Nintendo’s Many Different Joy-Con Design Patents
When Nintendo Switch was first announced, the Internet immediately began speculating on how its detachable Joy-Con controllers could be experimented with, many imagining that different configurations and game-specific designs could be created, mixed and marched. Cut to a few years later and, besides a range of colour choices and some NES-style controllers, Nintendo's yet to release a dramatically different take on the Joy-Con.
But that's not to say the developer hasn't been thinking about them. Over the years, we've repeatedly seen Nintendo patents for new Joy-Con designs surface, showing the company toying with ideas around shape, button placement, peripherals, and even entirely separate designs for the Switch controllers.
Below, we've rounded up every Nintendo Joy-Con patent we've spotted so far (and we'll update this story as and when more emerge):
Standalone Joy-Con
[widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=nintendos-standalone-joy-con-patent&captions=true"] Filed in 2018 and registered internationally in 2020, this patent appears to show a Joy-Con that ditches the rail design altogether, showing a controller that's designed to be entirely separate from the Switch console. With what seems to be a more ergonomic design, it may have been envisioned as a complementary product for the Switch Lite - which features built-in controls - to allow for multiplayer play. Others have suggested that it could be released alongside the rumoured Switch upgrade in 2021.Hinged Joy-Con
[widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=nintendos-hinged-joy-con-patent&captions=true"] Applied for in 2018 and published in 2019, this patent reimagines the existing Joy-Con design with a bend around a third of the way down. It may be that the controller is hinged, allowing the top part of the controller to be bent backwards, or permanently in the crooked shape. The patent shows a rail design that allows it to be attached neatly to the base Swtch model. This is presumably an ergonomic change, designed to be more comfortable on the hand during longer or more intensive gaming sessions.Wide Joy-Con
[widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=nintendos-wide-joy-con-patent&captions=true"] This is one of three patents filed ahead of the Switch's release in 2016, all of which resemble the final Joy-Con design, but alter it in a fundamental way. Perhaps the most striking is this wider Joy-Con design, which retains the button layout of the final design, but offers a lot more space around it. This could have been envisioned as a comfort solution for players with bigger hands.D-Pad and Thumbstick Joy-Con
[widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=nintendos-d-pad-and-joystick-joy-con-patent&captions=true"] The second of the three 2016 patents reimagines the Joy-Con in a couple of key ways. The first is that both left and right controllers feature a traditional D-Pad and a thumbstick (which appears recessed, looking more similar to the 3DS thumbstick than the Switch joystick). The second is that all buttons are presented in a straight line, perhaps to make this design preferable when used on its side, rather than upright. It also lacks the plus, minus, home and screenshot buttons of the final Joy-Con design.D-Pad Only Joy-Con
[widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=nintendos-d-pad-only-joy-con-patent&captions=true"] The final of the three 2016 patents looks initially similar to the release Joy-Con, but drops any joysticks, instead putting a D-Pad on both the left and right Joy-Con. This model also lacks plus, minus, home and screenshot buttons.Plug-In Controller Pieces
[widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=nintendos-plug-in-controller-pieces-patent&captions=true"] Likely an early take on what would become the Joy-Con design, this patent didn't show controller elements sliding onto the base console, but had them plugging into or clipping onto the side. An early clue to Nintendo's plan for detachable controllers, this design also connected to other patents that showed a console able to use infra-red to read hand gestures to either side of it.Modular Controller Elements
[widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=nintendos-modular-controller-elements-patent&captions=true"] Originally published in 2014, this patent embraces the idea of detachable elements on a handheld console, but reduces them down to detachable sets of buttons or sticks that can be slotted into the base unit. Perhaps an early part of the thinking around the Switch (then codenamed the NX), the modular elements include D-Pads, different button configurations, and joysticks. It would have allowed for a player to craft their own favoured design, or perhaps create a controller set-up on each side to allow for two players to play on one horizontal console.Joy-Con Touch Pen
[widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=nintendos-joy-con-touch-pen-patent&captions=true"] More an attachement for the Joy-Con than a Joy-Con design itself, this 2019 patent shows a touch pen that can be slid onto the Joy-Con rail and used with the Switch touchscreen. Available for both left- and right-handed use, the pen would work in tandem with the Joy-Con itself - for instance, drawing a line on the screen, then pressing a button to make that lines drawn thicker. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Joe Skrebels is IGN's Executive Editor of News. Follow him on Twitter. Have a tip for us? Want to discuss a possible story? Please send an email to newstips@ign.com.Xbox Series S Retail Box Revealed
After Xbox Series X last week, we've now got the packaging for Series S to look over.
