Disney+ has set a premiere date of August 23rd for the highly-anticipated Star Wars: Ahsoka series. The show takes place in the same timeline of The Mandalorian, but stars a character that, sort of, goes all the way back to the prequels. Former Jedi Knight Ahsoka Tano first appeared in the Star Wars: Clone Wars cartoon and her animated adventures continued on with Star Wars: Rebels before finally appearing as live action in season two of The Mandalorian and the first season of The Book of Boba Fett.

Ahsoka is played by Rosario Dawson and it seems the show will be a pseudo-sequel to Rebels, with many characters from that show appearing in live action for the first time. Natasha Liu Bordizzo stars as Sabine Wren, Mary Elizabeth Winstead plays Hera Syndulla and Eman Esfandi appears as Ezra Bridger. Also, notorious franchise villain Grand Admiral Thrawn will make his live action debut, still portrayed by Lars Mikkelsen.

The remaining cast includes David Tennant, Diana Lee Inosanto and the recently-deceased Ray Stevenson. There are also plenty of rumors that Hayden Christensen will return as Anakin Skywalker/Darth Vader. For the uninitiated, Ahsoka Tano was Skywalker’s pupil before he started executing Jedi Padawans and blowing up entire planets.

Disney+ has dropped a new trailer for the show that will air on TV tonight during the NBA Finals Game 3. Most of the footage here was already available in the previous trailer, but there are a few new shots here and there. The entire show is being written by franchise co-steward Dave Filoni, who originally created the character for Clone Wars.

E3 is canceled this year due to both the pandemic’s effects on development schedules and the success of events elsewhere in the year, like The Game Awards. As such, expectations are higher than ever for Summer Game Fest (SGF). It’s now the biggest mid-year opportunity for developers to reveal new games and hype up their upcoming releases. At the same time, you might not see absolutely everyone. Don’t worry if it’s all a bit overwhelming — we’ll let you know how to watch, and what you’ll likely see when Geoff Keighley and partner studios take to the stage.

Who’s coming to Summer Game Fest

Most major game developers will attend Summer Game Fest in some capacity. Former E3 mainstays Activision, EA, Microsoft, Sony and Ubisoft will be there. You can also expect well-known studios and technology companies like Amazon Games, Bandai Namco, CD Projekt Red, Capcom, Epic Games, Gearbox, Netflix, Razer, Samsung and Valve.

Keighley’s team hasn’t shared many specifics of what to expect, but there have been a couple of clues.You should see the first gameplay footage from the fighting series reboot Mortal Kombat 1, while Remedy should show more of its action horror sequel Alan Wake II. We also wouldn’t be surprised if CD Projekt Red showed more of its Cyberpunk 2077 add-on Phantom Liberty given promises of news this month.

Don’t expect a dedicated PlayStation event at SGF. Sony held a Showcase livestream on May 24th that showcased much of what the company and its partners are working on, including the Project Q handheld streaming device and Konami’s Metal Gear Solid 3 remake. Nintendo also isn’t poised to appear, and might instead hold a Direct presentation. That’s not surprising when The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom is already out, and the only big first-party game in the pipeline is Pikmin 4 this July.

The Summer Game Fest schedule and how to watch

Bethesda

The tentpole event is Summer Game Fest Live on June 8th at 3PM Eastern. You can watch this through the presenters’ many social channels, including YouTube, Twitch, Twitter and TikTok. This is billed as a “cross-industry showcase,” and will likely include announcements from a wide variety of publishers. This will likely include some creators that have their own events later, such as Microsoft.

The first company-specific events follow almost immediately afterward. Double Fine and iam8bit are holding their customary “Day of the Devs” indie game presentation at 5PM Eastern on the 8th. Devolver, meanwhile, is streaming its announcements at 6PM. Its show is sometimes a treat even if you don’t care for the games — Devolver is fond of telling a wacky story alongside its announcements.

Each subsequent day has at least one event. The Tribeca Festival is showing exclusive gameplay clips and interviews from its official selections on June 9th at 3PM Eastern. On June 10th, you can tune into a Wholesome Direct at 12PM that puts the spotlight on indie games.

