Chris Kerr, Senior Editor, NewsMay 20, 20252 Min ReadImage via Epic GamesVoice performer union SAG-AFTRA has filed an unfair labor practice charge against Epic Games subsidiary Llama Productions for deploying a controversial AI-powered Darth Vader chatbot in Fortnite.The AI-powered version of the iconic villain arrived in Fortnite last week. It imitated the performance of deceased Darth Vader voice actor James Earl Jones (with permission from his estate) by leaning on two conversational AI models in the form of Google Gemini 2.0 Flash and ElevenLabs Flash v2.5.Epic described the feature as "experimental" in a blog post but still implored players to speak with the character. Naturally, they obliged, and soon had Darth Vader dishing out all manner of statements ranging from bizarre to downright offensive (including slurs). Epic recognized the issue and quickly deployed a hotfix (thanks Kotaku), but not before clips of the AI character's vocal misdemeanours had flooded social media.Now, the company has also caught the attention of SAG-AFTRA, which is currently striking against major game studios to secure better AI protections for its union members.In a statement, SAG-AFTRA acknowledged the rights of its members and estates to control the use of their digital replicas, but said it must also "protect our right to bargain terms and conditions around uses of voice that replace the work of our members."Related:That, it noted, includes those performers who previously helped bring Darth Vader to life in video games.SAG-AFTRA accuses Fortnite maker Epic of replacing human performers with AI technologySAG-AFTRA claimed that opportunity has now been taken away by Llama Productions, which it said chose to "replace the work of human performers with AI technology.""Unfortunately, [Llama] did so without providing any notice of their intent to do this and without bargaining with us over appropriate terms. As such, we have filed an unfair labor practice charge with the NLRB against Llama Productions," continued SAG-AFTRA.The full unfair labor practice charge can be read here and states that Llama "failed and refused to bargain in good faith with the union by making unilateral changes to terms and conditions of employment, without providing notice to the union or the opportunity to bargain, by utilizing AI-generated voices to replace bargaining unit work on the Interactive Program Fortnite."In short: SAG-AFTRA feels Llama and parent company Epic refused to open a constructive dialogue before deploying an AI-generated character that might have instead been voiced by a human actor.Related:SAG-AFTRA recently detailed the AI protections it is seeking in order to ratify a new Interactive Media Agreement with a bargaining group containing studios like Take 2 Productions, EA, Activision, and WB Games. Prior the that, the union suggested there were "alarming loopholes" in the AI proposals being tabled by those studios.Read more about:Generative AILaborTop StoriesEpic GamesAbout the AuthorChris KerrSenior Editor, News, GameDeveloper.comGame Developer news editor Chris Kerr is an award-winning journalist and reporter with over a decade of experience in the game industry. His byline has appeared in notable print and digital publications including Edge, Stuff, Wireframe, International Business Times, and PocketGamer.biz. Throughout his career, Chris has covered major industry events including GDC, PAX Australia, Gamescom, Paris Games Week, and Develop Brighton. He has featured on the judging panel at The Develop Star Awards on multiple occasions and appeared on BBC Radio 5 Live to discuss breaking news.See more from Chris KerrDaily news, dev blogs, and stories from Game Developer straight to your inboxStay UpdatedYou May Also Like

