In 2024, we gamed like it was 1997. Games like Metaphor: ReFantazio, Astro Bot, and the solo-developed Balatro remixed genres of console generations past (or, in Balatro’s case, remixed the very old game of poker itself) to critical and commercial success, while Capcom was one of the most successful companies of the year supported by a healthy mix of titles across different genres. With the industry’s biggest publishers increasingly chasing massive, broadly appealing games meant to be played forever, it was heartening to see old formats come back with some new tricks. And these successes could provide the blueprint needed to pull the video game industry out of its current tailspin.
Technology
2024’s best games channeled the heart and soul of the ‘90s
Persona developer Atlus has once again innovated on the turn-based RPG with Metaphor: ReFantazio. What makes Metaphor’s combat interesting in a way that’s hard to replicate with traditional turn-based RPGs is that Atlus has built a unique ability system powered by anticipation and anxiety. Characters have access to powerful summons, each with their own abilities, along with strengths and weaknesses that enemies also share. Hitting an enemy’s weakness or having your own exploited results in monumental shifts in the momentum of battle. Every attack becomes consequential, as you don’t know what will work against your foes or what they have to work against you.
Atlus has built a unique ability system powered by anticipation and anxiety.
Despite dominating with games like Final Fantasy in the late ’80s and through the ’90s, turn-based RPGs have largely been left behind. (With the notable exception of the Dragon Quest series, which consistently sells beaucoup copies in Japan.) Modern tastes have evolved to prefer the active, frenetic, and combo-dependent combat of the action RPG over the passive, implied action of turn-based games. But through the Persona series, and now with Metaphor, Atlus has proven it is uniquely equipped to make turn-based RPGs feel just as kinetic and engaging as their action-based cousins.
The poker roguelike Balatro is perhaps the game that best represents the success that can be had by melding old genres with new features. Roguelikes can be a difficult sell, especially to players unfamiliar with the genre. To get them to stick, players not only have to be okay with the idea of failure as progression but also have to be invested enough in the game’s wider world to want to keep playing through it multiple times. For every Hades, there are hundreds of games on digital storefronts that blur together into smears of generic fantasy dungeon crawlers.
[Balatro is] catnip for the players who can’t resist “number go up.”
One of the reasons Balatro became an instant success was because it didn’t have that hurdle. Poker is known all over the world and hasn’t really changed much in the centuries since its invention. Balatro took advantage of that familiarity and combined it with great humor and an ingenious progression system that made it catnip for the players who can’t resist “number go up.” More than that, Balatro feels more permissive than its roguelike cousins. The best runs in Hades are typically the result of lucking into specific boons or items, whereas Balatro is lousy with jokers, card modifiers, perks, and more that make scores get stupid fast. Balatro took home a slew of Game Awards, and it probably would have won Game of the Year if not for that one meddling robot.
Speaking of… perhaps the biggest example of 2024’s Return trend is Astro Bot. Developed by Team Asobi, Astro Bot is a full-sized, standalone expansion of the PS5 pack-in game Astro’s Playroom that takes the little robot’s adventures beyond the confines of the PS5 console and into the wider universe. At its core, though, Astro Bot is a mascot platformer reminiscent of the games from PlayStation’s earliest days like Crash Bandicoot and Spyro the Dragon. Indeed, Astro Bot pays homage to those very characters, featuring them as robots to rescue along with other characters from PlayStation’s 30-year history.
Astro Bot is stuffed with so many items and secrets to collect. That kind of mechanic can get tedious in games suited to “modern” tastes like Assassin’s Creed, as finding things feels no better than ticking off a box in the slow march to 100 percent completion. But each of Astro’s powers — like the dog jetpack or the shrinking mouse — inject whimsy into the act of collecting. And when I do find a secret, I’m rewarded with a little celebration of cheering bots that somehow never gets old.
Mascot platformers fell out of favor, especially with PlayStation studios, despite initial success. Naughty Dog and Sucker Punch have transitioned away from the lightheartedness of Crash Bandicoot and Sly Cooper to make “serious” games for “mature” audiences, and PlayStation’s recent catalog reflects that overall trend. Astro Bot is an outlier in form and tone and parlayed that uniqueness into a shower of accolades. It would be such a missed opportunity if Sony didn’t respond to that success with similar projects.
When I do find a secret, I’m rewarded with a little celebration of cheering bots that somehow never gets old.
