This is today's edition ofThe Download,our weekday newsletter that provides a daily dose of what's going on in the world of technology. The way we measure progress in AI is terrible Every time a new AI model is released, its typically touted as acing its performance against a series of benchmarks. OpenAIs GPT-4o, for example, was launched in May with a compilation of results that showed its performance topping every other AI companys latest model in several tests. The problem is that these benchmarks are poorly designed, the results hard to replicate, and the metrics they use are frequently arbitrary, according to new research. That matters because AI models scores against these benchmarks determine the level of scrutiny they receive. AI companies frequently cite benchmarks as testament to a new models success, and those benchmarks already form part of some governments plans for regulating AI. But right now, they might not be good enough to use that wayand researchers have some ideas for how they should be improved. Scott J Mulligan We need to start wrestling with the ethics of AI agents Generative AI models have become remarkably good at conversing with us, and creating images, videos, and music for us, but theyre not all that good at doing things for us. AI agents promise to change that. Last week researchers published a new paper explaining how they trained simulation agents to replicate 1,000 peoples personalities with stunning accuracy.AI models that mimic you could go out and act on your behalf in the near future. If such tools become cheap and easy to build, it will raise lots of new ethical concerns, but two in particular stand out. Read the full story.James ODonnell This story is from The Algorithm, our weekly AI newsletter. Sign up to receive it in your inbox every Monday. The must-reads Ive combed the internet to find you todays most fun/important/scary/fascinating stories about technology. 1 Donald Trump has pledged special tariffs for China, Canada and Mexico He says its to prevent drug trafficking and illegal migration into the US. (WP $)+ The tariffs are bad news for Chinese EV firm BYDs planned factory in Mexico. (WSJ $)+ How Trumps tariffs could drive up the cost of batteries, EVs, and more. (MIT Technology Review)2 Maternal doctors are leaving TexasAbortion restrictions make it much harder to administer miscarriage care. (New Yorker $) + Porsha Ngumezi is the third woman known to have died under the states ban. (ProPublica)3 Bluesky has been accused of breaching EU data rules Its failed to declare how many EU users it has and where its legally based. (FT $)+ Bluesky says its working to comply with the disclosure rules. (The Information $)4 How Amazon plans to take on Nvidia Its engineers are racing to get its AI chips running reliably in data centers by the end of the year. (Bloomberg $)+ Whats next in chips. (MIT Technology Review) 5 Neuralink will test whether its brain implant can control a robotic arm If it can, itll be the first wireless brain-computer interface to do so. (Wired $)+ Meet the other companies developing brain-computer interfaces. (MIT Technology Review)6 Your Pokmon Go data could be bought by militaries and governmentsParent company Niantic hasnt ruled it out. (404 Media) 7 Inside Googles little-known nuclear energy research groupIts quietly been seeking to further our understanding of nuclear energy for years. (IEEE Spectrum) + Why the lifetime of nuclear plants is getting longer. (MIT Technology Review)8 US farms desperately need fresh waterNew desalination projects could help make abundant saltwater more plant-friendly. (Knowable Magazine) + How we drained California dry. (MIT Technology Review)9 Nvidias new AI model creates entirely new sounds Including a screaming saxophone and an angry cello. (Ars Technica)+ These impossible instruments could change the future of music. (MIT Technology Review)10 We may finally know what causes mysterious radio flashes from space Asteroids and comets bashing into neutron stars could be behind them. (New Scientist $)Quote of the day Did we change Big Tech? My answer is no. Tommaso Valletti, an economist who worked under the European Unions antitrust regulator Margrethe Vestager, reflects on her legacy as she prepares to step down to the New York Times. The big story How to fix the internet October 2023 Were in a very strange moment for the internet. We all know its broken. But theres a sense that things are about to change. The stranglehold that the big social platforms have had on us for the last decade is weakening. Theres a sort of common wisdom that the internet is irredeemably bad. That social platforms, hungry to profit off your data, opened a Pandoras box that cannot be closed. But the internet has also provided a haven for marginalized groups and a place for support. It offers information at times of crisis. It can connect you with long-lost friends. It can make you laugh. The internet is worth fighting for because despite all the misery, theres still so much good to be found there. And yet, fixing online discourse is the definition of a hard problem. But dont worry. I have an idea. Read the full story. Katie Notopoulos We can still have nice things A place for comfort, fun and distraction to brighten up your day. (Got any ideas? Drop me a line or tweet 'em at me.) + America is super into republishing classic literature these days. + Im convinced theres nothing more innovative and daring than a hungry cat (thanks Dorothy!)+ Gen Z famously loves to mock the way millennials dress, but needless to say: weve had the last laugh.+ How music influences math, believe it or not.

