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video game disc is dead, and Sony’s been planning to kill it for some time, according to a report out of Austria. The man who leads Sony’s discmaking operations, Sony DADC president Dietmar Tanzer, told ORF Salzburg that the company’s Thalgau plant produces 600,000 discs every day, half of which are for PlayStation. But since it’ll only be making 10 percent of that volume in 2028, it’s planning to retrain all 300 employees to work on optical microlenses instead.

Thalgau isn’t just one of Sony’s disc plants. It’s where the disc-making division is headquartered, and appears to be its only remaining wholly owned disc manufacturing facility. Sony made discs in the United States for decades, originally in Terre Haute, Indiana and later in New Jersey, but it closed the latter plant in 2011 and moved all manufacturing from Indiana to Thalgau in 2022. Today, the Indiana facility markets itself to automakers who need help packaging and assembling headlights and the like instead.

This transition didn’t happen overnight. A behind-the-scenes video from December 2024 shows that the Thalgau plant was already working on microlenses as of then:

Those lenses, too, are created using discs:

ORF Salzburg writes that Sony has now invested €30 million to manufacture these microlenses, and that mass production may begin “as early as next year.”

Microlenses are theoretically used in all kinds of emerging applications where you might want to bend light, including headsets, but it appears that Sony may cater to automakers here, too. The head of Sony’s micro optics division gave ORF Salzburg the example of “a car turn signal that is projected onto asphalt.”

All of this is to say: Sony didn’t make this decision in a hurry, and it isn’t likely to change its mind despite the predictable backlash. It’s been winding down disc manufacturing for decades, and it’s ripping off one last band-aid with PlayStation.

According to Sony DADC’s website, it has produced over 26.4 billion discs to date — the vast majority, 23 billion of them, were made between 1983 and 2022 in Terre Haute, Indiana.

#Sonys #PlayStation #disc #factory #repurposedGaming,News,PlayStation"> Sony’s PlayStation disc factory is already being repurposedThe video game disc is dead, and Sony’s been planning to kill it for some time, according to a report out of Austria. The man who leads Sony’s discmaking operations, Sony DADC president Dietmar Tanzer, told ORF Salzburg that the company’s Thalgau plant produces 600,000 discs every day, half of which are for PlayStation. But since it’ll only be making 10 percent of that volume in 2028, it’s planning to retrain all 300 employees to work on optical microlenses instead.Thalgau isn’t just one of Sony’s disc plants. It’s where the disc-making division is headquartered, and appears to be its only remaining wholly owned disc manufacturing facility. Sony made discs in the United States for decades, originally in Terre Haute, Indiana and later in New Jersey, but it closed the latter plant in 2011 and moved all manufacturing from Indiana to Thalgau in 2022. Today, the Indiana facility markets itself to automakers who need help packaging and assembling headlights and the like instead.This transition didn’t happen overnight. A behind-the-scenes video from December 2024 shows that the Thalgau plant was already working on microlenses as of then:Those lenses, too, are created using discs:ORF Salzburg writes that Sony has now invested €30 million to manufacture these microlenses, and that mass production may begin “as early as next year.”Microlenses are theoretically used in all kinds of emerging applications where you might want to bend light, including headsets, but it appears that Sony may cater to automakers here, too. The head of Sony’s micro optics division gave ORF Salzburg the example of “a car turn signal that is projected onto asphalt.”All of this is to say: Sony didn’t make this decision in a hurry, and it isn’t likely to change its mind despite the predictable backlash. It’s been winding down disc manufacturing for decades, and it’s ripping off one last band-aid with PlayStation.According to Sony DADC’s website, it has produced over 26.4 billion discs to date — the vast majority, 23 billion of them, were made between 1983 and 2022 in Terre Haute, Indiana.#Sonys #PlayStation #disc #factory #repurposedGaming,News,PlayStation
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video game disc is dead, and Sony’s been planning to kill it for some time, according to a report out of Austria. The man who leads Sony’s discmaking operations, Sony DADC president Dietmar Tanzer, told ORF Salzburg that the company’s Thalgau plant produces 600,000 discs every day, half of which are for PlayStation. But since it’ll only be making 10 percent of that volume in 2028, it’s planning to retrain all 300 employees to work on optical microlenses instead.

Thalgau isn’t just one of Sony’s disc plants. It’s where the disc-making division is headquartered, and appears to be its only remaining wholly owned disc manufacturing facility. Sony made discs in the United States for decades, originally in Terre Haute, Indiana and later in New Jersey, but it closed the latter plant in 2011 and moved all manufacturing from Indiana to Thalgau in 2022. Today, the Indiana facility markets itself to automakers who need help packaging and assembling headlights and the like instead.

This transition didn’t happen overnight. A behind-the-scenes video from December 2024 shows that the Thalgau plant was already working on microlenses as of then:

Those lenses, too, are created using discs:

ORF Salzburg writes that Sony has now invested €30 million to manufacture these microlenses, and that mass production may begin “as early as next year.”

Microlenses are theoretically used in all kinds of emerging applications where you might want to bend light, including headsets, but it appears that Sony may cater to automakers here, too. The head of Sony’s micro optics division gave ORF Salzburg the example of “a car turn signal that is projected onto asphalt.”

All of this is to say: Sony didn’t make this decision in a hurry, and it isn’t likely to change its mind despite the predictable backlash. It’s been winding down disc manufacturing for decades, and it’s ripping off one last band-aid with PlayStation.

According to Sony DADC’s website, it has produced over 26.4 billion discs to date — the vast majority, 23 billion of them, were made between 1983 and 2022 in Terre Haute, Indiana.

#Sonys #PlayStation #disc #factory #repurposedGaming,News,PlayStation">Sony’s PlayStation disc factory is already being repurposed

The video game disc is dead, and Sony’s been planning to kill it for some time, according to a report out of Austria. The man who leads Sony’s discmaking operations, Sony DADC president Dietmar Tanzer, told ORF Salzburg that the company’s Thalgau plant produces 600,000 discs every day, half of which are for PlayStation. But since it’ll only be making 10 percent of that volume in 2028, it’s planning to retrain all 300 employees to work on optical microlenses instead.

Thalgau isn’t just one of Sony’s disc plants. It’s where the disc-making division is headquartered, and appears to be its only remaining wholly owned disc manufacturing facility. Sony made discs in the United States for decades, originally in Terre Haute, Indiana and later in New Jersey, but it closed the latter plant in 2011 and moved all manufacturing from Indiana to Thalgau in 2022. Today, the Indiana facility markets itself to automakers who need help packaging and assembling headlights and the like instead.

This transition didn’t happen overnight. A behind-the-scenes video from December 2024 shows that the Thalgau plant was already working on microlenses as of then:

Those lenses, too, are created using discs:

ORF Salzburg writes that Sony has now invested €30 million to manufacture these microlenses, and that mass production may begin “as early as next year.”

Microlenses are theoretically used in all kinds of emerging applications where you might want to bend light, including headsets, but it appears that Sony may cater to automakers here, too. The head of Sony’s micro optics division gave ORF Salzburg the example of “a car turn signal that is projected onto asphalt.”

