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. Nominate someone to our 2025 list of Innovators Under 35 Every year, MIT Technology Review recognizes 35 young innovators who are doing pioneering work across a range of technical fields including biotechnology, materials science, artificial intelligence, computing, and more. Previous winners include Lisu Su, now CEO of AMD, Andrew Ng, a computer scientist and serial entrepreneur, Jack Dorsey (two years after he launched Twitter), and Helen Greiner, co-founder of iRobot. Were now taking nominations for our 2025 list and you can submit one here. The process takes just a few minutes. Nominations will close at 11:59 PM ET on January 20, 2025. You can nominate yourself or someone you know, based anywhere in the world. The only rule is that the nominee must be under the age of 35 on October 1, 2025. Read more about what were looking for here. How US AI policy might change under Trump President Biden first witnessed the capabilities of ChatGPT in 2022 during a demo from Arati Prabhakar, the Director of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, in the oval office. That demo set a slew of events into motion, and encouraged President Biden to support the USs AI sector, while managing the safety risks that will come from it.However, that approach could change under Trump. Our AI reporter James ODonnell sat down with Prabhakar earlier this month to discuss what might be next. Read the full story. This story is from 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 What's next for Intel? Its CEO has been given the boot, and his replacement will be tasked with turning things around. (WSJ $)+ The departed Pat Gelsinger was firmly opposed to breaking the firm up. (Bloomberg $)+ Five years ago, Intel was on top of the world. What happened? (FT $)2 China has hit back at the latest US chip export restrictions By banning shipments of critical chip minerals to America. (FT $)+ Beijing accused the US of hindering normal trade exchanges. (The Guardian)+ Whats next in chips. (MIT Technology Review)3 Hackers are using AI to mine troves of personal data The new tools make it much easier to weaponize sensitive information. (WP $)+ The US government is trying to crack down on the sale of civilians personal data. (404 Media)+ Five ways criminals are using AI. (MIT Technology Review)4 Elon Musk has been denied a $56 million pay package for a second timeStill, hes not exactly short of a few bob. (The Verge) 5 A network of women were duped into donating eggs to a disgraced billionaire The US fertility industry's loose regulations have left the system open to abuse. (Bloomberg $)+ Conservative politicians are spreading anti-contraceptive disinformation. (New Yorker $)+ I took an international trip with my frozen eggs to learn about the fertility industry. (MIT Technology Review) 6 An AI agent could do your next Black Friday shop for you It could spell an end to tedious price-checking and bargain monitoring. (TechCrunch)+ What are AI agents? (MIT Technology Review)7 A new fleet of US nuclear reactors is on the horizonSimilar major pushes have failed in the past. Will this time be different? (The Atlantic $) + Why the lifetime of nuclear plants is getting longer. (MIT Technology Review)8 It turns out that fish have a brain microbiomeIt raises the question whether humans could have one too. (Quanta Magazine) + The hunter-gatherer groups at the heart of a microbiome gold rush. (MIT Technology Review)9 Why ChatGPT has become an emotional crutch for so many people But beware using it to offload emotional labor. Its only a chatbot, after all. (The Guardian)+ The name David Mayer causes ChatGPT to melt down, for some reason. (TechCrunch)+ Heres how people are actually using AI. (MIT Technology Review)10 This Indigenous community may become Canadas first climate refugeesThe Western Arctic regions permafrost is thawing, and the Inuvialuit will be forced to leave their homes. (NYT $) Quote of the day "It was a tough situation when Pat showed up, and things look much worse now." Financial analysts from Bernstein warn investors that whoever takes over from departing Intel CEO Pat Gelsinger has their work cut out for them, Insider reports. The big story How to measure all the worlds fresh water December 2021 The Congo River is the worlds second-largest river system after the Amazon. More than 75 million people depend on it for food and water, as do thousands of species of plants and animals. The massive tropical rainforest sprawled across its middle helps regulate the entire Earths climate system, but the amount of water in it is something of a mystery. Scientists rely on monitoring stations to track the river, but what was once a network of some 400 stations has dwindled to just 15. Measuring water is key to helping people prepare for natural disasters and adapt to climate changeso researchers are increasingly filling data gaps using information gathered from space. Read the full story. Maria Gallucci 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.) + If you love a good steak, heres where you can track down some of the best. + Black Mirror creator Charlie Brooker reflects on something truly terrifying: the workplace.+ Happy birthday to the one and only Prince of Darkness!+ The bar of the HR Giger Museum in Switzerland looks exactly how youd expect it wouldcompletely mindblowing.

