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The video game disc is dead

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For decades, to be a gamer was to accumulate a lot of stuff. Consoles, controllers, accessories, weird VR gloves that never worked properly, but mostly the games themselves. Over the years, games have come in every shape and size you can imagine. And now that era appears to be ending. On this episode of The Vergecast , David and Nilay talk about Sony's plan to end production of PlayStation discs , Microsoft's ongoing strategy for digitizing games , and in general the end of physical game media. It all makes a certain kind of business sense - and these companies are all desperately searching for anything that makes business sense - but it might … Read the full story at The Verge. source https://www.theverge.com/podcast/960810/video-game-disc-dead-vergecast

Elon Musk denies a report about SpaceX’s AI phone prototype

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Elon Musk says a report about a SpaceX AI phone prototype is "utterly false." The report, published on Wednesday by The Wall Street Journal , says SpaceX showed off a "handset-like prototype" to some investors before launching its record-breaking initial public offering in June. The device was "slimmer than an iPhone," and they were told it would run on a Qualcomm Snapdragon chip, according to the WSJ . It would also reportedly use its own AI-enabled operating system with features powered by the SpaceX-owned xAI . Last week, the Financial Times reported that SpaceX chief operating officer Gwynne Shotwell told investors that the company is con … Read the full story at The Verge. source https://www.theverge.com/science/960442/spacex-phone-prototype-elon-musk

Krafton settles with Subnautica 2 developer after drawn-out dispute over $250 million

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After a lengthy legal dispute, Krafton has settled with its subsidiary Unknown Worlds Entertainment, which is developing Subnautica 2 , and will pay bonuses to the studio's staff, Bloomberg reports . The dispute began last year after Krafton pushed out Unknown Worlds' cofounders, Charlie Cleveland and Max McGuire, and its CEO, Ted Gill, ahead of a potential $250 million bonus for hitting certain financial goals that would have been shared with the studio. After the executives sued, a judge reinstated Gill as CEO in March, and Subnautica 2 finally launched in early access in May . The game passed four million copies sold in five days . Details … Read the full story at The Verge. source https://www.theverge.com/games/960354/krafton-subnautica-2-settlement-bonuses-unknown-worlds

Xbox testing disc-to-digital feature that digitizes a physical game collection

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Microsoft will likely soon follow Sony and stop the production of physical discs for Xbox games. But instead of leaving physical discs behind entirely, sources familiar with Microsoft's plans tell me the company has quietly been working on a disc-to-digital feature that will allow Xbox owners to digitize their existing physical game collections. Xbox employees recently started testing this new feature, after references to "enable Disc2Digital" appeared in the Xbox PC app code in May . I'm told that Microsoft's disc-to-digital feature will work on Xbox One and Xbox Series X / S discs only, and not those for the Xbox 360 or original Xbox conso … Read the full story at The Verge. source https://www.theverge.com/report/960173/microsoft-xbox-disc-to-digital-feature-physical-game-collection

My favorite Kindle alternative is $30 off after a recent price increase

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The Kobo Libra Colour lets you take notes. | Image: Rakuten Kobo Kobo recently raised the price of its Libra Colour e-reader to $259.99, but today’s deal effectively erases that hike. The company , Best Buy , and Target , are all selling it for its old $229.99 price as part of broader sales, making now one of the best times to grab my favorite alternative to Amazon’s Kindle . Kobo Libra Colour Where to Buy: $259.99 $229.99 at Best Buy $259.99 $229.99 at Rakuten Kobo $259.99 $229.99 at Target If you’re not heavily invested in Amazon’s ecosystem, I think the Kobo Libra Colour is a better buy than its closest Amazon rival, the $249.99 Kindle Colorsoft . It offers many of the same core features, including a sharp seven-inch color display that makes book covers, comics, and highlights pop with only slightly less vibrancy than the color Kindle. It’s also waterproof so you can rest easy at the beach, and features adjustabl...

Google’s killing off Tenor GIF searches in other apps

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The GIF-picking interfaces in some of your favorite online platforms might look different going forward, as Google prepares to shut down the Tenor API today. While the Tenor website, along with its searchable GIF library, will remain live, platforms like X, Discord, Bluesky, and WhatsApp that previously integrated the API are now having to migrate to alternative GIF picker services. Google acquired the Tenor GIF platform in 2018. Both its website and API allow users to search for GIFs using keywords, similar to competing services like Giphy and Klipy. Google will continue using Tenor across its own services, including Google Messages and Gb … Read the full story at The Verge. source https://www.theverge.com/tech/959658/google-tenor-api-shutdown-gif-picker

Xbox weighs canceling Blade game and shuttering Arkane

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Microsoft is set to announce a wave of layoffs for its Xbox studios and employees next week. Sources familiar with Microsoft's plans tell The Verge that the layoffs will lead to studio closures or spinoffs, potential mergers of studios, and canceled games. I understand Microsoft is currently weighing closing at least five studios, including the developers behind Marvel's Blade . Sources tell me Microsoft wants to cancel Blade as part of a wave of cost cuts and job losses that are planned for the company's Xbox gaming division. Developed by France-based Arkane Studios, best-known for the Dishonored series, Blade was originally supposed to de … Read the full story at The Verge. source https://www.theverge.com/report/959467/microsoft-xbox-cancel-blade-game-arkane-studios-closure