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Sega of America plans to lay off 61 workers
Sega of America plans to lay off 61 employees in March, according to a California WARN (Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification) report. Eurogamer and X user @WhatLayoff first reported on the government notice, which lists two separate job cuts classified as “layoff permanent” on March 8. It’s the latest chapter in a year-plus of brutal job cuts in the tech and gaming worlds.
California’s WARN Act, passed in 1988, requires employers to provide 60 days’ notice for upcoming layoffs — allowing the affected workers time to prepare. It applies to companies with at least 75 full-time or part-time workers and covers layoffs of 50 or more people within 30 days. It isn’t clear precisely how many workers Sega of America employs.
The WARN report lists separate layoffs (one of 12 and another of 49 workers) at two Irvine, CA-based Sega of America offices. The job cuts both have a “notice” date of January 8, and the reports were “processed” by California on January 29 with “effective” dates of March 8.
The Communications Workers of America (CWA) filed an unfair labor practice complaint against Sega in November after the publisher allegedly said it would lay off 80 unionized workers. At the time, the organization said Sega presented the proposal in a captive audience meeting, describing the circumstances as “a clear case of bad faith bargaining.”
The Allied Employees Guild Improving SEGA (AEGIS-CWA), the union representing Sega workers in the US, wrote on X Tuesday that the company announced the latest plans “a few months ago,” suggesting the layoffs posted in the WARN notice are part of the same roadmap. The union said Sega plans to outsource quality assurance and some localization work “in a move that would significantly impact our workforce.”
Sega hasn’t publicly confirmed the layoffs. Engadget reached out to a company representative, and we’ll update this article if we hear back.
The layoffs come less than two months after Sega said it would refresh its classics Crazy Taxi, Jet Set Radio, Shinobi, Golden Axe and Streets of Rage. Eurogamer notes the company’s Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth, which launched last week, has been a high mark for the publisher.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/sega-of-america-plans-to-lay-off-61-workers-180100573.html?src=rssSega of America plans to lay off 61 workers
Sega of America plans to lay off 61 employees in March, according to a California WARN (Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification) report. Eurogamer and X user @WhatLayoff first reported on the government notice, which lists two separate job cuts classified as “layoff permanent” on March 8. It’s the latest chapter in a year-plus of brutal job cuts in the tech and gaming worlds.
California’s WARN Act, passed in 1988, requires employers to provide 60 days’ notice for upcoming layoffs — allowing the affected workers time to prepare. It applies to companies with at least 75 full-time or part-time workers and covers layoffs of 50 or more people within 30 days. It isn’t clear precisely how many workers Sega of America employs.
The WARN report lists separate layoffs (one of 12 and another of 49 workers) at two Irvine, CA-based Sega of America offices. The job cuts both have a “notice” date of January 8, and the reports were “processed” by California on January 29 with “effective” dates of March 8.
The Communications Workers of America (CWA) filed an unfair labor practice complaint against Sega in November after the publisher allegedly said it would lay off 80 unionized workers. At the time, the organization said Sega presented the proposal in a captive audience meeting, describing the circumstances as “a clear case of bad faith bargaining.”
The Allied Employees Guild Improving SEGA (AEGIS-CWA), the union representing Sega workers in the US, wrote on X Tuesday that the company announced the latest plans “a few months ago,” suggesting the layoffs posted in the WARN notice are part of the same roadmap. The union said Sega plans to outsource quality assurance and some localization work “in a move that would significantly impact our workforce.”
Sega hasn’t publicly confirmed the layoffs. Engadget reached out to a company representative, and we’ll update this article if we hear back.
The layoffs come less than two months after Sega said it would refresh its classics Crazy Taxi, Jet Set Radio, Shinobi, Golden Axe and Streets of Rage. Eurogamer notes the company’s Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth, which launched last week, has been a high mark for the publisher.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/sega-of-america-plans-to-lay-off-61-workers-180100573.html?src=rssSenate tells social media CEOs they have 'blood on their hands' for failing to protect children
The CEOs of Meta, Snap, Discord, X and TikTok testified at a high-stakes Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on child exploitation online. During the hearing, Mark Zuckerberg, Evan Spiegel, Jason Citron, Linda Yaccarino and Shou Chew spent nearly four hours being grilled by lawmakers about their records on child safety.
The hearing was the first time Spiegel, Citron and Yaccarino testified to Congress. Notably, all three were subpoenaed by the committee after refusing to appear voluntarily, according to lawmakers. Judiciary Committee Chair Senator Dick Durbin noted that Citron “only accepted services of his subpoena after US Marshals were sent to Discord’s headquarters at taxpayers’ expense.”
The hearing room was filled with parents of children who had been victims of online exploitation on social media. Many members of the audience silently held up photos of their children as the CEOs entered the room, and Durbin kicked off the hearing with a somber video featuring victims of child exploitation and their parents.
“Discord has been used to groom, abduct and abuse children,” Durbin said. “Meta’s Instagram helped connect and promote a network of pedophiles. Snapchat’s disappearing messages have been co-opted by criminals who financially extort young victims. TikTok has become a quote platform of choice for predators to access, engage and groom children for abuse. And the prevalence of CSAM on X has grown as the company has gutted its trust and safety workforce.”
During the hearing, many of the senators shared personal stories of parents whose children had died by suicide after being exploited online. "Mr. Zuckerberg, you and the companies before us — I know you don't mean it to be so — but you have blood on your hands," Senator Lindsey Graham said in his opening remarks. The audience applauded.
Sen. @LindseyGrahamSC: "Mr. Zuckerberg, you and the companies before us, I know you don't mean it to be so, but you have blood on your hands. You have a product that's killing people." pic.twitter.com/QPAlUQwIqZ
— CSPAN (@cspan) January 31, 2024While years of similar hearings have so far failed to produce any new laws, there is growing bipartisan support in Congress for new safety regulations. As Tech Policy Press points out, there are currently more than half a dozen bills dealing with children's online safety that have been proposed by senators. These include the Kids Online Safety Act (KOSA), which would require platforms to create more parental control and safety features and submit to independent audits, and COPPA 2.0, a revised version of the 1998 Children and Teens' Online Privacy Protection Act, which would bar companies from collecting or monetizing children’s data without consent.
Senators have also proposed a number of bills to address child exploitation, including the EARN IT Act, currently in its third iteration since 2020, and the STOP CSAM Act. None of these have advanced to the Senate floor for a vote. Many of these bills have faced intense lobbying from the tech industry, though some companies in attendance said they were open to some bills and some aspects of the legislation.
Spiegel said that Snap supports KOSA. Yaccarino said X supports the STOP CSAM Act. Shou and Citron both declined to specifically endorse the bills they were asked about, but said they were open to more discussions.
Zuckerberg suggested a different approach, saying he supported age verification and parental control requirements at the app store level, which would effectively shift the burden to Apple and Google. "Apple already requires parental consent when a child does a payment with an app, so it should be pretty trivial to pass a law that requires them to make it so parents have control anytime a child downloads an app,” Zuckerberg said.
Meta has come increased pressure in recent months following a lawsuit from 41 states for harming teens’ mental health. Court documents from the suit allege that Meta turned a blind eye to children under 13 using its service, did little to stop adults from sexually harassing teens on Facebook and that Zuckerberg personally intervened to stop an effort to ban plastic surgery filters on Instagram.
