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Infinity Nikki’s latest update lets you build your dream home, and pal up with a Stardew Valley Junimo

by admin September 2, 2025

Infinity Nikki has kicked off a surprising new cross-over with its latest update. The new patch, version 1.9, is live now, and heralds the start of a new season alongside the aforementioned collaboration.

You may have assumed that there’s already a lot of cross-over between Infinity Nikki players and Stardew Valley players. Infold Games clearly agrees, because the developer is teaming up with the farming simulator for this next event.

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Patch 1.9 arrived in the game following the usual maintenance. Some parts of the update were available to download ahead of time through the game’s launcher. 1.9 is a fairly substantial patch for Infinity Nikki, not least because of the season it comes with.

Music Season is where the Stardew Valley collaboration lives. The new season is available until September 22, and as the name suggests, there’s music and rhythm games-inspired content here.

A Junimo from the world of Stardew Valley has arrived in Miraland, befriending Nikki. The two will take part in an adventure. Complete it and you’ll earn exclusive collaboration furniture for your home, and an outfit for Nikki.

Watch on YouTube

The story of the update itself doesn’t actually revolve around Stardew Valley. Instead, it’s about Nikki coming across a brooch that belongs to the Evermelody Troupe, which sets her off on a quest to investigate. You’ll visit the Box Theater (haunted by a new enemy) as part of this, and even witness a live rehearsal.

Supporting all that are the new rhythm game mechanics, which include dancing with town NPCs. The update also adds the ability to transform into small animals to uncover clues around Miraland.

The big new gameplay feature in 1.9 is the ability to build a home in Miraland. You can create your own living space, with the help of Yardlings. This is available as part of the Set Off for a Warm Place quest, which will teach you the basics. You can save your home designs, and even share them with others using a unique code.

Before jumping in, make sure you check our updated list of Infinity Nikki codes for September.

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September 2, 2025 0 comments

Game Updates

Diablo Devs Are The Latest To Unionize: Here’s Why

by admin August 29, 2025

The team making Diablo 4 and other entries in Blizzard’s action-RPG franchise is the latest inside of Microsoft to unionize. Workers say the move is to help them negotiate fair terms around issues like like layoffs and remote work. “Passion can’t protect us from job instability,” software engineer Skye Hoefling said in a press release. “Our union allows us to focus on making magical experiences for our players instead of worrying about the unstable job industry.”

The Diablo team, known within Blizzard as Team 3, joins the Overwatch and World of Warcraft teams in organizing with the Communications Workers of America (CMA). That national organization signed an agreement with Microsoft during its acquisition of Activision Blizzard that would keep the tech giant neutral on all internal union drives, erasing some of the barriers that usually stop workers from organizing.

Microsoft has voluntarily recognized the Diablo developers’ union and they will now get in line to begin bargaining their first contract. Over 300 ZeniMax QA testers at the company won their first contract earlier this summer.

A “passion tax” for working in games

So what made the Diablo team want to jump on the union train within Blizzard? Part of it is the way companies use “getting to make games” as a kind of excuse to establish worse working conditions than those often experienced by workers in competing roles in tech and entertainment. “My entire career as a developer has seen my peers and I paying the ‘passion tax’ for working in an industry that we love,” software engineer Nav Bhatti said in a press release. “At some point you have to choose between fight or flight, and forming a union is us doing just that — standing our ground in the industry.”

Workers also laid out specific concerns around remote work flexibility, budget cuts, and the growing influence of AI in the development process. Mass layoffs in early 2024 were one of the catalysts. A battle over remote work that began back in 2023 was another. A mandatory return-to-office policy forced people hired during the pandemic to relocate and limited which talent teams could hire. “There’s no real argument against remote work, except the control part, where now they know where you are and what you’re doing,” Blizzard producer Ryan Claudy told Aftermath.

AI creep is here

The sudden rise of AI, which Microsoft is placing $80 billion bets will completely reshape the modern economy, is also on the Diablo team’s mind. “[Generative AI] is starting to creep in a lot,” Diablo 4 producer Kelly Yeo told Aftermath. “I can only speak for art, where in the visual development stage, if people don’t feel like they have concept art support, they’ll just toss things into Stable Diffusion or whatever and then do mood boards and stuff and give that to the teams to give them guidance.”

