iRobot is running another sale on Roomba robot vacuums and Braava robot mops, which includes the Roomba 694 back down to $179. We've seen this deal pop up periodically over the past several months, but it's still $71 below the vacuum's typical street price. Outside of a very brief drop to $175 last November, it matches the lowest price we've tracked.

The Roomba 694 itself is the top pick in our guide to the best budget robot vacuums. It's an entry-level model that navigates around a room semi-randomly instead of mapping and following set paths, so it's not the most efficient cleaner, and it'll bonk into furniture around your house. That said, it's sturdily built, and we found it to work effectively across hard floors and carpet. We're particularly fond of iRobot's companion app, which makes it easy to quickly stop or start the vacuum, set a cleaning schedule, check the battery and the like. You don't need to connect to WiFi to use the device, however. iRobot says the Roomba 694 can run for up to 90 minutes before it has to roll back to its charging dock, though you'll get worse battery life depending on what floor surfaces you need to clean. 

A simpler device like this won't be as effective if you live in a particularly large home, but if you just want a no-frills option at a reasonable rate, we've found the Roomba 694 to be durable and dependable. And if something ever does break, replacement parts are readily available. 

If you're willing to pay up for a more feature-rich model, the sale also brings the Roomba j7+ down to $529. Normally, this model retails between $600 and $800. The j7+ comes with a self-emptying dock and more advanced mapping system than the 694, and it can identify and swerve away from obstacles like pet waste in real time. Currently, it's the runner up midrange pick in our guide to the best robot vacuums. Just note that, like many robot vacuums with its sort of obstacle avoidance, the j7 comes with a built-in camera, which may raise privacy concerns for some, particularly with Amazon in the process of acquiring iRobot.

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There's often only a small difference between a new model and the one preceding it in terms of features. That's why, despite the recent arrival of the sixth-generation, a sale on Samsung's Galaxy Watch 5 40mm models is notable. This is especially true since the $180 price tag is a new all-time low for the device. Depending on the color, this discount cuts the cost anywhere from 36 percent all the way up to 47 percent off. 

Samsung only debuted its most recent model, the Galaxy Watch 6, this summer. While it does have some improvements (like a 20 percent larger display and the return of the rotating dial), the $300 price tag is quite hefty compared to $180. Plus, the Galaxy Watch 5 is a great device, which is why we gave it an 85 in our review last year. The Bespoke edition makes up most of the sale and lets you customize everything from the band to the watch face. It also includes comprehensive health information and tracking — such as your heart rate, a GPS and sleep coaching. 

The Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 44mm size with Bluetooth and LTE models also have significant sales. The Galaxy Watch 5 44mm with Bluetooth is 34 percent off, dropping from $320 to $210. It's similar to its 40mm sibling but has a bigger watch frame and a 410mAh battery, compared to the 40mm's 284mAh. Samsung's Galaxy Watch 5 LTE is also on sale in both watch sizes, with the 40mm LTE dropping 30 percent from $330 to $230. The 44mm version is also $100 off, at $260, down from $360. The lower price definitely makes the LTE watch a more reasonable option if you want access to your watch's full features at all times.

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iRobot announced two new combo vacuum / mop combo robots today. The Roomba Combo j5+ and Combo i5+ provide some of the dual-mode features of the $1,1099 Roomba j7+ but for more affordable prices. However, there are some tradeoffs in selling these models for $799 (j5+) and $549 (i5+), including having to swap out their bins when it’s time to switch between vacuuming and mopping.

One of the biggest differences between the two new models is that the Roomba j5+, the higher-end one, can identify “No Mop Zones” to avoid rugs and carpeted rooms and learn your overall cleaning preferences. In addition, only the j5+ has advanced obstacle avoidance and can steer clear of “over 80” common floor hazards, including solid pet waste. The more expensive model also adds iRobot’s P.O.O.P. promise, which vows to replace your device if it fails to avoid pet messes.

iRobot

Apart from those differences that make the i5+ $250 cheaper, the two have much in common. They both run iRobot OS, provide control through the iRobot Home app and have self-emptying dustbins / charging stations. Each will automatically switch between vacuuming and mopping when you attach the corresponding bin. (According toThe Verge, they have 360ml dustbins and 210ml mopping tanks.) The machines also work with voice assistants, letting you control them with Alexa, Siri or Google Assistant devices. And although the cheaper i5+ won’t learn specific carpeted / rugged areas, you can still label room names and program it to target specific ones.

