theverge--2020-06-12--The Last of Us Part II is uncomfortable and exhausting, but that’s what makes it great

The Last of Us Part II isn ’ t fun .
Over the game ’ s 20-hour runtime , I often found myself wanting to quit because the violence became unbearable .
I didn ’ t want to bash that lunging dog with a hammer or slice at that defenseless woman with a knife .
I certainly didn ’ t want to watch a religious zealot ’ s head explode into a grisly cloud because of my well-placed shotgun blast .
There are scenes so upsetting that they didn ’ t just make me uncomfortable ; they made me question @ @ @ @ @ @ @ all .
Yet , I ’ m glad I pushed through — because those dark , disturbing moments are what make The Last of Us Part II so powerful .
It ’ s not just a game about violence .
It ’ s one that grapples with the impact of that violence and shows players the consequences .
The Last of Us Part II is a sequel to the acclaimed PS3 game , which transformed developer Naughty Dog — then known primarily for lighter fare like the Uncharted series — into a studio @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stories .
On the surface , the two games are similar .
The original starred Joel , a haunted man who latches on to 14-year-old Ellie as a daughter figure , in a quest that sees them traverse a post-apocalyptic America in search of safety .
It ends with him making a devastating choice to protect someone he cares about .
The sequel is centered on Ellie , now 19 and settled in a relatively safe community in Wyoming .
She has work , friends , a love interest .
She struggles with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from the regular patrols to clear out infected monsters , it ’ s almost idyllic .
But a few hours into the game — for reasons I won ’ t spoil — she sets off for Seattle with vengeance on her mind .
The first half of The Last of Us Part II feels like exactly what it is : an upgraded version of the original game .
It ’ s still a third-person action / adventure game where everything around you is dangerous .
Seattle ’ s many buildings are filled with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ blind and move by sound , forcing you to be quiet and slow , others that scream in a horrifyingly human way and will stop at nothing to kill you .
The city is in a state of war .
Two factions — a militant organization known as WLF and a religious group called the Seraphins — fight constantly over conflicting ideologies and limited resources .
Ellie ’ s quest puts her directly in the middle of this turmoil .
Playing The Last of Us Part II is reminiscent of Uncharted 4 : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ games are essentially more robust and polished versions of their predecessors , and TLOU2 borrows liberally from Nathan Drake ’ s final adventure , from the wide-open but linear levels to the combination of gunplay and stealth .
Even the way you pick up objects and turn them over in your hands is identical .
The difference is tone .
While structurally and mechanically similar , the two games differ in terms of how they make you feel .
Uncharted 4 is a sunny , lighthearted adventure with the occasional emotional breakthrough .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ oppressive with only rare , all-too-brief moments of hope .
It ’ s dark and oppressive with only rare , all-too-brief moments of hope Much of your time is spent stalking around areas full of enemies , and these encounters differ quite a bit depending on who you ’ re up against .
Fighting against zombies is stressful — the sound design makes the monsters particularly scary — but killing inhuman creatures never made me feel guilty .
People were a different story .
Maybe it ’ s because I played TLOU2 as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ became comfortable with the way Ellie would grab victims from behind , tell them to be quiet , and then stab them in the throat .
It felt close and personal in a way I didn ’ t like , despite seeing it happen dozens , possibly hundreds , of times over the course of the game .
There ’ s a heaviness to the combat .
Things happen slowly and deliberately , giving you a chance to consider what you ’ re doing .
You can get by without killing some people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will kill a lot of people during your time with the game .
Even worse were the trained dogs .
The game forced me into scenarios where I had no choice but to kill a German Shepherd , using savage weapons like spiked bats and pickaxes .
It still makes me uneasy thinking about it .
Violence in games isn ’ t anything new .
There are plenty of titles that try to use brutality as a way to make players feel something , anything , in a game , whether it ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Much of what I ’ ve described could be said of the original The Last of Us .
What makes the sequel different is the way it makes you question your actions .
You don ’ t just kill people ; you see the repercussions .
The Last of Us Part II manages this in a few ways .
For one , you can see the literal toll the experience takes on Ellie ’ s body ; by the end , she ’ s a mess of blood and scars and other @ @ @ @ @ @ @ far cry from the curious teen she was in the first game .
But the most powerful part of the story is how it shows both sides of the conflict .
For the first half of the game , you see Ellie in the same light as any other video game hero .
Sure , she ’ s killed an unfathomable amount of people , but her pain is understandable .
She ’ s angry and scared and will do almost anything to make that feeling go away .
She ’ s convinced @ @ @ @ @ @ @ her guilty conscience .
From the perspective of everyone else , though , she ’ s a terror : a ghost-like killer , somehow making her way into heavily fortified places and leaving a trail of corpses in her wake .
The people she ’ s chasing aren ’ t monsters ; there are times when I hated some of them , but that changed .
Things get cloudy .
It ’ s hard to say too much without delving into serious spoiler territory .
But by the end , Ellie isn ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
She ’ s not the same person she starts out as .
The process isn ’ t without issues .
There ’ s some dissonance between what happens in the game and what happens in the cutscenes , for instance .
There are times when Ellie will kill a dozen people with little reaction during an action sequence , only to completely lose her composure after a single kill in a scripted cutscene .
It ’ s jarring .
The game tries to up the ante in a very forced way by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ if you kill someone , you ’ ll hear their friends calling for them as soon as they realize they ’ re missing .
Hearing someone call “ Shannon !
” for the 20th time pulled me out of the experience because it didn ’ t feel natural .
It was like I was being told to care about these people ( who , by the way , were trying to kill me ) .
There are other awkward moments when TLOU2 attempts to cover its video game-ness .
As beautiful as the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ very clearly designed with a specific purpose in mind ; the platforming sections have lots of jumps and things to climb on , whereas combat areas are full of cover and tall grass to obscure Ellie ’ s movements .
You know what ’ s coming by the layout of the world .
Perhaps the most blatant example of this conflict between the game ’ s desire to immerse you in its world and its inherent game-y nature is the passcodes , a video game staple .
In order to open safes or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a lot , Ellie will need to find the corresponding code , which is almost always scrawled down on a nearby piece of paper .
This happens so often that it becomes comical ; at one point , she even finds a code scrawled in blood on the floor .
These aspects aren ’ t inherently bad , and they ’ re not unique to TLOU2 , but they stand out in a game otherwise so focused on immersion .
When TLOU2 does succeed , which is often , it ’ s incredible @ @ @ @ @ @ @ brutal .
Even though it made me uneasy , I kept pushing ahead to see what would happen next , hoping to find one of those scarce moments of peace .
One of the best parts of the game is the boss fights .
There are a handful of pivotal conflicts throughout the story , but they don ’ t play out the way typical video game boss battles do .
It ’ s not about you facing the biggest , baddest enemy there is .
( There are some of those , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ . )
Often , you are the aggressor , the more powerful one , exerting your will on someone weaker or in a desperate situation .
It turns the tables in a way that makes combat a key storytelling tool .
That ’ s not to say TLOU2 is all gloom .
There are light moments amid the dark .
Many of these come in the form of flashbacks when you see Ellie and Joel in happier ( though still post-apocalyptic ) times , like exploring a museum or learning how to play @ @ @ @ @ @ @ these moments and specific objects to remind you of better times .
You ’ ll see items pop up , like a stuffed giraffe or a collectible coin , that are linked to a specific memory .
Even in the midst of a ruined world , these moments still made me smile .
Ellie is also , thankfully , not alone in her journey .
Her love interest , Dina , is a charismatic and honest counterpart to Ellie ’ s more headstrong personality .
Watching their relationship deepen is one of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ It ’ s also just nice to have her along for the ride .
TLOU2 ’ s world is so dark and oppressive that I felt more comfortable having someone , even a virtual companion , with me .
I keenly felt the times when Dina wasn ’ t there .
The same goes for Jesse , another member of the Wyoming commune who tags along for extended parts of the story .
The AI-controlled companions aren ’ t especially useful in combat , but their presence is reassuring nonetheless .
But this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ simply gets her revenge and then rides off into the sunset with her girlfriend .
The Last of Us Part II does not have a happy ending .
Again , it ’ s hard to say too much without getting into direct spoiler territory , but her single-minded focus on vengeance and her inability to let go cost her a great deal .
All of those terrible things she had to do — the decapitated corpses , the bloody hammers , the dead dogs — had a price .
And that fact that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ moments makes it all the more heartbreaking .
By the end of a big blockbuster game like this , my mind usually jumps to what will come next or puzzles over some of the mysteries in the story .
With The Last of Us Part II , I was glad it was over .
Just like Ellie , I was exhausted .
The Last of Us Part II launches on the PS4 on June 19th .

