Music News, Tips, Tricks & Ideas

Calling all Onmyoji heroes! The Yin and Yang Division welcomes a sensational new collaboration with the world-famous virtual singer Hatsune Miku! Here’s your chance to add the talented Miku to your team in the Onmyoji and Hatsune Miku collaboration.

Persona 3 Reload players have taken to Steam to express frustration at Atlus announcing a $35 expansion pass one month after promising the game is a "complete experience".

Persona 3 Reload players are review-bombing the new Expansion Pass for the JRPG on Steam after it was revealed that the pass will cost $35.

There’s plenty of genuinely good ongoing TV to watch this week: Shōgun continues apace (with new episodes dropping on Tuesdays), Abbott Elementary is still making its way through the school year (Wednesdays at 9 p.m. EST), and The Gentlemen is all on Netflix, but hey, maybe you’re still working your way through it! But that doesn’t mean there’s not new TV coming this week — and more good TV coming fresh to a screen near you.

Peter Moore, the former vice-president of Microsoft’s interactive entertainment business division who oversaw both the original Xbox and Xbox 360, has offered some fascinating insight into the current gaming landscape and the potential future of the industry.

Virginia high school teacher Joe Clement keeps track of the text messages parents have sent students sitting in his economics and government classes:

Baldur’s Gate 3 and Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 will go head-to-head once more at the BAFTAs, with both titles leading the way for nominations at this year’s show. Larian Studios’ phenomenal RPG secured an impressive 10 nominations overall, while Insomniac Games’ superhero sequel isn’t far behind, with nine. The two titles will compete with Alan Wake 2, Dave the Diver, The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, and Super Mario Bros Wonder for the Best Game accolade.

While there’s no shortage of ways to distract yourself while playing Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth, one of the most unexpected minigames is the surprisingly deep piano system. In most of the major hub towns you encounter across the expansive world, Cloud can find a piano to sit down at and tickle the keys. You’re free to play any song you want in free play, but you can turn this system into a full-on rhythm game, almost like Guitar Hero, by collecting sheet music of some of the game’s most iconic tracks. There’s even an NPC near each piano who will reward you if you get a high enough rank on each song. Cloud may not be the most expressive in his words, but he can sure play the piano with heart. Here is where you can find all the sheet music and what rewards await if you can master them.

Greetings, Polygon readers! Each week, we round up the most notable new releases to streaming and VOD, highlighting the biggest and best new movies for you to watch at home.

It feels like the video game console is at a crossroads. With Xbox Series X and S floundering in the ‘console war’, Sony suggesting PlayStation 5 is approaching the second half of its life after missing sales targets, and uncertainty around the release of the Nintendo Switch 2, there is growing concern that the traditional video game console business could be under threat.

In the last few months, Adobe has drastically stepped up its game by bringing generative AI features to its suite of products. Now the company has announced its mobile app version of Adobe Express which comes with Firefly generative AI features. This new feature to the app will bring ease of mobile editing and allow users to create ideas and attractive content anytime and anywhere from their smartphones. Adobe first announced its Firefly generative AI feature in September last year, now it will be bringing this smart AI capability to the mobile app, know more about the feature.

Apple is opening small cracks in the iPhone's digital fortress as part of a regulatory clampdown in Europe that is striving to give consumers more choices — at the risk of creating new avenues for hackers to steal personal and financial information stored on the devices.

Overwatch 2’s second anime crossover event will bring the characters (and music) of Cowboy Bebop to the team-based hero shooter on March 12, Blizzard Entertainment announced Thursday. The collab will add new Cowboy Bebop-inspired skins, emotes, highlight intros, and more to Overwatch 2, including an Ein skin for Wrecking Ball that all players will be able to unlock for free.

Few artists have been more requested by our community than our latest release, Daft Punk. The wait is over, we are excited to announce the Daft Punk Music Pack is now available on Beat Saber for PS VR and PS VR 2!

Atlus has announced the Persona 3 Reload: Expansion Pass, which includes three DLC packs starting with a bundle of new music releasing next week on March 12.

If you have spent hours playing through Helldivers 2, then there’s a good chance you have the stunning soundtrack on repeat in your head. You are in the right place to learn more about it.

Synduality: Echo of Ada is getting a closed beta on PS5, allowing players a chance to pilot armoured mechs to become Drifters and face off against the xenomorphic threat of the Enders after the world was washed away by a poisonous rain known as «The Tears of the New Moon».

