Tag Archives: site|engadget

Porsche recalls more than 27,000 Taycan EVs

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If you own a Porsche Taycan, you might plan on making a trip to the dealership. The Verge reported that recalls have been issued due to a short circuiting risk in one of the battery’s cell block modules. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration issued a safety recall for more than 27,000 of the Porsche EVs. The recall affects “certain” Taycan vehicles released from 2021-2024. Notices will be issued to owners by the end of November.

Porsche hasn’t been able to pinpoint exactly which cars in the Taycan fleet have the hazard. In order to determine which cars need fixing, Porsche is advising owners of Taycans made between October 21, 2019 and February 1, 2024 to bring their car to a dealership where crews can monitor the battery with diagnostic software. Porsche is also advising its Taycan owners to only charge the vehicle’s battery up to 80 percent until dealership mechanics can determine if the battery needs to be replaced.

If this problem sounds familiar, it’s because it’s one of the chief causes for the downfall of Chevrolet’s EV, the Chevy Bolt. The electric car went through a similar recall in 2021 due to a fire risk with the battery.

Chevy had to replace the batteries in Bolts made between 2017 and 2019 at a cost of $1.8 billion. The battery issues led to Chevy discontinuing the EV line and a class-action settlement that netted owners of the 2020-2022 Bolt EVs and EUVs a $1,400 settlement.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/transportation/evs/porsche-recalls-more-than-27000-taycan-evs-192335438.html?src=rss

FIFA cozies up to EA rival Konami for soccer esports

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FIFA didn't exactly get out of the video game business after parting ways with EA. Soccer’s governing body has teamed up with Konami to host two editions of the FIFAe World Cup on the console and mobile versions of eFootball later this year.

Qualifying for both tournaments starts today, with FIFAe world champs (one each on mobile and console) to be crowned later this year. Eighteen FIFA member associations are taking part, namely those in Argentina, Brazil, Costa Rica, England, France, India, Indonesia, Japan, Korea Republic, Malaysia, Morocco, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Saudi Arabia, Spain, Thailand and Türkiye. They were selected based on previous performances of esports competitors from those countries as well as the eFootball player base in each.

FIFA is bringing eFootball into its esports fold alongside Rocket League (car soccer) and Football Manager (soccer management). It's too early to tell whether Konami's title will become FIFA's official licensed partner for major soccer games and adopt the governing body's name. Still, it seems clear that FIFA and Konami are on positive terms and this could be a step toward a larger partnership. Hey, both even use that silly "e" branding.

While EA Sports FC is far and away the most popular soccer sim series around, eFootball is the closest thing it has to a true competitor. It had a peak concurrent Steam player count of 17,610 over the last 24 hours, compared with 98,400 for EA Sports FC 25.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/fifa-cozies-up-to-ea-rival-konami-for-soccer-esports-185538485.html?src=rss

Star Trek: Lower Decks season five trailer has too many Harry Kims to count

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A new season of Star Trek: Lower Decks is almost here, with a trailer to prove it. The fifth, and unfortunately final, season looks to feature the same unchecked shenanigans and in-the-know humor that has made the show so beloved to Trek fans.

The trailer’s filled with wacky hijinks and jokes pulled from the wide world of Star Trek. Eagle-eyed viewers will spot the Borg, the weird sexy decontamination sauna from Star Trek: Enterprise and a whole bunch of Harry Kims. That’s right. There looks to be at least seven Harry Kims floating around this trailer. My Delta Quadrant bestie is finally getting the respect he deserves.

For the uninitiated, Star Trek: Lower Decks is an animated show helmed by Mike McMahon, who created Solar Opposites and worked on the early seasons of Rick and Morty. It follows some low-level Starfleet officers just after the events of the 1990s shows, like Star Trek: The Next Generation. It’s very funny, particularly for long-time fans. It was also recently cancelled. 

Now I don’t know anything about viewership numbers, as Paramount+ keeps that stuff close to the (red) vest. However, Star Trek: Lower Decks seems fairly popular right? Also, it’s a cartoon, so it can’t be as expensive to make as something like Star Trek: Strange New Worlds. I can’t imagine that Jack Quaid and Tawny Newsome command jaw-dropping salaries, so why cancel it? You know what I’m getting at. #SaveLowerDecks.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/tv-movies/star-trek-lower-decks-season-five-trailer-has-too-many-harry-kims-to-count-184704663.html?src=rss

Marriott reaches $52 million settlement over years of data breaches

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Marriott International is being taken to task after the hotel chain suffered multiple data breaches that exposed sensitive information for more than 344 million customers around the world. First, Marriott agreed to a settlement of $52 million with a group of 50 US attorneys general. According to Connecticut Attorney General William Tong, 131.5 million hotel customers in the states had their information compromised in the attacks on the hotels.

