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13.12.2025 01:21  John Cena began his WWE retirement tour back in January, and it's coming to an end this weekend when the wrestling legend headlines WWE Saturday Night's Main Event. For the last fight of his career, Cena has been matched up with "The Ring General" Gunther on the night's fight card, which also features matches between Cody Rhodes and Oba Femi, a tag team match featuring AJ Styles Dragon Lee vs. Je'Von Evans Leon Slater, and a women's matchup between Bayley and Sol Ruca. This show starts at 8 p.m. ET on Saturday and will stream with a subscription to Peacock, or grab a 7-day trial of Peacock through Prime Video and tune in for free. Here's a look at how to watch John Cena's final fight at WWE Saturday Night's Main Event this weekend, including how to stream the entire thing for free. How to watch WWE Saturday Night's Main Event: Date: Dec. 13, 2025 Time: 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT Streaming: Peacock Where to watch WWE Saturday Night's Main Event: The WWE Saturday Night's Main Event will air live on Saturday, Dec. 13, 2025 on Peacock, with fights starting at 8 p.m. ET. You can also tune in to the Saturday Night's Main Event Countdown pre-show starting at 6 p.m. ET, and the post-show, which immediately follows the event on Peacock. Who will be at WWE Saturday Night's Main Event? This weekend's Saturday Night's Main Event will be headlined by John Cena and Gunther. Also on the bill, you can catch matches between Cody Rhodes and Oba Femi, a tag team bout between AJ Styles Dragon Lee vs. Je'Von Evans Leon Slater, and a women's matchup between Bayley and Sol Ruca. How to watch the WWE Saturday Night's Main Event: WWE Saturday Night's Main Event Fight Card: John Cena vs. Gunther Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes vs. NXT Champion Oba Femi World Tag Team Champions AJ Styles Dragon Lee vs. Je'Von Evans TNA X Division Champion Leon Slater Bayley vs. Sol Ruca This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/streaming/wwe-saturday-nights-main-event-how-to-watch-john-cenas-final-match-for-free-235537779.html?src=rss

13.12.2025 01:21 Amazon has responded to viewers catching errors in its AI-generated season recaps by apparently pulling them from Prime Video. The company announced its new Video Recaps feature in November as a way to make it easier to jump into a new season of a show, but the feature had issues: A recap created for Fallout included factual errors about the plot and the setting of the show.On Prime Video, recaps can be played in the "Extras" section if you're watching on the web, or via a dedicated "recap button" on the show's page, according to Amazon's original Video Recaps announcement. If you head to the Fallout season two page now, the erroneous recap has been removed. In fact, at least on the web, there are currently no video recaps available on the show's Amazon was testing the feature on, which includes Fallout, Bosch, Upload, The Rig and Tom Clancy's Jack Ryan.Engadget has contacted Amazon for more information on why the recaps were removed. We'll update this article if we hear back.Video Recaps are just one of the ways Amazon is trying to integrate AI into its different products and services. The company offered AI-generated English dubs for select anime shows on Prime Video, before it pulled the dubs after users complained. Amazon also uses AI to generate recaps for long-running book series that are sold through the Kindle Store.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/streaming/amazon-pulls-its-bad-ai-video-recaps-after-fallout-fallout-220358758.html?src=rss

13.12.2025 01:21 IKEA's revamp of its smart home products doesn't end with Matter support. The furniture and home goods company also has a line of new Qi wireless chargers, the best of which, the VÄSTMÄRKE wireless charger, combines the functionality of a PopSockets-style phone grip with cable storage. The $10 VÄSTMÄRKE wireless charger is reminiscent of a bagel or donut, if you could take the top half of those ring-shaped foods and turn them inside out to create a cozy grip for your fingers. That same red silicone design also makes for a perfect place to store the charger's built-in USB-C cable, according to IKEA's product page, and otherwise acts as a playful replacement for what can be a pretty boring smartphone accessory. A VÄSTMÄRKE wireless charger with its top half unfolded so fingers can grip it. IKEA VÄSTMÄRKE offers Qi2 charging speeds and can magnetically attach to iPhones with MagSafe or Pixel phones with Google's Pixelsnap magnets. If you're interested in something a bit more discrete, the $25 VÄSTMÄRKE wireless charger with lighting is a bowl-shaped charger with a column in the center for attaching a smartphone, and room around it for keys or your wallet. IKEA has had multiple different ideas over the years for how smart home tech should integrate with its minimalist and user-friendly furniture. The company's partnership with Sonos ended in May 2025, which produced lights and picture frames with smart speakers built-in. Since then, the company has announced a new Bluetooth speaker and started rolling out a new collection of Matter-connected remotes, lights and sensors. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/smartphones/ikeas-new-wireless-charger-is-as-cute-as-it-is-practical-195013422.html?src=rss

