The Nintendo Today! app has continued its never-ending stream of Switch 2 information drops with a closer look at the new Pro Controller’s fresh rear buttons, specifically, how easy it is to set them up.
In a new app segment titled ‘How to Use the GL and GR Buttons’, Nintendo explains that mapping an input to one of these bonus buttons all comes down to a simple press of the HOME Button. Just like on Switch 1, holding the HOME Button will open the Quick Settings on Switch 2, where you will be able to assign commands for GL and GR.
Whether you’re seeking adventure, mystery, or a good scare, May’s PlayStation Plus Catalog has got you covered. Explore a vast desert world filled with action in Sand Land, delve into the cyberpunk universe of Soul Hackers 2 or step into the eerie world of Five Nights at Freddy’s: Help Wanted… There’s plenty to choose from in May’s PlayStation Plus Game Catalog lineup*.
Meanwhile, PlayStation Plus Premium welcomes PS2’s FPS simulation classic, Battle Engine Aquila.
All titles will be available to play on May 20.
PlayStation Plus Extra and Premium | Game Catalog
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Sand Land | PS4, PS5
From the creator of Dragon Ball comes a new action RPG, Sand Land! Create incredible vehicles to explore a desert world & beyond. Meet the Fiend Prince Beelzebub, his chaperone Thief, and the fearless Sheriff Rao, and follow the team on an extraordinary adventure in search of the Legendary Spring hidden in the desert. Learn how to control Beelzebub’s powers and lead your company of heroic misfits exploring the legendary world of Sand Land. Beware of the many dangers that populate it: between bandits, fierce wildlife, and the Royal Army, reaching the spring won’t be easy! Use your tact and imagination to develop tanks and other vehicles that will help you navigate this vast land, using a wide array of part combinations.
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Soul Hackers 2 | PS5
Explore a dark, supernatural realm and investigate the world’s end in this sci-fi, neo-noir mystery. Amidst the glimmer of neon lights, technological advancement causes humans to be consumed by commercial convenience. In the shadows, a war between the Yatagarasu and the Phantom Society is brewing, Devil Summoners who harness the otherworldly powers of “Demons”. Existing in the secret sea of humanity’s data, a digital hivemind has evolved into sentience: Aion. Observing humankind from afar, Aion calculates that a world-ending disaster is imminent and creates two agents to combat against it: Ringo and Figue. Together, these agents of Aion must investigate and prevent a butterfly effect that will lead to the end of the world.
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Five Nights at Freddy’s: Help Wanted – Full Time Edition | PS4, PS5
Five Nights at Freddy’s: Help Wanted is a collection of classic and original mini-games set in the Five Nights universe. Survive terrifying encounters with your favorite killer animatronics in a collection of new and classic Five Nights at Freddy’s experiences. Repair claustrophobic ventilation systems, troubleshoot broken animatronics that could activate at any moment, or spend your evenings cowering in the nighttime security guard office. Scenes from classic titles have been updated and remade for a fully immersive experience including Five Nights at Freddy’s, Five Nights at Freddy’s 2, Five Nights at Freddy’s 3, Five Nights at Freddy’s 4, and Five Nights at Freddy’s: Sister Location.
Five Nights at Freddy’s: Help Wanted – Full Time Edition is a combined version of Five Nights at Freddy’s: Help Wanted and its DLC, Curse of Dreadbear, for PS5 & PS VR2. The base version for PS4, Five Nights at Freddy’s: Help Wanted, is also available as part of Game Catalog’s May lineup. Standard non-VR and VR modes included.
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Battlefield V | PS4
Enter mankind’s greatest conflict with Battlefield V as the series goes back to its roots in a never-before-seen portrayal of World War II. Experience all-out multiplayer with your squad in the vast Grand Operations and the cooperative Combined Arms, or take on single player War Stories. Also includes Firestorm – Battle Royale, reimagined for Battlefield.
