Set in the glitzy world of Hollywood in the late '70s, Confidential Killings have you investigate a series of gruesome murders that seem connected. There are rumours about a mysterious cult behind them...  Explore the crime scenes, use your detective skills to deduce what's going on! Wishlist on Steam! https://store.steampowered.com/app/2797960/Confidential_KillingsJoin our discord: https://discord.gg/xwFXgbb2xfMore informationDownloadDevelopment logDemo out! 10 days agoCommentsLog in with itch.io to leave a comment.I LOVE it! The art, the gameplay, the story, it's so much fun!ReplyFirst I was like "nah, so you just want to check if I have read everything, or what?" but later it made sense with the twists and hunting for the word you already know but need to find elsewhere.ReplyPicto Games21 hours ago(+2)the cursor is blinking it is very disturbing and the game very goodReplyBRANE15 hours ago (1 edit) (+1)I recommend trying the desktop builds if you'd like to play without this issue. Or putting more fire on this PR of Godot:https://github.com/godotengine/godot/pull/103304ReplybeautifulDegen1 day ago(+1)Nice gameReplylovedovey6661 day ago(+1)I love this game! i like the detective games and this is perfect :3ReplyThis is a great game! The old style detective game ambientation is superb, and the art sublime. The misteries were pretty entertaining and interesting to keep you going as you think what truly happened!ReplyI had to take notes.... my memory aint great lol really enjoyed it ReplySebbog1 day agoThis game is kind of like the detective games the Case of the Golden Idol and its sequel, the Rise of the Golden Idol, from 2022 and 2024 respectively. It's not just bullshit. It has a coherent story. If you haven't heard of the Golden Idol games, then it's basically a game where you investigate mysterious deaths and fill in the blanks of the story. You can navigate from multiple different scenes and click on people and objects to gather important clues. I think it was a good game. I like that it's similar to the Golden Idol games. I also liked that you could see the exact amount of wrong slots when it's less than or equal to 2. It said either two incorrect or one incorrect. This isn't how it works in the Golden Idol games. Although, this might make the game too easy. I am not sure tho. I also streamed this game on YouTube: ReplyMV_Zarch3 days agoI’m so happy I found this game. Amazing! The mysteries are just so good and well done. The art is beautiful and really sets up the atmosphere well. I am really interested to see the full game.Replyreveoncelink5 days agoIt was amazing!! Perfect gameplay and so many clues to connect the dots. Amazing.ReplyHey, this is a great game except for the flickering of the cursor. It’s the same for your other games (We Suspect Foul Play afaik). Hope this gets fixed! (I’m on chrome) ReplyBRANE6 days agoheya! For the flickering issue I'm not really sure what's the problem, but having a screen recording of it could help.Other than that we're not that focused on fixing the web build as it's going to be a PC game - so I suggest trying the Windows buildReplyReally fun! Wishing you guys lots of luck!ReplyThank you!Replykcouchpotato8 days ago(+1)This game is so awesome!! I've wishlisted it on steam.ReplyBRANE8 days agoThank you!Reply

Anyone who has seen the first three movies in theFear Street series knows that they’re indebted to horror of the past. Fear Street: 1994 borrowed from Scream‘s self-awareness. Fear Street: 1978 had a masked killer stalking a campground, just like Friday the 13th: Part II. The folk horror films from the 1960s and ’70s provided a model for Fear Street: 1666. Fear Street: Prom Queen breaks from the original trilogy though by telling a standalone story. For Prom Queen writer and director Matt Palmer, that division brings to mind another horror forerunner. “I keep thinking about Halloween III: The Season of the Witch, which I quite like even though it didn’t go well with audiences in the 1980s,” Palmer tells Den of Geek. Halloween III famously ditched Michael Myers for a new story about cursed masks and Celtic witches. It was an attempt to turn the series into an anthology instead of the continuing adventures of a silent killer. “I like that idea of a Halloween franchise, a world where you could just tell vastly different stories form different subgenres. I think there’s potential for that to happen in Fear Street.” The latest entry in the movie adaptations of author R.L. Stine‘s teen novels, Prom Queen follows teen Lori Granger (India Fowler), who becomes an unlikely prom queen favorite when a masked killer starts offing the competition. In addition to young stars such as Fowler, Suzanna Son, and Ariana Greenblatt, Prom Queen also features an impressive adult cast, which includes Lili Taylor, Katherine Waterston, and 2000s mainstay Chris Klein. But the most surprising name in the credits is Palmer’s, and not just because he takes the place of Leigh Janiak, who directed the first three films. Palmer’s debut Calibre focused on two Scottish young adults whose friendship is tested when a hunting trip goes horribly wrong. It’s rural and thoughtful, and a million miles from the 1980s American setting of Prom Queen. But to Palmer, the two films both feel complementary. “I guess there’s two of me,” he says, thoughtfully. “There’s one side of me that’s into heavier movies and quite intense thrillers in the Deliverance mold. But horror was my first love in terms of genre. I do a festival at an all-night horror event in the UK once a year. We show five horror movies from the ’70s and ’80s, all the way through the night.” That experience makes Prom Queen “a dream project” for Palmer, “making a movie that could potentially fit in with the ’80s movies I show at my event.” While there’s plenty of ’80s influence in Prom Queen, Palmer also adds elements of giallo, the lurid Italian murder mysteries that were precursors to the American slashers, especially with the look of the central masked killer. “I really liked the black leather raincoat and the black gloves in gialli, so I started from that,” says Palmer of his process of designing the killer. “Then our concept artist said the killer can’t be all black because they’ll get lost in the dark. So we started looking at a yellow coat but that felt a bit too much like Alice Sweet Alice—which was a visual influence on the movie. We looked at blue and then the concept artist announced red on red, and we were like ‘boom! Yeah!'” Palmer brought a similar level of erudition to designing what many would consider the most important part of a slasher: the over the top kills. Join our mailing list Get the best of Den of Geek delivered right to your inbox! “One of the things I’ve noticed about modern slashers is that they sometimes don’t have wide shots in the kill scenes. I think that’s a mistake because I want the audience to understand the space where the kill is going to happen, and then you can start cutting into closer shots. Because then they can compute from that wide shot where people are. It makes the scene more frightening because you know where the dark spots are and you know how big the room is.” As academic as that approach may sound, Palmer’s careful to keep focused on the main thing, the blood and guts that audiences expect. “We shot all of the kill scenes in one day,” Plamer reveals. “Some of them have a lot of shots, so they were heavily storyboarded,” meaning that Palmer and his team made comic book style drawings of every shot in the sequence, so they could shoot them more efficiently. “There was a funny moment when we were storyboarding one of our kills and we got really excited about the lighting, because it’s somebody moving through different planes of lighting and you can see certain things. The storyboard artists and the director of photography [Márk Gyõri] started talking about this mist and the light, and it started turning into a real art film geek conversation, all about the mystery. Then the storyboard artist turns to me and asks, ‘so what happens next?'” and I said, “and then all her guts fall out.’ Lets’s not forget what kind of movie we were really making.” While that might sound like he’s committed to making a lean and mean slasher, and he did emphasize the fact that he wanted the film to come in under 90 minutes, Palmer does find surprising moments of stillness in Prom Queen. “I didn’t realize this until after Calibre, but I give scenes a bit of breathing space so you can be with the characters and go a bit deeper with them. But then in between scenes, the escalation of plot is quite steep.” He adds, “I prefer movies that are a bit more sedately paced, but sometimes I’m watching a movie from the ’80s and wondering, ‘Why are we holding here? Cut, cut, cut! I’ve got the information, so move on!’ People assimilate information faster now, so I’m trying to find that sweet spot where you can still have that breathing room to go a little bit deeper with the characters, but also be aware that people need things these days to move a bit quicker.” Palmer’s awareness of both classic horror and modern audiences make him a perfect choice for the Fear Street franchise, which has a huge audience among early teens, newcomers to the genre. “I feel like the characters should be youngsters and the focus should be on the younger characters,” Palmer explains. “I went to my first all-night horror event when I was 16. I was underage and it was the most exciting thing, and I think that’s the genesis of my process. I asked myself what kind of movie I would have wanted to see when I was 15 and tried to go back and capture a bit of that magic.” For the other big audience of Fear Street, Palmer had to go beyond himself and get some outside help. “I think there’s also a skew towards the female in Fear Street’s following, so we all wanted to have a female-led story. That was obviously a challenge for me because, you know, I’m male. Fortunately, I had really strong female producers on this to guide me if I went astray on any of the characterizations.” After seeing Prom Queen, most will agree that Palmer didn’t go astray in any regard, which raises some questions. Prom Queen may be a one-off, but does Palmer have more to say within the world of the series? “Well, I’ve had my dream project in the franchise, so I don’t want to be greedy. But If I was going to do another one, it would probably take place a couple of years later in the ’80s and be a Satanic Panic thing with ouija boards.” Palmer trails off here, not wanting to get ahead of myself. “But I’ve already had my Fear Street adventure,” he says with a smile and gesturing back to the Halloween-style anthology that he wants the franchise to become. Still, if Prom Queen hits with fans as well as the other Fear Street movies, it’s hard to imagine that we won’t Palmer making his Satanic Panic movie soon. Fear Street: Prom Queen arrives on Netflix on May 23, 2025.

