During the course of developing Mario Kart World, the team making it were confronted with an important, potentially existential question: Does Mario, in fact, eat mushrooms? Meaning, do Super Mushrooms in the Mario universe need to be eaten, or simply touched to imbue Mario (and Luigi) with super powers?The answer to that question may seem obvious to you, but even 20-year Nintendo veteran Shintaro Jikumaru wondered if he really understood the delivery mechanism of a Mushroom Kingdom mushroom. Jikumaru and Mario Kart World producer Kosuke Yabuki did their due diligence on the matter, turning to Nintendo executive Takashi Tezuka for the answer. Tezuka served as assistant director on the original Super Mario Bros., and has produced or supervised dozens of Mario games since, so if anyone would know, it’s him.The Mario Kart World devs raised the question in the first place because Jikumaru was inspired to add food — hamburgers, specifically — to the new open-world Mario Kart. That required game designers to implement food-eating animations.“We thought, why don’t we have a drive-thru system where characters eat while driving, and eating makes them change outfits or transform into a different character?” Yabuki explained. “Though, it’s utterly ridiculous.”The addition of hamburgers (and other regional foods that cause wardrobe changes) to Mario Kart World forced Yabuki and Jikumaru to face a fact about the rules of the Super Mario universe. In a new Ask the Developer interview at Nintendo, they explain:Yabuki: Then, the question came up: “Does Mario, in fact, eat mushrooms?” (Laughs)Jikumaru: So in the midst of development, we went up to Tezuka-san and asked him to confirm, “Is Mario actually eating those mushrooms?”Yabuki: That’s right. And Tezuka-san answers, “Yeah, he is.”Longtime Mario fans will probably point to games like the Mario & Luigi series, where the brothers are clearly shown throwing edible power-ups into their mouths, or The Super Mario Bros. Movie, which makes it obvious that Mario eats mushrooms to unlock their effects, but touches items like Fire Flowers and Super Stars to gain their powers. Still, you can appreciate that Mario Kart World’s creators desire to be thorough, and that there’s some amount of inconsistency in the dozens of power-ups in Mario games. In Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, for example, when Mario uses a Super Mushroom in a race, he is not shown eating it; instead, it is implied the mushroom is given to the kart itself, like some sort of NOS injection.But questions about which Super Mario power-ups Mario eats versus what he merely touches may be up for debate. And there are plenty of other unknowns. Consider:How does Mario consume a Mega Mushroom, which is many times his size?Are Golden Mushrooms and Drill Mushrooms actually made of metal?Does that mean Mario can digest metal? We know he can become metal.Does Mario eat the acorns that transform him into Flying Squirrel Mario?Are the royal crown and propeller hat on a Golden Dash Mushroom and a Propeller Mushroom, respectively, edible?Does a Boo Mushroom just look like a Boo? Or is it a Boo?If it’s a ghost, does Mario have a bunch of dead souls in his digestive system?What other power-ups are eaten, beyond mushrooms and fruits?What happens if Mario just, like, licked a P-Block a little bit?How upsetting is it to eat a fuzzy Bee Mushroom?You can probably tell that if I ever get an interview with Takashi Tezuka (highly unlikely after this story) I will have dozens of questions for him that he will get increasingly annoyed by.See More:

Menu Home News Hardware Gaming Mobile Finance Deals Reviews How To Wccftech Deals AMD’s 16-Core, 32-Thread Ryzen 9 9950X3D Price Is Slowly Stabilizing, With The Latest Amazon Stock Going For $749.99, A $50 Increase Over Its MSRP, So Do Not Miss Out [Update] Omar Sohail • May 21, 2025 at 03:15pm EDT A couple of months after the Ryzen 7 9800X3D’s release, AMD followed up with the launch of the Ryzen 9 9900X3D and Ryzen 9 9950X3D launch, and as you can imagine, it did not take long for the higher core variants of the desktop manufacturer’s ‘X3D’ range of processors to quickly sell out on Amazon. There have been instances where both of these SKUs have been restocked, but at overly inflated prices. Fortunately, some sanity has prevailed, and the 16-core and 32-thread Ryzen 9 9950X3D has been re-listed on the online retailer for $749.99. Keep in mind that AMD launched the aforementioned CPU at $699, so even if it is available for $749.99, consider yourself lucky because there have been occasions where this part was being sold for over $900. Regardless, if you want to boost your gaming performance and breeze through those taxing productivity-centric applications and have a budget that can accommodate this purchase, then we will always encourage buyers to get hold of the Ryzen 9 9950X3D. This CPU is compatible with the same set of motherboards that can slot in AMD’s non-X3D lineup of processors, so if you have a beefy GPU but still feel that your framerate could be on the higher side, you can pick up the Ryzen 9 9950X3D and say goodbye to those sub-60FPS sessions. This is all possible thanks to the enormous amounts of L3 cache that AMD incorporates in its chip, which is 128GB, allowing for unrivaled gaming performance. At the time of writing, there were ‘50+ carts’ remaining in stock on Amazon, and while that gives you plenty of time, those units can drastically dip in an instant. If you have a certain requirement for this CPU and have the budget to spare, then $749.99 will look like chump change, especially if you plan to keep this processor for several years. Update: The Ryzen 9 9950X3D receives a price reduction by an additional $50, which means that you can get each unit for $699, which is the actual MSRP of the desktop CPU. Now, there is even more good news, because the Ryzen 9 9900X3D has also been restocked on Amazon, and it is available for $599, but limited stock remains for now. Get the AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D from Amazon - $699 Get the AMD Ryzen 9 9900X3D from Amazon - $599 Explore more AMD Ryzen 9000 desktop processors here See the latest technology deals that Amazon has discounted today See what else Amazon has discounted today Deal of the Day 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