Over the last two years, prolific layoffs and studio closures have left tens of thousands of developers unemployed, in large part because companies spent too much money on getting bigger or developing huge, expensive games that may have made sense years ago but no longer do. Companies dumped hundreds of millions of dollars and considerable development resources into the next live-service shooter in hopes of replicating Fortnite and Call of Duty’s runaway success and profits. But as those games continue to top the monthly video game spending charts, refreshed by a steady cadence of new content, the idea that a newcomer like XDefiant could compete at that same level becomes increasingly remote. This leaves studios with an expensive product nobody wants to play, along with a pipeline of upcoming games too sparse to make up the difference.
But the way out of this precipitous (and avoidable) decline doesn’t necessarily mean giving up on the big multiplayer or open-world projects. Capcom, for example, has proven that “por qué no los dos” can be a winning strategy. The company has boasted record profits the last seven years with a diverse catalog composed of heavy hitters like Monster Hunter, Resident Evil remakes, and Street Fighter, along with smaller, weirder games like Dragon’s Dogma 2 and Kunitsu-gami: Path of The Goddess. Contrast that with Square Enix reporting less-than-expected profits after it failed to make Foamstars happen on top of releasing three different AAA Final Fantasy titles in a 12-month period. Capcom has the right idea and is doubling down on it, stating that it plans on “re-activating dormant IPs that haven’t had a new title launch recently” after revealing new entries in its Okami and Onimusha series.
But more than just appealing to gamer nostalgia, these success stories — which also extend to survival horror and Metroidvanias — offer a healthier alternative to the trends the big publishers and studios are pursuing. (Nintendo, of course, is always exempt from these generalizations.) While there will always be an appetite for big online shooters or bespoke open-world games with hours of Hollywood-acted voice and motion performance, these breakout releases of 2024 prove (or should at least remind decision-makers) that there is so much worth to also be found in smaller, quirkier, and most importantly, cheaper projects. If the big publishers want to staunch the bleeding of the last two miserable years, they could take the lessons Capcom, Balatro, Metaphor, and Astro Bot provide.
Technology
This Windows gaming handheld has a screen that folds in half
Lenovo put a foldable display on a gaming handheld. The Legion Go Fold Concept is a Windows-based handheld with a flexible POLED display, detachable Joy-Con-like controllers, and a folio case to turn the whole thing into a mini laptop.
You can use it as a standard Steam Deck-esque handheld with the display folded down to 7.7 inches and controllers attached at its sides, or you can unfold it for a bigger experience. When unfolded, the controllers can be repositioned to all four sides, allowing you to play with the screen in vertical or horizontal orientations.
In vertical splitscreen mode, you can put your game on one half of the screen and a second window (like your chat or game guide) on the other half. Horizontal fullscreen mode gives your game the full 11.6 inches of real estate in a 16:10 aspect ratio. To go into laptop mode, you remove the controllers and mount the handheld into a folio case with a stand, built-in keyboard, and trackpad. The controllers can be put into a separate grip mount to unify them as one gamepad.
There are a lot of ways you can use this folding handheld, including turning one of its controllers into a vertical mouse like on other Legion Go handhelds, but there’s one thing it doesn’t do: fold down to close and protect its screen. The Go Fold only folds outwards, so don’t expect a Nintendo DS or GameBoy Advance-like clamshell that closes for portability. Instead, it’s all about getting bigger than your average gaming handheld and offering more. (Though we’ve tried bigger before.)
The Legion Go Fold has some formidable specs: an Intel Core Ultra 7 258V Lunar Lake processor, 32GB of RAM, 1TB of storage, and a 48Whr battery. The plastic-covered OLED has a resolution of 2435 x 1712 and 165Hz refresh rate. And there’s even a second, circular toushscreen on the right controller, under the face buttons. It doubles as a touchpad and can be a support display, allowing you to swipe between extracted UI elements from a game (which I wouldn’t expect to be widely supported), a clock, system monitoring, or an animated GIF (just for fun).
During my brief in-person demo I didn’t get to play any graphically-intense games — just Balatro, which can practically play on a potato. The screen looked plenty sharp, but like any foldable there’s a crease down the middle; it’s very visible, but you learn to look past it and ignore it after just a bit. The build and feel of the whole thing felt a little fragile, and detaching and reattaching the controllers was definitely janky. Build quality will hopefully be improved if this device ever actually makes it to market.
The laptop mode was a pleasant surprise for me though. I did not expect a gaming handheld to double as a conventional computer you could get work done on. The Legion Go Fold’s case took quite a bit of fumbling before I set it up correctly, but it shouldn’t take too long to get used to if you actually lived with it.
