The US is looking to regulate its stablecoin market with comprehensive guidelines. This week, the US House Financial Services Committee passed the proposed stablecoin bill pushing it to the House floor for a full vote. The committee's Digital Assets Subcommittee reportedly worked with Tether to draft these regulations, media reports claim. Tether is the issuer of the world's largest stablecoin USDT, that commands a market cap of over $144 billion (roughly Rs. 12,31,739 crore).The bill, which now awaits final approval, is dubbed the Stablecoin Transparency and Accountability for a Better Ledger Economy (STABLE) Act of 2025. It aims to give issue guidance around stablecoin payments, regulate stablecoin issuers, and establish reserve auditing mandates for stablecoin firms.The bill passed with a 32-17 vote on April 2, the Committee announced on X. Bryan Steil, the chief of the Digital Assets Subcommittee said that the STABLE Act is a foundational step towards securing the future of financial payments and solidifying the dollar's dominance as a world reserve currency.Key Details About STABLEThe first draft of the bill was introduced in February this year.Among proposed guidelines, the bill will prohibit crypto firms from creating stablecoins backed by self-issued assets. Only insured depository institutions or qualified nonbanks will be allowed to legally issue stablecoins backed by the US dollar, Treasury bills, insured deposits, or central bank reserves.The US, through these guidelines, would direct all stablecoin issuers to maintain reserves on at least a 1:1 basis, ensure timely redemption procedures, disclose reserve composition monthly, and comply with Federal and State-level regulatory frameworks.Stablecoins, digital currencies pegged to stable assets like the US dollar, are already giving rise to innovation across industries. They allow American manufacturers to export products abroad easily and receive payments backed by the US dollar. Allow contractors at home to send payments faster and cheaper. Encourage entrepreneurs and other nations to conduct business with the US dollar. We must ensure that as we embrace these advancements, we also establish the necessary safeguards to protect consumers, maintain trust, and ensure the integrity of our financial systems, Steil said, commenting on the Bill.US lawmakers are reportedly aiming to finalise stablecoin regulations by August 2025.US' Tryst with CryptoBillionaire Donald Trump's election as the 47th President of the US brought crypto under a positive light following years of scrutiny. During his campaign, Trump said he plans to make US the crypto capital of the planet.In the recent months following Trump's return to the White House, he signed multiple executive orders favouring the crypto sector.He established a Crypto Task Force under the SEC to expediate work on the designing of crypto laws as well as created a strategic Bitcoin reserve and crypto stockpile. He also hosted the first Crypto Summit at the White House bringing crypto leaders and US lawmakers under one roof to open discussions on US' pro-crypto roadmap.

Unleashing Creativity: The Rise of AI-Generated Ghibli-Style Images3 min readJust now--Ghibli-style imagesIn the rapidly evolving world of artificial intelligence and digital art, a captivating trend is emerging that is reshaping the creative landscape. AI-generated Ghibli-style images are taking the internet by storm, merging the timeless charm of Studio Ghibli aesthetics with cutting-edge machine learning technology. This article explores how this phenomenon is revolutionizing digital art, sparking creativity, and opening up new possibilities for artists and designers.The Intersection of AI and ArtArtificial intelligence has been making waves across numerous industries, and the art world is no exception. With advancements in deep learning algorithms and image synthesis, AI tools are now capable of mimicking intricate artistic styles. Ghibli-style imagesknown for their enchanting landscapes, whimsical characters, and vibrant storytellingare now being generated by AI, making high-quality, stylized art more accessible than ever before.The Magic Behind Ghibli-Style ArtStudio Ghibli has long been synonymous with magical storytelling and breathtaking visuals. The signature stylecharacterized by soft color palettes, fluid animation, and intricate detailsevokes a sense of nostalgia and wonder. By harnessing AI, artists can now generate images that capture the same ethereal quality, breathing