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S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Legends of the Zone Trilogy | PS4, PS5
Delve into the renowned classics of open-world survival with the original S.T.A.L.K.E.R. trilogy, now upscaled and enhanced for a new generation. Investigate the Zone’s origins, taking on the roles of legendary stalkers and forging paths that can lead to different outcomes based on your actions and decisions. Test your gumption while navigating through radioactive debris and anomalies, and put your reflexes to trial during intense gunfights. Search for the answers to the darkest mysteries that could cost you your sanity in sinister catacombs filled with starved mutants.
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Granblue Fantasy Versus: Rising | PS4, PS5
Rise to glory in Granblue Fantasy Versus: Rising, a delightful fighting game experience for beginners and veterans alike. Newcomers can fully enjoy the intensity and thrills of one-on-one combat without needing to memorize complicated controls—simple inputs can be used to perform skills with the press of a single button! Embark on a journey through the vast skies of Granblue Fantasy and immerse yourself in an epic adventure while mastering the fundamentals of gameplay. As you take on more quests in this action RPG-inspired experience, you’ll continue to grow stronger.
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Humankind | PS4, PS5
Humankind is a historical strategy game, where you’ll be re-writing the entire narrative of human history and combining cultures to create a civilization that’s as unique as you are. Combine up to 60 historical cultures as you lead your people from the Ancient to the Modern Age. Face historical events, take impactful moral decisions, and make scientific breakthroughs. Each battle in Humankind plays out like a mini turn-based board game on top of the actual world map. Unstack your armies and command each of your units, including the emblematic units of your culture and their special abilities. Construct siege weapons to besiege and occupy cities. Fight in large battles spanning multiple turns, and don’t hesitate to bring in reinforcements!
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Story of Seasons: A Wonderful Life | PS5
This reimagined version of A Wonderful Life brings all of the heart and charm of the original to a new generation as the definitive experience of one of the most cherished entries in the long-running farming series. Put down roots on your new farm in the peaceful town of Forgotten Valley. Forge precious memories as you weave your own generation-spanning tale of friendship, family, and farming. Bring life to the land by cultivating crops and raising animals, find love among the town’s friendly folk, and make lasting memories with a family of your very own in this reimagining of a beloved farming classic.
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Gloomhaven Mercenaries Edition | PS4, PS5
Experience a tough tactical RPG and lead your band of mercenaries through an unforgiving land where every choice is crucial. Carve your way through terrifying dungeons, dreadful forests and dark caves filled with horrific monsters to reap your rewards… or die trying. Sell your sword to anyone who can afford it, may they be city officials or corrupt cultists. You are paid to get results and not ask questions. Where will you draw the line?
PlayStation Plus Premium
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Battle Engine Aquila | PS4, PS5
The forces of the Forseti and the evil Muspell are in a fight to the death for a flooded world’s most limited resource: land. You are Hawk Winter, plucked from obscurity to pilot Battle Engine Aquila. Airborne or on land, you’ll harness Aquila’s versatile mobility and awesome fire power in guiding legions of allies to victory. By commanding a device so powerful and advanced, your battlefield decisions will shape the direction of each engagement and, ultimately, the entire war.
*PlayStation Plus Game Catalog and PlayStation Plus Premium/Deluxe lineups may differ by region. Please check PlayStation Store on release day.
Ubisoft’s extreme sports game Riders Republic is the latest in a long line of video games heading to the silver screen. The publisher announced today that a feature film adaptation of 2021’s Riders Republic is underway, and it already has a directorial duo seated behind the camera.
In a press release, Ubisoft Film & Television annnounced it’s partnering with Gaumont for the adaptation of Riders Republic. Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah, the Belgian duo who directed Bad Boys for Life and Bad Boys: Ride or Die, are already signed on to direct.
The script adaptation will be penned by Noé Debré, whose credits include Stillwater and The World Is Yours.
Not much has been said about the direction, other than the adaptation is “poised to be an electrifying action movie, delivering non-stop thrills, humor, and spectacular stunts on the snowy slopes of the Alps,” per Ubisoft.
2021’s Riders Republic mixed elements of extreme sports simulation with open-world exploration, akin to Ubisoft’s The Crew games. “Riders Republic is an excellent, arcadey extreme sports sandbox with bonkers multiplayer events, an impressive open world, and unfortunate server issues,” wrote our reviewer in IGN’s 8/10 review of its launch version.
