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Garmin has announced that a free Google Maps app is now available for most of the company’s smartwatches that lets you know where and how far your next turn is while walking, cycling, or running.

Unlike the more robust version of Google Maps available for Wear OS that can be used to search for destinations and even navigate without a smartphone, Garmin’s Google Maps app has limited functionality, similar to Google Maps on the Apple Watch. The Garmin app only provides basic turn-by-turn directions and you need to locate your destination using the Google Maps mobile app on an Android smartphone that has to be kept in range. On the app’s listing on Garmin’s Connect IQ store, there’s no mention of support for iPhones or iOS.

Garmin says the app will gently vibrate your smartwatch when the next turn is delivered so you don’t need to be constantly looking at your wrist, and the app can show you your next three turns by simply tapping the screen. Your smartwatch will also continue to record your walking, running, and biking performance while you’re using the Google Maps app for navigation.

The Google Maps app is now available for download from Garmin’s Connect IQ Store and is compatible with upwards of 90 different models of its smartwatches.

From The Verge via this RSS feed

One month ago, Nintendo announced that the Switch 2 had sold 3.5 million units in four days after its June 5 launch, making it Nintendo’s fastest-selling console ever, and likely the biggest console launch of all time. It seems the new Switch is maintaining that momentum. Last week, an apparently accidental data leak on Nintendo’s corporate website suggested that the new console had either sold or was projected to sell 5.4 million units through the end of June. (PlayStation 5 sold 4.5 million units in almost twice that time.)

In other words, Nintendo has a hit on its hands, at least in the short term. Which makes it all the stranger that, after a media blitz immediately surrounding the Switch 2’s launch, there hasn’t been much hype or lasting conversation about the new console. Millions of people own one, but not that many of them seem to be talking about it; the gamer hive mind has moved on, with surprising speed, to the likes of Death Stranding 2.

Has something gone wrong? I don’t think so; in one crucial respect, Nintendo planned an unusual rollout for the Switch 2, which has yet to fully pay off. Is the console underwhelming? This is a matter of opinion — but to the extent that it’s true, I think it was almost designed to be.

As I pointed out in my Switch 2 review, the new console emphasizes continuity to an unprecedented degree. The interface is near-identical to the Switch’s, the form factor is extremely familiar, the data transfer process is seamless, and features like GameShare and Virtual Game Cards push the idea of a high level of interoperability. Switch 2 has been designed to live alongside Switch as much as replace it, and to slip into your life as easily as a new generation of iPhone.

This is totally deliberate on Nintendo’s part, and one of the things that most recommends the Switch 2. But it inevitably makes the system a little less exciting and less of a talking point. It’s a well-engineered and technically impressive upgrade to your Switch experience, but it’s not an all-new experience.

Another factor was Nintendo’s choice of launch game for the Switch 2. Here, Nintendo again chose a degree of familiarity over the shock of the new.

With its open-world design, Mario Kart World is theoretically a major shake-up for the Mario Kart series. It’s caused its fair share of controversy within the hardcore Mario Kart community. But perhaps the most surprising thing about it is how comfortable and familiar it feels. Nintendo has bent over backwards to preserve the classical structure and feel of a Mario Kart game, even within this new context. It seems likely that a silent majority of players have slipped it into their daily gaming routine without a thought.

Beyond this, Mario Kart as a whole is the essence of a known quantity. Nintendo probably chose World as a Switch 2 launch title on the basis of Mario Kart 8 Deluxe’s gigantic sales, but in doing so it also chose a game series that people regard as a kind of ever-present utility for Nintendo consoles, rather than an attention-grabbing system seller like, for example, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. It’s part of the fabric of almost every Nintendo fan’s life, but not necessarily what will get them most excited, or generate the most conversation.

This would all be a bit deflating if it weren’t for the fact that Nintendo has another game ready and waiting that is a much bigger swing, and has the potential to effectively launch Switch 2 a second time.

