Something to look forward to: Nintendo has officially revealed the technical specifications for the highly anticipated Switch 2, offering a glimpse into the console's architecture. Digital Foundry notes that the details remain somewhat "selective" but provide a clearer understanding of the hardware developers have at their disposal. Nintendo has conceded the console arms race to Sony and Microsoft but positions the Switch 2 to balance power, portability, and efficiency in the handheld market. When Nintendo unveiled the Switch 2, it offered virtually zero details on the CPU, simply calling it a "custom processor made by Nvidia." Nvidia followed up with a similarly vague description of the chip. With the release just weeks away, Nintendo has finally confirmed some solid specs. At the heart of the Switch 2 is a custom Nvidia Ampere chip, designated T239 – a clear upgrade from the original Tegra X1. It features an Arm Cortex-A78C CPU, offering significant gains over the older A57 cores. The chip runs at 998MHz while docked and 1.1GHz in mobile mode, with a potential 1.7GHz ceiling under specific conditions. Its 8-core CPU, with six cores available to developers, enables better performance for demanding games. The Switch 2's Ampere-based GPU delivers a substantial boost in visual performance. It includes 1,536 CUDA cores reaching up to 1.71 teraflops in handheld mode, scaling to 3.072 teraflops while docked. Teraflop metrics can be misleading, so the hands-on gaming experience will better reflect the hardware's capabilities. The system also supports Nvidia's DLSS for enhanced anti-aliasing and performance scaling, along with ray tracing – though limited resources mean ray tracing will play a minimal role at launch. The Switch 2 includes 12GB of LPDDR5X memory – a substantial upgrade from the original's 4GB. Developers can access 9GB, with the remaining 3GB reserved for system functions. The boosted memory supports smoother multitasking and more demanding games, with bandwidth peaking at 102GB/s in performance mode (docked) and 68GB/s in handheld mode. Switch 2: Nvidia T239 Switch 1: Nvidia Tegra X1 Architecture 8x ARM Cortex A78C 4x ARM Cortex A57 CPU Speed 998MHz (docked), 1101MHz (mobile), Max 1.7GHz1020 MHz (docked/mobile), Max 1.785GHz CPU System Reservation 2 cores (6 available to devs)1 core (3 available to devs) GPU Architecture Ampere Maxwell CUDA Cores 1536 256 GPU Clocks 1007MHz (docked), 561MHz (mobile), Max 1.4GHz768MHz (docked), up to 460MHz (mobile), Max 921MHz Memory/Interface 128-bit/LPDDR5 64-bit/LPDDR4 Memory Bandwidth 102GB/s (docked), 68GB/s (mobile)25.6GB/s (docked), 21.3GB/s (mobile) Memory System Reservation 3GB (9GB available for games)0.8GB (3.2GB available for games) Source: Digital Foundry // Related Stories The Switch 2 sports 256GB of UFS storage, expandable via microSD Express cards up to 2TB. A custom file decompression engine offloads processing from the CPU, accelerating load times and improving overall efficiency. The 7.9-inch display boasts 1080p resolution with HDR10 support and variable refresh rate (VRR) up to 120Hz in handheld mode. Unfortunately, the dock's HDMI conversion doesn't support VRR, which may be a limiting factor for those expecting smoother gameplay on larger screens. The Switch 2 could struggle with some innovative features, like Game Chat. Developers have raised concerns about the resource demands of active voice chat during gameplay. In response, Nintendo included an API in the SDK that simulates latency and system load so developers can test the functionality under varying conditions. However, the impact on performance has yet to be determined. Ultimately, the proof will be in the pudding when the Switch 2 launches on June 5. With early criticism over pricing, Nintendo is depending on developers delivering games that justify the expense – regardless of its specs.