In the years since, Ubisoft has gradually added more to the experience, with Season 14 adding a Park Creator for players to form their own playgrounds. It certainly seems like players have been gradually poking away at Riders Republic over time.
As for a feature film adaptation, it remains to be seen what narrative might be concocted around all the extreme sports action. Hopefully there’s at least some sick tricks and crazy stunts, if nothing else.
Video game adaptations are certainly picking up in earnest, though. From box office successes like the Sonic and Mario movies, to recent attempts like Until Dawn, to upcoming adaptations like Clair Obscur and Death Stranding, everyone seems to be getting in on the video game adaptation trend. So why not Riders Republic?
Hideo Kojima is his own Peter Molydeux, in that he’s forever out there pitching Kojima-like ideas for games he might make. Hideo Jokima? On a recent episode of his Japanese radio show, KOJI10, the designer of Metal Gear Solid and Death Stranding pitched a few ideas he had for games based around time. The best of the bunch: a game in which your character gradually forgets information if players take too long a break from playing.
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 has many memorable characters, but few might inspire as much joy as Esquie, the game’s lovable giant pal who might as well be a mascot character. The studio is warning against issues with fake merch sales around him, but also teasing an official plush Esquie that’s in the works.
In a post on X/Twitter from the official Expedition 33 account, Sandfall Interactive said it has seen a number of “suspicious” websites pop up selling Esquie plushies.
“To be clear: any third-party websites selling Esquie plushies are NOT officially licensed,” the studio said. “Many of them are using AI-generated artwork to advertise, and we strongly recommend against purchasing from these sources. They could be scams.”
To balance out the wheee with the whooo though, as Esquie might say, Sandfall confirms it is looking into making official Esquie plushies, and wants to get them out as soon as it can. “In the meantime, please be patient — and don’t get scammed!” the studio said.
Those who have played the game probably get why an Esquie plushie might be in high demand. If you haven’t gone on Expedition 33 yet, Esquie is a giant helper you meet in Act 1 of Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 who becomes both a traveling companion and overworld travel method. He’s got the same vibe as Big Hero 6’s Baymax.
With that in mind, it’s easy to see how an Esquie plush might garner some interest, so it’s good to know Sandfall is working on an official solution. A cursory search on Google pulled up both an unofficial site, and a few threads asking about Esquie plush peddlers. If you want the real thing from Sandfall and Kepler, you’ll have to wait a bit. No news on whether the real-life plushie will also be filled with wine, though.
Last week, Sandfall Interactive released patch 1.2.3 for Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, addressing some balance tweaks around Maelle’s Stendhal ability. French President Emmanuel Macron also recently praised the game, calling its developers a “shining example of French audacity and creativity.”
Surreal first-person medical sim Pathologic 3 will be different from its plague-ridden predecessor in a lot of ways. In Pathologic 2 you played a roaming surgeon rooting around in bins for sustenance, and this time you play as the Bachelor, a well-fed doctor who diagnoses patients by inspecting their bodies and investigating their homes for signs of disease. But one of the biggest changes regards the open world. You won’t freely explore the remote steppe town this time, but instead dander through isolated pockets, with lots of loading screens, map plotting, and fast travel. That’s made a few fans grumpy, but developers Ice-Pick Lodge are sticking to their plans, as they’ve stated in a development update.
GameChat has a “significant impact on system resources”.
We all know the Nintendo Switch 2 is going to be significantly more powerful than its predecessor, but just what kind of internals is the new console boasting? Well, thanks to a new breakdown by Digital Foundry, we can now finally dive into the specifics.
First, let’s take a look at the custom Nvidia SoC (system on a chip). When compared to the equivalent for the original Switch – which was effectively a vanilla Tegra X1 – the new Nvidia T239 for the Switch 2 is absolutely custom build specifically for Nintendo.
