San Diego Archives

AppWizard

July 26, 2025

You Can Now Pre-Order Your Very Own A Minecraft Movie Chicken Jockey Action Figure and Plush

The Minecraft Movie has grossed nearly a billion globally, leading to excitement among fans about a scene featuring the Chicken Jockey duo. Mattel has introduced two collectibles: the Minecraft Movie Chicken Jockey Large Scale Action Figure priced at .99 and the Minecraft Zombie Chicken Jockey Plush priced at .99. The action figure stands approximately 9 inches tall when seated and includes swappable face plates and multiple points of articulation. The plush measures 8 inches tall, made from premium fabrics, and features pixelated details. Both products are available for pre-order and showcased at the San Diego Comic-Con. Additionally, a Chicken Jockey Easter Egg is now available in Minecraft.

AppWizard

July 22, 2025

SDCC: Minecraft and toddland Create a Fandom Biome for the Show

At Comic-Con International: San Diego (SDCC), the Minecraft booth (Booth No. 435) offers exclusive merchandise and experiences. Visitors can enjoy a LEGO photo opportunity zone, a San Diego Secret Stash, and a hands-on crafting station. Attendees can earn collectible buttons by participating in activities at the booth. Limited to 500 pieces, the Dennis the Wolf Mega SquishME is a special SDCC exclusive that includes a downloadable content (DLC) code for in-game sunglasses. The booth also features character enamel pins, T-shirts in various colors, and Minecraft-themed tote bags. Fans not attending the convention can purchase select products online at toddland.com/minecraft.

Tech Optimizer

June 24, 2025

Snowflake to Acquire Crunchy Data to Power Agentic AI with PostgreSQL Integration

Snowflake plans to acquire Crunchy Data, a company specializing in enterprise-grade support and cloud-native solutions for PostgreSQL, with an estimated investment of around [openai_gpt model="gpt-4o-mini" prompt="Summarize the content and extract only the fact described in the text bellow. The summary shall NOT include a title, introduction and conclusion. Text: Acquisitions have become a hallmark of the competitive landscape among the Cloud Wars Top 10, with Snowflake now making headlines for its latest move. The company has announced plans to acquire Crunchy Data, a firm specializing in enterprise-grade support and cloud-native solutions for PostgreSQL. This strategic acquisition promises to enhance Snowflake’s already formidable technology stack. The Terms While the exact financial details remain undisclosed, reports indicate that Snowflake is poised to invest around 0 million in Crunchy Data. Established in 2012 and based in Charleston, South Carolina, Crunchy Data employs approximately 100 professionals. The company’s offerings include: Enterprise support tailored for mission-critical PostgreSQL deployments. Cloud-native software and tools designed for modern applications. Advanced security and compliance features, including support for FedRAMP and HIPAA regulations. Integrated replication, backup, and various data protection and recovery tools. With this acquisition, Snowflake plans to incorporate Crunchy Data’s PostgreSQL database into its AI Data Cloud. This integration is expected to streamline data transfer processes, thereby facilitating advanced AI development on the PostgreSQL platform. Vivek Raghunathan, SVP of Engineering at Snowflake, expressed the company’s vision: “Our goal is to provide the world’s most trusted and comprehensive data and AI platform to our customers. The proposed acquisition of Crunchy Data underscores our commitment to being the ultimate destination for enterprise data and AI solutions.” He further noted, “We’re addressing a substantial 0 billion market opportunity and fulfilling a critical need for our customers to integrate Postgres into the Snowflake AI Data Cloud.” AI Agent & Copilot Summit is an AI-first event to define opportunities, impact, and outcomes with Microsoft Copilot and agents. Building on its 2025 success, the 2026 event takes place March 17-19 in San Diego. Get more details. The Deal in Context The acquisition of Crunchy Data follows closely on the heels of Databricks’ recent purchase of Neon, a company focused on developer-first serverless PostgreSQL solutions. This trend highlights a growing emphasis on harnessing PostgreSQL’s capabilities to foster the development of agentic AI. But what drives this concentrated interest in PostgreSQL? PostgreSQL is an open-source object-relational database system celebrated for its reliability, robustness, and performance. The system supports both SQL (relational) and JSON (non-relational) querying, offering versatility in data handling. For two consecutive years, PostgreSQL has been recognized as the most popular database, currently utilized by 49% of developers. Its ability to manage both structured and semi-structured data makes PostgreSQL an ideal candidate for agentic AI, enabling robust querying and efficient handling of multiple agents simultaneously. As the Cloud Wars Top 10 continues to evolve, each company is carving out its own path toward achieving AI supremacy. Some are forming strategic partnerships to innovate, as seen in ServiceNow’s collaboration with Juniper Networks. Others, like Google Cloud, are focusing on leveraging their core strengths, such as developing a universal super assistant. In Snowflake’s case, the acquisition of Crunchy Data signifies a robust enhancement of its capabilities within the agentic AI landscape, further solidifying its pioneering role in the data domain—particularly through its AI Data Cloud. Ask Cloud Wars AI Agent about this analysis" max_tokens="3500" temperature="0.3" top_p="1.0" best_of="1" presence_penalty="0.1" frequency_penalty="frequency_penalty"] million. Crunchy Data, established in 2012 and based in Charleston, South Carolina, employs approximately 100 professionals and offers enterprise support for PostgreSQL deployments, cloud-native software, advanced security features, and data protection tools. The acquisition aims to integrate Crunchy Data’s PostgreSQL database into Snowflake’s AI Data Cloud to enhance data transfer processes and support advanced AI development. PostgreSQL is recognized for its reliability and versatility, being the most popular database used by 49% of developers.

