Aug 31
Aug 31
Rep. Jim Jordan’s Judiciary Twitter Account Finds ‘Threat’ In Pic Of Docs At Trump Home
Posted in: Today's ChiliThe 36-page filing described how Trump and his representatives did not hand over classified materials at the property.
Aug 31
Sony and Tencent now own almost a third of ‘Elden Ring’ studio FromSoftware
Posted in: Today's ChiliSony has joined forces with Tencent to purchase a 30.34 percent share of FromSoftware, the developer behind titles like Elden Ring, Dark Souls 3 and Bloodborne. Tencent’s Sixjoy Hong Kong division will own 16.25 percent of FromSoftware’s shares, Sony will take a 14.09 percent interest and parent Kadokawa Group will remain the largest shareholder with a 69.66 percent stake. Tencent already has an investment in Kadokawa from last year.
FromSoftware might not be a developer that’s on the tip of your tongue, but it has an impressive catalog. Elden Ring has been the top selling game of 2022 to date, with sales of 12 million copies in the first 18 days alone. Along with Bloodborne and the Dark Souls franchise, it has also produced the PSVR mystery adventure Déraciné and Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice.
The company plans to use the funds raised (36.4 billion yen or $262 million) to strengthen its relationship with Sony, create new IP and expand its ability to publish globally. Elden Ring is the company’s biggest hit to date, but it’s published outside of Japan by Bandai Namco. Earlier this year, FromSoftware and Bandai Namco called Elden Ring the start of a “new franchise” and announced efforts to “expand the brand beyond the game itself and into everyone’s daily life.”
While Microsoft has grabbed most of the headlines with its (still-pending) Activision Blizzard acquisition, Sony has been snapping up studios as well. It recently completed a $3.6 billion deal to buy Halo and Destiny developer Bungie Games, along with God of War co-development studio Valkyrie and Jade Raymond’s Haven Studios. Considering the success of Elden Ring, its stake in FromSoftware seems like a relative bargain.
Aug 31
Earlier this month, Logitech said it was working on a gaming handheld to hook into your cloud gaming service of choice. Now, leaked images of the G Gaming Handheld have danced their way across the internet. Looking like a slimmer Steam Deck (or Switch), the image shows icons for Xbox, GeForce Now and Steam, as well as Chrome and YouTube. On one hand, it looks a lot like so many of those clip-on braces that pair with your existing smartphone, like the Kishi. On the other, if this offers an affordable way to play AAA titles on the road while preserving your smartphone’s battery life, Logitech could sell a bundle. (And while you wait for it to launch, you can always upgrade your mouse situation, as Logitech upgraded those, too.)
– Daniel Cooper
The biggest stories you might have missed
Tom Hanks created a trivia game, and it’s coming to Apple Arcade this Friday
8BitDo reveals wireless versions of its Xbox-style Ultimate Controller
AMD’s Ryzen 7000 desktop CPUs will start shipping on September 27th
Sony’s new premium 3.1-channel Dolby Atmos soundbar costs $700
Sony has cut the PS5’s weight after raising its price
The disc model now weighs the same as the digital model did at launch.
The PlayStation 5 was famously swole at launch, which was a problem for the company that made it (and those that deliver it). But the quiet program of corporate weight-shedding Sony has put the console on has started to bear fruit, with an updated model. The new digital version is 200 grams lighter than its predecessor, and the disc version has dropped 300 grams. That means the disc model weighs the same as the digital one did when the console made its debut. We shouldn’t expect a PS5 slim any time soon, but it gives us hope that Sony is working hard to bring one to reality.
The best budget TVs and streaming gadgets for students
Get the best for your return to school.
Will Lipman Photography for Engadget
I get it – the easiest and most convenient thing to do when you’re in a dorm room is to watch TV on your phone. But let’s be honest, your eyes (and ears) deserve better, and there are enough decent, affordable options to improve your home entertainment time. Our Back to School buyer’s guide has a bunch of good TVs, streaming sticks and audio gear to do what you need, without breaking the bank.
Twitter planned to build an OnlyFans clone, but CSAM issues reportedly derailed the plan
Employees said the company doesn’t do enough to tackle harmful content.
