One of the most popular sites for Nintendo Switch piracy has been taken down as part of an ongoing FBI investigation. As reported by Kotaku, Nsw2u was known for hosting Switch ROMs, which users could download to play on a hacked Switch or PC emulator capable of running them.
At the time of writing, when you enter the site’s URL you’ll see a notice confirming the seizure, which the FBI says is in accordance with a warrant issued by the United States District Court in Georgia. The notice also features a logo for the Fiscal Information and Investigation Service (FIOD), which is a Dutch government agency that investigates financial crimes.
Nintendo has been cracking down on piracy of its games for a number of years. Back in 2019, the company sued the illegal ROM-sharing site RomUniverse, after it became aware it was offering unlimited downloads of new and old Nintendo games for an annual fee. Last year it filed a lawsuit against streamer EveryGameGuru who it accused of broadcasting footage of pirated — and in many cases unreleased — Switch games, as well as providing access to illegal ROMs. In March of 2024 the makers of popular Switch emulator Yuzu paid $2.4 million to settle charges filed by Nintendo.
Nintendo’s latest anti-piracy move was inserting a clause in an updated version of the Nintendo Switch User Agreement that effectively enables it to brick your Switch if it runs illegal emulators or pirated games. This revised agreement came into effect just ahead of the Switch 2 launch on June 5.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/nintendo/fbi-seize-well-known-nintendo-switch-game-piracy-site-152216405.html?src=rss
Disney and the British free-to-air broadcaster ITV have launched a new partnership that will allow them to show each other’s shows in an effort to reach new audiences. ITV viewers will be able to watch shows including Only Murders in the Building, Andor, and The Bear – which lives on Disney+ in the UK – while Disney will take advantage of ITV’s various dramas and reality TV offerings.
Mr Bates vs The Post Office, ITV’s BAFTA award-winning four-part dramatization of the British Post Office scandal, will be available to Disney+ subscribers, as well as selected seasons of the ever-popular Love Island dating show. The thinking seems to be that ITV’s typically older viewing demographic could be drawn to Disney’s more adult-focused shows, with ITV’s output likely to appeal to streaming audiences that skew younger. That said, family-friendly Disney+ shows including Lilo and Stitch: The Series and Phineas and Ferb will also make their way to ITV as part of the deal.
ITV has its own streaming platform, called ITVX, which is free to watch in the UK with ads, or ad-free as part of a monthly subscription. Disney’s content will live on ITVX in the UK, and will be badged as "A Taste of Disney+", with Disney+ offering its "A Taste of ITVX" library to its own subscribers. Kevin Lygo, Managing Director of Media and Entertainment at ITV, said in a press release that the plan is for both libraries to be regularly updated.
Traditional broadcasters striking deals with streaming platforms is nothing new. Netflix has been licensing shows from the BBC and Channel 4 in the UK for a number of years, for example, and back in 2022 Disney and the BBC started co-producing Doctor Who, with Disney+ becoming the home of the long-running sci-fi show outside of the UK. More often than not, though, these relationships tend to be one-way affairs in terms of where the content is distributed, so this even divide between two platforms seems more novel.
The selected shows and movies for the launch window will be available to stream on their respective platforms from July 16.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/streaming/disney-and-itv-partner-up-to-show-each-others-shows-on-their-streaming-services-150109825.html?src=rss
Prime Day deals are still available today, and key among them in the tech space are big discounts on the Google Pixel 9 and Pixel 9 Pro smartphones. The Pixel 10 might be just around the corner, but $250 off two of the very best Android phones you can buy right now is well worth considering.
The Pixel 9 is down to $549 while Prime Day deals are live, and you can grab the Pixel 9 Pro for $734. Again, that’s a whopping $250 and $265 savings, respectively. We’ve never seen the Pixel 9 cheaper than it right now when purchased from Amazon. If you're looking to spend less, the Pixel 9a is on sale for $424 at the moment, too.
