Tag Archives: author_name|Kris Holt

Amazon is giving away 15 free video games ahead of Prime Day 2024, including Star Wars: KotOR 2

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Amazon Prime Day 2024 will be here next month, but the company has already pushed out its latest batch of free(ish) games that Prime members can snag right now (there are also a number of regular early Prime Day deals live today, too). In the run up to Prime Day on July 16 and 17, Prime members can grab 15 PC games at no extra cost, and there are actually some pretty groovy titles in the mix.

On July 11, you can scoop up Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic 2 — The Sith Lords for the Amazon Games App. This sequel to one of the most beloved RPGs of all time is set five years after the events of the original game. It tells the tale of a Jedi Knight who was exiled from the Jedi Order, which the Sith has almost entirely eliminated by this point. You're tasked with finding the remaining Jedi to help you take on those on the dark side of The Force.

On the same day, you'll be able to claim Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder’s Revenge at no extra cost for the Epic Games Store. This arcade beat 'em up, a throwback to classics like Turtles in Time, is a blast, especially if you can persuade a few friends to pick it up and play co-op with you.

Alex Kidd in Miracle World DX (also available July 11 for the Epic Games Store) is a solid modern remake of the 1986 Master System original. I've heard good things about Card Shark (June 27, Epic Games Store) and Hitman Absolution (July 3, GOG) as well, but I've yet to check those out.

Let's jam through the rest of the latest Prime Gaming freebies, including details on where and when they'll be available:

Available now

  • Deceive Inc. (Epic Games Store)

  • Tearstone: Thieves of the Heart (Legacy Games code)

  • The Invisible Hand (Amazon Games App)

  • Call of Juarez (GOG)

Available June 27

  • Forager (GOG Code)

  • Heaven Dust 2 (Amazon Games App)

  • Soulstice (Epic Games Store)

Available July 3

  • Wall World (Amazon Games App)

  • Call of Juarez: Bound in Blood (GOG Code)

Available July 11

  • Samurai Bringer (Amazon Games App)

Amazon is promising more offers on Prime Day itself. The company gave Prime members a strong batch of extra freebies for last year's July shopping bonanza, including Prey, Baldur's Gate 2, Shovel Knight and Star Wars: The Force Unleashed.

There's a whole bunch of other titles you can snag from Prime Gaming at no extra cost right now too, such as The Lullaby of Life, Star Wars Battlefront 2 (the original 2005 one), Weird West, Genesis Noir and Everdream Valley. I just claimed MythForce, a first-person co-op dungeon crawler that's an ode to Saturday morning cartoons, since I've been meaning to check it out. At least based on the gameplay trailer, the vibes seem impeccable.

Your Prime Day Shopping Guide: See all of our Prime Day coverage. Shop the best Prime Day deals on Yahoo Life. Follow Engadget for Prime Day tech deals. Hear from Autoblog’s experts on the best Amazon Prime Day deals for your car, garage, and home, and find Prime Day sales to shop on AOL, handpicked just for you.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/amazon-is-giving-away-15-free-video-games-ahead-of-prime-day-2024-including-star-wars-kotor-2-124506410.html?src=rss

Skullcandy expands its earbud lineup with three sport models all under $100

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Skullcandy has revealed a trio of earbud models it says were designed with the "most active and adventurous consumers" in mind. The Active Collection lineup ranges from $60 to $100 and were engineered to deliver reliable performance in any conditions, according to Skullcandy.

The Push Play Active, Push ANC Active and Sesh ANC Active all have a few common features. They all support multipoint pairing and rapid charging — a 10-minute charge will allow two hours of playback time. A Sidetone feature is said to counteract occlusion and make it easier to hear our own voice. Meanwhile, the adjustable stay-aware mode lets you tweak things so that it's easier for you to remain alert and hear what's going on around you.

Push Play Active earbuds and charging case
Skullcandy

The $60 Push Play Active buds have over-the-ear hooks and an IP55 rating for sweat and water resistance. Skullcandy claims that a smart mic will reduce background noise for "crystal clear" calls. The Push Play Active earbuds have several equalizer presets and you'll be able to set up your own custom five-band EQ as well. They offer up to 34 hours of battery life, according to Skullcandy, with the earbuds running for up to 10 hours on a single charge and the charging case adding an extra 24 hours of use.

