France and Germany pledged on Friday to develop a European alternative to Palantir’s military AI software. A joint declaration signed after talks between Emmanuel Macron and Friedrich Merz committed the two countries to examine “a European sovereign digital backbone” covering data-centric security, AI, and cloud solutions. France’s Arcadia, an AI-powered command-and-control platform, was named as the starting point, alongside unspecified “comparable German solutions.”

The declaration arrives after both countries moved to drop Palantir from their intelligence services. France’s DGSI announced in June it was replacing Palantir with ChapsVision’s ArgonOS, six months after renewing the American firm’s contract. Germany’s BfV chose ChapsVision for the same role. The Bundeswehr has excluded Palantir from its defence cloud procurement entirely. A top NATO commander recently told Politico there was no real European alternative to Palantir’s Maven software, which the alliance uses for battlefield data processing. Friday’s declaration is Paris and Berlin’s answer: build one.

The joint statement also covers missiles, tanks, and space. France, Germany, and the UK will examine cooperation on long-range weapons with a 2,500-kilometre range, drawing on capabilities at ArianeGroup. The Franco-German MGCS tank programme, intended to replace the Leopard 2 and Leclerc, will launch a research programme on autonomous driving, sensors, and battlefield networking. The troubled FCAS next-generation fighter jet was notably absent from the declaration. Instead, the two countries agreed to create a “European collaborative combat standard” so fighter jets and drones from different nations can communicate in the field.

Palantir’s CEO Alex Karp called Germany’s refusal to consider his company “conversations about witchcraft“ in a Bild interview last month, arguing the software was proven on every serious battlefield. That argument has not moved Berlin. The sovereignty question is not whether Palantir’s technology works, it plainly does, but whether Europe’s most sensitive military infrastructure should depend on an American company at a time when transatlantic relations cannot be taken for granted. France and Germany have now put that question into a joint declaration. Whether they can turn it into working software is the harder part.

The new Audeze Maxwell 2 ANC addresses the most conspicuous omission from one of the best-sounding wireless gaming headsets on the market. Following the Maxwell 2’s debut in early 2026 and the recent introduction of interchangeable ReSkin earcups, Audeze is adding active and adaptive noise cancellation, expanded smart-audio capabilities, and new visual accents. More significantly, the Maxwell 2 ANC is the first headset in Audeze’s entire headphone lineup to offer ANC.

The original Maxwell did more than raise expectations for gaming audio. It smashed through the category’s glass ceiling and demonstrated that a high-end headphone manufacturer could build a wireless gaming headset with serious planar magnetic performance without charging $2,000 to $4,000 for admission. There is, after all, a finite supply of audiophiles willing to explain that purchase to a spouse, accountant, or divorce attorney.

Sony Interactive Entertainment has never said that Maxwell convinced it to acquire Audeze in August 2023, but the timing is difficult to ignore. The headset gave Audeze a credible path beyond the comparatively limited market for ultra-premium planar magnetic headphones and into the vastly larger PlayStation, PC, and console-gaming ecosystem. It would be surprising if that potential did not feature prominently in Sony’s calculations.

Audeze gave eCoustics an early listen to the Maxwell 2 at CanJam NYC 2026, and its planar magnetic drivers delivered the detail, impact, and spatial precision that made the original such a category disruptor. The missing feature was ANC. With the Maxwell 2 ANC, Audeze has finally filled that hole rather than hoping gamers would stop noticing it.

Related Review: Audeze Maxwell Wireless Gaming Headphones Review

Audeze Adds Gaming Focused Adaptive ANC to the Maxwell 2

The inclusion of ANC and expanded smart-audio capabilities is a welcome addition to the Maxwell platform, which has already earned considerable attention from the media, esports competitors, and audio professionals.

Audeze’s adaptive hybrid noise cancellation system has been engineered specifically for gamers. It combines feedforward and feedback noise reduction with low-latency transparency, reducing external distractions while preserving positional-audio accuracy. According to Audeze’s internal testing, the system delivers a significant reduction in constant low-frequency noise and outperforms typical consumer ANC headphones during gameplay.

The Maxwell 2 ANC also supports AI-controlled ANC settings, voice-activated commands, an improved transparency mode, and simultaneous wired and Bluetooth audio playback. Combined with the full planar magnetic driver system and SLAM technology carried over from the Maxwell 2, these upgrades position the Maxwell 2 ANC as the most advanced gaming headset Audeze has released to date.

