Antoinette Yvonne left the US and moved to Bangkok alone in 2023. Antoinette Yvonne. 2025-05-15T01:25:43Z Save Saved Read in app This story is available exclusively to Business Insider subscribers. Become an Insider and start reading now. Have an account? What began as a short trip to Bangkok ended with Antoinette Yvonne moving there alone in 2023. She is now living in a $660-a-month apartment with views of the Thai capital's skyline. She said that while things may cost less in Bangkok than in the US, people shouldn't assume everything is cheap. When Antoinette Yvonne arrived in Bangkok in 2023, it was supposed to be just a two-week trip.It was her second visit to Thailand's capital city, but this time, something clicked. Those two weeks stretched into three months, and by the end of that extended stay, the full-time YouTuber and boutique travel agency owner knew she'd found her new home. It was during her second trip to Bangkok that she decided she wanted to move to the city. Antoinette Yvonne. "The skyline literally is what sold me on Bangkok. I knew that I wanted to live in the city, where it's just so beautiful. And the cost of living here, I mean, it didn't hurt. So I was like, 'OK, let me do it,'" Yvonne, 37, told Business Insider. She returned to the US for the summer and got ready to make the big move. By November 2023, she was back in Bangkok — for good.The allure of living abroadYvonne is no stranger to living abroad.Originally from Indiana, she moved to Spain in 2013 and lived there for about three years. Part of the reason she made that move was because she was burned out and lookinginvestment banking job."I saw the movie 'Eat, Pray, Love,' and I was like, 'OK, I want to be Julia Roberts and go abroad.' Six months after watching that movie, I was living in Barcelona," Yvonne said.That experience offlight attendant for three years. When the pandemic hit, she left her job and spent two years exploring the US and Mexico while living in a van she had converted.Her parents weren't shocked when she told them she was planning to move abroad again. "I always followed through with crazy ideas," she said. She also spent two years living in a campervan and travelling around the US and Mexico during the pandemic. Antoinette Yvonne. But it did surprise her parents, who still live in Indiana, when she told them where she was going."When I mentioned Bangkok to them, they were like, 'What? Bangkok?' A lot of people are shocked to hear that," she said.Bangkok has long been a hot spot for expats. Data from the Bureau of Registration Administration of Thailand indicates that there were 102,189 foreigners living in the city as of the end of 2024.Compared to many Western cities, Bangkok offers a relatively low cost of living. With two well-connected international airports, it is also a hub for travel around Asia.Several Americans who moved to the Thai capital previously told BI that they were drawn to the city's vibrant lifestyle, good food options, and relative affordability.In July last year, Thailand also introduced the Destination Thailand Visa, or DTV, in an effort to attract remote workers and digital nomads.Building a life in BangkokApartment-hunting was a breeze since Yvonne already knew what she was looking for: Unobstructed views of the city skyline, a balcony, and a convenient location. Yvonne lives in a one-bedroom apartment in Bangkok. Antoinette Yvonne. "I wanted to be near a 7-11, within a 5-minute walking distance. I knew I wanted to be near a regular grocery store, and as far as the unit itself, I needed a washer and dryer," she said.Thanks to a real estate agent she connected with through a Facebook group, Yvonne found her one-bedroom apartment within a week of her move. Rent is 22,000 Thai baht, or about $660, each month.She finds it hard to pick a favorite spot in her apartment."I love being in my bedroom because it has floor-to-ceiling windows, and the view is absolutely amazing," Yvonne said. "But I also love my balcony too."Her building has a gym, a pool, and a large coworking space with private call booths. There's a coworking space, a gym, and a pool in her apartment building. Antoinette Yvonne. Yvonne didn't know anyone in Bangkok before she moved. When she first arrived, she started using Bumble BFF — the friendship version of Bumble — as well as an expat Facebook group to connect with new people."You go to different meetups, and then one friend literally turns into two, and three, and four. You just build from there," she said.Yvonne has been working on learning Thai, as the language barrier has been the biggest challenge of living in Bangkok so far."When I speak their language, they just light up, and they're more welcoming. I just feel like you connect more, and I think that's important," she said. One of her favorite parts of her apartment building is that it has stunning views of the Bangkok skyline. Antoinette Yvonne. Finding peace in the Thai capital cityYvonne says she feels more relaxed compared to when she was living in the US."Inkeep up with the Joneses," Yvonne said. "Whereas now, although Bangkok is a city — and a busy city at that — I find peace in the city. It's so weird."Part of it, she says, is due to the flexibility of her job. Being an entrepreneur gives her the freedom to arrange her schedule.Apart from filming and uploading videos onto her channel weekly, Yvonne also travels often, both for leisure and as part of the group trips that she hosts under her travel agency. Yvonne says she feels more relaxed living in Bangkok, even though it is still a bustling city. Antoinette Yvonne. Although things in Bangkok are relatively affordable compared to the US, it would be a generalization to assume that everything is cheap, she said."While it can be very cost-effective, and for us Americans, my dollar stretches further, it doesn't necessarily mean that it is cheaper," she said. "Especially if you're going out and spending so much money on dinners and things like that, it can add up."That ties into the biggest piece of advice she has for anyone who wants to move to Thailand."A lot of people come and think that $2,000 will get them by for several months at a time. No, I think that doing the proper research on condos and what it really costs to live here is the way to go," she said.Yvonne also encourages people who move here to get to know the locals. But the best part about living in Bangkok is the friendly Thai people. Antoinette Yvonne. "I think having local friends is a great way to get familiar with a country. They can help you when your expat friends are not able to," she said.Regarding her long-term plans, it's hard to keep her wanderlust at bay."People ask me, 'How long will you be in Bangkok?' I don't know. I'm here until I'm not," Yvonne said. "So it is just until I feel like I'm called somewhere else, but for now, it's Bangkok."Do you have a story to share about relocating to a new city? Contact this reporter at agoh@businessinsider.com. Recommended video

