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The hacking collective ShinyHunters says it disrupted a major education platform not once but twice over the past few weeks. And the data breach could not have come at a worse time for students and teachers. These events unfurled during school finals at many of the affected institutions.

On April 30, Instructure, the edtech company behind Canvas, the popular Learning Management System (LMS) utilized by educational institutions around the world, temporarily went offline. A day later, Instructure confirmed that a "criminal threat actor" was behind a data breach into the company's systems.

According to ShinyHunters, the group stole data from 275 million Canvas users at nearly 9,000 schools worldwide. The affected users include students, teachers, and staff, and while no passwords or other sensitive data were taken, the data stolen was significant. The hackers claimed usernames, email addresses, student IDs, and private messages exchanged on the platform were part of the stolen data. Some of the impacted users are underage students.

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Shortly after the hack, Instructure confirmed that it had revoked access from the bad actors, took measures to fix the issues and prevent another breach from occurring, and brought Canvas back online.

However, just one week later, ShinyHunters says it hit Canvas again. This time, the hackers compromised school-specific login pages for the platform and defaced the pages with messages threatening to publicly release the stolen data from the previous breach unless Instructure agreed to "negotiate a settlement."

A monetary demand from ShinyHunters was not surprising. The ransomware group is known for extorting victims following a data breach. A second breach at Instructure, however, was a surprise. Canvas once again went offline, and when it came back, the company had removed the source of the second incident: Free-For-Teacher accounts.

According to a newly updated incident page on Instructure's website, the company says it "identified a vulnerability regarding support tickets in our Free for Teacher environment that was exploited." 

"We temporarily disabled Free for Teacher while we complete a full security review," the company said. "We know that's disruptive, and we didn't make that call lightly. But keeping the entire Canvas platform secure has to come first."

While the second breach did not result in any stolen data, the timing of the security incident could not have been worse for students, as many schools are currently holding finals and other scheduled deadlines for end-of-year coursework.

As PCMag reports, "students and professors struggled to access the online platform used to submit assignments and tests." (Disclosure: PCMag and Mashable are both owned by the same parent company, Ziff Davis.)

According to data provided to Mashable from Alliance Risk Trends, Google searches for "canvas hacked" and "canvas down" spiked roughly 1,000 percent just this past Friday. There was a combined search volume of more than 1 million for searches involving the Canvas security incidents and subsequent downtime.

Some readers reached out to Mashable to share their experience. One parent of a student at Seton Hall University forwarded Mashable an email that the school sent out while Canvas was down.

"We know the timing of this is hard," the school's email to students read. "Finals are underway, coursework is due, and Canvas being offline right now is genuinely disruptive."

Some schools, such as Bayton University in Texas, postponed final exams on Friday specifically due to issues accessing Canvas.

"With Canvas down at the national level, Baylor University will delay final exams tomorrow (Friday, May 8, 2026)," the school said in a statement.

Canvas is now back online. However, ShinyHunters' "settlement" deadline to release the data on May 12 still looms.

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Counterfeit DDR5 RAM is circulating across online storefronts and gray-market retailers, and some fake modules are convincing enough to pass visual inspection — until you cut them open. According to Digital Trends, the chips installed on the fraudulent sticks aren't memory at all, but merely fiberglass boards shaped to resemble legitimate DRAM.

SEE ALSO: The RAM shortage driving up tech prices won’t end any time soon, Micron says

The issue was reported by a Japanese X user who purchased what appeared to be a genuine SK Hynix SO-DIMM laptop module and physically dissected it after becoming suspicious. Inside, they found non-functional fiberglass pieces where the memory chips should have been.

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"At first glance, they look like regular memory sticks, but the chips actually installed on them are just bare circuit boards—plastic boards. I removed them and cut them open to check," reads a translation of the X post.

Some of these counterfeits are reportedly being sold openly on auction platforms like Yahoo Japan under listings marked "untested" or "junk," with sellers explicitly refusing returns.

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The problem is compounded with desktop DDR5 kits, where large heatspreaders cover the memory chips entirely. Without visible chips to inspect, Digital Trends notes, buyers often have no way to confirm what they've purchased until a system fails to boot or crashes repeatedly.

The conditions for this kind of fraud are straightforward. DDR5 prices have been rising sharply for over a year, driven by AI-related demand that has sparked a global memory crisis. And as memory manufacturers prioritize enterprise and server production over consumer supply, there's no end in sight for shoppers.

Mashable previously reported that Framework, the modular PC maker, raised its DDR5 prices multiple times through late 2025, with a 48GB module jumping from $240 to $620 over the course of months. Samsung warned manufacturing partners of further price hikes to come, with major laptop makers including Lenovo, Dell, and HP warning of price increases.

Euphoria's Cassie Howard (Sydney Sweeney) has worn many hats. Figure skater. OnlyFans model. Kaiju.

SEE ALSO: 'Euphoria' made sex work go viral. Real sex workers are still getting censored.

The latter hat comes into play in Season 3, episode 5, when Cassie's OnlyFans fame goes to her head in a supersized fantasy sequence. As she watches her OnlyFans notifications pour in, Cassie imagines herself growing into a giantess and stomping through downtown Los Angeles, ready to take Hollywood by storm.

It's a technically impressive sequence that draws inspiration from 1958's Attack of the 50 Foot Woman and the Godzilla franchise. In a behind-the-scenes video released by HBO, the Euphoria team takes viewers through how they brought it all to life by building painstaking miniatures

"It was a lot of fun. It took about a year to build all the miniatures," Euphoria creator Sam Levinson said in the above behind-the-scenes video.

Cassie's dream of Hollywood glory is Euphoria Season 3's first major departure from reality, something which used to be a staple in earlier Euphoria seasons. Think Rue's (Zendaya) views of herself as a private detective, or her relapse at the end of Season 1, which turns into a memorable musical number.

It's a shame, then, that the inventive Cassie-zilla sequence is tied to a hyper-sexualized montage of her OnlyFans work. Euphoria's portrayal of sex work has already earned criticism from sex workers, and it continues to fall into the same trap in episode 5: highlighting fantasies of sex work without actually fleshing out the sex workers themselves. After all, Cassie is little more than a fame-hungry caricature by this point, and as fun as it is to see Euphoria embrace practical monster effects, it's not enough to mask the emptiness and shock value of her narrative.

New episodes of Euphoria Season 3 premiere Sundays at 9 p.m. ET on HBO and HBO Max.

Save $20: The Soundcore AeroFit 2 Pro are on sale for $159.99 at Amazon, Soundcore, Walmart, and Best Buy as of May 11. All told, this is an 11% discount on the usually $179.99 dual-form earbuds.

Soundcore AeroFit 2 Pro $159.99 at Amazon
$179.99 Save $20   Get Deal at Amazon Get Deal at Soundcore

The awareness of open earbuds is basically an unmatched experience, but in most cases, it requires the trade off of giving up active noise cancellation.

