Layell One Winged Slayer Member Apr 16, 2018 2,283 View: https://store.steampowered.com/app/3451100/Vampire_Survivors_Emerald_Diorama/ In a universe where a single level up choice can change everything, the SaGa: Emerald Beyond characters stand shoulder to shoulder with the Vampire Survivors, united to face their next adventure together. Will the Vampire Survivors be graced by the presence of a vampire? We doubt it, but never say never. As the Junction opens, the Vampire Survivors are thrust into a strange system of interconnected worlds, from a wondrous enchanted witchdom to a sinister realm of bloody nightmares. Equipped with the power of Glimmers and befriended by those that understand this strange universe better than anyone, onward they step in to the unknown; united in cause, wanting to survive, and bereft of fear. Well maybe a little bit of fear. Click to expand... Click to shrink... 12+ New characters 16+ New weapons and new Glimmer Mechanic Full summary, along with a few base game updates here. Garlic me if old. Well that's one way to compare to the Castlevania pack, free is always nice.  Last edited: Today at 1:08 PM Ponderosa Pete Member Oct 25, 2017 798 Heck yes! GOAT game   Parshias Member Oct 25, 2017 1,729 Wild crossover. But if they now have a contact at SE for crossovers... give me that Castlevania-sized Final Fantasy crossover!  super-famicom Avenger Oct 26, 2017 29,601 SaGa? In Vampire Survivors?! NICE.   ShineALight Member Oct 27, 2017 569 This is amazing, looking forward to downloading whenever it arrives on Switch.   ClearMetal Member Oct 25, 2017 18,531 the Netherlands WHAT This game, man.  Kouriozan Member Oct 25, 2017 24,287 They did talk about next DLC being free but I didn't expect that much content. And there is still content to be released for the rest of this year.  super-famicom Avenger Oct 26, 2017 29,601 So cool that you have a duo to play as An eclectic cast of bizarre SaGa protagonists join the Survivors, including: Tsunanori Mido - A fate-forged master of Kugutsu combat puppets. Ameya Aisling - An undercover witch searching for her lost magic (and cats) Bonnie & Formina - A duo of daring detectives who fight side-by-side with fists and firearms. Diva No.5 - A songstress mech forsaken for singing a forbidden melody, travelling between different worlds (and robotic bodies) to rediscover her memories. And Many More! - including a teacher of heroes, an Emperor unthawed, and a Dismal King with some bloodthirsty tendencies... Click to expand... Click to shrink... No JRPG DLC is complete without a squad of odd allies to pal around with. Level up Tsunanori Mido to summon up to 4 Kugutsu combat puppets, fighting independently with their own weapons in a defensive cross formation. Pick either Bonnie or Formina to play as both intrepid investigators, combining punches and pistols for a powerful partnership. And in the darkness of Yomi, rumours swirl of a Dismal King who can enthral defeated foes to make his own army of allies... Click to expand... Click to shrink...   Izanagi89 "This guy are sick" and Corrupted by Vengeance Member Oct 27, 2017 18,427 Incredible crossover   Costa Member Oct 25, 2017 605 Canada Bless Vampire Survivors for doing a crossover with SaGa before Final Fantasy! And free to boot!   BassForever One Winged Slayer Member Oct 25, 2017 31,480 CT super-famicom said: So cool that you have a duo to play as Click to expand... Click to shrink... They added duos in the Castlevania dlc   CloseTalker Sister in the Craft Member Oct 25, 2017 37,663 Man, this game can essentially live forever on random crossovers like this. What a gold mine   Vic Damone Jr. Member Oct 27, 2017 20,129 Look who's back for more of my money and time😭   super-famicom Avenger Oct 26, 2017 29,601 BassForever said: They added duos in the Castlevania dlc Click to expand... Click to shrink... Really? I actually didn't play that DLC so I was unaware.  OrangeNova Member Oct 30, 2017 14,583 Canada BassForever said: They added duos in the Castlevania dlc Click to expand... Click to shrink... JONATHAN! CHARLOTTE!JONATHAN! CHARLOTTE! JONATHAN! CHARLOTTE!   