Games Games Games : 12/30/22

Dec 30, 18:00

Kotaku Friday, December 30, 2022 1:00 PM

Video Game Gear: 10 Things We Got In 2022 That We Now Can't Live Without

With another year of gaming now receding into the past, it seems a good occasion to look back and geek out over some of the gadgets, gizmos, and hardware in general that thrilled our nerdy little hearts in 2022.

Winner: Xenoblade Chronicles 3

Weaving together the first two games while also building out its own world was a tall task for Xenoblade Chronicles 3. But hey, it somehow managed it! It delivers a heaping helping of game, without making the all-too-common misstep of diluting quality or generally spreading itself too thin. Memorable characters! Battle systems with so many options that you probably won't see them all! This is the sort of stuff players wanted to see from the franchise's latest installment, and they got it. This, along with so many other successes, earns it the title of Siliconera's 2022 Game of the Year.

pokemon legends arceus

Pokemon Legends Arceus

Not the game you were expecting here? Understandable! Its tech limitations make it less of a great Switch game than a game in general, but we can't deny just how much fun we had playing Pokemon Legends Arceus. It may have been intended as an experimental side game to try out ideas for Scarlet and Violet, but we hope the Legends formula continues to see life in its own sub-franchise.

signalis

Signalis

We said we'd never forget Signalis, and we certainly haven't yet! Offering a survival horror experience with a world worth exploring and truly memorable moments, Signalis is a triumph for games of its atmosphere and genre.

Thanks for checking out our Game of the Year awards! Missed any of our selections? Check out the archive.

The post Siliconera's Overall Game of the Year 2022 appeared first on Siliconera.

Siliconera Friday, December 30, 2022 2:00 PM

Fate/Grand Order New Year's 2023 New Servant Revealed

To celebrate each new year, there's always a Fate/Grand Order new Servant, and this year the character is Saber Senji Muramasa. He will appear in the limited Happy New Year 2023 Saint Quartz Summon. he will be the pickup summon for the banner, which will run until January 10, 2023. In addition, there will be a number of login bonuses and missions that offer options to earn free Fate/Grand Order Saint Quartz and other rewards.

As expected, Senji will be a five-star SSR. Before someone pulls on the banner to try and get him, there will be a Trial Quest to test the character out. The official profile for him also appeared alongside the announcement.

Here's the Fate/Grand Order Developer's Diary Vol. 4, which starts showing the New Year's 2023 Servant Saber Senji Muramasa at the 3:38 mark.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nnlNDZjqpjU&ab_channel=AniplexUSA

As for the free Saint Quartz in Fate/Grand Order being given away as a New Year's gift, here's how you can get it. First, between December 31, 2023 and January 3, 2023, everyone who logs in will get 30 Saint Quartz. Next, if you complete the 17 New Year's Special Panel Missions, you'll find 6 Saint Quartz and five Summon Tickets among the rewards. Finally, there are two login promotions that result in gifts "worth" Saint Quartz and start on December 31, 2022. The Returning Masters one gives people items worth 11 Saint Quartz Summons if they show up for seven days in a row, while the Start Dash gives people ones worth up to 132 Saint Quartz Summons if they appear for 14 days in a row.

Fate/Grand Order is available for Android and Apple iOS devices, and the Saber Senji Muramasa Happy New Year 2023 banner will be available until January 10, 2023 in North America. The Iskandar and Hokusai banners also appeared recently on the North American server.

The post Fate/Grand Order New Year's 2023 New Servant Revealed appeared first on Siliconera.

Siliconera Friday, December 30, 2022 1:00 PM

Chainsaw Man Stage Play to Happen in 2023

There will be a stage play for Chainsaw Man in late 2023. You will be able to watch it in Tokyo and Kyoto from September to October 2023. Fumiya Matsuzaki will write the script. More information will appear at a later date.

Matsuzaki has written for and worked on various stage plays in the past. Previously, he helped to produce the Blazblue Continuum Shift, Super Danganronpa 2, and Prince of Stride stage plays, among plenty of others. So far, he is the only member of the staff on the website for the Chainsaw Man stage play. There is virtually no other information, and tickets are not yet available for purchase.

The Chainsaw Man anime recently ended, and MAPPA had a stream for the opening and ending songs. It follows the story of Denji, who has become the titular Chainsaw Man as a result of his Devil Pochita fusing with him in order to save his life. Denji then becomes a Devil Hunter with the Public Safety Bureau and tries to find a new meaning in life. It is an incredibly popular manga and anime series, with strong sales worldwide.

The Chainsaw Man stage play will be held in September and October 2023, and more information will come out closer to those dates. You can watch Chainsaw Man on Crunchyroll.

The post Chainsaw Man Stage Play to Happen in 2023 appeared first on Siliconera.