Key Features of the Maxwell 2 ANC

• Adaptive Hybrid Noise Cancellation: ANC microphones embedded within the earcups give users greater control over their listening environment. A low-latency Transparency Mode is also included.
• Voice-Command Control: Voice commands provide faster access to key settings as gameplay conditions change.
• Planar Magnetic Drivers with SLAM: Carried over from the Maxwell 2, Audeze’s planar magnetic driver system and SLAM technology are designed to deliver clearer, deeper bass and more precise sound.
• Improved Comfort: Upgraded ergonomics are intended to reduce fatigue during longer gaming sessions.
• Versatile Connectivity: The Maxwell 2 ANC supports connections with PCs, game consoles, and mobile devices, making it easier to move between gaming and everyday listening.
• Style Highlights: Silver accents give the Maxwell 2 ANC a distinct appearance, while the previously introduced limited-edition ReSkin earcups allow users to personalize the headset.

Comparison

The Bottom Line 

The Maxwell 2 was unveiled at CES 2026 and quickly established itself as one of the strongest premium gaming headsets on the market. The Maxwell 2 ANC addresses its most obvious omission by adding adaptive hybrid noise cancellation, improved transparency, and expanded smart-audio features without abandoning the 90 mm planar magnetic drivers, Fluxor magnet arrays, Fazor waveguides, and SLAM acoustic technology that distinguish the platform.

That combination is what makes the Maxwell 2 ANC unusual. Noise cancellation is hardly new to gaming headsets, but pairing gaming-focused adaptive ANC with Audeze’s full-size planar magnetic driver technology is far less common. Its primary competition includes the SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro Omni ($399), Turtle Beach Stealth Pro II ($349), and the Razer Kraken V4 Pro ($399).

Those rivals offer their own advantages, including lighter designs, hot-swappable batteries, elaborate control hubs, and aggressive competitive-gaming tuning. Audeze’s strongest argument remains sound quality, particularly for gamers who also expect one headset to handle music, movies, voice chat, and everyday listening without sounding like a plastic helmet full of angry bees.

At $429 for the PlayStation version and $449 for Xbox, the Maxwell 2 ANC is aimed at serious console and PC gamers who prioritize planar magnetic clarity, bass extension, positional accuracy, and effective isolation over low weight or bargain pricing. It is not an impulse purchase, but it is considerably less expensive than the SteelSeries Arctis Nova Elite and occupies a rare position between conventional premium gaming headsets and Audeze’s far more expensive audiophile headphones.

Sony’s acquisition of Audeze appears to be paying dividends. Rather than sanding away the company’s audiophile identity, the Maxwell platform is bringing its planar magnetic technology to a much larger audience. The Maxwell 2 ANC is the most complete version of that strategy so far—and potentially the model that finally eliminates the strongest reason some gamers had for buying something else.

Pricing & Availability

All models support Windows, macOS, Android, iOS, and Nintendo Switch. The Maxwell 2 ANC will be demonstrated at CanJam London 2026 from July 18-19. 

Related Reading:

If you have ever been a subscriber of YouTube TV or DirecTV at any point since April 2019, you could get cash as part of a $50 million settlement agreed to by Disney in an antitrust lawsuit the corporation faced for allegedly forcing higher prices for live TV streaming services.

To be eligible for a payout, you had to have bought a subscription to either YouTube TV or DirecTV — or both — between April 1, 2019, and March 31, 2026. DirecTV subscriptions might have been called DirecTV Stream, DirecTV Now and/or AT&T TV Now.

How to apply for the settlement

If you’re part of the settlement, you will likely get a notice in your USPS mailbox or your email inbox. Check your junk or spam folders in case your email service filtered it. The deadline for claiming a payment is Sept. 8.

If you get a notice, go to this website and log in with the ID and PIN provided on the settlement notice. You will need to verify your YouTube TV or DirecTV Stream subscription.

If you don’t get a notice but believe you are eligible for the cash settlement, send an email to info@OnlineTVSettlement.com or print out a PDF version of the claim form and send it via snail mail to:

Biddle v. Disney
Settlement Administrator
P.O. Box 4720
Portland, OR 97208-4720

Printed settlement claims must be postmarked by Sept. 8.