The other two models have some shared features as well. Push ANC Active and Sesh ANC Active are IP67 rated, meaning they're sweatproof and waterproof. Both models use a four-mic array for adjustable active noise cancellation (ANC). The earbuds are compatible with the Skullcandy app, which will allow you to customize the onboard controls and equalizer levels. There's a personal sound feature too — you'll be able to take a real-time audio test to create a profile for optimized sound levels.

Push ANC Active earbuds and charging case
Skullcandy

The Push ANC Active earbuds are the most expensive option of the three at $100. Skullcandy claims you'll get up to 37 hours of use with ANC on (seven hours from the earbuds and 30 extra from the charging case) and as much as 58 hours of use with ANC off. The brand says you'll be able to use the earbuds for up to 12 hours before having to return them to the charging case. In addition, the case supports wireless charging.

It's worth noting that while the Push ANC Active option has an over-the-ear hook, there's a more traditional true wireless design for the Sesh ANC Active. Skullcandy says these earbuds have a "fit grip" to keep them in your ears. They have a promised battery life of up to 28 hours with ANC on (seven hours in the earbuds, 21 in the charging case) and up to 48 hours with ANC off (12 hours and 36 hours, respectively). The Sech ANC Active earbuds will run you $90.

Sesh ANC Active earbuds and charging case
Skullcandy

Skullcandy has earned a reputation for offering solid products at relatively budget-friendly prices, so these are options worth considering if you're on the lookout for a set of earbuds to use while you're working out. All three models will be available on Skullcandy's website starting on June 25.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/skullcandy-expands-its-earbud-lineup-with-three-sport-models-all-under-100-120049446.html?src=rss

Elden Ring DLC’s fearsome Dancing Lion boss is just two big dudes in a suit

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Elden Ring's giant Shadow of the Erdtree expansion dropped on Friday and it didn't take long for players to poke under the hood and discover some fascinating things. The first big bad of the DLC is the Divine Beast Dancing Lion, a fearsome creature that uses wind, lightning, ice and its own hulking body to decimate foul Tarnished. But the mandatory boss suddenly seems a bit less terrifying after YouTuber BonfireVN found out that it's basically just two large dudes in a suit.

BonfireVN's video shows one person wearing the lion's head and another one hunched over in the rear — a little like a pantomime horse. The video shows the front end of the near-nude boss firing off elemental attacks and twisting through the air to lunge at the player, while the back half just sorta tags along as if connected by magnets.

Game developers use all kinds of tricks just to make things work, but this one actually makes sense on a conceptual level. As 80 Level points out, it keeps in with the Chinese tradition of the lion dance, wherein two people wear a costume and mimic the movements of the big cat. One person controls the head and the other takes charge of the body, albeit with less flip flopping than the namesake Elden Ring boss.

Image of one human figure hunched over, and another crouching while wearing a lion's head.
FromSoftware/Bandai Namco/BonfireVN

Meanwhile, the $40 Shadow of the Erdtree DLC is evidently a hit already. Elden Ring (which includes the DLC) reached a simultaneous player count of 780,000 on Steam alone over the weekend. It hadn't seen those kinds of numbers since it neared a million concurrent Steam players when it debuted in early 2022. Elden Ring has now sold more than 25 million copies, making it one of the best-selling games of all time.

Shadow of the Erdtree has earned near-unanimous praise from critics, but many players felt it was too difficult and review bombed it on Steam as a result. Elden Ring's creators have a clear message to naysayers, though: get good, scrubs. 

“If we really wanted the whole world to play the game, we could just crank the difficulty down more and more. But that wasn’t the right approach,” From president and Elden Ring director Hidetaka Miyazaki told The Guardian. “Had we taken that approach, I don’t think the game would have done what it did, because the sense of achievement that players gain from overcoming these hurdles is such a fundamental part of the experience. Turning down difficulty would strip the game of that joy — which, in my eyes, would break the game itself.”

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/elden-ring-dlcs-fearsome-dancing-lion-boss-is-just-two-big-dudes-in-a-suit-124451502.html?src=rss

Apple may face a mammoth fine after the EU said it violated competition rules

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Apple may be on the hook for a fine of up to 10 percent of its global annual revenue following a regulatory action from European Union officials. In the preliminary findings of its investigation, the bloc says the company breached Digital Markets Act (DMA) rules by failing to let App Store developers freely tell users about alternate payment options away from Apple’s ecosystem.  

