Chris Kerr, News EditorDecember 30, 20241 Min ReadLogo via Team17Team17 co-founder Martyn Brown has passed away.Brown helped establish the UK studio in 1990 and spent 20 years at the company. He worked on over 50 titles during that time, including the ever-popular Worms franchise.After departing Team17 in 2010, Brown was tapped by Activision to build frontline mobile game development studio The Blast Furnace. He also supported other studios including Double Eleven, New Start Games, Exient, and Bithead through independent consultancy firm Insight For Hire.His son Jack Brown confirmed the news of his passing in a statement published on GamesIndustry.biz."Martyn passed away peacefully in his sleep at 8:17am, 28th of December, 2024 surrounded by family, following a prolonged battle with a series of strokes," he wrote. "Know that he went out on his own terms listening to his favourite music and surrounded by loved ones."Colleagues and industry peers have also posted tributes on social media."RIP Martyn Brown, Team17 founder. The man brought the world so much Worms. I am saddened by this, during the years Ive known him, hes been a kind and generous man, funny and caring. He will be missed," wrote game consultant Henrik Jonnson on Bluesky."We are so saddened to hear of the loss of Martyn Brown. He was such a good friend to us and supporter of the games industry in Yorkshire and far beyond," reads a Bluesky post from Game Republic, the regional game business network co-founded by Brown in 2003. "Rest In Peace Martyn. You were hugely loved, so appreciated and will be greatly missed."Read more about:ObituariesAbout the AuthorChris KerrNews Editor, GameDeveloper.comGame Developer news editor Chris Kerr is an award-winning journalist and reporter with over a decade of experience in the game industry. His byline has appeared in notable print and digital publications including Edge, Stuff, Wireframe, International Business Times, andPocketGamer.biz. Throughout his career, Chris has covered major industry events including GDC, PAX Australia, Gamescom, Paris Games Week, and Develop Brighton. He has featured on the judging panel at The Develop Star Awards on multiple occasions and appeared on BBC Radio 5 Live to discuss breaking news.See more from Chris KerrDaily news, dev blogs, and stories from Game Developer straight to your inboxStay UpdatedYou May Also Like

As we head into 2025, there arent many things preventing homeowners from building out a basic home security system. You can start small and cheap with the battery-powered Blink Outdoor 4. If you dont mind that theyre refurbished (with the same one-year warranty as the new models), you can get two of them with a Sync Module 2 for $74.99 ($90 off) at Amazon, which is only $10 more than the all-time low. A single Blink Outdoor 4 retails for $99.99 new, and its lowest price is $39.99, so youre still getting a slightly better value than usual.RelatedThe weatherproof Blink Outdoor 4 offers a 1080p wide-angle feed with motion detection, infrared night vision, and two-way audio. If you opt for a Blink Subscription Plan ($10 a month or $100 a year for Blink Plus, which is required to run multiple cameras), youll get person detection, up to 90 minutes of continuous live view, and unlimited cloud storage for up to 60 days. But if you have subscription fatigue, you can also save clips locally to a USB drive thanks to the included Sync Module 2. Blink says the cameras can last up to two years on just two AA batteries, too, which should make them easy to maintain over the long haul.Blink Outdoor 4 (refurbished, two-pack)$75$16555% off$75$75$16555% offThe 1080p Blink Outdoor 4 security camera offers support for motion detection, night vision, and two-way audio. Theres the option of local recording with the bundled Sync Module 2 (the newer Sync Module XR is out, but we havent tested it yet), and unlike the third-gen model, it supports person detection and has a wider field of view.$75 at AmazonMore Monday deals to mull overYou can get the Anker 321 Power Strip with a five-foot cable for as little as $13.99 ($12 off) at Amazon, which is an all-time low price. The 10-foot version is also matching its best price to date at $17.99 ($12 off). The cuboid charger has three AC outlets occupying their own sides of the block, with the fourth side dedicated to two USB-A ports and a 20W USB-C Power Delivery port. Its a great alternative to a traditional extension cable if youre looking for one thats easy to travel with.The 8Bitdo Ultimate Wireless Controller is one of the best Nintendo Switch controllers. If youve been waiting for a good chance to see for yourself why, Amazon is selling it for $50.99 ($19 off), which is only a few dollars more than the lowest price weve seen. It has a pair of drift-free Hall Effect sticks, is easily configurable with custom mappings and profiles thanks to 8Bitdos excellent software support, and lasts up to 22 hours (it comes with a charging base, too). In addition to Switch compatibility, you can also use it on Windows PCs, Steam Deck, mobile, and other devices that support Bluetooth controllers.The SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro Wireless is a great multi-platform gaming headset with tons of features and a hefty price tag to match. But thankfully, you can get the PlayStation version starting at $259 ($91 off) at Amazon right now, which is an all-time low. The Xbox version is also on sale for $263.99 ($86 off), which is its second-best price to date. The multiplatform headset has a retractable noise-canceling microphone, and I can confirm its comfortable to wear for hours. The included base station can charge one of two included hot-swappable batteries, but it also recharges over USB-C. It also enables PC and console connectivity (plus Bluetooth devices), includes line-in and line-out ports, and has an OLED display with a dial and button for customizing EQ, sound modes, volume levels, and more. Read our review.

