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Is FBC: Firebreak meant to be a commentary on the monotony of labor under late-stage capitalism? It's the only conceivable reason why a developer as esteemed and talented as Remedy Entertainment would create something that's so fundamentally miserable to play.

Review info

Platform reviewed: PS5
Available on: PS5, Xbox Series X and Series S, PC
Release date: June 17, 2025

A co-op shooter spin-off set in the weird and wonderful universe of the smash hit Control, FBC: Firebreak seems like it was designed from the ground up to be as frustrating as possible. From its artificially padded progression and small selection of levels to the bland cast of characters and poorly designed player abilities, there's very little to like here.

Sure, everything technically functions and seems to work as intended with minimal bugs, but that’s damning with faint praise when stacked up against the studio’s past line-up of ground-breaking experiences like Alan Wake 2.

Out of control

(Image credit: Remedy)

I booted up FBC: Firebreak feeling optimistic, as its core concept is certainly intriguing.

You play as a Firebreaker, specialized agents in the fictional Federal Bureau of Control (FBC) tasked with venturing into abandoned districts of the bureau’s HQ to contain rogue supernatural forces, in a team with up to two other players.

I absolutely adore the portrayal of the FBC in other Remedy games and was excited to learn more about its inner workings and explore new parts of the Oldest House (the mysterious, shifting brutalist skyscraper where the events of this game and Control take place).

Unfortunately, there’s no story content in FBC: Firebreak. You’re introduced to Hank, the leader of Firebreak, and his assistant Jerry, who exchange short quips as you navigate through the main menus, but that, on top of Hank’s occasional guidance during missions, is all you get.

Worse still, the dialogue is never particularly amusing, and the slapstick tone of these interactions feels a tad out of place. Control was not a massively serious game, but FBC: Firebreak really leans into its comedy to its detriment. It’s a game that seems more like it’s trying to ape Borderlands than actually expand on what made the source material so interesting.

It’s also a shame that the playable characters are all generic, masked goons. You can pick from a handful of distinct player voices, but it’s impossible to become invested in protagonists with no other identifiable characteristics.

Even the game’s unlockable cosmetic items fail to help them stand out. There’s nothing appealing about the prospect of grinding for hours in order to unlock a red helmet that nobody is realistically going to notice in an online lobby.

It’s like the developers knew this too, as unlocking cosmetics is often mandatory in order to reveal new shop pages with more useful items.

Dead end job

(Image credit: Remedy)

This is one of many decisions seemingly made to pad out the game’s runtime, which would otherwise be incredibly short.

There are a total of only five missions, or Jobs as they’re called in-game, with each split into three stages. The first two stages are always very basic, often taking just five or so minutes to clear.

They both feel like pointless filler compared to the third, which offers similar but more substantial objectives and sometimes a big boss fight to top it all off. The first two stages are, of course, mandatory as there would be practically no reason to endure them otherwise.

The missions themselves are at least conceptually interesting, but fail to capitalize on their most unique elements in enjoyable ways. Paper Chase, for example, seems like a slam dunk with the novel idea of offices that have been taken over by swarms of supernatural sticky notes.

Sadly, the mission just boils down to mindlessly shooting surfaces covered in sticky notes as an on-screen number showing the remaining notes ticks down for around fifteen minutes.

Best bit

(Image credit: Remedy)

The hub area is home to your living quarters, a few rooms that can be extensively customized by spending a currency obtained on your travels. Placing objects to make the space your own is quite satisfying. Most can also be interacted with to see unique animations.

During every mission, waves of Hiss, humans possessed by a malevolent entity, beam in around you. I can count the number of unique enemies on one hand, with the same few enemy models popping up endlessly with no variation.

Even with the difficulty cranked all the way up, the pacing of these waves feels off-kilter, too, as there are frequent awkward stretches where there are no enemies on screen.

I would be able to forgive most of this if the guns were actually satisfying to use. They aren’t. Generic appearances and sound effects aside, there are just six to choose from.

Poor balancing means that one, the bolt action rifle, is so terrible that you wouldn’t ever want it in your loadout. The pump action shotgun and revolver, in contrast, are by far the most effective of the bunch so there’s no real reason to ever use anything else.

In crisis

(Image credit: Remedy)

Much of the game’s marketing has focused on the Crisis Kits - the three sets of abilities that you can choose in your mission.

There’s the Splash Kit, granting a water cannon that can wash off annoying environmental effects (of which there are several) or put out fires, the Jump Kit with an electrical device for quickly charging generators, and the Fix Kit which lets you quickly repair broken items by swinging a big wrench around.

You can still accomplish all these tasks without the respective kits, but the interactions take the form of highly repetitive button-mashing that gets old quickly. Every mission has some component that can benefit from a particular kit, so there’s no strategy in which one you pick. Each match has three players, so obviously you just need one of each. There are no real advantages or disadvantages of any of the individual kits, either, so it really is as simple as that.

Each kit can be upgraded up to three times to unlock new secondary and special abilities, including a powerful attack that provides a welcome break from the endless shooting.

However, this only feeds into the biggest issue with FBC: Firebreak: the fact that the first hour is unremittingly awful.

For some reason, you start out with broken gear that’s woefully ineffective. The water cannon, for example, can only blast a few drops of water at a time. Similarly, your firearms deal reduced damage. You have to grind through a game after game in this state until you have the currency required to get everything back in working order, not to mention pick up some of those abilities and some perks to boost your stats.

I don’t understand this decision at all, as it just makes for a horrendous first impression. It’s easy to imagine most players downloading the game, experiencing one or two slogging matches with their artificially weakened gear and abilities, and then just uninstalling it to play something more rewarding.

This, unfortunately, makes it very difficult to recommend FBC: Firebreak in its current state. If you could simply log on and play around with everything right away, it might be able to provide a couple of hours of co-op entertainment before the boredom sets in.

As it stands, you’ll be sick of what's there before even getting to experience its flagship features.

Should I play FBC: Firebreak?

(Image credit: Remedy)Play it if…

You can get it for ‘free’
FBC: Firebreak is part of PS Plus and Xbox Game Pass. If you are already subscribed to one of those services, it might be worth trying to see whether it’s tolerable for you and your friends.

It receives some patches
Some of the biggest problems with FBC: Firebreak could be addressed down the line with patches. If you’re reading this after the game has been out for some time, give it a go to see if things have changed.

Don’t play it if…

You’re expecting lots of lore
FBC: Firebreak contributes very little to the universe of Control and other Remedy games. If you’re a huge fan of the lore, you can safely skip this one.

You don’t have hours to grind
The start of FBC: Firebreak is a frustrating grind. Avoid it unless you have the time to invest in order to get to the less painful parts.View Deal

Accessibility

There is, unfortunately, no dedicated accessibility menu in FBC: Firebreak. The controls can be fully customized on console, though, and there are a number of options that allow you to toggle actions like aiming down sights. The game features subtitles throughout.

How I reviewed FBC: Firebreak

I played almost ten hours of FBC: Firebreak on PS5 and DualSense Wireless Controller in the build-up to launch using a copy provided by Remedy Entertainment.

I experienced every mission that the game has to offer at least once, trying out multiple weapons and each of the Crisis Kits. I played both solo and multiplayer, using the game’s built-in online matchmaking to play with random players, and participated in a few matches with other reviewers.

Throughout my time with the game, I compared my experience with my time in other online first-person shooter games of a similar scope, including Wolfenstein: Youngblood, Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Extraction, and Helldivers 2.

First reviewed June 2025

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• AMD ships Pollara 400 AI NIC for open high-speed AI networking
• Supports Ultra Ethernet standard with RDMA and RCCL for efficient communication
• Future Vulcano 800G AI NIC targets PCIe Gen6 and rack-scale GPU clusters

AMD has begun shipping the Pensando Pollara 400 AI network card, part of the company's push for open, high-speed data center networking.

Designed for PCIe Gen5 systems, the card supports the Ultra Ethernet Consortium (UEC) standard, which aims to transform Ethernet for AI and HPC at scale.

The card offers RDMA support and is optimized for scale-out collective communication using RCCL, AMD’s alternative to NCCL.

Vulcano 800G AI NIC targeting a 2026 launch

AMD says Pollara delivers around 10% better RDMA performance than Nvidia’s ConnectX-7 and about 20% better than Broadcom’s Thor2. In GPU-heavy clusters, these gains help reduce idle time and improve workload efficiency.

The NIC uses a custom processor with support for flexible transport protocols, load balancing, and failover routing. It can reroute traffic during congestion and maintain GPU connectivity during failures.

The card features a half-height, half-length design and supports PCIe Gen5 x16, offering multiple port configurations including 1x400G, 2x200G, and 4x100G. It supports up to 400Gbps of bandwidth and integrates monitoring tools to improve cluster-level observability and reliability.

AMD claims performance boosts of up to 6x in large-scale deployments, especially when scaled to hundreds of thousands of processors.

For individual workloads, the company reports up to 15% faster AI job performance and up to 10% improved network reliability through features like fast failover, selective retransmission, and congestion management.

With UEC Specification 1.0 now finalized, the company is targeting hyperscalers. Oracle Cloud will be among the first to adopt the technology.

Looking to 2026, AMD says it intends to launch the Pensando Vulcano 800G AI NIC for PCIe Gen6 systems (Pollara and Vulcano are the names of two volcanoes in Italy).

That NIC will support both Ultra Ethernet and UALink to enable scale-out and scale-up networking for large AI workloads. Vulcano is part of AMD’s Helios rack-scale architecture, set for 2026.

AMD is positioning Vulcano as an open, multi-vendor alternative to Nvidia’s ConnectX-8. Its success may depend on how quickly the broader ecosystem can adapt to and support the new networking standards.

Writing about the two networking cards, Patrick Kennedy at ServeTheHome observes, ”At the end of the day, if you want to play in 2026 AI clusters, you need not just AI chips, but also the ability to scale up and scale out. AMD having a NIC may sound a lot like Nvidia’s playbook because that is needed. On the other hand supporting open standards is very different from what Nvidia is doing by leaning into multi-vendor and open standards.”

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28 Years Later reunites Alex Garland and Danny Boyle, and it’s everything you could hope for from this genius writing and directing duo.

It’s been more than two decades since we saw Cillian Murphy wandering around an abandoned London in the opening scene of 2002's 28 Days Later, and the impact of that movie on the post-apocalyptic horror genre can still be seen to this day.

At the time, that movie stood out for its pioneering take on the horror staple that is the zombie, imbuing the 'infected' with an especially terrifying trait: they were able to run. Before this, films like Dawn of the Dead had portrayed zombies as slow-moving, imbecilic creatures, which made the idea of sprinting monsters even more petrifying.

The first sequel, 2007's 28 Weeks Later, wasn't made by the original filmmakers and is not now regarded as canonical, so does not factor into the plot of the new movie 28 Years Later. Instead of the infected reaching Europe, as we saw at the end of 28 Weeks Later, in this telling the 'rage' virus, which escaped from an animal testing lab, has been contained by quarantining Britain from the rest of the world.

A recording of Rudyard Kipling's poem Boots features on the soundtrack of 28 Years Later, evoking parallels with Britain's historic wars (Image credit: Sony Pictures)

28 Years Later has a more folk-horror feel compared to the original, centering on a community of survivors who've made a home for themselves on Lindisfarne, an island separated from the coast of northern England, and from the infected, by a gated causeway.

It's here where we meet Alfie Williams' (His Dark Materials) character Spike, a young boy who's about to make what seems to be a rite of passage to manhood by accompanying his father Jamie, played by Aaron Taylor-Jonson (Kick-Ass), to the mainland for his first kill, the quarry being the infected.

Before they leave, the pair are reminded that the rules of their society mean they won't be rescued if they don't return. This adds a foreboding note to their journey, setting us up for our first encounter with the now-evolved infected, which have morphed into new variants that feel inspired by The Last Of Us.

The new infected include fat, crawling bloaters, pack-like families that can still sprint, and ripped 'alphas' that have evolved to be much smarter and bigger than the rest – and these new leaders aren't as easy to kill, even if Spike, like his father, is already a skilled archer.

The introduction of a baby raises a lot of questions about what this means for the lore of the film series (Image credit: Sony Pictures)

The movie soon shifts from a father and son's fight for survival to an equally fraught mission. When Spike sees a opportunity to save his sick mother Isla, who's played by the incredible Jodie Comer (Killing Eve), mother and son set off in search of a reclusive doctor who's rumored to live on the mainland.

Queue perhaps of the best performance of the movie, as we meet Ralph Fiennes' (Schindler's List; The Grand Budapest Hotel) Dr Kelson, surrounded by skulls and bones in one of the most elaborate graveyard shrines I've ever seen. The introduction of Fiennes' multi-layered character marks a turning point for the film, setting up events that will likely play a central role in the next film – 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple – that's set to be released in January 2026.

In a lot of ways 28 Years Later is a coming-of-age story that grapples with themes of loss, grief, and survival, making it a lot different to the societal breakdown that was the focus of 28 Days Later. The themes running through both films, though, are underpinned by Garland's unsparing exploration of what makes us human.

Much as 28 Days Later did with its flower-painting scene, 28 Years Later at times employs a dream-like aesthetic – look out for the galaxy of stars (Image credit: Sony Pictures)

Despite the time between the two films, 28 Years Later pays homage to the original by including the same lingering wide shots, and by featuring the iconic and unsettling track In the House – In a Heartbeat by John Murphy, while also setting the scene for the next chapter.

The opening scene of 28 Years Later, which shows a group of children watching Teletubbies before they have to flee an attack by the infected, may seem disconnected from the rest of the film, but it all makes sense when Spike unknowingly encounters Jack O'Connell's (Eden Lake) character, who wears the same cross we saw one of the children being given, in the closing scene.

This sets up the film series to go forward on a much more larger scale, as it introduces us to different strands of survivors that will no doubt be a big part of the next two movies. As the first of this new trilogy, 28 Years Later is a captivating watch with multi-layered filmmaking, phenomenal performances, and a story that hits closer to home than it might, initially appear.

28 Years Later is available to watch in cinemas around the world from June 19. We don't yet know which of the best streaming services it will be added to, or when.

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Hisense's superb mini-LED TVs are available with some great prices for both US and UK buyers right now.

In the US, Amazon is offering the Hisense U7N 75-inch mini-LED TV for just $799.99. That's the lowest we've ever seen, and far below the $1,499.99 launch price back in October 2024.

Meanwhile in the UK, Amazon is also offering low prices on Hisense. The 55-inch Hisense U7N is £599 on Amazon UK. Once again that's far below the original launch price, which was £1,299 last summer. It's been this low for a few weeks now, and it's a lot of TV for not a lot of money.

Today's best Hisense U7N deals

This is a very impressive specification for an equally impressive price. The U7 Series is a mini-LED TV with up to 1,500 nits of brightness, quantum dot colors, 4K 144Hz game mode, Dolby Vision, Dolby Atmos, IMAX Enhanced and Filmmaker Mode. It also has AI-powered upsampling and detail enhancement. It has a good mini-LED backlight for impressive and even contrast, which means the picture quality will hold up at 75 inches – not true of all affordable TVs.View Deal

This great TV is now £700 less than when it launched last year, and it's no less impressive a year on. It has quantum dot technology for vivid colour reproduction, IMAX Enhanced, Dolby Vision IQ and Dolby Atmos, and of course it comes with all the key streaming apps. This price is for the 55-inch model but there are good prices on other sizes too, so for example the 85-inch model is down from £1,599 to £1,400 and the 65-incher is down from £849 to £799. Click through to the deal to see those options on the Amazon page.View Deal

Why this Hisense makes sense at these prices

Pretty much all TVs are at their most expensive when they launch and then plummet quite dramatically within a fairly short space of time, and that's exactly what's happened with these sets: they launched in 2024, and both are now available for a fraction of what they cost then.

And the tech inside them hasn't really dated: you're looking at mini-LED quantum dot displays with fast refresh rates for gaming, and all the key audio and video features such as Dolby Atmos, IMAX Enhanced, Dolby Vision IQ and so on.

Both TVs here have 40W sound systems with built-in subwoofers, smart audio decoding and Hisense's Hi-View Engine Pro, which uses the power of AI and deep learning to constantly optimize the picture to deliver the best color, clarity and detail. And both have 144Hz Game Mode Pro.

The 75-inch US deal is particularly good because we've never seen this TV at this size at this price: it's nearly half off, and that means you're getting a massive TV with a very impressive spec for a very low price.

That mini-LED screen is very bright, delivering over 1,500 nits of brightess, and as a mini-LED TV owner myself I can attest that such screens are excellent for gaming, TV, movies and sports in all lighting conditions.

The risk with large cheap TVs is that the LED lighting isn't premium enough to maintain a good-looking picture at that size, but that's not the case here – it's a great-value big TV.

The UK 55-inch deal isn't to be sniffed at either: once again it's half the price you'd have paid last year. £600 is a relatively tiny sum for a 144Hz mini-LED with Filmmaker Mode, IMAX Enhanced, a built-in subwoofer and gamer-friendly features such as ALLM and VRR. There are two HDMI 2.1 ports for your next-gen consoles or PC, all the key streaming apps, and hands-free control too.

Though low tech, table top war games can give experts an understanding of how a real-world conflict could play out. With increased global instability there is increased demand for these exercises, even among those with access to classified information. We watch one such war game.

(Image credit: Emily Feng)

Immigration enforcement speeds up in L.A. regardless of military presence

(Image credit: Martin Kaste)

As someone who's been knee-deep in the Apple ecosystem for the better part of four years, I’m now making up for lost time by discovering all that I’ve missed in the world of Android.

Since becoming a freelance writer, I’ve dived headfirst into the Android phone market to test the latest and greatest handsets. My recent review of the Honor 400, for instance, made me see just how much value you can get from the best Android phones nowadays, particularly when shopping in the mid-range aisle.

With the iPhone 16e, Apple does still have a mid-range option for those who prefer the power of iOS, but the one thing the company doesn’t have is a device to compete with the best foldable phones.

So, until the long-awaited foldable iPhone actually comes to pass, I figured that it would make sense to see what Android phone makers have done with the foldable concept. And after using the OnePlus Open for a few weeks, it’s completely changed not just how I use Google’s platform, but how I use smartphones in general.

Foldables are the king of productivity

Multi-tasking on the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 (Image credit: Future / Lance Ulanoff)

I’ve always tried my best to avoid using my phone for work, outside of taking down a few notes or reading a quick document on my way to a meeting.

The experience just feels too cramped for my liking, and I already know that I spend far too much time mindlessly scrolling through social media or watching YouTube videos, so I certainly don’t need to add any extra screen time to that process. Using a foldable phone, however, has completely changed my tune.

Recently, I’ve had to head into London a few times for various product launches, and even though I’ve had the OnePlus Pad 3 on my person, I’ve found it much easier to just dive into the interior display of the OnePlus Open and start typing. Part of the reason for this is because of OnePlus’ stellar Open Canvas software, which is designed with productivity and multitasking in mind.

The OnePlus Open (Image credit: Future / Philip Berne)

Because of this well-refined bit of software, I’ve been able to have Google Docs open on one side, and a press release open on the other, so that I can research and write at the same time, without needing to quickly open up the app tray and move between them. There’s a similar degree of freedom on the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6, and it now has me convinced that the next time I have to go abroad for a work trip, I’ll be packing a foldable phone to try and maximize my output on the go.

Typing long-form is so much easier

(Image credit: Future)

As I mentioned before, any attempt at productivity on a traditional smartphone feels immediately hampered by the compact display, which is why typing anything longer than an email feels like a real headache. I know that there are ways around this, including the Clicks accessory, which is more than a nod to the BlackBerry keyboards of old. But for my money, the only true remedy is a foldable phone.

While you can configure the keyboard in any number of ways on the OnePlus Open, by default, it’s split down the middle and given more width so that each thumb can comfortably reach the keys. Those keys have also been made larger, and so I’ve found myself incurring fewer instances of typos, which, as you can imagine, has led to far less time being spent on corrections after the fact.

When I have needed to tweak something in the copy, however, that too has been a breeze thanks to the greater amount of space afforded to the document itself.

Unlike when using the exterior screen, pulling up the keyboard doesn’t inadvertently block my view of the most recent paragraph, and so if I take a pause to collect my thoughts and think about how to proceed, I can easily see where I left off.

Reading isn’t just better, it’s enjoyable

(Image credit: Future | Alex Walker-Todd)

If, like me, you’re an avid reader, then chances are that you prefer to pick up one of the best ereaders or a paperback before ever loading up the Kindle app on your smartphone.

Sure, I can’t deny just how easy it is to access your Kindle books on the device that you’re guaranteed to always have on your person, but I find it far too tempting to have a quick check of social media if I have my phone out, which is why I try and avoid it.

If you want a phone that gives you the tools to be more productive and steers you towards more fulfilling ways to pass the time, you should seriously consider a foldable.

You can imagine my surprise, then, when I gradually started to notice that I didn’t actively hate reading on the OnePlus Open’s 7.82-inch interior display. The obvious boon is that, in having more screen space, you can fit more words on the page so the experience does start to feel more like that of an ereader. But there’s something else at play here, too.

When you have to use the phone two-handed, it’s not quite as easy to jump from one app to another, so I’ve found myself less interested in checking out social media when the interior display is open.

All of this is to say that, if you want a phone that not only gives you the tools to be more productive with better multitasking and improved typing, but also steers you towards more fulfilling ways to pass the time, such as reading, then you should seriously consider a foldable phone as your next upgrade.

Unless I absolutely have to, I can't see myself going back.

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• Researchers compared pre-GPT era spam, with the ones that came after
• Most spam messages today are AI-generated
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The majority of spam emails being sent out today are being written by Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI), new research has claimed.

A report from Barracuda has argued cybercriminals are not using AI to change their attack tactics, but rather to refine them and make them more difficult to spot.

The study compared emails sent before the emergence of ChatGPT (pre-November 2022), to the ones sent after, and noticed a significant change - namely criminals are mostly using GenAI in spam.

Increasing credibility

By April 2025, 51% of spam emails were generated by an AI, rather than a human, they determined.

“The majority of the emails currently sitting in the average junk/spam folder are likely to have been written by a large language model (LLM),” they explained

On the other hand, criminals don't seem to be that eager to use AI in Business Email Compromise (BEC) attacks. As per the researchers, these types of attack involve precision and typically target a senior person in an organization. As a result, by April 2025, just 14% of BEC attacks were generated by an AI.

As one might expect, AI-generated messages are better written. They have a higher level of formality, fewer grammar errors, and greater linguistic sophistication. Therefore, they appear more credible and professional to the victims, increasing the likelihood of them falling prey.

It also means that cyberattackers whose native language is not English will have an easier time targeting businesses in English-speaking countries. Finally, crooks seem to be using AI to A/B test different spam variants, trying to determine which wording variations perform better in real-life environments.

The best way to defend against AI-generated spam messages is with AI-powered email security solutions. In the pre-GPT era, one could spot phishing and spam by simply proofreading the email - these messages were usually filled with spelling and grammar errors, while the language was crude and out-of-character most of the time.

Since AI eliminated these red flags, an advanced email security solution, equipped with multilayered, AI/ML-enabled detection, is “crucial”, the researchers concluded.

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Ironheart is almost ready to engage her power armor's thrusters and take flight on Disney+.

The final Marvel Phase 5 TV show will make its debut on June 24 in the US, and June 25 in the UK and Australia (NB: it'll air in other nations on one of these dates, too). So, there's no time like the present to learn more about who's part of its cast.

I briefly covered the actors and characters you'll see in my dedicated Ironheart guide. However, this article reveals more about each star, where you might have seen them before, and who they're playing.

Some housekeeping before we begin. First, I haven't included actors that Marvel hasn't confirmed to appear, so there'll be no spoilers about characters who are rumored to turn up. That said, slight spoilers follow for some character backstories in Marvel comics, which have been adapted for this show. Turn back now, then, if you don't want to ruin your viewing experience.

Dominique Thorne as Riri Williams/Ironheart

Throne reprises her role as Riri Williams in the character's standalone TV show (Image credit: Marvel Studios/Disney+)

Almost three years after making her live-action debut in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, Thorne's Williams will finally front her own standalone TV series.

Following her "overseas internship" in Wakanda, Williams returns to MIT to continue her studies – or so she thinks. Expelled for helping other students complete their assignments, the eponymous hero heads back to Chicago. After crossing paths with The Hood (more on him in a moment) in her home city, Williams soon finds herself torn between the ambition to create a suit to rival that of Tony Stark's Iron Man with The Hood's financial help, and her heroic desire to make the world a better and safer place.

Last seen in Lionsgate's crime comedy anthology flick Freaky Tales, Thorne has also appeared in Judas and the Black Messiah, If Beale Street Could Talk, and What If...? season 3.

Anthony Ramos as Parker Robbins/The Hood

Ironheart marks the live-action debut of The Hood in the MCU (Image credit: Marvel Studios/Disney+)

The Hood – real name Parker Robbins – is a Chicago native who convinces a reluctant Williams to join his gang of criminal activists and help them carry out heists.

As his villainous alter-ego implies, Robbins wears a hooded cloak that's imbued with dark magic. The mystical artifact grants him abilities including teleportation and invisibility, and allows him to channel chaos magic through his dual pistols.

Following his breakout role in Netflix's TV adaptation of She's Gotta Have It, Ramos has featured in various tentpole movies, including In The Heights, Transformers: Rise of the Beasts, and Twisters. He's also made appearances in other small-screen ventures, such as Will & Grace and In Treatment.

Lyric Ross as Natalie Washington

Natalie was Riri Williams's best friend before the former's tragic death (Image credit: Marvel Studios/Disney+)

Williams' best friend before she was accidentally killed in a drive-by shooting, Ross has a dual role in Ironheart. Indeed, not only does she portray the real-life Natalie in flashbacks, but she's also as the artificial intelligence (AI) assistant – known as N.A.T.A.L.I.E – that Williams creates after she's thrown out of MIT.

Best known for playing Deja Pearson in This Is Us on US network NBC, Ross' other credits include Wendell & Wild, Canal Street, and Chicago Fire.

Alden Ehrenreich as Joe McGillicuddy

Joe McGillicuddy has to be an alias, right? (Image credit: Marvel Studios/Disney+)

Little is publicly known about this character, who'll be portrayed by Star Wars alumnus Alden Ehrenreich. Ironheart's official trailer suggested he'll be an acquaintance of Williams, but Ironheart's first trailer also implied he'll be some form of black market arms dealer. Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) fans, then, think there's more to him than meets the eye.

Most famous for playing a younger Han Solo in 2018's Solo: A Star Wars Story, Ehrenreich has also had roles in movies like Oppenheimer, Cocaine Bear, and Hail, Caesar!. He's also appeared in Peacock TV Original Brave New World.

Manny Montana as Cousin John

Cousin John is the Young Lords' second-in-command (Image credit: Marvel Studios/Disney+)

The Hood's right-hand man , Cousin John is second-in-command of the Young Lords and helps the group's leader to plan their next hit.

More of a TV actor than a big-screen star, Montana has held main cast roles in USA Network's Graceland, ABC's Conviction, and NBC's Good Girls. He's also featured in Mayans M.C on FX via Hulu, Westworld on HBO and Max, and Miles from Tomorrowland on Disney Junior.

Matthew Elam as Xavier

Elam will play Riri's long-time friend and Natalie's brother (Image credit: Max Eremine)

A close friend of Williams who the latter reconnects with upon her return to Chicago, Xavier's backstory has been altered from his comic book counterpart for this MCU production. Indeed, in Marvel literature, he's just a neighbor of Williams but, in Ironheart's TV adaptation, he's also Natalie's brother.

Last seen in 2024 indie drama Exhibiting Forgiveness, viewers might recognize Elam from small-screen projects including 61st Street and FX's Fargo TV reimagining. He also played Ray Ray in The Sopranos prequel film The Many Saints of Newark.

Anji White as Ronnie Williams

Ronnie Williams has a somewhat difficult relationship with her daughter (Image credit: Marvel Studios/Disney+)

Another Fargo and 61st Street alumnus, Anji White is set to play Ronnie Williams, aka Riri's mom, in Ironheart. Ronnie was in a relationship with Riri's stepfather Gary (more on him shortly) before Gary was killed during the same incident that led to Natalie's death.

As well as the aforementioned TV shows, White's resume includes appearances in USA Network's The 4400, NBC's Chicago Med, and Showtime's The Chi, the last of those of which can also be streamed on Paramount+ in certain nations.

LaRoyce Hawkins as Gary Williams

Gary Williams was killed during the same incident that Natalie was (Image credit: Marvel Studios/Disney+)

As I mentioned, Gary was Riri's stepdad before he was gunned down alongside Natalie. A car mechanic by trade, he'll be seen in various flashback sequences throughout the show and be played by LaRoyce Hawkins.

Like White, Hawkins has made a couple of appearances in Chicago Med as Kevin Atawer. He's most well-known for portraying the same character in other installments of Dick Wolf's Chicago franchise, though. Indeed, Atawer has a recurring role in procedural drama Chicago Fire and is a major character in its popular police-centric offshoot Chicago P.D.

Regan Aliyah as Zelma Stanton

MCU fans are curious about what role Zelma will play in Ironheart (Image credit: Marvel Studios/Disney+)

Like Ehrenreich's McGillicuddy, very little is publicly known about Aliyah's character. Marvel has confirmed the actor is part of Ironheart's cast and, having seen all six episodes of the series, I can confirm Zelma Stanton in the show. Nonetheless, I won't spoil what her role is in proceedings here.

Aliyah will be a familiar face to anyone who's streamed XO, Kitty on Netflix, aka the world's best streaming service. She's also had roles in Indian Telugu-language rom-com flick BF For Hire and Tubi's psychological horror film Please Don't Feed the Children.

Cree Summer as Madeline

Cree Summer has been a fixture of the entertainment industry for over 40 years (Image credit: River Callaway)

A friend of Ronnie's who runs a confectionary shop (it's not really, but I'll spoil a big part of the plot if I say what she actually does!), Madeline is also a spiritual individual who uses burning herbs to cleanse people, such as Riri, who are apparently a breeding ground for 'bad energy'.

Widely known for voicing Susie Carmichael in '90s kids TV show Rugrats, the multitalented artist's incredibly varied career also includes roles in Abbott Elementary, Atlanta, The Legend of Vox Machina, Puppy Dog Pals, and many, many others.

Eric André as Stuart Clarke/Rampage

André is one of the more recognizable faces who'll appear in Ironheart (Image credit: Maya Dehlin Spach)

The Young Lords' so-called tech wizard before he's dumped in favor of Riri Williams, Clarke/Rampage is portrayed by the multitalented Eric André. He's a character with a Marvel history, too – indeed, Rampage is a former supervillain who created his own super-suit that granted him enhanced strength and durability. More recently in Marvel's literary works, he's become a close ally of The Punisher.

As for André, he's appeared in a whole host of movies and TV shows. Disenchanted, Don't Trust the B**** in Apartment 23, Jackass Forever, and Trolls Band Together are just some of the projects he's appeared in. He's best known for his self-titled The Eric André Show, though, which spawned the infamous 'Let Me In!' meme that's still used to this day.

Add in a couple of albums and numerous stand-up comedy specials, and André is one of Ironheart's more recognizable faces.

Sonia Denis as Clown

Clown's a firestarter, a twisted firestarter (Image credit: Marvel Studios/Disney+)

Another member of the Young Lords, the individual who goes by the codename Clown is a rowdy, pyrotechnics fans who loves to antagonize her fellow criminals.

Known for writing various episodes of Guilty Party and A Black Lady Sketch Show, Denis has also starred in front of the camera in projects like Birdgirl, Sweatland, and Ring It Up.

Shea Couleé as Slug

Slug is the Young Lords' hacker extraordinaire (Image credit: Marvel Studios/Disney+)

A former Drag queen who wants to steal from the rich in Chicago, the hacker known as Slug is an integral member of the Young Lords.

Couleé, whose big break came by finishing third in season 9 of RuPaul's Drag Race, went on to win season 5 of RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars and has appeared as a guest on various other iterations of the hit reality series. Most recently, the Chicago native played Lisa Condo in Abbott Elementary, aka one of the best Hulu shows in the US and best Disney+ shows internationally.

Zoe Terakes and Shakira Barrera as Jeri and Roz

Roz (left) and Jeri (right) are the brawn to Cousin John and The Hood's brains of the operation (Image credit: Marvel Studios/Disney+)

The Hood's hired muscle, Jeri and Roz deliver beatdowns aplenty to anyone who gets in their way during the Young Lords' heist missions. When they're not making people catch their fists, the pair are pretty laidback and enjoy the company of their fellow thieves.

Terakes is arguably the more famous of the duo. The Australian actor will be familiar to fans who have seen A24's psychological horror film Talk to Me, Nine Perfect Strangers season 1 and The Office Australia on Prime Video, and Wentworth on SoHo/Fox Showcase.

Meanwhile, Barrera was part of the main cast on Netflix's It's Bruno! and GLOW Tv shows. She's also had bit-part roles in Star Wars: Ahsoka, Hacks, and the US remake of British comedy drama series Shameless.

Harper Anthony as Landon

At just 12 years of age, Anthony is the show's youngest cast member (Image credit: Instagram)

The youngest member of this show's cast, Harper Anthony will portray Landon, a young kid who has a wheeled cart-based snack stall that he makes his allowance out of. He crosses paths with Riri a couple of times when she needs to borrow his child-friendly wagon.

He might only be 12 years old, but Anthony has already got seven acting credits to his name, including an appearance in Chicago Med and roles in the Vulture City and City of Vultures film franchises.

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• Multiple references to Lossless were found in the desktop app's latest code
• Better than CD quality at "up to 24-bit/44.1kHz"
• No official announcement has been made just yet

Sometimes promises take a while to be delivered, such as Elon Musk's promises of full self-driving (FSD) in Tesla cars. And in all honesty, I'd filed Spotify Hi-Fi, Spotify Supremium or Spotify Music Pro alongside that, missions to Mars and the Hyperloop as exciting things announced and then never delivered. But it looks like I'm about to be proved wrong on that count.

Newly unearthed code suggests that Spotify's lossless tier is imminent, or at least it's close enough to imminent for it to be baked into the latest Spotify desktop app.

Could Spotify Hi-Fi arrive in the same way that Tesla's 2018 mission to Mars... didn't?

Spotify lossless audio: what we know so far

According to tech expert Chris Messina, there are multiple references to "Lossless" with a capital L in the latest code for the Spotify desktop app.

The references largely refer to promotional messages inside the app – "The best way to listen in Lossless is with Spotify Connect" – and alerts such as "we're sorry, this track isn't in Lossless yet" or "Looks like your internet connection is having a hard time supporting Lossless right now."

One message indicates the quality the service streams at, promising the "best sound quality on Spotify for music in up to 24-bit/44.1 kHz.”

A similar message was found by Reddit user bendotlc, who said they found the message “Say hello to the best sound quality on Spotify. Listen to high-fidelity music in up to 24-bit/44.1 kHz" and that the feature was already in the app but currently disabled. Techcrunch has confirmed that that claim appears to be true.

Also notable is the message "The best way to listen in Lossless is Spotify Connect," because Apple's AirPlay 2 wireless streaming doesn't support higher-res codecs, so iPhone users might be able to become more acquainted with Spotify's own wireless option.

Spotify has neither confirmed nor denied anything, but it looks like all the pieces are falling into place; earlier this year Spotify signed new deals with the biggest record labels that seem to help prepare for the higher-quality tier's launch. It's expected to include not just higher-quality streaming but also music remixing and AI features too.

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Edith Edmunds, who is 99 years old, the art of quilt making is inextricably linked to the Black struggle for freedom. That's why she plans to be sewing Thursday on Juneteenth.

• Steam is upgrading its in-game frame rate counter to be a full overlay
• This will provide a lot more details on what's going on under the hood with any given game, and your CPU and GPU's status too
• That includes whether frame generation is being used, exposing situations where it's been stealthily enabled, hidden in the background

Valve is beefing up Steam's built-in frame rate counter - which displays the frames per second (FPS) in the game you're playing - to provide a lot more info, including whether frame generation is being employed.

Frame generation is the tech used to boost FPS by adding in AI-generated extra frames - often called 'fake frames' by those who are less keen on the feature - as seen in Nvidia's DLSS, AMD's FSR, and Intel's XeSS.

Notebookcheck.net spotted that Valve has released a new beta of the Steam app where the basic in-game FPS counter has become a full in-game overlay performance monitor. Remember, this is still in beta, so you won't see it on your Steam client yet, not unless you're a beta tester.

In addition to a real-time FPS readout, the new overlay provides detailed information on both CPU and GPU performance, including utilization levels, clock speeds, and temperatures, as well as the amount of video RAM being used by the currently running game (system RAM monitoring is also included).

Along with this, Valve has added the ability to display whether DLSS or FSR is active, and whether those technologies are currently using frame generation, as mentioned at the outset.

To begin with, the full feature set will be for Windows PCs only. However, other platforms (SteamOS) will get most of those capabilities, and whatever isn't in the initial release should be provided for other operating systems at a later date. In a similar vein, some info will only be displayed for PCs with certain pieces of hardware.

Here's a full explanation of the new overlay as crafted by Valve, which goes into some detail, but let's clear up a couple of points next, including why detecting frame generation could be very useful, in light of a recent controversy in the world of PC games.

Analysis: Frame blame game

(Image credit: Studio Wildcard)

Okay, first of all, what about if you don't want this heap of new info? When you switch on the overlay, are you just going to get annoyed at all the extra 'garbage' (as far as you might be concerned) cluttering up the screen now?

The good news is that you can dispense with the full readout, and adjust the overlay down to a bare minimum if you want - so it shows only the FPS counter (just as things are now). So don't fret on that score, plus there'll be customization options like adjusting how see-through the overlay is, and where it's placed.

Moving on to frame generation: why is having that displayed a big deal? Well, this is interesting timing actually, as there's been a lot of controversy that's surfaced this week about a game that switches on frame generation without letting the gamer know.

This is ARK: Survival Ascended, which has AMD's (FSR) frame generation on by default, something that reportedly happened a while back (when players observed a major boost to FPS after a patch - which would, of course, happen with frame gen, that's what it does). The thing is, this wasn't announced in the patch; it was a stealth move in the background, and moreover, there isn't even an option for frame generation in the graphics settings.

In other words, there's no way to know it's enabled, or indeed to turn it off in ARK (it's only possible to disable using a console command).

So, you might be playing a game, thinking that the frame rate feels a bit unsettled and jerky, despite a high FPS reading, and that's because frame generation is on when you didn't even know it. I should note: jerkiness isn't inherent to frame generation tech, far from it, but in some scenarios, and especially when you're trying to inflate a lower frame rate - say, 30 FPS - a feeling of choppiness can be a side-effect. This is why 'fake frames' can be called out in a negative way, as I mentioned before.

At any rate, in the case of ARK: Survival Ascended, if you popped the new Steam overlay on, you'd immediately see that it has frame generation active. Furthermore, the new overlay will also highlight incidents of micro-stutter where the frame rate plunges temporarily to very low levels, causing jerkiness. (Which can be one of the downsides of using frame generation, again in certain scenarios - don't write frame generation off due to any of this, by the way, it can be very useful indeed).

As you might have gathered by now, contemporary graphics technologies and understanding frame rates is a complicated business with a lot of nuances. But at least you'll be armed with more knowledge of what's going on with the extra details that Steam's new in-game overlay furnishes you with, assuming you want to get to grips with it all. And if you don't, just turn it off and have the bare frame rate on-screen.

On a final note, as you may be aware, you can already get this kind of functionality with third-party tools (such as Rivatuner, known as RTSS), but Valve bringing this in for Steam is convenient in terms of having it integrated right there, no extra installation required.

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Nintendo Switch 2: two-minute review

After what felt like an eternity of waiting after all the leaks and eventual official announcement back in January 2025, the Nintendo Switch 2 is finally here. To say the console’s had a rough start is an understatement, though, with retail stock difficulty to come by at this early stage. This, plus the console’s relatively lofty price tag (as well as those of its games), means there are some folks seeking handheld gaming console alternatives.

At the time of writing, I’ve had my Nintendo Switch 2 a couple of weeks, and I’ve been spending each and every day playing its games and testing the hardware to rate its performance and assess any improvements over the original 2017 console. Despite the lack of ambition and innovation (at least compared to prior consoles like the Wii and Nintendo DS), I think Nintendo has produced an exceptional system here that finally realizes the full potential of the Switch concept.

The obvious upgrades, such as support for 4K and 1440p resolutions in docked mode and 120Hz capabilities (both in portable mode and docked on compatible displays) are extremely welcome, and grant the Switch 2 a step closer to parity with its more powerful peers in the PS5 and Xbox Series X and S. Of course, the Switch 2 doesn’t quite have the raw graphical prowess of those Sony and Microsoft-built machines, but it’s not a million miles away, as we see with certain Nintendo Switch 2 ports like Street Fighter 6 or Cyberpunk 2077.

(Image credit: Future)

Other display-oriented modernities are present here, too, such as HDR10 and VRR support (though, confusingly, variable refresh rate is currently only available in handheld play). The former provides juicier contrast and richer colors on compatible displays, while the latter smooths out framerates for more stable performance.

Unfortunately, it’s fair to say that the Switch 2’s launch game line-up is on the slighter side. Mario Kart World is great and an ideal title to have from day one, but a good chunk of launch day games have been ports of original Switch games or ones carried over from other platforms. While it is great to see big hitters like The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom rock an extremely solid 4K/60fps on Switch 2, it hasn’t been the most fulsome launch if you’re coming at it from a strictly first-party point of view.

Thankfully, the Switch 2 breathes life into original Switch titles via impressive backwards compatibility. I’ll delve more into this in its own section, but I’ve seen monumental results playing some of my own Switch favorites on the new console - some of which Nintendo itself hasn’t even officially mentioned.

There are some downsides worth talking about, of course. For one, battery life is sorely lacking in handheld mode and feels like an abject downgrade compared to the original Switch models. I also clocked some very noticeable audio delay with multiple gaming headsets and earbuds via Bluetooth connection. Furthermore, the skeleton of the original Switch is still present in many ways, with an almost identical Home dashboard, a lack of customization, and the ongoing threat of drift prevailing in the new Joy-Con 2 controllers.

Still, the Switch 2 is an accomplished bit of kit, and one that provides a night and day upgrade over its eight-year-old predecessor. I’m definitely looking forward to its game library expanding, as well as the system itself receiving various quality-of-life upgrades via future firmware updates.

Nintendo Switch 2: price and availability

(Image credit: Future)

The Nintendo Switch 2 went on sale on June 5, 2025. The console by itself costs $449.99 / £395.99 / AU$699.95. There is also an official bundle that packs in a digital copy of Mario Kart World alongside the console for $499.99 / £429.99 / AU$769.95. Some US and UK retailers have also stocked their own bundles, often throwing in an extra pair of Joy-Con 2 controllers or Nintendo Switch Online subscription time, but you can expect to pay a premium for these.

Price-wise, though, the Nintendo Switch 2 (while certainly more expensive than its predecessor) falls about in line with similar contemporary handheld gaming devices, including the original Steam Deck ($399 / £349 / AU$649) and the Asus ROG Ally ($549.99 / £449 / AU$999). Premium devices like the Steam Deck OLED and ROG Ally X are even more expensive, positioning the Switch 2 at a relatively mid-range price point among gaming handhelds, but certainly on the more affordable side within the space.

In terms of home consoles, the Switch 2 does come in cheaper than the PS5 ($499.99 / £479.99 / AU$799.95) and lands in the same ballpark as the PS5 Digital Edition ($399.99 / £389.99 / AU$649.95). It’s also comparable in price to the Xbox Series X Digital Edition ($449.99 / £429.99 / AU$699).

It’s also worth noting that Nintendo Switch 2 stock has been an ongoing issue since the pre-order phase. At launch, it’s been incredibly difficult to purchase a Switch 2 at retail, and flashes of stock in all major regions come and go in an instant. However, this was also the case with the original Switch and competing systems like the PS5. In both cases, stock became much more plentiful in the months after launch, so I’m hoping the same is true for Nintendo’s latest.

Nintendo Switch 2: specs

Price

$429.99 / £395.99 / AU$699.95

Weight

1.18lbs / 535g (with Joy-Con 2 attached)

Dimensions

10.7 x 4.5 x 0.6in / 272 x 114 x 15mm

Storage capacity

256GB internal

Storage expansion

microSD Express

Connectivity

WiFi 6, ethernet, Bluetooth

Display

Vivid LCD

Resolution (docked)

Up to 4K

Resolution (handheld)

Up to 1080p

GPU

Custom Nvidia processor

CPU

Custom Nvidia processor

Battery life

2-5 hours

Ports

2 x USB, 1 x HDMI, 1 x LAN, 2 x USB-C, 1 x 3.5mm headphone jack

Nintendo Switch 2: design and build quality

(Image credit: Future)

What’s most striking about the Nintendo Switch 2 out of the box is its look and build quality improvements over its predecessor. The console looks distinctly less toy-like, largely helped by an overall sleeker design and the ditching of the original Joy-Con’s neon red/blue aesthetic.

Some may lament the loss of whimsy, and that’s fair enough. But it nonetheless stands out amongst the busy gaming handheld crowd. The Switch 2, despite its increased size, remains impressively slim. In fact, it’s just as thin as the original Switch, and importantly, lacks the bulk of the likes of the Steam Deck OLED and ROG Ally X. This means that even though it is bigger thanks to the larger display size, it remains an eminently portable console.

Though I would recommend investing in a carry case if you’re planning on taking your Switch 2 out and about. While it’s undoubtedly sturdier than the Switch, it’s still prone to the same environmental wear and tear of any handheld system.

The Switch 2 dock has also seen a size increase, but for good reason. This time, the dock houses an internal fan to help keep the unit cool during lengthy play sessions. Thankfully, the dock is still small enough to fit into even the most compact gaming spaces. Whether that be on a TV stand or your computer desk, or elsewhere, you should have little issue incorporating your Switch 2 into a docked setup. The dock also houses two USB ports, one ethernet port, and a HDMI slot for use on TVs or gaming monitors.

(Image credit: Future)

As for the handheld itself, there’s a lot to go over in terms of design. The unit now houses two USB-C ports - one on the top and the other at the bottom. Next to each port are sets of speakers. At the top, you’ll also find the power and volume buttons, as well as the game card slot, 3.5mm headphone jack, and a built-in microphone.

The Switch 2’s kickstand is a huge improvement. The 2017 model had a simple stub kickstand on one side, which felt extremely rigid. The Switch OLED did widen this design idea, but it wasn’t much better overall. On Switch 2, the kickstand has been entirely redesigned. It spans almost the entire length of the handheld and can be rotated to a much greater degree. This allows for greater freedom with how you place your Switch 2 on a surface for tabletop play.

Another massive improvement comes in how the Joy-Con 2 controllers attach to the handheld. Instead of the original Switch’s rigid rail system, the Switch 2 opts for a magnetic connection. As such, the Joy-Con 2 click into place seamlessly and instantaneously. You can also easily pop them back out by pushing in a button housed just underneath the ZL/ZR trigger buttons.

One last thing to note is that the Switch 2 is impressively lightweight. At just 1.18lbs (535g), it’s only marginally heavier than the original Switch, which was 0.88lbs (399g), and the Switch OLED’s 0.93lbs (422g). Admittedly, I was expecting something much heavier before my hands-on preview some months ago, but I remain pleasantly surprised by the Switch 2’s slimness. And when compared to the bulkier Steam Deck OLED’s 1.41lbs (640g), playing with Switch 2 in bed or on the go is less strenuous overall.

Nintendo Switch 2: display

(Image credit: Future)

Unlike the namesake screen of the Switch OLED, Nintendo has opted for an LCD display for the Switch 2. This may come across as a downgrade on paper, but in reality, the move back to LCD has its own advantages. For one, LCD is less prone to screen burn-in than OLED, allowing for a panel that should last longer.

I have no complaints when it comes to the Switch 2’s display. It is a monumental upgrade over the original’s 720p LCD screen.

Furthermore, Nintendo has still managed to ensure that your games still look crisp and vividly colorful during portable play. Nintendo describes its display as ‘Vivid LCD,’ and it’s an accurate description to say the least. The display supports HDR10, meaning games that support this screen tech (like Super Mario Odyssey and the upcoming Metroid Prime 4: Beyond) can be just as eye-poppingly colorful on the handheld as they would be on a larger OLED panel.

This 1080p screen also supports VRR (variable refresh rate), helping demanding games maintain a smooth framerate and helping 120Hz-compatible titles meet that target. At launch, there aren’t many games that benefit from the Switch 2 screen’s 120Hz capability, though Metroid Prime 4: Beyond is confirmed to have a 1080p performance mode that targets this high refresh rate. It’s bound to look stunning on the handheld that already has a native 1080p resolution.

Of course, there will be times when you won’t want to make use of HDR10, perhaps in order to save battery or to have a play experience that’s less demanding on the eyes. Nintendo has thankfully thought of this, and there are options in the settings menu to disable HDR entirely or to only enable it for true HDR-compatible games.

In my testing, I have no complaints when it comes to the Switch 2’s display. It is a monumental upgrade over the original’s 720p LCD screen. The jump to 1080p helps both Switch 2 and OG Switch games look incredibly sharp. Even titles that utilize a dynamic resolution in handheld mode - like Bayonetta 3 and Astral Chain - are better able to meet this target thanks to the increased power of the Switch 2.

Nintendo Switch 2: user interface and settings

(Image credit: Future)

The Switch 2’s Home dashboard is a disappointment at first glance. In fact, you might not be able to tell it apart from the original console’s menu if it weren’t for the rounded edges applied to game icons on the Switch 2. It’s still aggressively bland, then, and you’ve still only got the choice between two basic white and black themes, but there have been some key improvements worth talking about.

The big thing to make note of is performance. Issues with the glacial input delay are practically nonexistent now, and nowhere is this more apparent than the revamped Nintendo eShop. There’s a completely new user interface here, and items are organized much more cleanly and smartly than before. And while, yes, you still won’t be escaping the mountains of genAI shovelware when looking through the deals section, I’d still argue that the eShop now is a good deal more responsive than even the PlayStation and Microsoft Stores.

Over to System Settings, then, and you’ll find much of what was available on the original Switch. On Switch 2, there are plenty more options to take advantage of the hardware’s new features. These include setting TV output to 1440p or 4K, fine-tuning HDR, as well as preventing your system from topping up its battery all the way to full in order to help the battery last longer in the years to come. A similar option is common with best iPhones and best Android smartphones, so it’s nice to see it here on a portable gaming device.

Nintendo Switch 2: audio

(Image credit: Future)

One important addition to the Nintendo Switch 2 is the implementation of a bespoke surround sound system, supported by the speakers on both the top and bottom of the handheld.

What impressed me the most here was the surprising level of audio quality when not using a pair of headphones in handheld mode. The speakers are significantly less tinny than the original Switch (though that did also see an improvement with the OLED model), and they provide surprisingly clear audio for such a compact device.

The speakers work great for a wide range of games, whether that’s the vast immersive soundscape of The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom or the infectiously catchy tunes of Splatoon 3. Even older NES and SNES games that are playable via Nintendo Switch Online benefit, with their simpler melodies coming through with great clarity.

Bluetooth support is where the Switch 2 falters in the audio department. Don’t get me wrong, you’re still getting strong surround sound support here. But with the gaming headsets and earbuds I tested - including the RIG 900 Max HS and the Nothing Ear (a) earbuds - there was a very noticeable audio delay of around half a second. This was the case in both docked and handheld modes, though it was certainly more pronounced with the latter.

On that note, I’d recommend hooking up a pair of wired headphones via the 3.5mm jack. In this case, I tested my Razer BlackShark V2 headphones, and audio came through crystal clear without a hint of delay.

Nintendo Switch 2: Performance

(Image credit: Future)

Now, overall gaming performance is where the Nintendo Switch 2 really impresses. At least at this early stage in the console’s life, the notion of poor framerates and heavily compromised Nintendo Switch ports seems to be a thing of the past.

Nintendo’s own output has thus far been stellar on this front. Mario Kart World runs at a clean 1440p while docked (1080p on the handheld) at a solid 60 frames per second (fps) at all times. That’s especially impressive given the series’ shift to a vibrant open world.

However, I was even more surprised by some of the console’s ports. Street Fighter 6, for example (while slightly worse off in terms of image quality with some noticeable graining), runs superbly at 60fps both online and offline. The marquee single-player World Tour mode does take some hits with battles being locked to 30fps, but that’s the only real blemish on this otherwise exceptional port.

The one major downside to all this is the Switch 2’s shockingly poor battery life. In handheld mode, Nintendo itself estimates that you can get anywhere between two to six and a half hours. However, in all my testing, I simply didn’t find this to be the case. Of course, more demanding titles will drain the battery a good deal more, but even with original Switch games, I struggled to get more than three hours at full charge. And yes, that’s even after bypassing the bug where the console thinks it’s got around 10% less battery life than what it actually has.

Even when playing less demanding titles, such as side-scrollers or Nintendo Switch Online (NSO) retro games, battery life struggles. You can, of course, mitigate things by turning down the console’s brightness and disabling HDR for certain games, but this does come at the cost of overall image clarity.

I’d say, at a push, you can get around five hours tops with less visually demanding games, after testing titles like Hollow Knight, Puyo Puyo Tetris 2S, and numerous Switch Online classic titles. Heck, even idling on the Home dashboard seems to drain the battery at an alarming clip, so do make sure to keep your console in standby when you’re out and about and it’s not in use.

Nintendo Switch 2: Backwards compatibility

(Image credit: Future)

Nintendo Switch 2’s backwards compatibility is - in a word - excellent. Particularly when it comes to running and playing original Switch games. Firstly, most Switch games at a baseline level benefit from Switch 2’s faster internal storage. That means you can expect games to boot and load scenes much faster on average.

For example, booting Xenoblade Chronicles X: Definitive Edition took me from the Home dashboard to the in-game menu in around 4 seconds. Then, from the menu to in-game was roughly 10 seconds. It’s a similar story with Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, which loads into a match in literally less than 3 seconds. Another standout example is Hyrule Warriors: Definitive Edition, which I’ve already written about as being one of my favorite Switch 2 experiences so far, despite being an original Switch title. In the main story mode, the game transitioned from level selection to loading to gameplay in, again, around 3 or 4 seconds.

Many Switch games also benefit from an increase in image quality and overall performance, not just games that have received paid Nintendo Switch 2 Editions. The standout example here is Pokémon Scarlet and Violet. Most would agree that the original Switch release was a mess, with horrific image quality and choppy animations. On Switch 2, the game has been transformed, rocking a solid 60fps and targeting 4K while docked and 1080p on the handheld. Now, the game’s overall art style still does feel a bit flat, but with its key performance issues solved on Switch 2, it’s now well worth playing, as it’s still a fine Pokémon adventure.

Another game that benefits is, again, Hyrule Warriors: Definitive Edition. That game originally had an uncapped framerate, meaning the Switch 2 is able to brute force a 60fps performance at all times. Image quality in handheld mode is also sublime, with the game sporting a 1080p output and no longer needing to downsample to 720p to fit the original Switch display. If you know of any other OG Switch titles with uncapped framerates, definitely give them a try on Switch 2, as the results may surprise you.

Nintendo Switch 2: Joy-Con 2

(Image credit: Future)

Now onto the Switch 2’s pack-in controllers - the Joy-Con 2. And again, we find a pretty sizable improvement over the previous model in some ways. Their overall design is much sleeker, and they’re slightly rounder than the original Joy-Con controllers. Their larger size also makes them much more comfortable to play with for longer sessions - even when sharing an individual Joy-Con 2 with a pal for co-op play.

The big addition here is mouse controls, which are supported by certain titles, including Civilization 7 and Cyberpunk 2077. Mouse controls can also be used to navigate the Switch 2’s Home dashboard and Nintendo eShop (though the lack of a scroll wheel does hurt things a little here). It’s a very smart implementation, and performance is extremely smooth with no unnecessary acceleration. You can even adjust mouse sensitivity in the System Settings menu and in supported games.

It is worth mentioning that there have already been reports of Joy-Con 2 controllers suffering from stick drift, and the sticks themselves appear to have the same design as the originals.

This is a huge shame and a big disappointment, as one of my biggest concerns before launch was the lack of improvements in this regard. Nintendo does offer a free repair and replacement service for Joy-Con 2 controllers suffering from stick drift, but I’d obviously prefer a Hall effect solution in order to avoid this issue entirely.

Nintendo Switch 2: GameChat

(Image credit: Future)

Finally, Nintendo has a true party voice chat solution built into one of its consoles. While numerous titles on the original Switch supported voice chat via the official Nintendo Switch Online app, chatting with friends this way was nothing short of awful - often thanks to forced disconnections between matches and low-quality audio.

So, is GameChat a decent alternative to the likes of Discord? Well, yes and no. GameChat obviously takes great inspiration from the world’s leading group chat software. Audio quality via the Switch 2’s built-in mic is surprisingly clear, and headset microphones are also supported. It is objectively a big improvement over Nintendo’s prior efforts.

The problems come with its implementation. Namely, shrinking the game screen down in order to display your friends’ Switch 2 profile icons. This seems needless, especially when not using the Nintendo Switch 2 Camera accessory, not to mention the fact that GameChat adds massive black borders around your game screen. Discord already solved this with its simple and effective overlay that maintains image resolution while displaying profile icons off to the side in a semi-transparent manner.

GameChat isn’t lacking ambition, though, and there are some neat ideas here. For example, being able to see your friends’ game screens is a novel idea, and a neat way of translating split-screen play in an online space. The problem, again, is the execution of it. Your friends’ displays are rendered at an uncomfortably low framerate, to the point where it can actually be quite distracting.

I hope Nintendo continues to improve the GameChat service going forward and flesh it out with more customizable options, because it is a handy thing to have for party chat with friends online, and it does have some neat ideas of its own. But for now, I would still recommend setting up a chat with friends via Discord.

Should I buy the Nintendo Switch 2?Buy it if...

You want a night and day upgrade over the original Switch
Simply put, the Nintendo Switch 2 is the Switch’s vision fully realized. An astronomical performance improvement, paired with superb load times and a crisp 1080p display, arguably makes it the definitive gaming handheld.

You already have a decent-sized Switch game collection
Your original Switch games play better than ever on Switch 2. While not all benefit from image quality and performance improvements, those that do have never been better. Plus, most games do benefit from the console’s snappier load times.

You want a handheld gaming device that’s genuinely portable
While larger than the original Switch, it remains just as thin. If you’re put off by the bulk of the Steam Deck in particular, then the Switch 2 is an excellent portable alternative if you like to game while out and about.

Don't buy it if...

You’re waiting on more first-party games
Nintendo’s own launch roster for the Switch 2 is very slim. If Mario Kart World isn’t your bag, and you’re not too keen on playing some of these Switch 2 Edition games again, I’d say it’s best to hold off until the game library improves.

You want a gaming handheld that’ll go the distance, battery-wise
The Switch 2’s battery life is incredibly poor. And while battery packs do exist to extend portable playtime, these do have the unfortunate side effect of bulking up the console. If you’re a frequent flyer or regularly find yourself on long commutes, the Switch 2’s battery life might let you down.

Also consider...

If the Nintendo Switch 2 isn’t quite for you, or if you simply can’t find stock for the currently hard-to-get console, here are a couple of alternatives that might better suit your preferences.

Nintendo Switch 2

Steam Deck OLED

Asus ROG Ally X

Price

$429.99 / £395.99 / AU$699.95

$549 / £479 (around AU$849)

$799.99 / £799 / AU$1,599

Weight

1.18lbs / 535g

1.41lbs / 640g

1.49lbs / 678g

Dimensions

10.7 x 4.5 x 0.6in / 272 x 114 x 15mm

11.7 x 4.6 x 1.9in / 298 x 117 x 49mm

11 x 4.5 x 1.5in / 280.2 x 114 x 37mm

Storage capacity

256GB internal

512GB NVMe SSD

1TB M.2 2280 SSD

Storage expansion

microSD Express

microSD

microSD

Connectivity

WiFi 6, ethernet, Bluetooth

Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.3

Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.2

Display

7.9in Vivid LCD

7.4in OLED

7-inch FHD

Resolution

4K docked, 1080p handheld

1080p

1080p

CPU

Custom Nvidia processor

AMD Zen 2 four core 2.4-3.5GHz

AMD Ryzen Z1 Extreme

GPU

Custom Nvidia processor

AMD RDNA 2

AMD Radeon Graphics

Battery life

2-5 hours

2-3 hours

Around 8 hours

Ports

2 x USB, 1 x HDMI, 1 x LAN, 2 x USB-C, 1 x 3.5mm headphone jack

1 x USB-C, 3.5mm headphone jack, microSD

2x USB-C, 1 x combo jack, 1 x SD card reader slot

Steam Deck OLED
Valve’s premium gaming handheld is impressively customizable, supporting your entire Steam library as well as third-party apps and emulators. The OLED screen is a real treat, too. Just be prepared for some Steam games not being perfectly compatible with the handheld, and expect some performance hits for the more demanding titles.

Read our full Steam Deck OLED review

Asus ROG Ally X
A performance powerhouse and decent battery life position the Asus ROG Ally X as a seriously tempting gaming handheld. While still not quite up to spec with gaming laptops and Windows 11 not being the best fit as an operating system, it’s nonetheless a superb way to play Steam, Xbox Game Pass, GOG titles, and more.

Read our full Asus ROG Ally X review

Nintendo Switch OLED
It does belong to the original Switch family, meaning it’s certainly not packing the power of the Switch 2. But still, the OLED is still a worthwhile and more affordable alternative, and packs a gorgeous 7-inch OLED display.

Read our full Nintendo Switch OLED review

How I tested the Nintendo Switch 2

I tested the Nintendo Switch 2 for just over two weeks for this review. In docked mode, I played on a 4K-capable LG CX OLED TV, but I also split my time evenly between docked and handheld play. My picks for controllers during my testing were the Joy-Con 2, Nintendo Switch 2 Pro Controller, and the wireless Nintendo GameCube Controller for use with the new GameCube classics library via Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack.

My testing also involved playing a whole bunch of Switch 2 and original Switch games. These include Mario Kart World, Street Fighter 6, Yakuza 0: Director’s Cut, Tears of the Kingdom - Nintendo Switch 2 Edition, Deltarune, Xenoblade Chronicles X: Definitive Edition, and Hyrule Warriors: Definitive Edition.

I also compared the Switch 2’s gaming performance to that of the base PS5 and the Switch OLED. While it does lack the sheer power of the former, it’s not too far off the mark as we see with some of the Switch 2’s excellent ports. And in the case of the latter, it’s no contest, and I found it exceptionally hard to revisit my older Switch especially when the new system is almost fully backwards compatible.

For audio, I mostly relied on the Switch 2 handheld’s in-built speakers, but tested headset audio with the RIG 900 Max HS, Nothing Ear (a) earbuds, and the Razer BlackShark V2 gaming headset.

Sam Altman has appeared in the first episode of OpenAI’s brand new podcast, called simply the OpenAI Podcast, which is available to watch now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and YouTube.

The podcast is hosted by Andrew Mayne and in the first episode, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman joins the host to talk about the future of AI: from GPT-5 and AGI to Project Stargate, new research workflows, and AI-powered parenting.

While Altman's thoughts on AGI are always worth paying attention to, it was his advice on AI-powered parenting that caught my ear this time.

You have to wonder if Altman’s PR advisors have taken the day off, because after being asked the softball question, “You’ve recently become a new parent, how is ChatGPT helping you with that?”, Altman somehow draws us into a nightmare scenario of a generation of AI-reared kids who have lost the ability to communicate with regular humans in favor of their parasocial relationships with ChatGPT.

“My kids will never be smarter than AI.”, says Altman in a matter-of-fact way. “But also they will grow up vastly more capable than we were when we grew up. They will be able to do things that we cannot imagine and they’ll be really good at using AI. And obviously, I think about that a lot, but I think much more about what they will have that we didn’t…. I don’t think my kids will ever be bothered by the fact that they’re not smarter than AI. “

That all sounds great, but then later in the conversation he says: “Again, I suspect this is not all going to be good, there will be problems and people will develop these problematic, or somewhat problematic, parasocial relationships.“

In case you’re wondering what "parasocial relationships" are, they develop when we start to consider media personalities or famous people as friends, despite having no real interactions with them; the way we all think we know George Clooney because he’s that friendly doctor from ER, or from his movies or the Nespresso advert, when, in fact, we have never met him, and most likely never will.

Mitigating the downsides

Altman is characterizing a child’s interactions with ChatGPT in the same way, but interestingly he doesn’t offer any solutions for a generation weaned on ChatGPT Advanced Voice mode rather than human interaction. Instead he sees it as a problem for society to figure out.

“The upsides will be tremendous and society in general is good at figuring out how to mitigate the downsides”, Altman assures the viewer.

Now I’ll admit to being of a more cynical bent, but this does seem awfully like he’s washing his hands of a problem that OpenAI is creating. Any potential problems that a generation of kids brought up interacting with ChatGPT are going to experience are, apparently, not OpenAI’s concern.

In fact, earlier when the podcast host brought up the example story of a parent using ChatGPT’s Advanced Voice Mode to talk to their child about Thomas the Tank Engine, instead of doing it themselves, because they are bored of talking about it endlessly, Altman simply nods and says ,“Kids love Voice Mode in ChatGPT”.

Indeed they do Sam, but is it wise to let your child loose on ChatGPT’s Advanced Voice Mode without supervision? As a parent myself (although of much older children now) I’m uncomfortable with hearing of young kids being given what sounds like unsupervised access to ChatGPT.

AI comes with all sorts of warnings for a reason. It can make mistakes, it can give bad advice, and it can hallucinate things that aren’t true. Not to mention that “ChatGPT is not meant for children under 13” according to OpenAI’s own guidelines, and I can’t imagine there are many kids older than 13 who are interested in talking about Thomas the Tank Engine!

I have no problem using ChatGPT with my kids, but when ChatGPT was available they were both older than 13. If I was using it with younger children I’d always make sure that they weren’t using it on their own.

I'm not suggesting that Altman is in any way a bad parent, and I appreciate his enthusiasm for AI, but I think he should leave the parenting advice to the experts for now.

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• Windows 365 Reserve is a new web-based Cloud PC backup for your physical laptop
• Users get to access the service for 10 days in any year
• Pricing unconfirmed, preview upcoming

Microsoft has unveiled a new service designed to provide temporary, pre-configured Cloud PCs to customers when a primary physical device is out of order – be it lost, broken or delayed.

Windows 365 Reserve gives users instant access to Cloud PCs from any device via the Windows App or browser, and they come ready to go, loaded with Microsoft 365 apps, corporate settings and the relevant security policies.

Managed through Microsoft Intune (like physical PCs), Windows 365 Reserve is designed for temporary use only, with a 10-day annual usage allowance (that can be split up or used all at once).

Windows 365 Reserve

Microsoft says the new service is designed to ensure business continuity during events like device theft, loss, delivery days or system outages. With the temporary access, workers can continue as normal or admins can choose to test new configurations away from their own, primary device.

The company describes Windows 365 Reserve as a "modern, secured and scalable offering designed for any type of worker across the entire organization to stay uninterrupted and productive, without the hassle or cost of managing cumbersome loaner PCs, temporary backup PC solutions or legacy VDI access."

Microsoft Modern Work VP Stefan Kinnestrand said 76% of customers have reported having been impacted by incidents of device theft in the last two years, citing third-party research.

No pricing details have been confirmed yet, and it's unclear whether the service will operate on a subscription-based model. Windows 365 Reserve is available in preview "soon," with an online application process for customers to gain early access.

At the same time, Kinnestrand lifted the wraps off other minor improvements to Windows 365 while introducing a 20% discount for first-time customers.

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You could be forgiven for thinking the vacuum cleaner market isn't particularly innovative. That's not the case though: in just over a year of testing and writing about vacuums I've seen vacuums with lasers, vacuums that are powered by AI, and vacuums that can tell you exactly what they're sucking up as they do so. And that's ignoring the more hum-drum but still impressive improvements to suction and battery life.

In all my testing, there's one feature that impressed me most... and it's even more notable because to start with, I was not sold on the idea at all: auto-emptying docks.

These are essentially a base that the vacuum slots into. Like any dock, it charges the vacuum up and provides somewhere for it to live when you're not using it, but it goes one step further than that by also emptying the onboard dust cup.

Pop the vacuum onto its perch and all the dust and debris accumulated on the previous cleaning session will whoosh out, via a closed system, into a larger bin in the base. You can see it in action in the video clip below.

I first saw one of these bases in action last year at a Shark press event. Auto-empty docks are an option on both the Shark PowerDetect Cordless and Detect Pro Cordless, and the Shark representative explained to me that this was going to be a big focus for the brand going forward. I was not sold at the time. Who would want one of these bulky docks in their home? And how hard is it to empty a cordless vacuum yourself, anyway?

(Image credit: Future)

A few months later I was sent a Samsung Bespoke AI Jet Ultra, which has an auto-empty dock as standard. As I set about testing it, I was struck by just how easy the emptying process was. Literally nothing was required of me – I simply put the vacuum into its dock and it did everything for me.

But what really drove home the benefits was when I started doing testing to compare the Samsung Bespoke and Dyson Gen5detect, which lacks a self-empty base. Suddenly, even with Dyson's ultra-smooth engineering, manually emptying a dust cup felt like something from the dark ages. There was dust getting down the side of the bin liner, and more floating in clouds around me. I had to stick my fingers in and dislodge a clump of hair.

It occurred to me at this point that the self-empty system would be great for allergy-sufferers. Everything is being sucked out via a closed system, so there's no opportunity for dust and allergens to escape back into the air. You then only need to empty the dock dustbin once in a blue moon.

(Image credit: Future)

Another benefit is that it means the manufacturer can get away with shrinking the onboard bin. That, in turn makes the vacuum lighter and more streamlined – both useful traits for a cordless stick vacuum.

The self-empty approach is very common amongst today's best robot vacuums. These have even smaller onboard bins, and are designed to be hands-off solutions, so it makes a ton of sense to offer self-emptying functionality there.

Shark is very much embracing the auto-empty dock approach with its manual cordless vacuums already. Provided you have space for the dock, I think they're a solid investment, and something we'll be seeing a lot more of in the future.

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• Nvidia could have a new spin on its RTX 5090 graphics card
• This is rumored to be a new version of the RTX 5090 D for China
• A leaker says it'll pack a 'surprise', but the truth could be more mundane

Nvidia is rumored to be planning a new variant on its Blackwell flagship graphics card, potentially an RTX 5090 DD model – and it could come with a 'surprise' according to one leaker.

Tom's Hardware flagged up two separate mentions of this potential GPU (add seasoning with all this) on X, the first of which came from MEGAsizeGPU, who mentioned the RTX 5090 DD and how it will be for China only.

5090 DDGB202-240PG145 SKU 40*for China market onlyJune 18, 2025

So, the theory is that this is a follow-up to the RTX 5090 D (single D, not double D) for China, a different spin on the standard Blackwell flagship which was produced for that country to get around US export regulations.

Except the goalposts on those restrictions have been moved, and now rule out the RTX 5090 D itself as too powerful (for AI usage) to be shipped to China. It looks like the idea now is to further cut down the graphics card to again make it feasible to supply to Asia, and call it the RTX 5090 DD.

The purported cut-down specs were supplied by another regular on the GPU leaking scene on X, Kopite7kimi, as you can see below.

RTX 5090 DD?PG145-SKU40GB202-240-K*-A121760FP32384-bit GDDR7 24G 28Gbps575Wand there's a surprise.June 18, 2025

The key changes are a slightly lower-tier GPU chip (GB202-240, rather than GB202-250 as seen in the original 5090 D), and the video RAM has been dropped to 24GB with a narrower 384-bit memory bus.

That means a 25% hit on the memory bandwidth compared to the RTX 5090 D, but the core count and TDP remain the same (the latter is interesting, and I'll return to why shortly).

Tom's Hardware takes it as read that these two rumors are fully aligned – and they are from what we can see spec-wise – but note that Kopite7kimi has a question mark heading up their post on X, which begins: 'RTX 5090 DD?'

However, this is likely referring to questioning the name, and whether this will really be called the RTX 5090 DD, rather than doubting whether this is actually a new spin on a China-only graphics card. Although we should never take anything for granted from the rumor mill, and maybe the latter could be the case.

At any rate, the most intriguing bit here is Kopite7kimi's mention of a "surprise" from Nvidia with this GPU.

Analysis: Let the guessing games begin

(Image credit: Future / John Loeffler)

When it comes to the name, yes, making it 'DD' sounds rather implausible, but remember – this is the company that brought you the RTX 4070 Ti Super graphics cards (and similarly clunky bouts of unimaginativeness in the past besides).

As mentioned, the surprise is what we really want to know about, and Kopite7kimi doesn't elaborate on what that might be with any kind of a vague hint, even. So, we're left to guess on that score.

Tom's Hardware theorizes that the surprise could be further cut-backs to the AI powers of the graphics card delivered via the firmware, and that sounds entirely possible. But equally it sounds entirely dull, and the way the leaker teases that "there's a surprise" feels like it's phrased to stoke a bit of excitement here. A minor chop to AI capabilities hardly qualifies in that respect, but what else could Nvidia possibly have up its sleeve here?

For me, this hints that Nvidia is planning a move like cutting the price of the RTX 5090 DD. Or perhaps, most excitingly, offering it outside of China, too? Yeah, okay, that seems unlikely (although as noted, with that question mark, it could be that Kopite7kimi isn't fully sure this is the mentioned Chinese variant). Perhaps more realistically, we could be looking at a fair old bump in clock speeds (hence the TDP staying the same, with the spec being cut down in some key areas).

Hopefully, we'll find out soon enough what Nvidia might be up to here, if anything, as this could all turn out to be so much smoke from the rumor mill (or plans from Team Green that never come to fruition).

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The UK’s Legal Aid Agency is among the latest high profile examples of a cyber-attack resulting in a significant data breach. The incident is all the more worrying because of the sensitive nature of the data accessed in the attack.

The Ministry of Justice reported in May 2025 that a “significant amount of personal data” of people who applied online to the Legal Aid Agency since 2010, including criminal records, was accessed and downloaded in a cyber-attack in April 2025.

Media reports on the incident suggest that more than two million pieces of information were taken, including details of domestic abuse victims, people involved in family cases and those facing criminal prosecution.

The Ministry of Justice confirmed that the data may have included addresses of applicants, dates of birth, national ID numbers, criminal history, employment and financial data such as debts and payments.

The recurring problem with data beaches of highly sensitive and special category data is not just the immediate exposure and vulnerabilities caused, it is the unknown future illicit uses of the stolen data, which can be surprising and very harmful to all involved.

Evolving cyber security threat landscape

The cybersecurity threat landscape is rapidly evolving, shaped by technological innovation, global instability and sometimes opportunism by cybercriminals.

The proliferation of AI, including Generative AI, AI bots, and co-pilots, is expanding the potential for digital attacks. The acceleration of AI adoption has outpaced governance frameworks, widening knowledge, solutions, and resilience gaps. In addition, cybercriminals are leveraging Generative AI to enhance social engineering attacks, making them more effective and harder to detect.

Geopolitical instability is also a rising threat. State-linked Advanced Persistent Threat (APT) groups from Russia, China, Iran, and North Korea are actively engaging in cyberwarfare, targeting critical national infrastructure with sophisticated campaigns.

These groups exploit supply chain vulnerabilities to maximize impact, often driven by political and economic motivations. For organizations operating globally, real-time threat intelligence and geopolitical awareness are essential, especially when working with unfamiliar partners or entering new markets.

Cloud infrastructure is under growing pressure as threat actors refine their tactics. CrowdStrike reported a 75% year-on-year rise in cloud intrusions, with attackers increasingly using stealthy, staged operations to establish footholds and move laterally across hybrid IT environments.

Supply chain insecurity remains a persistent concern. The 2024 Microsoft–CrowdStrike incident, which triggered one of the largest global IT outages to date, demonstrated the systemic risk of over-reliance on a few key technology providers. The fallout, which impacted a range of sectors from aviation to healthcare, underscored the urgent need to audit, monitor, and diversify supply chains, as well as share breach intelligence more effectively.

On a more promising note, AI is also proving to be a valuable defense tool. It enhances anomaly detection, vulnerability classification, automated patching, and configuration management. Large Language Models (LLMs) are augmenting the threat intelligence lifecycle, from analyzing attacker behavior to powering deception technologies like honeypots. As AI becomes more embedded in cyber defense strategies, it offers the potential for faster, smarter, and more adaptive responses to emerging threats.

Managing cyber risks

Cyberattacks of all kinds are rising. Any type of organization can be a victim. The cyberattack on the Legal Aid Agency serves as a stark reminder of the urgent need for a holistic and proactive approach to cyber security.

When high profile cyberattacks occur, leaders often seek reassurance. They often request information about what can be done first or quickly. The urgent response is to go back to basics: check key data protection practices, review GDPR compliance, strengthen basic information security safeguards and encourage important suppliers to be on high alert. From a legal and operational standpoint, organizations, particularly those handling sensitive information and special category data, should prioritize the following measures:

1. Engagement at board level: Cybersecurity is no longer just an IT issue. It is a board-level responsibility. Effective resilience depends on cross-functional collaboration among leadership, cybersecurity specialists, legal advisors, internal auditors, HR, digital forensics experts, and crisis communication teams. A multi-disciplinary response capability is essential to manage both the technical, legal and reputational dimensions of a breach.
2. Continuous preparedness: To ensure a robust security architecture, organizations must look beyond having the right tools in place. It is vital to implement vulnerability management on a continuous basis, with timely patching protocols and a focus on regular training of employees.
3. Data Breach Practice and Preparedness: Practice makes perfect, and simulated incident response exercises, including table-top scenarios, are critical in ensuring readiness for data breaches. It is also advisable for organizations to have a learning and development mindset and extract lessons from near-misses and close calls, rather than seeking to brush these under the carpet and quickly move on.
4. Due diligence for AI integration: Generative AI is evolving apace, and it can be tempting for organizations to rush in to deploy it. However, innovation should work in partnership with security. Due diligence is vital. Before integrating new AI platforms or other emerging technologies, organizations should conduct comprehensive assessments of their security credentials and weigh up any additional cyber security risk exposure these systems might introduce.
5. Third-party risk management: Cyber resilience does not end at the network perimeter. Organizations must map, monitor, and regularly audit their supply chains to identify vulnerabilities. Where high-risk vendors are identified, mitigation actions should be taken swiftly. Mitigation may include stopping working with a supplier or limiting the amount of work with them. Every business should have a strong third-party risk management framework as a cornerstone in their cybersecurity environment.

Critical National Infrastructure cyberattacks like those affecting The Legal Aid Agency reminds us that cyber resilience requires ongoing commitment. Cybersecurity must be embedded across all levels of an organization, including boards, leadership teams, mission critical data sets to supply chain management.

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This article was produced as part of TechRadarPro's Expert Insights channel where we feature the best and brightest minds in the technology industry today. The views expressed here are those of the author and are not necessarily those of TechRadarPro or Future plc. If you are interested in contributing find out more here: https://www.techradar.com/news/submit-your-story-to-techradar-pro