new life into the Ghibli tradition. Whether youre a long-time fan of Studio Ghibli or a newcomer to this artistic realm, AI-generated Ghibli-style images offer a fresh perspective on visual storytelling.How AI Transforms Creative DesignThe fusion of AI and traditional art techniques is not just a technological innovationits a creative revolution. Heres how AI is making a significant impact:Speed and Efficiency: AI tools can generate high-quality images in minutes, significantly reducing the time required to produce detailed artwork.Accessible Creativity: Artists with limited technical skills can experiment with AI-driven designs, breaking down traditional barriers in the art world.Endless Possibilities: With the ability to merge different styles, AI opens up a world of creative possibilities, from surreal landscapes to imaginative characters that feel straight out of a Ghibli film.Implications for Artists and DesignersThe integration of AI in art is a double-edged sword. While it democratizes creativity and offers new tools for expression, it also raises important questions about originality and artistic ownership. Many artists are embracing AI as a collaborative tool, using it to enhance their work rather than replace traditional methods. As AI continues to evolve, the art community is engaged in ongoing discussions about ethics, creativity, and the future role of human artists in an increasingly digital world.Future Trends: Beyond Ghibli-StyleAs the technology behind AI-generated art continues to advance, the trends we see today are likely just the beginning. Future developments may include:Enhanced Customization: More sophisticated tools allowing for personalized artistic styles that blend various influences.Interactive Art Experiences: Integration of AI-generated art into virtual and augmented reality platforms, creating immersive storytelling experiences.Broader Industry Impact: Expansion of AI art applications beyond entertainment into areas like advertising, education, and therapeutic design.ConclusionThe surge in AI-generated Ghibli-style images marks an exciting convergence of technology and art. This trend not only honors the legacy of Studio Ghiblis magical aesthetics but also propels the creative industry into a new era of digital expression. As artists and technologists continue to explore this innovative frontier, we can expect even more groundbreaking developments that will redefine the way we create and experience art.For anyone passionate about digital art, creative design, or the magic of Studio Ghibli, this AI trend is a development to watch. Stay tuned as technology and creativity continue to merge, opening up new horizons in the art world.Optimize your content, explore new creative boundaries, and join the conversation about the future of digital art by following our blog for the latest updates on AI trends and design innovations.

All about Neural Style Transfer4 min readJust now--Neural Style TransferNeural Style Transfer is a technique that utilizes Deep Learning to apply one images artistic style to anothers content. The method uses Convolution Neural Networks for this. It basically extracts content and style from the images respectively and constructs a new one.How does NST work?NST work by utilising two things: style and content. Here content refers to object, structures etc in the image and style refers to texture and colors. So now we will focus on three loss functions.Content loss: This provides the difference between actual content and the content generated in the image.Style loss: Difference between the gram matrices of the style image and the generated image.Total variation loss: Ensure smoothness in the image. The lower the value better is the image texture.Categories of NSTBelow are the categories of NST. It has not been discussed in detail as I will be covering them later.CategoriesPython codeBelow is the Python code that utilizes VGG19 to transfer the styles to the content image. First, the images are loaded and preprocessed. Then features are extracted using the pretrained model i.e VGG19. Before the extraction of features, we have picked up some convolution layers. After calculating the Gram Matrix, we initialize the target image as a copy of the content image and make it trainable. We use the Adam optimizer to iteratively update this image, refining it to blend the content and style.During each iteration, we:Extract features from the target image using VGG19.Compute content loss, which measures the