Action-adventure game Grand Theft Auto V (GTA 5 or GTA V) has officially turned 10 years old, Rockstar Games announced on X (formerly known as Twitter). The company also thanked players for their support over the years.
On September 17, 2023, Rockstar Games posted on X, “Today, on the official 10th Anniversary of Grand Theft Auto V, we would like to thank you, our players, for your incredible support over the years.”
Also read: GTA 6 updates: Game announcement in Oct 23, game release in Oct 2024
Today, on the official 10th Anniversary of Grand Theft Auto V, we would like to thank you, our players, for your incredible support over the years. pic.twitter.com/22Ez6suiBe
— Rockstar Games (@RockstarGames) September 17, 2023
Rockstar also thanked the community by calling them “the reason GTA V has thrived across multiple console generations”.
Also read: GTA 6 may be unplayable for millions of players, as it won't support older consoles
“A massive thank you to anyone who has ever played, streamed, roleplayed, created, or shared from the world of Los Santos and Blaine County – here’s to many more adventures together!” Rockstar added.
To celebrate 10 years of GTA V in GTA Online, Rockstar last week introduced a trio of unique new outfits reminiscent of classic looks for Michael, Franklin, and Trevor. It also introduced GTA V-themed weapon finishes, bonuses on classic modes, gameplay, and more.
Meanwhile, as it's now been a decade since GTA V was launched, the wait for Grand Theft Auto VI (also known as GTA VI or GTA 6) has reached its peak. Fans have been eagerly waiting for any sort of news about the much-awaited new entry in the Grand Theft Auto series. Earlier this month, a leak had revealed that GTA VI is expected to be announced next month, and will likely launch in October next year. Also, it was reported that many gamers won't be able to play GTA VI at launch as the game is expected to skip last-generation consoles and go right to PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S and PC.
We are sure there will be a lot of leaks and updates to share until GTA 6 finally gets unveiled, and all of us here at Digit will try to bring you all the latest buzz on Rockstar Games' next big thing. Stay tuned.
Counter-Strike 2. This game has been the buzzword in the world of FPS games, especially the fans of the Counter-Strike franchise, since it was announced in March this year. Valve has been working on the game for some time now and has now pushed out one of the biggest updates that the game has ever seen. I finally have access to CS2, the matchmaking/ranking system has been overhauled, and Inferno, one of the oldest maps in the Counter-Strike franchise, has been given a Source 2 facelift. Now, without wasting much time, let’s dive directly into the changes made to CS2 and stick around to find out if you are one of the lucky few to have gotten access to the latest from Valve.
Counter-Strike 2: Premier Mode
Counter-Strike released Premier Mode to Global Offensive in December 2023 as a part of Operation Broken Fang. After the operation, the mode was made open to everyone with some unique features that made it stand out from regular matchmaking. However, in CS2, Valve has gone ahead and completely overhauled this system to introduce an array of new features, which makes it a complete departure from the CS matchmaking we know today.
The backbone of these changes lies in the new rating system and leaderboards. The new rating system will work like ELOs, as we know from third-party matchmaking services like FACEIT. This new system is called CS Rating. The way this works is not completely known to everyone, but essentially, you will need to win a certain number of games to unlock Premier mode, where you can earn these ratings.
Using these ratings, you will be placed on a leaderboard. As stated by Valve on their FAQs page about these changes, the leaderboards are as follows –
There are nine Counter-Strike 2 leaderboards:
Friends - This leaderboard tracks players on your Friends List. World - the top 1,000 players in the world. Africa Asia Australia China Europe North America South America
Data miners had already found information about this new mode in one of the earlier updates of the game. Additionally, if you do not want to be a part of Premier matchmaking, you can now earn your matchmaking ranks on a per-map basis. This means that all the Dust II warriors who ranked up to Global Elite, queuing for the most played map in CS, you will now need to work your way up to the upper echelons of Counter-Strike on every map in the active duty pool. I will not delve into its workings here, but the video below will walk you through what the new ratings system looks like –
This new system could be your ladder to the bigger stages of CS. Now, it will be interesting to see how the third-party matchmaking services, with whom, Valve has had official partnerships with, react to these changes.
Inferno is back!
One of the oldest maps in Counter-Strike, de_inferno, or as we call it, Inferno, has also received a facelift using the Source 2 tools. The map is a part of the overhauled groups of maps, which means it was completely built from the ground up using Source 2 tools and map-making tools. The map looks and plays amazing! You have to see it to believe it. On that topic, there has been a new wave of invites as well. Let’s find out what that is all about!
An almost open Beta
The Counter-Strike 2 Limited Test Beta had very few players added to it after its announcement. Valve had released a couple of waves of invites after the announcement, but if my friends-list is anything to by, leave alone the millions of players who were pinging Lord Gaben for an invite, the invites were few and far between. However, with this update comes along a new wave of invites, which from what I can gauge at the time of writing, has a pretty generous selection criteria.
In their Tweet about the changes, Valve mentioned the selection criteria for players to become a part of the Limited Test. The Tweet reads - “And beginning today, we are starting the process of inviting as many eligible players as possible to the Limited Test. To be eligible, players must have CS:GO Prime Status, an active Competitive Skill Group, and play the majority of their official matchmaking games in one of the regions where the Limited Test is available.”
Today we are introducing CS Rating—a precise display of your skill in Counter-Strike 2. With regional and World Leaderboards you'll know exactly how you stack up. Competitive mode in CS2 now features per-map Skill Groups, so players can master their favorite maps while learning… pic.twitter.com/LexHHv8P36
— CS2 (@CounterStrike) August 31, 2023
So, I would say, you should go and check if you got the invite or not, NOW!
Sony Interactive Entertainment has announced the lineup of games for PlayStation Plus members in August 2023. The company has revealed only three titles yet but more will be revealed once the July Game Catalogue ends. The July Game Catalog also featured an impressive selection of titles available exclusively to Extra and Premium members. Subscribers will be able to download and enjoy the following games from August 1 to September 4.
PGA Tour 2K23 (PS5, PS4) Dreams (PS4) Death’s Door (PS5, PS4
In related news, Sony-owned studio Media Molecule has announced that it will be wrapping up live service support for Dreams on September 1. Although the game can be played afterwards, there will be no further updates beyond this date.
