The Assassin's Creed series is commonly praised for its stealth-action gameplay and iconic protagonists, but it would be fair to say that its greatest achievements lie in recreating sprawling historical settings for open-world exploration. Nearly 20 years since its debut, Ubisoft is now taking the series to historical Japan with Assassin's Creed Shadows. It's a setting that many fans of the series have wanted to see, and currently enjoying increased popularity due to FX's recent tv series Shogun.While the historical setting of Japan has been the subject of many games, particularly the likes of Ghost of Tsushima and Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice, seeing it through the lens of Assassin's Creed is interesting. After all, this is a series that blends historical political conflicts with sci-fi and action-laden twists and the approach lends an opportunity to spotlight some often understated elements the history and politics of the era, while also reveling in the series' style of stealth gameplay and open world action.Though the shift to historical Japan seemed like an obvious turn for the series (ninjas seem like a natural fit for the Order of Assassins), the developers at Ubisoft Quebec expressed thatjust like previous entriesbringing the series to Japan required education and a need to highlight different perspectives of the era.Related:Speaking with creative director Jonathan Dumont during a visit to Ubisoft Quebec in early 2025, he explained what drew the team to the setting, given it was historical period of great change.Why Assassin's Creed finally went to JapanThe series featured multiple protagonists for Syndicate, Odyssey, and Valhalla, but Assassin's Creed Shadows goes about it differently by focusing on two unique characters with different gameplay styles and different perspectives on the changing era of Japan. The main narrative centers on the historical African samurai Yasuke (played by Tongayi Chirisa) and his new life in Japan, and Naoe (played by Masumi Tsunoda), a female ninja seeking to live up to her family's legacy to seek revenge, all set against the backdrop of the growing conflicts of the Sengoku period, with historical figures such as Oda Nobunaga, Tokugawa Ieyasu, and outside Western influences paving the way for radical change in Japan."You always try to look for the thing that grabs you as a creator. For Assassin's Creed Odyssey, we chose Greece because we found the pull was the philosophy of that time, and that it was an era where that departed the land of myths to an age of reasoning with people like Socrates becoming more known," said the creative director. "So with Japan, what interested us was the nuance of the era's communities and the different sides of everything. It was a morally grey time period and the start of a global conflict in Japan as Western nations were coming to the country during that era of unification."Related:According to Dumont, some of the reasons why Ubisoft hadn't made an Assassin's Creed game set in Japan sooner were timing, developer availability, and limitations of the tech to fully realize feudal Japan's architecture and surrounding wilderness that changes with in-game seasons. With Shadows, the developers not only saw an opportunity for the series to spotlight this era of Japan, but also showcase the atmosphere and changing culture of a country after the Western world cast its sights on itall honed through the lens of Assassin's Creed and its focus on history's secret assassins."This setting was such a pivotal time in Japan's history, and the country became a melting pot, and life changed so dramatically during these 30 years of unification," said the creative director. "Cities were being built around castles, the samurai went from being guardians protecting [rural property] to becoming now centered around the city, and it also led to urbanizationlike commerce changed quite a bit because there was such a demand at war, and so the merchants at that time became very rich, and they climbed the social ladder. All that made it such an interesting era to explore for Assassin's Creed."Related:This aspect of cultural change and exchange is reflected in Yasuke's story, one of the central characters of Shadows and the series' first protagonist based on a real person. During the game's prologue, players see him as an enslaved person brought to Japan by Jesuit missionaries, and on the opening walk to Oda Nobunaga's compound, citizens view him as a curiosity and comment on his black skin. After