The settlement terms specify that 90% of the money will go to payees in these states and territories: Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Florida, Guam, Hawaii, Iowa, Kansas, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Oregon, Puerto Rico, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Utah, Vermont, West Virginia and Wisconsin. 

The remaining 10% will go to settlement members in other states.

Why the lawsuit?

In Biddle v. Disney, (PDF) filed in 2022, the plaintiffs alleged that Disney violated federal and state antitrust and consumer protection laws by forcing YouTube TV, DirecTV and FuboTV subscribers to pay more for livestreaming TV. The $50 million settlement does not apply to FuboTV plaintiffs, who have not yet settled with Disney.

The plaintiffs alleged that Disney forced streaming platforms to bundle content from expensive channels such as ESPN and Hulu — both owned by Disney — into base packages, thereby escalating the subscription prices for those packages. It was alleged that prices for YouTube TV base package subscriptions went up from $35 to $65.

“Since Disney acquired operational control over Hulu in May 2019, prices across the SLPTV [Streaming Live Pay Television] Market, including for YouTube TV and DirecTV Stream, have nearly doubled,” the lawsuit alleged.

Disney denies violating any laws. There will be a hearing on Jan. 14, 2027, for final approval of the settlement.

A representative for Disney did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Cutting the cord in your car is a simple upgrade.

Can I convert my Android Auto to wireless?

The good and the bad of using an Android Auto adapter?

Google

What is the best wireless Android Auto adapter?

Modern video games are nothing short of amazing. My son and I were playing through the one of the latest Zeldas, which involve a mix of combat and puzzle-solving that’s pretty much the hallmark of the franchise. But the most recent open-world Zelda is simply massive. Made by around 1,000 people at a development expense of $150,000,000, it takes probably 60-80 hours to play through if you’re not rushing, and more if you’re taking it easy. It has layers of game mechanics, and worlds in the sky, on land, and underground. It’s big in every way.

Contrast the games of my youth, which were a lot smaller. Written by a pair of people or maybe a handful, with playtimes in the single-digit hours, and of course fitting in the limited computing resources of the time. But the low-stakes nature of the early phases of the industry meant that software developers could take risks, and many of the games were consequently kinda idiosyncratic in this more innocent time.

I think there’s something to be said for small games. They don’t require a lifestyle commitment just to get through. They can still be fun, without taking all of your time. And honestly, when you’re done with a game quickly, you have more time for other stuff. Granted, some of this spirit lives on in the small indie games of today, but even so, game developers have the big studios’ products in the backs of their minds when they are working on their smaller oeuvres.

We were talking about preserving old games for posterity around Hackaday and on the podcast, and our conversations reminded me of a couple of educational games that, despite their rudimentary graphics, are still pretty good today. Both were electronics related, and both are still playable today thanks to efforts on emulation and software preservation. To get a feel for the 1980’s, give Rocky’s Boots a try. (I like the TRS-80 Color Computer version the best, but that may just be nostalgia.) Most of you grownups out there will get through it in an hour or so.

And if you want a challenge, try Rocky’s harder sequel: Robot Odyssey. If you already have a background in digital circuits, you’ll find it doable. Younger me hit a wall about two-thirds of the way through.

Both of these games stick with me because they taught me something, but also because they were simply quirky in a way that a game can only be when it’s written by a small team of folks who are just having fun programming it. If you pitched “a puzzle game about a raccoon who builds logic circuits to activate robot boots”, the boardroom would look at you like you’re out of your mind. But it’s just exactly the quirkiness and individuality of some of these early games that I cherish the most.

If you find yourself knee-deep in an endless modern game, take a side-quest off into a more naive time, and you’ll appreciate why people are putting efforts into archiving them.

Viewers who caught the January 27, 1983 episode of BBC’s Tomorrow’s World saw presenter Peter Macann lay out real hardware that tried to solve an old complaint. Television sets of the day sat deep and heavy because their cathode ray tubes needed space for an electron gun to fire straight at the screen. Macann began with a plain observation: a set flat enough to hang on the wall like a picture would free up room and change how living spaces worked. The demonstration that followed showed both how close engineers had come and how many practical hurdles still stood in the way.

