The survival shooter A Long Survive is making the leap onto PlayStation VR2 and PC VR in April.
Friendly Fire Studios has revealed that their upcoming PlayStation VR2 and SteamVR survival shooter A Long Survive will launch on April 30th. The PS VR2 and SteamVR releases join A Long Survive on Meta Quest, where the game has been available since October 2025. All platforms will offer crossplay.
The PS VR2 and SteamVR releases are described by Friendly Fire as “a major update” built to harness the power of PS VR2 and SteamVR. These changes include graphical improvements, enhanced character models, new VFX and soundscapes, refined combat feel, advanced lighting system, and new weapons.
A new trailer accompanies this news, which you can see below.
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Citing the PlayStation VR2 release specifically, Friendly Fire points out that the console’s power has allowed them to design a wave system that lets the team display the largest number of enemies ever seen in VR. Additional PS VR2 features include 120hz, head haptic effects, adaptive triggers, and inclusion of PlayStation trophies.
On Meta Quest, A Long Survive holds an average review score of 4.1 out of 5 stars.
Anthropic is joining the increasingly crowded field of companies with AI agents that can take direct control of your local computer desktop. The company has announced that Claude Code (and its more casual user-oriented Claude Cowork) can now “point, click, and navigate what’s on your screen” to “open files, use the browser, and run dev tools automatically” when necessary to complete tasks.
When possible, Anthropic says Claude Code and Cowork will still prioritize using Connectors to directly access and control outside apps or data sources. When that connection isn’t available, though, those tools are now able to ask permission to “scroll, click to open, and explore as needed” on the machine itself to do what’s asked. This kind of direct control of the computer can also be initiated and managed remotely via Claude’s Dispatch tool as long as the target computer remains powered on.
An Anthropic video shows some examples of tasks Claud Code can complete on your desktop via Dispatch.
The new feature is now available to Claude Pro and Max subscribers using MacOS in what Anthropic calls a “research preview.” That means the system “won’t always work perfectly” and will sometimes require a “second try” for complex tasks, Anthropic warns. Completing tasks via “computer use” also “takes much longer and is more error-prone” than performing the same task via Connectors, the company writes.
Epic Games has announced sweeping layoffs of more than 1,000 employees. “The downturn in Fortniteengagement that started in 2025 means we’re spending significantly more than we’re making, and we have to make major cuts to keep the company funded,” CEO Tim Sweeney said in a memo to workers on Tuesday.
Sweeney wrote that, combined with “over $500 million of identified cost savings in contracting, marketing, and closing some open roles,” the layoffs will give Epic more stability. He added that the layoffs are not related to AI.
Back in 2023, Epic laid off 830 employees. At the time, that was 16 percent of its workforce, suggesting around 4,000 employees remained at the company. If those numbers haven’t changed too much in the meantime, that means Epic is culling around a quarter of its headcount this week.
Along with a dip in Fortnite engagement, Sweeney pointed out that Epic isn’t immune from systemic issues the games industry is contending with, such as a slowdown in growth, reduced spending, “tougher cost economics” and a battle with other types of media for consumer’s attention.
However, Epic has some issues of its own to deal with. “Despite Fortnite remaining one of the most successful games in the world, we’ve had challenges delivering consistent Fortnite magic with every season; we’re only in the early stages of returning to mobile and optimizing Fortnite for the world’s billions of smartphones; and in being the industry’s vanguard we have taken a lot of bullets in a battle which is only in the early days of paying off for ourselves and all developers,” Sweeney wrote. (He previously said Epic spent over $100 million in legal fees alone on its App Store battle with Apple.)
The path forward for the company, per its CEO, is to create “awesome Fortnite experiences with fresh seasonal content, gameplay, story and live events,” perhaps in an attempt to recapture some of that “magic” he’s referring to. Speeding up work on developer tools amid the transition to Unreal Engine 6 is important as well, Sweeney indicated.
He said that the workers Epic is laying off will receive at least four months of their base pay, though they’ll get more depending on the length of their tenure at the company. Epic will pay for extended healthcare coverage, including for six months for affected workers in the US. The company — which is not publicly traded — will speed up the vesting of stock options through next January and “extend equity exercise options for up to two years,” Sweeney said.
Epic announced the layoffs days after it increased the price of Fortnite’s V-bucks currency. “The cost of running Fortnite has gone up a lot and we’re raising prices to help pay the bills,” it said.
As part of the changes at the company, Epic is killing off three Fortnite modes. Rocket Racing(which was built by Rocket League developer Psyonix) will shut down in October. Fortnite Ballistic — a 5v5 tactical shooter mode — and Festival Battle Stage, which is a competitive version of the Fortnite Festival rhythm game, will vanish on April 16. “We’ve built a lot of Fortnite modes, and in some cases we failed to build something awesome enough to attract and retain a large player base,” Epic said on X.