Second, a settlement with the Federal Trade Commission will require Marriott and its Starwood Hotels & Resorts subsidiary to implement a new information security system to protect against future data exposures. The FTC agreement includes measures such as data minimization, account review tools for its loyalty rewards programs and a link for guests to request deletion of their personal information.

Today's settlements center on three separate data breaches at Marriott and Starwood between 2014 and 2020 that allowed malicious actors to access passport information, payment card numbers, loyalty numbers, dates of birth, email addresses and other personal information. But cybersecurity issues have been an ongoing concern for these two businesses over the past decade. Hackers used "social engineering techniques" to access an employee computer and steal about 20GB of customer data. Marriott was also part of a larger attack on Pyramid Hotel Group in 2019. Starwood was victim of a data breach discovered in 2018; the company faced a fine of about $127.3 million in the UK for that incident.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/cybersecurity/marriott-reaches-52-million-settlement-over-years-of-data-breaches-181327146.html?src=rss

Blizzard co-founder Mike Morhaime is making a tabletop RPG party game

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Blizzard co-founder and ex-CEO Mike Morhaime’s publishing company Dreamhaven just announced a new game that mixes elements of tabletop RPGs with party games like Jackbox. Sunderfolk looks to be a more casual pick-up-and-play take on something like Gloomhaven.

The title has been “designed for players who love tabletop, board and video games.” It’s a two-screen experience, with players actually controlling many aspects of the game on their smartphone. You know, just like the immensely-popular Jackbox franchise. The “tactical couch co-op RPG” is being advertised as a way for veteran tabletop players to introduce the genre to their inexperienced friends.

Sunderfolk can be played by up to four players at once and there are six hero classes, like bard, arcanist, ranger and some of the other usual suspects. The TV is the main screen and the phone acts as a controller as folks navigate the game board. The story follows a beleaguered town as it is attacked by various monsters. In other words, it’s a standard fantasy RPG.

The unique control scheme looks to eliminate some of the barriers of entry with this type of game, like the steep learning curve and lengthy set-up time. Like many tabletop RPGs, it’s cooperative in nature and not competitive. You and your friends against the world.

Four people playing the game on a couch.
Dreamhaven

While the designer’s say Sunderfolk was made with couch co-op in mind, there will be online play. The game releases for Nintendo Switch, PC, PS5 and Xbox Series X/S sometime in 2025, with an affiliated iOS/Android companion app.

Kotaku got to try the game during a preview event and came away mostly impressed, saying that “working in tandem with other players quickly turned into a thrilling spectacle that felt right out of a TTRPG game night.” However, the site also said that the complexity of the gameplay may fail to lure in newbies. In other words, it’s more Gloomhaven than Jackbox.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/blizzard-co-founder-mike-morhaime-is-making-a-tabletop-rpg-party-game-174323950.html?src=rss

Blizzard co-founder Mike Morhaime is making a tabletop RPG party game

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Blizzard co-founder and ex-CEO Mike Morhaime’s publishing company Dreamhaven just announced a new game that mixes elements of tabletop RPGs with party games like Jackbox. Sunderfolk looks to be a more casual pick-up-and-play take on something like Gloomhaven.

The title has been “designed for players who love tabletop, board and video games.” It’s a two-screen experience, with players actually controlling many aspects of the game on their smartphone. You know, just like the immensely-popular Jackbox franchise. The “tactical couch co-op RPG” is being advertised as a way for veteran tabletop players to introduce the genre to their inexperienced friends.

Sunderfolk can be played by up to four players at once and there are six hero classes, like bard, arcanist, ranger and some of the other usual suspects. The TV is the main screen and the phone acts as a controller as folks navigate the game board. The story follows a beleaguered town as it is attacked by various monsters. In other words, it’s a standard fantasy RPG.

The unique control scheme looks to eliminate some of the barriers of entry with this type of game, like the steep learning curve and lengthy set-up time. Like many tabletop RPGs, it’s cooperative in nature and not competitive. You and your friends against the world.

Four people playing the game on a couch.
Dreamhaven

While the designer’s say Sunderfolk was made with couch co-op in mind, there will be online play. The game releases for Nintendo Switch, PC, PS5 and Xbox Series X/S sometime in 2025, with an affiliated iOS/Android companion app.

Kotaku got to try the game during a preview event and came away mostly impressed, saying that “working in tandem with other players quickly turned into a thrilling spectacle that felt right out of a TTRPG game night.” However, the site also said that the complexity of the gameplay may fail to lure in newbies. In other words, it’s more Gloomhaven than Jackbox.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/blizzard-co-founder-mike-morhaime-is-making-a-tabletop-rpg-party-game-174323950.html?src=rss

Amazon Prime ‘free’ games for October include BioShock Remastered, Doom Eternal and A Plague Tale: Innocence

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Amazon has revealed the extensive list of PC games that Prime members can snap up at no extra cost in October. It's a very solid line up with a little something for everyone, including big hitters, killer indies and, since it's spooky season, a cauldron full of horror games.

