Those 30th anniversary themes for the PlayStation 5 proved much too popular for Sony to ignore.

Here's everything you need to know to watch or stream the NBA playoffs without cable.

April 23, 20253 min readLion Bite to the Butt May Be First Proof of Human-Animal Gladiatorial CombatThe first physical evidence of Roman gladiators fighting animals has been found in skeletal remains from EnglandBy Gayoung Lee edited by Allison Parshall1st century AD Roman relief portraying gladiators and lions fighting. DEA/A. DAGLI ORTI/De Agostini via Getty ImagesRoman gladiators’ fights to the death have inspired morbid fascination for millennia. But for something seemingly so well-documented, it’s rare for archaeologists find physical evidence of such combat in the form of Roman gladiators’ remains. Most of what we know about the fights comes from indirect records, such as texts or illustrations that described the bloody, raucous events. Among such records, some depicted so-called beast hunts, in which gladiators were pitted against predators that included lions, tigers and even elephants.Now archaeologists have found the first physical evidence of a gladiator locked in combat with one of these animals—which appears to have left a huge, lion-sized bite mark on the fighter’s butt. The findings were published on Wednesday in PLOS One.Tim Thompson, a forensic anthropologist at Maynooth University in Ireland, spends a lot of time examining the disfigured skeletons of people who died long ago. Around 2017 he was studying human remains uncovered during a 2004 excavation of Driffield Terrace—a site in York, England, that evidence suggests was a gladiator burial ground during the Roman Empire. Thompson and his colleagues were quickly drawn to a skeleton that sported a weirdly shaped bite marks on its pelvis.On supporting science journalismIf you're enjoying this article, consider supporting our award-winning journalism by subscribing. By purchasing a subscription you are helping to ensure the future of impactful stories about the discoveries and ideas shaping our world today.Lesion on the right ilium of 6DT19.“Unique osteological evidence for human-animal gladiatorial combat in Roman Britain,” Thompson TJU, Errickson D, McDonnell C, Holst M, Caffell A, Pearce J, et al., in PLoS ONE, Vol. 20, No. 4, Article No. e0319847, Published online April 23, 2025Lesions on the left iliac spine of 6DT19“Unique osteological evidence for human-animal gladiatorial combat in Roman Britain,” Thompson TJU, Errickson D, McDonnell C, Holst M, Caffell A, Pearce J, et al., in PLoS ONE, Vol. 20, No. 4, Article No. e0319847, Published online April 23, 2025When the bones were first unearthed, archaeologists wouldn’t have had the technology to probe the intriguing marks much further. Thompson and his team wanted to know what caused them—and now had the laboratory techniques to find out. They collaborated with zoos to create three-dimensional scans of bite marks on leftover carcasses that were made by types of animals, such as lions and cheetahs, that had been used in Roman gladiatorial shows.They also chemically analyzed the ancient Roman bones to confirm other traits, such as the deceased person’s sex and nutritional condition—clues that could help determine whether this skeleton could truly have come from a Roman Empire–era gladiator. The researchers say they were also able to estimate that the injury’s timing was roughly concurrent with that of the fighter’s death.The team compared the scans of the modern carnivore bites to those on the ancient bones. The likely culprit of the latter: a lion. Marble artifacts from Roman Britain depict lions mauling gladiators, Thompson says, but no confirmed archaeological evidence had been found. Some experts have also speculated that if this human-animal combat indeed occurred, it only happened in Rome—not in the far-flung edges of the empire. “The assumption has always been that maybe that [artifacts from Roman Britain] are just reflections of things happening in Rome, almost tapping into Roman myth,” Thompson says. “What we’re suggesting now, actually, is that we have evidence for that spectacle happening [here in York].”Lesion on the left iliac spine of 6DT19.“Unique osteological evidence for human-animal gladiatorial combat in Roman Britain,” Thompson TJU, Errickson D, McDonnell C, Holst M, Caffell A, Pearce J, et al., in PLoS ONE, Vol. 20, No. 4, Article No. e0319847, Published online April 23, 2025The new finding not only offers fascinating clues into the culture of gladiatorial combat but also highlights the astonishingly far-reaching influence of the Roman Empire. “This was one of the key ways that Roman culture was spread—a spectacle,” says Anna Osterholtz, a bioarchaeologist at Mississippi State University, who was not involved in the new study. “Because you would also have executions that would be taking place as part of the games, it taught things like social roles and social norms.”Kathryn Marklein, a biological anthropologist at the University of Louisville, who was also not involved in the study, points to the exorbitant cost these fights would have incurred. Lions are not native to England, so it would have required considerable expense and effort to bring the animals all the way to York. “Putting this quantity of resources into an event is a testament to the importance of violent spectacles in Roman provinces,” Marklein says.Skeletal remains can reveal a great deal about pieces of human history that would otherwise be lost to time. “Our lives are inscribed into our bones,” Osterholtz says. These remains can tell us about “people’s lives that weren’t considered important enough to be written down, that were never part of the official record.”

