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VTubers, or content creators using virtual avatars, have taken over the world of live streaming. These vampires, demons, witches, school girls, and everything in between have crawled out of the realms of internet obscurity to break Twitch subscriber records and pull in hundreds of thousands of viewers a week. 

Though many of these creators decide to stream on their own, there's also a strong corporate culture where a handful of companies design blockbuster stars and tastemakers. One of the largest is Hololive, an agency owned by Japanese tech company COVER Corporation. They currently have 87 active talents, 20 of whom are English-speaking, who have over 80 million subscribers between them. Hololive talents are so popular that on July 5, the company teamed up with the LA Dodgers, sold out Dodger Stadium for the second time, and gave away trading cards that go for hundreds on eBay. Later this month, the agency is bringing its star talent to the stage at Radio City Music Hall. 

SEE ALSO: VTuber Ironmouse leaves VShojo, drops scorching allegations on the way out

Using software that tracks their facial, hand, or body movements, these content creators can remain anonymous online while still building and growing an audience. "A shy person doesn't have to reveal themselves; they can go beyond those sorts of social limitations because they're speaking through an avatar," COVER Corporation CEO Motoaki Tanigo told Mashable through the help of a translator. "Now you're showing your genuine self that you can't maybe show in the 'real world.' So we believe these avatars make it possible for people to be wholly genuine and really speak their mind in a whole different way."

VTubing's ascent started slowly, but the onset of the COVID pandemic supercharged its popularity. Annual views for YouTube videos related to VTubers nearly doubled from 2020 to 2021, and averaged over 40 billion in 2024. Now, more VTubers choose to stream on Twitch — and if you open the platform at any time, you'll see dozens of pastel-colored hair anime avatars bopping around playing video games, chatting with their audience, or singing karaoke. 

At first, I found it difficult to grasp why anyone would choose to watch a cartoon character over a streamer made of flesh and blood. But after a few hours watching a succubi run a digital hostess club, I realized that VTubers are creating a fantasy for viewers to buy into. Instead of watching an average gamer play Fortnite, I was brought into an imaginary realm where I could have tea with a demon or crumpets with a necromancer. Though I wasn't connecting with a person's real identity, I was able to connect with a world that may not be based in reality, but offered something new.   

"When you're talking about VTubers, they're real people," Tanigo said. "They have real journeys, and they can achieve real success. They have their own dreams. They have free will. You know, it's a real person. So fans can go along that journey." 

But, real or not, becoming a corporate VTuber is no easy task. 

The origins of Hololive

COVER's Hololive VTuber agency actually started by accident. The COVER Corporation was founded in June 2016 with the goal of creating augmented and virtual reality software. Just a little over a year later, it launched its first app, which allowed users to livestream themselves as full-body internet avatars. Its first model was Tokino Sora, a bright-eyed anime girl, who Tanigo said "turned out to be more popular than the game itself." 

"VR technology wasn't very widely known and accepted, so we decided to build a CG character that would promote the VR game that we made," Tanigo said. "So we decided to switch gears to a business that is now called the VTuber business, and we decided to support talent and help create more talent." 

To become a member of Hololive's roster now, you have to embark on a grueling, potentially years-long process. According to Tanigo, Hololive comes up with a concept for a character and a group, working with "top-level designers in the game and anime industries." Those who do audition don't get a say in how the character they portray looks or their design, but they will be able to add in their personality and decide if they want to be a dancer, singer, gamer, or trash talker.  

They have their own dreams. They have free will. You know, it's a real person. - COVER Corporation CEO Motoaki Tanigo, on VTubers

Auditions can take multiple rounds and can last for weeks or months before even getting to the interview stage. Some creators have to audition four or five times before even getting a callback. The process, and a lot of VTubing culture, takes inspiration from Asian idol culture. An idol is a carefully crafted entertainer, marketed for their image, attractiveness, and personality. They dance, sing, sell tons of merch, and usually start at a very young age, all while being under strict supervision by an agency. "There are certain similarities between VTubers and idols when it comes to the relationship between fans and talent," Tanigo said. 