P40L0 Member Jun 12, 2018 9,588 Italy Here's the summary of latest eXtas1s' direct about verified rumors and leaks from his sources: Steam/Epic Integration into Microsoft Store A new app called "Steam DF Beta" has appeared in the Windows Microsoft Store, allowing users to install Steam directly from the official store. The Epic Games Store is already integrated in the same way. This doesn't mean current Xbox consoles (Series X/S, One) will natively run Steam, but that Windows (and future Windows-based Xboxes) will offer an easier download/install experience. Future "Console-Like" Shell on Windows Microsoft is developing a compatibility layer or "shell" to give Windows a console-like interface (similar to Steam's Big Picture mode), suitable for both PC gaming and next‑gen Xbox systems.Xbox Emulation on PC An Xbox emulator for Windows (x64 architecture) is in development, allowing users to play their Xbox library on PC by emulating the console rather than running native PC ports of the games. Saves and achievements will remain separate between Steam, Microsoft Store/Xbox and will not sync automatically. Backward Compatibility and "Pass‑Through" Titles There are no plans to add new backward‑compatible games beyond what's already available, but the emulator work will let the entire Xbox library run on PC.Evolution of Game Pass Game Pass (including PC Game Pass and Ultimate) will remain a strategic cornerstone and will not be discontinued. New tiers are coming: cloud‑only, ad‑supported, PC‑only, Ultimate, etc. A price restructuring is imminent, likely raising fees—especially for the PC tier. Handling Rumors and Q&A The creator explains their approach: freely discuss rumors ("fun speculation") but clearly flag when something isn't confirmed 100%. They answer questions on topics such as: Transferring Xbox libraries to new consoles ("Phil Spencer confirmed yes") Whether online emulation will require subscriptions (probably not, but unclear) Third‑party titles and new COD at the next showcase (expected to appear) Buying on Steam vs. Microsoft Store (personal preference for Steam) Apparently what I suspected 1 year ago is actually coming true. What do you think? UPDATE: Jez Corden mostly corroborated this  Last edited: Yesterday at 1:42 PM VIPER Member Nov 12, 2023 1,408 Interesting strategy. This is just a PC in a box. In the interest of balance all developers need to have controller only lobbies in their multiplayer games.  Sabin Member Oct 25, 2017 6,097 I highly doubt that. If everyone would just use steam on XBOX Next MS would have to pay 20 to 30% of every transaction made to Valve.   Wrexis Member Nov 4, 2017 29,387 Steam's login count would double overnight with this I guess.   --R Being sued right now, please help me find a lawyer Member Oct 25, 2017 15,548 I don't believe the emulation part would have "the entire Xbox library" running on PC. It's not doable.   Maelstrom Member Apr 22, 2025 138 Sabin said: I highly doubt that. If everyone would just use steam on XBOX Next MS would have to pay 20 to 30% of every transaction made to Valve. Click to expand... Click to shrink... I mean if true, who cares? I can tell you who doesn't, it's Microsoft. Unless Steam titles will be selective, meaning you can buy THPS on Steam or MS store, or EGS. But if it's full Steam (haha) ahead with just being a PC, then fuck it, let them have it a PC.  texhnolyze Shinra Employee Member Oct 25, 2017 26,439 Indonesia No manual app install? GOG, Uplay, and Origin be like:   T0kenAussie Member Jan 15, 2020 6,019 This is the common sense endpoint for Microsoft's gaming venture Just like Nintendo merged handheld and console to make the switch. Microsoft merging the best parts of Pc and console while also allowing your library to live forever on pc is the best outcome for everyone  OP OP P40L0 Member Jun 12, 2018 9,588 Italy --R said: I don't believe the emulation part would have "the entire Xbox library" running on PC. It's not doable. Click to expand... Click to shrink... For the entire Xbox library he means current XSX|XSS library and what's currently emulated/BC   T0kenAussie Member Jan 15, 2020 6,019 Maelstrom said: I mean if true, who cares? I can tell you who doesn't, it's Microsoft. Unless Steam titles will be selective, meaning you can buy THPS on Steam or MS store, or EGS. But if it's full Steam (haha) ahead with just being a PC, then fuck it, let them have it a PC. Click to expand... Click to shrink... If the Xbox is basically a fisher price "babies first gaming pc" i can see that maintaining a market tbh   bob1001 ▲ Legend ▲ Member May 7, 2020 2,107 Maybe I'll be proven wrong, but I feel like the end result here is something that is too far away from a console to appeal to the console guys, and too far away from a PC to appeal to the PC guys. Just occupying this awkward middle ground niche.   Santar Member Oct 27, 2017 7,132 Norway --R said: I don't believe the emulation part would have "the entire Xbox library" running on PC. It's not doable. Click to expand... Click to shrink... It's probably just the games that are currently playable on the xbox series.   --R Being sued right now, please help me find a lawyer Member Oct 25, 2017 15,548 P40L0 said: For the entire Xbox library he means current XSX|XSS library and what's currently emulated/BC Click to expand... Click to shrink... I know. You still have to develop official Xbox One and Xbox Series emulators that have 100% compatibility. Not doable, and since extas1s has been way below a 50/50 recently I don't believe it.   T0kenAussie Member Jan 15, 2020 6,019 P40L0 said: For the entire Xbox library he means current XSX|XSS library and what's currently emulated/BC Click to expand... Click to shrink... I wonder if ~~r is talking about licensing because Microsoft would have to make a preeeetty big legal shenanigans to say that PCs are indeed Xbox's if they just allowed anyone to emulate the Xbox environment on pc and endorsed it   Bardeh Member Jun 15, 2018 3,840 If they can get the software down, this has the potential to be something that I would really, really love. That's a HUGE 'if' though.   Dust C H A O S Member Oct 25, 2017 41,030 Sounds about what people expected. A pricey HW with Windows that is mostly there just as an Xbox branded option on the HW marker.   