If Apple is found guilty, it could face a fine of tens of billions of dollars under the DMA’s severe penalties. Should a DMA violation be repeated, fines can reach up to 20 percent of global annual revenue. 

The European Commission, the EU’s executive branch, opened this investigation into Apple in March. From that start date, it has 12 months to finalize the preliminary findings. This also marks the first regulatory action under the DMA, as The Financial Times notes.

The EC preliminarily found that Apple has broken so-called anti-steering rules. Major tech companies that are subject to the DMA are required to let third-party developers inform users about alternative ways to make purchases without charging developers to do so.

In their preliminary findings, officials determined that none of Apple's updated terms let developers freely nudge customers toward alternative payment options. The EC notes that Apple doesn't let developers tell users how much less they could pay elsewhere.

Apple by and large only allows developers to use link-outs, the Commission said — in other words, they can include a link to a web page to carry out a payment. "The link-out process is subject to several restrictions imposed by Apple that prevent app developers from communicating, promoting offers and concluding contracts through the distribution channel of their choice," the EC said.

Regulators added that although Apple is entitled to receive a payment for helping developers find new customers through the App Store, "the fees charged by Apple go beyond what is strictly necessary for such remuneration." For example, they point out, developers have to pay Apple a fee for any purchase of digital services or goods that someone makes within seven days of an app link-out.

Developers have to fork over up to 30 percent of any purchases made via the App Store (Google charges similar fees for Play Store purchases). As such, developers are able to offer consumers cheaper prices if they make purchases away from the App Store.

In 2020, Epic Games informed Fortnite players through the game's mobile apps that they could pay less for V-Bucks by purchasing the in-game currency directly from the developer. Apple and Google swiftly booted the game off their app marketplaces, prompting legal battles that are still ongoing. However, thanks to the DMA, Epic plans to launch its own mobile app store in the EU and re-release a mobile version of Fortnite in the bloc later this year.

People visit an Apple store in Istanbul, Turkey August 15, 2018. REUTERS/Murad Sezer
Reuters / Reuters

“Throughout the past several months, Apple has made a number of changes to comply with the DMA in response to feedback from developers and the European Commission," Apple told Engadget in a statement. "We are confident our plan complies with the law, and estimate more than 99 percent of developers would pay the same or less in fees to Apple under the new business terms we created. All developers doing business in the EU on the App Store have the opportunity to utilize the capabilities that we have introduced, including the ability to direct app users to the web to complete purchases at a very competitive rate. As we have done routinely, we will continue to listen and engage with the European Commission.”

The company recently found itself in hot water with the EU on a similar front — the bloc fined it €1.8 billion ($1.95 billion) earlier this year over violations of anti-steering rules. The Commission claimed that Apple prohibited third-party developers of music streaming apps from telling iOS users that they could pay less for subscriptions if they sign up away from Apple's ecosystem. Apple has formally challenged the fine.

The EC has also opened a fresh investigation into Apple over another potential DMA violation. The bloc has taken issue with new fees Apple is charging developers “to access some of the new features enabled by the DMA,” such as the ability to offer a third-party app marketplace as well as app downloads through other means, such as the web. The EC notes that Apple still allows developers to keep operating under a previous agreement, which doesn’t let them make use of alternative distribution channels.

Devs who sign up for the new terms are subject to what Apple calls a core technology fee. This equates to a payment of €0.50 per user per year after the first million users. The fee, which Apple announced in January, applies even to downloads from third-party app marketplaces. Many of Apple's rivals slammed the company over the new terms (as well as over updated rules for third-party payments in the US). Last month, Apple granted non-commercial and small developers an exemption from the core technology fee. 

The EC is also looking into whether Apple is making it too complicated for users to install third-party app marketplaces and apps. The third part of the investigation concerns "the eligibility requirements for developers related to the ability to offer alternative app stores or directly distribute apps from the web on iPhones," such as needing to have a developer account that's in good standing. 

Meanwhile, Apple said on Friday that it was delaying the rollout of Apple Intelligence — the company's name for a suite of generative AI features that will debut in iOS 18 — and some other features in the EU. “We are concerned that the interoperability requirements of the DMA could force us to compromise the integrity of our products in ways that risk user privacy and data security,” the company told Bloomberg.