12.12.2025 20:22 We generally consider Apple’s iPads to be the best tablets for most people, but they usually don’t come cheap. To help those looking to grab one get the most value possible, we’re keeping an eye on sale prices and rounding up the best iPad deals we can find each week. This week’s highlights include both versions of the latest iPad Air for $150 off at Amazon, matching the all-time lows we last saw around Black Friday. The iPad mini and iPad Pro are each $100 off as well. Beyond iPads, both the AirPods Pro 3 and Apple Watch Series 11 are even cheaper than they were last month, and there are still decent drops for the AirPods 4, Apple Watch SE 3 and MacBook Air. Here are the best Apple deals from this week that we can find. Best iPad deals Apple iPad Air for $650 : The 13-inch iPad Air is exactly the same as its smaller counterpart, only it has a larger and slightly brighter display. We gave it a review score of 89 earlier this year. This is another all-time low, but again, make sure to clip the coupon on Amazon's product page to see the full discount. Apple iPad mini for $399 : The iPad mini is exactly what it sounds like: the smaller iPad. This latest iteration adds an improved A17 Pro chip, 128GB of storage in the base model and Apple Pencil Pro support. As always, you’d buy it if you value the smaller 8.3-inch display and want a tablet that’s easier to use with one hand. This discount is $50 more than the all-time low we saw around Cyber Monday but still $100 less than buying directly from Apple. Also at Best Buy. Apple iPad Pro for $899 : The latest iPad Pro is still more tablet than most people will ever need, but its class-leading OLED display, impressively thin design and super-powerful M5 chip make it a luxury experience for those who can afford it. The device was only released in October, so this deal ties its lowest price to date. Also at Best Buy and B&H. Apple iPad Pro for $1,199 : It’s not a massive discount, but this matches the lowest price so far for the larger iPad Pro, which may be worthwhile if you’ve got cash to burn and want to use an iPad as your main computer. We gave it a score of 85 in our review. Also at B&H. Best Apple deals Apple AirPods 4 for $74 : If you don't need active noise cancellation and hate the feeling of headphones that just into your ear canal, the standard AirPods 4 remain a good buy. They lack built-in volume controls, and no open-style earbuds can produce the same level of bass as typical in-ear headphones, but they generally sound more pleasant than most pairs along these lines and still offer the usual array of Apple-friendly features. This discount is only $5 more than the all-time low we saw around Black Friday. Also at Best Buy for $85 if that runs out of stock. Apple AirPods 4 with ANC for $99 : This version of the AirPods 4 adds active noise cancellation, a wireless charging case and Find My tracking support on top of the many other iPhone-friendly features included with any set of Apple headphones. It still has an open-back design, so the ANC isn’t as effective as what you’d get with a pair that fully seals off your ear canal, but it’s useful all the same. We gave it a score of 86 in our review. This deal matches the pair’s all-time lowest price. Apple Watch SE 3 for $199 : This discount has been around for a few weeks, but it’s the lowest price to date for Apple’s newest entry-level smartwatch. We gave the SE 3 a score of 90 in our review last month: The big upgrade is an always-on display, which makes it so you no longer have to wake the watch to check the time or notifications. It still includes most of the essential health and fitness features beyond that, plus it now runs on the same chipset as the higher-end Apple Watch Series 11. Also at Walmart. Apple Pencil Pro for $95 : The Pencil Pro is Apple’s most feature-rich stylus, offering pressure sensitivity, wireless charging, haptic feedback and unique gesture controls compared to the standard USB-C model . Just note that it’s not compatible with the entry-level iPad and other older models. While this discount is only $5 below the device’s usual street price, it’s still the largest discount we’ve seen this year. Also at Walmart. Apple Mac mini for $479 : The latest iteration of Apple’s tiny desktop PC has a smaller footprint, a faster M4 chip, 16GB of RAM by default, two front-facing USB-C ports and an extra Thunderbolt 4 port. It can also drive three external displays, though it lacks USB-A ports entirely. We gave a higher-end model with Apple’s M4 Pro chip a score of 90 in our review. This deal on the base model with an M4 chip, 16GB of RAM and 256GB of storage is $10 more than the best deal we've seen but $20 less than the config's typical street price. Read more Apple coverage: The best AirPods The best Apple Watches The best MacBooks The best iPhones The best iPads Follow @EngadgetDeals on X for the latest tech deals and buying advice.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/the-best-ipad-deals-this-week-include-the-ipad-air-m3-for-150-off-150020455.html?src=rss

12.12.2025 20:22 Id Software, the company behind Doom, has voted in favor of forming a "wall-to-wall" union. The term "wall-to-wall" refers to a union that includes every employee, regardless of duties. The vote wasn't unanimous, though a majority did vote in favor of the union. The union will work in conjunction with the Communications Workers of America , which is the same organization involved with parent company ZeniMax's recent unionization efforts. Microsoft, who owns ZeniMax, has already recognized this new effort, according to a statement by the CWA. It agreed to a labor neutrality agreement with the CWA and ZeniMax workers last year, paving the way for this sort of thing. "The wall-to-wall organizing effort at id Software was much needed; it’s incredibly important that developers across the industry unite to push back on all the unilateral workplace changes that are being handed down from industry executives," id Software producer and CWA committee member Andrew Willis wrote in a statement to Engadget. From the onset, this union will look to protect remote work for id Software employees. "Remote work isn’t a perk. It’s a necessity for our health, our families, and our access needs. RTO policies should not be handed down from executives with no consideration for accessibility or our well-being,” said id Software Lead Services Programmer Chris Hays. He also said he looks forward to getting worker protections regarding the "responsible use of AI." Workers at id began organizing around 18 months ago, according to a report by Aftermath. Things sped up after Microsoft closed several Bethesda studios in the middle of last year. "We look forward to sitting across the table from Microsoft to negotiate a contract that reflects the skill, creativity and dedication these workers bring to every project," said CWA Local 6215 President Ron Swaggerty. The developer's latest game is Doom: The Dark Ages, which we loved. It scooped up an award for accessibility at last night's The Game Awards. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/doom-studio-id-software-forms-wall-to-wall-union-with-a-majority-of-employees-voting-in-favor-164808829.html?src=rss

12.12.2025 20:22 Sandfall Interactive, the developer of Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, knows how to ride the wave. Right after the visually stunning RPG finished dominating The Game Awards, the team dropped a free "Thank You" content update for fans.This is no minor patch. It adds a playable environment and new boss battles for late-game players. The "Thank You" update also adds new music tracks, a Photo Mode and new text and UI localizations. On top of that, you'll find quality-of-life tweaks, including improved performance on handheld PCs.Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 won a record-breaking nine categories at The Game Awards 2025. That includes — deep breath — Game of the Year, Best RPG, Best Art Direction, Best Game Direction, Best Narrative, Best Performance , Best Score and Music, Best Debut Game and Best Indie Game. The previous record was The Last of Us Part 2, which took home seven awards in 2020.The game's free "Thank You" update is rolling out now. You can catch a glimpse of it in the trailer below.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/clair-obscur-expedition-33-devs-dropped-a-big-update-after-sweeping-the-game-awards-183628313.html?src=rss

12.12.2025 20:22 Google is rolling out new Gemini-assisted functionality to Search and its Translate app. It says its AI can now provide more natural and accurate text translations for phrases that have more "nuanced meanings." Translate will now take slang terms and colloquial expressions into consideration rather than provide sometimes unhelpful direct translations. The latest update to its text translation feature is rolling out first in the US and India, translating between English and just under 20 other languages, including German, Spanish, Chinese and Arabic. It works in the Translate app for iOS and Android and on the web. Gemini’s speech-to-speech translation feature has also been updated, so you can now hear real-time translations in your headphones, like with Apple’s AirPods Pro 3. Google says the new functionality, which is now in beta in the Translate app for Android in the US, tries to "preserve the tone, emphasis and cadence of each speaker" so you better understand the direction of the conversation and who said what. It works with any headphones and supports more than 70 languages. Finally, Google is adding more tools to its potentially Duolingo-rivaling AI-powered language learning tools, which it introduced to the Translate app in August. Like Duolingo, Translate can now track how many days in a row you’ve been attempting to learn a new language, so you can check your progress over time. Whether it will nag you as persistently as the Duolingo owl famously does for slacking off is not clear. The feedback feature has also been improved, so you should receive more useful tips on how you’re pronouncing words or phrases. Germany, India and Sweden are among the 20 new countries that can now use these educational tools. After not showing it much love for a while, Google has been busy adding new features to Translate recently. As well as the new language practice feature, an update last month added the ability to select between "Fast" and "Advanced" translations that allow you to prioritize speed when you’re in a rush or receiving more accurate translations using Gemini.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/apps/google-translate-is-now-better-at-translating-slang-terms-and-idioms-using-ai-173428316.html?src=rss

12.12.2025 15:42 Honestly, compiling the biggest losers for Engadget is more fun than talking up the winners. While we reviewed nothing as atrocious as those ill-fated AI assistant gadgets from 2024, AI companies and services straddled both the winner and loser podiums. The losers might be you, the American consumer. In the US, anyone wanting a drone will have to find something that isn’t made by DJI. The company has been targeted by regulators since 2017 over concerns its products could spy on sensitive US infrastructure on behalf of China. Engadget The problem is DJI has such a high market share that its absence will effectively upend the industry. Oh, and its drones are consistently the best too. The US government hasn’t yet attempted to work with DJI to assess whether its products pose a risk. DJI recently made a final plea for a security review, sending letters to five US agencies that could assess its products. If that fails, US drone options will shrink massively. In the same 12 months, EV sales across the globe are up around 25 percent this year. Germany set a record in the first half of 2025, with electric cars accounting for nearly one in five new registrations. In China, EV sales are growing so fast that the country is flooding the global market with gas-powered