VR Tech Times

Reviewed on: Xbox Series X/S Platform: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Switch, PC Publisher: EA Sports Developer: EA Canada Release: September 29, 2023 Following its split with soccer's governing body, EA Sports’ FIFA series is no more, but make no mistake: EA Sports FC is a solid game with a host of welcome improvements. The bones of this longtime franchise remain sturdy and familiar, like a well-run club. The suite of changes to Ultimate Team makes for a satisfying squad overhaul, and manager and player career modes gain smaller, welcome updates.  Gameplay remains largely the same: solid and familiar. The biggest change is the feel of the ball – it’s loose, with matches tending to have more 50/50 moments, and it’s wonderful. These loose-ball situations add to the storylines of the matches and moments. It’s empowering when cover star Erling Haaland snatches a ball acrobatically out of the air to finish a play. It all feels more true to life and...

This week on All Things Nintendo, Brian and Wes catch up on all the news, including an extended discussion on the leaked emails from Xbox regarding Phil Spencer's interest in acquiring Nintendo. After covering a lot of topics, Brian delivers his thoughts after spending a few hours with the Pokémon Scarlet & Violet expansion, The Teal Mask. Finally, the duo wraps up the show by taking part in the inaugural ATN Draft. If you'd like to follow Brian on social media, you can do so on his Instagram/Threads  @BrianPShea  or Twitter  @BrianPShea . You can follow Wesley on Twitter:  @LeBlancWes . The All Things Nintendo podcast is a weekly show where we celebrate, discuss, and break down all the latest games, news, and announcements from the industry's most recognizable name. Each week, Brian is joined by different guests to talk about what's happening in the world of Nintendo. Along the way, they'll share personal stories, uncover hidden gems in the eShop, a...

Sony kicked off a September 2021 PlayStation Showcase by formally revealing a rumored remake of the classic RPG, Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic , for PlayStation 5. That was the last we heard of it, though, save for a  Bloomberg   report the following year that stated the project was on indefinite development hold as a result of major staff departures.  Now, it seems Sony and PlayStation are removing most traces of the KOTOR remake, deleting tweets and hiding the reveal trailer on its YouTube channel, as reported by   Kotaku .   Yesterday, on the Gaming Leaks And Rumors subreddit, user TricolorChutoy posted that the 2021 PlayStation Showcase KOTOR remake reveal trailer had been recently delisted. That same day, Twitter user Crusader II Elessar   posted the same thing, noting, however, that in the full 2021 PlayStation Showcase video , the KOTOR remake trailer remained. With some more digging, Crusader II Elessar found that PlayStation had...

Aerodynamics reign supreme in the EV World and this holds especially true for Mercedes' line-up of EVs, all of which have been meticulously crafted within the confines of a wind tunnel. The critical factor at play here is that aerodynamic drag has a profound impact on an EV's range, and this impact intensifies exponentially the faster you go. Consequently, this phenomenon has given rise to a new breed of EVs from Mercedes—ones that embody sleek, low-slung, and aerodynamic designs, a stark departure from the traditional shapes found in their internal combustion engine counterparts. This shift in design philosophy was initially showcased by the EQS, Mercedes' flagship EV, which bears no resemblance to the S-Class. In fact, they looked like they came from two different planets. This trend continues with the recently launched Mercedes EQE SUV, a state-of-the-art EV  that shares little in common with the GLE, its direct ICE counterpart.  Sleek, low-slung, and aerodynamic des...

Toyota is reportedly looking to build a third car plant in India that will take its annual production capacity to 5 lakh units, up about 30 percent from the current 4 lakh units, as per a report by Reuters . This new plant will have an annual production capacity of 80,000-1,20,000 units, and will be scalable up to about 2 lakh units. The new plant will also be the primary production base for an upcoming three-row SUV, which as we have reported before , will be a longer version of the Corolla Cross sold abroad. Toyota’s third plant to have 80,000-1,20,000 production capacity initially Primary production base for new three-row SUV codenamed 340D New SUV expected to be launched in 2026 Toyota’s two existing plants in India are located at Bidadi in Karnataka, and the third plant is reportedly being planned at the same site. As for the upcoming SUV – codenamed 340D – Toyota is expected to produce about 60,000 units annually with a launch likely slated for 2026. Toyota Corolla Cros...

