The Verge - Entertainments

Listen to Device Orchestra cover the Ghostbusters theme using electric toothbrushes and a steam iron
Roblox has been down for two days and it’s not because of Chipotle
Save on spooky games to play during Halloween and more

Listen to Device Orchestra cover the Ghostbusters theme using electric toothbrushes and a steam iron

Posted: 30 Oct 2021 01:27 PM PDT

An inspired musician can use pretty much anything as an instrument, but this just-in-time for Halloween cover of the Ghostbusters theme song goes in an unexpected direction. Device Orchestra is dedicated to posting music videos recorded solely with the sounds of common household devices. It's the work of a Finnish YouTuber who's been creating gadget-powered covers since 2014 (via Wikitubia). This time, Device Orchestra busted out 14 gadgets for its composition — including electric toothbrushes adorned with googly eyes.

One electric toothbrush with pipe cleaners for arms stands front and center, belting out the familiar chorus in a tone comparable to a musically-inclined bumblebee. It might be the star of the show, but it has plenty of backup.

A line of receipt machines mimics the sound of synths, while another electric toothbrush undulates beneath a white sheet. A typewriter clicks away in the background, accompanied by the buzzing of a body trimmer, a nail polishing device, and an epilator (which is a hair removal tool, in case you didn't know). And even though the iron doesn't contribute much to the overall composition, it provides the visual effects, pumping out puffs of steam to achieve a spooky vibe.

This cover is probably more satisfying to listen to than the actual Ghostbusters theme. Hearing how the sounds of each device come together is interesting, yet oddly soothing. The wobbling googly eyes are just an added plus.

Roblox has been down for two days and it’s not because of Chipotle

Posted: 30 Oct 2021 07:41 AM PDT

In this photo illustration, the Roblox app seen displayed on... — Photo Illustration by Thiago Prudêncio/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images

Roblox has been down for more than two days, with the game and its related website offline for millions of players. The hugely popular game-creating platform first started having issues at around 7PM ET on October 28th. Roblox initially said it was "working hard to get things back to normal," and that it had identified "the root cause as [an] internal system issue."

In a statement to The Verge, Roblox confirms its platform isn't down due to an "external intrusion," and that the company is working "around the clock" to resolve the huge outage. "We believe we have identified an underlying internal cause of the outage with no evidence of an external intrusion," says a Roblox spokesperson. "We are in the process of performing the necessary engineering and maintenance work to get Roblox back up and running as soon as possible. We apologize that our community is unable to be on Roblox during this time."

Initially, some Robox players speculated the outage could be related to a Chipotle promotion in the game. Chipotle is giving away $1 million worth of free burritos on Roblox as part of Halloween event in the game. The experience went live at 6:30PM ET on October 28th, just before the widespread Roblox outage began.

Still making progress on today's outage. We'll continue to keep you updated. Once again, we apologize for the delay.

We know that this outage was not related to any specific experiences or partnerships on the platform.
— Roblox (@Roblox) October 29, 2021

Roblox was quick to reveal its issues aren't related to the Chipotle promotion, though. "We know that this outage was not related to any specific experiences or partnerships on the platform," says the official Roblox Twitter account.

It's a surprisingly long outage for Roblox, with players still waiting to hear exactly when the game will return. The main Roblox site is offline in a maintenance mode, and the status page was only updated after more than 24 hours earlier today.

Roblox is very popular, especially with kids — more than 50 percent of Roblox players are under the age of 13. More than 40 million people play it daily, and its popularity surged through 2020 during the pandemic. Millions of people have flocked to the game-creating game, app, platform, or however you want to describe it, to play games, attend gigs, and even appear at awards shows.

Update, October 30th 5:05PM ET: Article updated with a statement from Roblox.

Save on spooky games to play during Halloween and more

Posted: 30 Oct 2021 06:00 AM PDT

*Okay, Deathloop isn't scary, but the deal on it is scary good.*

It's the spooky holiday this weekend, but you probably already knew that since Halloween decorations have likely been up in your town for the last month and a half. But what hasn't been around as long (and will disappear faster than those decorations) are the deals below. To match the mood, we're going to share special discounts on scary video games that you need to play if you're trying to get in the holiday spirit this weekend. Just so you know, Steam's Halloween sale ends Monday, November 1st, likely at 1PM ET / 10AM PT. Following that gaming-centric section, you'll find deals on tech gadgets that we think you'll enjoy.

Gaming deals

Okay, so Deathloop is far from being a scary game at its core (though it can become quite tense when you're down to that last sliver of health and surrounded by enemies), but we're highlighting it here anyway because it's down to its lowest price yet on all platforms. If you're on PS5, the physical version and digital version each cost $40 (normally $60). For those who've been reluctant to jump into the game, this price should make it a little easier to justify. It's also available on Steam for $40.