When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works. Following data leak, Valve assures Steam users that its systems were not breached Pulasthi Ariyasinghe Neowin @LoneWolfSL · May 14, 2025 18:42 EDT Following reports about a possible data breach that has supposedly affected over 89 million accounts on the PC gaming store and social platform Steam, Valve has officially stepped in with a statement. According to the company, it has reviewed the leaked data and confirmed that Steam systems had not been breached, and that user data is safe. The report originally landed from X user MellowOnline1 on May 12, who pointed towards a LinkedIn post regarding a dark web sale, which reportedly offered data from 89 million Steam users. "You may have seen reports of leaks of older text messages that had previously been sent to Steam customers," said Valve today, May 14, in an official post regarding the breach. "We have examined the leak sample and have determined this was NOT a breach of Steam systems." "We’re still digging into the source of the leak, which is compounded by the fact that any SMS messages are unencrypted in transit, and routed through multiple providers on the way to your phone," it added. Valve says that passwords, phone numbers, payment information, and personal data are not a part of the leaked data, so users do not need to change their login details. It added the following regarding what it found in the leaked data and how its information is useless for actually taking over an account or targeting users: "The leak consisted of older text messages that included one-time codes that were only valid for 15-minute time frames and the phone numbers they were sent to. The leaked data did not associate the phone numbers with a Steam account, password information, payment information or other personal data. Old text messages cannot be used to breach the security of your Steam account, and whenever a code is used to change your Steam email or password using SMS, you will receive a confirmation via email and/or Steam secure messages. Nonetheless, Valve recommended Steam users opt for using the Steam Mobile Authenticator for added security. Tags Report a problem with article Follow @NeowinFeed

Three compounds in peppers appear to lessen their perceived spiciness. Credit: Deposit Photos / David Kadlec Get the Popular Science daily newsletter💡 Breakthroughs, discoveries, and DIY tips sent every weekday. Hot peppers aren’t for everyone, but that’s where the Scoville scale comes in handy. The scale is named after American pharmacist Wilbur Scoville, who developed the pepper spiciness test in 1912. To determine a rating, an exact amount of dried pepper is dissolved in alcohol to extract its capsaicinoids, the group of compounds responsible for all that heat. This solution is then diluted with sugar water and assessed by a trained panel of specialists. To get a sense of the spectrum, bell peppers rank around a 0 on Scoville Heat Units (SHUs), while notorious hybrids like the Carolina reaper measure as much as 2,500,000 SHUs. But even the Carolina reaper pales in comparison to Pepper X, the Guinness World Record holder for hottest hot pepper, ranking in at a bear spray-like 2,693,000 SHUs. As you may have already worried, even a trained human taste tester can offer subjective assessments, making the Scoville scale more of an approximation than a science. Sometimes a highly rated pepper feels like a dud, or what should be a moderate jalapeno results in gulping down multiple glasses of milk. But even modern methodologies based on high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) can rate peppers in ways that confound a sweating hot sauce enthusiast. If the capsaicinoids—particularly capsaicin and dihydrocapsaicin—are tallied accurately, then why the varying perceived heat levels? That’s what a team of researchers recently set out to determine. Their conclusions, published in the American Chemical Society’s Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, identifies a trio of separate compounds that can essentially function as an “anti-spice” weapon. And the ramifications go far beyond the palette. To get to the bottom of the spice mystery, experts at The Ohio State University collected powdered samples from 10 pepper varieties including serrano, Scotch bonnet, and Chile de árbol. They then measured each fruit’s capsaicin and dihydrocapsaicin levels using a process known as liquid chromatography mass spectrometry. A trained group of taste testers next tried each pepper powder after mixing them into tomato juice. Don’t worry—no volunteers were harmed during the experiment. Instead, the concoctions featured just enough of each respective powder to bring the heat up to 800 SHU. That’s around the spice of a Cuban pepper, but less than a poblano. While each sample contained the same levels of capsaicin and dihydrocapsaicin, participants reported a significantly wide range of perceived heat across the 10 peppers. Their hot takes (sorry) implied more than just the capsaicinoids were at play. Researchers then ran multiple more chemical composition analyses including nuclear magnetic resonance imaging to ultimately pinpoint another five naturally occurring compounds suspected of influencing each pepper’s perceived spice level. The team next asked another group of taste testers to judge whether those compounds altered capsaicin and dihydrocapsaicin pungency, either on their own or in combination with one another. Scientists ultimately determined that while three of those compounds—capsianoside I, roseoside, and gingerglycolipid A—reduced intensity, they didn’t do so in combination with one another. Notably, none of them also offered a discernible flavor when mixed into water. According to study corresponding author Devin Peterson, these newly identified compounds can serve as key additives to fine-tune everyday cuisine. “These advancements could enable the customization of desirable spicy flavor profiles or lead to the creation of a household ingredient designed to tone down excessive heat in dishes—the anti-spice,” Peterson said in an accompanying statement. The possibilities extend far beyond the kitchen. Aside from food customization, pharmaceutical designers may soon turn to capsianoside I, roseoside, and gingerglycolipid A while creating new medications and treatments. Peterson suggests “significant medical potential” could come by leveraging these compounds’ ability to reduce perceived discomfort into novel non-opioid analgesic agents for managing pain In the meantime, the new study serves as a good reminder to always take Scoville levels with a grain of salt—not that sodium would help ease unintended pepper pains, of course.

