If you're in the market for a gaming chair and are into Warhammer, you could play Space Marine 2 while sitting on an appropriately themed gaming chair. The Warhammer Ultramarines edition of Secretlab's Titan Evo, one of the best gaming chairs in 2024, is available to order for $624 ahead of its expected shipping date of September 17 (or earlier). That means you'll get your new gaming chair close to the launch date of Space Marine 2, which arrives on September 9 for PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X|S. For some immediate Space Marine fun, check out Target's exclusive Space Marine board game, which is on sale for only $32 until August 17. See at Secretlab The chair uses Secrelab's NEO leatherette upholstery with the iconic blue and gold color scheme of the Ultramarines space marine chapter and features embossed decals like the Ultima emblem on the back of the chair and eagle icon on the front. There are also panel lines and thick, rivet-like stitching that resemble Space Marine armor. Like other Titan Evo chairs, the Warhammer 40K edition is padded with cold-cure foam.To really seal the chair's authentic Warhammer 40K look, there is an Imperium purity seal on the headrest. In the 40K lore, these seals are affixed to the armor of space marines and other members of the Imperium forces who have proven their "purity of faith in the Emperor" through victory in battle.Continue Reading at GameSpot

For The King is a turn-based strategy RPG that takes elements from tabletop games and roguelikes to create a unique, tactical experience. Though fans now have access to the sequel, For The King 2, there are plenty of reasons to jump back into the original game.

I see ECS thrown around a lot as a general solution, but I don't believe in general solutions.Let's compare two wildly different games: Generic FPS game (Any) and Nethack:In FPS, everything happens in realtime, combat boils down to who clicked on who first, very little window for player to feel like it's unfair because of realtime factor, worst case scenario, both players shoot eachother and die at the same time, this is entirely possible and acceptable as each could've don

Bringing together the worlds brightest minds and the latest accelerated computing technology leads to powerful breakthroughs that help tackle some of the biggest research problems.To foster such innovation, the NVIDIA Graduate Fellowship Program provides grants, mentors and technical support to doctoral students doing outstanding research relevant to NVIDIA technologies. The program, in its 24th year running, is now accepting applications worldwide.It focuses on supporting students working in AI, machine learning, autonomous vehicles, computer graphics, robotics, healthcare, high-performance computing and related fields. Awards are up to $60,000 per student.Since its start in 2002, the Graduate Fellowship Program has awarded 200 grants worth more than $6.5 million.Students must have completed at least their first year of Ph.D.-level studies at the time of application.The application deadline for the 2025-2026 academic year is Friday, Sept. 13, 2024. An in-person internship at an NVIDIA research office preceding the fellowship year is mandatory; eligible candidates must be available for the internship in summer 2025.For more on eligibility and how to apply, visit the program website.

By JIM McCULLAUGHImages courtesy of the VIEW Conference, except where noted.Mark your calendars for October 14-19, 2024, as the VIEW Conference in Turin, Italy, celebrates its 25th anniversary. This international symposium on Animation, VFX, Games, AI, AR, VR, XR, MR, Virtual Production, Metaverse, Storytelling and Immersive Media promises to be a landmark event.VIEW CEO and Executive Director Maria Elena Gutierrez and VFX Supervisor Kyle Odermatt (Raya and the Last Dragon, Moana, Wish) onstage at the VIEW.Over the past quarter-century, the VIEW Conference has welcomed literally thousands of people into a supportive global family of creatives, innovators and visionaries, says CEO and Executive Director Maria Elena Gutierrez. Weve provided them with opportunities to learn from the industrys best in digital media. Our mission has always been to inspire, educate and innovate, all within an atmosphere of love, support and inclusivity. Were not just a conference were a community.The incredible quality of our speakers means our content is always of the highest standard.Maria Elena Gutierrez.CEO and Executive Director, VIEW ConferenceReflecting