The nascent publishing label hopes to counter 'greedflation' in the video game industry.

Though Blumhouses first M3gan feature was a near-perfect blend of techno-horror and ridiculous comedy, the sequel looks like its going to blow its predecessor out of the water.Set a couple of years after the first film, M3gan 2.0 once again centers roboticist Gemma (Allison Williams) and her niece Cady (Violet McGraw) two of the few people who managed to survive M3gans (Amie Donald / Jenna Davis) initial murder spree.As an advocate for stricter regulations on the very same kind of artificial intelligence she helped create, Gemma knows how dangerous it would be if she were to bring M3gan back. But when a defense contractor uses Gemmas code to create an even more advanced killer robot called Amelia (Ivanna Sakhno), who immediately sets out to conquer the world, Gemma has no choice but to give M3gan a second chance at life.While the first M3gan was definitely silly, this trailers use of Oops! I Did It Again and its focus on M3gan flying through the sky in a wingsuit make clear that writer Akela Cooper and director Gerard Johnstone are fully leaning into the franchises camp. Blumhouses other recent AI panic horrors havent exactly sparked joy, but M3gan 2.0 feels like its going to be one hell of a good time when it hits theaters on June 27th.

Liberation Day has arrived. Get ready to be liberated from affordable vehicle prices. As promised, President Donald Trumps 25 percent tariffs for imported vehicles went into effect Thursday, sending the auto industry into full panic mode. Some analysts are predicting a $5,000 to $10,000 price hike on new cars out of the gate, while others are still struggling to wrap their heads around the logic of Trumps auto tariffs. It was a nuclear-level threat for the already unsettled auto industry, with little relief in sight. Trumps argument is relatively straightforward, if nonsensical: Dont like the tariffs? Just buy an American-made car. The only problem is that there is no such thing. Even vehicles made in the US rely on a complex supply chain that runs across borders and through multiple nations. The average car contains roughly 30,000 individual parts. Even cars produced domestically obtain 4050 percent of their parts from abroad, according to Dan Ives, the global head of technology research at Wedbush Securities, a financial services firm.The tariffs are a debacle of epic proportions for the auto industry and US consumers as the concept of a US made car with all US parts is a fairy tale fictional narrative, Ives wrote in a note to clients on Thursday. The more people we speak with from the auto industry around the world it is becoming crystal clear this tariff/US policy will cause pure chaos to the global auto industry and will raise the prices of a typical car to a US consumer by $5k to $10k out of the gates.It is becoming crystal clear this tariff/US policy will cause pure chaos to the global auto industryOther firms were predicting an even higher price increase as the new tariffs started to go into effect. Anderson Economic Group concluded that the tariffs could boost manufacturing costs by $4,000 to more than $10,000 per car, depending on the vehicle model. Battery-electric crossover SUVs could see the biggest spike of $12,000.The effect could be even more pronounced at the lower end of the market, with many of the most affordable vehicles from GM, Ford, Kia, and Hyundai produced outside the US. Affordability is already a huge problem for car buyers, with average transactions for new cars clocking in at $48,118 in January, according to market researcher Edmunds.There are only 27 vehicles available under $30,000 four of which have already been discontinued, including the Chevy Malibu and Nissan Versa. Many of these models are sourced from Mexico, Japan, and South Korea. Last year, these models made up 13 percent of all vehicles sold in the US. Slapping tariffs on these vehicles as they arrive in the US would drastically change the dynamics, pushing sticker prices up by an average of $5,300, according to Erin Keating, executive analyst at Cox Automotive. This is difficult news for an industry already staring down an affordability problem, Keating added in a statement. For decades, car ownership has been a hallmark of the American dream. We built our communities around car ownership, squeezing out transit, and shrinking pedestrian spaces to make way for bigger and bigger vehicles. For most people in the US, owning a car isnt an option; its a necessity to participate in daily life. This is difficult news for an industry already staring down an affordability problem.Consumers were already facing elevated costs when financing new vehicles before the tariffs hit. One in 5 new car buyers are taking on seven-year loans to finance a new car purchase, in a sign of increasing financial stress, Edmunds says. And an increasing number of people with car loans owe more than their vehicle is worth. Even with rates holding relatively flat, the continued reliance on extended terms and high monthly payments reveals how challenging car buying remains, says Jessica Caldwell, head of insights at Edmunds. And now, with auto tariffs officially taking effect today, theres a risk that they will add fuel to the fire triggering a disruption that could push vehicles even further out of reach for many shoppers.The Trump administration is considering other methods of relief for car buyers. The White House said it is calling for tax breaks