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Atomfall's first expansion takes you to a wicked new island when it arrives next week
Game Updates

Atomfall’s first expansion takes you to a wicked new island when it arrives next week

by admin June 1, 2025



Developer Rebellion Developments revealed a first look at Atomfall’s first DLC expansion yesterday. Titled Wicked Isle, it unsurprisingly brings you to an island called Midsummer Island that is, in fact, a bit wicked, but like, in the bad way, not in the something a teen in the 2000s would say about something they like kind of way. Specifically it’ll have a bit more of a folk horror vibe to it, which I’m certainly into conceptually. Lots of great folklore in the UK, as long as it’s not stepping over frequently trodden upon territory.


Rebellion head of design Ben Fisher explains that the island is “close to the Windscale Atom Plant and as a result the levels of infection in both the people and environment are higher than on the mainland.” It’ll feature new enemies like pirate bandits and infected druids to fight, though you’ll get some new weapons to fend them off in kind. That includes things like a blunderbuss shotgun, a cutlass, daggers, a new bow, and a beekeeper’s staff. You know, the typical kind of things you find on a creepy island.

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The completionists amongst you might also like to know (or dread to hear depending on how much you liked the game) that some of the new storylines can lead to new endings in the base game. No details on what those are, obviously, but I suppose the joy of experiencing things for the first time is just that!


There’s a release date for the expansion too: June 3rd, just a few days away at the time of writing. Let’s all see how it shapes up, as our own James found himself left wanting a bit with a lot of what Atomfall had to offer in his own review of the RPG.



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June 1, 2025 0 comments
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Elden Ring Nightreign Tops Steam But Fans Have Some Harsh Takes
Game Updates

Elden Ring Nightreign Tops Steam But Fans Have Some Harsh Takes

by admin May 30, 2025


Elden Ring Nightreign had a huge first night on PC. It’s already FromSoftware’s second-biggest launch ever on Steam. But the multiplayer spin-off of the 2022 hit open-world RPG is also already getting hammered by user reviews as fans complain about the lack of onboarding, poor communication tools, and the need to play with friends to have any real shot at surviving the challenging boss fights.

The Top 10 Most-Played Games On Steam Deck: August 2023 Edition

Officially out today on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S, Elden Ring Nightreign went live on PC last night at around 6:00 p.m. ET. The latest release from the Dark Souls team immediately sprang up the Steam charts to reach over 300,000 concurrent players. That made it the fourth-biggest game on Valve’s storefront and the second-biggest FromSoftware launch on PC behind Elden Ring. Its namesake and its $40 price point clearly did the experimental multiplayer spin-off some favors.

But it didn’t take players long to realize that Nightreign is very much not Elden Ring. Unlike its slow, plodding predecessor, the spin-off is a battle royale-influenced loot race in which sessions see an entire Soulsborne experience condensed into just 45 minutes. It takes some getting used to, and players are already coming to grips with Nightreign’s notable hostility to explaining itself, even for a FromSoftware game. And while it does allow for offline solo play, its steep difficulty curve—more of a right angle really—heavily rewards group play and coordination.

“If you don’t have 2 other friends to play with in voice chat, don’t waste your time,” wrote Steam user Hishamm. “Game is Elden Ring, but 3p, and the solo queue is abysmal.” “Gameplay itself seems fun but I can’t possible leave a positive review if a game released in 2025 has no way to communicate in a coop game (neither voice nor text chat),” wrote Lynni. “Impossible to make progress without voice chat,” wrote Vahit Horoz. “If you have 3 friends you can talk to and play regularly, you will have a great time, the connection is smooth, the map is full of events and the game loop is very interesting.”

The game currently has a Steam rating of 65 percent, making it the lowest-scored FromSoftware release on the platform outside of Dark Souls III’s Ashes of Ariandel DLC. The reviews are full of complaints about the lack of duos (you have to either play alone or with a three-stack) and how matchmaking with strangers often leads to people randomly running around the map without coordinating, a task made harder by the lack of communication tools outside of pings and emotes. I think that might even out in the days and weeks ahead as players learn the basics of the randomized Nightreign map and how much more efficient you are together than split up, but the lack of modern multiplayer features is a real issue.

