Rockstar Games’ owner is fighting Remedy Entertainment over it’s new ‘R’ logo

Can you tell the difference between these two logos? Take-Two has its doubts. | Image: Take-Two / Rockstar Games / Remedy Entertainment

Remedy Entertainment, the developer that created the Max Payne and Alan Wake video game franchises, is embroiled in a trademark dispute with Take-Two Interactive over claims that Remedy’s new “R” logo too closely resembles that of its subsidiary Rockstar Games.

As first reported by RespawnFirst, the Rockstar parent company has objected to trademark filings Remedy submitted to the Intellectual Property Offices in the UK and EU last year, over grounds that the logo is likely to cause “confusion on the part of the public.” Remedy publicly unveiled its updated “R” logo in a blog post on April 14th, 2023 — one day after the company filed its trademark application with the EU — saying that the “bullet in the letter R in the old logo...

Continue reading…

Square Enix says it used AI art in upcoming Foamstars game

Image: Square Enix

In Foamstars, Square Enix’s forthcoming Splatoon-esque multiplayer game, some of the art you’ll see will be AI-generated.

In an interview with VGC, Kosuke Okatani, producer on Foamstars, said that the development team used AI generation tool Midjourney to create in-game art for album covers for the game’s soundtracks but explained that the majority of the game was still made by humans.

“All of the core elements in Foamstars — the core gameplay, and the things that make the game enjoyable — those are all made by hand,” Okatani told VGC. “However, we did want to experiment with AI as well.”

Earlier this year, Square Enix president Takashi Kiryu said in his New Year’s Day letter that Square Enix intends to be “aggressive” in its use of AI...

Continue reading…

Google layoffs continue with ‘hundreds’ from sales team

Illustration: The Verge

After laying off about 1,000 employees last week, Google is now cutting jobs on its advertising sales team. In a statement to The Verge, Google spokesperson Chris Pappas confirmed that “a few hundred roles globally are being eliminated” as part of the change.

The news of Google’s latest layoffs was first reported by Business Insider, which obtained a memo from Google senior vice president Philipp Schindler. Schindler reportedly hinted the layoffs will primarily affect its Large Customer Sales (LCS) unit, a team that sells ads to large businesses, while the Google Customer Solutions team (GCS), which sells ads to smaller clients, will become the “core” ad sales team instead. Google laid off some employees on its LCS team last October, a...

Continue reading…

Ubisoft renamed its subscription service and added a new one focused on classics

Ubisoft

Ubisoft has renamed its monthly subscription service Ubisoft Plus and is combining the old pricing tiers (Multi-Access and PC Access) into one package dubbed Ubisoft Plus Premium. The new plan will allow players to play games on Xbox, PC, and Amazon Luna and is priced at $17.99.

Premium members will get day one (and occasionally early) access to new releases, as well as their pick of premium editions, DLC, and monthly awards. If you already subscribe to PC Access, you’ll keep your plan as is, and you can continue to pay the old monthly fee of $14.99.

It’s also adding another package, Ubisoft Plus Classics, that focuses on back catalog games like Fallout 4, Assassin’s Creed, Far Cry 6, Rainbow Six Siege, and Watch Dogs: Legion....

Continue reading…

The Apple Vision Pro has a ‘guest’ mode for your friends to try it

Image: Apple

Apple’s Vision Pro headset will come with an option that lets you share it with friends and family members — a feature currently available on nearly every other headset. In a press release on Tuesday, Apple says you can let a “guest user” who’s not registered to the device try out certain apps and experiences, without needing to set up an account on the device.

Although not explicitly mentioned by Apple, it seems guest users will be able to bypass the headset’s Optic ID requirement that unlocks the device upon scanning your iris. Apple doesn’t go into too much detail about how this will all work, but the company notes guests may access “some app content, such as large photo attachments, in Messages” while the Settings app is open....

Continue reading…

Supreme Court rejects Epic v. Apple antitrust case

Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge

The Supreme Court has denied a request to hear an antitrust dispute between Apple and Fortnite publisher Epic Games. It rejected two petitions, one from each company, this morning — leaving the case largely, but not entirely, a win for Apple.

