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Logitech’s MX Master 4 adds haptic feedback, mostly just for fun
Gaming Gear

Logitech’s MX Master 4 adds haptic feedback, mostly just for fun

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If you saw the leaks, you probably already know that haptics are the big, new thing in Logitech’s $119.99 MX Master 4 wireless mouse, coming in October. No, it’s not adding rumble effects to YouTube videos or to your favorite websites (on second thought, I’d like to try that). And, it’s different from Logitech’s haptics-based click system in its Pro X2 Superstrike gaming mouse coming in 2026.

The Haptic Sense Panel embedded in its grippy thumb rest vibrates when pressed, opening Logitech’s Action Ring overlay. That overlay can be filled with whatever app- and system-level shortcuts you want. You can even nest multiple Action Rings within one, if you want, letting you drill down to extremely specific commands. The haptics is a hardware feature that, unsurprisingly, requires you to engage pretty heavily with the company’s software, Logi Options Plus.

The haptics punctuate every engagement you make with Logitech’s features, from gestures and Action Rings to its Smart Actions (pre-made or custom macros to automate certain tasks). My favorite use case for the haptics was one that’s switched off by default; you can enable a setting that provides a small jolt of haptic feedback when you move between screens, reducing the amount of “where on earth is my cursor?” moments each day.

Image: Logitech via The Verge

Before digging into the app integration, it’s worth sharing what’s new about the MX Master 4 itself. It has frosted, semi-transparent main buttons that add in a dash of elegance. Some people might be happy to hear that this model includes a USB-C Bolt transmitter, which the other compatible Logitech products (including the new Signature Slim Solar Plus keyboard) can connect to as well.

In terms of battery life, Logitech claims it can last up to 70 days on a full charge (although, setting haptics to “high” intensity in the app will yield a shorter lifespan per charge).

Lastly, its gesture button has moved from the thumb grip, where it was in the MX Master 3S from 2022, to a dedicated button next to the other two thumb buttons, just below the horizontal scroll wheel. When held, you then move the mouse in a cardinal direction to execute a desired action.

Back to the app, Logitech bills the Action Ring as a time-saving feature, an alternative to keyboard shortcuts and moving your cursor across the screen to click something. You don’t have to be a power user to get a lot out of this functionality. For instance, I programmed an Action Ring with a button that auto-launches The Verge, and one that opens WordPress, where we produce articles. There are plugins within Logitech’s app for many third-party apps. Affinity Photo has a version of the Action Ring that appears when I press the Haptic Sense Panel while using the app. It shows some commands that I’m likely to take advantage of, like showing line guides to properly align objects, or simpler stuff like copying and pasting assets.

To be clear, Action Rings aren’t new. The haptic sensations derived from navigating them, on the other hand, are. Clicking the haptics button makes it jolt, as does moving the cursor between the Action Ring’s bubbles. It’s a small, but delightful touch that I appreciate — that is, when I use Action Rings, which I still haven’t trained my brain to rely on when I’m in a flow state at work. I’m sorry to my employer, Vox Media, for all of the time I wasted at work when I could have used Action Rings to enhance my productivity!

With haptics being the main new hardware feature in the MX Master 4, I don’t necessarily think it’s worth upgrading to if you have the MX Master 3S, as it’s similar in many ways. But it’s certainly worth getting instead of the 3S if you’re shopping for a mouse, since the 4 is launching at the same $119.99 price that its predecessor sells for. And, as for those who haven’t used an MX Master-series mouse before, it’s hard to overstate the value of an ergonomically-friendly mouse with a stellar scroll wheel, quiet clicks, and solid battery life. Haptics are just a nice add-on.

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A cave with a skull and a waterfall where the Forgive Me quest begins
Product Reviews

There’s a sidequest in Borderlands 4 based on a meme making fun of Soulsborne games and it’s great

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Borderlands 4 is in a tough place when it comes to tone. The over-reliance on literal toilet humor in Borderlands 3 was so universally disliked that a follow-up was always going to pare it back a bit. Which Borderlands 3 does, though sometimes too much. The villains in particular end up feeling like personality-free zones, some of them not even having enough going on to fill the empty space on their introductory title cards. They’re just names and hit points.

The sidequests squeeze in some of the personality the main questline leaves out, and even (whisper it) reference the occasional meme. My favorite so far is Forgive Me, a quest based on a viral joke about the storytelling in Soulsborne games—a joke tweeted by Borderlands 4 head writer Sam Winkler back in 2022.

(Image credit: Sam Winkler)

Because the internet is the way it is, Winkler ended up having to explain in the replies that he actually likes FromSoftware games, saying, “I am begging anyone who thinks I’m dunking on fromsoft to learn how to make fun of the things you love”. And if you needed further evidence, the Forgive Me quest in Borderlands 4 is an extended gag about Soulsborne storytelling that clearly comes from a place of deep knowledge and appreciation.


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Forgive Me isn’t marked on your map. It begins in a cave in the Cuspid Climb area of the Terminus Ranges, with a waterfall pouring out of a giant skull at the entrance. Near a sword embedded in a fire a badass psycho attacks you, dropping a Desecrated Bolt as he dies. When you pick it up you hear the words “Zanzibart… forgive me” and begin an unmarked quest that instructs you to “Find Zanzibart’s resting place”, though it doesn’t add a marker for it.

You’ll need to find another cave in the Terminus Ranges, this one in Stoneblood Forest to the north and accessible by grappling point. There you’ll face the Cursed Myrmidon of the Cruel Dawn in combat and be left wondering if you can possibly have a crumb of context.