She continued, “There is definitely a growing concern across most of the artists like ‘Is this going to replace us?’” Other game teams have already come under fire for AI art that makes it into the finished product. A Call of Duty associate director at Treyarch recently told IGN that only work hand-crafted by the team is allowed into the game, but that AI slop sometimes gets through “accidentally.” And some developers at King recently told Mobilegamer that Microsoft was pressuring them to incorporate AI into all aspects of their workflows.

Despite notable unions forming at Sega of America and some overseas European game studios, most of the organizing in the U.S. so far has been confined to Microsoft-owned companies due to the neutrality agreement. Big publishers like Electronic Arts and Take-Two, which have undergone their own ruthless cost-cutting efforts in the past year, have so far remained impervious to workers organizing. If annual mass layoffs continue, that might change.

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August 29, 2025 0 comments

Four iPhone 16's in blue, pink, tan and peach

Gaming Gear

Full iPhone 17 Lineup Specs: Comparing the Latest Rumored Info

by admin August 29, 2025

While we typically wait until phones are actually released to compare them, Apple’s next iPhone models are so highly anticipated that we’ll make an exception. We’re basing our comparisons on the most credible rumors of what’s coming in the iPhone 17 series, including a potential super-thin iPhone 17 Air, to give readers an early sense of how the new series of phones may look.

Last year’s iPhone 16 series added a handful of upgrades over its predecessors, most notably the new Camera Control key. While the basic iPhone 16 and Plus models got a new ultrawide camera and bigger battery, as is typical with Apple’s phones, the iPhone 16 Pro and Pro Max got the lion’s share of the improvements with upgraded rear cameras, pro video recording modes and thinner bezels.

Last year’s iPhone upgrades are a template for what we expect in the iPhone 17 — here’s how we anticipate those comparisons to shake out.

The iPhone 16 Pro Max led the line.

James Martin/CNET

iPhone 17 lineup price comparison

Apple will hold its iPhone 17 launch event on Sept. 9, with the tagline “Awe dropping” — and since its cutesy mantras usually hint at products being released, there’s plenty of speculation going around as to its meaning. The iPhone always goes on sale the Friday of the week after it’s announced, which should be Friday, Sept. 12, though Apple could always change it.

The iPhone 17 prices are up in the air, mainly due to tariffs. Increased costs of imports mean Apple could raise iPhone price tags, with Jefferies analyst Edison Lee predicting a $50 price hike across the lineup aside from the base iPhone 17 model. If that’s the case, then anticipated US starting prices could be as follows:

iPhone 17: $829 — Rumors suggest the baseline iPhone 17 won’t get as aggressive of tariff hikes, but market fluctuations could bump the price up slightly.
iPhone 17 Air: $979 — If the iPhone 17 Air is slotted into the lineup where the iPhone 16 Plus was priced (as the more expensive standard model), and with the rumored tariff hikes, its price could creep to nearly four figures.
iPhone 17 Pro: $1,049 — Rumors suggest the smaller Pro model could get a small price hike to start at $50 above last year’s iPhone 16 Pro.
iPhone 17 Pro Max: $1,249 — Likewise, the higher-spec iPhone 17 Pro Max may get the same $50 price hike.

The iPhone 17 Pro could come with new finishes and colors.

Zain bin Awais/CNET

iPhone 17 lineups’ design and display changes, compared

iPhone 17: Camera bump redesign — Rumors suggest that the square-shaped camera bump from prior years will give way to a vertical pill-shaped ovoid with the usual two cameras (main and ultrawide).
iPhone 17 Air: Thinner, single-camera — Leaked CAD renders suggest the new, thin model will take the place of the iPhone 16 Plus as the larger non-Pro model, but could differ in only a single main rear camera. Unlike the standard iPhone 17, the CAD suggests this will have a horizontal camera bump.
iPhone 17 Pro: Larger horizontal camera bump — Rumors suggest the smaller Pro model won’t have any big changes aside from its rear cameras, which will be in their same offset three-lens triangle configuration but with a wide horizontal bump that extends the width of the phone.
iPhone 17 Pro Max: Same larger horizontal camera bump — Likewise, the iPhone 17 Pro Max may just differ from last year’s model in a camera bump that extends horizontally across the entire rear width of the phone.

The biggest change we expect in the iPhone 17’s design is in a single model potentially added to the lineup: the iPhone 17 Air. Following plenty of rumors, the Air would be a thinner model of the iPhone line, akin to the Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge, which would focus on a slimmer, lighter body that might have reduced battery life as a consequence. CNET Senior Reporter Abrar Al-Heeti found that with the S25 Edge. The Air could take the place of the larger Plus model in the iPhone 17 lineup, though whether that means the thinner phone is also bigger than the standard model is far from certain.