A new Netflix docuseries explores the JonBent Ramsey murder case.Some surviving members of JonBent's family participated, but her brother Burke didn't.Burke Ramsey has had a difficult relationship with the media and was previously cleared as a suspect.Burke Ramsey was 9 years old when his family was thrust into the spotlight after his younger sister, JonBent Ramsey, was found dead in their Boulder, Colorado, home on December 26, 1996.The shocking and brutal nature of the killing (the 6-year-old was found with a strangulation device called a garrote embedded in her neck; an autopsy later revealed that her skull had been fractured) incited a media frenzy. The strange details of the still-unsolved murder like the ransom note left behind that claimed JonBent had been kidnapped and demanded $118,000 for her return, when her body had been in the home all along have led true-crime fans to spend the ensuing decades poring over the case and forming their own theories about what really happened.Many came to believe that someone in the Ramsey family was responsible for JonBent's death; they weren't formally cleared as suspects until 2008. A new Netflix docuseries, "Cold Case: Who Killed JonBent Ramsey?" explores how the initial investigation was faulty and accuses the original Boulder investigators, along with the media, of unfairly pointing suspicion toward the family."I can't think of another family that's been so brutalized so unfairly by the media," director Joe Berlinger told Business Insider in an interview ahead of the docuseries' premiere.Burke Ramsey became (and remains) a particular target of suspicion among JonBent theorists, but he didn't participate in the new Netflix docuseries. Here's what we know about Burke's life since his sister's murder and where he is today.Theories that Burke Ramsey killed his sister JonBent led to legal action Patsy, JonBenet, Burke, and John Ramsey in a family photo. Courtesy of Netflix Burke, along with his parents, moved back to Atlanta, where the family had lived before Boulder, in the aftermath of JonBent's death. While Patsy and John Ramsey continued to do interviews in an attempt to combat the suspicion against them and encouraged authorities to keep investigating the case, Burke, then still a child, kept out of the spotlight.In 2008, the Boulder District Attorney's Office officially cleared the Ramsey family (including Burke and Patsy, who'd died two years earlier) of JonBent's murder after confirming with new testing that male DNA found on the child's underwear didn't match anyone in the family. Then-DA Mary Lacy also apologized in a letter to John Ramsey for the possibility that her office had contributed to "public perception that you might have been involved in this crime."The decision to clear the Ramsey family publicly has been controversial, and in the event of new DNA testing, as the Ramsey family and the Netflix docuseries are pushing for, all previously cleared suspects should be reconsidered.According to the Daily Camera, a Boulder newspaper, Burke had been interviewed by investigators at least three times and reportedly appeared before the grand jury that investigated the case in 1999. At the time, the Boulder District Attorney's office said Burke had never been under suspicion. (As the Netflix doc recounts, court documents unsealed in 2013 later revealed that the grand jury had voted to indict John and Patsy Ramsey on two counts each of child abuse resulting in JonBent's death, though then-DA Alex Hunter chose not to move forward with the indictment because he said the evidence wasn't sufficient to prosecute them.)In September 2016, ahead of the 20th anniversary of the crime, CBS aired the docuseries "The Case of: JonBent Ramsey." In it, a group that included former FBI agents, a forensic scientist, and a forensic pathologist reevaluated the evidence and theorized that Burke had killed JonBent, likely accidentally, by striking her over the head after she took a piece of pineapple from his bowl and that their parents had written the ransom note to cover up how JonBent died.Burke's attorneys filed defamation lawsuits against the network, producers, and the series' hosts for $750 million later that year; he'd separately filed another lawsuit against one of the individual investigators from the special in October. Both parties confirmed in January 2019 that the CBS lawsuit had been settled for an undisclosed amount.Burke, then 29, also gave his first and only public interview to date to Phil McGraw on the "Dr. Phil" show in 2016, days before the CBS special aired. He acknowledged knowing that his family had been suspected of killing JonBent and once again denied that any of them were involved. He offered his own theory on the murder: that his sister had been killed by an intruder, likely someone who attended JonBent's beauty pageants.When asked why he'd finally chosen to speak out, Burke said he wanted to honor his sister's memory."I don't want anyone to forget," he told McGraw.Where is Burke Ramsey now? Burke Ramsey at his mother Patsy's funeral in 2006. Ric Feld/AP Since the 2016 "Dr. Phil" interview, Burke, now 37, has resumed living a private life. Public records show he currently appears to live in Michigan, where the Ramseys moved after leaving Atlanta.John Ramsey told People in a 2012 interview that Burke was working as a software engineer. Speaking to ET after his interview with Burke, McGraw said Burke had graduated from Purdue University in 2010 and was working in the computer industry. At that time, Burke had a girlfriend, according to McGraw, though it's unclear whether he's currently in a relationship, married, or has kids."He's a very private individual, but he has a great career and has a good relationship with his father," McGraw told ET in 2016.During the portion of the docuseries that recounts theories that Burke killed JonBent, an on-screen text card explains that Burke declined to participate, "citing his treatments by the media and online websleuths."Berlinger, the director of the new Netflix docuseries on the case, told TODAY that Burke is "doing fine."He said that the docuseries team tried to reach Burke through John Ramsey and John Andrew Ramsey, who is John's son and Burke's half-brother. But according to Berlinger, Burke said he didn't want to speak to them and they didn't want to pressure him.Both John and John Andrew participated extensively in the docuseries. In one interview in it, John Andrew called allegations that his brother had killed their sister "absolutely absurd."When speaking to BI, Berlinger named Burke as the one person whose perspective he'd have loved to have."I think he also has been so brutalized," he said. "The theories against him are so incredulous."

