Meta just increased availability of its paid verification system, bringing the program to the UK. To the uninitiated, buying into Meta’s new program gives you a blue verification badge on Facebook and Instagram to indicate you are who you say you are. It’s (sort of) like modern Twitter blue checks.

Buying into the feature also gets you “proactive impersonation protection” and direct access to customer support. In the USA, this service costs $12 to $15 each month, depending on how you sign up. For UK residents, it costs £10 per month if you sign up on the web and £12 per month if you sign up on an iOS or Android device. The price disparity is to offset Apple and Google’s store fees and is another nod to Twitter.

Unlike Twitter, you need an official government ID to opt into the service. You also have to be older than 18 and have two-factor authentication enabled. Additionally, verified users can’t change their profile name, photo, username or date of birth without re-starting the entire verification process.

This feature is still in the testing phase. The beta version of this program begins rolling out for UK users today, but it’s a tiered release so it could take a few weeks before reaching your account. So far, Meta has tested its verification system in the US, Australia, New Zealand and, now, the UK. The company promises to expand the feature set as testing continues, stating that it’ll “continue to explore additional elements that create the most value for emerging creators.”

Horror collection ‘Layers of Fear’ has a concrete release date of June 15th, which is just around the corner. This news follows the official launch of a Steam demo that went live today. The forthcoming title includes remakes of the original Layers of Fear and Layers of Fear 2, including various DLC content and a brand-new chapter to provide a new perspective on the first game’s narrative. It launches on PC via Steam, PS5 and Xbox Series X/S.

These are not simple upscales, as each game was completely recreated in Unreal Engine 5, so they include all kinds of modern graphical touches like ray-tracing, HDR and volumetric lighting. In other words, this collection is pretty easy on the eyes, though the eerie atmosphere may not be good for the old ticker.

Developer Bloober Team is also busy crafting a Silent Hill 2 remake, so there’s that to look forward to. The original Layers of Fearcame out back in 2016 and is widely considered one of the better horror titles of recent years, thanks to an expertly crafted narrative and psychedelic thrills and chills. The sequel was equally revered, though it shifted locations from a creepy Victorian mansion to a, well, creepy ocean liner.

WhatsApp just announced a new feature called “Chat Lock” that should allow users to keep certain conversations more private. The tool lets you lock any conversation, which places it in a specialized folder that's only accessible via biometrics, like a fingerprint or face scan, or by entering a current password. This also automatically hides any references to locked chats in the notifications feed.

Locking a chat seems easy enough. Just tap the name of the one-on-one or group chat and select the lock option. When you want to read the chat, enter your password or complete a biometric scan. WhatsApp says this is a great feature for those who share phones with family members and want to avoid a snafu when “someone else is holding your phone at the exact moment an extra special chat arrives.” The tools also let you lock WhatsApp completely behind biometric authentication if that’s your bag.

The folks behind the popular messaging app say they’re busy prepping more features for Chat Lock, like the ability to create a custom password for each chat and a tool to lock chats across multiple devices. Parent company Meta has been extraordinarily busy trying to keep WhatsApp safe and reliable, as it recently beefed up the verification system to hinder would-be scammers and added more options to deal with disappearing messages. The Chat Lock tools are rolling out now to WhatsApp users.

TCL just announced a bunch of new TVs in two different product lines. As originally teased during this year’s CES, the S Class models are easy on the old bank account. Despite the budget-friendly price, S Class TVs boast plenty of modern features, like a metal bezel-less design.

S Class models break down into three sub-categories. The S2 is the barest of the bunch, with a 720p resolution and display sizes perfect for easy transport, going all the way down to 32 inches. The 1080p S3 ranges from 32 inches to 43 inches and throws in HDR, a voice remote and Bluetooth audio.

The S4, however, is where things get interesting. These TVs offer 4K resolutions, Dolby Vision, Dolby Atmos and frame insertion for smoother motion. Best of all? The S4 starts at $280 for the 43-inch model and sizes go all the way up to 85 inches.

TCL’s Q Class begins with the Q6. The QLED display offers a 66 percent brighter picture than any of the S Class models and it also features something called “Game Accelerator 120” which is a tool that pushes the refresh rate to 120Hz when playing games, at the expense of half the vertical resolution of a 4K image. The Q6 line ranges from 55 inches ($500) to 85 inches ($1,600).