We’ve also heard rumors that the iPhone 17 line could swap from the square camera block it’s used for years to more of a pill-shaped camera bar that runs across the width of the phone’s body. Leaker Majin Bu posted a leaked image and CAD renders on X that show a differently shaped camera setup for each phone. And case-maker Dbrand is preselling an iPhone 17 Pro Tank case that shows off the wider camera bump as well.

iPhone 17 Lineup CAD pic.twitter.com/xednTkpJnq

— Majin Bu (@MajinBuOfficial) February 23, 2025

A Bloomberg report in April affirmed that other than the camera block, the iPhone 17 lineup will look much like last year’s phones, at least as far as rumors go, with the standard iPhone 17, Pro and Pro Max models largely unchanged from their iPhone 16 predecessors.

Assuming Apple isn’t changing the sizes of the smartphones, expect the iPhone 17 to have a 6.1-inch display, the iPhone 17 Pro to get a 6.3-inch screen and the iPhone 17 Pro Max a 6.9-inch display. The iPhone 17 Air’s size is uncertain, but Apple does have a tendency to retain phone sizes for years (just look at the iPhone SE line using the same display dimensions as the iPhone 6), so if the new thin phone has the same dimensions as the iPhone 16 Plus, it could have a 6.7-inch display.

Another display rumor suggests that Apple will close a feature gap between the baseline and pro models by making all phones have a maximum 120Hz refresh rate (prior lineups have kept the cheaper phones at 60Hz).

The iPhone 17 Pro could get a rectangular camera bump.

Zain bin Awais/CNET

Comparing iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Air, iPhone 17 Pro, iPhone 17 Pro Max Cameras

iPhone 17: No changes — Rumors haven’t hinted at anything changing in the iPhone 17 from the 48-megapixel main camera and 12-megapixel ultrawide in last year’s iPhone 16.
iPhone 17 Air: Single camera — CAD renders suggest the iPhone 17 Air will have a single camera, presumably the 48-megapixel main camera found on the iPhone 16E.
iPhone 17 Pro: Improved zoom camera — While not widely corroborated, one rumor suggests the Pro models will get an up to 8x zoom camera, up from the 5x telephoto found in last year’s iPhone 16 Pro. It would presumably inherit its predecessor’s 48-megapixel main and 48-megapixel ultrawide cameras.
iPhone 17 Pro Max: Improved zoom camera — Likewise, the iPhone 17 Pro Max could get a better telephoto camera and keep its predecessor’s 48-megapixel main and 48-megapixel ultrawide cameras.

We expect the usual feature gap to split the iPhone 17 generation, with the standard iPhone 17 having two cameras (48-megapixel main and 12-megapixel ultrawide) while the Pro and Pro Max models bump the ultrawide to 48 megapixels and also include a third telephoto camera (presumably the 12-megapixel with 5x optical zoom inherited from last year’s iPhones). One of the wildest rumors is that the 17 Pro and Pro Max will have 8x telephoto cameras. The report comes from MacRumors and mentions the lens having moving elements for continuous optical zoom at various focal lengths (think Sony Xperia 1 V).

Rumors suggest the fourth model — possibly the iPhone 17 Air — will only have one camera, which would likely be a 48-megapixel main shooter similar to the iPhone 16E. That would set it apart from last year’s iPhone 16 Plus, which had the same two cameras as the standard iPhone 16.

The only other significant camera rumor suggests that the front-facing shooters on all the phones will be upgrading to 24-megapixel cameras, up from 12 megapixels on last year’s phones.

The iPhone 17 line will run iOS 26.

James Martin/CNET

All iPhone 17 model specs compared

iPhone 17: Same CPU, possibly new modem — Rumors suggest the new iPhone 17 will pack the same A18 chip as its predecessor, but could get the Apple-made C1, a 5G modem, that debuted on the iPhone 16E.
iPhone 17 Air: New CPU, possibly new modem — Intriguingly, rumors suggest the thinner iPhone 17 Air may get the same A19 chip that’s expected to be in the Pro models out this year. It could also get the C1 modem.
iPhone 17 Pro: New CPU, possibly new modem — The iPhone 17 Pro is expected to get an upgrade to a new A19 chip, as well as possibly the C1 modem.
iPhone 17 Pro Max: New CPU, bigger battery — Similarly, rumors suggest the iPhone 17 Pro Max is anticipated to pack an A19 chip and potentially the C1 modem, as well as a slightly larger battery.

