Technology

Here are hints and the answers for the NYT Connections: Sports Edition puzzle, No. 256, for June 6.

No, it's not a grill.

• Volvo's innovation uses sensors to help the belt adjust its load
• The company claims it can help reduce injuries
• The multi-adaptive safety belt will feature on the EX60

Volvo can claim to be part of the very history of the humble seatbelt, considering Swedish engineer and Volvo employee Nils Bohlin perfected his three-point harness with the company way back in the late 1950s.

Now, it wants to inject some serious smarts into a very simple device that has saved millions of lives over the years.

Thanks to input from the multitude of sensors, cameras, and compute tech onboard the upcoming EX60 (the EX90's sleek little brother), Volvo’s new multi-adaptive safety belt can provide the perfect tension in the unfortunate event of an accident.

Most regular seat belts have three “load-limiting” profile variations that help apply the right load for drivers and occupants of differing heights and weights.

However, Volvo’s latest invention features 11 profiles that adapt to traffic variations and the person wearing it, thanks to real-time data from the car’s advanced sensors, according to the Swedish marque.

Sensors inside can detect height, weight, and seating position of occupants, while the exterior sensor suite can analyze the characteristics of a crash and send the data to the belt to provide the appropriate load "in the blink of an eye".

And how will it help? Well, Volvo gives the example that larger occupants in a serious crash will receive a higher belt load, while smaller occupants in a less severe crash will receive a milder load to prevent common injuries associated with standard seat belts.

Passive tech gets active

(Image credit: Volvo)

Volvo states that it bases its safety innovations on the research it has conducted into some 80,000 real-life accidents over five decades, with a continual data feed helping it make improvements.

It is one of the few automotive companies that has a dedicated Accident Research Team that is permitted to attend the scene of an accident that occurs near its Gothenburg headquarters.

Thanks to this constant source of data, its latest multi-adaptive safety belt will apparently get better over time via over-the-air updates.

Volvo claims that as it gathers more data and insights, its cars will improve their understanding of the "occupants, new scenarios and response strategies". Clever stuff.

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• A watered-down Nvidia RTX Pro 6000 is still potent enough to keep China’s AI ambitions alive
• Nvidia’s workaround isn’t top-tier, but it could still flood China’s data centers
• Export rules slow performance, but they can’t stop parallelized AI scaling by Chinese CSPs

In response to US export restrictions introduced in April 2025, Nvidia is reportedly preparing a special edition of its RTX Pro 6000 GPU for the Chinese market.

A report from TrendForce claims this new version will switch from high-bandwidth memory (HBM) to the slower but more accessible GDDR7.

The switch will allow the chip to comply with new regulations that prohibit GPUs with HBM-level memory bandwidth or advanced interconnect capabilities, resulting in a scaled-down GPU, but not one lacking power.

Not the best, but enough for decent AI work

The RTX Pro 6000 is a potent chip. Even after being watered down, TrendForce estimates its performance will fall between Nvidia’s older L40S and the L20 China edition. This places the chip well within the range of GPUs capable of meaningful AI workloads.

What’s driving interest is not just availability, but capability, even with the downgrade. Critics have pointed out that a cut-down version of a very powerful card is still extremely capable, especially if it's priced more affordably.

As a result, Chinese cloud service providers (CSPs) are expected to scale horizontally, buying more units and optimizing for larger node deployments.

Yes, this approach will be more expensive and consume more power, but that’s just a numbers game - CSPs will need to increase infrastructure investment and manage higher power demands. The downside, of course, is that such workarounds are inherently inefficient.

Nonetheless, if the price per unit is right, the aggregate performance could still meet, or even exceed, current needs.

It may not be the fastest setup in traditional terms, but in parallelized environments, the performance gap could narrow. That said, Chinese chipmakers like Huawei and Cambricon are working to fill the gap left by restricted access to top-tier Nvidia GPUs.

