UK Government Must Respond To Petition About Loot Boxes In Video Games

The UK Government will respond to a petition concerning some players that the use of Loot Boxes as gambling in video games after it gained significant public support. The online petition has accrued over 10,000 signatures.

Titled "Adapt gambling laws to include gambling in video games which target children", the appeal is asking for a reform in UK gambling law to include in-game mechanics like Loot Boxes, which "are targeted at children and vulnerable adults.” "While not currently considers gambling by law they do copy many traits to make them as addictive and can lead to real money being lost/earned. Gambling in video games mostly involves 'loot boxes' where players use virtual currency (often bought with real money) to earn in-game items often worth less than what they paid (sometimes more)"

The petition also refers to a recent law passed in China forcing publishers to display the odds behind loot boxes in games like Overwatch and Counter-Strike: Global Offensive. Thoughts ?

GameStop UK Is Offering An Amazing PS4 Bundle

GameStop UK is offering an amazing PS4 bundle, the Players Mega Pack console bundle for £290 (which is about $443.13). The bundle is scheduled to release on November 30, 2015, the bundle includes a 1TB console, The Last of Us Remastered, God of War 3 Remastered and Uncharted: The Nathan Drake Collection. It’s really a steal for anyone still looking to buy a PS4. With 3 get games include, if you don’t pick this up it would kinda be foolish if you didn’t. What do you think ? 

The PS4 Price Cut Comes To The UK And Australia

Sony has announced that the price cut for the PlayStation 4 has made its way to the UK and Australia. As of today, the 500GB PS4 in the UK will now cost you £300, down from £350. Sony announced a price drop for the PS4 in Japan at Tokyo Game Show, soon after that announcement North America received a price drop as well. What do you think of the price drop ? If you don’t have a PS4 already doesn’t it make you want to buy a PS4 ? 

PlayStation UK Celebrates 20th Anniversary Of PS4 With A LE Steelbook

Sony has announced a limited edition steelbook case to be released in celebration of PlayStation's 20th anniversary in the UK. The case is available for pre-order now for £59.99, ($92.87 US) the steelbook will be released on October 23 and will be bundled with a £20 PlayStation Store voucher, a 12 months of PS Plus membership and a collector's booklet. Only 20,000 copies of the steelbook will be made and five of these will contain a Golden Ticket. Find a golden ticket and you've win a 20th Anniversary Edition PS4 console. 

Steam To Have Retail Presence In GameStop, EB Games And GAME Locations

Valve has announced today that GameStop, EB Games, and GAME locations will have dedicated Steam sections in the fall. Gabe Newell, founder and managing director of Valve, says that this move is designed to facilitate sales of the Steam Machines and related peripherals. He said “Creating a 'store within a store' across North America and the UK is a significant win for getting the first generation of Steam Hardware products into gamers' hands,”. The Steam Machines, Steam Controller, and Steam Link device used for streaming will release on November 10. 

PS Plus Will Cost You A Bit More If You Live In The UK Or Europe

Sony will increase how much it costs to purchase a PS Plus subscription in the UK and Europe. Normally, 1 month of PlayStation Plus costs £5.49 while 3 months will set you back £11.99. It has yet to be confirmed what the new prices will be, but Sony has promised a year subscription will remain unchanged at £39.99. What do you think of this price change ? 

Apple Pay Is Now Available In The UK

Apple Pay has shook things up in the mobile payments world in the US, 9 months later another country has been added to the payment service. Starting today, users of the iPhone 6, iPhone 6 Plus and Apple Watch can pay for goods and services at more than 250,000 locations in the United Kingdom. Financial institutions that are on board for the launch in the UK include Ulster Bank, Santander, Royal Bank of Scotland, NatWest, Nationwide, First Direct and American Express. Halifax, Lloyds, and Bank of Scotland are expected to join up this fall. For credit card companies, Visa, MasterCard and American Express are lined up to help. Retailers include Boots, Waitress, Pret, and Transport for London. Now that Apple Pay has been switched on in the UK, it's expected that China, Canada and other large markets will follow soon. What do you think of Apple Pay ? 

This iPhone 5C Saved A Man’s Life

Police a saying that a iPhone 5c saved the life of gunshot victim is Cheshire, England. The victim, was shot at close range with a shotgun and suffered serious abdominal injuries, but survived thanks to the iPhone 5c in his pocket taking the bulk of the shot. A Detective from Cheshire Police  had this to say “Fortunately, the victim’s mobile phone took the brunt of the shot and, as a result of this, he survived. Had that phone not been in his pocket at that time he would undoubtedly have died.” You read more detail about the shooting here. 

Get A PS4 For £290

On sites such as Amazon and Tecsco both black and white PS4’s are listed at £289.99, down from the standard price of £330. These retailer deals were not enacted independently from Sony, as they have promoted the offers on its official Twitter account. Sony states its promotion will end on April 28, get a PS4 with this deal while you can. 

White PS4 Going For £299 In The UK

GameStop UK is selling the white PlayStation 4 for £300 ($476), the lowest price yet for the console in the UK. GameStop UK said the console comes with everything one would expect with the original £350 ($555) model, such as a wired headset, HDMI and USB cables and a 14 day trial to PlayStation Plus.

The TV Tuner For Xbox One Is Now Available In Europe

Microsoft has recently launched its digital TV Tuner for Xbox One across Europe. The Tuner receives TV signals from a coaxial cable and feeds that into the Xbox One via a USB connection, keep in mind that the console will need to be powered on in order to watch it. To see more features of the TV Tuner watch the video below. The TV Tuner for Xbox One will cost £25.

PlayStation 4 Is The Second Fastest Selling Console Ever In The UK

The PS4 hit one million sales after 42 weeks of being on the market. If we compare the PS4 to the PS2 , (which is the best-selling console of all time, at 150 million sales worldwide) reached its first UK million after 50 weeks. Microsoft's Xbox 360, hit its first million after 60 weeks.The Wii achieved a million in 38 weeks.