Updating Windows can be a frustrating process, but Microsoft has identified a key factor in why devices may struggle to achieve the state of "fully up-to-date."
In a post on the Microsoft Tech Community website, via BleepingComputer, David Guyer, Program Manager for Windows Updates in Endpoint Manager, explains how a device running Windows needs two periods of time connected to the internet (and Windows Update) to successfully update. The first period spans "two continuous connected hours" followed by "six total connected hours" after an update is released.
That total time of eight connected hours ensures any update Microsoft releases for its operating systems will be installed successfully. Guyer says the time a device is powered on and connected to Microsoft services such as Windows Update is referred to as "Update Connectivity" internally. The eight-hour period is therefore known as the "minimum Update Connectivity measurement."
Although Guyer's post is clearly aimed at business users, ensuring Windows is always up-to-date is important for all users as it improves security and reliability. If your Windows device regularly says that updates need to be installed, or they take a long time to complete, it could be that your Update Connectivity measurement is below the required minimum. In that case, Microsoft encourages users to leave their devices powered on and connected to the internet for longer. Leaving it on overnight is suggested as a solution.
Recommended by Our Editors
Guyer repeatedly references Windows 10 with regards to the Update Connectivity measurement. Windows 11 updates are meant to be 40% smaller and more efficient, so it could turn out the Update Connectivity minimum will decrease when we reach a point where the majority of Windows users have upgraded to Microsoft's latest OS.
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Pokémon Legends: Arceusis a mysterious game. Despite turning the traditional Pokémon formula on its head, grabbing it by the feet, and sending it soaring into the stratosphere, this is a game that largely forgets to explain a surprising amount of its new and overhauled systems. Perhaps the most important example of this — at least in our experience so far — is how valuable it is to mass release your unwanted Pokémon.
This system isn’t just poorly explained — there are several layers of it that go completely unexplained in general. As you’ll have likely noticed by now, Legends: Arceus tasks you with catching an inordinate amount of Pokémon, which means that your boxes (called Pastures in Arceus) are going to fill up fairly sharpish. We’re here to tell you that delaying your spring cleaning is a very bad idea.
When you visit the Pastures in Jubilife Village, you can switch your party Pokémon with any of the ones you have in storage. As with all mainline Pokémon games, you can also release any unwanted ‘mons taking up room in your boxes. We’re not sure about you, but this is something we’ve never really bothered to do in the past on account of the fact it’s kind of pointless. Fortunately, that’s been changed in Legends: Arceus, where it’s anything but that.
As you’re perusing the Pokémon in your Pastures, you’ll notice that pressing the X button will allow you to mass release Pokémon, which makes clearing out your boxes a whole lot faster. The thing is, you’ll actually get a reward for every single Pokémon you release.
When Pokémon leave the Pastures, they leave behind a little present for you: Grit items. These include Grit Dust, Grit Gravel, Grit Pebbles, and Grit Rocks. While it’s easy to dismiss these new items as rubbish, all of them are extremely valuable in that they allow you to increase the effort values (EVs) of your Pokémon, making them far fiercer and more formidable in battle.
Basically, Grit Dust allows you to raise any EV from zero to three. Gravel covers three to six, Pebbles can be used for six to nine, and Rocks max out an EV at ten. The difference in an Attack stat with an EV value of zero and an Attack stat with an EV value of ten is extraordinary — without gaining any levels at all, your Pokémon will be noticeably stronger.
Why does this matter? Well, given that Legends: Arceus doesn’t have online battles, most of your match-ups in Hisui will be against NPCs. Because player-versus-environment runs tend to be a lot easier than facing off against other people, you can experiment with teams made up of your favourites, as opposed to solely focusing on meta ‘mons.
Grit items make this even more viable in that your favourites — even the little cute ones who unfortunately pay for that cuteness with weakness — can learn to pack a punch. Once you start grinding Grit, you’ll never go back to cluttered and overflowing boxes again.
So yeah — make sure you remember to mass release all those unwanted Pokémon who are taking up space in the Pastures, alright? It’s one of the most valuable bits of hidden knowledge in the game right now.
Apple has introduced a new feature that could help declutter the App Store somewhat. Per support documentation spotted by MacRumors, the marketplace now supports unlisted apps that users can only access through a direct link. Should a developer feel their software isn’t suited for public use, they can make a request through Apple’s website to distribute it as an unlisted app.