A 60-day ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah is set to take effect in Lebanon at 4 am local time Wednesday, President Joe Biden announced today.The temporary pause in hostilities, negotiated by the US and France, could lead to a permanent ceasefire in Lebanon. Israel invaded its northern neighbor in late September to fight Hezbollah, the Shia militant group based in Lebanons south. Hezbollah is an ally of Hamas, Israels foe in Gaza, and launched attacks against Israel in retaliation for Israels war in Gaza (which itself began in retaliation for the October 7, 2023, incursion into Israel by Hamas, in which the group killed roughly 1,200 Israelis and captured more than 200 others).The announcement comes amid intensive bombing in the Lebanese capital Beirut, including in heavily populated areas. And it comes more than a year into Israels war in Gaza, which has killed more than 44,000 Palestinians and rendered much of the territory uninhabitable. Netanyahus cabinet accepted the deal on Tuesday; Lebanese lawmakers are set to discuss the agreement on Wednesday morning. Hezbollah leadership, which was not party to the negotiations, indicated last week that the group would accept a ceasefire agreement if Israel stopped striking Lebanon and respected the countrys sovereignty (Lebanons speaker of Parliament served as the go-between for the Lebanese caretaker government and the militant group.)Here is what you need to know:Where does the conflict stand now?Tuesdays ceasefire comes after at least one false start, when the US and France attempted to mediate a short ceasefire at the end of September. Since then, Hezbollah has been severely diminished. A September attack using explosives hidden in pagers and other electronic devices killed large numbers of Hezbollah fighters as well as Lebanese civilians; though Israel has not claimed responsibility for that attack, it is widely believed to be responsible. Israel also killed senior Hezbollah leadership, including longtime head Sayed Hassan Nasrallah, in bombings near Beirut. Tuesday represented a crescendo in Israels Lebanese offensive; heavy bombing rocked densely populated parts of Beirut and 24 people were killed across the country, according to Lebanese authorities. Fighting between Israel and Hezbollah has killed more than 3,500 Lebanese so far and around 75 Israeli civilians. (Lebanese death tolls, taken from the countrys Health Ministry, combine civilian and military deaths.) About 60,000 Israelis have been displaced from the Israel/Lebanon border region since October 8, 2023. Thats when Hezbollah began firing rockets into northern Israel in support of Hamas, after the militant group attacked Israel.Whats in the Israel-Hezbollah ceasefire deal?The deal is for a 60-day cessation of hostilities, though Biden suggested that the agreement lays the groundwork for a permanent ceasefire between Hezbollah and Israel.The negotiation, brokered by the US and France, stipulates that Israel and Hezbollah are not to attack each other and that Israeli troops are to gradually withdraw across the Blue Line the internationally recognized border between Israel and Lebanon over the two-month period. Hezbollah is to move its forces above Lebanons Litani river. Despite the promising development, any peace appears delicate. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned in a televised speech Tuesday, If Hezbollah violates the agreement and attempts to rearm, we will strike. If they attempt to rebuild infrastructure along the border, dig a tunnel, launch rockets, or bring in trucks loaded with missiles, we will strike.A spokesperson for Hezbollah reportedly said that the group will wait to see if there is a match between what we stated and what was agreed upon by the Lebanese officials before committing to the ceasefire. The group also suggested it would respond to any attack by Israel. Thousands of Lebanese forces and UN peacekeeping troops will surge to southern Lebanon as part of the agreement. A monitoring body headed by the US will be responsible for ensuring all parties adherence to the agreement.Biden assured reporters in his Tuesday briefing that no US troops will be committed to Lebanon, though a senior administration official later clarified in a press briefing that, If we need folks on the ground, they will be based, I assume, in the embassy. The president was clear that no troops would be deployed to the south, and we are not going to be engaging in, dont expect anybody to engage in, any kind of combat operations of any kind. This is all in security assistance.Whats next for the deal?Ideally, a framework for a lasting peace will be the next step for Israel and Lebanon. However, an additional hurdle remains before the ceasefire is implemented. As the agreement now stands, Israel has the right to strike back should Hezbollah violate its end of the bargain. As Netanyahu explained in his speech, there seems to be a broad range of actions that would constitute a violation. He also said Israeli drones would monitor Lebanese territory, which Lebanese officials maintain they did not agree to. Lebanese officials will meet to discuss the ceasefire deal Wednesday morning.In his remarks, Biden mentioned that a renewed push for a Gaza ceasefire was on the table in the waning days of his presidency. Hezbollah had previously tied its ceasefire agreement to a ceasefire in Gaza (Hezbollah and Hamas are both aligned with Iran and its affiliate groups.) Advancing those stalled peace talks would be a logical next step.Joshua Keating contributed reporting for this story.Youve read 1 article in the last monthHere at Vox, we're unwavering in our commitment to covering the issues that matter most to you threats to democracy, immigration, reproductive rights, the environment, and the rising polarization across this country.Our mission is to provide clear, accessible journalism that empowers you to stay informed and engaged in shaping our world. By becoming a Vox Member, you directly strengthen our ability to deliver in-depth, independent reporting that drives meaningful change.We rely on readers like you join us.Swati SharmaVox Editor-in-ChiefSee More:

Welcome to Know-It-All. In the age of intellectual property grabs, docudramas, and so very many sequels, it can be difficult to find a way into the complicated worlds we see on screen. In this series, Vox experts explain what you need to know to get into the latest hot release.Human existence is full of an unfathomably infinite number of things real and fake, abstract ideas and actual physical objects, past and present and future to consider, fixate on, learn about. Still, for many men, theres one thing they specifically think about constantly: the Roman Empire. Director Ridley Scott, a man, very clearly thinks about it a lot. But maybe not in exactly the same way others do.Scotts new movie Gladiator II officially hit theaters this past weekend, and made $55.5 million domestically and $220 million worldwide. The sequel stars Paul Mescal, a man with the most adored side profile in Hollywood, and is set within the same world with many of the same characters as Gladiator, Scotts Oscar-winning film from 2000. Many things happen in the movie. Mescals character, Lucius, bites a CGI baboon and chokes it with handcuffs; Denzel Washingtons Macrinus flounces around in caftans, terrorizing Roman senators about loyalty. Theres also a lot that doesnt seem quite based in history: a naval battle in the Colosseum where sharks eat human competitors, at least one domesticated battle rhino, and what seems to be a newspaper despite Ancient Rome predating the printing press. While your mileage may vary on the movie, theres something entertaining about how Scott imagines Ancient Rome to be more exciting than it was. Maybe one day our descendants will imagine our mundane lives with as much anachronistic gusto as Scott. To get a better understanding of what Scott was aiming for in this movie and what he was inspired by, I chatted with Vox senior politics writer Christian Paz, another man who thinks about Ancient Rome often. Since middle school, Paz tells me, he was obsessed with the Roman Empire and that fixation has only grown stronger in adulthood. Paz is also slightly fascinated by Paul Mescal and, now, Ridley Scotts off-kilter version of Ancient Rome. We talked about Roman naval battles, the egos of emperors, and what is, really, so endlessly fascinating about this period in history. How often do you think about the Roman Empire?I think about it quite a lot. Its influence and legacy are everywhere. I see reminders of it when I walk around DC, when I scroll TikTok and get videos about the Galactic Senate, the Galactic Republic, and the Empire, and when I watch videos about what ancient and historical peoples used to cook and eat.Also I took Latin in high school.How often do you think Ridley Scott thinks about the Roman Empire?Insofar as he thinks about big battles, big historical events, and believes in the Great Man theory of history, probably often enough to want to recreate the magic of the original Gladiator. And he probably wants an Oscar, no?If his movies reflect his personal desires and needs, I believe that man wants a lot of things. And sometimes I think this world simply does not have enough to offer Ridley Scott, so he sensationalizes. It feels like he is constantly tarting up the world he lives in or learned about.For example, in Gladiator II, Paul Mescal bites a baboon in one of the arenas. Were there actual baboons in Roman gladiator fights? Lol, most definitely not. I was trying to track down where he got this idea for baboons, and apparently it came to him from a trip he took to South Africa where he saw some tourist approach a baboon in a parking lot. The baboon, naturally, freaked out when the man tried to pet it, and attacked and that seems to be Scotts inspiration for wanting this group of captives and future gladiators to fight something formidable.But how would [the Romans] capture and release these, like, 12 baboons? Well, obviously one would need to train and house the baboons too! Also, if these are based on the baboons Scott saw in South Africa the Roman legions never got that far!Theres also a moment where they fill the Colosseum with water and stage a naval battle with sharks. Right, and to prep for that battle, Pauls character is forced to practice rowing a boat until his hands bleed and blister. God, this Colosseum scene was actually ridiculous because, where are they finding these sharks? How would they catch them and transport them back to Rome? Modern-day aquariums have a tough time keeping sharks alive. But Ridley Scott believes Ancient Rome could. Sharks cant really survive in freshwater, so where are they holding these massive amounts of salt water and tanks and sharks? Flooding the Colosseum with water was actually a thing that was done a few times earlier in the Roman imperial period but that was fresh water transported through aqueducts and diverted from the Tiber River. On every level, thats actually an insane decision to make.The simulated naval battle in Gladiator II. You cant see them but there are sharks in the water. Paramount PicturesBut mock naval battles were once actually fought in the Colosseum, or in bigger locations around Rome, as early as Julius Caesars reign toward the end of the Republic. They were a hugely extravagant and expensive thing to do, so they didnt happen too frequently. Even gladiatorial games were an irregular occurrence happening like three to four times a year at most because they were just so expensive to hold. And thats the bottom line of why they went out of commission. It was just too expensive to run an empire, and to keep these circuses going contributed to the empires resource drain and the gradual spread of Christianity finished the games off.How do they get the sharks in and out? Movie magic.Theres also one gladiator who rides a trained rhino. Im guessing thats a bit of embellishment too. Yup, another wild decision made for great cinema action, but its not likely that Romans would train and ride a rhino into battle. There are records of rhinoceroses being brought into the Colosseum like during the celebrations for when it was inaugurated and when the emperor Commodus, the inspiration for Joaquin Phoenixs villain from the first Gladiator, killed a rhinoceros with spears and arrows from an elevated platform in 192 AD. When used, rhinos would fight other animals instead of gladiators.Could you imagine all that effort to bring a rhino into the Colosseum, telling all your friends about it, getting the gladiators set, and then have it just run around killing a lion a lion that may have been hanging around in the bowels of the Colosseum for ages because everyone was out trying to find a rhino? So then the rhino waits for another crew to find a hippo or something and the cycle repeats itself! God, Id hate to be a rhino and just be killed because of ego. But the whole point of having rhinos and other exotic animals in the Colosseum was to represent and demonstrate the power, wealth, and reach of the empire, and more specifically, of the emperor. Another surprising thing: the Roman newspaper that one of the senators is reading. This was one of the more ridiculous things in the film; it has been ridiculed extensively. It was actually in two scenes, if I recall in the pseudo-cafe in which a senator is having a beverage (which I will assume is wine, or a spiced wine, because the Romans didnt really have tea or coffee yet) and then at the senators home when Macrinus shows up.For those who need clarification: Paper, of the mass-produced variety, has not been invented yet, never mind the printing press. Sadly, the Ancient Romans never knew the font that is Times New Roman. Romans did have a version of, like, important announcements and news that were inscribed into a stone tablet and which was primarily placed in public places the Acta Diurna, or Acts of the Day. But it wasnt very widely circulated to people it might have been sent to some senators but was primarily shared with governors and administrative government officials.Was the gladiator system that wins could make you a celebrity