Meta’s Threads app seems to be working on a new feature similar to community groups, possibly named “Loops.”
This feature has the potential to significantly improve the platform’s social interaction, allowing users to engage with others who share common interests.
Threads, initially launched as a text-based alternative to X (formerly Twitter), has been gradually incorporating features from its sister platform, Instagram.
However, “Loops” would stand out as a unique feature since Instagram currently does not offer a dedicated community group option.
The first signs of “Loops” were discovered by Chris Messina, an early Threads adopter, who found references in the app’s code about joining, leaving, and renaming communities.
Threads App (Photo: Instagram)
Alessandro Paluzzi, a well-known tipster and reverse engineer, shared a preview of the possible user interface, which showed a “Loops” shortcut within the post composer and hinted at the use of tags for discoverability.
Although specific details about “Loops” are still scarce, it’s evident that Threads is looking for ways to create deeper connections and foster community building within the app. This could draw in new users and boost engagement on the platform.
The introduction of “Loops” might be a significant differentiator for Threads in the competitive social media environment.
As the feature moves through its development and testing stages, it will be interesting to observe how it influences user interaction and community creation on the platform.
The Silent Hill 2 remake stands out as one of the most harrowing gaming experiences I’ve had in recent memory.
With an opening statement like that, you might anticipate a highly negative review of developer Bloober Team’s recreation of Konami and Team Silent’s survival horror masterpiece.
However, in this rare case, complete and unrelenting misery is actually a positive feature. The original Silent Hill 2 is widely considered one of the bleakest, most somber games ever made, and Bloober Team has effectively captured its oppressive atmosphere.
The remake is a chilling and uncomfortable descent into terror, retaining the original’s haunting magic.
This disturbing journey begins with the game’s atmospheric sound and visuals. The iconic thick fog that cloaks the town of Silent Hill is a crucial element of the story, and the remake uses modern volumetric effects to make the mist feel even denser and more isolating than before.
Escaping the monster-infested streets should bring relief, but instead, you find yourself taking shelter in depressingly squalid buildings.
Much of Silent Hill 2 revolves around a sense of descent, and this is reflected in the game’s visual design.
Early locations feel merely abandoned and neglected, with peeling wallpaper and empty cupboards. But as you push deeper, the environments grow increasingly oppressive.
Familiar textures give way to rough, decayed alternatives, until the setting becomes a rusted, rotting shell. What begins as eerie soon transforms into a full-fledged nightmare the further you go.
Adding to this horror is the game’s use of minimal lighting. You’re locked inside dark, claustrophobic spaces for most of the game’s 12 to 18-hour runtime, depending on how you play.
This becomes particularly stressful during exploration of Toluca Prison, where the lights can only stay on for a few seconds at a time, forcing you to frantically dash between breaker switches in a desperate attempt to stave off the encroaching darkness.
After being deprived of sunlight for so long, the sight of daylight becomes a powerful relief, akin to gasping for air after being submerged underwater. The effect is deeply unsettling.
The sound design, composed once again by Silent Hill 2’s original composer Akira Yamaoka, doesn’t rely on a traditional musical score. Instead, you’re assaulted by a relentless collection of oppressive noises.
This reaches its peak in the late game when the orchestration dynamically incorporates the sounds of approaching creatures, making you question every sound you hear.
Over time, this aural barrage begins to chip away at your sense of reality, simulating a descent into madness. It’s a masterful, uncomfortable auditory experience.
Silent Hill 2 Remake on PS5
While the visual and auditory aspects are integral, it’s the deeper design that cements Silent Hill 2 as a truly terrifying game.
Many horror games use art and sound to unsettle players, but few have the same psychological depth as Silent Hill 2. Where games like Resident Evil 4 and Dead Space are essentially action games with horror elements, Silent Hill 2 is pure horror through and through.
Every environment feels like an elaborate puzzle, and you’re constantly retracing your steps to find keys or hidden paths.
This backtracking adds to the feeling of exhaustion, both mental and physical, as you navigate increasingly disturbing locations like the apartments, hospital, and hotel.
This sense of fatigue is particularly brutal in the final third of the game, where you’re forced to explore the prison and labyrinth back-to-back with no respite.
These areas are filled with nearly impenetrable darkness, twisted puzzles, and some of the most grotesque enemies in the game.
The psychological and emotional toll effectively mirrors the protagonist James Sunderland’s mental state, with Bloober Team and Team Silent’s biggest achievement being the ability to evoke empathy through gameplay.
The oppressive atmosphere is further maintained by various gameplay elements that reinforce the story’s themes of descent and despair.
For instance, you repeatedly need to jump into pitch-black holes, and each time, you must press the action button multiple times to reflect James’ reluctance and fear. As the atmosphere becomes more unbearable, the game provides no relief.
Unlike the Resident Evil series, which offers more powerful weapons and moments of explosive action as the game progresses, Silent Hill 2 gives you only a rusty pipe, a handgun, and perhaps a shotgun or rifle with limited ammo.
Even familiar enemies become more erratic and terrifying over time, ensuring that the game’s suffocating atmosphere never lets up.
Silent Hill 2 isn’t designed to be fun—it’s an exploration of the darker sides of the human experience, particularly grief and guilt, emotions that are typically avoided.
There’s a strange, uncomfortable thrill in actively confronting these feelings through a video game.
The original 2001 version’s technical limitations added to the tension, with its semi-fixed camera creating claustrophobia and awkward combat mechanics heightening the sense of desperation.
In Bloober Team’s remake, these thorns have been pruned, replaced with modern third-person controls that make the game a bit more accessible.
However, these updates are the only concessions made, and while combat may feel less frantic, the core of Silent Hill 2’s nightmarish vision remains intact.
The Silent Hill 2 remake is a powerful reminder of Konami’s mastery of survival horror, and it proves that the game’s relentless, oppressive tone can still deliver a deeply unsettling experience.
