It's been three years since we learned that a Fable reboot was in the works and we got our first glimpse at the game in action during the Xbox Games Showcase at Summer Game Fest. The clip opened with the unmistakable face and voice of Richard Ayoade. His character Dave (a vegetable enthusiast) complains about so-called heroes who take out bandits and slay legendary beasts. 

As Dave rambles on, he gets up to investigate something and we learn that he's a giant. He comes nose to face with one of those heroes before they get into a fight.

The trailer includes some gameplay snippets and it suggests there'll be an offbeat tone to Fable, which is being made by Playground Games. There's no release date as yet, but the action RPG will be available on Xbox Series X/S and PC. Of course, it'll be on Game Pass.

Catch up on all of the news from Summer Game Fest right here!

Canon has long been synonymous with traditional photography, but the company could be preparing to take a more definitive step into the world of virtual reality. At the Photo Next 2023 show in Japan, the company showed off a prototype convertible camera. The unnamed device features a nifty folding mechanism that allows it to capture both 360-degree video and 180-degree 3D content. As a handful of websites, including PetaPixel and DIY Photography, have noted, the prototype bears more than a passing resemblance to the Insta360 EVO, which also makes use of a folding mechanism to offer 180-degree 3D capture. According to Pronews, Canon did not share any details on specs, pricing or availability.

Canon has previously only dabbled with virtual reality. In 2021, for instance, the company released a dual fisheye lens for its RF mirrorless camera system. The camera Canon teased at Photo Next features the company’s V branding, which it typically reserves for consumer-facing products. That would suggest Canon could be ready to take VR more seriously. While the company has sometimes been slow to embrace new technologies, Canon’s usual slow pace could work in its favor this time around. Consumer VR has been slow to take off, but with Apple’s recent entry into the space, the camera manufacturer could be ideally positioned to take advantage of growing interest in the format once the market is more mature.

Another busy day of Summer Game Fest events is upon us, with the Wholesome Direct, Future Games Show and OTK Games Expo streams running back to back. You'll be able to watch everything right here starting at 12PM ET.

Wholesome Direct will kick things off with a parade of nearly 80 indie games, with a focus on upbeat and cozy titles. It will showcase the "incredible range of themes, styles and perspectives that games have to offer." One notable game that will make an appearance is the wonderful Unpacking. Developer Witch Beam is promising a big announcement that won't be an expansion, but it says this is "something that a lot of folks have been asking for."

At 1PM ET, it's time for the Future Games Show. The stars of Insomniac's Spider-Man games, Yuri Lowenthal (Peter Parker) and Laura Bailey (Mary Jane Watson), are hosting the stream, which will run for around 70 minutes and feature more than 50 multi-format games. The show will include more than 10 world premieres and a VR spotlight. Titles that will be featured includeLords of the Fallen, Stray Gods (in which Bailey appears), Warhaven, Pacific Drive and C-Smash VRS.

Last but not least is the OTK Games Expo. This is a showcase from One True King, a collective of prominent content creators. Members of the group will showcase dozens of games, including 30 new indie titles. The stream will take place on OTK cofounder Asmongold's Twitch channel.

Engadget is in Los Angeles to check out some of the many titles that are being featured at Summer Game Fest. Stay tuned for news, previews and hands-on impressions.

Catch up on all of the news from Summer Game Fest right here!

Modern electric vehicles aren't very practical for endurance races due to the long charging times, but Toyota may have an alternative. Its Gazoo Racing unit has unveiled a GR H2 Racing Concept that's designed to compete in the Le Mans 24 Hours race's new hydrogen car category. The automaker isn't divulging specs, but the appeal is clear: this is an emissions-free car that can spend more time racing and less time topping up.

Toyota doesn't say if or when a race-ready GR H2 will hit the track. The machine is built for "future competition," the brand says. Don't be surprised if Toyota refines the concept before bringing it to a Le Mans race.

The company is no stranger to low- and zero-emissions motorsports. The brand has been racing a hydrogen engine Corolla in Japan's Super Taikyu Series since 2021, and its GR010 hybrid hypercar took the top two overall podium spots at last year's Le Mans. A purpose-built hydrogen car like the GR H2 is really an extension of the company's strategy.

The announcement comes at a delicate moment for Toyota. The make is shifting its focus to EVs after years of resisting the segment in favor of hybrids and hydrogen cars. At the same time, new CEO Koji Sato wants to be sure hydrogen remains a "viable option." The GR H2 may be a hint as to how Toyota tackles this dilemma: it can keep using hydrogen in categories where fast stops are important, such as racing and trucking, while courting a passenger car market that insists on EVs like the bZ4X and Lexus RZ.

The Summer Game Fest party keeps rolling today with the Tribeca Games Spotlight. Unlike many of the other Summer Game Fest showcases, Tribeca has already announced which games it will feature. As in previous years, the festival is highlighting games with a focus on artistic storytelling. You can watch the stream below at 3PM ET.

Arguably the most prominent game of the bunch is The Expanse: A Telltale Series. This is a prequel to the Amazon Prime show of the same name. You'll play as Camina Drummer (Cara Gee). Players will have to make tough choices that impact the future of a crew of space scavengers. There should be more exploration than in previous Telltale titles as well. Telltale will release the game in chapters every two weeks starting on July 27th.

There will be fresh looks at Stray Gods, a "roleplaying musical" that features much of the cast of The Last of Us, and Goodbye Volcano High, a narrative adventure game that first emerged during a PlayStation presentation three years ago. A Highland Song has been on my radar for a while, and we'll find out more details about the so-called rhythm survival platformer during Tribeca's event.

The stream will highlight a few other games, including Despelote, a story-driven soccer game with an eye-catching art style from publisher Panic. Nightscape is a 2.5D "atmospheric adventure game" from a studio in Qatar, while the Focus-published Chants of Sennaar is an adventure title based on the myth of Babel.

If you're in New York City, you can be among the first to try playable demos of these games at the festival's Spring Studios hub. Tribeca runs until June 18th. On the film side, the festival is hosting the world premiere of Hideo Kojima: Connecting Worlds, a documentary about the creative mind behind Death Stranding and the Metal Gear series. Kojima will be in attendance for a Q&A.

Meanwhile, Engadget is on the ground in Los Angeles for all things Summer Game Fest. We've got previews and hands-on impressions of many of the games being featured coming your way.

Catch up on all of the news from Summer Game Fest right here!

It's Friday, which means it's time for another roundup of good deals on recommended gadgets and gear. The highlights this week include a new low on Sony's God of War Ragnarök PlayStation 5 bundle; at $500, it essentially pairs the console with one of our favorite PS5 games for no extra cost. Several other PS5 and PS4 games are also on sale, while annual PlayStation Plus subscriptions are 25 percent off. Outside of video games, Sonos is still running a Father's Day sale on various speakers and soundbars, while Samsung's fast 980 Pro SSD is down to new low of $66. And while the big Apple news of the week was the unveiling of the Vision Pro headset, several of the company's existing devices are discounted, including the second-gen Pencil, third-gen AirPods, AirTag and M2 MacBook Air. Here are the best deals from this week that you can still get today.

PlayStation 5 + God of War Ragnarök bundle

After its first couple of years on the market were plagued by stock shortages, the PlayStation 5 has become much easier to buy in recent months. If you're still looking to grab one, though, a bundle that pairs the console with a digital version of the acclaimed action game God of War Ragnarök is down to $500 at several retailers, including Amazon, Walmart, GameStop, Best Buy and PlayStation Direct.

Besides a couple of in-store only deals, that marks a new all-time low. This bundle originally cost $559, though we saw it temporarily drop to $509 earlier this year. The standard PS5 goes for $500 on its own, so this deal essentially nets you one of our favorite games of 2022 for no extra cost. Sony's listing says the offer will run until August 1. If you can live without a disc drive, meanwhile, a bundle that pairs the game with the PS5 Digital Edition has been available for $459 for much of the year.

PlayStation Days of Play sale

If you already own a PS5 or PS4, Sony has also discounted a range of PlayStation games, services and accessories as part of its latest "Days of Play" sale. Annual PlayStation Plus subscriptions are 25 percent off across the board, for one, bringing the standard Essential tier down to $45, the Extra tier down to $75 and the Premium tier down to $90. As a refresher, a Plus membership is required to play many PlayStation games online and access cloud saves. It also doles out a few "free" games each month. PlayStation Plus Extra adds an Xbox Game Pass-style game catalog, while PlayStation Plus Premium throws in a collection of classic games and cloud streaming support. The Essential tier should be enough for most, but if you're really hurting for things to play, the higher tiers may be worth it. 

Several high-profile games are also on sale at both third-party retailers and the PlayStation Store, including a handful of entries from our list of the best PlayStation 5 games. The aforementioned God of War Ragnarök, for instance, is $20 off at $49 (or $39 for a PS4 copy), while Marvel's Spider-Man: Miles Morales is back at an all-time low of $20. The haunting roguelike Returnal is at a new low of $27, the racing sim Gran Turismo 7 is available for $40 and the gorgeous remake of the PS3 classic Demon's Souls is within $5 of all-time low at $30. The open-world adventure Horizon Forbidden West is down to $30 as well; that price applies to the PS4 copy, but you can upgrade to the PS5 version for no extra cost.

Beyond that, Sony is taking $10 off a handful of alternate cover plates for the PS5, bringing the pink, purple and light blue versions down to $45. The sale as a whole will run through June 12. 

If you're more of an Xbox person, we'll also note that Microsoft is holding its own game sale this week. Some standout deals there include the rhythm-action game Hi-Fi Rush for $24, the narrative-rich RPG Pentiment for $13 and Halo: The Master Chief Collection for $10. All of those represent all-time lows. For PC players, the Halo deal is also available on Steam.

Sonos speaker sale 

Sonos is running a Father's Day sale with discounts on several of the company's well-regarded speakers and soundbars. Here's a rundown of the most notable offers:

• The top-end Sonos Arc soundbar is down to $719, which is a $180 discount and matches its lowest price to date.

• The midrange Sonos Beam (Gen 2) is down to $399, which is $40 more than the best price we've seen but still $100 off its typical selling price.

• The entry-level Sonos Ray soundbar is down to a new low of $223, which is $56 off its MSRP.

• The Sonos Roam portable speaker is available for $134, while the Sonos Roam SL is down to $119. Those are discounts of $45 and $40, respectively. The former is about $7 more than its all-time low, while the latter marks the best price we've tracked. Between the two, the Roam SL lacks integrated mics and the "Automatic Trueplay" feature, which lets Sonos speakers automatically adapt their sound to the acoustics of their current environment.

• The Sonos Move, a heftier yet still portable speaker, is $100 off at $299. That's an all-time low.

• The Sonos One SL, a variant of the One home speaker without built-in microphones, is on sale for $159. That's $30 more than its all-time low but still a $40 discount.

• The Sonos Sub (Gen 3) subwoofer is available for $639, which is about $50 more than the lowest price we've seen but $160 off Sonos' list price all the same.

While none of these devices are cheap, they all deliver impressive sound for their categories and are relatively easy to operate with the Sonos app. We gave the Arc, Beam and Ray review scores of 85, 88 and 82, respectively, and all three are picks in our soundbar buying guide. The Move, Roam and One, meanwhile, earned respective scores of 80, 87 and 90. The Roam is the top portable pick in our guide to the best smart speakers. The One SL is still a decent buy at $159, but note that Sonos has replaced the standard One with a new speaker called the Era 100. Our review found that $249 device to be an improvement across the board, but it's not included in the sale outside of a few pricey bundles. Either way, we usually only see a handful of Sonos sales per year, so this is a good chance to save.

Samsung 980 Pro SSD

The 1TB model of Samsung's 980 Pro SSD is down to $66, which is a new all-time low. We've typically seen it retail between $80 and $90 over the last few months. If you need more space, the 2TB model is down to $130, which is also a new low. While this isn't the newest PCIe 4.0 SSD Samsung sells, it still meets Sony's requirements for expanding the storage of a PlayStation 5. You just need to add a heatsink to go with it. For PC users, not everyone needs the improved performance of a PCIe 4.0 drive like this, but it can still provide a bit of a speed boost for heavier loads.

If you're buying for a PS5, though, Samsung sells a version of the 980 Pro that comes with an integrated heatsink. The 1TB version of that drive is on sale for an all-time low of $80 if you don't mind paying a couple dollars extra for an all-in-one solution. In other Samsung storage deals, the 128GB version of the Fit Plus flash drive, a pick from our best SSDs guide, is available for a low of $15.

Apple MacBook Air

The entry-level version of Apple's 13.6-inch, M2-powered MacBook Air is back down to $999 at B&H, matching the lowest price we've tracked. This is about $60 below the notebook's average street price in recent months and $100 below Apple's MSRP. B&H says the deal will end on June 10.

The Air itself is the top pick in our guide to the best laptops and earned a review score of 96 from us last year. It continues to check all the necessary boxes for an everyday laptop, with a slick and light design, accurate display, comfortable keyboard, MagSafe charging port and long-lasting battery. This 8GB RAM/256GB SSD configuration has slower storage performance than the higher-capacity SKUs, but the drop-off shouldn't be a major hindrance for the non-intense work and web browsing at which the Air is aimed. For those kind of tasks, Apple's M2 chip is still an excellent performer.

Apple announced a new 15.3-inch variant of the M2 MacBook Air earlier this week, which'll arrive on June 13. It looks to be extremely similar to the 13-inch model, albeit with a slightly stronger GPU and a couple extra speakers by default. Apple says that one will start at $1,299, but Amazon has the entry-level model for $50 less. If you already planned on pre-ordering, it's a way to save a few bucks.

Fitbit Inspire 3

The Fitbit Inspire 3 is down to $80 at various retailers. While that's $10 more than the all-time low we saw last Black Friday, it's still $20 below the activity tracker's typical going rate. The Inspire 3 is the top budget pick in our guide to the best fitness trackers, as it gets you a slim and comfortable design with a color touchscreen, up to 10 days of battery life and useful health monitoring. There's no integrated GPS like the Fitbit Charge 5, our top pick, but it still offers automatic workout detection, sleep and heart rate tracking, blood oxygen monitoring, smartphone alerts and most other essentials.

Apple Pencil (2nd gen)

The second-gen Apple Pencil is back on sale for $89 at Amazon, Walmart and Best Buy. That's $4 more than the lowest price we've seen but about $12 below the stylus' average street price in recent months and $40 below Apple's MSRP. Unsurprisingly, we think the Pencil is the best stylus for iPad owners thanks to its consistent accuracy, system-wide pressure sensitivity, magnetic charging and easy pairing with iPadOS. Just make sure your iPad is compatible with this model before buying.  

Peacock Premium

If you don't already subscribe to NBCUniversal's Peacock Premium service, you can get a 12-month subscription for $20 with the code SUMMEROFPEACOCK at checkout. That's a $30 discount. Note that you'll still see ads every now and then with this tier; Peacock Premium Plus, which costs $100 a year, is the ad-free plan, but that isn't available as part of the offer. Still, if you're looking to stream Premier League soccer, most NBC and Bravo shows, WWE live events or Yellowstone, this discount should make dealing with the occasional ad break easier to stomach. The promotion has technically been available since late May, but Peacock says it'll end on June 12, so consider this a PSA.

Apple AirPods (3rd gen)

The third-gen Apple AirPods are once again down to $149. We've seen the wireless earbuds hit this price a few times before; it's $10 more than their all-time low but still $20 less than what you'd pay if you bought from Apple directly. We gave the AirPods a review score of 88 back in late 2021. Their one-size-fits-all design, loose seal and lack of active noise cancellation will be dealbreakers for some, but if you hate the feeling of headphones that insert into your ear canal, the third-gen AirPods are still one of the better-sounding open-back earbuds you can buy. They remain a snap to use with other Apple devices, too, and their IPX4-rated water resistance and seven-hour battery life are solid.

If you need active noise cancellation and don't mind the feel of an in-ear headphones, the AirPods Pro are fuller-sounding, more feature-rich and just as Apple-friendly. They're currently on sale for $200, which is another deal we've seen fairly regularly in recent months but is $50 off Apple's list price all the same. The AirPods Pro are the "best for iOS" pick in our guide to the best wireless earbuds.

Roku, Google and Amazon 4K streaming sticks

It's a decent time to be in the market for a new 4K streaming stick. Both the Roku Streaming Stick 4K and Google Chromecast with Google TV are now available for $40, while Amazon's Fire TV Stick 4K Max is on sale for $35. The Streaming Stick 4K is about $5 off its average street price in recent months, while both the Chromecast and Fire TV Stick are about $10 below their usual going rates. 

The Streaming Stick 4K has gone for as little as $25 in the past, but we highlight it here because it's the top pick in our guide to the best streaming devices. Roku offers the most straightforward interface of the three major players, along with useful bonuses like AirPlay 2 support and a private-listening mode. The Chromecast is our runner-up pick; it's more proactive about recommending shows you might like and personalizing the UI to your viewing habits, though it lacks AirPlay. The Fire TV Stick 4K Max isn't as simple or intuitive to navigate as those devices, as it still tends to prioritize Amazon content and services above all else, but its app support and overall performance are similar. It's also more open to sideloading, and its current deal price matches the lowest we've seen.

Meater Plus wireless meat thermometer

The Meater Plus is a wireless meat thermometer that reports food and ambient temperature details to your phone over Bluetooth. We've found it accurate and efficiently designed enough to include in our guide to the best grilling gear, as well as our recent roundup of outdoor gift ideas for Father's Day. If this sounds like something you'd use during cookouts this summer, the thermometer is currently on sale for $80, which is a $20 discount. Meater says the offer will run through June 21.

Apple AirTag

Apple's AirTag tracker is on sale for $25, which is a modest $4 discount but nevertheless matches the best price we've seen since November. The AirTag is the "best for iPhones" pick in our guide to the best Bluetooth trackers, as it leverages Apple's massive Find My network and ultra-wideband wireless tech to locate your lost items accurately. The downside — outside of the general privacy issues that have arisen with these kind of devices — is that it doesn't have a ring hole or built-in adhesive, so you'd need to buy an extra accessory if you wanted to affix it to a keychain or the like. If you want more than one tracker, you can get a four-pack of AirTags for $90.

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I can’t fully explain it, but there’s something deeply satisfying about having the right tool on hand exactly when you need it. And while you can’t anticipate every issue, having a good everyday carry kit can go a long way towards handling a huge percentage of situations. Now that said, I don’t consider myself an expert, just someone who appreciates a good tool. And with a number of notable events coming up, I wanted to share some of the things I’ve bought for myself because I think they will also make great gifts for Father’s Day, graduations or any other cause for celebration.

Quiet Carry Q3 Key Organizer

For a long time I was looking for a way to trim down my keychain while also adding utility, and with the Quiet Carry Q3, I think I found the answer. It’s capable of holding four keys (or up to eight with the included extension posts) in its extremely durable titanium housing, alongside your choice of either a small knife or multi-tool. For me, the utility blade is the perfect thing for quickly screwing down a tripod mount or opening a bottle, while the removable pocket clip makes it a cinch to snap the Q3 onto your pants or belt loop. All told, it’s a clean and compact way of storing your keys, and it helps prevent them from rattling around too, which is an extra bonus.

Leatherman Skeletool

There are an endless variety of multitools out there, but to me the Leatherman Skeletool offers the perfect balance of size, weight and functionality. In the 10 years I’ve had mine, it’s never let me down once. It’s available in a wide range of colors, while Leatherman’s strategic cutouts help keep the weight of its stainless steel frame to a minimum (just five ounces). And thanks to its needle nose pliers, combo knife, large bit driver and more, it’s got all the most important bases covered. So while it might not have as many bits and bobbles as larger rivals, its lightweight and compact size means it’s the one I grab first before I run out the door.

SanDisk Ultra Dual USB Drive

As we’re still in the midst of the transition from USB-A to USB-C, this simple gadget is not only the cheapest gift on this list, it’s also the one I use the most. SanDisk’s drive is available in capacities of up to 512GB and supports USB 3.1 for decent read speeds of up to 150 MB/s. But the best thing is that by simply rotating which end is sticking out, you can transfer data to basically any device with a USB port. Trying to transfer photos to an old desktop that only has USB-A? No problem. How about a tablet that only has a single USB-C connector? Easy. It can even help you offload media from a phone with OTG support so you can install that big software update (stop procrastinating, please). And with its tiny dimensions, you probably won’t even notice it dangling on your keychain, so you can always have it on you.

Distil Wally Sleeve

For people who prefer a lighter, more minimalist way of carrying their cards and cash, the $50 Wally Sleeve is a super compact and affordable option. It’s made from full-grain leather and can hold up to seven cards in its RFID-shielded main sleeve. On the outside, there’s another pocket for cash or transit cards so you can tap them on a sensor without needing to completely remove them from your wallet. But the Wally Sleeve’s best feature is its MagLock closure, which prevents your cards from spilling out. Combine that with a built-in pull tab and you get a slim sleeve that provides easy access to everything you need with zero fumbling.

Pioneer Division Billfold Wallet

Alternatively, if you’re looking for a more traditional wallet, the Division Billfold is a slick choice that blends a classic design with new-school materials. Pioneer says the polyethylene yarn that makes up its 10XD fabric (available on the black, blue, forest and onyx colors) is ten times stronger than steel, so it should look great for years. It’s also dirt- and water-resistant, and thanks to a range of pockets and sleeves, it can hold a ton of cards and bills. And for those who want a bit of extra security, the onyx and forest color options also come with RFID shielding.

Peak Design 35L Travel Duffel

I don’t know what it is, but I have a thing for bags. And out of all of the ones I own, the Peak Design 35L Travel Duffel probably gets the most use because it can do it all. It’s the perfect thing for a weekend trip, but I’ve always used it for groceries, too. More recently, it’s become a baby bag for carrying everything I need to have on hand for a fussy toddler. Not only is it durable thanks to its weatherproof 600D nylon canvas shell, it has removable handles and tons of eyelets scattered around the duffle so you can rearrange the straps however you want. It can be set up like a backpack if you want. Or if you’re lugging some gear, you can stuff three of Peak Design’s packing cubes in there (or four cubes on the 65L duffel) so all your camera equipment is nice and protected. It’s really a do-everything bag.

Samsung Galaxy Buds Pro 2 / AirPods Pro

While some of the other devices on this list might get left at home on odd days, my Galaxy Buds 2 Pro never leave my side. Despite their small size, Samsung’s buds deliver great sound, active noise cancellation and between six and eight hours of battery life (depending on if you use ANC). They are also some of the most comfortable earbuds I’ve ever worn, to the point that I use them at night to help me fall asleep. And thanks to their IPX7 rating for water resistance, they were able to survive an accidental trip through the wash without issue. That said, if someone isn’t an Android user, Samsung’s buds don’t make a ton of sense. But for iOS users, there’s always the AirPods Pro 2.

Sony WH-1000XM5 headphones

When it comes to wireless over-the-ear headphones, Sony’s WH-1000XM5 are in a class of their own. After buying them for my wife six months ago and using them off and on (when she lets me), I’ve been looking for an excuse to buy a pair of my own. They look good, they’re easy to setup, and their sound quality is unmatched, while Sony’s top-notch noise cancellation helps drown out unwanted disturbances. And with a battery that lasts about 30 hours (with ANC on), I typically only have to charge them about once a week. The one little annoyance I’ve found is that you can’t use them while charging, but since they have the ability to add three hours of juice in just 30 minutes, that’s hardly a deal breaker.

Valve Steam Deck

For people who want to take their PC games on the go, Valve’s Steam Deck is a present that will keep on giving. At just $400, it’s by far the cheapest of the latest breed of handheld gaming PCs, while still having more than enough oomph to play modern titles like Elden Ring at smooth frame rates and medium settings. Even though Valve’s Linux-basedSteam OS might be unfamiliar to some, Big Picture mode is super easy to use. And thanks to tons of software updates the number of Steam Deck-verified games sits at just shy of 10,000. Really, it’s just a great gift for any PC gamer who needs some extra alone time, regardless of whether they’re on the couch or on the road.

Hoto Precision Screwdriver set

Now I will admit I don’t carry this on my every day, but when it comes time to tinker or repair some electronics, this set is the first thing I grab. The included carrying case holds 25 steel bits that work with all the most common screw heads (Torx, pentalobe, tri-wing, and more) while the magnetic screwdriver chuck makes switching bits in and out a breeze. You also get one-touch controls for automatic screwing and unscrewing, while still having the flexibility to turn things in manually in more delicate situations. Finally, thanks to its built-in USB-C port, you’ll never need to worry about finding an annoying proprietary charging brick.

Sterling and Roark Solid Fragrance

About a year ago I was looking for an alternative to traditional liquid colognes when I stumbled on these: solid fragrances from Fulton and Roark. Not only do they smell great, they come in small metal tin that makes them very travel friendly and easy to refill. My favorite scent is Calle Ocho, which is a soothing mix of rum, tobacco and sandalwood. But if you don’t know which type of fragrance your loved one prefers, you can simply get a Discovery set and let them pick a favorite. That way they get the fun of trying out new scents while still getting what they want in the end, which makes it a win-win in my book.

Porsche has unveiled its latest concept vehicle called the Mission X, and it says the model gives us "a glimpse into what the sports car of the future could look like." The Mission X is supposed to be an electric hypercar with a design that takes inspiration from the automaker's old models, including the 959, the Carrera GT and the 918 Spyder. With a body that's 177 inches long, 78.7 inches wide and 47.2 inches high, it's a relatively low-slung compact vehicle. 

The model Porsche has presented has a "Rocket Metallic" finish, though big parts of the vehicle feature a lightweight glass dome with an exoskeleton made of carbon fiber reinforced plastic. Those parts include half of the passenger doors, which are made in the style of Le Mans sports cars that open forwards and upwards. Inside, there are two seats made of leather and carbon fiber reinforced plastic, an open-top steering wheel, as well as multiple cameras and clocks on the instrument panel that can display lap times and the driver's vital stats.

Porsche

Porsche has also designed the vehicle with staggered tires — 20-inch wheels at the front and 21-inch wheels at the rear — for aerodynamic purposes. If the Mission X ever goes into production, the automaker intends to make it the fastest road-legal vehicle around the Nürburgring Nordschleife, a popular circuit in Germany. Its battery will be installed centrally behind its seats, and it will feature a 900-volt system architecture that can charge the vehicle as twice as fast as the Taycan Turbo S. It if ever becomes a real product people can buy, of course. For now, it's just a concept, and you can look at more photos of the vehicle at Porsche's Mission X portal. 

Porsche

Mercedes-Benz is the first automaker to get permission from California regulators to sell or lease vehicles with Level 3 (hands-off and eyes-off) self driving tech on designated roads, Reuters has reported. The California Department of Motor Vehicles issued a permit for the company's Drive Pilot system, provided it's used under certain conditions and on specific roads. Mercedes-Benz previous received a similar certification in Nevada. 

Drive Pilot will allow Mercedes-Benz drivers to takes their eyes off the road and hands off the wheel, then do other non-driving activities like watching videos and texting. If the rules for use are followed, Mercedes (and not the driver) will be legally responsible for any accident that happens. 

To do all this, the Drive Pilot system relies on sensors installed throughout the vehicle including visual cameras, LiDAR arrays, radar/ultrasound sensors and audio mics to keep an ear out for approaching emergency vehicles. It can even compare onboard sensor and GPS data to fix its precise location on roads. 

It's not as advanced as the systems on Waymo and Cruise vehicles, which allow full self-driving with no human driver aboard. At the same time, it's a step up from Tesla's so-called Full Self-Driving system, which is actually a Level 2 system and requires drivers to keep their hands on the wheel and pay attention at all times. 

Utilization is limited to high-traffic situations during daylight, with speeds under 40 MPH, and drivers must be available to resume control — so you can't go in the back seat and sleep, for example. To enforce that, the vehicle tracks the driver with an in-car monitor, and you'll need to take over if it goes faster than 40MPH, an emergency vehicle shows up, it rains, or other situations Driver Pilot can't handle on its own. 

The system will be available on 2024 S-Class and EQS Sedan models, with deliveries slated for later this year. Engadget was able to test the system at Mercedes-Benz's test track in Germany (and see it in action on LA roads). According to contributor Roberto Baldwin, "while it did what it was supposed to do, we found it hard to turn off our driving brain while behind the wheel."

The Summer Game Fest featured a spate of new announcements and updates again this year, including the new Prince of Persia action-adventure platformer by Ubisoft. In Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown coming in 2024, you take on the role of Sargon to rescue the prince, not just by killing enemies and fighting bosses, but also by solving puzzles. Bandai Namco launched Sand Land, a new adventure game featuring character designs by Akira Toriyama wherein you'll have to play as the demonic prince Beelzebub, as well. 

Meanwhile, Sega revealed its new take on Sonic the Hedgehog in Sonic Superstars, with updated graphics and a split-screen view, launching this fall. As for Remedy, creative director Sam Lake made an appearance at the event to show off some new gameplay for Alan Wake II. The game will have two protagonists — Alan Wake and FBI agent Saga Anderson — and the game will be split 50-50 between them. You'll play one or the other throughout the game, but there are parts where you'll have to choose which POV to see. 

Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name, which is coming out on November 9th 2023, was also featured at the event. It's the next entry in the Yakuza series and will again star Kiryu, who previously faked his death. Epic Games also released a cinematic trailer for Fortnite's latest season, dubbed Fortnite Wilds, that's commencing on June 9th. Finally, Square Enix has launched a premiere trailer for Final Fantasy VII Remake: Rebirth, the second chapter of the FFVII remake, that has been pushed back to early 2024. 

You can watch all those announcements and more in under 20 minutes in the video above.