Daily Archives: April 27, 2020

For years, the words Facebook and gaming were more likely to evoke memories of an aunts dusty Words With Friends invitation than anything else. And for years, Facebook has been on a journey to change, or at least broaden, its stodgy reputation among gamers young and old with its game-streaming platform, virtual reality technology, and push into cloud gaming.

As part of that many-pronged adventure into the $120 billion games industry, Facebook launched its Facebook Gaming app today, where users can both pick back up that old Words With Friends game and watch their fifth or sixth-favorite Call of Duty streamer click heads. Its an ambitious app aimed at helping you produce and interact with gaming content just as much as you consume it, yet in its early stages, doesnt do any one thing well enough to feel competitive.

Facebook Gaming arrives earlier than originally planned for Android, as the company tries to catch the waves of bored quarantined users flocking to both games and gaming entertainment content, The New York Times reports. (It will release on iOS once Apple approves it.) When you first open the app, it asks you to select some of your favorite games, and then suggests some streamers to follow. It has a news feed tab displaying clips, videos, and posts from gaming groups like regular Facebook; a tab for playing popular Facebook games like OMG and Nametests; a tab for watching or discovering livestreams; and a tab for messages. Camera buttons sit on both the bottom right and top left of the main page for livestreaming yourself playing mobile games installed on your phone.

Facebook Gamings offerings alternate uncomfortably between products pitched to people who might watch esports on Twitch and those tilted to the more casual Words With Friends crowd. Both ride on the heels of previous Facebook products: For over a decade, Facebook has hosted casual games like FarmVille, and more recently launched a livestreaming service to compete with Amazons Twitch or YouTubes Gaming section. There are better, more established streaming services out there, and it is just as easy to play Facebook games in the original Facebook app. Facebook Gaming gathers these two things together, but for whom?

Facebook has recently tried to attract tried and true gamers by signing exclusive streaming deals with noted celebrities and microcelebrities, from former Super Smash Bros. pro Gonzalo Zero Barrios to strategy game streamer Jeremy "Disguised Toast" Wang. Theyve drawn a little notoriety to the platform, pushing Facebook Gaming into the third-place spot in the livestreaming wars behind Twitch and YouTube. (In the first quarter of this year, Facebooks game-streaming service received about a sixth as many hours watched as Twitch and half of YouTubes Gaming section. That said, its hours watched quadrupled year over year in January.) Streams discovered through Facebook Gaming are typically not as polished or hype as those on Twitch, although there are a handful of well-promoted streamers whose pages and past videos are easy to navigate.

It is also incredibly easy to stream yourself playing mobile games on Facebook Gaming; four clicks, give or take. But who streams mobile games? It isnt anywhere near as popular as streaming PC or console games. I went live on Facebook Gaming playing both Bubble Shooter (via the app) and Overwatch (via my gaming PC and the streaming software OBS). Two friends could not find me streaming Overwatch on Facebook Gaming, although surely it was the more interesting stream. Facebook says it's continuing to fine-tune the app's discoverability features.

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Facebook Gaming Is Herebut Who Is It For? - WIRED

Were real good at Tekken, though (Pic: Bandai Namco)

Data from over 16,000 games has been analysed to find out which country is the best at gaming. Turns out were not very good.

With the coronavirus keeping us all indoors and playing video games all day, its given researchers more data than ever to analyse regarding gaming, such as what genres are popular the moment.

Now Kwalee, a data-focused mobile gaming publisher, has come forward claiming to have figured out which country in the world is best at gaming.

It did this by researching over 42,000 achievements from more than 16,000 games, using data provided by speedrun.com, and then ranked countries by how many achievements residents of each had scored, divided by population size to give fair scoring.

And according to the results, Finland sits at the top, with Canada and Sweden taking second and third place, respectively. The US, meanwhile, ranked sixth.

As for England, apparently, were not particularly good at gaming ourselves. We didnt even make it into the top 10, stuck at 12th place, just below Germany.

Scotland and Ireland fared a bit better, though, managing to get eighth and ninth place, repsectively. As for Wales, they didnt seem to even break into the top 20.

Kwalee crunched even more data to find out which country was the best at each genre and select games. While Finland might be the best overall, they didnt dominate any particular genre, though they are apparently the best at playing Halo.

Unsurprisingly, Japan was considered to be the best at playing fighting games, though England is the most skilled at Tekken.

Norway, despite coming 19th overall, is the best at both Tetris and sports games, whereas Croatia is where you can find the best FIFA players.

USA took the title for best at first person shooters, and thats all were going to say on the matter.

We create mobile games that are downloaded all around the world, so were always looking for new insights into this world of players, said Kwalees CEO David Darling.

With more people at home playing games now than they maybe ever have been, it felt like perfect timing to do this research, and maybe make things even more competitive at homes around the world.

If youre interested in further breakdowns, the full research can be found on Kwalees website.

Email gamecentral@metro.co.uk, leave a comment below, and follow us on Twitter.

MORE: Coronavirus: the best video games to play while you self-isolate

MORE: Coronavirus: the best free-to-play games to play during self-isolation

MORE: Coronavirus: the worst video games to play while you self-isolate

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New study reveals the worlds best gamers are in Finland - Metro.co.uk

What happened

Shares of Penn National Gaming (NASDAQ:PENN) headed much higher on Monday morning. As of 11:45 a.m. EDT, shares were trading up 13%. It appears investors are increasingly optimistic that casinos could soon reopen, which would be good for Penn National's business.

