diff --git a/deep-sea-stories/packages/backend/src/agent/gemini/session.ts b/deep-sea-stories/packages/backend/src/agent/gemini/session.ts
index 5823d82..33fb701 100644
--- a/deep-sea-stories/packages/backend/src/agent/gemini/session.ts
+++ b/deep-sea-stories/packages/backend/src/agent/gemini/session.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 import {
+	Behavior,
 	type GoogleGenAI,
 	type LiveConnectParameters,
 	type LiveServerMessage,
@@ -98,13 +99,11 @@ export class GeminiSession implements VoiceAgentSession {
 				systemInstruction: getInstructionsForStory(this.config.story),
 				outputAudioTranscription: {},
 				temperature: 0.5,
-				thinkingConfig: {
-					thinkingBudget: -1,
-				},
 				tools: [
 					{
 						functionDeclarations: [
 							{
+								behavior: Behavior.BLOCKING,
 								name: 'endGame',
 								description:
 									'Call this function to end the game session. You MUST call this when: 1) The players have correctly solved the riddle, 2) The game time has expired, 3) You are saying goodbye or ending the conversation. Always call this function after delivering your final message to players.',
@@ -112,9 +111,6 @@ export class GeminiSession implements VoiceAgentSession {
 						],
 					},
 				],
-				proactivity: {
-					proactiveAudio: true,
-				},
 				sessionResumption: { handle: this.previousHandle },
 			},
 			callbacks: {
diff --git a/deep-sea-stories/packages/backend/src/config.ts b/deep-sea-stories/packages/backend/src/config.ts
index 7482781..8976133 100644
--- a/deep-sea-stories/packages/backend/src/config.ts
+++ b/deep-sea-stories/packages/backend/src/config.ts
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ export const configSchema = z.object({
 	GOOGLE_CLOUD_LOCATION: z.string().optional(),
 });
 
-export const GEMINI_MODEL = 'gemini-2.5-flash-native-audio-preview-12-2025';
+export const GEMINI_MODEL = 'gemini-3.8-live';
 
 export const stories: Story[] = JSON.parse(
 	fs.readFileSync(join(__dirname, 'prompts', 'stories.json'), 'utf8'),
diff --git a/deep-sea-stories/packages/backend/src/game/room.ts b/deep-sea-stories/packages/backend/src/game/room.ts
index c27dd29..dd5c581 100644
--- a/deep-sea-stories/packages/backend/src/game/room.ts
+++ b/deep-sea-stories/packages/backend/src/game/room.ts
@@ -49,7 +49,6 @@ export class GameRoom {
 			vertexai: CONFIG.GOOGLE_GENAI_USE_VERTEXAI,
 			project: CONFIG.GOOGLE_CLOUD_PROJECT,
 			location: CONFIG.GOOGLE_CLOUD_LOCATION,
-			httpOptions: { apiVersion: 'v1alpha' },
 		});
 	}
 
diff --git a/deep-sea-stories/packages/web/src/components/AnnouncementBanner.tsx b/deep-sea-stories/packages/web/src/components/AnnouncementBanner.tsx
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..4f57d56
--- /dev/null
+++ b/deep-sea-stories/packages/web/src/components/AnnouncementBanner.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,24 @@
+import { X } from 'lucide-react';
+import { type PropsWithChildren, useState } from 'react';
+
+export function AnnouncementBanner({ children }: PropsWithChildren) {
+	const [isVisible, setIsVisible] = useState(true);
+
+	if (!isVisible) return null;
+
+	return (
+		<aside className="fixed inset-x-0 top-0 z-50 bg-linear-to-r from-[#4285f4] via-[#8e75ff] to-[#d96570] text-white shadow-lg">
+			<div className="relative flex min-h-10 items-center justify-center px-12 py-2 text-center text-sm">
+				<div>{children}</div>
+				<button
+					type="button"
+					onClick={() => setIsVisible(false)}
+					className="absolute right-3 rounded-full p-1 text-white/80 transition-colors hover:bg-white/15 hover:text-white"
+					aria-label="Dismiss announcement"
+				>
+					<X className="size-4" aria-hidden="true" />
+				</button>
+			</div>
+		</aside>
+	);
+}
diff --git a/deep-sea-stories/packages/web/src/components/GameControlPanel.tsx b/deep-sea-stories/packages/web/src/components/GameControlPanel.tsx
index b1372c4..b80b2e9 100644
--- a/deep-sea-stories/packages/web/src/components/GameControlPanel.tsx
+++ b/deep-sea-stories/packages/web/src/components/GameControlPanel.tsx
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ const GameControlPanel: FC<GameControlPanelProps> = ({
 					onVolumeChange={onVolumeChange}
 				/>
 			</div>
-			<div className="flex-none md:flex-none md:w-1/4 border rounded-3xl p-2 md:p-3 lg:p-4 overflow-hidden">
+			<div className="flex-none md:flex-none md:w-1/4 min-h-0 border rounded-3xl p-2 md:p-3 lg:p-4 overflow-hidden">
 				<RoomControls roomId={roomId} userName={userName} />
 			</div>
 		</section>
diff --git a/deep-sea-stories/packages/web/src/components/RoomControls.tsx b/deep-sea-stories/packages/web/src/components/RoomControls.tsx
index 017c3cb..a1b82b7 100644
--- a/deep-sea-stories/packages/web/src/components/RoomControls.tsx
+++ b/deep-sea-stories/packages/web/src/components/RoomControls.tsx
@@ -70,13 +70,13 @@ const RoomControls: FC<RoomControlsProps> = ({ roomId, userName }) => {
 	};
 