July's Essential Titles Reminder
Apart from that, July’s Essential Titles can also be claimed before July 31.
Also read: Sony Announces Its PlayStation Plus Free Games For The Month Of May
Call of Duty Black Ops Cold War (PS5, PS4) Alan Wake Remastered (PS5, PS4) Endling: Extinction is Forever (PS5, PS4) The Ascent It Takes Two Sniper Elite 5 Snowrunner SpongeBob SquarePants
Premium subscribers can also get their hands on a collection of games from the PS2, PS3, and PSP. This month's new additions to the Classics Catalog include:
Gravity Crash Portable Twisted Metal Twisted Metal 2
PlayStation Plus Sale
Also read: PlayStation Plus January Games And Classic Catalogue Titles Announced By Sony
Currently, the company is offering a PlayStation Plus Sale which accesses you with crazy discounts to attract PS users to buy the Plus membership and also encourage existing subscribers to upgrade their memberships.
An Indian NGO named Prahar has urged the Indian government to ban the Chinese giant Tencent’s open-world survival RPG called Undawn. If Indian authorities agree to Prahar’s allegations, then Undawn could be a new addition to the long list of banned Chinese apps in India. But, let’s not rush to any conclusion and see for ourselves why Prahar thinks Undawn must be banned.
Prahar’s reasons for urging Undawn’s ban
1. Undawn was launched on June 15, 2023, which happens to be the same day when the India-China border clash happened at the Galwan valley. About 20 Indian soldiers were reportedly killed in this skirmish. Prahar finds it very disturbing that Tencent chose June 15 as the date for the release of Undawn.
Also Read: Star Wars Jedi: Survivor – A Worthy Successor
2. The issues don’t end there. Prahar is also concerned about the military uniforms and weapons (like AK47, G36, M416, and MPX. in the game that were apparently worn/used by Chinese soldiers at the time of the attack.
Abhay Mishra, Prahar National Convenor and President has said the game is trying to exert its “soft influence” on the young minds who play this game.
Not only that he thinks this is an insult to the bravehearts who lost their lives and the sentiments of Indians.
Also Read: Street Fighter 6: A Spectacularly Feature-Rich Fighting Game
Besides, the aforementioned weapons, the in-game armoury also consists of a variety of bombs, grenades, and melee weapons. You use these weapons as you go out on a survival mission in a world filled with zombies. You can play player vs player and player vs environment.
With everything going digital, and us relying on our phone UPI apps to scan and make a payment, what happens when the system fails, especially during war-time or natural disaster? To solve this problem RBI has thought of a portable lightweight payment system to help process critical transactions. This system is called Lightweight Payment and Settlement System (LPSS).
The RBI’s newly devised LPSS is an innovative measure designed as a failsafe to maintain financial stability of the country during extreme circumstances.
Also Read: RBI Allows Linking Credit Cards to UPI, Starts With RuPay
This payment system will allow zero downtime of any payment and settlement system in India and will make sure all transactions are uninterrupted be it a bulk payment or a very minute one.
The RBI’s 2022-2023 report mentioned, "Having such a resilient system is also likely to act as a bunker equivalent in payment systems and thereby enhance public confidence in digital payments and financial market infrastructure even during extreme conditions.”
The RBI report further stated that LPSS will work even on the most minimalistic hardware and software requirements, designed to be activated solely when circumstances demand. The LPSS system is programmed to handle transactions crucial for India's economic stability, including government and market-associated transactions.
This new method looks forward to gaining the people's confidence in regard to digital payments and the infrastructure of the finance whatever the condition be.
As part of its broader strategy, the RBI is also developing a durable framework for the structured oversight of centralised payment systems, termed Utkarsh 2.0, and upgrading capabilities of payment systems like NEFT and RTGS and bringing them in line with global PFMI standards.
Also Read: Paytm brings UPI Lite for iOS with cool features: Find out what’s new
In essence, the RBI's LPSS signifies an important step towards making India’s financial systems resilient, accessible, and effective. It underlines the country's commitment to prepare for unforeseen challenges and ensure uninterrupted economic operations under all circumstances.
Apple has released an AR teaser for WWDC 2023. The teaser shows an AR version of the Apple Logo with “June 5, 2023” text. This is when the Apple Worldwide Developers Conference is set to take place. The event time is 10:30 PM IST. You can stream it on apple.com, possibly Apple’s YouTube channel, and on the Apple TV app. These details are mentioned on the Apple Events page wherein the AR teaser is present. Let’s go through the steps to try it out.
How to experience the WWDC AR teaser
1. Visit the Apple events page on your iPhone or iPad. You will see a colourful Apple logo.
2. Tap the logo or click on the hyperlinked text: View the AR experience.
Either way, the camera viewfinder opens up with the Apple logo in AR view. You will be instructed to “Move iPhone to start”. With the iPhone’s movement, the logo takes shape and if done right, you will see the WWDC date within the Apple logo’s silhouette.
The outline doesn’t stay intact and will be in constant motion so you won’t get a proper snapshot of the full logo with the text in place.
Now, there is also an Object view of the logo wherein you don’t have to do anything. The fluid Apple logo and the date text appear automatically on a grey background. Since this is also dynamic by design, it won’t stay intact for long.
The liquidy teaser solidifies the expectation of Apple’s AR/VR/MR headset at WWDC.
Also Read: WWDC 23 announced: 4 things to expect from Apple World Wide Developer Conference
Apple Reality Pro: What we know so far
Apple Reality Pro headset is said to consist of two micro-OLED displays stretching 1.41 inches diagonally. Each of these could also sport 5000 nits of peak brightness, 4K resolution, 120° FoV, and 4,000 PPI pixel density. It could also support HDR visuals.
Besides the inner displays, there will be a regular OLED cover screen sourced from LG. They will be translucent for others to see the wearer’s facial expressions. It will supposedly have a fairly lower refresh rate to ensure lesser power consumption.
The displays are supposedly procured from Sony and could cost about $1500 while the entire unit could be priced at around $3,000.
