Music News, Tips, Tricks & Ideas

Final Fantasy VII Rebirth's playable demo is available now on PS5, and immediately, musically gifted players took the opportunity to show off for Tifa in the included piano minigame. Tifa's Theme is set as a challenge for players to overcome in-game, but rousing tributes to other tracks quickly appeared, a testament to the flexibility of its freeplay mode.

It's the Year of the Pegasus! Blizzard released a blog post detailing their year-long celebrations for 10 years of Hearthstone's launch! The blog post details much of the things happening in Hearthstone itself including playing through the entire history of the game and an album full of Hearthstone music. In addition to this, WoW is receiving a cross-promotion! An in-game event rewarding many Hearthstone-themed items will happen from March 11 to March 18, and players logging in between March 11 and May 14 will receive a free mount.

Some intrepid fans have been able to reproduce the lost tracks from the BS F-Zero Grand Prix 2 Satellaview SoundLink event and have created BS F-Zero Deluxe, a patch to incorporate them into the SNES game.

The time draws near for the great Hearthstone clock in the sky to count down to a new year of Hearthstone, a year-long celebration of Hearthstone’s past and future: the Year of the Pegasus! 

Oh, Doom. Is there any method by which you can’t be ported? Evidently not, it seems. The latest in a near-endless attempt to get id Software’s iconic FPS up and running on just about everything on the planet is one that will be music to your ears. Or not, as is the case.

Fortnite and Amazon appear to be on the precipice of another collaboration, with Hazbin Hotel, the adult animated musical comedy from Vivienne Medrano, looking set to be introduced into the battle royale in the coming weeks.

Update: Beyoncé has revealed what the teaser was for on her Instagram: the long-awaited Renaissance Act 2 now has a release date, complete with the drop of two new songs, “Texas Hold ‘Em” and “16 Carriages.”

The trailer for the Wicked movie is here as it debuts during the Super Bowl, and it sees Cynthia Erivo defying gravity.

Universal Pictures just revealed a first look at the upcoming trailer for Wicked, the live-action adaptation of the long-running musical and prequel to the Wizard of Oz, during the 2024 Super Bowl broadcast Sunday.

Midjourney considers ban on Political images amid election misinformation concerns; Suffolk expert forecasts AI to takeover in coding within a decade; AI Pilot project saves lives by detecting heart attacks in Assam Hospitals; Adnan Sami supports positive use of AI in music creation- this and more in our daily roundup. Let us take a look.

Have you ever wanted to listen to the music of The Legend of Zelda live? Well, consider your wish granted. Nintendo has dropped the VOD for The Legend of Zelda Orchestra Concert onto their YouTube after canceling the originally Tokyo-exclusive performance at Nintendo Live 2024 TOKYO.

Valentine's day gift: The big day is just around the corner, and if you're here, chances are you're on the hunt for the perfect gift to delight your special someone. It's that time of the year when we express our love and affection, and what better way to do it than with a thoughtful tech gift? Forget the traditional chocolates and flowers; this Valentine's Day calls for something more modern and practical. From earbuds, hair dryer to Bluetooth speaker, we've compiled a list of top tech gifts to make your Valentine's Day unforgettable. Whether your partner is into smartwatches or instant cameras, we've got you covered. Get ready to surprise your loved one with a gift they will truly cherish.

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.

Students, busy-bodies, stoners, and gamers have been chilling at their desks with Lofi Girl - the YouTube channel featuring lofi beats and a studious anime girl - for almost a decade. One Steam Next Fest demo now makes that experience kind of playable with a life sim that's perfect for serial procrastinators. 

The February 9th is available to be solved and today's answers might just throw a few players off their game. Luckily we've provided some minor hints for those who need a little help, followed by the complete answers for today's game.

Apple has some good news for iCloud, Apple Music and Apple TV users. Apple has introduced a comprehensive overhaul of the iCloud for Windows app, aiming to enhance user experience and streamline content synchronization across devices. The revamped app boasts a redesigned interface, offering improved clarity regarding the syncing process and accessibility of iCloud content on PC.

Pikachu stars in the music video for Jax Jones' new single Never Be Lonely.

fans are eager to know the for his new album “” after it did not drop today as Kanye claimed it would. Is there a release date for “Vultures” and will it come to Spotify and Apple Music? Here is everything you need to know.

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.

With thousands of preorders for the Vision Pro rolling in, many consumers are curious about Apple’s AR/VR headset and the apps that will arrive alongside the new device. While some are from companies you recognize — Disney+, Max, TikTok, Zoom, Reddit and others — there are plenty of independent developers launching visionOS-optimized apps on Friday. So far, more than 600 apps and games have been designed for the Apple Vision Pro, Apple said earlier this week.

