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GameStop has announced it’s launching a group of retro game retail locations, which will stock physical consoles, discs and cartridges from classic Nintendo, PlayStation, Xbox and Sega platforms. The company announced on X it’ll cover 18 classic systems, from NES through to PS Vita. You can search for retro-friendly locations within a 100-mile radius on Gamestop’s website, but most will find these stores as rare as a mint-in-box copy of Chrono Trigger.
It does make a degree of business sense for the games retailer. When most of us download our games from online stores — or get them delivered by Amazon — a combination of physical media and a degree of expertise could capitalize on GameStop’s strengths. The biggest challenge could be piracy.
— Mat Smith
The biggest stories you might have missed

MMORPG Blue Protocol shuts down before most people got a chance to play it
Apple event rumor roundup: What to expect at the iPhone 16 keynote
Watch out, there’s a new AI pin in town that can transcribe all your conversations
​​You can get these reports delivered daily direct to your inbox. Subscribe right here!

Telegram CEO charged and released from police custody
The billionaire must remain in France for the foreseeable future.

Telegram CEO Pavel Durov has been formally charged by French prosecutors and is barred from leaving the country. Durov was officially charged on Wednesday with “complicity in distributing child pornography, illegal drugs and hacking software” on the messaging app he founded. He must stay in France “under court monitoring” and check in at a police station twice a week while the investigation continues.
Continue reading.

Team shooter Concord doesn’t quite take off
Despite launching across PC and PS5.
Firewalk Studios
It’s been a long time since we’ve had a first-person shooter from PlayStation. Firewalk Studios’ debut game, the 5v5 team shooter Concord, however, hasn’t captured the imagination of gamers. Is it the lackluster characters or the at-times unashamed Guardians of the Galaxy vibe theft? Well, they probably don’t help, but under 700 concurrent players on Steam (and no fanfare announcements from Sony on player counts / copies sold) point to a dud.
Anecdotally, no one’s been asking me to play the team shooter — no one’s even asked what I thought about Concord.
However, Engadget’s Kris Holt points out that PlayStation has been having a good year. Helldivers 2, published by Sony, is having a great year while the PlayStation Portal and PSVR 2 hardware continue to find willing buyers, thanks to strong support from handheld gamers. And some VR headset discounts.
Continue reading.

Apple’s latest iOS developer betas include an AI object removal tool
Aw, just like Google.

Apple’s latest iOS 18.1 and iPadOS 18.1 developer betas include a few more Apple Intelligence features. The most notable is a Clean Up tool in the Photos app, very much like Google’s Magic Eraser. The Photos app will identify distracting background elements for you, so you should be able to remove them with a tap. Otherwise, you can circle or brush over an object you want to nix. The tool is compatible with every image on your camera roll too.

Continue reading.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/general/the-morning-after-gamestops-retro-gaming-pivot-111627707.html?src=rss

GameStop has announced it’s launching a group of retro game retail locations, which will stock physical consoles, discs and cartridges from classic Nintendo, PlayStation, Xbox and Sega platforms. The company announced on X it’ll cover 18 classic systems, from NES through to PS Vita. You can search for retro-friendly locations within a 100-mile radius on Gamestop’s website, but most will find these stores as rare as a mint-in-box copy of Chrono Trigger.

It does make a degree of business sense for the games retailer. When most of us download our games from online stores — or get them delivered by Amazon — a combination of physical media and a degree of expertise could capitalize on GameStop’s strengths. The biggest challenge could be piracy.

— Mat Smith

The biggest stories you might have missed

MMORPG Blue Protocol shuts down before most people got a chance to play it

Apple event rumor roundup: What to expect at the iPhone 16 keynote

Watch out, there’s a new AI pin in town that can transcribe all your conversations

​​You can get these reports delivered daily direct to your inbox. Subscribe right here!

Telegram CEO charged and released from police custody

The billionaire must remain in France for the foreseeable future.

Telegram CEO Pavel Durov has been formally charged by French prosecutors and is barred from leaving the country. Durov was officially charged on Wednesday with “complicity in distributing child pornography, illegal drugs and hacking software” on the messaging app he founded. He must stay in France “under court monitoring” and check in at a police station twice a week while the investigation continues.

