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Chaos Agents Private Alpha launches along with crowdfunding campaign on Republic, oversubscribed within 6 hours

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2 years ago

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Popularium’s first game sees more than 20,000 players applying for 1,000 Alpha spots, closes $50,000 equity crowdfunding target in less than 6 hours

LOS ANGELES, Dec. 26, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Chaos Agents, the world’s first autobattler-royale, designed by Richard Garfield and the first game developed by Popularium, launched its private Alpha today. Since the announcement of the private Alpha at Gen Con 2024 in Indianapolis, more than 20,000 players have signed up for 1,000 seats. To meet the demand, Popularium will increase the number of Alpha seats to 5,000 for the initial launch of the Alpha, and plans to expand the Alpha beyond 10,000 players in early 2025.

“We have been overwhelmed by the response to the Alpha announcement,” said Arka Ray, President and CTO at Popularium. “The number of players who want to join the Alpha and experience Richard’s vision has been over 20 times more than we anticipated. And we continue to get hundreds of new applications each week. We’re expecting more than 30 thousand applicants by year end. The team is working through the holidays to accommodate as many players as possible at this early stage of the Alpha. We want every applicant to have an opportunity to experience Chaos Agents as soon as possible.”

To prepare for this rapid expansion, Popularium launched an equity crowdfunding campaign on the Republic platform. The campaign was fully committed and then oversubscribed within six hours of launching publicly. The Popularium campaign on Republic enables members of the public to invest in Popularium. Ray attributed the rapid close of the campaign to players and fans of Popularium co-founders Richard Garfield (Magic: the Gathering) and Jonathan Bankard (Hearthstone, World of Warcraft, Diablo, Command and Conquer) wanting to directly support the development of their next original game.

“This is an exciting time for Chaos Agents,” said Garfield in a community Q&A on the occasion of launch of the Chaos Agents Alpha and crowdfunding campaign on Republic. “The game is being really well received by players, much more so than I expected at this early stage. There are so many different types of play modes that we want to build into Chaos Agents, and thanks to the community and the technology we have built, it’s becoming clear what we can and should be building. There’s no more exciting time for a game’s development when players are clearly enjoying it, but at the same time the opportunities for improvements seem endless.”

The Alpha Launch follows the announcement that Popularium has committed to the “forever multiplayer game” model for Chaos Agents. Through the use of dedicated servers and its proprietary Chaos Cloud Gaming Engine, Popularium plans to ensure that Chaos Agents will be a multiplayer game that “can’t be killed” or taken offline. Players are expected to always have a way to play the game with the globally unique superheroes they have recruited to their team. Garfield and Ray attributed the positive response from this announcement as having helped generate additional interest in the Chaos Agents Alpha and crowdfunding campaign.

In Chaos Agents, the first game of the “autobattler-royale” genre, players coach and guide a globally unique superhero – their Chaos Agent – to victory in a grand battle royale against dozens of other Agents. The player coaches and powers their hero up through deep, strategic card play similar to Garfield’s legendary games, such as Magic and Keyforge, and then sits back and watches as their Agent goes to battle, preparing for the next round of upgrades. Each Agent is globally unique – which means that only one player in the world will be able to play with an Agent at a time and become the global expert on that Agent.

“Evolving and creating new genres is just so much fun,” said Jonathan Bankard, Game Director for Chaos Agents. “All of us at Popularium have worked on projects like Magic and Hearthstone that started as small dreams that ended up impacting many more players than we initially hoped. We are trying something similar with Chaos Agents–to bring the autobattler genre of games to many more people through the proven format of battle royales. The advantage we now have is the early involvement of our community in helping us polish this uncut gem into a brilliant, shining diamond through their play and now investments that let them own a piece of Popularium.”

Chaos Agents plans to expand its Alpha in late January together with the Second Chaos World Championship, and plans to expand the Alpha capacity each month before entering Early Access in late 2025. Players can sign up for the Alpha at popularium.com and request priority access by joining the Chaos Agents Discord server.

