Today, Remedy Entertainment, a globally renowned video game company based in Finland, announced that the cast of the upcoming game CONTROL Resonant will make an appearance on Saturday night at San Diego Comic Con.
Saturday July 25th, 6:30PM – 7:30PM
CONTROL Resonant: Exclusive Updates with Cast Members – Room 6BCF – Remedy Entertainment invites you to join actors Sean Durrie (Dylan Faden), Matthew Porretta (Dr. Darling), Frankie Kevich (Zoe De Vera), and Courtney Hope (Jesse Faden) as they offer a deep dive into the world of the upcoming CONTROL Resonant while discussing their characters and their work on the game.
For the latest news and updates on CONTROL Resonant, visit the official channels:
If your desk looks like a graveyard of cracked lens protectors and dented action cameras, I completely feel your pain. Anyone who films action-related content knows the pure, unadulterated fear of mounting a rig to the outside of a car, skateboard, or even the side of a hard saddlebag. For years, we relied on traditional, passive suction cups. You would pump a little plastic plunger, stick the camera to your door panel, and basically just pray. You spend the whole drive or ride staring at your side mirror, waiting for that awful clatter of metal and glass bouncing down the highway.
But you know what? The tape-and-prayer era of rigging is officially over. Insta360 recently dropped their Insta360 Electric Suction Cup Mount, a smart, motorized grip that promises to monitor its own pressure continuously. It retails for around $89.99 for the single unit, which feels like incredibly cheap insurance for your gear. But does this little robotic barnacle actually work under pressure? Let’s check it out and see if it earns a spot in your gear bag.
Built Like a Tank
Let’s be honest right off the bat. When you trust a piece of plastic with a $500 camera, you want it to feel premium. The physical hardware itself, the actual materials used on the Insta360 mount, feel incredibly robust. The base uses a 4.5-inch suction pad made from a specialized, temperature-resistant silicone rather than standard, cheap rubber. This is a huge deal. Standard rubber gets brittle in the freezing cold or melts into a porous mess in the summer. This silicone compound is rated to survive extreme temperatures from a freezing 5°F all the way up to a scorching 131°F.
Up top, the mount rocks a standard NATO rail, along with 1/4″-20 and 3-prong action camera adapters. The double ball-head design rotates a full 360 degrees, making horizon leveling super easy. It feels practically indestructible.
But here is a weird contradiction. Insta360 markets this beast to extreme sports junkies and off-roaders, rating it to survive a massive 800G impact. Yet, it possesses absolutely zero weather sealing. None. The user manual literally tells you not to use the mount in the rain. Professional reviewers have firmly warned that the digital display and the internal pneumatic sensors are entirely exposed to moisture. If you hit a dense patch of fog or a sudden summer drizzle, you have to pull over and tear down your rig immediately. Action cameras are universally marketed as invincible, so pairing them with a mount that fears a puddle is a highly frustrating experience.
The 53% Heart Attack
Here’s the thing that makes this device tick. The central hub houses a miniaturized vacuum pump powered by a 1000mAh lithium-ion battery. You press the silicone pad firmly against your car door, push a button, and the motor whirs to life, sucking the air out until the digital display hits 100% pressure.
How does it behave when you’re actually out on the road? The algorithm managing this pump is fascinating, but it is also where things get highly controversial. If the silicone seal gets slightly compromised and air slowly leaks in, the motor does not kick back on right away. Let me explain. Independent testers artificially sabotaged the seal to see how the software reacts. They found that the pressure has to plummet all the way down to about 53% before the motor finally wakes up and rapidly repressurizes the vacuum back to 100%.
Allowing the grip to drop by nearly half before intervening is a wild engineering choice. It aggressively conserves electrical energy, giving you a staggering 120 hours of standby battery life on a single charge. It holds. It really holds. But it completely freaks out professional cinematographers. If you are running a heavy camera payload, a 50% drop in grip strength feels way too risky. Many creators are begging Insta360 to add a custom firmware setting, allowing users to force the motor to kick on at an 80% or 90% threshold for peace of mind.
The Physics of the Invisible Pole
If you want to capture those crazy, sweeping third-person shots that look like a drone is chasing your car, a single mount simply won’t cut it. The torsional leverage of a long stick will literally rip a single 4.5-inch cup right off the glass. That brings us to the heavy-duty $299.99 Dual/Triple Electric Suction Cup Car Mount kit.
