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VTubers are coming to America, and as they do, they are rewriting some trends that underscore their initial rise in East Asia. That’s one of the key takeaways from a new report published by Big Games Machine, which surveyed the gaming-related habits of U.S.-based YouTube viewers.

According to the preamble of the report, Big Games Machine conducted its survey to suss out “the key content types gamers watch the most, which gamer demographics watch what, and what makes gamers choose one content creator over another.” The firm gathered opinions from 1,050 U.S.-based gamers who spend at least 30 minutes per week watching YouTube. The sample had an even split of men and women.

Many of the findings back up long-held beliefs about YouTube consumption. Guides and tutorials are the most commonly viewed gaming videos among the survey respondents, with 47% of them watching that genre. Reviews (40%) and funny compilations (40%) are other popular categories.

18% of the respondents watch VTubers on YouTube, but drilling into that percentage reveals a significant gender disparity. 23% of women said that they watch VTubers, compared to 14% of men. For esports content, the trend flipped the other way, with 14% of men watching compared to 6% of women.

The VTuber data is particularly interesting, as it is a notable departure from viewership trends in East Asia. In Japan, the home of major VTuber agencies like hololive and Nijisanji, the genre is most popular among men. According to data from hololive, 89% of the agency’s Japanese audience is male.

According to Streams Charts, about 70% of active virtual creators are female, but the popularity of VTubers among U.S. women is not just about gender solidarity. Big Games Machine found that women are more likely than men to seek out gaming-driven content on TikTok, whereas men are more likely to frequent Kick.

Does the preference for a social video platform draw women to the big personalities in the VTuber world? In Japan, factors like kawaii culture influence VTuber consumption, but those forces are less pronounced in the West. 45% of Big Games Machine respondents cited personality as a factor that draws them toward certain gaming creators — and that’s good news for VTubers.

At the end of the day, the preferences of gaming content viewers are all over the map, which means that smaller creators in specific niches can stick out beyond their subscriber counts. The Big Games Machine report found that medium-sized channels with fewer than one million subscribers are most popular among gamers. If you want to draw further insights from the data, you can snag a copy of the report here.

Apple’s UAE YouTube channel posted an iPhone 16 Pro ad today, promoting the Camera Control button as a great way to snap quick shots. Watch the video below, and answer our poll: Do you use the Camera Control button on your iPhone?

‘Never miss a shot with Camera Control’

The new ad is aptly titled Snap-a-Mole, and it follows a photographer trying to capture a group of quick-moving moles popping in and out of holes in the desert.

Throughout the spot, Apple highlights the Camera Control button’s multiple features, as the photographer presses and swipes away on it to open the Camera app, snap photos, adjust the zoom, and navigate to Photographic Styles.

As it usually does on its UAE YouTube channel, Apple posted two versions of the video: one in English and another in Arabic. Both feature the song “El Sonidito,” by Hechizeros Band.

Interestingly, although the Camera Control button is present on every iPhone 16 model variant, Apple decided to name the video “iPhone 16 Pro | Camera Control | Apple”, although in the actual video it says “Camera Control on iPhone 16”

Here’s Apple’s description of the video:

“Never miss a shot with Camera Control. An easier way to access your camera, adjust functions like zoom, exposure, or depth of field, and toggle between Photographic Styles.”

Accessory deals on Amazon

• Anker 25,000mAh power bank, 100W, USB-C: 19% off, at $109.98
• Anker Foldable 3-in-1 wireless charger, 15W, Qi2: 20% off, at $71.99
• AirPods Pro 2: 20% off, at $199.00
• AirTag, 4 Pack: 24% off, at $74.99
• HomeKit Smart Plug, 15A, 4 Pack: 20% off, at $34.99

In a futuristic world where Japanese office workers are forced to toil for 24 hours a day, who will mete out justice to the evil corporation that employs/enslaves them? A “fully armed cyborg heroine” who will shoot and slash those cybernetic employees and the entire evil org chart, in Full Metal Schoolgirl.