and eventually a free man real?Yes and no. It was absolutely a system with schools and cells, and sponsors and teachers, and funding and people who fed you and tended to you; you were specially trained, and became a master essentially of a particular kind of weapon and armor and dress usually based on your ethnic or national origin like Gauls, Thracians, Britons. Gladiators lost personhood and became a form of property prisoners of war, enslaved people, people with significant debts who sought to repay those debts, and poor, lower-class people who volunteered. So the whole operation that Denzel Washingtons character is running was very real.And yes, you could essentially become a celebrity, and aristocratic women, of high society, would take them as lovers but even if you got discharged or won your freedom after winning or surviving matches, there wasnt much you could do in society so they would return to teach other gladiators or fight again as free men.The real gladiator system feels more like an MLM than whatevers happening in Scotts movie. Why do you think Scott is so obsessed with it?Honestly, I was thinking that too. When youre in, youre kind of stuck. You get nice perks on occasion but it was a nasty, brutish, short life. And I think that is probably part of his fascination to trade up freedom for something greater, or to make the most of the hellish lot life has cast you.I feel like you and Ridley Scott think about different things when thinking about the Roman Empire. What is it about the Roman Empire that fascinates you? I think we think very differently about the Roman Empire. Scott loves the battles and the concept of great men and dont get me wrong, me too! My favorite games are Rome Total War and Empire Total War. In middle school I recreated a Roman camp in Gaul in my schools cafeteria for a class project and made a set of armor like what Julius Caesars legionaries probably wore.Denzel Washington in Gladiator II. Washington is a gladiator owner, which seems like a very predatory MLM by todays standards. Paramount PicturesDid this make you popular? Like, did you have a lot of friends?Um. First of all, thats rude. And second of all, I didnt go there to make friends. I came to win and put on a spectacle.But also, I was fascinated by the politics of the Roman Republic, specifically the concept of the senate, the idea of the Senate and the People of Rome being the source of power and legitimacy, of consuls and of aediles and of quaestors, of a civil service. And I was fascinated by its fall, the rise of a rag-tag system of tyrannical government in the form of the empire which, for most people, didnt really mean anything different in their lives but changed the world.And so I think specifically of the tenuousness of democracy, the appeal of strongmen, and the fact that what binds so many nations today representative democracy and imagined community has its roots in Romes centuries of existence. I think what fascinates me the most is the fall of Rome something that Gladiator II delves into with its talk about the dream of Rome, the threat of tyranny, and the idea of civitas or Roman citizenship. They were all such amorphous, delicate concepts.What do you think men who think about the Roman Empire a lot will think about Gladiator II? Will the historical inaccuracies and sensationalizing turn them off?True Roman history nerds will probably be annoyed and laugh at the inaccuracies and sensationalizing. But lets be honest. Were going to see this movie either because of the nostalgia, because we want to see battles and fights on the big screen, because of Denzel Washingtons stunning performance (which will be noted in my Letterboxd review because hes basically the main character), or because we want to admire Paul Mescals everything.In the next life, may you be reborn as a baboon in Paul Mescals Ancient Rome. I am ready to be bitten, Paul.Update, November 26, 2 pm ET: This story, originally published November 21, has been updated with box office numbers for Gladiator II.Youve read 1 article in the last monthHere at Vox, we're unwavering in our commitment to covering the issues that matter most to you threats to democracy, immigration, reproductive rights, the environment, and the rising polarization across this country.Our mission is to provide clear, accessible journalism that empowers you to stay informed and engaged in shaping our world. By becoming a Vox Member, you directly strengthen our ability to deliver in-depth, independent reporting that drives meaningful change.We rely on readers like you join us.Swati SharmaVox Editor-in-ChiefSee More:

Gamers can now reunite the old Barcelona trio dubbed MSN in eFootball as Suarez and Neymar Jr join Lionel Messi as in-game heroes to celebrate the 125th anniversary of the club

What bargains have you picked up? (Sony Interactive Entertainment)The Wednesday letters page worries that Trumps tariffs will delay the reveal of the Nintendo Switch 2, as a reader looks forward to Indiana Jones at Christmas.To join in with the discussions yourself email gamecentral@metro.co.ukUnexpected bargainIts been a fairly unexciting Black Friday so far, despite my hopes that I might be able to pick up a Nintendo Switch cheap, but I have found a few bargains. I got Spider-Man 2 for 43.50 from the PlayStation Store and EA Sports FC 25 for 35 at the same time. Im thinking about getting Star Wars Outlaws too, which seems to be floating around 40 at most stores.These are pretty good deals but unlike previous years I havent seen anything super cheap that tempts me. Therere usually some games for 10 to 20 that I decide to take a gamble one but theres been nothing like that this year thats taken my fancy. Suicide Squad is the only 2024 game in that price range and thats certainly not something Id pay any amount for.Interested to hear what other peoples experiences are though and if they can recommend any other deals. I feel like trying something unique, that I wouldnt usually because of the price, but Im not seeing anything like at the moment.SoldatBad timingAll this talk about the Nintendo Switch 2 being unveiled in January might make logical sense but people dont seem to be taking seriously all this tariff talk from Trump. He said this week itd be 35% from China, which is a huge increase in the cost of anything made there, including all video game consoles.I dont see Nintendo announcing the Switch until they know exactly whats going on, because how are they going to look if they say that Switch 2 is $300, or whatever, and then a month later they have to increase the price by a third because Trump came into office?That is a disaster waiting to happen for them and could kill the whole console in the publics eyes. Nintendo are a cautious company when it comes to business and I dont see them willing to take any chances with a situation as volatile as this. It wouldnt shock me if the Switch 2 was delayed into the autumn or even 2026.GablinChristmas adventureKudos wheres deserved. As long as the Indiana Jones game turns out well (and based on your preview thats looking promising), Microsofts