Sheepy: A Short Adventure is the first independently made game by developer Thomas Lean, otherwise known as MrSuicideSheep. It’s an adorable, dark platformer that is more than it seems to be at first glance and keeps me going back for more.

Moana 2 is officially on its way, and the sequel is coming out way sooner than you think.

Greetings. This is Hyung Tae Kim, Director of Stellar Blade. After a long wait, I am pleased to present to you our new gameplay trailer.

Thirty minutes before a midnight screening of Tommy Wiseau’s Big Shark at Chicago’s Music Box Theater, the man sitting in front of me and my husband turned around with a sly grin and asked us “Are you cowboys?” I immediately guessed where this was going, so I played along and told him, straight-faced, that no, we were not cowboys. “OK, then. You might need these,” he said, offering me a box of tissues.

Earbud deals: Music has a unique way of expressing emotions when words fall short. And nowadays, there are so many songs, so many types of music that you can listen to even from countries that are virtually at the end of the world, that it calls for some specialised personal equipment - earbuds.

There was a time when Hi-Fi music systems used to be all the rage. Remember the bulky surround sound systems with a cassette and CD player offered by brands like Sony and Phillips? Good times. However, that market has now completely changed, and rarely does anyone have that much space to place four different speakers and a chunky amplifier alongside the TV. This need for a compact sound system has led to the popularity of soundbars. Why have big, bulky music systems in place when all you require is a soundbar and a subwoofer that provide a sound quality that is excellent? These devices fulfill most of the home entertainment needs, be it jamming with your friends on your favourite AC/DC, Journey, or U2 tracks, or watching the latest Christopher Nolan flick in a theatre-like experience at home. Soundbars can do it all. Nowadays, you don't need to shell out big bucks to purchase a decent sound system, as many brands offer great soundbars at an affordable price. Therein lies the problem. With so many options in the market, it can be a daunting task to pick the right one.

Bluetooth is an essential technology found almost everywhere in 2024. From your headphones to the latest gaming peripherals, you need Bluetooth functionality to properly use them. If your laptop or gaming PC doesn't have Bluetooth support, you have to purchase an adapter to use any Bluetooth device with your PC. With so many different options, you need to pick the adapter that fits your situation best. You need to consider the range needed, the price, and even the sound quality you're looking for.

Top productivity apps for 2024: In the quest for enhanced productivity, the right tools can make all the difference. Personalising your approach to productivity is essential, as what works for one person may not suit another. In the ever-expanding landscape of productivity apps, pinpointing the right ones for your needs is crucial. So, from Slack, Forest to MindMeister, here are 5 top notch productivity apps to power through your tasks in 2024:

Spotify said that Apple's new plan to comply with the European Union's Digital Markets Act (DMA) is “a complete and total farce.” From early March, developers will be able to offer alternative app stores on iPhones and opt out of using Apple's in-app payment system, which charges commissions of up to 30%, under the bloc's new rules.

In Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown, you'll meet a young girl called Fariba who sells you hints and maps whenever you run into her across your adventure through Mount Qaf.

The Apple Watch 9 introduces several notable enhancements, driven by powerful custom Apple silicon. The device boasts a brighter display and a novel one-handed gesture control, offering users a seamless experience. With faster on-device Siri access to health data, Precision Finding for iPhone, and enhanced integration with HomePod, the Apple Watch Series 9 maintains its position as a versatile and feature-rich wearable.

It might be a bit of a controversial take, but I’ve always preferred the Ace Attorney games with Apollo Justice over those with Phoenix Wright. That’s not to say the Phoenix Wright originals are bad, but I just found Apollo a far more relatable and likeable character. That probably says a lot about me, but it’s why I’m so happy that Capcom  has finally graced us with a collection of Apollo’s various Chords of Steel workouts with the Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney Trilogy.

The soundtrack for Super Metroid on the SNES is one of the greats in gaming music, but you didn’t need me to tell you that. Composed by Kenji Yamamoto and Minako Hamano, Super Metroid’s score is at times eerie or triumphant, and it’s full of memorable tracks to accompany Samus on a journey to defeat Ridley and other bosses who stand in her way of saving the galaxy. It’s good.

Hazbin Hotel’s electric pilot episode was uploaded on YouTube in 2019, on creator Vivienne Medrano’s channel. By the time it had been picked up by A24 for a full series in 2020, it had over 41 million views. Even with only 31 minutes of content out, Hazbin Hotel built up an incredibly large and passionate internet following — one that took some of the actors in the Prime Video series off guard.