Macann begins with a small Sony pocket TV. It’s the same cathode ray tube idea everyone knows, but the engineers placed the electron gun to the side of the case, essentially sideways. The electron beam is then bent downward onto a small phosphor surface by charged plates. That clever method eliminates the majority of the depth that ordinarily extends from the back of the set. It still runs for about three hours on penlight batteries and receives BBC and the newer Channel 4 signals directly in the studio. The image quality is a little hazy, as if it were taken in a studio, but it appears to be something you could easily put into your pocket and take with you.

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The segment then looks at an entirely new approach, this time with liquid crystals. This material requires significantly less electricity because it does not generate its own light. Instead, it twists under electric current to control how much light passes through or bounces back. Macann is holding up a modest handheld game with a screen comprised of small liquid-crystal shapes carved out to resemble motorcycles. By turning those shapes on and off in sequence, you can create the illusion of racing bikes without using a light tube or constant high voltage. The similar low-power approach is used in a portable oscilloscope, where the display consists of hundreds of small square cells that turn black or white when exposed to voltage. This implies that technicians may now bring the tool into the field using only battery power, which was previously impossible with classic tube-based scopes that required mains power and bulk.

Tomorrow’s World kept its most visually appealing example for last. A Japanese prototype packed a liquid-crystal screen into a casing the size of a wristwatch. The screen is simply sitting there, ready to display moving images, but the rest of the circuitry and power supply are in a separate pack connected by a wire. Sound travels through a set of headphones. Macann demonstrates the device and then explains its limitations in plain English. Since the crystals simply reflect the light surrounding them rather than creating their own, the image can appear faint or washed out in a regular room. The detail is obviously a little rougher than what you’d get from a traditional tube, but the fact that a moving image appears on something tied to someone’s wrist is a step ahead that goes beyond simple whiteboard sketching.

Macann concludes by pointing out that liquid-crystal panels have already achieved several of the characteristics that TV designers have sought for years, such as thinness and low power consumption. With some more effort on brightness and viewing angle, the existing playthings could become something you’d want to watch at home. Macann is cautious, refusing to declare that the future has arrived. The team is only demonstrating what was accomplished in early 1983 and leaving viewers to wonder how long it would take before things are good enough to utilize in real life.

ManageEngine’s Vimalraj Sampathkumar explores how R&D recruitment requires a long-term approach.

In the modern era, the majority of organisations within STEM depend on strong and robust research and development teams to ensure that new discoveries are being made, that processes and techniques are up to date and that current knowledge is not stagnating.

But this requires a consistent and skilled talent pipeline that nowadays is not so easy to maintain.

In May, a report from recruitment platform IrishJobs found that employers are hiring for highly specific, rather than broad roles, with a focus on AI and cybersecurity in particular. 

“Building a strong talent pipeline requires a long-term approach rather than simply hiring when demand arises,” explained Vimalraj Sampathkumar, the regional technical head for the UK and Ireland at Enterprise IT management company ManageEngine. 

“Irish organisations should partner with universities, offer internships and graduate programmes and provide structured learning and career development opportunities. 

“Equally important is creating an environment that encourages people to innovate, collaborate across teams and experiment with new technologies. When learning becomes part of the culture, organisations are better equipped to attract, develop, and retain highly skilled R&D professionals.”

Rise together

Despite best efforts, there is only so much you can achieve alone. Often the organisations with the most efficient teams are the ones in which there is clear collaboration and a committed effort to upskill as a unit. 

Sampathkumar finds that, as technology continues to advance rapidly, continuous learning becomes an essential element of the workspace. He advised Irish organisations to provide access to technical training, certifications, mentoring and opportunities to work on emerging technologies and also cited the benefits of knowledge sharing across teams.  

He said: “Investing in upskilling enables R&D teams to innovate faster, improve product quality, respond more effectively to changing customer needs and stay ahead of evolving security and technology trends. 

“It also helps improve employee engagement and retention. This can be a critical differentiator in what is still a very competitive Irish labour market where highly skilled tech talent has no shortage of options despite the emergence of AI.”

Tech and talent

Of the challenges R&D teams face nowadays, Sampathkumar noted the issue of balancing innovation with the need to deliver secure, reliable and scalable products in a landscape where compliance requirements are ever-evolving and deadlines tightening.  

