SpaceX is a space launch juggernaut. In just two decades, the company has managed to edge out former aerospace heavyweights Boeing, Lockheed, and Northrop Grumman to gain near-monopoly status over rocket launches in the US; it accounted for 87% of the countrys orbital launches in 2024, according to an analysis by SpaceNews. Since the mid-2010s, the company has dominated NASAs launch contracts and become a major Pentagon contractor. It is now also the go-to launch provider for commercial customers, having lofted numerous satellites and five private crewed spaceflights, with more to come.Other space companies have been scrambling to compete for years, but developing a reliable rocket takes slow, steady work and big budgets. Now at least some of them are catching up.A host of companies have readied rockets that are comparable to SpaceXs main launch vehicles. The list includes Rocket Lab, which aims to take on SpaceXs workhorse Falcon 9 with its Neutron rocket and could have its first launch in late 2025, and Blue Origin, owned by Jeff Bezos, which recently completed the first mission of a rocket it hopes will compete against SpaceXs Starship.Some of these competitors are just starting to get rockets off the ground. And the companies could also face unusual headwinds, given that SpaceXs Elon Musk has an especially close relationship with the Trump administration and has allies at federal regulatory agencies, including those that provide oversight of the industry.But if all goes well, the SpaceX challengers can help improve access to space and prevent bottlenecks if one company experiences a setback. More players in the market is good for competition, says Chris Combs, an aerospace engineer at the University of Texas at San Antonio. I think for the foreseeable future it will still be hard to compete with SpaceX on price. But, he says, the competitors could push SpaceX itself to become better and provide those seeking access to space with a wider array of options..A big liftThere are a few reasons why SpaceX was able to cement its position in the space industry. When it began in the 2000s, it had three consecutive rocket failures and seemed poised to fold. But it barreled through with Musks financial support, and later with a series of NASA and defense contracts. It has been a primary beneficiary of NASAs commercial space program, developed in the 2010s with the intention of propping up the industry.They got government contracts from the very beginning, says Victoria Samson, a space policy expert at the Secure World Foundation in Broomfield, Colorado. I wouldnt say its a handout, but SpaceX would not exist without a huge influx of repeated government contracts. To this day, theyre still dependent on government customers, though they have commercial customers too.SpaceX has also effectively achieved a high degree of vertical integration, Samson points out: It owns almost all parts of its supply chain, designing, building, and testing all its major hardware components in-house, with a minimal use of suppliers. That gives it not just control over its hardware but considerably lower costs, and the price tag is the top consideration for launch contracts.The company was also open to taking risks other industry stalwarts were not. I think for a very long time the industry looked at spaceflight as something that had to be very precise and perfect, and not a lot of room for tinkering, says Combs. SpaceX really was willing to take some risks and accept failure in ways that others havent been. Thats easier to do when youre backed by a billionaire.Whats finally enabled international and US-based competitors to emerge has been a growing customer base looking for launch services, along with some investors deep pockets.Some of these companies are taking aim at SpaceXs Falcon 9, which can lift as much as about 20,000 kilograms into orbit and is used for sending multiple satellites or the crewed Dragon into space. There is a practical monopoly in the medium-lift launch market right now, with really only one operational vehicle, says Murielle Baker, a spokesperson for Rocket Lab, a US-New Zealand company.Rocket Lab plans to take on the Falcon 9 with its Neutron rocket, which is expected to have its inaugural flight later this year from NASAs Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia. The effort is building on the success of the companys smaller Electron rocket, and Neutrons first stage is intended to be reusable after it parachutes down to the ocean.Another challenger is Texas-based Firefly, whose Alpha