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Sony brings ‘God of War: Betrayal’ for Verizon users
MUMBAI: Sony Pictures Television (SPT) and Verizon Wireless have launched God of War: Betrayal in the wireless game version of the popular Sony Computer Entertainment America franchise. God of War: Betrayal, which features a cutting-edge mobile character animation engine, allows wireless gamers to fight in true God of War combat, including with Blades of Chaos, Blade of Artemis and other proprietary ammunition, from the popular console series. Sony Pictures Television VP mobile entertainment Eric Burger, “By bringing this popular title to Verizon Wireless customers, we will both expand the franchise to gamers on the mobile platform, and provide a thrilling and satisfying gaming experience to the existing God of War fans.” The game throws mobile gamers into intense combat action. Players can engage in a wide assortment of battles including combo attacks on the ground or in the air, freezing enemies and summoning the Army of Hades to unleash the fury of the underworld. Gamers can also attack their enemies while climbing walls or hanging from a rope over deadly chasms. During these battles, players trade in experience orbs to upgrade weapons and magic attacks. The game features animated foreground and background elements, deadly traps like saw blades, bottomless pits, jagging spikes and more.
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With 57 per cent single new users, Ashley Madison rebrands as discreet dating platform
Platform says majority of new members now identify as single
INDIA: Ashley Madison is shedding the “married-dating” label that defined it for two decades, repositioning itself as a platform for discreet dating in what it calls the post-social media age.
The rebrand, unveiled in India on 27 February, 2026, marks a structural shift in business model and identity. Once synonymous with married dating, the company now describes itself as the “premier destination for discreet dating” under a new tagline: Where Desire Meets Discretion.
The pivot is data-driven. Internal figures show that 57 per cent of global sign-ups between 1 January and 31 December, 2025 identified as single: a notable departure from the platform’s married core. The company argues that its community has already evolved beyond its original positioning.
“In an age where our lives have been constantly put on public display, privacy has become the new luxury,” said Ashley Madison chief strategy officer Paul Keable. He framed the platform’s offering as “ethical discretion” for singles, separated, divorced and non-monogamous users seeking private connections.
The shift also taps into wider digital fatigue. A global survey conducted by YouGov for Ashley Madison, covering 13,071 adults across Australia, Brazil, Canada, Germany, India, Italy, Mexico, Spain, Switzerland, the UK and the US, found mounting discomfort with hyper-public online lives.
Among dating app users, 30 per cent cited constant swiping and messaging as a source of fatigue, while 24 per cent pointed to pressure to curate public-facing profiles and early personal disclosure. Some 27 per cent said fears of screenshots or information being shared contributed to exhaustion; an equal share cited unwanted attention.
The retreat from oversharing appears broader. According to the survey, 46 per cent of adults actively try to keep most aspects of their life private online. Only 8 per cent feel comfortable sharing most aspects publicly, while 35 per cent say they are becoming more selective about what they disclose.
Ashley Madison is betting that this cultural recalibration towards controlled visibility can be monetised. By doubling down on privacy infrastructure and reframing itself around discretion rather than infidelity, the company is attempting to convert reputational baggage into a premium proposition.