Whoa, this was definitely an unexpected surprise to wake up to! During a recent livestream from 343 Industries, the team officially announced that Halo Infinite will be getting a third-person mode this November!
That’s right—three years after the game’s original release, a major new feature like third-person gameplay is being added to Infinite, which is quite surprising, especially since many thought substantial updates were mostly behind us at this point.
Nevertheless, the team shared a work-in-progress clip of the new mode in action, which you can check out below.
Based on the nature of the clip and 343’s history of focusing on multiplayer updates for Halo Infinite, it’s likely this feature will be limited to multiplayer and won’t extend to the campaign.
Halo Infinite Third Person Mode
This makes sense considering the immersive, first-person perspective is core to stepping into the shoes of Master Chief in the story mode.
Regardless, it’s an exciting addition to the multiplayer experience that no one saw coming!
Back in July, the team released the ‘Operation Fleetcom’ update, continuing to deliver new content for Halo Infinite even though the game no longer follows the traditional seasonal update model.
Third-person mode is set to arrive in November 2024, bringing a fresh new way to experience Halo’s multiplayer.
Just last month, a study revealed that ChatGPT, unsurprisingly, is the most popular AI tool, at least when it comes to app downloads.
What was surprising, however, was the absence of some big names in AI, such as Google’s Gemini, from that list.
Now, a new study from the creative subscription service Superside has also examined this area but with a different focus.
Instead of app downloads, this study looked at the number of searches people make for specific AI tools.
This method provides insight into the AIs that people are interested in, even if they aren’t necessarily using them.
Interestingly, despite using different metrics, OpenAI’s ChatGPT still dominates the AI space, receiving nearly 25 million searches from U.S. citizens every month.
In second place is Google’s Gemini, which racks up 1.5 million searches per month. That creates a massive gap of 23.5 million searches between ChatGPT and Gemini.
However, the substantial number of searches for Gemini could signal a growing interest, despite its earlier setbacks this year.
Notably, its image generator was shut down less than a month after its launch due to issues related to how the model rendered people’s race and failed basic coding tasks.
ChatGPT (Photo: Getty Images)
One possible explanation for this rising interest in Gemini could be its inclusion in Google’s highly anticipated, AI-focused Pixel 9 phone lineup.
However, the data in this study is current as of August 8, roughly a month before the Pixel 9 phones were officially launched.
The growing interest in Gemini also occurred before it was made available to all Android devices.
Had the study been conducted later, it’s likely that Gemini would have shown an even higher search volume.
While people are becoming more comfortable with AI tools and integrating them into their daily lives, the research indicates that users have clear preferences when it comes to specific models.
Familiar names in the AI space, such as Character.ai, Claude, and Suno, didn’t even make the top 15 most-searched-for AIs.
The total number of searches dropped significantly after the top two, with Microsoft’s Copilot coming in third place, seeing 368,000 searches per month.
Perplexity and Brave Search rounded out the top five. The remaining names in the top 10 were Phind, Algolia, You, YouChat, and KOMO.
Google has announced two new Chromebooks today: Samsung’s Galaxy Chromebook Plus and Lenovo’s Chromebook Duet 11.
Alongside these devices, Google is introducing a brand-new feature: the Quick Insert button. This button is designed to provide instant access to some of Google’s latest AI-powered tools.
The Quick Insert button, which will replace the search/launcher button on certain Chromebooks, debuts with the Galaxy Chromebook Plus.
This feature is a gateway to a suite of new AI functionalities. By pressing the button, users can bring up a menu that offers tools like “Help me write,” which assists in drafting memos, emails, and will soon include AI image generation, as explained by John Maletis, VP of ChromeOS product, engineering, and UX.
In addition to writing help, the Quick Insert button offers faster access to information. It can quickly display a list of recently visited websites, allowing users to easily insert links.
The button also facilitates searching through photos, videos, documents, and spreadsheets stored in Google Drive, or pulling up favorite GIFs and emojis.
A similar move was made by Microsoft earlier this year, adding a dedicated Copilot key to some laptops for fast access to Windows’ AI features.
One of the exciting new features arriving with this button is Welcome Recap, which aims to catch you up when you log back into your device.
This feature, available on all Chromebooks, offers a summary of activities you were engaged in before logging out.
Welcome Recap works across devices, providing reminders such as your next video call, quick access to recently opened files, or clickable suggestions to resume an article you started on your Android or iOS phone. For those who tend to keep many tabs open, this feature could be especially useful.
In addition to Quick Insert, other AI-powered features are rolling out this month for the premium Chromebook Plus lineup.
These include “Help me read,” which summarizes the content you’re viewing, and Live Translate, offering real-time caption translations in over 100 languages.
The Recorder app is another new addition, capable of generating transcripts from lectures, interviews, or conversations. During a demonstration, the app accurately captured my words and recognized multiple speakers, showcasing its effectiveness.
Chromebooks
Samsung’s Galaxy Chromebook Plus will be the first to showcase these features. With its sleek grayish-blue aluminum body, this device is visually striking.
Weighing only 2.58 pounds and measuring 0.46 inches in thickness, it stands out as the lightest and thinnest Chromebook from either company to date.
The Chromebook Plus features a 15.6-inch OLED display that looked impressive in person. The keyboard is also well-designed, complete with a full number pad.
However, this device isn’t aimed at users seeking high-end performance. It runs on an Intel Core i3 100U Raptor Lake Refresh processor, paired with 8GB of RAM and 256GB of storage. Battery life is estimated to be around 13 hours on a single charge.
Meanwhile, Lenovo’s Chromebook Duet 11 doesn’t feature the Quick Insert button but still supports all the latest ChromeOS features.
This refreshed version of the popular detachable model from 2020 maintains its portability and versatility, with updated hardware.
The detachable magnetic keyboard allows the Duet 11 to function as either a tablet or a traditional laptop. The rear cover folds into a kickstand, letting you position the device vertically or horizontally.