on the journey, Gutierrez muses, It seems like only yesterday when it all started those 25 years went like a dream! In the early days, our biggest challenge was putting the conference on the map. It was tough getting top talent to make the time commitment necessary to visit Italy, a country not known for its animation, VFX and games industry.German film score composer and music producer Hans Zimmer wows the crowd at the VIEW.Today, the landscape has transformed. I regularly get calls from filmmakers working on their latest projects, asking if they can present at VIEW Conference when the movies finished! When they come to Turin, they stay for the entire week remember, these are people whose time is so precious that its usually hard even to get 15 minutes with them. I believe this happens because weve succeeded in creating an experience that people genuinely love and want to prioritize.[The VIEW Conference] creates an environment where top-level speakers challenge themselves to deliver more. As a result, the VIEW Conference program is always gold standard, frequently filled with exclusives and occasionally delivers a stunning surprise.Maria Elena Gutierrez.CEO and Executive Director, VIEW ConferenceGutierrez attributes the conferences success to its unwavering commitment to quality and its unique approach. We dont just string presentations together, she explains. We spend many months curating a meticulous program of keynotes, talks, workshops and masterclasses designed to inspire and teach both professionals and students. This is supported by a year-round program of free online sessions, such as panels, that bring together awards contenders on the run-up to the Oscars. The incredible quality of our speakers means our content is always of the highest standard.American cartoonist ND Stevenson, animator Troy Quane, animator Nick Bruno and Ted Ty of DNEG Animation at the VIEW.The VIEW Conference goes beyond delivering top-notch content. It creates an environment where these top-level speakers challenge themselves to deliver more. As a result, the VIEW Conference program is always gold standard, frequently filled with exclusives and occasionally delivers a stunning surprise. Also, it has to be said that the timing is good. VIEW Conference takes place just as the industry is gearing up for awards season, making us the perfect showcase for the leading contenders to present their achievements. And it doesnt hurt that Turin in October is just so beautiful.Jeff Rowe, American writer and director, brings the VIEW audience into the world of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem.She adds, Hans Zimmer also blew me away with a rousing retrospective on his amazing career. Tom McGrath and Mireille Soria moved me deeply with their highly personal talks about the influence their families have had on their work. Peter Sohn and Doug Chiang wowed us with their dazzling creativity while at the same time speaking eloquently about their experiences growing up in immigrant families in the U.S. And I have a special place in my heart for the extraordinary hour I spent at VIEW Conference 2022, when Rob Minkoff, director of the original The Lion King, took to the stage with his ukulele and treated us all to a never-seen-before musical journey through his experience making one of the best-loved animated features of all time. If Im allowed a shameless plug, you can enjoy that session and more through our extensive online archive of recordings just visit the VIEW Conference website.Gretchen Libby, Director of Visual Computing at Amazon Web Service, addresses VIEW attendees.Shannon Tindel, American animator and storyboard artist, and Peter Ramsey, American illustrator and storyboard artist, share insights with the VIEW audience.Christina Heller, film producer known for Trolls, Hotel Transylvania 3 and Over the Moon, at the VIEW.French cartoonist and animator Benjamin Renner.Peter Ramsey, American illustrator and storyboard artist, and Portuguese-American animator and storyboard artist Joaquim Dos Santos.Doug Chiang, Senior Vice President and Executive Design Director at Lucasfilm, packs the VIEW auditorium.Danielle Feinberg, director of photography and visual effects supervisor, at the VIEW.German-American animator Andreas Deja.Director Chris Sanders will be at VIEW 2024 to discuss The Wild Robot along with Production Designer Raymond Zibach and VFX Supervisor Jeff Budsberg. (Image courtesy of DreamWorks Animation and Universal Pictures)Shannon