What a ride it's been for shareholders. Since bottoming out under $4 per share on March 18, Penn National's stock has skyrocketed a whopping 300%.

Image source: Getty Images.

In a recent letter to shareholders, Penn National Gaming's CEO noted that all 41 of the company's properties are currently closed. Zero revenue is a scary situation for investors, even if the company has addressed liquidity concerns. By selling real estate to its primary landlord in exchange for rent credits, and by reaching an agreement with lenders to suspend some payments for the remainder of 2020, Penn National has reduced its spending to $83 million per month. With $730 million in cash, it can continue operations in a zero-revenue environment for the rest of the year.

However, Penn National could start seeing some revenue return relatively soon. Casinos are starting to prepare for an upcoming reopening. For example, privately owned Treasure Island in Las Vegas is now accepting reservations for May 15 and beyond for its hotel and casino. And last week, the Nevada Gaming Control Board released guidelines for reopening casinos once the governor gives the go-ahead.

Since Penn National's properties are scattered across the country, it stands to benefit almost anywhere a state loosens restrictions. In its letter to stakeholders, it noted that no state comprised more than 15% of Penn National's overall revenue.

When a stock appreciates as quickly as Penn National Gaming has these past few weeks, the fear of missing out can be a strong motivation to buy. After all, shares are still down over 50% from 52-week highs, suggesting further upside is possible.

I'd encourage those interested in Penn National Gaming to remove emotions from the investing equation. The reality is casinos are still closed and haven't been given permission to reopen. And when they do, traffic is likely to be down, as some form of physical distancing will still be needed. Investors developing a long-term investing thesis need to account for ongoing limited operations for now.

Read the rest here:

Why Penn National Gaming Stock Headed Higher Today - Motley Fool

As is so often the case ahead of an official confirmation from Sony, the duo of free PlayStation Plus games for next month appear to have leaked early.

A promotional screenshot found its way onto gaming forum Resetera before popping up on Twitter. If genuine, PlayStation Plus subscribers could be looking forward to an excellent spread for May. The leak suggests Dying Light and Dark Souls Remastered are next months freebies.

The remaster of From Softwares iconic Dark Souls needs no introduction and should please first-timers and veterans alike. While not having the same cult following as Dark Souls, Dying Light offers a decent take on the zombie trope and remains popular five-years on from release.

Before we get our hopes up, the leaked screenshot features some glaring issues that gnaw away at its legitimacy.

First off, the quality of the image leaves a lot to desired and lacks the crispness youd expect. Furthermore, the composition is a far cry from the clean-cut style weve grown accustomed to from PS Plus, notably the busy background.

Secondly, the fonts used in the screenshot appear different to those habitually featured on PS Plus promotional shots. In particular, the Active membership required to access free content small print employs a decidedly different font.

Consequently, we recommend approaching this one with a salt shaker at the ready and to manage expectations accordingly.

As for when we can expect PlayStation to confirm or disprove the leak, then this week is likely based on previous announcement habits with an estimated availability date of May 5.

In the meantime, Aprils PlayStation Plus games Uncharted 4: A Thiefs End and DIRT Rally 2.0 are up for grabs until May 4.

This article was edited by Samburaj Das.

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This PS Plus Free Games Leak is Simply Too Good to be True - CCN.com

Envy Gaming has expanded its partnership with Acer, a Taiwanese multinational hardware and electronics corporation, who developed and produce the Predator brand of gaming products. The Dallas-based esports organization which owns the Dallas Fuel (Overwatch League), Dallas Empire (Call of Duty League), and Team Envy (Flashpoint) will see Acer outfit its gaming headquarters, training facility, logo placement, and naming rights to a new gaming lounge.

Envys gaming headquarters and training facility will be outfitted with Predator brand gaming desktops, laptops, and monitors. All practice and training sessions will use the Acer products.

In 2020, Acers Predator gaming line was named the official computer and monitor partner for the Dallas Fuel.

Future plans for the partnership include the Predator Gaming Lounge at Envy headquarters, which will be used for local watch parties, tournaments, and K-12 seminars covering esports.

Additional elements of the partnership include creating digital video content as well as having the Predator logo placed on jerseys of Team Envy rosters, including Team Envy Counter-Strike: Global Offensive and Team Envy Overwatch Contenders.

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Envy Gaming Expands Partnership With Acer, Predator Line - The Esports Observer

Is the Wii really the best-looking console? (pic: Nintendo)

The Monday Inbox discusses the best way to choose between the PlayStation 5 and Xbox One, as one reader remembers Gangs Of London on PSP.

To join in with the discussions yourself email gamecentral@ukmetro.co.uk

Plastic boxIts still technically a black box but the Xbox Series X already looks different to most video game consoles and if the DualSense is anything to go by the PlayStation 5 will probably be a break from tradition as well. Im hoping so anyway, as the flat, black slab of plastic is getting really old.

Which makes me wonder, what is the best-looking console so far? Of the modern consoles Id say all the PlayStation ones are pretty boring and only the Xbox 360 impresses from Microsoft. Its actually a difficult question to answer as so many are so boring and functional.

My favourite traditional design is probably the Dreamcast but to my own surprise as much as anything I think the best looking may be the Wii. Its one of the few to try to be stylish and it looks very distinctive and cool sitting at an angle in its stand. Its still looks nice out of it and on its side.

