Overwatch 2's new Stadium mode is one of the best additions to Blizzard's shooter franchise since it debuted in 2016 — here's why I can't stop playing it since it droppedTech17:41, 23 Apr 2025While Overwatch has had some instances of third-person, this is the first time it's for longer than a single ability(Image: Blizzard)Has there ever been a game you’d love to get into but just find it too hard to do so? For me, it’s League of Legends and DOTA 2.Both games have such fervent fanbases, such complexity and high skill ceilings that I’ll often find myself sitting and watching esports events for each while not really having much idea what’s going on. In short, it’s a boat I missed way back when, and without someone to spend hundreds of hours coaching me, it’s just not something I can catch up to.‌Why do I mention this at the start of an article about Overwatch 2’s new Stadium mode, which launched this week? Because in some ways, this new way to play Overwatch feels like the half Hero shooter, half MOBA I’ve been begging for.Article continues belowLet’s set the scene first — Stadium is the headline addition of Overwatch’s next season, and is a 5v5 mode that’s absolutely packed with ways to play, just as the rest of Overwatch is.Players compete in three different modes, and look to finish top in a best-of-seven format, but the most obvious shift is in perspective — Overwatch 2 Stadium is a third-person mode.‌The idea is that it gives players a much greater idea of where they’re positioned when teamfights get chaotic, and with a whole slate of abilities, it certainly does.Third-person perspective is new for Overwatch(Image: Blizzard)We’ll have more from Aaron Keller and the Overwatch 2 team in the next couple of days, but one of the key things to stress is that it’s not as easy as just switching the camera (check out our full interview).‌It’s a little brain-breaking in the first few matches, but it doesn’t take too long to adjust (although you can switch back if you’d prefer).Another major change is that once you pick your Hero in Stadium, you’re locked in for the entire match, regardless of map, enemy composition, and mode.I was initially a little concerned that locking into a Hero, and coming up against a hard counter and being unable to play around it, would be a major issue, but that’s where the new Armory comes in.‌Reinhardt is pretty versatile with the right perks(Image: Blizzard)One of the biggest distinctions (other than the increase in rounds and fresh perspective) from the core Overwatch 2 experience is The Armoury, where players will spend the cash they’ve earned in each match.These offer a variety of perks, as well as recommended character builds with a specific playstyle in mind. For example, Genji will have a host of purchaseable items, but you can lean into certain ones that push him into a shuriken-focused attacker, or improving his dash abilities.‌Meanwhile my beloved Lucio can buff his attack speed, healing effects, and trigger buffs that feed into wall-running to become even more lethal and supportive in equal measure.Cash comes from performance in a match, so you’ll want to maintain a narrow gap between you and the top players to be able to keep pace — just like you would in a MOBA like LoL or DOTA.Stadium mode is inspired by Hearthstone's Battlegrounds(Image: Blizzard)‌It’s the kind of in-game economy I love in, say, VALORANT, but brought into a game with more of a focus on abilities and a longer time-to-kill.With so many potential upgrades, fans are likely to construct some wild builds that change each season, adding a whole extra layer to Overwatch.Not every Hero is available in Stadium, but Blizzard will add more each season. Notably, former poster girl Tracer isn’t there yet.Article continues belowOverwatch 2 has been in a strange place since it launched, with fans unsure if a full sequel was justified. Make no mistake - the new Stadium mode, plus last season’s perks, mark the biggest shakeup since Overwatch’s switch to 5v5, and it’s a much deeper game for it.Stadium gives me the same feeling that the original Overwatch did in 2016, and I think I’m going to be putting in a lot of hours. I’ll see you out there…For the latest breaking news and stories from across the globe from the Daily Star, sign up for our newsletters.‌‌‌

