Not every game gets its audience right away. Plenty of classics were not commercially successful or critically derided when they first arrived, only to build a reputation through word-of-mouth. John Wick Hex was one such game, a slick and exciting tactics treat that was a pleasantly small-scale offering. But soon, it will disappear from storefronts entirely.
For the unfamiliar, John Wick Hex uses a combination of real-time and turn-based strategy. Instead of set turns, each action is associated with a specific amount of time. Sure, you can sprint across that room in one “turn,” but you’ll open yourself up to multiple rounds of gunfire if you do. You have to time reloads and and melee to create opportunities and prevent injuries. Like the best RTS games, you’ll need both quick thinking and careful strategy to survive.
John Wick Hex was also developed in collaboration with the team behind the films. Lance Reddick and Ian McShane both reprise their roles. The game is drenched in the same slick neon hue that defines John Wick’s visual language.
However, John Wick Hex will soon no longer be available for purchase on any storefront. Publisher Big Fan Games released the following statement,
“John Wick Hex will be removed from sale on all platforms beginning July 17th, 2025.
After July 17th, 2025, existing owners of John Wick Hex will still be able to access the game via their digital libraries (PC/Console) and/or physical copies (Console), however new purchases of John Wick Hex will not be possible, regardless of platform or storefront.”
The statement does not elaborate on why they are removing the game, so that is up to speculation.
You can buy John Wick Hex on Steam for $19.99 until July 17.
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Hello! We are still in a transitional phase of moving the podcast entirely to our Patreon, but in the meantime the only way we can get the show’s feed pushed out to where it needs to go is to post it to the website. However, the wheels are in motion for transitioning not just the podcast but some of the content we’d normally post to TouchArcade onto Patreon. That kicks off today with a Game of the Week post. Spoiler: It’s Balatro. We plan on having a mixture of content available to both free and paid Patreon supporters, as well as some stuff that will be exclusive to paid supporters only. The Game of the Week will likely be one of those paid-only articles, but for this first one it is available to everyone for free. Check it out to get a taste of what the “new” incarnation of TouchArcade might end up looking like.
Oh yeah, and the podcast. This week’s show is episode 603 and we talk about Hurricane Helene, Eli’s Homekit woes (and resolution!), the new iPhone 16 Pro which is now in Eli’s hot little hands, the usefulness of the weird new side button, new phone cases, listener emails, and more. It’s a jam-packed XL episode clocking in at almost 90 minutes, enjoy!
Don’t forget to shoot us emails with any questions, feedback, or anything else relevant or irrelevant to [email protected]. We read ’em all, and love decoding messages written entirely in emoji. As always, you can listen to us with the links below… And if you like what you hear, please subscribe and/or drop us a review in iTunes. Much appreciated!
As a companion to this audio podcast, we also do a video version of the same show that is exclusive to Patreon which allows you to see us playing the games we’re talking about. Backers can view the most recent video episodes of the TouchArcade show by clicking here. Be sure you’re logged in to see the latest content. For everyone else who is curious, you can check out our public patreon posts to see older episodes of the video podcast. If you like what you see, consider becoming a TouchArcade Patreon backer.
A new monitor is one of those purchases most people tend to make when their old one either packs in or they finally decide they want a bigger one.
Over the years, I have had double-monitor and triple-monitor setups. I’ve toyed with portable monitors as a second screen and even projectors. Much of this has been led by my penchant for driving and flight simulations, where extra screen real estate can be beneficial. But the problem is, with working at the same desk as well, it also has to fit right for my writing needs, so that means dangling stuff at weird angles doesn’t always work for me.
A couple of years ago, when the Samsung G9 came out, I really wanted one but simply couldn’t justify the cost – you can buy a first car for a teenager for that price – trust me, you can. As tech moves forward, though, we see a lot of prices coming down, especially in the TV and monitor spaces. The speed at which new panels are developed is pretty astounding. All this means that tech that was out of the price range of the masses not that long ago is now more than in reach.
So, in this growing landscape of ultrawide monitors, the INNOCN 49Q1R stands out immediately — and not just because of its size. This is a 49-inch monitor aimed directly at users who want a huge, immersive workspace or gaming setup without the eye-watering price tag of some better-known brands. It’s still not exactly cheap, but compared to rivals like Samsung’s Odyssey G9 series, it’s priced pretty well at a good level. The big question is whether it delivers enough quality and performance to make it a worthwhile investment. The answer, after a couple of months of use for me, is a resounding yes, with a few caveats.
Design and Build
Unboxing the 49Q1R – and it is huge when it arrives. It’s not that it is heavy per se, but with the box and secure packing inside, a second pair of hands is useful to get it to its final resting spot. It’s hard not to be impressed, and possibly a little intimidated, by its sheer footprint.
This is a 32:9 aspect ratio display with a resolution of 5120×1440, essentially two 27-inch 1440p monitors fused together by magic with no bezel gap. The curve (1800R) helps make that size manageable on a desk, though it still demands a fair amount of space — you’ll want a deep desk to get the full benefit without craning your neck. I have it on my Flexispot, and I dispensed with the previous monitor arm I was using and went with the included stand for ease – mainly because I couldn’t find an Allen key. This takes up a bit of desk real estate but is decent and allows height and swivel adjustment, and I had no problems getting it exactly where I wanted it.
The build quality is solid enough. It’s not flashy — mostly matte plastic with minimal Innocn branding (while I’m on the subject, doesn’t it need an extra vowel – what do I know?) — but nothing feels cheap or flimsy.
Ports are generous. You’ve got two HDMI 2.1 inputs, one DisplayPort 1.4, USB-C with 90W PD, and several USB-A ports for peripherals. The USB-C charging is a nice touch for laptop users, and it’s good to see full-fat HDMI 2.1 support for console gamers. They, like most monitors, are not the easiest to get to, and with the sense of this thing reaching around the back, it is not as simple as I would love it to be. A little breakout box would be a fabulous addition. I pre-empted future issues by attaching all the cables I might ever need before finishing the setup, but if I ever need to change it, it will be a pain, I know it will.
As you can see in the image below, the screen is also backlit with some ambient lighting. This doesn’t change with what’s on screen and in practice, somewhat weirdly, even in a dark room, I don’t even notice it is on. I discovered it by accident when I was messing around the back a few weeks into this review. I don’t really understand how they are that dim.
Image Quality
This is where things get interesting. The 49Q1R is a low-cost OLED panel, and it delivers the sort of deep contrast you’d expect to pay a lot more for. Blacks are genuinely dark, and there’s decent colour pop out of the box. INNOCN rates it at 95% DCI-P3 coverage, and while we didn’t run lab-grade tests because nobody but the dorks really cares, it looks stunning in games that truly support the 32:9 aspect ratio on offer here.
The amazing Blade-Runner-esque city builder Distopika, which you haven’t heard of but you need to buy on Steam immediately, is mind-blowingly beautiful spread across all 49 inches of screen.
Having said that, I’ll be honest, the HDR setting didn’t do it for me. It seemed to wash things out, and I much preferred the 49Q1R’s normal settings. Still, HDR support is there, and in practice, it makes a subtle difference in well-lit scenes and games — just don’t expect OLED-style contrast or blooming-free highlights because you won’t get them. Corners have had to be cut somewhere for the price, and this is an example of that, perhaps.
Productivity and Workflow
For work, this monitor is a dream. The pixel density is the same as a 27-inch 1440p monitor, so text remains crisp, and you’ve got acres of horizontal space for multiple windows. Whether you’re video editing, coding, or juggling multiple browser tabs, the workflow advantage is immediate. I have Windows tracking analytics, Google Docs, Discord, and Plexamp up and running with plenty of space to spare. Windows 11 is much better equipped for snapping your windows into place where you want them these days, so fiddly resizing is a thing of the past.
The panel also supports Picture-in-Picture mode, which effectively turns it into two separate displays. This is genuinely useful if you’re working across two machines, like a desktop and a laptop — you can keep both onscreen at once without any external switchers. You might think who does that, but I did and had a Raspberry Pi 5 in one window and my main PC in the other.
One minor gripe: while the on-screen display is functional, the controls (located underneath the bezel) can be fiddly to use. It’s not a deal-breaker, but it’s one area where more premium monitors offer a smoother experience. You are restricted to a single button, which takes you into the menu. You will mostly use it for on/off, but if you are messing around with PiP or input modes, it can occasionally frustrate.
Gaming Performance
The 49Q1R supports up to 144Hz refresh rate with Adaptive Sync, and gaming on this thing is undeniably immersive. The wide field of view in racing sims and FPS titles feels genuinely next-gen, and you get the smoothness benefits of high refresh, assuming your GPU can handle pushing 5120×1440 at those frame rates.
Input lag is low, and response times are decent, if not blistering. This isn’t a monitor aimed at esports pros, but for most gamers, me included, it’s plenty fast enough. There is a bit of smearing in dark transitions, but my eyes are so bad these days I barely notice — but nothing that ruins the experience.
If you’re on a PS5 or Xbox Series X, you’ll want to double-check game support for ultrawide resolutions. Most console titles will fall back to 16:9 and leave black bars on the sides. PC gamers, meanwhile, will get the full benefit in titles that support 32:9, which not all do. When you find something that does it well, though, you will want to show off your new toy, and settings for 32:9 are becoming more readily available out of the box. This is more of a monitor you will be interested if you game on a PC though.
Verdict
The INNOCN 49Q1R gets such a lot right it still makes me smile. It offers a massive ultrawide experience with strong contrast, good colour accuracy, and solid gaming credentials — all at a price that undercuts the big names in the space by several hundred of your local dubloons. It’s also on sale at the moment in this iteration. You can pick one up for $799 or £586 directly from the manufacturer.
It’s not perfect: HDR is limited, occasional smearing is present, and the physical footprint may be a challenge for smaller desks. But for the price, it’s madness. In the arena of new screens, you shouldn’t be afraid of going with a brand you may never have heard of. You are paying a premium for certain name tags, and, if funds are more limited, or you are simply more frugal with your cash but still want a close approximation of what you get from a Samsung, the INNOCN 49Q1R is highly recommended.
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Say I have a creature with Adventure in my graveyard, for example Murderous Rider, and something allowing me to cast creatures from my graveyard (for example Liliana, Untouched by Death ).
Am I allowed to cast the adventure part of the card from my graveyard?
What if I’m allowed to cast instant and sorceries instead of creatures?
I wonder if there are simulators that estimate the win probability in Monopoly, based on a given game-state. A game-state include the entire situation: properties, monopolies, houses, hotels, cash and the location of each player.
Example: I won a game after giving an opponent the green monopoly in exchange for the maroons. I won the game because I had $1200 cash (and quickly built three houses on each) while my opponent had only $200 cash. (Consider the remaining properties to be "evenly" distributed, including two railroads and one utility for each person.) I would guess that the outcome might very well have been different if my opponent had the $1200, and I the $200.
Probabilities in Monopoly isn’t a simulator, but it is a calculator that calculates the theoretical value of properties given various states of building development. The main thing that is missing is the role of players’ cash positions in win chances, because more cash means that you can develop faster than your opponents.
Is there a simulator that can estimate win chances given the game state?
In The Book, a fictional “Guide to Rebuilding Civilization”, which freely mixes factual and imaginary concepts and objects, one double page is a devoted to a board game.
I have only access to the Italian translation; here the game is described on pages 372-3 and is called La griglia (literally, “The grid”). It is a 2-player game on a 5×8 board with ten tokens for each player, five initially on the board and five to be added in later moves. Enemy pieces are captured by creating a row of own pieces, that allows one to “shoot” at an enemy piece as far as the row is long (if I understand correctly). The goal is to be the first to take five enemy tokens.