actually done a decent job of an end of year line-up.People seem to like S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2, and once the capacity issues on Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 are fixed that seems like it will please people into flying (not me personally).Call Of Duty isnt something that generally appeals to me but as Im likely to resubscribe to Game Pass for Indie, having two campaigns to play through in December is good. Also, something about Indy feels like it fits a Xmas break.TimEmail your comments to: gamecentral@metro.co.ukTime is a flat circleIm not sure I understand the point of the Zelda timeline. None of the games reference each other (except Breath Of The Wild and Tears Of The Kingdom, which arent on the timeline) so what does it matter? Nintendo could make a typo with their list, and nobody would ever be able to prove it didnt make sense or was obviously wrong.Theres barely any story in any of these games anyway, so I really dont think you want to be tied down by continuity as well. As usual, fans focus on completely the wrong things, potentially distracting the creators from doing the stuff that matters. Imagine if Nintendo decided not to do an idea or add a feature because it wouldnt fit the timeline. None of that matters, only the game.NestorAlternative dimensionThose Metroid Prime rumours sound pretty convincing, so I look forward to more remasters. I hope they put as much effort into them as they did the excellent first one, as Id never played any of them before but I loved that and have become a little obsessed with the series now.I do wonder what the future of 2D Metroids are though. Metroid Dread was a big hit, bigger than Nintendo expected, but weve heard nothing about any kind of follow-up. I would like both styles to continue, as theyre both quite different and yet Nintendo dont seem to make any Metroid game very often.Hopefully, if Metroid Prime 4 is successful then Nintendo will start to go bigger on the franchise and well get more new games more often.JoscLack of dino crisisI really dont understand why Capcom is so averse to giving Dino Crisis another go. It took till now to get it properly on modern formats but theres still no sign of a remaster or remake or sequel.I know dinomania was strong in the 90s, thanks to Jurassic Park, but the Jurassic World films were all very successful, even if they werent very good, and theres a new trilogy coming up as well. With a female protagonist no less, so now we can pretend its an official Dino Crisis film.If they did a new game, Im sure itd be very different to the originals, so whatever problems they have with the original gameplay being outdated is irrelevant. Basically, all it needs to do is have dinosaurs in it, and be a survival horror, and its Dino Crisis game, everything else can changed.Although, how were the dinosaurs there, originally? Was it a time machine or cloning like Jurassic Park? I think it was a time machine and so they were actual dinosaurs and not lab-made ones.GeoffreyGC: It involved a space-time vortex, or something, so they were real dinosaurs from the past.Double threatI see Mass Effect director Casey Hudson has had to shut down his studio before even getting to announce a game. Apparently they couldnt get all the funding they need. Yet more proof that the whole business of making games is completely messed up. He shouldve had investors knocking at his door but now what will happen? Hell give up making games or go back and work at EA or something?After Dragon Age: The Veilguard didnt blow the doors off I wouldnt be surprised if EA were ready to shut down BioWare entirely, or at least cut them down to a shadow of themselves. What was their last hit? Dragon Age Inquisition almost a decade ago? If I was a bean counter Id be sharpening the knives and thats unfortunate.AustinLet them cookI really hate to see people cheering on acquisitions. There was plenty of that going on when Xbox was buying Activision Blizzard and what did that lead to, exactly as GC predicted? Hundreds of redundancies. Not to mention Xbox giving up any sense of competing with PlayStation, with their new multiformat policy. In short, it was a disaster.This company that owns FromSoftware isnt big enough to cause that kind of trouble but its still not going to be good news. As Phil Spencer is now learning (but apparently never predicted) once you spend a lot of money on buying a company your boss and investors expect you to make that money back very quickly.This will put huge pressure on FromSoftware to make new games as quickly as possible and that is going to have an obvious effect on quality. I wouldnt be surprised if Hidetaka Miyazaki ended up leaving as soon as his contract allowed, just like all the execs from Activision Blizzard did, and then where will we be?A developer needs two things: plenty of funding and to be left alone to do their own thing. Sure, the publisher has to make sure theyre actually working on something they cant waste years just prototyping or whatever but it should be a loose leash thats kept on them as much as possible.I feel its a shame theyre even owned by a larger company, let alone that larger company now being owned by Sony. Maybe the deal wont go through but if it doesnt the target is already on their back and someone else will step in after Sony to try and buy them instead.CranstonInbox also-ransI find it very hard to imagine that any of Segas plans for movies are going to work. They just dont make any sense, given most of these games didnt have a story. And not even just the old ones, whats the plot of Crazy Taxi thats going to be winning it an Oscar?FuttermanI remember a reader questioned recently why other publishers dont try and copy Animal Crossing, given its been such a massive hit. I agree it doesnt make much sense, no matter whether you care about the game or not, but apparently Ubisoft is rumoured to be making one with the codename Alterra. May be too little too late though.Tom MeadowsMore TrendingEmail your comments to: gamecentral@metro.co.ukThe small printNew Inbox updates appear every weekday morning, with special Hot Topic Inboxes at the weekend. Readers letters are used on merit and may be edited for length and content.You can also submit your own 500 to 600-word Readers Feature at any time via email or our Submit Stuff page, which if used will be shown in the next available weekend slot.You can also leave your comments below and dont forget to follow us on Twitter.GameCentralExclusive 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

