You'll have to sign up for Netflix if you want to play the award-nominatedSpiritfarer on your phone. The streaming service has announced that the death management game will be available on mobile through its platform sometime "soon." It's not clear what (if anything) will change in this version, although it's safe to presume you'll find touch-optimized controls.

Spiritfarer revolves around Stella, a ferrymaster who befriends the dead and brings them to the afterlife. You need to build a boat, of course, but you'll also craft items and harvest materials to help you explore the landscape and take care of the deceased. Think of it as Stardew Valley or Terraria with a message — it's as much about developing a healthy attitude toward death as it is refining your resource management skills.

The debut comes alongside other high-profile Netflix game launches, such as ustwo's Desta and a deluge of show-related titles. The company is determined to become a home for much-loved (if not always new) games, and Spiritfarer might tip the balance if you're either a fan eager to play on mobile or a newcomer curious about all the buzz.

You'll need a streaming subscription if you want to try ustwo's upcoming Desta: The Memories Between. The Monument Valley developer has announced that its turn-based, sports-influenced roguelike will be a Netflix exclusive on mobile when it debuts sometime later this year. The game is coming to other platforms, but Netflix is promising that there will be no in-app purchases or "extra fees" in its version.

Desta revolves around a twentysomething who returns home after their dad's death. You help them deal with their past in dreams and reality by solving puzzles and talking to the people they left behind. As you might have guessed, the hybrid mechanics promise a considerably more varied experience than in titles like Monument Valley — ustwo is borrowing cues from games like Hades and Into the Breach.

The exclusive further signals Netflix's commitment to gaming. While it's clearly serious about games with show tie-ins and a rapidly growing catalog, it's increasingly courting major mobile developers like ustwo. In that regard, Netflix is competing as much with Apple Arcade and Google Play Pass as it is Amazon and Disney — it's hoping to reel in customers willing to pay a flat fee for access to a library of quality games without surprise costs.

The next Dragon Age game is still a long ways off, but that isn't stopping BioWare from expanding the fantasy RPG's reach. Netflix has unveiled a six-episode anime series, Dragon Age: Absolution, premiering sometime in December. The teaser trailer (below) doesn't reveal much, but you can expect a "new saga" in Tevinter that appears to center on a special ring — and, of course, plenty of magic and bloody swordplay.

Red Dog Culture House (which created an episode for Love, Death & Robots) is producing the limited-run project. Guardians of the Galaxy series producer Mairghread Scott is serving as the showrunner.

This certainly isn't a novel project for Netflix. There are already game-related anime shows either available or in the works at Netflix, ranging from Castlevania through to the upcoming Cyberpunk 2077 series. However, it's notable that this production is coming in the run-up to a new game (Dreadwolf) for a long-dormant franchise. Absolution is effectively a bid to revive interest in Dragon Age, not to mention court an audience that might not have heard of the games until now.

God of War: Ragnarok might make its 2022 launch window after all. Bloombergsources say the marquee PS4 and PS5 game will be released in November despite recent claims it might be delayed to 2023. Sony's Santa Monica Studio is poised to announce the release date later in June, the tipsters said. The debut had supposedly been pushed back from September, but there don't appear to be further worries.

European sources talking to Gamereactor had maintained the game wouldn't be ready until next year. The no-shows at both the June 2nd State of Play event and this week's Summer Games Fest helped fuel speculation about a lengthy delay. The Bloomberg contacts said there had been "several" internal and public delays for Ragnarok since the 2020 announcement, with at least some due to the pandemic and the need for remote work.

Sony hasn't commented on the rumor, and there's no guarantee the new God of War will stay on track. A November ship date wouldn't be surprising, though. Game developers often plan to release their biggest titles during the all-important holiday shopping season, particularly before Black Friday (the day after American Thanksgiving in November). And when Ragnarok could easily be the most important PlayStation game of the near future, a holiday premiere could be crucial for Sony's bottom line.

Have you ever played Animal Crossing or Stardew Valley and wished you could subjugate the townsfolk? You'll soon have your chance. Devolver and Massive Monster have announced that the cute-but-sinister Cult of the Lamb launches August 11th for PC, PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S. There's a demo on Steam to help whet your demonic appetite.

The game shares the community building and top-down perspective of games like Animal Crossing, but the plot is anything but kid-friendly. You play a possessed lamb forced to repay a debt to a creepy stranger by growing (what else?) a cult around him. You have to build idols, perform rituals, give sermons as you gradually convert the local population in a randomly-generated world. Naturally, you'l have to battle false prophets and anyone else who refuses to embrace your beliefs.

Sam Eng/Devolver Digital

Cult of the Lamb comes alongside premieres for a trio of new Devolver games due in 2023. Anger Foot is a first-person shoot-and-kick romp from the creators of Broforce and Genital Jousting. Sam Eng's Skate Story (pictured above), meanwhile, is a stylish skateboarder that challenges you to escape captivity in the underworld by eating the Moon — yes, really. All Possible Futures' The Plucky Squire rounds out the list by telling the tale of storybook characters who jump between 2D book pages and the 3D world beyond. The three titles are all coming to PC, while Plucky Squire will also be available on PS5, Switch and Xbox Series X/S.

