Tag Archives: Media

HBO Max Black Friday deal: Get one year of access for only $3 per month

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HBO Max has rolled out a limited-time, one-year subscription deal, offering a chance to stream HBO originals and Warner Bros. blockbusters at a lower cost. The platform has reduced pricing to $3 per month for one year, bringing the final cost down to $36 for the year. With many streaming services increasing their rates, this Black Friday streaming deal lets you catch up on hit shows and new releases without committing to a full year. You can sign up via HBO Max's website or, if you're a Prime Video subscriber already, via that service as an add-on.

HBO Max has one of the best libraries of content in the streaming market, combining HBO’s acclaimed originals with Warner Bros. theatrical releases, Discovery content and live sports. The service now runs across three main plans. The Basic With Ads plan, the one included in this deal, allows streaming on two devices in full HD and costs $11 a month at full price. The Standard plan adds offline downloads, more live sports coverage and better device flexibility for $18.49 per month. The Premium plan increases quality to 4K with Dolby Atmos sound (where available), four simultaneous streams and up to 100 downloadable titles for $23 monthly.

While the feature differences matter, the real appeal of HBO Max is its library. Subscribers get access to the full catalog of HBO originals, including House of the Dragon, The White Lotus, The Last of Us and Euphoria, alongside recent Warner Bros. theatrical hits like Dune: Part Two and Barbie. The addition of Discovery content brings in reality favorites such as Fixer Upper: The Hotel and 90 Day Fiancé, while sports coverage through TNT and TBS channels includes NHL, NASCAR, college football and more.

It’s worth noting that live sports are still limited to certain tiers and regions and 4K availability varies by title. But compared with other premium services that have recently raised prices or limited simultaneous streams, HBO Max’s current setup offers strong flexibility across its plans.

If you’re considering which streaming platform gives the best range of new shows, live events and cinema releases, our guide to the best streaming services compares HBO Max with other major options. For now, this one-year subscription offer provides a straightforward way to explore HBO’s latest hits and a wide catalog of content at a lower upfront cost.

There are plenty of other Black Friday streaming deals to consider as well. Here are some of the best ones:

  • Disney+ Hulu bundle — $60 for one year: The Disney+ and Hulu (with ads) bundle is on sale for $5 per month for one year (for a total of $60) through December 1. New and eligible returning subscribers can take advantage of this deal, and considering the bundle typically costs $13 per month, this deal represents more than a 50 percent discount on the standard monthly price.

  • Apple TV+ — 6 months for $36: Apple TV+ is offering six months of access for only $36 for Black Friday, which comes out to a discounted price of $6 per month for the six-month period. The deal is live now for new and eligible returning subscribers and runs through December 1, giving you a chance to stream shows like Silo, The Morning Show and For All Mankind for less. The biggest caveat to the deal is that you must subscribe directly through Apple and not through a third-party service.

  • Paramount+ — two months of Essential or Premium for $6: This Black Friday deal brings the monthly price of either Paramount+ tier down to just $6 for two months, or $3 per month. The obvious better deal is on the Premium plan, which typically costs $13 per month.

  • Sling TV Orange — day pass for only $1: Sling TV launched Day Passes earlier this year, giving users one-day access to a variety of its packages. This deal cuts $4 off the normal price of a day pass for Sling Orange. With that, you get unlimited access for 24 hours to Orange's more than 30 channels that includes ESPN, CNN, TBS and others.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/hbo-max-black-friday-deal-get-one-year-of-access-for-only-3-per-month-163017450.html?src=rss

Netflix drops one more Stranger Things trailer before season five begins

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It’s almost time to return to Hawkins for one last ride, and ahead of Netflix releasing the first four episodes of Stranger Things season five this week, the company dropped one more trailer. The clip sets the stage for a final showdown with Vecna, as Demogorgons aplenty break through from the Upside Down to wreak havoc on a militarized zone and Hawkins at large.

