Software

Doom’s new expansion shows just what makes id Software special

• id Software launched a strong Doom expansion, Revelations, this week.
• Around half of id's staff were cut in Xbox layoffs.
• The studio's future projects and direction now look uncertain.

The week that should have marked a triumph for Doom developer id Software has instead been marred by heavy job cuts, even as the studio launched Revelations, a substantial expansion for Doom: The Dark Ages. The article argues that the timing is bitterly ironic, because Revelations demonstrates precisely…

International Insider: Sky Buys ITV; Banijay-All3 Complete Merger; Emmy Noms

• Sky agrees to buy ITV's network and streaming arm for u00a31.6bn.
• Deal faces an antitrust probe and up to 18 months' wait.
• Banijay and All3Media complete their $8bn production merger.

Comcast-owned pay-TV group Sky has agreed to buy the ITV network and streaming business — though not the production arm, ITV Studios — for a total consideration of £1.6bn ($2.1bn), marking Sky's first move into ownership of a British public service broadcaster. The deal matters because it would…

Palworld Finally Launches in Full Today on PS5, and the Patch Notes are Colossal

• Palworld hits full 1.0 launch on PS5 today.
• Update adds 72 new Pals, new area and reworked story.
• Price stays the same at u00a324.49.

Palworld, the survival, crafting and monster-collecting game from developer Pocketpair, has left early access and reached its full 1.0 release on PS5 today, 10th July 2026. Having been playable on the console since September 2024, the title has now received an enormous update that overhauls large portions of…

Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced’s standard edition is “is the full, complete experience”, Ubisoft insist in response to Steam DLC furore

• Ubisoft says Black Flag Resynced's standard edition is complete, nothing held back.
• Nine mostly cosmetic day-one DLCs sparked negative Steam reviews.
• Publisher calls the extra packs entirely optional, not required to finish.

Ubisoft has publicly defended the standard edition of Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced after some Steam users left negative reviews over the number of purchasable extras available at launch. Responding directly to the criticism, the publisher insisted that the base game is "the full, complete experience", with every…

Indie developer says Steam did them a solid by fixing their unbootable game to beat the Next Fest deadline

• Steam staff fixed an indie developer's unbootable game before the deadline.
• The fix let the game make Steam Next Fest in time.
• Developer praised Valve for the unusual hands-on help.

An indie game developer has publicly praised Valve after Steam staff stepped in to fix a game that would not boot, allowing it to make the deadline for the platform's Next Fest showcase. According to the developer, the store's team intervened directly to get the unbootable build working…

Which MacBook to Buy (2026): My Honest Advice on Which to Buy

WIRED has updated its MacBook buying guide for 2026, and the headline development is that Apple sharply raised the price of every MacBook and iPad on 25 June, despite the models themselves being unchanged. This is notable because Apple rarely increases prices outside of a product refresh, and…

“My ‘Microsoft will probably be a good steward of the brand’ statement isn’t aging well” – id Software co-founder John Carmack speaks out after devastating Xbox layoffs

John Carmack, co-founder of id Software — the studio behind Doom and Quake — has publicly responded to sweeping layoffs at his former company following a major restructuring at Microsoft's Xbox division. New Xbox CEO Asha Sharma announced an initial 1,600 job losses, with a further 1,600 expected…

DC’s 2-Part Sci-Fi Masterpiece Officially Gets an Update on What’s Next

• Peacemaker Season 3 is unconfirmed amid DC's packed slate.
• Star Jennifer Holland says she'd happily return as Harcourt.
• Any decision likely rests with partner and DC boss James Gunn.

The article reports that a third season of HBO's DC series Peacemaker has not yet been confirmed, but star Jennifer Holland has offered fans an encouraging signal about the show's future. Speaking to People Magazine, Holland — who plays Emilia Harcourt and whose real-life partner is DC Studios…

Polestar owners left ‘holding the bag’ after EV brand pulls out of the US

• Polestar is quitting the US market from the 2027 model year.
• A US ban on Chinese connected-car software forced the exit.
• Owners fear lost value; dealers must still honour warranties.

Polestar has announced it will stop selling its electric vehicles in the United States from the 2027 model year, leaving thousands of existing owners and dozens of dealers uncertain about servicing, software updates, warranties and resale values. The withdrawal follows the federal government's refusal to authorise continued sales…