As is typical with the feature gap between standard and pro models, rumors suggest the iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max (as well as the Air) will get the newest A19 chip, while the regular iPhone 17 will get the same A18 chip that powered last year’s iPhone 16.

It’s unclear if the new phones will get another tech advancement — Apple’s C1 chip, the internally developed 5G modem that debuted in the iPhone 16E released earlier this year. Presumably, the company will want to bring it to the new iPhone 17 lineup, but we haven’t heard rumors suggesting so.

While Apple never explicitly says how much RAM its iPhones pack, most phones require 8GB of RAM to use AI features — and given Apple Intelligence debuted on the iPhone 16 lineup, it’s heavily suspected that those devices were given 8GB of RAM. Presumably, the iPhone 17 series will have the same amount.

There’s also no reason to believe Apple will switch up its storage options. The standard iPhone 17 will likely be offered in 128GB, 256GB and 512GB tiers, while the iPhone 17 Pro should have those and a 1TB version. The iPhone 17 Pro Max will likely only have 256GB, 512GB and 1TB options.

The batteries of the iPhone 17 and iPhone 17 Pro aren’t expected to change, though a leak suggests the iPhone 17 Pro Max could expand its capacity to 5,000 mAh, up from the 4,685 mAh on the iPhone 16 Pro Max. The big question will be the size of the iPhone 17 Air’s battery, which will almost surely be smaller due to the thinner body; by comparison, the Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge only has a 3,900 mAh capacity.

All iPhones will almost surely launch with iOS 26, the next version of Apple’s iPhone software that was renamed to align with the year following its release.

Watch this: Hey, Apple: Steal These S25 Edge Features for a Skinny iPhone

04:33

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August 29, 2025 0 comments

Gaming Gear

Crossword lovers in mourning as the New York Times commits its latest unspeakable act: Paywalling the Mini puzzle

by admin August 29, 2025

There’s a tweet from early 2021 I think about more often than I should think about any tweet not written by dril, because it really does feel like it speaks to The Times We’re Living In: “Trying to explain to my parents (very gently) that basically nobody under 40 right now expects good things to happen ever again.” Overly broad? Sure: For one thing, this gloomy outlook couldn’t account for the invention of beloved puzzle game Wordle just seven months later, which has made many people happy for up to several seconds at a time.

But on a long enough timeline I’d say it proves out, because the endless march of enshittification guaranteed the New York Times would buy Wordle and eventually slap ads on it, and slowly leverage its growing empire of pleasant daily puzzles into a multi-million dollar profit scheme. We arrive now to the horrible present: The Mini crossword, most frivolous and innocent of all the NYT Games puzzles, is now, without warning, stuck behind the subscriber paywall.

“Miserable buggers. It was tiny and not particularly great, but it was something in this godforsaken capitalist hellscape,” mourns one soulful member of r/crosswords, where Redditors have been coming to terms with the sudden change.

The Mini is, indeed, tiny and not particularly great. As a crossword puzzle its defining feature is its simplicity, challenging you to clear its miniature grid in a matter of seconds rather than minutes or hours. But NYT Games has in recent years found great success and millions of dollars in profit from these sorts of snackish puzzles, many of them free to play. At least for now. With time and innovation, even the most frivolous moments of our daily routines can be effectively monetized.

The stages of grief at this dawning revelation are all laid bare in this most human of Reddit reaction threads:

DENIAL: “My guess is that’s it’s an error. In the app it’s still listed under the free games section.” On a desktop browser, a pop-up forces you to subscribe (currently with a button proclaiming you can “Save up to 75%”); using the Internet Archive’s Wayback Machine, I confirmed that a few weeks ago, the pop-up included another button to “Play without an account. Upon updating the NYT Games Android app, the previously free daily mini puzzle appeared with a subscriber lock on its icon.

ANGER: “Gouge! Gouge! Gouge! Gouge! Gouge! Gouge! Gouge! Gouge! Gouge! Gouge! Gouge! Gouge! Gouge! Gouge! Gouge! Gouge! Gouge! Gouge! Gouge! Gouge! Gouge! Gouge! Gouge! Gouge!”

