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Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge

Instagram is testing “ad breaks” that force you to stop and look at an ad for a period of time before you can continue scrolling. Several X and Reddit users reported seeing the feature, and Instagram spokesperson Matthew Tye confirmed to The Verge that ad breaks are being tested. Tye said Instagram would “provide updates should this test result in any formal product changes.”
One Redditor spotted the feature when scrolling through stories and posts. After a certain amount of scrolling, Instagram prevented them from going further until they looked at an ad. As shown in the screenshot, Instagram displays an “ad break” icon with a countdown timer that shows how long until you can start scrolling again.

When the user tapped the icon for more information about the feature, Instagram showed a message saying, “Ad breaks are a new way of seeing ads on Instagram. Sometimes you may need to view an ad before you can keep browsing.”
Instagram already displays sponsored posts and ads between the content you’re scrolling through, whether it’s your home feed or Reels. But sticking unskippable content between posts takes this to another level — and seems pretty disruptive. “We’re always testing formats that can drive value for advertisers,” Tye says.
Aside from Instagram, YouTube also shows unskippable ads before and during videos. It even expanded unskippable, 30-second commercials to its TV app last year. Both YouTube and TikTok also slot ads between their shortform videos, but you can still swipe right past them.

Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge

Instagram is testing “ad breaks” that force you to stop and look at an ad for a period of time before you can continue scrolling. Several X and Reddit users reported seeing the feature, and Instagram spokesperson Matthew Tye confirmed to The Verge that ad breaks are being tested. Tye said Instagram would “provide updates should this test result in any formal product changes.”

One Redditor spotted the feature when scrolling through stories and posts. After a certain amount of scrolling, Instagram prevented them from going further until they looked at an ad. As shown in the screenshot, Instagram displays an “ad break” icon with a countdown timer that shows how long until you can start scrolling again.

When the user tapped the icon for more information about the feature, Instagram showed a message saying, “Ad breaks are a new way of seeing ads on Instagram. Sometimes you may need to view an ad before you can keep browsing.”

Instagram already displays sponsored posts and ads between the content you’re scrolling through, whether it’s your home feed or Reels. But sticking unskippable content between posts takes this to another level — and seems pretty disruptive. “We’re always testing formats that can drive value for advertisers,” Tye says.

Aside from Instagram, YouTube also shows unskippable ads before and during videos. It even expanded unskippable, 30-second commercials to its TV app last year. Both YouTube and TikTok also slot ads between their shortform videos, but you can still swipe right past them.

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Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge

Amazon’s Project PI, or “Private Investigator,” setup combines generative AI and computer vision to “see” damage on products or determine if they are the wrong color or size before the item gets sent to customers.
The way it works is that products on their way to customers go through a tunnel that scans the items. The computer vision program — a type of AI that looks at images and understands what’s in them — checks to see if there is damage. If it finds something, that item is isolated, while the system evaluates the defect and determines if there’s an issue with similar items to track down the root cause.

Image: Amazon
An example of how Project PI works.

According to Amazon, Project PI is active in “several” North American warehouses and will be added to more sites throughout the year. Last year, Amazon rolled out a different system that flags frequently returned items to highlight items that tend to have issues before customers actually hit the order button. This all highlights how avoiding a potentially “nightmarish” return process is good for customers, Amazon, and the environment in terms of reducing carbon emissions.
The company says human Amazon employees review the things Project PI flagged so they can decide if they will be sold at a discounted price on Amazon’s Second Chance resell site or be donated elsewhere.
Amazon is also working on bringing in a multimodal large language model to investigate why customers are dissatisfied with the items they receive. The AI tool reviews what customers say in their feedback and then scans images from Project PI and other data sources to try to find out where things went wrong. Amazon says this technology could be helpful to its other sellers so they know if they accidentally mislabeled items.

Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge

Amazon’s Project PI, or “Private Investigator,” setup combines generative AI and computer vision to “see” damage on products or determine if they are the wrong color or size before the item gets sent to customers.

