Fashion brands like Chanel and Dior are using the Venice Film Festival to subtly showcase their new collections and designers through star-studded appearances and stylish previews, creating buzz ahead of traditional runway shows, with a focus on art house films and a more relaxed atmosphere that allows for playful and innovative fashion statements.
Meghan Markle has soft-launched her new lifestyle brand, American Riviera Orchard, with a limited-edition homemade strawberry jam, sourced from Montecito, where she resides with Prince Harry and their children. The brand's Instagram launch has sparked social media buzz, and trademark applications reveal plans for a wide range of lifestyle products, including kitchen goods, wellness items, and a Netflix series about domestic living.
Bethesda quietly released The Elder Scrolls: Castles, a mobile game similar to Fallout Shelter, on Android in September without any announcement. Now, the company has officially announced the game and soft-launched it in the Philippines, with plans for a worldwide release. The game allows players to build their own dynasty and manage it in real time. This release comes as Bethesda confirmed that The Elder Scrolls 6 is in early development and not expected until 2028.
EA has soft-launched Plants vs. Zombies 3 in select countries, including the UK, Netherlands, Australia, Philippines, and Ireland. The tower defense game features new and returning characters and reflects the classic combat of the first game. It will be free to play with microtransactions, and EA plans to expand its availability to more countries after collecting feedback during the soft launch period.
PopCap and Electronic Arts have soft launched Plants vs Zombies 3 on iOS and Android devices in select countries, with a worldwide release planned for later this year. The game features traditional tower defense gameplay with new puzzle-adventure elements and a story-driven experience, introducing episodic narrative and new characters. The soft launch period will be used to streamline the game's combat and expand its world with new lore.
Bethesda has officially announced The Elder Scrolls: Castles, a new mobile game that soft-launched three months ago without any prior announcement. The game, developed by the team behind Fallout Shelter, allows players to build their own dynasty in a high fantasy setting, with citizens being born, dying, and rulers changing. The soft launch is currently available in the Philippines, with plans for a worldwide release in the coming months. Players can pre-register for the game, which is expected to launch in December 2024 or 2025.
Iowa's new mobile ID app is now available for download for Apple and Android users, although it cannot be used in the real world just yet. The Iowa Department of Transportation is soft-launching the app and plans to formally launch it in the next month. Businesses will need to download a separate app or system to verify the IDs, and users will have to check with businesses or look for the Iowa Mobile ID logo before using the app. The app is considered an acceptable form of ID by the state of Iowa and can be used in situations where a physical ID is required, but users are advised to keep their physical ID as a backup, especially for air travel.
More Gen Z women are opting for a "soft launch" approach to revealing their partners on social media, with one in four 18-34 year-olds gradually sharing their new match online, according to research by Tinder. Internal profile bio data from December 2022 to February 2023 supports the trend, with more Gen Z women having "soft launch" in their bio compared to "hard launch." Women are also more likely than men to wait a few months until they're confident in the relationship to launch their partner on social media.