Ren Binglin, 25, is a photographer and digital nomad based in China.While browsing online, he came across a retirement village for young people and booked a two-month visit.He picked fruit, meditated, and drank beers with new friends. He says his experience in the mountains changed him.This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Ren Binglin, a photographer and digital nomad based in China. Ren spent almost two months at a youth retirement village. The following has been translated and edited for length and clarity.A few days of work in Beijing was all it took for me to realize I needed a break.In early September, I was finding everything in the capital city too expensive. City life was suffocating me.I was born in Henan a province 400 miles south of the capital but now, at 25, I'm a digital nomad, and there's no longer one part of the country that feels like home. I live in a mix of hostels, bed and breakfasts, and even rented a house from a farmer once. I also try to spend a few weeks a year back with my family.I love different parts of China for different reasons. I like the climate of Dali, the wooden houses of Shaoxing, my friends in Taihang Mountain, the mornings in Yangshuo, and the nights in Shanghai.One morning, I started searching for places I could visit up in the mountains. I came across Guanye, a youth retirement village, on Xiaohongshu, China's Instagram-like platform. It was clear it had nothing to do with caregiving or elders, just a lot of nature. I was intrigued by the pictures of mountains, a swimming pool, and people around my age cooking, hiking, and watching films. I felt I'd get along with them. By noon that same day, I had left.I bought a train ticket for just over 10 yuan, or $1.38, from Beijing. The village is in Hebei, about 180 miles southwest of Beijing, and the train ride to Baijian, the closest station, took around three hours. A courtyard at Guanye, a youth retirement village in China. Ren Binglin My room at the homeSoon after arriving, I was shown to my room. All of the rooms had mountain views. Mine had floor-to-ceiling windows, a 1.8-meter-long bed, a fridge, a bathroom, and a TV. The TV stayed off for the whole stay.The room was cheap: 3,600 yuan, or $500, a month, including food and accommodation. It was a courtyard house with rooms surrounding a yard, and the space was around 2,150 square feet.As a photographer, my income isn't stable. There are times I have nothing coming in for two weeks, but then in one day, I can make enough to cover the month.The difference between life in the city and life up in the mountains was huge. The quiet in the village was a luxury for me. Sometimes, in the morning, I would hear the sound of goats eating grass. It was wonderful to be woken up that way. Mountain views from Guanye, a youth retirement village in China. Ren Binglin Guests were mostly Gen Zers and MillennialsMost of the people at the nursing home were between 20 and 30 I'm 25. I also came across a handful of people in their 40s and 50s.I didn't need to put in much effort to meet interesting people. There was a natural flow that attracted all kinds of guests. The managers treated me like a friend, not a customer.I wasn't the typical guest. Most people go there to "lie flat" for a while before gradually returning to work. It's a bit like a short vacation for them. However, I was still working.I enjoy my work, so this didn't bother me. I work in AI photography, customizing work for clients and also teaching students. I do a lot of it online.Most people I spoke to at the home had encountered a setback in life, in their career, in their love life, or with family members. I met a lawyer who told me he was tired of being busy andhad started to live a nomadic life, but due to the requirements of his job, he often had to go to court.I also spoke to one of the founders, Cui Kai, a lot. He turned 30 this year but gives off the feeling of still being in middle school. There was no greasiness to him.I asked another cofounder why he had chosen to run the nursing home in his hometown. He said hevillage, and the courtyards belonged to a relative of his. He said his grandparents were around 95 now, and he wanted to spend more time with them.I could see that the village was very poor and that the young people had left to find work. All I saw were older people playing mahjong every day. That cofounder said he didn't want to abandon his hometown. He wanted to build it up. Ren Binglin spent his birthday at the home, drinking beer and snacking on nuts. Ren Binglin Our daily routineFor breakfast, they served eggs, steamed buns, rice, millet porridge, and flatbreads. At noon, there was chicken and beef, stir-fried potatoes and beans, and cabbage. An auntie would cook for us.They often organized activities like picking persimmons or chestnuts, hiking, or meditation exercises in the morning. I heard that in the summer, they swim, watch movies, or drink together.I participated most in the drinking-related activities. Sometimes we'd go to the river, collect wood to make a fire, and drink and chat. For my birthday, I remember around 25 of us drinking together, cracking jokes, and snacking on nuts, dried fruit, and cake. We went through so many crates of beer. There was baijiu, a Chinese liquor, too.I think this home helps people recharge. In the city, costs are high, and some people are unhappy with their jobs. I find it difficult to establish deep connections with people. It's as if we live for others and wear a mask.The experience changed meI spoke to other guests who work in the city, and they told me their energy levels increased after going to the mountains. With more physical space, I felt like I had more psychological space.Going to Guanye changed me a little, but not as much as some of the other people I met. I've managed to keep my life less intense over the past few years.Recently, I caught up with some people I'd met at Guanye. We went to see a movie together. I found them to be different from when we first met. They were more reserved. It seemed that once they moved back to the city, they hid their true selves.