Ubisoft May Have Changed Gods & Monsters’ Name After a Trademark Dispute With Monster Energy
It looks like Ubisoft changed the name of Gods & Monsters to Immortals Fenyx Rising due to a trademark dispute with Monster Energy.
As detailed in this video from Hoeg Law, the Gods & Monsters trademark faced an opposition filing from the Monster Energy Company in April of 2020, which may have forced Ubisoft's hand, necessitating the name change to Immortals Fenyx Rising.
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You can see the full timeline of Gods & Monsters attempted patent registration over on the United States Patent and Trademark Office website. Ubisoft applied for the patent back in June of 2019, and did not face any issues until January of this year, when Monster Energy applied to oppose the trademark under a belief that its brand would be damaged due to the "likelihood of confusion" between the two entities.
In the notice of opposition the energy drink brand cites its ties to the games industry through sponsorship of professional gamers and esports organizations in support of its many claims. What's interesting is that in Ubisoft's May 2020 answer to Monster Energy's notice of opposition, they deny almost all of the claims. Yet ahead of September's Ubisoft Forward, the game's name was officially changed from Gods & Monsters to Immortals Fenyx Rising.
In an interview with VGC last week, associate game director Julien Galloudec said that the name change was not a technical decision, but one related to the evolved "vision" of the game:
So no, the change of name was entirely because of the vision of the game. When you start a game it’s always an adventure and it’s a very iterative process. So you start with a vision that evolves as you craft it with the team and we get feedback and ideas. [...] So after that, the game changed a lot, to the point where we felt we needed a new name to be better aligned with that updated vision, so that’s where we decided to change to Immortals Fenyx Rising".
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We've contacted Ubisoft for comment.
Immortals: Fenyx Rising will launch on Google Stadia, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, Nintendo Switch and PC on December 3, 2020. You can check out our preview here.
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Jordan Oloman is a freelance writer for IGN. Follow him on Twitter.
Surgeon Simulator 2 Review – Medical Malpractice
There's a fine line when playing a deliberately awkward game. On one hand, unreliable physics and purposefully clunky controls can yield hilarious results, as the struggle to perform basic actions is delightfully silly. Much like other absurdist "simulation" games such as Goat Simulator and the original Surgeon Simulator, Surgeon Simulator 2's best moments come from facing a ridiculous scenario while being woefully ill-equipped to deal with it. However, the laughs eventually die down, replaced by exasperated sighs as surgeries become more complex and picking up a scalpel doesn't get any less cumbersome.
Played from a first-person perspective, Surgeon Simulator 2 is far closer to a wobbly puzzle game than a proper simulation--albeit one with tongue firmly planted in cheek. In addition to performing surgery, you'll be navigating hospital labyrinths, solving conditional logic puzzles to access medical supplies, and generally trying to prevent the surgical dummy affectionately known as Bob from dying. Surgeon Simulator 2 features a story mode, playable solo or cooperatively with up to four players, where you're learning on the job using allegedly state-of-the-art simulation technology instead of bothering with stuffy medical school. This takes place over a series of levels, beginning with a tutorial, after which you'll be attempting your first heart transplant--a completely natural progression for medical practitioners, surely.
Continue Reading at GameSpot
Surgeon Simulator 2 Review – Medical Malpractice
There's a fine line when playing a deliberately awkward game. On one hand, unreliable physics and purposefully clunky controls can yield hilarious results, as the struggle to perform basic actions is delightfully silly. Much like other absurdist "simulation" games such as Goat Simulator and the original Surgeon Simulator, Surgeon Simulator 2's best moments come from facing a ridiculous scenario while being woefully ill-equipped to deal with it. However, the laughs eventually die down, replaced by exasperated sighs as surgeries become more complex and picking up a scalpel doesn't get any less cumbersome.
Played from a first-person perspective, Surgeon Simulator 2 is far closer to a wobbly puzzle game than a proper simulation--albeit one with tongue firmly planted in cheek. In addition to performing surgery, you'll be navigating hospital labyrinths, solving conditional logic puzzles to access medical supplies, and generally trying to prevent the surgical dummy affectionately known as Bob from dying. Surgeon Simulator 2 features a story mode, playable solo or cooperatively with up to four players, where you're learning on the job using allegedly state-of-the-art simulation technology instead of bothering with stuffy medical school. This takes place over a series of levels, beginning with a tutorial, after which you'll be attempting your first heart transplant--a completely natural progression for medical practitioners, surely.
Continue Reading at GameSpot
PS5: No Change to Production Numbers, Sony Says
Update:
In a statement to GamesIndustry.biz, Sony denies the details in Bloomberg's report.