Birds Are Dying Mysterious, Violent Deaths in This Northern California Neighborhood—and No One Can Explain Why Residents of Richmond, a city in the Bay Area, say they have watched dozens of birds drop dead in recent months Mourning doves, European starlings, crows and other common backyard species have been found dead on a residential street in Richmond, California, in recent months. Pixabay Residents of a Northern California neighborhood are growing increasingly concerned about a string of mysterious—and often violent—bird deaths that seem to have no obvious explanation. In recent months, at least 50 birds have died along a residential street in Richmond, a city on the east side of San Francisco Bay. The deaths all seem to follow a similar pattern: After a bird lands on a specific stretch of power line, residents hear a loud popping sound, akin to a firecracker, reports KGO-TV’s Dion Lim. Then, they see the creature’s body fall to the pavement. A doorbell camera captured one of the strange fatalities on video, too. The inexplicable incidents have killed mourning doves, European starlings, crows and other common backyard species. “It’s pretty freaky and disturbing and very sad,” says Mark Hoehner, a 64-year-old marketing designer who lives in the neighborhood, to the San Francisco Chronicle’s Sarah Ravani. Officials with the Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E), which is responsible for the power lines in the neighborhood, say the birds are not being electrocuted and that they haven’t found any issues with the electrical equipment. Inspectors found the neighborhood’s power equipment to be “in good condition,” according to a statement from Tamar Sarkissian, a spokesperson for PG&E, as reported by the San Francisco Chronicle. “The pole at issue is compliant with avian safe guidance,” established by the Avian Power Line Interaction Committee, Sarkissian says in the statement. Birds dying at alarming rate in Bay Area neighborhood Watch on PG&E sent two bird bodies to the California Department of Fish and Wildlife for closer study. After conducting necropsies, department officials say they found no evidence that the birds had been electrocuted, per ABC News’ Bill Hutchinson. Instead, the birds’ injuries appear to have been caused by a pellet gun, BB gun or a slingshot. Photos of other dead birds found in the neighborhood also showed injuries consistent with trauma. The department also noted, however, that “the exact cause of the trauma to all of these birds could not be determined.” The idea that the birds are dropping dead from foul play doesn’t sit right with some residents. “I can’t fathom somebody could be that accurate all the time,” Jan Solomon tells KGO-TV. The California Department of Fish and Wildlife says its wildlife officers are continuing to investigate. John Gioia, an elected official who represents the city of Richmond on the Contra Costa Board of Supervisors, tells the San Francisco Chronicle his office also plans to send public works staffers to the neighborhood. “We just want it solved at the end of the day,” resident Maximilian Bolling tells KGO-TV. Get the latest stories in your inbox every weekday.

Eres tú For the first time, an Australian rocket will take aim at low-Earth orbit With its first launch, Gilmour Space is "looking for 10 to 20 seconds of stable flight." Stephen Clark – May 14, 2025 3:33 pm | 0 Gilmour's Eris rocket inside a hangar at the launch site in northeastern Australia. Credit: Gilmour Space Gilmour's Eris rocket inside a hangar at the launch site in northeastern Australia. Credit: Gilmour Space Story text Size Small Standard Large Width * Standard Wide Links Standard Orange * Subscribers only   Learn more Gilmour Space, a venture-backed startup based in Australia, is about to launch a small rocket from its privately owned spaceport on a remote stretch of the country's northeastern coastline. It's the first time anyone has attempted to reach orbit with a rocket designed and built in Australia. Gilmour's three-stage rocket, named Eris, could launch at any time during a 10-hour window Thursday, local time. In the United States, the launch window runs from 5:30 pm EDT Wednesday until 3:30 am EDT Thursday. The debut launch of Gilmour's Eris rocket is purely a test flight. Gilmour has tested the rocket's engines and rehearsed the countdown last year, loading propellant and getting within 10 seconds of launch. But Gilmour cautioned in a post on LinkedIn early Wednesday that "test launches are complex." Gilmour added on social media that "weather, systems checks, or technical issues may delay the flight—sometimes by hours, days, or longer." Gilmour, based in Gold Coast, Australia, was founded in 2012 by two brothers—Adam and James Gilmour—who came to the space industry after careers in banking and marketing. Today, Gilmour employs more than 200 people, mostly engineers and technicians. Most are recent engineering graduates in their 20s, along with a handful of space industry veterans with experience at companies like Rocket Lab, Firefly Aerospace, Avio, and Airbus. The company has