Category: Technology

Steam has added a new rule to its guidelines that has resulted in certain games getting banned, according to a report by Automaton. The new clause states that “content that may violate the rules and standards set forth by Steam’s payment processors and related card networks and banks, or internet network providers” is not allowed and could result in removal from the platform.

In other words, if credit card companies get mad about something, they could actually have the power to ban a game. The clause goes on to say that this will affect “certain kinds of adult-only content.”

This has likely already resulted in many games being pulled off the platform. The vast majority of these titles have obvious sexual themes and many have the word “incest” in the title. SteamDB doesn’t give a reason for these removals, but the timing does match up.

This move might sound unusual on its face, but payment processors have consistently fought against being used to purchase adult content. These battles are typically instigated on the notion that adults-only platforms don’t have enough safeguards in place against illegal content.

Mastercard and Visa blocked the use of their cards on Pornhub in 2020. Mastercard went a step further in 2021, adding language to its “Speciality Merchant Registration” requirements that announced “banks that connect merchants to our network will need to certify that the seller of adult content has effective controls in place to monitor, block and, where necessary, take down all illegal content.”

I doubt you’ll find too many people upset that games with titles like Sex Adventures – Incest Family were removed from the platform, but it could set a potentially troubling precedent. Some Steam users are upset with this rule change on the grounds that it creates the “quiet normalization of financial censorship.”

In other words, if gigantic financial institutions get to decide what is appropriate and what is not, who is to say it won’t eventually impact regular games? One Steam user notes that “queer content gets flagged as ‘explicit’ even when it’s PG,” which is a sentiment echoed by others. One user says this move “looks innocuous at first glance but it’s a trojan horse.”

On the flipside, Steam has been home to some truly foul content over the years. We’ve reached out to Valve to ask for a comment on this news and will update this post when we hear back.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/steam-now-bans-games-that-violate-the-rules-and-standards-of-payment-processors-and-banks-164222173.html?src=rss 

If you’re all caught up on The Last of Us (the TV version that is) then you’ll know that season two made clear that when the show returns it will focus a lot more on Kaitlyn’s Dever’s Abby. But it sounds like we’re going to have to wait a while to see that side of the story unfold.

Speaking to Variety off the back of The Last of Us netting HBO 16 Emmy nominations this week, the company’s CEO, Casey Bloys, said season three is “definitely planned for 2027.” Bloys didn’t offer any more specific information about the release window, but the next batch of episodes arriving in the first half of 2027 would be consistent with the roughly two-year gap between seasons one and two.

The HBO Max chief also told Variety that a decision has yet to be made on whether the remaining chunk of narrative from The Last of Us Part II will be adapted into more than one additional season. Bloys said that the decision is being left to showrunner Craig Mazin. Mazin’s decision likely won’t involve input from Neil Druckmann, though. The Naughty Dog studio head and co-creator of the eponymous video game series stepped away from his role on the show after season two. But Bloys unsurprisingly doesn’t think (publicly at least) that Druckmann’s departure will affect the development of season three.

“It was fantastic to have Neil involved. A lot of people don’t realize that Neil has a full time job creating video games and running Naughty Dog. It’s a really big job that he’s got. So I understand why he needs to focus on that,” he told Variety. “But I believe he’s given us a good blueprint with the show. And obviously Craig is a pro, so I think we’ll be in excellent shape. I’m not worried at all.”

If you are looking for a way to bridge the gap between now and what could be the final season of The Last of Us, a replay of the game it’s based on might be the way to go. Last week, Naughty Dog introduced a new Chronological Mode to the remastered version of the sequel that ditches the game’s frequent flashback sequences to focus on Ellie and Abby’s respective Seattle plotlines as they unfold.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/streaming/hbo-confirms-the-last-of-us-season-3-will-arrive-in-2027-161150871.html?src=rss 

Google will host its next Made by Google event on August 20, the company announced today. In a media invite the search giant shared with Engadget, it promised the event would feature new Pixel phones, watches, buds “and more.” At its annual hardware event last year, Google announced the Pixel 9, Pixel 9 Pro, Pixel 9 Pro XL, Pixel 9 Pro Fold, Pixel Watch 3 and Pixel Buds Pro 2. 

