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Sam Altman and UK government minister reportedly discussed giving ChatGPT Plus to all Brits for free

by admin August 24, 2025

OpenAI CEO, Sam Altman, and the UK government Technology Secretary, Peter Kyle, have discussed a deal which would see the UK’s entire population given premium access to ChatGPT, according to a Guardian report this weekend. However, the bill, which would have to be covered by the government, may have stymied any chance of the deal going official, with Guardian sources indicating ChatGPT Plus for every Brit would cost as much as £2 billion ($2.7b).

Government AI advocate

Kyle is a well-known AI advocate, with previous reports citing evidence that he has used this online tool for advice and work related questions. The minister has also characterized ChatGPT as being great for unpicking complex topics and as a “very good tutor.”

Altman and Kyle have met a number of times this year. Kyle dined with Altman in March and April, according to the source. Then, in July, the minister signed an agreement with OpenAI. This memorandum of understanding (MoU) would open up the use of OpenAI services, like ChatGPT, in the UK’s public sector. Particular mention was given to education, defense, security, and justice departments. In exchange, OpenAI would have access to a range of government data.

Prohibitive cost doesn’t add up

Bringing us up to date, sources speaking to The Guardian have shared information about talks between Altman and Kyle that took place recently in San Francisco.

While ChatGPT Plus costs $20 a month for an individual subscription, the cost for the whole populace (69.6 million by most recent estimates) should be provided at some kind of bulk discount. Multiplying the populace by a $20 fee results in a sum of around $1.4 billion. Thus, the $2.7 billion ‘proposal’ seems vastly overpriced.

That fact aside, the ChatGPT Plus for every Brit idea seems to have been a nonstarter, with sources saying “Kyle never really took the idea seriously,” writes The Guardian.

The UK is already a top five nation for paid ChatGPT use, says the source. Some in government feel AI can help UK citizens unlock economic opportunities. Sizable waves of prosperity can uplift the population as a whole, so visionary government shouldn’t be put off by investments like this. However, the jury is still out regarding the usefulness of AI, and whether it is a passing fad, or a bubble.

To underline that no ‘ChatGPT Plus for every Brit deal’ is on the way, the Guardian report ends by relaying a statement from the UK’s science and technology department, which says no such proposal or deal has been taken forward.

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August 24, 2025 0 comments

Product Reviews

Blade Runner 2099 will reportedly be released next year on Prime Video

by admin August 23, 2025

Amazon’s Blade Runner limited series finally has a release window. Deadline reports that the upcoming sequel show, Blade Runner 2099, is slated for a 2026 release on Prime Video. The story at this point remains a mystery, though the title suggests it’ll take place 50 years after the events of Blade Runner 2049. Ridley Scott is said to be involved in the production.

It was revealed last year that Michelle Yeoh will star in the series, and according to Deadline, she’ll be joined by Hunter Schafer, Dimitri Abold, Lewis Gribben, Katelyn Rose Downey and Daniel Rigby. We first heard about the possibility of Blade Runner 2099 back in 2022, when it was reported that Amazon Studios was developing a live-action series set in that universe, but there have been few updates since. The release window was noted in an internal memo obtained by Deadline, which reports that the series is now in post-production.

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August 23, 2025 0 comments

Product Reviews

Apple is reportedly considering using Gemini to power the new Siri

by admin August 23, 2025

Apple might use Gemini to power its revamped version of Siri, Bloomberg reports. The companies are in the early stages of exploring a partnership, with Google training a version of its Gemini model that can run on Apple’s servers. The iPhone maker was previously reported to be considering similar partnerships with OpenAI and Anthropic.

“The company is simultaneously developing two versions of the new Siri: one dubbed Linwood that is powered by its models and another code-named Glenwood that runs on outside technology, ” Bloomberg writes. A final decision has yet to be made on what AI model Apple will ultimately use, but it’s entirely possible it sticks with its internally-developed models.

