Funko moves into video games with former Traveller’s Tales developers

Funko, which is best known for its Pop vinyl figurines, is about to venture into new territory. It’s making video games with the help of developer 10:10 Games. The studio is led by Jon Burton, the founder of Traveller’s Tales and TT Games. “By partnering with 10:10 Games and utilizing the best creators in the business, we will have the talent to deliver games that reflect Funko’s unique look and feel across its lines and varied products,” Funko CEO Andrew Perlmutter said in a statement.

The first game under the partnership is an action platformer that’s coming to PC and consoles in 2023. Funko says the untitled game will have “major third-party studio integration,” which probably shouldn’t be a big shock given the high-profilelicensing deals Funko has for collectibles and Burton’s experience with the various Lego games. Meanwhile, Funko expects the game to have a “T” for teen rating. The first teaser shows a Pop-style character called Freddie Funko, but offers few other details.

Mercedes EQXX first drive: The future of Mercedes

Mercedes had a singular goal: Build a one-off concept vehicle that could travel 1000 kilometers (621 miles) on one charge from a battery pack slightly smaller than 100kWh. The result was the EQXX, a coupe that looks as good as the technology that powers it. Typically these vehicles are off limits to anyone outside of a chosen few within an automaker. But Mercedes decided to let us behind the wheel for a test drive.

Designed to slip through the air with as little drag as possible, the EQXX doesn’t wow with off-the-line performance. Instead, the power really comes after you’ve gotten to highway speed. But even then, the concept vehicle is an efficiency machine that feels like the future. Mercedes has no plans to put the EQXX into production, but what it’s learning now will at some point land in its vehicles. Watch the video below for the full story.

LeBron James, Rick and Morty are coming to fighting game ‘MultiVersus’

Warner Bros. Games’ MultiVersus is a fun take on platform fighters like Super Smash Bros. Ultimate and Brawlhalla. It’s soon going into open beta with a roster packed with characters from across a wide range of WB franchises. Developer Player First Games is about to add one more to the mix: Space Jam: A New Legacy star LeBron James.

The NBA icon will join the lineup when the open beta starts on July 26th. Unsurprisingly, his offense centers around the use of a basketball. He can throw a ball at opponents or dribble one around his feet to damage enemies. James is also able to block projectiles by building a fence. Surprisingly (or not, depending on how much you appreciated his thespian skills in Space Jam), James isn’t voicing himself in the game. Actor John Bentley will play him.

WB also announced that a couple of other fan-favorite characters will join the lineup soon, as Rick and Morty are on the way. Many of Rick’s abilities are based around his portal gun. He’ll be available when season one starts on August 9th. Morty, who will arrive later in the season, can whip himself at opponents and use grenades. 

The trio will be added to an ever-expanding and fairly peculiar roster. Big names like Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Harley Quinn and Bugs Bunny are all in the mix, as are Arya Stark from Game of Thrones and Shaggy and Velma from Scooby Doo. Tom and Jerry play as a single character, rather than trying to throttle one another.

The Iron Giant, the most recent addition, is portrayed as a gentle-hearted being in the film of the same name who only fights when it’s completely necessary. In MultiVersus, he’s beating up opponents like the rest of the cast, which the developers justified by saying the game takes place in an alternate universe.

If that’s not odd enough, leaks have suggested Ted Lasso, Gizmo from Gremlins (you know, the cute one) and the Wicked Witch from The Wizard of Oz are coming to the roster as well. For what it’s worth, those leaks are from the same person who revealed the game’s existence in the first place and who said LeBron, Rick and Morty were MultiVersus-bound too.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 13-game anthology debuts August 30th

Shredder’s Revenge is great if you want a modern take on Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles beat-’em-ups, but what if you’d rather stick with the classics? You won’t have to wait long to revisit those, either. Digital Eclipse, Konami and Nickelodeon have announced that TMNT: The Cowabunga Collection debuts August 30th on PCs (via Steam), PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S. The bundle includes all 13 home and arcade games from the golden era of the half-shell heroes, including the Japanese versions.

You can return to the days of pumping endless quarters with the original Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles arcade game and its Turtles in Time follow-up. If you’re more familiar with the console titles, you can play everything ranging from the notoriously difficult TMNT for the NES through to the three Game Boy releases and Tournament Fighters for the Genesis and SNES. The games remain in their original aspect ratios, but you can play online with friends and take advantage of creature comforts like save games, rewinding and a gallery full of concept art.

You’ll still want to play Shredder’s Revenge if you prefer more recent game mechanics and up-to-date (if still retro-looking) graphics. Many of the frustrations you felt in the ’90s will still be present in The Cowabunga Collection. All the same, it’s easy to see the appeal — this is likely your best chance to play all of the early hits without running an emulator or digging your NES out of the closet.

Samsung says it shipped almost 10 million foldable phones in 2021

Just a couple of short weeks before its next Unpacked event, Samsung has revealed that it shipped “almost 10 million foldable smartphones” worldwide. In a post on the Samsung Newsroom, the company’s chief of Mobile Experience (MX) Business, Dr. TM Roh, said that’s a 300 percent increase from 2020 and that he expects what he calls “fast-paced growth” to continue. Most of its foldable customers, 70 percent of them apparently, went for the clamshell-like Flip. That’s not surprising in the least: Samsung previously admitted that the Flip 3motivated more people to switch brands than its flagships did.

The 10 million units Roh claims Samsung shipped last year is considerably larger than the shipment numbers IDC previously published, though. In a report by the International Data Corporation in February, it said it “witnessed worldwide shipments of foldable phones, inclusive of both flip and fold form factors, reach a total of 7.1 million units in 2021.” Whichever figure is true, Samsung’s MX division posted an increase in revenue last year, mostly due to the strong sales of its foldables and its latest Galaxy S devices.

In addition to giving an update on how Samsung’s devices are doing, Roh has also confirmed that the company is introducing its next Flip and Fold models at its next Unpacked event. He also said Samsung made advancements to enhance users’ experiences with the upcoming devices:

“I am excited to see people to discover new ways to do more of the things they love with the new foldable…. At our upcoming Unpacked on August 10th, you’ll see that the impact of our innovation is not only about what technology can do. It’s about what you can do. We’ve once again taken our inspiration from the most important source — Galaxy users — to push the limits of what’s possible. I can’t wait to show you the potential of our new Samsung Galaxy foldables as the ultimate tool for both productivity and self-expression.”

Samsung’s upcoming Unpacked event will take place on August 10th at 9AM ET. Join us at our YouTube channel to tune into our coverage, which begins at around 8:40AM.

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Samsung officially announces August 10th Unpacked event

It looks like our slow gadget summer is about to end, with Samsung ready to launch its next slate of products soon. The company today sent out invites to its next Unpacked event (after sharing a teaser puzzle this morning), which is set for August 10th at 9am ET. The keynote will be streamed online via Samsung’s website, and there will be no in-person component. If you are dying to get ahead of other shoppers, you can already sign up to reserve the upcoming products, too.

Like it’s done in previous years, Samsung is giving early birds special offers via its Reserve program. This time, you have till August 10th to register. According to Samsung, this is a “no-commitment offer” and you’ll only need to provide your name and email address. Those who sign up can get:

  • $200 credit towards Galaxy phone, watch and buds bundle

  • $150 credit towards Galaxy phone and watch bundle

  • $130 credit towards Galaxy phone and buds bundle

  • $80 credit towards Galaxy watch and buds bundle

  • $100 credit to use on Samsung.com towards eligible products when you reserve a Galaxy phone, which is doublethe credit of the Galaxy S22!

  • $50 credit to use on Samsung.com towards eligible products when you reserve a Galaxy watch

  • $30 credit to use on Samsung.com towards eligible products when you reserve Galaxy buds

The company is widely expected to launch the next generation of its Galaxy Z Fold and Z Flip foldable phones, alongside a pair of new smartwatches and a set of wireless earbuds. We don’t know much yet about the upcoming products, although reports suggest Samsung might be selling the foldable devices for a lower price than before. 

We’ll be hosting a livestream of Unpacked, along with a live Q&A session after Samsung wraps. Join us at about 8:40am ET on August 10th on the Engadget YouTube channel, so we can all react together in real time. Chances are, we’ll have answers for your questions about the new products, so come through to get all the details!