Continue reading.

Team shooter Concord doesn’t quite take off

Despite launching across PC and PS5.

It’s been a long time since we’ve had a first-person shooter from PlayStation. Firewalk Studios’ debut game, the 5v5 team shooter Concord, however, hasn’t captured the imagination of gamers. Is it the lackluster characters or the at-times unashamed Guardians of the Galaxy vibe theft? Well, they probably don’t help, but under 700 concurrent players on Steam (and no fanfare announcements from Sony on player counts / copies sold) point to a dud.

Anecdotally, no one’s been asking me to play the team shooter — no one’s even asked what I thought about Concord.

However, Engadget’s Kris Holt points out that PlayStation has been having a good year. Helldivers 2, published by Sony, is having a great year while the PlayStation Portal and PSVR 2 hardware continue to find willing buyers, thanks to strong support from handheld gamers. And some VR headset discounts.

Continue reading.

Apple’s latest iOS developer betas include an AI object removal tool

Aw, just like Google.

Apple’s latest iOS 18.1 and iPadOS 18.1 developer betas include a few more Apple Intelligence features. The most notable is a Clean Up tool in the Photos app, very much like Google’s Magic Eraser. The Photos app will identify distracting background elements for you, so you should be able to remove them with a tap. Otherwise, you can circle or brush over an object you want to nix. The tool is compatible with every image on your camera roll too.

Continue reading.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/general/the-morning-after-gamestops-retro-gaming-pivot-111627707.html?src=rss

Read More 

Yelp has filed an antitrust lawsuit against Google. The move caps off years of animosity between the two companies, with Yelp alleging that Google has leveraged its control over online searching to dominate local queries and prioritize its own reviews. CNN first reported on the lawsuit.
“Google abuses its monopoly power in general search to keep users within Google’s owned ecosystem and prevents them from going to rival sites,” Yelp Co-founder and CEO Jeremy Stoppelman said in a blog post announcing the suit. “This anticompetitive conduct siphons traffic and advertising revenue from vertical search services, like Yelp, that provide objectively higher quality local business content for consumers.”
The US lawsuit could carry extra weight following a Department of Justice case where the judge deemed Google a monopolist over search. The August ruling did not place any sanctions on Google, but it’s likely that Yelp’s case will be the first of many brought by the tech company’s competitors.
While this lawsuit centers on the US, Yelp has also been sounding off about Google’s practices overseas. The European Digital Markets Act was meant to loosen some of the company’s stranglehold over search results with rules to prevent massive tech businesses from favoring their own services. But Yelp argued that Google’s attempt at DMA compliance actually made users less likely to leave the Google ecosystem.
We’ve reached out to Google for comment and will update with their response.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/yelp-files-antitrust-lawsuit-against-google-230228737.html?src=rss

Yelp has filed an antitrust lawsuit against Google. The move caps off years of animosity between the two companies, with Yelp alleging that Google has leveraged its control over online searching to dominate local queries and prioritize its own reviews. CNN first reported on the lawsuit.

“Google abuses its monopoly power in general search to keep users within Google’s owned ecosystem and prevents them from going to rival sites,” Yelp Co-founder and CEO Jeremy Stoppelman said in a blog post announcing the suit. “This anticompetitive conduct siphons traffic and advertising revenue from vertical search services, like Yelp, that provide objectively higher quality local business content for consumers.”

The US lawsuit could carry extra weight following a Department of Justice case where the judge deemed Google a monopolist over search. The August ruling did not place any sanctions on Google, but it’s likely that Yelp’s case will be the first of many brought by the tech company’s competitors.

While this lawsuit centers on the US, Yelp has also been sounding off about Google’s practices overseas. The European Digital Markets Act was meant to loosen some of the company’s stranglehold over search results with rules to prevent massive tech businesses from favoring their own services. But Yelp argued that Google’s attempt at DMA compliance actually made users less likely to leave the Google ecosystem.