The themes are back (Sony Interactive Entertainment) PS5 themes to celebrate PlayStation’s 30th anniversary will officially return this week, as Sony rolls out an update to improve audio. PlayStation’s 30th anniversary may have served as a reminder of Sony’s distant past, but there was one celebration which delivered the right kind of nostalgia. In December, Sony rolled out an update which added the original PlayStation’s bright white boot-up sequence to the PlayStation 5, along with some additional customisation where you could change the theme of the dashboard to past console generations. These additions were only intended for a limited time, but several months after they were stripped away, Sony is bringing the classic themes back, thanks to popular demand. When do the classic PlayStation themes return on PS5? As highlighted in a PlayStation blog post, the prior themes based on the PlayStation, PlayStation 2, PlayStation 3, and PlayStation 4 consoles, will be available on PlayStation 5 following an update, which will roll out globally starting from Thursday, April 24. Once the update is installed, you’ll be able to change themes in the ‘Appearance’ menu under settings. Unfortunately, there’s no mention of whether the original PlayStation’s boot-up sequence is also making a comeback – so it’s likely that this is just the themes themselves. Elsewhere in the update, Sony is rolling out an Audio Focus toggle which is designed to ‘make soft sounds clearer when using headphones’. More Trending When Audio Focus is switched on, you can adjust different presets, so you can boost the sound of in-game character voices, sound effects in the environment, party voice chat, and other elements. Additionally, you can adjust the sound’s focus across the separate left and right headphones, for an extra layer of accessibility. Earlier today, Sony also announced PlayStation 5 exclusive Ghost Of Yōtei will be released on October 2, 2025, following Death Stranding 2: On The Beach and Bungie’s Marathon. Ghost Of Yōtei is coming in October (Sony Interactive Entertainment) Email gamecentral@metro.co.uk, leave a comment below, follow us on Twitter, and sign-up to our newsletter. To submit Inbox letters and Reader’s Features more easily, without the need to send an email, just use our Submit Stuff page here. For more stories like this, check our Gaming page. GameCentral Sign up for exclusive analysis, latest releases, and bonus community content. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. Your information will be used in line with our Privacy Policy

The Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion Remastered should have mods on PC at least (YouTube) Oblivion veterans have already started cracking the code to add mods to the remaster, as Bethesda allows an upcoming fan project full access. Along with janky launches and comical bugs, Bethesda’s role-playing games are synonymous with thriving mod communities. This is certainly the case with The Elder Scrolls series, where mods for Oblivion and Skyrim have provided widespread improvements or comical goofs through exaggerated ragdoll physics and AI-driven text speech. Bethesda usually encourages the modding scene by providing official tools to players, also known as Creation Kits, for the likes of Skyrim, Fallout 4, and Starfield, but it seems like this won’t happen for The Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion Remastered. Does The Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion Remastered support mods? In a FAQ page on Bethesda’s website, it reads: ‘Mods are not supported for The Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion Remastered.’ However, the sentence below this appears to suggest otherwise: ‘If you experiencing gameplay issues while playing with mods, it’s recommended you first try uninstalling your mods, then verify your games files on Steam, or the Xbox App.’ While this might mean mods are off the table for Xbox Series X/S and PlayStation 5 players, it seems the situation is more open to interpretation on PC. In fact, players on Reddit have already discovered the remaster’s files can be opened in the construction kit for the original Oblivion. While it seems like old mods for Oblivion may still need some work to function in the remaster (based on this thread), in order to make it compatible with Unreal Engine 5 assets, this functionality with the original construction kit will certainly speed things up. Whether this was intentional or not is unclear, but Bethesda has already shown some generosity to a group of modders who are working on their own revamped version of Oblivion using the engine of its sequel, The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim. In a post on X, the team behind upcoming mod Skyblivion revealed that Bethesda provided them with game keys for The Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion Remastered for free. ‘Huge thanks to our friends @BethesdaStudios for their continued support of Skyblivion! As massive fans, we’re beyond grateful for the generous gift of Oblivion Remastered game keys for our entire modding team! This means so much to us. Thank you for everything, Bethesda.’ In a follow-up post, the team stated that Bethesda ‘made it clear that they have no intention of shutting down’ the Skyblivion project, which is set to be released later this year. More Trending The team behind Skyblivion released a statement last week, after Bethesda announced the remaster, where they emphasised how there’s ‘no need for comparisons or a sense of competition’ between the two projects. ‘As a PC mod, a console release is impossible for us, so the remaster presents a wonderful opportunity for console players to re-experience Oblivion, something our project could never directly provide,’ the team wrote. They added: ‘We see this not as a conflict, but as a fantastic opportunity for Elder Scrolls fans to have even more ways to enjoy the classic world of Cyrodiil.’ Following its launch yesterday, The Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion Remastered has already become a big hit on Steam, with a Switch 2 port rumoured to be on the way. Oblivion was shadowdropped this week (Bethesda) Email gamecentral@metro.co.uk, leave a comment below, follow us on Twitter, and sign-up to our newsletter. To submit Inbox letters and Reader’s Features more easily, without the need to send an email, just use our Submit Stuff page here. For more stories like this, check our Gaming page. GameCentral Sign up for exclusive analysis, latest releases, and bonus community content. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. Your information will be used in line with our Privacy Policy