Then again, I don’t know if anyone is going to be able to live with this thing — ever. I’d love for the Legion Go Fold to go from concept to real product like other out-there Lenovo ideas, but I shudder to think what it might cost. The Legion Go 2 is already priced well over $1,000. And with the ongoing RAMageddon crisis we’re living through, there’s no telling how much more expensive an actual Legion Go Fold would be if it came out in a year or more.
But even if it’s not the kind of foldable I expected, and even though it may never come out, it’s certainly cool. Now somebody please make a folding PC handheld that goes from kinda-big to really small. I think that’d be the one for me.
Photography by Antonio G. Di Benedetto / The Verge
Technology
Iran networks suffer losses amid airstrikes, showing digital evolution of conflicts
NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!
When missiles fly, we expect explosions. We expect smoke, sirens and satellite images. What we do not expect is silence.
On February 28, 2026, as fighter jets and cruise missiles struck Iranian Revolutionary Guard command centers during Operation Roar of the Lion, a parallel assault reportedly unfolded in cyberspace.
Official news sites and key media platforms went offline, government digital services and local apps failed across major cities, and security communications systems reportedly stopped functioning, plunging Iran into a near-total digital blackout.
According to NetBlocks, a global internet monitoring organization that tracks connectivity disruptions, nationwide internet traffic in Iran plunged to just 4 percent of normal levels.
That level of collapse suggests either a deliberate state-ordered shutdown or a large-scale cyberattack designed to paralyze critical infrastructure. Western intelligence sources later indicated the digital offensive aimed to disrupt IRGC command and control systems and limit coordination of counterattacks.
For the United States and its allies, the episode offers a stark reminder that modern conflict now blends airstrikes with digital warfare in ways that can ripple far beyond the battlefield.
In a matter of hours, modern conflict looked less like tanks and more like a blinking cursor.
Sign up for my FREE CyberGuy Report
Get my best tech tips, urgent security alerts, and exclusive deals delivered straight to your inbox. Plus, you’ll get instant access to my Ultimate Scam Survival Guide – free when you join my CYBERGUY.COM newsletter
Iran’s national symbols stand in contrast to reports of a sweeping digital blackout that reportedly disrupted communications and critical systems across the country. (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)
Iran internet shutdown: A country offline in real time
Reports described widespread outages across Iran. Official news sites stopped functioning. IRNA, Iran’s state-run news agency, went offline.
Tasnim, a semi-official news outlet closely aligned with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, reportedly displayed subversive messages targeting Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.
THINK YOUR NEW YEAR’S PRIVACY RESET WORKED? THINK AGAIN
The IRGC, Iran’s powerful military and intelligence force, plays a central role in national security and regional operations. At the same time, local apps and government digital services failed in cities like Tehran, Isfahan and Shiraz.
This was not one website defaced for headlines. It appeared systemic. Electronic warfare reportedly disrupted navigation and communications systems.
Distributed denial of service attacks, often called DDoS attacks, flooded networks with traffic to overwhelm and disable them.
Deep intrusions targeted energy and aviation systems. Even Iran’s isolated national internet struggled under pressure.
CHINA VS SPACEX IN RACE FOR SPACE AI DATA CENTERS
For a regime that tightly controls information, losing digital command creates both operational and political risk.
Why cyber warfare matters in the Iran conflict
Cyber operations offer something missiles cannot. They disrupt without always killing. They send a signal without immediately triggering full-scale war. That matters in a region where escalation can spiral fast.
History shows Iran understands this logic. Between 2012 and 2014, Iranian actors targeted U.S. financial institutions in Operation Ababil. Saudi Aramco also suffered a major cyberattack.
ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE HELPS FUEL NEW ENERGY SOURCES
After Israeli strikes in 2025, cyberattacks targeting Israel surged dramatically within days.
Cyber retaliation lets leaders respond while limiting direct military confrontation. It buys leverage in negotiations. It creates pressure without necessarily crossing a red line.
But there is a catch. Every cyber strike risks miscalculation. And digital damage can spill into the real world fast if critical infrastructure is hit.
As military strikes targeted IRGC command centers, internet traffic inside Iran reportedly plunged to just 4 percent of normal levels. (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)
If the blackout and strikes mark a turning point, Tehran has options. None are simple.
1) Cyberattacks against U.S. or allied infrastructure
Cyber retaliation remains one of Iran’s most flexible tools. It can range from disruptive attacks and influence campaigns to more targeted intrusions that pressure critical services. Recent expert commentary warns that U.S. cyber defenses and the private sector could face sustained testing.
2) Targeting U.S. drones and unmanned systems
Iran has used drones and electronic interference as signals before. Analysts continue to flag jamming, spoofing and harassment of unmanned systems as a way to raise costs without immediately striking large numbers of personnel.
3) Maritime attacks in the Strait of Hormuz
This risk is rising fast. An EU naval mission official reportedly said IRGC radio transmissions warned ships that passage through Hormuz was “not allowed”. Greece has also urged ships to avoid high-risk routes and warned about electronic interference that can disrupt navigation. Insurers are already repricing the danger, with reports of war-risk policies being canceled or sharply increased.
4) Support for allied or informal armed groups
Iran has long worked with allied forces and militias in the region, and some of those groups could step up attacks on U.S. interests or allied partners in retaliation, widening the clash without direct state-to-state engagement.
5) Limited ballistic missile strikes
Missile strikes remain a high-impact option, but they raise the odds of rapid escalation. Recent expert analysis continues to frame them as a tool Iran may use for signaling, especially if leadership feels cornered.
Tehran’s skyline, including the Azadi Tower, became the backdrop to a crisis shaped as much by cyber disruption as by missiles in the sky. (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)
The escalation risk between the U.S. and Iran
Here is the uncomfortable truth. Neither Washington nor Tehran likely wants a full-scale regional war. In moments like this, military strikes rarely stand alone.
They often move alongside diplomacy. Leaders send signals. They apply pressure. At the same time, they try to leave room for talks.
But escalation has momentum. Each missile changes the equation. Each casualty raises the stakes. The more damage done, the harder it becomes to step back.
5 SIMPLE TECH TIPS TO IMPROVE DIGITAL PRIVACY
Fear plays a role. So does pride. Domestic audiences demand strength. Leaders feel pressure to respond in kind. That is how limited strikes can spiral into something much larger.
What the Iran cyberattack blackout means for global cybersecurity
This episode highlights something bigger than regional tension. Nation-states now pair kinetic strikes with digital offensives.
Cyberattacks can blind communications, freeze infrastructure and disrupt financial systems before the world even processes the first explosion.
TRUMP TELLS IRANIANS THE ‘HOUR OF YOUR FREEDOM IS AT HAND’ AS US-ISRAEL LAUNCH STRIKES AGAINST IRAN
For businesses and individuals, that reality matters. Modern conflict no longer stays confined to battlefields.
Supply chains, energy grids and online platforms can feel the ripple effects. The blackout in Iran serves as a reminder that digital resilience is now a national security issue.
How to stay safe during rising cyber tensions
When a country’s internet can plunge to just 4 percent of normal traffic in hours, it is a reminder that cyber conflict can escalate quickly.
Even if the disruption happens overseas, global networks are interconnected. Financial systems, supply chains and online platforms can feel the ripple effects.
You cannot control geopolitics. You can control your digital hygiene. Here are practical steps to reduce your personal risk during periods of heightened cyber activity:
Install strong antivirus software to guard against state-linked phishing and malware campaigns that often spike during geopolitical conflicts.
Nation-state actors frequently exploit breaking news and global instability to spread malicious links and ransomware. Get my picks for the best 2026 antivirus protection winners for your Windows, Mac, Android & iOS devices at Cyberguy.com
Keep devices updated so security patches close vulnerabilities that attackers often exploit during global cyber spikes.
WORLD LEADERS SPLIT OVER MILITARY ACTION AS US-ISRAEL STRIKE IRAN IN COORDINATED OPERATION
Use strong, unique passwords stored in a reputable password manager to protect your accounts if cyber retaliation campaigns expand beyond government targets. Check out the best expert-reviewed password managers of 2026 at Cyberguy.com
Enable two-factor authentication (2FA) on financial, email and social accounts to safeguard access in case stolen credentials circulate during heightened cyber conflict.
Be cautious with urgent headlines or alerts about international conflict, since attackers frequently mimic breaking news.
Monitor financial accounts for unusual activity in case broader disruptions spill into banking systems.
When tensions rise, phishing campaigns often rise with them. Threat actors exploit fear and confusion. Staying disciplined with basic security habits makes you a harder target if malicious traffic increases.
Take my quiz: How safe is your online security?