Image: WB Games, NetherRealm StudiosFollowing rumours late last year Mortal Kombat 1 could be winding down its support sooner rather than later, NetherRealm and WB Games have this week announced the arrival of the Mortal Kombat 1: Definitive Edition. This version of the game, which is available for $59.99 USD (or your regional equivalent), is said to offer the "most extensive Mortal Kombat 1 experience" including not only the base game and more recent Khaos Reigns story expansion but also both Kombat Packs (including all of the DLC fighters so far).Subscribe to Nintendo Life on YouTube812kWatch on YouTube All up there are 35 fighters and 21 Kameos. Additionally, you'll also get the "new movie skins" update, Animalities which dropped alongside Khaos Reigns, and there's even Floyd. You can see the full trailer for the Definitive Edition on the game's official YouTube channel. This again follows rumours in 2024 about NetherRealm supposedly axing its plans for a second story expansion and third Kombat Pack. It follows the series co-creator Ed Boon claiming this particular entry could potentially have "years of content" going forward following its release in 2023. Alongside this announcement is a "May Hotfix" update which contains character and Kameo Fighter changes and adjustments. Fatality Testing the Switch's might Would you be interested in this Definitive Edition of Mortal Kombat 1? Do you think we'll see much more from this particular entry in terms of content or updates? Let us know your thoughts in the comments. Related Games See Also Share:0 0 Liam is a news writer and reviewer across Hookshot Media. He's been writing about games for more than 15 years and is a lifelong fan of many iconic video game characters. Hold on there, you need to login to post a comment... Related Articles Nintendo Updates Its User Agreement To Crack Down On Emulation Offenders may find their Switch bricked Nintendo Reconfirms Release Windows For Major Switch 2 Games And original Switch, of course The First Review For Fantasy Life i: The Girl Who Steals Time Is In A fantasy score? SNK Announces ACA NEOGEO Selection Vol. 5 And Vol. 6 For Switch Update: Multi-language release confirmed

May 14, 20254 min readRemember VIPER, NASA’s Off-Again, On-Again Lunar Rover? It’s Still in LimboNASA’s nearly complete yet canceled lunar rover VIPER isn’t going to get carried to the moon by a private space exploration company—but it’s also not quite dead yetBy Stephanie Pappas edited by Jeanna BrynerNASA's VIPER, or the Volatiles Investigating Polar Exploration Rover, can be seen in this artist's impression. Geopix/Alamy Stock PhotoThe only consistent thing about NASA’s VIPER lunar rover is that the road to the moon has been a rocky one. And now the space agency has nixed its attempt to find a commercial partner to launch VIPER moonward, leaving the nearly complete little space vehicle in a continued state of limbo.VIPER (Volatiles Investigating Polar Explorer Rover) was intended to launch this year to explore the lunar south pole in search of buried ice and other chemical compounds. But NASA canceled it in July 2024 after delays led to cost overruns. This is the second time NASA has nixed a lunar rover mission in recent years, says Philip Metzger, a planetary physicist at the University of Central Florida (UCF). In 2018 NASA axed the Resource Prospector rover, which would have done similar exploration.In January NASA raised hopes that VIPER might somehow still see space when it put out a call for proposals for private aerospace companies to launch and operate the rover. On May 7, however, NASA canceled that call for proposals.On supporting science journalismIf you're enjoying this article, consider supporting our award-winning journalism by subscribing. By purchasing a subscription you are helping to ensure the future of impactful stories about the discoveries and ideas shaping our world today.The agency says it is exploring new strategies for VIPER in the future.“We look forward to accomplishing future volatiles science with VIPER as we continue NASA’s Moon to Mars exploration efforts,” said Nicky Fox, associate administrator of NASA’s Science Mission Directorate, in a recent statement.Why can’t VIPER get off the ground? The rover’s budget problems started with supply chain disruptions during the COVID pandemic, says Casey Dreier, chief of space policy at the Planetary Society. It was also slated to launch on a platform built by aerospace company Astrobotic, which failed its first landing of a scaled-down version of that platformThe mission was unusually far along when NASA pulled the plug: the rover was fully assembled and was in the final stages of testing for a launch. By that point, NASA had sunk nearly $800 million into its construction and the contract with Astrobotic.It’s not clear why NASA has been unable to find a private partner to launch the rover, but such a company would have assumed the costs of the mission and agreed to share the data freely with the space agency. That made for a tough business case for private companies, SpaceNews reported earlier this month.What kind of science was VIPER supposed to do?The 2.5-meter-tall rover was designed to search for resources such as water ice, carbon dioxide and helium in the lunar subsurface. The goal, says Clive Neal, a lunar expert at the University of Notre Dame, is to find resources that humans could use to establish a permanent research base on the moon. The data on where such volatiles might be and whether they’re accessible and extractable are crucial for the Artemis program’s plans for long-term human presence on the moon.The rover carries four instruments: a neutron spectrometer to detect water as deep as a meter below the surface, a near-infrared spectrometer to determine the makeup of samples, a mass spectrometer to analyze gases in the environment at touchdown and a drill called TRIDENT (The Regolith and Ice Drill for Exploring New Terrains). The drill is one of VIPER’s blockbuster features, designed to pull samples from up to a meter deep.The cancelation of VIPER, after 2018’s loss of Resource Prospector, is short-sighted, given NASA’s goals, Neal says. “Is NASA actually serious about getting humans back to the moon?” he says. “Are they actually serious about enacting our current space policy? Have they actually read it?”VIPER could also answer basic science questions about the origin of the water on the moon, says UCF’s Metzger. It may have been part of the lunar core from the moment of its formation, or the water could have arrived with planetary dust or large impactors over time, among other possibilities. “Understanding those processes is crucial for understanding our solar system,” Metzger says. The answers could reveal more about how common water-rich bodies are in the galaxy and how many planets or moons might host life.What’s next for VIPER?That’s the big question. Until NASA releases more details on potential future partnership structures, the project remains in a state of suspended animation.“I don’t know what to make of it because there is so little information,” Dreier says.It’s possible NASA could reopen negotiations with Astrobotic, the company that was originally going to launch the rover, Neal says. Or, Metzger suggests, the agency might be seeking international partners that could take on some of the operational costs.There are no other U.S. missions on the horizon with the drilling capabilities of VIPER. If the rover doesn’t find a way to the moon, Neal says, two other lunar explorers from China could pick up the banner of volatiles science: Chang’e 7 and 8.As uncertain as things are looking for VIPER, though, it’s an optimistic sign that NASA hasn’t dropped the rover outright, Dreier says, given that the White House has proposed a 50 percent cut to NASA’s science programs and a more than 20 percent cut to the agency overall in 2026. “If it’s not openly identified as being canceled,” Dreier says, “you are winning as a NASA science mission right now.”