If the company grants the request, the app won’t appear “in any App Store categories, recommendations, charts, search results or other listings,” according to Apple. Outside of a direct link, it’s possible to access unlisted apps through Apple’s Business and School Manager platforms.
The company suggests that the new distribution method is ideal for apps that were designed for specific organizations, special events, research studies and other similar use cases. It notes, however, that unlisted apps aren’t a replacement for its TestFlight process since it will decline software that’s in a pre-release or beta state.
Otherwise, Apple notes it will consider both new and existing apps. Once an app is approved, its status as an unlisted app will apply to any future versions of the software a developer may release. In the case of any existing apps, their App Store link will remain the same.
All products recommended by Engadget are selected by our editorial team, independent of our parent company. Some of our stories include affiliate links. If you buy something through one of these links, we may earn an affiliate commission.
If you’ve ever thought about switching your Spotify subscription to Apple Music, Pandora, YouTube Music, Deezer, or vice versa, one thing that probably made you change your mind is “how am I going to transfer all my songs from a streaming service to another?” Well, here’s the answer.
If you have thousands of songs and lots of playlists, adding one by one doesn’t seem like a good call. And if for any reason you have multiple music streaming services, there’s a simple way to keep all of them updated with the FreeYourMusic app.
The app has two options: you can transfer one hundred songs and that’s it or you can pay for it. Here are the tiers and how you can transfer Spotify songs to Apple Music and other services:
Basic: One-time-purchase with the possibility to transfer an unlimited number of songs, playlists, and albums on all platforms, and with lifetime updates.
Premium: Pay per month and receive e-mail support, share playlists across streaming services, auto-synchronization of all playlists/albums, backup your playlist in the cloud, and the ability to cancel anytime.
Lifetime: One-time-purchase and you get everything available on the Premium plan.
FreeYourMusic is available on iOS, macOS, Android, Windows, and Linux. It offers support to basically every music streaming service available.
How to transfer Spotify songs to Apple Music
Once you installed the app, it allows you to easily transfer your music library:
Select your current platform as a source, for example, Spotify.
Then select the platform where you want to create a new playlist, for example, Apple Music.
Find playlists, albums, or tracks you want to transfer from one service to another
Confirm your action and done.
One tip I give you is if you have thousands of songs, you may want to transfer first your main playlists. The transfer between services is really fast, but if you have a lot of songs, it can take a few days.
Another option, if you are planning to move from Spotify – or other music streaming service –to Tidal, it has a built-in feature that helps you transfer all your songs for free here.
Deal
If you’re a 9to5Mac reader who wants to transfer from one music streaming service to another, we have a 30% off coupon from FreeYourMusic.
On its website here, when you select a plan you can insert the coupon “9TO5MAC” before checking out your order.
The Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra is rumored to go up for pre-order next month, and if you're interested in picking up the latest device, then we recommend you head on over to Samsung's reservation page and get your foot in the door this weekend.
Why? Well, first up, you can score yourself $50 of Samsung store credit on the house, but more importantly, you'll guarantee you'll get one of these bad boy devices as soon as they land.
We've seen reports recently that the Galaxy S22 Ultra specifically could be out of stock for months - a rumor that's come directly from a well-known South Korean tech leaker. How long? Three months to be exact, which is a long wait if you're clamoring to upgrade to what's likely one of the best Android smartphones this year.
If you click through to the reservation page, you'll see two 'mystery' devices being teased. Interestingly, Samsung hasn't actually confirmed that these are S22 devices but let's be honest - considering there have been Galaxy S devices for many years now, it would be a complete shocker if it wasn't an S22 and S22 Ultra.
Even more so, we pretty much know everything there is to know about the upcoming Galaxy S22 Ultra. Most of the major details have already been leaked, such as its larger Galaxy Note-like squared-off design and S-Pen slot. However, the one thing we don't know is the price - which we'll get once these devices go up for pre-order on February 9th.
It may seem risky to reserve a device when you don't know all the details, but we say why not? You won't have to plop down any cash until the pre-orders go live, and you'll get a guaranteed place in line either way.
Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra reservations available
Credit-wise, $50 isn't a huge amount but it's enough to contribute to a number of accessories, earbuds, or even smartwatch purchases via the Samsung Store. It's highly likely that the official store will also have competitive trade-in rates when the devices actually release to supplement your savings even further.
Not interested? Head on over to our weekly roundup of thebest cell phone dealsto check out today's options for other top Android and iOS devices.
Apple has released iOS 15.4 beta 1 to developers and public beta users. With this version, the company is finally testing the ability to use Face ID with a mask. Here’s everything you need to know about this upcoming feature.
Just after you update your iPhone to iOS 15.4, a new prompt screen will appear explaining the new “Use Face ID with a mask” feature. Even though Apple actively gives users this new option, the company let its customers know that Face ID is most secure wi5 full-face recognition only:
“Face ID is most accurate when it’s set up for full-face recognition only. To use Face ID while wearing a mask, iPhone can recognize the unique features around the eye to authenticate.”
How Face ID with a mask works? What’s the difference between Apple Watch unlock and this new feature?
With iOS 15.4, set to be released in the coming months, users will be able to use Face ID with a mask. As Apple explains, the TrueDepth system tries to “recognize the unique features around the eye to authenticate” your face. With the Apple Watch unlock, on the other hand, the TrueDepth system only searches for the mask. So, if the system gets the mask and the user is wearing an Apple Watch, the iPhone is automatically unlocked.
This is why Apple brings users the ability to lock the iPhone using the Apple Watch to avoid unintended false authentications.
Face ID with mask works with Apple Pay and third-party apps
As explained above, since the TrueDepth system is actively scanning your face, Apple allows Face ID to authenticate third-party apps access and even Apple Pay usage.
If you are used to unlocking your iPhone while wearing a mask with Apple Watch, you know that it’s not possible to open a bank app, WhatsApp, and other applications that use facial recognition authentication.
Now, with iOS 15.4 and this new feature, you can use your iPhone as you weren’t wearing a mask.
Face ID also works with glasses and a mask, but not sunglasses
Not only Apple is making it possible to use facial recognition with a mask, but it’s also improving Face ID with glasses. The company explains:
“Using Face ID while wearing a mask works best when it’s set up to recognize each pair of glasses you wear regularly. Face ID with a mask doesn’t support sunglasses.”
Since setting up facial recognition with a mask requires the TrueDepth system to analyze only your eye area, it wouldn’t make sense if this part is covered with sunglasses. This feature is available after you set up facial recognition with a mask.
Device compatibility: iPhone, Apple Watch, and iPad
To use Face ID with a mask users don’t need an Apple Watch, but there’s a catch with device compatibility as Apple is only bringing this feature to iPhone 12 users or newer. The company doesn’t explain why, but iPhone X, XR, XS, and 11 owners won’t be able to take advantage of this function.
With iOS 15.4, here are the users that can use Face ID with a mask:
For those who have a 2018 iPad Pro or M1 iPad Pro, I’m sorry to inform you that as beta 1 of iPadOS 15.4, Apple didn’t change how Face ID works on its tablets, which means no improvements regarding wearing glasses or a mask.
In the same way the company doesn’t let you unlock your iPad Pro with the Apple Watch, you also can’t take advantage of this iOS 15.4 feature on your iPad.
How to use Face ID with a mask?
After first installing iOS 15.4 (in beta for now) you’ll see a splash screen to set up Face ID With a Mask on iPhone 12 or 13
If you initially chose “Set Up Later,” head to Settings > Face ID & Passcode > Use Face ID With a Mask to get back to the feature and toggle it on
Follow the prompts to re-register your face to use with a mask
If you’re wearing glasses for the first scan, iOS will ask you to remove them for the second
If you’re not currently wearing glasses but do sometimes, you’ll see Add Glasses button after getting the feature set up.
With iOS 15, Apple is taking up to six weeks with every major update. While the company doesn’t specify a time frame, and iOS 15.4 is bringing several new features, it will take some time until all users can take advantage of all new functions.
Later last year, Apple said that Universal Control would arrive in the spring. Since this feature is available with beta 1 of iPadOS 15.4, the company has at least a two month window to release version 15.4 of its operating system, which means that the best option to use Face ID with a mask now is to download the public beta version of iOS.
Do you still have questions about this feature? Share your thoughts in the comment section below.
The times they are a-changin' and in this instance, seemingly for the better.