rocket can be launched from multiple spaceports so that it can reach different orbits. Firefly has already secured NASA and Space Force contracts, with more launches coming this year (and on March 2 it also became the second private company to successfully land a spacecraft on the moon). Next year, Relativity Space aims to loft its first Terran R rocket, which is partially built from 3D-printed components. And the Bill Gatesbacked Stoke Space aims to launch its reusable Nova rocket in late 2025 or, more likely, next year.Competitors are also rising for SpaceXs Falcon Heavy, holding out the prospect of more options for sending massive payloads to higher orbits and deep space. Furthest along is the Vulcan Centaur rocket, a creation of United Launch Alliance, a joint venture between Boeing and Lockheed Martin. Its expected to have its third and fourth launches in the coming months, delivering Space Force satellites to orbit. Powered by engines from Blue Origin, the Vulcan Centaur is slightly wider and shorter than the Falcon rockets. It currently isnt reusable, but its less expensive than its predecessors, ULAs Atlas V and Delta IV, which are being phased out.Mark Peller, the companys senior vice president on Vulcan development and advanced programs, says the new rocket comes with multiple advantages. One is overall value, in terms of dollars per pound to orbit and what we can provide to our customers, he says, and the second is versatility: Vulcan was designed to go to a range of orbits. He says more than 80 missions are already lined up.Vulcans fifth flight, slated for no earlier than May, will launch the long-awaited Sierra Space Dream Chaser, a spaceplane that can carry cargo (and possibly crew) to the International Space Station. ULA also has upcoming Vulcan launches planned for Amazons Kuiper satellite constellation, a potential Starlink rival.Meanwhile, though it took a few years, Blue Origin now has a truly orbital heavy-lift spacecraft: In January, it celebrated the inaugural launch of its towering New Glenn, a rocket thats only a bit shorter than NASAs Space Launch System and SpaceXs Starship. Future flights could launch national security payloads.Competition is emerging abroad as well. After repeated delays, Europes heavy-lift Ariane 6, from Airbus subsidiary Arianespace, had its inaugural flight last year, ending the European Space Agencys temporary dependence on SpaceX. A range of other companies are trying to expand European launch capacity, with assistance from ESA.China is moving quickly on its own launch organizations too. They had no less than seven commercial space launch companies that were all racing to develop an effective system that could deliver a payload into orbit, Kari Bingen, director of the Aerospace Security Project at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, says of Chinas efforts. They are moving fast and they have capital behind them, and they will absolutely be a competitor on the global market once theyre successful and probably undercut what US and European launch companies are doing. The up-and-coming Chinese launchers include Space Pioneers reusable Tianlong-3 rocket and Cosmoleaps Yueqian rocket. The latter is to feature a chopstick clamp recovery of the first stage, where its grabbed by the launch towers mechanical arms, similar to the concept SpaceX is testing for its Starship.Glitches and governmentBefore SpaceXs rivals can really compete, they need to work out the kinks, demonstrate the reliability of their new spacecraft, and show that they can deliver low-cost launch services to customers.The process is not without its challenges. Boeings Starliner delivered astronauts to the ISS on its first crewed flight in June 2024, but after thruster malfunctions, they were left stranded at the orbital outpost for nine months. While New Glenn reached orbit as planned, its first stage didnt land successfully and its upper stage was left in orbit.SpaceX itself has had some recent struggles. The Federal Aviation Administration grounded the Falcon 9 more than once following malfunctions in the second half of 2024. The company still shattered records last year, though, with more than 130 Falcon 9 launches. It has continued with that record pace this year, despite additional Falcon 9 delays and more glitches with its booster and upper stage. SpaceX also conducted its eighth Starship test flight in March, just two months after the previous one, but both failed minutes after liftoff, raining debris down from the sky.Any company must deal with financial