Vivo started rolling out the Android 15-based Funtouch OS 15 in India last year. Months after the original launch, the Chinese smartphone brand has announced that it is bringing new features powered by artificial intelligence (AI). It includes various productivity and communication-based smart features like Live Text, Circle to Search, and AI Screen Translation. Further, it includes an AI Call Translation tool for providing real-time translation during phone calls and an AI Live Text feature that can extract text from images.FunTouch OS 15 to Introduce AI Features on Vivo's AppsVivo detailed the new AI features of FunTouch OS 15's latest iteration, stating that the AI Erase feature is a precision tool that allows users to remove distractions, unwanted objects or people they want to erase with a tap or swipe. The AI Live cutout feature lets users instantly isolate a subject by simply long-pressing. It automatically detects and separates the subject from the background in a video or photo.The latest updates to FunTouch OS 15 also add an enhanced Recorder app with new capabilities. The AI Transcript Assist feature converts voice recordings into precise text summaries. Similarly, there is a new AI Screen Translation feature for real-time translations, without switching apps.Additionally, the new update brings an AI Call Translation tool that allows real-time translation of spoken language during a phone call between people who speak different languages. With AI Photo Enhance feature allows users to modify their photographs by sharpening faces, brightening details, and reviving expressions.Vivo has also introduced Google's AI-powered Circle to Search-like feature on FunTouch OS 15. This Circle to Search tool allows users to quickly search for items without leaving the current app or activity. Users can circle text, images, or objects to trigger an instant, context-aware search. The company has also added an AI Live Text tool that can instantly recognise and extract the text from an image.The AI Note Assist in FunTouch OS 15 can be used to quickly create organised professional notes. This tool includes Smart layout, Summarise, Extract to-dos, and Translate the content. These AI features are confirmed to be available on select handset.s. Availability of them may vary by device and region, according to the company. For the latest tech news and reviews, follow Gadgets 360 on X, Facebook, WhatsApp, Threads and Google News. For the latest videos on gadgets and tech, subscribe to our YouTube channel. If you want to know everything about top influencers, follow our in-house Who'sThat360 on Instagram and YouTube. Further reading: Vivo, Funtouch OS 15, Funtouch OS 15 Features, Funtouch OS 15 Update Nithya P Nair Nithya P Nair is a journalist with more than five years of experience in digital journalism. She specialises in business and technology beats. A foodie at heart, Nithya loves exploring new places (read cuisines) and sneaking in Malayalam movie dialogues to spice up conversations. More Related Stories

The Elder Scrolls IV Oblivion has more RPG mechanics built into it than Skyrim or most Bethesda games after Oblivion, for that matter. Skyrim streamlined some of the intricate busywork that fans have enjoyed dabbling in (and breaking the game with) since Daggerfall and Morrowind. Perhaps most obvious is the complete omission of an NPC persuasion minigame in Skyrim. The Oblivion Remaster brings back the old persuasion minigame wheel and all of the other cool stuff the original had. Here are some beginner tips to help make the journey through the radiant woodlands of Cyrodill that much more enjoyable. Don’t Grind Out Individual Skills Early On Since enemies still scale to your overall level in the remaster, it’s best to avoid grinding out skills that won’t help much in combat (like acrobatics). Every 10 skill ups grants you a level up, so choose what to train wisely or enemies will outperform you in the scaling ‘arms race’. The remaster lets players choose any attribute to level up regardless of class, so it’s possible to out-power enemies just by boosting Strength and Endurance. You can also just avoid leveling entirely by becoming an eternal insomniac. No really, just don’t rest and level scaling will never be an issue. Of course, avoiding leveling up forfeits your ability to progress your attributes like Strength and Endurance, so maybe that’s not the best option. Raise Five Combat Skills Every Level Another more commonsense tactic to make sure enemies don’t overpower you through scaling is to increase five combat skills every level. Doing this will scale your fighting skill rank (the Apprentice, Journeyman, Expert, and Master ranks) in parallel with enemy soul class ranks. The specific skills that are useful in this situation are Blade, Blunt, Hand-To-Hand, Armorer, Block, and Heavy Armor. But you don’t need to constantly fight stuff to level these fighting skills; money can do the trick with the right trainers. There’s a Heavy Armor trainer smack dab in the Imperial City. Head to the City Market District and talk to Varnado at The Best Defense store to get started on your road to heavy armor mastery, if that’s a combat skill you want to focus on. Always Keep Repair Hammers on You Even if you’re not focused about raising Armorer skill, keeping a batch of repair hammers with you is smart. This is because, unlike Skyrim, armor and weapons degrade with use and break completely after a while. Consistent weapon and armor repair is crucial in Oblivion. Go Anywhere Now that you have some repair hammers with you, it’s time to choose a direction and explore! In Oblivion, it’s perfectly safe just to set off in any direction without the threat of level 100 dragons or the like. Since every enemy scales to the your overall level, there aren’t any super high level areas that kick you in the teeth (until you activate oblivion gates). Oblivion Gates Speaking of oblivion gates, this game has a soft ‘point of no return’ of sorts. Once the ‘Dagon Quest’ is initiated, those pesky oblivion gates open up all over Cyrodill, causing quite the blemish on the lush, and slightly more desaturated, landscape. These gates will persist until the main quest is finished, so it’s best to hold off on the Dagon Quest until you’re well equipped and ready to deal with their ubiquitous presence. Customize Your Class for the Best Optimization If you want to avoid running into the level scaling problem early, it’s best to make your own custom class. Standard classes are built to level fast before receiving the full bonuses to your targeted attributes.  