The Reality Pro is expected to be compatible with prescription lenses. The rumours are that it could also feature about 2 hours of battery life, with external battery support, 96W charging tech, a proprietary charging cable, USB-C socket, around 15 cameras (for projecting see-through AR representation of the world, environmental awareness, and novel biometric solution), iris scanning for secure sign in and payment authorization,
On the software and connectivity front, we are expecting what’s being rumoured as xrOS. It is believed to be akin to iOS in some respects for familiarity reasons and could bring certain iOS apps onboard. Besides, you could be getting lifelike avatars, hand/air gestures for interaction/inputs, Fitness+ workout modes (with trainers, we suppose), etc,
Powering all of these are apparently two Mac-level M2 chips.
Also Read: Not one or two, but three new Macs may launch at WWDC 2023
Battlegrounds Mobile India has been updated to version 2.5.0 but the servers will be online on May 29 for both iOS and Android users. Once BGMI servers go live, you will be able to play on the Nusa map. Since BGMI is based on PUBG Mobile, we gather how big this map will be, what new it will bring and more. Here’s what to expect from BGMI 2.5 update.
Battlegrounds Mobile India version 2.5.0: What’s new
In the Google Play Store listing, the latest BGMI update brings up the version to 2.5.0. This includes:
1. You get to win 4 new premium outfits by playing new events.
2. Nusa Map
3. New cycle season
4. Stygian Leige
Also Read:
- BGMI Limits Game Time For Players Under 18 Years But Is It Too Heavy-Handed?
- Indian Gaming Industry And Twitter Cheers Return Of BGMI Game
- Will Green Blood Make BGMI Game Any Less Violent?
- How Battlegrounds Mobile India Got A 3-Month Lease On Life And Should You Be Excited?
BGMI Nusa map explained
Nusa is about 1x 1km in radius. For instance, Erangel is 8×8 km in size. So, it is the smallest map in the BGMI world.
It is uneven in topography. To travel on this landscape, you get a 2-seater quad bike.
As BGMI 2.5 changelog notes, there is an overflowing supply of weapons. You get tactical crossbows and NS2000 shotguns as highlights. Gun balance has been apparently improved.
There are elevators in buildings so you don’t have to waste time climbing stairs.
There are 3 buildings namely Regal Resort (present on the sandy beach in the southern-west corner of the island), Mysterious Cavern (present on the west side of the island), and Cargo Terminal (present on the northern coast of the island).
You get to manage the island, upgrade the buildings, earn Nusa coins, grab collectables, and unlock new appearances.
BGMI Stygian Leige X-Suit and a lot more
Besides the map, there is an all-new Stygian Liege X-Suit. It gets unlocked in a lucky spin. It costs about 60UC. This outfit can be equipped with Mystic Sorceress Set, Sacred Maiden Set, Bloody Tear Hoverboard, Azure Crystal– Kar98K, Shining Eagle Helmet, Starforge Stone and Star fragment.
In this update, you could also get the Super Recall option to bring back the squad mate who always gets finished, zip lines, and exclusive super weapons.
We can't wait to get our hands on the BGMI 2.5 update once it goes live on May 29. We hope the game doesn't deviate a lot from the PUBG Mobile. Let's see.
Krafton has announced Battlegrounds Mobile India will be available for playing starting May 29, 2023. Yes, BGMI for iOS will also be playable on the same day. However, Android users get to preload it early on. Well, today itself. Here’s how.
Steps to preload BGMI on Android from May 27
1. Go to Google Play Store on your Android smartphone and search for BGMI. Those who have installed or played the game before will be able to find it on the list.
2. Download BGMI 2.5.0. (about 790MB in size on my phone). Allow permissions whenever asked. Some of you may have found the game automatically downloaded and updated. Krafton says this is part of the process only.
3. Download an in-game update of around 1080MB in size (the higher quality one).
4. Sign in to the game using Google Play Games, Facebook or Twitter.
5. However, here you’ll be informed that BGMI servers aren’t live yet. The good thing is that we know when the servers will be online.
When can you finally play BGMI on iOS and Android?
As mentioned already, you will be able to play Battlegrounds Mobile India from May 29 on iOS and Android.
The company revealed the same through a press release. In it, it teases a new BGMI map, in-game events, etc.
"We are thrilled to announce that BATTLEGROUNDS MOBILE INDIA is now available for preload. We are consistently striving to deliver a smooth gameplay experience to our users and are excited to welcome everyone back. We once again, thank the authorities and our users for their continued support as we look forward to elevating the gaming experience for our community in India. See you on the battlegrounds," says Krafton India CEO, Mr Sean Hyunil Sohn on this occasion.
Besides the BGMI availability details, Krafton has also launched a new marketing campaign called 'India ki hearbeat' that showcases the avid players of this game. Are you one of them?
Krafton has been dropping tantalising hints about the various upgrades in the BGMI game – however, the game has still not gone live on the virtual stores for everyone to download and get gaming once again.
New and improved BGMI game has been speculated to hit the online platform on May 27, as tipped by Ankit Kumar "AnkiiiBOT" Pandey a BGMI gamer in his stream. Recently, a gamer in their Youtube stream mentioned that the developers have updated the description of the game and the new changes that can be expected from the game. The Youtuber then took to a social media post with the description.
Not long to go before we find out if the May 27 launch date for BGMI game is actually true, where the game can finally be accessed and downloaded by every single Indian gamer who wants to play it without any issues or glitches. We just have to wait for one more day to see if the new and improved BGMI app is visible for everyone in Google Play Store.
Also read: New BGMI Player? 5 Easy Tips To Instantly Play Like A Pro Gamer
BGMI updates by Krafton
For the uninitiated gamer, Battlegrounds Mobile India or BGMI is a new battle royale game where multiple players employ strategies to fight and be the last man standing on the battlegrounds. A free-to-play, multiplayer experience, in BGMI, players can battle it out in diverse game modes which can be squad-based or solo.
BGMI uses Unreal Engine 4 to create various maps with different terrains in a virtual world, complete with 3D sound for a fully immersive mobile gaming experience. It allows you to choose the map and mode you prefer to play, and airdrops you into the thick of action. The game will be releasing the 2.6 update which will explore multiple updates in regard to the vehicles, maps, weapons, multiplayer mode and penalties. The BGMI community is soon to have a lavish “chicken dinner”.
