Epic Games’ mass layoffs led a programmer with terminal brain cancer to lose his life insurance, leaving him and his family struggling to find new coverage. Following news of the situation breaking, Epic CEO Tim Sweeney has said the company have reached out to the programmer – Mike Prinke – and that they “will solve the insurance”.
I almost forget I’m playing a Roblox game.
The post How To Play Bite By Night appeared first on Gamezebo.
Hello, new week of PC games! Hey, I thought you’d be taller. Ah, I see what’s happened: the Maw has eaten Friday again, and swallowed next Monday for good measure. As ever, the normies are calling this a “bank holiday weekend”. There are various festivities planned – apparently, some bunny has been running around laying chocolate eggs.
### The Arrival of Robo-Judges in the 2026 MLB Season
As the 2026 Major League Baseball (MLB) season begins, one of the most discussed advancements is the rollout of the Automated Ball-Strike (ABS) system, enabling players to contest calls made by umpires on the field. This innovative technology is transforming the dynamics of the game, already creating unforgettable instances, sparking fan enthusiasm, and resulting in ejections.
#### Understanding How the ABS System Operates
The ABS system permits players to challenge calls with a simple action—tapping their hats. When a pitcher throws a pitch, the umpire makes a standard call, signaling whether it’s a ball or a strike. However, if a player contests the ruling, they can request a review by touching their head. This signal prompts an AI-driven system to swiftly assess the pitch using a specific strike zone and presents the findings in real-time on screens within the stadium and for at-home viewers.
The ruling made by the ABS technology is conclusive. If a call is reversed, the team that initiated the challenge retains their option. Conversely, if they fail to win two challenges, they forfeit the ability to contest calls for the rest of the game.
#### Initial Triumphs and Disputes
In its initial phase, the ABS system has generated excitement among both fans and players. One remarkable episode featured Randy Arozarena, who, brimming with confidence in his challenge for a ball four call, sprinted towards first base, showcasing the system’s capacity to quickly reverse calls in favor of players.
Additionally, umpire C.B. Bucknor has come under fire for his rulings, with players swiftly overturning his decisions. This change prompts fans to erupt with cheers as they witness immediate corrections of earlier calls.
One highlight involved Eugenio Suárez challenging consecutive pitches deemed strikes by Bucknor, successfully overturning both occasions.
#### Manager Ejected Over ABS Challenges
The use of the ABS system does have its downsides. In one specific game, Minnesota Twins manager Derek Shelton was ejected for voicing his dissatisfaction with an umpire’s timing in signaling a challenge. He contended that the Orioles’ pitcher had delayed too long in initiating the challenge, revealing how the new technology can incite unforeseen tensions and disputes on the field.
#### The Game’s Transformation
Responses to the ABS system have been markedly favorable from fans, indicating that the overturning of inaccurate calls has become a highlight of the game, rather than mere footnotes. Trevor Plouffe, a former player, pointed out this change during a podcast, noting that some of the loudest roars from the crowd have stemmed from fans celebrating overturned calls instead of home runs.
While detractors may claim that technology is diminishing the human aspect of the game, advocates argue that the ABS system introduces a new level of excitement by facilitating prompt resolution of disagreements. It signifies a fusion of classic baseball with contemporary technology, forming a vibrant narrative that keeps fans captivated.
#### Conclusion
As the 2026 MLB season unfolds, the Automated Ball-Strike system is likely to see enhancements and modifications, but its early implementation indicates a possible change in how baseball games are played. As players and managers familiarize themselves with this new challenge framework, fans can anticipate a season filled with exhilarating moments, dramatic call reversals, and maybe a renewed appreciation for the game’s increasingly tech-forward nature.
Much of the time, using social media is like fondling a wasp’s nest, but sometimes, sometimes, social media is Nice. For example, Firaxis narrative director Cat Manning recently started a Bluesky thread “of small practical pieces of advice developers just starting out or unfamiliar with a genre might not know”. The replies and quote-posts include thoughts from people with credits on fairly big games.