The gang seems to have a plan to take down the series’ big bad, with Dustin saying that “I wanna see Vecna’s heart on a platter.” (Dustin is also shown with a bloody face in a few shots and I will never forgive the person or thing that harmed him or ripped his Hellfire Club shirt.) As with previous trailers, there’s lots of action and explosions here. This preview ends with Steve getting a Back to the Future moment as he — with Dustin, Nancy and Jonathan in the passenger seats — guns his car into an Upside Down portal.

Anyone who’s been watching the show over the last (gosh) nine years will be hoping that Netflix and the Duffer brothers — the Stranger Things creators and showrunners — can bring the show home with a satisfying conclusion. We’ll get a better sense of how well they’ll pull that off very soon. The first four episodes of the final season debut on Netflix at 8PM ET on Wednesday, November 26, just in time for a Thanksgiving weekend watch with loved ones. Three more episodes will land on December 25 and the finale will hit Netflix (and some theaters) on December 31.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/tv-movies/netflix-drops-one-more-stranger-things-trailer-before-season-five-begins-152951886.html?src=rss

The most popular social media platform among US adults isn’t Instagram or TikTok

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Social media is an overwhelming part of our lives these days, but the Pew Research Center provided an in-depth look at just how much we rely on these platforms. In a 2025 report that looks at social media usage with American adults, the data-driven think tank revealed some nitty-gritty details like year-to-year changes, age gaps and most importantly, frequency of use.

At the number one spot, YouTube holds a dominant position, with 84 percent of the 5,022 adults surveyed saying they use Alphabet's video-sharing platform. Meta earns silver and bronze medals since 71 percent of adults said they use Facebook, while 50 percent responded positively when it comes to Instagram use. However, not all of Meta's social media outlets are doing well. Threads may have hit 400 million monthly active users this summer, but only eight percent of adults surveyed said they use it. Rounding out the bottom of the list, only 21 percent of adults surveyed said they use X, while four percent of adults said they're on Bluesky and three percent are on Truth Social.

Besides popularity, the Pew Research Center also explored the frequency with which American adults use their preferred social media platforms. In a separate survey with 5,123 adults, the report uncovered that 52 percent of adults go on Facebook daily, with 37 percent of them logging on several times a day. Nearly as frequently, 48 percent of adults use YouTube daily, including 33 percent of that demographic watching videos on the platform several times a day. When looking at frequency through the lens of age gaps, the starkest difference is found with 47 percent of adults between 18 and 29 using TikTok at least once a day, while only five percent of those aged 65 or older use the ByteDance-owned app every day.

When looking at annual trends, YouTube and Facebook have largely maintained stable usage — and even some growth — since 2021. Even though it may feel like Facebook has begun to stagnate, the report shows that it has a loyal user base that's still growing at a consistent rate. On top of that, Meta is still continuing to update the social media platform, including recently revamping Facebook Marketplace. 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/social-media/the-most-popular-social-media-platform-among-us-adults-isnt-instagram-or-tiktok-195823871.html?src=rss

X rolls out ‘About this account’ feature that displays a profile’s country of origin and more

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You'll soon be able to see more information about X accounts, including where they're based and how many times they've changed their usernames. X is rolling out a new feature called "About this account" that displays more information about user accounts. Not only will it display the country a user is located in and username changes, the feature will also make public which country the account was created in and whether it's connected via the web or a specific app store.

X began testing this feature out last month, but more recently, users have been posting screenshots of the new feature being rolled out. X is following in the footsteps of other social media platforms, as already seen with Facebook's Page transparency and Instagram's own About this account. As detailed by Nikita Bier, X's head of product, the upcoming "About this account" feature is meant to verify the authenticity of content posted on X.

