MacworldYouve probably been using the same passcode on your iPhone for years, handed down on your handsets from generation to generation. You most likely dont have to use it all that often, because you open your iPhone with your face or fingerprint, but there are times when you need that code, such as when you start up an iPhone after its been powered down, or when you want to check a password.This wont be a problem if you know the code, but what if you had recently changed the passcode and didnt note it down, or the phone belongs to someone else who has forgotten the passcode (or died, if so read: How to unlock an iPhone, iPad or Mac when its owner passed away)? Perhaps you have found an old iPhone in a drawer and decided to make some money by selling it only to realise you dont remember the code you were using a few years ago and cantunlock it in order to prepare the iPhone for sale.Panic not its relatively simple to circumnavigate an iPhones passcode, but it will require your Apple ID and password, a PC or Mac, and some time, because doing so will essentially wipe your device back to factory settings for a clean setup on the same Apple ID.This works for both iPhone and iPad, but well also cover the use of forensic software you may see used by law enforcement agencies to crack Apple phones and tablets on occasions where a passcode simply isnt able to be recalled.Finally, we cover the basics of removing or resetting the passcode once youve managed to access your iOS device.Is it legal to hack an iPhone passcode?If youve forgotten your passcode and youre looking to regain access to a device you own, then youre naturally well within your rights to do so. Things get murkier in legal terms if you want to access a device thats not yours, and veers into black hat (legally questionable) tech support.If youre reading this page because you stole an iPhone and then discovered it was locked, however, you are very obviously breaking the law, and you will find nothing to help you in this article.How to unlock your iPhone using Recovery ModeFoundryIf youve ever change an iPhone passcode youll know that iOS, iPadOS, and watchOS all ask for your existing passcode beforehand, which means simply hopping in and changing it isnt an option if you dont have it to begin with.Its also not as if you can keep trying since, after a certain number of tries, your iPhone or iPad will lock you out for an increasing period of time not ideal.That means youll need to use Recovery Mode. What was once the jailbreakers best friend is also the best way to get back into an iPhone sans passcode, and works by essentially removing all personal data from the device and reinstalling latest version of iOS or iPadOS before letting you restore your data (if you have a recent backup).Its worth noting it doesnt give you an entirely clean slate the device will still be tied to your Apple ID, meaning youll need the Apple ID and password that were used to originally set up the device to use it, but it will reset the passcode system so you can set a fresh one (hopefully one thats easier to memorize).Follow these steps to restore an iPad or iPhone using Recovery Mode:Ensure your devices battery has 20% of charge.On macOS Catalina or later: Open Finder on your Mac and find your device in the sidebar. (On macOS Mojave or earlier or Windows: Open iTunes and find your device. iTunes may open automatically.)Force-restart your iPhone or iPad: The method varies depending on the model.Select Update or Restore (in Finder or iTunes, depending on your platform): Update will install the latest iOS or iPadOS firmware, but either works.Set up your device as if it were new, following the prompts once it reboots.Once youre logged back in with your Apple ID, youll be able to follow steps to set a fresh passcode, or operate without one. We wouldnt recommend the latter, but if you do choose to add a passcode later, you can do so by heading into Settings, then Face ID & Passcode (or Touch ID & Passcode in models with a home button).Similarly, if you decide you want to remove a passcode from the iPhonewhich for security reasons we dont recommendgo to Settings > Face ID & Passcode (or Touch ID & Passcode in models with a home button), then tap Turn Passcode Off. But you will need to know the passcode in order to do this.Also read: How to put an iPhone