Microsoft

Why Triller and Snapchat can’t beat TikTok (unless Trump actually bans it)

The Trump administration’s possible ban on TikTok in the U.S. could prove to be a golden opportunity for the viral video app’s competitors.  This past weekend, President Trump announced that his administration was going to ban TikTok due to national security risks related to its Chinese-parent company, ByteDance. If the proposed ban moves forward, its…

The Trump administration’s possible ban on TikTok in the U.S. could prove to be a golden opportunity for the viral video app’s competitors. 

This past weekend, President Trump announced that his administration was going to ban TikTok due to national security risks related to its Chinese-parent company, ByteDance. If the proposed ban moves forward, its users will undoubtedly defect, and look for a new but similar app to create and post social content. However, it’s going to be very hard for those competitors to recreate the cultural phenomenon that is TikTok. After all, it’s not just a social media platform — it’s a discovery tool; it’s a community; it can ruin the President of the United States’ rally attendance. 

Some users have already flocked to competitors’ apps upon hearing the news. One of those apps that’s gaining a lot of attention now is Triller.

Can Triller replace TikTok?

Early last month, shortly after India banned TikTok for similar China-related security issues, Triller boasted about having 50 million monthly active users. Sure, that’s still tiny compared to TikTok’s 800 million monthly active users, but Triller is definitely growing. The app suddenly of Apple’s App Store charts over the weekend. On the day Trump announced the ban, Triller app downloads hit nearly 62,000 in the U.S. alone. 

Much like TikTok, Triller has a focus on short-form music video creation. It even has from some major music stars like Snoop Dogg and Lil Wayne. As of now, it seems Triller may become the main alternative choice for TikTok users.

However, TikTok has one important feature

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Microsoft

Today’s Top Stories: Microsoft, Meta AI Gains Push Stocks Higher as Bitcoin Holds Steady

TLDR Microsoft shares rose about 3% after unveiling new Copilot AI tools, including an always-on AI agent. Meta’s Muse AI assistant drove roughly $200 billion in market value gains after 2.8 million downloads in 12 days. U.S. stocks traded near flat as investors weighed AI optimism against higher bond yields and oil prices…

TLDR Microsoft shares rose about 3% after unveiling new Copilot AI tools, including an always-on AI agent. Meta’s Muse AI assistant drove roughly $200 billion in market value gains after 2.8 million downloads in 12 days. U.S. stocks traded near flat as investors weighed AI optimism against higher bond yields and oil prices…
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Microsoft

Microsoft Culled Age of Empires Studio Before Handing It Over to Activision, With Nearly Half of All Staff Gone

Age of Empires studio World’s Edge lost almost half of all employees this week, as part of Microsoft’s latest round of job losses. The cuts form part of the 268 staff let go across the wider Xbox business, as part of a projected target of 3,200 job losses forecast over the course of this current

Age of Empires studio World’s Edge lost almost half of all employees this week, as part of Microsoft’s latest round of job losses.

The cuts form part of the 268 staff let go across the wider Xbox business, as part of a projected target of 3,200 job losses forecast over the course of this current financial year.

It was announced on Monday that World’s Edge would now be part of Activision, though details on how the studio’s employees had been impacted remained unclear. In the days since, however, staff have now reported via social media that nearly 50% of the company was now out of work, while its next project had been cancelled.

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“I am of course disappointed that this is the way the time with World’s Edge and Age ends for myself and many of my talented teammates that were also impacted — we had some great plans for what’s next,” wrote Adam Isgreen, formerly the company’s studio creative director, who had served at World’s Edge for 16 years. “I hope the team that remains can rise to the occasion down the line.”

“Our studio was reorganized to be under the Activision umbrella,” added Andrew Martz, formerly a senior software engineer at the studio. “As part of that reorg, our next project was cancelled and a large chunk of our studio was laid off. I was part of that layoff.”

“‘It was nice working with you’ was not a message I expected to get while on vacation,” wrote another laid-off staff member, former lead principal software engineer Greg Snook. “Like many others, I was cut loose from Microsoft today. Turns out my last day with building access is also my exact 25-year hire anniversary.”

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Xbox Games Series Tier List

 
 
 
 
 

It’s unclear what’s next for World’s Edge under Activision, as well as the Age of Empires brand as a whole. While the studio oversaw development of the real-time strategy franchise, it relied on partnerships with external developers such as Relic Entertainment, which was the primary developer for Age of Empires IV. Launched in 2021 for PC, it has since now been ported to Xbox and PlayStation consoles.

Will Age of Empires 5 follow? It seems inevitable, though Activision’s ownership may see the studio’s remaining staff put to work elsewhere. A Halo strategy title, perhaps, now Activision is also overseeing Xbox’s main shooter brand? Time will tell.

Meanwhile, the Viking Sagas DLC for Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition launched on Tuesday. It adds three brand new civilizations, 15 new single-player campaign scenarios, and more.

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Tom Phillips
News Editor

Tom Phillips is IGN’s News Editor. You can reach Tom at tom_phillips@ign.com or find him on Bluesky @tomphillipseg.bsky.social

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Everyone assumed the Windows taskbar copied a rival OS. Microsoft says no

In a recent social media thread, Microsoft veterans Brad Silverberg, Joe Belfiore, and Dave Plummer shared a few anecdotes and clarifications about how the taskbar became part of Windows. The taskbar, first introduced with Windows 95, allowed users to keep track of multiple active programs simultaneously…

In a recent social media thread, Microsoft veterans Brad Silverberg, Joe Belfiore, and Dave Plummer shared a few anecdotes and clarifications about how the taskbar became part of Windows.

The taskbar, first introduced with Windows 95, allowed users to keep track of multiple active programs simultaneously…
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Chrome Web Store extensions caught stealing crypto, browser data

Multiple extensions for Google Chrome and Microsoft Edge delivered a malware framework that deployed modules to steal cryptocurrency, sensitive data, and browser history, as well as inject ClickFix lures. …

Multiple extensions for Google Chrome and Microsoft Edge delivered a malware framework that deployed modules to steal cryptocurrency, sensitive data, and browser history, as well as inject ClickFix lures. …
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