OP OP Layell One Winged Slayer Member Apr 16, 2018 2,283 super-famicom said: Really? I actually didn't play that DLC so I was unaware. Click to expand... Click to shrink... The Castlevania DLC may stand as one of the greatest DLC packs in all of gaming, especially at that price point.  Orayn Member Oct 25, 2017 14,054 SaGa sweep!   Khalid Member Oct 25, 2017 1,957 This update also should have crosssave between platform (except with Playstation), so I will buy all the Steam one I am missing.   Rumenapp Forza Photographer Member Nov 9, 2017 16,734 Still not up on xbox :\   Kalor Resettlement Advisor Member Oct 25, 2017 20,706 Making your game popular enough so you can just do crossovers with all your favourite games.   Roboraptor Member Jul 6, 2023 1,230 Germany 🇩🇪 FOR FREE??   Scar One Winged Slayer Member Oct 26, 2017 3,108 Title Town Awesome   Bishop89 What Are Ya' Selling? Member Oct 25, 2017 41,950 Melbourne, Australia   Teapot Jeffries Member Nov 2, 2019 1,118 Kalor said: Making your game popular enough so you can just do crossovers with all your favourite games. Click to expand... Click to shrink... PowerWash Simulator has also been very successful with Tomb Raider, Final Fantasy VII, Warhammer, and Back to the Future, Shrek, and SpongeBob crossover DLC. It's a great way for smaller, successful indie studios to keep their game selling by reaching out to other fanbases. Only reason I played PowerWash on Game Pass was because I needed to buy the BTTF DLC.  Ravelle Member Oct 31, 2017 19,916 Well, guess to go back I guess   Apollo Corrupted by Vengeance Avenger Oct 25, 2017 9,778 Extremely based   Stone Ocean Member Oct 25, 2017 3,165 The best 5 bucks I ever spent holy shit   ezekial45 Member Oct 25, 2017 8,269 This opens the door for a Final Fantasy crossover -- and that would be rad.   SnazzyNaz The Wise Ones Member Nov 11, 2019 2,210 I'm not a SaGahead bit I'm kind of smitten with how much they like SaGa.   Professor Beef Official ResetEra™ Chao Puncher Member Oct 25, 2017 23,021 The Digital World This is the game that keeps on giving, holy shit   PlanetSmasher The Abominable Showman Member Oct 25, 2017 130,891 what the fuck   Synohan Member Oct 25, 2017 4,530 What the heck. I've never played this game, but I'm definitely curious now with this crossover.   Kouriozan Member Oct 25, 2017 24,287 If you're confused about accessing the new stage, there's a new relic to buy in Moongolow. And god I have so much characters now because of Castlevania secrets lmao.  SwitchDeck Member Feb 5, 2025 244 Is this dropping on Switch today? I just tried to update that version but nothing at the moment.   eso76 Prophet of Truth Member Dec 8, 2017 9,086 please stop please  ErrorJustin Member Oct 28, 2017 2,827 Lotta respect for this: Why is it free?Paperwork. It took a very long time to sort out the paperwork for this collab, and it would have been twice as hard to get the licence if there had been any money exchange involved. That's simply how it works for big companies; even when the creatives on both sides just want to do it, like it has been the case for this and all other Collabs, there are a lot of hoops to go through because IP is serious business and a lot of different departments have to get involved when talking about money. So we just did it the easy way, and in a way everyone wins: I got to have fun with SaGa, SaGa gets some more visibility, you get free content :) Why didn't you get [insert other SQEX IP here] instead?As much as I love a lot of other SQEX titles, it's not like some magic SQEX genie came to us with a menu of IPs to choose from (not that it would have been any different, my first pick would still have been SaGa, sorry 😂 ). We simply spoke directly with the SaGa team and everything clicked from there! If the magic genie is reading this though, please know I'll gladly have one of each from the menu, thanks!  Kain-Nosgoth Member Oct 25, 2017 17,373 Switzerland Mostly hyped for the remixes Kenji ito's still probably my favourite composer, and i'm looking forward to what the vampire survivor team will do with his music!  Lowblood Member Oct 30, 2017 6,169 I see Mr. S in there too. Would love it if there's a Frontier character.   