For many, June 11th will be the highlight. Microsoft is hosting an Xbox Games Showcase at 1PM Eastern where it will likely discuss titles from its in-house studios. As soon as that’s done, a Starfield Direct will show more of Bethesda’s sci-fi epic. PC Gamer’s The PC Gaming Show follows at 4PM with two hours of introductions that include over 15 new games.

And while it’s not technically part of Summer Game Fest, Ubisoft Forward is scheduled for June 12th starting at 1PM Eastern. You’ll have to watch on Ubisoft’s YouTube and Twitch channels, but you can expect updates on Assassin’s Creed Mirage, Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora, The Crew Motorfest and other upcoming releases.

The last Summer Game Fest event was only announced this week: Capcom will host a brief stream on June 12th starting at 6PM Eastern. The 38-minute event will feature “roughly 36 minutes of news and updates” on the company’s latest games.

You’ll also want to stay tuned to Engadget throughout the event. While Summer Game Fest isn’t an E3-style trade show, we’ll be on the ground with news, analysis and hands-on impressions. We’ll let you know what games are promising and pinpoint the trends from this year’s lineup.

Wordpress is getting an AI writing assistant of its own called Jetpack AI, and it's built into the content management system's editor. For Wordpress blogs hosted elsewhere, owners will still be able to access the tool through the Jetpack plugin. Like any other generative AI tool, Jetpack can spit out content based on the prompt users type in, whether it's a traditional article, a list or a table. The assistant can also switch the tone of the post, depending on what the user is going for: It could sound informative, optimistic, humorous or even sarcastic. 

If the user wants to write their own post, they could still ask Jetpack for help. They could either make the tool generate a headline based on what they'd written or use it to automatically check their grammar or correct any spelling mistakes. And if they want to include a translation of their article, they can use Jetpack AI to quickly translate it into any of its 12 available languages, including Spanish, French and Korean. According to TechCrunch, Jetpack is free to use for all WordPress.com customers for the first 20 requests as sort of a free trial period. After that, users will have to pay $10 per month to be able to access the tool. 

While Jetpack AI can be especially useful for people already using Wordpress, it's just one of the AI-powered writing tools that have recently popped up. The Microsoft 365 Copilot, for instance, can create a proposal on Word based on spreadsheet data or change a written report's tone. Google also recently imbued its Workspace apps with AI capabilities and gave Docs the power to generate text based on the topic written on the page.

Twitter has lost another head of trust and safety after Elon Musk purchased the company last year. According to Reuters, Ella Irwin, the website's top executive for content moderation has resigned. Fortune has also reported earlier that her company Slack account has already been deactivated. While Irwin has confirmed her resignation to both organizations, she didn't elaborate on the reason for her departure. The executive took over the role as head of trust and safety after Yoel Roth left the same position in November 2022, publicly walking back on his previous statement that Twitter would be safer under Musk. 

Like Roth, Irwin seemed to be supportive of the Twitter owner — who sees himself as a "free speech absolutist" — and defended him from critics of his approach to content moderation. She said in the past that Musk gave her team the go-ahead to prioritize safety and not to worry about affecting user numbers. The Center for Countering Digital Hate recently reported that Twitter has been failing to properly and quickly address 99 percent of hate speech, including neo-Nazi, racist, homophobic and transphobic content, posted on the website by Twitter Blue users. 

Although Irwin hasn't revealed why she left the company, her departure seemed to have taken place right after conservative publication The Daily Wire said Twitter canceled their deal to premiere its What is a Woman? film on the website. The outlet's co-founder said Twitter offered it the opportunity to "buy a package to host the movie on a dedicated event page and to promote the event to every Twitter user over the first 10 hours." However, the website reportedly withdrew its offer after reviewing a screener and told the outlet that it could no longer purchase the package. Twitter also apparently told the outlet that it will limit the reach of the film, as well as label it with "hateful conduct" due to "misgendering."