April 23, 20256 min readMusk Funded the Carbon-Removal XPrize but Is Now Slashing Climate ResearchElon Musk funded an XPrize for carbon removal, but his actions in the Trump administration have cut funding for climate researchBy Corbin Hiar & E&E News Tesla CEO Elon Musk went from an environmental hero to a MAGA hardliner. Toby Melville/AFP via Getty ImagesCLIMATEWIRE | Time magazine selected Elon Musk as its "person of the year" in 2021 after the billionaire entrepreneur upended the car market, reinvigorated the space industry and funded a $100 million competition for climate technologies that would remove carbon dioxide from the air and sea.But Musk won’t attend Time’s event in New York City on Wednesday to fete the winners of that groundbreaking contest. The $50 million grand prize will go to Mati Carbon, a Houston-based startup founded three years ago that works with crushed rocks and subsistence farmers to soak up climate pollution.It's unclear why Musk — an environmental hero turned MAGA diehard — is skipping the capstone event for a climate contest bankrolled via his eponymous foundation. Neither he nor Time responded to requests for comment. The XPrize will be announced at the Time100 Summit, the magazine's annual event featuring 100 influential people.On supporting science journalismIf you're enjoying this article, consider supporting our award-winning journalism by subscribing. By purchasing a subscription you are helping to ensure the future of impactful stories about the discoveries and ideas shaping our world today.In addition to running electric-vehicle-maker Tesla and the aerospace firm SpaceX, Musk is leading President Donald Trump’s effort to downsize the federal government. The Department of Government Efficiency has slashed climate funding for research, projects and agencies."We live in very complicated times," said Nikki Batchelor, who led the Musk-funded carbon removal competition at the XPrize Foundation. Prior to joining the nonprofit, she worked as an innovation adviser for the U.S. Agency for International Development — the first federal bureau effectively shuttered by Musk. (Musk has no ties to the three-decade-old foundation aside from being a donor.)"He was one of the leading voices trying to push clean energy forward and think about innovative solutions to tackling climate change," she said of Musk, the world's richest person. "We've continued on with that."Batchelor spoke with POLITICO's E&E News before XPrize publicly announced the final carbon removal contest winners, each of which removed at least 1,000 tons of CO2 in a year and provided a business plan for how they'll reach 1 million tons annually. Since 2019, carbon removal companies have locked away about 650,000 tons in total — less than the annual emissions of two natural gas power plants.The runners-up were NetZero, Vaulted Deep and Undo Carbon, which netted prizes of $15 million, $8 million and $5 million respectively. Undo Carbon uses an enhanced rock weathering approach similar to Mati to remove CO2 from the air faster than the natural carbon cycle. NetZero and Vaulted Deep both lock away CO2 by preventing carbon-rich organic matter from biodegrading.Commercializing carbon removal technologies is important because the world is unlikely to reduce the burning of oil, gas and coal quickly enough to prevent the buildup of dangerous levels of heat-trapping carbon dioxide in the atmosphere and oceans. As a result, climate scientists have concluded that it will be necessary in the coming decades to increase the Earth's carbon removal capacity by billions of metric tons annually.During the course of the four-year XPrize competition, then-President Joe Biden signed legislation and oversaw the establishment of programs that sought to reduce the nation's dependence on fossil fuels and spur carbon removal innovation. Now the Trump administration — with help from Musk and a Republican-controlled Congress — is moving to undo many of those federal climate initiatives, which Trump has derided as a "green new scam."Elon Musk with Peter Diamandis, founder and executive chair of XPrize, during the presentation of a prize for children's literacy in 2019.Jesse Grant/Getty Images for Global Learning XPRIZEAs a result, critics say Musk has gone from one of the carbon removal industry's earliest supporters to perhaps its biggest threat."Musk sold himself out, and I think that's reprehensible," said Wil Burns, the co-director of the Institute for Responsible Carbon Removal at American University, who helped set up guidelines for the XPrize contest.Musk’s $100M tweetMusk announced the contest four years ago with a cryptic tweet that seemed to conflate technologies to remove carbon that's already been emitted with ones that capture CO2 from smokestacks."Am donating $100M towards a prize for best carbon capture technology," he wrote in January 2021. "Details next week."On Earth Day that year, XPrize founder Peter Diamandis joined Musk near Cape Canaveral, Florida, for a livestreamed conversation about the carbon removal contest. Musk, who wore a black T-shirt and no shoes, downplayed the risks of climate change and said he was more concerned about "super-advanced" artificial intelligence and "population collapse."At that point, carbon removal technologies were widely viewed as theoretically possible rather than scientifically sound.The consensus began to shift later in 2021 when the Swiss firm Climeworks opened the world's first commercial-scale carbon removal facility outside of Reykjavík, Iceland. In the U.S., lawmakers passed a bipartisan infrastructure bill that included $3.5 billion to establish four hubs capable of removing 1 million tons of CO2 per year using the direct air capture technology Climeworks had pioneered.The following year, the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change concluded that deploying tech to filter CO2 from the air and oceans would be necessary to avoid catastrophic global warming.The economic case for carbon removal got a boost in 2022 when a coalition of tech companies committed to purchasing $925 million for carbon removal by the end of the decade and U.S. lawmakers expanded subsidies for direct air capture.Crushed rock and small farmsMusk helped set in motion a wave of support from big business and U.S. policymakers that led to a surge in carbon removal startups. Of the 1,300 teams that took part in the Musk-funded carbon removal competition, XPrize estimates that half were formed after the contest began.That includes Mati, the grand prize winner, which is a public benefit corporation owned by a nonprofit. The unusual legal structure allows the company to prioritize its mission to deploy carbon removal while benefiting subsistence farmers in the Global South, according to CEO Shantanu Agarwal. He is a former oil field services engineer and venture capitalist who previously founded the direct air capture firm Sustaera.