If the special edition RTX Pro 6000 succeeds, it might delay the domestic adoption of homegrown alternatives. If it fails, it could accelerate them.

Nvidia’s strategy may help it navigate current U.S. restrictions, but it remains an open question whether that will be enough in the long run.

A weaker chip could still be one of the fastest GPUs on the market, and too powerful to ignore, especially when the line between compliance and capability is so finely drawn.

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• RTX Pro 6000 beats the unreleased 5090 despite lacking important drivers
• Nvidia’s $10000 card was benchmarked across multiple modern game titles
• Extreme power noise and price make it impractical for most would-be buyers

Nvidia’s RTX Pro 6000 might not be marketed as a gaming GPU, but overclocking expert Roman ‘der8auer’ Hartung has shown it can outperform every consumer card Nvidia makes, and that includes the yet-to-be-released RTX 5090.

In his latest video, which you can watch below, der8auer benchmarked the $10,000 Blackwell-based workstation GPU across multiple titles, calling it “the new gaming king.”

Unlike the RTX 5090, which uses the same GB202 chip, the Pro 6000 sports 24,064 CUDA cores, more Tensor and RT cores, and a massive 96GB of GDDR7 memory.

Coil whine

It lacks Nvidia’s Game Ready Drivers, but der8auer notes this didn’t seriously affect gaming performance. In 4K Cyberpunk 2077 tests (without ray tracing), the Pro 6000 pulled 14% ahead of the RTX 5090, though it also used 15% more power.

Performance across other titles echoed that trend. The card was 11% faster in Star Wars Outlaws and Remnant 2, and 3% faster in Assassin’s Creed Mirage, the latter possibly held back by driver limitations.

Power draw and heat are challenges, with the card reaching 600W during gaming. Noise was another factor. According to der8auer, the fan ramps up aggressively, and the coil whine was the loudest he’s ever heard.

While the Pro 6000 is clearly dominant in raw performance, its price point makes it unreachable for most.

Der8auer noted that although the card has three times the VRAM of the RTX 5090, the price is five times higher. He estimated the 64GB of additional VRAM might cost $200 more to produce, but that doesn’t justify the $8,000 difference for consumers.

Still, for those chasing the absolute peak of performance - and willing to overlook coil whine and noise - the RTX Pro 6000 has set a new bar. Just don’t expect it to be practical for most gamers.

Via Tom's Hardware

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• Ahead of WWDC 2025, Apple is sharing install stats for iOS 18 and iPadOS 18
• If you haven't installed iOS 18 yet, you're in the smaller group, as it's on 82% of all eligible devices
• Apple doesn't guarantee a number of years for software updates for its devices

Have you been using iOS 18 on your iPhone since it was released in September? Or maybe you’re in the camp of waiting a bit to upgrade until friends or family do, or you read reactions from those who’ve tested it.

Well, regardless of which camp you’re in, Apple’s iOS 18 – and iPadOS 18, the operating system for the iPad – are officially eight months old. While that’s not a year, the company’s 2025 Worldwide Developer Conference is kicking off on Monday, June 9, with an opening keynote. We’re expecting the reveal of the next generation of iOS and other platforms.

In the days leading up to that event, Apple is sharing the final usage numbers of iOS 18 and iPadOS 18. While the tech giant doesn’t promise a specific number of years for software updates and equally essential security updates, iOS 18 supports up to iPhone XR/XS, and iPadOS 18 works on the iPad 7th Gen, iPad mini 5th Gen, iPad Pro 1st Gen, and iPad Air 1st Gen.

That’s an extensive range of supported devices, and for iOS 18, 82% of all eligible iOS devices are running the latest and greatest from Apple. Regarding eligible devices released in the last four years, the installation rate is higher: 88%. Meanwhile, 71% of all iPads that can run iPadOS 18 have it installed, and iPads released in the last four years have an install ratio of about 81%.