Tindle, director of Ultraman: Rising, will be a featured speaker at VIEW 2024. (Image courtesy of Netflix)[W]eve succeeded in creating an experience that people genuinely love and want to prioritize.Maria Elena Gutierrez.CEO and Executive Director, VIEW ConferenceLooking ahead to this Octobers program highlights, Gutierrez remarks, There simply isnt enough time to list them all! Suffice it to say, VIEW Conference 2024 promises a unique lineup of award-winning creatives discussing their latest projects alongside top-level Silicon Valley innovators. Live on stage, well have the directors of this years big animated features Inside Out 2, Ultraman: Rising and The Wild Robot, to name but three but as always, we go deeper. For example, in addition to speaking about his movie, Josh Cooley, director of Transformers One, will also be teaching a special masterclass on the story, designed to enlighten and inspire professionals and students alike while passing on a wealth of practical advice and insight. We dive deep with VFX, too. Our exploration of Dune: Part Two boasts no less than five presenters, including triple-Oscar-winning Production VFX Supervisor Paul Lambert. Were also proud to welcome the VFX supervisors of big movies like Twisters and Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire and hit streaming series like Fallout and 3 Body Problem.Inside Out 2s director Kelsey Mann will be a speaker at VIEW 2024. (Image courtesy of Pixar/Disney)Production VFX Supervisor Paul Lambert and second unit VFX Supervisor Patrick Heinen will be speaking about Dune: Part Two at VIEW 2024. (Image courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures)Jay Worth, Overall VFX Supervisor of Fallout, will be a featured speaker at VIEW 2024. (Image courtesy of Amazon Prime Video)Steven Fangmeier, Production VFX Supervisor of 3 Body Problem, will be a featured VIEW 2024 speaker. (Image courtesy of Netflix)Twisters VFX Supervisor Florian Witzel will be a featured speaker at VIEW 2024. (Photo: Melinda Sue Gordon. Courtesy of Universal Pictures)Jason Greenblum, VFX Supervisor for Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire, will be a featured speaker at VIEW 2024. (Photo: Jaap Buitendij. Courtesy of Columbia Pictures/Sony)Josh Cooley, director of Transformers One, will be speaking about the film and also teaching a special masterclass on story at VIEW 2024. (Image courtesy of Paramount Pictures)Additionally, she continues, We offer a comprehensive range of sessions on game design and animated short films not to mention special tracks dedicated to business, generative AI and education and youll quickly see that our 25th anniversary edition will be one to remember.For more information, visit the VIEW website at viewconference.it.

With Concords launch next week on August 23, we wanted to take a moment to talk about the adventure that lies ahead. We see launch as just the beginning. The beginning of not only the vision weve set out for Concord, but also the beginning of how we support and grow the game with our players.The base game is a foundation for us to build upon over time, through systems that will expand the universe, introduce new ways to play and master each character, give you hundreds of unique rewards to earn and unlock, and narratives to unfold week after week, alongside seasonal updates that will introduce new characters, new maps and worlds, new modes, new stories, new features, and more.*As we look ahead to launch, heres a glimpse of whats to come in Concord:Concord Season 1 launching this OctoberFrom the very beginning, we wanted Concord to be a complete experience, where all core content is available to you on day-one and moving forwardnot gated behind paid expansions or a Battle Pass. We take your investment in the game seriously and want to ensure that we bring all players along for the journey.Our first major content drop will arrive in October with the launch of Concord Season 1: The Tempest. Season 1 will mark the introduction of a brand new playable Freegunner, as well as a brand-new map, new Freegunner Variants, more earnable cosmetics and rewards, and a new season of weekly Cinematic Vignettes that will continue the story of the Northstar crew.With season 1, well also be introducing an in-game store for those looking to personalize their Freegunners further with additional customization items and to continue to support the game. These will supplement the hundreds of rewards earnable through progression and will be solely