“The funding cuts that Musk is effectuating, and lopping off expertise in government that's really critical to drive this development, certainly outweighs whatever benefits we get from the XPrize.” —Wil Burns, co-director of the Institute for Responsible Carbon Removal at American University"I saw the potential of enhanced rock weathering as a much more scalable pathway right now, in the current world, and the significant co-benefits, which it brings to the smallholder farmers," Agarwal said.Mati works with farmers in India, Zambia and Tanzania to spread locally sourced minerals on their fields. The crushed rocks soak up carbon and reduce runoff for the rain-dependent farms. The company also sells carbon removal credits and shares the revenue with the farmers, who are vulnerable to drought, extreme weather and other climate perils."We have to create business models which add value to human life [and] at the same time solve for climate," Agarwal said. "You can't just do climate in isolation. It just doesn't work. It cannot be done because humans are not wired that way, to go and clean a common good."Mati's $50 million prize is five times more than the company had previously raised, Agarwal said. The infusion of cash should allow it to expand to several new countries faster than it had planned and reduce the cost of its removals to $100 per ton, down from nearly $400 today.The Musk effectBut the potential good Mati can do for farmers and the climate pales in comparison to the work previously done by the federal government via agencies like USAID, which spent a combined $11 billion on humanitarian and agricultural assistance in fiscal 2024.Musk in February called USAID "a criminal organization" and said it was time for the agency "to die." The Trump administration's 2026 budget request is expected to complete the dismantling of the six-decade-old agency and roll its remaining programs into the State Department.Mati and other carbon removal companies have also benefited from collaborations with researchers in academia and the federal government. The Trump administration has canceled thousands of university research grants and purged the U.S. bureaucracy of much of its carbon removal know-how."The funding cuts that Musk is effectuating, and lopping off expertise in government that's really critical to drive this development, certainly outweighs whatever benefits we get from the XPrize," said Burns, the carbon removal expert who is also an environmental policy professor at Northwestern University. Those efforts have "tainted it, to be associated with him.""That's unfortunate," Burns added, acknowledging the significance of the capital and publicity the competition has provided for the winners. "A lot of people are going to hear Musk and just walk away."XPrize, which previously collaborated with the divisive billionaire on a global education contest, seems ready to move past Musk.Batchelor, the group’s executive director of carbon removal, said "there are no conversations" at this time with the Musk Foundation about supporting future competitions.XPrize hopes the announcement of the winners can be "a bright spot for folks in climate and the carbon removal industry, especially, to rally around how much progress we've made in four years," she said. "It can also be a jumping off point for others to build momentum around scaling, despite some of those distractions in the background."Reprinted from E&E News with permission from POLITICO, LLC. Copyright 2025. E&E News provides essential news for energy and environment professionals.

Devolver Digital lays off almost half of Reigns studio Nerial To "address issues around recent releases". Image credit: Nerial News by Victoria Kennedy News Reporter Published on April 23, 2025 Indie publisher Devolver Digital has cut staff at Reigns developer Nerial by 40 percent. In Devolver Digital's FY24 investor presentation, the publisher explained Nerial had "undergone a team restructure" which aimed to "address issues around recent releases and to better shape the team for future releases". Eight wholesome 2025 cosy games. Watch on YouTube In the same presentation, Devolver Digital said it had downsized its Polish studio Artificer by 50 percent early last year. "Good Shepherd / Big Fan also reduced its headcount by 50 percent + over the course of 2024," it wrote. "Overall group headcount has reduced from a peak of 303 at end 2023 to c. 270 now, including the above reductions." Nerial is one of Devolver Digital's internal studios, which it acquired in 2021. As reported by Game Developer, Nerial's Reigns franchises is one the publisher's most successful, earning over $20m in lifetime revenue across five titles. Image credit: Nerial Along with its Reigns games, Nerial is also known for its "thirst-person shooter" The Crush House (pictured below), which was released last year, as well as Card Shark. "Even though some parts might momentarily break the illusion, The Crush House maintains its shiny sheen of plastic perfection (one that hides a dark, sickly goo inside). It touches upon multiple facets of reality TV with sharp satire and wit, including the nature of the relationships we have with contestants on these shows, the industrial churn of people and their lives for our entertainment, and the truth of what's captured on screen impacting what's happening when the cameras are off," reads Eurogamer's four star The Crush House review. "You'll definitely want to tune in for this one." Image credit: Devolver Digital As for Card Shark, here is what Christian Donlan had to say about it: "Card Shark is brilliant. It's a game about card games, but it isn't a card game itself - not really. It's a game about tricks, but you're in a world of con artists rather than magicians."