challenges as well as engineering ones. Boeing is reportedly considering selling parts of its space business, following Starliners malfunctions and problems with its 737 Max aircraft. And Virgin Orbit, the launch company that spun off from Virgin Galactic, shuttered in 2023.Another issue facing would-be commercial competitors to SpaceX in the US is the complex and uncertain political environment. Musk does not manage day-to-day operations of the company. But he has close involvement with DOGE, a Trump administration initiative that has been exerting influence on the workforces and budgets of NASA, the Defense Department, and regulators relevant to the space industry.Jared Isaacman, a billionaire who bankrolled the groundbreaking 2021 commercial mission Inspiration4, returned to orbit, again via a SpaceX craft, on Polaris Dawn last September. Now he may become Trumps NASA chief, a position that could give him the power to nudge NASA toward awarding new lucrative contracts to SpaceX. In February it was reported that SpaceXs Starlink might land a multibillion-dollar FAA contract previously awarded to Verizon.It is also possible that SpaceX could strengthen its position with respect to the regulatory scrutiny it has faced for environmental and safety issues at its production and launch sites on the coasts of Texas and Florida, as well as scrutiny of its rocket crashes and the resulting space debris. Oversight from the FAA, the Federal Communications Commission, and the Environmental Protection Agency may be weak. Conflicts of interest have already emerged at the FAA, and the Trump administration has also attempted to incapacitate the National Labor Relations Board. SpaceX had previously tried to block the board from acting after nine workers accused the company of unfair labor practices.SpaceX did not respond to MIT Technology Reviews requests for comment for this story.I think theres going to be a lot of emphasis to relieve a lot of the regulations, in terms of environmental impact studies, and things like that, Samson says. I thought thered be a separation between [Musks] interests, but now, its hard to say where he stops and the US government begins.Regardless of the politics, the commercial competition will surely heat up throughout 2025. But SpaceX has a considerable head start, Bingen argues: Its going to take a lot for these companies to effectively compete and potentially dislodge SpaceX, given the dominant position that [it has] had.Ramin Skibba is an astrophysicist turned science writer and freelance journalist, based in the Bay Are

For all the hype surrounding the Switch 2, Nintendo has stirred controversy with its pricing for dedicated versions of titles like The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, Tears of the Kingdom, Kirby and the Forgotten Land, and Super Mario Party Jamboree. While current owners can upgrade to the Switch 2 Editions, Nintendo has confirmed at least one other avenue.Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack subscribers can get the upgrade packs for The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom at no added cost. Once again, you must own the Switch 1 versions of each game, but as long as youre subscribed, their upgrades will remain playable on the Nintendo Switch 2.Another benefit for Expansion Pack subscribers is access to GameCube titles like The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker, Soulcalibur 2 and F-Zero GX. These are exclusively playable on the Switch 2, with other titles like Luigis Mansion, Super Mario Sunshine, Pokemon XD: Gale of Darkness, and Super Mario Strikers coming later.

Developer Toby Fox of Undertalefame has repeatedly insisted that chapters three and four ofDeltarunewill be releasing at some point in 2025, and thats now been made official.At the recent Nintendo Switch 2 Direct, the developer announced thatDeltarunesthird and fourth chapters are releasing on June 5. The game will serve as a Nintendo Switch 2 launch title, which will obviously also be getting the preceding two chapters on the same day. Meanwhile, chapters three and four will also launch for PS5, PS4, PC, and the Switch 1 simultaneously.On the Nintendo Switch 2,Deltarunewill feature a special room with gameplay designed around the Joy-Con 2 controllers mouse functionality. A different version of the room with different gameplay will be featured in all other versions of the game.As previously announced, Chapters 3 and 4 will be paid releases, unlike the first two chapters. They will be sold at a combined price of $24.99.