difference between the target and content image features.Compute style loss by comparing the Gram matrices of the target and style images across selected layers, weighted accordingly.Combine both losses with predefined weights and backpropagate the error.Update the target image using gradient descent to minimize the total loss.After 500 iterations, the target image gradually transforms, capturing the style patterns while retaining the content structure. Finally, the transformed image is displayed as the stylized output.import torchimport torch.optim as optimimport torchvision.transforms as transformsfrom torchvision import modelsfrom PIL import Imageimport matplotlib.pyplot as plt# Set devicedevice = torch.device("cuda" if torch.cuda.is_available() else "cpu")# Load and preprocess imagesdef load_image(image_path, max_size=400): image = Image.open(image_path).convert("RGB") transform = transforms.Compose([ transforms.Resize((max_size, max_size)), transforms.ToTensor(), transforms.Normalize(mean=[0.485, 0.456, 0.406], std=[0.229, 0.224, 0.225]) ]) image = transform(image).unsqueeze(0).to(device) # Ensure it's 3-channel RGB return imagedef imshow(tensor, title=None): image = tensor.clone().detach().cpu().squeeze(0) # Unnormalize using the original mean and std mean = torch.tensor([0.485, 0.456, 0.406]).view(3, 1, 1) std = torch.tensor([0.229, 0.224, 0.225]).view(3, 1, 1) image = image * std + mean # Reverse normalization image = torch.clamp(image, 0, 1) # Ensure valid range image = transforms.ToPILImage()(image) plt.imshow(image) if title: plt.title(title) plt.show()# Load VGG19 modelvgg = models.vgg19(pretrained=True).features.to(device).eval()def get_features(image, model): layers = { '0': 'conv1_1', '5': 'conv2_1', '10': 'conv3_1', '19': 'conv4_1', # Content layer '28': 'conv5_1' } features = {} x = image for name, layer in model._modules.items(): x = layer(x) if name in layers: features[layers[name]] = x return features# Compute Gram Matrixdef gram_matrix(tensor): _, d, h, w = tensor.size() tensor = tensor.view(d, h * w) gram = torch.mm(tensor, tensor.t()) return gram / (d * h * w)# Load imagescontent_img = load_image("content_1.jpg")style_img = load_image("style.jpg")# Extract featurescontent_features = get_features(content_img, vgg)style_features = get_features(style_img, vgg)# Compute Gram Matrices for style featuresstyle_grams = {layer: gram_matrix(style_features[layer]) for layer in style_features}# Generate target imageinput_img = content_img.clone().requires_grad_(True)# Use Adam Optimizeroptimizer = optim.Adam([input_img], lr=0.003)# Define weightsstyle_weights = {'conv1_1': 1.0, 'conv2_1': 0.75, 'conv3_1': 0.5, 'conv4_1': 0.45, 'conv5_1': 0.3}content_weight = 1style_weight = 150000# Optimization loopsteps = 500for i in range(steps): optimizer.zero_grad() target_features = get_features(input_img, vgg) # Compute content loss content_loss = torch.mean((target_features['conv4_1'] - content_features['conv4_1']) ** 2) # Compute style loss style_loss = 0 for layer in style_weights: target_gram = gram_matrix(target_features[layer]) style_gram = style_grams[layer] layer_style_loss = style_weights[layer] * torch.mean((target_gram - style_gram) ** 2) style_loss += layer_style_loss # Total loss total_loss = content_weight * content_loss + style_weight * style_loss total_loss.backward(retain_graph=True) optimizer.step() if i % 50 == 0: print(f"Step {i}, Loss: {total_loss.item()}")# Show final imageimshow(input_img, title="Stylized Image")It is to be noted that the hyperparameter tweaking in NST is a bit hectic as you need to adjust the style weight, content weight and style_weights(the weights that are applied at each convolution layer).Below are the sample outputsContent Image (Sample taken from Google)The Starry Night by Van GoghThe resultThe swirling effect is clearly visible in the final image. Hence we can say that the style has been transferred to the content image.Applications of the Neural Style TransferMany companies like Google, Meta, Adobe use this technique. Some of the applications are as follows:Turning Photos into Art Converts images into paintings like Van Goghs style.Restyling Images & Videos Applies artistic styles to photos and videos.Enhancing Historical Photos Restores and recolors old images.Game Design & Virtual Worlds Changes game graphics dynamically.Advertising & Branding Creates stylish content for marketing.Medical Imaging Enhances scans for better diagnosis.Fashion & Design Generates unique clothing and textile patterns.