The Q7 includes a native 120Hz panel that balloons to 240Hz by accessing its own Game Accelerator mode, though with the same cut in vertical resolution. These TVs support AMD FreeSync Premium Pro, Dolby Vision IQ and ship with a backlit remote. TCL’s Q7 line starts at 55 inches ($750) with sizes going up to 85 inches ($2,200).

Finally, there’s the flagship QM8 line. These TVs are all about picture quality, with Mini LED backlighting, 2,000 nits of peak brightness, thousands of local dimming zones and a proprietary engine to improve contrast. These models also boast a built-in subwoofer, much like the Hisense U8H, Wi-Fi 6 for improved streaming and a height-adjustable stand for proper soundbar positioning. The QM8 starts at 65 inches ($1,700) and goes all the way up to 98 inches (an eye-watering $10,000).

Most of these televisions are already available at both online and physical retail locations, except for that massive 98-inch QM8. That one comes out later this year, so start saving now. 

Horror collection ‘Layers of Fear’ is getting a Steam demo that launches on May 15th. Developer Bloober Team revealed the demo on Twitter and noted that it’ll be available from the 15th until May 22nd. The forthcoming collection includes the original Layers of Fear, Layers of Fear 2, various DLC content and a brand-new chapter that promises to provide a new perspective on the first game’s story.

The developer already teased this demo with an 11-minute gameplay video back in March, but now you can actually play it instead of watching a YouTube clip. Bloober Team reworked these titles in Unreal Engine 5, so the visuals look impressive and atmospheric, not to mention eerie as all get out. The refresh is packed with modern graphical touches like ray-tracing, HDR and volumetric lighting. 

The Layers of Fear collection officially releases in June on PC via Steam, PS5 and Xbox Series X/S. This is not Bloober Team’s only foray into horror, as it’s also busy crafting a Silent Hill 2 remake. The original Layers of Fear came out back in 2016 and has been lauded for its unique take on psychological horror and emphasis on exploration. 

It’s no secret that the Nintendo Switch is showing its age, making it difficult to port games over from more powerful consoles. The latest hurdle for third-party publishers? Hogwarts Legacy developers just announced that the Nintendo Switch version of the open-world wizard simulator is getting another significant delay, all the way until November 14th.

This isn’t the first delay the port’s faced, as it was originally supposed to release in April after being pushed back to July 25th. At that time, all of the last-gen ports got hit with a delay, but the Xbox One and PlayStation 4 versions have since been released. The title originally launched for PS5, Xbox Series X and PC back in February.

Developers said the Switch delay is so it can provide the “best possible experience” for players. It’ll be interesting to see how the game performs when it eventually launches and what changes are made to accommodate the aging hardware. For those looking for a portable version of Hogwarts Legacy right now, instead of six months from now, the game is verified for the Steam Deck.

Despite some controversy,Hogwarts Legacy has become a bona-fide hit for Avalanche Software and Warner Bros. Games, selling over 15 million copies and generating over $1 billion in revenue.

The well-reviewed, yet pricey, PlayStation VR2 headset is now widely available after a two-month stint of exclusivity at Sony’s Direct consumer storefront. Last month, the company shared the news on Twitter, but did not set an official date, nor did they announce what lucky retailers would get their mitts on the PS5-adjacent headset. As of today, you can pick up the PSVR2 at Amazon, GameStop, Best Buy and other retailers.

Beyond making it easier to score a PSVR 2 headset, wider availability could very well lead to sales and discounts. At $550, the PS5 accessory is more expensive than the actual PS5. Sony has not disclosed any sales numbers for the headset but it did halve sales expectation numbers ahead of the February launch due to fewer-than-anticipated preorders. Having the headset locked behind an exclusive web portal for a while likely did it no favors.

The PSVR 2 has been praised for its fantastic visuals, updated controllers and haptic feedback abilities, though the games library is on the anemic side (right now). Here is to hoping increased availability will bring the headset into more homes, hastening mainstream adoption and giving the Meta Quest platform a true run for its money. This could only be a good thing for VR in general.