The new consoles will have to be bigger than that, because of all the fans if nothing else, but Im hoping they can better it and give us something that looks good as well as plays good.Gaiden

Virtual touristI played Gangs Of London, but the controls were so clunky I barely touched the story. Knew at the time it was a Getaway spin-off, which is why I tried it; having never got to try The Getaway itself, I thought it would fill the void.

Gangs Of London did have a tourist mode though, which let you free roam with the objective being driving around London taking photos of famous landmarks, which you had to find yourself. Thats where I spent most time as it was easier to pick up and play than the story, because you didnt have to try shoot enemies with the dodgy controls.Beems

Lead formatRE: Next gen specs. Will PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X different specs mean cross-platform games will never be as good as they could be?

I am what you would class as a casual gamer, with no technical knowledge, with both a PlayStation 4 and Xbox, however the likely launch cost of next gen means I shall have to decide on one over the other. From what I have read the PlayStation 5 will have a faster SSD meaning load times will be better than the Xbox Series X but it has better ray-tracing and processing power (I know there are other factors but you get the idea).

Does this mean that any game released on both platforms will need to cope with the Xbox Series Xs slower load time but also the PlayStation 5s inferior ray-tracing and performance, i.e. games will be designed to the lowest specs of each console meaning only exclusives will ever truly show off the true potential of each system?Chaos-CRH

GC: Multiformat games are usually designed on the PC first and ported from there, or if not its the most popular console thats the lead format not whichever is more powerful. But lets wait and see what the difference is between the consoles in practice. Tech specs, especially pre-launch, are never a good indication and more likely the difference between the two consoles will end up relatively mild.

E-mail your comments to: gamecentral@ukmetro.co.uk

Complete experienceRE: Tiddleydwarf and Monster Hunter: World. Firstly, Ill second GCs thoughts, hope youre taking care of yourself and I have nothing but respect for anyone working front line at the moment.

On to Monster Hunter: World, this is absolutely a game worth trying, and in my top three of this generation. GCs comment is somewhat disingenuous though, as the game is immensely enjoyable as a single-player game. Most of my near 1,200 hours have been played solo (I even wrote a Readers Feature about it back in the day).

Note there are a few quests designed as multiplayer only, which is signposted, and these are best tackled as such. Getting a good four-man squad is the best way to play, but games with random players vary massively, failing a quest due to one bad player isnt fun, for example.

Its not perfect, and in fact had one of the most infuriating aspects of this generation for me (another feature I wrote about) but all in it captured my heart in a way few games ever have.

A lot has changed since launch, and some of the recent additions brought to the Iceborne add-on have mitigated a lot of the issue I allude too and they are still delivering content with at least a few more monsters to come.

The base game is solid, but Iceborne really completes it and is almost a whole other game added on top. You can buy them separately if you want to try the base game first.

If you do go for Iceborne a word of caution, this adds a range of weapons and armour called defender to the base game. These are very strong in the initial difficulties (it raises as you play through) and will in effect let you speed run the base game. Dont use them. A lot of the progression is based around increasing your skill, these weapons let you brute force through difficulty spikes designed to teach you about fight mechanics and youll regret it later on.

Happy hunting!Astartespete

GC: Disingenuous means dishonest and insincere, so we hope thats not what you meant.

Amuse-gueuleRE: Fridays letter about XCOM. I wouldnt worry about there not being an XCOM 3. I dont think that Chimera Squad was born out of some marketing person telling the dev team that they need to make a simpler XCOM game to sell more units.

I think it was genuinely something that the dev team wanted to do as a spin-off, to perhaps introduce more people to the franchise. After all, XCOM 2 was a commercial success as far as I can tell. Sure, its not GTA numbers but it was still good numbers and thats just on PC, let alone the other consoles and its coming to Switch soon.Angry_Kurt (Twitter)Now playing: Half-Life: Alyx and SteamWorld Heist (Switch)

Ludicrously hardQuick question to help me decide between two games. Ive always wanted to get Salt And Sanctuary but Ive just played Blasphemous and was impressed.

Im assuming theyre similar types of games so my question is simple: which one should I get?

At the moment theyre similar in price on the eShop.

I dont want anything thats too ridiculously hard..

Living Monster Boy and Doom 64!John

GC: That depends on your definition of ridiculously hard. Theyre both very difficult games, just as youd expect given the Dark Souls influences. If youve already taken to Blasphemous though wed give that a try.

History lessonId just like to thank comfortablyadv who wrote in on Tuesday about the Assassins Creed Origin Discovery Tour.

I tried playing Assassins Creed 2 and Black Flag years ago when they were free on Games with Gold but could never get into them or the series as a whole, so was not aware of the standalone virtual tour game. But I bought this last night and Im quite impressed. Id even go as far as saying its one of the best things around at the moment to share with the whole family (especially in the current climate) who dont need to be gamers to enjoy it.

One of the things that struck me was just how much effort and passion went into making the original game and the tour.

For anyone thats not a fan of the series but is curious, theres and eight-hour video of the whole thing that of course doesnt include the free-roaming aspect but after watching bits of this, I decided to buy it.

Ubisoft have also done a tour for Ancient Greece too and as of writing, both are half price on the Ubisoft store (Egypt: 6.24, Greece: 8.49).