Khalid Member Oct 25, 2017 1,957 Praying for Suikoden and Final Fantasy next   PAFenix Unshakable Resolve Member Nov 21, 2019 19,684 FREE?!?! ShineALight said: This is amazing, looking forward to downloading whenever it arrives on Switch. Click to expand... Click to shrink... How long is the turnaround to seeing console releases of these? I have the game on Switch too.  PlanetSmasher The Abominable Showman Member Oct 25, 2017 130,891 oh my god the new weapons can Spark techniques, lol   Stone Ocean Member Oct 25, 2017 3,165 PAFenix said: How long is the turnaround to seeing console releases of these? I have the game on Switch too. Click to expand... Click to shrink... It's supposed to be out on every platform today so it's probably just a matter of waiting till each store updates   Khalid Member Oct 25, 2017 1,957 tapdancingFreak Member Dec 12, 2017 4,496 Charlotte, NC WTF so rad I'll never get over "Operation Guns" 💀💀  GeeTeeCee Member Oct 27, 2017 1,037 Downloading the DLC on PS5 now. I only just finished unlocking everything in the game a week ago (apart from the Secrets). Very cool of them that it's free even when I'd happily have given them money for more Vampire Survivors.  Caiusto Member Oct 25, 2017 6,625 I love this timeline where SaGa is doing so well, I hope a lot of people give the series a chance after playing this.   Kouriozan Member Oct 25, 2017 24,287 Found my first bug on Switch (maybe others) when you spark a new move at the same time as leveling up, the gameplay continue in the background, haha. At least evolving the new weapons is really simple, you don't need any other items.  PAFenix Unshakable Resolve Member Nov 21, 2019 19,684 Stone Ocean said: It's supposed to be out on every platform today so it's probably just a matter of waiting till each store updates Click to expand... Click to shrink... Neat!  Gavalanche Prophet of Regret Member Oct 21, 2021 25,155 New achievements!   Polk Avenger Oct 26, 2017 5,764 Gavalanche said: New achievements! Click to expand... Click to shrink... Really? I thought licenced dlc didn't get new achievements.  

Camel Up$32$4020% off$32This award-winning game has players betting on a series of camel races, where the speed of each animal is determined by dice. Camel Up is quick, chaotic, and a real good time.$32 at AmazonTicket to Ride$44$5520% off$44Ticket to Ride, the classic route-building game from Days of Wonder, has accrued a massive list of awards — and with good reason. The game is easy to learn and can be played in the span of about 90 minutes, making it perfect for family game nights.$44 at AmazonDixit$40$40Dixit plays something like Apples to Apples meets The Science of Sleep. Everyone takes turns drawing a hand of illustrated cards and describing one of them. The rest of the table votes with the card they have in their hand that best matches the description, with the key being to provide obscure descriptions, but not so obscure that nobody will guess. $40 at AmazonCosmic Encounter$56$7020% off$56The streamlined game of intergalactic diplomacy and strategy, Cosmic Encounter has you take on the role of one of the fifty different playable alien species as they attempt to colonize the galaxy.$56 at AmazonAzul$32$4020% off$32This lovely tile-laying game is enchanting, easy to pick up, and a great game to keep around for chill game nights. Specific tile patterns and complete sets earn you points, but wasting tiles can set you back. Once all the tiles are gone, the player with the most points wins.$32 at AmazonClue (reimagined)$16$2227% off$16The latest version of the classic “whodunit” board game reimagines the original cast of characters as incredibly hot people who could never do anything wrong. Question and eliminate suspects as you attempt to piece together who killed Mr. Body or try and throw people off your trail.$16 at AmazonCatan$44$5520% off$44The original gateway board game, Catan has you competing and cooperating as you all attempt to build the most prosperous settlements by constructing roads, exploiting resources, and trading with your neighbors.$44 at AmazonPandemic$36$4520% off$36Work together to save humanity from deadly diseases in this cooperative board game for two to four players.$36 at Amazon