Unlike past launches of Nintendo first-party properties at the flagship Nintendo NY store located in New York City’s fabled Rockefeller Center — which often saw hundreds of people queued up overnight to be the first to buy the Switch, or high profile Mario and Zelda on Day 1 — the debut of Game Freak's highly anticipated Pokémon Legends: Arceus was downright civilized.
Clearly, this was by design, with Nintendo NY laying the ground rules a week in advance and ensuring that lines were for ticket holders only and that they could only line up an hour ahead of their entry slot (10 am, and a second wave at 11 am).
Surely local law enforcement had some choice suggestions on how to handle big launches, since past scenarios often found fans bringing actual furniture (everything from lawn chairs to tents) in order to better survive the often freezing temperatures that accompanied these special events.
But so too did the game’s widespread availability likely soften the blow of this launch. Your intrepid photographer had already put 5 or so hours into the game, having played it since midnight EST the day of the launch when Arceus unlocked, with yet another boxed copy arriving early the same morning.
The fact that there isn’t an accompanying Arceus-themed Switch console on offer, a special edition of the game, an Amiibo, or any developers or voice talent on hand meant that there was little to queue up for, other than to say “I was there.”
Nintendo NY was, as it is known to do, giving out posters and some minor freebies, and also had an Arceus-themed ‘campsite’ inside the store for fans to take photos in and around. Otherwise, this was a generally tame and organized affair – far preferable, in fact, to the chaos and usual FOMO that afflicted past events.
Surprisingly, there was a complete lack of any Arceus-branded merch – shirts, Switch cases and the usual suspects were notably absent – which is unusual considering this is one of the most anticipated first-party game launches in some time and was mostly shrouded in mystery. Regardless, everyone seemed to leave the store a happy camper which, to be fair, is completely appropriate in this case.
Ladies and gentlemen, the weekend deals! While some of us on the East Coast may be busy shoveling snow this Saturday morning, we hope many of you are having a restful weekend chock-full of deals and discounts.
Kicking things off on the deals front is Logitech’s StreamCam, which is currently on sale in its graphite colorway at Amazon for $108. That’s about $62 off the regular price of this excellent webcam, one we consider to be the best webcam you can buy in terms of image quality. The StreamCam is Logitech’s flagship 1080p camera and is able to achieve 60 frames per second, allowing for a smooth, crisp look. The Capture software can also keep you centered in the frame, much like the Center Stage feature found on Apple’s newer iPads, and the compact webcam can record in either landscape or portrait mode, a feature that makes editing clips for mobile that much easier. It doesn’t go on sale too frequently, however, and today’s price is only a few dollars shy of its all-time low.
The Beats Fit Pro are a new dark horse in the world of true wireless earbuds. While these days we often associate Apple-owned Beats with fitness-focused alternatives to the de facto standard AirPods line, the ANC-equipped Beats Fit Pro offer a comfy fit and outclass the pricier AirPods Pro in audio quality. Their only downsides are a clunkier case that does not offer wireless charging, and their tendency to not go on sale as much as the AirPods Pro. Well, that and the fact they still work a bit more seamlessly with iOS than Android.
The Roborock S6 MaxV is a robot vacuum and mop with a solid feature set that includes AI-based obstacle avoidance, up to 180 minutes of runtime, programmable no-go zones, and integration with Amazon’s Alexa. Roborock’s top-of-the-line model normally sells for $750, but it’s currently discounted to $460 at Amazon and Walmart (be sure to clip the on-page coupon on Amazon).
We have not tested this exact model, but our resident smart home reviewer Jennifer Pattison Tuohy recently found a lot to like in its flagship counterpart, the Roborock S7 Plus. The latter vacuum sells for $950, so the S6 MaxV promises many of the same features — suction capacity, lidar navigation, tank size, etc. — for almost half the price. The S6 lacks the auto-empty dock found on the S7 Plus, but if your home is littered with toys and other potential obstacles, the MaxV might be the better bet.
If you’re a PC gamer, the two biggest digital storefronts are both offering discounts worthy of your perusal right now. Both Epic Games and Steam are running Lunar New Year sales, offering various savings across a wide swath of titles. Steam’s sale runs until 1PM EST / 10AM PST on February 3rd, while Epic is extending its sale through February 9th.