In the case of the Soundcore AeroFit 2 Pro, however, you don't have to choose between tuning in to the world around you and tuning it out when necessary, and as of May 11, you don't have to pay full price for this option either. The Soundcore buds are down to $159.99, knocking $20 off their $179.99 list price at Amazon, Soundcore, Walmart, and Best Buy.

When I tested out these earbuds a couple of months ago, I was skeptical that they could deliver on both fronts. After all, the closest open earbuds had gotten was noise reduction. Still, I knew Soundcore was capable of making a great pair of open earbuds, and a great pair of noise cancelling earbuds. And while the combination isn't absolute perfection, these earbuds are one of the better values if you're looking for decent noise cancellation and and open earbud experience in one convenient package.

They're also IP55 rated for dust and water resistance, meaning you're good to take them to the gym or for a run without any concern about it seriously impacting their performance. At $179.99, they're already competitively priced for such a versatile pair of buds — at $159.99, their value is even better. Grab all four colorways — including the newer gloss blue shade — on sale.

Ninja finally made a Slushi machine that can make two different flavors at once. (Consider it a modern twist on the Margaritaville Tahiti.) Announced May 11, the Ninja Slushi Twist kind of looks like two regular Slushi machines fused together. You can see where this is going.

Neo no longer has to choose between red and blue. Credit: Ninja

Each vessel still has its own individual spout and handle, so flavors can be dispensed independently of each other. The fun part? Hit the button in the middle to swirl them together for a perfectly-layered striped drink.

Opens in a new window Credit: Ninja Ninja Slushi Twist $399.99 at SharkNinja
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Though small Slushi upgrades have been released here and there, this is easily the biggest news since the initial Slushi launched in July 2024. It's not surprising that it's already out of stock on the day of its release. The Slushi Twist costs $399.99, though, and you can sign up to have SharkNinja notify you when it's back.

SEE ALSO: From F1 sets to new Botanicals plants, these are the best new Lego sets of May

The Slushi Twist is the ultimate frozen drink maker for families with kids or anyone who likes to host. The kids get their fruit punch slushie, the adults get their frosé. Can't decide between a strawberry or jalapeño margarita for an upcoming happy hour hangout? The Slushi Twist won't make you choose between your sweet and spicy friends.

The Slushi Twist can make 10+ 9-ounce servings per batch. Credit: Ninja

Compared to the original Slushi machine that I tested and loved, the Slushi Twist apparently slushes faster. Since my Slushi takes about an hour at most, I'm guessing the Twist can have drinks ready in 45 minutes max. Remember that the Slushi doesn't require ice like a regular blender or prepared frozen mixtures like the Ninja Creami.

New Dual SlushAssist mode auto-senses the ingredients on each side and auto-adjusts the temperature to keep them at the right chilly consistency. Choosing the right level of cold for my Slushi has been quite the trial and error, especially when sugar or alcohol content math is involved — so SlushAssist sounds pretty nice.

Best Amazon Pet Days deals 2026: Best pet camera deal Petcube Cam 360 $33.24 (save $13.75) Get Deal Best pet bed deal Bedsure SupportMax™ XL Orthopedic Dog Bed $49.99 (save $12) Get Deal Best GPS tracker deal Tractive Smart Dog GPS Tracker $55.30 (save $23.70) Get Deal

As a proud dog mom of two unruly beagles, I know how expensive our little monsters can be. Between the beds they ruin, the toys they destroy in seconds, and the absurd cost of basic flea and tick prevention, keeping them happy and healthy in this economy (in this economy?!) can drain your wallet. So whenever there's a big sale on pet supplies, I'm the first one in line to stock up.

SEE ALSO: My cats and I found the 8 best vacuums for pet owners, from powerful hair pickup to livestream cameras

Amazon Pet Days officially kicked off today, May 11, and runs through May 15. It's basically Prime Day for pets, but with one major difference: you don't need a Prime membership to get the best deals. (Though if you do have Prime, you'll get free same-day, one-day, or two-day shipping.) First-time "Subscribe & Save" customers can also get 35% off select health care products from brands like Simparica, NexGard, and HeartGard.

There are thousands of deals across grooming, toys, and tech right now. But since buying toys for super-chewers is basically just throwing money away, I usually skip that section entirely. Instead, this sale is the best time to grab the expensive gear your fur babies need — like grooming tools, replacement beds, and pet cameras.

Here are some of the most practical discounts worth grabbing before the sale ends:

Best pet camera deal Petcube Cam 360 $33.24 at Amazon
$46.99 Save $13.75   Get Deal at Amazon Why we like it

I hate leaving my pups for too long, but sometimes it's inevitable. The only thing that's helped me ease my anxiety during long errand runs is a pet camera. Most of these gadgets are expensive and can run in the $200s, but right now you can get an Amazon top-rated pick for just $33.24 (normally $46.99).

The Petcube Cam 360 has 500+ reviews and a 4.3 average star rating. For a budget camera, it does a lot: it offers full 360-degree rotation, 1080p HD video, and night vision up to 30 feet in the dark. It also has two-way audio, so you can listen to them bark and talk back to let them know you'll be home soon. Plus, if you decide to use their subscription service, it sends AI alerts right to your phone so you know exactly what's going on in real time.

More pet camera deals

• Blink Mini — $14.99 $24.99 (save $10)

• Eufy E30 Indoor Camera — $49.99 $69.99 (save $20)

• Petcube Cam 360 (2 Pack) — $56.99 $83.99 (save $27)

• Furbo Mini Pet Camera — $64 $89 (save $25)

• Petcube Cam and Cam 360 Bundle — $75 $78.98 (save $5.98)

• Petcube Cam 360 (3 Pack) — $75.56 $119.99 (save $44.43)

• Furbo 360° Cat Camera — $136 $184 (save $48)

Best GPS tracker deal Tractive Smart Dog GPS Tracker $55.30 at Amazon
$79 Save $23.70   Get Deal at Amazon Get Deal at Tractive Why we like it

I've always used an Apple AirTag to track my pups, but I'm tempted to get a real GPS tracker. I keep seeing ads on Instagram (mostly for Fi), and the promos are working.

The Tractive Smart Dog GPS Tracker, for example, is basically a Fitbit for your dog. It offers real-time GPS tracking with unlimited range (you'll also get updates every two to three seconds) and vital-sign monitoring, including heart and respiratory rates. It's also waterproof, has a 14-day battery life, and can create custom virtual fences.

More GPS tracker deals

• Petcube GPS Tracker — $28.49 $39.99 (save $11.50)

• PetLink GPS Dog Tracker — $45.99 $64.99 (save $19)

• Fi New Series 3+ — $99 $119 (save $20)

• Halo Collar 5 — $445.40 $599 (save $153.60)

Best pet bed deal Bedsure SupportMax™ XL Orthopedic Dog Bed $49.99 at Amazon
$61.99 Save $12   Get Deal at Amazon Why we like it

I travel a lot, and lugging a pet bed around for each pup everywhere I go has become somewhat of a hassle. I just keep beds everywhere: two inside my apartment, one on the balcony, two in my truck, and a stash at my parents' house. Out of all the beds we've tried, though, Gravy is obsessed with the Bedsure SupportMax™ XL Orthopedic Dog Bed. Even better, you can grab it right now for 19% off.