Menu Home News Hardware Gaming Mobile Finance Deals Reviews How To Wccftech HardwareIndustry Micron, Samsung & Others Have Reportedly Started To Compete For HBM3E “Dominance”; All Eyes on Who Is Prioritized by NVIDIA Muhammad Zuhair • Apr 10, 2025 at 02:52pm EDT Samsung, Micron, and other HBM producers are reportedly speeding up the HBM3E production process, as supply chain uncertainty has sparked up massive demand. Samsung's HBM3E Solution Is Limited To 8-Layer, But Micron Is On Track To Compete With SK Hynix For The Top Spot Well, the HBM markets have been seeing massive orders coming in from vendors like NVIDIA since, with Trump's new trade wars, the supply chain is dealing with uncertainty by front-running tariffs to stay safe from newer ones. Similarly, it is claimed by reports from the Korean media that Samsung and Micron are in the race for HBM3E, both of them respectively competing for 8-Hi and 12-Hi solutions, as the demand is pretty high, and at the same time, NVIDIA wants to diversify the supply chain as well, moving away from dependence on SK hynix alone. Starting with Samsung, Sedaily reports that the firm expects to mass-produce HBM3E as soon as next month, but it still awaits qualification from NVIDIA. However, with Jensen's recent comments on Samsung's progress in the HBM segment, the Korean giant is confident that it can secure a deal soon. It is highly important for Samsung to secure an HBM contract, given that they are already behind when it comes to HBM technology from competitors. In order to bridge the gap, securing NVIDIA's trust becomes a must. In another report by Sisa Journal, it is said that Micron is in line to replace SK hynix's importance in the HBM markets since the firm has already started to mass-produce 12-layer HBM3E, which is said to be integrated with NVIDIA's next-gen "Blackwell Ultra" B300 AI servers. Micron is said to have sold out its HBM3E production lines, and the firm is one of the more aggressive ones out of its competitors to expand capacity, so it is clear that Micron wants the lion's share, which currently lies with SK hynix. So, it's safe to say that the expansion of HBM markets isn't stopping yet, and with the industry eying towards next-gen solutions like HBM4, firms like Micron and SK hynix have an excellent opportunity to capitalize on them. Subscribe to get an everyday digest of the latest technology news in your inbox Follow us on Topics Sections Company Some posts on wccftech.com may contain affiliate links. We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com © 2025 WCCF TECH INC. 700 - 401 West Georgia Street, Vancouver, BC, Canada

كشفت Oppo اليوم عن هاتفها الرائد لعام 2025، Oppo Find X8 Ultra.كما كشفت ايضاً عن طرازات Find X8s وX8s+،يتميز التصميم بتحسينات ملحوظة، والأداء يرتقي إلى مستوى معايير 2025 الرائدة، مع بطارية أكبر وحتماً كاميرات محسّنة. لنبدأ بالهيكل.يدّعي Oppo Find X8 Ultra أنه أنحف هاتف كاميرا رائد بسمك 8.78 مم (انخفاضاً من 9.5 مم في الطراز السابق). رغم هذا النحافة، أصبح الجهاز أكثر متانة، حيث يحمل تصنيف IP68 لمقاومة الغبار والماء، وIP69 لتحمل نفاثات الماء، مع حصوله على شهادة مقاومة السقوط من فئة SGS خمس نجوم.الشاشة تبدو دون تغيير،مع لوحة LTPO OLED بمقاس 6.82 بوصة و10 بت، بمعدل تحديث من 1 إلى 120 هرتز، ودقة 3168×1440 بكسل، وسطوع أقصى يصل إلى 1600 شمعة.رفعت Oppo مستوى Find X8 Ultra بمعالج Snapdragon 8 Elite ثماني النواة، مقترنًا بما يصل إلى 16 جيجابايت من ذاكرة LPDDR5X-9600 وتخزين يصل إلى 1 تيرابايت من نوع UFS 4.1. يعمل الهاتف بنظام ColorOS 15 المستند إلى Android 15.من الترقيات البارزة بطارية السيليكون-كربون الجديدة بسعة 6100 مللي أمبير/ساعة، وهي زيادة بنسبة 20% تقريبًا مقارنة بالسابق. تدعم البطارية الشحن السلكي بقوة 100 واط عبر SUPERVOOC والشحن اللاسلكي بقوة 50 واط عبر AIRVOOC، مع شحن عكسي بقوة 10 واط.يأتي Find X8 Ultra بألوان أسود مطفي، وأبيض نقي، ووردي صدفي، جميعها بأسطح مطفية ناعمة على الإطارات المعدنية والألواح الزجاجية.يجلب Oppo Find X8 Ultra زرين جديدين: زر Shortcut في الجانب الأيسر العلوي القابل للتخصيص لمجموعة متنوعة من الوظائف والتطبيقات، وزر Quick في الجانب الأيمن السفلي مخصص بشكل أساسي للتحكم بالكاميرا، مشابه لما وجد في Find X8 Pro.