AWS announced plans for an AI supercomputer, UltraCluster, with Trainium 2 chips at re:Invent.AWS may be able to reduce reliance on Nvidia by developing its own AI infrastructure.Apple said it's using Trainium 2 chips for Apple Intelligence.Matt Garman, the CEO of Amazon Web Services, made several significant new AWS announcements at the re:Invent conference on Tuesday.His two-and-a-half hour keynote delved into AWS's current software and hardware offerings and updates, with words from clients including Apple and JPMorgan. Graphics processing units (GPUs), supercomputers, and a surprise Apple cameo stuck out among the slew of information.AWS, the cloud computing arm of Amazon, has been developing its own semiconductors to train AI. On Tuesday, Garman said it's creating UltraServers containing 64 of its Trainium 2 chips so companies can scale up their GenAI workloads.Moreover, it's also building an AI supercomputer, an UltraCluster made up of UltraServers, in partnership with AI startup Anthropic. Named Project Rainier, it will be "the world's largest AI compute cluster reported to date available for Anthropic to build and deploy its future models on" when completed, according to an Amazon blog post. Amazon has invested $8 billion in Anthropic.Such strides could push AWS further into competition with other tech firms in the ongoing AI arms race, including AI chip giant Nvidia.Here are four takeaways from Garman's full keynote on Tuesday.AWS' Trainium chips could compete with Nvidia.Nvidia currently dominates the AI chip market with its sought-after and pricey GPUs, but Garman backed AWS's homegrown silicon during his keynote on Tuesday. His company's goal is to reduce the cost of AI, he said."Today, there's really only one choice on the GPU side, and it's just Nvidia. We think that customers would appreciate having multiple choices," Garman told the Wall Street Journal.AI is growing rapidly, and the demand for chips that make the technology possible is poised to grow alongside it. Major tech companies, like Google and Microsoft, are venturing into chip creation as well to find an alternative to Nvidia.However, Garman told The Journal the doesn't expect Trainium to dethrone Nvidia "for a long time.""But, hopefully, Trainium can carve out a good niche where I actually think it's going to be a great option for many workloads not all workloads," he said.AWS also introduced Trainium3, its next-gen chip.AWS' new supercomputer could go toe to toe with Elon Musk's xAI.According to The Journal, the chip cluster known as Project Rainier is expected to be available in 2025. Once it is ready, Anthropic plans to use it to train AI models.With "hundreds of thousands" of Trainium chips, it would challenge Elon Musk's xAI's Colossus a supercomputer with 100,000 of Nvidia's Hopper chips.Apple is considering Trainium 2 for Apple Intelligence training.Garman said that Apple is one of its customers using AWS chips, like Amazon Graviton and Inferentia, for services including Siri.Benoit Dupin, senior director of AI and machine learning at Apple, then took to the stage at the Las Vegas conference. He said the company worked with AWS for "virtually all phases" of its AI and machine learning life cycle."One of the unique elements of Apple business is the scale at which we operate and the speed with which we innovate," Dupin said.He added, "AWS has been able to keep the pace, and we've been customers for more than a decade."Now, Dupin said Apple is in the early stages of testing Trainium 2 chips to potentially help train Apple Intelligence.The company introduced a new generation of foundational models, Amazon Nova.Amazon announced some new kids on the GenAI block.AWS customers will be able to use Amazon Nova-powered GenAI applications "to understand videos, charts, and documents, or generate videos and other multimedia content," Amazon said. There are a range of models available at different costs, it said. "Amazon Nova Micro, Amazon Nova Lite, and Amazon Nova Pro are at least 75% less expensive than the best-performing models in their respective intelligence classes in Amazon Bedrock," Amazon said.

Support independent journalism that matters become a Vox Member today.South Korea is in the grip of a political crisis after President Yoon Suk Yeol declared martial law on Tuesday a shocking move that sparked mass protests and drew sharp rebuke from the countrys parliament. Though Yoon has said he will reverse his declaration, thats unlikely to end South Koreas political problems, which go beyond Tuesdays emergency.Yoon first made the declaration during a televised announcement on Tuesday night local time, claiming that the opposition party to his government was in the midst of an insurgency and trying to overthrow the free democracy, likely in reference to the political deadlock between himself and the parliament that has prevented him from enacting his agenda. Despite that ongoing gridlock, the move to declare martial law took Yoons political opponents, allies, the South Korean public and the world by surprise. Shortly after Yoons declaration, South Koreas parliament, known as the National Assembly, met to unanimously vote down the martial law decree. There is no reason to declare martial law. We cannot let the military rule this country, opposition leader Lee Jae-myung said Tuesday. President Yoon Suk Yeol has betrayed the people. President Yoons illegal declaration of emergency martial law is null and void. Martial law typically involves the suspension of civilian government and rule by military decree in a major emergency, such as intense armed conflict.Despite Yoons pledge to lift his declaration, the country is still in limbo. What comes next is unclear. Here is what you need to know.Why did the president declare martial law?Yoon only spoke in broad strokes about his decision. However, its possible that his declaration was influenced by his dwindling public support, political gridlock, and an ongoing ethics investigation into his wife over a handbag alleged to be an improper gift.The conservative Yoon is in the second year of his five-year term; during his tenure, his approval rating has fallen below 20 percentage points. Hes also been deadlocked with the National Assembly, which is controlled by the center-left Democratic Party, over his political agenda. Yoon certainly is unpopular and frustrated by an inability to do politics, Celeste Arrington, director of the George Washington Institute for Korean Studies, told Vox. Yoon has used an unprecedented number of presidential vetoes to try and push his agenda through, Arrington said. Hes also launched politically motivated prosecutions of the opposition party. Meanwhile, the opposition party has tried to impeach dozens of members of this government and has launched investigations into the first lady. So this [political battle] was back and forth