Unsurprisingly, Zuckerberg came under particular scrutiny during the hearing. In one awkward exchange, Senator Graham asked Zuckerberg if the parents of a child who died by suicide after falling victim to a sextortion scheme should be able to sue Meta. Zuckerberg, looking uncomfortable, paused and said “I think that they can sue us.”
Sen. Josh Hawley (R-MO) asks Mark Zuckerberg if he'd like to apologize to families in attendance at Senate hearing on social media
He stands, turns & talks about Meta's "industry-leading efforts..to make sure that no one has to go through the things..your families have suffered" pic.twitter.com/lqaUgFqhxu
Later, Senator Josh Hawley pressed the Meta founder on whether he would personally apologize to the parents in the hearing room. Zuckerberg stood up and faced the audience. "I’m sorry for everything you have all been through," he said. "No one should go through the things that your families have suffered and this is why we invest so much and we are going to continue doing industry-wide efforts to make sure no one has to go through the things your families have had to suffer."
Spiegel was also asked to directly address parents. “Mr. Spiegel, there are a number of parents who have children who have been able to access illegal drugs on your platform, what do you say to those parents,” Scenario Laphonza Butler asked the Snap founder. “I’m so sorry,” he said.
As with many past hearings featuring tech CEOs, some lawmakers strayed off topic. Multiple senators pressed Chew on TikTok’s relationship with China, as well as its handling of content moderation during the Israel-Hamas war. Senator Tom Cotton repeatedly asked TikTok's CEO about his citizenship (Chew is Singaporean).
There were also some bizarre moments, like when Senator John Kennedy asked Spiegel if he knew the meaning of “yada yada yada” (Spiegel claimed he was “not familiar” with the phrase). “Can we agree … what you do is what you believe and everything else is just cottage cheese,” Kennedy asked.
.@SenJohnKennedy: "What does 'yada, yada, yada' mean?"
Snap CEO Evan Spiegel: "I'm not familiar with the term, Senator." pic.twitter.com/vBfP9BMVq4
During the hearing, many of the companies touted their existing safety features and parental controls (Meta launched several updates in the lead-up to the hearing). Yaccarino, who repeatedly claimed that X was a “brand new company” said X was considering adding parental controls. “Being a 14-month-old company we have reprioritized child protection and safety measures,” she said. “And we have just begun to talk about and discuss how we can enhance those with parental controls.”
In the US, the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is 1-800-273-8255 or you can simply dial 988. Crisis Text Line can be reached by texting HOME to 741741 (US), 686868 (Canada), or 85258 (UK). Wikipedia maintains a list of crisis lines for people outside of those countries.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/senate-tells-social-media-ceos-they-have-blood-on-their-hands-for-failing-to-protect-children-170411884.html?src=rssSenate tells social media CEOs they have 'blood on their hands' for failing to protect children
The CEOs of Meta, Snap, Discord, X and TikTok testified at a high-stakes Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on child exploitation online. During the hearing, Mark Zuckerberg, Evan Spiegel, Jason Citron, Linda Yaccarino and Shou Chew spent nearly four hours being grilled by lawmakers about their records on child safety.
The hearing was the first time Spiegel, Citron and Yaccarino testified to Congress. Notably, all three were subpoenaed by the committee after refusing to appear voluntarily, according to lawmakers. Judiciary Committee Chair Senator Dick Durbin noted that Citron “only accepted services of his subpoena after US Marshals were sent to Discord’s headquarters at taxpayers’ expense.”
The hearing room was filled with parents of children who had been victims of online exploitation on social media. Many members of the audience silently held up photos of their children as the CEOs entered the room, and Durbin kicked off the hearing with a somber video featuring victims of child exploitation and their parents.
“Discord has been used to groom, abduct and abuse children,” Durbin said. “Meta’s Instagram helped connect and promote a network of pedophiles. Snapchat’s disappearing messages have been co-opted by criminals who financially extort young victims. TikTok has become a quote platform of choice for predators to access, engage and groom children for abuse. And the prevalence of CSAM on X has grown as the company has gutted its trust and safety workforce.”
During the hearing, many of the senators shared personal stories of parents whose children had died by suicide after being exploited online. "Mr. Zuckerberg, you and the companies before us — I know you don't mean it to be so — but you have blood on your hands," Senator Lindsey Graham said in his opening remarks. The audience applauded.
Sen. @LindseyGrahamSC: "Mr. Zuckerberg, you and the companies before us, I know you don't mean it to be so, but you have blood on your hands. You have a product that's killing people." pic.twitter.com/QPAlUQwIqZ
— CSPAN (@cspan) January 31, 2024While years of similar hearings have so far failed to produce any new laws, there is growing bipartisan support in Congress for new safety regulations. As Tech Policy Press points out, there are currently more than half a dozen bills dealing with children's online safety that have been proposed by senators. These include the Kids Online Safety Act (KOSA), which would require platforms to create more parental control and safety features and submit to independent audits, and COPPA 2.0, a revised version of the 1998 Children and Teens' Online Privacy Protection Act, which would bar companies from collecting or monetizing children’s data without consent.
Senators have also proposed a number of bills to address child exploitation, including the EARN IT Act, currently in its third iteration since 2020, and the STOP CSAM Act. None of these have advanced to the Senate floor for a vote. Many of these bills have faced intense lobbying from the tech industry, though some companies in attendance said they were open to some bills and some aspects of the legislation.
Spiegel said that Snap supports KOSA. Yaccarino said X supports the STOP CSAM Act. Shou and Citron both declined to specifically endorse the bills they were asked about, but said they were open to more discussions.
Zuckerberg suggested a different approach, saying he supported age verification and parental control requirements at the app store level, which would effectively shift the burden to Apple and Google. "Apple already requires parental consent when a child does a payment with an app, so it should be pretty trivial to pass a law that requires them to make it so parents have control anytime a child downloads an app,” Zuckerberg said.
Meta has come increased pressure in recent months following a lawsuit from 41 states for harming teens’ mental health. Court documents from the suit allege that Meta turned a blind eye to children under 13 using its service, did little to stop adults from sexually harassing teens on Facebook and that Zuckerberg personally intervened to stop an effort to ban plastic surgery filters on Instagram.
Unsurprisingly, Zuckerberg came under particular scrutiny during the hearing. In one awkward exchange, Senator Graham asked Zuckerberg if the parents of a child who died by suicide after falling victim to a sextortion scheme should be able to sue Meta. Zuckerberg, looking uncomfortable, paused and said “I think that they can sue us.”
Sen. Josh Hawley (R-MO) asks Mark Zuckerberg if he'd like to apologize to families in attendance at Senate hearing on social media
He stands, turns & talks about Meta's "industry-leading efforts..to make sure that no one has to go through the things..your families have suffered" pic.twitter.com/lqaUgFqhxu
Later, Senator Josh Hawley pressed the Meta founder on whether he would personally apologize to the parents in the hearing room. Zuckerberg stood up and faced the audience. "I’m sorry for everything you have all been through," he said. "No one should go through the things that your families have suffered and this is why we invest so much and we are going to continue doing industry-wide efforts to make sure no one has to go through the things your families have had to suffer."
