 18: Personal, Powerful, and Secure

iPhone 16e comes with iOS 18, which introduces several new features:

• Customizable Home Screen: Change the look of widgets and app layouts.
• Enhanced Messaging: Schedule messages, use RCS for richer media, and add fun effects to your text.
• More Privacy: Lock sensitive apps, hide them from the home screen, and enjoy secure messaging.

Environmentally Friendly Design

Apple is committed to sustainability, and iPhone 16e is no exception. With over 30% recycled content, including 100% recycled cobalt and 95% recycled lithium in the battery, this iPhone is designed with the environment in mind. The packaging is entirely fiber-based, contributing to Apple’s goal of eliminating plastic by the end of the year.

Apple is also working toward carbon neutrality by 2030 across its entire product lifecycle.

Pricing and Availability

The iPhone 16e will be available in black and white finishes, with 128GB, 256GB, and 512GB storage options starting at $599 (U.S.) or $24.95 per month for 24 months. Apple offers trade-in options, including up to $400 in credit for older models like iPhone 11 and 12.

Pre-order begins February 21, and the device will be available in over 59 countries starting February 28.

Accessories and Additional Services

• iPhone 16e Silicone Cases: Available in five colors for $39 (U.S.).
• AppleCare+: Provides unlimited accidental damage incidents, battery service, and 24/7 support.
• iCloud+: Plans start at $0.99 per month, offering up to 12TB of cloud storage and additional features like Private Relay and Hide My Email.

The iPhone 16e brings powerful features, impressive performance, and next-level AI capabilities at an incredible value. With a stunning design, an advanced camera system, and groundbreaking safety features, it’s the ideal iPhone for those who want a premium experience without the premium price tag.

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The Game Awards 2024 nominations were announced on Monday, with Square Enix’s Final Fantasy VII Rebirth and Team Asobi’s Astro Bot leading the charge with seven nominations each, including Game of the Year. Other notable nominees include Studio Zero’s Metaphor: ReFantazio with six nominations, and Balatro by LocalThunk with five. Black Myth: Wukong by Game Science and Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree from FromSoftware both earned four nominations, rounding out the Game of the Year category.

In a shift driven by the growing trend of video game adaptations, major film and TV studios have earned spots in the Best Adaptation category. Nominations include Netflix’s Arcane, Amazon’s Fallout, Paramount+’s Sonic Universe spin-off Knuckles, Amazon’s Like a Dragon: Yakuza, and Netflix’s Tomb Raider: The Legend of Lara Croft.

Additionally, Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree is nominated in the expansion pack or downloadable content (DLC) category, with a statement from The Game Awards clarifying that DLCs are eligible for nominations across all categories.

Sony Interactive Entertainment leads the pack with the most nominations—16 in total—followed by Square Enix and Xbox with 12 nominations each. SEGA garnered 11 nominations this year.

Here are some of the standout nominations:

Best Score and Music

• ASTRO BOT (Team Asobi/SIE)
• Final Fantasy VII Rebirth (Square Enix)
• Metaphor: ReFantazio (Studio Zero/Atlus/Sega)
• Silent Hill 2 (Bloober Team/Konami)
• Stellar Blade (Shift Up/SIE)

Best Audio Design

• ASTRO BOT (Team Asobi/SIE)
• Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 (Treyarch/Raven/Activision/Xbox)
• Final Fantasy VII Rebirth (Square Enix)
• Senua’s Saga: Hellblade 2 (Ninja Theory/Xbox Game Studios)
• Silent Hill 2 (Bloober Team/Konami)

Best Performance

• Briana White, Final Fantasy VII Rebirth
• Hannah Telle, Life is Strange: Double Exposure
• Humberly González, Star Wars Outlaws
• Luke Roberts, Silent Hill 2
• Melina Juergens, Senua’s Saga: Hellblade 2

Best Adaptation

• Arcane (Riot/Fortiche/Netflix)
• Fallout (Bethesda/Kilter Films/Amazon MGM Studios)
• Knuckles (Sega/Paramount)
• Like a Dragon: Yakuza (Sega/Amazon MGM Studios)
• Tomb Raider: The Legend of Lara Croft (Crystal Dynamics/Legendary/Netflix)

Most Anticipated Game

• Death Stranding 2: On the Beach (Kojima Productions/SIE)
• Ghost of Yōtei (Sucker Punch Productions/SIE)
• Grand Theft Auto VI (Rockstar Games)
• Metroid Prime 4: Beyond (Retro Studios/Nintendo)
• Monster Hunter Wilds (Capcom)

The 2024 Game Awards ceremony promises to be a thrilling celebration of the year’s best in gaming, with fans eagerly anticipating the final winners in each category.