cars it can’t sell at home. However — remember this is about losers — in the US, the Trump administration ended the EV tax credit. And shock! Sales of EVs in the US slumped, with some automakers, such as Ford, seeing a 60 percent year-over-year decline. As Sam Rutherford puts it, this policy change puts more roadblocks in the way of making cheaper battery-powered cars. It also affects EV investment and could mean US automakers fall even further behind their rivals elsewhere. We also point and shake our heads at Xbox, Grok and TV streaming. Check it all out right here. — Mat Smith The other big stories this morning Kindle Scribe Colorsoft review-in-progress Control Resonant steps into a larger world inspired by Neon Genesis Evangelion OpenAI’s house of cards seems primed to collapse Trump orders creation of litigation task force to challenge state AI laws All the winners at The Game Awards 2025 News, trailers and award winners. Most of which are Clair Obscur. Remedy If you missed The Game Awards 2025, you missed a historic sweep by Sandfall Interactive’s Clair Obscur: Expedition 33. The Belle Epoque saga, which was expected to win several categories, even bagged Game of the Year and eventually picked up more wins than any title in the show’s 12-year history. Naturally, there were trailers and game reveals too, which were pleasantly notable. We got a first look at the Control sequel, Resonant, Star Wars: Fate of The Old Republic is coming, headed by Mass Effect veterans, while Larian Studios is returning to the Divinity series following the success of Baldur’s Gate 3. Heck, if you want a good chance of winning at The Game Awards, hire Jennifer English to voice one of your main characters — she was in both BG3 and Clair Obscur. Continue reading. OpenAI signs deal to bring Disney characters to Sora and ChatGPT Slop Wars, Toy Sloppy and more! Disney announced a three-year licensing agreement with OpenAI to bring more than 200 of its characters, including those from Star Wars and Pixar, to the Sora app and ChatGPT. With the deal in place, OpenAI users will be able to prompt ChatGPT to generate images that tap into Disney’s intellectual property, with costumes, props, vehicles and environments covered. Additionally, Disney will invest $1 billion in OpenAI, with the option to purchase additional equity down the road. Continue reading. MasterClass subscriptions are 40 percent off for the holiday season Learn about tennis from Serena Williams or music from John Legend. If you’re struggling to find a good present for the holidays, MasterClass has discounted its subscriptions by up to 40 percent. I secured a similar deal for myself and was pleasantly surprised by the solid interface and the number of courses. I also forgot to update my subscription, whoops. Maybe this offer will get me back on board. Continue reading. Amazon’s AI-generated recap tool didn’t watch Fallout very closely It’s already getting the details wrong on its own shows. Amazon’s plan to offer AI-generated recaps of Prime Video shows isn’t off to a great start. The company’s recap of the first season of Fallout has multiple errors. First, the AI-generated recap incorrectly identifies the era of the show’s Los Angeles-set flashbacks as being the 1950s — they’re actually 2077. Perhaps more egregiously for a recap, it misunderstands the ending of the first season, which sets up season two’s partnership between vault dweller Lucy and The Ghoul. Continue reading.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/general/the-morning-after-engadget-newsletter-121506303.html?src=rss

12.12.2025 15:42 If you want to learn a new skill in the new year or brush up on some skills you already have, MasterClass could be a good option for you. It's even more accessible now that the company is running a holiday promotion that knocks 40 percent off subscriptions. For the top-tier Premium plan, which includes offline mode and use on up to six devices, you'll pay $144 for the year instead of the usual $240. The entry-level plan, which supports just one device and doesn't offer offline viewing, is marked down to $72 from $120. Over the past few years, MasterClass has grown to over 200 classes, sessions and original series. You can learn about entrepreneurship from Richard Branson, screenwriting from Aaron Sorkin, cooking from Gordon Ramsay and heaps more. Each of these offers classes in a one-on-one format with slick instructional videos and often workbooks to accompany them. MasterClass also appears on our list of the best subscription gifts for this Christmas. Loved ones will enjoy superb production quality and a rich library where they are sure to find something that piques their interest. Gift subscriptions can also be scheduled, so you can take advantage of the current sale even for future gifts. If you're buying it for yourself, know that MasterClass offers a 30-day money-back guarantee. Whether you're looking to learn about business from Kim Kardashian or basketball skills from Steph Curry, MasterClass can help you expand your horizons in 2026. The "Holiday Head Start Offer" is available through December 15. Follow @EngadgetDeals on X for the latest tech deals and buying advice.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/get-40-percent-off-masterclass-subscriptions-for-the-holiday-season-150520505.html?src=rss