The second-gen Google Pixel Stand is finally here, and our own Allison Johnson reviewed it and found it to be a fine charger if a bit pricey for what it offers. Thankfully, if you own an older Pixel 3, 4, or 5 that cannot take advantage of the new charger’s higher wattage output, you can currently get the first-gen model for $28.99 ($50 off) at Woot.
If you like the idea of wirelessly charging your phone (slowly) by resting it on an adorable Pikachu, this Pokémon-themed wireless charger by Madcow is $47.99 ($12 off) at GameStop. It may be a novelty, but it also charges three other devices via USB. Also, the cheeks light up! Come on, that’s adorable.
Apple’s second-gen AirPods are on sale at Amazon with the wired charging case $99.99, nearly matching their price to date. Although they’re now considered the entry-level model, they still offer great wireless performance, reliable battery life, and surprisingly detailed sound. Read our review.
First came Wordle. Then came the Wordle knockoffs. Among them is Dordle, a devious word game that isn't going to let you off easy. It asks you to figure out two five-letter words, but you can only input one word guess at a time. Confused? Play it and you'll understand.
Dordle comes from indie games developer Guilherme Tows, who works under the name Zaratustra Productions. Tows credits Wordle with inspiring Dordle, which is described as "wordle plus wordle."
I handily conquered the first Dordle I tried and was feeling pretty confident. Unlike Wordle, Dordle lets you keep playing with new puzzles. So then I tried the next one, got the word on the right side correct and totally biffed the word on the left. My beginner's luck didn't hold.
The community comments below the game might clue you in to some possible strategies for tackling Dordle. But you might just want to try it on your own first before you start fishing for help.
If Wordle is a calm, breezy experience and you want to run your brain through the wringer a bit more, Dordle should give you some exciting moments. Or anxious moments. Or both.
Dordle isn't a replacement for Wordle. It's a different beast, one with two heads and a bit of an attitude. That's what makes it fun and challenging.
Apple will no longer bundle Python 2.7 with macOS 12.3, according to developer release notes for the upcoming software update. Python 2 has not been supported since January 1, 2020 and no longer receives any bug fixes, security patches, or other changes.
Apple says that developers should use an alternative scripting language going forward, such as Python 3, but it's worth noting that Python 3 also does not come preinstalled on macOS. Developers can run the stub /usr/bin/python3 in Terminal, but it prompts users to install Xcode developer tools, which includes Python 3.
Apple warned that future versions of macOS would not include Python 2.7 in macOS Catalina's developer release notes back in 2019. At the time, Apple said Python 2.7 was included in macOS for compatibility with legacy software.
"If your software depends on scripting languages, it's recommended that you bundle the runtime within the app," said Apple.
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Apple’s long-awaited Universal Control feature is finally here, and after spending some time with it, I have to say: It’s exactly what Apple promised. Now available as part of the macOS Monterey 12.3 and iPadOS 15.4 developer betas, the feature creates the bridge between Macs and iPads that many have been waiting for Apple to build.
Universal Control, announced at WWDC last year, lets you use a single mouse and keyboard on both an iPad and Mac and drop and drop content between the two. This way, you can send photos or video clips from your tablet to your laptop and vice versa without using AirDrop, uploading to the cloud, or some other workaround.
So, how does it work? I’ll start by saying that Apple wasn’t mincing words when it claimed there was “no setup required.” You just need to do the basics: login to both devices using the same Apple ID and ensure they are both up to date. For now, you can only use the feature if you’re enrolled in Apple’s developer program, but it’ll eventually be a default feature on iPad and Mac.
Using Universal Control after I had downloaded iPadOS 15.4 on an iPad mini and macOS Monterey 12.3 on the latest 13-inch MacBook Pro was effortless. I simply placed the two devices next to each other and dragged my laptop cursor to the edge of the screen. When I nudged it a bit further, instead of slamming into an invisible wall, the cursor magically jumped to the iPad mini and transformed from a desktop pointer into iPadOS’s small circle. From there, I pulled up the Notes app on the iPad and started typing with the MacBook Pro keyboard. It was, plainly, incredible.