While there’s a wide array of options that can yield effective results, raising Endurance early on is especially useful as it multiplies HP increase every level up. You want to ever level up to  health as much as possible, so targeting skills tied to Endurance is the best way to get that. Join a Guild for Free Bed, Trainers, and Various Cheap Vendors There are five main guilds available to join and rank up throughout Cyrodill. Being a member of any of these guilds supplies you with a free bed, cheaper vendors, and in most cases, a lot of supplies and adventuring experience. The Thieves Guild can be found when investigating the Gray Fox within the Waterfront District of the Imperial City. The Dark Brotherhood is perhaps the easiest one to get into….if you’re a murderer, that is. And the Fighters and Mages guilds have to be entered through other cities such as Chorral. The next point covers the fifth guild. Do the Arena Questline for Some of the Best Early Money in the Game The Arena is located right in the heart of the Imperial City. Just head on in and start taking on bouts to get some great early money and combat experience. This faction is especially recommended early on because the rewards don’t scale with the overall player level like other quest lines. Oh, and if you’re not a fighter, don’t worry. You can join, freely take weapons and armor from the racks, sell them in the city and never look back again to get some free cash without swinging a sword. Join the Mages Guild To Create Weapons and Spells for Good Early Game Money The Mages Guild has loads of free equipment lying around for apprentices to take. Finding alchemy equipment such as a mortar and pestle is easy once you’ve joined a guild hall. Furthermore, every guild hall houses many spell merchants, some which sell some of the best spells in the game. Use the Mages Guild to Triple Enchant Weapons for High Damage Hits Enchanting becomes available once you unlock the Arcane University within the Mages Guild quest chain. It’s a very open-ended method of adding special effects and spells to your armor and weapons. Enchanting your weapon with fire, frost, and shock each with lower points, is more powerful over time than enchanting a weapon with just one effect with very high points. For armor, it’s highly recommended you use the resist magic enchantment so that the particularly difficult daedra within the oblivion gates don’t pose too much of a threat. Summon Monsters for Easy Combat Experience Whether you’re a mage who wants to get some quick and easy strength skills up to par or a fighter seeking a risk-free method of training, Conjuration magic is a great option. Any new player can grab a basic Summon Scamp spell in a shop in the Imperial City Market District. Just head to Edgar’s Discount Spells shops and train your combat prowess against your summoned scamp for easy and quick experience. If you pick a Dark Elf race for your character, you get a built-in “Summon Ancestor” spell from the get-go, though you can only use it once a day. Buy the Dremora Lord Spell Before It’s Too Late The Dremora Lord conjuration spell disappears after the “A Plot Revealed” quest in the mages guild questline; buy it from Volanaro in the Bruma Mages Guild before then. For those particular interested going down the route of Conjuration, there’s a missable Dremora Lord spell within the Mages Guild questline. Volanaro sells this powerful spell in the Bruma mages guild branch. You must buy it before the “A Plot Revealed” quest or it, and Volanaro, will be gone forever. There’s much more to explore and min-max within the wide world that is Cyrodill, but these 12 are ones that helped us early on in our own adventures.

Welcome to the Canadian Deals & Discussion thread - OT3. Here, we go full consumer on video games because in this industry you can put a price on art and right now that price is usually $79.99 $89.99+tax which none of us want to spend. With that in mind, please share any deals you find here and on our discord server. We will often also stray off topic to other topics that affect us as Canadians. Usually this will be somewhat related to the topic of gaming or deals and it's... Read more

What is an “Xbox game”? Fairly recently, the answer was simple: An Xbox game is a game that you play on your Xbox. But now, with Microsoft pushing a multiplatform strategy — and openly challenging preconceived notions of what even counts as a platform — determining the best Xbox games isn’t as straightforward as it was.For us, though, the answer is still pretty simple, if somewhat evolved. Some games (Halo, Forza) will always be Xbox games regardless of how many platforms they land on, the same way a mobile Mario game is still a Nintendo game. But others fall under the broader category of, if an Xbox is the primary way you play games, you shouldn’t miss these — regardless of who published or developed them.What follows is our list of the best Xbox games as of April 2025.How we pick the best games on XboxThe Polygon staff plays a lot of video games, and everything in this list comes personally recommended by at least one of us. We determined what should be on our list of the best Xbox games by looking at the quality of each title, but also with an eye for breadth and variety — so you should find something on the list you’ll enjoy, no matter what genres of game you like, how much time you have, or what vibe you are after.Halo Infinite$20$6067% off$20Halo is Xbox and Xbox is Halo. Yes, the most recent Halo game, Halo Infinite, is technically playable on Windows PC, but it’s just not the same. There’s something to be said for sitting down on the sofa, Xbox controller in hand, shouting about the reds and the blues (though maybe without the once-requisite Mountain Dew). It’s an intangible feeling of correctness.Four years in, Halo Infinite is as correct as it gets. Since its 2021 launch, developer Halo Studios (née 343 Industries) has consistently added features to Infinite. Firefight, Halo’s horde mode, wasn’t ready upon release but is back with multiple modes (and a third-person variation no less). The Forge map creation tools have resulted in a steady flow of community-made maps that match the quality of developer-made ones, ensuring the meta is always fresh. Periodically, new weapons shake up the sandbox. All of this fuels a robust competitive scene that’s hotter than ever. The promise of an infinite Halo has finally come to fruition. —Ari NotisRead Nicole Carpenter’s full review of Halo Infinite.