قامت Oppo بتحسين كاميرتي التقريب في Find X8 Ultra، مع الاحتفاظ بالكاميرا الرئيسية دون تغيير يذكر، وتقليص مواصفات الكاميرا فائقة الاتساع على الورق. كما أضافت كاميرا True Chroma جديدة لتحليل درجة حرارة اللون في المشهد، بالتعاون مع معالجة Hasselblad، لتقديم درجات لون بشرة دقيقة في أي ظروف إضاءة، وهي ميزة تم استعراضها بقوة خلال الحدث.الكاميرا الرئيسية عبارة عن وحدة 23 مم بفتحة f/1.8 مع مستشعر Sony LYT900 بدقة 50 ميجابكسل بحجم 1 بوصة، وهو نفس المستشعر في الجيل السابق. يُعد هذا أكبر مستشعر في هاتف ذكي حديث، حيث يتفوق بحوالي 63% على الكاميرا الرئيسية في iPhone 16 Pro Max، وبـ 69% على مستشعر 200 ميجابكسل في Galaxy S25 Ultra، وفقًا لـ Oppo.أما كاميرتا البيرسكوب المزدوجة المحسنة، فالأولى (3x) تستخدم مستشعر LYT700 بحجم 1/1.56 بوصة بدقة 50 ميجابكسل مع عدسة 70 مم (2.8x سابقًا 65 مم) بفتحة f/2.1 أكثر سطوعًا (مقارنة بـ f/2.6 في X7 Ultra). تدعي Oppo أن المستشعر أكبر بنسبة 105% من مستشعر 70 مم في Xiaomi 15 Ultra، وبنسبة 300% من 67 مم في Galaxy S25 Ultra.الكاميرا الثانية (6x) بطول بؤري 135 مم، تستخدم مستشعر LYT600 أكبر بحجم 1/1.95 بوصة (مقارنة بـ 1/2.51 بوصة في X7 Ultra) مع عدسة f/3.1 أكثر سطوعًا (مقابل f/4.3 سابقًا).الكاميرا فائقة الاتساع تبدو أقل مواصفات، حيث تأتي ب عدسة 15 مم f/2.0 ومستشعر Samsung JN5 بحجم 1/2.75 بوصة، بينما كانت في الطراز السابق 14 مم f/2.0 مع مستشعر أكبر 1/1.95 بوصة. أما الكاميرا الأمامية فهي عدسة 21 مم f/2.4 بتركيز تلقائي مع مستشعر LYT506 بحجم 1/2.74 بوصة.ويعمل محرك HyperTone Image Engine من الجيل التالي على تحسين القدرات الحسابية والأداء في ظروف الإضاءة الصعبة. يتضمن تعيين نغمات بالذكاء الاصطناعي لعمق وتفاصيل أفضل (خاصة في المشاهد المضاءة من الخلف)، ومحرك ProXDR يعزز السطوع ومعلومات الألوان (بزيادة في ثراء البيانات بمقدار 4 أضعاف وفقًا لـ Oppo).تصف Oppo هذا بأنه “الثالوث المقدس” للعدسات في جيبك. لكن الأمر لا يتوقف عند التصوير، حيث يضاعف Find X8 Ultra قدرات الفيديو البطيء إلى 4K بمعدل 120 إطارًا في الثانية، مع دعم Dolby Vision.للأسف، من غير المرجح أن يصل خارج الصين. سيُطرح الهاتف للبيع في الصين اعتبارًا من 16 أبريل، بسعر 6499 يوان صيني (حوالي 795 يورو، 685 جنيهًا إسترلينيًا، 76000 روبية هندية) للطراز الأساسي 12/256 جيجابايت، و6999 يوان صيني (860 يورو، 740 جنيهًا، 82000 روبية) لـ 16/512 جيجابايت، و7999 يوان صيني (980 يورو، 840 جنيهًا، 94000 روبية) لـ 16 جيجابايت/1 تيرابايت.المصدر

The Last Of Us Limited Edition DualSense Controller $85 | Releases April 10 See at Walmart See at Amazon See at Best Buy See at PS Direct See at Target See at GameStop The Last of Us Limited Edition DualSense Controller launched today, April 10. Multiple major retailers received additional units to sell to those who weren't able to secure a preorder, but most retailers are once again sold out. As of 12:20 PM PT, TLOU-themed DualSense Controller is only available to purchase at Walmart.While you're picking up the controller, you should also check out the newly announced The Last of Us Complete: Collector's Edition, a limited-edition PS5 game bundle with an exclusive steelbook case and more collectibles. The Last of Us Complete: Collector's Edition launches July 10 and is available to preorder exclusively at PlayStation Direct for $110.Continue Reading at GameSpot

Despite being the most successful entertainment property in history, the Pokemon series has surprisingly not received its own official LEGO set yet, but that's about to change soon. Last month, The LEGO Group announced that it was teaming up with Nintendo and The Pokemon Company to release new LEGO products based off the iconic franchise, starting in 2026. This partnership, The LEGO Group said, is going to last for several years. However, aside from a LEGO Pikachu model that was hinted at in the trailer for the Pokemoncollaboration, it's not exactly clear what its scope will entail.