Between the company’s invite and what came out of last year’s event, expect a refresh of nearly the entire Pixel line. As for what the “and more” bit could entail, recent rumors suggesting Google is working on a proper response to Apple’s MagSafe tech dubbed Pixelsnap. Android manufactures have been slow to adopt the Qi2 wireless charging standard, but with the upcoming Pixel 10 it appears the company is working on a host of magnetic Qi2 accessories, including a new charging stand. As always, be sure to visit Engadget on the day of the event as we’ll have a liveblog of the entire proceedings.      

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/smartphones/the-next-made-by-google-event-is-on-august-20-162832589.html?src=rss 

Google is bringing AI‑generated summaries to Discover, the personalized stream of articles and videos found in the Google app curated based on a user’s interests. The search giant remains undeterred by the imperfect nature of AI Overviews, or what it might mean for publishers whose content largely makes up Google’s search results.

TechCrunch has reported that some Android and iOS users in the US are seeing cards containing AI‑generated summaries on their Discover page. These cards appear with news sites’ logos in the top left of the card, with an accompanying snippet that is presumably generated from the body or headlines of those publishers’ content. When users tap “see more,” the card expands to show all the contributing articles for the summary. Each summary card carries a warning that it was generated by AI, which it notes “can make mistakes.”

A Google spokesperson told TechCrunch that this is a US launch of a new feature, not a test. The feature will first focus on trending lifestyle topics like sports and entertainment. In speaking with TechCrunch, Google claimed the summaries would make it easier for people to decide which pages they want to visit, though publishers are already vocal that Google’s AI tools are tanking clickthrough traffic. Some estimates say as many as 64 percent of search results that include AI Overviews end without a click.

Google has been aggressively rolling out AI‑powered features. Tools like AI Overviews, AI mode in Search and AI‑generated video summary represent, in part, Google’s determination to maintain its user base in the face of would‑be search‑engine replacements like ChatGPT.

The pace of this new rollout was not made clear.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/google-adds-ai-generated-summaries-to-discover-144341141.html?src=rss 

It’s time to break out that 1980s playlist. The last season of the Netflix hit Stranger Things finally has a trailer. It’s been nearly a decade since the show premiered and it looks like it’s going out with a bang. This trailer is absolutely packed with action, showing many fan favorite characters in mortal peril of one kind or another.

Season four ended with one heck of a cliffhanger so, of course, things pick up from there. The footage depicts all kinds of supernatural chaos impacting the small Indiana town. It’s been three whole years since the last season, so here’s a refresher from Netflix about the upcoming batch of episodes. It’s filled with spoilers from previous seasons, so read at your own risk.

“The fall of 1987. Hawkins is scarred by the opening of the Rifts, and our heroes are united by a single goal: find and kill Vecna. But he has vanished — his whereabouts and plans unknown. Complicating their mission, the government has placed the town under military quarantine and intensified its hunt for Eleven, forcing her back into hiding. As the anniversary of Will’s disappearance approaches, so does a heavy, familiar dread. The final battle is looming — and with it, a darkness more powerful and more deadly than anything they’ve faced before. To end this nightmare, they’ll need everyone — the full party — standing together, one last time.”

Season five of Stranger Things is split into three parts, which is something Netflix loves to do lately. Volume One, which will have four episodes, comes out on November 26, followed a month later by three episodes for Volume Two on December 25 and the final episode on December 31. We don’t know how long each episode will be, but some season four installments reached 90 minutes.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/tv-movies/the-final-season-of-stranger-things-now-has-an-action-packed-trailer-151355646.html?src=rss 

Prime Day might be behind us, but the dregs of the deals are still lingering. And if you’re in the market for a new pair of AirPods, you’re in luck. Apple’s ever-popular AirPods 4 (the ones without ANC) are currently down to $90 when purchased from Amazon, which is 30 percent off their usual price of $129. If you want the ANC model for those noisy flights, they’re 33 percent off at $120.