The $799 Roomba Combo j5+ and $549 Roomba Combo i5+ are available for pre-order today in North America on iRobot’s website ahead of retail availability on September 3rd. Meanwhile, European customers can buy the i5+ today, with the j5+ arriving in September. iRobot says it will roll out to other international markets throughout 2023 and into early next year.

Some companies allow you to use the speakers in your TV to augment the drivers in a soundbar or other speakers in order to enhance overall audio quality. Samsung has Q-Symphony and Sony has Acoustic Center Sync, for example. Today, Dolby has announced a new Atmos feature that will function similarly, pairing TV speakers with any wireless speakers you have in the room. Officially dubbed Dolby Atmos FlexConnect, the tech will debut first on 2024 TCL TVs.

Dolby explains that FlexConnect "intelligently optimizes the sound" based on the layout of the room and location of any speakers. The company says the technology will free users from the sonic limitations of room size, furniture positioning or the location power outlets. FlexConnect will allow speakers to be placed anywhere in a room and calibrate each of them to the TV speakers. This creates a customized Dolby Atmos sound profile unique to each user's home. 

Dolby says setup is quick and easy as acoustic mapping is done using microphones inside the TV. Those components locate each speaker before performing the aforementioned audio calibration. The company explains that the result should be more consistent immersive sound no matter where you're sitting in the room. 

FlexConnect isn't just boosting the center channel either. Instead, the feature is adjusting the sound for each speaker, even the ones inside the TV. If the system notices that a pair of speakers are at the front of the room, for example, it can tweak the audio so that the TV handles the bulk of the dialog and the speakers take on the rest of the front soundstage. If there are two speakers near the back of the room, the TV then handles dialog and those sounds that need to come from the front of the room. 

One item that could play a key role with Dolby Atmos FlexConnect is interoperability. Samsung's Q-Symphony and Sony's Acoustic Center Sync both require you to have a compatible soundbar and TV made by those companies. LG's Wow Orchestra works the same way. If this new technology is open to manufacturers to integrate in their products like Dolby Atmos as a whole, it would great if users could pair a TCL TV with a Sennheiser soundbar — just as one example. As you might expect, TCL plans to debut wireless speakers to accompany its upcoming FlexConnect-compatible TVs.

I'm currently building out a new home entertainment setup, so I figure I may as well finally get a dock for my Steam Deck so I can hook it up to my TV. I'm glad I haven't already plumped for Valve's own Steam Deck Docking Station as an unofficial one from accessory maker GuliKit is a bit more stylish.

That's because it takes a design cue or two from the Super Nintendo. It has a gray shell and a couple of large purple switches, which may be there just for aesthetic reasons. The docking port, which you can protect with a sliding dust cover when not in use, has a pair of vents.

On the rear, there are USB-C charging and AC adapter ports, as well as Gigabit Ethernet, HDMI and three USB 3.0 ports. The dock supports up to 100W power delivery as well as 4K 60Hz HDMI video output. There's even hidden storage for four microSD cards.

It's not only a Steam Deck you can plop into the dock either. GuliKit says it works with similar handheld devices such as the ROG Ally and Ayaneo's systems. You can use it to play your Nintendo Switch on your TV as well. GuliKit notes that you'll need to place your Switch upside down so that the console's USB-C port is accessible. Still, there's something quite fitting about using a Switch placed in this dock to play SNES games.

Pricing hasn't been revealed as yet, but the dock should be available in September, GuliKit told The Verge. At least for now, the only downside is that it's based on the US version of the SNES rather than the more refined European model.