and back and forth, building. Yoon did explicitly claim that North Korean elements played a role in his decision to declare martial law, though theres no actual evidence of North Korea playing a role in the present crisis. Instead, his reference to North Korea may refer to the major political divide between the countrys two main parties on whether and how to engage with their totalitarian and belligerent northern neighbor.What does martial law in South Korea entail?Under martial law, the executive branch is allowed to take control of the media, and Yoon ordered the countrys medical personnel, who have been on strike for much of the year, back to work within 48 hours. Its not clear to what extent those measures were put into place.Furthermore, political activity, including political party meetings and rallies, is supposed to cease. This was obviously disregarded: The National Assembly met, and protests continued through the night. Armed guards surrounded the National Assembly building Tuesday night; 190 members of the 300-member body showed up to unanimously vote down the measure, with some scaling the fence around the building to do so, the Wall Street Journal reported.What has the reaction been?Yoons declaration has been almost universally unpopular within South Korea. Citizens showed up to protest even engaging in clashes with security forces.Both the opposition leader and the leader of Yoons own party denounced Yoons decision. Its an illegal, unconstitutional declaration of martial law that does not meet the requirements, said Han Dong-hoon, a former justice minister and leader of Yoons People Power Party. South Korea is a democratic country. We will protect democracy alongside our citizens.The US, a longtime ally of South Korea, said it did not know about Yoons declaration before it came. We have every hope and expectation that any political disputes will be resolved peacefully and in accordance with the rule of law, US Deputy Secretary of State Kurt Campbell said Tuesday. Whats next?Yoon has said he would lift the martial law declaration in accordance with the National Assemblys vote, as he is constitutionally required to do. The cabinet agreed to lift the order early Wednesday morning local time, and protesters have begun to disperse. However, this is not the end of the crisis, Gi-Wook Shin, director of the Shorenstein Asia-Pacific Research Center at Stanford University, told Vox. The decision [to declare martial law] appears to be an attempt to assert authority in a climate where his favorability has been declining, but this is basically political suicide as it risks being seen as an overreach of power and might lead to him facing impeachment, Shin said.Indeed, an opposition lawmaker from a smaller party has already called for Yoons impeachment. Regardless of what happens to Yoon, polarization between the two main parties and high levels of public dissatisfaction with politics remain, Arrington told Vox. Neither side is particularly popular; the public trust in both the conservatives and the progressives is low, she said. Theres a deep frustration with the way democratic institutions are functioning, in particular the political parties and the National Assembly. And the end of the martial law crisis does nothing to change that reality. 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:

Georgians are on the streets protesting following the governments announcement it would pause the process to join the European Union until at least 2028.The protests come amid a greater, global power struggle over the countrys place in the world order. The protesters as well as the European Union and the United States are pushing for a more democratic society thats aligned with the West. The ruling party, Georgian Dream, meanwhile, is cracking down on liberal democracy while aligning the state more closely with Vladimir Putins Russia.Over the past year, Georgian Dream has taken a number of undemocratic actions. Those include crackdowns on LGBTQ people, civil society, and press organizations. Those laws, plus a potentially tainted parliamentary election in October, have protesters concerned that the country is moving further away from European-style liberal democracy and toward autocracy.The stakes for Georgian democracy are high; Georgian Dream appears to have decided it must embrace authoritarian tactics to remain in power, and the EU accession plan is an important and powerful barrier to that. EU and NATO accession are also popular among the Georgian population, hence the enormous and contentious protests going on right now in the capital city of Tbilisi and other major cities. Now the question is whether Georgias democracy, such as it is, can be reoriented toward Europe and the West, or whether its fate is more along the lines of Belarus, the Russia-aligned Eastern European state ruled by dictator Aleksandr Lukashenko.Georgian Dreams latest move away from European liberal democracy may be a boon for Russia, Sam Greene, director of Democratic Resilience at the Center for European Policy Analysis, told Vox.I think Moscow sees Georgia as a test case to show that it can maintain regional hegemony even after significant depredations, such as the punishing, nearly three-year invasion of Ukraine, Greene said. They may believe that their ability to maintain Georgias allegiance is a harbinger of things that may come in Ukraine although I think theyre wrong. Whats more likely true is that they see it as a nice black eye to the EU. But while Georgias current political crisis is caught up in a conflict between Russia and the West, the situation is complicated by the countrys internal struggle for democracy.The fight for Georgias place in the worldPrime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze announced Thursday that the government suspended talks to join the EU until 2028, and that Georgia would refuse all EU funding till then as well. Georgias constitution requires government officials to work toward EU membership, and some have resigned in protests of Kobakhidzes decision. But the EU had already shut down those talks back in June, after the government enacted two concerning laws. The first severely curtailed LGBTQ rights, including abolishing same-sex marriage, the right of same-sex couples to adopt, and media depictions of LGBTQ people. The second targeted nongovernmental organizations and independent press.Both are similar to Russian laws that have significantly curtailed the right to protest and organize, as well as the flow of independent information there. In Georgia, the protest is against ... the Putinist type of governance which is autocratic, which is anti-Western, and tries to generate support among masses through populism, conservatism, and appeal to traditional values and so on, Natalie Sabanadze, senior researcher in the Russia and Eurasia program at UK think