meeting with the feudal lord, Yasuke eventually begins a new life in Japan and trains as a samurai under Nobunaga, which sets him on a path to partnership with Naoe as they navigate 15th-century Japan.Unfortunately, Yasuke's appearance has garnered attention from certain corners of the internet who neither appreciate his inclusion as a protagonist in the game nor his place in real history despite the fact that he's already appeared in other games like Nioh and Samurai Warriors. What this inherently racist criticism from these communities fails to consider is that Yasuke's place during this time period makes a compelling case for him as a protagonist and puts him very much in line with Assassin's Creed's focus on the strange, secret history of humanity.Image via Ubisoft.Image via Ubisoft.Moreover, the developers felt Yasuke's experience as a foreigner in Japan would allow a global audience of players to see themselves in his journey as he immerses himself in the culture of the country.This approach has precedent in the realm of popular fiction. James Clavell's 1975 book Shogun and the 2024 TV series of the same name introduce the fictional British sailor John Blackthorne (himself based on historical figure William Adams) as an audience point-of-view character.Becoming students of historyOne particular detail that Dumont highlighted during the production was that Yasuke actor Tongayi Chirisa embodied the kind of mindset that they wanted for the character, possessing an open mind and a "student's mentality." This was the kind of aspect that they wanted for the character, but also a perspective that he wanted the developers to have as well when trying to develop Japan for AC."I always think of making games like these as going back to school; you have to go back to the learning processyou look back on what you know, then look at what you're learning, and then compare that to what's out there in pop culture," said Dumont. "So it's really about being students ourselves, trying to learn as much as possible and being humble about it. It can be difficult to portray somebody else's culture, so you try to have a lot of people who can inform you or help you make the right choices. Traveling to Japan was awesome, working with the specialists was great, and all that changed how we viewed the setting and how we developed it as well."Alongside Yasuke is Naoe, the second playable protagonist who focuses on stealth gameplay and the traditional 'assassin' experience. In a way, Naoe is an outsider like Yasuke, and her experience represents the spiritual and emotional element of the game that highlights the harmony between nature and humanity.One of Naoe's side activities hidden throughout the open world are meditation rituals, which open up side missions to see her growth as a ninja from her father's training. One major activity that players can engage in is the town builder, an Animal Crossing-style mode focusing on building a community of allies and creating a town of your own. In this way, players will be able to see the details of the architecture and culture of the time, as well as how people find unity during difficult times.Image via Ubisoft.Image via Ubisoft."Working on this game completely changes how we perceive architecture, and how much nature and humanity are linked together in harmony in Japan," said Dumont. "When you go into temples and shrines and the wilderness, it's very clear that there's a strong connection with everything. We didn't understand at the start of this project, but as we did our research in Japan, we realized we needed to focus more on that. So, looking at everything, we were like, "Oh yeah, okay! We need to spend more time on that," and it's made our experience all the better."In a clear shift away from 2020's Valhalla, Shadows focuses on a more tightly designed world, which aims to put a clear spotlight on a period of Japan that's opening itself up to the larger world and how the protagonists build up a community. According to Dumont, this all taps into the game's core themes of unity and community, which he says is "the importance of taking care of each other."While Assassin's Creed Shadows does focus on the traditional AC style of experience where players engage in brutal combat, pull off assassinations of key targets, and parkour across an open-world during a chaotic period, the deep historical research creates a surprisingly inviting and wholesome tone, one that breaks new ground in the world of games inspired by the dramatic history of Feudal Japan.