into recovery mode and return to factory settings.How to unlock your iPhone using forensic softwareEvery so often someone discovers (or claims to discover) a technique to bypass the Apple passcode. This is sometimes a sort of finger-tapping trick that enables the person to access something on a locked device: typically either Contacts or Messages. This isnt hacking the passcode, its merely bypassing it.Forget the finger tricks youll see in YouTube videos. It is possible to hack the passcode, but you need serious software to do so. This is known as forensics software because law enforcement agencies use it when analysing mobile phones used by suspects in serious criminal cases. Software of this kind is sophisticated, complex, frequently expensive, and massive overkill (and potentially illegal) for most consumer uses. But if you feel certain this is for you, there are options you can consider.Some years ago we tested Elcomsoft iOS Forensic Toolkit ($2,199/2,199), and found it a reliable means of cracking an iPads passcode, although we have to add that this is a Russian company so we might not recommend it now. Read this review of Elcomsoft iOS Forensic Toolkit for more information about how forensics software works.Another option is Wondershares Dr.Fone which has an iPhone unlocker called Screen Unlock. We have reviewed Dr.Fones iPhone Data Recovery tool.You could also try Tenorshare 4uKey, which promises to bypass iPhone and iPad passwords instantly. Weve not yet tested the software ourselves, but theres a free trial available so it cant hurt to try.How do law enforcement unlock iPhones?iPhone passcodes hit the headlines in March 2016, with the news that the FBI had obtained an iPhone 5c used by one of the shooters in the San Bernardino terrorist attack, but couldnt get past the passcode security. The Feds managed to get a court order instructing Apple to assist them and break into the phone. Apple refused.As the case progressed, public opinion started to turn against the law enforcement officials, and the day before the Department of Justice was due to present its arguments, it was announced that actually, they didnt need Apples help after all, and that a third party had agreed to do the hacking for them. A week later the case was dissolved, and the FBI announced it had opened up the phone without Apples help.Apple asked how this was donearguing that if a security vulnerability was exploited this represented a danger to other iPhone owners and needed to be patchedbut the FBI refused to say, even when a Freedom of Information lawsuit was filed by a number of media organisations. A court subsequently ruled that these details were national security secrets and therefore exempt from disclosure.Its comforting for iPhone owners that Apple is so determined to protect their privacy that it will stare down the might of the U.S. government, but worrying that someone has worked out how to bypass the security. And we dont know who or how. It was initially reported that the Israeli firm Cellebrite bypassed the passcode, but the Washington Post later claimed professional hackers used a zero-day vulnerability.Can iPhones be hacked?It was believed at the time that the method, whatever it was, would not work on later models of the iPhone: the iPhone 5s and later have superior security features (the Secure Enclave) and Apple has claimed its own engineers wouldnt be able to break into these devices, even if they wanted to. But thats been thrown in doubt by the news that US law enforcement later unlocked an iPhone 11 and an iPhone 11 Pro Max, yet still carried on demanding that Apple give it backdoor access to the iPhone range.Its all about time and money; it took the FBI two months to get into that iPhone 11, and former director James Comey has implied that it cost well over a million dollars to crack the iPhone 5c in 2016. In other words, unless the person hacking your handset is incredibly rich and/or incredibly patient, your privacy should be assured.We discuss these matters in far more depth in two other articles: How to protect your iPhone privacy and How secure is the iPhone?Need some help coming up with a safe and secure password? Read our tips to make your passwords even stronger and try a Password Manager we recommend some we have tested here: Best password managers for Mac and iPhone.