The company noted in its Year in Review recap last month that although the hours that players spent in third-party titles on the Epic Games Store increased by four percent in 2025, “overall gameplay hours declined year over year,” hinting at a dip in Fortnite numbers. The company said PC players spent $1.16 billion on the store in 2025, an increase of six percent from the previous year. Of that, $400 million was spent on third-party PC games. However, Epic Games Store vice president and general manager Steve Allison told Polygonin February that, factoring in first-party revenue and the 12 percent cut the company takes from third-party games, “the store is already — even with all this stuff — marginally profitable now.”
Here is the full memo Sweeney shared with Epic’s employees on Tuesday:
Today we’re laying off over 1000 Epic employees. I’m sorry we’re here again. The downturn in Fortnite engagement that started in 2025 means we’re spending significantly more than we’re making, and we have to make major cuts to keep the company funded. This layoff, together with over $500 million of identified cost savings in contracting, marketing, and closing some open roles puts us in a more stable place.
Some of the challenges we’re facing are industry-wide challenges: slower growth, weaker spending, and tougher cost economics; current consoles selling less than last generation’s; and games competing for time against other increasingly-engaging forms of entertainment.
And some of our challenges are unique to Epic. Despite Fortnite remaining one of the most successful games in the world, we’ve had challenges delivering consistent Fortnite magic with every season; we’re only in the early stages of returning to mobile and optimizing Fortnite for the world’s billions of smartphones; and in being the industry’s vanguard we have taken a lot of bullets in a battle which is only in the early days of paying off for ourselves and all developers.
Since it’s a thing now, I should note that the layoffs aren’t related to AI. To the extent it improves productivity, we want to have as many awesome developers developing great content and tech as we can.
What we now need to do is clear: build awesome Fortnite experiences with fresh seasonal content, gameplay, story, and live events; accelerate developer tools with greater stability and capability as we evolve from Unreal Engine 5 and UEFN to Unreal Engine 6. And we’ll be kicking off the next generation of Epic with huge launch plans towards the end of the year.
This isn’t our first time being here. Epic survived upheavals in 1990’s with the move from 2D to 3D with Unreal 1; in the 2000’s building console games with Gears of War; and in 2012 moving to online gaming with Paragon and Fortnite. Each time, we rebuilt our foundations and earned a renewed leadership position.
Market conditions today are the most extreme we’ve seen since those early days, with massive upheaval in the industry accompanied by massive opportunity for the companies that come out as winners on the other side. That’s what we’re aiming to do for our players, and we aim to bring other like-minded developers in the industry along on the journey to build an increasingly open and vibrant future of entertainment together.
At Epic, we pride ourselves in only hiring the industry’s best, so it is very painful to part with so many talented people. The folks impacted by the layoffs will receive a severance package that includes at least four months of base pay, with more based on tenure. We’re also extending Epic-paid healthcare coverage.
For example, in the U.S., they’ll receive paid coverage for 6 months. We’ll also accelerate their stock options vesting through January 2027 and extend equity exercise options for up to two years.
We’ll have a company meeting Thursday to talk about the roadmap in more detail.
-Tim
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/epic-is-laying-off-more-than-1000-workers-citing-a-downturn-in-fortnite-engagement-154436905.html?src=rss
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Think smart lighting is limited to basic bulbs and LED strips? Govee proves otherwise with its unique, space-saving take on floor lamp smart lighting that actually brightens an entire room rather than acting as accent lighting. Available in three different colors, the Govee Floor Lamp 2 does everything from play music to set the mood—and right now, it’s at its lowest price ever ahead of Amazon’s Big Spring Sale, dropping 25% to $119.99 (originally $159.99).
At 1,725 lumens, the sleek and minimalist Govee Floor Lamp 2 is one of the brightest smart lighting options around. It supports Matter, making it compatible with Apple HomeKit, Alexa, Google Assistant, and SmartThings. Lighting is highly customizable, with over 80 preset scenes and DIY modes that let you fine-tune colors, effects, and gradients. It uses RGBIC tech, which lets users display multiple colors at once, and it can sync with other Govee lights. It also has Bluetooth speakers in the base that pair with audio, creating a more immersive experience, whether you’re hosting a party or gaming.
CNET notes that the lamps are designed so that light faces the wall, making them ideal for corners where you want to “paint” your wall with a glow of the almost infinite colors available for an accent wall effect. There are LEDs in the base as well as the main lights, and they can be controlled independently in the Govee app, where users can unlock most features. You can also control the lights via voice control or the included remote. It’s worth noting that the light only supports 2.4GHz wifi.
If you’re looking for a stylish smart light that integrates with any smart-home setup, has a built-in speaker, and brings all the vibes, the Govee Floor Lamp 2 is an easy way to boost your ambiance and jazz up small spaces with customizable lighting, music sync and other features that punch above its price point, especially when it’s at an all-time low in this early Amazon Big Spring Sale deal.