Part of / The best games of 2020
The Last of Us Part II isn’t fun. Over the game’s 20-hour runtime, I often found myself wanting to quit because the violence became unbearable. I didn’t want to bash that lunging dog with a hammer or slice at that defenseless woman with a knife. I certainly didn’t want to watch a religious zealot’s head explode into a grisly cloud because of my well-placed shotgun blast. There are scenes so upsetting that they didn’t just make me uncomfortable; they made me question why I was playing this game at all.
Yet, I’m glad I pushed through — because those dark, disturbing moments are what make The Last of Us Part II so powerful. It’s not just a game about violence. It’s one that grapples with the impact of that violence and shows players the consequences.
The Last of Us Part II is a sequel to the acclaimed PS3 game, which transformed developer Naughty Dog — then known primarily for lighter fare like the Uncharted series — into a studio able to tackle more serious and resonant stories. On the surface, the two games are similar. The original starred Joel, a haunted man who latches on to 14-year-old Ellie as a daughter figure, in a quest that sees them traverse a post-apocalyptic America in search of safety. It ends with him making a devastating choice to protect someone he cares about.
The sequel is centered on Ellie, now 19 and settled in a relatively safe community in Wyoming. She has work, friends, a love interest. She struggles with Joel’s overprotective nature. Aside from the regular patrols to clear out infected monsters, it’s almost idyllic. But a few hours into the game — for reasons I won’t spoil — she sets off for Seattle with vengeance on her mind.
The first half of The Last of Us Part II feels like exactly what it is: an upgraded version of the original game. It’s still a third-person action / adventure game where everything around you is dangerous. Seattle’s many buildings are filled with unsettling zombie-like creatures: ones that are blind and move by sound, forcing you to be quiet and slow, others that scream in a horrifyingly human way and will stop at nothing to kill you. The city is in a state of war. Two factions — a militant organization known as WLF and a religious group called the Seraphins — fight constantly over conflicting ideologies and limited resources. Ellie’s quest puts her directly in the middle of this turmoil.
Playing The Last of Us Part II is reminiscent of Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End. Both games are essentially more robust and polished versions of their predecessors, and TLOU2 borrows liberally from Nathan Drake’s final adventure, from the wide-open but linear levels to the combination of gunplay and stealth. Even the way you pick up objects and turn them over in your hands is identical. The difference is tone. While structurally and mechanically similar, the two games differ in terms of how they make you feel. Uncharted 4 is a sunny, lighthearted adventure with the occasional emotional breakthrough. TLOU2 is its antithesis: dark and oppressive with only rare, all-too-brief moments of hope.
It’s dark and oppressive with only rare, all-too-brief moments of hope
Much of your time is spent stalking around areas full of enemies, and these encounters differ quite a bit depending on who you’re up against. Fighting against zombies is stressful — the sound design makes the monsters particularly scary — but killing inhuman creatures never made me feel guilty. People were a different story. Maybe it’s because I played TLOU2 as stealthily as possible, but I never became comfortable with the way Ellie would grab victims from behind, tell them to be quiet, and then stab them in the throat. It felt close and personal in a way I didn’t like, despite seeing it happen dozens, possibly hundreds, of times over the course of the game. There’s a heaviness to the combat. Things happen slowly and deliberately, giving you a chance to consider what you’re doing. You can get by without killing some people, but no matter what, Ellie will kill a lot of people during your time with the game. Even worse were the trained dogs. The game forced me into scenarios where I had no choice but to kill a German Shepherd, using savage weapons like spiked bats and pickaxes. It still makes me uneasy thinking about it.
Violence in games isn’t anything new. There are plenty of titles that try to use brutality as a way to make players feel something, anything, in a game, whether it’s Hotline Miami or Call of Duty. Much of what I’ve described could be said of the original The Last of Us. What makes the sequel different is the way it makes you question your actions. You don’t just kill people; you see the repercussions.
The Last of Us Part II manages this in a few ways. For one, you can see the literal toll the experience takes on Ellie’s body; by the end, she’s a mess of blood and scars and other various ailments. She’s a far cry from the curious teen she was in the first game. But the most powerful part of the story is how it shows both sides of the conflict. For the first half of the game, you see Ellie in the same light as any other video game hero. Sure, she’s killed an unfathomable amount of people, but her pain is understandable. She’s angry and scared and will do almost anything to make that feeling go away. She’s convinced that killing a particular person will ease her guilty conscience. From the perspective of everyone else, though, she’s a terror: a ghost-like killer, somehow making her way into heavily fortified places and leaving a trail of corpses in her wake. The people she’s chasing aren’t monsters; there are times when I hated some of them, but that changed. Things get cloudy. It’s hard to say too much without delving into serious spoiler territory. But by the end, Ellie isn’t the hero she thinks she is. She’s not the same person she starts out as.
The process isn’t without issues. There’s some dissonance between what happens in the game and what happens in the cutscenes, for instance. There are times when Ellie will kill a dozen people with little reaction during an action sequence, only to completely lose her composure after a single kill in a scripted cutscene. It’s jarring. The game tries to up the ante in a very forced way by giving almost every NPC a name; if you kill someone, you’ll hear their friends calling for them as soon as they realize they’re missing. Hearing someone call “Shannon!” for the 20th time pulled me out of the experience because it didn’t feel natural. It was like I was being told to care about these people (who, by the way, were trying to kill me).
There are other awkward moments when TLOU2 attempts to cover its video game-ness. As beautiful as the levels are, they’re also very clearly designed with a specific purpose in mind; the platforming sections have lots of jumps and things to climb on, whereas combat areas are full of cover and tall grass to obscure Ellie’s movements. You know what’s coming by the layout of the world. Perhaps the most blatant example of this conflict between the game’s desire to immerse you in its world and its inherent game-y nature is the passcodes, a video game staple. In order to open safes or certain locked doors, which you do a lot, Ellie will need to find the corresponding code, which is almost always scrawled down on a nearby piece of paper. This happens so often that it becomes comical; at one point, she even finds a code scrawled in blood on the floor. These aspects aren’t inherently bad, and they’re not unique to TLOU2, but they stand out in a game otherwise so focused on immersion.
When TLOU2 does succeed, which is often, it’s incredible. The moment-to-moment action is tense and brutal. Even though it made me uneasy, I kept pushing ahead to see what would happen next, hoping to find one of those scarce moments of peace. One of the best parts of the game is the boss fights. There are a handful of pivotal conflicts throughout the story, but they don’t play out the way typical video game boss battles do. It’s not about you facing the biggest, baddest enemy there is. (There are some of those, but the most memorable conflicts are different.) Often, you are the aggressor, the more powerful one, exerting your will on someone weaker or in a desperate situation. It turns the tables in a way that makes combat a key storytelling tool.
That’s not to say TLOU2 is all gloom. There are light moments amid the dark. Many of these come in the form of flashbacks when you see Ellie and Joel in happier (though still post-apocalyptic) times, like exploring a museum or learning how to play the guitar. The story expertly uses these moments and specific objects to remind you of better times. You’ll see items pop up, like a stuffed giraffe or a collectible coin, that are linked to a specific memory. Even in the midst of a ruined world, these moments still made me smile.
Ellie is also, thankfully, not alone in her journey. Her love interest, Dina, is a charismatic and honest counterpart to Ellie’s more headstrong personality. Watching their relationship deepen is one of the few heartwarming parts of the story. It’s also just nice to have her along for the ride. TLOU2’s world is so dark and oppressive that I felt more comfortable having someone, even a virtual companion, with me. I keenly felt the times when Dina wasn’t there. The same goes for Jesse, another member of the Wyoming commune who tags along for extended parts of the story. The AI-controlled companions aren’t especially useful in combat, but their presence is reassuring nonetheless.
But this isn’t a story where Ellie simply gets her revenge and then rides off into the sunset with her girlfriend. The Last of Us Part II does not have a happy ending. Again, it’s hard to say too much without getting into direct spoiler territory, but her single-minded focus on vengeance and her inability to let go cost her a great deal. All of those terrible things she had to do — the decapitated corpses, the bloody hammers, the dead dogs — had a price. And that fact that you’re directly involved in those moments makes it all the more heartbreaking.
By the end of a big blockbuster game like this, my mind usually jumps to what will come next or puzzles over some of the mysteries in the story. With The Last of Us Part II, I was glad it was over. Just like Ellie, I was exhausted.


theverge--2020-06-12--Big tech companies are responding to George Floyd in a way they never did for Michael Brown