The way it works is that products on their way to customers go through a tunnel that scans the items. The computer vision program — a type of AI that looks at images and understands what’s in them — checks to see if there is damage. If it finds something, that item is isolated, while the system evaluates the defect and determines if there’s an issue with similar items to track down the root cause.

Image: Amazon
An example of how Project PI works.

According to Amazon, Project PI is active in “several” North American warehouses and will be added to more sites throughout the year. Last year, Amazon rolled out a different system that flags frequently returned items to highlight items that tend to have issues before customers actually hit the order button. This all highlights how avoiding a potentially “nightmarish” return process is good for customers, Amazon, and the environment in terms of reducing carbon emissions.

The company says human Amazon employees review the things Project PI flagged so they can decide if they will be sold at a discounted price on Amazon’s Second Chance resell site or be donated elsewhere.

Amazon is also working on bringing in a multimodal large language model to investigate why customers are dissatisfied with the items they receive. The AI tool reviews what customers say in their feedback and then scans images from Project PI and other data sources to try to find out where things went wrong. Amazon says this technology could be helpful to its other sellers so they know if they accidentally mislabeled items.

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Samsung isn’t waiting for Oura to hit it with patent suits. | Photo by Allison Johnson / The Verge

Samsung isn’t waiting around for Oura to file any patent claims over its forthcoming smart ring. Instead, it’s preemptively filed its own suit against Oura, seeking a “declaratory judgment” that states the Galaxy Ring doesn’t infringe on five Oura patents.
The suit alleges that Oura has a pattern of filing patent suits against competitors based on “features common to virtually all smart rings.” In particular, the suit references sensors, electronics, batteries, and scores based on metrics gathered from sensors. The case lists instances in which Oura sued rivals like Ultrahuman, Circular, and RingConn, sometimes before they even entered the US market.

For those reasons, Samsung says in the suit that it anticipates being the target of an Oura suit. And it brought receipts, too. Shortly after the Galaxy Ring was announced, Oura sent an unprompted statement to multiple publishers — including The Verge — about the strength of its IP portfolio, noting it had “100 granted patents, 270 pending patent applications, and 130+ registered trademarks.” The suit also cites a CNBC interview with Oura CEO Tom Hale in which he said the company would closely monitor Samsung’s Galaxy Ring and “take the action that’s appropriate.” Samsung goes on to cite several other instances of Hale and other Oura executives touting the strength of the company’s IP portfolio — and the fact that it’s willing to take action to protect its patents.
The Verge reached out to Oura regarding the lawsuit but did not receive an immediate response.

Photo by Allison Johnson / The Verge
The suit also confirms some details — like the fact the Galaxy Ring is planned for August.

The lawsuit also confirms several details about the forthcoming Galaxy Ring. It notes that the hardware design was finalized in mid-May, that it’s scheduled to begin mass production in mid-June, and is expected to hit the US market “in or around August of this year.” It also includes a Samsung Health app screenshot showing an “Energy Score” feature based on metrics like sleep, activity, heart rate, and heart rate variability.
It’s not uncommon to see these types of patent battles in the gadget world. Medical device maker Masimo, for example, made headlines late last year when it won an ITC import ban against the Apple Watch, claiming it infringed on its blood oxygen patents. That said, if the court rules in Samsung’s favor, it could have a ripple effect in the smart ring market. Until now, Oura has been virtually uncontested as the leader of the smart ring market. Samsung is the first big-name tech giant to throw its hat in the ring — and given its rich gadget ecosystem, it poses a real threat to Oura in a way smaller, less recognizable smart ring makers haven’t. Plus, a win for Samsung here could give smaller smart ring makers some ammo against Oura.
In any case, Samsung’s entrance into the smart ring market is a sign this category is heating up after a few years of sitting on the back burner. And if the past few months are any indication, Oura may be feeling the heat. It’s released several software updates in the past few months, while also expanding its sales channels to retailers like Best Buy, Target, and Amazon.

Samsung isn’t waiting for Oura to hit it with patent suits. | Photo by Allison Johnson / The Verge

Samsung isn’t waiting around for Oura to file any patent claims over its forthcoming smart ring. Instead, it’s preemptively filed its own suit against Oura, seeking a “declaratory judgment” that states the Galaxy Ring doesn’t infringe on five Oura patents.