It comes in multiple sizes and six color options (we went with the dark green to match my aesthetic). We got one large enough for both Saint and Gravy to comfortably share, but if you don't need a giant bed taking up your living room, they go as small as 35 inches.

More pet bed deals

• Barkbox Orthopedic Dog Bed with Memory Foam — $26.62 $33.99 (save $7.37)

• Bedsure Calming Dog Bed — $29.96 $49.99 (save $20.03)

• Comfort Expression Orthopedic Dog Bed for Extra Large Dogs — $40.99 $58.99 (save $18)

• JOEJOY Orthopedic Dog Beds — $41.38 $59.99 (save $18.61)

• Bedsure ComfyFleece™ Cute Dog Bed — $52.19 $66.99 (save $15.80)

Enrichment toys, grooming gadgets, and more

• WOOF FlipMat Mini — $7.99 $9.99 (save $2)

• WOOF Party Pupsicle — $15.99 $19.99 (save $4)

• ChomChom Roller & Rake — $19.99 $29.99 (save $10)

• Oneisall Dog Grooming Vacuum Bundle — $79.99 $19.99 (save $40)

Trisha Paytas is in her HBO era.

SEE ALSO: 'Euphoria' Season 3 review: It should be great. Instead, it's gross.

The influencer, known for everything from her controversial trolling to her current podcast Just Trish, has popped up in two of the network's hottest series this spring. First, she played herself in Hacks Season 5, competing against Deborah Vance (Jean Smart) and her daughter DJ (Kaitlin Olson) in The Amazing Race. Now, she's stepped into the world of Euphoria Season 3.

Who does Trisha Paytas play on Euphoria? Sydney Sweeney and Trisha Paytas in "Euphoria." Credit: Screenshot: HBO

Season 3 of Euphoria focuses heavily on OnlyFans, with Cassie Howard (Sydney Sweeney) turning to the subscription platform for extra money. What begins as a mission to pay for her $50,000 wedding flower arrangements soon turns into a greater dream to take over Hollywood. As her popularity grows, she starts doing podcast appearances. Paytas, who has posted on OnlyFans herself, plays an unnamed podcast host on Cassie's extensive media tour in Season 3, episode 5.

SEE ALSO: 'Euphoria' made sex work go viral. Real sex workers are still getting censored.

During these appearances, Cassie repeats right-wing, men's rights talking points, which seem to catch Paytas's character off guard.

"Men should be free," Cassie tells each host she speaks with. "They should be able to speak their mind, voice their desires."

Paytas's podcaster responds, "Oh, you think they're being too restricted by society?"

Cassie goes further, saying, "Yes! Like, if a man today were to say that he wants a girlfriend that can cook or clean, he might as well be screaming the N-word."

In response to that wild statement, all Paytas's host can do is take a deep breath and say, "Okay."

It turns out that this response wasn't scripted.

Trisha Paytas reveals she was stunned in Euphoria cameo. Trisha Paytas in "Euphoria." Credit: Screenshot: HBO

On Instagram, Paytas posted some behind-the-scenes photos from her time on Euphoria, including a call sheet that lists her role as Video Podcast Host #3. But what's most interesting is her caption, where she reveals, "I had no script so that speechless reaction was real."

Weeks before her episode premiered, Paytas spoke about her role further on her podcast Just Trish, saying, "I didn't even know if I was making it [into the final cut]... My whole scene was improv. All my things were improv. There was no script."

That means Paytas, like many Euphoria viewers, was left flabbergasted by Cassie's continued spiral down the alt-right pipeline.

I can only imagine the rest of the episode, which features an NSFW parody on Attack of the 50 Foot Woman and the potential death of Rue Bennett (Zendaya), left her uttering a similar dumbfounded, "Okay."

New episodes of Euphoria Season 3 premiere Sundays at 9 p.m. ET on HBO and HBO Max.

SAVE $400: The Mammotion LUBA 3 AWD 5000H robot lawn mower is on sale at Amazon for $2,899, down from the list price at Mammotion of $3,299. That's a 22% discount and the lowest we've seen at Amazon.

Opens in a new window Credit: Mammotion Mammotion LUBA 3 AWD 5000H robot lawn mower $2,899 at Amazon
$3,299 Save $400   Get Deal

By now, the lawn is rejoicing. It made it through the winter chill and it's flourishing with mild spring temperatures, occasional rain, and plenty of sun. That's all great until it comes time to mow the grass. If you're not in the mood to deal with another household chore, consider offloading the task to a robot lawn mower. There's a powerful model on sale at Amazon today.

As of May 12, the Mammotion LUBA 3 AWD 5000H robot lawn mower is on sale at Amazon for $2,899, down from the list price at Mammotion of $3,299. That's a 22% discount that takes $400 off the normal price. It's also the lowest we've seen at Amazon.

With the ability to cut 1.25 acres, the Mammotion has durable, all-terrain wheels that'll have no issues with uneven lawns, slight bumps, or when cutting over stepping stones. Today's sale price applies to the high version which is capable of cutting grass down to between 4 and 2.2 inches. You'll be able to se the preferred heigh and mowing scheudle with the Mammotion.

SEE ALSO: Considering a robot lawn mower? We picked 3 deals live now at Amazon.

The rechargeable battery can keep the robot mower powered on for up to 215 minutes of grass-cutting action. It's also designed with obstacle avoidance for over 300 things that might be on the lawn like a potted plant, picnic table, fire fit, and plenty more.

Before the busy summer schedule kicks into high-gear, get the help of the Mammotion LUBA 3 AWD 5000H robot lawn mower. It's on sale at Amazon for under $2,900 which marks a new record-low price.

A BRAND NEW PRICE: As of May 11, My Best Buy Plus memberships are now just $29.99 per year instead of $49.99 per year. That's a $20 permanent price drop. Meanwhile, My Best Buy Total memberships are jumping to $199.99 per year starting June 4, a $20 increase from their previous cost.

Opens in a new window Credit: Best Buy My Best Buy Plus membership $29.99 per year Get Deal

It's pretty rare in 2026 to see something get cheaper, particularly a subscription. While other subscriptions are steadily hiking costs, Best Buy quietly just dropped the price of its My Best Buy Plus membership permanently.

The tech retail giant announced a reward points system for its paid subscribers last week along with a new pricing structure for its Plus and Total subscriptions. Typically $49.99 per year, the more affordable Plus membership is now just $29.99. The permanent $20 price drop appears to already be reflected on the Best Buy website, so new subscribers will only pay $29.99 and existing subscribers will see the new pricing go into effect on their next bill. That's only a mere $2.50 per month when you do the math.

Plus subscriptions include free two-day shipping, early access to sales, events, and products, an extended 60-day return window, exclusive member pricing, and now 1% back in rewards on eligible purchases (6% with the My Best Buy Credit Card). For instance, Plus and Total members can take an extra $100 off the LG 77-inch B5 OLED 4K TV or get two free months of Apple TV and LinkedIn Premium.

