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Xbox has come a long way since its humble beginnings as a chunky console. It’s recently taken on the form of an Asus gaming handheld, and it might even be packaged as a VR headset soon. According to an image leaked on X and Game Sandwich, Xbox is reportedly teaming up with Meta to release an Xbox-branded Quest 3S headset in the coming days. The rumored specs show a very similar build to the base model Quest 3S with 128GB of storage, but will reportedly be bundled with an Xbox wireless controller, a Meta Quest Elite strap and three months of Xbox Game Pass.

There’s been no official announcement from Xbox or Meta yet, but a blog post from 2024 noted that the two companies were working together to “create a limited-edition Meta Quest, inspired by Xbox.” While it’s important to take this rumor with a grain of salt, Xbox seems interested in opening up its hardware for collaboration with other companies, as indicated by the recent release of the ROG Xbox Ally.

As for the rumored Xbox version of the Meta Quest 3S, those who already own the base model headset might not be the target demographic since you can already run Xbox Game Pass on it. Instead, this VR headset could be marketed as a convincing entry point for anyone looking to get into VR and is already familiar with the Xbox ecosystem. According to Game Sandwich‘s sources, this Xbox-branded VR headset will cost $399 and is set to drop on June 24.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/xbox/xboxs-vr-headset-with-meta-could-release-sooner-than-we-thought-180512994.html?src=rss 

NetEase, the Chinese video game company that published Marvel Rivals and Bungie’s Destiny: Rising, has announced its first single-player AAA game. It’s a story-driven third-person action-adventure game called Blood Message, and as Polygon notes, it’s in the vein of Uncharted and Assassin’s Creed. The story is set in the final years of the Tang Dynasty, which ruled imperial China from 618 to 907. In Blood Message, players take control of a nameless messenger and his son “to deliver a message that holds the fate of their war-torn homeland.”

Players will have to journey through desolate deserts and the vast wilderness of East and Central Asia. The trailer shows the messenger and his son fighting enemies in the desert, surviving avalanches, working with mysterious characters and discovering ancient artifacts. It also shows the game’s cinematic cutscenes, stealth and survival mechanics, as well as the landscapes players can expect to see. 

“We are ushering players into a new generation of high adventure with Blood Message,” said Zhipeng Hu, the Lead Producer and NetEase Executive Vice President. “As our first completely single-player focused experience from NetEase Games, after two decades of deep dedication to the gaming industry, we are prepared to deliver a truly epic and cinematic experience for players around the world.”

NetEase has yet to announce a release date, but Blood Message will be available for consoles and the PC. The game’s announcement shows that Chinese developers are increasingly making more inroads into the AAA space. Black Myth: Wukong, which is widely considered as the first AAA game from China, was originally released last year and will be available on the Xbox in August. 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/chinese-company-netease-is-making-an-aaa-action-adventure-game-called-blood-message-170052713.html?src=rss 

A select few will soon get to experience Tesla’s robotaxi service for the first time, but they won’t be alone in the car. The company plans to launch its fully autonomous ride-hailing service in Austin, Texas tomorrow, but a “Tesla Safety Monitor” will accompany the first riders, according to email invitations sent out to “Early Access Riders.” It’s unclear what capabilities the safety monitor will have, but they will sit in the front passenger seat of a self-driving Model Y.

The email outlined several parameters, including that users were limited to a geofenced area that excludes airports, could run into unavailability due to bad weather and can only hail a robotaxi between 6 am and midnight. This restrictive launch will reportedly only offer 10 cars and comes after a delay from an initial launch date on June 12.

With the official date set, Tesla will only offer its robotaxi service with its Model Y for now. This robotaxi service will lay the groundwork for an eventual Cybercab release, which isn’t expected to start production until at least 2026, according to the company. For now, Tesla’s robotaxi service will face competition from Waymo, which started offering its competiting services in March to Austin residents.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/transportation/tesla-inaugural-robotaxi-rides-will-have-a-human-safety-monitor-on-board-161307639.html?src=rss 

Apple’s executives are thinking of acquiring Perplexity AI both to get more talent and to be able to offer an AI-based search engine in the future, according to Bloomberg. Adrian Perica, Apple’s head of mergers and acquisitions, has reportedly already talked about the idea with services SVP Eddy Cue and the company’s top decision-makers with it comes to its AI efforts. It’s early stages, however: Apple has yet to talk to Perplexity about a bid, and the internal talks may not even lead to a formal offer. 

The executives also reportedly discussed an alternative, wherein instead of buying Perplexity outright, it’ll team up with the AI company instead. Either way, the idea is to develop an AI search engine powered by Perplexity and to integrate Perplexity’s technology into Siri. While Apple has yet to make a formal offer, Bloomberg says it met several times with Perplexity over the past few months. 

In May, Cue revealed that Apple discussed a possible Safari-integration with Perplexity while on the stand for Google’s ongoing Search antitrust case. Cue took the stand due to Apple’s long-standing deal with Google to make its search engine the default on the iPhone. (In turn, Apple gets billions of dollars a year — $18 billion in 2021 — from the arrangement.) Cue didn’t share any definitive plans, however, including the possibility of an acquisition. 

If regulators order Apple to end its partnership with Google, purchasing Perplexity would make it easier for the company to develop an AI-based search engine. In addition, it would allow the company to acquire talent needed to be able to catch up with other companies when it comes to artificial intelligence. Apple, like Meta, has been scouting for new AI talent. Bloomberg says it’s even competing against the Facebook owner to hire Daniel Gross, the founder of AI company Safe Superintelligence Inc. The company does seem to need help to be able to release the AI features it wants to provide its users. A few months ago, for instance, Apple delayed the rollout of a more powerful Siri that was a key component of its original pitch for Apple Intelligence. 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/apple-is-reportedly-considering-the-acquisition-of-perplexity-ai-150012746.html?src=rss