The game features regular monthly content updates and high-quality partnerships, ensuring there's always something new to explore in this battle royale game.
Also read: GTA VI Will Be Something Gamers Have Never Seen Before, Teases Take-Two CEO
BGMI Game Requirements
OS: Android 4.3 or above and iPhone 6s and succeeding devices and devices running iOS 9.0 and above.
Storage: 1.5 GB RAM
Permissions: Photos, Media, Files, Device and App History, Microphone, Wi-Fi Connection Information, Storage and Bluetooth with connectivity settings.
BGMI is back and is available to download from Google Play Store. The Indian government has allowed its return on a 3-month trial basis and has mandated some changes to ensure user safety and security. Two such rules in the game are restricted game time and spending limits for minors.
Let’s know how these BGMI rules work:
BGMI limits for minors: Time and money
1. If you are aged below 18 years, you will have to get permission from your parents to play BGMI and still, you will get to play only 3 hours a day. It is, however, yet to be known how Krafton plans to ascertain the player’s age and identity.
2. Minors will be allowed to spend only up to ₹7000 for using BGMI’s paid service. This slab could change depending on changes in the daily exchange rate.
Also Read: How BGMI Got A 3-Month Lease On Life And Should You Be Excited?
These rules are in some ways similar to China’s 1-hour daily limits on kids’ online gaming activity. So, let’s see how such rules played out in our neighbouring country to understand their potential positives and negatives.
BGMI game limits: Pros and cons
On the face of it, these are well-intended measures to control user (especially of younger age) addiction, overspending, and any physical or psychological harm these behaviours cause them and the people around them. Kids can utilize that time for other productive or relaxing activities.
For instance, in China, a year after the rule came into force, the number of young players cratered to 82.6 million in 2022 from 122 million in 2020 (Source: Niko Partners). The parents are also reportedly satisfied with the result.
However, it isn’t as black and white as that.
Like with every other form of tech, ie., it all depends on how we use them. The effects of gaming also vary from person to person.
Also Read: Will Green Blood Make BGMI Game Any Less Violent?
As some studies suggest, gaming is a good exercise for the brain. It improves the cognitive abilities of a person.
Ideally, the folks who understand the kid the most, ie., parents are in the best position to monitor the effects of gaming on young minds. But since this isn’t an ideal world, we suppose as long as the government regulations help kids have healthy boundaries in gaming, it’s fine.
Also Read: Indian Gaming Industry And Twitter Cheers Return Of BGMI Game
Moreover, if ever the rules introduced in BGMI become a norm for the entire industry, then that could affect the business of many companies and individual careers. Well, that’s also something to think about.
What a day it was at the BLAST.tv Paris Major 2023! After Day 3 of the Champions stage, there were four teams standing. Two teams were sent packing to de_airport while the other two danced away to their hotels celebrating and preparing for the challenge of the Grand Finals. It essentially followed the trend of the tournament so far. Between all of this; there was a spectacular upset and an expected win, which made sure that we have two exciting teams lined up for the finals.
CS:GO Paris Major 2023: Champions Stage - Day 3 - Semifinals open doors for records being broken and new ones being formed; Vitality and GamerLegion in the finals
In the first game of the fourth day of the BLAST.tv Paris Major 2023 we had Heroic, the tournament favourites, facing off against GamerLegion who had worked hard to make their way to this stage. The first map of the best-of-three series, Anubis, saw Heroic comprehensively beat the underdogs of the match. They won 16-13, setting the hopes high for the fans who had filled up the arena on Sunday.
In a closely contested second map of the series, Inferno, GamerLegion bounced back, beating Heroic 16-14. Now, it was time for the third map of the series, the decider, Mirage. Here’s where GamerLEgion asserted their authority over Heroic. Right from the get-go, they were on a roll, taking the first half 10-5. In the second half, they gave away only one round, closing out the series 2-1 in their favour.
We had the first finalist of Paris Major 2023 – GamerLegion.
Then came the most anticipated game of the evening by the fans in the arena. It was the home team, Vitality, facing off against Apeks, who just like GamerLegion had to work really hard to make it to the semis. And, if wasn’t clear by the hint that I dropped in the introduction, Vitality walked home comfortably, closing out their best-of-three series 2-1.
We have our two finalists – Vitality and GamerLegion.
GamerLegion come into this match as the underdogs who have proven their mettle. Vitality have been in to form throughout and will have the support of practically the entire arena coming into this match. Both sides haven’t faced each other in the tournament. However, given the teams that they have taken down on their way to the finals, it is difficult to pick one favourite.
As much as ZywOo would want to win his first Major, dupreeh his fifth, and apEX his second, every member of GameLegion will be putting equal, if not more effort to get their hands on the last CS:GO Major trophy.
To get all of our coverage of the BLAST.tv Paris Major 2023, check out this page.
In case you've been living under a rock, Battlegrounds Mobile India is getting unbanned soon and will first appear in a 3-month trial phase. Yes, the popular game that was banned from India under the Chinese apps purge a couple of years ago, will finally be available for Indian gamers to play and enjoy. Albeit with a few noticeable changes, like green coloured blood -- more on that below.
During this period phase of BGMI's return, the Indian authorities will check if the game has fixed some concerns pertaining to the safety and security of the players. One of those conditions could be to change the colour of the blood graphics in the game to green from red. That makes us wonder, whether green blood will make BGMI any less violent.
Does playing BGMI or any “violent” game lead to violent behaviour?
Before some of you take out your pitchforks and come at us shouting instances of violent acts by video game players including BGMI, we acknowledge there have been such unfortunate incidents.
A 16-year-old boy in #Lucknow allegedly shot his mother dead after she did not allow him to play the online video game #PUBG. https://t.co/Zaje3jxEZU The boy shot his mother in the head with his father’s licensed revolver on Saturday night, the police said. pic.twitter.com/iHJX1FDHEm
— Scroll.in (@scroll_in) June 8, 2022
Murder over BGMI: UP boy kills 6-year-old to frame grandfather who had objected to his playing battle royale game#BGMI #BattleRoyaleGame #UP https://t.co/YKgep5xrgf
— APN NEWS (@apnnewsindia) July 8, 2022
According to two studies done by the American Psychological Association's (APA) Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, aggression in video games does tend to increase player’s “aggressive thoughts, feelings and behaviour both in laboratory settings and in actual life”.
