Level up GeForce NOW experiences this summer with 40% off Performance Day Passes. Enjoy 24 hours of premium cloud gaming with RTX ON, delivering low latency and shorter wait times. The hot deal comes just in time for the cloud’s highly anticipated launch of Dune: Awakening — a multiplayer survival game on a massive scale set on the unforgiving sands of Arrakis. It’s perfect to pair with the nine games available this week, including the Frosthaven demo announced at Steam Next Fest. Try Before You Buy One day, all in. Level up to the cloud, no commitment required. For a limited time, grab a Performance Day Pass at a price that’s less than an ice cream sundae and experience premium GeForce NOW gaming for 24 hours. With RTX ON, enjoy shorter wait times and lower latency for supported games, all powered by the cloud. Dive into popular games with upgraded visuals and smoother gameplay over free users, whether exploring vast open worlds or battling in fast-paced arenas. Take the experience even further by applying the value of the Day Pass toward a six-month Performance membership during the limited-time summer sale. It’s the perfect way to try out premium cloud gaming before jumping into a longer-term membership. Survive and Thrive Join the fight for Arrakis. Dune: Awakening, a multiplayer survival game on a massive scale from Funcom, is set on an ever-changing desert planet called Arrakis. Whether braving colossal sandworms, battling for spice or forging alliances, gamers can experience the spectacle of Arrakis with all the benefits of GeForce NOW. Manage hydration, temperature and exposure while contending with deadly sandworms, sandstorms and rival factions. Blend skills-based third-person action combat — featuring ranged and melee weapons, gadgets and abilities — with deep crafting, base building and resource management. Explore and engage in large-scale player vs. player and player vs. environment battles while vying for control over territory and the precious spice. The spice is flowing — and so is the power of the cloud. Stream it on GeForce NOW without waiting for lengthy downloads or worrying about hardware requirements. Dune: Awakening is available for members to stream from anywhere with the power of NVIDIA RTX for ultra-smooth gameplay and stunning visuals, even on low-powered devices. Chill Out Time to bundle up. Experience the highly anticipated Frosthaven demo in the cloud during Steam Next Fest with GeForce NOW. For a limited time, dive into a preview of the game directly from the cloud — no high-end PC required. Frosthaven — a dark fantasy tactical role-playing game from Snapshot Games and X-COM creator Julian Gollop — brings to life the board game of the same name. It features deep, turn-based combat, unique character classes, and single-player and online co-op modes. Play the Frosthaven demo on virtually any device with GeForce NOW and experience the magic of gathering around a board game — now in the cloud. Enter the frozen north of Frosthaven, strategize with friends and dive into epic battles without the hassle of setup or cleanup. With GeForce NOW, game night is just a click away, wherever members are playing from. Seize New Games A new era of “Rainbow Six Siege” has begun. Rainbow Six Siege X, the biggest evolution in the game’s history, is now available with free access for new players. It introduces a new 6v6 “Dual Front” game mode, where teams attack and defend simultaneously with respawns and new strategic objectives. R6 Siege X also brings new and improved gameplay features — such as modernized maps with enhanced visuals and lighting, new destructible environmental elements, advanced rappel, smoother movement, an audio overhaul and a communication wheel for precise strategic plays, as well as weapon inspections to showcase gamers’ favorite cosmetics. Look for the following games available to stream in the cloud this week: Frosthaven Demo (New release on Steam, June 9) Dune: Awakening (New release on Steam, June 10) MindsEye (New release on Steam, June 10) Kingdom Two Crowns (New release on Xbox, available on PC Game Pass, June 11) The Alters (New release on Steam and Xbox, available on PC Game Pass, June 13) Lost in Random: The Eternal Die (New release on Steam and Xbox, June 13, available on PC Game Pass, June 17) Firefighting Simulator – The Squad (Xbox, available on PC Game Pass) JDM: Japanese Drift Master (Steam) Hellslave (Steam) What are you planning to play this weekend? Let us know on X or in the comments below.