Ghost of Yōtei release date announced How do you Atsu? Image credit: PlayStation News by Victoria Kennedy News Reporter Published on April 23, 2025 The Ghost of Yōtei team has announced the release date for its highly anticipated sequel. Ghost of Yōtei will launch on Playstation 5 later this year, on 2nd October. Ghost of Yotei Just Sold Me on a PS5 Pro and Frankly, I'm Furious. Watch on YouTube "It's been nearly five years since we shipped Ghost of Tsushima, and in that time we’ve been hard at work making Ghost of Yōtei something special," wrote Sucker Punch's Andrew Goldfarb, announcing today's release date news. "While the stories are unrelated, it's important to us to make this a worthy follow-up to Jin's journey, and we can't wait for you to experience Atsu's quest for vengeance later this year." The studio also released a new trailer for Ghost of Yōtei, which you can check out below. This trailer gives us more insight into Atsu's aforementioned quest for vengeance. We already knew she was seeking revenge for her ravaged home and family life, but now we know just who it is she is hunting down - that would be a gang of outlaws known as the Yōtei Six. "They killed her family and left her for dead, pinned to a burning ginkgo tree outside her home. But Atsu survived. She learned to fight, to kill, and to hunt, and after years away she has returned to her home with a list of six names: The Snake, The Oni, The Kitsune, The Spider, The Dragon, and Lord Saito," Sucker Punch teases. Ghost of Yōtei - The Onryō's List | PS5 Games. Watch on YouTube Today's trailer is but a small taste of what players can expect on Ghost of Yōtei's release, the developer added. Sucker Punch previously said it is going to ensure Ghost of Yōtei has a less repetitive open world compared to its predecessor, with criticisms for Ghost of Tsushima often directed at its somewhat repetitive activities, so this remark is in keeping with the studio's overall plan for the sequel. Those interested in pre-ordering Ghost of Yōtei will be able to do so from next week, with those pre-orders starting on 2nd May (how is it May next week?!). As is the case with many releases these days, there will be a number of different editions to choose from. Regardless of which edition you plump for, those who do pre-order will receive a unique in-game mask, as well as a set of seven PSN avatars featuring concept art of Atsu and each member of the Yōtei Six (see below). Image credit: PlayStation Anyway, onto those editions, and what they include. The standard edition of Ghost of Yōtei which includes the game (obviously) will retail for £69.99 / €79.99. This edition will be available at certain retailers or via the PlayStation Store. A Digital Deluxe Edition of Ghost of Yōtei will also be available for £79.99 / €89.99. This chap will have the game itself, as well as some bonuses such as The Snake's armor set and an alternate dye for your starting armour. Ghost of Yōtei's Digital Deluxe Edition will also come with a unique horse colour and unique saddle dye, as well as an in-game Charm, gold Sword Kit, and an early unlock of Traveler’s Maps. These will help you find statues throughout the world, which in turn will be useful for upgrading your skills. Image credit: PlayStation Lastly, Sucker Punch is releasing a Ghost of Yōtei Collector's Edition. The developer is yet to announce pricing for this edition, but we do know what it will include. Those who opt for Ghost of Yōtei Collector's Edition will get: All of the pre-order bonuses All in-game items from the Digital Deluxe Edition A digital copy of the game, as well as a replica display edition of Atsu's Ghost mask A replica of Atsu's sash, complete with the names of all six members of the Yōtei Six A replica of the Tsuba from Atsu's katana A pouch of coins Instructions to play Zeni Hajiki, a game of skill you'll play throughout Ghost of Yōtei. A foldable papercraft ginkgo tree along with a wolf at its base A set of four 5 x 7-inch art cards featuring the sash, the wolf, Atsu's Ghost mask, and our key art As a general point, an account for PlayStation Network will be required to redeem things such as digital items available via a voucher code. Image credit: PlayStation Earlier this year, Sucker Punch said it remained committed to Ghost of Yōtei's 2025 release window on PS5. There had been some speculation the studio and PlayStation may nudge it back a touch to make way for GTA 6 - a game many expect will dominate the gaming landscape when it releases this autumn (unless it gets delayed).