During the recent 2025 ESO Direct livestream, The Elder Scrolls Online team unveiled an exciting year of adventures, stories, and improvements. This included the new 2025 Content Pass and Premium Edition, the Seasons of the Worm Cult zone and storyline, a unique kind of in-game event, and base-game additions. Want to know more? ESO’s Game Director Rich Lambert and Executive Producer Susan Kath are here to expand a little on what was revealed during the big show.  Play Video A sequel 10 years in the making “For this year, we knew we wanted a story that celebrated 10 years of the game being live,” says Lambert. “We’ve always been interested in doing a sequel to the original launch game and figured this was the perfect opportunity. As we started in on the process, one piece of player feedback kept coming up—players wanted something different. So, we took that to heart this year.” Because of this feedback, the Seasons of the Worm Cult continues ESO’s base game story and returns Tamriel original bad guys to the fore: the Order of the Black Worm.  In addition to the returning foe and storyline, Seasons of the Worm Cult introduces Solstice, a new zone divided by an arcane barrier known as the Writhing Wall. The wall itself is the focus of a new in-game event in Q3/4, which will take place between Seasons of the Worm Cult Part 1 and 2 and open the way to the second half of the zone and the conclusion of the larger storyline. ​​ “This is a new server-wide event—the shattering of the Writhing Wall—that will see players’ collaborative actions determine the outcome of the conflict,” explains Kath. “Solstice and the wall are all part of the 2025 Content Pass, but if you don’t have access and still want to help in the war effort, there will be special activities that everyone can participate in from mainland Tamriel as well.” Introducing 2025 Content Pass and 2025 Premium Edition Also announced during the ESO Direct was the 2025 Content Pass and 2025 Premium Edition. For the first time in the game’s history, you can acquire an entire year of adventures in one.  “We’ve talked recently about our plans to move away from the yearly Chapter release model, and this year is where we’ll start that evolution,” says Kath. “In the past, because of the lead time and resources necessary to create Chapters, it’s been difficult to allocate time to experimental updates, because we had to have every little detail planned far in advance.” Now, the team has more flexibility to introduce emergent content such as the recent Cyrodiil Champions test, which saw players help the development team collect valuable PvP data and feedback on a unique Alliance War campaign.  The 2025 Content Pass (and Premium Edition) includes a ton of adventures and challenges for you to discover, including Seasons of the Worm Cult Part 1 and 2 (zone and storyline), two dungeon packs, and access to the Writhing Wall event—everything coming in 2025 in one. “Another benefit for players this year is that it means there’s always something exciting around the corner, rather than a big release in June that you can play through and then find you’re waiting a year for the next big release,” explains Kath. “With all that in mind, this year is a transition year for us, and you’ll see even more changes coming in 2026.” Big base-game additions In addition to all the new adventures, the Update 46 base-game patch introduces a host of free updates for all ESO players, including the powerful Subclassing system. “Subclassing is something I’m very excited about,” says Lambert. “It gives you even more freedom and flexibility in how you play your character, without having to reroll a new one and lose all the time and progress you have put in over the years.” A major shakeup to the way you manage your character builds, Subclassing allows you to replace two different class skill lines to create your ideal hybrid playstyle. Arriving alongside Subclassing is the new Hero’s Return system—helping you get back into the game after a prolonged absence.  “With all of these changes, we want to make it as easy as possible for past players to hop back in and check it all out, and that’s at the core of Hero’s Return, updating tutorials, and refreshing the early game zones,” says Kath. “We’re also looking to the ESO community for more insight and feedback into what they really want us to be working on next.” Your pass for adventure  Big changes are on the horizon for The Elder Scrolls Online, and the above are just some of the new adventures and changes coming in 2025.  Don’t forget, you can purchase the 2025 Content Pass or Premium Edition right now on the PlayStation Store and get immediate access to the Fallen Banners dungeon pack, with the Seasons of the Worm Cult Part 1 arriving June 18 on PS5 and PS4—we’ll see you in Tamriel!