Big tech companies are responding to George Floyd in a way they never did for Michael Brown Share All sharing options for : Big tech companies are responding to George Floyd in a way they never did for Michael Brown In the days since the death of George Floyd , technology ’ s biggest companies and their leaders have made public statements expressing solidarity with Black communities .
The communications — which , really , are press releases — condemn racism and call for unity .
Some at least name George Floyd , Breonna Taylor , and Ahmaud Arbery .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” outright .
More meaningfully , many companies have committed donations to causes fighting racial injustice in the millions of dollars .
So some of the wealthiest businesses in the world are showing up in a moment when the national attention has turned to racial injustice .
But surely , they must have shown up before ?
It hasn ’ t even been six years since the deaths of Eric Garner and Michael Brown spurred the protests in Ferguson , Missouri .
Many of those companies ’ CEOs found time to publicly participate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ money for ALS , so surely they spared a moment to show solidarity with Black Lives Matter in 2014 , right ?
Let ’ s compare the corporate response today with what was said six years ago .
We researched responses to the events of 2014 through online searches , checking company newsrooms , and sweeping social media accounts .
We ’ ve updated this story with new commitments from Amazon , Apple , Google , Microsoft , and Twitter .
“ We believe Black lives matter , ” reads a blog post @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to donating “ a total of $ 10 million to organizations that are working to bring about social justice and improve the lives of Black and African Americans.
” Amazon ’ s Black Employee Network will also be given a grant to “ fund local organizations that support education and racial equality initiatives in communities across the country where our employees live and work.
” On June 9th , Amazon updated the post to say it would match employee donations of up to $ 10,000 per employee to the 12 organizations listed in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s tweet committing to solidarity with the Black community .
On Instagram , Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos encouraged his followers to read a Medium essay by Shenequa Golding .
Hours this article was first published , Bezos said that Black lives matter in response to an angry customer email he posted on Instagram .
We could not find public responses from Amazon regarding the deaths of Eric Garner and Michael Brown or the Ferguson protests .
Apple CEO Tim Cook announced the $ 100 million Apple ’ s Racial Equity and Justice Initiative @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will challenge the systemic barriers to opportunity and dignity that exists for communities of color and particular for the black community , ” Cook said in a video .
Cook also published an open letter , “ Speaking up on racism , ” on Apple ’ s website on June 4th .
In the letter , Cook made a number of commitments : Cook shared a similar version of this letter to Apple employees on May 31st , where he committed Apple to matching all employee donations made for the month of June @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Minneapolis : CEO Tim Cook shared a tweet from Pope Francis on the day of Michael Brown ’ s death .
We could not find other public responses from Apple regarding the deaths of Eric Garner and Michael Brown or the Ferguson protests .
In fact , here ’ s what the Apple newsroom looks like during those dates : Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg committed to giving “ additional $ 10 million to groups working on racial justice ” in a Facebook post on May 31st .
He also noted that his philanthropic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has invested $ 40 million annually for “ several years ” to organizations fighting racial injustice .
Hours after this article was first published , Zuckerberg pledged his support to the Black Lives Matter movement as part of a note published to his personal Facebook page .
“ To members of our Black community : I stand with you .
Your lives matter .
Black lives matter , ” he said .
In a December town hall Q & A , Zuckerberg was asked about social media ’ s role in helping strengthen @ @ @ @ @ @ @ other protests against the use of excessive police force .
He shared his response publicly in a video .
“ I believe we do two things : give everyone a voice and provide greater diversity of perspectives , ” Zuckerberg said in his post accompanying the video .
We could not find other public responses from Facebook regarding the deaths of Eric Garner and Michael Brown or the Ferguson protests .
Google CEO Sundar Pichai published an email sent to Google employees on June 3rd , titled “ Standing with the Black community @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ initial ” commitments : “ We ’ ll work closely with our Black community to develop initiatives and product ideas that support long-term solutions—and we ’ ll keep you updated , ” Pichai added .
“ As part of this effort , we welcome your ideas on how to use our products and technology to improve access and opportunity.
” Google-owned YouTube will launch a $ 100 million fund “ dedicated to amplifying and developing the voices of Black creators and artists and their stories , ” the video service announced on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s solidarity with the Black community .
We could not find public responses from Google regarding the deaths of Eric Garner and Michael Brown or the Ferguson protests .
Shortly after we published this story on June 5th , Microsoft pledged to donate $ 250,000 each to the Black Lives Matter Foundation , Equal Justice Initiative , Innocence Project , The Leadership Conference , Minnesota Freedom Fund , and NAACP Legal Defense & Education Fund .
Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella ’ s May 28th remarks to employees about the protests in Minneapolis @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of those remarks , Nadella discussed Microsoft ’ s Criminal Justice Reform Initiative , which was formally launched in 2019 .
“ This initiative invests in partnerships and programs working to drive reforms , focusing on policing , ” Merisa Heu-Weller , director of the initiative , said in a March 3rd blog post .
“ While we recognize that disparities exist throughout the system , we believe that by focusing on policing , and building positive relationships between police and communities , we can help keep people out of the system and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also said that “ teams across Microsoft have partnered with organizations across the United States working on criminal justice improvements ” since 2014 .
Nadella tweeted his support for the Black and African American community on June 1st .
He has also retweeted many statements from Black Microsoft employees shared on Microsoft ’ s official Twitter account .
We could not find public responses from Microsoft regarding the deaths of Eric Garner and Michael Brown or the Ferguson protests .
Dorsey also tweeted # startsmall grants to benefit Black and Brown communities , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ first began making # startsmall grants in April after moving $ 1 billion of his Square equity to an LLC to be used to fund COVID-19 relief .
All of the grants made so far are tracked here .
Dorsey ’ s Twitter thread with his most recent grants begins here : Twitter ’ s @ TwitterTogether account posted a Twitter thread about how people can practice allyship .
On June 12th , Twitter shared more information about donations and contributions it would be making toward fighting racial injustice , including a $ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Initiative and National Association of Black Journalists and a $ 1 million fund to match employee donations .
The tweet thread spelling out Twitter ’ s actions starts here .
Dorsey went to Ferguson , Missouri shortly after Michael Brown ’ s death to participate in protests , and tweeted extensively while there .
At the time , he was Twitter ’ s executive chairman , not its CEO .
We could not find other public responses from Twitter regarding the deaths of Eric Garner and Michael Brown or the Ferguson protests .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ in 2014 , but given the very low bar , the fact that they have in 2020 is an encouraging sign of progress .
Still , a statement of solidarity and a few donations should be just the beginning .
There is the acknowledgment of racism , and then there is the ongoing work of being anti-racist .
Amazon , Apple , Facebook , Google , Microsoft , and Twitter—these companies are proud of being some of the most powerful institutions in the world , and often tout that they are making the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ commit to their pledges of “ pushing progress forward ” and taking on “ the fight against systemic racism and injustice , ” that effort could really help the Black community — or at the very least , amount to more than just promises and platitudes in a press release .
Update June 12th , 8:24PM ET : Added new contributions from Amazon , Apple , Google , Microsoft , and Twitter announced since the original publication of this post .

In the days since the death of George Floyd, technology’s biggest companies and their leaders have made public statements expressing solidarity with Black communities. The communications — which, really, are press releases — condemn racism and call for unity. Some at least name George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and Ahmaud Arbery. Some have said “Black Lives Matter” outright.
More meaningfully, many companies have committed donations to causes fighting racial injustice in the millions of dollars.
So some of the wealthiest businesses in the world are showing up in a moment when the national attention has turned to racial injustice. But surely, they must have shown up before? It hasn’t even been six years since the deaths of Eric Garner and Michael Brown spurred the protests in Ferguson, Missouri. Many of those companies’ CEOs found time to publicly participate in the Ice Bucket Challenge to raise money for ALS, so surely they spared a moment to show solidarity with Black Lives Matter in 2014, right?
Let’s compare the corporate response today with what was said six years ago. We researched responses to the events of 2014 through online searches, checking company newsrooms, and sweeping social media accounts.
We’ve updated this story with new commitments from Amazon, Apple, Google, Microsoft, and Twitter.
Amazon
2020
“We believe Black lives matter,” reads a blog post published on June 3rd. Amazon committed to donating “a total of $10 million to organizations that are working to bring about social justice and improve the lives of Black and African Americans.” Amazon’s Black Employee Network will also be given a grant to “fund local organizations that support education and racial equality initiatives in communities across the country where our employees live and work.”
On June 9th, Amazon updated the post to say it would match employee donations of up to $10,000 per employee to the 12 organizations listed in the blog.
Here is Amazon’s tweet committing to solidarity with the Black community.
On Instagram, Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos encouraged his followers to read a Medium essay by Shenequa Golding. Hours this article was first published, Bezos said that Black lives matter in response to an angry customer email he posted on Instagram.
2014
We could not find public responses from Amazon regarding the deaths of Eric Garner and Michael Brown or the Ferguson protests.
Apple
2020
Apple CEO Tim Cook announced the $100 million Apple’s Racial Equity and Justice Initiative on June 11th. “The initiative will challenge the systemic barriers to opportunity and dignity that exists for communities of color and particular for the black community,” Cook said in a video.
Cook also published an open letter, “Speaking up on racism,” on Apple’s website on June 4th. In the letter, Cook made a number of commitments:
We commit to continuing our work to bring critical resources and technology to underserved school systems. We commit to continuing to fight the forces of environmental injustice — like climate change — which disproportionately harm Black communities and other communities of color. We commit to looking inward and pushing progress forward on inclusion and diversity, so that every great idea can be heard. And we’re donating to organizations including the Equal Justice Initiative, which challenge racial injustice and mass incarceration.
Cook shared a similar version of this letter to Apple employees on May 31st, where he committed Apple to matching all employee donations made for the month of June.
Cook has also tweeted twice about Minneapolis:
2014
CEO Tim Cook shared a tweet from Pope Francis on the day of Michael Brown’s death.
We could not find other public responses from Apple regarding the deaths of Eric Garner and Michael Brown or the Ferguson protests. In fact, here’s what the Apple newsroom looks like during those dates:
Facebook
2020
Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg committed to giving “additional $10 million to groups working on racial justice” in a Facebook post on May 31st. He also noted that his philanthropic arm, the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative, has invested $40 million annually for “several years” to organizations fighting racial injustice.
Hours after this article was first published, Zuckerberg pledged his support to the Black Lives Matter movement as part of a note published to his personal Facebook page. “To members of our Black community: I stand with you. Your lives matter. Black lives matter,” he said.
2014
In a December town hall Q&A, Zuckerberg was asked about social media’s role in helping strengthen communities in the wake of Ferguson and other protests against the use of excessive police force. He shared his response publicly in a video. “I believe we do two things: give everyone a voice and provide greater diversity of perspectives,” Zuckerberg said in his post accompanying the video.
We could not find other public responses from Facebook regarding the deaths of Eric Garner and Michael Brown or the Ferguson protests.
Google
2020
Google CEO Sundar Pichai published an email sent to Google employees on June 3rd, titled “Standing with the Black community,” where he made the following “initial” commitments:
We’ll be giving $12 million in funding to organizations working to address racial inequities. Our first grants of $1 million each will go to our long-term partners at the Center for Policing Equity and the Equal Justice Initiative. And we’ll be providing technical support through our Google.org Fellows program. This builds on the $32 million we have donated to racial justice over the past five years. We’ll also offer $25 million in Ad Grants to help organizations fighting racial injustice provide critical information. As a result of last week’s internal giving campaign, I‘m pleased to share that you all have contributed an additional $2.5 million in donations that we’re matching. This represents the largest Googler giving campaign in our company’s history, with both the largest amount raised by employees and the broadest participation.
“We’ll work closely with our Black community to develop initiatives and product ideas that support long-term solutions—and we’ll keep you updated,” Pichai added. “As part of this effort, we welcome your ideas on how to use our products and technology to improve access and opportunity.”
Google-owned YouTube will launch a $100 million fund “dedicated to amplifying and developing the voices of Black creators and artists and their stories,” the video service announced on June 11th.
Pichai also tweeted Google’s solidarity with the Black community.
2014
We could not find public responses from Google regarding the deaths of Eric Garner and Michael Brown or the Ferguson protests.
Microsoft
2020
Shortly after we published this story on June 5th, Microsoft pledged to donate $250,000 each to the Black Lives Matter Foundation, Equal Justice Initiative, Innocence Project, The Leadership Conference, Minnesota Freedom Fund, and NAACP Legal Defense & Education Fund.
Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella’s May 28th remarks to employees about the protests in Minneapolis were published on LinkedIn. As part of those remarks, Nadella discussed Microsoft’s Criminal Justice Reform Initiative, which was formally launched in 2019.
“This initiative invests in partnerships and programs working to drive reforms, focusing on policing,” Merisa Heu-Weller, director of the initiative, said in a March 3rd blog post. “While we recognize that disparities exist throughout the system, we believe that by focusing on policing, and building positive relationships between police and communities, we can help keep people out of the system and reduce the disparities within it.”
Heu-Weller also said that “teams across Microsoft have partnered with organizations across the United States working on criminal justice improvements” since 2014.
Nadella tweeted his support for the Black and African American community on June 1st. He has also retweeted many statements from Black Microsoft employees shared on Microsoft’s official Twitter account.
2014
We could not find public responses from Microsoft regarding the deaths of Eric Garner and Michael Brown or the Ferguson protests.
Twitter
2020
Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey called for “police policy reform now” in a June 1st tweet.
Dorsey also tweeted #startsmall grants to benefit Black and Brown communities, support ex-offenders, and more. Dorsey first began making #startsmall grants in April after moving $1 billion of his Square equity to an LLC to be used to fund COVID-19 relief. All of the grants made so far are tracked here.
Dorsey’s Twitter thread with his most recent grants begins here:
Twitter’s @TwitterTogether account posted a Twitter thread about how people can practice allyship.
On June 12th, Twitter shared more information about donations and contributions it would be making toward fighting racial injustice, including a $250,000 grant split between the Equal Justice Initiative and the National Association of Black Journalists and a $1 million fund to match employee donations. The tweet thread spelling out Twitter’s actions starts here.
2014
Dorsey went to Ferguson, Missouri shortly after Michael Brown’s death to participate in protests, and tweeted extensively while there. At the time, he was Twitter’s executive chairman, not its CEO.
We could not find other public responses from Twitter regarding the deaths of Eric Garner and Michael Brown or the Ferguson protests.
These companies may not have shown up in 2014, but given the very low bar, the fact that they have in 2020 is an encouraging sign of progress. Still, a statement of solidarity and a few donations should be just the beginning. There is the acknowledgment of racism, and then there is the ongoing work of being anti-racist.
Amazon, Apple, Facebook, Google, Microsoft, and Twitter—these companies are proud of being some of the most powerful institutions in the world, and often tout that they are making the world a better place. If they commit to their pledges of “pushing progress forward” and taking on “the fight against systemic racism and injustice,” that effort could really help the Black community — or at the very least, amount to more than just promises and platitudes in a press release.