(Image credit: Gearbox)

At which point Vycarias, the Lore-Singer, a character who is a cross between a fantasy sage and a YouTuber who reads out flavor text will emerge from out of nowhere to monologue at you for nine minutes straight about the Shatterglass Plain, the Nevergreen, the Red Requiem, and a bunch of other proper nouns you’ve never heard before. It’s like reading a dense wiki entry for a game you haven’t played, and I applaud the voice actor who plays Vycarias for nailing the tone. It’s the kind of commitment to the bit that I enjoy about Borderlands, and I hope I keep finding it in Borderlands 4’s sidequests and inevitable DLC.



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An anime character uses Venom powers.
Game Reviews

Anime GTA Looks Super Fun Depsite ‘Shamelessly’ Ripping Off Spider-Man 2

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There’s the saying, “good artists copy, great ones steal.” And then there’s whatever Ananta is doing. The upcoming open-world RPG from NetEase developer Naked Rain is going viral again thanks to new footage from Tokyo Game Show 2025. While it might look like the latest round of Genshin Impact-inspired mobile anime slop, the developer has confirmed it won’t be relying on exploitative gambling mechanics to earn its keep. It will, however, be ripping off Spider-Man in every way it can.

First, let’s start with the new trailer. Released earlier this week, it shows seven minutes of gameplay depicting all the ways you can explore, fight, and hang out in Ananta’s urban playground, and in the process it practically ends up serving as a greatest-hits highlight reel of all the past games the upcoming mobile release is clearly pulling from, including not just Grand Theft Auto and Spider-Man but also Watch Dogs, Sifu, and more. There’s fluid martial arts brawls and smartphone hacking games. And of course, there’s the web-slinging people have been gawking at since the game was first announced.

It looks neat, and it’s impressive this is a game designed for mobile devices and not high-end consoles. Naked Rain is promising multi-level exploration from the ground-level streets to city rooftops, as well as interiors you can explore at different elevations. There are vehicles you can get in and drive, weapons you can pick up off the ground, from guns to golf clubs, and NPCs who will supposedly react to whatever chaos you’re causing while out exploring. “Every choice ripples through the life of the city,” the developers write. We’ll see.

For some players, this is a win-win-win. Steal one game mechanic and you’re a thief. But take a bunch from all different games, pour them into a blender, see what comes out, and you might be a genius, or at least someone with the potential to make NetEase a lot of money. For others, however, Ananta is a bit too “shameless” when it comes to ripping off the competition. It’s not just that you can web-swing around town like Spider-Man, it’s that you can also use Venom-like powers to smash bad guys with attacks that look straight out of Spider-Man 2. Some of its chase scenes, meanwhile, seem lifted right out of an Uncharted game.

This Ananta game has no shame 😅#Uncharted4 #NaughtyDog pic.twitter.com/ly53Bi6Ebi

— King J 🤴🏿 (@JMaine518) September 25, 2025

Marvel’s Spider-Man 2: The Anime… I mean, ANANTA looks absolutely incredible! It genuinely looks like Marvel’s Spider-Man, GTA, Watch Dogs, and Sleeping Dogs all rolled into one stylish open world package! Will definitely be keeping my eyes on this game in the future! 👀🎮 pic.twitter.com/lEVNgvnDcP

— Evan Filarca (@EvanFilarca) September 23, 2025

Oh no, the Playstation supported Chinese game has taken all of the best elements of every game of the last 15 years and put it all in one free to play game!

I for one am outraged.

— Chríss (@Chriss_m) September 25, 2025

Whether all of this will ultimately make for a good game remains to be seen. Ananta could be a breakout free-to-play hit that makes people rethink what certain genre mashups are capable of, or it could just be a tricked-out car with no gas in the tank. One other big thing going for it is that, unlike a lot of games in this space, Ananta won’t be hawking pay-to-win character loot boxes in order to make money. Naked Rain confirmed to Famitsu (via Automaton) that rather than these kinds of gacha mechanics, the game’s monetization will instead rely on cosmetics and other customizable features ranging from outfits and cars to the player’s house.

It’s not the only post-Genshin Impact mobile RPG to be shifting away from gacha mechanics. The makers of Duet Night Abyss, which arrives on mobile next month, announced they too would be ditching the hero loot box grind and getting rid of star ratings for equipment to limit pay-to-win mechanics. It’s also doing away with stamina limits, another popular way of nickel-and-diming players on mobile. “In the last test,” DecaBear says, “[testers] said our gameplay—which is built around fast-paced grinding—kept getting blocked by stamina limits,” producer DecaBear said. “And that felt pretty bad.”





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A screenshot of the official poster for Marvel Zombies, which shows Wanda commanding her undead horde
Product Reviews

‘Marvel Zombies’ review: comic book giant’s new Disney+ show bites off more than it can chew in frightfully fun yet frustrating fashion

by admin



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Spoilers follow for all four episodes of Marvel Zombies.

Marvel Studios has a patchy record when it comes to its animated projects. Sure, there have been hits like X-Men 97, but other productions – in the main – like Eyes of Wakanda and What If…? have flattered to deceive.

It’s the latter that Marvel’s latest animated show, Marvel Zombies, takes its cue from. A continuation of the story told in What If…? season 1 episode 5, titled ‘What If… Zombies!?’, the comic giant’s first adult animated TV series is undeniably its most mature offering to date.


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But, for all of its delightfully gory action and focus on the next generation of Marvel superheroes, it’s weighed down by the same storytelling issues that have plagued many of the studio’s other recent animated works.