Slather on that SPF, slip into that bathing suit, and pack your beverage of choice in that insulated Yeti of yours. We're going to the beach! While I'd argue that the beach is best when you leave your tech behind, or, as Lorde did, throw your cellular device in the water, there are a few gadgets you can pack along to elevate the relaxing experience. As you head to the beach for memorial Day to soak up some sun and relax, I encourage you to bring along a few of my favorite gadgets. From a portable, waterproof Bluetooth speaker for listening to your beachy playlist to a handy electric fan for when it gets too hot, I rounded up a few gadgets I'm bringing to the beach this summer -- and I highly recommend that you follow suit. Keep reading for more.  Sony Ult Field 1 portable speaker Nina Raemont/ZDNET Let's talk tunes: This speaker from Sony is my favorite one to listen to at the beach, in the park, or at home in my bedroom. I've used the speaker to play music during dinner parties, and even amid a group of 15 friends all sat around the table, the sound was clear and strong. It gets plenty loud and offers crystal-clear sound. It's also waterproof, dustproof, and rustproof, so you can splash water on it or kick sand onto it without a problem. The speaker comes with a handy little carrying strap for maximum portability and a 12-hour battery life that should last you an entire day of tomfoolery by the water. What I also love about this speaker is how much quality Sony packs into a fairly affordable Bluetooth speaker with great sound. You're getting a high-quality speaker that punches well above its price point. For summer beach days, I can't recommend the Ult Field 1 enough and am looking forward to blasting my favorite songs on it as I hang in the sand this season. Right now, select colorways of the speaker are discounted by $40, bringing the price of this speaker down to $88.  Show more View now at Amazon Handheld mini fan and portable charger Nina Raemont/ZDNET If the ocean breeze isn't cutting it and you're needing some additional cool air on your face, this handheld mini fan is about to be your best friend. My friend who brought this to the beach last summer to cool herself off told me that she still carries the fan everywhere, thanks to its compact size and easy portability. Even better: Not only is this a fan, but it's also a flashlight and a power bank, so you can plug a charger into it to give your phone some extra juice at the end of the day. The mini fan has over 50,000 ratings on Amazon, and customers compliment its sweet design and functionality. It's great for any breeze-less and sweltering summer day, whether on the beach, at a packed outdoor concert venue, queueing up in lines at an amusement park, or braving the sweaty subway.  Show more View now at Amazon Kindle Paperwhite Nina Raemont/ZDNET If you don't have any more space for a book in that beach bag of yours, might I suggest a Kindle instead? I know that an e-reader is not the same as a paperback, but there are some instances when an e-reader, like the Kindle Paperwhite, simply works better than a physical book. The beach is one of those instances for a few reasons: the first is that the Kindle is waterproof and will survive splashes and sand, unlike a soggy paperback book. The second is its slim build and portability -- you don't have to choose between titles with a Kindle; bring them all to the beach instead and have space in your beach bag to spare. The Paperwhite offers an adjustable warm light and a glare-free display, so you can read e-books in direct sunlight without a problem. If you've got a laundry list of books to read this summer and are planning on knocking a few of those titles off while lounging on the beach, this Kindle could keep your reading goals on track.  Show more View now at Amazon Hanging on the beach all day is bound to drain your various devices' batteries. Bring a portable charger along, like this Anker PowerCore, to boost them back up. This PowerCore charger is lightweight, small enough to throw in a bag, and boasts a USB-A and USB-C port. ZDNET's Adrian Kingsley Hughes says he uses these constantly to power up his action cameras and devices on the go. While the chargers aren't disposable, Kingsley-Hughes says he likes that its affordable price makes it easy to replace if it gets lost. "If they get damaged, lost (or, as one did, fall off a cliff), I'm not out that much money," he writes.  