theverge--2020-06-12--Tenet and Wonder Woman 1984 delayed by Warner Bros.

Wonder Woman 1984 and Christopher Nolan ’ s Tenet are being delayed as studios grapple with when they can start releasing their biggest movies in theaters around the world .
Tenet will now open on July 31st , instead of July 17th .
It ’ s the second delay for Wonder Woman , which was originally slated to premiere June 5th , then August 14th , and will now arrive on October 2nd .
“ We ’ re especially thrilled , in this complex and rapidly changing environment , to be bringing Christopher Nolan ’ s ‘ Tenet , ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ scope and scale , to theaters around the world on July 31 , ” Toby Emmerich , chairman of Warner Bros. Pictures Group , said in a statement to Variety .
“ It ’ s been longer than any of us could ’ ve imagined since we ’ ve seen a movie on the big screen , and to acknowledge Chris ’ fans as we count down to ‘ Tenet ’ ’ s opening day , we are also excited to offer his masterpiece ‘ Inception ’ in theaters for its 10th anniversary @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 1984 delay was announced nonchalantly in a tweet : Nolan ’ s Tenet wasn ’ t just one of Warner Bros. ’ biggest movies of the year ; it had become a sort of litmus test as to whether Hollywood studios could start releasing their films after facing a series of delays brought on by the pandemic .
Disney CEO Bob Chapek cited Tenet ( referring to it as a “ competitor ’ s film ” ) as the movie they were planning to watch , as it opened a week before the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ live-action remake of Mulan .
ViacomCBS CEO Bob Bakish added in his company ’ s earnings call that he was hopeful by the time SpongeBob SquarePants was set to open in early August , movie theaters would be back in full swing .
It ’ s uncertain what will happen to Mulan , SpongeBob SquarePants , and other movies pushed into the summer from earlier this year .
Some studios , like Universal , have pushed their blockbuster films from this year into next .
F9 , the ninth installment in the Fast @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in April 2021 .
Although theaters have started to reopen in states and countries that have lifted heavy public gathering restrictions , it ’ s consumer behavior that studios can ’ t plan for in advance .
Even if theaters are open , will people want to go , regardless of whether proper social distancing tools ( like six feet between people in theaters and limited capacities ) are in place ?
That ’ s what companies like Disney , Warner Bros. , Paramount , and Universal are trying to predict .
Movies @ @ @ @ @ @ @ could easily gross close to , if not surpass , $ 1 billion at the box office .
Releasing them too early could result in a loss for the companies .
Not releasing the films , however , will likely lead to further financial hits as 2020 continues without any form of profit from unreleased films .
Some films , like Scoob , Artemis Fowl , and Trolls World Tour have bypassed theatrical releases entirely , going straight to premium video on demand and streaming services , but those aren ’ t major @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be the experiment that everyone else would learn from , but now , its delay just leads to more uncertainty .

Wonder Woman 1984 and Christopher Nolan’s Tenet are being delayed as studios grapple with when they can start releasing their biggest movies in theaters around the world. Tenet will now open on July 31st, instead of July 17th. It’s the second delay for Wonder Woman, which was originally slated to premiere June 5th, then August 14th, and will now arrive on October 2nd.
“We’re especially thrilled, in this complex and rapidly changing environment, to be bringing Christopher Nolan’s ‘Tenet,’ a global tentpole of jaw-dropping size, scope and scale, to theaters around the world on July 31,” Toby Emmerich, chairman of Warner Bros. Pictures Group, said in a statement to Variety. “It’s been longer than any of us could’ve imagined since we’ve seen a movie on the big screen, and to acknowledge Chris’ fans as we count down to ‘Tenet’’s opening day, we are also excited to offer his masterpiece ‘Inception’ in theaters for its 10th anniversary on July 17.”
The Wonder Woman 1984 delay was announced nonchalantly in a tweet:
Nolan’s Tenet wasn’t just one of Warner Bros.’ biggest movies of the year; it had become a sort of litmus test as to whether Hollywood studios could start releasing their films after facing a series of delays brought on by the pandemic. Disney CEO Bob Chapek cited Tenet (referring to it as a “competitor’s film”) as the movie they were planning to watch, as it opened a week before the company’s previously delayed, massive live-action remake of Mulan. ViacomCBS CEO Bob Bakish added in his company’s earnings call that he was hopeful by the time SpongeBob SquarePants was set to open in early August, movie theaters would be back in full swing.
It’s uncertain what will happen to Mulan, SpongeBob SquarePants, and other movies pushed into the summer from earlier this year. Some studios, like Universal, have pushed their blockbuster films from this year into next. F9, the ninth installment in the Fast and Furious franchise, will now open in April 2021.
Although theaters have started to reopen in states and countries that have lifted heavy public gathering restrictions, it’s consumer behavior that studios can’t plan for in advance. Even if theaters are open, will people want to go, regardless of whether proper social distancing tools (like six feet between people in theaters and limited capacities) are in place? That’s what companies like Disney, Warner Bros., Paramount, and Universal are trying to predict.
Movies like Tenet, Mulan, and F9 could easily gross close to, if not surpass, $1 billion at the box office. Releasing them too early could result in a loss for the companies. Not releasing the films, however, will likely lead to further financial hits as 2020 continues without any form of profit from unreleased films.
Some films, like Scoob, Artemis Fowl, and Trolls World Tour have bypassed theatrical releases entirely, going straight to premium video on demand and streaming services, but those aren’t major tentpole features. Tenet was supposed to be the experiment that everyone else would learn from, but now, its delay just leads to more uncertainty.


theverge--2020-06-12--Vergecast: Android 11 beta, PS5 reveal, and big tech halts facial recognition for police

There ’ s a new episode of The Vergecast to fill you in on all of the news from this week .
Join Nilay Patel , Dieter Bohn , and a rotation of other reporters and editors for everything that you need to know .
The three topics covered this week are : • Android 11 beta : here are all the announcements • PlayStation 5 : all of the news from Sony ’ s next-gen game showcase During the first part of the show , Verge reporter Megan Farokhmanesh and games editor Andrew Webster take over to run through @ @ @ @ @ @ @ event on Thursday — from all the games to the long-awaited reveal of the PS5 design .
• The PS5 is huge , according to internet detectives • Watch the 24 biggest trailers from the PS5 event • The PS5 is getting a camera , charging dock , headphones , and media remote accessories • Horizon Zero Dawn is getting a PS5 sequel , Horizon Forbidden West • The creators behind Sword & Sworcery return on the PS5 with Jett : The Far Shore A little over 14 minutes into the show , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Android 11 beta that was released this week , Google countersuing Sonos for patent infringement , and the potential announcement at Apple ’ s WWDC about switching MacBooks to ARM processors .
• Android 11 may be the best texting platform if you use multiple chat apps • Five new features Android 11 borrows from the iPhone • Apple ’ s virtual WWDC keynote will take place on June 22nd at 1PM ET • Apple will announce move to ARM-based Macs later this month , says report Last but not least , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ explain facial recognition 's role in policing and big tech ’ s move to stop selling these technologies to the police .
• IBM will no longer offer , develop , or research facial recognition technology • Amazon bans police from using its facial recognition technology for the next year • Microsoft won ’ t sell facial recognition to police until Congress passes new privacy law There ’ s a whole lot more discussed in this episode , so listen here or in your preferred podcast player to hear it all .
Other @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Tinder CEO Elie Seidman on finding love during the pandemic • It ’ s hard to figure out how often people without symptoms spread COVID-19 • Nextdoor tells community leads to allow Black Lives Matter discussions after exposé • Contact tracing programs have to work with local communities to be successful