Also Read: BGMI Unban: Indian Gaming Industry Cheers To The Return Of Battlegrounds Mobile India
There’s a psychological conditioning that does tend to happen, called Priming, which means the brain tends to subconsciously associate to the activity and get rewired over the course of time. However, the studies also admit many other variables also come into play in a person’s behaviour. There’s an argument to be made about how one’s personality and temperament decide how one reacts to a situation or stimulus, and not just the stimulus itself or its long-term effects.
If you think about it, while playing a game, people are focused on it and use the game as a potential outlet for their stress, anger, frustration or aggression. Also, there is no exact correlation between the number of “violent” game releases and violent crimes taking place in society.
Even studies favouring video games are there. One such study by the University of New South Wales in 2018 states says those playing violent titles feel less distracted by violent imagery in their regular life. This has been coined by the author of the study as “emotion-induced blindness”.
Also Read: BGMI unban: How Krafton got a 3-Month lease on life on India's favourite mobile game?
So, it all depends on what kind of a person you are and if you follow limited screen time, it can help your mental health. It’s as the old proverb says, “Excess Of Everything Is Bad.” Hopefully, the newly induced changes in the game not only help in its permanent return but also help put sufficient guard-rails around current and future players of BGMI.
It is that time at the BLAST.tv Paris Major 2023. After almost two weeks of exciting battles between teams across the Challengers and Legends stage, we have our contenders for the playoffs. The best part? It wasn’t until the end of Day 4 of the Legends stage of the Paris Major 2023 that we knew which teams will be pitted against each other as they enter the playoffs. By the end of Day 3, things had cleared up, as a bunch of teams were eliminated from the tournament. Let’s take a dive into the matches held on Day 4, and what things look like for the playoffs.
CS:GO Paris Major 2023: Legends Stage - Day 4 - No s1mple or KRIMZ in the playoffs
The first match of the day had NAVI facing off against FaZe. Both the teams have won one Major each in the last two years and had their fates hanging by a silk thread as they headed into this match-up. And, the way these two teams played, their desperation to win shined through. On the first map of the series, Overpass, NAVI got the better of FaZe as they cruised home to a 16-13 win. However, on the second map, the tables turned, and FaZe thrashed the men in black and yellow, beating them 16-5 on Mirage.
Congratulations to the teams advancing to the Champions Stage of the @BLASTtv Paris Major:@heroicgg (3-0)@TeamVitality (3-0)@GamerLegion (3-1)@TeamLiquid (3-1)@Monte_Esports (3-1)@apeksgg (3-2)@FaZeClan (3-2)@ITBesports (3-2)
— CS2 (@CounterStrike) May 16, 2023
It was on the series decider that the majority of the nail-biting action unfolded. Anubis saw both NAVI and FaZe battle it out into two overtimes. When the dust settled, it was FaZe who had managed to defeat the Ukrainian powerhouse that is NAVI, knocking them out of the tournament.
For the second match of the day, fnatic faced off against Into the Breach. fnatic had been looking in an awesome run of form and had sent G2 back home the other day. However, when push came to shove, they failed to hold their ground. After winning the first match of the series 16-12, they never came back to winning ways. On Overpass, they lost 16-8, and on Vertigo, they fared even worse. They lost 16-4, crashing out of the tournament in a very spectacular fashion.
In the last match of the day, it was Ninjas and Pyjamas playing against Apeks, fighting for the last place in the playoffs. The Ninjas were of no match to Apeks. They lost against the European underdogs by a 2-0 margin, as Apeks marched on into the quarter-finals.
Here's a look at the final standings of the teams at the end of the Legends stage -
The last phase of the tournament begins on Thursday, May 18 and we will be seeing quite a few new entrants at the stages of the Major. Heroic will take on FaZe to start off the proceedings. I don’t know about you, but watching cadiaN’s energy on stage, especially given that this is the last CS:GO Major before we transition into Counter-Strike 2, is something that I am really looking forward to. As a fan of the eSport, two key things are on my mind – the melancholy of not having some of the biggest names of the game like s1mple and NiKo on the stage, and the joy of potentially seeing a new group of misfits getting their hands on the trophy.
Here's what the schedule looks like for the playoffs of the Paris Major 2023 -
Anyways, the way things are looking right now, the stage is set for a proper send-off to our favourite person’s favourite first-person shooter game
The BLAST.tv Paris Major 2023 is turning out to be the perfect spectacle that would essentially mark the end of one of the best eras of Counter-Strike. There are some issues like under-representation of other regions like Asia, the Americas, and the rest, with Europe being a dominant force. However, I will be taking a deep dive into that after the Major ends. For now, I am sure everyone is loving how the action is unfolding during the Legends stage of the Paris Major 2023.
CS:GO Paris Major 2023: Legends stage - Day 2 - Heroic and Vitality remain undefeated
Day 2 of the Legends stage started with Na’Vi taking on Ninjas in Pyjamas on Overpass. Having lost a game on Day 1 of the Legends stage, Na’Vi bounced back, handing the Ninjas their second defeat. The second match had GamerLegion defeat fnatic 11-16 on the familiar battlegrounds of Overpass.
Same vibes.#BLASTTVMajor @b1tcs pic.twitter.com/Onp4HHriWC
— BLAST.tv (@BLASTtv) May 14, 2023
The action then moved on to Vertigo, where Into the Breach showed why they were placed in the Legends bracket from the get-go, as they defeated one of the top-ranked teams from the Challengers stage, ENCE, 7-16. Apeks showed a glimpse of their brilliance as they stole a win from Bad News Eagles on Ancient.
Next, we moved on to the best of three matches, where the first teams facing off against each other were Monte and Vitality. The apEX-led roster (Vitality) trampled over Monte, as they registered an easy 2-0 win. When it was time for Liquid to take on Heroic, things got a little more interesting.
In the first map of the series, Inferno, Heroic won 16-11. On Mirage, Liquid fought back, giving Heroic a taste of their own medicine as they won 16-11. The decider map was Ancient, where we saw Heroic inch past Liquid, 16-12, making the series their own.