This massive setup uses rigid 18mm carbon fiber support rods to link two or three electronic bases together, creating a sturdy triangular foundation. By distributing the intense aerodynamic drag across three separate anchors, you can safely run the proprietary Insta360 Action Invisible Selfie Stick up to a meter away from your vehicle at highway speeds.
A quick digression about getting your hands on this gear. If you ever find yourself frantically scrambling for rigging equipment before a weekend track day in Southern California, you are in luck. The physical retail footprint for these specialized kits is surprisingly great. Big-box stores like the Best Buy at the Orangefair Mall in Anaheim usually carry the heavy-duty $300 Triple mount right on the shelf. Or, if you need serious expert advice for a complex custom car rig, legacy institutions like Samy’s Camera just down the street in Santa Ana have you completely covered. It is nice to know you can grab this highly specialized hardware locally without waiting days for e-commerce shipping.
Flying Blind Without Bluetooth
Now, we have to talk about the software, or rather, the lack of it. Honestly, Insta360 makes some of the most polished mobile apps in the entire photography industry. Their AI tracking and editing suites are legendary. But the Electric Suction Cup operates as a completely “dumb” piece of isolated hardware.
It lacks a basic Bluetooth transmitter. Why does this matter? Well, if you stick your camera onto your rear bumper or the passenger-side roof, you cannot see the little digital screen on the mount. You have absolutely no way to check the battery life or the real-time suction pressure from the driver’s seat. You are driving completely blind. Having those pressure telemetry metrics beamed directly into the Insta360 phone app would drastically reduce driver anxiety.
The Rivals in the Rearview Mirror
Insta360 is not the only player in this new mechanized mounting game. The competition is heating up fast. SmallRig just dropped their 5-inch Electric Suction Cup for around $119.99 (though you can frequently find it on sale for around $83.99). SmallRig took the opposite approach to battery life. Their mount features a larger 2000mAh battery, but it automatically repressurizes the exact moment the vacuum drops below a strict 75% threshold. It only lasts 30 hours instead of 120, but it provides a significantly more rigid, unyielding grip for heavier setups.
Then you have the premium Tilta Hydra Alien Mini ecosystem. Tilta directly solved the weather issue by giving their massive 6-inch electronic cup an IPX5 water-resistance rating. They also sell an optional wireless monitoring screen so you can view your pressure data from inside the car cabin. Insta360 really needs to watch their back here, because rivals are actively fixing their biggest blind spots.
The Final Verdict
So, should you buy the Insta360 Electric Suction Cup Mount? Yes, absolutely, but you need to understand its limits. At $90, it is a phenomenal entry into active camera rigging. It fundamentally changes the way you approach automotive and action filming by eliminating the constant dread of an unexpected drop. The 120-hour battery efficiency is brilliant for long cross-country road trips.
You just have to be willing to live with the quirks. You must meticulously wipe down your car panels so the tiny white filter does not clog with dust. You have to frantically unmount it if the sky gets dark and it starts to rain. And you have to trust that the 53% re-pressurization algorithm knows exactly what it is doing. If you can navigate those minor headaches, this robotic mount is a wildly capable tool that will effortlessly elevate your driving footage.
Overall Rating 4 out of 5
Pros
Holding Power: It provides an incredibly strong and reliable grip.
Battery Efficiency: The algorithmic pressure management allows the 1000mAh battery to last for a staggering 120 hours..
Value: At $89.99, it brings automated, active-suction technology to a highly accessible price point.
Cons
Zero Weatherproofing: The complete lack of weather sealing is the biggest complaint.
No App Integration: Lack of Bluetooth connectivity to monitor the battery/status remotely.
Loose Repressurization Threshold: The motor waits until the vacuum pressure drops to roughly 53% before kicking back on.
To coincide with its Steam publisher sale through July 27th, boutique publisher SNEG has today revealed that it will be bringing a slew of classic PC titles to Steam and GOG. Following its preservation initiative with Warhammer Classics, SNEG’s upcoming batch of lost gems includes the heritage D&D title Pool of Radiance: Ruins of Myth Drannor, along with strategy stalwarts Warlords IV: Heroes of Etheria and Soldiers at War.
That’s not all, as SNEG has also resurrected the French action-RPG Dark Earth, and classic survival horror titles Ecstatica 1 & 2.