Siliconera Friday, December 30, 2022 12:00 PM

Crisis Core FFVII's Zack is the Most Pleasant Protagonist

Zack from Crisis Core FFVII Reunion is a hero for many reasons. There are the obvious ones, of course. This is a man who made a name for himself in Shinra and Midgar for successfully completing assigned missions. He's also revered for often doing the right thing, as he'd stand by his friends and maintain a sense of honor. But he's also admirable for the smaller things, like his willingness to indulge children and his optimistic attitude. However, a big part of what makes it possible for him to do all this and maintain such goodwill is, well, Zack is so damn nice! Zack is not only one of the most pleasant heroes in not just FFVII and Final Fantasy as a whole, but RPGs in general. It's this fact that helps make Crisis Core such a joy to play.

The first few hours of the game are basically a means of showing how delightful Zack can be, all before things start to go terribly awry. When we see him training with Angeal at Shinra, we get a direct parallel of his situation versus Cloud's. Both are coming in at the Midgar train station. Each one is facing Shinra soldiers, then eventually Sephiroth. But Zack is confident, jubilant, and exceptional in a way that contrasts severely with Cloud. He's boisterous, but in a way that makes you want to root for his endeavors. Once he's in the meeting with his superiors, he's still completely effervescent. Yes, he'll snap to attention and be as professional as possible when needed. But he's fidgeting with excitement when on missions, eager to prove himself, friendly with everyone he meets, and people clearly find it easy to develop a rapport with him.

All of this makes Zack prime material for some good-natured dunking in Crisis Core FFVII Reunion, which is hilarious and emphasizes how pleasant he is. When Lazard asks what Zack's dream is and hears it is to be a hero, he says, "Ah, good! Unattainable dreams are the best kind." After Angeal uses the Buster Sword to save Zack in a pinch, he remarks Zack is "just a little" more important than his weapon. We eventually find out when Angeal told his mother Gillian about Zack, he referred to him as a "puppy." But he never takes this badly. Rather, Zack rolls with the punches.

And honestly, "puppy" isn't that negative a term when used to describe Zack. Yes, Gillian eventually elaborates that Angeal noted Zack was "restless" and had "zero attention span." But even when we're learning about this, we can tell it was more of an affectionate tone. Not to mention Zack's nature like that is what makes him so lovable. Sure, there are those "puppy" traits. But he's also incredibly loyal, energetic, and willing to play along with people. That last one also results in a delightful encounter with a young Yuffie early on, in which he lets her think she's beaten the big, bad SOLDIER.

Especially since that kind of outlook and personality can end up becoming something someone else might admire. His good nature, not to mention personality that lets him accomplish his dream of becoming a hero, makes him an inspiration to others. Namely, Cloud. He's everything Cloud wanted to be. He's a SOLDIER. He's powerful. He's a hero. He's beloved. Not to mention he did so despite coming from similar roots as a young man from Gongaga.

Not to mention Zack's loyalty and kindness seems to inspire that in others. He's got Aerith and Cloud's, unquestionably. But his relationship with the members of the Turks emphasize this. Zack forms a friendship with Cissnei throughout Crisis Core FFVII Reunion. The two are amicable whenever they meet, even when things might be a bit more terse between him and Reno and Rude. He saves her from Genesis' copies, and she in turn lets him slip away. But even Tseng, who he works alongside on multiple missions, shows an obvious fondness for him. So much so that he saves the letters Aerith wrote for Zack and attempts to use the Turks to save him from his fate.

It's like there's a constant sense of enthusiasm surrounding Zack. This is someone who isn't afraid to be goofy with a child, even if that child is from an enemy nation. He's vibrant, acting as a sense of beacon and hope for a character like Cloud who sees him as role model. He's someone you want to know and help, with even the hardened Turks coming to his aid and trying to assist him. Zack is the very definition of a hero, and his wonderfully positive and affable personality help make Crisis Core FFVII Reunion such a wonderful game.

Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII Reunion is available on the Nintendo Switch, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, and PC. The original game appeared on the PSP.

The post Crisis Core FFVII's Zack is the Most Pleasant Protagonist appeared first on Siliconera.

Siliconera Friday, December 30, 2022 11:30 AM

Genshin Impact January 2023 Calendar Features Scaramouche (The Wanderer)

HoYoVerse is continuing its Genshin Impact monthly calendar tradition, with the January 2023 one already available. It took to the Japanese Twitter account to share the image for the month. It continues the tradition of one of the birthday boys or girls being the "star" for the month. As Scaramouche, aka The Wanderer, has a January birthday, he's the Genshin Impact character of the month.

Since Scaramouche's birthday is now the first to come up in January, that meant he got to be the character whose picture appeared on the Genshin Impact January 2023 calendar. However, icons do appear of other people from the game on their birthdays. So Thoma's face shows up on January 9th, Diona's is on January 18th, and Rosaria's is on January 24th. As a reminder, logging into the game on those days gets you a "gift" from the character of items that include their favorite foods.
[gallery columns="1" size="full" ids="945346" link="file"]
If people want even more of Scaramouche/The Wanderer on their phone or computer, there is also a new pack of 3.3 wallpapers.

