Image: Nintendo LifeHello, and welcome to Nintendo Life's Xenoblade Chronicles X: Definitive Edition: Walkthrough Guides hub! While this game is 10 years old, it should go without saying, but please be aware that the following guides contain huge spoilers for every aspect of the game!In this walkthrough, we've got Beginner's Tips and Tricks, plus guides on the Ready to "bring them all their proverbial knees?" Let's get stuck in!On this page: Xenoblade Chronicles X: Definitive Edition WalkthroughXenoblade Chronicles X: Definitive Edition Story WalkthroughNote: This guide is currently a work in progress and we're the process of updating it with all the helpful tools and tips you needGetting StartedImage: Nintendo LifeIf you're looking for help in the early hours, we've got you covered on your big, burning questions. getting a Skell, how to start Chapter 4, and organising all of that FrontierNav, along with many more.Fastest Way To Get A SkellWe all want one as quickly as humanly possible, and in this section we show you how. A full guide to the quests you'll need to complete in order to deck yourself out in Mira's finest mecha-gear.FrontierNav OptimisationIt may look a bit boring, but the FrontierNav is an essential component in your adventure. Check out this section to explore best setups, probe types, and everything else you need to know!How To Start Chapter 4You wouldn't believe how many people get stuck on this bit. We show you how to start this story mission.Gameplay GuidesImage: Nintendo LifeThere's a lot to dig into Xenoblade Chronicles X, so we've got info on all the characters you'll meet and recruit, sightseeing spots, Skells, and more to come!All Playable Characters & How To Unlock ThemA massive roster of characters, including a bunch of new ones, this guide shows you how to unlock them all!All Sightseeing SpotsSightseeing Spots boost your FrontierNav numbers, so it's essential you seek them all out. Use this guide for all their locations.Beginner Tips & TricksImage: Nintendo LifeNeed help getting off the ground? Here are some rapid-fire tips and tricks we think will make your time on Mira much smoother.#1 Don't rush itA simple one to get started, it's not even something you have to actually do, more a state of mind. As we mentioned in our review, the best thing you can do when approaching this game is to take your time.Enjoy every last little hexagon on that grid-based world map. Indulge in side missions and take time to do your Affinity quests to add all available characters to your party.The mistake with XCX is to rush for the Skell. Don't do it! You'll get there in time, and be all the more prepared and excited for it when you finally suit up in sexy mecha and open Mira up properly.#2 Spend time educating yourself in the new TutorialsXenoblade has never been the most approachable of series. However, with the Switch version of X, we reckon we've got the most accessible to date, especially now that it's got all these fancy new tutorials.Where before, we may have been a little lazy to look up how everything works, now you've got no such excuse, as it's all explained in detail, and even demonstrated by videos at points.These new tutorials are a godsend for newcomers, giving you the ability to get a handle on any new mechanics that went over your head. Hey, it happens.#3 Time of day can be crucialIt's now as easy as jumping into your menu to switch the time of day at any point, so make sure to do so, as you'll find some monsters, and even quests, only activate at night time, or other particular points of the day.#4 Become one with the Overdrive mechanicXenoblade is quite easy on players in early encounters, but it's best to get au fait with how different skills add to your Tension Points (TP), and how TP allows you to engage your Overdrive (OD) gauge, ensuring you have your most powerful moves to hand when needed.Overdrive comes into things much more down the line, so keep switching out skills, using augments and levelling up gear, then experiment with builds to find an OD sweet spot.#5 You don't have to level all characters, so choose whichever ones you like for exploring & scrappingBack in 2015, you had to make sure to spend time levelling up your entire squad in Xenoblade Chronicles X.This time there's no such stress, as unused characters still earn skill points automatically. How refreshing!