Screenshot: Valve / Kotaku

Prior to launch, director Junya Ishizaki told IGN that duos support wasn’t planned any time soon. “We are trying to cater to a fun experience with three people,” he said. “So making sure the experience is fun at its core with a group of three, but it also doesn’t collapse if it’s a solo player as well … in putting all our efforts into that aspect, we kind of overlooked and neglected the duos aspect, but this is something that we are looking at and considering for post-launch support as well.”

It’s also unclear if FromSoftware is planning to dial back the difficulty for solo players in an upcoming patch. Nightlord bosses are practically impossible at the moment for all but the most experienced and hardcore Elden Ring loners. A mysterious day-one patch alluded to balance changes and other improvements, but didn’t spell out exactly what those changes are. If FromSoftware does decide to dial things back a bit, it wouldn’t be the first time it’s made one of its games easier. The studio quickly made Shadow of the Erdtree’s final boss much easier when it kicked everyone’s ass last summer. We’ll see if Nightreign eventually takes mercy on players without friends as well.

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May 30, 2025 0 comments
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Shiba Inu SHIB news
Crypto Trends

Shiba Inu Takes A Major Leap As ShibDAO Decentralizes Power

by admin May 30, 2025


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

The Shiba Inu ecosystem has officially taken a major step towards full decentralization with the launch of ShibDAO. On May 29, 2025, Shibarium Updates (@Shibizens) announced via X that the long-awaited transition to community-driven governance has commenced. With the Shiba Inu community now in control, ShibDAO aims to eliminate centralized decision-making and give power directly to those who stake the Shiba Inu (SHIB), Bone (BONE), Leash (LEASH), and Treat (TREAT) tokens.

Shiba Inu’s Next Chapter

“Breaking: ShibDAO Officially Live — Community Governance Begins,” the announcement states. ShibDAO’s launch opens the door for true decentralization in Shiba Inu’s vast ecosystem, providing community members with both voting power and direct influence over the project’s future.

Key features of ShibDAO’s decentralized governance system include on-chain staking, off-chain voting, and the delegation system. The on-chain staking function, introduced as Bury 2.0, allows users to stake SHIB, BONE, LEASH, or TREAT tokens to gain influence. The more tokens users stake and the longer they maintain their stakes, the more voting power they accumulate, strengthening their voice within the governance process. As of now, no staking rewards are active, with the current phase focused solely on governance participation.

Off-chain voting has been integrated into the system through Snapshot, where community members can propose changes and vote without incurring any gas fees. Real-time on-chain staking data directly influences vote outcomes, ensuring that voting power is dynamically linked to participants’ actual investments in the ecosystem.

“ShibDAO has launched, marking a major step toward real decentralization across the SHIB ecosystem. No more backroom deals — this system gives voice and power to the community,” @Shibizens announced.

For those who lack the time or inclination to vote directly, ShibDAO offers a delegation system. This allows token holders to delegate their governance power to trusted community leaders, with the ability to retract their delegation at any time. This flexible system ensures that even those who cannot actively participate can still influence the project’s trajectory through trusted representatives.

Additionally, ShibDAO introduces the DAO Factory, which enables users to launch their own decentralized autonomous organizations (DAOs) within the Shiba Inu ecosystem. This feature allows anyone to create DAOs for a range of purposes, including gaming, art, decentralized finance (DeFi), or public goods, further decentralizing the platform’s structure.

Currently, four distinct DAOs are operational within the Shiba Inu ecosystem: Shiba Inu DAO, the official central hub for social governance, where veSHIB stakers lead initiatives in community events, charity, UX upgrades, and public good funding. Second, there’s the Bone DAO, focused on Shibarium’s technological evolution, with veBONE stakers overseeing upgrades, contract changes, network improvements, and technical integrations.