HoYoVerse kicked off this monthly release quite some time ago. Back in December 2021, it shared the January 2022 calendar, for example. At the time, Thoma was the first Genshin Impact character to appear on it.

Genshin Impact is available for the PS4, PS5, PC, and mobile devices. The 3.4 update is expected to arrive in mid-January 2023.

The post Genshin Impact January 2023 Calendar Features Scaramouche (The Wanderer) appeared first on Siliconera.

Siliconera Friday, December 30, 2022 11:00 AM

Persona 5 Futaba 'Oracle' Sakura Lucrea Figure in Development

MegaHouse revealed a sneak peek at what its Lucrea series Persona 5 Futaba "Oracle" Sakura figure will look like. She is in a dynamic pose and is in her Thief outfit. More information on her measurements, price, and release date will come out later.

https://twitter.com/mega_girlshobby/status/1608671743891341312

Oracle is the latest character in the MegaHouse Lucrea series of Persona 5 figures. The Fox and Noir (with Morgana as a car) figures are open for pre-order via AmiAmi. Meanwhile, the Joker, Crow (Loki Version), Kasumi Yoshizawa, and Makoto Niijima figures are readily available for purchase on AmiAmi as well. With Oracle now in development, we are only missing figures of Skull and Panther to finish the Thieves.

Generally speaking, it takes quite a bit of time for the Lucrea figures to come out after their announcements. MegaHouse announced the Persona 5 Royal Noir and Fox figures in January 2022. However, pre-orders for Fox opened up in October 2022, and Noir became available for pre-order in December 2022. Based on precedence, it will likely be in mid-to-late 2023 when you can actually try to buy the Persona 5 Oracle Lucrea figure.

The Persona 5 Futaba "Oracle" Sakura figure is in development, and more information will appear for it in the future. Persona 5 Royal is readily available on the PS4, PS5, Nintendo Switch, Windows PC, and Xbox Series X.

The post Persona 5 Futaba 'Oracle' Sakura Lucrea Figure in Development appeared first on Siliconera.

PC Invasion - FeedDDD Friday, December 30, 2022 5:25 PM

Pathfinder: Wrath of the Righteous — How to corrupt Arueshalae

Arueshalae is a recruitable companion in Pathfinder: Wrath of the Righteous. While she has renounced her demonic nature and turned to Desna for guidance, you can, eventually, bring her back to the dark side. Here's our Pathfinder: Wrath of the Righteous guide to help you corrupt Arueshalae and get her back in your party. Note: For more information, check out our Pathfinder: Wrath of the Righteous guides and features hub. Pathfinder: Wrath of the Righteous – How to corrupt Arueshalae and get her back Act 4: Turning Arueshalae to the Dark Side You can corrupt Arueshalae in Pathfinder: Wrath of the Righteous by doing her companion quest in Act 4 and making a specific choice. This entails the following: Complete her earlier companion quests in Act 3 (i.e., Borrowed Dreams and Arueshalae Imprisoned). You probably shouldn't romance her. The process would be moot since Corrupted Arueshalae will end subsequent romance flags and lovey-dovey endings for good. In Act 4, ...

PC Invasion - FeedDDD Friday, December 30, 2022 5:00 PM

Pathfinder: Wrath of the Righteous — How to romance Arueshalae

Pathfinder Wrath Of The Righteous Arueshalae Romance Guide How To Romance Arueshalae

Arueshalae is one of the companions who can join your party in Pathfinder: Wrath of the Righteous. This demonic succubus has learned the error of her ways and has turned to Desna's light. While she struggles with her true nature, she might even fall in love with your character. Here's our Pathfinder: Wrath of the Righteous Arueshalae romance guide to help you complete all the necessary checks for the ideal outcome. Note: For more information, check out our Pathfinder: Wrath of the Righteous guides and features hub. Pathfinder: Wrath of the Righteous – How to romance Arueshalae Starting the Arueshalae romance Arueshalae can be romanced by male and female characters. There are two ways to start the Arueshalae romance in Pathfinder: Wrath of the Righteous, depending on when you recruited her: Act 2: Drezen (Azata) – This requires you to unlock the Azata Mythic Path in Act 1. Then, during Act 2, you'll have to find a couple of hidden items in the Lost ...

PC Invasion - FeedDDD Friday, December 30, 2022 4:36 PM

Cult of the Lamb players are getting a heavy attack

Cult Of The Lamb Heavy Attack Happy Holidays

Developer Massive Monster's Cult of the Lamb made a huge splash this year, as you likely already know. Both fans and critics found a lot to love about the style and gameplay, to the point where the title earned a nomination for Best Indie Game at this year's Game Awards. Soon enough, players will find even more to love about the game, as the developer plan on releasing the title's first major content update. As of right now, the developers have only shared some light details on the features the update will add. The major feature the developers specifically highlighted in a recent news post on the Cult of the Lamb Steam page comes in the form of a heavy attack. At first glance, the addition of a heavy attack into Cult of the Lamb's combat system may not sound like much to write home about. But the mechanic actually comes with a fair bit of nuance. Players activate the heavy attack by holding the attack button down, and it makes for an effective way to knock...

