Twitch announces virtual TwitchCon

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They’re not giving you a whole lot of warning but it’s exciting news for Twitch users nonetheless: the annual TwitchCon is happening virtually next week.

The conference will happen online on 14 November and this year it’s called GlitchCon.

Because no fun was ever had by NOT going into an interdimensional portal.

Step inside with us.

GlitchCon – 11.14.20. pic.twitter.com/Sc3Su8jIpO

— Twitch (@Twitch) November 2, 2020

The platform made the announcement with a video ad for the conference posted on social media.

The annual TwitchCon is the company’s flagship event, but this is the first time it will be held virtually, because of the Covid-19 pandemic.

US government seizes $1 billion in Bitcoin

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The US Department of Justice (DoJ) has seized more than $1 billion in Bitcoin, reportedly linked to the illicit Silk Road website.

Silk Road, an online black market where users bought and sold illegal items such as drugs, stolen credit cards and even hitmen, was shut down in the US in 2013.

The $1 billion in crypto-currency is the largest amount of Bitcoin ever seized by the DoJ.

In a statement issued this week, US Attorney David Anderson explained the government has been investigating where the Silk Road money went ever since the criminal marketplace was shut down.

“The successful prosecution of Silk Road’s founder in 2015 left open a billion-dollar question. Where did the money go?” he said.

“Today’s forfeiture complaint answers this open question at least in part. $1bn of these criminal proceeds are now in the United States’ possession.”

Silk Road creator Ross Ulbricht was prosecuted in 2015 and is currently serving two life sentences.

Gaming boom sees Nintendo crush revenue forecast

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The Covid-19 pandemic has meant a boom in video games, which has proven good news for Nintendo.

With lockdown restrictions leaving many people around the world looking for new at-home entertainment, gaming companies are seeing a boost in profits.

Nintendo has sold 6.86 million Switch consoles in the last quarter alone, bringing the lifetime total sales of the console to 68.3 million.

The number for the last quarter represents a 43% increase on the same period of last year, smashing the company’s forecast.

Confirming the boom is widespread across the industry, Sony has also said that demand for its new PlayStation 5 has been higher than expected.