(Image credit: Apple)

iOS 18 and iPadOS 18 were pretty big updates, as well – for one, it did start the rolling launch of Apple Intelligence with iOS 18.1 in October of 2024, but that remains incomplete, and the much-anticipated AI-powered Siri is still delayed. You can use features like Genmoji, Image Playground, Writing Tools, and Visual Intelligence on eligible iPhones or iPads that support Apple Intelligence.

Beyond that suite, though, iOS 18 broke the so-called app grid, allowing you to place apps wherever you like – even with spaces in between – on the iPhone and iPad. It also lets you adjust the color or tone of your entire home screen, including app icons. The Photos app was redesigned and added customization, but wasn’t loved by everyone. Also, Apple finally added support for RCS messaging, as well as being able to rework the layout of Control Center.

It was a solid, sizable release for iOS and iPadOS, which even got smaller updates and is currently sitting at iOS 18.5 and iPadOS 18.5. Many of the features do work on devices as far back as the iPhone XR, though overall speed and battery life might vary.

So if you haven’t updated to iOS 18 yet and you're on iPhone, Apple’s latest numbers do put you in the smaller group. That’s not a bad thing, but it's a good idea to keep your phone up to date beyond just the new features, as privacy and security updates are also included within these updates.

(Image credit: Apple)

But how does this compare to Android phones? As I wrote above, Apple doesn’t guarantee a timeframe, but you can see that it goes back six years for iPhones, as the XS was released in 2018.

Samsung now guarantees most of its Galaxy phone lineup for seven years of software upgrades, while Google Pixel phones receive five years of updates for the Pixel 6 and older, and this increases to seven years for the Pixel 7 and newer. That means if you get a Pixel 9, you can expect updates through 2031.

Depending on the model, Motorola offers three years of major OS updates plus an additional year of security updates. OnePlus offers four years of OS and security updates on its eponymous flagship phones.

While we expect new versions of iOS and iPadOS at WWDC 2025, the rumor mill hasn’t mentioned Apple promising a specific number of years of software and privacy updates. That could happen, but I think the focus will be on the much-rumored ushering in of a Vision Pro-like design for the rest of the platforms – think glassy and sleek throughout.

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• Sony unveils its first-ever wireless fight stick, codenamed Project Defiant
• The fight stick is launching in 2026 and is designed for PS5 and PC
• The controller can be used wirelessly via PlayStation Link technology for ultra-low latency gameplay, or wired using a USB-C connection

Sony has revealed its first-ever wireless fight stick, codenamed Project Defiant, and it's releasing in 2026.

Announced during PlayStation's June State of Play, Project Defiant is designed for a variety of fighting games and can be used wirelessly or wired for the PlayStation 5 and PC.

"This sleek new controller will give players more flexibility to play their favorite fighting games, whether that is wirelessly with the innovative PlayStation Link technology that provides ultra-low latency, or through a wired connection on PS5 or PC," said Edwin Foo, Vice President, Product Development, SIE, in a PlayStation blog post.

Project Defiant features a high-quality digital stick that’s custom-designed by Sony, toolless interchangeable restrictor gates (square, circle, and octagon) for the stick, buttons with mechanical switches, and a touch pad like the one found on the DualSense wireless controller.

The controller also boasts a sturdy, ergonomic design for long gaming sessions, features a storage compartment for restrictor gates for convenience, and a PS Link USB adapter.

Like the DualSense wireless controller, Project Defiant also supports the ability to wirelessly wake up the user's PS5 by pressing and holding the PS button on the top side of the device.

As previously mentioned, input timing has been refined thanks to Sony's PS Link wireless technology, but there's also an option for players to plug in to play by using a wired USB-C connection.

Sony has also confirmed that the fight stick will come packaged with a sling carry case, which includes a lever gap to keep the digital stick safe, allowing players to take the hardware on the go.

