John Shirley

Heretic and Hexen Get Surprising Remaster from Nightdive Studios Nightdive Studios and id Software have dropped a surprise remaster of the classic fantasy shooters Heretic and Hexen. The newly bundled release, titled Heretic + Hexen, brings both games to modern consoles with enhanced features like co-op, cross-platform multiplayer, and support for community mods. The collection […]

Google Claims AI Search Boosts Traffic Quality Despite Concerns Over Declining Clicks A recent Pew Research Center report highlighted the negative impact of Google’s AI Overviews on web traffic, suggesting a grim outlook for publishers. However, Google’s Search head Liz Reid offered a counter-narrative in a blog post, arguing that AI is improving search quality

Meta Faces Backlash Over Instagram’s New Map Feature Meta recently rolled out a new Instagram map feature that closely resembles Snapchat’s Snap Map, sparking immediate privacy concerns. While the tool requires users to opt in to share their live location, many were alarmed to find their maps already populated with past location data from Stories

OpenAI Launches GPT-5, Now Available for Free and Paid Users OpenAI has officially released GPT-5, its most advanced AI model yet, just days after announcing its first open-weight models in six years. The new model is now accessible to all users, including those on free accounts, marking a significant upgrade in performance, safety, and usability.

Microsoft Gaming Faces More Turmoil as Contraband Development Halts The gaming division at Microsoft is undergoing significant changes, with another high-profile project now in jeopardy. Contraband, a co-op open-world game from Avalanche Studios, has reportedly stopped active development as Microsoft reevaluates its future. The game, first revealed at E3 2021 with a cinematic trailer, had

HBO Max Joins the Password Sharing Crackdown Wave Warner Bros. Discovery is gearing up for a major crackdown on password sharing for HBO Max, following in the footsteps of Netflix and Disney+. JB Perrette, head of streaming and gaming at the company, revealed plans to aggressively tackle the issue starting next month. During an earnings

PlayStation 5 Sales Surpass 80 Million Units Despite Fewer Exclusives The PlayStation 5 has reached a major milestone, surpassing 80 million units sold as of June 30, 2025. Despite concerns over a slower release schedule for first-party exclusives compared to its predecessor, the PS5 continues to perform strongly in the market. The console is now

Instagram Introduces Location Sharing and Reposting Features in Major Update Instagram has rolled out a significant update, introducing long-awaited features including location sharing and reposting tools. The new location-sharing feature allows users to share their last active location with chosen contacts, offering customization options similar to Snapchat’s Snap Map. The location-sharing tool is opt-in, meaning

Trump’s Truth Social Integrates AI Search via Controversial Partner Perplexity Truth Social, the social media platform founded by former President Donald Trump, is rolling out a new AI-powered search feature in collaboration with Perplexity, an AI startup facing multiple allegations of unethical data practices. The feature, called Truth Search AI, is currently in beta testing

The Latest Apple iPad Mini Is $100 Off Right Now The newest Apple iPad mini, released in late 2024, is currently available for $399 on Amazon, marking a $100 discount and nearing a record-low price. The deal applies to all color options except the Space Gray model, so buyers have plenty of choices. This compact