Update 6/24 10:19AM ET: Added Apple's statement and details about the core technology fee exemption.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/apple-may-face-a-mammoth-fine-after-the-eu-said-it-violated-competition-rules-120019892.html?src=rss

Amazon reportedly thinks people will pay up to $10 per month for next-gen Alexa

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We've known for a while that Amazon is planning to soup up Alexa with generative AI features. While the company says it has been integrating that into various aspects of the voice assistant, it's also working on a more advanced version of Alexa that it plans to charge users to access. Amazon has reportedly dubbed the higher tier "Remarkable Alexa" (let's hope it doesn't stick with that name for the public rollout).

According to Reuters, Amazon is still determining pricing and a release date for Remarkable Alexa, but it has mooted a fee of between roughly $5 and $10 per month for consumers to use it. Amazon is also said to have been urging its workers to have Remarkable Alexa ready by August — perhaps so it's able to discuss the details as its usual fall Alexa and devices event.

This will mark the first major revamp of Alexa since Amazon debuted the voice assistant alongside Echo speakers a decade ago. The company is now in a position where it's trying to catch up with the likes of ChatGPT and Google Gemini. Amazon CEO Andy Jassy, who pledged that the company was working on a “more intelligent and capable Alexa" in an April letter to shareholders, has reportedly taken a personal interest in the overhaul. Jassy noted last August that every Amazon division had generative AI projects in the pipeline.

"We have already integrated generative AI into different components of Alexa, and are working hard on implementation at scale — in the over half a billion ambient, Alexa-enabled devices already in homes around the world — to enable even more proactive, personal, and trusted assistance for our customers," said an Amazon spokeswoman told Reuters. However, the company has yet to deploy the more natural-sounding and conversational version of Alexa it showed off last September.

Remarkable Alexa is said to be capable of complex prompts, such as being able to compose and send an email, and order dinner all from a single command. Deeper personalization is another aspect, while Amazon reportedly expects that consumers will use it for shopping advice, as with its Rufus assistant.

Upgraded home automation capability is said to be a priority too. According to the report, Remarkable Alexa may be able to gain a deeper understanding of user preferences, so it might learn to turn on the TV to a specific show. It may also learn to turn on the coffee machine when your alarm clock goes off (though it's already very easy to set this up through existing smart home systems).

Alexa has long been an unprofitable endeavor for Amazon — late last year, it laid off several hundred people who were working on the voice assistant. It's not a huge surprise that the company would try to generate more revenue from Remarkable Alexa (which, it's claimed, won't be offered as a Prime benefit). Users might need to buy new devices with more powerful tech inside so that Remarkable Alexa can run on them properly.

In any case, $10 (or even $5) per month for an upgraded voice assistant seems like a hard sell, especially when the current free version of Alexa can already handle a wide array of tasks. 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/amazon-reportedly-thinks-people-will-pay-up-to-10-per-month-for-next-gen-alexa-152205672.html?src=rss

The best budget earbuds around are on sale for $49

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Anker makes our pick for the best budget-friendly earbuds in the form of the Soundcore Space A40. That model is now an even more enticing proposition, as has it dropped to an all-time-low price. You can pick up the Anker Soundcore Space A40 now for $40. The earbuds usually cost $80, so you're saving $31.

Given that the Space A40 boasts features you'd find in earbuds that are twice as expensive, we already felt that they offered great value, so this is a pretty solid deal. The earbuds are light, and we reckon they should be comfortable to wear for extended periods. You won't hear as much detail as you would get from higher-end options, but that's to be expected. What you will get is an all-round warm sound profile that does a decent job at the lower end.

You'll be able to adjust the EQ settings in the Soundcore app if you wish to put more onus on the bass or high end. You can also customize the touch controls through the app.

In terms of durability, these earbuds have an IPX4 rating for water resistance, which is at least enough to protect them from everyday sweat and light rain. It's possible to connect them to two devices at the same time and you can use each earbud independently. The battery life isn't bad either as the buds will run for around eight hours before you have to plop them back into the charging case (which has wireless charging support and can top up the earbuds with another 40 hours or so of listening time).