Chris Kerr, News EditorMarch 21, 20255 Min ReadImage via Team AsobiTeam Asobi studio director Nicolas Doucet has some advice for GDC 2025 attendees lucky enough to find a spot in his packed out 'The making of Astro Bot' session: "It's okay to make a small game."They're pertinent words in era of burgeoning production cycles and budgetsand ones that should hold weight given the critical and commercial performance of Team Asobi's effervescent platformer, Astro Bot.Introducing his point, Doucet surfaces a photograph of Team Asobi's onboarding handbook that states "we aim for quality, not quantity." Better to create a michelin star morsel than a greasy platter of overcooked sliders.For Doucet, thinking small means gaining more control over your work and processes. It also means your players are far more likely to actually roll creditsletting you more effectively compete for their limited time in an increasingly saturated market."The prospect of a game you can actually complete is a really, really positive argument [for small games]," he explains. "That meant being okay with the game being 12 hours, but if it had been eight hoursand the eight hours were fantasticwe would have settled for that to reach consistent quality."Doucet acknowledges concerns over game size can be a "difficult bias" to overcome and admits the prospect of developing a smaller title initially sparked discussions in Team Asobi HQ. Eventually, however, the team realized they could use the benefits of thinking small and compact to maintain a clear scope and rapidly execute on unique concepts.Related:It's a decision that was justified by the fact that Astro Bot was built in just three and a half yearsonly six months more than the team initially envisioned. Budget was maintained by choosing to adjust the pitch of the studio's ramp-up curve to accommodate fewer developers over a longer period of time.With that mantra of 'simplicity' in mind, Team Asobi became adept at distilling ideas down to their core throughout production. For instance, although the DualSense controller has 18 buttons, the team forced themselves to utilize as few inputs as possiblerelying on short and long presses and contextual controls to bridge the complexity gap.The studio also simplified some of Astro's abilities. For example, they removed a third medium-sized Astro Bot from the (utterly fantastic) level that sees the titular hero turn into a sponge to absorb water and grow in size."[Initially we let players] select three sizes of sponge: small, medium, and large," says Doucet. "At first it was fine but then you forget and think 'am I small? Am I medium? Am I large?' It became too complicated so we went for a system that fluctuates between big and small. Once again, this is bias, as game designers we always think that more is better, but it's not the case."Related:Team Asobi sought to remove similar complications from its hero characters, such as the bot versions of Aloy and Kratos.With Aloy, the studio ensured slow-motion triggered automatically whenever players target an enemy with her bow and arrow. In Horizon, that effect had to be triggered manually. For Kratos, players need only press one button to hurl and recall his thudding axe. Again, that's different from God of War, which requires different button inputs to achieve the same outcome.Doucet says those tweaks were made in service of simplicity and with an implicit understanding that Astro Bot was targeting a different audience.That pursuit of 'less is more' extended to other, perhaps more surprising, areas of production. Doucet explains it pushed the studio to tell a story "with a minimum amount of text and no voice over." He reveals Astro Bot features less than 5000 wordsor 4.292 words to be exact.There are also only 12 minutes and 30 seconds of cutscenes in the entire experience, meaning players are 'active' roughly 98.3 percent of the time.Related:It's a metric that speaks to the team's belief in creating an buoyant toyboxby reducing distractions to champion perpetual participation. There were other benefits, too."It kind of struck me in development, but all of these efforts towards simplicity, they've actually made the game easier to share," muses Doucet. "For example, the fact there is no skill treewhile individual powers are one-shotmeans that we introduce a new mechanic all the time. That means you could have friends coming to your house, picking up the game halfway through your campaign, playing for the first time, and still having a normal experience. That becomes really powerful when we think about spreading to new audiences."Ultimately, Doucet feels actively pursuing simplicity is often viewed as criminally uncool in the world of sprawling blockbustersbut perhaps that just means those developers capable of squashing that particular insecurity will reap the biggest rewards."In order to exist in this very busy world, I think it's sometimes better to settle for a good spot in second league, rather than a bad spot in the top league," he explains. "Instead of joining the cool trendy party on a crowded beach with bars and celebrities, how about you just look for a little quiet beach and have a cool picnic over there?"A lot of the choices we made with Astro Bot could be labelled double-A or maybe lacking in ambitionlike the size of the team, the size of the game, the fact there's no text, no voice, and its not an open world. But that doesn't really matter. We still made a game that made people really happy, and in fact it was probably the simplicity that a lot of players made time for."Read more about:GDC 2025About the AuthorChris KerrNews Editor, GameDeveloper.comGame Developer news editor Chris Kerr is an award-winning journalist and reporter with over a decade of experience in the game industry. His byline has appeared in notable print and digital publications including Edge, Stuff, Wireframe, International Business Times, andPocketGamer.biz. Throughout his career, Chris has covered major industry events including GDC, PAX Australia, Gamescom, Paris Games Week, and Develop Brighton. He has featured on the judging panel at The Develop Star Awards on multiple occasions and appeared on BBC Radio 5 Live to discuss breaking news.See more from Chris KerrDaily news, dev blogs, and stories from Game Developer straight to your inboxStay UpdatedYou May Also Like

Samsung has confirmed to The Verge that a software update error is what broke certain 2024 soundbar devices, per a statement from Jim Kiczek, head of audio at Samsung Electronics America. Kiczek says that Samsung is offering free repairs for all affected units regardless of warranty status.Last week, many owners of Samsung soundbars, including its flagship HW-Q990D, reported that their devices were unresponsive and inaccessible from Samsung SmartThings after getting the update. Users also werent able to factory reset their soundbars. People reported problems with Samsungs HW-Q800D and HW-S801D soundbars as well.This error seems particularly bad, as it appears that its only something that can be fixed with a physical repair instead of another software update.Earlier this week, Samsung told What Hi-Fi? that it was investigating the cause of the issue and taking immediate action to resolve the firmware error.