The next match of the day, between FaZe and 9INE, landed in FaZe’s bag, as they won 2-0. The story repeated in the last game, where G2 handed Furia a 0-2 loss.
With three straight wins, Heroic and Vitality look to be the teams to beat as we move into another day of some exciting Counter-Strike: Global Offensive action, which will be Day 3 of the Legends stage of the BLAST.tv Paris Major 2023.
Here's what the points table looked like at the end of Day 3 of the Legends stage of the Paris Major 2023 -
On Day 4, all the matches will be best of three series, so it will be interesting to see how things pan out -
To get all of our coverage of the BLAST.tv Paris Major 2023, check out this page.
If we were to get a real-life example of how one can start a tournament on a perfect note, then the Legends stage of the BLAST.tv Paris Major 2023 would be it. In a day marked by 16 best-of-one matches, we saw it all. CS:GO Paris Major 2023: Legends stage - Day 1 - Heroic, Monte, Vitality, and Liquid start off on a strong note Na’Vi started off the day, facing off and winning against GamerLegion 16-19 and setting the tone for the day. But their joy was short-lived, as later in the day, Liquid beat them 16-8 on the fabled grounds of Inferno. Liquid, in their first match, were pitted against 9INE. Coming from the Challengers stage, Liquid showed why they are big hopefuls to win the tournament. They beat 9INE who were sat in the Legends bracket after the RMRs 16-9. Monte continued their run of form against Furia and fnatic, beating both teams in their best-of-one match. Fnatic had started their day with a win against Ninjas in Pyjamas and looked in hot form until they faced off against Monte.
10 years of grinding pic.twitter.com/HZ1Y1Yugsc
— HEROIC (@heroicgg) May 13, 2023 Heroic locked horns with FaZe, who had a rocky start to their Major campaign. And, once again, FaZe’s graph went on a downward trend when they lost against cadiaN’s giants 16-7. They continued their victory trail into their second match where they won against Apeks. Apeks had carried their form from the Legends stage and beat Into the Breach 16-10. Vitality was one of the few teams beating the Challengers stage progressors when they sat G2 down on Nuke. ENCE, who had qualified with G2, beat the Bad News Eagles on Vertigo. But later in the day were given a taste of their own medicine by Vitality. Monte and fnatic had an exciting matchup on Vertigo. Their game went into overtime, where we saw Monte getting the upper hand, and emerging as the victors, with the scoreline reading 19-17 in their favour. The final four matches of the day had – NiP beat Furia, GamerLegion beating 9INE, G2 losing their second match-up after winning their first game against Vitality, and FaZe looking meak with their second loss in their match against Into the Breach. Here's a look at the points table at the end of Day1 of the Legends stage of the BLAST.tv Paris Major 2023 -
Heroic, Liquid, Monte, and Vitality are looking to be the teams to beat at the moment. And, G2, FaZe, 9INE, and Furia having the most amount of rubber to pick up if they want to avoid a trip to de_airport.
Here's the schedule of Day 2 of the BLAST.tv Paris Major 2023 -
To get all of our coverage of the BLAST.tv Paris Major 2023, check out this page
The Legends stage of the BLAST.tv Paris Major 2023 is set to start today, with Natus Vincere taking on GamerLegion and 9INE taking on Liquid in the first matches of the day. The Challengers stage of the tournament ended on May 11, with eight teams from a pool of 16 making their way into the Legends stage. CS:GO Paris Major 2023 is the last chance for many to cement their legacy This Major is the last one being played on Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, with the next Major, which will be held around the same time next year, set to be played on Counter-Strike 2. So, naturally, everyone is excited to see what the tournament holds for the fans and the players alike. The RMR Qualifiers held before the tournament and the Challengers stage have set the tone for an exciting Legends stage and playoffs which are set to start on May 18.
Waiting for the Legends Stage to start like... #BLASTTVMajor pic.twitter.com/Gj6rQVKWTN
— BLAST.tv (@BLASTtv) May 12, 2023 Coming into this stage, some teams like ENCE and G2, who were the first to make the cut from the pool of teams in the Challengers stage, are in red hot form. Teams like Heroic, who are ranked number 1 in the world right now are waiting to pounce upon any change they get to inch closer to the title of being crowned the winners of the last CS:GO Major. The BLAST.tv Paris Major 2023 is the last chance for many professional players that are active right now to cement their legacy. We have in-game leaders like karrigan, who are getting closer to hanging their boots for good by the day. So, it is players like him, and as we saw, kennyS and NbK- in the RMR stages, are working their hardest to make the most of this opportunity that has come their way. With the stage set, it is time for us to sit back, relax, and enjoy the final stage of the final Major on Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, because things are about to get exciting. To get all of our coverage of the BLAST.tv Paris Major 2023, check out this page.
This is how it all ended. I am talking about the Challengers Stage of the BLAST.tv Paris Major 2023. Coming into the last day, we had - ENCE, G2, FaZe, Ninjas in Pyjamas, and Apeks - make their way into the Legends stage, having won three matches each. While these teams boarded the bus to the next stage of the tournament, we had OG, TheMongolz, Complexity, Fluxo, and MOUZ crashing out of the tournament. So, on the last day of the Challengers stage, we had three spots up for grabs between six teams.
Paris Major 2023 Challengers Stage - Day 4 - A day full of shattered expectations and pleasant surprises
The proceedings for the day started with FORZE taking on GamerLegion. The best-of-three matchup between these two teams, in contesting for one of the last three spots of the Legends stage, produced some interesting action to say the least. The first game of the series took us to Mirage, picked by the Ninjas. And they were in command right from the start. The first half ended with the scoreline being 7:8 in their favour. In the second half, the Ninjas led Grayhound by a four-point margin, wrapping up the best of three series 16:11 in their favour. The second series unfolded in a similar fashion, with the Ninjas taking lead on Grayhound’s map pick, Inferno. They won 16-12 and made sure that their campaign in this stage of the tournament ended on a good note.