Two years ago, OpenAIs ChatGPT launched a new wave of AI disruption that left the tech industry reassessing its future. Now within the space of a week a small Chinese startup called DeepSeek appears to have pulled off a similar coup, this time at OpenAIs expense.Nevertheless, DeepSeeks sudden success the companys free mobile app quickly surpassed even ChatGPT for downloads on Apples App Store has prompted questions. Is the DeepSeek story too good to be true? And should businesses in the US and allied countries allow employees to use an app when the companys Chinese background and operation are so opaque?What happenedThe DeepSeek storm hit on January 20 when DeepSeek launched its R1 LLM model to the public, complete with big claims around performance.Using smaller distilled LLM models, which require significantly less processing power while replicating the capability of larger models, DeepSeeks R1 matched or exceeded OpenAIs equivalent, o1-mini, in important math and reasoning tests.That performance generated a surge of interest. By Monday the DeepSeek app had overtaken ChatGPT and Temu to become the iPhone App Stores top free download and DeepSeek was reporting delays in new registrations to use the app due to what it described as large-scale malicious attacks on its services.Nobody saw this coming. Somehow, R1 was doing this with less hardware. Moreover, DeepSeek-R1 is available through an open-source MIT license, which allows for unrestricted commercial use, including modification and distribution.With AI sector share prices unsettled by all of this, the implication is that perhaps usable models dont need the huge chip clusters deployed by the established players and organizations shouldnt be paying high prices to access them.Furthermore, if a tiny startup can get by on more limited hardware while training LLMs for a fraction of the cost, perhaps strenuous US attempts to limit the export of the most powerful AI chips to most of the world including China, are already obsolete before theyve been fully implemented.Zero day AIThe speed of DeepSeeks rise is a case of zero-day disruption. Organizations have no time to react, and not just because developers across the world have piled in to test DeepSeek-R1 via its API by the thousand. Releasing a free app gives this capability to everyone, including employees who might enter sensitive data into it. By now, DeepSeek is everywhere, which makes it difficult to control.The app has raced to the top of the app charts, but I would advise anyone considering installing it and using it to exercise some caution, warned tech commentator, Graham Cluley, who also hosts the AI Fix podcast.That said, organizations should already be used to coping with this issue. Human nature being what it is, there will surely be just as much sensitive data entered into DeepSeek as weve seen entered into every other AI out there, said Cluley. Organizations should probably hold back until it has been more thoroughly audited in the same way they would with any new app.Or perhaps focusing on the risks is too negative. DeepSeek will ignite more competition in the sector, potentially turning powerful LLMs from an expensive service for the deep pocketed into a cheap utility anyone can access. Rather than dumping existing AI services, organizations should demand a better deal while avoiding becoming too locked into one LLM as new innovations appear.Censored language modelA lurking possibility is that DeepSeek isnt as good as it seems, with some skepticism already appearing around its price-performance claims. Stacy Rasgon, a senior analyst at Bernstein Research, questioned DeepSeeks underlying costs.Did DeepSeek really build OpenAI for $5M? Of course not, he wrote in a client note. The oft quoted $5M number is calculated by assuming a $2/GPU-hour rental price for this infrastructure, which is fine, but not really what they did, and does not include all the other costs associated with prior research and experiments on architectures, algorithms, or data.In use, DeepSeek makes elementary errors, not dissimilar to the ones that afflicted ChatGPT in its early days. Some of its responses also underline that the app imposes guard rails when run from a Chinese host. A good example is this report of its refusal to acknowledge the Tiananmen Square massacre, something the Chinese Government goes to extreme lengths to hide.In the short term, DeepSeeks appearance underlines the unstable nature of AI itself. Tech is used to periodic disruptions. AI suggests that these might become more routine, including of its own capabilities. It is unlikely to be the last such breakthrough in a sector that will prove harder to dominate than has been assumed.Investors and government regulators trying to control AI development wont like this but if it offers cheaper and earlier AI access across the economy it could still work as a net positive. According to Cluley, DeepSeek should be something for Silicon Valley to worry about.If its accurate that the Chinese have been able to develop a competitive AI that massively undercuts the US-based giants in terms of development cost and with a fraction of the hardware commitment then that is clearly going to upset the applecart and have a tech billionaire or two crying into their Cheerios this morning, he said.

Though there are a variety of cool extensions for the Chrome browser, there are also malicious extensions that pose a security threat. To increase security, Google has now launched the Chrome Web Store for Enterprises, a new store specifically designed for business users.For example, businesses can create a list of approved extensions to ensure employees do not install malicious extensions on their own. Companies can also add their own logos and images to the store if they wish, making it clear to users what applies.And, according to Bleeping Computer, it will soon also be possible for IT administrators to remotely remove add-ons, if necessary.