While neither deal is quite as good as the ones we saw during the Prime day sale, you’re only going to be an extra dollar down regardless of which model you go for. The non-ANC AirPods 4 were $89 for Prime Day (a record low), while the noise-cancelling buds could be snagged for $119. If you missed out then, these deals are virtually the same.

You really can’t go wrong with the AirPods 4. While the AirPods Pro 2 remain our number one pick for the entire product category, we think the former are the best choice if you’re on a budget. Apple’s “regular” earbuds were given a long overdue spruce-up in 2024, offering the option of ANC on the non-Pro AirPods for the first time, as well as an improved design and better sound quality.

Whether you go for the ANC or entry level model, you’ll benefit from the various features afforded by the H2 audio chip. These include Voice Isolation, Personalized Spatial Audio with dynamic head tracking, Personalized Volume and Adaptive EQ. The AirPods 4 with ANC add Conversation Awareness, Adaptive Audio and a Transparency mode to the spec sheet.

Downsides? You still can’t change the volume using onboard controls, and the cheaper AirPods 4 don’t come with a case that supports wireless charging via MagSage or Qi, which is a disappointment. The AirPods Pro 4 with ANC do a pretty good job of banishing low-frequency background noise, but the noise-canceling capabilities aren’t quite as strong as what you get with the AirPods Pro 2.

Check out our coverage of the best Apple deals for more discounts, and follow @EngadgetDeals on X for the latest tech deals and buying advice.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/the-airpods-4-are-still-on-sale-at-a-near-record-low-price-141631755.html?src=rss 

Nintendo has revealed the two lead actors for its live-action The Legend of Zelda movie. Bo Bragason is playing the title character, Princess Zelda, while Benjamin Evan Ainsworth is taking on the role of Link, series creator Shigeru Miyamoto announced on X.

The performers are around the right ages for their parts — Bragason was born in 2004 while Ainsworth is 16. These are by far the biggest roles to date for both actors, but they each have plenty of experience in front of cameras. 

Bragason has appeared in Disney+ fantasy series Renegade Nell and BBC crime drama The Jetty, as well as the very enjoyable horror movie Censor and Final Fantasy XV. As for Ainsworth, he voiced Pinocchio in Disney’s 2022 live-action remake and appeared in Mike Flanagan’s Netflix series The Haunting of Bly Manor. Miyamoto said he is “very much looking forward to seeing both of them on the big screen.” 

Sony Pictures is co-producing the film with Nintendo, while Wes Ball (the Maze Runner series) is directing it. The Legend of Zelda is on track to hit theaters on May 7, 2027.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/tv-movies/the-live-action-legend-of-zelda-movie-has-cast-its-princess-and-hero-115830552.html?src=rss 

Apple’s Irish tax break problems are officially over. Ireland’s Department of Finance has reported that the entirety of the €14.25 billion fund in Apple’s escrow account for the case has been fully transferred to the Exchequer or Ireland’s central fund. The escrow account has, therefore, been closed. This marks the end of one of the world’s largest antitrust cases that started way back in 2013 when the European Commission launched an investigation to determine whether Apple was enjoying better tax rates than warranted under the bloc’s laws. 

The commission found that the tax breaks Ireland gave Apple back then was illegal shortly after its investigation started. Then in 2016, after years of investigation, the commission ruled that the company had to pay back the “illegal state aid” it received over a 10-year-period before the probe into its tax practices was launched, since it was given “significant advantage” over its rivals. 

