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Coinbase Applies for US Banking License, Joining Growing Pack of Crypto Firms

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America’s biggest crypto exchange Coinbase became the latest company in the digital asset space to apply to the Office of the Comptroller of Currency (OCC) for a national trust charter.

The public company announced the move on Friday, following in the footsteps of stablecoin issuers Circle and Paxos, and fintech Ripple.

“Coinbase has no intention of becoming a bank,” the exchange said. “It is our firm belief that clear rules and the trust of our regulators and customers enable Coinbase to confidently innovate while ensuring proper oversight and security.”

“If approved, the charter would continue to open up opportunities for Coinbase to launch new products beyond custody, including payments and related services, with the confidence of regulatory clarity, fostering broader institutional adoption,” the company added.

This is a breaking news story and will be updated.

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Amazon Restocks Exclusive Lego Formula 1 Collector's Pack Six Months After Selling Out
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Amazon Restocks Exclusive Lego Formula 1 Collector’s Pack Six Months After Selling Out

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Collectors of Lego’s wide-ranging race car models and Formula 1 fans have another chance to buy the Amazon-exclusive 10-in-1 bundle that quickly sold out at launch earlier this year. The Lego Speed Champions: Ultimate Formula 1 Collector’s Pack has received a surprise restock six months after selling out. Released in March, this massive box set includes all 10 Lego Speed Champions F1 cars in the series and an exclusive poster. The Ultimate F1 Collector’s Pack retails for $270 and features 10 officially licensed race cars, 10 Lego minifigures, an exclusive poster, and a giant display box showcasing the 2,601-piece collection.

The bundle was only available for a few weeks after launch before it sold out. Prior to Amazon’s restock this month, there was no indication the bundle would return, but Amazon must have saved some units for the holiday season. In addition to this restock, Amazon has deals on a bunch of Formula 1 Lego sets across multiple collections.

$270 | Amazon Exclusive

Lego had released Formula 1 models before this year, but those were usually one-offs, whereas this year’s expanded partnership featured the 10 Speed Champions cars, a collection of Lego City playsets, new Technic display models, and even a “minifigure” with 12 mini F1 cars.

This year’s Lego Speed Champions F1 collection includes popular race cars from Aston Martin, Mercedes, McLaren, Ferrari, Williams Racing, and more. The race cars measure approximately 8 inches long and 3 inches wide. Piece counts range from 242 to 269.

We’ve listed all 10 cars included with the Ultimate Formula 1 Collector’s Pack below. Each set is also sold separately with a retail price of $27. It’s worth noting that buying each set separately would cost you about $242 at the moment due to Amazon offering small discounts on most of the cars.

Ultimate Formula 1 Collector’s Pack:

The aforementioned Lego F1 miniature race car collection is discounted at Amazon and Walmart right. Normally $30, the mystery boxes with six cars each are up for grabs for only $20. There are 12 cars to collect, and each box contains six different models. Just know that if you buy more than one, you’re likely to get duplicates.

More Lego Speed Champions F1 Cars

The Ultimate Collector Pack isn’t the first lego Formula 1 exclusive at Amazon. Last year, Amazon was the exclusive retail partner for the McLaren Racing Pack, a combo Speed Champions and Technic bundle with two cars and 697 pieces. The McLaren Racing Pack is officially retired but Amazon still has it in stock for $77. The McLaren Speed Champions F1 car that’s included is also available separately for $23. The Technic car in the bundle is actually Formula E, not F1, and it’s available for $40 (was $50) at Amazon. Both models in the bundle are pull-back cars.

The Lego Speed Champions Mercedes-AMG sports car and SUV bundle below isn’t Formula 1, but it’s worth highlighting here The 808-piece Speed Champions bundle is on sale for only $30.59.

Lego Technic Formula 1 Sets

Lego Technic: McLaren Formula 1 2022 Race Car (1,432 pieces)

For a different kind of small-scale F1 build, check out the Lego Technic Mercedes-AMG F1 W14 E Pull-Back Car for $21.55 (was $27). A large display model version of this car is also available for $209 (was $220). At the moment, the best deal on one of the bigger F1 Lego sets is the 1,432-piece McLaren Formula 1 2022 for $160 (was $200).