I still probably wont be playing through a proper Assassins Creed but Im now more interested in the in the upcoming Viking game, if that is indeed what the setting is and will be looking out for a virtual tour of that one.PsillyPseudonym

Web of holesRE: tarantula island. I should mention that the tarantula only seems to give chase if you have the bug net equipped, seeing as you should be running around seeing off tiger beetles and wharf mites every time they are spawning, it often occurs that youll run right into a tarantula.

The best method is to have dug four or five holes in the ground that you can lead the Tarantula to, simply run behind the row of holes, leaving the tarantula running in circles trying to get at you when it cant. Its easy picking from there on.Bad Edit

Catch up on every previous Games Inbox here

Knack 3 and beyondJust to throw my thoughts into the debate of deciding which console to buy without having much information released yet. I have owned a PlayStation each generation since they were released and its most likely that will continue with the next gen (Im pretty heavily invested in the ecosystem at this point). However, I consider myself open-minded and will look at Microsofts offering with eagerness and hope it offers a tempting product, after all competition is only good for the consumer.

With all the developers bought over recent years I expect Microsoft to come out punching with a stream of exclusive titles. Its also easy to see the excellent value of Game Pass, so whether they keep that up will be interesting.

Now, whilst the tech specs are interesting to a degree, gaming is and should always be, about the games. And for my tastes this is where Sony have had a significant lead over the last few years. Exclusives like Marvels Spider-Man, God Of War, Bloodborne, Final Fantasy 7 Remake, Death Stranding, and more (you know the rest) offer a quality and breadth of game that the Xbox cant compete with.

Whilst theres certainly an element of the Sony formula across some of these, the consistency across multiple developers gives me confidence that this will continue into the new generation. I might be getting carried away but Im imagining a scenario where Sony finally reveal the PlayStation 5 alongside a presentation of launch window games that rivals E3 2015.

Sequels to Spider-Man, God Of War, and Horizon Zero Dawn are a shoe-in. Crowd pleasers like Demons Souls, Silent Hill, and a Resident Evil 4 remake will keep the more hardcore happy. This is where the PlayStation brand has a lead already, regardless of what the console looks like or how many terrors it can flop.

Of course, something will go wrong. History teaches us that when one company builds a lead they tend to drop the ball in some spectacular fashion. Which is why Ill always be interested in competition. Regardless of which I choose on day one (hardware launch issues and Knack 3 be damned!), it will be with an intention of purchasing the other eventually. The dawn of a new generation of consoles is always exciting for me as a gamer. I hope both sides deliver fantastic machines and cant wait to play on both!ProEvoSan78 (PSN ID)

Inbox also-ransWas Bloodstained a hit? I recently played and enjoyed it. Id love to see a sequel. Do you think its very likely?Jez

GC: Its almost impossible to tell with a primarily digital-only game. It was certainly a very successful Kickstarter and we think most backers were happy with the end result.

Count me as another person thatd been playing a lot of Destiny 2 lately even though I dont really like the game. Its at least more interesting than Discord though!Tony T.

This weeks Hot TopicInspired by the release of Predator: Hunting Grounds, the question for this weekends Inbox was suggested by reader Grackle, who asks what movie would you like to see turned into a video game?

After almost giving up on the concept, publishers have recently started making movie tie-ins again and, unlike previous generations, a lot of them have turned out pretty well. But what other film or film series (including those that have had games in the past) do you think would make a good game?

You can also include TV shows and other licensed properties, like comic books, but how do you think they would work in practice and what elements would be easy to adapt as a game and what would be more difficult?

E-mail your comments to: gamecentral@ukmetro.co.uk

The small printNew Inbox updates appear every weekday morning, with special Hot Topic Inboxes at the weekend. Readers letters are used on merit and may be edited for length.

You can also submit your own 500 to 600-word Readers Feature at any time, which if used will be shown in the next available weekend slot.

You can also leave your comments below and dont forget to follow us on Twitter.

MORE: Weekend Hot Topic, part 1: Most played video games of 2020

MORE: Weekend Hot Topic, part 2: Most played video games of 2020

MORE: Games Inbox: The future of Battlefield 6, XCOM 3 hopes, and Silent Hill and Demons Souls remakes

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Games Inbox: What is the best-looking video game console? - Metro.co.uk

There's nothing like a gaming PC sale or cheap gaming laptop deal to kick off the week and Newegg is offering just that right now. As part of their daily, and live for only a day, Shell Shocker deals, you can bag a cheap gaming laptop from ASUS and an MSI gaming PC for discounted prices. The ASUS laptop is a portable lean gaming machine that offers a great, capable gaming laptop for well under $1000, whereas the MSI gaming desktop is at the more premium end of the scale but has a sweet selection of components that'll crunch through any game, task or combination of those and work that you throw at it.

Newegg often has gaming desktop deals and gaming laptop discounts, but the daily Shell Shockers can surprise and offer some great value every now and then. There's some components and parts for sale too, but for now we've picked out two machines that stand out.

The ASUS Tuf gaming laptop is on offer at just $799.99. This is a discount of just $50 but even that takes this into very good value indeed territory. Within it's 15.6"-screen chassis is a GTX 1650 graphics card, an i7-9750H processor, 8GB of RAM, and a 512GB SSD. This will prove a great little machine with an underrated set of components. It proves that you can get a great cheap gaming laptop deal under $1000.

The MSI Trident PC is exquisite in every sense: design, component configuration and value for money. With a $130 discount taking its price down to $1,469, it has an RTX 2070 Super graphics card, an i7 9700F processor, 16GB of RAM, and a 1TB SSD. Excellence all round. That'll munch through anything, plus it has the proven MSI gaming pedigree behind it - and it looks pretty cool, for what it's worth!