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Fortnite was removed from the App Store in 2020 after Epic entered a legal battle over Apple's fees.

Senior Producer (Creative Services)Epic GamesCary, North Carolina, United States58 minutes agoApplyWHAT MAKES US EPIC?At the core of Epic’s success are talented, passionate people. Epic prides itself on creating a collaborative, welcoming, and creative environment. Whether it’s building award-winning games or crafting engine technology that enables others to make visually stunning interactive experiences, we’re always innovating.Being Epic means being a part of a team that continually strives to do right by our community and users. We’re constantly innovating to raise the bar of engine and game development.PRODUCTIONWhat We DoWhether it’s driving a vision from start to finish or collaborating with teams to inspire and deliver projects of Epic quality, Epic’s production teams take pride in consistently delivering world-class products and experiences.What You'll DoAs a member of the team, you will help bring Epic game experiences to players. We are looking for individuals who excel in organization, have exceptional communication abilities, and are comfortable managing schedules of complex projects in a fast-paced environment. The ideal candidates are passionate about working in technology and have a history of working within marketing environments.In this role, you willOwn Project Success: Drive the successful launch and ongoing operation of marketing assets, coordinating complex, multi-team projects across departments and time zonesBe the Hub and Lead with Clarity: Act as the central point of contact for design projects, ensuring seamless communication and coordination among internal teams, external partners, and cross-functional stakeholders. Provide clear visibility into project timelines, status, and risks to keep stakeholders informed and aligned throughout the design lifecycleChampion Planning & Execution: Develop and oversee detailed project plans—including timelines, deliverables, and resourcing—to ensure smooth and timely creative deliverySupport & Empower the Team: Leverage strong communication and leadership skills to guide teams, resolve blockers, and foster collaboration across disciplines. Be able to quickly develop deep knowledge about tools, teams, and technologiesFacilitate Reviews & Delivery While Maintaining Creative Standards: Coordinate feedback loops, approvals, and final delivery of assets, ensuring all creative meets partner requirements and project goals. Track asset production quality to ensure alignment with brand guidelines, marketing briefs, and stakeholder expectationsManage Resources Proactively: Partner with resourcing and studio leads to align design needs with available talent, while identifying future asset needsWhat we're looking for5+ years of experience in agency or video game marketing, including PC, console and mobile gamingExperience in working with Licensed IP partnersBackground in marketing and graphic design production, communications, business, or related fieldsExecuting a global vision/strategyLeading cross-functional teams on projectsBalancing priorities and internal resourcesPresenting plans and discussing strategy with leadershipWorking with internal and external creative teams to make static assetsBonus: Live games as service experienceEPIC JOB + EPIC BENEFITS = EPIC LIFEOur intent is to cover all things that are medically necessary and improve the quality of life. We pay 100% of the premiums for both you and your dependents. Our coverage includes Medical, Dental, a Vision HRA, Long Term Disability, Life Insurance & a 401k with competitive match. We also offer a robust mental well-being program through Modern Health, which provides free therapy and coaching for employees & dependents. Throughout the year we celebrate our employees with events and company-wide paid breaks. We offer unlimited PTO and sick time and recognize individuals for 7 years of employment with a paid sabbatical.ABOUT USEpic Games spans across 25 countries with 46 studios and 4,500+ employees globally. For over 25 years, we've been making award-winning games and engine technology that empowers others to make visually stunning games and 3D content that bring environments to life like never before. Epic's award-winning Unreal Engine technology not only provides game developers the ability to build high-fidelity, interactive experiences for PC, console, mobile, and VR, it is also a tool being embraced by content creators across a variety of industries such as media and entertainment, automotive, and architectural design. As we continue to build our Engine technology and develop remarkable games, we strive to build teams of world-class talent.Like what you hear? Come be a part of something Epic!Epic Games deeply values diverse teams and an inclusive work culture, and we are proud to be an Equal Opportunity employer. Learn more about our Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Policy here.Note to Recruitment Agencies: Epic does not accept any unsolicited resumes or approaches from any unauthorized third party (including recruitment or placement agencies) (i.e., a third party with whom we do not have a negotiated and validly executed agreement). We will not pay any fees to any unauthorized third party. Further details on these matters can be found here. Create Your Profile — Game companies can contact you with their relevant job openings. Apply