TechTarget and Informa Tech’s Digital Business Combine.TechTarget and InformaTechTarget and Informa Tech’s Digital Business Combine.Together, we power an unparalleled network of 220+ online properties covering 10,000+ granular topics, serving an audience of 50+ million professionals with original, objective content from trusted sources. We help you gain critical insights and make more informed decisions across your business priorities.Activision is delisting Call of Duty: Warzone Mobile after one yearActivision is delisting Call of Duty: Warzone Mobile after one year'It unfortunately has not met our expectations with mobile-first players.'Chris Kerr, Senior Editor, NewsMay 19, 20251 Min ReadImage via ActivisionCall of Duty: Warzone Mobile has been pulled from digital shelves after falling short of expectations.The title launched in March 2024 but has struggled to attract players. Developer Activision confirmed anybody who installed the game prior to its removal from the App Store and Google Play storefronts on May 19, 2025, will be able to continue playing for the time being.The studio, however, will cease active development on the free-to-play shooter and will no longer be delivering new seasonal content and gameplay updates. Social features will also be retired across both platforms."This decision was made after careful consideration of various factors and while we're proud of the accomplishment in bringing Call of Duty: Warzone to mobile in an authentic way, it unfortunately has not met our expectations with mobile-first players like it has with PC and console audiences," explained Activision in a post on X."Players who have the game installed before Monday, May 19, 2025 will still have access to the game with continued cross-progression of shared inventories using existing content, and servers with matchmaking for online play. Any unspent COD Points can also be redeemed in-game toward available content in the Store."Although players will be able to spend remaining COD Points on existing items, they will no longer be able to spend real currency in-game.Related:Activision will not be issuing refunds for previously purchased in-game content or unused COD Points.Read more about:Activision BlizzardAbout the AuthorChris KerrSenior Editor, News, GameDeveloper.comGame Developer news editor Chris Kerr is an award-winning journalist and reporter with over a decade of experience in the game industry. His byline has appeared in notable print and digital publications including Edge, Stuff, Wireframe, International Business Times, and PocketGamer.biz. Throughout his career, Chris has covered major industry events including GDC, PAX Australia, Gamescom, Paris Games Week, and Develop Brighton. He has featured on the judging panel at The Develop Star Awards on multiple occasions and appeared on BBC Radio 5 Live to discuss breaking news.See more from Chris KerrDaily news, dev blogs, and stories from Game Developer straight to your inboxStay UpdatedYou May Also Like

The Seagulls need a home win against the champions to stay in contention for European qualification.

Rite Aid is moving quickly to close additional store locations after selling a substantial chunk of its pharmacy business to other companies last week. The drugstore chain, which is winding down operations after seeking Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection for a second time earlier this month, has listed 95 store locations that it wants to close as it continues to seek buyers for its retail operations. The locations span six states, with Rite Aid’s home state of Pennsylvania being hit hardest. The list includes more than 70 Pennsylvania stores. Competitors scoop up Rite Aid’s pharmacy assets The move to close additional locations was disclosed in a court filing one day after Rite Aid announced that it has reached agreements to sell its prescription files for more than 1,000 pharmacy locations, most of Rite Aid’s fleet. CVS Pharmacy, Walgreens, Albertsons, Kroger, and Giant Eagle were among the successful bidders, the company said. The sale agreements still need to be approved by a court. Rite Aid also said that CVS will take over “many” pharmacy locations in Washington state, Oregon, and Idaho, although it did not name the locations. CVS, in its own announcement, said it planned to buy prescription files for 625 locations but that it was only taking over 64 physical Rite Aid stores. That leaves the immediate fate of many Rite Aid locations uncertain. Although all locations will cease to be Rite Aid stores eventually, Rite Aid is still seeking to sell some of them to other retailers. An auction is planned for June. In the meantime, expect the 95 stores listed below to close soon. Fast Company reached out to Rite Aid for a more specific timeline. The shuttering of these locations comes after previous Rite Aid filings revealed that it would close 47 initial stores followed by 68 additional stores last week, for a total of 210 closures so far. At the time of its bankruptcy filing, Rite Aid