The new avengers

Marvel Zombies opens five years after What If…? season 1 episode 5’s cliffhanger ending (Image credit: Marvel Television/Disney Plus)

A four-part miniseries, Marvel Zombies is set five years after the initial zombie outbreak. A cataclysmic event caused by a virus that Dr Hank Pym brought back from a trip to the Quantum Realm in ‘What If… Zombies!?’, the planet Earth of this universe, one that sits adjacent to the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), has become a dystopia overrun by the undead.

Pockets of humanity remain, though, including a desperate groups of superpowered individuals who cling to survival against the odds. But, when a trio of heroes – Kamala Khan/Ms Marvel, Riri Williams/Ironheart, and Kate Bishop/Hawkeye – discover a key that could end the zombie scourge, the group embark on a dangerous, globetrotting journey to save their world.

It’s highly satisfying to see the next generation of Earth’s Mightiest Heroes take center stage

Marvel Zombies opening with the aforementioned triumvirate is intentional. Khan is arguably the protagonist of this story, with the optimistic and empathetic New Jersey-hailing hero being the center point that the plot is built around, as she reluctantly and then boldly leads the charge to end the zombie plague.

In Williams, Bishop and Khan, though, Marvel Zombies immediately sets out its stall to primarily focus on the new wave of superpowered beings who have begun to populate the MCU post-Avengers: Endgame.

Zombies doesn’t solely rely on that intrepid trio, either. From Shang-Chi and members of the Thunderbolts* to Moon Knight and Blade – the latter pair are admittedly spliced together to form a new yet incredibly cool individual called Blade Knight – it’s highly satisfying to see the next generation of Earth’s Mightiest Heroes take center stage.

Marvel Zombies puts the next generation of Earth’s Mightiest Heroes at the center of its narrative (Image credit: Marvel Animation/Disney+)

That said, it’s somewhat bittersweet that animated projects, such as What If…? and its zombie-based spin-off, mark the first time we’ve seen some of these popular heroes since their live-action MCU debuts – or, in Blade’s case, who’s only ‘appeared’ via an off-screen cameo in Eternals, at all.


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An indictment of Marvel’s scattergun approach post-Endgame that’s seen the comic titan throw stuff at the wall and see what sticks with audiences, it’s a great shame that many of Marvel Zombies‘ leading lights are only now getting another chance to shine, albeit via an animated Disney+ production.

It’s surreal that Marvel Zombies is the first time Blade has actually appeared in a Marvel Studios project (Image credit: Marvel Animation/Disney+)

Irksome though that is, I will admit it was really fun to see interactions between characters who are yet to cross paths in the MCU.

While all-too-brief to be emotionally impactful, the Khan-Bishop-Williams dynamic is incredibly likable, as is the broader team-up between Khan, Red Guardian, Yelena Belova, Blade Knight, Shang-Chi and the latter’s bestie Katy that becomes the core collective for much of Marvel Zombies‘ run. I regularly revelled in seeing these individuals bounce off each other and re-demonstrate that whip-smart humor that Marvel projects are renowned for.

For all of the fun-filled rapport on display, though, Marvel Zombies was a bit too quippy and corny for my tastes on occasion. I wasn’t expecting the Marvel Phase 6 TV series to be a wholly miserably affair. Nonetheless, seeing Red Guardian and Zombie Captain America duke it out in what I can only describe as a slapstick showdown, or listening to eye-roll inducing jokes from FBI agent Jimmy Woo, just didn’t fit the mood or tone of the post-apocalyptic horror reality that Marvel Zombies takes place in.

The walking dead

Marvel Zombies pays tribute to some great horror-fuelled episodes of television (Image credit: Marvel Animation/Disney+)

Speaking of the hair-raising universe that Marvel Zombies exists in, Marvel doesn’t hold back in making its first TV-MA project as gruesome as possible.

Marvel Zombies‘ first trailer teased its brutality and, while I had hoped for a bit more in the way of ultra-violence, it goes harder than any other Marvel Studios movie or TV show to date. I cannot stress this enough, but it’s absolutely not family-friendly, nor is it for those who are squeamish or of the faint of heart.

Some of Marvel Zombies’ best set-pieces and scenes add real cinematic flair to proceedings

If you can stomach its hyper-violent tendencies, though, Marvel Zombies will reward horror fans through its clear homages to some fan-favorite genre fare. Indeed, whether it’s the dread-inducing ‘Hardhome’ episode of Game of Thrones, or scenes that reminded me of similar sequences in World War Z and Train to Busan, some of Marvel Zombies‘ best set-pieces and scenes add real cinematic flair to proceedings that occasionally conceal the mid-tier art style it retains from What If…?.

Parts of Marvel Zombies’ story, as well as its action sequences, leave a lot to be desired (Image credit: Marvel Animation/Disney+)

However, all the horror genre references in the world, nor positive things I’ve said about Marvel Zombies, can disguise my frustration with its wider narrative, though.

I’ll preface my criticism by saying there’s the skeleton of an engrossing story here. Indeed, its plot makes some interesting revisions to the world-building aspect of the MCU. The recycling of certain MCU technology to try and thwart the threat posed by the undead is put to good use, too.

Add in the previously discussed new-look Avengers team, the camaraderie that exists between them, and the prospect that none of them are immune from becoming the zombie horde’s next victim, and I actually appreciate some of the creative and narrative swings that Marvel Zombies takes.

Spider-Man’s appearance in Marvel Zombies is the main reason why it was turned into a TV show (Image credit: Marvel Animation/Disney+)

Nevertheless, Marvel Zombies is hamstrung by irritating storytelling components.