Spiegel was also asked to directly address parents. “Mr. Spiegel, there are a number of parents who have children who have been able to access illegal drugs on your platform, what do you say to those parents,” Scenario Laphonza Butler asked the Snap founder. “I’m so sorry,” he said.
As with many past hearings featuring tech CEOs, some lawmakers strayed off topic. Multiple senators pressed Chew on TikTok’s relationship with China, as well as its handling of content moderation during the Israel-Hamas war. Senator Tom Cotton repeatedly asked TikTok's CEO about his citizenship (Chew is Singaporean).
There were also some bizarre moments, like when Senator John Kennedy asked Spiegel if he knew the meaning of “yada yada yada” (Spiegel claimed he was “not familiar” with the phrase). “Can we agree … what you do is what you believe and everything else is just cottage cheese,” Kennedy asked.
.@SenJohnKennedy: "What does 'yada, yada, yada' mean?"
Snap CEO Evan Spiegel: "I'm not familiar with the term, Senator." pic.twitter.com/vBfP9BMVq4
During the hearing, many of the companies touted their existing safety features and parental controls (Meta launched several updates in the lead-up to the hearing). Yaccarino, who repeatedly claimed that X was a “brand new company” said X was considering adding parental controls. “Being a 14-month-old company we have reprioritized child protection and safety measures,” she said. “And we have just begun to talk about and discuss how we can enhance those with parental controls.”
In the US, the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is 1-800-273-8255 or you can simply dial 988. Crisis Text Line can be reached by texting HOME to 741741 (US), 686868 (Canada), or 85258 (UK). Wikipedia maintains a list of crisis lines for people outside of those countries.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/senate-tells-social-media-ceos-they-have-blood-on-their-hands-for-failing-to-protect-children-170411884.html?src=rssTikTok is the fastest-growing social platform, but YouTube remains the most dominant
The Pew Research Center has published an updated survey of US adult social media usage. Although YouTube (especially) and Facebook retain their dominant status from the last poll in 2021, TikTok is the fastest-growing platform, with more than a third of adults now saying they use the app.
The survey polled 5,733 US adults between May 19 and September 5, 2023. YouTube was far and away the most used platform, with 83 percent of respondents reporting using it at some point. Meanwhile, 68 percent of users reported using Facebook.
Those two are the only platforms with a majority of people using them through each age demographic. However, gaps based on age groups still exist — especially among YouTube’s users. For example, 93 percent of 18- to 29-year-olds report using Google’s video platform, while 60 percent of those 65 and older say the same. (Facebook only has a nine percent difference between the same two demographics.)
Instagram came in third place overall, as 47 percent of respondents said they use it. Pinterest (35 percent), TikTok (33 percent), LinkedIn (30 percent), WhatsApp (29 percent) and Snapchat (27 percent) all fall into the next tier down. TikTok’s growth stands out the most: The ByteDance-owned platform shot up 12 points from 21 percent from two years before. That’s by far the biggest leap of any platform on the list.
Twitter changed its name to X and brought in CEO Linda Yaccarino while the surveys were in the field.Richard Bord via Getty ImagesThe next tier down includes Reddit and X, each sitting at 22 percent. Complicating matters, Elon Musk’s company changed its name from Twitter to X (and brought in a new CEO) while the surveys were in the field. The company’s reported users dropped slightly in two years, from 23 percent in 2021. Meanwhile, Reddit rose four points from 18 percent two years before — despite the platform’s API controversy happening while the surveys were out.
Other platforms with significant age-group discrepancies include Instagram (78 percent of 29-and-under survey participants use it, compared to 15 percent of 65 and older) and Snapchat (65 percent use it for those under 30, four percent for 65 and up). The 40- to 49-year-old demographic, which includes younger Gen-Xers and all but the youngest Millennials, has especially high rates for LinkedIn (40 percent), WhatsApp (38 percent) and Facebook (75 percent).
In other demographic-based notables, Pew reports TikTok is especially popular among Hispanic users, with 49 percent reporting use (and women reported using it at a 15 percent higher rate than men). X is more popular with adults with annual household incomes of at least $100,000 — a nine-point swing compared to the $70,000 to $99,999 tier. And, perhaps unsurprisingly, given its career-oriented focus, LinkedIn has a higher rate of respondents with at least a bachelor’s degree (25 points higher than those with “some college education” and 43 percent higher than those with a high school diploma or less).
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/tiktok-is-the-fastest-growing-social-platform-but-youtube-remains-the-most-dominant-170023692.html?src=rssTikTok is the fastest-growing social platform, but YouTube remains the most dominant
The Pew Research Center has published an updated survey of US adult social media usage. Although YouTube (especially) and Facebook retain their dominant status from the last poll in 2021, TikTok is the fastest-growing platform, with more than a third of adults now saying they use the app.
The survey polled 5,733 US adults between May 19 and September 5, 2023. YouTube was far and away the most used platform, with 83 percent of respondents reporting using it at some point. Meanwhile, 68 percent of users reported using Facebook.
Those two are the only platforms with a majority of people using them through each age demographic. However, gaps based on age groups still exist — especially among YouTube’s users. For example, 93 percent of 18- to 29-year-olds report using Google’s video platform, while 60 percent of those 65 and older say the same. (Facebook only has a nine percent difference between the same two demographics.)
Instagram came in third place overall, as 47 percent of respondents said they use it. Pinterest (35 percent), TikTok (33 percent), LinkedIn (30 percent), WhatsApp (29 percent) and Snapchat (27 percent) all fall into the next tier down. TikTok’s growth stands out the most: The ByteDance-owned platform shot up 12 points from 21 percent from two years before. That’s by far the biggest leap of any platform on the list.
Twitter changed its name to X and brought in CEO Linda Yaccarino while the surveys were in the field.Richard Bord via Getty ImagesThe next tier down includes Reddit and X, each sitting at 22 percent. Complicating matters, Elon Musk’s company changed its name from Twitter to X (and brought in a new CEO) while the surveys were in the field. The company’s reported users dropped slightly in two years, from 23 percent in 2021. Meanwhile, Reddit rose four points from 18 percent two years before — despite the platform’s API controversy happening while the surveys were out.
Other platforms with significant age-group discrepancies include Instagram (78 percent of 29-and-under survey participants use it, compared to 15 percent of 65 and older) and Snapchat (65 percent use it for those under 30, four percent for 65 and up). The 40- to 49-year-old demographic, which includes younger Gen-Xers and all but the youngest Millennials, has especially high rates for LinkedIn (40 percent), WhatsApp (38 percent) and Facebook (75 percent).
In other demographic-based notables, Pew reports TikTok is especially popular among Hispanic users, with 49 percent reporting use (and women reported using it at a 15 percent higher rate than men). X is more popular with adults with annual household incomes of at least $100,000 — a nine-point swing compared to the $70,000 to $99,999 tier. And, perhaps unsurprisingly, given its career-oriented focus, LinkedIn has a higher rate of respondents with at least a bachelor’s degree (25 points higher than those with “some college education” and 43 percent higher than those with a high school diploma or less).
