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It turns out that region-locking your games makes it harder to sell more copies. First discovered by Wario64, Sony has lifted regional restrictions for several of its titles that are available to play on PC through Steam. Sony hasn't officially announced the removal of these region locks, nor the reason why, but God of War Ragnarok, The Last of Us Part II Remastered, Spider-Man 2, and the hit co-op shooter Helldivers 2 can be purchased once again in 177 countries that were previously prohibited, as seen in database changelogs.

To understand why Sony decided to limit sales of its games in certain countries, we have to revisit when the video game publisher announced it would require Helldivers 2 PC players to link their Steam accounts to the PlayStation Network. This controversial decision prohibited players in countries that didn't have access to the PSN, so Sony also removed Helldivers 2 from being on sale in those locations. The publisher quickly backtracked on that move, even later removing the PSN requirements for other titles like Spider-Man 2.

More recently, the PC release of Stellar Blade on June 11 resurfaced Sony's PSN login requirement debacle. The game's developer, Shift Up, was able to work with Sony to loosen restrictions and make a PSN login optional, allowing for an explosive launch where the game saw a peak of nearly 200,000 players in its opening week. Now, PC gamers across the world can play Stellar Blade and Helldivers 2 without needing a PSN account. However, there are still some Sony titles on Steam that are heavily restricted, like Ghost of Tsushima and Until Dawn.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/playstation/sony-unlocks-regional-restrictions-for-some-pc-games-in-more-than-100-countries-162228948.html?src=rss

Android 16 is causing problems for some Pixel devicesNavigation buttons and gestures are freezingAs yet Google hasn't said anything officially about the bugsAndroid 16 was officially pushed out to Pixel owners last week, but reports are coming in of the software update causing some pretty major bugs on certain handsets, related to gestures and interface and navigation.As noted by Android Headlines, the reports say certain navigation buttons and gestures don't respond as they should – meaning certain operations (like going back to the previous screen) take seconds to complete, or don't happen at all.It's not difficult to find users having problems: on Reddit, we've got posts about unresponsive buttons on a Google Pixel 8, swiping up not doing anything on a Pixel 9 Pro XL, and multiple gestures not functioning on a Pixel 6.Over on X (formerly Twitter), Artem Russakovskii from Android Police says the back gesture only works intermittently since updating to Android 16 – and there's a screen recording included so you can see what happens (or rather, doesn't happen).Problems for someHere's a demo of the back button randomly not working on Android 16.I grabbed a bug report and submitted it to Google engineering along with this reproduction screencast. Hopefully, they'll figure it out. pic.twitter.com/nEmifqQRvbJune 14, 2025While there are numerous reports of issues online, these problems clearly aren't affecting everyone: since upgrading to Android 16 on my Google Pixel 9 phone, I haven't noticed any problems using the navigation gestures.As yet, Google hasn't yet said anything officially about these problems. If you are affected, you can report the bug to Google. With so many users now complaining, no doubt this is going to get addressed sooner rather than later.What makes these bugs particularly annoying is that they relate to a fundamental part of the user experience, and affect multiple apps and screens. Being able to get around your phone is a pretty fundamental part of using it.Android 16 brings with it a number of useful upgrades, including a new Pixel VIPs feature for your favorite contacts, but we're still waiting for the big Material 3 Expressive revamp to arrive – which should be along later this year.You might also likeAndroid 16's new battery health tools will skip older Pixel phonesThese are the best Pixel phones you can buyHere's how Android 16 is going to be able to install your apps faster

SoftBank and Intel plan low-power memory to rival South Korean HBMSaimemory aims for 2030 launch but faces major market delays Intel and SoftBank are already stretched across AI chips and tech investmentsSoftBank and Intel are reportedly teaming up to develop a new type of AI-focused high-bandwidth memory that they hope will rival HBM products produced by South Korean tech giants Samsung and SK Hynix.A report from Nikkei Asia, claims the pair are aiming to create stacked DRAM chips with a new wiring structure that cuts power consumption by half, compared to current HBM chips.The initiative will be led by a new company called Saimemory, with a prototype expected within two years, and commercialization targeted before 2030.Too little too late?Despite the technical ambition, the timeline poses a serious challenge. Samsung and SK Hynix are already several product generations ahead and comfortably dominate the global HBM market. By the time Saimemory brings its alternative to market, the existing players are likely to have extended their lead further.A SoftBank executive told Nikkei Asia that if the project is successful, “we want priority for the supply,” reflecting just how early-stage the effort remains.The memory is intended for use in AI data centers, where energy consumption and high throughput are growing concerns. SoftBank hopes the new chips will support large-scale AI training more efficiently and at lower cost.Stronger domestic supply chains could also reduce Japan’s reliance on Korean suppliers.Nikkei Asia notes Japan once held over 70% of the global DRAM market but exited as South Korean and Taiwanese players rose. Elpida, Japan’s last DRAM manufacturer, went bankrupt in 2012 and was acquired by Micron, which itself is currently seeking a bigger slice of the $100 billion HBM pie.SoftBank is the largest investor in Saimemory, with a 3 billion yen stake in the 10 billion yen project. Intel is contributing technology, while the University of Tokyo and other Japanese academic institutions are providing patents. Government support is also being considered.Although this is a promising endeavor, both SoftBank and Intel have a lot on their plates right now. Intel is managing its foundry expansion, pushing AI chips, and trying to reclaim CPU market share. SoftBank is focused on growing Arm and expanding its AI investment portfolio.You might also likeSoftbank bought Ampere Computing for $6.5 billion to help OpenAI's chip ambitionsIntel is bringing AI advantage and unrivaled security to every industry and ecosystemMicron wants a bigger slice of the $100 billion HBM market

Hosted by Jane Pauley. In our cover story, David Pogue looks at the legacy of singer-songwriter, activist and father Harry Chapin. Plus: David Martin examines the origins of the U.S. Army as it marks 250 years; Tracy Smith explores the allure of auto racing with Indy Car team co-owner David Letterman; Mo Rocca discusses a biography of entertainer Desi Arnaz, who co-starred with wife Lucille Ball in the classic sitcom “I Love Lucy”; Patrick Gaffigan offers his thoughts on his dad, comedian Jim Gaffigan; and Conor Knighton learns the magic behind “worm grunting.”