Soap Member Oct 27, 2017 18,924 T0kenAussie said: This is the common sense endpoint for Microsoft's gaming venture Just like Nintendo merged handheld and console to make the switch. Microsoft merging the best parts of Pc and console while also allowing your library to live forever on pc is the best outcome for everyone Click to expand... Click to shrink... Certaily a good thing for me if it happens, but is it really good for MS? It seems like this would kill any xbox console unless the price to power ratio was vastly better than just building/buying a PC.   --R Being sued right now, please help me find a lawyer Member Oct 25, 2017 15,548 T0kenAussie said: I wonder if ~~r is talking about licensing because Microsoft would have to make a preeeetty big legal shenanigans to say that PCs are indeed Xbox's if they just allowed anyone to emulate the Xbox environment on pc and endorsed it Click to expand... Click to shrink... It's one part of my argument, yes. The other one is, simply, performance. I can see a 360 emulator working performance-wise, but this becomes way harder as you go up to One and Series. You require a lot more juice if you try to emulate a Series X.   brenobnfm Member Sep 28, 2019 2,666 Guess they gave up on fighting Steam with the Microsoft Store and will instead prevent any Steam OS takeover over Windows for PC gaming on a broader level, seems reasonable and even late that they're finally leveraging Windows.   Footos22 Member Oct 25, 2017 4,122 Killing their 30% on third party games for the cheaper steam option sure feels like a good way to fuck your whole business up. Don't believe this for a second.   MANTRA Member Feb 21, 2024 1,136 I actually think this is a fantastic path for Microsoft and could be huge if they pull it off.   Dega Member Oct 25, 2017 8,464 I'd be interested   OP OP P40L0 Member Jun 12, 2018 9,588 Italy --R said: It's one part of my argument, yes. The other one is, simply, performance. I can see a 360 emulator working performance-wise, but this becomes way harder as you go up to One and Series. You require a lot more juice if you try to emulate a Series X. Click to expand... Click to shrink... They also talk about the "biggest performance leap" they ever had from gen to gen too (possible switch to NVIDIA? don't know)   Game Fan Member Oct 25, 2017 1,208 Brazil Steam + Xbox + quick resume + Game Pass in a box under the TV. Sign me in.   Mivey Member Oct 25, 2017 20,652 Sabin said: I highly doubt that. If everyone would just use steam on XBOX Next MS would have to pay 20 to 30% of every transaction made to Valve. Click to expand... Click to shrink... This is MS, so they could probably negotiate an even smaller percentage (if they can deliver enough unit sales, and if they can't they have bigger problems anyway)   oni-link tag reference no one gets Member Oct 25, 2017 17,359 UK So I'd be able to get PS exclusives on my new Xbox from Steam, and use Game Pass, and also have Steam on my Xbox as well for indies/other games, vs the PS6 with no Game Pass and no Steam, but with MS first party games? That's interesting  Justsomeguy Member Oct 27, 2017 1,786 UK bob1001 said: Maybe I'll be proven wrong, but I feel like the end result here is something that is too far away from a console to appeal to the console guys, and too far away from a PC to appeal to the PC guys. Just occupying this awkward middle ground niche. Click to expand... Click to shrink... Steam machine vibes   Mr Evil 37 Member Mar 7, 2022 27,689 bob1001 said: something that is too far away from a console to appeal to the console guys Click to expand... Click to shrink... I don't see why this would be a concern. It seems like it can still be used as a console if that's what you want (presumably the Xbox layer + emulation will basically just make it into a console and you can ignore the non-console stuff if you want).   BasilZero Member Oct 25, 2017 39,966 Omni I'll get it if b/c is there.   --R Being sued right now, please help me find a lawyer Member Oct 25, 2017 15,548 P40L0 said: They also talk about the "biggest performance leap" they ever had from gen to gen too (possible switch to NVIDIA? don't know) Click to expand... Click to shrink... Unless they've found a way to timetravel and they're pulling hardware years from now into our timeline there is no way they're gonna emulate a Series X. I think extas1s is talking out of his ass again.   Toddhunter Member Feb 22, 2025 509 Sabin said: I highly doubt that. If everyone would just use steam on XBOX Next MS would have to pay 20 to 30% of every transaction made to Valve. Click to expand... Click to shrink... Or just make a better business deal. Anyway owning the box under the tv was always the aim, so I doubt they'd care much about gaming if they could do it. Much better to sell tv show deals.  Mr Evil 37 Member Mar 7, 2022 27,689 T0kenAussie said: I wonder if ~~r is talking about licensing because Microsoft would have to make a preeeetty big legal shenanigans to say that PCs are indeed Xbox's if they just allowed anyone to emulate the Xbox environment on pc and endorsed it Click to expand... Click to shrink... Maybe they wrote this into all of their licensing deals over the last X years if they knew they were heading in this direction.   andymoogle Member Oct 27, 2017 3,307 --R said: It's one part of my argument, yes. The other one is, simply, performance. I can see a 360 emulator working performance-wise, but this becomes way harder as you go up to One and Series. You require a lot more juice if you try to emulate a Series X. Click to expand... Click to shrink... It's all running variants of DirectX. There is no way they would need to bruteforce it as regular software emulation.   Copilot Member Jun 27, 2023 1,336 Sabin said: I highly doubt that. If everyone would just use steam on XBOX Next MS would have to pay 20 to 30% of every transaction made to Valve. Click to expand... Click to shrink... Those machines should be profitable out of box (likely 20% or more profit margins). Steam is already on Windows and Xbox PC still growing (+45% YoY).  Flame Lord Member Oct 26, 2017 3,773 Sabin said: I highly doubt that. If everyone would just use steam on XBOX Next MS would have to pay 20 to 30% of every transaction made to Valve. Click to expand... Click to shrink... They wouldn't pay anymore to Steam than they already do on PC. Presumably this isn't going to be taking a loss like consoles usually do so that won't be as big a deal.  texhnolyze Shinra Employee Member Oct 25, 2017 26,439 Indonesia bob1001 said: Maybe I'll be proven wrong, but I feel like the end result here is something that is too far away from a console to appeal to the console guys, and too far away from a PC to appeal to the PC guys. Just occupying this awkward middle ground niche. Click to expand... Click to shrink... Yeah, this doesn't interest me at all. A PC without modding capabilities is not a PC. That's like missing the whole point of PC gaming to me.   brenobnfm Member Sep 28, 2019 2,666 I just hope any of the Xbox BC isn't cloud bullshit like PS3 on PS5, if that's the case better keep a Series X for these purposes. bob1001 said: Maybe I'll be proven wrong, but I feel like the end result here is something that is too far away from a console to appeal to the console guys, and too far away from a PC to appeal to the PC guys. Just occupying this awkward middle ground niche. Click to expand... Click to shrink... It'll keep being just a Xbox for those who wants it? Especially if still has a disc drive (even if it's optional).  