But Tanigo doesn't like the idol comparison, feeling that his VTubers have more individual personality than most idol groups. "The idol business requires great amounts of monetary investment, with expensive music videos. So, because there's so much investment made by the company, it is almost like the talent has to obey, has to go along with the company's direction, with the company's initiatives. We are supporting individual performers, so our business doesn't require immediate investment of gigantic amounts, so we [have] more of a supportive mission to help the talent."

Once Hololive adds a VTuber to its roster, they become a cog in its corporate machine. The company takes a percentage of all its earnings (including donations, subscriptions, and sponsorships), decides who they can collaborate with, and owns the rights to the character they portray.  

That exchange does come with a series of perks. They get access to COVER's software, agents, music producers, and event organizers that offer "business support." Hololive performers in Japan get access to motion capture studios they can use to stream or create content from as their character. 

VTube growing pains and graduations

In their infancy, VTubing agencies are dealing with growing pains. Earlier this month, the third most popular agency (after Hololive and Nijisanji), VShojo, announced that it would be shutting down after burning through $11 million in funding without recouping it, and talent started to leave in waves. Their most popular streamer, IronMouse, announced she was leaving after claiming that the company had withheld half a million dollars she had raised to go to charity. 

When a VTuber leaves an agency, either to be free of corporate constraints or to go independent, usually on amicable terms, it's called "graduating." 

"When one of our talents ends up graduating, it was because we weren't able to give them the exact support that they wanted," Tanigo said. "It provides an opportunity for us to look back at our mistakes and strengthen our efforts to support the remaining talent for the future." 

Over the past year, Hololive has had seven of its talents graduate, with the most famous being Gawr Gura. The half-shark, half-anime woman was the most subscribed to VTuber on YouTube with four million subscribers since Gawr Gura launched in 2020. In April, she announced that she would be graduating from Hololive, launching her new character, Sameko Saba — part cat-girl, part shark-girl — to 200,000 live viewers. 

In response to the graduations, Tanigo said in plain English, "No comment."

Even with these choppy waters, Hololive shows no signs of slowing down. The company recently started testing Holoearth, a new virtual space that delivers on metaverse promises from years ago. Players can meet their favorite VTubers in a virtual world, take pictures with them, and even wear their merchandise. 

"I think in the next five to 10 years, we will have some serious major artists come out of the VTubing world, not just in Japan, but also in other countries," Tanigo said. "We wish to be the kind of company that can correctly support those people in the way that they deserve. So we will strive to be the kind of company that can do that." 

What happens when the class clown becomes an Oscar contender? These are the actors who shattered typecasting — from Adam Sandler in Uncut Gems to Robert Pattinson in The Batman. In this episode of How it Hits, we look at the rare transformations that make audiences rethink everything they thought they knew about a performer. Sometimes they nail it — sometimes, not so much. But when it works? It’s unforgettable.

SAVE $100: The Google Pixel 9a (128GB) is on sale for $399 at Amazon and Best Buy as of Aug. 13. That's 20% off its $499 MSRP and its lowest price to date.

Opens in a new window Credit: Google Google Pixel 9a (128GB) $399 at Amazon and Best Buy
$499 Save $100 Get Deal

When it comes to budget smartphones, shoppers have no shortage of options in 2025. Even Apple managed to cook up a sub-$600 iPhone that doesn't suck. But after much deliberation, we found an overall winner in the Google Pixel 9a: It's fast, lasts forever, and takes great pictures.

Now, the best budget smartphone of 2025 (so far) has dropped to its best price yet. The 128GB Pixel 9a base model is on sale for just $399 at Amazon and Best Buy, an unprecedented 20% discount on its usual sticker price of $499. Choose from four colors: obsidian, porcelain, peony, or iris. (Note that the latter was marked up on Amazon and only available through a third-party seller; head to Best Buy if you want that particular color.)