raised approximately $90 million, primarily from venture capital firms, to get the first Eris rocket to the launch pad. The funding also paid for construction of Bowen Orbital Spaceport, Gilmour's launch site in the Australian state of Queensland. Apart from launch vehicles, Gilmour is working on its own satellite platform, which could launch on Eris or foreign rockets. Looking for stable flight But Eris is the core of Gilmour's business. Built to haul small satellites to orbit, the rocket stands 82 feet (25 meters) tall and has an unusual design for a modern launcher, with three stages, each powered by hybrid engines burning a proprietary solid fuel mixed with a liquid oxidizer. Hybrid engines are an unconventional choice. They have a low thrust density, meaning they produce less thrust per unit area of the engine's nozzle. Effectively, hybrid engines produce relatively little thrust for their size. Hybrid rocket engines also burn fuel more slowly than traditional solid- or liquid-fueled rockets, making it difficult to reach high thrust levels. Gilmour's Eris rocket stands on its launch pad in Queensland, Australia. Credit: Gilmour Space There are some advantages to hybrid engines. They are less complex (and probably cheaper) than a liquid-fueled rocket engine, and unlike a solid rocket motor, hybrid engines can be throttled or turned off in the event of a problem. For these reasons, Virgin Galactic's commercial suborbital rocket plane uses a hybrid engine burning a rubber-based solid fuel and liquid nitrous oxide. Gilmour's rocket uses hydrogen peroxide for an oxidizer. The company hasn't released details about the rocket's solid fuel, citing proprietary reasons. Four of Gilmour's Sirius engines power the first stage of the Eris rocket, collectively generating more than 100,000 pounds of thrust. A single Sirius engine is mounted on the second stage, and Eris' third stage is driven by a smaller liquid-fueled engine named Phoenix, also designed by Gilmour Space. Like many launch startups, Gilmour is setting modest expectations for the inaugural flight of Eris. The first time Gilmour will ignite four of its Sirius engines at the same time will be in the final moments before liftoff. "Eris is a first-of-its-kind rocket," Gilmour wrote on social media. "While it’s capable of reaching orbit, that’s not the expectation this time. (For context: SpaceX made orbit on its fourth try.) This mission is all about gathering critical data to improve future flights." Michelle Gilmour, the company's head of marketing and communications, told Ars the first milestone of the test flight "would simply be getting off the pad. Then, we’d be looking for 10 to 20 seconds of stable flight." A “manageable” drop zone If the rocket makes it that far, it will clear the coastline and head northeast, soaring over the Great Barrier Reef and the Coral Sea. This flight path raised concerns about environmental impacts to the Great Barrier Reef, but the government of Queensland determined the environmental risk "would likely be manageable" with drop zones for the first and second stages of the rocket outside the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area. The Eris rocket will fly northeast from Bowen Orbital Spaceport over the Great Barrier Reef. Credit: Queensland Government Australia's government approved a launch facility license for Gilmour Space in April of last year, and the Australian Space Agency granted a launch permit for the first flight of the Eris rocket in November. Australia's Civil Aviation Safety Authority gave Gilmour airspace approval in February. But then, Gilmour encountered more regulatory issues as a tropical cyclone churned off the coast of the launch site. The regulatory and weather delays abated, and the Australian Space Agency issued its final approval for Gilmour's launch last week. This is all uncharted territory for not just Gilmour, but also Australia's government. Australia hosted a handful of satellite launches with US and British rockets from 1967 through 1971, but Gilmour's Eris is the first all-Australian launch vehicle designed for orbital flight. The Eris rocket is capable of delivering about 670 pounds (305 kilograms) of mass into low-Earth orbit, a payload capacity roughly equivalent to Rocket Lab's Electron launch vehicle, which flies from New Zealand, home of the world's only other operational commercial spaceport in the Southern Hemisphere. A perfect flight for the Eris rocket would see it reach an orbit around 120 miles (200 kilometers) high at an inclination of 33 degrees to the equator, according to Gilmour. Just in case, the company has placed a jar of Vegemite, a popular food spread in Australia, on Eris' third stage in a tongue-in-cheek nod to Aussie culture. Stephen Clark Space Reporter Stephen Clark Space Reporter Stephen Clark is a space reporter at Ars Technica, covering private space companies and the world’s space agencies. Stephen writes about the nexus of technology, science, policy, and business on and off the planet. 0 Comments