D&D fans will be happy to see Stormfront Studios 2001’s Pool of Radiance: Ruins of Myth Drannor. This homage to the legendary 1988 Pool of Radiance was praised for its faithful, turn-based adaptation of D&D 3rd edition rules.
Meanwhile, Infinite Interactive’s 2003 outing Warlords IV: Heroes of Etheria continued the iconic Warlords strategy series, known for its fantasy setting and tactical 1v1 battles.
Also included is French developer Kalisto Entertainment’s 1997 cult classic action-adventure game Dark Earth, which showcased the region’s unique take on sci-fi fantasy. Set in a post-apocalyptic ruin following a meteor collision with earth, players embark upon a journey as a protector of one of the last remaining bastions of civilization.
Other European curios include Andrew Spencer Studio’s early survival horror action-adventures Ecstatica 1 & 2. Originally published by the iconic Psygnosis in 1994 and 1997 respectively, these put players in the role of a nameless traveler 928 AD Northern Europe, encountering an ominous village overrun by demons.
Rounding out the package is Random Games’ 1998’s Soldiers at War, which offered a tactic-based WWII campaign where players take control of American soldiers across single-player and PvP skirmishes.
“At SNEG, we love bringing classic games back to life – especially the ones that were ahead of their time, or just unusual in interesting ways,” said Artem Shchuiko, Director at SNEG. “This curated slate of 6 games is a great example of that. Each of them tried something interesting and pushed PC gaming in its own way, with all the creativity, ambition, and even technical limitations of its era. We believe these games deserve to be available again – for players who remember them, for people discovering them for the first time, and hopefully even for creators who may find a spark of inspiration in these lost gems.”
Wishlist SNEG’s upcoming catalogue – or buy their already available titles – during the SNEG Publisher Sale on Steam.
SPACEBALLS: THE NEW ONE is preparing to go to ludicrous speed at San Diego Comic-Con! Join the cast and filmmakers as they land in Hall H on Friday, July 24 at 4:00 p.m. And remember: please keep your Schwartz inside the convention center at all times.
SPACEBALLS: THE NEW SYNOPSIS
Somehow, Dark Helmet has returned! Forty years after the events of the first Spaceballs, fifty years after the events of Star Wars: A New Hope, and one year after the events of The Devil Wears Prada 2, the galaxy is once again under threat. A threat so evil, so unstoppable, so completely lacking in any original ideas, that it has vowed to bring back the past… every last bit of it.
With Lone Starr in hiding, Queen Vespa on the throne, and the Schwartz stretched thinner than a franchise releasing TV episodes theatrically, the only hope for the galaxy is Vespa’s undisciplined son, Prince Starburst, and a mysterious Palace advisor named Destiny. Together, they must find Lone Starr, Yogurt, and any other iconic legacy characters fans are demanding before they discover the hard way that, while some threats you can fight, the reboot is not one of them.
Your back to school list is growing with Agefield High: Rock the School arriving August 12th on Steam. Inspired by the hilarious and chaotic comedies of the early 2000’s, Agefield High is your chance to be the big man on campus. With graduation on the horizon, play as Sam and become a legend!
How you navigate the tumultuous life of a small-town high schooler is up to you, but all roads lead to Sam and his friends rocking the school and ending the year with a bang! Explore the open world of Agefield, stick it to the school bullies, and make some extra cash to look fly while doing it. Just steer clear of teachers and cops if you’re skipping class and being a hooligan!
A Senior Year to Remember (or Regret): Follow Sam’s journey through 30+ main missions filled with humor, rebellion, and teenage drama.
Raise Hell Across Agefield: Freely roam the school campus, town center, neighborhoods, and countryside in a fully open world.
Side Hustle Your Way to the Top: Take on side hustles, earn cash, and complete mini missions to become the talk of the school.
Go to Class…or Don’t: Attend or skip classes while navigating schedules, routines, and consequences.
Your Look, Your Legacy: Upgrade your look with new clothes, bikes, hairstyles, and more.
Pop-Punk, Satire, and Zero Chill: A pop-punk soundtrack, vibrant visuals, and satirical tone bring the era to life.
Study up and wishlist Agefield High: Rock the School on Steam now! Then stay tuned for more information as the release date approaches, including an update on when Agefield High will come to consoles.