You can trust VideoGamer. Our team of gaming experts spend hours testing and reviewing the latest games, to ensure you're reading the most comprehensive guide possible. Rest assured, all imagery and advice is unique and original. Check out how we test and review games here Contents hide Marvel Rivals Patch Notes 20250425 NetEase has released the latest Marvel Rivals Patch Notes for the game’s latest update. Releasing on Aprul 24 at 09:00 UTC, the hero shooter’s latest patch includes a tonne of new additions to the multiplayer game. Alognside a host of tweets, the latest Marvel Rivals patch is adding a rand new game mode in the form of Brain Blast. For the full details on the Giant-Size Brain Blast mode, click here for more. Additionally, the new update will bring new costume bundles, emotes and more. The new Marvel Rivals Patch Notes also state that the game will launch the update with zero server downtime. Instead of the game going down for maintenance to launch the new update, players will simply be able to update and play. Check out the latest Marvel Rivals Patch Notes below: Marvel Rivals Patch Notes 20250425  New Mode – GIANT-SIZE BRAIN BLAST This all-new mode will ignite the battle big time during the following windows: 2025/4/25 09:00:00 ~ 2025/4/28 12:00:00 (UTC) 2025/5/2 09:00:00 ~ 2025/5/5 12:00:00 (UTC) Compete on unique leaderboards and unlock colossal rewards that are sure to make your head spin! Get ready to think big, shoot big, and have a big blast! New Content The following items will be available in the in-game store for purchase: Loki – Shin Sagi-Shi Bundle Hela – Yami no Karasu Bundle A big bunch of Brain Blast Emotes Resource Adjustments: Luna Snow’s Cyber Tunes emote has been revamped to loop continuously, ensuring that she never skips a beat. Hero Proficiency Tweaks: To better reflect your mastery in the heat of different battles, we’re overhauling the hero proficiency system. The missions are now segmented into Quick Match/Competitive and Conquest/Doom Match. Quick Match/Competitive missions have no cap on repetition, while Conquest/Doom Match missions feature a daily repeat limit. Your hero proficiency is about to get as lordly as your feats! Fixes All PlatformsGeneral Fixed a rare issue where players would sometimes find themselves stuck on the round-switch transition screen.   Resolved a glitch on the Krakoa map where the emote wheel occasionally couldn’t be used, except for the bottom-right segment.   Fixed a Faction system bug where after a single name change, the name could not be changed again even after the cooldown period.   Resolved an issue in the Faction Recruit interface where non-leaders saw a “Only Leader Can Select” label on the Confirm button.   In Custom Game – Tournament Room settings, coaches now have an option to hide opponent voting displays in Competitive matches. Fixed an issue where the first time entering a new season’s Battle Pass screen or the moment when season-end settlement pops up and rapidly switching to the next page would sometimes cause the navigation bar to vanish.   Maps and Modes Fixed several terrain issues that could cause characters to sometimes become stuck or clip into strange areas.   Heroes Emma Frost’s Diamond Dynamite: Fixed a glitch in Diamond Form where her Carbon Crush would sometimes catapult foes underground—or even off the map! Now, when Emma dazzles, every move lands as sharp as a perfectly cut gem!   Mister Fantastic’s Fantastic Flex Fix: Resolved an issue when Flexible Elongation aimed at enemies through portals would occasionally twisted his movement trajectory into the wrong direction. Now, when Mr. Fantastic bends the rules of physics, his is as precise as his genius!   Iron Fist’s Chaotic Kick: Squashed a bug causing Iron Fist’s K’un-Lun Kick to suddenly rollback in high-latency battles. Now, his moves blast forward with the unstoppable momentum of a true warrior!   Psylocke’s Wing Shurikens Tweak: Fixed a glitch where Psylocke’s Wing Shurikens would sometimes lose damage after striking Loki’s arm. Now, with the trickster god kept in check, her psionic shurikens strike with all the precision and brilliance of a ninja!   Star-Lord’s Sleepy Swagger: Resolved an issue where Star-Lord’s Spartax Slumber emote was missing his signature facial animations when used during a match. Now, when he starts to nod off his playful attitude will shine through, proving that even in chaos, he’s the coolest guy in the galaxy!   Squirrel Girl’s Animated Antics Revival: Corrected an issued with Squirrel Girl’s default emote where facial expressions where missing when used in a match. Now, when she unleashes her quirky charisma, every nutty moment is captured with the full force of her animated personality!   Invisible Woman’s Shield Surge Update: Fixed an error in the recovery rate of Invisible Woman’s Guardian Shield.   While this is only a minor update for NetEase’s popular hero shooter, a lot more content is on the way for the game in the future. With Season 2.5 on the way, brand-new heroes are coming to the game as well as new maps, modes and events. As for current leaked heroes, we’ve already seen evidence of Daredevil jumping from Hell’s Kitchen into the game, and NetEase may have accidentally revealed a brand-new mutant in a recent developer doc video. Marvel Rivals Platform(s): macOS, PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series S, Xbox Series X Genre(s): Fighting, Shooter Subscribe to our newsletters! By subscribing, you agree to our Privacy Policy and may receive occasional deal communications; you can unsubscribe anytime. Share