Shigeru Miyamoto, Nintendo’s legendary game designer and the creator of Mario, Zelda, and more, is a busy guy these days. He’s helping Nintendo make movies while also being involved in the construction of Mario theme parks at Universal Studios. But really, it seems like Miyamoto just wants to make more Pikmin games, movies, and other stuff. Suggested ReadingThe Week In Games: What’s Releasing Beyond Pikmin 4 Share SubtitlesOffEnglishview videoSuggested ReadingThe Week In Games: What’s Releasing Beyond Pikmin 4 Share SubtitlesOffEnglishIn a recent and lengthy interview with IGN, Miyamoto talked about his work on the upcoming Super Nintendo World and Donkey Kong Country areas of Universal Studios Orlando. But when the interviewer mentioned spotting some hidden Pikmin in the theme park, Miyamoto couldn’t stop talking about how great the little creatures are and how he wants more people to love his odd creations which first appeared in 2001's Pikmin on the GameCube. The latest main game in the series was released in 2023 for Switch.“I spent a lot of time the past five, six years really wanting to grow Pikmin,” said Miyamoto. “Obviously a lot of that is focused around Pikmin Bloom and there was also new Pikmin titles that released. But I wanted to see if there’s other ways that we can have people engage and get to know Pikmin that’s outside of the population that plays video games, for example.” Miyamoto continued, apparently having waited years to unleash all his Pikmin thoughts on the first person lucky enough to ask him about the strange franchise featuring a tiny alien man controlling an army of small, cute critters. “And it really stems back to 20 years ago when we did a presentation where it starts off with, there’s a Pikmin next to you,” said Miyamoto. “And so in Nintendo there’s sort of like an unwritten rule. Mario needs to stay in the Mario universe, or Splatoon needs to stay in Splatoon, and we don’t use different characters in the same place. But Pikmin has this kind of unwritten rule where they’re okay to appear with other characters.”Pikmin (GC) - E3 2001 Trailer (HQ)When asked if Pikmin could ever appear in movies or TV shows, Miyamoto couldn’t say yes or no, of course, but explained that he would love for that to happen one day. “I really see Nintendo as sort of like a talent agency and we have within our roster a lot of talented characters,” said Miyamoto. “So we create a game with a certain gameplay concept, gameplay experience, and then we look at the roster and see who would best fit this gameplay concept or experience.”“So looking at things from that perspective, I think Pikmin has a lot of potential to be used in many different occasions. When you’re looking at small kids, they have a certain appeal for things that are cute and when they grow older, maybe in their twenties, they start to lose appeal for that. But I think Pikmin has this unique ability to have appeal across a broad range in that it’s still appealing for both younger audiences and older audiences and in Japan. And so I’m hoping that we can expand that globally. So whether it’s some kind of a movie or show, things like that would be really fun.”Look, Nintendo, Miyamoto has done so much for you and your company. I say you give the man a few million dollars and a team and let him make all the weird Pikmin crap he wants to make while he’s still able to do so. It’s the least you can do. And the world would be a better place if we had more Pikmin stuff in it. .