"While we do not release details related to manufacturing, the information provided by Bloomberg is false," Sony says. "We have not changed the production number for PlayStation 5 since the start of mass production."
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Original Story: Sony has reportedly cut its estimated PS5 production for its fiscal year by 4 million units, bringing the new total to around 11 million, following "production issues with its custom-designed system-on-chip for the new console."
As reported by Bloomberg, Sony had boosted orders with suppliers in "anticipation of heightened demand for gaming in the holiday season and beyond, as people spend more time at home due to the coronavirus." However, these manufacturing issues are causing "production yields as low as 50%" for its system-on-chip, which have hindered its ability to produce as many PS5s as planned.
Bloomberg's sources did mention that yields have been "gradually improving" but they have yet to reach a stable level.
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Sony's shares dropped by as much as 3.5% following this news, which is its biggest intraday drop since August.
Daniel Ahmad, a senior analyst at Niko Partners, has stated that this production delay will "hit PS5 supply during 2021," and Sony is planning on using Air Freight to "meet demand this holiday and ship as many units as possible in the launch period."
Ahmad notes that "production yield issues will always exist, especially at the beginning of a console launch, though this does seem more severe than expected."
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This news follows both Sony's announcement of its PlayStation 5 Showcase event this Wednesday, September 16, and Microsoft revealing both the price and release date of the Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S.
We have yet to learn the price and release date of the PS5, but we now know that the Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S will cost $499 and $299, respectively. Bloomberg's intelligence analyst Masahiro Wakasugi says the PS5 could be priced as low as $449, while the PS5 Digital Edition could possibly "dip below $400."
If we do learn the price and release date for the PS5 this Wednesday, we will keep you up-to-date with our PS5 preorder guide.
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Have a tip for us? Want to discuss a possible story? Please send an email to newstips@ign.com.
Adam Bankhurst is a news writer for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter @AdamBankhurst and on Twitch.
Microsoft’s Underwater Server Experiment Looks Like a Success
In 2018 Microsoft had the idea to sink an entire data center to the bottom of the Scottish sea as an experiment to see if submerged conditions were better for data centers. After two years, Microsoft resurfaced its nautical data center and discovered the results turned out great.
Microsoft sunk 864 servers, which contained 27.6 petabytes of storage, down 117 feet into the ocean. Microsoft’s Project Natick team believed these underwater conditions would actually be more energy-efficient and better overall for data centers. And it looks like they were correct.
As it turns out, underwater data centers had just one-eight the failure rate of on-land data centers. The reason is that on land factors like oxygen, moisture in the air can corrode computer components. Not to mention the many temperature fluctuations over time.
Meanwhile, if data centers are placed in Microsoft’s submerged pods, engineers can create a stable environment where they control factors like humidity and oxygen, or just keep data centers away from people who might break things themselves.
Having deployable data centers like this can also allow companies to build servers near coastal areas that need them.
The next stage of the experiment will see if Microsoft can safely recycle retrieved data centers once they reach the end of their lifespan. Check out Project Natick’s full research blog here, and the video explainer here.
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Matt T.M. Kim is a reporter for IGN.
Photo by Microsoft
As it turns out, underwater data centers had just one-eight the failure rate of on-land data centers. The reason is that on land factors like oxygen, moisture in the air can corrode computer components. Not to mention the many temperature fluctuations over time.
Meanwhile, if data centers are placed in Microsoft’s submerged pods, engineers can create a stable environment where they control factors like humidity and oxygen, or just keep data centers away from people who might break things themselves.
Having deployable data centers like this can also allow companies to build servers near coastal areas that need them.
The next stage of the experiment will see if Microsoft can safely recycle retrieved data centers once they reach the end of their lifespan. Check out Project Natick’s full research blog here, and the video explainer here.
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Matt T.M. Kim is a reporter for IGN.
Photo by MicrosoftFall Guys Devs Created Cheaters-Only Servers
The Fall Guys developers created servers that only pitted cheaters against cheaters on what was known as Cheater Island.
With virtually any PC game, the opportunity for people to cheat is there. Developers like that of Fall Guys, Mediatonic, hope that cheaters grow to see how cheating ruins the fun but when that didn't happen, they took matters into their own hands. Today, the official Twitter account recounted the story of how Cheater Island came to be.