BMW’s flagship adventure bike has entered its next generation, evolving from the venerable R 1250 GS into the new R 1300 GS. 145hp, 149Nm, 1300cc boxer-twin All-new frame, sub-frame and suspension 12kg lighter than before BMW R 1300 GS engine At the heart of this new bike sits the most power series production boxer engine that BMW has ever produced. Displacing exactly 1,300cc, it puts out 145hp at 7,750rpm and 149Nm at 6,500rpm, meaning its 9hp and 6Nm up from earlier. Peak power arrives at the same rpm, though peak torque now comes in 250rpm higher. BMW says that despite the bump up in displacement, the engine is more compact than before, thanks to the gearbox now being placed underneath the engine. BMW R 1300 GS underpinnings Around the engine, there’s also an all-new sheet metal steel main frame which BMW says is stiffer than before, while the tubular steel rear sub-frame has been replaced with a die-cast aluminium unit. Suspension at both ends is also new, though it still...

Also see:  Mercedes EQE SUV review from Autocar India https://ift.tt/zbh4qGU

Will the Yamaha XSR 155 launch in India? If yes, when, because many people like me have been waiting for the past 2 years. Yuvaraj M, via email   Autocar India says: Whether the XSR 155 will launch in India is a question we receive very often and it's something we have asked Yamaha India as well. The quick answer is that Yamaha does not have any short term plans to bring the XSR155 to India. The company is currently focussing on its R15 and MT-15 brands when it comes to premium bikes in the 150cc segment.  When we asked the company about it we were told that Yamaha India is aware of the interest in the XSR brand and while it does not have any plans to bring the bike here in the near future, it has not ruled out the possibility of the bike coming to India at all. Also See:   Should I wait for the Yamaha R3 or buy the KTM RC 390?   Royal Enfield Bullet or Classic 350, which should I buy?       from Autocar India https://ift.tt/Qb6jqWH ...

Developer Colossal Order and publisher Paradox Interactive have delayed the console release of Cities: Skylines II. Originally set to release on October 24 alongside the PC version, the team has delayed the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X versions of the game to spring of next year. The PC version will still launch next month.  As for why, Colossal Order says in an update made on Twitter that the team needs more time to reach quality targets it has set for the console release.  "Mayors, we're hard at work getting the game ready for release," the update reads. "We've come to realize that we need more time to reach the quality targets set for console. We want to provide the best experience for our players, we're updating the release window for Xbox & PS5 to Spring 2024."  Mayors! We’re hard at work getting the game ready for release. We've come to realize that we need more time to reach the quality targets we've set for Console. We want ...

Sega, the publisher behind next month's Sonic Superstars , has canceled some unannounced titles in development and Creative Assembly's first-person shooter,  Hyenas . The company cites "lower profitability of the European region."  As a result of the lower profitability, Sega reviewed various in-development projects from its developers in Europe and the result is the cancelation of Hyenas, which just finished up a closed beta on PC less than a week ago, and some other unannounced games.  Eurogamer   reports that layoffs at Creative Assembly are expected in the wake of this decision.  "We will implement reduction of various fixed expenses at several group companies in relevant region, centered on the Creative Assembly Ltd.," a Sega press release reads. "We expect to incur one-time expenses related to reduction of fixed expenses. We will continue to consider measures to improve profitability in European bases apart from above. We will announce the sp...

Developer Owlcat Games has revealed Lord of Nothing, the fifth DLC for Pathfinder: Wrath of the Righteous . It picks up right where the Through the Ashes DLC left off and launches on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Switch, and PC in November.  More specifically, Lord of Nothing hits consoles and PC on November 21. This DLC takes players to brand new locations, introduces new characters, and tasks players with taking down new foes. It continues the story of Sendri and Rekarth, and where we last saw them in the Through the Ashes DLC, too.  Check out the Lord of Nothing DLC trailer for Pathfinder: Wrath of the Righteous for yourself below:  "As more pieces of the mystery behind Sendri's behavior appear amongst the unforgiving lands of ice and darkness, more and more dangerous enemies and creatures will emerge from the evil overtaking Golarion," a press release reads. "But not all hope is lost, for a new companion, strange new allies, and ev...