When Engadget’s Sam Rutherford reviewed Google’s non-Pro flagship last year, he called it the go-to Android phone, praising its slick redesign, excellent 6.3-inch OLED display, and solid performance from Google’s Tensor G4 chip. As tends to be the case with Pixel phones, the cameras got a big upgrade, too, with the new 50MP main sensor consistently outperforming the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra in situations where plenty of light was available. There isn’t a lot to dislike about this phone, barring the omnipresence of AI bloat in Google phones.
The Pixel 9 Pro is rated as the best overall Android phone available right now in our guide; its a Pro-grade Pixel that can be wielded by those with smaller hands thanks to its 6.3-inch display (those who want the biggest possible pocketable canvas will need to stump up for the 6.8-inch Pixel 9 Pro XL). An upgraded 48MP telephoto sensor improves what is already an excellent array of cameras, while the 5,060mAh battery is pretty superb, running for nearly 25 hours in our looped video rundown test.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/prime-day-deals-include-up-to-250-off-google-pixel-phones-113049357.html?src=rss
Despite it having upward of 61,000 reviews on Steam, Hades II isn’t actually out yet. The sequel to Supergiant Games’ hugely successful roguelite dungeon crawler has been in early access on PC for over a year, and even the early builds were extremely polished and content-rich for what is still a work-in-progress game. But we (and Switch owners) have been waiting patiently for that 1.0 release date, and it looks like it might be just around the corner, with Supergiant confirming that the latest Unseen Update patch is likely to be the final one ahead of the full launch.
The third major early access update arrived on June 17, and was focused primarily on combat tweaks, as well as adding a new Vow of Rivals that not only made Guardian encounters tougher, but forced players to switch up their strategies for each bout. The latest patch is mainly a host of minor adjustments to existing items and abilities, as well as some balancing on the aforementioned Vow of Rivals Encounters. No more new story content or areas are due to be added ahead of the v.10 launch, with Supergiant confirming back in June that the game’s true ending is being held back for the full release. If you’re a console player or just wanted to hold out until the game is finished, it’s probably safe to start getting excited.
That said, PlayStation and Xbox owners are going to have to wait a little longer, because while we still don’t know Hades II’s release date, we do know that the game is launching on PC and both the Switch and Switch 2 initially, mirroring the release roadmap of its predecessor. The developer has already assured fans that both Nintendo consoles can run the game at a smooth 60 fps, with the Switch 2 version benefiting from the console’s larger 1080p display in handheld mode.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/supergiants-latest-hades-ii-patch-is-likely-its-last-before-launch-190005440.html?src=rss
Less than a month after Capcom’s surprise announcement of the next Resident Evil game, another new entry has been confirmed. But before Resi fans get too wild with excitement, this one is a mobile spin-off for iOS and Android called Resident Evil Survival Unit. It’s a strategy game that somehow fits into the broader universe, even if it’s not clear how at this point.
We don’t have a lot of concrete information at the moment, with the game set to be fully revealed in a showcase scheduled July 10 at 6pm ET, but we do know that it’s being co-developed by Aniplex Inc and Korean developer Joycity. The latter is currently working on another strategy game called Disney Realm Breakers, with access to various Disney IP including Toy Story and The Incredibles. Joycity is also the studio behind Pirates of the Caribbean: Tides of War, a free-to-play real-time strategy game that has an average rating of 4.4 from 210 thousand reviews on the Google Play Store.
Strategy is clearly the studio’s favored genre, then, and in its announcement message for Resident Evil Survival Unit it promises the game "expands the global fanbase of Resident Evil to mobile, allowing players to enjoy the world of the series with a new approach that is different from the existing series." It was also confirmed in a press release that the mobile game is being developed in close collaboration to "ensure authenticity and quality."
