The Fundamental AI Research (FAIR) team at Meta has announced five projects advancing the company’s pursuit of advanced machine intelligence (AMI). The latest releases from Meta focus heavily on enhancing AI perception – the ability for machines to process and interpret sensory information – alongside advancements in language modelling, robotics, and collaborative AI agents. Meta stated its goal involves creating machines “that are able to acquire, process, and interpret sensory information about the world around us and are able to use this information to make decisions with human-like intelligence and speed.” The five new releases represent diverse but interconnected efforts towards achieving this ambitious goal. Central to the new releases is the Perception Encoder, described as a large-scale vision encoder designed to excel across various image and video tasks. Vision encoders function as the “eyes” for AI systems, allowing them to understand visual data. Meta highlights the increasing challenge of building encoders that meet the demands of advanced AI, requiring capabilities that bridge vision and language, handle both images and videos effectively, and remain robust under challenging conditions, including potential adversarial attacks. The ideal encoder, according to Meta, should recognise a wide array of concepts while distinguishing subtle details—citing examples like spotting “a stingray burrowed under the sea floor, identifying a tiny goldfinch in the background of an image, or catching a scampering agouti on a night vision wildlife camera.” Meta claims the Perception Encoder achieves “exceptional performance on image and video zero-shot classification and retrieval, surpassing all existing open source and proprietary models for such tasks.” Furthermore, its perceptual strengths reportedly translate well to language tasks.  When aligned with a large language model (LLM), the encoder is said to outperform other vision encoders in areas like visual question answering (VQA), captioning, document understanding, and grounding (linking text to specific image regions). It also reportedly boosts performance on tasks traditionally difficult for LLMs, such as understanding spatial relationships (e.g., “if one object is behind another”) or camera movement relative to an object. “As Perception Encoder begins to be integrated into new applications, we’re excited to see how its advanced vision capabilities will enable even more capable AI systems,” Meta said. Perception Language Model (PLM): Open research in vision-language Complementing the encoder is the Perception Language Model (PLM), an open and reproducible vision-language model aimed at complex visual recognition tasks.  PLM was trained using large-scale synthetic data combined with open vision-language datasets, explicitly without distilling knowledge from external proprietary models. Recognising gaps in existing video understanding data, the FAIR team collected 2.5 million new, human-labelled samples focused on fine-grained video question answering and spatio-temporal captioning. Meta claims this forms the “largest dataset of its kind to date.” PLM is offered in 1, 3, and 8 billion parameter versions, catering to academic research needs requiring transparency. Alongside the models, Meta is releasing PLM-VideoBench, a new benchmark specifically designed to test capabilities often missed by existing benchmarks, namely “fine-grained activity understanding and spatiotemporally grounded reasoning.” Meta hopes the combination of open models, the large dataset, and the challenging benchmark will empower the open-source community. Bridging the gap between language commands and physical action is Meta Locate 3D. This end-to-end model aims to allow robots to accurately localise objects in a 3D environment based on open-vocabulary natural language queries. Meta Locate 3D processes 3D point clouds directly from RGB-D sensors (like those found on some robots or depth-sensing cameras). Given a textual prompt, such as “flower vase near TV console,” the system considers spatial relationships and context to pinpoint the correct object instance, distinguishing it from, say, a “vase on the table.” The system comprises three main parts: a preprocessing step converting 2D features to 3D featurised point clouds; the 3D-JEPA encoder (a pretrained model creating a contextualised 3D world representation); and the Locate 3D decoder, which takes the 3D representation and the language query to output bounding boxes and masks for the specified objects. Alongside the model, Meta is releasing a substantial new dataset for object localisation based on referring expressions. It includes 130,000 language annotations across 1,346 scenes from the ARKitScenes, ScanNet, and ScanNet++ datasets, effectively doubling existing annotated data in this area. Meta sees this technology as crucial for developing more capable robotic systems, including its own PARTNR robot project, enabling more natural human-robot interaction and collaboration. Dynamic Byte Latent Transformer: Efficient and robust language modelling Following research published in late 2024, Meta is now releasing the model weights for its 8-billion parameter Dynamic Byte Latent Transformer. This architecture represents a shift away from traditional