The suit alleges that Oura has a pattern of filing patent suits against competitors based on “features common to virtually all smart rings.” In particular, the suit references sensors, electronics, batteries, and scores based on metrics gathered from sensors. The case lists instances in which Oura sued rivals like Ultrahuman, Circular, and RingConn, sometimes before they even entered the US market.

For those reasons, Samsung says in the suit that it anticipates being the target of an Oura suit. And it brought receipts, too. Shortly after the Galaxy Ring was announced, Oura sent an unprompted statement to multiple publishers — including The Verge — about the strength of its IP portfolio, noting it had “100 granted patents, 270 pending patent applications, and 130+ registered trademarks.” The suit also cites a CNBC interview with Oura CEO Tom Hale in which he said the company would closely monitor Samsung’s Galaxy Ring and “take the action that’s appropriate.” Samsung goes on to cite several other instances of Hale and other Oura executives touting the strength of the company’s IP portfolio — and the fact that it’s willing to take action to protect its patents.

The Verge reached out to Oura regarding the lawsuit but did not receive an immediate response.

Photo by Allison Johnson / The Verge
The suit also confirms some details — like the fact the Galaxy Ring is planned for August.

The lawsuit also confirms several details about the forthcoming Galaxy Ring. It notes that the hardware design was finalized in mid-May, that it’s scheduled to begin mass production in mid-June, and is expected to hit the US market “in or around August of this year.” It also includes a Samsung Health app screenshot showing an “Energy Score” feature based on metrics like sleep, activity, heart rate, and heart rate variability.

It’s not uncommon to see these types of patent battles in the gadget world. Medical device maker Masimo, for example, made headlines late last year when it won an ITC import ban against the Apple Watch, claiming it infringed on its blood oxygen patents. That said, if the court rules in Samsung’s favor, it could have a ripple effect in the smart ring market. Until now, Oura has been virtually uncontested as the leader of the smart ring market. Samsung is the first big-name tech giant to throw its hat in the ring — and given its rich gadget ecosystem, it poses a real threat to Oura in a way smaller, less recognizable smart ring makers haven’t. Plus, a win for Samsung here could give smaller smart ring makers some ammo against Oura.

In any case, Samsung’s entrance into the smart ring market is a sign this category is heating up after a few years of sitting on the back burner. And if the past few months are any indication, Oura may be feeling the heat. It’s released several software updates in the past few months, while also expanding its sales channels to retailers like Best Buy, Target, and Amazon.

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You can buy the set for just $80. | Image: Lego

Lego’s just-released massive Barad-dûr set is pretty cool, I’m not going to lie. Yet, at $460 and with over 5,000 pieces, it’s not for everybody. If you’re looking for a good Father’s Day gift that’ll eat up less money and time, Lego’s NASA Apollo 11 lunar lander set might be a better alternative. Normally $99.99, right now, it’s available on sale as an Amazon Lightning Deal for $79.99 ($20 off). That’s the set’s best price of the year and only $10 shy of its all-time low.

Image: Lego
The set features detachable descent and ascent stages.

Developed together with NASA, the set was released in 2019 to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 mission — also known as the mission that landed the first humans on the Moon. The 1,087-piece set contains a replica of the lander that, once assembled, you can display on a Lego base designed to resemble the Moon’s surface.

Image: Lego
The highly detailed interior along with a little astronaut.

Lego’s also thrown in a lot of other details to bring the mission to life, from the US flag to an interior for the ascent stage half of the lander. There are even two minifigure astronauts and the lunar lander ladder they climbed down. It’s a terrifically fun piece to spend an afternoon building. All in all, it’s a set that makes for a pretty unique piece of office or home decor.

You can buy the set for just $80. | Image: Lego

Lego’s just-released massive Barad-dûr set is pretty cool, I’m not going to lie. Yet, at $460 and with over 5,000 pieces, it’s not for everybody. If you’re looking for a good Father’s Day gift that’ll eat up less money and time, Lego’s NASA Apollo 11 lunar lander set might be a better alternative. Normally $99.99, right now, it’s available on sale as an Amazon Lightning Deal for $79.99 ($20 off). That’s the set’s best price of the year and only $10 shy of its all-time low.

