News

If it feels like you spend a lot more time watching ads in Prime Video than you used to, that may not be a mistake. Amazon has increased the number of ads or "ad load" in Prime Video to four-to-six minutes of ads per hour, Adweek reports. Amazon's plan to increase the amount of advertising in its streaming service was previously reported in October 2024.

Shifting to a max of six minutes of ads per hour is nearly double the up to three-and-a-half minutes of ads that could play when Amazon first converted its basic Prime Video subscription to an ad-supported tier. The company used to offer all of Prime Video's features and an ad-free experience for the cost of Amazon Prime ($159 per year / $15 per month) or $9 per month, but announced at the end of 2023 that avoiding ads would cost an extra $3 every month. Besides inserting ads, Amazon's basic plan also doesn't support for features like Dolby Atmos and Dolby Vision.

Engadget has reached out to Amazon to confirm the ad load changes and will update this article if we hear back.

Regardless of your tolerance for ads, cheaper ad-supported subscriptions have quickly become expected from most streaming services. Netflix, Max, Peacock and Paramount+ all offer subscriptions with ads. Even Apple, who could theoretically afford to lose money on subscriptions, reportedly started building a team to sell ads for a possible ad-supported tier of Apple TV+ in 2023.

While adding more interruptions to the Prime Video experience isn't what anyone wants, Adweek does note that streaming services still insert far fewer ad breaks than broadcast TV. The ad load on traditional television "typically ranges from 13 to 16 minutes per hour."This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/streaming/prime-video-reportedly-shows-almost-twice-as-many-ads-as-it-used-to-210650918.html?src=rss

In an effort to help break down stigmas surrounding mental health, "CBS This Morning" broadcast a special live audience event, "Stop the Stigma: A Conversation About Mental Health." Guests include "Queer Eye" star Karamo, a former social worker, mental health advocate and relationship expert who will discuss his experience with depression, and Cynthia Germanotta, who founded Born This Way Foundation with daughter Lady Gaga, about how mental illnesses affect a family.

Remedy's multiplayer spin on Control is coming to the PlayStation Game Catalog. Sony's June PS Plus additions start with the day-one arrival of FBC: Firebreak. Other entries this month include the latest Battlefield entry and sticky-ball Katamari fun.

FBC: Firebreak lets you and up to two others team up to kick some Hiss ass. Play as a government employee who volunteered to take out extra-dimensional monsters. But the wicked delights really kick in when you enhance your plain ol' guns with supernatural gear.

In our preview, Engadget's Jessica Conditt saw a promising and "incredibly fun" shooter that only needed a bit of fine-tuning before launch. "Firebreak is poised to be a thoughtful and focused entry in the co-op shooter genre, and it's already an inviting extension of Remedy's darkest and silliest sensibilities," she wrote.

FBC: Firebreak will be available in the Game Catalog on its launch day, June 17. You'll need a PS Plus Extra or Premium membership to claim it.

EA

Also coming on that date is Battlefield 2042. This could be a good time to catch up on the franchise before its next installment. (It's expected by April 2026.) Also arriving this month is We Love Katamari Reroll + Royal Reverie. Who doesn't love rolling a satisfyingly growing blob of random shit?

Both of those titles require a PS Plus Extra or Premium membership. Ditto for other June entries like Five Nights at Freddy's: Help Wanted 2 and theHunter: Call of the Wild. Meanwhile, the 2000 classic Deus Ex: The Conspiracy will only be available for Premium subscribers. You can check out the PlayStation blog for the complete list.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/fbc-firebreak-headlines-junes-ps-plus-additions-211440207.html?src=rss

In our series, Issues that Matter, we are focusing on the opioid crisis. According to the CDC, almost 400,000 Americans died from prescription and illicit opioid overdoses between 1999 and 2017. In 2017, more than 2.1 million Americans were addicted to opioids. This Saturday, the Drug Enforcement Administration is hosting National Prescription Drug Take Back Day, where you can turn in your unused and unwanted medications, no questions asked. Acting DEA Administrator Uttam Dhillon joins "CBS This Morning" to discuss the initiative.

As we get ready for Wednesday's special live audience show, “Stop the Stigma: A Conversation About Mental Health,” we are focusing on the mental health of mothers. Grammy Award-winning singer Alanis Morissette is sharing her nearly decade-long experience with postpartum depression. In an essay on her website, the 45-year-old revealed she's dealing with the condition for a third time. Up to one in seven women experience postpartum depression which can appear days or even months after delivering a baby. Mireya Villarreal reports.

America's role in the world faces new scrutiny after President Trump's decision to remove U.S. troops from northern Syria. Fox News channel's chief political anchor Bret Baier joins “CBS This Morning” to discuss where America stands on the world stage today, and his new book, “Three Days at the Brink: FDR's Daring Gamble to Win World War II.” Baier also talks about Shepard Smith's recent departure from Fox News and what he thinks about President Trump's criticism of journalists.