tokenisation-based language models, operating instead at the byte level. Meta claims this approach achieves comparable performance at scale while offering significant improvements in inference efficiency and robustness. Traditional LLMs break text into ‘tokens’, which can struggle with misspellings, novel words, or adversarial inputs. Byte-level models process raw bytes, potentially offering greater resilience. Meta reports that the Dynamic Byte Latent Transformer “outperforms tokeniser-based models across various tasks, with an average robustness advantage of +7 points (on perturbed HellaSwag), and reaching as high as +55 points on tasks from the CUTE token-understanding benchmark.” By releasing the weights alongside the previously shared codebase, Meta encourages the research community to explore this alternative approach to language modelling. The final release, Collaborative Reasoner, tackles the complex challenge of creating AI agents that can effectively collaborate with humans or other AIs. Meta notes that human collaboration often yields superior results, and aims to imbue AI with similar capabilities for tasks like helping with homework or job interview preparation. Such collaboration requires not just problem-solving but also social skills like communication, empathy, providing feedback, and understanding others’ mental states (theory-of-mind), often unfolding over multiple conversational turns. Current LLM training and evaluation methods often neglect these social and collaborative aspects. Furthermore, collecting relevant conversational data is expensive and difficult. Collaborative Reasoner provides a framework to evaluate and enhance these skills. It includes goal-oriented tasks requiring multi-step reasoning achieved through conversation between two agents. The framework tests abilities like disagreeing constructively, persuading a partner, and reaching a shared best solution. Meta’s evaluations revealed that current models struggle to consistently leverage collaboration for better outcomes. To address this, they propose a self-improvement technique using synthetic interaction data where an LLM agent collaborates with itself. Generating this data at scale is enabled by a new high-performance model serving engine called Matrix. Using this approach on maths, scientific, and social reasoning tasks reportedly yielded improvements of up to 29.4% compared to the standard ‘chain-of-thought’ performance of a single LLM. By open-sourcing the data generation and modelling pipeline, Meta aims to foster further research into creating truly “social agents that can partner with humans and other agents.” These five releases collectively underscore Meta’s continued heavy investment in fundamental AI research, particularly focusing on building blocks for machines that can perceive, understand, and interact with the world in more human-like ways.  See also: Meta will train AI models using EU user data Want to learn more about AI and big data from industry leaders? Check out AI & Big Data Expo taking place in Amsterdam, California, and London. The comprehensive event is co-located with other leading events including Intelligent Automation Conference, BlockX, Digital Transformation Week, and Cyber Security & Cloud Expo. Explore other upcoming enterprise technology events and webinars powered by TechForge here.

News The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, Tears of the Kingdom Won’t Support Cloud Save Backup on Switch 2 If both of the Switch 2 Edition upgrades are launched without support for cloud save data backups, players will lose quite a bit of progress. Posted By Joelle Daniels | On 17th, Apr. 2025 While Nintendo has seen quite a bit of criticism over various aspect of its Switch 2 Edition upgrades for games like The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, the company has now confirmed that players will not be able to import their saves through the cloud backup offered via Nintendo Switch Online subscriptions. As spotted by Eurogamer, the eShop listings for the Switch 2 editions of both Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom note that the game does not support the Save Data Cloud Backup feature. Curiously, this only seems to apply to the two The Legend of Zelda titles. Other games part of the Switch 2 Edition line-up like Super Mario Party Jamboree and Kirby and the Forgotten Land don’t have the disclaimer. The same disclaimer is also not present in the Japanese eShop listings for the two Zelda games. This will likely be quite a problem for players that were hoping to carry over all of their save data on the Switch 2 versions of the games. Since both Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom are large open-world games that encourage players to spent dozens of hours as they explore the world, a fair bit of progress will be lost by players since they can’t bring over their save data. Nintendo had also confirmed earlier this month that the Switch 2 Edition of The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild will not include the content that was originally released as part of the $20 expansion pass for the game on the original Switch. The expansion pass had brought with it quite a bit of content that players who don’t already own it will have to buy it at full price