Since Project Defiant is just a codename, we'll likely learn the name of the fight stick closer to launch.

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Airbnb’s redesign, and its push into enabling users to Airbnb more than just a vacation spot or getaway, has been out for a few weeks now. The idea is that you’ll Airbnb more than just a lovely cottage on a beach – also turning to the service, for example, when you want to experience a city that’s close to home or add some adventure to your trip abroad.

We’ve already broken down the additions, including the launch of Experiences and Services, as well as the new look for the app. It all feels a lot sleeker, with visuals that adjust on the fly, a mini social network, and a passport of sorts that saves all the information from your trip. So, if you have a favorite spot, you can easily share it with a friend. It all feels very material.

Here we're taking a look under the hood and finding out how Airbnb is making the app work better for you. The company has rebuilt its entire tech stack for the app and the service as a whole, meaning you'll find easier navigation with three choices at the top: Homes, Experiences, and Services.

Furthermore, there's a redesigned profile that makes it easier for you to take a look back and even reconnect with people you've had experiences with. The rebuilding effort enables what's already launched, while also setting Airbnb up for the future, a note that Jud Coplan, VP of Product Marketing at Airbnb, shared with TechRadar.

“One of the huge benefits of rebuilding the architecture and rethinking, really, the infrastructure of the app was that we created something that can expand beyond the 10 categories of services.” Coplan told me.

He was referencing the 10 that currently exist – chefs, photographers, massages, spa treatments, personal training, hair treatments, makeup, nails, prepared meals, and catering – but hinted that expansion is very possible, adding, “We've created a new Airbnb that can go even beyond what we've been talking about today.”

(Image credit: Airbnb)

That could mean we see grocery deliveries integrated, so you can be well stocked when you arrive at your Airbnb to make dinner, or maybe that even means you can order directly to your home.

It’s really an expansion of the platform to book these services, whether you’re in your home city or on a trip. Coplan told me how his family had booked an experience in their home city of San Francisco, a kind of a staycation excursion.

The 10 aforementioned options are further themed by activity, such as cooking, city walks, learning a new skill, and even more exclusive ones featuring celebrities.

During the keynote, Airbnb’s CEO, Brian Chesky, highlighted the importance of people, noting that it’s real folks who are experts offering these experiences and services, and it’s real people offering up their homes, lofts, or apartments for Airbnb.

There is an element of AI being used here, one example being an AI-powered photo tour, as Coplan explained. “For homes, if you upload all your photos, we recognize them, we organize them, we present them really nicely,” all with the aim of making the listing easier and theoretically helping to encourage more bookings. There are also quick replies powered by AI, in which, for a host, the app will automatically suggest a response that could be sent.

For services and experiences, the two new offerings from Airbnb utilize AI to recommend what you might find most appealing. It bases this off of “where they are in their journey, their past bookings, their current trip, what they've told us about in their profile,” explained Coplan.

Lastly on AI, Coplan also shared that Airbnb began rolling out an AI assistant for customer service in the US in English, “that allows people to do is have a natural language conversation with customer service and get answers to questions really easily.” It’ll be interesting to see how this performs, and what feedback users provide.

(Image credit: Airbnb)

On the app’s new look and flow, it was clear that Coplan and the team at Airbnb focused on the human element, emphasizing that what one can book is all tied back to a real person. He noted that the color palette, animations, and dimensionality all tie back to the real world, giving a sense of what you might experience.

Even more interesting, and maybe hinting at Airbnb’s future, is the community aspect. “We didn't want this to be a place where you have followers, where you meet people online,” explained Coplan. “The people you see are people that you know from the real world, and so that connections page within your profile, those are people you've traveled with and those are people you've met on your experiences.”

It’s certainly a unique approach and a more intentional one, rooted in a shared experience. Now, it’s entirely opt-in, and there are privacy controls that allow you to turn off this community aspect.