Show more View now at Amazon Why should you trust me? While thinking about the best gadgets to bring to the beach, I kept in mind two essential things: usefulness and portability. I tried to choose tech gadgets that a regular person would actually use and reap the benefits of while they're passing the day by the water. If you're anything like me, and your closest beach is a 50-minute subway ride away, you know that that beach bag you're lugging around gets heavy, quickly. I tried to choose products that lighten the heavy load of your beach bag or relieve you from the hot weather. I test and report on tech products for a living, so I chose products that my colleagues and I can vouch for, many of which we have reviewed ourselves.  Show more Why does my phone's battery drain quickly in the sun? Hot temperatures can drain a phone's battery, fast. That's because heat speeds up chemical reactions in the battery. To keep my phone battery strong while I'm on the beach, I like to wrap it in a towel and hide it from direct sunlight. I also will only try to use it when necessary.  Show more What other beach essentials should I bring? There are the classic beach bag essentials, like a beach towel (I like to bring one towel for sitting on and one for drying myself off), sunscreen, sunglasses, a water bottle, and a cooler with drinks and snacks in it. I also love bringing earbuds with me, so as to not bother my friends while I listen to my favorite tunes on the water.  Show more Other beach-friendly tech 

This article includes spoilers for The Legend of Korra. Janet Varney and Dante Basco aren’t just stars of beloved animated epics The Legend of Korra and Avatar: The Last Airbender, respectively, they are also hosts of Nickelodeon’s Avatar companion podcast, Braving the Elements – a status that makes them, as they joke, Ph.D. holders in “Avatarism.” The show is dedicated to all things Avatar and season 4 is set to dive into the 2012 sequel series, The Legend of Korra.  Den of Geek spoke with Varney (Korra) and Basco (Zuko) ahead of the podcast’s season 4 premiere to discuss their early reactions to seeing Korra (which Basco is watching for the first time), the possibility of a comic season of the podcast, and their advice for the star of upcoming sequel Avatar: Seven Havens. DEN OF GEEK: For the podcast you’re both starting your journey into watching Korra. How did you feel when, in Korra’s first episode, they just brushed away that long-held question of “Whatever happened to Zuko’s mom?” Dante Basco: I don’t know if I was prepared or not, but I already knew. I already went through the comics [which finally answered that question]. I was fine with that because I’m hip to the situation.  Janet Varney: I think by that time [creators and showrunners] Mike DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko knew that answer was going to be very available. So they intentionally planted it in [the Korra premiere] as like a little tip of the hat. Dante Basco: A little wink to the audience. Obviously the podcast still has a lot to cover with Korra but, speaking of the comics, do you have any plans for how you’ll tackle them in the future? Could this possibly be a good chance to get an official radio play of those comics out there? JV: Oooo, a radio play would be fun. Talking about the comics has definitely been something that we talked about from the beginning. It’s just a matter of timing and what the powers that be decide about the when’s and how’s of it all. But we’ve weaseled in as much as we can on the podcast with people like [comic writers] Faith Erin Hicks and Gene Luen Yang. We’ve been like “come to the podcast, let’s lay the groundwork.” DB: A little radio play of the comics would be fun. JV: We did one for “Turf Wars” during the pandemic with Seychelle Gabriel [Asami], Mindy Sterling [Lin Beifong], David Faustino [Mako], and P. J. Byrne [Bolin]. Join our mailing list Get the best of Den of Geek delivered right to your inbox! There needs to be a version that comes with the book and it says, “when you hear the firebending sounds, turn the page.” DB: *firebending sounds* JV: Jeff Bennett [Radio broadcaster in Korra] can do all the stage directions! The just-announced Avatar: Seven Havens is set to be a sequel to Korra and will feature an Earthbender who discovers she’s the next Avatar. What advice do you two have to whoever ends up playing this new Avatar?  