The main thing to remember for both of these deals is that they end today (PT), so you better act now if you want to take advantage.

ASUS TUF TUF505GT-AH73 gaming laptop | 15.6" 1080p | i7-9750H CPU | GTX 1650 GPU | 8GB RAM | 512GB SSD | $799.99 at NeweggThis is good value, and it definitely sits high on the best cheap laptops you can get nowadays. Sure the 1650 card isn't a world-beater but it'll handle everything you throw at it (albeit on medium settings), and it's supported by a good processor and a solid SSD to get you going too. Remember, you can take advantage of its $50 saving for today only.View Deal

MSI Trident A Plus gaming PC | i7 9700F CPU | RTX 2070 Super GPU | 16GB RAM | 1TB SDD | $1,469 at NeweggThis is actually pretty good value at its usual price, but the saving of $130 on this great PC brings it into excellent value territory; it's extremely rare to see a machine with these components all together for less than $1500. And remember, the deal is valid only for today.View Deal

These span the spectrum but all will be worth it for work and play. Plus, they are from trusted manufacturers and will come with a minimum one year warranty.

If you want to see your other options for PCs, check out our take on the best gaming PCs going. If you prefer to go portable, head on over to the best gaming laptops here.

Today's best laptop deals - stock checked every 30 minutes:

Acer Refurbished Chromebook, 14" Screen, Intel Celeron, 4GB Memory, 32GB Flash,...Acer Refurbished Chromebook, 14" Screen, Intel Celeron, 4GB Memory, 32GB Flash, Chrome OS, NX.GJEAA.001

Acer Refurbished Chromebook,...

HP 14" 32GB 14-db0060nr...

Dell ChromeBook 11 HD 11.6in...

Today's best Monitor deals - stock checked every 30 minutes:

Asus VS207T-P 19.2" HD LED...

ASUS VS207T-P 20' (Actual...

ASUS VE247H 23.6" Widescreen...

Link:

Save big on a gaming PC deal at Newegg right now - but hurry, these deals end today - GamesRadar+

7:00 AM ET

Emily Kaplan

Greg Wyshynski

It has been 46 days since the NHL hit the pause button on the 2019-20 season. As the cancellations and postponements around the world of sports continued, the 2020 NFL draft was staged virtually this weekend, to mostly positive reviews. Could that be a preview of what's to come for the NHL?

As players, executives and fans continue to adjust to the new normal, we will provide updates every Monday, answering all the burning questions about the various angles of the NHL's relation to the pandemic. Although on-ice action remains on the shelf, there have been some intriguing developments since last week's update. Get caught up here:

Emily Kaplan: Not really, but we do have a clearer sense of what a return-to-play format would look like.

The NHL and NHLPA -- which have been in constant contact and must collaborate during this -- have created a Return to Play Committee, which will have regularly scheduled calls. On the committee: Gary Bettman and other NHL executives; and, according to the NHLPA, executive director Don Fehr, assistant to the director Mathieu Schneider, general counsel Don Zavelo and divisional player representative Steve Webb; as well as current players Ron Hainsey, Connor McDavid, Mark Scheifele, John Tavares and James van Riemsdyk.

The NHL is currently in the first stage of its restart plan: self isolation. The second stage would include getting players back in small groups at NHL facilities to begin working out -- and, perhaps even more important, getting on the ice to skate. Remember, most players don't have access to ice right now, and skating is obviously a crucial component for staying in hockey shape.

2 Related

According to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski, the NBA is reopening team practice facilities beginning Friday for players in states and municipalities that are loosening stay-at-home restrictions. In an email over the weekend, deputy commissioner Bill Daly said the NHL has begun to evaluate doing something similar, but there have been "no decisions yet." Daly noted that the league is due to give teams and players new guidance in advance of Thursday, which is the day to which they have extended the self-isolation order.

Several states with NHL teams -- Arizona, Colorado, Florida, Nevada, Tennessee and Texas -- have stay-at-home orders that are expiring by the end of April, though restrictions in each state might vary after that.

The New York Post reported that one team has told its players to be prepared for a return to training facilities on May 15. Former NHL player and current podcaster John Scott posted on Twitter that he heard NHL training camps will begin again on June 1, and that "European players are coming back soon." That has not yet been confirmed, nor has it been communicated to all players.

One critical detail to keep in mind: Fehr reminded us recently that "it's going to be very difficult to do anything" if borders between the U.S. and Canada remain closed. On April 20, the countries announced that restrictions on nonessential travel would be extended for another 30 days. That could easily be extended again.

Greg Wyshynski: Money. OK, there's also the unwavering desire of professional athletes to complete their season and compete for a championship. But mostly money.

Some estimates have the financial impact for squashing the rest of this season in the realm of a billion-dollar loss. So reopening would soften that blow for the league and its players in a variety of ways.

For example, Bettman said that if the Stanley Cup playoffs are outright canceled rather than played as a made-for-TV event, the league could owe its broadcast partners "credits against next season," since the bulk of the TV revenue is from the postseason and the league has already received its money from those deals this season.

When it comes to the players making up the revenue shortfall with escrow contributions, Bettman told Ron MacLean of Sportsnet, "I don't want to get into the specific numbers. The fact is that we have a system that made the game healthy, that has paid the players more than before the system was in place, and has made our game more competitive than it's ever been. The system works, in good times and in difficult times."