revealed that it had 1,277 pharmacies, three distribution centers, and more than 24,000 employees across 15 states. Rite Aid closures revealed on May 16: California 1583 Highway 99, Gridley, CA 95948 2140 Contra Costa Boulevard, Pleasant Hill, CA 94523 3105 Rancho Vista Boulevard, Palmdale, CA 93551 37435 Main Street, Burney, CA 96013 Delaware 38169 Dupont Boulevard, Selbyville, DE 19975 Maryland 2801 Foster Avenue, Baltimore, MD 21224 101 Marlboro Ave Ste 15, Easton, MD 21601 25 Jones Station Road West, Severna Park, MD 21146 Oregon 1900 Mcloughlin Blvd., Oregon City, OR 97045 16261 South Highway 101, Harbor, OR 97415 2336 North Coast Highway, Newport, OR 97365 4500 Commercial Street, S.E., Salem, OR 97302 1430 NW Garden Valley Blvd, Roseburg, OR 97471 Pennsylvania 1701 Duncan Avenue, Allison Park, PA 15101 2302 Sheffield Road, Aliquippa, PA 15001 3331 Pleasant Valley Blvd., Altoona, PA 16602 4400 Pennell Road, Aston, PA 19014 1799 Third Street, Beaver, PA 15009 5100 Library Road, Bethel Park, PA 15102 503 Clifton Road, Bethel Park, PA 15102 417 Chartiers Street, Bridgeville, PA 15017 139 South Main Street, Butler, PA 16001 1520 N Main Street Ext, Butler, PA 16001 200 Greater Butler Mart, Butler, PA 16001 3434 William Penn Highway, Churchill, PA 15235 412 Broadway Street, Coraopolis, PA 15108 20480 Route 19, Cranberry TWP, PA 16066 101 5th Street, Charleroi, PA 15022 300 Market Street, Elizabeth, PA 15037 4606 Admiral Peary Highway, Ebensburg, PA 15931 5430 Peach Street, Erie, PA 16509 4145 Buffalo Road, Erie, PA 16510 925 West Erie Plaza, Erie, PA 16505 700 Sharon New Castle Rd., Farrell, PA 16121 1020 Liberty Street, Franklin, PA 16323 335 Main Street, Greenville, PA 16125 9141 Ridge Road, Girard, PA 16417 1710 Mount Royal Blvd., Glenshaw, PA 15116 4155 Ewalt Road, Gibsonia, PA 15044 3730 Brighton Road, Pittsburgh, PA 15212 5633 Baum Boulevard, Pittsburgh, PA 15206 1800-1814 Morningside Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15206 1700 Murray Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15217 3210 Banksville Road, Pittsburgh, PA 15216 5504 Walnut Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15232 410 Cooke Lane, Pittsburgh, PA 15234 568 Caste Village, Pittsburgh, PA 15236 1130 Perry Highway Ste 35, Pittsburgh, PA 15237 1125 Freeport Road, Pittsburgh, PA 15238 2336 Ardmore Boulevard, Pittsburgh, PA 15221 7345 Saltsburg Road, Penn Hills, PA 15235 3434 William Penn Highway, Pittsburgh, PA 15235 1700 Pine Hollow Road, McKees Rocks, PA 15136 4185 Washington Road, McMurray, PA 15317 975 Market Street, Meadville, PA 16335 109 Allegheny River Blvd., Oakmont, PA 15139 3730 Brighton Road, Pittsburgh, PA 15212 300 Market Street, Elizabeth, PA 15037 135 South Market Street, New Wilmington, PA 16142 1501 Scalp Avenue, Johnstown, PA 15904 407 Central Avenue, Johnstown, PA 15902 4960 Bedford Street, Johnstown, PA 15904 113 West Main Street, West Newton, PA 15089 1236 Long Run Road, White Oak, PA 15131 6375 Library Road, South Park, PA 15129 2655 E Carson Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15203 1200 Pittsburgh Street, Cheswick, PA 15024 517 Beaver Street, Sewickley, PA 15143 221 Grove City Road, Slippery Rock, PA 16057 446 West Main Street, Monongahela, PA 15063 4111 William Penn Hwy., Monroeville, PA 15146 600 William Marks Drive, Munhall, PA 15120 1120 Philadelphia Avenue, Northern Cambria, PA 15714 8775 Norwin Avenue, North Huntingdon, PA 15642 3550 Route 130, Irwin, PA 15642 1440 East High Street, Waynesburg, PA 15370 201 Devine Drive, Wexford, PA 15090 100 Seven Fields Blvd, Seven Fields, PA 16046 334 Main Street, Greenville, PA 16125 1851 East State Street, Hermitage, PA 16148 811 East State Street, Sharon, PA 16146 802 Pennsylvania Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15233 880 Butler Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15223 900 Mount Royal Blvd., Pittsburgh, PA 15223 25 Jones Station Road West, Severna Park, MD 21146 1800-1814 Morningside Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15206 139 South Main Street, Butler, PA 16001 Virginia 2600 Weir Place, Chester, VA 23831 520 West Broad Street, Richmond, VA 23220 Warwick Shopping Center, Newport News, VA 23601 3701 Kecoughtan Road, Hampton, VA 23669 421 Wythe Creek Road, Poquoson, VA 23662 Cape Henry SC, Virginia Beach, VA 23451