cosmetic, optional, and have no gameplay impact.1/9Now showing slide 1 of 9Show allWere also hard at work on future seasons, beginning with Season 2 launching in January 2025 and more seasonal drops throughout year one of Concord. We cant wait to fully unpack what we have in store for Season 1 ahead of its launch in October.The continuous evolution of your crewWhen we first formed Firewalk, we thought a lot about the type of game that we wanted to make and what we could add to the multiplayer FPS genre. We knew we had to focus on the fundamentals that can make an FPS game great: precise, responsive gunplay and fast, fluid mobility. Those qualities had to be the bedrock of everything.However, we also wanted that special spice provided by character abilities. Beyond the impact their abilities, roles, and kits could have in moment-to-moment combat, we saw exciting opportunities to add strategic layers to how and when you choose to deploy them throughout a match. In effect, we wanted to infuse the theorycrafting of a deck builder with a PVP first-person shooter. This became the root of our Crew Builder system.Crew Builder allows you to create Custom Crews of Freegunners that you bring into a match. Every Custom Crew offers 12 configurable slots, which you can fill with characters from what will become a growing roster of Freegunners and their Variants. Each Freegunner will have multiple Variants, which are unique versions of each character that have special modifiers to their base abilities and can be unlocked by completing various in-game challenges.Each Custom Crew must have five unique Freegunners, but you can stack up to three copies of any given Freegunners Variants, empowering you to really focus on specific characters that you like to play as and that align best with the broader makeup of your team, the modes youre playing, or your general playstyle.However, while Crew Builder enables you to hone your own unique approach to combat strategy, its also meant to inspire experimentation with different characters as well. Each Custom Crew comes with four Back Up slots, which are randomly populated with Freegunners not otherwise in your Custom Crew.Crew Builder also incentivizes you to populate your Custom Crews with characters of different roles. Unlike traditional archetypes, like Tank or Support, each Freegunner in Concord is meant to deliver high-DPS and be effective in a gunfight. Instead, our characters are defined by one of six distinct roles and the impact they can have in combatwhether thats locking down an area, dominating long sightlines, or flanking enemies.Balancing your crew with Freegunners of different roles can give you an edge through special in-match benefits called Crew Bonuses. When you deploy Freegunners of different roles for the first time during a match, youre granted special bonuses that can increase mobility, improve weapon recoil, reduce cooldown times, and more that apply to any character you deploy from that point on.When you combine all of these systemsCrew Builder, Back-Up Slots, Freegunner Variants, and Crew Bonusestheres so much depth to how you can craft, refine, and master your builds in Concord as your experience grows. It also allows the meta to evolve continuously in exciting new ways, as you unlock new Freegunner Variants and new Freegunners and Variants are introduced over time with each season.Ultimately, when we step back and think about what drew us to make Concord and what we love most about multiplayer games, its exactly that: the potential for continuous evolution. Its the thrill of the potential possibilities of where we can take the experience moving forward. And its the sense of adventure of finding out, together.Prepare for launchWe cant wait to welcome you to the Concord galaxy and see how you learn and master each Freegunner and all of our systems in new and exciting ways, beginning with Concords Early Access launch for Digital Deluxe Edition owners on Tuesday, August 20 and followed by our global launch on Friday, August 23. Pre-load for all editions on PS5 will begin today, Tuesday, August 13.Servers for Concords Early Access launch on August 20 will go live at 10:00am PDT | 7:00pm CEST | 2:00am (August 21) JST.For all the latest on Concord, be sure to follow us on Twitter/X, Instagram, and TikTok, as well as by joining the community in the Official Concord Discord.*Account for PlayStation Network and internet connection required. Paid for PlayStation Plus membership (sold separately) required on PS5.