#6 On-foot fighters are more powerful than Skells in certain scenariosYes, Skells may have an enormous arsenal of devastating weaponry, but getting out and on foot to take on even the biggest of foes has its place.For us, this mainly comes down to fight situations where you need healing and Overdrive pressure to succeed.For Overdrive, Elma, as an example, can be built into a machine that can sit in a perpetual state of OD later in the game, so she comes into her own, when set up properly and when the chips are down.The Skells can be unwieldy, they are prone to run out of gas, and can be disabled badly by debuffs. Sometimes the only way is with your swords and feet, my friends.#7 Accept Side Quests and Affinity Quests ASAPThese are where the real meat of the story is hidden, and where the main thrust of the story missions throws you into lots of big scraps, the side stuff is where you'll find lots of the best world-building magic.We are repeating ourselves, we know, but TAKE. YOUR. TIME.#8 Probe Mine ResearchImage: Nintendo LifeMake sure to get probes down everywhere you can, and do it as soon as you can, too. The faster you have a constant source of cash and Miranium, the easier things will be down the line when it comes to refueling mecha and buying swish gear.There's nothing worse than reaching some battle where a bigger gun or juicier mech could make all the difference, so make sure you have the funds to keep things as maxed as you can on the attack power front.#9 Don't buy all party members a Skell as soon as you canIt's tempting to kit your pals out in the very latest Skell tech ASAP. However, unless you already have a vast network of finely tuned probes, you're gonna bankrupt yourself with repairing mistakes made by AI in battle. Trust us, this tip alone will save you a fortune.Where to buy Xenoblade Chronicles X: Definitive EditionIf you're reading this and you haven't picked up the game yet, well you're in luck. We've got a list of the of the best prices and deals so you can hop in your Skell and explore Mira yourself.If you need more convincing, we loved our time with Xenoblade Chronicles X; In our review, we gave the game a whopping 10/10 in our review, concluding that; "This is X streamlined and modernised, carefully recast and reset in order to play better than ever."Buy Xenoblade Chronicles X Definitive EditionUSAUKStandardEpic Bundle Best deals and cheapest pricesRobot JoxUp Next: Fastest Way To Get A SkellRelated GamesSee AlsoShare:01 PJ is a staff writer across Pure Xbox and Nintendo Life. He's been playing video games pretty much nonstop since the early 1980s, and enjoys boring people with tedious stories about how long ago that really is. Hold on there, you need to login to post a comment...Related ArticlesPokmon Scarlet & Violet: Mystery Gift Codes ListAll the current Pokmon Scarlet and Violet Mystery Gift codesBest Cheap Nintendo Switch Games50 games under 20 bucksBest Xenoblade Chronicles Games Of All TimeAll the games and DLC, rankedBest Nintendo Switch RPGsThe finest trad-style Switch RPGs available to humanityBest Nintendo Switch Collections And Compilation GamesBundles of joy

On Wednesday, Spotify launched a new personalized playlist designed to help listeners discover upcoming concerts in their area.The playlist, titled Concerts Near You, is updated every Wednesday with 30 songs from artists performing nearby, along with full event details and ticket links. Spotify partners with ticketing platforms like AXS, DICE, Eventbrite, and Ticketmaster.Like other personalized playlists on Spotify, such as Daylist and various Mixes, Concerts Near You is tailored to users listening habits, allowing them to discover artists they love.To receive the latest show updates, listeners should ensure theyre sharing their location through the Live Events section, found under the Search tab in the Spotify app. Spotify also recommends enabling push notifications and following favorite artists to receive personalized reminders.The launch of the new playlist signals the companys ambition to make event discovery a more significant aspect of the overall Spotify listening experience while also providing artists more visibility.The announcement follows Spotifys publication of its yearly Loud & Clear report, which provides detailed figures regarding its payments to counter claims that the platform doesnt adequately compensate artists. For the first time, an artist who received one in every million streams on the platform earned an average of over $10,000 in 2024.