tank Chatham House, told Vox. Fundamentally, it is anti-Western, anti-liberal, and it is about one-party rule with fake opposition, and everybody else either leaves the country or is in jail.The US responded forcefully to the pause in accession talks. By suspending Georgias EU accession process, Georgian Dream has rejected the opportunity for closer ties with Europe and made Georgia more vulnerable to the Kremlin, the State Department said in a statement. The Georgian people overwhelmingly support integration with Europe. The EUs response has been less firm; while the bloc regrets the Georgian governments decision to pause the negotiation process and halt EU funding, the statement thus far does not outline consequences for Kobakhidzes decision, nor does it indicate how the EU and Georgian Dream will navigate this crisis if indeed the door to EU accession remains open. That, Sabanadze said, indicates a lack of consensus and a lack of leadership on the EUs part.That lack of clarity and consensus in the face of increasing illiberalism and democratic backsliding weakens its position in the world, Sabanadze said. That is a big blow, in my view, to the EU, as a normative, transformative power, which was very much part of its identity up until now, she said. Georgia declared independence from the Soviet Union in 1991 but has never made a full transition to a consolidated democratic system. There are elections, and there has historically been space for opposition and freedom of expression, especially against the governments more autocratic excesses. But the government and its institutions have taken the character of a hybrid regime a government that uses the democratic processes to consolidate power for the benefit of a select few. The decision to move toward the EU and NATO was initially a pragmatic one, specifically aimed at protecting Georgias sovereignty, which has been tenuous following Putins rise to power; Russia invaded in 2008, destabilizing the countrys democratic transition. The countrys aspirations to join the EU require democratic reforms such as increased judicial independence, as well as fighting disinformation and tackling political polarization none of which are in the interest of an increasingly autocratic government trying to maintain power. Georgian Dream has changed significantly over its 12 years in power, shifting from a progressive multiparty coalition to a right-wing party headed by a billionaire who has threatened to ban opposition parties. Georgian Dream has become increasingly unpopular as it has shifted to the right, consolidated power, and also failed to improve Georgians material conditions; controlling state institutions and polarizing the electorate with extremist disinformation are part of the path to maintaining power. Some, however, see increasingly complex Russian meddling in Georgias affairs, especially following contentious parliamentary elections in October. Outside and internal elections observers reported voting irregularities, and protesters and opposition politicians have called for new elections. But that doesnt necessarily mean Russia is directing the Georgian move toward authoritarianism, both Greene and Sabanadze said: Georgian Dream is also trying to keep hold of power at home.I often say that the government is pro-Russian, maybe not necessarily by intent, but thats definitely the effect, Sabanadze said. So the effect of this is Russia strengthening its position in the South Caucasus, Russia having a regime that its much more comfortable with, that it can do business with. But what motivates the Georgian Dream, whether it is necessarily love for Russia or rapprochement [with] Russia or rather love for power and the ability to and the need to stay there and take Georgia in a different direction, thats a more complex question to be honest.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:

If you were an obsessive video game fan in the summer of 1994, youll remember where you were when Edge magazines August issue dropped. By then, Sony had already announced its intention to develop the PlayStation console the previous October but it was the cover feature in the worlds most forward-looking game publication that really blew open the possibilities of the machine. As well as listing its specifications in full, Edge secured enthusiastic statements of support from Capcom, Namco and Konami. One breathless developer told the mag: Its going to revolutionise the way computers are at the moment. Suddenly, the whole structure of the console games business was being threatened. All it needed was a push.Sonys entry into the video game industry has become the stuff of legend (and probably, one day, the stuff of a passable Netflix movie). In the late 1980s, the company was keen to get a foothold in an increasingly profitable business after the failure of its MSX games computer, so when the chance came up to build a CD-Rom drive for the soon-to-be-released Super Nintendo (SNES) console, Sony leapt at it. In the background, however, Sonys engineering genius Ken Kutaragi, was also designing a standalone system, the PlayStation, capable of playing SNES games as well as a new CD format that Sony itself would control.Nintendo sensed the threat to its hegemony. Consequently, when Sony announced the PlayStation at the giant 1991 Consumer Electronics Show in Chicago, Nintendo immediately revealed that it was in fact cancelling the deal and would instead partner with Philips to produce its SNES-based CD add-on. Sony was left shocked and humiliated; the jilted bride at the tech industrys grand cathedral. Various theories about Nintendos motives have been put forward, but most obviously, this was about a very protective company wresting back control from an ambitious consumer electronics rival. Whatever really happened, the PlayStation was dead. Or was it?Some of the PlayStations first crop of games. Photograph: Lou Benoist/AFP/Getty ImagesWell, no. It wasnt. Instead, a furious Sony scrapped its Nintendo-based tech and Kutaragi began work on a new games machine, codenamed PS-X, designed around a powerful 32-bit Risc processor with a built in co-processor named the Geometry Transformation Engine designed to handle the mathematics of fast, detailed real-time 3D visuals. At this stage, in the early 1990s, the company made two crucial decisions: it signed a development deal with arcade legend Namco to produce titles exclusively for the new PS-X, and it sent its engineers on a worldwide tour of developers, enticing them to support the console with exciting 3D graphics demos. Sony brilliantly capitalised on widespread frustration with Sega and Nintendo, which had spent years locking publishers into restrictive and complex licensing deals, but it also seduced coders and artists with its thrilling tech. By early 1994, it had 250 companies signed up to create games for