Third, there’s the Leash DAO which acts as Shibarium’s judiciary, with veLEASH stakers resolving disputes, arbitrating conflicts, and handling governance litigations. Finally, the Treat DAO is dedicated to innovation, with veTREAT stakers funding new products, dApps, research, and business proposals to drive expansion and innovation within Shiba Inu’s ecosystem.

Notably, the Bury 2.0 beta is currently live and active, marking just the beginning of ShibDAO’s journey toward full decentralization.

At press time, SHIB traded at $0.00001337.

SHIB remains in bearish territory, 1-week chart | Source: SHIBUSDT on TradingView.com

Featured image created with DALL.E, chart from TradingView.com

Editorial Process for bitcoinist is centered on delivering thoroughly researched, accurate, and unbiased content. We uphold strict sourcing standards, and each page undergoes diligent review by our team of top technology experts and seasoned editors. This process ensures the integrity, relevance, and value of our content for our readers.



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May 30, 2025 0 comments
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Vice Undercover - a retro computer interface for solving a crime
Product Reviews

This narrative thriller takes place in a fictional ’80s OS, and the devs obsessed over keeping just the right amount of old school jank: ‘We did retain the dial-up modem’

by admin May 29, 2025



Few games commit to building an alternate reality like Vice Undercover. Much of the game is played on the fictitious Amigo OS, an amalgam of Windows 3.1 and early Apple operating systems with a dozen built-in applications, a boxy media player, and even a persistent Clippy pastiche with all sorts of eager advice for you. But this isn’t a starry-eyed trip down memory lane—it’s a “narco-thriller” where you poke around in drug cartel communications, careful not to get caught.

“Paranoia is one of the core emotions we were going for. That fear of being caught, the moral ambiguity of what you’re doing, and sort of questioning what is right and wrong when you’re combating something like this,” said Cos Lazouras, co-CEO of indie dev Ancient Machine, in an interview with PC Gamer. “That kind of thing is part and parcel with the core of the gameplay.”

In Vice, which takes place in 1980s Miami, you play as an undercover cop with an hour a day to access a cartel-run computer. It looks to be informed by synthwave and neo-noir as much as it is by actual history, and Lazouras said that’s no mistake; there are plenty of treats for web historians and true crime buffs alike.


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“The idea of, ‘what would have happened if Pablo Escobar and other cartels like that in the ’80s had access to the sort of technology we take for granted?’ What does that world look like,” he said. “We did a lot of research about the drug wars of the ’80s, and Miami was the central focus of cocaine distribution into the country … we have every criminal organization in this game, sometimes peripherally, but we’ve got everything from the yakuza, triads, Indonesian mob, the Italian mafia, the police as a big part of the corruption, government agencies.”

As a narrative game, the closest analog to fiddling around in Amigo OS is probably something like Her Story or the recently acclaimed Roottrees are Dead. It’s a nonlinear web of discoveries lying in wait, scattered about databases full of disparate information. If you’re the sort who’s always wished you could puff a stogie and illustrate a series of connections on a bulletin board using tacks and yarn, that’s how I imagined myself while checking out its demo on Steam.

You might notice that the Amigo isn’t quite as frustrating to navigate as it could be given its inspirations. According to Ancient Machine’s other co-CEO, Albert Ramon Puig, figuring out the right amount of friction was a tightrope walk unto itself.

“We discovered trying to simulate a desktop is crazy and it’s not fun. We decided to reinvent all the mechanics and incorporate things that are modern, like the alt-tab … You have chats, a lot of missions, a lot of applications, a big database. [The game is about] how to organize and investigate more than complicated mechanics.”

Keep up to date with the most important stories and the best deals, as picked by the PC Gamer team.

VICE Undercover – Story Trailer | PC Gaming Show 2024 – YouTube

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Puig and Lazouras discovered in early playtests that players were flabbergasted when they realized how slow-going an era-appropriate OS would have been when frictionless alt-tabbing between a gazillion windows wasn’t always a given. To keep the focus on the story, they decided to hold back most of the jank—with a little leftover, as a treat.

