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Google has reached a settlement over a lawsuit that claimed it illegally collected data from child users without parental consent through its YouTube video platform and then sent them targeted ads. The tech giant will shell out $30 million to settle the proposed class-action suit. According to Reuters, the plaintiffs' lawyers said there could be 35 million to 45 million class members. Children aged 13 or younger who watched YouTube between July 1, 2013 and April 1, 2020 could be covered. The proposed settlement was filed last night and now awaits judge approval.

This settlement amounts to a slap on the wrist compared to the $170 million fine Google faced in 2019 following a similar suit brought by the Federal Trade Commission for alleged violations of the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act. Under the terms of that case, YouTube had agreed to stop collecting data on videos aimed at children, and both YouTube and Google were prohibited from future COPPA violations.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/youtube/google-to-pay-30-million-to-settle-class-action-suit-over-childrens-privacy-193903510.html?src=rss

Beyerdynamic has announced two new wireless gaming headsets at Gamescom 2025. The MMX 150 and MMX 230 are the latest entries in the company's MMX gaming lineup. The new headsets will be available exclusively in Europe and Canada, and are displayed in Cologne for gamescom attendees.

The MMX 150 wireless is intended for casual gaming as well as everyday listening. It carries up to 50 hours of battery life and offers an EQ via the beyerdynamic app. It comes with a detachable voice microphone with sidetone, letting users hear themselves while gaming. The headset is powered by 40mm drivers. The MMX 150 features plug-and-play compatibility so gamers can use it seamlessly across console, mobile or PC.

The MMX 230 wireless is the new flagship model, and it’s the first Beyerdynamic gaming headset with a user-replaceable battery. The battery pack offers up to 60 hours of listening between charges. The 230 features Bluetooth 6.0 for low-latency connections, as well as a microphone with environmental noise cancellation for clear communications. The headset's 40mm drivers are tuned for spatial sound, helping gamers hear directional cues.

Both the MMX 150 and MMX 230 will be available in black or white. Each model will ship with a low-latency USB-C dongle, a USB-A adapter and a 1.8-meter USB-C to 3.5mm cable.

The MMX 150 will sell for $250 CAD while the MMX 230 comes in at $350 CAD. The headsets will be for sale via Beyerdynamic's online store in Q4 of 2025. It's not entirely clear at this point if they will be available in the United States.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/audio/headphones/beyerdynamic-launches-two-new-wireless-headsets-at-gamescom-191011123.html?src=rss

Rod Fergusson, the head of the Diablo franchise for the last five years, is joining 2K Games to lead up the BioShock franchise. This is happening just a couple of weeks after Fergusson announced he was leaving Blizzard. He was also the studio head at Coalition once upon a time, where he oversaw the Gears of War franchise.

Fergusson wrote on X that he will be "overseeing development of the next BioShock game" and will even have a say in that upcoming film adaptation for Netflix. The franchise is in dire need of a new steward, as it was reported earlier this month that 2K executives were unhappy with the direction of the upcoming sequel. The newly-hired franchise head says that he is "deeply grateful for the work done so far" and that he's "committed to building a BioShock game we’ll be proud of."

Would you kindly allow me to share some news?

Some of you guessed it, I’m returning to 2K to lead a series that means a lot to me as the new Head of the BioShock Franchise. I’ll be heading up Cloud Chamber and overseeing development of the next BioShock game, along with…

— Rod Fergusson (@RodFergusson) August 19, 2025

The fourth BioShock isn't the only game in the series that has faced some serious hurdles. Recent reporting has indicated that a remake of the original game was shelved by 2K earlier this year. This remaster was set to support modern frame rates and higher resolutions than the original title.

In other words, there's a lot riding on this upcoming sequel. BioShock Infinite is over 12 years old at this point and the franchise has been mostly dormant in that time. Here's hoping that Fergusson can reinvigorate the series.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/former-gears-of-war-and-diablo-head-rod-fergusson-is-now-in-charge-of-bioshock-185630691.html?src=rss

Adaptations of video games continue to be big business. During Opening Night Live at Gamescom 2025, we learned that the punishing Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice by FromSoftware will be turning into an anime show. Sekiro: No Defeat will be available exclusively on Crunchyroll some time during 2026. The show will be directed by Kenichi Kutsuna, who previously worked as an animator on the One Punch Man and Naruto: Shippuden series.

The vibe in the No Defeat trailer does feel distinct from its source material, with a hand-drawn aesthetic that's a little more vibrant than the muted and immersive world of Shadows Die Twice. But the violence is unchanged, with a couple pretty grisly attacks that point to the anime maintaining the "kill ingeniously" tagline from the game.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/tv-movies/fromsofts-sekiro-shadows-die-twice-is-becoming-an-anime-185050564.html?src=rss

The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) continues to bear fruit. Images captured by the floating watchtower revealed a previously unknown moon orbiting Uranus. The discovery, made on February 2, increases the planet's moon tally to 29.

The moon was easy to miss: It's only an estimated six miles wide. It's located about 35,000 miles from Uranus' center, orbiting the planet's equatorial plane. The moon has a nearly circular orbit, suggesting it could have formed near its current location.

NASA's short video below shows the faint speck orbiting its ringed host.

The new moon joins 13 other small moons in Uranus' orbit. The planet also has five major moons (Miranda, Ariel, Umbriel, Titania and Oberon) and 10 irregular ones. The new moon won't have a name until one is approved by the International Astronomical Union (IAU).