on the Switch 2. “The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild – Nintendo Switch 2 Edition does not include The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild Expansion Pass DLC,” said Nintendo in a statement. “That DLC is available as a separate purchase.” The company had confirmed that the physical release of first-party Switch 2 Edition games, like Breath of the Wild, will not require players to download anything. Rather, all of the content will be available in the game card itself. The company has stated that this applies to all of its first-party titles, including Super Mario Party Jamboree and the upcoming Metroid Prime 4. However, it has left the door open for third-party developers to make players download additional content. “Physical versions of Nintendo Switch 2 Edition games will include the original Nintendo Switch game and its upgrade pack all on the same game card (i.e. they are exclusively Nintendo Switch 2 game cards, with no download code),” said Nintendo in a statement. “Alternatively, some publishers may release Nintendo Switch 2 Edition games as download codes in physical packaging, with no game card.” The Nintendo Switch 2 is slated for launch on June 5. The Switch 2 Edition releases of both Zelda titles will also be available on the same day. Tagged With: Atomfall Publisher:Rebellion Developments Developer:Rebellion Developments Platforms:PS5, Xbox Series X, PS4, Xbox One, PCView More Monster Hunter Wilds Publisher:Capcom Developer:Capcom Platforms:PS5, Xbox Series X, PCView More South of Midnight Publisher:Microsoft Developer:Compulsion Games Platforms:Xbox Series X, PCView More Amazing Articles You Might Want To Check Out! The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, Tears of the Kingdom Won’t Support Cloud Save Backup on Switch 2 If both of the Switch 2 Edition upgrades are launched without support for cloud save data backups, players wil... Death Stranding 2: On the Beach Ending Development Will Start Kojima Productions’ “Phase 2” According to Kojima, second phase of Kojima Productions will involve working on OD, Physint, as well as an ani... Mario Kart World – Battle Mode, Free Roam Activities, and More Detailed Coin Runners and Balloon Battle return as rulesets while players can discover "hundreds" of missions in Free R... Mario Kart World Introduces Rewind, Time Trials and VS Race Also Revealed You can download other players' data to race against their ghosts or compete with up to four teams of six play... Marvel Rivals Gets Custom Outfit Colours as a Paid Feature On top of already having to pay for a compatible costume, players will also have to spend an additional $6 to ... Death Stranding 2: On the Beach Will Feature Appearances by Real-World Couriers That Inspired Gameplay The original gameplay in the Death Stranding was inspired by the Japanese bokka - a courier that treks to remo... View More

A video game backed by Viola Davis‘ JuVee Productions is set to headline the second season of titles rolling out on the Playdate handheld console. Developed by Kip Henderson, Popseed Studio Inc and JuVee Productions, “Taria & Como” is a physics-based puzzle platformer featuring a disabled protagonist and where movement is built around swinging instead of jumping. Per the game’s description, “Play as Taria, a young girl with a prosthetic leg, as she rescues her little sister Como in the midst of a world that constantly underestimates her. Separated after a disaster, Taria wakes up in a hospital where she’s forced to use an ‘approved’ prosthetic that limits her mobility. Undeterred, she takes control of her own fate, using ingenuity and sheer determination to escape and find her sister.” Related Stories “Taria & Como” is one of multiple games set to launch as part of the Season 2 collection of titles for the Playdate handheld console, which features a black-and-white screen and a mechanical crank. Playdate maker Panic is set to reveal more details about the console’s Season 2 slate, including pricing and release date, during a digital showcase Thursday. Popular on Variety “Artists tell stories across all mediums, and we’re excited to expand our portfolio into interactive gaming,” JuVee Productions founders Viola Davis and Julius Tennon said. “We were drawn to Kip’s vision because it’s so specific and imaginative—it captures you with truth, warmth, and a touch of mischief. That’s the kind of storytelling we believe in. ‘Taria & Como’ has a big soul, and we can’t wait for fans and the Playdate community to experience it.” “A few years ago, my friend’s son was diagnosed with Tourette’s, and I began to think about what sort of stories he’d grow up with,” “Taria & Como” creator Kip Henderson said. “As a disabled person, I’ve seen the same tropes recycled–pity case, inspiration, disability as a superpower, magical cures. Disability is complex, and we’re more than the inspirational fodder for able-bodied people. ‘Taria & Como’ is the story I wish I had growing up.” “A physics platformer, powered by a crank, starring a disabled hero that can’t jump? Those are incredible ingredients for an incredible Playdate game,” Panic co-founder Cabel Sasser said. “It’s original, wonderful, and exactly what we dreamed of for Playdate.” Watch the trailer for new game “Taria & Como” below.