A lengthy report has detailed Twitter’s plans to build its own OnlyFans-style subscription content platform. The project hit the buffers, however, because the company couldn’t implement an effective-enough system to filter out CSAM and other non-consensual image sharing. Twitter insiders said its filtering platform is out of date, inefficient and not up to the task of keeping the platform safe for users at large. The company responded, saying the report is not reflective of where the platform is at right now, and it has stepped up efforts to tackle CSAM on its platform.
The Sense75 is Drop’s play for the premium mechanical keyboard market
It’s presented as an alternative to the Glorious GMMK Pro.
Drop
Don’t believe the haters who keep telling you to stop using them in the library – mechanical keyboards are cool. And Drop is launching its first premium unit, the Sense75. Looking very much like the Glorious GMMK Pro, the 75 is a 75 percent tenkeyless deck with Holy Panda X switches, DCX keycapa and a rotary dial. Be warned, while Drop normally aims for affordability, a pre-built one of these will set you back either $349 or $399, depending on the color you pick.
Webb and Hubble telescopes join forces to capture multi-spectrum image of Phantom Galaxy
Two telescopes are better than one.
NASA/ESA/CSA James Webb Space Telescope
Look at this! Isn’t it magnificent? This is a new image of the Phantom Galaxy (M74), 32 million light years away from Earth. The image offers an unprecedented look at a spiral galaxy that first bewitched astronomers in 1780. What’s even cooler is the image is a composite, pulling data from both the brand-new James Webb and the positively ancient Hubble space telescopes. It’s a testament to the longevity of Hubble, the improved power of Webb and the value of friendship and teamwork.
Aug 31
The first thing you notice is the hideous carpet. You could probably spill a whole pot of coffee on it and no one would notice. Next you’re wondering what that weird handle on the wall is for.
Aug 31
Trump’s Lawyers Need To Lawyer Up After New DOJ Filing, Ex-Federal Prosecutor Says
Posted in: Today's ChiliAndrew Weissmann said if he were advising Trump’s attorneys, he’d tell them to “stop talking” and “get the best defense counsel you can possibly get.”
Aug 31
Nintendo and Cygames have announcedDragalia Lost’s exact end-of-service date: November 30th, at 1AM Eastern time. The companies started winding down the gacha fantasy RPG back in March and released its last major update by the end of that month. In July, they wrapped up the game’s main story with the intention of shutting down its servers before the year ends. Players can expect more changes before November 30th comes around — in fact, Diamantium, the premium currency in Dragalia Lost, is no longer available for purchase as of August 30th.
The upgrade essentials and packs players can buy from the in-game shop using their Diamantium stash will no longer be available starting on October 31st at 2AM. If users still have in-game money left by that time, they could spend it on summoning, building facilities at the Halidom castle, recovering stamina and other gameplay-related purposes.
When the companies announced that they were shutting down the game, they didn’t explain the reason behind their decision. This new announcement is no different. Dragalia Lost is Nintendo’s first foray into mobile games and was released back in 2019. While it never quite achieved the popularity of games like Genshin Impact, it wasn’t a flop either: Sensor Tower estimates put its earnings at over $140 million by the end of 2020. That said, Nintendo hasn’t been exactly been putting a lot of energy into mobile gaming — its most recent title is Pikmin Bloom released in 2021 — and was resistant to the idea of making games for phones for the longest time. No matter what the reason is for Dragalia Lost’s demise, anybody who tries to sign in after its servers shut down will only see an end-of-service notification on the screen.
Aug 31
Jim Cramer, the TV clown your grandpa watches when he can’t find the remote, had some horrifying news for viewers of his CNBC program Mad Money on Tuesday. Apparently there are people on TV who are over-hyping crypto, according to Cramer. Yes, you read that correctly.
Aug 31
‘Guilty As Sin’: Legal Experts Say Late-Night DOJ Filing Is Damning For Trump
Posted in: Today's Chili“This factual recitation has him dead to rights, there’s no question about it,” conservative attorney George Conway said on CNN.
Aug 31
Dan Schneider, whose shows include “Drake & Josh” and “Victorious,” is accused of creating an uncomfortable environment.
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