GameSpot's Tamoor Hussain: "Star Wars Battlefront 2" Will Win Out Fans
Electronic Arts is in some trouble with its Star Wars fan base.
"Star Wars Battlefront 2," officially comes out on Friday, but many players are already upset over the expensive in-game transactions necessary to unlock certain characters. Tamoor Hussain, editor at GameSpot and Russell Holly, managing editor of VRHeads.com joined Cheddar to discuss the concept of paying extra within a game.
Hussain says that it used to take a significant number of hours to gain points in order to unlock certain characters, which upset players. So, companies began to add the option to buy the power to unlock them. But people are still upset. He says it could impact sales this week, but many people won't be looking into the issue too deeply.
Holly says in-game transactions are a tremendous business for Electronic Arts, which just bought Respawn Entertainment for over $400 million.
To ease some of the pressure, EA said that it will reducing the amount of resources it'll take to access key players in the upcoming game.
"They kind of changed the discoursed around the game," Hussain said, adding that this move will sway public opinion positively.
Amid a rise in gun-related deaths in 2021, a smart technology solution is being touted to help personalize and secure the use of firearms for owners in hopes of preventing unauthorized use and accidents. Gareth Glaser, president and CEO of LodeStar Works talked with Cheddar about adding fingerprint or smart tech locks to its 9mm handgun as a way of addressing the deadly issue without a partisan viewpoint. "We felt a technical solution would be the best way to go," Glaser said. "It's nonpolitical, and it actually addresses the product itself as opposed to a cultural issue."
As the cryptocurrency and digital asset space continues to evolve and grow, one podcast launching on Spotify's new video podcast platform aims to inform listeners about the various uses and developments in the crypto world. 'New Money' features guests from the entertainment and sports worlds discussing building wealth in the crypto space, creating NFTs, working on digital contracts, and more. Solo Ceesay, co-host of the 'New Money' podcast and co-founder of creator-focused social media platform Calaxy, joins Cheddar News' Closing Bell to discuss what the podcast will explore, its guest lineup, how they verify content amid broader crypto speculation, and more.
Lime is celebrating the launch of its latest electric bike in Washington, DC, this week, with more cities joining in this spring. The Gen4 e-bike boasts a new look, a more powerful motor, and a battery that's interchangeable with the Gen4 e-scooter. CEO Wayne Ting joined Cheddar to discuss the company's investment in electric bikes and the potential role of micromobility in the metaverse. "I think it would be incredible as a way to teach people to live greener, if there are worlds out there, metaverses out there, where the way you go faster in that world is if you take a bike and a scooter," he said. "So, you're teaching people better behavior as part of their virtual world as well."
Microsoft has discontinued the Xbox One as it looks to focus on ramping up production for its current Xbox Series S and Xbox Series X. The Xbox One first hit the market in November 2013.
Alfred Griffin, the CEO and Co-Founder of LightForce, joins Cheddar Innovates to discuss how 3D printing is making braces more affordable and personalized, and what this means for the future of orthodontics.
Alex Garden, Chairman and CEO at Zume, joins Cheddar Innovates to discuss how individuals can take steps to end their reliance on plastic, and Zume's partnership with global robotics company ABB to put sustainability at the forefront.
Tesla has scrubbed any mention of its Cybertruck being released in 2022 from its website after the company delayed production last year. The EV maker is slated to begin manufacturing the electric truck at its Austin, Texas, facility, to open early this year.