Technologies

War for Westeros, Coming in 2026, Will Let Fans Make Their Own Game of Thrones Ending

The director of the upcoming strategy game chats about how players can forge a different path from the books and show.

For a moment in time, fantasy fans were split between whether Peter Jackson’s Lord of the Rings movies or HBO’s Game of Thrones prestige TV show was the best adaptation of a classic book series. But the Oliphaunt in the room is that the last seasons of the latter plummeted so far in quality that it soured opinions on the show as a whole, especially with its divisive ending. But an upcoming GoT video game adaptation due out in 2026 will give players a chance to set the record straight and make their own new ending to the saga of noble houses, loyalty, betrayal and dragons.

Game of Thrones: War for Westeros, from Australian developer and publisher PlaySide Studios, is a real-time strategy game for PC in which players take on their faction of choice and veer away from the storyline of the books and TV show. Back in June at Summer Game Fest, I descended the stairs below the media lounge into a dimly lit interview spot (the most fantasy dungeon-adjacent spot at the event) to chat with Ryan McMahon, the game’s director.

McMahon explained PlaySide’s vision for the game alongside his own deep affection for the Song of Ice and Fire books and Game of Thrones TV show. In the latter years of the show, he’d hold watch parties with other PlaySide developers to see the latest episodes the night they aired.

PlaySide’s history of RTS games, like its own property Age of Darkness: Final Stand, and work on Warcraft 3: Reforged and Civilization 7 VR, made the strategy genre seem appropriate for its adaptation of the franchise.

«Game of Thrones really felt like a natural fit for that because it’s a show about mass conquest and fighting for territory and leading these armies, as well as the political layers within it,» McMahon said. «There’s a lot of complexity to it that really can shine in a strategy genre.»

That includes representing the warring factions in Game of Thrones as different forces in War for Westeros, each with their own distinct units and strategies. The game will have four playable factions at launch: House Stark with all its minor houses representing the North of the continent of Westeros; House Lannister representing those in the southern half; House Targaryen with the forces she’s collected in the Free Cities, along with her dragons; and finally the Night King with his army of the dead and White Walkers.

While War for Westeros primarily references the Game of Thrones world built in the TV show, PlaySide used lore from the books to fill in the gaps, including among the minor houses and the forces of the Night King, McMahon explained. PlaySide didn’t consult directly with series creator George R.R. Martin, but the studio has consulted the author’s team through rights holder Warner Bros. during development when exploring new territory, McMahon said, «especially when it comes to the White Walkers.»

And while War for Westeros focuses on strategy gameplay over character building and world lore, there are still nods to the source material.

«We definitely are trying to sprinkle as many little Easter eggs and lore mentions where we can to really bring that flavor,» McMahon said. «If you’re a book reader, there will definitely be stuff for you.»

A clash of player-kings

PlaySide is designing War for Westeros’ four factions to be balanced but distinct. In the game, cavalry, siege engines, giants and dragons are among the units unique to each faction, though McMahon declined to elaborate further about how each force will differ from the other, saying PlaySide would share additional details when it was ready to reveal more gameplay.

But even the reveal trailer unveiled during SGF hints at the mechanics and asymmetric units fielded by each faction. The accompanying developer diary showed prealpha gameplay footage that includes columns of foot soldiers arranged to march into battle — some of which were completely incinerated by a massive dragon belching flames.

Though the armies will each have their different units, mechanics, heroes and play styles, PlaySide is striving to keep them balanced against each other — and most importantly, make each side interesting to play.

«We want to make dragons feel powerful, but we want to make sure that the Lannisters, the Starks and the White Walkers all have something that feels like a powerful equivalent that can potentially contest the dragons in some way,» McMahon said.

The developer diary also touches on the political aspect of War for Westeros, though this is less like the systems-heavy diplomacy of strategy games like Civilization 7 and more like the jockeying that happens whenever multiple players are gunning for the win in a tabletop game like Risk or Settlers of Catan. Each playthrough of War for Westeros only ends when one player sits the Iron Throne, so McMahon expects them to naturally form and break alliances at strategic moments — just like in Game of Thrones.

«If I know this person over here [controlling] House Stark is pushing in on the Lannisters, and I’m playing as the Targaryens, that could be my opportunity to push in if they’re ahead,» McMahon said.

Single-player mode will have its own specific layers of political interaction, he added, but the game design’s focus is on how players pit themselves against each other. There will be a game mode where players can set custom modifiers to vary their playthrough and set their own rules. The geography has its own conditions: In the developer diary, there’s footage of an overworld map of Westeros featuring famous locations like Winterfell and King’s Landing. Players won’t be fighting within the iconic castles of the show, but they will clash against enemy armies in handcrafted maps tailored to the various biomes of the continent.