Get ready to update your Apple Watch, as Apple has just released watchOS 11.3 to the public.An Apple Watch Series 10Like the two previous watchOS releases, there weren't any significant new features in the watchOS 11.3 beta builds. This suggests Apple is concentrating quality-of-life updates, such as fixing bugs and enhancing the system's underlying stability and performance.This kind of update is crucial for maintaining the smooth operation of the devices and ensuring that new features introduced in previous versions operate at their best. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums

Since Apple Intelligence still isn't available on Apple Vision Pro, the visionOS 2.3 update that's now available is focused on bug fixes and doesn't contain new features.Apple Vision Pro is Apple's latest platformApple continues its slow pace of updating Apple Vision Pro with few, if any, changes. It's not just immersive video and native apps that arrive at a glacial pace, it's new operating system features too.visionOS 2.3 is a bug fix update that doesn't change anything of significance for users. All of the point three updates are meant to prepare the operating systems for new Apple Intelligence features, but since Apple Vision Pro doesn't have access to AI yet, the update is minimal. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums

Participants from the AIA Los Angeles chapters recent Wildfire Disaster Response Ad Hoc Task Force virtual meeting have shared feedback in response to the January 15th event that included over 850 participants. (You can watch the meeting in its entirety below.)Recording of the AIA|LA Los Angeles Wildfire Disaster Relief Task Force Meeting on January 15, 2025. Video courtesyAIA LosAngelesOne of them, Dan Brunn of Dan Brunn Architecture, shared his thoughts on two scores. On the "Top level," he says, "its great that city officials are moving swiftly, with some red tape being removed. [The] community of professionals has really stepped up, and is going above and beyond to help.""I have also had contact with some of our favorite vendors and product suppliers, and they are also looking to help. So while I think some are looking for a 'dooms day,' I am actually finding some light. I really think that LA can use this as an opportunity to come back with something demonstrative and a...

In a world of compelling Souls-likes, excellent Metroid-inspired titles, and the rare few games that combine the two, Tails of Iron 2: Whiskers of Winterexists. It doesnt strictly adhere to either genre its an action RPG with grim circumstances and rats, like the original. The 2 holds promise, as does the aspect of an epic revenge plot with new threats, mechanics and The North Will Rise Again subtext. For the most part, however, Tails of Iron 2 is recommended for fans of the original, even as it retains many of the same issues.The set-up involves the North, where you play as Arlo, the adopted son of the Warden of Winters Edge. After repelling the Dark Wings long ago, the region is at relative peaceuntil it isnt. The bats make their somewhat expected return, possessing a powerful ancient beast, and burn Winters Edge to the ground. Arlo must now rebuild his home while simultaneously stepping up to new responsibilities."The path of vengeance is one laden with preparation, and Arlo is a busy rat, from building an arsenal of weaponry to restoring Winters Edge to its former beauty."Tails of Iron 2 doesnt feature any dialogue between characters their intentions are laid bare through icons and symbols. Its on the returning Doug Cockle, the voice of Geralt from The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, to carry the narrative. And make no mistake the stoic tones fit well enough, even with the occasional animal-focused jokes. Though the frequency can take some getting used to at the start, you eventually settle into the mood, especially with how seamlessly the narration transitions between events and levels.Unfortunately, it cant mask how dry some of the characterization is. Even with some of the more memorable NPCs like Ron the Blacksmith and Billy the Beaver, Im hard-pressed to remember many others by name, much less care (death predictions aside). Arlo is developed enough perks of the protagonist and whatnot. However, Im not quite reconciling the character so vividly depicted in Cockles words with the one Im playing.The connection between narration and on-screen action also occasionally isnt one-to-one, as Cockles narration lagged and came across as awkward during one pivotal point. Not that there was too much dramatic tension, but it certainly didnt help.The path of vengeance is one laden with