to incentivize purchases of US-made vehicles and pursuing deregulation to lower industrywide costs. But the outcome is uncertain. With prices expected to surge, many people who had been considering a car purchase are crowding into dealerships, trying to take advantage of pre-tariff prices. Consumer experts advise against panic shopping, but of course, most people arent thinking rationally as they watch the news with growing anxiety. It never pays to rush out and make a rash decision that you might regret, says Jake Fisher, senior director of Consumer Reports Auto Test Center. Even if the tariffs are here to stay, in a short time, the value of your trade-in will increase too.It never pays to rush out and make a rash decision that you might regret.Some automakers are taking advantage of elevated inventories the total number of new and used vehicles that dealers have for sale to offer short-term incentives to panicked shoppers. Ford is offering employee discounts on most models, including the Mustang Mach-E and Maverick, both of which are built in Mexico, to all shoppers through June 2nd, Reuters reports. Ford had more than four months of inventory in February, above the industry average of nearly three months, according to Cox.Hyundais response was to announce a $21 billion investment in the US to stave off the effect of the tariffs. And others are taking a more drastic approach. Stellantis said today it was temporarily laying off 900 workers at five of its US factories and pausing production at assembly plants in Canada and Mexico. Even Tesla, which is run by billionaire best buddy Elon Musk, is exposed to these new tariffs. The company assembles its vehicles in the US, but 2025 percent of its parts are sourced from Mexico, according to a list of car part origins published by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. The tariffs will likely lead to more automakers trying to negotiate deals or exemptions with the administration. And ultimately, this is probably what Trump wants: to be the most important person in the room, at the center of the chaos he helped create. 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Babylon.js 8 Game Engine Released / News / April 3, 2025 / The popular 3D game engine/framework for the web, Babylon.js just released Babylon 8. This release comes a year after the release of Babylon 7, so this annual release is absolutely jam packed with new features.Highlight features of Babylon.js 8 include:IBL ShadowsImage-Based Lighting is a computer graphics lighting technique that approximates environment lighting based on a source image. Babylon.js first introduced support for IBL over 8 years ago and it has quickly become one of the most used features of the engine. A great contribution from Adobe leveled up IBL in Babylon by adding shadows to the mix. Now both light and shadows for the scene environment can be approximated from a source image.Area LightsThis new addition to the lighting palette allows you to specify a 2D shape that emits light from it, much like a large diffuse light that you might find on a movie set. We cant wait to see how you use this new light type to bring a new dimension to your scene!Node Render Graph Alpha ReleaseWith the Node Render Graph, you now have full control of the entire render pipeline. This means that you can fully customize and control every part of the process of how your frames are rendered on the GPU. It comes with a new Node Graph tool to customize your own render pipeline without writing complex render process code. Please note that the Node Render Graph is still in Alpha version.All New Lightweight ViewerThis new viewer is designed to harness the same rendering beauty and power of the full engine but comes in a smaller bundle footprint and uses dynamic imports and capabilities (audio or animation for example) depending on the model that is loaded. It can be added to any web page with just a few lines of HTML, is fully extensible and comes with a super easy-to-use configurator.Native WGSLAll the core engine shaders for Babylon.js are now available in both GLSL and WGSL. This means direct support for WebGPU right out of the box with no conversion layer. The Node Material Editor is also able to render in the WebGPU shader language, in addition to WebGL.Overhauled Audio EngineBabylon.js 8.0 brings an entirely refreshed audio engine. It was designed to be powerful taking advantage of the full suite of web-audio features, modern class names and architecture youve come to expect, and simple-to-use allowing anyone to leverage these features, no matter what your experience level.Gaussian Splat UpdatesBabylon.js 8.0 builds on the exciting foundation of Gaussian Splat support with some exciting new updates such as SPZ and compressed PLY formats, spherical harmonics, as well as runtime optimizations for memory footprint and CPU/GPU usage.Havok Character ControllerWith Babylon.js 8.0, weve continued our amazing partnership with the very talented team at Havok, this time bringing their fully featured character controller into Babylon.js. This brings a state-of-the-art character controller to your toolbox allowing you to start making your very own character-centered game with just a few lines of code!In addition to several other smaller fixes, changes and improvements.Key LinksBabylon HomepageGitHub RepositoryBabylon.js 8 Release Announcement You can learn more about the Babylon game engine/framework and about the Babylon.js 8 release specifically in the video below.

