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Netflix has closed its AAA gaming studio

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Netflix has closed its AAA gaming studio

Netflix’s gaming arm is best known for its indie and mobile titles, but the company recently made a push into AAA by hiring execs from high-profile franchises like Halo, Overwatch and God of War. That strategy may be coming to an end, though, as Netflix is shutting down its AAA studio known as Team Blue, the company confirmed to Game File.

In 2022, Netflix brought on former Overwatch boss Chacko Sonny to head up a new SoCal-based AAA studio. A year later, former Halo exec Joseph Staten was hired on as Creative Director, followed by God of War art director Rafael Grassetti. At the time, both Staten said he was working on a multi-platform AAA game with all-new IP.

Those executives are no longer with the company and Netflix confirmed to Game File that Team Blue has been shut down. Engadget reached out to Staten and Grassetti for comment.

Netflix got into gaming in 2017 with its retro-inspired Stranger Things mobile game. In the following years, its strategy was primarily centered around obtaining mobile publishing rights to respected indie titles like Into the Breach and Terra Nil. It also built a number of mobile games in-house. In 2023, Netflix had nearly 90 such titles in development with in-house and partner studios.

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Those can be accessed through Netflix’s app and played directly on your device, so they fit in pretty well with its overall streaming strategy. The Team Blue studio venture didn’t quite line up as neatly with that model, though, which made it a bit of a surprise. As Engadget’s Igor Bonifacic noted at the time, “funding the development of a multiplatform AAA game is significantly more ambitious and, it should be noted, risky.”

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Stable Diffusion 3.5 debuts as Stability AI aims to improve open models for generating images

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Credit: Image generated by VentureBeat with Stable Diffusion

Credit: Image generated by VentureBeat with Stable Diffusion


Stability AI is looking to retake the lead in text to image generative AI with Stable Diffusion 3.5.Read More

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6 days to go: Disrupt 2024 kicks off & ticket prices go up

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TechCrunch Disrupt 2023 Founders

The clock is ticking down! Just 6 days to go until TechCrunch Disrupt 2024!

Join 10,000 industry leaders from around the world at Moscone West in San Francisco from October 28-30 to witness groundbreaking discussions with top-tier industry experts, elite networking, an exciting showcase of the newest tech innovations, and so much more.

Time is running out! These last 6 days are your chance to save up to $400 on tickets. Once Moscone West opens its doors, prices will jump to full price. These are also the last days to get an Expo+ Pass for you and a plus-one at 50% off the price of a single pass.

Secure your discounted pass here.

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Why attend Disrupt 2024

10,000+ startup and VC leaders

Build invaluable relationships with 10,000 tech, startup, and VC leaders at Disrupt 2024 — your opportunity to connect with the industry’s best.

350+  groundbreaking innovations

Explore the future of tech as over 350 startups from around the globe showcase their cutting-edge innovations in the Expo Hall.

250+ industry experts

Gain powerful insights from industry heavyweights as they take the stages across 6 focused tracks and sessions.

  • Alex Pall and Drew Taggart from The Chainsmokers, Co-Founders and Partners, MANTIS Venture Capital
  • Ashton Kutcher, Co-Founder, Sound Ventures
  • Bridgit Mendler, CEO, Northwood Space
  • Colin Kaepernick, Founder and CEO, Lumi
  • Erin and Sara Foster, Co-Founders and General Partners, Oversubscribed Ventures
  • Mary Barra, CEO, General Motors
  • Wassym Bensaid, Chief Software Officer, Rivian
  • Meet the rest of our speakers

200+ hands-on sessions

Participate in Q&A Breakout Sessions and discussion Roundtable Sessions led by industry experts, designed to address key challenges in today’s tech landscape.

Startup Battlefield 200

Don’t miss the high-stakes startup competition at Disrupt 2024, where 20 carefully selected startups will pitch to a panel of elite VC judges, battling for a $100,000 equity-free prize and the renowned Disrupt Cup.

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Unparalleled networking

Beyond networking around the venue, use the Braindate app to create or explore topics for deeper in-person discussions. Meet at the Networking Lounge powered by Braindate, located on level 2, for 1:1 or small-group conversations.

60+ Side Events

Take the excitement of Disrupt 2024 beyond the main event by exploring company-hosted Side Events all over San Francisco throughout the week. Whether you’re into workshops, happy hours, cocktail parties, morning runs, or comedy nights, there’s an activity for everyone to enjoy.

Only 6 days left to lock in lower ticket prices

Now’s the time to save up to $400 on tickets. Or you can take advantage of our 2-for-1 offer—bring a guest for half the price of a single Expo+ Pass until October 27. All ticket prices will rise once the doors open on October 28.

Lock in your Disrupt 2024 ticket here before the rates rise.

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Canva has a shiny new text-to-image generator

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Canva has a shiny new text-to-image generator

Dream Lab is powered by Leonardo’s Phoenix model (not be be confused with Adobe’s Firefly AI) and allows users to generate images from descriptions in a variety of styles like “3D render” and “Illustration.”

Canva already has its own Stable Diffusion-based AI image generator and hosts several other third-party apps, but the new Dream Lab offering introduces some improvements to the platform. It’s seemingly better at producing photographic styles and multi-subject images, for example, and includes a feature that can reference an existing image to better control the output — similar to Photoshop’s Reference Image tool.

Canva has also made some updates to its wider “Magic” AI tool suit, such as improved accuracy and one-click autocomplete commands for the Magic Write text generation feature. Whiteboards now support AI-powered summarization and real-time reaction stickers for collaborative projects and video editing tools have been added that automatically generate captions and introduce new animation effects.