Whether it’s the rudimentary MacGuffin positioned as the answer to our heroes’ prayers, the decision not to pick up the story immediately after the cliffhanger ending in ‘What If… Zombies!?’ or a spate of character deaths that are significantly lacking in the gut-punching and/or tear-jerking department, at times Marvel Zombies can feel as emotionless as the reanimated corpses that inhabit its world. That’s before we even get onto my biggest gripe about a major narrative inconsistency that occurs in its final episode, which not only changes a key moment near the end of ‘What If… Zombies!?’, but is practically waved away without explanation.

Marvel Zombies is hamstrung by irritating storytelling components

Part of Marvel Zombies‘ plot-based problems might be the fact it’s a glorified TV show. Originally, it was designed to be a two-hour movie but, due to the complexities of the rights surrounding Spider-Man – don’t worry, the lead of ‘What If… Zombies!?’ plays a part of proceedings, albeit in a reduced role – that prohibits Marvel from using him in a feature film capacity without Sony’s consent, Marvel Zombies was turned into a limited series.

As a Spidey fanboy, I’ll always take any webslinger-based storytelling and action where I can. However, there’s no denying that his ongoing inclusion in this What If…? spin-off upsets Zombies‘ narrative rhythm.

My verdict

Marvel Animation’s Marvel Zombies | Official Trailer | Disney+ – YouTube

Watch On

I really wanted to like Marvel Zombies more than I did. That doesn’t mean it’s another average or poor offering from Marvel – indeed, there’s frightful fun to be had with its gratuitous violence, unexpected team-ups and universe-altering stakes. Based on its ending, there’s clearly an appetite to continue its story, too.

Nonetheless, if X-Men 97 is the high bar with which we judge projects developed by Marvel Animation, Zombies is something of a let down. That might be overly critical of me to say, especially when I also consider Zombies to be a better and more enjoyable Marvel TV Original than What If…? and Eyes of Wakanda.

Given my high expectations and excitement for Marvel’s first adult animated show, though, I can’t mask my disappointment for Marvel Zombies as an overall package. If its creative team gets another bite at the cherry with another season, I’d love nothing more for them to cure Zombies‘ narrative ailments. For now, though, Marvel Zombies is another project from the comic giant that’ll shuffle onto Disney+ and likely be forgotten about within a week or two.

Marvel Zombies is out now in full on Disney+.

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Cosy builder Town to City feels like a lovely autumnal treat, but honestly I'm just having fun planting flowers
Game Reviews

Cosy builder Town to City feels like a lovely autumnal treat, but honestly I’m just having fun planting flowers

by admin


I knew Town to City had ensnared me in its nefarious trap the moment it told me I could customise individual window boxes. Yes, this early access city builder is one of those games, seemingly aimed specifically at weirdos like me whose idea of bliss is hours spent in a serene reverie of fastidious path-laying and flower-planting, all in the name of aesthetic perfection. And if you count yourself in that number, Town to City might just be the ideal retreat as the cold autumnal nights draw in.

Town to City

  • Developer: Galaxy Grove
  • Publisher: Kwalee
  • Platform: Played on PC
  • Availability: Out now on Steam

If Town to City seems familiar, it may be because it’s a follow-up to developer Galaxy Grove’s equally minimalist (and equally voxelly) Station to Station. As with that earlier game, Town to City slides into that inescapable subgenre of ‘cosy’, which – for those of you who haven’t already succumbed to the allure of a digital turnip – essentially means it’s designed to be soothingly friction-free.

Cosy games tend to be a little impervious to standard criticism, given they’re more about the vibes rather than any clever mechanical sophistication, and that’s the case again with Town to City. Its campaign (there’s also sandbox mode with various tweakable parameters) unfolds across a well-worn loop of upgrades and expansion – one that’s pleasantly propulsive but otherwise fairly unremarkable.

Town to City launch trailer.Watch on YouTube

Essentially, citizens produce goods; goods increase happiness; the happier your citizens are, the more will move to your town. More citizens means more goods, means more people, until you’ve crossed a threshold that allows you to turn your dwelling into a hamlet into a village and so on, unlocking new buildings and customisation options each time.

It’s familiar stuff, and Town to City streamlines the formula down to the absolute essentials. There’re a few wrinkles, mind, but these ultimately boil down to space management – don’t expect to see anything like cross-border trade agreements or complex production chains here. Plop some buildings down to satisfy early demand – a couple of single-story houses, perhaps, or a vegetable stall – and it won’t be long before you’ve built yourself into a corner, and the only way to continue catering to your citizens’ ever-escalating whims is a town redesign. But that’s fine! Really, design is what Town to City is all about. Think of it more as a beautification tool with a few simple progression knobs on, and its appeal is immediately clear.

A plan comes together! | Image credit: Eurogamer/Galaxy Grove

Town to City’s boxy voxel aesthetic might look restrictive, but its grid-free construction system – similar to the excellent, and more mechanically complex, Foundation – means your grand expansion plans can unfold in satisfyingly organic ways. Each of the five bucolic maps included in Town to City’s early access release are intended to invoke a sort of peaceful Mediterranean air, and by the time you’ve delved deep into its toybox of customisation options, and your creations are bustling with life, those boxy visuals pack in a surprising amount of charm.

Kudos, too, for a construction tool kit that manages to feel creatively flexible without ever being overwhelming. Sure, I’m already assembling a mental wishlist of additions I’d love to see – a path smoothing tool to counter my wobbly mouse hand, for instance – but this is still in early access development, after all. And honestly, I’ve been having a genuinely lovely time – to the tune of far too many hours, frankly – building my beautiful boxy dioramas, lost in a blissful daze of quaint market squares, picturesque parks around crystalline lakes, and palatial residences high on hills. And the well-featured camera tool has sucked up a decent amount of my time too.