Wyshynski: Out with the campuses, in with the clusters. The NHL is looking at using two to four of its arenas as "hubs" where clusters of teams would finish the regular season -- which is very much still an objective for the league, despite the crunched timeline -- and play some form of the postseason.

Bettman said these NHL arenas "won't necessarily be divisionally based" but rather regionally friendly for teams to travel there. The plan "presumes there wouldn't be fans in the building," he noted.

As for location, they can be anywhere that "isn't a hot spot," according to Bettman.

"There's a number of criteria. What state is friendly? What province is friendly? What are they dealing with? Obviously the New York area is not very friendly. You look at Alberta, and it seems fairly friendly," said Colin Campbell, NHL vice president of hockey operations, in an interview with Sportsnet.

(As a reminder how quickly things move in these scenarios: The chief medical officer of Alberta called for an extension on its ban on mass gatherings through the summer within 24 hours of Campbell's interview. So, maybe not so friendly.)

Specifically, the NHL is looking for arenas with four dressing rooms, since an essential part of the "hub" plan is to stagger multiple games each day, like the World Cup or the Olympics. It's looking for arenas that have nearby hotels that are up to standards for NHL teams. It's looking for arenas that offer practice facilities, either attached to the building or within a reasonable distance, seeing as how multiple teams would need to practice.

Kaplan: The NHL looked into the concept, but it never got off the drawing board because of insurmountable issues on the back end. Here's how Bettman explained it to MacLean: "We can't play in a small college rink in the middle of a smaller community, because if we're going to be centralized, we need the back-of-the-house [amenities] that NHL arenas provide, whether it's multiple locker rooms, whether it's the technology, the procedures, the boards and glass, the video replay, the broadcasting facilities."

Wyshynski: The NHL has been vetting about a dozen potential sites. Sources tell ESPN that the home rinks for the Minnesota Wild, Vegas Golden Knights, Columbus Blue Jackets, Dallas Stars, Carolina Hurricanes and Edmonton Oilers have been among those examined.

Las Vegas is a site that sticks out here, for various reasons. The NHL has had a long business relationship with the city, bringing the NHL Awards there years before the Golden Knights arrived. The team has a top-notch practice facility in Summerlin. T-Mobile Arena is positioned on The Strip, so hotel accommodation wouldn't be a problem in the least. While Vegas temperatures in July are not exactly hockey-friendly, the NHL is confident it can have playable ice anywhere due to its technology -- and without fans in the building and the doors closed, the quality should be maintained.

We're rewatching some of the best games of the 2019-20 season and highlighting what to watch for in each of them:

Hurricanes-Maple Leafs, Feb. 22 Watch the replay here Blues-Golden Knights, Feb. 13 Watch the replay here Flyers-Penguins, Jan. 31 Watch the replay here

(For the record: While recent comments by Las Vegas Mayor Carolyn Goodman about reopening the city have been widely ridiculed, she doesn't have jurisdiction over The Strip, according to Nevada Gov. Steve Sisolak.)

The Hurricanes probably aren't a front-runner. General manager Don Waddell told the News & Observer on Friday that the NHL discussed PNC Arena as a potential site but needed practice facilities for all eight teams to conduct training camps simultaneously. The team's practice facility in Morrisville, which would have two available sheets of ice, is still under construction.

"We'd love to be in a position to host for multiple reasons," Waddell said. "We're not at the top of the list, but we're still talking about it."

As for the Oilers, the situation in Alberta makes things complicated, but the NHL would love to stage some of this restarted season in Canada. If the goal is trying to squeeze as much revenue out of the 2019-20 campaign as possible, keeping costs low is essential.

"Obviously, to have it in Canada you're dealing with the 70-cent dollar now, which would be, in these tough economic times everyone's dealing with, it would be kind of an extra perk that any Canadian team would have, wanting to do it," Campbell said.

One site that Campbell was high on for potential use was Toronto. The NHL staged the 2016 World Cup of Hockey there, using it as a hub for several teams. "Toronto has a number of excellent pluses on their side to be one of the hub centers," he said.

Kaplan: The NHL is working through policy with medical experts they have retained to figure out a contingency plan for this scenario and to make sure it wouldn't derail the entire production.

"Everything depends on the facts and the entire set of circumstances," Daly told TSN's Ryan Rishaug last week. "But no, we do not believe that one positive test, even multiple positive tests, would necessarily shut the whole thing down."

Wyshynski: Like many leagues, executives around the NHL are looking at how other sports are attempting to return to play around the world. Arizona Coyotes GM John Chayka, for example, takes part in a weekly call with NBA, EPL and German soccer league executives. Among the nuances they've discussed: decreasing the amount of cross-traffic in practice facilities, having access to thermometers and maximizing the amount of airways that are going through the building so the virus can't be sustained.

"All of that will be important and taken into consideration if and when," Daly said.

Chayka said the nuances are as important as the big picture.

"Nothing's simple. Testing sounds simple, but it's very complex," he told ESPN. "How to train and isolate sounds simple, but it's really complex. Even how to get players in and out of a facility in a safe way is a more complex endeavor than one can imagine. But that's the new normal."

To put that new normal into perspective, La Liga, Spain's highest-level soccer league, is attempting to return to training in the second week in May. Among the plans circulated around the league, per a document acquired by The Guardian:

Phase one would see at least three tests being carried out on every player before a return to activity, "beginning with polymerase chain reaction and serology tests."