This self-generated project came about after the ad agency’s joint managing partner Hannah Penn was diagnosed with skin cancer, which she has since recovered from. Penn became determined to raise awareness of the dangers of UV, particularly in the construction industry. In the UK, construction workers comprise 8% of the workforce, but account for 44% of occupational melanoma skin cancer deaths, according to research published by the National Library of Medicine. However, unlike most cancers, skin cancer is preventable. “So with the right interventions and awareness, we can save hundreds if not thousands of lives,” says Penn. According to Statista, there are 2.14m people employed in the construction sector in the UK. Construction workers account for 44% of occupational melanoma skin cancer deaths in the UK The agency started to explore ways of communicating this. Posters weren’t going to work for workers up on a roof, says Dan Norris, who joined Pablo London along with Ray Shaughnessy as joint managing creative directors 18 months ago. Instead, the team developed the idea of making the mandatory safety vest responsive to UV (ultraviolet) radiation, so that it would warn the wearer when UV levels got dangerously high. Early ideas included applying UV stickers that change colour, but their quality deteriorates quickly. LEDs lights were also considered, but they are heavy and would need to be recharged. The change in colour alerts the wearer and fellow workers to apply sunscreen and take precautions Pablo London’s then hit upon the idea of a logo made of wearable tech. The jackets’ breast pocket have a silicon logo filled with a long-lasting UV-sensitive material. As the sun’s UV level intensifies, the logo changes from white to pink to red, alerting the wearer and fellow workers to apply sunscreen and take precautions. This tech needed a brand that would engage the target audience. Young builders are into grooming and looking after themselves, says Norris. “The big problem is awareness, if you talk about it, what are you asking them to do?” “We deliberately communicated everything towards the construction industry,” says Shaughnessy. “At the heart of it, is the idea that you are deserving of this level of protection.” Pablo London came up with UV-U-SEE, an initials-heavy name which informed the tone of the communications. Stylistically, the brand sits between the iconography of safety signage typically found on a building site, and a cool, design-conscious brand, says Norris. “The look also borrows from the world of 1960s trademarks.” “If it’s too much in a health space it feels like a real turn-off,” Shaughnessy says. The branding draws inspiration from the world of 1960s trademarks The logo design captures the simple idea of making the unseen, seen, Norris says. “Drawing on the graphic language of informative symbols, the design uses a triangle warning shape and a simple inverse masking effect to reveal something hidden in the sun’s rays,” he adds. Pablo London designer, Rodrigo Castellari, worked on the visuals. The idea of making the invisible visible is articulated on the website as the utilitarian symbols disappear to be replaced by letters and words. The symbols were designed in-house from a Helvetica base. The Higher-Vis vests can be bought with bespoke logos through the UV-U-SEE website. Also on sale is UV-U-SEE branded sunscreen dispensers and sunscreen made by LifeJacket, which produces high-performance non-greasy sunscreen for the army. The brand is supported by The National Federation of Builders and Considerate Constructors Scheme. But Penn’s vision is for it to have a life beyond the construction industry, suggesting it could even be applied to prams or children’s hats. While this is not intended as a money-making scheme for Pablo London, it has a value for the agency. “When we talk to our paying clients we can show them there’s more ways to solve a problem that to write an ad,” Norris says. The brand is supported by The National Federation of Builders and Considerate Constructors Scheme Branded sunscreen dispenser designed to be available on a construction site

By Matt Novak Published May 14, 2025 | Comments (0) | A Sherman Tank crushes a Tesla with the license plate "FASCISM" in a YouTube video. Screenshot: YouTube / Led by Donkeys Tesla CEO Elon Musk gave two Nazi-style salutes the day President Donald Trump was inaugurated back in January, giving the public explicit confirmation of what everyone knew already. The billionaire oligarch was aligning himself with some of the most evil people in history. And a new viral video sends a hopeful message about who will ultimately land on top. Ken Turner, a 98-year-old veteran of World War II, is featured in a new video showing exactly what he thinks of fascism. Turner served in the British Army and the video shows this hero rolling a Sherman tank over a Tesla. “I’m old enough to have seen fascism the first time around, now it’s coming back,” Turner says in the video while sitting in the U.S.