My Best Buy Total subscriptions, on the other hand, are getting a $20 price hike. Currently $179.99 per year, prices will jump to $199.99 per year starting June 4. If you were thinking about signing up, we recommend locking in your membership before June 4 to save $20.

Total subscriptions include the same perks as Plus subscriptions, as well as protection plans like AppleCare+, free in-store and remote computer and tablet services, 24/7 tech support, VIP member support and priority access to Best Buy’s expert services, and 20% off repairs.

The rewards points system, which can now be tracked in a new digital membership hub on BestBuy.com and the Best Buy app, will also go into effect starting June 4.

Euphoria really wants audiences to think Rue Bennett (Zendaya) is dead.

Season 3, episode 5 ends with a cliffhanger that certainly suggests she's a goner. Once Alamo Brown (Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje) suspects that Rue is a snitch, he sends her on a ride to dig her own grave. She seems quite oblivious to her impending death, even as Alamo's henchmen Bishop (Darrell Britt-Gibson), G (Marshawn Lynch), and Kidd (Asante Blackk) begin burying her up to her neck.

SEE ALSO: 'Euphoria' Season 3 review: It should be great. Instead, it's gross.

The alarm bells don't fully set in for Rue until the episode's final seconds, when Alamo barrels towards her on horseback, ready to club her head off with a mean polo swing. (Has he taken lessons on how to kill off HBO leads from The Last of Us' golf club-wielding Abby?)

The episode cuts to black before we see what could be Rue's grisly fate, but don't worry: There's no way Euphoria just killed off its Emmy-winning lead.

Why do some think Rue will die on Euphoria?

There are several signs that suggest Rue is really dead.

For one, no footage of her is in the episode 6 trailer. Plus, it forebodingly begins with the sound of a bell tolling as if for a funeral. Notably, Rue's counterpart character in the original Israeli Euphoria miniseries does die, and that show reveals she's been narrating from beyond the grave.

While that could be the case with Rue in Euphoria, as fans have theorized, the Israeli Rue character dies from an overdose, not from a mix-up with a malicious, sex-trafficking cowboy. So, that parallel doesn't quite work here.

Also, that series — also called Euphoria — lasted one season. And the two have diverged greatly, so take any comparisons with several grains of salt.

Here's why Rue isn't dead in Euphoria.

There is incontrovertible proof that Rue survives her Alamo encounter, and it comes from a Season 3 trailer, released on March 30. There, we see a dust-covered Rue making her way back to Laurie's (Martha Kelly) farm, where she tells her, "Alamo tried to kill me, and he's gonna do the same to you."

The murder attempt Rue is referring to must be the one at the end of episode 5. Plus, her nose in the trailer scene is bloody, suggesting something struck it. Something like a polo mallet, perhaps?

The Season 3 trailer also reveals several other Rue scenes that have yet to appear, including a frank conversation with Ali (Colman Domingo) and a sequence in which Rue stares at a burning tree, likely a reference to Moses and the burning bush, in keeping with the season's Biblical allusions.

Simply put, this previously released trailer footage proves that Rue isn't dead yet.

Just how she gets out of this scrape remains to be seen. Maybe it was all an elaborate scare tactic from Alamo, just like him threatening to stab Kidd over a pair of shorter pants earlier in episode 5. Or maybe she just has a superhumanly thick skull. Either way, Rue – and Zendaya — are sticking around for longer.

New episodes of Euphoria Season 3 premiere Sundays at 9 p.m. ET on HBO and HBO Max.

If you've been keeping an eye on the Steam Machine, here's a reason to pay closer attention. New details have emerged suggesting that Valve is preparing a reservation queue system for the device ahead of launch.

This could be a direct response to the chaos that followed the Steam Controller's release, which sold out almost immediately and landed largely in the hands of scalpers.

SEE ALSO: Valve Steam Controller: What reviewers are saying, how to get your hands on one

According to Wccftech, users digging through a recent Steam update uncovered code pointing to four distinct Steam Machine packages and two Steam Frame packages, alongside existing entries for the Steam Controller and Steam Deck. The four-package breakdown strongly implies multiple models will be available at launch.

Mashable 101 Fan Fave: Vote for your favorite creator today!

Two are already known — a 512GB and a 2TB storage configuration — but the nature of the remaining two is still unconfirmed. The reservation queue itself mirrors the system Valve introduced for the Steam Controller, designed to give actual buyers a fair shot before scalpers can clean out launch inventory.

As for when any of this actually happens — that's still the big question. Earlier this year, Valve acknowledged in a blog post that soaring memory and storage costs had forced the company to reassess its pricing and shipping timeline, particularly for the Steam Machine and Steam Frame.

The company has since struck a more confident tone, updating its Steam Year in Review to confirm that all three products — the Steam Machine, Steam Frame VR headset, and Steam Controller — will ship this year.

No price or launch date has been confirmed. But four packages and a scalper-prevention system quietly appearing in a Steam update suggest the pieces are falling into place faster than Valve is letting on.

SAVE UP TO $25.01: A Parade of Horribles: Dungeon Crawler Carl book 8 by Matt Dinniman is on sale at Amazon for $6.99 in the Kindle version and $23 in the hardback version. The book releases tomorrow, May 12.

Opens in a new window Credit: Ace 'A Parade of Horribles: Dungeon Crawler Carl' book 8 $6.99 at Amazon
$32 Save $25.01   Pre-order Here

We've missed Princess Donut, Mongo, calling for Zev, and reading about Carl's bare feet. But that's all coming back to us tomorrow when A Parade of Horribles, the 8th book in the Dungeon Crawler Carl series launches. If you can't wait to dive in, check out these pre-order discounts at Amazon.

As of May 11, the Kindle version of A Parade of Horribles by Matt Dinniman is on sale at Amazon for $6.99, down from the standard price of $32. The hardback version is on sale for $23, also down from $32. The book launches tomorrow, May 12.

In a time when everything seems weird and worrying in the real world, Matt Dinniman is giving us 766 pages of adventure fiction. What snippy things will get Donut say to get in trouble this time? What trickery will Carl come up with just when we think he'll surely die? We cannot wait to find out. A Paraded of Horribles marks the 8th book in the Dungeon Crawler Carl series.

SEE ALSO: The Kobo Clara Colour is an awesome alternative to Amazon's Kindle Paperwhite

If you're not in a hurry to snag a physical copy of the book, you can order a signed hardback copy from an independent bookstore in Dinniman's home town of Gig Harbor, Wash. Invitation Bookshop notes that signed copies are delayed but will be on their way as soon as Dinniman can sign them. My plan is to read the Kindle version when it releases tomorrow and wait for the signed physical version to arrive for my bookshelf. The signed copy is selling for the standard hardcover retail price of $32.

Get back into the wonderful, deranged, and lovable journey with Carl, Donut, Mongo, and the others when A Parade of Horribles releases on May 12. It's a terrific escape from our current terrors and it's on a major sale at Amazon.