Separate from the community, but also housed within the profile, is a sort of passport-like experience, allowing you to look back at where you’ve been and easily share details. Much like a card in Apple Wallet, it has a shimmer and shine effect when you move your phone around.

While Airbnb’s main event is its annual summer release, and that’s done with for 2025, I suspect we’ll hear more from it sooner than a year from now, and I’m intrigued to see just how far the tech stack can go. For now, I’m on the hunt for an experience to try.

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• Official teaser shows off new camera in silhouette
• Voiceover describes the X-E rangefinder-style line as an “essential” part of X Series history
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A 15-second teaser video, released today ahead of next week’s Fujifilm X Summit event, appears to all but confirm that the Fujifilm X-E5 is being announced imminently.

The short film shows a compact camera and lens in silhouette, with most of its details dark and obscured, while a voiceover says, “There’s another rangefinder-style series that’s just as essential when telling the story of our X Series history”.

Given said image follows those of X100 and X-Pro series cameras in the teaser, the remaining Fujifilm rangefinder-style series this refers to is undoubtedly the X-E range, and so it follows that the obscured image must be of the long-rumored X-E5.

The X-E series of cameras have APS-C sensors and a compact rangefinder-style body, just like the popular X100VI – but also support interchangeable lenses.

What could the X-E5 have in store for us?

The X-E4's minimalist approach to physical controls wasn't beloved by Fujifilm enthusiasts. (Image credit: Fujifilm)

The X-E5 would be the first new X-E range release since the X-E4, which launched in 2021. It had a 26.1MP X-Trans CMOS 4 sensor, no in-body stabilization (IBIS), no viewfinder, no weather-sealing and only a single SD card slot.

The X-E4 also stripped back physical controls like dials and buttons to the bare minimum. That isn’t necessarily a bad thing in a camera, but some felt Fujifilm went a little too minimalist for its own good here – to the point where it actually impacted on the camera’s user-friendliness.

If I was to draw up a personal wish list of improvements I want for the X-E5 (bearing in mind that it’s always going to have to make compromises here and there to keep its price affordable), I’d love to see the inclusion of IBIS and weather-sealing, which would give all-round image performance an overall boost while making the camera a bit hardier and more travel-friendly. Throw in a viewfinder and it might be the perfect affordable street photography camera.

Previous rumors about the X-E5 suggest that at least one of my wishes is coming true. Fuji Rumors has reported that the camera will have IBIS and a 40MP X-Trans V sensor, bringing it more in line with Fujifilm’s fixed-lens superstar, the X100VI.

Of course, the X-E5 will also be an interchangeable lens camera, so it’ll offer greater versatility than the X100VI. In fact, it seems likely to be launching alongside a new X-mount prime lens, the XF23mm f/2.8. This is rumored to be a low-profile pancake lens, portable and discreet – and mounted on a body like the X-E5, the two should make a very compact pairing.

There’s not long to wait now to find out exactly what Fujifilm has up its sleeves for the X-E series. That June 12 X Summit can’t roll round fast enough. Let us know what kind of camera you’d like to see unveiled next week in the comments below.

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• Threat actors are creating fake DocuSign and Gitcode websites
• The sites come with fake CAPTCHA and other scam mechanisms
• Victims are tricked into downloading a Trojan

Security researchers have found fake Gitcode and DocuSign websites distributing remote access trojan (RAT) malware using the infamous ClickFix method.

Experts from DomainTools Investigations (DTI) found “malicious multi-stage downloader Powershell scripts” hosted on spoofed websites inviting visitors to pull up the Windows Run terminal and run a script copied into their clipboard.

"Upon doing so, the powershell script downloads another downloader script and executes on the system, which in turn retrieves additional payloads and executes them eventually installing NetSupport RAT on the infected machines,” the researchers said in their report. These multiple stages and downloads are designed to evade detection, and help the campaign “be more resilient to security investigations and takedowns."