Metaphor: ReFantazio is the next huge JRPG from Shin Megami Tensei developer Atlus, and if new PS Store pages are anything to go by, then the game's structure will be like Persona, but in reverse. Wishlist pages for the title in Japan and Asia claim you'll «go on quests, dungeon dive, and hunt for treasures by day». Then, during the night, you will «strengthen relationships, build bonds, & increase virtues».

It's been a little quiet on the GTA 6 front, with Rockstar presumably enforcing a strict no-speak policy. NDAs, however, don't apply to actual rockstars like rapper ScHoolboy Q, who appears to have confirmed his musical return for the eagerly anticipated Grand Theft Auto sequel, which analysts don't expect to release before April 2025.

Legendary Final Fantasy composer Nobuo Uematsu says he probably won't compose the score for another complete game; instead, he prefers to spend his time on compositions or his band Uematsu Nobuo conTIKI. Amongst his long list of notable achievements, in addition to being the primary composer of the Final Fantasy series, he single-handedly composed the soundtracks of the first nine games.

There’s an obvious question at the heart of Spaceman, Netflix’s science fiction movie where Adam Sandler’s forlorn astronaut character spends half the story talking to a tennis ball communing with a giant alien spider that he names Hanuš. But even without watching the movie, viewers may wonder: Is Hanuš actually real?

If you’re looking for a new Switch game to play with your kids following titles like Bluey: The Videogame and Disney Illusion Island, get ready to meet the Moonmins. Snufkin: Melody of Moonminvalley comes to Switch and PC this week, giving the cartoon vagabond his own game. Developed by Hyper Games, the adventure title aims to capture the cartoon joy of Moomin, a Swedish children’s series, with some musical twists.

Ask someone to name the most iconic video game music of all time, and they’ll probably say it’s the Halo theme. It’s instantly recognisable, strangely beautiful, and 100% nostalgic. However, the mastermind behind the tune no longer works for Bungie, so what’s going on there?

“Denial is a river that flows through Cupertino!,” said Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney, a notorious Apple critic who also sued the tech giant for anticompetitive practices, in a post on X, weighing in on today’s news of the European Commission’s historic €1.84 billion fine against the iPhone maker. The EC ruling, which favors Spotify, hinges on Apple’s approach to its anti-steering clauses that prevented Spotify and other music streamers from directing users to their websites.

Marty O’Donnell, the famed and beloved composer of the Halo soundtracks has announced his plans to run for Congress to fight for “self-sacrifice, faith, integrity, fidelity, and valor”. And he’s doing this by siding with the man who embodies the exact opposite of every single one of those qualities.

Perhaps you saw Dune: Part 2 this weekend and now you’re wondering, how do I recreate the experience of IMAX speakers vibrating my cerebrospinal fluid? Or maybe you couldn’t get tickets until the end of March, so you need an auditory appetizer ASAP. Whatever the case, if you’re deep into Dune, I recommend the killer vinyl records for both Dune: Part 1and Part 2 that, when combined, span a whopping seven LPs.

Mounts are always a popular item in Final Fantasy XIV, whether they are rewarded for in-game content or purchased for real money in the Online Store. The latest addition to the store, the Crescent Moon Mount, is a particularly awaited one. 

Halo co-composer Marty O’Donnell has decided to run for a seat in the US Congress.

Computer and video games are the largest and most lucrative form of media entertainment today. But it’s a mistake to think of games as a new phenomenon – at this point, their history stretches back over 50 years. Generations of gamers have grown up and passed on their love of gaming to their children. So why is it so hard to find and play the classic games we enjoyed in our youth?

Artificial intelligence firms are facing increasing pressure from some of the world's most formidable names in technology and media, as new tools spark fresh questions over the risks posed by chatbots that threaten to rival human intelligence. Elon Musk became the latest power player to sue OpenAI, alleging the company and its chief executive officer, Sam Altman, have strayed from their original mission by prioritizing profit over the benefit of humanity.

Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth is full to the brim with minigames for you to try out (help me, Queen's Blood is ruining my life), but one of the more popular has Cloud tickling the ivories. You'll find various places in the game that will let you test out your piano skills with a variety of Final Fantasy tunes, or you can go freestyle and create your own melodies, which has led to players recreating popular songs from real life and video games.

Alan Wake 2 is a wild ride in nearly every sense of the word, and to match the game's oddball energy, composer Petri Alanko used some, err, unconventional 'toys' to bring the nightmarish soundtrack to life. 