Creators on Patreon are alarmed and outraged over a new policy from Apple that would subject all Patreon memberships sold on iOS to Apples 30% commission. In a post on Monday, Patreon explained the new policy, which will go into effect on Nov. 4. The blog post says that Patreon must comply with this new policy, lest it risk being kicked out of the App Store.The blog post from Patreon reads, in part:As we first announced last year, Apple is requiring that Patreon use their in-app purchasing system and remove all other billing systems from the Patreon iOS app by November 2024.This has two major consequences for creators:1. Apple will be applying their 30% App Store fee to all new memberships purchased in the Patreon iOS app, in addition to anything bought in your Patreon shop.2. Any creator currently on first-of-the-month or per-creation billing plans will have to switch over to subscription billing to continue earning in the iOS app, because thats the only billing type Apples in-app purchase system supports.Before we go any further, we want to be crystal clear about one thing: Apples fee will not impact your existing memberships. It will only affect new memberships purchased in the iOS app from November onward.Patreon will give creators the ability to increase their prices in the iOS app to offset the 30% price tag. Patreon already takes a cut of funds processed through the platform, ranging from a 5% founders fee up to a 12% cut. In a comment to Polygon, a Patreon spokesperson wrote:Were going to be hands-on throughout this change to support creators. To start, were sharing educational resources as well as answering creators questions and sharing best practices on Discord. Were also building out new tools to address key concerns, and will preview our roadmap with creators along the way. Looking ahead, we will continue to be vocal about third party updates and policies we do not agree with and will speak directly with partners, policy leaders and decision makers whenever possible.Unless creators choose to absorb the Apple App Store Fee themselves, new transactions in the Patreon iOS app will be more expensive than the same purchase on the web because of Apples App Store Fee, the blog post reads.The iOS policy has long since been controversial, with a consumer class action lawsuit set to take place in February 2026. The lawsuit accuses Apple of artificially inflating the 30% sales commission, which leads to overcharging for apps. Perhaps most famously, Fortnite developer Epic Games took Apple to court in August 2020 over the 30% fee.Creators are taking to social media to warn their patrons about this upcoming policy. Creators do not see ANY of this money, it goes directly to apple. PLEASE dont spend extra money, join via the web/android! reads one viral post. You guys saw that independent artists were actually making a living and just HAD to fucking squeeze this community a little harder didnt you?! The layoffs, GenAi wasnt enough?! Fuck you. one industry artist wrote.Polygon has reached out to Apple for comment on the policy change.Update (5:29 PM): This article has been updated to include a comment from Patreon and to clarify that only new transactions will be affected.

Imagine living in a home where delicate pastel tones blend seamlessly with smooth, curving lines, enveloping you in a serene and happy atmosphere. This is precisely the experience that Marshmallow, a 2800-square-foot penthouse in Gurugram, India, offers. Designed by Design Doodle Studio, led by husband-and-wife principal architects Vijay and Maha, this project redefines modern luxury and comfort with a bit of magic in hopes of making the owners feel like theyre wrapped in a giant marshmallow.The studios philosophy of creating homes that serve as meaningful sanctuaries is evident in every aspect of Marshmallow. Inspired by the clients desire for a relaxing yet luxurious environment, the design team wove a narrative that reflects the clients personality and lifestyle. The result melds soft curves and marshmallow shades, creating a space that feels both inviting and sophisticated.Warmth and elegance are the cornerstones of this project, with each material and detail carefully selected to evoke a range of emotions. The studios commitment to minimalism, smooth curves, textured elements, and arches is showcased throughout the penthouse, highlighting a design ethos that values simplicity and character. From the moment you enter, the ambiance is both familiar and playful, with plush fabrics, seamless surfaces, and subtle textures that invite you to relax and unwind.The layout of the penthouse was reimagined to enhance the living experience, prioritizing spaciousness and comfort. Originally planned as a four-bedroom apartment, it was redesigned to feature three larger sized bedrooms, creating a more open and lush environment. The entrance lobby, a circular space, sets the tone for the journey through the home, leading you to two distinct zones: a private section on one side and an entertainment space on the other.The delectable color palette, evoking hues of a fluffy marshmallow dipped in hot chocolate, adds to the sense of tranquility and elegance. Every corner of the home is infused with thoughtful detailing, from the microcement floors to the bespoke Venetian terrazzo inlays.Fluted details are paired with smooth surfaces, including on the walls, kitchen cabinets and island, and built-in storage components, adding another cohesive design element seen throughout. In the primary bedroom, the bed is elevated on a platform in the corner of the space with a carved out arch opening. A massive pillar, wrapped in varying neutral colors that are reminiscent of sand layered in a glass jar, becomes a focal point and visual divider between the bed area and the rest of the space for a hint of privacy.For more about Design Doodle Studio or the Marshmallow project, check them out on Instagram.Photography by Ekansh Goel.