$0 at Xbox$20 at Xbox (campaign)$60The natural end point of Bethesda’s “if you see it, you can walk to it” proclamation from the Skyrim days was this: If you see it, you can drive to it. That’s Forza Horizon 5 in a nutshell. Sure, the Forza Horizon series might be a bit zanier than the buttoned-up flagship from which it spun, but it is infectiously more fun. Forza Horizon 5, in particular, puts things into overdrive.Set in Mexico, it’s a bit more vibrant than the Cotswolds that defined its predecessor. Forza Horizon 5 also goes all in on the series’ wild side. You start the game Fast and Furious style, driving out of a literal plane; later, you race a freakin’ train. And between these set pieces, you can tackle really type of race you desire — sprints, circuits, off-roads, you name it — with a library of cars more extensive than Jay Leno’s garage. Best of all, for those who struggle with racing games, there’s a handy rewind button that lets you try that turn again (and again, and again). —ANRead Owen S. Good’s full review of Forza Horizon 5.$60 at XboxElden Ring$36$6040% off$36FromSoftware established its formula with games like Dark Souls and Sekiro: Die a zillion times in a row against an enemy until you memorize their patterns and defeat them. But the studio perfected it with Elden Ring: Die a zillion times in a row against an enemy, give up, then go somewhere else to die a zillion times in a row against a different enemy. Maybe you’ll eventually defeat them! Who knows? But it’ll feel rewarding as hell if you do.The allure of Elden Ring goes beyond just combat, though, satisfying as it is. Elden Ring also showed how fascinating an open world can be when it conveys a level of mysteriousness. Instead of holding your hand between every waypoint, the way many open-world games do, it explains precisely nothing. Every dungeon is a new mystery. Every lore dump is a new twist. Every character has something to contribute to the world you’re in (which was designed in part by Game of Thrones creator George R. R. Martin). And with an expansion that builds tremendously on the base game — 2024’s Shadow of the Erdtree — Elden Ring remains one of the strongest open-world gems on Xbox. —ANRead Michael McWhertor’s full review of Elden Ring.$36 at XboxResident Evil 4 Remake$20$4050% off$20I can’t think of a better reason to revisit a touchstone of survival horror than Resident Evil 4 Remake. This lavish remake manages to bring another level of polish to an already beloved game by pairing completely overhauled graphics and controls with the core gameplay of the original. Just like its source material, you play as handsome government agent Leon Kennedy as he undertakes a covert mission to rescue Ashley Graham, the daughter of the U.S. president, from a Spanish cult. The game follows a relatively straightforward pattern where you’ll explore, scavenge, craft, sort through items, and fight off hordes of super powerful cultists in third-person combat. It’s a system that worked in 2005 when it was first released on GameCube, and it still works now. That the remake adds other flourishes — like a parry system and additional settings to tweak gameplay difficulty — is an added bonus. While I can grant that guts and gore might not be everyone’s cup of tea, Resident Evil 4 Remake is an easy recommendation from me. Leon’s easygoing demeanor and corny jokes cushion what could be an overly drab scenario. Overall, it’s a thrilling time that’s made even more complete with the release of Separate Ways, a new DLC starring superspy Ada Wong. —Ana DiazRead Michael McWhertor’s full review of Resident Evil 4 Remake.PowerWash Simulator$17$2532% off$17I like PowerWash Simulator because I still meet people who don’t believe it is real and who question if something like it could ever be fun. I am here to say that is both very real and well worth your time. Developed by FuturLab and published by Square Enix, the title of PowerWash Simulator perfectly encapsulates what you do in the game: You hose stuff down with a power washer.In each assignment, you walk around in third person and wield a power washer that you aim and shoot to clean various surfaces. Generally speaking, jobs include everyday objects like a van or a children’s playground. However, the developers later added whimsical cleaning subjects like Lara Croft’s mansion and SpongeBob SquarePants’ iconic pineapple home. It’s not a high-adrenaline shooter experience, but nothing beats the feeling of cleaning a nice crisp line of grime to reveal a bright, shiny surface. It’s very relaxing, and there’s an ASMR-like quality to it all. Additionally, it’s a wonderful game to play with friends. That way you can split the work and chit-chat as you power wash all your worries away. —ADRead Cass Marshall’s full review of PowerWash Simulator.$17 at XboxVampire Survivors$5$5If you ever want to treat your brain with the pleasure that comes with collecting thousands of glittering objects, then I have the game for you. Vampire Survivors is a roguelike and bullet hell developed and published by Poncle. It is both an approachable game to start and an even easier game to get hooked into, making it a go-to recommendation for Xbox Series X owners. Each playthrough runs more or less the same. In it, you choose a character, like an archer or a sorcerer, who comes with one basic power. As you navigate the pixelated terrain, your character will automatically attack the enemies around you at a regular pace. All that’s left for you is to shred through hordes of enemies and reap their sparkly rewards to upgrade your character. Vampire Survivors is an endlessly replayable delight, and a great game to check out on your Xbox. —ADRead Justin McElroy’s full review of Vampire Survivors.$70For my money, one of the best games of 2023 wasn’t a game itself, but a significant expansion of one that debuted two years earlier: the Freelancer mode for Hitman World of Assassination (née Hitman 3). Freelancer puts a roguelike twist on the series’ traditional murder-for-hire action, demanding players improvise their way through series of mission with randomized objectives as Agent 47 attempts to take down international crime syndicates.The most open-ended and challenging Hitman experience yet, Freelancer mode is a high-risk, high-reward exercise that is designed to test your ability to adapt to unpredictable circumstances. It takes place across more than 20 different locations that have been released as part of this modern Hitman trilogy, so knowledge of each map’s nooks and crannies is vital. And you’ll have to earn every piece of assistance, whether they’re weapons (e.g., anything with a silencer) or items (coins for distraction, syringes for quick incapacitations or kills).Every move you make could be your last one; all it takes to ruin a flawless run is a single ill-considered plan, just one seemingly minor slip-up. I will leave you to prepare, 47. —Samit SarkarRead Mike Mahardy’s full review of Hitman: World of Assassination’s Freelancer mode.