BMW has launched the all-electric iX1 xDrive30 SUV for Rs 66.90 lakh (ex-showroom). The SUV is based on the popular BMW X1 , which was not just the bestselling luxury SUV for the brand in FY2023, but also the bestseller overall. We broke the story earlier this month  that the EV SUV is set to come to India, and it is now available in a single trim. 10.7-inch touchscreen infotainment Gets ADAS features 4th electric BMW on sale in India BMW iX1 exterior and interior  Since it's based on the combustion-engined X1, the electric iX1 gets an almost identical design although with an 'i' on the front grille to differentiate it from the ICE vehicle. The SUV rides on 18-inch alloy wheels and gets adaptive suspension. It’s available in a choice of four monotone colours –grey, silver, black and white. On the inside, the SUV features a 10.7-inch touchscreen infotainment unit that is operated using BMW’s iDrive operating system. The digital information display is a...

Ahead of its global debut in the coming months, new spy shots of the heavily updated Kia Carnival have surfaced previewing fresh looks with some bold design cues. The third-gen Carnival was sold in the Indian market until June 2023 when it was discontinued for being at the end of its product lifecycle. Kia, however, has confirmed to us that the upcoming facelifted fourth-gen Carnival will make it to our shores next year.  Fourth-gen Carnival India bound with a facelift Will be assembled from CKD kits No details on powertrain as of now New Kia Carnival to get major updates inside out At the Auto Expo in January, Kia showcased the current-gen Carnival as KA4 , which is already a three-year-old model now. India will, however, get the new MPV with its mid-lifecycle update and as seen in the spy shots here, the updated Carnival seems to be getting a major styling overhaul to bring it in line with the newer Kia models. The design is more upright and angular with L-shaped head...

Announced earlier this year and releasing about four days shy of its promised Summer release window (the first day of Fall was September 23), Counter-Strike 2 is now suddenly available on Steam . You can check out the game's launch trailer below. The game has been playable in limited test form for some time, and rumors were swirling that the game would release soon, but it is still a surprise to see the game suddenly available on Steam. It has taken over Counter-Strike: Global Offensive's spot on Steam and functions as an update to that game. Below you will find some details from a press release for the game's official release. Built on the Source 2 engine, Counter-Strike 2 is modernized with realistic physically-based rendering, state of the art networking, and upgraded Community Workshop tools. In addition to the classic objective-focused gameplay that Counter-Strike pioneered in 1999, Counter-Strike 2 features: All-new CS Ratings with the updated Premier mode G...

When you’re riding a Royal Enfield motorcycle in India, irrespective of what model it may be, to most people, you’re on a Bullet. And it’s not hard to see why. When you’ve had a model in continuous production for nearly a century, that model tends to become synonymous with the company itself. And now, Royal Enfield has an all-new Bullet 350. And even though it’s no longer one of RE’s bestselling models, this is still a very important motorcycle for the company. MD Siddhartha Lal even called it Royal Enfield’s “North Star” – the company may go in many new exciting directions with its products, but with the Bullet, it will retain its core essence. 2023 RE Bullet 350: design Even in the previous generation, the Bullet and the Classic 350 had quite a lot in common. But this time around, the new Bullet is nearly identical to the current-gen Classic, and you can probably tell this just by looking at these pictures of it. In this range-topping Black Gold scheme especially, with the blacke...