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/tiktok-is-the-fastest-growing-social-platform-but-youtube-remains-the-most-dominant-170023692.html?src=rssShark robot vacuums are up to 46 percent off right now
There are a few go-to names when it comes to robot vacuums and Shark is right up there. The company makes some of the best robot vacuums on the market, and several models are currently on sale. The Shark AI robot vacuum with a self-emptying base is currently available for $350. That's $300 off the regular price, albeit $50 more than the record low. That said, it was only available for $300 for a short time during the holiday season. You'd be hard pressed to find a better deal on the device at the minute.
This model will run for up to 120 minutes before it needs to recharge, and it will return to its dock to top up the battery when need be. It uses LiDAR to map your home and a matrix grid approach to cleaning the floors, making multiple passes over dirt. The vacuum has a HEPA filtration system to help it capture pet hair, dust and allergens. You can set a cleaning schedule or ask the vacuum to spot clean using your voice thanks to Alexa and Google Assistant support. Best of all, the self-emptying base holds up to 60 days of debris and dirt, so you won't have to pay too much attention to the machine.
Elsewhere, you can score a notable discount on Shark AI Ultra 2-in-1 robot vacuum and mop. That device has dropped to $430, which is $130 off the regular price, but $70 more than the record low we saw during the holiday shopping period. AS the name suggests, this adds a mop on top of vacuum functions. The mopping function can tackle stubborn stains by scrubbing hard floors 100 times per minute. A Matrix Mop feature can improve stain cleaning in targeted zones by 50 percent, Shark claims.
Follow @EngadgetDeals on Twitter and subscribe to the Engadget Deals newsletter for the latest tech deals and buying advice.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/shark-robot-vacuums-are-up-to-46-percent-off-right-now-170020151.html?src=rssShark robot vacuums are up to 46 percent off right now
There are a few go-to names when it comes to robot vacuums and Shark is right up there. The company makes some of the best robot vacuums on the market, and several models are currently on sale. The Shark AI robot vacuum with a self-emptying base is currently available for $350. That's $300 off the regular price, albeit $50 more than the record low. That said, it was only available for $300 for a short time during the holiday season. You'd be hard pressed to find a better deal on the device at the minute.
This model will run for up to 120 minutes before it needs to recharge, and it will return to its dock to top up the battery when need be. It uses LiDAR to map your home and a matrix grid approach to cleaning the floors, making multiple passes over dirt. The vacuum has a HEPA filtration system to help it capture pet hair, dust and allergens. You can set a cleaning schedule or ask the vacuum to spot clean using your voice thanks to Alexa and Google Assistant support. Best of all, the self-emptying base holds up to 60 days of debris and dirt, so you won't have to pay too much attention to the machine.
Elsewhere, you can score a notable discount on Shark AI Ultra 2-in-1 robot vacuum and mop. That device has dropped to $430, which is $130 off the regular price, but $70 more than the record low we saw during the holiday shopping period. AS the name suggests, this adds a mop on top of vacuum functions. The mopping function can tackle stubborn stains by scrubbing hard floors 100 times per minute. A Matrix Mop feature can improve stain cleaning in targeted zones by 50 percent, Shark claims.
Follow @EngadgetDeals on Twitter and subscribe to the Engadget Deals newsletter for the latest tech deals and buying advice.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/shark-robot-vacuums-are-up-to-46-percent-off-right-now-170020151.html?src=rssThe best Super Bowl 2024 TV deals we could find
Super Bowl LVIII is right around the corner, which means it's a solid time to go TV shopping. To help those looking for a new set, we've rounded up the best Super Bowl 2024 TV deals we could find from Amazon, Best Buy and other retailers. Most of the discounts stem from the natural pricing cycle of the TV market more than Super Bowl-specific sales, as most sets are released in the spring and gradually drop in price until they're discontinued the following year. That's happening again now, and after several TV makers unveiled their 2024 lineups during CES last month, last year's TVs are likely to fall even further as the year rolls along.
Still, if you want a new living room centerpiece in time to watch the San Francisco 49ers take on the Kansas City Chiefs, a number of well-regarded TVs have returned to the all-time lows we saw during the holiday shopping season, including 55-, 65- and 77-inch sets from Samsung, TCL and Hisense. While we don't typically review TVs at Engadget, we've scoured reviews from other professionals we trust and double-checked price histories to ensure you get a good deal.
Follow @EngadgetDeals on Twitter and subscribe to the Engadget Deals newsletter for the latest tech deals and buying advice.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/the-best-super-bowl-2024-tv-deals-we-could-find-164515222.html?src=rssThe best Super Bowl 2024 TV deals we could find
Super Bowl LVIII is right around the corner, which means it's a solid time to go TV shopping. To help those looking for a new set, we've rounded up the best Super Bowl 2024 TV deals we could find from Amazon, Best Buy and other retailers. Most of the discounts stem from the natural pricing cycle of the TV market more than Super Bowl-specific sales, as most sets are released in the spring and gradually drop in price until they're discontinued the following year. That's happening again now, and after several TV makers unveiled their 2024 lineups during CES last month, last year's TVs are likely to fall even further as the year rolls along.
Still, if you want a new living room centerpiece in time to watch the San Francisco 49ers take on the Kansas City Chiefs, a number of well-regarded TVs have returned to the all-time lows we saw during the holiday shopping season, including 55-, 65- and 77-inch sets from Samsung, TCL and Hisense. While we don't typically review TVs at Engadget, we've scoured reviews from other professionals we trust and double-checked price histories to ensure you get a good deal.
Follow @EngadgetDeals on Twitter and subscribe to the Engadget Deals newsletter for the latest tech deals and buying advice.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/the-best-super-bowl-2024-tv-deals-we-could-find-164515222.html?src=rssAmazon's Fire TV soundbar is back on sale for $100
Amazon's Fire TV soundbar is back on sale for $100, bringing the price down from $120. That’s a savings of $20, or 17 percent, on the well-regarded audio device. This matches the Black Friday price from last year, so this is likely the cheapest you’ll see the soundbar until, well, the holidays.
The device can enhance your TV audio via dual speakers, with access to 3D surround sound. You also get DTS Virtual X and Dolby Audio support. It comes with a remote for adjusting the volume, but you can also plug it directly into a Fire TV and use that remote for everything. Plug and play experiences are always nice.
The soundbar also has Bluetooth, so you can connect it to your phone or tablet to stream podcasts or whatever. The only thing missing, and this is odd for an Amazon gadget, is Alexa. You won’t be able to use the dulcet tones of your speaking voice to make any volume adjustments with this soundbar.
There’s also the pigskin-encased elephant in the room. The Super Bowl is just 11 days away. If you’re looking to upgrade your home entertainment system before gorging on nachos with your buddies and playing Taylor Swift-inspired drinking games, this is a mighty fine option. Many rival products cost two to three times as much as this soundbar.
Follow @EngadgetDeals on Twitter and subscribe to the Engadget Deals newsletter for the latest tech deals and buying advice.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/amazons-fire-tv-soundbar-is-back-on-sale-for-100-162215851.html?src=rssAmazon's Fire TV soundbar is back on sale for $100
Amazon's Fire TV soundbar is back on sale for $100, bringing the price down from $120. That’s a savings of $20, or 17 percent, on the well-regarded audio device. This matches the Black Friday price from last year, so this is likely the cheapest you’ll see the soundbar until, well, the holidays.