Process-supervised reward models (PRMs) offer fine-grained, step-wise feedback on model responses, aiding in selecting effective reasoning paths for complex tasks. Unlike output reward models (ORMs), which evaluate responses based on final outputs, PRMs provide detailed assessments at each step, making them particularly valuable for reasoning-intensive applications. While PRMs have been extensively studied in language tasks, their application in multimodal settings remains largely unexplored. Most vision-language reward models still rely on the ORM approach, highlighting the need for further research into how PRMs can enhance multimodal learning and reasoning.Existing reward benchmarks primarily focus on text-based models, with some specifically designed for PRMs. In the vision-language domain, evaluation methods generally assess broad model capabilities, including knowledge, reasoning, fairness, and safety. VL-RewardBench is the first benchmark incorporating reinforcement learning preference data to refine knowledge-intensive vision-language tasks. Additionally, multimodal RewardBench expands evaluation criteria beyond standard visual question answering (VQA) tasks, covering six key areascorrectness, preference, knowledge, reasoning, safety, and VQAthrough expert annotations. These benchmarks provide a foundation for developing more effective reward models for multimodal learning.Researchers from UC Santa Cruz, UT Dallas, and Amazon Research benchmarked VLLMs as ORMs and PRMs across multiple tasks, revealing that neither consistently outperforms the other. To address evaluation gaps, they introduced VILBENCH, a benchmark requiring step-wise reward feedback, where GPT-4o with Chain-of-Thought achieved only 27.3% accuracy. Additionally, they collected 73.6K vision-language reward samples using an enhanced tree-search algorithm, training a 3B PRM that improved evaluation accuracy by 3.3%. Their study provides insights into vision-language reward modeling and highlights challenges in multimodal step-wise evaluation.VLLMs are increasingly effective across various tasks, particularly when evaluated for test-time scaling. Seven models were benchmarked using the LLM-as-a-judge approach to analyze their step-wise critique abilities on five vision-language datasets. A Best-of-N (BoN) setting was used, where VLLMs scored responses generated by GPT-4o. Key findings reveal that ORMs outperform PRMs in most cases except for real-world tasks. Additionally, stronger VLLMs do not always excel as reward models, and a hybrid approach between ORM and PRM is optimal. Moreover, VLLMs benefit from text-heavy tasks more than visual ones, underscoring the need for specialized vision-language reward models.To assess ViLPRMs effectiveness, experiments were conducted on VILBENCH using different RMs and solution samplers. The study compared performance across multiple VLLMs, including Qwen2.5-VL-3B, InternVL-2.5-8B, GPT-4o, and o1. Results show that PRMs generally outperform ORMs, improving accuracy by 1.4%, though o1s responses showed minimal difference due to limited detail. ViLPRM surpassed other PRMs, including URSA, by 0.9%, demonstrating superior consistency in response selection. Additionally, findings suggest that existing VLLMs are not robust enough as reward models, highlighting the need for specialized vision-language PRMs that perform well beyond math reasoning tasks.In conclusion, Vision-language PRMs perform well when reasoning steps are segmented, as seen in structured tasks like mathematics. However, in functions with unclear step divisions, PRMs can reduce accuracy, particularly in visual-dominant cases. Prioritizing key steps rather than treating all equally improves performance. Additionally, current multimodal reward models struggle with generalization, as PRMs trained on specific domains often fail in others. Enhancing training by incorporating diverse data sources and adaptive reward mechanisms is crucial. The introduction of ViLReward-73K improves PRM accuracy by 3.3%, but further advancements