12.12.2025 15:42 Last week, Netflix surprised us all when it announced plans for an $82.7 billion acquisition of Warner Bros., a move that would fundamentally reshape the world of streaming video and Hollywood. But Paramount isn't giving up on WB — this week it launched a $108 billion hostile takeover effort. In this episode, we discuss why everyone is fighting for WB, and why Netflix may be the best worst option for the storied movie studio.Subscribe!iTunesSpotifyPocket CastsStitcherGoogle PodcastsTopicsWhat the Netflix bid for Warner Bros. means for at-home streamers and moviegoers – 1:55Disney characters are coming to Sora after OpenAI struck a deal – 32:59Meta may be giving up on open source for Llama – 43:53 Google CEO says we’re just going to have to grin and bear societal disruption via AI – 46:46Around Engadget: The Kindle Scribe Colorsoft is good, but is it $630 good? – 49:06The best trailers and announcements from The Game Awards’ Day of the Devs stream – 51:28Here’s why projectors won in 2025 – 54:31Working on – 56:15 Pop culture picks – 57:33CreditsHost: Devindra HardawarGuest: Nathan IngrahamProducer: Ben Ellman Music: Dale North and Terrence O'BrienThis article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/social-media/engadget-podcast-why-netflix-is-the-best-worst-option-for-warner-bros-132156232.html?src=rss

12.12.2025 15:42 Reddit has filed a lawsuit in Australia's High Court aiming to overturn the country's under-16 social media ban, Reuters reported. The forum platform called the law contrary to Australia's constitution as it intrudes on free political discourse. It also argued that Reddit shouldn't have been included in the ban since it isn't a social media site, based on the law's definition. The action is likely to set in motion a protracted legal battle, given Reddit's resources and its popularity in Australia Australia's minimum age social media ban, the first of its kind in the world, went into effect on December 10. The ten platforms affected, including Reddit, must bar underage users or face a fine of up to A$49.5 million . Platforms are using a variety of means to determine age, including age inference based on activity and selfies. However Reddit argued that the law comes with some "serious privacy and political expression issues" for users. "Australian citizens under the age of 16 will, within years if not months, become electors. The choices to be made by those citizens will be informed by political communication in which they engage prior to the age of 18," it wrote in the filing. The government disagreed, noting that Reddit filed the lawsuit to protect is profits, not children's right to free expression. "It is action we saw time and time again by Big Tobacco against tobacco control and we are seeing it now by some social media or big tech giants," said Health Minister Mark Butler. With a market capitalization of $44 billion, Reddit certainly has the means to sustain a long fight. It would be motivated to do so as well, given that Australia is its fourth-largest market after Canada, the UK and the United States.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/social-media/reddit-sues-australia-over-underage-social-media-ban-143018208.html?src=rss

12.12.2025 15:42 If you're still on the hunt for gifts, or simply good holiday deals for yourself, you can find them on the internet. Just because Black Friday and Cyber Monday have ended doesn't mean the deals have dried up. One of the best deals available that we're tracking is on the latest Apple Watch Series 11, which you can get for a record low of $299. We gave the Apple Watch Series 11 a score of 90 when it came out in September. That's thanks, in part, to an upgraded 24 hours of battery life — which lasted closer to a day and a half — compared to the 18 hours promised by the Series 10. It also features a thin, light design and a wrist flick gesture for everything from dismissing a notification to ending calls. Plus, it has Apple's new hypertension tracker and comprehensive health monitoring. This deal is available for the Apple Watch Series 11 with a 42mm case and a small to medium band. Also on sale right now in the Apple Watch space is the Apple Watch SE 3, which is down to $199. Check out our coverage of the best Apple deals for more discounts, and follow @EngadgetDeals on X for the latest tech deals and buying advice.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/the-apple-watch-series-11-is-100-off-and-cheaper-than-ever-130006005.html?src=rss

12.12.2025 15:42 F1: The Movie, the cinematic love letter to Formula One and — quite possibly even more so — consumer products made by Apple, is finally available to stream on Apple TV if you’re a subscriber. It follows the sports thriller’s long theatrical run, during which it raked in more than $630 million globally, comfortably making it Apple’s most successful original film. Directed by Joseph Kosinski , F1: The Movie follows the washed-up former F1 prodigy Sonny Hayes , who is convinced by an old friend to get back in the driver's seat and help rescue his failing team. Seven-time F1 world champion Lewis Hamilton served as a producer on the film to ensure it represented the sport as authentically as possible. Engadget’s Devindra Hardawar reviewed F1: The Movie when it arrived in theatres in the summer, calling it a "shameless Apple ad that will blow your socks off." Should you manage to keep your eyes from rolling straight out of their sockets when a pair of AirPods Max appear on screen before anyone says a word, then a deliriously entertaining blockbuster awaits. For all of the film’s formulaic storytelling and generic characters, the Really Fast Car bits are so well done that they put F1: The Movie among the very best racing movies, as far as our reviewer is concerned. In truth, it’s the kind of film that deserves to be seen on the biggest screen you can find, but failing that, the TV in your living room should do the job just fine, too. Apple recently dropped the "+" from its streaming service’s name, so it’s now just called Apple TV . If you’re a new subscriber you can take advantage of a seven-day free trial, after which it costs $13 per month following a recent price hike.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/streaming/f1-the-movie-now-streaming-on-apple-tv-following-a-long-theatrical-run-133531702.html?src=rss