Audible, one of the world's largest audiobook platforms, is opening the floodgates to AI slop.On Tuesday, the Amazon-owned service announced its new "integrated AI narration technology" that'll allow selected publishers to rapidly churn out audiobooks using a wide range of AI-generated voices. It's Audible's biggest foray into AI yet, and will be a major blow for voice actors, who are fighting tooth and nail to win protections against the technology, particularly in the US video games industry, where they are still on strike. "The use of AI to replace human creativity is in itself a dangerous path," Stephen Briggs, a voice over artist known for narrating the works of Terry Pratchett, told The Guardian.In the announcement, Audible boasted that book publishers can choose from more than 100 AI-generated voices in English, Spanish, French, and Italian, with multiple accents and dialect options. And as an added incentive, it's offering better royalty rates to authors who use Audible's AI to create an audiobook exclusively for the platform, .Audible also plans to roll out a beta version of an AI translation feature later in 2025, offering to either have a human narrator read a translated manuscript or use AI to translate an existing audiobook narrator's performance into another language.Audible says it's working on support for translations from English to Spanish, French, Italian, and German, and publishers, should they choose to, can review the translations through a professional linguist hired by Audible."Audible believes that AI represents a momentous opportunity to expand the availability of audiobooks with the vision of offering customers every book in every language, alongside our continued investments in premium original content," CEO Bob Carrigan said in a statement, "ensuring listeners worldwide can access extraordinary books that might otherwise never reach their ears."It's a shocking announcement, but the writing has been on the wall for a while now. Last September, Amazon started a trial program allowing audiobook narrators to generate AI clones of their voice. And in 2023, Amazon launched an AI-generated "virtual voice" feature that could transform self-published author's titles into audiobooks. Today, more than 60,000 of these titles are narrated with Audible's virtual voice, according to Bloomberg.Audible argues that by using AI, it's expanding its audience and breaking down language barriers. But audiobook narrators, authors, and translators aren't buying that the company has wholly good intentions. As always, it'll be human creatives that'll be getting the short end of the stick — all in service of creating an inferior product."No one pretends to use AI for translation, audiobooks, or even writing books because they are better; the only excuse is that they are cheaper," Frank Wynne, a renowned translator of French and Spanish literature into English, told The Guardian. "Which is only true if you ignore the vast processing power even the simplest AI request requires. In the search for a cheap simulacra to an actual human, we are prepared to burn down the planet and call it progress.""The art — and it is an art  — of a good audiobook is the crack in the voice at a moment of unexpected emotion, the wryness of good comedy timing, or the disbelief a listener feels when one person can convincingly be a whole cast of characters," Kristein Atherton, who's narrated over four hundred audiobooks on Audible, told the newspaper. "No matter how 'human' an AI voice sounds, it's those little intricacies that turn a good book into an excellent one. AI can't replicate that."Share This Article

Design, at its best, is not just about making something new; it’s about re-seeing what’s already there. In Charu, a chair designed by Harry Noble M under the mentorship of Sweety Taur, material, memory, and meaning converge into a form that does far more than offer a place to sit. It raises a quiet but powerful question: who has been allowed to sit, how, and why? Historically, chairs have never been neutral. From thrones to office seats, they’ve marked status and reinforced hierarchy. The colonial planter’s chair, its wide, sprawling arms designed for leisure, was once a symbol of patriarchal power and colonial dominance. Charu draws directly from this legacy, not to continue it, but to subvert it. Its form echoes the past, but its voice is unmistakably contemporary. Designer: Harry Noble M Crafted in cane by traditional artisans in Ahmedabad, Charu mimics the shape of the planter’s chair only to unravel its symbolism. Its structure exaggerates space, not to glorify “manspreading,” but to critique it. The gaps between the armrests turn posture into protest. Before anyone even sits, the chair begins to speak. This isn’t just furniture. It’s storytelling through design. Inspired by a deeply personal memory of sitting beside a Charu Kasera, a short stool traditionally used in Indian households, Menon extends this recollection into a wider inquiry: What histories are embedded in the objects we take for granted? How do caste, class, and gender shape the ways we sit and the spaces we’re allowed to occupy? The making of Charu was rooted in cultural anthropology and human-centered research. Mask-making exercises explored object symbolism; media archives and user surveys uncovered how the planter’s chair, once a colonial relic, found new meaning in domestic settings. Voices across regions and backgrounds mapped the chair’s transformation from a status object to a relic of inherited bias. Design references were wide-ranging. Case studies included Laurel’s chair, which visually resists patriarchal form, and Anna’s, which encourages inclusive posture. Charu builds on this lineage, grounding itself in local craft while raising globally resonant questions about ownership, space, and comfort. Menon’s ergonomic approach was equally radical. A body-storming session with peers revealed that true comfort doesn’t come from mimicking Western ergonomic standards, but from rethinking them. Supporting the mid-thoracic region, not just the shoulders, encourages longer and more natural sitting. The downward-sloped seat, angled armrests, and gentle curves avoid strain while rejecting entitlement. The very form denies slouching, it demands intention. Materials mattered. While bamboo was more accessible, it lacked the pliability needed for the chair’s sculptural arcs. Cane, symbolically elite, regionally relevant, and artisan-friendly, was the natural choice. Even as material costs complicated the woven storage element, the final build stayed honest to its conceptual clarity. The process moved from sketches and scaled models to full-size prototypes. Final fabrication, led by Hussain Bhai in Ahmedabad, infused the chair with a sense of pride and regional authenticity, anchoring the project in lived craft rather than industrial detachment. Visually, Charu is part sculpture, part artifact. Shaped like an oversized basket, it blends the rustic and the refined. The bowl-like base offers a generous welcome; the high back curves into a pointed, leaf-like peak; the rocking silhouette evokes both tradition and tenderness. From the side, it could be mistaken for a farmer’s harvest basket, except it holds critique instead of grain. This adaptability allows Charu to slip seamlessly across settings. It would feel at home in a breezy coastal villa or a sunlit porch, in a boutique resort or a mindful co-living space. Even modern interiors looking for warmth, tactility, or a story could find in Charu a compelling anchor. And while this edition stands as a flagship concept, akin to a fashion showstopper, its journey doesn’t end here. Menon envisions future iterations: simplified arcs for scalability, extended seating for calf support, and thoughtful additions like cup holders or textural inlays for daily use. It’s a living form, not a fixed one. The post A Revolutionary Cane Chair Challenging History, Hierarchy, and How We Choose to Sit first appeared on Yanko Design.