$70 at XboxCall of Duty: Black Ops Cold War$20$6067% off$20The secret heart of Treyarch’s Call of Duty games since 2008 has always been Zombies. The wave-based survival mode is equal parts silly, challenging, and endlessly repeatable... in Black Ops Cold War, Treyarch has brought the focus all the way back to zombies and how you kill them.Black Ops Cold War doesn’t reinvent the Zombie-mode wheel. It keeps most of the basic ideas that Treyarch has added to the mode over the last 12 years, but simplifies them down to their most fun elements.The best example of this comes from Black Ops Cold War’s map, which takes the original Nazi research lab from the first World at War Zombie map and expands it into a modern, much larger, Zombies experience. [...] Everything I do in the map now feels like it’s in service of my survival. —Austen GoslinRead Yussef Cole’s full review of Call of Duty Black Ops Cold War.$20 at XboxDevil May Cry 5 Special Edition$10$4075% off$10Devil May Cry 5 Special Edition isn’t a new game like many of the others on this list, but it is one of the first examples out the gate that put the promises of next-generation hardware on full display. The world of Devil May Cry always seems to be slick with something — water, demonic ooze, slimy roots of a world-sized tree filled with blood. All of that dazzles with easily accessible ray tracing, even if it’s a little stomach-churning. Some of the most memorable set piece battles look better than before, and having a higher frame rate makes the constant action much easier to follow.Capcom stuffed the game with characters on the first go-round, switching the campaign between three heroes with their own distinct, over-the-top fighting styles. (And the special edition adds big bad Vergil as a playable option, letting you replay the entire campaign from a new perspective.) All these options offer variety that makes the campaign — which embraces demonic camp as well as any great CW show — worth experiencing all over again. This was an excellent game when it came out in 2019, but hopefully its special edition treatment means more people will appreciate its campiness and stellar action. —Chelsea Stark$10 at XboxAssassin’s Creed Valhalla$15$6075% off$15Valhalla is securely a role-playing game with a stealth influence, instead of the other way around. It allows the player to enact both large-scale battles and quick assassinations while hidden within a crowd. The Vikings, too, introduce their own expression of stealth in their raids, where narrow longships sneak up to encampments to attack without warning.Eivor has an assassin’s blade, a gift given to her from Sigurd. Hers, though, is not hidden — she wears it atop her cloak, because she wants her foes to see their fates in her weapon.Valhalla’s most intriguing story is one about faith, honor, and family, but it’s buried inside this massive, massive world stuffed with combat and side quests. That balance is not always ideal, but I’m glad, at least, that it forces me to spend more time seeking out interesting things in the game’s world. —Nicole Carpenter Read Nicole’s full review ofAssassin’s Creed Valhalla.$15 at XboxOri and the Will of the Wisps$10$3067% off$10Ori and the Will of the Wisps already appears on our list of Xbox One game recommendations, but it’s worth highlighting its Xbox Series X optimization. Players who own a compatible television will be able to experience the eye-popping visuals of Ori at 120 frames per second in 4K and HDR.In a post on Xbox Wire, Gennadiy Korol, co-founder and lead engineer at Moon Studios, explained that the team also designed a 6K Supersampled Rendering Mode for the Xbox Series X version of the game, as well the option for players to switch between the 4K mode (which runs the game at 120 frames per second) and the 6K mode (60 frames per second). The developers also did another pass on the game’s sound design, including more dynamic range and reverb in certain parts.Ori and the Will of the Wisps was already worth playing in its original form, with its lush environments and poignant soundtrack allowing it to stand out from the crowded 2D platformer genre. The Xbox Series X upgrade makes it stand out even more. —Maddy MyersRead Andrew King’s full review of Ori and the Will of the Wisps.$10 at XboxThe Outer Worlds$19$6068% off$19I knew I’d love The Outer Worlds as soon as I stumbled into a cave and met a bleeding, dying gentleman.I offered to help, but he hesitated. Was I using Spacer’s Choice health care products? His contract clearly states that he can’t use a competing product. This was my first real introduction to the weird, corporate dystopia of the Halcyon system, where giant, sprawling conglomerates have the final word on just about everything, and everyone is simply trying to get by.But maybe I can help with this whole mess, if I decide to try. The game begins with Phineas Welles — a guy who’s a little like a nicer Rick, sans Morty — waking me from cryosleep aboard the colonist vessel the Hope. The Hope was lost in space, I’ve been frozen for 70 years, and the entire system went straight to hell while I was on ice.So I’m emerging into a space-capitalist nightmare, and Welles is asking me for help. I’ve just got to murder some robots and raiders, meet the locals down on some of the nearby planets, and try to figure out whether I’m down with Welles’ vision of eating the rich.And I gotta admit, I’m a little hungry. —Cass MarshallRead Cass’s full review of The Outer Worlds.