All of this is to say: Sony didn’t make this decision in a hurry, and it isn’t likely to change its mind despite the predictable backlash. It’s been winding down disc manufacturing for decades, and it’s ripping off one last band-aid with PlayStation.

According to Sony DADC’s website, it has produced over 26.4 billion discs to date — the vast majority, 23 billion of them, were made between 1983 and 2022 in Terre Haute, Indiana.

#Sonys #PlayStation #disc #factory #repurposedGaming,News,PlayStation

The video game disc is dead, and Sony’s been planning to kill it for some…

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The most controversial feature is Simultaneous Opposing Cardinal Direction (SOCD) customization. This allows one key…

Valve watcher Brad Lynch notes, it was almost certainly carrying the first mass production shipments of the Steam Frame, Valve’s new gaming headset.

Import records show that Valve’s distribution partner Ceva offloaded nearly 32 metric tons of “Virtual Reality Devices” on Valve’s behalf — or roughly 13 tons of actual product, after you subtract the roughly 3,700 kilogram weight of five 40-foot shipping containers.

Speaking of the Steam Machine, Valve’s stockpile may now have grown to 141 metric tons, as that’s roughly how much “Game Consoles” product has arrived in 12,600kg containers since April 23rd.

And it looks like Valve probably received three shipments of Steam Deck handhelds in May, two on May 18th and one on May 30th, judging by how those containers had the higher gross weight of 14,500kg. That’s generally how heavy Valve’s “Game Console” containers were before the Steam Machine was announced.

13 tons isn’t actually a lot of VR headsets, of course, but perhaps more of them fit into a container than the Steam Machine console. They each weigh 654g (roughly 1.44lb) with a pair of wand controllers; back-of-the-napkin math suggests we’re probably talking about fewer than 20,000 units right now.

There might not be that many Steam Machines in the US yet, either: 141 metric tons could easily be fewer than 50,000 units at their higher 2.6kg weight per console, not counting any controllers or cables.

Valve confirmed days ago that both the Steam Machine and Steam Frame will launch this summer, and has signaled that it had to rethink prices because of RAMageddon. Even if they’re pricey, though, they may sell out quickly.

#Valve #imported #tons #headsets #dayGaming,News,PC Gaming"> Valve just imported 13 tons of VR headsets in one dayOn June 10th, the German container ship Posen docked in Los Angeles after a two-week voyage from Shanghai. As Valve watcher Brad Lynch notes, it was almost certainly carrying the first mass production shipments of the Steam Frame, Valve’s new gaming headset.Import records show that Valve’s distribution partner Ceva offloaded nearly 32 metric tons of “Virtual Reality Devices” on Valve’s behalf — or roughly 13 tons of actual product, after you subtract the roughly 3,700 kilogram weight of five 40-foot shipping containers.Speaking of the Steam Machine, Valve’s stockpile may now have grown to 141 metric tons, as that’s roughly how much “Game Consoles” product has arrived in 12,600kg containers since April 23rd.And it looks like Valve probably received three shipments of Steam Deck handhelds in May, two on May 18th and one on May 30th, judging by how those containers had the higher gross weight of 14,500kg. That’s generally how heavy Valve’s “Game Console” containers were before the Steam Machine was announced.13 tons isn’t actually a lot of VR headsets, of course, but perhaps more of them fit into a container than the Steam Machine console. They each weigh 654g (roughly 1.44lb) with a pair of wand controllers; back-of-the-napkin math suggests we’re probably talking about fewer than 20,000 units right now.There might not be that many Steam Machines in the US yet, either: 141 metric tons could easily be fewer than 50,000 units at their higher 2.6kg weight per console, not counting any controllers or cables.Valve confirmed days ago that both the Steam Machine and Steam Frame will launch this summer, and has signaled that it had to rethink prices because of RAMageddon. Even if they’re pricey, though, they may sell out quickly.#Valve #imported #tons #headsets #dayGaming,News,PC Gaming
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Valve watcher Brad Lynch notes, it was almost certainly carrying the first mass production shipments of the Steam Frame, Valve’s new gaming headset.

Import records show that Valve’s distribution partner Ceva offloaded nearly 32 metric tons of “Virtual Reality Devices” on Valve’s behalf — or roughly 13 tons of actual product, after you subtract the roughly 3,700 kilogram weight of five 40-foot shipping containers.

Speaking of the Steam Machine, Valve’s stockpile may now have grown to 141 metric tons, as that’s roughly how much “Game Consoles” product has arrived in 12,600kg containers since April 23rd.

And it looks like Valve probably received three shipments of Steam Deck handhelds in May, two on May 18th and one on May 30th, judging by how those containers had the higher gross weight of 14,500kg. That’s generally how heavy Valve’s “Game Console” containers were before the Steam Machine was announced.

13 tons isn’t actually a lot of VR headsets, of course, but perhaps more of them fit into a container than the Steam Machine console. They each weigh 654g (roughly 1.44lb) with a pair of wand controllers; back-of-the-napkin math suggests we’re probably talking about fewer than 20,000 units right now.

There might not be that many Steam Machines in the US yet, either: 141 metric tons could easily be fewer than 50,000 units at their higher 2.6kg weight per console, not counting any controllers or cables.

Valve confirmed days ago that both the Steam Machine and Steam Frame will launch this summer, and has signaled that it had to rethink prices because of RAMageddon. Even if they’re pricey, though, they may sell out quickly.

#Valve #imported #tons #headsets #dayGaming,News,PC Gaming">Valve just imported 13 tons of VR headsets in one day

On June 10th, the German container ship Posen docked in Los Angeles after a two-week voyage from Shanghai. As Valve watcher Brad Lynch notes, it was almost certainly carrying the first mass production shipments of the Steam Frame, Valve’s new gaming headset.

Import records show that Valve’s distribution partner Ceva offloaded nearly 32 metric tons of “Virtual Reality Devices” on Valve’s behalf — or roughly 13 tons of actual product, after you subtract the roughly 3,700 kilogram weight of five 40-foot shipping containers.

Speaking of the Steam Machine, Valve’s stockpile may now have grown to 141 metric tons, as that’s roughly how much “Game Consoles” product has arrived in 12,600kg containers since April 23rd.

And it looks like Valve probably received three shipments of Steam Deck handhelds in May, two on May 18th and one on May 30th, judging by how those containers had the higher gross weight of 14,500kg. That’s generally how heavy Valve’s “Game Console” containers were before the Steam Machine was announced.

13 tons isn’t actually a lot of VR headsets, of course, but perhaps more of them fit into a container than the Steam Machine console. They each weigh 654g (roughly 1.44lb) with a pair of wand controllers; back-of-the-napkin math suggests we’re probably talking about fewer than 20,000 units right now.

There might not be that many Steam Machines in the US yet, either: 141 metric tons could easily be fewer than 50,000 units at their higher 2.6kg weight per console, not counting any controllers or cables.

Valve confirmed days ago that both the Steam Machine and Steam Frame will launch this summer, and has signaled that it had to rethink prices because of RAMageddon. Even if they’re pricey, though, they may sell out quickly.