An often-overlooked competitive advantage in business isn’t your technology stack, market share, or even your talent pipeline—it’s your leadership team’s customer obsession.  As someone who recently merged marketing, customer success, and renewals under one umbrella, I’ve experienced how customer obsession can transform an organization.   However, from the C-suite to entry-level roles, we’re all navigating complex responsibilities, deadlines and metrics. These competing priorities make it easy to lose sight of what truly matters to the business: the customers who make our work possible. By putting customers at the heart of every decision, regardless of the role, you establish a foundation that naturally delivers results. This is why it is so important for executive teams to champion this customer obsession perspective—it empowers everyone else to do the same!  Customer-focused leadership leads to customer-centric goals which leads to a truly customer-obsessed company culture.   What customer-focused executive leadership teams do differently  What does customer obsession look like in practice? The processes vary based on role as leaders address their own areas of focus, but here are a few examples to get the wheels turning. Customer-focused executive leaders:  Spend significant time with customers—not just with friendly references or during sales calls, but with frustrated users and lost accounts  Create direct feedback channels that bypass typical corporate filters  Measure what matters to customers, not just what’s easy to track internally  Reward employees who advocate for customer needs, even when those needs create short-term challenges  These behaviors signal unmistakably to everyone—from frontline employees to fellow executive leaders—that the customer experience isn’t just another corporate initiative, but the foundation of company culture.  That all-important ripple effect   When the entire executive leadership team models customer focus, it spreads throughout the organization. Marketing develops messaging that resonates with actual pain points versus staying laser-focused on internal product features. Product development prioritizes improvements that deliver meaningful value. Support teams receive the resources needed to resolve issues effectively.  As I mentioned, I’ve experienced this transformation myself. After integrating customer success with marketing and renewals, we gained truly mind-blowing insight into the complete customer journey. This unified view enabled us to identify friction points that were all but invisible when these functions operated in silos.  Organizations with customer-centric leadership consistently outperform peers in customer satisfaction, retention and lifetime value. Executive leaders who prioritize customer needs create an environment where employees feel empowered to advocate for those same needs—they set the tone for the entire company culture.  Practical steps on the way to customer centricity  Becoming truly customer-focused requires more than good intentions. I’ll admit it, this is a big shift. It could even mean making serious changes in how the company gathers, analyzes and acts on customer feedback. So, yes, it can feel daunting but take it from me, it’s very doable and very worth it.  Here are some practical steps to consider:  Revise executive meeting agendas to start with customer insights  Implement cross-functional customer journey mapping with executive participation  Create direct feedback mechanisms between customers and leadership  Redesign incentive structures to reward customer-centric behaviors  In my experience, customer-focused companies take steps to ensure these practices are part of their leadership approach. They understand that competitive advantage flows from this orientation—not as a happy accident but as a direct consequence.  The ultimate competitive moat  Right now, products and services are undergoing rapid commoditization. That’s hard to keep up with, but I believe customer experience is the most defensible competitive advantage. An executive leadership team that understands this can make a massive difference in the company’s competitive positioning.  Again, this shift extends way beyond the executive team. When employees see that customer satisfaction genuinely matters to company leadership, their engagement and motivation increase dramatically. This alignment creates a (very rewarding!) cycle where employee experience and customer experience reinforce each other, building a competitive moat that rivals will struggle to cross.  So, let your rivals keep focusing on internal metrics. That moat will keep getting wider as you build something stronger.   Melissa Puls is the chief marketing officer and SVP of customer success and renewals at Ivanti. 