$19 at Amazon (Xbox)$30 at XboxSuper Mega Baseball 4$5$5090% off$5The Super Mega Baseball games have always been bursting with charm, delivering the trappings of semipro sports with a goofy sandlot spin. The series drew me in with its silly fictional athletes and ball clubs, a world of lovable chuckleheads that I got to know over the course of two terrific video games. I never expected that Super Mega Baseball 3 would weaponize those emotional ties in the best way, turning my attachments to my favorite teams and players against me in its excellent, demanding franchise mode. And by all accounts, Super Mega Baseball 4 is even better.With the original Super Mega Baseball in 2014, and its 2018 follow-up, Canadian indie studio Metalhead Software brilliantly captured the spirit of the simple, fun sports games that many of us remember from our childhoods. But rather than reviving the exaggerated power-ups of NBA Jam and NFL Blitz, this series blends the cartoony essence of Backyard Baseball and Power Pros with a sound baseball simulation. Where else can you play as a team called the Sirloins, and mash home runs with a mutton-chopped slugger named Hammer Longballo?Of course, the Super Mega Baseball games wouldn’t have succeeded without a foundation of rock-solid baseball mechanics beneath the surface. But it was the combination of the action on the field and the humor infused into everything else that turned Super Mega Baseball from a novelty series into one of the best success stories in sports video games. There’s nothing quite like it on the market these days. —SSRead Marc Normandin’s full review of Super Mega Baseball 4.$5 at XboxOuter Wilds$15$2540% off$15How to describe Outer Wilds, Polygon’s game of the year for 2019, without ruining everything that makes it great?It’s surprisingly difficult, because the more you describe it, the less mysterious it becomes, and keeping the mystery alive is an enormous part of the game’s appeal.Here’s how Colin Campbell began Polygon’s Outer Wilds review:Outer Wilds is a nonviolent, first-person exploration-puzzle game set in a solar system that’s sprinkled with delightful mysteries. Its secrets are scattered among a whirling orrery of planets, which I probe and investigate.That’s the stone-cold truth of Outer Wilds, from a helpfully mechanical point of view. It’s an important, incomplete part of the description. You ought to know what you do.Thing is, the magic in Outer Wilds is as much philosophical as it is mechanical, which is why Chelsea Stark began our game of the year essay like this:Games have long fixated on humanity’s quest to play colonist, conqueror, or anthropologist, learning about and usually seeking to control everything beyond our own horizons. But Outer Wilds delivers one of the most ambitious tales of discovery I’ve ever seen in gaming, without a focus on violence or domination. It’s a triumph that we at Polygon are happy to declare our game of the year for 2019.So, yes, Outer Wilds tells the story of an alien species with adorable wooden spaceships, with which you explore the solar system — and in the very process of doing so reveals a mystery that would be a tragedy to spoil. —Polygon StaffRead Colin’s full review of Outer Wilds.$15 at XboxSea of Thieves$20$4050% off$20Sea of Thieves arrived on Xbox One and Windows in 2018 to a mixture of oohs, ahhs, and ughs. The first several hours in the game are a blast, particularly with friends. Learning how to sail, navigate, plunder — basically, how to be a pirate — is challenging and hilarious. The hours after that, at least at launch, were less exhilarating than repetitive.But Sea of Thieves is a living game. Since its March 2018 release, developer Rare has expanded the game with new areas to visit, loot to chase, and group activities to enjoy. Microsoft appears committed to this adventure, rewarding players who’ve chosen to stay on the ship and finding new ways to attract those who leapt overboard. Its anniversary update was a big demonstration of that commitment.Even if you don’t find yourselves on these beautiful seas, you should make time to stream a couple of quests for buried treasure. The game is nearly as fun to watch as it is to play. —Polygon StaffRead Nicole Carpenter’s full review of Sea of Thieves.$27 at Amazon$20 at Xbox$40Control is a wonderfully weird game. It’s also gorgeous.Its story and its characters are equal parts challenging, confusing, and intriguing. None of them is offensive enough to remain off-putting. Each makes you want to explore deeper and learn more — and it helps that Control looks and feels great while you unravel the mysteries of the Oldest House.Control manipulates light and shadow not just to look great, but to serve the very foundation of the narrative. Aspects of the game can seem weird or disjointed, but everything in Control is deliberate, which you’ll see if you stick with it. Uncertainty is a feature, not a bug.Developer Remedy Entertainment fully committed to Control’s pulpy, surreal premise, and that made Control as much a technical marvel as an artistic achievement. —Dave TachRead Dave’s full review of Control.$40 at XboxGears 5$7$3077% off$7Much like Ori and the Will of the Wisps, Gears 5 is a last-generation game that received a makeover for the Xbox Series X. The Coalition’s entry in the long-running Gears of War franchise looked good when it first came out in 2019, but now it has new and improved 4K visuals on the Xbox Series X, and can run in 120 frames per second in Versus multiplayer.Gears 5’s optimized version also makes some changes to input latency. In a post on Xbox Wire, The Coalition’s director of communications Dana Sissons ran down the stats: “In campaign, input latency is reduced by 40% and in Versus MP, this latency is reduced up to 60% over Xbox One X, meaning that player inputs translate to movement on screen much faster, allowing for an incredibly immersive and competitive experience.”The upgraded version of the game includes the option to replace Marcus Fenix with Dave Bautista, but it’s worth playing the campaign the ordinary way first if you never have. —Maddy MyersRead Dave Tach’s full review of Gears 5.$7 at Steam$10 at XboxRed Dead Redemption 2$15$6075% off$15Red Dead Redemption 2 ladles an astonishing amount of game over a meticulously drawn world that begs to be sipped and savored. Part action game, part cowboy simulator, part lament on steamrolling progress, part exploration of American ideals real and imagined, developer Rockstar Games created a sprawling — and at times shocking, or frustrating — epic every bit as grandiose as the Western films and novels that inspired it. Open-world sandboxes are nothing new to Rockstar Games, but Red Dead Redemption 2 plants a flag in the ground, declaring that the studio isn’t limited to a single, high-profile franchise. Red Dead Redemption 2 is a declaration that its quasi-Western epic stands toe-to-toe with its studio sibling, Grand Theft Auto. The staggering amount of human effort required to bring this game to fruition shows through in every vista, every dimly lit street corner, every bespoke animation for human and animal alike. That effort also, shortly before the game’s release, became a story unto itself. Reports of crunch demonstrate that games like Red Dead Redemption 2 often don’t ship without exacting a toll, voluntary or otherwise. —DTRead Chris Plante’s full review of Red Dead Redemption 2.