WhoaIsThatMars Member Oct 25, 2017 2,711 湘南 VIPER said: This is just a PC in a box. Click to expand... Click to shrink... A PC is an Xbox so it's just an Xbox in a box!  OP OP P40L0 Member Jun 12, 2018 9,588 Italy oni-link said: So I'd be able to get PS exclusives on my new Xbox from Steam, and use Game Pass, and also have Steam on my Xbox as well for indies/other games, vs the PS6 with no Game Pass and no Steam, but with MS Exclusives? That's interesting Click to expand... Click to shrink... Basically, yeah. I think the biggest part in all this is nailing down the "console user experience" which currently Windows 11 still do not offer. If they will create a good new shell on boot instead of Desktop and mimic the current Xbox Dashboard experience (also for managing OS/Drivers/Game updates in a centralized way and in the background) as much as possible it could really open a new market of devices (with the portable Xbox directly rivalling Switch 2 and Deck and the bigger, more powerful variant rivaling PS6 or even being a more user friendly and compact alternative to build and put a monster PC under the TV). They could even open for other OEMs doing beefier, more premium or more economical variants of these new "consoles" as well.  OP OP P40L0 Member Jun 12, 2018 9,588 Italy brenobnfm said: I just hope any of the Xbox BC isn't cloud bullshit like PS3 on PS5, if that's the case better keep a Series X for these purposes. Click to expand... Click to shrink... Nope, native offline emulation it seems   Zutroy Member Oct 25, 2017 1,682 It would depend on the limitations of it, and the implementation, however full console experience with being able to get access to cheap game keys for Steam and free giveaways that Epic always does is an attractive proposition.   brenobnfm Member Sep 28, 2019 2,666 P40L0 said: Nope, native offline emulation it seems Click to expand... Click to shrink... Awesome.  OP OP P40L0 Member Jun 12, 2018 9,588 Italy --R said: Unless they've found a way to timetravel and they're pulling hardware years from now into our timeline there is no way they're gonna emulate a Series X. I think extas1s is talking out of his ass again. Click to expand... Click to shrink... Which are the XSX console-exclusive games not natively available on PC anyway? I think the last ones were from Xbox One?  Maelstrom Member Apr 22, 2025 138 T0kenAussie said: If the Xbox is basically a fisher price "babies first gaming pc" i can see that maintaining a market tbh Click to expand... Click to shrink... Well that's their problem not yours. Maybe they don't want to do that and just trying to keep the existing customers on board.  Paper Wario ▲ Legend ▲ Member Oct 27, 2017 3,146 Some other recent eXtas1s rumor threads: eXtas1s sources say one function of the C button on Switch 2 is you can use the Switch 1 as a controller and/or screen for Switch 2 games Gears Of War E-Day scheduled for a 2026 release - Gears Collection to be announced in June for PC/XSX/PS5 Tony Hawk 3+4 will be shadow dropped for PC, Xbox Series SIX and PS5 during the 2025 Xbox Games Showcase Gears of War Trilogy Collection will be announced as multiplatform, day one on PS5, remasters of all 3 games, crossplay between PS5/Xbox/PC Activision's Call of Duty: World at War and Singularity will arrive on Xbox Game Pass in May   T0kenAussie Member Jan 15, 2020 6,019 --R said: It's one part of my argument, yes. The other one is, simply, performance. I can see a 360 emulator working performance-wise, but this becomes way harder as you go up to One and Series. You require a lot more juice if you try to emulate a Series X. Click to expand... Click to shrink... Imo they probably take a middle ground and emulate a series s. The main thing it would be used for is establishing a pathways for bc games to live with your accounts on the Microsoft store Licensing is the real devil in the details I assume the last gen and this gen games would have wording in it about "Xbox devices and platforms" but the 360 and og catalogs wouldn't which makes me go hmmm at the full bc libraries being emulatable on a pc with no issues  Egida Member Oct 27, 2017 4,741 Sounds too good to be true, provided they can get a price and potency similar to the next Playstation, and if it has free online, it could really make me consider abandoning ps ecosystem.   --R Being sued right now, please help me find a lawyer Member Oct 25, 2017 15,548 P40L0 said: Which are the XSX console-exclusive games not natively available on PC anyway? I think the last ones were from Xbox One? Click to expand... Click to shrink... Your post literally says "An Xbox emulator for Windows (x64 architecture) is in development, allowing users to play their Xbox library on PC by emulating the console rather than running native PC ports of the games." T0kenAussie said: Imo they probably take a middle ground and emulate a series s. The main thing it would be used for is establishing a pathways for bc games to live with your accounts on the Microsoft store Licensing is the real devil in the details I assume the last gen and this gen games would have wording in it about "Xbox devices and platforms" but the 360 and og catalogs wouldn't which makes me go hmmm at the full bc libraries being emulatable on a pc with no issues Click to expand... Click to shrink... For real. I don't see how some of the third parties that agreed to bring the games back on BC would like to suddenly be on PC. That, or how would disc-only BC games work, because those still exist and they'd definitely not work. And now that I write this, yeah, how would disc-based games work on this?  