The new souped-up Alexa voice assistant, Alexa Plus, is scheduled to arrive in the next few weeks in an early access preview. The good news is that as long as you have (or buy) an Echo Show 8, 10, 15, or 21 smart display, youll be able to use the generative-AI powered Alexa across any compatible Echo device you own. It will also work on Fire TV devices, Fire tablets, on the web at Alexa.com, and in the Alexa app. Sadly, a few Echo devices will be left out of the party. Several early models, including the first-gen Echo Dot, Echo, and Echo Show, arent getting the upgrade. Similarly, it wont work on devices with built-in Alexa, such as Sonos speakers or the Ecobee smart thermostat at launch, but it could come to those in the future. Amazon spokesperson Lauren Raemhild tells The Verge that you can still use the original Alexa on these devices. If you want to stick with the original digital voice assistant, thats still an option for nowAlexa Pluss initial rollout will be limited to those in the US who own one of the aforementioned Show devices. To get access, head to Amazons new Alexa Plus landing page, tap on the Alexa+ is coming soon link, and sign into your Amazon account. Raemhild says youll get an email and notifications on your Echo devices once access is granted, and you can then opt into the new experience.In early access, Alexa Plus will be free but will eventually require a $19.99 monthly subscription or an Amazon Prime membership.Alexa Plus will work with most Echo devices, but youll need an Echo Show 8 or higher to get early access. Image: AmazonThe new Alexa Plus is an entirely different voice assistant from the Alexa you know and (maybe?) love. Powered by generative AI, Alexa Plus will be able to understand and respond to natural language, remember your likes and dislikes, respond to emotion in your voice, and talk back and forth with you in a more conversational way without you having to say Alexa every time you speak. This means youll be able to say things like, Alexa, Im cold, and its too dark in here, and the assistant should know to turn on the lights and raise the heat. With the old Alexa, youd need to say a specific command such as, Alexa, turn on the living room lights, and Alexa, set the thermostat to 68 degrees. According to the company, its new brain will also be able to process multiple commands at once, such as Alexa, turn on the lights, turn up the heat, start playing NPR, and tell me whats on my schedule. It should also now be able to perform more complex tasks, such as ordering groceries and booking a table at a restaurant. It will also allow you to add multiple events to your calendar all you have to do is snap a picture of your daughters soccer schedule and upload it to the app. In short, Amazon is aiming for Alexa Plus to be a true digital assistant. But what about the old Alexa? If you want to stick with the original digital voice assistant, thats still an option for now, at least. Panos Panay, head of devices and services at Amazon, told The Verge that they will keep the original Alexa updated but that their focus is on the new version. If you own any of the earlier, non-Alexa Plus compatible devices, you can continue using Alexa there. For newer devices, just dont sign up for Alexa Plus. You might want to stick with the old Alexa if you have any favorite skills you use because, at least initially, not every skill is being ported over.RelatedAs Janko Roettgers first reported in Lowpass, when Alexa Plus launches, it will be without many of the 160,000 skills currently available on the original Alexa. Amazon has a transition plan in place, telling Lowpass, The vast majority of original Alexa skills that customers use will be supported on Alexa+ from the start. This means that at least some wont be there. So, is my sons beloved fart joke skill in peril? Not necessarily. Raemhild says if you find that a skill you used is missing, you can let Amazon know, and it will work to enable them on Alexa+. Raemhild also shared that developers can request their skills be available in Alexa Plus or create something new for the new assistant. Weve announced three new AI-native SDKs for Alexa Plus, she says.But Roettgers reports that Amazon has yet to publish detailed guidelines for developers on how to transfer existing skills. He spoke to several developers who are doubtful about this potential transition, particularly whether they can continue monetizing their skills. Amazon has refocused its Alexa Plus experience on hooking into existing APIs and using its agentic capabilities to navigate websites and online services for you, which essentially cut out the middlemen.With Amazons future fully focused on Alexa Plus and the original Alexa seemingly on the way out, its potentially a sad day for all those fabulous fart joke skills.See More:

Snow White was Disneys miracle. The 1937 adaptation of the 19th-century Grimm fairy tale became the first animated feature film in America and reigned as the highest-grossing animated film for the next 55 years. Much of the Disney we know and grew up with started with Snow White and the Evil Queen, so it's unsurprising that's where Disney looked for its next live-action remake. Bringing the fairy tale to life is Rachel Zegler, a musical veteran and star of Steven Spielberg's West Side Story remake, while Wonder Woman herself, Gal Gadot, takes the role of Evil Queen. IGN's Snow White review describes the movie as "the best Disney live-action remake in a decade (not that thats a particularly high bar to clear)," that adapts the "broad strokes of the 1937 original, while fleshing out its themes of kindness."Whether you're a diehard Disney fan, looking for a movie to take the family to, or are just curious about all the controversies, heres everything you need to know to watch Snow White. PlayHow to Watch Snow White - Showtimes and Streaming Status Snow White just released in theaters. You can check for showtimes near you at the main theater links below: Snow White Streaming Release Date Deal ends on March 30Disney+ and Hulu Bundle BasicGet both services for $2.99 a month for the first four months.See itIt should come as no surprise that Disneys Snow White will eventually stream on Disney+ instead of Netflix. Disney+ subscriptions start at $9.99, though one of the best streaming deals right now includes four months of Disney+ and Hulu for $2.99/month. In terms of a potential release date, Mufasa comes to Disney+ on March 26, just under three months after it released in theaters, while Moana 2 arrived on the streaming service in just over three months. Assuming the new live action Disney movie follows a similar release schedule, Snow White should be streaming on Disney+ by the end of June. What Is Snow White About? The original Snow White movie was inspired by the 1812 Brothers Grimm story of the same name, which you can read online here. The new live-action Snow White adapts the animated movie, though with some elements reimagined for modern audiences. Heres the new movies synopsis: A princess joins forces with seven dwarfs to liberate her kingdom from her cruel stepmother the Evil Queen.How to Watch the Original Snow White and the Seven DwarfsWalt Disney's Snow White and the Seven DwarfsThe original Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs is streaming on Disney+. Its also available to rent or buy from most digital platforms, and has received several physical releases over the years. Stream: Disney+Rent/Buy: Prime Video or Apple TVSnow White Cast The Snow White remake is directed by Marc Webb (The Amazing Spider-Man, 500 Days of Summer) and includes new origial songs written by Benj Pasek and Justin Paul, aka Pasek and Paul (La La Land, The Greatest Showman, Dear Evan Hansen). It stars the following:Rachel Zegler as Snow WhiteGal Gadot as the Evil QueenAndrew Burnap as JonathanAnsu Kabia as the HuntsmanPatrick Page as the voice of the Magic MirrorEmilia Faucher as young Snow WhiteJeremy Swift and Jonathan Bourne as Doc Tituss Burgess and Leah Haile as Bashful Andrew Barth Feldman and Jaih Betote as DopeyMartin Klebba and Omari Bernard as Grumpy Jason Kravits and Dominic Owen as SneezyGeorge Salazar and David Birch as HappyAndy Grotelueschen and Sandy Foster as Sleepy Snow White Rating and Runtime The new Snow White movie is Rated PG for violence, some peril, thematic elements and brief rude humor. This is definitely one for the families. The movie runs for a total of one hour and 49 minutes.