Many will still be culled under false pretences

New antifungals offer a glimmer of hope

What a year for games based in Japan and featuring samurai, huh? After Assassin’s Creed Shadows in March, players can look forward to the PlayStation 5 exclusive Ghost of Yōtei October 2. Developed by Sucker Punch, the game takes place in 1603 Japan, over 300 years after 2020’s Ghost of Tsushima. Players take on the role of Atsu (Erika Ishii), a warrior seeking revenge against the people who killed her family. In the trailer below, we learn about her targets, the Yōtei Six: the Oni, the Snake, the Dragon, the Kitsune, the Spider, and Lord Saito. Armed with the katana Saito used to pin her to the wall during her family’s slaughter, Atsu sets about tracking and cutting them down, adopting the moniker of the Ghost first used by Tsushima’s protagonist, Jin Sakai. Like its predecessor, Yōtei is an open-world game, and players will explore Ezo (now Hokkaido), taking on contracts and killing enemies in various forms of combat. Unlike Jin, Atsu has dual katanas and other tools at her disposal like a gun, an odachi, and a wolf buddy that can attack enemies. There’s a lot of overlap between this and Shadows, the key difference being Yōtei players can be led to their objective via the way the wind blows. It’s a small thing, but it gave Tsushima a lot of charm and highlighted the beauty of its recreated island, so it’s nice to see that return here. Ghost of Yōtei will initially be exclusive to the PlayStation 5, but a PC release is likely some time after its release. PlayStation’s previously expressed hope this’ll be big enough to adapt into a movie or film, so keep that in your mind when you eventually play it. Want more io9 news? Check out when to expect the latest Marvel, Star Wars, and Star Trek releases, what’s next for the DC Universe on film and TV, and everything you need to know about the future of Doctor Who.

By Margherita Bassi Published April 23, 2025 | Comments (1) | An Egyptologist in Paris has discovered secret messages on the capital's Luxor Obelisk. © Connie Ma from Chicago, United States of America, CC BY-SA 2.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0, via Wikimedia Commons In 1830, the viceroy of Egypt gifted France a 3,300-year-old Egyptian obelisk—a carved stone pillar with a pyramidal top. In 1836, the obelisk found its home in Paris, in Place de la Concorde. One would think that after standing in the center of the French capital for almost 200 years, Parisian Egyptologists would have learned all there is to discover about the ancient monument. But it turns out the famous obelisk still has its secrets. Jean-Guillaume Olette-Pelletier, an Egyptologist and cryptologist from the Catholic University of Paris, claims to have discovered seven previously undocumented messages carved into the 13th-century BCE Luxor Obelisk. Altogether, the inscriptions were intended to establish Pharaoh Ramses II’s divine authority in the eyes of the ancient Egyptian elite. The discovery and its interpretation were first reported by French media, and the researcher aims to further detail his findings in a paper forthcoming in the journal ENiM (Egypt of the Nile and Mediterranean). Olette-Pelletier identified the inscriptions in December 2021, when the obelisk was surrounded by renovation scaffolding. The scaffolding allowed Olette-Pelletier to observe the monument’s highest inscriptions, close to its golden pyramid-shaped top. According to EuroWeekly, it was when Olette-Pelletier attempted to read the hieroglyphs horizontally, rather than vertically, that he began to spot previously unidentified inscriptions. Some (perhaps all) of the new messages were hidden in the hieroglyphs themselves, a technique known as “crypto-hieroglyphs” used by the ancient Egyptian elite that today only six Egyptologists in the world are able to interpret, according to La Brújula Verde. “People had not noticed that under [one of the drawings] of the god Amun, there is an offering table. This allows us to discover a sentence where no element is missing: an offering that the king gives to the god Amun,” Olette-Pelletier told BFMTV. Combinations of the newly identified inscriptions produce additional meanings in what’s called three-dimensional cryptography. In total, the Egyptologist identified seven encrypted messages across the obelisk’s various facades. He explained that the enigmatic text can only be understood by walking around the monument. Additionally, the messages in question can only be seen from a specific angle. In particular, when the obelisk stood at the entrance of Egypt’s Luxor Temple, one of the messages would have been visible to vessels sailing on the Nile, according to EuroWeekly. This suggests that the message, exalting Pharaoh Ramses II’s divine power, was intended for elite individuals arriving by boat. Another inscription encourages viewers to make divine offerings to appease the gods’ anger. Overall, the secret inscriptions highlight Ramses II’s power, victories, longevity, and his appeasement of the gods through word-play from well-known papyrus texts. “These messages are a form of propaganda in favor of the builder of the site: Pharaoh Ramses II,” Olette-Pelletier told Le Point. He argues that Ramses II wanted to further legitimize his divine claim to power in the eyes of the noble class, as reported by EuroWeekly. Ramses II ruled from 1279 to 1213 BCE and is one of ancient Egypt’s most famous pharaohs. The Luxor Obelisk in Paris is one of two that he erected at the entrance of what today is known as the Luxor Temple—the second obelisk remains in Egypt. Ultimately, Olette-Pelletier’s discovery highlights that even the most familiar ancient monuments still hold secrets left for us to unravel. Daily Newsletter You May Also Like By Margherita Bassi Published April 23, 2025 By Margherita Bassi Published April 21, 2025 By Margherita Bassi Published April 15, 2025 By Margherita Bassi Published April 4, 2025 By Margherita Bassi Published March 26, 2025 By Margherita Bassi Published March 7, 2025

