Welcome back to Wednesday! It's time for another WIRED Games newsletter. We're in the middle of the slow period between major game releases—the summer titles aren't quite here yet—which means now's a great time to pick something from your backlog to play. And if you want to share what you're playing, drop us a line at games@WIRED.com! We'd love to hear what you're up to. This week, you have to read Reece Rogers' explainer on the Backrooms, that creepy liminal space that's taken Reddit by storm, scared VTubers across the web, and inspired a world of creepy stories, minigames, and memes. I love stories about how internet meme culture and forum culture explode into broader cultural awareness. Yes, even if it's super creepy and kind of unsettling. So, would you like to know more? You should also read our profile of Zach Hyman, a forward for the Edmonton Oilers who at this very moment is in the NHL playoffs. Why are we talking about a hockey player? Well, first, he's a really cool guy, and second, he's also a big believer and investor in esports. He cofounded a company that manages a number of esports and gaming brands, and he is particularly engaged with SoaR Gaming, which fields a competitive Valorant team. Debby Waldman does an excellent job reporting on his inspirations and goals. Next, check out Lauren Goode's look at Spatial, the latest VR platform to offer full-body customization and avatars, with the goal of making interactions with other people in VR more realistic—at least as much as possible without making it weird. It's a fine line to walk, but they're starting in the right place, by encouraging people to use full-body tracking instead of the usual hands-and-head tracking that most people experience in VR. And speaking of virtual reality, Marah Eakin took a look at Supernatural VR, a new platform that aims to make VR workouts effective, inclusive, and less gimmicky than other "games as exercise" platforms. Based on Mara's piece, this might be one of the first VR fitness services I'd be interested in. I, too, usually hate going to the gym—not because I hate exercising, I just hate being perceived by other people. So maybe this would work for me! Maybe it'd work for you too. Swapna Krishna is back with another Casual Gamer column this week, talking about how the best challenging games have forgiving, smart, and well-designed learning curves to help players get up to speed and perform well in the game world. It's not the first time we've talked about game difficulty, and it's probably not going to be the last, but I love Swapna's take on this. She's using Rise of the Tomb Raider as an example of a game that gets it right, and while I haven't played it myself, I'm inclined to believe her. What do you think? Finally, for those who are still on the hunt for a PlayStation 5 (I know there are plenty of you out there), our Gear Team just updated its list of tips to score a PS5 if you're shopping around. They're a little easier to find now than they used to be, so you don't have to pay ridiculous markup prices. These days, your best bet is to pay attention to restock events at your preferred retailer. That's how I got an Xbox Series X, anyway! That's all for this week, but you're welcome to come visit us at WIRED Games for more to read, and please drop by our Twitch channel tonight for chats and games if you're so inclined. We have some more plans for Twitch soon, including some fresh faces and new programs, so get excited! I'll see you next week. |
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