Thursday, April 3rd, 2025Posted by Jim ThackerMaxon releases Redshift 2025.4html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40/loose.dtd"Maxon has released Redshift 2025.4, the latest version of the GPU renderer for VFX, motion graphics and visualization work.Its a sizeable update, adding support for new open material standard OpenPBR, plus separate sets of new features for 3ds Max, Blender, Cinema 4D, Houdini, Katana and Maya users.Image by Ian Robinson.New OpenPBR material ubershaderThe key change in Redshift 2025.4 is support for new open material standard OpenPBR, in the shape of the new OpenPBR Material.OpenPBR, intended as a unified successor to both the Autodesk Standard Surface and the Adobe Standard Material, is now used as the default material in both 3ds Max and Maya.Redshifts own implementation follows the organization of the OpenPBR Surface spec, but with some additional options for fine control of render output.Easier to add fuzz and surface dust than with the Redshift Standard materialMaxon describes working with the new OpenPBR Material as having many similarities to Redshifts Standard material, but there are differences, notably to the handling of surface effects.Whereas the Standard material has a topmost clear Coat layer over a Sheen layer, in the new OpenPBR material, Fuzz is the topmost BRDF layer.Maxon describes it as an excellent BSDF to add micro fuzz or micro dust layering.Other changes to the core rendererRelated changes in Redshift 2025.4 include a new Surface Tangent node, used to control anisotropy within the OpenPBR Material; and a new Energy preserving Oren-Nayar (EON) BRDF.The latter, which generates more realistic lighting on materials with high Roughness values than the standard Oren-Nayar (ON) model, is also available as an option in the Standard material.Other changes to the core renderer include a new Rotation control in the Maxon Noise shader.An Evermotion scene converted from Corona and rendered in Redshift for 3ds Max using the Scene Converter.New features for 3ds Max, Blender, Cinema 4D, Maya and Houdini usersRedshift 2025.4 also features number of changes specific to the individual host applications.3ds Max users get the option to convert scenes created for Chaoss Corona and V-Ray renderers to native Redshift shaders and lights via the Scene Converter tool.Blender users get new options, including object overrides, when importing or exporting Redshift Proxies.Cinema 4D users get support for Redshift material baking for viewport previews, which is intended to display materials more accurately than the previous Draft mode.However, there are still some limitations: baking runs on the CPU alone, and does not yet support object- or world-space projection, while subsurface scattering and roughness are only partially supported.Houdini and Katana users get support for USD Variants in the USD procedural, and support for per-vertex color and scalar attributes on hair primitives.Maya users get support for the Redshift Material Viewer inside Mayas Hypershade, for quickly dialing in the look of a material; and the option to load Alembic files with a Redshift Proxy.Price and system requirementsRedshift 2025.4 is compatible with Windows 10+, glibc 2.28+ Linux and macOS 13.3+.The renderers integration plugins are compatible with 3ds Max 2018+, Blender 3.1+, Cinema 4D R25+, Houdini 18.5+, Katana 4.5+ and Maya 2018+ (Maya 2022+ on Linux).The software is rental-only, with subscriptions costing $46/month or $264/year. Read a full list of changes in Redshift 2025.4 on the Redshift forum(Login required)Have your say on this story by following CG Channel on Facebook, Instagram and X (formerly Twitter). As well as being able to comment on stories, followers of our social media accounts can see videos we dont post on the site itself, including making-ofs for the latest VFX movies, animations, games cinematics and motion graphics projects.Latest NewsMaxon releases Redshift 2025.4Big update to the renderer adds OpenPBR support. See the other new features for 3ds Max, Blender, Cinema 4D, Houdini and Maya users.Thursday, April 3rd, 2025Maxon releases Cinema 4D 2025.23D animation and motion graphics app gets integrated Spline Modifiers and updates to particle simulation. Liquid simulation 'coming soon'.Thursday, April 3rd, 2025Maxon releases ZBrush 2025.2Check out the changes to the digital sculpting tool, including updates to poly modeling system ZModeler and new Redshift materials.Wednesday, April 2nd, 2025Maxon adds ZModeler and UV Master to ZBrush for iPad 2025.3Significant update to the new iPad edition of the digital sculpting app adds long-awaited poly modeling and UV unwrapping toolsets.Wednesday, April 2nd, 2025Adobe releases After Effects 25.2Check out the new features in the compositing app, including High Performance Preview Playback and updates to 3D workflows.Wednesday, April 2nd, 2025Autodesk releases Mudbox 2026Digital sculpting software gets its fifth consecutive 'minor update', but the cost of monthly subscriptions falls back to 2022 levels.Tuesday, April 1st, 2025More NewsOtoy releases OctaneRender 2025.1Poly Hammer releases Meta-Human DNA add-on for BlenderCheck out virtual cinematography tool Radical VCamChaos launches Chaos ArenaLumion unveils Lumion ViewMaster the art of Virtual Makeup Design with Neville PageAutodesk releases Arnold 7.4.13DGS Render 3.0 lets you paint 3D Gaussian Splats in BlenderAdobe releases Photoshop 26.5Autodesk releases MotionBuilder 2026Autodesk releases 3ds Max 2026Autodesk releases Maya 2026 and Maya Creative 2026Older Posts