AppWizard

June 6, 2025

Google testing Generative AI weather summaries for Search

Google is testing a generative AI weather summary to enhance user experience for weather updates, providing a comprehensive overview between hourly and 10-day forecasts. This feature is currently limited to Southern California, including cities like Los Angeles, San Francisco, and San Diego, and is accessible only to users signed into their Google accounts via the Google app and mobile web searches. It does not extend to the Google Weather app. Additionally, the Pixel Weather app has introduced a pollen tracker in the U.S., featuring a five-day view of pollen levels and insights into seasonality and cross-reaction data.

AppWizard

May 12, 2025

Ouch—Warner Bros throws Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League under the bus in the most corporate way possible, side-eyes it for closed studios and cancelled games

WB Games experienced a 48% decline in gaming revenue for the first quarter of 2025, primarily due to the lack of new game releases compared to the previous year. The disappointing performance of Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League, which resulted in a [openai_gpt model="gpt-4o-mini" prompt="Summarize the content and extract only the fact described in the text bellow. The summary shall NOT include a title, introduction and conclusion. Text: WB Games finds itself navigating turbulent waters, as a recent financial report reveals a staggering 48% decline in gaming revenue for the first quarter of 2025. Although the report does not dedicate a section solely to gaming, it highlights the significant impact of recent game releases on the company's bottom line. Revenue Decline and Impairment The report attributes this sharp revenue drop primarily to the absence of new game releases in the current quarter, especially when compared to the previous year’s launch of Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League. This title, which has been a topic of discussion since its release, has not only failed to meet expectations but also contributed to a staggering loss of 0 million for Warner Bros back in June 2024. The game’s final update was rolled out in January of this year, suggesting that the financial repercussions may have continued to ripple through the company. Despite the challenges, the previous year saw over 22 million copies of Hogwarts Legacy and Mortal Kombat 1 sold, which injected substantial revenue into Warner Bros. However, even with such successes, the current decline in revenue is stark. The report notes that the company’s expenses related to gaming content have plummeted by 66%, a reduction attributed to the impairment linked to Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League and lower revenue in the current quarter. Corporate Decisions and Studio Closures This drop in expenses raises eyebrows, particularly as it coincides with the closure of several studios, including Monolith, Player First Games, and WB San Diego, along with the cancellation of a much-anticipated Wonder Woman game. While the report presents this information in a clinical manner, the implications are clear: the company is tightening its belt in response to a poorly performing title. The language used to describe these events is notably sanitized, yet it hints at a dismal sentiment surrounding the failure of Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League. It’s reminiscent of a dramatic court scene where a noble drops their goblet in shock at the audacity of a courtier's remarks. The fallout from this situation has not only affected the financial landscape but has also led to layoffs and the resignation of the head of WB Games, underscoring the tumultuous environment within the gaming industry. As the dust settles, the focus shifts to the leadership decisions that led to the creation of this ill-fated game, rather than placing blame on the developers who were tasked with bringing it to life. The current state of affairs serves as a stark reminder of the complexities and challenges facing companies in the gaming sector." max_tokens="3500" temperature="0.3" top_p="1.0" best_of="1" presence_penalty="0.1" frequency_penalty="frequency_penalty"] million loss for Warner Bros in June 2024, contributed significantly to this decline. The company's gaming content expenses dropped by 66%, linked to the impairment from the failed title and lower revenue. Several studios, including Monolith, Player First Games, and WB San Diego, were closed, and a Wonder Woman game was canceled. The situation has led to layoffs and the resignation of the head of WB Games.