BioShock Remastered, Doom Eternal (one of our favorite games of 2020) and A Plague Tale: Innocence are among the most immediately recognizable names on the list. Ghostbusters: Spirits Unleashed, the terrific Death's Door and the icky Scorn are all perhaps worth checking out if you haven't already done so. Nineties kids may be interested in playing a remaster of the sidescroller Gargoyles, which is based on the classic animated series.

A dozen of the games are available now, including BioShock and Doom Eternal. It's worth noting that you'll only be able to claim the latter in regions where the Microsoft Store is available. Here's the full list of what you can claim and when, along with the launcher you can play each game on:

  • Hive Jump 2: Survivors (GOG)

  • Scarf (Amazon Games App)

  • Tomb Raider: Legend (GOG)

  • The Eternal Cylinder (Epic Games Store)

  • Spirit of the North (Epic Games Store)

  • No Straight Roads (Epic Games Store)

  • BioShock Remastered (GOG)

  • Doom Eternal (Microsoft Store)

  • DreadOut 2 (Amazon Games App)

  • Ghostbusters: Spirits Unleashed Ecto Edition (Epic Games Store)

  • Priest Simulator: Vampire Show (Epic Games Store)

  • The Gap (Amazon Games App)

  • Mystery Box: Hidden Secrets (Legacy Games Code)

  • Vlad Circus: Descend Into Madness (Amazon Games App)

  • Through the Darkest of Times (Amazon Games App)

  • Killing Floor 2 (Epic Games Store)

  • Zombies Ate My Neighbors and Ghoul Patrol (Amazon Games App)

  • Pumpkin Jack (GOG)

  • The Gunk (GOG)

  • Stasis: Bone Totem (Epic Games Store)

  • Gargoyles Remastered (Amazon Games App)

  • Monster Train (GOG)

  • Morbid: The Seven Acolytes (Epic Games Store)

  • A Plague Tale: Innocence (GOG)

  • Death's Door (Epic Games Store)

  • Haunted Hotel: Personal Nightmare Collector's Edition (Amazon Games App)

  • Scorn (GOG)

  • Coromon (GOG)

As ever, Amazon has refreshed the lineup of games that Prime members can stream on Luna at no extra cost. Fortnite and Trackmania are still in the mix, of course. Ubisoft's arena shooter, XDefiant, is on the list along with another notable name in Alien: Isolation. Amid Evil, Valfaris, Perish, Dr. Fetus' Mean Meat Machine, Tormented Souls, Dusk, Mortal Shell, Doomblade and Monster Harvest are the other games Prime members can stream (almost) for free in October.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/pc/amazon-prime-free-games-for-october-include-bioshock-remastered-doom-eternal-and-a-plague-tale-innocence-170939596.html?src=rss

Amazon Prime ‘free’ games for October include BioShock Remastered, Doom Eternal and A Plague Tale: Innocence

Posted on by

Amazon has revealed the extensive list of PC games that Prime members can snap up at no extra cost in October. It's a very solid line up with a little something for everyone, including big hitters, killer indies and, since it's spooky season, a cauldron full of horror games.

BioShock Remastered, Doom Eternal (one of our favorite games of 2020) and A Plague Tale: Innocence are among the most immediately recognizable names on the list. Ghostbusters: Spirits Unleashed, the terrific Death's Door and the icky Scorn are all perhaps worth checking out if you haven't already done so. Nineties kids may be interested in playing a remaster of the sidescroller Gargoyles, which is based on the classic animated series.

A dozen of the games are available now, including BioShock and Doom Eternal. It's worth noting that you'll only be able to claim the latter in regions where the Microsoft Store is available. Here's the full list of what you can claim and when, along with the launcher you can play each game on:

  • Hive Jump 2: Survivors (GOG)

  • Scarf (Amazon Games App)

  • Tomb Raider: Legend (GOG)

  • The Eternal Cylinder (Epic Games Store)

  • Spirit of the North (Epic Games Store)

  • No Straight Roads (Epic Games Store)

  • BioShock Remastered (GOG)

  • Doom Eternal (Microsoft Store)

  • DreadOut 2 (Amazon Games App)

  • Ghostbusters: Spirits Unleashed Ecto Edition (Epic Games Store)

  • Priest Simulator: Vampire Show (Epic Games Store)

  • The Gap (Amazon Games App)

  • Mystery Box: Hidden Secrets (Legacy Games Code)