Over the last few years, developers have increasingly complained about paying fees to Apple or Google for App Store or Play Store distributions. App makers have often said that both companies make it difficult for them to earn money outside of their systems. New York-based app revenue management platform Adapty wants to change that with its new offering called FunnelFox, which helps acquire customers through websites or web apps.The idea behind FunnelFox is simple: it helps app makers create quizzes or experiences on the web to acquire or onboard customers. And once the customer pays, they get a link to download the app. This way, the app makers dont have to pay up to 30% of the app store tax.A year ago, I had a chat with our top customers of the revenue tracking product and realized that they acquire a big chunk of customers through the web by building acquisition funnels internally. We thought that this is a big opportunity and decided to build FunnelFox to make web funnels easier for everyone, Adapty CEO Vitaly Davydov told TechCrunch over a call.Adapty has been working with a closed set of over 100 customers for over a year to try out FunnelFox. The company said it has tracked $20 million in revenue during this phase, and customers have seen their revenue double as compared to direct revenue from mobile in-app purchases.FunnelFox has a drag and drop tools to build quizzes to acquire customers. It also has an AI component, which can suggest different questions based on the App Store or Play Store link of the app.The startup has two core parts of the business: an SDK that helps app makers with subscriptions and a platform for marketers to target audiences and understand the lifetime value of a customer. FunnelFox is the latest edition of its suite. Customers can use FunnelFox separately from Adapty while using another app revenue tracking solution, such as RevenueCat.FunnelFox works on a revenue sharing basis, with the company taking a cut on user acquisitions. Adapty said tiered pricing for FunnelFox, but didnt specify exact details.Adapty has raised $2.5 million in capital until now. Davydov said that the company is profitable. While the startup is not actively looking for funding, it is open to exploring fundraising.The company serves 10,000 applications and has tracked $1.2 billion in revenue per year. This is up from 2,500 apps it tracked in 2022. Davydov said the company is consistently growing both in terms of number of apps and revenue tracked. The startup wants to add more AI to its products. For Adapty, it wants to use AI to help app makers create payment screens that will give them better conversion rate by suggesting design and rates.

Seamless VFX in the heart of Sydneys underworld! Melbourne-based Chop Shop Post delivers stunning invisible effects for Last King of the Cross Season 2, enhancing the gritty realism of this operatic crime saga! Vincent Frei The Art of VFX 2025The post Last King of the Cross Season 2: VFX Breakdown by Chop Shop Post appeared first on The Art of VFX.

Stadelhofen Station | Trevor PattSantiago Calatravas design for Stadelhofen Station in Zrich is a landmark in transportation architecture that seamlessly blends engineering and urban integration. Originally a 19th-century railway station, it was reimagined in the late 1980s to accommodate increasing transit demands while enhancing the public realm. Calatravas design transforms the station into a sculptural space where structure and movement converge, redefining the relationship between infrastructure and the city.Stadelhofen Station Technical InformationArchitects1-6: Santiago CalatravaLocation: Zrich, SwitzerlandClient: Swiss Federal Railways (SBB)Project Year: 1986 1990Photographs: Trevor PattI have tried to get close to the frontier between architecture and sculpture and to understand architecture as an art. Santiago Calatrava 8Stadelhofen Station PhotographsAerial View | Trevor PattBridges | Trevor PattStructure | Trevor PattStair Details | Trevor PattStation | Trevor PattInterior | Trevor PattStructure | Trevor PattStairs | Trevor PattBridges | Trevor PattStreet View | Trevor PattElevators | Trevor PattArchitectural Design and Structural InnovationAt the heart of Stadelhofen Stations design is a synthesis of movement and structure, where architectural elements serve functional needs and embody a sense of motion and continuity. The expansion of Stadelhofen Station was conceived as a response to Zrichs growing need for improved public transport infrastructure. The design incorporates:Three platforms with underground pedestrian access.A public promenade that weaves through the site, creating a seamless pedestrian experience.Strategic connections to Zrichs wider urban transport network, reinforcing multimodal mobility.Unlike traditional station layouts, where platforms are rigidly organized linearly, Calatravas intervention introduces a spatial fluidity that enhances efficiency and experiential quality. Circulation is choreographed through multiple layersbridging, ramps, and underpassesensuring that movement through the station feels natural and uninterrupted.One of the stations defining features is its cantilevered concrete canopy, a sculptural yet highly engineered element that defies traditional notions of weight and gravity. The thin-shell concrete vault extends over the tracks, its sweeping curve seemingly suspended in midair.Material Palette: The project employs reinforced concrete, steel, and glass, each material chosen to enhance structural integrity, transparency, and lightness.Dynamic Engineering: The platforms canopy embodies Calatravas signature approach, where structure and movement are inseparable. Its form suggests a skeletal frameworkalmost biologicalevoking organic principles in natural systems.Integration of Light: Skylights and glazed openings punctuate the station, allowing natural light to filter through the space, softening the infrastructural elements while maintaining an