Donkey Kong Bananza’s July 17 launch date is a rarity — a major exclusive release timed just six weeks after the system’s launch. I’ve argued before that the game could likely have been ready for Switch 2’s launch, and that Nintendo has held it back, either out of fear of cannibalizing Mario Kart World’s sales or as a marketing strategy to extend the hype window for the Switch 2.

As a “launch” game, Bananza seems like a more exciting prospect than Mario Kart World. It’s the first 3D Donkey Kong platformer in 25 years; it’s a new game (and change of franchise) from the Super Mario Odyssey team; and it’s a bold, open-ended design, more than a little reminiscent of Breath of the Wild, with free-form destructibility at its core. On the face of it, it has a level of scarcity and novelty that Mario Kart World just doesn’t.

There’s every chance that Donkey Kong Bananza will revive Switch 2 hype and flood timelines more effectively than Mario Kart World did. It could be that Nintendo got its launch games the wrong way around. Or it could be that this was the company’s plan all along, and it had always planned Switch 2’s launch as a two-stage rocket. We’ll find out on July 17.

From Polygon via this RSS feed

With season 2 of HBO’s The Last of Us in the books, and with no The Last of Us Part III coming in the immediate future, Naughty Dog has come up with an interesting way to funnel all the attention from the show into the game. The studio has released a new, free patch for The Last of Us Part II Remastered that lets you play the game in chronological order. The mode takes Abby and Ellie’s stories and interleaves them in chronological order rather than the nonlinear story of the original version of the game, which used timeskips and flashbacks.

In addition to Chronological Mode, the patch also includes new achievements and skins to use in Part II Remastered’s roguelike game mode No Return. Now you can dress up Joel and his brother Tommy like Naughty Dog’s other pair of visually indistinct, emotionally constipated brothers; Nathan and Sam Drake. Naughty Dog does still recommend that first timers play TLOU Part II normally before tackling Chronological Mode but that, “the team’s hard work has paid off with a fascinating new way to enjoy this chapter.” Chronological Mode will give players a new reason to pick up the game while awaiting the next season of the show which will dive into events from Abby’s perspective. Season 3 though, will proceed without Neil Druckmann as co-lead. Druckmann, co-director of both The Last of Us  games and creative director at Naughty Dog, recently announced that he’s taking a break from the show to focus efforts on the studio’s games including the recently announced,Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet.

From The Verge via this RSS feed

Pokémon Go’s first post-Go Fest Ultra Unlock event, the Hisui Celebration, runs from July 8-13 and focuses on Pokémon from the aforementioned region.

During the event, there’s a quadruple multiplier on XP and Stardust obtained from catching Pokémon. Hisuian Zorua and its evolution, Hisuian Zoroark, are making its debut during this event, so keep your eye out for any suspicious Pokémon that look like your buddy Pokémon while exploring — this is actually a Hisuian Zorua in disguise!

During the event, space-time distortions will also take place, bringing out different Pokémon. It appears that each distortion lasts an hour and it starts at the top of the hour, but it’s a little iffy to predict when they’ll show up. If you’re keen on catching Pokémon from the distortions, you’ll want to check your game every now and then. We’ll keep an eye on things and update this guide with a schedule if one can be confirmed.

Below we list out the perks of Pokémon Go’s “Ultra Unlock: Hisui Celebration” event, including the Collection Challenge, boosted spawns, and Field Research.

Pokémon Go ‘Ultra Unlock Hisui Celebration’ event Collection Challenges

The following Collection Challenges will be live throughout the duration of the event:

‘Hisui Celebration Catch Challenge: Space-Time Distortion’

Catch a MagnemiteCatch a RowletCatch a CyndaquilCatch a OshawottCatch a CarnidosCatch a Shieldon

Rewards: Hisuian Avalugg encounter, 5,000 XP, 2,500 Stardust

‘Hisui Celebration Collection Challenge: Shock, Flame, and Spike’

Catch a Hisuian VoltorbEvolve a Hisuian Voltorb into Hisuian ElectrodeCatch a Hisuian GrowlitheEvolve a Hisuian Growlithe into Hisuian ArcanineCatch a Hisuian QwilfishEvolve a Hisuian Qwilfish into Overqwil

Rewards: Hisuian Zorua encounter, 5,000 XP, 2,500 Stardust

The evolution requirement for Hisuian Qwilfish has been lowered for the duration of this event. Rather than having to win 10 raids with Hisuian Qwilfish as your buddy, you’ll only have to win one raid with it as your buddy.