Image: Lego
The set features detachable descent and ascent stages.

Developed together with NASA, the set was released in 2019 to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 mission — also known as the mission that landed the first humans on the Moon. The 1,087-piece set contains a replica of the lander that, once assembled, you can display on a Lego base designed to resemble the Moon’s surface.

Image: Lego
The highly detailed interior along with a little astronaut.

Lego’s also thrown in a lot of other details to bring the mission to life, from the US flag to an interior for the ascent stage half of the lander. There are even two minifigure astronauts and the lunar lander ladder they climbed down. It’s a terrifically fun piece to spend an afternoon building. All in all, it’s a set that makes for a pretty unique piece of office or home decor.

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Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge

Peacock may not be the biggest streaming service, but with deals like this, it definitely feels like one of the thirstiest (and to your benefit). That’s because a one-year subscription to NBCUniversal’s streamer is available to new subscribers for just $19.99 ($30 off) through June 30th when you use coupon code STREAMTHEDEAL.

The current promo is for the ad-supported Peacock Premium tier, which includes all the 2024 Paris Olympics coverage, the 2024–2025 season of Sunday Night Football, WWE premium live events, and a wide variety of shows and movies. Really, that’s quite a lot for just 20 bones, though if you’re the type to churn through streaming services or hop from deal to deal, you should be sure to turn off auto-renew well before it charges you full price a year from now.
Another reason this deal is excellently timed is Peacock’s price is increasing next month. So if that aforementioned auto-renewal hits next year, the annual Premium plan will cost $79.99 instead of the $59.99 it normally costs now. Ouch.

Some more deals that aren’t colorful streaming birds

Eufy’s Smart Scale P2 Pro is on sale for $44.99 ($35 off) at Amazon when you click the on-page coupon. The Wi-Fi and Bluetooth-connected bathroom scale can measure muscle mass and bone density as well as weight.
With Sony’s PlayStation Days of Play sale going on until June 12th, it’s a good time to pick up some digital PlayStation 5 games or re-up your PlayStation Plus subscription. One way you can save even more is by paying for those digital goods via discounted PlayStation Store e-gift cards. And now until June 6th at 7AM ET, Eneba is taking an extra 13.5 percent off various PlayStation Store digital gift cards when you use code DaysOfPlayUS at checkout.
The HyperX Pulsefire Core is currently selling for just $10.50 (about $19 off) at Amazon. It’s a fairly no-frills wired gaming mouse with a light-up logo, but for about 10 bucks, you get seven buttons and programmable macros in a fairly lightweight mouse. (It clocks in at just 87 grams.)

Belkin’s MagSafe 3-in-1 Wireless Charging Stand, one of our favorite Apple multi-chargers for home use, is down to $109.99 ($40 off) at Amazon. The tree-like stand charges your phone at up to 15W while elevating it to a nice angle for viewing while at your desk. You can also use it to juice a pair of AirPods while fast-charging a compatible Apple Watch beside it.

Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge

Peacock may not be the biggest streaming service, but with deals like this, it definitely feels like one of the thirstiest (and to your benefit). That’s because a one-year subscription to NBCUniversal’s streamer is available to new subscribers for just $19.99 ($30 off) through June 30th when you use coupon code STREAMTHEDEAL.

The current promo is for the ad-supported Peacock Premium tier, which includes all the 2024 Paris Olympics coverage, the 2024–2025 season of Sunday Night Football, WWE premium live events, and a wide variety of shows and movies. Really, that’s quite a lot for just 20 bones, though if you’re the type to churn through streaming services or hop from deal to deal, you should be sure to turn off auto-renew well before it charges you full price a year from now.

Another reason this deal is excellently timed is Peacock’s price is increasing next month. So if that aforementioned auto-renewal hits next year, the annual Premium plan will cost $79.99 instead of the $59.99 it normally costs now. Ouch.