Epic v. Apple began in 2020 after Epic implemented its own payment system for Fortnite’svirtual currency, bypassing Apple’s commission on in-app purchases. Apple banned Epic from its iOS App Store and Epic filed a lawsuit in response, claiming the App Store — and Apple’s overall walled-garden approach to iOS — violated US antitrust laws. Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers rejected most of Apple’s claims and the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals largely affirmed the decision.

Even so, both rulings found that...

Continue reading…

There are two great reasons to upgrade to The Last of Us Part II Remastered

Image: Sony Interactive Entertainment

Yeah, I know, it seems way too early for a remaster of The Last of Us Part II. The game originally launched on the PS4 in 2020 and has already received an update for those playing on the PS5. It’s not like Ellie, Joel, and Abby need much of an update for modern audiences. But while the slightly enhanced graphics — which include native 4K support and improved frame rates — are nice, they’re not really the reason to play The Last of Us Part II Remastered. Instead, it’s all of the other stuff that turns this into an excellent special edition of the game.

Some of the additions are relatively small. There’s a guitar mode where you can, well, play guitar as much as you want. Using the PlayStation controller’s touchpad to swipe guitar strings...

Continue reading…

Apple Vision Pro will launch with 3D movies from Disney Plus

Disney Plus on Apple Vision Pro. | Image: Apple

Apple and Disney announced that the Vision Pro will have 3D content from Disney Plus at launch, while Disney Plus subscribers will get special animated screening environments to accompany them. Other apps announced with Vision Pro support include ESPN, MLB, PGA Tour, Max, Discovery Plus, Amazon Prime Video, Paramount Plus, Peacock, Pluto TV, Tubi, Fubo, Crunchyroll, Red Bull TV, IMAX, TikTok, and MUBI. A notable omission from the list is Netflix; however, executives have previously said that the existing app will work unmodified on Apple’s new headset.

The announcement lists some of the movies that will be in 3D, and naturally, Avatar: The Way of Water is among them. But Vision Pro owners will also get 3D versions of movies like A...

Continue reading…

Google Maps can now navigate inside tunnels

Illustration: The Verge

Maybe the worst part of going through a tunnel when you’re relying on directions via GPS is the chaos as you prepare to exit the tunnel. Sometimes GPS will remember you’re on a road traveling through a tunnel and maintain the directions it was giving you when you went in, and sometimes it will go utterly stupid and remind you to proceed to the route as it shows your car happily driving through a river, a trainyard, or a series of residential homes.

But Google Maps is about to get better at showing directions inside tunnels. A new feature spotted by SmartDroid allows the Android version of the app to use Bluetooth beacons to track your location in areas where GPS signals typically can’t reach.

These beacons transmit Bluetooth signals that...

Continue reading…

Nvidia RTX 4070 Super review: a super performance bump for $599

Nvidia delivers more performance for the same price point inside a great 1440p GPU.

Continue reading…

Turtle Beach’s first racing sim hardware is a direct drive wheel and pedal kit

Turtle Beach’s VelocityOne Race features an integrated display and remappable buttons for in-game customization. | Image: Turtle Beach

Turtle Beach has unveiled its first wheel and pedal system designed for racing simulators, following the company’s debut into gaming simulation hardware with the VelocityOne Flight in 2021. The new VelocityOne Race is a direct drive system (meaning it provides more “torque” for better immersion) designed for Windows PC, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X / S consoles. It’s priced at $649.99, with preorders starting today ahead of its official launch on February 26th.

For that, you’re getting adjustable aluminum pedals and a modular steering wheel control unit that’s equipped with six buttons, five latched toggle switches, three rotary dials, and two analog paddles for the clutch and handbrake. A “race management display” is also integrated into...

Continue reading…

Google quietly updates Chrome’s incognito warning in wake of tracking lawsuit

Image: The Verge

Weeks after agreeing to settle a lawsuit that accused Google of illegally tracking browsing activity even after users activated Chrome’s incognito mode, the company has quietly updated how the browser describes its private browsing feature. The updated text, spotted by MSPowerUser, can be found in the latest Canary build of Google Chrome, version 122.0.6251.0.

Here’s the updated text (emphasis added):

“Others who use this device won’t see your activity, so you can browse more privately. This won’t change how data is collected by websites you visit and the services they use, including Google. Downloads, bookmarks and reading list items will be saved. Learn more”

In contrast, here’s the text Chrome’s current stable version shows when you...