Full Metal Schoolgirl is the next game from Yuke’s, famed developer of pro wrestling games and Earth Defense Force spinoffs, and D3Publisher, known for its delightfully tacky The OneChanbara series (and EDF, of course). As revealed in the game’s debut trailer, Full Metal Schoolgirl will give action game buffs the mass slaughter they crave, all dressed up in Japanese schoolgirl outfits.

As one of two fully mechanized schoolgirls, you’ll climb the massive, 100-story office building of the world’s largest corporation, Meternal Jobz, where the firm’s corporate slaves (the “Working Dead”) stand between you and its evil CEO. As you climb the ever-changing building, fighting further and further, you’ll face office drones of all types and a relentless security system, upgrading your cyber-schoolgirl with upgrades as you go.

Full Metal Schoolgirl is pretty cheeky, based on its debut trailer, and developer Yuke’s appears to be having a great deal of fun with the premise. While the game’s English-language trailer is pretty amusing, the Japanese-language version, with its own peppy theme song, might be even better.

Oh right, also the cybernetic schoolgirls, who will have various unlockable and paid outfits, naturally, are livestreaming the whole thing in-game. Viewers of the girls’ streams will offer donations and upgrades, so that’s fun.

Full Metal Schoolgirl will be released on Oct. 23, for Nintendo Switch 2, PlayStation 5, and Windows PC via Steam and the Epic Games Store.

As part of the “Treasure Tail: Shinjuku” quest in Persona 5: The Phantom X, you’ll need to help the Orange Tabby Cat find their Orange Tabby Treasures around Shinjuku. The treasure hunt in Shinjuku requires you to pay close attention to each store front as these treasures will make you complete a couple extra steps.

Here’s where to find every Orange Tabby Treasure in Shinjuku in Persona 5: The Phantom X.

All Orange Tabby Treasure locations in Shinjuku

To complete the “Treasure Tail: Shinjuku” side quest, you’ll need to find seven Orange Tabby Treasures. To help you in your search, we’ve made a map of Shinjuku that is marked with the location of each treasure.

Additionally, you can find a more detailed description of each location in the sections below.

Orange Tabby Treasure #1 — Beside grey bin

For the first Orange Tabby Treasure, you’ll need to head up the stairs found northeast of the jewelry store. Walk up to the

Orange Tabby Treasure #2 — Inside jewelry store

The second Orange Tabby Treasure is found inside the jewelry store. Enter the store and finish the cutscene to receive the treasure.

Orange Tabby Treasure #3 — Beside a garbage can

The third Orange Tabby Treasure can be found beside a garbage can to the south of the capsule machine.

Orange Tabby Treasure #4 — South of convenience store

The fourth Orange Tabby Treasure is hidden behind a gray bin south of the convenience store.

Orange Tabby Treasure #5 — Inside izakaya

The fifth Orange Tabby Treasure is inside a yellow crate in the izakaya, which is just north of the ramen shop in the southeastern corner. Interact with the izakaya to receive the treasure.

Orange Tabby Treasure #6 — Behind club sign

The sixth Orange Tabby Treasure is hidden behind a club sign on the western side of the map.

Orange Tabby Treasure #7 — Inside restaurant display case

The seventh Orange Tabby Treasure is located on the northern side of the map in a restaurant’s display case. Interact with the window to head inside the restaurant and grab the treasure.

Treasure Tail Shinjuku rewards

Now that you have all of the treasure, return to the the Orange Tabby Cat and complete the quest to receive the following rewards:

Future plc, the U.K.-based digital publishing company, shut down the 33-year-old consumer technology publisher Laptop Mag on Tuesday, a move that continues the company’s quiet consolidation of its brand portfolio. 

Fewer than 10 staffers were affected by the closure, which was communicated Tuesday in a brief Zoom meeting with employees, according to a recording of the meeting obtained by ADWEEK. The Verge first reported the closure.

A company spokesperson declined to comment.

“After careful consideration and a review of our long-term strategy, we’ve made the decision to close the Laptop Mag business effective today,” Faisal Alani, global brand director at Future plc., told staff.

The shutdown is part of a broader retrenchment strategy. In May, newly appointed chief executive Kevin Li Ying disclosed in Future’s half-year earnings that the company had shuttered 19 underperforming brands in fiscal year 2024, followed by four more in the first half of 2025. 

