The Orb X is a multi-purpose computing pod that will let you shut out pesky distractions to focus more deeply on gaming or work. It looks like something out of a futuristic Jetsons-era catalogue, but it's a lot more real than you'd think: Cooler Master is already taking pre-orders for their creation. Climbing inside the Orb X will wrap you in speakers, screens, and overall comfort as you immerse yourself completely in the experience. Although the device isn't completely enclosed, a dome w...
I love soup. I know that seems like a strange blanket statement to make, but it’s true: nothing is as comforting as a warm bowl of soup (or chili) in your hands on a cold day. I’m the person who sticks her head out the door when the weather dips below 50 degrees and yells “SOUP SEASON!” out into the world. Just ask my neighbors. They’re witnesses. Anyway. Traditionally, we have done chili cook-offs here at Stardock, but we decided to cha...
Today, in people are wildly creative: someone is constructing the Kaneda bike from the anime Akira , which may be the most iconic bike in all of anime (or popular culture, for that matter). YouTuber Ayato has undergone quite the massive undertaking with this project and is documenting his progress on his channel for everyone to see. In the video above, Ayato discusses some of the modifications he's intending to make from the original design. These are mostly things to account...
We were lucky to have had a pretty mild October here in Michigan, but let me tell you: the chill of November has descended upon us with a vengeance. It may be cold as #$@! outside, but my insides are warm and fuzzy with gratitude for the great year we’ve had here at Stardock. Sappy? Yes, absolutely. But that’s pretty on brand for me, so you can deal with it. This year marked more of a return to “normal” with several in-person events and opportunities to...
Here in the states, Thanksgiving is upon us! On Thursday, many of us will stuff our faces with turkey and then fall asleep on the couch in front of the football game. Or, if you're me, you'll fall asleep in front of a video game - I've never been much for football. Some years ago, Black Friday used to be a big event for certain members of my family. My parents, sister, and I weren't so much into it, but we'd usually go visit our aunt and uncle and cousins in their tent camped outside the...
Most of you are by now very well aware, but I am a nostalgic person. As an eternal sentimentalist, I can think back on many things from my childhood with a fondness that brings me a great deal of elation even as an adult. One of the things that sends me straight back into happy memories is the feeling of holding a brand-new Nintendo Power magazine in my hand. Aside from the few issues I lovingly saved, I'll never really have that experience again - but a user named Gumball has ma...
I worked in schools for a very long time before I came to Stardock. As a result, there are certain habits and mentalities that I have carried over with me throughout the years that just haven’t gone away - in this case, an always-full candy dish at my desk. The dish has gotten bigger over the years, and more accessible. I definitely wasn’t crazy enough to leave candy in a bowl out in the open around elementary school kids! Truth be told, though, leaving it out around the...
If you recall the sounds of your PC from back in 'the olden days,' you might remember the sounds of the whirring fans, the chime-like booting sound, and an incessant - but merry! - continuous clicking of an overnight defrag. Ah, the good old days. If you have any fondness for ASMR, this might just be the pick-me-up you're looking for at the end of a rough week. A little device called the HDD Clicker will let you enjoy the sounds of a spinning platter amidst the twilight age of the hard disk d...
Here at Stardock, we take Halloween pretty seriously. It’s one of my favorite times of the year - I love seeing my coworkers’ creativity on full display! Our costume contest and Halloween luncheon are long standing traditions that I am always happy to enthusiastically participate in. This year was particularly silly for me because I overheard a few coworkers deciding to go as a herd of velociraptors. I decided that Robert Muldoon - famously known for his “Clever girl...
I am a nerd about a lot of things, and in recent years I've found Marvel - specifically its Cinematic Universe - to be no exception. I watched She-Hulk weekly without fail and absolutely fell in love with the quirky nature of the series (breaking the 4th wall is one of my all-time favorite comedic elements). She-Hulk is the first Marvel property to feature a completely CGI'ed main character, which of course comes with some production challenges. Marvel recently put out a really cool...
What a week! Everyone has been so excited to get a first peek at what we’re working on with Sins of a Solar Empire II . If you’ve tried out our Technical Preview already, we definitely hope you’re enjoying it and we want to assure you: there is so much more to come. The technical preview is Sins II in its very earliest stages and is meant to get feedback from you guys on directions you’d like to see us move with it. One of the cornerstones of Stardock has been ...
Why is science out to get me? I mean, okay - if I'm being frank, it's really kind of out to get all of us, but I felt especially attacked when I happened upon some really cool research out of Harvard earlier this week. Specifically, this nightmare fuel robot: I feel like tentacles and terrifying go hand in...uh. "Hand in hand" probably isn't the right phrase here. I'm too disturbed to make a pun, which is saying something! Literally the tentacles could be any o...
Group shot of our wagon ride It’s autumn in Michigan, and that means it’s cider mill season! This week, we took our annual trip out to Three Cedars Farm and enjoyed each other’s company while we got lost in the corn maze, huddled up around the fire, ate donuts, and - of course - drank cider. We’ve had a bit of rain this week, which made the footing in the corn maze precarious at best. While I am normally determined to finish a challenge set in front of m...
So... yikes. Scientists in Korea recently announced that they've found a better way to grow an insect-destroying mushroom in a lab. As creepy as it sounds, these particular fungi and the chemicals they produce may actually have medicinal uses for humans, which makes being able to study them more easily a definite positive. The fungi - known as Cordyceps - is parasitic, usually feeding on insects and other arthropods. They invade and kill their hosts as they slowly turn t...
It’s that time of year again: our annual publisher sale on Steam starts today and runs through October 13th! You can save up to 75% off on our games, expansions, DLC, and software. I want to highlight a few of my favorites - and some fan favorites, too! - in case you were wondering where to start. Offworld Trading Company I am probably the furthest from a financial mind as you can get, but Offworld Trading Company at least lets me pretend that I have...