#Valve #imported #tons #headsets #dayGaming,News,PC Gaming

On June 10th, the German container ship Posen docked in Los Angeles after a two-week…

Titanium Court and 1000xResist, just wrapped up its Story-Rich Showcase, which featured a bunch of narrative-driven indie games. With more than 20 games on display, there was a lot to follow, but we’ve pulled together some of the most notable announcements below. You can also catch the full show on Fellow Traveller’s YouTube channel.

Ambrosia Sky is getting its second and final episode

Ambrosia Sky, a sci-fi game about death where you have to clean up alien fungi, will be getting its second act as a free update on August 6th. The game was originally planned to have three acts, but developer Soft Rains announced in March that it would be brought down to two. When Act Two launches, the game’s price will go up from $14.99 to $24.99.

The Citizen Sleeper games are coming to Nintendo Switch 2

The sci-fi RPGs Citizen Sleeper and Citizen Sleeper 2: Starward Vector are getting Switch 2 versions on June 25th. If you already own them on the original Switch, you can play the Switch 2 versions at no extra charge. Developer Gareth Damian Martin also says they will be revealing their next game during Sunday’s PC Gaming Show.

Desktop Explorer, a spooky game about looking through an old computer, launches in July

This trailer for Desktop Explorer, a horror puzzle game where you click through a creepy version of an old, Windows-like operating system, might be the scariest way to use a computer. It’s launching on July 17th.

Demonschool is getting DLC and will launch on the Switch 2

The upcoming paid DLC for Demonschool, a tactical RPG from Necrosoft that channels Buffy and Persona, has a focus on “puzzle battles” where players work to clear out enemies using certain characters in one turn. Both the DLC and the Switch 2 version (which includes mouse support and an improved frame rate) will launch sometime this year.

The developers of a point-and-click thriller are making a fantasy game

Powerhoof, the studio behind last year’s retro-styled mystery game The Drifter, is now working on The Telwynium, a “fantasy adventure epic.” “Book One” of the game is now available on Steam, though you can also grab it from Itch.io if you prefer.

The Mermaid Mask, a new detective game, is launching in July

SFB Games, the studio that made games like Tangle Tower and Crow Country, is releasing its next game, The Mermaid Mask, on July 16th. It’s a locked-door mystery that’s fully voice-acted and features hand-drawn animations — looks like a great story to settle into this summer.

#StoryRich #showcase #packed #narrativedriven #gamesEntertainment,Gaming,News"> The first Story-Rich showcase was packed with narrative-driven gamesFellow Traveller, the publisher behind games like Titanium Court and 1000xResist, just wrapped up its Story-Rich Showcase, which featured a bunch of narrative-driven indie games. With more than 20 games on display, there was a lot to follow, but we’ve pulled together some of the most notable announcements below. You can also catch the full show on Fellow Traveller’s YouTube channel.Ambrosia Sky is getting its second and final episodeAmbrosia Sky, a sci-fi game about death where you have to clean up alien fungi, will be getting its second act as a free update on August 6th. The game was originally planned to have three acts, but developer Soft Rains announced in March that it would be brought down to two. When Act Two launches, the game’s price will go up from .99 to .99.The Citizen Sleeper games are coming to Nintendo Switch 2The sci-fi RPGs Citizen Sleeper and Citizen Sleeper 2: Starward Vector are getting Switch 2 versions on June 25th. If you already own them on the original Switch, you can play the Switch 2 versions at no extra charge. Developer Gareth Damian Martin also says they will be revealing their next game during Sunday’s PC Gaming Show.Desktop Explorer, a spooky game about looking through an old computer, launches in JulyThis trailer for Desktop Explorer, a horror puzzle game where you click through a creepy version of an old, Windows-like operating system, might be the scariest way to use a computer. It’s launching on July 17th.Demonschool is getting DLC and will launch on the Switch 2The upcoming paid DLC for Demonschool, a tactical RPG from Necrosoft that channels Buffy and Persona, has a focus on “puzzle battles” where players work to clear out enemies using certain characters in one turn. Both the DLC and the Switch 2 version (which includes mouse support and an improved frame rate) will launch sometime this year.The developers of a point-and-click thriller are making a fantasy gamePowerhoof, the studio behind last year’s retro-styled mystery game The Drifter, is now working on The Telwynium, a “fantasy adventure epic.” “Book One” of the game is now available on Steam, though you can also grab it from Itch.io if you prefer.The Mermaid Mask, a new detective game, is launching in JulySFB Games, the studio that made games like Tangle Tower and Crow Country, is releasing its next game, The Mermaid Mask, on July 16th. It’s a locked-door mystery that’s fully voice-acted and features hand-drawn animations — looks like a great story to settle into this summer.#StoryRich #showcase #packed #narrativedriven #gamesEntertainment,Gaming,News
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Titanium Court and 1000xResist, just wrapped up its Story-Rich Showcase, which featured a bunch of narrative-driven indie games. With more than 20 games on display, there was a lot to follow, but we’ve pulled together some of the most notable announcements below. You can also catch the full show on Fellow Traveller’s YouTube channel.

Ambrosia Sky is getting its second and final episode

Ambrosia Sky, a sci-fi game about death where you have to clean up alien fungi, will be getting its second act as a free update on August 6th. The game was originally planned to have three acts, but developer Soft Rains announced in March that it would be brought down to two. When Act Two launches, the game’s price will go up from $14.99 to $24.99.

The Citizen Sleeper games are coming to Nintendo Switch 2

The sci-fi RPGs Citizen Sleeper and Citizen Sleeper 2: Starward Vector are getting Switch 2 versions on June 25th. If you already own them on the original Switch, you can play the Switch 2 versions at no extra charge. Developer Gareth Damian Martin also says they will be revealing their next game during Sunday’s PC Gaming Show.

Desktop Explorer, a spooky game about looking through an old computer, launches in July

This trailer for Desktop Explorer, a horror puzzle game where you click through a creepy version of an old, Windows-like operating system, might be the scariest way to use a computer. It’s launching on July 17th.

Demonschool is getting DLC and will launch on the Switch 2

The upcoming paid DLC for Demonschool, a tactical RPG from Necrosoft that channels Buffy and Persona, has a focus on “puzzle battles” where players work to clear out enemies using certain characters in one turn. Both the DLC and the Switch 2 version (which includes mouse support and an improved frame rate) will launch sometime this year.

The developers of a point-and-click thriller are making a fantasy game

Powerhoof, the studio behind last year’s retro-styled mystery game The Drifter, is now working on The Telwynium, a “fantasy adventure epic.” “Book One” of the game is now available on Steam, though you can also grab it from Itch.io if you prefer.

The Mermaid Mask, a new detective game, is launching in July

SFB Games, the studio that made games like Tangle Tower and Crow Country, is releasing its next game, The Mermaid Mask, on July 16th. It’s a locked-door mystery that’s fully voice-acted and features hand-drawn animations — looks like a great story to settle into this summer.

#StoryRich #showcase #packed #narrativedriven #gamesEntertainment,Gaming,News">The first Story-Rich showcase was packed with narrative-driven games

Fellow Traveller, the publisher behind games like Titanium Court and 1000xResist, just wrapped up its Story-Rich Showcase, which featured a bunch of narrative-driven indie games. With more than 20 games on display, there was a lot to follow, but we’ve pulled together some of the most notable announcements below. You can also catch the full show on Fellow Traveller’s YouTube channel.