the machine, battering the meagre support accrued by rival multimedia consoles such as the Philips CDi or 3DO. There was a sense of growing momentum.When the PlayStation launched in Japan in December 1994, it was up against Segas much-anticipated Saturn, an ostensibly similar 32-bit CD-Rom machine, backed by that companys biggest arcade titles, Daytona USA and Virtua Fighter. At first, Sony seemed to falter, the machines domestic launch failing to attract the same sort of chaotic queues that had greeted the Saturn a few weeks earlier. But then, as the US and European launch-dates drew closer, both the hype and the software library grew. Titles such as 3D fighting game Toh Shin Den, platformer Jumping Flash!, and racer Motor Toon Grand Prix showed off the visual potential of the machine, with rich, detail 3D environments and smooth vehicle and character animations. By the close of that year, Wipeout and Tekken had joined the roster beautiful, thrilling games loaded with attitude and perfectly exemplifying the Sony philosophy: if its not real-time, its not a game.From 1996, Sony really began to push the PlayStation as a lifestyle accessory rather than just a kids toy. Sony Londons head of marketing, Geoff Glendenning, famously got the console into nightclubs and music festivals; the huge advertising company TBWA was employed to develop a fresh image for the machine as something cool and desirable, culminating in 1999s award-winning Double Life commercial. But more importantly, the consoles approachable development environment and Sonys excellent support for third-party studios led to an era of fervid experimentation.Look back now at titles such as Resident Evil, Tomb Raider, Tony Hawks Pro Skater and Driver and we see the origins of modern 3D game design: open, explorable worlds, genre-defying design, cinematic narratives. We saw Namco easing into its role as a semi-first-party creator, pushing its Ridge Racer and Tekken franchises to new technical and design heights. We saw Japanese publishers easing away from their restrictive relationships with Nintendo and Sega to bring lavish epics such as Final Fantasy VII and Metal Gear Solid.But vitally, the PlayStation also brought an undercurrent of eccentricity and playfulness. From PaRappa the Rapper to Vib-Ribbon to LSD: Dream Emulator, music and imagery were explored to sometimes bewildering effect. And while twentysomethings loved Tony Hawk and Tekken, children were not left behind this was also the era of lovable cartoon platformers: Jumping Flash, Spyro, Croc and Crash Bandicoot. When Nintendo finally released the N64 in 1996 it found PlayStation had already claimed a large part of its potential audience. Another layer of Sonys long revenge.skip past newsletter promotionSign up to Pushing ButtonsFree weekly newsletterKeza MacDonald's weekly look at the world of gamingPrivacy Notice: Newsletters may contain info about charities, online ads, and content funded by outside parties. For more information see our Privacy Policy. We use Google reCaptcha to protect our website and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.after newsletter promotionKids stuff Crash Bandicoot. Photograph: Universal InteractiveThe original PlayStation would go on to sell 100m units over its 10-year lifespan. It broke the monopoly enjoyed by Sega and Nintendo and it cemented a range of giant gaming franchises that still prosper today. At the time of its launch there was uncertainty over the CD-Rom format, which was slower to access data than cartridges, but Sony used its expertise with music and movie tech to overcome the obstacles and establish the format as the future. Its industrial design was excellent a sleek, grey machine that fitted in beside your TV and video recorder in the living room; an innovative joypad; those cute little memory cards; that start-up animation with its swell of music. The TV ads made you want one, the launch price ($299 compared to the Saturns $399) made it accessible.But when you look back at that Edge magazine feature, published months before the Japanese launch and followed by many other similar assessments in the gaming press, it already felt as if something momentous was happening. The quotes, the specs, the demo screenshots seeming to lift from the pages. If the success of the PlayStation wasnt inevitable at that point, it was as near as you will ever get in the notoriously unpredictable business of video games.

All good things must come to an end, and Xbox Game Pass subscribers have a limited window to play these games on console, cloud and PC before they're gone from the service

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Is the secret to Sonys future success in its past? (Sony)What should be a time of celebration for PlayStation is overshadowed by a lacklustre year and a surprisingly uncertain future.In June 2023, during Microsofts legal battle with the Federal Trade Commission, over its acquisition of Activision Blizzard, it made the surprising admission that it had lost the console war to Sony.Admittedly, Microsoft was doing all it could to paint itself as a helpless underdog, to help push the acquisition through, but when looking at the state of both companies, its hard to argue that Microsoft was wrong.The PlayStation brand is on top of the world right now, at least from a financial perspective, with the PlayStation 5 more than doubling sales of the Xbox Series X. But with Microsoft seemingly throwing in the towel, Sony has no one to surpass, which creates more problems than youd imagine.For the record, Microsoft hasnt entirely given up on making Xbox hardware, with its plans including a new handheld and a next gen device (which may be the same thing). However, there are signs its acknowledged it cant beat Sony on that front.Not only have we seen prominent Xbox exclusives, like Sea Of Thieves and the upcoming Indiana Jones game, go multiplatform, but Microsoft is openly advertising how youll no longer need an Xbox console to play its games.As controversial as this has been for dedicated Xbox owners, its a logical direction for Microsoft, that could well be beneficial in the long-run. As such, its clear Xbox is no longer playing by the same rules as Sony, whose own future plans for hardware are far less defined.Sure, the PlayStation 6 will be a thing at some point, but the few vague comments Sony has made about it only suggest itll be a technological improvement over the PlayStation 5. An Xbox handheld, by comparison, sounds more appealing just by virtue of being able to play Xbox games on the go.Unless it offers anything more substantial than better graphics, its difficult to imagine anyone but the most diehard of Sony fans putting money down for a PlayStation 6. Especially if consoles do get more expensive thanks to Donald Trumps proposed tariffs.People will point to how well the PlayStation 