Borderlands 4 Review, Xbox Game Pass Price Hike, and the Future of AI – Early October | DogHouse 29
In this week’s roundup: Microsoft confirms Windows 10 support ends in 2025, Xbox Game Pass prices rise, and Nvidia’s $100B AI project sparks debate over energy use. We also explore new parental controls in ChatGPT and some lighter news, such as Windows XP–themed Crocs.
Wanna read more about the articles? Check out: The DogHouse 29 | Borderlands 4 First Impressions + This Week’s Biggest Stories in Tech & Gaming
Tech & Platforms
YouTube Expands Multi-Language Audio
LINK: Unlock a world of viewers with multi-language audio – YouTube Blog
YouTube is making content more global. Creators can now upload multiple audio tracks to a single video, opening up opportunities for audiences across languages without requiring separate uploads. For creators, this means easier localization, and for viewers, it’s a smoother, more inclusive experience.
Windows Store Drops Developer Fees
LINK: Windows developers can now publish apps to Microsoft’s store without fees | The Verge
Microsoft is courting developers again. Publishing apps to the Windows Store no longer incurs fees — a move that could increase app availability ahead of future Windows updates. It’s a win-win: more apps for users, and more creators willing to give the Store another shot.
Windows 10 Support Is Ending
LINK: Windows 10 support ends on October 14, 2025 | Windows Support
Mark your calendars: October 14, 2025. That’s when Windows 10 officially loses support. No more security patches, no more official fixes. If you’re still holding out, you’ll want to plan your transition to Windows 11 (or beyond) sooner rather than later.
Snapchat Puts Memories Behind a Paywall
LINK: Snapchat caps free Memory storage, launches paid storage plans | TechCrunch
Snapchat has capped free Memories storage. Users who want to save more Snaps in the cloud will now have to pay for additional space through new subscription plans. It’s another example of social platforms shifting to premium models to balance costs.
Microsoft XP Crocs Exist
LINK: Microsoft’s Windows XP Crocs are here | The Verge
Yes, you read that right. Microsoft has teamed up with Crocs to release Windows XP–themed clogs — complete with the classic blue sky and green hills. Nostalgia, meet fashion… or maybe anti-fashion.
AI & Innovation
Parental Controls Coming to ChatGPT
LINK: OpenAI to add parental controls to ChatGPT | Mashable
OpenAI is adding parental controls to ChatGPT. Parents will soon have more tools to monitor and restrict usage, making the AI safer for younger users. It’s part of a broader push to balance accessibility with responsibility.
OpenAI + Nvidia’s $100B Energy Problem
LINK: OpenAI and Nvidia’s $100B AI plan will require power equal to 10 nuclear reactors – Ars Technica
OpenAI and Nvidia’s joint $100 billion AI infrastructure plan sounds like the future — but it comes with a staggering energy cost. Analysts say the power demand could rival ten nuclear reactors, raising serious sustainability concerns as the AI race accelerates.
Nvidia Calms GPU Supply Fears
Speaking of Nvidia, the company has reassured gamers and creators that its mega-deal with OpenAI won’t mean fewer GPUs on the shelves. They insist customers at every level remain a priority, even as AI takes center stage.
Microsoft’s Nature-Inspired Cooling Tech
Data centers are getting a bio-inspired upgrade. Microsoft unveiled a liquid cooling system designed by AI and modeled after the branching veins found in nature. It’s a futuristic step toward managing the extreme heat generated by next-generation chips.
Sora 2: OpenAI’s TikTok Rival
LINK: OpenAI’s Answer to TikTok Is Sora 2, a Fever Dream of Deepfakes | PCMag
OpenAI is experimenting with “Sora 2,” a short-form AI video platform that’s drawing comparisons to TikTok — but with surreal, deepfake-like visuals. It’s strange, it’s experimental, and it raises big questions about what counts as creativity in the AI age.