You can trust VideoGamer. Our team of gaming experts spend hours testing and reviewing the latest games, to ensure you're reading the most comprehensive guide possible. Rest assured, all imagery and advice is unique and original. Check out how we test and review games here The competitive landscape in Marvel Rivals has become a source of frustration for many gamers. As Season 2 is out, fans are expressing their dissatisfaction with the ongoing losses in ranked lobbies, where mismatched skill levels and uneven team configurations frequently result in disheartening defeats. The hero shooter’s fast-paced gameplay, which features legendary Marvel heroes like as Emma Frost and Wolverine, necessitates precision and teamwork, yet players report becoming trapped in low ranks like Bronze and Silver, unable to progress despite their best efforts. Smurfing—high-skill players utilizing secondary accounts to dominate lesser ranks—is undermining fair play, according to player concerns. NetEase Games recently launched a performance-based ranking system with the intention of rewarding individual skill, but players believe that it promotes damage-heavy characters while undervaluing support and tank players. The game’s community is undeniably passionate, yet the grind seems terrible for both casual and dedicated players. Amid these, a new issue has developed, jeopardizing the competitive landscape’s integrity and inciting heated debate among the player base. Marvel Rivals rare accounts sold online as bad players rush to ruin ranked lobbies for everyone A surprising Marvel Rivals revelation has emerged where some players are avoiding the grind by purchasing high-rank accounts online and invading lobbies much above their skill level. This is causing havoc, distorting matchmaking and destroying the competitive experience for gamers trying to climb the ranks honestly. High-ranking accounts being sold online. Image by VideoGamer. Websites like MitchCactus.co profit on the game’s ranking system by selling high-ranking accounts. These sites provide accounts ranging from Bronze to One Above All, priced between $14.99 for low-tier ranks like Iron and $139.99 for high tiers like Grandmaster or Eternity. These accounts, which are frequently pre-leveled to at least Level 10, come with 200-500 KOs, 1,500-2,500 Chrono Tokens, and special cosmetics such as Blood Shield Invisible Woman, entice players to skip the grind. MitchCactus.co’s services are especially predatory, with “Ranked Ready” accounts promising rapid access to high-stakes lobbies regardless of a player’s real skill level. This approach overcrowds competitive modes with underqualified players, disrupting matchmaking and frustrating those who acquire rankings properly. These sites take advantage of players’ thirst for prestige by selling smurf accounts, which allow competent players to dominate lesser ranks, as well as high-rank accounts that artificially boost a buyer’s reputation. With over 27,000 Grandmaster 3 players, as reported by RivalsTracker, rank inflation is common, undermining the ladder’s credibility. However, such activities violate Marvel Rivals’ terms of service, risking account bans. The community is upset, emphasizing how fake accounts produce uneven matches that penalize honest players. NetEase Games has yet to crack down, leaving requests for harsher matches, placement systems, and punishments unanswered. Marvel Rivals Platform(s): macOS, PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series S, Xbox Series X Genre(s): Fighting, Shooter Related Topics Marvel Rivals Subscribe to our newsletters! By subscribing, you agree to our Privacy Policy and may receive occasional deal communications; you can unsubscribe anytime. Share

All products featured on Architectural Digest are independently selected by our editors. However, we may receive compensation from retailers and/or from purchases of products through links in this article.If you find yourself sifting through seemingly endless deck ideas, take a moment to zoom in and pay close attention to deck railing ideas. Railing systems are a crucial part of any deck and deserve as much consideration as the actual structure. Modern railing systems can span everything from traditional white wood decks with wood posts to cable deck railings and glass panels. So whether you’re a homeowner who’s building a new deck or if you find yourself in the middle of a remodel, there’s plenty to consider. Regardless if you’re googling “what is a baluster” or if you’re a seasoned pro, here are a few questions you should ask yourself before embarking on your decking project.Photo: Cass Cleave, Courtesy of ORCA1/41Pull from the environmentUse the same material across all outdoor amenities to create consistency, like in this home by ORCA. “The decking is made from black locust, a deciduous hardwood tree native to North America. We designed the railing to integrate alongside the soaking tub while maintaining visibility to the view of the Marin hillside that extends beyond the deck,” explains Molly Sedlacek, the firm’s principal and founder.Photo: Courtesy of Kerrie Kelly Studio2/41Don’t be afraid to customize cable railsIf you decide to use a cable railing for a minimalist look, you should play around with proportions. Kerrie Kelly, Designer, CEO, and creative director of Kerrie Kelly Studio used the same railing for the deck and front porch, saying “for this project, we chose Feeney’s custom black cable rail to create a seamless visual connection between the indoor and outdoor spaces while maintaining durability and safety. We considered sightlines, material longevity, and how the rail system could enhance—not interrupt—the surrounding views. The custom aspect allowed us to tailor the spacing, finish, and integration with other materials in the space.”Photo: Bjorg Magnea, Courtesy of PJCArchitecture3/41Privacy is importantIf your deck faces a neighbor or busy street, there are a number of interesting ways you can add privacy