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The Rogue Prince of Persia is coming to Switch and Switch 2 consoles on December 16. The game was in early access for around a year before being officially released for PC and consoles back in August.

This version has been “optimized for handheld and hybrid play” and includes all content from the original release. That means players will be able access a wide variety of biomes, weapons and secrets.

This is a unique take on the Prince of Persia franchise, bringing parkour-style movement and combat to the roguelike genre. It’s a fun and frenetic experience that calls to mind another sidescrolling roguelike, Dead Cells. This game was actually co-developed by Evil Empire, the company behind Dead Cells.

This is a digital release, but collectors have something to look forward to. The Rogue Prince of Persia is getting a deluxe physical release on April 10 for Switch, Switch 2 and PS5.

This physical version ships with a game key card, a double-sided poster and a set of cards depicting scenes from the game. When flipped, the cards join together to make up a portion of the title’s world map. Incidentally, there’s no physical version coming for Xbox Series X/S, despite already being available to download.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/nintendo/the-rogue-prince-of-persia-hits-switch-and-switch-2-on-december-16-194828522.html?src=rss 

Apple Arcade has a fairly stacked winter, as the platform is adding some standout titles on December 4. Arcade titles are playable on iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple TV and Apple Vision Pro.

First up, there’s Cult of the Lamb Arcade Edition. This is a port of the incredibly addictive roguelike/town sim hybrid thingamajig, with some new features exclusive to Arcade subscribers. This version includes new follower forms, decorations and outfits. It also includes all existing content updates, though Apple hasn’t announced if it would be getting forthcoming content updates.

For the uninitiated, Cult of the Lamb is two games in one. There’s a top-down action component and a base builder, with each mechanic interacting in unique and often hilarious ways. Yes, you can feed your cult members poop, if that’s your bag.

The iconic PowerWash Simulator also releases for Apple Arcade next month. This game seems like a great fit for Apple’s service, given the zen-like mechanic of washing down grime. The sequel came out last month for other platforms. If you’re a clean freak, this is the game for you.

Apple is dropping a sequel to SpongeBob Patty Pursuit. The Arcade original SpongeBob Patty Pursuit 2 casts players as both the titular SpongeBob and Plankton in a sidescrolling adventure. The first one was fairly well-reviewed.

Subway Surfers+ and Naruto: Ultimate Ninja Storm+ will also be available on December 4. Finally, a new Apple Vision Pro game is coming to Arcade this week. Glassbreakers: Champions of Moss will be available on the platform from November 13. This is an AR-based tactics RPG.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/apple-arcade-is-adding-powerwash-simulator-and-cult-of-the-lamb-next-month-190647480.html?src=rss 

Valve made a triumphant return to the hardware market with the Steam Deck and its OLED-toting counterpart, and now it’s having another crack at virtual reality with the Steam Frame. The Steam Frame is the long-rumored headset from Valve that had previously been codenamed “Deckard.” The company also announced a new Steam controller and PC called the Steam Machine. All three devices are coming in 2026.

Valve says the Steam Frame is a wireless, “streaming-first” headset. It supports both VR and flatscreen games. The company made a plug-and-play 6GHz wireless adapter that you slot into your PC (or Steam Machine). It has a dual-radio setup to help minimize interference, with one radio dedicated to streaming audio and visuals to the headset, and the other for Wi-Fi.

The Steam Frame has an optimization feature called Foveated Streaming. Valve says this uses low-latency eye-tracking to optimize the detail in the image wherever your eyes are looking. The company claims it can offer a “10x improvement in image quality and effective bandwidth.” Foveated Streaming is said to work for every game in your Steam library.

The headset has dual 2160 x 2160 LCD panels with refresh rates of up to 144Hz. Valve added that “Thin and light custom pancake lenses provide edge-to-edge sharpness and a large eye box.” As for audio, the Steam Frame has dual stereo speakers on each side with support for high-fidelity audio. Valve says the speakers on each side are “oriented in opposite directions to cancel out vibrations,” which can impact the tracking system.