Ambrosia Sky is getting its second and final episode

Ambrosia Sky, a sci-fi game about death where you have to clean up alien fungi, will be getting its second act as a free update on August 6th. The game was originally planned to have three acts, but developer Soft Rains announced in March that it would be brought down to two. When Act Two launches, the game’s price will go up from $14.99 to $24.99.

The Citizen Sleeper games are coming to Nintendo Switch 2

The sci-fi RPGs Citizen Sleeper and Citizen Sleeper 2: Starward Vector are getting Switch 2 versions on June 25th. If you already own them on the original Switch, you can play the Switch 2 versions at no extra charge. Developer Gareth Damian Martin also says they will be revealing their next game during Sunday’s PC Gaming Show.

Desktop Explorer, a spooky game about looking through an old computer, launches in July

This trailer for Desktop Explorer, a horror puzzle game where you click through a creepy version of an old, Windows-like operating system, might be the scariest way to use a computer. It’s launching on July 17th.

Demonschool is getting DLC and will launch on the Switch 2

The upcoming paid DLC for Demonschool, a tactical RPG from Necrosoft that channels Buffy and Persona, has a focus on “puzzle battles” where players work to clear out enemies using certain characters in one turn. Both the DLC and the Switch 2 version (which includes mouse support and an improved frame rate) will launch sometime this year.

The developers of a point-and-click thriller are making a fantasy game

Powerhoof, the studio behind last year’s retro-styled mystery game The Drifter, is now working on The Telwynium, a “fantasy adventure epic.” “Book One” of the game is now available on Steam, though you can also grab it from Itch.io if you prefer.

The Mermaid Mask, a new detective game, is launching in July

SFB Games, the studio that made games like Tangle Tower and Crow Country, is releasing its next game, The Mermaid Mask, on July 16th. It’s a locked-door mystery that’s fully voice-acted and features hand-drawn animations — looks like a great story to settle into this summer.

#StoryRich #showcase #packed #narrativedriven #gamesEntertainment,Gaming,News

Fellow Traveller, the publisher behind games like Titanium Court and 1000xResist, just wrapped up its…

N++, a brutally hard 2D platformer that was a decade in the making, building off of previous releases dating back to the freeware Flash title N. At the time, cofounder Raigan Burns issued some famous last words: “We hope it’s not another 10 years before we come up with a game.” But now here we are, more than a decade later, and N is getting another sequel. And this time the focus is on multiplayer.

The new game is called, absurdly, N Plus Infinity Times Two. Whereas N++ was meant to be the ultimate single-player version of the N concept, this game is described as “the ultimate virtual couch party game with a low skill floor and no skill ceiling.” That means the same slick, acrobatic platforming action and gorgeous graphic design-inspired visuals, but now built around playing competitively or cooperatively with pals across a handful of different modes. It’s launching on the PS5, Xbox, Switch 2, and PC at some point in 2027.

The duo at Metanet was up to a few different things over the last 11 years. In addition to uprooting from Toronto to Montreal, they’ve been prototyping ideas for a few potentially bigger projects, and last year released a 10-year anniversary update for N++. But then, “We started getting the ‘let’s take another crack at it’ bug in 2022,” Burns tells The Verge.

The studio operates in an unusual way, at least compared to most of the game industry. Despite having two hits in N+ and N++, Metanet hasn’t grown or scaled up in any way. And the reason comes down to the way they make games: It simply takes a lot of time to find a game idea that’s worth pursuing as a commercial project. “We’ve resisted doing something that would compromise our ability to keep iterating and prototyping until something good shows up,” says Burns.

“It’s important to feel that magic,” cofounder Mare Sheppard adds. “That’s what’s compelling about making games. That’s when we know that we’re doing it in a way that’s right for us.” Burns has a clear analogy for how they work: “We like being in a band. That’s fun. Being in a lot of meetings and doing a lot of managing: not fun.” This philosophy seems especially prescient given the state of the games industry, where even the biggest hits operate in a way that’s clearly unsustainable.

“We like being in a band. That’s fun. Being in a lot of meetings and doing a lot of managing: not fun.”

In the case of N Plus Infinity Times Two — unfortunately I can’t think of a good way to shorten that title — the spark came in part from watching how younger players interact with games. Even when they’re playing solo, kids are typically still chatting with friends on their phones, essentially turning everything into a multiplayer experience. Burns and Sheppard wanted to find a way to marry that idea with the couch co-op experiences they grew up on, which led to revisiting the N concept but with a multiplayer spin.

The two describe making N++ as a grueling experience. If you think the game’s levels are hard, just imagine having to playtest them over and over. Part of the excitement about N Plus Infinity Times Two wasn’t just finding a spin on the formula that would be fun to play, but also to develop. “This one really feels like we’re having fun,” says Burns. “We’re really fluent in this one instrument. So now the fun challenge becomes playing new styles of music we’ve never played before, but with this thing we’re really comfortable with.”

A screenshot from the video game N Plus Infinity Times Two.

Image: Metanet Software

As creative industries from games to Hollywood become increasingly homogenous, Burns also believes that there’s something important about doing work that’s distinct, even if it means revisiting a previous idea, like through the multiple versions of N. It’s similar to titles like Hades II and Silksong: indie-developed sequels that iterated a core concept, but with a fresh angle that made them more than a by-the-numbers follow-up. “Being yourself is more fun and exciting anyways,” Burns explains. “But I honestly think it’s more commercially viable to do something only you can do, because then you have no competition.”

As for what’s next after N Plus Infinity Times Two, the pair obviously aren’t revealing anything just yet. There are a few bigger 3D game ideas kicking around, but those would necessitate some of that scaling up that the studio has so far avoided. What they won’t close the door on, however, is coming back to the idea of N again at some point in the future.

“If we can do something that expresses something new, or lets us see things in a different way, or we get a different perspective on what this game is or how to play it, that’s exciting,” says Sheppard. “I think we no longer think this is definitively going to be the last one. We’ve abandoned that idea. It doesn’t have to be.”