The Masters Tournament, the emerald jewel in the crown of professional golf, begins this week. That’s a statement I’m reasonably confident about, but not totally, because I know almost nothing about professional golf. But not completely nothing. I know that in J.R.R. Tolkien’s Middle-earth, it was invented by hobbits.  Oh, you may be thinking, is the connection between hobbits and golf some kind of oblique reference to one line deep in an appendix, or perhaps a silly inference one could make from movie dialogue? But, no, it’s nothing of the sort.  Tolkien just… says it in the first chapter of The Hobbit.  It comes in a moment when Gandalf — who has taken into his head that it would be good for Bilbo (constitutionally) and Gandalf’s dwarven allies (logistically) if the meek hobbit were to embark on the dwarves’ expedition to the Lonely Mountain. He insists to Thorin and co. that though Bilbo may seem fussy and faint-hearted, he is “as fierce as a dragon in a pinch.”  Tolkien immediately follows this by mentioning that this statement could never apply to any hobbit except by “poetical exaggeration” — not even to the fiercest hobbit who ever lived. That is, to Bilbo’s great-great-grand-uncle Bandobras “Bullroarer” Took, “who was so huge (for a hobbit) that he could ride a horse,” Tolkien writes. “He charged the ranks of the goblins of Mount Gram in the Battle of the Green Fields, and knocked their king Golfimbul’s head clean off with a wooden club. It sailed a hundred yards through the air and went down a rabbit-hole, and in this way the battle was won and the game of Golf invented at the same moment.”  (A mere hundred yards is not particularly impressive for a golf swing, but then, most modern golfers have almost 2 feet on Bullroarer, and are merely hitting a small ball that isn’t even attached to the tee — not beheading a goblin via blunt force.) The human sport of golf was named after the death of a goblin named Golfimbul? you may be thinking. That’s a little sillier than I expect from Middle-earth lore. And you’d be right.  The secret of The Hobbit is that when Tolkien wrote it, it wasn’t set in Middle-earth. To him, his personal epic saga of elven and human dynasties, The Silmarillion, was an entirely separate project intended for an adult audience, while The Hobbit was just a publishable version of the kind of ongoing bedtime stories he habitually invented for his children. It wasn’t until JRRT started writing a sequel to The Hobbit that he realized he could retrofit Bilbo’s story into his Middle-earth project. About halfway through writing what was eventually published as The Fellowship of the Ring, he renamed his Hobbit sequel The Lord of the Rings, and the rest is history.  There’s some evidence that Tolkien may have intended to remove the “invention of golf” story from The Hobbit in a new revision of the book that he worked on in the 1960s. John D. Rateliff’s The History of the Hobbit describes an incomplete draft that shows Tolkien planned, at least at that time, to change Golfimbul’s name to Gulfimbul, thus eliminating the “golf” pun. But the revision was never finished, and the change was never implemented.  And so all of The Hobbit’s more irreverent and anachronistic trappings — the Shire’s tea times and dressing gowns and house keys and sets of The Good Silverware — still exist alongside Middle-earth’s wider world of guttering torches, wizard towers, elven cloaks, and kingly speech. And I, for one, think the story is the stronger for it. It’s certainly the stranger for it, but also, dare I say, more human, more handmade, and more personal. Middle-earth isn’t a perfect work, even to its own creator, but who cares about perfection, anyway?  P.S. I asked Polygon’s resident sports gamer, Samit Sarkar, to tell me some things about the Masters Tournament, and it seems to have a number of parallels to The Lord of the Rings, what with an all-male group of heroes battling to win a precious, worn object that has known many bearers over its long history. Honestly, that all sounds very tiring — maybe someone should just cast it into a fire. 