Lenovo highlights the Duet 11’s 10.9-inch 1920 x 1200 touchscreen, which has advanced palm rejection technology. This makes it ideal for using the included USI Pen 2 stylus, which magnetically attaches to the back of the device.
Powered by a MediaTek Kompanio 838 processor with 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage, the Duet 11 is well-suited for light productivity tasks and media consumption.
It features two webcams—an 8MP rear camera and a 5MP front-facing camera. Lenovo estimates up to 12 hours of battery life on a single charge.
Additionally, there’s an education edition of the Duet 11, with a more durable case for the tablet portion to protect against accidental drops.
Both Chromebooks will be available later this month. The Lenovo Chromebook Duet 11 will start at $340, while the Samsung Galaxy Chromebook Plus, being the more premium option, will start at $699.
Following the shutdown of Yuzu earlier this year, the development of the Switch emulator Ryujinx appears to have come to a halt after its creator was contacted by Nintendo.
The emulator, which began development in 2017 and launched in 2018, was the first Switch emulator capable of running commercial games.
Since its release, the open-source project had been maintained by creator gdkchan, who funded its development through Patreon.
However, it now seems Ryujinx is facing a similar fate to Yuzu.
Users attempting to access Ryujinx’s Github page reported receiving a 404 error earlier today, and concerns grew when the emulator’s download page also became inaccessible.
Word about Ryujinx’s status emerged through a message posted on the emulator’s Discord server.
Co-developer riperiperi explained that “yesterday, gdkchan was contacted by Nintendo and offered an agreement to stop working on the project, remove the organization, and take down all related assets he controls.”
He added, “While awaiting confirmation on whether he would accept this agreement, the organization has already been removed, so it seems safe to assume the outcome.
Nintendo Switch (Photo: Ariana Triggs)
Rather than leave everyone in uncertainty, I wanted to provide this brief message for closure.”
A screenshot of riperiperi’s message was later shared on Ryujinx’s official social media accounts, further confirming the situation.
As of now, Ryujinx’s Patreon and official website remain online, but its download page and Github repository are still inaccessible.
The demise of Ryujinx comes just seven months after the developer of Yuzu, Tropical Haze, agreed to a $2.4 million settlement with Nintendo and ceased all operations following a lawsuit that accused the emulator of enabling large-scale piracy.
Given that context, it’s unsurprising that gdkchan may have chosen to take Ryujinx offline rather than risk a legal battle with Nintendo, which has a history of aggressively pursuing legal action against emulators and piracy.
For example, in 2022, hacker Gary Bowser was sentenced to 40 months in prison and ordered to pay $4.5 million for selling devices that facilitated game piracy.
In 2021, the owner of the ROM site RomUniverse faced a $2.1 million judgment for copyright and trademark infringement, and in 2018, an Arizona couple was ordered to pay Nintendo $12.2 million for running websites that distributed pirated ROMs.
Nintendo’s aggressive stance on intellectual property also extends to certain games, including its recent opposition to “Palworld.”
Many users may already know that Epic Games, the company behind Fortnite, has operated its own app marketplace for some time—the Epic Games Store.
In December of last year, the company scored a major legal victory in an antitrust case against Google, where the court ruled that Google held an illegal monopoly over app distribution and in-app billing services for Android devices. However, despite this victory, Epic’s legal battles are far from over.
The company is now suing Google again, and this time it has also included Samsung as a defendant, focusing on Samsung’s Auto Blocker feature.
In this new lawsuit, Epic Games claims that Samsung’s Auto Blocker feature is hindering users from installing the Epic Games Store on the latest Samsung devices.
This is because the Auto Blocker, which is now enabled by default, only permits app installations from Google Play Store and Samsung Galaxy Store. To install third-party apps, users must first disable this function, creating an additional hurdle.
Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney has suggested that Google and Samsung may be collaborating, although he acknowledges there’s no hard evidence to support this theory at present.
Epic Games (Photo: Alamy Stock)
He found that there were no direct instructions on how to deactivate Auto Blocker. After searching “turn off auto blocker” within the settings, he was able to find the option, but it required going through several screens to fully disable it.
Aside from its victory against Google, Epic Games also successfully sued Apple in a separate case. The issue with Apple arose when the tech giant refused to allow Epic Games to launch its app store on iOS devices.
However, following intervention from the EU, Apple was forced to permit the store, though the company continues to resist and claims that its compliance is temporary.
As for how Google and Samsung will respond to these new allegations, that remains uncertain.
Both companies may argue that they are not deliberately making it difficult to install the Epic Games Store. For now, it seems that Epic’s legal struggle will continue, and we’ll be left waiting for the courts to resolve the matter.
Google’s upcoming Pixel 9a is set to introduce a fresh design, according to newly leaked renders, which show a notable departure from a key feature that has defined the brand’s smartphones.
Since the “Tensor reboot” that revamped Google’s phone lineup, the design has featured a distinctive “camera bar” or “visor” across the back of the devices, housing all camera components.
This feature has evolved over time to fit different models but quickly became the most recognizable design element of the Pixel series in recent years.
However, it seems the Pixel 9a will break away from this iconic look.
Leaked CAD-based renders of the Pixel 9a reveal a new design in which the camera module is flush with the back of the phone, doing away with the raised camera bar.
Google Pixel 8A
The design bears resemblance to certain LG phones that were released before the company exited the smartphone market.
On the Pixel 9a, the cameras are mostly level with the rest of the device, with the flash positioned to the right of the camera lenses.
This design change was first hinted at when a prototype surfaced in late August.
Although the leak, shared by Android Headlines and created by @OnLeaks, does not provide detailed dimensions or additional specs for the Pixel 9a, this omission is somewhat unusual given that such leaks typically include size details along with the design.
The Pixel 9a is anticipated to debut in mid-2025 and will be one of five new Pixel devices Google plans to release next year.