Curious to see what happens going the opposite direction, I plugged in a SteelSeries gaming mouse into the iPad mini’s USB-C port and pushed the circular icon across the invisible bridge. This time, the icon vanished from the tablet and reappeared as an arrow on the Mac. I happily discovered that the iPad could still be controlled by touch while the mouse—which, I should say, was plugged into the tablet—moved the MacBook cursor. To retake control of the MacBook, I simply swiped on the trackpad and its rightful cursor returned (while the iPad cursor reappeared on the tablet).
Dragging and dropping files was no different. I uploaded a couple of photos of this setup to the MacBook Pro’s desktop and moved them over to the Files app on the iPad mini with a simple click and swipe of the trackpad. The file appeared instantly. For full transparency, I’m not an Apple user—in fact, the last thing I owned that was designed in Cupertino was an iPod Touch—and yet, it’s features like Universal Control that anyone jumping between operating systems should envy. I sure as hell do.
That’s not to say the feature worked flawlessly. While it doesn’t require any setup, Universal Control didn’t kick in immediately after I updated my devices. Also, there was an instance where it didn’t want to drag a file from the MacBook to the iPad when using a mouse plugged into the tablet. The hiccup briefly and quickly resolved itself, but I can’t quite pinpoint what might have caused it. I also wonder what Apple suggests users do when they don’t want their cursor jumping between devices, especially since I discovered that the feature worked with the devices on opposite sides of the room. Sure, you can turn it on and off, but that’s an inelegant solution that undermines what makes Universal Control so compelling: its ease of use. This feature just launched in beta so let’s hope these things get ironed out in the next few months.
If you’re using a laptop or tablet—any “portable” device—then you will need to reconnect each time once the devices are in range. If you want to use Universal Control permanently on a desktop Mac, you can go into Display > System Preferences to set the feature up to work continuously. On the iPad Mini, you’ll find the feature in a new Cursor and Keyboard (Beta) option in General > AirPlay & Handoff.
Apple has previously said the feature would be available last fall but later changed the expected launch date to “available this spring,” which is when we expect the formal public launch of iPadOS 15.4 and macOS Monterey 12.3.
Ubisoft’s executive in charge of the company’s new, and generally despised, NFT endeavor said in an interview that Ubisoft is “accustomed to” such immediately negative responses, and said video game fans “don’t get what a digital secondary market can bring to them.”
“For now, because of the current situation and context of NFTs, gamers really believe it’s first destroying the planet, and second a tool for speculation,” Nicolas Pouard, who leads Ubisoft’s Strategic Innovations Lab, told the Australian product comparison site Finder. “The end game is about giving players the opportunity to resell their items once they’re finished with them, or they’re finished playing the game itself.”
In December, Ubisoft announced it would get into the business of non-fungible tokens (NFTs), a type of digital asset commonly likened to a piece of valuable art. Ubisoft’s NFTs are called Digits, and the publisher said they will “provide players the ability to personalize their experience and complete their missions with style.”
The response from the gaming audience was an instant and constant thumbs-down — literally. A video announcing Digits and their exchange platform, Quartz, was socked with 31,000 dislikes on YouTube, compared to 1,000 likes, and Ubisoft unlisted the video days after posting it. The backlash continued unabated, and included Ubisoft employees who criticized the venture as an exercise in “private property, speculation, artificial scarcity, and egoism.”
Video gamers’ hostility to NFTs intensified with GSC Game World’s plan to bring NFTs to STALKER 2: Heart of Chernobyl, the sequel to a 13-year-old cult hit, which has been in development since 2018. Gamers’ angry reactions, including vows not to buy the game, convinced GSC to call off its plans. The reactions to both Ubisoft and GSC Game World’s NFT announcements have since gained mainstream attention, where other sectors haven’t challenged NFTs’ legitimacy nearly as much.
Pouard was asked whether NFTs in video games will amount to a new form of microtransactions, loot boxes, or other monetized practices that video gamers by and large resent. “At no point will we force our players to use Quartz and Digits,” Pouard said. “We just inform them that there is a new system that could provide them with higher value than the existing ones.”
Pouard added, “We’ve made it so it’s somewhat hard for people to get into it. You must purchase the game. You must play at least two hours.” These barriers make it more difficult for pure speculators to get in and warp the market for these NFTs, he argued. Nor will all Ubisoft games be required to implement NFTs in some way, he said.
“The model of play to earn is about allowing players to make their own money by adding value to the whole ecosystem,” Pouard argued.