Why I Love is a series of guest editorials on GamesIndustry.biz intended to showcase the ways in which game developers appreciate each other's work. This entry was contributed by Scott Christian, co-founder of Hilltop Studios, which launched the narrative adventure game Lil' Guardsman on PC, Switch, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S this week.

Koji Kondo, the Nintendo composer and sound director best known for his work on The Legend of Zelda and Super Mario Bros. series, will be inducted into the Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences’ (AIAS) Hall of Fame during the 27th D.I.C.E. Awards.

Fans of Zelda music, take note, because Nintendo is bringing The Legend of Zelda Orchestra Concert online. The full pre-recorded performance will be available to stream for free via Nintendo’s YouTube channel on February 9. 

Koji Kondo, longtime composer for The Legend of Zelda and Super Mario Bros. franchises, will be inducted into the Academy of Interactvie Arts & Sciences Hall of Fame at this year's D.I.C.E. Awards. The presentation will take place at the 27th annual D.I.C.E. Awards in Las Vegas, Nevada, during the ceremony on Thursday, February 15, at 8 p.m. PT/11 p.m. ET. 

Baldur's Gate 3 has taken home Game of the Year at this year's New York Video Game Critics Circle 2024 New York Game Awards, as well as an award for Best Writing.

Yesterday, the New York Videogame Critics Circle (NYVGCC) announced the winners of the 13th annual New York Game Awards in a dedicated ceremony streamed live from the SVA Theatre, with Baldur's Gate 3 once again emerging as the big winner.

Apple is currently developing the iOS 18 update for its upcoming iPhone 16 series with speculated AI features. The iOS 18 version is likely to be unveiled in the summer and the launch will likely happen in the Fall period. While the new iOS update is under development, the company is bringing new and useful updates for iPhone users with iOS 17 sub-updates. And now, Apple has rolled out the iOS 17.3 update which is a major update for this year. This iOS 17.3 update has one very important feature that should have you hitting the download button instantly - the Stolen Device Protection feature.

At CES 2023, Roland introduced a streaming mixer called Bridge Cast, which can give creators a way to pipe different audio feeds to different destinations and make it easy for them to create mixes, add vocal effects and remove unwanted audio. Now, the company has unveiled a follow-up to the device called Bridge Cast X that adds video support on top of all its predecessor's audio-focused features. The Bridge Cast X has two HDMI input ports and an HDMI Thru connector that can feed video up to 4K in resolution to an external monitor.

Riot Games, the publisher-developer company behind League of Legends, has announced that it is laying off 530 employees. Plus, it's ending new game development under its Riot Forge arm, which produced third-party-developed games with the «A League of Legends Story» tag, like Ruined King, The Mageseeker, Song of Nunu, and the upcoming Bandle Tale, which will be the last in this line of releases. 

Over the last few years, a new category of earbuds has emerged - gaming earbuds. These devices not only cater to audiophiles with good sound quality, but also to gamers courtesy of features such as low latency, dual mics, and long battery life. Consequently, they have become some of the most crucial gadgets to carry around for gaming on the go. Despite being a relatively new segment, the budget gaming earbuds category has strong competition with boAt, Noise, Truke, and Wings, among others vying for attention. Now, Nu Republic has emerged as the latest contender taking them on with its Transform-X earbuds. But are they worth the purchase or just another option in an ocean of wireless earbuds? Know it in our review.

A prototype version of Spyro: Year of the Dragon has been discovered, and it shows how much the platformer changed right before release. 

NVIDIA's CEO Jensen Huang has paid a visit to China, to celebrate Beijing's New Year Party, marking his steps into mainland China after several years.

Ram Mandir donations online: The much-awaited Shri Ram Janmaboomi Mandir Pran Pratishtha took place today, January 22, at 12:30 PM in Ayodhya. The spectacle saw the revealing of the Shri Ram Lalla idol, the temple consecration ceremony, and ‘Mangal Dhvani' featuring 50 musical instruments from all over the country. In attendance were Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, State Governor Anandiben Patel, RSS Chief Mohan Bhagwat, other politicians, religious leaders, celebrities and devotees. And on the day of Pran Pratishtha, the donations of the Ram Mandir went live on the Bharat Bill Payment System (BBPS), allowing users to make donations via apps like Paytm, and BharatPe. Check details.

Like A Dragon: Infinite Wealth is locking its New Game Plus mode behind more expensive editions. 