in step segmentation and evaluation frameworks are needed for robust multimodal models.Check outthe Paper.All credit for this research goes to the researchers of this project. Also,feel free to follow us onTwitterand dont forget to join our85k+ ML SubReddit. Sana HassanSana Hassan, a consulting intern at Marktechpost and dual-degree student at IIT Madras, is passionate about applying technology and AI to address real-world challenges. With a keen interest in solving practical problems, he brings a fresh perspective to the intersection of AI and real-life solutions.Sana Hassanhttps://www.marktechpost.com/author/sana-hassan/Enhancing Strategic Decision-Making in Gomoku Using Large Language Models and Reinforcement LearningSana Hassanhttps://www.marktechpost.com/author/sana-hassan/Mitigating Hallucinations in Large Vision-Language Models: A Latent Space Steering ApproachSana Hassanhttps://www.marktechpost.com/author/sana-hassan/A Comprehensive Guide to LLM Routing: Tools and FrameworksSana Hassanhttps://www.marktechpost.com/author/sana-hassan/Understanding AI Agent Memory: Building Blocks for Intelligent Systems

GameCube games coming exclusively to the Switch 2's exclusive online library is one of the best features of the new console. To make those membership costs just that little bit easier, UK retailer ShopTo has NSO at 35% off right now. As you get your Nintendo Switch 2 pre-orders in, this is an absolute bonus bargain to consider.While some Nintendo Classics catalogues are unlocked with the base online subscription, you'll also need the Expansion Pack to play GameCube titles on Nintendo Switch 2. What's more, while you can subscribe to a monthly model for just Nintendo Switch Online, the Expansion Pack is only available on the 12-month plan, so make a note when purchasing.Nintendo Switch Online 12 Month + Expansion Pack 365 Days Membership Download (UK - EU)Nintendo Switch Online 12 Month Family Membership + Expansion Pack 365 Days Download (UK - EU)Currently, the individual versions of these combined 12-month subscriptions cost either 34.99 on the Nintendo eShop or 39.99 at retailers like ShopTo. But now, it seems like ShopTo are keen to get on the Switch 2 hype by slashing 14.14 off the individual plan and 15.14 off the family plans respectively.So, if you're the only Nintendo Switch players in your household, you can buy the individual Online + Expansion Pack plan for 25.85 or the Family Membership for 44.85. Overall, the family version is fantastic value as you can have up to eight Nintendo Accounts under a Family Group sharing the same membership, and you don't have to be in the same household either. Under ShopTo's new price, that's as low as 5.60 per person getting to enjoy Nintendo Switch Online and the entire Expansion Pack's catalogue of gamesincluding GameCube gems Pokemon XD: Gale of Darkness, Soulcalibur 2, and The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker for a whole year. If you're like me, though, and have already have a basic Nintendo Switch Online membership active until next year, the only way to upgrade is through Nintendo themselveseither on their website or the eShopwithout a direct discount from retailers like ShopTo. Nintendo eShop Card - 15Nintendo eShop Card - 25Nintendo eShop Card - 50Nintendo eShop Card - 75Nintendo eShop Card - 100However, a way to get around that is by purchasing discounted digital Nintendo eShop gift cards from Currys. Buy entering the code "NINTENDODIGITAL10" at checkout, you'll get 10% off on 15, 25, 50, 75, and 100 amounts of eShop creditsaving you as much as 10. In the case of upgrading your 12-month Nintendo Switch Online membership, the cost of which varies depending on how much is left, you can buy the closest amount you need or a larger amount at a bigger discount, and use any extra credit you have on digital games or save it to put toward your subscription next year.Ben Williams IGN freelance contributor with over 10 years of experience covering gaming, tech, film, TV, and anime. Follow him on Twitter/X @BenLevelTen.

