Commuters in the New York City and New Jersey area are in for what is likely to be a weekend of increased congestion and more limited transit options after the engineers who run the New Jersey Transit rail system voted to go on strike. That strike is now in effect and could continue throughout the weekend—and potentially even longer. Here’s what you need to know about the NJ Transit strike. What’s happened? On Thursday, the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen (BLET) announced that its members who run the trains in the New Jersey Transit Corporation, better known as NJ Transit, were officially on strike. The strike came after the BLET and NJ Transit failed to reach a deal on a new contract for the approximately 450 engineers and trainees who run the railway and are represented by the union. The main issue centers around a disagreement on wage increases for the workers. News of the strike is no doubt a disappointment to the 100,000 NYC and NJ commuters who use the line daily, especially after both sides were reportedly “close” to a deal. Talks between both sides went on for 15 hours on Thursday and ended shortly before 10 p.m., reports CNN. The strike then officially began at 12:01 a.m., today, Friday, May 16. It is the first time union members working for New Jersey Transit have gone on strike in 42 years. The last time NJ Transit workers took to the picket lines was in 1983. What do the striking rail workers want? The BLET’s union members are striking because no acceptable deal was reached on wage increases for its members. In a notice announcing the strike, BLET says that its NJ Transit members have not received a raise for five years. The union also notes that NJ Transit engineers “make at least $10 less per hour” than the engineers for other passenger railroads that share the same train platforms as the ones used by NJ Transit. “NJ Transit has a half-billion dollars for a swanky new headquarters and $53 million for decorating the interior of that unnecessary building,” BLET National President Mark Wallace said in a prepared statement. “They gave away $20 million in revenue during a fare holiday last year. They have money for penthouse views and pet projects, just not for their front-line workers. Enough is enough. We will stay out until our members receive the fair pay that they deserve.” In addition to the strike now in effect, from 4 a.m. this morning BLET members began picketing at multiple locations, including NJ Transit’s Newark headquarters, New York’s Penn Station, and the Atlantic City Rail Terminal in Atlantic City. The union says that “despite the transit agency having the funds for a raise,” NJ Transit managers walked out of talks before 10 p.m. on Thursday. What does NJ Transit say? NJ Transit, for its part, has posted a fact sheet about the strike, which lays out six claims and what the transit agency says are the “facts” about the claims. NJ Transit says that it offered BLET members a “competitive wage and benefits package that all 14 other rail labor unions accepted in 2021.” It also says that under its offer, NJ Transit locomotive engineers would have seen their average total earnings rise from $135,000 per year now to $172,856 as of July 1, 2027.  The transit agency says these wages are “competitive within the region” and higher than the wages Philadelphia’s SEPTA workers receive. It concedes that the wages are lower than those received by MTA (Metro-North Railroad and Long Island Rail Road) workers in New York, but it adds, “It isn’t reasonable to live and work in New Jersey, but demand to be paid like you live and work in New York.” How long could the strike last? That is impossible to tell at this point.  In theory, NJ Transit and BLET could agree to return to the negotiating table at any time—although that’s unlikely to happen today. However, on Thursday, NJ Transit CEO Kris Kolluri said that both sides are currently scheduled to start negotiating again on Sunday. But just because negotiations are scheduled—or even begin—doesn’t mean the strike will be called off anytime soon. Indeed, if BLET would call off the strike, it may lessen the pressure on NJ Transit to meet their demands. CNN notes that when Southeastern Pennsylvania Transit Authority (SEPTA) workers went on strike in the 1980s, the strike lasted for 108 days. A strike of Metro-North workers lasted 42 days, and a strike of Long Island Railroad workers lasted 11 days.  What should I do if I plan to use NJ Transit today? You should rethink your travel plans.  NJ Transit has posted a notice warning of the “complete suspension” of services on its rail lines. The agency says it “strongly encourages all those who can work from home to do so and limit traveling on the NJ TRANSIT system to essential purposes only.” However, if you do need to commute, the agency says that it is “adding very limited capacity” to existing New York commuter routes on its bus services. The agency also says that from May 19, its regional Park & Ride service “will operate on a first come, first served basis.” Commuters who need to use NJ transit during the strike are strongely encouraged to check out the agency’s rail strike information page here. What if I’m seeing the Shakira or Beyoncé concerts? From this weekend, there are also two large music events planned in the area that NJ Transit normally serves. The first is the Shakira concert at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, which begins at 7:30 p.m. tonight, May 16. Then, Beyoncé is scheduled to perform at the same stadium for five nights between May 22 and May 29. MetLife Stadium has posted some travel options for concertgoers who are seeing the Shakira show tonight. The stadium points out that there will be no NJ Transit bus or rail service to the stadium tonight. It says that those coming to the concert from New York City may be able to use the Coach USA bus service, which it says will be “limited.” The venue also asks people who plan to arrive by car to please carpool and arrive early to help ease congestion. Will Congress step in? When it comes to transportation strikes, Congress does have the authority to act and compel workers to accept a deal and return to their jobs, notes CNN. The last time Congress did this was in December 2022 when it voted to force workers from the country’s four major freight railroads to accept a deal. However, CNN points out that Congress likely felt more compelled to step in at that time because the strike affected most of the country. The NJ Transit strike is a local affair, which means Congress may be more reluctant to interfere.