While seceding a potentially key technology to a competitor seems decidedly un-Apple, it’s a testament to how much difficulty the company has had rolling out Apple Intelligence. Apple included the majority of its new AI features in the release of iOS 18, but failed to ship an updated version of Siri that can draw on personal data to take action in apps. Apple ultimately admitted the Siri update was delayed in March, with the new launch now expected sometime in 2026.

The turmoil caused by the delay reportedly led to Apple’s various AI projects changing hands internally, and the company’s decision to consider using a third-party AI model. As of the launch of the Pixel 10, Gemini now offers a similar set of capabilities to what Apple promised with the new Siri. It could presumably do the same things on iOS with the right changes. Using a version of Gemini that runs on Apple’s hardware and servers — the company calls this Private Cloud Compute — could also add an additional layer of security.

Apple was reportedly planning to offer Gemini as an alternative to ChatGPT in Apple Intelligence, but the option has yet to ship. Having Gemini power some of its AI features would put Apple in a similar position to Samsung, who’s Galaxy AI relies on a mix of custom models and Gemini.

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August 23, 2025 0 comments

Game Reviews

Elden Ring reportedly runs poorly on Switch 2, but is anyone surprised?

by admin August 22, 2025

When Elden Ring popped up at Nintendo’s Switch 2 reveal, it was a promising sign of third-party games finding their way to the new console.

Yet reports from gamescom suggest Elden Ring runs poorly on Switch 2, particularly in handheld mode, citing low framerates in open world environments. Even publisher Bandai Namco seems to be aware of this, as footage capture has not been allowed, which seems particularly damning.

FromSoftware doesn’t have a great track record with performance, though, and after three years Elden Ring still doesn’t run perfectly on PS5, Xbox Series X, or PC. But this is the studio’s first effort on Switch 2, and it’s perhaps a worrying sign for next year’s exclusive The Duskbloods.

ELDEN RING is coming to Nintendo Switch 2Watch on YouTube

IGN described Elden Ring on Switch 2 as a “disaster” in handheld mode, after Eurogamer’s Ian Higton went hands-on at gamescom.

Ian was only able to play in handheld mode, but played the very start of the game. And while he was impressed with the lighting and resolution, the framerate dropped dramatically during both the Grafted Scion tutorial boss and when entering the open world. “As soon as I opened up those double doors and entered into Limgrave and you see the Erdtree in the background, it started to chug,” said Ian.

Further, the demo only has a single graphics mode with HDR switched on, but this could potentially change in the final release.

Both Jon Cartwright from GVG and Nintendo Life’s Felix Sanchez reported similar feedback. Cartwright noted how fog in the distance caused the framerate to plummet and while the game runs at 30fps, it goes “well below when anything a little bit challenging comes up”, including bosses. He was able to test docked mode, which was “better but not perfect”.

Sanchez, meanwhile, was impressed by the graphics despite being not quite on par with current consoles, but in the open world “the framerate just tanks – it’s really bad and I understand why they don’t want you to see this because wowee zowee it is terrible”.

It’s certainly disappointing to hear, especially when Elden Ring does run perfectly fine on PS4 and Xbox One, not to mention the Steam Deck already provides a handheld mode with steady performance. Over on reddit, fans appear to be upset by the news, but not particularly surprised following FromSoftware’s poor optimisation of games in the past.

Of course, the Switch 2 is weaker compared to PS5 or Xbox Series X, but it does have VRR capabilities – it’s not clear if this has been implemented by the developers.

Perhaps this poor performance shouldn’t come as a surprise. Two years after the base game launched, FromSoftware released the Shadow of the Erdtree expansion. Yet, as Digital Foundry reported last year, this still did not fix many underlying technical issues with the game, particularly its long-standing stuttering. Seeing issues with the Switch 2 version suggests FromSoftware just doesn’t intend to fix them, with performance seemingly not a priority.

Digital Foundry also examined the Elden Ring Switch 2 trailer from its initial reveal, noting its seemingly poor performance, despite its impressive pixel count. It seems frame pacing issues from the trailer capture are present in the game itself. Still, when Cyberpunk 2077 – an infamously more technically demanding game – runs well on Switch 2, it’s disappointing to see FromSoftware struggling.