You can currently see your own info by clicking on the "Joined" button underneath your X bio, but you may not be able to see others' info yet since the feature is still being rolled out. In your own profile, you can choose to display either your country or region/continent, with the exact country being the default option. Bier previously said that there will be "privacy toggles," which will be highlighted on your profile if you opt in. On top of that, users accessing X through a VPN may have a disclaimer on their profile that says, "Country or region may not be accurate," as spotted by some internet sleuths.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/social-media/x-rolls-out-about-this-account-feature-that-displays-a-profiles-country-of-origin-and-more-160617187.html?src=rss

Dragon Quest 7 Reimagined is all about enhancing the game’s greatest strengths

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Square Enix has been on a tear in recent years remastering and outright remaking many of its landmark role-playing games. Along with Final Fantasy, the developer has given the Dragon Quest series such attention as well, and the next game on deck is a remake of the PlayStation 1's Dragon Quest VII. Commonly regarded by fans as one of the most challenging and lengthy games of the series, the developers building Dragon Quest VII: Reimagined — the second remake of the game following the 3DS release in 2013 — are aiming to reshape DQVII with a striking new visual style and a refocused adventure.

I recently got to spend a couple of hours with Dragon Quest VII: Reimagined, seeing its new interpretation of the 2000 classic JRPG and some of the more noteworthy updates to its combat. So far, the remake is making some intriguing choices that not only aim to give the sprawling time-travel plot a better sense of direction but also streamline some of the original's more exhaustive and challenging beats.

The original Dragon Quest VII carried the familiar conceit of earlier entries, focusing on a party of high-fantasy adventurers embarking on an epic adventure filled with dungeons to explore and powerful monsters to fight. But DQVII deviated from the traditional Dragon Quest storyline by focusing on the party's adventures through time. As the Hero and his friends uncover the lost history of their world, they'll step back into previous eras to explore bygone kingdoms and continents that will reveal a larger conspiracy in the present. Along the way, they'll build their bonds of friendship that will stretch across time.

Reimagined does well to capture that sense of adventure that the series does so well. Even as the series has evolved with new entries, it still strikes a balance between old-school, turn-based JRPG gameplay and modern storytelling flair. What's especially novel about the remake of Dragon Quest VII is its sharper, visually expressive 3D art style. Using diorama models and real doll versions of the party as reference material for the look of the game, the new 3D visuals really capture the whimsical and emotive style of the late Akira Toriyama's distinctive art, which has given the series its unique look. But with the move to a new 3D style, Reimagined sets itself apart from the previous games by feeling more like an animated adventure film.

Dragon Quest 7 Reimagined
Dragon Quest 7 Reimagined
Armor Project/Bird Studio/Square Enix

Along with the visual style, the developers also focused on reshaping sections and the overall storytelling of DQVII to offer a more satisfying experience. According to game producer Takeshi Ichikawa, one of the larger goals of remaking Dragon Quest VII was to improve the flow of the game, which ultimately made for a more satisfying sense of adventure.

"The 'reimagined' elements of the narrative allude to improvements in the game's overall framework, which offers a much deeper and more compelling experience," Ichikawa said. "In our effort to streamline the overall story progression and provide a more engaging narrative, we decided to cut subplots that have little or no direct relevance to the main scenario. While some content has been removed, entirely new scenarios have also been introduced. Our goal was to build upon the strengths of the original game while striving to deliver a deeper, more immersive story experience for modern players."

During my hands-on time, I got to explore two separate sections of the game. These focused on the early-game Emberdale dungeon, where townsfolk committed themselves to a volcano ritual to pacify a fire demon within. The other section focused on the Wetlock scenario, which had the party confront a mysterious magic user who whisked away townsfolk to a mysterious tower in a flooded land. 

My memories of the original and 3DS remake came back while playing Reimagined, which made it easy to slide back into that dungeon-crawling flow. Much like the original, Reimagined still sticks with traditional turn-based combat, and the new visual style really helps emphasize the sense of impact and tactics at work in battle — more so than in other games in the series. I especially liked how unique each character felt, particularly the wolf-riding bandit Ruff, who is  fun to use in battle. 

Dragon Quest 7 Reimagined
Dragon Quest 7 Reimagined
Armor Project/Bird Studio/Square Enix

During the Wetlock section, I generally found the challenge to be fair, and I even discovered a good leveling spot fighting golems and Metal Slimes that popped up on occasions. But things can easily kick into high gear when taking on the elite enemies and the end boss of the questline. I had to carefully assess the available skills and employ a range of offensive and defensive abilities to survive. The remake is not so much about removing the sense of challenge from the original, but rather about maintaining it while offering more options to help with battles.