It was detected using 10 40-minute long-exposure images taken by Webb's Near-Infrared Camera (NIRCam). A team led by the Southwest Research Institute pored through the telescope's images to identify it.

"No other planet has as many small inner moons as Uranus, and their complex inter-relationships with the rings hint at a chaotic history that blurs the boundary between a ring system and a system of moons,” Matthew Tiscareno of the SETI Institute wrote. “Moreover, the new moon is smaller and much fainter than the smallest of the previously known inner moons, making it likely that even more complexity remains to be discovered.”

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/science/space/webb-telescope-spots-a-new-moon-orbiting-uranus-182932627.html?src=rss

We learned earlier this summer that Nissan was working on a redesign of its Leaf EV, but today the company shared some additional information about the vehicle. One of the most notable details is the price, which will be $29,990 for the Leaf S+ trim. That's a lower amount for the third-generation car than the original 2011 Leaf cost, continuing what has become a trend of Nissan offering electric vehicles for modest prices. The Leaf SV+ will retail for $34,230 and the Leaf Platinum+ will cost $38,990, but no price has been shared yet for the entry-level Leaf S model.

Another compelling aspect of these 2026 Leaf models is the maximum driving range of up to 303 per charge, depending on the model. This performance is a marked improvement over the range for most of its previous iterations. All the models will have a quick-charge time of 35 minutes and will be compatible with NACS charging ports. The higher-end trims will have additional perks such as bigger dual display screens, more audio speakers, and wireless phone charging for the interior.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/transportation/evs/nissans-redesigned-leaf-ev-starts-at-29990-181520692.html?src=rss

Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 will launch on November 14. Microsoft revealed the release date for the upcoming shooter sequel alongside a new trailer during Opening Night Live at Gamescom 2025. Notably, while Black Ops 7 will be on PC, PlayStation and Xbox at launch, it'll skip the Switch 2, despite a binding legal agreement between Microsoft and Nintendo that requires that the company's consoles receive the same access to Call of Duty as Xbox.

Similar to past games in the series, Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 is leaning into a trippy narrative and a futuristic setting. The sequel is set 40 years after the events of Call of Duty: Black Ops 6, and follows David Mason (as played by Milo Ventimiglia) and his squad of Black Ops operatives as they take on "a manipulative enemy who weaponizes fear above all else," according to publisher Activision. 

Microsoft, who owns the Call of Duty franchise following the completion of its acquisition of Activision Blizzard King in 2023, originally signed on for a 10-year pact with Nintendo to bring Call of Duty games to the Switch. The company made the commitment — and another, vaguer one with PlayStation — in an attempt to smooth over any opposition to gobbling up another large publisher. The acquisition was ultimately allowed to move forward, and Microsoft has so far ended up bringing even more of what could have been exclusive games to other consoles.

Black Ops 7 has name recognition and a devoted fan base on its side, but it'll face some healthy competition this fall. Battlefield 6 is set to be released on October 10, and based on the response to the beta alone, it seems like time away has made EA' shooter franchise all the more popular.

Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 will be available on PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, Steam and Battle.net. Xbox Game Pass subscribers will get the game at launch. The game will come to Switch later in 2025.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/call-of-duty-black-ops-7-arrives-on-november-14-180834596.html?src=rss

Absolum, the fantasy beat-'em-up from the team behind Streets of Rage 4, will arrive on October 9, Dotemu shared today. Ahead of the announcement, the publisher hosted a new preview of the game, giving the gaming press a chance to check out a new playable character and zone (more on those in a moment).

I didn't get a chance to play Absolum when it was first announced back in March, so going into this latest demo I didn't know what to expect. Now, after playing Absolum through most of the weekend, I can't wait for the final version in October. In fact, I think it might end up being a surprise game of the year contender for a lot of people. I've never been a fan of beat-'em-ups; most haven't had enough depth to keep me interested. Absolum solves that issue by smartly borrowing from modern roguelikes, with Supergiant's Hades standing as an obvious influence.

Each run in Absolum starts with you selecting a "Ritual" for your character. Like Boons in Hades, these modify your character's abilities with special properties. For example, one Ritual I encountered in my second playthrough caused throwable rose daggers to spawn whenever I timed a dodge perfectly. In turn, these allowed me to quickly dispatch dangerous enemies at a distance. The further into a run you get, the more likely you are to encounter additional Rituals. And, once again borrowing from Hades and its idea of Duo Boons, some Rituals are designed to synergize with one another. Combined with the game's Arcana system, which allows you to select up to two special attacks for your character, there's great combat variety in Absolum.

Dotemu

In fact, it never feels like you're simply button mashing. Combat is very Souls-like in that there are many different enemies for the player to take on, and each one requires its own approach. What's more, dodging attacks is often more important than dishing out damage. Healing items in Absolum are few and far between, but to balance this, the game gives you a few different ways to avoid getting hurt. You can either side step away from an attack, dash directly into an enemy to block them or use your character's Skill attack to perform what the game calls a "Clash." If timed correctly, all three options allow you to punish an enemy for trying to get the jump on you. Of the three, however, Clashes — acting as Absolum's version of a parry — are the hardest to pull off, but can turn a boss fight in your favor, allowing you to deflect an attack that would have otherwise been devastating.