To note, Twitter's hateful conduct policy states that it considers "hateful imagery to be logos, symbols, or images whose purpose is to promote hostility and malice against others based on their race, religion, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity or ethnicity/national origin." Anything "depicting hateful imagery is not permitted within live video, account bio, profile or header images."

As a response to The Daily Wire co-founder's post, Musk tweeted that the decision was a "mistake by many people at Twitter" and that the film was "definitely allowed." He added that not using someone's pronouns is "at most rude and certainly breaks no laws" and that he objects "to rude behavior, ostracism or threats of violence if the wrong pronoun or name is used."

In follow-up tweets, Musk said Twitter is updating its system so that The Daily Wire's followers will see the film in their feed. However, it will not be recommended or advertised to non-followers.

Feline-focused cyberpunk adventure Stray is officially coming to Mac. The critically-acclaimed title will be available for all Apple silicon models, from the most powerful Mac Studio desktops to standard Macbook Air laptops. This is only for silicon models, however, so older Intel-based Macs need not apply. There’s no release date yet but developer BlueTwelve Studio and publisher Annapurna Interactive urge fans to keep an eye on its Twitter accounts for up-to-date information.

Stray originally launched last year for PS4, PS5 and PC via Steam. The game has gone on to rack up glowing reviews and several industry awards, nabbing Best Independent Game and Best Debut Indie Game at The Game Awards. As the marketing suggests, you play as a cat navigating a cyberpunk world, solving puzzles and fooling around with a robot drone companion.

This is yet another feather in Apple’s gaming cap. For years (decades really) the platform struggled to lure top-tier developers and high-quality titles. This has been changing thanks to the power of Apple’s silicon chipsets and upscaling tools like MetalFX. Hit space sim No Man’s Skyjust launched on Mac computers and the platform currently hosts titles like Resident Evil: Village, Hades, Disco Elysium and more.

Meta announced a slate of upcoming games today for its standalone VR headsets (including the upcoming Meta Quest 3). Apple is expected to enter the virtual headset space next week, so Meta is hoping to make a lasting impression with its lineup of upcoming VR titles from beloved franchises, including Assassin’s Creed, Stranger Things, Ghostbusters and Attack on Titan — along with some VR remakes of old-school classics.

In addition to Asgard's Wrath 2, the most enticing game may be the one we know the least about. Although it was little more than a tease, Meta confirmed that Assassin’s Creed Nexus VRisn’t vaporware after all: The next VR installment in the long-running series will launch in the Meta Quest Store later this year. Unfortunately, further details must wait for its official reveal at Ubisoft Forward on June 12th.

We first learned about an upcoming Stranger Things VR game late last year, and today we got a closer look. The title lets you play as season four villain Vecna as you “invade the dreams and memories of fan-favorite characters and harness telekinetic powers to possess minds and battle creatures.” Gameplay includes grabbing, crushing and throwing opponents using telekinesis and opening and closing portals “at your peril.” Meanwhile, the story will allow you to tap into Vecna’s more human past to “relive memories from [Henry Creel’s] time at Hawkins Lab with Dr. Brenner as you explore an otherworldly, interconnected hive mind.” Stranger Things VR is developed by Tender Claws and will launch this fall on “major VR platforms,” including Meta Quest Pro / 3 / 2.

Ghostbusters: Rise of the Ghost Lord is another previously announced VR game in the pipeline from an iconic IP. The trailer focuses on the backstory of Gustav Hookfaber, a disgruntled and morally confused scientist who has transformed into the villainous Ghost Lord to wreak havoc on San Francisco. You’ll wield proton packs and other classic equipment for solo or co-op ghost-busting. “Continue the Ghostbusters’ legacy, protect the city from fiendish ghosts, and experience all the humor and frights from the beloved franchise,” the game’s description reads. Ghostbusters: Rise of the Ghost Lord will launch on Meta headsets this fall.