While not every character is getting the time they deserve this season, The Wheel of Time is doing an excellent job of combining plots from several of Robert Jordans books to keep the action moving while further weaving together the heroes as they grow as people together. Case in point: The Shadow in the Night, in which an old friend returns to lead a raunchy musical number while the Forsaken fight amongst themselves. Its an episode that uses major tone shifts to great dramatic effect. Ive been critical of how much attention has been paid to Liandrin thus far, but I did enjoy the opening of The Shadow in the Night, which shows how the Aes Sedai pledged herself to Ishamael out of sheer desperation. Combined with Lanfears supposed interest in breaking her oaths, the examination of choice and redemption makes the villains a bit more sympathetic. It also demonstrates the strength of one of the seasons new characters, Faile, who showed her strength by fleeing when her parents tried to recruit her to join the Dark. (The other Liandrin-related piece of The Shadow of the Night I enjoyed is how little her costume changes in her dream of being Amyrlin shes Red Ajah to her core.)The Wheel of Time has some very powerful villains, but they all have their own agendas. Thats giving the heroes a bit of an edge as two of the five Black Ajah in Tanchico die due to infighting this week. Moghedien is pulling the exact same trick that Siuan Sanche did with Min, disguising herself as a servant to go ignored among Aes Sedai since theyre just as arrogant in Tanchico as they were in Tar Valon. Her performance is too over the top, but I appreciate the symmetry in the plots.Perrins storyline is the weakest part of this season, but thats only partially the shows fault: The character often feels like hes too far from the real action in the books, too. But its not all bad: Hopefully Perrin hooking up with Faile will stop him from brooding about his wifes death, putting an end to the worst plot invented for the show. Perrin revealing that the Horn of Valere has already been found by unveiling a goofy drawing of Mat is a great callback to the season 3 premiere, and much better than the way that information is shared in the books, where he actively hides the fact that Failes quest has already been completed. This section of the story also promises to pick up some steam soon with the return of Padan Fain, who has been one of the shows best villains thanks to Johann Myers deeply off-putting performance.The Wheel of Time Season 3 GalleryAlso making an exciting reappearance this episode is gleeman Thom Merrilin, one of the standout characters of season 1. Thom is hilariously desperate to avoid being swept up in the antics of a taveren but forced to intervene when he sees the daughter-heir of Andor is in trouble. Its not surprising that Elayne would know how to sing; it's more shocking that she proves her skill by performing the local equivalent of Baby Got Back: The Hills of Tanchico, a raunchy tune that gets all the ladies in the bar jiggling their breasts. The Wheel of Time has done well by taking a page from The Witcher and breaking up its epic fantasy with a rousing, catchy musical number. The whimsy of that scene provides a brutal contrast to what happens to Elayne and Nynaeve next, as Moghedien traps them in her web with compulsion. Zo Robins and Ceara Coveney do a great job selling the spells power by dissolving into giddy giggles as they divulge all their deepest secrets to the Forsaken. Its especially tragic for Nynaeve, who voices a revelation about hating her power that would be really important for her character growth if she could remember it. Breaking up the epic fantasy with a rousing, catchy musical number serves The Wheel of Time well.Rand might be an outsider among the Aiel, but his interest in farming is genuine and his continued bonding with Alsera over her squashes helps charm Avienda. Rands guide may have been showing her contempt for her job by letting him break etiquette by grabbing Alseras tiny spear, but Rand comes out looking good, showing hes learned the way to properly make amends. Its an incredibly sweet scene that makes the tragedy at the end of the episode even more agonizing.Egwene and Rand finally find a time to chat about their doomed relationship and Lanfear in a phenomenal demonstration of contrast between the two characters. Egwene shines throughout The Shadow in the Night as she demonstrates her relentless determination: She lies to the Aiel Wise Ones about being an Aes Sedai, and responds to almost being killed by Lanfear by immediately restarting her dream-control exercises. But she really unleashes on Rand, who stoically accepts her fury and explains his realization that even though he might be the most powerful and important man in the world, hell still never be enough for Egwene. The Wheel of Time Season 3 Character PostersThe touching moment and the building fury Rand feels when he learns what Lanfears been doing to Egwene is interrupted by an attack led by Samael, presumably the surprise Lanfear told Moiraine about earlier in the episode. When the Forsaken were all set free at the end of season 2, I was worried that some of them wouldnt be given the attention they deserve, and thats the case here. Samael is easily dealt with once Rand finally gets to unleash some of his power.While the Aiel dont blame Rand for Alseras accidental death, the child was a rare source of joy for Rand. Hes desperate to believe the Dragon Reborn should be able to fix anything, and seeing him acknowledge his limits is heartbreaking. Its a testament to Josha Stradowskis acting abilities how well he alternates between the brink of mania and cold acceptance. When Rand asked about Moiraines vision of Rhuidiean, all he really wanted to know about was who he might kill. This death will likely just further his belief that hes too dangerous to be around.