The best feature of the Space A40 though is the active noise cancellation (ANC), which delivers great performance for earbuds at this price. There's adaptive ANC tech that adjusts the intensity of the noise cancellation based on your surroundings, though it won't block out higher pitched sounds completely. You can adjust the ANC level manually too. There's also a transparency mode, which is decent enough.

While phone calls are viable with these earbuds, the mic quality isn't terrific. The lack of auto-pausing when you remove an earbud is a disappointment too. Still, those are relatively minor complaints for a set of earbuds that are otherwise great value.

Follow @EngadgetDeals on Twitter and subscribe to the Engadget Deals newsletter for the latest tech deals and buying advice.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/the-best-budget-earbuds-around-are-on-sale-for-49-123026762.html?src=rss

A four-pack of Apple AirTags has dropped to $80

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The Apple AirTag is our pick for the best Bluetooth tracker for iPhone users and there’s some good news if you’ve been waiting for a solid deal before picking up a few of them. A four-pack of AirTags is currently on sale. You can snap up the bundle for $80. That’s a discount of $19 and it’s just $5 or so more than the lowest price we’ve ever seen for the four-pack.

One great thing about AirTags is that they’re integrated into Apple’s ecosystem right off the bat. It works with the Find My app on Apple devices, so you don’t need to download an additional app. Just pair it with your iPhone (a very straightforward process) and you’re good to go.

AirTags can tap into a vast network of connected devices thanks to the large number of iPhones that are out in the wild. So if you misplace an item that has an AirTag attached, all it takes is for someone with an iPhone to be close by and it will pop up in Find My. Also, once you move around 1,200 feet away from an AirTag, you’ll likely receive a left-behind alert, just to make sure you didn’t accidentally leave something behind. (You can turn off these alerts for certain trackers and set up exceptions for them at locations like your home and office.)

If you have an iPhone with an ultra-wide band (UWB) chip — an iPhone 11 or later, but not SE models — it can point you in the right direction of an AirTag with directional arrows and a distance meter when you’re within 25 feet. This is handy if you struggle to hear the chirp of an AirTag (it has the quietest ring of any tracker we’ve tested) or the disc is obscured from view.

The AirTag is fairly rugged thanks to its IP67 rating for water and dust resistance. It has a replaceable battery too, unlike some rival trackers.

On the downside, the audible ring only lasts for seven seconds when you press the play button, so you might miss it. There’s no built-in attachment point, so if you want to put an AirTag on your keys, for instance, you’ll need to buy an accessory.

Follow @EngadgetDeals on Twitter and subscribe to the Engadget Deals newsletter for the latest tech deals and buying advice.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/a-four-pack-of-apple-airtags-has-dropped-to-80-120026531.html?src=rss

You can now restrict Instagram Lives to Close Friends

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Instagram is rolling out another way for users to engage with a smaller group of friends and followers starting today. Close Friends on Instagram Live does what it says on the tin: you’ll be able to limit the viewership of livestreams to just your list of Close Friends. Up to three other people will be able to join your more-intimate broadcasts.

This could help users plan trips, collaborate on homework or simply catch up, Instagram suggests. The update will also give influencers an option for hosting livestreams for a private (and perhaps paid-up) audience.

Since November, users have been able to limit the reach of posts and Reels to their Close Friends. According to Instagram, users are looking for ways to connect with friends and followers more privately. The popularity of features like DMs, Close Friends and Notes attests to that.

Speaking of Notes, Instagram has flagged a couple of under-the-radar aspects of that feature that it introduced in recent months. You can now essentially post a video as a note. This will temporarily replace your profile photo. You’ll also see an Easter egg (in other words, confetti animations) when you wish a friend a happy birthday in a note. This will appear when you include the words “happy birthday” or use birthday-related words while @-mentioning a pal.

Last but not least, Instagram has introduced a welcome feed update. You now have the option to add music to carousel posts that include videos. Until now, it was only possible to add music to carousels comprised solely of photos.

Instagram screenshots showing a music track being available on carousel feed posts that include videos.
Instagram

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/you-can-now-restrict-instagram-lives-to-close-friends-150023794.html?src=rss

EU delays decision over scanning encrypted messages for CSAM

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European Union officials have delayed talks over proposed legislation that could lead to messaging services having to scan photos and links to detect possible child sexual abuse material (CSAM). Were the proposal to become law, it may require the likes of WhatsApp, Messenger and Signal to scan all images that users upload — which would essentially force them to break encryption.