Lego City Formula 1 Sets

Lego City Formula 1 playsets

Lego released five Formula 1 playsets for younger racing fans in its Lego City series earlier this year. You can get an 86-piece McLaren Race Car for only $8 (was $13) and a two-car bundle featuring Williams Racing & Haas Race Cars for $16 (was $20). The latter is part of Lego’s preschooler series for kids ages four and up. Another cool option is the 322-piece Pit Stop & Pit Crew set for $24 (was $30). This playset comes with a Ferrari race car, interactive pit stop, five minifigures, and numerous swappable accessories.

Lego Icons Formula 1 Sets

Multiple Formula 1 drivers and their race cars have received their own Lego Icons sets. A minifigure of Brazilian legend Ayrton Senna and his McLaren MP4/4 are available in a 693-piece display model for $64 (was $80). A minifigure of former British driver Nigel Mansell and a Williams Racing FW114B F1 car are available for $80 in a 799-piece set.

Walmart has a Lego Speed Champions 5-in-1 Bundle

It’s not an F1 bundle, but racing fans should check out the Walmart-exclusive Lego Speed Champions Sports Car Bundle before it’s gone. This makeshift 5-in-1 bundle is up for grabs for $85 (was $135) until the end of the month–or until it sells out–as part of Bricktember at Walmart.

$85 (was $135)

Includes:

  • Ferrari F40 (76934) – $27 (318 pieces)
  • Nascar Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 (76935) – $27 (328 pieces)
  • Audi S1 e-tron quattro (76921) – $27 (274 pieces)
  • Lamborghini Lambo V12 Vision GT (76923) – $27 (230 pieces)
  • Ford Mustang Dark Horse (76920) – $27 (344 pieces)

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The Sims 4's latest update adds playground venues to the base game ahead of October's kid-friendly expansion pack
Game Reviews

The Sims 4’s latest update adds playground venues to the base game ahead of October’s kid-friendly expansion pack

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We’re very much on the road to the next The Sims 4 expansion, Adventure Awaits, and Maxis has rolled out a cool new update to hold you over until the big day next month. The new patch is available now on PC, and will arrive on consoles on September 23.

The update has a couple of features worth discussing, and you can see how they lay some groundwork in anticipation of the game’s next, very much on-theme expansion.

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The big new feature in the new update is the Playground Venue, which is a place where sims kids can hang out and play. Because it’s mainly designed for children, it’s a good place to find new friends for your own.

You can create custom playground venues, and share them with other players. Separately, you’ll find an updated UI for Event Planning. You’re now able to filter out the specific venue type you want (libraries only, nightclubs only, and so on), thanks to the new filters.

Another big addition for child Sims is the ability for the little ones to Play Pretend with themselves, or with another child Sim. This new interaction can be found under Friendly > Activities Pie Menu. There are a couple of common – and expected – options to play with, such as Play Fairy Tale Castle, Play House, and Play Pirate Adventure. This being The Sims, of course, all of them have unique VFX.

Image credit: Maxis, EA.

Elsewhere in the update, there’s a new colour variant of the Ecru Slouch Beanie in Create a Sim. Maxis has also tweaked the Soul’s Journey gains and added Satisfaction Point rewards for each tier you complete.

The update’s console release next week will coincide with the launch of a new beta feature that you can opt into if you like. It’s called Memory Boost, and it essentially attempts to improve the game’s performance by optimising memory usage. You’ll find it under the Other tab in Game Options.

Adventure Awaits itself won’t arrive until October 2, but a big reason why this update is out now and not a little closer to that date is that it allows mod creators to update their work so it’s ready for when the expansion drops.

Speaking of which, EA have also created a series of brochures for Gibbi Point, the new world which arrives with Adventure Awaits. It’s a clever idea that lets you see some of the possible getaways you’ll be able to create, and encourages you to check back daily for more inspiration.