Thursday, April 3rd, 2025Posted by Jim ThackerMaxon releases Cinema 4D 2025.2html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40/loose.dtd"Maxon has released Cinema 4D 2025.2, the latest version of its 3D software for motion graphics, VFX and visualization work.The update integrates Rocket Lassos Spline Modifier Capsules, and updates the particle simulation toolset, including the option to use Fields or vertex maps to control emission.The launch video also includes a teaser for a new liquid simulation system not part of Cinema 4D 2025.2 itself, but coming soon.Rocket Lasso Spline Modifier Capsules like Electric Spline are now available inside Cinema 4D.Popular Rocket Lasso Spline Modifier Capsules now integrated directly into Cinema 4DThe headline change in the release almost the first third of the launch video is devoted to it is that Rocket Lassos Spline Modifiers are now integrated directly into Cinema 4D.The seven modifiers, previously available as Capsules for Cinema 4D subscribers, are now available directly in the Deformer palette.They can be used for procedural modeling and animation, but particularly for motion graphics and UI design: the launch video also shows readymade generators for fabric weave structures and constellations 3D networks of lines connecting points or particles.Particle simulation: new interactive viewport manipulators and emission control options Cinema 4D 2025.2 also brings further updates to the new particle simulation toolset rolled out in Cinema 4D 2024.4 last year.Key changes include new interactive handles for particle emitters, making it possible to resize the emitter, or edit its emission speed and direction, directly in the viewport.It is also now possible to control the density of particle emission using Cinema 4Ds Fields, procedural noises, and vertex maps.You can see the exact options available for the Basic Emitter, Mesh Emitter and Spline Emitter in the online manual.In addition, custom properties are now automatically generated for particles based on their usage, and there are new outputs for the Flock and Predator-Prey modifiers.When caching particle simulations, it is now possible to use Cubic or Cubic Monotone interpolation, which gives smoother results than the existing Linear interpolation.Other changesGeneral workflow improvements include a new Align to Plane mode mode for the Look At Camera, which can be used to keep text aligned to the view during camera movements.It is also now possible to sync the frame rate in the Render Settings to the Project Frame Rate.New liquid simulation system coming soonHowever, perhaps the biggest new feature shown in the launch video isnt in Cinema 4D 2025.2 itself, but in an upcoming version of the software.According to Maxon, it is gearing up to release a powerful new liquid simulation system bringing the beauty and complexity of realistic fluid dynamics right into your creative workflow.As well as water, the video shows viscous fluids like lava and melted chocolate, while the demo scenes show a range of small and medium-sized liquid simulations of the type for which many artists would currently turn to third-party tools like X-Particles or RealFlow.The liquid simulation toolset is coming soon, but Maxon hasnt said whether that means Cinema 4D 2025.3, or whether it is still further off.Price and system requirementsCinema 4D 2025.2 is compatible with Windows 10+ and macOS 13.6+. It is available rental-only, with Cinema 4D subscriptions costing $109/month or $839/year.Read a list of new features in Cinema 4D 2025.2 in the online release notesRead more about the new features in Cinema 4D in the online manualHave your say on this story by following CG Channel on Facebook, Instagram and X (formerly Twitter). As well as being able to comment on stories, followers of our social media accounts can see videos we dont post on the site itself, including making-ofs for the latest VFX movies, animations, games cinematics and motion graphics projects.Latest NewsMaxon releases Redshift 2025.4Big update to the renderer adds OpenPBR support. See the other new features for 3ds Max, Blender, Cinema 4D, Houdini and Maya users.Thursday, April 3rd, 2025Maxon releases Cinema 4D 2025.23D animation and motion graphics app gets integrated Spline Modifiers and updates to particle simulation. Liquid simulation 'coming soon'.Thursday, April 3rd, 2025Maxon releases ZBrush 2025.2Check out the changes to the digital sculpting tool, including updates to poly modeling system ZModeler and new Redshift materials.Wednesday, April 2nd, 2025Maxon adds ZModeler and UV Master to ZBrush for iPad 2025.3Significant update to the new iPad edition of the digital