Other buildings recognised include schemes by Feilden Clegg Bradley Studios, Tim Ronalds Architects, Artefact, Kaner Olette Architects and Liddicoat & Goldhill Sheerness Dockyard Church by Hugh Broughton ArchitectsSource: Dirk Lindner Hugh Broughton Architects' Sheerness Dockyard ChurchSource: Dirk Lindner 1/2 show caption The RIBA has announced the eight winners of the 2025 South East Awards, including residential, educational and cultural buildings across Kent, Sussex and Surrey. Among the winners is Sheerness Dockyard Church by Hugh Broughton Architects, which was also named RIBA South East Building of the Year. The project involved the restoration and adaptation of a Grade II* listed church damaged by fire in 2001, and was recognised by the jury for its transformation into a new community facility. It also received the Conservation Award and Project Architect of the Year. The jury noted that the scheme had been “exquisitely restored and transformed” and praised the design team for demonstrating that “a historic building in an extreme state of decay can have a very good future”. The Brighton Dome Corn Exchange and Studio Theatre by Feilden Clegg Bradley Studios was awarded both a regional award and RIBA South East Client of the Year for Brighton and Hove city council. The project involved the careful reconfiguration of two listed performance venues to create new arts spaces in the city’s cultural quarter. Bury Gate Farm by Sandy Rendel ArchitectsSource: Ståle Eriksen The Spencer Building, by Tim Ronalds ArchitectsSource: Jim Stephenson Brighton Dome Corn Exchange & Studio TheatreSource: Richard Chivers Hastings House by Hugh Strange ArchitectsSource: Rory Gaylor Knepp Wilding Kitchen and Shop by Kaner Olette ArchitectsSource: Richard Chivers Triangle House by ArtefactSource: Lorenzo Zandri Sea, Sky House by Liddicoat & GoldhillSource: Sam Grady 1/7 show caption Other winners include Triangle House by Artefact, a small-scale extension to a 1950s home in Surrey, and Knepp Wilding Kitchen and Shop by Kaner Olette Architects, which adapted a set of farm buildings to serve a 3,500-acre rewilding estate in West Sussex. The Spencer Building, a new low-carbon timber school building by Tim Ronalds Architects, received an award for its efficient use of space and daylight. Hastings House by Hugh Strange Architects, Sea, Sky House by Liddicoat & Goldhill, and Bury Gate Farm by Sandy Rendel Architects were all acknowledged for their residential design, materials handling and responses to their respective sites. In a statement, jury chair Lisa Shell said the region’s winning projects represented “a heartening direction in sustainable development within a region typically celebrated for new houses”, adding that “the majority involve the inventive re-use and conservation of existing structures”. Regional award winners will now be considered for a RIBA National Award, which will be announced on 10 July.  The shortlist for the RIBA Stirling Prize for the UK’s building of the year will be drawn from the RIBA National Award-winning projects later in the year. >> Also read: AHMM’s Tower Hamlets Town Hall wins RIBA London Building of the Year >> Also read: Let Queen Elizabeth II’s memorial serve the whole nation

Mysterious Fossil Found in Museum Storage Turned Out to Be a New, Extinct Lizard Species Today, tegus are considered invasive creatures in Florida, but a new paper suggests they’ve lived in the southeastern United States at least once before—millions of years ago Argentine black and white tegus (Salvator merianae) were brought to the United States in the 1990s by exotic pet traders. They've since proliferated in the wild and been deemed an invasive species. Bernard Dupont via Wikimedia Commons under CC BY-SA 2.0 Years ago, Jason Bourque was digging through storage at the Florida Museum of Natural History when he came across a mysterious vertebra from an unknown animal. He returned to the fossil again and again, trying to figure out which creature it had once belonged to, but he kept coming up empty. Now, Bourque finally has an answer. The half-inch-wide bone likely came from a previously unknown, extinct species of lizard known as a tegu, according to a statement from the museum. Today, tegus in Florida are invasive, having been introduced from South America. But the discovery suggests a similar reptile had prehistoric roots in the region. Bourque, a fossil preparator in the Florida Museum’s vertebrate