PC Invasion - FeedDDD Friday, December 30, 2022 3:10 PM

Pathfinder: Wrath of the Righteous — Nameless Ruins Masks guide

Pathfinder Wrath Of The Righteous Nameless Ruins Masks Mask Locations Guide Nenio More Than Nothing

The Nameless Ruins in Pathfinder: Wrath of the Righteous has almost a dozen puzzles for you to solve. However, before you can even enter it, you'll need to acquire specific items that will take you throughout the course of the campaign. Here's our Pathfinder: Wrath of the Righteous Nameless Ruins Masks guide to help you get these items for Nenio's More Than Nothing quest. Note: For more information, check out our Pathfinder: Wrath of the Righteous guides and features hub. Pathfinder: Wrath of the Righteous – Nameless Ruins Masks guide The Nameless Ruins can be visited on the way to Drezen (it's due south of the city). There, you'll encounter strangers that only speak in riddles, as well as a worship area surrounded by four large statues. If you talk to Nenio, the More Than Nothing quest tells you that the solution can't be found in this area. That's because the Nameless Ruins Masks in Pathfinder: Wrath of the Righteous are scattere...

PC Invasion - FeedDDD Friday, December 30, 2022 1:15 PM

Pathfinder: Wrath of the Righteous — Pulura's Fall puzzle guide

Pulura's Fall is a location in Pathfinder: Wrath of the Righteous. It's a relatively small dungeon, but it does have some important items and crucial elements. Here's our Pathfinder: Wrath of the Righteous Pulura's Fall puzzle guide to help you with the Cosmic Caravan, Nameless Ruins Mask, and the Mutasafen research for the secret ending. Note: For more information, check out our Pathfinder: Wrath of the Righteous guides and features hub. Likewise, please be reminded that this guide contains minor spoilers. Pathfinder: Wrath of the Righteous – Pulura's Fall puzzle guide Pulura's Fall Location Pulura's Fall in Pathfinder: Wrath of the Righteous can be found west of Drezen (the closest landmark is Blackwater across the lake). This area can be visited in Act 3 as part of an Angel Mythic Quest, though all other Mythic Paths will only travel here during Act 5. In the exterior area, you'll find a bunch of daggers (for the aforement...

Player Assist | Game Guides & Walkthroughs Friday, December 30, 2022 4:00 PM

Pokemon Scarlet/Violet: Segin Squad (Dark Crew) Star Base Guide

Pokemon Scarlet and Violet is an open-world game where the player is a transferee in a huge school in the Paldea Region. In the game, the player and the player only gets to decide whatever they want to do: whether to defeat the nefarious Team Star, defeat all the Pokemon Gyms, become the champion, and […]

Player Assist | Game Guides & Walkthroughs Friday, December 30, 2022 3:00 PM

Diablo Immortal: Terror's Tide Major Update brings a new Zone, Helliquary Updates, limited-time events, and more

The second major update brings huge changes to Diablo Immortal. The second major update for Diablo Immortal is finally here, and Blizzard did not disappoint – Terror's Tide will feature a whole new Zone called Stormpoint that will add a new storyline and some exciting new content through a brand new Questline, plus players are […]

Player Assist | Game Guides & Walkthroughs Friday, December 30, 2022 2:00 PM

All Control Army Codes(Roblox) – Tested December 2022

All of the presently accessible Roblox Control Army codes are compiled here. You can get stuff like golds and more by inputting these codes. Experience called Roblox Control Army was created for the system by @ShkatulkaGames. In this game, you will be in charge of an army that must acquire resources in order to expand […]

Player Assist | Game Guides & Walkthroughs Friday, December 30, 2022 1:00 PM

Top 5 Rapid EXP Farms in Minecraft 1.19

Farming in Minecraft does not necessarily mean simply farming for crops and animal mobs for food, but it can also mean farming for experience points or EXP for short. Experience points are essential in increasing a player's level, as these can be used later to enchant gears and repair weapons. This article will list the […]

Player Assist | Game Guides & Walkthroughs Friday, December 30, 2022 12:00 PM

GTA 5: Carbine Rifles Mission Guide (Gold Medal)

Michael steals weapons from a NOOSE team. Carbine Rifles is a heist setup mission for The Jewel Store Job's Loud Approach. The mission is done by Michael and involves stealing a NOOSE vehicle loaded with weapons. While Carbine Rifles is a simple heist setup mission, it is an essential mission that you need to complete […]

Player Assist | Game Guides & Walkthroughs Friday, December 30, 2022 11:00 AM

VALORANT: How to Get the Pocket Sage Gun Buddy for Free

A Sage Gun Buddy for free? Sign us up! Riot Games' 5v5 competitive shooter has become one of the most popular FPS games. With its unique roster of Agents, interesting maps, powerful guns, and exciting cosmetics, it is not hard to see why Riot Games' tactical shooter shot up the FPS popularity charts just two […]

Gaming Instincts – Next-Generation of Video Game Journalism Friday, December 30, 2022 5:48 PM

Dying Light 2 To Get New "Overall Night Experience" Updates and More

To improve the "overall night experience" for the game and promises that "things are about to get scarier."