GTA clones are a dying breed and we think we know whyMichael BeckwithPublished November 27, 2024 1:00am There used to be loads of GTA clones, but theyve gradually dwindled (Rockstar)As the launch of GTA 6 approaches, why are other publishers no longer trying to copy the most successful video game ever?They say imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, and that expression is especially relevant for the games industry. Its full of copycats or clones as theyre often referred to and while the term can be used derogatorily, its not necessarily a bad thing.Game of the Year contender Astro Bot was praised for its similarities to Super Mario Galaxy; Yooka-Laylees biggest selling point was how much it explicitly copied from Banjo-Kazooie; and without any new Castlevania games, fans dont complain when titles like Hollow Knight crib elements from Konamis series.One franchise that used to get many imitators was Grand Theft Auto and youd think they would have grown even more commonplace given the series enduring popularity. Yet it seems the opposite has happened instead, with fans having less direct alternatives than ever in the more than decade long wait for GTA 6.What is a GTA clone?First, we need to settle on what constitutes as a GTA clone. Fortunately, theres an entire Wikipedia page dedicated to the subject, which highlights the following elements:Open world environment that can be freely exploredGunplay and vehiclesA sequence of missions to progress the story that involve shooting and/or drivingOptional side-missions and mini-gamesA storyline that includes themes of crime, violence, drugs, sex, and other mature (potentially controversial) topicsThe mid-2000s were full of such games, following the release of GTA 3, and some even spawned their own series, such as Mafia, The Getaway, and, of course, Saints Row.While none of them reached the same level of popularity as GTA, they cultivated their own audiences during that decade, offering developer Rockstar some healthy competition.When looking back over the 2010s, though, there are signs that the well was already drying up. Thats not to say GTA clones vanished overnight. We found a fan curated list of them on Reddit, and you can see such titles started coming out less frequently but never entirely went away. 2006 alone had eight GTA clones but a decade later in 2016, only two were released.It does omit some examples, like The Simpsons: Hit & Run and Lego City Undercover, and we contest the inclusion of Cyberpunk 2077 (which has some rough similarities but is an action role-player first and foremost), but even so its clear that publishers were no longer trying to compete directly with Rockstar. Lego City Undercover was actually a great little game (Warner Bros. Games)This can also be seen in those aforementioned series that were poised as GTAs main competition. The Mafia series (which is published by GTA parent company Take-Two) fell off the map after 2016s Mafia 3 (barring a couple remasters) and is only now slated to make a comeback with 2025s Mafia: The Old Country.The Getaway hasnt had a new entry since 2006 and only lives on as a TV show that most people probably dont know is based on a video game. Meanwhile, Saints Row is likely dead thanks to the underwhelming 2022 reboot and closure of developer Volition.Its especially surprising there havent been more blatant copycats in recent years given the long gap between GTA 5 and GTA 6. If anything, that was the perfect opportunity to give desperate fans an alternative to chew on, but now GTA 6 is due to come out in 2025 (barring any delays).Why are there so few GTA clones?So, what could be the cause of this? The simplest explanation is that GTA is just too big to compete with nowadays. GTA 5 first came out in 2013 and even then it was a huge money maker, making $1 billion in only three days.It didnt achieve that by luck, or merely good game design, but in large part because it was the most expensive video game of all-time, with an estimated budget of over 170 million ($214 million). Rockstar hasnt said how much GTA 6 is costing them but rumours suggest $2 billion (including ongoing support and marketing).Even if thats not true the fact that it cant be discounted out of hand tells you all need to know about why other publishers dont even try to compete. Especially when you consider the huge amount of talented staff youd need and the massive time frame involved in actually making the game.The more GTA 5 continues to rake in money, the more Rockstar has to spend on GTA 6 and the less able everyone else is of making a comparable game.GTA Online, the multiplayer mode that is primarily responsible for GTA 5s longevity, doesnt just print money, its constant updates ensure that while there are no new games, from Rockstar or anyone else, fans are still kept engaged with new content. If it had been less popular then we wouldve got GTA 6 a lot earlier than this.GTA 6 is not just an important release for Rockstar and Take-Two, but for the industry as a whole. Grand Theft Auto is one of a handful of game franchises where even people whove never touched a video game know about it.Its part of a wider global culture and a new entry means a lot of money stands to be made, which in turn could lead to an invigorated interest in the wider games market from both a consumer and investor standpoint.The industry may love chasing trends but GTA 6 has ascended beyond that. Trying to ride its coattails with a similar game risks only garnering a fraction of its success and most publishers wont be satisfied with that.Normally that doesnt put them off it certainly hasnt stopped them all trying to jump on the live service game bandwagon but the money and effort required to make a GTA clone on the same scale as Rockstar Games is just too much.Technically, someone like Microsoft or Sony could afford it, but for them its not worth the risk. Not when they already make money off every microtransaction in GTA Online. GTA clones were commonplace in the early 2000s (Sony Interactive Entertainment)Why arent there more crime-based video games?The logistical explanation for why there are so few GTA clones is fairly straightforward but whats more puzzling is that so few games take the more obvious route of trying to make a crime-themed game thats set in the real world but doesnt necessarily have the size or scope of GTA.Cops and robbers is one of the stalwarts of the playground and yet despite Rockstar proving how popular the concept still is, there are very few games that deal with the concept or any of the other crime-related activities in GTA.The nominees for The Game Awards 2024 were recently announced and of the dozens of games included only two non-indie titles, that werent sports sims, were set in the real world, with no overt fantasy elements: Call Of Duty: Black Ops 6 and Like A Dragon: Infinite Wealth (a series which was at one point compared to GTA but is now far too over-the-top to bear any real resemblance).Setting a game in the real world is not necessarily any more expensive than a fantasy setting. Theres almost no real-world licensing in GTA, to make it seem authentic, so its very hard to understand why there arent more attempts to create a crime game with a similar tone but a smaller scale.There are games like Payday, but ignoring the mess that franchise has got itself into its a fairly minor hit in the grand scale of things and certainly something you can imagine a big publisher doing better.So why arent there more heist games? More police games (from both sides of the law)? More street racing games? More gang management titles or drug-running