SocGholish

They also said they don’t know exactly how victims end up on these websites. However, it is safe to assume that social engineering, email spam, and possibly malvertising, are a part of the methodology. In some cases, the fake websites also come with a fake CAPTCHA verification mechanism which, to be solved, requires the victims copy and paste a code into the Run program, effectively downloading the malware.

TDI could not confirm the identity of the attackers, but did stress it had observed a similar campaign late in 2024, which was attributed to SocGholish:

"Notably, the techniques involved are commonplace and NetSupport Manager is a legitimate administration tool known to be leveraged as a RAT by multiple threat groups such as FIN7, Scarlet Goldfinch, Storm-0408, and others,” the report concluded.

SocGholish, also known as FakeUpdates, is known for its fake browser and fake software update alerts. After compromising a website, the crooks would inject a popup, notifying the visitors that their browser, or operating system, needs “fixing” or “updating”.

This is the “original” ClickFix method, one that spun from the ancient “you have a virus” popup that imitated popular antivirus programs and delivered - viruses.

Via The Hacker News

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While I was thoroughly impressed with Sony's PlayStation VR 2 virtual reality headset, after putting it through its paces I’m sad to admit I’ve not used it in more than a year. The hardware is very slick and Horizon: Call of the Mountain is one immersive experience, but there’s been a lack of games to really pull me back into Sony’s VR world.

However, the recent PlayStation State of Play might just have me dusting off my PSVR 2. That’s because the game showcase featured Thief VR: Legacy of Shadow.

This is a VR game all about sneaking around infiltrating buildings and complexes in a pseudo medieval/Renaissance city to steal persons items.

The big hook is this is a Thief game, a series that gamers of a certain vintage will remember as the progenitor of salary games and immersive sims way back in 1998 with Thief: The Dark Project on PC. I am one such gamer, and absolutely love the quiet, smart exploring and pilfering the games offered; I think they even hold up today, mechanically speaking.

Thief was a smart game about knowing your environment and using tools to navigate it, such as noise arrows to distract guards, moss arrows to put a layer of soft flora on creaky wooden floors and, somewhat against traditional game logic, making areas darker rather than lighter as you creep through them.

While player character Garrett has a sword and a ‘blackjack’ club, he wasn’t designed for combat, with guards easily able to kill the thief. So the game was equally about running away as it was sneaking; if a guard caught you, Garrett’s nimble speed meant scarpering from the authorities was a totally legit tactic.

And I reckon this will translate really well into VR. While I’ve enjoyed faster paced games like Superhot in VR, I feel slower paced, more tactile experiences work better in virtual reality.

(Image credit: Sony)

Having more time to scope out an area, delicately shifting ornaments and peeking behind walls, and shifting paintings to uncover hidden alcoves, as shown in the Thief VR trailer, looks to be a more immersive experience that lends itself to the PSVR 2 and its tech, such as foveated rendering and eye tracking.

I can also see the dynamic mechanics of Thief working equally well in VR; the feel of carefully drawing back a bowstring to unleash a rope arrow or reaching out with one’s real and virtual hand to pinch out a candle, all supported by the haptics and smart tracking of the PSVR 2’s controllers.

While I’d not say Thief was known for the most captivating storytelling, the series had some interesting plotlines. This time you’ll be put in the padded boots of Magpie, who looks like she’ll stumble across some more intriguing things than just some valuables to snatch. And I think seeing The City and its characters in VR will definitely help suck one into the story.

It’s been a while since I’ve felt excited by a VR game, but Thief VR: Legacy of Shadow has both caught my next-gen gaming attention and also tickled my nostalgia. We could seen a new dawn for PlayStation VR games grow out of the shadows some time this year.