The post The Method: Xbox On Explores How Gaming Worlds are Made, with Atomfall and More appeared first on Xbox Wire.

SummaryDiscover more about the world of Mandragora: Whispers of the Witch Tree, coming to Xbox Series X|S on April 17.Brian Mitsoda, who penned the story and its fantasy world, shares insights about development.Branching narrative, where choices you make define your characters fate and the fate of Faelduum.Mandragora: Whispers of the Witch Tree is an ambitious action RPG set in a dark fantasy world. Developed by Primal Game Studio, it features challenging Soulslike combat and an expansive story that promises over 40 hours of gameplay.With six classes to master, an intricate Talent Tree system to progress, and a sprawling, interconnected world to discover, this is a world you can truly succumb to.Find out more about how Mandragora: Whispers of the Witch Tree immerses you in its dark fantasy with insights from writer Brian Mitsoda.Defy Your Fate, InquisitorMandragora: Whispers of the Witch Tree is set in the world of Faelduum. Inspired by myths, folklore, and fairy tales, this is a land where magic is very real, but outlawed.City-states are governed by tyrannical archmages, and justice is done upon magic-using heretics by Inquisitors. You play one such Inquisitor, whose fateful decision at the start of the game sets them on a path of defiance that will lead them to the darkness festering in the heart of Faelduum.Personally, one of the things that drew me to the project was the strong Castlevania influence, as thats one of my favorite games series of all time, says writer Brian Mitsoda, who shaped the lore, characters, and worldbuilding in Mandragora together with the team at Primal Game Studio.The dark fantasy elements reminded me of Berserk, and there was also a bit of traditional folk tale and fairy tale influence.Some of that influence can be seen in the monsters. From wild wolves to bloodthirsty vampires and other creatures of the night, theres a veritable bestiary out for your blood. Blades (or spells) at the ready, then.Entropy Is ComingAt the beginning of your Inquisitors quest, they discover that monsters are bleeding into Faelduum through tears in reality created by the mysterious, parallel plane of Entropy. The path forward is clear: Entropy must be cut off if Faelduum is to survive. And to do that, youll have to contend with legions of beasts and even more challenging bosses.But even with world-ending stakes, Brian says its important to keep players focused on having a good time.The most important part of the game is the gameplay, so for me, I always ask how I can complement it without bringing it to a grinding halt, says Brian.For example, if youre fighting a bandit, I want you to know why theyre in your path aside from the fact that theyre called bandits and theyve got enemy HP bars over their heads. If you want to know more, you can get some information from the environments and bestiary. If you pay attention to background dialogue, youll learn more about the state of the area.Characters are vividly brought to life by a cast of incredible voice actorsincluding Aysha Selim (Overwatch 2, World of Warcraft)with many unique regional accents fleshing out the geographical scope and cultures of Faelduum.Ripples Through RealityIve been playing video games since I was old enough to hold a controller, but what made me want to write them is that, unlike traditional mediums, the player can have a more active role in deciding everythingfrom their relationship with a character to the way the world is changed by their actions. Theres an active element in game design that makes everything feel a lot more personal.With Brians background in branching narratives, its no surprise that players will be presented with choices at various points in the game.We let the player define who the Inquisitor is with their dialogue and story choices, so the main characters fate isnt set in stone, says Brian.And though the world is extremely dark and cynical, he believes there is hope for redemption for your Inquisitor. But that choice lies in your hands.Finally, Brian has one piece of advice for new Inquisitors set to begin their quests in Mandragora: Dont sleep on the Caravan character quests. You get to learn a lot more of their secrets if you do these. Really happy with the way they came out!What will you become at journeys end? Mandragora: Whispers of the Witch Tree is coming to Xbox Series X|S on April 17. Add it to your wishlist and discover the fate of Faelduum for yourself soon!Mandragora: Whispers of the Witch TreeKnights PeakGet it nowSlash, burn, and rage your way through Mandragora, a 2.5D side-scroller action-RPG with deep Metroidvania and Soulslike elements. Light your Witch Lantern, enter the