PlayStation head Jim Ryan is leaving the company, according to a press release from Sony Interactive Entertainment. Ryan has served as president and CEO since his appointment in 2018. Ryan’s tenure at Sony spans nearly 30 years, during which he’s held numerous leadership roles, including serving as the head of Sony Europe after former SIEE president Andrew House passed the torch in 2011. Why Is Jim Ryan Leaving Sony? "I’ve found it increasingly difficult to reconcile living in Europe and working in North America," Ryan said in the press release. "I will leave having been privileged to work on products that have touched millions of lives across the world; PlayStation will always be part of my life, and I feel more optimistic than ever about the future of SIE. I want to thank Yoshida-san for placing so much trust in me and being an incredibly sensitive and supportive leader." Ryan remains at the company until March 2024. Effective April 1, 2024, Sony Group Corpo...

Jehan Daruvala will race in Formula E next year with Maserati MSG Racing, alongside Max Guenther. After four years in Formula 2, the move marks the next step in his motorsport career and, as he revealed to Autocar India earlier this year , Daruvala believes his “future lies in Formula E”. Daruvala replaces Edoardo Mortara at Maserati Will race alongside Max Guenther From Mahindra to Maserati Given his reserve role with Mahindra Racing , Daruvala was strongly linked to a 2024 seat with the Indian team. But the 24-year-old admits that signing with Maserati was the best move for him. Mahindra Racing struggled with the new Gen3 car this year, and only finished down in 10th place (out of 11 teams). Maserati also had its fair share of struggles early on, but the team displayed improved pace in the second half of the season and even went on to score its first Formula E win at the Jakarta E-Prix . That also happened to be Maserati’s first world championship single-seater win since Juan...

A pair of new liquid-cooled Hero motorcycles have been spotted testing. The first of these is an adventure bike that will almost certainly sport the Xpulse nametag, but is quite different to the Xpulse 400 that has been spotted over a year back . The other is a naked streetfighter that seems to be powered by the same engine, and if Hero continues with its current naming strategy, then this second bike could sport the Xtreme moniker. LED headlight, long-travel suspension on Xpulse 17-inch wheels on streetfighter, 21-inch front on Xpulse Likely to be larger than the 210cc Karizma XMR engine Reports suggest that these bikes are using the 210cc engine from the new Hero Karizma XMR , but we think otherwise. The shape of the side covers, and the positions of the oil inspection window and oil filter are all different to the Karizma’s, which leads us to believe that this is a different engine. The overall size of the engines and the radiators also suggest that this will be a larger mo...

Rajiv Bajaj recently made headlines by saying that Bajaj was working on its biggest Pulsar to date and we now have exclusive details on what that bike will be. Pulsar NS400 will use Dominar 400 engine Chassis will be similar to current NS200 Could bring new features, design changes It has been 11 years since Bajaj brought out the Pulsar NS200 and nearly 7 years since the debut of the Bajaj Dominar 400 . Now the long wait for a Pulsar NS400 finally seems to be drawing to an end. The new Bajaj Pulsar NS400 will use the existing perimeter chassis from the NS200 which has always been capable of handling more power than the 200’s 25hp. The chassis will be strengthened and adapted for duty with the bigger engine, but overall, you can expect similar size and dimensions to the current Pulsar NS200. This will have a positive impact on weight and the new Pulsar NS400 will likely weigh less than the 193kg Dominar. What about the engine? Bajaj now makes three different motors in this cate...

I’ve driven the Skoda Slavia umpteen times before, but the view out of the windscreen today is just something else. Imposing mountains in fifty shades of brown stand as sentinels by the road, the sky is a majestic shade of blue and the sunlight is the crispest I’ve ever seen. Greenery is a rare sight; we’re way above the tree line. This is Ladakh in all its stark glory. We’re on this expedition to drive India’s three highest motorable passes, but with two very different cars to see just how each would fare at the top of the world. Filling the rear view mirror of my made-in-India, made-for-India Slavia is the very European Skoda Kodiaq that’s ferrying Autocar India’s mountain man Rahul Kakar and our stoic video producer Cyrus Dastur, with whom I’ll be splitting the driving.   Border Patrol Our adventure starts in Turtuk, among the lowest points in Ladakh. Low in relative terms, that is. We’re at 9,250 feet above sea level. Sights to see include Indian and Pakistani bunkers perc...