Embracer's days of buying nearly every game developer and publisher it possibly can seem to be over, with the company now looking to reduce expenses. It recently closed Saints Row studio Volition as part of a restructuring plan that includes layoffs and game cancellations. Embracer may now be set to sell one of its more valuable assets.

The company is considering several options for what to do with Borderlands creator Gearbox, according to Reuters. Some third parties are said to have shown interest in snapping up the developer and publisher, which Embracer bought in February 2021 in a deal that was worth up to $1.4 billion. Embracer is reportedly exploring a sale with the help of Goldman Sachs and Aream, while marketing materials are being made available to potential suitors.

Embracer said in June that it was making sweeping changes in order to reduce its debt by around $605 million to less than approximately $903 million by the end of its financial year. The Swedish company said at the time that a proposed investment worth over $2 billion over six years ultimately fell apart. It was later reported that the Saudi government-funded Savvy Games Group was the partner Embracer tentatively had a deal with.

I’ll admit that, between Forza Horizon and Forza Motorsport, I’m more of a Horizon player. I’m interested in driving and crashing beautiful cars in exotic locations, and occasionally entering a low-stakes race, rather than perfecting my times on professional tracks with top-tier equipment. Despite this predilection, I’ve had a lot of fun tinkering around in the first few hours of Forza Motorsport’s serious, car-obsessed world.

I played a near-final version of the new Builders Cup Intro Series, which features three tracks and three cars — a 2019 Subaru STI S209, 2018 Honda Civic Type R, and 2018 Ford Mustang GT. On top of the actual races, the Builders Cup career mode includes a robust vehicle-customization system and the Challenge the Grid betting module. Developers at Turn 10 Studios have discussed this section of the game at length, but the preview marks the first public playtest of these roads, cars and systems.

Put simply, they feel fantastic.

Turn 10 Studios

Turn 10 knows how to build a smooth, responsive racing game with dynamic vehicles and tracks. Forza Motorsport is the ultimate showcase of these skills. Each car in the intro series handles differently, but none of them feel unwieldy. The Ford can’t cut corners as sharply as the Subaru or Civic, but it’s a powerhouse on the straightaway; the Civic is more floaty than the Subaru; the Subaru can handle quick braking better than the other two. These unique features are baked into each vehicle, but the customization screen also allows for fine adjustments that truly affect the way they drive.

The beginning of Forza Motorsport is inviting in numerous ways. It offers a difficulty slider, three modes of play, a bounty of training and real-time assist options, and a rewind button (my absolute favorite feature). In Driving Assists, I turned the Global Presets down to light, set the Suggested Line on for braking only, and I kept ABS on, with automatic shifting. This configuration helped me feel in control on the tracks, and the customization made me comfortable experimenting with new angles and turn speeds in practice laps.

Turn 10 Studios

This is also where the rewind button became my best friend. If you’re new to Forza, rewind might seem like a silly feature for a game that takes racing so seriously, but it’s absolutely necessary for the pacing of practice rounds specifically. Rewind allows racers to mess up and quickly reset without leaving the track, and it encourages players to try, try again. It encourages play, and it’s a lovely feature — one you can turn off at any time, if you think gaming should be pure punishment.

One of the main reasons Forza Motorsport feels so great is its framerate. Motorsport runs at 60 fps on all platforms, including Xbox Series S, and I didn't notice any dropped frames during my playthrough on that console. This is vital for a racing sim, but feels especially notable when many AAA games today are either locked at 30 fps or fail to hit 60 fps on Series S. Microsoft requires feature parity between the Xbox Series X — the most technically powerful console on the market — and the Series S, Microsoft’s less powerful, cheaper and most popular option this generation. In the case of games like Star Wars Jedi: Survivor, Redfall and Starfield, developers have prioritized high resolutions in big, dense worlds over framerate, often to the detriment of combat and animations on the cheaper console.

Responsiveness is paramount in a racing game, and Turn 10 clearly knows this. The studio prioritized the proper things in order to hit 1080p and 60 fps on Xbox Series S, and the result is a game that looks pretty, but plays beautifully. Ray-traced global illumination and dynamic lighting make the cars and roads sparkle, and the environments along the tracks are busy without being distracting. So far, Forza Motorsport offers a strangely serene, high-octane experience, and I’m eager to dive into the full game.

Turn 10 Studios

There was drama recently over some features that won’t be in Forza Motorsport at launch, namely spectator mode, AI racing in featured multiplayer, and splitscreen — and that last one is a sensitive topic for Xbox owners. In August, Baldur's Gate III creator Larian Studios had to delay the game's Xbox versions because they couldn't make splitscreen work on Series S, despite it running fine on Series X. Larian eventually worked out a deal with Microsoft and it plans to release Baldur's Gate III on Series S without the feature later this year, but Xbox players still remember that sting.

After playing Forza Motorsport's Builders Cup intro series, I’m finding it hard to be concerned about the missing features. Turn10 is crafting a solid racing sim that nails the basics of responsiveness, customization and accessibility. It's a clean, polished foundation for years of DLC to come, and there’s already plenty to mess around with in the game’s first hours.

Forza Motorsport is made to be replayed. After 18 years and seven installments, 2023’s Motorsport is the final game that Turn 10 plans to release in the series, and it’ll serve as the foundation of a live-service system. The goal is for Motorsport to be a hub for regular content drops (new maps, vehicles and challenges) over the coming years, with social and sharing features built into the experience. It makes a lot of sense for the franchise.

In the game’s introductory stages, Motorsport strikes a compelling balance between customization and complexity, making each track bingeable off the bat. The game’s forgiveness stems from its malleability; nearly every setting is customizable, from vehicle upgrades, to AI difficulty, accessibility options and actual driving mechanics. This means that, when something goes wrong during a race, it doesn’t feel like the game’s fault. Forza Motorsport offers a true, repeatable test of player skill. Plus, it’s really pretty, even on Xbox Series S.

Forza Motorsport is scheduled to hit Xbox Series X/S and PC on October 10.

Apple’s iPhone 15 event is upon us, as we say goodbye to the old and hello to the new. You can watch the stream right here and marvel at the spate of announcements beamed live from Cupertino. The keynote, subtitled “Wonderlust”, begins promptly at 1 PM ET, or 10 AM in the sunny environs of Apple’s California’s campus. As always, we’ll also have in depth coverage on each announcement as they happen.

So what’s the company planning on unveiling? It’s a September keynote, typically referred to as the fall iPhone event, so the iPhone 15 will almost certainly take center stage. You can expect the typical offerings, with a standard iPhone 15, an iPhone 15 Plus, a high-end iPhone 15 Pro and the even higher-end iPhone 15 Pro Max (which might get rebranded to iPhone 15 Ultra.)

As for specs, leaks indicate that the iPhone 15 will kick off the USB-C era, finally eschewing the proprietary Lightning port. This move comes after European regulations forced Apple to adopt a more universal port standard. Since the company must comply to satisfy EU standards, the rest of the world will likely also reap the benefits of going with USB-C. Screen size should remain static and the top-tier models will likely still boast the company’s ProMotion, its rebranding of a 120Hz variable refresh rate display. All four models are rumored to get the Dynamic Island feature that launched with the high-end iPhone 14 options.

The iPhone 15 should get most of the attention here, but this is an Apple event, so expect the unexpected. New Apple Watch editions typically accompany iPhone releases, so look out for Apple Watch Series 9 and a refresh of the Apple Watch Ultra. Rumors swirl that the forthcoming smartwatches will feature a brand-new processor, the first major CPU upgrade since 2020.

AirPods are likely to get an unexciting refresh, with a switch from Lightning to USB-C being the standout feature. Software suites should also get some attention, including iOS 17, watchOS 10 and, potentially, iPadOS 17. It’s likely that macOS Sonoma will get more details and a concrete release date.

Finally, the uber-expensive and uber-cool Apple Vision Pro is set to launch early next year, so the keynote will likely show off some new features or software in development for the mixed-reality headset. Keep this page open and ready to go for the stream.

There's good news if you want to upgrade your wireless headphones for the new school year (even as adults, September will always feel like that). Samsung's Galaxy Buds 2 Pro is touting a 23 percent discount, dropping from $230 to $178 — the lowest we've seen it since Black Friday. All three colors are on sale, but interestingly, the white model is one whole dollar less than its graphite and bora purple counterparts.

Samsung's release of the Galaxy Buds 2 Pro was a big step up from earlier models like the Galaxy Buds Live — which had terrible noise cancellation — and the original Galaxy Buds Pro, which struggled with sound blocking and quality. We gave the Galaxy Buds 2 Pro an 86 in our review, thanks to their much better noise canceling feature and their improved fit. The battery life (about five hours of ongoing listening) and the call quality both stayed roughly the same as its predecessor. 

The discounted Galaxy Buds 2 Pros are part of a larger Samsung "Smart Home event" currently happening on Amazon. Current Samsung deals include 29 percent off the 49" Odyssey G9 Gaming Monitor — dropping from $1,400 to $1,000 and a 30 percent discount on the Galaxy Watch 5 40mm LTE, bringing its price from $330 to $230. Gadgets like the Galaxy Z 5 Flip Cell Phone, Galaxy Watch 5 Pro Bespoke Edition and the Pro Ultimate microSD Memory Card are also on sale.

Follow @EngadgetDeals on Twitter and subscribe to the Engadget Deals newsletter for the latest tech deals and buying advice.

On the eve of Apple's big fall iPhone event, Qualcomm announced it will continue to provide the company with 5G smartphone modems through 2026. It’s an indication that while Apple has successfully scaled up its chipset manufacturing efforts and ended its reliance on Intel, the company hasn’t been able to do the same with 5G radios as yet.

However, it seems Qualcomm believes Apple will eventually be able to manufacture its own 5G radios at enough scale. Qualcomm only expects to supply around 20 percent of the components Apple will need for its 2026 iPhones.

It’s been clear for a while that Apple intends to build its own modems and bring more of the iPhone supply chain in house. It bought Intel’s mobile modem business for $1 billion four years ago, getting its hands on useful patents and knowledgeable staff in the process, as The Wall Street Journal notes. However, any plan to manufacture its own smartphone modems at scale evidently hasn’t come to pass yet.

The latest arrangement has no bearing on a patent license agreement between the companies that’s been in effect since 2019. That pact has a six-year term with the option to extend it by two years. The latest accord between the two sides has likely been in the works for some time, given that new iPhones with Qualcomm modems will be hitting shelves in the coming days.

I’m fully aware that spending $650 on a self-cleaning litter box is ridiculous, especially when low-tech competitors (aka plastic boxes) cost $20. I’m not the sort of person who would’ve even entertained the thought (the economy and all) until James the cat entered my life. Now I’m glad I made the leap to Smarty Pear Leo's Loo Too litter box.

Before James, it was just me and my calico BFF Cinnamon, and we were fine with traditional litter boxes. “Let them have their spinning motors and smartphone apps,” I’d grumble while scooping litter. Cleaning up after one cat is no big deal, but things change when a second or third feisty feline enters the mix. One day, in a lapse of sanity, I opened my home to a second cat, James, the aforementioned black-and-white terror.

(By the way, if you’re thinking, “Who names a cat James?” I certainly didn’t. It’s a long story, but the foster assured me that the second-most renowned cat psychic in the state had met one-on-one with James and he told her it was his preferred name, or telekinetically meowed it at her or something.)

Now James is a growing boy. He has literally doubled in size in just a few months, dwarfing poor Cinnamon. He eats like a racehorse and poops like one, too. I couldn’t keep up and I’m not ashamed to admit it. I’d scoop the three household litter boxes (one for each cat plus an extra, Jackson-Galaxy style) seemingly every few hours, only to find more “presents” waiting for me a few minutes later. I couldn’t tell who was using which litter box (important because Cinnamon is susceptible to UTIs.) The house smelled; I was at my wit’s end.

So I went looking at so-called smart litter boxes. They all seemed similar feature-wise, but the Loo Too hooked me due to its pleasing design and companion app. The latter lets me know when a cat uses the litter box and distinguishes each feline by weight. I know exactly when Cinnamon uses it, sparing me the anxiety of wondering if she’s experiencing a UTI flare-up.

Smarty Pear

As for the litter box itself, it’s a reliable self-cleaning marvel. It’s pretty quiet and the waste drawer takes a month to fill up, after which it requires manual disposal. A whole month! I was scooping multiple times a day before I got this. The setup was simple enough and it ships fully built. Once I set it up and powered it on, it was only a few minutes before James (of course) did his dirty business. Cinnamon followed suit later that night.

Now it’s their preferred litter box and my remaining boxes are near-empty when I go to scoop. The Loo Too automatically separates litter from waste and waits a few minutes before engaging the motor, giving the cat some time to exit the vicinity. It not only cleans the litter, depositing waste in a detachable lower box, but it boasts fancy UV technology to clean itself. I’m no scientist and so I can’t speak to the efficacy of these UV rays, but I can say that this thing never, ever smells. The app lets you set the cleaning schedule and make a whole lot of other adjustments. It also integrates with Alexa and other assistants, but asking a speaker to clean poop seems beneath our AI overlords.

There are some downsides, of course. The power cord is cat-proof, but it’s also extremely short — only two or three feet. Most people put litter boxes out of the way, to mitigate odors and messes. I put the Loo Too in my room, but it was far from any outlet, so I had to buy an extension cord and electrical tape to run the cord around the closet, along the wall and finally to a surge protector. There’s also the matter of cost. This thing is $650, so it’s like the Apple Vision Pro of litter boxes. Even though I love it, that’s pretty steep. It’s worth it to me, though, because it saves me plenty of time and I get data regarding the bathroom habits of my precious mouse mutilators.

Fall is coming (even if recent heatwaves make it seem otherwise), and there are plenty of opportunities to get cozy on your couch and watch TV. Hulu is encouraging early hibernation with a major Hulu + Live TV package deal. The streamer is offering Live TV with Hulu, Disney+ and ESPN+ (all with ads) for just $50 per month — a $20 drop from its usual sticker price of $70. The discount lasts for three months, so it will get you all the way through the start of big sweater season, Halloween specials and the first holiday movies. 

The Hulu (With Ads) + Live TV bundle has over 90 channels, including On Demand options. It also lets you watch on two different devices simultaneously and is available on everything from Apple TV to the Nintendo Switch. Plus, you can record unlimited programs to your DVR, which will store them for nine months. 

It's worth noting that Hulu's prices are increasing starting October 12th, meaning Hulu (With Ads) + Live TV will increase to $77. If you want to avoid ads on Hulu and Disney+ — they'll still be on ESPN+ — that plan is going up from $83 to $90. Just Hulu or Live TV will increase from $15 to $18 and $69 to $76, respectively. Yes, Live TV alone will be only a dollar cheaper than bundled. If you're looking for the whole package, grab Hulu (With Ads) + Live TV for $50 monthly until October 11th. 

Follow @EngadgetDeals on Twitter and subscribe to the Engadget Deals newsletter for the latest tech deals and buying advice.

What you're looking at is a concept car, but it's also so much more. This is the car that could change everything you've come to expect about acceptable range from an electric car, not to mention raise the bar for visual style and aggression along the way. This is the Mercedes-Benz Concept CLA Class.

The Concept CLA inherits a lot of learnings from the extremely slippery Vision EQXX, but it's a car that’s a lot more ready for production, and should be a lot more affordable. The current CLA is one of the most affordable Mercedes-Benz cars you can buy in the US, and with any luck this future one won’t break the bank, either.

That’s despite a range that should surpass 400 miles on a charge, plus a wholly new software architecture ready to deliver level-three advanced, hands-off driver assistance. It’s an exciting combination of form and technology, and hopefully close to something we’ll see in dealerships soon. Watch the video below for the full story.

Recording Academy CEO Harvey Mason Jr. is setting the record straight. After Variety reported earlier this week that an AI-generated track echoing the voices of Drake and The Weeknd could be considered for a Grammy Award in songwriting categories, Mason is insisting that’s not the case.

In an interview with The New York Times only last week, Mason suggested the track would be “absolutely eligible” as the lyrics a human made the lyrics. On Instagram, the Recording Academy CEO has now clarified that the song will not be eligible.

“Even though it was written by a human creator, the vocals were not legally obtained, the vocals were not cleared by the label or the artists and the song is not commercially available and because of that, it’s not eligible,” he said. Sorry robots.

– Mat Smith

​​You can get these reports delivered daily direct to your inbox. Subscribe right here!​​

The biggest stories you might have missed

Watch The Morning After: Can AI win a Grammy? (Editor: Well, that did not age well.)

Engadget Podcast: Starfield’s failure to launch

Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra review: A little too big, a little too expensive

Apple event rumor roundup: What to expect at the Wonderlust iPhone 15 keynote

Butt-ugly Starfield ship defeats the enemy AI’s perfect aim

iRobot’s new flagship Roombas ship with an updated OS to make cleaning simpler

The best cheap Windows laptops for 2023

Chromebooks aren’t always the answer.

Engadget

Affordable Windows notebooks are great for people who only use a computer to check email, shop online or post on Facebook. They’re also good for kids who have no business putting their sticky little hands on a $2,000 gaming rig. And, depending on what you need them for, these devices can be decent daily drivers, too. Here’s what to look for in a cheap Windows laptop – and some of our recommendations.

Continue reading.

Google’s more durable Pixel Watch 2 goes on pre-order October 4

Expect IP68 water and dust resistance.

Google

Google desperately would love for you to remember that it will announce its own devices after Apple has its turn. Rather than just... holding its own event before Apple’s, Google has instead teased its upcoming devices with short videos. After dripfeeding details about the Pixel 8 lineup, now Google is teasing a new Pixel Watch that will feature IP68 dust and water resistance.

Continue reading.

Watch the first Monarch: Legacy of Monsters trailer

It pits Kurt Russell against Godzilla.

Apple has its fingers in many pies, and now it’s getting into the monster business with an upcoming TV show. The company has released the first trailer for Monarch: Legacy of Monsters and while the title might not make it super clear, this is a Godzilla affair. Get lost, Mothra.

Continue reading.

Uber could launch a service similar to TaskRabbit

You may be able to ask an Uber provider to help you mount a TV.

According to Bloomberg, Uber is exploring offering a new TaskRabbit-like service. Developer Steve Moser found code hidden in Uber’s iPhone app for an offering reportedly codenamed Chore. Based on its current iteration, Chore will let you hire “taskers” and specify in the app what you need help with, how long you think it would take and what time you want the tasker to arrive. It’s all pretty similar to TaskRabbit. Like any other unconfirmed feature still in development, Chore may not even make it to public release. If it does, it’ll be a huge new undertaking for Uber.

Continue reading.

Sony has launched the "Aibo Foster Parent" program for its $2,900 robot dogs, allowing owners whose basic plans have been canceled to donate them. The company will then refurbish the Aibos as necessary and donate them to medical facilities, foster homes and other organizations. The aim is to "make Aibo more sustainable," the company said, by giving the units a second home where they can provide emotional support and more. 

The Aibo robot dogs in question are the newer 2019 ERS-1000 units still being sold, which are a reboot of its "entertainment" robotic dogs from the late 1990s. It's not exactly a fully charitable project, as Sony will charge "foster parents" an unnamed fee for service. It also notes that depending on condition, some donated units may serve strictly as parts for other Aibo robots. 

As we discussed in our review back in 2019, Aibo can do a number of tricks like standing on its hind legs and greeting its owner at the door, and has been engineered to "mature" over time like a real dog. It also offers a web-based interface that lets you program custom actions. The units have a suite of sensors and respond to voice and touch, and can even recognize specific people, so they're ideal as emotional support devices. That means they can sub in at facilities that don't allow real animals, so the program seems like a good use of older units — while also reducing e-waste.