sculpting app adds long-awaited poly modeling and UV unwrapping toolsets.Wednesday, April 2nd, 2025Adobe releases After Effects 25.2Check out the new features in the compositing app, including High Performance Preview Playback and updates to 3D workflows.Wednesday, April 2nd, 2025Autodesk releases Mudbox 2026Digital sculpting software gets its fifth consecutive 'minor update', but the cost of monthly subscriptions falls back to 2022 levels.Tuesday, April 1st, 2025More NewsOtoy releases OctaneRender 2025.1Poly Hammer releases Meta-Human DNA add-on for BlenderCheck out virtual cinematography tool Radical VCamChaos launches Chaos ArenaLumion unveils Lumion ViewMaster the art of Virtual Makeup Design with Neville PageAutodesk releases Arnold 7.4.13DGS Render 3.0 lets you paint 3D Gaussian Splats in BlenderAdobe releases Photoshop 26.5Autodesk releases MotionBuilder 2026Autodesk releases 3ds Max 2026Autodesk releases Maya 2026 and Maya Creative 2026Older Posts

Nintendo implements pre-order restrictions for Switch 2Requirements include a Nintendo Switch Online membership "for at least two years continuously"Image credit: Nintendo News by Sophie McEvoy Staff Writer Published on April 3, 2025 Nintendo has implemented pre-order restrictions on My Nintendo Store for the Switch 2 in order to "prioritise the most dedicated players".Pre-orders will initially be offered by invite-only emails based on a certain set of criteria. For UK and European consumers, pre-orders begin on April 8 while in the US and Canada the date is April 9. The Switch 2 launches on June 5, 2025.Nintendo UK said consumers are required to have had a Nintendo Switch Online membership "for at least two years continuously" by March 31, 2025 and an active membership when the pre-order is placed.Nintendo US noted invites will be prioritised to those with "a minimum of 12 months paid membership."For family memberships, this applies to the person who purchased the membership. Other members are not eligible.Pre-order selection will also be based on "prioritising those with more playtime" on Nintendo Switch games, as well as players who have opted to share usage information with Nintendo. Nintendo US specified this as being a minimum of 50 hours as of April 2, 2025.To receive the invite, consumers will also have to have opted to receive promotional emails and messages from Nintendo."Over time, the selection criteria thresholds may be lowered and more people could be invited to pre-order a Nintendo Switch 2 console," the company clarified."Throughout, we will remain focused on prioritising the most dedicated Nintendo Switch players (while stocks last)."Earlier this year, Nintendo president Shuntaro Furukawa reiterated the company's stance on keeping up with stock demands."As of now, we are taking the risk and proceeding with production to meet as large a demand as possible," said Furukawa. "As was true with the Switch, we believe it will not be easy to rapidly increase production capacity, so based on our prior experience, we are making preparations to respond as quickly as possible."Furukawa previously noted that Nintendo would combat scalpers by providing enough Switch 2 consoles for retailers to meet consumer demand.

Some physical Nintendo Switch 2 games will be download-only 'Game-Key Cards'Games like Bravely Default and Street Fighter 6 will require a downloadImage credit: Nintendo News by Samuel Roberts Editorial Director Published on April 3, 2025 Nintendo has revealed that physical copies of certain games on the new Switch 2 console will be 'Game-Key Cards', requiring a download before they're playable.Inserting the Game-Key Card for any of these games brings up instructions on the Switch 2's HOME screen of how to download them.Following the download and opening the game for the first time, an online connection isn't mandatory to play the game only the physical Game-Key Card.As Nintendo's support page for Game-Key Card titles explains, these download-only games are clearly flagged as such on the front of the box.This notice will also state how much free storage is required on the user's Switch 2 or microSD Express card to download and play it.Two launch window Switch 2 games that appear to be Game-Key Card releases are Bravely Default Flying Fairy HD Remaster and Street Fighter 6, based on listings by Australian retailer JB Hi-Fi.This isn't totally new for a Nintendo platform as Eurogamer points out, LA Noire on Switch required a 14GB download before it was playable. Numerous physical copies of existing Switch games, too, only include download codes in a box.This could represent a sea change for collectors of physical Nintendo games, however, depending on how widely the Game-Key Cards are used by publishers across the Switch 2's lifespan versus regular physical releases.On modern consoles like the PS5 and Xbox Series X, physical copies of games that don't include the game are more prevalent. For example, 2022's Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 on PS5 required a 150GB download at launch, while only 72MB of data was included on the disc.The Nintendo Switch 2 launches on June 5.