One of the larger innovations to Reimagined combat is the Moonlighting system, which allows each party member to equip two vocations at once. The original game allowed each character to only have one vocation at a time, and switching classes reset your level. This created a lot of busywork in the original game, so with this new two-class approach, it cuts down on grinding significantly and keeps you feeling empowered. But on a more strategic level, it also adds a lot more utility and variety to each character's loadout. It also does well to make a party with more diverse skills, which adds a lot more charm to the group.

Dragon Quest 7 Reimagined
Dragon Quest 7 Reimagined
Armor Project/Bird Studio/Square Enix

There's so much thought put into the top-down rework of the original game for Dragon Quest VII: Reimagined, and I found the changes to be a very charming and personable  approach to remaking it. Even back in 2000, the original game was a very ambitious take on the series. Not just being the first 3D entry, but also in how it actually utilized many of the different locations and characters from across the sprawling story in a more meaningful way. The original is still a great entry in the series, but it's one that feels a bit tough to revisit. That makes the developer's intent on streamlining and refocusing to feel quite appropriate, and I quite dug the changes I saw during my hands-on time.

So far, Dragon Quest VII: Reimagined looks to maintain the ambition and scope of the original, but hone it into a more focused and satisfying JRPG. It adds a seriously impressive visual style that brings it to life. According to the remake's producer, Reimagined and its new approach to remaking Dragon Quest is about adding a new sense of energy to the series, and it's so far doing just that.

"We believe that existing fans will find the game satisfying. At the same time, since this title has been reimagined from the ground up as a modern release, we're also excited for many new players to enjoy it as their first Dragon Quest experience," Ichikawa said. 

Dragon Quest VII: Reimagined will be released on February 5, 2026 for PC, PS5, Xbox Series X|S and Nintendo Switch 1 & 2.


This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/dragon-quest-7-reimagined-is-all-about-enhancing-the-games-greatest-strengths-130000125.html?src=rss

Running an 1930s newspaper, foreseeing martial arts fights and other new indie games worth checking out

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Welcome to our latest roundup of what's going on in the indie game space. A whole bunch of intriguing games have arrived over the last week or so, and we got some tasty details on some upcoming projects, including one called Drywall Eating Simulator (trust me on this one).

But first, an update on a game that's been around since 2004 and had completely flown below my radar until now. That’s despite it reaching more than 80,000 daily unique players and having more than 4 million players overall. You can seemingly do pretty much whatever you want in Torn, including studying to become a doctor, opening a hair salon or buying a home (it's truly a fantasy world). However, this is a place where crime is rife. The team behind the text-based online RPG this week revealed some fascinating stats to mark the 21st anniversary. 

For instance, 1,204 people who joined the fray in 2004 are still active, including at least one who has been there since the first day. Since Torn City was established 21 years ago, more than 3.6 billion criminal offenses have been committed and yet its justice system has only doled out just under 52 million prison sentences. Since August alone, more than 4.4 million buildings have been burned. Players have committed more than 410 million assaults against each other, 12 percent of which targeted the groin. 

Torn sounds super fascinating! I love that it's been running for so long and still thriving. More than 31,000 players have subscribed to support the game and keep it running, though it’s free to play. The developers have updates planned for next year and beyond. I'm looking forward to checking it out at some point and maybe roleplaying as a goody-two-shoes flower shop owner. 

New releases

From publisher Twin Sails Interactive and the four-strong team at Sparrow Night comes News Tower, which arrived fully formed this week after nearly two years in early access. This is a management sim that tasks you with running your own newspaper in 1930s New York. 

Starting in the wake of the 1929 stock market crash and mobsters smashing up the newsroom, you'll try to turn around a struggling publication that you inherit from your family. You'll construct offices and set up printing presses; hire and manage reporters and other staff; assemble your weekly newspaper; and deal with various groups that are jostling for power and trying to influence your coverage. 