The developer of Stardew Valley has a hack for composers who want to get people to listen to their music; all you have to do is make an entire game from scratch. 

In a playful and imaginative fusion of technology and music, Spotify has introduced its latest feature, Song Psychic, promising users a delightful way to explore their destinies through song recommendations. This whimsical addition to the music streaming giant's repertoire not only enhances user engagement but also opens new avenues for creative interaction within the realm of music.

February 29 is a rare day, a perfect date to celebrate with a session of the Final Fantasy-themed musical game Theatrhythm Final Bar Line. However, I’ve got sad news for anyone attempting to celebrate today with a little Theathrythm as the rhythm game just won’t load on this day, specifically.

Boult Astra Neo review: Gone are the days of expensive, bulky headphones dominating the audio scene. You can get great quality sound in small packages too now. Today, the world of True Wireless Stereo (TWS) earbuds offers an accessible and convenient way to experience your music, calls, and games. And if you are looking for a pair of wireless earbuds without breaking the bank, then Boult has just the thing for you - the Astra Neo earbuds. These earbuds come in black and white colour options and promise a long-lasting battery life (up to 70 hours), noise cancellation, and an improved gaming experience– all at a budget-friendly price of Rs. 1,099. But can it live up to the big claims? Let's find out in our review.

If you played through 2020's Final Fantasy VII Remake, you might have an inkling of what to expect from Rebirth (which releases today on PS5).

If Sonic The Hedgehog had come out in the era of tilt controls, there’s every chance that it might have looked a bit like Tumble Rush. 

OpenAI has asked a federal judge to dismiss parts of the New York Times' copyright lawsuit against it, arguing that the newspaper "hacked" its chatbot ChatGPT and other artificial-intelligence systems to generate misleading evidence for the case.

After 13 long years, Remedy’s Alan Wake finally received a sequel, and it has been a success, managing to sell a million units by December 2023.

FromSoftware director Hidetaka Miyazaki would love to make more games that are as big as Elden Ring, which is sure to be music to the ears of many fans.  

Lofi Girl’s world just keeps getting bigger and bigger. The YouTube channel known for the online radio stream “lofi hip hop radio — beats to relax/study to” launched two new music streams on Monday. The first is “peaceful piano radio” starring Lofi Girl and the second is a “dark ambient radio” stream featuring Synthwave Boy.

The countdown has begun! Reverse: 1999 is rolling out its newest update ‘The Prisoner in the Cave’ on February 29th. We first shared the news with you a couple of weeks back when it dropped. Now, with the day almost here, we thought we’d walk you through the full details of the Reverse: 1999 Version 1.4 update.

With the Vision Pro finally available, many consumers are curious about Apple’s AR/VR headset and the apps that come with it. While some are from companies you recognize — Disney+, Max, TikTok, Zoom, Reddit and others — there are plenty of independent developers that launched visionOS-optimized apps.

Composer Nobuo Uematsu is an integral part of Final Fantasy's identity. Even if you don't know his name, you've certainly heard his work, as he was the sole composer on the series for over a decade. Even after other composers were brought on to provide scores for new instalments, Uematsu kept working on the series and even composed the main theme for Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth.

The world of Dune is a wild one. On any given day you’ve got clairvoyant sisterhoods poking your neck, giant spicy worms, and Javier Bardem spitting on your floor — and I haven’t even started on the really weird stuff. Capturing the tone and flavor of this eccentric setting isn’t easy, and while I’m not opposed to getting a lengthy monologue from Virginia Madsen, the right audio direction can do a better job of laying the groundwork for a sci-fi epic. And music has always played an important role in the various adaptations of Frank Herbert’s Dune universe across movies, TV, and games.

Yoko Taro has dropped a sneaky tease that a new Nier game may be on the way.

Speedrunners usually skip anything in games that can shave valuable seconds off their runs - from cutscenes to entire levels - but one record chaser sacrificed precious time to perform Alan Wake 2's now-iconic musical number. 

Sebi employs AI in investigations to ensure market integrity; Apple introduces 'Ask' AI tool set to revolutionise customer support; AI cameras uncover malpractice in Odisha matric exams, students booked; Young Emirati pianist harmonises traditional music with AI for healing performances- this and more in our daily roundup. Let us take a look.

Greetings, Polygon readers! Each week, we round up the most notable new releases to streaming and VOD, highlighting the biggest and best new movies for you to watch at home.