Congratulations to the Challengers advancing to the Legends Stage of the @BLASTtv Paris Major:@ENCE (3-0) @G2esports (3-0) @apeksgg (3-1)@FaZeClan (3-1) @NIPCS (3-1)@GamerLegion (3-2)@Monte_Esports (3-2) @TeamLiquid (3-2)
— CS2 (@CounterStrike) May 11, 2023
In the second match of the day, paiN, who had their dreams washed out the day before, were pitted against Monte. The first match of the series took us to Monte’s pick - Anubis. paiN won the game by 16-10. Monte staged a magnificent comeback on paiN’s map pick - Nuke, defeating them 16-1. However, on the third map of the series, Mirage, we saw Monte getting the upper hand on paiN, winning the map 16-10 and cementing their spot in the Legends stage.
The Challengers stage of the BLAST.tv Paris Major 2023 came to a close with Grayhound facing off against Team Liquid, who were burdened with the expectations of North American CS fans. Liquid won back-to-back maps in their best-of-three series, 16-9, adding to the misery of Grayhound, who were on their way to de_airport.
At the end of the Challengers stage, here’s what the teams for the Legends stage are -
Now, we have the Legends stage starting on May 13, with Na’Vi taking on GamerLegion in the first match. With teams coming in with a lot of expectations and burdens on their backs, it will be interesting to see who handles the entire package well and makes it to the playoffs of the last CS:GO major ever and cement their name in history books.
Here’s a look at the schedule for the first day of the Legends stage of the BLAST.tv Paris Major 2023 –
To get all of our coverage of the BLAST.tv Paris Major 2023, check out this page.
This year’s Google I/O was arguably one of the most exciting ones we have witnessed in quite some time. At this year’s keynote, Google focused on Artificial Intelligence and how the company is integrating generative AI into its products. We also saw exciting stuff on the hardware side, with Google finally making its first tablet and foldable smartphone official. Here’s a small recap of what all was announced at Google’s I/O 2023 keynote.
Generative AI on Google products
The keynote started with Google CEO Sundar Pichai taking the stage and setting the mood for the evening. Pichai said that with AI seeing massive growth in 2022 and 2023, it is now Google’s turn to show what the company has been working on. To begin with, Generative AI integration in Google products. This includes Gmail, Google Maps, Google Photos and more. In Gmail, Google is using generative AI to bring a new feature called Help Me Write. An extension of smart suggestions that we already see on Gmail, Google is bringing an AI-powered feature “Help Me Write,” which will write emails for users. All you will need to do is, give it a prompt, and AI will write your emails for you. There is also a “Refine” option, which will allow users to expand, re-generate, elaborate, or summarise their responses.
On Google Maps, the company is bringing Immersive View while navigating. This is basically a 3D view of your trip, showing the exact route you will be taking, with traffic, weather, AQI, and everything else you need in a 3D graphical representation of the actual area. This feature is coming to 15 cities by the end of 2023, Pichai said. On Google Photos, the company is enhancing its editing chops, with a new feature called Magic Editor. Being an extension of Magic Eraser, Magic Editor will take editing photos to another level. We will get the ability to literally move things inside a frame, change the colour temperature, make things more detailed and sharp, and resize things in an image. All this, along with the power of Magic Eraser, will take editing to another level with Generative AI.
PaLM 2
At this year’s I/O, Google also launched PaLM 2, which is the company's new Generative AI model. PaLM 2 is Google’s most sophisticated AI model so far, and has been improved to become more helpful and more powerful to facilitate all the new AI features that Google is working on. PaLM 2 basically combines two Google projects - DeepMind and Gemini, where DeepMind is Google AI research lab, and Gemini is the latest AI foundation model. PaLM 2 is now in preview for developers to use and try out.
Google Bard
Since the focus of the evening was AI, Google couldn’t miss out on its big bet, Google Bard. Google Bard is now available for all users to try out for free, there is no waitlist anymore. It is available in 180 countries and cities in English, with Japanese and Korean languages coming soon. The company now says that Google Bard is powered by its new Generative AI model PaLM 2, and with the new update, Google is making Bard better at conversational AI. The company said that Bard has learnt over 20 programming languages to help users with software development. The company said that Bard is now equipped to not only give you the code but also help you understand these languages better. Google has also introduced a new feature in Bard. This includes a button to export the AI’s responses to Google Docs or Gmail. So you can basically bring your Bard responses to emails or documents with just one click. Neat. Further, Bard now has dark mode also, and the company is further enhancing this conversational AI model. For example, during the keynote, Google said that Bard will become more visual with responses and prompts. This means that the company is also adding other visual elements like images and videos to Bard's responses. Further, there are more tools coming to Google Bard in the coming weeks, along with Google Lens integration. You will also be able to use images in prompts to give Bard better context while asking for queries. Furthermore, Bard will also be able to locate things on the map for you, and there is also an Adobe Firefly integration coming soon, which will allow Google Bard to create designs and images for you. Pretty cool.
AI Integration in Google Workspace
So using PaLM 2 and Bard, Google is bringing many AI smarts to its workspace apps. This includes a Help Me Write feature for Google Docs. Here, you can just open a Google Doc file, and ask AI to write your document for you. For example, if you are writing an essay and are stuck somewhere, just open the Bard option and type in prompts like “help me finish this essay,” to allow AI to give you options. In Google Sheets, the company is bringing a Help Me Organise feature powered by Bard. For example, if you have data about several things and want to put it in a table format in Sheets, just ask Google Bard to do it for you! This is something that will help a lot of people who struggle with numbers and tables.
In Google Slides, AI integration will help users visualise their slides, customise them further, and even come up with presentation notes for speakers!
The trials for all these new Generative AI features begin next month starting with the US. Users will be able to try out all these AI-based features for Google Workspace apps on the revamped Labs. Just go to www.google.com/labs to try out these features starting next month.
Generative AI Integration In Google Search
Google is also enhancing its Search using AI. During the keynote, Google showed how using Generative AI with its already powerful Search will enhance the product. Users will be able to search for more detailed queries. There will be a new AI-powered result, which will appear on top of the page in a snapshot-like format. This will include all the relevant information, links, and multimedia to help you understand things in a more conversational way. Further, there will also be an option for extended suggestions, which will open conversational mode, so you can keep asking questions and follow them up with more prompts.