With this preview, Dotemu let everyone try the game's full roster of four characters. Over the five hours I played the demo, I had the most fun with Galandra, a necromantic warrior with a sword on her back that would be big enough even for Guts. Each character feels distinct from their counterparts. Brome, for instance, who wasn't in the recent Steam Next Fest demo Dotemu released, is the game's only mage-like character. His playstyle centers around zoning your enemies with beams of power. Oh, and did I mention that he's a frog? Meanwhile, the new zone, Jaroba, did a great job of mixing things up just as I was getting used to ebb and flow of Absolum's combat. Enemies here employ much more devious attacks that are harder to dodge and counter.   

If rougelike fans didn't have Hades 2 to look forward to this year, I think Absolum would easily be in the running for one of the best indie releases of 2025. As it stands, the game has tough competition, but if you're a fan of challenging and mechanically complex but fun combat systems, I think you owe it to yourself to check out Absolum come October when it arrives on Steam, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4 and PS5. 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/absolum-is-awesome-and-i-cant-wait-to-play-it-on-october-9-180037272.html?src=rss

In the 16 years since Ronald D. Moore's take on Battlestar Galactica ended its official TV run in 2009, the most surprising thing about the series is that it hasn't inspired many great games. Sure, more than a few releases have carried the Battlestar Galactica name, but none of those have managed to capture what made the 2003 miniseries and later 2004 show so special. That might change early next year when Battlestar Galactica: Scattered Hopes arrives.

Ahead of today's announcement of the game, publisher Dotemu gave the gaming press a chance to play an early build of Scattered Hopes. The first thing you need to know about the game is that it's made by Alt Shift, the studio behind 2019's Crying Suns. Alt Shift doesn't shy away from the fact Crying Suns was inspired by Battlestar Galactica, and the studio's love for the source material shows in its new project. Even in the version I played, which was missing gameplay features and had yet to be properly balanced, Scattered Hopes feels like BSG's three-hour pilot episode recreated in game form.

Alt Shift / Dotemu

In Scattered Hopes, you're tasked with leading a fleet of ships fleeing the destruction of Caprica. Like Crying Suns, the game is a roguelike, meaning gameplay revolves around randomized runs and you're expected to fail your mission multiple times before you get anywhere close to success. At the start of each run, you pick a fleet, with each one offering a different mix of military and civilian ships for you to command. Once you're underway, gameplay is a mix of turn-based and real-time strategy as your fleet jumps from system to system to try and outrun the Cylons.

When you first arrive in a sector, you have a handful of turns to carry out scavenging missions, repairs to your fleet and research that will enhance your combat abilities. During this time, situations can develop among the survivors of the Twelve Colonies. For example, on my first run, a group of thieves started stealing supplies from the fleet. What's interesting about these scenarios is that you'll frequently be forced to choose between different factions among your survivors, representing the interests of workers, military personnel and other more shady elements. Often, these groups will come forward on their own to offer you something, but those gifts never come free, and you need to balance the influence of each group, lest one become too powerful. 

Alt Shift / Dotemu

After a few turns of this, the Cylons will arrive and will always do so with overwhelming force. These battles play out in real-time, though there's a tactical pause in case things get too hectic. At the start of my first run, I only had one Battlestar and two fighter squadrons to fight off everything that came my way. 

The goal of these encounters is not to defeat the Cylons, but rather to stay alive as long as it takes for the faster than light drives on your ships to spin up. These battles are the most fun part of the experience. They're absolutely hectic, and I found making it out with minimal damage to my fleet required prioritizing the right targets. That's easier said than done. The Cylons often sent a homing missile or tactical nuke my way that forced me to redirect my fighter squadrons to intercept those, leaving the rest of my fleet vulnerable.  

Even in its early state, with seemingly a lot of work left for Alt Shift to do before the game ships early next year, Scattered Hopes is an incredibly fun exercise in crisis management, and I'm hopeful the studio can stick the landing. In the meantime, you can wish list the game on Steam.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/pc/battlestar-galactica-might-finally-get-the-video-game-adaption-it-deserves-180032698.html?src=rss

Denshattack! is what happens when Tony Hawk trades in his skateboard for a high-speed Japanese train. Yes, you read that correctly.

Denshattack! is the latest game from Barcelona indie studio Undercoders, and it's a delirious, high-speed action experience complete with flow states, a banging original soundtrack, flamboyant characters and coming-of-age drama. Players attempt to keep their train moving while jumping, wall riding, spinning, landing tricks and nailing combos. Between the rail-hopping action, there's a fully voice-acted story (in English and Japanese) about overcoming oppression and finding your true friends. It's a wacky mix of ideas, but it all comes together in a Jet Set Radio type of world that looks like a real thrill.

Undercoders is based in Spain, but the studio founders have spent a lot of time backpacking through Japan, visiting the trains specifically. In a virtual briefing ahead of Denshattack!'s reveal at Gamescom Opening Night Live 2025, director David Jaumandreu and his team couldn't stop giggling about how much they loved trains, and it was all fairly adorable.

Denshattack! is due out in early 2026 for PC, PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S, and it'll be available day-one on Game Pass. It features music from lead composer Tee Lopes, who's best known for Sonic Mania, Sonic Frontiers and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder’s Revenge, and additional artists from video game music label Kid Katana will contribute to the soundtrack.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/denshattack-is-a-blend-of-tony-hawk-trains-and-shonen-anime-174106792.html?src=rss

The Anker Soundcore Sleep A30 earbuds are now available to purchase. These are some of the only sleep earbuds with ANC, which could be a boon for light sleepers that live in busy metropolitan areas. The company says they "effectively block out snoring, pet sounds, appliance hum and outside traffic noise."