 	return (
-		<div className="flex flex-col h-full py-2 md:py-2 lg:py-3 gap-2 md:gap-2 lg:gap-3">
+		<div className="flex h-full flex-col py-2 md:py-1 lg:py-2 gap-2">
 			<DeepSeaLogo className="hidden md:block flex-none" />
 			<section className="w-full flex-none grid grid-cols-2 md:flex md:flex-col gap-2">
 				{!isStorySelected ? (
 					<Button
 						size="large"
-						className="col-span-2 md:w-full text-xs md:text-base h-9 md:h-11 lg:h-12"
+						className="col-span-2 md:w-full text-xs md:text-sm lg:text-base h-9 md:h-9 lg:h-10"
 						onClick={() => setIsStoryPanelOpen(true)}
 					>
 						Choose a story
@@ -85,7 +85,7 @@ const RoomControls: FC<RoomControlsProps> = ({ roomId, userName }) => {
 					<Button
 						size="large"
 						variant="outline"
-						className="col-span-2 md:w-full text-xs md:text-base h-9 md:h-11 lg:h-12"
+						className="col-span-2 md:w-full text-xs md:text-sm lg:text-base h-9 md:h-9 lg:h-10"
 						onClick={handleCancelGame}
 						disabled={isCanceling}
 					>
@@ -94,14 +94,14 @@ const RoomControls: FC<RoomControlsProps> = ({ roomId, userName }) => {
 				) : (
 					<>
 						<Button
-							className="col-span-2 md:w-full text-xs md:text-base h-9 md:h-10 lg:h-11"
+							className="col-span-2 md:w-full text-xs md:text-sm lg:text-base h-9 lg:h-10"
 							onClick={handleStartGame}
 							disabled={isStarting}
 						>
 							{isStarting ? 'Starting...' : 'Start the Game'}
 						</Button>
 						<Button
-							className="col-span-2 md:w-full text-xs md:text-base h-9 md:h-10 lg:h-11"
+							className="col-span-2 md:w-full text-xs md:text-sm lg:text-base h-9 lg:h-10"
 							variant="outline"
 							onClick={() => setIsStoryPanelOpen(true)}
 						>
@@ -110,14 +110,13 @@ const RoomControls: FC<RoomControlsProps> = ({ roomId, userName }) => {
 					</>
 				)}
 			</section>
-			<div className="flex-1 min-h-0" />
 			<section className="w-full flex-none flex flex-col gap-2">
-				<HowToPlay className="w-full text-xs md:text-base h-9 md:h-10 lg:h-11" />
-				<HowItWorks className="w-full text-xs md:text-base h-9 md:h-10 lg:h-11" />
+				<HowToPlay className="w-full text-xs md:text-sm lg:text-base h-9 lg:h-10" />
+				<HowItWorks className="w-full text-xs md:text-sm lg:text-base h-9 lg:h-10" />
 
 				<CopyButton
 					variant="outline"
-					className="col-span-2 md:col-span-1 text-xs md:text-base h-9 md:h-10 lg:h-11"
+					className="col-span-2 md:col-span-1 text-xs md:text-sm lg:text-base h-9 lg:h-10"
 					onCopy={() => toast('Gameroom link copied to clipboard', Check)}
 					value={url}
 				>
diff --git a/deep-sea-stories/packages/web/src/views/HomeView.tsx b/deep-sea-stories/packages/web/src/views/HomeView.tsx
index a25ea28..e463186 100644
--- a/deep-sea-stories/packages/web/src/views/HomeView.tsx
+++ b/deep-sea-stories/packages/web/src/views/HomeView.tsx
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 import { useState } from 'react';
 import { useNavigate } from 'react-router';
+import { AnnouncementBanner } from '@/components/AnnouncementBanner';
 import Footer from '@/components/Footer';
 import TitleBar from '@/components/TitleBar';
 import { Button } from '@/components/ui/button';
@@ -27,6 +28,18 @@ export default function HomeView() {
 
 	return (
 		<section className="h-full w-full flex justify-between flex-col py-16 px-4 lg:px-16">
+			<AnnouncementBanner>
+				Deep Sea Stories is now powered by{' '}
+				<a
+					href="https://ai.google.dev/gemini-api/docs/models/gemini-3.8-live"
+					target="_blank"
+					rel="noreferrer"
+					className="font-semibold underline decoration-white/70 underline-offset-2 transition-colors hover:decoration-white"
+				>
+					Gemini 3.8 Live
+				</a>
+				.
+			</AnnouncementBanner>
 			<TitleBar />
 			<section className="flex-1 py-16 grid place-items-center">
 				<Button