Labor Day weekend doesn't hit until next week, but we're already seeing a few pre-holiday sales. Solo Stove fire pits are up to 40 percent off and if you order this weekend, your new pit should arrive in time for the holiday. Microsoft has discounted its Xbox wireless controllers and some gaming laptops from Acer and Razer are also getting 40 percent discounts. Bundles that include a Sony Bravia XR TV and a PS5 console are between $450 and $1,050 off and the three-quart Instant Pot Duo is down to $60. For your audio needs, the new Beats Studio Pro headphones are $100 off while Google's Pixel Buds Pro are down to $139. And if you've got your eye on Apples's new 15-inch MacBook Air, this might be a good time to buy as it has dropped back down to $1,099. Here are the best tech deals from this week that you can still get today.

Solo Stove Labor Day sale

Solo Stove is having a Labor Day sale from now through the holiday weekend that will take up to 40 percent off single items and 50 percent off of some bundles. The sale includes the company's most popular fire pit, the Bonfire 2.0, which also happens to be one of our favorite pieces of outdoor equipment for fall. It's down to $240 which is a 40 percent discount. The Bonfire falls in the middle of Solo Stove's range, measuring around 19-inches across and weighing 23 pounds. The real selling point for these backyard buddies is the recirculating design that re-burns the smoke so less of it gets in your eyes. The Backyard Bonfire Bundle 2.0, which adds extras like a carrying case, lid and shield, is usually $840 but down to $425 during the sale. The smaller Ranger and ultra big Yukon are also discounted, by $100 and $310, respectively.

Apple 15-inch MacBook Air M2

Different configurations of Apple's 15-inch MacBook Air are $200 off at Amazon, B&H Photo and Best Buy. That makes the 8GB RAM/256GB SSD model $1,099 and the 8GB/512GB model $1,299. Note that the discount applies to only the Midnight colorway at Best Buy and B&H, but all colors appear to be on sale at Amazon. A version with 16GB of RAM and 512GB of storage is $100 off at B&H Photo.  

The new Air impressed Engadget's Nathan Ingraham during his review. It's still super thin and portable, but the extra screen real estate is able to make the most of the M2 chip's processing power. The keyboard and trackpad are comfortable and the battery life lasted even longer than the promised 18 hours in Nate's rundown tests. 

Xbox Wireless Controller

The standard Xbox Wireless Controller is down to $44 at Amazon and Walmart right now. That's the lowest price its gone for since last year's Black Friday sales, when it was $39. The discount applies to the controller in white, black or red. Other colorways are discounted too, but cost $5 more. The gamepads are compatible with the Series X and S consoles and offer a Bluetooth connection for PCs or mobile Android devices — you can also use it wired if you prefer. One hitch is its reliance on AA batteries, forcing you to buy a battery pack for $25 for the convenience of recharging.  

The Elite Series 2 controller is also on sale. It includes myriad ways to customize the controls including adjustable-tension, swappable thumbsticks, extra paddles and D-pads, wraparound rubberized grips and a charging dock. It's down to $140 at Amazon or straight from Microsoft after a 22 percent discount, which is just a few dollars more than its all-time low. 

Razer, MSI and Acer gaming laptops

A bunch of Intel-powered gaming laptops are on sale right now at Amazon, including a few of our top picks from Acer and Razer. One call-out is the Acer Nitro 5, which is down to $640 instead of $800 and the steepest discount we've seen on one of our top budget gaming laptops. This configuration has a 12th-gen Intel Core i5-12500H CPU, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 graphics card and 8GB of RAM and 512GB of storage. It supports WiFi 6 and has a 15.6-inch Full HD IPS display with a 144Hz refresh rate.

The Razer Blade 15, which is our favorite premium gaming laptop, is also on sale. A 33 percent discount brings the rather spendy $3,000 machine down to a more palatable $2,000. This version comes with a 12th-gen Intel Core i7 processor and a GeForce RTX 3070 Ti GPU, it has 16GB of RAM and 1TB of SSD storage. Best of all it weighs just 4.4 pounds which is pretty lightweight for a high-powered gaming laptop.  

Google Pixel Buds Pro

Google's Pixel Buds Pro are down to $139 at Amazon, which matches the Prime Day price they hit back in July. We named these the best wireless earbuds for Android users in our guide because they deliver deep punchy bass, great active noise cancelation and have responsive touch controls. The case gives you wireless charging abilities and the buds themselves are rated IPX4, which means they can handle a splash of water or a sweaty workout and keep churning out the music.  

