Tag Archives: author_name|Steve Dent

Embracer Group is splitting up its messy gaming empire into three different companies

Posted on by

Embracer Group has been on a losing streak of late, having recently missed out on a $2 billion investment, laid off thousands of employees and sold one of its key properties, Gearbox, at a fire-sale price. Now, the company has announced plans to split into three separate, publicly listed entities, Bloomberg reported. 

The first is Middle-earth Enterprises & Friends, specializing in AAA games and and overseeing the Dead Island, Killing Floor, Kingdom Come Deliverance, Tomb Raider and The Lord of the Rings franchises. Studios under its purview include Crystal Dynamics, Dambuster Studios, Eidos-Montréal, Flying Wild Hog Studios, Tripwire, Vertigo Games, Warhorse Studios and 4A Games. This company will remain within the current listing as Embracer Group for now.

The second is Asmodee, which will handle the tabletop gaming segment of Embracer Group. Titles it's overseeing include Ticket to Ride, 7 Wonders, Azul, CATAN, Dobble and Exploding Kittens. Finally, Coffee Stain & Friends is the company's indie-centric group, with properties including Deep Rock Galactic, Goat Simulator, Satisfactory, Wreckfest, Teardown and Valheim.  

"This move has been made with the intention to unleash the full potential of each team and provide them with their own leadership and strategic direction," said Embracer Group CEO Lars Wingefors. "This is the start of a new chapter, a chapter that I intend to remain part of as an active, committed, and supportive shareholder of all three new entities, with an evergreen horizon."

Embracer Group went on an epic buying streak between 2019-2022 when borrowing was cheap, acquiring studios and entertainment groups including Crystal Dynamics, Gearbox Entertainment, Dark Horse Media, Middle-earth Enterprises and many, many others. Those came with gaming franchises including Tomb Raider, Deus Ex, Borderlands and Saints Row.

It was forced to restructure, though, when it lost out on a $2 billion partnership deal (reportedly with Savvy Games, funded by the Saudi government). It subsequently laid off 8 percent of its staff (as of February 2024), or nearly 1,400 employees. The company also sold off Borderlands developer Gearbox for $460 million, a fraction of the $1.3 billion it was valued at three years prior. 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/embracer-group-is-splitting-up-its-messy-gaming-empire-into-three-different-companies-120006822.html?src=rss

Baldur’s Gate 3 developer confirms it won’t make the sequel

Posted on by

The developer behind the popular, award-winning and slightly bawdy Baldur's Gate 3 confirmed that it won't be doing Baldur's Gate 4 — but it does have other irons in the fire. 

 "We won't be introducing any major new narrative content to the story of Baldur's Gate 3 (BG3) or its origin characters and companions, nor will we be making expansions or Baldur’s Gate 4," Larian Studio wrote in a community update on Steam. "We’re currently working on two new projects and we couldn’t be more excited about what the future has in store."

Larian promised more news about the new games "later down the line," but did give a hint about the style. "Know that even as our focus turns to these new games, the sensibilities that brought you Baldur’s Gate 3 are alive and well here at the Larian castle. I don’t know if we’re going to pull it off, but looking at our narrative, visual and gameplay plans, I think what we’re working on now will be our best work ever."

Baldur's Gate 3 has been praised for its breadth, character development, puzzles, combat, D&D fidelity and, of course, intimate relationships. It sold around 15 million copies, far exceeding the expectations of the studio, while pretty much sweeping game accolades over the last year. Namely, it took game of the year prizes at The Game Awards, The Steam Awards, D.I.C.E. awards, Streamer Awards, Hugo Awards, GLAAD Media Awards and others.

Director Swen Vincke previously revealed that the studio dropped plans for BG3 DLC and a sequel, partly due to constraints imposed by the Dungeons & Dragons 5th Edition mechanics. Still, there's no question of a sequel for the Hasbro-owned property. "We've done our job. It's a story with a beginning, a middle and an end. So let's pass the torch to another studio to pick up this incredible legacy," he added. 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/baldurs-gate-3-developer-confirms-it-wont-make-the-sequel-091930642.html?src=rss

Baldur’s Gate 3 developer confirms it won’t make the sequel

Posted on by

The developer behind the popular, award-winning and slightly bawdy Baldur's Gate 3 confirmed that it won't be doing Baldur's Gate 4 — but it does have other irons in the fire. 