Photo mode is pretty compelling too. | Image credit: Eurogamer/Galaxy Grove

Town to City might be in early access, but it already feels incredibly robust. Galaxy Grove seems to agree, too, given its Steam page suggests future updates will be more about refinement (and animals!) than dramatic reinvention. So if you’re also the kind of person to get an involuntary quiver at the merest mention of customisable window boxes, this’ll almost certainly be right for you. Now if you’ll excuse me, I’ve got some flowers to stick in the ground.



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Chris Tilly
Esports

Primate review: Fun creature feature with a diabolical villain

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Primate is a fun-filled horror flick that pits chimp against annoying teens, and thanks to some superb practical effects work, the movie delivers on the promise of that premise.

‘When animals attack’ is a fine horror genre, that has given us the satisfying ‘when pets go bad’ sub-genre, of which 1983 Stephen King adaptation Cujo is the gold standard.

Primate journeys into similar territory, using rabies as a way to turn a beloved animal into deadly killing machine.

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But rather than a sweet St. Bernard, it’s a chimp that turns evil in this instance, resulting in an antagonist with brute strength, big teeth, and an even bigger personality.

What is Primate about?

Paramount Pictures

The film kicks off with a prologue that sees Ben the chimp go on the attack, precipitated by a bite from a rabid mongoose.

Proceedings then jump back 36 hours to introduce Primate’s cast of characters/victims. And they’re a bunch of largely interchangeable youngsters, heading to Hawaii for some post-finals drinking and partying.

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Lucy (Johnny Sequoyah) is our protagonist, with the group vacationing at her father’s beautiful house on the shore. And standard teen stuff follows, involving crushes, jealousy, arguments, and a spot of recrimination and resentment.

That’s the drama, while horror rears its head in the shape of rabid Ben. The visitors aren’t sure what to make of a primate being part of Lucy’s family, but she assures them that he’s fine.

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Which he very much isn’t, as the rabies starts to mess with his mind, turning Ben homicidal, and triggered by the sight of water. Which becomes a problem when Lucy’s friends go for a late night swim in the pool, precipitating a wildly entertaining battle between man and beast.

Magical practical effects

Ben is brought to life by Miguel Torres Umba in a monkey costume, and complemented by some truly magical creature effects.

Umba’s performance, combined with Ben’s expressive face, beautifully bring the character to life, the chimp seeming sweet in the film’s early scenes, then struggling with his impulses as the rabies takes hold, before leaning into that rage, and bringing chaos and death.

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But Ben has brains, outsmarting his frequently dumb prey in increasingly ingenious ways. While he also has a dark sense of humor, resulting in big laughs during some of the more outlandish kills.

Is Primate good?

Like the chimp at the center of the story, Primate is a lean, mean, killing machine, clocking in at a very reasonable 89 minutes, which ensures the movie doesn’t outstay its welcome.

Lucy is a likeable lead, while scenes with her father – played by the wonderful Troy Kotsur – give the movie emotional weight, so you actually feel something when the animal attacks.

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And while it doesn’t bring much new to the sub-genre, Primate is a monster movie with big laughs and great kills, making it a genuine crowd-pleaser.

Primate score: 4/5

Primate is a monster movie that works because the monster in question is likeable, memorable, and truly diabolical.

Primate was reviewed at Fantastic Fest and will hit screens on January 9, 2026. For more scary stuff, check out our list of the best horror movies ever.

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Xbox Controller
Game Reviews

Xbox Turns Up the Fun With Friends, and It’s Crashing the Price of Its Wireless Controller

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Having a Xbox but not enough controllers kind of kills the fun, especially when playing with friends and family. What makes the console truly cool is those multiplayer moments, and nothing beats sharing the game with extra controllers on hand. The catch? Controllers aren’t always the easiest or cheapest to grab. That’s why timing your buy is key, and right now there’s a Black Friday-level deal on Amazon that’s too good to miss: The latest Xbox wireless gaming controller is available for $53, down from its original $64.

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Contemporary Design Coupled with Comforting Play and Intelligent Features

Its modernized design features sculpted surfaces and refined geometry that fit comfortably in your hands, and keeps you gaming longer without fatigue. The textured grip on the triggers, bumpers and back case is there to make sure your fingers stay steady and controlled. And the new hybrid D-pad adds precise directional control which is a big deal whether you’re navigating tricky menus or battling opponents.

The Share button is perhaps the best feature of them all since it lets you snap and share your gameplay—screenshots, video, whatever—without breaking stride. It’s a simple way to share with friends or easily record your best victories.

The controller supports Xbox Wireless and Bluetooth which makes it simple to connect to many devices. If you’re playing on your Xbox console, alternating to playing with your Windows computer, launching games on Android or iOS, or even attaching it with Fire TV Sticks, smart TVs, or VR headsets, this controller lags behind none. With so much flexibility, you won’t need to keep multiple different controllers occupying valuable space.

And, to boot, players also have a lot of selection with sound: The 3.5mm headset jack will work with any supported headset, so you can simply plug in and talk or be completely enveloped in the game’s sound. The USB-C port lets you plug directly into your Xbox or PC for plug-and-play installation which is perfect if you are enthusiastic about a wired connection or charging during gaming.

All things considered, snagging this controller at $53 is a smart move whether you’re replacing an older one or expanding your multiplayer setup.

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Battlefield 6 Devs Have A Fun Button That Blow Up The Whole Map
Game Reviews

Battlefield 6 Devs Have A Fun Button That Blow Up The Whole Map

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I recently got to play more Battlefield 6, but this time on the game’s two biggest maps, and I had a blast playing in these big ol’ stages. But when I got a chance to speak to the devs behind Battlefield 6, I had to ask a strange question: Do you all have a button that lets you blow up everything that is destructible in the franchise’s famously destructible maps? The answer was yes, and there’s a good reason why.