Inevitably, they run the gamut of approachability. At one end of the spectrum, you have Apex Legends engineer Jay Stevens jauntily observing that “a navmesh is a very handy thing to have, even in a multiplayer game without NPCs”, which I maybe half-understand, and sounds like it could be the opening to a Broadway song of some kind. More digestibly, you have former Marvel’s Avengers and current Legacy of Orsinium developer Keano Raubun commenting that the “biggest bang for buck in (open world RPG) game writing will always be NPCs having funny ambient conversations amongst themselves”.
OpenAI’s video application Sora debuted in September to considerable excitement, drawing in users who promptly started to circulate generative videos featuring beloved franchises, including **Dragon Ball Z** and **SpongeBob**. However, the application is now on the verge of closure due to substantial financial deficits and a steep drop in active users, as detailed by the Wall Street Journal.
Sora initially reached a high of 1 million daily users, but that figure has since dwindled to below 500,000. The platform’s operating expenses have been remarkably high, with reports suggesting losses near $1 million daily. This unviable financial strategy has ultimately resulted in its downfall.
The AI video-sharing platform was designed as a means for OpenAI to connect with a doubtful public by demonstrating the entertaining possibilities of generative content. In a daring gesture, Disney allocated $1 billion towards the initiative, seeing Sora’s AI-crafted videos as part of a future offering on Disney+. Former Disney CEO Bob Iger showcased excitement for incorporating Sora’s features into Disney+, potentially leading to groundbreaking tools that could aid in developing new projects.
Nonetheless, the announcement of the shutdown came as a surprise to Disney executives, who allegedly discovered OpenAI’s decision just an hour before it was made public. This unforeseen development leaves Disney seeking new AI collaborations, while OpenAI redirects its attention towards robotics for upcoming endeavors.
The termination of Sora highlights the difficulties that technology firms encounter in striking a balance between innovation and sustainability, especially in the continually changing arena of AI and user interaction.
When James and I published our impressions of anime racer Screamer the other week, I mentioned I was keen to give its online races a go once it’d pulled out of the garage. Would the sights and sounds of sliding around its twisty tracks and slamming into real people make for as much fun as I’d had racing the computer in its story mode?
### Speculations Around Warhorse Studios and Additional Industry Updates
#### Is Warhorse Developing a *Lord of the Rings* Game?
Recently, excitement has escalated regarding Warhorse Studios possibly creating a *Lord of the Rings* game. Veteran of the Polish gaming sector, Ryszard Chojnowski, mentioned in a podcast that a reliable insider from Warhorse suggested the studio is in the process of developing an *LotR* title. This follows reports that their parent company Embracer has obtained $100 million in funding for an expansive *LotR* project. Warhorse has acknowledged that they are crafting a new RPG, which could either be a continuation of their *Kingdom Come* franchise or a completely new intellectual property. With the rising demand for large-scale, narrative-focused RPGs, the possibility of a *Hogwarts Legacy*-like reinterpretation of *Lord of the Rings* appears encouraging, although fewer studios remain available due to recent industry layoffs.
#### Disney’s Pursuit of Epic Games
In a notable turn of events, tech journalist Alex Heath disclosed on a podcast that Disney executives are mulling over the acquisition of Epic Games. Disney has heavily invested in Epic’s *Fortnite* engine, totaling $1.5 billion. The intention is to utilize Epic’s technology to improve its gaming and entertainment offerings. Nonetheless, uncertainty persists about whether Tim Sweeney, Epic’s CEO, would be open to losing control of his company.
#### Effects of Increasing Storage Costs on PC and Retro Gaming Handhelds
As rising storage component prices threaten the tech industry, companies like Ayaneo are announcing upcoming price increases for their handheld gaming devices. This shift is part of a larger trend affecting various gaming hardware due to changing material costs, raising concerns about affordability and stock in the gaming market.