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• Final Fantasy Tactics: The Ivalice Chronicles launches on September 30 for PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, PC, Nintendo Switch, and Nintendo Switch 2
• The remaster of the 1997 classic will offer enhanced features like improved graphics, new battle features, and difficulty options
• The game will also be voice-acted with actors like Ben Starr, and cameos from Final Fantasy 7 Remake's Cody Christian and Briana White

Following months of rumors, Square Enix has officially announced a remaster of its 1997 classic, Final Fantasy Tactics.

Revealed during the June PlayStation State of Play, Final Fantasy Tactics: The Ivalice Chronicles is set to launch on September 30 for PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, PC, Nintendo Switch, and Nintendo Switch 2.

This enhanced version has been created by a team composed of original and new developers. It includes all the features of the 1997 game, along with numerous enhancements.

The Ivalice Chronicles offers an overhauled UI to "make the game even more approachable and intuitive", as well as quicker and easier for players to control their units and see their turn order.

Since it's a remaster, the game's graphics have also been updated for HD displays, new difficulty levels have been introduced, and two new battle features have also been added: Tactical View and Battle Speed.

Tactical View will make it easier for players to get an overview of the land and plan their action across the battlefield, while Battle Speed essentially speeds up battles to allow players to get through easy fights quicker.

The remaster's story is also fully voice-acted in English and Japanese from a cast of recognisable talent, including Joe Pitts (Ramza), Gregg Lowe (Delita), Hannah Melbourn (Agrias), Timothy Watson (Cidolfus), and Harry McEntire (Mustadio).

Final Fantasy 16 and Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 actor Ben Starr will also offer the voice for Dycedarg, and cameos from Final Fantasy 7 Remake actors Cody Christian (Cloud Strife) and Briana White (Aerith Gainsborough) will also be featured.

Square Enix has confirmed that The Ivalice Chronicles will also include the classic version of Final Fantasy Tactics, which "stays true to the original in almost every aspect, but includes some handy features such as auto save."

Pre-orders for Final Fantasy Tactics: The Ivalice Chronicles are now live. You can check out the version and pre-order details below.

Final Fantasy Tactics: The Ivalice Chronicles - Pre-order Bonuses:

• White Equipment for Ramza
• Weapon: Mythril Knife
• Accessory: Spiked Boots (Increase a unit's Jump attribute while equipped)
• Consumable items: High Potion x10
• Consumable items: Ether x10

Final Fantasy Tactics: The Ivalice Chronicles - Deluxe Edition

• Full game
• Weapon: Akademy Blade (Raises a unit's speed attribute slightly while equipped)
• Headwear: Akademy Beret (Prevents the Charmed status while equipped)
• Combat Garb: Akademy Tunic (Grants Shell while equipped)
• Accessory: Ring of Aptitude (Boosts JP earned while equipped)
• Consumable Items: Phoenix Down x10
• Black Equipment for Ramza
• Red Equipment for Ramza

Final Fantasy Tactics: The Ivalice Chronicles - Collector's Edition (Square Enix Store exclusive)

• Special Art Box
• Ramza Beoulve Figure (Akademy Version)
• Zodiac Stones Acrylic Art Set
• Chocobo Mini Plush set
• Pop-up Art - “Outlying Church”
• Art Sheet Set

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• The first trailer for 007 First Light reveals a young James Bond and it's coming to PC and console in 2026, including Nintendo Switch 2

Summer Game Fest is almost here! It's no E3, but you know what? It might just be the next best thing.

This annual video game event showcases some of the most exciting upcoming video games for all major platforms. Hosted by the charismatic presenter Geoff Keighley it's an enjoyable watch, especially the main opening show.

Started back in 2020, some big titles shown at past events include Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2, The Last of Us Part 1, Zenless Zone Zero, Black Myth: Wukong, and more.

This year we have no idea what to expect, but some of the most anticipated games include Hollow Knight: Silksong, Arc Raiders, and a potential new Resident Evil title.

This is one gaming event that you won't want to miss, so read on for everything that you need to know about the event - plus my live reactions as things get into gear.