“We did retain the dial-up modem, though,” said Lazouras. “So when you lose the internet, you do have to go in and re-dial up and reconnect … when you have five people giving you missions and contracts because you’re working for both the police and the cartel, and then these external characters start introducing themselves, then that desktop management becomes a key component.”

Old school cool aside, Vice Undercover is a game about living on the razor’s edge—something the team at Ancient Machine had no qualms with themselves working on their passion project. Lazouras said: “The policy that we set right from the start is no control from anybody else. We make this game, and it has to be like this.”

The team had a distributor lined up at one point, but working within the needs of that partnership “meant cutting [Vice Undercover] back way too much.” To make the game they wanted, the team had to take a chance. Lazouras said that only stoked his passion, looking back now on having written 500 character backstories for Vice Undercover’s labyrinthine plot. Coming from a background in AAA development, Lazouras was excited by the challenge of “having a really pared down solution to the core of a game” purely focused on the concept rather than the production values of “big, overblown games.”

“It’s a lot more fun working on something that’s just pure risk, especially when you put your own mortgage up on the line, because we’re self-funding it,” he said. Despite the complicated road behind, Lazouras is “super proud” of the game that’s slated to come out later this year.

“We really want you to feel like you’re an undercover cop buried under this storyline. I think we’ve achieved that. I think that’s the crowning glory of where we’re at with the game.”

Vice Undercover doesn’t have a release date locked in yet, but expect it on Steam sometime this summer.



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May 29, 2025 0 comments
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James Wynn takes $5.3m loss, bets $1.2b on Bitcoin lifeline
Crypto Trends

James Wynn takes $5.3m loss, bets $1.2b on Bitcoin lifeline

by admin May 26, 2025



Prominent cryptocurrency trader James Wynn has liquidated his long positions with Ethereum and Sui at a loss of approximately $5.3 million as market conditions reversed.

The high-profile investor subsequently increased his Bitcoin (BTC) exposure, which currently stands at 11,070 BTC, worth roughly $1.19 billion.

According to blockchain analytics platform Lookonchain, Wynn’s aggressive position sizing has resulted in unrealized losses exceeding $20 million, including funding costs. The massive Bitcoin position faces liquidation risk at $104,820.

As the market dropped, top trader @JamesWynnReal closed his long positions on $ETH and $SUI, losing ~$5.3M.

He then doubled down on $BTC longs, pushing his position to 11,070 $BTC($1.19B) — now down over $20M including funding fees.

His liquidation price is $104,820.… pic.twitter.com/HS2NyUtH2J

— Lookonchain (@lookonchain) May 24, 2025

Major Bitcoin support zone identified at $107-108k

Cryptocurrency analyst CrediBULL Crypto has highlighted a crucial support zone between $107,000-$108,000 that could decide the fate of Wynn’s billion-dollar position.

The analyst emphasized that maintaining this price range is essential for preventing a liquidation that could pressure Bitcoin toward the $105,000 level.

An update on everyone’s favorite whale and my thoughts on LTF $BTC PA to go with it:

After taking partial profits Mr. Wynn re-opened the position higher up and added on even more size.

Position is now at 1.2B with a liq price of 105k.

Taking a look at the $BTC chart:

The… https://t.co/rJe2YGdQqA pic.twitter.com/AmRvh1gg8g

— CrediBULL Crypto (@CredibleCrypto) May 24, 2025

“The green zone at 107-108k must hold for the 1.2B position to avoid liquidation,” the analyst noted. A successful defense of the $107,000-$108,000 range might allow another attempt at new all-time highs. However, the analyst mentioned that a breakdown could result in forced selling pressure.

The trading activity is a major change in Wynn’s portfolio allocation following his recent success with Pepe (PEPE) trades. Earlier this week, the trader closed all his PEPE long positions for a total profit of $25.19 million.