Apparently, Apple created Irish subsidiaries that owned most of its intellectual properties. Every time the company sells a product, the Irish subsidiaries get paid for the use of Apple’s IPs. And thanks to the company’s agreement with Ireland, Apple was only paying a 1 percent tax rate on European profits that became as low as .005 percent in 2014. The Commission ordered Apple to pay back the €13.1 billion in taxes it owed from between 2003 and 2014, with an interest of €1.2 billion on top. 

In 2018, the company transferred €14.3 billion to an escrow account as it appealed the Commission’s ruling. The EU’s General Court ruled in Apple’s favor in 2020, explaining that there wasn’t enough evidence to show that the company had broken the bloc’s rules. But in 2024, the European Court of Justice overturned that decision and confirmed the Commission’s original ruling in 2016. 

As The Irish Times has reported, the funds continued depreciating in value since it was deposited into escrow until 2023. It only managed to regain €470 million within 16 months before the account’s closure in May, thanks to higher interest rates and investments with higher yields. 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/apples-%E2%82%AC143-billion-irish-tax-break-case-is-officially-over-113755771.html?src=rss 

Welcome to Video Games Weekly on Engadget. Expect a new story every Monday or Tuesday, broken into two parts. The first is a space for short essays and ramblings about video game trends and related topics from me, Jess Conditt, a reporter who’s covered the industry for more than 13 years. The second contains the video game stories from the past week that you need to know about, including some headlines from outside of Engadget.

Please enjoy — and I’ll see you next week.

If I end up reading one more story about how fantastic Death Stranding 2 is so long as you skip the cutscenes, I’m gonna hurl. At what point during 10 hours of cinematic interstitials do we collectively put the controller down and say, actually, this isn’t a great game? Not because the game parts aren’t any good — they’re pretty fabulous, in fact — but because a significant portion of the experience isn’t actually interactive at all. When does it become more accurate to describe a Hideo Kojima project as a CGI movie with moments of interactivity, rather than as a video game first?

I’m not actually attempting to solve the “video game of Theseus” riddle right now, but it’s a conversation that’s been on my mind, given recent headlines. Death Stranding 2 reviews are in, Neil Druckmann is out at HBO and returning to Naughty Dog full-time, and Emmy nominations arrived with 18 nods for video game adaptations. Meanwhile, layoffs are rocking the gaming industry yet again, with thousands fired at Xbox this month, alongside multiple studio closures and game cancellations. One of the most surprising titles to get the ax was Project Blackbird, a promising-sounding MMO from Elder Scrolls studio ZeniMax Online. Blackbird was reportedly canceled in favor of allocating resources to the development of Fallout 5, a series with mainstream clout following the success of Amazon’s Fallout TV show in 2024.

The convergence of video games and Hollywood is not a new talking point — even for me — but it’s only grown more relevant with time. Sony in particular is leaning hard into a cross-media strategy with notable investments in television, anime and film adaptations of its video game franchises, and it just published Kojima Productions’ Death Stranding 2, which serves as a lightning rod for this entire conversation.

Kojima is easy to pick on because he’s been so vocal about his desire to make movies, and fittingly, his games have only grown more cinematic over the years. Death Stranding and its sequel are stacked with mainstream Hollywood actors (and Kojima’s favorite directors) across hours of drawn-out, non-interactive cutscenes. His next two projects, OD and Physint, are both described as having A-list casts and “blurring the boundaries between film and games.”

I’m a big fan of experimental horror games, and I deeply appreciate Kojima’s eye for building tension and sneaky action sequences, but I’m hesitant to get excited about OD and Physint. The deeper Kojima dives into the world of Hollywood, the more he loses me. I don’t download, install and boot up a video game to watch a movie instead, and I don’t find it impressive when an interactive product is defined by cinematic terms. The constraints of filmmaking are vastly different than those of video game development, and it sucks to watch a talented creator try to force video games to conform to the boundaries of movies or TV, rather than exploring the mechanics that make interactive art so uniquely powerful. I feel like Kojima sees cinema as the goal, not video games specifically, and this perspective breaks my little pixelated heart.