“Simultaneously, customer expectations and technology within the European market continue to evolve rapidly, requiring teams to adapt quickly due to tightening regulatory demands, the EU AI Act, accelerating cloud and AI adoption and the evolving cybersecurity landscape,” he explained. 

“The opportunity lies in embracing technologies such as AI, automation, and advanced analytics, which enable engineers to spend less time on repetitive tasks and more time solving complex problems that drive meaningful innovation.”

With the changing workplace environment in mind and as most companies continue the march forward, Sampathkumar made note of the tools and recent advancements that can aid R&D professionals in their work.

He explained that AI-assisted development tools, cloud-native platforms, automation and DevSecOps practices have transformed how engineering teams build and deliver software, while also improving productivity and maintaining quality and security throughout the development life cycle. 

“One area I believe remains underutilised is customer feedback analytics. Organisations collect significant amounts of customer data, but many don’t fully leverage those insights to influence product decisions. Combining customer feedback with AI-driven analytics can lead to more informed and impactful innovation.”

It isn’t all about trendy tech and gadgets, however. For Sampathkumar, the space is driven largely by its people.

“Irish organisations that invest in developing talent, encourage collaboration between customer-facing and engineering teams and maintain a strong focus on solving real customer problems will be best positioned for long-term success. 

“Ultimately, continuous learning and adaptability will remain the defining characteristics of successful R&D organisations.”

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Apple has been accused of “aiding and abetting” the use of “nudify” AI apps on the iPhone, with San Francisco City Attorney David Chiu demanding they be removed from the App Store in a new cease-and-desist letter sent to the company.

A Wired report notes that both Apple and Google have been told to prevent the sale of AI apps that can be used to create deepfake images. They must also “sever” business relationships with all of the developers responsible for the apps.

So-called “nudify” apps have been around for some time. They allow users to create non-consensual intimate images of others, often minors, without the knowledge of the subject.

Such apps can be used to remove the clothes of subjects. Some allow the subjects to then be placed into specific scenarios of the user’s choosing.

Illegal, harmful, and completely unacceptable

In a statement provided to Wired, Chiu pointed out that generating deepfake imagery is “illegal, harmful, and completely unacceptable.” Chiu also noted that Apple and Google have likely made considerable sums from the sale of, or subscriptions relating to, such “nudify” apps.

Chiu also made it clear that Apple and Google have a responsibility to ensure that their platforms aren’t being used to create such content. His legal letters also pointed out to both companies that California law prohibits supporting services that can create deepfakes.

Google says that it investigates apps that are believed to be used to create deepfake content. It added that it “takes swift action” when required.

Apple issued a statement to AppleInsider on Friday evening after publication.

“The App Store was designed to be a safe and trusted place for users, and we have always strictly prohibited apps designed to generate, distribute, or consume pornography. ‘Nudification’ apps are against our App Review Guidelines and we have proactively rejected many of these apps and removed many others, including when users have flagged them via our reporting tools. We have removed three of the apps in question and are in the process of terminating their developer accounts from our program. We are in contact with four others that need to address policy violations or risk being removed as well.”

Apple previously removed a number of similar generative AI apps from the App Store. The company previously told AppleInsider that nudification apps aren’t allowed in the App Store, with no exceptions.

App Store reviewers appear to give developers some benefit of the doubt. Developers are first notified if their apps are found to be used to create “nudify” images.

Violations that aren’t addressed generally result in the offending app being removed from the App Store. It’s not clear if any of the apps in question have gone through this process, or where they are in it.

Apple also says that it actively blocks App Store search terms for such apps.

As for Chiu, he intends to continue to pursue both companies. For now, he wants Apple and Google to remove the offending apps and strengthen the tools that they use to screen new apps before they are made available for download.

Update July 18, 10:03 AM: Updated with Apple’s statement on the matter.

The duo behind the major 2024 cyberattack are reported to have been leading members of the Scattered Spider cybercrime collective.

Two men responsible for the 2024 cyberattack on Transport for London (TFL) have each been sentenced to five and a half years in prison by a UK court.

Owen Flowers and Thalha Jubair, who were teenagers at the time of the cyberattack, were sentenced today (16 July) at Woolwich Crown Court after previously pleading guilty to the hack. The pair were arrested and charged last year.