The Tarisland team has a new behind the scenes video featuring award-winning composer, Russell Brower, who was announced as part of the project last fall, detailing the process of composing for Tarisland, how tailoring the music to the story matters, and creating a cohesive musical identity for the game.

With improving technology, the need for gaming has undergone a remarkable transformation, transcending the boundaries of traditional setups. As gaming enthusiasts constantly seek ways to elevate their immersive experiences, one crucial component often underestimated is audio quality. In response to this demand, the market has witnessed the rise of a game-changing accessory – gaming earbuds. These compact yet powerful audio companions have become a staple for players looking to enhance their auditory adventures within the virtual realms.

The cosy musical adventure of Snufkin: Melody of Moominvalley will be coming out for PC and Nintendo Switch on 7th March, Hyper Games and Raw Fury have announced. An iOS and Android is also planned.

Hi-Fi Rush is about to lose its console exclusivity, as the game is set to land on PlayStation 5 next month.

Connections is the latest puzzle game from the New York Times. The game tasks you with categorizing a pool of 16 words into four secret (for now) groups by figuring out how the words relate to each other. The puzzle resets every night at midnight and each new puzzle has a varying degree of difficulty. Just like Wordle, you can keep track of your winning streak and compare your scores with friends.

The cosy musical adventure of Snufkin: Melody of Moominvalley will be coming out for PC and Nintendo Switch on 7th March, Hyper Games and Raw Fury have announced. An iOS and Android is also planned.

Over the last few years, Fortnite has played host to a swathe of musicians, from rappers like Eminem to pop stars like Ariana Grande and the rockers of Weezer. These artists, as well as the likes of Marshmello and Travis Scott, have appeared either in the game’s soundtrack or as hosts of virtual concerts; in what could easily turn into a Black Mirror episode should theiravatars abruptly decide they want out.

There's a new puzzle available and today's answers shouldn't be too hard for most players. has players grouping different sets of words without knowing what category they all actually fit into. The Wednesday categories aren't too difficult to figure out, but if you're having trouble we've posted the hints and answers below.

It appears Lady Gaga is going to make an appearance in Fortnite Festival, as the singer is teasing an upcoming collaboration with Epic Games.

In his recent Steam blog post about the current state of Mewgenics, the upcoming cat-breeding turn-based RPG, Edward McMillen spoke frankly on why it’s taking so long for it to come out: he’s trying to avoid another Bumbo and Binding of Isaac: Afterbirth+ situation, given their rough day one state.

The Pokémon Company’s next Pokémon Presents broadcast is scheduled for Feb. 27 in celebration of Pokémon Day, which marks the date of Pokémon Red and Pokémon Green’s Japanese release in 1996. The Pokémon Company announced the broadcast on Tuesday morning via its social media channels. Pokémon Presents will go live at 9 a.m. EST on Feb. 27. The Pokémon Company hasn’t said what it’ll share, or how long the event will run — just to expect the “latest news and updates from the world of Pokémon.”

Connections is the latest puzzle game from the New York Times. The game tasks you with categorizing a pool of 16 words into four secret (for now) groups by figuring out how the words relate to each other. The puzzle resets every night at midnight and each new puzzle has a varying degree of difficulty. Just like Wordle, you can keep track of your winning streak and compare your scores with friends.

It turns out Helldivers 2's epic loading screen theme can somehow get even better - if you add a choir and percussion to it.

The 2024 DICE Awards, organised by the Academy of Interactive Arts and Sciences, has just happened. Back in January, the nominees for the industry awards were announced, with Marvel's Spider-Man 2 leading the charge. Now, Insomniac's sequel also takes home the most wins, succeeding in six of the nine categories in which it was nominated.

Developer ZA/UM reportedly cancelled a standalone expansion to Disco Elysium back in 2022, said to be «one to two years away from completion» then, and the third project in as many years to be consigned to the endless void. Now, roughly a quarter of the studio is facing redundancy, which makes us want to put on sad disco music and contemplate the grim, seemingly inevitable fate that awaits all video game developers.

Shazam now allows you to identify in-app music while wearing headphones. This feature is tailored toward TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube users who need a convenient way to identify songs. It works with wired or Bluetooth headphones on iOS and Android.

You can take the Fallout: New Vegas out of the silly, but you can’t take the silly out of Fallout: New Vegas. Or something like that. At any rate, someone has managed to make modding history by finding an old file that was thought to have been lost to the annals of time.