The post Dying Light 2 To Get New "Overall Night Experience" Updates and More appeared first on Gaming Instincts - Next-Generation of Video Game Journalism.

Gaming Instincts – Next-Generation of Video Game Journalism Friday, December 30, 2022 4:47 PM

Side-scrolling Metroidvania Glimmer in Mirror Launches January 10 In Early Access

The Early Access will feature "four major themed scenes for adventure"

The post Side-scrolling Metroidvania Glimmer in Mirror Launches January 10 In Early Access appeared first on Gaming Instincts - Next-Generation of Video Game Journalism.

Gaming Instincts – Next-Generation of Video Game Journalism Friday, December 30, 2022 4:04 PM

Silent Hill: The Short Message Rated in Taiwan For PS5

The title was first rated by the Game Rating and Administration Committee of Korea in September.

The post Silent Hill: The Short Message Rated in Taiwan For PS5 appeared first on Gaming Instincts - Next-Generation of Video Game Journalism.

Level Up Friday, December 30, 2022 11:33 AM

Images Of What Might Be A Tears Of The Kingdom Switch Model Appear Online

Images of what appears to be a special The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the…

TechRadar's Year in Review

Created for techradar.com@quicklydone.com | Web Version

December 30, 2022

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Welcome to the Year in Review

Well, we’ve made it to the end of 2022, and to celebrate we’ve got a bumper edition of our newsletter in which we’ll be reflecting on the past 12 months in the tech world, and looking ahead to what's coming down the line in 2023.

Regular readers will know that I've been sharing Week in Review duties with Lance Ulanoff for the past few months, but I'm handing this issue over to some other members of the TechRadar team who may be less familiar to you – they'll be rounding up the year in their particular field, and venturing some predictions for next year (and for Lance fans – and I know there are many of you – you'll find him just below, talking about the year in phones).

What a year it’s been! We’ve had some real highs, and one or two lows, in the tech world. TechRadar welcomed a new UK Editor-in-Chief in Marc McLaren, and my own highlight of the year was flying out to Apple’s headquarters in Cupertino, California to see the fruit-themed company unveil its new M2-powered MacBooks, including the MacBook Air M2, the follow-up to one of my favorite laptops ever made. Not only did I get to see new kit from Apple at its fancy offices in the baking sun, I also got to finally meet Lance in the flesh (I'm based in the UK and Lance is in NYC – and yes, I can confirm that he's every bit as dashing as his photo suggests).

Like many of us these past couple of years, I’ve been working with a lot of people I’ve not had the opportunity to meet in real life. And while technology played an incredibly important role in keeping us connected, it's no substitute for engaging with people face-to-face, so it was lovely that during 2022 we saw a degree of normality return.

It's for the reasons above that I’ve yet to be impressed by the Metaverse, despite it being so massively hyped by Facebook creator Mark Zuckerberg. While VR certainly has a role in helping people in different parts of the world to connect and collaborate, I feel that the rudimentary graphics, and the expensive hardware required, mean it just can’t compete with in-person contact.

I’ve also been following the Elon Musk/Twitter saga with mild bemusement. From the whole ‘will they, won’t they’ tease when it comes to charging for Blue Ticks, to Musk banning and then reinstating journalists, it seems to me that Musk is speedrunning destroying a brand. Twitter plays a key role in how millions of people connect with others and get their news, so I don’t relish the idea of it blowing up – although having a billionaire lose a popularity contest on a service he paid $44 billion for is kind of funny.

And with that, I'll leave you in the capable hands of TechRadar's editors and writers as they look back on the big news and product launches from the year in phones, TVs, audio, cameras, computing, gaming, fitness and entertainment, and forward to what they're excited about for next year…

Matt Hanson, Managing Editor, Core Tech

Audio

A victorious year for vinyl

No phono stage, no amps, and no extra wires to trip on: vinyl got so much easier in 2022 (Future)

The humble analog record’s surprising renaissance continued in 2022, writes Becky Scarrott, Senior Audio Writer, not only with intriguing new vinyl-plus physical music formats touted by Bob Dylan himself, and inexpensive products that allow you to cut your own record (and then play it), but with ever-more innovative ways of enjoying your burgeoning collection of LPs and 45s.