There are other techy additions here, beyond ANC. Anker's proprietary Ear Canal Adaptation algorithm adjusts to unique ear shapes for "deeper noise reduction." The charging case also includes a microphone that monitors and analyzes ambient noise for snoring. Once snores are detected, it optimizes the ANC to mask that specific noise. This could end up saving some relationships.

The earbuds can also deliver binaural frequencies to each ear, which the company says helps "sync your brainwaves with calming patterns to promote relaxation and restful sleep." Users can make adjustments to any of these systems via the Soundcore app, which also lets people set alarms, create sleep reminders and more.

Not everyone can handle clunky earbuds when trying to fall asleep, so the company tried to increase the comfort with this latest release. The Sleep A30 earbuds include a silicone exterior, short nozzles and a slim profile. The developers created 3D maps of "thousands of ear canals" to make sure it would fit most users comfortably.

We haven't gotten a chance to try these yet, but the reviews so far are mostly positive. I'm a bit wary of ANC masking all ambient noise during sleep in case of an emergency, but maybe that's just me. In any event, the Soundcore Sleep A30 earbuds are available right now in two colorways.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/home/smart-home/ankers-soundcore-sleep-a30-earbuds-include-anc-and-a-snore-detection-algorithm-173057404.html?src=rss

Nintendo has confirmed that Kirby Air Riders, a modern revival of the 2003 GameCube cult classic Kirby Air Ride, will be released exclusively on Switch 2 on November 20. The announcement came during a marathon 45-minute Nintendo Direct devoted entirely to the new game, hosted by Kirby's creator Masahiro Sakurai. Sakurai said he was asked to create Air Riders while still working on DLC for Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, and drafted a written proposal for the game at the request of Shinya Takahashi, head of software development for Nintendo.

The Direct showed a roster of playable characters, including King Dedede, Meta Knight, Bandana Waddle Dee, Knuckle Joe and others. Each rider has distinct traits and special attacks that influence how their machines perform. The ride mechanics will be fairly simple, with players able to boost, drift, glide and rail-grind their way around.

Players will be able to customize and upgrade their vehicles throughout the game, which includes two major modes. Air Ride is the straightforward racing mode, with players competing on themed tracks. City Trial lets players explore a floating island called Skyah, where they can find power-ups and encounter random events like Dustup Derby, where they battle opponents to knock them out and earn more power-ups. Once players feel their machine is sufficiently powered up, they can head to the Stadium to complete different challenges against opponents. Local multiplayer supports up to eight players, while online lobbies can hold 16.

A demo version of Kirby Air Riders will be playable by reservation for attendees of PAX West 2025 in Seattle at the end of the month. Masahiro Sakurai said a similar demo will be available to play at Gamescom in Cologne this week.

Kirby Air Riders will release on November 20 and marks yet another Switch 2 exclusive coming early in the life cycle of the hit console. Nintendo has already found success with Donkey Kong Bananza and Mario Kart World.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/nintendo/kirby-air-riders-launches-november-20-exclusively-on-switch-2-171054821.html?src=rss

Is it finally happening? Team Cherry just announced a livestream for the long-anticipated sequel Hollow Knight: Silksong. It takes place on August 21 at 10:30AM ET. The company says it will be making a "special announcement" about the game. We don't exactly know what this announcement will be, but it's starting to feel like a release date or at least a release window.

Rumors have been swirling that the title would finally be getting a release date during this week's Gamescom festivities, with Geoff Keighley offering a tease a couple of days ago. This is all happening more than six years after the game was first announced.

It's possible that the special announcement won't involve the release date at all, but will instead offer new game modes or a deeper dive into the story. It's worth noting that reports have indicated that the game would finally see the light of day this year, though we've been fooled by that kind of thing before.

For the uninitiated, Hollow Knight: Silksong is the followup to Hollow Knight, which was an indie Metroidvania that absolutely took the world by storm. It actually started as DLC for the original game before the developers realized the scope of their ambitions would take nearly seven years to see through.

Correction, August 19, 2025, 12:55PM ET: This story originally stated that the livestream was set for April 21. That was a mistake, as the actual date is August 21. 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/theres-a-hollow-knight-silksong-livestream-on-august-21-at-1030am-et-153220026.html?src=rss

Helldivers 2 is getting a Halo crossover. On August 26, gear inspired by Halo 3: ODST will be available in the Sony-published Helldivers game. Practically speaking, this is about some new armor, guns and abilities — just another Tuesday in the gaming world. But symbolically, it evokes Sonic the Hedgehog's first appearance on a Nintendo console.

The crossover's arrival coincides with Helldivers 2's arrival on Xbox Series X/S. (That's also on August 26.) It also comes amid rumors that Halo: The Master Chief Collection could arrive on PlayStation as soon as this year. The times they are a-changin', as Microsoft adjusts to its new reality as a console hardware also-ran.

The gear will be available through the Helldivers 2 x Halo: ODST Legendary Warbond. In Helldivers, a Warbond is essentially a non-expiring equivalent of a battle pass. This one costs 1,500 Super Credits in the game's Acquisitions Center.