SEE ALSO: The battle of the mid-range phones: Google Pixel 9a vs. iPhone 16e

Spec-wise, the Pixel 9a features a 6.3-inch display with a 120Hz refresh rate, a Google Tensor G4 chip, 8GB of RAM, and a 5,100mAh battery. It's actually nearly identical to Google's flagship Pixel 9, which starts at $799, only it has slightly less RAM, half the starting storage, and worse cameras — but a better battery life. According to Mashable's Alex Perry, who tested both smartphones, "You begin to wonder why the Pixel 9 exists at all" given their similarities; the Pixel 9a "makes the Pixel 9 seem obsolete," he added.

For what it's worth, the Pixel 9a also has a nicer display than the $599 iPhone 16e, though Apple's model scored higher in our performance benchmark and lasted even longer in everyday use.

The Pixel 9a's biggest sin is that it looks kind of boring — it doesn't have a rear camera bar like the Pixel 9, Pixel 9 Pro, and Pixel 9 Pro XL. As a result, it looks "very generic...like a prop phone in a movie where they don’t want to do any product placement," Perry said. But that feels like a fair forfeiture for just $400.

SAVE 45%: As of Aug. 13, you can get the Jackery Solar Generator 2000 Plus for $1,799, down from $3,299, at Amazon. That's a 45% discount and $1,500 in savings.

Jackery Solar Generator 2000 Plus $1,799 at Amazon
$3,299 Save $1,500 Get Deal

If you’ve been dreaming of an off-grid adventure, but aren’t quite ready to “rough it” without power, a solar generator is your answer. These systems are invaluable for everything from long weekend trips to power outages at home. And right now, you can get one of the best solar generators on the market for almost half the price.

As of Aug. 13, you can get the Jackery Solar Generator 2000 Plus at Amazon for $1,799, down from $3,299. That's a 45% discount and $1,500 in savings. It’s also the best price we’ve seen for this model.

SEE ALSO: The Anker Solix C1000 portable power station is everything you want for camping or a power outage

The Jackery Solar Generator 2000 Plus offers up to 2,042.8Wh and is designed to power everything from large appliances to smaller electronic devices. It’s incredibly versatile when it comes to recharging, too. Plug it into a standard wall outlet for a full charge in just two hours, or use the included car charging cable while you're on the move. Your purchase also comes with six SolarSaga solar panels for charging directly from the sun (please note, these are shipped separately).

This generator is also built for safety and convenience. It features a built-in cooling system that improves heat dissipation by 30%, and is designed with both shock- and fire-resistance for added peace of mind. To top it off, the Jackery app lets you monitor battery levels, track power usage in real time, and adjust settings right from your phone.

Academy Award winner Cillian Murphy (Oppenheimer) trades World War II era-Los Alamos for a mid-90s English boarding school in the upcoming Steve.

Directed by Tim Mielants, Steve invites viewers into a pivotal day in the life of its titular character (Murphy). He's the headteacher at a last-chance reform school for boys, a crumbling institution faced with external pressure but little actual support. Among the school's students is Shy (Jay Lycurgo), a troubled teen struggling to reconcile his tough past with his potential future.

Shy is actually the main character of the novella on which Steve is based, Max Porter's Sunday Times bestseller Shy. While the novella brings us into Shy's innermost thoughts and feelings, the film reimagines its source material to center Steve instead, following the difficulties of his job, along with his efforts to try to get through to students like Shy.

The film, which makes its world premiere at 2025's Toronto International Film Festival, marks Murphy's second feature collaboration with Mielants, who also directed 2024's Murphy-led Small Things Like These. Steve overlaps further with Small Things Like These, as both films also star Emily Watson (Dune: Prophecy).

In addition to Murphy, Lycurgo, and Watson, Steve also stars Tracey Ullman and Simbi Ajikawo as fellow staff at the school. Watch them try to get through to the complex young men in their care in the trailer above.

Steve premieres Sept. 5 at the Toronto International Film Festival. It hits select theaters Sept. 19, then arrives on Netflix Oct. 3.

SAVE $30: The TP-Link Portable Travel Router (BE3600) is on sale for $109.99 with code 30WIFI7 at Amazon, down from the standard price of $139.99. That's a 21% discount and the lowest price we've ever seen at Amazon.

Opens in a new window Credit: TP-Link TP-Link Portable Travel Router (BE3600) $109.99 at Amazon
$139.99 Save $30.00 use promo code 30WIFI7 Get Deal

These days, we pack plenty of tech when we head off on vacation or a work trip. There's the phone, tablet, e-reader, chargers, and adapters for all. But there's one specific piece of tech that not everything thinks to snag before taking off — a portable router. These make life so much easier and potentially give you a safer connection. If you don't yet own one, there's a great deal today at Amazon.

As of Aug. 13, the TP-Link Portable Travel Router (BE3600) is on sale for $109.99 with code 30WIFI7 at Amazon (be sure to click the "redeem" button on the page). That's a 21% discount off the standard price of $139.99, and the lowest price we've seen at Amazon.

A portable travel router might not seem like a must-pack, but it's a fantastic solution to some of travel's greatest annoyances. Connect this single device to your hotel's WiFi, and you'll be able to link up all your other devices without individually logging in to the hotel's connection. Think of the convenience of not needing to connect the kids' tablets to each new WiFi network. The TP-Link Portable Travel Router can handle connecting up to 90 devices.

SEE ALSO: This $55 Bluetooth dongle made my long-haul flight way less miserable

The TP-Link Portable Travel Router weighs under half a pound and comes in a super compact size that's travel-friendly, measuring just 5 inches wide, 3.7 inches deep, and 1.4 inches in height. Connect with a wired Ethernet connection, and you'll be able to create a private WiFi network. You can also use USB tethering to use your smartphone's data.

While it's on sale for the lowest price we've seen at Amazon, grab the security and convenience of the TP-Link Portable Travel Router. Your next trip will run much smoother when connecting to unfamiliar WiFi networks.

SAVE $2,700: The Jackery Explorer 2000 Plus Kit (6kWh) with 400W solar panels and two expandable battery packs is now $3,799 at Amazon — that’s 42% off its original list price of $6,499.

Opens in a new window Credit: Jackery Jackery Explorer 2000 Plus Kit $3,799 at Amazon
$6,499 Save $2,700 Get Deal

Those who’ve been waiting for the ultimate excuse to invest in a serious off-grid or emergency power solution, it’s time to rejoice. As of Aug. 13, the Jackery Explorer 2000 Plus Kit (6kWh), complete with 400W solar panels and two expandable battery packs, has had a monumental price drop at Amazon. Normally $6,499, it’s now going for $3,799 right now.

Packing a staggering 6128Wh capacity and 3000W output, the Explorer 2000 Plus isn’t just for charging a phone or two; Jackery says this can run air conditioners, fridges, RVs, or multiple heavy-duty devices at once. All of that power delivers a whisper-quiet 30dB, so you won’t have to listen to a constant drone while it works.

SEE ALSO: Best portable generators for camping, power outages, and more

Charging is blisteringly quick, too: from flat to 80% in just 1.3 hours via AC or 1.6 hours with solar. With the included battery packs, you’ve got 6kWh to play with, but the system is designed for flexible expansion. Add more packs and you can hit 12kWh, or even link two units together for a jaw-dropping 24kWh capacity, 240V output, and 6000W power — enough to keep a home running through an outage.

Safety and longevity are built in. Thanks to LiFePO4 battery technology and Jackery’s advanced cooling system, you can expect up to a decade of reliable use. The unit is also fire-resistant, shock-resistant, and protected against temperature extremes, so whether it’s a summer camping trip or a winter blackout, it’s ready.

Jackery even offers a five-year warranty for peace of mind, along with eligibility for a 30% residential clean energy tax credit in the U.S.

Overall, this is an exceptionally rare discount on a high-capacity, expandable power station that’s as suited to home backup as it is to wild expeditions. 

For more power options, check out our list of the best portable generators for camping, power outages, and more. If you’re after more tech upgrades, we’ve assembled the top 10 products Mashable readers bought in July, too. 