Low-performing teams choose problems based on what theyd like to solve rather than what their customers need.They say that good designers fall in love with problems, not with solutions. I tend to agree, and the first thing I always ask new customers to do is describe the problem they arefacing.A couple of years back, a customer came to me with a request: Our CEO tried to use our product. His transaction didnt go through and he couldnt see its status. So customers being able to track their transaction is a priority problem that we need tosolve.Im sure youve already spotted the snag: the problem in their statement was users dont have thistool.In other words, it was a solution statement in disguise.But we couldnt convince the customers CEO to change it. He fell in love with the problem of not having a tracker. After two years of bashing away at the problem without moving the metrics, the customers team realized what we had told them in the first week: that they were trying to solve a product problem rather than a customerproblem.The road to the Build Trap is paved with productproblemsThe build trap is when organizations focus more on shipping and developing features rather than on the actual value those things produce.Melissa Perri, Escaping the BuildTrapThis was hardly the only time that a customers first stab at a problem statement ended up defining a product problem. In fact, the majority of initial problem statements I see are some twist on we want to add this feature, can you help us defineit.This makes sense because of how these teams are typically organizednot as true product teams, but as project teams. They are given an output goal and only make decisions within the bounds of that output. Since decisions about the form factor are typically made for them by executive stakeholderslike that customers CEOthey skip right to the formfactor.Output-driven teams make plans around features, creating the illusion of certainty in the near term but much greater risk in the long term because those outputs are not meaningfully connected to likely outcomes.Because the team was told build a tracker by their stakeholder, users want a tracker became the animating principle behind the teams efforts. Other mandates youve likely seen pop up in the news include users want a chatbot, users want a dashboard or users want a subscription to theirmouse.Fundamentally, the question all these teams are asking is not what needs do our customers have? but What features is this product missing?They are solving product problems.When low-maturity product teams do engage with outcome goals, the situation is rarely much better. Vanity metrics such as number of queries or email send rate predominate, locking product teams into their most highly instrumented form factor rather than allowing them to choose the most appropriate channel for reaching the customer.Once the teams work is framed as a product problem, it becomes extremely difficult to correct that framing. No amount of validating your idea will tell you that youre on the wrong track; when you ask what features do you want the dashboard to have then unless youre reading between the lines all youll never hear users dont need a dashboard.The double square is less well-known than its cousin the double diamond, but much more frequently practiced.This kind of work is commonly dismissed as UX theaterand rightly sobut it can certainly feel like research to inexperienced practitioners. After all, the PMs talked to customers, and gathered feedback and feature ideas, which they used to create a roadmap and then a prioritized backlog. What more could youwant?But the features delivered from that backlog will all contribute to the user experience rot, because they build on a premise of solving the product problem of missing features rather than the customer problem of not being able to reach theirgoals.Customer problems make teams; product problems breakteamsWhen a work group establishes shared goals and methods to achieve these goals, it transforms into a team.A Deeper Understanding of Real Teamwork and Sustainable QualityCultureProduct teams dont realize theyre making this mistake because its baked into the stories-and-features way that PMs are trained to approach problems. Even Marty Cagan doesnt consider does it solve the users problem to be one of the four big risks (will people buy it is the closest, but not the same thing atall).Instead, Cagan slotted UX design (the function best suited to catch that risk) into the usability bucket, and many PMs followed.As a result, the majority of time designers spend on product teams is dedicated to solving tool problems rather than goal problemshow to make a feature more usable, or how to add more options and settings. And given that every tool problem is by definition a problem created by the team, the overall impact of solving those problems is extremely low.Of course, designers are equally guilty of solving design problems over customer problems. Or perhaps even more guilty, as our field is structured around incentives to design for other designersdazzling our peers with awards and hiring managers with stunning portfolio visuals.Software developers, of course, have their own version of this phenomenon; trying to learn about customer needs by shipping the MVP can quickly evolve into incrementally working out interesting coding problems at the cost of making measurable improvements to the user experience.Creating this knife must have required solving a huge number of product, design, and engineering problems. But I cannot conceive of a customer problem that itsolves.As a result, the three legs of the product triad end up setting their own goals, and fighting over them. The prioritization process