The device can enhance your TV audio via dual speakers, with access to 3D surround sound. You also get DTS Virtual X and Dolby Audio support. It comes with a remote for adjusting the volume, but you can also plug it directly into a Fire TV and use that remote for everything. Plug and play experiences are always nice.
The soundbar also has Bluetooth, so you can connect it to your phone or tablet to stream podcasts or whatever. The only thing missing, and this is odd for an Amazon gadget, is Alexa. You won’t be able to use the dulcet tones of your speaking voice to make any volume adjustments with this soundbar.
There’s also the pigskin-encased elephant in the room. The Super Bowl is just 11 days away. If you’re looking to upgrade your home entertainment system before gorging on nachos with your buddies and playing Taylor Swift-inspired drinking games, this is a mighty fine option. Many rival products cost two to three times as much as this soundbar.
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This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/amazons-fire-tv-soundbar-is-back-on-sale-for-100-162215851.html?src=rssPersona 3 Reload is a surprising dose of 2000s nostalgia
If you have a popular gaming franchise, now is the time to decide if you can repackage it, upgrade some textures, or completely reimagine the title for the 2020s. Atlus’ Persona games are one of those enduring series, and the company has already relaunched the last three entries across current-gen consoles, almost entirely unchanged from the original releases.
But with Persona 3 Reload, the company chose the most confusing (and influential) entry to remake. There are some big changes you may not even notice if you haven’t played the 2006 original recently, with new English language voice actors (all the Japanese VAs return from the original) and, interestingly, the most voiced scenes from any game in the Persona series.
Mostly, the only way you can tell this is a remade game are the anachronistic gadgets featured within. Flip-phones sure, wired headphones everywhere, standalone MP3 players, DVD players, internet cafes, desktop PCs as standard. Is 2006 retro now? If it is, I’ll throw up.
AtlusTruly, it’s just a gorgeous version of itself. Reload isn’t a total remake like Final Fantasy 7 Remake, so environments are limited to the ones found in the original, including a world map to fast-travel between them all. There’s some Unreal Engine gloss, and while nothing is utterly stunning outside of battles, some parts, like the sun-dappled classroom, look better than anything in Persona 5’s real-world environments.
Reload has the graphical fidelity to do justice to Shigenori Soejima’s original character designs – no more almost chibi-styled character models. The difference between 2D art and 3D models is often imperceptible.
The graphical upgrade is the biggest change; the remaster takes advantage of technological advancements across the three generations of consoles that have launched since the original game debuted on the PlayStation 2. The original Persona 3 was criticized for repetitive environments and battles and while Reload doesn’t try to address the former, battles are improved.
AtlusVisually, even compared to Persona 5 Royal, the characters are more detailed and more fluid, especially during their anime-styled attacks. The personas – the magical spirits you use to wield magic, defy fate and all things Atlus – look and move better, too.
The game has also gone through a Persona 5 filter of sorts, too. The menus and battle results screens are now dynamic and snappy, with an aqua-blue color scheme suiting the third game’s theme. So yes, Atlus did it again: It made menus cool. There are also new animated scenes, while some old scenes have been recomposed with the latest game engine.
Fights look better, too, and they also play better. It’s still a turn-based RPG, where enemies and allies take turns attacking each other. In Persona games, the battle dynamic hinges on striking an enemy’s weak spot, allowing for extra attacks and interrupting their turn. P3R has integrated some of the series’ quality-of-life improvements, including the ability to ‘pass’ your turn to another player (if you hit an enemy’s weak point), who can perhaps hit harder or topple one of the other enemies.
Also, more often than before, when your character achieves a critical hit or topples an enemy, you’ll get an anime-style close-up cut of the character’s face and a more dynamic Persona summoning flourish. I love it. Critical attacks have also been made more cinematic and these improvements help make what can be repetitive fights seem a little more entertaining. Finishing attacks (all-out attacks that feature the whole party) result in a slick victory screen like Persona 5.
Theurgy is the new battle dynamic introduced in Reload. It’s best to consider them like ultimate attacks (or limit breaks, perhaps): high-powered attacks that take time to build up before you can unleash them. Why call them Theurgy? The word means the “effect of a supernatural or divine agency in human affairs,” which is the Persona series’ jam.
While these attacks will charge through typical battle behaviors, each character has a particular characteristic that, if leaned on, will charge the gauge substantially faster. For one it might be landing a status effect on an enemy. For another, it might be buffing party characters. Regardless, it’s often worth doing these specific actions instead of what you planned to do, if only to tap into a powerful attack quicker. I was pleasantly surprised at how frequently I could unleash these special attacks. The protagonist is unique, so he gets a selection of different Thuergy attacks based on multiple Personas he unlocks through the game.
AtlusSocial links form the game's backbone and how your character spends time between supernatural fights. Unlike recent Persona games, improving your relationships with NPCs in Persona 3’s world doesn’t offer you many boons during your fights. However, enhancing your connection can also happen through new "Link Episodes" available to some party members and NPCs. Participating in these can lead to new Persona creations and even stat boosts. Oh, and a deeper story.
Most fights occur in Tartarus, a vertiginous tower split into different sections but typically offering more of the same, whatever level you’re on. This component of the Persona experience is equally familiar (you’ve likely played Hades or any roguelike in the last five years) and frustrating. It can get boring fast, especially if you’ve played the original game, which I’m sure many have. It’s also where the least effort’s been made to improve this game. It is repeated corridor mazes, with treasure, enemies and other distractions scattered around. Sometimes there are treasure monsters – high stakes, high reward enemies that will often run away unless you beat them quickly – and the Reaper, a high-powered enemy that will steamroll you until you’re wielding end-game weapons and a high enough level.
It’s a shame. With Persona 5, exploration and battle areas were themed around that chapter’s antagonist. There were puzzles to solve, parts of the level would change, and even resting spots were factored into the level design. Then there was Mementos, built around the randomly generated levels you’d expect from a Persona title. In this remade Persona 3, you’re running around the same very repetitive environments (with light cosmetic changes) spread across over 250 sets of stairs.
AtlusThat won’t put off Persona fans; they know what a Persona game is like. There are enough quality-of-life improvements to make this worth replaying if you’ve played the original over the last… two decades. I’m delighted that those improvements include a “network connection,” also plucked from Persona 5, which shows you what other players are up to each calendar day, helping inform how you spend your time/help with the tricky school tests.
I hoped for some new, more complex level design combined with turn-based RPG battles and friendship sim frivolity, but that would have resulted in an entirely new game. I’ll have to wait for Persona 6 – or possibly look elsewhere.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/persona-3-reload-review-2000s-nostalgia-160022715.html?src=rssPersona 3 Reload is a surprising dose of 2000s nostalgia
If you have a popular gaming franchise, now is the time to decide if you can repackage it, upgrade some textures, or completely reimagine the title for the 2020s. Atlus’ Persona games are one of those enduring series, and the company has already relaunched the last three entries across current-gen consoles, almost entirely unchanged from the original releases.
But with Persona 3 Reload, the company chose the most confusing (and influential) entry to remake. There are some big changes you may not even notice if you haven’t played the 2006 original recently, with new English language voice actors (all the Japanese VAs return from the original) and, interestingly, the most voiced scenes from any game in the Persona series.