I thought last year's Times and Galaxy, which casts you in the role of a robot journalist, was mostly lovely, but it missed the mark on the actual newsgathering side of the equation. I’ve found no such issues with News Tower so far. I love that a story can change when you assign different reporters to each step (say, one focused on crime vs. one focused on politics). They'll find distinct angles, which could help you sell more copies of the paper or draw readers away from rivals when you land an exclusive.

I'm only a little ways into News Tower, but as someone who started out their career at a newspaper, this is like catnip to me. I expect to spend quite a bit of time with this game. News Tower 1.0 is out now on Steam. It usually costs $25, though there's a 20 percent discount until December 2.

Forestrike is a 2D martial arts roguelite from Skeleton Crew. You can practice combat encounters as many times as you like, but you only have one proper shot to take out multiple opponents in each battle. It sounds a little like Katana Zero in that regard. Succeed, and you'll move forward. Lose, and it's the end of your run. If you manage to win without relying on this foresight feature, you'll achieve an "ultimate victory."

On each run, you'll choose your path and learn new techniques. Forestrike, which is published by Devolver Digital, seems interesting since it's a blend of puzzle game and action roguelite — you'll need to figure out a way to succeed in each battle and then pull that off successfully on your actual attempt. The game is out now on Steam for $10. It's coming to Nintendo Switch soon.

Here's a puzzle game of a different flavor. In Umami, from Mimmox and co-publisher Nexting, the aim is to create dioramas of cakes and food towers using virtual wooden blocks. You have a reference guide to work from if you choose, or you can just try to figure out for yourself how all the pieces fit together. 

It's a lovely, relaxing experience with some laid-back beats. Umami is out now on Steam. It's usually priced at $14, though there's a 15 percent discount until December 1.

A Pinball Game That Makes You Mad is a game from Azimuth Studios in the vein of rage-inducing precision platformers like Getting Over It with Bennett Foddy and Only Up. The aim is to guide a person who is trapped in a pinball to the goal using a single button that controls the flippers.

Make a mistake, and you can erase a great deal of progress. A press release indicated that a playthrough will take between 10 and 30 hours, which is a huge range.

I'll never find out myself how accurate that estimated playtime is, because the demo did, in fact, make me mad and not want to play the full game, though I appreciate what the devs are going for. A Pinball Game That Makes You Mad is out now on Steam for $10, but a 15 percent discount until November 25 brings the price down to $8.50.

I really like that I've been able to keep up with this little tradition of including a dog game in this roundup every week. Samurai Academy: Paws of Fury is a followup to Paws of Fury: The Legend of Hank, a 2022 animated movie I haven't seen that's apparently a "loose remake of Blazing Saddles." Color me intrigued!

This is an action-adventure game with platforming and tower defense aspects. It casts you in the role of Hank, a "dog samurai in a world full of cats." It looks quite charming, though it does remind me that I really do need to go back and get the platinum trophy in Ghost of Yōtei. Samurai Academy: Paws of Fury — from developers Fishing Cactus and ZEROlife Games, and publisher Maximum Entertainment — is out now on Steam, Nintendo Switch, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S. There's a two-player co-op mode available on all platforms, except for Switch.

Upcoming 

Erosion is a neat-looking twin-stick action roguelike from Plot Twist (The Last Case of Benedict Fox) and publisher Lyrical Games. Every time you die, time advances by a decade and the post-apocalyptic Wild West setting shifts accordingly, with the decisions you make influencing the future. 

In this open-world shooter, you'll delve into dungeons filled with enemies and bosses as you try to rescue your kidnapped daughter. Avoid death often enough, and you might just find your offspring before she reaches old age. There are more than 100 skills and modifiers to unlock and dozens of weapons available to help you assemble an effective build. The environments are destructible too.

I really like the voxel art here, including the way the characters bob up and down. Erosion is set to arrive in spring 2026 in early access on Steam, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox Cloud and the Xbox PC app. It'll be available on Game Pass.

Speaking of Xbox, one of my favorite games of last year is coming to Microsoft's consoles. The comedy adventure Thank Goodness You’re Here! is slated to hit Xbox Series X/S on December 9. The delightfully rude and funny game from Coal Supper and Panic is already out on PC, PS4, PS5 and Nintendo Switch. 