The closures, which included niche verticals and smaller tech titles, were described as “immaterial to revenue and profit.” Laptop Mag, which reviewed computers, accessories, and consumer electronics, was one of those smaller brands. 

The decision to wind down Laptop Mag comes amid ongoing commercial headwinds for Future. 

In its May earnings report, the company revealed a 3% year-over-year decline in revenue, largely driven by softness in U.S. advertising and a weaker pound. And its business, which like other media firms built around Google search, has been impacted by dramatic shifts in consumer behavior, according to a person familiar with its traffic.

The publisher has also made headlines for leadership turmoil. 

Jon Steinberg, the former BuzzFeed and Cheddar executive who joined Future as CEO in April 2023, abruptly stepped down at the end of March 2025, less than two years into the role. Steinberg had helped lead the initial brand rationalization push, which aimed to streamline Future’s portfolio and double down on high-margin verticals.

His departure prompted investor concern and a 10% drop in Future’s share price on the day it was announced. Chief Financial Officer Penny Ladkin-Brand also stepped down, adding to the uncertainty around the company’s direction.

The shutdown of Laptop Mag fits squarely within the dominant M&A and restructuring trend seen across digital media this year: portfolio paring. 

As publishers contend with declining referral traffic, shifting ad markets, and the rise of AI-driven content, many have moved away from volume and scale in favor of leaner, more profitable operations.

“This is the year of cleaning house,” a media investment banker told ADWEEK in May. “Most of the M&A we’re seeing in 2025 is not expansion—it’s contraction.”

With the new Mercedes-Benz CLA-Class having been revealed, it’s not a huge surprise that the company has prepared a send-off for the hottest version of the old model. It’s the Mercedes-AMG CLA 45 S Final Edition, and it gives the little sports sedan (or coupe as Mercedes insists on calling it) a bit of extra flash before leaving the dealer lots forever. What is a little surprising, and frankly a little funny, is that the US only just got the Edition 1, as in the first edition, of the CLA 45 S last year. It highlights a rather short run for the tiny monster in America.

America Didn’t Get The CLA 45 S At First

Now you may be a little confused as to why the US got the CLA 45 S Edition 1 so late in the sedan’s life span, afterall, we’ve had CLA 45s since 2020. Those didn’t have the all-important “S” suffix, which also came with more power. The regular 45 made 382 horsepower and 354 pound-feet of torque, whereas the 45 S made 416 horsepower and 369 pound-feet of torque. Mercedes didn’t see fit to give us the S until later. It announced the introduction with a light refresh in 2023, and the Edition 1 came along with it. Then, those Edition 1 cars didn’t arrive until 2024. As a result, the US will have only had the most potent CLA 45 for a couple of years, and we’re in the situation where we’ve seen first and final editions of vehicles launched within the same time frame.

The Final Edition Isn’t Hugely Exciting

There’s not really such a thing as a boring 400-horsepower compact sedan. However, the additions Mercedes selected for this Final Edition aren’t exactly exhilarating. It’s really just a styling exercise. The car is available in either matte grey or gloss black, and it features exclusive forged 19-inch wheels. The wheels are finished in gloss black with a yellow rim edges and matching center caps. They go along with black and yellow door graphics and yellow logos on black mirror caps. The design theme carries to the inside that features black leatherette and faux suede along with yellow constrast stitching and embroidery, plus aluminum dash trim. It even has matching black and yellow floor mats and side sills. No changes to the powertrain or suspension are offered, but there is an optional AMG Aerodynamics Package that gives the car a more aggressive body kit. It’s also available either as a sedan or a wagon.

Related

AMG Has A Secret Weapon To Fight The Next-Gen BMW M

The next baby AMG will have as much power as an M3, punching way above its weight (figuratively anyway).

Mercedes didn’t give any pricing for the car, but it is available to order now through the end of the year. This seems to indicate that the production number hasn’t been capped like some special editions. For instance, the CLA 45 S Edition 1 in the US was restricted to just 25 examples. The Final Edition hasn’t been announced for the US, though, so these Final Edition cars may be limited to just Europe.