Save 44%: The Soundcore Sleep A20 earbuds are on sale for just $99.99 as a Best Buy deal of the day. That means come May 12, this $80 markdown on the usually $179.99 earbuds is over.

Opens in a new window Credit: Soundcore Soundcore Sleep A20 $99.99 at Best Buy
$179.99 Save $80.00   Get Deal

I do not play about my sleep, which is one of the reasons why as a headphones reviewer, I have put all the most popular sleep earbuds to the test.

After a few rounds of testing, the Soundcore Sleep A20 earbuds remain some of the best I've tried, and as of May 11, they're on sale for one of their lowest prices ever. Thanks to a Best Buy deal of the day, they dropped down to $99.99, making them $80 cheaper than their usual $179.99. As a deal of the day, however, these savings will be gone come tomorrow, so if you're interested, you'll want to act sooner rather than later.

Though I consider the Soundcore Sleep A30 Special earbuds the best option for sleep earbuds overall due to their combination of comfort and active noise cancellation, if you can live without ANC, the Sleep A20 are a much more cost effective option, especially at this sale price. (At the time of writing the Sleep A30 Special earbuds are only available for their full price of $199.99). I trust their efficacy so much that I picked them up on sale last Black Friday as a Christmas present for my dad, who was formerly using his AirPods to help him fall asleep while managing his tinnitus.

SEE ALSO: Ozlo Sleepbuds review: Can earbuds really improve your sleep?

With the Sleep A20 earbuds, you'll get 14 hours of battery life per charge with a case that can hold 80 hours of charge, a robust sleep sound library and the ability to stream your own audio with timers for falling asleep, and sleep tracking data. Even without ANC, they offer an impressively good amount of passive noise cancellation — especially if you're streaming audio. For noisy nights or travel (reminder: Memorial Day Weekend is just two weeks away), these earbuds can change the game in offering you reliably soundproofed sleep.

I have been plotting and planning to adopt a dog for years, and at the end of 2025, it finally happened. Now our sweet pitbull beagle mix, Milly, has come home and joined the family. While I grew up with dogs, this is my first time owning a dog as an adult, which meant starting from scratch and dropping a lot of money on everything I needed — or thought I needed.

The Lesure dog bed, might just be Milly's favorite spot in the house. Credit: Samantha Mangino / Mashable

Luckily, with six months of dog ownership under my belt, I've figured out the absolute essentials — things we use every day. With Amazon Pet Week running from May 11 through 15, I wanted to share my dog essentials. These are the things I would buy over and over again that both Milly and I love.

SEE ALSO: Amazon Pet Days is live: Everything you need to know about 'Prime Day for pets' Lesure Donut Dog Bed Lesure Donut Dog Bed $45.99 at Amazon
  Shop Now at Amazon

This wasn't the first dog bed we got for Milly, but the Lesure dog bed is absolutely her favorite — she tried to lie on it before it was even fully put together. The outside of the bed is so soft, but the donut shape makes it extremely cozy. It has a sort of ingenius two part design with two cushions that are inserted into the cover to make that donut shape. That also makes it exceptionally easy to clean. Once it starts to smell a little...doggy, I can just toss it in the wash to get it feeling fresh again.

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MidWest Homes 36-inch Double Door Dog Crate MidWest Homes 36-inch Double Door Dog Crate $61.93 at Amazon
$65.99 Save $4.06   Get Deal at Amazon

Luckily, Milly came to us crate-trained. This girl loves her crate and sleeps easily through the night in it. During Black Friday, I picked up the MidWest Homes 36-inch Double Door Dog Crate, and it's great. It was so easy to set up and can fold down easily if we want to travel with it. I love the double doors situation that allows us to angle it however we need.

Max and Neo Dog Collar Max and Neo Martingale Collar $17.99 at Amazon
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As a first-time dog owner, it's safe to say I have a little bit of new parent anxiety. Luckily, Milly's foster sent us home with a Max and Neo Martingale collar, which I would purchase with my own money if I had to do it again. A martingale collar has a special mechanism that tightens it when your dog pulls, so it's less likely that your dog can slip out of the collar. Plus, I love that it has a lock on the buckle for extra security.

AirTag and collar holder Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple AirTag $29 at Amazon
  Shop Now Opens in a new window Credit: Goody Products Goody Products AirTag Holder $14.96 at Amazon
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If the worst were to happen and we got lost from Milly, we wanted some way to track her. We decided to get an AirTag as it was an affordable, easy-to-use option. Since we live in a city, the AirTag is fairly accurate and reliable, though if we lived in the suburbs or country, we might consider a GPS collar. The AirTag has been great so far, and we keep it attached to Milly's collar with an AirTag holder.

SEE ALSO: Should you get an AirTag or a GPS tracker for your dog? Experts weigh in. The Buddy System Dog Leash The Buddy System Hands Free Dog Leash $24.99 at Amazon
  Shop Now at Amazon

When adopting Milly, we were recommended to get a runner's belt. We tried a few options, but our favorite is from The Buddy System, which has inclusive sizing and easily converts to a handheld leash. My favorite feature is the tab to clip our treat pouch and poop bag holder.

Earth Rated Dog Poop Bags Earth Rated Poop Bags $24.69 at Amazon
$28.24 Save $3.55   Shop Now at Amazon

I know it is not glamorous or the most exciting thing to buy during a sale, but without fail, the thing you will use every day as a dog owner is poop bags. There are a ton out there, but Earth Rated seems to be the most popular (245K+ reviews on Amazon) for good reason. I like them because they come in a pack of 600, so I don't have to think about buying them for months at a time.

Upsky No Spill Water Bowl Upsky No Spill Water Bowl $15.99 at Amazon
$19.99 Save $4.00   Shop Now at Amazon

We bought the Upsky No Spill Water Bowl after dog sitting for our friends who had one. It is awesome for messy drinkers as the disk on top keeps just a little water exposed. The unexpected upside? Our cats love drinking from it, too.

Woof Pupsicle Woof Pupsicle $23.99 at Amazon
$29.99 Save $6   Shop Now at Amazon

If you have an active dog with high enrichment needs, you need a Woof Pupsicle. The inside frozen treat keeps dogs active for at least 15 minutes, plus, you can make your own treat with the included mold. Milly loves her so much that we give her one at every meal.

Pawz Rubber Boots Pawz Rubber Boots $21.49 at Amazon
  Shop Now at Amazon

I never thought I'd be someone who puts little boots on their dog, but then winter came, and Milly was limping from all the salt on her paws. While the Pawz rubber boots aren't the fanciest booties you can find online, they're cheap and easy to put on. Plus, I find they give much better paw mobility. They're not just for winter either, as they can protect paws against hot pavement.

Zuke's Mini Treats Zuke's Mini Treats $13.89 at Amazon
$16.99 Save $3.10   Shop Now at Amazon

My family has been buying Zuke's for almost two decades, so when I got a dog of my own, they were the first treats I bought. They're tiny, so you can fit a lot of them in a treat pouch, low-calorie, and based on my dog's reaction to them, very tasty. The only downside is they do tend to dry out fast.