Apple iPad (10th generation)

Apple's standard iPad with WiFi connectivity and 64GB of storage is back down to $399 at Amazon and Best Buy, which is a $50 discount and the lowest price it's sold for yet. All four colors are available from Best Buy, but Amazon currently only has it in pink. We've seen this sale come and go a few times now, so you my want to grab it before it pops back up to full price. 

We gave the tablet a score of 85 in our review thanks to the sleek modern design with thinner bezels and flatter edges. It now has a USB-C port, unlike the previous gen iPad, and Apple wisely gave it a landscape-oriented front camera. It uses the A14 Bionic chip, which isn't Apple's latest M-series, in-house silicon, but was powerful enough to handle a moderate workload of word processing, email, messaging apps and photo editing. The battery is also impressive, lasting for 11 hours and 45 minutes in our video run-down test.

Sony HT-A7000 Soundbar

Sony's HT-A700 is down to $998 at Amazon, which is nearly a 30 percent discount off its $1,400 MSRP, though it often dips down to $1,198. This is the best premium pick in our guide because it's a robust soundbar with Dolby Atmos and immersive 7.1.2 audio. You can use Chromecast, Spotify Connect or Apple AirPlay 2 to send music to the A700 and dual HDMI eARC ports let you connect gaming consoles or streaming boxes, which can pass along 8K and 4K at 120Hz video to your screen. While it doesn't have a separate subwoofer, it does have one built in. And should you decide you'd like the fullness of separate speakers, Sony sells plenty of options that connect seamlessly. 

Sony 65-inch 4K X90L Series with PS5

Amazon is offering a bundle of a 65-inch Sony X90L 4K TV plus a PlayStation 5 console for $1,548. The TV by itself usually goes for $1,500 (though is currently discounted to $1,198) and the PS5 has a list price of $500. In total, the savings amount to $450 off the list price, which is sort of like getting the console for $50 — but only if you were already in the market for a new TV. The larger sizes are also discounted, including the massive 85-inch screen plus console going for 27 percent off, a savings of $1,050. 

The X90L is part of the 2023 Bravia XR TV lineup and is the more affordable option of the bunch. It has a full-array LED panel, a built-in smart TV with Google TV, and a few PlayStation-specific features such as Auto HDR Tone Mapping and an Auto Genre Picture Mode. The PlayStation 5 is the all-digital version without a disc drive, which shouldn't make much difference in your life if you typically download your games from the PlayStation store.  

Amazon Fire HD 10 Kids Pro

The Amazon Fire HD 10 Kids Pro is the best tablet you can get for a kid, according to our latest buyer's guide on the topic. Right now, Amazon is selling it for 30 percent off the list price, although that's $20 more than it sold for during Prime Day in July. The company just confirmed there will indeed be another such sale in October, and Fire devices are likely to get deep discounts again. Still, if you can't wait to get your kid a new and reliable screen, you'll save $60 right now. 

The Fire HD 10 Kids Pro is the fastest kid-focused tablet Amazon makes and grants parental controls via a dashboard on your phone. It comes with a free year of Amazon Kids+, which has games, audio books, shows and more that are all suitable for young ones. A protective case doubles as a stand and the device comes with a two-year warranty against breakage. 

Amazon eero 6+ mesh Wi-Fi system

If you're a Prime member and in the market for a new mesh WiFi system, you may want to check out Amazon's deal on their Eero 6+ routers. The four-pack usually sells for $440 but the deal brings it down to $285. These operate on the new WiFi 6 standard which brings efficiency upgrades and typically improves connection speeds and these claim to support speeds up to a Gigabit. The set should cover a house up to 6,000 square feet and the routers can also function as smart home hubs for certain connected devices. 

Keep in mind that these don't operate on the WiFi 6E standard, which opens up access to the 6Ghz band, which can make your connections better in densely populated areas. The Eero routers that support 6E aren't currently on sale, but a three-pack of the TP-Link Deco AXE5400 routers, which happen to be the best 6E routers according to our testing, are down to $396 after a clickable $40 coupon. That deal comes as part of a larger TP-Link router sale.  

