Mercedes locks faster acceleration behind a paywall

Mercedes becomes the latest company to offer subscription services for a feature its cars already have. The carmaker is introducing an "Acceleration Increase" add-on for a yearly subscription of US$1,200. This is expected to improve performance by boosting motor output by 20-24 percent, increasing torque, and shaving around 0.8 to 0.9 seconds off 0-60mph acceleration when in Dynamic drive mode. 

The subscription doesn't come with any physical hardware upgrades. It just unlocks the full capabilities of the vehicle, suggesting Mercedes intentionally limited performance so they can sell this as an extra. The add-on is available for the Mercedes-EQ, EQE, and Mercedes-EQ EQS electric car models. With global sales for new cars falling in recent years, car manufacturers have turned to selling software updates and features as subscriptions to generate a continuous revenue stream after the car's purchase.

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Apple's reportedly in the lead to turn Michael Lewis' book on FTX into a feature film

Apple might be one of the first to turn the story of the collapse of Sam Bankman-Fried's FTX crypto company into a movie. Rumour has it Apple is in the lead for a deal to turn an upcoming Michael Lewis book on Bankman-Fried and his company into a feature film. But it is also facing heavy competition from Netflix and Amazon.

Lewis has previously authored critically acclaimed books that have become notable and award-winning feature films (Moneyball, The Blind Side, and The Big Short). And he has spent the last six months following Bankman-Fried's every move, giving him a close-up look at the collapse of FTX. So, streaming rights are highly sought after. The deal is supposedly set to be valued in the "mid seven-figure range."

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'Deus Ex Go' to shut down in 2023

If you enjoy playing the turn-based puzzle game Deus Ex Go, you have until January 4, 2023, to play it. Square Enix Montreal's mobile titles are all being folded following its acquisition by the Swedish game company Embracer Group back in May. The studio has since been rebranded to Onoma, and it has announced that  Deus Ex Go, Arena Battle Champions, Hitman Sniper: The Shadows and Space Invaders: Hidden Heroes will no longer be accessible by next year. They will be removed from the Google Play and Apple App Store on December 1. And you can no longer make any in-game purchases, nor can you get refunds for unused in-game purchases made when they're shut down.

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Netflix explores making a 'AAA PC game' at new studio

Netflix has not been successful with its mobile games so far, but the streaming giant isn't giving up yet. Instead, it's set its sights on PC gaming. The company posted a job listing for a director in Los Angeles who would lead work on a "brand-new AAA PC game." We don't know too many details about the game. But the new hire is ideally expected to have experience with first- and third-person shooters, constantly evolving "live service" games (like Destiny 2), and quick prototyping in Unreal Engine. The company is looking for some comfortable with cooperative and competitive multiplayer, and they want someone to help develop a game world "worthy" of a Netflix series or film. 

The job listing goes into incredible detail about what's expected, but that also still leaves us with questions about what to expect. But since Netflix is still just hiring, it'll be a while before we see this game (or games) come to fruition.

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