For the measure to pass, it would need to have the backing of at least 15 of the member states representing at least 65 percent of the bloc's entire population. However, countries including Germany, Austria, Poland, the Netherlands and the Czech Republic were expected to abstain from the vote or oppose the plan due to cybersecurity and privacy concerns, Politico reports. If EU members come to an agreement on a joint position, they'll have to hash out a final version of the law with the European Commission and European Parliament.

The legislation was first proposed in 2022 and it could result in messaging services having to scan all images and links with the aim of detecting CSAM and communications between minors and potential offenders. Under the proposal, users would be informed about the link and image scans in services' terms and conditions. If they refused, they would be blocked from sharing links and images on those platforms. However, as Politico notes, the draft proposal includes an exemption for “accounts used by the State for national security purposes."

EU Council leaders are said to have been trying for six months to break the impasse and move forward negotiations to finalize the law. Belgium's presidency of the Council is set to end on June 30, and it's unclear if the incoming leadership will continue to prioritize the proposal.

Patrick Breyer, a digital rights activist who was a member of the previous European Parliament before this month's elections, has argued that proponents of the so-called "chat control" plan aimed to take advantage of a power vacuum before the next parliament is constituted. Breyer says that the delay of the vote, prompted in part by campaigners, "should be celebrated," but warned that "surveillance extremists among the EU governments" could again attempt to advance chat control in the coming days.

Other critics and privacy advocates have slammed the proposal. Signal president Meredith Whittaker said in a statement that "mass scanning of private communications fundamentally undermines encryption," while Edward Snowden described it as a "terrifying mass surveillance measure."

Advocates, on the other hand, have suggested that breaking encryption would be acceptable in order to tackle CSAM. "The Commission proposed the method or the rule that even encrypted messaging can be broken for the sake of better protecting children," Vice President of the European Commission for Values and Transparency Věra Jourová said on Thursday, per EuroNews.

The EU is not the only entity to attempt such a move. In 2021, Apple revealed a plan to scan iCloud Photos for known CSAM. However, it scrapped that controversial effort following criticism from the likes of customers, advocacy groups and researchers.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/eu-delays-decision-over-scanning-encrypted-messages-for-csam-142208548.html?src=rss

Amazon’s Throne and Liberty MMO is coming to the west in September

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Amazon Games has revealed when it will bring free-to-play MMO Throne and Liberty to the Americas, Europe and Japan. The company will release the NCSoft-developed title in those regions on PC, PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S on September 17. There will be full cross-platform support. An open beta will take place in July and you can sign up for that through the game’s website.

Throne and Liberty, which was originally supposed to be a direct sequel to the original Lineage, debuted in Korea last year after a lengthy development process. It has both player vs. player and player vs. environment combat, and you can join guilds and form alliances to help you succeed. Amazon says battles can accommodate thousands of players at the same time.

The action takes place in an open world called Solisium, where the weather can impact the effectiveness of your weapons and even open up new routes. Your character can shapeshift into creatures that can navigate the sea and air more quickly. You'll even be able to transform into slain bosses to help out your side in battles.

Amazon signed a deal with NCSoft in 2023 to publish Throne and Liberty in North America, South America, Europe and Japan on the heels of Lost Ark’s success. That game, from South Korean developer Smilegate, turned out to be a huge hit, with a peak of 1.3 million concurrent players on Steam. Over two years later, Lost Ark is still going strong, with an average Steam concurrent player count of nearly 56,000 in May.

Despite how well Lost Ark (and before that, New World) performed for Amazon Games, the division has gone through some rough spells over the last several years. Soon after its first in-house game Crucible debuted in May 2020, Amazon pulled it back into beta status before completely shutting down the free-to-play shooter outright a few months later. Last year, Amazon laid off around 300 workers from its games division as part of a broader downsizing.

Even so, Amazon has some other notable games in its pipeline. It's working on a Lord of the Rings MMO and it's publishing the next Tomb Raider game (it's bringing a live-action Tomb Raider series to Prime Video too).

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/amazons-throne-and-liberty-mmo-is-coming-to-the-west-in-september-123028015.html?src=rss