Beats Studio Pro headphones

The Beats Studio Pro headphones debuted this July and are getting a first discount at Amazon, Target and Walmart, bringing the price down from $350 to $250, a sizable 29 percent discount. Engadget's Billy Steele gave the set an 81 in his review, appreciating the updated design, useful transparency mode and solid voice pickup. The sound quality improved over the previous generation, with the addition of new 40mm drivers that can push out loud volume with little distortion. But even more impressive is the improvements to the overall balance, with ample, but not heavy-handed, bass and immersive clarity. They aren't the most comfortable cans you can wear and the lack of an auto-pause feature when you take them off is a little disappointing.

Sony WH-CH520 wireless headphones

If you're looking for a recently released pair of headphones from a reputable brand for under $40, this is your chance to buy. Sony's WH-CH520 are currently $38 after a 37 percent discount. This set debuted at the same time as the mid-range WH-CH720N and we mentioned them as a budget alternative in our review of those headphones. The WH-CH520s don't have ANC, but they do have an impressive 50-hour battery life and include DSEE and multipoint connection. 

Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Max

Amazon's Fire TV Stick 4K Max has dropped down to $27, which is a 51 percent discount and just $2 more than it sold for during the company's Prime Day sale in July. This is the speediest of the Fire TV dongles and supports Dolby Vision, HDR10+ and Dolby Atmos audio. The remote has Alexa built in, so you can use your voice to find your next show. The Fire TV interface is simple enough to use, though we notice it tends to favor Prime Video and related content. Our favorite streaming device and interface, however, happens to be Roku's Streaming Stick 4K, which is $10 off right now, both at Amazon and directly from Roku. 

Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 + $50 Amazon gift card

Amazon is continuing the deal it offered during pre-orders of Samsung's latest wearable, giving you a $50 gift card when you order the now-available Galaxy Watch 6. The watch on its own goes for $300, which is the same price as the bundle. Provided you plan to buy more stuff from Amazon, you could compare this to a $50 discount. The retailer is also throwing in a fabric watch band. Our video review dives into the improved health and fitness features of the watch, which are impressive, even if the Galaxy Watch 6 is a modest upgrade over its predecessor. 

Blink sale

Blink devices are currently on sale at Amazon, with up to 40 percent off video doorbells, cameras and other security devices. The Blink Video Doorbell is down to $39 from its original $60. You can also save on a bundle that includes the doorbell and an indoor Blink Mini camera. The camera acts as a doorbell chime inside your house and supports two-way audio with whoever is at your door. The set is currently $64 instead of $95. If you only want the Blink Mini, you can grab one for just $25 after a 29 percent discount or go for a set of three for $64 instead of $100. The Blink Wired Floodlight is $60 which is 40 percent off its regular $100. It packs a 2600 lumen, motion-activated LED light and also shoots 1080p video and supports two-way audio and a siren feature.  

If you'd prefer to use Amazon's other security brand for your porch-observation needs, the company is also hosting a sale on Ring devices, including 30 percent off the Ring Video Doorbell and 42 percent off the Ring Indoor Cam.

Instant Pot Duo (3-quart)

The 3-quart Instant Pot Duo is on sale for $60, or $20 below its typical price at both Amazon and directly from the Instant Brands website. It's not the lowest price the multi-cooker has sold for, but it's is the best price we've seen this year. This is what we recommend in our Instant Pot buying guide for people who do a lot of cooking for one or simply have a smaller kitchen. The larger, 6-quart version is our overall pick, but that's seeing a slimmer, 12 percent discount, making it $88, which is about average for its street price this year. 

Anker 622 Magnetic Battery

The Anker 622 Magnetic Battery is back on sale for $40 at Amazon. That's not its lowest price ever, but still about $10 less than its average price lately and a full $30 less than its list price. Just be sure to click the on-page coupon to get the full deal. The 5,000mAh charger snaps onto the back of a MagSafe iPhone and has a built-in kickstand to prop it up for viewing while you charge. The battery should give you about a 50 percent charge, depending on the size and age of your phone.  