During a Zoom interview with DICE producer Jeremy Chubb and design director Shashank Uchil, we talked about all the work that goes into making a big Battlefield map and how much effort they put into remaking the iconic and beloved Operation Firestorm map, which will be available in BF6 at launch. But, when our conversation veered into talking about how to balance maps that can blow up in all kinds of ways, I had to ask if they had a tool or button that lets them destroy everything in one click. So I asked and got a blunt answer:

“Yeah,” said Chubb. I then asked if it was fun to hit that button, and both Chubb and Uchil replied, with laughter in their voices, that yes, it was indeed fun to hit that big button.

“It is fun!” Chubb told Kotaku while laughing more. “It usually causes some big meltdowns in teams working on performance because we designed the maps not to be instantly triggered, like every instance of destruction [all at once]. And [the button was pressed] a few times, and there were some raised eyebrows about what we were doing for sure.” 

When I mentioned that EA should release GIFs of the maps completely blowing up after hitting that button, Uchil said that was a “good idea.” So you’re welcome, EA marketing team.

The reason for BF6‘s big red button

You might be wondering why there’s a button in Frostbite, the engine BF6 is built on, that lets you blow up an entire map instantly. The answer is so that the team can easily playtest the map in its most destroyed state to make sure it’s still fun and balanced.

“So…think of the map as [having] three different states, right,” explained Uchil. “The map starts out in a pristine state, or however it is meant to be at the beginning. And then, as the map progresses, it gets more and more destroyed. And towards the end, if everybody’s using a rocket launcher or C4, you hit peak destruction. And like I said, the game has to be good in all three phases, the pristine phase, the in-between phase, and the final phase.”

According to Uchil, the “big red button” is the best tool for quickly testing that final phase of each map.

“You can see what is the worst-case scenario,” said Uchil.  “Is there enough cover? Do we need to add some more things? Do we need to bring some more assets so in the final stage, it’s still fun to play? So yeah, that’s why we have the big button.”

At this point, I was fully distracted by the idea of the button, and asked if anyone had ever pressed it by accident. That doesn’t seem to have happened, and because the maps weren’t built to instantly explode, it could lead to problems if it did.

“I mean, we have times when you can crash a bunch of things,” said Uchil. “The destruction is meant to happen in parts. But if everything explodes at the same time, then it would melt down your computer.”

Now I hope someone is able to mod Battlefield 6 after it launches on October 10 and either activate this button as part of a wild mod or recreate its functionality. I really just want to hit a big button and make an entire map go ka-boom. That sounds like a blast. And after talking to the devs, it seems they agree.



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Gaming Gear

Good for a fun time, not a long time

by admin


It wasn’t until your average electric car started managing 200 miles on a charge that the buying populace started getting over their range anxiety. That means electric motorcycles, with ranges often measured in double digits, remain a bit of a tough sell for mass-market buyers. 

The focus, then, seems to be “for a good time, not a long time,” and that’s very much the case of the Can-Am Origin. This $14,499 battery-powered dual-sport is a fun, flickable, go-anywhere two-wheeled smile factory that I sadly managed to run dry of electrons in under 45 miles. 

Thankfully, there’s a lot more to the story than just that.

Forward-looking

Can-Am has been around since the early ’70s, offering a series of two-, three-, and four-wheeled vehicles, most focusing on extreme performance over extreme terrain. Since the very beginning, Can-Am has worked with Austrian engine gurus Rotax, and that trans-Atlantic partnership enters the EV age with the Origin, a dual-sport motorcycle from Can-Am built around a powertrain developed by Rotax.

The result is an 8.9-kWh battery (about 10 percent the size of the one in a Tesla Model 3) serving as the core of a motorcycle built to be just as capable off-road as on. The Origin sits squarely in the dual-sport category of motorcycles, and its skinny, nobbily tires and wire wheels definitely fit that template, even if the single-sided swingarm with its integrated chain is a novelty in this segment.All of that is wrapped in just enough bodywork to give this thing a decidedly futuristic vibe, especially that upright fairing with the blunt, stacked headlight that makes this thing look like an escaped drone from Valve’s Portal series.

My test bike had just a bit of color, the battery pack itself providing a splash of yellow to stand out from the otherwise dark frame and fairing, but the brightest part is actually the 10.25-inch LCD that serves as the cockpit. It even supports Apple CarPlay, in case you’re into that sort of thing.

Brightness needed

The LCD display is bright and easy to use.

(Tim Stevens for Engadget)

I’ve ridden a fair few electric motorcycles over the years, and many of them are cursed with dim LCDs that make it a struggle to see how fast I’m going on a sunny day. That’s not what you’d call safe.

Thankfully, the Origin does not have that issue. The LCD here is not only massive but bright and crisp, and serves up a software interface that’s mostly intuitive and easy to use at a glance. My only complaint here is the giant warning disclaimer that pops up every single time you fire up the motorcycle. I suppose such a thing was inevitable, but it does take away some of the purity of the ride experience.

But then the Origin isn’t afraid to throw out convention. The throttle is the best example of that. It actually twists both ways. Twist it in the traditional direction, pulling your hand towards yourself, and it, of course, applies throttle to the bike and accelerates you forward.

But you can also twist the throttle away from you, which boosts the regenerative braking to the rear wheel. You can also toggle the bike into reverse mode, where that backwards throttle enables you to creep the bike backwards. That’s useful because at 412 pounds, the Origin is about 50 pounds heavier than a comparable dual-sport bike with an engine.