We’ve reached out to Google for comment and will update with their response.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/yelp-files-antitrust-lawsuit-against-google-230228737.html?src=rss

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ESPN launched a feature called Where to Watch in its app and website. This guide is a list of all the sporting events happening on a given day and, fittingly, where you can watch them. The resource covers not just ESPN’s own channels, but also broadcast, cable and regional sports networks and streaming services. Users can prioritize their favorite leagues and teams to make details about those games front and center. People who are authenticated pay TV customers or ESPN+ subscribers can click through to watch the live events if they are an ESPN network stream or a select partner network.
ESPN is hardly the first to come up with this idea. In fact, you can already see a comprehensive list of all kinds of athletic events on the Sports page of Just Watch. But the fact that it’s such a useful tool is a sign of just how convoluted it can be to watch a specific game. Sports leagues are fragmented across a host of rights deals that mean your team might play on one media platform one night and a totally different one the next. For instance, NBA and WNBA matches will predominantly be on ESPN in the coming years. Except for when the games are on NBC and Peacock. And when they’re on Prime Video. Resources like Just Watch or ESPN’s Where to Watch might give you the information, but they don’t reduce the costs of being a loyal viewer.
If that wasn’t enough, there are also new sports-centric streaming options on the horizon from ESPN. The Disney-owned company is planning to offer a standalone streaming subscription next year and it’s also a partner in the proposed Venu sports streaming package (although that’s hit some hurdles).This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/espns-where-to-watch-offers-a-tv-and-streaming-guide-to-sports-viewing-221350244.html?src=rss

ESPN launched a feature called Where to Watch in its app and website. This guide is a list of all the sporting events happening on a given day and, fittingly, where you can watch them. The resource covers not just ESPN’s own channels, but also broadcast, cable and regional sports networks and streaming services. Users can prioritize their favorite leagues and teams to make details about those games front and center. People who are authenticated pay TV customers or ESPN+ subscribers can click through to watch the live events if they are an ESPN network stream or a select partner network.

ESPN is hardly the first to come up with this idea. In fact, you can already see a comprehensive list of all kinds of athletic events on the Sports page of Just Watch. But the fact that it’s such a useful tool is a sign of just how convoluted it can be to watch a specific game. Sports leagues are fragmented across a host of rights deals that mean your team might play on one media platform one night and a totally different one the next. For instance, NBA and WNBA matches will predominantly be on ESPN in the coming years. Except for when the games are on NBC and Peacock. And when they’re on Prime Video. Resources like Just Watch or ESPN’s Where to Watch might give you the information, but they don’t reduce the costs of being a loyal viewer.

If that wasn’t enough, there are also new sports-centric streaming options on the horizon from ESPN. The Disney-owned company is planning to offer a standalone streaming subscription next year and it’s also a partner in the proposed Venu sports streaming package (although that’s hit some hurdles).

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/espns-where-to-watch-offers-a-tv-and-streaming-guide-to-sports-viewing-221350244.html?src=rss

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Telegram CEO Pavel Durov has been formally charged by French prosecutors and is barred from leaving the country amid their investigation into the Russian billionaire. Durov was officially charged Wednesday with “complicity in distributing child pornography, illegal drugs and hacking software” on the messaging app he founded, as well as “refusing to cooperate with investigations into illegal activity on the Telegram,” The Wall Street Journal reported.
Durov, who was arrested outside of Paris on Saturday, was released from police custody after paying €5 million in bail. He is required to stay in France “under court monitoring” and check in at a police station twice a week while the investigation plays out. That could take months or possibly years, as The WSJ points out.
That means Durov, who is known for frequently moving around and working from other countries, will be stuck in France for the foreseeable future unless the charges against him are dropped. In an earlier statement, Telegram called the charges against its founder “absurd” and said that he should not be responsible for the actions of his app’s users.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/telegram-ceo-pavel-durov-has-been-charged-and-released-from-police-custody-214333241.html?src=rss

Telegram CEO Pavel Durov has been formally charged by French prosecutors and is barred from leaving the country amid their investigation into the Russian billionaire. Durov was officially charged Wednesday with “complicity in distributing child pornography, illegal drugs and hacking software” on the messaging app he founded, as well as “refusing to cooperate with investigations into illegal activity on the Telegram,” The Wall Street Journal reported.

Durov, who was arrested outside of Paris on Saturday, was released from police custody after paying €5 million in bail. He is required to stay in France “under court monitoring” and check in at a police station twice a week while the investigation plays out. That could take months or possibly years, as The WSJ points out.

