Technologies
Facebook Connect: How to watch the big AR, VR event
The social network is doubling down on the metaverse.
At its annual conference Thursday, Facebook is expected to unveil more details about its vision for the future of virtual reality and augmented reality.
The social media giant has been betting big on what it calls the «metaverse,»a virtual space where people can be present with friends and family like they’re there in person. Work on the metaverse has already begun. Facebook has been building new versions of its VR headsets and recently partnered with Ray-Ban on its first pair of smart glasses.
«I view this work as critical to our mission because delivering a sense of presence — like you’re right there with another person — that’s the holy grail of online social experience,» Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg said on Monday, ahead of the Facebook Connect conference.
The big event comes during another rough week for the social media giant. Several news outlets published a series of stories on Monday from a trove of leaked Facebook documents, underscoring the challenges the company faces as it tries to police content globally. Concerned that Facebook prioritizes its profits over user safety, Frances Haugen, the former Facebook product manager turned whistleblower, gathered the documents before she left Facebook in May. The Wall Street Journal also used some of these documents earlier in its series known as The Facebook Files.
Zuckerberg addressed the leaked documents on Monday, saying that the company is trying to balance free expression with efforts to reduce harmful content. More than 40,000 people work on safety and security at Facebook, and the social network expects to spend more than $5 billion on safety and security in 2021, he said. Content moderation in virtual reality, though, has its own challenges.
Here’s what you need to know about Facebook Connect:
When
The conference is scheduled to kick off Thursday at 10 a.m. PT/1 p.m. ET.
Where
The conference is set to be streamed live on Facebook.
What to expect
Facebook has said it’s working on a Pro version of its Oculus Quest headset. The company could provide more details about that product. With the release of its first smart glasses, the social network might provide details about what’s next as it develops augmented reality glasses.
The conference could also be an opportunity for Facebook to talk about its work with creators and developers, who’ll be essential for building out its next apps for Facebook’s metaverse. The company is already testing a virtual reality workplace app and a VR social space known as Horizon Worlds.
Meanwhile, there are also rumors that Facebook could do some rebranding with a new name during the conference. The company said Monday that it’s planning to break out reporting for Facebook Reality Labs, which houses its augmented and virtual reality efforts. Zuckerberg said the company plans to invest $10 billion this year in its metaverse efforts.
Technologies
Xbox Set to Bring Resident Evil, Star Wars and More to Xbox Game Pass
Subscribers can play several other games, including the original Final Fantasy in all its 2D glory, on Game Pass in January.
Resident Evil Requiem, the ninth game in the main Resident Evil series, is set to be released on Feb. 26. Xbox Game Pass subscribers can prepare for Requiem by playing Resident Evil Village, the most recent entry in the series, starting on Jan. 20.
Xbox Game Pass offers hundreds of games you can play on your Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, Xbox One, Amazon Fire TV, smart TV and PC or mobile device, with prices starting at $10 a month. While all Game Pass tiers offer you a library of games, Game Pass Ultimate ($30 a month) gives you access to the most games, as well as Day 1 games, like Call of Duty: Black Ops 7, added monthly.
Here are all the games subscribers can play on Game Pass soon. You can also check out other games the company added to the service in December, including Marvel Cosmic Invasion.
Note: «Handheld» means a game is optimized for handheld play.
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Brews & Bastards (cloud, PC and Xbox Series X/S)
Game Pass Ultimate, Game Pass Premium and PC Game Pass subscribers can play now.
What’s a hero gotta do to get a drink around here? Choose an inebriated hero to travel deep under a tavern in search of the stolen Brew Stone. You’ll explore tavern-themed dungeons and use bar-inspired weapons, like high-caliber champagne bottles, to blast through drunken demons and other boozy monsters. And if you’ve ever called one of your exes a drunken demon, maybe this game will be a little cathartic for you.
Little Nightmares Enhanced Edition (cloud, handheld, PC and Xbox Series X/S)
Game Pass Ultimate, Game Pass Premium and PC Game Pass subscribers can play now.
Little Nightmares is back in high-quality 4K and 60 frames per second in this enhanced edition of the dark tale. You play as a lone child trapped in a massive world inhabited by monstrous versions of adults called the Maw. All you can do is run from these creatures, but you’ll also have to sneak and hide to throw them off your trail if you want to survive.
Atomfall (cloud, console, handheld and PC)
New to Game Pass Premium. Previously on Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass.
The Windscale fire was the worst nuclear disaster in the UK’s history, and it’s estimated that it caused between 100 and 240 cancer-related deaths. Atomfall asks, «What if Windscale was similar in magnitude to the disaster at Chornobyl?»
This game takes place five years after a far more devastating Windscale disaster. You’ll encounter gangs of bandits, cults and rogue government agencies throughout the quarantine zone in the beautiful Lake District, in northern England. It’s up to you whether you avoid conflict or charge into the heat of battle, but resources are scarce, so maybe don’t go in guns blazing every chance you get.
Lost in Random: The Eternal Die (cloud, Xbox Series X/S, handheld and PC)
New to Game Pass Premium. Previously on Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass.
You’re the once-great ruler of Random, Queen Aleksandra, and you’re on a mission of vengeance and redemption in this fast-paced rogue-like game. You’ll fight monsters and beasts with four unique weapons, plus powerful card-based abilities and relics. But death isn’t final here, so if you fall, you’ll return to Sanctuary to rearm, upgrade and prepare for your next run.
Rematch (cloud, PC and Xbox Series X/S)
New to Game Pass Premium. Previously on Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass.
Tackle, dribble and score in this team-based football game (or soccer, depending on your locale). This game was designed for 5v5 online multiplayer matches where players control a single athlete. That means you’ll have to coordinate and plan with the rest of your co-op teammates if you want to win. And with no player stats to give one person an advantage over another, coordination is the key to success.
Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine – Master Crafted Edition (cloud, PC and Xbox Series X/S)
New to Game Pass Premium. Previously on Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass.
You are Capt. Demetrian Titus, an Ultramarine in the Imperium of Man tens of thousands of years from now, and it’s up to you and your squad to help reclaim the Forge World Graia from an Ork horde. Originally released in 2011, this third-person shooter has been remastered for modern consoles with enhanced character models, a modernized control scheme and more. So grab your chainsword and bolter and get ready to fight. For the Emperor!
Final Fantasy (cloud, Xbox Series X/S and PC)
Game Pass Ultimate, Game Pass Premium and PC Game Pass subscribers can play on Jan. 8.
This is the game that started it all. Join the Warriors of Light on a journey to restore power to the Crystals and save their home world. The remastered version of this game introduces enhanced gameplay features, including auto-battle and more, to your screen.
Star Wars Outlaws (cloud, PC and Xbox Series X/S)
Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass subscribers can play on Jan. 13.
Luke Skywalker and the Jedis are cool and all, but who didn’t want to be a cool smuggler like Han Solo? This open-world Star Wars game lets you become just that. You play as Kay Vess, a scoundrel looking for freedom and a new life. You’ll fight, steal and outsmart crime syndicates from around the galaxy. But the Empire is out there, too, so watch your back.
My Little Pony: A Zephyr Heights Mystery (cloud, console, handheld and PC)
Game Pass Ultimate, Game Pass Premium and PC Game Pass subscribers can play on Jan. 15.
Go on an adventure with Sunny, Hitch, Izzy, Pipp, Zipp and Misty as you try to solve a mystery together. Strange music is turning the world upside down, and it’s up to you and your friends to use your powers to put a stop to the music.
Resident Evil Village (cloud, console and PC)
Game Pass Ultimate, Game Pass Premium, PC Game Pass subscribers can play on Jan. 20.
The latest entry in the mainline Resident Evil series puts you back in the shoes of Ethan Winters as he ventures into a haunting European village in search of his abducted daughter. You’ll fight lycans, vampires and other monstrous creatures as you try to uncover why your daughter was taken and your wife was murdered.
MIO: Memories in Orbit (cloud, handheld, PC and Xbox Series X/S)
Game Pass Ultimate, PC Game Pass subscribers can play on Jan. 20.
Get ready to explore a treacherous ship in this sci-fi metroidvania game. You play as Mio, a nimble android who wakes up in the Vessel, a spaceship drifting aimlessly through the stars. The ship’s machines have gone rogue, and vegetation has taken over parts of the Vessel. It’s up to you to figure out what happened to the Vessel and the ship’s purpose.
Games leaving Xbox Game Pass on Jan. 15
While Microsoft is bringing those games to different Game Pass tiers this month, the company is also removing these games from the service on Jan. 15. So, you still have some time to complete your campaign or any sidequests before you have to purchase these games separately.
For more on Xbox, discover other games available on Game Pass now and check out our hands-on review of the gaming service. You can also learn about recent changes to the Game Pass service.
Technologies
We’ve Found the Coolest, Most Futuristic Tech at CES 2026. And the Show Just Started
We’ve already had a day to trawl for our favorite cutting-edge technology. Neat stuff abounds!
We have people all over the show floor and beyond at CES, searching for the most interesting, innovative and cutting-edge tech available. A ton of useful new information is also available, which you can find on our CES 2026 live blog and in our CES hub.
The show floor opened Tuesday, and we had a lot of preview time beforehand to gawk at some CES staples, such as robots, electronic toys, phones and more. I’ll be back here to top off our fun finds regularly throughout the show.
Technologies
Grab This Tariff-Busting Xbox Series X Deal and Save $44 While You Can
You can bag a 1TB Xbox Series X for just $606, but act fast, since we don’t know how long this deal will last.
Ever since tariffs and other economic uncertainty led to Xbox price increases in late 2025, things have gotten expensive. A 1TB Xbox Series X now sells for $50 more than it used to, and there is little sign of these prices improving anytime soon.
Thankfully, every so often, a deal pops up that helps make things a little more affordable like this Walmart discount that slashes that same Series X to just $606. The catch? Well, there isn’t one. But we don’t expect this deal to last for long, so make sure to get your order in soon before it leaves for good.
The Xbox Series X has been around for a while now, so there are no surprises with what you get in the box. The Series X comes with a 1TB SSD for storage, and you get a controller in the box. This version also has a disc drive for installing games and watching Blu-ray movies, too.
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You can look forward to watching 4K content and playing 4K games, as well as enjoying audio options such as Dolby Digital, Dolby TrueHD and DTS. All of that makes this a capable machine, whether you want to watch content or play games.
CHEAP GAMING LAPTOP DEALS OF THE WEEK
Why this deal matters
It’s unlikely that Xbox prices will get any cheaper anytime soon, so deals like this are the best we can expect for a while now. If you’re in the market for an Xbox and have the $604 to spare, then this is probably the time to place your order before it’s too late.
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