Technologies

Which Death Stranding 2 Edition Should You Buy?

The next installment of Hideo Kojima’s game for the PlayStation 5 is almost here, and you can get your hands on it before it’s released.

Death Stranding 2: On the Beach will launch on June 26 exclusively for the PlayStation 5, but those who buy a special edition of the game will be able to access it early. The question is, with three special editions available, which version should you get?

Death Stranding 2 is the sequel to legendary developer Hideo Kojima’s 2019 game, and it improves on every aspect of the original, making it a game that anyone who is remotely interested in it should play. The edition you should purchase will depend on how big of a fan you are of the series.

What do the Death Stranding 2 pre-order bonuses and early unlocks actually do?

The digital content that comes with the Death Stranding 2 editions is primarily for cosmetic purposes. It lets players add a little customization to their equipment. The one early unlock that does give players an advantage is the Machine Gun, since it’s a powerful weapon that players wouldn’t usually get until around the mid-point of the game.

What’s in the different Death Stranding 2 editions?

To start, there is the Standard Edition, which retails for $70.

Ordering the Standard Edition of Death Stranding 2 from Sony comes with the same 48-hour early access that all special editions have, which will begin at 12 a.m. ET on June 24 (9 p.m. PT on June 23).

This edition does include some additional digital content:

Quokka Hologram
Battle Skeleton: Silver (LV1, LV2, LV3)
Boost Skeleton: Silver (LV1, LV2, LV3)
Bokka Skeleton: Silver (LV1, LV2, LV3)

Holograms get unlocked the more you play through the game. These holograms can be placed at structures that the main character, Sam, builds and act as a little sign that you were there.

Skeletons are an equippable item, and help Sam physically while allowing him to carry more items. The Battle Skeleton lets Sam do more damage with physical attacks, the Boost Skeleton helps Sam run faster while carrying a lot of items and the Bokka Skeleton helps Sam climb up certain terrains while being more balanced, so he won’t tip over. This content, however, is just a cosmetic color for the Skeleton. It will not unlock the item, since that has to be done by completing missions in the game.

Next, there’s the Digital Deluxe Edition for $80.

The Digital Deluxe Edition includes the 48-hour early access and the Skeleton cosmetics, although in this edition, the cosmetics are gold and not silver. This edition also comes with:

Machine Gun (MP Bullets) LV1 early unlock
Quokka Patch
Chiral Feline Patch
Why Me? Patch

The Machine Gun is a weapon you get later in the game, and it’s a powerful addition thanks to its large magazine filled with bullets. It can also shoot for longer than the Assault Rifle found early in the game. MP Bullets are the standard type of bullets found in the game that can damage humans, BTs and robots.

The patches are for Sam’s backpack. They are strictly cosmetic and offer no in-game advantage.

Then, for the big fans of Death Stranding, there’s the Collector’s Edition that costs $230.

The Collector’s Edition comes with all the digital content from the Deluxe Edition as well as some real-life collectibles in a collector’s box. It includes:

15-inch Magellan Man Statue
3-inch Dollman figurine
Art cards
Letter from Hideo Kojima

All of the specical editions are available to order now.

Should I pre-order Death Stranding 2 for the bonus DLC?

The big reason to pre-order Death Stranding 2 is early access so you can play the game early. The other bonus DLC is nice to have, but not really needed in the game.

Is the Death Stranding 2 Digital Deluxe Edition bonus content worth it?

If you’re looking to get a leg up on the game, being able to unlock the Machine Gun early can be worth the price of the Digital Deluxe Edition.

Technologies

Today’s NYT Mini Crossword Answers for Tuesday, June 24

Here are the answers for The New York Times Mini Crossword for June 24.

Looking for the most recent Mini Crossword answer? Click here for today’s Mini Crossword hints, as well as our daily answers and hints for The New York Times Wordle, Strands, Connections and Connections: Sports Edition puzzles.

Need some help with today’s Mini Crossword? Some of the clues are tricky today — 8-Across stumped me until I filled in more letters from the Down clues. Read on. And if you could use some hints and guidance for daily solving, check out our Mini Crossword tips.

The Mini Crossword is just one of many games in the Times’ games collection. If you’re looking for today’s Wordle, Connections, Connections: Sports Edition and Strands answers, you can visit CNET’s NYT puzzle hints page.

Read more: Tips and Tricks for Solving The New York Times Mini Crossword

Let’s get to those Mini Crossword clues and answers.

Mini across clues and answers

1A clue: Traditional meat for shawarma
Answer: LAMB

5A clue: Brainstorm outputs
Answer: IDEAS

7A clue: Cunningly sidestep, as a difficult question
Answer: DODGE

8A clue: Marketing pitch
Answer: SPIEL

9A clue: 12-ounce size at Starbucks
Answer: TALL

Mini down clues and answers

1D clue: Pot heads?
Answer: LIDS

2D clue: Bring home from a shelter, maybe
Answer: ADOPT

3D clue: ___ darling (one getting favorable news coverage)
Answer: MEDIA

4D clue: Breakfast item with cream cheese
Answer: BAGEL

6D clue: What bears do in a bear market
Answer: SELL

Technologies

Samsung’s Cheaper Galaxy Flip 7 FE Foldable Phone Shows Up in New Leak

Foldable phones are typically expensive. If this rumor is true, let’s see if the Z Flip 6 FE ends up being cheaper than the Motorola Razr 2025.

New renders of the rumored Galaxy Z Flip7 FE phone, a cheaper alternative to last year’s Z Flip 6, have hit the internet via notable leaker Evan Blass. The images were shared Monday on smartphone news site Phone Arena.

The FE stands for Founders Edition and is Samsung’s way of offering comparable devices with slightly weakened specs for more affordable prices. Past FE phones include the Samsung Galaxy S24 FE and the Galaxy Tab S10 FE and FE Plus.

The renders show off a device that looks very similar to the Galaxy Z Flip 6, appearing in white and black colorways. Phone Arena reports that the Flip 6 FE will have similar hardware as last year’s Flip 6 but may swap out the Snapdragon chip for a Samsung-made Exynos processor.

The Galaxy Z Flip7 FE will be available in black and white, and possibly more colors.
Credit to @evleaks pic.twitter.com/fKJc8mEiEX

— 卂乇 (@imAlter_Ego) June 23, 2025

Blass also shared renders of the flagship Galaxy Z Flip 7 which, if accurate, will drop the camera cutaway and feature the screen running edge-to-edge, with cutouts for the cameras, much like the Motorola Razr Ultra 2025.

Here is Galaxy Z Flip7, and Galaxy Z Flip7 FE in full!
Thoughts?
Via @evleaks pic.twitter.com/NNMyMgi4rB

— Amir (@WorkaholicDavid) June 23, 2025

Foldable phones, once $2,000 devices, have slowly started creeping downwards in price as designs have improved and more players have entered the space. Despite more foldable phones entering the market, it’s still a smaller piece of the overall larger smartphone pie.

Trendforce predicted last year that 17.8 million foldables would ship in 2024, making up only 1.5% of overall smartphone shipments. Foldable phone shipments actually decreased by 1%, making it the segment’s first-ever Q3 decline, according to Counterpoint Research. That decline was attributed to weak performance from the Samsung’s Z Flip 6, which was a mild improvement over 2023’s model.

While Samsung is the foldable market global leader at 56% share, the Z Flip and Fold 6 saw shipments fall 21%. With more exciting handsets coming out of China, where Samsung has a smaller presence, consumers might be holding out for either cheaper prices or more exciting designs. Already, rumors claim that Apple might be readying its own foldable device, which may expand the market as well as pull share from Samsung.

There are other concerns with foldables, apart from the higher price. According to a 2023 Kantar report, 55% of early foldable buyers later switched back to a regular slab phone. Lower battery life and software uncertainty is what drove people away, according to the report. A 2024 YouGov report said 56% of young adults said durability was a major concern when considering a foldable.

Some foldable phones are seeing more affordable prices, notably, the new Motorola Razr 2025, which has a starting price of $700. If the rumored Z Flip 7 FE can match or undercut Motorola, that could entice some consumers.

Technologies

Samsung’s New Galaxy Foldables Will Be Announced at July 9 Unpacked Event

Samsung’s been teasing Ultra-grade and slim foldable phones for the upcoming Galaxy Z series. The company may also unveil its next smartwatch.

Samsung is gearing up to debut its next slate of foldable Galaxy Z phones, which likely includes follow-ups to last year’s Galaxy Z Fold 6 and Galaxy Z Flip 6. The company will host an Unpacked event in July, where it’ll show off its latest devices and Galaxy AI updates.

The event will take place in Brooklyn, New York, and will be live streamed on the Samsung Newsroom, at Samsung.com and on Samsung’s YouTube channel. Unpacked kicks off on Wednesday, July 9, at 7 a.m. PT/10 a.m. ET.

Samsung has been teasing its upcoming foldables for the last several weeks. In early June, a Samsung Newsroom post pointed to the company bringing «an Ultra-experience» to «a smaller and more portable form factor.» That apparently includes a «powerful camera» and «AI-powered tools.»

The following week, the company said in another blog post that its «newest Galaxy Z series is the thinnest, lightest and most advanced foldable yet.» It appears to be following in the footsteps of the slim and lightweight Galaxy S25 Edge, which was released in May.

Samsung seems to be especially focused on scaling the capabilities of its foldables’ cameras with the help of AI. It noted in a subsequent blog post, «The camera will only get smarter — helping users capture life’s moments more vividly and make everyday experiences more seamless, personal and impactful.»

An animated invite for July’s Unpacked event begins by showing the slim side profile of a device that then splits into two phones. One of these phones folds like a book, and on-screen text at the end reads «Ultra Unfolds.»

It’s possible Samsung could unveil the Galaxy Z Flip 7, Z Fold 7 and then the Z Fold Ultra. There are also murmurs of a more affordable Galaxy Z Flip 7 FE phone. Leaker Evan Blass shared renders of the rumored device, which appears similar to the Galaxy Z Flip 6, but the phone could swap out the Snapdragon chip for an Exynos processor. Meanwhile, renders of the flagship foldable Galaxy Z Flip 7 suggest Samsung could nix the physical camera notch and opt for an edge-to-edge cover display. But we’ll have to wait and see what the company has in store.

There have also been rumors about the Galaxy Watch 8 making its debut at Unpacked, though Samsung hasn’t yet been teasing its wearables like it has its foldable phones.

If you’re eager to get the upcoming Galaxy device, you can reserve it now and earn a $50 Samsung Credit at Samsung.com.