Ruu Member Oct 28, 2017 1,310 My prediction before the Series X was announced was pretty much exactly this, guess I was just off by a generation. For real though, I think this is the only way I'd be interested in a new Xbox console. With all their games being everywhere there isn't much a reason I'd need an xbox. But if its basically a consolized PC I could see that being potentially worth it assuming its not like $1000. Though even then... A $1000 gaming pc might not be too bad. Basically I'd rather pay a lot for a pc than a dedicated console.   oni-link tag reference no one gets Member Oct 25, 2017 17,359 UK Paper Wario said: Some other recent eXtas1s rumor threads: eXtas1s sources say one function of the C button on Switch 2 is you can use the Switch 1 as a controller and/or screen for Switch 2 games Gears Of War E-Day scheduled for a 2026 release - Gears Collection to be announced in June for PC/XSX/PS5 Tony Hawk 3+4 will be shadow dropped for PC, Xbox Series SIX and PS5 during the 2025 Xbox Games Showcase Gears of War Trilogy Collection will be announced as multiplatform, day one on PS5, remasters of all 3 games, crossplay between PS5/Xbox/PC Activision's Call of Duty: World at War and Singularity will arrive on Xbox Game Pass in May Click to expand... Click to shrink... Have they gotten anything right? Are they always wrong or just wrong half the time? Lol 

Paroni Member Dec 17, 2020 4,769 Expectation: Reality: There has also been a documented case of a headless Shadowheart, without a doubt a victim of very vicious paintbrush. News on the subject: Baldur's Gate 3 companions got official $50 D&D minis, and I am casting Vicious Mockery because what in the Nine Hells is this Gale, you feeling all right? www.gamesradar.com The Baldur's Gate 3 cast got a new set of pre-painted minis and—oh, oh no, oh no no no Maybe the mind flayer tadpoles finally got to 'em. www.pcgamer.com Paint a lock if old.  MangoUltz "This guy are sick" Member Mar 24, 2019 4,087 Oof. Brutal paint job.   hydro94530 Chicken Chaser Member Oct 27, 2017 8,159 Bay Area Man those are butt ugly lol.   nsilvias Member Oct 25, 2017 29,963 whose kid did they pay to paint these?   Jawmuncher Crisis Dino Moderator Oct 25, 2017 44,753 Ibis Island Got two of these for a friend, sadly we did not get any of the main cast. The paint jobs on them weren't this bad though.   tapdancingFreak Member Dec 12, 2017 4,854 Charlotte, NC Lmfao!   Nostalgic Feeling Member Oct 19, 2024 511 LMAO 🤣 🤣 🤣 🤣 🤣 🤣 🤣 🤣 🤣   y0shizawa Member May 3, 2021 635 Good lord that's awful   MadJosh04 Member Nov 9, 2022 2,734 Good lord that's bad lol   Foolhardy Member May 4, 2024 3,301 Pre-painted paired with D&D Minis have long been a recipe for hilarity and I am so happy the tradition has continued.   Derkon Member Oct 25, 2017 3,609 yikes   MadMod Member Dec 4, 2017 4,791 Like a 5 year old painted them from their mums nail polish draw.   onibirdo Member Dec 9, 2020 3,559   Pepsimaaan Member Oct 20, 2023 757 Shadowheart is missing her head in the packaged picture.....   LewieP Member Oct 26, 2017 19,790 The smart move here for Larian would be to immediately 3D scan these figures and then add them to the game as characters.   Sai Prophet of Truth The Fallen Oct 25, 2017 6,977 Chicago holy lol. incredible work.   shodgson8 Shinra Employee Member Aug 22, 2018 5,233 EDIT: Ninja'd  Spacejaws "This guy are sick" of the One Winged Slayer Member Oct 27, 2017 8,828 Scotland Yi-fucking-ikes Top is the press release. Bottom is the pic from the store webpage. Something went wrong here lol.  Banjo_ Member Mar 16, 2025 64 what have they done to my girl shadowheart 😭   jph139 One Winged Slayer Member Oct 25, 2017 15,666 Hoenstly, that's par for the course with pre-painted mass produced plastic minis - I feel like the quality standards have dropped considerably over the past 10-20 years. Back in the day you'd be spending $1-2 per mini and they'd look consistently good. Not hand-painted quality, but solid. Now to get anything near quality it's like $10 a mini? Maybe? (And with D&D minis you're spending that much and still getting garbage.) Like, I used to play Heroscape, and the Master Set with 30 miniatures and a shitton of terrain was only $40. The rebooted version that came out last year is 20 unpainted miniatures and like half the terrain for $125... or the version with painted minis for $225. It's crazy. I've just learned to settle for unpainted.  Takamura-San Member Oct 25, 2017 1,235 I haven't opened mine, and just looked up close and ooffff lol   Yerffej Prophet of Regret Member Oct 25, 2017 29,351 Poor Gale had his eyes scooped out. Shame.   Feral Gingy Member Oct 30, 2017 434 Finland Absolutely disgusting!   DanteMenethil Member Oct 25, 2017 8,972 FIFTY BUCKS HAHAHA   Nostalgic Feeling Member Oct 19, 2024 511 It's Tomb Raider all over again   Takamura-San Member Oct 25, 2017 1,235 Here's mine View: https://imgur.com/a/dzkTguT   Harmen Member Aug 30, 2023 1,372 Hahahaha, I love it   Brawly Likes to Brawl Member Oct 25, 2017 16,464 Ryohei Suzuki's bedroom Boulder's Gape 3   DiceHands Member Oct 27, 2017 4,783 someone tell them to thin their paints before applying   Apath Member Oct 25, 2017 3,493 That is worse than fast food promo pics vs the real thing. Hopefully they are giving refunds.   Jubilant Duck Member Oct 21, 2022 9,189 It's possibly confirmation bias but I don't think I've ever seen a mass-market pre-painted figure line that wasn't messy as fuck? There's just no way to ensure the quality across so many figures.   SpellSwordFoxx Member Feb 27, 2025 317 whoever they paid to do the pain jobs really didn't give a fuck XD   Ring Dings and Pepsi Member Jan 23, 2024 1,537 Spacejaws said: Yi-fucking-ikes Top is the press release. Bottom is the pic from the store webpage. Something went wrong here lol. Click to expand... Click to shrink... The colors don't even remotely match, wow  OP OP Paroni Member Dec 17, 2020 4,769 DiceHands said: someone tell them to thin their paints before applying Click to expand... Click to shrink... View: https://youtu.be/m3p_VuPIS2c   dreamfall Member Oct 25, 2017 7,330 Beyond hideous ! Paint job looks insane!   Praxis Sausage Tycoon Member Oct 25, 2017 8,141 UK Shadowheart shall be avenged   Anoregon Member Oct 25, 2017 16,115 texture and definition are crutches used by weak artists   Alvis Saw the truth behind the copied door Member Oct 25, 2017 12,089 EU That's pathetic lmao   Mandos Member Nov 27, 2017 39,102 Welcome to prepainted minis! This is why you do it yourself. Even if you can't do details you can do a fun shaded look   Stabi Member Oct 25, 2017 2,033 France / san francisco Tsk'va! My most regretted purchase ever. I'm first time i bought dnd pre painted because the press release pictures looked amazing. Never again. 