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#decade #team #multiplayer #sequelEntertainment,Gaming,Interview,Report"> More than a decade later, the team behind N++ is back with a multiplayer sequelBack in 2015, the two-person studio Metanet released N++, a brutally hard 2D platformer that was a decade in the making, building off of previous releases dating back to the freeware Flash title N. At the time, cofounder Raigan Burns issued some famous last words: “We hope it’s not another 10 years before we come up with a game.” But now here we are, more than a decade later, and N is getting another sequel. And this time the focus is on multiplayer.The new game is called, absurdly, N Plus Infinity Times Two. Whereas N++ was meant to be the ultimate single-player version of the N concept, this game is described as “the ultimate virtual couch party game with a low skill floor and no skill ceiling.” That means the same slick, acrobatic platforming action and gorgeous graphic design-inspired visuals, but now built around playing competitively or cooperatively with pals across a handful of different modes. It’s launching on the PS5, Xbox, Switch 2, and PC at some point in 2027.The duo at Metanet was up to a few different things over the last 11 years. In addition to uprooting from Toronto to Montreal, they’ve been prototyping ideas for a few potentially bigger projects, and last year released a 10-year anniversary update for N++. But then, “We started getting the ‘let’s take another crack at it’ bug in 2022,” Burns tells The Verge.The studio operates in an unusual way, at least compared to most of the game industry. Despite having two hits in N+ and N++, Metanet hasn’t grown or scaled up in any way. And the reason comes down to the way they make games: It simply takes a lot of time to find a game idea that’s worth pursuing as a commercial project. “We’ve resisted doing something that would compromise our ability to keep iterating and prototyping until something good shows up,” says Burns.“It’s important to feel that magic,” cofounder Mare Sheppard adds. “That’s what’s compelling about making games. That’s when we know that we’re doing it in a way that’s right for us.” Burns has a clear analogy for how they work: “We like being in a band. That’s fun. Being in a lot of meetings and doing a lot of managing: not fun.” This philosophy seems especially prescient given the state of the games industry, where even the biggest hits operate in a way that’s clearly unsustainable.“We like being in a band. That’s fun. Being in a lot of meetings and doing a lot of managing: not fun.”In the case of N Plus Infinity Times Two — unfortunately I can’t think of a good way to shorten that title — the spark came in part from watching how younger players interact with games. Even when they’re playing solo, kids are typically still chatting with friends on their phones, essentially turning everything into a multiplayer experience. Burns and Sheppard wanted to find a way to marry that idea with the couch co-op experiences they grew up on, which led to revisiting the N concept but with a multiplayer spin.The two describe making N++ as a grueling experience. If you think the game’s levels are hard, just imagine having to playtest them over and over. Part of the excitement about N Plus Infinity Times Two wasn’t just finding a spin on the formula that would be fun to play, but also to develop. “This one really feels like we’re having fun,” says Burns. “We’re really fluent in this one instrument. So now the fun challenge becomes playing new styles of music we’ve never played before, but with this thing we’re really comfortable with.”Image: Metanet SoftwareAs creative industries from games to Hollywood become increasingly homogenous, Burns also believes that there’s something important about doing work that’s distinct, even if it means revisiting a previous idea, like through the multiple versions of N. It’s similar to titles like Hades II and Silksong: indie-developed sequels that iterated a core concept, but with a fresh angle that made them more than a by-the-numbers follow-up. “Being yourself is more fun and exciting anyways,” Burns explains. “But I honestly think it’s more commercially viable to do something only you can do, because then you have no competition.”As for what’s next after N Plus Infinity Times Two, the pair obviously aren’t revealing anything just yet. There are a few bigger 3D game ideas kicking around, but those would necessitate some of that scaling up that the studio has so far avoided. What they won’t close the door on, however, is coming back to the idea of N again at some point in the future.“If we can do something that expresses something new, or lets us see things in a different way, or we get a different perspective on what this game is or how to play it, that’s exciting,” says Sheppard. “I think we no longer think this is definitively going to be the last one. We’ve abandoned that idea. It doesn’t have to be.”Follow topics and authors from this story to see more like this in your personalized homepage feed and to receive email updates.Andrew WebsterCloseAndrew WebsterSenior entertainment editorPosts from this author will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All by Andrew WebsterEntertainmentCloseEntertainmentPosts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All EntertainmentGamingCloseGamingPosts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All GamingInterviewCloseInterviewPosts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All InterviewReportCloseReportPosts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All Report#decade #team #multiplayer #sequelEntertainment,Gaming,Interview,Report
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N++, a brutally hard 2D platformer that was a decade in the making, building off of previous releases dating back to the freeware Flash title N. At the time, cofounder Raigan Burns issued some famous last words: “We hope it’s not another 10 years before we come up with a game.” But now here we are, more than a decade later, and N is getting another sequel. And this time the focus is on multiplayer.

The new game is called, absurdly, N Plus Infinity Times Two. Whereas N++ was meant to be the ultimate single-player version of the N concept, this game is described as “the ultimate virtual couch party game with a low skill floor and no skill ceiling.” That means the same slick, acrobatic platforming action and gorgeous graphic design-inspired visuals, but now built around playing competitively or cooperatively with pals across a handful of different modes. It’s launching on the PS5, Xbox, Switch 2, and PC at some point in 2027.

The duo at Metanet was up to a few different things over the last 11 years. In addition to uprooting from Toronto to Montreal, they’ve been prototyping ideas for a few potentially bigger projects, and last year released a 10-year anniversary update for N++. But then, “We started getting the ‘let’s take another crack at it’ bug in 2022,” Burns tells The Verge.

The studio operates in an unusual way, at least compared to most of the game industry. Despite having two hits in N+ and N++, Metanet hasn’t grown or scaled up in any way. And the reason comes down to the way they make games: It simply takes a lot of time to find a game idea that’s worth pursuing as a commercial project. “We’ve resisted doing something that would compromise our ability to keep iterating and prototyping until something good shows up,” says Burns.

“It’s important to feel that magic,” cofounder Mare Sheppard adds. “That’s what’s compelling about making games. That’s when we know that we’re doing it in a way that’s right for us.” Burns has a clear analogy for how they work: “We like being in a band. That’s fun. Being in a lot of meetings and doing a lot of managing: not fun.” This philosophy seems especially prescient given the state of the games industry, where even the biggest hits operate in a way that’s clearly unsustainable.

“We like being in a band. That’s fun. Being in a lot of meetings and doing a lot of managing: not fun.”

In the case of N Plus Infinity Times Two — unfortunately I can’t think of a good way to shorten that title — the spark came in part from watching how younger players interact with games. Even when they’re playing solo, kids are typically still chatting with friends on their phones, essentially turning everything into a multiplayer experience. Burns and Sheppard wanted to find a way to marry that idea with the couch co-op experiences they grew up on, which led to revisiting the N concept but with a multiplayer spin.

The two describe making N++ as a grueling experience. If you think the game’s levels are hard, just imagine having to playtest them over and over. Part of the excitement about N Plus Infinity Times Two wasn’t just finding a spin on the formula that would be fun to play, but also to develop. “This one really feels like we’re having fun,” says Burns. “We’re really fluent in this one instrument. So now the fun challenge becomes playing new styles of music we’ve never played before, but with this thing we’re really comfortable with.”

A screenshot from the video game N Plus Infinity Times Two.

Image: Metanet Software

As creative industries from games to Hollywood become increasingly homogenous, Burns also believes that there’s something important about doing work that’s distinct, even if it means revisiting a previous idea, like through the multiple versions of N. It’s similar to titles like Hades II and Silksong: indie-developed sequels that iterated a core concept, but with a fresh angle that made them more than a by-the-numbers follow-up. “Being yourself is more fun and exciting anyways,” Burns explains. “But I honestly think it’s more commercially viable to do something only you can do, because then you have no competition.”

As for what’s next after N Plus Infinity Times Two, the pair obviously aren’t revealing anything just yet. There are a few bigger 3D game ideas kicking around, but those would necessitate some of that scaling up that the studio has so far avoided. What they won’t close the door on, however, is coming back to the idea of N again at some point in the future.

“If we can do something that expresses something new, or lets us see things in a different way, or we get a different perspective on what this game is or how to play it, that’s exciting,” says Sheppard. “I think we no longer think this is definitively going to be the last one. We’ve abandoned that idea. It doesn’t have to be.”