It seems like everything is a subscription these days and, in many cases, it makes perfect sense. I still pay for a Spotify subscription despite also collecting physical CDs. I understand what I'm paying for and why I'm paying it.

Dating app conglomerate Match Group has agreed to pay the Federal Trade Commission $14 million in a settlement of a 2019 suit.

Six years ago, the FTC alleged that Match Group used fake advertisements of potential matches to lure people to buy paid subscriptions. The suit also alleged that the company deceived users in other ways, like making "guarantees," not providing services it told users it would, and making it difficult for users to cancel subscriptions.

SEE ALSO: Should we share our STI status on dating apps?

In 2022, a judge dismissed much of the suit, citing that Section 230 of the 1996 Communications Decency Act deemed Match Group not liable as it was an online publisher. But now, Match Group is paying $14 million of the original $884 million the FTC sought, the agency announced. Match has also agreed to "permanently stop" deceptive advertising, misrepresenting guarantees, locking consumers out of paid accounts, and to make it easier to cancel subscriptions.

In the filing, many of Match Group's properties are listed under covered filings — but Tinder and Match aren't.

"Match Group admits no liability as part of this resolution and was fully prepared to take the case to trial, but opted to resolve the case to put the matter behind it. The FTC's outdated claims are entirely moot, as the alleged practices at issue ended years ago or are based on mischaracterizations that do not reflect our business today," the company told PCMag (which, like Mashable, is owned by Ziff Davis).

In 2023, Match rolled out its own campaign to stop romance scams, with in-app messages flagging scammy behavior.

SAVE $1000: As of Aug. 13, get the Jackery HomePower 3000 portable power station at Amazon for $2,299, down from its usual price of $3,299. That's a discount of 30%.

Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Jackery HomePower 3000 $2,299 at Amazon
$3,299 Save $1,000 Get Deal

If you're the type of person who wants to be prepared for unplanned power outages, a portable power station is a good idea to invest in. Sure, you could get a low-key, small model that's good for batteries or phones, but if you want to make sure you can power all your essential devices at home, you should invest in something larger. Amazon is making that much easier with a sale on a colossal power station that can keep you up and running, no matter the situation.

As of Aug. 13, get the Jackery HomePower 3000 portable power station at Amazon for $2,299, down from its usual price of $3,299. That's $1,000 off for a 30% discount.

SEE ALSO: Jackery’s colossal Explorer 2000 Plus kit is nearly half price at Amazon — save over $3,000 right now

With a massive 3,972Wh capacity and a 3,600W AC output, this portable power station with solar panels can keep refrigerators, fans, routers, and other larger appliances and devices running until your electricity returns. Or it can act as a way to power your entire home setup if you're someone who lives off the grid.

Plus, the setup runs at a low noise level, so you can power things up without a constant mechanical hum in the background. If using the power station for a more long-term setup, you can put together multiple devices to push the total capacity well past 20kWh.

You can let the unit recharge during the day while the sun is out to juice up the included solar panels, but the power station also supports fast charging from wall outlets or a compatible EV charger, so you’re never locked into one power source. It can be fully recharged in nearly 2 hours, and supports charging via car if needed.

If staying charged up and running with electricity no matter your location or situation is important to you, this is a deal you won't want to pass up, especially with the significant discount you can claim here.

If you're looking to save big on a flagship Google Pixel phone, get a new laptop for heading back-to-school, or want a fancy pair of headphones or a portable speaker, these are the best deals this week.

Linux is wonderful, and like you I have fond memories of spending a whole weekend compiling Red Hat's kernel in the 2000s and then just giving up with nothing to show for it. These days, Linux is more user friendly than ever, so getting it all up and running is a breeze in comparison.

After a short delay and a few days later than expected, Samsung is finally ready to deliver the Android 16 beta to more Galaxy devices. As previously announced, Samsung has released the One UI 8 (Android 16) beta for the Galaxy S24 series, Galaxy Z Fold 6, and more.