About Popularium: Popularium was founded by an all-star team of gaming industry veterans behind the largest multiplayer games and platforms in history, such as Magic: The Gathering, Hearthstone, World of Warcraft, and Xbox Live, to innovate and create gaming experiences. Popularium started from a simple idea: What would games look like if they involved the community from an early stage? What if this community had the tools to impact the narrative and economy by playing games the way they want to, rather than the way games wanted them to play? Chaos Agents, designed by Popularium co-founder Richard Garfield, is Popularium’s first effort to bring this vision to life.

Press Contact: Chris Gale, Chris@GaleStrategies.com 

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SOURCE Popularium

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ECARX Holdings to Report Third Quarter 2026 Financial Results on November 04, 2026

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33 minutes ago

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October 21, 2026

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LONDON, Oct. 21, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — ECARX Holdings Inc. (Nasdaq: ECX) (“ECARX” or the “Company”), a leading global automotive intelligence company, today announced it will host a conference call and live webcast on Wednesday, November 04, 2026, at 8:00 a.m. ET to report its financial results and business highlights for the third quarter ended September 30, 2026.

Earnings Conference Call & Webcast Details: 

Date: Wednesday, November 04, 2026
Time: 8:00 a.m. U.S. ET
Webcast: https://edge.media-server.com/mmc/p/e4i8peb6/lan/en

To join the live conference call, please register at https://register-conf.media-server.com/register/BI9ffd14a76c2a4f01aa0a3d8d55eed7b0 to receive the conference call details as well as international access numbers.

Please join at least 15 minutes in advance to ensure a timely connection to the call and webcast. Audio replay information will be available on ECARX’s investor relations website in the news and events section.

A replay of the event and presentation materials will be available on the Company’s investor relations website under the results and reports section following the event.

= end =

About ECARX

ECARX (Nasdaq: ECX), headquartered in London, is a leading global automotive intelligence company. ECARX provides the intelligent brain that powers the next generation of software-defined and AI defined vehicles. The company delivers end-to-end, full-stack solutions spanning advanced system-on-chip hardware, high-performance central computing platforms, intelligent cockpit technology, Advanced Driver Assistance Systems, cloud connectivity and physical AI, alongside bespoke vehicle software and intelligent operating systems.

As automakers transition to software-first and AI-first vehicle architectures, ECARX empowers automakers to streamline integration, reduce systemic complexity and optimize long-term cost efficiency. ECARX’s proven technology is deployed across over 12 million vehicles worldwide, and is currently partnered with 18 global automakers and 28 vehicle brands to shape the future of automotive intelligence.

Founded in 2017 and listed on Nasdaq in 2022, ECARX operates from 15 major international locations across Europe, the Americas and Asia, with a global team of over 1,400 employees.

Forward-Looking Statements

This release contains statements that are forward-looking statements within the meaning of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements are based on management’s beliefs and expectations as well as on assumptions made by and data currently available to management, appear in a number of places throughout this document and include statements regarding, amongst other things, results of operations, financial condition, liquidity, prospects, growth, strategies and the industry in which we operate. The use of words “expects”, “intends”, “anticipates”, “estimates”, “predicts”, “believes”, “should”, “potential”, “may”, “preliminary”, “forecast”, “objective”, “plan”, or “target”, and other similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially, including, but not limited to statements regarding our intentions, beliefs or current expectations concerning, among other things, results of operations, financial condition, liquidity, prospects, growth, strategies, future market conditions or economic performance and developments in the capital and credit markets and expected future financial performance, and the markets in which we operate.

For a discussion of these and other risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed in any forward-looking statement, see ECARX’s filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. ECARX undertakes no obligation to update or revise forward-looking statements to reflect subsequent events or circumstances, except as required by applicable law.

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/ecarx-holdings-to-report-third-quarter-2026-financial-results-on-november-04-2026-302914890.html

SOURCE ECARX Holdings Inc.

