A petition to preserve video game access recently achieved an important milestone of one million signatures, but it has two more challenges to overcome before reaching the final level. The "Stop Killing Games" movement reached a million votes earlier this month, meaning the European Union will have to consider adopting legislation addressing this issue. However, the petition first has to deal with the threat of potentially fake signatures and the resistance from major game studios and publishers.

The Stop Killing Games initiative, created by Ross Scott, aims to pass new laws to ensure that video games still run even when developer support ends. The petition was a direct response to when Ubisoft delisted The Crew from online stores, shut down the game's servers in 2024, and revoked licenses from players who bought the game. Scott and other critics felt Ubisoft's actions set a dangerous precedent for gamers who may lose access to their purchased games at a developer's whim.

Even though there are enough signatures to move to the next step, Scott explained in a YouTube video that many of these may have been incorrectly filled out, while others could have been falsely submitted. The movement's founder said, "This is not a change.org petition, this is a government process," adding that "spoofing signatures on it is a crime." To ensure enough legitimate signatures are collected, Scott said that there needs to be at least 10 percent more to cover the potentially invalid ones. As of July 6, the petition has earned more than 1.2 million signatures.

Beyond the signatures, a European advocacy group that includes major gaming studios and publishers like Electronic Arts, Microsoft and Nintendo released a statement opposing the movement.

"Private servers are not always a viable alternative option for players as the protections we put in place to secure players’ data, remove illegal content, and combat unsafe community content would not exist and would leave rights holders liable," the statement read. "In addition, many titles are designed from the ground-up to be online-only; in effect, these proposals would curtail developer choice by making these video games prohibitively expensive to create."

In a longer report, the Video Games Europe group said that this initiative would "raise the costs and risks of developing such games," create a "chilling effect on game design" and "act as a disincentive to making such games available in Europe."

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/the-stop-killing-games-initiative-has-hit-a-major-milestone-but-the-fights-just-begun-190431644.html?src=rss

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Just a day after former White House advisor Elon Musk claimed on X that he's creating a new political party in the US, some deep-pocketed figures have offered support and potential interest. Replying to an X post that said the America Party would offer "independence from the two-party system," billionaire Mark Cuban and investment banker Anthony Scaramucci both replied to Musk, providing some possible next steps.

After celebrating the America Party announcement post with emojis, Cuban said that he works with the Center for Competitive Democracy and could help get Musk's party on ballots. Scaramucci also responded on X, saying he would "like to meet to discuss."

Scaramucci previously served as the White House communications director in 2017 during Trump's first term before being dismissed 10 days in. The former Trump ally has since crossed to the other side of the political aisle and supported both Joe Biden and Kamala Harris in the 2024 presidential campaigns. Similarly, Cuban previously supported Harris and was even tied to the Democratic candidate as a potential running mate. While there are still plenty of questions about Musk's proposed political party that comes after a hostile fallout with Trump, the Tesla CEO's post on X indicated that it would focus on taking over "two or three Senate seats and eight to 10 House districts."

It's unclear if Musk has already filed the necessary paperwork to officially establish the America Party. The latest filings with the Federal Election Commission show several documents that reference Musk's new party, but the veracity of these is questionable, and they sit alongside a slew of apparent joke filings, including the "American Meme Party," "The Diddy Party" and "The DOGE Party."

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/elon-musks-proposed-america-party-is-already-attracting-the-attention-of-the-ultra-rich-170030496.html?src=rss

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Xbox was well on its way to delivering a sci-fi stylized game with plenty of exciting movement mechanics before an abrupt change of heart. The upcoming third-person shooter RPG codenamed Blackbird from ZeniMax Online Studios, which developed The Elder Scrolls Online, has been "shelved indefinitely," according to an exclusive report from Bloomberg. The report added that Xbox execs were "blown away" by the game and had "nothing but complimentary words," according to Bloomberg's sources.

The exciting new IP was expected to rival the Destiny franchise with its looter-shooter gameplay in an alien noir-themed world. The Bloomberg report revealed that a sci-fi setting would be paired with movement-based abilities like "double-jumping, air-dashing, a grappling hook and wall climbing." The project was reportedly gaining momentum recently and was set to be released in 2028, after the studio expanded its team to 300 people.

Microsoft didn't provide comments to Bloomberg or any explicit reasoning why the Blackbird project was dropped. Not much was known about the game, but TrueAchievements uncovered a plot that revolves around players uncovering a notorious murder in a capital city called Exodus. Along with Blackbird, Microsoft canceled Everwild, a fantasy game from Rare that's been in development since 2014, and a reboot of the Perfect Dark first-person shooter.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/xbox/xboxs-sci-fi-looter-shooter-blackbird-was-scrapped-even-after-leaving-execs-blown-away-191305493.html?src=rss

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One of Tesla's fully autonomous robotaxis grazed a parked car after completing a ride recently in Austin, Texas. In a video recorded by YouTuber DirtyTesla, a self-driving Model Y is seen turning and accelerating into a Toyota, making light contact with its tire. As seen in the video, the Model Y already dropped off its passenger, but had trouble navigating out of the dark alleyway afterwards. Tesla's robotaxi service launched in Austin just two weeks ago with a small fleet.