Elden Ring remains without a Switch 2 release date beyond this year, so there’s still time for fixes to be implemented. It’s the first FromSoftware-developed game to make it to Nintendo’s Switch family (there’s been no mention of an external team handling the port), as the previously released Dark Souls Remastered was handled by Virtuos. But it won’t be the last. As revealed earlier this year, FromSoftware has the Switch 2 exclusive multiplayer game The Duskbloods on the way.

Will it suffer a similar fate? It’s unclear what engine that game is being created in, but considering it’s a Switch 2 exclusive from the ground up, you’d hope FromSoftware would optimise the game accordingly rather than shoehorning Elden Ring to make it fit. Yet the precedent of poor performance – and FromSoftware’s seeming apathy towards it – has already been set.

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August 22, 2025 0 comments

Game Reviews

Switch 2 Reportedly Getting Starfield In 2026 As The Ports Start Flowing

by admin August 21, 2025

Cyberpunk 2077 might not be the only massive sci-fi RPG on Switch 2 for long. Could Starfield get ported as well? Why is Dead Space‘s old Creative Director all-in on AI? And How did an AI replica of a real content creator make its way onto the official First Descendent TikTok channel? Welcome to the latest edition of Morning Checkpoint, Kotaku‘s brief daily roundup of gaming culture and news, where we’re doing a bunch of clean-up from the first day of Gamescom 2025.

Starfield will reportedly come to Switch 2 in 2026

Podcaster NateTheHate, who’s quickly developed a reputation for accurate leaks around upcoming Nintendo announcements, now claims Bethesda’s open-world sci-fi RPG is coming to the company’s handheld hybrid next year. “Indiana Jones and the Great Circle won’t be the only Bethesda game coming to Nintendo Switch 2 in 2026,” he posted on X yesterday. “See that planet? You can go there. Aside from landing on PS5…Starfield is planned for release on Nintendo Switch 2 in 2026.” FromSoftware’s The Duskbloods has also been confirmed for Switch 2 in 2026, and Nintendo has yet to reveal any of its expected slate for the console’s second year. Starfield is reportedly coming to PS5 next year as well, seemingly closer to whenever the second expansion launches.

The First Descendent blames TikTok for AI slop video

Nexon’s free-to-play loot shooter, also known as “Gooner Destiny,” accidentally shared an AI-generated ad on TikTok that ripped off another content creator. The publisher now says a TikTok marketing program automatically solicited the ad and linked it to The First Descendants’ account with no controls to verify copyright infringement or other content concerns. Sounds bad! “We will also be committed to continuously being more transparent and responsible to regain the trust of our community and creators,” the company writes. “Once again, we deeply apologize for the disappointment and inconvenience this incident has caused.”

Final Fantasy 14 could be coming to Switch 2

Director Naoki Yoshida told VGC at Gamescom that Square Enix is in talks with Nintendo about porting the hit MMORPG over. “The discussions have been positive, so I do hope that players will look forward to hopefully good news in the future,” he said. It sounds like Final Fantasy 16 isn’t out of the question either. Yoshida added, “For me, it’s just my aim to provide Final Fantasy 14 and 16 to as many players as possible, and I hope that as many players as possible will be able to enjoy those two games.”

The director of Callisto Protocol is going all-in on AI

Glen Schofield told The Game Industry “AI is going to be fantastic.” He said he’s holding seminars about how AI can make creatives more efficient and thinks the technology will be an inevitable part of game development in 5-10 years, but he’s not sure exactly how it will all shake out. “Is it going to be an engine?” he said. “Right now, it’s a whole bunch of things that just kind of suck it in… and into what? It’s going to have to settle down a bit before we actually use it.” Schofield also claimed Callisto Protocol sold over 5 million copies, but regretted not delaying it. He said AAA games are not dead and is looking for someone to pay him to make another.

High on Life 2 gets a release date

The sci-fi comedy shooter will arrive on PC and console, including on Game Pass, on February 13, 2026. Ralph Ineson, best known as Cid in FF16 and more recently Galactus in The Fantastic Four: First Steps, will be voicing the newest gun in the game.