Phase two would be a return to individual training, which would involve daily serology antibody tests. Players who test positive would be immediately isolated. How careful are they expected to be? Consider that players "will arrive at training always in the same car and in kit, taking away the following day's kit in a sealed, biodegradable bag." The gym would be restricted to two players at a time. Players would wear face masks during practice.

Phase three would have teams in isolation, potentially in a closed hotel space occupied only by the team, with each player in his own room. They would not be allowed home. Training sessions are limited to three eight-player groups. After training, it's back to the isolation hotel.

Phase four, about a month later, would be a return to play.

As Chayka said, nothing's simple. And that's not even getting into emotional pressure points like an inability to see one's family for months and the perception of the NHL if it's given special exceptions on travel, mass gatherings or acquisition of COVID-19 tests.

Kaplan: The 2020 NHL draft was scheduled to be held in Montreal at the end of June, and it has technically been postponed -- but we all know it's likely not going to happen in its typical form, live with all parties gathered in one space. Montreal should get a chance to host another draft in the near future.

As Bettman said on Sportsnet: "We don't live in a world of perfect anymore. We're going to have to make adjustments."

A virtual draft is most likely at this point, and the NHL paid close attention to how the NFL draft was executed this past weekend. Bettman floated an interesting idea to his GMs recently: What if they host a virtual draft in June before the NHL resumes play? The NHL would have to decide on this fairly quickly because of the logistics involved.

However, there is tantalizing upside: The NHL can capitalize on an otherwise dead period without live sports. The league office certainly took note of the NFL shattering its all-time draft viewership record, with 15.6 million tuning in across ABC, ESPN and NFL Network for Round 1.

Emily Kaplan and Greg Wyshynski take you around the NHL with the latest news, big questions and special guests every episode. Listen here

Bettman's idea of hosting the draft before play resumes was met with mixed reaction. The biggest issue the NHL would have to sort out is the draft order, which is typically based on final standings. But there are plenty of other complications, such as teams holding conditional picks that are based on the standings or playoff results.

(For example, when the Vancouver Canucks acquired J.T. Miller from the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2019, the Canucks agreed to send a first-round pick in 2020, but stipulated that if Vancouver did not make the playoffs this season, the first-round pick would bump over to 2021. And oh yeah, that was the pick sent to the New Jersey Devils in the Blake Coleman trade this February.)

Appearing on Sportsnet's "Tim and Sid Show" on Thursday, Maple Leafs president Brendan Shanahan said that he supports hosting a June virtual draft.

"It's not ideal, we're never gonna be in a position for this year's draft where we're down on the floor together and mixing and mingling and making trades and talking to one another," Shanahan said. "So my view -- and it's just the view of the Maple Leafs, and I've talked to [Leafs GM] Kyle Dubas on this -- is while we know what we're doing now, which is not anything, we should get it out of the way and take care of it in June. I know other clubs, and I respect that they might have a different opinion, but certainly Toronto would support the league in doing it remotely in June."

Even though more than three months' worth of games for draft-eligible prospects have been wiped out -- including the Frozen Four, CHL playoffs and under-18 tournaments -- teams have shifted to virtual prep for the draft. Many teams are conducting Zoom interviews with prospects; interviews typically would have taken place at the annual scouting combine in Buffalo, New York.

"I don't think doing [the draft] in August or September is really going to change much," Shanahan said. "We're not going to see these young guys play any more. We've seen them all, we've got video on them all."

Wyshynski: If the NHL opts to hold the draft around June 5 -- and again, when Bettman "suggests" something, the general managers usually take it to mean that it's going to happen -- then the draft lottery will be held without the regular season having been completed. Several NHL sources said they expect the draft order would be determined by points percentage at the point in which the season was paused.

But the lottery itself is a different story. There's a real concern among some GMs that because we don't know which teams are in the playoffs, as they could be expanded to 20-24 teams this summer, there's a chance the same team that wins the first overall pick could potentially win the Stanley Cup a few months later.

One clear remedy, according to Bettman, would be for the NHL to reintroduce the rule that says "you can't move up more than a certain number of spots, which is how the lottery used to be." Currently, there are three different draws to determine the first three picks in the draft, in an effort to discourage tanking. From 1995 to 2012, the team that won the draft lottery moved up no more than four positions in the draft order. Under that rule, only the bottom five teams would have a shot at the first overall pick: The Detroit Red Wings (.275 points percentage), Ottawa Senators (.437), San Jose Sharks (.450, although the pick belongs to Ottawa), Los Angeles Kings (.457) and Anaheim Ducks (.472).

Wyshynski: Potentially. The Columbus Blue Jackets signed goalies Joonas Korpisalo and Elvis Merzlikins last week to two-year deals. Both of their contracts start with a lower salary in Year 1 than in Year 2: Korpisalo's base salary jumps by $1.2 million, while Merzlikins' jumps by a full $2 million. There was immediately speculation that these were the first of many "back-loaded" deals we'll see for unrestricted and restricted free agents this offseason, with the first season of the contract carrying a lower salary so the player loses less to what's expected to be a massive increase in escrow withholdings.

Columbus GM Jarmo Kekalainen wouldn't confirm that was the motivation for the contracts. "There are always different motives for different structures, and they play a part in reaching for an agreement," he told ESPN.