In response to security concerns, Microsoft has provided details on how it has revamped its controversial AI-powered Recall feature, which captures screenshots of nearly everything you do or see on a computer.
Originally slated to debut with Copilot Plus PCs in June, Microsoft has spent the last few months improving the security behind Recall, making it an opt-in feature that users can fully uninstall from Windows if desired.
“I’m actually really excited about how deeply we dived into the security architecture,” said David Weston, Microsoft’s vice president of enterprise and OS security, during an interview.
“I think the security community is going to appreciate how much effort we’ve put into enhancing Recall.”
One of the major changes Microsoft has made is that Recall will no longer be enabled by default.
“There is no more default on experience at all—you have to opt into this,” said Weston. “That’s crucial for people who don’t want the feature, and we fully understand that.”
Earlier this month, an uninstall option for Recall appeared on Copilot Plus PCs, which Microsoft initially referred to as a bug.
However, it turns out users will indeed be able to fully remove Recall. “If you choose to uninstall it, we remove everything from your machine,” Weston explained, including the AI models powering the feature.
Initially, security researchers found that Recall’s database, which stores screenshots taken every few seconds, was not encrypted, leaving it vulnerable to malware attacks.
Microsoft has since encrypted all sensitive elements of Recall, including its screenshot database, and is using Windows Hello to safeguard against tampering.
The encryption of Recall is now tied to the Trusted Platform Module (TPM), which is required for Windows 11. This means the encryption keys are stored in the TPM, and access to them is granted only through authentication via Windows Hello.
The only time Recall data is sent to the user interface is when the user activates the feature and authenticates via facial recognition, fingerprint, or PIN.
“To enable Recall, you need to be present as the user,” said Weston. This means users must use facial recognition or fingerprint authentication to set up the feature, which will then allow PIN-based access.
This setup is intended to prevent malware from exploiting Recall data in the background, with Microsoft requiring user presence verification through Windows Hello.
“We’ve moved all screenshot processing and sensitive operations into a virtualization-based security enclave, essentially placing them inside a virtual machine,” Weston added.
This design ensures that the user interface (UI) layer of the app does not have access to raw screenshots or the Recall database.
When a user interacts with Recall and conducts searches, Windows Hello prompts authentication, queries the virtual machine, and retrieves data. Once the user closes the Recall app, all memory is erased.
“The app outside the virtualization enclave is protected against malware, and any malicious attempt would require a kernel driver to breach it,” said Weston.
Microsoft has outlined the full security model of Recall and its Virtualization-Based Security (VBS) enclave in a blog post.
Windows 11 Recall Feature
This approach looks significantly more secure than the original design and may provide a look into how Microsoft could enhance the security of future Windows applications.
As for why Microsoft almost launched Recall in June without these robust security measures, the details are somewhat unclear.
Weston confirmed that Recall had been reviewed under Microsoft’s Secure Future Initiative, introduced last year, but being a preview product, it had certain restrictions.
“The plan was always to include Microsoft’s fundamental security features, like encryption.
But we also received feedback from people who were very concerned about the risks,” Weston noted, leading Microsoft to accelerate additional security measures planned for Recall to ensure user concerns wouldn’t deter adoption.
“This goes beyond just Recall,” Weston hinted. “We now have one of the strongest platforms for handling sensitive data processing on the edge, and this opens up a lot of other possibilities.”
He emphasized that accelerating these security investments has positioned Recall as a premier platform for data protection.
Another important change is that Recall will only be available on Copilot Plus PCs, preventing users from sideloading it onto other Windows machines as seen earlier this year.
To verify a Copilot Plus PC, Recall will check for the presence of features like BitLocker, virtualization-based security, secure boot, system guard protections, and kernel DMA protection.
Microsoft has also conducted extensive reviews of Recall’s updated security. The Microsoft Offensive Research Security Engineering (MORSE) team spent months conducting design reviews and penetration tests on the feature.
Additionally, a third-party security firm performed an independent security design review and testing.
With more time to work on Recall, Microsoft has introduced additional control features. Users will now be able to filter out specific apps and block certain websites from being captured by Recall.
Sensitive content filtering will also prevent the storage of passwords, credit card information, health data, and financial details.
Users will even have the option to delete specific time ranges, content from particular apps or websites, or the entire Recall database.
Microsoft remains on track to preview Recall with Windows Insiders on Copilot Plus PCs in October, meaning that the feature won’t ship with new laptops or PCs until after the Windows community has thoroughly tested it.
California Governor Gavin Newsom has signed a new law (AB 2426) aimed at addressing the issue of “disappearing” digital purchases, such as games, movies, music, and ebooks.
The legislation mandates that digital storefronts clearly inform customers that they are only acquiring a license to use digital content, rather than misleading them into thinking they actually own it.
When the law takes effect next year, it will prohibit digital storefronts from using terms like “buy” or “purchase” unless they clarify that customers are not receiving unlimited access to the content.
Storefronts will be required to inform customers that the license can be revoked and provide a detailed list of any restrictions that apply.
Companies that fail to comply with these rules could face penalties for false advertising.
This legislation won’t apply to stores that offer “permanent offline” downloads. It is a direct response to actions by companies like PlayStation and Ubisoft.
California’s Digital Transaction Law (Photo: Hugo Herrera)
In April, Ubisoft began removing The Crew from players’ accounts after shutting down servers for the online-only game.
Similarly, last year, Sony initially announced plans to remove purchased Discovery content from PlayStation libraries before reversing the decision.
“As retailers shift away from selling physical media, consumer protections for digital purchases have become increasingly necessary,” California Assemblymember Jacqui Irwin said in a press release.
“I appreciate the Governor signing AB 2426 to put an end to the false and deceptive advertising that misleads consumers into thinking they own their digital purchases.”
While requiring storefronts to disclose that they are selling licenses won’t prevent them from revoking digital purchases, it will at least ensure that consumers are more aware that what they are buying can be taken away at any time.