AppWizard

May 12, 2025

How Late Producer Jill Messick First Saw The Mega Potential Of ‘A Minecraft Movie’ Through The Eyes Of Her Son

A Minecraft Movie has surpassed 0 million at the box office. Jill Messick, a producer, sought film rights from Mojang Studios in 2011 after observing her son Jackson's enthusiasm for the game. She successfully pitched the concept to Mojang's founder, Markus Persson, and later collaborated with CAA to secure the rights. Producer Roy Lee and Warner Bros. also pursued the rights, leading to a partnership with Messick. The deal was finalized in February 2014, and Mojang was sold to Microsoft for .5 billion shortly after. The film's development involved various writers and filmmakers over a decade. Jill Messick passed away in February 2018, and her contributions were honored at the film's premiere on March 30, coinciding with Mother’s Day in the U.K.

AppWizard

March 28, 2025

An unannounced Hogwarts Legacy expansion and ‘definitive edition’ have reportedly been cancelled

Warner Bros. Games has canceled plans for an expansion and a "Definitive Edition" release of Hogwarts Legacy as part of its restructuring efforts. The cancellation was influenced by a cost-benefit analysis that deemed the financial investment unjustifiable. This decision follows substantial financial losses from other Warner titles, leading to studio closures and the cancellation of a Wonder Woman game. David Haddad, the chief of Warner Bros. Games, resigned prior to these closures. Despite the success of Hogwarts Legacy in 2023 and the company's commitment to the Harry Potter franchise, the cancellation of the expansion has raised questions. A sequel to Hogwarts Legacy remains a priority for Warner.

AppWizard

March 15, 2025

Passes to See MINECRAFT in San Diego

The A Minecraft Movie is set to premiere on Sunday, March 30, at AMC Mission Valley, with a screening scheduled for 11:00 AM. The film follows four misfits who are transported into a cubic wonderland and must navigate challenges to return home. Exclusive tickets for the screening are available for giveaway, with each ticket admitting two people, distributed on a first-come, first-served basis. Early arrival is recommended for those interested in securing passes.

AppWizard

March 1, 2025

Games revenue dipped 53% at Warner Bros during 2024

Warner Bros reported a 53% drop in revenue for its gaming division in 2024, as disclosed in its 10-K filing with the SEC. The overall content revenue declined by eight percent, primarily due to the decrease in gaming revenue, which saw a 29% year-on-year drop in the final quarter of 2024. The decline is attributed to underperforming titles in 2024, following the success of previous releases like Hogwarts Legacy and Mortal Kombat 1. The company plans to close several studios, including Monolith, Player First, and its San Diego studio, and will focus on four key franchises: Harry Potter, Game of Thrones, Mortal Kombat, and DC Comics. Warner Bros aims to restore profitability to its Games division by 2025 and enhance its contribution to the company's growth.

AppWizard

February 26, 2025

Warner Bros shuts down three studios, including Monolith

Warner Bros has announced the closure of three development studios: Monolith Productions, Player First Games, and its mobile-focused San Diego studio. As a result, 131 employees in Kirkland, Washington, will be laid off. Monolith Productions is known for titles such as Fear, Condemned, Shadow of Mordor, and Shadow of War, but its anticipated Wonder Woman game will not be developed. Player First Games is recognized for the game Multiversus. Warner Bros stated that the closures are part of a strategic shift to focus on key franchises like Harry Potter, Mortal Kombat, DC, and Game of Thrones, and emphasized that the decision does not reflect the talent of the teams involved.