The 2021-issue Rega Planar PL1 remains one of the best turntables you can buy, but setups that don’t require multiple boxes and a set of passive speakers cluttering up your den were the order of 2022 – see Victrola’s Sonos-certified deck for starters. All it needs is a Sonos wireless speaker and the Victrola companion app on your device – plus of course your lovely stacks of wax.

Now headphones: wired audiophile-grade cans got cheaper (see Sivga’s Oriole proposition), while the best true wireless earbuds and over-ears went to both extremes, with the JLab Go Air Pop costing less than a round of drinks (and being ridiculously good for the money) and the Focal Bathys setting you back a month’s rent.

In the heavy-hitter arena, the Sony WH-1000XM5 arrived, and predictably bettered their own siblings (but only just), and the Apple AirPods 2 solidified what we already knew about Apple’s talent in head-tracked Spatial Audio and active noise-cancellation – as long as you stick within the iOS bubble.

And somewhere in the melee, a new King of midrange over-ears emerged: the Sennheiser Momentum 4 Wireless. Gosh those are good…

But perhaps the most exciting development in wireless audio in 2022 wasn't the actual wireless over-ears (or buds) themselves, but the software inside them. Hi-res Bluetooth codecs are advancing at a rate of knots, but the SoC (system on chip) hardware they're built into is also under near-constant improvement. In December, Oppo went live with a new chip that's claimed to bring Bluetooth wireless resolution up to the standards audiophiles might deem acceptable – and crucially, the chip will fit into earbuds.

The promise? Wireless audio over Bluetooth that finally sounds every bit as detailed, clear and impactful as a wired listen. We await 2023 with bated breath…

Phones

Fab foldables, Apple's island, and a fuss about Nothing

The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 was one of the smartphone highlights of 2022 (Future)

2022 didn't see any great leaps forward in the smartphone space writes Lance Ulanoff, US Editor-in-Chief. We mostly got more of everything – better cameras, brighter screens, and incremental improvements in performance and battery life. But there were some innovations that made the year's best new phones significantly more interesting than what came before.

Apple officially split its handset line down the middle, finally putting the flagship model in a lower tier with slightly less-than screen technology. We’ve had better cameras on the Pro line for a while, but the iPhone 14 line pushes the distinction between Pro (premium) and regular (good enough for most) further. What this means is that the iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Plus kept legacy screen technology (the notch!), while the iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max got the fungible Dynamic Island, which I love. Apple was also one of the first, in the US market at least, to do away with the physical SIM slot in favor of an eSIM-only setup.

While Apple reached for the stars with the first satellite SOS system on a consumer smartphone, Samsung might be offering the more fully-rounded set of updates across its handset line. It remains firmly committed to the foldable space and, while the Galaxy Z Fold 4 and Galaxy Z Flip 4 weren’t major redesigns, both handsets feel a lot less like flexible tech oddities and more like super-versatile ‘regular’ smartphones; maybe next year they’ll be a little cheaper. The company’s Galaxy S22 line was generally excellent, with the beefy and S Pen-friendly Galaxy S22 Ultra being the highlight – and its Space Zoom photography magic remains unmatched in the smartphone space.

Perhaps the most talked-about device was the – in my opinion appropriately named – Nothing Phone 1. A lot of people got very excited about a handset with a transparent chassis, but there’s, well, nothing special about this device, other than that it’s a potential competitor for Samsung, OnePlus and, much less so, Apple. I wonder if we’ll be talking about the Nothing Phone 2 next year.

Google packed the year with the Pixel 6a and the refreshed and more premium-feeling Pixel 7 Pro (and 7), which has excellent cameras and some cool tricks like the Magic Eraser.

What we didn’t get this year was ultra-fast charging, battery capacity breakthroughs, thinner phones, or brand-new screen technologies. I think all of those things are possible in 2023; at the very least, expect iPhones with USB-C, and even some charging-port-free handsets.

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Computing

Apple's new MacBooks shine amid the component wars

The Apple MacBook Pro (M2, 2022), left, and MacBook Air (M2, 2022) (Apple/Future)

It’s been a busy year for us tech-heads in the TechRadar Computing Team, with a veritable flood of new devices and components landing in our laps throughout 2022 writes Christian Guyton, Computing Editor. As much as we hate to admit it, Apple looks like the winner of this year in computing tech; its second-generation M2 silicon landed in new MacBook Pro and MacBook Air models, and proved without a doubt that Apple is taking its chip business seriously.

The other big players in the processor game haven’t been slacking off, though. AMD came out kicking with its new Zen 4 generation of CPUs, headlined by the impressive Ryzen 9 7950X. It was a short-lived victory, however, with Intel returning to reclaim its processing crown with the incredible Core i9-13900K flagship chip.

AMD has been embattled elsewhere, too; the race to produce the best graphics card heated up to a fever pitch in 2022, with Nvidia releasing the phenomenally powerful GeForce RTX 4090, only to fall down spectacularly with the RTX 4080. Team Red was able to capitalize on this, releasing the excellent Radeon RX 7900 XTX, one of the best GPUs we’ve seen in recent memory. Unsurprisingly, both flagship cards sold out almost immediately, and stock is still hard to find in many regions.