Even before Ghost of Tsushima captivated players with its samurai protagonist and cinematic style, inspired by Kurosawa films like Yojimbo, the game’s designers were already confident enough to begin planning a sequel.
On Tuesday, Sucker Punch Productions officially announced Ghost of Yotei, marking the beginning of a new franchise.
This expansion will include at least one movie and other spinoffs, solidifying the series’ place alongside other iconic Sony PlayStation titles like God of War and Horizon Zero Dawn.
Nate Fox and Jason Connell, the creative directors of Ghost of Tsushima, had long envisioned a spiritual successor to the 2020 game, which transported players to the fringes of the Japanese shogunate period during the Mongol invasion of Tsushima Island in the 1200s.
The game was lauded for its historical accuracy, and with 13 million copies sold, fans eagerly speculated about a sequel.
An initial trailer for Ghost of Yotei, set to release on PlayStation 5 next year, introduces the game’s setting as “beyond the edge of Japan,” with a striking image of Mount Yotei, located in the northern Hokkaido region.
After scenes of snowy battles and bloodshed, a new protagonist named Atsu appears, bowing to a wolf companion as she gazes toward an unknown expanse.
“When we started working on a sequel, the first question we asked was, ‘What is the DNA of a Ghost game?’” Fox said. “It’s about immersing the player in the romance and beauty of feudal Japan.”
The inspiration for the new game’s setting came during two research trips to northern Japan.
The Sucker Punch team, mostly based in Washington State, visited over a dozen locations. The awe-inspiring sight of Mount Yotei reflected in Lake Toya particularly stood out to Connell.
“I sat there for two hours just staring at the mountain,” Connell said, describing the active stratovolcano, which resembles Mount Fuji. “It was stunning.”
Fox highlighted another memorable visit to Shiretoko National Park, located on Hokkaido’s northeastern tip, where he recorded natural sounds for the game’s audio team.
“Inside the park, there’s a video warning you about the dangers of bears,” Fox said. “Being in such a beautiful place with jagged cliffs and water, all while being aware of the bears, was electrifying.”
Ghost of Yotei Game
Fox noted that the sense of danger would be an integral part of the game’s atmosphere.
Without revealing too many details, the developers described Ghost of Yotei as a story of “underdog vengeance,” following Atsu as she traverses diverse landscapes, including grasslands and snowy tundras. Players will have more control over her story than they did in the previous game.
“One challenge in creating an open-world game is avoiding repetitive tasks,” Connell said, explaining that players will now be able to master firearms in addition to melee weapons like the katana. “We wanted to strike a balance and provide unique experiences.”
When Ghost of Yotei launches, it will face stiff competition in a crowded thematic space.
The Assassin’s Creed franchise is releasing its own game set in feudal Japan in February, and the Emmy-winning television series Shogun, set during the 1600s when the Tokugawa shogunate ruled much of Japan, is also on the horizon.
Fox, a fan of both the show and the book it’s based on, even named his dog, an Australian labradoodle, after the main character, Lord Toranaga.
The sequel to Ghost of Tsushima is just one part of Sony’s coordinated efforts to expand the series into a larger entertainment franchise.
A film adaptation of the original game has been in development for several years, directed by Chad Stahelski of John Wick fame.
In recent years, video game companies have found success in adapting their characters for the big screen.
Last year, The Super Mario Bros. Movie earned more than $1.3 billion at the box office, making it the second-highest-grossing film of the year. A year earlier, a movie based on Sony’s Uncharted games grossed around $400 million.
Hermen Hulst, the head of Sony’s studio business group, explained that expanding intellectual property across various entertainment formats helps drive players back to the original games. “We saw the same with The Last of Us on HBO,” he said.
“From a business standpoint, it makes perfect sense,” Hulst added. “When a TV show or movie is released, people are inspired to replay or invite friends to join them.”-
A security researcher recently uncovered a “catastrophic” vulnerability in the Arc browser that could have allowed attackers to inject arbitrary code into other users’ browser sessions using only a readily accessible user ID.
The issue was patched on August 26th and publicly disclosed today in a blog post by researcher xyz3va, along with a statement from The Browser Company. According to the company, logs show that no users were impacted by the flaw.
The vulnerability, identified as CVE-2024-45489, stemmed from a misconfiguration in The Browser Company’s use of Firebase, a service providing backend database storage for user information, including Arc Boosts—a feature that lets users customize the look of websites with custom CSS and JavaScript.
In its official statement, The Browser Company explained:
Arc has a feature called Boosts that allows users to apply custom CSS and JavaScript to any website.
Since running arbitrary JavaScript on websites poses security risks, we decided not to allow Boosts with custom JavaScript to be shared across users. However, we still synced them to our server so users could access their Boosts across devices.
We use Firebase for some Arc features, including syncing and sharing Boosts.
Arc Browser Logo (Photo: The Browser Company)
Unfortunately, our Firebase Access Control Lists (ACLs) were misconfigured, which meant users could modify the creatorID of a Boost after its creation.
This flaw allowed any Boost to be assigned to any user (if the attacker had the user’s ID), activating the Boost with custom CSS or JavaScript on the targeted website.
In the words of xyz3va:
arc boosts can contain arbitrary javascript
arc boosts are stored in firestore
the arc browser gets which boosts to use via the creatorID field
we can arbitrarily change the creatorID field to any user id
Obtaining someone’s creatorID was relatively easy through referral links, shared easels, or publicly shared Boosts.
With that ID, an attacker could have inserted malicious code into a custom Boost and activated it in the victim’s Arc browser without any involvement from the victim—an extremely serious security flaw.
The Browser Company acted swiftly. After xyz3va reported the issue to cofounder Hursh Agrawal and demonstrated it, the researcher was added to the company Slack within minutes. The bug was fixed the following day.