open, airy quality.The stations underpass, with its elegantly curved concrete walls, further reinforces the sense of sculptural fluidity, blurring the boundaries between structure and space.Stadelhofen Station Urban IntegrationUnlike many transit projects that isolate infrastructure from public life, Stadelhofen Station is deeply embedded within Zrichs urban grain. Rather than being an enclosed transportation hub, the station unfolds as an extension of the city. The elevated promenade, which runs parallel to the tracks, is an urban balcony, inviting pedestrians to engage with the site beyond its immediate transit function. Key aspects of urban integration include:Landscaped terraces that create a buffer between the station and its surroundings.A pedestrian bridge, seamlessly linking the station to adjacent streets and commercial areas.Public seating areas invite visitors to experience the space as more than just a point of transit.This approach aligns with contemporary transit-oriented development (TOD) principles, where transport infrastructure is designed not in isolation but as an essential component of urban life.Zrichs natural landscape is integral to the stations spatial experience. Calatravas design works with the existing topography rather than against it, using the sites slope to enhance circulation and connectivity. Green spaces and vegetation-lined embankments soften the concretes raw materiality, reinforcing the projects dialogue between infrastructure and nature.Legacy, Impact, and CriticismSince its completion in 1990, Stadelhofen Station has become one of Switzerlands most frequented transit hubs, accommodating tens of thousands of passengers daily. The project set a new benchmark for railway architecture, demonstrating that transit spaces can be highly efficient and architecturally expressive. Calatravas intervention at Stadelhofen has influenced subsequent railway and metro projects worldwide, particularly in how:Engineering and aesthetics can be synthesized to create poetic infrastructural spaces.Transit hubs can extend into the public realm, fostering social engagement beyond functional use.Lightweight, sculptural forms can be employed in large-scale transport architecture without compromising structural efficiency.Despite its architectural acclaim, the project has not been without criticism:Material Aging: Some concrete surfaces have shown signs of wear over time, raising concerns about maintenance and long-term durability.Functional Constraints: While visually striking, some argue that Calatravas organic forms occasionally prioritize aesthetic expression over purely utilitarian efficiency.However, these critiques are counterbalanced by the projects enduring spatial and structural intelligence, which continues to serve Zrichs transit network more than three decades after its completion.Stadelhofen Station PlansDrawing | Santiago CalatravaSketch | Santiago CalatravaSection | Santiago CalatravaFloor Plan | Schwartz.arch.ethz.chFloor Plan | Schwartz.arch.ethz.chStadelhofen Station Image GalleryAbout Santiago CalatravaSantiago Calatrava is a Spanish architect, structural engineer, and artist known for his expressive, sculptural designs that blur the boundaries between architecture and engineering. Renowned for projects like the City of Arts and Sciences in Valencia and the Turning Torso in Sweden, his work is characterized by dynamic forms, structural innovation, and biomorphic influences. His approach integrates advanced engineering with artistic vision, creating spaces emphasizing movement, lightness, and fluidity.Credits and Additional NotesStructural Engineers: Santiago Calatrava (also serving as structural engineer)Design Team: Santiago Calatrava Architects & EngineersProject Type: Railway Station / Urban InfrastructurePrimary Materials: Reinforced concrete, steel, glassKey Structural Feature: Cantilevered concrete canopy over the platformsUrban Integration Elements: Pedestrian bridge, landscaped terraces, elevated promenadePlans Source: Schwartz.arch.ethz.chSantiago Calatrava: Stadelhofen Train Station, Zurich (Opus, No 10) byBernhard Kleinand Paolo RosselliSantiago Calatrava: The Poetics of Movement byAlexander Tzonis

Seamless MixingSTUDIOTAMAT connects Romes Termini Station with DJing for the bold and eclectic House on TrackByPaige Davidson March 20, 2025Interiors, International (Seven H. Zhang)SHARERome is saturated with history. From the Colosseum and Aqueducts to the Pantheon, the city is the epitome of how to preserve architectural relics. Local architecture and design firm,STUDIOTAMAT, wove history with the contemporary in its recent residential project, House on Track. The project draws from both Romes Termini Station, located nearby, and the clients love of DJing. The homeowners are Sergio Marras and his partner, cofounder of STUDIOTAMAT, Matteo Soddu who found it an interesting experience being both the architect and client for this renovation. As the studio described in a project description, The overlap of being both the designer and the client, has allowed a 360 degree design, a perfect combination between the dimension and architecture to be admired.Read more about the renovation on aninteriormag.com. ItalyRome

Built in 1848 for Rev. James Conway of Salem, this stunning Greek Revival home on Winter Street blends architectural integrity with a bold pop of color! James Conway was born in Ballinamore, Ireland and moved to the United States and was ordained as a Catholic priest. He was a missionary with the Penobscot Tribe in Maine, before preaching in Lowell and later in Salem, Massachusetts. When he moved to Salem, he had this house on Winter Street built with flush board siding, paneled side-hall entry, and moulded window surrounds with corner blocks. Conway would later sell the property to Edward Trumbull, a Salem merchant and later to Ebenezer Putnam. It was likely Putnam who added the oversized second-story bay window on the facade of the house.