This was also the year we finally got to see Intel properly step back into the GPU game, with actual desktop cards going on sale and a commitment to a long-term roadmap, despite the rocky start that Intel’s Arc graphics department endured. This is definitely something we’re excited to see more of next year; a third player in the GPU market, especially one as seemingly committed to budget products as Intel, is only a good thing for consumers. Bring on 2023!

Gaming

A big year for TRG, but a fallow year for games

This year's biggest release, God of War Ragnarok, was among the titles hit by delays (Sony)

Right at the end of 2021, we launched TechRadar Gaming – and it couldn’t have come at a stranger time writes Julian Benson, Editor-in-Chief, TechRadar Gaming.

2022 was a decidedly odd year in the video game industry. We felt the impact of the pandemic keenly in the release calendar, and while there were a few big releases earlier in the year, namely Elden Ring and Horizon Forbidden West, we endured months of AAA first-party famine before God of War Ragnarok’s release in November.

Microsoft was the main victim of delays, with both Starfield, the highly-anticipated sci-fi RPG, and Redfall, the co-op shooter from Dishonored’s Arkane Studios, slipping into 2023, leaving the Xbox Series X/S without a major first-party release this year. Nintendo, too, had to delay its biggest release, its follow-up to Breath of the Wild, The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, until May next year. Multiplatform releases weren’t spared either, with both Hogwarts Legacy, the open-world Harry Potter RPG, and Suicide: Kill the Justice League, pushed into 2023.

However, the gaps left by major developers created space for smaller games to gain the attention of players. In July, the most talked-about release was Stray, a game where you play as a cat wearing a backpack exploring a futuristic city populated by androids. Then in August, our own Cat (who is decidedly a human) was caught by an indie RPG called I Was A Teenage Exocolonist, where you play through a decade of a child’s life on a distant planet, trying to survive the dangers of colony life.

In 2023, we can look forward to all of those aforementioned delayed games, and a batch of big releases that were always due out next year. On top of that we have hardware releases, such as the DualSense Edge pro controller for the PS5 and PSVR 2 virtual reality headset. It’s going to be a busy time to be a gamer (and a games journalist).

Entertainment

A mixed bag for movies, shows, and streaming

Top Gun: Maverick wowed audiences and cemented itself as one of the highest-grossing movies of 2022 (Paramount Pictures)

2022 has been a fascinating year in the world of entertainment writes Tom Power, Entertainment Reporter. The movie, TV, and streaming industries have largely put the perils of the Covid-19 pandemic behind them, but each sector has faced its fair share of challenges over the last 12 months.

First, the positives: we saw the return of true blockbuster films on the big screen. From massive superhero films, such as The Batman and Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, to somewhat surprising billion-dollar hits like Top Gun: Maverick, studios stepped up their game to deliver films that took our breath away. On the TV and streaming front, hugely popular shows returned to critical acclaim, such as Stranger Things season 4, while new hits like The Rings of Power, Wednesday, Andor, Severance, and House of the Dragon lit up our screens.

But it hasn't been plain sailing for the world's biggest studios – or for fans of movies and TV shows. Marvel faced (and continues to face) its biggest test yet, with audiences underwhelmed by some of its Phase 4 productions, and accusations of employees enduring intolerable working conditions. Netflix endured a torrid year, losing millions of subscribers and cancelling projects left, right and center, while Warner Bros' merger with Discovery has drawn plenty of criticism, with numerous shows and films inexplicably cancelled at the last minute (RIP Batgirl) or removed from HBO Max without explanation.

There's plenty to look forward to next year, with some big new movies slated for release, and highly anticipated TV series set to debut. Still, if 2022 has taught us anything, it's that the industry can't rest on its laurels, particularly as the cost of living crisis continues to bite. Dark days may be ahead but, if studios continue to pump out crowd-pleasing content for us to enjoy, 2023 should be a largely better year for fans and creators alike.

TVs

Bigger, better, brighter, cheaper: TV tech in 2022

Samsung's S95B, a QD-OLED model that transformed the TV landscape in 2022 (Samsung)

By some measures, 2022 has been a massive year for TVs writes Al Griffin, Home Entertainment Editor. And I’m not just talking about screen sizes, though the year did see the arrival of the first 97-inch OLED and 98-inch QLED models, from LG and Samsung, respectively.

The biggest TV news for 2022 was the arrival of QD-OLED sets, which easily settled in among the ranks of the best 4K TVs in a year when there was plenty of tough competition from standard OLED models like the LG C2, our top pick for the TechRadar Choice Awards. QD-OLED merges Quantum Dots with OLED tech to create brighter displays with enhanced color definition, and the results can be appreciated in TV wonders like the Samsung S95B and Sony XR-A95K.