Although it may not be as familiar to younger audiences, The 7th Guest was one of the coolest spectacles to fire up on your cutting-edge CD-ROM in the mid-90s. About three decades later, you’ll be able to play an updated version of the atmospheric adventure / puzzle game in virtual reality. “[Developer Vertigo Games] is using volumetric video capture to recreate the FMV (full-motion video) storytelling of the original game, bringing the classic adventure to life like never before,” the description reads. “And for the first time ever, the iconic mansion is being recreated in full 3D — though don’t be surprised if it starts shifting around you. After all, it’s haunted.” The 7th Guest arrives later this year for Quest.

Another remake, the ultraviolent 2011 first-person shooterBulletstorm is also getting a VR makeover. And the game’s creatively gruesome “Skillshots” are in tow. “Kick an enemy into a cactus?” the game’s teaser asks rhetorically. “Skillshot. Crush one under a hot dog cart? Skillshot. Grab one with your Energy Leash and fling ‘em into a burner? Definitely a skill shot.” Developer Incuvo and publisher People Can Fly (the original game’s developer) created the VR refresh, which appears to stay true to the title’s over-the-top indulgence. Bulletstorm launches later this year on Quest Pro / 3 / 2.

Manga and anime fans may want to heed the upcoming Quest title Attack on Titan VR: Unbreakable. The game places you in the Scout Regiment for solo and co-op play. “[Players] will need to combine entirely free three-dimensional movement through use of their Omni-directional Mobility (ODM Gear with cross-range combat in order to defend themselves against killer titans,” the game’s blurb reads. “As players progress, the battle difficulty will increase, so only those with determination and skills critical to making it through to the final battle will survive.” Attack on Titan VR: Unbreakable arrives “this winter” for Quest.

In a slightly less epic and mythological (but perhaps just as fun) gaming world, PowerWash Simulator is getting a VR variant. “With 1:1 accuracy and control of the Quest Touch controllers, blasting away every speck of dirt and grime is a breeze,” the description says. “Reach up, get down and lean-in to tackle those pesky hard-to-reach spots or sit back and wash your worries away.” In addition, the cleaning sim supports solo play and online multiplayer as you “Absorb the relaxing atmosphere and stress-free pace as you take the pressure off and strip dirt from patios, pavements, vehicles, and public parks.” PowerWash Simulator VR launches later this year on Quest headsets.

Owners of Meta headsets may already be familiar with Schell Games' I Expect You to Die. Dating back to the Oculus Rift launch lineup in 2016, Schell Games’ series combines seated gameplay with clever puzzles in a James Bond-like atmosphere laced with wit and satire. The third installment, I Expect You to Die 3: Cog in the Machine, has you again taking on the evil Dr. Zor. It promises an “expanded narrative” with new levels and “more hours of gameplay” compared to the series’ first two installments. The third game in the series launches this summer for Quest, and the developer says pre-orders will get 10 percent off the game’s full price.

In addition to these familiar franchises, Meta announced several other upcoming games and updates for existing titles. For example, tactical FPS Onward is getting a big 1.11 update that adds new player animations, a redesigned lobby, shooting-range revisions and more. Other new or upcoming Quest titles include the roguelike Ghost Signal: A Stellaris Game, mech-fighter Underdogs, jumpscare horror game Silent Slayer: Vault of the Vampire and a remake of the arcade / Dreamcast rhythm game Samba de Amigo. You can read more about all of the big Quest VR announcements in Meta’s recap.

Alongside the official reveal of the Quest 3, Meta has announced when this year's edition of Connect will take place. The event, which focuses on Meta's developments in the augmented and virtual reality spaces, is set for September 27th and 28th, according to its website.

Connect is taking place a little earlier than usual this year. The 2022 edition happened in October. More details about Connect 2023 are coming soon, but one thing's for sure: we'll learn much more about the Quest 3 in late September.

Meta's next virtual reality headset will be available sometime this fall and it'll start at $500. The company says the Quest 3 is its "most powerful headset yet." It will offer full-color passthrough to support mixed reality experiences. Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg said the latest model will have twice the graphics performance of the Quest 2. The Quest 3 comes with redesigned Touch Plus controllers and hand-tracking support out of the gate. The company also noted that it's reducing the prices of the Quest 2 headsets on June 4th.

