2K-owned mobile studio Cat Daddy Games, which has worked on titles based on the NBA 2K, WWE, and NFL 2K franchises, has seemingly laid off a number of employees.
Multiple developers announced their departures on Linkedin. Live-operations specialist Kayde Ahern, senior producer Bob Givnin, and live ops producer Jeff Kalles all posted about the layoffs and said they were personally impacted by the cuts.
“Well, it finally hit me,” Ahern wrote. “Like many in the industry, I’ve been impacted by layoffs. I’ll forever be grateful to my colleagues at Cat Daddy Games who helped me grow as much as I have over the years and I will miss them dearly, but it looks like it’s time to move on.”
Givnin specifically mentioned that his “role was made redundant” yesterday. Neither Cat Daddy Games nor 2K has commented on the situation at the time of writing.
It appears this isn’t the first round of layoffs at the studio in 2025. Producer Nicki Beaudry said she was laid off back in late May, while 3D animator Peter Hon wrote a similar post in March. Hon specifically mentioned being impacted by “corporate restructuring” at the company.
Back in February, Grand Theft Auto maker Take-Two Interactive, which owns 2K, reported a “solid” financial quarter that saw NBA 2K beat internal expectations. Despite delaying Grand Theft Auto VI into 2026, the company is still projecting about 5 percent growth in revenue and net bookings for the year ahead.
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Last month, the company extended its multiyear partnerships around NBA 2K. NBA 2K25 alone has sold almost 10 millions units worldwide, a 7 percent increase on NBA 2K24 sales during the same timeframe.
Take-Two’s mobile division accounted for more than 50 percent of the company’s total net bookings during the second quarter of the last fiscal year and over 64 percent of recurrent consumer spending—underlining its importance to the company.
Back in November 2024, Take-Two said it was contemplating creating mobile-first experiences for several console and PC titles while pursuing “select mobile M&A opportunities” following its Zynga acquisition in 2022.
Game Developer has reached out to Take-Two for comment on the matter.
On has opened a new footwear production facility in Zurich.
On Wednesday, the Swiss athletic brand’s three co-founders, Caspar Coppetti, David Allemann, and Olivier Bernhard, unveiled the company’s new LightSpray factory.
According to On, the new factory features four robots that can manufacture all the uppers for the brand’s performance running shoes in a fully automated and industrially scalable process in just three minutes.
The company noted that the LightSpray technology uses a robot arm and 1.5 kilometers of filament to produce an ultra-light one-piece upper in a “highly efficient” process that saves both space and time, minimizes waste and produces an upper with 75 percent fewer carbon emissions than On’s other racing shoes.
“We’re incredibly proud to have achieved this milestone in the On and LightSpray story,” Coppetti said in a statement. “It’s innovations like this, developed and perfected by our Zurich-based teams, that have helped us from the very beginning to earn our global success. And LightSpray is the epitome of the kind of product that makes On what it is: innovation made in Switzerland, for the world.”
Inside On’s new LightSpray factory.
Logan Swney
On noted that its new LightSpray technology was developed and brought to product maturity in Zurich over four years by a multi-faceted team of some 20 personnel. This comes as On has been steadily creating jobs at its headquarters in Switzerland since the company was founded 15 years ago. Over 1,100 people are employed in Zurich, more than 300 of them in research and development, where they continue to drive innovation in product and materials development, sports science, and design.
“Swiss innovation doesn’t just happen,” Joël Mesot, president of ETH Zurich, one of the world’s foremost research universities, said in a keynote address during the opening of the new LightSpray facility on Wednesday. “Collaboration, investment in education and research, boldness and openness remain the best guarantors of continued success, even in today’s far-from-certain times.”
Inside On’s new LightSpray factory.
Logan Swney
The opening of the Zurich factory follows last summer’s reveal of the LightSpray technology at the Olympic Games in Paris. Further production facilities are planned worldwide.
To celebrate the opening of the new facility, On is holding a series of open days at its Zurich headquarters. Sports fans, innovation aficionados and further interested parties can visit On’s premises at Förrlibuckstrasse 190 between July 3 and 6 to view the new robots, try out the LightSpray shoes and attend a range of workshops and panel discussions.
Samsung’s upcoming Galaxy Z Fold 7 and Z Flip 7 are shaping up to be the company’s most refined foldables yet. At least, according to the latest rumours that have surfaced ahead of their July launch event.
According to a report from 9to5Google (citing Chinese source Setsuna Digital), the Galaxy Z Fold 7 will measure just 4.2mm when unfolded and 8.9mm when closed.
That’s down from the current Z Fold 6‘s 5.1mm and 12mm measurements, respectively. The Galaxy Z Fold 7 will also apparently shed weight, dropping to 215g from 239g.