Contrary to the White House's assertions, we consumers are indeed footing the bill for all these tariffs. Companies from across industries have been stopping sales or raising prices over the past month or so, and the chaos continues on. It doesn't help that the actual tariff situation is so volatile. President Donald Trump kept escalating the tariffs against China in particular, all the way up to 145%. Then, the administration made a deal with China to suspend most of the tariffs until August, but some tariffs still remain. As such, companies are scrambling to figure out the best way to protect their bottom lines and shareholder values—part of that strategy involves raising costs.Gaming is no exception to this reality. Many gaming companies manufacture their components in China, which means their devices face tariffs if they ship to the U.S. Here's where the situation currently stands with the biggest gaming companies.MicrosoftXboxes are apparently an appreciating asset. On May 1, Microsoft raised the prices on all Xbox consoles, and some Xbox accessories—including controllers and headsets. These price hikes were actually pretty steep: Both the standard and digital Series X models jumped by $100, while the 2TB model jumped a whopping $130. On April 30, Series X with 2TB of internal storage would have set you back $600. Now, you're out $730.Games aren't wholly exempt here, either, but the news is a bit better: Existing titles will keep the same MSRP they did before the price hikes, while select new titles will cost $80 this holiday season.To be fair, Microsoft doesn't directly attribute the tariffs to these raised prices, instead referring to "market conditions and the rising cost of development." However, seeing as tariffs are the driving force of current market conditions, it seems a safe assumption that Microsoft is recouping some increased costs due to these import fees. SonySony, too, raised the prices on its flagship consoles—but only in select markets. The company increased the price of certain PS5 units in Europe, the UK, Australia, and New Zealand. The price increases, as well as which console received them, depends on the region: Europe, for example, only saw an increase on the PS5 Digital Edition by €50, while the disc drive PS5 remained the same. Australia and New Zealand, on the other hand, were not so lucky, seeing price increases on both. New Zealand has the highest MSRP for a PS5 on the list at NZD $949.95 (or roughly $560 USD at this time). However, that doesn't mean those of us in the U.S. are safe from PS5 price increases. As reported by The Verge, Sony says that it expects tariffs to cost the company 100 billion yen ($681 million), and is considering both relocating manufacturing to the U.S., as well as raising costs for consumers. Sony is a massive company, so that could involve raising prices on products other than PS5. However, the lack of a definitive answer on which products would be affected means that Sony may raise PS5 prices in the future.NintendoHere's the good news: Nintendo did not raise the MSRP of the Switch 2, nor any of its existing Switch consoles. The Switch 2 will remain $450, or $500 if you buy the Mario Kart World bundle. However, Nintendo has reacted to the tariffs in other ways. First, it paused preorders for the Switch 2 in the U.S. and Canada, "to assess the potential impact of tariffs and evolving market conditions." We already know it ultimately kept the Switch prices the same, but once Nintendo picked a new preorder date, it also announced new price increases for Switch 2 accessories. The Pro Controller is now $15 more than it was, and while the Joy-Con 2 controllers are only $5 more, they now cost an astounding $95. The Switch 2 camera is also $55, when originally it was $50. The rest of the Switch 2 accessories remain the same. PC gamingPC gaming is a more complicated beast than console gaming. Unless you opt for a gaming laptop, you most likely are looking to build your own PC, which requires purchasing a number of parts—many of which are made in China. Luckily computers, phones, and PC cases were exempt from the full 145% tariff, but not other PC components.According to PCMag, most PC parts haven't been hit that hard by tariffs yet—at least when it comes to April prices. The outlet observed that PC cases, processors, and memory kits all had modest increases ($10, $15, and $3, respectively), while a liquid cooler unit actually dropped in price by $60.However, they did find a concerning price increase when it came to one particularly important component: graphics cards. In January, the MSI SHADOW GeForce RTX 5070 Ti graphics card cost $750. In April, it cost $840, a $90 increase. PCMag found a similar trend across other popular graphics cards, with price increases ranging from $250 all the way to $750. Graphics cards had been in hot demand long before Trump was even elected, largely due to their use in processing AI. Increased tariffs are now only putting more pressure on that product category. Gaming laptops largely haven't taken much of a hit yet, but Razer was one of the companies to pause direct sales to the U.S. last month. You can't predict the futureThis is where the market stands now, but there's no telling what will change in the coming days, weeks, and months. Sony could raise PS5 prices in the U.S. tomorrow; Nintendo could decide that the OG Switch needs to cost more now, too. Nothing is certain, but one thing seems reasonable to assume: The prices you see today are the best they're going to be for a while. If you're holding out for the Xbox Series X to drop in cost, or crossing your fingers that Mario Kart World won't actually cost $80 on release, you're probably not going to be happy with the future.Anything's possible, but given where we are with tariffs and global markets, prices only seem to be going up. Remaining the same is perhaps the best we can hope for—unless you're willing to give the secondhand market a try.

Lego NES Set (2,646 pieces) $330 | Previously $270 | Retired Product See at Amazon See at Target See at Walmart See at Best Buy See at Lego Store The Lego Nintendo Entertainment System was officially retired near the end of 2024, though the 2,646-piece set had remained available to buy at multiple retailers up until the last few weeks. As of May 14, the only major retailer with stock is Amazon, and at first glance, it'd be easy to mistake it for a reseller listing. That's because the NES has become one of the rare Lego sets Amazon is selling for above MSRP.Amazon has increased the price of the Lego NES from $270 to $330. The current price is actually a "deal" compared to the $355 price Amazon had last week. If Amazon doesn't run out of units first, it's possible the price will return to $270. Over the past few months, the retailer has temporarily raised the price to as high as $360, but none of those spikes held for this long. It's worth noting that Target's sold-out listing also shows $330, so it's possible Amazon was price-matching a competitor.As shown above, the Lego NES is sold and shipped by Amazon.Though rare, this isn't the first instance of Amazon going above MSRP after a Lego set has been retired. We previously saw this with the Horizon Forbidden West Tallneck, which increased from $90 to $105 last year before selling out for good (it's ~$150 from resellers). Just like with the NES, Amazon was the only major retailer with the Tallneck in stock.Continue Reading at GameSpot