5 Pro has reportedly sold, but it was only ever designed as a niche product. Only those who want the best possible visuals will have shown an interest while the average gamer or parent looking for a birthday/Christmas gift understandably scoffed at its 700 asking price.Were inclined to agree with former PlayStation America boss Shawn Layden, who believes the race for more advanced and powerful gaming consoles has ended.It has plateaued, Layden told VGC in an October interview, Were at the stage of hardware development that I call only dogs can hear the difference. Jacking up the specs of the box, I think weve reached the ceiling.Sony cannot solely rely on the specs of new hardware. They need to either have some distinct gimmick (even something simple like the rumoured PlayStation 5 handheld would go down a treat) or, as Layden has suggested, compete on content i.e. offer enticing exclusives that people will want to buy a new PlayStation console for.Or, in other words, what they had been doing during the PlayStation 4 generation, that drove them to new heights of success, and then inexplicably stopped doing halfway through this generation.The strategy of just make good games is one of those no duh statements, but when you look at Sonys current output, its easy to assume the companys grown allergic to making *any* kind of new games.At the time of writing, the only first party exclusive scheduled for 2025 is the long awaited Ghost Of Tsushima sequel, Ghost Of Ytei.Beyond that, theres Insomniacs Wolverine game, which still lacks a release date three years after its reveal, and two more cracks at the live service multiplayer shooter genre in FairGame$ and Bungies Marathon reboot, but its hard to be optimistic about either of them considering what happened to Concord.This comes after an extremely quiet year for the company, which has mostly relied on remasters, re-releases, and second and third party output. The only wholly original first party PlayStation exclusives fans have enjoyed this year were Astro Bot and Concord, and one of those you cant play anymore.Yes, there was also MLB The Show 24 and Lego Horizon Adventures, but those are available on other platforms too. Its actually baffling that Sony has no other major releases for the Christmas period, with both Microsoft and Nintendo managing better.It makes what should be such a celebratory year for the PlayStation brand feel so lacklustre, especially when Sony has given PlayStation owners little reason to have faith in its gaming future.Its plans to capitalise on the live service games space seem to have ended before they began. Remember when it promised 12 such games by 2026? That claim has aged horrendously, with most of those projects rumoured to have been quietly cancelled.In addition, Sony was constantly talking about breaking into the mobile games space, but that doesnt seem to have worked out either. One mobile studio it bought got shut down alongside Concord developer Firewalk Studios and aside from a LittleBigPlanet endless runner, Sonys yet to announce or release any mobile titles.To a casual observer, youd think Sony was in dire financial straits, but it really isnt. In fact, right now its contemplating spending billions to acquire the developer behind Elden Ring.PlayStation owners are understandably frustrated with how little Sonys offering at the moment, and its doubtful the PlayStation brand can keep relying on just one exclusive a year, sandwiched between remasters of games barely a decade old.The hope is that Sony has secretly rethought its strategy. In an earnings report from Sony last month, senior vice president for finance and IR Sadahiko Hayakawa had this to say: We intend to build on an optimum title portfolio during the current mid-range plan period, that combines single-player games, which are our strength and which have a higher predictability of becoming hits due to our proven IP, with live service games that pursue upside, while taking on a certain amount of risk upon release.More TrendingA generous reading of this is that Sony is going to return to what had worked out well for years and refocus on single-player games and not get too hung up on pumping out as many live service games as it can.If thats the case, then the ongoing silence is more understandable. Its taking time to build up a new portfolio of games; ones it ideally can tease via a dedicated showcase next year.It certainly needs to give PlayStation owners something. 2025 will no doubt be a big year for Nintendo, with the Switch 2s launch, and Microsoft has a handful of first party releases its at least aiming to have out in 2026, including the long-awaited Fable reboot.With any luck, this awkward time for Sony will prove to be just a momentary bump in the road, and hopefully therell be more to celebrate next year other than just birthdays and expensive new console models. Hopefully, Ghost Of Ytei wont be all Sony has for 2025 (Sony)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.ArrowMORE: 30 years later, PlayStation has lost its edgeGameCentralExclusive 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

Which PlayStation is your favourite? (Sony Interactive Entertainment)The Wednesday letters page doubts whether any Nintendo Switch 2 rumour is true, as a reader worries what will happen to MachIneGames if Indiana Jones is a flop.To join in with the discussions yourself email gamecentral@metro.co.ukFavourite StationA strange sort of anniversary for the PlayStation. I see we didnt get any announcements or a State of Play or anything, which means in the end the only thing of note was the new retro start-up sequence for the PlayStation 5, which I have to admit is pretty cool.Hopefully Sony have more important things to worry about now though, especially with all these rumours of a PS5 Portable. Im not sure I understand them though, because if thats a long way off then whats the PlayStation 6 going to be? Does that mean there wont be a PlayStation 6 or that itll be like the GameCube to the Wii, where they basically stayed the same power from one generation to the next?No one knows but one sensible question we can ask, which Ive been pondering this week, is which is the best PlayStation console? As important as it is I cant say its the first for me and I doubt many people would say PlayStation 3 or 5. So that puts it down to 2 and 4, in my book. Im not one to let nostalgia cloud my judgement but Id say its pretty obviously the PlayStation 4, thanks to its amazing catalogue of games. Curious to know what other people think though.JoemonOuroboros of newsSo, we have more leaks from China that seem to imply that the Nintendo Switch 2 looks and works like the original. Im not saying thats unlikely but how do we know these new cases, which are clearly not official, are not just copying the rumours and trying to get ahead of the game? People