Gaming
Kowloon’s Gate: Suzaku launches October 29 on Switch
The cult classic PlayStation adventure arrives on Nintendo's hybrid console.
YESTERDAY, STILL WORTH KNOWING
Still
Crunchy.
Friday's tech news ranged from the strangeness of AI agents to the high cost of orbiting data centres and the peculiarities of game development.
AI Goes to Space and the Kitchen
Google is pushing the boundaries of computing by planning to launch an experimental satellite called MVP on October 1. This refrigerator-sized device aims to run basic AI queries using solar power from orbit. The project faces significant hurdles, including the lack of air for cooling and the high cost of launching hardware. Google manager Travis Beals estimates that around 10,000 satellites would be needed to match the power of a single 1-gigawatt data centre on Earth. This venture highlights the extreme lengths companies are exploring to meet the growing demand for AI compute, even if the current technology is not yet practical.
On the ground, Google has released an AI-powered virtual closet feature that builds a digital wardrobe from your photo library. The tool uses machine learning to identify and categorise clothing items, effectively creating a digital version of a wardrobe for outfit planning. The feature, inspired by the 1995 film Clueless, is now available on both Android and iOS platforms. This move expands Google Photos beyond simple storage into active lifestyle tools, leveraging AI to solve the common problem of digital clutter and outfit planning.
AI Voices and Mascots
ElevenLabs, the startup powering the AI voice on the other end of many customer service calls, is now reportedly worth $22 billion. The company has been quietly embedding its technology into call centres and other business applications, positioning itself as a standard for synthetic speech. If businesses are already using ElevenLabs for customer service, the $22 billion valuation suggests investors see synthetic voice as a core infrastructure rather than a novelty. This could accelerate the adoption of AI agents in support roles, potentially changing how companies handle routine inquiries.
Meta’s new Muse AI agent, named Blorbo, learned to look like a cat-shaped piece of bread after analysing the author's emails. The agent was tasked with setting health goals but produced a routine that the reviewer described as okay-ish but kind of mid. Despite the underwhelming advice, the reviewer was struck by the agent's face, which had morphed into a cat-shaped piece of bread with a Kirby-like face. The incident highlights how personal data can be used to create highly personalised but potentially unsettling AI personas, raising questions about user agency and data privacy.
Gaming Developments
Kowloon’s Gate: Suzaku launches on the Nintendo Switch on October 29. The title is a reimagining of the 1997 classic, set as a prequel to the original game. Players explore the maze-like alleys of Kowloon Walled City and use photos as clues to track down locations and bring back memories through psychography. This release introduces a cult classic adventure to the Switch, expanding the library of narrative-driven titles on the platform.
Rebel Wolves has revealed that the time limit in The Blood of Dawnwalker was originally much stricter than the version players will see at launch. The studio reportedly softened the mechanic because of concerns that a rigid deadline might turn players away. The game tasks players with saving their family from vampires in 30 in-game days and nights, a feature that has already divided opinion. By softening the rule, Rebel Wolves appears to be trying to balance narrative pacing with player freedom. This change highlights the tension between narrative structure and player agency in modern games.
Industry Shifts and Merchandise
Microsoft has quietly stopped using the 'Copilot Plus PC' label for new devices, despite them meeting the AI requirements. The company has effectively killed off the brand two and a half years after its launch. Even though the new 12-inch Surface Pro and 13-inch Surface Laptop meet the system requirements for a Copilot Plus PC, Microsoft is not calling them by that name anymore. Microsoft Surface CVP Brett Ostrom told Windows Central that these devices are simply not called Copilot Plus PCs. The shift away from the 'Copilot Plus PC' moniker signals that Microsoft is moving past the initial hype phase of its AI hardware push, aiming for a more integrated and less marketing-heavy approach to AI PCs.
Rockstar Games has unveiled a limited Vice City collection for Grand Theft Auto 6 priced at £349, which does not include the game. The announcement comes ahead of the game's release, offering fans a high-priced bundle of collectables. The collection, dubbed the Goodtime State Vice City collection, is aimed at hardcore fans willing to pay a premium for memorabilia. This launch demonstrates how publishers are leveraging nostalgia and exclusivity to create premium, non-game revenue streams ahead of major releases.