This article contains spoilers for the season finale of PulsePulses season finale might not be quite as shocking as the season opener its hard to beat the devastation of a hurricane but the conclusion of this Netflix medical drama does a great job of wrapping up a lot of plot threads while leaving things open for a potential second season to pick up on.Heres everything you need to know from the Pulse season finale, and what it means for the future of Maguire Medical Center and its staff.Why Did Xander Leave Kennedy?Xander tells Danny the real reason he left Kennedy was to give her ammo against his parents. Xanders parents, especially his mother, are leading the charge to get her fired from Maguire even though she withdrew her complaint against Xander. Even though it breaks his NDA, Xander tells her that he was responsible for the death of a patient.The ER at Kennedy was slammed, but Xander still tried to help a longtime patient of his, Julio, who came in for a paracentesis. Because he had recently started college, he was overdue for the procedure, which was usually done through his GI doctor. Julio and his mother plead with Xander to relieve the internal pressure hes feeling, Xander agrees, and tries to hide it from his supervisor, Dr. Broussard. When she catches him, she insists he try to finish the procedure as soon as he can to free up the bed for more emergent patients. He asks for an ultrasound, both of which are currently in use, and she insists that under her supervision he can do this basic procedure without one, even though hes never done it before. He completes the procedure and discharges Julio, but later that night Julio returns.His mother is distraught, bringing him to the ER in a panic, saying he collapsed as soon as they got home. Xander rushes to treat him, coming to the conclusion that he did the procedure wrong and Julio bled out into his abdomen. Julio crashes, and despite Xander and the staffs best efforts, they arent able to revive him. Xanders parents swept this under the rug, partially to protect his career, but mostly to not ruin theirs.At the end of the episode, Danny promises Xander that despite not getting Chief, shes not going to reveal what he told her to anyone. Xander tells her that doesnt matter because he decided to go to Maguires hospital board to tell them everything. He doesnt want that mistake hanging over his head anymore, even if that means getting sued or losing his medical license.Does Danny Get Fired From Maguire?After shoving a belligerent patient, Danny is told by Dr. Cruz that shes on thin ice with the hospital. Dr. Cruz is being strongly encouraged by higher ups to let Danny go if she wants to keep control of surgery and the ER. Danny does her best to keep her head down and do her job, which soon includes treating the very man who was threatening her. Danny helps to save him, his wife, and his child, whom he injured by speeding across train tracks, despite the fact that he continues to badger her and almost refuses care entirely.Seeing how compassionate Danny is, even with patients who dont necessarily deserve it, Dr. Cruz stands strong in her decision to keep Danny on, and even tells Danny that shes her choice for Chief Resident.Does Camila Leave Maguire?Sophie is surprised to learn that Camila has put in a request to leave Maguire and transfer to another hospital for her next rotation. Camila tells Sophie that its because she cant stand the way that Tom treats her and doesnt want to suffer the same fate as a surgical intern. This inspires Sophie to finally stand up for herself against Tom, a conversation that Camila happens to overhear.Proud of her friend, and inspired by Dr. Cruzs words of encouragement she hears soon after, Camila decides to stay a fact that she doesnt reveal to Sophie until after Sophies heartfelt plea. It seems like there might be something more between these two friends, until we finally meet Camilas fiance.Join our mailing listGet the best of Den of Geek delivered right to your inbox!Who Becomes Chief Resident?The episode ends with a hospital-wide party meant to usher in the next era of Maguire as the student staff members transition to their next stations. As mentioned previously, Dr. Cruz is being pressured to let Danny go in order to keep the surgery and ER departments both under her control. But because she decides to keep Danny on, she announces at the party that the ER will now be under the management of Dr. Patrick Sanchez (J.R. Ramirez), who has been one of the many people trying to convince Dr. Cruz that Danny shouldnt be Chief Resident.Because of this, instead of announcing Danny as Chief as Dr. Cruz intended, Dr. Sanchez blindsides them and announces that Dannys friend, and competitor, Sam Elijah will be Chief Resident.All 10 episodes of Pulse are available to stream on Netflix now.