Stef Member Oct 28, 2017 7,503 Rome, Italy, Planet Earth Now that Xbox has gone third party I was wondering if they'll ever launch official Xbox controllers for PlayStation 5. Do you think this will happen? Also, would you buy them? (please, do not make this thread into "Xbox controller VS DualSense)  2Blackcats Member Oct 26, 2017 17,376 No. Xbox controller hasn't been superior since 360 gen for me.   Bishop89 What Are Ya' Selling? Member Oct 25, 2017 42,132 Melbourne, Australia Do you think this will happen? No Also, would you buy them? No, I dont like asymmetric sticks  nsilvias Member Oct 25, 2017 29,499 yes. gimme a controller with double aa   Teenage Fansub Member May 24, 2019 24,042 If everyone's happy families, let me plug the existing ones in.   Dal Uncle Works at Nintendo Member Aug 18, 2024 2,083 If we were still on the Dualshock-style design? Yeah, but the Dualsense has already been a huge improvement over that (outside of battery life) and I can't see myself sacrificing haptic feedback and adaptive triggers for asymmetric sticks   Besiktas Member Sep 2, 2024 838 Maybe if it was X360 controller. I don't like how small Series controllers are   Dan Thunder Member Nov 2, 2017 16,715 Nope. Prefer the layout of the PS controllers.   poklane Member Oct 25, 2017 31,648 the Netherlands To each their own, but no, I hate controllers with asymmetrical sticks.   Jimnymebob Member Oct 26, 2017 21,918 Teenage Fansub said: If everyone's happy families, let me plug the existing ones in. Click to expand... Click to shrink... This. I would use one I had, I wouldn't buy one that was only for the PS5.   Amnixia ▲ Legend ▲ The Fallen Jan 25, 2018 11,705 Yes, I find xbox controllers much nicer in my hands then PS5 (or switch pro)   occupational Member Jun 7, 2018 778 Britain I'd pay/do a LOT for An Elite V2 with Dualsense features. Do I think it'll happen? Well, it'd be smart of MS to find new revenue streams and leverage the parts of the Xbox brand that people have fond memories of in this new era. When I switched from the 360 to the PS4, the controller shape/layout was what I missed the most, not Halo/Forza/Fable etc.  Trophy Hunter Ashen Member Aug 12, 2024 41 No. I already have one.   345 Member Oct 30, 2017 9,887 i like the xbox series controller, but i can't think of a game where i'd prefer it so much that i'd buy another one for PS5 and forgo all the system-level dualsense features instead of just playing it on PC.   OP OP Stef Member Oct 28, 2017 7,503 Rome, Italy, Planet Earth Trophy Hunter Ashen said: No. I already have one. Click to expand... Click to shrink... Oooooh!  Izanagi89 "This guy are sick" and Corrupted by Vengeance Member Oct 27, 2017 18,501 That loud clickity click ass controller? Hell no. Xbox controller is pretty inferior to the Dualsense so I see no reason to get one   Kwigo Avenger Oct 27, 2017 9,007 Ew, no I already hate playing with it on my Xbox. The controller and the console UI are the two reasons why I almost never play it.  Derbel McDillet ▲ Legend ▲ Member Nov 23, 2022 22,980 Yes.   sanityislost Member Oct 21, 2021 469 Not really, the PS5 controller is totally fine. Why would I buy another just to move the stick? My answer would be also be no if Sony made a PS5 controller the Xbox.   DPB Member Nov 1, 2017 1,983 No, though Sony ought to allow more third-party manufacfurers to release controllers. The only ones available now cost almost half the price of a PS5, I'd glady buy a much cheaper 8BitDo controller with Hall effect sticks so I don't have to keep going through Dualsenses.   tatwo Member Oct 27, 2017 2,946 Finland I prefer Dual Sense over modern Xbox controllers. 360 controller was last Xbox controller I liked.   Willin Member Oct 28, 2017 2,260 Given the option, I would use my current Xbox controller but not buy one specifically for PS5.   Fudgepuppy Member Oct 27, 2017 5,587 Yes, only if it has Dualsense features, because then I would have an Xbox controller with gyro and a touch pad to use on PC.   StrappingYoungLance Member Oct 27, 2017 7,620 Melbourne, Australia Nope, I think it's a (slightly) worse controller, even if it had dual sense features.   Ravelle Member Oct 31, 2017 19,988 As much as I love the XBOX Series X controllers I rather have a new dual sense that doesn't cut in to my hands and is painful to hold   Obscure Member Oct 27, 2017 262 No, the Dual Sense is vastly better than the Series X/S controller. Now, an official Xbox controller with the dual sense features (Sebile)? Would buy in a heartbeat for my Xbox first, then I'll decide which one to choose.  DanDanderson Member May 7, 2024 261 Yes. The Xbox controller is far more comfortable, battery lasts forever, and I prefer the layout. I vastly prefer the Xbox controller for multiplayer games for these reason. It's actually why I don't play many multiplayer games on my PS5. So yes, it'd be nice to have one to use for my PS5. Dualsense is a great single-player game controller and I wish I had one on my Xbox for single-player games to take advantage of the cool features. Xbox needs to step it up on this front, for sure.  