The controls on the left grip.

(Tim Stevens for Engadget)

The motorcycle also features a bevy of controls on the left grip, starting with standard fare like headlight flasher, horn and turn signals. But there’s also a rocker switch for changing drive modes and navigating through menus, a button that cycles through various views on the display, and a back button in case you dig a little deeper in a menu than you meant.

There’s even a full series of media controls. There’s a button to toggle the voice assistant on your phone, buttons for adjusting the volume of media playback and even buttons to skip forward and backward in your current playlist.

Personally, I’m the kind of rider who likes to listen to the wind, my thoughts and the ominous sounds approaching SUVs driven by morons browsing TikTok. But if you have a riding playlist that you like to spin, you’ll have full control here.

Ride time

The saddle strikes a good balance between comfort and sport.

(Tim Stevens for Engadget)

I don’t often fit well on dual-sport machines. I stand six feet tall, but do it on disproportionately short legs. That usually leaves me tottering on tiptoes whenever riding an off-road-minded motorcycle. I cringed when the Origin rolled off a truck and into my life for the evaluation period, but I was pleasantly surprised to find I could straddle it with no problem.

A 34-inch seat height enables me to stand flat-footed without having to break out platform boots, and on the go, I found the Origin’s ergonomics to fit me just about perfectly. The pegs are wide and grippy, so standing up on them is no problem, and while I’d probably prefer it if the bar stood a fraction of an inch taller, it was close to perfect whether sitting on or standing over the saddle.That saddle is a little on the narrow side compared to your average street motorcycle, but wider than those found on many dual-sport machines, striking a good balance between narrowness for standing and comfort for sitting.

About the only complaint I had was wind buffeting. I generally prefer riding bikes without fairings, but somehow the wind coming off that big, wide display caused some awful turbulence on my helmet when seated in my usual riding position. The $175 optional windshield would be, for me, well worth it.

And what’s it like to ride? This thing is a blast. At 47 horsepower and 53 pound-feet of torque, it’s far from the quickest electric motorcycle on the market, but it has plenty enough twist to beat everything on four wheels at any light, or scrabble up a steep incline.

Can-Am’s Origin is ready for asphalt or dirt.

(Tim Stevens for Engadget)

Even more impressive is the traction control system of the Origin. It’s easy to be a little over-eager when accelerating on an EV, thanks to their instant torque, but the Origin always ensured I neither did an unintentional burnout nor tipped over backwards. It simply managed grip and power to ensure that I accelerated smoothly away, whether I was on asphalt or gravel.The bike has adjustable levels for ABS and traction control, and yes, you can turn them off if you want.

Overall, the Origin was also easy to ride. Those knobby tires do make for a loose feeling on asphalt, the bike moving around a bit thanks to the extra tread, but it’s a worthy tradeoff if you’ll find yourself hitting the dirt on a semi-regular basis.

What you probably won’t find yourself doing is going on long rides in the Origin, sadly. Though Can-Am says you can do up to 90 miles on a charge in the city, even when riding gently on rural roads using the most economical mode, I struggled to get 60 miles. Ridden more aggressively (which is to say, normally), I burned through a charge in less than 45 miles. 

That’s the bad news. The good news? There’s an onboard level two charger on the Origin. L2 charging on a car usually means overnight, but since the Origin’s pack is so small, it’ll go from empty to full in under 90 minutes, and you’ll be stopped for less than an hour if you only need a partial charge. 

Wrap-up

The relatively quick onboard charging of the Origin does open the door to some longer rides if you can time your meals and charging stops appropriately. And, if you’re doing lower-speed off-road riding, you could realistically go for hours and hours on a charge. Still, this sadly isn’t a long-distance high-speed cruiser.

But it’s rare for a dual-sport machine that’s comfortable enough for you to want to be in the saddle on the highway for that long anyway. For short blasts up the trail or high-speed sprints home after a long day in the office, the Origin is a real treat, and a stylish one at that

1 / 11

Can-Am Origin review

If you don’t have far to go, Can-Am’s Origin is a blast.



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The most fun way to look through old photos
Gaming Gear

The most fun way to look through old photos

by admin


Hi, friends! Welcome to Installer No. 95, your guide to the best and Verge-iest stuff in the world. (If you’re new here, welcome, new gadget season is starting, and also you can read all the old editions at the Installer homepage.)

I also have for you Pixel’s next foldable, new Samsung earbuds, a chill indie game, and more.

(As always, the best part of Installer is your ideas and tips. What do you want to know more about? What awesome tricks do you know that everyone else should? What app should everyone be using? Tell me everything: [email protected]. And if you know someone else who might enjoy Installer, forward it to them and tell them to subscribe here.)

