If you go to Reddit right now, your favorite subreddit might not be available. More than 8,000 communities on the platform have gone private to protest Reddit's API policy changes. Moderators of many of those subreddits said they'd open up access to their communities again on Wednesday, while others are prepared to prolong their protests indefinitely. Either way, Reddit co-founder and CEO Steve Huffman doesn't seem too worried.

According to The Verge, Huffman told staff to block out the noise from the collective action. He noted in a memo that there hadn't been "any significant revenue impact" as yet and said Reddit would "get through it." 

Reddit was down for many users for a while on Monday, soon after the protest started. "A significant number of subreddits shifting to private caused some expected stability issues," the company told Engadget at the time.

Huffman wrote that while Reddit anticipated the protest, "it is a challenge nevertheless and we have our work cut out for us." He noted that some Reddit employees "have been working around the clock, adapting to infrastructure strains, engaging with communities and responding to the myriad of issues related to this blackout." Huffman thanked them for their efforts and said that Reddit had to stay the course.

“There’s a lot of noise with this one. Among the noisiest we’ve seen. Please know that our teams are on it, and like all blowups on Reddit, this one will pass as well,” he reportedly wrote. “We absolutely must ship what we said we would. The only long term solution is improving our product, and in the short term we have a few upcoming critical mod tool launches we need to nail.”

In April, Reddit said it would start charging for API access. Third-party developers have used the API to make thousands of apps that hook into Reddit, including moderation tools. Reddit users are concerned that the changes will significantly harm the community. We're already starting to see that play out to a certain extent.

Apollo and RIF, two popular third-party apps that redditors use to access Reddit, will shut down on June 30th, just before the API pricing changes come into force. The creator of Apollo estimated that maintaining the app would cost him around $20 million per year. Huffman addressed the issue in his memo.

"While the two biggest third-party apps, Apollo and RIF, along with a couple others, have said they plan to shut down at the end of the month, we are still in conversation with some of the others," Huffman wrote. "And as I mentioned in my post last week, we will exempt accessibility-focused apps and so far have agreements with RedReader and Dystopia."

Meanwhile, Huffman warned staff about wearing Reddit-branded apparel in public for the time being. "Some folks are really upset, and we don’t want you to be the object of their frustrations," he wrote.

"Basically, we're not planning a distinct sequel at all."

Dan Greenawalt, GM of the Forza series, has been working on Motorsport games for two decades, but his remarks in a post-Xbox Showcase briefing on Sunday suggest this next release could be the last in the series. Forza Motorsport is the eighth title in Turn 10 Studios' driving sim franchise, and the first new entry in almost half a decade.

Forza has been one of Microsoft’s most reliable first-party properties. Ignoring Playground Games' spinoff Horizon series, the original Xbox had one Forza title, the Xbox 360 had three, and the Xbox One had three. Barring a few launch hiccups, every title has been well-reviewed and the franchise as a whole has sold millions. We’re now in the third year of this console generation, and there’s been no Motorsport game for fans to play.

A lot’s changed since Forza Motorsport 7 arrived in September 2017. The “day one with Game Pass” paradigm shift started with Sea Of Thieves in 2018, and has since become Microsoft’s entire business model. Now, Microsoft measures success more like a social network (or a tech news publication), focusing on monthly active users and playtime, rather than sales.

It should come as no surprise, then, that Forza Motorsport is set up more like a service game than a traditional AAA title.

While many of the modes that Forza players expect, especially the online multiplayer component, are being reworked and improved, Turn 10 is betting that its new career mode will keep players coming back week after week. At Summer Game Fest, the game’s creative director Chris Esaki talked a group of journalists through this new career-mode loop and the shift in philosophy for the series.

Esaki described Forza Horizon as “a whole new take on falling in love with cars.” We saw a career mode event called the Builders Cup, which began with a narrated showcase of a trio of cars. After picking one to roll with, you then head into “open practice,” where you get to know the car. These sessions are packed full of stats and challenges; you earn Car Experience Points (CXP) for every corner you take, and the closer to perfection you are the more CXP you’ll get. CXP is specific to each car, and is used to upgrade parts and customize vehicle performance.

After open practice, you head into a race, where there’s a new “challenge the grid” system that lets you essentially bet against your racing talent. You choose where on the grid to start and how fast your AI opponents are, with higher rewards as the difficulty scales up. After competing in the race itself, you’ll earn money for new vehicles as well as more of the car-specific CXP. Then it’s onto the next open practice, more tuning and customization, and more races.