 "We won't be introducing any major new narrative content to the story of Baldur's Gate 3 (BG3) or its origin characters and companions, nor will we be making expansions or Baldur’s Gate 4," Larian Studio wrote in a community update on Steam. "We’re currently working on two new projects and we couldn’t be more excited about what the future has in store."

Larian promised more news about the new games "later down the line," but did give a hint about the style. "Know that even as our focus turns to these new games, the sensibilities that brought you Baldur’s Gate 3 are alive and well here at the Larian castle. I don’t know if we’re going to pull it off, but looking at our narrative, visual and gameplay plans, I think what we’re working on now will be our best work ever."

Baldur's Gate 3 has been praised for its breadth, character development, puzzles, combat, D&D fidelity and, of course, intimate relationships. It sold around 15 million copies, far exceeding the expectations of the studio, while pretty much sweeping game accolades over the last year. Namely, it took game of the year prizes at The Game Awards, The Steam Awards, D.I.C.E. awards, Streamer Awards, Hugo Awards, GLAAD Media Awards and others.

Director Swen Vincke previously revealed that the studio dropped plans for BG3 DLC and a sequel, partly due to constraints imposed by the Dungeons & Dragons 5th Edition mechanics. Still, there's no question of a sequel for the Hasbro-owned property. "We've done our job. It's a story with a beginning, a middle and an end. So let's pass the torch to another studio to pick up this incredible legacy," he added. 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/baldurs-gate-3-developer-confirms-it-wont-make-the-sequel-091930642.html?src=rss

DJI’s new backup battery can power small appliances, charge your drone

Posted on by

DJI is entering the portable power station market in the US and Europe with the launch of the Power 1000 and Power 500 aimed at home users or road warriors. The devices (released in China at the end of last year) can be used to power small appliances or charge devices like laptops or drones, and work in concert with solar panels to provide power on the road. 

The Power 1000 (13kg or 29 pounds) has a 1,024 Wh capacity and can output up to 2,200W — enough to run a home microwave oven for about 1.3 hours and a car refrigerator for 19 hours, or charge a drone up to 12 times. The Power 500 (7.3 kg or 16.3 pounds) delivers 512 Wh of capacity and 1,000W of output for half the price.

DJI's new backup battery can power small appliances, charge your drone
DJI

The larger version supports 1200W fast recharge or 600W standard recharging (540W and 270W for the smaller version). Both can be fast-charged in 70 minutes for a 100 percent battery or 50 minutes to an 80 percent charge. Along with standard AC plugs, both have a pair of USB-C PD output ports that support 140W/100W charging for the Power 1000/Power 500 — enough for most laptops.

The market is fairly saturated with such devices (Jackery, Bluetti, Anker, others), but DJI is pitching this as an ideal way to charge its drones and other products. Released in China in December, it was already available in the US at Amazon and elsewhere via the grey market. 

The Power 1000 is now on sale for $1,000 at DJI's store, while the Power 500 costs $500. You can add a 120W Zignes solar panel for $299. For the latter, you'll need DJI's Power Solar Panel Adapter Module or DJI Power Car Power Outlet to SDC Power Cable.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/djis-new-backup-battery-can-power-small-appliances-charge-your-drone-130037610.html?src=rss

DJI’s new backup battery can power small appliances, charge your drone

Posted on by

DJI is entering the portable power station market in the US and Europe with the launch of the Power 1000 and Power 500 aimed at home users or road warriors. The devices (released in China at the end of last year) can be used to power small appliances or charge devices like laptops or drones, and work in concert with solar panels to provide power on the road. 

The Power 1000 (13kg or 29 pounds) has a 1,024 Wh capacity and can output up to 2,200W — enough to run a home microwave oven for about 1.3 hours and a car refrigerator for 19 hours, or charge a drone up to 12 times. The Power 500 (7.3 kg or 16.3 pounds) delivers 512 Wh of capacity and 1,000W of output for half the price.

DJI's new backup battery can power small appliances, charge your drone
DJI

The larger version supports 1200W fast recharge or 600W standard recharging (540W and 270W for the smaller version). Both can be fast-charged in 70 minutes for a 100 percent battery or 50 minutes to an 80 percent charge. Along with standard AC plugs, both have a pair of USB-C PD output ports that support 140W/100W charging for the Power 1000/Power 500 — enough for most laptops.

The market is fairly saturated with such devices (Jackery, Bluetti, Anker, others), but DJI is pitching this as an ideal way to charge its drones and other products. Released in China in December, it was already available in the US at Amazon and elsewhere via the grey market. 