Edward ▲ Legend ▲ Avenger Oct 30, 2017 5,868 I don't care about rumble or trigger bullshit or light bars or gyro or any gimmick on a controller i just want a controller that doesn't destroy my hands in 45 minutes and good analog placement. Even if you do care about these things it's nice to have options. The xbox controller feels better in my hands, better on my thumbs and frankly the battery outlast all 5 of my ps5 controllers combined.  Ashes of Dreams Fallen Guardian of Unshakable Resolve Member May 22, 2020 19,222 What do you mean "now that xbox has gone third party"? Did I miss some major news? I know they are putting some of their games on PS and Switch but that's not exactly what that sentence would imply to me.  Exist 2 Inspire Powered by Friendship™ Member Apr 19, 2018 4,599 Germany No, i generally don't like asymmetric analog sticks. It's fine when i play something on my XBOX from time to time but i wouldn't want it to be my standard controller all the time.   Mechaplum Enlightened Member Oct 26, 2017 21,139 JP I prefer symmetrical sticks.   Wollan Mostly Positive Member Oct 25, 2017 9,806 Norway but living in France And lose out on proper haptics and adaptive triggers (and gyro I guess), no thanks. I was afraid to wake up my kids playing the Series X with its clicking buttons. It's a 2005-era controller.  NightShift Member Oct 25, 2017 10,213 Australia Why would I want a controller with worst ergonomics and a shitty d-pad? Honestly it's probably worth it just for the battery.  Lkr Member Oct 28, 2017 11,903 if I played fps games on ps5, I probably would for the asymmetric sticks   Zafir Member Oct 25, 2017 8,748 No but only because I'm sick of Microsofts poor build quality. I do like the controller otherwise.   jobrro The Fallen Nov 19, 2017 1,868 No. The Series controller is pretty good but I prefer the DualSense, especially the D-Pad.   jetsetrez Member Oct 27, 2017 2,275 I might on a sale. Switch Pro might be the overall most comfortable to me, but Xbox is probably the best overall general use controller imo. The weight, ergonomics, triggers, and central buttons instead of the touchpad are much better than Dual Sense to me, and removable batteries that last like 10x as long per charge is a big bonus. Only thing I prefer on Dual Sense is the haptics.   Toriko Member Dec 29, 2017 8,842 Nope. Xbox controllers feel cheaply made to me. I hate those awfully loud clicking noise. Dual sense like controller for Xbox? I will buy in a heartbeat Wollan said: And lose out on proper haptics and adaptive triggers (and gyro I guess), no thanks. I was afraid to wake up my kids playing the Series X with its clicking buttons. It's a 2005-era controller. Click to expand... Click to shrink... This  joffocakes Member Nov 15, 2017 1,910 I'd need the gyro and touchpad but yeah, definitely. I find it more comfortable overall.   Disco Stu Member Oct 27, 2017 2,521 I wouldn't but my brother in law would.   Hasney One Winged Slayer The Fallen Oct 25, 2017 22,902 If you linked to one this second, I wouldn't even look at other features or price, I would have it. Not gyro, no touchpad, no haptics. Just give me that stick placement and the way the buttons feel. I even bought one of those devices people use for keyboard and mouse cheating purely to use an XBox controller on PS. Just too much of a hassle to keep using regularly.  LdSe Member Dec 16, 2020 115 I'd rather have a Switch Pro one instead.   Brie de Meaux The Fallen Oct 27, 2017 64 A single controller officially compatible with ps5, xbox series, pc and phone ? with AA batteries ? wireless ? Add NS2 compatibility and I'll buy 4 of these.  wollywinka Member Feb 15, 2018 3,777 I absolutely loathed the PS3/PS4 controllers. The DualSense. however, levelled the playing field, and some. I prefer offset sticks but not enough to buy a MS PS controller. Had one been available for the PS3 and PS4, I would have bought one in a heartbeat. As it was, I had a converter that allowed me to use my Xbox controller with my Playstation.   El Crono "This guy are sick" Member Oct 27, 2017 2,672 Mexico Nope. There's no reason to when you can have the more comfortable DualSense.   Hasney One Winged Slayer The Fallen Oct 25, 2017 22,902 LdSe said: I'd rather have a Switch Pro one instead. Click to expand... Click to shrink... Easily my second place. Just let me get rid of the Dualsense....   OP OP Stef Member Oct 28, 2017 7,503 Rome, Italy, Planet Earth LdSe said: I'd rather have a Switch Pro one instead. Click to expand... Click to shrink... That will be the subject of another poll :D  ber Member Oct 31, 2017 268 With the dualsense they finally caught up to xbox in terms of ergonomics so the only reason would be the sticks and drift.   sha1ashaska22 Member Sep 4, 2020 1,138 If they made an xbox controller that had hall effect sticks, sure. But I don't really have a strong preference for Xbox series vs dualsense controllers, I like the ergonomics of both just fine. I would really prefer a Brook wingman to support PS5 like the one that works on PS4 so we can use non-first party controllers.   KDash Member Oct 25, 2017 4,002 Florida Absolutely would. I do not care for the Dual Sense, but I love modern Xbox controllers.  

Nintendo is launching its Nintendo Switch 2 console with Mario Kart World as its headlining game. It’ll be released on June 5 alongside the console, and is expected to introduce an open world system to the Mario Kart franchise. Nintendo gave players a peek at the game during its Switch 2 reveal broadcast in January, and then formally introduced it as Mario Kart World at a second showing on April 2. On April 17, Nintendo broadcasted the Mario Kart World Direct — a good 15 minutes or so just on the racing game, showing off a bunch of new courses, items, and more.Of course, Nintendo is keeping the core of the series — racing — with Mario Kart World, with players competing on its iconic tracks inspired by Mario and friends. But for the first time, 24 players can race at once, moving freely through a big ol’ world where tracks are essentially interconnected; instead of a menu, it looks like you’re driving between courses to get started. (There are menus, though!) There’s more to do than race, though. Nintendo showed players simply driving around the world with friends, battling each other, and taking photos.Here’s everything we’ve learned so far.When will it be released and how much does it cost?Nintendo will release Mario Kart World alongside the Nintendo Switch 2 on June 5. It’s priced at $79.99, or a little less if you purchase it bundled with the console itself.What do you mean it’s open-world?Nintendo said in its previews of the game that players can drive “virtually everywhere in this fully interconnected world” as part of the free-roam mode. It showed a big map during its Thursday Mario Kart World Direct. Players can “freely drive between” the races that take place on the map. What’s more, is that driving between the courses is a part of the competition in the Mario Kart Grand Prix races, while racing around the map is an integral part of the Knockout Tours.What courses will Mario Kart World include?Rainbow Road was teased during Thursday’s Direct broadcast, but here’s what’s been confirmed or explicitly shown:Mario Bros. Circuit — A track with ridges and a southwestern themeCrown City — Bustling city where you drive through urban settingsSalty Salty Speedway — Set in a city with water canals that looks inspired by Venice, ItalyStarview Peak — A new magical ice-filled world where you drive with auroras in the skyBoo Cinema — A haunted drive-in theaterWhistlestop Summit — A racetrack on a mountain with a steampunk feelDK Spaceport — A map inspired by classic Donkey KongFaraway Oasis — Set in the savanna with lots of animalsPeach Stadium — Set in and around Peach’s CastleAre there new characters?Lots! Nintendo has a bunch of returning characters but so, so many new characters in Mario Kart World. Like, a ton of random characters such as Peepa, Cataquack, Pokey, Stingby, and Dolphin. You can read the full list of confirmed playable characters here.What new items are there?Coin Shell — The golden Coin Shell can be thrown like any other shell, but instead of honing in on your opponents, it’ll leave a trail of coins behind it. But you’re not the only one who can pick ’em up, so use it wisely or risk giving your opponents a competitive advantage.Ice Flower — The Ice Flower can be thrown at rival racers to briefly freeze them up and cause them to spin out.Hammer — Hammers are thrown in a big ol’ arc and get embedded in the course; rival racers that hit them will crash out. They also look useful for blocking off parts of the course to mess up the other racers.Mega Mushroom — The regular Mushroom item makes you big, but the Mega Mushroom makes you really big.Feather — You can do little hops already in Mario Kart, but the Feather item lets you do a big hop. You can use it to dodge incoming enemy items.Kamek — Kamek, the Magikoopa wizard, can transform other racers on the track. The video shows Kamek transforming racers into football players on racing vehicles. Nintendo didn’t show any other effects, but it sounds like there might be some surprises here.What modes are there?Mario Kart World has its Grand Prix, which is made up of the classic four race events to win different cups, like the Mushroom Cup, Flower Cup, and Star Cup. The new part of this is that you have to drive from track to track as part of the event.In Knockout Tour, another mode, players race across the whole map to hit checkpoints to stay in the race or risk getting knocked out. Your rival racers will be trying to knock you out, but there are vehicles trying to hit you, too.The Free Roam mode is exactly what it sounds like — free roaming the big, open-world map. This is where you’ll hang out and look for secrets, take photos, and practice for races.Battle Mode is a classic and “more hectic than ever,” according to a news release. In Battle Mode, you’ll try to collect the most coins (Coin Runner) or burst balloons in Balloon Battle to knock players out.Are there new abilities?Yes! Nintendo showed a couple new techniques to master in Mario Kart World, like Charge Jump. “Use it to jump onto rails that you can grind, dodge attacks from your rivals and even jump toward a wall to ride on it for a short time,” Nintendo wrote in a news release. The other ability, Rewind, lets you rewind, say, if you missed a jump.What’s multiplayer like?There’s online multiplayer, of course, but you can also play split-screen with friends. You can use Nintendo’s new GameChat feature to chat with friends, as well as the Switch 2 camera (or another webcam) to see your friends.Can I preorder it?No, not yet. Nintendo hasn’t opened pre-orders for the game or the bundle in the United States; that’s on pause due to U.S. tariffs.See More: Why it mattersMario Kart World answers the question, “How do you follow Mario Kart 8?” While the previous entry became fully stuffed with racetracks, playing Mario Kart World at Nintendo’s hands-on preview blew up my assumptions of what a Mario Kart track can be — and what the future could hold for the franchise.— Chelsea Stark, Executive Editor

Menu Home News Hardware Gaming Mobile Finance Deals Reviews How To Wccftech Gaming Indiana Jones Might Get a Sequel, Hints Phil Spencer, Though He Certainly Sounds More Interested in Owned IPs Alessio Palumbo • Apr 17, 2025 at 01:15pm EDT During a wide-ranging interview with Variety, Microsoft Gaming CEO Phil Spencer also discussed the success of Indiana Jones and the Great Circle. The executive appeared to hint at the potential for a sequel, but he also made it clear that he'd like Microsoft-owned studios to work first and foremost on owned franchises (which Indiana Jones is obviously not, being licensed by Disney). I will say, we’re really happy with “Indy” and the players and the reception. We do think there’s life in that franchise, and I’m just gonna leave it at that. We’re launching on PlayStation here pretty soon. I think that’ll be a cool moment. I was really inspired by Machine Games taking someone else’s IP and doing something so unique, and I’m inspired about what that team can do next. Certain people were kind of pushing them on the first person versus third person. And I think once you play it, you realize you are Indy. But going forward, I also want to give the teams the ability to do our own games and our own franchises. We have a lot of room to tell new stories, as well. And I want to make sure that’s an option for us. Indiana Jones and the Great Circle has just launched on Sony's PlayStation 5 console, around four months after its debut on PC and Xbox Series S|X. PlayStation 5 Pro offers the best way to play the game on consoles, although the PC version with path tracing enabled remains superior for those with the hardware to run it. A story DLC called The Order of Giants is scheduled to be released later this year. Of course, a full-fledged sequel is what fans really want after playing the excellent base game. It sounds like it could happen, provided that Disney reaches a deal with Microsoft. Products mentioned Subscribe to get an everyday digest of the latest technology news in your inbox Follow us on Topics Sections Company Some posts on wccftech.com may contain affiliate links. We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com © 2025 WCCF TECH INC. 700 - 401 West Georgia Street, Vancouver, BC, Canada

واجه طرح One UI 7 من سامسونج العديد من المشاكل، حيث أوقفت الشركة التحديث في كوريا الجنوبية وأوروبا وبعض المناطق الأخرى بسبب وجود أخطاء.والآن، قامت سامسونج الهند بمشاركة خارطة الطريق المعدلة للتحديث المحلي عبر تطبيق Samsung Members، والتي تغطي الفترة من أبريل إلى يوليو 2025.ستكون سلسلة Galaxy S24 أول من يحصل على تحديث Android 15، بالإضافة إلى Galaxy Z Fold6 وZ Flip6. في شهر مايو، سيتم تحديث سلسلة Galaxy S23 وS22 وS21، وGalaxy Z Fold 3 وZ Flip 3، إلى جانب العديد من أجهزة Samsung foldables. كما سيصل التحديث إلى Galaxy Tab S10 وTab S9 وTab S8 في نفس الشهر.وفي يونيو، ستتلقى العديد من أجهزة Galaxy A وM وF، بالإضافة إلى Tab S9 FE وXCover 7. أما في يوليو، ستكون سلسلة Galaxy Tab A9 هي آخر الأجهزة التي تتلقى التحديث.جدول طرح One UI 7.0:أبريل 2025:Galaxy S24 وS24+ وS24 Ultra وS24 FEGalaxy Z Fold6 وZ Flip6Galaxy Tab S10+ وTab S10 Ultraمايو 2025:Galaxy S23 وS23+ وS23 Ultra وS23 FEGalaxy S22 وS22+ وS22 UltraGalaxy S21 وS21+ وS21 UltraGalaxy Z Fold5 وZ Flip5 وZ Fold4 وZ Flip4 وZ Fold3 وZ Flip3Galaxy Tab S9 وTab S9+ وTab S9 Ultra وTab S8 وTab S8+ وTab S8 Ultraيونيو 2025:Galaxy A16 5G وA35 وA55 وA34 وA54 وA25 وA05s وA15 وA73 5G وA14 وA14 5G وA33 5G وA53 5G وA06Galaxy M16 وM35 وM55 وM55s وM15 وM05 وM34 5G وM14 وM14 5G وM33 وM53Galaxy F16 وF15 وF55 وF05 وF34 وF54 وF14 وF14 5GGalaxy Tab S9 FE وTab S9 FE+يوليو 2025:Galaxy Tab A9 وTab A9+المصدر

Unity Input System in Unity 6 (7/7): Player Input Manager & local multiplayer

RuneScape: Dragonwilds is a completely different experience from the MMO games that have solely been driving the RuneScape franchise for over two decades. However, the two versions of RuneScape do share several similarities, and perhaps the biggest one is the skills. Just like the MMOs, Dragonwilds features distinct skills that you can level up by performing specific actions that are related to the skill itself. In exchange for putting in effort and leveling up the skill, you gain access to new gear, spells, and bonuses.Currently, Dragonwilds offers nine skills, but only seven of them can be leveled up in the initial early access build. Both Ranged and Magic are two skills coming later with a future update. As for the other seven skills, they're all useful in some shape or form. However, you'll want to prioritize a few of them during the early game in RuneScape: Dragonwilds if you want to make your life much simpler.Below, we'll list the four skills you should level up first in Dragonwilds and what benefits the skills offer. Consider this one of or many RuneScape: Dragonwilds tips. RunecraftingStarting us off is Runecrafting, which is everyone's "favorite" skill from the MMO versions of RuneScape. Fortunately, Dragonwilds has made Runecrafting much easier to level up, as you can easily mine Rune Essence and use it at a Rune Altar to craft hundreds and hundreds of runes at a single time.Runecrafting is the only reliable way you're able to acquire runes in Dragonwilds, and you need to reach level 18 to craft all six available runes in the game right now. However, you can currently progress to level 27 and unlock a couple of additional skills, one of which is a spell that's able to give you a torch, and the other is a passive ability that reduces the weight of Rune Essence.Of course, the main reason you want to level up Runecrafting as quickly as possible is so you can craft all the runes in the game. This allows you to cast any spell you unlock and fast travel using Lodestones. WoodcuttingWoodcutting is a classic RuneScape skill that comes in especially handy in Dragonwilds. Whether you need wood to construct the foundation of your base, craft some new gear, or brew some potions, you need to be able to chop and loot wood effectively. As you progress your Woodcutting skill, the stamina cost to chop is reduced, and you unlock a slew of useful spells and abilities. Perhaps the most useful spell in Dragonwilds is called Axtral Projection, which allows you to chop down one to a few trees instantly. Leveling up Woodcutting also grants you the ability to chop down Thorny Vines, which is great for exploration purposes, and unlocks a structure you can build that stores excess wood logs at your base. You need to level up Woodcutting to level 40 to unlock all of its abilities, but the max level you can reach is 49. While you don't have to reach level 49 straight away, chopping down trees and harvesting logs is going to save you time in the long run, and this, in turn, advances the Woodcutting skill. Having a high Woodcutting level makes your base building easier, allows you to have access to more wood, and aids you in your exploration across the map. So, get out your logging axe, and start going to work chopping down the forest in Dragonwilds. ConstructionNext up is Construction, which is another RuneScape skill that's become much easier to level up in Dragonwilds compared to the MMOs. Construction is primarily leveled up by placing down new structures while you're in Build Mode, so you'll mainly level it up during your base-building time.Construction has several abilities and spells that make both your base life and exploration time much simpler. For starters, a higher Construction gives you access to new materials you can use in base building. At level 18, you can start using Oak wood, which makes for a much sturdier foundation than the default Ash wood.You can also unlock two unique spells, Eye of the Oculus and Summon Shelter. Eye of the Oculus allows you to use a free camera while base building, so you can get a better perspective of where structures should go. Summon Shelter allows you to immediately construct a small base that even includes a bed, which is an absolute lifesaver during long exploration treks. You can use the spell at night, sleep in a bed, and wake up the next day fully rested for the rest of your journey. AttackFinally, we're rounding out the list with perhaps the most basic skill in RuneScape: Attack. In Dragonwilds, the Attack skill encompasses all forms of melee attacking and defense, so using any melee weapon or shield will level up the skill. As you might expect, Attack is solely leveled up by fighting and killing enemies you find out in the world. As you progress the skill, you'll unlock new spells and abilities that aid you during combat. One of the first abilities allows you to parry enemy attacks, while at level 23, you unlock Adaptability, making it so your blocks and parries don't interrupt your attacks. There's also the Tempest Shield spell, which makes you impervious to all attacks you block for a few seconds and unleashes a wave of energy that damages nearby enemies. Overall, Dragonwilds has plenty of combat, and you're likely going to be using a melee weapon for most of the encounters. Seeing as you currently can't level up Ranged and Magic, you might as well max out the Attack skill so you can have the best chance of success against enemies. If you're still in the early game and think enemies are pretty easy to beat, just wait until you start going through some dungeons, especially as a solo player.

Season 16 trailer