Continue reading…

Adobe’s new AI-powered Premiere Pro features eradicate boring audio editing tasks

These new Premiere Pro beta features aim to speed up audio editing tasks so users can focus on other creative projects. | Image: Adobe

Adobe is introducing new AI-powered audio editing features to Premiere Pro that aim to remove some of the tedious legwork required to complete editing tasks — such as manually locating specific tools, or cleaning up poor-quality dialogue. New workflows will be available in the Premiere Pro public beta starting today, including interactive fade handles that enable users to quickly create custom audio transitions by dragging them directly across their main editing timeline. The Enhanced Speech beta feature will also become generally available to all Premiere Pro users in the coming weeks.

Other updates to the Premiere Pro beta include AI-powered audio category tagging that automatically identifies and labels clips as dialogue, music, sound...

Continue reading…

Apple tops Samsung for first time in global smartphone shipments

Apple’s latest iPhone 15 and 15 Plus. | Photo by Dan Seifert / The Verge

For the first time ever, Apple beat out Samsung to ship the most smartphones in a year according to IDC’s Worldwide Quarterly Mobile Phone Tracker. Although IDC cautions that its data is preliminary and subject to change, a second research agency, Canalys, also has Apple taking its top spot for all of 2023. IDC has Apple’s total mobile shipments at 234.6 million, versus 226.6 million for Samsung. Xiaomi, Oppo, and Transsion round out the top five with 145.9, 103.1 and 94.9 million smartphones shipped, respectively.

IDC notes that the last time Samsung wasn’t on top of the annual board was 13 years ago in 2010. Back then Apple didn’t even feature in the top five. Instead it was Nokia in first place, Samsung in second, LG Electronics in...

Continue reading…

Here’s OpenAI’s big plan to combat election misinformation

Illustration: The Verge

Yesterday TikTok presented me with what appeared to be a deepfake of Timothee Chalamet sitting in Leonardo Dicaprio’s lap and yes, I did immediately think “if this stupid video is that good imagine how bad the election misinformation will be.” OpenAI has, by necessity, been thinking about the same thing and today updated its policies to begin to address the issue.

The Wall Street Journal noted the new change in policy which were first published to OpenAI’s blog. ChatGPT, Dall-e, and other OpenAI tool users and makers are now forbidden from using OpenAI’s tools to impersonate candidates or local governments and users cannot use OpenAI’s tools for campaigns or lobbying either. Users are also not permitted to use OpenAI tools to discourage...

Continue reading…

Apple Watch drops blood oxygen features to dodge the import ban

Photo by Amelia Holowaty Krales / The Verge

The blood oxygen feature is about to disappear from new Apple Watch Series 9 and Watch Ultra 2 devices. While Apple itself has not released a statement or responded to our request for comment, both Bloomberg and 9to5Mac are reporting that the feature will be going away and that US Customs and Border Protection has approved the measure, which would allow Apple to consider selling both products after their sale was banned last year.

The Apple Watch Series 9 and Watch Ultra 2 were both banned in the US late last year as the result of a patent dispute with medical device maker Masimo. The International Trade Commission (ITC) ruled that the blood oxygen sensors in both devices infringed on patents from Masimo.

Apple pulled the Watch Series 9...

Continue reading…

Microsoft unlocks Copilot AI inside Office apps for all businesses

Image: Microsoft

Microsoft is unlocking the doors for all businesses to get access to its AI-powered Office features. Microsoft’s Copilot for Microsoft 365 launched in November with enterprise customers having to commit to at least 300 users and pick up the phone to get on the list. That was an additional $9,000 cost minimum for businesses, but now Microsoft’s AI-powered assistant is generally available for all businesses large and small with no minimum amount of users.

“Given the demand and interest we’ve heard from small and medium-sized businesses, we’re removing that 300 seat minimum,” says Divya Kumar, global head of marketing for search and AI at Microsoft, in a 1 on 1 with The Verge. “So now businesses of all sizes can get the $30 option and...