preparation, and Arlo is a busy rat, from building an arsenal of weaponry to restoring Winters Edge to its former beauty. Youll start by venturing to other regions and recruiting various NPCs to fulfil the roles of builder, blacksmith, and chef. Once your retinue is complete, you can build and upgrade their facilities, unlocking new benefits. The settlement-building isnt the most robust, but its serviceable, neither bogging down the action nor requiring excessive material grinding."That Monster Hunter lite feeling further arises when taking on optional hunts against large monsters, some appearing during story quests and requiring multiple phases of stabbing to defeat later."Despite the action RPG moniker, you wont accrue levels, assigning stat points and attempting to scale off your weapon of choice. Tails of Iron 2 instead takes a pseudo-Monster Hunter approach where meals are key for bonuses like increased health, and your build leans most on the equipped armor and weapons. The Souls-like weight system of Light, Medium, and Heavy builds comes into play, affecting your dodge roll, but theres no stamina. Arlo can parry with a weapon and shield bound to R1, smash enemies with a two-handed weapon to R2, and deliver ranged death with bows, firearms, and more with L1.Combat is intriguing at first. Despite the cartoonish veneer, slices and strikes splatter blood on your surroundings and character, while executions add to the brutality. Yet the actual feel and responsiveness never quite match it, lacking that satisfying crunch at times. It also doesnt help that swapping sides while guarding can feel awkward at first. Holding down R1 or R2 will unleash a charged attack after a short duration, which may seem ideal for closing the distance on a parried foe. The reality is that walking up and smacking them with normal attacks is better.Almost every weapon has an elemental attribute, which is necessary to exploit lest you deal reduced damage to an enemy. You can also use whetstones to sharpen a weapon, exponentially increasing the damage dealt, but it eventually becomes unnecessary once you learn to match elements.That Monster Hunter lite feeling further arises when taking on optional hunts against large monsters, some appearing during story quests and requiring multiple phases of stabbing to defeat later. You can even repeat them to farm certain materials, which is neat. Having them run around the region isnt, especially since the environments dont really mix up or add to the hunt in imaginative ways. At least the bosses have a decent range of attacks, keeping you guessing between the parryable and dodgeable."Even if you become comfortable with all the various quirks, most fights can be resolved by matching the right element. Your opponent spits fire? Switch to ice. Are they using lightning? Go for poison, maybe, and so on."Im a proponent of hunting, gathering and crafting your weapons and armor, but completing quests and hunts is usually enough to earn some free of charge. Its not the first ARPG to try and balance between crafting and quest rewards, but Tails of Iron 2 can feel slightly skewed towards the latter. Higher rarities exist to strive towards, yet at times, it felt like I was sitting on all my gathered and carved materials as blueprints gathered dust at the smithy.Even if you become comfortable with all the various quirks, most fights can be resolved by matching the right element. Your opponent spits fire? Switch to ice. Are they using lightning? Go for poison, maybe, and so on. Combat can thus become repetitive, even if theres a decent variety of enemies to slay and multiple weapon types. The new elemental magic also sadly doesnt do much to change this, long cooldown times notwithstanding.A note on the difficulty: What is the first hour supposed to be? On Tails of Iron mode, the default Medium difficulty, you have few weapon or armor choices and almost no Whetstones to improve damage. Health recovery is gradual, requiring you to hold the button and hope the bar fills fast enough. On the one hand, it feels appropriately challenging, forcing you to read your opponent, know when to parry or dodge and utilize traps to gain an opening.On the other hand, enemies can nearly one-shot you, adding to the frustration of the initially clunky movement, and they seemingly take little damage. The first two real boss fights feel massively overtuned in this regard, leading me to drop the difficulty to Fairy Tail.The next few hours were then a stomp, through and through. Changing it back resulted in bosses two or two-and-a-half-shotting me, which felt much more manageable. Even then, however, most of the encounters were easy-breezy. If