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Skybound hires ex-EA biz dev exec as it ponders acquisitions
Apple eyes business as a prime market for the Apple Vision Pro
Over the years, AR and VR have failed to take hold in business at scale. Apple hopes to change that with the Apple Vision Pro.
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Dead Cells to receive its final update as devs move on to new “secret projects”
Dead Cells developers Motion Twin have announced their roguelike Metroidvania will receive its final update with the launch of the appropriately titled Update 35: ‘The End Is Near’. It’s been a pretty great run as these things go: over the course of seven years, Dead Cells has received four major DLC expanions, a mobile release and, of course, 35 of those big title updates. However, current custodians Evil Empire are now moving on to greener, “secret projects”-flavoured pastures – the emphasis being on pastures plural there, if their Xweet about it is anything to go by, too.
Formula E adds Mini EV junior series as support race in four European events
Formula E is adding a junior support series that will accompany electric open-wheel championship events throughout Europe, in addition to two events on the DTM schedule. This is Formula E’s first support series since the Jaguar I-Pace eTrophy, which operated from 2018 to 2020.
The NXT Gen Cup actually started last year as a support series for the Scandinavian Touring Car Championship, but will now adventure throughout Europe. Events are open to drivers between the ages of 15 and 25 and will feature at all four European races included in the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship’s Season 10, including Misano, Monaco, Berlin and the finale in London.
The all-electric series will include both male and female drivers, with line-ups to be announced starting next week. Formula E says many of these drivers will be under 17, so this gives them “the opportunity to compete on the same circuits as Formula E’s 22 world-class drivers.” This not only presents race fans with something extra to watch, but helps prepare the next generation of drivers for the big leagues. That’s why it’s called the NXT Gen Cup.
Subject to final FIA approval, this year’s NXT Gen Cup will make its inaugural appearance on April 13 in Misano, Italy. Racers will drive a car based on the Mini Cooper SE, called the LRT NXT1. This front-wheel drive vehicle boasts the equivalent of a 180HP motor, plus an extra 60hp from a push-to-pass system.
These are electric vehicles, of course, so there’s a 30kWh battery with an accompanying 800-volt system. Other features include regen when braking, adjustable Ӧhlins shock absorbers and Hankook semi-slick all-weather tires. The organization built 20 cars for the series, so every driver will have the same exact vehicle. The championship will generally include two 20-minute practice sessions, a 20-minute qualifier and the actual 20-minute race.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/formula-e-adds-mini-ev-junior-series-as-support-race-in-four-european-events-163032160.html?src=rss
The GTA series blazes past the 420 million sales mark, as Rockstar gets ready to unleash ST-Ds on Los Santos
Good news, people who like mildly funny numbers (it’s me, I’m people), the GTA series has now surpassed the 420 million mark in terms of total sales, and Take-Two has revealed that to us just as Rockstar is about make ST-Ds available to the GTA Online masses.
Yup, we all might have recovered from the GTA 6 mania that gripped the world at the tail end of last year, when that trailer arrived in our lives, got us thinking about Tom Petty, and brought out the amateur detective in almost everyone, but GTA things are still happening in Los Santos. And the series’ sales numbers are also continuing to push the boundaries of what’s comprehensible, having now reached a value that the goth kids from your college would no doubt appreciate.
As part of its latest earnings call, the aftermath of which saw Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick tell IGN that Rockstar’s parent company has “no current plans” regarding layoffs, it shared some tastefully-assembled presentation slides featuring the latest sales numbers for the biggest titles in its portfolio. As expected, GTA’s leading the way, having now “sold-in over 420 million units”, with GTA 5 alone rapidly lurching towards the 200 million sales mark.
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High street bargain chain with over 500 branches to shut store next month as fans cry ‘all towns are becoming deserted’
A HIGH street bargain chain with over 500 branches has announced a store closure set for next month.
Fans have cried out “all towns are becoming deserted” as the retailer shuts down a branch.
A bargain chain is set to shut down a branch in March[/caption]
The Works – a discount retailer specialised in crafts – is set to shut down their branch in Caernarfon, Wales on March 17.
Staff might be left with their future uncertain as the store closes down.
But the retailer reassured that their workers would be relocated to stores in Bangor and Llandudno following the closure.
A spokesperson for The Works said: “We can confirm that we will be closing our store in Caernarfon on 17th March.
“We have loved being part of the local community and apologise for any inconvenience caused by this closure.
“We are working to redeploy all team members to local stores and customers can continue to shop with us at our nearby stores in Bangor and Llandudno.”
The spokesperson also added that the customer can shop their range of products online at the retailer’s website.
They continued: “We constantly review our property portfolio to ensure we have the right mix of stores in the right locations to best serve our customers.
“This occasionally means closing stores, whilst also improving our stores with refits or relocations if a more favourable site becomes available.
“We’re always on the lookout for new locations too and have a handful of new openings planned in the coming months.”
The customers were “gutted” to learn the news as they fear the town will become “deserted”.
One person said: “Gutted to hear that The Works in Caernarfon is being closed down!
“It’s concept caters for all ages! Why are so many of our shops closing down? It’s becoming a ghost town.”
Another one added: “What has happened to North Wales all towns are becoming deserted.”
Third person wrote: “It’s not unique to here. Online shopping is the biggest issue, and overheads for small businesses. The fuel bills are crippling.”
“At this rate there will only be hairdressers and barbers left in Caernarfon .That is so sad,” someone else said.
One commenter pitched in, saying: “No new businesses can afford to start up. It’s a vicious circle which is killing off the high street.”
What else is happening on the high street?
Retailers have been feeling the squeeze since the pandemic while shoppers are cutting back on spending due to the soaring cost of living crisis.
High energy costs and a move to shopping online after the pandemic are also taking a toll and many high street shops have struggled to keep going.
The high street has seen a whole raft of closures over the past year and more are on their way.
Sales volumes dipped by 3.2% in December, data from the Office for National Statistics suggests, down from a rise of 1.4% a month before.
Peacocks – a major fashion retailer – once had more than 400 stores across the UK but has closed down half of them in a major blow for shoppers.
However, it has been slowly reappearing on the high street, building its portfolio back up to around 350 stores.
In October last year, the chain revealed it had plans to open seven new stores across Wales, England and Scotland.
Matalan is another fashion retailer which has recently shut down three of its branches – with plans to close another one in February.
Recent figures from the Centre for Retail Research reveal over 10,000 shops closed for the last time in 2023, and almost 120,000 jobs were lost across the sector.
That said, the figures are lower than they have been in recent years, with over 150,000 retail jobs lost in 2022.
Meanwhile, despite the backdrop, it’s not bad news for all retailers and some are opening stores across the UK.
Primark is to open five new shops starting in weeks as it promises “bigger and better” stores.
This means Primark will reach a total of 195 stores across the UK.
A supermarket giant is set to open 110 convenience stores this month as part of huge expansion plans.
Asda will convert former Co-op and EG Group sites into Express stores as it aims to become the second largest grocery retailer in the UK.