Resident Evil Requiem (the official name for what is technically Resident Evil 9) was announced back in June at SGF 25, and centers on a new character called Grace Ashcroft. For the first time in the series’ history, both first-person and third-person gameplay perspectives will be an option from launch.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/resident-evil-is-getting-a-new-mobile-spin-off-game-160044931.html?src=rss
Microsoft was rocked by more than 9,000 job cuts this week. A significant number have come from its gaming division, resulting in the closure of multiple game studios and the cancellation of numerous in-development projects at Xbox and its contracted studios. We’ve already learned that Microsoft has closed the studio that was developing the much-anticipated Perfect Darkreboot, and Rare’s Everwildhas also been sunsetted. And now Romero Games — the studio headed up by Doom creator and veteran developer John Romero — is another major casualty of the sweeping cuts.
The news was initially confirmed in a statement signed by Brenda Romero and posted on X. "Last night, we learned that our publisher has canceled funding for our game along with several other unannounced projects at other studios," it said. "This was a strategic decision made at a high level within the publisher, well above our visibility or control." It went on to say that the studio was powerless to change the outcome, and that the decision was not reflective of the quality of work its team has produced.
Ireland-based Romero Games is not owned by Microsoft, but it appears the company’s financial support was crucial to keeping the studio alive — a fact that wasn’t publicly known until the shutdown occurred. IGN is now reporting that the entire Romero Games workforce has been let go, and many Romero Games employees confirm on Linkedin that they no longer have jobs.
According to the company website, Romero Games was founded by John and Brenda Romero in 2014, and had more than 100 developers on its staff. Its most recent release was 2023’s Sigil II, the unofficial sixth episode in the Doom series, which John Romero co-created in 1993 with id Software, the studio he also co-founded. The upcoming game was described by Romero Games as an "all-new FPS with an original, new IP working with a major publisher."
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/xbox/xbox-was-funding-romero-games-new-game-but-layoffs-have-left-the-project-in-crisis-172234905.html?src=rss
Everyone’s been hit with a bitingly pass-agg "?" text after waiting just a bit too long to reply. And you might soon get similar (though likely more upbeat) treatment from AI chatbots you’ve previously engaged with on Meta platforms like Instagram or WhatApp. A new report from Business Insiderclaims that the Mark Zuckerberg-owned company is trialling a proactive feature in customizable chatbots created using its no-code AI Studio software, that will enable them to send unprompted follow-up messages based on previous conversations.
Known internally to data labeling firm Alignerr as "Project Omni", the training project will "provide value for users and ultimately help to improve re-engagement and user retention," according to guidelines in the documents BI claims to have seen. Meta advertises AI studio as a platform where "anyone can create an AI character based on their interests" and encourages creators to view the bots as an AI extension of themselves. You can customize a chatbot’s appearance, choose the content it’s trained on and decide which Meta-owned application you want it to appear in, all without "any technical expertise."
According to the BI report, Alignerr’s Project Omni guidelines use the example of a film-focused AI bot it calls "The Maestro of Movie Magic" that might send a user message such as: "I hope you're having a harmonious day! I wanted to check in and see if you've discovered any new favorite soundtracks or composers recently. Or perhaps you'd like some recommendations for your next movie night? Let me know, and I'll be happy to help!"
As BI notes, there is a business incentive for Meta to keep people engaged with its chatbots. Prolonged engagement is vital for increasing revenue, and this year Meta expects to bring in $2 billion to $3 billion from its generative AI products alone. By 2035, the company estimates that figure could be as high as $1.4 trillion. Those kinds of forecasts will only be possible if its AI tools are being used consistently, so a friendly reminder from a chatbot every now and then feels like an obvious move.
The proactive messages are currently still just a test feature. And while it definitely feels like remembering conversations and initiating new ones without invitation is approaching a user consent gray area, a Meta spokesperson told BI that the AI will only send a follow-up message if a user has first initiated the conversation, and it won’t send another message if the first one is ignored. Responses must also be consistent with the AI’s personality and the nature of the previous conversation, maintaining a positive tone while staying away from controversial or sensitive topics unless the user themself has mentioned them.