There’s a new episode of The Vergecast to fill you in on all of the news from this week. Join Nilay Patel, Dieter Bohn, and a rotation of other reporters and editors for everything that you need to know. The three topics covered this week are:
During the first part of the show, Verge reporter Megan Farokhmanesh and games editor Andrew Webster take over to run through everything announced at Sony’s virtual event on Thursday — from all the games to the long-awaited reveal of the PS5 design.
A little over 14 minutes into the show, Dieter and Nilay discuss first impressions of the Android 11 beta that was released this week, Google countersuing Sonos for patent infringement, and the potential announcement at Apple’s WWDC about switching MacBooks to ARM processors.
Last but not least, Verge reporter James Vincent stops by to explain facial recognition's role in policing and big tech’s move to stop selling these technologies to the police.
There’s a whole lot more discussed in this episode, so listen here or in your preferred podcast player to hear it all.
Other stories discussed in this episode:


theverge--2020-06-12--Another innovative company has given up on revolutionizing mobile photography

Light , the company behind the Nokia 9 ’ s unique array of five rear cameras , has given up on its unconventional effort to revolutionize the cameras in our pockets .
In a statement to Android Authority , Light said it ’ s “ no longer operating in the smartphone industry.
” Light set out to overcome the limitations of small camera sensors — like those in our phones — by cramming a ton of cameras ( each with different focal lengths ) onto one device and combining the data from all those modules .
Its proof of concept @ @ @ @ @ @ @ camera .
In a review , my colleague Sean O ’ Kane credited the L16 as being an engineering marvel and said it indeed delivered better image quality than most mobile devices .
But it still lagged well behind mirrorless cameras and DSLRs , and clearly wasn ’ t cut out for all shooting scenarios .
After that , Light partnered with Nokia on the Nokia 9 and went so far as to build a custom chip that helped the phone ’ s Snapdragon processor successfully capture data from its five rear cameras @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Nokia 9 was very good at image stacking and a cut above all over mobile cameras in the area of depth perception .
But by the time the Nokia 9 launched , other phone makers like Google , Apple , and Huawei had already found their own magic with smart HDR and stitching multiple images into a single shot .
Photos from the Nokia 9 just didn ’ t really stand out .
Worse yet , gathering data from five 12-megapixel cameras led to slow capture and processing times , which meant @ @ @ @ @ @ @ follow-up shot .
More recently , larger-sized sensors are finding their way into smartphones to help further boost image quality and detail .
And companies are finding clever ways of extending reach with periscope zoom systems .
That ’ s led Light to follow in the footsteps of Lytro — another company that once touted groundbreaking photography tech — and significantly change course .
Light ’ s website says the company is now focused on “ a real-time 3D depth perception platform that will enable vehicles to see like humans .
”

Light, the company behind the Nokia 9’s unique array of five rear cameras, has given up on its unconventional effort to revolutionize the cameras in our pockets. In a statement to Android Authority, Light said it’s “no longer operating in the smartphone industry.”
Light set out to overcome the limitations of small camera sensors — like those in our phones — by cramming a ton of cameras (each with different focal lengths) onto one device and combining the data from all those modules. Its proof of concept for this was the $2,000 L16 camera. In a review, my colleague Sean O’Kane credited the L16 as being an engineering marvel and said it indeed delivered better image quality than most mobile devices. But it still lagged well behind mirrorless cameras and DSLRs, and clearly wasn’t cut out for all shooting scenarios.
Light’s $2,000 L16 camera had 16 modules. Photo by James Bareham / The Verge
After that, Light partnered with Nokia on the Nokia 9 and went so far as to build a custom chip that helped the phone’s Snapdragon processor successfully capture data from its five rear cameras simultaneously. As Ars Technica notes, the Nokia 9 was very good at image stacking and a cut above all over mobile cameras in the area of depth perception.
But by the time the Nokia 9 launched, other phone makers like Google, Apple, and Huawei had already found their own magic with smart HDR and stitching multiple images into a single shot. Photos from the Nokia 9 just didn’t really stand out. Worse yet, gathering data from five 12-megapixel cameras led to slow capture and processing times, which meant you were at risk for missing a follow-up shot.
More recently, larger-sized sensors are finding their way into smartphones to help further boost image quality and detail. And companies are finding clever ways of extending reach with periscope zoom systems.


theverge--2020-06-12--WarnerMedia is getting rid of the HBO Go app

Just weeks after the launch of HBO Max , which added to the already confusing HBO product lineup of HBO , HBO Go , and HBO Now , WarnerMedia is making some changes in an attempt to reduce some of the confusion about which app is for which purpose .
A short primer on HBO Max , before I go further : HBO Max is AT & T ’ s new streaming service that lets you access the entire HBO library plus additional content like Cartoon Network shows and the Studio Ghibli movies .
You can subscribe to HBO Max @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , but it ’ s also offered for free from many cable providers if you subscribe to HBO , and it ’ s free as part of some AT & T wireless , internet , or TV plans .
We ’ ve compiled a guide for which subscriptions give you access here .
HBO Max is really an expanded and rebranded version of HBO Now A key thing to know is that HBO Max is really an expanded and rebranded version of HBO Now , the company ’ s previous streaming-only service .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the HBO Now app was directly updated to become HBO Max .
Before HBO Max existed , cable subscribers could stream HBO shows using an app called HBO Go .
WarnerMedia will be getting rid of that app ( or “ sunsetting ” it , in WarnerMedia ’ s language ) from “ primary platforms ” as of July 31st .
If you previously relied on HBO Go , many cable providers will already let you log in to HBO Max .
You can see that full list here .
That “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ because WarnerMedia still hasn ’ t struck deals to bring HBO Max to Roku or Amazon streaming devices .
On those platforms , WarnerMedia is not upgrading the HBO Now app to become HBO Max .
Instead , it ’ s rebranding to simply be “ HBO , ” where it will still cost $ 14.99 , even though you ’ ll only be able to watch HBO content on it and not the expanded HBO Max catalog .
This branding switch will be happening over the coming months , according to WarnerMedia @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of what HBO Max chief Tony Goncalves told us on The Vergecast just last week , when he said cable subscribers could continue to use HBO Go for a “ period of time , ” and that things would be clearer in “ three to six months.
” In reality , it took 10 days .
But based on AT & T ’ s general rollout of HBO Max , the rush is par for the course .
In summary , there will eventually just be two options : Roku and Amazon users @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lets you watch HBO content , that ’ s accessible with an existing cable subscription or by paying a $ 14.99 monthly fee .
This is a problem that HBO needs to resolve — Roku controls nearly 45 percent of connected device video streaming minutes .
But for now , this is what ’ s there .
Everyone else gets HBO Max , which lets you watch HBO content and a lot more with some existing cable subscriptions or by paying a $ 14.99 monthly fee .
So it ’ s a little @ @ @ @ @ @ @ still pretty confusing .

Just weeks after the launch of HBO Max, which added to the already confusing HBO product lineup of HBO, HBO Go, and HBO Now, WarnerMedia is making some changes in an attempt to reduce some of the confusion about which app is for which purpose.
A short primer on HBO Max, before I go further: HBO Max is AT&T’s new streaming service that lets you access the entire HBO library plus additional content like Cartoon Network shows and the Studio Ghibli movies. You can subscribe to HBO Max directly for a $14.99 monthly fee, but it’s also offered for free from many cable providers if you subscribe to HBO, and it’s free as part of some AT&T wireless, internet, or TV plans. We’ve compiled a guide for which subscriptions give you access here.
HBO Max is really an expanded and rebranded version of HBO Now
A key thing to know is that HBO Max is really an expanded and rebranded version of HBO Now, the company’s previous streaming-only service. On most platforms, like Apple TV, the HBO Now app was directly updated to become HBO Max.
Before HBO Max existed, cable subscribers could stream HBO shows using an app called HBO Go. WarnerMedia will be getting rid of that app (or “sunsetting” it, in WarnerMedia’s language) from “primary platforms” as of July 31st. If you previously relied on HBO Go, many cable providers will already let you log in to HBO Max. You can see that full list here.
That “primary platforms” language is important, because WarnerMedia still hasn’t struck deals to bring HBO Max to Roku or Amazon streaming devices. On those platforms, WarnerMedia is not upgrading the HBO Now app to become HBO Max. Instead, it’s rebranding to simply be “HBO,” where it will still cost $14.99, even though you’ll only be able to watch HBO content on it and not the expanded HBO Max catalog. This branding switch will be happening over the coming months, according to WarnerMedia.
This all is a dramatic acceleration of what HBO Max chief Tony Goncalves told us on The Vergecast just last week, when he said cable subscribers could continue to use HBO Go for a “period of time,” and that things would be clearer in “three to six months.” In reality, it took 10 days. But based on AT&T’s general rollout of HBO Max, the rush is par for the course.
In summary, there will eventually just be two options: Roku and Amazon users get the HBO app, which only lets you watch HBO content, that’s accessible with an existing cable subscription or by paying a $14.99 monthly fee. This is a problem that HBO needs to resolve — Roku controls nearly 45 percent of connected device video streaming minutes. But for now, this is what’s there.
Everyone else gets HBO Max, which lets you watch HBO content and a lot more with some existing cable subscriptions or by paying a $14.99 monthly fee.


theverge--2020-06-12--Elon Musk has two Las Vegas casinos asking for Boring Company tunnels