JV: Get ready for a wild ride, my friend. DB: Take it in stride. Have a good time on the journey. It’s a journey – the whole thing. You get to go through the show, the fanbase, and just being a part of this wonderful world. Janet, do you remember what you were told when you were brought in to do Korra? Especially since you were coming into a franchise that already had a huge fan base.  JV: When we had started recording, Sarah Noonan, who was heading up casting, grabbed me outside of Studio A, took me by the shoulders, looked deeply into my eyes and said, “Are you ready for your life to change?” I was like, “Sarah, I love you, but I’ve been told that before because it’s Hollywood.” Dante knows. DB: Sometimes it’s yourself telling you that. JV: So you get really good at pushing that into the background. DB: You have to or we’d all be put away a long time ago. JV: But Sarah was more right than anyone ever has been. Yes, my life is completely different and so much of my life is connected to this thing that she was dead-on about. DB: No one told me that at all, not even Mike and Bryan. No one knew this was gonna happen the way it happened. It was like, “we’re doing a show. We all have done shows, so let’s just have a good time.” I don’t think anyone was prepared for it to be what it became. Truly. Janet, due to events in – Foreshadow Report! – the Korra series, this new Avatar in Seven Havens is not going to have the ability to call on all the past Avatars. What do you think an Avatar will be like with only Korra to call on for advice? JV: First of all, I just want to point out: it’s not Korra’s fault. I just wanna cover my bases. Let me just go ahead and remind everyone that losing that connection to the past Avatars was definitely not her fault. You wanna go ahead and blame someone? You can blame any number of people. You wanna blame Unalaq? Go for it. You wanna blame Vaatu? I welcome you to do so. DB: Vaatu for sure. Vaatu has the biggest blame in this situation. JV: At least Vaatu is …there has to be dark and light, right? But Unalaq? Gross ambition. Come on, guy. DB: These shady Waterbenders out there. There’s all these nice Waterbenders but when there’s bad apples it’s very bad. JV: Genuinely though: we don’t know any details about Seven Havens. Even if we did, we could not say! JV: Who knew that was such a dominant trait? DB: It’s such a dominant trait, it just happens in every generation. You talk about people reincarnating? That voice reincarnates every generation. If you get great grandpa’s voice? That means you’ve got to do something special in your life. Don’t squander that. What are you both most excited for people to hear in this upcoming season of the podcast? JV: Dante has been predicting what he thinks might happen. Every episode we revisit what he did predict for whatever Korra episode we’re watching and then we look to the future. I want to give you an extra shout out, buddy, because it’s not easy being wrong about something. But right after you found out you’re wrong about one prediction, now you have to make a new prediction about the episode. You showed up for that every time. It’s a decent track record. What’s the hit-to-miss ratio? DB: At least 50/50. JV: It might not be 50/50… but, yeah, you know what? Let’s call it 50/50!  DB: I’m excited for the whole audience to get into Korra again. It’s the 20th anniversary of Avatar and that’s amazing but going into revisiting (or for me, the first time) the Korra world in its entirety? It’s very fascinating to take a look at the Korra world in a new space and time. For fans of the podcast, they’ve seen me on the spot kind of defending Fire Nation for many years now. There are good folks in the Fire Nation! Some have economic anxiety. DB: Yeah, but I like to see Janet now a little bit on the hot seat. Not just Janet, I’m gonna have to throw the whole Water Tribe under that bus. There are some evil Waterbenders in Korra!  JV: What a gift we gave you. It’s like we made it for you. DB: There’s a whole world thinking ill thoughts of the Fire Nation and I want to point the camera a little at the Water Tribe for a while. JV: The whole Industrial Revolution thing has been so fun and great to dig into. It’s such a different piece to talk about with our guests. That setting is so rich and it’s something that we see the guests bringing up time and time again. It’s just an aspect of the show that really excites people because it’s closer to our technology. It opens up different perspectives from people on what is valuable about bending. I think it’s really fun to get into. The newest season of Braving the Elements is now available wherever you get your podcasts.