As we suffered an untimely demise at the business end of approximately two billion sticky notes, me and my two FBC: Firebreak squad members felt more than a little humbled. In our hubris, we’d decided to begin our time in a recent preview event on the hardest possible difficulty – a very fun, but very ridiculous choice. Fortunately for us, FBC: Firebreak’s blend of approachable combat, fast-paced rounds, and slapstick mechanics makes for a fantastic time, no matter how long (or little) you want to spend in its bizarre, fascinating world. We will have our revenge, sticky notes.
FBC: Firebreak is Remedy’s upcoming entry into the first-person shooter genre – an approachable multiplayer experience delivered with all the style and deadpan humour we’ve come to appreciate from the Remedyverse. Serving as a spin-off to the events of Control,FBC: Firebreak sees players tasked with the clean-up of bizarre, supernatural events taking place inside the game’s ever-shifting setting, The Oldest House, which you’ll also recognise from Control.
During the hands-on event, we were given access to three different Jobs available in the game, all with varying levels of difficulty on offer. In ‘Hot Fix’, our ragtag team of Firebreak volunteers took on repairing fans in a sweltering setting, before dealing with a paranatural furnace. In ‘Ground Control’ our crew set out to collect leech pearls from the remains of horrendous, human sized leeches. My personal favourite, ‘Paper Chase’ saw the group disposing of a massive number of sticky notes, alongside violent, sentient sticky note enemies, before taking on ‘Sticky Ricky’, a colossal, tanked-up boss made up of literally millions of sticky notes that requires a true team effort to take down effectively.
All three of these jobs also feature Control’s enemy faction, The Hiss as a consistent, looming threat – a horde of them can appear at any moment and they’ll need dealing with as you progress with the primary objectives. Dealing with The Hiss is usually a straightforward affair – your weapon will make short work of most enemy types. Every so often, a named miniboss may appear; some require more finesse to defeat – and the best option for taking them down will come from a carefully curated loadout.
The hands-on showed us three unique Crisis Kits that every volunteer can take out on a mission. Equipped alongside your more conventional guns, these are all clumsily lashed together to fit the scrappy vibe of FBC: Firebreak’s setting – you aren’t playing as seasoned soldiers, just a volunteers placed into these absurd, dangerous situations. With three people in the party, each of us naturally gravitated to one loadout each. I carried a shotgun for big, close-range damage, and the Splash Kit, effectively a giant water gun which came in clutch for hosing down the sticky monsters, and my overheated colleagues. All of the kits available can be upgraded in multiple ways too, to really customize your build for those more punishing difficulty levels.
But customization extends beyond your loadout. Each mission asks you to pick a Clearance Level, which dictates how many zones you need to clear in order to win. This means that some runs can take five or ten minutes, and they’re a breezy affair that require minimal team coordination. Others can take upwards of 45 minutes, dramatically more vicious affairs where every piece of gear you take is of paramount importance. FBC: Firebreak gives all the tools to tailor your experience here – it’s not trying to make you grind unnecessarily – you can go as hard or as casual as you want at any given time.
But it was the in-mission mechanics that really made FBC: Firebreak feel like something unique. Elemental effects can make or ruin your day if you don’t have the right tools at hand. If a room is too hot, you’ll need to find a swift way to cool down. If it’s unnaturally cold, you’ll move slower until you regain some heat. Your chosen Crisis Kit may be a shortcut here, but there are other ways to deal with these issues located in the levels themselves.
Fortunately, this applies to The Hiss too – if an enemy is slowed by an icy debuff, they’ll comically ‘sprint’ towards you in slow motion, giving you plenty of time to react. At lower tiers, these effects are a mild hindrance – nothing fatal if you just want to jump into a quick game without navigating the complexities of how everything works. In those higher difficulty runs, it is hellish – perfect for those that to dig deep into the game’s systems and take on its most brutal challenges.
All of this fun is wrapped up in a blanket of narrative excellence; Remedy’s signature brand of bizarre, occult nightmares with lashings of hilarity as your characters banter and bicker amongst themselves. Fans of the studio’s previous entries will find lots of recognisable names and locations, but that feels more like an enhancement for those already involved – you don’t need to know what’s going on in the wider story, but it certainly adds to the experience if you do.