The Power 1000 is now on sale for $1,000 at DJI's store, while the Power 500 costs $500. You can add a 120W Zignes solar panel for $299. For the latter, you'll need DJI's Power Solar Panel Adapter Module or DJI Power Car Power Outlet to SDC Power Cable.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/djis-new-backup-battery-can-power-small-appliances-charge-your-drone-130037610.html?src=rss

Google fired 28 workers who protested Israeli government cloud contract

Posted on by

Google has fired 28 employees involved in protests against the company's "Project Nimbus" cloud contract with the Israeli government, according to an internal memo seen by The Verge. That follows the arrest and suspension of nine employees on April 16 and a previous firing related to the same project last month. 

Some of the fired workers were forcibly removed after occupying the office of Google Cloud CEO Thomas Kurian. Google head of global security Chris Rackow said that the company "will not tolerate" such incidences and warned that the company could take further action. 

"If you’re one of the few who are tempted to think we’re going to overlook conduct that violates our policies, think again," he told employees in a letter. "The company takes this extremely seriously, and we will continue to apply our longstanding policies to take action against disruptive behavior — up to and including termination."

Behavior like this has no place in our workplace and we will not tolerate it. It clearly violates multiple policies that all employees must adhere to — including our Code of Conduct and Policy on Harassment, Discrimination, Retaliation, Standards of Conduct, and Workplace Concerns.

However, workers in the "No Tech for Apartheid" group organizing the protests called the dismissals "a flagrant act of retaliation." It added that the Google saying protests largely involve people not working at the company is "insulting," adding that the push to drop Project Nimbus is supported by "thousands" of their colleagues. 

"In the three years that we have been organizing against Project Nimbus, we have yet to hear from a single executive about our concerns,” it wrote in a Medium post. "Google workers have the right to peacefully protest about terms and conditions of our labor. These firings were clearly retaliatory.”

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/google-fired-28-workers-who-protested-israeli-government-cloud-contract-084444878.html?src=rss

Google fired 28 workers who protested Israeli government cloud contract

Posted on by

Google has fired 28 employees involved in protests against the company's "Project Nimbus" cloud contract with the Israeli government, according to an internal memo seen by The Verge. That follows the arrest and suspension of nine employees on April 16 and a previous firing related to the same project last month. 

Some of the fired workers were forcibly removed after occupying the office of Google Cloud CEO Thomas Kurian. Google head of global security Chris Rackow said that the company "will not tolerate" such incidences and warned that the company could take further action. 

"If you’re one of the few who are tempted to think we’re going to overlook conduct that violates our policies, think again," he told employees in a letter. "The company takes this extremely seriously, and we will continue to apply our longstanding policies to take action against disruptive behavior — up to and including termination."

Behavior like this has no place in our workplace and we will not tolerate it. It clearly violates multiple policies that all employees must adhere to — including our Code of Conduct and Policy on Harassment, Discrimination, Retaliation, Standards of Conduct, and Workplace Concerns.

However, workers in the "No Tech for Apartheid" group organizing the protests called the dismissals "a flagrant act of retaliation." It added that the Google saying protests largely involve people not working at the company is "insulting," adding that the push to drop Project Nimbus is supported by "thousands" of their colleagues. 

"In the three years that we have been organizing against Project Nimbus, we have yet to hear from a single executive about our concerns,” it wrote in a Medium post. "Google workers have the right to peacefully protest about terms and conditions of our labor. These firings were clearly retaliatory.”

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/google-fired-28-workers-who-protested-israeli-government-cloud-contract-084444878.html?src=rss

Netflix true crime documentary may have used AI-generated images of a real person

Posted on by

Netflix has been accused of using AI-manipulated imagery in the true crime documentary What Jennifer Did, Futurism has reported. Several photos show typical signs of AI trickery, including mangled hands, strange artifacts and more. If accurate, the report raises serious questions about the use of such images in documentaries, particularly since the person depicted is currently in prison awaiting retrial. 

In one egregious image, the left hand of the documentary's subject Jennifer Pan is particularly mangled, while another image shows a strange gap in her cheek. Netflix has yet to acknowledge the report, but the images show clear signs of manipulation and were never labeled as AI-generated.

Netflix true crime documentary may have used AI-generated images of a real person
Netflix

The AI may be generating the imagery based on real photos of Pan, as PetaPixel suggested. However, the resulting output may be interpreted as being prejudicial instead of presenting the facts of the case without bias. 

A Canadian court of appeal ordered Pan's retrial because the trial judge didn't present the jury with enough options, the CBC reported. 