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RTX’s Pratt & Whitney Canada introduces certified PT9 engine

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33 minutes ago

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October 21, 2026

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New centerline turboprop delivers more power, efficiency and flexibility for next-generation aircraft 

LAS VEGAS, Oct. 21, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Pratt & Whitney Canada today unveiled its latest turboprop engine with a new centerline that delivers 33% more power at altitude and reduces fuel consumption by 20%, compared to previous generation engines. The engine, which amassed more than 14,000 development hours, was recently certified by Transport Canada. Pratt & Whitney is an RTX (NYSE: RTX) business.

“The PT9 engine represents the next evolution of turboprop propulsion, delivering significant advances in performance, efficiency and adaptability to meet the needs of modern aviation,” said Satheeshkumar Kumarasingam, president, Pratt & Whitney Canada. “Designed around evolving customer needs, including advanced digital capabilities and future-ready hybridization, its architecture can be tailored to diverse airframe types and provides a strong foundation for continued innovation and technology integration.” 

The PT9 engine combines jet-like performance, turboprop efficiency and advanced digital intelligence in a next-generation architecture designed to provide more capability today and evolve with the aircraft of tomorrow. Its modular construction sets the foundation for continued innovation and technology integration, including electric aircraft and hybrid thermal-electric powerplants. The PT9 engine is ideal for high-demand missions and can be easily tailored to diverse airframe types.

Production will take place in Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada, which is also the company’s global Center of Excellence for the PT6 family of turboprop engines.

About Pratt & Whitney  
Pratt & Whitney, an RTX business, is a world leader in the design, manufacture and service of aircraft engines and auxiliary power units for military, commercial and civil aviation customers. Since 1925, our engineers have pioneered the development of revolutionary aircraft propulsion technologies, and today we support more than 90,000 in-service engines through our global network of maintenance, repair and overhaul facilities.

About RTX 
With more than 180,000 global employees, we push the limits of technology and science to redefine how we connect and protect our world. With industry-leading capabilities, we advance aviation, engineer integrated defense systems for operational success, and develop next-generation technology solutions and manufacturing to help global customers address their most critical challenges. The company, with 2025 sales of more than $88 billion, is headquartered in Arlington, Virginia.  

For questions or to schedule an interview, please contact corporatepr@rtx.com. 

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/rtxs-pratt–whitney-canada-introduces-certified-pt9-engine-302914483.html

SOURCE RTX

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Rockwell Automation Introduces FactoryTalk Conductor, an AI-Native Orchestration Platform for Industrial Automation

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33 minutes ago

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October 21, 2026

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New software connects AI agents, skills and workflows across the automation lifecycle

MILWAUKEE, Oct. 21, 2026 /CNW/ — Rockwell Automation, Inc. (NYSE: ROK), the world’s largest company dedicated to industrial automation and digital transformation, today announced the introduction of FactoryTalk® Conductor™, a new AI-native orchestration platform designed to coordinate AI-powered work across the industrial automation lifecycle, creating a foundation for AI-enabled workflows from system design through operation and maintenance. The software will make its public debut at Automation Fair® 2026 in Boston, where attendees will receive an exclusive first look ahead of its planned commercial availability in the first quarter of 2027.

According to Rockwell Automation’s 2026 State of Smart Manufacturing Report, one-third of manufacturing operations are already AI-augmented, with adoption expected to accelerate in the years ahead. As manufacturers move from AI experimentation to broader deployment, they need practical ways to connect technology, workflows and expertise. FactoryTalk Conductor is designed to meet that need through a single platform that brings AI together across engineering environments.

“The next phase of industrial AI will be defined by orchestration rather than individual copilots,” said Craig Resnick, Vice President, ARC Advisory Group. “Manufacturers need AI technologies that can coordinate tasks across software systems, engineering tools and operational data. FactoryTalk Conductor reflects the industry’s evolution toward agentic automation by bringing AI agents, workflows and industrial expertise together in a unified environment.”