It’s particularly painful in an era of raging instability for the video game industry. It’s difficult to see so much money and creative talent being thrown at projects that end up feeling more like movies than games, at a time when it’s increasingly difficult for fresh and original AAA projects to make it to market. Video games have not been maxed out as an art form — there’s far more to discover in terms of mechanics, visuals, haptics and immersive interaction systems, and there are more stories that can only be told with these specific tools. Viewing game development through the lens of filmmaking diminishes everything that makes this medium so powerful. The only Hollywood trait the games industry should imitate is its powerful and functional unions.

I enjoy things that exist in the gray space between definitions; in fact, I often prefer them. What I don’t enjoy is misguided emulation that’s sold to an audience as innovation. In the end, I guess what I’m really saying is… I’m still not over PT.

The news

King developers were the architects of their own demise

One of the most eyebrow-raising details of Microsoft’s sweeping layoffs earlier this month was the fact that King, the studio behind Candy Crush, was included in the firings. King is historically a money-printing machine with high per-employee returns, which tends to insulate it from layoffs, but this time around at least 200 people were let go from the studio. As it turns out, a number of fired developers spent the past few years training AI systems to do their jobs, which just adds a layer of shittiness to an already crappy situation.

Best Buy will have more Switch 2 units on Thursday

Has the FOMO gotten to you yet? After denying that you wanted a Switch 2 for a few noble and self-righteous weeks, have you cracked and admitted that you actually, really want one? Great — then get yourself to Best Buy on Thursday, July 17, when the company will restock its supply of Switch 2 consoles in all stores. This coincides with the release of Donkey Kong Banaza, too.

A small update on Ken Levine’s Judas (sung like Lady Gaga)

I’ve had my eye on Judas, the BioShocky FPS from Ken Levine’s Ghost Story Games, since it was revealed in 2022, and I lowkey love how little we still know about it today. That said, I’m happily devouring every bit of information about Judas, and the latest nugget comes from Levine himself in an interview with classic game publisher Nightdive Studios. With Judas, Ghost Story is focused on “telling the story and transporting the player somewhere,” rather than building live-service or microtransaction features, Levine said. As he put it, “You buy the game and you get the whole thing. There’s no online component. There’s no live service.”

There’s also no release date for Judas yet.

Summer Games Done Quick can’t stop raising millions for charity

The crazy kids at Summer Games Done Quick have done it once again and raised literal millions of dollars for Doctors Without Borders in a single weekend, simply by playing video games in silly ways without stopping. SGDQ 2025 wrapped up on Sunday with a total donation pool of $2,436,614. The organization’s next event is another edition of Flame Fatales, a speedrunning showcase featuring women and femmes that runs from September 7 to 14. We’ll see you there.

Ousted Subnautica 2 studio bosses are suing Krafton

The well of Subnautica 2 drama runs deep. Earlier in July the heads of Subnatica 2 studio Unknown Worlds Entertainment — Charlie Cleveland, Ted Gill and Max McGuire — were ousted by the team’s parent company, Krafton, and the game’s early access release was delayed to 2026. What’s more, Bloomberg reported that the studio had been in line for a $250 million bonus if it had met certain financial goals by the end of the year, but those largely hinged on an early access release. Cleveland said on social media that Subnautica 2 was ready for early access, and Krafton responded to the whole shebang by accusing the fired developers of abandoning their responsibilities as studio heads. Cleveland and others are now apparently filing a lawsuit against Krafton. GamesIndustry.biz has a comprehensive timeline of the Subnautica 2 controversy right here.

Additional reading

Kris Holt’s weekly indie game roundup

Ghost of Yōtei‘s lo-fi beats mode sums up the very best and very worst of this very weird series by Chris Tapsell at Eurogamer

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/video-games-weekly-who-put-all-these-videos-in-my-games-232445265.html?src=rss