Some more deals that aren’t colorful streaming birds

Eufy’s Smart Scale P2 Pro is on sale for $44.99 ($35 off) at Amazon when you click the on-page coupon. The Wi-Fi and Bluetooth-connected bathroom scale can measure muscle mass and bone density as well as weight.
With Sony’s PlayStation Days of Play sale going on until June 12th, it’s a good time to pick up some digital PlayStation 5 games or re-up your PlayStation Plus subscription. One way you can save even more is by paying for those digital goods via discounted PlayStation Store e-gift cards. And now until June 6th at 7AM ET, Eneba is taking an extra 13.5 percent off various PlayStation Store digital gift cards when you use code DaysOfPlayUS at checkout.
The HyperX Pulsefire Core is currently selling for just $10.50 (about $19 off) at Amazon. It’s a fairly no-frills wired gaming mouse with a light-up logo, but for about 10 bucks, you get seven buttons and programmable macros in a fairly lightweight mouse. (It clocks in at just 87 grams.)

Belkin’s MagSafe 3-in-1 Wireless Charging Stand, one of our favorite Apple multi-chargers for home use, is down to $109.99 ($40 off) at Amazon. The tree-like stand charges your phone at up to 15W while elevating it to a nice angle for viewing while at your desk. You can also use it to juice a pair of AirPods while fast-charging a compatible Apple Watch beside it.

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A Long March 5 carrier rocket launched the Chang ‘e 6 probe into space on May 3rd. | Photo: CFOTO / Future Publishing via Getty Images

China’s Chang’e 6 spacecraft successfully landed on the far side of the Moon — and it plans to bring back soil and rock samples to Earth for the first time.
The probe touched down on the Moon’s South Pole–Aitken Basin, which faces away from Earth, at 6:23AM Beijing time, according to the China National Space Administration (CNSA). It used laser 3D scanning and an autonomous avoidance system to detect obstacles before landing. You can see the probe make its careful descent to the lunar surface in the video embedded below.

Video: China National Space Administration

It will take the Chang’e 6 about two days to take the samples from the Moon’s surface using a scoop and drill. The probe is also carrying payloads from the European Space Agency, France, and Italy, which China’s space agency says “will work as planned and carry out scientific exploration missions.”
Once it’s finished collecting samples, the Chang’e 6 probe will launch a capsule containing the material into lunar orbit, where it will link up with the Chang’e 6 orbiter and return to Earth on June 25th.
China landed a spacecraft on the far side of the Moon for the first time in 2019 and later sent the Chang’e 5 spacecraft to collect samples from the close side of the Moon in 2020. Trips to the far side of the Moon are much more challenging, as the Moon blocks communications signals and has a bumpier terrain.

A Long March 5 carrier rocket launched the Chang ‘e 6 probe into space on May 3rd. | Photo: CFOTO / Future Publishing via Getty Images

China’s Chang’e 6 spacecraft successfully landed on the far side of the Moon — and it plans to bring back soil and rock samples to Earth for the first time.

The probe touched down on the Moon’s South Pole–Aitken Basin, which faces away from Earth, at 6:23AM Beijing time, according to the China National Space Administration (CNSA). It used laser 3D scanning and an autonomous avoidance system to detect obstacles before landing. You can see the probe make its careful descent to the lunar surface in the video embedded below.

It will take the Chang’e 6 about two days to take the samples from the Moon’s surface using a scoop and drill. The probe is also carrying payloads from the European Space Agency, France, and Italy, which China’s space agency says “will work as planned and carry out scientific exploration missions.”

Once it’s finished collecting samples, the Chang’e 6 probe will launch a capsule containing the material into lunar orbit, where it will link up with the Chang’e 6 orbiter and return to Earth on June 25th.

China landed a spacecraft on the far side of the Moon for the first time in 2019 and later sent the Chang’e 5 spacecraft to collect samples from the close side of the Moon in 2020. Trips to the far side of the Moon are much more challenging, as the Moon blocks communications signals and has a bumpier terrain.