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If one thing kept me coming back (and back) to Homeworld, it was skirmish mode. Setting up a quick (“quick”) battle against the CPU would often rob me of a whole weekend while at college. Homeworld 3 sees a new mode arrive on the second sequel, a roguelike-inspired multiplayer co-op called War Games. It pits one, two or three players against the enemy in a series of randomized challenges where you only progress if you can survive. I’ve spent the last few days playing an early build of the mode, and it’s impressive enough, especially given the fact I find the phrases “roguelike” and “multiplayer co-op” to be a massive turn-off.

Each campaign starts with a predetermined fleet – you get the choice of one early on, and more options are unlocked the more XP you accrue. You then have to run through a trio of missions, each one in a new environment, until you defeat the opponent’s carrier. These missions include escorting friendly transports from one side of the map to the other, rescuing captured civilians or attacking enemy positions. You need to balance your attacking and defending needs against the drive to research ship upgrades while managing resources – which are more scarce here than in previous Homeworld titles.

During each campaign, players will collect artifacts, which are randomized bonuses for your ships. These include a boost, like faster ships or more effective weapons, but at the cost of defensive stats or each vehicle’s responsiveness. Once you’ve completed your mission, you’ll get the option to hang around to repair your fleet and load up on resources. But doing so risks you becoming quickly overwhelmed by the enemy, which constantly increases their attacking intensity the longer you’re around. As soon as the objectives are done, a big hyperspace jump button will hover over your screen, encouraging you to get the heck out of dodge.

Blackbird Interactive / Gearbox

It’s possible to play War Games solo, but I wouldn’t recommend it. It’s far more enjoyable with other people, with more emphasis on coordination and cooperation. As a traditional loather of any multiplayer game, this is one of those rare times where I’d rather play with friends. Not to mention that War Games is the sort of experience where it feels really good to share the mental load.

It’s not clear how much War Games is indicative of how Homeworld 3 itself will play but it’s hard not to want to draw a conclusion. If you’ve got decades of muscle memory then the differences here are more than a little jarring, at least in the short term. It does benefit from nearly 20 years of improvements, with stellar graphics that lean even harder into the ‘70s sci-fi aesthetic the games have always gestured toward. One part of Homeworld 3’s evolution is the combat, which takes place not in open space but amongst the destroyed remains of alien megastructures. It’s here that I struggled the most: It’s hard to identify the pin-pricks of your ships against the texture of these magnificent backdrops.

Blackbird Interactive / Gearbox

The announcement of War Games is but one part of a drip feed of announcements to build hype for Homeworld 3’s launch. (Series prequel Deserts of Kharak is currently free on Epic Games Store.) The latest story trailer has outlined the shape of the plot, which is set a generation after the events of Homeworld 2. Opening the hyperspace gates heralded a bold new era of peace and prosperity, but not everyone was as happy with this state of affairs. A series of missing ships and anomalies saw Karan S’Jet and the Pride of Hiigara investigate, but the ship never returned. Now, several years later, new Fleet Command Imogen S’Jet will be installed in a new mothership, but her shakedown cruise is interrupted by a new enemy, the Incarnate.

Homeworld 3 is broadening out its narrative focus to look at how all of this impacts people below the very top. Blackbird Interactive has promised we will see inside the mothership for the first time and how these missions affect the individuals sent out to fight them. New character Isaac Paktu is a seasoned battle commander who will be leading missions, and both he and Imogen will have their backstories fleshed out with short stories published on the Homeworld website. Given the rather sterile way that Fleet Command of old would notify you of a lost unit, giving the characters on the front lines more development should help boost the stakes.

As for War Games, you can imagine its combination of co-operation and punishment will catch on with a small but deeply hardcore portion of the fanbase.

Uber has raised its minimum driver age in California to 25, up from 19, as initially reported byThe Associated Press. The company allegedly changed the policy because of climbing commercial auto insurance costs in the state. However, it only affects new signups; drivers already approved before Wednesday will remain eligible.