NewsNintendo Switch 2 Uses LCD Display Over OLED Because of Advancements in TechnologyNintendo also pointed out that, despite featuring an OLED display, the Switch wasn't able to support HDR, unlike the Switch 2.Posted By Joelle Daniels | On 03rd, Apr. 2025 Nintendo has revealed how it made the decision for the Switch 2 to feature an LCD display, which many would consider a step backwards since the company had also previously launched a Switch featuring an OLED display. According to IGN, the company revealed during a Q&A session that this decision was made due to the advancements in LCD technology. Now theres a lot of advancements that have been made in LCD technology during development, said the general management of Nintendos Technology Development division and senior director of its Technology Development Department, Tetsuya Sasaki. We took a look at the technology that was available to us now and after a lot of consideration we decided to stick to LCD. In further explaining his point about advancements in LCD technology, Sasaki also pointed to the fact that the Switch 2s display is also rated for HDR10. For comparison, most HDR displays tend to make use of OLED technology. The OLED Switch also, interestingly enough, doesnt support HDR. Even with the OLED version of Nintendo Switch, we didnt have compatibility support for HDR, but thats something we have the support for now, said Sasaki. The Switch 2s LCD display measures in at 7.8 inches. In handheld mode, the system is capable of running at 1080p, and along with supporting HDR, it is also capable of variable refresh rate, allowing for frame rates all the way up to 120 FPS. These details, alongside many other technical aspects, were revealed during a recent Nintendo Direct. More technical details were later revealed thanks to an update to Nintendos website, including the fact that, under the hood, the Switch 2 will be running on a custom chip that has been designed by Nvidia. Rumoured to be based on Nvidias Tegra 239 chip, previous leaks have indicated that it would be capable of computing power of up to 1.71 TFLOPS (trillion floating point operations per second) in handheld mode, and 3.1 TFLOPS in docked mode. All of this will be kept alive when in handheld mode with a battery that weighs in at 5,220 mAh. Nintendo rates the life time of the battery to allow for anywhere between 2 hours and 6.5 hours of play time. This, of course, would depend on the intensity of the game being played; smaller-scaled indie titles would likely allow the console to run for much longer than a heavy 3D open-world title. The Nintendo Switch 2 will be hitting store shelves on June 5. It is slated to be priced at $449.99 at launch. Nintendo has also confirmed that a bundle will be available. Priced at $499.99, the bundle will include the console along with launch title Mario Kart World. For more details about the game, check out our coverage of the Direct. In the meantime, you can catch up on other things Nintendo has announced, including a host of third-party titles, the fact that GameCube games will be coming to Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack subscriptions, and even the introduction of the new Game-Key Cards as a new way to sell physical copies of games that might be too large for Switch 2s game cards. Tagged With: Atomfall Publisher:Rebellion Developments Developer:Rebellion Developments Platforms:PS5, Xbox Series X, PS4, Xbox One, PCView MoreMonster Hunter Wilds Publisher:Capcom Developer:Capcom Platforms:PS5, Xbox Series X, PCView MoreSouth of Midnight Publisher:Microsoft Developer:Compulsion Games Platforms:Xbox Series X, PCView More Amazing Articles You Might Want To Check Out! Nintendo Switch 2 Uses LCD Display Over OLED Because of Advancements in Technology Nintendo also pointed out that, despite featuring an OLED display, the Switch wasn't able to support HDR, unli... Mario Kart World Grand Prix, New Items, Rail Riding, and Much More Showcased in New Gameplay Nintendo's latest kart racer operates on a whole different scale with larger courses and more racers when it l... Nintendo Switch 2 Could Have Been Called Super Nintendo Switch Nintendo wanted to avoid consumers from associating the Switch 2 with the relationship between the NES and the... Fast Fusion is a Super-Fast Futuristic Racing Game Coming to Switch 2 on June 5 Anti-gravity racer Fast Fusion has been described by its developers as "the fastest racing game you may have e... DOOM: The Dark Ages Heres What Has Us Buzzing (and Worried) A round of fresh previews shows incredible promise for id's first-person shooter launching on May 15th, though... Mario Kart World, Donkey Kong Bananza Didnt Use Nvidias DLSS When Shown During the Direct The Nintendo Switch 2 was expected to make liberal use of AI-based image upscaling like DLSS in order to run g... View More