HistoryYe Olde Sign Shoppe at the American Sign MuseumSigns, photos, and other artefacts from sign shops of old in the American Sign Museum's collections.Better LettersMar 20, 2025 7 min readTilden, Nebraska, was once served for up-to-date signs by Russell & Sons.During my week at the American Sign Museum, I was blown away by the history preserved there in terms of old sign firms, sign painters, and gilders see searches for 'sign painter' and 'sign shop' in their online collections for example.I featured some of these Beverly Sign Co., George C. Brooke, Cassius Marcellus Clay Sr., Keith Knecht, Raymond LeBlanc, and Mike Stevens in last week's post, so the following is more of a photo dump of other 'ye olde sign shoppes' that can be found at the museum.I've had to resist the urge to get into local historical research for these, but if you have any knowledge to add, then I'd be happy to edit accordingly.'Ye Olde Sign Shoppe' is a regular column in BLAG (see all back issues), and one of my favourite research topics. There are dozens of bl.ag online pieces with the 'ye olde sign shop' tag, and I'm always excited to hear new and interesting stories: please share yours by emailing sam@bl.ag.Original Sign DesignsLet's pick up more or less where we left off with the 1941 Original Sign Designs book.Brown Sign Co.These sequential pages show the design by J.L. Beardsley and a photo of its fabrication following a few small adjustments.Beardsley's credit (first image) locates them in Dayton, Ohio, so assuming they worked for the Brown Sign Co., we'd have a location for this shopfront. Wittich / Hastings Co.The credit on this page reads "Hastings Co., Philadelphia, PA". It's not clear to me if the firm is Wittich or Hastings Co., as the latter doesn't seem to correspond to an easily identifiable location in/near Philadelphia...Vehicle EvolutionNext up some pairings of sign shops with vehicles, theirs or otherwise, outside.Wilmore & Co. / A.A. RitterLet's take it right back to when sign painters used to get to jobs on a penny-farthing bicycle. (Check out this bl.ag online feature for more sign painters on two wheels.)My guess for the whited-out letters is 'Company' to read 'Wilmore & Company' with the ampersand above the window.The new sign placed above the doorway advertises A.A. Ritter, perhaps placing the photo to a time when this sign painter took over the Willmore & Co. firm.Looks like an ornate piece of reverse glass work in the frame.Ryan SignsCheck out the massive manicule/printer's fist pointing to the way in to Chas. Ryan's shop, which is located above a restaurant and a barbers.Lowdown lettering in the restaurant window boasts of "tables for ladies", and the vehicle looks to date from the 1910s.Russell & SonsHere's Russell and his sons with their well-appointed mode of transport for big signs in Tilden, Nebraska.Russell & Sons are proudly sponsored by Red Seal White Lead, whose mascot bears an uncanny resemblance to the Dutch Boy brand.Yes, that sign on the floor really does say "paint with pure white lead and end your troubles", if you work your way around the layout in the right way. In fact, as we now know, lead spells trouble.Maybe one of the sons did this one.Neon BreakdownIs the guy on the left the mechanic, or the sign man expressing frustration with the pace of this tyre change?R. & H. Strachan, Inc."We made signs before we could talk" and we're ready to make more in Brooklyn, New York.I think that Strachan has a brother of the brush in Cuba.Anon., Lufkin, TexasAnd, finally, bringing things into the modern era.If you enjoyed those, then get right up-to-date with this extended photo post of contemporary sign painter vehicles.Self-Promotion'Be wise, advertise' they say, and the sign game is no different.Pierrepont Signs, Inc.These blocks were produced for printing advertisements in newspapers and magazines, most likely Signs of the Times in this case. Pierrepont Signs is still trading in Rochester, New York.The blocks would be positioned alongside others, and/or with type, to set the page for printing.I've flipped these two over so that you can also see the layout as it would have appeared in print, although in negative, as the lighter parts here are where the ink would be taken, while the darker parts remained white/the colour of the paper.Geo. C. Kirn & Co.These look to be original artwork for reproduction at smaller sizes, perhaps as trade or business cards, or in press.The winged woman brought to mind the one on the Signs of the Times artwork in last week's post and I'm wondering if they perhaps represent Iris, messenger of the gods in Greek mythology?This relatively large piece is marked up with the reproduction size of 2 1/8 in (5.4 cm).Detail of the lower portion of the above advertisement showing the address and direction details.At the ShopStriking a pose at the shop.Raiford Sign Co.What a smart bunch of fellows in Houston, Texas, and we'd expect nothing less from a firm established in 1892.Six suited men posing in the doorway of a shop adorned with signs for the Raiford Sign Co.Signs by LeeBut which one's Lee?Low PricesIf these guys put their prices up, they might be able to afford a better photographer.Cincinnati LocalsEagle-eyed Jenna Homen spotted these in the Historic Photos of Cincinnati book.John the Sign WriterIs that the man himself in the upper left window? John's Cincinnati Sign House was located on West 5th Street, with this photo taken in the 1880s.Dilts Advertising Sign ServiceThis photo was taken on Queen City Avenue in 1915."High-water streetcards had their motors mounted up in the body of the car that was elevated from the tracks"Queen City Sign Co.This one rang a bell, and then I recalled I'd seen it somewhere online, colourised. My notes have it on Vine, between 4th and 5th streets in the late 1880s.The photo presented in the book is actually slightly cropped versus the colourised version below.Gary Godby has an alternative treatment here with the sign in red, and showing the annotations on the original photo.On Main StreetAnd, to close, a sneak preview of some of the signs for sign painters that are on display in the Main Street sign shop at the American Sign Museum.Ad-Art DisplayFormerly Elliott & Johnson?Winsted Sign ServiceGrant Signs / Olga SignsDo you know how the (presumably local) three-digit phone number can be used to date Olga's sign?Stades SignsL.D. Van OrdenMack's SignsWhatever you need, Mack has you covered for quality sign work.PS. I Miss YouAnd, last but not least, is this beautiful envelope, hand-drawn by Charles N. Dunlap in 1898. He was a former employee at the Smith & Quehl shop, and the letter inside expresses discontent with his new employment in Youngstown, Ohio, and nostalgia for those happier days back in Cincinnati.More Olde Sign ShoppesMore History

The Prophet (2025), oil on canvas, 48 x 30 inches. All images courtesy of the artist and albertz benda, New York and Los Angeles, shared with permissionRobert Peterson Summons Black Resilience and Tenderness in Vibrant PortraitsMarch 20, 2025ArtKate MothesIn characteristically glistening blue hues, Robert Petersons striking portraits invite us into emotionally complex inner worlds.Peterson centers the Black body in paintings that challenge dominant narratives surrounding Black lives, celebrating beauty, compassion, and resilience. Tender portraits reveal the essential humanity of vulnerability and individuality with an emphasis on themes of empathy and togetherness.Protect Those Tears (2025), oil on canvas, 14 x 11 inchesPetersons choice of oils, a traditional portrait medium, embeds his work in the continuum of Western painting. However, instead of highly stylized scenes or elaborate ornamentation, his figures are often set against bold, flat backgrounds and they appear half-dressed or in casual clothes, unguarded and relaxed.In his forthcoming solo exhibition, We Are Forever at albertz benda, Peterson examines familial connections, paying homage to the strength and dedication inherent in the relationships between siblings and parents and their children.At the core of this new body of work is a profound sense of intimacy, offering a thoughtful reflection on presence and the enduring significance of his subjects stories, the gallery says.We Are Forever runs from March 27 to May 3 in New York. Find more on the artists website and Instagram.Untitled (Purple) (2025), oil on canvas, 18 x 14 inchesWater Me (2025), oil on canvas, 24 x 20 inchesHamsa Tattoo (2025, oil on canvas, 28 x 22 inchesUntitled (Black) (2025), oil on canvas, 18 x 14 inchesInstallation view of works at the Dallas Art FairNext article