Follow topics and authors from this story to see more like this in your personalized homepage feed and to receive email updates.

#decade #team #multiplayer #sequelEntertainment,Gaming,Interview,Report">More than a decade later, the team behind N++ is back with a multiplayer sequel

Back in 2015, the two-person studio Metanet released N++, a brutally hard 2D platformer that was a decade in the making, building off of previous releases dating back to the freeware Flash title N. At the time, cofounder Raigan Burns issued some famous last words: “We hope it’s not another 10 years before we come up with a game.” But now here we are, more than a decade later, and N is getting another sequel. And this time the focus is on multiplayer.

The new game is called, absurdly, N Plus Infinity Times Two. Whereas N++ was meant to be the ultimate single-player version of the N concept, this game is described as “the ultimate virtual couch party game with a low skill floor and no skill ceiling.” That means the same slick, acrobatic platforming action and gorgeous graphic design-inspired visuals, but now built around playing competitively or cooperatively with pals across a handful of different modes. It’s launching on the PS5, Xbox, Switch 2, and PC at some point in 2027.

The duo at Metanet was up to a few different things over the last 11 years. In addition to uprooting from Toronto to Montreal, they’ve been prototyping ideas for a few potentially bigger projects, and last year released a 10-year anniversary update for N++. But then, “We started getting the ‘let’s take another crack at it’ bug in 2022,” Burns tells The Verge.

The studio operates in an unusual way, at least compared to most of the game industry. Despite having two hits in N+ and N++, Metanet hasn’t grown or scaled up in any way. And the reason comes down to the way they make games: It simply takes a lot of time to find a game idea that’s worth pursuing as a commercial project. “We’ve resisted doing something that would compromise our ability to keep iterating and prototyping until something good shows up,” says Burns.

“It’s important to feel that magic,” cofounder Mare Sheppard adds. “That’s what’s compelling about making games. That’s when we know that we’re doing it in a way that’s right for us.” Burns has a clear analogy for how they work: “We like being in a band. That’s fun. Being in a lot of meetings and doing a lot of managing: not fun.” This philosophy seems especially prescient given the state of the games industry, where even the biggest hits operate in a way that’s clearly unsustainable.

“We like being in a band. That’s fun. Being in a lot of meetings and doing a lot of managing: not fun.”

In the case of N Plus Infinity Times Two — unfortunately I can’t think of a good way to shorten that title — the spark came in part from watching how younger players interact with games. Even when they’re playing solo, kids are typically still chatting with friends on their phones, essentially turning everything into a multiplayer experience. Burns and Sheppard wanted to find a way to marry that idea with the couch co-op experiences they grew up on, which led to revisiting the N concept but with a multiplayer spin.

The two describe making N++ as a grueling experience. If you think the game’s levels are hard, just imagine having to playtest them over and over. Part of the excitement about N Plus Infinity Times Two wasn’t just finding a spin on the formula that would be fun to play, but also to develop. “This one really feels like we’re having fun,” says Burns. “We’re really fluent in this one instrument. So now the fun challenge becomes playing new styles of music we’ve never played before, but with this thing we’re really comfortable with.”

A screenshot from the video game N Plus Infinity Times Two.

Image: Metanet Software

As creative industries from games to Hollywood become increasingly homogenous, Burns also believes that there’s something important about doing work that’s distinct, even if it means revisiting a previous idea, like through the multiple versions of N. It’s similar to titles like Hades II and Silksong: indie-developed sequels that iterated a core concept, but with a fresh angle that made them more than a by-the-numbers follow-up. “Being yourself is more fun and exciting anyways,” Burns explains. “But I honestly think it’s more commercially viable to do something only you can do, because then you have no competition.”

As for what’s next after N Plus Infinity Times Two, the pair obviously aren’t revealing anything just yet. There are a few bigger 3D game ideas kicking around, but those would necessitate some of that scaling up that the studio has so far avoided. What they won’t close the door on, however, is coming back to the idea of N again at some point in the future.

“If we can do something that expresses something new, or lets us see things in a different way, or we get a different perspective on what this game is or how to play it, that’s exciting,” says Sheppard. “I think we no longer think this is definitively going to be the last one. We’ve abandoned that idea. It doesn’t have to be.”

Follow topics and authors from this story to see more like this in your personalized homepage feed and to receive email updates.
#decade #team #multiplayer #sequelEntertainment,Gaming,Interview,Report

Back in 2015, the two-person studio Metanet released N++, a brutally hard 2D platformer that…

saying that “We’re excited for players to try your titles on the new Steam hardware once they launch this summer.”

When the company originally announced the Machine and Frame alongside its new Steam Controller late last year, it said that it would start shipping the new gadgets in early 2026. But in February, the company announced that the ongoing memory and storage crunch had forced it to revisit its pricing and shipping plans. And in March, Valve said in a blog post that it would be “shipping all three products this year” — though that was after the company initially said in the post that “we hope to ship in 2026,” which it removed in an update.

Valve opted to release the Steam Controller on its own, putting it up for sale in early May. For the Machine and Frame, while “summer” isn’t exactly a specific date, it narrows the window for when the products might finally come out.

Ahead of actually launching the devices, Valve is redesigning the Steam store and sharing information about the Verified programs for the hardware so that developers can prepare their games. Like with the Steam Deck, if a game is verified for the Machine or the Frame, the badge signals that the game should work well without any tweaks from the user.

For the Machine, the requirements for a game to be verified are “nearly identical” to what they are for the Steam Deck. With the Machine being “roughly six times as powerful” as the Deck, in theory, many more games will be verified for it. Valve also says that it’s testing “every title on Machine that fell below our performance requirements on Deck.”

For the Frame, Valve’s verified badge will signify games that run well while being played natively on the headset — as opposed to games that work well streamed to the headset, which the Frame is also capable of. “Like Steam Deck Verified, the Steam Frame Standalone Verified program focuses on the experience customers will have with the device out-of-the-box in standalone mode,” Valve says.

Now, we just need Valve to share exactly when the Steam Machine and Steam Frame will be released and how much they might cost. After last week’s price hikes for the Steam Deck, I’m gearing up for sticker shock.