Source

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ASUS has now officially announced the ROG Phone 9 series and it’s coming a lot sooner than the previous model. Aimed at gamers the ROG Phone series has always been about delivering top-end performance for mobile gaming and that isn’t changing. What is changing is ASUS’s launch timing. With the ROG Phone 8 series, ASUS announced the phone in late December of 2023. It then fully revealed the phone at CES this year in January. The phone was available by the end of the month, with the US launch happening at the beginning of March.

This time around ASUS is pushing things up a bit. Now that the phone is officially announced, it plans to have a full reveal of the phone in November. Naturally, this is also going to push up the launch date of the phone, too. However, availability will vary depending on the region, and launch dates will be different for the US.

ASUS has announced the ROG Phone 9 will launch on November 19

Today’s announcement of the phone really only serves as a means to confirm that the phone’s launch date is coming up.

At this time ASUS hasn’t shared much information about the phone itself. Those details are being saved for the November 19 launch date, where the company will reveal the full set of specs and features for the phone. That being said, ASUS has shared an official image of the ROG Phone 9, along with one major spec detail. ASUS also teases that the ROG Phone 9 series will offer some new AI features. Again there are no specifics here. But, there is a message that says “AI on, Game on” that accompanies the event page.

AI features aren’t new to the ROG Phone series. The ROG Phone 8 series offered a handful of AI features that would help enhance gaming. It seems like the company will have more up its sleeve for the latest ROG Phone.

The ROG Phone 9 series will be powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite

The only specification that ASUS has confirmed at this time is the phone’s chipset. It’ll be powered by the Snapdragon 8 Elite, the new mobile platform that Qualcomm just announced at the Qualcomm Summit this afternoon. The Snapdragon 8 Elite comes with “an innovative Oryon CPU and the enhanced Adreno GPU,” ASUS says.

The phone will no doubt be powerful when it comes to performance. That being said, this is always the case with every ROG phone. ASUS always used the most powerful Qualcomm chipset at the time and there was no reason to believe it would be any different with the new phone.

Although ASUS doesn’t mention specifics, it does state that the ROG Phone 9 will deliver unparalleled performance. “The ROG Phone 9 series pushes the boundaries of mobile gaming to new limits, delivering industry-leading speed, power, and graphical fidelity,” ASUS says.

Now judging by the image that ASUS shared, the phone’s physical design is hardly changing from the ROG Phone 8 series. Which we love since we loved the ROG Phone 8’s design. The rear camera bump is the same shape and it has three sensors. It does appear to have a slightly different finish on the back that’s more like the ROG Phone 8 Pro models. Additionally, the standard model now appears to be using the AniMe Matrix LED display.

Update: October 21 – 3:23PM PST

While ASUS didn’t initially mention any specs details about the ROG Phone 9 series in its press release, there are some details that were now mentioned during the Snapdragon Summit. The ROG Phone 9 will come in two colors, black and white, although it’s still unclear what the official color names will be. ASUS also notes that the phone will have advanced cooling. This will presumably go above and beyond what you’d experience with the ROG Phone 8 series.

The ROG Phone 9 will have up to 30% power improvement so you can game for longer. Games like Genshin Impact, Zenless Zone Zero, Honkai Star Rail, and Wuthering Waves were specifically mentioned. So expect a decent drop in battery drain when playing these kinds of high-end, demanding games.

ASUS only mentions a standard model

For now, ASUS hasn’t confirmed anything other than the standard model of the ROG Phone 9. However, it does refer to this announcement as being about the ROG Phone 9 “series.” There will no doubt be more than just the standard model launching, but it’s unclear what ASUS will officially call it. It’s also likely to have most of the same specs as the standard model. What you can expect to be different are the RAM and storage.

With the ROG Phone 8 for example, ASUS offered the device with either 12GB or 16GB of RAM, but only with 256GB of storage. The ROG Phone 8 Pro bumped up the RAM to 16GB only, and the storage went up to 512GB. Then there was the ROG Phone 8 Pro Edition model which came with 24GB of RAM and 1TB of storage.

We can’t say for certain if ASUS will do something like that again this year. What is certain is that ASUS has offered a “pro” version of the ROG Phone for several generations now. So that probably isn’t changing here.

Source

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