Summer Game Fest 2025 schedule

Here is the full schedule for Summer Game Fest 2025.

Summer Game Fest 2025 schedule

June 3

June 4

June 6

June 7

June 8

June 9

State of Unreal Showcase (6:30AM PT)

PlayStation State of Play (2PM PT)

Summer Game Fest Main Show (2PM PT)

Day of the Devs (4PM PT)

Frosty Games Fest (4PM PT)

Death Stranding 2 Game Premiere (7PM PT)

Devolver Digital showcase (5PM PT)

Xbox Games Showcase / Outer Worlds 2 Direct (10AM PT)

Black Voices in Gaming (9AM PT)

IOI Showcase (6PM PT)

PC Gaming Show (12PM PT)

Wholesome Direct (9AM PT)

Women-Led Games (10AM PT)

Latin American Games Showcase (11AM PT)

South Asian Games Showcase (12PM PT)

Green Games Showcase (1PM PT)

Summer Game Fest main show start time

Only interested in catching the main event? The Summer Game Fest main show (that's the one with Geoff on a stage showing us lots of cool trailers) is set to kick off at the following time:

June 6, 2025 at 5PM ET / 2PM PDT / 10PM BST / 11PM CEST.

Xbox Games Showcase start time

If you just want to watch the Xbox Games Showcase and subsequent Outer Worlds 2 Direct, here's what you need to know.

It takes place on June 8 at 1PM ET / 10AM PT / 6PM BST / 7PM CEST.

Hello and welcome to the beginning of my Summer Geoff Fest - sorry, Summer Game Fest coverage!

The main show is set to kick off tomorrow, and will almost certainly be filled with exciting reveals.

Our team has boots on the ground (well, currently boots in the air as he is still flying over to Los Angeles) ready to cover the event in full.

Here. We. Go...

State of Play recap

(Image credit: Sony)

Though seperate from the main show - yesterday's PlayStation Sate of Play presentation was part of Summer Game Fest. I covered the event live (absolutely obliterating my sleep schedule in the process) and it was definitely a strong showing.

If you missed the chance to watch it at the time, I've got you covered with a full list of everything announced in the order in which it happened.

Check it out below!

• Lumines Arise, PS5, PSVR 2
• Pragmata, 2026
• Romeo is a Dead Man, 2026
• Silent Hill f, , September 25, 2025
• Bloodstained: The Scarlet Engagement, 2026
• Digimon Story Time Stranger, October 3 2025
• Final Fantasy Tactics: The Ivalice Chronicles, September 30, 2025
• Baby Steps, September 8, 2025
• Hirogami, September 3, 2025
• Everybody’s Golf Hot Shots, September 5 2025
• Ninja Gaiden Ragebound, July 31 2025
• Cairn, November 5, 2025 (demo available today)
• Mortal Kombat Legacy Kollection, 2025
• Project Defiant fight stick
• Metal Gear Solid Delta, August 28 2025
• Nioh 3, early 2026 (demo available today)
• Thief VR: Legacy of Shadow, PSVR 2
• Tides of Tomorrow, Feb 24, 2026
• Astro Bot free DLC later this month + the Astro Bot DualSense returning
• Sea and Remnants, 2026
• Sword of the Sea, August 19
• 007 First Light, 2026
• Ghost of Yotei, gameplay demonstration coming in July
• Marvel Tokon Fighting Souls, coming to PS5 and PC in 2026

Who is Geoff Keighley?

(Image credit: The Game Awards)

If you're interested in Summer Game Fest, then you've undoubtedly heard the name Geoff Keighley more times than you can count. But who exactly is he?

A former game journalist turned present, Keighley had a strong career writing for outlets like Kotaku and GameStop, mainly focusing on long-form deep-dives into major games and studios.

He also frequently appeared on television, becoming a prominent face at events like E3.

Now, he helms his own events and shows acting as both the host and organizer - including the Game Awards and Summer Game Fest.