Continue reading…

Microsoft’s new Copilot Pro brings AI-powered Office features to the rest of us

Image: Microsoft

Microsoft first launched its AI-powered Office features for businesses in November, but just two months later the company is already offering them to consumers. Copilot Pro is launching today as a $20 monthly subscription that provides access to AI-powered features inside Office apps like Word, Excel, and PowerPoint alongside priority access to the latest OpenAI models and the ability to build your own Copilot GPT.

If you’re already a Microsoft 365 Personal or Home subscriber then the extra $20 per month (per person) subscription will immediately unlock Copilot in Office apps on Mac, Windows, and iPad. These features include the ability to generate entire PowerPoint slide decks from a chatbot-like prompt, and inline Copilot experiences...

Continue reading…

These are the certified Wi-Fi 7 devices you can buy now

Razer’s newest gaming laptops are certified for Wi-Fi 7. | Image: Razer

The Wi-Fi Alliance announced at the beginning of CES last week that it had begun certifying Wi-Fi 7 devices. Not having the certification doesn’t mean a device won’t work, but it does mean that it’s been confirmed to work within the standard’s specification and is therefore compatible with other Wi-Fi devices. Handily, the Wi-Fi Alliance has a searchable database of what’s certified, and a few notable ones have already earned the Alliance’s stamp of approval for the new standard.

You may already have a Wi-Fi 7 smartphone if you own the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra. Qualcomm’s FastConnect 7800 network adapter, which is now certified for the new Wi-Fi standard, is included with Samsung’s 2023 flagship phone. The only trouble is, to date,...

Continue reading…

FedEx is launching a new e-commerce platform as it competes with Amazon

Image: FedEx

FedEx announced that it will launch a new “data-driven commerce platform” this fall called “fdx” that would put FedEx in the loop of every part of online sales, from purchases to delivery and returns. The platform will integrate with ShopRunner, an online e-commerce store the company bought in 2020.

The company writes that sellers using fdx can ShopRunner platform can use it to “see shipments in near real time,” choose supply chain resources based on carbon impact, and to handle returns. FedEx says when fdx launches in the fall, it will give sellers “more efficient, cost-effective deliveries” using its data. FedEx’s system would also enable a “custom post-purchase experience” so brands can give customers more accurate shipment...

Continue reading…

Apple asks its San Diego Siri quality control team to relocate to Texas

Illustration by Nick Barclay / The Verge

Apple will combine a San Diego team of 121 employees with one in Austin, Texas, and any of the employees who elect not to move could be let go on April 26. That’s according to Bloomberg, which reported that an Apple spokesperson confirmed that the team, which listens to recordings of Siri interactions to make sure it responded appropriately, will “have the opportunity to continue their role with Apple in Austin.”

The article reports that the staff was surprised by the relocation, which Apple had indicated would involve a move to another campus in San Diego by the end of January, rather than going to Texas. The company reportedly told employees they can apply for other jobs within the company, though some doubt they’re qualified for other...

Continue reading…

Vision Pro demos will include scanning your glasses to identify your prescription

Photo by Vjeran Pavic / The Verge

For anyone who wants to try the Apple Vision Pro when it’s officially released on February 2nd, there’s going to be a whole procedure. We knew that, but now a report in Mark Gurman’s latest Power On newsletter for Bloomberg sheds light on how the in-store demos for the Vision Pro will work.

According to Gurman, the process will start with an Apple Store employee scanning users’ faces to pick out the light seal for Apple’s headset — a process he likens to configuring Face ID. For those who need vision correction, Apple will reportedly also scan their lenses with a special device to suss out the prescription. Then an employee fits a Vision Pro with one of “hundreds” of on-hand lenses and a seal and tells you how to use the device...

Continue reading…

Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown is part metroidvania, part soulslike, and all fun

Image: Ubisoft

Two weeks into 2024, and we’ve already got a GOTY.

Continue reading…

’Tis the season for AI apps and AI gadgets

Image: William Joel / The Verge

Hi, friends! Welcome to Installer No. 21, your guide to the best and Verge-iest stuff in the world. (If you’re new here, welcome, sorry for all the bad jokes, and also you can read all the old editions at the Installer homepage.)