TechTarget and Informa Techs Digital Business Combine.TechTarget and InformaTechTarget and Informa Techs Digital Business Combine.Together, we power an unparalleled network of 220+ online properties covering 10,000+ granular topics, serving an audience of 50+ million professionals with original, objective content from trusted sources. We help you gain critical insights and make more informed decisions across your business priorities.Epic acquires AI-powered 3D asset tagging technology LociEpic acquires AI-powered 3D asset tagging technology LociThe Fortnite maker says the tech will help 'automate artist workflows and improve discoverability of content.'Chris Kerr, News EditorApril 3, 20251 Min ReadImage via LociUnreal Engine maker Epic Games has acquired AI-powered asset tagging company Loci for an undisclosed fee.Loci has developed technology that uses AI-powered APIs to label, categorize, recommend, and optimise 3D assets at scale. The company said its endpoints "make it easy to search, manage and understand complex 3D assets and scenes."Loci's computer models have been trained on over 1 million 3D assets, which it claims lets them "understand just about any visual style."Epic will integrate Loci's technology across its ecosystem to improve sharing and discoverability in Fab and to automatically index custom assets in Unreal Editor for Fortnite (UEFN).The company said Loci's 3D similarity detection solution for IP protection will also help identify potential IP violations and enhance moderation capabilities across its platforms."Epic creates and hosts a huge amount of 3D content across our ecosystem, and we are always looking for ways to automate artist workflows and improve discoverability of content, said Lucia Specia, director of Epic's Machine Learning Solutions team, in a blog post."We look forward to working with the Loci team to develop novel AI tools to improve how our community creates and modifies 3D content across Fab, Unreal Engine and our entire ecosystem."Related:Loci CEO Eugene Yi said the acquisition will support its mission of ensuring 3D assets are "accessible, discoverable, and protected.""Joining Epic Games allows us to integrate Loci's 3D understanding technology where it matters mostsupporting creators directly in the strongest 3D asset ecosystem in the world," he added.Read more about:Epic GamesAbout the AuthorChris KerrNews Editor, GameDeveloper.comGame Developer news editor Chris Kerr is an award-winning journalist and reporter with over a decade of experience in the game industry. His byline has appeared in notable print and digital publications including Edge, Stuff, Wireframe, International Business Times, andPocketGamer.biz. Throughout his career, Chris has covered major industry events including GDC, PAX Australia, Gamescom, Paris Games Week, and Develop Brighton. He has featured on the judging panel at The Develop Star Awards on multiple occasions and appeared on BBC Radio 5 Live to discuss breaking news.See more from Chris KerrDaily news, dev blogs, and stories from Game Developer straight to your inboxStay UpdatedYou May Also Like

The first batch of 27 Project Kuiper space internet satellites are scheduled to launch next week. Amazon has secured 80 such launch missions that will each deliver dozens of satellites into low earth orbit (LEO) to create a constellation capable of competing with Elon Musks Starlink juggernaut. Amazon says it expects to begin offering high-speed, low-latency internet service later this year.The KA-01 mission satellites short for Kuiper Atlas 1 will launch on an Atlas V rocket from United Launch Alliance. Its currently scheduled for 12pm ET on Wednesday, April 9th, assuming weather and technology cooperate at the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. Amazons other Project Kuiper launch partners include Arianespace, Blue Origin, and yes, SpaceX.As a global service offering, Amazons space internet service will eventually be available from virtually any location on the planet. Users will need terminal antennas to tap into the satellite constellation. In 2023, Amazon said that its smallest dish, a seven-inch square design weighing just one pound, would offer speeds up to 100Mbps, making it a Starlink Mini alternative. Amazon will further compete with SpaceX by offering larger dishes for residential and enterprise use offering speeds up to 1Gbps. Amazon expects to produce the terminals for less than $400 each, which may or may not be subsidized to attract users.Amazon will offer terminals for mobile, residential, and enterprise use. Image: AmazonAmazons first-generation satellite