NewsMario Kart World Grand Prix, New Items, Rail Riding, and Much More Showcased in New GameplayNintendo's latest kart racer operates on a whole different scale with larger courses and more racers when it launches on June 5th.Posted By Ravi Sinha | On 03rd, Apr. 2025Mario Kart World may be one of the biggest launch titles when it arrives this Summer. For those keen on more gameplay, the Treehouse: Live stream showcases various changes and additions. Check it out below.One of the biggest differences from Mario Kart 8 is no longer choosing individual Kart parts, but each vehicle still has unique stats. You can still choose between 50, 100 and 150 CC for each Cup in the Grand Prix, and theres a brief flyover of the courses youll race on.The new items include the Coin Shell, which creates Coins on impact, and the Feather for jumping high. Items are held behind the player without having to hold down the button. You can also leverage tricks like the Rail Ride and Wall Ride, building up boost to gain an edge, and even perform multiple tricks mid-air.Dynamic rain and day/night cycles are showcased, and Marios hat gets wet in the rain. Come in first during a race, and a crown appears on your characters head. When starting the second race, you drive to it against other competitors. Youre essentially traversing the highway with oncoming traffic, ramps and boost pads.As a result, the whole world feels like one massive course during a Grand Prix Cup. Banners for Mario TV appear, adding to the sports-like presentation. When it comes to the new courses, one of the more notable is DK Spaceport, which gives off old-school Donkey Kong and Jumpman vibes (complete with a Robo DK throwing barrels).For a more relaxing atmosphere, press the Plus button to jump into Free Roam. Lakitu wont pick you up if you go off-course, which means driving anywhere. You can see other courses on the World Map and fast travel to them. The mode is ideal for practice, and youll encounter other racers.Mario Kart World launches on June 5th alongside the Nintendo Switch 2, and will retail for $79.99. Tagged With: Atomfall Publisher:Rebellion Developments Developer:Rebellion Developments Platforms:PS5, Xbox Series X, PS4, Xbox One, PCView MoreMonster Hunter Wilds Publisher:Capcom Developer:Capcom Platforms:PS5, Xbox Series X, PCView MoreSouth of Midnight Publisher:Microsoft Developer:Compulsion Games Platforms:Xbox Series X, PCView More Amazing Articles You Might Want To Check Out! Mario Kart World Grand Prix, New Items, Rail Riding, and Much More Showcased in New Gameplay Nintendo's latest kart racer operates on a whole different scale with larger courses and more racers when it l... Nintendo Switch 2 Could Have Been Called Super Nintendo Switch Nintendo wanted to avoid consumers from associating the Switch 2 with the relationship between the NES and the... Fast Fusion is a Super-Fast Futuristic Racing Game Coming to Switch 2 on June 5 Anti-gravity racer Fast Fusion has been described by its developers as "the fastest racing game you may have e... DOOM: The Dark Ages Heres What Has Us Buzzing (and Worried) A round of fresh previews shows incredible promise for id's first-person shooter launching on May 15th, though... Mario Kart World, Donkey Kong Bananza Didnt Use Nvidias DLSS When Shown During the Direct The Nintendo Switch 2 was expected to make liberal use of AI-based image upscaling like DLSS in order to run g... The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom Upgrades Included in NSO + Expansion Pack Subscribers who own both titles on the Nintendo Switch can play their upgraded versions on the Switch 2 at no ... View More

Dancrane212MemberOct 25, 201714,108Holstin is a psychological survival horror game set in an eerie, isolated 90's Polish town consumed by an ominous presence. You've come looking for answers, but everyone seems possessed by something foul. Explore the festering town, interrogate locals and fight ungodly manifestations to get to the truth.The Janowski House Demo presented in the trailer will be available on Steam in January 2023.Click to expand...Click to shrink...Trailer appears to be centered on the upcoming 'Janowski House Demo' with screenshots on Steam showing off a bit of the town itself: PucePikminMemberApr 26, 20185,087Digging the (intentionally) grubby art style.CHCMemberOct 27, 201711,056Cool vibeMessofanegoMemberOct 25, 201729,251UKThat pixel art in 3D looks really impressive. Not many games do that. I think Replaced is also doing it?TM_MemberOct 1, 2022408Looks cool. Nice to have voice acting in Polish.OP OPDancrane212MemberOct 25, 201714,108Messofanego said:That pixel art in 3D looks really impressive.Click to expand...Click to shrink...Yeah, the lighting looks especially fantastic!Is_that_my_horseMemberMay 28, 2020155Ok yeah this does indeed look cool.MessofanegoMemberOct 25, 201729,251UKDancrane212 said:Yeah, the lighting looks especially fantastic!Click to expand...Click to shrink...Fuck, that's sexymztikMemberOct 25, 20174,046Tokyo, JapanLiking the art style and game direction. Definitely putting it on my wishlist.Threadmarks Targeting PC and consolesIndexOP OPDancrane212MemberOct 25, 201714,108Gematsu article confirming the game is launching on PC and TBA consoles.Psychological horror survival game Holstin announced for consoles, PC - GematsuPolish developer Sonka has announced Holstin, psychological horror survival game inspired by Resident Evil, Silent Hill, and Twin Peaks. It will launch for consoles and PC via Steam in 2023.www.gematsu.comIndex McStickensteinMemberOct 27, 20171,496The art style reminds me of Signalis, which I played briefly but never finished.DevilMayGuyMemberOct 25, 201713,860TexasLooks greatTransEuropaExpressMemberDec 6, 201711,346USOkay I was ready to mock the game's logo being a straight Silent Hill rip but got reeled back in by the fantastic visual style. This looks fantastic in motion, seriously.I hope it delivers because I just went to 100% interest.Edit: Didn't see the clip where it shows the camera rotations...that looks awesome.TransEuropaExpressMemberDec 6, 201711,346USMessofanego said:Fuck, that's sexyClick to expand...Click to shrink...I've found myself coming back to this thread just to indulge in the art porn here. This and Signalis look so good in this "updated PS1" vein. I don't have technical knowlege but that's what it looks like to me.PerzevalProphet of TruthAvengerOct 25, 201711,066SwedenIn my dreams I see that fontOP OPDancrane212MemberOct 25, 201714,108Just outstanding:Threadmarks Playtest signups live on SteamIndexOP OPDancrane212MemberOct 25, 201714,108Sign up now for the first playtest of Holstin: The Janowski House and set your New Year's resolution to 480x270!https://store.steampowered.com/app/2235430/Holstin/IndexOP OPDancrane212MemberOct 25, 201714,108Codes for the demo are getting dropped via the game's Twitter account:OP OPDancrane212MemberOct 25, 201714,108Steam invites are starting to roll out to folk who applied.Thrill_houseBannedOct 27, 201711,805Ohhhhh man. This looks fantastic. I love that grimey late 90s isometric pc/ps1 look. They will be getting my money at full release most likely. wafflebrainMemberOct 27, 201712,077Saw this game on my twitter feed today, can't say I've seen a perspective shift like this in a game before for combat, looks cool af:View: https://twitter.com/holstingame/status/1676247594425516034View: https://twitter.com/holstingame/status/1674484008170803200Still need to try out the playtest that I apparently got into some time ago. Anywho love the vibe this is going for, and that dynamic lighting works really well with this art style. The dev mentioned a public demo is planned for late July.carlsojoShinra EmployeeMemberOct 28, 201736,681San Franciscowafflebrain said:Saw this game on my twitter feed today, can't say I've seen a perspective shift like this in a game before for combat, looks cool af:View: https://twitter.com/holstingame/status/1676247594425516034Still need to try out the playtest that I apparently got into some time ago. Anywho love the vibe this is going for, and that dynamic lighting works really well with this art style.Click to expand...Click to shrink...Holy shit that is slick as helloldbossShinra EmployeeMemberNov 9, 20171,568wafflebrain said:Saw this game on my twitter feed today, can't say I've seen a perspective shift like this in a game before for combat, looks cool af:View: https://twitter.com/holstingame/status/1676247594425516034View: https://twitter.com/holstingame/status/1674484008170803200Still need to try out the playtest that I apparently got into some time ago. Anywho love the vibe this is going for, and that dynamic lighting works really well with this art style. The dev mentioned a public demo is planned for late July.Click to expand...Click to shrink...Wow. Damn. This is super cool. Really psyched to try it out!eXistorMemberOct 27, 201713,449Damn, this game looks cool as hell.BlackbirdUnshakable Resolve - Prophet of TruthMemberOct 25, 20177,145Brazilwhat in the world...this looks fantastic.VADMemberOct 28, 20176,058The shift from isometric to over the shoulder camera is brilliant.bunkitzBrave Little SparkModeratorOct 28, 201715,750Woah, that perspective switch is sick. Looks great.Mister NiwaMemberOct 25, 2017229Wasn't this supposed to come out in January?? I can't wait to play it!NorsuchampMemberFeb 6, 20201,095Did not expect that camera angle at all. Quite an awesome twist to a game that already looked pretty slick.KnivesAndCoinsMemberOct 27, 20171,180Roma, ItaliaThis is at the absolute top of my wishlist, wondering when it'll come out - are we there yet? Are we there yet? Did the devs say anything abouta release? OP OPDancrane212MemberOct 25, 201714,108Mister Niwa said:Wasn't this supposed to come out in January?? I can't wait to play it!Click to expand...Click to shrink...Just the demo.Mister NiwaMemberOct 25, 2017229Dancrane212 said:Just the demo.Click to expand...Click to shrink...Ohhh I see!SkelatixMemberOct 28, 2017332South AfricaNecro bump... but the 2nd demo portion has just been released for those that played the original demo or still has it installed.MessofanegoMemberOct 25, 201729,251UKOh thanks for the reminder, will try to play the demo.PLASTICA-MANMemberOct 26, 201728,493How did I miss this? Thanks for the bump.SkelatixMemberOct 28, 2017332South AfricaWow already been over a year since the last necrobump from me.They have released a new trailer showing off some of the semi open world gameplay:View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C6DycShov7I"Alongside production, we've also been slowly building up to our next big move. We've decided that to keep the game fully independent and true to our vision, we're going to turn to our community through Kickstarter to help finalize and shape the game."Teaser kickstarter page can be located here:https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/sonkagames/holstin

Nintendo held off announcing the price of the Switch 2 in its big Switch 2 Direct on Wednesday. Instead, perhaps in preparation for the inevitable sticker shock, the $449 price point was slipped into a news release tucked away in a bevy of other facts. Nintendo also announced that a limited-supply bundle that comes with a copy of Mario Kart World would retail for $499.99. The Mario Kart sequel runs $80 as a standalone game.Even with rampant inflation of the U.S. economy, the Switch 2 remains one of Nintendos most expensive consoles ever. Further, its crossing the once-sacred $70 price point for games a relatively ubiquitous price for AAA games that most major studios generally adhere to. (That price point has crept up over the years, with first-party Switch 1 games going for $60 in most cases.)In the wake of Nintendos pricey announcements, weve seen reactions from folks all across the internet, and even in our own personal group chats with friends, land all over the place. In January, we predicted that the console would be sold at $399, and in our reader survey, almost 57% of you agreed with us. Just 9% of our respondents predicted that the Switch 2 would cost $449. So now the question stands: Will you buy a Switch 2 for $449.99?With Switch 2 pre-orders set for April 9, the Nintendo Switch 1 still retails for $299.99 the same price as when it launched. The Switch OLED still goes for $349.99, and has also never been discounted. A Switch Lite continues to go for $199.99. Nintendos Switch 2 competitors, like the Valve Steam Deck and the ROG Ally X, retail for anywhere from $399 to just under $600, depending on how much storage youd like.So tell us: Will you buy the Switch 2? Vote in our poll and sound off in the comments to make your case.

While watching the big Nintendo Switch 2 Direct, Im sure I wasnt alone in expecting the long-awaited follow-up to Super Mario Odyssey. When the final trailer kicked off with lush, cartoony environs, it seemed clear that the expectation was about to become reality. But nope, Nintendos big surprise game was actually Donkey Kong Bananza, a new 3D adventure game starring the king of the Kongs.But is this just a palette swap? Maybe the developers wanted to make a new 3D platformer, but to mix it up they slotted in Donkey Kong instead of Mario. Effectively, is this the sequel to Mario Odyssey weve been waiting for? Big time not.After having spent 30 minutes playing the game at Nintendos press event Wednesday, I can say that Donkey Kong Bananza might be the most fuck everything up game Nintendo has ever made. Seconds into controlling Donkey Kong, I was set loose in a mine staffed by very sad chimpanzees. And no, I wasnt there to save them. Apparently this next generation of DK is very obsessed with Bananium, a mineral that looks a heck of a lot like gold and I guess tastes like bananas. Image: NintendoImage: NintendoImage: NintendoImage: NintendoThe gameplay consists of Donkey Kong just sprinting through the mine breaking literally everything around him. Hes busting holes in walls, hes throwing huge boulders hes a very mobile, very hungry wrecking ball. There was very little platforming involved, in fact, with much more of a focus on wrecking shit. Every button and trigger but one results in some wrecking-shit variant. Theres the standard horizontal punch, theres a ground slam, theres a ground drum (for sending nearby pickups into the air for collection), theres a grab and throw for hurling boulders. You are just marching around the environments fucking shit up.This can feel a bit chaotic and actually resulted in some motion sickness, requiring me to turn down some of the sensitivity settings but it was a blast. The meditative platforming you might find in a Mario game has been replaced by something entirely different, and entirely in line with Donkey Kongs persona. Dude loves bananas and wrecking shit.The game does have some purpose to it. Sometimes you are given mini objectives to keep things moving, like using exploding boulders to open up new pathways. And there are a ton of collectibles hidden within the walls and underground to uncover. The levels appear to be quite large and seemingly filled with a number of different paths you can go down, making Bananza feel much more in line with what youd expect from a major first-party Nintendo release. But all of that felt secondary to the pure joy of destroying the world around me.I cleared out a particularly gold-filled area, only to look back on the chaos I had wrought. It was like a tornado had whipped through the heart of the mine, and no one was spared.See More:

The physical release of Cyberpunk 2077 Ultimate Edition won't require an additional download to run, as the entire game will be included in the cart.Speaking on X, CD Projekt Red's Vice President of Business Jan Rosner confirmed the game will ship on a 64 GB cart that includes both the base game and the Phantom Liberty expansion, so no additional download will be required to run the game. The game will launch the same day the Nintendo Switch 2 launches worldwide for the price of $69.99, 69.99.At the time, we haven't seen much of Cyberpunk 2077 Ultimate Edition running on Nintendo Switch 2 besides the short trailer shown during yesterday's Nintendo Direct, but it seems like a high refresh rate experience is out of the cards, even in docked mode. Earlier today, Bloomberg's Jason Schreier confirmed, after a hands-on session, that the game runs at 40 FPS in Performance Mode with the console docked, which is definitely disappointing for those who expected a 60 FPS mode, but not completely unexpected, considering how demanding the game can be.Some other Switch 2 observations:- The "Welcome Tour" app is surprisingly cool (one minigame reminded me of Mario Paint) and it is insane that Nintendo is charging for it- Metroid looks and feels fantastic- Cyberpunk 2077 runs at 40fps in performance mode while docked (oof) Jason Schreier (@jasonschreier.bsky.social) April 3, 2025 at 3:37 PMCyberpunk 2077 Ultimate Edition launches on June 5th on Nintendo Switch 2 worldwide. The game is also available on PC, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S and Xbox One.

This is not investment advice. The author has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. Wccftech.com has a disclosure and ethics policy.Chip designer NVIDIA Corporation is losing its GPU pricing power, according to a fresh note from investment bank HSBC. The note cuts NVIDIA's share price target to $120 from $175 and downgrades the shares to Hold from Buy. NVIDIA's GPU prices, driven by the firm's considerable technological advantages, short supply and high manufacturing costs, have set the narrative around its products and share price. They were at the heart of January's DeepSeek selloff, which wiped off close to $600 billion from the firm's market value as investors wondered whether the GPUs would be in high demand after purported efficiency demonstrations by the Chinese AI startup DeepSeek.HSBC Doesn't See Significant Pricing Boost Between NVIDIA's B200 & B300 Blackwell AI GPUsNVIDIA's shares are among the worst performers in 2025 due to investor skepticism about the firm's AI GPU demand. Year-to-date, the stock has 24% and is down 4.9% at market open today after the Trump administration's latest set of tariffs roiled US and global stock markets.Amidst the chaos, HSBC believes that NVIDIA is losing the pricing power with its AI GPUs. In a fresh analyst note, the firm's analyst Frank Lee analyzes the pricing trend between NVIDIA's B200 and B300 Blackwell AI GPUs and GB200 and GB300 NVL72 server racks. The B300 GPUs are among the latest AI products from NVIDIA and is build on TSMC's N4P manufacturing process node.According to HSBC, there has been no significant average selling price (ASP) bump between the B200 and B300 GPUs. "[W]e have seen no significant ASP boost between B200 and B300 GPU or the GB200 and GB300 NVL72 rack architecture," notes Lee and adds that there appear to be limited upgrades in GPU specifications as well apart from the next-generation Vera Rubin GPUs relying on HBM4 memory.HSBC adds that NVIDIA's systems will support 72 GPUs per rack until 2027, when the firm launches its Rubin Ultra products. As a result, the bank has downgraded NVIDIA's shares to Hold from Buy, a downgrade that appears to have come just in time as the firm's shares extended their losses to 5.34% as trading commenced today.HSBC's latest remarks about NVIDIA follow NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang's remarks last month where he justified his firm's GPU prices. In an interview after NVIDIA's GTC conference, Huang shared that not only do his firm's GPUs allow users to generate money and save money by being more efficient, by added that they are pricey due to manufacturing complexities.Huang also added that his company is working with TSMC and Foxconn to manufacture GPUs onshore in the US. Trump's latest round of tariffs left NVIDIA out of the loop, and the firm is also reportedly pressuring the US government to scrap the latest set of rules that prevent unlimited sales of its AI GPUs to most countries except for 18 that are determined to be key US allies and partners.Deal of the Day