Does anyone know more details about this game? Is it an existing game or was it invented for the book? (Of course, it has in any case elements of many historical board games.)
I want to know what is the maximum number of legal move choices from any board position, in the game of checkers, assuming official rules.
I’m creating a program that plays checkers, and for performance reasons, I need to know in advance the largest number of legal moves. I expect it to be quite low, like under 50, but just making a guess is not an option for me.
I searched for this, but couldn’t find an answer. Maybe I missed something.
Edit:
Thinking for a moment, I think (one of) the largest theoretical number(s) of legal moves might be where all 12 pieces are kings, like in the position W:WK5,K6,K7,K8,K13,K14,K15,K16,K21,K22,K23,K24:BK30, which has 42 legal moves. That position is not valid and is not possible to occur. I’m more interested though in the largest possible moves from a valid checkers position. An upper bound might be fine.
Road to Vostok, a punishing FPS coming to Steam Early Access, has received some major improvements. These range from dynamic seasons to a new game mode that’s only for the most hardcore of players, in case you thought the likes of Stalker 2 and Escape from Tarkov weren’t challenging enough.
It’s going to be a while before Road to Vostok hits Steam Early Access, but the developer of this brutal survival game has revealed just what’s in store for future players. They’ve spent the last few months making some major, major updates to this game and punishing doesn’t begin to describe it.
That’s not to say that Road to Vostok has to be complete hell. Its solo developer, Antti, makes it clear that you can tweak this post-apocalyptic experience as you see fit. But their development update video has me grinning at the prospect of diving into it at maximum difficulty, if only once. Unlike Escape from Tarkov, this is a single-player title so there’s no-one coming to your rescue.
The half-hour video, which you can watch below, highlights a host of improvements Antii has implemented. Dynamic seasons is one stand-out, with each season lasting a set number of days. You can opt to stay in one season, or progress through the full gamut, it’s up to you.
If you’re a fan of grenades, you’ll be happy to hear you can now choose the hand position you use to hurl them. Another welcome tweak lets you prioritize magazines with the most bullets; based on what we’ve seen, every bullet counts in Road to Vostok.
There are plenty of visual upgrades, too, from grass to trees and beyond, something to look up at when you’re bleeding out. But it’s Road to Vostok’s Ironman mode that really has our attention. This mode will throw you into a map without a single item. Combine this with the seasonal options, and you can start the game in the freezing cold, with absolutely nothing to your name.
Antti has yet to give a date when Road to Vostok will enter Steam Early Access, but they estimate they’re about halfway there. If you’re a fan of Escape from Tarkov, Stalker or anything with a gloomy Eastern European flavour, this is one to watch.
You can follow us on Google News for daily PC games news, reviews, and guides. We’ve also got a vibrant community Discord server, where you can chat about this story with members of the team and fellow readers.
It’s rough out there, even for video game characters. It looks like Sackboy, from the beloved Little Big Planet series of games, has been removed from the PlayStation Productions intro sequence. This was discovered by Twitter user Radec who sat down to watch the Until Dawn movie, a horrific start to an already shocking movie.
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As such, Sackboy isn’t the star of the office like he used to be. A newer generation of Sony stars are in the office, and old man Sack has sort of been pushed to a desk in the corner of the room. With his face off the PlayStation Productions intro, it’s as if he’s been removed from the office entirely. His stuff in a cardboard box as he waits for a taxi. Or maybe it’s all in a big sack, who knows.
Upon hearing the news, folks were obviously upset. There’s a range of responses that sum up the final nail in Sackboy’s career coffin rather well, from usersr on Twitter called ‘LittleBigPlanet™ for the Playstation®3’ or what have you. I’d like to personally jump in here to say don’t lose hope just yet. Instead, you should wait to see if Sackboy gets dug up for an Adi Shankar adaptation.
Are you sad about Sackboy being thrown out into the street like this? I am. Let us know below, as well as whether you think Sackboy will every come back!