doops. Member Jun 3, 2020 5,069 Stumbled upon this list on Backloggd, and was intrigued to hear if anyone has any other games that could be applicable or any takes on the ones already mentioned? 'Narratives that can only exist in video game media' a list of games by Paggi | Backloggd Its somewhat normalized that narrative excellence in games means mirroring books and cinema Not only thats far from the truth but some games have used the media they represent to achieve a whole new level of writing backloggd.com List is: OneShot Nier: Automata Shadow of the Colossus The Silver Case Undertale Danganronpa V3: Killing Harmony EarthBound INSIDE Spec Ops: The Line Death Stranding Alan Wake II The Stanley Parable Return of the Obra Dinn Portal Immortality Legend of Mana   Busaiku Teyvat Traveler Member Oct 25, 2017 17,821 9 Hours, 9 Persons, 9 Doors   Glasfrut Avenger Oct 27, 2017 4,824 Does the first Bioshock go here?   OP OP doops. Member Jun 3, 2020 5,069 Glasfrut said: Does the first Bioshock go here? Click to expand... Click to shrink... Ooo, yeah, that's a good pick!  Gangster Gastino Member Mar 21, 2018 2,805 Eternal Darkness   Mr Evil 37 Member Mar 7, 2022 27,539 Disco Elysium KOTOR  southwest Member Sep 15, 2022 2,718 Glasfrut said: Does the first Bioshock go here? Click to expand... Click to shrink... Why?   JakeNoseIt Catch My Drift Verified Oct 27, 2017 4,744 I think you could argue for almost any game to be on this list. The second there is gameplay, there is narrative (and then obviously that narrative couldn't exist in film or TV)   barbarash22 Member Oct 19, 2019 820 Soma   hiberner toujours Member Dec 6, 2023 1,756 13 sentinels   PallasKitten Member Jul 11, 2022 1,776 Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons The House in Fata Morgana Doki Doki Literature Club  Holundrian Member Oct 25, 2017 11,122 Probably every Daniel Mullins game   OP OP doops. Member Jun 3, 2020 5,069 JakeNoseIt said: I think you could argue for almost any game to be on this list. The second there is gameplay, there is narrative (and then obviously that narrative couldn't exist in film or TV) Click to expand... Click to shrink... Well, technically yes, but that's not as fun for discussion lol  Rustyspider13 Shinra Employee Member Nov 16, 2023 3,587 I'm not sure if the entire story counts but a moment in Brothers: A tale of Two Sons cannot be accomplished outside of video games.   blueredandgold Member Oct 25, 2017 8,626 Spoilers OK if marked? 999 on DS has you hooked until the last 10% or maybe even 5% of the game where the rug is literally pulled out from under you and you are forced to think about every action you as this external detached player character has made throughout the story seemingly while only acting out as the protaganist. Gone Home is by rights a "spooky house and you're all on your own" story at first but it transforms into a beautiful story about youth, family and discovering one's true self. Mario and Luigi Bowser's Inside Story explores what makes the big man tick. Like, literally. Killer 7 on the outside and at the outset is a bonkers third person shoot-em-up and puzzle infused cel shaded action game but t's more a visual novel that's a really interesting character study of a person's personality. Or how it might become more than just singular. RTS games by and large that try and categorise you as someone in-game never sat well with me. I quite liked being more of the invisible hand guiding the events or having the entire campaign come crashing down on me like it's that movie Downfall and I need to yell at everybody, Semi-recently. I can't not mention 1000x Resist. I even was able to stomach voice acting in a video game for once. I'm as surprised as anybody. Play these games. Thank me later.  Boopers Member Nov 1, 2020 4,303 Vermont usa Dragon's Dogma, kinda sorta.   Ashes of Dreams Fallen Guardian of Unshakable Resolve Member May 22, 2020 19,573 Didn't people like the Nier Automata anime? I haven't watched it but I heard it did a decent enough job. What about that story can only exist in a video game? I guess the final bit to an extent but if anything, I'd say the first Nier is a much better pick for that, given it's use of the NG+ mechanic. Edit: Thinking about this list further, I think it's title is doing it a disservice. It should have just been "games that use game specific elements to enhance the narrative" or "narratives made better by being in a game" or something.  Kromis Member Oct 29, 2017 8,083 SoCal Why is Shadow of the Colossus on that list? Haven't played it in almost two decades :')   ynthrepic Member Oct 25, 2017 891 Ashes of Dreams said: Didn't people like the Nier Automata anime? I haven't watched it but I heard it did a decent enough job. What about that story can only exist in a video game? Click to expand... Click to shrink... Its less the main narrative and everything else supporting it. Game mechanics given context in ways that are lost outside the medium.  blueredandgold Member Oct 25, 2017 8,626 Ashes of Dreams said: Didn't people like the Nier Automata anime? I haven't watched it but I heard it did a decent enough job. What about that story can only exist in a video game? Click to expand... Click to shrink... The answer to that is a spoiler and it's also partly due to the fact you can literally come away from it having completely different interpretations of the story, and exactly how it was resolved, compared to another person. I don't fully understand the over-arching thrust of the game's final act/ending but I also don't entirely mind that fact, either. Whereas in a standard three-act story you know what happened at least happened to the other people who experienced the same story as you.  Mr Evil 37 Member Mar 7, 2022 27,539 southwest said: "Would you kindly" would not work anywhere near as well in a linear storytelling medium where the audience isn't controlling the protagonist.   SpicySpiritGun Member May 16, 2018 350 Outer Wilds   Homura ▲ Legend ▲ Member Aug 20, 2019 6,953 As much as I love V3, I don't see why an anime would be impossible. The 1st twist can work with unreliable camera angles, and the 2nd twist doesn't really rely on being a video game at all.   Ashes of Dreams Fallen Guardian of Unshakable Resolve Member May 22, 2020 19,573 blueredandgold said: The answer to that is a spoiler and it's also partly due to the fact you can literally come away from it having completely different interpretations of the story, and exactly how it was resolved, compared to another person. I don't fully understand the over-arching thrust of the game's final act/ending but I also don't entirely mind that fact, either. Whereas in a standard three-act story you know what happened at least happened to the other people who experienced the same story as you. Click to expand... Click to shrink... I'm very familiar with Nier Automata, don't worry. It's just the anime I haven't seen. My point was the story seems to work outside the context of games, so the title of the list is a bit exaggerated.  southwest Member Sep 15, 2022 2,718 Mr Evil 37 said: "Would you kindly" would not work anywhere near as well in a linear storytelling medium where the audience isn't controlling the protagonist. Click to expand... Click to shrink... I really do not agree at all that that cannot exist outside of video games.   Badcoo Member May 9, 2018 1,846 Mass Effect.   Necromanti Member Oct 25, 2017 12,794 hyouko Member Oct 27, 2017 3,902 I've soured on Jonathan Blow, but the standard ending of Braid is pretty good for this.   kaputt Member Oct 27, 2017 1,291 Driver San Francisco It's a detective/cop story, but without the "Shift" element of the gameplay, it wouldn't be nearly as fun as it is. And I don't think it would be easily adaptable to other mediums, it works way better as a game  twister926 Member Apr 28, 2022 764 I Kromis said: Why is Shadow of the Colossus on that list? Haven't played it in almost two decades :') Click to expand... Click to shrink... At some point you may get a feeling that you are not the hero of the story, as the game suggested at the start, and start feeling really bad by progressing it.   Mr Evil 37 Member Mar 7, 2022 27,539 southwest said: I really do not agree at all that that cannot exist outside of video games. Click to expand... Click to shrink... Maybe not CANNOT exist, but I don't think it would work anywhere near as well. It's a twist that is almost entirely predicated on the audience having agency in the story.   giapel Member Oct 28, 2017 5,216 JakeNoseIt said: I think you could argue for almost any game to be on this list. The second there is gameplay, there is narrative (and then obviously that narrative couldn't exist in film or TV) Click to expand... Click to shrink... That's true but most games don't lean on the advantages of the medium and the story they tell is confined to be "cinematic". I would add Blue Prince to the list. It's storytelling is wonderfully interactive.  Lihwem Member Mar 17, 2020 857 I want to say Last of Us Part 2 but the TV show has been stellar so far so who knows   Homura ▲ Legend ▲ Member Aug 20, 2019 6,953 Blue Prince is a good example, as the roguelike element is a canon part of the narrative.   Bucca Member Oct 25, 2017 5,436 The Last Guardian   404LinkNotFound Member Oct 27, 2017 10,600 The entire Zero escape series The whole Ai the somnium files series  Odinsmana Member Mar 13, 2019 3,601 So does this jsut mean games where they tell the story during gameplay or the fact that you are playing the MC enchances the story? Otherwise I don`t really understand why something like SotC or Inside is on the list? Does something like What Remains of Edith Finch count in that case? Anyway. Here as some games with storytelling methods that only work in a game: Doki Doki Literature Club Games like The Golden Idol series and the Rootrees Are Dead. Road 96 Her Story  southwest Member Sep 15, 2022 2,718 Mr Evil 37 said: Maybe not CANNOT exist, but I don't think it would work anywhere near as well. It's a twist that is almost entirely predicated on the audience having agency in the story. Click to expand... Click to shrink... Maybe. But the thread and list is specifically asking for narratives that cannot exist outside of video games.   Nyandeyanen Member Apr 16, 2024 820 Persona, to some extent? The freeform nature of the social links and social skills is pretty video game specific. I do wish the main story would better reflect your social links and romances though.   Bulgowski Member Apr 8, 2022 666 Bloodborne, Elden Ring, Dark Souls   Frankish Member Oct 25, 2017 1,468 USA Came here to say Death Stranding but that's already on list. I'll add Inscryption.  Vic20 Member Nov 10, 2019 4,408 Bulgowski said: Bloodborne, Elden Ring, Dark Souls Click to expand... Click to shrink... Those games have no narratives Anyway I pick GTA and RDR  Mr Evil 37 Member Mar 7, 2022 27,539 southwest said: Maybe. But the thread and list is specifically asking for narratives that cannot exist outside of video games. Click to expand... Click to shrink... I think there's nuance to any conversation like this, but I personally think a game like BioShock which engages directly with the idea that it is a game and the audience is actively controlling the character (or they think they are) qualifies for this discussion. At no point when you're watching a movie do you feel that you are controlling the protagonist. I'm sure there is a way to adapt the twist to a movie but it would need to be presented very differently to the point where the core message would probably be different.  