That means Durov, who is known for frequently moving around and working from other countries, will be stuck in France for the foreseeable future unless the charges against him are dropped. In an earlier statement, Telegram called the charges against its founder “absurd” and said that he should not be responsible for the actions of his app’s users.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/telegram-ceo-pavel-durov-has-been-charged-and-released-from-police-custody-214333241.html?src=rss

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There are a ton of Rugrats games from early CD-ROM games to the Nintendo 64 but there’s never really been one that truly stood out on its own. The MIX Games, Wallride and Limited Run Games may have given us the definitive Rugrats game with Rugrats: Adventures in Gameland set for release on September 10 on Steam and both current and previous-gen consoles.
The new throwback Rugrats game was announced last year almost to the date. Rugrats: Adventures in Gameland looks like it was inspired by those classic NES platformers that fueled your childhood fun and frustration (funstration?). The game comes in two modes: HD mode featuring graphics that look just like the Nicktoon and a special 8-bit mode that looks like it came out on a throwback console.

You’ll be able to play as Tommy, Chuckie, Phil and Lil as you traverse the Pickles house. The babies are pretending that their homestead has transformed into their own video game, which may just be the most adorably meta thing ever.
Rugrats: Adventures in Gameland can be played in solo or two-player co-op mode. Limited Run Games is also releasing the game on orange and classic gray NES cartridges but you missed your chance to buy one because they’ve already sold out.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/rugrats-adventures-in-gameland-crawls-out-of-its-playpen-on-september-10-212021343.html?src=rss

There are a ton of Rugrats games from early CD-ROM games to the Nintendo 64 but there’s never really been one that truly stood out on its own. The MIX Games, Wallride and Limited Run Games may have given us the definitive Rugrats game with Rugrats: Adventures in Gameland set for release on September 10 on Steam and both current and previous-gen consoles.

The new throwback Rugrats game was announced last year almost to the date. Rugrats: Adventures in Gameland looks like it was inspired by those classic NES platformers that fueled your childhood fun and frustration (funstration?). The game comes in two modes: HD mode featuring graphics that look just like the Nicktoon and a special 8-bit mode that looks like it came out on a throwback console.

You’ll be able to play as Tommy, Chuckie, Phil and Lil as you traverse the Pickles house. The babies are pretending that their homestead has transformed into their own video game, which may just be the most adorably meta thing ever.

Rugrats: Adventures in Gameland can be played in solo or two-player co-op mode. Limited Run Games is also releasing the game on orange and classic gray NES cartridges but you missed your chance to buy one because they’ve already sold out.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/rugrats-adventures-in-gameland-crawls-out-of-its-playpen-on-september-10-212021343.html?src=rss

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Reddit is currently having some problems. The site appears to be down across the board, apart from a blank homepage that doesn’t contain or point to any content. “We encountered an error,” the website reads. “We were unable to load the content for this page.”
Clicking on any subreddits shows a “Community not found message.” The Reddit status update page listed the problem as “Degraded Performance for reddit.com,” and was initially flagged as “Investigating.” At 4:32PM ET, the status was updated as “Identified – The issue has been identified and a fix is being implemented.”
Of course, the jokes on social media didn’t take long to start rolling in:
reddit is down. how am i supposed to google anything??— Corey Atad (@CoreyAtad) August 28, 2024
Reddit had another major outage earlier this year when it went down for nearly an hour.
We’ll keep an eye on the status and update this story accordingly.
Developing…This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/its-not-just-you-reddit-is-down-203615508.html?src=rss

Reddit is currently having some problems. The site appears to be down across the board, apart from a blank homepage that doesn’t contain or point to any content. “We encountered an error,” the website reads. “We were unable to load the content for this page.”

Clicking on any subreddits shows a “Community not found message.” The Reddit status update page listed the problem as “Degraded Performance for reddit.com,” and was initially flagged as “Investigating.” At 4:32PM ET, the status was updated as “Identified – The issue has been identified and a fix is being implemented.”

Of course, the jokes on social media didn’t take long to start rolling in:

Reddit had another major outage earlier this year when it went down for nearly an hour.

We’ll keep an eye on the status and update this story accordingly.