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Illustration: The Verge

As spotted by TechCrunch, X updated its guidelines to let users “share consensually produced and distributed adult nudity or sexual behavior” as long as it’s labeled and not in a prominent location, such as a profile picture or banner.
In the past, X — formerly known as Twitter — didn’t explicitly ban porn. It became a home for some NSFW creators following the launch of Twitter Blue (now X Premium), as creators could encourage followers to pay to view content, similar to OnlyFans. NSFW content could be another form of revenue for X, which has seen a dip in ad sales following Elon Musk’s takeover.
The platform will require users who “regularly post” NSFW content to adjust their settings to mark the images and videos they post as sensitive content. X’s rules apply to all adult content, whether AI-generated, photographic, or animated. By default, users who aren’t 18 or haven’t entered their birth date can’t view NSFW material. The new rules also ban content “promoting exploitation, nonconsent, objectification, sexualization or harm to minors, and obscene behaviors.”

X said in March that it would start letting NSFW communities apply an “Adult Content” label to prevent posts from getting automatically filtered. The platform also said it would start hiding likes on profiles, something that had often exposed accounts (Ted Cruz) for liking content that was adult or objectionable in other ways.
Despite the new terms of service changes, cracking down on rule-breakers will be easier said than done, which is something the Twitter team considered when exploring monetizing adult content in 2022. We’ve already seen explicit AI-generated images of Taylor Swift flood X in January, and the platform wasn’t immediately successful in stopping them from spreading.
Other social platforms have run into issues with maintaining NSFW communities. Tumblr most notably banned adult content in 2018 (before updating the policy to allow some adult material a few years later), not long after its app was removed from the App Store because of posts containing child sexual abuse material, and traffic quickly dipped. Meanwhile, payment processors like Mastercard and Visa cut off payments on Pornhub and started enforcing bans on other platforms, leading Patreon, eBay, and even OnlyFans to introduce stricter rules around the adult content they allow.

Illustration: The Verge

As spotted by TechCrunch, X updated its guidelines to let users “share consensually produced and distributed adult nudity or sexual behavior” as long as it’s labeled and not in a prominent location, such as a profile picture or banner.

In the past, X — formerly known as Twitter — didn’t explicitly ban porn. It became a home for some NSFW creators following the launch of Twitter Blue (now X Premium), as creators could encourage followers to pay to view content, similar to OnlyFans. NSFW content could be another form of revenue for X, which has seen a dip in ad sales following Elon Musk’s takeover.

The platform will require users who “regularly post” NSFW content to adjust their settings to mark the images and videos they post as sensitive content. X’s rules apply to all adult content, whether AI-generated, photographic, or animated. By default, users who aren’t 18 or haven’t entered their birth date can’t view NSFW material. The new rules also ban content “promoting exploitation, nonconsent, objectification, sexualization or harm to minors, and obscene behaviors.”

X said in March that it would start letting NSFW communities apply an “Adult Content” label to prevent posts from getting automatically filtered. The platform also said it would start hiding likes on profiles, something that had often exposed accounts (Ted Cruz) for liking content that was adult or objectionable in other ways.

Despite the new terms of service changes, cracking down on rule-breakers will be easier said than done, which is something the Twitter team considered when exploring monetizing adult content in 2022. We’ve already seen explicit AI-generated images of Taylor Swift flood X in January, and the platform wasn’t immediately successful in stopping them from spreading.

Other social platforms have run into issues with maintaining NSFW communities. Tumblr most notably banned adult content in 2018 (before updating the policy to allow some adult material a few years later), not long after its app was removed from the App Store because of posts containing child sexual abuse material, and traffic quickly dipped. Meanwhile, payment processors like Mastercard and Visa cut off payments on Pornhub and started enforcing bans on other platforms, leading Patreon, eBay, and even OnlyFans to introduce stricter rules around the adult content they allow.

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Image: Larian Studios

It’s gonna get pretty funky in Faerûn with official mod support coming to Baldur’s Gate 3. Larian Studios announced that official mod support will roll out in phases, starting today with a closed alpha, before a closed beta test in July, culminating with the official release of Patch 7 in September. According to Larian, the staggered testing phases will give the community ample time to test the new mod tools before making them available across PC and consoles.