#Valve #ready #launch #Steam #Machine #summerEntertainment,Gaming,News,PC Gaming"> Valve says it’s ready to launch the Steam Machine this summerValve now says that the delayed Steam Machine PC and Steam Frame VR headset are set to launch sometime this summer. In a Thursday blog post detailing its Verified programs for both pieces of hardware, Valve concludes by saying that “We’re excited for players to try your titles on the new Steam hardware once they launch this summer.”When the company originally announced the Machine and Frame alongside its new Steam Controller late last year, it said that it would start shipping the new gadgets in early 2026. But in February, the company announced that the ongoing memory and storage crunch had forced it to revisit its pricing and shipping plans. And in March, Valve said in a blog post that it would be “shipping all three products this year” — though that was after the company initially said in the post that “we hope to ship in 2026,” which it removed in an update.Valve opted to release the Steam Controller on its own, putting it up for sale in early May. For the Machine and Frame, while “summer” isn’t exactly a specific date, it narrows the window for when the products might finally come out.Ahead of actually launching the devices, Valve is redesigning the Steam store and sharing information about the Verified programs for the hardware so that developers can prepare their games. Like with the Steam Deck, if a game is verified for the Machine or the Frame, the badge signals that the game should work well without any tweaks from the user.For the Machine, the requirements for a game to be verified are “nearly identical” to what they are for the Steam Deck. With the Machine being “roughly six times as powerful” as the Deck, in theory, many more games will be verified for it. Valve also says that it’s testing “every title on Machine that fell below our performance requirements on Deck.”For the Frame, Valve’s verified badge will signify games that run well while being played natively on the headset — as opposed to games that work well streamed to the headset, which the Frame is also capable of. “Like Steam Deck Verified, the Steam Frame Standalone Verified program focuses on the experience customers will have with the device out-of-the-box in standalone mode,” Valve says.Now, we just need Valve to share exactly when the Steam Machine and Steam Frame will be released and how much they might cost. After last week’s price hikes for the Steam Deck, I’m gearing up for sticker shock.#Valve #ready #launch #Steam #Machine #summerEntertainment,Gaming,News,PC Gaming
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saying that “We’re excited for players to try your titles on the new Steam hardware once they launch this summer.”

When the company originally announced the Machine and Frame alongside its new Steam Controller late last year, it said that it would start shipping the new gadgets in early 2026. But in February, the company announced that the ongoing memory and storage crunch had forced it to revisit its pricing and shipping plans. And in March, Valve said in a blog post that it would be “shipping all three products this year” — though that was after the company initially said in the post that “we hope to ship in 2026,” which it removed in an update.

Valve opted to release the Steam Controller on its own, putting it up for sale in early May. For the Machine and Frame, while “summer” isn’t exactly a specific date, it narrows the window for when the products might finally come out.

Ahead of actually launching the devices, Valve is redesigning the Steam store and sharing information about the Verified programs for the hardware so that developers can prepare their games. Like with the Steam Deck, if a game is verified for the Machine or the Frame, the badge signals that the game should work well without any tweaks from the user.

For the Machine, the requirements for a game to be verified are “nearly identical” to what they are for the Steam Deck. With the Machine being “roughly six times as powerful” as the Deck, in theory, many more games will be verified for it. Valve also says that it’s testing “every title on Machine that fell below our performance requirements on Deck.”

For the Frame, Valve’s verified badge will signify games that run well while being played natively on the headset — as opposed to games that work well streamed to the headset, which the Frame is also capable of. “Like Steam Deck Verified, the Steam Frame Standalone Verified program focuses on the experience customers will have with the device out-of-the-box in standalone mode,” Valve says.

Now, we just need Valve to share exactly when the Steam Machine and Steam Frame will be released and how much they might cost. After last week’s price hikes for the Steam Deck, I’m gearing up for sticker shock.

#Valve #ready #launch #Steam #Machine #summerEntertainment,Gaming,News,PC Gaming">Valve says it’s ready to launch the Steam Machine this summer

Valve now says that the delayed Steam Machine PC and Steam Frame VR headset are set to launch sometime this summer. In a Thursday blog post detailing its Verified programs for both pieces of hardware, Valve concludes by saying that “We’re excited for players to try your titles on the new Steam hardware once they launch this summer.”

When the company originally announced the Machine and Frame alongside its new Steam Controller late last year, it said that it would start shipping the new gadgets in early 2026. But in February, the company announced that the ongoing memory and storage crunch had forced it to revisit its pricing and shipping plans. And in March, Valve said in a blog post that it would be “shipping all three products this year” — though that was after the company initially said in the post that “we hope to ship in 2026,” which it removed in an update.

Valve opted to release the Steam Controller on its own, putting it up for sale in early May. For the Machine and Frame, while “summer” isn’t exactly a specific date, it narrows the window for when the products might finally come out.

Ahead of actually launching the devices, Valve is redesigning the Steam store and sharing information about the Verified programs for the hardware so that developers can prepare their games. Like with the Steam Deck, if a game is verified for the Machine or the Frame, the badge signals that the game should work well without any tweaks from the user.

For the Machine, the requirements for a game to be verified are “nearly identical” to what they are for the Steam Deck. With the Machine being “roughly six times as powerful” as the Deck, in theory, many more games will be verified for it. Valve also says that it’s testing “every title on Machine that fell below our performance requirements on Deck.”

For the Frame, Valve’s verified badge will signify games that run well while being played natively on the headset — as opposed to games that work well streamed to the headset, which the Frame is also capable of. “Like Steam Deck Verified, the Steam Frame Standalone Verified program focuses on the experience customers will have with the device out-of-the-box in standalone mode,” Valve says.

Now, we just need Valve to share exactly when the Steam Machine and Steam Frame will be released and how much they might cost. After last week’s price hikes for the Steam Deck, I’m gearing up for sticker shock.

#Valve #ready #launch #Steam #Machine #summerEntertainment,Gaming,News,PC Gaming

Valve now says that the delayed Steam Machine PC and Steam Frame VR headset are…

on its website that it is “implementing measures to comply with these requirements by preparing versions of products to meet the Regulation.”

Thanks to EU regulations, gadgets with user-replaceable batteries are making a comeback, as my colleague Dominic Preston wrote recently. Starting on that February 2027 date, EU rules mandate that many types of gadgets, including portable game consoles, must allow users to relatively easily remove and replace their batteries.

Nintendo doesn’t specify exactly what it will change with this new version of the Switch 2 to make battery replacements easier — currently, taking out the battery in the Switch 2 is an involved, multi-step process, as shown by iFixit. It’s also unclear if a revised model with a replaceable battery will be available in other regions. Nintendo didn’t immediately reply to a request for comment.

On its website, Nintendo says that, “For current products with model numbers starting with ‘BEE’” — which is used with the Switch 2, as shown in Nintendo’s filings with the FCC — “future compliant versions will have unique model numbers and the additional code ‘OSM’ visible on the packaging, designating them as separate products for regulatory purposes.” Switch 2 controllers like the Pro Controller and the Joy-Cons also carry the BEE moniker, and we’ve asked Nintendo if those will have user-replaceable batteries as well.

#Nintendo #confirms #sell #Switch #replaceable #batteryEntertainment,Gaming,News,Nintendo,Policy"> Nintendo confirms it will sell a new Switch 2 with replaceable battery in the EUNintendo is planning to launch versions of Switch 2 hardware in the EU that will let users easily replace the battery. To meet its obligations from a new EU regulation that’s set to go into effect on February 18th, 2027, Nintendo says on its website that it is “implementing measures to comply with these requirements by preparing versions of products to meet the Regulation.”Thanks to EU regulations, gadgets with user-replaceable batteries are making a comeback, as my colleague Dominic Preston wrote recently. Starting on that February 2027 date, EU rules mandate that many types of gadgets, including portable game consoles, must allow users to relatively easily remove and replace their batteries.Nintendo doesn’t specify exactly what it will change with this new version of the Switch 2 to make battery replacements easier — currently, taking out the battery in the Switch 2 is an involved, multi-step process, as shown by iFixit. It’s also unclear if a revised model with a replaceable battery will be available in other regions. Nintendo didn’t immediately reply to a request for comment.On its website, Nintendo says that, “For current products with model numbers starting with ‘BEE’” — which is used with the Switch 2, as shown in Nintendo’s filings with the FCC — “future compliant versions will have unique model numbers and the additional code ‘OSM’ visible on the packaging, designating them as separate products for regulatory purposes.” Switch 2 controllers like the Pro Controller and the Joy-Cons also carry the BEE moniker, and we’ve asked Nintendo if those will have user-replaceable batteries as well.#Nintendo #confirms #sell #Switch #replaceable #batteryEntertainment,Gaming,News,Nintendo,Policy
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on its website that it is “implementing measures to comply with these requirements by preparing versions of products to meet the Regulation.”