As part of Xbox’s Developer Direct, Square Enix Ltd. shared exciting details about Visions of Mana™, marking the first mainline entry in the Mana series in over 15 years. During the developer showcase, Mana Series Producer Masaru Oyamada and Mana Series Creator Koichi Ishii introduced players to the reimagined world of Mana. They provided insights into the game’s development process and showcased its action-packed gameplay. Scheduled for a Summer 2024 release, Visions of Mana will be available on PlayStation®5, PlayStation®4, Xbox Series X|S, Windows PC, and PC via STEAM®.

“When we made the original pilot, it was like… I just want to make what I like, and just put it out there,” says Vivienne Medrano, creator of Hazbin Hotel.

A pre-release build of Persona 5 has leaked, with files from this early version of the game being shared around social media. So far, one of the most interesting finds is a bunch of unreleased music, largely compiled of early versions of tracks that never made it into the final game.

Square Enix made a surprise appearance at the Xbox Developer_Direct 2024, showing off an entirely new look at the upcoming action role-playing game Visions of Mana. Before this overview, the only information and insight we had on the game was from its announcement trailer posted over a month ago. 

Another Code: Recollection is the new Switch remake of the Nintendo-published DS and Wii cult-classic story-driven adventure games Another Code: Two Memories (known as Trace Memory in North America) and Another Code: R – A Journey into Lost Memories. Beyond the expected visual updates, Another Code: Recollection also completely remixes the games’ puzzles, meaning even those familiar with the originals will find themselves on new ground.

Today’s Xbox Developer Direct had a surprise guest appearance from a third party. Square Enix cut into the stream to show off more of its upcoming Visions of Mana, and confirm a Summer 2024 release window.

For many Persona fans, the absolute banger soundtracks are a make or break of the overall experience. Getting to listen to great music during the Dark Hour makes the time fly by. However, with the new remake on the horizon, we must ask the question: is the original P3 soundtrack in Persona 3 Reload?

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It’s the end of an era. A really, really impressive era. After over eight years of continual releases, Harmonix announced that the final DLC for Rock Band 4 will be dropped next week.

OST fans, take note! The Memento Mori Lament Collection Vol.1, that fantastic soundtrack from the RPG game “Memento Mori,” is now available digitally, and it’s itching to find a spot in your playlists! Picture having those mesmerizing game tunes right at your fingertips, and you don’t even need to venture through virtual dungeons to get them – pretty sweet, huh?

There aren’t many quality flight titles to choose from on the Nintendo Switch. But the console’s library will be adding one this summer as Ace Combat 7: Skies Unknown is officially inbound.

Apple Vision Pro headset is all set to hit the shelves soon and here is a preview of how users can turn any space into a personal theater, enjoy more than 150 3D movies, and experience the "future of entertainment" with Apple Immersive Video. Today, Apple has announced a series of groundbreaking entertainment experiences that will be available on Apple Vision Pro beginning Friday, February 2. With more pixels than a 4K TV for each eye, combined with Spatial Audio system, Vision Pro enables users to watch new shows and films from top streaming services including Apple Originals from Apple TV, transport themselves to stunning landscapes with Environments, and enjoy all-new spatial experiences that were never possible before, like Encounter Dinosaurs. Also read: Samsung Galaxy S24 launch LIVE: All the latest updates

As reported by VideoGameChronicle, Square Enix confirmed at a recent press event that their upcoming live service game, Foamstars, uses some assets generated by AI. This follows a New Year’s letter from the company’s president, Takashi Kiryu, that stated the company would more aggressively pursue the use of the technology.

Like many theatrical adaptations of stage musicals, Mean Girls(2024) doesn’t include all the songs from the Broadway version. After all, the musical has a two-and-a-half-hour run time, which wouldn’t translate well into a breezy, snappy film. Directors Samantha Jayne and Arturo Perez Jr. had to make some cuts.

Hello and happy new year! Once again, team Engadget has set up shop in Las Vegas for CES, living out of suitcases so that we can scour the massive show floor and occasionally injure ourselves in the process. For CES 2024, we expected to see AI everywhere, and we were not disappointed.

Yesterday, Ubisoft announced some changes to its subscription services, Premium and Classics. GamesIndustry.biz had the opportunity to interview the company's Director of Subscriptions, Philippe Tremblay, who noted that gamers are still clinging to physically owning their games, unlike music or movie fans. This could be a factor in the slower-than-anticipated adoption of cloud and subscription services.