-made tank. “Elon Musk, the richest man in the world, is using his immense power to support the far right in Europe and his money comes from Tesla cars,” Turner continued. “Well, I’ve got this message for Mr. Musk: We’ve crushed fascism before, and we’ll crush it again.” The video, which was created by a British political group Led By Donkeys, is available on Bluesky and YouTube. The Tesla Model 3 has a license plate that reads “fascism” and gets absolutely crushed by the tank. It’s pretty satisfying to watch. Hilariously, defenders of Musk and his companies seem to think the video demonstrates something positive for Tesla. Teslarati, a pro-Tesla blog, wrote that the video is actually good for Tesla. The website seems to think it demonstrates just how durable the vehicle is. “As could be seen from the wreckage of the Tesla Model 3 after its Sherman encounter, only the glass roof and windows of the all-electric sedan were crushed,” Teslarati wrote. “Looking at the wreckage of the Model 3, it seemed like its doors could still be opened, and everything on its lower section looked intact.” You’ll notice the website only focused on the durability of the Tesla without acknowledging Musk’s embrace of fascism. Because the billionaire oligarch not only spent a quarter of a billion dollars to help get Trump elected, he’s currently dismantling the government in the most corrupt power-grab of the modern era. And it’s really hard to deny that Musk is a far-right extremist. Musk actually would eventually deny he was doing a Nazi salute on Jan. 20. But it was much, much later, coming only after he kept making Nazi jokes and embracing the attention he was getting online for his salutes. But we all knew what we saw. The billionaire told podcaster Joe Rogan he was making a gesture meant to communicate, “My heart goes out to you.” But there’s no universe in which any reasonable person looks at the gesture Musk made and believes he was expressing love. That’s the look of a man determined to make a fascist salute. Elon Musk appears to give one of two Nazi salutes on Jan. 20, 2025. © Photo by ANGELA WEISS/AFP via Getty Images In fact, Musk didn’t do just one salute, which may have given him more plausible deniability. This guy did two Nazi-style salutes on that stage. As you can see by the expressions of the people behind him, everyone knew what was happening. And they loved it. © Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images Even before Musk made his salutes, many politically middle-of-the-road people who had to serve under Trump understood what the MAGA movement stood for. Former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs, Gen. Mark Milley, was extremely worried about the possibility of Trump attempting a coup after he lost the 2020 election. Milley was correct, and Trump tried a self-coup on Jan. 6, 2021, when he instructed a mob to descend on the U.S. Capitol. After Jan. 6, Milley held drills with top military and law enforcement officials in preparation for Joe Biden’s inauguration. It was their job to protect Washington D.C. if they tried it again. “Here’s the deal, guys: These guys are Nazis, they’re boogaloo boys, they’re Proud Boys. These are the same people we fought in World War II. We’re going to put a ring of steel around this city and the Nazis aren’t getting in,” Milley was quoted as saying by CNN. Trump would later call for Milley to be executed for treason. Most Americans hate what Musk is doing, and Tesla’s profits have plunged 71%, all because the world can see what he’s doing to advance the cause of fascism. And we can take at least one World War II vet’s word that all of this needs to be crushed immediately. Elon Musk is a fascist. He’s spent hundreds of millions of dollars to further the MAGA cause, and he’s currently in the Middle East as an unelected representative of the U.S. government, getting lucrative deals with the leverage of a corrupt oligarch. None of this stops without Musk getting stripped of his power. And while the billionaire keeps saying he’ll leave government eventually, we’ll believe it when we actually see it (like we saw his salutes). Daily Newsletter You May Also Like By Lucas Ropek Published May 13, 2025 By AJ Dellinger Published May 13, 2025 By Matt Novak Published May 13, 2025 By Ed Cara Published May 13, 2025 Laura Newcombe Published May 12, 2025 By AJ Dellinger Published May 8, 2025

Square Enix has finally given up on its Pokémon GO-style mobile spin-off of Kingdom Hearts. The Final Fantasy publisher announced on Wednesday that it was cancelling Kingdom Hearts Missing-Link, which began development back in 2019, because it didn’t think it could deliver on the live-service experience over the long haul. The change of heart comes as Square Enix commits to releasing fewer but better games. Suggested ReadingI Didn’t Play Final Fantasy XVI ‘Right,’ And That’s OK Share SubtitlesOffEnglishview videoSuggested ReadingI Didn’t Play Final Fantasy XVI ‘Right,’ And That’s OK Share SubtitlesOffEnglishMissing-Link was supposed to be a GPS-based RPG that integrated the real world into the series’ familiar action combat and storytelling, and it was originally supposed to launch in 2024. “We wish to convey our heartfelt apologies to everyone