Flyalone - Adobe News Humphrey AI tool powers Scottish Parliament consultation AI-powered Consult tool has helped the Scottish Parliament to organise feedback from a public consultation into themes By Cliff Saran, Managing Editor Published: 14 May 2025 10:15 The government has said a new tool called Consult, based on its artificial intelligence (AI)-based suite Humphrey, has been used to analyse a recent consultation from the Scottish Parliament looking at regulation for non-surgical cosmetic procedures. The trial has the potential to save the government a significant amount of admin time and cost in the analysis of feedback from experts and members of the general public in response to policy proposals. The trial used the AI tool for analysing comments from experts and the public. According to the Department of Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT), using AI to process consultation responses has the potential to save officials 75,000 days of manual analysis every year, which costs £20m in staffing costs.DSIT said Consult was able to summarise what the public had told the government in response to a consultation for the first time – providing nearly identical results to the manual work officials tasked with analysing public consultations. Reviewing comments from more than 2,000 consultation responses using generative AI, Consult identified key themes from the feedback across each of six qualitative questions. The themes were checked and refined by experts in the Scottish government, then Consult was used to categories individual responses by theme. DSIT said this gave officials more time to examine the details of the responses and evaluate the policy implications of feedback received. As this was the first time Consult was used on a live consultation, experts at the Scottish government manually reviewed every response. The trial found that when looking to the work of a human reviewing the consultation feedback responses manually compared to Consult, differences in reviewers’ interpretation of the comments received had a negligible impact on how themes were ranked overall. Commenting on the trial, technology secretary Peter Kyle said: “After demonstrating such promising results, Humphrey will help us cut the costs of governing and make it easier to collect and comprehensively review what experts and the public are telling us on a range of crucial issues. “The Scottish government has taken a bold first step. Very soon, I’ll be using Consult, within Humphrey, in my own department and others in Whitehall will be using it too – speeding up our work to deliver the Plan for Change.” Consult is part of the Humphrey bundle of AI tools designed to speed up the work of civil servants and cut back time spent on admin, and money spent on contractors and forms part of the government’s plan to make better use of technology across public services, in a bid to target the £45bn in productivity savings. Feedback from officials who worked with Consult from the Scottish government on this first live test included comments such as “pleasantly surprised”, while others said it provided a “useful starting point” in the initial analysis. According to DSIT, the feedback from the people who worked on the trial consultation suggests that Consult can reduce human biases, which makes the analysis of feedback more consistent. The government plans to use Consult on major consultations without officials manually reviewing every response individually. However, DSIT said officials will always review the themes and how responses are sorted into them through an interactive dashboard that will allow them to filter and search for insights. Read more stories about government AI Interview – Feryal Clark, AI and digital government minister, DSIT: Computer Weekly talks to the parliamentary under-secretary about digital identity, the importance of trust and utilising the power of artificial intelligence. Goverment overhauls AI funding to drive agility: A startup mindset is at the heart of a Labour’s approach to how it wants to speed up AI innovation in the public sector. In The Current Issue: UK MoJ crime prediction algorithms raise serious concerns Interview: Markus Schümmelfeder, CIO, Boehringer Ingelheim Download Current Issue NordVPN goes full GUI on Linux – Open Source Insider The ongoing AI-automation convergence, and what this means for the enterprise – Data Matters View All Blogs

Chris Pratt and Charlie Day are expected to return as Mario and Luigi. Universal appears to have confirmed that the next Mario film will be titled Super Mario World. The title was included in a press release about upcoming movies, but apparently by mistake, since it was removed shortly after publication. The title first appeared in a press release about NBCUniversal’s upcoming content slate, listed as part of a selection of films scheduled to stream exclusively on NBC’s Peacock following their theatrical release. Within hours the post had been updated and “Super Mario World” removed, along with mentions of Shrek and Minions movies. The title makes some sense. The first film’s post-credit scene teased the arrival of Mario’s bright green dinosaur steed / friend Yoshi, who made his videogame debut in… Super Mario World, which launched on the SNES in 1990. It was the console’s most popular game, selling more than 20 million copies. The upcoming sequel to The Super Mario Bros. Movie was announced in March 2024, with a launch planned for April 3rd, 2026, and directors Aaron Horvath and Michael Jelenic returning to lead the production. A sequel came as no big surprise after the first film brought in over $1 billion worldwide. Nintendo took that as a green light to ramp up its entertainment efforts, with a live-action Legend of Zelda movie also in the works and due to release in March 2027.