Elon Musk ’ s Boring Company is already looking to dig more tunnels in Las Vegas , Nevada , after it finished excavating the first two under the city ’ s convention center last month .
Clark County Commissioner Tick Segerblom tweeted a map last week that shows a proposed set of tunnels that would run west from the Las Vegas Convention Center ( LVCC ) to the Wynn and the Encore , hotel casinos owned by Wynn Resorts .
This week , Wynn Resorts announced that , working with The Boring Company , it had submitted a land-use application @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Vegas , a new complex being built just northwest of the Wynn and the Encore by Malaysian resort conglomerate Genting , says it has also submitted an application for a similar connector to the LVCC .
Late Friday , The Verge obtained the both sets of applications , which can also be seen below .
Much like the LVCC project ( known as the Convention Center Loop ) , people would be transported through these tunnels in Tesla vehicles .
It would turn a walk of about a mile into a two-minute ride @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The Boring Company want to dig a 0.6-mile tunnel that would run from a the Encore to the Silver Lot # 2 parking lot at the LVCC , with no stops in between .
The proposal says the boarding area in the LVCC parking lot would remove about 25 parking spaces .
Passengers at the Encore would stage at the existing bus lane outside the hotel casino , and both boarding areas would be above ground .
Resorts World and The Boring Company are proposing a 0.4-mile tunnel running from the new hotel @ @ @ @ @ @ @ currently being built for the LVCC expansion , with no stops in between .
The passenger platforms at both ends would also be above ground .
The projects differ from the Convention Center Loop in that those rides won ’ t be free .
Steve Hill , the president and CEO of the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority , told CNN that each trip would cost between $ 3 and $ 5 .
That ’ s either at or slightly cheaper than the cost of a ticket for the Las Vegas Monorail @ @ @ @ @ @ @ number of hotels and casinos that line the Las Vegas Strip but doesn ’ t reach the Wynn , the Encore , or Resorts World .
The new tunnels would also have to be financed by the companies , as opposed to the $ 52.5 million Convention Center Loop , which was paid for by the Convention and Visitors Authority .
Both Wynn Resorts and Resorts World say that they ’ re still negotiating the terms of their agreements with The Boring Company , according to the proposals filed with Clark County .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Visitors Authority want to expand The Boring Company ’ s tunnel system to other parts of the city , and the two new proposals from Wynn and Resorts World represent the first step toward that goal .
They could also inflame tensions with the city ’ s taxi authority and the Las Vegas Monorail company , since they would be the first of The Boring Company ’ s projects that compete directly with those transportation options .
The Convention Center Loop is slated to open in January 2021 , in time for the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 12th , 5:11PM ET : Added new information from planning documents obtained by The Verge .

Elon Musk’s Boring Company is already looking to dig more tunnels in Las Vegas, Nevada, after it finished excavating the first two under the city’s convention center last month.
Clark County Commissioner Tick Segerblom tweeted a map last week that shows a proposed set of tunnels that would run west from the Las Vegas Convention Center (LVCC) to the Wynn and the Encore, hotel casinos owned by Wynn Resorts. This week, Wynn Resorts announced that, working with The Boring Company, it had submitted a land-use application for that project. Resorts World Las Vegas, a new complex being built just northwest of the Wynn and the Encore by Malaysian resort conglomerate Genting, says it has also submitted an application for a similar connector to the LVCC. Late Friday, The Verge obtained the both sets of applications, which can also be seen below.
Much like the LVCC project (known as the Convention Center Loop), people would be transported through these tunnels in Tesla vehicles. It would turn a walk of about a mile into a two-minute ride in each direction.
Wynn Resorts and The Boring Company want to dig a 0.6-mile tunnel that would run from a the Encore to the Silver Lot #2 parking lot at the LVCC, with no stops in between. The proposal says the boarding area in the LVCC parking lot would remove about 25 parking spaces. Passengers at the Encore would stage at the existing bus lane outside the hotel casino, and both boarding areas would be above ground.
Resorts World and The Boring Company are proposing a 0.4-mile tunnel running from the new hotel casino to one of the parking lots currently being built for the LVCC expansion, with no stops in between. The passenger platforms at both ends would also be above ground.
The projects differ from the Convention Center Loop in that those rides won’t be free. Steve Hill, the president and CEO of the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority, told CNN that each trip would cost between $3 and $5. That’s either at or slightly cheaper than the cost of a ticket for the Las Vegas Monorail — which connects the LVCC to a number of hotels and casinos that line the Las Vegas Strip but doesn’t reach the Wynn, the Encore, or Resorts World.
The new tunnels would also have to be financed by the companies, as opposed to the $52.5 million Convention Center Loop, which was paid for by the Convention and Visitors Authority. Both Wynn Resorts and Resorts World say that they’re still negotiating the terms of their agreements with The Boring Company, according to the proposals filed with Clark County.
(Wynn Resorts and Resorts World have another connection beyond both being located off the path of the monorail. Wynn Resorts sued Resorts World in late 2018 because the hotel casinos Genting are building bear a stunning resemblance to the Wynn and the Encore. The lawsuit was settled last year.)
Hill has said that the Convention and Visitors Authority want to expand The Boring Company’s tunnel system to other parts of the city, and the two new proposals from Wynn and Resorts World represent the first step toward that goal. They could also inflame tensions with the city’s taxi authority and the Las Vegas Monorail company, since they would be the first of The Boring Company’s projects that compete directly with those transportation options. The Convention Center Loop is slated to open in January 2021, in time for the next Consumer Electronics Show.


theverge--2020-06-12--The PS5 is huge, according to internet detectives

Sony has finally shown off what the PlayStation 5 will look like , but there ’ s one very big question about the design that ’ s still unclear : just how big is the PlayStation 5 ?
We ’ ll likely have to wait until Sony gives official dimensions ( or shows the physical box next to something else for scale ) of the controversial design to know for sure , but that isn ’ t stopping fans on the internet from doing their best to estimate things .
And based on early guesses , the PS5 is going @ @ @ @ @ @ @ biggest mainstream console in years .
The image below , created by Reddit user u/GREBO7 , shows an estimate of how the PS5 fares compared to other recent Xbox and PlayStation consoles , including the upcoming Xbox Series X .
Noticeably , the Playstation 5 is incredibly tall , with a ResetEra thread estimating it at over 14 inches in height .
And while it is thinner than the fridge-like Xbox Series X , it ’ s hard to deny that the PS5 is still pretty huge , even compared to infamously large @ @ @ @ @ @ @ One .
And while Sony is planning to offer a slimmer version of the PS5 that lacks a disc drive , even that model is still massive compared to the PS4 Pro and Xbox One X , as a mock-up from HDTVtest ’ s Adam Fairclough on Twitter shows , via Polygon .
The estimates that fans have made so far are based on comparing the sizes of USB-A ports and disc drives — two physical elements shown on the PS5 — to other consoles ( the dimensions of which we do have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ there .
It ’ s possible that Sony ’ s console is smaller than these mock-ups show , given that USB-A ports and Blu-ray discs have standard sizes .
But unless these marketing images from Sony are wildly incorrect , they ’ re probably pretty good approximations of what to expect this fall .
In other words , you might want to start clearing some room on your TV stand .

Sony has finally shown off what the PlayStation 5 will look like, but there’s one very big question about the design that’s still unclear: just how big is the PlayStation 5?
We’ll likely have to wait until Sony gives official dimensions (or shows the physical box next to something else for scale) of the controversial design to know for sure, but that isn’t stopping fans on the internet from doing their best to estimate things. And based on early guesses, the PS5 is going to be huge — perhaps even the biggest mainstream console in years.
The image below, created by Reddit user u/GREBO7, shows an estimate of how the PS5 fares compared to other recent Xbox and PlayStation consoles, including the upcoming Xbox Series X. Noticeably, the Playstation 5 is incredibly tall, with a ResetEra thread estimating it at over 14 inches in height. And while it is thinner than the fridge-like Xbox Series X, it’s hard to deny that the PS5 is still pretty huge, even compared to infamously large consoles like the original PS3 and Xbox One.
And while Sony is planning to offer a slimmer version of the PS5 that lacks a disc drive, even that model is still massive compared to the PS4 Pro and Xbox One X, as a mock-up from HDTVtest’s Adam Fairclough on Twitter shows, via Polygon.
The estimates that fans have made so far are based on comparing the sizes of USB-A ports and disc drives — two physical elements shown on the PS5 — to other consoles (the dimensions of which we do have), and scaling the sizes from there. It’s possible that Sony’s console is smaller than these mock-ups show, given that USB-A ports and Blu-ray discs have standard sizes. But unless these marketing images from Sony are wildly incorrect, they’re probably pretty good approximations of what to expect this fall.