‘Hisui Celebration Collection Challenge: Evolution in Flight’

Catch a StarlyEvolve a Starly into StaraviaEvolve a Staravia into StaraptorCatch a ZubatEvolve a Zubat into GolbatEvolve a Golbat into Crobat

Rewards: Hisuian Zorua encounter, 5,000 XP, 2,500 Stardust

Pokémon Go ‘Ultra Unlock Hisui Celebration’ event Field Research and rewards

Spinning a PokéStop during the event period may yield one of these tasks:

Catch 5 Pokémon (500 Stardust or 1,000 XP)Catch 10 Pokémon (Hisuian Voltorb or Hisuian Qwilfish encounter)Catch 20 Pokémon (Hisuian Growlithe or Hisuian Sneasel encounter)Follow a Route (Basculin [White Stripe] encounter)

Pokémon Go ‘Ultra Unlock Hisui Celebration’ event boosted spawns

These Pokémon will spawn more frequently during the event period:

ZubatHisuian Voltorb*MagikarpHisuian Qwilfish*SneaselLarvitarBagonStarlyCroagunkPetililHisuian ZoruaRuffletBergmite

These Pokémon will appear during “space-time anomalies,” which take place every few hours for one hour:

MagnemiteGengarPorygonCyndaquilScizorCranidosShieldonOshawottRowlet

*There is an “increased chance” of finding this shiny in the wild as part of the event.

Pokémon Go ‘Ultra Unlock Hisui Celebration’ event raid targets

The following changes to the raid schedule will take place as part of the event:

One-star raidsThree-star raidsHisuian GrowlithHisuian BraviaryUnown U*Hisuian AvaluggHisuian SeanselWyrdeerKleavor

*These Pokémon have an “increased chance” of being shiny when raided.

From Polygon via this RSS feed

Naughty Dog just can’t quit remastering, remaking, and tinkering with The Last of Us. In a surprise free update announced Tuesday, the developer rolled out a Chronological mode for The Last of Us Part 2 Remastered.

Fans of the 2020 Game of the Year winner will remember its story was told in distinct, non-chronological sections. Players first controlled Ellie exploring Seattle on her quest for revenge. When Ellie and Abby first meet, the game starkly jumps back in time and switches perspectives. Players then follow Abby’s journey leading up to that fateful confrontation while learning more about her background and motivations, like her reasoning for wanting to kill Joel.

With the new Chronological mode, The Last of Us Part 2’s story can now be experienced in order, with players bouncing between Ellie’s and Abby’s sections, leading up to that climatic meeting. Naughty Dog “believe[s] players will gain even deeper insight into Part II’s narrative” via the Chronological mode, according to a PlayStation Blog post announcing the update. Naughty Dog editorial content manager Jonathon Dornbush notes that the initial structure was intentional and recommends new players experience the original version of Part 2 first before playing through the story chronologically.

New Uncharted 4-inspired skins for Tommy and Joel are included in the update as well. They’ll be unlocked after completing the Chronological story mode (which also includes new trophies for all the trophy hunters out there) and can be equipped in the roguelike No Return mode. The update also includes “additional bug fixes and performance improvements” for both the PlayStation 5 and Windows PC versions.

The Last of Us Part 2 launched in 2020 on PlayStation 4. It was remastered for PS5 in January 2024 before launching on PC this year. Naughty Dog re-released it again in 2025 as part of the Complete Collection alongside of The Last of Us Part 1, a 2022 remake of the original game.

When the developer isn’t revisiting The Last of Us, Naughty Dog is conceivably working on its next project, Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet (the studio loves nothing if not a mouthful of a title). Naughty Dog also has another game in the works, though little is known about it at this time.