Apple will launch the iPhone 16 lineup later this year with a boatload of changes oriented toward the standard and the 'Pro' models. The company has prototyped various designs to test the most feasible solution based on the feature set. While there are little details on the insides, Apple is potentially seeking a different design from the current iPhone 15 and 15 Pro models. A sketchy rumor showcases how Apple could amalgamate the camera housing on the back of the iPhone 16 Pro models.

Apple Inc. will face a European Union fine close to €500 million ($539 million) over the regulator's investigation into allegations it silenced music-streaming rivals, including Spotify Technology SA, on its platforms. 

The funky upbeat Foamstars soundtrack is now available on Spotify, Apple Music, and other platforms. The album consisting of multiple artists can be downloaded on your phone through these services.

Honor has expanded its product range with the launch of the Honor Choice Earbuds X5 and Honor Choice Watch, alongside the Honor X9b smartphone. The unveiling of these devices on February 15 marks a significant step in bringing a connected ecosystem of Honor products to Indian consumers. With a focus on delivering cutting-edge technology solutions, these new additions aim to set new standards in audio experiences and smartwatch functionalities.

Blizzard has yet again provided Sanctuary denizens with a music video for their iconic soundtrack. Experience the Sands of Kehjistan and the Dry Steppes, along with the darkness emanating from Beneath the Sands, with the latest music video from the Emanations of Sanctuary series. This newly released video gives you a musical perspective of Kehjistan and the Steppes — from Ked Bardu and Gea Kul and back again, you'll feel the desert breeze and smell the oases as you listen to this latest soundtrack collection. There are nearly three hours of music from locations in Kehjistan and the Dry Steppes such as Tarsarak, Olzei Bluffs, Ked Bardu, Gea Kul, and Oasis.

The 27th D.I.C.E. Awards have arrived and celebrated the best of the best in the world of video games from 2023. While there were a ton of winners, Baldur's Gate 3 walked home with Game of the Year alongside Best Role-Playing Game and Outstanding Achievement awards in Story, Game Direction, and Game Design.

When I found and wrote about Sheepy: A Short Adventure just yesterday, the pleasant little platformer had around 1,750 Steam user reviews with a 99% positive rating. That's since jumped to nearly 1,900 reviews, still at 99% positive. Bear in mind, the game only came out on February 6. These are enviable numbers for any game, let alone a fresh-faced indie. The free, short game from music promoter MrSuicideSheep and solo developer Thomas Lean is a certified success, and nobody is more surprised than Lean himself.

March 11 marks 10 years since Hearthstone was first released. So, it’s gearing up for its 10th anniversary with a lineup of exciting events and updates. The Whizbang’s Workshop expansion is also set to drop just days after the Hearthstone 10th anniversary. So, let’s dive in and see what’s in store!

In one week, a free game called Sheepy: A Short Adventure has caught up to the likes of Palworld and Persona 3 Reload to become one of the highest-rated Steam releases of 2024, if not the highest-rated according to SteamDB's metrics. Utterly intrigued by its meteoric popularity, I rushed to its Steam page to download and try it, only to spot a familiar name listed as its developer and publisher: YouTuber MrSuicideSheep. 

Valentine's Day gift: The day is finally and this is the best opportunity to buy your loved ones a special gift, even at this late hour, especially if your partner is a techie and loves smart gadgets. We have curated a list of top tech gadgets to help you find the perfect Valentine's day gift for your partner that includes an Apple Watch 9, and iPad. The good thing is that Amazon is providing huge discounts on electronic products, giving you the advantage of buying your favourite ones at a lower price. Check out the list here and grab the gift before it goes out of stock.

It’s a long, cold wait between seasons of Taskmaster, especially after an entry as stellar as series 16. Luckily, the hilarious British panel show has kept its growing international audience entertained between seasons by uploading episodes of one of its many licensed spinoff series to its YouTube channel. Taskmaster New Zealand’s first two seasons are now onthe official Taskmaster YouTube account, including the incredible season 2, which originally aired in 2021 and is one of the best seasons of any version of Taskmaster. If you consider yourself a Taskmaster fan, you owe it to yourself to check it out.

Star Wars Jedi: Survivor has been awarded a Grammy for Best Score Soundtrack for Video Games and Other Interactive Media, a rare nod from the more established mainstream award industry. Jedi: Survivor beat out the likes of God of War Ragnarok, Hogwarts Legacy, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 and Stray Gods: The Roleplaying Musical for the honour.