Last month, Meta started warning its users not to share intimate details in Meta AI’s public feed after it emerged that a large number of users appeared to be doing so unwittingly.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/meta-is-reportedly-training-its-ai-chatbots-to-send-unprompted-messages-143229039.html?src=rss
The software used by EU border security forces to prevent undocumented immigrants and suspected criminals from travelling in the region is allegedly riddled with holes and vulnerable to cyber attacks. The Second Generation Schengen Information System (SIS II) is an IT system and database shared between most EU states for law enforcement and public security purposes. And according to a new collaborative report between Bloomberg and investigative non-profit Lighthouse Reports, SIS II — which has been used since 2013 — is plagued with "thousands" of cybersecurity issues, to the extent that an EU auditor flagged them to be of "high" severity in a report filed last year.
The report notes that there is no evidence of any data theft, but the "excessive number" of accounts that unnecessarily have access to the database means it could be fairly easily exploited. During its initial rollout, SIS II’s major additions included fingerprint technology and photographs in alerts, and in 2023 the software was updated with upgraded data and enhancements to its existing functionality, including the ability to signal when someone has been deported from a country. Bloomberg reporters spoke to Romain Lanneau, a legal researcher at an EU watchdog called Statewatch, who warned that an attack would be "catastrophic, potentially affecting millions of people."
Right now SIS II operates within an isolated network, but will soon be rolled into the EU’s Entry/Exit system (EES), which will make registering biometric details a requirement for individuals travelling to Schengen-associated areas when it comes into effect, likely later this year. As the EES will be connected to the internet, a hack on the SIS II database will become significantly easier.
Bloomberg and Lighthouse note that while most of the SIS II system’s estimated 93 million records pertain to objects such as stolen vehicles, there are around 1.7 million linked to people. It adds that people usually aren’t aware that their details are logged in the database until law enforcement gets involved, so if the information was leaked, wanted individuals may find it easier to evade the authorities.
SIS II’s development and maintenance is managed by a Paris-based contractor called Sopra Steria. According to the report, as vulnerabilities were reported, they took between eight months and upward of half a decade to resolve. This is despite it being contractually obligated to fix issues deemed to be of critical importance within two months of releasing a patch.
A spokesperson for Sopra Steria did not respond to Bloomberg regarding the detailed list of allegations concerning SIS II’s security holes, but said in a statement printed in the report that EU protocols had been adhered to. "As a key component of the EU’s security infrastructure, SIS II is governed by strict legal, regulatory, and contractual frameworks," it said. "Sopra Steria’s role was carried out in accordance with these frameworks."
EU-Lisa, the EU agency that oversees large-scale IT systems like SIS II, regularly farms out duties to external consulting firms as opposed to building its own in-house tech, according to the investigation. The audit accused the agency of not informing its management about security risks that had been flagged, to which it responded by saying that all systems under its management "undergo continuous risk assessments, regular vulnerability scans, and security testing."
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/cybersecurity/the-eus-border-security-software-is-reportedly-full-of-holes-162033816.html?src=rss
Passport control at departures is seen deserted, in Terminal 2 of Charles de Gaulle International Airport, amid France's gradual easing of its lockdown measures and restrictions during the outbreak of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), in Roissy near Paris, France May 14, 2020. Ian Langsdon/Pool via REUTERS
We know what you’re thinking: there just isn’t enough AI around right now. Luckily for you, Donald Trump emphatically agrees. According to a new report from Reuters, his administration is assembling a number of executive actions that would significantly increase the energy supply used for expanding artificial intelligence. The US and China are currently battling it out to lead the way in the rapidly growing sector, but American companies will need more infrastructure to make the advances Trump wants.
"With the right Government policies, we can solidify our position as the global leader in AI and secure a brighter future for all Americans," he said back in January when signing an executive order in his first days in office that made clear his intention to reduce any regulatory hurdles to allow unchecked development in the area.
Reuters was told by sources that asked to remain anonymous that, if passed, the planned executive orders would "make it easier for power-generating projects to connect to the grid, and provide federal land on which to build the data centers needed to expand AI technology." The Trump administration is reportedly also planning to release an "AI action plan" and schedule a number of public events that promote its ongoing efforts.