Other important trends to emerge in 2022 were the availability of mini-LED backlight tech in a wider range of TVs, including models from budget brands like Hisense, along with a much expanded range of 120Hz 4K sets. A mini-LED backlight lets TVs achieve the high peak brightness level necessary for uncompromised display of HDR sources, while a 120Hz display supports the high-frame-rate gaming that's possible with next-gen PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X consoles.

What will 2023 bring for TV shoppers? At the upcoming CES tech expo we expect to see companies roll out even better-performing QD-OLED models in larger screen sizes, and mini-LED will continue its expansion into more and cheaper sets. There will be better and brighter regular OLED TVs from the likes of LG, and TCL will astound us with a range of ultra-large sets at ultra-low prices. TechRadar will be reporting on all of it in-person live from Las Vegas, so make a point of following our CES 2023 coverage.

Cameras

A throwback year, with glimpses of an AI-powered future

The Fujifilm X-H2S led a revival of crop-sensor cameras (Future)

2022 will go down as the year affordable cameras made a much-needed comeback writes Mark Wilson, Cameras Editor. Full-frame had dominated for the past few years, but in 2022 we saw crop-sensor systems – like Micro Four Thirds and APS-C – make an emphatic return, with a wave of launches. And that was very good news for our beleaguered wallets.

It was Fujifilm, in particular, that delivered the best alternatives to full-frame. Its new flagships, the Fujifilm X-H2S and X-H2, pack modern shooting power into small and (relatively) affordable packages. Similarly, the OM System OM-1, rising from the ashes of Olympus, rocketed to the top of our guide to the best cameras for wildlife photography.

2022 was also, finally, a great year for entry-level mirrorless cameras. The Canon EOS R10, the spiritual successor to the camera giant’s much-loved line of entry-level DSLRs (known as the Rebel series in the US), became our new best camera for beginners. For keen hobbyists, we also saw the arrival of the Fujifilm X-T5 and Canon EOS R7, two ‘sweet spot’ models that are destined to become big-sellers.

Not that pro shooters were left in the cold this year, as Canon and Sony both introduced compelling full-frame powerhouses. The Canon EOS R6 Mark II is a solid upgrade of one of its best cameras, while the Sony A7R V showcased the kind of AI-powered autofocus that we can expect to see develop at a rapid pace next year.

That’s the kind of photographic tech I’m looking forward to the most next year. The likes of Dall-E and Midjourney have given us a taste of how AI algorithms are set to revolutionize our creative lives in 2023. They could ultimately challenge the definition of photography itself; but this year, I’m excited to see what they can do for mirrorless cameras and phones like the hotly-anticipated iPhone 15.

Fitness

Apple goes Ultra, Fitbit goes wrong

The Apple Watch Ultra signaled Apple's entry into the 'rugged' smartwatch space (Future)

A year or two ago, we were seeing new fitness products that had been rushed into production during the pandemic, when everyone assumed that exercising at home was going to be the new norm writes Matt Evans, Fitness and Wellbeing Editor. Now, though, outdoor exercise has returned to pre-pandemic levels, and our tech is once again geared towards empowering us to get outside.

Premium smartwatches have gone rugged, with Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 Pro and the much-vaunted Apple Watch Ultra leading the charge. Both are chunkier watches designed for trails and other adventures, with more accurate GPS and reinforced cases to withstand the elements. The Watch 5 Pro has a raised bezel and improved route-tracking features, while Apple went one step further, and made the Watch Ultra a working dive computer. However, neither stole the award for our fitness device of the year: that honor goes to Garmin, king of the adventure watch space, for its excellent Forerunner 955 Solar.

Sadly, Fitbit didn’t get the memo. After a year of technical issues with its existing slate of products, the Fitbit Versa 4 and Fitbit Sense 2 enjoyed a splashy launch in September, but both failed to improve on their predecessors. The Fitbit Inspire 3 fitness tracker fared better, but we were disappointed that Fitbit slashed the Inspire 2's free Fitbit Premium subscription from one year down to just six months, removing lots of value from the device. Peloton has also suffered badly this year, with rounds of layoffs and bad press overshadowing the launch of its new rowing machine.

As for 2023,I don’t believe we’re going to see the Apple Watch Ultra 2 for a few years, but more funky stuff, like the Huawei Watch D’s on-wrist blood pressure cuff, is set to appear. As the cost of living bites, and production issues continue to plague major retailers, the philosophy of ‘health is wealth’ is going to be pushed rather heavily, with less focus on performance and a greater emphasis on wellness.

The Sign-off

And that's it from me, and from TechRadar, for 2022. All that's left for me to do is wish you a happy, peaceful, and fulfilling new year.

Do please keep the emails coming in 2023 (remember to include 'NEWSLETTER' in the subject line so I don't miss it) – I'd love to hear about what you're looking forward to tech-wise in the next 12 months!

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