Jon Porter

In a blog post announcing new controller-filtering features for Steam, Valve shared data about how popular Sony’s gamepads have gotten. In the past year, 27 percent of controller-based gaming sessions used a PlayStation controller, a 4x increase compared to four years ago. I’ve been using my DualSense with a long-ass USB cable for the lowest input lag and haptic trigger support, but apparently some newer games support the triggers wirelessly.

Counterpoint Research reports that the 27-month dip might be at an end, after October saw the first YoY growth in sell-through volumes since June 2021 thanks to MEA, China, and India. Reasons for the dip included component shortages, lengthening replacement cycles, and an “uncertain macroeconomic environment.”

The ad-free tier is an experimental feature for Snapchat Plus. It’s not clear when the test launched (Android Police spotted that it was available in Norway as of early September), but we noticed it today when user Jonah Manzano posted on Threads about its availability in Australia. It’s being trialed there at a price of $15.99, over double the standard $5.99 monthly cost of Snapchat Plus.

The latest version of WhatsApp’s iOS app (23.24.70) reportedly lets you log into an account by receiving a six-digit code via email. WABetaInfo, which spotted the new feature, notes that email logins aren’t supposed to replace phone numbers, but are meant as an alternative option if your phone’s unavailable.

The EU Court of Justice confirmed that Apple has joined Meta and ByteDance in appealing its designation under the tough new rules. The European Commission labeled three of Apple’s products as “core platform services” in September.

After a Naughty Dog staffer seemed to let slip news of the remaster, Insider Gaming reports on new rumors that it’s on the way. The PS4 game is only three years old and has already received a 60fps PS5 patch, but who can blame Naughty Dog for wanting to have a new release on shelves in time for the TV show’s second season?