$15 at Xbox$40The Xbox One X may be the best place to play Nier: Automata, besting the notoriously messy PC port at launch. If you need to be sold on the action RPG from Square Enix and PlatinumGames, it won’t take more than a few seconds of Googling to find dozens of odes from its devotees.That includes Polygon, as Nier: Automata landed a spot Polygon’s game of the year 2017 list. We praised it not just for being a good action-RPG-shooter hybrid, but for using its mechanics to comment on what makes games so beautiful, nasty, fun and complicated.If you need more convincing, Nier: Automata also had one of the best soundtracks of 2017. —Polygon StaffRead Janine Hawkins’ full review of Nier: Automata.$40 at XboxSunset Overdrive$5$2075% off$5Sunset Overdrive may be the weirdest AAA exclusive of the last console generation, tossing together a self-aware and silly story (an energy drink hastens the zombie apocalypse), superhero abilities, and a beautifully gaudy open world that can be traversed in a variety of playful ways. Developer Insomniac Games’ adventure feels like the artwork painted onto an old arcade cabinet brought to life.It’s unusually bright, colorful, and light. Its weapons are jokey weapons; its enemies are filled with neon orange goo. It doesn’t get in the way of itself with gloominess or a heavy dramatic twist. Sunset Overdrive is pure, unadulterated fun.As an exclusive, it’s also a bit of history now, given that Sony acquired Insomniac in 2019, folding the developer of Ratchet & Clank, Spyro, and Marvel’s Spider-Man games into the PlayStation family. —Polygon StaffRead Arthur Gies’ full review of Sunset Overdrive.$5 at XboxXbox Game Pass Ultimate Monthly Subscription$14$1718% off$14When we put Xbox Game Pass on our list of the recommended games on Xbox One, we acknowledged the weirdness of its inclusion in the lineup. After all, it’s not a game. It’s a subscription service. But, even back then, it was worth it, because Xbox Game Pass had over 100 games on its service.Now, the value add is even better. Xbox Game Pass now includes hundreds of games. It still costs the same — $9.99 per month. The current lineup includes many picks from this list, as well as critically acclaimed older games and same-day new releases. That’s barely scratching the surface.The bang for your buck is undeniable. Xbox Game Pass is the most logical purchase of this entire list. —Maddy Myers$14 at Woot (1-month)$36 at Woot (3-month)See More:

Menu Home News Hardware Gaming Mobile Finance Deals Reviews How To Wccftech Mobile iPhone 17 Air Could Match Pro-Level Performance With 12GB RAM, While Base Model May Stick to 8GB Due to Supply Constraints Ali Salman • Apr 24, 2025 at 09:23pm EDT Apple's upcoming iPhone 17 Air will feature a brand-new ultra-thin design that will measure in at just 5.5mm thin. However, the company is looking to equip the device with the same 12GB RAM as the iPhone 17 Pro models, making it more powerful than the base version, which is expected to retain the same 8GB of RAM as the current models. Higher RAM could boost the iPhone 17 Air’s multitasking power, leaving the base model at a disadvantage if supplies fall short It was previously reported that the iPhone 17 Air will replace the 'Plus' model in the lineup, but it appears that the company is willing to present the device as a powerful option. The iPhone 16 Plus comes with the same internals as the base iPhone 16, including the processor and the RAM, but Ming-Chi Kuo notes in his latest blog post that the iPhone 17 Air will sit with the 'Pro' models when it comes to the higher RAM count. As for the base iPhone 17, Kuo says that Apple will equip the base model with 12GB of RAM, but only if the supply chain shortages are overcome. He also claims that the company will make the final decision regarding the RAM count in the base model by next month, which means that it will be the final stage before the company prepares for mass production of the device. Currently, all iPhone 16 models are equipped with 8GB of RAM, and even though Apple is lagging behind the likes of Android flagships, the performance of the device remains at the top thanks to the A18 chips. The iPhone 17 Pro models and the iPhone 17 Air jumping to the 12GB bandwagon would give the devices the extra boost they need to better compete against the likes of the Galaxy S25 lineup, allowing the devices to bolster better multitasking capabilities than the current models. It was also recently reported that iOS 19 will add support for a Stage Manager-like interface on the iPhone with external display support. This could be the reason why the company is planning to increase the RAM count, which would allow the device to feature dedicated multitasking utilities and offer a zero-lag experience. Kuo also expects all models of the iPhone 17 lineup to feature 8GB of RAM if the shortages are met ahead of time. The company's higher RAM count will benefit Micron and SK Hynix, being the company's exclusive suppliers. Kuo also mentions that the higher RAM count would increase the cost of production, which could also cause a price hike, but it remains to be seen which direction the company heads towards. We will share more details on the iPhone 17 Air RAM as soon as further information is available. 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

الرئيسية/الأخبار/أدوبي تتحدى OpenAI: تطبيق محمول لتوليد الصور بالذكاء الاصطناعي قريبًا الأخبار أدوبي تتحدى OpenAI: تطبيق محمول لتوليد الصور بالذكاء الاصطناعي قريبًافي عالم التقنية، تبدو المنافسة محتدمة يومًا بعد يوم في مجال الذكاء الاصطناعي، خاصة في توليد الصور والمحتوى البصري. فها هي شركة أدوبي تعلن عن خطوة جديدة قد تغير قواعد اللعبة.أعلنت عملاقة برمجيات التصميم أدوبي يوم الخميس خلال مؤتمرها الإبداعي MAX في لندن عن نيتها إطلاق تطبيق محمول لأداة توليد الصور الذكية Firefly على نظامي iOS وAndroid «قريبًا»، دون تحديد موعد دقيق للإطلاق.لماذا تطبيق محمول؟«المبدعون يفكرون أثناء التنقل،» هكذا شرح ألكسندرو كوستين، نائب رئيس أدوبي Firefly، رؤية الشركة في مقابلة مع CNBC. ويضيف: «رؤيتنا هي أن يصبح تطبيق Firefly للهواتف المحمولة شريكًا إبداعيًا يرافقك طوال الوقت.»تتخيل أدوبي سيناريوهات عملية لاستخدام التطبيق، حيث يمكن للمصممين مثلاً طلب أفكار لحملة إعلانية أثناء تنقلهم للمكتب، ليصلوا وبحوزتهم بالفعل لوحة أفكار تساعدهم على تطوير مشاريعهم.