system will eventually consist of more than 3,200 LEO satellites, all flying at 17,000 mph (27,359 km/h), 392 miles (630km) above the Earth, and circling the planet in about 90 minutes. SpaceXs Starlink constellation currently exceeds 7,000 LEO satellites, the first of which launched in 2019.Notably, the satellites flying on KA-01 are coated in a dielectric mirror film unique to Kuiper that scatters reflected sunlight. That should help make them less visible to ground-based astronomers, according to Amazon.Although Amazon already launched a pair of Project Kuiper prototype satellites, its upcoming mission will include a number of firsts that introduce risk. Weve done extensive testing on the ground to prepare for this first mission, but there are some things you can only learn in flight, and this will be the first time weve flown our final satellite design and the first time weve deployed so many satellites at once, said Rajeev Badyal, vice president of Project Kuiper.No matter how the mission unfolds, this is just the start of our journey, and we have all the pieces in place to learn and adapt as we prepare to launch again and again over the coming years.See More:

Nintendo revealed its Switch 2 in full yesterday, just hours before Trump took to the White House Rose Garden for his own launch: his latest, and largest, round of tariffs yet. Unfortunately for Nintendo, the tariffs hit the countries where it builds its consoles, with new rates of up to 49 percent that it may pass on to US buyers.The company is in this position in part because it had to adapt to Trumps trade policy before. Its manufacturing was heavily based in China until Trumps first term, when the combination of tariffs on China, the covid pandemic, and later, Russias attack on Ukraine, created supply chain upheaval. That prompted Nintendo to diversify, and according to the Financial Times, more than half of its US hardware is now manufactured in Vietnam and Cambodia.Nintendos problem is that those are among the countries hit hardest by Trumps new reciprocal tariffs, which apply in addition to existing rates. Yesterday China was hit by an extra 34 percent tariff on its exports to the US, Vietnam by an extra 46 percent, and Cambodia by an extra 49 percent.But will everyday Americans be the ones to pay the price of the new rates? Research from the National Bureau of Economic Research on the impact of tariffs on China during Trumps first term found that US consumers of imported goods have borne the brunt of the tariffs through higher prices, with manufacturers and exporters passing almost the entirety of the price increase to the end consumer.The Switch 2 launches worldwide in June. Image: NintendoWhen the Switch 2 launches on June 5th, it will cost $449.99. Applying some back-of-the-napkin math, if we treat the new tariffs as averaging out around 40 percent, that equates to an extra $180 leaving a possible final price of $630. Apply the same logic to games, with Mario Kart World already set to cost $79.99, and you get a final price over $110. Use the worst case rate Cambodias 49 percent tariff and the numbers jump to $670 and $120.The good news is that there are a few factors that might mitigate the effect. The first is that Nintendo might well have priced some of this in already. The company didnt know what Trumps tariffs would be exactly, but it knew something was coming, and may well have included that consideration into its choice to set the Switch 2 at $449.99 thats 50 percent more than the $299.99 original Switch.The second is that theres evidence Nintendo has planned for this in a different way, by stockpiling hardware in the US. The Financial Times reports that the company has already imported hundreds of thousands of consoles to the US to get ahead of the tariffs, with 383,000 units across five days in January alone. Thats a lot, but the first Switch sold 4.8 million units in the US during its first nine months on sale, so theres no guarantee that Nintendos early imports will be enough to get the company through its first holiday season without feeling the need for a price hike.Finally, theres an important caveat to all of this: we dont know whats actually going to happen with the tariffs. Theyre supposed to go into effect soon, with a global 10 percent tariff starting April 5th, and the elevated rates on April 9th, but Trumps administration is nothing if not unpredictable and transactional. This could be a bluff, an opening gambit to start negotiations, or an empty threat, and theres every chance that tariffs will be either delayed or altered before Nintendo ever pays a cent.See More: