Technologies
Riot Games sex discrimination lawsuit to end with $100M payout
The League of Legends developer agrees to pay more than $100 million to resolve a 2018 gender discrimination and sexual harassment suit.

League of Legends developer Riot Games has agreed to pay more than $100 million to settle a 2018 gender discrimination and sexual harassment lawsuit, The California Department of Fair Employment and Housing said this week. The class action suit against the maker of the esports fave and of popular new competitive title Valorant was initially filed by a group of current and former employees alleging «equal pay violations, gender/sex discrimination, sexual harassment, and retaliation.»
Under the settlement, which is still awaiting court approval, a minimum of $80 million will go directly to worker compensation. Riot will also pay for an independent, regulator-approved third party to conduct a gender-equity study covering employee pay, job assignments and promotions, and an independent auditor to monitor workplace compliance over the three-year period covered by the consent decree. Money from the settlement will also fund diversity, equity and inclusion programs.
«It takes bravery to come forward with a loud message about oppression and pain, but the right people hear it and will help,» plaintiff Gabriela Downie said in a statement. «I’m grateful to the other Riot women who stood up alongside me and to all the Rioters who supported our efforts to achieve equal pay and fair treatment for women.»
Another plaintiff, Gina Cruz Rivera, urged perseverance. «To the rest of our industry, keep speaking up and keep pushing for accountability. Your voice matters and together we can make this industry safer and more inclusive for everyone.»
In a statement, Riot acknowledged past failures and said it’s looking ahead: «We hope this settlement properly acknowledges those who had negative experiences at Riot. We also hope it demonstrates our desire to lead by example in our industry, and symbolizes a moment where we move forward as a united company that always strives to do better for Rioters and players.»
A previously proposed $10 million settlement was rejected by the Department of Fair Employment and Housing and the Division of Labor Standards Enforcement in 2019 on the grounds that it «had been rushed and that the violations could amount to additional millions in damages.»
This hasn’t been the only lawsuit aimed at Riot. In January, the company and CEO Nicholas Laurent were sued by Laurent’s executive assistant, who accused him of unwanted sexual advances and said she was fired after resisting them. Riot has disputed her account and said in March that a company-commissioned inquiry into the allegations found no wrongdoing by Laurent.
And Riot isn’t the only gaming company facing such scrutiny. In July, Activision Blizzard was also hit with a lawsuit from the California Department of Fair Employment and Housing, alleging sexual harassment and workplace discrimination, which has led to calls for CEO Bobby Kotick to resign.
Technologies
Want to Watch a Podcast? Netflix and Spotify Partner to Bring Video Podcasts to Streaming
Starting in early 2026, Netflix subscribers in the US will be able to watch select Spotify Studios and Ringer podcasts directly on the streaming platform.

Netflix and Spotify are teaming up to blur the line between streaming and podcasting. The two companies announced a new partnership that will bring a curated slate of Spotify’s top video podcasts, including shows from Spotify Studios and The Ringer, to Netflix starting in early 2026. The goal is to make popular podcasts as watchable as TV, expanding both services’ reach into sports, culture, lifestyle and true crime.
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The deal marks Spotify’s most significant distribution push beyond its own platform, and for Netflix, it’s a new way to keep audiences engaged with talk-driven, low-cost programming. Early titles include The Bill Simmons Podcast, The Rewatchables, Dissect, Conspiracy Theories and Serial Killers, among others. You can find the complete list here.
More shows and genres are expected to be added over time.
Netflix says the partnership complements its library of documentaries and talk shows, offering «fresh voices and new perspectives.» Spotify, meanwhile, described it as «a new chapter for podcasting,» giving creators access to Netflix’s global audience while expanding discovery for listeners who prefer watching podcasts.
The rollout will begin in the US early next year, with additional markets to follow in 2026.
Technologies
Every Active Borderlands 4 SHiFT Code
It’s dangerous to explore Kairos without some legendary gear. These promo codes will unlock epic loot and vault hunter cosmetics in Borderlands 4.

The biggest looter shooter of the year, Borderlands 4, is out, and tons of players are already taking the fight to the Timekeeper on Kairos. If you want to put the beat down on someone strong enough to control time, then you’re going to need an arsenal of powerful weapons and equipment.
Luckily, developer Gearbox Software is willing to lend a helping hand. Instead of having to farm every piece of legendary equipment in-game, you can roll the dice on some loot with Golden Keys unlocked by SHiFT promo codes.
If you’re already swimming in more loot than you know what to do with, some SHiFT codes also unlock special cosmetic looks for your favorite vault hunters. Special in-game challenges have already unlocked promo codes for Amon, Rafa and Vex vault hunter skins, with a Harlowe skin unlocking soon. Here’s how to use the latest SHiFT codes in Borderlands 4.
All active SHiFT codes for Borderlands 4
You can hunt down SHiFT codes on social media, but we’ll keep all of the active promo codes in one place for ease of access.
Below, you’ll find a chart that contains every active SHiFT code for Borderlands 4, what it unlocks and its expiration date:
Active Borderlands 4 SHiFT codes
Reward | SHiFT code | Expiration date |
---|---|---|
Golden Key | WZK3B-SHTHF-JZ59K-SBT3B-TWHXT | Oct. 19, 2025 |
Vex Mass Market Appeal Skin | BZ6JJ-CB6CT-WXJJW-3TT3B-56FZ5 | Jan. 1, 2031 |
Amon Cult Classic Skin | JZ6BJ-SBR5J-WF3BK-BT3BB-TX9HB | Dec. 31, 2030 |
Rafa Savings Savior Skin | TZXT3-XJXCB-CXBJW-BTTJT-9SK6B | Dec. 31, 2030 |
Break Free Cosmetics Pack | JS63J-JSCWJ-CFTBW-3TJ3J-WJS5R | Jan. 1, 2031 |
Golden Key | T9RJB-BFKRR-3RBTW-B33TB-KCZB9 | No expiration |
How to redeem SHiFT codes for your Borderlands 4 account
While SHiFT codes are totally free rewards for you to accumulate, you must make a SHiFT account to input any active codes in-game.
SHiFT is a service that Gearbox integrates into its biggest games, and making an account unlocks forums and exclusive beta participation. It’s also necessary to create an account to turn in any promo codes, which is what most fans care about.
Once your account is created, you can enter your SHiFT codes in two separate places. Within your SHiFT account settings, you can find a Rewards tab with a field to enter any Borderlands promo codes. Once you enter the codes, any unlocked items will be added to your account the next time you open the game.
However, an easier way to input your SHiFT codes is within Borderlands 4 itself. Within the game’s pause menu, you can access a SHiFT. Select the Rewards tab from the resulting menu, input your codes, and the unlocked items will be immediately available on your save.
Where are SHiFT codes normally released?
SHiFT codes are released fairly frequently on Gearbox and Gearbox-affiliated social media channels. For the best chance at catching every new SHiFT code that gets released, you should follow Gearbox on X and on Facebook.
Gearbox CEO Randy Pitchford also releases promos on his X account, so if you’re brave enough to follow him despite his frequent outbursts toward fans you can find SHiFT codes there as well.
What are SHiFT codes?
SHiFT codes are promo codes that Gearbox occasionally releases that reward players with loot and cosmetics in Borderlands games. The main SHiFT code reward is a Golden Key, which opens the Golden Chest in most Borderlands hub areas.
But don’t spend them immediately — it’s worth saving your Golden Keys until you reach the level cap and are playing on the hardest difficulty, as the loot rewards will scale to your character accordingly. This is a great way to begin farming some endgame legendaries quickly and easily.
Technologies
Barack Obama Reveals He Only Plays This One Phone Game
No, it’s not Wordle or Connections, but you’ve almost certainly heard of it.

Many of us rely on our smartphones for entertainment as well as communication, playing New York Times games such as Wordle, Connections and Strands on our phones. (CNET has daily answers for those games, plus Connections: Sports Edition and the Mini Crossword, if you’re ever stumped.) Now, one very famous person recently revealed that he plays only one phone game — and it’s one you’ve likely heard of.
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Former President Barack Obama appeared on the final episode of the podcast WTF with Marc Maronhttps://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/episode-1686-barack-obama/id329875043?i=1000731550704#link={%22linkText%22:%22final episode of the podcast WTF with Marc Maron%22,%22target%22:%22_blank%22,%22href%22:%22https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/episode-1686-barack-obama/id329875043?i=1000731550704%22,%22role%22:%22standard%22,%22absolute%22:%22%22}on Monday. He revealed the only game he plays on his phone is Words With Friends.
Obama says he plays the word game to keep up his friendship with longtime White House photographer Pete Souza.
«I could be in the middle of negotiations on a nuclear treaty, and if that ping goes off, there’s a part of me that’s like, ‘I wonder what [word] he [Pete Souza] played,» Obama said.
Words With Friends is similar to, but not associated with, the world-building game Scrabble. It was released in 2009 and is owned by game company Zynga, and can be played on devices running iOS and Android. Players take turns creating words on a game board using their rack of seven letter tiles, trying to score as high as possible while using special bonus squares to double or triple their points. As of Tuesday, Words With Friends ranked No. 14 on the free Word Games list in the Apple App Store.
Obama did not share whether he or Souza tends to win the majority of the pair’s games.
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