BARGAINING: “We should all write a letter to the editor of the nyt. letters@nytimes.com. If the cracker barrel can get their sign back then we can get our free mini back.”

DEPRESSION: “I hate it here. Why can’t we have nice things”

ACCEPTANCE: “I bit the bullet and subscribed. Not just for the mini, but for other features they include with other games. They’re having a sale right now.”

If you receive your news from any source but The New York Times, you may rightly view this as a trifling offense in its recent history of journalism that ranges from embarrassing to gross to, uh, actively heinous. And you might further think, well, I could probably go play some daily puzzles over at Merriam-Webster. The dictionary seems pretty cool and doesn’t pay any opinion writers to chat about eugenics. That’s good thinking. Respectable. Can’t argue with it.

But that 75% off offer isn’t going to last forever, you know. And The Mini? Well, sure there are plenty of other crossword websites around, but that one’s right there in your browser history. It’s right there in the app. A guaranteed easy win. A daily affirmation that you are wise.

What’s a few bucks, the New York Times whispers, to pretend for 48 seconds every day that good things can still happen?

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August 29, 2025 0 comments

Google Doubles Down on AI: Veo 3, Imagen 4 and Gemini Diffusion Push Creative Boundaries

Crypto Trends

Google Boosts Gemini AI Image Capabilities in Latest Salvo Against ChatGPT

by admin August 26, 2025

In brief

Google upgraded Gemini with 2.5 Flash Image, taking aim at OpenAI’s dominance.
Developers can remix template apps in AI Studio and deploy custom image projects instantly.
Google has expanded access through OpenRouter and fal.ai, widening distribution to coders worldwide.

Google launched Gemini 2.5 Flash Image on Tuesday, delivering a new AI model that generates and edits images with more precision and character consistency than previous tools—attempting to close the gap with OpenAI’s ChatGPT.

The tech giant’s push to integrate advanced image editing into Gemini reflects a broader push among AI platforms to include image generation as a must-have feature. The new tool, now available across Gemini apps and platforms, lets users edit visuals using natural language—handling complex tasks like pose changes or multi-image fusion without distorting faces or scenes.

In a blog post, Google said the model allows users to “place the same character into different environments, [and] showcase a single product from multiple angles… all while preserving the subject.”

🍌 nano banana is here → gemini-2.5-flash-image-preview

– SOTA image generation and editing

– incredible character consistency

– lightning fast

available in preview in AI Studio and the Gemini API pic.twitter.com/eKx9lwWc9j

— Google AI Studio (@googleaistudio) August 26, 2025

The model first appeared under the pseudonym “nano-banana” on crowdsourced testing site LMArena, where it drew attention for its seamless editing. Google confirmed Tuesday it was behind the tool.

Google said the system can fuse multiple images, maintain character consistency for storytelling or branding, and integrate “world knowledge” to interpret diagrams or combine reference materials—all within a single prompt.

The model costs $30 per million output tokens—about four cents per image—on Google Cloud. It’s also being distributed via OpenRouter and fal.ai.

OpenAI introduced the GPT-4o model in May 2024 and added image generation in March 2025, which helped push ChatGPT’s usage above 700 million weekly active users. Google reported 400 million monthly active Gemini users in August 2025, which would indicate weekly usage that considerably trails OpenAI.

Google said all outputs will include an invisible SynthID watermark and metadata tag to mark them as AI-generated to address concerns around misuse and authenticity.

Generally Intelligent Newsletter

A weekly AI journey narrated by Gen, a generative AI model.

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August 26, 2025 0 comments

Game Updates

Here’s a Steam demo for Lumines Arise, the latest toe-tapping head exploder from the Tetris Effect devs

by admin August 26, 2025

Tetris Effect developers Enhance have released a new demo for their forthcoming Lumines Arise on Steam, alongside news that the spacey rhythm attack game will launch on November 11th. If you missed Tetris Effect, it’s a game about making deletable lines out of falling blocks while standing in the middle of a very musical supernova.

Lumines Arise, meanwhile, sees you arranging clumps of blocks into 2X2 scoreable combinations, which are removed from the playing field by a horizontally sweeping Time Line. While standing in the middle of a very musical supernova.

Watch on YouTube

There have been eight previous Lumines releases, including remasters, on various platforms since the first game’s appearance in 2004. This one is a collaboration with Monstars Inc, who also worked on Rez Infinite. I played a bit of Lumines Arise earlier this year, and spoke to an Enhance developer about its new emphasis on expressing “the human”, which is what sets it apart thematically from Tetris Effect. I’ll get that write-up turned around before the release date. If I don’t, feel free to quote this piece at me aggressively in the comments on any and all subsequent news articles.