Developing…

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/its-not-just-you-reddit-is-down-203615508.html?src=rss

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Over the last six months, Meta has slowly begun to make good on its promise to make Threads compatible with the fediverse. The app allows users to share their posts to Mastodon and other Activity Pub-enabled services and began showing replies originating on those services earlier this summer.
Now, Threads is making those replies even more visible by allowing users who have opted in to fediverse sharing to see replies on other people’s posts. With the change, a new “fediverse replies” section will appear underneath posts that have drawn replies from Mastodon servers and other federated accounts.
Threads
Practically, this means that a lot more fediverse content will be visible within Threads. Up until now, most users probably weren’t seeing that many replies from Mastodon and other sites unless they had a particularly large following or a post that was widely shared. But now, you’ll be able to see all those replies just by browsing Threads.
As with previous updates, Threads’ support for other Activity Pub content is still limited. Users need to opt-in to fediverse sharing in order to view replies from other apps. The feature, which is still labeled as being in “beta,” notes that some replies may not be visible on the Meta-owned service. And Threads still doesn’t support replies to those replies, which drastically limits the ability to engage with other fediverse users. (In a follow-up, Meta engineer Peter Cottle said adding that functionality is “top of mind.”) But the update might help incentivize more users to open their accounts to the fediverse, which is an important step for anyone hoping to bring decentralized social media into the mainstream.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/social-media/threads-is-making-fediverse-replies-more-visible-in-its-app-194543494.html?src=rss

Over the last six months, Meta has slowly begun to make good on its promise to make Threads compatible with the fediverse. The app allows users to share their posts to Mastodon and other Activity Pub-enabled services and began showing replies originating on those services earlier this summer.

Now, Threads is making those replies even more visible by allowing users who have opted in to fediverse sharing to see replies on other people’s posts. With the change, a new “fediverse replies” section will appear underneath posts that have drawn replies from Mastodon servers and other federated accounts.

Practically, this means that a lot more fediverse content will be visible within Threads. Up until now, most users probably weren’t seeing that many replies from Mastodon and other sites unless they had a particularly large following or a post that was widely shared. But now, you’ll be able to see all those replies just by browsing Threads.

As with previous updates, Threads’ support for other Activity Pub content is still limited. Users need to opt-in to fediverse sharing in order to view replies from other apps. The feature, which is still labeled as being in “beta,” notes that some replies may not be visible on the Meta-owned service. And Threads still doesn’t support replies to those replies, which drastically limits the ability to engage with other fediverse users. (In a follow-up, Meta engineer Peter Cottle said adding that functionality is “top of mind.”) But the update might help incentivize more users to open their accounts to the fediverse, which is an important step for anyone hoping to bring decentralized social media into the mainstream.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/social-media/threads-is-making-fediverse-replies-more-visible-in-its-app-194543494.html?src=rss

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Apple’s latest iOS 18.1 and iPadOS 18.1 developer betas are here, and they include a few new Apple Intelligence features. The most notable is a Clean Up tool in the Photos app, which sounds very much like Google’s Magic Eraser. The idea is that you’ll be able to remove background objects from your snaps without modifying the subject — even if the undesirable item overlaps the person you’re focusing on. According to Apple, the tool can remove the shadow and the reflection of an unwanted object too.
The company notes that the Photos app will identify distracting background elements for you, so you should be able to remove them with a tap. Otherwise, you can circle or brush over an object you want to nix. Clean Up works for finer details when you zoom in too. The tool is compatible with every image on your camera roll, including those you took with an earlier iPhone or iPad, or even a DSLR.
There’s one other smaller Apple Intelligence update in the latest beta. Those who have been checking out previous builds have been able to receive summaries of multiple Mail and Messages notifications. This feature will now work for other apps.
There are several other Apple Intelligence features that the company has announced but is yet to start testing in developer betas, including image and emoji generation, priority notifications, in-app actions and personal context updates for Siri, availability for other languages and platforms and, of course, ChatGPT integration.
The only devices that support Apple Intelligence features at the minute are the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max, and Macs and iPads with an M1 chip or newer. Anyone with a compatible iPhone or iPad can install the latest iOS 18.1 and iPadOS 18.1 developer betas, but it’s always worth bearing in mind that betas can have bugs. So be sure to at least back up your data first if you don’t have a secondary device for testing and you don’t want to run the risk of having any major issues on the phone you use all the time.
Apple Intelligence features are unlikely to be included in the first retail versions of iOS 18 and iPadOS 18, which should be available soon after next month’s iPhone 16 event. They’ll probably start to roll out in iOS 18.1 and iPadOS 18.1, which are expected to be available to everyone in October.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/apples-latest-ios-and-ipados-developer-betas-include-an-ai-object-removal-tool-for-photos-185215465.html?src=rss