In a statement to Engadget, Uber chalked the decision up to the state's insurance rates and litigation environment. “California’s insurance coverage requirements for rideshare are baselessly higher than nearly every other car on the road: up to thirty times that of taxis and thirty times that of personal vehicles,” an Uber spokesperson wrote in an emailed statement to Engadget. “As a result of these lopsided requirements, personal injury attorneys have created a cottage industry specializing in suing rideshare platforms like ours, pushing Uber’s California state-mandated commercial insurance costs to rise by more than 65% in just two years. By increasing the age requirement for new drivers to 25, we hope to mitigate the growth of those costs.”

“We hope to work with lawmakers, policy leaders, and industry experts to discuss legislative and regulatory changes that will improve the experience for all California drivers,” the Uber spokesperson wrote.

The new minimum age puts Uber on even ground with Lyft, which already required all US drivers to be 25 or older. The updated rules won’t apply to Uber Eats drivers, who can still deliver orders as young as 19.

Uber’s business has bounced back since declining during the pandemic’s peak. It reported its first quarterly operating profit earlier this month, crediting a 22-percent boost in trips.

Has there ever been a game like No Man’s Sky? It was dead on arrival when it launched seven years ago, but developer Hello Games has methodically updated the title, adding new features, steadily increasing its popularity and eventually surpassing the lofty expectations for the game’s original release. To that end, there’s already been three fairly beefy updates this year alone, but get ready for a fourth. The developer just dropped No Man’s Sky: Echos to commemorate the seventh anniversary of everyone’s favorite space sim.

The update brings some nifty new gameplay elements, like a race of sentient robots that promise “rich, new story content” and the ability to create your own robot avatar for battles and resource collection. Count on plenty of robot-centric missions and all kinds of affiliated resources to collect and use for building projects.

Space combat also gets an overhaul here, with an emphasis on “huge space battles” with pirate freighters. With Echos, freighters are able square up against other freighters for the first time, leading to some truly nasty and epic space-based encounters. There’s also new mechanics for defending fleets from pirates.

Those are the two big highlights, but the update doesn’t stop there. Players can now find and trade scrap weapons, including the just-released Atlas weapon. There’s also a new holographic museum that lets you display your favorite discoveries in your base for other players to visit.

Beyond gameplay elements, Echos fixes bugs and improves “rendering quality, stability and performance.” PSVR2 players get a graphics boost via foveated rendering and Switch players get anti-aliasing for crisper visuals in both handheld and docked mode.

Of course, there’s likely a reason Hello Games is releasing this update now, at the end of August. No Man’s Sky has never really had any competition in the “fly around the universe and goof around” genre, but Bethesda’s Starfield launches on September 6.

Nightdive Studios, a company known for remaking and upgrading old video games for modern consoles such as Quake II, has announced remastered versions of Star Wars: Dark Forces and Turok 3 Shadow of Oblivion. In the Dark Force's case, Nightdive worked in collaboration with Lucasfilm Games to breathe new life into the title using its KEX Engine. 

The Dark Forces is a first-person shooter developed by the now defunct LucasArts and first released almost 30 years ago in 1995. This new version supports 4K gameplay at 120FPS and features cut scenes that look like they came straight out of much newer titles. Players can earn trophies and achievements and, of course, it now supports gamepads for modern consoles, because it's "coming soon" to the PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Series X|S, Nintendo Switch and PC via Steam. Nightdive hasn't revealed an exact release date yet, but it has promised another announcement later this year.

Meanwhile, Turok 3: Shadow of Oblivion is a remastered version of the original first-person shooter released in 2000 for the Nintendo 64. Nightdive had also previously updated the first two games in the trilogy, Turok and Turok 2: Seeds of Evil, for young gamers and those who want to play them again on newer devices. Like the Dark Forces, the company remastered Turok 3 using its KEX Engine. The game supports 4K resolution at 120FPS, features improved lighting and rendering, as well as upgraded gameplay and platform-specific features. According to IGN, the remaster contains some new content, including a new area and a new heads-up display (HUD) view. Nightdive doesn't have a release date for Turok 3 either, but those interested can now add it to their wishlist on Steam.