this is what the balance on Tails of Iron difficulty is supposed to be, I cant fathom the point of making the first hour so frustrating."If you enjoyed the first game and want more, it may be worth diving into it, but everyone else should think carefully before following the rats."At least Odd Bug Studios environmental art is gorgeous, with immense amounts of hand-drawn details. From the massive skeletons of the Whale Boneyard to the parliament of Owls, its awe-inspiring. I also liked the little details while traversing, like a queen spider who later became a hunting target skulking by in the background or the Owls peeking from trees as you entered their realm for the first time. A few animations can feel stilted at times, like the one odd enemy which went from standing upright to on the floor in a frame, but theyre otherwise fine.The exploration is a whole other rats nest. There are some hidden areas and grapple points with very light platforming, but its otherwise very straightforward, resulting in tedium when backtracking. Fast travel alleviates this later, though you must have the resources and gold available to build the points. Subsequent regions open up a bit and offer more winding paths, but theyre still dull to traverse with only NPC conversations and save benches occasionally breaking up the flow. Something more could have been done, especially for the side hunts, yet it feels like youre going through the motions.Tails of Iron 2: Whiskers of Winter starts as a brutal medieval fantasy rooted in the fantastical with its various anthropomorphic races. The awkward combat offers many weapon choices, but the overall loop eventually becomes repetitive. With unimaginative and dull exploration, its up to the story to drive you forward, and the Butcher of Blaviken can only do so much. If you enjoyed the first game and want more, it may be worth diving into it, but everyone else should think carefully before following the rats.This game was reviewed on the PlayStation 5.

While the future release of Grand Theft Auto 6 is still shrouded in quite a bit of mystery, analysts have been having a field day with speculation on how much the game would cost. Epyllions Matthew Ball, for instance, believed that Grand Theft Auto 6 would be the first game to be priced at $100 for its base edition.Several analysts have since taken to social media against this idea, however. Circanas Mat Piscatella, for instance, believes that this kind of price hike just isnt a move that Rockstar needs to make, since it would raise the barrier of entry and be counter-intuitive to the studios goal of having as many people as possible play the game.Theres no need to make the base price of any game $100, posted Piscatella on Bluesky. Special editions, collectors editions, gold/silver editions, etc etc do the same thing, and a high % of day 1 buyers jump on those at their elevated price points. Theres just no need.You want to make the funnel as wide as possible, while also optimizing launch $, he continued. You dont do this [by] making the base price of a game so high that the funnel narrows. It just makes no sense. At all.Piscatellas point about several major game releases already being priced at $100 through collectors editions and early access were also echoed by MIDias Rhys Elliot, who points out that the industry has begun essentially delaying access to players that dont want to spend $100 on a game.Most huge AAA games already charge $100 (sometimes more) in the first 3-7 days before launch, but they call it early access and slap collectors edition in the name, said Elliot to IGN. Publishers have hijacked collectors editions as a way to charge more for early access AKA delayed access for those consumers unwilling to pay the markup.Elliot also called pricing a game at $100 for its basic edition a bridge too far.Theyd find success either way, he said. GTA 6 is going to be a cultural phenomenon and could bear a $100 price point, but player backlash would be significant, and that would be a short-term gain at a long-term cost. Maximizing day-one premium revenues and giving mass consumers sticker shock is not the play here, especially in todays economy. And while many gamers will play through GTA 6s single-player, online is where the engagement and recurring revenue spend happens. Its where the real revenue comes in. Rockstar would not want to limit its total addressable market there.One of the major challenges for GTA 6 is convincing players to jump ship from GTA 5s online component, so creating a needlessly higher switching cost would not be wise here.Other analysts also seem to follow Piscatellas train of thought. NYU Stern professor Joost