In the short term, I’ll say that Arise is yet another pacey and flamboyant puzzler that drizzles your occipital lobe in (for example) footage of frenzied chameleons, while challenging your primary motor cortex to save you from total visual constipation. Yes, it’s making bits of your brain fight each other. I like when games do that.

Beyond that, I’m interested to make sense of Arise being a more “human” game than Effect. Much as I enjoyed Tetris Effect, I entertain suspicions that Enhance’s framing of Arise might be bullshit artistry. Perhaps “more human” just means there are more human figures in the background art. Come to think of it, I’m not sure the devs mentioned Enhance’s most recent game, Humanity, during my hands-on – RPS reviewer Kim Armstrong witheringly summarised that as “perfect puzzles pumped with existential hot air”.

Here’s the Steam link for the demo, which will be available from today, August 26th till September 3rd. It includes three stages from the single-player Journey mode and a bit of new multiplayer mode Burst Battle, which can be played online cross-platform. The full game has VR compatibility but there’s none of that nonsense in the demo, and they’ve locked the difficulty to easy. They don’t want to scare you away, after all.

Those damn fool editors of RPS gone by never found time to review Tetris Effect, but they did put it on our list of the best VR games.

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August 26, 2025 0 comments

Esports

MyNBA and MyGM get upgrades in latest NBA 2K26 blog

by admin August 24, 2025

We’re closing in on NBA 2K26’s early access period, and all the improvements are being unveiled. This time, it’s all about MyNBA and MyGM. There’s a lot to like, from The Playoffs Online to Dynamic Banners. All those details are below, check it out as you practice your crossover.

2K has announced the new features and additions coming to MyNBA and MyGM* in NBA® 2K26 on PlayStation®5, Xbox Series X|S, PC, and NintendoTM Switch 2. MyNBA delivers 30 unique MyGM Offseason Scenarios based on today’s NBA, public online leagues for very first time with The Playoffs Online, improved and adjustable simulations to match every type of GM’s needs, dynamic banners to honor legacies, and more, as NBA 2K26 builds on the rich history of this iconic mode with more immersive features.

MyNBA | NBA 2K26

MyNBA and MyGM return in NBA 2K26 with 30 unique storylines, all-new Dynamic Banners, improved and adjustable simulations, online NBA Playoffs, and much more.

“We set out to make the NBA 2K26 MyNBA and MyGM a more memorable and rewarding experience for those that want to take over the league,” said Erick Boenisch, VP of NBA Development at Visual Concepts. “From competing in The Playoffs Online with friends to seeing your championship banners rise in the rafters, every detail is designed to make you feel like a true general manager building your legacy.”

Highlights include:

MyGM Offseason Scenarios: MyNBA in NBA 2K26 now features 30 unique MyGM scenarios set in the 2025 offseason. Players can pick a team and challenge themselves with three goals unique to that team’s roster and history. Using the real-life draft lottery order, they’ll have to tackle tasks from picking up draft picks, landing hot free agents, or winning it all. As Dallas, do they leverage Cooper Flagg to create a new page in the Mavericks legacy? Or play as the Golden State Warriors and decide the future the team lives in – one more ring for Stephen Curry and Draymond Green or do they tear it down and start a new chapter? Now players can explore the ‘what ifs’ of the 2025-2026 season in MyGM Offseason Scenarios.
The Playoffs Online: For the first time ever, public online leagues are coming to MyNBA with the introduction of The Playoffs Online, allowing players to compete in a whole new way. As commissioner of each bracket, players are responsible for creating and seeding all 16 NBA teams that clinch a spot in the Playoffs. They can then invite up to 15 friends to participate in a private postseason or open it up to the community. The signature presentation of the NBA Playoffs – from the players to the crowds, arenas, and commentators – will be felt throughout Online Playoffs ensuring a heightened atmosphere and elevated experience.
Dynamic Banners: Dynamic arena banners have been added to MyNBA to commemorate the championships and achievements attained during a player’s career as GM. Each NBA arena in the Modern Era will feature a dedicated section for these dynamic banners, representing years of history and accomplishments.
Unranked MyGM: In NBA 2K26, players can now choose to do an Unranked MyGM run. They can edit players, import custom rosters and draft classes, and adjust sliders for a more customized experience that retains the role-playing elements of the mode.
MyPLAYER DNA Integration: The Player DNA system is expanding with a new MyPLAYER DNA option to copy and paste one MyPLAYER into each roster created. Using a MyCAREER save file, players can easily clone their MyPLAYER’s appearance, animations, attributes, badges, and tendencies in MyNBA with ease. The system works in all of the MyNBA Eras, giving players the chance to see how they measure up against the legends in any period.
Improved & Adjustable Simulations: Based on community feedback, simulations are now more efficient. Simulation performance has been improved to yield more strategic decisions that run up to 26% faster in NBA 2K26 compared to NBA 2K25. Players now have greater control over their simulations by toggling between three options: Normal, Smarter, and Faster. Smarter sims will utilize more trade logic that can consider over 5,000 potential trade variables while Faster sims will progress through seasons more quickly – though they may not consider every possible outcome.
MyNBA Directives: Before the start of each season, players will sit down with the team governor to assess their goals and budget for the year while assigning them their core directives. Whether it’s winning a championship or focusing on profitability, these directives will shape a player’s strategy as they look to ensure expectations are met and their job is secure. To attract top free agents, players will need to keep their organization’s facilities updated. They can use Facility Points—earned by completing directives – to go toward updating Team Training Facilities, Team Recovery Facilities, Arena Renovations, Luxury Box Amenities and more. Players will now also experience accurate era-based team budgets, luxury tax mechanics, and more throughout league history.