Coming to you this September, Patch 7 will introduce an official modding toolkit so you can bring your wildest ideas to life! Closed Alpha Begins Today ️Closed Beta – July ️Modding FAQRead more in Community Update #27 – Official Modding Support: https://t.co/lwdOkUUUOa pic.twitter.com/EOwNFqh3gt— Baldur’s Gate 3 (@baldursgate3) June 3, 2024

If you have experience with official mod support in games like Skyrim or Fallout, Larian’s approach will sound similar. On PC, mods will be tested to ensure terms of service compatibility and overall stability before approval. Those mods will then undergo additional approvals before coming to console. While PC players will have access to the full suite of mod creation tools, and mods can still be made, downloaded, and played without using the official mod browser, console players will only be able to browse and install mods officially approved by Larian.
You can check out the full Baldur’s Gate 3 mod FAQ page here, and players interested in testing mod support during the closed beta in July will have the opportunity to sign up at a later date. As Larian has stated, it has no plans of creating DLC or a Baldur’s Gate 3 sequel, so offering official mod support is the studio’s way of letting the community take over the reins of Baldur’s Gate 3 development to ensure the game stays fresh for years to come.
Patch 7 isn’t just introducing mod support tools. It’ll also contain substantial content updates for the game, including improved evil endings, tons of small narrative additions (Wyll romancers, your time is coming), and bug fixes. Beyond Patch 7’s release in September, Larian also said it plans on adding crossplay and photo mode.

Image: Larian Studios

It’s gonna get pretty funky in Faerûn with official mod support coming to Baldur’s Gate 3. Larian Studios announced that official mod support will roll out in phases, starting today with a closed alpha, before a closed beta test in July, culminating with the official release of Patch 7 in September. According to Larian, the staggered testing phases will give the community ample time to test the new mod tools before making them available across PC and consoles.

If you have experience with official mod support in games like Skyrim or Fallout, Larian’s approach will sound similar. On PC, mods will be tested to ensure terms of service compatibility and overall stability before approval. Those mods will then undergo additional approvals before coming to console. While PC players will have access to the full suite of mod creation tools, and mods can still be made, downloaded, and played without using the official mod browser, console players will only be able to browse and install mods officially approved by Larian.

You can check out the full Baldur’s Gate 3 mod FAQ page here, and players interested in testing mod support during the closed beta in July will have the opportunity to sign up at a later date. As Larian has stated, it has no plans of creating DLC or a Baldur’s Gate 3 sequel, so offering official mod support is the studio’s way of letting the community take over the reins of Baldur’s Gate 3 development to ensure the game stays fresh for years to come.

Patch 7 isn’t just introducing mod support tools. It’ll also contain substantial content updates for the game, including improved evil endings, tons of small narrative additions (Wyll romancers, your time is coming), and bug fixes. Beyond Patch 7’s release in September, Larian also said it plans on adding crossplay and photo mode.

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The new Multi-Cam feature is only available to iPadOS users. | Image: Sony

Sony has released a new update for its Monitor & Control (M&C) mobile app that makes it easier for users to remotely observe and operate camera feeds on smartphones and tablets. Most notably, version 2.0.0 of the M&C app introduces a new Multi-Camera Monitoring feature that allows users to control and preview up to four cameras at once, much like the Final Cut Camera iOS app that Apple released in May.
While the M&C app is available for both iOS and Android, Sony’s new Multi-Camera Monitoring feature is exclusive to iPadOS. It supports both wired and wireless connections via Wi-Fi or hotspotting for shooting in remote locations. We’ve asked Sony if this feature will eventually be available to iPhone and Android users and will update this story if we hear back.
More broadly, the updated app now also supports a wider range of Sony cameras, including Burano, FX6, FX3, FX30, Alpha 1, Alpha 9 III, and Alpha 7S III models. Full Screen Monitoring — which Sony says provides “an unobstructed view of live images” across all supported camera models — is additionally available, resolving a long-standing gripe users had with camera feeds being cropped or resized on external displays.
The update sprinkles in other improvements, such as giving users the ability to select and customize up to three tools for their screen, and more intuitive controls for adjusting frame rate, sensitivity, shutter speed, ND filter, look, and white balance settings. Version 2.0.0 of the M&C app is available now as a free download via the App Store and Google Play.