FactoryTalk Conductor enables users to initiate engineering tasks using natural language and intelligently connects the software, AI capabilities and workflows needed to complete them. At launch, the platform will integrate with Studio 5000 Logix Designer®, Logix Echo™, Emulate3D® and FactoryTalk® Optix™, providing coverage across key design, development, simulation and testing workflows. Additional integrations across Rockwell Automation’s software portfolio, including FactoryTalk® Design Studio™, FactoryTalk® Historian, Plex® and Fiix®, are planned to follow, expanding AI-powered workflows across the industrial automation lifecycle.

“What makes FactoryTalk Conductor unique is the combination of AI orchestration and trusted industrial expertise,” said Matheus Bulho, senior vice president, software & control, Rockwell Automation. “Customers can leverage Rockwell Automation-verified agents and skills, create capabilities tailored to their business, and connect AI across software, data and services. This creates a scalable foundation for accelerating engineering work while maintaining the standards required in industrial environments.”

Key benefits include:

Supporting enterprise AI and governance requirements, giving organizations the flexibility to leverage FactoryTalk Hub-hosted AI services or connect their preferred large or small language models, including locally hosted open-weight models that can help reduce ongoing token consumption costs.Accelerating engineering workflows across the automation lifecycle by coordinating activities across design, development, testing and verification environments.Reducing complexity across software applications by enabling AI-powered workflows that span Studio 5000 Logix Designer, Logix Echo, Emulate3D, FactoryTalk Optix and other Rockwell Automation solutions.Applying AI with greater confidence and reliability through Rockwell Automation-developed integrations that connect software, data and services across industrial operations.Extending trusted automation expertise through Rockwell Automation-verified agents and skills, helping teams accelerate work with capabilities purpose-built for industrial applications.

Manufacturers attending Automation Fair 2026 will be able to experience FactoryTalk Conductor demonstrations across multiple show floor experiences, including Technology & Services Showcase, Industry Pavillion, Innovations, as well as dedicated technical sessions.

Additional information about FactoryTalk Conductor and Automation Fair can be found at www.rockwellautomation.com.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is FactoryTalk Conductor?
FactoryTalk Conductor is an AI-native orchestration platform that connects AI agents, skills, workflows and automation software to help engineers accelerate system design, development and testing activities through natural language interactions and trusted industrial expertise.

How is FactoryTalk Conductor different from an AI copilot?
While traditional AI copilots assist with individual tasks, FactoryTalk Conductor enables multiple AI agents, workflows and software tools to work together across engineering processes. This enables broader automation of complex, multi-step activities that span applications, data sources and teams.

When will FactoryTalk Conductor be available?
FactoryTalk Conductor will be previewed at Automation Fair 2026 in Boston and is expected to be commercially available in the first quarter of 2027.

What Rockwell Automation products can FactoryTalk Conductor work with?
FactoryTalk Conductor is designed to work across a growing portfolio of Rockwell Automation software. At launch, it will support Studio 5000 Logix Designer®, Logix Echo™, Emulate3D® and FactoryTalk® Optix™, with additional integrations planned for FactoryTalk® Design Studio™, FactoryTalk® Historian, Plex®, Fiix® and other solutions over time.

Can customers create and deploy their own AI agents and skills?
Yes. In addition to Rockwell Automation-verified agents and skills, customers can create and deploy their own agents and skills to support company standards, industry requirements and unique engineering workflows

About Rockwell Automation

Rockwell Automation, Inc. (NYSE: ROK), is a global leader in industrial automation and digital transformation. We connect the imaginations of people with the potential of technology to expand what is humanly possible, making the world more productive and more sustainable. Headquartered in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Rockwell Automation employs approximately 26,000 problem solvers dedicated to our customers in more than 100 countries. To learn more about how we are bringing the Connected Enterprise® to life across industrial enterprises, visit www.rockwellautomation.com.

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SOURCE Rockwell Automation, Inc.

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