Both displays on the Fold 7 will also reportedly be larger, with the external screen expanding to 6.5 inches and the internal folding panel growing to 8 inches, compared to the current 6.3-inch and 7.6-inch panels.
This extra screen real estate may make it even more suitable/comfortable for browsing and watching media on the go, though we’ll have to wait for our hands-on/review to confirm any improvements.
Elsewhere, camera specs point to a redesigned front-facing system with a 10MP sensor featuring a 100-degree field of view. The leak suggests that Samsung is moving away from under-display sensor tech, though it doesn’t specify whether the 10MP specification applies to the internal or external camera.
The Galaxy Z Fold 7 will be a really slim phone when unfolded. https://t.co/j6hqLvC7ZhJune 28, 2025
The Galaxy Z Flip 7, meanwhile has also allegedly been nipped and tucked, measuring 13.7mm when closed and 6.5mm when unfolded, compared to the current Z Flip 6’s 14.9mm closed thickness.
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The clamshell device’s external display expands to 4.1 inches, while the internal screen grows to 6.9 inches from the current 6.7-inch screen. Both displays are expected to achieve peak brightness levels of 2,600 nits.
Battery capacity receives an upgrade in the Z Flip 7 too, increasing from 4,000mAh to 4,300mAh.
Both devices will be properly revealed on 9th July at Samsung’s launch event, so stay tuned.
Pokémon Trading Card Game Pocket is holding an Alcremie drop event from July 1, 2025, at 11:00 p.m. to July 11, 2025, at 10:59 p.m. PDT. This event features solo battles and is an incredible opportunity to pick up some sweet rewards. Fight your way through four tiers of battles, each tougher than the last—along the way you can earn cool items, including an Alcremie promo card featuring exclusive artwork! Here are the five cards you can earn by participating in this event:
You will need event stamina to participate in event battles. Event stamina can be recovered over time and by using event hourglasses. Every time you win an Alcremie drop event solo battle, you’ll use one event stamina. The first time you win one of the battles, you can earn rewards such as pack hourglasses, shinedust, shop tickets, and a pack containing one of the event’s featured promo cards. After that, every time you beat an Alcremie solo battle again, you’ll have a chance to win a promo card pack, shinedust, or a shop ticket. Be sure to take note of each solo battle’s battle tasks, too! You can complete them to earn event hourglasses and wonder hourglasses, even if you don’t win the match.
Whip up a sweet victory, Trainers, and good luck battling!
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A mysterious piece of “under development” code is playing havoc with the Windows Firewall after the latest preview update for Windows 11 24H2.
The problem manifests as an error in the Event Viewer for Windows Firewall With Advanced Security and can occur following the installation of the June 2025 Windows non-security preview update.
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In the latest entry in Windows 11 24H2’s hall of shame – aka Microsoft’s Release Health Dashboard – the company explained: “The event appears as ‘Config Read Failed’ with message ‘More data is available.’
“Although this event is logged in Event Viewer every time the device is restarted, they do not reflect an issue with Windows Firewall, and can be disregarded.”
So, there you go. Something in the update has upset the Windows Firewall, but users should ignore it and continue with their day.
The problem is “related to a feature that is currently under development and not fully implemented,” according to Microsoft. It also stated that the Windows Firewall “is expected to function normally,” which is reassuring, and “there is no impact to Windows processes associated to [sic] this event.”
The Event Log is also used to monitor the health of Windows devices, so spurious errors – even ones that can be ignored – will be a headache.
The Register asked Microsoft for more details about the mystery feature in question, but the company has yet to respond.
Confessing to leaving an in-development feature in production code is not a great look, particularly when it triggers errors in the Event Log. Isn’t that what the Windows Insider program is for?
That said, let the programmer who has never left a bit of work-in-progress code in an app that can, in theory, never be accessed by end users cast the first stone.
We’d like to say that we expect better from Microsoft, but judging by the cavalcade of problems that have cropped up with Windows 11 24H2 since it first seeped under the Redmond build lab’s door, we’re relieved that at least this one doesn’t seem to be crashing anything.
Microsoft did not provide an estimated timeframe for when the issue will be resolved. It said, “We are working on a resolution and will provide an update in an upcoming release.” ®
WhatsApp has released a new beta update for iOS (version 25.19.10.74) through the TestFlight program, revealing ongoing development of a multi-account switching feature. This highly anticipated update will allow users to manage and switch between multiple WhatsApp accounts directly from the app—without needing WhatsApp Business or multiple devices.
The multi-account functionality was first spotted in version 25.9.10.70 and has since been refined. Although it is still under development and not yet accessible to beta testers, the feature is expected in a future update. Once released, users will be able to add a second account from the settings page either by registering a new number or linking an existing account using a QR code.
