TheVerge

Amazon has enough satellites to launch its Starlink competitor

by

Payloads of Amazon’s Leo satellites sorted by launch vehicle. | Image: Amazon Amazon says it now has enough satellites operating in low-Earth orbit to light up its Starlink internet competitor. With last night’s launch, Amazon Leo has 396 satellites deployed, which is “enough to support continuous service across initial latitudes,” according to Chris Weber, VP … Read more

The funeral for PlayStation discs has begun

by

Cody Spencer, the co-owner of the small games retail chain Pink Gorilla Games, put it well when I asked about the impact of Sony’s recent announcement that it will stop making discs for new games starting January 2028. “It’s sad to see. This decision is only a negative for gamers. We’re losing the ability to … Read more

Xbox’s ‘reset’: all the news about Microsoft’s looming layoffs and studio closures

by

Xbox is making some big changes — again. On June 10th, a few months after Asha Sharma took over as CEO, she and newly-promoted chief content officer Matt Booty sent a memo to staff warning of an “Xbox reset.” The business, they said, is facing significant challenges, including a 3 percent “accountability margin,” massively higher … Read more

Krafton settles with Subnautica 2 developer after drawn-out dispute over $250 million

by

After a lengthy legal dispute, Krafton has settled with its subsidiary Unknown Worlds Entertainment, which is developing Subnautica 2, and will pay bonuses to the studio’s staff, Bloomberg reports. The dispute began last year after Krafton pushed out Unknown Worlds’ cofounders, Charlie Cleveland and Max McGuire, and its CEO, Ted Gill, ahead of a potential … Read more

Xbox testing disc-to-digital feature that digitizes a physical game collection

by

Microsoft will likely soon follow Sony and stop the production of physical discs for Xbox games. But instead of leaving physical discs behind entirely, sources familiar with Microsoft’s plans tell me the company has quietly been working on a disc-to-digital feature that will allow Xbox owners to digitize their existing physical game collections. Xbox employees … Read more

Comcast’s split could make or break Peacock

by

NBCUniversal executives are about to find out whether Peacock will sink or swim in the streaming industry. Now that Comcast is planning to split NBCUniversal, Peacock, and Sky from its broadband and wireless businesses, Peacock will be forced to stand on its own – without the backing of a combined company that pulled in more … Read more

Sony is closing the PS3 and Vita digital stores

by

It’s the end of an era for the PlayStation store on PS3 and PS Vita, with Sony now planning to shut down its digital distribution service on both consoles. The PlayStation store on PS3 will close in select markets later this year, including Mexico, Honduras, and Nicaragua starting in August, with “additional Latin American and … Read more

Rhythm Heaven never misses a beat

by

Rhythm Heaven isn’t Nintendo’s best-known series, nor its most prolific. Prior to the launch of Rhythm Heaven Groove on the Switch this week – it’s out on July 2nd – there were only four previous entries, one of which was exclusive to Japan. The most recent came out more than a decade ago. Even still, … Read more

Range anxiety

by

The storm developed quickly over west central Illinois on April 17th, first as a single high-intensity system called a supercell, and then later that evening transforming into a long squall line of thunderstorms. Tucked inside a wall of wind were several smaller, quick-forming tornadoes, one of which landed directly on Rivian’s electric vehicle factory on … Read more

The cube was a lie: up close with our Dbrand Companion Cube before it gets destroyed

by

Dbrand is the company that shipped a product that told Nintendo’s legal team to “go fuck yourself,” and the company that had a second set of lawyer-dodging PS5 plates ready when Sony threatened to sue over the originals. But on June 29th, the company finally ate some serious humble pie, canceling its Portal-themed Companion Cube … Read more

Fujifilm launches two new QuickSnap cameras because Gen Z can’t get enough

by

Here are some example shots taken with the QuickSnap Black and White (left), and the QuickSnap Active (right). | Images by Fujifilm Fujifilm is expanding its QuickSnap lineup with a new disposable camera focused on taking monochrome photos and another built to survive harsh outdoor environments. The $22.90 QuickSnap Black and White and the $24.75 … Read more

Cleared by the US, derailed by the UK: Getty’s Shutterstock merger falls apart

by

Getty says it’s “not required” to accept approval conditions that would force Shutterstock to offload its editorial business. | Image: The Verge Getty is planning to axe its $3.7 billion merger agreement with Shutterstock after a UK regulator imposed restrictions that would prevent part of Shutterstock’s business from being included in the deal. The move … Read more

Dish files for bankruptcy, but not shutting down

by

Dish, the company that operates Dish TV and Sling TV, has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy,” as reported earlier by Reuters. The plan will allow the EchoStar-owned company to continue to wind down its wireless operations after “unforeseen delays” held back its sale of $23 billion worth of 5G spectrum to AT&T. Dish TV, Sling … Read more

Amazon fined $2.25 million for failing to help identity theft victims

by

The Federal Trade Commission fined Amazon $2.25 million to settle claims that the company failed to help customers who fell victim to identity theft, as reported earlier by Bloomberg. In its complaint, the FTC accuses Amazon of refusing to provide customers with information about purchases made with fraudulent accounts, in violation of the Fair Credit … Read more

007 First Light’s developer lays off staff but claims its next franchise will continue

by

IO Interactive, the studio behind the Hitman series and 007 First Light, announced that it is laying off staff after a relationship with an “external partner” on its next big franchise, Project Fantasy, “has come to an end.” IO has described Project Fantasy as an “online fantasy RPG”, and Kotaku and Bloomberg report that Microsoft, … Read more

Moto’s Tag 2 tracker is $20 for a limited time

by

For now, only the “Laurel Oak” color option is available for $20, not the “Arabesque” color. | Image: Motorola Announced at CES 2026, the Moto Tag 2 has finally arrived in the US. The Bluetooth tracker with improved battery life over its predecessor, plus UWB sensing for more accurate tracking, is available through Motorola’s site … Read more

Netflix is using an AI-generated Gene Wilder voice in its Willy Wonka reality show

by

A new teaser trailer confirmed that Wonka’s The Golden Ticket will premiere on Netflix on September 23rd, following its Squid Game reality show in the trend of creating real competitions based on fictional torture scenarios. While the sets seen in the trailer are real and not some Glasgow-style AI fakes, the voiceover is AI-generated. Deadline … Read more