However, as the market reversed after Bitcoin hit a new all-time high, his Ethereum (ETH) and Sui (SUI) long positions couldn’t be sustained.





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May 26, 2025 0 comments
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FBI Takes Down $24 Million Crypto Cache from Russian Malware Mastermind
GameFi Guides

FBI Takes Down $24 Million Crypto Cache from Russian Malware Mastermind

by admin May 24, 2025


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

The US Department of Justice (DOJ) has filed a civil forfeiture complaint to seize over $24 million in cryptocurrency assets tied to Rustam Rafailevich Gallyamov, a Russian national accused of leading the development and distribution of the Qakbot malware.

According to a press release issued on May 22, the DOJ alleges Gallyamov played a central role in deploying Qakbot as part of a broader cybercrime operation that infected computers globally and enabled ransomware attacks.

From Malware Deployment to Global Ransomware Attacks

Federal prosecutors claim that Gallyamov, who resides in Moscow, operated the botnet infrastructure behind Qakbot, a sophisticated piece of malware first deployed in 2008. The malware was used to compromise computers and then provide access to co-conspirators, who executed ransomware campaigns using variants such as REvil, Conti, Black Basta, and Cactus.

In return, Gallyamov reportedly received a share of the ransom proceeds. The DOJ emphasized that this seizure reflects a continued international effort involving law enforcement agencies from the US, Europe, and Canada to disrupt cybercriminal networks.

According to the DOJ’s indictment, Gallyamov’s cyber operations intensified from 2019 onwards, as Qakbot was used to infiltrate thousands of systems and build an expansive botnet. Once compromised, these systems were handed off to ransomware operators.

In August 2023, a US-led multinational task force successfully disrupted the Qakbot network and seized various crypto assets tied to the scheme, including 170 BTC and millions in stablecoins such as USDT and USDC. Despite that takedown, the DOJ alleges that Gallyamov and his partners continued targeting victims using alternative methods.

The latest DOJ complaint details how the accused shifted tactics following the 2023 disruption, including employing “spam bomb” techniques that tricked employees into opening access to internal systems. Prosecutors assert that this newer approach allowed ransomware deployment to continue well into 2025.

These attacks reportedly included the use of Black Basta and Cactus ransomware to target victims in the United States. As part of the ongoing investigation, the FBI executed another seizure on April 25, 2025, retrieving over 30 BTC and more than $700,000 in stablecoins.

DOJ’s International Coordination and Recovery Efforts

The DOJ’s civil forfeiture complaint aims to formalize the seizure of over $24 million in illicit crypto proceeds, with the intent of returning those funds to victims. This effort underscores a coordinated global campaign involving the FBI’s Los Angeles and Milwaukee field offices, Europol, and cybersecurity divisions from France, Germany, the Netherlands, and other countries.

The DOJ credited this collaboration for enabling swift identification and disruption of Gallyamov’s operations. Assistant US Attorneys from the Central District of California and officials from the DOJ’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section are leading the prosecution.

In public remarks, DOJ and FBI officials reiterated their commitment to dismantling global cybercrime infrastructure and using all available legal tools including indictments, forfeiture actions, and international law enforcement cooperation to hold perpetrators accountable and compensate victims. US Attorney Bill Essayli for the Central District of California said:

The forfeiture action against more than $24 million in virtual assets also demonstrates the Justice Department’s commitment to seizing ill-gotten assets from criminals in order to ultimately compensate victims.

The global digital currency market cap valuation. | Source: TradingView.com

Featured image created with DALL-E, Chart from TradingView

Editorial Process for bitcoinist is centered on delivering thoroughly researched, accurate, and unbiased content. We uphold strict sourcing standards, and each page undergoes diligent review by our team of top technology experts and seasoned editors. This process ensures the integrity, relevance, and value of our content for our readers.



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May 24, 2025 0 comments
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UK wants more crypto user data just as trust in KYC takes new hit
GameFi Guides

UK wants more crypto user data just as trust in KYC takes new hit

by admin May 24, 2025



New U.K. rules could mean more data from crypto users, just as a recent leak shows how risky that can be.