We're far from done with the silliness this week. If you haven't quite had your fill of obstacle-laden walking sims for this year after Baby Steps, might I direct your attention toward Ultimate Grandma Simulator? 

You'll help Granny navigate a dozen levels as she searches for her missing grandson. You'll need to evade everything from wrecking balls to zombies, and parry projectiles like frisbees and bombs. A serious game this is not. If you collect hidden golden coins, you'll unlock some of Granny's memories too. Circo, PlumPointTwo and publisher We Don't Have A Studio are set to bring Ultimate Grandma Simulator to Steam on December 2.

I must admit, the title of Drywall Eating Simulator caught my attention and not in a good way. But after reading more about it and watching the trailer, I'm intrigued by this game from Peripheral Playbox.

According to the Steam page, it's a "physics-based 3D adventure carefully constructed to simulate the delights of late capitalist life." After engaging in mindnumbing small talk and dealing with the infuriating stressors of everyday life, what better way to unwind than by munching on some drywall? Just don't tell anyone about your cravings. 

This game has a very odd and yet somehow deeply relatable concept. Definitely something to chew on. It's coming to Steam on December 10.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/running-an-1930s-newspaper-foreseeing-martial-arts-fights-and-other-new-indie-games-worth-checking-out-120000559.html?src=rss

X’s handle marketplace is open and there are some… interesting names if you’re willing to pay

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After previewing its plans to open a marketplace to "redistribute" dormant handles last month, X has made the feature available to all Premium+ subscribers on the platform. The feature allows subscribers to request new handles that up to now have been unavailable because they belonged to accounts that have since become inactive. 

The marketplace offers two types of handles: "priority" and "rare." For priority handles, X has suggested the goal is to give people the chance to have a handle that more closely reflects their name. In practice, though, it's not at all clear how X is determining what's considered a "priority" versus a "rare" handle. I signed up for a $40/month subscription and searched for both @kbell and @karissa only to be told that both are considered "rare" and thus not available to me. I was able to "register" my "interest" in the names, and include a brief description of why I wanted the handles. 

My first initial and last name is, apparently, "rare."
My first initial and last name is, apparently, "rare."
X

The company says that rare handles are "the most valuable" names and are "often words, slang, or containing few characters. Some options that may one day be available, according to my searching, include @memelord, @phone, @gr0k and @AIchat. The exact process for acquiring one of these, though, isn't exactly clear. X says that handles on your watchlist "may be released in a public drop where you, and others can apply to receive the handle for free via a merit based application system." The company has also said that it will make some especially sought-after handles available for purchase on an invitation-only basis, with prices "anywhere from $2,500 to over seven figures." 

There's some good meme potential here, if you can get it.
There's some good meme potential here, if you can get it.
X

After a bit of perusing, I did find that there were a few entertaining options that are theoretically available now as "priority" handles, including @six_seven, @elonfarts, @grokfacts and @kbchat. Honestly, all of these were at least a little tempting, though I'm not at all confident X would approve @elonfarts or @grokfacts. You also have to consider these requests at least a little carefully because X is only giving users the ability to request one priority handle during the entire lifetime of their account. 

There are also some significant strings attached to the whole process. In addition to being required to maintain a $40/month or $395/year Premium+ subscription, X has a rather strict set of rules for "maintaining your handle." These include:

-Create content regularly. If an account is active but the associated handle remains largely dormant – for example, where little or no original or engaging content is published – X may reclaim the handle.

-Use the handle in a way that reflects the spirit of participation and expression on X.  That means active involvement in platform activities (replying, reposting, discussing topics) that help build a vibrant community for sharing ideas and expressions.  X’s intent is to ensure that handles remain available for active voices and creators who help advance the mission of the platform, not for speculation or inactivity. 

-Ensure regular activity on the platform, with a minimum of 1 device login within a 30 day period. For details, see our Inactive Account Policy.

The terms also state that "X owns and can reclaim any handle," which is more than theoretical. The company has a long history of commandeering desirable handles from users that were actively using them including, infamously, @X. 