SummaryTwo-Toed Tom, a legendary beast of Southern folklore, comes to life in South of Midnight, the new action-adventure from Compulsion GamesTo celebrate the launch, Xbox has recreated Two-Toed Tom and dropped him in a real gator-infested bayou for a truly unique gaming experience. Register now for a chance to enter the belly of the beast.South of Midnight launches on April 8, or play now with the Premium Edition.Deep in the heart of the bayou, something stirs. Bigger than any gator youve ever seen, Two-Toed Tom is a legend of scales, survival, and insatiable hunger. More than double the size of the worlds biggest recorded alligator, Tom is an unstoppable force of nature.To celebrate the launch of South of Midnight, in which Tom makes a very big appearance, Xbox has brought this monstrous gator to life in the gator-infested waters of Marrero, Louisiana, a location chosen for its haunting resemblance to the games Southern-inspired setting. Murky swamps, ancient cypress trees, and the distant splash of unseen creatures make it the perfect place to step into Hazels world and experience the bayous dark magic first-hand.Our recreation of Tom is truly startling at 40 feet long, his jaws alone stand open at almost twice the height of a person, and inside his belly lies a 20-foot cabin, inspired by the very one that Hazel, the protagonist of South of Midnight lives in. Inside that cabin, players will find an immersive gaming space featuring four 42-inch screens connected to Xbox Series X consoles, ensuring a unique experience as they navigate the perilous world of South of Midnight.Fans can register here for a chance to visit Tom in person on April 5, 2025. Fans will be treated to a tour by Jean Lafitte Swamp Tours located in Marrero, LA. Hurry, spots are limited and he is not in a good mood. Spots will be granted on a first-come, first-served basis for eligible attendees over the age of 18. Attendees must provide their own transportation to designated pickup spot. Survive the Legend: Two-Toed Tom is Coming for You in South of MidnightThey say legends never die, but Two-Toed Tom is proof that some only grow stronger. Once a mistreated pet, Tom was so desperate to survive that he chewed off his own toes to escape. But hunger doesnt just fade, it grows. And so did Tom. He gorged on livestock, tore through buildings, and sent entire towns running. The villagers tried everything, bullets, poison, and even dynamite. But Tom didnt flinch. He just got bigger.Now, he waits. Watching. Biding his time for the river to rise again. Developed by Compulsion Games, South of Midnight is a darkly enchanting third-person action-adventure set in a reimagined Deep South. Players take on the role of Hazel, a courageous young woman pulled into a world of folklore, mystery, and danger. As she explores a land shaped by ancient myths and supernatural forces, Hazel must harness her magical abilities to confront terrifying creatures, including the legendary Two-Toed Tom. With stunning visuals, deep storytelling, and a hauntingly immersive atmosphere, South of Midnight invites players to step into a world where the past lingers, and legends come to life. South of Midnight Premium EditionXbox Game Studios$49.99Get it nowImmerse yourself into the macabre and fantastical world of South of Midnight with the Premium Edition, which includes the full game, up to 5 days early access, and digital access (in English) to: South of Midnight Artbook Original Soundtrack composed by Olivier DeriviereThe Boo-Hag Comic book by Rob GuilloryMusic Video: Songs & Tales of South of Midnight Documentary: Weaving Hazels Journey, Directors CutUNRAVEL THE PAST From the creators of Contrast and We Happy Few, South of Midnight is a spellbinding third person action-adventure game set in the American Deep South. As Hazel, you will explore the mythos and encounter creatures of Southern folklore in a macabre and fantastical world. When disaster strikes her hometown, Hazel is called to become a Weaver: a magical mender of broken bonds and spirits. Imbued with these new abilities, Hazel will confront and subdue dangerous creatures, untangle the webs of her own family's shared past and if she's lucky find her way to a place that feels like home. A DARK MODERN FOLKTALE When a hurricane rips through Prospero, Hazel is pulled into a Southern Gothic world of memory made real and must embark on a journey to rescue her mother and safeguard her hometown. In this folktale for modern times, Hazel will need to reconcile the weight of family, history, and legacy against her own identity. CONFRONT MYTHICAL