First wave for the month of loveMicrosoft has unveiled four new games for Xbox Game Pass this month, along with three titles getting added to the Standard tier of the subscription service. The most notable of the latter trio is Bethesda's Starfield becoming available on February 5.The long-awaited Avowed from Obsidian will arrive February 18 as a day-one release for Game Pass. Recently, the developer explained how the RPG not being totally open-world is a good thing. That said, Avowed is still full of discoveries and the freedom to find them in the game's open zones.Meanwhile, with the Super Bowl happening this weekend, Madden NFL 25 is running on to the service on February 6. That means you could play or simulate Sunday's matchup between the Philadelphia Eagles and Kansas City Chiefs in the game.The other two new entries for Game Pass are Far Cry: New Dawn--which is available right now--and Kingdom Two Crowns on February 13. The former just received an update on Xbox Series X|S that offers native 60fps for the shooter, per the official Far Cry account on X.As for current Game Pass offerings coming to the Standard tier, Starfield is joined by Another Crab's Treasure and Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes. All three hit the middle tier on February 5. Microsoft is also removing seven titles from Game Pass in the middle of the month, including Tales of Arise. Far Cry: New DawnFar Cry: New Dawn is available now for Game Pass Ultimate, PC Game Pass, and Game Pass Standard for cloud, console, and PC. Madden NFL 25Madden NFL 25 will arrive on Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass for cloud, console, and PC on February 6. Kingdom Two CrownsKingdom Two Crowns will arrive on Game Pass Ultimate and Game Pass Standard for cloud and console on February 13. AvowedAvowed will arrive on Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass for cloud, Xbox Series X|S, and PC on February 18. StarfieldStarfield will arrive on Game Pass Standard for Xbox Series X|S on February 5. Another Crab's TreasureAnother Crab's Treasure will arrive on Game Pass Standard for console on February 5. Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred HeroesEiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes will arrive on Game Pass Standard for console on February 5.

With the Switch 2 launching this year, Nintendo has confirmed that it is preparing to prevent scalpers from negatively impacting the release of its hybrid console. In a press conference, Nintendo president Shuntaro Furukawa said that the company would take all "possible measures" for the Switch 2 to produce enough stock to meet demand."We will take all possible measures based on the experience we have accumulated to date," Furukawa said to Nikkei (via VGC). "We are making preparations." While the Switch was popular when it first launched in 2017 and stock did sell quickly, it wasn't until the COVID pandemic that demand quickly outpaced supply. Combined with the global semiconductor shortage at the time, the Switch became a sought-after item at the start of 2020, with resellers using the opportunity to buy up available stock and make a profit.Continue Reading at GameSpot

Nintendo fans have come up with a theory about the Switch 2 release date. Nintendo unveiled the Switch 2 in January with a brief trailer that showed what the console looks like, revealed some of the new features that the next-generation Joy-Cons are bringing to the table, and confirmed that a new Mario Kart is on the way. Unfortunately, the Switch 2 reveal trailer was missing some key information that fans are anxious to find out about the new home console/handheld hybrid.

The Five Nights At Freddys franchise has varied greatly over the years, coming from the origins of a simple point-and-click horror game to the most recent entries, which have explored the worlds of VR and more open-world settings that make for complete shifts for the franchise.

In Netflixs newest SpongeBob SquarePants movie, Planktons supercomputer wife Karen decides shes had enough of his bullshit. After all, the nefarious Cyclops copepodhas tried (and failed) to steal the famous Krabby Patty formula and take over the world for 25 years now. Karen has realized that not only has he failed at these plans, he also treats her like a jerk. She can do so much better, so she decides to leave him and take over the world by herself. So, Plankton must reluctantly team up with SpongeBob and his friends in order to get his hot computer wife back (and if he takes over the world himself in the process well, thats a nice added bonus). Plankton: The Movie is the second of the Netflix SpongeBob spinoff movies. The first followed Texan scientist squirrel Sandy Cheeks saving Bikini Bottom from scientists who scooped it up from the ocean to study it. The new movie swims into Netflix on March 7.

