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If you're reading this, you're looking for a little help playing Strands, the New York Times' elevated word-search game.

Strands requires the player to perform a twist on the classic word search. Words can be made from linked letters — up, down, left, right, or diagonal, but words can also change direction, resulting in quirky shapes and patterns. Every single letter in the grid will be part of an answer. There's always a theme linking every solution, along with the "spangram," a special, word or phrase that sums up that day's theme, and spans the entire grid horizontally or vertically.

SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Play games on Mashable

By providing an opaque hint and not providing the word list, Strands creates a brain-teasing game that takes a little longer to play than its other games, like Wordle and Connections.

If you're feeling stuck or just don't have 10 or more minutes to figure out today's puzzle, we've got all the NYT Strands hints for today's puzzle you need to progress at your preferrined pace.

SEE ALSO: Wordle today: Answer, hints for April 30 SEE ALSO: NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for April 30 NYT Strands hint for today’s theme: Best in class

The words are popular superlatives in high school.

Today’s NYT Strands theme plainly explained

These words are superlative categories given to students.

NYT Strands spangram hint: Is it vertical or horizontal?

Today's NYT Strands spangram is vertical.

NYT Strands spangram answer today

Today's spangram is Yearbook.

Featured Video For You Strands 101: How to win NYT’s latest word game NYT Strands word list for April 30

• Athlete

• Dressed

• Hair

• Friends

• Yearbook

• Eyes

• Smike

• Couple

Looking for other daily online games? Mashable's Games page has more hints, and if you're looking for more puzzles, Mashable's got games now!

Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.

Not the day you're after? Here's the solution to yesterday's Strands.

Well, that was fast. Just two days after Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai said Waymo is considering selling robotaxis to individuals one day, the company signed a deal with Toyota that could make this a reality.

In a joint press release, Waymo and Toyota said they've reached a "preliminary agreement" to "explore a collaboration focused on accelerating the development and deployment of autonomous driving technologies."

The two companies plan to develop a new autonomous vehicle platform, and are looking to build the next-generation of personally owned vehicles. "The scope of the collaboration will continue to evolve through ongoing discussions," the press release says.

While all that sounds very tentative, it boils down to this: Waymo has the self-driving tech, and Toyota has the cars. Sometime down the line, the two companies might start selling Toyota-built cars with Waymo's autonomous driving technology to end users.

Waymo's current fleet of robotaxis, operating in the San Francisco Bay Area, Los Angeles, Phoenix, and Austin, consists of Jaguar I-Pace vehicles fitted with a lot additional cameras, ultrasonic sensors, and LIDAR sensors. Waymo does not build or sell cars to individual users; Toyota, on the other hand, is the world's largest automaker, known for its reliable cars sold under the Toyota and Lexus brands.

It's unclear (and probably too early to tell) whether the two companies will launch a car under an entirely new brand, or if it will it be a smarter Toyota. For now, it appears that Waymo will incorporate some Toyotas into its fleet and lend some of its self-driving tech to Toyota cars.

"We look forward to exploring this strategic partnership, incorporating their vehicles into our ride-hailing fleet and bringing the magic of Waymo's autonomous driving technology to Toyota customers," said Waymo co-CEO Takedra Mawakana, in a statement.

SEE ALSO: Tesla has launched a robotaxi service, but only for employees

The two companies better hurry up with their plans, because Tesla is planning to start selling robotaxis to customers soon. The company is currently testing an autonomous ride-hailing service in Austin and the San Francisco Bay area, with plans to start producing the fully autonomous Cybercab vehicle in 2026.

TL;DR: Replace your monthly Dropbox subscription with a 10TB Internxt Cloud Storage Lifetime Plan on sale for $279.99 with code STORAGE20.

Opens in a new window Credit: Internxt Internxt Cloud Storage Lifetime Subscription: 10TB Plan $279.99
$2,999 Save $2,719.01 with code STORAGE20 Get Deal

Cloud storage subscriptions are expensive, even if they don't seem like it at first. Dropbox's cheapest plan is $9.99 per month for 2TB of cloud storage. It seems cheap, but that's a little under $120 every year, and you're never actually done paying for it. 

If you want a cheaper alternative to Dropbox, Internxt just dropped the price for a 10TB cloud storage lifetime subscription. Now it's only $279.99 with code STORAGE20. 

Pay once for a lifetime of cloud storage

Space isn't the only thing this cloud storage has going for it. Internxt is committed to keeping your data safe. That's why they use end-to-end encryption to secure files during transfer and at rest. Its zero-knowledge architecture means that files are encrypted in a way that Internxt itself cannot access. You're the only one who has access to your files.

You don't even have to manually upload. You can sync all your files and photos across platforms, even Linux. This focus on privacy even extends to its open-source design, so users can inspect the code for transparency and security.

This subscription lasts for life with no recurring payments of any kind. You can access your cloud storage on unlimited devices, too. 

Use code STORAGE20 to get an Internxt 10TB Cloud Storage Lifetime Subscription on sale for $279.99. 

StackSocial prices subject to change.

TL;DR: Live stream Barcelona vs. Inter Milan in the Champions League for free on RTÉ Player. Access this free streaming platform from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

The Champions League semi finals are set, with Barcelona taking on Inter Milan for a place in the final. Barcelona have been flying recently, and come into this huge game on the back of winning the Copa del Rey against rivals Real Madrid.

Inter Milan will look to make life difficult for Barcelona's attacking stars. Can the likes of Lamine Yamal find a way through Inter Milan's impressive defense?

If you want to watch Barcelona vs. Inter Milan in the Champions League from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.

When is Barcelona vs. Inter Milan?

Barcelona vs. Inter Milan in the Champions League kicks off at 8 p.m. BST on April 30. This fixture takes place at the Lluís Companys Olympic Stadium.

How to watch Barcelona vs. Inter Milan for free

Barcelona vs. Inter Milan is available to live stream for free on RTÉ Player.

RTÉ Player is geo-restricted to Ireland, but anyone can access this free streaming platform with a VPN. These tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in Ireland, meaning you can unblock RTÉ Player to stream the Champions League for free from anywhere in the world.

Live stream Barcelona vs. Inter Milan for free by following these simple steps:

1. Subscribe to a streaming-friendly VPN (like ExpressVPN)

2. Download the app to your device of choice (the best VPNs have apps for Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Linux, and more)

3. Open up the app and connect to a server in Ireland

4. Visit RTÉ Player

5. Watch Barcelona vs. Inter Milan for free from anywhere in the world

Opens in a new window Credit: ExpressVPN ExpressVPN (2-Year Subscription + 4 Months Free) $139 only at ExpressVPN (with money-back guarantee) Get Deal

The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but most do offer free-trials or money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can access free live streams of the Champions League without actually spending anything. This obviously isn't a long-term solution, but it does give you enough time to stream Barcelona vs. Inter Milan (plus more Champions League fixtures) before recovering your investment.

What is the best VPN for RTÉ Player?

ExpressVPN is the best choice for bypassing geo-restrictions to stream live sport on RTÉ Player, for a number of reasons:

• Servers in 105 countries including Ireland

• Easy-to-use app available on all major devices including iPhone, Android, Windows, Mac, and more

• Strict no-logging policy so your data is secure

• Fast connection speeds free from throttling

• Up to eight simultaneous connections

• 30-day money-back guarantee

A two-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $139 and includes an extra four months for free — 61% off for a limited time. This plan includes a year of free unlimited cloud backup and a generous 30-day money-back guarantee.

Live stream Barcelona vs. Inter Milan in the Champions League for free with ExpressVPN.

This content originally appeared on Mashable for a US audience and has been adapted for the UK audience.

Watching TV is an all-timer hobby. Who doesn't love a good binge in front of the box? There's nothing better than a night on the sofa with your latest Netflix obsession.

But there are distractions everywhere — even in your home — which can interrupt your TV enjoyment. On the flip side of that, you might have housemates who get disturbed by your late night bingeing. Or perhaps you're hearing impaired and need some help listening to dialogue? If any of those sound familiar, we recommend investing in a good pair of headphones for watching TV.

Wireless headphones will make it easier to fully immerse into a show or movie — and without bothering people around you. If you need help choosing the best pair for you, here's some useful information and a selection of the best headset options.

Do you need headphones for watching TV?

Reasons for having headphones for the TV can vary. As we've already outlined, viewers may be hard of hearing, or may live in busy households. But, not only that, in this day and age of everyone having different devices — often in the same room — it just makes sense to have good headphones. Even if you're not using them all the time. And, hey, there's always the option of getting a pair that double up for TV and everyday use.

What makes headphones good for watching TV?

Sound is important when you’re buying any pair of headphones, but if you’re buying specifically for watching TV, you'll need to consider the sort of things you’ll be watching. Will you need heavy bass for the rumbling carnage of action movies? Or nuanced detail for quieter, emotionally-charged moments? Or maybe all-round, un-fussy performance for casually watching sport and comedy? Also consider headphones with noise cancelling technology. And wireless headphones are probably best — if you’re relaxing in front of the TV, you don’t want to actually be wired into it. In fact, check out the wireless range too, in case you like to move around your home while you're still connected to the TV audio.

What’s best, Bluetooth or radio frequency technology?

Most wireless headphones are Bluetooth-enabled. Bluetooth is now the standard technology for syncing your headphones to a smart device. While Bluetooth is a good option for podcasts or music on your smartphone or laptop, it's not necessarily the best tech for wirelessly watching TV. Bluetooth sometimes creates a lag between the action on-screen and the sound in your headphones, which puts the picture and audio slightly out of sync. Believe it or not, headphones that use old school radio frequency technology (RF) are sometimes better for watching TV because lag or latency is almost non-existent, ensuring that the picture and audio are virtually seamless. This doesn’t mean there are no good Bluetooth options out there — there are great Bluetooth headphones that use codecs but minimise latency — but it's something to consider.

What are Bluetooth codecs?

If you do want to buy a Bluetooth-enabled set of headphones, check out which codecs they support. These encode and decode digital audio signals. Codecs decode at a specific bitrate, which determines whether the headphones have a high or low latency (AKA lag), which is measured in milliseconds. High latency means your picture and sound may be out of sync. Look out for headphones with low latency that support Qaulcomm’s aptX codecs, such as aptX Adaptive, which are generally rated as the best codecs for streaming video content or hooking up to a TV.

Do you need noise cancelling headphones to watch TV?

Ultimately, it’s down to personal preference (or how noisy your home is!) but if you want to totally immerse yourself in a movie or show, noise cancelling headphones will shut you off from the outside world and put you right at the middle of the action. There are two kinds of noise cancellation — passive and active. Passive noise cancellation is achieved by the build of the headphones, which physically blocks out noise. Active noise cancellation (ANC) uses a system of small microphones that pick up incoming sounds and create anti-noise sound waves to cancel them out.

What are the best headphones for watching TV?

If that seems like a lot of information to take in, don’t worry. We've scoured the product listings and online reviews, and we've come up with a list of headphones for watching TV, including devices from top brands such as Sony and Sennheiser. There's something for everyone and every budget. Take your time to consider everything on the list and weigh up these choices against your TV watching habits.

These are the best wireless headphones for watching TV in 2025.

Connections: Sports Edition is a new version of the popular New York Times word game that seeks to test the knowledge of sports fans.

Like the original Connections, the game is all about finding the "common threads between words." And just like Wordle, Connections resets after midnight and each new set of words gets trickier and trickier—so we've served up some hints and tips to get you over the hurdle.

If you just want to be told today's puzzle, you can jump to the end of this article for the latest Connections solution. But if you'd rather solve it yourself, keep reading for some clues, tips, and strategies to assist you.

SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Play games on Mashable What is Connections Sports Edition?

The NYT's latest daily word game has launched in association with The Athletic, the New York Times property that provides the publication's sports coverage. Connections can be played on both web browsers and mobile devices and require players to group four words that share something in common.

This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.

Each puzzle features 16 words and each grouping of words is split into four categories. These sets could comprise of anything from book titles, software, country names, etc. Even though multiple words will seem like they fit together, there's only one correct answer.

If a player gets all four words in a set correct, those words are removed from the board. Guess wrong and it counts as a mistake—players get up to four mistakes until the game ends.

This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.

Players can also rearrange and shuffle the board to make spotting connections easier. Additionally, each group is color-coded with yellow being the easiest, followed by green, blue, and purple. Like Wordle, you can share the results with your friends on social media.

Here's a hint for today's Connections Sports Edition categories

Want a hint about the categories without being told the categories? Then give these a try:

• Yellow: Next in line

• Green: Seen in Foot Locker

• Blue: Played in the Windy City

• Purple: Football teams

Featured Video For You Connections: How to play and how to win Here are today's Connections Sports Edition categories

Need a little extra help? Today's connections fall into the following categories:

• Yellow: Second string

• Green: Sneaker brands

• Blue: Chicago sports greats

• Purple: Anagrams of NFL teams

Looking for Wordle today? Here's the answer to today's Wordle.

Ready for the answers? This is your last chance to turn back and solve today's puzzle before we reveal the solutions.

Drumroll, please!

The solution to today's Connections Sports Edition #219 is...

What is the answer to Connections Sports Edition today

• Second string - BACKUP, FILL-IN, RESERVE, SUB

• Sneaker brands - NEW BALANCE, NIKE, PUMA, REEBOK

• Chicago sports greats - BANKS, JORDAN, MIKITA, PAYTON

• Anagrams of NFL teams- JEST, MARS, REPACKS, SABRE

Don't feel down if you didn't manage to guess it this time. There will be new Connections for you to stretch your brain with tomorrow, and we'll be back again to guide you with more helpful hints.

Are you also playing NYT Strands? See hints and answers for today's Strands.

If you're looking for more puzzles, Mashable's got games now! Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.

Not the day you're after? Here's the solution to yesterday's Connections.

Connections is the one of the most popular New York Times word games that's captured the public's attention. The game is all about finding the "common threads between words." And just like Wordle, Connections resets after midnight and each new set of words gets trickier and trickier—so we've served up some hints and tips to get you over the hurdle.

If you just want to be told today's puzzle, you can jump to the end of this article for today's Connections solution. But if you'd rather solve it yourself, keep reading for some clues, tips, and strategies to assist you.

SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Play games on Mashable What is Connections?

The NYT's latest daily word game has become a social media hit. The Times credits associate puzzle editor Wyna Liu with helping to create the new word game and bringing it to the publications' Games section. Connections can be played on both web browsers and mobile devices and require players to group four words that share something in common.

This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.

Each puzzle features 16 words and each grouping of words is split into four categories. These sets could comprise of anything from book titles, software, country names, etc. Even though multiple words will seem like they fit together, there's only one correct answer.

If a player gets all four words in a set correct, those words are removed from the board. Guess wrong and it counts as a mistake—players get up to four mistakes until the game ends.

This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.

Players can also rearrange and shuffle the board to make spotting connections easier. Additionally, each group is color-coded with yellow being the easiest, followed by green, blue, and purple. Like Wordle, you can share the results with your friends on social media.

SEE ALSO: NYT's The Mini crossword answers for April 30 Here's a hint for today's Connections categories

Want a hint about the categories without being told the categories? Then give these a try:

• Yellow: Worn on your feet

• Green: An arrangement

• Blue: Recognition or distinction

• Purple: Feelings of disgust

Featured Video For You Connections: How to play and how to win Here are today's Connections categories

Need a little extra help? Today's connections fall into the following categories:

• Yellow: Parts of a shoe

• Green: Accommodation

• Blue: Reputation

• Purple: Ending with synonyms for "Yuck"

Looking for Wordle today? Here's the answer to today's Wordle.

Ready for the answers? This is your last chance to turn back and solve today's puzzle before we reveal the solutions.

Drumroll, please!

The solution to today's Connections #689 is...

What is the answer to Connections today

• Parts of a shoe: HEEL, SOLE, TONGUE, UPPER

• Accommodation: CAPACITY, CHAIRS, ROOM, SEATING

• Reputation: FACE, IMAGE, REGARD, STANDING

• Ending with synonyms for "Yuck": DYNASTY, ENGROSS, GIMMICK, MILDEW

Don't feel down if you didn't manage to guess it this time. There will be new Connections for you to stretch your brain with tomorrow, and we'll be back again to guide you with more helpful hints.

SEE ALSO: NYT Connections Sports Edition today: Hints and answers for April 30

Are you also playing NYT Strands? See hints and answers for today's Strands.

If you're looking for more puzzles, Mashable's got games now! Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.

Not the day you're after? Here's the solution to yesterday's Connections.

Oh hey there! If you're here, it must be time for Wordle. As always, we're serving up our daily hints and tips to help you figure out today's answer.

If you just want to be told today's word, you can jump to the bottom of this article for today's Wordle solution revealed. But if you'd rather solve it yourself, keep reading for some clues, tips, and strategies to assist you.

SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Play games on Mashable SEE ALSO: NYT Connections today: Hints and answers for April 30 Where did Wordle come from?

Originally created by engineer Josh Wardle as a gift for his partner, Wordle rapidly spread to become an international phenomenon, with thousands of people around the globe playing every day. Alternate Wordle versions created by fans also sprang up, including battle royale Squabble, music identification game Heardle, and variations like Dordle and Quordle that make you guess multiple words at once. 

Wordle eventually became so popular that it was purchased by the New York Times, and TikTok creators even livestream themselves playing.

What's the best Wordle starting word?

The best Wordle starting word is the one that speaks to you. But if you prefer to be strategic in your approach, we have a few ideas to help you pick a word that might help you find the solution faster. One tip is to select a word that includes at least two different vowels, plus some common consonants like S, T, R, or N.

What happened to the Wordle archive?

The entire archive of past Wordle puzzles was originally available for anyone to enjoy whenever they felt like it, but it was later taken down, with the website's creator stating it was done at the request of the New York Times. However, the New York Times then rolled out its own Wordle Archive, available only to NYT Games subscribers.

Is Wordle getting harder?

It might feel like Wordle is getting harder, but it actually isn't any more difficult than when it first began. You can turn on Wordle's Hard Mode if you're after more of a challenge, though.

SEE ALSO: NYT's The Mini crossword answers for April 30, 2025 Here's a subtle hint for today's Wordle answer:

A lazy person.

Does today's Wordle answer have a double letter?

There are no recurring letters.

Today's Wordle is a 5-letter word that starts with...

Today's Wordle starts with the letter I.

SEE ALSO: Wordle-obsessed? These are the best word games to play IRL. The Wordle answer today is...

Get your last guesses in now, because it's your final chance to solve today's Wordle before we reveal the solution.

Drumroll please!

The solution to today's Wordle is...

IDLER.

Don't feel down if you didn't manage to guess it this time. There will be a new Wordle for you to stretch your brain with tomorrow, and we'll be back again to guide you with more helpful hints.

Are you also playing NYT Strands? See hints and answers for today's Strands.

SEE ALSO: NYT Connections Sports Edition today: Hints and answers for April 30

Reporting by Chance Townsend, Caitlin Welsh, Sam Haysom, Amanda Yeo, Shannon Connellan, Cecily Mauran, Mike Pearl, and Adam Rosenberg contributed to this article.

If you're looking for more puzzles, Mashable's got games now! Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.

Not the day you're after? Here's the solution to yesterday's Wordle.

If you like playing daily word games like Wordle, then Hurdle is a great game to add to your routine.

There are five rounds to the game. The first round sees you trying to guess the word, with correct, misplaced, and incorrect letters shown in each guess. If you guess the correct answer, it'll take you to the next hurdle, providing the answer to the last hurdle as your first guess. This can give you several clues or none, depending on the words. For the final hurdle, every correct answer from previous hurdles is shown, with correct and misplaced letters clearly shown.

An important note is that the number of times a letter is highlighted from previous guesses does necessarily indicate the number of times that letter appears in the final hurdle.

If you find yourself stuck at any step of today's Hurdle, don't worry! We have you covered.

SEE ALSO: Hurdle: Everything you need to know to find the answers Hurdle Word 1 hint

What you do to coffee beans.

SEE ALSO: Apple’s new M3 MacBook Air is $300 off at Amazon. And yes, I’m tempted. Hurdle Word 1 answer

GRIND

Hurdle Word 2 hint

A nook.

SEE ALSO: Wordle today: Answer, hints for April 30, 2025 Hurdle Word 2 Answer

NICHE

Hurdle Word 3 hint

The opposite of south.

SEE ALSO: NYT Connections Sports Edition today: Hints and answers for April 30 SEE ALSO: NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for April 30, 2025 Hurdle Word 3 answer

NORTH

Hurdle Word 4 hint

A state of matter.

SEE ALSO: NYT Strands hints, answers for April 29 Hurdle Word 4 answer

SOLID

Final Hurdle hint

An animal that moves slowly.

SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Games available on Mashable Hurdle Word 5 answer

SLOTH

If you're looking for more puzzles, Mashable's got games now! Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.

Tonight at LlamaCon, Meta's first inaugural AI developer conference, an interview between Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg and Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella revealed just how much of their products' code is written by AI.

During the closing keynote for LlamaCon, Zuckerberg asked Nadella how much code within Microsoft is now written by AI. Nadella's response? "Maybe 20 to 30 percent of the code that is inside of our repos today, and some of our projects, are probably all written by [AI] software."

But when Nadella flipped the question back to Zuckerberg, his estimate for Meta's near future was even higher. Zuckerberg said he didn't have the current numbers off the top of his head, but that "our bet is sort of that in the next year... maybe half the development is going to be done by AI as opposed to people, and that will kind of increase from there." Based on the exchange, it's not entirely clear if Zuckerberg was referring to Llama specifically or Meta overall.

Regardless, that sounds like a big number for a technology that still feels very nascent to the public at large. However, in the tech world, the impressive coding abilities of AI models are being aggressively utilized to generate new code for those same AI models.

For context, Google CEO Sundar Pichai recently revealed that AI generates about a quarter of the company's code (per Engadget). Typically, AI is used to increase human programmers' productivity, sometimes dramatically so, rather than replacing humans entirely.

Later, as the conversation turned towards agentic systems automating more of their respective businesses, Zuckerberg predicted "every engineer is effectively gonna end up being more of like a tech lead" where they each have "their own little army of agents that they work with."

The keynote spanned from the technical, like the current state of agentic AI, to the philosophical, when Nadella called for new ways of measuring AI progress. For instance, he wondered what it would take for AI technology to grow the GDP of the developing world by 10 percent?

SEE ALSO: Meta has finally launched its ChatGPT competitor

As two of the most powerful tech leaders in the world, Zuckerberg and Nadella have strong beliefs in AI's potential and big, global plans to see them through.

Nadella was an interesting choice as the interviewee of the LlamaCon keynote. As the leader of Microsoft, Nadella is heavily intertwined with OpenAI, one of Meta's chief rivals.

Disclosure: Ziff Davis, Mashable’s parent company, in April filed a lawsuit against OpenAI, alleging it infringed Ziff Davis copyrights in training and operating its AI systems.

Dazhon Darien, 32, who worked at Pikesville High School in Baltimore County, pleaded guilty to disturbing school operations.

It's no secret that Mario Kart World is the main reason to get a Nintendo Switch 2 at launch. I even got to play it myself at the Nintendo launch event. But what else will you be able to play if/when you get bored of that game?

Luckily, Nintendo has an extensive list of Switch 2 launch titles available to play on June 5. As is usually the case with new consoles, many of them are ports of older games. However, in this instance, that's not such a bad thing; there are plenty of people out there who only had a Nintendo Switch, meaning they may have missed out big games like Cyberpunk 2077.

Assuming you've got your Switch 2 preorder on deck, here are five of the best Nintendo Switch 2 launch titles to keep in mind ahead of June 5 — besides Mario Kart World.

Opens in a new window Credit: Nintendo Mario Kart World $79.99 at Target
Release Date: June 5, 2025 Pre-order Here The Nintendo Switch 2 launch titles I can't wait to play

Again, a few of these games already came out elsewhere, but they might still be new to Nintendo fans.

Fast Fusion Looks fast. Credit: Shin'en/Nintendo

One of the best latter-day Wii U games was a little futuristic racer called Fast Racing Neo. This, in turn, became one of the best Switch 1 launch titles, in an upgraded form called Fast RMX. Now, developer Shin'en is back with a long-awaited sequel that promises new ideas with the same technical excellence as its predecessors.

Shin'en hasn't said much about Fast Fusion yet, other than that it will be out at launch and will only cost $14.99, making it the anti-Mario Kart in one way. But it looks the part of a futuristic arcade-style racing game with a sharp sense of speed, gorgeous visuals, split-screen and online multiplayer, and a unique car fusion system that should set it apart from the competition. And again, it's just $15.

Opens in a new window Credit: Nintendo Fast Fusion (digital) $14.99 at Nintendo
Release Date: June 5, 2025 Pre-order Here Yakuza 0 Director's Cut Expect a lot of this. Credit: Sega/Nintendo

The first port of an old game on this list can be traced all the way back to the PlayStation 3. Yakuza 0 has been around the block a few times, just never on a Nintendo platform before. Let me tell you, if you're a person who sticks close to Nintendo and hasn't played this one yet: Make it a priority.

The Switch 2 version adds some bonuses, like new English voice acting and a weird-looking multiplayer fighting mode, but Yakuza 0 could've been ported as-is, and that would've been fine. It's an oddball action-adventure game set in a highly period-accurate version of urban, red-light district Japan in the late 1980s. Aside from the very fun and very violent combat, it's also got interactive karaoke, mahjong, and all kinds of other cultural delights for you to take part in on the side.

Yakuza 0 also has a terrific story with two excellent protagonists. If you've ever been curious about the long-running Yakuza series, this is the best place to start.

Opens in a new window Credit: Nintendo Yakuza 0 Director's Cut $49.94 at Amazon
Release Date: June 5, 2025 Pre-order Here Cyberpunk 2077: Ultimate Edition All the Keanu your Switch 2 can handle. Credit: CD Projekt Red/Nintendo

The Switch 2 port of Cyberpunk 2077 might be a good litmus test for what the Switch 2 is capable of on a technical level, and that alone makes it compelling, at least to me.

This game famously had to be pulled from the PlayStation store after launch in 2020 because the PS4 version was so terrible, and the Switch 2 is about as powerful as a PS4. Developer CD Projekt Red has had years to sort Cyberpunk out, though, and the game is genuinely in an excellent state these days. Between that and the highly impressive Switch 1 port of The Witcher 3, it's easy to see a world where a lot of people experience Cyberpunk for the first time on Switch 2 and have a perfectly decent time doing so.

Opens in a new window Credit: CD Projekt Red Cyberpunk 2077: Ultimate Edition $69.99 at Amazon
Release Date: June 5, 2025 Pre-order Here Deltarune 'Deltarune' sorta defies explanation. Credit: 8-4/Nintendo

In 2015, indie developer Toby Fox broke the internet with a humble little pixel-based RPG called Undertale. Since then, Fox has been following up on Undertale with Deltarune, an expanded successor with different combat and an episodic release format, but the same off-beat sense of humor and catchy musical direction.

The first two chapters of Deltarune have been out for a while, but chapters 3 and 4 (in a package that includes all of them) are shipping at launch with Switch 2. If you've already been committed to the Deltarune train, why not continue on Switch 2? If not, maybe this is a good place to start, too. These are games that need to be experienced to be understood.

Opens in a new window Credit: Nintendo Deltarune $24.99 at Nintendo
Release Date: June 5, 2025 Pre-order Here Kunitsu-Gami: Path of the Goddess One of 2024's most underrated games comes to Switch 2. Credit: Capcom/Nintendo

Our last game is another port, though the original only came out in 2024 and sorta fell under the radar on other consoles.

Kunitsu-Gami: Path of the Goddess is a bit of a weird one. It's kind of a third-person hack-and-slash action game, but also kind of a strategic tower defense game. In totality, it's very unique, cool to look at, and fun to play. Capcom has a bit of an under-discussed banger here, so maybe the Switch 2 launch can be a good way for people who missed Kunitsu-Gami the first time around to catch it now.

Opens in a new window Credit: Nintendo Kunitsu-Gami: Path of the Goddess $39.99 at Nintendo
Release Date: June 5, 2025 Pre-order Here Honorable Mention: Donkey Kong Bonanza

If none of these games are enough to whet your appetite, Donkey Kong Bananza is a non-launch Switch 2 title to look out for. DK's first starring role in a 3D platformer in 25 years comes alongside a brand new character design for one of Nintendo's oldest heroes, as well as a funky terrain destruction system that lets players destroy the entire level to get where they're trying to go. You'll have to wait a bit for it, but not long, as Bananza is out July 17.

Opens in a new window Credit: Nintendo Donkey Kong Bananza $69.99 at Target
Release Date: July 17, 2025 Pre-order Here Where to preorder Nintendo Switch 2 games

Most retailers are offering Nintendo Switch 2 games for preorder, so your first stop for picking up a new title is one of these retailers. Below, find links to each online storefront where you can shop a repository of Switch 2 games available right now.

• Amazon

• Target

• Walmart

• GameStop

• Best Buy

More Switch 2 games available for preorder

• Kirby and the Forgotten Land + Star Crossed World

• The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild (Switch 2 Edition)

• Street Fighter 6 Years 1-2 Fighters Edition

• Cyberpunk 2077: Ultimate Edition

• Sonic X Shadow Generations

• Bravely Default Flying Fairy HD

• Super Mario Party Jamboree

• Rune Factory: Guardians of Azuma

• Daemon X Machina: Titanic Scion

• Puyo Puyo Tetris 2S

• Story of Seasons: Grand Bazaar

• Raidou Remastered: The Mystery of the Soulless Army

• No Sleep For Kaname Date - From AI: THE SOMNIUM FILES Aiba Edition

• Yakuza 0: Director's Cut

ChatGPT — and generative AI tools like it — have long had a reputation for being a bit too agreeable. It's been clear for a while now that the default ChatGPT experience is designed to nod along with most of what you say. But even that tendency can go too far, apparently.

In a thread on X posted on April 27, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman acknowledged that "GPT-4o updates have made the personality too sycophant-y and annoying." And today, Altman announced on X that the company was fully rolling back the 4o update for paid and free users alike.

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Normally, ChatGPT’s role as your own personal digital hypeman doesn't raise too many eyebrows. But users have started complaining online about the 4o model's overly agreeable personality. In one exchange, a user ran through the classic trolley problem, choosing between saving a toaster or some cows and cats. The AI reassured them they’d made the right call by siding with the toaster.

"In pure utilitarian terms, life usually outweighs objects," ChatGPT responded. "But if the toaster meant more to you… then your action was internally consistent."

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There are plenty more examples showing just how extreme ChatGPT’s sycophancy had gotten — and it was enough for Altman to admit that it "glazes too much" and needed to be fixed.

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On a more serious note, users also pointed out that there could be a real danger in AI chatbots that agree with everything you say. Sure, posts about people telling ChatGPT they're a religious prophet or simply fishing for an ego boost can be amusing. But it’s not hard to imagine how a "sycophant-y" chatbot could validate genuine delusions and worsen mental health crises.

In his thread on X, Altman said that the company was working on fixes for the 4o model's personality problems. He promised to share more updates "in the coming days."

Disclosure: Ziff Davis, Mashable’s parent company, in April filed a lawsuit against OpenAI, alleging it infringed Ziff Davis copyrights in training and operating its AI systems.

X's user base in the European Union is now officially lower than it was prior to Elon Musk's acquisition of the company.

And that's according to a new report from Elon Musk's X (formerly Twitter, but you knew that). The social media platform now has a total of 94.8 million monthly active users in the EU.

That's a loss of roughly 11 million European users from X's previous transparency report, as highlighted by Social Media Today.

Mashable previously reported on X's declining user base in the EU last fall. Now, we know that X's European user base has continued to drop. In 2022, before Musk acquired the social media platform, the company had more than 100 million users in Europe.

How do we know X's user base is dropping in the EU?

As part of the EU's Digital Services Act (DSA), tech companies like X are required to provide content moderation transparency reports throughout the year. As a result, X is forced to share internal information, such as its monthly active user base, that it might otherwise keep private.

This week, X published its April DSA transparency report, the first of 2025. The report covers October 2024 through March 2025.

The latest report shows that X's user base in the EU has declined by more than 10.5 percent since its October 2024 report, which covered the previous period between April trough September of that year.

X saw the biggest decline in France with a loss of more than 2.7 million monthly active users, dropping from 20.1 million users to 17.4 million users in between this transparency report and the last. X also lost nearly 2 million users in Poland, close to 1.5 million users in Germany, and more than 1 million users in Spain. As Social Media Today points out, the small countries of Luxembourg and Lithuania each saw a quarter of their X users leave the platform.

X has been shedding users for a while

Last month, Elon Musk's AI company xAI acquired the social media platform at close to the same sum that Musk originally paid for the company in 2022. Since then, Musk and company have attempted to paint a rosy picture of X's performance, which has seen a decline in revenue and repeated controversies since Musk's takeover. 

X did see a jump in traffic and returning advertisers (including big names like Apple) following the election of Donald Trump last November. However, X's traffic spike following the 2024 election proved to be temporary, and analysts projected that Musk's social media platform would continue to lose users this year.

While X is not required to report active user data outside of the EU, a report in the Financial Times last September looked at third-party analytics and determined that X lost nearly one-fifth of its daily active user base in the U.S. and one-third of its daily active user base in the United Kingdom.

And it makes sense, when you consider the global protests against Tesla, which have resulted in Musk's EV company's profits dropping a whopping 71 percent.

The White House press secretary, Karoline Leavitt, attacked the retail giant over a report that suggested Amazon would highlight tariff-related price increases. Amazon said it was “not going to happen.”

In the thick of Meta’s first-ever AI developer conference, LlamaCon, CEO Mark Zuckerberg hit the launch button on Meta AI — the company’s full-throttle answer to OpenAI’s ChatGPT.

SEE ALSO: Meta's latest dangerous decision: Siding with transphobes

According to Meta’s April 29 press release, the new standalone AI app is built on the company’s latest Llama 4 model. It’s pitched as a hyper-personalized assistant for users already living inside the Meta ecosystem: WhatsApp, Instagram, Facebook — you know the drill. In a choice Instagram video, Zuckerberg, framed in a pair of Meta Ray-Ban glasses, pitched the app as a product built for voice-first conversations.

View this post on Instagram

One standout feature is the Discover feed. It lets you see how your connections use Meta AI, surfacing prompts they’ve tried (with their permission). Meta says you’re in full control over what, if anything, gets shared. Since personalization is at the heart of the experience, it’s worth noting: opting out of having your data scraped to train Meta’s AI is nearly impossible.

The discover feed will also amplify any generative AI trends that pop off. Credit: Meta

The app is also meant to pair with Meta’s Ray-Ban smart glasses. You can kick off a conversation via voice through the glasses, then jump into the app or web interface later to pick up the thread. Other than that, though, the app functions the same as it does on Messenger and IG, just now wrapped in a separate, slick interface accessible from both your phone and desktop.

With LlamaCon underway in California, this standalone launch isn’t just a product drop — it’s a litmus test. Meta needs to show investors and developers that its AI ambitions are alive and accelerating. Back in January, Zuckerberg committed a staggering $60 billion to U.S.-based data centers to power Meta AI.

The launch could also be the nudge OpenAI needs to hit the gas on its own social-facing ChatGPT app. CEO Sam Altman joked about the idea months ago, when Meta first teased its standalone AI app. Now, signs point to OpenAI quietly building something that might make that joke a reality.

In the mood for a magic trick? Then check out the trailer for Lionsgate's Now You See Me: Now You Don't, the third film in the Now You See Me franchise. And guess what? A fourth is already on the way.

SEE ALSO: Summer Movie Preview: What's coming to theaters and streaming?

Now You See Me: Now You Don't reunites the team of thieving magicians known as the Four Horsemen: J. Daniel Atlas (Jesse Eisenberg), Jack Wilder (Dave Franco), Henley Reeves (Isla Fisher), and Merritt McKinney (Woody Harrelson). But they're not alone.

On the advice of a magical tarot card, Atlas has recruited three young magicians to aid him in his next heist, played by Barbie's Ariana Greenblatt, The Holdovers' Dominic Sessa, and I Saw the TV Glow's Justice Smith. Their mission? To take down a criminal family syndicate, led by Rosamund Pike in a villainous role.

Zombieland director Ruben Fleischer helms Now You See Me: Now You Don't, which also sees Morgan Freeman returning as master magician Thaddeus Bradley.

"Eight magicians against a worldwide criminal network. I like our chances," Greenblatt's character says.

Notably missing from the trailer is Mark Ruffalo as Dylan Rhodes, but maybe we just don't see him yet, you know?

Check out the trailer above for more dazzling escapes and sleight of hand, including body swaps, dress changes, and classic card tricks.

Now You See Me: Now You Don't hits theaters Nov. 14.

Maybe you’ve noticed: Siri doesn’t quite sound like Siri anymore.

It’s not the most dramatic shift. Rather, it's a different lilt to its tone or a slight tonal drift. However, it's just enough to make you pause and ask, "Hey, Siri, did your voice change?"

Occasionally, Google search trends light up with people wondering whether Siri's voice is different — or, rather, whether the voice assistant's many voices are different. Maybe we’re all just spiraling into collective audio gaslighting.

Reddit Reddit Reddit Reddit

Across the internet, users are reporting that Siri’s voice has turned flat, unnatural, stern, and oddly disengaged. Gone is the upbeat, more conversational tone we’re used to. The shift seems to hit hardest with the Australian, Irish, and American voices. So, what’s going on?

There’s no need to panic. The wave of online chatter that kicked off in December points back to one culprit: the iOS 18 update and its new Apple Intelligence features. That subtle tonal shift you’re picking up on? It’s likely tied to how Siri now operates with the latest software updates.

With the iPhone 16 and iOS 18 rollout, Apple quietly tweaked Siri’s voice and natural language processing, particularly in how it meshes with the newly introduced Apple Intelligence. At the time, Apple called it "The start of a new era for Siri." And in the iOS 18 release notes, Apple said, "Siri sounds more natural, expressive, and clear, and is now synthesized entirely on device by Apple Intelligence new language models."

Of course, how Siri's new voice sounds to your ear is very subjective.

As one user put it in a December 2024 Apple Support Community forum thread, "Managed to get original Siri back by disabling Apple intelligence. Will happily go without AI," said user VRBe. Another user replied, "Yep, that worked. I disabled Apple Intelligence, and Siri’s voice is back to the way it was pre iOS 18. I’ll use Apple Intelligence, as soon as you put the voice back to the way it was."

Digging deeper into that thread, two additional users noted that disabling Apple Intelligence (yes, it’s opt-out) brings back the pre-iOS 18 version of Siri’s voice. The December iOS 18.2 update may have also reset Siri’s voice to its default setting: American, Voice 1.

Credit: Screenshot courtesy of Apple Support Community

To shut off Apple Intelligence, head to Settings > Apple Intelligence & Siri > and toggle off Apple Intelligence. Simple as that. Mashable reached out to Apple for clarification on the changes to Siri's voice, but as of now, there has been no official word. In the meantime, that toggle might be your best bet.

Congress has passed a bill that forces tech companies to take action against certain deepfakes and revenge porn posted on their platforms.

In a 409-2 vote on Monday, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the "Take It Down" Act, which has received bipartisan support. The bill also received vocal support from celebrities and First Lady Melania Trump. The bill already passed the Senate in a vote last month.

The Take It Down Act will now be sent to President Donald Trump, who is expected to sign it into law.

First introduced by Republican Senator Ted Cruz and Democratic Senator Amy Klobuchar in 2024, the Take It Down Act would require that tech companies take quick action against nonconsensual intimate imagery. Platforms would be required to remove such content within 48 hours of a takedown request. The Federal Trade Commission could then sue platforms that do not comply with such requests.

In addition to targeting tech platforms, the Take It Down Act also carves out punishments, which include fines and potential jail time, for those who create and share such imagery. The new law would make it a federal crime to publish — or even threaten to publish — explicit nonconsensual images, which would include revenge porn and deepfake imagery generated with AI.

Digital rights groups have shared their concerns regarding the Take It Down Act. Activists have said that the bill could be weaponized to censor legally protected speech, and that legal content could be inaccurately flagged for removal.

Despite these concerns, the Take It Down Act even received support from the tech platforms it seeks to police, such as Snapchat and Roblox.

Congress isn't finished addressing AI and deepfakes this year either. Both the NO FAKES Act of 2025 and Content Origin Protection and Integrity from Edited and Deepfaked Media Act of 2025 have also been introduced this session. The former seeks to protect individuals from having their voice replicated by AI without their consent, whereas the latter looks to protect original works and require transparency around AI-generated content.

You might've heard of those scam texts about tolls. Heck, at this point, you've likely gotten a text pretending to be from E-ZPass or some such entity.

We covered these scams at Mashable back in January, and they're back, if they ever left at all. The main points remain the same: Do not click any links and do not engage with potential scammers. If you get a text claiming to be from E-ZPass, FasTrak, or some other toll service, be very skeptical, as this has only become a more pervasive scam.

We've got the latest details to keep you up to date.

What are the E-ZPass and FasTrak scam texts, and how do you spot them?

The E-ZPass toll scam has evolved and shifted over time, but the broad strokes remain the same: a text from a random number claiming you have unpaid tolls or fees, and that you have to remedy that fact or face some sort of consequence. That should immediately ring alarm bells — scammers often want you to feel a sense of urgency in order to keep you from thinking through your actions. Usually, this text leads you to a link, which could be used to gather your personal information.

Here's an example of a recent version posted to Reddit that received a spirited response in the comments.

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Look around online and you'll see lots of folks still posting about the scam texts, some four months after they began surfacing.

Oh no, some guy who calls himself a player is telling me I need to pay my toll

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— yuukasugai.itch.io (@yuukasugai.itch.io) April 23, 2025 at 2:39 PM

This is already coming in handy

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— Craig Calcaterra (@craigcalcaterra.bsky.social) March 26, 2025 at 9:36 AM

Once you're aware of the same, it should be pretty easy to spot. First: Check the sender. At first, these messages often came from a +63 country code, which is for the Philippines. Many of the posts online now indicate the scammers have moved on to random email addresses. Regardless, E-ZPass or other toll services are not sending emails from these sorts of phone numbers or addresses.

Second: Look at the link. DO. NOT. CLICK. THE. LINK. But often the link redirects to an obviously sketchy site.

Third: Know that this is not how E-ZPass, FasTrak, or other toll services operate. They will mail you any bills they owe, and they certainly will not threaten to suspend your driver's license.

What to do if you get an E-ZPass or FasTrak scam text?

Again, let us repeat, if you get a scam text: DO. NOT. CLICK. THE. LINK.

From there, most phones have a delete and report junk option for messages, which is what you should do. If you're concerned that there was a modicum of truth to the text, the Federal Trade Commission recommends contacting your local tolling agency to check if it's legit.

But for the most part, tread carefully with any text from an unknown number. If you have to question if you're being scammed, it's likely a scam.

Have a story to share about a scam or security breach that impacted you? Tell us about it. Email submissions@mashable.com with the subject line "Safety Net" or use this form. Someone from Mashable will get in touch.