If you have ever recorded a video in public, you know the exact feeling of the “creator walk of shame.” You are walking down a busy street, talking to a camera, and clipped to your collar is a giant, glowing, glossy plastic box that practically screams, “Look at me, I am making a video!” It is awkward. Even worse, many of these modern clip-on microphones have bright, flashing LEDs or massive, reflective company logos that ruin the look of your outfit on camera.
Insta360 wants to solve this design headache with their new Insta360 Mic Pro Wireless system. The standard bundle which includes two transmitters, a receiver, and a hardshell charging case retails for $329.99. That is a premium price, putting it right in the ring with heavy hitters like the DJI Mic series and the RODE Wireless PRO. But the Mic Pro has a clever trick up its sleeve.
The front of each circular transmitter features a 1.22-inch, six-color E-Ink display. You can upload custom images, show graphics, or station logos directly through the mobile application. Because it is E-Ink, the screen only saps power when the image actually changes. Once your logo is set, the image stays there permanently, even when the transmitter is powered off.
You can even set it to a solid black or grey background to blend in with your clothing, effectively camouflaging the microphone on camera. Additionally, because there is no active backlight, the screen exhibits zero refresh-rate flickering or weird visual patterns when captured on camera. Honestly, it is a brilliant idea that makes you wonder why nobody thought of it sooner.
Why Three Mics Beat One
Most traditional clip-on wireless microphones rely on a single omnidirectional microphone capsule. It is a simple setup that captures sound in a broad sphere, but it means you cannot change how the microphone behaves in a noisy room. The Mic Pro changes the game by packing a three-microphone array arranged in a tight triangle right inside its round chassis.
Using smart digital processing, the system combines the audio from these three capsules to create four selectable pickup patterns. Let me explain how this works in the field:
Omnidirectional Mode: This is your standard setting, capturing sound in all directions. It is great for natural field recordings where you want to capture the atmosphere of your surroundings alongside your voice.
Cardioid Mode: This focuses the capture zone directly in front of the mic, rejecting noise from the sides and rear. If you slide the transmitter onto your camera’s cold shoe, it acts like a directional shotgun mic, saving you from carrying extra gear.
Figure-8 Mode: This profile captures sound from the front and rear while rejecting lateral noise. It is highly useful for quick, two-person interviews where you can place a single transmitter on a table between you and capture both voices with balanced clarity.
Super-directional (Voice Focus): This uses adaptive beamforming to lock onto your voice in extremely noisy spaces.
Here is a quick contradiction, though. While these patterns are incredibly versatile, they are digitally synthesized using software math rather than physical acoustic tubes. If you cover one of the physical mic ports with a heavy winter coat, it can throw off the digital calculations, making your voice sound slightly artificial. But when kept clear, the flexibility it offers is phenomenal.
NPU AI Noise Cancelling
Vlogging outdoors is a constant battle against noise. Traffic, wind, construction – they all conspire to ruin your audio. The Mic Pro tackles this with an onboard neural processing unit (NPU) chip designed specifically for intelligent noise reduction.
In technical tests against running office fans, the “Strong” noise cancelling setting completely killed the background drone. It outperformed the DJI Mic 3 by a wide margin under identical conditions, keeping the voice sounding remarkably clean and natural without that watery, digital distortion that cheaper microphones suffer from.
You get both Weak and Strong settings, giving you the flexibility to adapt to your environment. However, keep in mind that Strong noise cancellation is disabled when using the super-directional Voice Focus mode to prevent phase cancellation artifacts. If you are vlogging in a noisy coffee shop or recording on a breezy day, this noise reduction engine is easily one of the best in the business.
Audio Samples
Standard Wind Level
Heavy Wind Level
32-Bit Float and Onboard Backups
Every creator has experienced the gut-wrenching feeling of checking their footage only to find the audio clipped and ruined because someone laughed too loudly. To prevent this, each Mic Pro transmitter comes loaded with 32GB of internal flash memory. It functions as a standalone recorder, capturing up to 44 hours of uncompressed audio.
More importantly, it supports 32-bit float internal recording. Think of 32-bit float as the audio equivalent of shooting RAW photos. It captures a massive dynamic range of 168dB, making digital clipping physically impossible.