لم تكتفِ أدوبي بالإعلان عن التطبيق المحمول، بل كشفت أيضًا عن إطلاق نماذج ذكاء اصطناعي محدّثة:Firefly Image Model 4Firefly Image Model 4 Ultraنموذج Firefly Video الذي أصبح متاحًا الآن للجميعوفقًا للشركة، فإن هذه النماذج الجديدة قادرة على توليد صور وفيديوهات فائقة الواقعية استجابة للأوامر النصية، مع ميزة مهمة تتمثل في كونها «آمنة تجاريًا» – أي أنها تمنع تضمين أي ملكية فكرية.ذو صلة | أدوبي تكشف عن مزايا ذكاء اصطناعي جديدة لتحرير الفيديو والصورمنافسة شرسة في الأفقيأتي هذا التطوير في وقت تشتد فيه المنافسة في مجال توليد الصور بالذكاء الاصطناعي. ففي الشهر الماضي، أطلقت OpenAI ميزة توليد صور أصلية انتشرت بسرعة كبيرة عبر الإنترنت، وأثارت إعجاب الكثيرين بقدرتها على إنتاج صور أنمي تشبه أسلوب استوديو جيبلي وتحويل صور الأشخاص إلى دمى.كان الإقبال على ميزة OpenAI هائلاً لدرجة أن سام ألتمان، الرئيس التنفيذي للشركة، غرّد قائلاً: «من الممتع للغاية رؤية الناس يحبون الصور في ChatGPT. لكن وحدات معالجة الرسومات لدينا تذوب.»رغم احتدام المنافسة، يبدو أن أدوبي لا تمانع في التعاون مع منافسيها. فقد أشار كوستين إلى أن الشركة تتعاون بالفعل مع OpenAI و Google و Runway لإضافة أدوات توليد الصور الخاصة بهم إلى Firefly. بواسطة CNBC تابع عالم التقنية على

تشهد Nintendo Switch 2 طلبًا قويًا على الحجوزات المسبقة، مما دفع محللين إلى توقع إطلاق أكبر من PS4 وPS5. وفقًا لتقرير Bloomberg، يُتوقع أن يتفوق الجهاز المحمول في مبيعاته خلال الأسبوعين الأولين مقارنة بمنافسيه، رغم التحديات المتعلقة بتوفير المخزون.أظهرت الأرقام اليابانية الطلب الكبير، حيث سجلت Nintendo 2.2 مليون طلب عبر اليانصيب للحجز من متجر Nintendo الياباني. ويقدّر تقرير Bloomberg المحدث أن Switch 2 قد يحقق أكبر إطلاق لجهاز ألعاب على الإطلاق بناءً على هذه الحجوزات.بدأت الحجوزات المسبقة في الولايات المتحدة يوم 24 أبريل، لكن بعض المشترين ما زالوا محبطين رغم توقعات بتوفر مخزون كافٍ. ومع غياب أرقام دقيقة من أمريكا الشمالية، يبدو Switch 2 في طريقه لتحطيم الأرقام القياسية. تشير Pelham Smithers Associates إلى أن اليابان تمثل ثلث الطلب العالمي تقريبًا، مما يعني أن Nintendo قد تجمع ما يصل إلى 6.6 مليون حجز مسبق قبل إطلاق الجهاز في 5 يونيو.باعت PS5 ما بين 2.1 و2.5 مليون وحدة خلال أسبوعين، بينما سجلت PS4 مبيعات 2.1 مليون وحدة في نفس الفترة. يمكن لـ Switch 2 أن يتجاوز الاثنين بسهولة إذا تمكنت Nintendo من تلبية الطلب. لكن رئيس Nintendo، Shuntaro Furukawa، أشار إلى نقص في المخزون باليابان.لمواجهة المضاربين، عملت Nintendo على بناء مخزون ضخم، حيث يُعتقد أنها شحنت أكثر من مليون وحدة إلى الولايات المتحدة بحلول نهاية فبراير. تواصل الشركة زيادة الإنتاج، لكن التعرفات الصينية عطلت فرص الحجز. وبعد تأخير، قررت Nintendo عدم رفع سعر Switch 2، لكنها زادت تكلفة الملحقات.أضاف Takashi Mochizuki من Bloomberg عبر وسائل التواصل أن Switch 2 قد يبيع 20 مليون وحدة في عامه الأول، متجاوزًا الرقم القياسي للـ Switch الأصلي البالغ 15.1 مليون وحدة في 2017، وهو أعلى من بعض التوقعات السابقة.المصدر:

The studio states that it lacks the "capacity to entirely reallocate" staff to other projects.

Senior Hard Surface Modeling Artist - Temp (SFD / Cinematics)Blizzard EntertainmentIrvine California 92618 United States of America2 hours agoApplyTeam Name:CinematicsJob Title:Senior Hard Surface Modeling Artist - Temp (SFD / Cinematics)Requisition ID:R025163Job Description:Blizzard Entertainment is looking for a well-rounded senior hard surface modeler, that can generate high poly hard surface meshes for both game engine and pre-render pipelines. You should have a keen eye for aesthetics, form, and function, and a strong design sensibility to conceptualize and model vehicles and props, based on loose design direction or concepts and notes from their supervisor.This role is anticipated to be a hybrid work position, with some work on-site and some work-from-home. The potential home studio for this role is Irvine, CA. However, we understand each person’s circumstances may be unique and will work with you to explore other possible options, including remote work arrangements.This is a 6-month temporary position.What you bring to the table:Priorities can often change in a fast-paced environment like ours, so this role includes, but is not limited to, the following responsibilities:Modeling: Create high-quality, detailed hard surface models such as vehicles, machinery, weapons, and props for VFX and interactive applicationsAbility to kitbash effectively for fast ideationMesh Processing: Prepare and process meshes for use in pre-render pipelines; including retopology, UV mapping, and utility meshesAbility to generate 3D concepts. Create detailed and visually compelling concept models for hard surface elements, including vehicles, weapons, machinery, and propsFeedback Integration: Receive and incorporate feedback from directors and team members to refine and improve designsMinimum RequirementsExperience5+ years of feature film/VFX/game cinematic production experience as an environment modeling artist5+ years of experience using current animation programs, such as Zbrush, Maya/Max, Blender, or CAD programsExperience working with a modern game engine (e.g. Unreal, Unity, or other game engines).Knowledge & SkillsStrong Design Skills: A solid understanding of form, function, and silhouette in mechanical/hard surface design.Collaboration: Work closely with art directors, concept artists, game designers, and technical artists to bring designs from concept to final production.Work seamlessly with up and downstream departments to deliver assets fitting their requirementsMaintain the production schedule and/or communicate any deadline concernsBe capable of problem-solving creative challenges on the flyKey AttributesSelf-motivated, with strong interpersonal skills and a team-playerExtra PointsFamiliarity with CAD or Boolean-based workflows is a plus.Rendering & Presentation: Ability to create high-quality renders for design approval using Redshift, or Unreal Engine.Experience in real-time asset creation, optimization, and shader/material workflows.Passion for military, sci-fi, or automotive design.Understanding of Manufacturing/Engineering Principles: A bonus if you have knowledge of real-world manufacturing processes for realism.Your PlatformBest known for iconic video game universes including Warcraft®, Overwatch®, Diablo®, and StarCraft®, Blizzard Entertainment, Inc. (www.blizzard.com), a division of Activision Blizzard, which was acquired by Microsoft (NASDAQ: MSFT), is a premier developer and publisher of entertainment experiences. Blizzard Entertainment has created some of the industry’s most critically acclaimed and genre-defining games over the last 30 years, with a track record that includes multiple Game of the Year awards. Blizzard Entertainment engages tens of millions of players around the world with titles available on PC via Battle.net®, Xbox, PlayStation, Nintendo