without sacrificing style. Take for instance this deck on a Southampton, New York, home. The aesthetic of the ground level fence was replicated in the deck railing, creating privacy and a sense of visual cohesion.Photo: Courtesy of Feeney and Kerrie Kelly4/41Explore laser cut optionsLaser-cut metal panels are another unique option for deck railing, as seen in this collaboration between designer Kerrie Kelly and Feeney These decorative railings come in a variety of patterns and colors, offering both privacy and visual interest for indoor or outdoor spaces. Made from powder-coated aluminum, the railings offer a low maintenance and durable option for homeowners.Photo: Stephen Karlisch5/41Simple lines can be funIf you’re nervous about larger structures or losing too much visibility, you can use simple, straight lines, as seen in this deck by Kara Adams, which channels a light, coastal feel. This Naples, Florida, home uses the same railing design both inside and out, creating a seamless blend between both entertaining spaces. For an added layer of interest, consider using colors for the railing.Photo: Pierre Galant Photography6/41Go super practicalIf you’re not interested in buying and maintaining outdoor furniture, think about using built-in wood benches as a functional alternative to traditional railings on an all-wooden deck. This approach keeps the space open while providing seating and a natural, cohesive look that blends with the deck design and the rest of the environment.Photo: Bjorg Magnea, Courtesy of PJCArchitecture7/41Use slatsIf your deck experiences heavy winds, consider a slatted wall for your railing. “The slatted barriers temper any heavy winds, but still allow for the coastal breeze to pass through for a cooling effect,” said Philip J. Consalvo, AIA; principal of PJCArchitecture. These kinds of slats also allow for additional privacy and sun filtering.Photo: Courtesy of Amazing Gardens & Construction8/41Strategically incorporate lighting“One of the most notable trends in the railing world is the move toward sleek, minimalist railing solutions, and cable railings have become a go-to choice for homeowners looking to emphasize openness and flow,” says Michelle Hendricks, director of marketing at Deckorators. “This style complements the desire for unobstructed views and seamless integration with the surrounding environment.” If the look feels too hyper-minimalist, use lighting to inject some personality into the area, as seen in this deck featuring Deckorators’ Contemporary Cable Rail.Photo: Michael W. Goencz9/41Use natural materialsSeaside decks are often synonymous with glass paneling, but, as Sarah Baeumler, founder of Caerula Mar Club notes, being steps away from the sea can make glass deck railing impractical for upkeep and safety. Another consideration is whether the modern look that accompanies glass railings matches the rest of the architecture. Baeumler says of the design seen here, “We wanted to preserve the charm of the original villas but provide an elevated design that would age beautifully with the property…. The use of a glass railing would not suit the relaxed nature of [the property].” Instead she opted for treated wood posts that would provide a classic look without significantly obstructing the views.Photo: Kim Pritchard 10/41Dress up your glass panelsAn alternative to the hypermodernism of plain glass panels is leveraging metal railing options for an accent along the top of the paneling. This metal deck railing is a favorite for those who live in warmer climates with little risk of inclement weather. When selecting the accent railing, it’s important to pick one that matches the general look and feel of the home’s design or the decor of the deck, like the black rails and modern neutral of this Teak Warehouse furniture.Photo: Jenny Siegwart11/41Look into geometric patternsGone are the days of boring white railings. This modern railing, used by Sara Simon of Handsome Salt, calls on geometric shapes to elevate the look of the thin metal railings for a more sophisticated and deliberate feel. The same look could be achieved with any metal, including stainless steel for an edgier feel.Photo: Garrett Rowland12/41Use opaque deck railings as privacy screensIf you want your space to feel quiet, think about implementing a privacy screen by using solid, opaque panels or walls to create your deck railing. To avoid it feeling like a plain wall, you can include a short strip of glass along the top for a sense of modern minimalism. According to designer Ghislaine Viñas, this railing accomplishes the goal of “enhancing and blending in rather than detracting. There were so many outdoor spaces for this house that it was important to have all the outdoor spaces be quieter, which creates a really relaxing feel.”Photo: Garrett Rowland13/41Leverage pillarsOutdoor structural elements, like the pillars on this deck, lend themselves as natural points for the deck railing. To make the use of pillars seem deliberate, Viñas used the same paneling in the balusters. That, along with the clean white paint and simple furniture pieces, creates an understated but interesting space.Photo: 06 Place/Julia Piterkina14/41Match the outdoorsFor those who are fortunate enough to have interesting natural scenes just outside their home, materials that match the environment can create a harmonious transition from the deck to the rest of the outdoors. In this Seattle home, Anna Popov kept the original railing: “This railing was in fact a perfect solution for the location of the home. The wood top rail seamlessly blends with the lush greenery outside. The ultrathin aluminum railing acts as a perfect barrier that virtually disappears into the landscape.” An added perk? This type of minimalist railing is nearly maintenance-free.Photo: Amy Barnard15/41Consider color blockingIf you end up opting for white stair railings, the easiest instant design upgrade is to create a color-blocked railing system by having wood deck railings or slats that are stained in a natural tone to contrast the white. This Laguna home by Marea Clark was meant to feel like a retreat; Clark says, “We really wanted the deck to feel like an outdoor living room and it's outfitted as such.” The color blocking paired with the floating pickets give off a laid-back vibe.Photo: Yardzen16/41Invest in cable railings for a modern feelThere are myriad horizontal deck railings available to consumers, but the most popular is definitely cable railings. According to Coleman Cosby, Project Manager at Yardzen, “Cable railings are a great choice if you’re looking for safety, open sight lines, and where privacy isn’t a concern.” The cables can have varying degrees of space between them, which allows for a level of customization and can even be oriented vertically.Photo: Yardzen17/41Use wire railings for traditional homesEven though cable railings tend to be used for modern decks, Crosby notes wire railings are often used for traditional projects as well, due to the unobstructed views they provide. He says, “Homeowners who are looking to keep sight lines open—perhaps for a beautiful view just beyond the deck or to keep an eye on kids in the yard—will find that this style is super functional, while also looking clean and minimal.”Photo: Yardzen18/41Mix materialsEven though wire railings have grown in popularity in recent years, some can find the cost prohibitive. Crosby says a way around this is by using wood posts, as “cable railings with metal posts are one of the pricier options for railing systems. You will save some if you opt for cable railing and wood posts, but both are more expensive than some of the more traditional wood, or vinyl options.” Most opt for stainless steel cables which can be stained black.Photo: Ryann Ford19/41Be consistentChristopher L. Sanders notes that in this project he wanted to match the exterior of the home. He says that “in keeping with the exterior material palette of the home, the guardrails are a simple assembly of horizontal steel bar stock, and fastening the guardrail to the face of the exterior wall contributes to the vertical patterning of the building’s facade finish materials.” This creates a sense of visual consistency. As a general rule of thumb, if you have multiple outdoor spaces that require porch railings or deck railings, it’s probably a good idea to use the same railing system and ensure that it matches the exterior of the home.Photo: Courtesy of Cass Makes Home20/41Use a soft black for subtle railingsPerhaps the most overlooked color for outdoor spaces, black can actually be quite versatile for deck railings. They require little to no cleaning to preserve their appearance and can disappear into the background, as pictured in this space designed by Cass Makes Home. It’s a color that can be used easily for both traditional and modern decks without detracting from the rest of the space or feeling too dark. The key to this look is making sure your spindles are thin to avoid obscuring the view.Photo Credit: MC Design21/41Protect your patinasUnlike wood decks, metal railing systems require a certain level of commitment to the material’s color. There are ways to change the color of metal rails but they are often time-consuming and expensive—two downsides for DIY deck projects. If you opt for a metal system like the one pictured, consider textured iron railings. Dufresne says, “We used iron railings for their stability and functionality, especially in an outdoor space. Iron can withstand quite a lot of wear and tear while maintaining its aesthetic appeal. We chose a bronze finish with an added textured detail to bring warmth to the overall design.” If cared for well, railings like this bronze one can age gracefully with a sophisticated patina.Photo: TimberTech22/41Focus on function, function, and functionIf you’re like Queer Eye’s Bobby Berk, you want a space that’s practical and pretty, hence the reliance on composite railing. It’s virtually maintenance-free and highly durable. Berk says, “My design process always starts out with function, function, function. Spaces need to function.Photo: TimberTech23/41Don’t forget post caps…or doBre Bertolini decided to double down on the modern minimalism of her deck by using cable rails and black post sleeves. Bertolini says she deliberately decided against caps “to keep things simpler and more modern. This way the contemporary top rail just sits right on top and looks like one solid piece.”Photo: Jessica Alexander24/41Dress down (literally) glass railingsIf you want a more unique glass railing without sacrificing any of your view, you can draw inspiration from this Southern California home by Aly Morford of Pure Salt Interiors. Morford says, “Obviously, with a view like that, you don’t want anything to obstruct it. We worked with our partners to design this deck railing of glass panels with copper striping on the bottom, instead of the top. The sliding glass door from the living room to the balcony stacks on top of itself, so the overall effect is an unobstructed view with complete indoor-outdoor fluidity that embodies the essence of California living.” The end result is a home that feels like it’s floating above the ocean.Photo: Trex Company25/41Look into kid-friendly metal railingsFor parents who want the look and feel of wire railings without the risk, there are ways to incorporate stainless steel and metals in more child-friendly ways. This square grid is small enough to prevent any entanglements, but not so busy that it takes away from the view or home.

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