From Polygon via this RSS feed

Time Flies — a game in which players step into the shoes (er, wings?) of a common housefly with a brief lifespan and a long bucket list — finally has a release date. Publisher Panic (Firewatch, Untitled Goose Game) and developer Playables (KIDS, Plug & Play) first announced the game during 2022’s Summer Game Fest, but it’s been crickets from the devs in the years since.

Now, however, Time Flies finally has an official release date: July 31.

The announcement arrived alongside a new trailer for Time Flies, which shows a number of housefly rites of passage, like tickling a sleeping human’s foot, getting stuck in a gelatinous dessert dish, and spinning around on a record player. Houseflies have notoriously short lifespans — generally around 15 to 30 days — and Time Flies takes this into account. The game challenges players to check items off the fly’s bucket list before it meets its inevitable demise.

The game’s tagline sums things up pretty well: “You are a fly. Your life is short. Make the best of the time you have. Because we are all going to die.”

“I was interested in having a fly as being something meaningless, almost annoying, and to do something meaningful as a fly in the world with a bucket list,” designer and animator Michael Frei told Polygon in 2022.

The length of the fly’s life varies depending on what location players live in. Upon starting the game, players are prompted to select a country. Each country is accompanied by a number representing its average (human) life expectancy, and that number determines how many seconds the fly will live for. Of course, when you die, you can start over, and there’s no requirement to complete bucket list items — players are free to tell the bucket list to buzz off, ignoring it in favor of simply zooming around the game’s environment until the fly expires.

“I think that’s something we ask ourselves every day,” Frei said. “Like, ‘What is meaningful to me? What should I do with my life?'”

Time Flies is set to launch on Mac, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5, and Windows PC on July 31.

From Polygon via this RSS feed

Glitches are a funny thing. If a game has too many, the experience might be ruined. But as Bethesda has repeatedly proven, there’s definitely a middle ground for glitches as well. A game can be rife with unintended moments, but if they’re harmless — or better yet, funny — a player is much more willing to forgive digital mishaps. When it comes to The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered, Cyrodiil is still the home of jank, but that’s exactly what makes it so loveable as well. Take, for example, the hiccup that sometimes transpires in the Tiber Septim Hotel.

Maybe you’ve come across this glitch without realizing it. Normally, the locale is supposed to be a luxurious hotel for those with means in the Imperial City. Sometimes, though, you’ll walk in the lobby and see something strange. Maybe it’s a sheep, or a deer. Maybe it’s an NPC that’s tied to a different quest that has nothing to do with the hotel. Whatever it is, you know that they’re not supposed to be there — so what’s going on?

Apparently, Oblivion is programmed to consider the Septim Hotel’s lobby as a ‘safe zone.’ In practice, what this means is that if a being or object has an issue, Oblivion might respawn it in the lobby for safekeeping. So rather than let a character, say, clip out of the world or get stuck somewhere, the game will try and prevent crashes by putting them somewhere it considers safe.

Was playing Oblivion and encountered a sheep just standing here in the Tiber Septim Hotel. It led me down a huge rabbit hole of learning that this place is what the game defines a "safe zone" so if NPCs or creatures get stuck and noclip they'll respawn here. pic.twitter.com/wiEmCxcx65

— Micky D (@DeMickyD) July 7, 2025

It’s not a new glitch, as players reported experiencing it twenty years ago, when Oblivion was first released. But much like other glitches, it’s back in Oblivion Remastered — so there’s been a surge of recent posts from confused players.

I’m glad that, despite the visual upgrades and quality of life changes, Oblivion still has many of its original wrinkles. It means that you can still do things like duplicate objects or become completely OP, sure, but every so often the warts lead to a good chuckle.

Turns out, I don’t need a realistic game with a ton of visual polish. I just need a game that will let me watch the chaos unfold after I fill up a room with poison apples.

From Polygon via this RSS feed

Mastodon 4.4 is out now, and it brings a bunch of changes for things like profiles and lists and also lays the groundwork for quote posts.