Here, ODST no longer means Orbital Drop Shock Troopers. Adopting Helldivers' cheeky tone, it now stands for Obedient Democracy Support Troopers. Kind of them to lend a hand to the cause.

PlayStation

So, what do you get for those Super Credits? The standout is the Halo 3: ODST armor, which has a Master Chief-esque flair. There are two variants: A-9 Helljumper Armor Set modeled after an ODST trooper. Meanwhile, the A-35 Recon Armor Set is a stealth-focused variant. Both include a Feet First passive boost. This makes you quieter, increases your range when finding points of interest and makes you immune to leg injuries.

As for the guns, you get the Halo series' classic MA5C Assault Rifle and M6C / SOCOM Pistol. Also available for your arsenal: the M90A Shotgun and M7S SMG. And who doesn't love a cape? There are two of those — one with an ODST logo and an Eye of the Clandestine one for the stealth getup.

The Helldivers 2 x Halo: ODST warbond arrives on August 26 at 8AM ET.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/sony-and-microsoft-continue-to-make-nice-with-halo-x-helldivers-2-crossover-165024127.html?src=rss

Inzone dropped a fresh batch of gaming peripherals today. Sony introduced the Inzone line in 2022 and it offers peripherals such as monitors and earbuds for gaming consumers. The new wave of gaming gear was developed with major esports organization Fnatic, and the specs are meant to target competitive players. All of the items are available for pre-order today.

The lineup includes a pair of audio devices: the Inzone H9 II Wireless Gaming Headset and the Inzone E9 In-Ear Monitor. The H9 II headset has the same dynamic driver as the excellent Sony WH-1000XM6 headphones, and it sports a detachable mic. It can be used wired or as a Bluetooth wireless set. These headphones have active noise canceling and 360 Spatial Sound. It will retail for $350. The E9 monitor also offers 360 Spatial Sound and is designed for passive noise canceling. It costs $150. Fnatic's Valorant and Apex Legends teams assisted the creation of the audio products.

Sam Rutherford for Engadget

The company also has a new gaming mouse simply called Mouse-A that was designed with feedback from Fnatic pro players. The Mouse-A weighs a slight 48 grams and offers hybrid optical switches. The $150 mouse also has an 8,000Hz polling rate and promises up to 90 hours of battery life. 

For extra cushioning, Inzone has also unveiled two mousepads. The 6mm Mat-F is intended for strategic first person shooters and games that favor controlled stop and aim playstyles. The black design has a Slimflex base and will retail for $60. Mat-D costs $35 and is meant more for speedy gameplay with gliding movements. The purple gradient mousepad is 4mm and has a high density rubber base.

Finally, the Inzone KBD-H75 is a $300 wired aluminum 75 percent rapid trigger keyboard that comes equipped with Hall-effect switches and an 8,000Hz polling rate.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/sony-inzone-launches-new-peripherals-in-collaboration-with-fnatic-160037799.html?src=rss

It feels like Summer Game Fest is only just in our rear view mirror and yet there's another video game extravaganza on the horizon. Gamescom is the planet's largest gaming event and we're sure to find out about a bunch of interesting new games at the Opening Night Live showcase. Xbox is broadcasting from the show floor across two days, and there will be other presentations that are worth keeping an eye on, including a "special announcement" for Hollow Knight: Silksong. 

Gamescom is taking place between August 20 and 24 this year, and we're learning bits and pieces about what to expect from the various showcases. The affair will kick off with Opening Night Live, a showcase hosted by Geoff Keighley that bridges the gap between his two other major events, Summer Game Fest Live and The Game Awards. That will be followed by two days of Xbox broadcasts, the latest edition of the Future Games Show and three days of Bethesda streams.

There will also be news from Ubisoft on what's next for The Division 2. The company will host two panels related to the franchise during Gamescom. One will include more info about The Division Resurgence (a delayed mobile game), as well details about a "big Division 2 project."

We'll update this preview with more Gamescom details as we get them, and embed video versions of each stream as they become available too. Here's our breakdown of how to watch Gamescom 2025 and what to expect from the event.

Gamescom schedule

• Opening Night Live — August 19, 1:30PM ET (pre-show), 2PM (main show)

• Xbox @ gamescom 2025 Broadcast — August 20, 9AM ET

• Future Games Show — August 20, 2PM ET

• Xbox @ gamescom 2025 Broadcast — August 21, 9AM ET

• Hollow Knight: Silksong - Special Announcement — August 21, 10:30AM ET

• Awesome Indies — August 21, 12PM ET

• Bethesda — August 22-25

How to watch Gamescom Opening Night Live - August 19, 2PM ET Watch on YouTube

Opening Night Live perhaps won't feature as many heavy hitters as Summer Game Fest Live or The Game Awards typically have, but one thing's for certain: Call of Duty fans will definitely want to tune in. The two-hour showcase will feature the "worldwide reveal" of Call of Duty: Black Ops 7. We'll almost certainly get a release date here too. Reports suggest we won't get a release date for Hollow Knight: Silksong at ONL, but we may not have to wait much longer... (more on that in a bit).

You can also expect a trailer for multiplayer RPG Honor of Kings: World, along with new looks at Ghost of Yotei, The Outer Worlds 2, Resident Evil Requiem, Silent Hill f, Ninja Gaiden 4, Daemon X Machina: Titanic Scion and The Seven Deadly Sins: Origin. You'll get to see the opening cinematic for the World of Warcraft: Midnight expansion as well. 