When the HeroQuest reboot was announced in 2020, fans were hyped to revisit the original hit dungeon crawling board game first released in 1989. The product that came to market a year later was a hit, filled with lavish plastic scenery, unique miniatures, and a nearly word-for-word re-creation of the then-32-year-old 10-quest campaign. Now the original designer, Stephen Baker (Battle Masters, Heroscape, Crossbows & Catapults: Fortress War), is back for HeroQuest: First Light, a new introductory set with new starter quests.The 2021 release of the rebooted HeroQuest was pricey. Backers who participated in the HasLab crowdfunding campaign had to lay down at least $99 to get their copy. Later, when the boxed set eventually made its way to retail, it was closer to $150. Today you can regularly find it for around $100. First Light, by contrast, is just $49.99. Hasbro has kept the price down by only including four plastic hero miniatures and a unique dragon boss. Everything else is full-color cardboard.While the hero sculpts and the dragon minis are new, the real treasure inside this box is the 10 new quests, which change the sophistication and tone of the game considerably. Originally, the first quest in HeroQuest was a real pain in the ass. Thats because it threw literally every kind of monster in the box at new players, who were stuck wielding only starter gear and no armor. Once you got over the initial hump, sold in-fiction as the final test given by your mentor, Mentor, the difficulty dialed back a bit. Then you were off on the balance of the quests, which steadily ramped up in difficulty.The new 10-quest packet included in First Light is dramatically different. It actually buffs up the narrative a bit, allowing for more of a relationship between Mentor and the players. Sir Ragnar, once damseled for a single rescue mission, has more of a speaking role. The quests also include some meaty gimmicks, including mysterious teleportations, cinematic battles, and additional named enemy characters with unique abilities. Theres even gasp! a second game board layout that separates the rooms with hallways, Clue-style. In short, its a near total upgrade complete with a climactic final battle. Its a very different introduction to what is now a much more sophisticated game system.Polygon reached out to the iconic designer to learn more. Our email interview has been lightly edited for clarity.____Polygon: Stephen, in broad strokes, what were your design goals with the quests in the rebooted version of HeroQuest, launched in 2021?Stephen Baker: The original goal of HeroQuest was to give players an introductory role-playing game where everything was provided. It mimicked role-playing games like Dungeons & Dragons with the role of Zargon for the Dungeon Master, a screen, and classic adventuring heroes. The board, miniatures, doorways, and furniture helped to bring the fantasy to life and immerse players into the world. While there was a loose connection between some of the quests, this was secondary to each quest having a unique objective. The individual quests were intended to feel like an evenings adventure. A contained mini-story with a set task for the Heroes. For each of these, I tried to find new ways to use the board and create a unique dungeon layout. As the quests unfolded, I also increasingly used traps and secret doors. Each quest was a challenge for the heroes to overcome, a blend of navigating the dungeon, working as a team, and overcoming the various monsters, as well as the odd surprise and ultimate boss. The game also included pages for designing your own quests. Right from the outset, I believed this game needed to be simple enough that players could make it their own and create their own quests and adventures. The quests in the first two expansions, Kellars Keep and Return of the Witch Lord, made a more focused effort to tell an integrated story across all of the quests.This time around it really feels like youve been given the freedom to explore the design space a little more. It feels like every single quest brings a new wrinkle to the game, some features not included in the core rules. How did you approach this new set of introductory quests, and what were your design goals? Which quest in particular are you most excited for folks to play?It was fantastic to be given the opportunity to write the new Quest Book for First Light. Doug Hopkins from Avalon Hill briefed me on the vision for this new version of the core game; he explained that it needed to be set around the same time as the original quests and would be an alternative way to start new heroes. Doug explained that only the heroes would be miniatures but that there should be a cool boss and, most importantly, the gameboard should be double-sided.My goal was the same as before: make each quest something different. However, this time, I really wanted to play with the characters a little more. There was an opportunity to weave events from the original quests into the game and tell a larger story as each quest played out. Having a unique miniature for the boss was great, and I wanted to make the most of it. This led to the idea of [the warlock] Qwindrak meddling with Dread magic and slowly growing in power. The heroes would meet this foe more than once and each encounter would be an opportunity for both the heroes and Zargon to experience the warlocks growing strength.I also wanted quests to have movie moments and frame little scenes that players could easily picture. I wanted to help bring to life the monsters and give them more voice and purpose in each quest. For some of these, it was also an opportunity to add a new mechanic or quest twist that broke from the normal sequence of play or use of components. These allow a quest to feature an event that is a tangible part of the game rather than one or two lines of text informing the players of what happened. I want to avoid any spoilers and like all the quests, but my favorite two are Quest 2, The Warlock of Tuel-Vor, which is somewhat inspired by Quest 10, Castle of Mystery, in the original Quest Book. I also like Quest 6 The Ring of Return, where a battle unfolds between opposing forces of monsters.Almost 36 years have passed since I wrote the original quests. The importance and expectation for storytelling has grown over the years. I hope that players, new and old alike, will play First Light and experience adventures worthy of the heroes they are. HeroQuest: First Light is currently available at Target. The game was previewed using a copy provided by Hasbro. Vox Media has affiliate partnerships. These do not influence editorial content, though Vox Media may earn commissions for products purchased via affiliate links. You can find additional information about Polygons ethics policy here.