12.12.2025 15:42 You may be surprised to learn electricity only accounts for 21 percent of the world’s energy consumption. Fossil fuels and the rest all play their part to make the world go around, but their role is likely to diminish no matter what happens. The International Energy Agency believes electricity’s share of global energy consumption is going to double in the next decade alone. You all know the causes: Electrification, EVs, data centers and AI mean the planet needs to dramatically increase its power generation, transmission and storage capacity. It’s a shame, then, that the world is nowhere near ready to satisfy such an outrageous surge in demand. Re-learning to love the atomThe US has certainly spent the year opening doors to dramatically increase domestic energy production. Part of that has to give the signal that the US will embrace nuclear power in ways it hasn’t for generations. This January, an executive order titled Unleashing American Energy included an instruction for the government to eliminate rules and regulations related to power generation. Its primary focus was to destroy environmental regulations limiting the extraction of oil, natural gas and coal, but also to remove roadblocks to the construction of new nuclear plants. Then, in May, a subsequent order declared a desire to ensure the deployment of “advanced nuclear technologies.” As the driving force behind the AI push, big tech has made some high profile moves to buy up extra generation capacity. Meta signed a 20-year deal with Constellation to own the output of the Clinton Power Station, preserving the 1.1GW facility once its state tax credit expires next year. Microsoft has its own 20-year deal with Constellation to own the power generated by reactor 1 at Three Mile Island, now renamed the Crane Clean Energy Center. On November 18, that project was also given the backing of the Department of Energy which authorized a $1 billion loan. But even without the backing of big tech, other mothballed reactors are being restarted, like the Palisades plant in Michigan. Earlier this year, the Department of Energy handed out a $1.52 billion loan to get the facility, capable of generating 800MW, back up and running. Big tech is also betting on the future of nuclear power, signing deals with a number of startups looking to build out a new generation of reactors. Google, for instance, has backed Kairos Power and its plan to build a series of small, modular reactors. Amazon, meanwhile, invested in X-Energy and has published plans for its own buildout in Washington State. It’s not just the US that is learning to fall back in love with nuclear power, as the rest of the world is also building out new capacity. The World Nuclear Association says there are 70 reactors currently under construction across 15 countries. Russia, India, Argentina, Turkey, South Korea, Japan, and Brazil, to name just a few, are all working on new reactors. China on its own is presently building 33 reactors and, as Nuclear Business Platform reported earlier this year, greenlit a further 10 this April. That same report adds that China’s policy of producing multiple reactors at a time has seen costs crater. It says that while the UK’s two new reactors at Hinkley Point will cost in excess of $60 billion, each of these new reactors will cost $2.7 billion. Bridging the nuclear gapcoal handling in a portIndigo Division via Getty ImagesBuilding a nuclear reactor is not a swift process, and construction of a facility can take the better part of a decade. You can add on a few more years if you include the necessary procedural steps that need to be undertaken before a single piece of concrete is poured. Consequently, any major shift in the US’ power generation fleet will be measured in generations, rather than years. It’s a concern that, for all of the attention nuclear power is getting, it’s merely a smokescreen for a renewed push for fossil fuel extraction.After all, one major casualty from the Big, Beautiful Bill was the eradication of subsidies for the US’ solar industry. As we reported back in July, the act has kicked the legs out from domestic solar panel manufacturing, handing renewable energy dominance to China. This goes hand in hand with the US Department of Energy setting up a $625 million funding stream to revive America’s coal industry and recommission old power plants. Or that it is also awarding contracts to grow America’s strategic petroleum reserve. Back in September, Energy Secretary Chris Wright made the implausible claim to BBC News that fossil fuel extraction was nothing to worry about as fusion power would be on the grid in the next decade. Wright, himself the former CEO of fracking company Liberty Energy, was taken to task by a number of climate experts for publishing a report riddled with “misleading or fundamentally incorrect” assertions. Similarly, on November 20, the Department of Energy reshuffled its org chart to eliminate several departments responsible for renewable energy and energy efficiency while forming the Office of Fusion. Solar’s unstoppable riseThis stunning aerial view captures an array of solar panels arranged in neat, parallel rows across the landscape. From above, the panels shimmer under the bright sunlight, creating a striking contrast against the natural terrain below. The organized rows of solar panels stretch across acres of land, symbolizing the growing global shift toward renewable energy. The grid-like pattern highlights the efficiency and scale of modern solar farms, contributing to sustainable energy production.This high-resolution image showcases the incredible reach and potential of solar power as a clean, renewable energy source. Whether situated in rural fields, expansive deserts, or atop rooftops, these solar panels represent a major step toward reducing carbon footprints and combating climate change. The solar farm's orderly rows and reflective surfaces create a visually appealing scene, demonstrating both technological innovation and environmental responsibility.Diane Keough via Getty ImagesThe US may have kneecapped its domestic solar industry, but it may not be enough to defeat renewables’ momentum. In October, the International Energy Agency projected renewable energy will grow by 4.6 TW by 2030 — a figure equal to the combined generation capacity of China, the EU and Japan combined. 