The new Multi-Cam feature is only available to iPadOS users. | Image: Sony

Sony has released a new update for its Monitor & Control (M&C) mobile app that makes it easier for users to remotely observe and operate camera feeds on smartphones and tablets. Most notably, version 2.0.0 of the M&C app introduces a new Multi-Camera Monitoring feature that allows users to control and preview up to four cameras at once, much like the Final Cut Camera iOS app that Apple released in May.

While the M&C app is available for both iOS and Android, Sony’s new Multi-Camera Monitoring feature is exclusive to iPadOS. It supports both wired and wireless connections via Wi-Fi or hotspotting for shooting in remote locations. We’ve asked Sony if this feature will eventually be available to iPhone and Android users and will update this story if we hear back.

More broadly, the updated app now also supports a wider range of Sony cameras, including Burano, FX6, FX3, FX30, Alpha 1, Alpha 9 III, and Alpha 7S III models. Full Screen Monitoring — which Sony says provides “an unobstructed view of live images” across all supported camera models — is additionally available, resolving a long-standing gripe users had with camera feeds being cropped or resized on external displays.

The update sprinkles in other improvements, such as giving users the ability to select and customize up to three tools for their screen, and more intuitive controls for adjusting frame rate, sensitivity, shutter speed, ND filter, look, and white balance settings. Version 2.0.0 of the M&C app is available now as a free download via the App Store and Google Play.

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Image: Sony

The PlayStation VR2’s PC adapter is now official. Just a few days after a certification revealed that Sony was working on the adapter, which would add PC support to the PS5-exclusive headset, the company officially unveiled the connector. It launches on August 7th and will cost $59.99.
Sony says the device will support all Steam VR games, including big-name titles like Half-Life: Alyx. In addition to the new adapter, Sony says players will need a DisplayPort cable to work with Steam titles on PC. (As well as a Steam account, obviously.) You can check out the minimum system requirements right here.
In a blog post, Sony explains that there will be some feature differences depending on whether you’re playing on PS5 or PC:
PS VR2 was designed from the ground up specifically for PS5 — so you’ll notice that some key features, like HDR, headset feedback, eye tracking, adaptive triggers, and haptic feedback (other than rumble), are not available when playing on PC. However, other high-fidelity and sensory immersion features of PS VR2 are supported, including 4K visuals (2000 x 2040 per eye), 110-degree field of view, finger touch detection, and see-through view, as well as foveated rendering (without eye tracking) and 3D Audio in supported games.
Sony originally confirmed PC support was coming to the device back in February, which would allow PSVR 2 owners to connect the device to a PC to play non-PlayStation games. At the time, it didn’t reveal any timing beyond a vague 2024. That reveal came almost exactly a year after the headset launched.

Image: Sony

The PlayStation VR2’s PC adapter is now official. Just a few days after a certification revealed that Sony was working on the adapter, which would add PC support to the PS5-exclusive headset, the company officially unveiled the connector. It launches on August 7th and will cost $59.99.

Sony says the device will support all Steam VR games, including big-name titles like Half-Life: Alyx. In addition to the new adapter, Sony says players will need a DisplayPort cable to work with Steam titles on PC. (As well as a Steam account, obviously.) You can check out the minimum system requirements right here.

In a blog post, Sony explains that there will be some feature differences depending on whether you’re playing on PS5 or PC:

PS VR2 was designed from the ground up specifically for PS5 — so you’ll notice that some key features, like HDR, headset feedback, eye tracking, adaptive triggers, and haptic feedback (other than rumble), are not available when playing on PC. However, other high-fidelity and sensory immersion features of PS VR2 are supported, including 4K visuals (2000 x 2040 per eye), 110-degree field of view, finger touch detection, and see-through view, as well as foveated rendering (without eye tracking) and 3D Audio in supported games.

Sony originally confirmed PC support was coming to the device back in February, which would allow PSVR 2 owners to connect the device to a PC to play non-PlayStation games. At the time, it didn’t reveal any timing beyond a vague 2024. That reveal came almost exactly a year after the headset launched.

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