theverge--2020-06-12--Bikes can be a tool for protest — and police brutality

It ’ s not often the humble bicycle finds itself at the center of national upheaval .
Images of police officers using bicycles to harass people peacefully demonstrating the killing of unarmed black people this past week , in addition to cops violently seizing and confiscating protesters ’ bikes , have prompted an unusually forceful response from the cycling community .
One bike company even went so far as to sever ties with police departments .
BikeCo , the official distributor of Fuji Bikes in North America , announced it was suspending the sale of its bikes to police departments @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Fuji-branded mountain bikes to threaten and corral protesters .
“ We have seen instances in the last week where police have used bicycles in violent tactics , which we did not intend or design our bicycles for , ” the company said in a statement .
“ We have seen instances in the last week where police have used bicycles in violent tactics.
” “ To hear that there are instances where bicycles have been used as a weapon against those who are vulnerable , those speaking out against the unjust treatment of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ alongside them advocating change , has deeply upset our community , our company and the heart of the Fuji brand , ” the company continued .
A representative from the company told Bicycle Retailer and Industry News it has begun discussions with police departments and with the International Police Mountain Biking Association , which provides bike training for police officers .
Other bike companies released statements supportive of the protests but stopped short of rejecting sales to police departments .
But one company seemed to invite even more controversy based on its response @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stem-winding statement on his company ’ s website last week outlining a series of proposals he believes will help ameliorate the problem of police brutality and racism but made no mention of images of police wielding Trek bikes to intimidate protesters .
Then on Saturday , Burke defended the role Trek ’ s bikes play in “ community-based law enforcement programs.
” He also decried “ any unlawful action by any citizen including police.
” A spokesperson for Trek notes that the company doesn ’ t have any contracts with police departments and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bike shops based on the needs of police departments .
To be sure , Fuji ’ s police bikes are also sold through bike shops .
BikeCo said that its dealers who have been in contact support the decision to start a dialogue with police departments .
BikeCo is headquartered in Northeast Philadelphia .
“ It ’ s a delicate situation , ” a BikeCo representative told Bicycle Retailer .
“ We have dealers whose shops were looted .
We also have employees who are former police officers or who have family members @ @ @ @ @ @ @ just saying , ‘ let ’ s stop and talk.
’ ” After several days of mounting criticism on social media , Trek released another statement that sought to further distance the company from police action .
“ Recently we have seen photos and video of Trek bikes that have been used by police in ways that are abhorrent and vastly different from their intended use , ” the company said .
“ For over 25 years , we have seen police on bikes , out of cruisers and offices , building relationships @ @ @ @ @ @ @ past two weeks has turned the view of police on bikes from a community asset to a liability .
A positive outcome of the recent protests is that we are starting to see real police reform being discussed at local and national levels .
We believe bikes can play a positive role by continuing to get officers out of cars and armored trucks and into the community where trust can be built.
” “ Recently we have seen photos and video of Trek bikes that have been used by police in ways that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ statements still weren ’ t enough for some cycling advocates .
“ [ J ] oin me in reminding @ JBTrek08 that cops are using his bikes as weapons against protesters and he should stop selling bikes to cops , ” Transportation Alternatives senior editor Jessie Singer tweeted .
A petition on Change.org calling on bicycle companies to divest from police departments has earned nearly 6,000 signatures as of June 11th .
“ Although Trek Bikes have been the most visible in police bike brutality , we know that the bike industry on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ system of policing , ” the petition reads .
A spokesperson for Specialized said it does not have contracts with police departments but that some police may have purchased Specialized ’ s bikes on their own .
The fact that huge brands like Fuji and Trek felt compelled to respond speaks to the rapidly shifting landscape around police abuse and systemic racism .
It also reflects big changes in the bike world .
Bike companies — both traditional and electric — have seen huge spikes in demand in a world gripped by COVID-19 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ better accommodate the rising number of residents choosing to get around on two wheels .
“ We have to get rid of this notion that bikes are inherently good or bad , ” said Shabazz Stuart , CEO of Oonee , a bike parking startup based in Brooklyn .
“ They are environmentally friendly , they are efficient , and they are a more sustainable way to travel around cities , but that does not mean that the person traveling on that vehicle is laudable , good , or praiseworthy.
” Stuart noted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ companies have not publicly condemned the use of their products by police to ram protesters .
Indeed , it ’ s accepted practice in the auto industry to develop and market certain vehicles as police cruisers .
Some bike makers have tried this as well , namely Seattle-based Volcanic Bikes , which bills its products as “ The Toughest Patrol Bikes on Earth !
” ( A spokesperson for Volcanic did not respond to a request for comment . )
But the fact that cops are using their bikes in a violent way @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of biking as a mode of transportation , or from the seriousness of police brutality , Stuart said .
“ I ’ m a black guy from Brooklyn , ” he said .
“ So the way I look at it is the cop will be beating you down if they ’ re on a bike or a scooter , if they ’ re walking or in a car .
They ’ re still the same old cops.
” “ I look at it is the cop will be beating you down if @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a scooter , if they ’ re walking or in a car.
” Jon Orcutt , head of communication at advocacy group Bike NYC , noted that during World War II , the German and Japanese armies had entire units of soldiers on bicycles .
“ It ’ s a super efficient , really good technology for moving people around cities .
Climate friendly , space efficient , ” Orcutt said .
“ There ’ s always different uses for this technology.
” Bike cops have become familiar fixtures of police forces over @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The internet had itself a hearty laugh at this particular squad of bike cops from Miami as they were filmed skidding to an awkward stop and looking very much like a pack of stunting ‘ 80s movie villains . )
A much more common scenario is cops targeting cyclists for ticketing , arrests , or violence .
On June 5th , Daily News reporter Catherina Gioino tweeted that cops were told to “ focus on the bicyclists , ” which led to the arrest of four protesters and the confiscation of their bikes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in a tweet that bike-riding after the curfew would result in an “ automatic collar.
” Citi Bike , the city ’ s popular bike-share system , was ordered to shut down at 6PM , a full two hours before the start of the citywide curfew .
Police , especially the NYPD , have a long history of hostility toward bike riders .
For years , police have used questionable , sometimes violent , tactics to sweep up participants in Critical Mass , a group that rides around the city in support of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , a group of heavily armored , bike-wielding police officers wearing outfits they ’ ve dubbed “ turtle uniforms ” emerged during the protest .
It can be discouraging , especially for people who rely on their bikes to get around and view the two-wheeled velocipede as an increasingly important counterweight to car dominance in cities , to see cops dressed as Imperial Stormtroopers brandishing their bikes like battering rams .
Bikes can still play an important role in city government , Orcutt said , noting most people would rather see police officers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rather than CO2 spewing SUVs .
But that shouldn ’ t detract from the reality that bikes , first and foremost , are vehicles for protests .
“ People who are interested in social change tend to embrace the idea of bikes as city transportation , ” Orcutt said , “ and vice versa.
” Stuart agrees .
In recent weeks , cyclists have helped redirect traffic so people can march in the streets and organize mass rides in solidarity with Black Lives Matter , he said .
“ You go to these @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and you literally see piles of bikes everywhere .
”

It’s not often the humble bicycle finds itself at the center of national upheaval.
BikeCo, the official distributor of Fuji Bikes in North America, announced it was suspending the sale of its bikes to police departments after viewing videos of NYPD officers using Fuji-branded mountain bikes to threaten and corral protesters. “We have seen instances in the last week where police have used bicycles in violent tactics, which we did not intend or design our bicycles for,” the company said in a statement.
“We have seen instances in the last week where police have used bicycles in violent tactics.”
“To hear that there are instances where bicycles have been used as a weapon against those who are vulnerable, those speaking out against the unjust treatment of people of color, and those standing alongside them advocating change, has deeply upset our community, our company and the heart of the Fuji brand,” the company continued.
A representative from the company told Bicycle Retailer and Industry News it has begun discussions with police departments and with the International Police Mountain Biking Association, which provides bike training for police officers.
Photo by Ira L. Black / Corbis via Getty Images
Other bike companies released statements supportive of the protests but stopped short of rejecting sales to police departments. But one company seemed to invite even more controversy based on its response.
Trek CEO John Burke posted a stem-winding statement on his company’s website last week outlining a series of proposals he believes will help ameliorate the problem of police brutality and racism but made no mention of images of police wielding Trek bikes to intimidate protesters.
Then on Saturday, Burke defended the role Trek’s bikes play in “community-based law enforcement programs.” He also decried “any unlawful action by any citizen including police.” A spokesperson for Trek notes that the company doesn’t have any contracts with police departments and that the bikes are sold through local bike shops based on the needs of police departments.
To be sure, Fuji’s police bikes are also sold through bike shops. BikeCo said that its dealers who have been in contact support the decision to start a dialogue with police departments. BikeCo is headquartered in Northeast Philadelphia.
“It’s a delicate situation,” a BikeCo representative told Bicycle Retailer. “We have dealers whose shops were looted. We also have employees who are former police officers or who have family members who are police officers. We are just saying, ‘let’s stop and talk.’”
After several days of mounting criticism on social media, Trek released another statement that sought to further distance the company from police action.
“Recently we have seen photos and video of Trek bikes that have been used by police in ways that are abhorrent and vastly different from their intended use,” the company said. “For over 25 years, we have seen police on bikes, out of cruisers and offices, building relationships in the neighborhoods they serve. The past two weeks has turned the view of police on bikes from a community asset to a liability. A positive outcome of the recent protests is that we are starting to see real police reform being discussed at local and national levels. We believe bikes can play a positive role by continuing to get officers out of cars and armored trucks and into the community where trust can be built.”
“Recently we have seen photos and video of Trek bikes that have been used by police in ways that are abhorrent.”
But Trek’s statements still weren’t enough for some cycling advocates. “[J]oin me in reminding @JBTrek08 that cops are using his bikes as weapons against protesters and he should stop selling bikes to cops,” Transportation Alternatives senior editor Jessie Singer tweeted.
A petition on Change.org calling on bicycle companies to divest from police departments has earned nearly 6,000 signatures as of June 11th. “Although Trek Bikes have been the most visible in police bike brutality, we know that the bike industry on a whole is complicit in this racist system of policing,” the petition reads.
A spokesperson for Specialized said it does not have contracts with police departments but that some police may have purchased Specialized’s bikes on their own.
The fact that huge brands like Fuji and Trek felt compelled to respond speaks to the rapidly shifting landscape around police abuse and systemic racism. It also reflects big changes in the bike world. Bike companies — both traditional and electric — have seen huge spikes in demand in a world gripped by COVID-19. Cities are transforming their streetscapes to better accommodate the rising number of residents choosing to get around on two wheels.
Photo by Roberto Schmidt / AFP via Getty Images
“We have to get rid of this notion that bikes are inherently good or bad,” said Shabazz Stuart, CEO of Oonee, a bike parking startup based in Brooklyn. “They are environmentally friendly, they are efficient, and they are a more sustainable way to travel around cities, but that does not mean that the person traveling on that vehicle is laudable, good, or praiseworthy.”
Stuart noted that, unlike bike manufacturers, car companies have not publicly condemned the use of their products by police to ram protesters. Indeed, it’s accepted practice in the auto industry to develop and market certain vehicles as police cruisers. Some bike makers have tried this as well, namely Seattle-based Volcanic Bikes, which bills its products as “The Toughest Patrol Bikes on Earth!” (A spokesperson for Volcanic did not respond to a request for comment.)
But the fact that cops are using their bikes in a violent way shouldn’t detract from the importance of biking as a mode of transportation, or from the seriousness of police brutality, Stuart said. “I’m a black guy from Brooklyn,” he said. “So the way I look at it is the cop will be beating you down if they’re on a bike or a scooter, if they’re walking or in a car. They’re still the same old cops.”
“I look at it is the cop will be beating you down if they’re on a bike or a scooter, if they’re walking or in a car.”
Jon Orcutt, head of communication at advocacy group Bike NYC, noted that during World War II, the German and Japanese armies had entire units of soldiers on bicycles. “It’s a super efficient, really good technology for moving people around cities. Climate friendly, space efficient,” Orcutt said. “There’s always different uses for this technology.”
Bike cops have become familiar fixtures of police forces over the past couple of decades. (The internet had itself a hearty laugh at this particular squad of bike cops from Miami as they were filmed skidding to an awkward stop and looking very much like a pack of stunting ‘80s movie villains.)
A much more common scenario is cops targeting cyclists for ticketing, arrests, or violence. On June 5th, Daily News reporter Catherina Gioino tweeted that cops were told to “focus on the bicyclists,” which led to the arrest of four protesters and the confiscation of their bikes. Newsday’s Matthew Chayes said in a tweet that bike-riding after the curfew would result in an “automatic collar.” Citi Bike, the city’s popular bike-share system, was ordered to shut down at 6PM, a full two hours before the start of the citywide curfew.
Police, especially the NYPD, have a long history of hostility toward bike riders. For years, police have used questionable, sometimes violent, tactics to sweep up participants in Critical Mass, a group that rides around the city in support of cycling rights.
In New York City, a group of heavily armored, bike-wielding police officers wearing outfits they’ve dubbed “turtle uniforms” emerged during the protest. It can be discouraging, especially for people who rely on their bikes to get around and view the two-wheeled velocipede as an increasingly important counterweight to car dominance in cities, to see cops dressed as Imperial Stormtroopers brandishing their bikes like battering rams.
Bikes can still play an important role in city government, Orcutt said, noting most people would rather see police officers patrolling parks and pedestrian plazas on bikes rather than CO2 spewing SUVs. But that shouldn’t detract from the reality that bikes, first and foremost, are vehicles for protests. “People who are interested in social change tend to embrace the idea of bikes as city transportation,” Orcutt said, “and vice versa.”
Stuart agrees. In recent weeks, cyclists have helped redirect traffic so people can march in the streets and organize mass rides in solidarity with Black Lives Matter, he said.