According to DirtyTesla, there were no serious injuries or damages and the robotaxi's safety monitor eventually swapped to the driver's seat and drove off. Although the sideswipe was minor, it's unclear what caused the Tesla to drive into the parked car instead of driving off normally after completing the ride.

Outside this incident involving another car, other invited guests have shared their unexpected experiences with Tesla's robotaxi service. So far, we've seen the robotaxi service abruptly stop for emergency lights that aren't on the road and briefly drive on the wrong side of a double yellow line. It's important to note that Tesla's self-driving software relies mostly on cameras and artificial intelligence. That's unlike some of its competition, like Waymo, which uses a combination of cameras, lidar and radar for its robotaxi service. However, Waymo isn't without its own incidents, one of which led to a voluntary recall of its fleet in Phoenix, Arizona, following a collision with a telephone pole last year. More recently, Waymo issued another recall for its robotaxis, which were reportedly prone to hit roadway barriers that are harder to see.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/transportation/a-tesla-robotaxi-inexplicably-drove-into-a-parked-car-171004400.html?src=rss

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Apple's film studio finally has a successful summer blockbuster to its name with its latest sports drama flick starring Brad Pitt. F1 the Movie saw an opening weekend that earned $144 million globally and $55.6 million domestically, according to Comscore numbers. Apple Original Films' feature beat out other highly anticipated releases like the live-action remake, How to Train Your Dragon, and the third installment in the post-apocalyptic horror film series, 28 Years Later.

The action-drama movie follows Pitt's character, Sonny Hayes, who's tapped to support an up-and-coming Formula One driver. With reports of the film costing up to $300 million to produce and market, F1 the Movie was a risky venture for Apple, considering the lackluster performances with its other films' opening weekends like Argylle and Fly Me to the Moon. However, Apple's film studio gamble paid off since the opening weekend numbers for F1 the Movie shattered its previous records and is projected to continue its momentum. Despite the early success, Apple may have inadvertently soured some of its users on the movie, thanks to shoving an advertisement for F1 the Movie into its Wallet app.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/tv-movies/apples-f1-laps-its-competition-with-a-144-million-opening-weekend-200030386.html?src=rss

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The unending saga between President Donald Trump and TikTok may finally get some closure. In an interview with Fox News' Maria Bartiromo, the US president announced that there's a buyer secured for TikTok.

"We have a buyer for TikTok by the way," Trump said in the interview. "I think I'll need probably China approval and I think President Xi [Jinping] will probably do it." When asked to identify the buyer, Trump only cryptically revealed that it was a "group of very wealthy people," which would be announced in "about two weeks."

The uncertain fate of TikTok began when Trump signed an executive order to extend a deadline to ban the app from US-based app stores. The initial extension came shortly after Trump took office for his second term in January and was later pushed back another 75 days to April. The decision was delayed once again in June, but for an extra 90 days instead, for a new mid-September deadline. As the future of TikTok remains in a state of uncertainty, Trump said the extensions were "no big deal" during the interview with Fox News. More than 170 million active US users are awaiting a final decision on TikTok, which is developed by the Beijing-based ByteDance that's facing pressure to either sell its app or have it banned due to data privacy and "national security" concerns.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/social-media/trump-claims-a-very-wealthy-group-will-buy-tiktok-without-revealing-who-185126123.html?src=rss

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It turns out that your smartphone could be an overlooked vulnerability that puts you at risk of being tracked. To combat this, Google is rolling out a new security feature in Android 16 that will warn users if their device is using a fake or insecure mobile network or if that network requests identifying information about a connected device.

However, these features likely won't be available until the next generation of Android devices, as first reported by Android Authority. Since the current Android devices lack the hardware to support these features, the first compatible Android device we could see with this tech may be the Pixel 10 that's expected to debut later this summer.

This feature is designed to counteract cell site simulators, or devices that act like a cell tower and trick nearby devices into connecting to it. Once connected, these simulators can glean sensitive information, like the location of a smartphone. These cell site simulators are better known by their commercial nickname, Stingray, and have been reportedly used by agencies like U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, as well as Customs and Border Protection.