Just as a major crypto platform admitted contractors leaked user info, the United Kingdom unveiled strict new rules requiring firms to collect and report detailed personal data on every crypto transaction.

Starting Jan. 1, 2026, crypto firms operating in the U.K. will be expected to keep tabs on just about everything — every customer, every transaction, every movement of crypto. It’s part of the U.K.’s effort to bring transparency — and accountability — to a space long accused of being a bit too shadowy for its own good.

HM Revenue and Customs dropped the news in a May 14 statement, saying crypto firms will need to collect the full name, home address, date of birth, and tax identification numbers of all individual users. Entities like companies, partnerships, and charities are also in the spotlight, with requirements for legal business names, addresses, and company registration numbers.

That includes every transaction, even those just moving crypto between wallets. The rules follow international standards but go further by applying them within the U.K., not just across borders. Firms will be expected to submit reports annually, and those that fall short could face fines of up to £300 (around $398) per user.

Protecting consumers

Authorities say the move is about protecting consumers and creating a more robust regulatory environment. But it’s also clearly aimed at closing tax loopholes and keeping pace with broader global standards, including the European MiCA regulation. As HMRC put it, firms should start preparing now — not in 2026 — to avoid a last-minute scramble.

Mark Aruliah, head of EMEA policy at blockchain analytics firm Elliptic, said in a commentary for crypto.news that the move is an “expected next step” for an industry maturing toward parity with traditional finance.

“Reporting of personal transaction data has historically been a challenge for the industry and for consumers. This clarity on legal obligations to reporting will help and also the growth of new reporting services.”

Mark Aruliah

While Aruliah acknowledged the potential burden on smaller startups, he said the push toward transparency was not only necessary but overdue.

“Any regulation is generally regarded as an additional cost burden to the industry but that has to be balanced against the benefits that it provides. Therefore, it may be that smaller firms are impacted disproportionately based purely on costs (i.e. due to their size and profits), but nevertheless, these obligations are an expected next step and simply look to match the general reporting obligations in the tradfi space.”

Mark Aruliah

But for many critics, the bigger question is not about collecting data. It’s about keeping it safe.

Great responsibility

That concern came into sharp focus as cryptocurrency exchange Coinbase recently confirmed a breach involving customer data. According to the U.S.-based crypto exchange, contractors working for Coinbase overseas were bribed by attackers who gained access to sensitive customer information.

That included names, emails, phone numbers, addresses, and in some cases, partial Social Security numbers. Some users have even reported that ID documents like passports and driver’s licenses were exposed.

Coinbase said the breach affected less than 1% of its user base, though with nearly 9 million monthly active users, even that sliver represents a significant population. Worse still, it’s exactly the kind of personal data the U.K. now wants firms to collect and verify — and the breach raises urgent questions about whether crypto companies are equipped to handle such responsibility.

While Coinbase claims its internal systems caught the breach quickly, blockchain investigator ZachXBT has said signs of trouble were visible much earlier. Back in February, he flagged a string of scams tied to Coinbase’s infrastructure, including one victim who lost $850,000 after being duped by a fake Coinbase support agent.

If the U.K.’s CARF-aligned rules were already in force, the firm could be staring down millions in fines, not to mention reputational damage that’s harder to quantify. Still, the juxtaposition is hard to ignore: the U.K. is telling crypto firms to hoard personal data, just as one of the world’s largest exchanges admits it failed to keep such data safe.



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May 24, 2025 0 comments
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Tim Sweeney, CEO of Epic Games, looks at the camera.
Product Reviews

Epic CEO Tim Sweeney takes his victory lap as Fortnite returns to the app store after nearly 5 years: ‘Thanks to all of the folks who initially sided with Apple then later came around to the winning side’

by admin May 22, 2025



After a protracted legal battle, which is far from over, Apple has restored Fortnite to the US app store. Fortnite was removed in August 2020 after launching its own in-app monetisation system to bypass Apple’s in-app payment system and the 30% commission it charges.