Our Best Editor-Vetted Amazon Big Spring Sale Deals Right Now
Cannondale has officially parted with its UK distributor, Saddleback, and will return to a direct-to-dealer model.
Saddleback has distributed Cannondale bicycles since January 2025, but the American bicycle brand will now be distributed under Pon.Bike UK, effective immediately.
“While we are sad to see Cannondale leave our portfolio, we are incredibly proud of the growth and premium positioning we’ve achieved for the brand within the UK market,” Saddleback said in a statement.
“This decision was made with the best interests of both parties in mind, ensuring that retailers continue to receive the specialised support they need in an evolving industry landscape,” the company added.
Saddleback says it is working closely with the team at Pon.Bike UK to ensure a “seamless handoff” for dealers. Pon.Bike UK will be contacting dealers shortly to manage “existing back orders and future stock requirements”.
Dealers will be able to access Cannondale via Pon.Bike’s B2B platform from 16 April.
“We want to thank the Cannondale team for their partnership and, most importantly, our retailers for their hard work in making Cannondale a success under our stewardship. We look forward to seeing the brand continue its journey alongside its new stablemates at Pon.Bike UK,” Saddleback said.
Pon Group, which owns Cannondale as well as brands such as Cervélo and Santa Cruz, closed its UK-based Cycling Sports Group in 2023, which disrupted Cannondale’s distribution in the UK.
Saddleback began distributing Cannondale in January 2025 after it approached the Yate, Bristol-based company in July 2024.
Saddleback’s CEO Andy Wigmore told Cycling Industry News in April last year that the company had a “number of challenging years” but it was confident that there would be “brand movement in the industry, and opportunities would present themselves as a result of that.”
Discussing the deal with Cannondale, Wigmore said: “They liked what we did, they liked our performance side and that was really important to Cannondale, particularly as they globally are a performance technology leader.”
Saddleback previously distributed 3T bicycles before the Italian company moved to a direct-to-consumer model for the UK in 2020.
It also distributed ENVE for 15 years until February 2026, when the American bicycle, wheel and component brand consolidated its UK and Europe distribution.
Saddleback still distributes Castelli, Chris King, Pivot, Silca, Abbey Bike Tools and Wolf Tooth Components, among others.
“We remain fully committed to our remaining world-class portfolio and will continue to provide the industry-leading service you expect from us,” Saddleback said.
Samsung has unveiled the budget M70H and M80H Mini LED TVs, promising a bright picture and accurate colors starting at just $400 for the 50-inch and $1,200 for the 85-inch models. The company also revealed a pair of new higher-end TVs with the company’s “Quantum Mini LED” tech, the QN70H and QN80H, that offer “precise backlighting” and 100 percent color volume.
Mini LED TVs have been dropping rapidly in price over the past couple of years while also improving in quality. The M70H and M80H are among the cheapest we’ve seen so far, with, most 50-inch Mini LEDs currently on sale costing $400 or more. Samsung is promising pretty decent specs as well like 10-bit panels that can display a billion colors, Samsung’s HDR+ and a 144Hz refresh rate with FreeSync Premium or 240Hz with DLG at 1080p.
Samsung’s M70H Mini LED TV
Samsung
Other key features include Samsung’s One UI Tizen with Smart Home support and Alexa, Google Assistant and Apple TV) compatibility, along with Samsung’s Gaming Hub for cloud gaming and adaptive sound (but not Dolby Atmos support). The company didn’t mention some key specs like brightness, color gamut and the number of local dimming zones, so you can likely assume those aren’t top-of-the-line.
The prices are very good, with the 43-inch M70H at $350, the 65-inch M70 priced at $530 and the 85-inch M70H running $1,200. The M80H starts at $700 for the 55-inch model and runs up to $1,800 for the 85-incher. All models are now on sale, and Samsung said that a 100-inch Class M90H model is arriving later this year this year.
Samsung
Samsung also revealed a new line of higher-end Neo QLED models powered by its “Quantum Mini LED” technology. With the QN70H and QN80H, Samsung is promising “brilliant brightness” and 100 percent DCI-P3 color volume, thanks to the quantum dot tech and “more precise backlighting.” Samsung said this model would have more local dimming zones than before (though again, it didn’t say how many), which should result in better contrast and less “blooming” caused by light leakage from neighboring pixels.
Features are largely the same as with the M70H and M80H, but the QN models also offer Dolby Atmos and 360 audio along with a slightly highter 288Hz DLG refresh rate at 1080p. The Neo QLED 4K QN70H starts at $600 for the 43-inch model and goes up to $1,200 for the 65-inch version and $2,300 for the 85-inch model. The 55-inch QN80H, meanwhile, costs $1,299, the 75-inch model is $2,000 and the 100-inch TV is $5,500.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/home/home-theater/samsungs-cheaper-mini-led-tvs-are-now-on-sale-150034289.html?src=rss
Spotify keeps adding new features lately. Last week, the company rolled out “Exclusive Mode” for desktop users to stream in the highest quality possible; last month, Spotify announced “Smart Reorder,” which automatically sorts your songs by BPM; and in January, the company’s AI-powered “Prompted Playlists” landed in the U.S. after an exclusive stint overseas. It’s still not easy to pick a favorite among other services like Apple Music, but Premium subscribers can at least say Spotify is giving them something for their money.
Now, the company is rolling out another new feature, one that actually seems like a cool way to learn about your music. On Tuesday, Spotify announced SongDNA, which shows you all the people who worked on a song, as well as all the samples and interpolations that song used. SongDNA lives directly under the lyrics tile in the player window. I already see it on my end, though Spotify does label the feature with a “Beta” tag to note that this feature is still in testing.
How Spotify’s SongDNA works
When SongDNA appears under a song, you’ll be able to see the artists who worked on it in one corner. That might include the main artist, but also any of the composers, producers, musicians, or writers who contributed. The SongDNA tile shows the main artist in a bubble, but tap the icon, and you’ll see a map of all the people involved. You can tap on any of these names to see how many other artists they’ve worked with, how many songs they worked on, and what their “top song” is (presumably, what the most popular song they worked on is on Spotify).
To the right of the artists’ bubble is a sample and interpolations bubble: Here, you’ll see all of the clips the artist or artists took from various other songs to incorporate them into their own track. On Kendrick Lamar’s “King Kunta,” for example, I can see they sampled a drum loop from “Kung Fu” by Curtis Mayfield, and took vocals from James Brown’s “The Payback,” among others. Spotify will tell you exactly where in each song the sample was taken from, and gives you a play button to listen. You also can scroll down to find songs that have sampled the song in question: “F The Disco” by Cavi samples vocals from “King Kunta” at 1:28, as does “Brain Cells” by Villain Park (at 1:59). Scroll down a bit more, and you’ll find any covers of the song available on Spotify. “8-Bit Misfits” has an awesome interpretation of the song that sounds like Kendrick wrote music for the NES.
Credit: Spotify
I’m an Apple Music guy, truthfully, but I have to say: This rocks (no pun intended). Most of us listen to our music without really knowing much about how it was put together—outside of the headlining artist, anyway. SongDNA makes it easy to learn more about how your favorite songs were made, where they pulled inspiration from, and who actually helped make the hit besides the singer or artist. You could follow up with the lead engineer or producer of your favorite song to see what other projects they worked on, or check out the full songs that were sampled to find new music to listen to. While it’s a bummer it’s only available for Premium subscribers, it’s a great move on Spotify’s part.
Does Spotify’s SongDNA use AI?
I reached out to Spotify asking whether SongDNA uses AI to retrieve this information, and, as it turns out, it doesn’t! For the most part, anyway. Here’s what a Spotify rep told me: “SongDNA is not a generative AI feature and does not use Large Language Models (LLMs) to create or predict information. This immersive music experience is built on official credits data we receive from artists and their teams, supplemented by community sourced data. While we use technology to visualize these complex relationships, the data itself is rooted in human-verified industry sources, not AI-generated content.”
While it’s not clear what “technology” was used to visual the relationships here, it’s refreshing to learn that the data here is all human-sourced. Spotify might use AI for the UI, but, unlike many new app features these days, this one isn’t going to hallucinate incorrect samples, or make up credits for songs.
A chemistry student wanted her long fingernails to work with a touchscreen, so she developed a clear, conductive nail polish to solve the problem.
This idea comes from the mind of Manasi Desai, a chemistry student at Centenary College of Louisiana, and her advisor, Joshua Lawrence. Most touch-based devices, including phones and tablets,
Oquo’s new CS-level wheels feature dedicated aerodynamic carbon spokes that reduce weight while increasing stiffness.
The Basque brand tells us this isn’t a simple case of replacing steel with carbon, though. Instead, each wheel – from the shallowest 45mm-deep RP45 LTD CS through to the time-trial and triathlon special 80mm-deep RA80 LTD CS – has been redesigned to make the most of the carbon spokes’ properties.
Oquo, like Newmen, Reserve and DT Swiss before it, is using Vonoa’s carbon spokes. Here, they have flat-bladed aero spokes that taper from 2mm to 5.3mm wide.
Lotto-Intermarché is using the new carbon-spoke LTD CS wheelset. Harry Talbot / Oquo
The carbon spokes’ properties also ensured Oquo was able to drop the spoke count across the range, reducing rotational weight.
By shifting down to 20 spokes, Oquo has been able to redesign its own Basque-made Q10 hub flanges front and rear.
The rim has also been reprofiled to take advantage of the reduced drillings required for 20 spokes rather than 24.
Made in the Basque country
Oquo’s testing far exceeds industry standards. Oquo
Oquo hand manufactures all its mini-hook wheels in its purpose-built Biscay facility, with in-house assembly, testing and R&D.
The Q10 hubset used on all Oquo’s LTD-level wheelsets is also made in the Basque region.
Each wheel is assembled by hand. Oquo
Oquo says all its physical testing surpasses the minimum UCI and industry standards by multiple levels. All the wheelsets are built by hand to exacting standards, with proprietary technology used to ensure all the assemblies meet Oquo’s criteria.
Performance gains
Every wheel is checked meticulously. Oquo
The claimed drop in weight across the range is around 6%, thanks to a redesign in the carbon layup due to the reduced number of spokes. The changes to the angle-interface at the rim and hub flange play their part in the overall system gains, too.
I recently tested the RP50 LTD wheels at 1,421g a pair, and that drops to 1,371g for the CS version – a reduction of around 3.6%.
The RA57 LTD CS has dropped in weight to 1,373g. Oquo
That’s not a huge saving, but when added to the gains Oquo claims in terms of performance, stiffness is improved by 17% over the standard wheel, even with the reduction in spoke count.
Add a 2-watt aerodynamic improvement over the wheels’ steel-spoke equivalents and it’s no wonder the CS models have become the wheelsets of choice for Lotto-Intermarchè.
New carbon-spoke models
Oquo claims the mini-hook interface creates a lower drag combination than hooked rims. Harry Talbot / Oquo
RA80 LTD CS: maximum aerodynamics for high-speed riding, with an 80mm rim depth and 23mm internal width. Designed for time trial and triathlon use. Claimed to weigh 1,576g a pair.
RA57 LTD CS: with a 57mm rim depth, a 23mm internal width and a weight of 1,373g, this is the wheel for high-speed racing, and the one most likely to be seen at this year’s major tours.
RP50 LTD CS: with a 50mm rim depth, 25mm internal width and a weight of 1,371g, this crossover wheel is aimed at both road and gravel. Expect to see these at the classics.
RP45 LTD CS: with a 45mm rim depth and 21mm internal width, this is the lightest wheelset in the Oquo range at 1,223g.
All the wheels are priced at: £2,599 / $3,149 / €2,999 and come with tubeless valves, tubeless sealant and wheel bags.
While having the new System76 Thelio Mira desktop in the lab, I took the opportunity to run some benchmarks to see how Pop!_OS 24.04 is currently performing relative to Ubuntu 24.04 LTS for which it is based as well as looking ahead at how Ubuntu 26.04 LTS in its current near-final development form is looking on the same hardware.
In stock guise, Lamborghini’s Revuelto is already a prime example of modern performance, but German tuning house Novitec has decided that 1,001 horsepower simply wasn’t enough. By adding more carbon fiber aerodynamic bits with an exhaust system that aims to sing like a classic V12, the tuned hybrid Revuelto has been turned into a 1,048-hp
Building off the NVIDIA 595.45.04 Linux beta driver that brought DRI3 v1.2 support and new Vulkan capabilities, the NVIDIA 595.58.03 Linux driver released this morning as the first stable Linux driver build in the R595 release branch…
Zwift has announced its users will be encouraged to go ride their bikes outside this summer, thanks to updates to the platform’s Personalised Recommendations feature.
Now, Zwift says riders will be able to see Outdoor Recommendations – suggesting they should close the app and ride in the real world for a change.
The announcement comes as part of Zwift’s seasonal content reveal (which it dubs ‘this season on Zwift’). It has also teased an expansion to the Paris map, a new gravel-focused world, additions to Zwift’s in-game bike shop – the Drop Shop – and more.
You’ll soon be able to complete certain challenges indoors and outdoors. Zwift
According to Zwift, the recommendations for outdoor rides will differ from indoor rides, without a specific workout or route to ride.
Instead, they’ll simply be “a basic guide to advise how to get the most from your next activity”.
Additionally, the brand says it plans to launch in-game challenges that will reward Zwift users for progress completed both indoors and outdoors.
Is this a tacit admission that Zwifters are spending too long staring at screens and need to go outside and experience the real world?
We suspect it probably has more to do with the brand trying to keep its subscribers engaged over the summer months – a time when usage, and perhaps therefore also subscription, rates in the northern hemisphere almost certainly drop significantly.
These additions are therefore likely designed to help increase retention on the platform during times when people will naturally be less inclined to ride indoors on a smart trainer.
Tour fever
The Basilique du Sacré-Coeur de Montmartre is coming to Zwift’s Paris map this summer. Zwift
As the ‘official software’ for the Tour de France, Zwift is naturally keen to celebrate the sport’s most important event.
With this in mind, Zwift is expanding its Paris map, which currently features the Tour’s traditional finishing circuit on the Champs-Élysées.
And with the Tour having added the Montmarte climb to its final stage last year, Zwift is following suit.
The iconic cobbled climb, which was added to the Tour’s finishing circuit last year following its use in the road races at the 2024 Olympic Games, will be incorporated into the game’s Paris map, adding a tough climb to an otherwise relatively flat parcours.
Zwift says the expanded map will be available to ride from 26 June, and will feature the Basilique du Sacré-Coeur de Montmartre at the summit of the climb.
We don’t yet have details of how closely the virtual climb will match its real-world counterpart, although at only 0.6km in length, with an average gradient of 4.7 per cent, we imagine Zwift will stick closely to the real thing.
To mark the 2026 Tour de France and Tour de France Femmes, Zwift will be running the Tour Fever Challenge from 2 July to 16 August 2026.
There will be both races and group rides to participate in, with five new route badges to collect in the Paris map.
Gravel Mountain
Zwift’s first gravel world is coming in April. Zwift
Also coming this Spring is Gravel Mountain – a new, event-only map designed specifically for virtual gravel racing.
Gravel Mountain, Zwift says, “will be the fastest, most exciting way to experience gravel on Zwift”.
Set in a “red rock environment”, Zwift says riders can expect “dust, speed and loose lines” and a “distinct handling and racing experience compared to road racing [on Zwift]”.
Zwift says Gravel Mountain will favour gravel bikes. Zwift
It’s not clear exactly how these “loose lines” or handling differences will play out in-game, although Zwift says dedicated gravel bikes will be the “optimal” pick from a performance perspective.
We suspect Zwift is simply trying to sell the vibesof the new world, given how important ‘the spirit of gravel’ is to that genre of bike racing.
You’ll be able to unlock this Pas Normal kit by participating in the PAS Racing Series. Zwift
In any case, Zwift says the Gravel Mountain world map will launch as part of the PAS Racing Series – a four-stage gravel racing series organised in collaboration with the PAS Racing pro team.
Races will run hourly from 6 April to 3 May 2026, across routes in Gravel Mountain and the Makuri Islands (another of Zwift’s virtual worlds), with a Pas Normal kit to unlock for those who participate.
Drop Shop update
New bikes are coming to the Drop Shop, potentially including what looks like Specialized’s Crux gravel bike. Zwift
The Drop Shop is Zwift’s in-game shop for bike and wheel upgrades, and the brand says it will be seeing “its biggest overhaul yet” this year.
Specifically, Zwift says 18 new bikes and 13 new wheelsets will land in the shop this spring and summer, with the first two bundles having a gravel focus.
Another bundle is slated to arrive around the Tour de France, with (we expect) a focus on the bikes used in that race.
This bike appears to be a Canyon Aeroad with a SRAM groupset and Zipp 545 NSW wheels. Zwift
Although it hasn’t yet revealed details of exactly which bikes and wheels will be coming to the platform, Zwift says they are all from “leading brands”.
As well as releasing new models, the brand also says it will be tidying up the Drop Shop and “retiring” some outdated bikes. It says users who have already purchased these bikes will still be able to ride them, even once they’ve been removed from the Drop Shop, however.
Everything else this season on Zwift
Scheduling rides and workouts will help Zwift recommend more tailored activities. Zwift
Beyond the world and map updates, Zwift has announced a slew of other updates to the platform.
Users will now, for example, be able to schedule workouts, routes and events via the Zwift Companion app.
Zwift says the personalised recommendations will also take planned events into account, so it won’t, for example, suggest a hard workout the day before a race.
Data fields in the workout HUD can now be customised. Zwift
You’ll also now be able to customise the HUD for workouts, with four configurable data fields and 13 different data points to choose from. Zwift says this change will enable riders to “focus on what’s best for them” during workouts.
The final themed workouts of the winter season are also coming in April, with Zwift Camp: Breakthrough.
Designed to “support Zwifters in their transition to the summer season”, Zwift says the five workouts will feature pedalling drills to “improve technique, stability and control”, rather than a singular focus on improving your fitness.
Zwift is raising its level cap. Zwift
Lastly, with an eye on the platform’s most dedicated users, Zwift has announced it will be lifting the rider level cap – which currently sits at 100.
The new limit has yet to be revealed, but Zwift says riders will have “hundreds of new levels to chase”.
Zwift just released their latest “This Season on Zwift” announcement detailing key game features, Companion app updates, and events coming in the next few months. We’ve posted the complete press release below, and in the coming days, we’ll dive into some of the announcements in more detail.
There’s some fun stuff here, so let’s get on with it…
New Roads, Planning Tools, and Deeper Outdoor Integration Set to Help You Get More From This Season on Zwift
An expanded Paris map, gravel galore, new bikes, and so much more to benefit Zwifters this coming season.
Zwift, the global online fitness platform, today lifts the lid on many of the exciting new product developments and content experiences planned to launch this coming season. From planning in Zwift Companion, more levels to chase in both running and cycling as well as a dedicated event map for gravel, there is something for every Zwifter to explore This Season on Zwift.
Personalized Recommendations Go Outdoors
Launching in April
Personalized Recommendations recently launched in Zwift, helping Zwifters spend less time thinking and more time doing. Based on a combination of your recent ride history and preferred activity types, every Zwifter now receives a recommended next activity in the ‘Next Up’ card in Zwift Companion. Personalized Recommendations will serve a variety of content, including Robopacer Rides, Routes, and workouts. The first recommendation is the one we think you will enjoy most, but Zwifters have the flexibility to adjust activity type to suit their needs.
As we move towards the Northern hemisphere summer season, Zwifters now have the option to view an Outdoor Recommendation in Zwift Companion. This will be a basic guide to advise how to get the most from your next activity. Simplicity is the name of the game here, giving Zwifters the space to make the most of those sunny summer miles!
Plan Your Week in Zwift Companion
Coming this April
For those who prefer to plan out their weeks and hold themselves accountable through scheduling, Zwift is now giving Zwifters the ability to plan their week within Zwift Companion. At launch, Zwifters will be able to schedule bike workouts, bike routes, bike and run events, Robopacer Rides, and challenge tasks (e.g. Route of the Week) for the days ahead. As activities are added to the weekly calendar, the fitness graph on the Zwift Companion app homescreen will automatically show all future planned activities so Zwifters can see what’s ahead at a glance. For Zwifters with third-party training connections, planned workouts will automatically populate.
Don’t want to plan your full week? No problem. Planning a few events or activities ahead will have the added benefit of improving your personalized recommendations, so if you have a race scheduled for tomorrow, we can give you something to prime those legs.
Zwift Camp: Breakthrough
April 6th – May 17th
The final Zwift Camp of this winter season arrives with Zwift Camp: Breakthrough. Beginning April 6th, Zwift Camp: Breakthrough is designed to support Zwifters in their transition to the summer season. The five workouts will focus not only on fitness but also feature drills to improve technique, stability, and control. The end result should be stronger, smoother outdoor miles for Zwifters.
Configure Your HUD for Workouts
Launching May
Whether participating in Zwift Camp: Breakthrough, or completing any one of Zwift’s 1,000+ workouts, the ability to customise data fields in workout mode is sure to level up the experience. Four configurable data fields can be illustrated on the central workout screen. Zwifters can pick from 13 biometric data points ranging from Cadence (RPM) to Core Temperature or power to weight ratio (W/KG). This update will allow Zwifters to tailor their data inputs, so they can focus on what’s best for them and get the most out of their training.
Gravel Mountain
Ride it from April 6th
Zwift’s first gravel-only map comes to Zwift on April 6th. An event-only map, Gravel Mountain will be the fastest, most exciting way to experience gravel on Zwift – expect dust, speed, and loose lines set in a red rock environment with new route features including red rock medians, corner berms, and ultra-wide roads.
The full gravel surface means gravel bikes will be optimal, so why not pay the Zwift Drop Shop a visit and enjoy a new virtual bike day to celebrate the launch of Gravel Mountain.
Pas Racing Series
April 6th – May 3rd
The fastest and most dynamic racing experience on Zwift starts with the Pas Racing Series, which brings the performance and style of Pas Normal Studios to a new kind of gravel racing on Zwift: tough, competitive, and refined. The four-stage gravel series includes the new routes in Gravel Mountain and a new gravel route in Makuri Islands. Races will run hourly, and of course there will be a custom Pas Normal kit to unlock.
More Levels for Running and Cycling
Coming April
Every Zwifter knows how compelling it is to round up their rides to the nearest mile or kilometre – not for bragging rights, but for that extra XP. Chasing levels is incredibly rewarding, and now there’s more to chase than ever before, no matter your Zwift level. The level 100 cap has been lifted, giving Zwifters hundreds of new levels to chase. And for those Zwifters who have hit that century milestone, there is a new status stripe, visible in the rider name list and in Zwift Companion. Runners on Zwift will also see the level cap lifted from 30 to 50.
Tour Fever Challenge
July 2nd – August 16th
Zwift is the official software platform for the Tour de France and Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift, and to celebrate there will be six weeks of festivity as we all get swept up in Tour Fever. Running July 2nd – August 16th, the Tour Fever Challenge celebrates the summer of racing with five stages of rides and races to enjoy. The Tour Fever Challenge includes five new badges to chase in the Paris Map.
Paris Expansion
Launching June 26th
The Paris map, created for the Virtual Tour de France, is set to become even more iconic with the addition of the famous Montmartre climb. Mimicking the new finishing circuit of the Tour de France, which has proven popular with fans since it was introduced for the Paris Olympics, Zwifters will now be able to ride up the cobbled climb to the Basilique du Sacré-Coeur de Montmartre. Short but punchy, this will be sure to put a sting in the legs.
Drop Shop Update
Spring / Summer
The Zwift Drop Shop is the destination for Zwifters to spend their well-earned Drops on the latest bikes and wheels. This year, the Drop Shop is getting its biggest overhaul yet, with a wealth of new bikes and wheels arriving over the next 12 months. This Spring and Summer, 18 new bikes and 13 new wheelsets are set to hit the virtual shelves. The first two ‘Drops’ land in March and April with a distinct gravel focus, giving Zwifters the chance to kit themselves out with the latest tech for the launch of Gravel Mountain and the Pas Racing Series.
Zwift Challenges Go Outdoors
Coming this Summer
Zwift Challenges, with their bonus rewards for completion, have proven to be immensely popular experiences on the Zwift platform. This summer, the fun doesn’t have to stop as cyclists enjoy the great outdoors, as Zwift plans to launch its first indoor/outdoor challenges. To complete, Zwifters will need to have connected their Wahoo, Garmin, or Hammerhead accounts.
Share Your Thoughts!
What do you think of Zwift’s roadmap for the next few months of new features? Comment below!
New data from NASA’s almost-retired Juno orbiter has revealed that lightning bolts on Jupiter are significantly more powerful than previously thought, frequently discharging over 100 times the energy of a typical flash on Earth.
While Earth’s lightning usually occurs in nitrogen-dominated air where moisture is relatively light, Jupiter’s
Although it was never in doubt, Apple confirmed plans to host another Worldwide Developers Conference online several weeks from now. In addition, Apple says it will hold a special event in-person for developers and students at Apple Park, which will take place on the first day of the five-day conference.
This issue
report describes a credential-stealing attack buried within LiteLLM
1.82.8 in the PyPI repository. It collects and exfiltrates a wide variety
of information, including SSH keys, credentials for a number of cloud
services, crypto wallets, and so on. Anybody who has installed this
package has likely been compromised and needs to respond accordingly.
Update: see this
futuresearch article for some more information. “The release
contains a malicious .pth file (litellm_init.pth) that executes
automatically on every Python process startup when litellm is installed in
the environment.“
Clear XR, available on TestFlight, lets Nvidia RTX 40 and 50 series owners use Apple Vision Pro’s foveated streaming feature for OpenXR PC VR games.
You can already stream your SteamVR games to your Apple Vision Pro via the free and open-source tool ALVR, which has been available on the App Store since a few months after the M2 Vision Pro launched.
What ALVR currently lacks, however, is support for the foveated streaming feature that Apple launched in visionOS 26.4 today. Guided by eye tracking, foveated streaming prioritizes image resolution and compression quality where your eye is currently looking. That’s the key feature of Clear XR.
Clear XR should work for any OpenXR application on your PC, and deliver superior image quality on the Vision Pro compared to using ALVR.
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Valve’s depiction of foveated streaming.
Rather than implement foveated streaming completely from scratch, Clear XR’s developer Stuart Charlton leveraged Nvidia’s CloudXR SDK, which has full support for Apple’s foveated streaming.
Nvidia’s CloudXR is also being used by the developers of X-Plane and iRacing for specific per-game visionOS clients that also use foveated streaming. The advantage of those over Clear XR will be the ability to auto-align the cockpit to your physical peripherals and “cut them out” from the real world into VR via camera passthrough.
The tradeoff of using CloudXR is that it exclusively supports Nvidia’s Ada and Blackwell GPU architectures, meaning RTX 40-series and 50-series graphics cards. The current PC I’m using this week has an RTX 3090, so unfortunately, I can’t test Clear XR at the moment.
If you do have the required GPU and an Apple Vision Pro and want to try it, you can find the Clear XR visionOS client on Apple’s TestFlight system, and the Windows PC server app on GitHub.
Chris Down has posted a
detailed look at how the kernel’s zswap and zram subsystems work — and
how they differ.
Most people think of zswap and zram simply as two different
flavours of the same thing: compressed swap. At a surface level,
that’s correct – both compress pages that would otherwise end up on
disk – but they make fundamentally different bets about how the
kernel should handle memory pressure, and picking the wrong one for
your situation can actively make things worse than having no swap
at all
The Krita project has announced
the release of Krita 5.3.0 and 6.0.0:
Krita 5.3/6.0 is the result of many years of work by the Krita
developers. Some features have been rewritten from the ground up,
others make their first appearance.
Enjoy the completely new text feature: on canvas editing, full
opentype support, text flowing into shapes. It is now easier than ever
to create vector-based panels for comic pages. Tools got extended: for
instance, the fill tool now can close gaps. The liquify mode of the
transform tool is much faster. There are new filters: a propagate
colors filter and a reset transparent filter. Support for HDR painting
has been improved. The recorder docker can now work in real
time. There is improved support for file formats, like support for
text objects in PSD files. And much, much, much more!
According to the announcement, the versions are almost functionally
identical. However, the 6.0.0 release is the first based on Qt 6;
it has more Wayland functionality but is considered experimental. It
cautions that users should stick to 5.3.0 for real work. See
the release
notes for a full list of changes.