The upcoming security features are rolling out as part of the latest Android OS update, which was released earlier this month. Compatible devices will have the option to toggle "network notifications" on or off, which will warn you if your device connects to an unencrypted network or when the connected network requests your phone's unique identifiers. On top of that, there's another option that lets you turn on "2G network protection" to avoid the less secure mobile network type.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/smartphones/android-16-will-protect-users-from-fake-cell-towers-and-potential-spying-threats-172337020.html?src=rss

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The AI startup Runway, which recently partnered with AMC Networks, is now trying to break into the gaming industry. The company has plans to launch its latest platform, called Game Worlds, next week, according to The Verge. The new tool lets Runway users create something akin to an interactive text-based game that can generate text and images from AI.

Even though Game Worlds can only produce basic designs for now, the company's CEO, Cristóbal Valenzuela, is hoping this will be the first step towards more AI use in the gaming industry. Valenzuela told The Verge that "generated video games are coming later this year," adding that Runway is looking to partner with video game companies, which will be able to use the company's AI tools, while it gets access to video game datasets to train its AI on. However, the use of AI in video games has already drawn a lot of criticism from industry professionals, even leading to the SAG-AFTRA union striking against video game companies using its members' likenesses and voices to train AI. 

Runway has faced its own controversy for reportedly training its AI on YouTube videos and pirated movies despite being against the video platform's terms. Still, Runway is looking to replicate the similar success it's had with major TV and film studios. In the AMC deal, the AI company would help create promotional materials and help "accelerate pre-visualization during development." Before AMC, Runway secured a partnership with Lionsgate to provide its AI for the studio's "pre-production and post-production process." As for the gaming world, Runway wouldn't be the first to introduce generative AI since the industry has seen other examples already, like Ubisoft using a tool called Ghostwriter to create video game dialogue.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/runway-now-has-its-sights-on-the-video-game-industry-with-its-new-generative-ai-platform-192350294.html?src=rss

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Tesla's robotaxi service may have had some early hitches, but the company said it just successfully delivered a car autonomously. Using the same robotaxi technology, Tesla showed the delivery process of a Model Y from its Gigafactory Texas in Austin to a customer with a roughly 30-minute journey as seen in a video posted on X. Unlike the robotaxi service launch last week, the automated delivery had no safety monitor, nor anyone behind the wheel. Tesla's CEO, Elon Musk, also posted on X that the delivery didn't have any "remote operators in control at any point."

The trip covers navigating through everything from the Gigafactory Texas' parking lot to city streets, even managing to handle the highway without any incidents. This delivery comes just after Tesla's rollout of its robotaxi service in Austin, with Musk promising that the "first Tesla that drives itself from factory end of line all the way to a customer house is June 28." While impressive, it's not the first time that a fully autonomous car has used the highway, since Waymo started allowing its employees access to self-driving rides on Los Angeles freeways earlier this year.

Tesla's competing robotaxi service hasn't been without its hiccups. As seen in a 10-mile trip posted on X, the Model Y using the robotaxi software struggled to make a left turn and corrected its course by entering the other side of the road briefly. In another launch day video, the robotaxi was seen braking hard twice after encountering police cars with their lights on, even though none of the emergency vehicles were on the road. The robotaxi pilot program has caught the attention of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, which said that it reached out to Tesla for more information about these incidents. On top of the robotaxi concerns, recent demonstrations showed Tesla's Full Self-Driving software failing to stop for a school bus' flashing lights and stop signs, as well as for kid-sized mannequins who dart into the road.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/transportation/tesla-shows-off-its-first-fully-autonomous-delivery-to-convince-us-its-self-driving-cars-work-163805707.html?src=rss

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Prime Day 2025 begins soon on July 8, but members can already save on a bunch of tech available on Amazon's site. One such early deal is on the Roomba Robot Vacuum and Mop Combo, which is down to $140 for Prime members right now. That's nearly half off its usual price and a far cry from its standard $275 cost.

We ranked iRobot's Roomba Robot Vacuum as our overall favorite budget option, but this Prime Day deal features a version that can both vacuum and mop. With the Prime Day price drop, the vacuum and mop combo is cheaper than the vacuum-only model, but it does double the work. The combo Roomba can even be set to only vacuum if you prefer to mop yourself, but you'd be missing out on the four-stage cleaning system that vacuums and mops in the same pass.

Since it's a Roomba, it's a straightforward setup process that takes a few minutes before you can set it and forget it. The robot vacuum can navigate through your house or apartment, avoiding furniture and stairs, thanks to onboard sensors. Once it drains through its battery, which can last up to 120 hours, the Roomba knows to return to its charging dock to recharge itself. You can even customize this combo Roomba with three levels of both suction power for vacuuming and water levels for mopping. For more control, you can program it to spot clean a single spot in your home or schedule cleaning times through the companion iRobot Home app.