The multi-account feature is still under development. (Image: WABetaInfo)
Each account will retain separate settings, chat history, and notification preferences, offering clear distinctions between personal and professional use. A new section in the settings will display all registered accounts, including profile pictures and names, allowing users to easily identify and switch between them. Switching accounts will be instantaneous, without requiring logouts or app restarts, and a confirmation banner will briefly appear to confirm the switch.
In addition to streamlined account switching, WhatsApp is also working on a new notification system for multi-account users. When a message arrives on a secondary account, a specially formatted notification will show the sender’s name and the account name, minimizing confusion. Tapping the notification will immediately switch the user to the correct account and open the message thread.
This feature will be particularly useful for users managing multiple phone numbers or using eSIM-capable iPhones, which can store and activate multiple phone lines. It removes the need to juggle multiple devices or rely on the Business version of WhatsApp for multi-account access.
While a release date hasn’t been confirmed, WhatsApp is actively refining this feature to offer a seamless, efficient experience for users with multiple accounts. Updates on its availability will continue to be shared as development progresses.
As a parent, it can be daunting to hand over a smart device to their tween when a myriad of online dangers exist. Pinwheel, a kid-friendly tech company, is introducing a new solution for parents who want to stay connected with their children without giving them a phone.
The Pinwheel Watch is a recently launched smartwatch designed specifically for kids aged 7 to 14, offering a child-safe alternative that prevents access to social media and the internet. It features parental management tools, GPS tracking, a camera, voice-to-text messaging, fun mini-games, and — here’s a surprise — an AI chatbot.
The smartwatch itself features a sleek black design and a screen that is slightly larger than that of an Apple Watch. It’s currently priced at $160, with a $15 monthly subscription. It became available for purchase on Pinwheel.com last week, and we’ve been testing it over the past few days.
In addition to a more standard set of parental controls, the feature some parents might be wary of is the watch’s AI assistant, “PinwheelGPT.”
PinwheelGPT is designed as a safer alternative to typical AI chatbots, enabling kids to ask questions about various topics, including everyday curiosities, social interactions, and homework-related questions, the company claims.
However, parents may already be cautious about AI chatbots, as they can produce misinformation. Parents could also argue that the friendly nature of chatbots can lead to unhealthy patterns, where children rely on these digital companions for interaction instead of engaging in face-to-face interactions with family and friends.
Image Credits:Pinwheel
The company explained to us that safeguards are in place; the AI is trained to recognize topics that may be sensitive or inappropriate for children, opting out of these conversations and encouraging kids to discuss such matters with a trusted adult instead. During our limited testing, we confirmed that PinwheelGPT successfully avoided answering inappropriate or violent questions.
Additionally, parents have full visibility into all interactions with the chatbot, including both current and previously deleted chats, so they can step in if any red flags arise.
“We have not received any pushback from parents because it’s possible, if they are concerned, to remove the PinwheelGPT from the watch or turn it off via your own controls,” said founder Dane Witbeck, who is a father of four. “We do not use any personal data provided by any users, minors, or adults, in training AI models,” he noted.
Witbeck’s company launched its first child-safe phone in 2020 and, four years later, ranked No. 212 on the Inc. 5000 list of the fastest-growing companies in America for 2024.
Entering the smartwatch market seems like a natural progression, allowing the company to better compete in the approximately $100 billion smart wearable market against major brands like Apple and Fitbit. Pinwheel believes it’s strategically positioning itself by focusing specifically on the kids category.
It also differentiates itself from other similar devices, such as Fitbit’s Ace LTE, which focuses more on tracking location and health metrics.
Image Credits:Pinwheel
In addition to the AI feature, kids and tweens can make calls and send texts on the watch by using voice commands or a keyboard. There’s also a camera for video calls and selfies, along with a voice recorder app. Other apps include an alarm, calendar, calculator, and mini-games, such as a Tetris-like game.
The parent monitoring features are available through the “Caregiver” app. This allows parents to create a “Safelist” of contacts that their children are permitted to talk to, as well as reject certain phone numbers from being added to the list.
Additionally, a Schedule tab lets parents set up different modes to ensure that kids stay off their devices during specific times, like when they’re at school or summer camp. For instance, they can choose to limit contacts to only emergency numbers during the day and switch to “All mode” later in the day, allowing their kids to access everything freely.
If desired, parents have the option to monitor text messages, which could be particularly useful for those with younger children. Here, an AI text summary feature offers parents concise overviews of kids’ text message threads.
The Pinwheel Watch is available now in the U.S., Australia, Canada, and the U.K., with plans to expand into additional markets soon. It will be available on Amazon later this summer, though the company has not provided a specific date.