Apple’s latest iOS 18.1 and iPadOS 18.1 developer betas are here, and they include a few new Apple Intelligence features. The most notable is a Clean Up tool in the Photos app, which sounds very much like Google’s Magic Eraser. The idea is that you’ll be able to remove background objects from your snaps without modifying the subject — even if the undesirable item overlaps the person you’re focusing on. According to Apple, the tool can remove the shadow and the reflection of an unwanted object too.

The company notes that the Photos app will identify distracting background elements for you, so you should be able to remove them with a tap. Otherwise, you can circle or brush over an object you want to nix. Clean Up works for finer details when you zoom in too. The tool is compatible with every image on your camera roll, including those you took with an earlier iPhone or iPad, or even a DSLR.

There’s one other smaller Apple Intelligence update in the latest beta. Those who have been checking out previous builds have been able to receive summaries of multiple Mail and Messages notifications. This feature will now work for other apps.

There are several other Apple Intelligence features that the company has announced but is yet to start testing in developer betas, including image and emoji generation, priority notifications, in-app actions and personal context updates for Siri, availability for other languages and platforms and, of course, ChatGPT integration.

The only devices that support Apple Intelligence features at the minute are the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max, and Macs and iPads with an M1 chip or newer. Anyone with a compatible iPhone or iPad can install the latest iOS 18.1 and iPadOS 18.1 developer betas, but it’s always worth bearing in mind that betas can have bugs. So be sure to at least back up your data first if you don’t have a secondary device for testing and you don’t want to run the risk of having any major issues on the phone you use all the time.

Apple Intelligence features are unlikely to be included in the first retail versions of iOS 18 and iPadOS 18, which should be available soon after next month’s iPhone 16 event. They’ll probably start to roll out in iOS 18.1 and iPadOS 18.1, which are expected to be available to everyone in October.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/apples-latest-ios-and-ipados-developer-betas-include-an-ai-object-removal-tool-for-photos-185215465.html?src=rss

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Raven Software’s union — the first of its kind in the gaming industry — has hit another snag negotiating its collective bargaining agreement with Microsoft and Activision Blizzard, games journalist Stephen Totilo reported in his Game File newsletter. The union has filed an unfair labor practice complaint with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB), alleging chiefly that their employer refuses to bargain, or is not bargaining in good faith. The Raven workers succeeded in their union drive, joining the Communications Workers of America (CWA), over two years ago.
The full complaints have not been made available to the public as of Wednesday. We also reached out to Microsoft and Activision Blizzard for a comment on the complaint but did not receive a response as of presstime.
CWA president Claude Cummings Jr. released a statement following the unfair labor practice charges. He urged Microsoft to follow through on its agreement to respect the rights of the Raven Software workers’ union efforts.
“After Microsoft’s acquisition of Activision Blizzard, our members were optimistic that they would progress quickly to a first contract at Raven Software,” Cummings wrote. “Unfortunately, that has not happened. We encourage Microsoft to address the concerns raised in the unfair labor practice charge and make reaching a fair agreement a priority.”
An NLRB investigation revealed Activision Blizzard withheld raises from Raven’s workers following a separate unfair labor practice charge. The complaint filed by the CWA on behalf of workers in 2022 also accused the game publisher of retaliating against workers attempting to form a union by laying off staff members and moving QA workers to separate teams.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/microsoft-and-activision-blizzard-accused-of-bad-faith-bargaining-by-raven-software-union-workers-183040645.html?src=rss

Raven Software’s union — the first of its kind in the gaming industry — has hit another snag negotiating its collective bargaining agreement with Microsoft and Activision Blizzard, games journalist Stephen Totilo reported in his Game File newsletter. The union has filed an unfair labor practice complaint with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB), alleging chiefly that their employer refuses to bargain, or is not bargaining in good faith. The Raven workers succeeded in their union drive, joining the Communications Workers of America (CWA), over two years ago.