paleontology division, and his colleague Edward Stanley, who directs the museum’s digital imaging laboratory, described the new species in a paper published last month in the Journal of Paleontology.They named the creature Wautaugategu formidusi. “Wautauga” comes from the name of a forest located near where the fossil was initially unearthed in the early 2000s, according to the statement. It was discovered by workers at the Gragg Mine, a fuller’s earth clay mine located just north of the Florida border in southwest Georgia, right before the mine closed. “Formidus,” meanwhile, is the Latin word for “warm.” This part of the name is a nod to the particularly warm period in which the lizard lived, called the Middle Miocene Climatic Optimum. At that time, between roughly 15 million and 17 million years ago, sea levels were higher than they are now, and most of Florida was underwater. The historic coastline, for example, could have been in north Florida, not far from where the fossil was discovered. Because modern tegus are strong swimmers, the researchers suspect W. formidusi may have swum from its native South America to the present-day southeastern United States, per the statement. But after that warm period ended and temperatures began to plummet, the cold-blooded W. formidusi likely struggled to reproduce. Eventually, the species died out completely. “We don’t have any record of these lizards before that event, and we don’t have any records of them after that event,” Bourque says in the statement. “It seems they were here just for a blip, during that really warm period.” Based on the lack of fossils, it appears W. formidusi only enjoyed a brief stay in North America. But Bourque hopes to visit the Florida-Georgia border to search for more W. formidusi fossils, which might offer further insights into the creature’s sojourn. Tegus are terrestrial lizards that hail from South America. But roughly three decades ago, exotic pet traders began bringing Argentine black and white tegus (Salvator merianae) to the United States. Eventually, though, the pet lizards either escaped or were released into the wild, where they established breeding populations and quickly multiplied. Argentine black and white tegus can grow to nearly five feet long and weigh up to ten pounds. They’re problematic because they feast on the eggs and hatchlings of many different native creatures, including some that are threatened or endangered, like gopher tortoises. In Florida, they’re now considered an invasive species and, as of 2021, it’s illegal to own, breed or sell them (though existing pet tegus are allowed to live out the rest of their lives in captivity, with a permit). A reptile rescuer holds an Argentine black and white tegu at the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals in Brighton, England, in 2015. The animals are kept as exotic pets and became invasive in Florida after being introduced to its environment. Carl Court / Getty Images The newly identified fossil adds an earlier chapter to this story. The findings suggest tegus have lived in Florida at least once before, millions of years ago, though any relation between the two species isn’t clear. Moving forward, the researchers hope to continue perfecting the novel technique they used to identify the fossil. First, they took a computed tomography (CT) scan of the vertebra to create a detailed, 3D image. Then, they carefully measured and noted the location of any “landmarks” on the image—things like holes, bumps, ridges and grooves. Finally, they used artificial intelligence to compare the 3D image with more than 100 other 3D images of lizard vertebrae in an online database. The machine learning technique helped them identify the creature as a tegu and even located the vertebra’s original position in the middle of the lizard’s spine. This method, the researchers say, speeds up the identification of fossils, a process that typically relies on the time and specialized knowledge of experienced paleontologists. “There are boxes full, shelves full, of fossils that are unsorted, because it requires a huge amount of expertise to identify these things, and nobody has time to look through them comprehensively,” Stanley says in the statement. “This is a first step towards some of that automation, and it’s very exciting [to] see where it goes from here.” Get the latest stories in your inbox every weekday.