CREATURES Wield an ancient power to restore creatures and uncover the traumas that consume them. Cast weaving magic to fight destructive Haints, explore the diverse regions of the South, and reweave the tears in the Grand Tapestry. HAUNTING BEAUTY OF THE GOTHIC SOUTH Discover the lush, decayed county of Prospero and its locals. Experience a crafted visual style, touching storytelling, and immersive music inspired by the complex and rich history of the South. South of MidnightXbox Game Studios$39.99Pre-orderFrom the creators of Contrast and We Happy Few, South of Midnight is a spellbinding third person action-adventure game set in the American Deep South. As Hazel, you will explore the mythos and encounter creatures of Southern folklore in a macabre and fantastical world. When disaster strikes her hometown, Hazel is called to become a Weaver: a magical mender of broken bonds and spirits. Imbued with these new abilities, Hazel will confront and subdue dangerous creatures, untangle the webs of her own family's shared past and if she's lucky find her way to a place that feels like home.A DARK MODERN FOLKTALE When a hurricane rips through Prospero, Hazel is pulled into a Southern Gothic world of memory made real and must embark on a journey to rescue her mother and safeguard her hometown. In this folktale for modern times, Hazel will need to reconcile the weight of family, history, and legacy against her own identity.CONFRONT MYTHICAL CREATURESWield an ancient power to restore creatures and uncover the traumas that consume them. Cast weaving magic to fight destructive Haints, explore the diverse regions of the South, and reweave the tears in the Grand Tapestry.HAUNTING BEAUTY OF THE GOTHIC SOUTHDiscover the lush, decayed county of Prospero and its locals. Experience a crafted visual style, touching storytelling, and immersive music inspired by the complex and rich history of the South.

Its another jam-packed weekend and a Free Play Days first, with Age of Wonders 4 unlocked on both console and PC!Dead by Daylight, Catan and Everspace 2 are available this weekend for Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, Standard and Core members to play from Thursday April 3 at 12:01am Pacific until Sunday, April 6 at 11:59pm Pacific.Age of Wonders 4 is free for all Xbox members to try from April 3 until April 6 (Xbox Game Pass Game Pass Ultimate, Standard and Core membership not required). Additionally, those on PC can try the game for free through the Xbox App.How To Start PlayingFind and install the games on each of the individual game details page onXbox.com. Clicking through will send you to the Microsoft Store, where you must be signed in to see the option to install with your Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, Standard and Core membership. To download on console, click on the Subscriptions tab in the Xbox Store and navigate down to the Free Play Days collection on your Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S.Keep The Fun GoingPurchase the game and other editions at a limited time discount and continue playing while keeping your Gamerscore and achievements earned during the event! Please note that discounts, percentages, and title availability may vary by title and region.Free Play Days (Xbox Game Pass Membership Required)Age of Wonders 4Paradox Interactive223$49.99$32.49Get it nowAge of Wonders 4Optimized for Xbox Series X|SDead by DaylightBehaviour Interactive Inc.1596$29.99$11.99Get it nowXbox Game PassDead by DaylightOptimized for Xbox Series X|S, Smart DeliveryTrapped forever in a realm of eldritch evil where even death is not an escape, four determined Survivors face a bloodthirsty Killer in a vicious game of nerve and wits. Pick a side and step into a world of tension and terror with horror gamings best asymmetrical multiplayer.CATAN Console EditionDovetail Games208$16.99$5.09Get it nowCatanOptimized for Xbox Series X|S, Smart DeliveryA Board Game that comes to life! Catan is reimagined on Xbox, with an interactive board, online multiplayer, couch multiplayer, and all the fun (and frustration) of the classic board game beloved by enthusiasts all over the globe.EVERSPACE 2ROCKFISH Games264$49.99Get it nowFree TrialEverspace 2Optimized for Xbox Series X|S, Xbox Play AnywhereTake flight in this fast-paced single-player space shooter, where vicious encounters and brutal challenges stand between you and that next epic loot drop. Explore the war-torn star systems of the Demilitarized Zone of Cluster 34each massive handcrafted area is packed with secrets, puzzles, and perils to encounter.