With profiles, you can now feature specific hashtags so that people can see all the posts you’ve tagged with those hashtags, the Mastodon says. Mastodon is also making a change to how pinned posts work: you can still pin up to five posts onto your profile, but they’ll now show up as a single carousel so you don’t have to scroll down as far to see new posts. When you’re looking at a profile, Mastodon can now tell you how many people you follow also follow that person.

For lists, Mastodon says that creating and managing them has been “significantly streamlined” and that “it’s easier than ever to add and remove accounts from your lists both directly from profiles and from your own follows and followers listings.”

And with quote posts, which Mastodon already said were in the works, the platform is doing what it calls “part one” of implementation. “Since Mastodon runs on over 8,000 independent servers that together form the platform you know, releasing features like this requires a two-pronged approach: first we release code that supports processing and displaying this new format, and then release code that allows our users to actively use the feature,” Mastodon says.

With 4.4, “you will be able to see quotes from compatible Fediverse platforms (including future Mastodon releases),” but you won’t actually be able to quote posts until Mastodon’s 4.5 release.

Other new features include a reminder to add alt text to images and video that you post, updating Mastodon’s mobile web UI to make it “mimic native apps,” and streamlining onboarding.

From The Verge via this RSS feed

Microsoft has added threaded conversations to its Teams communications app this week. After promising to launch the highly-requested feature in mid-2025, Microsoft is now releasing a public preview of threaded conversations for Teams users to enable.

The Microsoft Teams threads integration debuts in the channels section of the app, where it works a little differently to how Slack handles threaded conversations. “You can follow the threads that matter most to you, and when an important update or decision is made, you can send it back to the main conversation, so everyone stays aligned without requiring them to sift through every reply,” explains Noga Ronen, senior product marketing manager for Microsoft Teams.

Microsoft will allow Teams users to either create posts or threads in a single channel, so it doesn’t seem like threads will be as easy to create as Slack allows. Teams channel owners will have to select a layout of either posts or threads, depending on how a channel is used.

Microsoft has also created a followed threads view for Teams where all the threaded conversations you care about can be found. It’s easy to unfollow noisy threads from here, too. “By default, you’ll only follow threads you’ve started, replied to, been mentioned in, or explicitly chosen to follow,” says Ronen.

Alongside the public preview of threaded conversations, Microsoft Teams is also finally getting the ability to react to messages with multiple emoji reactions. “Multiple emojis per message is now in public preview,” says Ronen. Slash commands in Teams are also getting some improvements, with the ability to search for GIFs with the /gif command.

From The Verge via this RSS feed

Maxon is sunsetting the Forger sculpting app for iPad to focus on the more comprehensive ZBrush iPadOS app it introduced last year. Forger will be removed from the App Store on September 10th, according to a message on Maxon’s website, and the app will be placed in a “Limited Maintenance Mode” that won’t receive any future updates, bug fixes, or changes.

The announcement serves as the final nail in the coffin for one of the iPad’s oldest and most popular sculpting apps, which hasn’t received any major updates since 2023. Forger was launched by app developer Javier Edo Meseguer in 2011 back when 3D modelling software was scarce on tablet devices due to hardware limitations. It was later acquired by Maxon in 2021, which later the same year snapped up Pixologic’s professional sculpting and painting desktop software, ZBrush.

Maxon says that existing users are “free to continue using Forger” after support ends, but encourages them to switch to the iPad version of ZBrush that launched in September 2024. Subscription licenses for Forger ($14 annually) can be renewed until September 10th and will be valid until the end of the subscription term.

“We carefully considered this decision. Our goal is to consolidate resources and efforts to enhance the sculpting experience on iPad,” Maxon said on a new FAQ page. “By merging our teams, we can leverage Forger’s history on iPad and ZBrush’s sculpting capabilities to introduce more features and innovations, particularly with the Apple Pencil and iPad.”

Forger and ZBrush for iPad both have free-to-use tiers that provide basic tools, with premium app features requiring a subscription. The ZBrush app license offers a wider range of tools and functionality compared to Forger’s, but at $89.99 per year, it also costs considerably more. And while Forger users can transfer their data to ZBrush, it’s worth noting that Forger’s native file format isn’t directly supported.