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The iPhone Air’s battery pack is slim, but not as slim as the iPhone Air
Product Reviews

The iPhone Air’s battery pack is slim, but not as slim as the iPhone Air

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I took a first look at the battery pack this afternoon, and it has a significantly slimmer design than the old version. This version of the battery pack is thinner and longer, stretching as far across the back of the phone as it can before bumping into the camera bar. Slimming it down reduces the potential battery size, but it makes the pack more appropriately balanced with the phone as a result. The new model didn’t feel goofy to hold in the same way that the thick old version did.

Applying a battery pack to the super-slim iPhone Air comes with some drawbacks. Namely, it makes the phone bigger again. With the battery pack on, the iPhone Air feels a lot more like any other iPhone and makes it thicker than other iPhones, too. The battery pack is slightly thicker than the iPhone Air. In my brief time with it, the pack didn’t feel overwhelmingly bulky, but it tempered some of the benefits of the new phone’s design.

Another drawback: this battery pack is exclusive to the iPhone Air. While it can technically snap onto anything with magnets, it’s sized to fit the iPhone Air specifically. That means it might fit onto Apple iPhone Pro Max, but the smaller model — with a 6.3-inch screen compared to the Air’s 6.5-inch — likely won’t work.

Beyond that, the battery pack is styled much like the original. It’s light to hold and has a soft matte exterior. There’s a small light near the bottom that glows to show charging status when it attaches to a phone. I get the sense that many people will want Apple to bring this design to its other phone models. Or they’ll choose an Air so they can get this, regardless of whether the overall battery gains actually add up.



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The Sims 4: Adventure Awaits expansion pack revealed, promising an old-school vacation with new woodland and beachside destinations
Game Reviews

The Sims 4: Adventure Awaits expansion pack revealed, promising an old-school vacation with new woodland and beachside destinations

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Apart from balance patches, The Sims 4 developers have been a little quiet recently. The team has certainly been cooking, though, because we just had our first look at the game’s next big moment.

The next major release for The Sims 4 is Adventure Awaits, the expansion that’s just been revealed.

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Today’s trailer is brief, only really serving to unveil Adventure Awaits to the world. As with most trailers these days, it arrived via the medium of YouTube Premieres, and quite a few people had been idling in chat prior to the big moment, waiting for the countdown to reach zero.

As most players had already predicted, the theme of Adventure Awaits is vacations, with two new locations to explore as part of the new goal-oriented “getaway” system: Camp Gibbi Gibbi, a woodland destination reminiscent of kids’ summer camps, and Love Highland, a beach villa style resort which apparently incorporates some reality TV inspired “challenges”.

Highlights of the pack’s new and returning features include the reintroduction of the Imaginary Friend occult type (arguably The Sims 3’s most uncomfortable supernatural life state), modular treehouses, customisable vacation venues, and the apparent ability to WooHoo in open water.

There are also new options to work out with spin bikes and freeweights, and a new Park Worker career, with Forest Ranger and Camp Counsellor branches. Older Sims can now gain the Competitive trait, while child Sims get plenty of new Simology of their own, from a new Aspiration to more traits, sentiments, and milestone moments.

Watch on YouTube

That’s almost all we know for now, but we only have to wait one more week until the official gameplay trailer reveals more on September 10th. Meantime, we do at least have a release date for the pack already: October 2nd, with the usual limited-edition pre-order goodies available for anyone who buys before November 13th.

The Sims 4’s most recent expansion release has been Enchanted by Nature, which arrived on July 10. Since then, theres been one major update, which released last month. The DLC has been pretty popular with the community, too.

We recently spoke to YouTuber Eva Rotky about how the game’s build/buy tools have evolved over the years, what remains missing, and what she’d been up to since Enchanted by Nature came out. Hit the link for the full conversation – and this one if you want to appease the gnomes.



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Switch 2 upgrade pack for Hollow Knight Silksong will be free
Game Reviews

Switch 2 upgrade pack for Hollow Knight Silksong will be free

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Team Cherry has shared an update on its Kickstarter campaign, with some key delivery details including that the Hollow Knight Silksong Nintendo Switch to Switch 2 upgrade pack will be free in the eShop.

This free upgrade, the developer said, will “unlock the platform’s enhanced features”.