dark realm of Entropy, and tear reality asunder.UNIQUE SIDESCROLLING SOULSLIKETraverse 2.5D side-scrolling levels with skill-driven combat that deals punishment and reward in equal brutal measure. From the leering Caretaker to the Vampires of Braer Island, face ruthless foes and uniquely horrifying bosses that will make or break you.FALL INTO A DARK FANTASY WORLDGet lost in a rich and atmospheric world brought to life by timeless painterly art direction and the epic, twisted music of Christos Antoniou. Discover every detail with Metroidvania exploration, tearing down crumbling walls, utilizing new skills such as ground strike, and scaling buildings with your grappling hook.A BRANCHING TALE OF LOST HUMANITYAcquire the legendary Witch Lantern and enter the otherworldly plane of Entropy through tears in the fabric of reality. Make devastating choices in a sinister and immersive story by acclaimed writer Brian Mitsoda.SLAY YOUR WAYFrom Vanguard to Spellbinder, master one of multiple unique classes and customize your skills and powers through a deep and satisfying character development system. Find Artisans to join your Caravan and unlock new upgrades, and craft powerful weapons, armor and trinkets to help you die less and deal death faster. And when all is said and done, restart stronger and wiser with new difficulty levels in New Game Plus.

Apple made a lot of changes to the Photos app in iOS 18. Fortunately, there are plenty of ways users can customize the app to their liking, too. For example, theres one change I immediately made that fixed my biggest problem with iOS 18s big Photos redesign.Missing photos solved by changing the default sort methodApples Photos app redesign made a variety of changes that could be considered controversial. One in particular was a no-go for me right from the start.iOS 18 sorts your Photos library by Date Captured by default. This means every photo and video, regardless of when you actually added it to your library, gets sorted chronologically.Maybe if your library only has items you shot yourself on that device, this isnt a problem.But I regularly save images from friends, from the web, and other sources that I want to be able to find. And when I first installed iOS 18, the Photos app drove me a little mad.Why? Because I couldnt find photos that were there before.Thats because theyd suddenly been sorted by Date Captured, which means iOS 18 scattered them into the vast array of my other thousands of photos rather than keeping them where they were before.Fortunately, theres an easy fix: sorting by Recently Added.How to fix Photos app sorting in iOS 18Heres how you can implement the fix:Open the Photos app, and swipe down on the photo grid to expand your libraryTap the icon in the lower-left corner featuring up and down arrowsFinally, tap Sort by Recently AddedOnce you make this change, it will stick for good. All your photos and videos will forever be sorted by the date they joined your library.I made several other customizations to my Photos app in iOS 18 too, but changing the sort method was the easiest and most important fix for me.Do you sort your Photos by Date Captured or Recently Added? Let us know in the comments.Best iPhone accessoriesAdd 9to5Mac to your Google News feed. FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.Youre reading 9to5Mac experts who break news about Apple and its surrounding ecosystem, day after day. Be sure to check out our homepage for all the latest news, and follow 9to5Mac on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn to stay in the loop. Dont know where to start? Check out our exclusive stories, reviews, how-tos, and subscribe to our YouTube channel

Apple doesnt shy away from courting stars for its TV+ shows and movies, but the next show releasingThe Studiotakes the Hollywood showcase to a whole new level with its stacked cast and cameos. Heres who you can expect to see pop up in Apples next big show when it arrives in mere days.The Studios main cast of heavy-hittersApple TV+ has had great success with comedies in the past, such as Ted Lasso, Shrinking, Bad Monkey, and Mythic Quest. Seth Rogen even starred in an Apple comedy already: Platonic. But now, hes back as co-creator and star of The Studio alongside a cast full of dynamic comedic talent for Apples latest.Heres the list of main players:Seth Rogen Catherine OHaraKathryn HahnIke BarinholtzChase Sui WondersBryan CranstonEvery episode will be packed with Hollywood cameosIn The Studio, Rogen plays the newly appointed head of a Hollywood studio who is desperate for celebrity approval.It should come as no surprise, then, that the comedy is packed full of cameo appearances from such celebrities.This is not at all an exhaustive list, but some of the celebrities popping up