Mostly, the only way you can tell this is a remade game are the anachronistic gadgets featured within. Flip-phones sure, wired headphones everywhere, standalone MP3 players, DVD players, internet cafes, desktop PCs as standard. Is 2006 retro now? If it is, I’ll throw up.
AtlusTruly, it’s just a gorgeous version of itself. Reload isn’t a total remake like Final Fantasy 7 Remake, so environments are limited to the ones found in the original, including a world map to fast-travel between them all. There’s some Unreal Engine gloss, and while nothing is utterly stunning outside of battles, some parts, like the sun-dappled classroom, look better than anything in Persona 5’s real-world environments.
Reload has the graphical fidelity to do justice to Shigenori Soejima’s original character designs – no more almost chibi-styled character models. The difference between 2D art and 3D models is often imperceptible.
The graphical upgrade is the biggest change; the remaster takes advantage of technological advancements across the three generations of consoles that have launched since the original game debuted on the PlayStation 2. The original Persona 3 was criticized for repetitive environments and battles and while Reload doesn’t try to address the former, battles are improved.
AtlusVisually, even compared to Persona 5 Royal, the characters are more detailed and more fluid, especially during their anime-styled attacks. The personas – the magical spirits you use to wield magic, defy fate and all things Atlus – look and move better, too.
The game has also gone through a Persona 5 filter of sorts, too. The menus and battle results screens are now dynamic and snappy, with an aqua-blue color scheme suiting the third game’s theme. So yes, Atlus did it again: It made menus cool. There are also new animated scenes, while some old scenes have been recomposed with the latest game engine.
Fights look better, too, and they also play better. It’s still a turn-based RPG, where enemies and allies take turns attacking each other. In Persona games, the battle dynamic hinges on striking an enemy’s weak spot, allowing for extra attacks and interrupting their turn. P3R has integrated some of the series’ quality-of-life improvements, including the ability to ‘pass’ your turn to another player (if you hit an enemy’s weak point), who can perhaps hit harder or topple one of the other enemies.
Also, more often than before, when your character achieves a critical hit or topples an enemy, you’ll get an anime-style close-up cut of the character’s face and a more dynamic Persona summoning flourish. I love it. Critical attacks have also been made more cinematic and these improvements help make what can be repetitive fights seem a little more entertaining. Finishing attacks (all-out attacks that feature the whole party) result in a slick victory screen like Persona 5.
Theurgy is the new battle dynamic introduced in Reload. It’s best to consider them like ultimate attacks (or limit breaks, perhaps): high-powered attacks that take time to build up before you can unleash them. Why call them Theurgy? The word means the “effect of a supernatural or divine agency in human affairs,” which is the Persona series’ jam.
While these attacks will charge through typical battle behaviors, each character has a particular characteristic that, if leaned on, will charge the gauge substantially faster. For one it might be landing a status effect on an enemy. For another, it might be buffing party characters. Regardless, it’s often worth doing these specific actions instead of what you planned to do, if only to tap into a powerful attack quicker. I was pleasantly surprised at how frequently I could unleash these special attacks. The protagonist is unique, so he gets a selection of different Thuergy attacks based on multiple Personas he unlocks through the game.
AtlusSocial links form the game's backbone and how your character spends time between supernatural fights. Unlike recent Persona games, improving your relationships with NPCs in Persona 3’s world doesn’t offer you many boons during your fights. However, enhancing your connection can also happen through new "Link Episodes" available to some party members and NPCs. Participating in these can lead to new Persona creations and even stat boosts. Oh, and a deeper story.
Most fights occur in Tartarus, a vertiginous tower split into different sections but typically offering more of the same, whatever level you’re on. This component of the Persona experience is equally familiar (you’ve likely played Hades or any roguelike in the last five years) and frustrating. It can get boring fast, especially if you’ve played the original game, which I’m sure many have. It’s also where the least effort’s been made to improve this game. It is repeated corridor mazes, with treasure, enemies and other distractions scattered around. Sometimes there are treasure monsters – high stakes, high reward enemies that will often run away unless you beat them quickly – and the Reaper, a high-powered enemy that will steamroll you until you’re wielding end-game weapons and a high enough level.
It’s a shame. With Persona 5, exploration and battle areas were themed around that chapter’s antagonist. There were puzzles to solve, parts of the level would change, and even resting spots were factored into the level design. Then there was Mementos, built around the randomly generated levels you’d expect from a Persona title. In this remade Persona 3, you’re running around the same very repetitive environments (with light cosmetic changes) spread across over 250 sets of stairs.
AtlusThat won’t put off Persona fans; they know what a Persona game is like. There are enough quality-of-life improvements to make this worth replaying if you’ve played the original over the last… two decades. I’m delighted that those improvements include a “network connection,” also plucked from Persona 5, which shows you what other players are up to each calendar day, helping inform how you spend your time/help with the tricky school tests.
I hoped for some new, more complex level design combined with turn-based RPG battles and friendship sim frivolity, but that would have resulted in an entirely new game. I’ll have to wait for Persona 6 – or possibly look elsewhere.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/persona-3-reload-review-2000s-nostalgia-160022715.html?src=rssThe European Space Agency will test 3D printing metal on the ISS
The first metal 3D printer that will be used in space is on its way to the International Space Station. The Cygnus NG-20 supply mission, which is carrying the 180kg (397 lbs) printer, launched on Tuesday and is set to arrive at the ISS on Thursday.
Astronaut Andreas Mogensen will install the printer, which Airbus developed for the European Space Agency. The machine will then be controlled and monitored from Earth.
Polymer-based 3D printers have been employed on the ISS in the past, but metal 3D printing in orbit is said to pose a trickier challenge. The machine will use a form of stainless steel that’s often used for water treatment and medical implants because of how well it resists corrosion.
After the stainless steel wire is pushed into the printing area, the printer melts it with a laser said to be a million times more powerful than a typical laser pointer. The printer then adds the melted metal to the print.
The melting point of the metal is around 1,400°C and the printer will run inside a completely sealed box. Before the printer can operate, it needs to vent its oxygen into space and replace its atmosphere with nitrogen. Otherwise, the melted metal would oxidize when it became exposed to oxygen.
Given the higher temperatures that are employed compared with a plastic 3D printer (which heats to around 200°C), "the safety of the crew and the Station itself have to be ensured — while maintenance possibilities are also very limited," ESA technical officer Rob Postema told the agency's website. "If successful though, the strength, conductivity and rigidity of metal would take the potential of in-space 3D printing to new heights.”
Four test prints are scheduled. The printer will replicate reference prints that have been created back on Earth. The two versions will be compared to help scientists understand how printing quality and performance differs in space. Even though each print will weigh less than 250g (8.8 ounces) and be smaller than a soda can, it will take the printer between two and four weeks to create each one. The printer will only be in operation for a maximum of four hours each day, since its fans and motor are fairly loud and the ISS has noise regulations.
