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Valve has confirmed that Counter-Strike 2 (CS2) won’t support Mac and older Windows PCs. The game’s predecessor, Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO), ran on those machines, but the company said since the refreshed title “represents the largest technical leap in CS history,” users on those platforms are out of luck.

In addition to macOS, older hardware, “including DirectX 9 and 32-bit operating systems,” are discontinued. Valve described the abandonment as a “difficult decision” based on technological advances. The company notes that, when combined, users on those platforms represented less than one percent of active CS:GO players, suggesting the gaming behemoth didn’t view legacy support for those platforms as a cost-conscious move.

Valve will offer refunds to eligible players on those systems who bought the Prime Status Upgrade, an optional $15 boost that matches players with fellow subscribers while earning various bonuses. However, there are caveats. Mac users can only get their money back if “most of their CS:GO playtime was on macOS” between March 22 and September 27. Meanwhile, DirectX 9 and 32-bit Windows users must have bought Prime Status Upgrade from Steam between those dates. 

Valve will only offer refunds until December 1. In addition, the company notes that CD keys, gifted purchases and banned accounts are ineligible.

The legacy version of CS:GO, currently classified as a “frozen build,” is still available for players on the defunct platforms. But Valve says that version will lose support after January 1, 2024. Any functionality associated with the Game Coordinator (access to inventory) “may degrade and/or fail” after that date.

Valve launched Counter-Strike 2 in late September after months of hype. The enormous update offers enhanced graphics, upgraded maps and more believable smoke. It uses Valve’s in-house Source 2 engine for more believable lighting, sharper textures and updated geometry. CS2 replaced CS:GO on Steam.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/valve-has-no-plans-for-counter-strike-2-support-on-macs-or-older-windows-pcs-185307909.html?src=rss 

Apple’s flagship high-end smartwatch, the just-released Apple Watch Ultra 2, is on sale as part of Amazon’s Prime Day shopapalooza thingamajig. You can snag the durable and functional timepiece for $750 instead of the typical price of $800, a savings of $50. While this deal won’t set the world on fire, the watch is only a couple of weeks old, so any savings at this point is worth noting.

The deal nets you an Apple Watch Ultra 2, complete with GPS and cellular connection options. You get the typical rugged titanium case and can choose from eight colored band options and six band-size options to suit different wrist shapes. Certain colors may not be available in every size, however, so read the fine print.

The Apple Watch Ultra 2 is the company’s most premium wearable, with specs to boot. The form factor matches the OG Ultra smartwatch, but the display is now extra bright, at 3,000 nits vs 2,000 nits from last year’s release. This makes the screen easier to read in varied light conditions. There’s an ambient light sensor on board that automatically adjusts the brightness to suit your environment.

The Ultra 2 also features the company’s new S9 chip, which powers upgraded Siri functionality and the same double-tap feature found with the Series 9. This allows users to double tap the area in front of the watch to answer calls, snooze alarms and perform a variety of other tasks, all by pinching the thumb and forefinger together.

The watch has fantastic battery life, which comes in handy when you’re trekking through the wilderness, with up to 36 hours per charge. However, there’s also a low-power mode that brings this number up to 72 hours per charge. The depth-tracker has been upgraded to further assist divers, with the ability to save past dives and track depth history straight from the watch, with more details available in the iPhone app.

The Ultra 2 boasts new widgets, an upgraded compass app, new workout-tracking features and much more. Apple also noted that it was manufactured using 95 percent recycled materials as part of a broader push to lessen the environmental impact of its product line. Amazon’s sale will only last for the next day or so, so if you have money to burn and a naked wrist, have at it. This isn’t the only Apple smartwatch deal to be found as part of Prime Day, so peruse the other deals before settling on a final purchase choice. 

Your October Prime Day Shopping Guide: See all of our Prime Day coverage. Shop the best Prime Day deals on Yahoo Life. Follow Engadget for Prime Day tech deals. Learn about Prime Day trends on In The Know. Hear from Autoblog’s experts on the best Fall Prime Day deals for your car, garage, and home, and find Prime Day sales to shop on AOL, handpicked just for you.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/the-new-apple-watch-ultra-2-just-received-a-rare-50-discount-for-prime-day-173853584.html?src=rss 

A new rule proposed by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) would ban the sneaky fees some companies slap onto their services at checkout time. Thanks to these junk fees, which have crept into the process of everything from buying concert tickets to booking vacation rentals, the prices consumers initially see are often nowhere near what they end up paying. 

The Biden administration has been putting pressure on companies like Ticketmaster and Airbnb to improve their ways, and both recently committed to providing more transparency about their extra charges. The FTC wants to take things a step further by banning the common deceptive tactics altogether. The proposed rule targets both hidden, mandatory fees that aren’t properly disclosed upfront and ambiguous “bogus fees” that leave consumers unsure of what it is they actually had to pay more for. 

These practices are misleading, with companies often resorting to “bait-and-switch pricing and misrepresenting the nature and purpose of fees,” the FTC argues in the proposal notice. Under the proposed rule, businesses would have to include these additional fees in their advertised prices, explain what each fee is for and let customers know if any of it is refundable.

The FTC took comments from the public last year to assess the impact of junk fees and ultimately gathered over 12,000 responses to shape its proposal. It’s now opening up comments for 60 days so consumers can weigh in on the rule it’s put forth. “By hiding the total price, these junk fees make it harder for consumers to shop for the best product or service and punish businesses who are honest upfront,” said FTC Chair Lina M. Khan. The proposed rule would “save people money and time, and make our markets more fair and competitive.”

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/the-ftc-wants-to-ban-hidden-junk-fees-that-jack-up-the-price-of-your-purchases-182058389.html?src=rss 

Star Trek: Prodigy has found a new streaming home with Netflix, after being both canceled by Paramount+ and completely deleted from the platform back in June. Not only will Netflix air the previously-released 20-episode first season later this year, but it’s also putting the final touches on the second season, which will stream sometime next year.

The initial cancellation came as a surprise, as Paramount had already greenlit a second season and those episodes were just about finished. Then it did that recent streamer thing where it went through and deleted all of the old episodes, kicking them to the dustbin of history. That may be possible for a lesser-known IP, like the criminally underrated Infinity Train, but this is Star Trek. Trekkers have been conducting successful campaigns to bring back shows ever since the original series was canned back in 1969. These are the same fans, after all, that helped Star Trek: The Animated Series and Star Trek: The Motion Picture get off the ground.

So they went to work, amplifying fan engagement across various social media sites. Prodigy’s creators have long held out hope for a new platform, and it looks like this optimism has finally paid off.

Star Trek: Prodigy follows a ragtag group of alien adolescents after finding the titular spaceship. It’s actually very good and acts as the perfect entry point for parents who want to introduce their kids to the ideals of Star Trek. It’s also a pseudo-sequel to Star Trek: Voyager, with Kate Mulgrew reprising her role as Captain Janeway and Robert Beltran appearing as Chakotay, among other guest stars. Season two looks like it’ll integrate further with Voyager, if leaks are anything to go by.

It’s odd that the show will now be on Netflix, given that one of Paramount’s slogans is “The Home of Star Trek.” This has been a busy week for streamers selling shelved projects to other platforms. Disney+ inked a deal with Roku, giving the platform rights to air an adaptation of the acclaimed book series The Spiderwick Chronicles. As for Star Trek animation, Paramount+ is still home to the stellar Star Trek: Lower Decks which is currently airing its fourth season.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/star-trek-prodigy-finds-a-new-home-on-netflix-183015701.html?src=rss