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In the same post, Team Cherry noted that codes sent out to its Switch backers will be sent via email, and not be redeemable until the game has launched in their territory. If you are unsure when that is, yesterday the developer announced that Hollow Knight Silksong will release at 3pm UK time this Thursday. You can find out more about Silksong’s key delivery details via Kickstarter.

There are now only two more days to go until Hollow Knight Silksong makes its debut, after what to many has felt like eons of waiting patiently (and I am sure in some cases, not so patiently) for.

If you are interested in Silksong, but aren’t planning on purchasing it right away, our Zoe will be hosting a Silksong stream on Thursday. Be sure to tune in.

Image credit: Team Cherry

Last month, our Dom braved the Gamescom queues to go hands-on with Silksong, and came away impressed with its high challenge and how Hornet’s movement differs from the original game’s Knight. You can check out their thoughts in Eurogamer’s Silksong preview here.

This is a news-in-brief story. This is part of our vision to bring you all the big news as part of a daily live report.



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GameFi Guides

How a GameStop Shopper Won $115K in Bitcoin From a $13 Pack of Cards

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In brief

  • A collector recently walked away with 1 BTC from a $13 pack of cards purchased from GameStop.
  • The card came in via card manufacturer Cardsmiths’ Currency Series, which contains cards redeemable for real cryptocurrency.
  • The pull marks at least the third overall 1 BTC find in the last year.

GameStop doesn’t sell Bitcoin (though it does hold BTC)—but one patron recently scored a full Bitcoin, valued at nearly $115,000 today, after opening a pack of cards purchased at the retailer. 

Nestled in a pack of Cardsmith’s Currency trading cards, an Arizona-based collector recently unveiled a 1 BTC card, which comes with a redemption code that entitles the holder to claim a full Bitcoin. The top cryptocurrency is currently trading just under $115,000, as of this writing.

“I didn’t think it was a serious possibility,” the anonymous collector told card manufacturer Cardsmiths.

Cardsmiths’ Currency series cards offer redemption cards for Bitcoin, Ethereum, Litecoin, and Dogecoin–with the biggest redemption offerings being for 1 BTC or 1 ETH.

Collectors can purchase the packs of currency-themed cards for as low as $13.25 apiece (based on the size of the pack bundle), with 1:192 odds of pulling a crypto redemption—resulting in more than an 865,000% gain based on today’s Bitcoin price.

The recent pull marks at least the third full Bitcoin redemption in the last year via Cardsmiths, with other lucky collectors pulling full Bitcoin cards from $33 and $50 packs, respectively. 

Though entitled to the full Bitcoin, the most recent collector said they are only keeping 0.5 BTC of it thanks to a pledge they made on Reddit prior to pulling the card.



“First, let me introduce myself: I’m the crazy Ape who made a promise a while back that some of you may vaguely remember,” the Reddit user named decoparts posted to the Currencytradingcards subreddit. “To recap: I was documenting my pulls from a bunch of S4 Currency cards I had saved up, and I pledged that I would give half of the after-tax value to a charity, out of whatever crypto I found.”

“Boy, was I in for a lesson on backing up my promises and putting my money where my mouth is,” they added.

Though Cardsmiths’ Series 4 Currency cards are all sold out online, its most recent SPACE Series holds unredeemed full Bitcoin cards, with packs that sell for as little as $13.75 via its online store. 

The odds of walking away with crypto remain long though, with only 1 of every 192 packs expected to provide a crypto redemption card—the same odds the recent lucky collector faced. 

A representative for Cardsmiths did not immediately respond to Decrypt’s request for comment.

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Trails In The Sky 1st Chapter Switch 2 Upgrade Pack Is One Whole Dollar
Game Updates

Trails In The Sky 1st Chapter Switch 2 Upgrade Pack Is One Whole Dollar

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The upcoming remake of The Legend of Heroes: Trails in the Sky is getting a Nintendo Switch 2 edition. Trails in the Sky 1st Chapter’s Switch 2 edition is a digital-only release, but the Switch physical edition can be upgraded to Switch 2 for one whole dollar. Preorders for the physical edition of Trails in the Sky 1st Chapter are available for PS5 and Nintendo Switch. The highly anticipated turn-based RPG launches September 19 for $60.