It won't all be game reveals and announcements, though — there'll be a performance of music from Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 featuring composer Lorien Testard and vocalist Alice Duport-Percier. Additionally, you'll get a peek at season two of Prime Video's Fallout series, which will arrive in December.

We'll be keeping tabs on all the news from Opening Night Live right here on Engadget. Myself, senior editor Jess Conditt and editor-in-chief Aaron Souppouris will be live-blogging our way through ONL. Join us! It should be fun.

How to watch Xbox @ gamescom 2025 Day 1 Broadcast — August 20, 9AM ET Watch on YouTube, Twitch, TikTok or Facebook

One major piece of news we're likely to get from Xbox during one of its streams (if it isn't revealed at ONL beforehand) is the release date and pricing for the ASUS ROG Xbox Ally and Xbox Ally X handheld systems. Leaker billbil-kun has reported the devices will arrive on October 16, at least in Europe, costing €599 for the Xbox Ally and €899 for the higher-end Xbox Ally X.

Microsoft had already confirmed these handhelds would be available in time for the holiday season, so that rumored release date makes sense. Either way, we should get confirmation during Gamescom of when to expect these devices, especially since the company says it will discuss the handhelds during its August 20 stream. 

This particular event will feature the likes of Grounded 2, Keeper and Call of Duty: Black Ops 7. The Order of Giants, an expansion for Indiana Jones and the Great Circle, will be showcased alongside Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade, Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024, Dying Light: The Beast, World of Warcraft: Midnight, Hotel Barcelona, Invincible Vs., Cronos: The New Dawn, Outbound, Powerwash Simulator 2 and Starsand Island.

Along with the English-language broadcast, Xbox's streams will be available in other languages on regional Xbox channels on the likes of YouTube, Twitch, TikTok and Facebook. The streams will be available in Traditional Chinese, German, French, Japanese, Brazilian Portuguese and Mexican Spanish, as well as with ASL and English audio descriptions.

How to watch Future Games Show — August 20, 2PM ET Watch on Twitch or YouTube

Actors David Hayter (Snake in the Metal Gear series) and Maggie Robertson (Lady Dimitrescu in Resident Evil Village) will be hosting this edition of the Future Games Show. This installment will feature more than 50 games across world premieres, new trailers and sudden demo releases. 

Capcom, Bandai Namco Entertainment, EA and NACON are among those who'll be represented in this one, which will feature projects from AAA and indie publishers and studios. Several games have been confirmed to make an appearance here, including Skate (which is slated to hit early access this year), Resident Evil Requiem, Cronos: The New Dawn, Hotel Barcelona, Deer & Boy, The Seven Deadly Sins: Origin and Katanaut. Not only that, there will be a post-show that will run for 40 minutes and feature more trailers, world premieres and demo announcements.

How to watch Xbox @ gamescom 2025 Day 2 Broadcast — August 21, 9AM ET Watch on YouTube, Twitch, TikTok or Facebook

Xbox will be broadcasting live from the Gamescom show floor for a second straight day. This particular stream will include details on Ninja Gaiden 4, The Outer Worlds 2 and Overwatch 2 (perhaps with more info about Season 18, which is set to start on August 26). 

You can also expect looks at Onimusha: Way of the Sword, At Fate's End, Age of Empires IV, High on Life 2, Jurassic World Evolution 3 and Fragpunk. In addition, the lineup for this stream includes Silent Hill f, Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater, Lego Voyagers, Final Fantasy Tactics - The Ivalice Chronicles, Mortal Kombat: Legacy Kollection, Mistfall Hunter and My Hero Academia: All's Justice.

How to watch Hollow Knight: Silksong - Special Announcement — August 21, 10:30AM ET Watch on YouTube

This is not a drill. Team Cherry has scheduled a "special announcement" for maybe the most anticipated and hyped-up game this side of Grand Theft Auto VI. The developer and publisher hasn't revealed exactly what it plans to announce regarding Hollow Knight: Silksong, but it's gotta be a release date, right? A deeper dive into the game would be most welcome too.

It's been six long years since we had some hands-on time with Hollow Knight: Silksong. However, Gamescom attendees will be able to try it out at the Microsoft and Nintendo booths on the show floor. I hope the two companies have lots of space to accommodate what are sure to be long lines.

How to watch Awesome Indies — August 21, 12PM ET Watch on YouTube and Twitch 

The Indie Arena Booth will host more than 200 games for Gamescom attendees to check out, but you won't necessarily need to be there in person to see them. Many will be featured in an hour-long showcase called Awesome Indies. Here, we'll see "exclusive trailers, first peeks at never-before-seen gameplay, amazing premieres and exciting newcomers," according to Gamescom.

There are a lot of interesting games being featured at the booth, including Cairn and Strange Antiquities. I'm particularly hoping the showcase will include some more details about Ball x Pit, which is one of my most anticipated games right now, Militsioner and the creepy-looking Fractured Blooms.

How to watch Bethesda broadcasts - August 22 Watch on Twitch

There will be plenty from the Bethesda side of the Xbox division as well. The publisher will be broadcasting from the Xbox show floor at Gamescom for three days, starting on August 22. According to Microsoft, these streams will include "developer interviews, game showcases, community segments, crafting highlights and live IRL tours."