If a subject suddenly shouts, you can simply pull the volume down in DaVinci Resolve or Premiere Pro later, recovering the audio perfectly with zero distortion. The internal system also splits your files into 30-minute segments automatically, ensuring that even if your camera battery dies mid-shoot, your audio files remain safe and uncorrupted.
If you shoot on compatible cameras like the Ace Pro 2 or X5, the Direct Connect feature lets you pair the transmitter directly over Bluetooth. This bypasses the physical receiver entirely, keeping your setup clean and incredibly light.
Real-World Scratches and Case Quibbles
As brilliant as the audio tech is, we need to talk about where the physical design falls short. Honestly, the hardware has a few frustrating quirks that become obvious after a few days in the field.
Let’s start with the mounting clips. While the backing plates on the mic and clip are metal, the guide rails on the transmitter housing are thin plastic. Removing the clips requires significant physical force. If you slide the clip off-angle, it can easily tear the soft silicone casing or damage the plastic rails.
Then there is the charging case. It is a sleek hardshell box, but the designers made a classic mistake: the furry windmuffs do not fit inside the case while attached to the transmitters. You have to pull them off every single time you put the microphones away.
Even worse, there is no designated slot inside the hard case to store the 3.5mm camera cable. You are forced to carry these accessories in a separate soft neoprene bag, which defeats the purpose of an all-in-one charging case and makes it easy to lose your cables on a hectic set.
Additionally, the companion app feels surprisingly intrusive. It constantly prompts you to register an account, pushes promotional ads, and has even sent sales notifications to macOS desktops.
Finally, action camera users should be careful. If you pair the Mic Pro with a GoPro Mission 1 Pro, you might encounter garbled, popping audio over stock firmware. In extremely hot environments (exceeding 110°F), the GoPro’s processor can thermal-throttle, causing the USB-C audio stream to disconnect completely. In those harsh conditions, you’ll have to rely strictly on the transmitter’s internal 32-bit float backup files.
Is It Worth Your Money?
Ultimately, the Insta360 Mic Pro (2 TX + 1 RX) Kit is a highly advanced, premium audio tool that delivers spectacular sound quality. The three-mic array, incredible noise cancellation, and unique E-Ink branding faceplates make it a standout choice for professional videographers and active content creators.
However, the fragile plastic clip rails, the bulky receiver, and the charging case storage limitations keep it from being a flawless masterpiece. If you are already in the Insta360 camera ecosystem, it is a fantastic, seamless upgrade. For general camera users, if you can live with the case quirks and the bulky transmitters, the stellar sound quality and E-Ink customization make it highly worth the investment.
Remember when phones actually had headphone jacks? Yeah, I miss those simple times too. Ever since smartphone makers decided we all needed to live a completely wireless life, we’ve been forced to choose between laggy Bluetooth earbuds and cheap, plastic dongles that sound like static-filled tin cans. Honestly, for anyone who actually cares about rich music or playing mobile games without a annoying half-second of audio delay, the wireless transition has been a real pain.
That is where the British audio wizards at iFi step into the ring. They recently dropped the iFi GO Link 2 Max, a tiny, pocket-sized USB-C adapter priced at a very reasonable $85. Weighing a feather-light 11.5 grams, it promises to rescue your wired headphones from the drawer of shame. But does this microscopic “rat-tail” dongle actually have what it takes to upgrade your daily commute and gaming sessions, or is it just another overhyped gadget? Let’s take a closer look.
Why Your Phone Audio Sucks
Before we break down the performance, let’s address the main question: why do you even need this? Your phone or laptop already has a built-in digital-to-analog converter (a DAC) to turn those digital ones and zeros into sound. The problem is, these built-in chips are cheap, noisy afterthoughts. They are crowded next to cellular antennas and hot processors, which turns your pristine music files into flat, lifeless mush.
The GO Link 2 Max completely bypasses those noisy internals. Inside its tiny magnesium-alloy shell, iFi has crammed a dual-mono setup featuring two separate ESS Sabre ES9219 DAC chips. Why does having two chips matter? Dedicating an entire chip to your left ear and another to your right channel drastically improves channel separation. It makes your music sound like a live concert rather than a flat wall of sound.
To make sure everything stays perfectly in sync, iFi uses their Global Master Timing (GMT) clock circuitry to eliminate digital timing errors, often called jitter, that can blur your audio. You get clean, bit-perfect playback for high-resolution formats like PCM up to 32-bit/384kHz and native DSD256. You know what? It is basically a high-end desktop setup shrunk down to the size of a USB flash drive.