Apple TV Plus will be free to stream this weekend from January 4th through the 5th. The company posted the news on social media alongside a short trailer featuring some of its top shows, with the tagline see for yourself. Apple had teased last week that it might provide some free streaming days, which the company has not offered previously.A full weekend may be enough to binge some of Apples top shows, including Severance, which has its hotly anticipated season 2 launching on January 17th. The free days could also help potential subscribers get a taste of Apples eclectic mix of sci-fi shows, such as the space race drama For All Mankind, postapocalyptic thriller Silo, and the Godzilla serial Monarch: Legacy of Monsters.Apple doesnt provide more detail than that in its teaser post, which doesnt say if the promotional period includes the entire Apple TV Plus library or only Apple Originals content. Weve reached out for more details but have not heard back before publication.Apples deal is reminiscent of HBOs free weekend offerings on cable TV. Streaming services like Netflix have also offered limited free streaming on some of their top content.

One of the big benefits of buying a Pro iPhone is currently that you get a fancy high-refresh rate OLED display, but that may become standard across the iPhone 17 lineup, according to a Weibo leak from Digital Chat Station spotted by MacRumors. The outlet notes that Digital Chat Station leaked accurate details about the iPhone 15 lines camera sensors and the display panel of the iPhone 12.The rumor is a bit vague, saying only that the base iPhone 17 will have a high refresh rate. But it follows some more specific supply chain whispers weve heard in recent months. MacRumors pointed to one in February that suggested Apple will use the same LTPO panel tech, which drives Apples variable refresh rate ProMotion iPhone 16 Pro displays, for all of next years phones. That was later echoed by others, including display supply chain analyst Ross Young in September.The next set of iPhones is also expected to replace the base model Plus iPhone with an iPhone 17 Slim in 2025, which Young suggested will have ProMotion, too. Instead of differentiating by display tech, Apple could stratify the lineup in different ways, like by giving the iPhone 17 Pro Max a smaller Face ID sensor and Dynamic Island cutout, as well as 12GB of RAM for both sizes of iPhone 17 Pro and 8GB for the standard and Slim models.The whole line is rumored to have 24MP front-facing cameras instead of the 12MP found in current iPhones, and they may all use an Apple-designed Wi-Fi / Bluetooth chip for the first time.

Jimmy Carter, the 30th president of the United States, died on Sunday at 100. Apple has now updated its homepage to pay tribute to President Carter, the longest-living president in American history. If you visit Apple.com today, youll see a full-page tribute to Carter that recognizes his life from 1924 to 2024 alongside a black-and-white image. Apple CEO Tim Cook also honored President Carter on social media yesterday: Today, we honor President Carters lifetime of service and his commitment to leaving the world better than he found it. May he rest in peace.President Carters official state funeral will be held in Washington, DC on January 9. President Biden also declared January 9 a national day of mourning and ordered flags to be flown at half-mast for 30 days. Add 9to5Mac to your Google News feed. FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.Youre reading 9to5Mac experts who break news about Apple and its surrounding ecosystem, day after day. Be sure to check out our homepage for all the latest news, and follow 9to5Mac on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn to stay in the loop. Dont know where to start? Check out our exclusive stories, reviews, how-tos, and subscribe to our YouTube channel

Apples new year is about to begin, and 2025 will be an especially big one for rarely-updated products. Here are six new products coming that will have waited about three years (or more) between hardware updates.iPhone SE 4Last update: March 2022Apples preparing a huge update for its next iPhone SE model, with compelling upgrades that could make it the best iPhone for most buyers.New features for the budget iPhone include:the A18 chip that just debuted in iPhone 16Apple Intelligence supportOLED displayFace ID and a notch8GB of RAM48MP main cameraUSB-C charging portApples first in-house 5G modemApples expected to launch the new iPhone SE 4 in March 2025 as one of its first products of the year.AirTag 2Last update: April 2021The first AirTag took a very long time to debut, with years of rumors and leaks preceding itespecially throughout 2019 and 2020. It finally arrived in 2021, and now after four years, AirTag 2 is finally coming.AirTag 2 is expected to offer three main upgrades:Better rangeImproved wireless chipPrivacy enhancementsApples targeting a mid-2025 release for AirTag 2, per Mark Gurman.HomePod mini 2Last update: November 2020HomePod mini launched in 2020 as the budget smart speaker many users were waiting for. Apples standard HomePod was widely seen as overpriced, and the HomePod mini was the solution.Its been over four years since that initial HomePod mini arrived, and while Apple has added new color options over the years, the basic tech has stayed the same. At long last, the HomePod mini 2 is coming in 2025.Details on new features are scarce, but Im hoping for Apple Intelligence support and strong integration with the forthcoming HomePad product.AirPods Pro 3Last update: September 2022It almost seems unfair to say that AirPods Pro are rarely updated, since Apple has consistently added great new features in software. But on the hardware side, AirPods Pro have historically gone three years between updatesand that trend will continue when AirPods Pro 3 arrive in fall 2025.One nice thing about the rare AirPods Pro updates is that, when new hardware does arrive, so far its offered compelling change. AirPods Pro 3 are expected to get:a physical redesignthe first H3 chiplikely a heart rate sensorplus improved noise cancellation and more audio enhancementsApple Watch SE 3Last update: September 2022Apples budget Apple Watch SE, like the iPhone SE, is expected to receive a new version in 2025. Very little is known about the Apple Watch SE 3, but it should pick up several features from more recent Watch models, like a newer chip and potentially additional health sensors.Historically Apple has launched new Apple Watch SE models in September alongside its flagship watches. That may happen in 2025 too, but its also possible well see a spring debut paired with the iPhone SE 4.New Apple TV 4KLast update: November 2022The Apple TV, perhaps more than any other Apple device, has historically received very erratic and unpredictable updates. If you go back to the very first, pre-App Store version, heres how long the gaps have been between models: 3 1/2 years, 1 1/2 years, 1 year, 2 1/2 years, 2 years, 4 years, 1 year. And now, its been over 2 years and will likely end up close to 3 before the new version debuts.Mark Gurman says a new Apple TV 4K is coming in 2025, but we dont know when exactly. And all we know about it so far is that it will include Apples new Wi-Fi and Bluetooth chip. Expect to see a big processor speed bump too, perhaps laying the groundwork for some Apple Intelligence features in future tvOS versions.Apples rare 2025 updates: wrap-upNot every Apple product needs an annual update. But whats important is that when rare updates do arrive, Apple makes them count. There are plenty of unknown details about several of the products above, but heres hoping Apple has big things in store for these long-awaited revisions.Which of these Apple 2025 products are you most excited for? Let us know in the comments.Best iPhone accessoriesAdd 9to5Mac to your Google News feed. FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.Youre reading 9to5Mac experts who break news about Apple and its surrounding ecosystem, day after day. Be sure to check out our homepage for all the latest news, and follow 9to5Mac on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn to stay in the loop. Dont know where to start? Check out our exclusive stories, reviews, how-tos, and subscribe to our YouTube channel

CNETs headline reference to a rare look inside Apples secret iPhone 16 camera labs is somewhat hyperbolic, since theres nothing secret about them: weve seen one of them a couple of times before.But the piece does, all the same, provide an interesting look at some of the testing processes used during the development of a new iPhone Our first look at Apples anechoic chamber was back in 2018, when the company showed it off to The Loop, followed by a second one just a couple of months ago, when Apple shared photos in an AirPods news release.CNET was shown some of the ways Apple tests the microphones used to record sound for iPhone videos, demonstrated with the iPhone 16.There is an array of speakers (roughly two dozen) mounted on a pipe in the shape of an arc that goes from under the wire mesh floor to the ceiling of the chamber. The speakers play a series of chimes and engineers measure what the iPhone 16 Pros mics pick up. The phone, which is mounted on a stand atop a turnable base, rotates a few degrees clockwise and the chimes play again. This continues until the iPhone has rotated in a complete circle.The result is a spherical sound profile for each mic made from the data recorded in that anechoic chamber. Apple takes these profiles and uses it as the foundation for spatial audio and other software that can reduce wind noise or make iPhone recorded audio act and sound like different kinds of microphones think a lavalier mic or in-studio mic for a voiceover.We want to enable that [Audio Mix] feature as if you record it on a lapel mic, Dave explained. We use machine learning algorithms as well as our tuning chains to come up with that signature sound that youre able to get even with lapel mics.Interestingly, while the primary judgement of the results is made by the golden ear of Apple acoustics lead Ruchir Dave, they also test the different mixes with ordinary iPhone users.As opposed to just having one person with a good ear tune the iPhones audio, Apple has a number of testers take a perceptual audio test and then uses those results to calibrate what you hear played back on your iPhone. I even got to be one of these testers while I was there and ran through a portion of the experience []Apple uses comparative testing like this much in the same way an eye doctor might have you select between two different lenses in an eye test. Without something to compare the audio to, its more of a challenge to evaluate a recording. The results from the perceptual testing help influence how the different aspects of the iPhone 16 Pros audio works, including Audio Mix.For video testing, Apple has what it calls a video verification lab essentially a way to ensure the end result will still look good when viewed under many different real-world conditions.We use this theater to tune the video playback experiences so that when you play back these videos in a dark room, in an office environment or even under the sun, that you get the same perceptual experience you will get as if youre watching a video in the theater, Sean Yang, director of video engineering at Apple, told me.The whole piece doesnt share any deep secrets, but its still an interesting look at just how much care Apple takes to sweat the small stuff.Photo: AppleAdd 9to5Mac to your Google News feed. FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.Youre reading 9to5Mac experts who break news about Apple and its surrounding ecosystem, day after day. Be sure to check out our homepage for all the latest news, and follow 9to5Mac on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn to stay in the loop. Dont know where to start? Check out our exclusive stories, reviews, how-tos, and subscribe to our YouTube channel

Die Hard spawned a massive five-film franchise. Its inspired endless ripoffs, it got its own video games, its now considered one of the greatest Christmas movies of all time. But did you knowDie Hard was originally written as a sequel to a totally different movie?Yup, its true.Die Hard is based on a novel calledNothing Lasts Forever, which was written by authorRoderick Thorp as a sequel to his own book,The Detective, which was adapted into a 1968 movie starring Frank Sinatra as the gritty NYPD cop, Joe Leland. After the success ofThe Detective as both novel and film, Thorp decided to write a sequel, which becameNothing Lasts Forever, about Leland trapped in a skyscraper with terrorists.A sequel film was then developed for Sinatra, but it never came together. After Sinatra got older, the Leland character was rewritten and the connection toThe Detectivewas removed. The new script was called ...Die Hard.And then: Many moreDie Hards followed. For the full story of this franchise, check out our latest video, which chroniclesDie Hards ups and downs through the years as movies, books, video games, and more. Plus, well tell you about theDie Hard projects that never quite happened through the years, includingDie Hard TV shows.Watch the complete history of Die Hard below;If you liked that video about the complete history of theDie Hard franchise, check out more of our videos below, including a slew ofDie Hardtrivia you might not know, our list of the top five worstDie Hardrip-offs, anda complete history of theSonic the Hedgehogfranchise. Plus, theres tons more over at ScreenCrushs YouTube channel. Be sure to subscribe to catch all our future episodes.10 TV Show Flops That Turned Out to Be Huge HitsUniversally beloved TV shows aren't always universally beloved from episode one.Gallery Credit: Emma Stefansky

Spider-Manhas a long history in animation dating back to his first few years as Marvel Comics flagship hero. In fact, the original theme song for the firstSpider-Man cartoon from 1967 gets remixed in the new trailer for his latest series,Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man, which premieres on Disney+ next month.The series depicts a Spidey at the very start of his crime-fighting career with a few notable twists on the characters established continuity. In this version, Norman Osborn (voiced by Colman Domingo) takes Peter under his wing and apparently gives him a white and black costume as well. The suit is inspired by the one Spider-Man wore when he was briefly a member of the Fantastic Four in the 2010s, after Johnny Storm died and the FF needed an additional member for their Future Foundation. (Dont worry, Johnny got better.)Check out the trailer, and that swanky new costume, below:READ MORE: Every Marvel Cinematic Universe Movie, Ranked From Worst to BestThe animation style looks cool, and I like the little nods to early Stan Lee and Steve DitkoAmazing Spider-Mancomics like the light blue and yellow color scheme of Peters outfit; in Ditkos issues, Peter was almost always seen in a yellow sweater vest and a blue sports jacket.Here is the new animated series official synopsis:Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man follows Peter Parker on his way to becoming a hero, with a journey unlike we've ever seen and a style that celebrates the characters early comic book roots.Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Manis set to premiere on Disney+ on January 29.Sign up for Disney+ here.Get our free mobile appThe Dad Movie Canon: 25 Films All Dads LoveNo dad can resist these 25 movie classics.Categories: Trailers, TV News

Chevy Chase jokingly told director Jason Reitman he should be embarrassed about his Saturday Night film.The comic, 81, became the breakout cast member in the first season of Saturday Night Live from 19751976, where his recurring Weekend Update segment became a staple of the show and as a performer and a writer on the series he earned two Primetime Emmy Awards out of four nominationsReitmans Saturday Night, released on September 27, chronicles the chaos filled lead-up to the 1975 premiere of the late-night sketch show and stars Gabriel LaBelle, Rachel Sennott, Ella Hunt, Cory Michael Smith, Lamorne Morris, Matt Wood, Nicholas Braun and Emily Fairn.Jason has now told the Fly on the Wallpodcast, hosted by former SNL cast members David Spade and Dana Carvey,Chase had a hilarious reaction to seeing his movie about the skit show.He said: So, Chevy comes in to watch the movie. And he is there with (his wife) Jayni and they watch the film, and hes in the group, and he comes up to me after and he pats me on the shoulder and goes, Well, you should be embarrassed.SpadesaidChases reaction wasnt rude but an exact Chevy thing to say.He added: You couldnt even write (the moment) better.SonySonyloading...Carveyadded he thoughtChase tried to embarrass Jason as he knows thats funny adding: Like thats the roughest thing you could say to a director in the moment, or right up there.Reitmansaid: Im trying to balance it, because, in my head, I know, Alright, Im getting my own Chevy Chase moment thats 1,000 per cent only for me right now.And from a comedy point of view thats really pure, and thats kind of cool. But also, I just spent like two years of my life recreating this moment and trying to capture Chevy perfectly, and also even in the ego, find the humanity and give him a moment to be loved ...No, none of that s played. Hes not talking about that stuff.Get our free mobile appThe Worst Movies of 2024ScreenCrushs editor and critic picks the 12 worst films he saw in 2024.Filed Under: Chevy Chase, Jason Reitman, Saturday Night, Saturday Night LiveCategories: Movie News