The Steam Frame is far from Valve’s first VR headset. It released the Valve Index in 2019, and previously worked with HTC on its Vive headsets, which were initially consumer VR products before HTC shifted its focus to business and enterprise.

While none of Valve’s previous PC-focused headsets had the mainstream impact of Meta’s Quest lineup or arguably even PlayStation VR (which by all accounts is still an active platform, not that Sony’s release calendar backs it up), the company is responsible for what is probably the medium’s greatest-ever game in Half-Life: Alyx. And with SteamOS on the Steam Deck being such a hit that other companies are practically begging Valve to let them put it in their own rival handhelds, it’s easy to imagine the Steam Frame becoming a serious rival to the Meta Quest.

This story is developing, refresh for updates…

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ar-vr/valves-steam-frame-vr-headset-is-finally-official-and-its-coming-in-2026-181909387.html?src=rss 

The Independent Workers of Great Britain (IWGB) has issued formal legal claims against Rockstar Games, which it has accused of union busting. The Grand Theft Auto VI developer last month fired dozens of employees who were organizing.

The IWGB said in a statement it made several attempts to meet with Rockstar with the aim of resolving the situation through negotiations, but claimed the studio rebuffed the union. It’s now looking to take the matter before a court. “We have now issued formal legal claims against Rockstar on behalf of the claimants,” the IWGB said. It added that it believed the firings “amount to victimization and collective dismissal linked to trade union activity.” The union previously said that all of those who Rockstar fired were members of the members of an IWGB Game Workers Union Discord server.

Alex Marshall, the president of IWGB pledged that the union will “mount a full legal defense with our expert group of caseworkers, legal officers and barristers. Employers like Rockstar would do well to understand that private spaces such as trade union Discord servers have protections, and that their company’s contractual clauses do not supersede UK law.” Marshall added that the union will “not be intimidated.”

Rockstar claimed that it fired the more than 30 workers in question for “gross misconduct, and for no other reason” and it accused them of “distributing and discussing confidential information in a public forum.” Engadget has asked the company, which last week delayed GTA VI by a further six months, to comment on IWGB issuing legal claims against it.

People Make Games reported this week that a collective of workers called the Rockstar Games Workers’ Union had recruited just over 10 percent of the company’s UK workforce to join. That’s one of the benchmarks needed to apply for statutory recognition in the country. If that were granted, the government would be able to force Rockstar to recognize the union. The Rockstar Games Workers’ Union was said to be just weeks away from formally announcing its existence before Rockstar allegedly fired a majority of the organizing committee.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/union-files-legal-claims-against-rockstar-games-following-alleged-union-busting-165033747.html?src=rss 

Black Friday might still be a few weeks away, but there’s no need to wait if you’re in the market for a new air fryer, as one of our longtime favorite models is currently $50 off. The Ninja DZ401 is $180 right now, which is a saving of 22 percent on its usual price.

Admittedly, we have seen this model cheaper before, but if you’re on cooking duty for Thanksgiving, you might not have the option of waiting until what could be a deeper discount on Black Friday. And the DZ401 is the perfect air fryer for the holiday season, owing to its trademark dual baskets, which allow you to cook up two completely different foods simultaneously. It takes up a fair amount of space, but it’s worth it if you have a lot of hungry mouths to feed.

This 10-quart fryer includes a smart cook thermometer and six cooking modes, including air broil, roast and dehydrate alongside the default air fry mode. The spacious baskets are quick and easy to clean, and you’re safe to throw the plates into the dishwasher if they’re particularly messy after cooking up chicken wings or some brownies for dessert.

The Ninja DZ401 has had the title of best dual-zone air fryer in our buying guide for a long time for a reason. An air fryer like this isn’t for everyone, especially those with smaller kitchens, but for a Thanksgiving dinner you’ll struggle to find better.

Follow @EngadgetDeals on X for the latest tech deals and buying advice.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/our-favorite-dual-zone-air-fryer-is-already-on-sale-ahead-of-black-friday-170959938.html?src=rss