  • Vlad Circus: Descend Into Madness (Amazon Games App)

  • Through the Darkest of Times (Amazon Games App)

  • Killing Floor 2 (Epic Games Store)

  • Zombies Ate My Neighbors and Ghoul Patrol (Amazon Games App)

  • Pumpkin Jack (GOG)

  • The Gunk (GOG)

  • Stasis: Bone Totem (Epic Games Store)

  • Gargoyles Remastered (Amazon Games App)

  • Monster Train (GOG)

  • Morbid: The Seven Acolytes (Epic Games Store)

  • A Plague Tale: Innocence (GOG)

  • Death's Door (Epic Games Store)

  • Haunted Hotel: Personal Nightmare Collector's Edition (Amazon Games App)

  • Scorn (GOG)

  • Coromon (GOG)

As ever, Amazon has refreshed the lineup of games that Prime members can stream on Luna at no extra cost. Fortnite and Trackmania are still in the mix, of course. Ubisoft's arena shooter, XDefiant, is on the list along with another notable name in Alien: Isolation. Amid Evil, Valfaris, Perish, Dr. Fetus' Mean Meat Machine, Tormented Souls, Dusk, Mortal Shell, Doomblade and Monster Harvest are the other games Prime members can stream (almost) for free in October.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/pc/amazon-prime-free-games-for-october-include-bioshock-remastered-doom-eternal-and-a-plague-tale-innocence-170939596.html?src=rss

Dead Island 2 and Gris join the PlayStation Plus Game Catalog for October

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October’s PlayStation Plus Game Catalog lineup is certainly stuffed to the gills. There’s something for everyone, from zombie classics to narrative adventures and beyond. Let’s take a look.

The biggest draw here is likely Dead Island 2. For a while, we weren’t sure if this game would ever come out, but it did and it’s a blast to play. The action-heavy zombie slaying sim is set in Los Angeles and boasts six playable characters. There’s three-player co-op and, of course, more gore than you can shake a bloody baseball bat at. The game’s available for both PS4 and PS5.

Gris is a stylistic 2D platformer that was a bona-fide hit when it was released several years back. We said it “might be the prettiest game” ever made, so the graphics and vibes are strong with this one. It’s a relaxing mixture of puzzles, exploration and platform jumping. The dev team has another game on the way, called Neva, that also looks quite pretty. 

It took 13 years, but we finally got a new entry in the Monkey Island franchise. Return to Monkey Island continues the comedic adventures of Guybrush Threepwood, as first seen in several iconic Lucasfilm titles from the 1990s. Reviews were kind, with many players calling it a true return to form. As a warning, this is an old-school adventure with roots in the point-and-click genre.

Those are the big three, but this month’s drop also includes Ghostbusters: Spirits Unleashed, Overpass 2, Tour de France 2023 and The Dark Pictures Anthology: The Devil in Me, among others. PlayStation Premium members are also getting some games, including The Last Clockwinder for PS VR2 and Dino Crisis.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/playstation/dead-island-2-and-gris-join-the-playstation-plus-game-catalog-for-october-162432379.html?src=rss

Dead Island 2 and Gris join the PlayStation Plus Game Catalog for October

Posted on by

October’s PlayStation Plus Game Catalog lineup is certainly stuffed to the gills. There’s something for everyone, from zombie classics to narrative adventures and beyond. Let’s take a look.

The biggest draw here is likely Dead Island 2. For a while, we weren’t sure if this game would ever come out, but it did and it’s a blast to play. The action-heavy zombie slaying sim is set in Los Angeles and boasts six playable characters. There’s three-player co-op and, of course, more gore than you can shake a bloody baseball bat at. The game’s available for both PS4 and PS5.

Gris is a stylistic 2D platformer that was a bona-fide hit when it was released several years back. We said it “might be the prettiest game” ever made, so the graphics and vibes are strong with this one. It’s a relaxing mixture of puzzles, exploration and platform jumping. The dev team has another game on the way, called Neva, that also looks quite pretty. 

It took 13 years, but we finally got a new entry in the Monkey Island franchise. Return to Monkey Island continues the comedic adventures of Guybrush Threepwood, as first seen in several iconic Lucasfilm titles from the 1990s. Reviews were kind, with many players calling it a true return to form. As a warning, this is an old-school adventure with roots in the point-and-click genre.

Those are the big three, but this month’s drop also includes Ghostbusters: Spirits Unleashed, Overpass 2, Tour de France 2023 and The Dark Pictures Anthology: The Devil in Me, among others. PlayStation Premium members are also getting some games, including The Last Clockwinder for PS VR2 and Dino Crisis.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/playstation/dead-island-2-and-gris-join-the-playstation-plus-game-catalog-for-october-162432379.html?src=rss