The Secret Garden: A Serene Retreat in the Heart of Casa Gessi MilanoSponsored ContentSave this picture!Courtesy of GessiOn the occasion of Design Week 2025, Gessi transforms Casa Gessi Milano into an experience of Haute Culture, placing personal well-being at the center. A longstanding presence in the international design scene, Gessi continues to embody a vision of innovation, wellness, and refined aesthetic sensibility. Since its inauguration in 2012, this iconic space on Via Manzoni has become a distinctive meeting point where creativity, elegance, and experimentation exist in dialogue.Now spanning over 2,000 m², Casa Gessi evolves once more—offering an immersive journey through sensorial design and thoughtful hospitality. Enhancing the experience is a refined Orangerie, nestled within the singular beauty of the Trivulzio Garden. In this serene setting, nature and design converge in a space that honors sustainability, longevity, and the quiet power of the natural world.The Secret Garden offers a silent and regenerating retreat in the heart of the city, an emblem of lifestyle, emotion, and refinement. As in every true haute couture collection, Gessi unveils its most magnetic new chapter: Titanio (Titanium). A material rich in symbolism—essential, powerful—evoking a contemporary desire for expansive, unbounded spaces, where bathroom and living areas dissolve into a new geography of well-being. Save this picture!Save this picture!Within a scenography curated by Rockwell, among crystals, travertine, and metal forms sculpted like jewelry that transform the bathroom into a theater of the soul, the Colonna collection emerges as an ode to architecture. Riflessioni (Reflections)—a play of frames and mirrored surfaces—elevates the presence of those who inhabit these spaces, celebrating both image and essence. I chose to call it Beyond the Extraordinarybecause it expresses the art of transforming every space into emotion, every gesture into experience, every detail into a story: where innovation, beauty, and vision merge into a new idea of living. This is the essence of Gessi. A journey beyond the extraordinary. — Gian Luca Gessi The central square of Casa Gessi Milano becomes the runway of Haute Culture, where material meets design and aesthetics become function.Save this picture!Save this picture!Showers are no longer just tools, but true regenerative rituals, spaces of care, contemplation, and rebirth. Even the kitchen is reimagined: with Vita Gessi, technology and style meet in a system that brings water in its purest forms – at 100 degrees, filtered, sparkling, and even coffee – in a gesture that expresses elegance and well-being. Every corner of Casa Gessi Milano tells the story of a sophisticated and timeless aesthetic, where hospitality becomes an art and design an invitation to explore new sensorial dimensions.Find out more about Casa Gessi Milano here. Image gallerySee allShow less Cite: "The Secret Garden: A Serene Retreat in the Heart of Casa Gessi Milano" 23 Apr 2025. ArchDaily. Accessed . <https://www.archdaily.com/1029168/the-secret-garden-a-serene-retreat-in-the-heart-of-casa-gessi-milano&gt ISSN 0719-8884Save世界上最受欢迎的建筑网站现已推出你的母语版本!想浏览ArchDaily中国吗?是否 You've started following your first account!Did you know?You'll now receive updates based on what you follow! Personalize your stream and start following your favorite authors, offices and users.Go to my stream