This article contains spoilers for Hacks season 4 episode 7. Hollywood changes people. But rarely has the glitz and glamor of Tinseltown changed somebody more quickly than Dance Mom on Hacks. In the fourth episode of the fourth season of this beloved comedy on HBO Max (Hey, we get to call it “HBO Max” again!), Julianne Nicholson’s unnamed character is introduced as a humble, middle-aged TikTok content creator from rural Alberta who just wants to dance…hence: Dance Mom. Recognizing that Deborah Vance’s (Jean Smart) late night show has a female demographic problem, her co-manager Kayla Schaeffer (Megan Stalter) identifies Dance Mom as a potential solution. Dance Mom might as well have been constructed in an Ellen DeGeneres laboratory to appeal to middle America. Her humble Canadian origins and inoffensive personality shine through in her first meeting with Jimmy LaSaque (Paul W. Downs) and Kayla as they show her around some major Los Angeles landmarks like Rodeo Drive, Sunset Boulevard, and, of course, the Ripley’s Believe It or Not on Hollywood Boulevard. “I feel like the Beverly Hills Chihuahua!” Dance Mom exclaims as she takes in all the beautiful people wearing makeup in the daytime. This is only her second time in the States, with the first being a trip to the Heinz (as in Ketchup) History Center in Pittsburgh as a child. It takes some convincing but Dance Mom agrees to try out for Deborah’s show. She’s then invited on to perform that same day after Deborah and lead writer Ava Daniels (Hannah Einbinder) alienate the studio audience with an argument. Thankfully, Dance Mom’s wholesome routine wins the audience back and she becomes a mainstay for the show, counterbalancing Deborah’s caustic sense of humor with a cheerful smile. Two episodes later Dance Mom is living in Adam Levine’s 12-bedroom mansion; has blown through $1 million in 48 hours on cars, clothes, and whippets; and has lost a crucial Old Navy brand ambassadorship. Oh, and she doesn’t have any kids by the way. The rapid rise and fall of Dance Mom represents the kind of fun a long-running comedy can have when it’s firing on all cylinders. Through three (very heavily-awarded and acclaimed) seasons, Hacks has its most important dynamic down pat. The creative push and pull between platonic soulmates Deborah Vance and Ava Daniels give Hacks all the energy it needs to drive multiple seasons of comedic storytelling. With the time it has left over for B-plots and C-plots, the show can afford to get experimental. While a less confident series might have spread the dancing Albertan’s degeneracy across a whole season, Hacks maximizes its impact with a two-episode whip cut. One day Dance Mom is respectfully declining sparkling water (“Not for me, too spicy”), the next day she’s yeeting a spent “Astro Gas” canister while yelling “Steve Nash!,” which is obviously the Canadian version of “Kobe!”* *It must be pointed out that someone on the Hacks writing staff really knows ball. Of course, the saga of Dance Mom wouldn’t hit quite as hard without the right performance. Thanks to Julianne Nicholson, series showrunners Lucia Aniello, Paul W. Downs, Jen Statsky have found exactly that. Even before Hacks gave her the opportunity to lounge around Adam Levine’s place, Nicholson has been having a hell of a year. Hulu subscribers may recognize her Samantha “Sinatra” Redmond, the creative lynchpin of sci-fi/thriller Paradise. Before that, the Massachusetts-born actress won an Emmy for playing beleaguered mother Lori Ross in Mare of Easttown. As evidenced by her most notable characters’ hyper-regional specificity (Delaware County, Alberta, and a post-apocalyptic underground bunker), Nicholson is a versatile performer. Through many of her roles though, she brings a similar sense of impishness. Lori Ross, Sinatra, and Dance Mom all possess a child-like sense of frustration and disappointment to varying degrees, as though they woke up one day in adult bodies without their consent. In that way, Nicholson brings a welcome Carrie Coon vibe to the table. And anyone who knows anything about Den of Geek knows we don’t make that comparison lightly. Join our mailing list Get the best of Den of Geek delivered right to your inbox! Nicholson brings not only an offbeat gravitas to the role but a sense of pure joy at being able to cut loose. With only three episodes left to go in Hacks season 4, it remains to be seen how much further Dance Mom can fall. If this is it, however, one can’t say that Dance Mom didn’t go out her way: by doing a lot of drugs and dancing…but mostly the drugs. New episodes of Hacks season 4 premiere Thursdays at 9 p.m. ET on (soon-to-be HBO) Max, culminating with the finale on May 29.