The UKs National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) has published extensive new guidance to help support organisations as they prepare for the looming IT security risks of the post-quantum world.Although tantalising in its possibilities, the advent of quantum computing threatens to fundamentally break current encryption methods used to protect sensitive data the world over.As such, the race is on to develop and deploy post-quantum cryptography (PQC) which, if it can be achieved successfully, promises more secure, quantum-resistant encryption methods that will flummox even the fastest future computers.In its guidance, the NCSC lays out a three-step timeline for key sectors and organisations to move to quantum-resistant encryption methods, hopefully by 2035, 10 years from now.The cyber agency believes that if security leaders can start preparing for the transition now, they will lock in a smoother and more controlled migration and reduce the risk of rushed implementations and security gaps.Quantum computing is set to revolutionise technology, but it also poses significant risks to current encryption methods, said NCSC chief technical officer Ollie Whitehouse.Our new guidance on post-quantum cryptography provides a clear roadmap for organisations to safeguard their data against these future threats, helping to ensure that today's confidential information remains secure in years to come.As quantum technology advances, upgrading our collective security is not just important - its essential.The NCSC noted that for many small and medium-size enterprises and organisations, PQC migration will be a relatively routine and smooth process since it will be delivered via managed security services providers. However, for larger organisations and those in critical sectors, PQC will require extensive planning and investment.By taking proactive steps today, it argued, organisations will be able to help ensure the UKs digital infrastructure remains robust and secure through the coming changes.As a first step, organisations should begin work to identify which cryptographic services will need upgrades, and develop a migration plan. Ideally, this should be done by 2028.The second step, taking place over the subsequent three years from 2028 through 2031, means organisations will need to execute high-priority upgrades and refine their plans as PQC technology evolves.The third and final step, accomplished over the four years from 2031 to 2035, should see a complete migration to PQC for all systems, services and products.Reacting to the NCSCs suggestions, Greg Wetmore, vice president of product development at Entrust, described the quantum threat as particularly challenging because there is still a significant amount of guesswork as to exactly when scalable quantum computing will arrive.When it does, and if we are unprepared for it, there will be an immediate and overpowering vulnerability for all sensitive information. Even the much feared Y2K had a fixed deadline. Y2Q, on the other hand, will arrive one day with no forewarning and change everything, he said.Thankfully, it is possible to prepare for the threat of quantum technology today [and] 2025 is a crucial year for post-quantum preparedness. Organisations are starting to put quantum-safe infrastructure in place, and regulatory bodies are beginning to address the importance of PQC.Wetmore told Computer Weekly that establishing post-quantum provisions is not important merely to safeguard against the possible early arrive of quantum computing, but also to protect against the possibility of threat actors harvesting data now, and decrypting it later.This is where bad actors will steal encrypted information today in order to decrypt it when quantum computers are available, meaning some organisations could well have suffered a significant cyber breach, and they dont even know it yet, he said. Implementing quantum-safe standards and infrastructure is the key to preventing this.Read more about post-quantum securityScepticism over quantum still abounds, but for cyber professionals it brings both unprecedented capabilities and significant threats, demanding careful attention.NIST has launched the first three quantum-resistant encryption algorithms - organisations are encouraged to adopt them as soon as they can.Tests carried out at Finnish telecom operator Telia will support the building of a secure quantum network.