Balanced vs. S-Balanced
Now, if you are a gamer, you know that sound is half the battle. Trying to play a fast-paced shooter like Call of Duty: Mobile or PUBG with Bluetooth headphones is an absolute nightmare because of the lag. By the time you hear the footsteps behind you, you are already looking at a respawn screen. Going wired is the only real solution, but normal phone adapters do not have the muscle to drive decent headphones.
The GO Link 2 Max solves this by offering two different headphone ports: a standard 3.5mm jack and a dedicated 4.4mm balanced output. Let’s start with that 4.4mm balanced port. It pumps out a massive 280mW of peak power (241mW RMS) into a 32-ohm load. That is roughly five times the power of a standard MacBook Pro headphone jack and easily enough to drive demanding, efficient over-ear headphones with real authority and bass grip.
But what if your headphones only have a regular 3.5mm plug? iFi has you covered with their proprietary S-Balanced technology. Traditional single-ended headphone jacks share a ground wire, which lets the left and right channels bleed into each other, creating crosstalk. S-Balanced runs a dedicated negative wire for each channel directly to the internal star ground, cutting that muddy crosstalk in half. The result is cleaner positional audio. When you are gaming, you can pinpoint exactly where that sniper is hiding.
How Does It Sound?
Honestly, the sound signature of this little dongle will put a massive smile on your face. It is an energetic, highly engaging presenter that manages to sound both detailed and pleasingly punchy. It does not color your headphones with artificial warmth, but it definitely gives the low-end a confident, textured kick that makes explosions in games feel satisfying.
I paired the GO Link 2 Max with a couple of high-quality in-ear monitors (IEMs), including the Meze Alba and Kiwi Ears Astral. The detail retrieval is spectacular for an $85 device. Instrument separation is so clear that you can easily map out the soundstage in your mind. iFi also tweaked the internal DAC chips to enable Dynamic Range Enhancement (DRE), which adds an extra +6dB of contrast between quiet and loud moments. It makes orchestral soundtracks sound absolutely epic and keeps you on the edge of your seat during intense gaming cinematic moments.
One massive design win is the hardware-based volume control. Most cheap dongles adjust volume by throwing away digital data in your phone’s software, which strips away fine details when you turn the music down. The GO Link 2 Max communicates directly with your device to make physical voltage adjustments inside the DAC itself, keeping your audio bit-perfect at any volume level.
A Few Gremlins in the Machine
As much as I love the sound of this thing, no piece of technology is perfect. There are a few quirks you should know about before pulling out your wallet.
First, let’s talk about the physical build. While the magnesium-alloy chassis feels premium and robust, the thin braided cable connecting the USB-C plug to the main DAC housing feels slightly fragile. If you plan to shove this into your pocket alongside your phone while walking, constant bending might strain the connection points over time. You will want to treat it with a bit of care.
Second, because the GO Link 2 Max does not have its own battery, it draws power directly from your smartphone. If you are running high-power signals, it can pull up to 3.2W, which will noticeably accelerate your phone’s battery drain during long gaming sessions.
Third, the software integration is a bit of a mixed bag. The iFi Nexis companion app allows you to toggle between hybrid and linear digital filters and update the firmware. However, all of these app features are strictly Android-exclusive. If you are an iPhone or iPad user, you get zero app customization. Also, Android users have reported a rare volume bug where hot-plugging the device while media apps like YouTube or Poweramp are running in the background can force a sudden, terrifying blast of maximum volume.
If you are looking to upgrade your mobile audio experience, the answer is a resounding yes. It completely outclasses standard entry-level adapters like the $9 Apple dongle, offering a far more confident, full-bodied sound with zero graininess. It successfully bridges the gap between basic, throwaway accessories and expensive, bulky digital audio players.
Whether you are trying to hear critical footsteps in your favorite mobile shooter or just want to get lost in a high-resolution music stream on your daily commute, the GO Link 2 Max delivers desktop-grade performance that fits right in your coin pocket. Just remember to treat the cable nicely, and your ears will thank you.
Vantage Studios, a Ubisoft company, announced that Assassin’s Creed™ Black Flag Resynced, the latest installment in the Assassin’s Creed franchise, sold 2 million copies worldwide on its first day following its July 9 release. The game also ranked No. 1 on Twitch on launch day and reached a peak of 99,451 concurrent players on Steam within its first 24 hours, the highest concurrent player count ever recorded for an Assassin’s Creed title on the platform.
Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced is also received positively by critics, with an 85% Top Critic Average on Open Critic and 84% review score on Metacritic, making it the highest rated Assassin’s Creed game since the launch of the original Assassin’s Creed IV Black Flag. This includes reviewers like IGN scoring Resynced 9/10 and declaring it “bigger and better in all the ways that matter.” The technical achievement has also been praised by specialists such as Digital Foundry, referring to it as “One of the most effective remakes we’ve ever seen.”
“Black Flag has always held a special place in the heart of the community, and ours.” said Martin Schelling, Head of Assassin’s Creed Brand. “Bringing it back with Resynced was a promise to that passion for Edward’s adventures, and to the unique sense of freedom players experienced back then. Seeing 2 million players set sail on day one, along with the great reviews from critics, is the greatest reward we could have hoped for.”
A testament to Assassin’s Creed IV Black Flag, originally released in 2013, Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced, led by Ubisoft Singapore*, is a faithful remake rebuilt from the ground up and powered by the latest Anvil engine. The game features stunning updated visuals and enriched gameplay, including parry‑driven combat, improved stealth and parkour, deeper naval mechanics, and new narrative content.
Set during the Golden Age of Piracy, Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced invites players to sail the Caribbean as Edward Kenway, a rebellious pirate captain drawn into the centuries-old conflict between Assassins and Templars. As Edward pursues glory and fortune, he crosses paths with legendary figures such as Blackbeard, Anne Bonny, and Calico Jack, while the fate of everything the pirates have built hangs in the balance.
The game is available on Ubisoft+**, PlayStation®5, Xbox Series X|S, as well as Windows PC through the Ubisoft Store, Steam (Steam Deck verified) and the Epic Games Store.
Clash of Clans is raiding San Diego Comic-Con! Step into a real Clash village and help save the Barbarian’s iconic mustache at Clash for the Stache, a first-of-its-kind challenge room offsite experience at Seaport Village. I’d love to invite you to experience Clash for the Stache for yourself during Comic-Con at exclusive media hours on Wednesday, July 22 and Friday, July 24 from 9am-11am!
Clash for the Stache immerses you in the world of the hit mobile strategy game and puts you at the center of an epic Clash quest. The evil Goblin King has stolen Barbarian’s mustache, the source of his powers, and it’s up to you to join Archer Queen and a team of heroes to win it back through a series of interactive puzzle games. Along the way, you’ll also have the opportunity to explore themed merch, snacks, giveaways, and immersive spaces inspired by the game.
EVENT DETAILS
Location: Seaport Village Headquarters (849 W Harbor Dr, San Diego, CA 92101) – just a short walk away from the San Diego Convention Center.
Keepsake Trading Cards, a producer of premium and collectible trading cards, today announced a partnership to produce official trading cards for ULTIMATE OZ UNIVERSE. The collaboration will make its debut at San Diego Comic-Con (SDCC) 2026 with a limited, convention-exclusive product available only at Keepsake’s booth (#135).
The SDCC-exclusive release will not be available anywhere else, in-store or online. Each box, priced at $30, contains one guaranteed encased Signagraph card featuring hit characters from the Ultimate OZ Universe, including the Lion, Dorothy, the Hungry Tiger, the Scarecrow, the Tin Woodman, Glinda, H.M. Wogglebug T.E., Jack Pumpkinhead, Mombi, and more. The full base set spans 20 cards, with every card in the collection numbered to 50 copies or less.
Signing Event with Mike Deodato
To celebrate the debut, Keepsake is hosting an exclusive signing event with renowned Ultimate OZ Universe artist Mike Deodato on Friday at 1:00 PM at Booth 135. The first 50 collectors to purchase a box each day of the show–Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday–will be entered into the signing, where they will have the opportunity to receive the first-ever signed ULTIMATE OZ UNIVERSE trading cards.
Full Breaker Release Coming Q4 2026
Following its SDCC debut, Keepsake will follow up with a full breaker release in Q4 2026, giving the wider collector community the opportunity to experience the ULTIMATE OZ UNIVERSE collection.
