Games
My 4 favorite Nintendo Switch games that got upgrades for the Switch 2
If you're holding off on getting a Nintendo Switch 2 because you think that Mario Kart World and Donkey Kong Bananza are the only two games you can play right now, you're mistaken (although, you definitely need to play both of those games). In fact, there are a lot of games you can play on the new handheld, including the best titles from the original Nintendo Switch generation -- and with better visuals than ever before. That's because Nintendo has released Nintendo Switch 2 upgrades for a slate of its most popular Switch games. Can you upgrade your Switch 1 game for the Switch 2 for free? While you can upgrade some Switch games for free, others require you to purchase a Switch 2 upgrade pack, though these upgrades are much cheaper than a typical video game.
Chess Grandmaster Magnus Carlsen Beats ChatGPT Without Losing a Single Piece
The world's top chess player defeated ChatGPT in an online match in only 53 moves. Magnus Carlsen won the game without losing a single piece, while ChatGPT lost all its pawns, screenshots the Norwegian grandmaster shared on X on July 10 showed. "I sometimes get bored while travelling," Carlsen captioned the post. "That was methodical, clean, and sharp. Well played!" ChatGPT said to him, according to the screenshots Carlsen posted.
Roblox introduces age verification for teens
Roblox is a popular digital space for kids and teens to congregate while playing their favorite video game, or in the platform's parlance, experience. Now teens ages 13 to 17 who want to access a special feature designed to make those hangouts even more fun will have to verify their age via a video selfie. Roblox announced the new requirement Thursday as part of a slate of safety and privacy measures. Once Roblox estimates the user's age -- via the AI-powered age verification product Persona -- and assigns a qualifying age group to their account, it allows them to take advantage of the new feature, called "Trusted Connections." Teen users can add each other as Trusted Connections, which allows them to communicate via voice and chat without filters.
1 in 5 new video games on Steam now uses generative AI, report says
A new report from Totally Human Media reveals that nearly 20 percent of video games released on Steam in 2025 use generative AI. The report from Totally Human, which uses machine learning and generative AI to recommend games, books, shows, and movies, reported that approximately 7,818 games on Steam disclosed using Generative AI. That represents about 7 percent of the entire available Steam library. For games released on the platform in 2025, just under 20 percent -- or about 1 in 5 games -- utilized AI, or disclosed doing so, at least. Game Rant reported that the most popular game to make that Generative AI disclosure is My Summer Car, a vehicle simulation game that lets users build, fix, tune, and perform maintenance to their car.
Legend of Zelda movie casts two British actors in lead roles
The Legend of Zelda game franchise was created by Miyamoto and Takashi Tezuka, with the first game launching in 1986. Since then, the franchise as remained one of Nintendo's best known brands, and has sold more than 150 million copies across its multiple instalments over various consoles. Video game adaptations have had a mixed reception at the box office over the years. Many, such as Resident Evil, Tomb Raider and Mortal Kombat, were not always as well received as their source material. But more recently, the success of The Super Mario Bros Movie, Sonic The Hedgehog, A Minecraft Movie and Uncharted, along with the TV adaptation of The Last of Us, has gone some way to turning the tables.
Top Bananza! Donkey Kong's long-awaited return is a literal smash-hit
When you think of Nintendo, it's almost impossible not to picture Donkey Kong. Yet despite Donkers' undeniable place in gaming history โ and obligatory appearances in Smash Bros and Mario Kart โ for the last few console generations, Donkey Kong platformers have been MIA. Enter DK's first standalone adventure in 11 years, Donkey Kong Bananza. While Mario's recent adventures saw him exploring the reaches of outer space or deftly possessing enemies with an anthropomorphic hat, DK's grand return is all about primal rage. As you smash and punch your way through walls, floors and ceilings, you can burrow all the way to the ground below, forging new paths and unearthing hidden treasures.
The way a child plays is the way they live': how therapists are using video games to help vulnerable children
Oleksii Sukhorukov's son was 12 when the Russian invasion of Ukraine began. For months, the family existed in a state of trauma and disarray: Sukhorukov was forced to give up his work in the entertainment industry, which had included virtual reality and video games; they became isolated from friends and relatives. But amid the chaos, his boy had one outlet: Minecraft. Whatever was happening outside, he'd boot up Mojang's block-building video game and escape. "After 24 February 2022, I began to see the game in a completely different light," says Sukhorukov.
Amazon Prime Day deals end soon, but we found 175 last-chance offers from Apple, Yeti, Sony & Samsung
Prime Day 2025 ends in just a couple hours, and the deals have been especially strong this year. The 2025 edition of Amazon's annual members-only sale has been the longest yet, spanning four days from July 8 through 11. And on the final day of the sale, Amazon is still dropping deep discounts and new record-low prices across tons of different product categories. But don't forget: You only have until midnight to shop the best Prime Day deals. So far, we've spotted some especially great discounts on Apple products, including AirPods, iPads, and MacBooks. You can also find offers on our favorite gadgets from Samsung, Kindle, Ninja, Meta, and Amazon, for starters.
Microsoft spends up to 50 million for Game Pass titles
Xbox Game Pass is a pretty sweet deal for gamers, especially if you don't want to buy a console or gaming PC. The subscription library is basically the easiest way to get access to a huge amount of titles for a fairly low monthly charge, Netflix-style, and streaming options make them accessible on devices from a laptop to a VR headset. But how much is Microsoft spending on those games? The company has spent upwards of one hundred billion dollars over the last few years, gobbling up developers and publishers across the industry, most notably Activision-Blizzard, Bethesda, and Minecraft maker Mojang. All of those purchases bolster the game and streaming catalog of Game Pass. Those require content deals with other companies before they appear on Game Pass, again, very much like TV shows or movies that pop up on streaming services.
Get the ultimate retro gaming emulator with tons of games for only 90
If you love retro gaming, but your emulators leave quite a bit to be desired, you'll love this ultimate retro gaming emulator with thousands of preloaded games, including classic titles. Better yet, the Kinhank Super Console X2 Pro Retro Gaming Emulator & Streaming Console is on sale right now for only 89.97, which is 43 percent off the regular 159.99 retail price. This device is plug-and-play for easy setup. You can connect it to multiple devices, such as your TV, computer, laptop, or projector, to enjoy stunning sound and visuals. A quad-core Cortex-A53 CPU running at up to 1.8GHz and Mali-G31MP2 GPU ensure smooth gameplay on all titles.