Gaming & Entertainment
Xbox Game Pass Price Hike
LINK: Microsoft revamps Xbox Game Pass plans and hikes Ultimate to $29.99 a month | The Verge
Microsoft is shaking up Game Pass. The subscription service has new tiers, and the Ultimate version now costs $29.99/month. Fans are divided: is the added value worth it, or is this another subscription getting too pricey?
Blizzard Breaks WoW Combat Mods
In a bold move, Blizzard is breaking World of Warcraft’s most popular combat mods earlier than expected. The next patch will force raiders to adapt without their usual tools — a change Blizzard says will pave the way for new, more challenging boss designs.
Nintendo’s Pokémon Patents Criticized
Nintendo’s latest patents on Pokémon mechanics are raising eyebrows. A video game IP lawyer called the approvals “an embarrassing failure of the US patent system,” arguing they stifle creativity and competition in the industry.
Fortnite Fixes V-Bucks Purchases
LINK: Fortnite Is Ditching One Of The Most Annoying Things About V-Bucks | Kotaku
Epic Games is making one of the most annoying parts of Fortnite a little easier. Starting October 14, players will be able to “top up” their balance by buying the exact number of V-Bucks needed for an item, rather than being forced into preset bundles. If you’re 100 short of a skin, you can now just grab those 100. The feature is rolling out across PC, console, and mobile platforms, with PlayStation support expected later.
PC Gaming Collector’s Record
LINK: PC Gaming Legend Wins Steam With Achievement For Buying 40,000 Games | Kotaku
One Steam user has officially purchased 40,000 games — yes, forty thousand. It’s an incredible milestone that solidifies their place as a legend in the PC gaming community, while also showcasing just how vast Steam’s library truly is.
PuffPals Kickstarter Trouble
Cozy game PuffPals: Island Skies raised $2.5 million on Kickstarter but is now in hot water. Its website and store have disappeared, and backers are demanding refunds. It’s a cautionary tale for crowdfunded games that blow up fast but may not deliver.
Science & Space
The Orionid Meteor Shower Approaches
LINK: Orionids – NASA Science
NASA is reminding skywatchers about the Orionids, an annual meteor shower caused by Halley’s Comet debris. Peaking in late October, the shower can deliver up to 20 meteors an hour, giving stargazers a reason to bundle up and look skyward.
Tech Treat Games & Entertainment
- Is This Seat Taken?: A logic puzzle game where you play matchmaker for groups of hilariously particular people. Each character has pet peeves that make seating them a delightful challenge. Find the perfect spot for each person to unlock new levels in this cozy, silly, and relatable experience.
- $7.99 on sale (As of this recording!) Normally $9.99 on Steam
- Hollow Knight: Silksong: Discover a vast, haunted kingdom in Hollow Knight: Silksong! Explore, fight, and survive as you ascend to the peak of a land ruled by silk and song.
- $19.99 on Steam
EPIC GAMES OF THE WEEK!
- Firestone: Online Idle RPG: A multiplayer fantasy game with idle RPG mechanics. Collect heroes, upgrade their gear & skills, and send them in AFK battles or go on an incremental clicker frenzy to beat monstrous bosses! Chat with guild friends or engage in PVP. – Available until 10/9 at 10 am
- Free but includes $100 Bundle
- Nightingale: A first-person, PVE, open-world survival crafting game played solo or cooperatively with friends. Build, craft, fight, and explore as you venture through mystical portals into a variety of amazing and fantastical realms. – Available until 10/9 at 10 am
Pack Talk
This week, we talk about Borderlands 4! Lorenzo and Robert share their experience and opinions on the newest of the Borderlands Series!
Tags: gaming news, pc gaming updates, tech news 2025, xbox game pass changes, nvidia ai news, microsoft updates, windows 10 end of support, youtube features, blizzard wow updates, snapchat memory storage, puffpals island skies, orionid meteor shower, latest gaming news, video game industry updates, big tech changes, gaming controversies, ai and gaming future, must-know gaming stories, pc gaming community
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