Triangle Strategy shadow-drops on Xbox and PS5

The HD-2D homage to games like Final Fantasy Tactics was previously a Switch exclusive on console. Square Enix’s port is now on Xbox with a starting discount of 30 percent off.

Stalker 2 comes to PS5 in November

The survival horror shooter makes the jump on November 20 as more former Xbox console exclusives get ported and help round-out Sony’s previously anemic 2025 release slate.

The biggest lines at Gamescom are for Silksong

THIS IS THE LINE OF HOLLOW KNIGHT SILKSONG ON PRESS DAY AT 9AM. #Gamescom pic.twitter.com/lNz1q62AZ5

— Daan K. 🔜 Gamescom 2025 (@NintenDaan) August 20, 2025

The Hollow Knight sequel is getting a special announcement on August 21—a release date, hopefully?—but in the meantime, attendees at Gamescom are making the Silksong demos at the Nintendo and Xbox booths the highlights of the show so far. Nintendo Life already went hands-on and confirmed the Metroidvania Soulslike supports 120Hz refresh on Switch 2 in TV mode.

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August 21, 2025 0 comments

Product Reviews

Softbank reportedly considered buying Intel’s foundry division outright before investing $2 billion into the company as equity

by admin August 20, 2025

SoftBank today announced its intent to purchase a historic $2 billion worth of Intel shares—a roughly 2% stake—making it one of the largest shareholders of the American chipmaker. However, the Financial Times reports that just days before the deal was inked, Softbank actually considered buying Intel’s foundry division outright.

This follows another unprecedented report that the White House is considering a 10% stake in Intel, utilizing grants from the CHIPS Act and converting them into equity.

Intel received that CHIPS Act money on the promise of never spinning off the fabs the funds directly impacted, as they serve an important geopolitical role in the race for bleeding-edge semiconductors. Intel is one of the last companies in the cutting-edge process race with TSMC, whose roots in Taiwan have provoked long-simmering concerns about its vulnerability and the stability of leading-edge semiconductor supply in the event that China should invade the island in pursuit of reunification.

Kick Streamer Reportedly Dies On Camera After Months Of Alleged Abuse

by admin August 19, 2025

Raphaël “Jeanpormanove” Graven reportedly died in his sleep earlier this week following broadcasts on Kick where he was routinely assaulted by others in controversial “humiliation” livestreams. According to the BBC, a judicial investigation in France is underway, with French government minister for digital technologies Clara Chappaz calling what Graven experienced “absolute horror.”

The death of the 46-year-old, whose streaming career began with TikTok videos about GTA 5 and FIFA and who had amassed over a million followers across all his channels, appears to have been captured live during his latest, and last, marathon Kick broadcast. Graven’s more recent content, which he created as part of the collective Le LokalTV, included being seemingly brutalized by two fellow streamers who go by the aliases “Naruto” and “Safine,” with some clips appearing to show violent, prolonged strangulations. An investigation last year by Mediapart alleged that Graven had been subject to “months of online abuse.”

It’s unclear what exactly the relationship was between all of the men, though reporting by Mediapart suggests the “humiliation” streams were lucrative and helped propel the popularity of Graven and the group’s channel on Kick. Naruto and Safine were reportedly taken into custody earlier this year but were later released amid an ongoing investigation. Kick also temporarily suspended the channel but it later resumed streaming again. Clips of the alleged abuse can be found circulating online.

Mediapart now reports that viewers of the stream earlier this week on Discord became worried about Graven’s condition after he appeared to being laying motionless in his sleep for an extended period of time. According to the AFP, an autopsy to determine the cause of death has been ordered.

Kick is a competitor to Twitch and YouTube known for its loose guidelines and minimal moderation. Streamers there can promote gambling and other topics that are prohibited on other streaming platforms. A representative for Kick told the BBC it was “urgently reviewing” the circumstances around Graven’s apparent death on camera. “We are deeply saddened by the loss of Jeanpormanove and extend our condolences to his family, friends and community,” they said.

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August 19, 2025 0 comments