who has been looking forward to the start of service,” the publisher wrote in an update. “Although we worked hard on developing and adjusting the game in the hope that it would be enjoyed by lots of players, we determined that it would be difficult for us to offer a service that players would find satisfactory over a long period of time, leading us to the decision to cancel development.” Square Enix confirmed it’s still all-in on Kingdom Hearts IV, but noted in its latest earnings briefing that it plans to be choosier about what it greenlights going forward. On the back of a $217 million drop in net sales last year despite the outsized success of Dragon Quest III HD-2D, the company revealed a three-year plan to “reboot and awaken” long-term growth. It includes “various initiatives to improve productivity by utilizing AI” as well as releasing fewer games. “Under the new management structure, we reviewed all projects at our domestic studios, including HD and SD titles, and decided to discontinue development of some titles and invest additional funds in titles that require refinement, thereby steadily implementing a strategy of selecting and concentrating development resources,” the company wrote in its presentation. It also wants to “establish a mid- to long-term pipeline to achieve a shift from quantity to quality.”Square Enix had recently been flooding the zone with a ton of games—Chocobo GP, Forspoken, Valkyrie Elysium, Foamstars, Visions of Mana—many of which either severely underperformed or just never quite hit. Under this new approach, it looks like the publisher is following in the footsteps of other big gaming companies and retreating into its biggest franchises. The Final Fantasy machine will continue with the final part of the Final Fantasy VII Remake trilogy, Final Fantasy XIV, and eventually Final Fantasy XVII. Alongside Kingdom Hearts IV, Dragon Quest XII also remains in development.It seems safe to expect that Square Enix will continue porting, remastering, or remaking other gems from its back catalog, and reportedly has a new version of cult favorite Final Fantasy Tactics in the works. But outside of its existing heavy hitters, it’s not clear where Square Enix will be pouring its resources next, and whether it still has any appetite for calculated but bold bets on new franchises. One new project might give us a clue. The publisher did reveal a partnership with Japan TV station TBS to “combine the experience and strengths they have cultivated in their respective fields to collaborate on the development of a completely new, original IP game for both domestic and international audiences.” It’ll probably be years, though, before we see what that game ends up being. .

After years in development, beta tests, and delays, Square Enix has finally canceled the next Kingdom Hearts game, Kingdom Hearts Missing Link. The development team behind Missing Link announced the game’s cancellation on the official Kingdom Hearts website.“Although we worked hard on developing and adjusting the game in the hope that it would be enjoyed by lots of players, we determined that it would be difficult for us to offer a service that players would find satisfactory over a long period of time, leading us to the decision to cancel development,” the team said in a statement.On a slightly more positive note, Square Enix said it is “hard at work” on Kingdom Hearts 4, which will continue Sora, Donald, and Goofy’s adventures in a new story arc.Here’s the developer’s full statement on Kingdom Hearts Missing Link’s cancellation:We have made the decision to cancel the development of KINGDOM HEARTS Missing-Link.We wish to convey our heartfelt apologies to everyone who has been looking forward to the start of service.Although we worked hard on developing and adjusting the game in the hope that it would be enjoyed by lots of players, we determined that it would be difficult for us to offer a service that players would find satisfactory over a long period of time, leading us to the decision to cancel development.We would like to take this opportunity to express our thanks to everyone who gave us their support and assistance with the multiple closed beta tests. We are truly sorry to have to make this announcement.The KINGDOM HEARTS series will continue. We are hard at work on KINGDOM HEARTS IV, and hope you’ll continue to support the series as you keep an eye out for further updates.Kingdom Hearts Missing Link was announced in 2022 alongside Kingdom Hearts 4. Missing Link was in development for Android and iOS devices, and was subject to multiple closed beta test since 2022. Square Enix last updated Kingdom Hearts fans’ on Missing Link’s fate in November 2024, when the publisher announced it has “made the difficult decision to delay the release” — which was originally intended for 2025.It’s unclear what, exactly, Square Enix couldn’t pull off with Missing Link, but the prospect of creating a compelling, sustainable, and profitable live-service mobile game in a crowded and entrenched market is daunting. Square Enix has also signaled it will “pursue a shift from quantity to quality” philosophy and “a regular launch cadence, focusing its development efforts and investments on titles with substantial potential to be loved by customers for years.” Apparently, Missing Link did not meet that bar.Square Enix hasn’t said much about how Missing Link tied into the overall Kingdom Hearts saga. But Square Enix has turned previous stories told through browser and mobile games into animated shorts and movies. Kingdom Hearts HD 2.8 Final Chapter Prologue, for example, included the 60-minute movie Kingdom Hearts χ Back Cover that recounted and added to story elements from Kingdom Hearts χ.See More:

Kingdom Hearts 4 gets new update as Square Enix cancels spin-off Adam Starkey Published May 14, 2025 12:52pm Updated May 14, 2025 1:36pm A kingdom far, far away (Square Enix) Square Enix has canned a previously announced Kingdom Hearts spin-off, as it looks to ‘reboot’ its business. It’s been over three years since Disney crossover Kingdom Hearts 4 was revealed, in April 2022, and we haven’t seen or heard anything about the sequel since. Square Enix also announced a mobile spin-off entitled Kingdom Hearts Missing-Link during the same 20th anniversary video. The GPS-based action role-playing game received a closed ‘prototype test’ in January 2023 and was originally supposed to come out in 2024, but it was delayed. Now, Square Enix has announced Kingdom Hearts: Missing-Link has been cancelled entirely, which is surprising as its story was supposed to lead into Kingdom Hearts 4. ‘We wish to convey our heartfelt apologies to everyone who has been looking forward to the start of service,’ an announcement post reads. ‘Although we worked hard on developing and adjusting the game in the hope that it would be enjoyed by lots of players, we determined that it would be difficult for us to offer a service that players would find satisfactory over a long period of time, leading us to the decision to cancel development. ‘We would like to take this opportunity to express our thanks to everyone who gave us their support and assistance with the multiple closed beta tests. We are truly sorry to have to make this announcement.’ To sweeten the bad news, Square Enix provided an update on Kingdom Hearts 4, perhaps to reassure fans that it does still exist. ‘The Kingdom Hearts series will continue,’ the post adds. ‘We are hard at work on Kingdom Hearts 4, and hope you’ll continue to support the series as you keep an eye out for further updates.’ While it’s unclear why we haven’t seen anything from Kingdom Hearts 4 for so long, Square Enix has undergone a major overhaul to its business over the past year. Lower than expected sales for Final Fantasy 16 and Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth caused a shift in strategy at the company, towards a more selective, higher-quality approach, resulting in many cancelled projects. Kingdom Hearts Missing-Link appears to be another casualty of this pivot, but it is an interesting decision considering the spin-off was set to have ties to Kingdom Hearts 4’s narrative. In an interview with Game Informer from 2022, series director Tetsuya Nomura described Missing-Link as being ‘connected in many ways’ to the next mainline entry. In its latest financial results, Square Enix emphasised its intention to ‘reboot and awaken’ its business by promoting ‘multi-platform strategies’ and ‘rebuilding the domestic studios portfolio’, among other plans. ‘Under the new management structure, we reviewed all projects at our domestic studios, including HDG and SD titles, and decided to discontinue development of some titles and invest additional funds in titles that require refinement, thereby steadily implementing a strategy of selecting and concentrating development resources,’ reads the business plan. ‘We will continue to control the scale of development investment in a disciplined manner.’ More Trending As part of this three-year plan, Square Enix states its aim to ‘shift from quantity to quality’, with the intention of releasing ‘major titles mainly in key IP steadily’ after 2027. Square Enix has several games planned for the Switch 2, including Bravely Default Flying Fairy HD Remaster and Final Fantasy 7 Remake Intergrade. Elsewhere in the plan, Square Enix announced it is working on a video game with TBS Television, the Tokyo-based network which is known for producing shows like Takeshi’s Castle and Ninja Warrior. While it’s unclear when we could get another glimpse at Kingdom Hearts 4, the next likely candidate is Summer Game Fest on June 6, 2025. The Missing-Link is now lost forever (Square Enix) Email gamecentral@metro.co.uk, leave a comment below, follow us on Twitter, and sign-up to our newsletter. To submit Inbox letters and Reader’s Features more easily, without the need to send an email, just use our Submit Stuff page here. For more stories like this, check our Gaming page. GameCentral Sign up for exclusive analysis, latest releases, and bonus community content. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. Your information will be used in line with our Privacy Policy