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/how-to-watch-gamescom-2025-and-what-to-expect-120024733.html?src=rss

Google didn't need to make its own smartphone. Even though the company spent several years having other manufacturers build phones it could slap its "Nexus" branding on, selling hardware is not core to Google's business. Things like advertising and Search still handily dwarf the inroads the company's made as a smartphone manufacturer, and that will likely remain true for the foreseeable future.

Compared to the contributions the iPhone makes to Apple's bottom line, the Pixel has always, in some sense, been a hobby. Which means Google finds itself in a familiar place heading into the launch of the Pixel 10. It's better than it's ever been at the business of building phones, but the task for the Pixel remains the same: get people to use Google software (especially Search).

The first smartphones "made by Google"

Google sold its own hardware, including a lineup of phones, under the Nexus brand from 2010 to 2016 — but it was always known that hardware manufacturers like HTC and Samsung were actually building the hardware. 

That changed with the Pixel, the first time Google started using the now-ubiquitous "made by Google" phrasing. Ever since the first Pixel phone arrived in October 2016, Google’s phones have been defined by their camera skills. Google's significant breakthroughs in computational photography influenced the entire industry, and continue to do so today. The original Pixel and Pixel XL featured a single 12.3-megapixel camera and let anyone take great HDR photos without any fuss. Purchasing a Pixel or Pixel XL also unlocked unlimited full-resolution backups of your photos in Google Photos for free, a strong incentive to consider switching to Google's smartphone in its own right.

The company's glass and aluminum phone was more than just its camera sensor, though. A big part of Google's early pitch for the Pixel, and other hardware like Google Home, was that it could serve as a vehicle for Google Assistant. The AI-powered voice assistant had shades of Siri, and voice control features previously available in Android. But it was far more integrated into Google's software and services and had a deep well of knowledge to draw on from Google Search. An "OK Google" could let you set a timer on your phone, but it could also answer trivia or tell you about an upcoming calendar event.

Google continued to lean on software for the release of the Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL, which put Google Now-style proactive information on a new always-on display, along with a refined design with pressure sensitive sides that could activate specific functions on the phone. In terms of the camera, Google's major improvements over the original Pixel were the addition of optical image stabilization for video and a custom imaging chip, dubbed the Pixel Visual Core, that handled the image processing for both first-party and third-party camera apps. Besides being the first instance of Google sneaking some of its own custom silicon into its phone, the Pixel 2 was also was a significant challenge to Apple's dominance in the photography department

That pattern continued with the release of the Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL, which again featured a slightly modified design, wireless charging and a collection of new camera features. The biggest was Night Sight, Google's software solution for taking really good photos when there’s barely any light available. The feature was released after the Pixel 3 came out, and gave the phone the ability to capture more or less light at night depending on the shakiness of your hand. The third-generation Pixel was also paired with the introduction of Google Assistant's Call Screen feature, a mixture of visual voicemail and audio transcription that allowed users to see why someone is calling and only pick up if they wanted to.

Google would go on to introduce the first budget version of the Pixel a few months later with the Pixel 3a, a practice that continues to this day. In the following years, the company's releases were mostly memorable for gimmicks like the Pixel 4's Motion Sense feature (using radar to detect hand gestures to launch shortcuts) and the adoption of industry trends, with the Pixel 5's support for 5G.

The company followed up those phones with a few releases that were only memorable for gimmicks like the Pixel 4's Motion Sense feature (essentially motion controls for specific apps) and the adoption of an industry trend, with the Pixel 5's 5G support.

Say hello to the camera bar and Tensor chip

It would take the radical new design of the Pixel 6 to snap things back into focus for Google. Not only did the Pixel 6 have a massive, shelf-like camera bar on the back, but the phone was also the first to be powered by a custom SoC developed by Google. Rather than focus on raw power, the Google Tensor chip was designed to handle on-device AI tasks like Magic Eraser for editing photos, Live Translate for converting text to another language as you type and Direct My Call, which lets the Pixel navigate phone trees on your behalf.

The splashy launch of the Pixel 6 in 2021 marks the new path Google's smartphones have been heading for the last four years. They're still good at taking photos, but their main role is to be a showcase for whatever AI feature the company has cooked up most recently. Google continued to refine the idea with the release of the Pixel 7, which was paired with the first Pixel Watch following Google's acquisition of Fitbit in 2021. 2023 brought the Pixel 8 as well as the company's first foldable, the Pixel Fold.

The move also matched internal shifts at Google itself. The teams developing the Android operating system have long been separate from the teams building Pixel phones out of respect for Google's partners who make their own Android phones. That changed in 2024 when Google announced a reorganization that placed Pixel and Android under the same "Platforms & Devices" umbrella. The stated motivation was that aligning software and hardware would let the company release new AI features even faster, which bore out in the various Gemini features on the Pixel 9 lineup and whatever the company has planned for the Pixel 10. On some level the intimate role smartphones play in people's lives makes them an obvious venue for AI, something the company clearly wants to take advantage of based on in-development features like Project Astra.