Given all that, I still have yet to follow through on requesting any of the available "priority" handles I've found. I might just stick with the same handle (@karissabe) I've been using for the last 16 years. It's only two letters off from the supposed "rare" variation of my first name only, and it won't cost anything extra to keep.


This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/social-media/xs-handle-marketplace-is-open-and-there-are-some-interesting-names-if-youre-willing-to-pay-000020665.html?src=rss

Meta is bringing usernames to Facebook Groups

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Meta has long required Facebook users to post under their real names (with some exceptions), but at least for Facebook Groups, the company is now offering new options. Members of Facebook Groups will now be able to participate under a custom nickname and avatar, rather than being forced to use their real name or post anonymously.

You can set a custom nickname via the same toggle that lets you create an anonymous post, Meta says. Nicknames have to be enabled by a group's administrators, and in some cases individually approved, but once they are, you can switch between posting under your real name or a nickname freely. The only other limitation is that the nickname needs to comply with Meta's existing Community Standards and Terms of Service. While you set your new nickname, you can also pick from a selection of custom avatars, which seem to mostly be pictures of cute animals wearing sunglasses.

Groups are one of several areas of Facebook that Meta has continually tried to tweak in the last few years to bring back users. In 2024, the company introduced a tab that highlighted local events shared in Facebook groups. More recently, it added tools for admins to convert private groups into public ones to try and draw in new members. No single change can make Facebook the center of young people's lives in the way it was in the early 2000s, but letting people use what amounts to a username might encourage Facebook users to explore new groups and post more freely.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/social-media/meta-is-bringing-usernames-to-facebook-groups-231405698.html?src=rss

Meta now lets you invite people for virtual hangouts in Hyperscape Capture spaces

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Meta is rolling out a way for people to interact together in its virtual spaces. Users will now be able to invite friends to hang out in the spaces created with Hyperscape on Meta Horizon. Up to eight people can join an instance, as long as they are age 18 or older and have the link to the space. The virtual spaces can be joined through a Meta Quest 3 or 3S as well as via the Meta Horizon mobile app, which is on both Android and iOS. People can scan their own homes to create a virtual hangout when they can't be in person together, or they can indulge their inner lookieloos and wander around some of the celebrity spaces, such as Gordon Ramsay's kitchen or Chance the Rapper's living room.

It's an application of Hyperscape Capture, which Meta showed off during its Connect conference earlier this year. That tech allows people to use a Meta Quest to scan real spaces and create digital replicas. The invite option is being gradually added to accounts, and Meta also said that it hopes to raise the party cap in the future for this metaverse feature.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ar-vr/meta-now-lets-you-invite-people-for-virtual-hangouts-in-hyperscape-capture-spaces-231152311.html?src=rss

Total Chaos, which started life as a Doom II mod, is now out for Xbox, PS5 and PC

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The survival horror game Total Chaos has been in development for years and it's finally available for Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 5 and PC. Incidentally, this a Game Pass release if you're hankering to spend $30 a month. The launch announcement was made during a recent Xbox Partner Showcase.

This is an interesting title for a number of reasons. First of all, it's absolutely dripping with style. The art direction seems plucked right out of the Alan Wake universe. It also seems to have something akin to an insanity mechanic, which reminds me of recent games like Dredge and not-so-recent games like Eternal Darkness. It's a survival horror title set in a creepy old fort, so that tracks.

The developer also made Turbo Overkill, which was a well-liked FPS with retro vibes. Total Chaos actually started its life as a Doom II mod, so releasing as a standalone title on gaming consoles is a legit flex. The soundtrack was composed by Akira Yamaoka, who made the music for many of the Silent Hill games. It's likely to include some terrifying bangers.

The game is available on the Xbox Store, the Microsoft Store for PC, PlayStation and Steam. It costs $25, but there are some introductory sales right now. Again, it's also playable on Game Pass.

Update, November 20, 4:20PM ET: This story was updated after publishing to include information on the game’s launch on PS5.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/total-chaos-which-started-life-as-a-doom-ii-mod-is-now-out-for-xbox-ps5-and-pc-194508861.html?src=rss