in season one include:Anthony MackieAdam Scott (innie or outie? TBD)Charlize TheronIce CubeMartin ScorseseOlivia WildeRebecca HallRon HowardSarah PolleySteve BuscemiTed Sarandos (yes, the Netflix CEO)Zack SnyderZo KravitzZiweThe list above comes largely from a Vanity Fair piece about the show, where Rogens co-creator Evan Goldberg explained:We shot for the moon and wrote a lot of those names in, and were fortunate enough to get them, Goldberg says. But obviously some people fell through, couldnt do it, or wouldnt do it. Then we had to pivot. So there were times where we had written a script for one person, they turned out to be unable to do it, and we completely rewrote it, which involved redoing every single joke because those jokes only worked for that person.The Studios release date on Apple TV+The Studio will arrive on Apple TV+ very soon. It premieres next Wednesday, March 26 with its first two episodes. New episodes will then drop weekly through May 21.Its getting a lot of buzz and extremely positive reviews, setting it up to be Apples next big show post-Severance.Do you plan to watch The Studio on Apple TV+? Let us know in the comments.Apple TV+ isavailable for $9.99 per monthand features hit TV shows and movies likeTed Lasso,Severance,The Morning Show,Silo, andShrinking. You can alsowatch free in several ways.Best iPhone accessoriesAdd 9to5Mac to your Google News feed. FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.Youre reading 9to5Mac experts who break news about Apple and its surrounding ecosystem, day after day. Be sure to check out our homepage for all the latest news, and follow 9to5Mac on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn to stay in the loop. Dont know where to start? Check out our exclusive stories, reviews, how-tos, and subscribe to our YouTube channel

Tesla is in a sticky situation. On Thursday, it issued a recall for nearly every single Cybertruck it's manufactured to date because their stainless steel body panels could fly off while driving, providing other motorists on the road a sharp-edged Mario Kart obstacle to dodge during their morning commute.The Elon Musk owned automaker definitely has a few screws loose, but that's not why these panels are detaching. According to a regulatory filing, the issue is caused by the shoddy glue used to attach the angular pieces of the Cybertruck's exterior, specifically a lengthy portion above the side windows connecting to the vehicle's roof known as the cant rail.Roll that back did they say these things are held together by glue?Yes. Although the use of glue isn't uncommon in the world of automotive construction, you can leave it to Tesla which is facing its eighth recall for the Cybertruck, a vehicle that's only been on the road for little over a year and was hyped as the culmination of Elon's engineering genius to find some way to mess up sticking two things together.In the filing, Tesla says that the adhesive it used was "susceptible to environmental embrittlement," and that the way it will fix the issue is by replacing it with a glue that won't disintegrate after a year on the road.To experts, it's a baffling blunder."Glues are used a lot more than people think in car body construction these days," Dale Harrow, chair and director of the Intelligent Mobility Design Center at the Royal College of Art London, . "Rather than having a mechanical fixing, weld or a screw or a bolt, it's very effective gluing panels together for a lighter construction. It's become very popular. Jaguar, Lexus, Audi, they'll use glues at some point." "So I'm very surprised," Harrow said. "It's not as if it's an unknown science. I've not heard [of problems] anywhere else."But the Cybertruck is different. One reason that you don't hear about other automakers having glue problems is probably that they're wise enough not to use the same metal used in kitchen utensils for the exterior of their vehicles."Stainless steel is the big difference," Harrow told Wired, suggesting that the problem seems to arise with how the metal conducts cold better. "I could surmise that something on the production line is not quite bonding at the right temperature or getting the right UV coverage? And that could be due to the stainless steel having a different density from standard steel.""It's not a small company, and it's not doing things on the cheap," Harrow added. "So I'll be very surprised if there wasn't the knowledge within the company to fix this."For one reason or another, the glue slipped through the cracks. But the Cybertruck has been plagued with so many issues from bricking in car washes to bricking while driving, to its big dumb accelerator pedals getting stuck in the down position that you really shouldn't be surprised at this point.Share This Article