A great new video game movie

The Verge’s Installer No. 144 roundup covers the author’s week in Los Angeles trying Snap’s new Specs and highlights recent tech and entertainment items, including Apple’s under-display Face ID on the iPhone 18 Pro and leadership news at Xbox. The newsletter also reviews new consumer devices and games — from Valve’s Steam Frame VR headset to Nintendo’s Fire Emblem: Fortune’s Weave — and features indie developer Dan Dilorio’s homescreen and current picks.

By AI Newsroom· Reviewed by Pranav, Founder & Editor-in-ChiefPublished 21 minutes agoUpdated 21 minutes ago0 views

Why It Matters

The edition collects hands-on impressions and early reactions to several high-profile product launches and media, offering readers a snapshot of what’s new and notable across gadgets, games, and culture. The piece aggregates firsthand testing, reviews from Verge colleagues, and community recommendations to signal what’s gaining attention this week.

Key Facts

Installer edition: No. 144
Author activities: Traveled to Los Angeles to try Snap’s Specs
iPhone feature noted: iPhone 18 Pro Face ID sensor moved under the display
Xbox leadership: Mention of new Xbox boss Asha Sharma
Valve product: Steam Frame VR headset — starts at $1,059; launch delayed from early 2026 to now (per review)

Installer No. 144 from The Verge collects the week’s notable tech, gaming, and culture highlights. The author reports flying to Los Angeles to test Snap’s new Specs and flags a range of other items that caught their attention, including Apple’s iPhone 18 Pro moving Face ID beneath the display and the appointment of Asha Sharma as Xbox’s new boss. Entertainment notes include a new trailer for The Great British Baking Show and a late-night sketch in which Stephen Colbert shaves his beard on Jimmy Kimmel.

On hardware, the edition spotlights Valve’s Steam Frame VR headset, which has finally arrived after an initial early-2026 target and carries a $1,059 starting price. The Verge’s review praised the device as an enjoyable way to play VR and flatscreen titles when it’s functioning, while also calling out bugs and instability similar to early Steam Deck feedback. Other devices mentioned include Fujifilm’s Instax Pal 2 — a compact $169.95 digital camera with a 1.3-inch LCD and 10-megapixel sensor — and Hisense’s RoamView, a $1,199 32-inch 4K touchscreen on a wheeled stand with a 10-hour battery.

Gaming coverage highlights Nintendo’s Fire Emblem: Fortune’s Weave, described as a strong evolution of the series and the author’s favorite game on the Switch 2 after about 130 hours of play. Insomniac’s Marvel’s Wolverine receives a more mixed reception: praised for satisfying action gameplay but critiqued for a forgettable story. The newsletter also notes smaller gadgets like Boox’s Picco, a 3.97-inch E Ink device available for preorder at $99.99, and calls out the developer Dan Dilorio (TrampolineTales), who recently released the puzzle game What’s the Password? and shared details about his Pixel 6A homescreen, favorite apps, and daily gaming habits.

Installer wraps with a crowdsourced section where readers and the author swap recommendations, ranging from TV (Slow Horses season 6) to browsers (Zen vs. Arc) and indie games (The Drifter). The issue invites reader tips and contributions via installer@theverge.com and links to past editions on the Installer homepage for further exploration.