For more information and a full breakdown of all the updates coming to MyNBA and MyGM check out the Courtside Report blog. Visit the NBA 2K26 official website for a full breakdown of the SKU details, availability, and more information. Stay tuned for additional announcements about the latest on NBA 2K26.

Developed by Visual Concepts, NBA 2K26 is rated E for Everyone from the ESRB.

Follow NBA 2K on TikTok, Instagram, X, YouTube, and Facebook for the latest NBA 2K26 news.

Stay tuned to GamingTrend for more NBA 2K26 news and info!

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August 24, 2025 0 comments

Crypto Trends

Latest RLUSD Stablecoin Could Propel Ripple To Limelight Amid Trillion-Dollar Predictions

by admin August 24, 2025

Trusted Editorial content, reviewed by leading industry experts and seasoned editors. Ad Disclosure

Ripple’s RLUSD stablecoin is a potential game-changer in the rapidly expanding stablecoin market, which is projected to reach trillions of dollars. With SBI Holdings planning to bring RLUSD to Japan, the stablecoin could be integrated alongside XRP, positioning Ripple for a stronger role in global payments.

RLUSD To Propel Ripple Into Global Spotlight

A recent report by tech researcher SMQKE on X social media has reignited attention on Ripple’s strategic moves in Japan. With the introduction of RLUSD in the country, the crypto payments company could steer its growth in the stablecoin market, which is projected to expand from a 300 billion valuation to a trillion in the coming years.

SMQKE stated in his post that Ripple’s On-Demand Liquidity (ODL) service is already operational in Japan, allowing RippleNet customers to leverage XRP for cross-border payments. This development reduces pre-funding requirements and positions XRP as a critical liquidity tool for remittances, particularly in one of the world’s most expensive cross-border payment corridors.

SMQKE further pointed to the alignment between the firm’s ODL infrastructure and the upcoming introduction of RLUSD. With SBI Holdings confirming plans to bring the stablecoin to Japan in early 2026, RLUSD is poised to complement XRP in powering remittance flows and institutional payments. This dual-layered ecosystem, where XRP drives liquidity and RLUSD ensures stability, could strengthen Ripple’s position in a market expected to multiply.

The integration holds particular significance for Japan’s payment ecosystem, where remittance flows from the country to the Philippines, mainly driven by the country’s third-largest foreign worker population, reached nearly $1.8 billion in 2020. Japan also carries some of the world’s highest cross-border payment fees. In line with this, the company’s ODL service, in collaboration with SBI Remit, Coins.ph, and SBI VC Trade, directly addresses these inefficiencies. At the same time, the pending rollout of RLUSD in Japan adds another layer of utility.

Ripple And SBI’s Role In Distributing RLUSD

Ripple has confirmed its recent advancements in Japan in a press release announcing the upcoming launch of the RLUSD stablecoin within the country. The crypto company disclosed that as stablecoins become an integral part of the global financial infrastructure, the next wave of adoption is set to be driven by practical utility and institutional demand.

