xAI says an “unauthorized” prompt change caused Grok to focus on “white genocide”
Meanwhile, Grok's authorized prompt asks it to "provide truthful and based insights."
Kyle Orland
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Kyle Orland
Senior Gaming Editor
kyle.orland@arstechnica.com
Kyle Orland has been the Senior Gaming Editor at Ars Technica since 2012, covering topics ranging from retro games to new gaming hardware, business and legal developments in the industry, fan communities, gaming mods and hacks, virtual reality, and much more. More recently, he has also been helping to cover the rise of generative AI and other artificial intelligence topics for Ars.
Based in the Washington DC area, Kyle got his start writing about games back in 1997 when he set up fan site Super Mario Bros. HQ on his parents’ America Online subscription. Since then, Kyle has gone on to obtain journalism and computer science degrees from the University of Maryland and write for dozens of outlets ranging from NPR and MSNBC to Electronic Gaming Monthly and Paste Magazine.
Kyle is the author of Minesweeper from Boss Fight Books as well as two collections of contemporary journalism—The Game Beat and Save Point. You can find his irregular musings on BlueSky: @kyleor.land.
Recent stories by
Kyle Orland
xAI’s Grok suddenly can’t stop bringing up “white genocide” in South Africa
The topic has long been a hobbyhorse of X owner Elon Musk.
Kyle Orland
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New Switch 2 specs show large performance dip in undocked mode
Digital Foundry also says Game Chat "has a significant impact on system resources."
Kyle Orland
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90
Doom: The Dark Ages is surprisingly playable on the Steam Deck
"Low" graphics settings and 800p resolution hit 30 to 40 fps on Valve's hardy handheld.
Kyle Orland
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Nintendo warns that it can brick Switch consoles if it detects hacking, piracy
Updated EULA language includes new threat to "render the... device permanently unusable."
Kyle Orland
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Don’t look now, but a confirmed gamer is leading the Catholic Church
Prevost played Wordle and Words with Friends before leaving for the conclave.
Kyle Orland
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Doom: The Dark Ages review: Shields up!
Prepare to add a more defensive stance to the usual dodge-and-shoot gameplay loop.
Kyle Orland
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How long will Switch 2’s Game Key Cards keep working?
Nintendo's history suggests we can look forward to decades of support.
Kyle Orland
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Most Read
Why Google Gemini’s Pokémon success isn’t all it’s cracked up to be
Assistance from an external "agent harness" was key to the model's success.
Kyle Orland
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The Last of Us packs new characters and new revelations into its latest episode
Plus: Kyle and Andrew discuss '80s pop covers and free jazz. No, seriously...
Kyle Orland
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37
Epic Games Store completely eliminates revenue fees for smaller developers
Epic takes no cut for first $1 million in annual per-game revenue under new plan.
Kyle Orland
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107
Grand Theft Auto VI gets pushed back to May 26, 2026
Rockstar: Extra time will let us "deliver at the level of quality you expect and deserve."
Kyle Orland
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79
Gaming news site Polygon gutted by massive layoffs amid sale to Valnet
Polygon cofounder says he's "just completely sickened by this news."
Kyle Orland
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233
Microsoft raises prices on Xbox hardware, says “some” holiday games will be $80
You'll have to pay $80 to $100 more for an Xbox console going forward.
Kyle Orland
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204
Fortnite will return to iOS as court slams Apple’s “interference“ and ”cover-up“
Judge refers Apple for criminal contempt over hiding its attempt to thwart a 2021 injunction.
Kyle Orland
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205
Nintendo imposes new limits on sharing for digital Switch games
New "Virtual Game Card" system prevents simultaneous online play from a single purchase.
Kyle Orland
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70
Google search’s made-up AI explanations for sayings no one ever said, explained
A partial defense of (some of) AI Overview's fanciful idiomatic explanations.
Kyle Orland
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139
Is The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion still fun for a first-time player in 2025?
How does a fresh coat of paint help this 19-year-old RPG against modern competition?
Kyle Orland
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Backward compatible: Many old Oblivion mods still work on Oblivion Remastered
The modding community is already hard at work despite lack of "official" support.
Kyle Orland
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33
Bethesda isn’t shutting down ambitious fan-made “Skyblivion” remaster project
"Bethesda has always been supportive of community projects like ours..."
Kyle Orland
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31
12-year-old Doom 2 challenge map finally beaten after six-hour, 23K-demon grind
Streamer Coincident gets a dream run on the Okuplok's nightmarish "slaughter map."
Kyle Orland
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41
HBO’s The Last of Us reaches “The Moment” game fans have been dreading
A shocking scene hits a bit different thanks to some odd narrative choices.
Kyle Orland
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70
Microsoft’s “1‑bit” AI model runs on a CPU only, while matching larger systems
Future AI might not need supercomputers thanks to models like BitNet b1.58 2B4T.
Kyle Orland
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Nintendo raises planned Switch 2 accessory prices amid tariff “uncertainty”
Prices for hardware and games remain steady, delayed US preorders open April 24.
Kyle Orland
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What do you actually do in Mario Kart World’s vast open world?
Nintendo also shows off new "Charge Jump" race technique, "reimagined" classic courses.
Kyle Orland
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Why Trump’s tariffs probably won’t cause an immediate Switch 2 price bump
But import taxes could impact longer-term pricing, US console supplies.
Kyle Orland
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Mario Kart World’s $80 price isn’t that high, historically
Adjusting for inflation shows console game prices have been higher in the recent past.
Kyle Orland
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292
Nintendo explains why Switch 2 hardware and software cost so much
$450 system isn't being sold at a loss, wasn't priced with tariffs in mind.
Kyle Orland
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197
Nintendo isn’t using anti-drift Hall effect sensors on Switch 2 joysticks
But Nintendo promises "redesigned" Joy-Cons are "smoother" and "more durable."
Kyle Orland
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122
Not just Switch 2: ESA warns Trump’s tariffs will hurt the entire game industry
"[It's] hard to imagine a world where tariffs like these don’t impact pricing."
Kyle Orland
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153
Switch 2 preorders delayed over Trump tariff uncertainty
Nintendo will "assess" market conditions; planned June 5 launch date still set for now.
Kyle Orland
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252
Hands-on with the Switch 2: It’s the Switch, too
It's bigger, it's more powerful, and it has some weird Nintendo control gimmicks.
Kyle Orland
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153
Nintendo unveils Switch 2 ahead of June 5 launch
$449 buys easier multiplayer, mouse mode, and a chance to upgrade older titles.
Kyle Orland
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What we’re expecting from Nintendo’s Switch 2 announcement Wednesday
We take some wild stabs ahead of the big "Nintendo Direct" presentation.
Kyle Orland
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Why do LLMs make stuff up? New research peers under the hood.
Claude's faulty "known entity" neurons sometimes override its "don't answer" circuitry.
Kyle Orland
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What to make of Nintendo’s mention of new “Switch 2 Edition games”
Fine print suggests visual upgrades for original Switch games on new hardware.
Kyle Orland
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