San Diego Archives

AppWizard

August 5, 2026

Rockstar’s great Midnight Club racing series was killed off for one simple reason, and you can probably guess what it was

Midnight Club, an arcade street racing series from Rockstar, last released a title in 2008 with Midnight Club: Los Angeles. The series faced challenges that contributed to its decline, including missed development deadlines, conflicts between Rockstar's New York and San Diego studios, and the overshadowing focus on Grand Theft Auto. Former Rockstar designer Kris Roberts highlighted these issues in a recent interview, noting that the company's emphasis on blockbuster hits impacted the franchise's future.

AppWizard

March 5, 2026

Disguise Renews Global Rights to Minecraft Costumes

Disguise, Inc. has renewed its global licensing agreement for costumes and accessories related to the Minecraft franchise, strengthening its partnership with the brand. The renewal follows the successful launch of A Minecraft Movie in April 2025, which has increased fan engagement and demand for character costumes. Disguise plans to continue innovating in the design and distribution of Minecraft products globally. Additionally, a sequel to A Minecraft Movie is confirmed for release in 2027, indicating sustained demand for the franchise.

AppWizard

February 13, 2026

Russia blocks Meta’s WhatsApp, the country’s most popular messaging app

Waymo aims to achieve 1 million weekly paid autonomous rides by the end of this year, up from the current 400,000 weekly rides, which have quadrupled since 2025. The company is expanding its fleet by introducing new vehicle models and entering new markets, including Washington, Detroit, Las Vegas, San Diego, and Denver. Waymo currently operates in six cities and has a fleet of over 2,500 fully driverless vehicles. In comparison, Tesla operates approximately 500 robotaxis, mostly with human drivers, in Austin and the San Francisco Bay Area.

AppWizard

January 30, 2026

Amazon Games boss Hartmann reportedly leaving as firm retreats from PC and console

Christoph Hartmann, head of Amazon Game Studios, is leaving the company, which is shifting its focus from PC and console gaming to prioritize its Luna cloud streaming service. This change coincides with Amazon's layoffs affecting approximately 16,000 roles, following a previous round of 14,000 layoffs in October 2025. The gaming division may face challenges due to this strategic pivot, and significant reductions have already occurred in Amazon's gaming operations. The project New World Aeternum is scheduled to go offline in January 2027. Hartmann joined Amazon in 2018 and has over two decades of experience from 2K Games.

BetaBeacon

December 3, 2025

Sony is bringing MLB The Show to iOS and Android

Sony has launched MLB The Show Mobile, a free-to-play baseball game for iOS and Android developed by San Diego Studio. The game is currently only available in the Philippines and does not support crossplay with console games. It is optimized for newer mobile devices and features solo and player-vs-player modes with over 1,100 player cards. In-game purchases may include random items.

Winsage

November 19, 2025

Critics scoff after Microsoft warns AI feature can infect machines and pilfer data

User safety measures in AI security depend on user engagement with dialog windows that outline risks and require consent. However, users may not fully understand these prompts or may become habituated to clicking "yes," which diminishes the effectiveness of security measures. Earlence Fernandes, an AI security professor, highlighted that reliance on user interaction can compromise security boundaries. The rise of "ClickFix" attacks illustrates vulnerabilities when users are misled, and factors like user fatigue or emotional distress can lead to mistakes. Critics argue that companies like Microsoft use warnings more as legal safeguards than genuine protective measures, shifting liability to users. This concern extends to other major tech companies, which often change AI features from optional to default settings without user consent.

AppWizard

November 18, 2025

Disguise Celebrates Three Consecutive Years as the #1 Costume Manufacturer YTD in the U.S., with Minecraft securing their Top License Spot, According to Circana

Disguise, Inc., a division of JAKKS Pacific, Inc., has been named the top costume manufacturer in the United States for the year-to-date 2025, marking its third consecutive year in this position. The company's growth is attributed to a commitment to quality licensed products and an expanded brand portfolio, with Minecraft being the leading costume license for YTD 2025. The recent release of A Minecraft Movie in April 2025 has increased demand for Minecraft-themed costumes, including the popular Chicken Jockey Pop-Up Costume, which sold out quickly and was listed on eBay at nearly three times its retail price. A viral trend linked to a scene from the movie further boosted the costume's popularity. Disguise's President, Tara Cortner, highlighted the company's achievements and the significance of its partnership with Minecraft. An official announcement for a sequel to A Minecraft Movie is planned for release in 2027.

AppWizard

November 10, 2025

Tandem Diabetes (NASDAQ: TNDM) receives FDA clearance for Mobi Android app, early 2026

Tandem Diabetes Care, Inc. received FDA clearance for the Tandem Mobi mobile app for Android devices. The Tandem Mobi system is recognized as the world's smallest and most durable automated insulin delivery system, utilizing Control-IQ+ technology, which has shown 79% time in range and 90% overnight time in range. The app aims to enhance user engagement and communication between patients and healthcare providers. A limited release of the app is expected in December 2025, with full availability in early 2026, and it will be downloadable from the Google Play Store on compatible devices.

AppWizard

October 29, 2025

Amazon Games is making major layoffs as it shifts focus away from MMOs to its Luna cloud gaming platform: ‘We have made the difficult decision to halt a significant amount of our first-party AAA game development’

Amazon has reduced its workforce by 14,000 employees across various divisions, with significant cuts in the gaming sector, particularly within game development teams. This decision is part of a strategic shift in Amazon's gaming strategy, as communicated by Steve Boom, the vice president of audio, Twitch, and games. The company is scaling back on major projects, especially in massively multiplayer online games (MMOs), and has made staffing reductions at Amazon Game Studios in Irvine and San Diego. Despite these layoffs, Amazon is committed to certain projects, including a new Tomb Raider game and an open-world driving game. Amazon's gaming efforts have faced challenges, with mixed success in titles like New World: Aeternum and failures such as Crucible. The company plans to focus on creating "console-friendly titles, known IPs, or known play patterns" as it pivots towards its Luna platform. The exact number of employees affected by the layoffs is undisclosed.

AppWizard

October 18, 2025

Anti Social Social Club Mines a New Dimension with Minecraft in New Collaboration

Anti Social Social Club (ASSC) launched a collaboration with Minecraft during TwitchCon 2025 in San Diego, featuring a collection that combines ASSC's typography with Minecraft's 8-bit aesthetics. The collection includes hoodies, tees with glitch graphics, and exclusive pink cherry blossom jerseys worn during the Minecraft Championship. Accessories include pixel-patterned backpacks, collectible rugs, and a branded shovel. The collection will launch globally on October 18 at 8 a.m. PST, available exclusively on the webstore, with prices ranging from USD to 5 USD.