SummaryAnima Flux is now available on Xbox Series X|S and Xbox One.Play solo or team up in two-player co-op.Check out our survival tips to get the most out of your first run. The mutant apocalypse has arrived — and Anima Flux drops you right in the middle of it. Now available on Xbox Series X|S and Xbox One, this action-packed dystopian adventure invites players to step into the roles of Roy and Eileen, genetically enhanced soldiers of a failing theocratic regime. Their mission? Fight through waves of bio-mutants and uncover the haunting truths behind the collapse of humanity’s last space city. Whether you’re taking on this brutal world solo or with a partner in two-player co-op, survival will depend on how well you understand your characters’ strengths — and how you adapt your strategy to the challenges ahead. Playing in Co-op Mode: Roy and Eileen as a Team In Anima Flux, the heart of co-op play lies in the synergy between Roy and Eileen. Roy is your melee powerhouse — a close-range combatant who can take hits and dish them out. Eileen, in contrast, is an agile archer, delivering devastating damage from a distance while offering cover and tactical flexibility. Key Tips for Co-op Success Stick together, but play your roles. Roy should lead the charge and draw enemy attention, while Eileen positions herself to snipe from behind cover. Use Eileen’s mobility to kite or flank. Her ranged attacks can soften enemies before they reach Roy, and she’s great for clearing out flying enemy clusters from safe spots. Revive wisely. If one of you goes down, you can bring them back to life, but make sure the path is clear before attempting a revive. Stay united. Co-op is key — some obstacles, like pressure plates and locked lifts, can only be bypassed through teamwork. Playing Solo: One Mind, Two Warriors If you’re braving Anima Flux on your own, don’t worry — the solo experience has been carefully tuned to be just as rewarding. You’ll be able to swap between Roy and Eileen on the fly, using their abilities to respond to whatever horrors the game throws your way. Top Strategies for Solo Play Switch strategically. Roy is perfect for crowd control and absorbing damage, while Eileen excels at taking down priority targets from afar. Use the right character for each scenario. Learn enemy patterns. Managing two characters means efficiency is everything. Knowing when and where enemies spawn gives you the edge to position both characters effectively. Use the AI to your advantage. While controlling one character, the other will act based on your positioning — try leading enemies into ambush zones or using one character to distract while the other unleashes abilities. Keep moving. Especially early on, when dash abilities are limited, positioning is critical. Jump-dodging and terrain awareness can help you avoid incoming damage. A World That Doesn’t Forgive — But Rewards Mastery At its core, Anima Flux isn’t just about hacking and slashing through mutants. It’s about mastering rhythm and strategy — learning how to survive in a world that’s falling apart. Whether you’re playing with a friend or taking it on alone, every choice matters, every encounter is dangerous, and every victory feels earned. This is a world where death is always looming — but that just makes survival sweeter. Ready to Fight? Anima Flux is available now on Xbox Series X|S and Xbox One. Download it today and step into a world of tactical combat, haunting beauty, and unforgiving odds. Roy and Eileen are waiting — will you survive? Anima Flux JollyCo ☆☆☆☆☆ 3 ★★★★★ $19.99 Get it now Anima Flux is a co-op metroidvania with two genetically enhanced soldiers, special agents of a theocratic dictatorial regime. Fight your way through swarms of mutants through a desolate, dystopian space city and save humanity's last stronghold, if, of course, anyone is still alive… The only human city located on the space ark is subjected to an organized mutant invasion. For the sake of survival, a theocratic totalitarian regime sends its best troops to rescue the city and eliminate the threat. Take control of two elite soldiers, combine their unique abilities and skills. Finesse your way around through the most ferocious foes. Act bravely and fearlessly. After all, you can trick death, by transferring your anima with the latest implant technology. Don’t get consumed by fear of death, because the truth is grimmer. Co-Op Metroidvania The unusual spin of the genre, turns the classic metroidvania into a fun, couch co-op adventure. Both characters develop differently as the game goes on. Explore the grim locations of the space ark, rescue an ambushed or seriously injured partner. Get challenged by dangerous mutants and build your own boss-fight strategies together with a friend. And the best part is that you can always switch to single player mode if your pal is not around. A mind-blowing dystopia The story is set in a highly detailed game world, told in stunning hand-drawn animated cutscenes, and elaborated in dialogs full of irony. Tragic and intriguing fates of the supporting characters will immerse you into the human world of the far future, where moral and ethical issues trouble the mind more than ever. Search for the truth and prepare for incredible twists and turns. Unique visual style Through the artistic lens of 80-90 retro sci-fi aesthetics, the game carefully renders a variety of futuristic 2D visuals mixed with the dark cosmic atmosphere. The post Anima Flux: How to Survive the Dystopia – Top Tips for Playing Solo or in Co-op appeared first on Xbox Wire.