turns into haggling: we will solve this many product problems to this many design problems to this many developer problems.While everyone is haggling for themselves, there is no time left to exercise all that empathy for the customer.The result is an entire industry of products solving problems for its employees and the people who live likethem.Forget the product, focus on thecustomerWorking backward from customer needs is a huge amount of work. But it will save you even more work later.JeffBezosThis issue runs deep. It is at the very root of how we talk about products: the framing that products are desirable to customers has influenced product thinking for over 20years.In reality, no products are desirable to customers. Customers have desirable outcomes, which products can help them reach. And while any successful product strategy must ultimately pick a level of outcome at which it wants to play, choosing to play at the widget level and then flailing for product-market fit before your funding runs out is the least effective level to playat.Slide from hypothesis-driven product developmentInstead of forecasting outputs based on what stakeholders are asking, product teams need to start with what stakeholders hope to achieve and then back-cast from those outcomes to chart possible pathsforward.Then instead of prioritizing features, you can choose a single bet without compromising your flexibility: which next step will help us learn the most about what a viable path forward lookslike?The result might not be the worlds sexiest app. The solution my team convinced the stubborn customer to build in the end had no web presence at allbecause their users didnt want to go to a website. We sent them the information they needed directly by SMS. But it was quick to build, cheap to test andmost importantlyit kept customers informed much better than a tracker on a website most of them would neversee.Stop inventing product problems; start solving customer problems was originally published in UX Collective on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

The IRS has clarified a provision of the SECURE 2.0 Act passed in 2022, now expanding the use of tax-deferred retirement accounts as emergency funds. Previously, retirement savers with an immediate and heavy financial need could technically make an early withdrawal from their 401(k)s and traditional individual retirement accounts. However, that early withdrawal would be subject to income tax, and those under age 59 typically owed a 10% tax penalty.Now, you can make one withdrawal of $1,000 per year to cover personal and family emergency expenses without owing the 10% penalty. All you need to do is "self-certify" that you need the money for an emergency. Here's what to know about how this new rule works, and what to keep in mind before you start using your 401(k) like an ATM.How the new 401(k) emergency withdrawal rule worksUnder the new guidelines, savers can withdraw up to $1,000 per year from their retirement plans for emergency expenses without facing the usual 10% early withdrawal penalty. This applies even if the account holder is younger than 59, the standard age for penalty-free withdrawals. (Note: Victims of domestic abuse under the age of 59 can withdraw up to $10,000 from IRAs and 401(k)s without owing the penalty.)Key features of the new rule include:No need to prove hardship: Unlike previous regulations, savers don't need to demonstrate specific hardships to qualify for the withdrawal.Flexible use: Funds can be used for various emergencies, from car repairs to medical bills, or even unspecified personal expenses.Tax considerations: While the withdrawal is penalty-free, it's still subject to income tax. However, if the funds are repaid within three years, no taxes are due.Frequency limit: Only one emergency withdrawal of up to $1,000 can be made per year.Account balance requirement: The retirement account must maintain a minimum balance of $1,000 after the withdrawal.Understanding 401(k) withdrawals: Remember your long-term goalsOne the one hand, this new rule provides much-needed flexibility for anyone facing financial challenges. Lower-income Americans may find it more appealing to open retirement accounts if they know those funds are at least somewhat accessible in an emergency. And for anyone truly strapped for cash, these penalty-free withdrawals could make a huge difference, and are far simpler to access compared to 401(k) loans.On the other hand, the ability to self-define "emergency" may encourage unnecessary withdrawals, significantly impacting long-term retirement savings. Despite the newfound ease of access, remember why you have a 401(k) in the first place. While this new rule offers a safety net, these accounts are designed for long-term savings. Every dollar you take out prematurely is a dollar no longer growing for your future. The power of compound interest means that even small withdrawals can have a substantial impact on retirement savings over time. For instance, a $1,000 withdrawal at age 35 could potentially reduce your retirement balance by $8,000 or more by age 65 (assuming historical average market returns).The bottom lineWhile the new 401(k) rule offers increased flexibility for savers, it's essential to approach it with caution. Emergency funds should ideally come from other sources, such as dedicated savings accounts. Your 401(k) should remain focused on its primary purpose: securing your financial future in retirement.Before making any withdrawals, consult with a financial advisor to understand the long-term implications and explore alternative options. Remember, the most effective retirement strategy is to contribute consistently and let your investments grow undisturbed over time.