If the experiment goes well, it will pave the way for astronauts and space agencies to print required tools or parts without having to send the items on resupply missions. Metal 3D printing could also help with the construction of a lunar base using recycled materials or transformed regolith (moon soil and rock). It may come in useful for missions to Mars too.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/the-european-space-agency-will-test-3d-printing-metal-on-the-iss-154413028.html?src=rssThe European Space Agency will test 3D printing metal on the ISS
The first metal 3D printer that will be used in space is on its way to the International Space Station. The Cygnus NG-20 supply mission, which is carrying the 180kg (397 lbs) printer, launched on Tuesday and is set to arrive at the ISS on Thursday.
Astronaut Andreas Mogensen will install the printer, which Airbus developed for the European Space Agency. The machine will then be controlled and monitored from Earth.
Polymer-based 3D printers have been employed on the ISS in the past, but metal 3D printing in orbit is said to pose a trickier challenge. The machine will use a form of stainless steel that’s often used for water treatment and medical implants because of how well it resists corrosion.
After the stainless steel wire is pushed into the printing area, the printer melts it with a laser said to be a million times more powerful than a typical laser pointer. The printer then adds the melted metal to the print.
The melting point of the metal is around 1,400°C and the printer will run inside a completely sealed box. Before the printer can operate, it needs to vent its oxygen into space and replace its atmosphere with nitrogen. Otherwise, the melted metal would oxidize when it became exposed to oxygen.
Given the higher temperatures that are employed compared with a plastic 3D printer (which heats to around 200°C), "the safety of the crew and the Station itself have to be ensured — while maintenance possibilities are also very limited," ESA technical officer Rob Postema told the agency's website. "If successful though, the strength, conductivity and rigidity of metal would take the potential of in-space 3D printing to new heights.”
Four test prints are scheduled. The printer will replicate reference prints that have been created back on Earth. The two versions will be compared to help scientists understand how printing quality and performance differs in space. Even though each print will weigh less than 250g (8.8 ounces) and be smaller than a soda can, it will take the printer between two and four weeks to create each one. The printer will only be in operation for a maximum of four hours each day, since its fans and motor are fairly loud and the ISS has noise regulations.
If the experiment goes well, it will pave the way for astronauts and space agencies to print required tools or parts without having to send the items on resupply missions. Metal 3D printing could also help with the construction of a lunar base using recycled materials or transformed regolith (moon soil and rock). It may come in useful for missions to Mars too.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/the-european-space-agency-will-test-3d-printing-metal-on-the-iss-154413028.html?src=rssCities: Skylines II toxicity and more layoffs | This week's gaming news
It's an awkward time to be a PC player. The platform has more games covering more genres than ever, and even standard PC hardware can deliver pristine, photorealistic graphics. At the same time, some of the biggest titles in recent memory have been absolute messes on PC at launch, like Cyberpunk 2077, Star Wars Jedi: Survivor, Redfall, the Dead Space and Resident Evil 4 remakes, and The Last of Us Part I. Unfortunately, it looks like we can add Cities: Skylines II to this list — which means I'm eagerly looking forward to the day when we can look back and say, "Man, remember when this game was broken? I'm glad Colossal Order fixed everything and appropriately apologized to its community." At least, I hope that's what we'll say.
This week's stories Microsoft, macro layoffsThree months after closing its purchase of Activision Blizzard, Microsoft fired 1,900 people in its Xbox, ZeniMax and Activision Blizzard divisions. This follows a rash of layoffs in video games in recent months — last year, around 9,000 people in the industry were fired, and already in January nearly 6,000 jobs have been lost. It’s a legitimate crisis. Alongside the layoffs, Microsoft officially canceled Odyssey, the survival game that Blizzard had been working on for six years.
Palworld is the zeitgeistSo far, 2024 is the year of Palworld. The game comes from a small, rookie team and it’s been billed as “Pokémon with guns,” though it’s really more like Ark in terms of gameplay. Whatever reference you pick, Palworld is so popular that it’s No. 2 on the Steam charts for all-time concurrent players, right behind PUBG. With all of this attention, it was only a matter of time before Nintendo stepped in — the Pokemon publisher is investigating Palworld for potential copyright infringement, and we’ll see how that plays out in the coming weeks.
Cities: Skylines II and toxicityThe original Cities: Skylines came out in 2015 and ate up the audience that was left behind by EA’s SimCity, which landed in 2013 and was a busted mess. Cities: Skylines scratched that urban-planning itch, and over the years, developers at Colossal Order worked closely with players to foster a thriving mod community on Steam Workshop. Mods, custom assets and let’s play videos have been a critical aspect of Cities: Skylines’ long-term success.
Last October, after months of marketing collaborations with content creators like Biffa and City Planner Plays, Cities: Skylines II came out — and it was a disappointment to many players. The game was originally pitched as a simultaneous PC and console release, but it’s only available on PC and there’s no concrete timeline for when the other versions will come out. There’s been no word on a Mac or Linux launch. There’s also no official mod support for Cities: Skylines II, and when this feature does land, it will be through the game’s publisher, Paradox, rather than Steam Workshop. On top of all this, Colossal Order raised the game’s minimum and recommended PC specs just a month before release, and the new requirements made it unplayable for a large chunk of players. Even with a capable rig, Cities: Skylines II is riddled with visual and mechanical bugs. Simply put, it feels like Colossal Order pulled a SimCity.
The studio has been steadily rolling out updates, and CEO Mariina Hallikainen acknowledged that the game is missing some promised and highly publicized features, like mod support. But in a recent note to the community, she said the conversation with players was becoming toxic and she called for civility. Hallikainen told Engadget she'd witnessed a surge in personal attacks on developers and other players in forums and on social media.
Community members like Philip, the man behind the YouTube channel City Planner Plays, were surprised to hear the word “toxicity.” He told Engadget he's witnessed an increase in negativity and frustration from players, but not toxicity. For Philip and many other dedicated Cities: Skylines players, the feedback has been justified. They want Colossal Order to take accountability for the state of the release, say they’re sorry, and provide a plan to fix things going forward. Maybe throw in some free in-game perks, too.
Collaboration with the community is what made the original game so successful, and the sequel could certainly benefit from crowdsourced improvements. Hallikainen told Engadget that working with content creators and modders has helped direct the updates to Cities: Skylines II post-launch, and the studio still loves working with these players.
This is only the beginning for Cities: Skylines II. Colossal Order intends to support and expand the game over the next 10 years. The original Cities: Skylines didn’t have all of the bells, whistles and mods when it first came out in 2015, and the sequel is starting in a similar position. Colossal Order sees Cities: Skylines II as a fresh foundation, but its core community expected a more complete experience from the jump — especially people who paid $90 for the Ultimate Edition.
We’ve seen titles like No Man’s Sky and Cyberpunk 2077 overcome rough launches to become beloved games down the line, and Colossal Order has a solid track record when it comes to long-term support. However, options like early access and paid betas exist for a reason. At the very least, players should know whether they’re spending money to play a new game, or to help finish it.
Now playingI’ve been playing Persona 3 Reload, and now that embargo has lifted, I can say it's great. Otherwise, my quest to hit Grandmaster in Overwatch 2 continues unabated.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/cities-skylines-ii-toxicity-and-more-layoffs--this-weeks-gaming-news-150133540.html?src=rssCities: Skylines II toxicity and more layoffs | This week's gaming news
It's an awkward time to be a PC player. The platform has more games covering more genres than ever, and even standard PC hardware can deliver pristine, photorealistic graphics. At the same time, some of the biggest titles in recent memory have been absolute messes on PC at launch, like Cyberpunk 2077, Star Wars Jedi: Survivor, Redfall, the Dead Space and Resident Evil 4 remakes, and The Last of Us Part I. Unfortunately, it looks like we can add Cities: Skylines II to this list — which means I'm eagerly looking forward to the day when we can look back and say, "Man, remember when this game was broken? I'm glad Colossal Order fixed everything and appropriately apologized to its community." At least, I hope that's what we'll say.