Whimzees Dental Treats Opens in a new window Credit: Wellness Whimzees Natural Dental Treats $43.80 at Amazon
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After our daily walk, Milly goes straight to the treat cabinet for her dental treat. We get the Whimzees natural dog treats, which she loves. The variety box is the best value, especially since we give them to her daily. Plus, we've genuinely noticed a difference in her breath, which, to put it kindly, was exceptionally stinky.

Earth Rated Dog Shampoo Earth Rated Dog Shampoo $14.53 at Amazon
$16.99 Save $2.46   Shop Now at Amazon

Speaking of stinky, the transition from winter to fall is better known as mud season where I live, and Milly made the most of it. This resulted in her least favorite activity, the bath. Earth Rated 3-in-1 dog shampoo has worked extremely well for us. I love the white tea and basil scent, plus its easy squeeze bottle design is clutch for easy dispensing. It rinses easily and actually deodorizes when Milly starts to smell like dog.

Earth Rated Pet Wipes Earth Rated Pet Wipes $29.92 at Amazon
$34.99 Save $5.07   Shop Now at Amazon

For both mine and Milly's sanity, a bath can't happen every day, so for the in-between days, pet wipes come in handy. They do a great job cleaning paws and eyes, but they even get off mud or slush after a big walk outside.

The best deals in Saatva's Memorial Day Sale 2026: Best budget pick Saatva Classic Mattress (Queen) $1,529 (save $650) Get Deal Best bundle deal Saatva Classic Bundle (Queen) $2,148 (save $680) Get Deal Best for back pain Saatva Rx Mattress (Queen) $2,799 (save $650) Get Deal

Buying a new mattress is a hassle. There are so many options, and if you're not already in love with your current mattress (and just looking for a replacement), finding one that's just right can feel overwhelming — especially if there isn't a brick-and-mortar store nearby. Plus, mattresses are expensive. I mean, spending thousands on a mattress in this economy? Hard pass.

SEE ALSO: I've sucked at sleeping for a decade. The Hatch Restore 3 makes bedtime feel less chaotic, but it's not a cure-all.

Fortunately, I've already found the perfect mattress brand for you. Enter: Saatva. Yes, I know they're known for luxe mattresses, but don't let that deter you. (I used to exclusively buy from Purple until I tried a Saatva, and now I'm never going back.) The brand's throwing an early Memorial Day Sale, and the deals are unbeatable for what you're getting.

Right now, Saatva is giving customers $650 off any order of $1,500 or more. There aren't any promo codes or hoops to jump through; the discount is just applied at checkout.

If you're ready to replace your old mattress, here are the best deals to shop during Saatva's early Memorial Day Sale:

Best budget pick Opens in a new window Credit: Saatva Saatva Classic Mattress (Queen) $1,529 at Saatva
$2,179 Save $650   Get Deal Why we like it

Saatva isn't a "budget" brand by any means, but the most affordable option in the sale is the Saatva Classic. This mattress is listed on the site as "America's best-selling online luxury innerspring." It's also won countless awards and, according to Saatva, is the "official mattress and restorative sleep provider of Team USA." (If it's good enough for an Olympian to sleep on, it's definitely good enough for me.)

Best bundle deal Opens in a new window Credit: Saatva Saatva Classic Bundle (Queen) $2,148 at Saatva
$2,828 Save $680   Get Deal Why we like it

If you need a "whole package deal" (e.g., a mattress, mattress pad, and frame), the Classic Bundle is the way to go. It comes with a Saatva Classic Mattress (the pick above), one foundation, one universal frame, and one signature mattress pad — and you can get it all for less than $3,000.

Best for back pain Opens in a new window Credit: Saatva Saatva Rx Mattress (Queen) $2,799 at Saatva
$3,449 Save $650   Get Deal Why we like it

If you suffer from chronic back pain (hi, it's me), then you need the Saatva Rx. As a person with endometriosis, I have severe back pain that keeps me awake throughout the night, so what I sleep on really matters. I recently got this mattress (just this week, actually), and I couldn't be more impressed. It's the first mattress specially designed for people with chronic back pain and joint conditions, and so far, I have zero complaints.

Save up to 36% on the Hisense U6 Pro: 55-inch Hisense 55-inch U6 Pro Mini-LED Hi-QLED 4K TV $648.99 (save $201) Get Deal 65-inch Hisense 65-inch U6 Pro Mini-LED Hi-QLED 4K TV $748.99 (save $351) Get Deal 75-inch Hisense 75-inch U6 Pro Mini-LED Hi-QLED 4K TV $898.99 (save $501) Get Deal 85-inch Hisense U6 Pro Mini-LED Hi-QLED 4K TV $1,299.99 (save $700) Get Deal 100-inch Hisense 100-inch U6 Pro Mini-LED Hi-QLED 4K TV $2,498.99 (save $1,001) Get Deal

You've got exactly a month to prepare for the 23rd edition of the prestigious FIFA World Cup. So if you need to upgrade your TV, now's a great time. Not only are brand new 2026 TV models officially on shelves, but some are even on sale already — including Hisense's U6 Pro. As of May 11, every size of the U6 Pro is on sale for up to 36% off.

Fittingly, Hisense is the official TV sponsor of the 2026 World Cup, and the U6 Pro is one of the core models surrounding the famous competition. The U6 Pro is "engineered to help fans, families and friends experience every moment together with greater clarity, scale and immersion at a budget that fits their needs," Hisense writes in a press release.

While it is technically one of the brand's mid-range TVs, there's not much that's "mid" about it. It "represents Hisense’s performance-to-value sweet spot," according to the brand. The U6 Pro is illuminated by Mini-LED backlighting and features a native refresh rate of 144Hz, quantum-dot color, AI-driven processing, 2.1-channel Dolby Atmos audio, extensive gaming support including Freesync Premium Pro, and a peak brightness of 1,200 nits.

Screens run from 55 to 100 inches, each of which is on sale, ensuring there's a size that'll fit your space. You'll score the biggest discount on the 65-inch and 75-inch models, which we find are often the sweet spot for most shoppers. But if you choose to go as big as 100 inches, you'll still score some serious savings.

• Hisense 55-inch U6 Pro Mini-LED Hi-QLED 4K TV — $648.99 $849.99 (save $201)

• Hisense 65-inch U6 Pro Mini-LED Hi-QLED 4K TV — $748.99 $1,099.99 (save $351)

• Hisense 75-inch U6 Pro Mini-LED Hi-QLED 4K TV — $898.99 $1,399.99 (save $501)

• Hisense 85-inch U6 Pro Mini-LED Hi-QLED 4K TV — $1,299.99 $1,999.99 (save $700)

• Hisense 100-inch U6 Pro Mini-LED Hi-QLED 4K TV — $2,498.99 $3,499.99 (save $1,001)

Whether you're hosting a World Cup watch party or simply need a new TV to upgrade your own viewing experience, you won't be disappointed in the U6 Pro.