Who do you think is the best publisher? (Capcom) The Friday letters page tries to work out what’s been going on with Nintendo Switch 2 pre-orders this week, as one reader gives up on the Xbox format. To join in with the discussions yourself email gamecentral@metro.co.uk East vs. West I agree with the reader yesterday, who said that Capcom, and other similar companies, improve their reputation simply by putting out good games and not being anti-consumer, whether you’re interested in a particular title or not. I also agree that failure of Western publishers to earn that sort of popularity is why no one is loyal to them.So that got me thinking: who is the best third party publisher at the moment, i.e. not Nintendo, Sony, or Microsoft? I’d say it probably is Capcom, but there’s a lot of Japanese publishers that are doing good work at the moment, where I’m automatically interested in almost anything they do. But what about Western companies? It’s not EA or Activision or Ubisoft, I’m sure most people would agree. Or Warner Bros. or Take-Two, who have barely released anything in years. Bethesda’s track record is very bumpy and the who else even is there anymore? No wonder people think first party games are so important.Dempsy Astronomically big It’s crazy to think that GTA 6 is big enough that even releasing a game next autumn is a risk. It’s like a black hole, creating a gravity well so deep that nothing can escape. I’d like to see Resident Evil 9 next year, but I understand Capcom not wanting to risk that. I think instead we’ll get a minor release, like the Resident Evil Zero remake, to keep things ticking along and that’s it.I think the situation is going to be mirrored to a degree by the Switch 2, which is going to have a big launch this summer but then still be the hottest thing this Christmas. Nintendo must be over the moon about the GTA 6 delay, but I have to agree with recent letters that their post-launch line-up is not very exciting, and I’m surprised at that, given how long they’ve had to get ready.Danson Final Edition Is there a chance in the future, providing the manufacturers don’t stop adding discs, the companies will sell game of the year editions on disc? By this I mean a fully patched and finalised game can be bought from Xbox or PlayStation stores and sent to your house for you to keep and display. Companies like Limited Run and PlayAsia do something like this and it seems popular.It would be a middle ground of giving more options and providing sales maybe a year after release. Every time I look at Limited Run they’ve sold out.Bobwallett GC: It sort of happens sometimes, with things like The Last Of Us compilation, but you’re right in suggesting that places like Limited Run are the only ones likely to do it on a regular basis. But even then we don’t think they guarantee that downloads are not necessary. Email your comments to: gamecentral@metro.co.uk Bad timing I downloaded Nine Sols on Game Pass, as I like the games it was said to be a mix of: Hollow Knight and Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice. The combat is centred around parrying.It’s been rough though. I’m just not that great at parrying in games and that’s why l found Sekiro the most difficult FromSoftware game to get to grips with. The Soulsborne games difficulty are less about reaction skills and about harsh punishment on death and a lack of handholding. Although I’m rubbish, I think I’ll persist. Everything about the game is very intriguing and high quality so far, I’m surprised it seems to have been largely overlooked. Also, like any parry-based combat, when you nail it it’s very satisfying.Simundo GC: It’s probably the game we most regret not reviewing in the last few years, as we’re big fans of Red Candle Games. We still haven’t played it, as both its release dates were at very inconvenient times. Correct opinion I’ve been going through the Mass Effect trilogy and have just finished 2. That last mission is one of the best last levels in any game, in my opinion. Pure action and I just didn’t know who was going to die and thankfully the teammates I wasn’t fond off all got killed and I kept the ones I like alive (Garrus, Miranda, and Mordin). Great end to a great game.I know it was a disappointment at the time, but I’m looking forward to going through 3 again and giving it another go. I remember at the time the ending didn’t bother me too much, but I’ll see how I feel about it this time!Simon PS: I managed to get the entire regular crew of the Normandy killed, so that wasn’t quite so good! A new crew awaits in 3…Calling it a day I have been meaning to write with a list of things that annoyed me with Xbox over the years, none of them were deal breakers until the Xbox One.The massive original controller for the original Xbox. Why? The enormous external power supply things. Something else to gather dust. The introduction of avatars during the Xbox 360 era. We know why, but why? My Xbox One turning itself on and staying on. This was the nail in the coffin for Xbox and me. Forza Motorsport (not Horizon), when racing in first person view, especially when racing against American cars, the car in front used to take up too much of the screen. It was like racing in the slipstream of a garage door, not a racing car. It lacked graphical and physical finesse. This last one was when I gave up on Forza Horizon 4. I used to drive to and from work every day, some of the journeys were quite arduous and stressful. Later in the evening when I got a chance to play Forza Horizon 4 I was forced to drive greater distances between races or to another garage find. I thought to myself, ‘Hang on, this isn’t fun. This is just adding to my daily commute.’ I think this was another case of games becoming larger than necessary. So that was that, I gave up on Forza Horizon and I gave up on Xbox. The fact is, I enjoyed the original Xbox, Project Gotham Racing, Jet Set Radio, and Splinter Cell. I used the Xbox 360 mostly for racing games, including Ridge Racer and Burnout, which I loved. But by the Xbox One the choice had worsened. I have bought and kept all the mainstream consoles and handhelds (and some of the less mainstream) since the SNES era and I still love gaming. But Xbox will probably fail to get my attention again. I have an extensive games backlog and Nintendo and PlayStation will probably continue to provide me with enough enjoyment for the rest of my days.Ed PS: it’s taken me a very long time to mention this, but the Xbox 360 controller got a lot of praise when it first came out, which was deserved, but did anyone else think that ergonomically it was very similar to the GameCube Wavebird? Button configuration very different obviously.Try it yourself Just thought I’d mention there is a good free demo on Xbox (maybe PlayStation 5 too?) for Star Wars Outlaws. I was very impressed.I will be getting the full game at some point.Johnny Alpha SD Currently playing: Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, Halo infinite, and Doom EternalGC: As we’ve said before, it’s really not a bad game. It’s not a great game either, certainly not compared to something like Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, but we do feel its reputation is unfairly earned. Rolling the dice I’ve been watching the pre-orders of the Switch 2 with interest. I ordered mine when they opened last month, however having bought every Nintendo console on day one since the N64 I have been burnt a few times with a lack of software support, early price cuts, and a shortened lifespan (Wii U and 3DS, I’m looking at you… although the 3DS turned out fine in the end).With these previous experiences I always find it a nervy time when Nintendo launch their latest; have I invested in a dud (Wii U) or will it be a resounding success and a great purchase (Switch 1 and Wii)? Only time will tell, however to me the Switch was the perfect console, and the Switch 2 seems to have refined this further. How can it be anything other than a colossal hit? Of course, in my eyes, all Nintendo consoles have been brilliant in their own right, with excellent first party games on each. Perhaps the spike in availability in the past few days has been to do with Nintendo redistributing North American stock following Trump’s tariffs, maybe it’s a lack of interest or it has plateaued, perhaps it’s too expensive for most families in these hard times or perhaps Nintendo have simply made more to meet demand. It has certainly been more readily available and easier to pre-order than I anticipated, a good thing as far as battling scalpers is concerned. But a part of me looks at the preorders every time a new Nintendo console is released and wonders…will this one get the support a Nintendo console deserves? I should really wait it out and see what happens, but I just cant resist a shiny new Nintendo console.Elliott GC: The stock issue has been puzzling the last few days, but originally the plan was that there would be enough to go around and there wouldn’t be any shortages. It may be that initially everything was diverted to the US, to get in before the tariffs, and now things are beginning to even out. Inbox also-rans Very are selling two Nintendo Switch 2 bundles as I’m writing this.DavidGC: Thank you. Very has had bundles available for the last two days. Which ones they are varies a lot, but they’ve never entirely run out of stock. Wow… just finished Act 1 in Clair Obscur: 33 Expedition… I’m not crying. A fly flew into my eye. What a game! Enjoying every moment, highly recommend if you haven’t picked it up just yet.Adam_Lion_23 (gamertag/PSN ID) More Trending Email your comments to: gamecentral@metro.co.uk The small printNew Inbox updates appear every weekday morning, with special Hot Topic Inboxes at the weekend. Readers’ letters are used on merit and may be edited for length and content. You can also submit your own 500 to 600-word Reader’s Feature at any time via email or our Submit Stuff page, which if used will be shown in the next available weekend slot. You can also leave your comments below and don’t forget to follow us on Twitter. Arrow MORE: Games Inbox: Is it weird to not like GTA games? 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

Warner Bros. Games has announced and released Mortal Kombat 1: Definitive Edition, which it described as "the most extensive version" of the gory fighting game. But for fans, the release of the Definitive Edition has sparked significant concern that NetherRealm has now moved on from the game, and that it won’t see any new DLC characters or significant content updates. The Mortal Kombat 1: Definitive Edition offers the main game packaged together with previously released downloadable content, including the Khaos Reigns story expansion, Kombat Pack 1, and Kombat Pack 2.The Definitive Edition also adds new character skins for Johnny Cage, Kitana, Scorpion, and Shao Khan “inspired” by the upcoming Mortal Kombat 2 film, the Mortal Kombat (2021) movie character skin for Sub-Zero; and the tournament themed character skin (outfit) for Liu Kang.PlayFor fans, The Definitive Edition feels like a line has been drawn under Mortal Kombat 1. While Warner Bros. is known for its definitive and ultimate editions, and indeed NetherRealm games tend to get them, this time there is a sense of finality to the release. And with no announcements forthcoming about a Kombat Pack 3 or anything else meaningful for Mortal Kombat 1, fans believe that March 2025's release of the T-1000 guest character will go down as the game's final content drop.If true, it’s a big disappointment for hardcore Mortal Kombat 1 fans, who had hoped for significantly longer term support for the game. Indeed, many are now pointing to a September 2024 tweet from NetherRealm development chief Ed Boon, who at the time moved to reassure fans already concerned that the studio had moved onto its next game by saying: “NetherRealm is still fully committed to supporting Mortal Kombat 1 for a long time to come.”"The game is done, it’s their way of saying ‘Goodbye! Come back the next year or two for another overly priced game bloated with guest characters!’ " said a clearly disgruntled redditor.“MK1 officially has a shorter content lifespan than the f***ing Texas Chainsaw Massacre game lmao,” said another.For context, in July 2021, NetherRealm announced it had started work on its next project (Mortal Kombat 1) and, as a result, there would be no further DLC for Mortal Kombat 11. That announcement came two years and three months after the release of the game. NetherRealm is yet to make a similar announcement for Mortal Kombat 1.Mortal Kombat 1 enjoyed something of a resurgence in January with the secret fight with Floyd, the pink ninja developer Ed Boon had been teasing for years. That sparked a fun community-wide effort that breathed new life into the game. But that was a rare bright spot for what has, overall, been a disappointing release for many core Mortal Kombat fans.T-1000 Terminator was the final DLC character added to Mortal Kombat 1 as part of the Khaos Reigns expansion, and follows playable fighters Cyrax, Sektor, Noob Saibot, Ghostface, and Conan the Barbarian. Fans have wondered for some time now whether developer NetherRealm plans a third set of DLC characters, or a Kombat Pack 3, amid questions about Mortal Kombat 1’s sales success.Parent company Warner Bros. Discovery has indicated, however, that it still believes in the Mortal Kombat franchise. In November, CEO David Zaslav said that on the games side of things, the company plans to double down on just four titles, one of which is Mortal Kombat.Most fans of the studio’s work expect it to release a third game in its DC fighting game franchise, Injustice, although neither NetherRealm nor Warner Bros. has yet to confirm that. The first game in the series, Injustice: Gods Among Us, launched in 2013, with its sequel, Injustice 2, coming out in 2017. NetherRealm released Mortal Kombat 11 in 2019 and for a time it seemed like the studio would alternate between Mortal Kombat and Injustice games, but it went on to release another Mortal Kombat, the soft reboot that is Mortal Kombat 1, in 2023 instead.In an interview with IGN in June 2023, Boon spoke in vague terms about this decision. "There were a number of factors, some of which I can talk about, some of which I probably shouldn't," Boon said.Two reasons Boon was willing to discuss were the unfortunate onset of the COVID-19 pandemic and the team's choice to switch to a newer version of the Unreal game engine (Mortal Kombat 11 runs on Unreal Engine 3, whereas Mortal Kombat 1 runs on Unreal Engine 4)."But we did go to a new graphics engine, Unreal," Boon said. "We really wanted to be careful with COVID and all that stuff and everybody staying safe. So there were a bunch of variables involved that eventually we realized, 'Okay, let's do another Mortal Kombat game and hopefully we'll get back to the Injustice games.' "Just to be sure, we wanted to confirm with him directly that the door was not closed on the Injustice franchise."Not at all," Boon answered.Mortal Kombat 1 has sold 5 million copies, with the franchise now up to 100 million. Mortal Kombat 11 became the best-selling game in the franchise by passing Mortal Kombat X's nearly 11 million units sold worldwide. By 2022, Mortal Kombat 11 had sold more than 15 million copies worldwide. Clearly, Mortal Kombat 1 has underperformed compared to previous games in the series.Wesley is the UK News Editor for IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can reach Wesley at wesley_yinpoole@ign.com or confidentially at wyp100@proton.me.

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Deal pricing and availability subject to change after time of publication.Finally, AI is being put to good use, without taking anyone's job (I think?). The Soundcore Rave 3S uses a unique AI feature to turn any regular song you play over Bluetooth into a karaoke track by digitally removing the vocals. I praised it highly in my review, and I've had a lot of fun making it a centerpiece at my parties this year. Right now, the speaker has gotten its first significant discount—you can pick one up for $299.99, $50 of the usual price. Soundcore Rave 3S Power: 200W, Features: AI Vocal Removal, Battery: 12H Playtime, Includes: 2 Wireless Microphones. $349.99 at Amazon Get Deal Get Deal $349.99 at Amazon If you've ever experienced that feeling of disappointment when looking for a specific karaoke song on YouTube and coming up empty-handed, this speaker is for you. It has happened to me plenty, mainly because my taste in music is fairly niche. If the songs you're searching for are easily found on YouTube and you'd prefer a smaller, more portable speaker, I recommend getting the Ikarao Shell S1 portable speaker instead.Otherwise, the Soundcore Rave 3S is pretty sweet. The AI vocal remover works well. You can trigger it by pressing a button on one of the two Bluetooth microphones or through the companion app. You can also choose the degree to which you want the vocals to be removed. The companion app is intuitive and useful and includes fun Vocal Enhancer features that change the sound of the mic (with options for neutral, warm, presence, and bright). The EQ options are also very detailed and change in real time. The battery will give you up to 12 hours of juice, so you can take the party outdoors (it's splashproof, with an IPX4 rating).

Sony to increase first party games output as PS5 sales continue to fall Adam Starkey Published May 14, 2025 10:54am Updated May 14, 2025 10:55am Is Ghost Of Yōtei the only big Sony game for Christmas? (Sony Interactive Entertainment) As Sony projects a decline in PlayStation 5 console sales over the next year, the company is hoping software will pick up the slack. Sony’s first-party line-up for the PlayStation 5 has been an increasing disappointment over the past five years, with standouts like Returnal and Astro Bot, but too few new releases and too many remasters and failed live service experiments. The lack of first-party games is reflected in the company’s financial report for the 2024 fiscal year (ending March 31, 2025). As outlined by Sony, first-party software sales dropped to 28.9 million in FY24, a 10.8 million decline from 2023’s 39.7 million. While overall game sales were up over last year, at 303.3 million, Sony is expecting an increase in both first and third-party software sales over the 2025 financial year – which seems to indicate it has some surprises up its sleeve. Sony is set to release Ghost of Yōtei and Death Stranding 2: On The Beach in 2025, and according to Sony’s definition of the term, the latter does count as first party even though it’s not made by one of their internal studios. There are also projects like Bungie’s Marathon and the Sony-published Lost Soul Aside, which are both slated for this year and also come under the definition of first party. While Sony will likely increase its first-party sales with these games alone, there’s a chance another unannounced project might be lined up for 2025. Earlier this year, rumours claimed a new God Of War game set in Greece is planned for 2025, but nothing has been officially announced yet. It’s also perfectly possible that other, current unguessed at, titles could be waiting in the wings. Despite these positive forecasts for software sales, Sony is less optimistic when it comes to hardware. The company is expecting PlayStation 5 sales to drop in the 2025 financial year, which isn’t exactly surprising as we’re over five years into the console’s life cycle (and the next 12 months no longer has GTA 6 as a potential boost). More Trending Over the 2024 fiscal year, PlayStation 5 hardware sales totalled 18.5 million, selling 2.8 million in the last quarter. This is a small drop from the previous year’s 20.8 million. This means total PlayStation 5 sales have hit 77.8 million, which is just 1.4 million units behind the PlayStation 4 at the same period in its life. However, whether that means it’ll end up with a similar lifetime total, of around 117 million (making it the fifth most successful console of all time), is hard to guess. We’ll likely have a better idea of Sony’s upcoming software slate over the next month, if not through a State Of Play presentation, then at Summer Game Fest on June 6, 2025. Death Stranding 2 launches next month (Sony Interactive Entertainment) 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

Last week, Nintendo predicted it would sell 15 million Switch 2 consoles in its current financial year. This would actually be a fantastic result — equalling Switch, and just about any console you care to mention — but analysts called the figure “conservative” and “on the low side.” That’s just how high the expectations for Switch 2 sales are. The consensus was that Nintendo’s conservative estimate was due to uncertainty around President Donald Trump’s tariffs, but in some unusually direct comments during an investor Q&A, Nintendo president Shuntaro Furukawa denied this was the case. Instead, he said it was the system’s high price that has made Nintendo cautious in its outlook. “Nintendo Switch 2 is priced relatively high compared to Nintendo Switch, so we recognize that there are corresponding challenges to early adoption,” Furukawa said. “We are taking steps like bundling software with the hardware to accelerate adoption in the first fiscal year, aiming to get off to the same start we did with Nintendo Switch.” Furukawa