Another hiccup for Forger users with older iPads is that the ZBrush app is generally recommended for models with Apple’s M-series silicon chips; otherwise, they may experience performance issues. A more affordable solution for new or hobbyist iPad sculptors is Nomad Sculpt, which provides a beginner-friendly range of tools for a one-time $20 download fee.

From The Verge via this RSS feed

Dead by Daylight is welcoming some familiar faces from AMC’s The Walking Dead into the Fog as playable Survivors: the husband and wife team of Rick Grimes and Michonne (aka The Ones Who Live). They’ll be joined by grizzled archery enthusiast Daryl Dixon, who will appear in Behaviour Interactive’s survival horror game as part of a new Legendary Outfit.

Actors Andrew Lincoln and Norman Reedus will reprise their roles in Dead by Daylight as Rick and Daryl, respectively.

Behaviour announced Tuesday that new chapter Dead by Daylight: The Walking Dead, which features Rick and Michonne, is available to play now on the game’s PTB, with the full chapter slated for release on July 29. As part of the new addition, Dead by Daylight is also getting a new map tile, which appears whenever Rick or Michonne are loaded into the Garden of Joy map. The new map aesthetic will include elements from the AMC TV show, including the prison from The Walking Dead’s third and fourth season, and the “Don’t Open. Dead Inside.” hospital doors from the pilot.

For a breakdown of how Rick Grimes and Michonne will play in Dead by Daylight: The Walking Dead, read on.

Rick Grimes Perks

Apocalyptic Ingenuity: Rummage through Chests to gain the ability to replace a Broken Pallet with a Fragile Pallet.

Come and Get Me!: After Unhooking a Survivor, while crouched and idle you may use an Ability to make all nearby injured and dying Survivors completely silent and hide their Pools of Blood. In exchange, you’ll scream and briefly reveal your Aura to the Killer.

Teamwork: Toughen Up: When another nearby Survivor Pallet stuns or blinds the Killer while you’re injured, your Grunts of Pain, Scratch Marks, and Pools of Blood will be completely reduced for a duration.

Michonne Perks

Conviction: Heal Survivors to activate Conviction. While recovering in the Dying State, gain the ability to instantly recover for a brief window. You will become Broken and return to the Dying State if you don’t manage to heal in time.

Last Stand: After spending in the Killer’s Terror Radius while not in chase, Fast-Vault while near the Killer to stun them for a duration.

Teamwork: Toughen Up: Successfully pallet stun a Killer to temporarily give nearby injured Survivors Endurance and reveal the Killer’s Aura to them

Dead by Daylight is available on Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Windows PC, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X. A version is also available on mobile devices.

From Polygon via this RSS feed

After being teased during last month’s State of Play, Sony has announced a new State of Play to spotlight Ghost of Yōtei for this week. The roughly 20-minute gameplay deep dive will showcase more of new protagonist Atsu’s pursuit of revenge as well as “her new weapons, new ways to personalize your journey at the edge of Japan, new special modes, and much more,” according to the PlayStation Blog post announcing the stream.

The gameplay deep dive is set for Thursday, July 10, at 2 p.m. PT / 5 p.m. ET / 10 p.m. BST / 11 p.m. CEST. The State of Play will stream on PlayStation’s Twitch and YouTube channels.

Sony’s latest State of Play helped kick off the summer of not-E3. It revealed that Pragmata is not dead and is instead targeting a 2026 launch, announced release dates for games like Sword of the Sea and Baby Steps, revealed Arc System Works’ Marvel 4v4 fighter Marvel Tōkon: Fighting Souls, and featured many more announcements.

Ghost of Yōtei takes place 300 years after Ghost of Tsushima and follows a new protagonist, Atsu, as she sets out for vengeance against those who killed her family. She’ll embrace the Ghost persona that acts as the throughline between games. Ghost of Yōtei was originally announced during September 2024’s State of Play, and is set to arrive Oct. 2 on PlayStation 5. It was one of the first big-ticket games to get a fall release date before Grand Theft Auto 6 was delayed to next year, and now the back half of the year is looking mighty stacked.

From Polygon via this RSS feed