News Avatar: Braving the Elements Podcast Teases Korra Revelations in Season 4 Trailer Nickelodeon's Avatar: The Last Airbender rewatch podcast is set to provide a behind the scenes look at The Legend of Korra. By Alec Bojalad | May 13, 2025 | | Photo: Nickelodeon Through three seasons and well over 100 episodes, Avatar: The Last Airbender companion podcast Avatar: Braving the Elements has faithfully recapped episodes of and expanded upon the lore for the all-time classic Nickelodeon animated series. Since the show finished covering The Last Airbender‘s third and final season last October, however, it’s been radio (or podcast) silent. After all, three seasons of Avatar: The Last Airbender, the TV show, means three seasons of Avatar: Braving the Elements, the podcast, right? Well, in the immortal words of Lee Corso: not so fast, my friend! Nickelodeon has now announced a May 20 release date for Avatar: Braving the Elements season 4, which will begin to delve into Avatar: The Last Airbender‘s first sequel Avatar: The Legend of Korra. Of course, Avatar: Braving the Elements moving on to Avatar: The Legend of Korra was always a part of the podcast’s long-term plan, as evidenced by the fact that Korra herself, Janet Varney, serves as the show’s co-host alongside Dante Basco. What fans couldn’t have fully anticipated though, is the lineup of Avatar stars, fans, and other luminaries that make up the guest list of this new season. Check them out below in the first trailer for Avatar: Braving the Elements season 4. The season’s first episode will feature Avatar: The Last Airbender creators Michael DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko as they set the table for the four “books” of Korra to come. After that, things go in some pretty unexpected directions with Minnesota Twins pitcher Pablo López (who is boasting an impressive 2.18 Earned Run Average at press time) joining the discussion. Other guests include: Zach Tyler Eisen (voice of Aang), Steve Blum (voice of Amon), Mindy Sterling (voiced of Lin Beifong), Mick Foley (voice of the Boulder), Seychelle Gabriel (voice of Asami), Jeremy Zuckerman (music composer), Joaquim Dos Santos (director), Levon Hawke (Blink Twice, Avatarverse superfan), Maya Hawke (Stranger Things, Avatarverse superfan), and of course: the legendary cabbage merchant James Sie. While Varney should undoubtedly have a lot of compelling behind-the-scenes tidbits to share this time around, don’t sleep on Basco’s ability to crack the Korra code. The Zuko voice actor didn’t return for the sequel (with a more age-appropriate Bruce Davison taking over the role) and as such has not seen The Legend of Korra. It looks like the show will put that virginal status to good use, breaking out a “FORESHADOW REPORT” every time Basco stumbles upon something prophetic. Avatar: Braving the Elements season 4 premieres May 20 and will rollout weekly with video episodes on YouTube and audio episodes wherever podcasts are available. There is no word on how long this season will run but before you know it, Braving the Elements will be ready for its Seven Havens’ era.