The company’s statement outlined the steps it is taking to prevent future issues, including launching a bug bounty program, moving away from Firebase, disabling custom JavaScript on synced Boosts, and expanding its security team.
The European Commission has launched new proceedings under the Digital Markets Act (DMA), aimed at guiding Apple on how to fulfill its interoperability obligations.
These two “specification proceedings,” focused on iOS and iPadOS, are expected to conclude within six months.
The DMA mandates that Apple must offer third parties “free and effective interoperability” with the hardware and software features governed by iOS and iPadOS. The EU is now stepping in to clarify what that entails.
“Today marks the first time we are using specification proceedings under the DMA to help Apple comply with its interoperability obligations through constructive dialogue,” said Margrethe Vestager, the outgoing EU competition chief.
“Our goal is to ensure fair and open digital markets. Effective interoperability, particularly with smartphones and their operating systems, plays a key role in this effort.”
The Commission emphasized that Apple is required to provide third-party developers and businesses with free and effective access to hardware and software features controlled by iOS and iPadOS.
The first specification proceeding will focus on how Apple’s iOS handles interoperability with devices such as headphones, smartwatches, and virtual reality headsets, especially in areas like notifications, device pairing, and connectivity.
While the EU has not specified exact targets, it may address common complaints such as the lack of true Bluetooth multipoint support for AirPods or the inability of Garmin watch users to send quick replies when paired with an iPhone.
AirPods Pairing
Although AirPods may not directly fall within this scope, the Commission’s focus could clarify the boundaries.
The second proceeding will examine how Apple manages interoperability requests from third-party developers who wish to integrate their products with iOS and iPadOS devices.
In a statement, Apple indicated that it has already introduced secure ways for developers to request additional iPhone and iPad interoperability.
However, the company warned that compromising the system protections it has built could jeopardize the security of European consumers.
The European Commission plans to communicate its preliminary findings to Apple, outlining the steps the company should take to comply with the DMA’s interoperability requirements. This summary will also be published for public feedback from third parties.
If Apple fails to meet the obligations, it could eventually face penalties of up to 10% of its global annual revenue—though such fines would only follow a lengthy investigation into non-compliance.
Apple was designated as a “gatekeeper” under the DMA in September last year, alongside other tech giants like Microsoft, Meta, Amazon, and Alphabet.
As gatekeepers, these large platforms are seen as providing essential services that can significantly affect market competition.
It was clear that Sony was headed for a significant loss with Concord, considering its enormous budget, poor player turnout, and unprecedented early shutdown.
However, new information suggests the situation may be even worse than initially thought.
According to a report by Colin Moriarty of Sacred Symbols, based on a source who worked on Concord, the game’s budget exceeded all expectations, reaching a staggering $400 million, divided into two phases of development.
By the time the game reached its alpha stage, $200 million had already been spent. It remains unclear how much of that amount came from the original owners and investors versus Sony’s contribution.
From 2021 to the game’s 2024 launch, Sony invested an additional $200 million.
When the game was shown in its alpha stage, it was reportedly in such poor condition that Sony felt it necessary to pour in that much more just to bring it to a “minimally viable” product.
A major expense involved outsourcing large parts of the game to other studios. By the first quarter of 2023, critical aspects such as onboarding and monetization had not yet been developed.
This might explain the pricing strategy and absence of “battle passes,” rather than it being a deliberate choice to shift the model. It could also account for the poor quality of the earned cosmetics.
The ongoing cost to maintain the game would have run into millions of dollars per month. Concord represents the most expensive game Sony has ever released and its largest financial loss to date.
While other games currently in development may have higher budgets, in terms of completed projects, Concord holds the record for being the costliest. It’s considered a complete loss.
Concord Game
Concord was initially envisioned as “the future of PlayStation,” with grand comparisons made to Star Wars. There were ambitious plans for the game to cross into multiple media platforms, including involvement in Amazon’s Secret Level series.
Internally, a “toxic positivity” culture pervaded, where criticism of the game was not allowed. Even aspects like character design couldn’t be meaningfully altered. No one was able to steer the project in a different direction.
This project was described as the “baby” of Herman Hulst, CEO of Sony Interactive, who championed the game extensively.
Some of this still feels baffling, even aside from the immense budget, which in the world of AAA game development is somewhat believable.
But how does a company, after seeing a game in a “laughable” alpha state two years ago, frantically outsource work to get it finished, and still believe it is the “future of PlayStation” or that it could become a Star Wars-like franchise?
Such lofty comparisons have been made before, like with Bungie’s Destiny, which succeeded and has thrived for a decade. Concord, by contrast, lasted only two weeks.
This scenario reflects the confirmed reports of “toxic positivity,” where even if the project’s failings seemed obvious, no one was allowed to say it out loud—especially not when the game was so heavily supported by the head of Sony Interactive.
Investing this much hope in a poorly performing game arguably raises questions about whether such leadership is fit for the role.
The head of Firewalk, the studio behind Concord, has already stepped down, and it seems unlikely the team will survive.
The studio may either be dissolved into other parts of Sony or shut down entirely. This could go down as the biggest financial disaster in video game history, and accountability is essential. The blame should not fall on the rank-and-file workers in this case.
Microsoft has set ambitious revenue and profit targets for its Xbox division as it prepares for an upcoming presentation at the Tokyo Game Show.
Facing stiff competition from Sony and Nintendo, Xbox Series X/S sales have fallen behind, prompting Microsoft to expand its revenue streams beyond console sales.
This includes growing its Xbox Game Pass subscription service, raising prices, and releasing Xbox-exclusive games on more popular platforms.
Microsoft’s push for profits has also driven several major acquisitions, such as Bethesda and Activision Blizzard. The latter acquisition has been key in keeping Xbox profitable, according to the company’s latest financial report.
A recent interview has provided more insight into Xbox’s current strategy, with sources revealing that the company is under particularly “challenging” profit goals set by Microsoft.
A profile interview with Xbox president Sarah Bond mentions that Microsoft’s gaming unit is operating under difficult financial targets, according to insiders familiar with Xbox’s operations.
While Bond did not directly comment on these claims, she acknowledged the challenges facing Xbox, stressing that playing it safe would be a mistake. “The opportunity on the other side is way bigger for all of us,” Bond stated.
Although there are no exact figures for Xbox’s financial goals, Microsoft’s $68.7 billion (£56 billion) acquisition of Activision Blizzard has likely raised the company’s expectations, particularly with the financial powerhouse Call of Duty now under Xbox’s umbrella.
This may also explain why Xbox increased the price of Game Pass, with the upcoming Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 being available exclusively on the more expensive Ultimate tier when it launches on October 25.
While it’s unclear if this strategy will increase Xbox Game Pass subscriptions and profits, Xbox is not abandoning the hardware business.
Xbox Series S and X (Photo: Microsoft)
Microsoft has repeatedly hinted at plans for the next generation of consoles, promising a “technological leap” that seems ambitious.
Xbox Gaming CEO Phil Spencer has suggested that a handheld device will be part of the next-gen plans, and Bond has touched on the idea, though in vague terms.
Bond discussed a handheld device as another way to bring an “Xbox-specific experience” to new gamers whose habits have not yet been formed.
She is quoted as saying, “I want people to think no matter who you are, you can come to Xbox and find a game. It’s for you.”
It seems increasingly clear that Xbox is working on a handheld console, though it remains uncertain whether this will be a standalone device or a hybrid like the Nintendo Switch.
Recent rumors suggest Sony may also be developing a handheld console for its next-gen plans, hinting that both companies could be heading in the same direction.
Whether this strategy will lead to Xbox’s next console being successful is still up in the air, with some speculating that answers won’t come until 2026.
Bond has acknowledged the long-term stakes, saying, “I’m making decisions now that we’re going to live with in the next decade,” indicating an awareness of the high stakes involved.
In the near term, Xbox will take the stage at the Tokyo Game Show on Thursday, September 26, at 11 a.m. BST.
The presentation will be streamed across Xbox’s social channels and the event’s official YouTube page.
Microsoft has introduced its new Copilot Pages feature, designed as a platform for “multiplayer AI collaboration.”
Copilot Pages enables users to interact with Microsoft’s Copilot chatbot and bring its responses into a shared page, where multiple users can collaboratively edit the content in real-time.
“You and your team can work together on a page with Copilot, seeing everyone’s contributions live and collaborating with Copilot as a partner, adding content from your data, files, and the web to your page,” explained Jared Spataro, Microsoft’s corporate vice president of AI at work.
“This represents a completely new way of working—combining human-to-AI-to-human collaboration in a multiplayer environment.”
Copilot Pages begins rolling out to Microsoft 365 Copilot customers today and will become generally available to all subscribers later this month.
It builds upon Microsoft’s previous work with Loop, a competitor to Notion, which features modular, Lego-like Office documents for collaborative tasks.
One of the key features of Copilot Pages is the ability to share pages via a link, allowing colleagues to join in and edit just as they would with a shared Word document.
Pages can also be embedded into other pages as components. Because it’s integrated with Microsoft’s BizChat, a work hub for Copilot, users can pull in data from the web or from internal files to create various project materials, such as meeting notes, business pitches, or project plans.
Microsoft Copilot
Microsoft envisions Copilot Pages as a new model of working, integrating both human and AI input into a unified canvas.
Moreover, Copilot Pages is now being extended to over 400 million people who can access Microsoft’s free Copilot chatbot when signed in with a business Microsoft Entra account.
This move is part of Microsoft’s broader initiative to enhance Copilot for business, which includes improving the AI assistant across various Office applications.
In addition to Copilot Pages, Microsoft is also launching its Copilot agents for businesses today. These agents, first announced at the Build conference earlier this year, function like virtual employees, automating routine tasks.
Unlike a passive chatbot that waits for queries, these agents will proactively handle tasks like monitoring email inboxes or automating data entry processes that would otherwise require manual input from employees.
Subscribers to Microsoft 365 Copilot will also gain access to a new agent builder within Copilot Studio.
“Anyone can now quickly create a Copilot agent directly within BizChat or SharePoint, unlocking the full potential of the vast knowledge stored in your SharePoint files,” Spataro noted.
These agents will appear as virtual colleagues within apps like Teams or Outlook, allowing users to interact with them by simply @ mentioning the agent to ask questions or delegate tasks.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted approval for sleep apnea detection on the Apple Watch Series 9, Series 10, and Watch Ultra 2, as announced on Monday. This approval comes just four days before the official release of the Series 10 on September 20.
This new feature, revealed at the recent iPhone 16 event, will be included in the upcoming watchOS 11 update.
To function, it requires users to track their sleep for at least 10 nights within a 30-day period. During this time, the watch also monitors nightly sleep disturbances using its built-in accelerometer.
Classified by the FDA as an “over-the-counter device to assess the risk of sleep apnea,” Apple emphasizes that the feature is not intended to provide a diagnosis.
Apple Watch Series 9
Instead, it is designed to alert users to the possibility of sleep apnea and encourage them to consult a healthcare professional for further evaluation.
Sleep apnea, which can cause intermittent pauses or shallow breathing during sleep, is linked to a range of symptoms, including insomnia, headaches, daytime fatigue, and more serious long-term health issues, according to the Mayo Clinic.
Apple is not the first to introduce sleep apnea detection in consumer electronics. Withings has offered this capability for some time, and Samsung recently gained FDA approval for the feature on its Galaxy Watch series.
Interestingly, the sleep apnea detection feature comes as another capability — blood oxygen monitoring — remains disabled on Apple Watches in the U.S. due to an ongoing patent dispute.
Tile was one of the pioneers in the gadget tracking industry, long before Apple introduced the AirTag and a variety of other alternatives entered the market. Now, it has returned with a refreshed lineup, thanks to its new owner, Life360.
While still providing a way to track your keys, wallets, bags, and other tech, the new Tile by Life360 range also focuses on enhancing personal safety and security.
This is the first set of new models released since Life360 acquired Tile in 2021, and they include the familiar Tile Mate, Tile Pro, Tile Slim, and Tile Sticker.
These trackers return for 2024 with updated logos and four fresh color options. They all offer extended Bluetooth range and louder rings compared to earlier models, but the standout feature this time is the new SOS mode.
By pressing the Tile button three times, the device sends an alert to your Life360 Circle, consisting of your family and trusted friends, along with your exact location.
This feature provides an extra layer of security, especially when walking home late at night. It’s also simpler to activate than your phone’s SOS or emergency mode.
Importantly, these alerts don’t require any sort of subscription—although Life360 does offer a variety of membership options for those who want extra features such as roadside assistance, location history, and emergency dispatch services.
Much like before Life360’s acquisition, Tile continues to operate independently rather than partnering with Apple’s Find My or Google’s Find My Device ecosystems.
However, with 70 million active users who can relay Bluetooth signals, it remains the most robust third-party tracking service available.
Life360 claims that its app is installed on one in twelve smartphones. For example, when I used the app, it showed that I was within a 10-mile radius of 469 other Tile users, even though I live in a rural area.
Tile Tracking Device (Photo: Future)
Tile works with both iOS and Android devices, allowing me to track my wallet with a Tile Slim using my Google Pixel phone, while my wife, an Apple user, could have a Tile Mate attached to her house keys.
One key feature is that Life360 isn’t forcing current Tile users to switch to a new app. The two apps remain separate, with an option to connect both if desired, but it’s not mandatory.
After using the new models for a week, I’ve been impressed by how seamlessly everything integrates with both apps.
The Tile app, in particular, is still excellent for locating lost items, showing their location on a map and allowing me to ring them remotely. The increased volume of the Tile Pro meant I could hear it even when it was buried behind a sofa in another room.
The Tile Pro still feels like the most premium of the group, with its metal frame complementing my car keys. It also has a user-replaceable battery that lasts for a full year of tracking.
Another useful feature is the ability to ring connected smartphones from the Tile, even if they are on silent.
The enhanced Bluetooth range allowed me to monitor devices throughout my house, including the Tile Sticker I discreetly placed under the seat of my bike. The Tile Sticker is incredibly small, even smaller (though thicker) than an Apple AirTag.
The Tile Slim was a perfect fit for my wallet, but it could just as easily be slipped into an inner pocket of a bag or the lining of a suitcase. The baby blue model I tested stood out nicely from my credit cards, ensuring I wouldn’t mistake it for one at a store.
The new Tile by Life360 lineup is available for purchase now, directly from the Tile website as well as from major tech retailers. The prices are £25 for each Tile Mate, £35 for the Tile Pro, £30 for the Tile Slim, and £25 for each Tile Sticker.
It seems that among enthusiasts, the popularity of PCs is rising at a noticeable rate. Many were shocked by the $700 price tag of the newly announced PS5 Pro, with some expressing that they’d rather invest in building a high-end PC.
While there’s been debate over whether you can build an equivalent gaming PC for the same price, $700 certainly puts you in the range of a powerful machine.
Despite this, PlayStation co-CEO Hideaki Nishino remains unfazed. In an interview with Nikkei, he stated, “I think that many mobile games have ads, and PCs can be difficult to set up.
With PlayStation, you can immediately play the content you purchased as soon as you turn it on.
Playstation 5 Pro (Photo: Sony)
The products are clearly displayed in stores, so buying software is an intuitive experience.”
While Sony is bringing its games to PC, Nishino emphasized that consoles remain their top priority.
“We are aiming to expand the game market by bringing content to PCs. There’s no question that home consoles will be the core of our business, but by offering titles on other devices, we can reach a broader audience.”
Do you think the growing interest in PCs poses a threat to PlayStation’s business, or will there always be a demand for the simplicity and convenience that consoles offer?
It has been approximately a month since Google unveiled the Pixel 9 series, and as usual, the latest flagship comes with exclusive features. The Pixel 9 series is no different. The exciting part?
These features often become available to older Pixel models after a while, and it appears Google is now preparing to introduce some new camera and editing tools to older Pixel phones as well.
According to a recent report, indications within the Google Photos app suggest that two new Magic Editor features—Auto Frame and Reimagine—will soon be available for older Pixel devices. These tools are expected to roll out to:
Pixel 6 series
Pixel 7 series
Pixel 8 series
Auto Frame utilizes AI to automatically center the subject of a photo, even if it requires slightly stretching the image. Reimagine allows users to change the background of their photos for a refreshed look.
Google is reportedly developing three different versions of the Photos app: one for non-Pixel devices, one for Pixel phones released between 2021 and 2023 (such as the Pixel 6, 7, and 8), and another for the latest Pixels from 2024 onward.
Latest Google Pixel 9 Devices (Photo: Google)
Interestingly, although the newest AI features are naturally included in the Photos app for the latest Pixel models, code fragments for Reimagine and Auto Frame are also appearing in version 6.99 of the Photos app on older Pixels.
This suggests that Google is likely preparing to extend these features to its 2021–2023 flagships. Currently, these features do not seem to be available for non-Pixel devices.
There is no official timeline for when older Pixels will receive the new Magic Editor features, but they are expected to be included in a forthcoming Feature Drop.
If you own a Pixel 6, 7, or 8, you should keep an eye out, as these useful tools might be coming your way soon.
It’s always a positive development when older devices gain access to new features, and Google appears to be performing well in this regard.
If you have a Pixel 8, you may not be considering an upgrade anytime soon, but that doesn’t mean you should miss out on the latest advancements Google has to offer.