Think your devices and data are truly protected? Take this quick quiz to see where your digital habits stand. From passwords to Wi-Fi settings, you’ll get a personalized breakdown of what you’re doing right and what needs improvement. Take my Quiz here: Cyberguy.com
Kurt’s key takeaways
The reported cyber blackout inside Iran may signal a new chapter in modern conflict. Jets and missiles still matter. But so do servers, satellites and code. Leaders may try to contain the damage while showing strength.
Still, history shows how quickly careful plans can unravel once pressure builds. War today runs on electricity and bandwidth as much as fuel and ammunition.
When networks go dark, the impact does not stay on a battlefield. It spills into banking systems, airports, hospitals and the phones in our pockets. That is what makes this moment different.
If an entire nation’s digital systems can be disrupted in hours, how prepared is your community if something similar ever hits closer to home? Let us know by writing to us at Cyberguy.com
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP
Sign up for my FREE CyberGuy Report Get my best tech tips, urgent security alerts, and exclusive deals delivered straight to your inbox. Plus, you’ll get instant access to my Ultimate Scam Survival Guide – free when you join my CYBERGUY.COM newsletter
Copyright 2026 CyberGuy.com. All rights reserved.
Technology
Soundcore new Space 2 promise improved ANC and sound
We finally have an update to the Soundcore Space One that launched two and a half years ago. At MWC 2026, Soundcore has announced the Space 2, which will be available in the US on April 21st in three colors — linen white, jet black, and seafoam green — for $129.99. That’s $30 more than the Space One’s original price.
According to Soundcore, the Space 2 have had a full-band noise cancellation upgrade with the focus of those improvements on the low-frequency sounds we all generally use ANC headphones to block — things like airplane, train, and bus engine sounds while traveling. The Space 2 use the same number of microphones as the Space One for noise canceling, instead relying on optimized mic placement and structure and materials improvements for the boost in performance.
Redesigned 40mm drivers incorporate dual layers in their design. There’s a silk diaphragm with metal ceramic that supposedly results in faster transient response — the driver’s ability to respond to sudden sound quickly and accurately — with better balanced sound reproduction. The Space One had great sound performance for the price, but I’m all for any improvement to sound performance accuracy. Like the Space One, the Space 2 will support LDAC high-res audio.
The headphones connect wirelessly over Bluetooth 6.1, although they do not support Auracast transmissions — an unfortunate exclusion. There’s also a 3.5mm jack for a wired connection.
Battery life has been increased to up to 50 hours with ANC and 70 hours with ANC off. This is up from 40 hours with ANC and 55 hours without ANC with the Space One headphones. With a five-minute charge the Space 2 get an additional four hours of listening.
The Space 2 will include many of the features found on the Space One. You can use HearID 3.0 to go through a series of sound samples to tune the headphones’ sound to your preferences. It worked well for me on the Space One to get them closer to a sound I liked, with a bit of the edge taken off the higher frequencies. There’s also a sensor that detects when you remove the headphones and stops playback so you don’t miss any of your music or podcast. They once again come with a cloth bag that matches the color of the headphones instead of a case, which is one change I wish Soundcore had made, as the cloth bag doesn’t offer as much protection if you tend to throw your headphones into your backpack or bag.
The Soundcore Space One were among the best budget ANC headphones when they came out, and still hold up to more recent releases. But with the bump in price to over $100 for the Space 2, there’s a bit more expectation on them. ANC performance continues to improve — and products get cheaper — across manufacturers, so the Soundcore Space 2 has some competition from companies like Sony, EarFun, and JLab. If the ANC on the Space 2 stands up to current budget headphones and they still sound as good and are as comfortable as the Space One, you can expect to see the new Soundcore Space 2 on many recommendation lists.
-
World4 days agoExclusive: DeepSeek withholds latest AI model from US chipmakers including Nvidia, sources say
-
Massachusetts5 days agoMother and daughter injured in Taunton house explosion
-
Denver, CO4 days ago10 acres charred, 5 injured in Thornton grass fire, evacuation orders lifted
-
Louisiana1 week agoWildfire near Gum Swamp Road in Livingston Parish now under control; more than 200 acres burned
-
Technology1 week agoYouTube TV billing scam emails are hitting inboxes
-
Politics1 week agoOpenAI didn’t contact police despite employees flagging mass shooter’s concerning chatbot interactions: REPORT
-
Technology1 week agoStellantis is in a crisis of its own making
-
News1 week agoWorld reacts as US top court limits Trump’s tariff powers