Users can now add interactive charts and graphs to their presentations to help better visualize data. The Canva asset library has also been expanded with new royalty-free music and cinematic videos courtesy of a licensing deal with the Artlist music platform.

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Canva announced last month that it’s planning to increase its subscription pricing for some business customers to reflect the “expanded product experience” and value that generative AI tools have added to the platform. The Leonardo.AI purchase was likely included in its investment plan, but users may be disappointed that they’re paying increased costs for incremental improvements rather than entirely new generative AI capabilities.

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Max’s first Get Millie Black trailer teases a missing persons case, major betrayals and a Game of Thrones star

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A woman stands next to a cabinet with a child's school photograph pinned to it

We might be getting another entry to our best Max shows list if the first trailer for Get Millie Black is anything to go by. I’m a huge fan of British crime thrillers and the new limited series looks like it’ll be a good one when it arrives on the streaming platform on November 25.

The series will air on HBO in the US and Channel 4 in the UK, joining the likes of Uzumaki and Smiling Friends, so we’ve really been spoiled with great new additions to both networks recently. Not only that, but Max recently teased a bunch of cool stuff at New York Comic Con – is it any wonder it’s one of the best streaming services?

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Clear link between online posts and violent disorder

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Clear link between online posts and violent disorder
Getty Images Two youths stand in front of a burning vehicle in SunderlandGetty Images

There were riots across England in the summer, including in Sunderland

There was a “clear connection” between the violent disorder in England and Northern Ireland in the summer and posts on social media and messaging apps, Ofcom has concluded.

The government had asked the media regulator to consider how illegal content and disinformation spread during the unrest.

In an open letter setting out its findings, Ofcom boss Dame Melanie Dawes said such content spread “widely and quickly” online following the stabbings in Southport, in July, which preceded the disorder.

She added most online services took “rapid action”, but said the responses of some firms were “uneven”.

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“Misinformation appeared online almost immediately after the attacks, some of it appearing to have malicious intent and seeking to influence public opinion and reaction,” Dame Melanie wrote.

“Posts about the Southport incident and subsequent events from high-profile accounts reached millions of users, demonstrating the role that virality and algorithmic recommendations can play in driving divisive narratives in a crisis period,” she added.

Enhanced powers

At the time of the unrest, Ofcom faced criticism for not doing more to rein in the spread of untrue and inflammatory content.

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It urged tech firms to take action – but also pointed out the enhanced powers it is due to get under the Online Safety Act had not yet come into force.

The act will see the creation of codes of practice for big tech firms which will place new responsibilities on them for tackling disinformation.

“I am confident that, had the draft Codes been in force at the time, they would have provided a firm basis for urgent engagement with services on the steps they were taking to protect UK users from harm,” Dame Melanie wrote.

She said the new powers set “clear standards” for what Ofcom would expect to see in future from big tech firms, such as:

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  • Specifying in their terms of service provisions how individuals are to be protected from priority illegal content
  • Having systems designed to swiftly take down illegal content and having “adequately resourced” content moderation teams
  • Providing effective and accessible mechanisms for users to complain about illegal content, including on messaging platforms

The unrest which broke out in August 2024 was the worst that had been seen in the UK for a decade.

It was followed by waves of arrests and prosecutions, some for online offences.

The role that big tech played was subject to much scrutiny – though the platforms themselves remained largely silent.

The prime minister also got dragged into a war of words with one of the highest profile people in tech – X owner Elon Musk.

The tech billionaire suggested that “civil war is inevitable” following the disorder.

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Sir Keir Starmer hit back saying there was “no justification” for Mr Musk’s comments, adding there was more that social media companies “can and should be doing”.

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You can now design custom Spotify playlist cover art

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You can now design custom Spotify playlist cover art

Personalizing your Spotify playlist by uploading your own covert art image is a great way to put a visual stamp on your audio mix, but now, you can design that cover art right in the app.  Starting today as a beta feature in English in 65 markets, the “Create Cover Art” feature gives users the ability to pick backgrounds, create text effects, and add stickers to generate an original piece of cover art for their playlists. It’s available to both free and Spotify Premium users.

Accessing the new feature is as simple as opening a playlist you’ve created, selecting the context menu (the three dots … ) and choosing Create Cover Art. You’ll then be given the choice to change the cover image (by uploading) or to create covert art.

Selecting create covert art opens an editor view with your playlist’s name appearing over a default background. This default background is randomly chosen, so sometimes you’ll be given a solid color like blue or green, while other times you may see a gradient or a rainbow.

You don’t need to keep the name of the playlist — you can add or remove text, play with sizes and colors, and pick from several effects. The sticker list isn’t very big, but you can add as many as you like, and they can be resized to create interesting options. Once you’re satisfied with your creation and save it, it will automatically update on your playlist, which can be shared through all of the usual channels.

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Your creativity is limited only by your imagination — and by Spotify’s existing Platform Rules. According to the company:

“Spotify is monitoring for violating content in Cover Art, and users can always report playlists for potential violations of Spotify’s Platform Rules. Listeners can still upload their own images to use as part of their custom playlist cover art. For additional design elements, you can use those available within the beta feature including text, color and stickers for further customization. Note, users must own or have the right to post any images uploaded into the feature and follow Spotify’s Platform Rules.”

If Spotify removes your cover art for violating its rules, there’s not much you can do to get it back — unless you live in the EU. Apparently EU residents alone are able to appeal Spotify’s content moderation decisions.

Will folks rush to customize their playlists? It seems like a reasonable assumption given their massive popularity. According to the company, more than 8 billion playlists have been created to date.

Want to create your own playlist, but wish someone would help you curate it? Spotify recently launched an AI playlist creation tool. The company has also partnered with Instagram to give Spotify users one-tap song saves when they discover new tracks on the Meta-owned social network.

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