SAVE $100.01: The Bluetti Elite 300 portable power station is on sale at Amazon for $1,098.99, down from the list price of $1,199 at Bluetti. This sale price matches the lowest we've ever seen at Amazon.

Opens in a new window Credit: Bluetti Bluetti Elite 300 $1,098.99 at Amazon
$1,199 Save $100.01   Get Deal

We're in optimal camping weather in much of the country. It's no longer dipping into freezing temps at night, but it's also not reaching scorching temps during the day. If you're taking advantage of the weather and heading out on camping and RV trips, there's a portable power station worth packing along. To make the situation even more appealing, the station is on sale today.

As of May 11, the Bluetti Elite 300 portable power station is on sale at Amazon for $1,098.99, marked down from the list price of $1,199 at Bluetti. This sale price matches the lowest we've ever seen at Amazon.

In case you haven't experienced the magic of a portable power station, make this the summer of staying powered up while off-grid. The Bluetti Elite 300 is a larger model, coming with about 3,000Wh of capacity and a 2,400W output. But despite its beefy output, it has a relatively small body, measuring about 14 inches wide, 12 inches tall, and 12 inches in depth. Keep in mind it weighs nearly 60 pounds, so it's probably not the right model for camping in remote locations with hike-in access.

SEE ALSO: The EcoFlow Delta 2 power station is back on sale at Amazon — save $250

For RV trips, you can make use of the TT-30 port. The battery capacity will recharge a 60W laptop 33 times or a 10W phone over 90 times. If there's a power outage at home, you can keep the WiFi router going for over 85 hours.

Before another ideal camping weekend slips by, upgrade with the Bluetti Elite 300 portable power station. Since it's back at a record-low price, there's never been a better time to buy.

When Until Dawn was released all the way back in 2015, it was a rather inventive interactive horror drama that propelled itself into mainstream gaming culture on the strength of how gloriously camp it was. With its myriad of choices and gruesome deaths, Until Dawn had a replayability and a level of enjoyment — especially for YouTubers — that made it a standout in a year already dominated by heavyweights like The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, Fallout 4, Bloodborne, and Undertale.

Supermassive's formula was unique at the time, heavily inspired by the adventure genre and FMV (full-motion video) games of old. But now, a decade and seven games later, that formula is starting to show its age. The latest entry is Directive 8020, the fifth instalment in the Dark Pictures Anthology, set far into the future aboard the starship Cassiopeia.

SEE ALSO: 'Tomodachi Life: Living the Dream' is a hilarious little ant farm for Nintendo Switch. And I need that right now.

Like the other entries in the series, Supermassive knows how to make you feel genuinely terrible about a decision in Directive 8020. Unlike those earlier games, though — Man of Medan, House of Ashes, and the rest — you can now rewind your previous choices, making it easier than ever to get the full scope of the narrative without committing to any one path. Does that meaningfully change how the story is presented? Not really. But it is a significant improvement in quality of life for anyone who wants to see how the story branches without having to restart the whole thing just to make the most myopic dialogue and character decisions possible.

All that to say: from my time with the game — with a code provided by Supermassive — Directive 8020 is both a blast story-wise and an absolute drag gameplay-wise. And in the eight full hours I logged, playing through the main story and messing around with the rewind feature to hunt collectibles and explore extra choices, I can confidently say I still had some fun with Supermassive's latest.

Directive 8020 draws heavily from The Thing and Alien Lashana Lynch plays the 'Directive 8020' protagonist: pilot Brianna Young. Credit: Supermassive Games

Directive 8020 welcomes you aboard the colony ship Cassiopeia. You play as the crew of scientists on an eight-year survey mission to the exoplanet Tau Ceti, tasked with determining whether it's fit for human life. The problem is that an alien organism has found its way onto the ship — one that's not only hunting the crew down but can also mimic them, turning what was supposed to be a routine survey mission into a paranoia-soaked trip into hell.

If that basic plot synopsis sounds like a spoiler, it really isn't in the grand scheme of things. It's the game's central marketing hook, and it carries with it a dramatic irony that will always color your decision-making, especially on a first playthrough. Like other games in the series, the playable cast is filled with up-and-coming and lesser-known actors, this time with Lashana Lynch (The Woman King, The Day of the Jackal) in one of the lead roles. And not to go off on a tangent, but the quietly impressive awards pedigree of this franchise is always worth noting — both Rami Malek and Jesse Buckley landed Best Actor wins in the years following their respective Supermassive appearances in Until Dawn and The Dark Pictures Anthology: The Devil in Me. Fingers crossed for Lynch, then.

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Without getting too deep into the plot, Lynch's character — Cassiopeia pilot Brianna Young — awakens from a four-year slumber to find one of the sleep technicians missing (they're assigned to stay awake for the full journey to watch over the crew and ship) and the other acting really, really strange. From there, the crew must deal with a series of disturbances that derail the mission, one meant to lay the groundwork for the colonists of Andromeda to eventually arrive on their new home planet.

The story is fairly straightforward, drawing heavily on The Thing and Alien — the sentimental body-snatcher and space-horror classics, respectively. Alongside Young, who is trying to follow in her famous pilot father's footsteps, the other playable characters include Commander Nolan Stafford, ship designer Laure Eisele, engineer Josef Cernan, and Dr. Amanda Cooper. They're fine, which has always been a quiet problem with Supermassive games — the people we're supposed to want to protect until the very end tend to be fairly one-note. Eisele is rational to the point of being robotic; Cernan is grappling with the meaning of life after losing his husband; and Cooper is still processing the trauma of being the sole survivor of a mass casualty event. Bog standard motivations that don't carry much weight in the grand scheme of the plot, at least in my experience.

There are three additional characters aboard the ship who aren't playable; their primary narrative function is as potential mimic targets who may or may not still be themselves by the time the story picks up steam. That setup also doubles as the structural backbone for Directive 8020's five-player co-op movie night mode.

Directive 8020 gives the illusion of choice and consequences Be aware of the illusion of choice. Credit: Supermassive Games

If the story is Directive 8020's strongest hand, the gameplay is where it overplays it. While the interactive QTE (quick time event) drama formula is getting stale, nobody picks up a Supermassive game expecting God of War. But there's a difference between "light on gameplay" and "actively repetitive," and Directive 8020 spends an uncomfortable amount of time on the wrong side of that line.

Supermassive has always built its games around the illusion of meaningful decisions, and Directive 8020 is no different. One of the things the developer gets right is the Turning Points system, which lets you rewind decisions and explore different branches of the story without having to blow up your entire playthrough. That's a genuine quality-of-life win for a game built around consequence. Except some of these choices are so deceptively mundane that the consequences feel less like earned drama and more like gotcha moments.

Featured Video For You 'Alien' was my gateway to horror. Now I'm obsessed with the franchise.