A storm of strategy swords

PlaySide has leaned on its previous strategy experience, making its own RTS, Age of Darkness, and strategy games from other IPs to ensure War for Westeros has a satisfying core gameplay loop. With all that experience, the studio can incorporate layers of complexity while also making it approachable, McMahon said. Given Game of Thrones’ popularity, the game is probably going to be a lot of players’ first RTS (or first in a very long time).

As a game in development, things can always change before War for Westeros comes out in 2026, and McMahon couldn’t say a lot about the game. But I had to ask: What’s the faction McMahon himself likes playing most right now? While his favorite character from the books is Tyrion Lannister, and he really enjoys how the Targaryen hero Daenerys functions, and the faction’s dragons, his sympathies lie with the undead Night King and his White Walkers.

«I’m naturally a very aggressive player in video games, wanting to push forward, take territory, put a lot of pressure on my opponent,» McMahon said. «The White Walkers, as they stand right now, lean heavily into that type of play.»

Much of our conversation centered around the state of the game at launch, with the implication that more could be coming later, though that all depends on how the game is received. Still, McMahon emphasized that the team has a lot of ideas.

«Actually, there’s so much you can do with the world of the Song of Ice and Fire — outside of Westeros, within Westeros — that we can tap into,» McMahon said. «But right now, our focus is on the launch itself. And then, [if] things go well there, there’s a lot we’d love to do.»

Technologies

Google Gives Chrome an AI Side Panel and Lets Gemini Browse for You

The update also includes Nano Banana image tools and deeper integrations with Google apps like Gmail, Calendar, Maps and Flights.

Google is turning Chrome into something closer to a digital copilot.

In the next wave of Gemini updates rolling out, Google on Wednesday revealed a set of new AI-powered features coming directly to its browser, aimed at reducing the frustrations of exploring the internet each day. Built on Gemini 3, the updates introduce an always-available side panel, deeper app integrations, creative image tools and a new browser agent called auto browse that can complete multistep tasks on your behalf.

Essentially, Google wants Chrome to be like an AI wingman that browses, compares and multitasks for you.

Now you can automate browsing

To me, the standout new addition is auto browse, a browser agent designed to handle tedious and time-consuming chores. Instead of hopping between tabs, filling out forms or manually comparing prices of things like products or flights, you can ask Chrome to do the legwork.

Auto browse can research flights and hotels across different dates, collect documents, schedule appointments, manage subscriptions and help with tasks like renewing a driver’s license or filing expense reports.

In a live demo I saw, Product Lead Charmaine D’Silva used the new tools to plan a family vacation. Gemini compared destinations and prices across multiple travel sites, checked school calendars to see when her kids were off and lined up schedules to find workable travel windows. When it came time to book, though, D’Silva emphasized that the final decision and purchase were still hers, underscoring Google’s plan to keep humans in control for key tasks like booking and purchases.

The feature is rolling out to AI Pro and Ultra subscribers in the US now, signaling Google’s broader push toward more agentic AI experiences.

Don’t miss any of our unbiased tech content and lab-based reviews. Add CNET as a preferred Google source.

A new side panel experience

Another update rolling out now is a redesigned Gemini side panel in Chrome, available across MacOS, Windows and Chromebook Plus. Instead of opening a separate tab, Gemini now lives alongside whatever you’re working on, making it easier to multitask without breaking your flow. Testers have used it to summarize reviews across sites, compare shopping options and juggle packed calendars while keeping their main task front and center.

AI image editing with Nano Banana

Chrome is also trying to become more creative. Google is bringing Nano Banana, its AI image editing and generation tool, directly into the browser. You can now edit and reimagine images you find on the web without downloading files or switching apps — whether that’s mocking up a living room redesign or turning raw data into an infographic at work.

Chrome connects with other Google apps

Under the hood, Gemini in Chrome is becoming more connected to the rest of Google’s ecosystem. Integrations with Gmail, Calendar, Maps, YouTube, Google Flights and Shopping will allow the assistant to pull in relevant context and take action across apps. Planning a trip, for example, could involve referencing an old email, checking flight options and drafting a follow-up email to your travel companions. Now all in one place.

More to come

Looking ahead, Google says personal intelligence is coming to Chrome in the coming months. With user opt-in, Gemini will remember context from past interactions to deliver more tailored, proactive help across the web, while giving you control over what data is connected and when.

Technologies

If You Drink Decaf, Read This: More Than 80,000 Keurig Pods Recalled

Here’s how to get a full refund if you bought these coffee pods.

If you’re a decaf K-Cup drinker, this message is for you. Keurig has recalled the McCafe Premium Roast Decaf Coffee K-Cup Pods because they may contain caffeine.

Here’s everything to know.

Don’t miss any of our unbiased tech content and lab-based reviews. Add CNET as a preferred Google source.

What was recalled?

Keurig Dr Pepper voluntarily recalled 960 cartons of McCafe Premium Roast Decaf Coffee K-Cup Pods, according to a US Food and Drug Administration memo. The reason listed for the recall reads: «Product is labeled as decaf, but might contain caffeine.»

CNET chose McCafé Premium Roast as the best K-Cup, although the decaffeinated version was not included. It is unclear at this time how many states sold the cartons.

A representative for Keurig Dr Pepper did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

How to know if you have a recalled product

The recalled items will have the following information:

Best by date: 17 NOV 2026
Batch number: 5101564894
Material number: 5000358463
ASIN: B07GCNDL91
UPC: 043000073438

The recall is ongoing. If you have a recalled product, you can return it to your place of purchase for a full refund.

Technologies

The Samsung Galaxy Z TriFold’s Nearly $3,000 Price Might Unfold Your Whole Wallet

This double-folding phone will be the most expensive mainstream handset released in the US.

Samsung’s twin-hinged Galaxy Z TriFold is nearly on sale, coming before the Galaxy S26 launch next month. Starting Jan. 30, foldable phone fans who want the most advanced device in the US can pick one up, but they’ll have to pay a hefty price: The device starts at a jaw-dropping $2,900.

Yes, for over three times the price of a Galaxy S25, you can pick up the most advanced smartphone — and certainly the most expensive — Samsung has ever rolled out. Even the Galaxy Z Fold 7, which starts at $2,000 with 256GB of storage, only reaches $2,420 at the highest 1TB storage configuration.

As products across all industries get costlier, phone-makers have priced foldables in an even more premium tier than the most innovative flat smartphones (like the iPhone 17 Pro Max and Galaxy S25 Ultra). It seems Samsung will use the twin-hinged Galaxy Z TriFold to set an even higher price ceiling for smartphones.

Don’t miss any of our unbiased tech content and lab-based reviews. Add CNET as a preferred Google source.

Anyone who buys the Galaxy Z TriFold will get one of the most technically impressive handsets released in the US. But is the technology worth the cost?

The Galaxy Z TriFold unfolds into a 10-inch inner display that rivals the screens of full-size tablets. It’s noticeably larger than the 8-inch inner screen on the single-hinged Galaxy Z Fold 7 foldable. Its two hinges, built of titanium, are tested to endure 200,000 folds, according to Samsung.

When unfolded, the Z TriFold is 3.9mm at its thinnest point. That’s slightly outdone by the slimmer Huawei Mate XT’s 3.6mm, which beat Samsung to market by an entire year with a trifold that’s not available in the US. That might be nearing the limit for phone thinness, as it’s barely enough to accommodate the USB-C port at the bottom of either device.

The Galaxy Z TriFold and Huawei Mate XT are roughly comparable in size and specs, though the Huawei phone’s EMUI operating system and the lack of familiar Google apps (due to the ban on US companies working with the Chinese phone-maker) mean Android fans may prefer Samsung’s. The Huawei foldable is also more expensive, starting at 3,499 euros (about $4,150 today), and may not be compatible with US carriers out of the box.

Read more: Galaxy Z TriFold vs. Huawei Mate XT: One Is the Most Versatile Phone I’ve Ever Used

The Galaxy Z TriFold has a customized Snapdragon 8 Elite chip, the same one that powers last year’s Galaxy S25 series. It won’t feature the latest Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 silicon, which is likely to power this year’s most advanced Android handsets (potentially including the upcoming, but not yet announced, Samsung Galaxy S26 series).

The Galaxy Z TriFold will start at 512GB of storage and packs a 5,600-mAh battery, larger than the Z Fold 7’s 4,400-mAh capacity unit. It recharges at 45 watts, which is typical for Samsung phones, though other premium Android handsets have long ago surpassed that rate, like the OnePlus 15 with 80-watt charging. It has three rear cameras (a 200-megapixel main, a 12-megapixel ultrawide and a 10-megapixel telephoto) and comes in a single color, crafted black.

All told, the Galaxy Z Trifold offers only marginal upgrades over the Galaxy Z Fold 7, and its hardware will likely be surpassed soon when the Galaxy S26 series launches with newer chips.

At $1,000 to $2,000 above other Android phones and foldables, the Z TriFold seems to offer only a single advantage: its massive inner display. While undeniably a technical marvel, that’s not nearly enough added value for most people to justify the steep upsell on your standard smartphone, or even another book-style foldable. For folks who «crave» the most advanced phone on the market, though, maybe it’s worth the expense.