77 percent of that figure is expected to come from solar power alone, despite the loss of subsidies in the US and less favorable circumstances in China. The domestic US forecast has been revised downward significantly as a consequence of its policy choices. But despite this, the obvious benefits of solar power haven’t gone away even if the price may be higher than it was at the start of the year. It remains the fastest and cheapest way to add new power in many countries, and can be installed on a grid or individual basis. Not to mention its utility in remote areas with poor generation resources, where it can reduce dependency on fossil fuels. This year, clean energy think-tank Ember reported on the growth of solar power in the last decade, and how it went from adding just one percent of global power generation in 2015 to 8.8 percent in the first half of 2025.“AI demand for electricity is the macro driver of US made solar,” said Rob Gardner, VP at the Solar Manufacturers for America Coalition. “AI investments can’t deliver expected returns without quickly deployed power, and US solar is the fastest and cheapest to deploy,” he said. Gardner cited a recent FERC forecast which predicts that 92.6GW of solar will come online between now and July 2028. The dream of fusionConstruction inside the reactor of ITER.ITERThe US is pinning a lot of its hopes on fusion power to wipe away the debt of our fossil fuel past. Earlier this year, the Department of Energy released a roadmap to get fusion out of the lab and into the world. It wants to coordinate the remaining resources of the federal government to close the fusion world’s “critical science, materials and technology gaps.” In the next three years, officials have been tasked with designing facilities for reactors and developing sources of fuel. Within the next decade, it’s hoped the government will be able to offer large-scale fuel cycle plants to help private sector plants start operations.If fusion power can be harnessed, it has many of the same upsides as nuclear fission with a lot fewer downsides. If nuclear fission harnesses the energy released when an atom is broken apart, then fusion harnesses the energy released when two smaller atoms are smashed together to create a larger one. It harnesses the same principle as you’ll find inside our sun: Superheated hydrogen atoms fusing to create helium. And while nuclear fusion requires radioactive material, we can source deuterium and tritium from water and lithium. ITER is a giant experimental fusion reactor under construction in France which, when operational, will be the world’s largest. It is backed by a coalition of nations, including the US, EU and China, and has the aim of both generating power and developing the technologies necessary to make Fusion a reality. The organization claims that there is enough of both materials available on the planet to run fusion plants for at least a thousand years, if not longer. There are also a raft of safety benefits, as there’s no creation of the sort of long-lived and dangerous waste associated with nuclear power, no risk of a meltdown, and its raw materials can’t be used to make weapons. But while fusion is entirely possible, and on paper could be the salve to all of the world’s energy ills, it’s not yet a reality. There are a large number of engineering challenges sitting between us and a viable commercial reactor. The shift that has happened this year is that fusion is now being treated as a “strategic national priority,” according to the International Atomic Energy Agency. More than 160 fusion facilities are operational worldwide, each one looking to explore ways of solving the hard problems standing between us and limitless power.But as well as ITER, there are other major nations working to build out their own fusion capacity. The biggest would likely be China’s Experimental Advanced Superconducting Tokamak which has already set a record for energy generation. At the start of this year, it was able to produce a steady state for 1,066 seconds. But what we are seeing now, which may offer some degree of hope, is the surge in interest from the private sector. Companies like Commonwealth Fusion, Type One Energy, Helion and Pacific Fusion are all working on their own fusion facilities. These projects have received billions in funding, but it’s likely all will need time to work out if their approaches are viable. Stuart White is a spokesperson for Tokamak Energy, a British-Japanese startup spun out from the UK’s Atomic Energy Authority which is developing its own fusion technologies. In 2022, the company’s own reactor was able to reach a plasma temperature of 100 million degrees celsius. “It’s an incredible achievement but that isn’t going to power homes around the UK or anywhere,” he said. White believes the fusion world will spend the next decade “scaling up,” projects to find the right pathway to building commercial reactors. He cited national programs, like the UK’s STEP which is targeted to begin working in 2040, while the US’ plan for the mid-2030s he feels is “aggressive.”White also explained that, as equally important as solving the key physics issues, is