One critic, journalist Karen K. HO, said that the Netflix documentary is an example of the "true crime industrial complex" catering to an "all-consuming and endless" appetite for violent content. Netflix's potential use of AI manipulated imagery as a storytelling tool may reinforce that argument.

Regulators in the US, Europe and elsewhere have enacted laws on the use of AI, but so far there appears to be no specific laws governing the use of AI images or video in documentaries or other content. 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/netflix-true-crime-documentary-may-have-used-ai-generated-images-of-a-real-person-090024761.html?src=rss

Adobe previews AI object addition and removal for Premiere Pro

Posted on by

Last year Adobe launched Firefly, its latest generative AI model building on its previous SenseiAI, and now the company is showing how it'll be used its video editing app, Premiere Pro. In an early sneak, it demonstrated a few key features arriving later this year, including Object Addition & Removal, Generative Extend and Text to Video.

The new features will likely be popular, as video cleanup is one a common (and painful) task. The first feature, Generative Extend, addresses a problem editors face on nearly every edit: clips that are too short. "Seamlessly add frames to make clips longer, so it's easier to perfectly time edits and add smooth transitions," Adobe states. It does that by using the AI to create extra media, helping cover an edit or transition.

Adobe previews AI object addition and removal for Premiere Pro
Adobe

Another common issue is junk you don't want in a shot that can be tricky to remove, or adding things you do want. Premiere Pro's Object Addition & Removal addresses that, again using Firefly's generative AI. "Simply select and track objects, then replace them. Remove unwanted items, change an actor’s wardrobe or quickly add set dressings such as a painting or photorealistic flowers on a desk," Adobe writes.

Adobe shows a couple of examples, adding a pile of diamonds to a briefcase via a text prompt (generated by Firefly). It also removes an ugly utility box, changes a watch face and adds a tie to a character's costume. 

Adobe previews AI object addition and removal for Premiere Pro
Adobe

The company also showed off a way it can import custom AI models. One, called Pika, is what powers Generative Extend, while another (Sora from OpenAI) can automatically generate B-Roll (video shots). The latter is bound to be controversial as it could potentially wipe out thousands of jobs, but is still "currently in early research," Adobe said in the video. The company notes that it will add "content credentials" to such shots, so you can see what was generated by AI including the company behind the model.

A similar feature is also available in "Text to Video," letting you generate entirely new footage directly within the app. "Simply type text into a prompt or upload reference images. These clips can be used to ideate and create storyboards, or to create B-roll for augmenting live action footage," Adobe said. The company appears to be commercializing this feature pretty fast, considering that generative AI video first appeared just a few months ago. 

Those features will arrive later this year, but Adobe is also introducing updates to all users in May. Those include interactive fade handles to make transitions easier, Essential Sound badge with audio category tagging ("AI automatically tags audio clips as dialogue, music, sound effects or ambience, and adds a new icon so editors get one-click, instant access to the right controls for the job"), effect badges and redesigned waveforms in the timeline.  

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/adobe-previews-ai-object-addition-and-removal-for-premiere-pro-130034494.html?src=rss

Tesla halts Cybertruck deliveries due to ‘unexpected delay’

Posted on by

Tesla has halted Cybertruck deliveries, telling owners that there has been an "unexpected delay regarding the preparation of your vehicle," Carbuzz has reported. One buyer on the Cybertruck Owners Club said he was told that Tesla issued a recall over a problem with the accelerator. 

"We have just been informed of an unexpected delay regarding the preparation of your vehicle. We need to cancel your delivery appointment on Sunday and we will reach out again when we're able to get you back on the schedule," Tesla wrote to another client. "We apologize for the inconvenience and look forward to hosting your Cybertruck delivery soon!"

One owner posted a TikTok showing what might be the potential issue. Due to a problem with excessive lubricant on the accelerator pedal, the cover can loosen and slide toward the front, jamming into a gap in the floorboard. That effectively causes the accelerator to fully engage, creating an obviously dangerous situation. However, Tesla has not confirmed the exact reason for the delay or recall. 

Tesla said deliveries should resume on April 20 (yep), but the situation might create a ripple effect that slows later deliveries as well. The vehicle, which finally went into production late last year after numerous delays, has seen other complaints from buyers, too. Those include a lack of visibility, offroading difficulties, potential danger to occupants due to a lack of crumple zones, issues with the CCS adapter, lower range than expected, discoloration of the stainless steel body panels and more. 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/tesla-halts-cybertruck-deliveries-due-to-unexpected-delay-123007030.html?src=rss