Thanks to EU regulations, gadgets with user-replaceable batteries are making a comeback, as my colleague Dominic Preston wrote recently. Starting on that February 2027 date, EU rules mandate that many types of gadgets, including portable game consoles, must allow users to relatively easily remove and replace their batteries.

Nintendo doesn’t specify exactly what it will change with this new version of the Switch 2 to make battery replacements easier — currently, taking out the battery in the Switch 2 is an involved, multi-step process, as shown by iFixit. It’s also unclear if a revised model with a replaceable battery will be available in other regions. Nintendo didn’t immediately reply to a request for comment.

On its website, Nintendo says that, “For current products with model numbers starting with ‘BEE’” — which is used with the Switch 2, as shown in Nintendo’s filings with the FCC — “future compliant versions will have unique model numbers and the additional code ‘OSM’ visible on the packaging, designating them as separate products for regulatory purposes.” Switch 2 controllers like the Pro Controller and the Joy-Cons also carry the BEE moniker, and we’ve asked Nintendo if those will have user-replaceable batteries as well.

#Nintendo #confirms #sell #Switch #replaceable #batteryEntertainment,Gaming,News,Nintendo,Policy">Nintendo confirms it will sell a new Switch 2 with replaceable battery in the EU

Nintendo is planning to launch versions of Switch 2 hardware in the EU that will let users easily replace the battery. To meet its obligations from a new EU regulation that’s set to go into effect on February 18th, 2027, Nintendo says on its website that it is “implementing measures to comply with these requirements by preparing versions of products to meet the Regulation.”

Thanks to EU regulations, gadgets with user-replaceable batteries are making a comeback, as my colleague Dominic Preston wrote recently. Starting on that February 2027 date, EU rules mandate that many types of gadgets, including portable game consoles, must allow users to relatively easily remove and replace their batteries.

Nintendo doesn’t specify exactly what it will change with this new version of the Switch 2 to make battery replacements easier — currently, taking out the battery in the Switch 2 is an involved, multi-step process, as shown by iFixit. It’s also unclear if a revised model with a replaceable battery will be available in other regions. Nintendo didn’t immediately reply to a request for comment.

On its website, Nintendo says that, “For current products with model numbers starting with ‘BEE’” — which is used with the Switch 2, as shown in Nintendo’s filings with the FCC — “future compliant versions will have unique model numbers and the additional code ‘OSM’ visible on the packaging, designating them as separate products for regulatory purposes.” Switch 2 controllers like the Pro Controller and the Joy-Cons also carry the BEE moniker, and we’ve asked Nintendo if those will have user-replaceable batteries as well.

#Nintendo #confirms #sell #Switch #replaceable #batteryEntertainment,Gaming,News,Nintendo,Policy

Nintendo is planning to launch versions of Switch 2 hardware in the EU that will…

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Sony ended its big State of Play showcase with a major reveal: the next God…

reported earlier by Kotaku.

“He noted that the reverse of the watch indicates that it is a Google Pixel 5, which has not yet been announced, let alone released,” Pitchford writes. “It seems to be fine. The face indicates an empty battery, but seems to have enough reserve power to display the correct time.” After putting out a call to find its owner, Pitchford said someone contacted him and that he’s “arranged for its return.” Google didn’t immediately respond to The Verge’s request for comment.

Google typically shows off its newest Pixel devices in August. That means we’ll find out if someone really dropped a not-yet-revealed Pixel Watch 5 into the ocean in just a few short months.

#Google #Pixel #Watch #spoiled #creator #BorderlandsEntertainment,Gadgets,Gaming,Google,Google Pixel,News,Smartwatch,Tech,Wearable"> The Google Pixel Watch 5 may have been spoiled by… the creator of BorderlandsWe may just have gotten an early look at the Google Pixel Watch 5 — and from an unusual source. Randy Pitchford, the creator of the Borderlands game franchise, posted a pair of images of a watch on X, saying that his friend found it underwater while scuba diving near Saint Martin, as reported earlier by Kotaku.“He noted that the reverse of the watch indicates that it is a Google Pixel 5, which has not yet been announced, let alone released,” Pitchford writes. “It seems to be fine. The face indicates an empty battery, but seems to have enough reserve power to display the correct time.” After putting out a call to find its owner, Pitchford said someone contacted him and that he’s “arranged for its return.” Google didn’t immediately respond to The Verge’s request for comment.Google typically shows off its newest Pixel devices in August. That means we’ll find out if someone really dropped a not-yet-revealed Pixel Watch 5 into the ocean in just a few short months.#Google #Pixel #Watch #spoiled #creator #BorderlandsEntertainment,Gadgets,Gaming,Google,Google Pixel,News,Smartwatch,Tech,Wearable
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reported earlier by Kotaku.

“He noted that the reverse of the watch indicates that it is a Google Pixel 5, which has not yet been announced, let alone released,” Pitchford writes. “It seems to be fine. The face indicates an empty battery, but seems to have enough reserve power to display the correct time.” After putting out a call to find its owner, Pitchford said someone contacted him and that he’s “arranged for its return.” Google didn’t immediately respond to The Verge’s request for comment.

Google typically shows off its newest Pixel devices in August. That means we’ll find out if someone really dropped a not-yet-revealed Pixel Watch 5 into the ocean in just a few short months.

#Google #Pixel #Watch #spoiled #creator #BorderlandsEntertainment,Gadgets,Gaming,Google,Google Pixel,News,Smartwatch,Tech,Wearable">The Google Pixel Watch 5 may have been spoiled by… the creator of Borderlands

We may just have gotten an early look at the Google Pixel Watch 5 — and from an unusual source. Randy Pitchford, the creator of the Borderlands game franchise, posted a pair of images of a watch on X, saying that his friend found it underwater while scuba diving near Saint Martin, as reported earlier by Kotaku.

“He noted that the reverse of the watch indicates that it is a Google Pixel 5, which has not yet been announced, let alone released,” Pitchford writes. “It seems to be fine. The face indicates an empty battery, but seems to have enough reserve power to display the correct time.” After putting out a call to find its owner, Pitchford said someone contacted him and that he’s “arranged for its return.” Google didn’t immediately respond to The Verge’s request for comment.

Google typically shows off its newest Pixel devices in August. That means we’ll find out if someone really dropped a not-yet-revealed Pixel Watch 5 into the ocean in just a few short months.

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We may just have gotten an early look at the Google Pixel Watch 5 —…