Ripple and SBI Holdings disclosed a new Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with SBI VC Trade, outlining just how RLUSD will be distributed across Japan. The crypto payments company notes that RLUSD has been positioned as an enterprise-grade stablecoin, fully backed by US dollar deposits, short-term government bonds, and cash equivalents, with independent monthly attestations ensuring transparency. This regulatory and compliance-first design distinguishes the asset from other stablecoins in circulation.

Notably, SBI VC Trade CEO Tomohiko Kondo described the upcoming launch as a significant step forward in expanding stablecoin options in Japan and accelerating the convergence of finance and digital technology. He further emphasized that the company will continue working closely with Ripple to build a safe and transparent financial infrastructure.

XRP trading at $3.05 on the 1D chart | Source: XRPUSDT on Tradingview.com

Featured image from Getty Images, chart from Tradingview.com

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August 24, 2025 0 comments

Esports

Deadlock’s latest update revives the game with massive player count increase

by admin August 24, 2025

After the initial player count boom that came with Deadlock Alpha access, the player count has steadily fallen. And, sure, it’s not publicly available yet, but the player count going from close to 200k at “launch” to around 10k before the latest update isn’t exactly ideal.

Deadlock has maintained a small yet loyal following through its lengthy Alpha. If you consider 10-15k players small, anyways. There’s pretty much never been a point where queues aren’t popping, and there are some people really grinding to learn ahead of the eventual release.

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However, the average player moved on. Updates take months at this point, with the dev team generally shifting away from rapid changes to work on more substantial updates.

And, around 3 months after the last big update, the team really delivered. Between releasing 6 new heroes in the span of less than 2 weeks, new music, a UI overhaul, and, for those who haven’t played since last year, a completely new map. There’s a lot to love here, and players are Deadlocked in.

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Deadlock earns players back with massive update

So, why are so many people returning to Deadlock all at once if the previous updates didn’t win them over?

At the time of writing, only three of the six revealed characters have been released. But that’s a key part of why player retention has been so high: Players get to vote for the next character they want, but they have to play matches in order to earn votes.

However, this wouldn’t mean anything if the game wasn’t fun. Fortunately, the new roster of heroes has players more engaged than ever.

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The proposition of fun and exciting new characters combined with the ability to earn your way toward deciding who’s next seems to be a winning formula for player retention, but that’s not all. The UI, menus, music, and many of the character designs have had some massive quality of life improvements, especially if you’re someone who hasn’t played since last year.

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Between the new map, an easier to access item system, 3 lanes instead of 4, and a whole lot of quality of life changes, it’s no surprise that players are hopping in and sticking around.

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DeadlockThe Doorman is the newest Deadlock character at the time of writing, and he’s probably the closest thing we’re ever going to get to Portal 3.

Deadlock went from 14k peak players to around 28k in the day after the update, but it’s since catapulted all the way to 47k. This is the biggest peak Deadlock has had in months, and there are no signs of that momentum stopping.

While the game is nowhere close to a full release yet, Valve is putting their full force into making their vision for Deadlock a reality.

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August 24, 2025 0 comments

Product Reviews

How well do you know your hacking minigames? Put your wits to the test with our latest quiz

by admin August 23, 2025

Robin’s off at Gamescom this week, which means it’s up to me to step into his size-15 Riddler shoes and attempt to gin up some kind of devilish quiz. But what? What could it be about? What!?

More quizzes!

(Image credit: Larian Studios, PC Gamer)

Want to keep testing your knowledge of gaming trivia? We’ve got loads more PC Gamer quizzes, on everything from healthbars to weird currencies to absurd patch notes.

Oh, hacking minigames. Sure. That works.

Join me in a celebration of the least-loved parts of our best-loved games: the random memory games and iterations of Pipe Dream that games love to throw up at us when we’re trying to check someone else’s email. Frankly, I’ve never minded them too much—even the most tedious hacking minigame is usually over and done with in about 20 seconds, and the ones that are good are actually, you know, good.

But love ’em or loathe ’em, can you identify them based on a mere whisper of information— a single screenshot? What about when I’ve cropped out the stuff that might give away what game we’re talking about from UI clues? Put yourself to the test below. And if you hate it, well, Robin’s back next week.

Let us know in the comments how you scored, and especially let me know if you got the last one without cheating.

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August 23, 2025 0 comments