Trails in the Sky 1st Chapter features entirely overhauled 3D visuals, new voice acting, turn-based and real-time battle systems, and a bunch of new side quests and regions. Widely regarded as one of the best entries in Nihon Falcom’s sprawling catalog of Trails games, Trails in the Sky 1st Chapter should be the ideal entry point for newcomers and a welcome treat for longtime fans.

$60 | Releases September 19

Trails in the Sky 1st Chapter’s physical edition is up for preorder at Amazon, Walmart, Target, and Best Buy.

As mentioned, the Nintendo Switch 2 edition is only available on the eShop, but Switch owners can upgrade their copy–physical or digital–for only $1. The Switch 2 edition has higher resolution and frame rates as well as faster load times.

If you’re unsure if you want to preorder the remake, we’d recommend checking out Trails in the Sky 1st Chapter’s Prologue Demo, which released August 21. The demo is available to play now on PlayStation 5 and PC, and the Switch version should be downloadable soon. The progress you make in the demo can be transferred to the full game.

Returning players will probably be happy to learn the remake could take twice as long to beat. In an interview with the Japanese gaming publication Gamer, Nihon Falcom president Toshihiro Kondo discussed how the 3D game world, new voice acting, and other updates naturally add to the game’s length. Playthrough times for Trails games can vary significantly from one player to the next, but if it took you 40 hours to complete the original, it might take you closer to 80 in the remake.

Trails in the Sky originally released on PC in Japan in 2004. The English localization debuted on PlayStation Portable in 2006. Subsequent ports and enhanced editions for PS3 and Vita were exclusive to Japan. A worldwide Steam port released in 2014, and this edition is still sold today (for $20). For reference, Trails in the Sky has a “Very Positive” review average based on over 6,000 Steam reviews.

Nihon Falcom’s Legend of Heroes franchise dates back to 1989, but the 2004 release of Trails in the Sky marked the beginning of the modern “Trails” series. More than a dozen Trails games have been released over the past 20 years. While there are numerous arcs within the Trails series–Trails of Cold Steel, Trails through Daybreak, etc.–playing Trails in the Sky and its two sequels is highly recommended to fully appreciate the franchise’s excellent worldbuilding and lore.

Trails in the Sky 1st Chapter

Trails in the Sky follows adoptive siblings Joshua and Estelle Bright, who join the Bracers peacekeeping organization. They’re soon caught up in an international conspiracy and must join forces with various other characters to thwart a deadly coup. Trails in the Sky 1st Chapter was made in the same engine as the Trails through Daybreak duology. And just like the Daybreak games, the remake pairs the franchise’s traditional turn-based combat system with real-time action gameplay.

The next all-new entry in the series, Trails Beyond the Horizon, is scheduled for January 15, 2026. Preorders are available for PS5, PS4, Nintendo Switch, and Switch 2. Like many Nihon Falcom games, the $60 Deluxe Edition of Trails Beyond the Horizon will be bundled with multiple goodies (an art book and digital soundtrack).

If you want to check out more Trails games, GameSpot sister site Fanatical has deals on a bunch of them for PC (Steam keys). Fanatical is also offering discounts on multiple games in the Ys series, Nihon Falcom’s long-running action-RPG franchise. Unlike the Trails series, Ys games largely standalone experiences, so you can play them in any order.

Nihon Falcom Games – Physical Editions

Trails through Daybreak II

We also rounded up a list of physical editions for PlayStation and Nintendo consoles that you can still buy for near MSRP or below.

Notable deals include Trails through Daybreak II: Deluxe Edition for PS5 and Nintendo Switch for $35 (was $60). Daybreak II released earlier this year, and this is by far the best price so far. You can also save big on Ys X: Nordics for PS4 or Nintendo Switch. Over at Amazon, Tokyo Xanadu eX+ for Nintendo Switch is up for grabs for $33 (was $50). Tokyo Xanadu isn’t related to Ys or Trails, but it’s an action-RPG that fans of both series would likely enjoy. Keep in mind that Nihon Falcom games generally don’t stay in print for long, and resellers often sell Trails games for far above MSRP.

Upcoming Nihon Falcom Games

Disclosure: GameSpot and Fanatical are both owned by Fandom.



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