In late August and early September in 2024, Flowers and Jubair gained access to TFL customer data after impersonating an employee and tricking a phone helpdesk worker into resetting that employee’s password – leading to the theft of around 10m customers’ data.

The cyberattack – which cost TFL £29m – disrupted a number of transportation services in the UK’s capital, including a booking service that provides transport to vulnerable Londoners, while 148 technology systems were rendered inoperable.

In order to stop the attack, all 27,000 TFL employees were summoned to one of the authority’s offices for a password reset and its IT team disconnected its system from the internet.

Had the attack been successful in shutting down TFL’s entire network, it’s estimated that damages could’ve totalled up to £56bn.

According to the UK’s National Crime Agency, both Flowers and Jubair were leading members of cybercrime collective Scattered Spider, which has been linked to other major cyberattacks such as the Marks and Spencer hack.

As well as the TFL attack, Flowers also admitted to conspiring to launch cyberattacks on American nonprofit healthcare systems SSM Health and Sutter Health.

According to the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), devices belonging to Flowers linked him to all three attacks, while information linking Jubair to the TFL cyberattack was reportedly found overseas.

During the trial – which began last month – the court heard that the duo livestreamed the TFL hack online. Telegram messages of Flowers and Jubair joking about the consequences of the cyberattacks were also uncovered and then used by the prosecution as evidence of the pair’s involvement.

According to the CPS, Flowers and Jubair are believed to be the first hackers to be successfully prosecuted under Section 3ZA of the UK’s Computer Misuse Act 1990.

“Flowers and Jubair broke into and accessed sensitive systems to extract information from millions of Oyster card-holders,” said Lionel Idan, chief crown prosecutor for SEOCID Regional and Wales Division in a press release.

“The evidence revealed not only the sophistication and persistence of their attack but also the recklessness of those responsible. Both defendants showed a staggering disregard for the consequences of their actions as their cyberattack led to TfL having to ‘pull the plug’ on their own network to protect it from wider disruption to the transport network.

“This successful prosecution was a perfect example of collaboration with investigators, prosecutors and international partners working together to build a watertight case that left Jubair and Flowers with little choice but admit their crimes.”

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Facepalm: GameStop CEO Ryan Cohen has sparked an unlikely controversy among gamers and long-time industry observers after stating that sales of physical video game discs are “totally irrelevant” to his company. While some are blaming Cohen for giving up on physical games, others argue that he is simply stating the obvious: these days, most AAA games are only available as digital downloads.

During an interview with Bloomberg News, Cohen was asked whether he worries about his company’s future in an era when publishers are increasingly pivoting to digital-only releases. Cohen replied that the decline of physical games would not hurt GameStop because “software makes up less than 12%” of the company’s overall business.

Explaining GameStop’s current business model, Cohen noted that trading cards and collectibles account for more than half of the company’s revenue, with Pokémon trading cards being the single most popular product on its store shelves. Cohen also pointed out that the $143 million the company earned in Q1 2026 represented “the highest operating earnings in the company’s history.”

According to GameStop’s latest financial report, collectibles and trading cards accounted for around 41% of the company’s revenue during the quarter, while software sales, once the company’s core business, accounted for only about 12%. The figures suggest that GameStop has evolved from the country’s leading video game retailer into a company whose business is now primarily driven by collectibles.

Still, Cohen’s remarks caught some gamers off guard, with critics arguing that stores like GameStop should be fighting to slow the decline of physical games, since they have long been central to the company’s business model. Other, more pragmatic gamers believe the CEO was simply stating the obvious, as sales of physical video games have long been surpassed by digital downloads.

Sales of physical copies of games have been declining for several years, with most AAA publishers no longer releasing physical editions of their latest titles. Recent high-profile games that launched as digital-only releases include Cairn, Marathon, Esoteric Ebb, and The Alters: Last Variable.

Rockstar Games also recently announced that the highly anticipated Grand Theft Auto VI will be a digital-only release, with the so-called physical edition containing nothing more than a code to download the game. However, following severe backlash from fans, the company hinted that it could release a true physical version at a later date.

Sony also joined the digital-only trend recently, announcing that it will no longer release physical copies of new PlayStation titles starting in January 2028. Despite protests, the decision is unlikely to be reversed, with the EU clarifying this week that it cannot prevent Sony from ending physical PlayStation game releases.