Generative AI in Android
Coming to Android, we saw some big announcements for Android also. For example, with Android 14, Google is focusing more on the Android ecosystem apart from AI. Here, the company said that on the back of WearOS's success, it is bringing a standalone WhatsApp app for WearOS. This app will help you write texts, respond to them, and send voice notes directly from your smartwatch. We are also getting a new update in Find My Device. Now, you will be able to locate more devices on Find My Device, including headphones, tablets, smartwatches, and more. Further, other Android users can now help you locate your lost items. Apart from that, there is an unknown tracker alert, which will detect unknown trackers on you. This also works across all devices running on any operating system.
Google also mentioned how its RCS messaging has been a game changer, along with a subtle callout to Apple to bring RCS messaging to iPhones.
With Android 14, Android users are also getting more customisation options. This time, we will get more customisable lock screens, emoji-based wallpapers, and cinematic wallpapers, which allow users to add an immersive 3D effect to their wallpapers. There is also a new option to allow AI to create wallpapers for you. With this option, you will be able to give Google AI prompts to create wallpapers.
Google Pixel Tab and Pixel Fold are finally here!
Coming to Pixel devices, Google kept the best for the last. Apart from the Google Pixel 7a, the company also made its first tablet and first foldable smartphone official! The Google Pixel Fold and the Google Pixel Tab are the two new additions to Google’s lineup. Let us take a look at each of their specifications and prices:
Starting with the Google Pixel 7a, the only device to come to the Indian market, the Google Pixel 7a has been launched at a price of ₹43,999 (39,999 with discount) in India. The smartphone comes with a 6.1-inch OLED display with a 90Hz refresh rate. The smartphone is powered by Google's Tensor G2 SoC paired with 8GB of RAM and 128GB of internal storage. The smartphone comes with a dual rear camera setup that includes a 64-megapixel primary shooter and a 13-megapixel ultrawide angle lens. Up front, the Google Pixel 7a has a 13MP selfie shooter. There is a 4,385mAh battery on the Pixel 7a with support for 20W fast charging and 18W wireless charging.
The Google Pixel Tablet has been launched with an 11-inch LCD display. It is also powered by Google's Tensor G2 chip, and we get a 27 Whr battery, which is good for 12 hours of video playback. There is also an 8-megapixel rear camera and an 8-megapixel front camera on the Pixel Tab, and we also get an option of a Charging Speaker Dock, which converts the Google Pixel Tab into a powerful Google Home device. The Pixel Tablet is available for pre-order at a price of $499 in the US. It is not known when the Pixel Tablet will be launched in India.
Coming to the Google Pixel Fold, which is also a first from Google. On the outside, we get a nice 5.8-inch OLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate. When unfolded, the Google Pixel Fold reveals a 7.6-inch display with a 2K resolution and 120Hz refresh rate. This also uses Ultra Thin Glass with a protective plastic layer on top. This display supports 1000 nits of HDR brightness and 1,450 nits of peak brightness. This is also powered by Google's latest chip, the Tensor G2 paired with 12GB of LPDDR5 RAM and up to 512GB of UFS 3.1 storage. We also get a triple rear camera setup, which includes a 48-megapixel primary shooter, a 10.8MP ultra-wide angle lens, and a 10.8MP telephoto shooter. Further, there is a 4,821mAh battery on the Pixel Fold, which supports 30W fast charging.
It’s been a tough few weeks for the folks over at Activision as the launch of Season 3 of Call of Duty: Warzone 2 was not the hit they were expecting it to be. Fans have reported a number of issues with the game such as stuttering, inability to find an actual game and a ton of other server issues. The game was launched on April 12 and it took Activision a week to spring into action. The company has officially acknowledged the problem and is now actively investigating the issue.
Call of Duty: Warzone 2 Season 3 has been experiencing server-related problems
An official tweet from the company states that Activision is investigating reports of server-based issues. Streamers and fans alike have been calling out these issues for the past week and to be fair, Activision did jump right into the action as soon as they established that there was something seriously wrong with the launch of Call of Duty: Warsone Season 3. Streamers also reported glitches like malfunctioning parachutes and have been vocal about wanting immediate fixes.
We are investigating reports of server-related gameplay issues and are actively working to resolve them.https://t.co/uZcPLBMAZh
— Call of Duty (@CallofDuty) April 20, 2023
It’s unclear how the company missed these issues or if it was a matter of meeting the launch date regardless of the problems but we hope that these glitches and the like are fixed soon. Apart from stating that they are working on the problem, Activision has not given fans any sort of timeline regarding these server issues. This could take days to weeks, depending on the severity of the problem but at the very least, we know that they are currently working on solving these issues.
Warzone 2.0 Season 3 of Call of Duty will see a few changes and features to the base game. In an official statement on the Call of Duty blog, the company addressed pacing issues such as time-to-kill, weapon damage, armour values, movement mechanics, defensive tools, outplay opportunities and more. With these new changes, we could see a slight shift in gameplay and how players can approach each encounter. So, without any further ado, let’s see what the new Season 3 update brings.
Changes in pacing:
As mentioned above, there will be significant improvements to the way the game is paced. We’ll see improvements to the core of the Battle Royale experience. There will be a reduced delay time between the closing of circles somewhere in the midgame. There will also be more ammo caches and buy stations in late-game areas. This will serve to support regain in these zones. UAV towers will also be dishing out intel and push you toward more combat.
Combat and Movement
There will be more weapons for users to try out like the one-hit sniper rifles. These weapons were first tested during the St Patrick’s Day event and will now make it into the game. Redeploy drones also make an appearance on Ashika Island and will give players a faster mode of travel. There are also a few changes to the game HUD including reduced damage feedback. Season 3 will also see the inclusion of the Bomb Drone update so that it will no longer be one-hit-down and can instead support flushing and/or pushing an enemy squad.
QoL improvements
Users will gain access to elevation arrows on the Tac Map. This will help identify targets easier, giving you the opportunity to plan your attack. If you thought the ‘Incoming Killstreak’ message was a bit intrusive, you can rest easy as the message has been moved further away from the reticule to give you a better line of sight.
There will be more info regarding modes and such coming soon so stay tuned to Digit.in for more Call of Duty news.
With the stage set, it is time for us to sit back, relax, and enjoy the final stage of the final Major on Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, because things are about to get exciting. To get all of our coverage of the BLAST.tv Paris Major 2023, check out this page.