theverge--2020-06-12--Insomniac confirms Spider-Man: Miles Morales is a standalone PS5 game

Insomniac Games has confirmed that the newly announced Spider-Man : Miles Morales will be a standalone title for the PlayStation 5 , quashing rumors that the title was simply a remastered version or an expansion of the original PS4 Spider-Man that have been swirling since the reveal .
Spider-Man : Miles Morales will reportedly be smaller in scope than the original , though , per a Bloomberg report that compared it to Uncharted : The Lost Legacy in scope .
Part of the confusion stems from comments from Simon Rutter , EVP head of European business at Sony Interactive Entertainment @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The Telegraph , “ I guess you could call it an expansion and an enhancement to the previous game.
” Rutter went on to explain , “ There ’ s a substantial Miles Morales component — which is the expansion element — but also within the game as well there ’ s been major enhancements to the game and the game engine , obviously deploying some of the major PlayStation 5 technology and features.
” Despite Rutter ’ s comments , though , developer Insomniac Games has confirmed in a tweet that Spider-Man @ @ @ @ @ @ @ game ” that continues the adventures of the video game Spider-Man .
Uncharted : The Lost Legacy was a 2017 spinoff from mainline series entry Uncharted 4 : A Thief ’ s End , which shared similar gameplay elements , graphics , and technology as the previous title .
But it was a smaller , shorter experience than a traditional Uncharted game .
( It was also sold for $ 39 at retail , instead of a full $ 59 price tag . )
Spider-Man : Miles Morales , according to Bloomberg ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ strategy , with a “ significantly shorter ” run time than the original Spider-Man ( which took about 40 hours to complete , not counting DLC expansions ) .
But unlike The Lost Legacy , which was released on the same platform as Uncharted 4 , Spider-Man : Miles Morales will have the added wrinkle that , in addition to focusing on a new character and adding new gameplay features , the PS5 title will also build on the PS4 game with new technical improvements to take advantage of the console ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the PlayStation Blog details some of those improvements , including “ near-instantaneous fast-travel across Marvel ’ s New York City ” and “ highly-detailed character models and enhanced visuals , ” compared to the original PS4 title .
Spider-Man : Miles Morales will be released on the PlayStation 5 this holiday season .

Insomniac Games has confirmed that the newly announced Spider-Man: Miles Morales will be a standalone title for the PlayStation 5, quashing rumors that the title was simply a remastered version or an expansion of the original PS4 Spider-Man that have been swirling since the reveal. Spider-Man: Miles Morales will reportedly be smaller in scope than the original, though, per a Bloomberg report that compared it to Uncharted: The Lost Legacy in scope.
Part of the confusion stems from comments from Simon Rutter, EVP head of European business at Sony Interactive Entertainment, who commented in an interview with The Telegraph, “I guess you could call it an expansion and an enhancement to the previous game.” Rutter went on to explain, “There’s a substantial Miles Morales component — which is the expansion element — but also within the game as well there’s been major enhancements to the game and the game engine, obviously deploying some of the major PlayStation 5 technology and features.”
Despite Rutter’s comments, though, developer Insomniac Games has confirmed in a tweet that Spider-Man: Miles Morales is a “standalone game” that continues the adventures of the video game Spider-Man.
Uncharted: The Lost Legacy was a 2017 spinoff from mainline series entry Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End, which shared similar gameplay elements, graphics, and technology as the previous title. But it was a smaller, shorter experience than a traditional Uncharted game. (It was also sold for $39 at retail, instead of a full $59 price tag.) Spider-Man: Miles Morales, according to Bloomberg’s report, will follow a similar strategy, with a “significantly shorter” run time than the original Spider-Man (which took about 40 hours to complete, not counting DLC expansions).
But unlike The Lost Legacy, which was released on the same platform as Uncharted 4, Spider-Man: Miles Morales will have the added wrinkle that, in addition to focusing on a new character and adding new gameplay features, the PS5 title will also build on the PS4 game with new technical improvements to take advantage of the console’s more powerful hardware. A post on the PlayStation Blog details some of those improvements, including “near-instantaneous fast-travel across Marvel’s New York City” and “highly-detailed character models and enhanced visuals,” compared to the original PS4 title.


theverge--2020-06-12--Go read this Wall Street Journal article about New York’s missteps combatting the coronavirus

The state of New York has the most confirmed cases and deaths of COVID-19 , and a new report by The Wall Street Journal details how the state ’ s policies and missed warning signs made residents more vulnerable to the virus , leading to more deaths and a higher risk of contraction .
The Wall Street Journal spoke to nearly 90 frontline medical professionals , from doctors to hospital administrators and government officials , to understand what went wrong .
Improper patient transfer with some patients being too ill to be transferred between hospitals led to many hospitals not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ isolation protocols , with hospitals mixing infected patients with uninfected patients , also caused a domino effect of new virus contractions , according to the report .
Although hospitals added hundreds of new beds , numerous hospital staff members said they were not trained to work in the areas of hospitals they were posted in , leading to patients being improperly treated .
On top of that , several hospitals had staffing shortages .
The staffing shortages led to hospitals losing track at times of admitted patients .
At Brookdale University Hospital Medical @ @ @ @ @ @ @ called the ER to inquire about their mother in her 80s .
An ER doctor said that when he looked the patient up , he realized she had died two days prior .
“ This is happening daily , ” the doctor said during the peak .
Not all of this falls on hospitals , though .
The government played a large role in the state ’ s oversight of combating the virus , too .
The state and New York City government and hospital officials switched their guidelines about when infected frontline @ @ @ @ @ @ @ leaders focused more on giving ventilators to hospitals , though many of the ventilators acquired by the government were either defective or damaged , while many hospitals had minimal protective equipment and COVID-19 tests .
The article touched on Gov .
Andrew Cuomo and New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio ’ s delayed responses in containing the spread of COVID-19 even when other states with fewer cases began taking action .
While leaders in states like California and Ohio acted quickly to contain the spread , Messrs. Cuomo and de Blasio delayed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ city even as the number of cases swelled , despite warnings from doctors , nurses , and schoolteachers .
California issued a statewide lockdown with 1,005 cases as of March 19 , while New York remained open with 5,704 cases , according to updated Johns Hopkins data .
At time of publish , the novel coronavirus pandemic has infected nearly 2 million people in the US and led to more than 113,000 deaths , according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention .
The full article really digs into how each action @ @ @ @ @ @ @ health officials had significant consequences .
I strongly suggest you read the entire Wall Street Journal article .

The state of New York has the most confirmed cases and deaths of COVID-19, and a new report by The Wall Street Journal details how the state’s policies and missed warning signs made residents more vulnerable to the virus, leading to more deaths and a higher risk of contraction.
The Wall Street Journal spoke to nearly 90 frontline medical professionals, from doctors to hospital administrators and government officials, to understand what went wrong. Improper patient transfer with some patients being too ill to be transferred between hospitals led to many hospitals not receiving records of prior treatment. Insufficient isolation protocols, with hospitals mixing infected patients with uninfected patients, also caused a domino effect of new virus contractions, according to the report.
Although hospitals added hundreds of new beds, numerous hospital staff members said they were not trained to work in the areas of hospitals they were posted in, leading to patients being improperly treated. On top of that, several hospitals had staffing shortages.
The staffing shortages led to hospitals losing track at times of admitted patients. At Brookdale University Hospital Medical Center in Brooklyn, a family member called the ER to inquire about their mother in her 80s. An ER doctor said that when he looked the patient up, he realized she had died two days prior. “This is happening daily,” the doctor said during the peak.
Not all of this falls on hospitals, though. The government played a large role in the state’s oversight of combating the virus, too. The state and New York City government and hospital officials switched their guidelines about when infected frontline workers should return to work. Government leaders focused more on giving ventilators to hospitals, though many of the ventilators acquired by the government were either defective or damaged, while many hospitals had minimal protective equipment and COVID-19 tests.
The article touched on Gov. Andrew Cuomo and New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio’s delayed responses in containing the spread of COVID-19 even when other states with fewer cases began taking action.
While leaders in states like California and Ohio acted quickly to contain the spread, Messrs. Cuomo and de Blasio delayed taking measures to close the state and city even as the number of cases swelled, despite warnings from doctors, nurses, and schoolteachers. California issued a statewide lockdown with 1,005 cases as of March 19, while New York remained open with 5,704 cases, according to updated Johns Hopkins data.