Google clearly experimented throughout the life of the Pixel, but the phone has always been a tool to sell software ideas. Demonstrating the potential of computational photography had early success, and now the company is trying to do the same thing with generative AI and Gemini. Competition remains fierce — OpenAI shared in December 2024 that ChatGPT had 300 million weekly users, making it a real threat to Google's core business. Google has never been a hardware company, nor has it needed to win at hardware. But with stiffer competition in software than ever, using the Pixel series to get people to use Google's many services is arguably more important than ever.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/smartphones/10-pixels-in-the-purpose-of-a-google-made-smartphone-remains-the-same-160007404.html?src=rss

Apple is shifting more iPhone production to India ahead of next month’s iPhone 17 launch, Bloomberg reports. The company will build all four iPhone 17 models there, and for the first time US-bound shipments for the entire lineup will come from India at launch.

The shift comes amid production expansion across five factories in India, including two plants that recently opened. Apple has been working to decrease its reliance on China for the manufacturing of US-bound iPhones.

According to Bloomberg, factories controlled by Tata Group, an Indian multinational headquartered in Mumbai, will account for as much as half of India’s iPhone output over the next two years. Apple’s longtime partner Foxconn Technology Group is also involved through its production hub in Bangalore.

The iPhone 17 lineup is expected to be unveiled in September, though the exact date is still unknown. We expect to see the usual iPhone 17, 17 Pro, and 17 Pro Max models announced, with the added possibility of a slimmer premium model in the form of an iPhone Air. The iPhone 17e, the next generation of Apple's budget-friendly model, is more likely to arrive in early 2026 if it follows the same pattern as the iPhone 16e.

In the United States, the Trump administration had threatened Apple with tariffs on iPhones if it continued manufacturing the devices overseas. More recently, however, Apple announced from the Oval Office that it would invest an additional $100 billion in the US as part of a new “American Manufacturing Program.” This was announced as part of a $600 billion overall investment by Apple to produce more components domestically.

While India is among the many countries facing the Trump administration’s ever-changing tariff landscape, Bloomberg reported earlier this summer that iPhones imported from India have so far evaded tariffs as the US Commerce Department works to determine what sectors it deems vital to national security. With that in mind, it’s not surprising to see Apple shipping as many iPhones to the US from India as possible, at least for now.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/smartphones/apple-is-reportedly-manufacturing-all-four-iphone-17-models-in-india-145528499.html?src=rss

NVIDIA is working on a new AI chip meant for the Chinese market that's more powerful than the H20, according to Reuters. It will reportedly be based on the company's latest Blackwell architecture, which can produce chips between seven and 30 times faster than its previous AI platform. Reuters says the product is tentatively named B30A and will have a single-die design, putting all its main components on a single piece of silicon. It will apparently be capable of half the computing power of NVIDIA's Blackwell Ultra GPUs, which have dual-die configuration. The product will also come with high-bandwidth memory and the company's NVLink technology for speedier data transmission between processors. 

It's possible that NVIDIA is developing the chip after the Chinese government discouraged local companies from using the H20, especially for government and national security purposes. Chinese regulators even reportedly ordered big tech corporations, including Alibaba, Bytedance and Tencent, to suspend their purchases from NVIDIA until the government is done with a national security review. China's warning to local companies came after the US government lifted its export restriction on the company's H20 chips. 

If you'll recall, the US blocked the company from selling its H20 chips to China back in April over concerns that the Chinese military could use the chips to develop AI technology. In July, NVIDIA announced that the government has assured the company that it will approve licenses to ship and export H20 chips to China. The Financial Times then reported in August that the government had agreed to grant NVIDIA (and AMP) export licenses in exchange for 15 percent of their profits. 

Reuters says NVIDIA is still finalizing the specs of B30A, but it's hoping to deliver samples to Chinese clients for testing as soon as September this year. Trump seems to already be aware that NVIDIA is working on a chip based on Blackwell for the Chinese market, but whether it gets regulatory and export approval remains to be seen: The president told reporters that NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huan is "coming to see [him] again about that."

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/nvidia-is-reportedly-developing-an-ai-chip-for-china-more-powerful-than-the-h20-130057520.html?src=rss

Qualcomm revealed its latest mobile platform for more affordable smartphones and devices called the Snapdragon 7s Gen 4. Compared to its predecessor, the new Snapdragon chips have overall improved performance, support for more detailed displays and a feature that allows for better video quality in low-light situations.

We were able to test the Snapdragon 7s Gen 3 with smartphones like the Nothing 3a and 3a Pro, but this next-gen chipset represents a seven percent improvement with both the Qualcomm Adreno GPU and Kryo CPU. The Gen 4 specs also show higher peak CPU speeds of up to 2.7 GHz, compared to the previous generation's 2.5 GHz. On top of the overall performance boost, Qualcomm added support for WFHD+ displays that have a 2,900 x 1,300 resolution and a 144Hz refresh rate. For better video in dark scenarios, Qualcomm infused the Snapdragon 7s Gen 4 with the Low Light Vision feature, which was previously reserved for the company's more expensive chips.

Beyond these upgrades, the fourth-generation Snapdragon 7s chips keep the AI-powered ability to take 200-megapixel photos, Qualcomm's Quick Charge 4+ Technology that can recharge a device from zero to 50 percent in five minutes and support for real-time translation and transcription with multiple languages. It's a minor upgrade from the Snapdragon 7s Gen 3 that was announced last August and Qualcomm hasn't announced any phone makers who plan to use this chip yet. However, we could see the latest chip being used by companies like Honor and Vivo, who previously used Qualcomm's Snapdragon 7 Gen 3 models.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/qualcomms-latest-snapdragon-chips-offer-slight-power-up-for-budget-smartphones-130017850.html?src=rss