Thousands of people have preregistered and now it’s finally here: Our biggest e-book yet, User interface design and implementation in Unity, is available to download. Get ready to dive into over 130 pages of advanced instruction in UI design.Your game’s user interface is perhaps the most direct way you can communicate with and guide your players – like a folded map you hand to them that reveals clues, key details, and directions as they progress. Whether you’re using more traditional elements like health bars and pop-up messages, or elements completely embedded in the game world, such as showing stats on the back of a player’s survival suit, the UI is integral to immersing players in your game’s story, realm, and artistic style.We’re thrilled to announce that our latest technical e-book, User interface design and implementation in Unity, is available to download for free. Thousands of people have already signed up for it, and just as many have downloaded its companion piece, the demo project, UI Toolkit sample – Dragon Crashers, to date. Now it’s your turn.The interest in this e-book is understandable. As it says in the introduction, “User interface is a critical part of any game… a solid graphical user interface (GUI) is an extension of a game’s visual identity… [and] modern audiences crave refined, intuitive GUIs that seamlessly integrate with your application.”The guide begins by covering UI design and art creation fundamentals, and then moves on to in-depth instructional sections on UI development in Unity. Written and reviewed by technical and UI artists – external and Unity professionals alike – the e-book unpacks both Unity UI, the default solution, and the newer UI Toolkit.The emphasis, however, is on the latter toolset, as UI Toolkit now provides many benefits for projects with complex, fullscreen interfaces. Think of projects that require a scalable and performant system for runtime UI. To help you choose the right solution for your project, please refer to this section of the Unity manual.The e-book is a treasure trove of information for professional UI designers, artists, and other Unity creators who want to deepen their knowledge of UI development. Here’s a snapshot of what’s inside.The first section aims to inspire with foundational tips for making effective UI. It looks at examples of diegetic UIs, where UI elements can be found right in the story, making parts of the game world function as a user interface. It explains how elements can either contribute to or break the immersion that a player experiences. We even turned this section into a blog post that you can read here.The guide then turns to the roles and responsibilities of a UI designer, and what tools and methods they employ such as UI wireframing, art creation through mockups, fonts, and grey-boxing. There’s also a chapter on asset preparation and exporting graphics from Digital Content Creation (DCC) tools. These earlier sections in the guide are helpful no matter what game engine and UI solution you’re using.An extensive chapter is devoted to Unity UI. Unity UI is our longtime system for creating in-game UIs, and currently the go-to solution for positioning UI in a 3D world or using GameObject-based Unity systems.This section outlines Unity UI fundamentals for prototyping and integrating assets in-Editor: the Canvas, prebuilt UI elements, TextMesh Pro, and Prefabs, among others. We recently updated an article on advanced optimization techniques for Unity UI, where you can find tips on related topics.UI Toolkit is made for maximum performance and reusability with workflows and authoring tools informed by standard web technologies. UI designers and artists will likely find it familiar, especially with prior experience designing web pages.Three major sections of the guide highlight instructions for developing runtime UI with UI Toolkit. There’s a thorough explanation of the parts that comprise UIs made with UI Toolkit, including the Unity Extensible Markup Language (UXML) and Unity Style Sheet (USS) using UI Builder.You’ll explore how UI Toolkit positions visual elements based on Yoga, an HTML/CSS Layout engine that implements a subset of Flexbox. Flexbox architecture provides advantages, such as responsive UI, enabling you to adapt your UI to different screen resolutions and sizes. Through both UXML and USS, you can decouple the styles applied to UI layouts (and switch those styles up as needed), while logic and functionality continue to live in code. Workflows for visual elements, the fundamental building blocks of each interface, are also discussed in great detail – from positioning, size, and alignment settings, to margins and padding.The chapter on styling shows you how to define reusable styling for visual elements with Selectors, override styles and define unique attributes with inline styles, and create animations and effects with USS animation and a Camera Render Texture. It also demonstrates how you can thematize UI elements for holidays and other special events.That’s when the e-book gets into UI Toolkit sample – Dragon Crashers, with different sections that depict how the UI was made; from the menus and custom controls like radial counters or tabbed views, to embedded UXML templates and more.Finally, the guide concludes with a mini profile of the studio Mechanistry’s UI migration to UI Toolkit for their new game, Timberborn. This brief study showcases how their lean team managed to scale and keep their game consistent across various menus and screens.At 137 pages, the UI e-book is not a light read. As with the other technical e-books released this past year, use it as a reference on an ongoing basis.Along with the e-book, check out a couple of recently released resources filled with useful tips for leveraging Unity UI and UI Toolkit:The Unite 2022 session, Extending the Unity Editor with custom tools using UI Toolkit, shows programmers how to use UI Builder to create a custom Inspector for real-time Play Mode debug data visualization.The webinar, Best practices for mobile UI design, gathers experts from Outfit7, Samsung, and Unity to share strategies for maximizing the creativity and flow of your mobile games.Bookmark one or both of these pages. They compile all of our technical e-books and advanced content:Unity best practicesAdvanced best practices – Unity ManualWe hope that you enjoy this latest e-book and look forward to your feedback in this forum.

In Brief Posted: 11:52 AM PDT · May 21, 2025 Image Credits:Erik Dreyer / Getty Images LM Arena, the organization behind popular AI leaderboards, lands $100M LM Arena, a crowdsourced benchmarking project that major AI labs rely on to test and market their AI models, has raised $100 million in a seed funding round that values the organization at $600 million, according to Bloomberg. Andreessen Horowitz (a16z) and UC Investments, which manages an investment portfolio for the University of California, led the fundraising. Lightspeed Venture Partners, Felicis Ventures, and Kleiner Perkins also participated. Founded in 2023, LM Arena has become something of an AI industry obsession. Primarily run by UC Berkeley-affiliated researchers, LM Arena has partnered with companies such as OpenAI, Google, and Anthropic to make flagship models available for its community to evaluate. LM Arena was previously funded through a combination of grants and donations, including from Google’s Kaggle data science platform, a16z, and Together AI. Recently, it’s been accused by some researchers of helping top AI labs game its leaderboard — accusations that LM Arena has vehemently denied. Topics

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