This week's stories Microsoft, macro layoffsThree months after closing its purchase of Activision Blizzard, Microsoft fired 1,900 people in its Xbox, ZeniMax and Activision Blizzard divisions. This follows a rash of layoffs in video games in recent months — last year, around 9,000 people in the industry were fired, and already in January nearly 6,000 jobs have been lost. It’s a legitimate crisis. Alongside the layoffs, Microsoft officially canceled Odyssey, the survival game that Blizzard had been working on for six years.
Palworld is the zeitgeistSo far, 2024 is the year of Palworld. The game comes from a small, rookie team and it’s been billed as “Pokémon with guns,” though it’s really more like Ark in terms of gameplay. Whatever reference you pick, Palworld is so popular that it’s No. 2 on the Steam charts for all-time concurrent players, right behind PUBG. With all of this attention, it was only a matter of time before Nintendo stepped in — the Pokemon publisher is investigating Palworld for potential copyright infringement, and we’ll see how that plays out in the coming weeks.
Cities: Skylines II and toxicityThe original Cities: Skylines came out in 2015 and ate up the audience that was left behind by EA’s SimCity, which landed in 2013 and was a busted mess. Cities: Skylines scratched that urban-planning itch, and over the years, developers at Colossal Order worked closely with players to foster a thriving mod community on Steam Workshop. Mods, custom assets and let’s play videos have been a critical aspect of Cities: Skylines’ long-term success.
Last October, after months of marketing collaborations with content creators like Biffa and City Planner Plays, Cities: Skylines II came out — and it was a disappointment to many players. The game was originally pitched as a simultaneous PC and console release, but it’s only available on PC and there’s no concrete timeline for when the other versions will come out. There’s been no word on a Mac or Linux launch. There’s also no official mod support for Cities: Skylines II, and when this feature does land, it will be through the game’s publisher, Paradox, rather than Steam Workshop. On top of all this, Colossal Order raised the game’s minimum and recommended PC specs just a month before release, and the new requirements made it unplayable for a large chunk of players. Even with a capable rig, Cities: Skylines II is riddled with visual and mechanical bugs. Simply put, it feels like Colossal Order pulled a SimCity.
The studio has been steadily rolling out updates, and CEO Mariina Hallikainen acknowledged that the game is missing some promised and highly publicized features, like mod support. But in a recent note to the community, she said the conversation with players was becoming toxic and she called for civility. Hallikainen told Engadget she'd witnessed a surge in personal attacks on developers and other players in forums and on social media.
Community members like Philip, the man behind the YouTube channel City Planner Plays, were surprised to hear the word “toxicity.” He told Engadget he's witnessed an increase in negativity and frustration from players, but not toxicity. For Philip and many other dedicated Cities: Skylines players, the feedback has been justified. They want Colossal Order to take accountability for the state of the release, say they’re sorry, and provide a plan to fix things going forward. Maybe throw in some free in-game perks, too.
Collaboration with the community is what made the original game so successful, and the sequel could certainly benefit from crowdsourced improvements. Hallikainen told Engadget that working with content creators and modders has helped direct the updates to Cities: Skylines II post-launch, and the studio still loves working with these players.
This is only the beginning for Cities: Skylines II. Colossal Order intends to support and expand the game over the next 10 years. The original Cities: Skylines didn’t have all of the bells, whistles and mods when it first came out in 2015, and the sequel is starting in a similar position. Colossal Order sees Cities: Skylines II as a fresh foundation, but its core community expected a more complete experience from the jump — especially people who paid $90 for the Ultimate Edition.
We’ve seen titles like No Man’s Sky and Cyberpunk 2077 overcome rough launches to become beloved games down the line, and Colossal Order has a solid track record when it comes to long-term support. However, options like early access and paid betas exist for a reason. At the very least, players should know whether they’re spending money to play a new game, or to help finish it.
Now playingI’ve been playing Persona 3 Reload, and now that embargo has lifted, I can say it's great. Otherwise, my quest to hit Grandmaster in Overwatch 2 continues unabated.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/cities-skylines-ii-toxicity-and-more-layoffs--this-weeks-gaming-news-150133540.html?src=rssYamaha’s new audio mixer for gamers has a simpler interface and cheaper price
Yamaha has a new audio mixer for gamers and streamers. Nearly three years after the launch of the company’s first gaming-specific soundboard, the company’s new ZG02 adds a dedicated USB-C port for gaming consoles, a more streamlined profile and a lower price ($200 compared to the ZG01’s $300).
Yamaha wants to establish its ZG line as more straightforward and accessible than offerings from rival audio companies with gazes similarly fixed on the Twitch and Discord sets (Rode and Roland also court gamers and streamers). “While other game mixing solutions can be cumbersome and complex, the ZG02 offers a more tactile, compact and intuitive mixing experience with customizable effects controls,” Yamaha consumer audio director Alex Sadeghian wrote in a press release.
In addition to its on-the-fly sound, chat and voice adjustments, the Yamaha ZG02 includes competitive gaming “focus” modes and 3D surround sound. It has software-based mic settings and voice effects, including compression, limiter, reverb, pitch and a radio voice filter. In addition, you can assign your favorite shortcuts to its physical buttons in the (free) companion app for Windows and macOS.
The mixer supports gaming headsets with built-in or dedicated mics through an XLR / TRS combo jack on its rear (and has 48V of phantom power for condenser mics). It includes a “versatile USB interface” for Windows and macOS computers, and its console-specific USB-C port works with PS5 / PS4 and Nintendo Switch.
The ZG01 includes a USB driver that lets you route audio to two different apps (for example, Discord and OBS / Streamlabs). Yamaha also touts compatibility with the Elgato Stream Deck lineup. The $200 ZG02 is available starting today in the US at Yamaha’s website.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/yamahas-new-audio-mixer-for-gamers-has-a-simpler-interface-and-cheaper-price-140024235.html?src=rssThe Morning After: This is Doom running on E. coli bacteria
MIT biotech researcher Lauren “Ren” Ramlan has run the iconic computer game Doom using gut bacteria. It’s not doing the running of the game, per se, but it is running (barely) on a display inside a cell wall made entirely of E. coli bacteria.
The researcher dosed the bacteria with fluorescent proteins to ensure they lit up like digital pixels, reaching a heady 32x48 resolution. In their paper, Ramlan says “To run Doom, all one needs is a screen and willpower,” mentioning Doom running on the digital display for a pregnancy test.
However, this is not playable. It takes 70 minutes for the bacteria to illuminate one frame of the game and another eight hours to return to its starting state. So, nearly nine hours per frame. Your Switch doesn’t sound so bad now, does it?
— Mat Smith
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This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/the-morning-after-this-is-doom-running-on-e-coli-bacteria-121421476.html?src=rssPages