Elektron’s Analog Heat audio processor was already a fantastic tool for adding saturation and warmth to digital instruments, but now the company’s upping the ante with a hardware refresh. Announced at the SuperBooth synthesizer expo in Berlin, Analog Heat +FX picks up where the MK2 left off, with the addition of new digital effects to complement the pre-existing saturation options.

The titular effects are the standout feature here, as the unit allows for tape emulation, reverb, bit crushing, delay, chorus and more. This is in addition to eight stereo analog distortion units, seven filter types, a two-band EQ and a noise gate. In other words, this little module can do a lot with your sound whether it's a simple keyboard riff or an entire master bus.

Another huge new feature is called flow, which lets users easily reshuffle the signal path to create unique sounds. You can insert effects at any point in the signal path, before or after the audio source, and save the results in one of 512 preset slots. The device also encourages users to experiment with the modulation source and the three LFOs for even more adjustment capabilities. There’s also a mode called bass focus that automatically goes from stereo to mono at a preset cross-over point, helping to ensure a fat and focused low end.

The hardware itself got a bit of an update here, with a new pixel-based OLED screen that is larger and brighter than the displays found on previous models. As for inputs and outputs, you get a MIDI in/out, two control inputs for foot switches and the like, multiple stereo ins and outs and a USB port. The USB port lets you plug straight into a computer, via a built-in sound card, to let you warm up (or mangle) audio from your DAW.

The Analog Heat +FX ships with a PSU-3c power supply and a USB cable. It’s available to order right now and costs $1,000.

Sonicware is back with another quirky standalone synthesizer in its fairly crowded Liven line. The Liven Texture Lab was unveiled at the SuperBooth expo in Berlin and features a near-identical layout to some of the other Liven products, with that iconic case and button configuration, but that’s where the similarities end.

At its heart, Texture Lab is a granular synthesizer, which is when a waveform is sliced and sliced (and sliced) into extremely small pieces, which are called grains. The engine manipulates these grains in various ways to create unique tones. It’s somewhat rare to find standalone granular synthesizers, as the process is CPU-intensive and better suited to software, so Sonicware’s newest entry is entering a rather sparse marketplace.

Granular synthesis allows for extremely unique and out-there tones, and the Texture Lab goes a step further by adding four-voice polyphony, a two-octave keyboard and a 128-step sequencer that records notes and minute changes in granular processing parameters. While not a full-fledged groovebox, the Texture Lab includes a sampling engine with space for 32 samples of up to six seconds each, recording mono at 16/32kHz. The device can also sample internally and all of these samples can be chopped up for making more granular soundscapes.

Finally, this device is a robust effects processor, with a granular-based shimmer reverb, an envelope generator, filters, tremolo, a stereo width engine and more. Not only can these effects be applied to your various granular creations, but you can connect any external piece of hardware and run it through the same effects.

This is truly a standalone piece of hardware, with a built-in battery for on-the-go use and an integrated speaker. Sonicware continues its tradition of attractive pricing, as the Texture Lab will cost just $240 when it launches in June.

Hollow Knight: Silksong, the long-awaited sequel to 2017’s indie blockbuster Hollow Knight, has been delayed, as announced by Team Cherry developer Matthew Griffin on Twitter. The sidescrolling metroidvania platformer was scheduled for release in the first half of 2023, but, well, it’s May, so that isn’t happening. Additionally, the company hasn’t provided an updated release window.

“Development is still continuing. We're excited by how the game is shaping up, and it's gotten quite big, so we want to take the time to make the game as good as we can,” wrote Matthew Griffin.

Silksong was originally announced in early 2019 and hands-on gameplay demos followed in June, so folks naturally assumed that the game was close to launch. Time marched on with no real updates until last year when it was announced that Silksong would launch on Xbox Game Pass, in addition to just about every other platform. At that time, Xbox corporate vice president Sarah Bond said that the sequel would release by June of this year.

Like another long-delayed sequel, Silksong was originally conceived as a simple expansion to Hollow Knight with the game’s occasional antagonist Hornet acting as the main character. Since then, the game has apparently gotten much more ambitious. Team Cherry says it’ll release more details as we get closer to release.

Whenever it finally graces us with its presence, Hollow Knight: Silksong will launch on Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Windows PC, Xbox One and Xbox Series X, with Game Pass availability from day one. In the meantime, there is no shortage of metroidvania games out there to hold you over.