Just like with music and television, the games industry has been slowly shifting towards the all-digital future for some time now, despite pushback from certain communities with concerns surrounding preservation and ownership. Unfortunately, it seems like the biggest publishers out there aren't concerned about the latter, as a Ubisoft executive recently stated that gamers need to get used to the feeling of not owning their games.

T-Pain has revealed that he is working on Grand Theft Auto VI.

Keen to avoid some of the mistakes of Final Fantasy 14’s post-Endwalker content run, Square Enix is ensuring Dawntrail gets the flexible open-world content fans have been missing.

Amazon sale 2024: The Amazon Republic Day sale has begun and it is providing massive discounts and offers on electronic products across all brands and price ranges. If you are someone who is looking for a gadget upgrade then now is the right time to do that because you can get massive discounts on smartphones, smart watches, laptops, smart devices, and more. Check out the massive discounts available at top smartwatches from brands like Apple, Samsung, Amazfit, and more.

boAt Immortal Katana Blade review: boAt recently launched a new gaming True Wireless Stereo (TWS) earbuds called Immortal Katana Blade with an eye-catching design at a budget-friendly price. The competition in the budget market is very high as brands like Noise, Mivi, and boAt are continuously bringing advanced TWS buds. On the other hand, boAt has looked to maintain its position in bringing feature-filled wearable devices for customers. Has it managed to do it with the boAt Immortal Katana Blade - a new metal body inspired by a Chinese Katana sword? It is definitely a style king! boAt's Immortal series is best known for its gaming capabilities and budget ranges. The Immortal series was launched with a stunning design and RGB lights, which did catch the attention of gamers, but is eye candy status enough? What about the performance? Find out.

Contrary to claims that CDs are making a comeback on the back of Gen Z interest, its long fadeout has, at best, been interrupted. Not even the kiss of life from the industry's reigning princess charming, Taylor Swift, is likely to revive the fortunes of music's most unloved format.

You could say that Alan Wake 2 was decades in the making. Last year’s blockbuster from Remedy saw the studio return to its roots and the horrors therein, dredging up the past to loop into something new, now. But it wasn’t just the main character or gameplay style we saw return, but the sounds and inspirations of the original Alan Wake too, bubbling up from Cauldron Lake through the music of Poe.

We always look forward to CES. Not just because it kicks off the year, or because it brings nearly every major tech company under one roof, or because it means a flood of new products. We love it because of the surprises: every year, without fail, there is some strange and surprising new tech that captures our attention and makes us want to tell everyone, “come look at this.”

A Fortnite Avenged Sevenfold collaboration has been teased since November 2023 and whatever it is the metal band has been working on is being added to the game. Today.

Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown is due to release in just a few days on January 15, but after briefly jumping through the Metroidvania's new demo, some hopefuls are already convinced that it's the refresh the series needed.

Happy New Year! Now that 2024 is here, it’s time to push it the hell out of the way and look ahead to 2025. At least, that’s what it feels like the game industry is increasingly saying I should do. A number of recently revealed titles have been slapped with 2025 release windows, so I can’t help but wonder how next year will shape up and, most importantly, what the awards seasons will look like.  

It’s the new year, and there’s a bevy of new games on the way. One of them, Unicorn Overlord, sees Vanillaware tackling fantasy tactics. And the little slice of music that’s been shared, in 16-bit form, certainly sets the tone.

It's awards season, and the finalists are in! This year's DICE Awards, held on February 15th, are packed with 2023's biggest hitters — and Diablo 4 has been nominated for not one, not two, but three separate awards. 27th Annual DICE Awards Finalists DICE Awards Full Panelist List The DICE Awards is the video game industry’s premier, peer-juried awards show held by The Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences (AIAS). Professionals from across the video game industry serve as the peer jury, voting on the finalists through a secured confidential ballot.

There’s a newMean Girlsmovie out! Tina Fey, who scripted the original Mean Girlsback in 2004, wrote the script for the new movie based on her book for the Broadway musical version. But this time, the lead roles are played by Angourie Rice (Mare of Easttown), Reneé Rapp (The Sex Lives of College Girls), and Auliʻi Cravalho (Moana), The trailers make it look like a soft reboot of the 2004 movie directed by Mark Waters, but set two decades later. But that isn’t quite the case. While the 2024 Mean Girls includes a lot of references to the 2004 movie (and some returning cast members), it comes with a distinct new twist.

The phenomenon of a non-musical movie being adapted into a stage musical that then gets adapted into a movie is surprisingly common, as recent films like 2023’s The Color Purple and the 2022 Matilda demonstrate. Some of those adapted movie musicals have even eclipsed the original movie versions in pop culture legacy, like Hairspray and Little Shop of Horrors.