Switch, iOS, and Android.Our WorldActivision Blizzard, Inc., is one of the world's largest and most successful interactive entertainment companies and is at the intersection of media, technology and entertainment. We are home to some of the most beloved entertainment franchises including Call of Duty ®, World of Warcraft® , Overwatch ®, Diablo ®, Candy Crush ™ and Bubble Witch ™. Our combined entertainment network delights hundreds of millions of monthly active users in 196 countries, making us the largest gaming network on the planet!Our ability to build immersive and innovate worlds is only enhanced by diverse teams working in an inclusive environment. We aspire to have a culture where everyone can thrive in order to connect and engage the world through epic entertainment. We provide a suite of benefits that promote physical, emotional and financial well-being for ‘Every World’ - we’ve got our employees covered!The videogame industry and therefore our business is fast-paced and will continue to evolve. As such, the duties and responsibilities of this role may be changed as directed by the Company at any time to promote and support our business and relationships with industry partners.We love hearing from anyone who is enthusiastic about changing the games industry. Not sure you meet all qualifications? Let us decide! Research shows that women and members of other under-represented groups tend to not apply to jobs when they think they may not meet every qualification, when, in fact, they often do! We are committed to creating a diverse and inclusive environment and strongly encourage you to apply.We are committed to working with and providing reasonable assistance to individuals with physical and mental disabilities. If you are a disabled individual requiring an accommodation to apply for an open position, please email your request to accommodationrequests@activisionblizzard.com. General employment questions cannot be accepted or processed here. Thank you for your interest.We are an equal opportunity employer and value diversity at our company. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status, among other characteristics.RewardsWe provide a suite of benefits that promote physical, emotional and financial well-being for ‘Every World’ - we’ve got our employees covered! Subject to eligibility requirements, the Company offers comprehensive benefits including:Medical, dental, vision, health savings account or health reimbursement account, healthcare spending accounts, dependent care spending accounts, life and AD&D insurance, disability insurance;401(k) with Company match, tuition reimbursement, charitable donation matching;Paid holidays and vacation, paid sick time, floating holidays, compassion and bereavement leaves, parental leave;Mental health & wellbeing programs, fitness programs, free and discounted games, and a variety of other voluntary benefit programs like supplemental life & disability, legal service, ID protection, rental insurance, and others;If the Company requires that you move geographic locations for the job, then you may also be eligible for relocation assistance.Eligibility to participate in these benefits may vary for part time and temporary full-time employees and interns with the Company. You can learn more by visiting https://www.benefitsforeveryworld.com/ .In the U.S., the standard base pay range for this role is $38.85 - $71.83 Hourly. These values reflect the expected base pay range of new hires across all U.S. locations. Ultimately, your specific range and offer will be based on several factors, including relevant experience, performance, and work location. Your Talent Professional can share this role’s range details for your local geography during the hiring process. In addition to a competitive base pay, employees in this role may be eligible for incentive compensation. Incentive compensation is not guaranteed. While we strive to provide competitive offers to successful candidates, new hire compensation is negotiable. Create Your Profile — Game companies can contact you with their relevant job openings. Apply

FBC: Firebreak is Remedy Entertainment’s unexpected foray into the multiplayer shooter genre. Set in the occult office space world of Control, the co-op experience is unlike anything the Alan Wake 2 maker has ever done before and it now has a release date. The Finnish studio revealed that FBC: Firebreak is out in June and shared details about the game’s battle pass that make it sound very similar to the one in Helldivers 2. Suggested ReadingThe Week In Games: Co-Op Bug Blasting And More New Releases Share SubtitlesOffEnglishSuggested ReadingThe Week In Games: Co-Op Bug Blasting And More New Releases Share SubtitlesOffEnglishThe Week In Games: Co-Op Bug Blasting And More New ReleasesAnnounced during a livestream with the developers on Thursday, FBC: Firebreak launches on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC on June 17 at the price of $40. As previously confirmed, it’ll also be available via Game Pass on console and PC, as well as PlayStation Plus via the Extra and Premier tiers. Most importantly, Remedy explained on Steam how the game’s post-launch content will roll out and be monetized. Similar to Helldivers 2's Warbonds, Firebreak’s battle passes are called Requisitions. There will be free and paid tiers, each unlocking new weapons, cosmetics, and other items. The “free” Requisitions are purchased with in-game currency while the premium ones are purchased with real money. All Requisitions will also remain permanently available in-game, following the trend kicked-off by Halo: Infinite and others. Here’s how the grind works in more detail, per Remedy:Earn Lost Assets by completing Jobs.Spend them to unlock items in any Requisition you have acquired.Unlocking items isn’t fully linear; rather, you can choose what you want to unlock.You can progress multiple Requisitions at once.So yes, for anyone who’s played Helldivers 2 it should all sound pretty familiar. It makes sense for Firebreak to borrow from that system given both games following a similar session-based PVE gameplay loop. Remedy also confirmed plans for ongoing free post-launch updates in the form of two new missions coming after release, with additional content slated to arrive in 2026. But it doesn’t sound like Remedy’s trying to drown players in an endless grind. Instead, Firebreak sounds like live service gaming-lite: it’s not a game you ever really “beat” but it also isn’t meant to feel like a second job, another balancing act Helldivers 2 nailed. .