Mark Zuckerberg has revealed the Meta Quest 3, the company's long-rumored, next-gen virtual reality headset. The Meta CEO showed off the device for the first time a few hours before the latest Meta Quest Games Showcase and just ahead of Apple's WWDC.

As with the Quest Pro, the Quest 3 supports mixed reality and offers full-color passthrough. This enables users to see a color version of the physical space around them via the external cameras. The headset will be able to blend augmented reality elements into the outside world. 

It's hardly a surprise that Meta has a Quest 3 on the way. Earlier this week, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said he'd had hands-on time with a Quest 3 prototype. Gurman wrote that the headset “feels far lighter and thinner” than the previous model and that it had a sturdier head strap. Unlike the Quest Pro, though, the Quest 3 may not have face or eye-tracking features.

Even if it weren't for all the reports that an updated headset would arrive this year, Meta is continuing to invest in VR games and experiences — it has sunk tens of billions of dollars into building its vision of the metaverse over the last couple of years. It's hard to imagine the company doing that without having a successor to the three-year-old Quest 2 in the works.

In another year, Zuckerberg might have waited until Meta Connect, which typically happens in October, to reveal the Quest 3. However, Meta may be trying to steal some of Apple's thunder. The latter is widely expected to reveal a premium mixed-reality headset at WWDC next week. As such, Meta may soon have a major competitor in the mixed reality space.

This story is developing, please refresh for additional updates.

BeReal was Apple's iPhone app of the year for 2022, but buzz around the social media app (that forces you to post daily selfies) has died down of late. Now, the French company has introduced "RealChat" private messaging, allowing it to boast a feature found on most major social media apps, TechCrunch has reported. 

The function is one of the most requested, the company said. You can only message another user if you're friends with them on the platform. For a message to be deleted, both parties have to do so — deleting your own message won't delete it from a friend's app. The chat system will reportedly feature blocking and reporting features. 

BeReal has an interesting and somewhat messy approach to social media. It sends notifications at a different time each day, prompting you to quickly share photos taken with your phone's front and rear cameras simultaneously. You have a two-minute window to do so, forcing you to share spontaneous moments without spending extra time to make sure the photos are perfect. Friends are notified when you're late or revise a post.

Earlier this year, BeReal refuted an analytics report that engagement on the app had fallen significantly, saying it still had 20 million daily active users. The company admitted that while it's been busy behind the scenes, it hasn't released many new features of late, so "people have been guessing what we've been up to and how things are going, and not always accurately. 

Over the past couple of months, though it has launched an integration with Spotify showing what you're listening to when you post, along with the Bonus BeReal feature that lets you post more than one BeReal if you post on time. As with other social media apps, the RealChat feature looks like a way to boost time spent on the app and allow friends to comment privately on posts.

Streaming services often upload a pilot on YouTube to lure in new subscribers, but never an entire season. Paramount+ did just that, however, throwing up the entire first season of the critically-acclaimed Star Trek: Strange New Worlds on YouTube for all to see. That’s ten hours of free Star Trek goodness, for those keeping score.

It’s no coincidence that this move comes hot on the heels of season two of the sci-fi property, which premieres June 15th and promises more space-based tomfoolery and an anticipated crossover event with sibling show Star Trek: Lower Decks. The upcoming season also promises more Kirk and more Klingons, if classic franchise iconography is your bag.

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds is a prequel to the original series that follows the adventures of Enterprise captain Christopher Pike, his science officer Spock, a fresh-faced comms officer named Nyota Uhura and the rest of the crew. The show’s been praised for its “back to basics” formula, eschewing extensive serialization in favor of standalone episodes.

This promotion isn’t just for Trek fans, as Paramount+ also dropped full seasons of iCarly, Joe Pickett and Queen of the Universe. It goes without saying that this is a limited time promo offer, so open up those YouTube links and get binging.