This is Arkane Studios' latest game, and its fast, frenetic action feels reminiscent of Dishonored. The gameplay loop is much different, though, even if some of the powers you'll eventually acquire are similar. Check out Andrew Webster's full review of the game.

Capcom's remake of Resident Evil 2 is a stellar reimagining of the classic horror game, not to mention one of the company's most polished games to date. Even if you didn't play the original version on PS1, this game is a must-experience horror game that you can get for just $16 on PS4 and PS5. It's the same price for Xbox consoles, as well as on Steam.

The choose-your-own-path slasher game Until Dawn is just $10, and it's a delightfully scary and campy experience. This one's just for PlayStation 4 and 5 owners, and it's already included in PS Now for consoles and on Windows PC, if you're subscribed. The plot involves a bunch of teenagers (starring Rami Malek, Hayden Panettiere) in a spooky house acting recklessly, with a killer on the loose. Your actions dictate the flow of the game, and it's good fun that's well worth $10.

Outer Wilds is another game that's discounted for Halloween, and another title that, while not labeled as a horror game, has some spooky vibes to deliver the more you dig into it. There are no jump scares, though. Instead, the game has a few moments that'll make you feel like you're in an episode of The Twilight Zone. Normally $25, it's $15 on PC via Steam. You can get its excellent Echoes of the Eye expansion for $12 instead of $15, while you're at it. The game is available on PlayStation consoles and Xbox consoles, but it isn't currently discounted.

Inside is a side-scrolling horror game from the makers of Limbo that, unfortunately, is still in my backlog, but maybe I'll play through it this weekend. It earned a spot in this roundup because I've heard that its ending really delivers on existential dread, which is just the thing I usually find myself running low on these days. It's just $5 on the PlayStation Store and on Steam.

If you're into sci-fi horror, you need to play Soma, from the creators of Amnesia. That pedigree alone should give you an idea of what you're in for here: excellent environmental storytelling, haunting audio design, and a pretty good story about the future of humanity and AI. It's just $4.50 for PlayStation consoles and PC via Steam. Of all the games on this list, I think you'll get the most scare per dollar with this one.

Hunt: Showdown is a first-person multiplayer game with a unique blend of PvE and PvP elements. It's a gorgeous-looking title with great sound design that you'll need to pay attention to in order to get ahead. Once you're over the somewhat steep learning curve, you and some friends might have a really good time with this one. Crytek is constantly updating the game, especially on PC, but the console versions seem to be well-designed, too (though the game doesn't offer cross-platform play). It's $20 for the game on Steam, $16 for PlayStation consoles, or $16.49 for the deluxe edition on Xbox consoles.

Tech deals

Okay, sharp left turn to mention some great tech deals. Bose is offering a $100 discount on like-new, refurbished sets of its Noise Cancelling Headphones 700. Normally $379, they're $279, with a few color options available. We don't recommend just any refurbished products, just the ones where we'd personally feel comfortable accepting the risk of buying it. Thankfully, Bose says that these headphones may "occasionally have minor, nearly imperceptible blemishes." They have a one-year warranty, a 90-day money-back trial period with free shipping and free returns.

My colleague Chris Welch reviewed these in 2019, and compared to the competition at the time, the Noise Cancelling Headphones 700 excelled with voice calls, in addition to a comfortable fit and great noise cancellation. Read our review if you want some more context on the product.

SanDisk's 128GB microSDXC card is $22 at Amazon right now, the second-best price we've seen on the Nintendo-licensed storage solution.
If you're looking to expand the storage capacity of your PlayStation 5, the 1TB version of Gigabyte's Aorus NVMe Gen 4 SSD is down to $170 at Amazon, its best price to date. We haven't tested it, but the company says it's compatible with Sony's next-gen console and runs at 5,600MB/s when plugged in. If you already have an SSD but still need a compatible heatsink, per Sony's requirements, Micro Connectors Low Profile Heatsink is also on sale at Amazon for $10 and measures a mere 5mm thick. Read our full PS5 SSD buying guide.
A three-pack of Philips Hue white and color A19 bulbs is $100 at Best Buy, the lowest price we've on the popular smart bulbs outside of Amazon Prime Day.
Vizio's 55-inch OLED is on sale at Best Buy for $1,000, its lowest price to date, for a limited time. Despite the price, the budget-friendly OLED still manages to pack in a few features suited for next-gen gaming, namely support for HDMI 2.1.
If you've got an Xbox or a gaming PC, Eneba's selling a three-month subscription to Xbox Game Pass Ultimate for $28 (once again, the price can fluctuate) instead of its usual $45 when you use promo code 90DAYS at checkout.
Eneba is currently offering one year of PlayStation Plus service for just $37 instead of its typical $60 retail price when you use promo code 365DAYS at checkout.

Magnificent News

Sunday, October 31, 2021