cautioned that investors shouldn’t get carried away over the extreme demand for Switch 2 pre-orders. Due to the system’s high price, he said that “even if there is momentum around the launch, we know it will not be easy to keep that momentum going over the long term through the holiday season and beyond.” Furukawa said that its production capacity for Switch 2 was “not a factor” in settings its forecast, and neither was the unstable economic situation. “The tariff situation in the U.S. or a possibility of a recession did not affectour sales volume forecast either,” he said. He went on to give Nintendo’s fullest statement yet in response to U.S. tariffs, saying that it was working on the assumption that the current tariff rates would persist for the rest of the financial year, which would result in “a negative impact of several tens of billions of yen at the profit level.” “Our basic policy is that for any country or region, if tariffs are imposed, we recognize them as a part of the cost and incorporate them into the price,” he said. “However, this year marks our first new dedicated video game system launch in eight years, so given our unique situation, our priority is to maintain the momentum of our platforms, which is extremely important for our dedicated video game platform business, and to rapidly expand the install base of our new hardware. Consequently, if the assumptions on tariffs change, we will consider what kind of price adjustments would be appropriate, taking into account various factors such as the market conditions.” To translate this from CEO-speak: Nintendo would usually slap the cost of tariffs onto the price of its hardware, but didn’t do so in this case because it wants to sell as many Switch 2s as possible. It’s not ruling out making pricing changes as the situation evolves (but it probably won’t). The whole Q&A is worth a read, just for the bizarre spectacle of a business leader patiently explaining and re-explaining to his insatiable investors why he thinks his new product is only going to be one of the fastest-selling consoles of all time, which is apparently a terrible disappointment to them. Capitalism!

Last week, Nintendo predicted it would sell 15 million Switch 2 consoles in its current financial year. This would actually be a fantastic result — equalling Switch, and just about any console you care to mention — but analysts called the figure “conservative” and “on the low side.” That’s just how high the expectations for Switch 2 sales are.The consensus was that Nintendo’s conservative estimate was due to uncertainty around President Donald Trump’s tariffs, but in some unusually direct comments during an investor Q&A, Nintendo president Shuntaro Furukawa denied this was the case. Instead, he said it was the system’s high price that has made Nintendo cautious in its outlook.“Nintendo Switch 2 is priced relatively high compared to Nintendo Switch, so we recognize that there are corresponding challenges to early adoption,” Furukawa said. “We are taking steps like bundling software with the hardware to accelerate adoption in the first fiscal year, aiming to get off to the same start we did with Nintendo Switch.”Furukawa cautioned that investors shouldn’t get carried away over the extreme demand for Switch 2 pre-orders. Due to the system’s high price, he said that “even if there is momentum around the launch, we know it will not be easy to keep that momentum going over the long term through the holiday season and beyond.”Furukawa said that its production capacity for Switch 2 was “not a factor” in settings its forecast, and neither was the unstable economic situation. “The tariff situation in the U.S. or a possibility of a recession did not affectour sales volume forecast either,” he said.He went on to give Nintendo’s fullest statement yet in response to U.S. tariffs, saying that it was working on the assumption that the current tariff rates would persist for the rest of the financial year, which would result in “a negative impact of several tens of billions of yen at the profit level.”“Our basic policy is that for any country or region, if tariffs are imposed, we recognize them as a part of the cost and incorporate them into the price,” he said. “However, this year marks our first new dedicated video game system launch in eight years, so given our unique situation, our priority is to maintain the momentum of our platforms, which is extremely important for our dedicated video game platform business, and to rapidly expand the install base of our new hardware. Consequently, if the assumptions on tariffs change, we will consider what kind of price adjustments would be appropriate, taking into account various factors such as the market conditions.”To translate this from CEO-speak: Nintendo would usually slap the cost of tariffs onto the price of its hardware, but didn’t do so in this case because it wants to sell as many Switch 2s as possible. It’s not ruling out making pricing changes as the situation evolves (but it probably won’t).The whole Q&A is worth a read, just for the bizarre spectacle of a business leader patiently explaining and re-explaining to his insatiable investors why he thinks his new product is only going to be one of the fastest-selling consoles of all time, which is apparently a terrible disappointment to them. Capitalism!See More:

Quitting both booze and dating apps has made Bella Falk happier. Bella Falk 2025-05-14T00:14:01Z Save Saved Read in app This story is available exclusively to Business Insider subscribers. Become an Insider and start reading now. Have an account? Drinking used to help Bella Falk, 46, get through bad dates. She decided to quit both booze and dating apps. She's happier making the most of what she has rather than worrying about what she doesn't. When my ex-partner moved out, among his parting words were: "You're amazing. You'll meet someone else in no time."But as anyone who's braved the world of dating apps will know, meeting someone you really like, who likes you back enough to show up reliably and not ghost you after a couple of months, is soul-crushingly hard. At least, it has been for me.Getting matches wasn't a problem, but surviving the tedious small talk without dying of boredom or the conversation fizzling out before we'd arranged to meet seemed next to impossible. But if by some miracle we did make it to an in-person date, what did we do? Of course, we went for a drink.Relying on a drink or twoGoing for a drink was the default first date. It's cheaper than a meal, quick, and low-pressure, and avoids the potential torture of enduring a three-course dinner with someone who turns out to be duller than a six-hour delay at an airport. I would grab a casual wine after work, and if there was no spark or the guy turned out to be 10 years older than his profile pictures (yes, this happened), I would make my excuses after a glass or two.Not only was drinking helpful, but it was often expected. While there is talk that the younger generation is less interested in alcohol, many of my peers still see teetotallers as boring and no fun, hardly the impression you want to give when you're just getting to know someone. First dates are hard. I relied on booze to make them easier. If there was no spark, wine made me chattier and able to fill the awkward silences. If the guy was a bit creepy, it made me brave enough to face the awkward goodbye and leave early. On the rare occasions when I did meet someone I fancied, having alcohol in my system gave me the courage I needed to flirt, instead of blushing and running away like a nervous teenager. The author relied on alcohol to make first dates easier. Bella Falk Ditching dating apps and boozeBut as years passed by, the whole routine became a Sisyphean cycle of hope and disappointment. I would wake up with a mild hangover and another story to amuse my coupled-up friends. I tried coffee dates, but the concept didn't really work in London, where I live. Many people live out of town, so it makes sense to grab a drink at the end of the working day. And I had no desire to do full hair and makeup and drag myself downtown on a Saturday.So, a year and a half ago, I quit. Not just the booze, but the dating apps too. As a travel writer and photographer, the author spends a lot of time abroad. Bella Falk Life is betterSearching for "The One" had become a full-time job. Hours of swiping and tedious chitchat, for it to either fizzle out or end in an excruciating evening wishing I was back home watching Netflix in my PJs. It was an emotional roller coaster, especially when I met someone I liked, allowed myself to get my hopes up, and then ended up dumped or ghosted.I realized it wasn't being single that made me miserable. It was the constant effort of trying not to be single. The apps were taking up so much of my time — I must have spent days of my life chatting to people I never even met. The number of words I'd typed into Bumble, I could have written a novel — and then at least I'd have had something to show for it all, apart from RSI in my thumbs.Without the apps and the booze, I'm sleeping better, I'm healthier, and most importantly, my mental health has improved. I haven't cried in over a year (it used to be a fairly regular occurrence — always caused by a man). When I think about downloading the apps again, I feel that sick dread in my stomach, usually only reserved for my triennial smear test.Now I focus on enjoying life and making the best of what I do have, instead of worrying about what I don't. I'm a travel writer and photographer, so I'm abroad a lot, exploring the world and having incredible experiences. When I'm home, I go out with friends, attend networking events, or pitch for my next trip. If I do meet someone, it'll be because we've met through shared interests and have already decided we like each other before we go on an actual date. Maybe I'll even agree to dinner. Recommended video

Burger King is facing a class-action lawsuit over how they depict their iconic Whopper hamburger on television, compared to how it really looks in your hand.Nation's Restaurant News reports that a Florida judge has approved a class-action lawsuit against the fast food giant for false advertisement.It’s possible someone will see a BK commercial and start craving a giant Whopper, only to drive through the drive-thru and find disappointment in the bag.But wait, there’s more: The lawsuit doesn’t just cover TV advertisements. It also states that Burger King makes the Whopper look larger in its in-store posters and ads than it really is.With a name like the Whopper, has the urge to remain the king of burgers caused the fast food company to hit the zoom-in button too many times when making their digital assets?It would appear so, as what started as one person with a bone to pick has become a large lawsuit spanning 13 states — now 19 people have signed onto be plaintiffs.If you would like to show your support for either side of the battle, the case has an official legal name: Coleman et al v. Burger King Corp., and it is being heard in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida.Go ahead, make it a celebration: Hit the drive-thru of your local Burger King and maybe get a few Whoppers yourself and have a trial viewing party.Burger King has beefed up with a a statement ahead of their date in court: "The flame-grilled beef patties portrayed in our advertising are the same patties used in the millions of burgers we serve to guests across the U.S."Get our free mobile appOnce-Beloved Fast Food Burgers That No Longer ExistThese fast food burgers got a lot of attention when they debuted. It didn’t last forever.Filed Under: Burger King, Fast Food, viralCategories: Original Features