Kaplan: I think Phoebe Waller-Bridge is brilliant, and this weekend I streamed the stage version of "Fleabag," which is now available on Amazon. (It's only $5, and proceeds go to charity!) There was some overlap in the material from the popular TV series of the same name she adapted from the play, but I still loved every minute of it. It was especially cool to see her perform the material in a different medium. I also began reading Trevor Noah's memoir.

Wyshynski: Two Apple+ shows I've enjoyed recently. "Defending Jacob" is a Chris Evans series in which he plays an assistant district attorney who suddenly finds the lines blurred between upholding the law and being a father. The first three episodes really grab you. I also enjoyed Spike Jonze's "Beastie Boys Story" for what it was, which is a stage show featuring the band's surviving members that takes us through their history and, in turn, a history of New York's music scene, hip-hop, MTV's influence on pop culture and -- perhaps most interestingly -- how artists "age out" of the controversial and regretful material that launched their careers.

Read this article:

The NHL's coronavirus pause - Where the games could be played, latest on the draft, more - ESPN

Khyati Dharamsi

As life has come to a standstill for most due to the COVID-19 lockdown, gaming apps and organised games are entertaining Indian households.

Time to show-off your poker skills and win Rs.25 lakhs with no investment, win upto Rs 5 lakhs in this Loco Quiz, Play and Win in Rummy, Be a Teenpati king, scream ads online. Families are bonding together on video calls and engaging in tambola games, where you win for a combination of numbers.

Bonding online over games

Earlier there was a sharp evening peak in gameplay, from around 7 PM to midnight. But, currently, we are seeing sustained heavy usage throughout the day. Many users who had never tried online poker (preferring to play solely with friends in person) have started playing online, and a percentage of them will realize that they enjoy playing online just as much, or perhaps even more, says Sudhir Kamath, CEO & Co-Founder, 9Stacks.This online gaming company has seen 100 per cent increase in new user registrations, even as users who log in and subsequently play has increased by 40-50 per cent.

Gaming apps, involving real money, offer the facility of transferring the amount to your bank account or digital wallet.

Family game nights of Tambola are keeping Indian households busy during weekends. Since physical meets are off the table, all the monetary transactions for the games are being done through internet or mobile banking transfers or via digital wallets.

A reader of Moneycontrol stated that he made Rs 7,900 by playing games during the past month. Another online poker player, who was involved in fantasy sports earlier, started taking baby steps in online poker games during the lockdown period. Recently, he won Rs 33,750 in a poker tournament. But he earned an aggregate amount of more than Rs 1 lakh in online poker that he indulged in only during the lockdown.

Taxing gains

While you seek pure pleasure during the lockdown, the taxman would be tracing these transactions to your account, which attract a steep tax rate of 30 per cent (additional 1.2 per cent cess applicable).

"Winnings from lotteries, crossword puzzles, races including horse races, card games and other games of any sort or gambling or betting of any form or nature whatsoever are taxable as Income from other sources under section 115BB of the Income Tax Act, 1961," says Ameet Patel, partner at Manohar Chowdhary and Associates.

If you are fretting a tax return, then you can be assured that the tax has already been deducted and so you need not worry. If a company makes the payment to you, it would deduct 30 per cent of the amount as tax at source. The transaction doesnt end there. You will have to declare the amount in your tax returns, says Mumbai-based chartered accountant Mehul Sheth.

The TDS deduction of 30 per cent would be made only if the amount exceeds Rs 10,000.

That is precisely why some gaming platforms have a threshold limit for allowing funds transfer.

But, what if the amount is lying in the wallet of the gaming app? Such an amount wouldnt reflect in your account statement, as you havent won it in monetary terms. The gaming apps too ask you for the permanent account number (PAN) and bank details only when you wish to transfer the prize money to your bank account.

The winning amount can be transferred to your bank account within the next 377 days, states the terms and conditions of Dream11, a fantasy sports platform.

Software professional Siddharth Gupta, who won Rs 17,500 through a game last year says, Though the company has deducted some amount as tax, I didnt bother to disclose this while filing my tax return. I wasnt aware.

However, people like Siddharth are forgetting that the money has been deducted as TDS, and so the same would be reflected against their PAN numbers and can be traced back. Your Form 26AS or annual tax statement will contain the details if the company declares the amount in its TDS from. All the taxes deducted by either your employer, bank or any landlord would be reflected in your annual tax statement. Checking that is also the first step to filing your tax return.

The gaming company doesnt mention upfront that the amount won is taxable. We need to read the terms and conditions. But who reads them? asks Mumbai-based Rohan Dhulla, who has been playing games that offer the option of encashing the prize amount as a shopping voucher instead of hard cash.

So, can you avoid the tax by opting for such gifts in kind? Not really, as the market value of such gifts have to be considered.

"If winning amounts are being paid partly in cash and partly in kind, then, even if the value is less than Rs 10,000 individually, TDS is to be deducted taking into consideration the entire value of the winning amount," says Patel of Manohar Chowdhry and Associates.

Even if you arent supposed to file a tax return due to the basic income tax exemption limit of Rs 5 lakh, you would still have to pay tax on the amount you win through games. You cannot claim the deductions applicable under Section 80 (C), 80 D etc. and hence no refund would be paid to you, even if you didnt have any other income.

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Original post:

Making gains via gaming apps during the lockdown? Dont forget the tax implications - Moneycontrol.com