Nvidia’s efforts to suck up to the Trump administration have seemingly paid off, with the US now lifting export limits on US-made AI chips and cracking down on anyone using Huawei’s emerging alternatives. The announcements come as Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang joined President Trump in Saudi Arabia this week to solicit AI investments for US companies.The US Department of Commerce (DOC) announced on Monday that it has rescinded the Artificial Intelligence Diffusion Rule, due to take effect on May 15th, that aimed to restrict how many US-made AI chips could be sent to international markets without special government approval. The DOC said that a replacement rule for protecting US AI technology will be issued “in the future,” but provided no specific details.“These new requirements would have stifled American innovation and saddled companies with burdensome new regulatory requirements,” The DOC said in a statement. “The AI Diffusion Rule also would have undermined US diplomatic relations with dozens of countries by downgrading them to second-tier status.”Trump’s favorite government meddler Elon Musk was also rubbing shoulders with Huang and the Saudi prince at the investment forum. Image: Brendan Smialowski / Getty ImagesWhile the goal was to prevent countries already subject to chip restrictions, such as Russia and China, from accessing or building AI tech, it also placed Nvidia’s estimated 90 percent share of the AI chip market in jeopardy. Shortly after the Diffusion Rule was introduced by former President Joe Biden in January, Nvidia issued a statement calling it “misguided,” while anticipating a return to Trump’s first term policies “that strengthen American leadership, bolster our economy and preserve our competitive edge in AI and beyond.”The DOC also warned companies that using Huawei’s Ascend AI chipset “anywhere in the world” would violate US export control agreements. Huawei’s home-grown Ascend processors are seen as China’s best answer to Nvidia’s powerful AI chips. Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang was notably one of the only US tech leaders to not attend Donald Trump’s inauguration. His absence doesn’t appear to have soured the relationship between them, however, with Huang spotted cosying up to Trump at a US-Saudi investment summit in Riyadh on Tuesday, alongside other tech leaders like Elon Musk, AMD’s Lisa Su, OpenAI’s Sam Altman, and Epic CEO Tim Sweeney.The Washington Post reports that Trump was far from subtle about what the US wanted from the gathering. “As you know, we have the biggest business leaders in the world here,” he told Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. “They’re going to walk away with a lot of checks for a lot of things that you’re going to provide.”See More:

Sony’s $699.99 PS5 Pro could get especially expensive if prices go up. Sony just announced its financial forecast for the next year, and it’s expecting to be impacted by tariffs to the tune of 100 billion yen (about $680 million). To compensate, the company says it’s considering options including moving manufacturing to the US and increasing prices for consumers. Speaking to investors during the company’s earnings call, Sony CFO Lin Tao confirmed that the company is considering “passing on” the price of tariffs to consumers in order to mitigate the impact on its bottom line. Tao didn’t mention the PS5 by name though, and it’s possible that Sony could try to protect pricing on its console through increases elsewhere in its electronics business. Sony has already increased the price of the PS5 this year, but only in the UK, Europe, Australia, and New Zealand. The PS5 did get a call out from CEO Hiroki Totoki when discussing the possibility of moving manufacturing to the US to avoid the brunt of Donald Trump’s tariffs. He admitted that the console “can be produced locally,” and that it would be “an efficient strategy” that “has to be considered going forward.” As expected Sony is considering passing along the tarrif impact by increasing the price of their products. So it's assumed the PS5 price could be impacted. pic.twitter.com/a7nR1BZ9Rv— Destin (@DestinLegarie) May 14, 2025 Over the 12 months ending in March, Sony shipped 18.5 million PS5 consoles — down slightly from 20.8 million the year before — bringing its lifetime shipments to 77.7 million. Sony still manufactures the majority of its PS5 hardware in China, and so its gaming business is especially at risk right now. Even after the 90-day pause and reduction in rates announced this week, the 30 percent tariff on imports into the US from China is substantially higher than the 10 percent rate levied on other countries, and games consoles were not included in the exemptions for select other electronics. Microsoft has already raised the price of its Xbox consoles by up to $100, though Nintendo has so far elected to keep Switch 2 pricing the same ahead of its launch next month. We may learn more about Sony’s pricing plans going forward when it announces the flagship WH-1000XM6 headphones tomorrow, which succeed the $399 XM5s.

Republicans want to stop states from regulating AI. On Sunday, a Republican-led House committee submitted a budget reconciliation bill that proposes blocking states from enforcing “any law or regulation” targeting an exceptionally broad range of automated computing systems for 10 years after the law is enacted — a move that would stall efforts to regulate everything from AI chatbots to online search results. Democrats are calling the new provision a “giant gift” to Big Tech, and organizations that promote AI oversight, like Americans for Responsible Innovation (ARI), say it could have “catastrophic consequences” for the public. It’s a gift companies like OpenAI have recently been seeking in Washington, aiming to avoid a slew of pending and active state laws. The budget reconciliation process allows lawmakers to fast-track bills related to government spending by requiring only a majority in the Senate rather than 60 votes to pass. This bill, introduced by House Committee on Energy and Commerce Chairman Brett Guthrie (R-KY), would prevent states from imposing “legal impediments” — or restrictions to design, performance, civil liability, and documentation — on AI models and “automated decision” systems. It defines the latter category as “any computational process derived from machine learning, statistical modeling, data analytics, or artificial intelligence that issues a simplified output, including a score, classification, or recommendation, to materially influence or replace human decision making.”That means the 10-year moratorium could extend well beyond AI. Travis Hall, the director for state engagement at the Center for Democracy & Technology, tells The Verge that the automated decision systems described in the bill “permeate digital services, from search results and mapping directions, to health diagnoses and risk analyses for sentencing decisions.”During the 2025 legislative session, states have proposed over 500 laws that Hall says this bill could “unequivocally block.” They focus on everything from chatbot safety for minors to deepfake restrictions and disclosures for the use of AI in political ads. If the bill passes, the handful of states that have successfully passed AI laws may also see their efforts go to waste. “The move to ban AI safeguards is a giveaway to Big Tech that will come back to bite us.”Last year, California Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a law preventing companies from using a performer’s AI-generated likeness without permission. Tennessee also adopted legislation with similar protections, while Utah has enacted a rule requiring certain businesses to disclose when customers are interacting with AI. Colorado’s AI law, which goes into effect next year, will require companies developing “high-risk” AI systems to protect customers from “algorithmic discrimination.”California also came close to enacting the landmark AI safety law SB 1047, which would have imposed security restrictions and legal liability on AI companies based in the state, like OpenAI, Anthropic, Google, and Meta. OpenAI opposed the bill, saying AI regulation should take place at the federal level instead of having a “patchwork” of state laws that could make it more difficult to comply. Gov. Newsom vetoed the bill last September, and OpenAI has made it clear it wants to avoid having state laws “bogging down innovation” in the future.With so little AI regulation at the federal level, it’s been left up to the states to decide how to deal with AI. Even before the rise of generative AI, state legislators were grappling with how to fight algorithmic discrimination — including machine learning-based systems that display race or gender bias — in areas like housing and criminal justice. Efforts to combat this, too, would likely be hampered by the Republicans’ proposal.Democrats have slammed the provision’s inclusion in the reconciliation bill, with Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D-IL) saying the 10-year ban will “allow AI companies to ignore consumer privacy protections, let deepfakes spread, and allow companies to profile and deceive consumers using AI.” In a statement published to X, Sen. Ed Markey (D-MA) said the proposal “will lead to a Dark Age for the environment, our children, and marginalized communities.”RelatedThe nonprofit organization Americans for Responsible Innovation (ARI) compared the potential ban to the government’s failure to properly regulate social media. “Lawmakers stalled on social media safeguards for a decade and we are still dealing with the fallout,” ARI president Brad Carson said in a statement. “Now apply those same harms to technology moving as fast as AI… Ultimately, the move to ban AI safeguards is a giveaway to Big Tech that will come back to bite us.”This provision could hit a roadblock in the Senate, as ARI notes that the Byrd rule says reconciliation bills can only focus on fiscal issues. Still, it’s troubling to see Republican lawmakers push to block oversight of a new technology that’s being integrated into almost everything.See More: