At Hillmantok, a Digital H.B.C.U., Class Is in Session

NetEase has announced its first single-player AAA game, titled Blood Message, a story-driven action-adventure set during the final years of the Tang Dynasty. Players control a nameless messenger and his son as they navigate desolate landscapes, combat enemies, and uncover ancient artifacts, with no release date yet announced for consoles and PC. Need More Context? 🔎

Paul Pope has created some of the most visually stunning comics of the twenty-first century, including "Batman: Year 100," which critiques a dystopian surveillance state, and "Battling Boy," featuring an adolescent god battling giant monsters. However, it has been over a decade since Pope released his last major work in the comics field. Need More Context? 🔎

NASA's $1.4 billion Psyche mission has successfully reignited its plasma thrusters and switched to a backup fuel line as it journeys toward an unexplored metal-rich asteroid. Utilizing an efficient solar electric propulsion system powered by xenon gas, the spacecraft's plasma engines provide lower thrust but can sustain prolonged operation to effectively navigate through space. Need More Context? 🔎

Xbox is reportedly collaborating with Meta to launch an Xbox-branded Quest 3S VR headset, featuring 128GB of storage, an Xbox wireless controller, and three months of Xbox Game Pass, priced at $399 and slated for release on June 24. While there's no official confirmation, this initiative follows a blog post hinting at a partnership, suggesting Xbox's interest in expanding its hardware collaborations. Need More Context? 🔎

Top executives from major U.S. companies, including IBM and JPMorgan Chase, warn that AI poses a job threat, although economists see no significant layoffs yet. While some leaders push for AI adoption to please shareholders, uncertainty remains about actual productivity gains and the long-term impact on employment, with ongoing debates suggesting a complex outcome between job elimination and creation. Need More Context? 🔎

The Washington Post highlights the carbon cost of AI queries, noting that a single question can generate grams of CO2, with ChatGPT consuming about ten times more energy than a Google search. While users can limit AI-generated responses, the overall environmental impact is significant, as data centers require vast electricity and freshwater for cooling, with larger AI models being more energy-intensive yet more accurate. Need More Context? 🔎