#### *Peak* Launches Personalized Expeditions
In the realm of indie games, *Peak* has introduced a new functionality named the “Play It Your Way” update. This feature allows players to design missions with distinctive modifiers, including a mode titled “Grapple Mode (Stupid),” enabling limitless use of rescue claws. This enhancement aims to boost the game’s enjoyable and chaotic elements, appealing to a broad audience of players.
#### The Finale of *The Long Dark* Journey
The survival game *The Long Dark*, which made its debut in Steam Early Access in 2014, is reaching the culmination of its story as the fifth and final chapter set to release shortly. Raphael van Lierop, head of Hinterland Studios, elaborated on the importance of this release as a concluding installment for the studio and hinted at future initiatives that may arise from their journey with *The Long Dark*.
#### Launch Date for ZAUM’s Upcoming Game
From the minds behind *Disco Elysium*, ZAUM has revealed the release of their new espionage RPG titled *Zero Parades For Dead Spies*, set for May 21. Despite excitement for the project’s concept, it carries the burden of a complicated past following the controversial exit of significant team members from the studio, leaving fans questioning how this may affect the new title.
#### If You Missed It
In tech news, a viral video has emerged showcasing a Nintendo 64 emulator functioning on an Apple Watch, highlighting ongoing creativity and innovation in gaming technology.
This compilation of stories reflects the vibrant and often turbulent dynamics of the gaming industry as companies navigate both thrilling opportunities and considerable obstacles.
The Logitech G515 Lightspeed TKL first launched back in mid-2024 as a more affordable alternative to the Swiss brand’s all-conquering G915 TKL. It retained enough of the fundamentals – solid chassis, snappy low-profile switches, reliable wireless connectivity and so on – to make it feel like a strong value proposition at the time, although with current sales, has been made an even better one. I’m currently seeing it for its best prices in a while on both sides of the Atlantic – that’s £95 on Amazon UK and $70 on the Amazon USA – the latter is part of the final couple of days of the Amazon Spring Sale.
### Naughty Dog and the Future of “The Last of Us”: A Hint for Part III?
Naughty Dog, the renowned video game studio celebrated for developing critically acclaimed titles such as *The Last of Us* and *Uncharted*, is currently in the process of creating a new game, *Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet*. Yet, alongside this excitement, suggestions are surfacing that the studio may also be developing a third part of the beloved series, *The Last of Us*.
Neil Druckmann, the studio president and co-creator of *The Last of Us*, posted some fascinating sketches on his Instagram page. These illustrations, originating from 2003, represent early ideas for characters that would eventually transform into Joel and Ellie, the cherished heroes of the saga. Despite the preliminary artistic versions, the core essence of the characters endured, resulting in their final designs that struck a chord with players worldwide.
What draws attention from Druckmann’s recent posts is not solely the nostalgic imagery but his enigmatic caption: “Been a wild journey. Grateful for every part of it, especially the few stops that remain on the road ahead.” This wording fuels speculation among fans regarding the possible development of *The Last of Us Part III*. Although Druckmann has hinted at the idea of another game in the past, he has also advised fans to avoid “betting” on the third installment. Nonetheless, his acknowledgment that there is still a narrative he wishes to convey keeps the anticipation alive.
Fans of the series are undeniably enthusiastic yet also wary about the idea of a new chapter, particularly given the emotional depth of the earlier titles. The ending of *The Last of Us Part II* left players with a sense of hopeful uncertainty, neatly concluding the narrative arcs introduced in the first game while still providing room for future exploration.
However, with the mixed feedback on *The Last of Us* HBO adaptation and worries about the narrative’s handling in different formats—including potential mass-produced adaptations—some long-term fans of the franchise are encouraging Naughty Dog to channel their creativity into fresh projects instead of revisiting a story that has already made a significant impact.
In the end, the possibility of a third installment in *The Last of Us* franchise remains ambiguous, caught between Druckmann’s allusions and the studio’s current endeavors. Whether players will see Ellie face new challenges or embark on another emotionally charged journey is yet to be revealed. For the time being, fans are left to ponder and hope as they await more updates from Naughty Dog.