A swooping back curve meets plush cushioning and a soft seat. With a simple silhouette its hard to appreciate just how much research went into refining the Breck Chair by Haworth the global furniture brand collected some 5.5 billion data points in ergonomic analysis. And so, decades of study culminate in this release, which boasts an accessible, innovative, and eco-conscious product with the certifications to prove it. Ive had the pleasure of taking my own model for a spin and can confirm the numbers dont lie when its time to put this chair to task.BackSeat Color: Blush; Base Color: SnowThe quality of our physical comfort is critical to enabling or can be distracting from our ability to perform basic tasks. Breck is playful and intuitive, the perfect workmate for those of us who fuss and fidget in our seats in search of the perfect posture to concentrate.Simplification was a big part of this chair and that was an interesting challenge because task chairs are inherently complex, says Nicolai Czumaj-Bront, Haworths International Design Studio Manager. Breck components have been thoughtfully combined with performance that is easy to understand.Seat Color: Stone; Base Color: SnowWith the design, Haworth unveils patented technology through Geo Stretch, a proprietary structural element that features a flexible geometric-stretch seat back. It provides a desirable balance between back suspension for ergonomic support and a comfortable tolerance for movement. The smooth transition from upper back to lower back further prevents the possibility of pressure point triggers for a variety of persons.Seat Color: Lagoon; Base Color: SnowThe new chair is responsive through other technologies as well, like a weight-activated mechanism and 3-position backstop that work in conjunction with the Geo Stretch material to provide adjustable lumbar support and a synchronized tilt. The seat is adjustable in a forward and backward motion while the arm positions can be manipulated to your hearts content in 4D for myriad arrangements.Seat Color: Agave; Base Color: SnowAdding to the pleasure are six curated shades to suit user preference that allow Breck to seamlessly assimilate in an array of personal or professional settings. The base color is offered in the neutrals black or snow, contrasted with seat colors coal, blush, stone, lagoon, agave, and lunar. The Geo Stretch backing correlates to the seat shade.Brecks lore is equally as fun as its color palette, crafted to include the initials from members on the design team. The entire seating team contributed to Breck at some point in the development, says Angie Lullie, Haworth Senior Industrial Designer. We work collaboratively on projects and utilize every designers strength.Left Seat Color: Coal; Base Color: Black \\\ Right Seat Color: Lunar; Base Color: SnowBut would be remiss to overlook the more serious implications of the chairs realization. Efficient to ship and easy to assemble, Breck weighs in at about 30 lbs and can be quickly put together from four core components in roughly a minute. It does not require tools or a second set of hands. Sustainability is also at the forefront alongside simplicity as Haworth utilizes low impact production and delivery methods. Breck is manufactured in a zero-waste-to-landfill facility. The final furnishing is certified BIFMA Level 3, GREENGUARD GOLD, and Declare label. Whats more, the components are constructed from recycled fishing nets and each chair is produced with over 50% recycled content and is 94% recyclable at end of life, which hopefully wont come anytime soon.Prices start at $419. To customize your own Breck Office Chair visit store.haworth.com.