  • Pixel 10 Pro Fold. Google’s newest foldable has an IP68 ingress rating, meaning that it should be significantly more resistant to dust than other foldables. The company made it happen with a new gearless hinge design. When you’re paying nearly $2,000 for your phone, having some extra confidence in its durability goes a long way.
  • Pixel Watch 4. The newest Pixel Watch has screws on its chassis that you can remove to more easily repair and replace the screen and the battery. Previous Pixel Watches haven’t been repairable, so this is a major step up for Google.
  • Shutter Declutter. Every day, this excellent new iOS app nudges you to look through all of the photos you’ve taken on that date — across all years where you’ve snapped a photo on that date — and swipe left or right to delete or keep them. I’ve been testing it for a few days, and it makes chipping away at my photo library feel much more digestible. Plus, it’s surfaced photos from years ago that I forgot I had.
  • Galaxy Buds 3 FE. Samsung’s newest earbuds adopt an AirPods-like stemmed design and have 6 hours of battery life with ANC on and 8.5 with ANC off. And at $149.99, their starting price is $100 cheaper than the Galaxy Buds 3 Pro.
  • Nanoleaf 4D V2. Nanoleaf has a new version of its immersive TV lighting kit that adds a color-matched glow behind your screen. I’ve always wanted to try one of these — they seem like a fun way to add a little more pop to what you’re watching.
  • Insta360’s Go Ultra. Insta360’s new compact action camera has a bigger sensor than the Go 3S and can capture footage at 4K / 60fps. It comes in a square shape instead of a pill, but that change means it can include a larger 500mAh battery.
  • Sony InZone Mouse-A. As part of a suite of new InZone gaming peripherals, Sony launched a wireless mouse that weighs just 48 grams. At $149.99, it’s a bit of an investment, but it seems like a decent option if you’re looking for a superlight gaming mouse.
  • Herdling. In Herdling, you guide a flock of adorable sheep / woolly mammoth-like creatures through scenic landscapes backed by beautiful music. It’s kind of like Journey, if you played as a shepherd. It’s a slow, chill game that I’ve loved winding down with at the end of the day, and it only takes a few hours to finish.

Today I’m featuring Jane Manchun Wong, who has scooped many, many updates and features coming to tech products and apps over the years (like an early version of then-Twitter’s edit button) and was part of the launch team behind Meta’s Threads. Jane seems to be inside every app, so I wanted to see which ones actually live on her phone. Turns out she has a lot of apps, and they actually seem pretty well organized!

Image: Jane Manchun Wong

The phone: iPhone 16 Pro! It’s a perfect size for me! I used to have the iPhone 15 Pro Max for the 5x optical zoom, but it got clumsy to operate with one hand. Now that the iPhone 16 Pro has the 5x optical zoom, too, I went back to the regular size right away.

The wallpaper: It’s an aerial view taken from my flight to Seattle! I like taking photos and using them as my own wallpaper — in fact, that photo is part of the Photo Shuttle collections on my phone, showcasing my other “Nature” photos in rotation!

The apps: Before you say anything about the grid of folders on my Home Screen, I know I know… even though App Library is a thing now, I’d rather organize them by myself, using the categories that are meaningful to me (like “Outside” for getting around when I’m outside, which includes Waymo, Maps, SF311, ridesharing apps, etc.). Besides, a number of the apps I use are TestFlight builds, which the App Library would lump into the “TestFlight” category anyway.

Also, I have the Kalkyl app up there because it’s really handy for making quick calculations.

I also asked Jane to share a few things she’s into right now. Here’s what she said:

  • I’m still monitoring various apps and websites for their upcoming features! As expected, many companies are adapting similar AI-related features in hope to stay relevant (similar to when they adapted social audio and NFT features). It still gives me the spark of joy when companies begin to explore product features that are unique and meaningful to users, not just another button in some text field that opens a chatbot.
  • There’s also a few leads about some new hardware that’s being worked on — will share when there’re more signal about it.

Here’s what the Installer community is into this week. I want to know what you’re into right now as well! Email [email protected] with your recommendations for anything and everything, and we’ll feature some of our favorites here every week. For even more great recommendations, check out the replies to this post on The Verge, this post on Threads, and this post on Bluesky.

“I’ve moved my task management process from Amazing Marvin (which, don’t get me wrong, is a great product) to TickTick. I’ve been writing Apple Shortcuts to try and automate archiving over to Obsidian because I have the data hoarding illness.” — @feather.town‬

“Lately I’ve gotten a lot of joy out of grabbing PDFs of crossword puzzles and putting them on my Remarkable 2 E Ink writing tablet. Finishing the crossword in the morning beats doomscrolling.” — jontomato

“New Digg, baby!” — dome_node

“I have been newly-enjoying two website resources: Retro Catalog and Retro Handhelds. I am also quite a huge fan of Russ from Retro Game Corps on YouTube, who does some very lovely discussions about this wonderful world of retro handhelds.” — verge_user_m498isna

“Boys Go to Jupiter is a brilliantly weird animated film about a teen trying to raise $5,000 as a delivery driver in surreal Florida. It has a unique video game-inspired animation style, sublime lofi music, and unapologetically bizarre humor that creates one of the most original moviegoing experiences in years!” — Daniel

“I suspect most Verge readers know about Beeper, but it has a hidden use case that they probably haven’t thought about: accessing DMs without risking getting sucked into an app. Struggling to break your debilitating reels addiction or checking Discord servers any time you get an Instagram or Discord DM? You can use Beeper to separate the DMs from the attention vortex part of those apps. Maybe you can even uninstall the main app and just keep DMs!” — boblin

“I just finished Aisling Rawle’s The Compound. If you’re a fan of Love Island but wished there was more dystopia and violence, boy do I have the book for you. On the comics front, Absolute Martian Manhunter is the best showcase for the medium we’ve had in a minute. Also, I’ve been slowly re-watching Mr. Robot for the first time and it is incredible (also, slightly depressing) how well this show still holds up.” — SocialJerm

For those of you who watched the Made by Google event this week, how did you feel about the live, Jimmy Fallon-hosted format? It was certainly a big departure from the usual Big Tech keynote vibe. I personally prefer a more traditional news- and spec-filled show, but I get the sense myself and Verge / Installer readers aren’t who the event was meant for. But you tell me! And I do respect Google for trying something different.

Also, a quick programming note: I’m on vacation next week, so there won’t be a new issue of Installer until September 6th. See you next month!

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