Early on, you're asked to reroute power from either the Cassiopeia's landing gear or fire suppression system. Seems straightforward enough on the surface, except that picking either option comes with fatal consequences. Here's the thing, though: this is a horror game set on a spaceship. Of course, you're keeping the fire suppression on. Something is always going to end up on fire. Calling that a meaningful choice is generous.

And no matter what happens in any given chapter, it's pretty clear that the story is engineered to hit its predetermined endpoints regardless of what you do. The prologue is a good example — it ends with one of the sleep technicians getting mimicked by the alien, which then chases the other to their death. Except you can also accidentally kill that technician yourself earlier in the chapter if you botch a QTE. Doesn't matter. The mimic version of the tech you just killed shows up anyway and the chase plays out exactly the same. The destination was never in question. There are several instances of this across the game's eight chapters, and each one is a small reminder that the illusion of consequence only stretches so far before the seams start to show.

Ugh, a stealth section. Credit: Supermassive Games

Some secondary features are neat, like being able to text the crew during exploratory sections of the game. It serves as light character building and a way to update traits for the playable characters. Upgrading one of two traits for each character will affect their endings, so it is important to stay on top of that or at least be consistent in your dialogue choices. That's all it's really there for.

But nothing — and I mean nothing — Directive 8020 has to offer is worse than its stealth sections. And there are so, so many of them. So many, in fact, that I stopped being scared of this game entirely somewhere around the third or fourth time I was crouching behind a crate looking for a battery to power a door. The score does nothing to conjure dread when you know the only time you'll meaningfully interact with an enemy is during these mandatory gauntlets. They are boring in the most specific way possible — think the stealth sections in Marvel's Spider-Man and Marvel's Spider-Man: Miles Morales, except stretched across an entire game. I genuinely do not have the vocabulary to fully articulate all the ways in which these sections do not work. You sneak around an enemy, get to a door, realize the door has no power, find a battery, power the door, go through the door, and then do it again. And again. And again. This looped effect on the story's pacing is catastrophic.

...nothing — and I mean nothing — 'Directive' 8020 has to offer is worse than its stealth sections.

That's probably the harshest I'll be about the game, but with this genre, it's increasingly hard to ignore the law of diminishing returns on the gameplay side. I still remember House of Ashes giving you full camera control and thinking that was a genuinely interesting evolution for the series. Directive 8020 does not feel like an evolution. Its big gameplay change is marketed as "real-time alien threats," and all it is is f***ing stealth sections.

If you don't like these kinds of games, this one will not be the one that converts you.

Directive 8020 runs like a charm Credit: Supermassive Games

What Directive 8020 does have going for it, even without a Sony-sized budget, is that it still looks genuinely good. A little stiff, a little uncanny valley in places, but never enough to actually pull you out of the experience. And in terms of performance, I have almost nothing to complain about — which, in my experience covering games on the PlayStation 5 for Mashable, is not something I take for granted. The most recent reminder of that was Cthulhu: The Cosmic Abyss, and pun very much intended, the performance on that game was abysmal.

Directive 8020 is the opposite. Navigating the game is a breeze, which, frankly, it should be — Supermassive has been doing this exact type of game on a loop since Until Dawn, and anything less would be embarrassing at this point. There is one minor recurring annoyance: the Secrets tab in the menu has a bug where it'll just stop mid-scroll while you're trying to track down undiscovered items. It's a small thing, but the kind that gets irritating fast. Beyond that, the weird eyes and slightly robotic movement have long since stopped bothering me. Considering how much is being rendered at any given moment, I'm willing to extend some grace.

And to Supermassive's credit, when the game wants to look genuinely unsettling, it delivers. The alien-infested sections of the Cassiopeia are a highlight — ship corridors that were once clean and clinical are now swallowed by thick, glistening biological matter, all wet sinew and dark organic sprawl creeping across the walls like the ship itself is being consumed from the inside out.

The contrast between the cold industrial infrastructure of the vessel — the pipes, the paneling, the terminals — and the grotesque living mass overtaking it does exactly what good sci-fi horror set design is supposed to do. It's gross in the right way. Unsettling in the right way. The kind of environmental storytelling that doesn't need a single line of dialogue to tell you that whatever happened here, it was bad, and it happened fast. It's a shame the stealth sections ask you to spend so much time in these corridors, because the repetition eventually dulls what should be a consistently unnerving atmosphere.

Is Directive 8020 worth it?

Directive 8020 is a hard game to give a clean recommendation on, because how much you get out of it depends almost entirely on what you're coming in looking for. If you're a Supermassive faithful who has logged time with Man of Medan, House of Ashes, and the rest of the Dark Pictures catalog, there's enough here to justify the trip — a genuinely compelling mimic-driven paranoia story, a solid central performance from Lynch, and a rewind feature that finally makes exploring the full breadth of the narrative feel less like homework. On that front, it delivers.

But if you were hoping that a decade into this formula, Supermassive might have cracked the code on making the gameplay half of the equation actually interesting, Directive 8020 is not that game. The stealth sections are a slog, the choices occasionally mistake obviousness for subtlety, and the story's habit of hitting its marks regardless of what you do makes the whole thing feel more theme park ride than interactive drama. You're on the track whether you like it or not.

At $49.99, it's not an unreasonable ask, especially if you have four friends willing to do a movie night co-op run — that's genuinely the best way to play something like this and probably the version of the game Supermassive intended. Solo, it's a breezy eight hours that's more fun to think about afterward than it is to actually play through in the moment.

Directive 8020 is not Supermassive's best work, but it's not their worst either. It sits comfortably in the middle of a catalog that has always been more interesting in concept than in execution. Which is worth a play, but maybe wait for a sale.

TikTok users in the UK are getting a way to get rid of ads, but it will cost them.

On Monday, the social media platform introduced TikTok Ad-Free, a subscription-based version of the service that completely banishes ads.

Mashable 101 Fan Fave: Vote for your favorite creator today!

It's a very simple affair: Pay £3.99 per month, and you will see no ads. If you don't want to pay, you can continue to use TikTok with ads. The Ad-Free tier does not come with any additional benefits.

From the company's FAQ on the matter: "Whether someone chooses the ad-free subscription or continues with the free ad-supported version, their core TikTok experience remains the same. All users will continue to have access to the same features, creators, and content."

SEE ALSO: The content creators with the most TikTok followers — see the top 10

There's another benefit to subscribing to TikTok Ad-Free; if you do so, your data will not be used for advertising purposes. Regular users will see ads personalized to their interests, but that means TikTok will collect some of their data to be able to serve those ads.

According to TikTok, the Ad-Free option is rolling out "over the coming months" to UK users aged 18 or over.

TikTok is not the first social media site to offer this option. For example, Meta lets users in the UK and Europe pay for an ad-free experience on Facebook and Instagram.

Featured Video For You Is U.S. TikTok censoring its users?

Trying to decide which device to wear on your wrist? Take it from someone who's worn a Garmin watch for almost 10 years: The incredible battery life makes tracking your health and fitness super easy. However, the Apple Watch is not without serious benefits. Which one is right for you?