Robotic vacuums are getting a whole lot smarter. Appliance manufacturer Dreame has announced the new X50 Ultra Complete robotic vacuum, which is designed to be the perfect floor cleaning device for those that have things like short steps, thresholds, and other uneven surfaces in their home.Thats right while most robotic vacuums are really only designed to be used on flat surfaces, the X50 Ultra Complete has tiny retractable legs on the bottom, dubbed their ProLeap system, built specifically to push the vacuum over obstacles of 6cm or less.Sure, thats not a huge height, and you shouldnt expect the vacuum to be able to scale actual stairs any time soon.But if youve experienced a robotic vacuum being unable to scale thresholds that divide rooms, then youll know why this matters.Even apart from its ability to scale stairs, the Dreame X50 Ultra Complete is a solid vacuum. It comes with an auto-empty dock and oscillating mopping pads, along with LiDAR navigation to ensure it can clean your house with precision. Its not cheap, priced at $1,699.99 but if you want one for yourself, theyll be available starting February 14th at dreametech.com.Dreame has also announced a new space in Birmingham, designed to show off all of the companys new products as they come out. The space includes areas to demonstrate how the vacuums work, and is actually the first of what will be a number of new stores in the United Kingdom.In general, it seems as though Dreame is expanding relatively quickly, especially in the United Kingdom. Thats good news for fans of its products including its much-loved robotic vacuums, or its wet/dry vacuums, like the new Dreame H15 Pro.For more on the Dreame X50 Ultra robot vacuum, visit dreametech.com.

Designers may know How and What, but they often dont know WhyContinue reading on UX Collective

Do you have a missing 401(k)? Its more common than you might think. One U.S. Labor Department study suggests that people will have worked a dozen jobs by their mid-40s, with most of those barely lasting a few years. While you have a few options for handling an old 401(k), some strategies are better than others. The wisest path forward is typically to consolidate your old 401(k) into another qualified retirement plan.But what if you can't locate your old 401(k)? Did you forget which company was managing your retirement account? A new federal database should make it easier to track down.Use this new government databaseThis new tool been years in the making, as a part of 2022's SECURE 2.0 Act. According to the Department of Labor, the Retirement Savings Lost and Found Database "serves as a centralized location to find lost or forgotten benefits and get information on how to obtain those funds." Heres how to use it:Use Login.gov to verify your identity: Create a Login.gov account and complete the identity verification process. Visit Login.gov/help and review the Login.gov verification process steps for more information.Enter your Social Security number: Re-enter it to verify and click Search.View your results: The website will display a list of retirement plans linked to your Social Security number and provides contact information for the plan administrators.Contact the plan administrators: They will verify your identity and help determine any retirement benefits you may be entitled to collect.On the flip side, if you don't want your retirement plans findable in this database, you can opt out by using this online form. Opting out prevents anyone from accessing any data linked to your name and Social Security number. Alternate methods to track down an old 401(k)If you don't find what you need through the database, there are other methods to find a rogue 401(k).Identify previous employers that offered 401(k) plansMake a list of all your past jobs, especially ones where you worked full-time for over a year. Large companies are very likely to have sponsored a 401(k).Contact the HR department of each previous employerCall or email the HR rep and ask them to confirm if you had an active 401(k) plan while working there. If so, ask them to provide the account and contact details.Search the National Registry of Unclaimed Retirement BenefitsThis database run by the U.S. Department of Labor lists workplaces that have lost contact with 401(k) holders. This should be your first stop search for your name and any previous employers.Try online 401(k) search toolsYou can also try any of these databases, like FreeErisa, to find lost accounts linked to your Social Security number.Look up old statements and paperworkDig through your email inbox and hard copy files for old enrollment paperwork, account statements, or tax documents showing 401(k) contributions. These often include account numbers and plan administrator contacts.Contact plan administrators directlyIf you find the name of the financial company that managed your old 401(k), get in touch to track down your account. Provide identifying details to access the account.Roll over the funds into a new accountOnce located, make arrangements to transfer the funds into a new IRA or your current employer's 401(k) to simplify management in the future. Finding your account was the hard partfrom here it should be fairly easy to move your investments into the account of your choosing. Still, its worth talking to a financial advisor before moving your old 401(k) to make sure you understand any planning consequences that may arise. If you dont have the option to rollover your old 401(k) into a new one, your next best choice is to let it be and let it continue to grow, rather than opting to cash out early and getting hit with a tax penalty.