In the heart of Sun Valley, Idaho, where snow-laden mountains frame expansive skies, Studio Mountain’s H.M.L. project reveals itself as an extension of the land, rather than a disruption of it. Light pours through oversized metal-clad windows, amplifying the grain on white oak floors while illuminating the Italian calacatta viola marble with its distinctive purple veining. This interplay of light and material creates what designer Sierra Fox calls “visual harmony,” which, for her, is more so a narrative about permanence and impermanence in mountain architecture. The project negotiates between high-performance requirements and artisanal techniques. The tadelakt showers – employing a centuries-old Moroccan plastering method – is evidence of traditional craft remaining relevant in contemporary contexts. Custom millwork by local craftsmen from Oak + Iron Customs elevates the residence with tailored functionality and warmth. This integration extends to the chef’s kitchen, where a 55″ Lacanche range sits alongside Fisher & Paykel appliances. The challenge of creating intimacy within expansiveness was addressed through material layering – a strategic placement of textural elements like tumbled limestone tile against smoother surfaces to create perceptual depth, making large spaces feel appropriately scaled. This approach continues throughout the home, where the integration of natural finishes – reclaimed wood, nickel, flagstone, and roman clay – creates a material language that feels both welcoming and harmonious. The residence focuses on a broader discourse regarding luxury and sustainability within the context of mountain architecture. Where earlier mountain homes often emphasized rustic materials in visually heavy compositions, this project employs natural elements with a lighter touch, allowing the surrounding landscape to provide the primary visual impact through those generously proportioned metal-clad windows. For more information, please visit studio-mtn.com. Photography by Aimee Mazzenga.

The YouTube TV app has been disappearing for some Roku users. Luckily, if you are among those affected, there are a few fixes you can try for this issue. Starting this week, several users on both Reddit and Roku's forums have separately reported issues opening the YouTube TV app or even locating it on their Roku devices. Those who tried reinstalling the YouTube TV app were able to see an Open App button, but pressing it simply resulted in an error. What's worse is that the issues seem isolated to Roku, with users of devices like the Google TV Streamer 4K not issuing the same complaints.Luckily, this issue only seems to be impacting people with dedicated Roku devices and not smart TVs with Roku streaming built-in. Here's how you can try to bring back YouTube TV if it's disappeared from your Roku.Fix disappearing YouTube TV app on RokuRoku has acknowledged the problem and provided a temporary solution while it investigates. To restart using the YouTube TV app on your Roku, try manually updating the device. Follow these steps:Press the Home button on the remote.Select Settings.Click System.Go to Software update.Hit Check Now to start a manual update.Once the software update is complete, Roku says you might be able to see the YouTube TV app on your Roku device, but it's not guaranteed. If you're still experiencing the problem, some Reddit users have also proposed just accessing YouTube TV from the standard YouTube app instead, which you can find on the very bottom-left of the app's interface.This little hiccup comes at a bad time for both Roku and YouTube. Recently, Roku has been in the news for experimenting with a new way to force users to watch ads, while YouTube TV's pricing has also been going up quite a bit. So maybe the real solution to this issue is to just stop using YouTube TV. OK, we jest, but while the app has gotten a facelift, the service may not always offer value for your money if the content you need isn't on it.