Timothée Chalamet has wowed audiences across a variety of genres, from sci-fi blockbuster Dune to charming musical Wonka to Bob Dylan biopic A Complete Unknown. In the upcoming Marty Supreme, he embraces yet another genre: the sports film.

Directed by Josh Safide and distributed by A24, Marty Supreme takes viewers into the high-stakes world of 1950s table tennis through the eyes of ping pong star Marty Mauser (Chalamet). Marty is inspired loosely by real-life American table tennis legend Marty Reisman.

The film's first trailer introduces Marty as a man with a very big, very specific dream of achieving greatness in ping pong. While the sport may not be the most popular in the US, it sells out stadiums overseas, and Marty believes the US won't be far behind. Next up: stardom, and a coveted spot on a Wheaties box. One paper is already calling him "the chosen one"... wait, does that make Marty the Lisan al-Gaib of ping pong?

Safdie co-wrote the film with Ronald Bronstein. The film marks his first solo directorial project since 2008's The Pleasure of Being Robbed. Since then, he's directed films with his brother Benny Safdie, including A24 collaborations Uncut Gems and Good Time. Benny Safdie also has an A24 sports movie coming out this year with The Smashing Machine, starring Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson as wrestler Mark Kerr. Could we be seeing a Safdie showdown come awards season?

Marty Supreme also stars Gwyneth Paltrow, Odessa A'zion, Kevin O'Leary, Tyler Okonma (aka Tyler, the Creator), Abel Ferrara, and Fran Drescher. See them in action, along with Chalamet's sick ping pong moves, in the full trailer above.

Marty Supreme hits theaters Dec. 25.

Gmail has long been one of Google’s tentpole services, but for a brief period of time, the company experimented with a different email app. It was called “Inbox by Gmail,” and despite a loving fanbase, it eventually got the axe.

Whether you're a student, teacher, or parent gearing up for the new school year, taking care of your mental and physical health is more important than ever due to our reliance on technology for learning. Fortunately, technology can also be part of the solution, offering many tools to help you take better care of yourself.

If you were looking to cast a lead in an action movie involving a lot of fight scenes, Bob Odenkirk might not be your first choice. You'd be wrong, of course; the 2021 action thriller Nobody, starring Odenkirk as a retired hitman, was a success both critically and at the box office.

If you're going to nearly lose a pet snake anywhere, you might as well at least nearly lose it somewhere memorable.

Appearing on Late Night in the clip above, Zoë Kravitz tells a story of staying at Taylor Swift's house with her mother, actor Lisa Bonet, and how the latter's pet snake nearly made its escape through a snake-sized hole in one of Swift's bathrooms.

Fortunately the snake was reclaimed unharmed, but sadly Swift's bathroom didn't fare quite so well.

Meyers' reaction? "I feel like that snake's gonna get like three songs on the next album."

Dorms are loud, chaotic, and full of distractions, like hallway parties and questionable guitar solos. Since your study schedule won’t always sync with your roommates and hallmates, a good pair of headphones with ANC isn’t a luxury; it’s survival. Here's why.

Tropical Storm Erin is expected to reach to hurricane strength as it hurtles across the Atlantic this week.

The National Hurricane Center's prediction cone shows a westward trajectory, but doesn't paint a clear picture whether or not it's likely to impact the east coast of the United States. Spaghetti models, which represent a collection of predicted paths generated by multiple computer models, paint a more definitive picture as of Wednesday morning.

All the major models show the storm turning north and eventually northeast before reaching the United States mainland, according to data and analysis shared by meteorologist James Spann.

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As of Wednesday morning, Tropical Storm Erin is packing 45 mph sustained maximum wind speeds as it moves westward at 20 mph. It is expected to turn gradually northwestward sometime Thursday and reach hurricane status late Thursday night or early Friday morning, according to the 5 a.m. ET Wednesday NHC forecast.

There are no coastal watches or warnings currently in effect.

The latest forecasts, updated multiple times daily, can be tracked online on the National Hurricane Center website.