Esaki calls this loop “level, build, dominate.” He sees it as a way to get players interested in a broad swathe of cars, rather than having them head straight to a Ferrari or Bugatti. That might sound like the ethos of another popular racing sim, but while there are definitely elements of Gran Turismo 7’s cups and café challenges in here, the Builders Cup feels both more contained and more repeatable. It’s all by design: Similar to recent Forza Horizon games, players can expect a big content update monthly, which then rolls out week-by-week.

We’ll likely hear much more about Forza Motorsport in the lead up to its release on October 10th, and I’m interested to try out the new simulation features, like a massively overhauled physics system and improved opponent AI. For now, though, the pitch seems solid. I’m a huge fan of Gran Turismo 7, but if you don’t enjoy online sim racing and the toxicity that comes with it, its single-player experience is fairly threadbare. In contrast, Turn 10 seems to have developed Forza Motorsport as a game that will last forever, with new experiences every week designed to satiate gamers’ desire for fresh races and Microsoft’s desire for monthly active users.

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

OpenAI warned Microsoft early this year about rushing the integration of GPT-4 into Bing without further training, according to The Wall Street Journal. Although Microsoft forged ahead anyway, the alert proved prescient as early users noticed “unhinged” behavior in the Bing AI tool. (The most memorable examples included arguing, plotting ways to break out of its restrictions and trying to convince a New York Times tech columnist to leave his marriage and elope with Bing instead.) In addition, the new report details “conflict and confusion” behind the curtains of the companies’ convenient but potentially fragile alliance.

Rather than buying OpenAI outright, Microsoft invested in a 49-percent stake in the artificial intelligence startup, a strategy designed to help it avoid antitrust scrutiny. The arrangement gave Microsoft early access to OpenAI’s ChatGPT and DALL-E 2 to boost its Bing search engine. In addition, it’s adding OpenAI-powered CoPilot to Office and other software products as rival Google scrambles to catch up. Meanwhile, OpenAI gets the financial investment and Microsoft’s servers for hosting.

The WSJ describes the arrangement as an “open relationship” where Microsoft maintains significant influence without complete control. For example, although the agreement limits OpenAI’s search-engine customers, it’s still free to work with Microsoft’s rivals. That can place the two companies in precarious situations like their sales teams making overlapping pitches to the same customers. In addition, Microsoft employees have reportedly complained about diminished in-house AI spending and a lack of direct access to OpenAI’s models for its researchers and engineers.

JASON REDMOND via Getty Images

Microsoft employees were also reportedly surprised at how quickly OpenAI launched ChatGPT. The startup opened its chatbot to the public last November on its way to setting the record for the fastest-growing app user base. Microsoft didn’t launch Bing GPT integration until February — after ChatGPT was already well on its way to becoming a household name.

Even with Bing’s shaky AI launch, it’s hard to argue Microsoft hasn’t benefited immensely from the partnership. The search engine saw an early 15-percent traffic boost after adding GPT integration, while the Bing mobile app was downloaded 750,000 times, including a peak of 150,000 daily installs, during its first week. The fact that Bing has become a buzzed-about product — after years of being mocked as Google’s also-ran competitor — is quite an accomplishment in itself. “When we grow, it helps [OpenAI], and when they grow, it helps us,” Microsoft CFO Amy Hood said in April.

Still, some analysts view the partnership as potentially problematic over time. “What puts them in more of a collision course is both sides need to make money,” said Oren Etzioni, board member and CEO of the Allen Institute for Artificial Intelligence. “The conflict is they’ll both be trying to make money with similar products.”

A Swedish regulator has fined Spotify SEK 58 million ($5.4 million) after determining that the company had violated the European Union's General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). The issue concerns how Spotify handles users' personal data and its customers' access to the information.

Advocacy group Noyb, which is led by privacy campaigner Max Schrems, filed a complaint against Spotify and other major tech companies in early 2019. In the complaint, Noyb asserted that, among other issues, Spotify didn't provide all personal data to users upon request and that it didn't disclose the reasons for processing such information.

The Swedish Authority for Privacy Protection (IMY) found that while Spotify gives users personal data that it processes upon request, it "does not inform clearly enough about how this data is used by the company." It said that Spotify should be more transparent "about how and for what purposes individuals' personal data is handled." The lack of clarity meant that "it has been difficult for individuals to understand how their personal data is processed and to check whether the handling of their personal data is lawful," the IMY added.

The regulator said it considered the issues to be "a low level of seriousness" and noted Spotify, has taken steps to resolve them. The IMY determined the fine based on those factors along with Spotify's revenue and number of users. It noted that it made the decision with the help of other EU data protection authorities, given that Spotify has users in many countries.

"Spotify offers all users comprehensive information about how personal data is processed," the company, which is based in Sweden, told TechCrunch in a statement. It said the regulator "found only minor areas of our process they believe need improvement. However, we don’t agree with the decision and plan to file an appeal.

Google's Pixel Watch is a relatively new addition to the market compared to its competitors, so it has some catching up to do features-wise. To that end, Google has announced a new update for the Pixel Watch that will allow for blood oxygen tracking. While you sleep, your watch will monitor your nighttime oxygen saturation and notify you of any changes. The Samsung Galaxy Watch, Apple Watch and Google-owned Fitbit trackers all offer blood oxygen tracking. 

Some of Fitbit's features were integrated into the Pixel Watch at launch — though not always smoothly. In Engadget's original review of the Pixel Watch, we noticed a regular delay (between hours and days) in the availability of recent health data, like walks and sleep time. It's unclear if the same issue will persist with this latest feature. 

The addition of blood oxygen tracking comes alongside a series of new updates for the Pixel Watch and Pixel Phone. On the health side of things, the Pixel Watch will also monitor your heart rate and send you alerts if it becomes abnormal. The Pixel Watch will also have Google Assistant available in a greater number of languages and locations, three new Spotify tiles and the option to purchase Brushed Silver or Matte Black Metal Link Bands — each $200. New features for Google Pixel Phones include improved emergency sharing, emoji wallpapers and the option to export recordings to Google Docs. 

All updates should be available now, except the new Metal Link Band colors, which will roll out in the next few days. If the rumors are true, the Google Pixel Watch 2 will launch this fall — hopefully bringing even more new features.

Google just added a bunch of new features for Pixel smartphone owners in a system update. First of all, there’s a major improvement to the car crash detection feature, as it now not only contacts emergency services but automatically shares real-time location information with emergency contacts. To that end, the update also makes it easier to start emergency sharing or schedule a safety check by allowing for voice controls.

The recording feature got a major update here, with a new ability to export transcripts into Google Docs and generate labels based on who’s speaking so you can easily find the clip you want later. The photo timer also got a refresh, letting you initiate self-timed photos by raising your palm to start a countdown. This only works for Pixel 6 phones and newer.

If you have the well-reviewed Pixel 7 Pro, there’s an update to macro focus as the feature can now handle both still photography and video for detailed footage of a beetle climbing a flower or whatever. For all Pixel phone owners, Google Assistant is getting a glow up, with an array of new voice options and new language options. It also wouldn’t be a system update without some kind of emoji tomfoolery, so there’s new emoji wallpapers that let you mix and match images with patterns and colors to create unique backgrounds. The update brings even more wallpaper goodness via dynamic cinematic (3D) options. 

Pixel Watch owners were not left out in the cold here, as there’s a new heart rate tool that tracks the upper and lower limits of your threshold, an auto-pause tool and the long-awaited blood oxygen tracker. These features are dropping now but it could take a few days, or weeks, before the update reaches your device.

Iconic synth manufacturer Moog has been acquired by super conglomerate inMusic, joining other brands snatched up by the company like Alesis, Akai, M-Audio and, well, a bunch more. In a statement, Moog president Joe Richardson says the acquisition could help the company overcome “ongoing challenges”, citing global distribution supply chain concerns.

To that end, chip shortages and various supply chain issues have plagued the company since early Covid, leading to stark price increases for some of its flagship instruments, as originally reported by Synth Anatomy and others. Moog has managed to stay an independent brand for decades, since the 1960s, so this is something of a shock for the synthesizer world.

Moog says it’ll still be developing synthesizers at its Asheville, North Carolina headquarters but makes no mention about the manufacturing process. To this day, many of the iconic instruments under the company’s umbrella are manufactured in the USA, so we’ll keep an eye on if that changes. Alesis, also owned by inMusic, designs its products in America but manufactures them in China.

There’s also the idea of brand cross-pollination. In the announcement letter, Richardson says the acquisition will allow Moog to “enhance the capabilities of inMusic and its exclusive brands.” Does this suggest a future Moog synth with actual Akai MPC pads or a budget-friendly Alesis synthesizer that takes advantage of Moog’s audio-shaping expertise? We shall see. In the meantime, Moog just celebrated its 70th anniversary with a Model D-inspired web app and recently released the Moog One, its most ambitious (and expensive) instrument ever.

The Instant Pot has been one of the most important kitchen gadgets of the past decade, but that hasn't prevented financial turmoil at its parent company. Instant Brands has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in the US citing worldwide "macroeconomic and geopolitical challenges" that include higher interest rates and tighter credit. While the company says it endured the pandemic and the ensuing supply chain problems, these latest problems proved to be too much.

Instant Brands still expects to put products on shelves, including Instant Pot as well as sibling brands like Corelle, CorningWare and Pyrex. It also received a promise of $132.5 million in financing to pay creditors while it works through the bankruptcy process. The court still has to approve the financing.

The Instant Pot range first launched in 2010 with a simple strategy: it combined a pressure cooker with many other functions (such as sauté and a steamer) in one device. It's particularly appealing if you want a quick meal that doesn't involve a microwave. Despite a lack of advertising, it developed a cult-like fan base and became synonymous with modern kitchens. That translated to surging demand — the lineup dominated Amazon's Prime Day sales for years starting in 2016.

This isn't the end for Instant Brands. As with other companies' Chapter 11 filings, it's a chance for the firm to get its financial affairs in order and (ideally) ensure its long-term health. However, this is a reminder that success in tech doesn't last forever, even for kitchen hardware.

General Motors and Samsung SDI have chosen Indiana for their joint EV battery plant. The state’s governor, Eric Holcomb, announced today that the companies will build the $3 billion facility in St. Joseph County, scheduled to open in 2026. The factory, designed to help GM meet rising EV demand, is expected to bring 1,700 new manufacturing jobs to the Hoosier State.

The plant will manufacture nickel-rich prismatic and cylindrical cells. GM and Samsung SDI expect the completed factory to have “more than 30 GWh of capacity.” The automaker currently runs five plants in Indiana, employing more than 5,700 people, and it is now the second-largest EV maker in the US, behind Tesla. GM aims to produce more than one million EVs annually by 2025 and “accelerate from there,” completing its transition to electric-only vehicles by 2035.

GM and Samsung SDI announced the joint venture in April without naming the location. It follows GM’s three previous US factory partnerships with LG Energy Solution, including a 900-worker plant in Warren, OH and upcoming Spring Hill, TN and Lansing, MI facilities.

The companies plan to begin construction within the next year, creating over 1,000 jobs during that period. “This joint venture and the 1,700 people there will help supply cells for millions of all-electric vehicles for customers across North America,” said Mary Barra, GM’s Chair and CEO. “The strong support of local and state leaders in Indiana and the combined resources and expertise of GM and Samsung SDI will help us move faster than we could on our own.”

It's been a packed few days of game announcements, but Summer Game Fest isn't done yet. Microsoft will host the awkwardly named Xbox Games Showcase Extended at 1PM ET and you can watch it below.

The stream perhaps won't be quite as newsworthy as the main Xbox showcase that took place on Sunday, but it seems like it'll have some juicy details. Microsoft says this presentation will include deeper dives into several of the first-party projects it showed off at the weekend, including Avowed, Towerborne, Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II, The Elder Scrolls Online: Necrom and the Dune expansion for Microsoft Flight Simulator.

This showcase will include gameplay walkthroughs, interviews and some behind-the-scenes features. We'll also get a look at some games from Microsoft's third-party partners, and some "special guests" will make appearances.

There are two more Summer Game Fest events taking place today after the Xbox affair. At 4PM ET, you'll be able to check out Dames 4 Games. This will feature "interviews with women who work in the industry, women who love gaming and those who aspire to make a change." The stream will include looks at several indie games.

At 6PM, you can tune into the Black Voices in Gaming stream. This will focus on projects from Black developers, games with Black protagonists and interviews with Black creators. You can catch both the Dames 4 Games and Black Voices in Gaming events on Guerrilla Collective's YouTube and Twitch channels.

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