This violated Apple’s terms, and led to a legal challenge from Epic Games, which accused Apple of operating the app store as a monopoly. Epic CEO Tim Sweeney was in an unsurprisingly ebullient mood at the news and thanked those who’d taken Epic’s side in the dispute which, as ever, he characterises as a fight for developer rights.

“Thanks to everyone who supported the effort to open up mobile competition and #FreeFortnite from the very beginning,” said Sweeney. “And thanks to all of the folks who initially sided with Apple then later came around to the winning side, supporting app developer rights and consumer rights.”


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Apple has made no comment.

“This is a clear win for Epic Games,” games business professor Joost van Dreunen told the BBC. “Epic has effectively forced open a door that Apple and others worked very hard to keep shut.

“The industry has long tiptoed around platform gatekeeping, but this moment signals a shift in the balance. Creators and publishers will now have more leverage to challenge entrenched distribution models.”

(Image credit: Epic Games)

Fortnite has been available on iOS in the EU since January. Apple is complying with the court order after it got absolutely slammed by judge Yvonne Rogers Gonzalez for an “obvious cover-up” in a ruling that left no room for doubt:

Keep up to date with the most important stories and the best deals, as picked by the PC Gamer team.

“This is an injunction, not a negotiation. There are no do-overs once a party willfully disregards a court order. Time is of the essence. The Court will not tolerate further delays. As previously ordered, Apple will not impede competition.”

That doesn’t mean this is the end: Apple is fiercely protective of its walled garden approach to the app store, which it argues is in consumers’ best interests, and of course has the money to fight this until the bitter end. And Epic Games may well be the David to Apple’s Goliath, but it happens to be an extremely deep-pocketed David with a pugnacious CEO that’s treating this fight like a holy calling.

“Apple lost the 2021 injunction appeal in 2024, and it’s final and unappealable,” says Sweeney. “Now there’s a new contempt of court decision, and Apple is seeking to stay and appeal it, but whatever happens, they’re still obliged to comply with the injunction and the law.”

Sweeney also put things in more Fortnite-y terms: “we back fam.”



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May 22, 2025 0 comments
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Video game voice actor union takes Fortnite's Darth Vader chatbot to court
Game Updates

Video game voice actor union takes Fortnite’s Darth Vader chatbot to court

by admin May 20, 2025


Video game voice-actor union SAG-AFTRA are launching a legal case against the presence of generated AI voice-acting for Darth Vader in Epic’s battle royale Fortnite. They’re accusing the company’s subsidiary Llama Productions of using AI to “replace the work of human performers” – or at least, of replacing human performers without first haggling out terms with the union.

The AI-voiced Vader character was added to Fortnite last week, in collaboration with the family of James Earl Jones, the original voice of Darth. Track down and recruit him and you’ll be able to take turns generatively bantering with Fauxnakin. Needless to say, the addition has proven a hit among the furiously masticating hamsters of social media. Also needless to say, players have swiftly worked out how to bait DAIrth VAIder into dropping F-bombs
and slurs, though at the time of publication, Epic appear to have addressed this in a patch.

Now, the Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists have filed an unfair labour practice charge against SkAIwalker Senior with the US National Labor Relations Board.

“We celebrate the right of our members and their estates to control the use of their digital replicas and welcome the use of new technologies to allow new generations to share in the enjoyment of those legacies and renowned roles,” the union wrote in a statement. “However, we must protect our right to bargain terms and conditions around uses of voice that replace the work of our members, including those who previously did the work of matching Darth Vader’s iconic rhythm and tone in video games.

“Fortnite’s signatory company, Llama Productions, chose to replace the work of human performers with A.I. technology,” it continues. “Unfortunately, they did so without providing any notice of their intent to do this and without bargaining with us over appropriate terms. As such, we have filed an unfair labor practice charge with the NLRB against Llama Productions.”