The full complaints have not been made available to the public as of Wednesday. We also reached out to Microsoft and Activision Blizzard for a comment on the complaint but did not receive a response as of presstime.

CWA president Claude Cummings Jr. released a statement following the unfair labor practice charges. He urged Microsoft to follow through on its agreement to respect the rights of the Raven Software workers’ union efforts.

“After Microsoft’s acquisition of Activision Blizzard, our members were optimistic that they would progress quickly to a first contract at Raven Software,” Cummings wrote. “Unfortunately, that has not happened. We encourage Microsoft to address the concerns raised in the unfair labor practice charge and make reaching a fair agreement a priority.”

An NLRB investigation revealed Activision Blizzard withheld raises from Raven’s workers following a separate unfair labor practice charge. The complaint filed by the CWA on behalf of workers in 2022 also accused the game publisher of retaliating against workers attempting to form a union by laying off staff members and moving QA workers to separate teams.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/microsoft-and-activision-blizzard-accused-of-bad-faith-bargaining-by-raven-software-union-workers-183040645.html?src=rss

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GameStop is pivoting to retro games at select locations. As the industry moves to digital media — and the retailer struggles to adapt to the shifting landscape (including a short-lived stab at NFTs) — the company is betting on the old school. The GameStop Retro locations will stock physical consoles, discs and cartridges from classic Nintendo, PlayStation, Xbox and Sega platforms.
The retailer announced the Retro GameStop locations in a post on X (Twitter). The company also has a website where you can search for retro-friendly locations within a 100-mile radius. (I found a grand total of one in my city.)
GameStop lists 18 classic systems supported by its Retro stores, stretching back to the 8-bit glory days of the Nintendo Entertainment System. Here’s the complete list (according to the company’s brief announcement), including their US launch years:

NES (1985)
SNES (1991)
Game Boy (1989)
Sega Genesis (1989)
PlayStation (1995)
Sega Saturn (1995)
Nintendo 64 (1996)
Sega Dreamcast (1999)
PS2 (2000)
Game Boy Advance (2001)
Nintendo GameCube (2001)
Original Xbox (2001)
Nintendo DS (2004)
Xbox 360 (2005)
Nintendo Wii (2006)
PS3 (2006)
Nintendo Wii U (2012)
PS Vita (2012)

You’ll notice that the PSP isn’t among the systems listed. Engadget emailed GameStop to try to confirm it’s omitted and learn more about the initiative. We’ll update this story if we hear back.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/gamestop-pivots-to-retro-gaming-at-select-locations-180704406.html?src=rss

GameStop is pivoting to retro games at select locations. As the industry moves to digital media — and the retailer struggles to adapt to the shifting landscape (including a short-lived stab at NFTs) — the company is betting on the old school. The GameStop Retro locations will stock physical consoles, discs and cartridges from classic Nintendo, PlayStation, Xbox and Sega platforms.

The retailer announced the Retro GameStop locations in a post on X (Twitter). The company also has a website where you can search for retro-friendly locations within a 100-mile radius. (I found a grand total of one in my city.)

GameStop lists 18 classic systems supported by its Retro stores, stretching back to the 8-bit glory days of the Nintendo Entertainment System. Here’s the complete list (according to the company’s brief announcement), including their US launch years:

NES (1985)

SNES (1991)

Game Boy (1989)

Sega Genesis (1989)

PlayStation (1995)

Sega Saturn (1995)

Nintendo 64 (1996)

Sega Dreamcast (1999)

PS2 (2000)

Game Boy Advance (2001)

Nintendo GameCube (2001)

Original Xbox (2001)

Nintendo DS (2004)

Xbox 360 (2005)

Nintendo Wii (2006)

PS3 (2006)

Nintendo Wii U (2012)

PS Vita (2012)

You’ll notice that the PSP isn’t among the systems listed. Engadget emailed GameStop to try to confirm it’s omitted and learn more about the initiative. We’ll update this story if we hear back.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/gamestop-pivots-to-retro-gaming-at-select-locations-180704406.html?src=rss

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