building out the supply chain to actually make the equipment. He cited the importance of manufacturing in Japan and China to produce the hardware necessary to build fusion reactors. And that this process, while time consuming now, will help accelerate the eventual development of the technology down the line. White added that another positive sign is that regulators aren’t likely to want to scrutinize fusion reactors with the same intensity as they do nuclear reactors. That will both speed up the construction of new facilities and reduce costs when they do eventually enter service. What’s clear, however, is that Fusion is not going to be able to swoop in and decarbonize the world’s energy needs in the sort of time scale it’s likely to be required. Consequently, the government of the world must keep prioritizing the rollout of renewables rather than hoping that fusion will simply bail everyone out in the next decade.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/science/in-2025-ai-and-evs-gave-the-us-an-insatiable-hunger-for-power-133000673.html?src=rss

12.12.2025 10:32 This year at The Game Awards, if your game wasn’t melodramatic, mechanically innovative, beautifully presented and aggressively French, it didn’t stand a chance. The Game Awards 2025 wrapped up on the evening of Thursday, December 11 with a record-breaking showing by Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 from Sandfall Interactive. The game received the most nominations and wins in the show’s 12-year history.But, we know that’s not really why you’re here. Between the award presentations and musical numbers, there were heaps of new game trailers, announcements and updates, and we’ve collected them all for you right here. The award winners are also there.NewsCapcom's Pragmata is coming your way on April 24Bradley the Badger looks like Wreck-It Ralph as a real video gameStar Wars: Fate of the Old Republic is a new action RPG from the director of Mass Effect and KOTORLarian Studios is returning to the Divinity series with... DivinityCoven of the Chicken Foot is the debut game from Naughty Dog alum Bruce Straley's indie studioThe devs of SOMA are back with a spiritual successor called Ontos4:LOOP is a co-op shooter from the creator of Left 4 Dead and JJ Abrams' Bad RobotOrder of the Sinking Star: Ten years after The Witness, Jonathan Blow's next massive puzzle game is almost ready for primetimeSouth of Midnight is coming to PS5 and Switch 2 next springExodus is delayed to early 2027Control Resonant steps into a larger world that's inspired by Neon Genesis EvangelionLego Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight swoops onto PC and consoles on May 29Lara Croft will return in Tomb Raider: Catalyst and a new remakeHousemarque's Saros is delayed to April 30Star Wars: Galactic Racer is a podracing game set for 2026Award winnersBest family game: Donkey Kong BananzaInnovation in accessibility: Doom: The Dark AgesBest esports game: Counter-Strike 2Best esports athlete: ChovyBest esports team: Team VitalityBest mobile game: Umamasume: Pretty DerbyBest indie game: Clair Obscur: Expedition 33Best adaptation: The Last of Us season 2Best action game: Hades IIBest performance: Jennifer English, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33Games for impact: South of MidnightBest ongoing game: No Man’s SkyBest audio design: Battlefield 6Content creator of the year: MoistCr1TiKaLBest fighting game: Fatal Fury: City of the WolvesMost anticipated game: Grand Theft Auto VIBest action/adventure game: Hollow Knight: SilksongBest art direction: Clair Obscur: Expedition 33Best sim/strategy game: Final Fantasy Tactics: The Ivalice ChroniclesBest debut indie game: Clair Obscur: Expedition 33Best score and music: Clair Obscur: Expedition 33Best sports/racing game: Mario Kart WorldBest community support: Baldur’s Gate 3Best VR/AR game: The Midnight WalkBest RPG: Clair Obscur: Expedition 33Players’ voice: Wuthering WavesBest narrative: Clair Obscur: Expedition 33Best multiplayer game: Arc RaidersBest game direction: Clair Obscur: Expedition 33Game of the year: Clair Obscur: Expedition 33TrailersPragmata by CapcomStar Wars: Fate of the Old Republic by Arcanaut Studios and Lucasfilm GamesDivinity by Larian StudiosCoven of the Chicken Foot by Wildflower InteractiveONTOS by Frictional Games4:LOOP by Bad Robot GamesResident Evil Requiem by CapcomOrder of the Sinking Star by TheklaExodus by Archetype EntertainmentWARLOCK by Invoke Studios and Wizards of the CoastControl Resonant by Remedy EnterainmentGang of Dragon by Nagoshi StudioStreet Fighter movie sneak peakLEGO Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight by Warner Bros. GamesTomb Raider: Catalyst by Crystal DynamicsTomb Raider: Legacy of Atlantis by Crystal Dynamics and Flying Wild HogInvincible VS by Skybound GamesDiablo 4: Lord of Hatred by Blizzard EntertainmentDeadpool is coming to Marvel Rivals007 First Light – Lenny Kravitz AnnouncementSaros by HousemarqueWarframe featuring Werner Herzog for some reasonTotal War: Warhammer 40,000 by Creative AssemblyHitman World of Assassination by IO InteractiveAce Combat 8: Wings of Theve by Bandai NamcoStar Wars Galactic Racer by Fuse and Lucasfilm GamesOut of Words by Kong Orange and WiredFlyPhantom Blade Zero by S-GAMEMega Man Dual Override by CapcomSuper Mario Galaxy movie trailerHighguard by Wildlight EntertainmentDon’t forget to check out our Day of the Devs: The Game Awards 2025 roundup, which included six world premieres, three release date announcements and a whole bunch of awesome indie goodness. The Women-Led Games and Latin American Games showcases tied to the awards were also downright delightful.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/everything-announced-and-all-the-winners-at-the-game-awards-2025-044101761.html?src=rss