The court document itself claims that Llama Productions have “failed and refused to bargain in good faith with the union by making unilateral changes to terms and conditions of employment, without providing notice to the union or the opportunity to bargain, by utilizing AI-generated voices to replace bargaining unit work on the Interactive Program Fortnite”.

SAG-AFTRA – who represent a spectrum of workers across the media and entertainment sphere – have often gone to bat with the video games industry over the usage of human voice-acting to “train” bots, and the potential replacing of voice-acting in games with genAI. Following a lengthy negotiation over AI protections with the likes of GTA 6 publisher Take-Two and Call Of Duty household Activision, they called a strike last July in the name of “fair compensation and the right of informed consent”. The strike continues. Some video game voice and performance artists have, however, criticised SAG-AFTRA for striking deals with individual genAI companies.

All this forms part of the wider, on-going debate about the ethics and legalities of generative AI – our Electric Nightmares essay series remains a good primer. While voice actors contest the loss of work, other organisations are picking fights with the genAI biz over copyright infringement.

According to an Epic Games blog post, the Darth Vader chatbot in Fortnite makes use of two AI models – Google’s Gemini and ElevenLabs’ Flash. Gemini was recently hit by a $271 million fine over copyright breach, with France’s competition watchdog accusing the search engine company of “training” the bot with material from publishers and news agencies without notifying them. Google have pledged not to contest these facts as part of settlement proceedings.



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May 20, 2025 0 comments
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"Protec the lil' uns!" As Helldivers 2's CEO takes a victory lap around the latrines, players have already fallen in love with their new SEAF buddies
Game Reviews

“Protec the lil’ uns!” As Helldivers 2’s CEO takes a victory lap around the latrines, players have already fallen in love with their new SEAF buddies

by admin May 20, 2025


Helldivers 2’s Galactic War arrived on Super Earth earlier today, with the Heart of Democracy update deploying the divers on their first missions to defend the mega cities of their home planet. So far, it’s all going down well with players, especially one new feature – the AI SEAF squads.

To be fair, you can see why. With the latest major order requiring folks to casually kill 2.5 billion Illuminate as they work to activate the cannons they’ll need to see off the squids’ invasion of the planet, every helping hand on Super Earth’s side is a welcome addition.


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Before we get into all the SEAF love, Arrowhead CEO Shams Jorjani has made it clear this was the thing he was talking about when he teased something was coming to the game that would lead players to defecate in their drawers. Sticking his head above the pulpit in Helldivers 2’s Discord server not long after the update went live, the exec simply asked: “What’s the pant situation soldiers????”

“Evaporated” was one of the first responses he got.

Image credit: VG247

Naturally, it’s the new biomes and big war twist that’ve done a lot of that evaportating, but if you take a look at the game’s subreddit right, you’ll find the AI SEAF squads folks can run into as they run ops on Super Earth getting a load of love.

Basically, they’re members of the Super Earth Armed forces you can find running around the streets and enlist to help you take on the Illuminate of you chuck out the right emotes. Naturally, if you drop a salute, they’ll salute back, and they can even be persuaded to follow you around. Depending on who you ask, they’re either surprisingly effective in combat – below is a clip on one helping someone take down an Illuminate Fleshmob – or just cannon fodder.

Players like them so much that there are already calls for Arrowhead to give us the ability to arm the SEAFers with support weapons, become bunker door opening buddies with them, and drop a Warbond that lets folks dress in their trademark blue armour.

As one player with the handle Excelsus328 put it: “I don’t care if they showed the SEAF dying to friendly fire in the trailer, anyone who shoots these soldiers gets the kick”. “Oh god, now I want an emote to sing [the] Super Earth anthem and have them sing it with us like in Earth Defense Force,” added another going by Deathzeis.

Has Helldivers 2’s Heart of Democracy update filled your breeches with something super stinky yet, or are you waiting on tenterhooks to dive in later? Let us know below!



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May 20, 2025 0 comments
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