A number of other iRobot machines are on sale for Prime Day as well. That includes the Roomba 104 with auto-empty dock for 44 percent off, down to $250, and the premium Roomba j9+ for 36 percent off, down to $579.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/this-roomba-combo-robot-vacuum-and-mop-is-nearly-half-off-for-prime-day-141013068.html?src=rss

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Perplexity is planning to open up its Comet browser that's powered by "agentic search" to Windows users, according to the company's CEO. Aravind Srinivas posted on X that the Windows build of Comet is ready and has sent out invites to early testers already. Perplexity's CEO also hinted at a potential release for Android devices, adding that it was "moving at a crazy pace and moving ahead of schedule."

In May, Perplexity launched a beta version of its AI-powered Comet browser, only available to Mac users running Apple Silicon. The intelligent browser comes with AI features baked in, like the ability to ask it questions, check shopping carts for discounts and dig up unanswered emails. The beta version even showcases a "Try on" feature where users can upload a photo of themselves and Comet will generate an image of them wearing a selected piece of clothing.

There's still no official debut set, but Srinivas previously hinted at an upcoming release in an X post earlier this month. Comet is still only offering a waitlist for those interested, but the browser has already stirred up controversy. The company's CEO previously made comments during a podcast interview that Perplexity would use Comet "to get data even outside the app to better understand you." Srinivas later clarified on X that the comment was taken out of context, adding that "every user will be given the option to not be part of the personalization" when it comes to targeted ads. When Comet is released, the agentic browser will face competition from Opera Neon and similar offerings from Google and OpenAI.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/perplexitys-ai-powered-browser-opens-up-to-select-windows-users-180629870.html?src=rss

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Starting September 1, fully autonomous cars will require a permit to operate in Texas. This new restriction comes after the state's governor, Greg Abbott, signed into law the SB 2807 bill that requires authorization from the state's Department of Motor Vehicles for self-driving cars on public streets without human interaction.

The signing of the new law coincides with Tesla's launch of its robotaxi service in Austin today where invited guests got to ride in fully autonomous Model Ys. While the law doesn't go into effect until a few months later, Tesla's robotaxi launch could have skirted this new regulation since all rides are accompanied by a human "safety monitor" in the front passenger seat.

In the coming months, Texas' new law may prove to be more than just a headache for Tesla. Besides the permits, the upcoming regulation allows state authorities the ability to revoke permits and requires companies to provide methods of dealing with self-driving cars in emergency situations to police and first responders. While this could become a serious hurdle for Tesla, it's also likely to affect Waymo, since it currently operates an autonomous ride-hailing service in Austin.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/texas-will-require-permits-for-self-driving-cars-starting-in-september-164755457.html?src=rss

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Xbox has come a long way since its humble beginnings as a chunky console. It's recently taken on the form of an Asus gaming handheld, and it might even be packaged as a VR headset soon. According to an image leaked on X and Game Sandwich, Xbox is reportedly teaming up with Meta to release an Xbox-branded Quest 3S headset in the coming days. The rumored specs show a very similar build to the base model Quest 3S with 128GB of storage, but will reportedly be bundled with an Xbox wireless controller, a Meta Quest Elite strap and three months of Xbox Game Pass.

There's been no official announcement from Xbox or Meta yet, but a blog post from 2024 noted that the two companies were working together to "create a limited-edition Meta Quest, inspired by Xbox." While it's important to take this rumor with a grain of salt, Xbox seems interested in opening up its hardware for collaboration with other companies, as indicated by the recent release of the ROG Xbox Ally.

As for the rumored Xbox version of the Meta Quest 3S, those who already own the base model headset might not be the target demographic since you can already run Xbox Game Pass on it. Instead, this VR headset could be marketed as a convincing entry point for anyone looking to get into VR and is already familiar with the Xbox ecosystem. According to Game Sandwich's sources, this Xbox-branded VR headset will cost $399 and is set to drop on June 24.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/xbox/xboxs-vr-headset-with-meta-could-release-sooner-than-we-thought-180512994.html?src=rss

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© Meta

A select few will soon get to experience Tesla's robotaxi service for the first time, but they won't be alone in the car. The company plans to launch its fully autonomous ride-hailing service in Austin, Texas tomorrow, but a "Tesla Safety Monitor" will accompany the first riders, according to email invitations sent out to "Early Access Riders." It's unclear what capabilities the safety monitor will have, but they will sit in the front passenger seat of a self-driving Model Y.

The email outlined several parameters, including that users were limited to a geofenced area that excludes airports, could run into unavailability due to bad weather and can only hail a robotaxi between 6 am and midnight. This restrictive launch will reportedly only offer 10 cars and comes after a delay from an initial launch date on June 12.

With the official date set, Tesla will only offer its robotaxi service with its Model Y for now. This robotaxi service will lay the groundwork for an eventual Cybercab release, which isn't expected to start production until at least 2026, according to the company. For now, Tesla's robotaxi service will face competition from Waymo, which started offering its competiting services in March to Austin residents.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/transportation/tesla-inaugural-robotaxi-rides-will-have-a-human-safety-monitor-on-board-161307639.html?src=rss

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