will probably buy them anyway or at least thats what the makers will think so whether they fit the console is going to be irrelevant.I just feel like were going in circles with the Switch 2 rumours and we have no guarantee that any of it is true. I mean, none of it was for a reveal this year and while I understand plans couldve changed, I doubt they did and that it was probably always Nintendos plan to say nothing this year and just have everyone talking and theorising for as long as possible, building up the hype but never really knowing whats going on.TacleFoot soldierRE: Foot obsession. I never think of Quentin Tarantino, Its definitely Miyazaki Im thinking of.At first, I thought it was a running joke from the r/shittydarksouls subreddit. But when I started a fresh playthrough I started noticing bare feet all over the shop.Not just that, but in some cut scenes, particularly Morgott and the divine dancing lion, the camera zooms in on their bare feet and kind of lingers, longingly for a moment.Enia isnt shy about swinging them in the Tarnisheds face and thats just off the top of my head. When you are aware of it you start noticing it.I dont remember it in Bloodborne or Dark Souls 1 and 3 but apparently the bare nekkid feet are in that as well.Im telling you, the FromSoft games are all about the divine nature of feet.P.EllaEmail your comments to: gamecentral@metro.co.ukSecond birthdayTalking of 30ths. Need For Speeds European 3DO release was 30 years ago on the 2nd of December 1994.I had a 3DO, as a joint present with my brothers. Its considered one of the worst consoles released but I loved it, and it had some excellent games. Going from the SNES to the 3DO felt like a big jump.I think its part of why the first PlayStation doesnt hold a huge place in my personal gaming highlight reel. Id tasted 3D gaming before the PlayStation showed up on these shores, along with FMV and pre-rendered footage.The arcade games I wanted most in the home experience were Segas. Its a shame Sega couldnt quite convert that stellar arcade form to the home consoles. Then the N64 turned up and thats where my focus was for the rest of the 90s.My first strongest gaming memory of PlayStation is the Metal Gear Solid 2 demo. But a Sony console wasnt my main console until last gen, with the PlayStation 4. But I write this now surrounded by a PlayStation 3, PS4 Pro, PlayStation VR, PS5 Pro, and PlayStation VR2. Sonys machines are where 90% of my gaming has been done for a decade now.Simundo Not quite as successful as the PlayStation (Wikipedia)Clash of the titansLong time reader of GameCentral, first time writer. Really enjoyed the recent article on the importance of the original PlayStation. 30 years ago, and it only seems like yesterday. Ridge Racer was great but not a patch on Sega Rally!I actually think the NES (in Japan and especially the US) has had a greater longer-term impact. Without Nintendo rescuing the market after Atari tanked, would PlayStation have even existed? Maybe. Maybe not. Glad the two companies are going strong.Dan AGC: It is the other obvious contender, but the market crash was limited solely to the US and the NES in general was not widely successful in Europe. The original PlayStation was a worldwide phenomenon and changed almost every aspect of gaming at the time.Risks and consequencesEverything Ive seen and heard about Indiana Jones And The Great Circle makes it sounds great but like many have said I cant imagine it selling well, especially not when its only an Xbox exclusive. Combine that with the last Indiana Jones movie being a flop and my biggest concern is whats going to happen to MachineGames, who have been working on this for ages, but I dont think have really had a major hit since the original Wolfenstein reboot, since I dont think the second one did that great or we wouldve had another one.Well have to wait until Indy is out on PlayStation 5 as well, but if that flops on that too is Microsoft going to shut down MachineGames? How much leeway are they going to give any of their developers from now on? They shut down Tango Gameworks despite them making a critically acclaimed game that cant have cost much money, so who does that mean is safe?This is the problem with giant companies buying developers, because the developer will always be small beans to them and an easy sacrifice for that years sales results. Were seeing the same thing happen with Bungie, where Sony paid a lot of money for them but doesnt seem to care what happens to them now and is almost certainly going to break the studio up and move the people around to other projects. It shouldnt be allowed.Tony T.Origin of EvilI remember the first PlayStation with such fondness. Tomb Raider, Gran Turismo, and WipEout all felt like life-like graphics at the time and, of course, Resident Evil was way ahead of the time. Although it used pre-rendered backdrops, such a game of horror had never existedI never got on with Metal Gear Solid gameplay though, just not for me. Magical times. Have a great safe Xmas and thanks for everything over the last year all the best.TWO MACKSGC: Actually, Resident Evil took almost all its gameplay and presentational cues, including the static backdrops, from Alone In The Dark, which was released four years prior.Nothing but newI really hope that FromSoftware is not distracted by Sony trying to buy them or changing how they work, because Im really looking forward to seeing what theyre going to do after Elden Ring blew up for them. Shadow Of The Erdtree was great as well but whats exciting about now is that theyve said theyre not doing a sequel, Dark Souls is already over, and Sony hates Bloodborne.So that means that whatevers coming next has to be something new. Theyve said theyre working on multiple games so even if some are remasters or spin-offs the odds are that they are making at least one new IP, as theyve often done in the past.I really do think FromSoftware is my favourite developer working today and Ive never been disappointed by anything theyve ever done (well, I never got to play that VR game). Im sure weve got some remasters on the way, and the rumours of Dark Souls 3 sounded believable enough, but I just want them to be pushing forward and always trying new ideas.I realise most of their games are broadly the same but theres still a huge difference between Bloodborne and Elden Ring, so I want to see them do something else amazing and new too.GordotInbox also-ransIm loving the original PS1 start up theme on the PlayStation 5 for the 30th anniversary. Sony really need to make this a permanent option. Inbox magic, do your stuff.Solaire of AstoraRE: Waxmans letter about vampires in video games. Might I suggest he try out Vampyr, which is a pretty decent game where you play as the vamp and sounds exactly like what hes after.SamMore 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