Well, we’ve reached the end of the road. Andor’s second and final season brought us 12 episodes of (mostly) exceptional Star Wars drama released in three-episode chunks, a format which served the structure of the show brilliantly, with each chunk representing one year in the four years leading up to Rogue One, but also meant that we didn’t get to savor the show for nearly as long.Suggested ReadingFallout Season 2 Teaser Confirms Lucy and Ghoul are Heading to New Vegas Share SubtitlesOffEnglishview videoSuggested ReadingFallout Season 2 Teaser Confirms Lucy and Ghoul are Heading to New Vegas Share SubtitlesOffEnglishEach week, we’ve gathered to discuss our reactions to the show’s latest episodes (you can find last week’s conversation here), and now, we do so for the last time. Join us as we say goodbye to this extraordinary series. Ethan Gach: I’m in camp Kleya, who called her arrival on Yavin in the final stretch of Andor “a bitter ending,” but perhaps somewhat more consoled than she was by Cassian reassurance that “nothing’s ending.”The final three episodes of season 2 were always going to be somewhat disappointing and bittersweet since we knew the show was ending and in some cases we knew where it would need to funnel people to set up Rogue One, but the final chapter still managed a surprising amount of high-stakes tension and unexpected backstory. How would you both rate the final episodes and what are you feeling now that the journey’s over?Carolyn Petit: I thought episode 10, with its look at how Luthen and Kleya formed their bond and her undertaking the terrible task of doing what needed to be done, was outstanding. (It also gave us an alien who instantly became one of my favorite Star Wars creatures ever!) Episodes 11 and 12 weren’t peak Andor, but I have to admit that the final slow-motion montage sequence really worked for me, and they had a political dimension I found somewhat surprising that I’ll discuss a bit more later.Zack Zwiezen: I was worried that the final episode would run out of steam as Tony Gilroy and co literally ran out of space for storytelling and had to slam the brakes to set up Rogue One. And while I enjoyed the montage slow-walk, I wonder if that works if you haven’t seen Rogue One. But overall, the final three episodes are really good. And I think the Kleya-Luthen focused episode is one of my favorite Andor episodes ever. I’m so happy she got a big spotlight before the end.CP: Me, too. That episode also helped cement, I think, that the show recognizes how necessary all of Luthen’s efforts were, even if those fussy ineffectual bureaucrats on Yavin don’t. This is an issue I’ve long had with how Star Wars has at times sanded away its own political dimensions in my view, something that Andor not only seeks to undo but takes farther than ever before. In truth, the act of blowing up the Death Star in the first film, that act which people cheered for in theaters in 1977 and that Star Wars fans for decades since have loved and admired, would, in universe, be considered an act of terrorism. That’s what the Empire would call it. That’s what governments do: they present their own violence as “legitimate” or “necessary” and the violence of those rebelling against them as “terrorism.” But there were times in Star Wars history where I felt like the people at the reins of the franchise wanted to send a message that you shouldn’t be “too extreme” in your resistance, don’t be a Saw Gerrera, do it through “proper channels.” And so I loved that Andor gave us that scene with Bail and some other politicians all kind of hemming and hawing over Luthen while the show, I think, was emphatically telling all of us, “Luthen was right. Maybe not every single little decision he made was right, but his ethos was fundamentally right and without someone like him, none of this would have been here.” And I loved it for that.ZZ: I think, and they talk about this in the behind the scenes, it’s very important that Luthen’s fight against the empire was really because Kleya wanted revenge.CP: Right. She’s the humanity that he’s fighting for. She’s what radicalizes him.ZZ: If he hadn’t found her and saved her, Luthen likely doesn’t become the rebel we know in Andor. And it also adds a new layer of complexity to their relationship. He was part of the army that brutalized her people. So she still has some lingering hatred for him. And yet she does care about him. And in that moment when she sneaks into the hospital to finish the job, you can feel that.EG: I think that scene with the Rebel Alliance leaders also helps show the Senate mentality creeping back in as the insurgency professionalizes itself.It’s easy to see why even after defeating the Empire in key battles it might struggle to rebuild or retain power, issues explored in Ahsoka and The Mandalorian. These last few episodes help situate Cassian between the uncompromising logic of Luthen’s spycraft and the “no one left behind” mentality of the Rebellion. Luthen’s final sacrifice is to die, and Cassian’s is to go back and risk everything just to save someone.ZZ: We should rewind a bit and talk about that moment between Luthen and Dedra. Or even further actually, and pour one out for Lonni, who I knew was dead the moment he sat down at that bench.CP: Yeah. When he mentioned his wife and kid, for a moment I thought mayyyyyyyybe Luthen would be like “You know what? I owe this guy.” But alas, no.ZZ: I also loved that line Luthen gave Klaya before the meeting: “I think we used up all the perfect.” CP: So good.LucasfilmZZ: And then we get Dedra Meero walking into Luthen’s shop as he’s destroying evidence. My wife literally gasped “OH SHIT!” at seeing Dedra at the door.EG: Only two artifacts may not be what they seem!CP: In a show that so often demands that characters put on a performance to blend into their surroundings, it was great seeing those two feel each other out and Luthen pretend for a bit that she was maybe not there to arrest him. But then, of course, he tries to kill himself, and you see that he was thinking a few steps ahead when he picked up the knife, though he made it seem like it was just part of their friendly dealings.ZZ: When he picked up the knife I was so distracted by him mentioning it being a Nautolan artifact (Kit Fisto’s species) that I didn’t realize why he picked a knife.CP: Hahaha, the perils of having a database of Star Wars knowledge in your brain!ZZ: And then after he’s taken to the hospital, we get that wonderful sequence with Klaya sneaking in and taking him off life support. Anybody else want a Hitman-like Star Wars game now?CP: If that alien Kleya pushes around as she’s pretending to be hospital personnel is in it, absolutely! But yes, that was a great infiltration sequence, both thrilling and kind of excruciating because we knew what she was going there to do.EG: It included some of the best Coruscant backdrops we’ve ever gotten, I think.CP: One other moment from that episode that I can’t stop thinking about was the flashback scene in which we see Imperial officers drag some civilians through town, put them up against a wall, and kill them. It was another gut-wrenching reminder of the Empire’s evil and another moment that felt weirdly resonant as more and more people are being arrested by agents who often won’t even show warrants or identification in the streets of our towns.ZZ: On the flipside of that horrible moment that made me feel a pit in my stomach, we have Dedra getting arrested for being reckless and not following orders by chasing after Luthen long after she was supposed to be off the Axis investigation. I have to admit I smiled when I realized it was all over for her.CP: Man, I don’t know. I mean I absolutely hate her, don’t get me wrong, and yet that final shot of her, where we see that she’s in a prison very much like the one Cassian was in last season (if not the same one) was complicated for me. Like, I think that kind of incarceration is just wrong in and of itself and so it elicited this weird moment of something like sympathy for her, which in no way means I forgive her for what she’s done. It’s just one of those reminders that it’s ultimately a systemic evil that will sometimes grind up the people operating inside of it and supporting it as much as those being actively persecuted.The leopards ate her face, in other words.ZZ: Space leopards.But I agree, yes, that the Empire is evil and the way it operates (like many real-world countries) is to crush people up to fuel the fires of growth and war. And I think it was very arrogant of her to believe she would be spared. Or maybe she truly bought into the lies that the Empire was good and doing the right thing? Surely, she won’t end up in some horrible place and left to rot forever.CP: Yep.ZZ: Meanwhile, her boss, after all of these failures and letting the info on the Death Star slip out, realizes what’s coming for him and knows he doesn’t want to be ripped apart by the machine he helped create. And takes an easier way out. CP: That was the first and only indication we ever got that Nemik’s manifesto is actually spreading around, right, that people are listening to it? That was a cool moment, I thought, where at first we think it’s non-diegetic, just the writers and filmmakers reminding us one last time of Nemik’s stirring words, but then we see, oh, no, Partagaz was actually listening to it, the fire is spreading. It’s out there.EG: I loved the scene right outside when the gun shot goes off.CP: Yeah, so clear that the guy knew Partagaz wasn’t just taking a moment to “collect his thoughts,” he knew exactly what was coming.ZZ: The slight “stand down” gesture to the troopers.EG: I appreciate the minor moments of humanity Andor evokes even between the worst people.CP: Yeah, they’re essential IMO.ZZ: It makes them more evil. They are human beings. People with feelings and thoughts. And yet they still do this shit.EG: Something also given to Krennic when he and Partagaz wish each other luck at facing Palpatine’s wrath. Unlike the more buffoonish bad guy energy he gives off in Rogue One.ZZ: Also, very fun to see a character call out the Death Star name. Partagaz thinks its dumb. It’s just one of those reminders that [the Empire is] ultimately a systemic evil that will sometimes grind up the people operating inside of it and supporting it as much as those being actively persecuted.ZZ: I’m so happy to see K-2SO back!CP: Yes. Not unlike C-3P0 he can be so exasperating at times (in an endearing and funny way), but when he goes full Terminator on Empire goons, man it feels good.For me, the whole tone of the scene with Andor and Melshi in the safehouse with Kleya and the communications jammed changed from “Oh shit, oh shit, get outta there!” to “LMAO y’all are about to get owned” as soon as K-2SO left the ship to go in for them, and it was glorious.ZZ: Yeah. The moment K-2SO shows up, it’s basically over for those imperial assholes and I loved it so much. I also like that the show uses its limited time with K-2SO to really develop a relationship between him and Cassian. They seem like buds!The part where they are playing space poker or whatever was great. Gilroy mentioned that after Bix leaves the place becomes a frat house, with Melshi moving in and them all drinking and partying between missions.CP: Ah, that totally makes sense!ZZ: I wonder if Andor is trying to drink away some pain and fill his life with friends to deal with losing Bix? That’s my read. He needs some buds and suds.CP: Definitely. There’s a part of me that still feels like Andor, the title character, could have maybe used a little bit more character development in this show, that with all of its moving pieces his own journey, both ideologically and as a person, maybe got a smidge sidelined. But I do like that we see him dreaming about his sister, since finding her was the big obsession driving him in the early episodes of season one. Now, I feel like he’s accepted that she’s gone but still the idea of her, his depth of feeling for her and the pain of losing her is part of what drives him to create a better world, not entirely unlike Luthen being driven by his love for Kleya. And speaking of love and the things that drive us, how did y’all feel about that final-final image of the show?ZZ: I loved it! To me it worked perfectly with a theme in Andor: hope.EG: “There is another.” lmao.CP: Right, to me it did in part feel like a nod to Star Wars’ obsession with dynasties and legacies, like we have to believe that, though Andor himself dies, what he stands for will live on not just as an idea but because he literally has a child. And yet, I still kinda liked it. We didn’t get a lightsaber but we did get a continued bloodline!ZZ: I think the show needed some hope at the end.EG: I think it was very thematically appropriate, even if I’m torn on the merits of mixing insurgency and family. It’s a division that feels a bit too tidy.ZZ: I think it did provide more reason for Bix leaving like she did. She was pregnant. She wanted to give her child a peaceful life and knew Andor would follow her if he knew. And in her mind, she’s thinking that they’ll get back together one day after the Empire has fallen. It’s both a very tragic final scene and also this reminder that there is more. This isn’t an ending.Screenshot: Lucasfilm / KotakuCP: Vel even tells him not to wait too long to reconnect, and we already know he never gets the chance! Really loved that those two, Cassian and Vel, got a moment here, too, and got to acknowledge all those they’ve lost along the way. But yes, you’re right, it was a lovely mix of deeply sad and hopeful, that final image. Luthen, Cassian, Saw, and so many others know they’re fighting for a world they themselves will likely not live to see. But that kid might.ZZ: And before we leave, I did like that we got one more tiny moment with Mon’s husbasndHe seems to be with the mother of the boy his daughter married? It was very fast. Couldn’t tell. But him just getting drunk in a limo on Coruscant, presumably throwing his wife under the bus and pledging loyalty to the Empire, seemed like all we needed to know about what happened to him.CP: Exactly. He is who we knew he was and his sad empty privileged life is his reward for it.I’d be curious to know how that final montage plays for folks who haven’t seen Rogue One. It really worked for me, seeing Cassian all dressed up for his fateful mission, the cuts to Dedra and other characters, and all around him, the Rebel base on Yavin, active and buzzing, about to change the galaxy, and now we know it’s all because of the efforts of so many people but among them, one Luthen Rael, an unsung hero of Star Wars. Are either of you planning on rewatching Rogue One any time soon?ZZ: I wanted to hold off until after this VG chat so I came into this without the weight of Rogue One on my mind. I plan on watching it this weekend! EG: I will say, as a parting thought, I don’t know that I needed the show to try and line up so neatly with Rogue One, perhaps the worst part of which is that silly blueprint handoff that directly leads into A New Hope. I do think some of the broader thrust of Andor and the unease and disquiet within its characters ended up being subsumed a little to neatly by the end of episode 12.CP: Oh, I agree. At a certain point in the final episode you really feel the show shift into “Okay, let’s get all the pieces in place for Rogue One” mode.ZZ: Yeah. It reminds me of the ending of Star Wars Episode III, where George Lucas sets up all the pieces for A New Hope and it feels less like an actual ending and more like a checkpoint.CP: And I think heading right from Andor into Rogue One will be quite jarring because—sorry Rogue One!—your dialogue is just not on the same level!ZZ: Nope! And what happened to Bail Organa! Did he get a haircut?CP: Hahaha.ZZ: But really, if that’s my biggest complaint about Andor—that its ending isn’t as strong as it could have been because of Rogue One—I’m still really happy.I’m not sure we’ll ever get a show like this again, or at least not for a long time. Real sets. Lots of actors. Incredible writing. Big budgets. Set in a large franchise. All this freedom. Even Gilroy has stated he’s not sure if this kind of thing will ever happen again.CP: It was glorious, and while I really hope we see more like it, I’ll try to just be grateful for the miracle that we ever got it at all. Now I just need Disney to put it on Blu-ray so I have it on physical media and it’s not trapped on a streaming service forever!ZZ: Rebellions and physical libraries of movies we love are built on hope. .

ParalegalBlizzard EntertainmentIrvine California 92618 United States of America1 hour agoApplyTeam Name:LegalJob Title:ParalegalRequisition ID:R025341Job Description:Job Title: ParalegalLocation: IrvineAt Blizzard Entertainment, we are dedicated to creating the most epic entertainment experiences…ever, driven by our core values and passion, Blizzard creates worlds with the focus to entertain the universe!We are looking for an experienced, motivated, and highly organized legal professional to join our in-house legal team as a Paralegal. You’ll partner with a close-knit team and staff across the business to draft contracts and other documents, review and clear marketing and promotional materials, and establish clear and responsive communication with internal and external clients.What You’ll DoDraft various types of contracts, including ‘Work for Hire’ agreements, services agreements, advertising insertion orders, voice-actor and talent agreements, music agreements, marketing agreements, promotional agreements, license agreements, and non-disclosure agreementsReview and clear marketing and promotional materials relating to Blizzard’s games and distribution platform, including advertising assets, email marketing messages, videos, and website and mobile application assetsAssist with the preparation of contest rules, affidavits of eligibility,y and releasesPrepare written communications to internal and external contactsPartner closely with the US legal team and business; liaise as needed with international colleaguesEnsure compliance and adherence to proper protocols in all matters related to contract drafting, validation, and record keepingTake on special projects and other duties as requestedRequirementsA Bachelor’s degree or equivalent work experienceA paralegal certificate from an ABA-accredited program5+ years of experience in a professional legal role, preferably in a contract management or paralegal roleExtensive experience drafting a variety of agreements with an emphasis on entertainment and intellectual property contracts and licensesSignificant experience reviewing and clearing marketing and promotional materialsExceptional legal research and analytical skillsThe ability to independently handle multiple projects simultaneously and under a deadlineExcellent written and oral communication skillsStrong critical-thinking skillsImpeccable organizational skills, time-management abilities, and attention to detailThe ability to act with discretion when handling confidential mattersCommon sense, good judgment, and a desire to work hard in a fast-paced environmentExperience and proficiency in the use of Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and OutlookAdvantagesExperience as a legal professional in a video game, entertainment, or media companyInternational experienceA passion for video gamesYour PlatformBest known for iconic video game universes including Warcraft®, Overwatch®, Diablo®, and StarCraft®, Blizzard Entertainment, Inc. (www.blizzard.com), a division of Activision Blizzard, which was acquired by Microsoft (NASDAQ: MSFT), is a premier developer and publisher of entertainment experiences. Blizzard Entertainment has created some of the industry’s most critically acclaimed and genre-defining games over the last 30 years, with a track record that includes multiple Game of the Year awards. Blizzard Entertainment engages tens of millions of players around the world with titles available on PC via Battle.net®, Xbox, PlayStation, Nintendo Switch, iOS, and Android.Our WorldActivision Blizzard, Inc., is one of the world's largest and most successful interactive entertainment companies and is at the intersection of media, technology and entertainment. We are home to some of the most beloved entertainment franchises including Call of Duty®, World of Warcraft®, Overwatch®, Diablo®, Candy Crush™ and Bubble Witch™. Our combined entertainment network delights hundreds of millions of monthly active users in 196 countries, making us the largest gaming network on the planet!Our ability to build immersive and innovative worlds is only enhanced by diverse teams working in an inclusive environment. We aspire to have a culture where everyone can thrive in order to connect and engage the world through epic entertainment. We provide a suite of benefits that promote physical, emotional and financial well-being for ‘Every World’ - we’ve got our employees covered!The videogame industry and therefore our business is fast-paced and will continue to evolve. As such, the duties and responsibilities of this role may be changed as directed by the Company at any time to promote and support our business and relationships with industry partners.We love hearing from anyone who is enthusiastic about changing the games industry. Not sure you meet all qualifications? Let us decide! 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We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status, among other characteristics.RewardsWe provide a suite of benefits that promote physical, emotional and financial well-being for ‘Every World’ - we’ve got our employees covered! Subject to eligibility requirements, the Company offers comprehensive benefits including:Medical, dental, vision, health savings account or health reimbursement account, healthcare spending accounts, dependent care spending accounts, life and AD&D insurance, disability insurance;401(k) with Company match, tuition reimbursement, charitable donation matching;Paid holidays and vacation, paid sick time, floating holidays, compassion and bereavement leaves, parental leave;Mental health & wellbeing programs, fitness programs, free and discounted games, and a variety of other voluntary benefit programs like supplemental life & disability, legal service, ID protection, rental insurance, and others;If the Company requires that you move geographic locations for the job, then you may also be eligible for relocation assistance.Eligibility to participate in these benefits may vary for part time and temporary full-time employees and interns with the Company. You can learn more by visiting https://www.benefitsforeveryworld.com/ .In the U.S., the standard base pay range for this role is $26.83 - $49.63 Hourly. These values reflect the expected base pay range of new hires across all U.S. locations. Ultimately, your specific range and offer will be based on several factors, including relevant experience, performance, and work location. Your Talent Professional can share this role’s range details for your local geography during the hiring process. In addition to a competitive base pay, employees in this role may be eligible for incentive compensation. Incentive compensation is not guaranteed. While we strive to provide competitive offers to successful candidates, new hire compensation is negotiable. Create Your Profile — Game companies can contact you with their relevant job openings. Apply