"For now...BUCKLE UP," the first tweet in a 21-tweet thread reads. "Let me tell you a wild story. It's called The RISE and FALL of Cheater Island." The tweet also tagged the official Netflix Twitter "in case they want to make a film or series out of it" and after reading the story, we hope Netflix jumps on the opportunity. Mediatonic had its own cheat detection built into Fall Guys at the game's launch but they weren't banning anyone that cheated — just gathering data on the cheating as the studio wanted to be 100% sure that the cheat detection was only catching people who were legitimately cheating. After confirming that this detection worked, the studio launched "Fall Guys Cheater Island ™," which was a "magical place where cheaters could happily compete against themselves for the Cheater's Crown." This crown was just a normal crown stained with a hollow feeling of guilt and regret, one of the tweets reads. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=every-fall-guys-minigame-ranked&captions=true"] Because Mediatonic was only collecting data on cheaters at this point, the island's population was zero. That's when the studio lowered the threshold for cheating, after realizing their original threshold was too tolerant. "Cheaters would get caught...but not be insta-banished," a tweet reads. "We hoped that they might realize cheating kills the fun." As you'd expect, the cheating continued and so Mediatonic lowered the threshold once more. After that, if you cheated, you would be allowed to finish your game before you were dumped into matchmaking servers that only other cheaters were in. In these servers, you'd only be able to matchmake with other cheaters. Together, these servers were known as Cheater Island. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/08/06/fall-guys-ultimate-knockout-review"] "Now, if you can imagine: You need 40+ players to actually populate a game," one of the thread's tweets reads. "Cheater Island isn't a location in the real world...Cheater Island had its own set of global servers. You'd need enough cheaters in your region in order to start a Cheater Island game." It became a race against time at this point because every day that Mediatonic waited for cheaters to populate the island was another day that cheaters had to find workarounds to the studio's cheat detection, so the threshold was lowered again. Then, it happened. "There were finally enough cheaters to actually matchmake and create Cheater Island matches," a tweet reads. People began to upload videos of what appeared to be Cheater Island but Mediatonic said that while it knew Cheater Island matches were happening, it couldn't say whether or not the videos were that of matches on Cheater Island. You can check out one of those videos below.I've got lots of spicy content for you this week - The Dev team have been super busy on the new update
For now... BUCKLE UP Let me tell you a wild story It's called The RISE and FALL of Cheater Island Tagging @Netflix incase they want to make a film or series out of it — Fall Guys (@FallGuysGame) September 14, 2020
Mediatonic said that while it knew for certain Cheater Island matches were taking place, it couldn't say for sure if those videos were Cheater Island so it closed the island for good. Instead of being sent to Cheater Island, cheaters just won't be able to login to the game. "Our cheat detection system was good...but we hadn't expected so may players...and we had no idea the lengths that some players would go to cheat," a tweet reads. "We tried to create a system around 'Honesty'...but as soon as we realized we were in an ARMS RACE, we called up the experts at Epic." The next Fall Guys update will be called Big Yeetus and the Anti-Cheatus. Mediatonic says we'll learn later what the Big Yeetus part means but the Anti-Cheatus part represents the addition of Epic's Anti-Cheat to the game. Cheaters beware. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/08/27/fall-guys-season-2-sneak-peek-trailer"] If you're trying to play Fall Guys honestly, read out essential tips to survive every round and then check out 18 crucial tips and tricks to help you win. For more Fall Guys, check out these details about Fall Guys' medieval-themed Season 2 and then check out our ranking of the Fall Guys minigames. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Wesley LeBlanc is a freelance news writer and guide maker for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter @LeBlancWes.Here's another video that we think is Cheater Island
The person recording isn't cheating... Either they didn't cheat, just for the video... Or it's a genuine server and a legit player... Either way, it makes the game look bad pic.twitter.com/wxTyIA9Urr — Fall Guys (@FallGuysGame) September 14, 2020
Fall Guys Devs Created Cheaters-Only Servers
The Fall Guys developers created servers that only pitted cheaters against cheaters on what was known as Cheater Island.
With virtually any PC game, the opportunity for people to cheat is there. Developers like that of Fall Guys, Mediatonic, hope that cheaters grow to see how cheating ruins the fun but when that didn't happen, they took matters into their own hands. Today, the official Twitter account recounted the story of how Cheater Island came to be.
"For now...BUCKLE UP," the first tweet in a 21-tweet thread reads. "Let me tell you a wild story. It's called The RISE and FALL of Cheater Island." The tweet also tagged the official Netflix Twitter "in case they want to make a film or series out of it" and after reading the story, we hope Netflix jumps on the opportunity. Mediatonic had its own cheat detection built into Fall Guys at the game's launch but they weren't banning anyone that cheated — just gathering data on the cheating as the studio wanted to be 100% sure that the cheat detection was only catching people who were legitimately cheating. After confirming that this detection worked, the studio launched "Fall Guys Cheater Island ™," which was a "magical place where cheaters could happily compete against themselves for the Cheater's Crown." This crown was just a normal crown stained with a hollow feeling of guilt and regret, one of the tweets reads. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=every-fall-guys-minigame-ranked&captions=true"] Because Mediatonic was only collecting data on cheaters at this point, the island's population was zero. That's when the studio lowered the threshold for cheating, after realizing their original threshold was too tolerant. "Cheaters would get caught...but not be insta-banished," a tweet reads. "We hoped that they might realize cheating kills the fun." As you'd expect, the cheating continued and so Mediatonic lowered the threshold once more. After that, if you cheated, you would be allowed to finish your game before you were dumped into matchmaking servers that only other cheaters were in. In these servers, you'd only be able to matchmake with other cheaters. Together, these servers were known as Cheater Island. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/08/06/fall-guys-ultimate-knockout-review"] "Now, if you can imagine: You need 40+ players to actually populate a game," one of the thread's tweets reads. "Cheater Island isn't a location in the real world...Cheater Island had its own set of global servers. You'd need enough cheaters in your region in order to start a Cheater Island game." It became a race against time at this point because every day that Mediatonic waited for cheaters to populate the island was another day that cheaters had to find workarounds to the studio's cheat detection, so the threshold was lowered again. Then, it happened. "There were finally enough cheaters to actually matchmake and create Cheater Island matches," a tweet reads. People began to upload videos of what appeared to be Cheater Island but Mediatonic said that while it knew Cheater Island matches were happening, it couldn't say whether or not the videos were that of matches on Cheater Island. You can check out one of those videos below.I've got lots of spicy content for you this week - The Dev team have been super busy on the new update
For now... BUCKLE UP Let me tell you a wild story It's called The RISE and FALL of Cheater Island Tagging @Netflix incase they want to make a film or series out of it — Fall Guys (@FallGuysGame) September 14, 2020
Mediatonic said that while it knew for certain Cheater Island matches were taking place, it couldn't say for sure if those videos were Cheater Island so it closed the island for good. Instead of being sent to Cheater Island, cheaters just won't be able to login to the game. "Our cheat detection system was good...but we hadn't expected so may players...and we had no idea the lengths that some players would go to cheat," a tweet reads. "We tried to create a system around 'Honesty'...but as soon as we realized we were in an ARMS RACE, we called up the experts at Epic." The next Fall Guys update will be called Big Yeetus and the Anti-Cheatus. Mediatonic says we'll learn later what the Big Yeetus part means but the Anti-Cheatus part represents the addition of Epic's Anti-Cheat to the game. Cheaters beware. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/08/27/fall-guys-season-2-sneak-peek-trailer"] If you're trying to play Fall Guys honestly, read out essential tips to survive every round and then check out 18 crucial tips and tricks to help you win. For more Fall Guys, check out these details about Fall Guys' medieval-themed Season 2 and then check out our ranking of the Fall Guys minigames. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Wesley LeBlanc is a freelance news writer and guide maker for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter @LeBlancWes.Here's another video that we think is Cheater Island
The person recording isn't cheating... Either they didn't cheat, just for the video... Or it's a genuine server and a legit player... Either way, it makes the game look bad pic.twitter.com/wxTyIA9Urr — Fall Guys (@FallGuysGame) September 14, 2020
Possible Signs of Life Detected on Venus
Scientists may have discovered signs of life on Venus, and if confirmed, the scorching planet could be a new focus for the search for life on other planets.
According to an in-depth report from NYTimes on two recent published papers, researchers have discovered phosphine gas in the atmosphere of Venus, which suggests some form of life on the planet. Considering phosphine is often a creation of bacteria and microbes – also known as living organisms – the researchers involved in the study believe any life on Venus would have to exist, "inside cloud liquid droplets for the majority of its life cycle," according to the paper in Nature Astronomy.
“This is an astonishing and ‘out of the blue’ finding,” Sara Seager, a planetary scientist at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and an author of the papers told the NYTimes. “It will definitely fuel more research into the possibilities for life in Venus’s atmosphere.”
Astrophysicist at San Francisco State University and University of San Francisco, Aaron White, talked with IGN about why this discovery is such a huge deal and what it means for the future of space exploration.
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"One of astronomy's biggest unanswered questions is whether life on Earth is rare and unique, or if we're just one of many places all throughout the universe filled with living things," White said. "This discovery is the most solid evidence we've had so far to suggest life could be common. There are several different places in our solar system where we've guessed life could be discovered, and Venus was definitely the most hostile place we could have found it."
White said there is still a lot of work that needs to be done to confirm this hypothesis, "but if it holds up, it could mean life is hardy enough to show up wherever it's even vaguely possible."