CGI 3D Animated Short Film: Cliche Animated Short Film by Mehdi Linotte, Mathis Rodriguez, Pierre-Alexandre Seris, Sophia Chefai, Charlène Crusot and Morgane Clerc at ESMA. Featured on CGMeetup Gallery http://www.cgmeetup.com/gallery A guy with a very commun life becomes the witness of a murder. To survive he will go through a lot of adventures that gather clichés from cinema Directed by Mehdi Linotte, Mathis Rodriguez, Pierre-Alexandre Seris, Sophia Chefai, Charlène Crusot and Morgane Clerc. Compositor : David Escudero, Benjamin Gobbé Voices : Benjamin Gobbé, Kaycie Chase, Mark Kaczmarek, Jérôme Bresset 
 Animation film produced as part of the 3D animated film training of the school ESMA http://www.esma-artistique.com/ 
 SUBSCRIBE to CGMeetup for more inspiring content! http://bit.ly/Sub2CGMeetup&amp ;#13; Watch More CGI & VFX Animated Short Films: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLc6NCp8iAPDa4dBRHY4E5uvuqNcYe8AXX&amp ;#13; VFX Breakdowns, Making of & Behind the Scene: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLc6NCp8iAPDYMZcYBcEBQRoGidvdi0iPN 
 
 FOLLOW US:
 Website: http://www.cgmeetup.com 
 YouTube https://www.youtube.com/user/CGMeetUp&amp ;#13; Facebook https://www.facebook.com/CGMeetup&amp ;#13; Twitter https://twitter.com/cgmeetup&amp ;#13; Google+ https://plus.google.com/+Cgmeetup&amp ;#13; Dailymotion http://www.dailymotion.com/user/CGMeetup&amp ;#13; Pinterest https://www.pinterest.com/cgmeetup/&amp ;#13; Instagram https://instagram.com/cgmeetup/&amp ;#13; 
 WANT TO GET FEATURED?
 All CGI artists, studios or schools who would like their work featured or
 published on CGMeetup please apply below. We’re looking for short films, commercial spots, breakdowns, showreels etc.
 Submit here → https://www.cgmeetup.com/gallery&amp ;#13; Contact us here → info@cgmeetup.com or info@cgmeetup.net
 
 Please Note: All videos are uploaded after written copyright permission from respected Artists, Studios or Schools Or part of the Creative Commons license.
 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/legalcode&amp ;#13; For more details or to dispute please contact us at info@cgmeetup.com or info@cgmeetup.net
 
 ABOUT CGMeetup:
 CGMeetup is the #1 inspiration resource for all CGI, VFX, 3D and Digital artists. We feature a wide variety of CGI content including behind-the-
 scenes, vfx breakdowns, short films & showreels.
 
 CGMeetup also serves as networking resource for CGI Professionals.
 Professionals use CGMeetup to exchange ideas, knowledge & job
 opportunities.
 
 CGI Animated Short Film: "Cliche" by ESMA | CGMeetup
 https://youtu.be/JRzWplhd9Nw 
 
 CGMeetup
 https://www.youtube.com/CGMeetup 
 
 #animation #animated #shortfilm #animatedshortfilm #cgi #3d #short

🚀 Get started with Corona → https://bit.ly/chaos_corona In this video, we'll give you a quick overview of the new features, we’ll cover performance upgrades like Differential Ray Filtering and Depth of Field Highlights Solver, creative tools like new LUTs from Iraban Dutta, and workflow enhancements including automatic hotspot generation and better Vantage integration. 0:00: What's new in Corona 12 Update 2 0:44: Differential Ray Filtering 0:51: Depth of Field Highlights Solver 1:07: New LUTs from Iraban Dutta 1:22: Per Camera Global Volume Material Overrides 2:05: Improved IR when timeline scrubbing 4:12: Scan Materials now in Cosmos 4:25: Cinema 4D Node Material Editor Minimap 4:33: Cinema 4D Converter Improvements 4:39: Automatic Hotspot Generation 5:27: Vantage Start / Stop button 5:37: Vantage Progress Bar We also want to thank Iraban Dutta for 18 new LUTs included with the Corona installation - for any inquiries or further information, please contact iraban.3d@gmail.com, or advancedschoolofvray@gmail.com, or through https://www.youtube.com/@UCQbuA1s3edoa4MjHZhgK57Q --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Imagine. Design. Believe. Chaos provides world-class visualization solutions helping you share ideas, optimize workflows and create immersive experiences. Everything you need to visualize your ideas from start to finish. From architecture and VFX to product design and e-commerce, Chaos empowers creators to bring their projects to life. Our industry-leading tools, including V-Ray, Enscape, and Corona, are built for architects, designers, AEC professionals, and CG artists. Whether you’re crafting photorealistic visuals, immersive real-time experiences, or cinematic VFX, Chaos delivers the power and flexibility to render anything. #Chaos #Corona #3DRendering #Visualization