There’s lots to discover and plenty of guidance for those that are less versed in Remedy’s universe. That, paired with the ability to really finetune how you want to play, means FBC: Firebreak is an unexpectedlywelcoming introduction into The Oldest House, and we can’t wait to extend our stay (and, you know, burn a lot of sticky notes).
FBC: Firebreak launches June 17, 2025 – play on Xbox Series X|S, Windows PC, and via Game Pass.
FBC: Firebreak is a cooperative first-person shooter set within a mysterious federal agency under assault by otherworldly forces. As a years-long siege on the agency’s headquarters reaches its boiling point, only Firebreak—the Bureau’s most versatile unit—has the gear and the guts to plunge into the building’s strangest crises, restore order, and blast their way back from the brink.
Ready for more racing? This month’s free update from the Polyphony team comes with four new cars to rip around on your favorite GT7 circuits: the ’17 Ferrari 812 Superfast, ’01 Chevrolet Corvette Z06, ’12 Suzuki Carry KC, and ’21 Honda CR-V e:HEV EX Black Edition. In addition, three new events are coming to World Circuits and Sophy, the AI racing agent, has been expanded to support the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya Grand Prix Layout.
Update 1.59* for Gran Turismo 7 is available as of today Wednesday, May 14 at 11:00pm PDT / May 25 at 3:00pm JST / 8:00am CEST.
New cars
’01 Chevrolet Corvette Z06 (C5)
(Can be purchased from Brand Central / Used Cars)
The peak of the 5th gen Corvette line-up revives the classic Z06 moniker.
In 1999, a hardtop model was added to the Chevrolet Corvette C5 lineup. Though it removed the detachable roof and rear hatch from the coupé, this model utilises the increased rigidity from the new design to improve driving performance. Its dedication to performance is further evident from the fact that selecting the hardtop model included an automatic upgrade to the Z51 handling package and manual transmission.
What’s more is that even with all these features, it was still cheaper than the standard coupé model. It’s no wonder that enthusiast drivers flocked to it despite its somewhat niche appeal.
From 2001, the hardtop Corvette was equipped with a 384.6 BHP LS6 engine, an improved version of the LS1, and was renamed the Z06. The Z06 name was taken from a race package option code that had existed for the C2 Corvette. It featured a full titanium exhaust which is very unusual for a production car, along with reinforced suspension components with a specially tuned wheel alignment, and was only available with a manual transmission.
However, in exchange for this wealth of equipment, there was a significant increase in the price. This made it the most expensive model yet, exceeding even the price of the convertible, which made it less obtainable to the users who had previously been attracted by its sturdy hardtop body and spartan equipment.
Even so, further improvements were made to the Z06, with the maximum output increased to 405.3 BHP in 2002. Achieving over 394.5 BHP in a small block engine was an unprecedented feat, making it one of the fastest mass-production cars in the world.
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’17 Ferrari 812 Superfast
(Can be purchased from Brand Central)
Adopting the classic V12 FR layout, this Ferrari achieves blinding speed while retaining usability.
The 812 Superfast was released in 2017 as a successor to Ferrari’s historic tradition of front-engined 12-cylinder models. The 812 name itself refers to the engine’s power and layout, being ‘800 PS, 12 cylinders,’ while the Superfast moniker was carried over from the legendary ‘500 Superfast’ itself produced in 1964.
The body styling was conceived by Ferrari’s own Styling Centre. With a long nose and short deck, the body proportions are typical of a 12-cylinder front-midship layout, however the refined aerodynamics and details give it the elegant aura of modern Ferrari design.
The 788 BHP and 718 Nm (73.3 kgfm) produced by the naturally aspirated 6.5L V12 unit are routed to the rear tyres through a 7-speed DCT transaxle. The car is also notable for being the first Ferrari model to incorporate an electric power steering unit.
Additionally, the running gear features an evolved version of the 4-wheel steering setup found on the previous F12berlinetta model, dubbed the ‘Virtual Short Wheelbase 2.0’ system. The prime benefit of this system is it allows the nose to turn in sharply on even the tightest corners, despite the relatively long 2,720 mm wheelbase.
With trunk space behind the seats and a spacious cargo area in the rear end, the 812 Superfast may be the perfect supercar for grand touring.
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’21 Honda CR-V e:HEV EX・Black Edition
(Can be purchased from Brand Central)
The 5th generation model of this popular SUV is the first to feature a hybrid system.
In the 1990s, Honda set their sights on creating cars for leisure activities, dubbing the category ‘Creative Movers’. The first such model was Odyssey which released to widespread commercial success in 1994, and was followed in ’95 by a high ground clearance SUV model. This was the first generation CR-V.
From then, the CR-V became a long-selling hit, especially in the North American market. Eventually reaching the model introduced here, the 2021 model which is based on the 5th generation CR-V originally introduced in 2016.
The model notable feature of the 5th generation is the introduction of a hybrid powerplant, the first ever in the series. This system combines a 2L Atkinson cycle engine with 2 electric motors, able to operate in both series or parallel. This highly efficient system also allows the petrol engine to provide power when cruising at high speeds. The availability of a 4-wheel drive option with this hybrid system further contributed to the CR-V’s popularity.
Aesthetically, many characteristics have been carried over from the previous generation model, but the body has been slightly enlarged to increase leg room for rear passengers, improving their comfort. Additionally, the car is also able to carry a large amount of luggage with over 1,100L of cargo space available just by folding down the back seats. The petrol model also featured a 3-row 7-seater layout.
The fifth generation CR-V is not only a refined SUV, it also features numerous driver assist systems like collision avoidance braking and adaptive cruise control. This makes it a perfect choice not only for leisure but for everyday driving as well.
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’12 Suzuki Carry KC
(Can be purchased from Brand Central)
A quintessential example of the ‘micro-truck’ trend that’s sweeping the globe.
Japan’s micro-car segment, known natively as ‘kei’ cars, has grown into an indispensable tool for everyday life. The kei segment of course features many passenger models, along with SUVs and sports cars too, but there are also a large number of commercial vans and trucks which support infrastructure. The Suzuki Carry is one such microtruck that reflects commercial kei cars as a whole.
The Carry has a long history behind it, which stretches back to its birth in 1961. The 10th generation model was introduced as a full model change in 1999 in order to meet changes to the kei car certification standard introduced in 1998. The model introduced here is the 2012 model, the final model of the 10th generation following several other facelift models.
The body has been enlarged over the previous generation, now measuring 3,395 mm long and 1,475 mm wide. The engine is located under the feet of the occupants in a semi-cabover configuration, and has a displacement of only 658 cc though the initial line-up did also feature turbocharged models.
The Carry is available in a number of different model grades to fit purpose and price, but the KC is the most luxurious, featuring power steering and air conditioning as standard equipment. Along with a rear-wheel drive layout, it was also available with four-wheel drive allowing it to perform to its fullest even in the snow or on uneven mountain roads.
The kei truck’s adorable aesthetics and excellent usability have also earned it attention from overseas. Preowned Carrys have found themselves to be popular for agriculture and farming in the U.S. where right-hand drive models are automatically qualified road-worthy 25 years after their initial release. A small body housing enormous potential, the Carry is yet another example of a uniquely Japanese car finding worldwide appeal.
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World Circuits (New Events)
The following new events have been added to ‘World Circuits’:
Lightweight K-Cup: Eiger Nordwand
American Clubman Cup 700: Autódromo de Interlagos
Ferrari Circuit Challenge: Deep Forest Raceway
Gran Turismo Sophy
The next-generation racing AI agent, ‘Gran Turismo Sophy’ is now available on the following courses. Look for the Sophy icon in ‘Quick Race’ and ‘Custom Race’ on each track to test your skills against Sophy Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya Grand Prix Layout.
Scapes
‘Shooting the perfect square’ has been added as a featured Curation in Scapes, enabling square-photos with geometric backgrounds for social media.
*Internet connection and Gran Turismo 7 game required for update.