simulators? Or any of the other many ideas which GTA touches upon but doesnt always cover in detail.To distinguish themselves further these games could be more serious in tone or more comedic. They could be based on an existing licence (how about a video game version of Heat or Oceans Eleven?) or an extension of an existing franchise. But it never happens and theres no sign it ever will.This is the greatest puzzle of GTAs success, to the point where you can only assume publishers feel anything crime related is going to fail, because people will always prefer Rockstars games.Perhaps they judge that because GTA Online is so successful theres no space for another crime-based game and that its impossible to pry enoughpeople away from GTA. That does make some amount of sense but why did it take them two years and innumerable failures to realise the same thing about live service games?Why dont Rockstar make more games?At this point, the only one capable of delivering something truly GTA-like is, funnily enough, Rockstar itself. Red Dead Redemption is very similar, including in terms of its level of success, and theres still some demand for a sequel to Bully, aka GTA in school.More TrendingBut given how important GTA is and how each iteration gets bigger and bigger, Rockstar is increasingly finding less and less time to work on anything else.After GTA 5, the only wholly new game it released was Red Dead Redemption 2. Even after it comes out, GTA 6 will likely take up most of the studios time for a decade or more and if they have time to make anything else itll probably just be Red Dead Redemption 3.It may be a stretch to say the era of GTA clones is over, as smaller takes on the concept will always exist, whether its mid-budget AAA games like the new Mafia title or indie titles like 2019s Shakedown: Hawaii.But for all intents and purposes GTA is too big to copy and as the cost of making games continues to rise thats only going to become more true over time. The only thing that might change the status quo is if GTA 6 isnt a success, but the chances of that are even more remote than another publisher making a big budget crime game. Is GTA simply too big to copy now? (Rockstar/YouTube)Emailgamecentral@metro.co.uk, leave a comment below,follow us on Twitter, andsign-up to our newsletter.To submit Inbox letters and Readers Features more easily, without the need to send an email, just use ourSubmit Stuff page here.For more stories like this,check our Gaming page.GameCentralExclusive 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

A mystery is finally being solved

Moana 2 opens in theaters this week just in time for the time honored tradition of Thanksgiving movie going. The sequel follows up the the most-streamed film on Disney+ with a new adventure starring Moana (Aulii Cravalho)and Maui (Dwayne Johnson). The first film introduced Moana as the next in line to lead the people of Motunui, which in Western media has been interpreted as her being a princess of sorts; in the sequel, her adventures continue as she learns how to be a leader. And yes, thats very reminiscent to a royal in training, if by royal we mean next chief and wayfinder in the making. Yes, Moana is officially featured as a canon member of the Disney Princess line up for that reason but truly her status is up for interpretation. Moana voice actress Aulii Cravalho spoke to Entertainment Weekly about the Disney Princess discourse as it relates to her character. Films are always representative of their times. For todays day and age, we want to see a young woman being the hero of her own story. So, yeah, she is a princess, but shes also a hero. I like that those two words are now interchangeable.It makes a bit more sense that Disney Princesses and Frozens Royal Queens (Anna and Elsa do not count as princesses) are separate Disney heroine categories, a classification that is, lets be real, mostly about selling toys under different banners. Thankfully, Moanas look will always remain thematically appropriate to her unique story; according to Cravalho, You probably wont see Moana in a ballgown. And thats fine.Moana 2 addresses the same princess or not? question in a very meta way, with Moana claiming shes not a princess and Maui pointing out a lot of people think she is. And so she will continue to be Disney Princess Moana of Motunui, chief in waiting and wayfinder. Moana 2 opens in theaters this week and Moana is now streaming on Disney+. Want more io9 news? Check out when to expect the latest Marvel, Star Wars, and Star Trek releases, whats next for the DC Universe on film and TV, and everything you need to know about the future of Doctor Who.

Circulation Retail and Repair Workshop / DDAASave this picture! Kenta HasegawaRenovation, StoreShibuya, JapanArchitects: DDAAYearCompletion year of this architecture project Year: 2024 PhotographsPhotographs:Kenta Hasegawa More SpecsLess SpecsSave this picture!Text description provided by the architects. There is a four-way junction a short walk from Ebisu Station, where you will find an art gallery, CAGE GALLERY, and the Hender Scheme flagship store, sukima Ebisu, both run by laicoS, across the road from each other. laicoS seeks out interesting properties and creates galleries and shops to match the context. This project involved renovating the semi-basement space of a building on one corner of the four-way junction into a place called circulation for repairing and reselling products.Save this picture!circulation aims to circulate products by primarily repairing in-house and other companies' products by reselling, customizing, and holding workshops. Given this, we wanted to design the space as an extension of our previous work with them, such as the laicoS showroom and sukima Osaka, and in doing so, provide sustainable value by repurposing and repairing the space, including its context, rather than creating something new.Save this picture!Save this picture!The space at the front is used for selling products, and the workshop at the back is used for repair work. The workshop is insulated and sealed to control humidity, protecting the quality of the shoes customers have entrusted to the store and preventing the spread of dust. The remaining space for selling shoes is left as it was. A counter appears when you open the ready-made extra-large aluminum-frame sliding door halfway between the sales space and the workshop.Save this picture!The sales space floor is sloped, making it difficult to place furniture and shelves as usual. The old shoe racks with casters from the client's collection are lifted and attached to the wall in this space.Save this picture!Project gallerySee allShow lessProject locationAddress:Shibuya, JapanLocation to be used only as a reference. It could indicate city/country but not exact address.About this officeDDAAOfficePublished on November 27, 2024Cite: "Circulation Retail and Repair Workshop / DDAA" 26 Nov 2024. ArchDaily. Accessed . <https://www.archdaily.com/1023988/circulation-retail-and-repair-workshop-ddaa&gt ISSN 0719-8884Save!ArchDaily?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