van Dreunen, for instance, refers to this sort of price hike as a mistake for Rockstar as well as publisher Take-Two.Their success with GTA 5 came partly from their pricing strategy launching at a standard price point late in the console cycle, then selling another copy to those same players when they upgraded to new consoles, said van Dreunen. Theyll likely stick to this proven approach, though theyll definitely offer premium editions with extras at higher price points.Analysts have also brought up the fact that one of the biggest factors to GTA 5s continued success has been the popularity of GTA Online. While the game itself can be sold to a player once, GTA Online has quite a few microtransactions that players can purchase, and has been one of the biggest factors of the games revenue.GTA Online was key to GTA 5s ongoing success, driving premium sales and subscription service licensing; a precedent Take-Two is unlikely to disrupt with GTA 6s launch, said Omdias senior games analyst James McWhirter. Alternative pricing schemes will likely emerge only after establishing a strong player base for the next-gen GTA Online, which will anchor long-term engagement. The real challenge lies in managing continuity between two live-service GTA Online games. Depending on how Take-Two handles this transition, alternative business models could emerge sooner or later.Elliot also explored the idea that Rockstar Games might decouple GTA 6s single-player parts from GTA Online, launching and maybe even selling both components as their own titles.While I think we will see something similar for GTA 6 and its online component, I can also see a world where Rockstar launches them completely separately, said Elliot. If they did this, they would probably add some online perks into the single-player version to nudge players to play online, too. Another possibility is having the core story play out in GTA 6, then adding subsequent story content into the online mode best of both worlds, perhaps.As for subscriptions, Rockstar will likely continue what it set out with GTA+, perhaps adding a battle pass to complement as well.While circumstances around the launch of GTA 6 will continue to be a source of speculation, van Dreunen has predicted that the game will be massively successful, and will even end up surpassing the sales figures of GTA 5 and GTA Online. He put this down to the fact that there are a lot more console gamers out there today, which will automatically lead to a higher number of customers, and predicts around 38 million sales for GTA 6 in its first year.When GTA 5 launched in 2013, about 29% of console gamers (35 million) purchased a copy, said van Dreunen. Assuming a similar adoption rate among an anticipated 130 million console install base in 2025, GTA 6 could sell around 38 million copies in its first twelve months. At an average selling price of $70, this would generate approximately $2.7 billion through both digital and physical channels, aligning with Take-Twos projected earnings increase for 2025.Grand Theft Auto 6 is currently in development, and will be coming to PS5 and Xbox Series X/S. Following the trends of the franchise, the game might also eventually make its way to PC.This is getting so much run but its ridiculous. Theres no need to make the base price of any game $100. Special editions, collectors editions, gold/silver editions, etc etc do the same thing, and a high % of day 1 buyers jump on those at their elevated price points. Theres just no need.[image or embed] Mat Piscatella (@matpiscatella.bsky.social) January 19, 2025 at 10:00 PMYou want to make the funnel as wide as possible, while also optimizing launch $. You dont do this be making the base price of a game so high that the funnel narrows. It just makes no sense. At all. Mat Piscatella (@matpiscatella.bsky.social) January 19, 2025 at 10:01 PM

Staffers Find a Japanese Hand Grenade From World War II at a Museum in KentuckyAfter police and the nearby bomb squad investigated to the scene, they announced that the weapon was inactive and safe Experts determined that the Japanese hand grenade was inactive. Behringer-Crawford Museum via FacebookMuseums house many fascinating artifactsfromfossilized dinosaur feces andwhale earwax plugs to atent used by George Washington and a mysterious beaten biscuit maker.Typically, the items in their collections are not dangerous. However, employees organizing the inventory of a Kentucky museum were in for a shock when they discovered a Japanese hand grenade from World War II.The incident took place at theBehringer-Crawford Museum, a local history museum in Covington, Kentucky, just across the Ohio River from Cincinnati. The venue is gearing up to celebrate its 75th anniversary this year, and staffers were sifting through its collection in preparation for the festivities when they stumbled upon the 80-year-old weapon.When I feel complacent and like, Oh, theres nothing else thats going to surprise me, we find a Japanese grenade, says Jason French, the museums longtime curator, toSpectrum News 1s Ryan Hayes-Owens.Though the weapon had been housed in the museum for a long time, staffers werent sure whether it could pose a threat to public safety. So, they called the police.I was not able to really tell if it was a dummy grenade or not with my initial looking, so thats kind of how we ended up having to call some experts in, adds French.Members of the bomb squad from nearby Cincinnati responded and briefly blocked off the area surrounding the museum, reportsWCPOs Felicia Jordan. Ultimately, however, police determined the grenade was inactive and safe.Were going to deem it as the worst-case scenario until we can rule otherwise, Patrick Averbeck, a battalion chief with the Covington Fire Department, tells WLWTs Emily Sanderson. So we assume that its live until we have people on there that can tell us otherwise. And then that way thats the best for the safety of everybody involved.The artifact is whats known as a Type 97 hand grenade, which were made of serrated cast iron to ensure maximum fragmentation at the time of detonation, according to theImperial War Museums in London.Type 97 grenades were typically filled with the explosive chemical compound TNT and weighed about a pound. Measuring nearly two inches in diameter and nearly four inches long, the grenades were equipped with a time-delayed fuse that gave the thrower between four and five seconds to get to safety.This is not the first time a Japanese grenade has turned up unexpectedly. Last February, a resident of Mercer Island, Washington, found a Type 97 hand grenade while cleaning out their fathers house. Police responded and turned over the device to specialists. In September, an exploded Japanese grenade was discovered during a construction project at the U.S. Air Force base in Guam. Two battles with Japanese forces took place in Guam during WWIIone in 1941 and the other in 1944, perStars and Stripes Brian McElhiney.About a month later, a woman in Westlake, Ohio, was cleaning out a closet after her husband died when she found a Japanese Type 89 knee mortar and a Japanese Type 97 hand grenade. Police removed them safely from the home, asWKYCs Justin McMullen reported at the time.Now that the grenade has been cleared, museum staffers say they hope to use it in some future exhibitionpossibly one that explores the history of Kentucky veterans.We take the safety of our staff, visitors and community very seriously, Laurie Risch, executive director at the Behringer-Crawford Museum, tellsWKRC. After it was cleared by authorities, were pleased to confirm that this fascinating piece of history is safe and will be available for display in future exhibits.Get the latest stories in your inbox every weekday.Filed Under: Artifacts, History, Japan, Museums, Warfare, Weapons, World War II

Ubisoft cuts 185 jobs in a bid to "prioritise projects and reduce costs"Ubisoft Leamington shuts completely whilst Ubisoft Dsseldorf, Ubisoft Stockholm, and Ubisoft Reflections are all also impacted News by Vikki Blake Contributor Published on Jan. 27, 2025 Ubisoft is reducing the headcount across several European studios - and closing one down completely - resulting in 185 job losses.Its Leamington, UK, studio is hardest hit, with our sister site, Eurogamer, reporting all but a "small number" of its 50 employees will be laid off.Ubisoft Dsseldorf, Ubisoft Stockholm, and Ubisoft Reflections are also impacted following "targeted restructuring" across the company in a bid to "prioritise projects and reduce costs.""As part of our ongoing efforts to prioritise projects and reduce costs that ensure long-term stability at Ubisoft, we have announced targeted restructurings at Ubisoft Dsseldorf, Ubisoft Stockholm, and Ubisoft Reflections and the permanent closure of Ubisoft Leamington site," a Ubisoft spokesperson told GamesIndustry.biz."Unfortunately, this should impact 185 employees overall. We are deeply grateful for their contributions and are committed to supporting them through this transition."The swath of job cuts from last year seems to be continuing in 2025. In January alone, we've reported on the closure of Freejam, Splash Damage and Jar of Sparks.Swedish games firm Enad Global 7 (EG7) also recently initiated the "wind down" of Toadman Interactive, which resulted in 69 job losses and 38 layoffs at Piranha Games.