You no longer need cords (or a PlayStation) to continue the Moss saga. Polyarc has revealed that Moss: Book II is coming to the Quest 2 VR headset on July 21st. The core experience remains intact — you help the mouse heroine Quill as evil forces try to claim the Glass she holds. The difference, of course, is that the Quest 2's stand-alone design and dual controllers promise more gameplay freedom compared to the PSVR version.

You can add Book II to your wishlist now. The launch comes months after the game's March 31st debut on PSVR, but it's arguably worth the wait. The PlayStation release not only tethers you to a console, but relies on a conventional gamepad. This brings the game to a wider audience while taking better advantage of VR's potential.

Apple's MacBook Air M2 might just be the start of a broader laptop renaissance. Bloombergsources claim Apple plans to release a 15-inch MacBook Air as soon as spring 2023. The company might return to tiny laptops, too. It's reportedly working on a new 12-inch laptop that could debut in late 2023 or early 2024 — if you miss the 2015 MacBook but wish it had modern hardware and a good keyboard, your dream could be fulfilled.

To no one's surprise, the sources also indicate Apple is planning to launch updated 14- and 16-inch MacBook Pros in late 2022 with M2 Pro and M2 Max chips. These might slip into early 2023, however. The new Max chip would offer up to 12 processing cores and 38 graphics cores versus the 10 processing cores and 32 graphics cores of the M1 Max.

The tech firm had reportedly considered releasing a 15-inch MacBook Air this year, but scuttled those plans to concentrate on the 13-inch model it just unveiled this week. Murmurs of a larger Air circulated in March, when Display Supply Chain analyst Ross Young said one might be in the works.

A larger Air wouldn't be surprising. Apple confirmed at WWDC 2022 that the Air was its best-selling laptop, and a 15-inch version could appeal to buyers who want a larger screen but don't need the performance and features of the more expensive MacBook Pro line. It would also make sense in light of iPhone 14 rumors that suggest you won't have to buy a Pro model to get a giant screen. Simply speaking, Apple might be ending its long-time strategy of restricting large displays to its priciest devices.

You won't have to settle for PS4-era graphics to play the original The Last of Us on your PS5. As Twitter user Wario64 noticed, the PlayStation Direct online store has prematurely revealed that a The Last of Us Part I remaster is coming to PS5 on September 2nd, with a PC version "in development." While there aren't too many details, it's clear this represents a major visual upgrade — this isn't just a performance patch like you saw with the sequel.

The "rebuilt" game will apparently be available in standard ($70) and special Firefly Edition ($100) copies. The listings were otherwise empty apart from a trailer, and they disappeared while we were writing this. Clearly, Sony wanted to save them for a formal announcement in the near future.

The arrival of a Last of Us Part I re-do isn't shocking. Sony and Insomniac are bringing Spider-Man and Miles Morales to PC later this year, and that's on top of existing refreshes and PC ports for titles like God of War and Horizon Zero Dawn. Sony is eager to profit from re-releases of the PlayStation platform's best-known games, and TLOU certainly qualifies for that treatment.

Love Hulten is fond of strange synthesizer projects, but his latest might be his most ambitious to date. The artist has unveiled a Doodlestation synth deck whose centerpiece display visualizes MIDI audio as rainbow puke — if you're playing, the poor person on-screen is likely hurling. Don't worry about that novelty fading away, though, as there are some surprisingly practical features.

Most of the space is occupied by a Sequential OB-6 analog synth (with a custom keybed), a Moog DFAM percussion synth and a Hologram Microcosm effects pedal. You'll also find a theremin setup, though, and you can add tape echo through a system that shows the tape bouncing around. Built-in speakers and a handy patch cord drawer also minimize clutter.

Like other Love Hulten projects, the Doodlestation is a one-off design. You aren't about to buy one for your studio. Still, this shows that synth suites don't have to be boring — this is equipment you might be proud to show to your fellow musicians.

IKEA is no stranger to technology-driven collaborations, but its latest might be particularly eclectic. The home store has partnered with electronic music giants Swedish House Mafia to release a new OBEGRÄNSAD ("unlimited" in Swedish) collection themed around music and creativity. The highlight so far is a surprisingly slick-looking record player. While the turntable doesn't offer much in the way of known features beyond Bluetooth speaker support, the minimalist design could make it a conversation piece as you spin some vinyl.

This being IKEA, there's naturally some furniture. The OBEGRÄNSAD line also includes a desk aimed at music production, complete with two speaker stands and a pull-out shelf for MIDI keyboards and other controllers. You'll have more space for a computer, mixers and other essential gear. An armchair, meanwhile, can help you relax during listening sessions with adjustable straps.

IKEA

The collection doesn't reach IKEA shops until the fall. The company hasn't mentioned pricing, although its historical focus on affordable products suggests you won't pay much. Moreover, the full collection will include over 20 pieces — there's a real chance you can have Swedish House Mafia shape much of your interior decor.