Power-hungry data centers are often large and not quick to build, but in an attempt to speed up the process, Trump’s actions may offer land managed by the Defense Department or Interior Department to AI project developers. A nationwide Clean Water Act permit, meanwhile, would mean permission to build would no longer operate on a state-by-state basis, making it easier for developers to get projects off the ground.
Donald Trump’s AI crusade has been ongoing since he took office. After initially taking an eraser to Biden’s extensive AI protection framework, the US House of Representatives narrowly passed a "big, beautiful bill" that places a 10-year ban on state AI regulations. It still has to pass through the Senate.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/donald-trump-is-reportedly-preparing-a-sweep-of-pro-ai-executive-orders-171856144.html?src=rss
U.S. President Donald Trump speaks to the media, after the U.S. Supreme Court dealt a blow to the power of federal judges by restricting their ability to grant broad legal relief in cases as the justices acted in a legal fight over President Donald Trump's bid to limit birthright citizenship, in the Press Briefing Room at the White House in Washington D.C., June 27, 2025. REUTERS/Ken Cedeno
YouTube is getting an injection of Google’s AI-assisted search functionality in the shape of a new carousel feature. In a blog post, YouTube said the AI-generated carousel is currently exclusive to its Premium members in the US. It might appear (it seemingly won’t happen every time) when you search for "queries related to shopping, place, or things to do in a specific location" in the YouTube app on your phone.
This carousel pulls in a series of relevant videos that play in order from left to right (you can also tap a video’s thumbnail to jump straight to that clip), with each one getting its own headline and a paragraph of text that explains its inclusion. The implementation, unsurprisingly, looks a lot like going through your friend’s stories on Instagram. YouTube says each video in the carousel provides “useful insights” related to your query.
YouTube has also announced that it will start rolling out its previously Premium and Android-exclusive conversational AI tool to standard users in the US. The AI assistant can be activated by clicking the "Ask" button that appears between the existing share and download options in the toolbar below a video, and allows you to ask it questions related to the content of the video. You can also have it summarize a video before you hand over five minutes of your time to watching it, or get recommendations for similar content. When it first introduced this functionality, YouTube said its AI tool draws on information within YouTube itself and the wider web. It’s not clear how many users will be able to use the new feature or how often you can expect it to show up. It's also unclear if or when iPhone users will get it.
Google’s AI Overview tool has been a controversial topic because it’s not always accurate with the information it provides, among other reasons. Whether similar issues arise for YouTube creators remains to be seen.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/youtube/youtubes-newest-premium-perk-more-ai-clutter-155942603.html?src=rss
Google Earth is celebrating its 20th birthday, and to mark the occasion, Google is bringing historical Street View imagery to the service. In a blog post, Google said the anniversary update allows users to "explore the wonders of the planet from even more viewpoints, whether it’s a bird’s eye view or at street level."
From today, when you load up Google Earth you’ll see a new option for historical imagery in the toolbar, which allows you to move back and forth between now and years gone by. Seemingly predicting that you might be overwhelmed by the prospect of having the entire planet at your fingertips, Google offers some suggestions. You might want to look at a timelapse of Berlin between 1943 and the modern day, in which time the Berlin Wall was built and fell, before the city underwent huge urban transformation. You could also observe the rapid expansion of Las Vegas since the 1980s, or how Houston’s NRG Stadium was built on top of what was just farmland back in 1944. Some Maps users have even used the historical view to look up, say, pictures of their homes from years gone by, occasionally finding imagery of lost loved ones in the process.
Google also announced further updates to Google Earth, including new AI-driven insights for professional users in the US. Urban planners will soon be able to access information about things like tree canopy coverage and surface land temperatures of different areas of a city using built-in Gemini insights.
Google Earth first launched in 2005, and according to Google was downloaded 100 million times in its first week. It’s had a number of major updates over the years, adding features such as searchable wallpapers and 3D timelapse videos.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/google-brings-historical-street-view-to-google-earth-153040270.html?src=rss
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