I’ve been in Vegas all week for CES, the annual extravaganza of gadgets and gizmos aplenty, whozits and whatsits galore. Most of what’s here isn’t yet available for purchase (and a lot of it never will be), but I love getting a peek into what the tech industry is dreaming about, so I figured I should share some of the best new stuff here. I’ve also been reading about how Cyberpunk 2077 turned into a hit, learning some new tech minimalism ideas, watching Patriotand rewatching Archer, and trying out a new...

Continue reading…

The NFL and Taylor Swift surprisingly aren’t enough to crash Peacock

Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge

Peacock is the only source for tonight’s playoff game between Miami and Kansas City, and the most surprising result is that through three quarters, the service is mostly holding up to the task. The game just entered the fourth quarter, which is going to be “commercial free,” but that may not be enough to make everyone happy about the deal the NFL made to take a playoff game away from regular TV broadcast availability and put it on a streaming service operated by NBCUniversal.

Most initial viewer complaints online were more about needing Peacock to tune into the game, instead of connection or login issues that have occasionally marred live sports streaming before. However, some folks have noted audio problems, or had streams glitch and...

Continue reading…

WowMouse turns your smartwatch into a gesture-based Bluetooth mouse

Using WowMouse to control a computer mouse. | Image: Doublepoint

A company called Doublepoint announced a new app during CES this week called WowMouse that turns Android smartwatches like the Samsung Galaxy Watch into a gesture-based mouse for your computer. That means waving your arm around to move the mouse and pinching your fingers to click (similar to the Double Tap feature on the Apple Watch Series 9). The app is available now on the Google Play store.

WowMouse works by broadcasting the watch as a Bluetooth Human Interface Devices (HID) mouse, allowing it to work with a variety of operating systems, by just pairing it like you would any other Bluetooth mouse. According to Doublepoint’s site, that includes Windows, Linux, macOS, and iPadOS. It’s confirmed that it works on certain Wear OS watches,...

Continue reading…

The best Meta Quest 2 deal from Black Friday is back with a $50 credit

The Quest 2 offers lower specs than Meta’s latest headset, true, but it also costs half the price. | Photo by Amelia Holowaty Krales / The Verge

In case you haven’t heard, the Meta Quest 2’s $249 holiday pricing is sticking around for good. That’s a natural progression for the second-gen VR headset, which launched in 2020 and was recently outclassed by the newer Meta Quest 3. What’s more, if you pick up a 128GB Quest 2 at Walmart right now, you’ll receive a $50 Meta Store credit to help you build up your game library, essentially making it a $200 purchase.

At launch, the Quest 2 was an excellent little device thanks to its standalone nature. As far as mainstream VR headsets go, it remains one of the easiest and most affordable devices to pick up and play, especially since you don’t have to worry about external depth sensors and wires. You won’t be able to engage in unique...

Continue reading…

We found the smartest gadgets for every room in your home

From AI-powered robots to face-scanning smart locks, the gadgets that will power the homes of the future are here and were on display at CES 2024, the annual consumer tech show in Las Vegas. This is where tech companies show off their latest innovations in cars, TVs, laptops, smart home gear, and more. The Verge went to Vegas to take a closer look at all the new tech poised to bring our homes into the future.

After seeing hundreds of gadgets over three days, smart home reviewer Jennifer Pattison Tuohy rounded up the tech that caught her eye. In the video above, she goes through them room by room, showing how this smart home technology can make life more convenient, comfortable, and energy-efficient. Here are a few of the products she...

Continue reading…

Pokémon Scarlet and Violet could have been so much more

Mochi Mayhem and the Indigo Disk are lightyears away from perfection, but they offered a satisfying conclusion to the parts of Pokémon Scarlet and Violet that worked best.

Continue reading…

How to copy and paste on an iPhone

Illustration by Samar Haddad / The Verge

I’m always moving bits of information around on my iPhone — between documents and screens and apps — but I’m not always sure I’m doing it in the best way, especially since Apple has regularly changed the way that copy and paste works through successive versions of iOS.

That’s why I wanted to look at all the different options iOS currently gives you for copying and pasting text and images, without the familiar shortcuts you get on a computer keyboard. Those options are outlined below and will take you from basic copy and paste through to some more advanced tricks.

A note: I’m writing this guide using an iPhone 15 Pro Max running iOS 17.2.1, the latest version of the software at the time of writing.

Copy and paste text

...

Continue reading…